Disney Parks Blog has posted a fun video challenge in the “Doorways of Our World at Disney Parks”
Disney is all about the details and that includes door handles and even trash cans!Watch the doorway video and see how many door handles you can identify.
What’s your favorite Disney detail?
To celebrate the reopening of the Star Tours attraction at Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney.com has launched a new online destination that takes intergalactic travelers on an exciting adventure through hyperspace to a galaxy far, far, away! The site features exclusive videos starring Bree Starlighter, Chief Holo-Communications Officer and galactic travel liaison for Star Tours, who gives an inside look at some of the 54 destinations Star Tours guests might experience and the likely characters they’ll encounter on their excursion.
In addition to the videos, some of which are hidden for fans to find, the site features character bios, descriptions of the Star Tours planet destinations and behind-the-scenes footage from the attraction. For intergalactic fun the whole family will enjoy, fans can download exclusive Star Tours crafts, printables, recipes and more, from DisneyFamily.com!
Star Tours® is a registered trademark of Disney/Lucasfilm, Ltd.
©Disney/ Lucasfilm, Ltd.
This article comes to us from The Hollywood Reporter:
Disney is developing an adventure movie project inspired by the Matterhorn ride and has set Jason Dean Hall to pen the script. Justin Springer (Tron Legacy, Prom) is producing the project, which has a working title of The Hill.
The Matterhorn, also known as the Matterhorn Bobsleds, is part of Disneyland’s Fantasyland section. Opened June 1959, the elaborate ride was inspired by Walt Disney‘s desire for a toboggan-themed roller coaster as well as thoughts he had after an extended trip to Switzerland, the site of the famed mountain. The ride, a centerpiece of the park, was refurbished in 1978, with one of the upgrades being the addition of three automatronic Abominable Snowmen (aka Yetis) who growl at riders.
The idea behind The Hill is to do a thrilling, fast-paced movie centering on five young adventure seekers who, for mysterious reasons, are called to the top of the mountain and encounter a Yetis on the journey down.
Click here to keep reading.
A four-year-old Greater Manchester (UK) boy with a rare cancer had birthday presents and holiday cash stolen in a £20,000 raid on his home.
Police are investigating whether the family were targeted after his story featured on a television documentary.Spending money for a “once in a lifetime trip” to Disneyland, Paris, were among the items taken.
Greater Manchester Police said an anonymous benefactor has offered £500 to the family who live in Radcliffe. The family had been given the spending money by a charity.
Supt Mark Granby said: “The boy’s parents have dipped into their savings putting themselves in financial difficulty.
“Happily there is some good news a benefactor has offered £500 to offset the financial loss.”
Click here to keep reading.
Can I ask you a few questions this morning?
If you have answered yes to any of those questions keep reading!
Zeasorb is calling for insider tips and helpful advice on athletic training. If you visit Zeasorb’s Facebook page and post a tip between today and July 15, 2011 you will be automatically entered for a chance to win athletic gear – wetsuits, goggles, running shoes, socks, nutrition, hydration products, etc, essential to both sports and fully enjoyment of Disney theme parks.
Zeasorb®, the official anti-fungal and antichafing sponsor of Ironman®, knows that training for an endurance event, especially an Ironman® event, is tough work! It takes support, preparation, endurance and strength. That’s why Zeasorb® is a proud sponsor and aims to help all athletes cross their finish line.
Good Luck!
I love looking back through old photos to see how the Disney parks and resorts have changed through the years, what do you think of this picture of the Contemporary Resort from September of 1972?
Did you know these rooms were built on an assembly line that produced about 15 a day?
The rooms look much more lush and the beds quite cozy now:
What’s your favorite thing about the Contemporary Resort?
Two of the most talented performers in Hollywood and on Broadway visited the Magic Kingdom today as “Grey’s Anatomy” star Chandra Wilson and “Private Practice” star Audra McDonald joined Dr. Mickey Mouse and Nurse Minnie Mouse for a souvenir photo in front of Cinderella Castle.
