The next best thing to attending the 40th Anniversary festivities at the Magic Kingdom on October 1st or attending WDWCelebrations Project XL has to be watching this Martin smith video. All of the day’s special activities are featured, so sit back and enjoy a look back at a very special day in Walt Disney World history:
Festival of the Masters in the Downtown Disney Area
November 11 – 13, 2011
The 36th Festival of the Masters is a vibrant open-air art festival in the Downtown Disney area. Featuring nearly 150 award-winning artists, discover why this world-renowned show is a much-anticipated annual event for Guests, artists, collectors and art lovers.
Throughout Festival of the Masters, Guests will have the opportunity to meet Disney Artists from Yellow Shoes and Disney Design Group such as Festival of the Masters Signature Artist, Joe Kaminski, Arnel Platon, Will Gay, Bil Shannon, Sharon Michel, Greg Trombo, Darren Wilson, Randy Noble, Costa Alavezos and Don “Ducky” Williams.
Disney Artists from Yellow Shoes and Disney Design Group will be appearing throughout Festival Masters weekend at the following locations:
Art of Disney, Downtown Disney Marketplace
Our flagship store at the Marketplace full of art from the Disney Masters! Artist appearance will be scheduled throughout the weekend.
D Street, Downtown Disney West Side
Custom Vinylmation Showcase and Artist Meet & Greet on the West Side.
Disney Artist Village, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island
Visit the Merchandise tent on the West Side where you can purchase Festival Art and meet Festival of the Masters Signature Artist, Joe Kaminski who will be available for signings.
Disney Festival Artist Tent, Downtown Disney West Side
Visit the Merchandise tent on the West Side where you can purchase Festival Merchandise and meet our Signature Art Creator Joe Kaminski who will be available for signings.
Festival of the Masters Signature Artwork
By Yellow Shoes Artist, Joe Kaminski
Laughing Mickey
By Yellow Shoes Artist, Greg Trumbo
Mickey’s Joy Ride
By Yellow Shoes Artist, Will Gay
The Prophecy Fulfilled
By Disney Artist, Don “Ducky” Williams
Doc
By Disney Design Group Artist, Randy Noble
Festival of the Masters 2011 Logo Pin
“The Magic, The Memories, and You!” is already getting a makeover after just 11 months, a holiday makeover. Available both during regular park evenings and those where Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is offered, the new show will be holiday themed. Disney currently has the show scheduled to begin performances on November 8th. No other details are available at this time. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
You read correctly: FASTPASS service will be tested for the Magic Kingdom’s afternoon parade over the next few weeks. Don’t worry, you won’t need a FASTPASS to see the parade, it really just lets you into a prime viewing area somewhere in the Hub in front of Cinderella Castle. The location will change a few times over the test period as Disney looks to see where it would be best situated. Also changing will be the number of guests per day Disney hands the Fastpasses to, just to see what the right or wrong number of guests to let in might be.
The parade FASTPASS will be distributed starting early in the day at the Magic Kingdom by Cast Members presenting them as “Magical Moments” (Think Year of a Million Dreams prizes). The return time on the FASTPASS will be for between 10-30 minutes prior to the parade reaching the hub, around a 20 minute window.
If there was a more popular new parade or a nighttime parade running, you can see how this service may be quite valuable. Guests would have more time to enjoy the park while their viewing space is reserved. They would then only have to show up a few minutes before the to claim their space along the street. It will be very interesting to see how this works out…
The test is currently scheduled to take place October 23rd through November 12. Stay tuned to WDW News Today for more information as it becomes available.
WDWNT Reporter Zach Larson took a quick trip to Downtown Disney and Disney’s Hollywood Studio yesterday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:
There’s something new at Team Mickey…
WDWNT Reporter Josh Siegel visited Epcot on Saturday and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip, so let’s take a look:
Kim Possible is now on the english maps and a separate kiosk has Food & Wine Festival Guides
From Thomas Smith on the Disney Parks Blog:
As work continues to bring the epic fantasy world of AVATAR to life at Disney Parks, filmmaker James Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment producing partner Jon Landau explored Disney’s Animal Kingdom yesterday with Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Imagineer Joe Rohde.
“Getting the chance to roll up my sleeves and explore Disney’s Animal Kingdom from the inside out was a phenomenal experience,” said James Cameron. “As I walked through the park, I kept imagining Pandora coming to life all around me and found my mind racing with all the possibilities of what we will be able to create in the years ahead. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is truly a remarkable place and I can’t think of a better home for our first AVATAR experience.”
Cameron and Landau are touring the Walt Disney World Resort this week as part of the creative partnership announced in September between Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Fox Filmed Entertainment and Lightstorm Entertainment. Construction of the first AVATAR-themed land is expected to begin at Disney’s Animal Kingdom by 2013.
“We do a significant amount of work at the beginning of our projects to ensure that the final experience has the attention to detail, theme and uniqueness for which Disney is known,” said Tom Staggs. “Today’s visit is an important step in the creative process and we are excited about getting started on what will be a spectacular addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”
Along with their team at Lightstorm Entertainment, Cameron and Landau are serving as creative consultants on the project, working side-by-side with Imagineers to dream up groundbreaking experiences that will take guests deep into the worlds of AVATAR like never imagined.
“AVATAR and Disney’s Animal Kingdom share a common bond in that they both focus on adventures that will radically change your perspective. They call you to take action on behalf of nature wherever it may be found,” said Joe Rohde, who led the creative team that designed the park. “This is a rare opportunity to collaborate with Jim, who has an incredible eye for detail and a passion for doing things that haven’t been done before.”
WDWNT Reporter Zach Larson visited the Magic Kingdom on Friday and took a ton of newsworthy photos to share with us (Including New Fantasyland progress), so let’s take a look:
Some work being done to center street
Read More about Zach Larson’s 10/14/11 Magic Kingdom Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Zach Larson visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot on Tuesday and took a number of newsworthy photos to share with us , so let’s take a look:
The Mater and Lightning McQueen topiaries from the Flower and Garden Festival are now outside of Studio to promote the home video release of Cars 2
WDWNT Reporter Josh Siegel visited Epcot on Monday to experience the Food & Wine Festival and captured a plethora of newsworthy photos while he was there, so let’s take a look:
