Downtown Diana

WDWNT on June 17, 2009

I don’t think anyone saw this coming to Downtown Disney’s West Side:

Hundreds of royal artifacts on view in largest Princess Diana exhibit

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, Inc. (PPCF) is bringing “DIANA–The People’s Princess” – a major new exhibit of royal artifacts – to Walt Disney World Resort. Opening in early July 2009, this limited-time experience showcases the life and story of Princess Diana, one of the most iconic and inspirational figures in recent history, including a sampling of the royal dresses Diana chose to auction for charity and hundreds of authentic artifacts relating to her life.

“DIANA–The People’s Princess” exhibit will be held in a 17,500-square-foot setting at Downtown Disney West Side adjacent to DisneyQuest. This unique exhibition is one of the largest collections of royal dresses and rare artifacts ever assembled for an American audience which provides an in-depth historical perspective of her life. The exhibit includes five rarely seen royal dresses worn by Princess Diana.

As part of this unique experience, guests will come to understand:

  • The stories of Diana’s own childhood and ancestry and how that lineage was influential in her selection as the future bride of HRH Charles, The Prince of Wales, the future King of England.
  • Her magical royal wedding which was viewed by over 750 million people from around the globe; her favorite role as “mum” to princes William and Harry.
  • Kensington Palace, the royal residence where Diana lived from the moment she became the Princess of Wales until her death and which today plays an active role in preserving her charitable legacy.
  • The historical significance of her role as Princess of Wales and the impact she had through that role on the fashion industry and charitable landscape.
  • How at the Christie’s “Sale of The Century,” 79 of Diana’s royal dresses were sold to benefit charities which helped position her as an astute philanthropist.
  • Her untimely passing and the massive media and public interest in the tragedy.
  • The charitable impact still being recognized through her gowns and personal effects.

    • A hint at some of the items on display:

  • Royal  Doulton figurine of Diana in her wedding dress –  Made in 1981 at the time of the royal wedding, the doll is wearing an exact  replica of the famous wedding dress.
  • The  Black Velvet “V” Neck – Designed  by Bruce Oldfield and worn by Diana for her official royal portrait in 1985.
  • Wedding Breakfast  booklet – Contains guest  names and two tickets to observe the bride and bridegroom before and  following the wedding ceremony in the quadrangle at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.
  • Three-foot doll of  Diana as a young girl –  Released by the Great American Doll Company in 1998 as a tribute to Diana,  Princess of Wales.“The late Princess used her globally renowned platform brilliantly,” commented Maureen Rorech Dunkel, founder of PPCF. “She understood that the many different experiences she had in her life, both positive and negative, made her more relatable to the public.  She used this quality to connect to the common masses and in doing so became known as ‘The People’s Princess.’ She used her compassion to bring support to all those in need and is still to this date, almost 12 years after her tragic passing, regarded as one of the most influential humanitarians of all time.”

    “We look forward to The People’s Princess Charitable Foundation bringing this unique experience to our Downtown Disney guests,” said Kevin Lansberry, vice president of Downtown Disney. “We remain committed to offering guests new and exciting experiences they can only have at the Walt Disney World Resort.”

    • Tickets may be purchased at the exhibit – $14.50 (ages 10 and above), $5 (ages 3-9). The exhibition will be through Nov. 30, 2009.  Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.

    The Supersonic Celebration Is Over???

    WDWNT on June 16, 2009

    From The Orlando Business Journal:

    Stitch’s Supersonic Adventure, an interactive stage show that opened May 5 (Actually, it was May 3rd) at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, will close on June 27.

    Disney officials wouldn’t say why the show, which opened with much fanfare just six weeks ago, is on the way out. Postings on blog sites by Disney fans suggest that park patrons complained about having to form queues in the late spring heat without shelter or seating.

    A Disney spokeswoman didn’t say what is planned next for the Stitch site.

    While I personally saw a lot of promise in the Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration show, it was quite clear that it needed a little work, but no one could have expected a permanent closure. The news that the show won’t perform for the remainder of the summer isn’t all that surprising, since guests have already been complaining about sitting and standing in the bright Florida sun in front of the Tomorrowland stage during the daily performances. With average summer temperatures like they are, the show could have caused some major legal trouble for Walt Disney World. You can expect a re-worked stage area and some various seasonal shows to debut beginning this Fall. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on this breaking story.

    Landmark Disneyland Hotel to Undergo Significant Renovation

    WDWNT on June 16, 2009

    Historic hotel to feature considerable changes to guest rooms, exterior

    ANAHEIM, CALIF. June 16, 2009 – Beginning in August 2009, Southern California’s landmark Disneyland Hotel will start a significant renovation project that will include major improvements to its guest rooms and considerable changes to the exterior of the hotel. The hotel will remain open during the renovation, which will be conducted in phases, and is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

    “We are excited to embark on the largest and most extensive renovation of one of Disney’s classic hotels,” said Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier. “This renovation provides us with the opportunity to bring new magic to this historic hotel, which enables us to enhance the Disney experience that our guests have come to expect. “It also reinforces our ongoing commitment and investment in the Anaheim Resort District – working with the city and area businesses to continue to evolve the District into a world-class, multiday tourist destination,” added Grier.

    Significant Guest Room Upgrades, New Room Amenities and Exterior Enhancements
    Disneyland Hotel’s renovated guest rooms will feature an all-new contemporary look with exquisite Disney touches woven into the décor. A stunning new headboard that features an artistically carved representation of Disneyland Park’s famous Sleeping Beauty Castle will serve as the focal point in each guest room. The background on the headboard uses fiber optics to create a magical skyline with fireworks – bringing the immersive park experience into the room. Rooms also will feature black and white art that will take guests back in time, reinforcing the nostalgia and history of Walt’s first theme park.

    When completed, guest rooms will boast new flat screen TVs, mini-refrigerators, coffeemakers, safes capable of holding laptop computers and new state-of-the-art telephone, cable and wireless Internet connections. Upgrades to plumbing, electrical and heating and air conditioning systems also are included in the project.

    Disneyland Resort’s original hotel, built in 1955, also will experience a noteworthy change to its exterior.  All of the three towers will feature an updated look, with large windows that will give the outside a sleek, radiant blue tint. The windows will replace the current sliding doors and faux balcony railings and are specially designed to be energy efficient and to extensively filter outside noise.

    “The new design for the hotel’s exterior will enhance the existing towers and compliment the Resort as a whole. The windows will feature a sky blue reflective glass that channels the feel of our bright California sky,” said Mike Montague, director of resort development for Walt Disney Imagineering.

    The Disneyland Hotel is composed of three main structures – the Magic, Wonder and Dreams towers. Construction will take place in one vertical half of a tower at a time – leaving the rest of the tower open for guests. The Dreams tower will be the first to be renovated and is scheduled to be completed in June 2010.

    Popular Choice for Convention Visitors
    In addition to being a top choice for vacationing families, the Disneyland Hotel has long been a favorite for meeting and convention planners because of its prime location and size – and direct access to more than 136,000 square feet of convention space.  Anaheim hosts hundreds of groups each year and the renovation will help maintain the city’s premiere position as a meeting destination.

    “We are thrilled with Disney’s plans to renovate the Disneyland Hotel,” said Charles W. Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau.  “With the renovation of the hotel and the expansion of Disney’s Grand Californian, coupled with other new hotel developments that are coming to Anaheim over the next few years, our city will continue to be a premier destination for convention and meeting planners.”

    Energy Efficient Enhancements
    As with other construction and enhancements that are underway throughout the Disneyland Resort, the renovation will include energy efficient upgrades. The most notable feature will be the hotel’s new windows.  With their reflective capabilities and double-pane glass, the windows will change the look of the exterior of the hotel dramatically, while reducing energy consumption by keeping guest rooms at the desired temperature.

    The use of occupancy sensors in guest rooms, low-flow toilets, energy efficient light bulbs and paint low in volatile organic compounds are just a few more of the ways that the hotel will offer guests a “green” lodging experience.

    Renovation is Part of Larger Resort Expansion
    The Disneyland Hotel renovation is a part of a larger expansion project underway throughout the Resort. Disney’s California Adventure Park is undergoing a multiyear expansion project that includes new experiences, attractions and night-time spectaculars, culminating in 2012 with the opening a brand new land – Cars Land.  The four-star Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is also undergoing an expansion, adding 200 hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom villas that are part of the Disney Vacation Club, which will make its first West Coast debut when it opens in the fall of 2009.

    Disney Stars, and Disney’s Electrical Parade, Rock the Parks

    WDWNT on June 13, 2009

    The OC Register’s Around Disney blog also has a report from last night’s media preview of Summer Nightastic:

    Disney Channel stars Selena Gomez and Jennifer Stone were like any other kids at Disneyland Thursday night, standing in giddy excitement next to Mickey Mouse.

    That is, until the “Wizards of Waverly Place” actresses were presented with magic wands by the mouse himself.

    With a flick of the wrist, fireworks burst over Sleeping Beauty Castle — the quintessential kickoff to Disney’s Summer Nightastic, the summertime run of shows at the Resort that include the fireworks display, the Electrical Parade and Fantasmic!, which plays out on Disneyland’s Rivers of America.

