Here are a collection of some of Myrna’s favorite nighttime shots from around the Disneyland Resort from her trip on Wednesday:
It’s a Small World Holiday continues its holiday light-up tradition this year. Absolutely stunning!
The full castle lighting ceremony will debut tonight.
A look up Main Street towards Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle.
The LED lighting effects on the Main Street Christmas tree should also debut tonight too.
It appears the project of completely replacing all the track and refurbishing all the vehicles for the Primeval Whirl roller coaster attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom was a bigger project than originally expected. The attraction has been closed since early September and was supposed to re-open on November 16th, however, that did not happen. The ride is now scheduled to return to service in early December, a full three weeks later than we were originally told. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on this becomes available and to keep up with all of the upcoming and current refurbishments around the Walt Disney World Resort, be sure to check out the frequently updated “Attraction Updates” page.
WDWNT Photographer Steve Wieczorek has provided us with a picture of the Christmas Tree at Epcot which is now up and ready for the Holidays Around the World:
Our lovely sponsors over at Magical Travel have sent us in this new discount available when booking your trip to the Disneyland Resort:
Free Character Breakfast and Special Hotel Savings
Book now to receive one free Disney Character Breakfast and special hotel savings when you buy a 3-night or longer Disneyland® Resort vacation package with tickets. Stay at one of the three Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort and be footsteps away from the entertainment of the Downtown Disney® District and the excitement of the Disneyland® Resort Theme Parks.
Choose a Disney Character Breakfast of your choice:
- Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland® Hotel
- Lilo & Stitch Aloha Breakfast at Disney’s PCH Grill in Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel
- The Chip ‘n Dale Critter Breakfast at Storytellers Café in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa
- Minnie & Friends – Breakfast in Disneyland® Park at the Plaza Inn
- Ariel’s Grotto, featuring Ariel’s Disney Princess Celebration in Disney’s California Adventure® Park
4 Days/3 Nights From: $317 USD*
per person based on quad occupancy (2 adults and 2 children) at Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel (includes 3-Day Theme Park tickets)Walt Disney Travel Company vacation packages include:
- Hotel and tickets arranged and confirmed before you leave home
- Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness—Enjoy some fun and games with Mickey and friends before Toontown opens to the rest of their Guests. (Includes one Scavenger Hunt map per person)**
- Preferred seating at select attractions in Disney’s California Adventure® Park
- EXCLUSIVE! Walt Disney Travel Company collectible pin, lanyard and luggage tag (one per person)
- Downtown Disney® District Fun Card, featuring special savings and values at select locations
* Valid for arrivals for most nights from 11/1/08 through 12/16/08 at Disney’s Paradise Pier® Hotel. Travel must be booked by 12/15/08 and completed by 12/19/08. Receive one free character breakfast for each guest named on the reservation (subject to room maximum). The number of rooms allocated for this offer is restricted. Check for offers associated with other rates, longer night stays or other hotels. Offer is valid for one morning of the vacation stay at any Disneyland® character breakfast location. Separate theme park admission may be required. Offer applied one time per reservation and is valid for new reservations only. Not combinable with other hotel offers or discounts. No substitutions or refunds and nontransferable. Full retail value of the breakfasts will be charged to the guest if guest checks out of the hotel earlier than the required nights stay. Package includes a 3-Day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket for each person in the reservation. Tickets expire thirteen (13) days after first use or January 17, 2010, whichever occurs first, and each day of use of a ticket constitutes one full day of use. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use. Subject to availability, blockout dates, restrictions, and change without notice. Priority seating recommended. **Entitlement available for one morning throughout the length of your ticket on Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, and days and times are subject to change without notice.
To book this (or any other deals), please call our friends over at Magical Travel at 1-866-207-8387.
Here is another fantastic photo (and video) report by WDWNT Photographer Jose Eber from his latest trip to the world:
Refurbishments on the Fantasyland facades has now moved on to Pinnocchio’s Village Haus
Work is now 100% complete on the new Liberty Square Bridge, no more work in the waterways
Christmas has now taken over Main Street U.S.A.
Tinker Bell movie merchandise has taken over some of the windows
This window that was full of Year of a Million Dreams merchandise has been changed, the first piece of the celebration to disappear with just about a month and a half left in it.
Fresh paint going on another facade on Main Street
Moving over to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Contempo Cafe is now open
Here’s a video of the Cafe (boy is it loud on that floor now)
The Holiday napkins have arrived
New promotion, similar bag… 🙁
Continuing construction on the Bay Lake Tower addition
An arial view of the bridge
The lesser seen side of the Bay Lake Tower
Click the above image for a larger version
Here’s a video of the construction on the Bay Lake Tower Jose has taken
Chocolate Advent character with some awesome artwork
Same can be said for these holiday cards
We’ll end this report by looking at this cool recordable gift card holder, again featuring that artwork we love so much
Thanks for the update Jose!!!
Our own Adam Roth of WDWCelebrations has provided us with a short photo report looking at the refurbished Fuel for Thought exhibit at the exit of Test Track at Epcot:
Not all that much has changed here since the walls went up
They cleaned up the exhibit quite a bit, certainly more floor room now
You can get an inside look at how Hybrid vehicles from GM work
Over at The Land, they are preparing for a new exhibit.
We here at WDW News Today would like to welcome Steve Wieczorek to the staff as another official WDWNT photographer. His first photo report for us comes from the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the year:
Nutcrackers around Town Square.
Disney actually does celebrate Thanksgiving!
