The DVC Is Coming
We’re hearing that the new Disney Vacation Club add on to the Grand Californian will be called the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa.
Of course, this name could change at any time, so stay tuned!
ESPN: The Complex???
NEW YORK (May 13, 2008) — Aligning the world’s No. 1 family vacation destination with the worldwide leader in sports, Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN are joining forces to re-brand Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex with the ESPN brand, creating an entertaining and immersive experience for the nearly 2 million athletes, coaches and spectators who come through the Disney sports complex each year.
Plans for the re-branding initiative — which was announced today during the ESPN upfront presentation to advertisers and sponsors — are still in the development stage, but initial concepts involve renaming the sports complex and incorporating the signature elements of ESPN throughout the 220-acre facility, which is a leading venue for amateur and professional sports in the country. The project aims to enhance the experience of both athletes and spectators by connecting them to their favorite ESPN programs, personalities and elements. It also will provide advertisers new sponsorship opportunities at the grass roots level.
“This is a natural and exciting pairing of two powerful brands to create a one-of-a-kind, immersive sports venue that will enable athletes, coaches and guests to experience sports in a whole new way,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts. “This project builds on our collaborative successes and positions us to explore more opportunities with ESPN to create new experiences for guests at Walt Disney World Resort.”
“Our involvement in the Disney sports complex will provide greater opportunities for us to connect directly with athletes, coaches and fans in a highly immersive way,” said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports, and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks. “Our involvement also provides us with a unique and exciting new media platform that will enable our advertisers and sponsors to reach new customers and bring their products and services to life.”
The re-branding of the Disney sports complex is the latest initiative in the growing sports business at Walt Disney World Resort. In December, the sports complex debuted additional outdoor playing fields for football, soccer, lacrosse and field hockey competitions. And this summer the sports complex will open Jostens Center, a new state-of-the-art field house that will allow Disney to accommodate twice as many indoor sports events each year. Additional expansion plans are being explored.
The Disney sports complex annually hosts more than 180 events in 50 different sports involving athletes from more than 70 countries. Among those events are the Atlanta Braves spring training season, a Tampa Bay Rays regular-season series, the Major League Baseball Draft, the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp, Chelsea Football Club events, the Pop Warner Super Bowl, AAU National Championships, Varsity All-Star Cheerleading competitions, USSSA events and the Walt Disney World Marathon, one of the top marathons in the nation. ESPN televised 20 sporting events from the complex in the last year. Walt Disney World Resort and ESPN also annually work together to host the popular ESPN The Weekend event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Refurb Time!
We have 3 new additions to the attractions refurbishments list. First up, Mickey’s House will be closed from May 12th through May 15th. Donald’s Boat will be closed for a rather long refurbishment from May 19th through June 20th. Finally, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closed just on May 20th.
As always, be sure to keep an eye out on our Attractions Refurbishment page for the latest attraction refurbs!
I Almost Was Blown Right Off Of The Ride!
I advise y’all to check out the latest Blue Sky Alert, or as they’re now being called, Blue Sky Buzz, on Blue Sky Disney.
This latest “Buzz” goes in depth on the planned re-theme of the Orange Stinger, a potential different name for Cars Land, a Narnia 3D movie, & more!
Prince Caspian Is Coming
Multiple sources have confirmed that the new Journey Into Narnia: Prince Caspian exhibit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be opening this Friday as the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie is released in theaters. The opening of this exhibit marks the conclusion of 5 months of total inactivity for the right-east corner of the park as Toy Story Midway Mania enters a full-time soft-openings schedule beginning, as well, on Friday.Â
DLR Picture Update
Post edited with the rest of the pictures
I’m back from another lovely day at the Disneyland Resort, & I of course have a picture update for y’all. So let’s get straight to it:
Today was Mothers Day, & complimentary flowers were given out to mothers
The latest Disneyland Park map
The banners that were added to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle a couple of weeks ago have been removed for some reason
Random people got given a free Year of a Million Dreams pin… I got one obviously!
Space Mountain desperately needs a clean or paint job
A copy of the Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters mural behind the Segway Experience in Innoventions
The new Future Choice Stations inside Project Tomorrow in Innoventions, which are basically the new ending to Epcot’s Spaceship Earth
My Future Choice!
A treehouse (maybe) for the new Innoventions Dream Home
I tried out the relatively new game Power City for the first time
The new Air Scooter II display
A look at construction for It’s a Small World
The facade is now completely under tarps
The It’s a Small World Toy Shop is also closed
Work is still being done to the Sunshine Plaza Fountain
Let’s take a look at the newly opened Midway Mercantile!
Could this be the TSMM attraction poster?
The exit to Toy Story Midway Mania (it’s roped off, obviously)
Some well needed shade for DCA
The new food stand, Don Tomas, is open…
… This is its very limited menu
Let’s take a look around the mini Disney Gallery at the exit to Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years
Not a lot of water dropping, is there?
