From The LA Times:
Riders aboard Luigi’s Roamin’ Tires will use a pair of joysticks to steer the levitating bumper car as it floats atop a surface similar to a giant air hockey table.
The new ride, which will make its debut in the 12-acre Cars Land at Disney California Adventure in 2012, recalls the short-lived, breakdown-prone Flying Saucers that moved from Disneyland to Yesterland in 1966.
Please read on over at the LA Times Website…
DLNT Reporter Chris Lastrapes was at Disneyland today and shares some photos from all around the resort. Photos include The Disneyland Hotel, Maliboomer, Village Haus, and much more…
Work on the Wonder Tower continues
Moving to Disneyland this year with a new name, Mickey’s Halloween Party is the separate-ticket event that invites adults and children to dress up in costume and trick-or-treat at the resort. This nighttime celebration is scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays in October (1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26 and 29) plus Halloween night itself, Sunday, Oct. 31. Highlights include:
For Halloween fun at Disneyland, guests will enjoy Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy in Tomorrowland. The experience begins as a typical Space Mountain adventure, but suddenly launches voyagers into a haunted section of the universe. Ghosts appear out of the starry darkness and swirling galaxies of Space Mountain, reaching out as if to grab guests as they speed through space. The exhilarating drops and curves of the journey are punctuated by piercing screams, creepy sound effects and haunting music.
Halloween Time offers frightfully delightful fun for children and adults.
From The LA Times:
What’s better than an E Ticket ride? How about an F Ticket?
Radiator Springs Racers promises to redefine our expectations of an E Ticket attraction by combining a classic dark ride with a thrilling head-to-head drag race.
Currently under construction at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, the $200-million ride, scheduled to make its debut in 2012, will take passengers on a four-minute journey through stalactite caverns, around hairpin turns and along high-speed straightaways. Each side-by-side race ends with a randomly selected winner.
On-site ride tests this summer revealed a prototype vehicle based on Epcot’s Test Track technology that moved like a giant slot car along a banked and undulating course. The sleek red sports car, with anthropomorphic headlight eyes and smiling bumper, looked like one of the animated characters from the Pixar movie “Cars.”
Crews continue to construct six acres of rockwork resembling the desert buttes and bluffs of the 2006 film’s iconic Ornament Valley, which will take a year to carve and another year to paint.
Spoiler Alert
What follows is a scene-by-scene breakdown of the Radiator Springs Racers ride:
You can read on over at The LA Times Website…
Mike from TimeStream Software recently took a vacation to Hawaii and shares some photos with us from the Aulani DVC Resort.
Some facts about Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa: It will have 359 hotel rooms, 481 time-share units, restaurants, a convention center, a 15,000 square-foot spa and a massive water play area overlooking the lagoon, which will feature a volcano tube slide and snorkel lagoon. It’s located on 21 acres on Oahu’s Leeward coast in the Ko Olina development, located about 1/2 hour from Honolulu. It’s currently scheduled to open August 29, 2010, with hotel reservations to begin next month. Time-share sales started three weeks ago.
Mike’s app, “Walt Disney World Guide” Notescast, can be found at www.Notecasts.com. You can find more photos of Aulani on the website.
Here’s a look at just a few of the items Disney theme park merchandise has created especially for Star Wars Celebration V event in Orlando:
Continuing our detailed coverage of the names behind the windows on down Main Street U.S.A. from Part I, we’re still heading down the western side of the street, about half-way up towards the castle. Right after Cecil Robinson’s name is:
JACK LINDQUIST
Jack Lindquist’s window reads Peterson Travel Agency / Reservations by Cable Anywhere in the World / Passages Boarded By Sea & Rail / “Exclusive Representatives for the Titanic” / Jack Lindquist, Purser
Lindquist started as the advertising manager at Disneyland in 1955, was named Vice President of Marketing for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World in 1971, and became President of Disneyland in October 1990. He retired in 1993, and was named a Disney Legend the following year.
As a former child actor who appeared as an extra in the “Our Gang” series and danced in the Lucille Ball film, “Best Foot Forward,” in 1955 Jack Lindquist was hired by Walt Disney as Disneyland’s first advertising manager. He was originally working in an LA-based advertising firm for corporate client at Disneyland. One day Jack had a meeting at the Park and fell in love with the place. He was working there the very next month. Jack was eventually involved in nearly every aspect of Disneyland including marketing the original “E tickets.”
In 1955, while working for a Los Angeles advertising firm as a consultant to one of the original Disneyland corporate participants, Jack had a meeting at the Park prior to its opening and “fell in love with the place.” One month later, he was working there.
