WDWNT’s Chris Lastrapes was at the Disneyland Resort briefly on Friday, and he was kind enough to share some of his photos with us:
This promotion allows you to get a free child ticket to see “The Princess and the Frog” when an adult presents their paid admission ticket or Annual Pass at a select merchandise location. The child ticket will be valid only when an adult purchases an adult ticket to see the movie from December 11th through December 31st
After coming back from the Disneyland Resort on Friday, Myrna Litt returned Saturday morning to spend the weekend there so she could participate in the CHOC Walk in the Park today. Here’s her photo report from the CHOC Walk, as well as other happenings around the Disneyland Resort:
An old-fashioned Disney Vacation Club car stationed outside the entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel
Read More about Myrna Litt’s 10/17-10/18/09 Disneyland Resort and CHOC Walk Photo Report
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Did you know the Disneyland Resort has several services available for guests with visual and hearing disabilities? I am 40 percent deaf, and I didn’t know about Disney’s Handheld Device until last month.
I’ve never been able to hear all of the audio in attractions such as the Enchanted Tiki Room, and I’ve often wondered if I’m missing some of the rich storytelling that Walt Disney Imagineers carefully and creatively incorporate into all of the attractions at the Resort. Now, thanks to Disney’s Handheld Device, I won’t be missing those special details anymore.
Today, I thought I’d give you a quick rundown of this service in case you or someone you know can benefit from this really cool tool.
Disney’s Handheld Device is a palm-sized wireless device that was developed in 2002. The device features several services, including Assistive Listening, which provides amplified audio at 12 attractions, and Handheld Captioning, which displays text for 14 attractions.
A new service was just added yesterday. Audio Description, now available at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, provides narrated audio for guests with visual disabilities by describing visual attraction elements, such as actions, settings and scene changes.
The audio below is from the Audio Description for the Haunted Mansion. We’ve layered in some clips from the attraction to show what the audio is describing.
Audio Description is being offered at 19 attractions at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks: Enchanted Tiki Room, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, ‘it’s a small world’, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Disneyland Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience”, It’s Tough to be a Bug!, Turtle Talk with Crush, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!, and Muppet*Vision 3D.
So, now that you know all about it, where do you get it? Guests with visual or hearing disabilities can obtain a handheld device at the Guest Relations offices, near the entrances to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks. The devices are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is a fully-refundable $100 daily deposit for use.
This holiday season, Annual Passholders Can Enjoy Special Holiday Savings and Offers!
Now through January 3, 2010 all So Cal Select, Southern California and Deluxe Passport holders receive 10% off all purchases at select Disneyland Resort stores. For the same time period Premium Passholders receive a 20% discount (usually 10%).
And why is December 5 such a good day to start – or finish – your holiday shopping? Because that’s the day that APs enjoy early shopping opportunities at the World of Disney store. From 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., you’ll enjoy incredible discounts of up to 50% off select items, plus door busters and “Donald’s Deals.” The first 1,000 shoppers at the World of Disney store at the Disneyland Resort will receive a complimentary Vinylmation gift.
Disney fans are wild about Vinylmation, a collectible series of vinyl Mickey figures available at select Disney Theme Park locations. Each collectible series contains 3″ figures in 11 “revealed” designs and 1 “mystery chaser” design that are packaged in blind boxes. You won’t know which design you’ve got until you’ve open the box! Vinylmation figures are also available as limited edition 9″ figures. Join us during the World of Disney store Annual Passholder Event on December 5, 2009 and receive 20% off your purchase of any vinylmation figures (that’s in addition to your 10% Annual Passholder discount)! Offer valid while supplies last during the Annual Passholder Event.
In addition, December 5 -12, Annual Passholders can take advantage of shopping opportunities and savings at participating Downtown Disney District locations including World of Disney store, Studio Disney 365, Build-A-Bear Workshop, RIDEMAKERZ, Jamba Juice, Haagen-Dazs, Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria and more.
You can see the complete list by clicking HERE.
The much anticipated Dreamfinder 9″ Figment 3″ combo Vinylmation was released today at D-Street Orlando and California! This is a perfect use of the 9″, 3″ combo and the detailed depiction of these two Disney fan favorites in spot on.
Dreamfinder and Figment were the stars of the former Journey into Imagination ride at EPCOT. The ride opened in 1983 and the pair happily entertained audiences for 15 years. In 1998, the ride was refurbished and Dreamfinder was taken out and Figment’s role was reduced. Guests were very upset. One of the only places in Disney to get your Dreamfinder fix these days is in Mouse Gears. One of Dreamfinder’s flying machines now decorates the EPCOT Mouse Gears store.
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Big news…Today we’re sharing details and concept art that will give the Disneyland Hotel a fun, fresh makeover. The pool area is getting a whole new look, including a brand-new pool, all-new immersive water play area and a complete redesign of the Never Land Pool. Plans also call for a new restaurant and bar, and re-theming of the hotel’s three guest room towers.
The biggest transformation (and what I’m most looking forward to) are the changes coming to the pool area. With a nod to the iconic original park signage, “Disneyland” will be spelled out in familiar blocks atop a platform supporting two huge water slides (the larger slide will be 26 feet high and will stretch 187 feet before it plunges into a splash pool below). Reminiscent of the original Monorail station at the Disneyland Hotel, at each slide’s entrance will sit a replica Monorail Car that guests will glide through as they twist and turn their way to the pool below. The pool will also feature a third, two-lane mini slide, perfect for little ones, which is just 3 1/2 feet high and is 19 feet long.
