With all the HUGE plans for change at WDWNT Network shaping up, we send our apologies to Reporter Cody Smith for our lateness in posting this report he took on Sunday at the Magic Kingdom:
Could it be? It is! The building for “Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid” is beginning to take shape!
Read More about Cody Smith’s 9/26/10 Magic Kingdom (Fantasyland) Photo Report
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Hey, everyone! Robin here. By now you have heard that on October 8 Disney California Adventure Park will unveil its all-new nighttime interactive event, ElecTRONica. And, as promised, I am here to share with you another exciting offering that will come alive once you “step into the grid” and into the world of “TRON: LEGACY.”
Each night, guests entering ElecTRONica will be captivated by the incredible talents of LASERMAN.
LASERMAN will demonstrate his unique talents and skill in a stunning performance that combines music, lights, and lasers. Check it out…
I can’t wait for everyone to see this exciting new entertainment offering, and LASERMAN is just a part of what you will experience when ElecTRONica powers up the fun.
Keep your eyes and ears open. There’s more to come…
Oh, by the way, what do aliens, gorillas, and bugs all have in common? Curious? I will reveal the answer in my next post and you’ll see how it all fits in with ElecTRONica.
I would like to welcome Max Guggenheim to the DLNT crew. He will be bringing us photos and videos from The Disneyland Resort. Max now brings us his first photo report from the Disneyland Resort…
Starting off in DCA, walls are up around the right side mural to prepare for it’s removal starting on Oct. 1st
An inside source has informed WDWNT that “Disney’s Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade” will have its final performance on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010, at the Magic Kingdom. If you are a Muppets fan, this will most likely be your last chance to see Kermit and Miss Piggy in the parks for a while.
The pre-parade was created for the 2nd year of the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign titled “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day”. The promotion kicked off in January as an effort to get 1 million people to volunteer in their communites. It was such an unbelievable success that Disney ran out of the 1 million gifts (including free admission) in the Spring. The pre-parade was designed to showcase select volunteers visiting the Magic Kingdom that day as a gift for their service. The “Honoarary VountEARS Cavalacade” debuted on January 8, 2010.
Disney has not announced if or when a new pre-parade might debut.
It’s time for the WDWNT Network’s weekly review of interest topics and new programming, just in case you missed something. Without any further ado, here is this week’s edition of “As The Globe Turns” for September 19th-September 25th, 2010:
News from Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida (Provided by WDW News Today)
–Two new characters announced for “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue”, including the captain
–Preview of the Cinderella Castle “Memories” show coming in 2011 as part of “Let The Memories Begin”
–“Let The Memories Begin” with details, commercials, and more about this 2011 marketing campaign
News from Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California (Provided by Disneyland News Today)
–Updated concept art for Luigi’s Roaming Tires from Cars Land
–If you love TRON, you’ll love elecTRONica at Disney California Adventure!
–Updated concept art for Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree from Cars Land
News on Disney Trading (Provided by The Disney Pincast and The Vinylmation Station)
–Details on new Disney Cruise Line pin-of-the-month series for 2011 and the 10-10-10 Event at WDW
–Duffy the Disney Bear Vinylmation???
–Nerds Rock Vinylmation series on the way
WDWNT Network Podcasts
-The WDW News Today Podcast Episode 162 (9/20/10) – The WDWNT Podcast crew discusses changes to the Fantasyland expansion plan and Tom talks with Jason Paul about the creation of “WDWNT: The Podcast Theme Song”. Available for download on-site or through iTunes in either enhanced or standard edition.
-The Disneyland News Today Podcast Episode 35 (9/13/10) – The DLNT Podcast crew delivers a News and Rumor Report, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” of Grizzly River Run at California Adventure, and “This Week in Disneyland History” featuring Captain EO. Available for download on-site or through iTunes.
-The Disney Pincast Episode 129 (9/24/10) – Join John Rick and guest Anthony Yacullo for a week of pin releases and more. Available for download on-site or through iTunes.
-The first new episode of The Vinylmation Station podcast since early July will be recorded and released sometime in October 2010.
