On February 22, 1996, Disney Online launched Disney.com on the “World Wide Web.” Today, it is one of the most visited web sites in the world, especially for kids and families. Disney.com was the first in a series of family online products from Disney Online, a Disney Interactive division founded in September 1995.
In fact, prior to its launch, Disney teamed up with (then) major players (and competitors) in the online world – AOL and Netscape for a “sneak peek” at it’s new web site. (Note: today, AOL eventually bought Netscape in 1998 for oh, about $4.2 billion. Yes, that’s billion with a “B.”)
To build excitement for the February 22nd Internet-wide launch of the Disney.com site on the World Wide Web, The Walt Disney Company offered a sneak preview through America Online (AOL) and Netscape Communications Corporation for a 10-day period, so AOL and Netscape visitors could be the first to “tour the new Disney.com family entertainment Web site and participate in specially created live events and contests.”
During the 10-day preview for its members, America Online and Disney created a custom Disney area, featuring a daily scavenger hunt which offered Disney prizes, and AOL Live! events with Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters in their first live chat appearances. Visitors could participate in a Scavenger Hunt, in which AOL members searched the Disney.com site for answers to clues. They also won daily prizes of Disney merchandise and could win a vacation for four to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
A special four-night series of AOL Live! chats with various Disney characters in their online debuts also took place, including text-based discussions with Mickey Mouse, Buzz and Woody from Toy Story, Miss Piggy and Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
Disney also joined forces with Netscape for its sneak preview, and also afforded them access Disney.com, a special sweepstakes page, and a chance to win special Disney prizes, including a grand prize trip for four to Walt Disney World.
But how it looks today is a far cry from how it looked in 1996! Here’s how it looks fourteen years later:
And how it looked when it premiered in 1996:
“You’ve come a long way, baby….”