    Disney’s Electrical Parade (California Adventure)

    When a sparkling mass of lights emerged onto the street of California Adventure, the crowd stood in awe.

    Tinker Bell, the latest addition to the classic Disney parade, first trotted out in 1972, led the way waving her magic wand from a hot air balloon.

    “It was bright, and very green,” said Grad Night guest Prince Jones, from the School of Arts and Enterprise said.

    “It was pretty cool.”

    “We thought it was the right place to put Tinker Bell – leading the parade,” Director of Entertainment Doug McIntyre said of the new float, which features 25,000 lights.

    “She has a sort of pixie dust-effect coming from her float, and we added it to all the floats. We knew we wanted to do some enhancements to the rest of the parade, so we thought by adding Tinker Bell to the front, we could add this pixie dust swirl that goes throughout the parade.”

    The Electrical Parade has been a part of Disney since its premiere in 1972. The parade has undergone numerous changes, adding new floats, more lights. It has showed up in locations around the world.

    This phase of the parade combines a bit of the old with a bit of the new; for example, the diamond mine float from Snow White and the Pleasure Island scene from Pinocchio return after a long hiatus.

    “They had been sitting there in a warehouse, so we had them shipped over. When they shipped that parade (back to the United States in 2001), they left that unit behind, so we called them up and had them ship it out and refurbished,” McIntyre said. “It’s the way I remember the Electrical Parade from its old days at Disneyland. It’s nice to have it back.”

    Meanwhile, a new control system allows for intricate control of the lighting and 11,000 LED lights used on the dancers’ costumes make the parade more energy efficient.

    Then there is the music.

    “Music is a big part of any of our entertainment experiences, and we knew we wanted to update the soundtrack,” said McIntyre, a 27-year Disney veteran. “The music was written in 1967, and with the technology of synthesizers, we’ve come a long way. We wanted to maintain the classic-ness of what the guests expect using ‘Baroque Hoedown,’ which is the piece of music used. We were excited to do it with all of today’s modern technology.”

    When the parade premiered on June 17, 1972, it was called The Main Street Electrical Parade, but since then it has moved to California Adventure.

    “Part of the dynamic of the business here is balancing the guest flow and the experience between both parks, so it was a perfect fit to bring the parade here,” McIntyre said.

    TLT Dance Club at the Tomorrowland Terrace (Disneyland)

    The Tomorrowland Terrace is not the place you want when looking for a quiet dinner to wind down after a hectic day of spinning teacups and meeting giant mice. On the other hand, if you are looking for a serious energy boost, then the TLT Dance Club is the place to be.

    “Hannah Montana” star Mitchel Musso opened the night on a high note while appearing with his band for a surprise performance.

    For 11-year-old Elizabeth Burkemper of Missouri, standing so close to one of her favorite “Hannah Montana” stars was a dream come true.

    “It was, like, the most amazing experience of my life,” she said.

    The rest of the summer is filled with a lineup of appearances by popular radio stations and Top-40 bands, including KIIS-FM, Tomasina, 104.3 MYfm and Instant Replay. The club has already been compared to the now-defunct Videopolis, but this one will have a 2009 spin, such as the ability to vote on what song should be played via text message.

    Fantasmic! (Disneyland)

    Fantasmic! has been a staple of Disney nighttime entertainment since it began performances in May of 1992. It is set on the Rivers of America in Disneyland.

    Just like the Electrical Parade, this nighttime show underwent changes in preparation for the summer, with Fantasmic! now including new digital projectors, a 12-foot-tall crocodile and giant eels slithering through the water.

    Although the highlight of the show was slated to be a 40-foot-tall dragon from the movie “Sleeping Beauty,” technical difficulties forced last night’s premiere to debut sans dragon. Stay tuned to Around Disney for a peek at the dragon later this summer.

    Here are a few of their photos from the media preview of Summer Nightastic:

    Selena Gomez and Jennifer Stone were at Disneyland to launch Summer Nightastic

    Read More about Disney Stars, and Disney’s Electrical Parade, Rock the Parks

    Summer Nightastic Lights Up Disneyland

    WDWNT on June 13, 2009

    D23 have put up 2 articles for the debut of Summer Nightastic today. The first covers last night’s media launch:

    On Thursday, June 11, Disneyland was packed with summer guests, and D23 was invited for a peek at all the new happenings as Nightastic! takes over the park this summer.

