This Week in Disney History: March 12-18

There’s always a great, big, beautiful tomorrow at The Walt Disney Company, because every day is tied to a milestone in the heritage and rich history of a company that has been entertaining millions of people every year. Published every week, this interesting series features highlights from all the divisions of The Walt Disney Company. Let's see what happened this week:

This week: Ten years since Disney-Pixar pals debut in parades on both coasts

This week in Disney history saw a lot of singing, dancing and playing with the official debut of two Pixar-inspired parades happening on the same date. On March 14, 2008, “Pixar Play Parade” launched Park at Disneyland Resort and “Block Party Bash” stepped off at Walt Disney World Resort. “Block Party Bash” had originally been a part of Disney California Adventure Park, but the party made its way to Florida and brought its high-energy songs to the streets of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The parade featured show stops that allowed Guests to dance along with some of their favorite Disney-Pixar characters. Over on the west coast, “Pixar Play Parade” also opened and brought a whimsical flurry of friends to Disney California Adventure Park. The parade included original and classic songs and featured several larger-than-life floats that put a playful twist on locations from the films. Wish you could go back in time 10 years to see it? You don’t have to! “Pixar Play Parade” will make its return this spring as part of Pixar Fest at Disneyland Resort.

March 12

1943 – “Flying Jalopy” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

1954 – “Stormy, the Thoroughbred with an Inferiority Complex” (featurette) debuts

1961 – “Daniel Boone [III.] The Wilderness Road” (television show) airs

1964 – Walt Disney Productions releases “A Tiger Walks”

1978 – “Trail of Danger” (two-part television show) airs

1993 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “A Far Off Place”

1993 – “Trail Mix-Up” (Roger Rabbit cartoon short) debuts

1999 – Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf opens at the Walt Disney World Resort

2000 – “Model Behavior” (television movie) debuts on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC

2013 – Fantasy Faire opens in Disneyland Park, introducing Maurice’s Treats, Fairytale Treasures, the Royal Theater and Royal Hall

March 13

1937 – “Woodland Café” (Silly Symphony) debuts

1959 – “Highway to Trouble” (television show) airs

1966 – “Run, Light Buck, Run” (television show) airs

1969 – Walt Disney Productions releases “The Love Bug”

1977 – “The Ghost of Cypress Swamp” (television movie) airs

1997 – “Hiller and Diller” (television series) debuts on ABC

2009 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Race to Witch Mountain”

2013 – “Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex” (Disney Channel special event) airs

2015 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Cinderella” domestically

March 14

1935 – “Broken Toys” (Silly Symphony) debuts

1976 – “The Flight of the Grey Wolf” (two-part television show) airs

2004 – “Celeste in the City” (television movie) airs

2008 – “Block Party Bash” officially debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort

2008 – “Pixar Play Parade” officially debuts at Disney California Adventure Park in Disneyland Resort

March 15

1940 – “The Riveter” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

1987 – “Young Harry Houdini” (television show) debuts

1991 – Disney Afternoon Avenue debuts at Disneyland Park

1998 – “PB&J Otter” (television series) debuts on Disney Channel

1999 – “Disney’s Doug Live” opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort

2001 – The 450 millionth Guest visits Disneyland Park

2005 – “Jack-Jack Attack” (Pixar animated short) debuts

2007 – “October Road” (television series) debuts on ABC

March 16

1935 – “Mickey’s Service Station” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts

1945 – “Dog Watch” (Pluto cartoon short) debuts

1960 – “Islands of the Sea” (documentary featurette) debuts

1961 – “The Saga of Windwagon Smith” (special cartoon) debuts

1961 – Walt Disney Productions releases “The Absent-Minded Professor”

1974 – “Magic Carpet ‘Round the World” opens at Magic Kingdom Park

1975 – “Deacon, the High Noon Dog” (television show) debuts

2002 – Walt Disney Studios Park opens at Disneyland Paris

March 17

1931 – “Traffic Troubles” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts

1939 – “Goofy and Wilbur” (Goofy cartoon short) debuts

1968 – “The Ranger of Brownstone” (television show) airs

1971 – Walt Disney Productions releases “The Barefoot Executive”

1982 – “Herbie, the Love Bug” (limited television series) airs

1991 – World News Center opens in Epcot

1999 – The grand opening of Test Track is held at Epcot

2002 – “Snow White: The Fairest of Them All” (television movie) debuts on the Wonderful World of Disney on ABC

2005 – “Cinderellabration” opens in front of Cinderella Castle  at Magic Kingdom Park

2016 – Oasis Bar & Grill opens at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World Resort

2017 – Walt Disney Pictures releases a live-action retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” domestically

2017 – “Marvel’s Iron Fist” (Netflix series) is released

March 18

1933 – “Mickey’s Mellerdrammer” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts

1967 – Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and Blue Bayou Restaurant open at Disneyland Park

1973 – “The Boy and the Bronc Buster” (two-part television show) airs

1997 – “Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves” (direct-to-video live-action film) is released

2000 – “Alley Cats Strike!” (Disney Channel Original Movie) debuts

2001 – “Bailey’s Mistake” (television movie) debuts on The Wonderful World of Disney on ABC

2005 – Walt Disney Pictures releases “Ice Princess”

2005 – “The Suite Life of Zach & Cody” (television series) debuts on Disney Channel

2014 – “Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe” (television documentary) airs on ABC

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