New Retro Posters for Disney Parks

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

From Steven Miller of the Disney Parks Blog:

I recently visited California, where I had one of the most amazing experiences of my Disney career. Imagineer Vanessa Hunt gave me a tour of the Walt Disney Imagineering Art Library vault in Glendale. This place houses the original art of the most iconic images from Disney Parks’ history. Incredible! Vanessa shared that fellow Imagineer Danny Handke and she have written a book for Disney Editions called “Poster Art of the Disney Parks.” This hardcover book, with cover designed by Imagineer Glendon Lee, is coming to Disney Parks at the end of May. I asked Danny about the role that attraction posters have played.

“Attraction posters entice, excite and educate guests with a preview of the adventures and experiences inside the Disney Parks,” explained Danny.

“When Disneyland park opened in 1955, it was difficult for guests to understand what a ‘theme park’ was. The Disney Imagineers needed a solution to portray their attractions to a diverse audience. The idea to use posters at Disneyland’s Main Entrance was the perfect solution.”

The book was in development for four years! They conducted extensive research by interviewing close to 20 people, including current and former artists. Vanessa said that they put extra effort into making a beautiful book that all Disney fans could enjoy.

“We made an extra effort to ensure the posters in the book were printed as color accurate as possible,” continued Vanessa. “We even found a box containing several poster concepts that had never been published until now. The most challenge part was identifying artists. While many unidentified posters artists were later identified during our interviews, there are some that remain credited to ‘Unknown Artist.’”

I asked Danny about his favorite poster.

“I love the Tokyo DisneySea posters,” said Danny. “They are interesting because they reflect an overall cohesive design, but are stylistically individual to each land. Not many fans are familiar with the Tokyo DisneySea posters, so we hope everyone will appreciate this unique chapter in the book.”

Vanessa said her favorite poster comes from the Disneyland Resort.

“I love all of them, but the one that catches my eye every time I open the drawer is the Grand Canyon Diorama poster from Disneyland,” explained Vanessa. “The colors are absolutely beautiful and the train design is fantastic!”

Which is your favorite attraction poster? I vote Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room!

Cars Land at Night

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

From Paul Hiffmeyer of Disney Parks Blog:

As construction wraps up in Cars Land, parts of the land gradually become “ready for their close-up.” And that’s when we can get to work on taking photos of what this amazing place will actually look like when it welcomes its first Disney California Adventure park guests on June 15.

Last month, I was able to share some of the first photos of Cars Land as it will be seen once the sun goes down, and today I’m pleased to be able to share a few more to help tell the whole story out in Radiator Springs.

So, cue the “Sh-Boom” song and let’s have a look!

Flo’s V8 Cafe is simply irresistible. And Ramone’s House of Body Art adds even more color to every shot. You won’t believe your eyes (or your lens!).

As pleased as I am with how these shots turned out, I have to tell you, nothing compares with actually standing on Route 66 surrounded by this beautiful neon with that incredible mountain range in the distance. And one piece of advice: Bring your camera!

Tim Alcoser’s 5/22/12 DLR Photo Report

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

Lots of cool stuff happening at the Resort today. We start with Carsland. I was able to catch a live commercial recording of the upcoming Carsland Commercial that will be hitting a local TV station near you soon! I wonder if they were all background actors? They watered down the roadway to make it look more dark for the cameras. There was everything from toddlers in strollers to old couples strolling Route 66. There are also new updates to the Mad T Party. I have to admit, it is looking fairly decent, and Disney has some creative people working on the sets. Moving over to Disneyland, you will see even more Memorial Day decorations, especially on Main Street USA. I take a stroll by Disney-Pixar’s Brave Merida Meet and Greet. Although Merida had packed up and went home for the night, you can see the entire set. They were also testing the new bobsled cars on the Mattehorn today. Also, there are some new pictures of the Monorail and a few extra pics of Pixie Hollow and The Teacups. Enjoy:

Take a good look. This scene is coming to a Disney Resort Carsland Commercial on a TV Station Channel near you!

Take a good look. This scene is coming to a Disney Resort Carsland Commercial on a TV Station Channel near you!

A few remaining columns from Epcot’s World of Motion in the backlot

Interesting...plastic?...uhh...furniture?

Interesting…plastic? Ummm… furniture?

I hope the lanterns are lit up bright.

I hope the lanterns are lit up bright

The inside of one of the lanterns.

The inside of one of the lanterns.

The teacup seems to simply be another space for a band member.

The teacup seems to simply be another space for a band member.

