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“Diana – The People’s Princess” exhibit coming to Downtown Disney Orlando

Those of us of a certain age undoubtedly remember the tragedy, the incredible public outpouring of grief, and the immense sadness that surrounded the loss of Princess Diana in 1997. Personally, there is still a hole in my heart where her tremendous spirit of humanity once existed. I still have a set of video tapes from when I recorded her funeral and procession. Just thinking of it brings back memories of millions of flowers, to the point where flower shops were sold out nationwide, laid in her honor.

It has just been announced that the People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, Inc. (PPCF) is bringing “DIANA–The People’s Princess” – a major new exhibit of royal artifacts – to Walt Disney World Resort. Opening in early July 2009, this limited-time experience showcases the life and story of Princess Diana, one of the most iconic and inspirational figures in recent history, including a sampling of the royal dresses Diana chose to auction for charity and hundreds of authentic artifacts relating to her life.

“DIANA–The People’s Princess” exhibit will be held in the 17,500-square-foot setting at Downtown Disney West Side adjacent to DisneyQuest that formerly housed the giant record store. This unique exhibition is one of the largest collections of royal dresses and rare artifacts ever assembled for an American audience which provides an in-depth historical perspective of her life. The exhibit includes five rarely seen royal dresses worn by Princess Diana.

“We look forward to The People’s Princess Charitable Foundation bringing this unique experience to our Downtown Disney guests,” said Kevin Lansberry, vice president of Downtown Disney. “We remain committed to offering guests new and exciting experiences they can only have at the Walt Disney World Resort.”

“The late Princess used her globally renowned platform brilliantly,” commented Maureen Rorech Dunkel, founder of PPCF. “She understood that the many different experiences she had in her life, both positive and negative, made her more relatable to the public. She used this quality to connect to the common masses and in doing so became known as ‘The People’s Princess.’ She used her compassion to bring support to all those in need and is still to this date, almost 12 years after her tragic passing, regarded as one of the most influential humanitarians of all time.”

A hint at some of the items on display:

  • Royal Doulton figurine of Diana in her wedding dress – Made in 1981 at the time of the royal wedding, the doll is wearing an exact replica of the famous wedding dress.
  • The Black Velvet “V” Neck – Designed by Bruce Oldfield and worn by Diana for her official royal portrait in 1985.
  • Wedding Breakfast booklet – Contains guest names and two tickets to observe the bride and bridegroom before and following the wedding ceremony in the quadrangle at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.
  • Three-foot doll of Diana as a young girl – Released by the Great American Doll Company in 1998 as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Tickets may be purchased at the exhibit – $14.50 (ages 10 and above), $5 (ages 3-9). The exhibition will run through Nov. 30, 2009. Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.  I hope you’ll join me there.

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T-shirt Spotting

One of my little hobbies at Walt Disney World is to find the latest T-shirt designs they’re hoping the public will buy. Today there is a wider selection than ever before even to the point where you can customize your own tee right at Downtow Disney.

Here are a few that stood out to me this Sunday at Downtown Disney:

tshirt1

I like this design a lot. I had a cheesy non-Disney shirt with that saying on it in high school. Mi Casa Es Su Casa. Thanks Mickey!

tshirttink

I’m continually astounded by the drug culture influenced designs they find for Tinker Bell. This isn’t one of the worst, in fact, it’s part of a new line of Tees that are inspirational in nature. But on the other hand this would fit in well in the 70s too.

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This is a design from street artist Bloc28. Previously there had been a line of baseball caps from Bloc28, but I never saw those for sale at the parks. There’s a little Steamboat Willy going on (although it should be all black and white). Frankly, I’m amazed that they’re selling this design since it appears to show Mickey Mouse being violently torn in two by a sea creature of some sort. That’s about as off-model as I’ve ever seen.

Two more Bloc28 designs below the cut:

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The New Portobello Restaurant: Deceptively Simple

I’d like to welcome Kevin Yee as a guest author to The Disney Blog. Opened in 1989 as an inaugural part of Pleasure Island, the Portobello Yacht Club maintained the backstory of shipping magnate Merriweather Pleasure, whose warehouses were decimated by a storm, prompting him… Read More »The New Portobello Restaurant: Deceptively Simple

Disney News & Links – Tuesday Tips Edition

Shanghaist reports on “Touch of the Panda” a new Disney-produced movie that is opening in China. It follows the story of a Panda Cub separated from its mother. Even if the plots not original it might be worth it for the scenery. The film was shot in the Woolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve.

Continuing our overseas trip, we have a story on a book of stories and anecdotes about Tokyo Disneyland that may have been plagiarized. Lawyers are now involved.

Two updated posts to note: First I’ve added a couple photos to my post about the new Green Disneyland Bakery; Second it turns out the Sherman Brothers documentary will open on May 22nd. Right now it’s at four cities, which I’ve added to the original post.

So far Orlando has been lucky enough to avoid a confirmed case of Swine Flu. If the cases continue to grow, that won’t happen forever, but it’s good news for now.

One of the juiciest rumors in the week of rumors that were this week, was the tidbit that GE and Universal Studios is giving serious consideration to buying the Busch Entertainment Theme parks, including (or perhaps only) the SeaWorld properties.

Looking for a great night on the town that’s also affordable? You may want to make another trip back to Downtown Disney to check out some deals. Not sure how long these specials will last, so ask when making reservations. Look below the cut for details:

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Characters In Flight Balloon Officially Up, Up, and Away

aerophile characters in flight
A ribbon awaits its severing for the grand opening.

Although the winds of fate prevented any actual guests from going up, up, and away, the new “Characters in Flight” balloon from Aerophile officially opened Tuesday morning in Downtown Disney, Orlando.

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A single tether connects the balloon to the launch platform.

Many who have been on the ride during its soft opening days, claim it’s the best deal in Downtown Disney. Of course, the problem is that sometimes the ride isn’t open. Wind gusts can keep the balloon grounded. This has led to some issues with guests who get upset they can’t experience the ride. Disney has to put safety first even if the guest is leaving for the airport in 30 minutes.  So plan accordingly and perhaps visit the balloon early in your trip.

aerophile ticket booth with prices
Prices at the ticket booth.

Another problem is the unfortunate name of the attraction. The name “Characters in Flight” has led some guests to expect actual characters on the flight for a meet and greet. Alas, that’s just not the case. With all the other possibilities to name this attraction you have to wonder why they chose one that would be so misleading. Kind of like Disney marketing insisting on calling “Toy Story Midway Mania” Toy Story Mania, which makes it sound like a soft horror film instead of the fun midway games it actually is.

More info and photos below the cut:

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Tren-D welcomes yet another Celebrity

Apparently it was a star filled grand opening day at Downtown Disney’s new “Tren-D” boutique. Above actor Alfonso Ribeiro shops with his daughter during the festivities. The store, located at Downtown Disney, blends both vintage and modern designs with stylized Disney characters. Apparel and accessories… Read More »Tren-D welcomes yet another Celebrity

Paradiso 37 brings Latin Dining to Downtown Disney this May

Construction progress as of March 23rd. This May a new restaurant, Paradiso 37, will open at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World. The high-energy restaurant and bar will feature cuisine from North, South and Central America. The lakeside eatery will offer a… Read More »Paradiso 37 brings Latin Dining to Downtown Disney this May

Joey Fatone at Grand Opening of Tren-D at Downtown Disney Orlando

Television and music personality Joey Fatone carries his daughter through the “Tren-D” store Friday’s Grand Opening festivities for the new fashion boutique at Walt Disney World Resort’s Downtown Disney Marketplace. The store blends both vintage and modern designs with stylized Disney characters. Apparel and accessories… Read More »Joey Fatone at Grand Opening of Tren-D at Downtown Disney Orlando