I was at Disneyland for a day and happen to capture quite a bit of newsworthy photos including Little Mermaid, Cars Land, World of Color, and much more…
Quick look at the self checkout kiosks at stroller rental
DLNT Photographer Michael Wada was at Disneyland yesterday and has a plethora of newsworthy photos to share with us. Lets get right to the photos.
Starting off at the Stroller Shop…
Chuck Canzoneri reports to us with something very interesting that went on yesterday at Disneyland:
Filming was happening at Disneyland
Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the Muppets coming down Main Street in the Fire Engine?
Why yes it is! There’s Sweetums next to the driver
Other characters I can spot in the vehicle include Kermit, Gonzo, Pepe, Ms Piggy, Animal, Fozzy, and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (sorry if I missed any)
Sweetums looks a little grumpier than usual đ
Read More about Chuck Canzoneri and The Muppets Invade Disneyland
I’d like to remind everyone about our upcoming fan meets at the Disneyland Resort on Saturday August 1st and Sunday August 2nd. First up on Saturday:
Come enjoy an evening of fun on Saturday, August 1st, with the WDWNT Network and Disneyland News Today staff at Disney’s California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort. Among the fun and surprises, here is a schedule of group gatherings that will be a part of the unofficial fan meet:
4:00 PM – Meet outside the Blue Sky Cellar for distribution of “free gift” Group walk through the Blue Sky Cellar
4:30 PM – Meet directly in front of the Blue Sky Cellar to watch the Pixar Play Parade
5:30 PM – Group meet n’ mingle (and possibly some eating) at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market
6:30 PM – Meet for group photo and showing of MuppetVision 3-D in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot
7:15 PM – Meet for group ride on Mickey’s Fun Wheel in Paradise Pier
8:00 PM – Meet in front the former Orange Stinger attraction (Silly Symphony Swings construction walls) to watch Disney’s Electrical Parade
Then on Sunday:
Come enjoy an afternoon of fun on Sunday, 8/2/09 with the WDWNT Network and Disneyland News Today staff at Disneyland Park. Among the fun and surprises, here is a schedule of group gatherings that will be a part of the fan meet:
3:00 PM – Meet n’ mingle and group photo at Carnation Gardens on Main Street U.S.A.
3:30 PM – Meet for group showing of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland
4:15 PM – Meet for group ride on the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland
5:00 PM – Meet for group ride on Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square
5:45 PM – Meet for group ride through the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square
6:30 PM – Group meet n’ mingle (and possibly some eating) at the Hungry Bear Restaurant
7:30 PM – Meet for group ride on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Critter Country
8:00 PM – Meet in the hub on Main Street U.S.A. to view âMagical – Disney’s New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations In the Starsâ
You can R.S.V.P. (although not necessary to attend) and get more information on Facebook about the Saturday meet at this link or our forums at this link and the Sunday meet at this link or our forums at this link. These will be the first fan meets the WDWNT Network has done at the Disneyland Resort, and we hope you come by and enjoy the fun with us!
ANAHEIM, Callif., July 17, 2009 – Marty Sklar, Executive Vice President and Walt Disney Imagineering Ambassador, spent a lifetime making magic for the Walt Disney Company. After 54 years of service, he was honored with a tribute window at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday, July 17. The celebration coincided with the 54th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland, the place where Sklar began his Disney career.
The tradition of dedicating a second-story window along Main Street, U.S.A., was begun by Walt Disney as a way to pay tribute to the men and women who were instrumental in the creation and operation of Disneyland. Sklar’s window, unveiled on July 17, can be seen above City Hall at Town Square in Disneyland.
Sklar began his Disney career in June 1955 as editor of “The Disneyland News,” just one month before Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. Sklar also worked personally with Walt Disney on several major projects, including the creation of landmark Disney attractions for the 1964 World’s Fair and leading the design of Walt Disney’s final vision, Epcot.