Is this where Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (the bouncers) are going to stand?

Is this where Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (the bouncers) are going to stand?

A scrim was placed over Carnation Cafe as it nears completion

The Brave meet and greet with Merida opened up

The area has been decorated quite a bit

Can you spot the new Matterhorn Coaster cars?

Can you spot the new Matterhorn boblseds?

A shot of the new Monorail updates! Can you guess what the name of this one is?

A shot of one of the new Cars monorails! Can you guess what the name of this one is?

The waterfalls now are basked in a brilliant blue light!

The waterfalls now are basked in a brilliant blue LED light!

Thanks for reading!

Epcot’s 30th Pins Preview

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

Epcot turns the big three-oh later this fall and I can not wait to see how Disney plans to celebrate. Well, we all know how they plan to celebrate… MERCHANDISE! Maybe we will have a commemorative vinyl? What we do know is there will be pins. Over at Once Upon a Pin you can see the latest previews from last Friday’s WDW Trade Night. There was a ton of buzz surrounding the Epcot stuff.

First and foremost, this retro lanyard. There will also be a 10 pin mystery box series featuring Figment.

See the entire preview at OnceUponAPin.com and hear all about it later this week on the Once Upon a Pin podcast.

Fully Unveiled Carthay Circle Theatre @ DCA

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

From Erin Glover of Disney Parks Blog:

This morning, Disney California Adventure park guests were greeted with a long-awaited sight: the walls that have surrounded Carthay Circle Theatre as it has risen from the south end of Buena Vista Street have finally come down!Paul Hiffmeyer was there, and has brought us the image above, showing the new park icon as guests saw it this morning. Beautiful, right?

Keep checking the Disney Parks Blog to see what else will be revealed at Disney California Adventure park as we get closer to the June 15 Grand Reopening!

“The Magic, the Memories, and You!” New Images

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

From Shawn Slater of Disney Parks Blog:

They say, “Time flies when you’re having fun!”

Well, I can tell you that working with the Creative Entertainment team at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is an absolute blast! I can hardly believe it’s Memorial Day weekend already. That means summer is here, and it’s time for another update to our award-winning projection show, “The Magic, The Memories and You!”

“The Magic, The Memories and You!” was introduced early last year as part of our “Let the Memories Begin” campaign. It takes place nightly, magically transforming the facades of “it’s a small world” at Disneyland park andCinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park and incorporating Disney PhotoPass images of our guests that day making memories. Throughout the year, the creative team has introduced various seasonal enhancements to the show, and for the sequence being added to the show this summer, they’ve really outdone themselves!

“Producers storyboarded the show as if it were a short animated film,” explains Disneyland Resort Creative Director Alan Bruun. “They weaved music, story, photography, video and animation into a new kind of nighttime entertainment.”

During the new sequence, “it’s a small world” becomes everything from a sandcastle to an ancient, vine-covered ruin. Cinderella Castle undergoes similar transformations, “dancing” along to the beat at one point in the show and becoming finger-painted in the style of artist Peter Max during another.

Popular Disney characters show up along the way, too. Look for Goofy surfing and water-skiing across the facades, Timon and Pumbaa singing “Hakuna Matata,” and Ariel and Sebastian’s “hot crustacean band” jamming under the sea. There’s even a cameo appearance by the ultimate boys of summer, Phineas and Ferb.

The new sequence becomes part of “The Magic, The Memories and You!” on May 25, along with many of the most popular, continuing segments of the show. In fact, fans of the “romance” enhancement added in February will be pleased to know it’s slated to continue running throughout the summer, as well.

McQueen & Mater visit Cars Land

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

From Paul Hiffmeyer of Disney Parks Blog:

Continuing my Cars Land road trip with Lightning and Mater, I caught up with them over by Radiator Springs Racers. This stretch of road has one of the best views of Ornament Valley – and it’s a great place to set a spell and watch some racing.

Then I caught up with Mater outside Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree where I think he had hoped to find a hidden Mickey, but apparently he never saw one. Oh well. Keep looking, Mater.

Max Guggenheim 5/26/12 DLR Photo Report

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

Max gets some shots of the progress on Matterhorn, Buena Vista Street, and Cars Land. We also get to see the new Mad T Party Merchandise, stunning shots of Carthay Circle Theatre & the new fountain. As we near DCA’s summer openings things are wrapping up.

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

Still working on the Blue Ribbon Bakery.

The Penny Arcade is looking beautiful.

Loving the Americana decorations along Main Street!

The Shooting Gallery has reopened.

Amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do.

