The Making of Presidents and Play Things

WDWNT on September 23, 2009

Continuing our D23 Expo coverage, we have two more fantastic videos for you to enjoy. The first video is of the “Making of the U.S. Presidents” panel, featuring the creation of the new Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World and the progress on the upcoming Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show for Disneyland. The second video is from the “Making of Toy Story Mania” panel and features the development and execution of the Disney’s California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios attractions. We hope you enjoy these videos by Matt Paul, embedded via the WDWNTube:

Myrna Litt’s DLR and Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Photo Report

WDWNT on September 19, 2009

Our very own Myrna Litt was one of the lucky few who got into The Haunted Mansion 40th anniversary event last week, and she shares with us her photos of the event, along with other happenings around the Disneyland Resort:

We’ll start off with the day before the event, at the merchandise viewing and pick-up area at the Disneyland Hotel

There was a photo opportunity

Into the store we go…

Various pieces of Haunted Mansion merchandise, from pins to sketches to models

Read More about Myrna Litt’s DLR and Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Photo Report

Future of Disney Parks and Resorts featuring Star Tours II and WDW’s New Fantasyland

WDWNT on September 17, 2009

WDWNT Reporter Matt Paul was able to record video of both the “Imagineering the Future of the Disney Parks” presentation and the follow-up press conference at the D23 Expo, and now has both videos available for your enjoyment. Both videos are embedded below courtesy of the WDWNTube:

Hopefully these videos have answered some lingering questions about the exciting upcoming Walt Disney World projects. We still have many questions to ask as well and will try to get them answered as soon as possible, so stay tuned.

Star Tours II: The Force is Strong with This One

WDWNT on September 16, 2009

Disney has released a YouTube version of the short clip that was shown of Star Tours II (in 3-D) at the D23 Expo. The video is also available in high definition by clicking the appropriate button below:

Since we have received a number of questions by email about this updated attraction, we decided it would be best to list what we know about Star Tours II thus far:

  • Star Tours will close October 2010 and Star Tours II will open late summer/early fall 2011
  • Star Tours II will be presented in Disney Digital 3-D (A change also being made at Muppet Vision 3-D at both DHS and DCA in 2010, this was announced at the Expo as well)
  • While we are not sure how it will work, pod racing (as seen in Episode I) will not be the only outcome of the attraction. It was revealed that there will be multiple films/destinations for Star Tours travelers

“Parks and Resorts” Press Release including Star Tours II

WDWNT on September 15, 2009

I know it’s a few days late, but here is the full press release we were given at the D23 Expo concerning the exciting new projects for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, as well as other on-going “Parks and Resorts” projects:

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo detailed plans for future lands, attractions and adventures that will be delighting Disney guests for years to come, at the first D23 Expo. Most notable among the announcements were the confirmation of an all-new Star Tours attraction and the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

“Storytelling is the DNA of Disney dreams and we’re always exploring new ways to tell new stories in new places,” Rasulo told a crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center in California before taking them on a “behind-the-magic” tour of their favorite Disney destinations.

Rasulo announced that a new 3-D version of the tremendously-popular “Star Tours” attraction will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2011. Based on the iconic Lucasfilm “Star Wars” films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.

For Walt Disney World in Florida, Rasulo outlined plans for the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom, vastly increasing the size of Fantasyland by 2013. Guests will soon be able to:

  • Visit their favorite Disney Princess in her castle, cottage, or chateau to share a dance with Cinderella; celebrate Sleeping Beauty’s birthday with the Good Fairies; or join Belle in an enchanting story performance in the Beast’s castle library.
  • Be Our Guest and dine in one of three enchanted rooms inside the Beast’s castle.
  • Fly with Dumbo high above brand new circus grounds, twice the size of the existing attraction with a new interactive, three-ring circus tent.
  • Journey under the sea with Ariel, The Little Mermaid, in her very own attraction – also opening at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim in 2011.
  • Meet Tinker Bell and her friends in the magical world of Pixie Hollow.

Rasulo provided updates on the multi-year expansion of Disney’s California Adventure including the new “World of Color” attraction slated to open in the spring of 2010 and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land scheduled to open in 2012 where guests will literally step into the town of Radiator Springs and its six acres of hand-carved rockwork.

