‘Disney Parks Christmas Parade’ Broadcast Will Include Special Shazam Experience
posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
I know there are quite a few blog readers who can’t wait to see the “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” on ABC-TV – it’s tradition, right? Well, this year, we’ve got a surprise. For the first time, you’ll be able to access exclusive, behind-the-scenes content during the parade with the Shazam smartphone mobile app.
It’s simple to “Shazam” the parade. Throughout the telecast, you’ll see the Shazam logo appear on your television screen and that’s your cue to activate the app. Then you’ll be able to find all sorts of surprises, including a sneak preview of Luigi’s Flying Tires, which is part of Disney’s upcoming Cars Land at Disney California Adventure park, and a special video with OneRepublic. There’s also a build your own gingerbread cookie experience and more to discover.
For information on the parade telecast, check back here for updates and also visit disney.com/christmasparade. The Shazam smartphone app is available for free download from the iTunes App Store and Android Market.
Try it out and let us know what you think.
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Cee Lo Green Performs in the ‘Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade’ at Magic Kingdom Park
posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Award-winning singer Cee Lo Green is one of several stars set to perform in this year’s “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” on ABC.
After recording his performance earlier this month at Magic Kingdom Park, Cee Lo shared his thoughts with us on being a part of this holiday tradition, as well as his love for Disney – something he’s sure not to “forget” anytime soon!
Be sure to tune in to the “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” to see Cee Lo’s musical number, as well as performances by Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, and more. The parade will air Dec. 25 on ABC at noon (EST).
Vintage Walt Disney World: Country Bears Catch the Holiday Spirit at Magic Kingdom Park
posted on December 22nd, 2011 by Nate Rasmussen, Archivist, Marketing Resource Center
Most bears hibernate for the winter, but the Country Bears of Frontierland fame in Magic Kingdom Park used to like to celebrate the holidays before heading for their long winter naps.
County Bear Christmas Special premiered in December 1984 with the bears singing such holiday classics as “Deck the Halls,” “Let It Snow,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” as well as new original songs like “Hungry as a Bear.”
The entire theatre was fully decorated to get into the Christmas spirit including Max, Buff, and Melvin who joined in the holiday fun.
If you ask me, the holiday season was a little more bear-able when I could catch the County Bears performing their Christmas Special.
Opening Night, 1937: ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Premieres at Carthay Circle Theatre
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print
As Disney Parks Blog readers know, when Buena Vista Street opens next year its centerpiece will be the Carthay Circle Theatre – home to the premiere dining location in Disney California Adventure park and a living tribute to a definitive moment in the history of the Walt Disney Company.
On December 21, 1937, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” premiered to a record-breaking audience at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. News clippings from the time quote theatre manager Ray Ducerne, who reported that advance ticket sales outpaced every other picture ever booked at the theatre, resulting in a sold-out opening night. Advance demand for tickets was so strong that sales were limited to four per person. More than 30,000 fans who couldn’t score one of the $5 tickets gathered outside the theatre just to be a part of the historic event.
This was quite a pay-off for Walt Disney, who had risked nearly everything he had to see his dream of a feature-length animated story come true. At a cost of $1.4 million, the film had taken three years, 750 artists and almost two million individual paintings to create. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” went on to receive a special Academy Award (one full-size Oscar accompanied by seven “dwarf” Oscars), and its original worldwide gross totaled $8.5 million – which would have been hundreds of millions of dollars today. It was the highest-grossing movie of all time until it was later surpassed by “Gone with the Wind.”
Opening night at the Carthay Circle Theatre was a spectacular event. Crowds lined up around the block, and huge floodlights illuminated the scene. Walt and Lillian Disney arrived to enormous fanfare and enjoyed the screening alongside such celebrities as Shirley Temple, Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Milton Berle, Ginger Rogers, Cary Grant, George Burns and many more.
The Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park will mark this game-changing night for Walt Disney and his burgeoning studio – a tribute to an enormous risk that turned into a golden opportunity. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was not only a financial success, but it set the stage for countless animated classics which would follow and paved the way for the rest of Walt Disney’s dreams to come true.
I’ll leave you with one more look back in time – the film’s playbill.
Infographic: What Does It Take to Decorate Walt Disney World for the Holidays?
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Every year I’m wowed by the amazing holiday decorations that seem to cover each of our parks and resorts here at Walt Disney World Resort. And I love looking at the stats on just how many Christmas trees, wreaths and other decorations we have on display, because the amounts are always amazing!
Take a look at the infographic below to see what it took to decorate Walt Disney World this year alone!
Last-Minute Disneyland Resort Shopping Picks
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Michelle Harker, Merchandise Marketing & Communications Project Manager, Disneyland Resort
Okay, who’s ready for the holidays? Anyone… Bueller? Here I was getting my lists organized, getting a jump on my holiday shopping on Black Friday, finding gifts here and there, then at some point I ended up in a space time continuum, with days flying by at warp speed and wishing I had added a flux capacitor and a DeLorean to my holiday wish list.
With only a few days to go, it’s time to regain some focus, get out the lists, check them twice… and shop ’til you drop! Okay, not necessarily ‘drop’ but if you are visiting the Hollywood Tower Hotel in Disney California Adventure park, that’s exactly what you can expect. While the bellman will dare you to drop in, I dare you to leave the store without a gift in hand. Top Holiday Pick: You can’t go wrong with the tie dyed “I Survived The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror” or the tee featuring Donald, Mickey and Goofy whose expressions change from happy to frightened in a single drop.
If you’re looking to make more of a splash with your holiday giving then it’s time to swim through Embarcadero Gifts, which is offering the latest in apparel and souvenirs inspired by “The Little Mermaid,” Ursula and “World of Color.” Just remember, these don’t stay on shore too long. If hiking is more your speed, then trek over to Rushin’ River Outfitters, where you are bound to find out that “Dry is not an Option.”
While the holidays can get hectic, there’s no reason they need to turn into a three-ring circus. Let the team at Sideshow Shirts personalize your apparel, headwear and seasonal items, giving your gifts a special touch this year. Top Holiday Pick: This one was tough. As you saw in the shopping video with Erin, I really like the Mascot program, but the Disneyland Classic is in fact just that – a classic.
If all of this shopping has left you a little hungry and in need of a sweet treat for a job well done, then the place to find it is Dulce Aventura. What would I pick? Probably a cookie. But the chocolate-dipped pineapple skewer is pretty high on my list too.
It’s time to hit the pavement, bags in hand… and for those of you who tend to feel like the ‘force’ is strong in your household, then make sure to visit our motherships at Star Trader in Tomorrowland and D Street in Downtown Disney, which have a little something for superheroes, rock-and-rollers and Jedi alike. If you’re still at a loss to find that special gift for the guy(s) in your life, then shoppers it’s time to unite. While Disney Vault 28 may seem more of a girl’s fashion boutique, (yes, I know I said it… “boutique”) I assure you – don’t count it out too fast. The store shelves are lined with men’s hats, novelty tees, button-down shirts and other apparel and accessory items just for guys. Check it out! You won’t be disappointed.
Alright, I’m feeling better… are you? I’ve managed to cross a few more gifts off my list.
Now… it’s time to wrap.
Lucky Guests Decorate a Magic Kingdom Park Christmas Tree
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
During the holiday season, more than 1,300 beautifully decorated Christmas trees are scattered throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. But at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at Magic Kingdom Park, it’s the guests who are the expert Christmas tree decorators.
Each day, one family is chosen to decorate the shop’s Magical Moments Christmas tree. Our friend Joan Peabody recently stopped by the shop to see the magic firsthand. Check it out.
