Talkin’ Timon
Here is some video captured by our own John Corigliano of the new living-character head that Timon in Festival of The Lion King at Animal Kingdom is now sporting:
Here is some video captured by our own John Corigliano of the new living-character head that Timon in Festival of The Lion King at Animal Kingdom is now sporting:
While it is already official that the 6 remaining Pleasure Island clubs, as well as the Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, will be closing forever on September 27, that may not be the full list of Walt Disney World attractions and shows departing for yesterland on that day. Rumors are now circulating that two of the Magic Kingdom shows brought to the park for the Year of a Million Dreams celebration may be making their final performances on September 27, 2008. If the rumors we’re hearing are true, this fateful Saturday in September will also be your last chance to catch Woody’s Cowboy Camp and the Main Street Family Fun Day Parade. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on these rumors.
For those of you also interested, during the very same weekend that these attractions are saying goodbye, the wonderful group over at WDWCelebrations will be putting on yet-another fantastic event titled “World Wide Weekend”. To get more information on this event and how you can be a part of It, head on over to WDWCelebrations.com. We hope to see you there!!!
Our good friend EpcotServo has posted yet another fantastic photo update from Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, here are a few of the pics from the report:
Dino-sue is getting repainted over in Hester and Chester’s Dino-Rama
New Hollywood Studios merchandise featuring the park’s skyline, the fab five, the Genie, and a number of Pixar characters
The Hanes sponsorship has finally begun at Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster
Three new Toy Story Mania mugs are now available for purchase
They actually say Midway Mania
I’ll be sure to pick up all three of these my next visit to the studios
New kids shirt
Note: you can’t ring children in Toy Story Midway Mania, only Little Green Men
Pixar Animation Studios merchandise is now also being sold here
The smaller spring-action-shooters are now for sale, still no sign of the bigger ones. Notice that there are still plenty of opening day pins and shirts available at the shop.
For the remainder of EpcotServo’s great photo report, head HERE
Breaking news from the Orlando Sentinel:
After a 10-year run, the live ‘Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends’ show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close Sept. 27, Walt Disney World announced Thursday.
No immediate replacement is planned for the amphitheater. The Pocahontas character will remain in the park, though three actors must audition for other shows.
The remainder of the 28-member cast and crew will be reassigned, said spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez.
With no replacement for this show coming soon, I think we can now begin to talk about the land being cleared behind Camp Minnie-Mickey. We can now let the rumors begin….
Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on this breaking news.
Here is a press release with all the events and their running dates for the 2008 Holiday Season at the Walt Disney World Resort:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Walt Disney World Resort blings in the holidays Nov. 10 with sparkling, jewel-like crystals adorning the iconic Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom – a glistening light-show spectacular signaling the beginning of Disney seasonal merriment. By late November, festivities will blanket the Vacation Kingdom as Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney take the wrappings off their own Santa sleighfuls of yuletide gaiety.
But guests can get in the spirit beginning Nov. 10 by beholding the 200,000 twinkling lights of Disney’s newest holiday tradition – Castle Dream Lights! – in Magic Kingdom. Donning their holiday finest, Cinderella and friends take to the Cinderella Castle stage daily for a dream-come-true, light-the-night moment.
Nov. 10 also marks the first of 18 select evenings when Magic Kingdom hosts the long-running Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. During this popular special ticket event, guests are treated to “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade,” “Holiday Wishes-Celebrate the Spirit of the Season” fireworks spectacular plus special holiday-themed shows featuring Disney characters decked out in their seasonal finest, carolers, festive tree lightings and more.
The “Once Upon a Christmastime Parade” celebrates the festive moods of the season with dancing snowflakes, marching toy soldiers, horse-drawn sleighs, enchanting floats and spirited characters all proceeding through the streets of the theme park in a merry and melodic cavalcade.
During “Holiday Wishes-Celebrate the Spirit of the Season,” the radiant castle beams brightly as the evening is magically capped with festive fireworks orchestrated to classic holiday tunes.
