Hi, I’m Steve Davison, and I’m an Imagineer with Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. I’m joining the Disney Parks Blog this month to talk about a project that’s very close to my heart – “World of Color.” In the coming months, I’ll be sharing the latest updates on the show, some inside information and exclusive photos and videos.

As testing begins in the Paradise Bay Lagoon, through periodic blog posts, we’re going to be giving guests a behind the “water screen” look at the show as it is created. It will take months of programming to bring all the elements to life as we weave the tapestry of the show together. When you create a show you mentally put it together in your mind. Then you take those initial ideas and test them looking for the right look and feel. After a lot of trial and error, you finally get to see it come to life in front of your eyes.

But even before the programming sessions can begin, all the effects systems have to be brought on-line and fleshed out. With thousands of individual effects in the show, this meticulous initial testing process takes time. Every device has to be individually tested and programmed into the master show matrix. Once this is complete, the actual programming can begin.

One of the first effects elements to be tested was the fire system. Audiences are going to be really surprised by the World of Color fire effects. Because the units are randomly placed throughout the show platform, they will shock you when they appear. Here is a test video of the first look at the fire. While it is not the final program, it will give you a sense of the visual power it yields!

Tagged: DCA, DLR, Video

Filed: Behind the Scenes, Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Resort

Disney’s official fan community, D23, is starting off 2010 with a unique gift that’s sure to get any Disney fan excited — Disney Undiscovered: A 23-Month Calendar of Disney’s Unrealized Masterpieces.

The calendar is brimming with rare and never-before seen images from Disney theme-park, live-action and animation projects that were not completed, many of which have achieved legendary status among Disney fans. “Disney Undiscovered” features art from never-built project like the Mineral King ski resort and Walt Disney’s St. Louis Project, theme park lands such as Discovery Bay at Disneyland, and unproduced films including a watercolor from the original Little Mermaid that Walt had in early preproduction in the late 1930s.

D23 is giving Disney Parks Blog readers a first look at three of the pages in this stunning calendar. They show Mickey’s Madhouse (conceived as part of Dumbo’s Circusland at Disneyland back in 1976 before Toontown was created), the Swiss pavilion at Epcot (designed in 1985 and meant to stand between the Italy and Germany pavilions), and Rock Candy Mountain (which, had it been created back in 1957, would have been Disneyland’s first “mountain”). Have a look and enjoy!

Everyone who joins or renews their D23 Membership in 2010 will receive a calendar.

For more information on D23, visit Disney.com/D23.

Tagged: D23, DLR, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

We posted first word on the @Disneyparks Twitter account but if you missed it, The Walt Disney World Resort is officially on Facebook and posting updates. Here’s our “Quick Hits” list of other items you may want to be aware of:

Mobile Magic Update — We updated the Mobile Magic list with several new touch-screen devices.

Typhoon Lagoon is reopening — Typhoon Lagoon will reopen on January 10. Blizzard Beach will close on the same day for its annual refurbishment and reopen on March 21.

Disney Grand Californian “room key” pin — This open edition pin featuring Chip and Dale on a room key for Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel was released this week.

First look: The Muppets Vinylmation collection — This collection will be released late winter 2010 at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

Moms Panel: Characters at the Cape May Cafe breakfast buffet — Kay answered the question, “What characters are at the Cape May buffet at Disney’s Beach Club Resort?”

“Chinese New Year 2010 – Mickey Mouse” Disney pin — This unique “Chinese New Year 2010″ pin is now available at The Walt Disney World Resort.

Moms Panel offers tips on how to make your next visit extra special — Karen gives some ideas, including contacting the Disney Dream Makers.

Voyage of The Little Mermaid opened this week in 1992 — The attraction in Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park is a 15-minute show that recreates the popular Disney animated film “The Little Mermaid” using puppets, live performers, special effects and movie clips.

“Disney/Pixar UP & Away Family Fun Run 5K” pin is released at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex — This new pin commemorates the race and features Carl Fredrickson and Russell from Disney-Pixar’s Up.

Tagged: DLR, Quick Hits, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

Today the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Longhorns face off in the National Championship game in the Bowl Championship Series. The teams made their first media appearance of BCS week on Saturday, January 2 when the teams visited the Happiest Place on Earth. Players from both teams experienced attractions at the Parks, and coaches from the teams fielded questions from media at the press conference at ESPN Zone in the Downtown Disney District. Below is a photo of Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram of the Alabama Crimson Tide arriving at the Downtown Disney District.

