What Disney Fans Shouldn’t Miss at Celebration V

WDWNT on August 9, 2010

In case you have been living under a rock, Star Wars Celebration V is coming to Orlando, and as expected, the event has quite a few seminars, presentations, exhibits, and events for Disney/Star Wars fans to drool over. Here’s an overview:

Last Tour to Endor

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-Official description:

When Darth Vader moonwalks and Donald Duck sports Imperial stormtrooper armor, something special must be happening.

With a heaping helping of Disney magic, the Star Wars galaxy will descend upon Walt Disney World Resort from 8pm – 1am on Aug. 14, 2010 for an exclusive party to let fans of the sci-fi saga provide a special send-off to Star Tours before the popular attraction “powers down” in preparation for a new, 3-D Star Wars adventure that will open in 2011 at Disneyland park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

But before the blaster doors on the attraction close temporarily, Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park will host “Last Tour to Endor,” an after-hours, private event that will feature live entertainment, Disney characters in their favorite Star Wars attire, a special Star Wars-themed fireworks spectacular, the “Death Star Disco,” Jedi Training Academy, Star Wars trivia challenges and more.

And yes, Darth Vader may even moonwalk.

The Dark Lord of the Sith and his stormtroopers, known to many Disney guests for their Michael Jackson-like dance moves to songs like “Thriller” and “Beat It” during the popular “Hyperspace Hoopla” at the park’s annual Star Wars Weekends event, will take the stage during the “Last Tour to Endor” for a special edition of “Hyperspace Hoopla.” They will be joined by a cast of Star Warscharacters moving and shaking to their favorite 1970s and 1980s dance tunes in the “Dance-Off with the Star Wars Stars.”

“Dance-Off with the Star Wars Stars” premiered several years ago and has since become a hit not only for Star Wars Weekends guests each year, but also for millions more on YouTube. (See more detail about the “Dance-Off” at the “Last Tour to Endor” party below, including the scheduled cast of characters and tune selections.)

And while the Star Tours attraction serves as the galactic centerpiece of the celebration, “Last Tour to Endor” guests also will be able to enjoy other Disney’s Hollywood Studios attractions during the evening, including The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, “The American Idol Experience,” Toy Story Mania, the Great Movie Ride and more.

“Last Tour to Endor” tickets are $75 in advance, and will be $89 at the gate (if available). Advance tickets may be purchased online at starwarscelebration.com.

–StarWars.com interview with Jason Surrell about the event:

StarWars.com chats with one of show directors for the Last Tour to Endor event — Jason Surrell (Senior Show Writer and Show Director for Walt Disney Creative Entertainment and Walt Disney Imagineering) about what fans can expect from this special Last Tour to Endor event.

Why is the Last Tour to Endor such a special event for a Star Wars fan to attend? What are some of the key benefits that you think fans will enjoy most from this event?

As any Star Wars fan knows, Star Wars Celebration V — like the four before it — is the ultimate Star Wars fan experience, but this time it’s taking place in Walt Disney World’s backyard. Since Star Tours is the ultimate Star Wars thrill ride, we wanted to give fans the chance to “be among the first to be the last” to experience the attraction one last time before it “powers down” to make way for the new and “reimagineered” version of Star Tours, which is set to make its debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2011.

We’re going to send Star Tours off in classic Disney style — with a little help from some favorite Star Wars characters — so fans aren’t going to want to miss that. That’s reason enough for a lot of fans to attend the party, but we’ve created an entire evening of live shows and events around this historic moment. On behalf of the entire creative team, I can tell you that Last Tour to Endor truly is an experience that has been created “by the fans, for the fans.”

Disney is known for incredible fireworks spectaculars. Tell us about this one!

Needless to say, a Star Wars fireworks spectacular is an idea whose time has come — in fact, it’s long overdue! We gave our guests a little taste of what we could do with Star Wars in “Sorcery in the Sky” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and “Remember…Dreams Come True,” Disneyland’s 50th anniversary fireworks spectacular. But we have been waiting our entire careers to design an entire Star Warsfireworks spectacular, and “Symphony in the Stars” is just that.

John Williams gave us some of the most memorable music in film history with his scores for the six Star Wars films, and we’ll be using the best of the best to transport our guests to a galaxy far, far away. But it’s more than just amazing music. We’ve also jam-packed the show with memorable dialogue and sound effects from all six Star Wars films, so odds are that if you love it, then it’s in there.

It was quite a challenge to try and tell the entire Star Wars story in 12 minutes, but I think we’ve done that through all the beloved John Williams music, classic lines from George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan, and Ben Burtt’s sound effects that we’ve selected for the show. Everyone who has listened to our soundtrack has had a strong emotional reaction to it based on their love for the Star Wars films, so I can only imagine how fans are going to react when they see this show unfold before them in the skies above Disney’s Hollywood Studios. My only regret is that we’re only going to do this once!

Can you tell us a little about the Death Star Disco?

I know we’re all celebrating Empire’s 30th anniversary, but the Death Star Disco takes us straight back to the summer of 1977, at least musically! It’s no secret that Star Wars fans like to have fun — I’ve seen it at shows and cons all over the country — so we wanted to create a dance party just for them. We’re taking our design cues from the signature look of the Death Star, and the music will be all Meco, all the time. Just kidding! We’ll probably throw a little Bee-Gees and Village People in there, too! And remember, it’s the Death Star Disco Dance Party, so I’ll let you try and figure out what our mirror ball is going to look like.

Why do you think Star Wars – Disney fans such a special group of people?

I think the reason there is such a crossover between Disney fans and Star Wars fans is that the Disney “kingdom” and the Star Wars “galaxy” are built upon the imaginations of two of the most impactful and influential creative visionaries of all time, Walt Disney and George Lucas, so it’s only natural that fans have such a strong emotional connection to both of those worlds. In both cases, we’re not talking about “just” characters, stories or films; we’re talking about people’s memories and childhoods — we’re talking about their lives.

Walt Disney and George Lucas have helped shape who I am personally and professionally — they’re among the main reasons I got into the entertainment industry — and I know that I’m far from alone in terms of their inspiration. It’s only fitting that George chose Disney as the permanent home for his characters and stories — and that Lucasfilm chose Orlando as the site for Celebration V — and we’re going to honor those choices with an evening of amazing entertainment for Star Wars fans.

Star Wars Celebration V is obviously a “must-attend” event for anyStar Wars fan, and the Star Wars fans among us here at Disney have pulled out all the stops to make the Last Tour to Endor a “must attend” part of Celebration V. We know that there are going to be all kinds of demands for their attention throughout those four days in August, and I can tell you as a hardcore fan myself that they will not want to miss the event we’re putting together for them. If I wasn’t working on the Last Tour to Endor, then I’d be attending it, I can tell you that!

-Indiana Jones and Star Wars collide for one night at “Last Tour to Endor”:

Celebration V
-There are two exciting events taking place at Celebration V that are directly Disney related:

Thursday, August 12th
The Creative Force at Disney: From Star Tours to Indiana Jones Adventure
Join author, screenwriter and Walt Disney Imagineer Jason Surrell for a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the classic Disney attractions. Jason will recount the history of the blockbuster attraction through rare Disney concept art, and offer an exclusive sneak peek at the “reimagineered” Star Tours – featuring the first film footage from the new attraction – as well as Last Tour to Endor on Saturday, August 14th at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the ultimate Star Wars party at the ultimate Star Warsevent! 3 – 4 pm, Behind-the-Scenes Stage

Friday, August 13th
Disney Collectibles — What’s Cool and What’s Coming
An inside look at how Disney creates exclusive Disney Parks’ Star Wars merchandise, with insights from Disney’s creative development team. Hear an overview of Disney Parks Star Wars exclusives for 2010, and see sneak peeks into the 2011 line. With Brad Schoeneberg, Cody Hampton, Quynh Kimball. 12 – 1 pm, Behind-the-Scenes Stage

-Disney Theme Park Merchandise will have a booth in the Celebration Experience exhibit hall (#441) where they’ll have new merchandise created especially for the event. For an updated look at some (this is not all of it) of that merchandise, click here.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we will be attending all of these events and providing full coverage of “Last Tour to Endor and “Star Wars Celebration V” as soon as they begin!!!

School’s Finally Out, But Disney Channel Is In

WDWNT on July 30, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Earlier today we announced the extension of Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade at Walt Disney World, and if that’s not enough good news for a Thursday, there’s also a fresh, new show coming to the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort this Fall.

A live, rock-concert style show will blast popular music from a variety of Disney Channel hits, including the “High School Musical” series, “Camp Rock” and “StarStruck.” The show, which has yet to be officially named, will follow a format that is similar to “High School Musical 3: Senior Year – Right Here! Right Now!” The new show is scheduled to debut at Disney California Adventure park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on October 22.

In order to make way for this exciting addition, the Wildcats from High School Musical will cheer in their last performance of “High School Musical 3: Senior Year – Right Here! Right Now!” at Disney California Adventure park on October 17 and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on October 2. Don’t miss your last chance to sing, dance and cheer with the Wildcats before school’s back in session, but rest assured the Wildcats will be back in a new way on October 22.

Walt Disney World Looks Ahead to Christmas in July

WDWNT on July 22, 2010

From a sparkling ice castle and symphony of dazzling lights … to legendary international customs and wondrous displays … to magical entertainment and musical delights, Walt Disney World Resort unwraps an enchanting celebration of the holiday season in 2010.

Electrifying fireworks, charming parades and all the sounds of the season help transform the 40-square-mile resort into a winter wonderland where holiday fun begins as early as Nov. 8. Guests who believe “there’s no place like home for the holidays” can enjoy the merriment at Disney and still curl up in a cozy place at home for Christmas … while other guests can spend the holidays at Mickey’s place, since many seasonal happenings continue through Jan. 3, 2011.

Disney’s stocking full of cheer includes:

Magic Kingdom

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – On 19 magical nights between Nov. 8 and
Dec. 19, holiday revelers can sip cocoa, catch a “snowflake” on a fingertip and catch the spirit of the season through enchanting entertainment that includes live shows, fireworks, carolers and special character meet and greets.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which kicks off at 7 p.m. on select evenings (after regular Magic Kingdom closing), is pure, time-honored Disney magic:

Dancing gingerbread, marching soldiers and Santa’s sleigh parade down Main Street, U.S.A. to seasonal melodies during the twice-nightly “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” … Cinderella Castle is draped radiantly with 200,000 glistening white lights … and “Holiday Wishes, Celebrate the Spirit of the Season” fireworks lights the night sky during a pyrotechnics show orchestrated to holiday melodies.

The night wouldn’t be complete without the forecasted flurry of snowflakes along Main Street, U.S.A. and a warming cup of cocoa in hand. Party-goers also enjoy complimentary cookies and apple slices and enjoy unlimited admission to favorite attractions.

This after-hours family-friendly outing takes place Nov. 8, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 28, 30 and Dec. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17 and 19. The evening kicks off at 7 p.m. and continues until midnight. Day-of-party ticket pricing is $59.95 ($53.95 for ages 3-9). Advance tickets are available with $6 savings for most dates. Guests can visit Disneyworld.com/christmasparty or call 407/W-DISNEY.

Castle Dream Lights – When daylight has passed during the holiday season, Magic Kingdom guests can behold a breathtaking transformation during the Castle Dream Lights ceremony. Each evening Nov. 8, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011, Cinderella and favorite characters decked out in holiday garb take to the stage and magically transform Cinderella Castle into an ice palace aglow with 200,000 white lights – a perfect centerpiece to a park all decked out with wreaths, bows, garland and towering Christmas trees.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Spectacle of Dancing Lights – Millions of brilliant bulbs blanket the backlot with dancing lights and animated displays synchronized to high-energy holiday tunes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Nov. 8, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011.

Colorful wreaths, twirling carousels, flying angels and Santa and his reindeer bedazzle park-goers amid swirling snow flurries during The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, a megawatt, multi-colored spectacle that Show Director John Phelan calls “the ultimate Americana Holiday lights display.”

“Imagine it,” Phelan said. “One private citizen (Jennings Osborne), overwhelmed by the spirit of the season, created his own ‘Holiday Wonderland,’ complete with a giant rotating globe with ‘Peace on Earth’ above it and a massive canopy of red lights that people could walk under. He said he wanted the people to feel like they were inside the lights, looking out. Only in America!”

In fact, originally it was only in Little Rock, at the home of Arkansas businessman Jennings Osborne. The rich tradition began some 20 years ago when he strung 1,000 lights as a Christmas gift to his daughter. After the exhibit grew larger and brighter – into millions of lights – it was transported to Walt Disney World Resort in 1995, where the light display now delights guests from all over the world each year.

Epcot

Holidays Around the World – Throughout World Showcase, storytellers share customs and lore from their heritage from Nov. 26-Dec. 30. Strolling around the promenade during the Holidays Around the World celebration may put you face-to-face with the good-hearted witch La Befana, known in Italy for filling children’s shoes with treats, or the jolly gift-bearer Father Christmas in the United Kingdom. There are meet and greets with Santa and Mrs. Claus in The American Adventure, plus other legendary icons who share messages of goodwill. The celebrations of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are showcased as well.

The evening is capped by the visual splendor of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” the mesmerizing Epcot spectacular featuring fireworks, laser and water – all spruced up for the season with a spirited holiday finale.

Candlelight Processional – The poignant story of Christmas unfolds during this renowned event featuring celebrity narrators, a mass choir and 50-piece live orchestra at America Gardens Theatre. On Nov. 26, Isabella Rossellini is scheduled to lead off the star-studded celebrity lineup that later in the season is scheduled to include Whoopi Goldberg and Jodi Benson among others (lineup of narrators is subject to change without notice). To ensure a seat for this joyous favorite, Candlelight Dinner packages are available with dinner at select Epcot restaurants, a special spot for fireworks viewing and guaranteed seating for the heartfelt Candlelight Processional. For bookings call 407/WDW-DINE.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade – The wild side of Animal Kingdom blends with a playful spirit of the holidays during “Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade.” Mickey and pals present seasonal melodies with a world beat twist during a whimsical cavalcade throughout the park. The high-energy afternoon parade runs daily from Nov. 26, 2010, through Jan. 3, 2011.

Santa Goofy’s Holiday Village is adorned with festive décor and perfectly trimmed Christmas trees and crooning carolers. And Santa Goofy and spirited friends greet guests for photo opportunities.

Downtown Disney

Festival of the Seasons – Santa Claus is coming to town – to Downtown Disney, that is – and he’ll be meeting kids, listening to wishes and posing for pictures daily from Nov. 19 through Dec. 24 at Santa’s Chalet.

Santa is at the center of Festival of the Seasons, during which school choirs and bands often perform at the dock stage to help ring in the season … and shoppers can enjoy holiday gift buying every day.

With dozens of shops from boutiques to gigantic toy stores, there is something for every style and budget. Tren-D has hip fashions and accessories, D Street offers all the latest Vinylmations, the World of Disney store showcases character, princess and pirate merchandise, and lots more. And you could fill Santa’s sleigh with all the games and goodies at Once Upon a Toy. There’s also Ghirardelli chocolates, Basin (soaps and bath products), LEGO Imagination Center and much more.

Walt Disney World’s July 4, 2010 Plans

WDWNT on June 18, 2010

If you’ll be spending the very busy July 4th holiday at Walt Disney World, you may want to take note of the following:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Guests celebrating the Fourth of July at Walt Disney World Resort will have a choice of fireworks shows as Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios present special pyrotechnics, and Epcot adds a patriotic “tag” to its famous “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” spectacular. Here’s what’s in store (entertainment and park hours are subject to change without notice):

Magic Kingdom – “Celebrate America Fireworks” will fill the sky at 9 p.m. July 4 (guests who’d like to begin the celebratory weekend a day early can enjoy the special fireworks on July 3 at 9 p.m.). After the fireworks, guests can enjoy Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade” of lights, music and magic at 10 p.m. and midnight on July 4 (on July 3, the parade will be at 10:30 p.m.). Park hours on July 4 are 8 a.m.-1 a.m.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Special fireworks set to a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack will be presented at 9:50 p.m. on July 4, providing guests with a bonus nighttime entertainment extravaganza to complement “Fantasmic!” (which will be at 9 and 10:30 p.m.). Park hours on July 4 are 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Epcot – “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” which features dazzling special effects, colorful lasers, brilliant fireworks, and fiery torches all choreographed to a musical score, becomes even more dynamic on July 4 as the normal show is supplemented with a patriotic finale. The performance begins at 10 p.m. Earlier in the day, guests will be treated to the Voices of Liberty 4th of July Concert – featuring an expanded cast of singers plus the Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps and Disney characters – at 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m. on the America Gardens Theatre stage. Park hours on July 4 are 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Guests can enjoy all the regular attractions and shows on July 4 from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Even More Star Tours and Little Mermaid Attraction Details

WDWNT on June 14, 2010

From an article about “What’s Next?” at Disneyland Resort on Disney’s D23 website, here’s more on Star Tours II and Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid:

The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
A couple sen-sea-tional reveals were made about this mega-attraction sprouting up now along the side of Paradise Bay.

  • As guests descend into the water, a cool blast of air will give them the sensation of headed under the sea.
  • Scuttle the seagull will be the first character guests will meet once they have loaded into their “clam-mobiles.” And there will be several places you will see him along you way as he helps weave Ariel’s story together.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
While it may not open until the fall of 2011, a few exciting elements of the reimagined Star Tours were announced.

  • The enhanced attraction — featuring multiple destinations — takes place in between the two Star Wars trilogies, which will enable Imagineers to utilize characters from both sets of films.
  • While the planet of Tatooine was unveiled as a destination at last year’s D23 Expo, Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Producer Kathy Rogers announced that the bustling urban environment of Coruscant will be another.
  • There will be several points during each journey where the audience will be able to change where the story is going. “There’s an incredible number of different variations,” explains Al Weiss, president, Worldwide Operations, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “You will rarely, if ever, see the same show twice. And it’s all in 3D.

Looks like we may be waiting until Fall 2011 for Star Tours at Disneyland Resort and we imagine it will be a similar wait for the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version. Stay tuned to WDW News Today for more details on these two upcoming attractions as they become available.

New Star Tours and Little Mermaid Attraction Details

WDWNT on June 14, 2010

At the media festivities last week at Disneyland Resort, we got a closer look and a few more details about both “Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid” and “Star Tours II” (note that Disney has dropped the II from the name, but we’ll be using it just to differentiate it from the current version of the attraction). While the previews are meant for Disneyland, both attractions will be almost identical at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.

First looking at the Little Mermaid dark ride, the clam vehicles are actually different from the Seas with Nemo and Friends

Read More about New Star Tours and Little Mermaid Attraction Details