Fact for the Day
Songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman wrote "It's A Small World (After All)" for the 1964 World's Fair. Since then, it has become the most translated and performed song in the world!
__________________________________________________ _____________________________________
1886 - 
Comedic star
Ed Wynn, the voice of the Mad Hatter in Disney's 1951 Alice in Wonderland, is born Isaiah Edwin Leopold in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also portrays Uncle Albert in Disney's 1964 live-action Mary Poppins, and Mr. Hofstedder, the watch jeweler in the 1965 That Darn Cat! Wynn's other Disney credits include Those Calloways, Son of Flubber, and Babes in Toyland.
1955 - The
Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV. Today is Anything Can Happen Day.
1955 - The Disneyland television series airs episode 30: part 2 of the live-action movie "The Story of Robin Hood."
1955 - 
Actress
Karen Dotrice, who portrays Jane Banks in Disney's 1964 Mary Poppins, is born in the United Kingdom. Her Disney credits also include The Gnome-Mobile (1967) and The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964).
1986 - The Wonderful World of Disney airs episode 673 "Walt Disney World's 15th Anniversary Celebration" on ABC.
1993 - The Fountain View Expresso and the Sunshine Season Food Fair food court area both open at Disney World's EPCOT.
1994 - Disneyland closes the turnstiles at the end of this day on one of its oldest and most popular attractions, the Skyway - a gondola lift attraction. The Skyway, opened since 1956, is closed due to the enormous impending cost to retrofit it for earthquake safety.
1997 - The Wonderful World of Disney airs "Angels in the Endzone" on ABC-TV.
1999 - Exactly five years after the grounding of the Skyway at Disneyland, the Skyway at Florida's Magic Kingdom carries its last guest. It had been a popular attraction since
Walt Disney World first opened in 1971.
1999 - The soundtrack for Disney's Toy Story 2, featuring the music of Randy Newman, is released.
2001 - At Disney's California Adventure, Disney's Luminaria, a holiday show made up of dazzling lights, low level pyrotechnics and music performed on the waters of Paradise Pier Lagoon, debuts. Guests can also make Disney's Luminaria Art Cards at Disney's Luminaria Holiday Art Card Center located in the park. (The show will run through January 6, 2002.)
2001 - Festival of the Masters (one of the Southeast's most acclaimed art and culture showcase) returns to Downtown Disney for the weekend.
2001 - The Lizzie McGuire episode "Scarlett Larry" debuts on Disney Channel.
2002 - The Los Angeles chapter of the NFFC (The National Fantasy Fan Club for Disneyana Enthusiasts) host their annual foot rally and trivia day at Disney's California Adventure.
2002 - Actress Susan Lucci (of "All My Children") headlines the ABC Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida.
2003 - A&E airs The Incurable Collector hosted by John Larroquette. The show features a segment about George Reiger, whose home is filled with over 15,000 Disney collectibles.
2004 - Diane Disney Miller (the daughter of
Walt Disney) helps dedicate a $250,000 animation lab that her family helped fund at
Walt Disney Magnet School in Chicago, Illinois.
2004 - On The Record, Disney's newest musical production, launches a national tour in Cleveland, Ohio. The show features more than 60 songs spanning about 75 years of Disney films, productions and attractions.
2004 - The Winsor McCay Award recipients for 2004 are announced. This year's honors go to animator Don Bluth (who began his career at Disney), Virginia Davis (who as a youngster appeared in Disney's early Alice Comedies), and comic character & voice actor Arnold Stang. (The Winsor McCay Award stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry. The award is named for legendary cartoonist and creator of Little Nemo Winsor McCay.)
2004 - Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas is released on DVD/video. This holiday movie (co-created with Blur Studio) marks the debut of
Mickey and his friends in the world of computer-generated animation.
2007 - The 32nd Festival of the Masters, Disney's acclaimed 3-day annual showcase of art, culture and cuisine, begins at Downtown Disney Westside, Florida.
2007 - In New York City, Disney's Broadway stage production The Lion King is honored by the Empire State Building. Tshidi Manye, the current Rafiki, appears in costume to throw the ceremonial switch at the Empire State Building to light the iconic landmark in "Lion King Yellow." (The Lion King is scheduled to celebrate its 10th Anniversary 2 days later at the Minskoff Theatre.)