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Disney Hilton has a new owner – Hilton

For nearly the last 30 years Tishman Hotels owned the Disney Hilton at Downtown Disney.  They have now sold it to Hilton Worldwide who has been operating the hotel and, which, in turn, is owned by the Blackstone Group, who has partial ownership of Universal… Read More »Disney Hilton has a new owner – Hilton

Is Disneyland for Grown-ups?

It seems like every year some writer or another gets the assignment to visit Disneyland and write a story. More often than not that story takes the form of “how can a jaded reporter visit Disneyland and not come away even more cynical.” Here’s this… Read More »Is Disneyland for Grown-ups?

Hurricanes and Walt Disney World

With Tropical Storm Bonnie passing close to southern Florida, although not currently targeting Central Florida, it’s time to check in on what you should do if Bonnie or any subsequent named storm should head a bit northward. First check the National Hurricane Center and see… Read More »Hurricanes and Walt Disney World

New Game coming to Toy Story Midway Mania

New characters from the soon-to-be-released Disney•Pixar film “Toy Story 3” are being added to the joyful, toy-full adventure of Toy Story Midway Mania! at Disney’s California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition to playing with new characters in Toy Story Midway Mania!, there will be opportunities in both parks for up-close fun with another all-new character from “Toy Story 3” – Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. He’s the bossman at Sunnyside Daycare in the highly anticipated animated feature film.

Toy Story Midway Mania! – the 4-D interactive ride-game attraction inspired by the Disney•Pixar “Toy Story” films – is extremely popular with Disney Parks guests on both coasts. This high-energy, immersive adventure puts players squarely in the action as their game play triggers surprises that deliver a fourth dimension of fun. Toy Story Midway Mania! engages guests in a whole new way with delightful characters of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.”

Starting in late May, Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head and the gang are joined by a whole new set of characters from “Toy Story 3.” The new game greeting guests, “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts,” invites riders to shoot their virtual darts at all-new balloon targets in a primeval world filled with volcanoes and lava balloons, explained Sue Bryan, senior show producer, director, Walt Disney Imagineering.

Game players are welcomed by Rex (the nervous Tyrannosaurus rex) and his new friend Trixie (a blue Triceratops and one of the toy characters from the new film) cheering them on. The new game (it replaces “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop”) turns up the fun with more hidden surprises and the potential for volcanic levels of excitement.

Other changes:

  • The “Hamm & Eggs” game will now be hosted by Hamm and Buttercup (a toy unicorn with heart-shaped nostrils).
  • In the prize scene, Trixie, Buttercup, Dolly (a doll), Mr. Pricklepants (a lederhosen-clad hedgehog) and one other surprise – all from “Toy Story 3” – will appear with Woody and Jessie.

“Our number-one goal in creating Toy Story Midway Mania! was to come up with game-play challenges appropriate for all guests, from little kids to serious gamers,” Bryan said. “I love that we are keeping things fresh and new by adding these great new friends and fun to join some of the most popular characters of all time.”

About Toy Story Midway Mania!

In the timeless tradition of Disney storytelling, Toy Story Midway Mania! takes its inspiration from the fact that Andy’s toys spring to life whenever he is away. Soon after Andy got a “Midway Games Play Set” for his latest birthday, the toys jumped at their first chance to open the box and set up the game booths and carnival trams so everyone could ride and play. That means “no assembly required” for their game-playing guests – just nonstop fun. (That is, until Andy gets home!)

More details below the jump:

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Disney’s transportation troubles now extends to boats

This time it is clearly the fault of the guest, he even admitted it, but another transportation accident at Walt Disney World has entered the record books. A man was piloting himself and his wife in one of Disney’s Mini-Mouse Speedboats when he failed to… Read More »Disney’s transportation troubles now extends to boats

Weekend Update – Epcot, Magic Kingdom

We managed to make it to two parks this weekend and was surprised by a few things. There was the expected walls in Fantasyland and further progress on the new restaurant in Mexico, but wait until you see a couple of these pics.


Lot’s more vertical construction visible in Mexico.


They’ve started to lay the floor for the exterior deck, which appears to be a lot bigger than we previously saw.


That’s because some of the construction walls are down. I didn’t capture it in this pic, but the interior floor is still dirt at this phase. That’s a lot of outside seating.

One more pic before we leave EPCOT below the cut and then a whole lot of news from the Magic Kingdom

Read More »Weekend Update – Epcot, Magic Kingdom