Disney has now released a few photos from the sets of the photo shoots for the latest images in the Disney Dream Portrait series by Annie Leibovitz. The first set featuring Russell Brand were shot back in November of 2011, almost a year ago, and the second set featuring Jack Black, Will Ferrell, and Jason Segel was shot in March of 2012.
Read More »Behind The Scenes of Latest Annie Leibovitz Disney Dream Portraits
In 2007, to help promote the first Year of A Million Dreams at its parks, Disney partnered with world famous photographer Annie Leibovitz to create the Disney Dream Portraits series. The first series featured celebrities Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella, David Beckham as Price Phillip, and… Read More »Annie Leibovitz Disney Dream Photos – New Series Released
Some exciting news for Disney Dooney & Bourke fans was announced on the Disney Parks Blog today! Three new designs will be released on July 14th at TrenD in Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World: the much anticipated Retro design for the Walt Disney World… Read More »New Disney Parks Dooney & Bourke Designs Coming Soon
We’re really beginning to see the fruits of Disney’s $2 billion investment in integrating technology into the way guests experience their theme parks. According to Bob Iger one of the big changes will be how much of their vacation families will be able to make schedule from home. Instead of just dining, you’ll soon be able to schedule rides, parade viewing, show seating, and more. The first step in that is integrating a new type of RFID based Fastpass into the parks.
Magic Kingdom is ground zero for the beta-test for this advanced version of Fastpass. During the test select Disney World hotel guests are given the opportunity to schedule 4 rides a day using this new pass. Since it’s RFID, you carry around a unique identifier and the computer knows who you are, a few personal items (if it’s your birthday, anniversary, etc), and what your reservations are. If you forget the latter, you can swipe your card at a terminal and it will let you know what you next reservation is for. Eventually you’ll be able to change your Fastpass reservations at that terminal or even via your mobile device.
Read More »New Fastpass Invades Magic Kingdom, Are You Ready for Next Gen?
Update: Clarified which attraction opening dates were announced for later this year. This morning I attended the annual What’s New, What’s Next presentation for Disney Parks. Among the presenters were Meg Crofton, president of Disney Parks and Resorts, Chris Beatty, lead Imagineer on the New… Read More »What’s Next for Disney Parks
Steven M. Barrett, Author and Mouse Hunter
If you’ve been to the Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, or even on a Disney Cruise, chances are you’ve seen people walking around with a bright yellow book and a tendency to periodically stop and stare at rather obscure signs, windows, and random bits of architecture. Those folks are hunting Hidden Mickeys. Be very, very quiet.
The book in question is by Steven M. Barrett, and is part of his popular series titled Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to (insert Disney location here)’s Best Kept Secrets. There’s also an app for that!
Each book offers a number of Hidden Mickeys for Disney guests to search for on their visit. What is a Hidden Mickey? “A partial or complete image of Mickey Mouse that has been hidden by Disney’s Imagineers and artists in the designs of Disney attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other areas. These images are designed to blend into their surroundings. Sharp-eyed visitors have the fun of finding them.” — from Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Disneyland Resort’s Best Kept Secrets, Chapter 1 “Hidden Mickey Mania”
Barrett has been canvasing Disney parks (and ships) to track the elusive Hidden Mickeys for over 20 years. He’s found a few.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Barrett via Skype about his books, the website that they have spawned (HiddenMickeyGuy.com), and life as America’s most-celebrated Hidden Mickey hunter. Read More »Interview With Steven M. Barrett, Author of Hidden Mickeys
Three generations making memories with The Big Cheese and his main squeeze.
Sony and Disney Parks are teaming up to help capture some family memories. Sony provides the video camera and Disney the theme park experience and together it’s a great opportunity for you to win a Son Handycam and a Disney vacation.
The “Share Magical Memories” co-branded campaign kicks off with a unique online contest and dedicated website hosted by Disney Interactive at www.disney.com/memories, where guests can submit a written entry about a special someone in their life, a family member, friend or educator, who has helped create a lasting memory. A panel of judges will review the stories about the special memory makers and select five grand prize winners. Each grand prize winner will receive a vacation for themselves and three guests, plus a vacation for their memory makers and three guests to Walt Disney World Resort. The winning families will also receive a Sony® HDR-PJ260V projector camcorder to document new memories before, during, and after their experience at Disney Parks.
After giving 40 years of his life to a career with the Mouse, Al Weiss retired in November 2011. But you don’t have to worry for Al, he’s just been appointed to the Board of Directors at the Apollo Group. Mr. Weiss will serve as an independent director of the company, and will sit on the audit committee.
“Al brings a tremendous amount of business talent and expertise to the board,” said John Sperling, executive chairman of the board of Apollo Group. “Not only did Al lead Disney’s Parks and Resorts division through its strongest period of revenue and profit growth ever — in the midst of a worldwide economic recession — he did so without compromising the high-quality experience Disney’s guests have come to expect.”
Click below the jump for the rest of the press release:
Read More »Former Walt Disney Parks & Resorts President Lands A Director Job