It’s once again for a photo report from our very own Chuck Canzoneri:
The walls came down at Pixie Hollow on Wednesday
This is the new fountain with octopus shaped lighting
While it is very obvious that the lighting is there, it still does look quite nice
A Cast Member at Pixie Hollow said the lights won’t be active until they finish installing the ones in the trees
The DCA Project Tracker has some new information on upcoming refurbishments at Disney’s California Adventure:
These dates are far from official and are always scheduled to change, so stay tuned to Disneyland News Today and our Refurbishments page for the latest.
According to the OC Register’s Around Disney blog:
The Mickey’s Fun Wheel ride in Disney’s California Adventure is open for business.
Disney Spokesman John McClintock said this week’s opening was a “soft” one, so the ride may be in and out of service through the week as cast members tweak the operations.
The retrofitting of the Ferris wheel in DCA with a big, vintage Mickey Mouse Face to replace the sun that had originally been there is part of the $1 billion California Adventure expansion.
The ride will have a private grand-opening party for cast members early next week, and will be in full service by mid-week, McClintock said.
According to D23:
Mickey’s Fun Wheel will be open to Guests today after a makeover which added five fab characters on the sides of each gondola and a “pie-eyed” Mickey Mouse overlooking Paradise Bay in Disney’s California Adventure Park.
D23 has put up a couple of interesting things today that I want to share with everyone. First up, a great look at the Disney’s California Adventure renovation is provided in the Summer issue of Disney twenty-three magazine:
In the summer issue of twenty-three, Steven Clark and Jeffrey Epstein take readers on an exciting walk into the future of Disney’s California Adventure, revealing what Imagineers have in mind for park over the next four years. As you might expect, spectacular plans are unfolding — everything from a brand-new entryway and the majestic Carthay Circle Theatre to the spectacular World of Color nighttime extravaganza, the calypso under-the-sea beat of the new Little Mermaid attraction and an entirely new themed land that will be home to Lightning McQueen and his four-wheeled friends! Happy browsing!
Secondly, they have an interview with Disneyland Entertainment Productions Senior Show Director John Addis about the upcoming TLT Dance Club coming to the Tomorrowland Terrace this summer as part of Summer Nightastic:
If a hot nightspot inside Disneyland featuring today’s most popular music sounds like a familiar concept, you have something in common with Disneyland Entertainment Productions Senior Show Director John Addis.
“I opened Videopolis back in ’85,” John says, referring to the vibrant video dance club that once stood where the Princess Fantasy Faire now resides. “They packed the place. Kids would go and learn dances together.” John says they wanted to bring the concept into 2009, and the Tomorrowland Terrace, which has frequently featured contemporary performances throughout the years, was the perfect spot for the new TLT Dance Club (skywalkers-in-training, have no fear, Jedi Training Academy will continue during the day — TLT will heat up nightly from 7–11 p.m. starting June 12). “We’re going to have plasma screens in the venue, and you can actually text and your text messages will go up on the screen… I’m not quite sure how they’re going to police that,” he says with a laugh. Guests will also be able to text in their favorite song to a posted number. “At 8 o’clock at night they do ‘Celebrate at 8,’ and they will take all of the songs that everyone wants to hear and they’ll do a countdown to the No. 1 song.”
John also notes there will be a host who will keep the night grooving with games, trivia and trademarked Disney fun. Music, of course, will be the heart of TLT, with DJs from Southern California radio stations and local bands keeping things lively. “The asks are out, as they say,” jokes John about possible performers and DJs. “But I haven’t heard anything definite. I’m excited about the live music. Friday through Sunday we’re going to have live bands.”
The bands, notes Disney Entertainment Productions Producer Ray Coble, may be familiar to Disneyland-ers. “We’re welcoming bands that we use and know are very successful like the 80z All Stars and also looking at some new ones.”
Adds John, “I’d love to expose people to new groups. It’s great to have a new group come in, people follow them and suddenly… they’re Rascal Flatts!”
Does that mean Miley may turn up at TLT? “We’re looking into Hollywood Records and Disney Channel emerging artists — and maybe even some established recording artists — coming down during that Friday to Sunday time,” John hints. “What we’ve done is taken an area that needed to have some fun, and I think it’s going to!”
Some of our sources have reported that Mickey’s Fun Wheel is a couple weeks behind schedule, and is now scheduled to open on May 8th, as opposed to the originally scheduled April 24th date. We’re not exactly sure on the reason of the delay, but it’s most likely due to the Mickey face, as it hasn’t even arrived at the Resort yet.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest on the Paradise Pier make-over.
The Twilight Bark news section of D23’s website continues to be a great source for little news tid-bits about the Disneyland Resort:
Anyone who owns a Nintendo Wii video game console and loves the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction at Disney’s California Adventure or at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is sure to be excited by this news today:
BURBANK, Calif. – (March 24, 2009) – Disney Interactive Studios today announced Toy Story Mania!, inspired by the Disney/Pixar animated feature “Toy Story,” will be released exclusively for the Wii™ home video game console this fall. Toy Story Mania! showcases an array of entertaining games based on the new Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort attractions, while featuring the iconic characters and humor from the popular Disney/Pixar “Toy Story” franchise.
“The ‘Toy Story’ franchise is a fun, dynamic and heart-warming series containing characters and themes that connect with every age group,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “Toy Story Mania! combines those popular elements with the unique antics of the new theme park attraction for the ultimate in family entertainment.”
In Toy Story Mania!, players experience the fast-paced, zany fun of the Toy Story Mania! theme park attraction, which is an interactive experience requiring 3D glasses and involving rapid or quick-firing shooting galleries. In addition to galleries adapted from the attraction, the game includes new and original galleries and a series of mini games, all hosted by beloved characters from the movies. The thematically-connected levels are designed for up to four players of all ages with competitive and co-operative multiplayer options. Toy Story Mania! also includes bonus 3D features, transforming the game experience with eye-popping visuals.
The Pixar-created “Toy Story” and ”Toy Story 2” have both had successful box office and DVD sales. The Disney Digital 3D™ theatrical re-release of “Toy Story” is in the works and will open in theatres on October 2, 2009, followed by the 3D re-release of “Toy Story 2” opening on February 12, 2010, leading up to the premiere of “Toy Story 3” in 3D summer 2010. Toy Story Mania! is the first video game to place characters from these films into a carnival game setting and is expected to resonate with fans of the films and the attraction, as well as gamers who like pick-up-and-play party games
Developed by Papaya Studio, Toy Story Mania! will be available this fall exclusively for Wii.
Contrary to rumors that the Games of the Boardwalk are behind schedule, we have now received word that they are in fact ahead of schedule, and they will now open about 3 weeks earlier than originally planned on April 7th, 2009. For information on the new games themselves, check this post from back in October here on DLNT.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as we continue to track the progress of the on-going changes at Disney’s California Adventure.
D23’s website has so far proven to be a great source for news and information for the Disneyland Resort, posting some tidbits we haven’t even heard mentioned elsewhere. Here’s a round-up news from the last 2 days:
