The Muppets are Coming to the Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on December 13, 2009

Disney stated at the D23 Expo in September that 2010 would be the year of the Muppets. Not only are the Muppets the stars of the Disney Parks “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” campaign in 2010, but their presence in the parks might be a bit greater. Along with the refurbishment of Muppetvision 3-D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios scheduled for next year, the Muppets will be proceeding down Main Street U.S.A. in a daily pre-parade. Starting January, The Muppets “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” themed pre-parade will come down the Magic Kingdom parade route, preceding the 3:00 PM Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade. The Muppets guests will be seeing in the park will not be the giant Muppet characters that appeared at Hollywood Studios a few years ago, but ACTUAL Muppet characters.

Other changes to the Magic Kingdom parade in early 2010 may include the permanent removal of the show stops that were added to the parade during the name change from the Disney Dreams Come True Parade in January 2009.

As usual, anything not announced yet by Disney should be taken as a rumor, but these reports are from reputable sources inside the company. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this breaking story.

Tom Corless’ 11/7/09 World of Disney New York Report

WDWNT on November 9, 2009

As we countdown to the closure of the World of Disney New York store on 5th Avenue in New York City, I have been trying to get in as many visits as possible. On Saturday, I made a trip to the store to take part in the final Disney pin trading morning. Here are some photos I managed to take amid the insane crowds:

A Christmas Carol has filled the windows of the store

Read More about Tom Corless’ 11/7/09 World of Disney New York Report

Give a Day, Get a Disney Day, Launch Day

WDWNT on October 2, 2009

Disney has released a video showcasing their community involvement from the September 29th launch day events of the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” promotion. Please note that the speakers not labeled in the video (in chronological order) are “Disney Parks” own Jay Rasulo, Meg Crofton, and Rilous Carter:

“Here Come The Muppets” to Your Community

WDWNT on September 29, 2009

We told you earlier today that The Muppets would be featured in the national marketing campaign for the 2010 “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” promotion, so here are two of the commercials featuring Kermit and the gang you’ll be seeing on your television real soon:

“What Will You Celebrate?” II: Give a Day, Get a Disney Day starring The Muppets

WDWNT on September 29, 2009

This morning on ABC’s Good Morning America program, the “Disney Parks” announced their new promotion for all of 2010, a second year of “What Will You Celebrate?” subtitled “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day”. As was rumored, the promotion will give a free day of admission to Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park for a day of community service. Through the updated “What Will You Celebrate?” website beginning January 1st, guests can search for an approved volunteer opportunity in their area, get involved in their community for a day, and then enjoy the reward of a day at the place “Where Dreams Come True”. The campaign is aiming to give away one million one-day tickets for one million days of community service from January through December of 2010.

NOTE: If WDW/DLR annual passholders or valid multi-day ticket holders participate, they can choose from one of the following special rewards:
• Special Fastpass cards for certain attractions for up to five additional members of your party
• A collectible Ear Hat figurine with exclusive trading pins
• Donate the free ticket to a non-profit organization designated by Disney

Here is more informtaion on the promotion that was posted today on the Disney Parks Blog:

Breaking news…as we just announced on Good Morning America, if you give a day of volunteer service to a participating organization, you’ll get one day of free admission to a Disney Park. It’s a first-of-its-kind program we’re calling “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.”

And yes, it’s that simple — a free one-day ticket to a Disneyland or Walt Disney World theme park for guests who volunteer a day of service to a participating organization. We’re celebrating you and the good things you do for your communities.

Our program officially begins on January 1, 2010. When it’s live, you’ll be able to visit www.DisneyParks.com or www.DisneyParks.ca and search for an eligible volunteer project. After completing the volunteer work, an e-mail will be sent from Disney with a link to print out a certificate to redeem at a theme park for a free one-day, one-park admission. And if you’re unable to use the ticket, it can be donated to a charity designated by Disney.

With this announcement, we’re looking for 1 million people with a passion to make a difference. And we’re working with HandsOn Network to do it. They’re helping make sure you find the perfect volunteer work. And many of the program’s volunteer opportunities will be for the family.

Also, you’ll notice that we’re raising awareness for grass-roots community volunteerism in more cities than just Chicago. Disney VoluntEARS are joining local volunteers in cities across the United States and Canada today. Work projects involving more than 1,000 volunteers are happening in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami and across Canada — Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver.

We’ll be posting more details about the program and how it may involve your city on the @DisneyParks Twitter account and right here.

Of course, there are some official details you should know about: Must pre-register and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunity at disneyparks.com. Ticket quantities for this program are limited. Must be at least age 6 to participate. Other terms and conditions apply. For details, see disneyparks.com in the United States and Puerto Rico. In Canada, see disneyparks.ca.

The campaign website also finally explains why we saw so much in-park filming with The Muppets at Disneyland a few weeks ago. The Muppets are the stars of the marketing for 2010, you’ll be seeing the Jim Henson creations on a special North America tour and on nationally televised ads. The website for the tour (sponsored by Southwest Airlines) is definitely worth checking out for all the Muppet insanity and free downloads you can currently enjoy. Soon the site will have more details on the tour (including dates) that will run throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada to spread the word about helping you community. The promotion has even garnered some star power beyond the beloved Muppets. Commercials featuring James Denton, Taye Diggs, and Teri Hatcher working along with their furry friends to help the community are also available on the official site and will probably begin airing on Disney-owned television networks starting this week.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on the 2010 promotion, “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day!”.

“Disney Parks” Launches New Blog On Eve of Major Announcement

WDWNT on September 29, 2009

The Disney Parks public relations team really shocked the online fan community earlier today with the introduction of it’s own blog site, The Disney Parks Blog. The blog already features a few posts and will feature videos, photos, and articles about the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, the Disney Cruise Line, and Disney Vacation Club categorized by various topics, all under a rotating picture banner (sounds familiar).

Picture 2

While the blog matches the look of the WDW website, it looks like it will offer visitors a more “inside” look at the Parks and Resorts division

The launch of the blog comes just 24 hours before the “Disney Parks” division is set to unveil their marketing campaign for 2010. Rumors indicate that we may not be in for any BIG changes next year, but the free admission on your birthday promotion will most likely not be coming back after December 31st. Instead, the “Disney Parks” may be offering free admission only to those who perform community service for a certain amount of hours. Whatever the campaign may be, we’ll know for sure early tomorrow morning as Disney is set to make the announcement on ABC’s Good Morning America program. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this story as it develops.

The Supersonic Celebration Is Over???

WDWNT on June 16, 2009

From The Orlando Business Journal:

Stitch’s Supersonic Adventure, an interactive stage show that opened May 5 (Actually, it was May 3rd) at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, will close on June 27.

Disney officials wouldn’t say why the show, which opened with much fanfare just six weeks ago, is on the way out. Postings on blog sites by Disney fans suggest that park patrons complained about having to form queues in the late spring heat without shelter or seating.

A Disney spokeswoman didn’t say what is planned next for the Stitch site.

While I personally saw a lot of promise in the Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration show, it was quite clear that it needed a little work, but no one could have expected a permanent closure. The news that the show won’t perform for the remainder of the summer isn’t all that surprising, since guests have already been complaining about sitting and standing in the bright Florida sun in front of the Tomorrowland stage during the daily performances. With average summer temperatures like they are, the show could have caused some major legal trouble for Walt Disney World. You can expect a re-worked stage area and some various seasonal shows to debut beginning this Fall. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on this breaking story.