I hope you have already marked your calendars to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort on Oct. 1. To help you navigate around all of the happenings on Oct. 1, here’s a quick snapshot of the Disney inspired artists and special signing opportunities taking place throughout the day at Magic Kingdom Park.

Start your morning off with a little ‘kook’iness at Diamond Horseshoe from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. as we welcome Kooky Pen Creator, Brent Reese and Disney Design Group Artist, Costa Alavezos signing the newest Kooky limited edition pen set created especially for the anniversary. Next, double your fun, with not one, but two opportunities to meet California artist, Noah, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and again from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., as we celebrate the release of his limited edition 40th Anniversary hand-painted Vinylmation figures and commemorative artwork featuring Cinderella Castle and Tinker Bell as she flies through the night sky.

From today’s styles to nostalgic pieces reminiscent of yesteryear, comes the 40th Anniversary collection from artists Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily, along with Dave Avanzino, who will join in the Oct. 1 festivities at Diamond Horseshoe with signings from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Allow Kevin and Jody to take you on a trip down memory lane with their Grand Canyon Concourse inspired vase, vintage tin attraction sign set and a ceramic drinking cup reminiscent of those from opening day. What’s Dave Avanzino have in store? How about meticulously handcrafted limited- edition 3-D sculptures featuring the Haunted Mansion and a second piece celebrating attractions from the Magic Kingdom Park. Special note: The Haunted Mansion-inspired artwork features UV paint that will reveal hidden details when placed under black light.

While we’re on the topic of hauntingly good merchandise, if it’s something a little more chilling and ghoulishly thrilling that you seek, then ‘hurry back’ to Uptown Jewelers throughout the day, where an array of Disney artists, including Disney Traditions artisan Jim Shore and Miniaturist Robert Olszewski will be materializing. Jim Shore will ‘appear’ from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. to sign his newest spellbinding creation, the Haunted Mansion Ballroom Organist. In another realm, from 12 Noon to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Miniaturist, Robert Olszewski will be ‘dying to meet you’ with the release of his iconic Haunted Mansion attraction sculpture and other pieces in the Main Street, U.S.A. collection.

Before you lose all track of time… meet Watch Artist Gene Gonda from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., who’s limited release watch depicting Mickey Mouse with Orange Bird in hand in front of Cinderella Castle will premier at Uptown Jewelers.

If you’re not able to join us at Magic Kingdom on October 1 to celebrate the momentous 40th Anniversary celebration, not to worry, we’re offering a special treat online! This weekend only (September 30 – October 2) we’re making the limited release commemorative 40th Anniversary T-Shirts available online at DisneyParks.com/Store. These special t-shirts are only available for a short time, once the clock strikes midnight on Sunday, October 2, the 40th Anniversary commemorative t-shirts will be history!

Tagged: WDW

Filed: Art of Disney, Walt Disney World Resort

The magic of Disney Cruise Line is now sailing online! For the first time ever, we are excited to announce that you can shop for Disney Cruise Line Merchandise online at DisneyCruise.com/Store!

Here at the offices of Disney Theme Park Merchandise, we’re constantly looking for new ways to give guests what they’re searching for. We’ve heard your requests loud and clear and now we’re giving you the convenience of shopping for Disney Cruise Line merchandise from the comfort of home!

Planning a Disney Cruise Line vacation? We have you and your family covered with pre-arrival favorites to make packing a breeze. One of my personal travel favorites is the Disney Cruise Line Lanyard Wallet – since bathing suits usually don’t come with pockets, this is the perfect accessory to keep your personal items close by! This handy lanyard wallet opens up to reveal two compartments for travel and excursion necessities, plus there’s a window pocket that’s great for storing your Key to the World card! In addition to this onboard essential we’ve selected tried and true must-haves that you can pack before you board the ship, from travel mugs, tote bags, compact umbrellas and more. Now your family can be prepared for your vacation in Disney Cruise Line style!

The new online assortment is also a great way to surprise your family with the announcement that they’re going on a Disney Cruise Line vacation! What better way to reveal to your family that they are about to set sail on magical seas than with the Captain Mickey Ear Hat or matching family tees that you can wear to the port the day you set sail with Disney!

