click to embiggen Looking for a way to enjoy the new Star Tours attraction but can’t make it back to Disneyland or Disney’s Hollywood Studios anytime soon? Well, faster than it takes to fly a parsec, Disney.com has whipped up a new Star Tours intergalactic… Read More »Disney.com Launches New Star Tours Mini-Website
Walt Disney World will illuminate the night on July 4 with special pyrotechnic shows, including a patriotic display at Magic Kingdom, a rock’n’roll spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and a laser light show at Epcot plus an Independence Day finale tag for IllumiNations. Here’s the… Read More »Disney World set for Fireworks Displays in Three of its Four Parks
Star Tours 3-D has now opened at both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the crowds keep coming to see the 3-D attraction with over 50 possible ride combinations. Disney has just released this special promotional video that highlights the different destinations Star Tours guests could visit. They’ve even added a special cameo appearance by yours truly. Keep an eye out around the 1:04 minute mark:
Join me below the jump for the secrets of how this video was made:
Some interesting news (via @Figgy999 on Twitter) coming from Walt Disney World’s theme park management today. Rilous Carter, the current VP at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be moving to the same position in EPCOT and Dan Cockerell, the current VP at EPCOT will be moving… Read More »Cockerell and Carter to switch VP roles at EPCOT and DHS
Part of what makes the new Star Tours so awesome, for me at least, is the incredible level of inside jokes, easter eggs, cookies, remnants, and homages. Probably this is because I publish a book of such tributes (Walt Disney World Hidden History: Remnants of Former Attractions and Other Tributes
Here’s what we’ve been able to find so far, listed “chronologically” as we progress through the queue and ride. It should be noted that numerous posters on a couple Disney fan sites helped me by adding to my initial list with new items, that are now folded in:
Queue
THX1138. On the terminal boarding announcements, watch the bottom of the screen for Flight 1138 to Chandrila. There’s also a verbal announcement for landspeeder THX1138, an echo (though a new recording) of a similar announcement pre-rehab.
Fantasy in the Sky fireworks. One video on the large viewscreen mentions Fantasy in the Sky, a reference to the longtime fireworks show at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom.
George Lucas. One verbal terminal announcement pages Egroeg Sacul (George Lucas), a holdover announcement from the ride’s previous incarnation.
Tom Morrow. Another verbal announcement mentions Mot Worrom (Tom Morrow backwards), which honors an Audio-Animatronics figure from Tomorrowland’s past (at Disneyland, more than one!)
NCC-1701. Just before reaching the large overhead screen, look to your right for white circle designs in the wall. One is labeled in red font with N1C7C01 – an ‘every other letter’ cipher for the number designation of Star Trek’s Enterprise, NCC-1701.
C3PO and R2D2. Another circle design in this same location uses a backward cipher for the droid names.
Tony Baxter. In the corner just below (just after) the overhead screen, look for lettering in dim light saying TWB3000. This is in deference to Senior Vice President of Creative Development at WDI Tony Wayne Baxter, and the old Star Tours flight number 3000.
Read More »Star Tours – Inside Jokes, Tributes, Remnants, Homages
I was recently sent a little snippet from a podcast created by Ken Tangen that reveals some interesting details about an upgrade to the car and motorcycle stunt show that performs at both Paris Disneyland’s Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney World’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Yep, that’s Lights, Motors, Action.
You may have heard about a little movie from Pixar coming out this summer. It’s Cars 2, of course. And where better to promote a movie featuring a little red race car than a stunt show that also features a little red car.
I had heard that the Herbie segment would be replaced by Lightning McQueen, but I didn’t realize how extensive the new segment would be. According to the interview with Rob Pottorf, who composed the music for the segment, there will be an 4-5 minute segment with Tow Mater animated on the screen and a stunt car version of Lightening McQueen (and a bad guy) driving around and but not really doing stunts.
If you want to get a sneak peak, it has already debuted in Paris. You can see a video from that park below the jump:
Although the rumors were that the top five of this season’s American Idol would be at the park on Sunday May 29th, Disney just announced that the 2011 “American Idol” winner, 17 year old Scotty McCreery, will actually be visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Monday,… Read More »American Idol winner Scotty McCreery to be feted at DHS on Monday May 30th
Sometimes when a celebrity visits Walt Disney World they don’t really know what attraction to showcase him or her infront of. But when the guitarist from Aerosmith, Joe Perry, visits, it’s a no-brainer – Rock-n-Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith, of course. Here he is with an… Read More »Aerosmith Guitarist Joe Perry Rocks with Goofy at Disney World