Sklar holds great memories of all 11 Disney parks around the world, but he has a particular fondness for Disneyland.
“Disneyland will always be a special place for me because it’s the only park that Walt Disney walked in,” Sklar said. “For me, retiring on this date is significant, having been here with Walt for the opening of the original Disney park.”
Disneyland will be celebrating its anniversary as always this July 17th with a small little show in Town Square. From D23:
On July 17 at 4:45 p.m., there will be a special 54th anniversary rededication moment on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland, with the Disneyland Band, the Mayor of Main Street, Mickey and Minnie Mouse joining in on the festivities. The Dapper Dans will take part in a pre-show leading up to the rededication moment.
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 â Don Edgren and Rolly Crump â 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 â 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.”
A lot of news has popped up over the last couple of days, so I thought I’d post some of these smaller pieces into one big news update:
On April 29, for the first time in history, two people will receive a window on Main Street, U.S.A. on the same day. The windows will honor Disney Legends and former Walt Disney Imagineers Rolly Crump and the late Don Edgren. Look for Rolly and Don’s names over the porch of the old bra shop and above the Silhouette Studio.
-According to the OC Register’s Around Disney blog:
Plans have been unveiled for a new shop coming to Downtown Disney; this one will replace the recently closed Club Libby Lu.
Titled Studio Disney 365, it will be another salon and merchandise location. It sounds similar to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, which opened last week in Fantasyland, but this one has a Hollywood theme and is geared more towards the âHigh School Musicalâ crowd.
Studio Disney 365 will open this summer. Check Around Disney for more details over the next week or so.
Disneyland.com also has information on Studio Disney 365:
Lights, Camera, Action! Studio Disney 365 – Coming Summer 2009
Ever wish you could rock out like some of your favorite Disney Channel stars or become a huge superstar and have paparazzi waiting to snap your picture⌠Now you can! With your star quality you can ride the wave of success to Hollywood, and have your 15 minutes of fame. First, determine your level of star quality from fabulous & famous to secret star with a transformation that will not only make you look but also feel like your favorite celebrities.
Next meet your fans and have your picture snapped by our waiting paparazzi and give them a glimpse of what a true superstar looks like. Finally get in touch with your inner “fashionista” by choosing from a wide array of fashion apparel and accessories that will complete the look. And that’s a wrap!
-In Disney’s California Adventure re-do news, Dinosaur Jack’s Sunglass Shack is scheduled to close permanently on May 26th, 2009, however we’re not sure if this means it will be completely removed or just re-themed. The structure itself doesn’t really lend itself all that well to being re-themed, so time will have to tell on this one. We also have a new name for the Souvenir 66 stand. It will become Seaside Souvenirs. Finally in DCA news, the Golden Zephyr unexpectedly closed for a refurbishment yesterday. We currently have no idea when it will re-open, but stay tuned to our Refurbishments page for the latest.
Hat tip to the DCA Project Tracker for some of this information.
–According to the Disneyland.com calendar, there will be an Up Pre-Parade running in front of the Pixar Play Parade at Disney’s California Adventure beginning Friday May 8th, 2009. Pre-Parades usually run about 10 minutes before the main parade, so be sure to plan your time accordingly.
-Finally, the Disneyland Resort released a few press videos on YouTube yesterday looking at some of the latest additions to the Resort:
Join the fun at Disneyland with Celebrate! A Street Party, an exhilarating spectacle of music, dance and guest participation along Main Street USA. This daily street show features an energetic cast of dancers (including stilt-dancers) and Disney characters who invite guests to join them in the kind of dazzling celebration that can be found only at Disneyland Resort. Its part of the exciting, new entertainment that invites guests to Celebrate Today!
The ideal venue for a Disneyland celebration can be found in Frontierland, at Celebration Roundup & Barbecue. Guests will enjoy a hearty, ranch-style barbecue meal with a surprise dessert. The non-stop entertainment includes traditional western music and appearances by Sheriff Woody, Jessie the Yodelin Cowgirl and Bullseye the Fastest Horse in the West, from Toy Story. Open for lunch and dinner, this family-favorite location seats groups up to 24 people.