While the new Disney Cruise Line Online Store offers a great way to plan for an upcoming vacation, it also serves as a great way to pick up extra souvenirs that you may have left behind from a previous Disney Cruise Line vacation. One of the questions we’ve heard from you, our guest, is “I didn’t have room in my suitcase for one more thing! Where can I get the keepsake that I had to leave behind?” Before the launch of the new online assortment, there wasn’t a place to shop where you could pick up the Disney Cruise Line Scrapbook Kit or picture frames. Now, once you return from your seafaring vacation, all of the magic that couldn’t fit in your suitcase is now at your fingertips!

With so many Disney Cruise Line Merchandise favorites on the Disney Wonder, Magic, and Dream, we couldn’t fit them all online. Is there a specialty item that you’d like to be able to purchase online? Tell us in the comments!

Tagged: DCL

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

It’s that time of year again for Disney Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members to shop till they drop! Mark your calendars because on Saturday, July 23, World of Disney stores at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts will host shopping extravaganzas just for passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members – and as a special treat, D23 Members are invited to join in the savings at the Disneyland Sizzling Summer Sale. The events will be held from 6-9 a.m. at Walt Disney World Resort, and 6:30-9 a.m. at Disneyland Resort.

For those of you who have shopped at the Sizzling Summer Sale before, you know that there are up to 75-percent discounts on select merchandise, unbelievable door busters and surprise markdowns at this annual super sale.

For the very first time, we’re giving you a special sneak peek at some of the offers that Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can expect to find at the Sizzling Summer Sale on Saturday, July 23:

• 75% off select Vinylmation
• 40% off select Disney Parks Dooney & Bourke styles
• 50% off select Apparel for the entire family
• 50% off select Ear Hats and headwear
• 50% off select Disney Parks Edition Games such as Monopoly and Operation
• Door busters at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort beginning as low as $1 (plus tax)

If you’re one of our special guests, shopping at Walt Disney World on July 23, the savings don’t stop at World of Disney. Select merchandise shops and restaurants in Downtown Disney are also offering great discounts on keepsake gifts and dining. All you have to do is show your Passholder or Disney Vacation Club ID, and the great deals will come your way.

Friendly disclaimer: A valid Disney Vacation Club ID or Passholder ID AND government issued photo ID must be presented to enter the World of Disney store for the early shopping opportunities and must be presented at time of purchase to receive offers. Merchandise and offers valid while supplies last. Offers not valid on any previous purchases nor for phone, e-mail , online, or mail orders. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Other restrictions may apply. Information and offers are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Tagged: DLR, Downtown Disney, WDW

Filed: Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney, Downtown Disney District, Walt Disney World Resort

This Friday, July 15 at 5 p.m., the Art of Disney Parks at Downtown Disney Marketplace will host former Walt Disney Imagineer Maggie Parr, who will showcase her exciting collection of Renaissance-inspired Disney character portraits. The collection is a beautiful art series that honors characters in iconic paintings from a few of the world’s most famous and historic artists.

To help celebrate Maggie’s appearance at Walt Disney World Resort tomorrow, I wanted to reintroduce you to Maggie and her artistic styling that makes her artwork so special and enchanting. Last year, Michelle Harker introduced you to Maggie in her Disney Parks Blog series, ‘Celebrating the Art of…’.

I’ve taken a snippet of Michelle’s interview with Maggie and posted it below, so you can hear from Maggie first hand on what inspired her to create the iconic Disney Renaissance collection and how she chose to depict the characters in the Renaissance style.

Michelle: Maggie, your work continues to provide a sense of enchantment to our guests. Your ability to capture some of our most notable Disney characters in many film-related scenes and scenarios is just part of the charm and magic that makes them so special. Some of your most recognized pieces have actually had a type of “Renaissance” inspiration. What made you choose to depict the characters in that style?

Maggie: I originally got the idea when Imagineering hired me to paint Disney characters in famous artworks for Tokyo DisneySea. I really enjoyed imitating classic paintings, but it was also an interesting challenge to figure out subtleties of the characters: how they’d look in costumes, what expressions they’d have, how they’d look rendered in different mediums and techniques. I realized that Goofy, and all of the characters, have their own psychology. In fact, when I painted them they came alive on the canvas and I began to appreciate and understand the Disney characters in a whole new way while inserting lighthearted American humor into serious European history. Mickey and Minnie are beloved to the American imagination – so it made sense to paint them as “Queen Minnie” and “King Mickey” after famous royal portraits. It feels fun and irreverent to frame Goofy and Donald as English noblemen in the 1700s. And of course, portraying Minnie as the Mona Lisa is the ultimate parody.