On December 26, the BCS-ranked No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 7 Oregon Ducks made their first official appearances of the Rose Bowl week and met in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle to celebrate the New Year’s Day game. The teams were honored in a brief ceremony, and Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel and Oregon Coach Chip Kelly were awarded crystal replicas of Sleeping Beauty Castle in recognition of their achievement as competitors in the 2010 Rose Bowl Game. After the ceremony, players from both teams enjoyed the thrill of the Matterhorn and the whimsy of the Tea Cups.

It’s a longstanding tradition at the Disneyland Resort to host the Rose Bowl teams before the big game. The Disneyland Resort has been associated with the Tournament of Roses since 1959 and has had the honor of playing host to many teams during that time.

Tagged: DL, DLR, Downtown Disney

Filed: Celebrity Visits, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

As we prepare to take down holiday decorations at Magic Kingdom Park, we’re sharing a last look at Main Street, U.S.A. – and it’s quite a look. Just move your cursor up and down the image and see for yourself:

You can still see the Magic Kingdom’s holiday decorations at Walt Disney World, including the 200,000 lights on Cinderella Castle through January 14.

Tagged: Holidays, MK

Filed: Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Over the holidays I was working on one of our new merchandise programs, “Happiest Memories on Earth – Since ’55,” and I’m excited to share some of the details with you for the first time. This new retro-style program will feature a variety of items, including ladies and men’s apparel, limited-edition Mickey Mouse ear hats, souvenir items such as a jumbo pencil, photo album and autograph book, as well as plush, mugs, pins and stationery.

I sat down with the product developer, Summer Bloomfield, for a few minutes during her day to find out more about this new product line which will debut in January 2010.

Michelle: Can you tell us about the “Happiest Memories on Earth” program?

Summer: We wanted to create something dynamic and special for our guests this year. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of Disneyland park, and we want to make sure that our guests have the opportunity to take home a memory from their visit that they can treasure through the years. We really aimed for a retro-style look to give guests a sense of nostalgia, in the hopes that they will remember some of their favorite memories and experiences from past visits. The program features some of our beloved characters, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Thumper, Huey, Dewey and Louie as well as Mr. Toad.

Michelle: Can you give us a little insight on what type of merchandise our guests and collectors will see over the next year?

Summer: Some of my personal favorites include our deluxe autograph book with pen, a ladies tee, the zip hooded fleece, a commemorative A to E Ticket memo book, a nostalgic pennant and of course our Mickey Mouse Ear Hats. There are actually two hats that we expect will be very popular this year, and they were created by our Headwear Product Development team. The first is a limited-edition ear hat that replicates the shape, logo and fabrication of the original Mickey Mouse Club ear hat that was featured on the TV show in 1955. This commemorative ear hat is limited to a quantity of 1,955 and comes with a special label inside the hat, a hangtag and is packaged in a collectible vintage hat box. The second ear hat will feature a blue cap with a drum that states, “Since ’55” and features such characters as Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket as well as Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Goofy.

You can find this line at the World of Disney store in the Downtown Disney District, Emporium at Disneyland park and Greetings From California in Disney’s California Adventure park.

What do you think about this new line?

Tagged: DCA, DL, DLR, Downtown Disney

Filed: Disneyland Resort

What better way to begin the first week of 2010 than with a beautiful first image of a new member of the family at Disney’s Animal Kingdom — a gerenuk calf named Squirt.

Never heard of a gerenuk? They’re African antelopes with unique long necks usually found in dry, bushy shrub. Unlike other gazelles and most antelopes that graze on grasses, gerenuks often stand on their hind legs. They don’t need to drink much since they get needed water from the plants they eat. And most adult gerenuk reach about three feet at the shoulder and can weigh as much as 115 pounds.

Squirt, Animal Kingdom’s 28th gerenuk calf, weighed in at eight pounds. She was born at the end of November to her 5-year-old mother Sushanunna and 9-year-old father Jingle as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Gerenuk Population Management Plan.

You can see gerenuk for yourself during a visit to the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Tagged: Conservation, DAK, WDW

Filed: Behind the Scenes, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort