New Halloween In-Room Celebrations at Disney Parks
posted on October 20th, 2010 by Jean Volante, Manager of Dream Making, Disney Floral & Gifts/DEG
Have you heard about our “In-Room Celebrations?” Oh my stars! Then you’re in for a “spooktacular” surprise. With Halloween right around the corner, imagine how fun it would be to walk into your Walt Disney World Resort room after Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, to see that Mickey and Minnie Mouse had left a Halloween surprise, just for you and your loved ones.
There are personalized gifts, treats and Halloween fun that bring the magic from the parks into the comfort of your resort room. Every gift was created so you could enjoy it here, make memories and take home as a keepsake. Having seen this exclusive celebration I can share that while it looks like your room has been transformed into a Halloween surprise, it’s not too scary for the little ones. And, you’ll be happy to know that Mickey and Minnie now set up this celebration at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.
How does your family celebrate Halloween when visiting the Disney parks?
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Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at Magic Kingdom Park
posted on October 20th, 2010 by Gene Duncan, Photographer, Walt Disney World Resort
Recently, I spent time with a historic and iconic attraction in Fantasyland. The sun had not yet cleared the horizon, and the Magic Kingdom was quiet but for the routine pre-open chores being tended to by fellow cast members. I would like to share some of my images with you, along with some tidbits of history you might enjoy.
The Distant Past
It is said that the word carousel dates back to the 12th century, and was actually a cavalry training exercise. In Italian, the word was garosello, and in Spanish, carosella. The French later adapted their version of “carrousel,” which involved elaborate displays of horse and rider routines performed as entertainment for royalty.
During the 18th century, the French developed a rotating device that featured carved horses and chariots that would go up and down, and those early carrousels were powered by mules, men and later, steam.
The Near Past
As merry-go-rounds became prevalent across the U.S., the Philadelphia Toboggan Company achieved great success, building approximately ninety of them before the Great Depression. They had the finest German and Italian wood carvers of their day. Each one was numbered, which brings us to Number 46 – The Liberty Carousel, built in 1917-1918. Originally delivered to Belle Isle Park in Detroit, it later appeared in New Jersey’s Olympic Park in Maplewood, N.J.
The Liberty was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 1967, refurbished and painted to its present style and condition, and became the focal point for Fantasyland.
The Facts
The Liberty, later named Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel, now the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, is the largest carrousel in North America, with a diameter of nearly sixty feet.
Most of the beautiful “jumpers,” as they are called, are hand-carved from maple wood. There are a few fiberglass horses that were cast from originals, but you can’t tell the difference unless you perform the “thump” test …
All of the exquisite equines are painted white because white horses have been depicted as “heroes” during the ages, and everyone wants to be a hero.
Its theme of pride and patriotism is reflected throughout the Carrousel, as well as that of medieval bravery.
There are ninety steeds galloping, and one lone chariot. The chariot, original to Liberty, was lost during refurbishment, and rediscovered in 1997, when it was installed.
Little Known Fact
In 1971, during the installation of the carrousel, Roy O. Disney observed that its placement was off-center from the Cinderella Castle breezeway by eight inches. It was moved to its present position, centered.
‘Beauty and the Beast’ Reunion at Disneyland Park
posted on October 19th, 2010 by George Savvas, Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort
Recently, morning television viewers across the country saw a special reunion at Disneyland park, when co-stars Robby Benson and Paige O’Hara reunited for some satellite television interviews in celebration of the Blu-ray™ high-definition debut of Disney’s animated masterpiece, “Beauty and the Beast.”
During one interview, Robby and Paige shared their favorite moments from the film. For Paige, it’s the “Something There” scene where the characters are playing in the snow, in particular, the moment when a bird is eating birdseed out of the Beast’s hand. For Robby, it was very simple, it’s “anytime Paige sings!”
The reunion took place at the Princess Fantasy Faire, which, once upon a time, was where a live version of “Beauty and the Beast” once thrilled Disneyland park guests from 1992 – 1995. A long-running and much beloved version of that same show featuring Robby’s vocal performance as Beast has become a family favorite at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort.
After the interviews were complete, we decided that we wanted to go outside for an official portrait of Robby, Paige, Belle and Beast for the Disney Parks Blog. Enjoy!
Our Biggest Meet-Up Yet: Join Us at ElecTRONica
posted on October 19th, 2010 by Heather Hust Rivera, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, The Walt Disney Company
UPDATE (10/21/10): We received a few cancellations and have updated the list of confirmed attendees for the ElecTRONica Meet-Up. Please check to see if your name has been added. If you can no longer attend, please email us your full name, and we will remove you from the list. If your name is on the list and you still have not received a confirmation email, please adjust your email settings, add meetups@disney.go.com to your contacts and send us an email.
UPDATE (10/20/10): Wow, thanks for the great comments and questions. I’ve now got to get things ready for the event so if you have a question, please check my earlier replies – I think we’ve covered everything. But if your question has not been answered, do ask and I’ll respond as soon as I can.
UPDATE: Whew! That was a lot of emails for the team to go through. Thanks very much for your patience. Click here for the list of confirmed attendees for the ElecTRONica Meet-Up. Also, we noticed that some people may have put their guest’s name in the body of the email instead of their own. If that is the case, please check to see if your guest’s name is on the list. We are sending out confirmation emails now. If your name is on the list and you do not receive an email, please email us at meetups@disney.go.com. If you have any other questions about the ElecTRONica Meet-Up, please ask them here on the Blog.
We’ve had a lot of fun with meet-ups for Toy Story Mania and “World of Color,” and we’ve received some great comments from fans who liked the events. I’ve spoken with many of you and the one request I’ve heard over and over is: “Do more and include more people!” I’ve also noticed that a lot of you are excited about the upcoming Disney film, “TRON: Legacy” and the new ElecTRONica experience at Disney California Adventure park.
So, today, I’m announcing a meet-up on October 28, 2010, for 3000 people at ElecTRONica (that’s 1500 RSVPs each valid for 2 people). Given the large amount of attendees, this will certainly be different from the first two.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Access to Disney California Adventure park at 4 p.m. and exclusive access to an after-hours ElecTRONica experience from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on October 28. (The Park closes at 8 p.m. on October 28, and ElecTRONica normally runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays each week).
- Opportunity to come decked out in your best TRON or TRON-inspired costume at this special event.
- Signing opportunity with screenwriters for “TRON: Legacy,” Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. (This will be limited to 200 people. You may sign up for this opportunity when you check-in for the event on October 28).
- Opportunity to view select props and concept art from “TRON: Legacy.”
- Commemorative Flynn’s Arcade coin made just for attendees of this meet-up.
To attend, RSVP to meetups@disney.go.com and follow these directions carefully:
- All guests who RSVP for the event must be 18 years or older, but your guest does not need to be 18.
- Valid RSVPs must include 1) “ElecTRONica Meet-Up RSVP” in the subject line and 2) your name in the body of the email. All RSVPs will be for the person who responds plus one guest.
- Valid photo I.D. will be required at check-in.
We will send an email to those who send their valid RSVP before we reach capacity to confirm their attendance for October 28. Depending on your email settings, you may not receive the confirmation email, so we recommend that you also check the list of attendees on the Disney Parks Blog. We will give an update at the top of this post that will include a link to the list of names of all confirmed attendees. If you do not receive an email from us confirming your reservation and your name does not appear on the list of attendees, your RSVP was not accepted.
Please note the event is subject to change or cancellation.
I’m really excited about the event, and I look forward to meeting a lot more of you on October 28.
A View from…Disneyland Paris
posted on October 19th, 2010 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
Around here, we look forward to hearing from our friends in Hong Kong, Paris and Tokyo. And we thought you would too from time to time. So, we’re launching a new blog series featuring sights you won’t see at the Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort. Today, it’s Disneyland Paris.
This year, they’ve created a “Halloweenmosphere” at Disneyland Paris during the New Generation Festival. The parks have been transformed and Frontierland in the Disneyland park has become Halloweenland with festive décor and a host of eerie events. Guests can meet Disney Villain, Dr. Facilier, and Pumpkin People storm the park to create unique Disney style orange mischief.
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Several times throughout the day during the Halloween season, the central stage in the Disneyland park features a Halloween spectacular with Minnie Mouse. Let us know what you think. And stay tuned – our next post in this series will feature images from Tokyo Disneyland.
Simply Spook-tacular Tricks and Treats at Disney Parks
posted on October 19th, 2010 by Dara Trujillo, Manager, Merchandise Synergy, Events, and Communication
I’m always looking for an occasion to dress up, “witch” makes Halloween my favorite time of year. Do you ever wish you could become a Disney Princess? Intergalactic Hero? or a Swashbuckling Pirate? Now you can at our Boo-tiful online boutique at DisneyParks.com/Store! Our online Halloween Headquarters is filled to the brim with costumes, accessories and everything you could imagine to make your little one’s Halloween simply spook-tacular.
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If you’re visiting Disney Parks this Halloween, make their Halloween transformation complete at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (located at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort), where your little princess and cool knight will get the royal treatment, or at Pirate’s League (Walt Disney World Resort), where they can go from landlubber to swashbuckler in the blink of an eye patch. But if it’s rock stars that you fashion, then Studio Disney 365 (Disneyland Resort) will let you celebrate “Rock-tober” with Halloween styles for every look.
We all know everyone’s favorite part of Halloween is filling their Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Buckets with delicious and delectable candy treats, including Halloween-themed candy apples, ghostly cupcakes, plush, pins and more. So stop in and see what else we have in store for you.
Happy Haunting!
Relax and Re-energize in the Heart of Tron City at the End of Line Club at ElecTRONica
posted on October 18th, 2010 by Robin Trowbridge, Entertainment Show Director, Disneyland Resort.
After being digitized and released into the Grid, a Program (a.k.a. one of our guests) often feels the need to re-charge. Don’t worry; ElecTRONica has been pre-programmed with refreshment choices to help you “battle” your thirst.
Just inside the portal as you enter the Grid, you will find a glowing refreshment station complete with drinks and snacks. But if you want to relax and re-energize in the heart of Tron City, you’ll want to head to the End of Line Club.
This ultra modern lounge is the perfect spot to get together and quench your thirst with an icy Coke Zero or Laser Light Lemonade. If desired, Programs of 21 years or more can select from a menu of our themed adult beverages.
For the hungry Program, I suggest you hit up our nearby catering truck. Delicious nachos, chocolate desserts and nourishing ‘bytes.’…That’s right, I went there…are being served up for you to dine on while you take in the pulsating music and electric atmosphere.
The End of Line Club is located just steps away from Flynn’s Arcade, the TRON: Evolution game stations, as well as the main stage which features Laserman and other electrifying performances.
Enter the Grid and join us at the End of Line Club only during ElecTRONica and only at Disney California Adventure park.
Where at Disney Parks Can You Find…
posted on October 18th, 2010 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
It’s Monday, and this week we’ve got a toothy smile in need of an ID. This unique face is easy to spot if you have a keen eye while walking around one of the parks at Walt Disney World. Do you know where? Please put your answers in the comments and we’ll update the post with the answer later today.
Read the rest of this entry »
Anthrax Drummer Charlie Benante Creates Music-Inspired Vinylmation
posted on October 18th, 2010 by Michelle Harker, Merchandise Marketing & Communications Project Manager, Disneyland Resort
A few months ago, Product Developers Holli McHugh and Donald Ferro teamed up with world renowned Anthrax drummer, Charlie Benante, to create an epic new vinyl…Vinylmation that is! These new collectible figures are the hottest craze to hit Disney Parks & Resorts.
Based on the character Mickey Mouse, these Vinylmation figures take on different looks, urban styles and characters and often depict different park attractions and icons.
Charlie knew at a young age there was art and music in his blood. A Disney fan from the start, it was Walt Disney’s Fantasia that led him to get hooked on creating art in all forms, as well as his love for Mickey Mouse and the flawless and seamless animation that only Disney could provide.
Known mainly for his drumming skills, Charlie has performed more than fifty tours spanning the globe and has been instrumental in the creation and development of the art and graphic designs seen on numerous band album covers and t-shirts.
Now marching to the beat of another drum, come nine music inspired 9” Vinylmation figures. Charlie has intricately wound gauze-like material reminiscent of sheet music around the Vinylmation from head to toe, creating an almost mummified appearance. Charlie has also created three additional Vinylmation figures he calls “Kisses.”
Looking forward to meeting Charlie and seeing these rockin’ new Vinylmation figures? Then make sure that you tune in to all the details on www.DisneyDStreet.com and hit D Street in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort October 23 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Disney Fantasy Sets Sail in April 2012 – 2012 Itineraries Open for Booking
posted on October 18th, 2010 by Jonathan Frontado, Disney Cruise Line
With all the excitement about the arrival of our new Disney Dream cruise ship in January, we don’t want to overlook another huge milestone for Disney Cruise Line…the arrival of the brand-new Disney Fantasy ship in 2012!
The Disney Fantasy will sail her maiden voyage on April 7, 2012, bringing even more innovation, unique guest experiences and personalized service to guests. A sister ship to the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy will feature an AquaDuck water coaster, magical children’s areas, world-class entertainment, delightful dining, retreats for adults and immersive experiences for guests of all ages with beloved Disney stories and characters.
The Disney Fantasy will sail out of Port Canaveral, Fla., on the popular seven-night Caribbean itineraries – alternating eastern and western – including a stop at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.
The Disney Dream will continue to sail three-, four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, while the Disney Wonder will remain on the west coast, sailing Mexican Riviera itineraries from the Port of Los Angeles. To start the 2012 season, the Disney Magic will sail alternating eastern and western Caribbean itineraries.
Guests will be able to book sailings, including the Disney Fantasy, for the initial part of the 2012 season beginning Oct. 20, 2010. Disney Cruise Line Gold and Platinum Castaway Club members can begin booking 2012 itineraries on Oct. 19, 2010.
Stay tuned for more Disney Fantasy details and 2012 itinerary information!
