“Celebrate a Stitch Come True”

Courtesy of the fantastic new WDWNTube video site, we have two Magic Kingdom entertainment videos to share. The first video is of the updated Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade that debuted on May 3rd:

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The second video comes to us by Robert Ashburn of Figmentsmedia.net and is of the new Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration show in Tomorrowland:

Official Details Ahoy!!!

The Walt Disney World Resort website now has a page dedicated to the upcoming Pirates League in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. Here is the info provided from Disneyworld.com:

Transform yerself from a land lubber into a true buccaneer! Captain Jack Sparrow is looking for pirates of all ages to join the crew of the Black Pearl. Starting June 29, 2009, visit their “secret” recruiting center in the Magic Kingdom Park. Jack’s crew has pillaged the East India Trading Company’s office in Adventureland, loading it up with plundered booty to create The Pirates League, where you can get yerself a whole new identity complete with name, look and pirate portrait!

It’s a Pirate’s Life for You!

Ahoy, mateys! Begin your piratical transformation when you receive your Official Pirate Name as recorded from the leather-bound captain’s log. Next, stop by the Muster Station and leave your old self behind as the Pirate Masters perform a marauder’s makeover. Hear the ways of the scurvy sea dogs as they apply yer buccaneer beard, scars, earrings and eye patches. Or even be ye a boney pirate and wear your skeleton on yer skin!

Once you have fully transformed, enter the Secret Room where your Pirate Portrait is taken for posterity and the Pirate Masters reveal their hidden treasure.

But the fun is just beginning. With your new pirate identity and map case folder, hoist yer colors and embark on a challenge in Adventureland that will shiver yer timbers!

Choose a Package

The Pirates League offers 3 packages—”The First Mate Package,” “The Empress Package” and “The Captain’s Package”. All packages include a sword and sheath, earring and eye patch, tattoo, exclusive pirate coin necklace, map case folder, and a personalized pirate oath!

The First Mate Package at $49.95 plus tax includes:

Bandana (reversible)
Choice of Facial Effect look: Cursed Pirate, Captain Hook or Captain Jack
Fake Teeth
One (1) 5×7 picture

Empress Package at $49.95 plus tax includes:

Bandana (reversible)
Shimmering Makeup Makeover
Face Gem
Nail Polish
One (1) 5×7 picture
Additional pirate costumes for this package are available for purchase at The Pirates League.

The Captains Package at $124.95 plus tax includes:

Choice of pirate costume
Choice of Facial Effect look: Cursed Pirate, Captain Hook or Captain Jack
Fake Teeth
Three (3) 5″ x 7″ pictures
Make Your Reservations

For ages 3 and up. Starting May 11, 2009, The Pirates League is accepting reservations when you call (407) WDW-CREW (939-2739). Theme park admission required. Open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Join the crew—it’s a pirate’s life for you!

More Details on the Pirates League

Dewayne Bevil of the Orlando Sentinel has more details on the “Pirates League” coming to Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom this summer, including pricing, an opening date, and when you can start making reservations:

The new Pirates League will try to do for buccaneers what the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique has done for little princesses at Disney World.

The attraction, which will open at Magic Kingdom theme park June 29, will perform swashbuckling makeovers. Participants will receive pirate names before receiving a variety of accessories, including beards, eye patches, scarves, scars, earrings and gold teeth. These will be applied by a “veteran pirate” with sea-sailing tales.

After taking a sacred oath and an official portrait, guests will be part of Jack Sparrow’s gang.

There will be three pirate packages.

+ First Mate Package ($49.95): bandana, choice of facial effects, sword and sheath, pirate coin necklace, 5×7 photo and a “personalized pirate oath.”

+ Empress Package ($49.95): bandana, “shimmering” makeup, sword and sheath, pirate coin necklace, 5×7 photo and a “personalized pirate oath.”

+ Captains Package ($124.95): choice of costume, facial effects, sword and sheath, pirate coin necklace, three 5×7 photos and the personalized oath.

The League will be located in the area between the entrance to the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and the Pirates Merchandise shop. (Disney says this is currently backstage territory.)

But hang tight, mateys: Reservations cannot be made until May 11.

UPDATED: “The Pirate’s League” Coming to Adventureland

Since I see the Twitterverse (many people on Twitter) has picked up on it, I’ll let you what I know about thus far on ” The Pirate’s League”, coming to Adventureland:

-It will be the Bibbidi Bobbiti Boutique for boys, dressing up kids (for a hefty price) in Pirate paraphernalia and giving them Pirate lessons very similar to those given in the Jack Sparrow Pirate Tutorial. Similar to how the Boutique takes boy customers, girls will be allowed to do the same, even though it is geared towards the swashbuckling boys.

