Monday, August 30, 2010

New Music and "Starry-O-Phonic" Sound for Space Mountain at Walt Disney World!


As reported by the Disney Parks Blog:

"Listen up Space Mountain fans, there’s a new addition to the Walt Disney World Resort attraction that just may be music to your ears. It’s an enhanced audio experience with sounds you’ve never heard before.

Walt Disney Imagineering has added a new composition that’s exclusive to the attraction at Magic Kingdom Park that will play with varying sound effects throughout all “flights” on 60 newly installed speakers. “Starry-O-Phonic Sound” compliments a slew of enhancements that debuted on Space Mountain last year, including new lighting, storyline elements and updated decor. Here’s a special message from The Space Mountain Project Team."

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Friday, August 20, 2010

Behind-the-Scenes: 'It's a Small World' Topiaries « Video

A video of topiary Disney Magic!

The following excerpt from The Disney Parks Blog:

"The video below gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the Disneyland Resort Topiary Engineer maintains the zebra at “it’s a small world.” You’ll want to watch the video through the end to catch a few tips on how to grow your own topiary, and we hope the surprise ending puts a smile on your face.

Here are some additional fun facts about topiaries:

There were 24 original Disneyland Park topiaries premiering in 1963. They included a waltzing hippo, a poodle, a pig, bears, elephants, seals, and giraffes. In 1966, they were permanently planted at “it’s a small world.”

Growing a typical shrub Character Topiary can take from 3-10 years for completion, depending on the size and complexity of the shape.

Walt Disney got the idea of creating “living” topiaries by seeing traditional topiary gardening in Europe. He asked his film animators and Disneyland landscape team to work together to create the first living sculptures for Disneyland in 1963. They came up with several and one of those included Dumbo making his debut in Fantasyland."

Posted via email from Walt Disney Says...


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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Last Flight to Endor Event Fireworks Show! - Video


Here's a video of the Star Wars themed fireworks show at the August 14th Last Flight to Endor Star Wars event at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
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Happy 55th Anniversary Dumbo the Flying Elephant! « Video


The following excerpt from by Valarie Sukovaty, Disneyland Public Relations:

"Dumbo the Flying Elephant is like Sleeping Beauty Castle. It is so iconic that when you see it, you know you’re looking at some place inside Disneyland park. It’s one of our classics, dating back 55 years ago. In fact, it debuted almost exactly a month after opening day on August 16, 1955.

The 16 happy, grey elephants — inspired by Walt Disney’s 1941 animated film — are “piloted” by guests. These baby pachyderms can fly as high as 17 feet!

Did you know that the Dumbo attraction is also at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World (1971), Tokyo Disneyland (1983), Disneyland Paris (1992) and Hong Kong Disneyland (2005)?

Here’s another fun fact: When President Harry S Truman (a staunch Democrat) visited the park in 1957, he playfully refused to ride Dumbo because of the Republican symbolism associated with the elephant-themed attraction. Enjoy this historical footage of our famous flying elephants."

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Friday, August 13, 2010

Sneak Peak of New Star Tours Video!


Sneak peak posted for your convenience from the Disney Parks Blog of the video that will be featured in the queue of the reimagined Star Tours attraction.

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Sunday, August 8, 2010

Mosaic Map of Disneyland a Winner at OC Fair - Video


Here's the story from Mark Eades, Orange Country Register.
"It’s a mosaic map of Disneyland and it won a blue ribbon at the Orange County Fair.
Roe Weatherspoon of Fullerton created the map on top of a used table she bought at a store. She says she tried to include pins of nearly every attraction at the theme park, including some no longer there."

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Friday, August 6, 2010

‘PeopleMover’ is Back at Disney World!


