PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 9/27/16 (Goodbye Tower, Star Wars Land, New Fantasmic!, ETC.)

WDWNT on October 5, 2016

Disneyland reporter Conner Purzycki brings us back to the Disneyland Resort for our latest photo update, looking at both parks as well as Downtown Disney. Let’s jump right in!

Star Wars Land Construction

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Construction continues on the Star Wars themed land for Disneyland Park, visible from the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure.

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Tram Lane Reconfiguration 

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The tram route around the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure is currently being reconfigured.

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Downtown Disney

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World of Disney is open while the facade is being refurbished.

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The space next door to Jamba Juice is currently vacant, rumored to be home to Sprinkles, which will open in November.

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Naples has blocked off an area for needed outdoor seating for guests.

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Some work happening at the former House of Blues space, rumored to be an west coast home to The Edison.

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Some work also happening on the bridge area.

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Still unsure what will happen to the space next door to this Starbucks.

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Disneyland Monorail

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Let’s take a ride aboard the Disneyland Monorail.

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The Hollywood Tower Hotel sign is gone, visible from the Monorail.

Star Wars: Season of the Force Moves Out (For Now)

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Even though Season of the Force is over, it should be returning in November, thus why all of the lighting and such was left up in Tomorrowland. Hyperspace Mountain will likely switch off with Ghost Galaxy until Star Wars land opens, so don’t expect to see regular Space Mountain anytime soon.

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All of the Star Wars banners were changed over to generic Tomorrowland banners.

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Some work is being done to the Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters FastPass area, which is also used for Star Tours FastPass.

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A nifty, yet temporary, Tomorrowland sign replaces the one for the Season of the Force.

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I’m honestly surprised that it isn’t flat.

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Definitely prefer this to the 1998 signage.

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This and That

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Some work being done to the sidewalk on Main Street U.S.A.

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Star Wars construction, as seen from Frontierland.

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Work continues on the Rivers of America while its many attractions are closed.

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The Columbia is getting ready to host the Pirates of the Caribbean in an updated Fantasmic!

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A fangless, new-faced Mickey meets guests on Main Street.

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The canon is missing…

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Disney California Adventure

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The old Millionaire soundstage now sits vacant, but has seen better days on its exterior.

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After 6 years, the backlot stage is finally coming down.

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It might actually be nice to see this area back to normal, as ugly as it is.

Hollywood Tower Hotel sign removed from Tower of Terror

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As we reported last week, the Hollywood Tower Hotel sign is already gone from the Tower of Terror.

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The attraction will close in January to become Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout.

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To infinity and beyond!

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A lot of guests are angry about this, personally, I still don’t think it actually matters, but to each his own.

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PHOTO REPORT: Disneyland Resort 9/7/16 (Tower of Terror Farewell, Star Wars Land, AP Days, New Character Heads)

WDWNT on September 17, 2016

Conner Purzycki brings us a fairly news-heavy photo report from the Disneyland Resort on the first day of its transition from the Diamond Celebration into HalloweenTime. Heavy promotion has started for the Tower of Terror final check-in, Star Wars land continues to rise from the dirt, Mickey and Minnie are getting an entirely new look, and the popular AP Days promotion has returned. See, I told you there was a lot going on! Let’s get started, because there is so much to see:

Tower of Terror Final Check-In

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Banners around the resort promote HalloweenTime and the Tower of Terror send off events.

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Billboard by the tram station don’t even mention Halloween Time, it’s all Twilight Zone Tower of Terror promotion. Halloween Time is a pretty big deal at the Disneyland Resort, so giving Tower of Terror the headline billing for this season is kind of a big deal.

Star Wars Land Construction

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Construction of the Star Wars themed land continues in the back of Disneyland Park.

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While it may appear that this project is ahead in schedule compared to Hollywood Studios, this version of the land features more tunnels and an elaborate mountain range to separate the area from Frontierland and Critter Country.

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The Tower of Terror off in the distance, making this an interesting snapshot in Disneyland history.

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Some of the Paint the Night floats are visible just beyond the Star Wars site. The parade is set to return for the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort before the finale run of the Main Street Electrical Parade begins.

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The Diamond Celebration Slowly Vanishes

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Promotional signs for AP Days out in force at the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure.

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The Diamond Celebration still lingers at the Disneyland Resort, including the Diamond Days promotion, which is still going for some reason.

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Halloween Time and the Diamond celebration decorations clash on Main Street.

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Some work being done outside of the Disneyland Railroad station.

