It’s once again time for a photo report from our very own Myrna Litt. Let’s get in to this rather large batch of photos:
Various holiday treats available at the Resort.
Wait times haven’t got that bad yet.
The fountain & bubbling effects at Pixie Hollow weren’t working, revealing the tubing beneath.
Now for a few pictures of the all new Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough. I don’t remember seeing pictures of that sign before.
I just wanted to take the time to go through a few interesting posts that have been put up on the OC Register’s Around Disney blog in the past few days, as it really is a slow time for news. The first article deals with the interactive Muppet scavenger hunt at Disney’s California Adventure:
Disney recently launched an online and in park game, available exclusively to Disneyland Resort annual passholders.
The interactive game that involves text messages and cell phones, called The Muppet Experiment, opens with the back-story of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s lastest experiment, the Muppet Labs Time Rewinder. The experiment goes awry and the Muppets get lost in time, so players join in the game by becoming test subjects. They are asked to help bring the Muppets back to 2008 through a series of trivia questions, puzzles and more.
The first step of the Muppet Experiment is an online version, where players solve four puzzles that relate to the Muppets.
After completing the online portion, players go to Disney’s California Adventure, where they are sent on a quasi-scavenger hunt. Questions require players to visit various locations throughout the park in search of details, including a stop at Muppet Vision 3D. To answer each in park question, players send a text message with their guess.
After successfully answering all the questions, players will be sent to California Adventure’s newest attraction, the Blue Sky Cellar, to receive a commemorative prize.
The Muppet Experiment is reminiscent of the retired Virtual Magic Kingdom quests, which were part of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary promotion.
The game engaging for Disneyland fans and Muppet fans alike. After many trips to California Adventure, the game is something new and unique for passholders, and points out many hidden details in the park. It is challenging enough for even the most devoted Disney fans, but still fun for the casual guest.
Some questions are more difficult than others. In particular, the online questions require either intense knowledge of Muppet trivia, or quite a bit of research on the Internet. The in-park questions, however, are easier.
The idea of using cellphones is interesting, but does have its drawbacks. When I played the game, there were a few minor technical difficulties during game play with the texting, and those without the ability to text are not able to participate in the in park portion. Through the concept of the Time Rewinder, the game tied in well with California Adventure’s future plans for expansion, and fit nicely in with the Blue Sky Cellar.
The game ends on December 16. To join in The Muppet Experiment, click here.
The Muppet Experiment is free to play, but standard text message rates do apply.
Tips for playing The Muppet Experiment:
- If you get stuck, many Disney fan sights post hints and sometimes spoilers to the answers.
- Wikipedia is helpful for finding answers to the online questions.
- Ask cast members for help with the in park questions. If you are directed to a certain area or attraction, ask a cast member assigned to that area. Otherwise, ask cast members at the Blue Sky Cellar.
The second article deals with a rather interesting rumor going around that says Disney “fired” actors playing Jack Sparrow due to women flashing a certain body part at the actors:
One of the reasons Disney laid off four actors playing fictional pirate Jack Sparrow in the park is because women tended to flash the character, asserted one former cast member.
Disneyland vehemently denies these rumors.
“They lost control when they saw Jack Sparrow,” former pirate Brandon Pinto told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “This is a sexy, rock-star pirate.”
The Jack Sparrows walked around the park and interacted with Disneyland’s guests. Pinto, according to the Tribune, left the park about a year ago, while the four recently employed pirate captains were laid off in November.
Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown said in e-mail to Around Disney that there’s no truth to that rumor.
“For the record, the rumor that this move has anything to do with female guests is absolutely false,” she said. “It is simply not true. Here is our official statement:
‘The Disneyland Resort consistently evaluates its entertainment programming so that we are offering our Guests what is most relevant and requested. While Jack Sparrow recently set sail for other high-seas adventures, we look forward to his grand return to Disneyland some day. Until then, Guests can see Jack Sparrow in our Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.’ ”
Brown said she couldn’t comment on the circumstances surrounding Pinto’s departure from the park, but said she figured he was the “source of the rumors” surrounding the reasons for the layoffs.
Read the the KTLA story here. The San Diego Union-Tribune also published an article on the issue here, asserting that the new Pixie Hollow attraction had something to do with the removal of the pirates in question.
Finally, I just wanted to point out that the guys at the Around Disney blog have put up a very cool interactive map showing all of the changes & additions coming to DCA through 2012. Be sure to check it out!
I just received the 2009 Disney Parks Vacation Planning DVD in the mail yesterday and here are some notes on what I found inside:
-The package and DVD is littered with balloons, it looks like a seasonal overlay of the 2008 DVD, very similar:
-The WDW brochure inside has also been updated for the celebration:
-More interestingly, this brochure features a map of the Magic Kingdom missing one of its signature attractions…
Notice there is no mention of Space Mountain, it simply sits there as a mystery structure
As many of you who follow this site are well aware, Space Mountain is scheduled for a still “unannounced” refurbishment in 2009, and the fact that the attraction is missing from this pamphlet and the DVD itself should remove the doubt from anyone’s mind about upcoming changes over at Space Mountain next year. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we gather more information on this rumored refurbishment.