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree Begins Ride Testing at Disney California Adventure Park
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Kathy Mangum, Executive Producer & Vice President, Walt Disney Imagineering
With all the changes taking place at Cars Land at Disney California Adventure park, one of the developments that we all look forward to is ride testing. It’s really fun seeing our ride engineers fire up the mechanical systems for the first time – it’s such a huge milestone!
One of our attractions that is just now entering daily ride testing is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree where baby tractors twirl and swing around, pulling trailers behind them (that’s where we get to sit). When completed, the tractors will appear to be dancing to songs that Mater is singing – they just can’t help themselves!
In addition to starting the ride testing, we’ve been making some other big changes to this area with the installation of our marquee and a huge new set piece – Mater’s Junkyard Jukebox. Take a look and see all the great work that’s being done in Mater’s junkyard. (Please note that the music you hear in the video is for the video only and will not be part of the fun songs you’ll hear Mater singing. More on these fun songs later!)
A ‘Towering’ New Race Through the Night at Walt Disney World Resort
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
If you’re a runner, Christmas is coming a little early for you thanks to our runDisney team, which thinks it’s found the perfect gift for you. Open it up by clicking on this video.
Yep, we’re reviving the popular The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror theme and creating The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort in 2012. If you like to have a scary good time when you run, this race will be the perfect weekend much like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K race we last staged at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2009.
This new race, scheduled for Sept. 29, will follow a similar course – through the set of “Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show’’ and past Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat – but features runDisney’s first-ever 10-mile distance that finishes, appropriately enough, near The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction. If you “survive’’ the experience, you’ll be treated to a shiny new medal and a rocking post-race party with your family and friends that features live music, Disney characters and exclusive access to attractions such as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, Star Tours, Toy Story Mania! and, of course, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
The new The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror race is our sixth signature runDisney event and the second nighttime race at Walt Disney World Resort. To make room for it, though, we’re shifting our other nighttime event, the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, to Nov. 9-10 during the final weekend of the popular Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Like all runDisney events, the race weekend will feature a variety of events, including a 5K, kid’s races and a Health & Fitness Expo all at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort.
Mark your calendars now for Feb. 14. That’s the day you can start registering for the new race at runDisney.com. Should be a “terror-ably’’ good time.
Wildlife Wednesdays: Ostriches and Ornaments (What Do They Have in Common?) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
posted on December 21st, 2011 by Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks
Start talking about holiday ornaments, and there’s probably very little chance that the conversation will lead to ostriches, except at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. That’s because at the resort each holiday season, guests get to make fun holiday ornaments using real ostrich eggs.
With help from the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Savanna Guides, families and children use colorfully dyed ostrich egg pieces – from eggs laid by the resort’s and Disney’s Animal Kingdom ostriches – to create holiday ornaments that they can take home, creating life-long memories of the wildlife they’ve seen and learned about during their visit.
Each day, guests can choose from a variety of African animal- and culture-inspired designs to use when decorating their ornaments. A special design also is available each day that represents one of the many organizations supported by the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF). For example, this Thursday, guests can decorate a zebra ornament while learning about a DWCF-supported zebra conservation project by the Grevy’s Zebra Trust.
Community involvement is a critical aspect of successful conservation efforts, and the Grevy’s Zebra Community Conservation project, which is helping to protect the endangered Grevy’s zebra, includes education programs for members of the local community in northern Kenya. Since 2000, DWCF has given nearly $160,000 to support zebra conservation efforts alone!
Guests who participate in the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge ornament activity are encouraged to make a donation to help wildlife and nature, 100% of which goes to DWCF. Guests have contributed over $58,000 to DWCF since the activity began in 2003! Since 1995, DWCF has awarded nearly $18 million to support conservation programs in 111 countries. For a complete list of recipients and to view The Walt Disney Company’s most recent Conservation Report, visit www.disney.com/conservation.
If you’re visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge this holiday season, you are welcome to decorate an ornament of your own – and help wildlife and nature – now through Dec. 31 from 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. at either the Jambo House lobby or the Kidani Village library.
