This Week in Disney History: September 27 - October 3, 2020
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:
October 1, 1971 - Walt Disney World Resort officially opens
As well received as Disneyland Park was, Walt Disney had not planned for the encroachment of the real world upon his original Magic Kingdom, and the berm that surrounded the park didn't always hide nearby Interstate 5 or the growing number of hotels just across Harbor Boulevard. In addition, only a small percentage of the park's guests visited from east of the Mississippi River, leaving a broad market waiting to be tapped into. Walt flew over a site southwest of Orlando for the first time in November 1963, noting the freeways under construction and nearby McCoy Air Force Base as a hub for air travel, and knew it was the perfect location for his second park.
Longing for control of the entire environment surrounding this venture, Disney began secretly purchasing thousands of acres under false company names like the Ayefour ("I-4") Corporation. On October 20, 1965, the true identity of these false companies was leaked to the Orlando Sentinel; on November 15, Walt Disney held a press conference at the Cherry Plaza Hotel in Orlando, announcing the Disney World project. It would encompass a Disneyland-style theme park and an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, along with two resort hotels and a campground. With 27,400 acres to build upon, the site would be big enough for any idea Walt and his Imagineers could ever dream up.
Of course, Walt didn't live to see this dream realized, passing away in 1966. His older brother Roy, who largely handled the financial side of the company's affairs, postponed his retirement to assume the role of chairman and oversee construction of the massive project, which ultimately saw "EPCOT" deferred until 1982. Conscious of Disneyland Park's nightmarish "Black Sunday" opening in mid-summer, the off-season opening date of Friday, October 1, 1971 was deliberate. William Windsor, Jr. and his family slept in their car overnight to be the first of approximately 10,000 guests admitted that day to the Magic Kingdom, with its centerpiece 189-foot Cinderella Castle. Also opening that day were Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort (nee Polynesian Village), built in partnership with U.S. Steel and connected to the Magic Kingdom via monorail, along with Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground.
Also this week in Disney history:
September 27Â Â Â
1947Â -Â Walt Disney Pictures releases Fun and Fancy Free
1998Â -Â SuperStar Television closes at the Disney-MGM StudiosÂ
2008Â -Â The first runDisney Expedition Everest Challenge is held at Disney's Animal Kingdom
2008Â -Â The Adventurers Club officially closes in Downtown Disney; private performances continued into 2009Â
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September 28Â Â Â
1997Â -Â "The Wonderful World of Disney" premieres on ABC
2001Â -Â The expanded Emporium opens at the Magic Kingdom Park, putting the entire west side of Main Street, U.S.A. under one roof
2009Â -Â The Disney Parks Blog debutsÂ
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September 29Â Â Â
1994Â -Â Innoventions officially opens at Epcot
2000Â -Â Walt Disney Pictures releases "Remember the Titans"
2009Â -Â Disney announces the "Give a Day, Get A Disney Day." volunteer program
2000Â -Â Walt Disney Pictures releases "Remember the Titans"
2009Â -Â Disney announces the "Give a Day, Get A Disney Day." volunteer program
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September 30Â Â Â
1983Â -Â The American Egg House restaurant is open for the last day at Disneyland ParkÂ
1999Â -Â Millennium Village opens at Epcot
1999 - Tangierine Café, a quick-service restaurant in Morocco at Epcot, opens.
2001Â -Â "Alias" debuts on ABC
1999 - Tangierine Café, a quick-service restaurant in Morocco at Epcot, opens.
2001Â -Â "Alias" debuts on ABC
2003Â -Â Mickey's PhilharMagic soft-opens at Magic Kingdom Park
2005Â -Â Michael Eisner officially retires from The Walt Disney Company
2006Â -Â The Happiest Celebration on Earth (commemorating Disneyland Park's 50th anniversary) ends
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October 1Â Â Â
1971Â -Â The Walt Disney World Resort officially opens, including Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Resort and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & CampgroundÂ
1982Â -Â EPCOT Center officially opens
1988Â -Â Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort officially opens
1991Â -Â SpectroMagic debuts at Magic Kingdom Park
1992Â -Â Critter Country, including Splash Mountain and the Beaver Bros. Canoes, opens at Tokyo Disneyland Park
1993Â -Â Walt Disney Pictures releases Cool Runnings
1994Â -Â Euro Disneyland Paris becomes Disneyland Paris
1996 - Disney's BoardWalk officially opens Â
1998Â -Â Fantasmic! debuts at the Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios)
1999Â -Â The Millennium Celebration officially begins at the Walt Disney World Resort
1999Â -Â The "Leave a Legacy" program begins in the entrance plaza at Epcot
2000Â -Â Conservation Station becomes Rafiki's Planet Watch at Disney's Animal Kingdom
2005Â -Â Robert Iger becomes Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company
2009Â -Â The Walt Disney Family Museum opens in San Francisco, CAÂ
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October 2
1971Â -Â Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat opens at Magic Kingdom Park
1983Â -Â Epcot leaders host groundbreaking ceremonies for The Living Seas and Morocco
1992Â -Â Walt Disney Pictures releases The Mighty Ducks
1992Â -Â Splash Mountain officially opens at Magic Kingdom ParkÂ
1996Â -Â World of Disney opens at the Downtown Disney Marketplace in Walt Disney World
1999Â -Â The first Disney's FASTPASS is offered at Disneyland Paris on Indiana Jones et le Tempil de Peril
2011Â -Â The inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon takes place at the Walt Disney World Resort
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2011Â -Â The inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon takes place at the Walt Disney World Resort
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October 3
1955Â -Â "Mickey Mouse Club" debuts on ABC
2002Â -Â Le Bat en Rouge opens at Disneyland ParkÂ
2004Â -Â "Desperate Housewives" debuts on ABC
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