Even though we are just about three weeks away from the beginning of the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign at the Walt Disney World Resort, we have already had a major change in plans. Now don’t panic just yet, it’s actually quite a positive one. Instead of taking the same exact concept that Disneyland park is going to use for what they are calling “Celebrate! A Street Party” on Main Street U.S.A. like was originally planned, the Magic Kingdom will be receiving a larger and more extensive version of this mini-parade/show beginning Spring 2009. Here is a release on the new offering:
At the Walt Disney World® Resort, the “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party” will come to life in early spring 2009 at the Magic Kingdom® Park. It will feature multiple floats (in this case, “party boxes”) each hosted by a Disney Character with fantastic upbeat music that will have you dancing and celebrating in front of Cinderella Castle. Hosts include Genie (from Aladdin), Lumiere (from Beauty and the Beast), Timon (The Lion King), Sebastian (The Little Mermaid) and the Mad Hatter (Alice in Wonderland ).
The concept sounds much stronger than the Disneyland version, as you can see here:
Beginning in spring 2009, the heart of Disneyland® Park will rock to the beat of some of the best party tunes of all time during “Celebrate! A Street Party.” Balloons and streamers fill the air on Main Street, U.S.A.®, while crazy conga lines, swing dancers and Disney Characters take to the street to celebrate with you!
It should be interesting to see how this “Main Street Family Fun Day Parade” replacement does when it debuts next year at the Magic Kingdom. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on this new entertainment offering becomes available.
Along with the upcoming closure of Club Libby Lu, Department 56 in Downtown Disney will be closing after the holiday season. The closing is due to the filing for bankruptcy of the store’s parent company, Lenox Group. This comes after the store recently cut itself in half, now creating space for 2 new tenants. Due to the closing, & the holiday rush, merchandise is currently 20-50% off.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as we get in more info on when these 2 stores will indeed close.
Not only did the “Sounds Dangerous starring Drew Carey” show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios close for an unannounced refurbishment yesterday that will span through the 13th of December, it now seems the attraction will only be operating seasonally at the park. The most recent closure of the attraction is to allow some finishing touches on the American Idol Experience attraction that will be giving tours of its studio to Annual Passholders in just a few days.
The Sounds Dangerous show has garnered horrible reviews and low attendance since it opened back in 1999, making it very surprising that it has lasted until now. However, it is expected that the attraction will not remain seasonal for long and will most likely be replaced with a Disney Channel themed sound-show within the next year or two. The attraction will close again in January and will remain closed until crowd levels allow it to re-open. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on this story becomes available.
Our very own Matt Paul attended this weekend’s Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade tapings, and reports back to us with these photos:
This Friday and Saturday were days for Walt Disney World Christmas Day parade taping
Dream Along With Mickey performed on a slightly modified stage for the later performances
These red curtains were put in just for the parade taping.
Join me, Tom Corless, and a cast including Jason Diffendal, Justin Heyman, Denise Hafto, Brian Martsolf, Chris Lastrapes, Adam Roth and Luke Manning for a show that Bridges the Gaps Between You and the Walt Disney World Resort. I hope you enjoy all of the Walt Disney World information and fun we have to offer on this “Share a Dream Come True” edition of the WDW News Today Podcast.
To kick off episode 71, we have all the recent happenings from the last week to discuss in our Walt Disney World Resort News and Rumor Report. This time around, we’ll be talking about rumored changes to the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during an upcoming refurbishment, a huge deal on Disney merchandise coming up for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members at the World of Disney store, and some great discounts for those planning on traveling to the Walt Disney World Resort in early 2009.
After that, Adam Roth joins us for the first time in nearly 6 months for Expedition Everoth, an inside look at Orlando’s various vacation destinations. On this edition, Adam and I talk about the IAAPA Attractions Expo recently held in the central Florida area. Adam also gives us a countdown of his ten best-in-show of things you may soon be seeing at a theme park near you.
Following that, we have another great Walt Disney World based discussion that you voted for. In this week’s opinionated round-table, we’ll be discussing some more recent additions to Walt Disney World and trying to decide whether or not Walt Disney would have approved of them. It’s a meaningful discussion for us, and we hope you’ll enjoy it.
Throughout the program, You’ll notice a number of audio clips I’ve recently collected about Walt and his life. Also be sure to stick around until the end for our annual audio finale playing of “We Share a dream Come True” during this tribute to Walt Disney.
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
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.
So soon after a photo report from Chuck, we have a photo report in from Myrna! Let’s get to her photos:
Another look at the Candlelight Processional stage.
Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle.
As I’m sure many of you are aware, today is Walt Disney’s 107th birthday. December 5th always feels a little special, there’s just something about knowing that the greatest visionary the entertainment world will ever know was born on this day 107 years ago. Walt and his company have invented and re-invented the industry again and again over the last century, insuring that Walt’s legacy continues to grow as time marches on. If you’re visiting this site, chances are you have had some aspect of the Walt Disney Company touch your life is a positive way and you have a love for the work Walt and the many cast members that followed have done. As a great song once said, “We Share a Dream Come True” and are connected by our love for the product of the visionary. Happy birthday Walt, and thank you for everything.
Disney.com has redecorated itself for the day in honor of Walt and I think it’s worth checking out. In addition, I’m looking forward to our annual Walt Disney Tribute show on the WDW News Today Podcast this weekend and hope you will join us for a very meaningful program.