And now look at Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.
The new Santa float in the parade this year
Cinderella Castle all lit up is a great spectacle at the end of Main Street.
A few shots from Holiday Wishes.
Gotta’ Love that shot
We’ll end Steve’s photos with Goofy as Santa Clause at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe.
Before we end this photo report, here are a couple of pictures from Jose Eber of a new holiday throw available for purchase at the Resort:
I’ve been hesitant to post the following news since registration for this event has closed once already and could close again at anytime. The event I’m speaking of is a 25 minute Walt Disney World Annual Passholder only tour of the Superstar Television Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, home to the upcoming American Idol Experience attraction. The tour is happening at various times during the day on December 14th, 2008 and the following times are still available as of this reports posting:
Updated at 6:15 PM EST on 11/14- every half hour from 3:30-7:30 PM now remaining
Space is limited and filling up fast, so if you are interested and can attend, you should rush over to disneyworld.com/passholder and sign up under “News & Upcoming Events”. The American Idol Experience attraction is expected to have full Annual Passholder previews sometime in January 2009 and open to the public the following month.
This just in from the Walt Disney World Resort:
November 12, 2008 – Marking a first in both the travel and mobile industries, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Verizon are teaming up for a multi-year relationship designed to enhance the guest experience – before, during and after guests arrive at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. This alignment allows guests to have a personal tour guide right in their wireless phones along with reliable new services at the parks. Early next year guests will also use Verizon Wireless’ technology when experiencing Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, an ultra-interactive attraction coming to Epcot in Walt Disney World Resort.
“With more than 90 percent of families bringing a mobile phone into our Parks, our objective was to enhance the magical Disney experience through innovative wireless technology,” said Jay Rasulo, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Imagine receiving up to the minute tips on special Park activities with just the touch of a button or receiving a call from Buzz Lightyear welcoming you to the Magic Kingdom.”
Beginning next year, guests will be able to access an array of features on their Verizon Wireless phones while at the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort to help them make the most of their Disney experiences. Planned services include an exclusive mobile application that will give guests with Verizon Wireless service the ability to easily locate shows, restaurants and the Disney characters anywhere inside the Parks; get real-time attraction availability information; access mobile games; receive messages from characters and more. Verizon Wireless is also continuing to invest in its wireless network from coast to coast, and the relationship with Disney means the wireless users will benefit from further enhancements to the Verizon Wireless network in the Parks.
John Harrobin, senior vice president of digital media and marketing for Verizon, said, “All of our efforts focus on one goal: making the Disney experience even better for our customers. There are few life experiences that are more memorable than visiting a Disney Park, and now guests with Verizon Wireless service will unlock even more magic from their visit – by navigating the Parks easier and faster with instant access to key information such as ‘Where’s Mickey now?’ and other special features – even when they travel home and share their experiences with family and friends.”
In addition, guests visiting Epcot in Walt Disney World Resort in early 2009 will be among the first to experience Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. An ultra-interactive attraction, Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure invites guests of all ages to team up with members of Team Possible to save the world from various comical villains and their mad inventions. Armed with an official Verizon Wireless “Kimmunicator,” guests will use these handheld devices to help maneuver through the mission. The interactive wireless theme park game was inspired by Disney Channel’s Emmy® Award-winning animated series, “Kim Possible.”
While Verizon Wireless customers will have exclusive access to an array of enhanced features, Disney and Verizon are also working to ensure that some mobile information such as dining locations, show times and locations will be available to all Parks visitors, regardless of their wireless company.
Additional details will be available next year as the companies expect to add a suite of services and functionalities to help guests at Disney Parks have the most magical experience. For more information about Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, visit www.disney.com. For more information about Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.
Disney Parks and Resorts – Taking Guests to New Frontiers
The agreement between Disney and Verizon is another step in a series of new initiatives that highlight the latest technologies from Disney Parks and Resorts with a continued focus on improving guest experience and providing immersive entertainment. Disney Parks and Resorts continue to exemplify how technologies can be used to build new connections and redefine how guests plan and enjoy their vacations. From the time guests begin planning their vacation using Walt Disney World Resort in 3D on Google Earth or tuning into Disney Travel on Demand, the experience is designed to make their lives easier. Guests can take their vacation experience to a new level with Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, an interactive wireless theme park game for families, and by personalizing and sharing their Disney experiences when they return home, using DisneyLink, a desktop application.
Now I can’t say we haven’t discussed some of these ideas for a while, but we weren’t always expecting Disney to align with Verizon for this content. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we gather more information on this breaking news.
For our second photo report of the day, here is Jose Eber with a photo update taken earlier this afternoon:
Christmas banners at the Magic Kingdom parking entrance
This very cool picture is appearing everywhere this year
Decorations near the Magic Kingdom entrance
The Santa Clause meet and greet area
Is it really that soon?
Now lets move over to Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Construction on the Bay Lake Tower
Work finishing up on the Contempo Cafe
The new counter service dining spot will open on Saturday
Here is the menu:
Flatbreads
Cheese, Pepperoni, or Marinated Beef with oven roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese & Arugula
Salads Tossed To-Go
Caesar Salad, Chicken Chop Salad, Roasted Curry Vegetable and Bulgar Salad, or Steakhouse Salad
Cold Sandwiches
Multigrain Turkey BLT or Stacked Salad
Kid’s Picks
Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza, Mini-Turkey and Cheese Sandwich, Chicken Nuggets, or Hamburger
Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today for more on this new dining location as it becomes available
