WDWNT Reporter Matt Paul brings us to the shut-down ceremony for Star Tours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during “Last Tour to Endor” (don’t worry, the attraction doesn’t actually lose until September):
More videos from “Last Tour to Endor” are on the way, so stay tuned to WDW News Today!
WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth continues his coverage with day 2 of Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, including an in-depth look at some upcoming Disney merchandise:
Did you get your Donald Duck Shadow Trooper?
Read More about Star Wars Celebration V – Day 2 Coverage (8/13/10)
I would like to formally welcome Michael Wada to the DLNT Team as a Photographer. To celebrate, he brings us his very first photo report from The Disneyland Resort. So lets get right to it…
Starting off at the Backlot/Bugs Land Connector
From the Disney Parks Blog:
As you may have heard, Rapunzel from Disney’s upcoming animated adventure, “Tangled,” will appear in theaters this Thanksgiving. She’ll also be greeting guests in Disneyland park for the first time, beginning October 15. And Tom Smith recently announced on the Blog that Rapunzel will also greet guests at Magic Kingdom Park in Orlando.We’re sharing a first glimpse of concept art created for Rapunzel’s new meet-and-greet location in Fantasyland. As you can see in the image above, Rapunzel’s 70-feet of golden locks will drape luxuriously around the room. Flynn Rider, Rapunzel’s love interest, will also be on hand to meet and greet guests throughout the day.
Rapunzel will be greeting guests in the location that currently houses Gepetto’s Sweet Shoppe.Are you looking forward to the new movie and the opportunity to meet Disney’s newest heroine at Disneyland park?
While it isn’t Walt Disney World, Star Wars Celebration V is in Orlando and it’s pretty hard to ignore, especially with the large Disney presence. WDWNT Reporter Adam Roth is on the scene and here’s a pictorial re-cap of day 1:
Follow R2-D2 to Celebration V!
Read More about Star Wars Celebration V – Day 1 Coverage (8/12/10)
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Last year, Disney Parks fans learned that “The Adventures Continue” with the return of a new Star Tours attraction in both California and Florida in 2011. Earlier today at the Star Wars Celebration V fan event, Star Wars fans caught a first glimpse of a new video that will appear in the queue area of the reimagined Star Tours attraction in Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios next year. The video produced by Star Tours is a new “commercial” that shows one of their exciting getaway travel packages.
Today we’re also giving our Disney Parks Blog readers a peek at the video before it appears in the queue next year. While Star Tours now offers flights to new destinations, we cannot confirm that you will travel to any of the destinations shown in this video . . .
Since many Disney Parks fans know the new Star Tours attraction will take place between the two sets of Star Wars Trilogies, and that Star Tours can now take guests to more places in the Star Wars galaxy, what do you think of this video? Is there a destination you hope to visit on the new attraction when it opens next year?
Jamie Nakagiri was at The Disneyland Resort yesterday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from all around the resort.
“Celebration Point” looks great today
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Last year, Disney Parks fans learned that “The Adventures Continue” with the return of a new Star Tours attraction in both California and Florida in 2011. Earlier today at the Star Wars Celebration V fan event, Star Wars fans caught a first glimpse of a new video that will appear in the queue area of the reimagined Star Tours attraction in Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios next year. The video produced by Star Tours is a new “commercial” that shows one of their exciting getaway travel packages.
Today we’re also giving our Disney Parks Blog readers a peek at the video before it appears in the queue next year. While Star Tours now offers flights to new destinations, we cannot confirm that you will travel to any of the destinations shown in this video . . .
Since many Disney Parks fans know the new Star Tours attraction will take place between the two sets of Star Wars Trilogies, and that Star Tours can now take guests to more places in the Star Wars galaxy, what do you think of this video? Is there a destination you hope to visit on the new attraction when it opens next year?
From 3 PM-4 PM ET today, Disney had the floor at Star Wars Celebration V’s Behind-the-Scenes stage, where they used the opportunity to give us more details on Star Tours II, Last Tour to Endor, and more! Here’s the rundown of what happened at the presentation:
Live Updates from Star Wars Celebration V Disney Presentation:
2:59 PM ET – “Jason Surrell set to arrive soon. Diego Parras just walked into the room. The room is nearly filled already.” – Adam Roth
3:00 PM ET – “Lights dimmed. Music silenced. Room filled. I think we’re starting!” – Adam Roth
3:02 PM ET – “We are talking about Star Tours today…” Jason Surrell is here.
3:04 PM ET – “George Lucas has been a Disney fan forver. The home of his attractions could only be Disney.”
3:06 PM ET – “Tony Baxter and other imagineers ate lunch at the vineyard with Ron Miller, Walt’s daughter and George Lucas.” Talking about the creation of the original Star Tours of course.
3:07 PM ET – Original concept sketchs on screen. High pitched Eisner parody just happened! Star Tours was slowly fast tracked by Wells and Eisner along with Captain EO due to impressive concept art.
3:09 PM ET – Original concept art shows Vader in opposite screen in the Starspeeder. Odd to see.
3:11 PM ET – “George was passionate about the moment where things go wrong. That’s why Rex is so important.”
3:12 PM ET – Just referenced ice comet cut in the film. Supposedly “seamless”…..
3:14 PM ET – Surrell just did a Captain Rex scream impression. Epic. Switch to Indy. Lots of applause.
3:15 PM ET – Indiana Jones Adventure concept art on screen. Beautiful.
3:16 PM ET – “To be in the movie, the ride does what no other ride in the world does.”
3:18 PM ET – The majority of the audience has chimed in that they will be at the “Last Tour to Endor”.
3:19 PM ET – Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) just walked onto the stage to offer an original perspective on Star Tours!!! *jaw dropped*
3:22 PM ET – Daniels talks about the making of his animatronic.
3:24 PM ET – Just reference his mo-cap programming for the queue animatronic where his animatronic looked at him when it was completed.
3:29 PM ET – “Does C3PO speak French?” “I suppose so… Three thousands forms of communication.” Then he does his queue spiel in French!
3:31 PM ET – Why has Star Tours endured? Daniels says “It combines the wonders of screen excitement but it involves the audience.” He says Body Wars makes him nauseous!
3:35 PM ET – “I never realized the story was in the wrong order.” In regards to the canon of Star Tours. Anthony Daniels will be at the Last Tour to Endor!!!
3:39 PM ET – Daniels is involved in the stunt show and the sendoff show for Star Tours on Saturday.
3:41 PM ET – Here come details for the mashup show! 3 shows of the mashup with some famous cameos of faces and voices.
3:42 PM ET – Anyone that has seen what is in store for the fireworks show has had many emotions evoke because of the soundtrack. New super-sized Hyperspace Hoopla coming on Saturday.
3:44 PM ET – “This event will never happen again.” We’ve heard this before…
3:45 PM ET – Star Tours II is a game changer according to Surrell.
3:46 PM ET – The ride is in fact a prequel. This was a strategic decision so that we could take you to more destinations than ever before.
3:47 PM ET – “Adventures” is not a typo in the ride title. Time for audience questions.
3:49 PM ET – My question to Surrell: “Would there be any throwbacks to the old ride in the new one?” His response: “It’s too early to say!”
3:50 PM ET – Whose idea was the “remove before flight tag on Rex?” It was either George, Tom or Tony.”
3:51 PM ET – Will Paul Rubens return to Star Tours 2? “Its too early to say!”
3:53 PM ET – Any hope for an Indiana Jones Adventure in Florida? “Because of the similar Dinosaur experience *cue the audience booing* that isn’t likely to happen.”
3:55 PM ET – Last question: Will John Williams be attending Last Tour to Endor? No.
3:56 PM ET – Daniels wants to know about the future!
4:00 PM ET – They just showed us an incredible teaser for Star Tours II. I got footage of it from the front row so that will be up tonight. Looks like we’ll be heading to Bespin, Endor, and Alderaan. Stay tuned!!!
Pictures, video, and more coming later today. Thank you for joining us for our live coverage.
In a recent survey sent out to guests who recently completed a Walt Disney World Resort hotel stay, guests were asked about their interest in two particular vanity resort rooms (similar to the Pirates of the Caribbean themed rooms now available at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort). The following pictures are from that survey emailed to particular guests:
The first room is themed to The Haunted Mansion
The second room type is Princess themed
Will these rooms be built? And where? Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available.
