1868 - Flora Call is born to Charles and Henrietta Call in Steuben, Ohio. Flora will go on to marry Elias Disney in 1888 and give birth to 5 children ... including a son named Walter.

1906 - Actor Eddie Albert is born in Rock Island, Illinois. His Disney credits include the 1995 The Barefoot Executive, the 1982 Beyond Witch Mountain, the 1975 Escape to Witch Mountain, and the 1963 Miracle of the White Stallions. (Fans of classic TV know him as Oliver Wendell Douglas from the series Green Acres.)

1962 - On this Easter Sunday, the colorful hot air balloon from the 1956 feature film Around the World in 80 Days leaves the Plaza Hub of Disneyland following a traditional old-fashioned Easter Parade down Main Street, U.S.A.

1964 - The World's Fair in Flushing, New York, is opened by U.S.
President Johnson for the 1964 season. The fair features over 100 pavilions on approximately 646 acres. The fair also includes 4 Disney attractions for Ford, General Electric, Pepsi-Cola, and the State of Illinois. On a VIP observation deck above "It's A Small World" (located in the Pepsi Pavilion), Disney personnel - including designer/artist Mary Blair - celebrate the team who has put together the exhibit from scratch in just 9 months! (The fair will run through October 18, 1964 and then reopen again on April 21 for the 1965 season.)

1971 - Award-winning singer-songwriter Kellie Coffey is born in Moore, Oklahoma. It is her voice you hear singing "We Go On" and "The Promise" during Epcot's Illuminations fireworks show. You can also hear Coffey at Christmas time at Disneyland singing "White Christmas" as snow falls on Main Street! Coffey was also the centerpiece of Disney's extensive, worldwide marketing campaign, as the singer of "Sharing A Dream Come True." (A country music artist, she made her debut in 2002 with the release of her single "When You Lie Next to Me" - a Top 10 hit.)

1990 - The Magical World of Disney airs part 1 of "Spooner".

1998 - Disney World's $800 million Animal Kingdom opens in, Florida with 5 attractions, 9 exhibits, 12 live entertainment shows, 11 merchandise locations, and 8 food locations. Spanning 500 acres, Animal Kingdom is billed as "a new species of theme park." Two of the three major "lands" - Africa & DinoLand U.S.A. - open on this date, Asia will open in early 1999. There are so many people in line on this opening day that officials open the gates at 6 a.m., instead of the posted 7 a.m. Seventy-five minutes later, the park reached its capacity and the gates are closed again until early afternoon. Unofficial estimates place peak crowds in the park at 35,000 guests.

2000 - The Disney Channel Original Movie Rip Girls debuts.

2001 - Disney World's Animal Kingdom hosts the second Disney's Pin Celebration Countdown for pin-collecting fans. New limited edition and special pins debut and Disney Design Group artists and pin designers Mark Seppala and Michelle Morrow greet guests and sign items at the Upcountry Landing in Asia. (This event is the second of five celebrations, that will lead toward a four-day event at Epcot August 9-12.)

2002 - Primeval Whirl, a new DinoLand wild coaster ride, opens at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida.

2002 - At Epcot, 80's rockers Survivor performs 3 shows as part of the Flower Power concert series at America Gardens Theatre. (They will appear through the 24th.)

2003 - Walt Disney Records releases the soundtrack to The Lizzie McGuire Movie. The soundtrack features the new single "Why Not" performed by "Lizzie" herself - Hilary Duff.

2003 - Lifetime magazine, a publication of Lifetime Entertainment Services, jointly owned by The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company, debuts as a bi-monthly.

2003 - At Animal Kingdom's 5th birthday celebration, Walt Disney World announces an opening date of December 14 for their new Pop Century Resort.

2004 - Disney's California Adventure hosts a 2-day Tower of Terror event, which includes dinner in the not-yet-opened attraction.

2004 - Disney's 45-minute film Sacred Planet - narrated by actor Robert Redford - is released.

2005 - t Disneyland Jiminy Cricket Environmentality buttons are handed out to guests to celebrate Earth Day.

2005 - ASIFA-Hollywood hosts the Aladdin Crew Reunion at the Glendale Central Library in California. Hosted by Margaret Kerry (the live-action reference model for Peter Pan's Tinkerbell), the event re-caps the film's production history.

2008 - Disney's Animal Kingdom turns 10 years young! During the park's 10-year anniversary ceremony, a new name and a new logo is introduced for Disney's conservation outreach efforts, changing the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. The new name helps build on Disney's commitment to conservation, and communicates the broader vision for the future of the DWCF which is not only wildlife focused but also supports ecosystems and community conservation.

2008 - Disney Parks and CareerBuilder.com announce that Justin Muchoney from Seven Fields, Pennsylvania, has been named the first-ever Disney Parks Chief Magic Official! Muchoney, a Director of Music & Fine Arts, emerged victorious from a field of 1,300 candidates nationwide. He is inducted as CMO in a special ceremony with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at Walt Disney World.

2009 - Disneynature (a new film label) unveils EARTH in theaters. Narrated by James Earl Jones, the film tells the story of 3 animal families - polar bears, elephants, and whales - as they make their journey across our planet.

2009 - The Disney Store chain invites customers to bring in empty plastic bottles to recycle. Guests can exchange three empty bottles for a free commemorative Earth Day reusable water bottle. Disney Store also introduces a selection of environmentally friendly T-shirts and tote bags made from material created from recycled water bottles.

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