American Idol to Kick-Off Auditions at Disney World, Disney Springs to Host Pop-Up Audition Kiosk

WDWNT on August 20, 2017

American Idol will begin its search for hopefuls at Walt Disney World before debuting on ABC this Fall.

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American Idol will kick off open auditions at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World. The iconic American Idol bus will roll into Disney Springs for auditions taking place on THURSDAY, AUGUST 17. Idol-winners Jordin Sparks, Kris Allen and Ruben Studdard will make a special appearance and greet lucky audition participants during the kickoff celebration of the search for America’s next superstar.

Think you could be the next American Idol and are interested in attending this open audition with American Idol producers? Here are some important details: Early arrival is encouraged. Parking will be available beginning at 4 a.m. at the surface parking lot on the West Side of Disney Springs, near House of Blues and Cirque du Soleil. (No overnight camping, please.) Registration begins at 6 a.m. and closes at 12 p.m. (or sooner, due to capacity). Due to venue capacity, Disney Springs can accommodate a total of 4,000 audition participants. The auditions will begin at 8 a.m. and will take place outdoors, therefore it’s advised to bring water, sunscreen, and a hat.

All singers must be at least 15 years old to audition. Pre-registration is encouraged. To pre-register and for more information, audition details, locations, full eligibility requirements, submission forms, and terms and conditions, visit americanidol.com. Those auditioning can bring one guest to accompany them and the guest must be over five years old.

When the bus rolls away at the end of the day, Central Florida hopefuls will still have the chance to become a part of Idol history by auditioning via the American Idol pop-up audition kiosk, which will be at Disney Springs on FRIDAY, AUGUST 18 through FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. During regular Disney Springs operating hours, visitors can create and submit their very own audition video at the kiosk.

“American Idol” Auditions To Be Held At Walt Disney World, Disneyland

WDWNT on May 18, 2017

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TMZ is reporting that with “American Idol” now coming back and airing on ABC, that auditions will be held at Walt Disney World and possibly even Disneyland Resort.

From TMZ:

Yep, TMZ has learned the show will shoot audition weeks at Walt Disney World in Orlando. We’re told there are 2 reasons:

— It promotes a huge brand within the Disney company — amusement parks.

— It’s way more cost-effective than travelling the show to various cities.

A source familiar with the deal tells us there’s also talk of doing some of the auditions at Disneyland on the West Coast.

It would also give the show a cross-section of America and beyond, without having to hit the road.

Money is definitely an issue. The show got too expensive to produce, which is why it went off the air a year ago, and this will save a considerable sum.

Of course, Walt Disney World used to host auditions of sort for the show when it was on FOX through the American Idol Experience attraction, which is now long gone.

Source: TMZ

Tom Corless’ 8/23-8/29/12 WDW Photo Report

WDWNT on December 21, 2012

I visited the Walt Disney World Resort last week covering all four of the theme parks and I have plenty of newsworthy pictures to share, so let’s take a look at what’s happening around the Vacation Kingdom:

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The Rainforest Cafe sign inside Animal Kingdom is still missing

Beastly Bazaar is closed to become a character meet and greet experience this Fall

Wreck-It Ralph has taken over the display at the exit of the Magic of Disney Animation show

Vannelope is voiced by Sarah Silverman

That cake looks so real…

The game Fix-It Felix is inspired by games such as Rampage and Donkey Kong

Ralph even started as a monster just like one you would find in Rampage

Niceland is the city in the game

Ralph and Felix

Hero’s Duty might end up being the darkest looking scenes in any Disney animated film ever…

Hero’s Duty is inspired by games such as Gears of War and Halo

Voiced by Jane Lynch

Sugar Rush is inspired by games such as Mario Kart

Looks like a possible villain to me…

They were painting the next Ink and Paint Cell to be released while I was there

A Hatbox Ghost big figure has been released

There’s also a new Stitch figure

For the first time in ages, the decorations in The Studio Store do not represent a single new film!

Nice to see the original intended decorations back for once

Banners for Finding Nemo 3D up

The LEgend of Jack Sparrow building was painted blue

Walls are now up near the front of the building

The menu has been drastically changed at Backlot Express

BUFFALO CHICKEN BREAST NUGGETS! AHHHHHHH!

Next-Gen FASTPASS preparations already made at American Idol

Moving over to Epcot, work continues on the new Disney Vacation Club booth near Canada

A strange wall has popped up in the queue for Journey Into Imagination

Possibly FASTPASS related?

The Kim Possible sign-up areas in Innoventions have been completely removed

While passing by on the monorail we could see that the new parking lot for the Grand Floridian DVC wing is almost complete

Moving on to the Magic Kingdom, the park is ready for Halloween

There is a new banner at the beginning of Celebrate a Dream Come True

I’m not sure when it happened, but Mickey and Minnie are in normal clothing on their float

The Junioe Jungle Boats outside of the Jungle Cruise have reportedly been closed permanently

Next-gen FASTPASS ready to go at the Jungle Cruise

Same at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Meanwhile, some rather drastic queue modifications have been made at Pirates of the Caribbean

There is now a point where the two queues meet

Work continues on the former Fantasyland Skyway site, soon to be home to a new walkway and restrooms

Thought this was an interesting shot as it gives you an idea of where the Mine Train will be as you walk into Fantasyland

Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train construction

The Castle Walls are nearing completion

Some work being done on the roof of Mickey’s Philharmagic

Most of the Snow White facade is now gone in preparation for Princess Fairytale Hall

Grass continues to be installed on the roof of Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

The signage has been installed on Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus

I LOVE the popcorn lights…

FOOD!

Some new Space Mountain shirts are available

Moving back to Fantasyland, the lights were on inside the Castle Walls

Lights were on in the Beauty and the Beast area as well

They were testing lighting on the turrets of the Castle Walls as well

The Mickey-O-Lanterns are much brighter and actually flicker this year

The American Idol Outside the Experience

WDWNT on May 29, 2009

Disney has released a few press photos from today’s events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, so let’s take a look at them while we wait for WDWNT’s own coverage:

"American Idol" Kris Allen honored at Disney World in Florida

“American Idol” season eight winner Kris Allen performs May 29, 2009 his rendition of the Kanye West song “Heartless” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Allen performed the hit song for thousands of theme park guests. On May 20, 2009, Allen was crowned the newest “American Idol” on the season finale of the popular television show. Following his win, Allen looked into a television camera and triumphantly shouted “I’m Going to Disney World!” for the iconic Disney ad. Fittingly, Allen’s visit occurred as Disney Parks asks guests, “What Will You Celebrate?” Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. (Garth Vaughan, photographer)

"American Idol" Kris Allen honored at Disney World in Florida

“American Idol” season eight winner Kris Allen gets into the celebratory spirit May 29, 2009 by singing a song to Minnie Mouse during a photo opportunity at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. On May 20, 2009, Allen was crowned the newest “American Idol” on the season finale of the popular television show. Following his win, Allen looked into a television camera and triumphantly shouted “I’m Going to Disney World!” for the iconic Disney ad. Fittingly, Allen’s visit occurred as Disney Parks asks guests, “What Will You Celebrate?” Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. (Mark Ashman, photographer)

5/26/09 World News Round-Up

WDWNT on May 26, 2009

Since there are a few interesting pieces of news making the rounds today, I thought I would cover them all in one post. The first piece is from Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel and talks about Innoventions at Epcot, making brief mention of a new exhibit coming soon on behalf of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research:

Speaking of cows, Innoventions, the corporate-sponsored showcase at Epcot, is quite a cash cow for Walt Disney World.

A story in Friday’s Sentinel revealed just how much companies like T. Rowe Price and Raytheon pay to be part of the exhibits that Disney bills as platforms for advanced technology: about $1million a year, generating about $10 million a year in revenue for Disney.

In at least one instance, though, Disney is giving away some of the space. It pledged to do so as one of the lesser-known components of the incentive package to lure La Jolla, Calif.-based Burnham to Orlando three years ago.

Disney may make good on that promise as early as this summer with a “three-dimensional” display devoted to Burnham, though a Disney spokeswoman said a date had not been set.

Public documents related to the incentive deal never put a dollar figure on the donation of space at Innoventions, but Disney clearly considers it to be a primo marketing stage.

In case you ever wondered how deftly Disney pitches its sponsorship opportunities, this should give you an idea: The company goes as far as to boast of a “halo effect” for companies associated with the Disney name.

The story cited a document written by a Disney salesman to pitch a potential client on space at Innoventions.

“Our research shows that guests perceive a company inside Innoventions as a world-leader in their specific field,” he wrote. “From a psychographic standpoint, guests entering Innoventions enter with an open mind that is ready to be entertained. This is simply a different mind-set from that of a consumer inside of a store, watching television at home or sitting in front of a sales agent.”

As part of the upcoming rebranding of Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex into the ESPN Wide World of Sports, a new sports research facility will be constructed on-site. Also from Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World and ESPN are building a new research facility at the Wide World of Sports complex.

Dubbed the “ESPN Innovation Lab,” the facility will allow the cable-sports giant to test new applications such as virtual graphics during events staged at Disney’s sports venues. Think concepts such as the “EA Virtual Playbook” that ESPN has used as part of its pro football and basketball coverage or the strike-zone graphics used during baseball games.

Because the Wide World of Sports venues are in year-round use, ESPN believes they will make an ideal spot to test and tweak new broadcasting concepts during actual in-game conditions. Disney World and ESPN are both owned by the Walt Disney Co.

The lab, which will be housed in a renovated building at Wide World of Sports, won’t be a typical tourist attraction. ESPN intends it to be a working research facility, though it’ll likely include big bay windows that allow people to look in and see the company’s emerging-technology staff at work.
ESPN has already moved five employees to Orlando from its Bristol, Conn., headquarters to work at the lab, and more could follow. The Innovation Lab is expected to formally open this fall.

The final news piece from the Orlando Sentinel’s Dewayne Bevil tells us when we can see American Idol winner Kris Allen at Walt Disney World:

This just in: American Idol winner Kris Allen, true to his TV commercial word, is coming to Disney World on Friday, May 29. Disney confirms that — but other details have not been announced. We’ll share when they do, but a safe bet certainly includes a stop by the American Idol Experience, which opened earlier this year to much Idol fanfare at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Stay tuned.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to get more information on all of these breaking news stories.