College Football Stars Invade Walt Disney World
posted on December 10th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
College football fans were probably in pigskin heaven last night at the Home Depot College Football Awards show at Walt Disney World. The biggest names in the sport – including Heisman Trophy favorite Cam Newton of Auburn – were on hand to collect virtually all of the major college football awards that are presented each year to the top performers in various positions.
Oregon’s LaMichael James, Stanford’s Andrew Luck, Auburn’s Nick Fairley, Boise State’s Kellen Moore and Newton were among the marquee players who walked the red carpet, signed autographs for fans and attended the awards show televised live on ESPN from the Atlantic Dance Hall on Disney’s BoardWalk.
For those lucky enough to be invited to the invitation-only event, it was almost like being at football’s version of the Academy Awards.
One of the biggest rounds of applause that night went to Arkansas’ D.J. Williams, whose inspirational story of escaping a terrible family situation to become a major college football star earned him the coveted Disney Spirit Award – and the only standing ovation for a player that night.
A Hefty Serving of Hoops During Thanksgiving Weekend at Disney
posted on November 24th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
You can start a new Thanksgiving tradition with your family by adding a spoonful of basketball to your holiday plans. After you stuff yourself with turkey and dressing, check out a weekend full of hoops action at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.
Some of the nation’s most well-known collegiate basketball teams are competing in the Old Spice Classic, one of the top preseason tournaments in the country, on Thursday, Friday and Sunday at the complex’s HP Field House. We’re talking about Notre Dame, Boston College, Cal, Georgia, Temple, Texas A&M, Wisconsin and Manhattan in nationally-televised games.
Of course, if you like your basketball to be a little wacky, you can catch those zany Harlem Globetrotters at the HP Field House. They play two games there on Saturday.
It’s easy to get tickets which are on sale at ticketmaster.com or at the sports complex’s box office. You can find game times for the Classic at oldspiceclassic.com and Globetrotters information at espnwwos.com. For updates on all of the Old Spice Classic action, follow us @DisneySports.
The fifth annual Old Spice Classic game times are:
Thurs. Nov. 25th
Boston College vs Texas A&M Noon
Wisconsin vs Manhattan 2pm
Georgia vs Notre Dame 7pm
Temple vs California 9pm
Fri. Nov. 26th
Game 5 Noon
Game 6 2:30pm
Game 7 5:00pm
Game 8 7:30pm
Sun. Nov. 28th
Game 9 11am
Game 10 1pm
Game 11 4:30pm
Championship 7pm
The Harlem Globetrotters game times are:
Sat. Nov. 27th
Game 1 2pm
Game 2 7pm
Lots of ‘Run ‘n’ Fun’ at Disney Parks: Last Call for Entries in Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Events
posted on November 10th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
Today, we take a look forward and a quick look back at the new runDisney series of endurance events.
Looking ahead, it’s last call to register for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA®, which takes place Jan. 6-9, 2011. It’s a weekend of “run ‘n’ fun” all across Walt Disney World Resort.
Three of the weekend’s featured events — the Walt Disney World Marathon, the Half Marathon and Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge — are more than 90 percent filled, so athletes wanting to run these magical miles should sprint (not jog) over to runDisney.com for the latest registration information. There’s even a new Mickey Mouse medal for Marathon finishers this year.
While at runDisney.com, you can even learn from one of the most famous marathon trainers in the U.S. — former Olympian Jeff Galloway. Jeff has been running more than 40 years — that’s a lot of miles! — and has loaded the site with training videos, tips and even printable training programs.
Finally, as we look ahead to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, let’s take a quick look back at Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon, our most recent runDisney event. Starting at 10 p.m., this late-night race ended with a post-race party at Epcot World Showcase.
Gary, our “Grape-on-the-Go,” took on the 13.1 miles wearing a special costume, an homage to the inaugural endurance event and the “spirits” of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Take a look at the latest runDisney fun, and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever conquered one of the endurance races at Disneyland or Walt Disney World.