-The location will be the long sealed section of the Caribbean Plaza market at the exit of Pirates of the Caribbean, once mostly used to provide families of guests with group pictures dressed as pirates.

-“The Pirate’s League” is scheduled to begin operating early in the summer, at least opening by 4th of July weekend.

Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information and an official announcement on the upcoming “Pirate’s League” in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom.

UPDATE 10:50 PM: The DisneyShawn blog has the first piece of concept art released for “The Pirate’s League:”

Celebrate with Dancing, Music, and a Khaki-Clad Cast?

In usual fashion, Walt Disney World put out a number of new press releases all at once, giving us a lot to talk about after what has been a rather quiet period. The first piece gives us an official time frame and some already announced details about the Stich’s Supersonic Celebration show coming to the Magic Kingdom:

Interactive wizardry that combines comedy, real-time animation and live musical madness will dazzle guests during Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.

Beginning in May, Stitch will host a zany interactive experience at the new Rockettower Plaza Stage. Guests are invited to participate in a Galaxy Day celebration when the new outdoor stage comes to life with music and a giant LED screen displays real-time, interactive animation.

The new show incorporates the same interactive technology used in “Turtle Talk With Crush” and “Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.” Shows will take place six times daily.

Looking for some sweet fun at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa?

There’s a lot “s’more” new fun in store at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa each evening when guests staying at the resort can roast marshmallows around a Mickey-shaped campfire, sing favorite camp tunes on the shore of Seven Seas Lagoon and see the “stars” – both on the silver screen and in the sky – as they watch a family-friendly Disney film on the moonlit beach. S’mores kits and marshmallows are available for purchase during the campfire and movie. For more information about recreational activities at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, visit Disneyworld.com or call 407/824-4321.

The line-up for this year’s Sounds Like Summer Concert Series at Epcot has been released and includes WDWNT’s favorite group, Bjorn Again:

The whole family will be rockin’ and rollin’ to legendary music this summer at Epcot when popular tribute bands take the stage at America Gardens Theatre.

Seven tribute bands will recreate classic hits from musical icons under the stars as part of the Sounds Like Summer concert series. Concerts, which are included in regular Epcot admission, are nightly at 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. (except July 4, when show times will be 5:15, 6:30, 7:45 and 9 p.m.).

Here is the lineup (subject to change):
June. 15-21 – Stayin’ Alive – A Tribute to the Bee Gees
June 22-28 – Hotel California – A Tribute to the Eagles
June 29-July 8 – Slippery When Wet – A Tribute to Bon Jovi
July 9-19 – Bjorn Again – A Tribute to ABBA
July 20-26 – The Sounds of the Supremes – A Tribute to the Supremes
July 27-Aug. 2 – 2U – A Tribute to U2
Aug. 3-9 – Petty Theft – A Tribute to Tom Petty.

Even though it has been runnign for a few week’s now, Disney is finally publicizing the new farwell show at Animal Kingdom:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests get so involved in adventures with birds and beasts of many kinds that they tend to put off one of their priorities all day long: a little quality time with Disney characters.

“So when guests come out of the park, they are absolutely determined to see our characters,” said Chris Ambrose, general manager of entertainment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

In a classic example of giving guests what they want, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has launched Adventurers’ Celebration Gathering, an interactive experience near the theme park entrance each evening during park closing.

Khaki-clad cast – including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy – gather to bid farewell to guests with a music-filled celebration. Cast members shake their pom-poms and urge guests to join in the street-party fun by dancing to the music and forming a conga line procession while Mickey, Minnie and Goofy keep the beat from atop their safari vehicle.

“We’ve created a way for our guests to experience our characters … and it’s a way for us to have a fun, exciting way to end the day at Animal Kingdom,” Ambrose said.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today for more information on all of these items as it becomes available.

Matt Paul’s 3/27-3/29/09 WDW Mini-Update

Matt Paul has returned from a weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort with a few photos to share. Due to problems with his camera, these pictures had to be taken via cell phone, so we apologize in advance for the quality:

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The Universe of Energy has re-opened from refurbishment with a new audio system among many technical upgrades

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As previously reported, the old color scheme has returned to the sides of the pavilion

Read More about Matt Paul’s 3/27-3/29/09 WDW Mini-Update

Jose Eber’s 3/23/09 Magic Kingdom Video Report

WDWNT Reporter Jose Eber has provided us with two excellent videos (both available in High Definition by hitting the “HD” button at the bottom of each window) from his latest trip to the Magic Kingdom on Monday. The first video features a look at construction of Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration in Tomorrowland and the second features a look inside Space Mountain from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority while the interior lights are on (a view that may no longer be possible come November). Enjoy: