First lady Michelle Obama visited Walt Disney World Resort as the final stop in her tour celebrating the second anniversary of her “Let’s Move” initiative. At Saturday’s event, which took place the ESPN Wide World of Sports, the first lady spoke to a crowd of nearly 1,500 children and families who attended to take part in a day devoted to healthy living.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson welcomed the crowd in an appropriate way – he completed 50 push-ups on stage.
Michelle Obama was also joined by Disney Stars, Perry the Platypus from “Phineas and Ferb” and professional athletes. They joined the local kids and their families in a fun-filled active afternoon, reflecting the emphasis “Let’s Move” places on physical activity.
In speaking about “Let’s Move,” the first lady recognized Disney Magic of Healthy Living, a program that launched in 2010. Its goals are to encourage children to lead healthier lives and to serve as a resource for parents trying to raise healthy, happy kids.
“I want to thank Disney for all that they’ve done to support ‘Let’s Move’ and to make sure our kids are eating right and being active,” Michelle Obama told the audience before joining Disney Channel and Disney XD stars for the new dance, the “Platypus Walk,” inspired by the hugely popular “Phineas and Ferb” character Perry the Platypus.
“Platypus Walk,” a dance set to a surf-rock song, is designed by Disney to encourage physical activity. As demonstrated by the first lady and choreographer Rosero McCoy at the “Let’s Move” event, “Platypus Walk” features moves that include flapping one’s arms and shuffling to the beat.
The dance also promotes “Platypus Day,” a holiday Disney created to celebrate the character and cartoon. “Platybus Day” will take place Sunday, March 3.
See photos of Michelle Obama enjoying"Let's Move" activities.
During the event, children were welcomed to visit five Disney Magic of Healthy Living activity stations. They were joined by Disney Channel Stars Debby Ryan (“Jessie”) and Roshon Fegan (“Shake It Up”), and by Disney XD stars Doc Shaw, Kelsey Chow (both from “Pair of Kings”) and Olivia Holt (“Kickin’ It”).
Event attendees were able to “get physical” with professional athletes at the stations. Children ran sprints with renowned football coach Tom Shaw, completed drills with members of the Orlando City Soccer team and practiced their tennis serve with tennis professional James Blake.
Naturally the first lady joined in on the fun. She tried her (back) hand at tennis, scored approval with her soccer footwork and exchanged high-fives with participants.
First lady Michelle Obama’s visit to Disney World marked the end of her three-day, four stay tour promoting “Let’s Move” and its successes. During her whirlwind weekend, she has visited Iowa, Texas, Arkansas and other parts of Florida, meeting with area children, parents, and organizations that have participated in the initiative.
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