Jamie Nakagiri’s 4/30/10 DLR Photo Report

WDWNT on May 6, 2010

DLNT Reporter Jamie Nakagiri took a trip to the parks last friday and has several newsworthy photos to share.

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“So Wonderful, So Beautiful!”

WDWNT on April 30, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

It’s very exciting around Disney’s California Adventure park these days. In this video we take you inside the control booth as Walt Disney Imagineers work overnight testing lights, fire and nearly 1,200 fountains for the new nighttime spectacular “World of Color.” You’ll also see some exclusive footage from our time lapse camera and more glimpses of the show. “World of Color” is set to debut on June 11. Enjoy!

World of Color Fountain Test

WDWNT on July 22, 2009

Walt Disney Imagineers conduct a test with one of the more than 1,200 water jets that will make “World of Color,” a nighttime water, animation, fire and musical extravaganza, come to life in Spring 2010 in Paradise Bay Lagoon at Disney’s California Adventure. The fountain being tested – a blow pop – can reach 200 feet in the air.

World of Construction, Change, and Cellar

WDWNT on July 16, 2009

Disneyland has released three press videos, covering the Blue Sky Cellar and World of Color, that I wanted to share with everyone:

At Blue Sky Cellar, guests are invited to preview works in progress at Disneys California Adventure by immersing themselves in a facsimile of an Imagineering workspace. Based on the belief that idea gathering is best when the skys the limit, Blue Sky Cellar is designed to resemble an Imagineering charette, an extended creative idea development meeting. Guests receive an inside look at how Imagineers take blue sky ideas and refine them into the classic storytelling that characterizes Disney theme park attractions and adventures.

World of Color will combine hundreds of magnificent fountains, dazzling colors and an all-new kaleidoscope of audio and visual effects to take water-infused entertainment to a new level of artistry. The production will flood the senses, taking audiences on an imaginative journey into the colorful worlds of animated Disney classics such as Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King and Pocahontas, along with Disney•Pixar films Toy Story, Wall-E and many more.

In video released for the first time ever, you are treated to an exclusive time-lapse video of Mickeys Fun Wheel and Paradise Pier.

DCA’s Premiere New Attraction…

WDWNT on May 9, 2009

According to D23:

New Guest restrooms across from Golden Dreams in Disney’s California Adventure will open May 16 after a scheduled reconstruction. The restrooms adjacent to Golden Dreams will close as work continues on one of the premiere attractions in the Paradise Pier area, which is based on the movie The Little Mermaid.

A Paradise of Fun, Under the Sun

WDWNT on April 9, 2009

Disneyland News Today reader Stephen Thomas was nice enough to send in pictures he managed to grab from the HoJo Anaheim’s Mattercam of the progressing work on the California Screamin’ sunburst, as well as work that has finally begun on the Mickey face for Mickey’s Fun Wheel:

The sunburst looks to be pretty much done. Just a little bit left to paint in the middle.

A white backing of Mickey’s head has been put up. His facial features will either be put up on top of that or painted on.

Thanks once again Stephen!

Mickey’s Face-lift Postponed

WDWNT on April 2, 2009

Some of our sources have reported that Mickey’s Fun Wheel is a couple weeks behind schedule, and is now scheduled to open on May 8th, as opposed to the originally scheduled April 24th date. We’re not exactly sure on the reason of the delay, but it’s most likely due to the Mickey face, as it hasn’t even arrived at the Resort yet.

Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest on the Paradise Pier make-over.

“Re-Imagineering” Disney’s California Adventure

WDWNT on March 17, 2009

The latest sign of expansion and “re-Imagineering” in Disney’s California Adventure park is the new illuminated “Paradise Pier” sign on the “California Screamin'” roller coaster. Installed overnight between Thursday and Friday, March 12 and 13, the sign reflects the “vintage Disney” themeing that is part of the Disney’s California Adventure expansion. It was designed in the style of beachfront amusement park signs from the 1920s and ’30s, the era when Walt Disney first arrived in Hollywood and begin producing animated cartoons. As the “re-Imagineering” continues at Disney’s California Adventure this spring, the ferris wheel attraction will reopen as “Mickey’s Fun Wheel” and the Games of the Boardwalk will reopen in completely new versions featuring Disney characters.

Chris Lastrapes’ 2/14/09 Photo Report

WDWNT on February 14, 2009

WDWNT’s very own Chris Lastrapes was at the Disneyland Resort celebrating his birthday this past Thursday, and shares with us a few photos of the latest happenings around the Resort:

Workers were working outside the gates of The Haunted Mansion up to it’s soft re-opening Thursday afternoon.

The attraction was closed early in the day.

The painting of Mickey’s Fun Wheel is pretty much done. Just a little bit left to do on the stars.

Lots of work going on in the Paradise Pier lagoon.

We’ll end this short photo report with the new covering for Mr. Potato Head.

Disneyland Resort News & Rumor Report

WDWNT on January 8, 2009

Here’s a round-up of some of the latest rumors that our sources here at Disneyland News Today have been hearing:

  • Due to construction on the World of Color Amphitheater, which is right by where the second High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now! show stop is, only one show stop will be made per show, in the location at Sunshine Plaza. However this will mean the show will now be rolled out 5 times a day, instead of the usual 3. Also, instead of going all the way up to the Paradise Pier gates, it will now exit at the gates next to the Mission Tortilla Factory (aka, the future entrance to Cars Land). Don’t forget, the show will be dark Mondays-Thursdays for the foreseeable future due to budget cuts.
  • In news from backstage, the majority of the floats from Disney’s Electrical Parade (excluding the Alice in Wonderland whirly bugs, Dumbo section, & the Cinderella section) have been temporarily moved off Resort property. While we have no exact reason for the disappearance of these floats, it is quite likely that they’re probably getting newer GE 35 motors. For the time being, the Pixar Play Parade has temporarily moved into the parade storage building usually used for Disney’s Electrical Parade. In other news from Disney’s Electrical Parade, it seems some of the floats may be getting added LED effects, which will definitely be an extra boost in bringing the parade into the 21st century. There’s also the possibility that with the addition of the Snow White Dwarf Mine, Pinocchio section, & Tinker Bell section, that the Blue Fairy & Dumbo section may be removed from the parade, however I personally highly doubt that is true (at least the latter).
  • Construction, & just some basic changes, are really starting to beef up over in Paradise Pier. Apparently sometime this week, Mickey’s ears on California Screamin’ will be removed just leaving his “face”, which will eventually be changed over to a sunburst. As we mentioned in Myrna Litt’s latest photo report, the lenticular panel on the Paradise Pier bridge advertising World of Color has for some strange reason been removed. Speaking of removals, all of the old support structures for LuminAria (the holiday fireworks at DCA back only in 2001) have been removed. And lastly, the Orange Stinger is expected to close sometime in April (most likely after Mickey’s Fun Wheel opens up) for it’s conversion over to the Silly Symphony Swings.
  • An interesting development that was first brought up on MiceAge’s latest Al Lutz update is that this year, New Years Eve at Disneyland Park may become a hard ticketed event, the reasoning for this to be done would to keep crowds down slightly in Disneyland, & hopefully get more people to visit DCA. More information on this is available in the link to MiceAge.