It turns out those new Autopia costumes aren’t just for Autopia cast members! Those same costumes (shirt & jacket) are now being used at Space Mountain, Astro Oribitor, & maybe Star Tours. Honey I Shrunk the Audience also got new costumes, but they are different from the other ones. We’ll have pictures up of these new costumes in use sometime later tonight or tomorrow.
Updated: February 29th – 10:11PM – PST
The refurbishment for the Carnation Cafe on Main Street USA was originally planned to go from February 25th to the 29th, but has now been extended to run through March 11th. Also, the Plaza Gardens Stage will be closed for a very short refurbishment from March 3rd to the 5th.
As always, you can keep up to date on the latest Disneyland Resort refurbishments on our Attraction Refurbishments page!
We’re hearing of a couple of BIG RUMORS of what could be coming to It’s a Small World. Don’t let these upset you, as they are still rumors.
Over in Hong Kong Disneyland, they’re currently building their version of It’s a Small World, which is scheduled to open this Summer. What will be unique about their version is that it will actually feature Disney characters in their home countries. Imagineers are looking at duplicating this over to Disneyland’s version. I know for a fact that this will upset many Disneyland fans (myself included), & Disneyland is definitely not the place to do it (WDW is).
A (hopefully) less controversial change that may be coming is the replacement of the Jungle room with an American themed room, similar (yet on a grander scale) to the version in Disneyland Paris. In my opinion, a good idea for 2 reasons, 1) the room is a bit plain & boring right now, & 2) they’ll finally be able to do something with that room for It’s a Small World Holiday.
Also, some better decorations will definitely be coming to the Hello & Goodbye rooms.
Information from the MiceAge Al Lutz column “Monorail Blew”
Here is an article from Mickey News talking about Annual Passholder tours of the new Disneyland Dream Suite.
Are you a registered My Disneyland member? Have you entered your valid Annual Passholder Barcode Number into your profile?
If not, now is the perfect time to register! All My Disneyland® members who have entered a valid Annual Passholder Barcode Number are eligible for a chance to experience a very special twenty-minute preview tour of the Disneyland® Dream Suite.* It’s all part of the magic of being an Annual Passholder during the Year of a Million Dreams celebration.
Be a part of history — selected Annual Passholders will be among the first to see this magnificent suite based on plans personally crafted by Walt Disney! Plus, the Disneyland® Dream Suite is the first Guest room ever located inside Disneyland® Park.
Once you are registered as a My Disneyland® member with a valid Annual Passholder Barcode Number, all you have to do is check your e-mail inbox for a possible invitation.
The tours will be held from March 3 to March 6, 2008.
My good friend Jason Saldivar of the Disney Hub Blog has posted some information about new Autopia costumes over on MiceChat:
My lead at Autopia told us we could pick up our new costumes on Feb. 25 and have to wear them by the 27th. So be on the lookout for new Autopia costumes FEB 27.
The costumes incorporate the 3 new colors of Tomorrowland (blue, white, and orange). They are very futuristic looking, and don’t look like barf like the current Autopia ones. Best of all, the colors clash MAJORLY with the current (ugly) color scheme of Autopia, which has to mean the attraction will soon get a paint job (hopefully this year). We get new hats as well and they are styled exactly like Nemo’s.
Astro Orbitor will be getting these same costumes, and HISTA will also be getting new costumes along with Monorail (though it’ll be a while for them since their new train is stupid).
So again, come take pictures on the 27th!!
It looks like we might now have a close to official re-opening date for King Arthur’s Carousel in Disneyland Park. And it’s no where near as far off as January 3rd, 2009. But rather on April 5th, 2008. It’s not listed as closed on that date on the official Disneyland website, so it’s a safe bet to say that’s when it’ll re-open. Of course though, this information could change at any time.
This Disneyland Press Release shows a few more details on the new Innoventions Dream Home:
Disneyland Resort Reaches Agreement with Microsoft, HP, Life/ware and Taylor Morrison on Innoventions Dream Home.
Guests to experience cutting-edge technology in a simple, fun and interactive environment.
ANAHEIM, Calif., Feb 13, 2008 — The Disneyland Resort today announced a five-year alliance with Microsoft, HP, Life/ware and home builder Taylor Morrison to showcase integrated digital technologies for the home in the immersive, story-telling experiences for which Disney is known. The alliance includes the design and development of the new Innoventions Dream Home attraction, a 5,000+ sq. ft. home belonging to the fictional Elias family, scheduled to open in May in Tomorrowland at the Disneyland Resort.
Keeping with Walt’s vision of bringing cutting-edge and inspiring ideas to Tomorrowland, the Innoventions Dream Home will introduce Disneyland guests to newly available technology from the participating companies that will enhance their lives today, while providing them a glimpse of the emerging digital advances they may find in their homes in the future. The attraction will provide guests with a “high-tech, high-touch” opportunity to experience technology in an entertaining, low-risk environment showing them how the power of technology can connect them to the people and things they care most about.
“We’re thrilled that Disney has chosen Microsoft to bring digital entertainment to life at Disneyland,” said Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President, Entertainment and Devices eHome Division at Microsoft. “Together, we’re showcasing innovative technology that is both attainable and inspiring, offering park guests the opportunity to see, touch and feel digital home experiences in a simple, fun and interactive environment.”
“This exciting alliance gives each of our partners a forum to inspire our guests’ imaginations and motivate them to incorporate and enjoy the new technologies that are available today,” said Ed Grier, president of Disneyland Resort. “Consistent with the Disney heritage of growth through innovation, the Innoventions Dream Home is just another example of how we are committed to investing in and developing exciting projects that keep our guests returning again.”
The technology companies will showcase a wide range of technologies and products in the exhibit, including the latest in mobile phones, PCs, digital music and gaming. The Innoventions Dream Home demonstrates how home technology can be simple, intuitive and fun while helping guests understand how to seamlessly interconnect their home, the surrounding community and the world, helping consumers stay closer to the people, places and entertainment that are most important to them. The alliances also help ensure that the Innoventions Dream Home remains on the forefront of technology with the newest devices and products as part of the exhibit.
Guests will actively engage in this experience as they help members of the fictional Elias family prepare for a trip to World Soccer Championships in China, where their son is competing. Elias family members rotate throughout the house, randomly interacting with guests in the various rooms. Upon exiting the house, guests can learn more about the companies that collaborated to create the Innoventions Dream House, exploring the technologies for themselves first-hand.
The notion of a Dream Home has deep roots at the Disneyland Resort. Walt Disney was fascinated with the concept of a futuristic home and he introduced concepts at World’s Fairs that led to the first “House of Tomorrow” exhibit in Disneyland (1967). Those early versions featured modern conveniences for housewives, but the story line always focused on progress that led to a better way of living. In 1998, Disneyland opened Innoventions, an interactive pavilion featuring what was then considered breakthrough technology: voice-activated computers, high-definition TVs, smart-cars and satellite broadcasting.
The intent was not to predict the future, but to let people play with emerging technologies and imagine how those technologies might enhance everyday life. The precursors to the Dream Home enabled people of all ages to experiment with interactive devices, games and exhibits, demonstrating both the fun and the significance of modern innovations.
Now comes the Dream Home, a convergence of five companies and their fascination with technology. The combination of Disney’s strong storytelling heritage, cutting-edge technology expertise from Microsoft, HP and Life/ware, and Taylor Morrison’s talent for building an environment that will bring it to life, will inspire Disneyland guests’ imaginations for years to come.
PARTNERS’ QUOTES
HP – Carlos Montalvo, Vice President, Managed Home Division, Personal Systems Group
“The Disney Innoventions Dream Home will bring to life HP’s vision of consumers living a connected, high-definition lifestyle, demonstrating how simple it is today to control where and when you enjoy your digital content. As a driver of the emerging ‘Connected Entertainment’ market, HP is delivering on the promise of making connected entertainment an integral part of everyday life.”
Life/ware – Seale Moorer, Founder and CEO of Life/ware
“Life/ware is honored to be a part of the ongoing legacy of Tomorrowland,” said Seale Moorer, Founder and CEO of Life/ware. “The Innoventions Dream Home may seem futuristic to many Disneyland guests, but in fact, adding Life/ware entertainment and automation technology to products many people already own will bring this experience much closer to home than ever before. We’re thrilled to work with Disney and our partners to help people see how they can enhance their digital lifestyles now and in the future.”
Microsoft- Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President, Entertainment and Devices eHome Division
“Microsoft technologies touch the lives of 1 billion people, giving us an unparalleled opportunity – and perhaps responsibility – to help people understand the products and services that can enrich their lives. With millions of visitors to Disneyland every year, being a part of Innoventions Dream Home is one way to reach people and fulfill that role.”
“By visiting the Innoventions Dream Home at Disneyland, people can see, touch and feel the latest and greatest Microsoft technologies that will inspire them to try out new technologies in their own homes as well as better understand what’s available today.”Taylor-Morrison – Sheryl Palmer, CEO
On participating:
— “Taylor Morrison has a rich heritage of building homes that become a meaningful part of our customers’ lives. To be able to participate in a project that carries the Disney name on it is a tremendous compliment to the hard work of our staff through the years.”
— “Much like our partners, Taylor Morrison has a legacy of being an innovator in its field. We’re excited to apply our extensive design and construction expertise to the Innoventions Dream Home and feel fortunate to be the exclusive provider of this pioneering technology package when it’s brought to market.”
On the home’s design:
— “In designing the Innoventions Dream Home, we approached the project in much the same way as we have the wide range of homes we’ve built through the years – by drawing on our company’s experience, imagination and old-fashioned ingenuity.”
— “Being an industry leader takes determination, inventiveness and a dedication to being bold when the situation calls for it. Like Walt Disney and our Innoventions Dream Home partners, these traits have served to transform Taylor Morrison into the dominant market leader it has become over the years.”
On the partnership:
— “We feel very fortunate to be partnering with our fellow Innoventions Dream Home collaborators in this five-year alliance with Disney to bring the latest in cutting-edge technology and home design to Disneyland Resort guests.”
— “Walt Disney was fond of saying that his company ‘all started because of a mouse.’ For Taylor Morrison, it all started with a house, built by a 16-year-old visionary, Frank Taylor.”
We’re hearing about some possible new refurbishments in Disneyland Park, for Pirates of the Caribbean & the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. The first 2 are about the Subs, & the last is about Pirates:
The Westward Ho! Trading Company out in Frontierland has changed it’s merchandise from seasonal/holiday items, to pins. The pins were originally sold in Silver Spur, but have now moved to Westward Ho! Silver Spur now sells womens clothing items.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier in the week is that Project Tomorrow inside Innoventions is actually closed. It’s not known when it’ll will re-open, according to what a cast member said to me. My guess is that they’re installing some of the exhibits recently installed in Walt Disney World’s Project Tomorrow, such as Innervision, & that they need to close the whole thing to install a new exhibit, as it is much smaller than WDW’s.
