This Day in Disney History: FEB 28

2002:

Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper, co-hosts of television's leading film review series "Ebert & Roeper," host their second annual Ebert & Roeper Film Festival At Sea aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship.

The Atlanta Braves take on the University of Georgia for an afternoon spring training game at Disney's Wide World of Sports Baseball Stadium. The stadium, located at 700 Victory Way in Lake Buena Vista, is the spring training home of the Braves.

2005:

Clear Channel Radio launches a major promotion to help celebrate

50 years of family fun at Walt Disney theme parks.

More than 400 Clear Channel radio stations participate in the

campaign by airing promotional spots providing event details

for the "Happiest Celebration on Earth."

Florida Governor Jeb Bush names longtime Walt Disney World executive

Tom Lewis to run the Department of Management Services. (The agency

is responsible for overseeing state government infrastructure, including

building construction and state vehicles.)

Filming begins at the Disney Studio in Burbank, California for

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

1929:

Frank Gehry, architect of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, is born Frank Owen Goldberg in Toronto, Canada.

1948:

Actress-singer Bernadette Peters, the voice of Angelique in

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, is born Bernadette Lazarra

in Ozone Park, Queens, New York.

1955:

Comedian Gilbert Gottfried, the voice of Iago the Parrot in Disney's Aladdin and in the park attraction - Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management, is born in Brooklyn, New York. ("Aflac!")

1986:

Veteran animator, Disney Legend, and one of Walt's "Nine Old Men" Eric Larson retires at the age of 81. Larson created the

kitten Figaro for the 1940 animated feature Pinocchio.

1987:

Disney's Sleeping Beauty is released on LaserDisc. (LaserDisc

will remain the "Lexus of Video" ... until the DVD comes along.)

1997:

ABC-TV airs "Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party" at 9 p.m. EST. The special is hosted by Melissa Joan Hart (of TV's "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch") and Will Friedle (of TV's "Boy Meets World").

2003:

UL's "Test the Limits Lab," attraction opens in Epcot's Innoventions at Walt

Disney World. Underwriters Labs Inc. (whose ubiquitous "UL" marks can be

found on billions of products around the world) hosts the interactive exhibit.

Downtown Disney's Pleasure Island begins its 3-day annual

Mardi Gras celebration.

The Lizzie McGuire episode "A Gordo Story" debuts on the Disney Channel as

does the That's So Raven episode "The Parties."

2004:

The Earl of Sandwich Shop opens at the Downtown Disney Marketplace in Florida. The shop's name honors British naval officer John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, who is credited with inventing the sandwich in 1762. Montagu’s living descendant, 11th Earl of Sandwich John Montagu, and his son Orlando collaborated with Robert Earl, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Hollywood, to create the shop.

2006:

Disney releases Lady and the Tramp on a 2-disc DVD (for the first

time) to commemorate the animated feature's 50th anniversary.

Jazz vocalist/pianist Steve Tyrell releases his newest CD

Steve Tyrell: The Disney Standards.

An open house takes place at the 1927 California home of Roland Hill, architect of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The storybook home, located on Bennett Drive in Los Angeles, reflects Hill's whimsical style.

FEBRUARY 28

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2007:

Prestel Publishing releases the book Once upon a Time: Walt Disney:

The Sources of Inspiration for the Disney Studios by Bruno Girveau.

The Atlanta Braves kick off their home spring training schedule at Cracker Jack Stadium (located in Disney World's Wide World of Sports Complex) with a game against Georgia Tech.

"Come on! Everybody out! Migrate, people! Migrate!" - Iago

(Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management)

Walt Disney's original plans for

a theme park (a place his employees & families could go

to relax) were on 8 acres

next to his Burbank,

California studios.

FEBRUARY 28

FEB

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