Here We Go Again…

WDWNT on July 12, 2008

Laughing Place managed to snap a few pictures of a special promotion in Downtown Disney for the new reality show on ABC, High School Musical: Get in the Picture. Here are a few of them:


It looks as if you spin this wheel, & you either win prizes or get to play a game of some sort


Now are these free to every guest, or do you win them?


There’s another promotion going on by the ESPN Zone, having to do with the Honda Pilot

To see more of Laughing Place’s pictures of these promotions, & more from through-out the whole resort, click here!

Monday in the Parks Picture Update

WDWNT on July 7, 2008

Let’s take a look at some various things going on through-out the Disneyland Resort from this week’s Monday in the Parks on MiceAge:


The 4th of July holiday weekend didn’t turn out that busy after all, as seen in the Wait Times Board on Sunday at 1pm


Those little things on top of Monorail Red are the air scoops to help cool down the cabins


The Orange County Health Department is now requiring Disneyland to post the Restaurant Inspection Notices at the entrance to all Disneyland Resort restaurants


Close-up of the Inspection Notice

No More in “Water Parks and More”

WDWNT on July 1, 2008

Disney will be changing some of the rules that apply to the Water Parks and More option on Walt Disney World tickets in response to the closing of the Pleasure Island clubs on September 27:

Beginning September 28, 2008, the Water Park Fun & More ticket option will no longer include admission to Pleasure Island nightclubs.

Guests who purchased or will purchase the Water Park Fun & More Option will still receive a certain number of visits to their choice of Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park or Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex. Beginning June 28, 2008, your Clients can also choose to use a visit to play a round of golf at Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course, a nine-hole walking course designed for the entire family. Tee times are required and subject to availability. For tee times, call (407) WDW-GOLF ( 407-939-4653 ) or visit disneyworldgolf.com.

Excludes activities/events separately priced. Water Park Fun & More visits must be used within 14 days of first use of ticket. Water Parks subject to closures for rehab and seasonal and weather closures.

AMC-E

WDWNT on June 30, 2008

Dan-Tasmic on MiceChat managed to snap a shot of a giant inflatable Wall-E up in Downtown Disney by the AMC Theaters:

(and no folks, the titles of these posts aren’t getting any more creative!)

Downtown Disney Update

WDWNT on June 29, 2008

Orlando Attractions Magazine has gained possession of some of the concept art for the new stores and restaurants coming soon to Downtown Disney. Some interesting notes from the photos:

-Mickey’s T-Shirt Factory will replace or take up most of the Wonderful World of Memories store next to the Art of Disney in the Downtown Disney Marketplace.

-The new restaurant replacing the Rock N’ Roll Beach Club on Pleasure Island will most likely be named “El Dolbe”.

-Portobello Yacht Club will make a minor name change, menu changes, and an interior renovation when its changes occur.

You can see all of the concept art HERE.

Magical Texting

WDWNT on June 28, 2008

Here are a couple of little tidbits from MousePlanet that I wanted to share with y’all:

Disney’s PhotoPass service is testing out a series of new “Magic Photos” at locations around Disneyland. Now you can duel with Darth Vader in Tomorrowland, or join the Hitchhiking Ghosts near the Haunted Mansion. Look for the PhotoPass cast members carrying sample photos like the one below.

The Disneyland Resort has begun a marketing campaign to promote Downtown Disney merchants. Text DTDFUN to 67463 to receive instant discounts and coupons for select Downtown Disney restaurants and shops. Current offers include 20 percent off meals at the La Brea Bakery Cafe, 20 percent off a meal at the House of Blues before 5:00pm, 15 percent off lunch at Catal and $5 off a purchase of $25 or more at Build-a-Bear.

Up, Up, and Away Over The Closed Clubs

WDWNT on June 28, 2008

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Disney World also is sprucing up Downtown Disney’s other two areas, adding restaurants, expanding and updating a band shell, refurbishing and updating other businesses, and bringing in a giant tethered-balloon attraction that visitors will be able to ride in, going up more than 300 feet above Village Lake.

This will be similar to the one that can be found in The Disney Village at Disneyland Resort Paris, you can see it HERE.

More Downtown Disney Details

WDWNT on June 28, 2008

Here are some more details on the changes coming to Downtown Disney, including the replacements for some of the Pleasure Island clubs:

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (June 27, 2008)– Walt Disney World Resort today unveiled a new vision for Downtown Disney, with extraordinary new shopping, dining and other experiences including a completely re-imagined Pleasure Island. Also planned are numerous enhancements to popular Downtown Disney locations, as well as additional theming and storytelling brought to life by Walt Disney Imagineers.

“We are committed to offering guests new and exciting experiences they can only have at Walt Disney World Resort,” said Downtown Disney Vice President Kevin Lansberry. “Our bold new vision for Downtown Disney reflects the feedback we receive from our guests each and every day and will enable us to continue to offer the high-quality entertainment that is our hallmark.”

Over the next year, the 120-acre entertainment-shopping-dining complex will add a number of one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences for guests. Downtown Disney will even get its own iconic attraction, in the form of a giant, tethered balloon that will take guests 300 feet into the air to view the amazing vistas of Walt Disney World Resort. Other new experiences include:

· In fall 2008, guests will enter a world of prehistoric creatures at T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure. The dinosaur-themed family eatery will serve up pizzas, pastas, seafood and more, and will feature life-size animated dinosaurs that dwell among bubbling geysers, waterfalls and a fossil dig site.

