Ice Skating Coming to Downtown Disney

WDWNT on April 19, 2012

From Janet Cox of Disney Parks Blog:

Have you ever wanted to ice skate through a winter wonderland, but you live in a warmer place (like sunny Southern California) and don’t own a pair of skates? If so, I have some exciting news for you! Tinker Bell and her pixie sister, Periwinkle, will soon bring a whole new experience to the Disneyland Resort. A new ice skating rink at the Downtown Disney District will allow guests to skate right into the world of Tinker Bell to celebrate the October 23 release of Disney “Secret of the Wings”! The new ice rink will soon begin limited operation, with a grand opening to follow on October 23.

This magical ice skating rink will be located between AMC 12 Theatres and the ESPN Zone, and will invite guests of all ages to glide along to special music and lighting effects. Skates will be available for rent, and helmets and wrist guards will be provided and required for each skater’s safety.

And starting November 12, a special holiday village will surround the rink, with themed chalets where guests can purchase seasonal foods and merchandise. Come stretch your wings and your skating legs at the new “Secret of the Wings” ice skating rink this fall and during the holiday season at the Downtown Disney District!

UPDATE 10/22/12

Helmets will be required for all skaters on the rink

Press Release – Innoventions VISION House Opens April 22nd

WDWNT on April 19, 2012

Green Builder® Media Announces Exciting New Project Developments At the VISION House® in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®, An Exhibit Educating Consumers on the Benefits of Living Green:

Green Builder Media’s VISION House exhibit at INNOVENTIONS in Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort is magically coming to life. Projected to open late spring in celebration of Earth Day, this experiential exhibit will educate and inform visitors on the benefits of green homes and offer sustainable living ideas that INNOVENTIONS visitors can take home to enhance their daily lives. Exponential change, after all, is the result of the incremental improvements made by individuals every day. This is exactly what Green Builder Media, North America’s leading media company focused on sustainable living, had in mind when it launched the VISION House in INNOVENTIONS project in late 2011. “The purpose of the VISION House in INNOVENTIONS is to engender sustainable thinking,” says Green Builder Media CEO Sara Gutterman. “By showcasing advanced green products and demonstrating a wide spectrum of cost-­‐‑effective, sustainable choices, the VISION House in INNOVENTIONS provides homeowners with real solutions for contemporary green living. We anticipate that each visitor leaves the exhibit with specific ideas that can help them make their homes and lives more resource efficient and environmentally responsible.”

This week, Green Builder Media announced the addition of new product categories to the VISION House in INNOVENTIONS experience, including:

• Energy efficient windows and doors from Pella
• Hardwood flooring and cabinets from Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI)
• Solar PV Modules from Hanwha Solar (NASDAQ: HSOL)

Inspired by Green Builder Media’s VISION House demonstration series, the interactive exhibit will highlight the major themes of whole-­‐‑home automation, energy efficiency, onsite renewable power, water conservation, indoor environment quality, security, integrated multi-­‐‑generational design, and durability. As guests tour the home, they will be educated on intelligent products and advanced technologies, such as:

• Electronic vehicle charging station by SIEMENS (NYSE: SI)
• Chevy Volt electric vehicle by GM (NYSE: GM)
• High efficiency heating and cooling systems and controls by Trane and innovative whole-­‐‑home
automation system and door hardware by Schlage, both brands of Ingersoll Rand (NYSE: IR)
• Durable and environmentally friendly exterior systems, including smog-­‐‑eating tile roofs, cultured
stone, bricks, permeable pavers, and trim by Boral
• Ventilation solutions to improve indoor air quality by Panasonic (NYSE: PC)
• Water-­‐‑conserving fixtures, faucets, showerheads, and home standby generators by KOHLER
• ENERGY STAR certified home appliances by Bosch
• LED lighting solutions by SYLVANIA

After visitors return home, primed with magical ideas to make their own castles more sustainable, they can extend their INNOVENTIONS experience and access ongoing information about sustainable living through Green Builder’s dynamic online, mobile, digital, and social media solutions.

About Green Builder Media
Green Builder¨ Media, LLC is the leading media company in North America focused on green building and sustainable living. With a comprehensive suite of print and digital media solutions, demonstration projects, case studies, online training, and live events, Green Builder Media assists building professionals in preparing themselves for the new green economy and helps homeowners understand how to live more sustainably.

About INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®
INNOVENTIONS is located in the heart of Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Creativity and imagination abound as guests celebrate inspiration and the innovations that improve their lives and expand their horizons. Hands-­‐‑on, interactive exhibits allow children and adults to be immersed into ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. For more information about INNOVENTIONS, visit www.innoventions.disney.com.

About VISION House in INNOVENTIONS
Opening this spring, the VISION House® in INNOVENTIONS at Epcot® is a ground-­‐‑breaking green show home exhibit presented by Green Builder Media® in collaboration with Walt Disney Imagineering. This experiential exhibit in the heart of Epcot® highlights the very best in green residential design and sustainable living. Visitors will leave with a greater understanding of green design, technology, and products as well as a host of sustainable living ideas that they can incorporate in their lives the minute they get home from vacation. Sponsors for this exciting project include Siemens, GM, Ingersoll Rand, Boral, Pella, Panasonic, Armstrong, Kohler and Pella.

Walt Disney World Introduces PhotoPass Plus

WDWNT on April 19, 2012

The Facebook page for Disney’s PhotoPass had an interesting update this evening:

Capture more memories than ever with Disney PhotoPass+!  With Disney PhotoPass+ you can have all your Disney’s PhotoPass Photographer photos PLUS select Attraction photos AND Dining Print Packages – All for one price.

Product Details:

  • PhotoPass+ will be sold at PhotoPass view stations located throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.
  • With PhotoPass+ you will have digital files of all your PhotoPass photos, Attraction photos, and Dining photos taken within a 14 day visit to Walt Disney as well as Print Packages at select Dining locations.
  • Once you arrive home from your vacation, you can view your photos and order a PhotoCD with all the high resolution photos plus a limited license agreement, which allows you to print photos at any local photo processing center.

Participating Attractions:

  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Rock ‘n Roller Coaster
  • Expedition Everest
  • Dinosaur

Participating Character Dining Locations:

  • 1900 Park Fare
  • Ohana (Breakfast only)
  • Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
  • Chef Mickey’s
  • Cinderella’s Royal Table
  • Tusker House Restaurant (Breakfast only)
  • Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue
  • Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Disney PhotoPass+ Includes:

  • PhotoPass+ Card and Lanyard
  • A gallery CD with over 400 stock photos
  • A unique code to create and order a PhotoCD with all your photos online at DisneyPhotoPass.com
  • Print Packages at select Dining locations
  • Digital Downloads of select Attractions

All for $199.95

Frequently Asked Questions: 

Q.     I pre-purchased a PhotoCD online before my vacation, can I upgrade toPhotoPass+?  

R.      Yes, if you pre-purchased a PhotoCD online before your trip you may upgrade your PhotoCD to PhotoPass+ at PhotoPass view stations throughout the Walt Disney World Parks, Downtown Disney, and select Resorts.  You will need the name, phone number, and email address that was used to purchase the PhotoCD.

Q.     Can I pre-order PhotoPass+?  

R.      At this time PhotoPass+ will only be available for purchase at the PhotoPass View Stations located throughout Walt Disney World and is not available online or for pre-purchase.

Q.     I have a large family—how many PhotoPass+ cards will I receive?  

R.      Only one PhotoPass+ card will be provided with each purchase.  However, multiple PhotoPass cards can be accumulated during your visit, and all of those photos can be added to your account.  In order to receive your Attraction and Dining photos, the PhotoPass+card holder must be present at the time of photo capture.

Q.     PhotoPass+ is not the right product for me at this time.  Will the PhotoCD still be available for purchase?  

R.      Yes – if you decide that PhotoPass+ is not the right product for you at this time, you can still purchase the PhotoCD.

Q.     Can I add attraction and dining photos that were taken before I purchasedPhotoPass+?

R.      Unfortunately we cannot add photos previously taken to the PhotoPass+ product.  Only photos taken within the 14 day window, which begins on the date of purchase, will be included in your PhotoPass+ package and available for you to add to your PhotoCD.

Conner Purzycki’s 9/15/12 Photo Report

WDWNT on April 19, 2012

Conner gives us a look at the fall holiday decorations at the Disneyland Resort, plus an in depth look at the Frankenweenie exhibit in the Art of Animation building over in DCA, a quick glimpse at Cars Land.

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

A glimpse at the holiday decorations down Main Street.

The vegetation by Tomorrowland has fall colors too.

Construction @ Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port


Partner’s Statue has a new texture & color on the base. The stands for the pumpkins are a good indicator of how it used to appear.

Tarps up around the Fantasy Faire Meet & Greet buildings

A look at the Rivers of America

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Special 4D Preview of Frankenweenie playing at the Muppet’s Theatre

Frankenweenie exhibit over at the Art of Animation building

The classroom set

The attic scene

Racers Fast Pass Distribution area has been converted into stroller parking

Thanks for reading!

Even More Aerial Pictures of New Fantasyland – March 2012

WDWNT on April 19, 2012

Courtesy of Scott Keating and scottkeating.net, we once again have some fantastic aerial photos of Fantasyland to share with you:

Supports for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train are going up

The base of the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station is in place at Storybook Circus and the second tent is now fully covered

A lot of work still to go on the second Dumbo spinner

The bases for the Castle Walls are starting to go in at the old Dumbo site

Matterhorn Bobsled Donated to Roller Coaster Museum

WDWNT on April 19, 2012

From Kevin Rafferty of the Disney Parks Blog:

This past summer, the world’s first tubular steel roller coaster – the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland park – received an extensive refurbishment that included a fantastic new paint job and all-new bobsleds. Now considered a piece of roller coaster history, a former bobsled from the iconic attraction recently was donated by the Disneyland Resort to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives, along with signage from California Screamin’.

Disneyland Resort President George A. Kalogridis said, “We’re delighted to provide these pieces of Disneyland Resort history to the National Roller Coaster Museum, an organization that celebrates our industry. The Matterhorn bobsled and California Screamin’ signage represent two of our most beloved attractions, from the first tubular steel-tracked roller coaster in the world to one of the longest and most thrilling.”