“Lots-O” Changes Coming to Hollywood Studios for Toy Story 3

WDWNT on April 28, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

More big news to share today…a new game with new faces is being added to Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios as part of the celebration of the soon-to-be-released Disney*Pixar film, “Toy Story 3.” We’re also introducing a new character that you’ll have a chance to see and greet at both locations –- and it’s all happening in May.

The new Toy Story Mania! game, called “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts,” will involve shooting virtual darts at all new balloon targets in a primeval world filled with volcanoes and lava balloons. You’ll be cheered on by Rex (the nervous Tyrannosaurus rex) and his new friend Trixie (a blue Triceratops, one of the toy characters from the new film) beginning in late May. Walt Disney Imagineering has also added some hidden surprises to the game that will be replacing “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop.”

Lotso

And starting May 9, you’ll also get a chance to see “Lotso” (short for Lots-O’-Huggin Bear) at both parks. He’ll be greeting Guests in the meet-and-greet area inside The Magic of Disney Animation and be part of the “Block Party Bash” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The new character will also join “Disney’s Pixar Play Parade” at Disney’s California Adventure and guests will be able to pose alongside the “Toy Story” gang inside a life-sized “blister pack” as if they themselves are toys.

“The Captain” returns to Epcot on July 2nd

WDWNT on April 28, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Yes, you read right…the classic 3-D film experience “Captain EO” is coming back to Walt Disney World Resortthis summer just months after it reopened to rave reviews at Disneyland park. The 17-minute musical space-fantasy adventure film is now scheduled to begin at Epcot on July 2.

I remember enjoying “Captain EO” during its original run at Epcot from 1986 -1994. But for some of you, it’ll be a new experience. The film features Michael Jackson as “Captain EO” and a crew of Disney-created space characters. During their journey, the group uses the power of dance, light and music to turn a colorless planet into a world of color and happiness.

And there’s more. “Captain EO” will be returning to other Disney Parks locations. It’s scheduled to open at Tokyo Disneyland on June 30 and Disneyland Paris on June 12. We’ll have more details on the film’s return to Walt Disney World in upcoming weeks but we wanted Disney Parks Blog readers to be among the first to know. Please check back for updates.

Exclusive Interview w/Co-Creator of the Main Street Electrical Parade, Ron Miziker!

WDWNT on April 25, 2010

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of the co-creators of the Main Street Electrical Parade (and the creator of the the Polynesian Luau, Hoop-De-Doo-Review, and Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue, among many other Disney World entertainment offerings), Ron Miziker. You can hear the entire interview on Episode 140 of the WDW News Today Podcast, which is available for download now on our podcast directory page and on Itunes through subscription to the podcast only.

WDWNT: The Wallpapers #1

WDWNT on April 23, 2010

In our continuing efforts to provide you with unique and fun content beyond a wealth of Disney World information, we’re introducing a new feature to WDW News Today that we are calling “WDWNT: The Wallpaper” (Yes, we are still running with this joke, it’s still funny to us).

Thanks to the amazing talent and generosity of photographer Tim Goodchild of timgoodchild.com, we are able to provide these downloadable wallpapers for your computer monitor.  Simply click the link corresponding to your monitor’s resolution, then save the resulting image file to your computer.  We will have select wallpapers available for dual-monitor and triple-monitor setups as well.

We will try to present a new wallpaper image once a week. This week, we kick off the program inside the Mexico pavilion at Epcot:

1024×768

1280×800

1280×1024

1440×900

1680×1050

1920×1080

1920×1200

Dual Monitor 1024×768 = 2048×768

Dual Monitor 1280×1024 = 2560×1024

Dual Monitor 1680×1050 = 3360×1050

Triple Monitor 1024×768 = 3072×768

Triple Monitor 1280×1024 = 3840×1024

Windows of the World – Part I by Chuck Mirarchi

WDWNT on April 22, 2010

Whether you approach The Magic Kingdom by monorail, boat, bus, or on foot, the sight of the train station and what waits just beyond it always brings a smile to even the most seasoned of park travelers. Part of the magic (and genius) to the design of the Magic Kingdom, as well each of the parks, is the amount of detail that is given to each and every object. Nothing was put there by accident, but is part of a very well thought out plan to create the most immersive and realistic experience for every guest; even those who have been there many times.