Rasulo noted the progress of several other recently-announced projects including the three new lands coming to Hong Kong Disneyland by 2014; the Disney Dream, the new ship being built by Disney Cruise Line; the many diverse itineraries being offered by Adventures by Disney that take guests on 19 unique, once-in-a-lifetime guided vacation experiences; and Disney’s first family destination resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

D23 Expo Day 3 Recap (9/12/09)

WDWNT on September 13, 2009

As we did on the second day of the D23 Expo, here is a recap from today’s events at the Anaheim Convention Center. Today held some of the biggest announcements of the D23 Expo so far. First up is the much anticipated Walt Disney World Fantasyland expansion:

fantasyland_9938

Here we see concept art of the new Fantasyland. As you can see, most of the princesses have been the inspiration in the development of the new attractions and restaurants. Pixie Hollow is also being developed fully, complete with the hometree and a Pixie play area. Many of the Disney Princesses will be getting their own realms in Fantasyland, including Belle, Cinderella, and Aurora

ariels_adventure_7477

Another princess getting her own portion of the park is Ariel. Like its sister park on the west coast, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is inviting Ariel to be part of its world with a new Little Mermaid section of Fantasyland. The area will be dominated by Ariel and Eric’s castle, with a statue of our favorite little mermaid perched on a rock amongst the water surrounding the castle

dumbo_3130

The classic staple, Dumbo, is also getting a facelift–a second set of ride vehicles, and a three ring circus atmosphere and a three ring circus atmosphere to incorporate the feel of the original film. The ride will be “completely queue-less” with a waiting area set up with bleachers for parents. Riders waiting until their feather is called can be entertained by playing a variety of interactive games

Finally, with fanfare, a group of storm troopers, and an appearance from Darth Vader himself, Jay Rasulo announced Star Tours 2

The updated, 3D ride will entertain guests in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland with various Star Wars experiences, including a high-speed pod race

Construction for the Fantasyland expansion is expected to start sometime in early 2010, while Star Tours 2 is expected to close in October 2010. Star Tours is set to open in 2011 while Fantasyland and Pixie Hollow are expected to open in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

I hope you’ve been enjoying our coverage of the D23 expo. Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for a round-up of day 4 of the Expo tomorrow.

D23 Expo Day 1 Recap (9/10/09)

WDWNT on September 11, 2009

UPDATED 9/10/09 – 11:07PM WITH NEW PICTURES AND VIDEOS FROM DAY 1 OF THE D23 EXPO

Well, the first day of the D23 Expo is finally upon us. Not too much ground-breaking news has come out yet, but we do have some stuff for you. First up, the OC Register’s Around Disney blog reports from Bob Iger’s opening speech at the D23 Expo this morning:

Audience members squealed as soon as Zac Efron’s face popped on the screen. They clapped when “Princess and the Frog” movie footage started. And a few random enthusiasts screamed when “Radio Disney” was mentioned during a speech.

The fans were the reason for this convention: the D23 Expo, the first-time, four-day event put on by the Walt Disney Co. that began today.

“The excitement that keeps us going year after year comes from you — the fans,” said Bob Iger, the company’s president.

Iger gave the opening address today on the first day of the four-day expo in front of thousands of audience members at the Anaheim Convention Center. The opening presentation included a video showing the diversity of the company — from theme-park footage to scenes of “High School Musical,” starring Efron.

The opening 30 minutes of the upcoming movie, “Princess and the Frog,” –one third of the film — was shown for the first time to the public three months before it goes to the theaters.

After the preview, actress Anika Noni Rose, the voice of main character Princess Tiana, came out in a sparkly, off-white dress to perform a song from the movie. Iger said Rose had been suffering from bronchitis.

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle followed on stage, joking that he was the frog after the princess.

The presentation concluded when an audience member — Dan Learn of Murrieta — was awarded a night’s stay in the Dream Suite at Disneyland. During a followup press conference, Iger said: “I haven’t stayed there.”

Other news coming in from the Expo also reveals that Captain EO will not be coming back to Disneyland, at least not at the moment. According to LA Times Travel Blog:

Disneyland has “no definite plans to bring back” the Michael Jackson 3-D movie “Captain EO,” Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said today during an impromptu news conference at D23 Expo in Anaheim.