New Videos from WDWNTube
The following videos from the Disney Parks around the world were released on the WDWNTube (www.WDWNTube.com) in the past week:
–Cinderella Castle “Memories” show preview
–Honey, I Shrunk the Audience at Disneyland Park and Epcot by Martin Smith
–Disneyland Paris Fantilusion Parade by Martin Smith
Audio Programming from WDWNTunes
The WDWNT Network’s online radio station plays Disney Parks music 24 hours a day, but also features special music blocks and plenty of original programming you won’t find anywhere else. Here’s a look at some current and upcoming special programming for WDWNTunes (www.WDWNTunes.com):
-“WDWNT Network presents (for some reason) The Transformerscast: The Epic, Epic of Epic Proportions – A Play in Five Acts” is replaying nightly at 11PM ET through October 1st. Scott Smith attempted to launch a podcast about his favorite toys twice (unsuccessfully) on “See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless. Tom has give Scott one last chance to make the show a success, and Scott won’t let anyone stop him, including the rest of the WDWNT Network staff. Will Scott finally be able to make The Transformerscast a hit in his epic farewell performance? Tune in to find out!
-Season 2 of the “Super Obscure Show” (or S.O.S.) debuts October 2nd at 11:00PM ET. Episodes will replay for a full week at both 10:00AM and 11:00PM until a new episode debuts every Saturday.
-“See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless Season 2 is tentatively scheduled to debut January 2011.
-Our 2 hour Halloween audio block has begun airing daily at 7AM and 7PM ET and will run through October 31st. The block includes audio from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland to get you in the haunted holiday mood.
Everything Else
-In an effort to make the WDW News Today twitter account strictly business, Tom Corless has made a separate, personal twitter account for himself. The WDW News Today website and podcast will be updating through @WDWNT, Tom will now be personally tweeting from @WDWNTom:
-To contact us at any time with questions, suggestions, comments, or concerns, you can email us at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com
WDWNT Reporter Josh Siegel scoured the entire Walt Disney World Resort on Wednesday to cover just about every construction project in progress and he has hundreds of newsworthy photos to share with us in this photo report:
Work continues on Pollo Campero at Downtown Disney Marketplace
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Since everything we do at Imagineering starts with the story, it probably comes as no surprise that one of the first things we set out to do with the new Star Tours show was to figure out when our story should take place within the Star Wars timeline.
The existing Star Tours show we internally refer to as “6.5,” since it takes place time-wise after Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Story development for the new show began “a long time ago,” back in 1998, and a story treatment from that year carries the title “Episode 7 – A Star Tours Classic” – referring to the Boonta Classic race that was to be the main feature of the show.
But by the time Episode I hit the screens, we were all anxious to know what would surface in Episode III that we might build on for the show. Naturally, we were then curious how Episode III would complete the series. In the end, after numerous discussions, we decided to place our storyline between the two sets of Star Wars trilogies, giving the project the working title “Star Tours 3.5.”
This time period gave our show team the ability to tap into the very best of the Star Wars characters and adventures. But turning the clock back also required some interesting changes for the Star Tours show. The Starspeeder 3000 would need to be an earlier model, the Starspeeder 1000, with a new pilot (especially since Rex, the original pilot, opens the original show saying it’s his first flight!)
Our design team created a new Tour Droid for the show, an AC Series pilot we dubbed “Ace,” with a personality as different from Rex as you can imagine.
We also created a new “spokesbot” for Star Tours, modeled after the WA-7 “Waitress Droid” from the Attack of the Clones. George Lucas suggested the name “Aly San San,” in reference to Allison Janney, the wonderful actress who provides the voice for this new character. We had a terrific time with Allison in the recording sessions for the show – she brought a lot of warmth and humor to the part.
These are just two of the droids you can expect to see in Star Tours “The Adventures Continue” next year. And in our next blog, I’ll tell you about a droid who really steals the show in the new attraction!
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Since everything we do at Imagineering starts with the story, it probably comes as no surprise that one of the first things we set out to do with the new Star Tours show was to figure out when our story should take place within the Star Wars timeline.
The existing Star Tours show we internally refer to as “6.5,” since it takes place time-wise after Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Story development for the new show began “a long time ago,” back in 1998, and a story treatment from that year carries the title “Episode 7 – A Star Tours Classic” – referring to the Boonta Classic race that was to be the main feature of the show.
