December 14: Pop Goes The Century

On this day in 2003 the first planned phase of Disney's Pop Century Resort at Walt Disney World opened. A "value resort" themed around different decades of American pop culture, it features 10 motel-style buildings.

This first phase, known as the Classic Years, represents the 1950s through the 1990s with huge over-sized icons such as 45 rpm records, a peace symbol, 8-track tape staircases, Mr. Potato Head, and a giant laptop. Located at 1050 Century Drive, Pop Century is adjacent to the Wide World of Sports Complex and near Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Phase Two: the Legendary Years (representing 1900-1940) was to be built across the lake from the Classic Years - with a bridge connecting the two. The addition was never built, although some of the buildings were constructed. In May 2010, Disney announced that the area zoned for the Legendary Years would instead be used for a new resort called Disney's Art of Animation Resort (scheduled to open in 2012).

Click HERE for more December 14 Disney history.

December 13: Born Today

"I think it's such a shame that Walt didn't live to see computer animation, because he would have had a good time with it. ... In those days it was before the blue screen. They used what was called yellow sulphur lighting -- the screen was yellow, and we worked with that all day, and by the time the day was over you couldn't see anything.
It was just an empty sound stage. And sometimes we didn't even have the music -- we would just dance to a click rhythm. But I think technically it (Mary Poppins) holds up today just as well as anything."

Those words belong to comedian, writer, producer, computer animation enthusiast and Disney Legend Dick Van Dyke, who was born on this day in 1925 in Missouri. He is best known to Disney fans for his role of the chimney sweep Bert and Mr. Dawes Senior, the chairman of the bank in Walt Disney's 1964 musical feature Mary Poppins.

Learn more about Dick Van Dyke's Disney connection (and more December 13 history) by clicking HERE.

December 11: "I do not make merry at Christmas"

Gonzo: "Hello! Welcome to the Muppet Christmas Carol! I am here to tell the story."
Rizzo the Rat: "And I am here for the food."

With those words The Muppet Christmas Carol (the fourth feature film to star the Muppets) hit theaters on this day in 1992. A musical comedy retelling of Charles Dickens' classic holiday story, the film was distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

Directed by Brain Henson (son of Jim Henson - who had passed away in May 1990) The Muppets Christmas Carol starred veteran actor Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. Narrated by Gonzo the Great as Charles Dickens (voiced by David Goetz) and Rizzo the Rat (voiced by Steven Whitmire), the majority of the cast was comprised of puppets - although it was the first Muppet movie to mainly focus on characters played by humans. British actor Steven Mackintosh portrayed Fred, the nephew of Scrooge, and singer-actress Meredith Braun played Belle, Scrooge's former lover.

Braun also sang "When Love Is Gone" in a scene where she laments the end of her relationship with sour Ebenezer Scrooge - but the song was cut from the original theatrical version. The song was used at the end of the film - although that version featured the vocals of Martina McBride. "When Love Is Gone" was written by legendary songwriter Paul Williams who composed all of the film's songs with Miles Goodman supplying the score.

Despite the humorous spin on Dickens' tale (first published in 1843), it is a fairly close adaptation of the original story. Gonzo even recites many of Dickens' original words!

The film is filled with everyone's favorite Muppets including Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Bob's wife Emily, Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim, Statler as Jacob Marley, Waldorf as Robert Marley, and Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig.

Despite being a modest box office success, The Muppet Christmas Carol didn't make much of an impact during its original theatrical release (as it had to contend with the features Home Alone 2 and Disney's Aladdin).

The film was released to VHS the following November and on DVD in 2002.

Click HERE for more December 11 Disney history.

December 08: The Return of George Banks

On this day in 1995, Disney's Touchstone Pictures released the comedy feature Father of the Bride II. A sequel to the 1991 hit Father of the Bride, it once again starred Steve Martin as anxious George Banks, who this time around has to deal with both his daughter and wife being pregnant at the same time!
Returning to their roles from the original film were Diane Keaton (as George's wife Nina), Kimberly Williams (as their daughter Annie), George Newbern (as Annie's husband Bryan), Kieran Culkin (as little brother Matty), and Martin Short (as Franck Eggelhoffer, the wedding/baby shower planner).

Interesting to note: Franck's Bridal Studio at Walt Disney World is named after Short's hilarious and eccentric character.

The film's soundtrack (in release since November 1995) featured a score by Alan Silvestri and vocal performances by Steve Tyrell (most notably on the standard "Give Me the Simple Life"), Etta James, and Fats Domino.

Father of the Bride II was released to DVD in May 2009.

Steve Martin, a playwright, producer, musician, and composer, first gained notoriety as a banjo strumming comedian in the 1970s. As a teen he was employed at Disneyland selling guidebooks and working at Main Street's Magic Shop.

Kimberly Williams went on to co-star in Touchstone's hit sitcom According to Jim (2001-2009). Today she is married to country singer Brad Paisley.

Click HERE for more December 08 Disney history.

November 30: The Greatest American Humorist of His Age

Often regarded as the "Father of American Literature," Samuel Longhorne Clemens (better known by his pen name Mark Twain) was born on this day in 1835. An author and humorist, he is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Twain was immensely popular during his lifetime and his wit and satire was praised by both critics and peers. His legacy lives on today as his namesake continues to multiply.

Admired by Walt Disney (as both a schoolboy and adult), Mark Twain's name, image and works appear throughout Disney theme parks. Click HERE to learn much more about Twain's Disney connection (and to discover more November 30 Disney history).

Novemebr 24: Carlo Collodi

On this day in 1890, Carlo Lorenzini, better known by his pen name Carlo Collodi, was born in what is today Florence, Italy. He is best known for his fairy tale The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Collodi had won fame as early as 1856 with a novel and columns in political newspapers. It wasn't until 1875 that he began writing fairy tales. In 1880 he started writing Storia di un Burratino (The Story of a Marionette) - also called Le awenture di Pinocchio - which was published weekly in the first Italian newspaper for children. The first chapter, published July 1881, was an immediate hit. Two years later in 1883, Collodi's tale was published in book form.

Collodi passed away suddenly ten years later, never knowing the fame and popularity that awaited his little wooden character.

Disney released an animated version in February 1940, and today there is even a Pinocchio Park in Italy!

Experts and critics site Pinocchio for its complex web of moral questions. Collodi's work has an anti-authoritarian tone - showing a contrast between wealth and poverty and distaste for the judicial system. Collodi's Pinocchio is more selfish and aggressive than Disney's little wooden boy.

Click HERE for more November 24 Disney history.

November 20: Three Against The Wilderness

On this day in 1963, Disney released the live-action feature
The Incredible Journey. 

Based on a children's book by Sheila Burnford, the film (about a cat and 2 dogs who lose their owners) was narrated by Rex Allen.

Click HERE for more November 20 Disney history.