More World Cup . . . Raglan Road at Downtown Disney will open at 10 a.m. during the month of June to show the World Cup Soccer games with two 50-inch TV screens. They’ll serve a full Irish breakfast all day and offer happy hour drinks and food specials. We reported earlier than you can catch the matches at ESPN Club at Disney’s BoardWalk and ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill beginning June 11. ESPN Club will start serving at 10:30 a.m. for all early soccer game days June 11-29 and July 2 and 3. ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill will be offering a limited breakfast menu for the 7 a.m. game and lunch for the 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. games. Then, from June 26-July 10, ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill will offer a buffet with guaranteed seating to view the game. And on July 11, they’ll create a special viewing area. For reservations, call WDW-DINE beginning May 27.
Caramel Kitchen to open late September . . . the official name is Karamelle-Küche, German for “caramel kitchen,” and the new shop in the Germany pavilion at Epcot is themed like an Old World German caramel shop. A show kitchen will feature cast members making fresh caramel popcorn, caramel apples, caramel-covered strawberries and marshmallows. Werther’s Original candy will be on the shelves, and the shop also will include gourmet caramels, cookies, brownies, fudge and cupcakes. It’s the only free-standing retail location in the world for Storck, makers of Werther’s Original Caramels, and you’ll find some goodies on the shelves that you can’t find anywhere else. The shop replaces the Glas und Porzellan shop.
Fantasmic! lunch . . . The Fantasmic! dining packages now are available during lunch at The Hollywood Brown Derby and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano. Just like the dinner packages, the lunch packages can be booked on all dates when Fantasmic! is scheduled and allow guests to arrive 30-45 minutes prior to the show time and enjoy designated seating. When there are two performances on the same night, the package is valid for the first performance only. Make reservations by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463 up to 180 days in advance. Pick up your VIP voucher for Fantasmic! at the end of the meal.
Cordial cart . . . A beautiful wood cordial cart is now offering tableside after-dinner drinks at Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – the only Walt Disney World restaurant to feature the rolling libations. All sort of brandies and scotches are offered, but we were impressed to see the crème de la crème: Rémy Martin’s Louis the 13th cognac, officially registered as a brand in 1874. Sit back, sip and enjoy.
Disney Parks Blog Weekly Recap
posted on February 27th, 2010 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks
It was the week many of you were waiting for – “Captain EO” returned to Disneyland Park. More than 500 guests lined up to see the first official showing and many more followed that day. If you missed it, we posted highlights of the reopening on the blog.
We also celebrated the relaunching of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. Marquee pro athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, LPGA and the Olympics turned out Thursday night for the official re-launch.
Here are a few other of our most popular stories of the week.
Your Favorite Memory of ‘Captain EO’ is… — To find out why guests are so eager to see it, we went into the Park and asked them, “What is your favorite memory of Captain EO?”
Mickey Notes — We had some fun celebrating volunteerism with 25,000 pieces of colored paper and a 10-foot wall to create “Mickey Notes.” This video shows Walt Disney World Cast Members moving sticky notes around by hand – no video cameras were used. Also, there were no post-production “tricks” used to create the giant sticky note Mickey Mouse, the background or to “animate” the pieces of paper. See for yourself.
Every Role a Starring Role — We went behind the scenes with Disneyland’s window display designers.
Behind the Scenes: Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival — Backstage at the Walt Disney World Nursery things are growing. We gave a behind-the-scenes look at the Festival. Now in its 17th year, this Festival will have more topiary, container gardens and flower beds filled with color than ever.
A Dooney & Bourke Special Event — Ian Ray, of Dooney & Bourke, was at Tren-D for a special event debuting some exciting new products.
Seasonal Gifts for St. Patrick’s Day & Easter — Check out this Irish-looking leprechaun from our Vinylmation Holiday Series. With a little luck you can add it to your very own collection. And don’t miss out on a pair of St. Patrick’s Day ears.
Video: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Relaunches
posted on February 26th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
Last night we relaunched ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in grand fashion and if you weren’t able to attend or watch the streaming video you missed an incredible Disney moment.
Lucky for you we had video crews and photographers there to document every magical moment. Check it out, and next time you take a trip to the happiest place on Earth we hope you plan to make a stop at the complex where sports dreams come true.