Weathervane atop Village Haus.

More Fantasyland weathervanes.

Above Peter Pan’s Flight.

Will they be taking the turnstiles out for good? Or are these a new set coming in???

Bright colors on the ride vehicles.

New LED menus at Tomorrowland Terrace

Work has begun in Carnation Gardens

Some of the progress on Buena Vista Street.

Oswald’s Gas Station

The front of Five & Dime coming along nicely.

Looking down Buena Vista Street towards the Carthay Circle Theatre.

The bridge looks great!

Loving the tile benches.

The walls around the Carthay Circle Theater and around the Carthay Circle Fountain recently came down

The front of the Fiddler, Fifer, and Pratical Cafe

The Carthay Circle Theatre is finally open and it looks amazing! Plus the fountain adds a bit of old Hollywoodland charm.

Side of FFP and Clarabell’s

Looking a little more right

No statue yet

This is beautiful tile.

Opening is just around the corner, looks like there is still plenty of work to do.

Hard to believe there was ever an elephant atop those red pillars.

Mad T Party merchandise.

The Mad T Party “soft opened” last Saturday

Um… psychedelic furniture?

All the change in the back here yet the Bountiful Valley Farms truck remains

Let’s head back down the street

Detail in Hollywoodland.

Beautiful tile on the Carthay Circle

A merchandise cart with a whole bunch of new DCA goodies

Junkyard Jamboree is testing daily now with cast members

Looks done

Soon, these postcards will be gone

Side of Cars Land facing Pacific Wharf

Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory opens on June 5th

Trees planted on the pathway from Pacific Wharf to Cars Land

Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree!

One more look at Buena Vista Street

LaBrea Bakery fresh new look is open for business.

Thanks for reading!

Disney and GM Announce Long-Rumored Test Track Overhaul for 2012

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Jan. 6, 2012 – Disney and General Motors have renewed their long-term business relationship with a new multi-year corporate alliance.

As part of the new alliance, GM will be actively involved with Walt Disney Imagineering in the development of a re-imagined, design-centric Test Track experience. The refurbished Test Track will be presented by one of GM’s most famous brands, Chevrolet. As Chevrolet marks its 100th anniversary, the new alliance agreement enables General Motors to tell its story in new and exciting ways to millions of Guests from around the world and continue as the official vehicle sponsor of Walt Disney World Resort.

“We are excited to renew our long-term alliance with General Motors,” said George Aguel, Senior Vice President, Corporate Alliances for the Walt Disney Company. “This unique agreement extends collaboration between two of the most recognized brands in the world, a relationship that spans over 30 years. The re-imagined Test Track Presented by Chevrolet will continue our shared goal of providing unique and innovative experiences that engage Disney guests in exciting and interactive ways.” ”

“As a global brand, Chevrolet is looking forward to welcoming Guests from around the world to the re-imagined Test Track,” said Joel Ewanick, Global Chief Marketing Officer for General Motors. “The best of Disney and the best of Chevrolet will come together to bring Guests an immersive experience in the design process of the vehicles they see on the road today and will see in the future.”

Plans call for closing the current GM Test Track in April 2012, with an anticipated opening of Test Track Presented by Chevrolet scheduled for fall 2012.

As part of the re-imagining, the Future World attraction will feature a sleek new “Chevrolet Design Center at Epcot” immersing Guests in the fascinating world of automotive design. Amid upbeat music, engaging media, dramatic lighting and a collection of Chevrolet concept cars and model vehicles, guests themselves will become automotive designers – and peer into the future of personal transportation in the process.

At interactive design and styling workstations, Guests will be able to create their own custom concept vehicles. The adventure will then shift into high gear as Guests buckle into their 6-person “SimCar” ride vehicle and put their design through its paces on the exhilarating hills, switchbacks and straight-aways of the Test Track circuit.

Their performance testing complete, Guests will move into a post-show area filled with special effects and be scored on how well their custom concept vehicle did. And of course, Guests will be able see the very latest Chevrolet vehicles in an all-new state-of-the-art showroom.

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop Opening 6/7/12

WDWNT on July 16, 2012

From Erin Glover of Disney Parks Blog:

Last week, we told you about the unveiling of Carthay Circle Theatre and the fountain in Carthay Circle. And today, just around the corner, the new Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop has emerged in the Pacific Wharf area at Disney California Adventure park. In the photos above by Paul Hiffmeyer, you can see the new location – but you’ll have to wait until the shop opens on June 7 to taste the delicious chocolates and sundaes that will be served here!