    First stop was the new TLT Dance Club in Tomorrowland. Also known at the Tomorrowland Terrace, the TLT Dance Club is packing in the crowds with the new lights, videos screens and sound system playing today’s hottest tunes. The place burst into wild screams when guest performer Mitchel Musso of Hannah Montana fame took to the stage and rocked the house with a seven song set that included his hit “The In Crowd.” Look for other surprise guests to drop in on the Dance Club all summer long.

    Following Mitchel’s mini concert, guests were escorted to Main Street, U.S.A. to watch the premiere of the summer fireworks spectacular, Magical. To start things off Disneyland’s Russ Marchand came out to talk all about the excitement of Nightastic! before introducing the voice of the new Magical show, Broadway star (and Disneyland veteran performer!) Eden Espinosa. Eden wasn’t the only celebrity on hand; next Russ brought Wizards of Waverly Place stars Selena Gomez and Jennifer Stone on stage — what better way to kick off something “magical” that with some wizards? When Russ asked if they were having a good time at Disneyland that night, Selena replied, “How can you not?” before revealing they had blasted off on Space Mountain four times. Sorcerer Mickey came up on stage with a pair of sorcerer hats. “Oh my God!” exclaimed Selena, before donning the hat — and picking up a special Nightastic! magic wand which they used to kick off the festivities.

    At that moment, the magic of Magical took flight. Using new launches and fireworks, some classic Disney music (sung by Eden) not often heard in the parks like “Baby Mine” and “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and a brand new Dumbo puppet that soars through the air, Magical indeed lived up to its name. And while the show will only run though August 23, Disneyland’s Director of Entertainment, Doug McIntyre, says it may return in 2010. “There’s a chance it will come back as our summer offering,” Doug revealed. “It will go back to Remember… Dreams Come True after the summer. We’re looking at some yet-to-be-announced possibilities for Halloween. Then we’ll have our Christmas show, and then back to Remember. And Magical could possibly become a summer offering.”

    Following the fireworks, guests hit the Rivers of America to witness the enhancements to the already spectacular Fantasmic!. Thanks to HD technology, the projections now virtually leap off the screen — and they’re not the only things leaping! A new crocodile lurches and snaps at Captain Hook as he swims behind the pirate ship looking for a snack. Plus, Ursula’s “hench-eels” Flotsam and Jetsam now menacingly sweep through the waters. All these wonderful new characters posed exciting challenges to Disneyland’s creative team. “Obviously, any time you create new show elements — and Flotsam and Jetsem and the crocodile are examples of that — you go through some teething problems in testing and adjustments,” Doug explained. “Certainly we went through those but they worked out really great.” And Doug and his team aren’t done playing yet! “We talked tonight about making a new adjustment to Flotsam and Jetsam.” Currently the two slither out together from the same side of the river. “We’re talking about doing a version where they come from different sides of the river. We’re still learning as we see it.”

    One thing guests didn’t see was the new Maleficent dragon, who wasn’t quite ready for her close up. “As one of the very few people who have seen the dragon in its functioning mode, I’m thrilled by the dragon,” Doug noted. “In our test-and-adjust period, we had a situation where we had a mechanical issue we knew we had to fix and we knew we weren’t going to be ready. So we’re working on that and will get it into the show as soon as we can.” And Doug says, when she makes her debut, guests won’t believe their eyes. “I think is going to be one of the most spectacular additions to a Disney show that’s ever been done. It’s certainly the largest Disney character that’s ever been created in animated mode. And it’s a huge leap from what the dragon used to be. This is full, three-dimensional, fully articulated, 45-foot-tall, 32-foot wingspan, with 18 axis of motion, it takes five computers to run the thing — it’s what you’d expect from Disney with all of the technology we have at our hands!”

    Last, but certainly not least, it was over to Disney’s California Adventure to get a look at Disney’s Electrical Parade, which features a brand-new Tinker Bell float and the return of three other floats: the diamond mine from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and two from Pinocchio. All the floats glitter and gleam like new, with the help of LED technology (Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat now disappears!), and an enhanced soundtrack gives to depth to the musical elements of the parade. But the returning floats are sure to bring a smile to the face of any fan of the Electrical Parade. “The parade has almost been around the world,” Doug explained, when asked how the Snow White and Pinocchio floats found their way back into the show. “Here at Disneyland, then it went to Disney World for a while, then it went to Paris, and finally it ended up in Hong Kong. When we brought it back here, the diamond mine and the Pinocchio units were left behind in Hong Kong. They were sitting in a storage facility in Hong Kong.” When Nightastic! was in the planning stages, Doug and his team thought it was the perfect time to bring them back from overseas. “So we called Hong Kong, shipped them out, refurbished them, and put them back in the parade.” Combining the perfect blend of exciting new offerings and emotional nostalgia, Summer Nightastic! is sure to be a crowd pleaser for any Disney fan.