Iger and other Disney brass watched a screening of the 1980s-era sci-fi fantasy film this week and determined that the old music video needed to be further evaluated before it could be brought back into the Anaheim theme park.

Back in 1986, everybody wanted a piece of the hottest pop star in the world. So it was with much fanfare that Disneyland introduced “Captain EO,” starring Jackson.

It was an association the family-friendly amusement park would eventually come to regret as the bizarre pop star became increasingly embroiled in controversy.

The 17-minute “Captain EO” cost an estimated $30 million and featured a star-studded list of credits, including executive producer George Lucas, director Francis Ford Coppola and Anjelica Huston as the evil Supreme Leader.

The 3-D movie — featuring lasers, smoke and stars that extended into the audience — told the story of Captain EO’s mission to deliver a musical gift to a wicked alien queen on a dystopian planet. EO’s rag-tag crew included his sidekick Fuzzbucket, security officer Major Domo and blundering shipmate Hooter.

“EO” used music — specifically the original song “We Are Here to Change the World” — to defeat the queen and her whip-wielding henchmen.

“Captain EO” opened in Disneyland’s Magic Eye Theater in 1986 and ran for more than a decade, quietly closing in 1997.

Identical versions of the film eventually opened at Epcot in Florida, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. All closed by 1998.

Michael Jackson died in June.

@DisneylandNews on Twitter reports that Bob Iger stated “execs are ‘looking at’ bringing back Captain EO to Disneyland” and “We want to make sure we do it right if we do bring it back.”

Here are some photos and videos Disney released from inside the Expo today:

People were lining up as early as 4am to get into the Expo!

Read More about D23 Expo Day 1 Recap (9/10/09)

9/9/09 News Update

WDWNT on September 10, 2009

With the D23 Expo just one day away, plenty of photos and announcements are starting to come out, so I thought I’d group together some stuff released/announced today. First up, D23 has announced their fall member events:

D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans today announced its lineup of fall 2009 special events. In November, D23 Members will be among the first audiences to see The Princess and the Frog as The Walt Disney Studios opens its gates to the public for the very first time. The national tours of The Lion King and Mary Poppins continue to delight audiences from coast to coast, and D23 Members will get the opportunity to go behind the scenes of these amazing productions. Back by popular demand, the legendary Lot at The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Archives will be open for guided tours, and unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences will take place at the Walt Disney World Resort where D23 Members can enjoy Sip & Stroll during the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival and Magic & Merriment this holiday season.

“D23 continues to create unique and unforgettable events around the country that only D23 Members can experience,” said Steven Clark, head of D23. “Our Spring and Summer events introduced us to our Members for the very first time, and we look forward to meeting more of them this Fall; plus, as with everything we do, D23 Members can expect some amazing surprises along the way.”

FALL 2009 D23 CHARTER MEMBER-ONLY SPECIAL EVENTS:

October 7: D23 and The Lion King Roar into Anchorage
This award-winning musical phenomenon has entertained more than 50 million guests around the world and now, thanks to our friends at Disney Theatrical Productions, D23 Members can have a magical night to remember at The Lion King at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, including premium seats, merchandise discounts, complimentary souvenir program, an exclusive show merchandise item, a special “behind-the-scenes” experience after the show and more!

October 7: D23 and Poppins Breeze into the Lone Star State
D23 Members can have a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious night to remember at Mary Poppins in Dallas — featuring original Broadway stars Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins) and Gavin Lee (Bert) — with premium seats, merchandise discounts, complimentary souvenir program and a once-in-a-lifetime “behind-the-scenes” experience. D23 Members also will receive the recently released 2-Disc Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Special Edition DVD, courtesy of our friends at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

November 7: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives (FREE)
A rare opportunity for D23 Members to enjoy a two-hour tour of The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Archives, hosted by D23 and Walt Disney Archives staff. Space is very limited.

