Chuck Canzoneri’s 1/7/09 Photo Report

Chuck Canzoneri is here with his latest photo report (and as will usually be the case with Chuck, he provides his own captions):

Celebrate Today! merchandise in the Emporium.

I’m not sure if this popcorn bucket is new or not?

New Celebrate Today! popcorn containers.

Took this at the Carnation Cafe where if you were celebrating a special event, the Cast member would put this on your table as a special centerpiece.

Celebrate Today! merchandise banner.

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Disneyland Resort News & Rumor Report

Here’s a round-up of some of the latest rumors that our sources here at Disneyland News Today have been hearing:

  • Due to construction on the World of Color Amphitheater, which is right by where the second High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now! show stop is, only one show stop will be made per show, in the location at Sunshine Plaza. However this will mean the show will now be rolled out 5 times a day, instead of the usual 3. Also, instead of going all the way up to the Paradise Pier gates, it will now exit at the gates next to the Mission Tortilla Factory (aka, the future entrance to Cars Land). Don’t forget, the show will be dark Mondays-Thursdays for the foreseeable future due to budget cuts.
  • In news from backstage, the majority of the floats from Disney’s Electrical Parade (excluding the Alice in Wonderland whirly bugs, Dumbo section, & the Cinderella section) have been temporarily moved off Resort property. While we have no exact reason for the disappearance of these floats, it is quite likely that they’re probably getting newer GE 35 motors. For the time being, the Pixar Play Parade has temporarily moved into the parade storage building usually used for Disney’s Electrical Parade. In other news from Disney’s Electrical Parade, it seems some of the floats may be getting added LED effects, which will definitely be an extra boost in bringing the parade into the 21st century. There’s also the possibility that with the addition of the Snow White Dwarf Mine, Pinocchio section, & Tinker Bell section, that the Blue Fairy & Dumbo section may be removed from the parade, however I personally highly doubt that is true (at least the latter).
  • Construction, & just some basic changes, are really starting to beef up over in Paradise Pier. Apparently sometime this week, Mickey’s ears on California Screamin’ will be removed just leaving his “face”, which will eventually be changed over to a sunburst. As we mentioned in Myrna Litt’s latest photo report, the lenticular panel on the Paradise Pier bridge advertising World of Color has for some strange reason been removed. Speaking of removals, all of the old support structures for LuminAria (the holiday fireworks at DCA back only in 2001) have been removed. And lastly, the Orange Stinger is expected to close sometime in April (most likely after Mickey’s Fun Wheel opens up) for it’s conversion over to the Silly Symphony Swings.
  • An interesting development that was first brought up on MiceAge’s latest Al Lutz update is that this year, New Years Eve at Disneyland Park may become a hard ticketed event, the reasoning for this to be done would to keep crowds down slightly in Disneyland, & hopefully get more people to visit DCA. More information on this is available in the link to MiceAge.

Myrna Litt’s 1/6/09 Photo Report

It’s once again time for a photo report from our very own Myrna Litt. Let’s take a look around the Disneyland Resort as the Christmas decorations start to come down:

The Year of a Million Dreams themed Mickey floral is being removed for a new What Will You Celebrate? themed floral.

Here you can see what looks to be a party hat.

Mickey & the rest of the Fab 5 are finally back out on Main Street in their original costumes.

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The Haunted Mansion Just Got Scarier

Both Haunted Mansion Holiday & It’s a Small World Holiday close tomorrow to have their respective holiday overlays removed. In honor of this, I felt it right to post this little bit of interesting Haunted Mansion Holiday related news:

Quirky filmmaker Tim Burton gets a first glimpse of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction, which is based on his 1993 film ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas.’

Burton was accompanied by his partner — actress Helena Bonham Carter — for his first look at the mansion, which undergoes a Christmas makeover each year at the Anaheim, CA theme park.

I find it really shocking that Tim Burton has not once been on the attraction since the holiday overlay started in 2001. Shows that he cares about his creations, huh?

Both attractions will re-open in their original forms (well sort of for It’s a Small World) on February 15th. There may be some small changes/additions to The Haunted Mansion, & of course It’s a Small World will see a ton of changes! But I’m sure you already know about those…

Celebrate Little Princesses in April

2 new, small additions are coming to Disneyland Park this April. Firstly, Big Thunder Ranch will close for removal of Santa’s Reindeer Round-up this Monday, & will be closed all the way through April, when on the 2nd it will re-open as the Celebration Round-up and Barbecue at Big Thunder Ranch. The good news about this, is that the Festival Arena will finally be re-opened for use by guests everyday, & not just for special events. It is my guess that this will last through September, when the area will once again be transformed into Woody’s Halloween Round-up.

Secondly, the Once Upon a Time… Disney Princess Store in Sleeping Beauty Castle will also close this Monday, so that the store can be made into Anaheim’s first Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. For those of you who don’t know what this is, it’s where “Fairy-Godmothers-in-Training” will transform girls into princesses in this hair & make-up salon. The Bibbity Bobbity Boutique will open on April 4th.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest on this & all projects coming to the Disneyland Resort as part of this year’s What Will You Celebrate? promotion.

Myrna Litt’s New Years Eve Photo Report

Happy New Year everyone! The first of today’s three photo reports is from Myrna Litt on New Years Eve:

New Years Eve guide-map.

And a New Year 2009 button that Cast Members wore.

For Myrna, the day started out very early. At 7:30am in fact!

Waiting for the rope to drop.

The rope dropped, & we can see some What Will You Celebrate? lighting towers for the New Years Eve festivities that night.

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On the Spot at Paradise Pier

One of our spy reporters was at Disney’s California Adventure yesterday & noticed 2 very interesting developments in Paradise Pier:

It’s kind of to make out, but the eyes & mouth of the sun face have been removed. We’ll have a closer up picture of this for you on Friday.

Secondly, this lenticular panel has been put up on the bridge to Paradise Pier instead of construction walls to let guests know what the construction is all about, which of course for World of Color.

Fun Tidbits From The Xmas Day Parade

I’m back from England! Upon arriving home from my flight, I finally got the chance to sit down & watch the Walt Disney World Christmas Day, & I managed to grab a few screen shots of the Disneyland side of the parade:

Ryan Seacrest, the host from Disneyland, went over some of the latest additions at & coming to the resort. Among the additions mentioned were the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough.

Celebration Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch.

Pixie Hollow.

And the thing I was most looking forward to seeing, concept art of the new Tinker Bell float in Disney’s Electrical Parade!

There was a recap of the kick-off for What Will You Celebrate?- Miley Cyrus’ Sweet 16 birthday bash.

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