Real Life Disney: Royalty

This is just uncanny!!

Disney World 2012

2012 Major Disney World Events

March 7-May 20

9th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Flower Power concerts!!

May

a partial (phased) opening of the new value resort, Art of Animation

May 18-20  &  May 25-27

June 1-3  &  June 8-10         

Star Wars Weekends 

 May the Force be with us!

Sept 28-Nov 11

17th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

International food kiosks!        

             Eat to the Beat concerts!!

September - November

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party

Boo to You  ...  and you !!

October 1st

Epcot's 30th anniversary 

November-December

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

aaaaaaand ...

the (phased) opening of the new expanded (almost doubled)

Fantasyland

Be Our Guest!

a new Test Track experience

Splitsville

(a 50,000 sq ft upscale bowling alley/entertainment center)

Sounds Great!

....  But  .....

whatever happened to Hyperion Wharf  ??

The Disney Holiday Spirit

Disney really gets into the Holiday Spirit:

Disneyland: Downtown Disney Holiday Trees to be Donated to  Local Military Families

 In less than two weeks, the joy of the holiday season will come in the form of a fully decorated tree to 17 local military families from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit!

Disney Cast Members send postcards to U.S.Troops
 

 Founded by a Disneyland Resort cast member in 1995, Operation Uplift was inspired by a letter from a soldier serving in Operation Desert Storm. That note said the troops didn’t receive much mail, but when they did, it meant the world to them because they knew people back home cared.

Since that time, Disney VoluntEARS around the country have sent more than 90,000 postcards of support and thanks to servicemen and servicewomen serving domestically and overseas.

Disney VoluntEARS donate 30000 toys to Toys For Tots

Mickey Mouse and Disney VoluntEARS began to deliver a collection of more than 30,000 new toys to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Central Florida Toys for Tots headquarters. Gunnery Sergeant Jose Rodriguez tells me that the sizable donation is the largest received to date and will help make the holiday season brighter for more than 20,000 children in Orange and Seminole counties

Thank you, Disney, Disney Cast Members, U.S. Marines, and the writers at Disney Blog!

CWHS @ DHS *

Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special

 

So does this indicate a possible change at the Studios:

     no more Drew Carey's Sounds Dangerous ??

 

Or .... even better, a reopening of the Comedy Warehouse at DTD ? 

Star Tours 2011

Finally had a ride on the improved "Star Tours" attraction over at the Studios.


The wait time was shown as 5 minutes (even though the end of the line was right at the entance). Nuh-uh. Although the line moved fairly steadily, it was quite a bit more than 5 minutes.

A high point of the line-wait: we were at the spot just opposite the door where the Storm Troopers emerge for the Jedi Training Academy session ... when they emerged!  They 'played' to the line, who loved it (yes, me too!), while waiting for their entrance cue.

The ride itself was much improved! No more herky-jerky. But if you don't like Mission:Space (even the green, less intense, side), don't bother. It's a lot like that.

Disney Rumors

The expectation is high that these hot rumors may be answered at the D23 Expo this week in California:

* The return of the Adventurers' Club
    Remember when Disney announced changes to the changes at Pleasure Island/Hyperion Wharf?  I bet this is one!

* A new land at the Animal Kingdom
   The popular guess is for a Beastly Kingdom (dragons & unicorns, etc);  I personally would love to see Australia added!

* A new country in the World Showcase at Epcot
   Brazil announced earlier that they would have a pavilion, but nothing official from Disney; Maybe now! Or, if Oz is not added to the AK, how about an Aussie pavilion??

* Monsters Inc. roller coaster at DHS
  Oh, Yeah, and I know just where it would go - Animation Courtyard (Pixar Alley) in that space next to Toy Story Mania, where the sign says "Hot set".
 

* More DVC resorts
  
* A World of Color fountain show

* An updated Imagination pavilion at Epcot
    This would be about time, too.


Read more  HERE

Food & Wine 2011

 
The International marketplace kiosk menus are  posted here.

Ummmmm. What's on my list this year?


