It’s Opening Again!!!

WDWNT on June 26, 2008

From disneypins.com, some news on the release of the long-awaited Toy Story Mania opening day pin:

Walt Disney World® Resort released their Opening Day 2008 pin today at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™. Alex Maher also created the artwork for this pin. Below is an image of the new merchandise location near the attraction which opened this past Monday. The first item sold at the new location – a Slinky Dog!

Notice that the paragraph above does not reveal the name of the store across the street from Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, even Disney doesn’t know what it is!!!

Hollywood Studios and Epcot Update

WDWNT on June 25, 2008

Our good friend EpcotServo has finally returned with a new photo update featuring some of the new happenings around Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. When you head over to his update, be sure to take a look at the now completed Pixar Place meet-and-greet, the Journey Into Narnia: Prince Caspian exhibit, and the new quick service food location outside of the now-closed Nine Dragons restaurant at Epcot. You can see the entire photo report HERE.

Journey Into Narnia….Finally

WDWNT on June 24, 2008

The Journey Into Narnia: Prince Caspian exhibit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has finally opened for some previews before it opens officially this Friday. Studios Central picked up some great photos of what can now be considered the park’s newest attraction, and you can see them all HERE.

Pixar Place Opens Wide For Food (And Guest Flow)

WDWNT on June 23, 2008

Studios Central has some great pictures of a finally wall-less Pixar Place area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The small shop and Hey-Howdy-Hey Take Away locations are now both open, even though the store hasn’t received all the new Toy Story Mania merchandise yet (still missing some planned merchandise, should be for sale by this fall). However, the street is still is not complete, as the new Toy Story characters meet-and-greet location still is yet to opened. To see what is open on Pixar Place, head on over to Studios Central to see the photos HERE.

Details on The American Idol Experience

WDWNT on June 23, 2008

Our good friend Jim Hill over at jimhilllmedia.com has put up a great article today giving away some of the details on how the new American Idol Experience attraction will run once it opens officially at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in January 2009. Jim goes through most of he details for this attraction in the article, giving us a good idea of just how many Disney Cast Members it will take to operate this “huge” attraction everyday. While Jim spills most of the beans on this long-awaited replacement to Superstar Television and Doug Live, there are still many details that Disney has still not even straightened out yet. While we wait for details direct from Disney, you can read through and enjoy Jim’s report HERE.

Food and Wine Looks So Fine

WDWNT on June 20, 2008

Savory samplings from around the world will be on the menu during the 13th annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Sept. 26 – Nov. 9, 2008 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The popular six-week-long culinary extravaganza showcases celebrated chefs and vintners, cooking demonstrations, wine pairings and live entertainment.  Conveniently, the WDWCelebrations.com “World Wide Weekend” event overlaps with the first weekend of the Food and Wine Festival.

Trouble at the Wilderness Lodge

WDWNT on June 19, 2008

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) — A manager at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge hotel was arrested Wednesday for charging $1,200 on a guests’ credit card.

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies said 44 year old Patrick Noze stole a credit card out of a guest’s wallet and charged the card for auto repairs.

The owner of the Orlando mechanic shop Noze went to said he told them he had permission to use the credit card.

Noze was charged with credit card forgery, grand theft by hotel employee, fraudulent use of a credit card, and dealing in stolen property.

A Disney Spokesperson said he has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the charges.

Police are still investigating at this time.

WDW Photo Update 6/18/08

WDWNT on June 19, 2008

WDWNT is back with a new photo report from Walt Disney World from this past weekend. Let’s start off at the Magic Kingdom:

Pirates of the Caribbean is closed for refurbishment.

There’s a bunch of new merchandise from Mickey’s PhilarMagic available, you can find pics of them all HERE.

The new Create Your Own Ear Hat stand at the Chapeau on Main Street.

A new poster outside Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.

There’s also a second one.

A new wait time sign at the entrance to the Tomorrowland Speedway.

Construction of the Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary.

Removal of the Concourse Steakhouse at the Contemporary.

The fountain at the entrance to Epcot was off this past weekend.

An advertisement for Toy Story Mania near Epcot.

The Jedi Training Academy stage done over for Star Wars Weekends.

Banners for Star Wars Weekends around Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Wicket’s Warehouse, the temporary store for Star Wars Weekends.

Notice the projector on the top of the building.

A new Pixar Place sign.

Peter Mayhew, Dave Prowse, & Warwick Davis at this past weekend’s Stars of the Saga in the Premiere Theater.

John with Warwick Davis.

The line for the Haunted Mansion Friday the 13th pin release at the Disney Pin Traders in Downtown Disney.

A mountain is forming on the construction for the new T-Rex restaurant.

An inflatable Wall-E in Pleasure Island.

Sounds Fabulous???

WDWNT on June 19, 2008

With the upcoming refurbishment of Sounds Dangerous starring Drew Carey at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, comes an interesting rumor about the future of the space it occupies. The latest rumors for the park in general suggest that Disney will attempt to bring a tween audience in by using their multiple successful Disney Channel programs in attractions and entertainment offerings. A copy of the Bibbidi Bobbiti Boutique using High School Musical and Hannah Montana inspired child makeovers will debut at the park this fall, and a new attraction themed to Ms. Montana and her Disney Channel friends may come following after.

If the rumors I’m hearing are true, a new sound-based attraction using new, surround-sound headphones and an HD projector to bring guests into their favorite Disney Channel artists (i.e. The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale) songs will be coming to Hollywood. While I’m not so sure that Disney will keep the headphone concept in the theater, I strongly believe we will see a Disney Channel based attraction of some kind in the theater by 2009. In the meantime, don’t worry about Sounds Dangerous (at least if you’re one of the few who enjoy the attraction) going anywhere just yet, the latest closure is really just to accommodate American Idol construction and survey the theater for future development. Sounds Dangerous should return in early August, but will probably be on borrowed time by then, as the Drew Carey attraction contract expires on January 1, 2009.

Another CM Arrested on Child Porn Charges

WDWNT on June 18, 2008

From the Orlando Sentinel:

A Walt Disney World employee was arrested this morning on three counts of possessing child pornography.

Investigators served a search warrant at the home of Charles Hurrey, 29, on Cagan Crossing’s Boulevard in Clermont this morning and found three videos depicting children engaging in sex acts with adults and each other on an external hard drive, according to an arrest affidavit.

Hurrey admitted to downloading the videos and told investigators that he is interested in child pornography because he is curious why people would make them, according to the affidavit.

Hurrey denied ever sexually abusing a child, according to the affidavit.

Kim Prunty, a spokeswoman for Walt Disney World, confirmed that Hurrey was employed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where he issued and repaired photography equipment and deployed photographers to locations around the park.

“Obviously, we take these things very seriously,” Prunty said. “He has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of these charges.”

Investigators zeroed in on Hurrey during an ongoing undercover investigation with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to Det. Chris Loyko of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Hurrey is being held at the Lake County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bond.