If you have taken “Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom” or “Backstage Magic” Tours you learned about how and why the Magic Kingdom is laid out the way that it is (If you have never taken either one of these tours – you should make a point of doing so on your next trip). According to the tour guides, the Magic Kingdom is laid out very similar to the way a movie is constructed, with the train station acting as the entrance of a movie theatre or the curtain on the screen.  As you walk through the breezeway tunnels to Main Street, there are posters on the walls acting as the “coming attractions.” Then as you exit the tunnel, Main Street unfolds before you as the opening sequence of the movie with Cinderella’s Castle becoming the “start” of the movie.

One of the things that is in the opening credits of every film is the title of the movie, the name of the producer, and the key people who were involved in bringing the movie to life.  This is the same layout for The Magic Kingdom.

The “title” for the park is found on the front of the Main Street train station, The Magic Kingdom – Walt Disney World.  And if you look up above the sign you will find the name of the “producer” on the window, “Walter E. Disney – Chief Engineer – Keeping Dreams on Track”.

Walking down Main Street USA, when guests look at the second and third floors, they will see names of various people accompanied by their “titles” and “business” on the windows.  These are the other production credits to The Magic Kingdom “show”.

Read More about Windows of the World – Part I by Chuck Mirarchi

‘World of Color’ debuts on June 11th

WDWNT on April 20, 2010

From The Disney Parks Blog:

World of Color dancing fountains

Lights, water, fire, music and animation will come together like never before on June 11 when “World of Color” makes its dazzling debut at Disney’s California Adventure park. You will get to experience some of your favorite Disney stories – from the charming to the adventurous – in a magical, new way.

Many of you, as readers of the Disney Parks Blog, have been following our documentation of the development of this playful, nighttime water spectacular. I’ve loved reading your comments and sharing in the enthusiasm for this highly anticipated show, and we want you to be among the first to see some up-close footage we recently captured during a rehearsal.

Enjoy the video and a special introduction from the man behind the magic, Steve Davison from Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment.

As you saw in the video, the show is brilliantly choreographed as it combines nearly 1,200 powerful fountains, popular Disney music, larger-than-life projections, lasers, fire, fog, surround sound and stunning images. On top of that, the magnificent, moving fountains are capable of reaching enormous heights — from 30 to 200 feet -– while maintaining their dazzling colors.

As I’m sure you know from reading the Disney Parks Blog, “World of Color” is a major milestone in the multi-year expansion of Disney’s California Adventure park.

“World of Color” debuts this year as part of Summer Nightastic! –- a lineup of exciting, after-dark entertainment at the Disneyland Resort. Summer Nightastic! will run from June 11 through August 29, and you’ll be able to catch “World of Color” year-round at Paradise Bay.

First Look at New Epcot Eateries

WDWNT on April 1, 2010

The Disney Parks Blog offered a look at the new World Showcase restaurants in both Mexico and Italy earlier this week:

As a pizza lover, I raved when we announced plans for an authentic pizzeria at the Italy Pavilion at Epcot but now I’m really craving a first slice after seeing what’s coming later this year. This is your first official peek at what the new 300-seat restaurant will likely look like. And yes, that’s outside dining and vaulted-ceilings.

We’re still waiting for word on an official name but thought you’d like to see this artist rendering first on The Disney Parks Blog.

Earlier today, Thomas shared a first look at an amazing pizzeria opening at Epcot Italy Pavilion. And now I’ve got a sneak peek of what you can expect to see when the construction wall comes down at the Mexico Pavilion later this year. If you’ve visited Epcot recently, you know the Cantina de San Angel restaurant is expanding. This artist rendering gives you a good idea of what seating looks like at the restaurant when work is completed. There will be 400 seats – both al fresco and air-conditioned seating for lunch and a coveted spot for dinner and viewing IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.

And, if you’re curious about the menu, I shared some highlights earlier this month. Please let us know what you think of the look.

