In 1937, the Boy Scouts of
America bestowed upon
Mickey Mouse
membership in
the Cub Scouts
in honor of
his 9th birthday.
2002:
The two-day 2002 Disney Marathon Health and Fitness Expo in the Milk House
at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex kicks off. The Expo will lead up to the
2002 Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon on January 6.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the U.S. Army is planning
to double the size of Shades of Green, its 287-room hotel at Walt Disney World,
in a $50 million expansion project that could start as soon as April. In sharp contrast
with Disney's recent closings of thousands of rooms at some of its resorts because of slow business, Shades
of Green (located near the Magic Kingdom) has been turning guests away lately with occupancy rates
consistently ranging from 90 to 99 percent.
2005:
The largest Disney theme park ticket give-away takes place at the Fed Ex
Orange Bowl National Championship game in Miami, Florida. Seventy-two thousand ticket holders shout "I’m going to Disneyland!" after each of them receive a surprise free ticket to any Disney theme park in the world.
Mickey Mouse makes a surprise appearance at the end of the third quarter and personally invites each of them to
the global celebration saluting the 50th anniversary of Disneyland Park in California.
The Southern California Trojans win over the Oklahoma Sooners by a score of 55-19.
The Wonders of Life pavilion "closes" at Epcot as it is now
considered a seasonal attraction. It will reopen when the park is projected
to hit near capacity during the high spring months and big holiday season.
"No one knows when or where
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was first told. Jacob Grimm
was a very learned man ... a scientist. You would hardly think he would
go in for fairy tales. But just as a hobby he and his brother collected a lot
of old folk stories and legends, put them into a book and called the
book Grimm’s Fairy Tales."
-Walt Disney
1785:
Writer and linguist Jacob Grimm is born in Hanau, Germany.
He and his brother Wilhelm collected folktales and helped to establish the science of folklore with Grimm's Fairy
Tales. They were the very first to write down such classic stories as Rapunzel, Snow White, Cinderella,
and Sleeping Beauty.
1905:
Character actor & Disney Legend Sterling Holloway - the original voice of Winnie
the Pooh - is born in Cedartown, Georgia. His countless Disney voice credits include Dumbo
(as Mr. Stork), Bambi (as Adult Flower), The Three Caballeros (as Professor Holloway), Make Mine Music
(narrator of "Peter and the Wolf"), The Jungle Book (as Kaa), and The AristoCats (as Roquefort).
1918:
Composer, orchestrator and Disney Legend Norman 'Buddy' Baker is born
in Springfield, Missouri. In the mid-1950s his friend composer George Bruns asked him to write music
for the Disney television show Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. This was the beginning of a long career at
Disney that included nearly 200 scores for motion pictures, television, and theme parks. Baker was nominated
for an Oscar for the 1972 Napoleon and Samantha and was musical director for EPCOT Center. Among
Baker's most noted musical contributions - TV's Mickey Mouse Club and the Haunted Mansion park attraction.
1936:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey's Polo Team, directed by David Hand, is
released. The short features a game of polo between a team made up of Mickey, Goofy, the Big Bad Wolf, &
Donald and a team made up of four animated caricatures of film actors Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Harpo Marx, and
Charlie Chaplin. Animated spectators include Hollywood stars Shirley Temple, Eddie Cantor, W.C. Fields, and
Clark Gable. (The film is created as a result of Walt Disney's interest in the sport.)
1937:
The first cels of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are taken to the Disney Ink
and Paint department at the studio on Hyperion Avenue in California. Walt wants the
film completed for a Christmastime release.
1943:
Original Mouseketeer Mary Lynn Satori is born in Glendale, California.
The Disney documentary The Grain That Built a Hemisphere, is
released to the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. An animated short outlining
the history and importance of corn in North America, it will be nominated for Best Documentary.
1956:
Walt Disney and a handful of his staff lunch with animation pioneer
Max Fleischer and his son Dick at the Disney commissary.
The Disneyland television series airs part 1 of
"When Knighthood Was in Flower" (an edited version of the theatrical feature The Sword and the Rose - first released in July 1953).
1960:
Voice actress, writer, and radio host April Winchell is born in New York City. Her many Disney voice credits include Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Kim Possible: So the Drama, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, Goof Troop, 101 Dalmatians: The Series and Tarzan & Jane. April is the daughter of Paul Winchell (ventriloquist & the original voice of Tigger) and actress Nina Russel.
