Disneyland Park – Page 13

PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 9/7/16 (Tower of Terror Farewell, Star Wars Land, AP Days, New Character Heads)

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Conner Purzycki brings us a fairly news-heavy photo report from the Disneyland Resort on the first day of its transition from the Diamond Celebration into HalloweenTime. Heavy promotion has started for the Tower of Terror final check-in, Star Wars land continues to rise from the dirt, Mickey and Minnie are getting an entirely new look, and the popular AP Days promotion has returned. See, I told you there was a lot going on! Let’s get started, because there is so much to see:

Tower of Terror Final Check-In

Banners around the resort promote HalloweenTime and the Tower of Terror send off events.

Billboard by the tram station don’t even mention Halloween Time, it’s all Twilight Zone Tower of Terror promotion. Halloween Time is a pretty big deal at the Disneyland Resort, so giving Tower of Terror the headline billing for this season is kind of a big deal.

Star Wars Land Construction

Construction of the Star Wars themed land continues in the back of Disneyland Park.

While it may appear that this project is ahead in schedule compared to Hollywood Studios, this version of the land features more tunnels and an elaborate mountain range to separate the area from Frontierland and Critter Country.

The Tower of Terror off in the distance, making this an interesting snapshot in Disneyland history.

Some of the Paint the Night floats are visible just beyond the Star Wars site. The parade is set to return for the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort before the finale run of the Main Street Electrical Parade begins.

The Diamond Celebration Slowly Vanishes

Promotional signs for AP Days out in force at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure.

The Diamond Celebration still lingers at the Disneyland Resort, including the Diamond Days promotion, which is still going for some reason.

Halloween Time and the Diamond celebration decorations clash on Main Street.

Some work being done outside of the Disneyland Railroad station.

Some tarps still up on the Market House, but Starbucks remains open through it.

Some other Main Street facades are now also behind tarps.

The hub Jack-O-Lanterns are back.

While the “60” came down overnight, the rest of Sleeping Beauty Castle is still sporting the 60th decorations.

New Mickey & Minnie Costumes Arrive

The heavily discussed new look heads for Mickey and Minnie Mouse debuted at the Disneyland Resort yesterday.

These style heads also appear in Mickey’s Royal Friendship Fair at the Magic Kingdom and at the Shanghai Disney Resort.

Rivers of America

Work continues on the Rivers of America as it prepares for a Summer 2017 reopening, including a newly enhanced Fantasmic show.

The Columbia is being re-rigged for a new segment in Fantasmic, themed to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Haunted Mansion Holiday

The Haunted Mansion is currently closed for its Haunted Mansion Holiday makeover.

A new cemetery has been placed up on the hill in the queue, featuring some fo the more famous tombstones from the attraction lore.

The Halloween Tree

The Halloween Tree honoring Ray Bradbury is back in Frontierland.

Peter Pan Facade Refurbishment

Even though it was worked on extensively in 2015, the Peter Pan’s Flight facade is once again behind tarps in Fantasyland. The attraction is open.

Space Mountain – Ghost Galaxy

Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy will be replacing Hyperspace Mountain until November. Hyperspace Mountain is expected to return and run until the opening of Star Wars land (only bowing our for Ghost Galaxy every year).

Downtown Disney

The new Starbucks in Downtown Disney is already getting a facade touch up, along with aÂ SprinklesÂ location moving in next door.

More Tower of Terror and Halloween Time banners going down to the Disneyland Hotel.

Disney California Adventure

Some work being done to the outside of Rushin’ River Outfitters.

AP Days Return

AP Days have returned to the resort for the fall season.

A number of annual passholder exclusive items are available at the event.

Specialty food and beverage offerings from around the resort are showcased.

Trader Sam’s has a special Mahalloween mug this year celebrating The Haunted Mansion.

The lines for the AP Days Showcase were pretty long.

The now infamous Backlot Stage still remains, simply as it is more cost effective to leave it standing than remove it at this point.

The Pete’s Dragon preview is gone, so the Sunset Showcase sits dormant.

SNEAK PEEK: New Additions to Haunted Mansion Holiday for 2016

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

The Haunted Mansion Holiday opens today at Disneyland Park, this year featuring a new but familiar face!

An all-new Sally figure has been added to the graveyard scene, as seen above. Also new this year …

This year’s all-new gingerbread house – a Haunted Mansion Holiday tradition – and today guests will be able to see this monstrous masterpiece for themselves!

VIDEO: Take a Ride on the 2016 Version of Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Over the weekend, the 2016 version of Haunted Mansion Holiday debuted at Disneyland Park as part of the HalloweenTime festivities. New for 2016, guests will find a new gingerbread house, as well as a new moving Sally figure in the graveyard scene. Enjoy:

Real Working “Star Wars” Lightsaber Training Experience Patent Filed by Disney

WDWNT on September 2, 2016

If you ever wanted to train to be a Jedi like Luke Skywalker, you may want to take a look at the latest Disney patent…

Disney Patent for Interactive Star Wars Lightsaber

“An entertainment environment has a user with a faux light saber that interacts with a drone flying through the air or operated with hidden rods to appear as if its flying through the air. The faux light saber has LEDs attached thereto to provide IR light to the drone. As an LED is turned on, an invisible light sensor built into the drone captures an image of the field of view with a bright spot at the position of the activated LED. A visible light source built into the drone then projects light through particulate matter toward the faux light saber. As a result, the uses is provided with the illusion that the faux light saber has deflected a laser beam. Multiple LEDs can be activated in sequence at various times to give user the impression that the movement by the users of the faux light saber is deflecting multiple laser beams.”

While sometimes these patents mean nothing, rumors have suggested that the Star Wars lands coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland would be full of role-playing experiences like this. Could you imagine being able to train to be a Jedi just as Luke Skywalker was by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode IV, deflecting lasers with your weapon?

Could guests get to be Jedi knights?

Again, this could be nothing, but guests could in fact be wielding an interactive lightsaber at Disney Parks someday.

UPDATE: Paint the Night Parade to Remain at Disneyland Resort

WDWNT on August 18, 2016

Following up the announcement that the Main Street Electrical Parade will return to Disneyland Park in early 2017, it was also announced that the Pain the Night Parade will perform on select evening during the holiday season somewhere at the Disneyland Resort.

The announcement leaves Walt Disney World without a nighttime parade. It is possible that this move is to accommodate new nighttime entertainment at the Magic Kingdom coming sometime in the near future, whether that me a new parade or fireworks show.

CONCEPT ART: Disneyland Unveils Eastern Gateway, Non-Disney Hotels Now Farther From the Magic

WDWNT on August 18, 2016

A few days ago, we told you about the official announcement Disney was making for the Eastern Gateway project, a plan that will add a new parking structure, bus loop, and pedestrian entrance to the Disneyland Resort on the Harbor Blvd. side of the property. Today, Disney has released detailed renderings and plans for the project.

If everything goes according to plan, the Disneyland Resort entrance on Harbor Blvd. would be come a thing of the past, making the once nearby Harbor hotels and motels a much further trek from the resort, as guests would now need to walk south to a new pedestrian portal that will pass the new parking structure, transportation hub, and a security gateway before crossing Harbor on an elevated walkway that leads into the esplanade of the Disneyland Resort.

The path of the Disneyland Monorail would also be altered according to plans.

SOURCE – OC Register

While the project will relieve a lot of congestion around the resort area, it is worth noting that this may also be an attempt by Disney to entice guests to stay at a Disney Resort Hotel, now that the once-close Harbor Blvd. hotels will be much further from the magic. Disney is also adding a 4th resort hotel to the Disneyland Resort in 2021.

The new parking structure is approved, yet the overall project has still not be formally approved, however it is expected to be in the next 30 days pending any unforeseen circumstances.

RUMOR: Pirates of the Caribbean Replacing Peter Pan in “FANTASMIC 2.0” Show at Disneyland in 2017

WDWNT on August 18, 2016

When Fantasmic returns to Disneyland in the Summer of 2017, the Pirates of the Caribbean will be joining the crew in what should be an entirely re-imagined version of the show internally being referred to as “Fantasmic 2.0”.

Original poster for Disneyland’s Fantasmic!

When Fantasmic returns to Disneyland Park in 2017, guests will find a number of upgrades to the show on the technical side. A brand new HD projection system, lighting upgrades, and a completely new sound system (which wasn’t replaced in the 2009 overhaul) are expected in the change-over.

Pirates appearing soon on the Sailing Ship Columbia?

In addition, the show will be sporting a few new segments, including one for Pirates of the Caribbean, which would replace the Peter Pan segment which has been in the show since it debuted in 1992. Using projection mapping technology, the plan will be to turn the Sailing Ship Columbia into the Black Pearl. The ship will host a large fight between Jack Sparrow’s crew and that of Captain Barbossa. Of course, The Columbia will be re-rigged for all new stunt work featuring Captain Jack Sparrow and his pirate friends. The truly amazing part (if true) is that the projection mapping technology will follow the ship around the river, also projecting onto the performers on the boat. This effect would allow performers to change in appearance, jumping between a skeleton and human form just like the characters in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Other new segments are expected to replace some of the older ones when Fantasmic! returns to Disneyland next year. Sadly, we have no solid information on these at this time. Work on the Sailing Ship Columbia to prepare it for these new show elements are already underway.

Sailing Ship Columbia getting altered for “Fantasmic 2.0”

The new “Fantasmic 2.0” is expected to run nightly starting in early-Summer 2017. If our source is correct, it will continue to be a nightly, non-seasonal offering for at least a year through the end of 2018. There is no reasoning being given for the expanded schedule, but guest demand for a re-imagined show should be strong enough to warrant such an elongated performance season.

PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Park 8/15/16 (Star Wars land, Eastern Gateway, Rivers of America, ETC.)

WDWNT on August 18, 2016

Disneyland Reporter Conner Purzycki brings us back to Disneyland Park in his latest photo report, as we check in on Star Wars land, the Rivers of America, and more:

The Market House Starbucks is open while the facade is being refurbished

Mickey and Minnie march into the final month of the Diamond Celebration, concluding September 5th

The Rivers of America will return in Summer 2017, but until then work continues

Life find a way…

The Columbia has been on the move… more on that later today…

Star Wars concept art now on the walls in Frontierland

The structures on Tom Sawyer Island got a very different paint scheme

Most of the island is still behind tarps

Now over to the Star Wars land construction site

This lot is the what will be the Eastern Gateway project transportation hub

This will be a very different sight in just a two years time…

Until next time…

Disney Offering Special Character Meet & Greets for PhotoPass Day on August 19th

WDWNT on August 18, 2016

On Friday, August 19, the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort will celebrate the first-ever #DisneyPhotoPassDay, a one-day celebration that will feature special one-day offerings and experiences for guests.

Disney PhotoPass Day

Special Character Experiences At Magic Kingdom Park & Epcot

Enjoy special character experiences at Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot, where Disney PhotoPass photographers will capture your encounter with Pinocchio, Gideon and Foulfellow in Storybook Circus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Foul fellow and Gideon will appear for World PhotoPass Day

At Epcot, a friend or foe will join some of your favorite Disney characters around World Showcase, including Mushu and Mulan in the China Pavilion; Snow White and Dopey in the Germany Pavilion; and the Queen of Hearts, who will join Alice in the United Kingdom Pavilion. Check the My Disney Experience app or the Epcot Times Guide on August 19 for these Disney characters’ schedule.

Disney PhotoPass Day

Complimentary Photo Locations at All Disney Parks & Disney Springs

There will be one location at each of the four theme parks (and Disney Springs) at the Walt Disney World Resort and at both parks at Disneyland Resort where a Disney PhotoPass photographer can capture your special moment. That photo will be available in the My Disney Experience app at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland app at Disneyland Resort to download and share at no charge as part of the #DisneyPhotoPassDay celebration. (Normal My Disney Experience registration is required to access the image). Check out Disney’s PhotoPass Service Facebook page on Tuesday for a list of participating photo locations.

Participate in a Disney PhotoPass Challenge

Complete a Disney PhotoPass Challenge at any of the four parks at the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort to get a Disney PhotoPass photo for free. All you need to do is get your photo taken by a Disney PhotoPass Photographer at each of the designated challenge locations on August 19. Once you’ve stopped by all of the locations, visit a Disney PhotoPass Sales Center to claim your Disney PhotoPass photo. At the Walt Disney World Resort, participants will receive a voucher for one Disney PhotoPass download. Participants at Disneyland Resort will receive one 5×7 print of a Disney PhotoPass photo. Challenge locations and details will be posted on the Disney’s PhotoPass Service Facebook page on Wednesday.