1944 - Disney is shut out at the 1943 Academy Awards, held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre with host Jack Benny. Although nominated for Best Sound Recording for Saludos Amigos, Walt Disney Sound Department is edged out by RKO Radio Studio Sound Department for This Land Is Mine. Songwriters Charles Wolcott & Ned Washington's tune "Saludos Amigos" loses to "You'll Never Know" (from the film Hello, Frisco, Hello) in the Best Music, Song category. Disney's animated Reason and Emotion is beat out in the Short, Subjects, Cartoon category by MGM's Yankee Doodle Mouse.

1955 - The Disneyland television series airs "From Aesop to Hans Christian Anderson." Walt hosts a cartoon tribute to the old storytellers of the past.

1957 - In an attempt to appeal to the adult record-buying public, Disneyland Records runs an ad in Billboard. The spot promotes "3 exciting new albums" : "Yarns and Songs" by Fess Parker, "Folk Songs From The Far Corners" by Frances Archer & Beverly Gile, and "Echoes of Disneyland" featuring Dee Fisher at the Disneyland Wurlitzer organ.

1959 - Actor Eric Blore - the voice of Mr. Toad in Disney's 1949 The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad - passes away in Hollywood, California.

1976 - Walt Disney World welcomes its 50-millionth guest - Susan Brummer!

1985 - The Disney Channel airs "Alive or Dead," the 25th episode of the series The Edison Twins.

1986 - Disneyland's Safari Outpost opens in Adventureland.

2000 - The Orlando Sentinel reports that Walt Disney World is planning a space exploration attraction that has intrigued NASA. The Space Pavilion, expected to open at Epcot in 2003, would feature a series of interactive exhibits and shows describing space exploration, culminating in a motion-simulator ride similar to what NASA astronauts use to prepare for space flight.

2003 - Disney World's Blizzard Beach water park opens for the season.

2004 - Roy E. Disney and Stanley P. Gold hold a SaveDisney.com briefing and reception for shareholders of the Walt Disney Company in Philadelphia, the day before Disney's Annual Shareholder Meeting. The rally draws 800 people.

2004 - The ABC-TV comedy series According to Jim airs part 2 of "When You Wish To Be A Star," an episode filmed aboard the Disney Magic. It is the first time ever an entertainment program has been filmed aboard either of the premier Disney Cruise Line ships.

2005 - Disney Channel is nominated in nine categories for the 32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (more than any cable network). Its sister studio, Walt Disney Television Animation, is honored with seven nominations (more than any animation studio). Programs nominated include Kim Possible, Lilo & Stich: The Series, and Rolie Polie Olie. (Winners will be announced May 20.)

2007 - ABC and Disney Channel sweep the 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards with nine wins. Among the winners is Disney Channel's That's So Raven for Outstanding Children's Program and Outstanding Performance, Children's Program for star Raven Symone.

2007 - The fourth annual ESPN The Weekend kicks off at Disney-MGM Studios. The three-day event is hosted by former NBA All-Star David Robinson and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

2009 - Disney Cruise Line announces that construction has started in Germany on two new ships that will be stationed at Port Canaveral, Florida.

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