1963:
Comedian, actor, writer and director Dave Foley, the voice of Flik in the
Disney/Pixar 1998 feature A Bug's Life is born in Etobicoke, a suburb of
Toronto, Canada. Foley also played Mr. Boy in the 2005 live-action Disney feature Sky High
and voiced the character of Wayne in Disney's 2009 Prep & Landing. (You may recognize Foley as
a member of the Canadian comedy team Kids in the Hall and as Dave Nelson on TV's NewsRadio.)
1989:
The Walt Disney World attraction If You Could Fly (opened since June 1987)
closes. (It will reopen the following June as Delta Dreamflight.)
1996:
Michael Eisner speaks to a group of Disney shareholders in New York. He
discusses Disney's plans for Animal Kingdom, Disney World's 25th anniversary, the Florida community of Celebration,
Disney Cruise Lines and the Capital Cities/ABC merger. The shareholders officially approve the agreement to merge
Disney and Capital Cities/ABC (a deal in the works since 1995). Thus, a $19 billion merger occurs, and Disney
acquires all or part ownership of more than two dozen television channels, including the History Channel, ESPN, A&E
and Lifetime, 21 radio stations and more than 100 publications of various types.
1998:
Both Bob Hope and the late Roy O. Disney (Walt's brother) are among the Los
Angeles citizens honored during an Investiture ceremony for the Papal Order of
St. Gregory the Great. The honorees are cited for their contributions to the Catholic Church, the
Christian faith and their service and charity work.
2003:
Walt Disney World's Polynesian Revue, a tropical-theme dinner
show performed at the Polynesian Resort, gives its last
performance. It will be replaced in February 2003 with the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show.
2004:
The Toronto production of Disney's The Lion King is staged for the last time. The
live show closes after more than 1,500 performances over nearly four years at
the Princess of Wales Theatre.
Actress/singer Lisa Brescia assumes the role of Amneris in Disney's Broadway
show Aida. Brescia has played the role in several road productions.
2007:
Kendi, an eight year old White Rhino gives birth to her second baby
– a male named Tom, at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The healthy baby
White Rhinoceros is the sixth White Rhino born at DAK - his mother, Kendi, was the first!
1958:
Stage, TV and film actor Matt Frewer is born in Washington, D.C. He is the voice of Panic
for Hercules and Mickey's House of Villains, and appears in the live-action Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as Big
Russ. (TV fans may remember him for his 1987 role of Max Headroom.)
JANUARY 4
Brothers Grimm
Sterling Holloway
JANUARY 04
THIS DAY MADE
IN THE
USA
 | ||||
| ||||
1952:
The Goofy short Father's Lion is released. Goofy teaches his son the finer points of camping
outdoors ... unfortunately with a mountain lion in hot pursuit!
| ||||
SEASON 2 EPISODE 15
2010:
It's a busy day at the Disneyland Resort when "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience"
closes so that the Tomorrowland theater can be prepared for the February return
of Captain EO.
Meanwhile workers begin to empty the Rivers of America - a waterway surrounding Tom Sawyer Island for a 4-month
rehabilitation and upgrade project. The 6 million gallons of water will go to a recycling facility instead of being
dumping into the ocean, as Disney has done the previous times it drained waterways. Among the improvements
(once the river is drained) - installing a new 2,500-foot track for the Mark Twain Riverboat and the Sailing Ship
Columbia for the first time since the parks opening in 1955.
Later in the day, walls go up in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area of Disney’s California Adventure, as workers
begin the first phase of the Red Trolley Cars attraction. The project is part of a major, $1 billion renovation, and
when completed in 2012, the trolleys will travel and carry guests from the park’s entrance around to the Twilight
Zone Tower of Terror ride area.
1939:
Walt Disney Productions signs a contract with Igor Stravinsky for the use of his
Rite of Spring in a future animated film. Widely acknowledged as one of the most important and
influential composers of 20th century, Stravinksy's Rite of Spring is a ballet which first premiered in May 1913.
Stravinksy will receive $1,200 for the use of his music for Disney's 1940 Fantasia.
2011:
At approximatley 6:30 a.m.,
Disney's newest cruise ship
the Dream arrives at Port
Canaveral, Florida for the very first time. Four years in the making, the 130,000 ton ship can carry 4,000
passengers. Port Canaveral made $32 million in improvements to its facilities in order to accommodate the Disney
Dream, which will set sail on its maiden voyage later this month.
The Producers Guild of America announce the television and motion picture nominations
for the 2011 Producers Guild Awards. Among the nominations:
Toy Story 3; Producer: Darla K. Anderson for The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion
Pictures
Toy Story 3; Producer: Darla K. Anderson for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
Winners will be announced at the Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 22nd at the Beverly
Hilton Hotel.
