DLR Pictorial – Part 1: 6/23

WDWNT on June 27, 2008

I’m back from a wonderful 4 day trip to the Disneyland Resort, which included checking out the Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries, & of course Toy Story Midway Mania. Let’s start this pictorial off with my pictures from Monday:

Sign for Toy Story “Midway” Mania in the Esplanade


The Adventure Roadmap was handed out at both Mickey & Friends as well as Timon (more on this tomorrow)


The latest DCA maps


Now on to my first ever ride on Toy Story Midway Mania!


The amazing Mr. Potato Head


He can remove his ear (if you didn’t already know)!


A few of the posters in the queue for TSMM, giving tips on game-play & the individual games


Here’s where you pick up your 3D glasses


The start of the ride


The ride vehicles


The back of Mr. Potato Head’s toy box


My score on my first ride… Contrary to what Tom Corless says, I don’t think it’s that bad of a score!


Top scores from Monday & the month


A lovely little display thingy at the exit of the attraction


The new seating for Award Wieners


The Honda Pilot display outside of the entrance to DCA


Over to Disneyland with the new Disneyland Park map cover


Still not much visible progress at Small World


Donald’s Boat has returned from its refurbishment


As of today (Thursday 6/26) the Innoventions Dream Home is still closed


The walls are down however, so I managed to snap a few pictures


Club Penguin has joined Toontown & Pirates of the Caribbean Online in Innoventions


The bungee rats are back in the Ratatouille float in the Pixar Play Parade


Also back is the back end of the a Bug’s Life float


Also worthy to note is that the Ratatouille & a Bug’s Life floats have switched around with each other


And the acrobats are back on the Toy Story float


The new, & amazingly themed Churro cart across from Toy Story Midway Mania


A look at the queue for Toy Story Midway Mania


The new Hot Dog Hut (also quite nicely themed)


Clever


Banners advertising Toy Story “Midway” Mania in Downtown Disney


And to end off Part 1 of my pictorial, me with Cinderella

Stay tuned tomorrow for the rest of my DLR Pictorial, covering Tuesday through Thursday. Also tomorrow, we’ll have bigger versions of the pictures from this post in the Image Galleries!

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WDWNT on June 18, 2008

It seems the founder of Landry’s, the company that owns the Rainforest Cafe, the Yak and Yeti Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the soon-to open T-Rex Restaurant at Downtown Disney, has purchased the company:

 Landry’s Restaurants Inc., owner of dozens of restaurants across the nation including the Chart House and Rainforest Cafe chains, said Monday that it had agreed to a buyout by its founder that values the company at $415 million.

Landry’s stock climbed $2.98, or 18%, to $19.77 on the news, the biggest gain since Jan. 28, when Chief Executive Tilman J. Fertitta first offered to buy the 61% of the company’s shares he didn’t already own.

Fertitta Holdings Inc. made a $21-a-share bid, Houston-based Landry’s said. The CEO reduced an earlier offer by 11%, citing credit-market conditions that made it more expensive for him to obtain financing.

The buyout is set to be completed in four months, Landry’s said. The deal includes Fertitta’s stake and transaction costs. The company also has $885 million in debt.

We’ll have to wait and see if this sale affects the Walt Disney World resort in any way over the next few years, especially with Landry’s in such poor financial shape.

Crime Doesn’t Pay

WDWNT on June 14, 2008

From the Orlando Sentinel:

A second St. Cloud man accused of helping to obtain a pipe bomb detonated in a Downtown Disney trash can last July surrendered Thursday to federal firearms agents. Brandon Woll, 21, was freed on his own recognizance after a bail hearing before U.S. Magistrate Karla Spaulding. His attorney, Jim Taylor, entered a plea of not guilty.

On Wednesday, Woll’s stepfather, David Tagg, 40, of St. Cloud, was arrested on charges he aided in the bomb-making. A third St. Cloud man, Michael Morgan, 21, is being sought.

At Thursday’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Wilson asked Spaulding to bar Woll from having contact with other defendants and witnesses in the case, including his live-in girlfriend, Sarah Folsom. But Taylor objected, saying the couple had lived together for a year and that Woll could not move back in with his mother and Tagg. Spaulding ultimately allowed the couple to remain together but ordered them not to discuss the case.

Dateline Disneyland Picture Update

WDWNT on May 31, 2008

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

Banners for Toy Story Mania in Downtown Disney


Another Toy Story Mania ad, this one in the Esplanade


Cast Members at the parking toll booths are passing out flyers for the Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries


The It’s a Small World train has been stripped down to the bear


The pond underneath Gadget’s Go Coaster has gone dry while the connecting water for Donald’s Boat is drained during the Boat’s refurbishment


The fire truck in front of the Toontown Fire Depot is missing


The article (linked above) has a detailed look at the Create Your Own Ear Hat station in the Gag Factory in Mickey’s Toontown


A look at the new Hot Dog Hut’s menu

5/9/08 Walt Disney World Update

WDWNT on May 21, 2008

WDWNT was at the Walt Disney World Resort the weekend of May 9th, & as usual, we snapped some lovely pictures. Here are a few of them:

Here’s the Build Your Own Lightsaber stand at the Once Upon a Toy store in Downtown Disney.

A look inside the newly refurbished Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney.

A look at the track layout for Toy Story Midway Mania.

World’s Worst Job Interview

WDWNT on April 30, 2008

From the Orlando Sentinel:

ORANGE COUNTY – -A former Planet Hollywood employee was arrested Monday after he threw his backpack on the ground and told restaurant managers that it contained a bomb, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jason Sean Davis, 21, of St. Cloud came to the Downtown Disney West Side restaurant about 4 p.m. asking to be rehired, deputies said. Managers refused, so he threw his backpack between the gift shop and a stairwell, the Sheriff’s Office said. Investigators evacuated the restaurant, even though Davis tried to take back his allegation.

The backpack was blown up and found to contain only Davis’ belongings. He was arrested on a charge of making a bomb threat and was being held late Monday at the Orange County Jail. Planet Hollywood reopened about 7 p.m.

DLR Picture Update

WDWNT on April 12, 2008

I just got back from 2 wonderful days at the Disneyland Resort! Let’s get straight to the pictures:


A new Kodak sign up on the Honey, I Shrunk the Audience entrance marque


The new Tinkertoy in the Pixar Play Parade


A wall up by Grizzly River Run. As reported earlier this week, the attraction is still open


The new emergency bridge from DCA to the Grand Californian


The Toontown room in the World of Disney store


A construction wall up by the Tomorrowland Terrace


The new Disneyland map front, that debuted today…


… And the DCA one


Today was the first day in this year’s California Food & Wine Festival


The Festival Welcome Center


Let’s take a look at the Festival Guide Booklet…


This year is the 3rd annual California Food & Wine Festival


A special restaurant has been set up in Pacific Wharf just for the Food & Wine Festival, in place of the old Lucky Fortune Cookery


The place to get Food & Wine merchandise. I got the pin!


The menu for this special restaurant, The Taste of California Marketplace


Construction on the ODV structures outside Toy Story Mania


The fountain outside of King Triton’s Carousel is working for once!


The sign for Seasons of the Vine has finally been removed. Weird how the attraction closed just as the Food & Wine Festival started


A new sign for the Year of a Million Dreams on the security tents


This could be DCA’s temporary entrance


Just to give you an idea where it actually is

Stay tuned tomorrow for bigger versions of these pictures & many more pictures in our Image Galleries!

4/7/08 Jose Eber Update

WDWNT on April 8, 2008

Jose Eber is back with another WDW photo update, this time covering Disney pin trading and the Ghirardelli shop refurbishment at Downtown Disney, one of the Walt Disney World Railroad trains heading in for some maintenance, road work at the car entrance to the Magic Kingdom, and a few added surprises. Enjoy!!!

4/3/08 Jose Eber Update

WDWNT on April 4, 2008

Jose Eber is back with another Walt Disney World update, once again utilizing Youtube to present you with a different kind of pictorial. In the below video, you’ll catch a glimpse of the new Cars meet and greet and the Animation Archway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a Disney wedding at the wedding pavilion, construction of the T-Rex Restaurant at Downtown Disney, and construction of the new Four Seasons Resort.