Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - The Original Disney Hotel Finally Comes into the Family

January 21, 1989 – Disneyland – Anaheim, CA

The Walt Disney Company acquires the Wrather Corporation, whose assets include the Disneyland Hotel, across the street from Disneyland.  At this time Wrather's assets also includes the RMS Queen Mary and Hughes H-4 Hercules (the "Spruce Goose") in Long Beach, as well as the rights to “The Lone Ranger” and the “Lassie” TV series.

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - WED Enterprises

December 16, 1952 – Burbank, CA

WED Enterprises is founded as a private company owned solely by Walt Disney to design and create Disneyland and to manage Disney's personal assets. WED stands for Walter Elias Disney.  Already hard at work on the theme park project are Walt's first 3 Imagineers - Harriet Burns, Fred Joerger and Wathel Rogers.  (In 1982 the Disney family sold the company to Walt Disney Productions, and in 1986 WED was renamed renamed Walt Disney Imagineering.)

Today in Disney Parks and Resorts History - It's a LONG LIST

October 1, 1956
Disneyland - Anaheim, CA

Disneyland's 5 millionth guest enters the park!



October 1, 1971
Walt Disney World - Orlando, FL

Disney's second theme park, the Magic Kingdom, opens at the all-new Walt Disney World resort complex in Central Florida.



October 1, 1982
Walt Disney World - Orlando, FL

Disney's third theme park, Epcot Center, opens at Walt Disney World.



October 1, 1988
Walt Disney World - Orlando, FL

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort officially opens, featuring 2,112 rooms.  It is the first of a new moderately priced class of resort at Walt Disney World, and the largest hotel built on the property to date.



October 1, 1992
Tokyo Disneyland - Tokyo, Japan

Splash Mountain premieres at Tokyo Disneyland.



October 1, 1994
Euro Disneyland - Paris, France

Euro Disneyland officially changes its name to Disneyland Paris.  



October 1, 1995
Disney's Vero Beach Resort - Vero Beach, FL

The first Disney Vacation Club resort located away from Walt Disney World opens on Florida's gold coast - Disney's Vero Beach Resort.  



October 1, 2005
The Walt Disney Company - Burbank, CA

Robert Iger officially takes the helm as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. 

Today in Disney Company History - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

February 4, 1938 - Nationwide

Original theatrical poster

Walt Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs is released nationwide.  The film, which first premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles on December 21, 1937, finally enters broad release through the distribution relationship Walt Disney has with RKO Radio Pictures.  It is the first feature-length animated film.