Pixar Play Parade, featuring floats and characters based on Disney·Pixar films such as Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles and Toy Story, goes on hiatus at Disney California Adventure. It will return in June 2012.
JAN
JAN
2013:
Three Kings Celebration begins at Disneyland. A Limited Time Magic event, guests
celebrate the end of the holiday season in Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland
with a 3-day party of music, activities and cuisine celebrating Southern California's Mexican culture.
January 04
This Day in Disney History - THE FIRST - THE ORIGINAL
Traveling in time since 1999!
1974:
Eighty-two-year-old Millard C. Jones of Lakeland, Florida, visits Walt Disney World
for the 100th time. He's been visiting Florida's newest tourist spot (usually on Fridays) for the last two years.
(In June 1978, he will make his 500th visit ... at the age of 86!)
"The first Disney kingdom was built out in California and my wife and boy and all our friends and relatives made it
out there. But I never did. Well when they said they were gonna build one on this coast, I said by golly, I'm going to
that one." -Millard C. Jones
2014:
The Celebrate A Dreams Come True Parade has its final performances at the
Magic Kingdom at Disney World.
2016:
Today is the last day for the Phineas & Ferb and Lightning & Mater character meets
near the Streets of America, as well as the Joffrey's kiosk, at Disney's Hollywood
Studios. These closings are to make room for the Star Wars and Toy Story Land expansions coming to the park.
Frank Armitage, an acclaimed artist and production illustrator who contributed to such Disney classics as Sleeping Beauty and Mary Poppins (and to the Fox visual-effects standout Fantastic Voyage) passes away at the age of 91. Also a longtime Walt Disney Imagineer,
he contributed murals and designs to theme parks around the world. A native of Melbourne, Australia, Armitage
moved to Los Angeles in 1952 and landed a job at Walt Disney Studios, where he contributed to backgrounds and layouts for such features as Peter Pan and The Jungle Book.
2017:
At the Consumer Electronics Show (in Las Vegas), it is announced that Panasonic will
move from a projector supplier to an official technology partner of Walt Disney Parks &
Resorts. Panasonic's projector technology and other hardware is already in use in several attractions at US
Disney theme parks, including the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom Park and the Finding Nemo Submarine
Voyage at Disneyland Park. The alliance with Disney marks Panasonic's move away from being a technology
supplier to being a formal partner and connected solutions provider.
1920:
Actress Rosalie Crutchley is born in London, England. Her Disney credits include The Sword
and the Rose (as Queen Katherine) and Greyfriars Bobby (as the Farmer's wife).
2018:
Disney Springs' newest eatery The Edison opens in Florida.
A multi-level industrial gothic restaurant and bar, it also features a dance floor and stage, where each night The
Edison will feature an eclectic lineup of live entertainment including musicians, aerialists, dancers and more.
The Edison is owned by Patina Restaurant Group, which also operates Maria & Enzo’s, Pizza Ponte, Enzo’s
Hideaway, Morimoto Asia and Epcot’s Tutto Italia and Via Napoli.
2019:
"Pandora: The World of Avatar," a soundtrack album featuring music from the land at Disney's Animal Kingdom, is released. The album features 12 songs from the Park including the score
to the Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey attractions.
1993:
Actress/singer Aaryn Doyle is born in Ontario, Canada. She is best known for her role as Lola Scott in the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock.
"Frank’s artistic skills were excellent — but I loved having him on our Imagineering team because he knew so much about art and life." -Imagineer Marty Sklar
2021:
Famed Disneyland photographer Renie Bardeau passes away at age 86 in Arizona.
A publicity photographer at Disneyland for nearly four decades (starting in 1959), he became a full-time photographer for Disney in 1964. Bardeau snapped many memorable Disneyland photos, including the classic of a casual Walt walking beneath the arch of Sleeping Beauty Castle. In 1975, he became Disney’s’ chief photographer. Retiring in 1998, Bardeau was also well known for his photos of U.S. Presidents, performers, and athletes.
2024:
Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie "Mary Poppins," passes away at age 100 in Los Angeles. Born in Pretoria, Union of South Africa in 1923, she was an actress, dancer, musician and singer. In a career spanning eight decades, Johns appeared in more than 60 films and 30 plays. She also appeared in Disney's "The Sword and the Rose" (1953), and "Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue" (1953). When first approached by Walt Disney, Johns thought it was to play the title role of Mary Poppins (played by Dame Julie Andrews), not Mrs. Banks. To ensure she accepted, he explained the mishap over lunch and arranged for the Sherman Brothers to write her a musical number - "Sister Suffragette."
