Up until a few weeks ago, if you wanted to rent a stroller, wheelchair or electric wheelchair you rented them once you were inside the gates of Disneyland park or Disney’s California Adventure park. Well, those days are gone! Now, there is a new stroller shop in the esplanade between the parks, near the dog kennels (to the right of the Disneyland park gate). This means you can rent what you need BEFORE you enter the park. You can even team up with one of your family members and have them wait in the park line while you go to the stroller shop. Two birds with one stone, right?

Tagged: DCA, DL, DLR, Video

Filed: Disneyland Resort

The flight of a butterfly is a truly amazing thing to behold. I was over at the butterfly house at Epcot during the Flower and Garden Festival and was fortunate to witness this moment. Miriam and the butterfly were both willing subjects, but for only a moment. Then they were both off.

Tagged: Epcot, Photography, WDW

Filed: Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort

With the excitement of Star Wars Weekends ramping up, we wanted to share with you the newest Disney Star Wars Racers and Disney Star Wars Action Figures that are coming out later this spring at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. We’re excited to release the fourth collection of the popular Disney Star Wars Racers Series. Each die-cast Racer has been inspired by one of the great Star Wars Characters. The fourth series feature Yoda, Clone Trooper, Battle Droid, and Jedi Master Plo Koon.

Each vehicle is pack individually and retails for $5.95. Disney Star Wars Racers will release in June at Walt Disney World and at Disneyland Resorts.

Next up (and my personal favorite) is the Disney Star Wars Action Figure Series. This is the fourth series of Disney Characters “dressed as” Star Wars Characters. These action figures are fully articulated and come with detailed accessories that would impress the most gregarious Wookiee.

The collection includes:

• Mickey Mouse as Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. Mickey comes packaged with a translucent green lightsaber
• Minnie Mouse as Princess Leia in Boushh disguise. Minnie is equipped with an accessory helmet, staff, and thermal detonator (a must when sneaking into Jabba the Hutt’s Palace)
• Donald Duck as Han Solo trapped in Carbonite. Donald is also packed with an accessory staff and carbonite block
• Goofy as C-3PO
• Bad Pete as Boba Fett. Bad Pete comes with an accessory helmet, jet pack and blaster

Each action figure will be individually packaged and will retail for $8.95. They will be releasing in May at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.

Tagged: DLR, Star Wars, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

We’ve all seen the horses on Main Street, U.S.A in Disneyland park, but do you know where these horses really live? Backstage, north of Frontierland in Disneyland park, there is a working ranch, called Circle D Corral.

Here are some fun facts to consider before taking a step “backstage” in today’s video to see the animals that live in Circle D Corral:

• The ranch is currently home to 28 horses, a jersey cow, two miniature donkeys, three turkeys and 15 goats.
• Forty-eight cast members work at the ranch.
• All the horses are large, “draft” horses (“draft horses” are horses that are adapted to pull heavy loads).
• The following breeds of horse are represented at Circle D: Percheron, Clydesdale, Belgian and Shire.
• No Disneyland horse works more than 4 hours a day, 3 days a week.
• And, like all cast members, the horses at Disneyland park always wear their name tags when they are working.

Tagged: BtS, DL, DLR, Video

Filed: Behind the Scenes, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort

For the upcoming Dateline: Disneyland 1955 – Pin-Vited Press Event on July 10, we are turning the spotlight on two Disney Cast Members – Quinn Shurian and Danielle DuBois, the 2009/2010 Disneyland Resort Ambassador Team. With the event theme, it seemed like the perfect time to introduce the “Disney Ambassador Collection,” which features two pins inspired by these incredible representatives.

This is the first time we’ve featured pins inspired by Disney Ambassadors as part of the summer event in California. Jeanne Lewis, developer for special event pins, first met Danielle and Quinn during the Disney Summer Pin Festival – O’Pin House event in June 2009. At that time, she gathered ideas for their pins based on their career history and other personal experiences. Pictured above are Jeanne’s original sketches she made during that initial conversation.

During a recent interview in the Disneyland Resort Line (a Disneyland Cast Member publication), Quinn discussed his design with reporter Michelle Barefield.

