July 2013 – Page 2 – WDWNT Archive

VIDEO: Disney Launches “Takeoff Tuesdays” Series of Weekly Exclusive Planes Shorts

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

Beginning Tuesday, July 9th, 2013, Disney launched a weekly series of exclusive digital shorts inspired by the upcoming animated feature Planes.

Before landing in 3D in theaters on August 9, 2013, you can head to disney.com to view updated weekly racer profiles such as Dusty, El Chupacabra and more.

In the first video released earlier this week, El Chupacabra, or “El Chu”, a racing legend in Mexico known for his racing passion and flair for the dramatic, is profiled:

Be sure to check back each Tuesday at disney.com for a new high-flying digital short profile!

Gone, But Not Forgotten: SpectroMagic

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

I was going to write about something else for the first of what will be a recurring column here on WDWNT The Magazine, our Gone but not Forgotten series, but when the official word finally came last week that the beloved SpectroMagic parade would indeed be “retired” permanently (read: destroyed), I knew I would need to write about it first.

The Attraction

Name: SpectroMagic

Park: Magic Kingdom

Type: Nighttime Parade

Opening Date: October 1st, 1991 (First Run), April 2nd, 2001 (Second Run)

Closing Date: May 21, 1999 (First Run), June 5th, 2010 (Second Run)

What was it?

SpectroMagic was introduced as part of the Walt Disney World Resort’s 20th anniversary celebrations in 1991. It replaced the Main Street Electrical Parade, which was being sent to Disneyland Paris. This 20 minute nighttime parade featured scenes from movies such as The Little Mermaid (still a new Disney movie at the time this parade debuted), Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, as well as a vast collection of other characters. It was also known for the “SpectroMen,” clown-like characters who rode what appeared to be giant disco balls.

Why was it great?

My absolute favorite part of this parade was the music. Easily one of the best scores ever to be played in a Disney park. The main theme was written by John Debney. It was notable for being written in waltz time, unusual for parade music.

I don’t think there is a single piece of Disney parks audio that will more quickly transport me there than the fanfare from this parade. Hearing even a few notes of it puts me right there on Main Street. I could (and do) listen to the entire score when out on a run, or in the subway heading to work. It defines Disney audio for me. In fact, every episode of the WDWNT Podcast ends with David Benoit’s jazz piano rendition. If, somehow, you have never heard the SpectroMagic score, go do it right now. The rest of the article will be here when you get back.

The parade made very good use of fiber optics, which gave it a sense of movement and subtle beauty that was a technological advancement in its early years. One of the most memorable moments was at the end, when the floats would alternate between white and color lights in sync with the music. Another very memorable float was the Chernabog float in the Fantasia section. This mechanical float could fold and unfold its wings to alternate between the mountain top and the demonic character as seen in the film.

More than the fireworks or anything else, this parade defines nighttime in the Magic Kingdom for me. Often I will skip the shows and entertainment that I have seen dozens of times, but I would almost always stop and watch Spectro as it passed. It was an experience that was unique to Walt Disney World as none of the other Disney parks had this parade.

Why is it gone?

To be completely honest, I am not sure I really understand what happened here. The parade was put on hiatus for the Summer Nightastic celebration in 2010. Since the same had been done a decade earlier, I, along with most other Disney fans, assumed that it would be back before the end of the year, or at least within a year or so. And that was the promise. Main Street Electrical Parade was supposed to be temporary. But as time went on, it became more and more permanent.

Rumors began to spread (don’t they always) that the parade was never returning, and that most of the floats had, in fact, been destroyed. Disney kept quiet until July 2013 when they finally confirmed that SpectroMagic indeed was “retired” and would not be returning to the park.

By all accounts, the parade was very popular. It is probably just the people I hang out with, but it seemed to be more popular than the Main Street Electrical Parade, although you could argue that point for the rest of the life of the universe, of course. And it isn’t like it was retired for something new. The parade that replaced it is from the 1970s. The most common story I have seen is that the floats were poorly stored and were damaged by the weather. Okay, but they managed to store these floats for almost two years a decade ago. Disney has been in Florida for over 40 years; you think they would have learned how to handle storage in that climate by now.

I always hate these kinds of “yeah, that’s not coming back” closures because they don’t give you that last chance to say goodbye. I had no idea that when I watched the parade in May 2010 that it would be for the last time. It’s not like I can’t watch the parade in any one of a million different videos online (or in my own personal collection for that matter), but it would have been nice to have been given a chance to see it in person knowing it would not be back.

This is a removal that I really am not thrilled with. I think that SpectroMagic was superior to Main Street Electrical Parade (even though I do enjoy that parade very much). Maybe it is a little nostalgia, although Electrical was actually the first parade at the Magic Kingdom I ever saw, years before Spectro even existed. I think I would feel better about this if we had at least gotten something new, something amazing. A parade that uses the 20+ years of technology we have had since SpectroMagic’s premiere. Maybe that is still in the cards. But for now, I guess I will have to make due with listening to my SpectroMagic ringtone as I walk down Main Street at night. So I can think of no better way to end this article than quoting the parade itself:

Though we say goodbye

We cast a spell that won’t be broken

Let this night forever

Live in our dreams!

Please enjoy our video of the final performance of SpectroMagic:

Complete List of 2013 Disney Legends to be Inducted at the D23 Expo

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

BURBANK, Calif. – July 10, 2013 – Monsters Inc. and Monsters University stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman, technology visionary Steve Jobs, television icon Dick Clark and other beloved contributors to the Disney legacy will be named and honored as official Disney Legends during the D23 Expo 2013 at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, in the D23 Expo Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The Disney Legends Awards program is a 26-year tradition of The Walt Disney Company. The three-day D23 Expo provides a rare opportunity for the public to be a part of the always touching and memorable presentation, hosted by noted television personality Tom Bergeron (host of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos).

“The Disney Legend Award is our highest and most coveted honor,” said Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger. “It’s reserved for the extraordinary visionaries and artists behind the Disney magic, the men and women who push the limits of innovation and creativity to ensure Disney remains truly special. The eight Legends we honor this year helped create some of our most beloved characters along with exciting new worlds and thrilling attractions. They also entertained millions of people and expanded our definition of what’s possible. They are all indelible parts of our legacy, and we are proud to recognize them as true Disney Legends.”

The 2013 Disney Legends Award honorees (listed alphabetically) are:

TONY BAXTER has developed beloved Disney attractions including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Journey Into Imagination, Splash Mountain, and countless more over the course of his 43-year career with Walt Disney Imagineering. Revered by Disney fans, he is best known for his commitment to storytelling, attention to detail, and ability to develop new ideas and attractions by combining time-tested design practices with modern technology.

COLLIN CAMPBELL touched almost every part of the Walt Disney Company, from animated classics to legendary theme park attractions, with stints in live action film and television. Collin’s work with Walt Disney Imagineering includes the development of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as concept illustrations of Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot Center.

DICK CLARK brought rock and roll to 40 million homes across the country with the national debut of American Bandstand on ABC in 1958. He went on to produce game shows, award shows including the Golden Globes® and the Academy of Country Music Awards, comedy specials movies, and other popular television specials. Dick might best be remembered, however, as the host of ABC’s annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve from 1973 until 2011.

BILLY CRYSTAL is an acclaimed actor who lends his voice to Mike Wazowski, the frenetic, green cyclopean monster from Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Best known for his memorable roles in When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, and City Slickers, Billy, who has won six Emmy Awards and one Tony Award, has also been a fixture on ABC television, where he hosted the Academy Awards® broadcast nine times and found his breakthrough role as Jodie Dallas on Soap from 1977-81.

JOHN GOODMAN is a celebrated actor of stage and screen, and the voice behind James P. Sullivan, better known as “Sully,” from Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Among John’s notable film appearances are The Big Lebowski, The Flintstones, and most recently Argo and Flight. John’s appearances in Disney-produced films include the Hollywood Pictures films Arachnophobia and Born Yesterday, as well as Touchstone Pictures’ Stella, Coyote Ugly, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and Confessions of a Shopaholic.

STEVE JOBS changed the world of consumer electronics as the founder of Apple, and was known throughout the world for his visionary attitude and penchant for innovation. He was an early investor and chief executive of Pixar, and became the Walt Disney Company’s largest shareholder overnight when it acquired Pixar Animation Studios in 2006. That same year, he joined the Disney board of directors, and remained a valuable sounding board and advisor to the company until his passing in 2011.

GLEN KEANE has brought to life many of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ most popular characters. Since becoming a Disney animator in 1974, he has animated classic Disney characters such as Penny in The Rescuers, Elliott in Pete’s Dragon, Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and the titular characters in The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Tarzan. In 2010, Glen served as Executive Producer and Animation Supervisor for Tangled, a story he developed for more than ten years.

ED WYNN, a comedian whose career began on Broadway in the early 1900s, appeared in numerous Disney classics of the 1960s, including Mary Poppins, Babes in Toyland, That Darn Cat, The Absent-Minded Professor, and Son of Flubber. Fans of Disney animation know him as the manic and distinctive voice of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

Each honoree receives a two-foot-tall bronze Disney Legends sculpture that signifies the imagination, creativity and magic they have brought to the Company. Disney Legends Award recipients also participate in a handprint ceremony, and their bronzed prints will be displayed in the Disney Legends Plaza at the Company’s Burbank headquarters.

Admission to the ceremony will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is included in the price of a ticket to the D23 Expo. In addition to the 4,000-seat D23 Expo Arena, the ceremony will be simulcast into a 2,000-seat overflow theater inside the Convention Center.

The first Disney Legend, actor Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Happiest Millionaire), was named in 1987. Including this year’s honorees, a total of 237 Disney Legends have been named. Past Disney Legends include Tim Allen, Robin Williams, Julie Andrews, Howard Ashman, Regis Philbin, Annette Funicello, Peter Jennings, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Sir Tim Rice, Dick Van Dyke and Barbara Walters. At the inaugural D23 Expo in 2009, the Legends Awards ceremony, which honored Robin Williams, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, Rue McLanahan, Betty White, Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer, Harry Archinal, Don Iwerks and Leota Toombs Thomas, was presented to thousands of Disney fans for the first time.

WDW News Today will of course have complete coverage of this and more D23 Expo events in August, so stay tuned!

Dirk Wallen’s 7/4-7/6/13 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Walt Disney World theme parks over the holiday weekend and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

The Villas at the Grand Floridian as seen from across the lagoon

The awnings for the third Magic Kingdom bus loop are being assembled

Plenty of Fourth of July goodies were available this week

Apparently if Buzz Lightyear breaks at Space Ranger Spin, there is a big curtain to cover him up

Still no visible progress on Princess Fairytale Hall

On the Fourth of July, the Voices of Liberty had their special performances at the America Gardens Theater

Chip and Dale were out in some patriotic attire

You can buy Tour De France merchandise at the France pavilion right now

Work continues on Spice Road Table in Morocco

A look from the other side as construction has gone vertical

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner has some food cones similar to Cars Land… although we haven’t heard anything good about them…

Specialty patriotic beverages were available all of the holiday weekend

Nothing going on at the Premiere Theater right now

FastPass+ entrance at Light, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show… yes, there is FastPass again…

Some red, white, and blue merchandise for sale

A Planes billboard up in the Backlot

The Mike Wazowski glasses from the Monstrous Summer All-Nighter

There was a 4th of July cupcake at counter service locations at the Studios

YUM!

Behind the Wall: Update on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland Park

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

The long-running refurbishment still continues on Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland Park, but everything is looking on schedule. The Disney Parks Blog updated us with a few tidbits:

Work continues behind that tall, wooden fence in Frontierland at Disneyland park, as the major refurbishment of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad nears its fall 2013 completion. Today, I’m excited to take you behind the walls for a peek at the progress so far!

Disneyland Chief Photographer Paul Hiffmeyer had the opportunity to check in on Rainbow Ridge Mining Town last week, and brought back the shots above. As we told you back in January, this classic piece of the attraction has also received a major refurbishment, and you can see in the photos above that great care is being taken in the Rainbow Ridge restoration.

Elsewhere on the mountain, the new track has been laid and is in the process of being fully completed. Keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog; we’ll continue to bring you updates leading up to the reopening of the “wildest ride in the wilderness” in just a few months!

Big Thunder Mountain is currently the only major attraction that is down at the Disneyland Resort at the moment. It will be up and running again by the fall.

WDW News Today Turns 6 Years Old! – July 8th, 2013

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

Every year this Network grows older, we reflect upon the accomplishments, impact, and incredible growth of WDWNT. It has now been 6 years since WDW News Today launched on July 8th, 2007. What was founded on the website you see before you and built on the back of daily news and information about Walt Disney World is now a vibrant collection of websites, podcasts, online radio stations, & more. The last year in particular has been a memorable one, as we finally condensed all of our amazing content into one website at WDWNT.com. We even set new records in traffic for our websites and podcasts this year, as well as brought you the best live coverage of many big events.

In the world of Disney, our sites have covered huge stories such as the re-opening of Test Track at Epcot, the opening of Splitsville at Downtown Disney, and the unveiling of the first pieces of Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland. We even celebrated the 30th anniversary of Epcot along with WDWCelebrations and have continued to present a fascinating series of podcast segments celebrating three decades of the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

Tonight, we will continue our annual tradition of presenting a special anniversary edition of WDWNT Live! show on WDWNTunes.com. The show begins at 8PM EST and will last until 11PM EST. During this show, we will be making several major announcements about the future of WDWNT, one of which will forever change the face of our organization forever. We will also be presenting a special edition of WDWNT’s Around the Hub and will be bringing back an old, retired segment from the WDW News Today Podcast for one night only, among a number of surprises. We hope you will join us for that tonight as it is always a very fun event!

On a personal note, the 6 year journey of this website, the podcast, and the entire family of shows and websites that make up WDWNT has been the greatest experience of my life. I’d like to thank the incredible volunteer staff of over 50 people that have worked tirelessly to get us where we are today and the loyal readers & listeners who are to thank for our great success. This journey finally led me to Orlando and the dream life of living near Walt Disney World this year, for which I am eternally grateful to the entity I created. I am very proud of what we have accomplished in the last 6 years and amazed at where it has taken me today. I’m looking forward to many more years of “Bridging the Gaps Between You and the Disney World”.

Tom Corless
CEO & Founder of the WDW News Today

New Mickey Video Website and App

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

Are you a fan of Mickey Mouse? If you are reading this blog, I will go ahead and assume that you are. This past week Disney announced a new website and mobile app featuring both new and classic Mickey Mouse shorts.

Both the app and the website are nicely laid out and are easy to navigate. New shorts are prominently featured, or you can browse by selecting from the featured characters (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Daisy and Goofy) to see videos featuring that character. The one complaint I do have about the app on the iPhone is that it is a little to easy to accidentally play a video while scrolling through the list.

The new shorts are currently being released weekly, first on the Disney Channel, then on the website and in the app. The cartoons draw their inspiration from the more slapstick and zany era of the early Mickey Mouse cartoons, while taking place in modern settings. I particularly enjoyed New York Weenie, which takes place in Central Park in New York City (where I happen to live), and Croissant de Triomphe, which takes place in Paris (where I recently spent my Honeymoon). Croissant is entirely in French, although even if you do not speak the language, you will likely be able to understand the story.

Some of the classic Mickey cartoons are included as well, such as Mickey and the Seal, On Ice, and Mickey’s Trailer. I must have watched Mickey and the Seal hundreds of times as a child, including while sitting in the lobby of a Disney resort waiting for my parents to check in. Okay, and this past year while standing in the lobby checking myself in.

I am really happy to see the Mickey Mouse cartoons getting featured again. If you have an iOS device, it really is worth downloading this app, especially since it is free. Everyone else can check out the website to get the same content, as well as some flash games based on the new shorts. Enjoy!

Joe Hogarty’s 7/1/13 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

WDWNT Reporter Joe Hogarty visited the Magic Kingdom on Monday to mark the start of Independence Week and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip, so let’s take a look:

Still not much to see at Princess Fairytale Hall

Work rapidly continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train

More and more rock work going up

Rumors indicate that Triton’s Treasures will also include a very small food service location

This side is still mostly steel

A FastPass+ sign was added at the Tomorrowland Speedway

Here are some pictures of Celebrate America! fireworks

Happy 1st of July!!!

VIDEO: Celebrate America! Fireworks Dazzle Guests on the Seven Seas Lagoon Shore

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

So, the 4th of July was yesterday, but today we wanted to share video of the complete Celebrate America! fireworks show with you. This performance was recorded on July 3rd, 2013 at the Polynesian Resort beach and includes the full perimeter fireworks, so enjoy:

Tim Alcoser’s 7/4/13 Disneyland 4th of July Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

Disneyland News Today Reporter Tim Alcoser was at Disneyland for the Fourth of July and was able to attend events featuring the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band and fireworks.