One of my favorite DVC Resorts (and the very first one on Disney property) Disney’s Old Key West Resort is getting a facelift. A major room refurbishment is underway that will make them feel fresh, more high tech and modern. I am psyched about the new flat–panel TVs, gorgeous granite countertops and the addition of a sleeper chair in the one and two bedroom villas. The rooms will feel brand new with comfy bedding and pillows, drapes, rugs, chairs, carpeting, lamps and furniture. It will take place building by building and I will get photos soon.
Disney’s Old Key West Resort Renovations Underway
Union members protest Disney contract
About 325 union members and supporters protested in the Disneyland area about hotel employees’ ongoing contract dispute with Disney.
About 2,100 Disney hotel employees have worked without a contract for about two and a half years — a time period marked by dozens of protests, a one-day strike, walkouts, a week-long hunger strike and arrests. On Monday, union members from other Disney-area venues joined the protest as a way to send a message to their employers to avoid such turmoil during contract negotiations.
Together, the protesters were supposed to represent about 5,000 union members in the resort area.
“It is unfortunate that (the union) continues to focus its energy on protesting rather ensuring its members have the security of a contract,” said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, in a prepared statement before the protest.
Monday’s protest coincided with Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game festivities, which are expected to draw about 200,000 people to the Disney area through Tuesday.
Some protesters wore Mickey Mouse masks with black eyes to represent that Disney is the black eye of Anaheim, said Leigh Shelton, a spokeswoman for the hotel union, Unite Here Local 11. Protests began in front of the Anaheim Convention Center and Paradise Pier Hotel in the Disneyland Resort then moved along Harbor Boulevard.
“We’re asking the other tourism employers to treat workers fairly and not be like Disney,” Shelton said.
Click here to keep reading this article from the OC Register.
I get this excited when I goto Disneyworld
When I visit Walt Disney World on the first day of my vacation I react just like this guy. This is only a joke and a very funny video if you have never seen it.
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue – Fairy House Sneak Peek with Bridgit Mendler
Tinker Bell, the world’s favorite fairy, will be spreading her mirth and magic for audiences of all ages as the worlds of fairies and humans meet for the first time in TINKER BELL AND THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE, which debuts September 21st, 2010 on Blu-rayTM Combo-Pack, DVD, and movie download.
Disney Review by You: Why the Country Bear Jamboree Makes Me Cry. – by AnonyMouse – Rating: 2
Reviewer: AnonyMouse
Topic Being Reviewed:Attractions
Rating: 2
Would you recommend to others: No
—
Truly, the worst attraction in the MK. The jokes are terrible and the bears look a bit shopworn. And why do they pick on that one bear for being fat? Maybe that makes some of us feel uncomfortable? Hmmm? If they brought back the Christmas show, I might change my mind, but even my youngest thinks this show is lame. They should close it down and open up a nice sit-down restaurant. Selling bear meat. I give it a 2, but only because I’m so sweet.
Aulani – Details on the New Disney Hawaii Resort & Spa
Joe Rohde talks about the new Disney Hawaii Resort Aulani, and shares with us a great video!
The new Aulani resort is scheduled to open fall 2011 and will offer 359 standard rooms and 481 two-bedroom-equivalent villas. It will also feature more than 50,000 square feet of ballroom/meeting space and event lawns, including a 14,000-square-foot conference center.
Disney URock Sweepstakes
Be part of the U Rock Summer Fun on Disney.com! Create your own music videos from some of your favorite hit songs & be entered to win amazing prizes! Get started! – Visit http://urock.disney.go.com/
Watch and comment on your favorite U Rock videos on Disney.com.
Check out the Prizes here!
Classic Disney – The Pelican And The Snipe Video from 1940
Narrated by Sterling Holloway, this memorable little short tells of two friends who live in Uruguay: Monte, a sleep-flying pelican, and Viddi, the sleep-deprived snipe who watches over him to prevent harm. Viddi’s attempts to get some shuteye creates a rift between the pair and grave trouble for the angry Monte.
Taste of Africa Street Party Videos – Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Just got some video footage from Jeff Lange on the Taste of Africa Street Party that is happening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
This street party is currently on a 2 week test at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. It includes booths for food and wine (and beer) sampling, crafts, music and dancing.
Check them out.
New Disney Resort Aulani in Hawai’i Completes Vertical Construction
Signifying completion of vertical construction, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts held a ‘topping-off blessing’ ceremony for Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i. Honoring the resort’s spiritual relationship with the land, the topping-off ceremony highlighted the resort’s progress toward its scheduled opening in fall 2011.
