I have returned from five wonderful days at the Walt Disney World Resort and I have a plethora of newsworthy photos to share with you from my trip:
This year’s holiday display at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is themed to “it’s a small world”
Read More about Tom Corless’ 11/19-11/23/09 WDW Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Matt Paul attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on Friday and has plenty of photos and videos to share with us:
Inflatable snowman Mickey and Minnie are up at the car entrance
Read More about Matt Paul’s 11/13/09 Very Merry Christmas Party Update (Pictures and Videos)
Space Mountain has been in a soft-opening phase intermittently throughout the day Saturdatyand WDWNT Reporter Brandon Struve was lucky enough to experience the updated attraction twice during that period. Luckily for us, he has plenty of pictures and video to share with us:
We’ll start off with a video of the attraction.
Read More about Photos and Video of Space Mountain, Back in Action at the Magic Kingdom!!!
WDWNT Reporter Brandon Struve has been spending a lot of time at the Magic Kingdom awaiting soft-openings for Space Mountain to begin and has a few photos from his last two attempts to share:
Monorail Teal was running on the resort loop, now taking guests
Read More about Brandon Struve’s 11/12-13/09 Magic Kingdom Update
The Disney Parks Blog posted more information on Space Mountain’s on-going refurbishment this morning:
We have more details to share about the Space Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park as renovation work wraps up.As you know, the classic Space Mountain experience still exists — it’s just being updated with new technology and 21st century gadgetry. Inside the attraction, there’s new lighting as well as special “darkening” effects. And you’ll see updated color schemes for rocket capsules, line and load areas. Imagineers worked with Walt Disney World Facilities Asset Management for even more enhancements, including new paint, carpet, seat fabric and other décor elements.
But what caught my attention during a recent walkthrough were details about track upgrades. It’s the same track layout and overall look and feel but workers integrated new technology into the track while not changing the classic Space Mountain ride experience. “As technology evolves, it helps us enhance those elements without losing any essence of the attraction,” Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Designer Alex Wright says.You should also know that a ride photo system will capture guests during their space flights on Space Mountain. It’ll utilize Disney’s Photopass, allowing you to access, share and purchase photos during and after a visit.
Alex says he thinks you’ll be “pleasantly surprised” with the enhancements.
In an update to yesterday’s confirmation of on-ride photo being added to the attraction, it now appears Space Mountain will utilize a similar system to Test Track at Epcot, where guests insert their Photopass cards into a machine to retrieve and save their photo.
Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on Space Mountain’s imminent re-launch.
This small blurb about the Space Mountain attraction on the official Walt Disney World website just showed up today:
Launch past the flashing lights of your space station into the soaring darkness of space! This classic Dark Ride dips and swerves as it rockets through the blackest reaches of the galaxy. Check the monitors as you exit for a glimpse of yourself in flight!
This (as well as inside sources) confirms the addition of on-ride photographs to the attraction during the on-going refurbishment. While we’re not sure where the photo preview and purchasing areas will be, we can guess that you will be able to buy your on-ride photo inside the Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. at the exit of the attraction. Stay tuned to WDW News Today for more information as we get loser to the re-launch of Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom.
From the Disney Parks Blog:
When renovation work finishes on the Space Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, it’ll be the same classic experience with a few new surprises. And now, Walt Disney Imagineering is offering an early peek at some of those surprises and the first images from inside the attraction.
As you know, with any Imagineering project, the story comes first. And the updated Space Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World Resort is no exception. With the update, the storyline is being extended – and you’ll be able to take part.Passengers will be able to immerse themselves in unique game play as they prepare for blast off, becoming part of the space station adventure. During a recent walkthrough, we deflected asteroids to keep runways clear as part of the story.
The interactive experiences are based on duties you’d find on board a long-traveling space craft, according to Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Designer Alex Wright. Each game lasts about 90 seconds with a 90-second interval and the games can accommodate 86 players at one time.
As you move along on your journey, there are “insider” touches typical in projects created by Imagineers. For example, if you’re up on your Disney trivia, you’ll recognize a sign bearing the logo “H-NCH 1975″ as a tribute to late Imagineer and Disney legend John Hench. There are also other “Disneyphile” references hidden throughout the attraction.Space Mountain celebrates the Golden Age of Rocket Travel – inspired by the jet age of the early 1960s. The attraction highlights excitement around the endless possibilities regarding space travel. It did back when it opened in 1975 and I think you’ll agree it still does.
We wanted to share these images now but check back for more updates.
WDWNT Reporter Brandon Struve was visiting the Magic Kingdom today when he was surprised to see that the walls around the Space Mountain area had finally come down:
Guests can now walk up to the newly paved area
Read More about Brandon Struve’s 11/9/09 Tomorrowland Update
WDWNT Reporter Brandon Struve was on a mission Friday: to take as many newsworthy photos in one day as humanly possible. Did Brandon succeed in his mission? Let’s find out:
Welcome to the place “Where Dreams Come True”
Disney has released the following information on the upcoming Magic Kingdom stage show:
Buzz Lightyear & Mike Wazowski help “stitch” together an awesome new Magic Kingdom show
There’s a hot new holiday show experience coming to bring a new sense of “cool” to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Outlandish creatures meet strange new worlds. Comedy and music with an up-to-the-minute pop sound collide in A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas.
This unearthly new show adds up, somehow, as 50% live Radio Disney rock concert, 50% Disney Channel comedy and 50% Disney”Pixar Character celebration. Among the chart-topping holiday hits is a sizzling, explosively choreographed staging of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” re-creating the hit version heard on Radio Disney.
Our host is interplanetary pop star, Haley Comet (best known to TV fans on the Red Planet as the rockin’ star of The Martian Channel Original Series, “Mona Plutonia”). It is her pleasure and privilege to bring to her Tomorrowland®fans&the one and only Buzz Lightyear!
Inside the space actor’s capsule
Buzz recounts the intense, gripping adventure that is, of course, “Jingle Bells.” Our favorite space ranger brings to this piece a level of gravitas only a starship captain can. Buzz emotes it to the hilt, once again making the holidays safe from evil (but not necessarily from scenery chewing).
Now, what’s the holiday season without the inevitable get-together with that special monster in your life? Mike Wazowski takes the stage with some great material that just killed ’em in the mountain resorts of Monstropolis—a knockout take on“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The rockin’, rollin’ capers and cut-ups of these frolicsome friends are festooned with intergalactic interactivity.
Well, Stitch, you’ve done it again!.”
All the while, Stitch has been exploring the cosmos to keep track of Santa’s journey. The little alien, who tends to get things a little muddled, doesn’t quite understand the whole “happy holiday” concept. Things get cosmically crazy for a while, but hey—it’s the holiday season and this is a Magic Kingdom® show, so how do you think it all works out? Stitch brings the spirit of friends and family, and it’s a happy holiday “‘Ohana” for all.
All these holiday hijinks and pop music explosions are waiting for you during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. And while you’re at Mickey’s party, head over to Adventureland®to check out how pirates “arr”-ring in the holidays with the music and comedy of Rusty Cutlass, a swashbuckling band whose yuletide repertoire includes the evergreen “Grandma Ran Away to Be a Pirate.”
A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas starring Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and Stitch premieres November 10, the first night of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, magically fun evenings of parades, fireworks, treats and select popular Magic Kingdom attractions.
