This Day in Disney History- November 16
Welcome back to our continuing exploration of Disney history! Today we are looking at the events on this day in Disney history- November 16.
November 16th saw the release of a popular Disney sequel, the opening of two new attractions in Walt Disney World, and finally, the debut of a brand new show on the Disney Wish. Let’s get started!
Photo: Disney
Walt Disney Visits Central Florida (1965)
On this day in 1965, Walt Disney visited the future site of Walt Disney World.
Accompanied by Joe Potter, Card Walker and Roy Disney, Walt walked the land that will one day bear his namesake. One day earlier, Disney had announced the creation of the Florida Project.
Photo: themickeywiki.com
The Rescuers Down Under is Released (1990)
On this day in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under premiered.
Disney’s 20th animated film, the Rescuers Down Under is a sequel to 1977’s the Rescuers.
Photo: Disney Plus
In the film Miss BIana and Benard head off to Australia to save a boy and a golden eagle from a poacher. The Rescuers Down Under was the first time Disney used computers to digitally paint the film.
Stitch’s Great Escape Opens (2004)
On this day in 2004, Stitch’s Great Escape opened in the Magic Kingdom.
The new “theater-in-the-round” attraction was based on the 2002 animated feature film Lilo and Stitch. The new show reused many of the effects and set pieces from its predecessor, the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.
To celebrate the opening of the Stitch’s Great Escape, a ceremony was held in front of Cinderella Castle, which was covered in toilet paper by the mischievous alien himself.
Photo: Disney
Turtle Talk With Crush Opens
Also on this day in 2004, Turtle Talk with Crush opened in Epcot.
Housed inside The Living Seas pavilion, the new interactive attraction debuted “digital puppetry” in Walt Disney World.
Featuring characters from the 2003 Pixar film Finding Nemo, the new show would be so popular that the entire Living Seas pavilion would eventually be rethemed to Nemo.
Doctor Strange: Journey Into the Mystic Arts Debuts
Finally, on this day in 2017, Doctor Strange: Journey Into the Mystic Arts premiered.
Photo: Disney
Performed exclusively on the Disney Wish, the new stage show is part of a promotional event titled “Marvel Day at Sea”.
The new show features Doctor Strange teaching the fundamentals of the Mystic Arts to young guests. A version of the show would eventually move to Disney’s California Adventure in 2021.
That’s all for the events on this day in Disney history- November 16. Be sure to come back real soon!