    And the second article is an interview with vocalist for Magical, Eden Espinosa:

    The Broadway star returns to her Disneyland roots to sing the theme for the new fireworks spectacle Magical.

    “I’m such a Disney girl, and I have been since I was growing up here in Orange County,” Eden says. “I’d always come to Disneyland as a kid. It was always a dream of mine to work here and be in entertainment here.”

    If you’ve been a regular Disneyland visitor for a while, chances are good you have seen Eden Espinosa in a show — she did more than a half a dozen during her career in entertainment at Disneyland, before moving to New York City where she starred in such musicals as Wicked, Rent and Brooklyn. This summer, park guests will be able to hear Eden’s rich vocals nightly; the incredible talent recorded the music for the new fireworks show Magical. D23 sat down with Eden for an exclusive interview and learned about her favorite attraction, her best Disneyland job and why she needs to reach for a box of tissues any time she hears a Disney song.

    How did they approach you about singing the theme from Magical?
    One of the talent bookers, Dana White, contacted me and said, “Bruce Healey [Disneyland’s Senior Music Producer] wanted to get your number, and I wasn’t sure if I should give it to him.” And I said, “Dana, it’s Bruce Healey! He cast me in Dickens Carolers when I was 18. You can give him my number! It’s fine!” [Laughs] And he called me and wanted me to send a couple of clips of things that he could show the director, because the director wasn’t too familiar with me. And that was it. Then he called me back and said, “We’d love you to be a part of it, if you want to do it.” I was like, “Are you kidding me?!”

    Was Dickens Carolers your first Disneyland job?
    Actually my first job was A Christmas Fantasy parade, the first year they did it with the live carolers. I was in it. And then I started doing the stage shows.

    Do you have a favorite memory from working here?
    My first solo, I think. I did the Carolers and then I was in the Hunchback of Notre Dame stage show.

    Were you Esmerelda?
    No, I was just Gypsy No. 4! [laughs] But then I was cast as Pocahontas in Animazement the Musical, and it was my first solo in the park. That moment, being able to do the montage [with songs from Pocahontas, Hercules and Hunchback of Notre Dame], which Bruce Healy actually arranged, was pretty cool.

    Didn’t you do [the Disney music revue] Steps in Time at Disney’s California Adventure, too?
    I did Steps in Time too — both versions! I did Route 66 in the park too, that was the last thing I did before I left the park. I did a lot!

    Do you have a favorite attraction?
    I love Tower of Terror. But my favorite Fantasyland ride is Peter Pan. I love Peter Pan. I think the concept is well executed. I love how you fly above the city with all the little lights.

    And you now open Magical singing “The Second Star to the Right”!
    I know! It’s great.

    Was there a favorite song you got to sing for Magical?
    Honestly, all of them are on a favorites list. But I think getting to do “Chim Chim Cher-ee” from Mary Poppins was awesome. And also “Baby Mine” [from Dumbo]. You don’t get to hear that very often. And I love the original song Greg Smith wrote as well. I love all of it!

    What was it like watching Magical for the first time?
    I had heard it before I saw it. Bruce sent me a CD earlier in the week, and I’ve been intentionally listening to it nonstop because I’m such a Disney girl, and I have been since I was growing up here in Orange County. I’d always come to Disneyland as a kid. It was always a dream of mine to work here and be in entertainment here. I always cry at Disney music in the fireworks shows, in Fantasmic, in the parades — so I was like, “I’m gonna bawl like a little baby!” So I listened to it a lot so I could get all the tears out. But hearing it on Main Street and seeing it happen was pretty cool! It was breathtaking.

    After all that time in New York City, are you living back in Southern California now?
    I’ve been back in L.A. since Wicked opened at the Pantages, so I’ve been back a couple years now. And I’m enjoying being back in Southern California. I have a solo concert coming up at the Ford Amphitheatre on July 24. I started doing shows at the Upright Cabaret when Wicked was ending and I went back to the show to close it. Then we took it to New York and did it at Joe’s Pub in March. Now we’re bringing to the Ford. It keeps getting bigger and bigger. It’s going to be a great show! I’m very excited.

    Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today this weekend for continuing coverage from the debut of Summer Nightastic.

    Summer Nightastic is Here!

    WDWNT on June 12, 2009

    Summer Nightastic begins tonight at the Disneyland Resort, and in honor of that, here’s a new Disney press video with footage from all three main offerings, as well as interviews with Carla Carlile (show director for Fantasmic), Denny Newell (senior show director for Disney’s Electrical Parade), and John Addis (senior show director for Magical):