Goodbye Pleasure Island, Hello Hyperion Wharf!

WDWNT Author on November 18, 2010

Huge announcement from the Disney Parks Blog today:

How about that? New dining, shopping and entertainment experiences are in the works for Downtown Disneyand today we’re sharing a first look at what to expect in the future for the 120-acre complex. Look closely and you’ll see that Pleasure Island will evolve into a vibrant waterfront district called “Hyperion Wharf.”

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The district will come to life with a nostalgic yet modern take on an early 20th century port city and amusement pier. By day, stylish boutiques and innovative restaurants will draw you in and by night, thousands of lights will transform the area into an electric wonderland.

Taking its name from Hyperion, the Greek god of light, as well as the street on which Walt Disney built his first major animation studio, the wharf district will also feature a relaxing lakeside park and enhanced pedestrian walkways. And its diverse eateries will expand dining availability at Downtown Disney by more than 25 percent.

Along with the new wharf district, other projects are underway at Downtown Disney, including:

  • An extensive renovation of Lego Imagination Center, which will increase its overall footprint by nearly 3,500 square-feet and add new Lego exterior models featuring scenes from classic Disney movies.
  • Enhancements at AMC Theatres that will take the movie-going experience at Downtown Disney to the next level with new digital technology, a Concession Stand of the Future and Florida’s first Fork & Screen Theater; and…
  • Numerous new or renovated retail shops and merchandise vignettes, as well as additional atmosphere entertainment, throughout Downtown Disney.

Construction on the district begins immediately and it’s scheduled to be completed in 2013.

Pretty exciting, huh?

World of Color Wins Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement-Nighttime Spectacular

WDWNT Author on November 17, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Today, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) announced that this year’s Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement-Nighttime Spectacular goes to “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure park. “World of Color” is recognized by TEA as “a visual and technical marvel,” that combines stunning Disney and Pixar animation with music, lights, fog, lasers, fire and nearly 1,200 programmable fountains spanning an area that is bigger than a football field. Please join me in congratulating the hundreds of talented people from around the world who worked on this project for the past five years!

'World of Color'

And that’s not all. Longtime Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine was recognized for a lifetime of distinguished achievements with The Buzz Price Award. Kim began her career at Walt Disney Imagineering in 1970, where she worked alongside many of the Walt Disney Imagineering legends such as John Hench, Mary Blair, Marc Davis and Claude Coats. She worked on many attractions for both Magic Kingdom and Epcot at Walt Disney World before joining Imagineering’s Disneyland Design Studio team in 1980.

Longtime Walt Disney Imagineer, Kim Irvine

Kim has long been the Art Director for Disneyland park and was responsible for projects such as Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration, including a new look for the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle. Recent projects include adding ‘new magic’ to classic attractions such as ‘it’s a small world’ and in locations like the Rivers of America. Kim also created designs for the new Disney Gallery and interiors for the new The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction on Main Street, U.S.A.

TEA announced the 17th Annual Thea Award recipients during the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attraction’s (IAAPA) annual conference. The Thea Awards recognize achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. To date, Walt Disney Imagineering has received a total of 34 awards throughout the Thea Awards’ 17-year history.

Celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Big Thunder Mountain with the WDWNT Podcast!

WDWNT Author on November 17, 2010

Have you heard this week’s WDW News Today Podcast? If you haven’t, here’s what you can expect:

Join me, Tom Corless, and a cast including Anthony Yacullo, Jason Diffendal, and Justin Heyman for a variety show dedicated to the Walt Disney World Resort and its many fans. Plenty of Walt Disney World information and fun awaits you on this edition of the WDW News Today Podcast!!!

On this week’s show, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad witha special installment of our Walt Disney World history segment, “Back to the Future”. In this week’s trip through time, we’ll be looking at the history of the Western River Expedition and explore the western mountains of the Disney Parks around the world. “Now hang on to them hats and classes”, because all this and much more Walt Disney World information and fun awaits you on this edition of WDW News Today Podcast.

To download or listen to the show on-site, go to our podcast download directory page. You can also download episodes of the show by subscribing to the Enhanced Episode and Standard Episode feeds on iTunes.

Special Note: Be sure to nominate the WDW News Today Podcast for Best Travel and Best Produced Podcast in the 2010 Podcast Awards atwww.PodcastAwards.com. If you enjoy the program, this is a great way to say thanks to the great team that makes the show possible every single week. Thank you for voting!

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Queue

WDWNT Author on November 16, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

If you’re visiting Magic Kingdom Park this week, you’ll be the first to see a series of new enhancements to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The changes begin with a re-designed load area and a re-imagined gift shop called Hundred Acre Goods specializing in apparel, toys, plush characters and collectibles featuring Pooh and his friends.

Also this week, the attraction entrance will be temporarily relocated to the FASTPASS return lane while enhancements continue on several interactive elements being added to the queue. And beginning Thanksgiving week, young guests will start their adventure through the Hundred Acre Wood by jumping with Tigger, crawling through Eeyore’s house and playing in Rabbit’s garden before they board the attraction. And there’s more to come, with new elements debuting throughout the next month.

