January 2011 – Page 7 – WDWNT Archive

May the Force be with Us

WDWNT on January 6, 2011

Direct from the Disney Vinylmation Blog…

Confirmation of the Star Wars Release!

In Florida, they will be released on Midnight of Thursday 13th (or Friday morning the 14th depending how you look at it!) There will also be an artist signing with Mike Sullivan (There will be a limit of two trays per Guest and three signed pieces per Guest.) They say that Mike is part of the “Festivities” so I’m going to expect that more things will be announced about that night.

In California they will be out on January 15th (Saturday). The Art of Parks blog says the release is the 16th in Disneyland and that Mike will be signing from 2-5 on the 16th. With that difference in opinion, I’m not sure what to believe at the moment.

Walt Disney World Burgers Get a Much Needed Makeover

WDWNT on January 5, 2011

We first reported on the new “gourmet” hamburgers at Walt Disney World last month, but now Disney is giving out official details via the Disney Parks Blog:

We love to tell the story of Walt Disney World cuisine being so much more than hot dogs and hamburgers, but when you want a burger, well, you want a burger. The Walt Disney World chefs have kicked it up with nearly a dozen satisfying “designer burgers” that take buns to new heights.

All of the new sandwiches start with a 1/3 pound Angus burger (you might consider sharing). In the Magic Kingdom Park, try one at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe topped with Cheddar cheese, guacamole and bacon. At Epcot, Liberty Inn features two: a veggie burger with Monterey Jack cheese, avocado, tomato and lettuce; and a second topped with smoked ham, bacon, smoked Gouda cheese, red onion, tomato, pickle, lettuce and mustard aioli sauce. Also at Epcot, the Electric Umbrella is serving the mushroom-blue burger with sautéed mushrooms, bacon, blue cheese, fried onion straws, lettuce and tomato.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, try the surf ‘n turf burger at the ABC Commissary – the Cheddar cheeseburger is topped with fried shrimp, a sweet onion ring, tomato, pickle, lettuce and their own special sauce. Rosie’s tops a Cheddar burger with fried onion rings, tomato, pickle, lettuce and special sauce. At Backlot Express, look for a Cheddar cheeseburger topped with diced avocado, sweet onion ring, lettuce, tomato and special sauce.

In the Walt Disney World Resorts, All-Star Music features a bacon-mushroom-Swiss burger; All-Star Sports a chili cheeseburger, and All-Star Movies a bacon-guacamole cheeseburger. At Old Port Royale at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, try the Caribbean burger topped with sweet plaintains, fried onion straws and pineapple barbecue chutney. Port Orleans Riverside has a chipotle-barbecue cheeseburger topped with bacon and onion rings, and Sassagoula at Port Orleans is serving the Creole burger topped with crispy popcorn shrimp and remoulade sauce. Everything Pop at Disney’s Pop Century Resort piles on Swiss cheese, bacon, fried onion straws and barbecue sauce.

It’s a meal in a bun. Devour with delight, then walk an extra hour – or two.

Walt Disney World Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Retro Merchandise

WDWNT on January 4, 2011

WDWNT Reporter Zach Larson brings us our very first photo report of 2011 with a look at all of the new merchandise celebrating Walt Disney World’s 40th anniversary in 2011. According to our sources, there is a lot more where this came from, this is only the first batch of clothes and collectibles hitting shelves this year to mark the milestone:

Plenty of open edition pins available

Jamie Nakagiri’s 12/31/10 NYE DLR Photo Report

WDWNT on January 4, 2011

Jamie Nakagiri was at Disneyland for New Years and has some photos to share of the festivities and the crowds.

Short lines for New Years

Bye-Bye Block Party, Hello PIXAR Pals!

