Opening and Closing @ WDW

Opening:

WDW has released more details about the new Art of Animation resort:

Located adjacent to the Pop Century Resort (the site was originally supposed to be Phase II of Pop), the Art of Animation Resort will be a Value Resort and will feature 864 themed rooms in 'The Little Mermaid' wings and 1,120 family suites in 'The Lion King',' Cars' and 'Finding Nemo' wings.

The 1st phase - the 'Finding Nemo' suites- will open May 2012, and the last phase by the end of 2012 (the 2012 apocalypse notwithstanding)  will be 'The Little Mermaid'-themed rooms.

 Concept Art: Walt Disney Company

Closing:

Toontown Fair at the Magic Kingdom will close forever in February 2011. After the 11th, the Barnstormer will be the only thing left standing (and that will be re-themed).


Now, I swear that I heard a local newsperson report that Mickey's and Minnie's houses will be re-located ( to DHS ??)  and I have to say that I hope this is TRUE because Minnie's House
is one of my most favorite things in the MK.

Does anyone have verification of this?

The Latest (and Hottest) WDW Rumor ...

... is regarding something I posted about before: adding AUSTRALIA to Disney's Animal Kingdom!


Wishful Thinking #2: Animal Kingdom

The DisneyBlog makes an interesting and pertinent comment regarding transportation from Discovery Island to the new area. I personally think it would be most cool to re-theme the Wildlife Express and use it; maybe even incorporate the current area of Rafiki's Planet Watch into the Outback and move Planet Watch over to Camp Minnie Mickey.

Oh, the possibilities!!


Sources:    G'Day Mate

Hyperion Wharf

Disney has just announced (today/noon/local news) that Pleasure Island will soon be no more ... after receiving an extreme makeover it will become ...

Hyperion Wharf 

 "a nostalgic, yet modern take on an early 20th century port city and amusement pier".

Photo: The Orlando Sentinel / The Daily Disney

Most of the existing buildings ( BET Soundstage, the Adventurer's Club, Rock 'n Roll Beach Club, Motion ) will be bulldozed and from the rubble will rise "numerous new or renovated retail shops and merchandise vignettes, as well as additional atmosphere entertainment".


Hyperion Park will open in stages - with a waterfront park area to be open by next summer. The whole thing should be complete by 2013.

ALSO: the AMC 24 Theatres will undergo renovation as well, with new digital technology, an up-graded concession stand, and a dine-in "Fork & Screen" theater.

Today, 44 Years Ago

On this date - November 15th - in 1965, Walt and Roy officially announce the "Florida project", meaning Walt Disney World, of course.

But did you know that Orlando was not Disney's 1st choice for the new park site?

It was St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1963, Walt and company were all set to sign the documents, when at a cocktail party the night before the signing, August Busch Jr, of the Anheuser-Busch brewery dynasty, reputedly shot off his mouth: "Any man who thinks he can design an attraction that is going to be a success in this city and not serve beer or liquor ought to have his head examined."

Well, Walt did not want beer, or any alcoholic beverage, sold in his Family-friendly park, nor did he need to have his head examined, so the next morning he gathered up his crew and left town.

Or so the story goes.


I wonder what Walt would do today about the alcohol sold in his beloved parks, besides spin at Warp 6?

Food & Wine 2010 Review

My son and his bride planned their trip to visit us (and Mickey) during the Food & Wine Festival this year.

I picked up a couple of "Passports" and we stopped at all of the kiosks to get the stamps, plus the Festival center to get the final one.

