By Michael Aronson – 04/23/06

This Week In Disney

April 23:

• 1957: The freeways are open as the Midget Autopia opens in Disneyland's Tomorrowland. Apparently the exiting Autopia’s were not enough to hold all of the future speedsters So Walt ordered that a third track be designed specifically for the under five crowd. In a disappointment to those who were rarin' to rear-end their friends & family, the Midget Autopia cars were firmly attached to a track for their slow ride though the Fanasyland countryside. The cars were removed in 1966 to make way for It’s a Small World and sent to Walt’s childhood home of Marceline, MO. Maintenance issues caused a second, an final, closure of the ride but one of the vehicles found a resting place in it’s original home in the 2002 redesign of the Disneyland Autopia. Drivers can not see a Midget Autopia car as a bronzed statue along the new Disneyland highway.

April 24:

• 1989: Trying to prove that ‘thrice is nice’, the third version of the Mickey Mouse Club premiers on the Disney Channel. The mouse ears were gone, but much of the original concept was still there. Themed days, dance numbers, and exclusive serials were all part of the MMC. Over the course of it’s seven year run, the MMC produced a number of future media starts, most famously Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake.

April 25:

• 1961: In a Magical day for all mouse accountants, buoyed by the success of Disneyland, Walt and Roy Disney paid off all their company’s outstanding debt.

April 26:

• 2004: In a not so Magic day in the Disney Kingdom, Michael Eisner is named one of the worst CEO’s in America by Forbes’ magazine.

April 27:

• 1964: Mr. Lincoln, your exhibit is ready - unfortunately Mr. Lincoln is not. In a letter to Robert Moses, the president of the New York World's Fair, Walt Disney writes to explain the technical problems plaguing his version of the 16th President (The Fair has officially been open for 6 days). He is confident that the bugs will be worked out very soon and Mr. Lincoln will make his debut on May 2nd.
• 2001: After just three years of unreliable operation, the Rocket Rods close at Disneyland.

April 28:

• 1997: The name of ‘King Stefan’s Banquet Hall’ is changed to ‘Cinderella’s Royal Table’ ending 26 years of questions as to why Sleeping Beauty’s father was the proprietor of a restaurant in Cinderella’s castle.
• 2006: The success of the EPCOT Food and Wind festival extends to the west coast as ‘Food & Wine Weekends’ debuts as Disney’s California Adventure.

April 29:

• 1989: Who Awarded Roger Rabbit? The Academy Awards with two Oscars for film editing, sound and visual effects, and Animation Direction.
• 1957: The Sleeping Beauty Castle walk-through opens in Disneyland. The attraction features tableaus telling the story of the Princess with art and murals painted and designed by master background artist Eyvind Earle. The attraction would be closed in 2001 following security concerns.
• 2001: The Mike Fink Keelboats make their final trip around the Rivers of America at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.