WDWNT on January 4, 2011

The Block Party Bash came to an end on January 1st at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The parade/show was just approaching it’s 3rd anniversary at the park, debuting in March 2008 after a run at Disney California Adventure from May 2005 through January 2008. Luckily, Banks Lee was there for the final performance and captured it on video for all of us to enjoy:

Now that Block Party Bash is gone, we can turn our attention to the upcoming “PIXAR Pals: Countdown to Fun”. The new parade is scheduled to debut on January 16th, but as always, we can expect some early performances at some point in the days before the official first performance. There has been a lot of speculation as to what floats will be included in the parade since the announcement. We expect to see the existing Block Party Bash floats that carry characters from “A Bug’s Life”, “Monsters Inc.”, and “Toy Story”, but what are the floats carrying characters from “The Incredibles”, “Ratatouille”, and “Up” going to look like? Here’s our theory:

Either Walt Disney World has built a new float for “The Incredibles” or we can expect to see these floats make their way to Florida from California Adventure this week

Construction and new float height requirements are being cited for the removal of the PIXAR Play Parade from DCA, and this is one of the taller floats, so it would make sense to send it to the Studios.

The “Ratatouille” float was the tallest in the parade and was only used during busy Summer months, so we can assume we will see this at DHS

The “Up” float is another mystery, but the little seen pre-parade float from California in 2009 seems like a candidate

Another question is the parade soundtrack. Yes, we can expect to hear the PIXAR Play Parade main theme and the songs that were in that parade to play along with characters from “Ratatouille”, “The Incredibles”, “Monsters Inc.”, “Toy Story” and “A Bug’s Life”, but what about “Up”? These characters were never in that parade, so we should expect to hear something new for Carl Fredrickson and the gang. Again, this is all purely speculation at this point but are the most likely outcomes for this new parade we’ll see at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2 weeks. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on the “PIXAR Pals Countdown to Fun”.

This IS the tray we’re looking for!

WDWNT on January 3, 2011

A Star Wars Vinylmation tray photo popped up on the Vinylmation Facebook today, so we thought we’d share it with you. Steven Miller did say the packaging was gonna rock, and so far he was right! (Click for larger picture)

Breakdown-

The display case has a giant Darth Vader vinyl as it’s center piece. It looks like the photos we’ve seen of the Darth Vader vinyl (unlike the Muppets one which has a giant version of Kermit on it, but the design was Kermit from Park 1 not Kermit from the Muppets 1). Surrounding Darth Vinyl are streaks of light reminiscent for those seen when heading into Lightspeed.

On the left side is the Imperial symbol with the words, “Disney Park Vinyl 3″ collectible figure”. Does this mean it will only be in parks? If anything THIS is a series to also put in stores, but we shall see.

According to the right side of the display, this is part of the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back which came out in 1980. I guess knowing that, we should have known that it wasn’t coming out in 2009.

Also worth noting is that it says “Star Wars Vinylmation 1″ so that seems to confirm (as if there was a doubt) that there will be a series 2!! Hopefully series 2 will have some 9″, because Steven said there would be no 9” for series 1.

The individual blind boxes also show Star Wars 1 and have the Rebel Alliance symbol on them.

As always, “No refunds, exchanges, or returns”

What are your thoughts? Do you like the look? (I know we do!)

WDWNT Network Introduces New Websites, Shows, & More for 1.1.11 Re-launch

WDWNT on January 2, 2011

When WDW News Today debuted in the Summer of 2007, the goal was to provide fellow Disney fans with news & information through creative content. 4 years later, the WDWNT Network is proud to continue these goals by officially re-launching today, January 1, 2011. With new websites, podcast segments, original programming and events made for Disney fans, by Disney fans, a new year truly means a new WDWNT. Here’s an overview of some brand new and upcoming projects the WDWNT Network has been working on in an effort to make 2011 their most ambitious, entertaining, and successful year ever:

New Era, New Look, New Logo
Combining our iconic globe and text in a nod to Walt Disney World’s original signature, our new logo celebrates the history of the Vacation Kingdom of the World and gives the WDWNT Network a recognizable icon. When people see the “D & Globe”, they’ll know it’s WDWNT Network.

The New WDWNT.com

Since WDWNT.com debuted in 2008, we have always had greater plans for it. It began as a way to quickly access links to all of the WDWNT Network websites and podcasts. This is all about to change. In an epic redesign, WDWNT.com will go from a series of links, to the ultimate information portal for Disney fans. For the first time, you can get information on the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, listen to your favorite Disney Parks music, access hundreds of videos of you favorite shows and attractions, discuss any Disney related topic with fellow fans, and find a plethora of award nominated podcasts to listen to, all from one location. The new site can of course be found at WDWNT.com.

WDWNT: The Magazine

It would seem magazines have been the “cool” thing to do in this community. The only problem is that you shouldn’t have to pay for print magazines that don’t cater to your interests. When WDW News Today launched in 2007, one of our goals was to provide fascinating and informative articles. Unfortunately, this is one goal we have always fallen short of. In an effort to provide you with content you would want to read and to achieve our goal, we are proud to introduce WDWNT: The Magazine. This free, online-only magazine will provide reading aimed at the die-hard Disney fan. While our main focus will be the Disney theme parks, we will also turn our attention to Disney movies, television, and more from time to time. WDWNT: The Magazine will be monthly and is tentatively scheduled to begin in late February 2011.

While we already have a team of writers ready to go, we are still looking for more. If you are interested in writing for WDWNT: The Magazine, please send us an email at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com with a short bio of yourself and some examples of your writing.

The WDW News Today Podcast

2010 was a great year for the WDW News Today Podcast. Award nominations, record listenership, and innovative concepts have made the WDWNT Podcast an amazing success. In 2011, the show will be revamped to build upon the success already created and to re-imagine what a Disney fan podcast should be.

It all begins with a brand-new staff. Tom Corless, Justin Heyman, Jason Diffendal, Anthony Yacullo, and Banks Lee will be joined by 4 new co-hosts in 2011. First, the three winners of the innovative “Who Wants to be a Podcaster?” competition (Jenni Simon, Zach Larson, and Taylor Martina) will bring new opinions and experience to the table. There’s even an already established podcaster coming on board. We’re happy to announce that Tim Devine of The Magic in Pixels and formerly of the Magical Definition Podcast will be joining the WDWNT Podcast team this year.

Following in the footsteps of “Disney Don’t Forget the Lyrics” and “Where in the World is Tom Corless”, the WDWNT Podcast is also introducing a new game show in 2011, “WDWNT: The Match Game”. Following the format of the well-know Match Game from the 1970’s, guests will come onto the WDWNT Podcast and compete for prizes by matching answers to Disney World related questions to a panel of 6 WDWNT staff members.

In addition to all this, we’ll be introducing a few new trip planning segments and (most importantly) celebrating Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary through 2011 & 2012, but more on that later.

The Disneyland News Today Podcast

Speaking of celebrating milestone anniversaries, the Disneyland News Today Podcast is getting in on the act. Throughout the month of January, the DLNT Podcast will provide a number of segments celebrating the 10th anniversary of Disney California Adventure. All of the segment will dive-in to the history of the decade old park and countdown to our event, “Hangin’ 10”, taking place February 4th to the 6th.

Also coming to the DLNT Podcast, a new game show. The popular “Where in the World is Tom Corless” game from the WDW News Today Podcast is coming to its sister-show, becoming “Where in the Land is…(Host TBD)”. Guests will come on to the DLNT Podcast, testing their knowledge of locations around the Disneyland Resort. The first edition of “Where in the land” will be played on Episode 50 of the Disneyland News Today podcast coming up in only 2 weeks.

New WDWNTunes Original Programming

With the success of the “Super Obscure Show” and “See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless in 2010, a plethora of new original programs are in store for our online radio station. From game shows, to talk shows, we’ve got it all:

“See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless Season 2 – Debuts 2/15/11
The extremely popular late night talk show combining guest interviews and WDWNT’s unique brand of comedy is back! Rave reviews, record audiences, and incredible feedback lead up to what should be an incredible second season.