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Some tarps still up on the Market House, but Starbucks remains open through it.

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Some other Main Street facades are now also behind tarps.

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The hub Jack-O-Lanterns are back.

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While the “60” came down overnight, the rest of Sleeping Beauty Castle is still sporting the 60th decorations.

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New Mickey & Minnie Costumes Arrive

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The heavily discussed new look heads for Mickey and Minnie Mouse debuted at the Disneyland Resort yesterday.

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These style heads also appear in Mickey’s Royal Friendship Fair at the Magic Kingdom and at the Shanghai Disney Resort.

Rivers of America

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Work continues on the Rivers of America as it prepares for a Summer 2017 reopening, including a newly enhanced Fantasmic show.

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The Columbia is being re-rigged for a new segment in Fantasmic, themed to Pirates of the Caribbean.

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Haunted Mansion Holiday

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The Haunted Mansion is currently closed for its Haunted Mansion Holiday makeover.

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A new cemetery has been placed up on the hill in the queue, featuring some fo the more famous tombstones from the attraction lore.

The Halloween Tree

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The Halloween Tree honoring Ray Bradbury is back in Frontierland.

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Peter Pan Facade Refurbishment

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Even though it was worked on extensively in 2015, the Peter Pan’s Flight facade is once again behind tarps in Fantasyland. The attraction is open.

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Space Mountain – Ghost Galaxy

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Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy will be replacing Hyperspace Mountain until November. Hyperspace Mountain is expected to return and run until the opening of Star Wars land (only bowing our for Ghost Galaxy every year).

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Downtown Disney

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The new Starbucks in Downtown Disney is already getting a facade touch up, along with a Sprinkles location moving in next door.

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More Tower of Terror and Halloween Time banners going down to the Disneyland Hotel.

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Disney California Adventure

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Some work being done to the outside of Rushin’ River Outfitters.

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AP Days Return

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AP Days have returned to the resort for the fall season.

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A number of annual passholder exclusive items are available at the event.

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Specialty food and beverage offerings from around the resort are showcased.

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Trader Sam’s has a special Mahalloween mug this year celebrating The Haunted Mansion.

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The lines for the AP Days Showcase were pretty long.

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The now infamous Backlot Stage still remains, simply as it is more cost effective to leave it standing than remove it at this point.

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The Pete’s Dragon preview is gone, so the Sunset Showcase sits dormant.

RUMOR: Pirates of the Caribbean Replacing Peter Pan in “FANTASMIC 2.0” Show at Disneyland in 2017

WDWNT on August 18, 2016

When Fantasmic returns to Disneyland in the Summer of 2017, the Pirates of the Caribbean will be joining the crew in what should be an entirely re-imagined version of the show internally being referred to as “Fantasmic 2.0”.

Original poster for Disneyland's Fantasmic!

Original poster for Disneyland’s Fantasmic!

When Fantasmic returns to Disneyland Park in 2017, guests will find a number of upgrades to the show on the technical side. A brand new HD projection system, lighting upgrades, and a completely new sound system (which wasn’t replaced in the 2009 overhaul) are expected in the change-over.

Pirates appearing soon on the Sailing Ship Columbia?

Pirates appearing soon on the Sailing Ship Columbia?

In addition, the show will be sporting a few new segments, including one for Pirates of the Caribbean, which would replace the Peter Pan segment which has been in the show since it debuted in 1992. Using projection mapping technology, the plan will be to turn the Sailing Ship Columbia into the Black Pearl. The ship will host a large fight between Jack Sparrow’s crew and that of Captain Barbossa. Of course, The Columbia will be re-rigged for all new stunt work featuring Captain Jack Sparrow and his pirate friends. The truly amazing part (if true) is that the projection mapping technology will follow the ship around the river, also projecting onto the performers on the boat. This effect would allow performers to change in appearance, jumping between a skeleton and human form just like the characters in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Other new segments are expected to replace some of the older ones when Fantasmic! returns to Disneyland next year. Sadly, we have no solid information on these at this time. Work on the Sailing Ship Columbia to prepare it for these new show elements are already underway.

Sailing Ship Columbia getting altered for "Fantasmic 2.0"

Sailing Ship Columbia getting altered for “Fantasmic 2.0”

The new “Fantasmic 2.0” is expected to run nightly starting in early-Summer 2017. If our source is correct, it will continue to be a nightly, non-seasonal offering for at least a year through the end of 2018. There is no reasoning being given for the expanded schedule, but guest demand for a re-imagined show should be strong enough to warrant such an elongated performance season.

Pop Secret Becomes Official Popcorn of Disney Parks, Sponsor of Fantasmic! at WDW

WDWNT on September 3, 2015

Pop Secret Popcorn

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2015 — Diamond Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: DMND) (“Diamond”) announced today that it has entered into a long-term strategic alliance agreement with Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort tied to its Pop Secret brand premium popcorn. Pop Secret popcorn is now the official popcorn of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California.

Diamond Foods also plans to advertise on Disney-owned channels like ABC Family and the Disney Channel. Retail promotions, on-pack sweepstakes and digital content creation are all ways in which Pop Secret popcorn expects to work with Disney.

“We have been looking for an alliance that is in-line with our core brand values and we couldn’t be more delighted to announce this relationship with Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort,” said Burke Raine, Vice President of Marketing, Snacks, at Diamond. “Pop Secret popcorn and Disney both have deep associations with movies and encourage lasting memories shaped by fun family activities.”

As part of the relationship, Disney will begin selling freshly popped Pop Secret popcorn at popcorn carts throughout Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. The Pop Secret brand will also become the title sponsor of the nightly Fantasmic! Show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort and plans to sponsor movie nights held at many of Disney’s resort hotels.

About Pop Secret® Popcorn
Since 1984, the Pop Secret® brand has been offering popcorn fans a quality product. Once popped, our premium popcorn kernels are ready to customize and capture all your favorite toppings. Pop Secret® is committed to providing popcorn lovers with a convenient and delicious snack for wherever and whenever they want it – whether settling down on the couch to watch a movie at home or enjoying a snack together! For more information about Pop Secret, please visit http://www.popsecret.com/.

About Diamond Foods
Diamond Foods is an innovative packaged food company focused on building and energizing brands including Kettle Brand® chips, Emerald® snack nuts, Pop Secret® popcorn, and Diamond of California® nuts. Diamond’s products are distributed in a wide range of stores where snacks and culinary nuts are sold. For more information, visit the Company’s corporate web site:http://www.diamondfoods.com.

About Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
More than 50 years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres and vibrant storytelling. His vision now includes a collection of five of the world’s leading family vacation destinations – Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan; Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France; and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, located on Lantau Island. A sixth resort, Shanghai Disney Resort, is currently under construction in Pudong New District, Shanghai. In addition, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to some of the world’s most popular destinations; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts, cruise ships, entertainment and attractions.

“Taste of Hollywood” Returns to Hollywood Studios for the Holidays

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

This Christmas season, Taste of Hollywood to Go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios returns with a delicious meal-to-go and a reserved seat for Fantasmic! From December 24 to 31, the popular Taste of Hollywood To Go option will be returning with a few new entrees, all of which include a reserved seat for Fantasmic!.

The adult menu features a choice of a vegetable sandwich served with ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, quinoa salad and chocolate cake; shrimp salad served with pita, ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers and mandarin orange cheesecake; golden fried chicken served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sweet corn and carrots and warm apple crisp; cold-cut roast beef sandwich with creamy horseradish served with classic potato salad, grilled asparagus and chocolate cake; or California sushi tuna roll served with avocado, orange and tomato salad, ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers and spicy pecan-chocolate cluster.

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Kids’ choices include a power pack with strawberry yogurt, apple wedges, carrot sticks with ranch dip, fish crackers, an organic apple cinnamon and oatmeal snack-size sandwich bar or a turkey and American cheese wrap with strawberry yogurt, apple wedges, carrots with ranch dip and a seven-layer cookie bar.

Reservations are now open, and can be made by calling 407-WDW-D407-WDW-DINE up to 24 hours in advance. If you do not have a reservation, you can check the day you are in the park for availability. Meals can be picked up from Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner from 11:00a.m. to 8:00p.m. Choice of Fantasmic! showtime is based on availability, with the number of seats based on the number of meals purchased.

VIDEO: The Princess and the Frog, FROZEN, and Tangled Added to Fantasmic! at Walt Disney World

WDWNT on April 3, 2014

Seemingly out of nowhere, the first change to the projection portion of Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the show’s 17 year history happened this week. Clips from Tangled, the Princess and the Frog, and of course, Frozen were added to the “bubble montage” portion of the show:

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While unexpected now, rumors are swirling that sweeping changes to the Fantasmic! show at WDW are coming in 2016 and the show may even go dark for a few months to install more major upgrades and bring in some new scenes. Since Frozen Summer Fun is not expected to return next year, rumor has it that a Frozen segment will replace the Pocahontas portion of Fantasmic! at that time. These changes are expected to coincide with the overhaul of the park that may or may not be announced at the 2015 D23 Expo.

