Lakers vs. Magic, Crofton vs. Grier, Disney World vs. Disneyland

WDWNT on June 3, 2009

Look’s like we may actually see Ed Grier in the parks after the Orlando Magic win the NBA Finals:

ANAHEIM, Calif./LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (June 3, 2009) – Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton and Disneyland President Ed Grier are squaring off – all in fun – as their local teams, the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers, head for the NBA Finals. With both Disney parks asking guests “What Will You Celebrate?” in 2009, Grier and Crofton are getting in the act, making a celebratory wager on the outcome of the NBA Finals:

If the Magic win, Grier will walk down Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland park wearing a pair of specially made Mickey Mouse ears in Magic blue and silver. If the Lakers win, Crofton will don a pair of Lakers’ purple and gold mouse ears and walk down Main Street, U.S.A. at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom.

Lakers Celebration at Disneyland

“The Lakers are going to make your team very Grumpy this week,” predicted Grier to Crofton.

MORE 'MAGIC' AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM; DISNEY WORLD ROOTS FOR THE MA

“But we have ‘Magic’ on our side,” countered Crofton. “And isn’t that what Disney is all about?”

Crofton and Grier went through their respective parks Wednesday looking for supporters. Grier shot some hoops with Donald and Pluto in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, while Crofton (along with Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale) drummed up Orlando Magic support in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort. The park presidents even pledged to turn the lights of their respective castles to their team colors in celebration of the historic pairing.

A Magical Preview

WDWNT on June 3, 2009

According to the OC Register’s Around Disney blog:

Guests at Disneyland on Thursday night will likely get a sneak peek at Disneyland’s new summer fireworks spectacular “Magical.”

The new fireworks show officially begins nightly on June 12, but Disney officials plan to test it out in a rehearsal around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday – depending upon weather and scheduling.

Disney characters Tinker Bell and Dumbo, the flying elephant, will take to the skies over Disneyland to lead the pyrotechnics, synchronize to popular Disney music that recalls “Pinocchio,” “Mary Poppins” and “Cinderella.”

It marks the first new summertime fireworks show at Disneyland since the park’s 50th anniversary in 2005. It’s also the first time Dumbo has appeared in a fireworks show, flying over Sleeping Beauty Castle.

After all the kinks are worked out and the show officially gets under way next week, it will run nightly through Sept. 7.

“We’re all looking forward to seeing what our entertainment team has come up with this time,” said John McClintock, a Disneyland spokesman.

Kitson Kids Coming Soon to Downtown Disney

WDWNT on June 2, 2009

According to the OC Register’s Around Disney blog:

In other Downtown Disney news, another shop is coming soon. Called Kitson Kids, it will open in the location of the recently closed Starabillas, next to the AMC Theaters and across from Rainforest Cafe.

Kitson Kids is a division of Kitson Boutique on Los Angeles’s Robertson Boulevard and is noted for its frequent celebrity spottings. Both Kitson and Kitson Kids sell brands such as Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren.

This Summer is Going to Be Nightastic!

WDWNT on June 2, 2009

Disney put up a new website today promoting “Summer Nightastic!”. This new website offers an overview of the new entertainment experiences coming this summer (the new fireworks show Magical, changes to Disney’s Electrical Parade and Fantasmic, nighttime lighting of Pixie Hollow, and the TLT Dance Club at the Tomorrowland Terrace), 2 commercials (one an overview of “Summer Nightastic!” and the other on the changes to Fantasmic), and lots more. There’s also a downloadable 3D Fantasmic dragon, as well as a pdf of the entire schedule for the summer over at the TLT Dance Club.

Bellow are a few screen-shots from the website:

The new Cheshire Cat in Disney’s Electrical Parade is featured on this page

The Disneyland by Day and Night page has the familiar concept art of the new Tinker Bell float in Disney’s Electrical Parade

To view this amazing website, click HERE.

Vacation Villa With a View

WDWNT on May 29, 2009

With the scheduled late-September opening of The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, Disneyland Resort guests will be able to kick back in home-like surrounds in the middle of the magic, with windows of some units framing views of Disney vacation fun. The opening of the 50 two-bedroom equivalent vacation villas marks Disney Vacation Club’s first accommodations on the West Coast. While members of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) have “first dibs,” overnight guests can rent the units on an availability basis.

With the scheduled late-September opening of The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, vacationers at Disneyland Resort in California – whether Disney Vacation Club Members or overnight guests – will be able to unwind and stretch out in an environment that celebrates the influences of California’s renowned Arts & Crafts style of the late 19th and early 20th century. The villas are part of a Grand Californian expansion that also includes more than 200 new hotel rooms, a new swimming pool and underground valet parking. The hotel currently offers 745 rooms. Depicted in this rendering is the north courtyard of the Grand Californian.

Myrna Litt’s 5/20/09 Disneyland Park Photo Report

WDWNT on May 22, 2009

It’s once again time for a Disneyland Park photo report from our very own Myrna Litt:

A beautiful spring morning on Main Street USA

Disneyland is getting ready for Memorial Day Weekend

Astro Orbitor is getting a new, much nicer color scheme, which I personally like very much!

Sleeping Beauty Castle looking very pretty

A few scenery shots from around Critter Country

Read More about Myrna Litt’s 5/20/09 Disneyland Park Photo Report

D23 Annonces Summer Line-Up of Member-Only Special Events

WDWNT on May 14, 2009

Whether you’re in Orlando, Anaheim, Burbank, Las Vegas, New York, or Chicago, D23 members have some very special events coming their way this summer. Here is a press release about the events, as well as an upcoming D23 contest:

DISNEY’S D23 FAN COMMUNITY ANNOUNCES
SUMMER 2009 SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR

Unique Experiences Created Exclusively for Charter Members of
“The Official Community for Disney Fans”

BURBANK, CALIF – May 14, 2009 – Disney’s D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans today announced its Summer 2009 Special Events Calendar.  From very special screenings and stepping behind-the-scenes with Mary Poppins to visiting the legendary Walt Disney Studios and Archives to being among the first to experience the new Walt Disney Family Museum, D23’s inaugural slate of Members-only events promises outstanding, unforgettable opportunities that are exclusive to the fan community’s Charter Membership.

“D23 Members are Disney’s biggest fans, and they’re always looking for distinctive, memorable ways to celebrate the things they love most about Disney,” said Steven Clark, Head of D23.  “For our inaugural season of events and contests, we’ve created an experientially and geographically diverse calendar that we know our Members will enjoy and remember fondly for years.”

SUMMER 2009 CHARTER MEMBER-ONLY SPECIAL EVENTS:

May 28 D23 “Up All Night” at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre (FREE)
(Los Angeles, CA) — Theatergoers across the country will soon meet the unlikely duo of 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen and 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer Russell in Disney•Pixar’s latest adventure, Up.   D23 Members will be among the first to see the film at this free event at the historic El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on May 28, 2009.  The fun begins with a special pin trading event, followed by an all new Disney stage show and a screening of the new Disney-Pixar short Partly Cloudy and the highly anticipated and critically acclaimed Up!   And it wouldn’t be a D23 event without a few other special surprises and guests!

May 31          D23’s Flowers & Fireworks Celebration at Epcot (FREE with park admission)
(Orlando, FL) – Join D23 at Epcot at the Walt Disney World  Resort to celebrate its members in all 50 states and more than 25 countries worldwide!  Start the evening at the American Gardens Theatre with reserved seating for the Flower Power Concert Series Finale, starring the legendary Tony Orlando, to close the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.  Next, head to a VIP location to mix and mingle with your fellow D23 members over desserts and coffee, and then enjoy the spectacular nighttime extravaganza IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth from a private viewing area.

June 24         D23’s Supercalifragilistic Night on Broadway
(New York, NY) — Disney’s award-winning musical Mary Poppins recently celebrated its 1,000th performance on Broadway and on June 24, 2009, D23 Members are being offered the opportunity to meet one another and share in the magic with premium seats, merchandise discounts and an opportunity to stay after the show for a special “behind-the-scenes” experience at the historic New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.  D23 Members also will receive the recently released 2-Disc Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Special Edition DVD, courtesy of our friends at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

June 24         D23 and Poppins Breeze into The Windy City
(Chicago, IL) — Mary Poppins blew into the Windy City on March 25, 2009 and original Broadway stars Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee have been delighting audiences at the Cadillac Palace Theatre ever since.  On June 24, 2009, D23 Members will have the chance to experience the “practically perfect” Mary Poppins like never before, with premium seats, merchandise discounts, complimentary souvenir program and a once-in-a-lifetime “behind-the-scenes” experience.  D23 Members also will receive the recently released 2-Disc Mary Poppins 45th Anniversary Special Edition DVD, courtesy of our friends at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

June 27         D23 and The Lion King Roar in Vegas
(Las Vegas, NV) — After entertaining more than 45 million guests in theatres around the world, Simba and Nala have roared their way onto the world famous Las Vegas Strip.  On June 27, 2009, D23 will host a special night at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, with premium seating for The Lion King, a “behind-the-scenes” experience and more, available exclusively to D23 Members.

June 27 & Aug. 15          D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives (FREE)
(Burbank, CA) — A rare opportunity for D23 Members to enjoy a 2-hour tour of The Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Archives, hosted by D23 and Disney Archives staff.  Only two dates are available for the Summer 2009 Calendar and space is limited.

July 17           D23 presents Disneyland, U.S.A. (FREE)
(Anaheim, CA) — Celebrate Disneyland’s 54th Anniversary with a special screening of Walt Disney’s recently restored 1956 “People and Places” featurette Disneyland, U.S.A., as well as a panel discussion including Imagineer Tony Baxter, Disney Legend and Chief Archivist Dave Smith, and Disney Studios Film Archivist Ed Hobelman.  The event will take place at Disneyland’s Team Disney Anaheim Theater and will be followed by a D23 Member reception.

Sept TBD      The Walt Disney Family Museum Preview (FREE)
(San Francisco, CA) – Prior to its October 2009 Grand Opening, D23 members will have the opportunity to experience The Walt Disney Family Museum, celebrating the life and achievements of the man who raised animation to an art, transformed the film industry, tirelessly pursued innovation, and created a global and distinctly American legacy.  This special preview will be hosted by the Museum’s Executive Director Richard Benefield.  Dates and details will be available soon.

To find out more about D23’s Summer 2009 Special Events Calendar, including admissions and how to register for events, visit www.disney.com/D23 and click on the “Expo & Events” tab.  All D23 Special Events are subject to change without notice, have varying admission fees and registration processes, and may require advance reservations due to space limitations.

SUMMER 2009 CHARTER MEMBER-ONLY CONTEST:

In addition to D23’s inaugural slate of special events, the fan community is also pleased to announce its first Member-only contest.  This summer, one lucky D23 Member and a guest will have the chance to win an incredible getaway package to join the pack at Pride Rock and see The Lion King in Las Vegas including 2-nights accommodation at the Mandalay Bay Resort and much more. To enter, D23 Members are being asked to tell us what they love most about The Lion King in 300 words or less.  To enter, D23 Members are being asked to tell us what they love most about The Lion King in 300 words or less.  A complete list of rules/ regulations and more information will be available www.disney.com/D23 in early June.

Stephen Thomas’ 5/8/09 Photo Report

WDWNT on May 10, 2009

We here at Disneyland News Today would like to welcome Stephen Thomas as our newest staff photographer! While Stephen won’t be visiting the Resort as much as some of our other photographers, his amazing pictures and video will indeed make up for that. Let’s now get to Stephen’s first photo report:

The state of the Astro Orbitor as of yesterday. They started putting some of the pieces back up today

Mickey’s Fun Wheel re-opened last week

The sunburst on California Screamin’

The fountains being installed for World of Color

Corn Dog Castle closes June 1st to be re-themed

Read More about Stephen Thomas’ 5/8/09 Photo Report

Glass Acts

WDWNT on May 7, 2009

According to D23:

For one crisp spring morning, Main Street, U.S.A. transformed into Memory Lane as the tiny township welcomed its newest residents — Don Edgren and Rolly Crump — to the neighborhood. Before the park officially opened its gates for the day on April 29, family, friends and fans of the two Disney Legends gathered to celebrate the former Imagineers’ initiation into an exclusive club of fictional shop owners. Walt Disney Imagineering Ambassador Marty Sklar and Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier were also on hand to dedicate the store windows to these two men who played such vital and historic roles in the history of The Walt Disney Company.

Walt started the tradition of store window dedications back in 1955, the year his Magic Kingdom first opened its gates. Realizing that the shops lining Main Street, U.S.A. needed names, he decided to use the real names of employees who went above and beyond the call of duty to help him achieve his dream. Walt’s special way of saying “thanks” caught on, and since then, more than six dozen people have become the proprietors of fictional businesses that reflect their unique contribution to the park.

Don, who worked on the structural design and detail of Disneyland from late 1954 until its opening and coordinated the park’s expansion as a professional engineer with Wheeler & Gray, officially joined WED (Walter Elias Disney) Enterprises (now known as Walt Disney Imagineering) in 1961. It was there that he established what Marty calls a “yes, Walt — can do” mentality shared among all Imagineers.

It was this positive attitude that helped yield classic attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and inspired the fictional firm of “Yesmen Engineering Associates” and its catchy slogan, “We know no ‘no'” for the pioneer’s personalized window. “They were constantly challenged by Walt and the creative teams that followed, including me, to do things that sometimes defied engineering logic,” Marty said at the event. “Believe me, we would not be here today if it wasn’t for ‘yes men’ like Don Edgren.”

In 1952, Rolly got his start at the Company as an in-betweener and later became an assistant animator on films such as Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty. In 1959, the skilled artist joined show design at WED and eventually became one of Walt’s key designers. Dubbed a “true original, even among Imagineers,” some of Rolly’s signature projects include the Tower of Four Winds for the 1964 New York World’s Fair and groundbreaking attractions like Haunted Mansion, it’s a small world and Enchanted Tiki Room.

With a love for the weird and the magical, it’s only fitting that Rolly has become the proprietor of “Fargo’s Palm Parlor,” a business where “the designs are to die for” and the “predictions will haunt you.” “Rolly had a special relationship with Walt, who appreciated his risk-taking with ideas,” Marty said. “His very personal, sometimes outrageous, art and design style continues to flow and the many collectors of his art, including me, continue to be inspired by his talent and his sense of humor. It’s a great privilege for me to help honor Roland Fargo Crump.”

After a unique musical tribute by Main Street, U.S.A.’s very own Dapper Dans, Mickey Mouse and Chris Dudley, “the mayor of Main Street,” unveiled the newly inscribed windows. Don’s daughter Kathy Partee took the stage on behalf of her father, who passed away in 2006, to say a few heartfelt words. “I know Dad is watching with a great deal of gratitude and pride,” she shared.

Rolly was honored to share the special moment with his good friend Don and took a few moments to tell the audience stories about working with Walt, who sometimes had trouble remembering his name. “I started off as Roland, then I was ‘Owen’ for awhile, and then I became ‘Orland,’ but of course, I would answer to anything he called me,” he laughed. “But the crowning glory was when he called me ‘what’s his name.’ So, he finally ended up giving me the nickname ‘Rolly,’ which I really appreciate.”