It takes WDWNT’s best comedic minds to put on the Disney fan community’s only late night talk show, and comedy will take the spotlight with the show’s new format. Each 1-hour show will now feature double the comedy and one single interview turning the spotlight on the Disney online community. “See Ya’ Real Late” moves to Tuesdays at 11PM ET in 2011, but promises the same unpredictable entertainment that made it a smash-hit in 2010.

Vault WDWNT
While introduced last year, Vault WDWNT will return in 2011 with more special episodes featuring classic, forgotten, or never heard before audio from the WDWNT Network. Legendary podcast episodes, original programs that never aired, or long-lost segments can return to the airwaves, only on Vault WDWNT. New episodes are announced on a regular basis on WDWNTunes.com or via the WDWNTunes Twitter.

Your Ear to the World – Debuts May 2011
It’s back!!! The WDWNT Network’s in-park audio show returns in 2011 after a 2 year hiatus, but only on WDWNTunes. Get ready for binaural audio experiences from the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts with this weekly program, debuting in May.

There are several other original programs coming in 2011, we unfortunately aren’t ready to talk about them just yet. But stay tuned, there’s a lot more innovative new original programming coming to the best Disney-fan radio station around.

New WDWNTube Original Programming

Video History Walks (Official Title TBD)
Marrying the history segments from the WDWNT Podcast with video leads to an ambitious new project for the WDWNTube. WDWNT will take you through the Walt Disney World theme park history like never before, in high definition. Stay tuned for more information on this upcoming original series.

Tom’s Trips
WDWNT Network founder and CEO Tom Corless usually gets asked what he does on his trips to the Disney Parks. Well, for the first time, he’s going to show you. Tom will now be documenting moments from his trips in video, just to show what the life of a Disney fan podcaster is like. The first episode is already available for you to enjoy, and there are many more on the way.

More Fan Meets in the Parks and Abroad

2011 is shaping up to be a huge year at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, and WDWNT Network is there to celebrate it all. From Orlando to Anaheim, from Hollywood to New York City, WDWNT plans to offer some great get-togethers for Disney fans.

Disneyland News Today presents “Hangin’ 10” at the Disneyland Resort, 2/4-2/6/11
In celebration of Disneyland News Today’s 3rd anniversary and Disney California Adventure’s historic 10th anniversary, the WDWNT Network is holding a very special fan event at the Disneyland Resort February 4-6, 2010, called “Hangin’ 10″. Filled with group rides, shows, meals, and special activities, this event is a great opportunity to meet the Disneyland News Today staff and fellow Disney fans while enjoying a weekend of fun at “The Happiest Place on Earth”!

Registration for this event is open and a tentative schedule is available at this link.

WDWNT Fan Meets
These smaller scale meets only last a few hours, but are still great opportunities to meet fellow Disney fans and WDWNT Network staff. Walt Disney World meets are in the works for January, May, and September, and for the Disneyland Resort in August and December. Stay tuned for more information on these meets as we get closer to these dates, there may even be a few more added for movie debuts and other Disney events.

WDWNT in the City, 7/6-7/8/12
While we’re only in the early planning stages of this event, but we still felt we should share it now. “WDWNT in the City” is an event celebrating the 5th anniversary of WDW News Today, the northeast roots of the WDWNT Network, and the amazing Disney experiences New York City can offer. Our plans include Disney on Broadway, the new Disney Store in Times Square, Disney pin and Vinylmation trading, live podcasts, and few more surprises yet to be revealed. We’re still working on getting this event together, but stay tuned for more details as they become available.

WDWCelebrations Project XL: The World at 40

October 1st, 2011 marks the historic 40th anniversary of the Walt Disney World® Resort, and WDWNT Network partner WDWCelebrations will be celebrating! As with previous events, this celebration will include our signature offerings to complement the official activities offered by the Walt Disney Company. Adam Roth, co-founder of WDWCelebrations, explains, “The 40th anniversary marks the biggest resort-wide celebration since our inception, and we’re planning our most ambitious event to date to honor four incredible decades of magic in Central Florida. Mark your calendars now for September 29 – October 2, 2011, as this will be a celebration you won’t want to miss.”