He continued to move through the Disney ranks and later he set the course for marketing Walt Disney World, and in 1972, was named vice president of marketing for Disneyland and Walt Disney World. In 1976, he was named vice president of marketing for Walt Disney Attractions, and in 1982, was promoted to executive vice president of marketing and entertainment for all of the Company’s outdoor recreation activities.
Jack went on to set up the Marketing Division for Tokyo Disneyland, and a executive vice president of creative marketing concepts for Walt Disney Attractions he developed promotional and entertainment ideas for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. During his 38 years with the company, Jack was responsible for a number of classic Disney projects including, Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom Club, Disney Dollars, the Disneyland Pigskin Classic, the Ambassador Program and Grad Nites. He was also one of the big supporters for Disney’s California Adventure.
After Jack’s window comes a window honoring Dave Gengenbach, Bob Gurr, George McGinnis, and Bill Watkins. Their window reads: The Big Wheel Co. / “One-of-a-Kind” / Unicycles – Horseless Carriages / Dave Gengenbach, Bob Gurr, George McGinnis, Bill Watkins.
Read More about Windows of the World – Part II by Chuck Mirarchi
Like a fine wine that improves with age, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival celebrates 15 years Oct. 1-Nov. 14 with an unrivaled global tasting experience.
Where on the planet can foodies sample the cuisine, culture and entertainment of more than two dozen countries during a 1.3-mile stroll around a picturesque 40-acre lagoon? Only at Walt Disney World Resort, where more than 25 international marketplaces around the World Showcase promenade at Epcot invite guests to taste tapas-sized portions and sip wines, beers and spirits from six continents.
This year, Disney and celebrity chefs are teaming with winemakers and brew masters from around the world to commemorate 15 years of Delicious Discoveries. During the six-week festival, guests will discover:
New Sips, Fresh Bites
Whether sampling steamed mussels with roasted garlic cream at the new Belgium marketplace or sipping the trendiest wines from South Africa and Chile, festival guests can make a day of grazing their way around the World Showcase promenade. Tapas-sized portions of regional specialties run
$3-to-$8 each, and recommended wines and beers make perfect pairings at each marketplace. To make grazing simpler and more fun, guests can purchase a festival-themed mini-Disney Gift Card that can be loaded and reloaded at several park locations. The card comes attached to a band that can be worn conveniently on the wrist and used for purchases at park marketplaces, restaurants and shops.
Live regional entertainment includes music, acrobatics and improv performances along the promenade. Evening Eat to the Beat! concerts at America Gardens Theatre feature acts from many musical genres. Appearing for the first time on the Eat to the Beat! stage are: Sugar Ray, Air Supply, Howard Jones, 38 Special, Roger Hodgson (formerly of Supertramp,) Hanson and Rick Springfield. Kicking off the festival Oct. 1-3 is fan-favorite Taylor Dayne, and wrapping the event Nov. 12-14 is crowd-pleaser Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.
Each fall, the festival attracts a diverse audience of more than 1 million guests ranging from wine connoisseurs and epicures to novices wishing to boost their culinary IQs. Special culinary programs showcase a lineup of renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools.
Festival highlights include:
Festival guests can enjoy fresh Epcot experiences including the latest Future World high-tech fun at Innoventions. They also can go “under the sea” at The Seas with Nemo & Friends, “up in the air” at Soarin’ in The Land pavilion or “out of this world” at Mission: SPACE. In World Showcase, new and updated restaurants welcome guests at the Italy, Japan, Mexico and China pavilions.
Included with Epcot Admission
Authentic Taste seminars and Authors Without Borders programs with special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! concerts, cultural adventures, Marketplace Discovery Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.
Special Programming by Reservation
The Party for the Senses grand tasting events and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details should be available at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine by mid-July.
Here is an official press release regarding the 2011 Food and Wine Festival located at Disney California Adventure.
Details for the D23 event “Destination D” have been released with a few surprises.
From D23:
This year is the 55th anniversary of Disneyland Resort, and D23 is celebrating this milestone year with the premiere of Destination D: Disneyland ’55, a brand-new, two-day event that illuminates the fascinating history behind Disney’s flagship park.
Destination D: Disneyland ’55 will take D23 Members on a mesmerizing journey through the design, creation, debut and magical history of the world’s first Disney theme park. The event will offer two full days of special presentations, panels, screenings and guest speakers that give fans an inside view of this fascinating era in Disney history and let them meet and talk with key figures in Disneyland’s history. Future Destination D events will explore other important aspects of Disney’s amazing creative legacy. Following its premiere in September, Destination D will alternate annually with the enormously popular D23 Expo.
Event highlights include our Mickey Mouse Club 55th Anniversary presentation, reuniting original Mouseketeers Sharon Baird, Doreen Tracey, Bobby Burgess, Karen Pendleton, Sherry Van Meter (formerly Alberoni), Tommy Cole, Cubby O’Brien, and Mary Geoff (formerly Espinosa) for a delightful trip back in time to the dawning of the television era with the club that was, like D23, “made for you and me.”
Destination D will also mark the debut of the Disney Legends Celebration, a heartfelt tribute to those who have made a lasting contribution to the Disney legacy. All Destination D attendees and Disney Legends will be invited to attend E-Ticket: Music from the Disney Parks, a concert of memorable tunes through the years at the Disneyland Resort with some very special guests, including Disney Legend Richard Sherman.
All guests will also receive a limited-edition set of colorful, vintage Disneyland postcards from the Walt Disney Archives Collection. It’s a reproduction of actual postcards sold when Disneyland opened in 1955 — it’s just a coincidence that the complete set features 23 images!
There will also be a selection of limited edition merchandise available for purchase at the event.
Shown below is the current lineup for Destination D: Disneyland ’55 (times to be announced later this summer; panels and talent subject to change):
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
Mickey Mouse Club 55th Anniversary
Join original Mouseketeers including Sharon Baird, Doreen Tracey, Bobby Burgess, Karen Pendleton, Sherry Van Meter (Alberoni), Tommy Cole, Cubby O’Brien and Mary Geoff (Espinosa) for a magical walk down memory lane as they recall their favorite behind-the-scenes stories from the classic Disneyland attraction Mickey Mouse Club Circus.Weird Disney
From the startling visuals of the 1930’s Fanchon & Marco “Mickey Mouse Idea” vaudeville shows to Disneyland’s “Kap the Kaiser Aluminum Pig” and the “Crane Bathroom of Tomorrow,” Disney’s history has included some pretty offbeat stuff. Join Archives Director Becky Cline and Disney historian Paul Anderson as they act as your tour guides on a fun-filled, irreverent and often-surprising road trip through the wonderfully weird and wacky side of Disney.From Quirky to Collectible: The Wonderful World of Disneyland Merchandise
Curiouser and curiouser! From a Mark Twain Riverboat AM radio to a Matterhorn bank, we will present a treasure trove of timeless trinkets and unique souvenirs. Merchandise mavens Stacia Martin and Paul Anderson and Disney Archivist Rob Klein will take you to a collector’s Cloud Nine, including the “Top 5 Rarest Pieces of Disneyana” and the “Top 5 Strangest Items of Disneyland Memorabilia.” You won’t believe what they have found!The 1964 New York World’s Fair and the Development of Audio-Animatronics® Characters With so many incredible Disney achievements over the years, it’s hard to pick one as most impressive. But one milestone — Disney’s contribution to the 1964 New York World’s Fair — arguably stands far and above any other for its impact on Disneyland, the dawning of Walt Disney World and now, the Disney theme park experience around the world. Hosted by historian Paul Anderson, this is a fascinating and remarkable story of how 50 years ago Walt and his Imagineers broke the barriers of technology and pioneered an entirely new chapter in the history of entertainment, and in doing so, drastically changed the course of Disney theme park history.
Imagineering the Magic of Disney
Disney Legend Marty Sklar hosts a prestigious panel of some of Disney’s most creative minds made up of Imagineering Legends and current Imagineers. Join us as Bob Gurr, Blaine Gibson, Dave Durham, Kathy Mangum, Kevin Rafferty and other Imagineers share their memories and favorite moments about creating iconic attractions at the world’s most popular theme parks.E-Ticket: Music from the Disney Parks
As part of this year’s inaugural Disney Legends Celebration, D23 Members are invited to join some Disney Legends for a colorful concert of music from the past and present of Disneyland Resort. Highlighting the concert will be Disney Legend Richard Sherman, who — along with his brother Robert — has contributed a multitude of songs to the Disney parks legacy, including “it’s a small world,” “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” and many more. Performing will be a host of special guests, including John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Johnny and the Sprites), Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty), Wilson Cruz (Rent, My So-Called Life), members of the Disney Employee Choir and many more, all paying tribute to some of the most enduring tunes in the Disney canon.SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
Disneyland Through the Eye of Television
Archivist Rob Klein presents this unique look at the history of Disneyland as it was first seen by the general public — on television. This vibrant presentation includes Walt’s first announcement of Disneyland, highlights from the original Disneyland television anthology series showing progress on the park and classic anniversary specials, as well as rarely seen promotional spots for Disneyland from the ’60s and ’70s for the Matterhorn, Main Street Electrical Parade, “New” Tomorrowland 1967 and much more!Disney Undiscovered
