Even More Toy Story Mania Details

WDWNT on March 20, 2008

In case you have missed any of our reports, here are all the aspects we have been able to confirm of the upcoming Toy Story Mania attraction:

-The attraction will open in late May at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and in late June at Disney’s California Adventure.

-The story of the attraction is that Andy has purchased a new Midway Games play-set and is now out of the house with his mom at Pizza Planet. While Andy is gone, all of your Toy Story pals have invited you to be shrunken to their size and play the games along with them.

-The interactive Mr. Potato Head Barker will stand at the entrance, urging guests to come in and play all of the games. The figure will be interactive with guests and is the latest figure to be part of the “Living Character Initiative”. He will even be able to remove various body parts at moments, something never before done by an audio animatronics figure.

-Each “Toy Story Tram” seats eight people and each individual row features two “Spring Action Shooters”. Each row will also feature an on-board LCD screen that will give players scores for each round, a cumulative score, and even a score for accuracy.

-The “Spring Action Shooters” come in 4 different colors: red, blue, green, and yellow. The importance of this is that all of the items you fire from your shooter will be of a corresponding color to the color of your shooter.

-The very first scene in the attraction will be the practice booth, where you will be introduced to how your “spring action shooter” works. This is a change from the original plan that had guests practicing as they were in the queue for the attraction.

-The first game you will play is Ham ‘N’ Eggs and is hosted by Hamm and Rex. In this game, guests will shoot eggs at knock-down targets in a barnyard setting.

-The second game is Bo Peep’s Baaaaa-Looza. This game has guests shooting darts at balloons. If you hit an air or water balloon in the game, you will be hit with an actual gust of air or burst of water.

-The next game has you joining the Green Army Men for a game that has guests throwing baseballs at plates. Hmmm, might be setting a bad example for kids here.

-After that, you move on to a Space Ring Toss game with Buzz Lightyear and the Little Green Men. Disney is already warning that this will be the most difficult game in the attraction.

-In the final scene of Toy Story Mania, guests join Woody, Jesse, Bullseye, and the Prospector for “Woody’s Round-Up”. In this game, guests will fire rubber-tipped darts at targets and then be led into a lightning round where you will have to fire as much as you can, as quickly as you can in a last effort to improve your score.

-After the final game scene, you come into a room where all the Toy Story pals review your score. Be sure to remember it, because it will disappear before the last show scene. Based on your score, you will be able to pick out a “virtual plush critter” as your prize. In the very last scene, you will see your score compared to everyone who has ever played Toy Story Mania, or your all-time rank for the hour, day, week, month, and all-time.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today for more coverage of Toy Story Mania as we come closer to the attraction’s opening to guests.

Liberty Square Bridge is Falling Down

WDWNT on March 19, 2008

As we reported a few weeks ago, the bridge that connects Liberty Square to Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom is in horrible shape. Because of this, the bridge will now have to be completely replaced and may seriously jeopardize the operation and means of operation of the many Magic Kingdom’s many parades at some point. To view the permit that was recently filed to rebuild/replace the bridge, go HERE. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today for updates on parade operations as they become available.

Toy Story Mania and WDW News Today in the News

WDWNT on March 19, 2008

All of us here at WDW News Today were over-joyed to discover that we were recently mentioned and linked to by the Los Angeles Times pertaining to Toy Story Mania. The article also features the very first review of the attraction, even though it is a review of the California Adventure version rather than the Walt Disney World version that will debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in May. You can read the LA Times review and check out our link by going HERE.

Spring in Bloom, Disney Style

WDWNT on March 19, 2008

Here is an article from the Disney Insider on the 2008 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival beginning tomorrow:

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to enter a lush garden aflutter with hundreds of butterfly wings? Or how about escaping into a serene water garden? These are just some of the adventures awaiting Guests at the Epcot International Annual Flower and Garden Festival. Celebrating its fifteenth year, the flourish-filled fest has extended its run to 75 days, from March 19 to June 1, offering a magical journey into the world of gardening. Guests are greeted by a 14-foot topiary of Goofy riding the waves at the Epcot’s front gate while Mickey and Minnie relax beachside in a nod to this year’s theme, “Fun in the Sun.” More Disney Characters will be blooming than ever before, along with specialty gardens geared toward food lovers, English tea aficionados, and even those with not-so-green thumbs.

The festival’s most popular event is Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden, where Guests can surround themselves with 500 American butterflies in a 1,400-square-foot enclosed house. With a little patience, you can observe an amazing metamorphosis as the chrysalis opens and a butterfly emerges, gently pumping newborn wings for its first attempt at flight. But there’s more to observe here than just the obvious beauty. Eric Darden, Horticulture Manager for Epcot and the Food and Garden Festival, explains that, “Telling the story of our native butterflies informs our Guests while promoting butterfly-friendly gardening.”