Favorite attractions also are open throughout the evening, and while forecasters predict the first snowfall of the season will swirl a winter-like effect down Main Street, U.S.A, guests can take heart: there’s hot cocoa and cookies to add a warm spirit, plus apple slices and apple juice as the perfect trimming for a not-to-miss outing for the whole family.Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates are: Nov. 10, 11, 14, 16, 20, 21, 30; Dec. 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19. Advance tickets and information are available now at disneyworld.com/holidays or by calling 407/W-DISNEY.
Holiday Allure Galore in Store
Walt Disney World Resort unwraps more wintertime wonderment throughout property beginning Nov. 28. Here’s the lineup:
Epcot Presents Holidays Around the World – International holiday traditions unfold throughout World Showcase Nov. 28-Dec. 30 when storytellers portraying cultural icons of the season – such as France’s Pere Noel, Italy’s LaBefana and America’s Santa Claus – spread messages of goodwill. Nighttime sparkles with a luminous light bridge adorning the breezeway to World Showcase Plaza, where guests can see a magnificent holiday tree. And to cap off the day, Epcot’s kaleidoscope of lasers, lights, fireworks and music – “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” – takes on a spirited holiday finale.Candlelight Processional at Epcot – A heartfelt holiday tradition led by a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra showcases the reason for the season Nov. 28-Dec. 30. Staged at America Gardens Theatre at 5, 6:45 and 8 p.m., Candlelight Processional features a celebrity narrator who retells the joyous Christmas story. The narration is interspersed with memorable music. Performances are included with Epcot admission. Special dining packages that include preferred seating for this beloved event also are offered by calling 407/WDW-DINE.
Scheduled celebrity narrators include (subject to change):
11/28-30 John O’Hurley
12/1-3 To be announced
12/4-6 Brian Stokes Mitchell
12/7-9 Virginia Madsen
12/10-12 Monique Coleman
12/13-15 To be announced
12/16-18 Chita Rivera
12/19-21 Abigail Breslin
12/22-24 Steven Curtis Chapman
12/25-27 Edward James Olmos
12/28-30 Marlee MatlinThe Osborne Family’s Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Bathed in bulbs of brilliance, New York Street glows with millions of dancing lights and animated displays in a revered Disney holiday tradition Nov. 28 through Jan. 4, 2009. Amidst gently falling snow, guests will bask in the glow as twirling carousels, melodic angels, colorful wreaths, marching toy soldiers and Santa and his reindeer move to high-energy music and 3-D effects, creating a dazzling symphony for the senses. This enchanting spectacle results from a crew of 18 electricians working some 14 weeks using six miles of rope lights, 84 angels and 66 snow machines.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – “Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade” gets a holiday makeover Nov. 28 through Jan. 4, 2009, when it is magically transformed into “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.” This rompin’ spectacle is a theatrical showcase of characters with whimsical floats and puppetry with a holiday world-beat twist. Guests also can meet Disney characters decked out in their holiday best at Camp Minnie-Mickey which also features live seasonal entertainment, holiday photo opportunities and decorative Christmas trees.
Festival of the Seasons at Downtown Disney– There are enough toys to fill up Santa’s sleigh at stores such as Once Upon a Toy, World of Disney, Team Mickey’s Athletic Club and the LEGO Imagination Center. Guests can finish their holiday shopping at this one-stop mecca featuring something for everyone on their list – Basin bath and body shop, Arribas Brothers, Disney’s Days of Christmas holiday shop, Fuego by Sosa Cigars and more – and enjoy the dazzling light display and holiday décor that adorns the Downtown Disney streets Nov. 28-Dec. 24, 2008.
