Today marks the big 40 for Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. I’m out and about today trying to soak in as much of the atmosphere and celebration there is today. Disney is putting on a small bit of a show today, but there… Read More »Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary is Today!
Some of the ghoulish entertainment for the evening.
Thursday night my family and I joined nearly 300 other guests at the Magic Kingdom for a special Halloween Trick-or-Tweetup event. The Disney Parks Blog organized this fun, engaging, and magical event for the few lucky guests whose fast fingers got them and RSVP before the event filled up.
Imagineer Pete Carsillo gave tours of the Haunted Mansion Graveyard project he helmed.
Guests were encouraged to dress up and tweet from the event, which many did. Three special guests from Walt Disney Imagineering answered questions from the attendees and Disney Blog team go into the spirit coming in costumes. They also provided free soft drinks and desserts. Finally, they handed out gifts to some of the best costumed guests and everyone got a parting gift (two actually).
Really, I would have been happy with something to drink and the Imagineers. But this event was over the top. One of the best free things I’ve ever experienced as a guest. It’s too bad they can’t do this more often. Disney gets all sorts of great publicity (like this) and the locals get to feel like they’re appreciated.
My biggest critique was that there was so much to do, I couldn’t get it done in the time allotted. Which, if you think about it, isn’t really that bad.
More photos and another video below the jump:
Read More »Walt Disney World Halloween Trick-or-Tweetup A Great Event
With the recent announcement of an Avatar themed land and attractions coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdoms and the troubled opening of Disney’s first Hawaiian resort, Aulani, a lot of the conversation has settled on the types of risks the Walt Disney Company’s parks and resorts division has been taking lately.
It’s a bouillabaisse of different complaints:
You can see why the Disney company may be confused. One one hand they get attacked for not doing enough on the other for doing too much. That’s true, but the general theme is Disney needs to take more risks when it comes to its parks and resorts.
Read More »Risk and Reward, is Disney Parks & Resorts on the Right Track?
The Na’vi Hometree on Pandora reminds me of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life. Of course, we can’t forget that Avatar is a sci-fi film too.
I’ve had a day to think about the announcement of Disney licensing James Cameron’s Avatar properties for it’s theme parks. We’re still very early in the process, but even in just the last 24 hours many interviews with key players have been published. That gives us a slightly better idea, but it’s still pretty much conjecture. Never the less, I have put down a few thoughts on the news, realizing that all this could change as more details of the partnership are revealed.
Disney did a good job keeping the Avatar partnership secret, I’d only heard a few rumors about the idea prior to the announcement but the exact names of Avatar or Cameron never explicitly surfaced, so I didn’t feel comfortable reporting it. However, many Disney fans now feel like they’ve been blindsided and they’re not happy.
Read More »A few thoughts on Avatar, will Pandora fit in at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Update: this is no longer a rumor. A press conference with James Cameron, Bob Iger and Tom Staggs is was held earlier today at Imagineering. From the Disney Parks Blog: James and his producing partner Jon Landau and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve… Read More »Disney is adding the world of Avatar to its theme parks
Took a walk around the Magic Kingdom on Saturday and noticed quite a few changes coming to the park and surrounding resorts. Part one of the update had the Fantasyland Expansion updates, and this second part contains a look at something that may make as big an impact as all of new Fantasyland. As usual, click on the photos for a larger version.
Powder blue walls surround the beach area that will soon become a noisy construction zone next to the Wedding Pavilion.
They’ve installed a gate and some construction fencing (meant to keep spills from leaking outside the construction area), but no work on expanding the plot of land that will eventually hold the tower and partially block the view of the Wedding Pavilion.
Plans are under way to divide the Magic Kingdom parking lot into two zones. Two tram loading zones will have distinct colors and names. In theory this will help guests find their cars faster at the end of the night. In practice, not so much as anyone at Disneyland can attest. Guests still find themselves in the wrong parking lot at the end of the night.
Lots more, including details on a new game coming to the Magic Kingdom, below the jump:
Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Ch-ch-ch-changes ( Part II )
A quick trip through the Magic Kingdom on Saturday revealed a number of changes coming to the park. There are also a few fun new pieces of merchandise to peruse. Click on any image to see a larger version. Now, let’s get started.
The park is looking festive with plenty of Halloween decor everywhere.
City Hall joins in the fall themed fun.
There did appear to be just a bit less of the holiday themed decor this year than before. But it was still a few days ahead of the 1st official Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, so more may be coming.
A lot more to see below the jump:
Read More »Magic Kingdom Update – Ch-ch-ch-changes ( Part I )
A small collection of movie props at Great Moments with Mr. Disney.
I wanted to go to Magic Kingdom yesterday to see the Tiki birds (who, I’m told, have evicted the previous management (Techcrunch anyone?)), strangely enough, I still haven’t managed to find time to see the revised show yet, but Indigo has been watching Roller Coaster POV videos on Youtube again and wants to ride Rock-n-Roller coaster. Guess who wins this argument?
It was nice to see the car back out in front of Sci-Fi Diner, but they already need to replace the cool Disney emblem. Um, btw, why isn’t that for sale somewhere in the park?
Daddy, the old softy, and kiddo show up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the usual good timing, right as they’re parking the last row of Magic or whatever that section is that’s closest to the gate. This is actually a good thing. You know, fill up the parking lot sections closest to the park entrance first. I have to wonder if this is a change that new park VP Dan Cockerell affected somehow, or just a random change someone in the parking lot team decided to try.