November 18: D23 and Poppins Fly into Los Angeles
D23 Members will have the chance to experience the “practically perfect” Mary Poppins — featuring original Broadway stars Ashley Brown (Mary Poppins) and Gavin Lee (Bert) — like never before, with premium seats, merchandise discounts, complimentary souvenir program and a once-in-a-lifetime “behind-the-scenes” experience.

November 20: D23 and The Lion King Roar into Spokane
Simba and Nala have entertained more than 50 million guests across the world. Now D23 Members can have a magical night to remember at The Lion King, including premium seats, merchandise discounts, complimentary souvenir program, exclusive show merchandise item, a special “behind-the-scenes” experience after the show and more!

November 25, 2009: D23 Night at The Princess and the Frog
Join D23 at a very special first-night screening of The Princess and the Frog, when The Walt Disney Studios opens its gates for the first time in history to the general public! After being one of the first audiences to see The Princess and the Frog in the newly renovated Main Theatre on The Walt Disney Studios Lot, guests will go over to Sound Stage 3 for the ultimate Disney experience, where they can meet ALL the Disney princesses, including the star of the film, Princess Tiana. D23 Members will learn to draw a character from the movie from a Disney animator; see original costumes, sets and props from the Walt Disney Archives, and much, much more! Tickets for this event will be available at the D23 Expo in addition to the D23 ticketing phone line.

More information on this event is available HERE

ADDITIONAL EVENTS: SAVE THE DATES

Complementing the above spectacular experiences are three extraordinary events.

Sip & Stroll will offer a host of exclusive, delicious opportunities during the Epcot ® International Food & Wine Festival on Sunday, October 18.

D23 will celebrate the season with Disney and Dickens on Thursday, December 10, featuring VIP seating for Disney’s A Christmas Carol at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, followed by a private dinner at the legendary Tam O’Shanter restaurant in Los Angeles — a frequent hangout of Walt Disney and his animators.

On December 12 and 13, D23 will bring Magic & Merriment to Walt Disney World with out-of-this-world holiday magic.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for additional details and ticket prices for these truly unique events.

To find out more about D23’s Fall 2009 Special Events Calendar, including admissions and how to register for events, click on the Expo & Events tab. All D23 Special Events are subject to change without notice, have varying admission fees and registration processes, and may require advance reservations due to space limitations.

It appears that walls have gone up just in front of the California letters at the entrance to Disney’s California Adventure. The letters are still there on the other side of the walls, accessible to guests. Could this be the beginning of the change over to Buena Vista Street?

Don’t worry, the park is still open 😉

Picture taken by Tom Corless on the WDWNT Twitter. Follow that account all week for coverage from Disneyland and the D23 Expo

Finally, if you just can’t wait until tomorrow to see what’s going on at the D23 Expo, then here are some images Disney released from the Anaheim Convention Center:

While crews work around the clock, Mickey Mouse is getting ready to greet Disney fans fans from all over the world who will be given unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV shows, park experiences, collectibles and more from Sept. 10 to Sept. 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center as Disney and “D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans” present the first-ever D23 EXPO

The Welcome Center being set up

Herbie the Love Bug will be at the Expo

In an extraordinary exhibition designed especially for the D23 Expo, an incredible collection of classic and contemporary Disney props, artifacts and costumes will be accessible to the public for the first time ever. “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” brings together such amazing pieces as the fully restored, 11-foot model of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; the stunning, jewel-encrusted book used in the opening moments of Sleeping Beauty; Michael Jackson’s costume from Captain EO; and other rare surprises from throughout Disney’s history. Ranging from the original Mickey Mouse Club and the musical classic Mary Poppins to recent hits like Pirates of the Caribbean and High School Musical, the “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” is a never-before-experienced exhibition that’s a D23 Expo exclusive

For more pictures from inside the Convention Center, check out D23’s website. Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today and WDW News Today in the coming week for plenty more coverage from the first ever D23 Expo!

Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee Concept Art

WDWNT on September 5, 2009

Concept art has been released for the new Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee show coming to New Orleans Square from November 6th, 2009 through January 3rd, 2010:

From this concept art, you can see that the band and Louis the Alligator will be at the front of the boat, Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana will be on the 3rd level, the performers will be on the second and third levels, and the guests will be on the bottom level (be sure to click on the image to see a bigger version of the concept art)