Video by WDWNT Reporter Brian Carey

Tim Alcoser’s 6-29-13 Disneyland Photo Report

WDWNT on July 17, 2013

Disneyland News Today Reporter Tim Alcoser visited the Disneyland Resort on Saturday (6/29) and caught a few bits of news in and around the resort.

The Steam Engine from the upcoming film, The Lone Ranger, is on display east of the Esplanade at Disneyland’s East Transportation Center.

A fairly obvious hidden mickey is seen inside the cab of the engine.  I wonder if you will be able to see it in the movie…?

A closer look.

It’s a real Steam Train.  Not just a movie prop.

With 4th of July almost here, many guests are stopping to enjoy the Flag Retreat ceremony.

Over at Disney California Adventure, Sir Tow Mater takes a stroll towards Carsland.

Radiator Springs Racers was down for awhile when I dropped by.

Here’s another look at the holiday decorations on Buena Vista Street.  Buena Vista Street is all set to celebrate it’s second Independence Day!

“We sell hats…and not much else…”

With Summer in full swing comes the return of an annual guest favorite.  The All American College Band.

The band is very talented and always draws huge crowds.

A look at Main Street USA, finally cooling off after a heat wave rolled across much of the state.

80z All Star Band played 80’s favorites all evening long.

The large crane that was rebuilding Big Thunder’s track has been long gone.  But basic renovations of the landscape still go on.

Magical! Fireworks Spectacular.

What Disney day is complete without Fantasmic?

Lasers, lights, fireworks and smoke.  Hope you enjoyed the report!

New Concept Art Released for “Celebrate the Magic”, 1000 Seats Being Added for Fantasmic!

WDWNT on December 21, 2012

At a small media event this evening, Disney shared a few new pieces of concept art for the upcoming “Celebrate the Magic” show coming to the Magic Kingdom:

Disney also announced that due to popularity, they are adding 1000 seats to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, home of Fantasmic!. Work has already begun building the seating in what was formerly standing-room-only space for the show.

So, what do you think?

Annual Passholder’s: RegisterTo Be One Of The First To Glow With The Show At Fantasmic

WDWNT on August 30, 2012

From Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog:

On Friday, we told you that the popular “Glow With the Show” Ears would soon light up audiences during “Fantasmic!” at Disneyland park, and today we’ve got some exciting news just for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders! Registration is open right now for a special opportunity for Annual Passholders to “Glow With the Show” at a private viewing of “Fantasmic!” on August 28.

‘Glow With the Show’ Ears
Bring your “Glow with the Show” Ears and be among the first to see this magical new experience! That’s right – the premiere showing of this special technology during “Fantasmic!” will be a private viewing exclusively for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders. Register now to attend, because space is limited and based on availability!

Here are the details:

  • One night only – Tuesday, August 28
  • 10 p.m. – 12 a.m.
  • Private viewing of “Fantasmic!” will begin at 11:30 p.m.
  • Select attractions, shops and food offerings will be open for event guests until 12 a.m.
  • Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring their own “Glow with the Show” Ears. Hats are not required for event attendance, but strongly encouraged for optimal viewing experience.

And here’s how you register:

  • Registration applies to Annual Passholder and up to 3 Annual Passholder guests
  • Visit any open ticket booth in the Disneyland Resort Main Entrance Esplanade
  • Present your active Annual Passport and a valid, government-issued photo I.D., as verification of your eligibility to register for the event
  • Based on availability, cast member will complete your registration and give you a voucher, required for admission to the event. Limit one (1) voucher per eligible Annual Passholder; multiple vouchers will not be honored

Important additional information:

  • Annual Passholders must be at least 18 years old to RSVP for this event, but their guests (up to 3 additional Annual Passholders) may be younger than 18.
  • Registration will close at 10 p.m. (PDT) on Thursday, August 23, 2012, or as soon as capacity for the event is reached.
  • Registration must occur in person at a Disneyland Resort Main Entrance Ticket Booth.
  • Each eligible Annual Passholder is limited to one (1) registration voucher, and voucher does not guarantee admission.
  • Registered Passholders and each of their guests must be valid Annual Passholders on the day of the event and must use their Passports for park entry.
  • Valid Photo I.D. may be required at check-in.
  • “Glow with the Show” Ears are not provided for event participation.
  • The event is subject to change or cancellation without notice.