The Never Land Pool will receive a complete cosmetic makeover but will retain its unique shape. A new, four-foot deep pool will be built between the Never Land Pool and the water play area. A footbridge will stretch over this new pool, connecting both sides of the courtyard area and giving easy access across the property. Six new cabanas will also be added. To help you visualize all these exciting, new changes, here’s a rendering from an aerial view.
And that’s not all! Two new dining locations will be introduced in the current location of Hook’s Pointe, Croc’s Bites and Bits, the Wine Cellar and the Lost Bar. A new “smart casual” dining concept will feature Tahitian architecture that is reminiscent of the ’50s and ’60s era of the hotel and the original Tahitian Terrace restaurant in Disneyland park. A new bar will draw on the adventure theme from the Jungle Cruise attraction.
The new water play area, pool and dining locations are scheduled to be completed by summer 2011, and the remodeled Never Land Pool is slated to be completed by summer 2012.
The hotel’s three guest room towers will be renamed to reflect Disneyland park’s distinctive lands. The Dreams Tower, currently under renovation and scheduled to be completed in 2010, will become the Adventure Tower. The Wonder Tower, next to undergo transformation and slated for completion in 2011, will be the Frontier Tower, and the Magic Tower, which will be finished in 2012, will become the Fantasy Tower. A large marquee featuring classic artwork for Adventureland, Frontierland and Fantasyland will identify each tower.
As if Star Tours wasn’t enough news for one weekend out team is attending Destination D as well. One of the biggest annoucments today of course is the return of the Enchanted Tiki Room, which will feature a new show according to the Disney Parks Blog which is “reminiscent of the original show”. Here is a quick photo report from the team at Destination D thus far. Sorry for the quality but we wanted to get them to you as soon as we could. Stay tuned for a full report from Tom and the team when they return next week from all the events.
New Logo…Very Retro
-A recap of some Star Tours concept art and pre-show was covered with Imagineer Jason Surell. Surell commented that he didn’t want the Hoth battle in Star Tours since it didn’t fit the story but Lucas’s reaction was “who cares”.
The presentation continued with the Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Read More about Return to the Enchanted Tiki Room and More From D23’s Destination D
To nobody’s surprise, Walt Disney World ticket prices are going to rise on June 12th. Here’s the story from Thomas Smith on the Disney Parks Blog:
We wanted to let you know that ticket prices are increasing at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. The new prices go into effect on June 12, but today we’re sharing an early look at pricing details as well as some existing special values for Florida and California residents.
At Walt Disney World Resort, the Magic Your Way ticket offers a variety of options for you to customize your ticket purchase and save on your visit. Florida residents can also take advantage of the monthly payment plan we launched last year to give them greater flexibility when they purchase an annual pass. All updated pricing isposted on the Blog and also will be added to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tickets-passes/.
And at Disneyland Resort, details about ticket prices are posted on a special page we’ve created on the Disney Parks Blog. The information will also be available at http://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets/ on June 12, including details about special summer values for Southern California and Northern Baja residents, as well as our Southern California resident pass, which is more popular than ever with the monthly payments option.
What began quietly with a job swap between Hollywood Studios VP Rilous Carter and Epcot VP Dan Cockerell has now exploded into a full Disney Parks management shake-up. In the days following, Walt Disney Parks and Resort president Al Weiss “retired” after 39 years with the company, prompting Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Tom Staggs to announce that the position would not be filled. Now, the plans become clear…
Walt Disney World president Meg Crofton now finds herself as president, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, U.S. and France. No longer is she only president over Disney World, but now over the Disneyland Resort & Disneyland Resort Paris as well. Crofton has been president of Walt Disney World since 2006 and has been with the company for over 30 years.
Karl Holz, president, New Vacation Operations and Disney Cruise Line, will take on a new leading role for Disney Vacation Club, in addition to maintaining roles at Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney and Aulani.
What does this change mean for the Disney Parks and Resorts during this time of rapid expansion? Probably good things. Disneyland Resort & Disneyland Resort Paris have not been sound in theme park operations. Basic crowd for control for parades & shows at Disneyland are a nightmare, the way shops and restaurants are operated are appalling, and on too many occasions I have seen hourly cast members handle guests in the most un-Disney ways. Upkeep of the parks is no better in California either, I have seen my share of ride breakdowns and missing/non-working effects on the west coast. As for Disneyland Paris, the recent boost in funds for park upkeep are no doubt coming from management shake-ups there.
Some fans are heralding this as the beginning of another dark age for the Parks and Resorts, which is probably a little overdramatic. Under this management, Florida and California are seeing the biggest construction projects in their history and Disneyland Paris is slowly turning the corner on two decades of under performance. Without a doubt, the future of the Parks and Resorts will be announced at the D23 Expo, projects that will take us beyond Cars Land and the Fantasyland Expansion. I think only at that point can we judge if the direction is for better or for worse.
The Walt Disney World website was already calling the 2012 leap year “The Year of More Magic”, it now appears Disney Parks will be giving us “One More Disney Day” with an announcement during Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve. The rumor floating around is that the Disney Parks in the U.S. will be open from the beginning to the end of Leap Day, February 29, 2012. If this is the case, this will be the first time in the history of the parks that they operated for over a day without closing. Again, this is just a rumor at this time, but we fully expect this to be the announcement made on December 31, 2011. Stay tuned as more information becomes available.
On a side note, the official site confirms the end of “Let the Memories Begin” on December 31, 2011.
