On this day , Roy Disney held a WDW construction press conference at a theater in Winter Park , Florida . Here , they would view Walt ’ s last movie , a proposal for a prototype city of tomorrow . Let ’ s take a look back at his presentation on the blog .
FEBRUARY 8 , 2001
Disney ’ s California Adventure opened along with the Grand Californian Hotel . On the blog , we ’ ll show you the wacky park opening TV special and even look back at the grand opening ceremonies . By the way , do you know which attractions were at the park on opening day ?
FEBRUARY 15 , 1950
If you missed the premiere of this film 71 years ago , you might just have turned into a pumpkin . Cinderella was released on this date and has been rereleased many times since . On the blog , we ’ ll be showing off some of the newspaper ads from the original release .
FEBRUARY 22 , 2009
On this day , a life was saved , thanks to the animal care teams at WDW . Bock the Manatee was released back into the wild waters after intense rehabilitation at EPCOT . On the blog , discover more about EPCOT ’ s role in helping manatees like Bock over the years .
You may have known these dates , but do you know the details ? Visit WDW-MAGAZINE . COM / THE-BLOG to find out more .
For decades at EPCOT , guests have been eyeballing the water tank at Mitsukoshi ’ s Pick-A-Pearl station , looking for what might just be a lucky oyster . With much ceremony and fanfare , a helpful Cultural Representative from Japan would bust open that oyster to not only reveal a pearl but also announce the color and size .
The Cultural Representatives expertly shucking oysters are part of a larger team eager to share their love of Japan . Nagatoshi Sagara , a Chef at Teppan Edo , told us that he enjoys even the little ways they can communicate their traditions to guests : “ We can represent Japanese culture by showing the authentic way of bowing to guests from all over the world .”
Throughout the years , we ’ ve seen koto ( it ’ s like a zither ) and shamisen ( sort of like a guitar ) players , rice dough sculptors , and taiko drummers share their stories and talents with WDW guests .
To take in a Japanese cultural lesson at your own pace , head to the Bijutsukan Gallery in the White Heron Castle . This rotating showcase has presented a dozen or so different exhibits since 1982 . On opening day , guests could explore Living Gifts of Japan to gain more perspective on Japanese culture . Since then , exhibits have ranged from Japanese kites to Japan ’ s World Heritage Sites and even a study of the folklore origins of famous anime characters . Since 2015 , the Japan Pavilion has displayed Kawaii Life , an intense look at kawaii ( cute ) Japanese culture .