Today is one of those special days in the Disney fan community, for today is Disneyland’s 53rd anniversary! While the 53rd anniversary isn’t a landmark anniversary, Disneyland are still celebrating it with a small ceremony today at 4:45PM, which will basically be a replaying of Walt’s Dedication of Disneyland, along with the Mayor of Main Street & some characters.
So Happy 53rd Birthday Disneyland, & Roll on the 55th!
Remember the old Leave a Legacy kiosk over at Epcot? If you do, then you probably know it was shutdown last summer and has been a dead-zone pretty much since that time. However, as you can see by the picture below, work has already begun on fixing up the area:
If the rumors I’m hearing are true, we should see some representatives from the food and beverage division of the Walt Disney World Resort setting up shop here in the near future. The reason: this spot is set to become a taste-testing area, where different food and beverage ideas and concepts can be tested with the general public. While we’re not sure if this means guests can line-up to taste what’s next for the World, I’m thinking that they will just be pulling random guests out of the crowds to do all the testing (much like they do for all of the other different “experiments” they perform around the resort). While none of this is confirmed as of this moment, It is highly likely to happen in some way, shape, or form. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on this Epcot location.
Our good friend EpcotServo has posted yet another fantastic photo update from Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, here are a few of the pics from the report:
Dino-sue is getting repainted over in Hester and Chester’s Dino-Rama
New Hollywood Studios merchandise featuring the park’s skyline, the fab five, the Genie, and a number of Pixar characters
The Hanes sponsorship has finally begun at Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster
Three new Toy Story Mania mugs are now available for purchase
They actually say Midway Mania
I’ll be sure to pick up all three of these my next visit to the studios
New kids shirt
Note: you can’t ring children in Toy Story Midway Mania, only Little Green Men
Pixar Animation Studios merchandise is now also being sold here
The smaller spring-action-shooters are now for sale, still no sign of the bigger ones. Notice that there are still plenty of opening day pins and shirts available at the shop.
For the remainder of EpcotServo’s great photo report, head HERE
Singing superstar Mariah Carey and award-winning actor Nick Cannon are pictured with another famous show business couple — Mickey and Minnie Mouse — July 15, 2008 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Carey and Cannon spent several days at Walt Disney World Resort, enjoying attractions in all four theme parks, fireworks shows and Disney cuisine. Among their favorite attractions — The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (Mariah’s favorite) and Space Mountain (Nick’s favorite). (Diana Zalucky, photographer)
Actress Kristen Alderson (right), star of the ABC Daytime drama “One Life to Live,” takes a spin in a giant teacup with her cousin, Colleen Kingston (left), July 10, 2008 on the Mad Tea Party attraction at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Alderson, who has portrayed the role of “Starr Manning” on the ABC soap opera for 10 years, is vacationing at the Walt Disney World Resort with family this week. (Garth Vaughan, photographer)
Grammy Award-winning musician Dave Matthews (left) shares a laugh with six-year-old daughter Grace (right), July 8, 2008 at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Matthews, a solo artist and lead singer and guitarist of the multi-platinum-selling rock group “Dave Matthews Band,” spent the day at the Walt Disney World Resort with family and friends. Dave Matthews Band’s 41-city summer concert tour continues in Tampa, Fla. on July 9. (Garth Vaughan, photographer)
Here is the official announcement from Disney on changes to the dining reservation system:
The Walt Disney World® Resort will release a new reservation booking system for dining, recreation and tour reservations in late October 2008. The new reservation system will replace our current Dining Reservation System and will allow you to book multiple dining reservations for your Clients in one experience, while associating reservations to your Clients’ Walt Disney World Resort room reservations.
In the future, Travel Agents and Guests will be able to make dining reservations online at disneytravelagents.com and disneyworld.com with this new reservation booking system. The launch date for this enhancement will be announced at a later date.
As a result of the system upgrade, effective July 29 through late October 2008, Guests will be able to book dining reservations up to Jan. 25, 2009 arrivals. In late October, booking processes will return to normal, allowing Guests to book up to 180 days of arrival.
The system upgrade will not impact Victoria and Albert’s Restaurant, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and Chef Mickey’s Restaurant. Those three venues will continue to observe the normal booking processes throughout the system cutover.
There you have it, as expected, you will soon be able to make all your Disney vacation reservations online in one motion, making the overall experience much easier. Expect the new system to be in order around January 2009.
After months of hearing rumors that the Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management will be closing sometime in the near future to make way for a Stitch-involved makeover, a new wild rumor has hit the streets of the Magic Kingdom and has cast members in De-Nile (Attempt at a Jungle Cruise joke). Strong rumors now indicate that the original budget for the postponed major Jungle Cruise attraction refurbishment maybe heading across the way to fund the restoration of the talking audio-animatronics bird show to its original splendor. In short, the original Tropical Serenade show may return to the Magic Kingdom as part of a huge marketing campaign for the 40th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort in 2011.
The planned campaign is going to promote the idea of guests experiencing renewed classic attractions and entertainment inspired by the resort’s past. Among the planned updates for the celebration are updates to Space Mountain, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, The Hall of Presidents, and the Enchanted Tiki Room at the Magic Kingdom; Journey Into Imagination and Illuminations at Epcot; and The Great Movie Ride and Star Tours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Also rumored at this time are a new firework show and updated Spectromagic parade at the Magic Kingdom.
While most of these changes are likely to not take place (as is the nature with rumors), a few of them will make the line-up in time for October 1, 2011. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more info on these rumored changes becomes available.
Reported by the Dis:
Disney will begin implementing a new reservation system that combines dining, recreation and tour bookings.
The conversion will start on July 21, 2008 and is expected to be functioning on October 24. While this is taking place, the latest dining reservation date which can be booked in advance is January 25, 2009. Once the new system is operating, it will revert to the 180 day Advance Dining Reservation window.
The exceptions to the shortened ADR booking window are Cinderella’s Royal Table, Chef Mickey’s and Victoria & Albert’s.
This updated system has been in the works for a while and is now finally being implemented. The rate of error from the old system necessitated the changes and the new system should work much more efficiently than the old. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we attempt to gain an official confirmation of these changes.
A new Grand Marshal vehicle has debuted in the Magic Kingdom theme park, carrying guests of honor down the daily parade route in grand style. To fit the theme of Main Street, USA, the vehicle was designed after a 1912 touring car. The new vehicle’s design also allows guests in wheelchairs to board easily and ride in the main seating area. Also an added touch of the new vehicle — Mickey Mouse tread designs on all four tires and the spare tire attached to the rear. (Garth Vaughan, photographer)
Yesterday I had a wonderful trip to the Disneyland Resort. Apart from the Innoventions Dream Home, there wasn’t that much else going on, so included in this picture report are some lovely scenery shots. Now then, let’s hop to it:
The monorail stopped right by Soarin’ Over California for some reason
I got to the Resort for DCA’s opening so I could go straight to Toy Story Midway Mania
We stopped here for about 10 minutes, & then preceded to the actual queue for the attraction, which was about 20 minutes long
My gun wasn’t working properly on my first ride, so I went Single Rider afterwards & got this score
The Grizzly River Run waterwheel is now out from behind walls & scaffolding
When this picture was taken (about 10:45am PST), Grizzly River Run had broken down
Now we’re going to venture into Innoventions, for a look around the brand new Innoventions Dream Home!
The fictional soccer team in the Dream Home is the Astro Blasters (wonder where they got the name from?)
Taylor Morrison is holding sweepstakes where you can enter to win your own Dream Home!
Bambi was showing in this room
The entrance into the Dream Home
In this room, a cast member was telling the story of Peter Pan (very futuristic)
Me with my brother in the background
A very cool, fountain bubbly thing that actually changes colors
The Tree of Tomorrow
The Dream Banners have returned to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle
One of Disneyland’s many bands heading towards the Castle
A nice panoramic shot down Main Street USA
Flowers in bloom at the entrance to Frontierland
Pins, Pins, & More Pins!!!
This picture is kinda dark (I didn’t want to use flash), but you should be able to see that one of the Pirates in the Jail scene of Pirates of the Caribbean is missing
The Trash Can Trio entertaining crowds waiting for Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams
And speaking of Parade of Dreams, here are some select shots from many that I took of the parade (all will soon be available in the Image Gallery)
The Little Mermaid float features my favorite costumes/performers
Three lovely ladies
A new sign up for the Art of Disneyland at the exit of Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years
I spotted these Mickey’s Pin Odyssey signs by the entrance to DCA from the Grand Californian… No idea what they were doing so far away from any of the Pin Trading carts
Mr. Potato Head is already starting to get a little dirty
Back in line for Toy Story Midway Mania
The 3rd ride of the day (my score is on the left)
And my fourth ride gives me my all time record
The fountains in between King Triton’s Carousel & Midway Mercantile were working for once
I met a total of 6 Princesses yesterday… Belle
Aurora
Cinderella
Aurora again (luck of the draw I suppose)
Pocahontas
And Ariel
That’s going to do it for this Disneyland Resort Photo Report (hey, that rhymed!). Stay tuned to the Image Galleries (once we get them working) for bigger versions of these pictures, as well as many others.
Until my next trip folks!
Our good friend Jim Hill over at Jim Hill Media has a great article up today about the rooms currently being re-decorated to Pirates of the Caribbean and Finding Nemo over at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. While the new movie themed rooms are very news-worthy, there is something towards the end of the article that is far more interesting and exciting.
When mentioning tomorrow’s article for the site, Jim brought up the rumor that plans for Shanghai Disneyland’s Tomorrowland area have it completely themed to Disney-Pixar’s Wall-E film. I found this pretty exciting since I had been told about a month ago that the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland may be getting the same treatment. Current plans include having the fictional “Buy N Large” corporation from the film Wall-E taking over tomorrowland, in order to give the land a cohesive storyline after years of mass-confusion. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Space Mountain, and Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress would most likely only be touched up to reflect the new theme, but major changes would be happening to the remainder of Tomorrowlandunder the current plan. A Wall-E themed show is currently in the works in Imagineering and would most likely replace Stitch’s Great Escape (while Stitch moves over to the Enchanted Tiki Room), although there is also talk of the show replacing The Laugh Floor. Other plans include major refurbishments of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and the Astro Orbiter. While all of this is still rumor for now, there is a very strong possibility that most of the changes in this plan will take shape by 2012. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on the future of Tomorrowland becomes available.
