Watch as Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen parade down to the New Orleans Square waterfront and celebrate New Orleans Bayou Bash with Tiana’s Mardi Gras Celebration. New Orleans Bayou Bash runs January 18th – February 12th.
Max Guggenheim went to the Disneyland Resort on the 20th of January and captured some in progress magic! He was able to capture construction on Main Street Railroad station, Big Thunder Mountain, Mark Twain and Fantasy Faire. In this report is photo’s of Blue Bayou Bash and Blue Sky Cellar. Enjoy!
By Steven Miller on the Disney Parks Blog:
The start of a New Year brings many reasons to celebrate. This year, there are two months of back-to-back holidays including Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. I caught up with Monty Maldovan, long-time artist with Disney Design Group, about some of the new merchandise coming for Mickey Mouse’s bear, Duffy the Disney Bear. Monty recently celebrated the release of three original art pieces, including one featuring Mickey and Duffy, at the Art of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace. “I had a lot of fun designing some of the seasonal outfits for Duffy the Disney Bear this year,” said Monty. “We have some new things that our guests have told us they wanted including outfits for 17-inch bears and smaller sized bears that have been a hit!”
The 9-inch Valentine’s Day bear has been extremely popular this year (at time of press there weren’t many remaining in merchandise locations). For St. Patrick’s Day, Monty designed a costume for a 17-inch bear that includes my favorite detail – a bow tie! Monty felt the bow tie was the perfect complement to the bowler hat (and here I thought it was because of my intense love for bow ties). Monty also designed what may be my favorite Duffy item I’ve seen in the past two years – a 9-inch egg that unzips to reveal a 7-inch bear dressed as a baby chick. He said the design was inspired by previously released plush.
“We introduced Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse plush eggs about two years ago,” explained Monty. “Guests loved them, so we updated the colors this year and added a version with Duffy.”
Other favorites will return this spring including two 12-inch bears. Gardener Duffy will be found at the start of theEpcot International Flower & Garden Festival on March 6. Monty said the pocket on the front of his overalls is big enough to hold a Disney Gift Card (smells like the perfect gift for someone with a green thumb). Graduate Duffy looks similar to last year’s design but features different colors. Finally, we released a series of new Hidden Mickey pins that has Duffy the Disney Bear sporting different Disney hats. These pins build on a collection introduced last year of Duffy wearing hats. Look for them on cast members’ lanyards at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts.
Southland Choirs Perform at Disney California Adventure Park
Come celebrate the spirit and history of gospel music during a special one-day event that features many Southland choirs.
Date
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Location
Stage 17 in Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure Park
Event Times
10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Choir Performance Times
Featured Choirs
By Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:
Earlier this month, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland park closed for a major refurbishment that includes all-new track and updates to the mountain itself as well as other visual elements. One area receiving an update will be the Rainbow Ridge Mining Town. Dating back to 1956 and the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction, Rainbow Ridge Mining Town is a classic feature of Frontierland.
When the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment is complete this fall, Rainbow Ridge Mining Town will look very much the same as it always has. It is being refurbished with new materials, but many items from the original area will be reused such as props, signs and select doors, windows and shutters. Several other items are being turned over to the Disney Archives.
“The wildest ride in the wilderness” reopens fall 2013, so hold onto your hats and glasses until then!
WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen takes us to all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks this time around, stopping to check progress on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train, the Tangled restroom area, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, the Big Thunder Mountain interactive queue, and more! Let’s take a look:
RFID entrance installation continues at the Studios
The large electronic scrolling sign at Sounds Dangerous is now gone, looks like we can finally officially say the attraction is dead
The new Disney JuniorL Live on Stage debuted a few weeks ago
Doc McStuffins was added to the show
As was Sophia the First
Whoops…
It was up there for some of the show…
The Epcot 30th reveal/conceal pin set came out recently
New Spring pins
85th anniversary of the Plane Crazy short
EASTER DUFFY!
New Muppet shirt
Moving over to Animal Kingdom
Kodak picture spots are still up…
RFID entrances still being installed at Animal Kingdom as well
More Kodak
Hard to believe, but they are still installing the nets at Tree of Life
This is taking forever…
Some areas look completed
Others look like no work has even started
Beastly Bazaar will soon open as the Adventurers Outpost, a Mickey and Minnie meet and greet
The Character Landing will soon host Donald and Daisy, Pooh and Tigger are heading to Camp Minnie-Mickey
Pocahontas has already moved out of Camp Minnie-Mickey
The old theater for Pocahontas and Her Forrest Friends is still stroller parking
Some walls up in Camp Minnie-Mickey
We believe they are installing FastPass+ behind these walls at Theater in the Wild
Moving to Epcot, Flower and Garden Festival preparation is in full swing
Some scrims still up near the Oz playground
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs near Germany
Toy Story characters in the American Adventure
Lady and the Tramp in Italy
All of the booths are up… it’s so weird to see these out so early in the year…
They are giving out seed packets to promote Oz: The Great and Powerful and the festival
The Mission: Space facade is being refurbished, the ride is open still
Don’t try to park at the Polynesian Resort, there is a ton of construction equipment sitting there…
Work continues on The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. There’s some strange tower rising on the right…
Another somewhat similar structure is rising outside the building on the other side
It’s starting to look like the Grand Floridian
Moving to the Magic Kingdom, Main Street Apparel is behind tarps again
Work continues on Princess Fairytale Hall
Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train
Work continues on the Tangled restroom area
You can see the tree-stump shaped charging stations gusts can use to charge electronics
Work is nearing completion on the exit of “it’s a small world” that has been behind tarps
Columbia Harbour House is still behind tarps
Work continues on Splash Mountain which is closed until mid-March
More and more progress is being made on the interactive queue at Big Thunder Mountain
I see Marc Davis and Blaine Gibson references…
The detail on the new props is stunning
A nod to Western River Expedition, the attraction originally designed for this space
Most of the work on the mountain looks complete
A few tarps still out there…
This looks like way too much fun…
YES… MUST BLOW STUFF UP!
We have video of last week’s “Limited Time Magic” to share with you today, featuring the Voices of Liberty concert at the America Gardens Theater. As always, the performance is exceptional, but this particular week of shows featured the Voices performing “Golden Dream”, the song from the American Adventure attraction. This is a rare treat that had fans quite excited. We hope you enjoy this video of one of those performances:
Disney released some footage of the Dapper Dans singing Boy Band music this week as part of Limited Time Magic:
From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:
Yesterday, I gave you a sneak peek at Clopin’s Music Box, an interactive element coming to Fantasy Faire when it opens March 12 at Disneyland park. Today, I’m excited to share a video of the installation of this piece, along with two other charming details: Tangled Tower, which is located in the center of Fantasy Faire, and – my favorite element of this new area – Figaro the cat from “Pinocchio.” Watch as Michel Den Dulk, Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering, tells us more about these magical features.
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room 50th Anniversary Event
June 28 – June 29
Disneyland® Hotel – Exhibit Hall
We invite you to join us on June 28 – 29, as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
JOSE Package – $85
Registered Event Guests will have the opportunity to purchase Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room 50th Anniversary Event themed merchandise via the Random Selection Process.
June 28, 2013 (5pm – 9pm) – Take Advantage of:
Early Registration
Event Store & Random Selection Process Merchandise Pick-up
Trading Area
June 29, 2013 (8am – 5pm)
Event Store & Random Selection Process Merchandise Pick-up
Artist Signings
Silent Auction
Trading Area and Activities
Commemorative Gifts
“Early Birdies” Special Offer:
Don’t miss out! Register early and receive a limited edition “Early Birdies” pin.
~Special Experience Add-On~
SHAG Cocktail Reception – $185
Tip: In order to register for the SHAG Cocktail Reception, Guests must also be registered for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room 50th Anniversary Event ‘JOSE’ Package.
June 29, 2013 (7pm – 10pm)
Cocktail Reception
Lite Hors d’oeuvres
Meet and Greet with SHAG
Commemorative Photo
Commemorative Gifts
Some additional merchandise was previewed:
Jumbo Pin
Chip and Dale Dole Whip Pin
Rongo Bowl
Tiki Mugs
Limited Edition Boxed Pin Set
So, what do you think of this event?