Chandra portrays Dr. Miranda Bailey on “Grey’s Anatomy” and Audra portrays Dr. Naomi Bennett on “Private Practice.” Traveling separately with family and friends, the talented twosome’s individual visits overlapped by a day and Disney Parks photographer Matt Stroshane was able shoot this photo of them with Mickey and Minnie (who honored the duo by wearing their medical apparel).
In addition to their television stardom, both are accomplished and award-winning performers on Broadway, and Audra has a string of successful solo recordings.
Talented Actresses Make a ‘Mousecall’ to the Magic Kingdom by Gary Buchanan: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
Synopsis:
Jake and the Never Land Pirates, which is inspired by Disney’s classic Peter Pan, is a new television series on Disney Junior that features all-new exciting, swashbuckling adventures. Filled with amusement, humor and fun, Jake and his band of buccaneers embark on thrilling and interactive treasure hunts as they brave the treachery of Captain Hook and his sidekick Mr. Smee.
Featuring Jake, Izzy and Cubby — three kid pirates in Never Land who spend their time searching fortreasure, the ever-present foes Captain Hook and his bumbling first mate Mr. Smee constantly try to sabotage the mateys and steal the treasure for themselves. Jake and his friends must solve problems and collect gold doubloons, which they count together at the end of the escapade. Wrapping up each show is a live-action, “pirate rock” song performed by the Never Land Pirate Band.
Talent:
Episodes:
1 – Hats off to Hook/ Escape From Belch Mountain
2 – Hide the Hideout/ The Old Shell Game
3 – Izzy’s Pirate Puzzle/ The Never Land Game
4 – Off the Hook/ Never Say Never
5 – Cubby’s Sunken Treasure/ Cubby’s Goldfish
6 – Happy Hook Day/ No Returns
7 – The Sky’s the Limit/ Bucky Makes a Splash
Bonus Materials:
Street Date:
Release Format:
This November, parents and their preschoolers are invited to blast off with Mickey and pals on a rocketship full of fun in Walt Disney StudiosHome Entertainment’s newest release of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure, a new, full-length intergalactic adventure that takes the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang – Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Daisy – into outer space on a search for the ultimate space treasure. Packaged with a surprise, never-before-seen “Goofy’s Thinking Cap” episode and fun, glow-in-the-dark space-themed stickers, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure will be available for purchase as a 2-Disc (DVD + Digital Copy) Combo Pack November 8, 2011.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure is a 45 minute, full-length space-themed escapade, geared for kids 2 to 5 years of age, that invites young viewers to discover outer space and use their problem-solving skills while they watch. In this specific adventure, Mickey and pals head to space where they tour the Moon, Mars and the Rings of Saturn as well as meet new alien friends while on thehunt for a unique space treasure. This exciting release will be available for purchase as a 2-Disc (DVD + Digital Copy) Combo Pack (the ultimate “2-for-1” value) for the suggested retail price of $19.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada. It’s an out-of-this-world package the kids won’t want to miss!
Synopsis:
It’s Adventure Day and Professor Von Drake is sending Mickey and pals into the far reaches of outer space. The team blasts off in their ClubhouseRocket in search of Treasure Stars that will point the way to the Out-of-this-World Treasure, their ultimate goal. The interplanetary trip takes preschool viewers first to the Moon, Mars and the Rings of Saturn. Along the way, the gang gets help from friendly space aliens Moon Men Chip and Dale, Martian Mickey and Pluto from Pluto but they also encounter sneaky Space Pirate Pete, who wants the Treasure all for himself. Eventually the Clubhouse Rocket’s crew and Space Pirate Pete manage to become friends, and they all follow the trail of the Treasure Stars to the mysterious Planet Mickey where they discover the location of the Out-of-this-World Treasure. It turns out to be a futuristic, space age version of the Clubhouse — the perfect meeting place for all pals across the universe!