Argentina:
  Beef Empanada
  Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Puré

Australia:
  Lamington Cake

Belgium:
  Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
  Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashell Truffles
  Godiva Chocolate Iced Coffee
 
Brazil  (NEW):
  Feijoada - Brazil's National Dish 

Canada:
  Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
  Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta

Caribbean  (NEW):
  Vieja Ropa
  Frozen Dragon berry Colada
  Frozen Rock Coconut Mojito

China:

  Xinjang BBQ Chicken stick

  Caramel-ginger Ice cream 
  Green tea Plum Wine Cooler

France:
  Coq au Vin
  Créme Brulée au Chocolate au Lait

Germany:
  Goulash Suppe

   Neurnberger sausage in Pretzel roll

  Apple strudel w/ caramel and vanilla sauce

Greece:
  Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey

Hawaii  (NEW):
  Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet & Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise
  Seven Tiki Mai Tai

Hops & Barley:
  Pumpkin Mousse with Ocean Spray Craisins and Orange Sauce

Italy:
  Ravioli Di Formaggio all'Emiliana
  Cannoli al Cioccolato

Ireland:
  Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache

Mexico:
  Rib eye Tacos
  Flan
  Lime Strawberry Margarita on the Rocks

Morocco:
  Harissa Chicken Roll
  Baklava

New Zealand
Poland

Portugal  (NEW):
  Linguica Sausage with Onions, Peppers and Olives

Scandinavia:
  Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries
  Rice Pudding with Driscoll's® Only The Finest Berries™
  Xante ????

Singapore:
  Beef Rendang (coconut braised beef) with Jasmine Rice
  Singapore Sling

South Africa:
  Seared Filet of Beef with smashed Sweet Potatoes and Braai Sauce
  Bunny Chow (Vegetable Curry served in a Bread Loaf)

South Korea:
  Boolgogi BBQ Beef with steamed Rice and KimchiMyung Jak
  Bokbunjajoo (New Raspberry Wine)
  Bohae Bokbunjajoo (Black Raspberry Rice Wine)

USA (Fife & Drum)
 Frozen Red Stag Lemonade by Jim Beam

Yes, I'm already saving up for this.
And yes, it just might take TWO visits.


Eat to the Beat Concerts

Ooooh, the Gin Blossoms.

Richard Marx will be back   YAY !!

Splitsville

Disney has announced some changes to the previous announcement regarding the change of Pleasure Island into Hyperion Wharf.

Amongst them will be the addition of  Splitsville , a bowling alley/dinner lounge in the the location currently occupied by Ridemakerz custom remote control and toy cars (which will be moving to the Marketplace) (and before That, the location of the Virgin Atlantic Record Store). Coming in 2012.


Hopefully, Splitsville is not going to take the place of the previously announced 100-lane bowling alley that was going to be built at Wide World of Sports.

But, This is way cool, as DTD needs more places with things to DO rather than places with things to buy or things to eat ... but a place that serves a good breakfast would be most appreciated!

UPDATE:   Splitsville will open December 19th, 2012

Happy Anniversary, Harry Potter Land

OK, I know it's officially the "Wizarding World Of Harry Potter", but really, you knew egzactly to what I was referring!

Anyhoo, it's been one year since Harry Potter Land opened which Universal did not let pass without a celebration!


(Trivia: The one millionth butterbeer was sold back in January.

Our local news reader said that attendance at Universal Orlando is up 30+% for the last year.  And that attendance at WDW declined.

So why didn't you-know-who (and I do NOT mean Voldemort) create HPL?

Rumoredly, the reason:

J.K. Rowling was very specific about how she wanted the park built; the Powers-that-be at Disney did not think her ideas would work; the Imagineers were rumoredly 'relieved' to not have to work with her.  (Universal pretty much said: whatever you want!)


The more-or-less 'official' reason: the Powers-that-be at Disney thought that the Harry Potter craze would dwindle quickly after the last movie was released.

Had I been a Disney Imagineer, I could imagine a whole park, not just a section of one, dedicated to Wizards and wizardly stuff. How about a resort hotel done up like Hogwarts with 4 sections (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin) decorated accordingly?  Every kid in the world would want to stay there. And more than a few adults, too.  There could have been a Diagon Alley as well as a Hogsmeade. More rides. More wizardstuff to buy.  More everything. 

I am in no way denigrating the incredible job Universal has done.
But it is too bad that apparently it's okay for Walt to protect his 'dreams' and creations, but not J.K. Rowling. How ironic.

Darth Vader Does Disneyland

Hilarious Disney ad for the new and vastly improved Star Tours:

Darth Vader does Disneyland

I love the heavy sigh (listen for it).