Our good friend Robert Ashburn of Figmentsmedia.net has provided us with photos from his trip to the Walt Disney World Resort on Friday. Let’s take a look at some of his pictures:
Robert began the day at Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park
The official Star Wars website has posted a great many pictures of the latest Disney/Star Wars merchandise that will be available during Star Wars Weekends 2009 (and beyond) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
The third series of Disney/Star Wars action figures features Goofy as Chewbacca, Mickey as an X-Wing Pilot, Minnie as “Slave” Princess Leia, Donald as a Stormtrooper, and Chip & Dale as Ewoks
This Jedi Training Academy boxed action figure set will $39.95
This exclusive Stormtrooper helmet bank measures 8.5 inches tall and will retail for $18.95
This bank is 11.5 inches tall and will retail for $12.95
The first picture of any merchandise that will be released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 1, 2009 has finally appeared. Of course, it’s an open edition pin that will be sold beginning April 28:
A very cool logo to say the least. The only thing I find a little strange is that the “20th anniversary” appears to be in the Tomorrowland logo font. No matter what, the logo looks great and I look forward to buying plenty of merchandise featuring it. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to gather information on the historic 20th anniversary of Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 1, 2009.
Wondering if you should visit the Walt Disney World Resort this summer? Disney thinks that you should, and has put out a press release to tell you about everything new and upcoming at WDW:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – From May through August 2009, summer simmers with exciting new attractions and events at Walt Disney World Resort. The smash TV hit “American Idol” inspires a new attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios while, at Magic Kingdom, a Liberty Square icon reopens its doors and street parties turn up the spirit as Disney’s “What Will You Celebrate?” hits full-stride. Treehouse lodging is back, resort guests now can save some time by checking in online before they arrive, Stars Wars Weekends let guests release their inner Jedi, and Downtown Disney unwraps new fun – on the ground and in the air…
Summer Fun at The American Idol Experience
While guests are usually the ones to enjoy the attractions and shows at Walt Disney World Resort, “The American Idol Experience” places Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests in the spotlight, immersing them in the thrill of auditioning and performing or voting on their favorite musical performances.
Modeled after the famous “American Idol” television show, the newly opened Walt Disney World attraction makes dreams come true by showcasing the talents of park guests age 14 and older who have aced the auditions (audition slots are limited and interested guests are encouraged to arrive early).
Like the television show, fans – not the onstage judges – have the final say on who is deemed the best of the best. With seating to accommodate 1,000 audience members, the high-tech theater is wired so guests can vote for their favorite singer.
What Will You Celebrate? Adds Gifting Option, Park Fun
During “What Will You Celebrate?” inviting Disney Parks guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences, ways for guests to customize and personalize a visit are endless.
With everything from fireworks cruises, street parties and behind-the-scenes tours to specialty cakes and in-room decorations to choose from, guests who have decided their answer to “What Will You Celebrate?” have more choices as they ponder, “How will I celebrate?” The fun is nonstop, too, with a party spirit stamping the new “Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It!” street party in the Magic Kingdom. Floats, a cast of Disney characters, stilt walkers and more “move it” down Main Street, U.S.A. accompanied by high-energy tunes and an open invitation to guests to come join the fun.
Main Street, U.S.A. also is home to the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade, a tweaked send-up of the former Dreams Come True parade with changes to some of the floats and soundtracks and the grand marshal in the lead role. Singers and dancers as before invite guests lining the parade route to come join in the celebration.
With all there is to do in Disney parks, guests can tailor a celebration with favorite attractions, favorite characters and special experiences. Thanks to new Web planning tools, learning about available choices and then customizing a “celebration vacation” itinerary – or “gifting” a celebrating family member or friend with a personalized Disney experience – is easier than ever. Through www.disneyparks.com, guests (or their travel agents) choose the celebration destination – Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. With a click, they access an interactive online celebration “planner” to shop the many experiences that are a cornerstone of a “celebration vacation” at Disney Parks – experiences that transform guests into the stars of their own party whether the occasion is a birthday, anniversary, Quinceanera, personal triumph or any celebration.
Now there is also a way to participate in a guest’s upcoming celebration visit when you can’t be there: by “gifting.” The giver reviews the possibilities using the online planner, then calls a Disney Dream Maker to personalize and customize the gift. At Walt Disney World Resort, Dream Makers can be reached at 407/WDW-GIFT.
Star Wars Weekends Returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Once again, the power of the Force and the magic of Disney combine in May and June for Star Wars Weekends, a sci-fi fan-fest inspired by the popular film saga.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 22-June 14, 2009, Disney’s Hollywood Studios becomes the temporary home for a band of out-of-this-world characters, including Wookiees, Sith, droids, Jedi, Ewoks, bounty hunters and Rodians. Dates are May 22-24, May 29-31, June 5-7 and June 12-14.
A giant, “A to Z” gathering of Star Wars characters – from Anakin Skywalker to Zam Wesell – will roam the streets of the theme park during meet-and-greet sessions. Jedi Training Academy – one of the interactive entertainment experiences featured in the theme park – takes place throughout the day on the event’s main stage and allows young guests to learn from a Jedi Master before testing newly acquired skills in a battle with Darth Vader.
Also featured: the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind Star Wars memorabilia, Star Wars trivia contests, special Star Wars parades, rides on the famed Star Tours attraction, and autograph sessions and star conversations with famous Star Wars actors and creative geniuses.
Event activities are included in theme park admission. For more information, guests may go online to www.starwars.com or www.disneyworld.com/starwarsweekends.
Hall of Presidents to Reopen in July
A July reopening is planned for the Hall of Presidents, an iconic attraction in Magic Kingdom. An Audio-Animatronics version of President Barack Obama will join representations of the previous 43 presidents of the United States as part of an attraction that has been celebrating American history since Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1971. Disney Imagineers are also updating a broad array of show elements.
Whole New World of Lodging Greets Summer Guests
New home-like accommodations presented by Disney Vacation Club are debuting in time for summer guests. New options will combine to revive “treehouse living” at Walt Disney World Resort and immerse guests in the African experience.
Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – Treehouse living, a cherished Disney World tradition from 1975-2002, returns with the opening (scheduled for summer) of 60 three-bedroom villas elevated 10 feet off the ground on pedestals and beams designed to blend into the forest glens where they are nestled, providing Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa with a new room category.
Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Fresh from the conversion of select rooms at Jambo House (at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge) into vacation villas, Kidani Village is taking shape (for phased openings scheduled in the spring and fall) with thatched roofs and hewn timber design. Kidani means “necklace,” and the building is shaped like a piece of native African jewelry with villas forming the beads, garden-like walkways creating the knots in between and the lobby representing the ornament or jewel at its center. With the spring opening comes Sanaa, a new family dining location, featuring savanna views and serving familiar foods from tandoor ovens and slow-cooked specialties with flavorful spices of Africa.
Disney Vacation Club accommodations can be booked by anyone for overnight stays through www.disneyworld.com or by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639).
Walt Disney World Resort Debuts Online Check-In Service
Walt Disney World Resort has launched Online Check-In Service, designed to simplify and streamline guest arrivals. The new service is complimentary and available to guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club resorts.
Within 10 days of their arrival dates, guests are able to provide check-in information, advise the resort of their arrival times and request room preferences (although those cannot be guaranteed). Guests can also register the names of all the people in their party and provide a credit card to cover charges at the resort hotel.
Upon arrival at their resorts, guests visit a special welcome location where their room keys and other registration material are waiting. Disney Cast Members are also available to provide additional information and answer questions.
Meeting professionals can also arrange private group check-in at a Disney resort convention center or other locations.
For more information about the new Online Check-In Service or to make a resort reservation, call 407-W-DISNEY or your local travel agent or click on disneyworld.com.
New and Aloft at Downtown Disney: Aerophile!
Imagine an eagle’s-eye view of the Downtown Disney area, with sweeping, 10-mile panoramas of Lake Buena Vista and environs. Downtown Disney greets summer guests with a new iconic attraction in the form of a giant tethered balloon – Aerophile — that will take guests 300 feet into the air from the waterfront. The 72-foot-diameter balloon can lift up to 30 guests at a time on a six-minute ‘’flight,’’ by day or night. Aerophile made a spring debut at Downtown Disney’s West Side. It joins other newcomers at Downtown Disney for summer:
- TrenD, a hip new Downtown Disney Marketplace boutique with urban-inspired fashions.
- Disney Design-a-Tee, presented by Hanes, inviting Marketplace guests to personalize the popular souvenir to their own tastes.