Disc Specifications:
What if Disney could bring the magic of the parks and big screen into your very own Walt Disney World resort room? Well, our creative team at Disney Floral & Gifts found a way to do just that with a new guest experience called “A Pirate’s Adventure” and it’s going to be available for sale soon.
You may be familiar with our “In-Room Celebrations,” which feel like Mickey and the gang have come to your Walt Disney World Resort room to create a personalized celebration just for you. Well this new offering is actually an “adventure” prepared by Captain Jack Sparrow. The story is that Jack was chased by a band of pirates and ducked into your room to hide his treasure. The pirate code states the treasure shall be yours if you can solve the riddles he left behind and find the key to unlock his treasure chest. Then the treasure chest will be yours to do with what you will.
Ken Malquist, show director for Disney Floral & Gifts, says it’s a great experience for the entire family. “You know, when we watch kids play, some of their greatest adventures takes place in their bedrooms, building forts and playing dress-up. So we took this concept and came up with a storyline to place the guest in an imaginative, yet authentic adventure,” Ken said.
There’s much more to share about this experience, but for now, know that “A Pirate’s Adventure” will be available for sale late Summer 2011 with delivery to the Walt Disney World Resort Fall 2011.
Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for first photos of the experience, information on pricing and more.
Great news Winnie the Pooh fans! Now you can get a Free Movie Ticket to Winnie the Pooh, in theaters July 15th, by purchasing one of the following eligible DVD’s and entering the code on the Disney Movie Rewards site!
Bambi Diamond Edition 2-Disc DVD, Tinker Bell, Tinker Bell And The Great Fairy Rescue, Tinker Bell And The Lost Treasure, Ponyo, Bolt, Alice In Wonderland Special Anniversary Edition.
Just click here to learn more
* Offer good on purchases made between 6/24/11 – 8/13/11. While supplies last. Void where prohibited. Must enter eligible codes 6/24/11 – 8/13/11 and redeem movie certificate by 8/13/11.
“To all who come to this happy place; welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past…and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America…with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”
If you are a friend of Chip & Company, there is a pretty good chance you have read this speech before. It is, of course, the opening day speech Walt gave to the lucky visitors of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. Today, I just had to share it again.
Each evening after work, against my wishes, my husband turns on the nightly news. For people with a propensity to get down, it is not the greatest start to my evening. Yes, I am aware that ignoring what is going on in the world will not make it go away. Still, I dream of a better world – much the same way Walt did, but without the brains, vision, and stick-to-it-ivity of Walt Disney. Still, he said “if you can dream it, you can do it” and I am still dreaming.
Walt’s statement, “Disneyland is your land,” really couldn’t be more true to all of us who call ourselves Disney fans. Disneyland was Walt’s gift to each of us. For my family, Disney World is the same. It is so much more than a theme park – it is the hub of optimism; surviving and thriving at a time when we really need it.
Marvin Olasky, editor in chief of World Magazine, said, “Walt Disney built his vision in the 1950s and early 1960s when the Cold War was at its height and the likelihood of nuclear disaster seemed high. He wanted Disneyland to be not just a theme park but a portal to a better time and a different world.” As the world changes more and more, it becomes much easier to let pessimism set in. Walt was an optimist; so am I. Following his example, I try to be boldly optimistic.
Disney World isn’t only a place where my family spends time together, where adults can be kids again, and where we live out our motto “been there, done that, can’t wait to be back!” Disney World is the place where you enter an entirely different world. It is similar to when Alice enters Wonderland, only so much better. It is a time-warp to a world when people were nicer, families were together, children could just be children, and hatred is not allowed. It is infectious and lives and grows in our hearts every day until the next visit.
When Walt was trying to build Disneyland he said, “I could never convince the financiers that Disneyland was feasible, because dreams offer too little collateral.” What a shame. Dreams are our country’s greatest resource.
Walt shared his optimism for a better world when he opened Disneyland. I want to spread that love to the world, don’t you?
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow! Thank you, Walter Elias Disney.
