Disneyworld Refurbishment Schedule March 2010

By

-

March 15, 2010

Refurbishment/closure information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to visiting. Updated information is available at http://www.disneyworld.com

Current

Blizzard Beach closed through 3/20/10 for refurbishment.
Cantina de San Angel (Epcot) closed through Fall 2010.
Studio Catering Co. (Hollywood Studios) closed through 3/22/10 for refurbishment.
Cinderella Castle exterior (Magic Kingdom) under refurbishment through 3/31/10.
Backlot Tour (Hollywood Studios) closed through 3/27/10 for refurbishment.
Silver Creek Springs Pool Slide (Wilderness Lodge) closed through 3/31/10 for refurbishment.
Beach adjacent to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort will have restricted access on weekends through 3/31/10 due to an Indian River County beach nourishment project.
All Star Music Resort Bus Depot closed through April 2010 for resurfacing.

Upcoming

Muppet Vision 3D (Hollywood Studios) closed 4/24/10 – 5/14/10 for refurbishment.
Baby Care (Magic Kingdom) closed 5/14/10 – 5/20/10 for refurbishment.

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule March 2010

By

Chip

-

March 15, 2010

Refurbishment information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to visiting. Updated information is available at http://www.disneyland.com

Current

“Honey I Shrunk the Audience” (Disneyland) closed through 1/28/11 due to the temporary return of “Captain EO.”
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (DCA) closed through 3/19/10 for refurbishment.
Mark Twain Riverboat (Disneyland) closed through 5/14/10 for refurbishment.
Golden Zephyr (DCA) closed through 4/2/10 for refurbishment.
Award Weiners (DCA) closed through 4/18/10 for refurbishment.
Golden Vine Trattoria (DCA) closed through 4/26/10 for refurbishment.
Corn Dog Castle (DCA) closed through 3/24/11 due to construction in the area. Corn dogs are currently available at the Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market.
Corn Dog Wagon (Disneyland) closed through 5/4/10 for refurbishment.
Rivers of America (Disneyland) closed through 5/6/10 for a major refurbishment. All attractions requiring the use of the river will also be closed.
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes (Disneyland) closed through 5/6/10 for refurbishment.
Tom Sawyer Island (Disneyland) closed through 5/6/10 for refurbishment.
Sailing Ship Columbia (Disneyland) closed through 5/6/10 for refurbishment.
Fantasmic! (Disneyland) closed through 5/27/10 due to major refurbishment of Rivers of America.
Orange Stinger (DCA) closed through 5/28/10 for refurbishment. It will re-open as Silly Symphonies Swings.
Tomorrowland Terrace (Disneyland) closed through 7/2/10 for refurbishment. Jedi Training Academy will continue to be offered while the restaurant is closed.

Upcoming

Matterhorn Bobsleds (Disneyland) closed 4/12/10-4/16/10 and 4/19/10-4/23/10 for refurbishment.
Princess Dot Puddle Park (DCA) closed 4/12/10-4/16/10 and 4/19/10-4/23/10 for refurbishment.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Disneyland) closed 4/26/10-5/16/10 for refurbishment.
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (DCA) closed 4/12/10-5/20/10 for refurbishment.
Disneyland Monorail (Disneyland) closed 4/19/10-4/20/10 for refurbishment.
Disney Showcase (Disneyland) closed 4/20/10-4/21/10 for refurbishment.
Disney Showcase Annex (Disneyland) closed 4/26/10-4/27/10 for refurbishment.
News Stand (Disneyland) closed 4/26/10-5/20/10 for refurbishment.
King Arthur Carrousel (Disneyland) closed 5/8/10-5/10/10 for refurbishment.
Tower of Terror Fastpass (DCA) will not be offered 4/15/10-8/15/10 due to construction of the connector between Bug’s Land and Tower of Terror.

DisneyStore.com is down! [Updated]

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

-

March 15, 2010

DisneyStore.com is down! [Updated]

Looks like they are doing some maintenance on the DisneyStore.com website. We will keep you posted when it is back up.

UPDATE: Looks like we can all take a breather! It’s back up!

Park visitor hits Disney employee with car in ride

By

Chip

-

March 15, 2010

A Walt Disney World attraction has reopened following a crash that involved a park employee.

