This Week in Disney History: February 22-28

Sorry I did not realize how behind I was on these! :-D

February 23, 1935: "The Band Concert" debuts
This Silly Symphony short marked Mickey Mouse's first appearance in color, leading an orchestra of Disney all-stars in a rousing rendition of The William Tell Overture. Donald Duck, on hand to sell ice cream, produces a flute and attempts to lead the company into a different song. Mickey fights back by leading the orchestra into "The Storm" section of the overture, summoning an actual tornado that sweeps up the band members; Donald, despite his seemingly inexhaustible supply of replacement flutes, as usual fails to get the last laugh. The classic cartoon provided the inspiration for Silly Symphony Swings, opening at Disney's California Adventure Park this spring.

February 28, 1996: Disney acquires Gorda Cay (now Castaway Cay)
Located in the Great Abaco Islands chain in the northern Bahamas, Gorda Cay was first inhabited in 1784 by European settlers in exile from the American Revolution. Two centuries later, the island was a shooting location for the 1984 Disney film Splash; just over two decades later, it was acquired by Disney to create a private paradise for Disney Cruise Line guests. Opened in 1998, Castaway Cay is part of every Port Canaveral-based itinerary, featuring white sand beaches, open-air barbeque dining, and an array of activities including kayaking, biking and parasailing. Although set to add several new features in 2010, nearly all of Castaway Cay remains in its pristine natural beauty, as only 55 of the island's 1,000 acres are developed.

February 22:
1996 - Disney.com launches on the Internet
2009 - Wall-E wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film

February 23:
1939 - Walt Disney receives a special Academy Award for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2004 - "Snow White - An Enchanting Musical" debuts at Disneyland Park

February 24:
1939 - "The Practical Pig," a Disney's Silly Symphony cartoon, debuts
1985 - Disney Clothiers, Ltd. opens on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park

February 25:
1938 - "Boat Builders" (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts
1965 - Mary Poppins receives 13 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture

February 26:
1998 - Official All Star Cafe opens at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex
2006 - "The Timekeeper" CircleVision film permanently closes at Magic Kingdom Park

February 27:
1992 - Elizabeth Taylor holds her 60th birthday party at Disneyland Park
1996 - Walt Disney World announces it will host Atlanta Braves spring training beginning with the 1998 season
1998 - Disney's Animal Kingdom passes its first inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture, officially licensing the park to be an animal exhibitor

February 28:
1993 - "Bonkers" debuts on the Disney Channel
2004 - The Earl of Sandwich Shop opens in Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World

This Week in Disney History: February 15-21

Feb. 15, 1950: Walt Disney Pictures releases Cinderella
Thirteen years after the international phenomenon of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney introduced another unlikely heroine as his second princess. Forced to tend to every whim of a wicked stepmother and two ungrateful stepsisters, Cinderella catches the attention of her Prince Charming with the help of singing birds, sewing mice and a timely assist from her Fairy Godmother. Though the folk tale traces back to ancient Greece, 17th century French author Charles Perrault added classic touches like the pumpkin and glass slippers. Cinderella is the namesake of two Disney Parks castles, including the one in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World.

Feb. 17, 2004: Disney announces the purchase of The Muppets
Jim Henson's first television show featured a cast of puppets including a green, not yet frog-like character named Kermit. After gaining flippers and his trademark collar, Kermit helmed the early seasons of Henson's Sesame Street, then starred in the worldwide hit The Muppet Show which introduced the prima donna Miss Piggy, hopeless comedian Fozzie Bear and consummate weirdo Gonzo. After a lengthy partnership that included the theme park attraction Muppet*Vision 3D, Disney acquired The Muppets in 2004, and Kermit and the gang have stayed busy. Besides working on their upcoming movie and frequently adding clips to their YouTube channel, The Muppets were the first official volunteers through "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." for Disney Parks.

February 15:
1899 - Lillian Bounds (Walt Disney's wife) is born

February 16:
1996 - Walt Disney Pictures releases Muppet Treasure Island
2000 - Disneyland Park kicks off its 45th anniversary celebration

February 17:
1995 - Walt Disney Pictures releases Heavyweights
1998 - Disney-MGM Studios hosts the ground breaking for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

February 18:
1960 - The Winter Olympics opening ceremony, produced by Walt Disney, is held in Squaw Valley, California
2000 - The "45 Years of Magic" parade and "Believe… There's Magic in the Stars" fireworks show debut at Disneyland Park

February 19:
1985 - Mickey Mouse visits China in commemoration of Disneyland Park's 30th anniversary

February 20:
1986 - WED Enterprises is renamed Walt Disney Imagineering

February 21:
1997 - The first Club Disney opens in Thousand Oaks, California
(c) Disney

HAVE A MAGICAL WEEK!

A Case of the "Mondays"

Today for me was a Monday... as I had just finished my two days off. Today was not a magical day to say the least... For starters the high was only 50 (yes, yes I know how cold it is back home, but 50 is COLD for down here!) and rainy all day. I started my day at the anteater position (Southern Giant Anteater to be specific) and along comes by the VP for Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives for Disney's Animal Kingdom... she is second in line behind the VP for Animal Kingdom itself. She was also with several people who looked very important. They talked with me breifly, and then I went to talk to some guests. One guest asked where the anteater was from, and I replied with South America. Generally we just say ranges, because it is easier for everyone to remember, but ranges also do not satisfy some people. She wanted to know specifically where in South America they were found, where I replied Western South America, like Brazil. (for those of you who are rusty in their geography Brazil is in Eastern South America). The guest called me out on this, and I corrected myself and apologized. All of this in front of the VP and her posse. I was embarrassed to say the least. It was nice to meet Jackie (the VP) anyhow.

The day continued to spiral downhill when I forgot the stamp and prop bag for the KDC I was going to. So, I had to call in to my supervisor and had to advise of the situation, which was also embarrassing. Things just continued to go wrong from here, and there are too many to name.

On top of everything I feel like I am getting sick. I am hoping it is just from standing in the cold rain all day, and when I wake up tomorrow I will be feeling all better. :-)

This Week in Disney History: February 8-14

So, I have discovered something on Disney's intranet site called this week in Disney history. I have found it very interesting, and hope some of you will too.

February 8, 2001: Disney's California Adventure Park opens
After six years of planning and three years of construction, the first official guests stepped through the turnstiles of Sunshine Plaza to experience three distinct lands inspired by the beauty and diversity of California: Golden State, featuring the breathtaking hang glider ride Soarin' Over California; Hollywood Pictures Backlot, taking visitors into the magical world of Disney filmmaking; and Paradise Pier, a Victorian-inspired beachfront boardwalk anchored by the thrilling roller coaster California Screamin'. Now in the midst of a dynamic transformation, the park will add the breathtaking nighttime water show, "Disney's World of Color," this spring.

February 8, 2006: Disney reacquires Oswald the Lucky Rabbit from NBC Universal
Before there was Mickey, there was Oswald - the lighthearted, red-trunked star of 26 silent cartoons made by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks from 1927-1928. After losing the rights to distributor Universal, Disney would draw another lighthearted, red-trunked character who debuted in "Steamboat Willie," and the rest is history. Universal continued producing Oswald shorts and eventually discontinued the series in 1943, but six decades later, Disney reacquired the Oswald rights in a deal which moved sportscaster Al Michaels to NBC's football coverage. Now, Oswald is set to star again in Epic Mickey, the upcoming game for Nintendo Wii from Disney Interactive Studios.

February 8:
1952 -The Disney animated short "Lambert, the Sheepish Lion" debuts

February 9:
1986 -The 3-D film "Magic Journeys" closes at Epcot
1996 -The Disney Institute learning campus opens at Walt Disney World

February 10:
1960 -The Stagecoach Line attraction closes at Disneyland Park

February 11:
2000 -Walt Disney Pictures releases The Tigger Movie
2003 -Disney receives 44 Academy Award nominations, including 13 for Chicago and 10 for Gangs of New York

February 12:
1958 -The steel hull of Disneyland Park's Sailing Ship Columbia is completed at a shipyard in Long Beach, Calif.

February 13:
1993 -Lumiere's Kitchen (formerly Gurgi's Munchies & Crunchies) opens at Magic Kingdom Park
2000 -Pin Trading is officially introduced at the Disneyland Resort
2004 -The Hollywood Tower Hotel marquee is lit for the first time on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's California Adventure Park

February 14:
1997 -Walt Disney Pictures releases a remake of That Darn Cat
1998 -Ghiradelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop opens at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World
2009 -The American Idol Experience opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios
(c) Disney

Shuttle Launch Scrubbed

Tonight we discovered there was a shuttle launch that was supposed to take off at 0439. So, at the last minute we decided to go see it. I have always wanted to see a shuttle launch, and a night shuttle launch would have been very impressing to see! So, with a few complications with security, and us not having any idea of what we were doing, we arrived at a parking lot to view the shuttle launch around 0230. It was a little chilly out, so we sat in the car and talked and listened to the radio. We unfortunately could not see the launch pad from where we were. We were following NASA on Twitter, and they kept going from "green" to "red" because of the cloud cover. At about 0425 this very elderly woman who looked similar to the wicked witch of the west (no offense meant by the reference) was running around screaming "It's Scrubbed it's scrubbed" and then floored it out of the parking lot... i surmise you had to have been there to see how humorous it really was. We checked Twitter, and NASA had not posted anything yet and still said it was "green." Well, at 0430 NASA offically scrubbed the launch due to cloud cover. The celing was 37,000 feet, and it needed to be 40,000 feet in order to launch. So, that was a disappointment. The following morning the launch was scheduled to go off at 0414. I decided not to go and do the responsible thing because I had to work in the morning, and didn't think I would have enough energy to function at work. Everyone who went is bragging about how cool it was, but I surmise I made the right decision. I really regret not seeing it though. The next launch is scheduled for when I will be back home, so I will not be able to see that, and then the last launch of the year is scheduled for my birthday. I am hoping to get my birthday off anyway, and I really want to get tickets to see the launch at the space center... this would be an awesome birthday... but with my luck I am sure it will be scrubbed again.

Family Visits

Today was the first day of the weekend. I started off going "pin hunting" with someone in my program. We were looking for the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund pins, and had some success. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is still out! It has been over a month now, which is an embarrassment for them. But we went to EPCOT so she could get some of the other pins that I already had. The rest of the day was spent with family who was already coming down. I gave a short little tour of DAK, and had a really good day. I enjoyed spending the day with them, and didn't get sick from Wayne! :-)

The day was topped of with getting my picture with Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore.

Babby White-Cheeked Gibbon

One of my assignments is to be an "animal interpreter" for the Guests at Disney's Animal Kingdom. On Tuesday, February, 2, 2010 our white-cheeked gibbon gave birth. One of my animal stations is for the White-Cheeked Gibbons, so I have the pleasure of seeing them, and their newborn while I am working.

The official Disney statement is as follows:

Guests visiting Asia at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park can get a glimpse of the latest addition to the park's family - a male white-cheeked gibbon that was born Feb. 2.

Mother Melaka and her baby, who hasn't been named yet, are doing well. Guests can see them and the baby's two sisters, Suki and Tuyen, in their habitat near Kali River Rapids.

White-cheeked gibbons, an endangered species mainly found Vietnam and China, produce offspring about once every two-to-three years after seven or eight months of gestation. Generally, females give birth to a single offspring. Infants have the ability to cling to their mothers immediately after birth, which allows females complete range of motion while moving about the forest with their offspring. Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park participates in a gibbon Species Survival Plan program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. (c) Disney