- T-Rex : A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover – a fun prehistoric environment millions of years in the making.
- Downtown Disney restaurant from E-Brands, Paradiso 37, a restaurant from E-Brands featuring Mexican and South American cuisine.
‘’Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration’’ Dance Party Debuts
He’s the Guru of Gross-Out, the Maker of Mischief. Now, everybody’s favorite galactic pal stars in ‘’Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration,’’ a high-energy, retro-futuristic music video dance party in Magic Kingdom. The fun features Stitch, an interactive dance troupe and a DJ celebration host who invites all Tomorrowland guests to come party, dance and celebrate.
Some new details that can be found throughout this release include:
Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to gather details on these upcoming offerings at the Walt Disney World Resort.
BATTER UP!: New York Yankees pitchers C.C. Sabathia (left) and Joba Chamberlain (right) experience the “Toy Story Mania!” 3-D attraction March 1, 2009 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The two hurlers were at Walt Disney World Resort for “ESPN The Weekend,” a special event in the theme park. The Yankees conduct Spring Training in nearby Tampa, Fla. and play at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex against the Atlanta Braves twice during Spring Training 2009. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Multi-platinum Christian rock band P.O.D., currently on hiatus following a lengthy world tour, will make its 2009 concert debut as part of a 14-act lineup announced today for Disney’s Night of Joy Sept. 11-12 at Walt Disney World Resort. The musically diverse event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park also will feature MercyMe, newsboys, Skillet, Flyleaf, Chris Tomlin, Kutless, Jars of Clay, Grits, Leeland, NEEDTOBREATHE, Superchick, Mandisa and Family Force 5.
Seven acts will perform each evening between 7 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. at stage locations throughout the park. Night of Joy begins after regular park operating hours, with concerts and select park attractions available exclusively for the enjoyment of event ticket holders.
P.O.D. is among four acts new to Night of Joy (along with Grits, NEEDTOBREATHE and Family Force 5), joining a legacy of 134 Christian music acts that have played Night of Joy since 1983. While a Disney “newbie,” the southern California-based band that fuses hard rock with hip-hop, reggae and Latin music is well known in music circles. They’ve been a hit on MTV, won two GMA Dove Awards, been Grammy-nominated, had two platinum-certified albums – one triple platinum – and in past summers played some of the north’s biggest Christian festivals.
But in spring/summer 2009, P.O.D. is chillin’: Vocalist Sonny Sandoval and the rest of the band are home in SoCal enjoying family life following a seven-month world tour that wound up in South America in December, making their Sept. 11 date at Disney P.O.D.’s first gig of the year.
“In the past year we’ve been blessed to play all around the globe but performing at Disney World excites me most of all,” Sandoval said.
The complete Sept. 11 Night of Joy lineup: P.O.D., newsboys, Kutless, Tomlin, NEEDTOBREATHE, Leeland and Superchick.
On Sept. 12, the Studios’ stages will present: Skillet, MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Flyleaf, Family Force 5, Grits and Mandisa.
Eight of the acts are nominated for Gospel Music Association Dove Awards in 2009, topped by Tomlin with seven nominations including artist of the year. Other nominees are Kutless, Leeland, NEEDTOBREATHE, Skillet, MercyMe, Mandisa and Grits.
For Mandisa, Night of Joy will mark her second “guest appearance” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2009. On Feb. 12, she was among an unprecedented gathering of 27 “American Idol” finalists – including the winners from each of the show’s first seven seasons – who participated in a Hollywood gala-style event to premiere “The American Idol Experience.” The new attraction immerses guests in the excitement of the hit TV show “American Idol,” with some guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios auditioning to take the spotlight onstage, while fellow guests cheer them on from the audience and vote for their favorite singer with instant results.
With an innovative ticket – exclusively for groups of 10 or more – that combines a “day” visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Night of Joy admission that evening, guests will have a chance to participate in “The American Idol Experience.” And by booking on or before Aug. 12, the Studios day/Night of Joy group ticket costs just $44.95 plus tax (beginning Aug. 13, it costs $49.95).
There’s also a two-day ticket exclusively for groups of 10 or more that combines Night of Joy admission on both evenings (Sept. 11 and Sept. 12) with two “day visits” to the guest’s choice of Walt Disney World theme parks (one per day) on Night of Joy weekend (Sept. 11-13). Booked on/before Aug. 12, that ticket costs just $89.95 plus tax (beginning Aug. 13, it costs $99.95).