Yay! The PeopleMover" returns as reported below by the Disney Parks Blog:
Not sure whether it’s a case of back to the future or forward to the past or the past meets the present, but: a long-running Tomorrowland attraction is getting a new (well, sort of new) name …
As of today, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, the “super skyway” that allows guests a glimpse of a variety of attractions in Tomorrowland of Magic Kingdom, will be renamed Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
The ride opened in 1975 as the WEDway PeopleMover. It has been called Tomorrowland Transit Authority since 1994.
The ride technology, which uses pollution-free linear induction motors, was developed by WED Enterprises (that’s what Disney Imagineering was called back in the day) and was introduced at Disneyland in California in 1967. While the attraction at Disneyland has long been closed, there is a place other than Walt Disney World Resort where guests can experience an application of the WED technology. Any guesses as to where?

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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Buy your passes before Thursday-Disneyland raising prices!

Important info from Sarah Tully direct from the OC Register Disney Blog:

Disneyland Resort is raising prices for park tickets, annual passes and parking effective Thursday.

Visitors will pay $76 to visit a single Disneyland Resort park — either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure — for one day. That is $4 more than the current price.

Disneyland last raised single-day ticket prices a year ago, but the company has already hiked annual pass and parking fees once in the past year. In January, Disney hiked the cost for annual passes. Parking prices went up in October.

Disneyland increased prices for a one-day, one-park ticket by $3 in August 2009. Starting Thursday, visitors will pay $10 more than they did three years ago and $35 more than a decade ago, when there was only the Disneyland park. California Adventure opened in 2001.

This year’s $4 hike is on par with annual changes over the past decade: Disney has boosted prices between $2 and $7 annually over that time. See the history of Disneyland ticket prices on the OC Wiki.

“We continuously monitor the marketplace to ensure pricing that reflects a strong entertainment value,” said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, in a prepared statement. “When you compare a Disney park to a concert or professional sporting event, we offer a great value and a full day of world-class entertainment.”

If visitors want to avoid the price hike, they can buy passes before Thursday. Tickets purchased now are valid until Jan. 3, Brown said. Buy Disneyland tickets online. Annual passes can be renewed up to 30 days in advance at the current price.

This Thursday’s annual pass hikes range from $15 to $30. But Disney already increased the prices for annual passes in January, meaning holders will pay between $30 and $45 more since the hikes in August 2009.

Some Disney fan sites have speculated that the company is hiking prices to decrease the number of passholders, who may cause crowding in the parks. However, Disney also has made it easier for visitors to pay for passes with monthly payment plans.

Disney has four types of annual passes. A visitor can go to either park for a varying number of days, depending on the level of the pass. Find the blackout dates on Disneyland’s website.

Visitors will also pay $1 more to park in Disney lots: $15 per car. In October, Disney hiked parking fees between $2 or $3. Parking is free for three hours for Downtown Disney, but Disney posts signs advising theme-park visitors to take their cars elsewhere.

Since the economy began souring, Disney parks have offered discounts, especially for Southern California residents. This summer, for example, local residents can pay $108 for three separate visits to Disney parks. See a story about the Disneyland summer deal.

Here are the new prices:

One-day passes:

One-day, one-park ticket: $76, up from $72.

One-day park hopper: $101, up from $97.

(Visitor can attend Disneyland and Disney California Adventure)

See a story about Disneyland price increases in 2009.

Parking:

Day parking: $15, up from $14

Annual Passport parking: $99, up from $79.

See an October 2009 story about parking increases at Disneyland.

Annual passes:

Southern California Select Annual Passports: $184, a $15 increase.

Southern California Annual Passports: $239, a $20 increase.

Deluxe Annual Passports: $329, a $30 increase.

Premium Annual Passports:  $459, a $20 increase.

See a previous story about Disneyland annual pass increases in January.

Graphic by Molly Zisk, Orange County Register.

Posted via email from Walt Disney Says...


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A Look at ‘World of Color’ from 1,800 Feet Up! - Video

Have you seen this video from The Disney Parks Blog? Wow!

Posted by Heather Hust Rivera, Manager, Print and Social Media, Disneyland Resort:

"The footage was shot from a fixed-wing aircraft recently at approximately 1,800 feet above Disney California Adventure park. I particularly like the wide shot where you can see Glow Fest, “World of Color,” and the whole city of Anaheim around Disney California Adventure park."

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