No creative idea, no matter how marvelously imagined, is guaranteed to make it from the sketchbooks of Disney Imagineers to the parks. 2010’s D23 Member gift, Disney Undiscovered, pays tribute to Disney’s enduring creative spirit by celebrating the work of some of Disney’s greatest dreamers and artists, whose feats of creative daring — even if never completed — will stand the test of time as masterpieces of the imagination. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the further fascinating details about these rare, never-produced park attractions and the Imagineers who dreamed them up.Disneyland: The Happiest Place in Pop Culture
A humorous and informative journey through 55 years of popular culture as reflected in the original Magic Kingdom. Featuring rarely seen photos and film clips, the presentation, hosted by Disney authority Tim O’Day, will take you down memory lane, narrowly escaping bad fashions, bad hair and park entertainment, and events and attractions that definitely belong in Memoryland.Disneyland: The Way We Were
Remember the Mickey Mouse Club Circus, Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, TWA Rocket to the Moon, The Frito Kid, or America Sings? Join Disney Chief Archivist Dave Smith as we explore some vintage images of Disneyland: first some rare color photographs taken during the park’s construction, then a look at some beloved, gone-but-not-forgotten attractions, shops and restaurants. Throughout this presentation, Dave will reminisce about early visits to Disneyland, taking the audience back to some classic moments in the park’s rich history.A Word from the President
Disneyland President George Kalogridis shares a very special presentation with D23.The Wonderful World of Vintage Disneyland — In Color!
Media Preservationist Ed Hobelman and Imagineer Tony Baxter share a trove of archival treasures and screen rarely seen color footage of Disneyland from the 1950s and 1960s.Disneyland, U.S.A. Screening and Panel
A big-screen presentation of the classic 1956 People and Places featurette, Disneyland, U.S.A., followed by a panel featuring members of the film’s restoration team, Disney Imagineers and Disney Legends who experienced the park first-hand during those early years, including Tony Baxter, Ed Hobelman, Dave Smith and Geri Bumpass. Hosted by Tim O’Day.
And here is the surprise event announced to coincide with “Destination D.”
THE HUNT IS ON FOR DISNEY FANS THIS SEPTEMBER
WITH D23’S GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT
Disney’s Official Fan Club Creates an Extraordinary, All-Day
Hunt Throughout the Disneyland Resort in Conjunction With
the First-Ever Destination D Event in Anaheim
ANAHEIM, Calif. – July 7, 2010 – From Downtown Disney to the Disneyland Hotel, from the Matterhorn to Midway Mania, Disney fans will embark on an all-day search that will take them throughout the Disneyland Resort on September 26 in the very first GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT from D23, the official Disney fan club.
It’s the ultimate Disney test, with teams of up to four people racing against the clock to gather as many points as possible. The top 10 teams will win Disney prizes. Any Disney fan can register for the GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT by visiting www.disney.com/D23. Registration opens July 12 and is $50 for a team (up to four people) of D23 Members and $75 for a team of non-members.
The GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Disneyland Hotel, and teams will need to scour the entire Disneyland Resort for clues. (Note that theme park admission is not included in the registration fee, but special convention-rate admission will be available during the weekend’s Destination D: Disneyland ’55 event.) Teams will have five hours to search everywhere from Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort Hotels to Disney’s California Adventure and, of course, Disneyland.
For the top 10 teams, D23 has assembled an amazing array of prizes from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, the Walt Disney Collectors’ Society, Disney Publishing, Walt Disney Records and more.
The GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT caps an exciting weekend for D23 Members, as they’ll also have the opportunity to take part in the first Destination D event, a two-day celebration of the Disney’s legacy of magic and creativity.
Destination D: Disneyland ’55 illuminates the fascinating history behind Disney’s flagship park, taking members on a mesmerizing journey through the design, creation and debut of the world’s first Disney theme park.
Destination D will also feature a special homage to the 55th anniversary of the Mickey Mouse Club, with original Mousketeers in attendance, including Sharon Baird, Doreen Tracey, Bobby Burgess, Karen Pendleton, Sherry Van Meter (née Alberoni), Tommy Cole, Cubby O’Brien and Mary Geoff (née Espinosa).
Throughout the two days of Destination D – which will be held September 24 and 25 – guests will also enjoy panels, presentations and guest speakers, including explorations of the development of Audio Animatronics; Disneyland’s unique place in pop culture; amazing never-completed Disney attractions; and an appearance by Disneyland President George Kalogridis.
Tickets to Destination D: Disneyland 55 and the GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT will be available separately beginning at 10 a.m. Monday, July 12.
Attendance at Destination D is reserved for members of D23, Disney’s official fan club, while the GREAT DISNEY SCAVENGER HUNT is open to all Disney fans.
