The Disney Look... to the Past! (November 22-28)

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the weekly feature known as "The Disney Look... to the Past!"

Enjoy reading all of the following interesting facts about the Walt Disney Parks, Resorts, Movies, and more:

________________________________________________________________________________________________

This Week in Disney History: November 22 - 28

Nov. 22, 1995 — Disney-Pixar releases “Toy Story”

Sheriff Woody leads the playful residents of Andy’s room, encouraging plastic corrosion awareness and leading reconnaissance missions to find out about incoming toys. And Andy’s latest birthday present is about to change Woody’s comfortable world. Buzz Lightyear, a slick intergalactic space ranger, doesn’t quite understand that he’s a child’s plaything. But when a wild caper lands Woody and Buzz in the clutches of their sinister neighbor, Sid, both learn the power of friendship. At the release of “Toy Story,” Pixar Animation Studios was based in cramped offices in Richmond, Calif., and was best known for producing commercials and short films. With John Lasseter directing, the film was not just Pixar’s first full-length feature, but the first to be completely computer animated. It would become the highest-grossing film of 1995 and the beginning of a trilogy that inspired multiple Disney theme park attractions. Widely considered one of the most influential films in animation history, “Toy Story” was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 2005.

Nov. 27, 1996 - Walt Disney Pictures releases the live-action version of “101 Dalmatians”

“101 Dalmatians” is a family comedy written and produced by John Hughes, and is the live action remake of the 1961 animated feature. When the evil villainess, Cruella de Vil (played by Glenn Close in the film) decides she wants to make coats out of real Dalmatian fur, her and her henchmen Jasper and Horace devise a plot to capture Pongo and Perdita’s 15 puppies from their home and store them in her country estate. With the help of other dogs and animals scattered throughout London, the puppies manage to escape, leaving Cruella with the Metropolitan Police Service. Close’s role had previously been offered to Sigourney Weaver, but Close took it after finishing her run in the musical Sunset Boulevard. “101 Dalmatians” was released on VHS for the first time on April 15, 1997 and was re-released in 2008 due to high sales. A sequel debuted the same year and the film went on to inspire an animated series originally on Toon Disney and a video game, “102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue.”

Also this week in Disney history:

Nov. 22

1974 - The Lake Buena Vista Club opens at the Walt Disney World Resort 

1989 - The Walt Disney World Swan opens to Guests

1991 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Beauty and the Beast”

1991 - “Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage” debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

1994 - Disney’s All-Star Music Resort opens at Walt Disney World

1995 - Disney?Pixar releases “Toy Story”

Nov. 23

1966 - Walt Disney goes to the Disney Studios in Burbank for the last time

1989 - Star Tours opens at Tokyo Disneyland

1998 - Kona Cafe (formerly Coral Isle Café) opens at Disney’s Polynesian Resort

2011 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Muppets”

Nov. 24

1995 - The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

1999 - Disney?Pixar releases “Toy Story 2”

2010 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Tangled,” the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 50th full-length feature

Nov. 25

1938 - “Ferdinand the Bull” (animated short) debuts 

1971 - America the Beautiful, a Circle-Vision 360 film, opens at Magic Kingdom Park

1987 - Touchstone Pictures releases “Three Men and a Baby”

1992 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Aladdin”

1996 - The Main Street Electrical Parade runs for the last time at Disneyland Park

Nov. 26

1943 - “Home Defense” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

1958 - “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” debuts as a theatrical feature (without the Mr. Toad segment from “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad”)

1996 - Magic Kingdom Park leaders officially commission the Liberty Belle riverboat in Liberty Square

2003 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Haunted Mansion,” starring Eddie Murphy

Nov. 27

1996 - Walt Disney Pictures releases the live-action version of “101 Dalmatians”

1997 - it’s a small world at Disneyland Park receives its first holiday overlay

2002 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Treasure Planet”

Nov. 28

1947 - “Chip an’ Dale” (short) debuts

1974 - StarJets open at the Magic Kingdom Park

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading, and have a great rest of your weekend!

All photos and information subject to the copyright of the Walt Disney Company. All rights reserved.