Lots of sad news today including the announcement that the King of Pop Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles at the age of 50 while in training for his big comeback tour. Our hearts to out to the family and friends of Jackson. There… Read More »Michael Jackson, aka Captain EO, dead.
The San Gabriel Valley Tribune profiles a team of three Cal State Fullerton Students who were finalists in a Walt Disney Imagineering contest to design and build a prototype of an attraction. Their idea is an interactive adventure featuring a guy named Otto. Their concept,… Read More »Cal State Fullerton Students make Imagineering Contest Attraction
Guests looking for that extra special experience will want to check out the new “Characters In Flight” tethered balloon attraction at Walt Disney World. The fun will reach new heights at Downtown Disney West Side in an iconic balloon festooned with Disney characters known for… Read More »Characters In Flight to provide birds-eye view of Downtown Disney, opens soon
The one exhibit at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT Center that’s closest to the original spirit of the 1955 version Tomorrowland is Innoventions. In 1954 Walt Disney didn’t even start construction on Tomorrowland until 6 months were left until opening. So he had to make do with a lot of exhibits sponsored by corporations with an eye on tomorrow. Today Innoventions is the place where industry leaders can showcase their latest technological advancements that will bring us together into the future.
Disney just announced the next exhibit scheduled to open at Innoventions and it’s “The Great Piggy Bank Adventure” (now if that’s not a perfect Tie-in for the Muppets, I don’t know what is, but alas, no Muppets involved as far as I can tell). The topic at hand will be basic savings and investing concepts for families and the the importance of saving money responsibly.
Being responsible with our money is certainly a theme we can all stand to hear a little more of these days, but does it rise to the level of an Innovention? Perhaps the Bank of Main Street at Disneyland would have been a more appropriate place for this, but alas that’s being converted into a store. What do you think?
The full press release is below the cut:
Read More »Great Piggy Bank Adventure Coming to EPCOT Center’s Innoventions
Marketing
There’s still more news coming from Disney’s American Idol Experience this week. A commercial for the attraction ran during tonight’s airing of American Idol. The tagline was “You can be part of the next Cinderella Story”, which is the same message they’re using on billboards around town.
I like the theme of the commercial, although I found some of the technical parts of it less than inspiring. I’m expecting dozens of people lining up each morning for expressly to have a chance at their Cinderella story in the attraction.
A Winners List
Tonight marked the fourth night of public performances of the show and the fifth Dream Ticket awarded. I have the names of three of those Dream Ticket holders and have started a list in an attempt to collect all of them going forward. If the winner so chooses, they can then provide me links to their YouTube, MySpace, or other internet pages for a chance at growing a following before they even get to the real auditions for the television show.
I’m counting on you readers to help me build this list as I can’t be there every night (although it may seem that way sometimes). The winners name and their song would be excellent.
The F. A. Q.’s
Finally, click below the link for a great list of Facts and Trivia from The American Idol Experience
Here’s a great slide show of photos from the Gala Premiere of Disney’s The American Idol Experience including many shots I’ve not seen anywhere else. Also included are a few videos you may have seen before. The gala premiere was attended by all seven previous… Read More »American Idol Experience Premiere – Slideshow
The night started off with a celebrity motorcade…
Last night at the premiere of The American Idol Experience, Disney gave away the first ever ‘Dream Ticket’, which allows one lucky park guest a ‘fast pass’ to the front of the audition line for a future season of American Idol, and feted the attraction and the TV show the way only Disney can with tons of magical moments and great experiences for Idols, guests, and fans alike.
…and ended with all seven previous Idol winners on stage together with their new ‘Idol Awards’ that were presented tonight (and Seacrest too).
I want to tell you all about it, but unfortunately, I only have a few minutes today. So here’s a quick summary and a few of my favorite photos from the night. I promise there will be much more later.
In between there were tons of screaming fans…
Read More »American Idol Experience Premiere showcases Idols and future Idols
The set of The American Idol Experience.
I knew The American Idol Experience is in previews and I heard via a twitter from someone who had auditioned and made it into the 2pm show that there would be shows on Saturday, so I drove out to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios to sit in on three Saturday afternoon shows. I’m glad I did.
There is much to be happy with about the attraction, and, as always, a few rough edges that need to be cleaned up. But, hey, that’s what Soft Openings are for. Right?
Read More »American Idol Experience, Disney Magic at its best