Night of Joy tickets for individuals also are available. One-night tickets purchased in advance (up to the day prior to the event) are $49.95 plus tax (on event day, if available, tickets are $54.95). Two-night tickets (providing admission to Night of Joy on both Sept. 11 and 12) are $84.95 plus tax.
All the details about tickets for groups and individuals are available online at www.nightofjoy.com.
WDWNT Podcast staff member Chris Lastrapes just returned from a short two day trip to the Walt Disney World and has some interesting photos and video clips to share with us:
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, preparations have begun for ESPN the Weekend
For those of you interested in Disney Pin Trading, the 2009 Pin Celebration at Epcot (titled the Museum of Pin-Tiquities) is just a few months away and registration opens today at 2:00 PM EST. Even though I have been involved in the hobby since it began in October 1999, this is the first major pin even I will be attending. John Rick and myself will be there on behalf of the Disney Pincast and hope to see you at the museum as well. All of the details on the event and how to register can be found below:
Disney Pin Celebration 2009 – The Museum of Pin-tiquities
June 26-28, 2009
Epcot® – World ShowPlace————————————————–
Disney Pin Traders from around the world are cordially invited to celebrate the “10,000” year history of Disney Pin Trading during Disney Pin Celebration 2009 – The Museum of Pin-tiquities. This three-day, grand opening gala will be held from Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28, 2009 in World ShowPlace at Epcot®.
Presented in conjunction with the Epcot® Committee For Celebrating Disney Pins, The Department of Tradeology and Fellowship of Happy Traders, this event will feature unique Disney pins created for the Museum’s opening, Disney pin trading activities, a silent and live auction of artifacts direct from the Museum’s vault and much more.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT
Registration Opens Feb. 25, 2009 (2:00 p.m. Eastern)Event admission is $115 per Guest.
**See below for special early booking discount**
(Event admission does not include Theme Park admission to Epcot® but is required to attend.)EVENT ADMISSION INCLUDES:
-Opportunity to pre-purchase limited edition pins designed especially for this event.
-“Purchase with Purchase” pin promotion for event Guests only featuring exclusive pins.
-Trading activities and games at World ShowPlace located at Epcot®.
-Limited edition commemorative gifts.
-Live and silent auctions of pre-production pins, artist proof pins and more.
-“First Trading Opportunity” to collect new Hidden Mickey pins.
-Opportunity to meet Disney Pin Partners from The Walt Disney Company.
-Two (2) $15 Gift Cards redeemable at Epcot® Food and Beverage locations.
-Plus extra special surprises throughout the event.EARLY REGISTRATION PIN:
Guests that register for this event by March 25, 2009 will received one (1) limited edition early registration pin. The edition size of this pin will be determined once early registration has been completed.EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT:
Guests that register for this event by April 25, 2009 will receive an early booking discount. The early booking admission for this event will be $100.00 per Guest. After April 25, 2009, the event admission will be $115.00 per Guest. Event admission does not include theme park admission to Epcot®.
Those of you attending any of the Star Wars Weekends events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in May or June will be happy to know that Disney will once again be releasing a collection of big figures featuring four of the fab five dressed as classic saga characters:
Mickey as Luke Skywalker with Yoda & Minnie as Princess Leia from Jabba’s Palace
Goofy as Chewbacca & Donald as Han Solo in Carbonite
Each of these is limited to 600 pieces, with 500 of each available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and 100 of each at the Disneyland Resort. They will all retail for $195 and will be the final pieces in the long running Star Wars big figure series.
Even though I strongly dislike the restaurant, I applaud the effort to keep the experience at the “Tutto Italia Ristorante” in the Italy pavilion at Epcot fresh with special dining events like this one:
Carnevale di Venezia is February 23 to March 4 at Tutto Italia Ristorante at Epcot
A special lunch and dinner menu will be available to guests featuring scrumptious Italian cuisine. During the celebration, guests can choose one of two pre-selected appetizers, entrees and desserts. Lunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. A special performance by “Viva Venezia” will occur each evening during dinner inside the restaurant – see weekly times guide for show times. The musical trio, known as the “strolling musicians”, will serenade guests with traditional Venetian music. Call (407) WDW-DINE for dining reservations.