Celebrity Athletes, Governor Crist Help Kickoff ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Event
posted on February 25th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
Marquee pro athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, LPGA and the Olympics turned out Thursday night for the official re-launch of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort.
Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson, NFL star Chad Ochocinco, LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam, NFL star Maurice Jones-Drew, Olympic softball gold medalist Jennie Finch and 2009s Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes were just a few of the athletes in attendance along with several popular ESPN personalities and Florida governor Charlie Crist. Instead of a Hollywood-style red carpet, the celebrities walked a turf carpet painted with yard lines to resemble a football field. The sports complex, already the leading multi-sports venue in the nation, was officially re-launched when New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl champion kicker Garrett Hartley booted a football, held by Minnie Mouse, over the complex entrance gate amid waves of fireworks and confetti.
Afterwards, the celebrity athletes and ESPN talent attended a private reception at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill. Then some of them watched a special performance by the Harlem Globetrotters and even got into the act.
The complex at Disney was re-designed with the signature elements of ESPN – 56 HD video cameras, 40 HD video screens, 20-zone audio system, ESPN SportsCenter desk – that create a one-of-a-kind ESPN-style youth sports experience for the two million athletes, coaches and fans who come to the complex each year. Now, in addition to playing on the same fields and courts as some of the biggest names in sports, youth athletes who compete at the sports complex will also feel as if they’ve reached the “big-time’’ and made it onto ESPN.
Geez, where was all of this when we were kids?
*Check in tomorrow for a photo and video recap of the event
LIVE: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Red Carpet Event
posted on February 25th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
UPDATE: The live stream is complete, however you can watch the replay for the next few days.
Are you ready for some red carpet action? We are and we hope you enjoy this special live feed of the red carpet event marking the relaunch of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the grand reopening moment coming up at 5 p.m.
————————–
Click & Watch The Event Live
————————–
Streaming Live: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Red Carpet Event
posted on February 25th, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
Sports fans – if you aren’t able to make it to the relaunch of ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex we have set up a way for you to stay in touch with all the red carpet action.
The Disney Parks Blog will be streaming live as some of your favorite athletes and ESPN personalities walk the red carpet. Once the red carpet is over get ready for a grand moment done Disney AND ESPN style. Let us know what you think, and we’ll see you on the blog Thursday at 5pm.
ESPN The Weekend: Where Sports & Entertainment Collide
posted on February 23rd, 2010 by Darrell Fry, Sports Media Director, Walt Disney World
This is the ultimate weekend where sports and entertainment come together to give you the unique opportunity to get inside the game and have fun with some of the biggest names in pro sports. Want to toss the football around with Chad Ochocinco? Shoot hoops with Scottie Pippen? Play catch with Curt Shilling? Or just talk football strategy with the ole’ ball coach Steve Spurrier or one of ESPN’s expert commentators?
This weekend, specifically ESPN The Weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is your chance to possibly do just that.
Starting Thursday, come out to see special live broadcasts of Baseball Tonight, First Take, NFL Live, Mike & Mike in the Morning and interview segments of SportsCenter. Test your athleticism in the ESPN Sports Zone interactive area. Wave to some of your favorite athletes and ESPN personalities as they motorcade up Hollywood Boulevard and ask them questions about their careers in fan-involved Q&A sessions. And finally, if you think you have what it takes to make it on ESPN, head over to Dream Job-The Experience, where you can audition for SportsCenter with the audience selecting the best sportscaster of the day.
But it doesn’t stop there. Professional and youth athletic events will be going on throughout the weekend at the newly renamed ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. The Globetrotters will perform Thursday night along with two games showcasing four Major League soccer teams. Catch the final MLS games Saturday evening and some of today’s top high school athletes in the Nike Football Combine Tour Stop workouts Saturday and Sunday at the sports complex.
If you are a sports fanatic, this weekend is a must. For all your ticket information and a full list of events and athletes scheduled to attend, go to www.espntheweekend.com and follow us on Twitter @DisneySports.