In addition, the festival features numerous activities that focus on green issues. Xeriscapes, a brand-new exhibit, provides an eco-conscious choice for the horticulturally challenged. Taking the country’s recent droughts into account, Eric states, “we are asking Guests to consider the environmental impact when they go home.” This easy-to-care-for garden is packed with plants requiring minimal water aside from natural precipitation, illustrating a worry-free option for the water conscious.

Advanced gardeners looking to unearth some new tips and tricks will enjoy the ongoing lecture series featuring the man in red suspenders himself, Roger Swain, longtime host of PBS’s “The Victory Garden,” along with many of the country’s top horticulturalists. Although Disney might be the “House of Mouse,” 2008’s Year of the Rat is the perfect time to explore the Chinese zodiac at the festival’s Topiary Chinese Zodiac Garden.

There’s plenty to do with little ones in tow. Every year the festival adds more activities the entire family can enjoy. For boys who don’t want to grow up, Peter Pan’s Never Land Garden is a great place to explore, with Captain Hook and Peter Pan topiaries whisking them away to a make-believe world. Proving fun is for kids of all ages, the Flower Power Concert Series, features stars like Davy Jones, the Nelsons, and other memorable acts from decades past. Annual Passholders can unwind from the afternoon grind and get grooving to some of their favorite artists. Whether your thumb’s ever-green or you’re a gardening washout, Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival offers blooms, tunes, and something truly spectacular for every member of the family.

Disney Security Over-Exposed

WDWNT on March 17, 2008

From the Associted Press:

An off-duty Disney security guard has been released from jail after being charged with indecent exposure in public, battery and child abuse, authorities said. John Briegel, 43, was arrested on Wednesday and released the same day on $6,000 bond, the Orlando Sentinel reported Friday.

A woman flagged down a Groveland police officer and told him that a neighbor had just hit her 11-year-old son in the face, the newspaper reported. The boy said he was collecting money for his school’s fundraising campaign when he rang Briegel’s doorbell four or five times, the arrest affidavit said. The boy said Briegel answered the door naked, berated him for ringing the doorbell, then struck him on the side of the head with a closed fist.

Briegel admitted answering the door nude and yelling at the boy, but he said he kept his body hidden behind the door and denied hitting the boy, according to the affidavit. Zoraya Suarez, a spokeswoman for Disney, confirmed to the Sentinel that Briegel worked for the theme park’s security department and said that he had been placed on unpaid leave pending the outcome of his case.

A telephone message left for a Disney spokeswoman by The Associated Press was not immediately returned after hours Friday. There was no telephone number listed for Briegel and it was not immediately known if he had an attorney.

Tomorrowland Speedway

WDWNT on March 17, 2008

Rumors are beginning to circulate about the “Indy” name dropping from the Tomorrowland Speedway at the Magic Kingdom. While we cannot confirm this at this time, I did want to share a rumor I have been hearing about the location. Sources have been telling me that before Walt Disney World celebrates it’s 40th Anniversary in 2011, the attraction will undergo a huge refurbishment to add electric cars and new scenery. To quote our source:

“The idea behind this refurbishment would be to make our speedway similar to the Autopia attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland, while also including scenery that tells the story of our Tomorrowland.” (ex. Stitch, Wall-E, Buzz Lightyear, and Monsters Inc. character and theming references)

While this still may be a few years away from happening, keep your eyes peeled for details on any coming changes to Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. Tomorrow looks very promising. 

Details Emerging on Toy Story Mania

WDWNT on March 17, 2008

Here are some details emerging on Toy Story Mania at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, opening soon:

-The vehicles for the attraction will be called “Toy Story Trams” and will be equipped with “Spring Action Shooters”.

-Each vehicle will feature the name and picture of a different Toy Story film character.

-The inside queue will reportedly carry on the theme of the real-life Pixar Studios.

-A new Pixar Studio Store will be located on Pixar Place, selling a lot of merchandise from the new attraction and other Disney-Pixar films.

While none of the previous notes are confirmed, they are all highly likely. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on Toy Story Mania becomes available.

Living Robot Initiative

WDWNT on March 17, 2008

The latest in the line of “living characters” at Walt Disney World (Such as Muppet Mobile Labs, Lucky the Dinosaur, and Mr. Potato Head) will be debuting soon at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Rumors are swirling that a living character of Wall-E from the upcoming Disney-Pixar film of the same name will begin roaming the streets of Pixar Place within a few weeks. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more info becomes available on this story.

Block Party Bash Review

WDWNT on March 15, 2008

To hear the Orlando Sentinel’s review and see a short video highlighting the new Block Party Bash parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, head on over to this link. Even though guest reviews have been mixed, the Sentinel has nothing but good things to say.