Registration for the 40th anniversary event will open in Spring 2011.

More information about the event will be released in the coming months via the WDWCelebrations.com website and newsletter as well as the WDWCelebrations official fan page on Facebook and the WDWCelebrations Twitter feed.

WDWNT Network Celebrates Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary, 2011-2012

With the historic 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World coming up on October 1st, WDWNT is dedicating countless content and programming hours to celebrating the past, present, and future of the Vacation Kingdom. Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store:

The 40 Biggest Moments in the History of the Walt Disney World Resort
The WDWNT Podcast will count down the biggest moments in the history of the Walt Disney World Resort as voted by those most important: YOU! In January, polls will open and you will vote for and essentially rank the biggest moments in the history of WDW. The moments will then be counted down on the WDW News Today Podcast as we countdown to the anniversary in October.

Special “Back to the Future” Segments
Once the countdown is over, the popular “Back to the Future” history segment will return with a 12 month series featuring opening day Magic Kingdom attractions and more! These segments will air starting in October 2011 and run through Fall 2012.

A Series of Magazines Celebrating Walt Disney World’s Anniversary
WDWNT: The Magazine will celebrate the 40th anniversary with a series of in-depth history articles and more, both counting down to and throughout the actual 40th Anniversary year.

Coverage of Commemorative Events at Walt Disney World
As always, WDW News Today has its finger on the pulse of what’s going on at Walt Disney World, and the 40th anniversary will be no different. Photo, video, and audio coverage of official Disney events and fan coordinated celebrations will be covered at length through the WDW News Today website, podcast, and the WDWNTube.

As you can see, we have a lot in store for 2011 and beyond. We look forward to sharing these exciting new additions with you, as we continue to “bridge the gaps between you and the world”.

WDWNT Network Introduces New Websites, Shows, & More for 1.1.11 Re-launch

WDWNT on January 2, 2011

The New WDWNT.com

WDWNT: The Magazine

The WDW News Today Podcast

In addition to all this, we’ll be introducing a few new trip planning segments and (most importantly) celebrating Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary through 2011 & 2012, but more on that later.

The Disneyland News Today Podcast

New WDWNTunes Original Programming

New WDWNTube Original Programming

More Fan Meets in the Parks and Abroad

Registration for this event is open and a tentative schedule is available at this link.

WDWCelebrations Project XL: The World at 40

Registration for the 40th anniversary event will open in Spring 2011.

WDWNT Network Celebrates Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary, 2011-2012

As you can see, we have a lot in store for 2011 and beyond. We look forward to sharing these exciting new additions with you, as we continue to “bridge the gaps between you and the world”.

DCA Rings In The New Year With a Bang!!

WDWNT on January 2, 2011

Happy New Year Everybody!! To celebrate the new year, DCA held a “Fountains and Fireworks” show utilizing the World of Color fountains AND fireworks launched from the lagoon and backstage to create quite a sight to see…

Spin it, spin it, spin it, Talespin!

WDWNT on January 1, 2011

Baloo the pilot (complete with pilot’s cap) and Kit Cloudkicker have joined us for the Talespin two pack from the Disney Afternoon’s series. This will be the first set from the series to be released. (Does this mean we won’t see Rebecca Cunningham in Vinylmation form?)

What other Disney cartoons would you like to see a set about?

Information from the 1/1/11 post at the Disney Vinylmation Blog

Month: January 2011

May the Force be with Us

Walt Disney World Burgers Get a Much Needed Makeover

Walt Disney World Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Retro Merchandise

Jamie Nakagiri’s 12/31/10 NYE DLR Photo Report

Bye-Bye Block Party, Hello PIXAR Pals!

This IS the tray we’re looking for!

WDWNT Network Introduces New Websites, Shows, & More for 1.1.11 Re-launch

WDWNT Network Introduces New Websites, Shows, & More for 1.1.11 Re-launch

DCA Rings In The New Year With a Bang!!

Spin it, spin it, spin it, Talespin!

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