Toy Story Parking Open!

WDWNT on March 19, 2010

The new Toy Story Parking Lot located on Harbor Blvd. has opened.

From the OC Register:

The parking lot was built on land Disney bought 12 years ago with the intention of constructing a future theme park. For now, Disney has an agreement with the city to run a parking lot there for up to 10 years. Read a full story about the Disney parking lot.

The lot, called Toy Story, sits east of the Anaheim Convention Center on Harbor Boulevard south of Katella Avenue. The lot will have 2,678 new spaces, said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman. Another 1,000 spots were already there.

(A previous version of this story stated that the lot would have 2,750 new spaces. That was the number originally approved by the city.)

Regular-car parking will cost $14, the same as at other Disney lots, Brown said. Visitors can take free shuttle buses to the parks. The lot is expected to be open every day.

Disney also leased OCTA Busses to act as shuttles to and from the resort

Disney is leasing the vehicles and hiring the drivers through Anaheim Resort Transit – the public organization that runs the red trolleys and other vehicles in the Disney area.

Resort Transit gave hiring preference to the former public bus drivers, because they are familiar with OCTA vehicles, said Diana Kotler, executive director of Anaheim Resort Transit.

For those who don’t know where the new lot is, here is a map…

Disney Legend Fess Parker Passes Away

WDWNT on March 19, 2010

From E! Online:

The King of the Wild Frontier is gone.

Fess Parker, the strapping star who played Davy Crockett in the hugely popular Disney television show of the 1950s, died today of natural causes at age 85, his family announced.

The actor, whose classic roles also included the son-consoling dad in Old Yeller and another ‘coonskin-cap-favoring frontiersman in NBC’s Daniel Boone, had retired from showbiz in the 1970s and founded a hugely successful winery and resort in Santa Barbara.

He was 85.

Fess Parker recieved a rare Frontierland window dedication at Disneyland in late 2004, as seen above. He was also one of the earliest Disney Legends honored back in 1991. From the Disney Legends website:

In the mid-1950s, when Fess Parker first donned a coonskin cap to play the American historical character Davy Crockett for a three-part Walt Disney television show, little did he know he was about to become a hero to Baby Boomers across the nation.

More than forty years later, in 1997, Fess described the profound influence his popular character had on young viewers. “Folks tell me over and over how much that character shaped their lives,” he said. “I have to believe that the impact of those programs was due as much to the values inculcated in them as to their entertainment quality.”

Fess was catapulted to fame almost overnight after “Davy Crockett Indian Fighter,” “Davy Crockett Goes to Congress,” and “Davy Crockett at the Alamo” debuted on the “Disneyland” television series, beginning in 1954. Even the ditty he recorded for Disney and RCA records, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” was on the lips of every young boy (and girl) in America at that time, winning the actor a gold record. And when Disneyland opened in 1955, his personal appearance on horseback, as Davy Crockett, proved to be a huge crowd-pleaser.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 18, 1924, Fess grew up on a farm in San Angelo, Texas. Named after his father (“Fess” means “proud” in Old English), he graduated from the University of Texas in 1950, where he studied law and business administration. He then moved to Los Angeles, to pursue an acting career and studied drama at the University of Southern California. Shortly thereafter, he made his film debut in “Untamed Frontier,” starring Shelley Winters.

In 1954, Walt Disney spotted the actor in a film called “Them!” and quickly signed Fess to a Studio contract. He went on to star in such Disney films as “Westward Ho The Wagons!” “The Great Locomotive Chase,” “Old Yeller” and “The Light in the Forest.” He also starred in two additional Davy Crockett television shows: “Davy Crockett’s Keelboat Race” and “Davy Crockett and the River Pirates.” Much later, in 1978, Fess appeared in “NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney.”

After leaving Disney, Fess donned his coonskin cap once again to play Daniel Boone. For six years, beginning in 1964, he starred in the popular television series by the same name and directed five of its most popular episodes.

Today, a successful businessman and real estate developer, Fess owns a winery in Los Olivos, California (near Santa Barbara) where he can often be found signing his autograph for wine and Disney lovers, alike.