These enhancements will have a temporary impact on FASTPASS distribution which will not be available until the enhanced queue opens. Soon, we’ll resume FASTPASS distribution for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Mickey’s PhilharMagic where it will remain during Fantasyland’s expansion.

Mad Tea Party Gives New Paint Scheme a Whirl

WDWNT Author on November 11, 2010

The Mad Tea Party in Fantasyland has re-opened from a lenthy reurbishment with a brand new roof and an entirely new pastel color scheme. WDWNT Reporter Banks Lee was on the scene and has some video to share of the recently refreshed attraction (embedded via the WDWNTube):

Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights Dances with “Phineas and Ferb” in 2010

WDWNT Author on November 10, 2010

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is back at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year with a few new additions and some changes:

-In between some of the dance sequences, a staged radio interview with the creator of the spectacle, Jennings Osborne, takes place
-One building has a falling snow effect in the windows, you’ll see this in our video during one of the dance sequences
-Two new sequences starring characters from the Disney Channel original series “Phineas and Ferb” have been added. In the first, Phineas and Ferb fix some technical problems with the lights and then have them dance to “Christmas is Starting Now” from the Phineas and Ferb Christmas Special. The second skit has Dr. Doofenshmirtz attempting to take over the display before being foiled by Perry the Platapus.

WDWNT Reporter Banks Lee brings us a video of the Spectacle with all of these new additions, courtesy of the WDWNTube:

WDWNT Podcast Episode 169 Now Available for Download

WDWNT Author on November 9, 2010

Have you heard this week’s WDW News Today Podcast? If you haven’t, here’s what you can expect:

Join me, Tom Corless, and a cast including Natalie Henley, Marci Smith, Jenni Simon, Mike Truskowski, Josh Stern, Taylor Martina, David Smith, and Zach Larson for a variety show dedicated to the Walt Disney World Resort and its many fans. Plenty of Walt Disney World information and fun awaits you on this edition of the WDW News Today Podcast!!!

Before we get started with our segment for this week, we’ll be making the eliminations of two contestants from “Who Wants to be a Podcaster?” based on how you voted the over the last week. Following that, we have the seventh edition of what you voted our most popular segment, “The Top 10″. It’s an interactive and fun segment where the WDWNT Podcast Team and our listeners come together to create top ten lists for Walt Disney World in many different categories. We continue this week with our contestants presenting the top movies that should have attractions at Walt Disney World.

To download or listen to the show on-site, go to our podcast download directory page. You can also download episodes of the show by subscribing to the Enhanced Episode and Standard Episode feeds on iTunes.

Special Note: Be sure to nominate the WDW News Today Podcast for Best Travel and Best Produced Podcast in the 2010 Podcast Awards at www.PodcastAwards.com. If you enjoy the program, this is a great way to say thanks to the great team that makes the show possible every single week. Thank you for voting!

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” Coming March 2011

WDWNT Author on November 9, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Disney California Adventure park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida will celebrate the premiere of Disney Channel’s new multiplatform brand, Disney Junior, with “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” next year. The lively show in the Parks will debut with new characters, some new adventures and a new marquee.

Children and parents who now enjoy the popular “Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!” at both Parks can look forward to sharing this new production, which brings back three audience favorites (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins) and also introduces a brand new segment based on Disney Junior’s newest series that will debut in February 2011, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.”

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” will air on Disney Junior in February 2011 and will share the magical and adventurous world of Never Land with preschoolers. Children will be drawn to the main character Jake, an enthusiastic young boy who leads a team of kid pirates (Cubby and Izzy, along with their faithful pirate parrot, Skully) in fun adventures that encourage interactive responses from young viewers. The clever premise provides kids and families with a fun way to learn teamwork.

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” on Disney Junior

Stories from the show will come to life in the Parks with colorful, puppet versions of some of the most popular Disney Junior characters, bright visuals, whimsical scenery that fills the stage, catchy songs and interactive moments.

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage” is scheduled to debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure park in March 2011.

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” Coming March 2011

WDWNT Author on November 9, 2010

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Disney California Adventure park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida will celebrate the premiere of Disney Channel’s new multiplatform brand, Disney Junior, with “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” next year. The lively show in the Parks will debut with new characters, some new adventures and a new marquee.

Children and parents who now enjoy the popular “Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!” at both Parks can look forward to sharing this new production, which brings back three audience favorites (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,Handy Manny and Little Einsteins) and also introduces a brand new segment based on Disney Junior’s newest series that will debut in February 2011, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.”

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” will air on Disney Junior in February 2011 and will share the magical and adventurous world of Never Land with preschoolers. Children will be drawn to the main character Jake, an enthusiastic young boy who leads a team of kid pirates (Cubby and Izzy, along with their faithful pirate parrot, Skully) in fun adventures that encourage interactive responses from young viewers. The clever premise provides kids and families with a fun way to learn teamwork.

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” on Disney Junior

Stories from the show will come to life in the Parks with colorful, puppet versions of some of the most popular Disney Junior characters, bright visuals, whimsical scenery that fills the stage, catchy songs and interactive moments.

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage” is scheduled to debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure park in March 2011.