Guests will enjoy a new lineup of Disney-themed games at the Paradise Pier Midway, inside Disneys California Adventure park. After riding through the interactive attraction Toy Story Mania!, guests can stroll on down the boardwalk to play these games: Goofy About Fishin, where everyone is a winner; Casey at the Bat, a ball pitch; Bullseye Stallion Stampede, a rolling ball race; and Dumbo Bucket Brigade, a water-spray contest with clowns and ladders.
Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival will celebrate the international cultures, people, food and traditions that have made California one of the most diverse culinary destinations in the world. With a theme of World Celebration, the Festival runs from April 24 through June 7, featuring daily complimentary demonstrations and premier ticketed events at Disneys California Adventure park and throughout the Resort. Details and tickets for the premier events are available at www.disneyland.com/foodandwine.
Spring has sprung and it’s time to celebrate at the Disneyland Resort. There’s a new parade in town, “Celebrate! A Street Party.” Jump into the action with nearly 100 performers dancing from ‘it’s a small world” down Main Street U.S.A. In Frontierland, catch up with Woody, Jessie and Bullseye while eatin’ some chicken, ribs and beans at the all-new Celebration Roundup and Barbeque at Big Thunder Ranch. And in Fantasyland, girls and boys are being transformed into royalty at the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. For some hands-on fun, head over to Disney’s California Adventure and give “Games of the Boardwalk” your best shot. And don’t miss the 4th Annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival – the cork pops April 24.
“Celebration Point” on Main Street, U.S.A offers guests a new place to take photos and mark their special occasions while celebrating at Disneyland. In 2009 guests will find a variety of ways to make their celebrations even more memorable at Disneyland, including street parties, behind-the-scenes tours, specialty foods and free admission on their birthdays.
In a major press release, Disneyland has announced that Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln will return before the end of 2009 with a revamped show, the Disney Gallery will open where the Bank of Main Street now stands, and Annual Passport processing will move to the Plaza Pavilion later this year. Here is the announcement:
ANAHEIM, Calif. (February 25, 2009) â A longtime favorite of Disneyland guests will return as âThe Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,â an enhanced version of the show which appeared, in various forms, in the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland park from 1966 through 2004 . The attraction will reopen later this year in celebration of the 200th anniversary year of Abraham Lincolnâs birth.
The current Opera House presentation, âDisneyland: The First 50 Magical Years,â will go on hiatus beginning Monday, March 16, in preparation for the new âGreat Moments with Mr. Lincolnâ show. When the updated âDisneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincolnâ opens later this year, âDisneyland: The First 50 Magical Yearsâ will be presented as part of the âDisneyland Storyâ display of art, models and mementoes in the Opera House lobby.
Also planned for fall 2009 is a prominent new home on Main Street, U.S.A., for The Disney Gallery. Formerly located above Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square, The Disney Gallery houses treasured Disney artwork and collectibles representing creative efforts from throughout The Walt Disney Company. A frequently changing exhibit area often includes never-before-displayed art. The Disney Galleryâs new home will be in the Bank of Main Street building, located next door to the Main Street Opera House and currently serving as the headquarters for Disneyland Resort Annual Passport processing. The Bank will continue to operate as an Annual Passport center until mid-summer 2009. After that, Annual Passport processing will move to the Plaza Pavilion, near the entrance to Adventureland.
The original âGreat Moments with Mr. Lincolnâ was created by Walt Disney and his Imagineers for the State of Illinois Pavilion at the 1964 New York Worldâs Fair and featured the worldâs first fully animated human Audio-Animatronics figure, built by Walt Disney Imagineering. The show, made its Disneyland debut in the Main Street Opera House on July 18, 1965.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as we get more information on this breaking news on the return of “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”.