But by the time Episode I hit the screens, we were all anxious to know what would surface in Episode III that we might build on for the show. Naturally, we were then curious how Episode III would complete the series. In the end, after numerous discussions, we decided to place our storyline between the two sets of Star Wars trilogies, giving the project the working title “Star Tours 3.5.”
This time period gave our show team the ability to tap into the very best of the Star Wars characters and adventures. But turning the clock back also required some interesting changes for the Star Tours show. The Starspeeder 3000 would need to be an earlier model, the Starspeeder 1000, with a new pilot (especially since Rex, the original pilot, opens the original show saying it’s his first flight!)
Our design team created a new Tour Droid for the show, an AC Series pilot we dubbed “Ace,” with a personality as different from Rex as you can imagine.
We also created a new “spokesbot” for Star Tours, modeled after the WA-7 “Waitress Droid” from the Attack of the Clones. George Lucas suggested the name “Aly San San,” in reference to Allison Janney, the wonderful actress who provides the voice for this new character. We had a terrific time with Allison in the recording sessions for the show – she brought a lot of warmth and humor to the part.
These are just two of the droids you can expect to see in Star Tours “The Adventures Continue” next year. And in our next blog, I’ll tell you about a droid who really steals the show in the new attraction!
The LA Times has some more updated concept art for Cars Land posted on their site:
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree promises to be the dizziest and noisiest of the new rides coming to Cars Land in 2012 at Disney California Adventure. The racket begins before you even board the spinning tractor and cart ride: A play area near the main entrance will feature an interactive junkyard of bangable hubcaps and honkable horns.
Please read on over at The LA Times Website…
Official release from Disney Parks:
In 2011, Disney guests will become the stars of a nightly spectacular when photos taken in the park during the day become larger-than-life projections on Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort or “it’s a small world” at Disneyland Resort. This groundbreaking new experience will celebrate the family vacation memories created in Disney theme parks every day.
And this week, Disney guests will begin starring on television, too, as part of the new “Let the Memories Begin” campaign. For the first time, Disney Parks is featuring the home videos and snapshots of real guests in television ads and other marketing that will allow an audience of millions to share in true-life, heartfelt moments.
“A Disney vacation is the perfect way to create family memories that will last a lifetime,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at a media announcement Thursday in New York. “We’ll spotlight those ‘only-at-Disney’ moments with family and friends during our ‘Let the Memories Begin’ campaign.”
A just-released survey of U.S. and Canadian families conducted for Disney Parks by Ypartnership, a noted research firm that tracks consumer insights and trends in travel, showed that vacation memories hold a special place in family history.
Nine out of 10 parents said they planned their vacations with the express hope that they would result in a lasting family memory, the survey showed. And those memories stuck with them – nearly three-quarters said they think back “often” or “very often” on their favorite vacation experiences.
‘Memories in the Making’ to be Shared on Disney Park Icons
Beginning in January 2011, some Disney parks guests will find that the memory they just made has become a larger-than-life image during a “Let the Memories Begin” nighttime experience.
At Walt Disney World Resort, the guest photos will be projected on the soaring spires of Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom. At Disneyland Resort, the iconic façade of “it’s a small world” will be the canvas for the show.
In both locations, Disney PhotoPass photographers will capture guests caught up in the Disney experience – a memory in the making – and as many as 500 photos will be used in each location every day, producers estimate.
The nighttime show will use the latest in high-intensity projection technology to create vivid visuals that seem to defy the architecture of the building. A new song commissioned for the show will provide an emotional context for these images of the Disney guest experience.
For TV Ads and More, Disney Parks Issues a ‘Call for Memories’
Beyond seeing their own projected photos in lights, guests also could become the stars of Disney Parks television commercials, online campaigns and social media opportunities that will showcase to the world the power of memories.
The campaign kicks off this week with a TV commercial created from videos posted online in social media forums.
For future TV commercials and other advertising and marketing programs, Disney Parks is asking guests to share their memories by uploading photos and videos at a special “Let the Memories Begin” online hub at www.DisneyParks.com/Memories. From a first meeting with a princess to a laugh-filled watery touchdown on Splash Mountain, Disney Parks is looking for videos and photos that capture those never-to-be-forgotten experiences.