Here is a link to an official video Disney has put up for the 10th anniversary celebration at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park this week. Notice how the cool WDWCelebrations lanyards make an appearance around the necks of some notable people.
http://www.wdwpress.com/mousemail/images/EarthDay_Video.html
In just a few hours, most of the WDW News Today staff will be heading into the Walt Disney World resort for what should be a fun and exciting week. Of course, the big reason we’re all going is to be a part of WDWCelebration’s “A Wild Decade” event, celebrating ten years of Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. With over 400 people attending, it should be a spectacular gathering. We will also be at WDW beyond the event, providing you with daily coverage of everything happening at the World this week (hopefully coverage of Toy Story Mania). Be sure to stay tuned to WDWNT if you can’t get down there this week, but be sure to say hello if your there and spot us.
I found a rather funny press release put out by Disney earlier this week and felt I should share it with our readers. This is probably the first time Disney has acknowledged that they have a huge number of attractions based on Pixar films:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — It’s a Pixar palooza at Disney Parks! In family-friendly attractions and immersive experiences on both coasts of the United States, guests can do it all — find Nemo, zap Zurg and meddle with Monsters.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Coming this summer to Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., is a whole new interactive adventure: Toy Story Mania!
Celebrating Disney-Pixar classics “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” this new ride-game experience combines delightful film characters with personality-matching games guests can play. Donning 3-D glasses, guests shrink to the size of a toy and hop fanciful ride vehicles following a midway-themed route. At each game booth, they aim for animated targets using special on-board spring-action shooters. And since games adapt to the skill level of each player, beginners and gamers alike have plenty of reasons to ride — and play — again and again.
Toy Story Mania! debuts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida in late May and at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim in late June. It joins these other experiences inspired by favorite Disney-Pixar characters and films.
At Walt Disney World Resort:
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor — Guests find the power of laughter in an engaging and interactive adventure inspired by “Monsters, Inc.” as they match wits with the one-eyed hero Mike Wazowski and his friends. As Monster-of-Ceremonies, Mike recruits comedian wanna-bes whose humor delights audiences at a 400-seat theater in Magic Kingdom. Finding Nemo-The Musical — The undersea world that charmed audiences in “Finding Nemo” comes to life in a musical stage show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The 30-minute Broadway-style production immerses guests in the story of Marlin and Nemo, an overprotective clownfish father and his curious son, with imaginative puppetry, dazzling special effects and an original musical score. The Seas with Nemo & Friends — This whimsical and visually stunning attraction at Epcot picks up where the film “Finding Nemo” left off. Riding aboard “clamobiles” in a colorful coral reef setting, guests meet Mr. Ray and learn that Nemo has wandered off. The journey continues as Dory, Bruce, Marlin, Squirt and Crush help with the search. These deep-sea friends inhabit a variety of vibrant vignettes, including a huge aquarium that contains more than 65 species of marine life. Block Party Bash — This high-energy extravaganza at Disney’s Hollywood Studios cranks the music and excitement to the max, putting guests in the middle of the wildest Disney spectacle ever — a non-stop musical block party that doubles as a fun-filled interactive street spectacular. Featuring characters from “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Monster’s, Inc.” and “The Incredibles,” “Block Party Bash” combines dancers, acrobats, stilt performers and a caravan of electric scooters to fill the performance area with awe-inspiring visual and sound sensations.
         At Disneyland Resort:
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage — Guests embark on an underwater expedition where they discover Nemo and his finned friends from “Finding Nemo.” Thanks to cutting-edge imaging technology, characters such as Dory, Marlin, Crush, Bruce and, of course, Nemo, come to life before guests’ eyes in a brilliantly colored lagoon at Disneyland Park. a bug’s land — Designed especially for kids, this land at Disney’s California Adventure features Flik’s Fun Fair, which is full of attractions inspired by the film “A Bug’s Life.” Children can experience the world from a bug’s point of view by visiting Flik’s Flyers, Francis’ Ladybug Boogie, Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train, Princess Dot Puddle Park, and Tuck and Roll Drive’Em Buggies. Families can then cap off their adventures with a screening of the 3-D spectacular “It’s Tough to be a Bug.” Monster’s Inc., Mike and Sulley to the Rescue — Disney’s California Adventure guests are in for a ride of “monstrous” proportion as they climb aboard taxis and hit the streets of Monstropolis with Mike, Sulley and Boo. Along the way they’ll encounter the super-sneaky Randall Boggs, the yellow-suited agents of the Child Detection Agency and other characters from the film. Pixar Play Parade — Characters from Disney-Pixar films “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “Cars” and “Ratatouille” dance onto the parade route and invite guests of all ages to join in a whirling, spinning, fun-for-all animated playground. This daily spectacle at Disney’s California Adventure is brought to life in giant parade floats, puppetry, acrobatics and interactive surprises including bubble, fire and water effects.
