Universal Orlando Resort’s Holiday festivities kick off this weekend with holiday entertainment for the entire family. Both parks will have events and decorations meant to keep the spirits bright with holiday offerings running Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 through Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. Grinchmas, at Islands… Read More »Universal Orlando Holiday Festivities Start This Weekend
Raise your hand if you saw this coming. The Location Based Entertainment project at the Walt Disney Company appears to be on the ropes. The Walt Disney Company just backed out of the National Harbor project near Washington D.C. that was going to be a… Read More »Disney backs out of National Harbor development in Washington D.C.
This week I have a three part photo update featuring interesting changes, construction, and other fun facts from my recent travels around Walt Disney World. Let’s get right too it.
Yeah, Christmas is here and so is the merchandise. There is the usual selection, and some nice new stuff like this.
More work on the Facades along Main Street. It would be nice if they did something with this space so it sees more use. Nothing major, just a small plus or two.
Props from Sorcerers in the Magic Kingdom continue to pop up around the park. Another one was added near the Frontierland Shooting Gallery. I’ve heard that they’re doing soft testing, but nothing was going on when I was there.
Click image for Larger. The new Dumbo unit is already going in. It’s the unit closer to the train tracks, which I understand will spin counter the direction of the current unit.
October Dedication event for LEGOLAND, Florida Coming hot on the heels of their second US theme park, Merlin Entertainments Group Ltd and GCDS Corporation just announced the selection of Nagoya, Japan as the preferred location for the seventh LEGOLAND park. Pending negotiations and permitting to operate… Read More »Nagoya selected as Location for LEGOLAND Theme Park
There is no season like Holiday season at Disneyland. The park is known for big kick off moments from Santa installing a giant star atop the Matterhorn (remember that?) to Bob Hope lighting things up with a swing of his golf club. But the trend as of late has been to invite a veteran family from the nation’s armed forces to do the honor.
This year, the Disneyland Resort invited Gunnery Sgt. Derrick Poteat, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s S-6 communication platoon, and his family to “flip the switch” on more than 300,000 holiday lights blanketing “it’s a small world” Holiday, transforming the popular attraction into a visual wonderland and officially launching the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort.
The ceremony, presented by the attraction’s sponsor, Sylvania, honored Poteat and his family for the contributions they have made to our country. Poteat, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1996, has completed three tours and recently returned from the latest, a seven-month deployment in the Middle East. He was joined by his three children, nephew, niece and wife, Clarice, an advisor to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s family readiness team, for a day of play at the Disneyland Resort followed by this special honor.
Video of the ceremony and more is below the jump:
Read More »Military Family Officially Launches Disneyland’s Holiday Season
The 18th Annual Thea Awards Recipients were anounced by TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) today. The annual awards for the themed entertainment industry celebrate excellence in storytelling that supports the creation of compelling places and guest experiences. As you might expect Disney is well represented.
Congratulations to all the winners.
The full list of award recipients is below the jump:
The castle projection show, The Magic, The Memories, and You! has been updated to include a Christmas segment. During the holiday segment, Cinderella Castle is seen to change into various holiday themes. This includes the Candy Cane theme above, a ginger bread house theme:
and a birthday cake theme…
…that’s nearly identical to the much debated 25th Anniversary Cake
One thing I was worried about was how the projection show would work with the holiday lights hanging on it, but you don’t even notice them at all.
I’ve embedded a full version of the show for your viewing pleasure below the jump:
Read More »Holiday Version of “The Magic, The Memories, and You” Wows at Disney World
The winter holidays are typically the toughest times for food banks and this year the demand is higher than ever. So it’s great to see Walt Disney World and its cast step up to make a big donation and a pledge of continued support to one of the great food banks here in Central Florida. Yesterday, Minnie Mouse joined Disney VoluntEARS to deliver bushels of green to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida in the form of a $500,000 gift for the organization’s expansion. Disney also pledged 20,000 pounds of fresh produce during the next year as part of the commitment.
The gift was part of Disney’s efforts to support organizations and programs that make a positive impact on children in the local community and will fund Second Harvest’s “Building Solutions to Hunger” capital campaign. The cash contribution will help the organization build a larger facility so it can accept and distribute significantly more food and reach more Central Floridians in need.
“We’re confident the new facility will help Second Harvest reach even more neighbors in need,” said Nancy Gidusko, director of community relations for Walt Disney World Resort. “Our goal is to help bring an end to hunger in this community, and we are proud to join with other generous donors to bring this new facility to life,”
Read More »Disney World Donates Green and Greens to Second Harvest