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Splitsville Almost Ready to Bowl Strikes at Downtown Disney Orlando

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Guests of the Walt Disney World Resort’s Downtown Disney entertainment and shopping district will soon be able to rack’em up and knock them down at Splitsville Luxury Lanes. The boutique bowling venue missed its early December goal and is now targeting later this month on the 19th for a full opening. There was, however, a media preview this morning.

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The upscale, retro-style bowling venue is the largest in the bowling brand’s fleet and will offer two-levels with 30 lanes, billiards, live entertainment, a balcony bar with a wonderful vista, and upscale dining options.

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As co-founder Guy Revelle says, this is not your father’s bowling alley.

“Splitsville is a perfect fit for Downtown Disney,” said Keith Bradford, vice president of Downtown Disney. “From a new twist on a beloved sport to an impressive menu you’ve never expect to find in a bowling facility, Splitsville offers a great experience that complements our other unique offerings at Downtown Disney. I’m sure it will quickly become a guest favorite.”

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Dragon really does fly over New Fantasyland Media Event

dragon over beast's castleTonight was the big VIP party for the grand opening of New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom. We were promised something spectacular and Disney did not disappoint. You may have been following the escapades of Gary over on his Dragon Tumblr blog as he hunted for the elusive fellow. But tonight was the big pay off.

The dragon swooped out of the sky above the Magic Kingdom just as if part of a fairytale. With a vengeful roar it spit fire and menaced the the populace. At least that’s what it felt like if you just squinted your eyes and believed.

I managed to snag some decent video here:

I understand that there are operational problems that prevent the dragon from performing more than just this once. I hope they get them resolved, because there is no doubt this creature belongs in the sky above Cinderella Castle.

Although internally, I knew it was just a fancy looking ultra-light, watching the flight made me feel like a kid again watching a creature that only existed in books and dreams actually flying around the park. It was that magical.

Earlier this morning, Disney snuck out and filmed some professional video of the dragon soaring around. I’ve included that below the jump:

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Holiday Gift Guide: Parks & Resorts

Third time’s the charm…am I right?! This gift guide, we are going to the parks. Get ready for collectibles, home goods, and an all around Mickey-tastic selection of presents!   1) Kitchen Kabaret Vinylmation Set- As you know, this year is EPCOT’s 30th anniversary this… Read More »Holiday Gift Guide: Parks & Resorts

Jungle Cruise - Courtesy Disney

Woman Sues Disney World over Jungle Cruise Docking Incident

Jungle Cruise - Courtesy Disney

Update: a cast member on the Jungle Cruise lends some insight below.

A woman is suing Walt Disney World over injuries she claims to have suffered on the Jungle Cruise attraction at the Magic Kingdom. The guest claims she was unloading from the boat when it was struck from behind causing her to fall. She wants $15,000 in compensation for her injury, her hospital visit and lost wages.

If the guest’s claim is true, Disney will likely have video of it. However, based on her story, I have doubts it happened exactly that way. The boats at the Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise unload one at a time and the boat behind it does not approach within even a half-dozen yards until the boat at the dock is empty. At least that’s Standard Operating Procedure as I’ve experienced it. For her boat to be struck while she was disembarking seems like there was a pretty bad violation of safety standards. If that was indeed the case, it would not be that difficult for Disney to implement a gate system to prevent this sort of collision while unloading going forward.

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Behind the Scenes Video of New Fantasyland Construction – Part 1

With the official grand opening for New Fantasyland this week, it’s time to take a look back at the construction effort it took to get us here. In today’s videos we have a look at Beast’s Castle and the restaurant beneath it, Be Our Guest.… Read More »Behind the Scenes Video of New Fantasyland Construction – Part 1

New Test Track Queue

Inside the new Test Track at EPCOT, Non-Spoilery

Test Track, with its new sponsorship from Chevrolet, officially opens on Thursday. Cast member previews have been under way for a few days and photos have been slowly leaking out along with short reviews like “Amazing!” “Awesome” and “Lots of Fun.” I was able to… Read More »Inside the new Test Track at EPCOT, Non-Spoilery

Dream Lights

How Disney Creates the Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle for the Holidays

It’s the holiday season again and the Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom are once again wowing guests with their icy beauty. But how do they make that magic happen? Earlier this month, Disney went behind-the-scenes with Creative Director Reed Jones… Read More »How Disney Creates the Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle for the Holidays

Splitsville construction Nov 2012

Downtown Disney Orlando – Photo Update

Splitsville construction Nov 2012

While at the Festival of the Masters last weekend, I took some photos of changes at Downtown Disney Orlando. Alas, I had to shoot around the artist booths a bit, but there are still a few major projects underway that we need to check in with.

Up first is Splitsville. It’s scheduled to be open in less than a month, but the exterior looks a long ways off to me.

Here’s a quick preview video for the location:

You may have heard that the Seven Dwarfs are getting a new mountain in New Fantasyland, but that’s not the only mountain being added to Walt Disney World. Rainforest Cafe has replaced their volcano with a new version that the promise will be very exciting. After a long wait, they’ve even started adding rock work to the steel skeleton of the mountain.Read More »Downtown Disney Orlando – Photo Update