Adjacent to historical sites on the western side of O‘ahu, Aulani will be located on 21-acres of oceanfront property in the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development. The twin towers of the 15-story resort contain 359 guest rooms and 481 villas. Each tower is strategically angled to provide commanding views of the ocean, mountains and the magnificent grounds.
The resort is designed with meetings and incentives in mind. Meeting professionals will discover more than 50,000 square feet of ballroom/meeting space and event lawns, including a 14,000-square-foot conference center. Aulani is a secluded paradise in a beautiful island setting, yet close enough to Waikiki to enjoy activities nearby. The resort is also convenient to Honolulu International Airport.
Aulani was conceived as a celebration of Hawai?i’s history, beauty and cultural diversity. With the help of cultural leaders from the Leeward Coast and the greater Hawaiian communities, Disney Imagineers have gone to great lengths to unlock the stories of Hawai?i.
Endangered Sea Turtles Thriving at Walt Disney World Resort
Two ailing Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are on the road to recovery after being brought to Walt Disney World Resort last month from the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Miss. to make room for animals directly impacted by the Gulf oil spill.
The sea turtles, suffering from pneumonia, were flown to Orlando June 25 and placed in the care of Disney animal experts. Kemp’s Ridley turtles are among the most endangered species of sea turtles in the world. The two are being monitored in a special backstage area at The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot and will require several months of rehabilitation before they are released back into the wild. Progress so far is favorable.
“They’re doing very well,” said Tom Hopkins, animal operations area director for Walt Disney World Resort. “One still has a touch of pneumonia but is doing much better. The other sea turtle is eating more and beginning to gain weight.”
Animal experts at Walt Disney World Resort have extensive experience rehabilitating sea turtles. Since 1986, Disney animal care teams have nursed more than 250 endangered sea turtles back to health. Most recently, Disney animal experts cared for 15 green sea turtles injured from the cold weather snap that affected Florida earlier this year.
As a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, Disney’s Animal Programs supports the rescue and rehabilitation of more than 1,000 injured and orphaned wild animals each year. The team participates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other zoological facilities and conservation groups in the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership. The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot is a designated rehabilitation site for rescued manatees and sea turtles until they are well enough to be returned to their habitats.
Disney Channel’s Good Luck Charlie is Picked-Up for Second Season Plus Movie!
Disney Channel has ordered up a second season of its newest out-of-the gate hit, “Good Luck Charlie” — just three months after its premiere. Development has also begun on a holiday-themed “Good Luck Charlie” Disney Channel Original Movie. The movie, being written by Geoff Rodkey (“R.V.,” “Daddy Day Care”), will star the talented series cast, Bridgit Mendler, Jason Dolley, Bradley Steven Perry, Mia Talerico, Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer. The announcement was made today by Gary Marsh, president, Entertainment, and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide
The comedy series is executive-produced by television veterans Dan Staley (“Cheers,” “Love & Money”), Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen (“Suddenly Susan” and “What I Like About You”). Baker and Vaupen are also the series creators.
In 2010, “Good Luck Charlie” ranked as the No. 1 series on television among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14, posting double-digit gains year to year among both demographics and defeating its time period competition by triple digits (Source: Nielsen Media Research, Most Current U.S. national ratings, 2010: 3/2910-6/27/10; premiere to date=4/4/10-6/27/10. Ranks based on 000s, then rating, unless otherwise noted. Series ranks based on trackage level data with minimum 3 telecasts).
In the series, the Duncans’ lives are turned topsy turvy with the arrival of a new baby sister, Charlotte (AKA Charlie). When parents Bob and Amy return to work, they enlist the help of their two teenagers, Teddy and PJ, and 10-year-old son Gabe to care for Charlie. Now the older siblings have to pitch in and get familiar with all things baby while navigating typical teen lives. Each episode features Teddy’s video diary, one she’s creating for Charlie to use for advice after Teddy has grown up and moved out.
“Good Luck Charlie” is seen Sundays at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT. It is seen on Disney Channels around the world, with full episodes available on DisneyChannel.com, Disney Channel on Demand, mobile providers including Sprint TV, MobiTV, AT&T CV and Verizon V Cast, iTunes, Netflix and onboard airlines.
“Good Luck Charlie” is a production of It’s a Laugh Productions, Inc. It carries a TV-G parental guideline.