Although we didn't sample everything, here is our review of those we did:

On a scale of YUMMY to YUCKY

YUMMY:

*** The waffles (Belgium) - Unanimous approval
*** Braised short ribs (France) - seconds-worthy
*** Cherry Colada (Puerto Rico) - OLE!!
*** Chicken Chipotle Sausage (Canada) - even hard-to please hubby liked this
*** Vidal Icewine (Canada) - better than last year; hubby liked this, too

** Creme Brulee au Chocolat (France)
** Pecan Bread Pudding (Hops & Barley)
    *note: the 1st one was quite good, the 2nd one was slightly less so & had only one pecan
** Rosemount Traminer Riesling (Australia)
** Ginger Ice Cream (China)
** Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache (Ireland)
** Bunratty Meade Honey Wine (Ireland)

* Godiva Iced chocolate (Belgium) - might've liked it better if the ice had been crushed

* Spanish Almond Cake (Spain) - pound cake with almonds, but tasty
* Bohae Bokbunjajoo/blackberry rice wine (South Korea) - too strong for me, but the Boy liked it

SO-SO:

* Esquites (Mexico)- eh
* Churro (Mexico) - not crispy, almost on the yuck list
* Wafu Ribettes (Japan) - eh
* Pork Pot Stickers (China) - not hot, not as good as last year
* Kinjiang BBQ Chicken Stick (China)- eh
* Green Tea Plum Wine Cooler (China) - not as good as last year
* Lettuce wraps with pork & kimchi sauce (South Korea)

YUCKY:

- BBQ short rib (South Korea) - even tho the sauce was tasty, overall very disappointing
- Heirloom Tomatoes (US) - didn't even finish this
- Bison Chili (US) - unanimous vote for the yuck-o-meter
- Cheese Fondue (Charcuterie & Cheese) - bleech

We got the gift cards on the wrist bands this year and I have to say that they were a unanimous hit! We'll definitely use them next year (for which we're already saving $$$$).

Real Life Disney: Chip & Dale

I love this picture. 

Dunno who or where, nor the source.

A Little Disney Magic

I was at DHS waiting for a bus to Port Orleans the other morning. And waiting. About 10 minutes.

A Bus scheduler with a clipboard and radio comes across the driveway and tells me that he's got a bus coming for me. Just me. I was the only one there.

A bus comes around the corner. It has VIP Cast Member on the front sign.

The Bus scheduler with a clipboard and radio says, "This is your bus". Just mine. I was the only passenger.

How's THAT for Disney Magic!

Haunted Mansion Resort Rooms ??

Whoa. How Cool would this be?

Story here: 

Would you  stay in a Haunted Mansion Room

Real Life Disney: The Lion King

Happy Birthday, Pluto!!

Food and Wine 2010

The Marketplace list has been released.

What!!
No Boboti ?!?  No Durban Spiced Chicken (South Africa) ?!?
No Frozen Baileys (Ireland) ??


But wait.
The Godiva Iced Chocolate Coffee (Belgium) does sound good!
Ireland will offer a warm chocolate lava cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache.

And as long as the Green Tea Plum Wine Cooler (China) and the Pecan Bread Pudding (Hops & Barley) are as delicious as they were last year, I'll be happeee!!

Bear Face Rooms

Ever hear about the 'bear face' rooms at Disney's Wilderness Lodge?

These are certain rooms in the U-shaped courtyard area facing Bay Lake.

Do you see the Bear's Face?

How About now:

 

Here's a little help:

Thanks to Eileen

at 

PassporterBoards

Happy Anniversary, ToT !

WDW's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror officially opened July 22nd, 1994.

This remains my favorite thing to do at Disney's Hollywood Studios
(after Who Wants to Be a Millionaire closed in 2006).

Ever wonder what happens if you don't fasten that seat belt?

Confession # 14: My Favorite Disney Character

... is not Mickey or Minnie.

It's Pluto.

Because he does not speak - except for two words* in a 1931 cartoon,"The Moose Hunt", Pluto has to be very expressive in his actions and facial expressions.



And in "Mickey's Kangaroo", Pluto has a voice, although it's just his thoughts:

* Those two words: "Kiss Me"

Real Life Disney: Pooh and Friends

Tinkerbell's Flight

Tinkerbell has been making her night flight in the MK at WDW since July 3, 1985.