Disney spokesman Bryan Malenius said the employee was struck by a car that was part of the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway ride Sunday afternoon. The car was being driven by a park guest.

The ride closed temporarily but was able to reopen later in the day.

The name and the age of the employee weren’t immediately released.

A Reedy Creek Emergency Services spokesperson did not return pages sent Sunday evening. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the employee was taken to a hospital with injuries weren’t thought to be life threatening.

Princess Tiana Officially Joins the Disney Princess Royal Court

By

Chip

-

March 15, 2010

Celebration Marks Debut of Academy Award(R)-Nominated “The Princess and the Frog” on Disney Blu-Ray Plus the First Product Line Featuring Tiana in Multi-Disney Princess Merchandise

She sang “Almost There” in the hit holiday film The Princess and the Frog — but today, Princess Tiana has officially arrived — and she’s here to stay. At a star-studded event highlighted by a rare gathering of all eight Disney Princess characters, Princess Tiana was warmly and regally welcomed as the ninth member of the beloved Disney Princess Royal Court today during a magical crowning ceremony at the historic New York Palace in Manhattan.

As Disney’s newest Disney Princess character, Tiana will forever be celebrated and recognized as a Disney Princess across all divisions of The Walt Disney Company and will be included in all Disney Princess merchandise programs featuring multiple Disney Princess characters starting this July. The event also celebrated the arrival of the Academy Award(R)-nominated The Princess and the Frog on Disney Blu-Ray, which releases March 16. Disney Princess licensees Mattel and CDI, a division of JAKKS Pacific, co-sponsored the event and showcased the latest Disney Princess and The Princess and the Frog toy and role play lines. Since the beginning of this year, more than a quarter of a million toys featuring Princess Tiana have already flown off shelves.

With celebrities and their daughters in attendance including Tina Fey, Audra McDonald, Kelly Rutherford, Melissa Joan Hart, Nigel Barker, Alessandra Ambrosio, Matt Walton and Amy Landecker, among others, Princess Tiana made her entry in grand style as she exited a horse-drawn carriage on Madison Avenue surrounded by an entourage of adorable little princesses donning their gorgeous princess gowns and walked the red carpet through the New York Palace’s famed 15th Century-inspired courtyard as fanfare trumpeters lined the processional aisle and created a canopy for her entrance. Once Tiana reached the ceremony stage, a royal proclamation was read and Prince Naveen crowned the ninth enchanting Disney Princess as her sisters in royalty — Ariel, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas and Snow White — looked on.

“We’re thrilled to recognize Princess Tiana and officially announce that she is here to stay as a full-fledged Disney Princess,” said Sheila Ullery, vice president of girls franchise development for Disney Consumer Products. “Little girls quickly embraced her independent, strong-willed character and the rich storyline of The Princess and the Frog. We’ll continue to showcase Princess Tiana in stand-alone and multi-princess merchandise, including apparel, accessories, costumes, toys, stationery, food, beauty products and home entertainment.”

Releasing March 16, 2010 on Disney Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD, The Princess and the Frog will bring families much fun and excitement with an array of bonus features and an incredible high-definition viewing experience. Bonus features include deleted scenes, inside access to the animation studios and filmmakers, family activities and much more. The Princess and the Frog Blu-ray(TM) Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray(TM), DVD and DisneyFile Digital Copy of the movie all in one package. Combo Packs provide unprecedented value, quality, and versatility with the exceptional picture and sound of Blu-ray and the extended utility of DVD and digital copy of the film in a single package.

The Princess and the Frog product line triumphed at retail last fall, proving that Princess Tiana is here to stay. Among key highlights are: The Princess Tiana Sparkle Doll and the new Transforming Tiana Doll, both from Mattel, have been particularly popular, delivering strong sales. Princess Tiana role play dresses from CDI have been the top selling dresses in the Disney Princess lineup at retailers nationwide. Carol’s Daughter beauty products featuring Princess Tiana sold out in just two hours online. The Princess and the Frog Kellogg’s fruit snacks have been one of the most popular choices in the snack aisle. Since the domestic theatrical film release, more than 2.5 million books featuring Princess Tiana have sold globally. And this month, Disney Stores sold out of its limited edition Princess Tiana collector doll during the pre-sell period.

