Before Disney·Pixar’s film Ratatouille said “Bonjour!” to theatergoers around the world Walt Disney Studios greeted park guests with a magical Parisian “Bienvenue.” Since its 1992 opening, Disney’s only European resort has become the continent’s leading tourist destination with over 200 million visits. The addition gives park guests a taste of Hollywood through exciting movie magic …
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“I’m completely stunned and speechless!” said Mark Ramirez of Texas, Disneyland’s 450 millionth guest to pass through the turnstiles and step into Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom. “I’m so excited, I’m shaking!” he laughed. “This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to us.” Ramirez was on vacation with his wife, Donna and …
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On January 12, 2001, the Downtown Disney District—an exciting dining, entertainment, and shopping promenade located adjacent to Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland Park—first opened to guests on space previously occupied by the original Disneyland parking lot and Disneyland Hotel. Downtown Disney was constructed as part of a larger Disneyland Resort expansion and was designed …
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After various limited releases, the Touchstone film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the story of three escapees from a Mississippi prison chain gang, ran into theaters on this day in 2001. Set in the Depression-era Deep South, the three shackled prisoners pursue their freedom and the return to their homes. Featuring George Clooney, John Turturro, …
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Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is no ordinary hotel… it’s grand! On this day in 2001, the lavish resort hotel opened its golden gates for the first time, allowing guests to stay within Disney’s California Adventure park. The hotel celebrates California’s turn-of-the-century Craftsman movement, capturing the artistic exploration of California’s coastline, its Monterey pines and redwood …
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On this day in 2000, the Riverside Building at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, was dedicated. This $95 million project, designed by renowned architect Aldo Rossi, remains home to ABC West-Coast operations. Rossi’s work includes everything from schools and studios to museums and shopping centers. Although Aldo designed hundreds of buildings, in 1997, …
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A sophisticated evening theatrical spectacular, an all-new themed approach to adult programming, and unique dining experiences for tastes of all ages headlined Disney’s newest seven-night eastern Caribbean cruise vacation, which first departed on this day in 2000. Matt Ouimet, then Disney Cruise Line president, said at the time, “This [itinerary] is a direct result of …
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In 1993, young entrepreneur and former bartender Liliana Lovell founded the Coyote Ugly Saloon. The wild and fun bar was an instant success with its female bartenders singing, dancing, and comedically hustling drinks. The famous watering hole gained national attention in 1997 when a story about the saloon was published in GQ magazine. Shortly after …
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Music from Sir Elton John and one of the world’s oldest tales was the magic combination that made Aida an immediate hit and an international sensation for the stage. Disney’s Broadway version tells the tale of a Nubian princess who’s forced into slavery and ends up falling in love with a soldier boy named Radames. …
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Tarzan, a Walt Disney Pictures film released in 1999, is based on the story Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In the animated movie, Tarzan—an infant—is left an orphan on land near uncharted rainforests off the coast of Africa when his parents are killed. A female Gorilla, Kala, finds him and takes him …
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