She was originally supposed to fly as only a holiday/seasonal spectacle, but the crowd response was so immediately positive, she has been flying for 25 years now at WDW (at DL since 1961).

When we took our 1st Keys to the Kingdom Tour, our wonderful guide (Matthew) gave us a quite a bit of interesting background info on Tink's flight (like what happens if she meets a headwind).

Pet Power

A  new luxury resort  for PETS will open at WDW.

**  Updated Link  **

Holy Pampered Pooch and Puddytat Batman!

This sounds better than the All Stars!

 Photo: WDW

Golden Oak

Golden Oak  will be "an incomparable community" of million+ dollar homes, located adjacent to the Fort Wilderness area.

The "come-on" states: "Golden Oak offers the opportunity to create new Disney traditions entwined with treasured ones, and invest in your family legacy".

The cheapest (so to speak) home will be $1.5 million, ranging up to $8 million. That will be some family legacy.

Who can possibly afford this beside an oil-rich Saudi sheik or perhaps Bob Iger? Certainly not any of the 'regular' Disney fan-atics like those folks who save for two years so they can spend a week at The World.

I would much rather have seen the increasingly-popular Fort Wilderness area expanded.

No doubt Walt would be rolling at about Warp 6.


GOLDEN OAK

Powering Down

After August 7, 2010, the Power Rangers, seen on Streets of America in Disney's Hollywood Studios, will join Four for a Dollar, Imaginum, Kristos, and Andy Mation as former WDW performers.

Confession # 13: Not Me

As much as I've looked forward to the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter over at IOA/Universal Orlando, I did NOT go on Opening Day.

Nope. No way.

It had been announced that the parking lots (Universal Orlando has 2 huge multi-story lots) would open at 5:30 am even tho the WWoHP wouldn't open until 10:30 am (not counting the earlier entry for special guests).

And people started lining up the day before, standing on the I-4 overpass ALL night because U/O wouldn't let them stay on property.

I turned on the tv at 5 am and there was already coverage on local stations which continued until, get this, 9 am, just about when Bill Davis, U/O prez started to open the envelope (see below).  Our local ABC channel switched over to The PTL Club! So I switched over to the local all-news station.

From someone who was there:

The Harry Potter Morning-After Report

I am definitely gonna go, later, tho, like about November.

And I'm already saving up $$ for all the HarryPotterCrap I want ... definitely a wand, both kinds of butterbeer (frozen and not frozen), cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs (seeing a trend here...)



(Line photos: Orlando Sentinel)

Harry Potter Actors Tour the Wizarding World

James Phelps (Fred Weasley), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid),  Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Oliver Phelps (George Weasley), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) get a sneak peek at Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

They visited Ollivander's where a wand chose Emma, the Three Broomsticks where they sampled butterbeer, and got a ride on HP and the Forbidden Journey.

photo: Matt / Orlando Attractions Magazine

Star Wars Weekends Are Back

Star Wars Weekends return to Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 21-23,  May28-30, June 4-6, and June 11-13.

This year they're saluting the 30th anniversary of "The Empire Strikes Back" ( the best of the series, IMHO).


And this year you can meet a new character:

 R2-MK

Jedi Mickey's new droid

And the Jedi Training Academy, always fun to watch, will 'double the villainy' as the young Padawans face off against Darth Vader and Darth Maul.


Photo:
Orlando Attractions

Pop Goes the Pop Century Legendary Years

WDW's Pop Century Resort has been half-built since 2003.

Phase I, The Classic Years, opened in December, 2003, but the unfinished buildings of Phase II, The Legendary Years, which can be seen across the lake, have been moldering away for years.

Until now.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts unveiled plans May 12 for Disney's Art of Animation Resort featuring quality family suites designed around four themes: The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Cars and The Little Mermaid ... and will be "located adjacent to Disney's Pop Century Resort".


It's a pretty good guess that the Legendary Years will become ....

Disney's Art of Animation Resort, the 26th resort at Walt Disney World Resort ... one-of-a-kind, with themed building exteriors and room interiors, and larger-than-life icons from the animated films in the courtyard areas. 

Er. It's not exactly one-of-a-kind. Hello? Pop Century. The All-Stars.
Still, it will be a good thing to finally complete those buildings.

All of the themed suites and rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort are expected to open by the end of 2012.

 

Spilling the (Bertie Botts) Beans

Sandy Klim, writer for "Going Places", AAA members' magazine, reveals some very cool secrets about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I guess you could say she spilled the (Bertie Botts Every Flavor) Beans!

In the village of Hogsmeade, be sure to check out Gringott's bank and its ATM. "No one protects money like a Goblin!"

You can buy a Firebolt at Dervish and Banges.
Also check out the 'Monster Book of Monsters' (grrrr) on display.

At Honeydukes, try the licorice clippings, a candy "dispensed in a very unique and unusual manner".


You can choose from 13 kinds of wands at Ollivander's shop.
But remember, the wand chooses the wizard.
"A mismatched wand creates havoc". and the right one ... you'll know".
(Hint: the wandkeeper will ask specific questions to determine the correctness of your wand).

While in the queue for the big ride, 'Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey', you'll meet the never-before-seen founders of Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw.

And ... something about Moaning Myrtle, but that's still a secret.

Wizarding World opens June 18th.

Captain EO Returns

 
On July 2nd, Captain EO, the 17-minute 3-D space-fantasy film featuring Michael Jackson (and directed by Francis Ford Coppolla), is returning to WDW after 17 years.

It will replace "Honey I Shrunk the Audience" at the theatre in the Journey Into Imagination building (EPCOT).

Real Life Disney: Timon & Pumbaa

Confession # 12: I Like It

The WDW monorail train that travels between TTC and Epcot looks different  these days:

Photo:Orlando Sentinel

Although it's a giant advertisement for Disney's remake of TRON, I like it. The colors, anyway.

And as for the criticism (“Never thought I’d see the day that Disney would bus-wrap their monorails to advertise for a movie”, etc), well, hello, have you been in a Disney store lately? A majority of Disney merchandise relates directly to Disney movies or TV shows.

Story Here

Tired of Mickey and Shamu?

Try one of these:

10 Weirdest Theme Parks


Bob-Bon Land with its farting roller coaster does sound different (hahaha).


And if you're more literary-minded, Dickens World might be right up your Dickensian Courtyard (alley).

Confession # 11: I Miss the Great Fright Way

The Ghostbusters vs Beetlejuice was my favorite street show over at Universal Studios until February 19, 2005, when it was closed after a 15-year run.

In every on-line survey I've taken for Universal Orlando, I've mentioned how much I miss these guys.

I'm not the only one. There is an on-line petition   to bring this show back.

Dollywood's Newest

celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and to celebrate, will open a brand-new attraction,  Adventure Mountain

Regarding the physically-challenging course(s), Dolly said, "It's not set up for high heels ... and the artificial nails ... I could lose so many things."

Gotta love Dolly.

Busch Gardens, Part II

We made our 2nd visit to BG a couple of weeks ago.

There were several school groups there so the park was a bit busier, but most of the kids went for the big coasters, which we weren't interested in, so no problem!


As we passed the alligator pool up front, one of the 'gators was swimming by with a turtle on its back! Crapola! I forgot my camera!!



After a short wait in line, we rode the Skyride back to the Jungala area which we missed on our 1st visit.

Loved the tigers. They were more active (and looked younger) than those at DAK. As we looked across the area at the 'Pop-up', one of the white tigers jumped up and laid down across the top of it.  Not only was it still there when we passed that way, another tiger had come up and they were nuzzling each other. Cool!  Dammitt, no camera!


We enjoyed the Treetop Trails; hubby more so than me (I was still recuperating from surgery, so only did the most basic one). We wanted to do the Jungle Flyers, but there is an age limit of 6-13 and the attendant just laughed when we assured him that our maturity level was 12, tops.  


This time we had lunch at the Crown Colony House. Definitely the place to eat! As we were the first ones there, we had our choice of seating - and chose a window seat overlooking the Serengeti Plain, of course. Being really hungry, we had the Family dinner which was very good, reasonably priced, and way too much food for the two of us! The service was very good, the white table cloths were a nice touch, as was the piano player, and it was overall a very pleasant lunch (no screaming kids, either!). Yes, we will dine there next visit, too.

We still have the shows - Katonga, Rock-a-Doo Wop, and Pirates 4-D - to see next time!

June 18, 2010

What: The Grand Opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Where: Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando

Click on the map to see full view:

Disney World what?

Disney (not) Photo of the Day

H/T Comic Con

Chow, Baby!

Disney Dining is changing over at Epcot's World Showcase.

 
Cantina de San Angel (the outdoor fast food place) at the Mexico pavilion in Epcot is closed for a significant refurbishment and expansion - a 400-seat waterside restaurant and quick service food location.

And over at the Italy pavilion, a new, unnamed as yet, 14,000 sq.ft.,  300-seat family-style pizzeria, featuring wood-burning ovens, and genuine Italian dishes, will expand the piazza by 10,000 sq ft.

Both places are expected to open in fall 2010. 

Summer Nightastic!

The "Main Street Electrical Parade" will return to WDW's Magic Kingdom this June.  About time, too! This marvelous montage of moving lights has been at Disneyland since 2001.

The Magic Kingdom will also have a new summer fireworks spectacular.

Aaaand, over at Disney's Hollywood Studios the Tower of Terror will have new lighting effects and a new drop sequence.  Yowza!

Mickey must be hearing footsteps...

Wizardly footsteps.

WDW CM Spotlight

During last year, WDW Cast Members were given an opportunity to submit photos to celebrate vacations, anniversaries, birthdays, etc., and then vote for their favorite.

And the winner:

A WDW Cast Member who returned from active duty with the military!

What in the (Wizarding) World ??

In case you've been unconscious, under a rock, or in outer space for the past year...

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando.
     JUNE 18, 2010

What you can expect to see:


The Hogwarts Express,
which whistles and billows steam to signal its arrival;

Hogsmeade Village 
    with Wizard shops....

Zonko's:
a joke shop where you can purchase Extendable Ears and Sneakoscopes;


Honeydukes:
which features treats like Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans  (take 'THAT' Ghirardellis);

The Three Broomsticks and the adjacent Hog's Head pub, offering traditional British food and drinks ... and the definitely non-traditional Butterbeer (non-alcoholic) and pumpkin juice;

The Owlery and The Owl Post:
where you can send letters with a  Hogsmeade postmark and buy official stamps from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter;

Ollivander's:
the wand shop where the 'wand chooses the wizard' in an interactive experience (I wonder if the Wand of Destiny will be available? );

Dervish and Banges:
the magical instruments shop selling Quidditch equipment, Triwizard apparel, Spectrespecs and Remembralls.

The attractions:

Dragon Challenge:
a twin high-speed roller coaster with many elements from the Triwizard Tournament (the former "Dueling Dragons");

Flight of the Hippogriff:
a family coaster simulating a Hippogriff training flight over the grounds of Hogwarts castle (the former "Flying Unicorn");


Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey:
the big, huge, new ride located in Hogwarts Castle: a state-of-the-art attraction that uses entirely new technology to bring the magic, characters and stories of Harry Potter to life in ways never before experienced;

Before exiting back into Hogsmeade:
Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods
(get your Omnioculars here!)

I'm saving my Galleons and Knuts for HarryPotterstuff and butterbeer!!