Beginning this spring and through the holiday season, Disney Princess licensees Mattel and CDI will release a new assortment of stand-alone and multi-Disney Princess products featuring Princess Tiana. Exciting new toys and playthings featuring Princess Tiana include her addition to Mattel’s Disney Princess Sparkling Princess(R) Doll Assortment line (SRP $9.99) and Disney’s The Princess and the Frog Princess-to-Frog Tiana Doll (SRP $24.99) where Princess Tiana transforms from princess to frog and back again.

New home decor, apparel and accessories, stationery and personal care items featuring Princess Tiana alongside other Disney Princess characters will be available for the first time beginning in July. Disney Store retail locations nationwide and DisneyStore.com will also release an exclusive assortment of new Princess Tiana products throughout the year.

With Academy Award(R) nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Song (“Almost There” and “Down in New Orleans,” both by Randy Newman), The Princess and the Frog and Princess Tiana are sure to remain in the hearts of Disney fans of all ages for generations to come.

tiana1

tiana8

tiana2

tiana4

tiana6

tiana7

tiana5

tiana3

Disney Week in Review – March 7th – 14th

By

Chip

-

March 14, 2010

It’s been a busy week. Alot of News & Views coming out around the interwebs. Here are just a few highlights from this past week.

AJ from Disney Food Blog takes us along the old dusty trail to check out Hey Howdy Hey Takeaway Food stand at Pixar Place in Walt Disney World.

Chris from Everything WDW answers the age old Disney Question..Do you need a Park Hopper Pass?

Lunch.com has officially gone live. Jamie from Only WDWorld has launched a new Disney World Community on Lunch to create a place for Disney World Fans to interact utilizing the tools on the Lunch.com site to write reviews about their favorite Disney World topics and rate the reviews of others.It is free to join and you can submit your own Disney articles as well. I someone named Chip wrote several helpful Disney World reviews that you can check out here. I hope you like them 🙂

Stitch Kingdom is back and delivering the Disney News as always! Including Disney Consumer Products Welcomes Tiana to the Disney Princess Family in an Unprecedented ceremony. Just in time for the release of Princess & the Frog this Tuesday.

Disney Dreaming isn’t running an AWESOME contest right now. Disney The Princess And The Frog Out March 16, 2010 Contest Giveaway. Be sure to check them out!

Speaking of contest there is just a few days left for our Disney’s Ponyo BluRay/DVD Combo Giveway. All you have to do is visit our Facebook Page and become a fan. Once you are a fan to enter in the Share box type Pick Me. No email lists to enter, no forms to fill out, and I will even ship it to you for free!

Well have a good week and thank you so much for checking out Chip and Co – Your home for Disney News & Views!

Almost Alice: Beyond Wonderland Video

By

Chip

-

March 14, 2010

The official EPK for the “Almost Alice” companion album to Alice In Wonderland.

The video features behind the scene looks with Kerli, 3oh!3, Tim Burton, Trace Cyrus from Metro Station and much more! The album is available digitally now: http://www.bit.ly/ctt0xE

Disney Quick Hits – Mini News Feed for March 13th

By

Chip

-

March 13, 2010

Here is a list of items from the Disney Park Blog that didn’t quite make it for a full news article.

New Disney Pin: “Then & Now” — This limited edition pin commemorates the Legend of the Lion King attraction which was replaced by the Mickey’s PhilharMagic attraction at Magic Kingdom Park.

Moms Panel: Peak Times — The Walt Disney World Moms Panel answers the question, “What is considered “peak” times?”

Flower Power Concert Series — Paul Revere & The Raiders will be performing during the Flower Power Concert Series at Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival beginning March 12. The series includes 11 artists,groups with 126 Top 40 hits, including 16 No. 1 songs.

Great American Gardeners Series — See informative and entertaining presentations from nationally recognized garden personalities.

Robert Olszewski Product Release & Signing at Disneyland — Renowned miniaturist Bob Olszewski will be at Disneyland for a special appearance and signing on March 13.

Source & Photo disneyparkblog.com

Update of Cantina de San Angel at Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion

By

Chip

-

March 13, 2010

A very informative news report from the Disney Park Blog. I would love to be there on opening day. Everyone knows how much I love San Angel Inn..I can’t wait!