Some memories will be shared online, while others may be selected to share in print ads, brochures and other marketing – including television ads to air across the United States and Canada.
With real visitor images on iconic attractions and home video featured in commercials, the storytellers at Disney Parks are letting guests tell their own stories in 2011, Staggs said.
“We wanted to give our guests a powerful way to share the memories they create every day in our parks,” Staggs said. “Essentially, this becomes our first user-generated show and our first user-generated marketing campaign.
“A day at a Disney park is filled with magical experiences that become cherished and unforgettable memories – and now we’re helping our guests share those memories with the world.
More Ways to Make Disney Vacation Memories in 2011
To help make special memories last a lifetime, in 2011 Disney Parks is adding new theme park experiences in California and Florida, new vacation opportunities on the high seas with Disney Cruise Line, a new luxury resort on a breathtaking lagoon in Hawaii, and new ways to explore the world with Adventures by Disney.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s in store:
- “World of Color” (Disneyland Resort): “World of Color,” the new nighttime spectacular presented in Disney California Adventure park, brings classic Disney and Disney•Pixar animation to life with nearly 1,200 powerful fountains, larger-than-life projections, lasers, fire, music and special effects.
- Disney California Adventure Expansion (Disneyland Resort): Next up for the continuing expansion of the park is the first major attraction based on the modern Disney classic, “The Little Mermaid.” The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure will treat guests to a musical retelling of the classic motion picture as the best-loved songs come alive in magnificent scenes all around them.
- New Star Tours 3-D Adventure (Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort): Bridging that “long time ago” between the two “Star Wars” trilogies, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue will take flight in 2011 and take voyagers to thrilling destinations throughout the “Star Wars” galaxy. And it will all happen in brilliant, 3-D technology.
- Disney Cruise Line: The Disney Dream, the newest ship of the Disney Cruise Line, launching January 2011, will bring to life grand innovations and more, offering a cruise experience from stem to stern that caters to preferences of the entire family. The Disney Wonder cruise ship will “go west” in early 2011; and new West Coast itineraries for Disney Cruise Line will include, for the first time, Alaska cruises sailing from Vancouver.
- Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina Hawai`i: A first-of-its-kind Disney resort in Hawaii creates a perfect setting for family fun. The new resort, which includes traditional hotel rooms and Disney Vacation Club villas, is being built on 21 acres of oceanfront property, 17 miles from Honolulu International Airport and approximately 30 minutes from Waikiki.
Here’s how you can be a part of a Disney Parks ad:
You’ve made Disney vacation memories and captured them in photos or video. Now you intend to share them with the world by posting them online.
Disney Parks has created a place where you can share those memories and view the Disney memories of other vacationers – with the possibility that they’ll be shared with yet more people in a Disney television “spot” or in print or online communications.
As Disney Parks launches “Let the Memories Begin” with communications that acknowledge making memories as “the masterpiece of parenthood,” the company also has launched a website for sharing and viewing memories. Guests can upload their photos, videos and text-only memories at DisneyParks.com/Memories. They can even categorize their memories by theme, emotion and location.
The DisneyParks.com/Memories website (also available soon in Spanish and French) has a simple-to-use interface for uploading, viewing and searching Disney memories. The functionality also will be part of the Disney Parks pages on Facebook, YouTube and MySpace.
Memory submission is as easy as 1-2-3:
- Choose to share your memory on DisneyParks.com/Memories;Facebook.com/WaltDisneyWorld; Facebook.com/Disneyland;Youtube.com/DisneyMemories; or Myspace.com/DisneyParks.
- Describe your memory. Memories can upload as photos, videos or text-only.
- Then all it takes is hitting the “submit” box and, once reviewed, a lifetime Disney memory is stored and shared.
On the heels of a series of television commercials created with brief home video segments, Disney Parks is looking for more “user-generated content” for future TV commercial spots, print advertisements, newsletter articles and vacation-planning video segments relating to “Let the Memories Begin.”
Here are three of the ads for “Let The Memories Begin”:
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as we get more information on “Let the Memories Begin”!