Tagged: Downtown Disney, WDW

Filed: Art of Disney, Downtown Disney, Walt Disney World Resort

Materialize, foolish mortals at the Room For 1 More merchandise event, which will celebrate one of our park’s most beloved attractions, the Haunted Mansion, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort Sept. 30, 2011.

We invite you to step through the graveyard gates of the Haunted Mansion cemetery, recreated with “ghoulish delight” at the resort. Here you can dine in a mist-enshrouded banquet realm hidden among the crypts. While organ music plays, restless spirits will rise to entertain you during a feast provided by our ghoulish gastronomists.

Looking for somewhere to retire? Might I suggest our Ghost Gallery in the Library, where you’ll want to keep the supernatural in suspense by bidding on priceless first editions and other creepy keepsakes in our silent auction.

Room For 1 More event – P“LOTS” includes:

• Be the first to pre-purchase limited-edition event logo products, Haunted Mansion-themed collectibles and Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary collectibles.
• A deadly silent auction that includes a performance art lot by Noah.
• Meet and greets with world-renowned artists such as Robert Olszewski, Jim Shore, Greg McCullough and more.
• A cryptic conversation with our council of Walt Disney Imagineers.
• Ghostly dinner feast with haunting sounds and full-bodied entertainment.
• A deadly departure gift … don’t forget to hurry back!

Mortals dying to attend the Room For 1 More event can request tickets through July 20. For more details and a sneak peek at the treasures that will be featured at the event, visit ArtofDisneyParks.com.

Happy haunting!

Tagged: WDW

Filed: Art of Disney, Hotels & Resorts, Walt Disney World Resort

There’s no denying that SHAG is a talented artist – just ask the lines of guests who came out to meet him at Walt Disney World Resort for his 40th Anniversary product release. The question that we heard fans ask SHAG the most was “What inspiration did you use to create your 40th Anniversary artwork?”

While I could tell you his response, I thought it would be more fun for you to hear about SHAG’s inspirations from the artist himself…enjoy!

If you’re visiting Walt Disney World Resort and looking to take a closer look at SHAG’s latest collection, you can check it out at The Art of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace or at Uptown Jewelers in Magic Kingdom Park.

Tagged: BtS, MK, Video, WDW

Filed: Art of Disney, Behind the Scenes, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort

Back in January, I gave you a sneak peek at the newest artwork created by SHAG for Walt Disney World Resort’s 40th Anniversary. While we were only able to give you a one-day sneak peek then, I’m happy to tell you that the wait for SHAG’s 40th Anniversary collection is finally over!

On Friday, June 24, Uptown Jewelers at Magic Kingdom Park will host SHAG for the official debut of his latest 40th Anniversary collection. This will be the first time that guests will be able to find SHAG’s retro collection of Walt Disney World-inspired collectibles, home goods and apparel that pay homage to our magical kingdom.

SHAG’s signature art style is instantly recognizable on the newly developed collection that will only be available at the Walt Disney World Resort. He re-imagines original Disney icons and transforms them into colorful, bold and retro creations unlike anything seen before at Walt Disney World Resort.

His artwork will highlight a line of new keepsakes and must-haves that will appeal to any Disney fan, including new charm bracelets (with more than 30 charms), apparel for men and women and a postcard set, as well as home goods such as double old-fashion tumblers, a pillow sham and a coaster collection. There are so many amazing products to share that we couldn’t show them all in one Disney Parks Blog post, so be sure to check out www.ArtofDisneyParks.com.

If you want to be among the first to get your hands on SHAG’s 40th Anniversary Collection and meet him in person, head out to Walt Disney World this weekend for this very special artist signing and product premiere. SHAG will appear Friday, June 24, at Uptown Jewelers in Magic Kingdom Park from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturday, June 25, at Art of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace from 4-6 p.m.

What do you think of SHAG’s new 40th Anniversary product collection?

Tagged: Downtown Disney, MK, WDW

Filed: Art of Disney, Walt Disney World Resort