Another construction wall at Epcot, this time it’s at the Mexico Pavilion along the World Showcase Lagoon waterfront. The popular Cantina de San Angel restaurant is expanding, and when the wall comes down there will be 400 seats – both al fresco and air-conditioned seating for lunch and a coveted spot for dinner and viewing IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, the nightly Epcot fireworks spectacular. A table-service restaurant will occupy half the space.

We hear that the tall frozen margaritas stay on the menu when the new eatery opens in the fall, just in time for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Until then, you can get your guacamole fix inside at San Angel Inn, or at La Cava de Tequila, with 95 varieties of tequila to taste (our preference is the buttery avocado margarita, the richness cut with fresh lime juice and agave nectar syrup). If you’re just passing by, the Taqueria del Lago kiosk serves Mexican favorites such as nachos and mixes a delicious margarita for sipping and strolling.

We have high hopes for a fresh menu, and expect delicious south-of-the border creations from the folks at San Angel Inn LLC, who have run both the outside eatery and the pavilion’s San Angel Inn for a quarter of a century.

Source

Disney fires Robert Zemeckis and Company

By

Chip

-

March 12, 2010

Walt Disney Studios pulled the plug on Robert Zemeckis’s motion-capture company on Friday, the latest in a string of cost-cutting moves. ImageMovers Digital, which is based near San Francisco and employs 450 people, will slowly wind down production over the next few months.

In some ways, the ghost of Christmas past paid Mr. Zemeckis a visit. His hugely expensive “A Christmas Carol” was a big disappointment for Disney, especially considering how much promotional muscle the studio put behind it. And despite his pioneering work in motion-capture technology, Mr. Zemeckis has been leapfrogged in the genre by James Cameron and “Avatar.”

But Disney went out of its way to note that two big movie projects from Mr. Zemeckis, the comedy “Mars Needs Moms” and a remake of “Yellow Submarine,” would move ahead. Disney also said it hopes to enter into a new long-term production deal with the director and his partners, Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey.

Disney and Mr. Zemeckis, an Oscar winner for “Forrest Gump,” announced the creation of the boutique studio in 2007. The lush deal was approved by Dick Cook, who was fired as chairman last fall. At the time, Mr. Cook said Mr. Zemeckis had “a real pulse on the future of motion pictures especially as it pertains to the creativity and technology of motion capture and 3-D film experiences.”

Click here to keep reading.

Lobby Unveiled at Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children

By

Chip

-

March 12, 2010

At first glance, it’s hard to tell you’re looking at a hospital lobby…but that’s the point. The entrance to the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children uses fantasy, imagination and adventure to create a remarkable healing environment. And today, its doors were officially opened.

Walt Disney Imagineers designed the lobby with the same attention to detail they’d give to any attraction at the theme parks. Characters like Timon and Pumbaa from ‘The Lion King,” Flounder and Sebastian from “The Little Mermaid” and Rutt and Tuke from “Brother Bear” immediately catch your eye when walking in. And once inside, children can experience interactive activities, including the opportunity to fish for virtual salmon, step into a safari to touch and illuminate a cave wall, generate jungle sounds on musical step pads and swat chirping bugs that glow during a memory game.

Click here for the complete article along with a bunch more pictures.

Picture and Source disneyparkblog.com

Legendary Sherman Brothers Honored with Window on Main Street, U.S.A.

By

Chip

-

March 12, 2010

Great article from the Disney Park Blog:

Today, Main Street, U.S.A. was buzzing with the tune of several familiar songs as Richard and Robert Sherman were honored with their own window. A window dedication, by the way, is the highest honor a cast member can receive at Disneyland Park. The window dedicated to the Sherman Brothers reads “Two Brothers Tunemakers,” with their names inscribed underneath.

Check it out next time you stroll down Main Street, U.S.A. The famous brothers are the creative minds behind the song “it’s a small world (after all),” and the theme songs for several attractions (The Enchanted Tiki Room, Carousel of Progress) and songs from the movies “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book,” “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” “The Aristocats” and “Winnie the Pooh.”

Richard Sherman was at the ceremony today. Take a look at this video and hear what Richard had to say at this heartwarming celebration of the Sherman Brothers’ amazing work.

Source & Picture from disneyparkblog.com