Jose Castillo’s 7/29/09-8/4/09 Photo Report

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Our final photo report from last week’s WDWNT group trip to Disneyland comes to us from our technical director Jose Castillo. This was actually Jose’s first trip to Disneyland, and therefore his first photo report for us here at Disneyland News Today:

The Palace of Fine Arts is all that remains of Golden Dreams

The WDWNT crew on their way to enjoy Disney’s Wall Adventure

The model in the Blue Sky Cellar shows that some sort of statue will be where that wooden structure is

A look at World of Color construction

One of the lighting towers for the show

Read More about Jose Castillo’s 7/29/09-8/4/09 Photo Report

Celebrate Package Enhancements at the Disneyland Resort in 2010

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

In 2010 every vacation package at the Disneyland Resort will include the chance to enter Mickey’s Toontown one our before it opens to the general public and participate in a unique opertunity to interact with classic Disney Characters in “Mickey’s Toontown Morning Madness”.

Every 3-day/2-night vacation package will include a Disneyland Resort Park Hopper souvenir ticket which includes admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure and preferred seating at four entertainment attractions in Disney’s California Adventure.

As always for full details on all the enchancements to the Disneyland Resort Vacation Packages visit our good friends at Magical Travel at www.magicaltravel.com or by calling 1-866-207-8387.

Perfect Photo Opportunity!

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

According to D23:

Disney’s PhotoPass cards for Summer Nightastic! are available now. Check out the back of the cards to find out how guests can receive a $10 discount on a Disney’s PhotoCD online or free shipping on the PhotoCD.

Roy E. Disney passes away at age 79

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Roy E. Disney in his office in 1985

From the Los Angeles Times:

Roy Edward Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney whose commitment to his uncle’s creative spirit prompted him to mount revolts that led to the unseating of two of the company’s chief executives and a revival of the studio’s legendary animation unit, died today. He was 79.

Disney, who had been battling stomach cancer, died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, according to Clifford A. Miller, a spokesman for Disney’s company Shamrock Holdings.

Disney toiled for years in the shadow of his famous uncle and his father, Roy O. Disney, who behind the scenes ran the business side of the Walt Disney Co. for his brother. But the quiet man in the cardigan sweater would emerge as a forceful protector of family traditions.

“People always underestimated Roy,” said Peter Schneider, the former president of Walt Disney Feature Animation. “You underestimate Roy at your peril, as many people have learned.”

Disney devoted the first 20 years of his career to making nature films, among them “Pancho, A Dog of the Plains,” “The Owl That Didn’t Give A Hoot” and an Oscar-nominated short subject “Mysteries of the Deep.” After the death of Walt in 1966 and Roy’s father in 1971, the younger Disney was spurned in his efforts to take a larger role with the company. He finally quit in 1977, but remained on its board as a director, where he was largely a figurehead.

Adrift, Disney hooked up with lawyer Stanley Gold and became a successful financier, investing successfully in a wide variety of businesses that included broadcasting, soybeans and Israeli industrial concerns through Shamrock Holdings, a company named for one Disney’s racing sloops.

During the 1980s, Gold, Disney and Shamrock became one of the better-known corporate raiders, making unsuccessful hostile takeover bids for companies such as the Polaroid Corp. camera maker and the Wherehouse Entertainment chain of music stores. Its takeover of Central Soya, a soybean processor in Fort Wayne, Ind., would yield a sizable $170-million profit for Shamrock and its partners with its subsequent sale to an Italian agricultural concern. Through investments, Gold sought to free Disney of his financial dependence on the Disney company stock he inherited. Most were successful, although Shamrock stumbled on some, particularly a money-losing investment in sneaker maker L.A. Gear.

By 1984, Disney had grown increasingly frustrated with the Walt Disney Co., which he likened to a real estate company that happened to be in the movie business. The company had let its feature animation film business, once the cornerstone of the company, deteriorate. The company, Disney would later say, had lost its creative drive.

“I said to him, ‘Roy, I think you’ve reached a point where you need to get all the way in or all the way out,’ ” Gold said. “He said, ‘What does that mean?’ I said, ‘You either need to sell your shares in Disney and go independent, or you need to put up a fight and get rid of the managers and find real managers for this business.’ ”

Read More about Roy E. Disney passes away at age 79

WDWCelebrations Hits The Road To Celebrate “Fifty-Five”

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

WDWCelebrations Heads West in 2010 to present “Fifty-Five”, a WDWCelebrations Commemorative Event Honoring the 55th Anniversary of Disneyland®

Orlando, FL, July 15, 2009 – WDWCelebrations is pleased to announce an exciting new Commemorative Event for 2010, celebrating the historic 55th anniversary of Disneyland® Park in Anaheim, California. Dubbed “Fifty-Five”, this Commemorative Event takes place Thursday through Saturday, July 15th to July 17th, 2010, and will be produced in association with our newest partner, WindowtotheMagic.

During the organization’s longest and largest Commemorative Event to date, guests will be able to enjoy favorite WDWCelebrations signature offerings such as history walks, scavenger hunts, group rides, group meals, and, of course, a few very special surprises. This event will encompass the entire Disneyland® Resort, offering fans a taste of the West Coast Disney with an East Coast twist.

WDWCelebrations warmly welcomes WindowtotheMagic to our family of treasured partners.  Paul Barrie, Jr. and his team currently produce the internet’s preeminent Disney audio podcast “A WindowtotheMagic,” as well as numerous fan DVDs.  Paul has been creating Disney-related content for the internet since 1996.

Jason Diffendal, Co-Founder of WDWCelebrations, remarks, “We are constantly looking at new opportunities to bring like-minded Disney fans together to celebrate. We couldn’t pass up an opportunity to celebrate the fifty-five years since 1955 when Walt realized his dream.  Disneyland® is Walt’s place and sets the stage for what is sure to be a spectacular event!”

Jackie Steele, Core Team Member of WDWCelebrations, adds, “Our past events have focused on the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, but this is the perfect occasion to recognize Walt Disney’s first theme park masterpiece, the one that started it all.  We are also very excited to be working with Paul Barrie Jr. and his talented team for this event.  Paul does such a great job with his podcast, and it will be a pleasure to have him on our team.”

Registration for this event will open in December 2009.  More information about the event will be released in the coming months via the WDWCelebrations.com website and newsletter as well as the WDWCelebrations official fan page on Facebook and the WDWCelebrations Twitter feed.

About WDWCelebrations, L. L. C.

WDWCelebrations, L. L. C. is a Florida-based organization created by Disney fans, dedicated to “celebrating the magic of the past, present, and future, together.”  WDWCelebrations was founded by the organizers of Celebration 25, which commemorated the 25th anniversary of Epcot® in 2007.  WDWCelebrations Commemorative Events are designed to celebrate milestones in Disney park history.  More information about WDWCelebrations and its events can be found at http://www.wdwcelebrations.com.

About “A WindowtotheMagic”

WindowtotheMagic is owned and operated by Paul Barrie, Jr.  Paul has been creating Disney-related content for the internet since 1996, and visits Disneyland® many times a year to record audio and video for his podcast, “A WindowtotheMagic.”  More information can be found at http://www.windowtothemagic.com.

Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney World® Resort are registered trademarks of The Walt Disney Company.

Chuck Canzoneri’s 7/6/09 Photo Report

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Chuck Canzoneri returns with a new Disneyland Resort photo report:

Lots of unexpected barriers up. Behind these tarps, some fresh asphalt had been laid in

Loading to the left, unloading the right. Hopefully this’ll make things work much more smoothly

Looks like some freshly painted railings around the Hub

The railings surrounding the Matterhorn were so freshly painted at rope drop…

…the painters were still there

Read More about Chuck Canzoneri’s 7/6/09 Photo Report

DLR Photo Report – 7/6/09

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

I’m back from a wonderful evening trip yesterday to the Disneyland Resort. Even though I visited both parks, this photo report only covers Mickey and Friends and Disney’s California Adventure. So let’s get to this photo report:

Some work going on at the Mickey and Friends Tram Station. The tram only loads on the right side at the moment

As I got into DCA, the Pixar Play Parade started, so here are some photos

The Ratatouile unit has finally returned to the parade

Read More about DLR Photo Report – 7/6/09

Tom Corless’ DLR Pin Report From The Museum of Pintiquities

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Tom Corless of WDW News Today attended last weekend’s Museum of Pintiquities pin celebration in Walt Disney World, which provided some exciting previews of pins coming soon to the Disneyland Resort. Here are some of his photos:

The upcoming Piece of History pins include the Main Street Train Station, the Emporium, and the Swiss Family Treehouse. Upcoming Walt’s Classic Collection sets include Bambi (out tomorrow), Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, and Cinderella

The next Celebrate Everyday pins include Maleficant, the Cheshire Cat, Goofy and Donald, the Hitchhiking Ghosts, and (it looks like) the Queen of Hearts). Upcoming Pin Trading Knights pins include Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Jack Skellington, Pluto, and Stitch

The first of what I’m sure will be many World of Color pins. This pin set featuring art currently on the construction walls for the show will be released on July 23rd

D23 Expo member exclusive pin

Read More about Tom Corless’ DLR Pin Report From The Museum of Pintiquities

July 4th Trip Planner

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

To prepare everyone visiting the Disneyland Resort during this holiday weekend, I wanted to go over the entertainment schedule for July 4th, as well as the park hours, to make sure everyone can successfully see what they want to see:

  • Disneyland will be open from 8:00am to 12:00am all weekend.
  • “Celebrate! A Street Party” will be performed every day at 3:30pm and 6:30pm.
  • The special fourth of July holiday fireworks show, “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky”, will be performed at 9:25pm starting tonight and running through Sunday night. According to D23, the shows on July 2nd, 3rd, and 5th will be a condensed version, only 8 minutes long, compared to the full show on July 4th which is 13 minutes long and will have much more pyro. The regular fireworks show, Magical, will return on Monday.
  • Fantasmic will have three performances on July 4th, at 9:00pm, 10:30pm, and 11:30pm.
  • Suburban Legends will be performing through-out the night on July 4th at the TLT Dance Club, beginning at 7:00pm.
  • Disney’s California Adventure will be open from 10:00am to 10:00pm on July 4th.
  • The Pixar Play Parade will be performed as usual at 5:15pm.
  • Disney’s Electrical Parade will also be performed at its usual time of 8:45pm.

If you are planning to visit the Disneyland Resort this weekend, be aware crowds will be massive. Disneyland may even be closed in the afternoon due to the park reaching capacity, and you’ll be re-directed to DCA. Parking may also be an isssue, as I explained in this recent post. For the full entertainment schedule on July 4th, which includes smaller entertainment venues around the parks, click HERE.

And So It Begins…

WDWNT on January 1, 1970

Some helpful information for everyone planning to use Disneyland parking lots during their next visit. According to the Disney’s California Adventure Project Tracker, the Timon parking lot will be closing permanently on July 6th to make room for additional backstage work, as well as eventually to begin construction on Cars Land. My advice on parking is to go straight to Mickey and Friends, as that will now be your easiest option. Keep in mind though that Disney may re-direct you to other parking lots, such as Buzz Lightyear, Simba, the Anaheim GardenWalk, the Anaheim Convention Center, etc.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest on the 1 billion dollar refurbishment to Disney’s California Adventure.