And now a look at the new Prince Caspian Pre-Parade to Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams
We’ll have more photos of Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams up in the Disneyland Park Gallery later tonight
Ever since the Bug’s Life float in the Pixar Play Parade came back, the floats have been in a different order: The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story
This is pretty much all of the main Bug’s Life float at the moment
To cap this DLR Picture Update off, me & Ariel at Ariel’s Grotto, which will be closing soon to make way for the new Disney Fairies meet ‘n greet
That’s it for this DLR Picture Update. We will of course have bigger versions of all of today’s pictures, plus many additional ones up later tonight in the Image Galleries. We will of course let you know when they’re up!
Podcast Episode 42 Now Available
To subscribe to the WDW News Today podcast on Itunes, go to this link. If you do not have Itunes, visit our Podcast Download Directory to download or listen to all of our shows
Join Tom Corless and a cast including Jason Diffendal, Luke Manning, Nick McLamb, Justin Heyman, Andy Schalf and John Corigliano for a show that Bridges the Gaps Between You and the World. Sit back, relax, and enjoy all of the Walt Disney World information and fun we have to offer on this silver-screen edition of WDWNT.
To kick off episode 42, Jason Diffendal, Luke Manning, and Nick McLamb join me in discussing the Walt Disney World News and Rumors. This week, we discuss a bunch of news topics from Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including Toy Story Mania fun facts and the new AFI villains exhibit.
Next, it’s the latest edition of Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics, as listener Andy Schalf takes on reigning champion Luke Manning. This is another entertaining (and funny) edition of our game and should have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Our newest segment, Town Square Talk, is back this week with WDWNT community forum administrator Justin Heyman highlighting the hottest topics being discussed this week. Be sure to get in on these and other exciting discussions by heading over to http://wdwnewstoday.com/forum!!! We also highlight our new video download site with videographer John Corigliano, WDWNTube, featuring tons of great Disney Parks videos. Be sure to check that out at http://wdwntube.wdwnewstoday.com!!!
This episode is also available in an enhanced version. An enhanced podcast is a podcast with added features that standard podcasts don’t have. Enhanced podcasts include many features like Chapter listings, this lets you skip through chapters or see what is in store for this weeks show. Enhanced podcasts also have images to let you differ the chapters by. Enhanced podcasts have one negative feature, you can not play them on most MP3 players. The file format for this is a .m4a which can play on Apple’s iPod and Microsoft’s Zune. You will also need iTunes or Windows Media Player to be able to skip through chapters. If you need or would like the standard edition, download the normal edition listed below this file both on Itunes and in our podcast directory.
To subscribe to the WDW News Today podcast on Itunes, go to this link. If you do not have Itunes, visit our Podcast Download Directory to download or listen to all of our shows
Summer of Hidden Midways
The picture bellow, taken by the website Original D, of the latest Disneyland Resort maps, shows off 2 interesting things:
First off, more confirmation of the Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries, which will begin on May 22nd. And secondly, this is the first time that the new Toy Story Midway Mania attraction has had the Midway part of the name including in anything promotional. That makes me happy!
After The Million Dreams….
WDW News Today has just been informed that after the conclusion of the long-running Year of a Million Dreams celebration in December 2008, Disney Parks will begin a new, smaller scale promotional program. The new promotion will be titled “Magical Celebrations” and is scheduled to begin in January 2009. The only part of the celebration that has been mentioned (still unofficial) thus far for the Walt Disney World Resort is the addition of Disneyland’s Parade of Dreams to the Magic Kingdom. No additional information is available at this time, but stay tuned to WDW News Today as more becomes available.
Innoventions Dream Home AP Previews
Be one of the first people to see the future! Attend a very special Annual Passholder sneak peek at the Disneyland® Park’s Innoventions Dream Home.
Discover a 5,000 square-foot home of the future inhabited by the dynamic Elias family and learn how the technology of today — and the technology of tomorrow — seamlessly interconnects within the home, the surrounding community and the whole world.
- Help the Elias family celebrate their son’s recent soccer victory and plan their upcoming trip to China for the World Championship.
- Explore this beautiful Taylor Morrison Home and sample the benefits for a digital lifestyle provided by Microsoft, HP and Lifeware.
- Visit the adjacent party tent and explore new technology in a fun, hands-on environment.
Located inside Innoventions.
All Disneyland® Resort Annual Passholders are invited to a very special sneak peek at the Innoventions Dream Home on the following dates and times:
Sneak Peek Dates Available to All Annual Passholders
June 2, 2008 – 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
June 3, 2008 – 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
June 4, 2008 – 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Sneak Peek Dates That Are Blockout Dates for Southern California and Southern California Select Annual Passholders
June 5, 2008 – 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
June 6, 2008 – 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Blockout Dates apply. Entry based on first-come, first-serve basis. Sneak peek event may include long wait periods, is subject to temporary closures without notice and may be cancelled at any time. All participants must show their valid Annual Passport to enter the Innoventions Dream Home. Entry is non-transferable, is not guaranteed and may not be sold