         At both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort:
Turtle Talk With Crush — Crush from “Finding Nemo” has made a different kind of screen debut at Epcot and Disneyland Park — as a chatting, joking quipster who engages guests in conversation from his movie-screen undersea environment. The interactive show is a breakthrough experience in real-time animation using digital projection and sophisticated, voice-activated animation. It’s Tough to be a Bug — Inside the massive trunk of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life, and at the heart of Disney’s California Adventure’s “a bug’s land,” is “It’s Tough to be a Bug,” a humorous 3-D film and special effects show starring Earth’s least-known wild creatures — and a few familiar faces from “A Bug’s Life.” Guests will recognize friendly Flik and the villainous Hopper, but the rest of the show promises some “stingingly” surprising antics. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (WDW) / Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters (DLR) — Armed with infrared lasers, guests join forces with Buzz Lightyear to defend Earth’s supply of batteries from the evil Emperor Zurg in a spinning, brought-to-life spin-off of the movie “Toy Story.” The shoot-’em-up fun at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park triggers sight and sound gags, while a lighted display inside toy-spaceship vehicles allows guests to keep score. For more information about Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort visit disneyworld.com and www.disneyland.com.
Here is a list of the special events that are scheduled for Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s tenth anniversary on April 22, 2008:
-A rededication ceremony for the park will be held in front of the Tree of Life from 8:45-9:00am
-Imagineer Joe Rohde will be giving a talk/question & answer session in the Theater in the Wild starting at 9:45am and lasting for about an hour. This will be very similar to the talk session that Imagineer Marty Sklar gave at Epcot’s 25th Anniversary back in October 2007.
WDW News Today will have full coverage of Animal Kingdom’s 10th anniversary on April 22, as we will be part of WDWCelebrations “A Wild Decade” commemorative event. Stay tuned for coverage in just two weeks!!!
Scott Powers | Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
Walt Disney World is tinkering with a roller coaster at Animal Kingdom to improve overall safety after the accidental death of an employee there last fall. Changes are being made in the entry and exit areas of Primeval Whirl — including the installation of sensor mats in a restricted-access area where a Disney worker was reportedly struck by a roller-coaster car Nov. 24. Karen Price, 63, fell and hit her head, and died of her injuries a few days later. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is still investigating the death. The accident, said Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty, led the company “to consider additional safety enhancements.” “We are always looking at ways to enhance safety,” she said.
On the off-limits area of the ride platform beyond the passenger loading and unloading zones, Disney is installing sensor mats that will shut down the ride if someone sets foot there, Prunty said. Also, bold striping is being added to delineate the loading and unloading zones. The work, which is being done after hours, should take a few weeks and should not disrupt ride operations, Prunty said.
Primeval Whirl is an old ride design known in the trade as a “wild mouse,” featuring cars that travel independently through a series of close, tight curves. There are dozens of such rides all over the world, some dating back more than 50 years. It is considered a relatively mild roller-coaster design, with a good safety record for riders. Since Primeval Whirl opened in April 2002, there has never been a reported case of a rider hurt seriously enough to require inpatient hospital treatment, though Disney currently faces a lawsuit from a man who alleges he seriously injured his knee while getting off the ride in 2005.
Primeval Whirl, in Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland U.S.A. carnival area, is actually two coasters woven together. According to the independent Web site rollercoasterdatabase.com, each of the two tracks is 1,377 feet long and rises 42 feet in the air, and the cars reach a maximum speed of 29 mph.