· Also this fall, a design-your-own t-shirt store from Hanes will add to the growing collection of merchandise guests can personalize at Downtown Disney.

· E-brands Restaurants, an Orlando-based, multi-concept restaurant group, will premier its newest concept at Downtown Disney in spring 2009. The high-energy, casual eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty drinks and live music along the waterfront.

Guests also will enjoy a brand new mix of shopping and dining experiences at Pleasure Island as it is transformed over the next two years.

“Our guests tell us they want additional shopping and dining experiences at Downtown Disney,” added Lansberry. “We are currently considering a number of unique concepts from around the globe as we re-imagine Pleasure Island and look forward to sharing our progress over the coming months.”

To make way for the new offerings, all of the clubs currently on Pleasure Island will close on Sept. 27. Other locations on Pleasure Island , including Raglan Road , Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval, Orlando Harley-Davidson and outdoor food and beverage locations, will remain open during the transition.

To complement these new experiences, many popular Downtown Disney locations will undergo enhancements.

· Beginning this summer, Portobello Yacht Club will be transformed into a Tuscan Country Trattoria. The refreshed menu features authentic Italian dishes and signature favorites and a re-designed interior along with an outdoor dining space.

· This fall, Goofy’s Candy Company will add a special new room that will enable families to host one-of-a-kind birthday parties at Downtown Disney.

· The Marketplace Stage will be completely replaced with a larger, covered stage this fall to welcome even more entertainment to Downtown Disney and serve as a new premier venue for Disney Magic Music Days.

· Fulton’s Crab House will update its interior fixtures and furnishing and exterior in Spring 2009. The enhancements include a refreshed third floor deck dining area to offer additional Disney guests and larger private parties the traditional Fulton’s experience.

· Next year, Wolfgang Puck Café will update its interior fixtures and furnishings and will feature an enclosed glass patio offering guests a year-round outdoor dining experience.

These efforts come on the heels of recent enhancements at World of Disney, Wolfgang Puck Express, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, Earl of Sandwich and Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant.

Dateline Disneyland Picture Update

WDWNT on June 28, 2008

Let’s take a look at some of the various things going on through-out the Disneyland Resort from this week’s Dateline Disneyland on MiceAge:


The information sign that’s been missing for well over a year now has returned to the security tents, with the only change being the “new DCA logo”


While New Century Timepieces is closed, New Century Jewelry is remaining open


The Three Magic Fairies crystal shop in Sleeping Beauty Castle has been closed, & will be converted into the disabled room for the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-through


Monorail Blue has finally started daytime testing! No guests yet unfortunately


As previously reported, the Department 56 store in Downtown Disney has been cut in half, & a new store is expected to take over the currently closed half

Be sure to take a look at the Dateline Disneyland article (the link is at the top of the post) for more news & information from through-out the Resort, including a look at all 3 McDonald’s locations in the Resort, which will soon be a thing of the past!

No More Pleasure On This Island

WDWNT on June 28, 2008

From the Orlando Sentinel:

The six nightclubs at Pleasure Island will soon shut down, as Walt Disney World redevelops the adult-focused district at Downtown Disney.

BET SoundStage Club, Mannequins Dance Palace, 8Trax and three other nightclubs that have for years catered largely to young, single adults — rather than to Disney’s bread-and-butter family market — will close after Sept. 27. Over the next couple of years Disney will reopen the Pleasure Island area with a broader mix of restaurants and shops.

Though Pleasure Island’s possible demise has been the subject of rumors for awhile, the announcement surprised many in the Orlando nightclub business. Pleasure Island, now 19 years old, may have seemed an odd venture for Disney but it appeared to thrive — so much so that some in the industry have blamed it for accelerating the decline of the nightlife district in Downtown Orlando during the 1990s.

In announcing what they called “a bold new vision” for all of Downtown Disney on Friday, Disney officials framed the Pleasure Island nightclub closures as a response to their customers, who say they want more broad-based dining and retail opportunities throughout the 120-acre district.

“Our bold new vision for Downtown Disney reflects the feedback we receive from our guests each and every day and will enable us to continue to offer the high-quality entertainment that is our hallmark,” said Downtown Disney Vice President Kevin Lansberry.

Pleasure Island is the middle section of Disney World’s 120-acre dining, shopping and entertainment district, called Downtown Disney. While the two flanking areas, MarketPlace and the West Side, also have nightclubs, they are parts of restaurants, appealing to broad crowds. In general, those areas appealed to families. Until recently, Pleasure Island has been mostly about nightclubs, and it created an awkward bridge between MarketPlace and West Side.

Other businesses on Pleasure Island, including a couple of restaurants, a cigar bar and a couple of clothing shops, will remain open. They already offer the broad appeal that Lansberry said Disney’s patrons want from the rest of Pleasure Island. He did not offer specifics about what might replace the clubs, but said Disney was looking worldwide for restaurant and shopping concepts.

In addition, Disney is sprucing up the other two areas, adding new restaurants, expanding and updating a band shell, and bringing in a giant, tethered balloon attraction, which visitors can ride in, going up 300 feet above Village Lake.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on this breaking development becomes available.