“My favorite detail of my pin is the Disneyland ‘D,’” he said. “The emblem is something I associate with the Resort. I remember it on the marquee and letterhead and it is something important to me.”

For his design, he selected various Fantasyland attractions where he worked throughout his Disney career. His pin is presented like a patchwork quilt (little known fact, Quinn enjoys quilting -– how cool!). The pin also contains some black stewart plaid fabric which is a nod to his days as a Guest Relations host.

Danielle’s design was inspired by her personal connection to Mickey Mouse watches as she explained in the Disneyland Resort Line.

”I’m very attached to Mickey Mouse watches, ever since I got my first one for being a flower girl in my uncle’s wedding when I was six,” said Danielle.

The face of this watch-like pin contains four symbols that represent additional personal memories as well as classic Disneyland Resort attractions. Anyone notice the time?

So how were Jeanne’s sketches turned into these actual pins? She turned to the Disney Design Group to turn her rough concepts and the Ambassadors’ ideas into reality.

“I have a funny story about how we selected which Disney artists would design these pins,” laughed Jeanne. “I wanted artist Quynh Kimball to design Quinn’s pin simply because they shared the same first name despite their different spellings. Tyler Dumas was given Danielle’s pin as both their last names are French. We don’t always decide who gets certain projects that way, but in this case it worked. Besides, they are both very talented artists and made the Ambassadors’ designs look great!”

Guests who attend the upcoming Dateline: Disneyland 1955 – Pin-Vited Press Event will have the opportunity to meet Quinn and Danielle. For more information, please visit DisneyPins.com.

Tagged: DLR, Pins

Filed: Cast Member Profiles, Disneyland Resort

Many of you have been wondering…what do we have in store for Animator’s Palate on the Disney Dream? Wonder no more!

We are getting ready to present a completely re-imagined version of our signature restaurant. The minute you walk into Animator’s Palate, you know you’re in for a treat –- it will feel like you’ve entered a classic animation studio, filled with character maquettes, paint brushes, colored pencils and other tools of the trade. Throughout the restaurant are sketches from the Disney•Pixar film “Finding Nemo.”

This is how the restaurant will look when you first arrive.

As your meal progresses, the restaurant begins an enchanting transformation and the artwork around room magically fills with bubbles, revealing scenes of a vivid undersea environment. It’s as if the dining room has been transported under the sea and the artwork has turned into windows providing incredible views of a colorful coral reef and creatures that reside on the reef.

This is where the really cool part kicks in. Crush, the surfer-dude sea turtle from “Finding Nemo,” will make a special appearance, swimming around the restaurant and interacting with guests. Crush will visit each section of the restaurant and ask guests about their experience onboard the ship and answer questions about his life under the sea. Other characters from “Finding Nemo,” such as Nemo, Dory, Squirt and Bruce the shark, will also swim by and visit with guests.

Check this out…the guys from Walt Disney Imagineering are hard at work putting final touches on the experience. They even mocked-up a portion of the restaurant with plywood!

As with all Disney stories, this dining experience at Animator’s Palate has a tremendous finale moment…but I don’t want to spoil that surprise. You’ll have to sail on the Disney Dream and experience it for yourself!

Tagged: DCL, Disney Dream

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

As we know from the annual popularity of candy cane production at the Candy Palace on Main Street, U.S.A., many of the Disneyland “homemade” candies have their own fan base.

If you’re a fan of the candy making on Main Street U.S.A., have you ever wished you could find out what candies are being produced each day? Well, you can. There’s a phone number you can call that will tell you which candies are being made in the park on any particular day. (It’s a recorded message and usually covers a week at a time.) Just call 714-781-0112 and consider these facts while you’re listening to the recording:

• Caramel Apples are one of the most popular candy items purchased on Main Street, U.S.A.
• Candy Canes are definitely the most time consuming and difficult to make.
• English Toffee creates the best aroma while the candy makers are doing their thing.

And, you might want to swing by Candy Palace when they’re making Peanut Brittle because I’ve heard the candy making process for Peanut Brittle is an attraction in and of itself.

Tagged: DL, DLR

Filed: Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort