WDWNT Podcast Episode 83 Now Available for Download

WDWNT Author on March 2, 2009

Join me, Tom Corless, and a cast including Jason Diffendal, Justin Heyman, Brian Martsolf, and Luke Manning for a variety show that celebrates the Walt Disney World Resort and its many fans. So what are you waiting for? Let’s celebrate another week of Walt Disney World information and fun on the WDW News Today Podcast!!!

To kick off episode 83, we have your Walt Disney World Resort News and Rumor Report. In this week’s report, we will be talking about the opening of a very special museum at Epcot this summer, how you can get backstage and on-stage at the American Idol Experience attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and just how you can speed up the check-in process for your next Walt Disney World Resort hotel stay.

Town Square Talk is also back this week, highlighting the hottest topics around our WDWNT Network of websites and podcasts. On this trip down Main Street WDWNT, we have all the details on the latest videos available through the WDWNTube Disney Parks video site, the return of the very popular Back to the Future segment on this show, and who will be filling in as the new host of the Your Ear to the World podcast

Finally, to end this weeks program, we continue our countdown of the 20 Biggest Moments in Disney’s Hollywood Studios History as voted by you with a look at what took the #11 spot on the list. We’ll also be examining just how important this moment is in the near 20 year history of the park.

To subscribe to the WDW News Today podcast on iTunes, go to this link. If you do not have iTunes, visit our Podcast Download Directory to download or listen to all of our shows

This episode is also available in an enhanced version. An enhanced podcast is a podcast with added features that standard podcasts don’t have. Enhanced podcasts include many features like Chapter listings, this lets you skip through chapters or see what is in store for this weeks show. Enhanced podcasts also have images to let you differ the chapters by. Enhanced podcasts have one negative feature, you can not play them on most mp3 players. The file format for this is a .m4a which can play on Apple’s iPod and Microsoft’s Zune. You will also need iTunes or Windows Media Player to be able to skip through chapters. If you need or would like the standard edition, download the normal edition listed below this file both on Itunes and in our podcast directory.

John Corigliano WDW Photo Update 6/1/08

WDWNT Author on June 1, 2008

Hi everybody, John Corigliano here to provide you with some photo updates of my wild weekend at the Walt Disney World Resort, visiting both Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Hope you enjoy it!!!

Spaceship Earth's wait time was for 20min today

Spaceship Earth’s wait time for 20 minutes today. Does that look like 20 minutes?

They've added this sign to tell guests how to trade and also a screen that will soon tell guests how much pins are just by scanning the UPC bar code.

They’ve added this sign to Pin Central at Epcot to tell guests how to trade pins. They’ve also a screen that will soon tell guests how much pins are just by scanning the UPC bar code.

Here's the new Price Pin Guide that's being implemented at the EPCOT's Pin Central. Each color is a different price.

Here’s the new Price Pin Guide that’s being implemented at the Epcot’s Pin Central. Each color is represents a different price.

Here’s what the UPC Bar Codes on the back of the pins look like. This pin has a blue sticker denoting that the price is $8.95.

Here’s another example. The price here is $6.95.

Rumors were circulating that Nestle had their signs removed at The Land, for the time being that is totally and completely FASLE. Here’s the proof.

The only thing that’s gone is the Jr. Chef station.

Here’s the “NEW” EPCOT Center shirt that’s been released around Epcot shops.

The only difference is that there’s a 25th Anniversary logo on inside where the tag would be.

Here’s some of Father’s Day merchandise being sold around Walt Disney World.

Here’s a billboard for Toy Story Mania! that’s just down the street near my home.

Now we move over to the actual attraction and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

TSMM had a 90 minute wait on opening day (May 31). Sadly, I one got on the ride once since the ride had technical difficulties after I got off it.

Here was my one and only score. Not as good as Tom Corless who actually holds the all-time high score at the moment.

Here’s the newly unveiled directional sign showing where Toy Story Midway Mania is.

Here’s the only reference to the Disney-MGM Studios that I could find in the entire park. I miss you MGM.

More Disney’s Hollywood Studios merchandise continues to come in.

Already, Imagineering has a Toy Story Midway Mania wait time sign pin. Tom wants this pin so bad.

Progress on enclosing the old Hunchback Theater is almost done.

As you can see from looking over the wall.

Nothing really new over at the old ABC Theater, future home of the American Idol Experience.

Does it seem like something is missing?

Anyone know the answers?

Here’s the new DHS watch design by Jason Zucker, only 50 of them available.

One of Jason’s amazing drawings for Star Wars Weekends.

Here’s one of Jason’s unreleased Star Wars Weekends artwork designs featuring Donald Duck.

Here, again you can see the new Playhouse Disney sign at the entrance.

A lot of progress as gone on over at the DVC Tower.

I finally got to eat here for the first time….on the last day in operation. Too bad I can’t come back for seconds.

So, as we end this WDW Update, we say good-bye to the Concourse Steakhouse.

Hidden Mickey, Exposed Wallets

WDWNT Author on May 4, 2008

In what has to be one of the most controversial decisions made in Disney merchandising, they will now actually be selling Hidden Mickey pins to the public. For those of you who are not aware, Hidden Mickey pins (formerly known as Cast Lanyard Pins) were only available by trade from a WDW Cast Member off of their lanyard, until now. These pins, which have been appearing in some form for over seven years, are now being exploited for cash. Here is the official Disney information release:

Starting May 4, 2008, Guests will have two ways to start or complete their Hidden Mickey pin collections:

  • TRADING with Disney Cast Members and Guests or
  • PURCHASING a new Hidden Mickey Mystery Pouch

At participating locations, select Hidden Mickey pins will be released in colorful mystery pouches for $10.00 each (plus tax)*. Each pouch will contain two (2) randomly assorted pins from a particular Hidden Mickey pin series.

As many of you know, we usually do not take a negative stance towards anything done by the Walt Disney Company, but this is one of those cases where we feel Disney needs to hear our opinions. While pin trading has always been an expensive hobby, why would you hurt the one part of the pin trading experience that was not available on a rack for sale? Hopefully this is only a temporary promotion and Hidden Mickey pins will return to being exclusive to trading, not to selling.

Haunted Mansion Pin Releases This Friday

WDWNT Author on April 16, 2008

Quickly becoming a worthy news headline is the release of 8 Haunted Mansion pins on Friday April 18, 2008 that will be available individually, in a packaged collectors set, and in a framed set. While these pins were initially released and caused a buzz among Disney Pin Traders a few months ago, the release location and information for these pins have changed three times in the last month. After the release of a single Haunted Mansion pin in January (limited edition of 500 pin featuring a skeletal Master Gracey reaching from the grave) caused quite a ruckus at the Magic Kingdom, it seems Disney is re-evaluating how to handle these larger releases of pins pertaining to the Haunted Mansion. If you’re wondering why this is, well, it’s because any pin featuring The Haunted Mansion attraction is extremely desirable by most pin traders. Anyway, getting back to the realease this Friday; Disney has now changed the release and wristband distribution location for this collection to Downtown Disney’s Pin Traders store. Here is the new release information disneypins.com had today:

 We have some important information to share regarding the upcoming pin release for The Haunted Mansion® on April 18. Based on Guest feedback and to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all Guests, we have moved the release location for this collection to Disney’s Pin Traders located at the Downtown Disney® Marketplace.

Here are the revised wristband distribution guidelines for this release:
Wristbands will be distributed entitling bearers to the opportunity to purchase limited edition pins released in association with The Haunted Mansion® Pin release. Wristbands for pins will be distributed at the entrance to Disney’s Pin Traders near the Pin Trading Table area starting at 9:00 a.m. Disney’s Pin Traders will open at 9:30 a.m. Wristbands will be distributed while supplies last.

Holding a place in line for others in your party will not be allowed. Guests who wish to obtain a wristband to purchase a pin must be present when the line forms or they will be escorted to the back of the line. The queue for Guests will start at 6:00 a.m. at the entrance to Disney’s Pin Traders near the Pin Trading Table area. We kindly ask that Guests do not queue in that area prior to 6:00 a.m. Overnight queues will not be permitted.

Wristbands will be valid for the purchase of the pins at Disney’s Pin Traders until 12:00 p.m. on the day of distribution. Wristbands are limited. At 12:00 p.m., any remaining pins will be available for purchase at Disney’s Pin Traders location by persons who have not previously purchased the pin(s) on the day of release. Lost, stolen or damaged wristbands will not be replaced. Wristbands have no cash value. Restrictions apply. Subject to change without notice.

While those of you either new to or could care less about Disney Pin Trading, you may be a little shocked at this process and the fact that a number of people will be sitting outside this store at 6am. Well, “consider this dismaying observation”, this was actually a regular occurrence in the early days of pin trading at both the Disney Parks and Disney Stores. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we hope to provide coverage of what we hope will be a smooth pin release this Friday at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Catching Up With The World

WDWNT Author on April 13, 2008

After enjoying a fantastic weekend at The Central Jersey Disney Pin Traders’ “Trade Till You Fade” event along with staff members John Rick of The Disney Pincast, Jason Diffendal of WDWCelebrations, and Justin Heyman, we’re back with some news updates from around the Walt Disney World Resort:

-Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, construction of the American Idol show has forced the new Block Party Bash parade to make it’s two show stops on Hollywood Blvd. and at the Sorcerer’s Hat and then go straight back down the street again into the gates through which it arrived. We expect this to be the parade’s route until construction of the attraction is completed this Fall.

-Construction of the new north wing at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is picking up, as glass panels are actually being added to the building already.

Introducing The Disney Pincast

WDWNT Author on March 7, 2008

Following the huge success of the weekly Disney pin trading segments on the WDW News Today podcast, we are proud to welcome the only weekly podcast to ever be dedicated to Disney pins to our News Today family, the Disney Pincast. While the first episode will not be released until March 12th, we invite you to go to the official website for the show at www.wdwnewstoday.com/pincast. While there, you can click the Itunes button in the right column to subscribe to the show on Itunes. While you will be able to also download and listen to shows on the Pincast site, we will also be posting news, show notes, and interesting information throughout the week on that very same page. So whether you are a shark or new to trading, check out The Disney Pincast site and podcast today!!!

Weekend Update

WDWNT Author on March 2, 2008

Here are some Disney news updates to brighten your weekend:

-A correction on news we reported yesterday: the tarps surrounding the Animation Courtyard archway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have indeed been removed, but a temporary sign saying ESPN the Weekend has been put over where the new park logo will be placed.

-At 9am on April 22, 2008, there will be a re-dedication of Disney’s Animal Kingdom for it’s tenth anniversary celebration. Of course, the same group that brought you Epcot’s famous Celebration 25 in October will be putting on “A Wild Decade”, a commemorative event featuring one of a kind fan opportunities at celebrating this special occasion. For more information on this event, head on over to WDWCelebrations today.

-I made my way over to a meet for the Central Jersey Disney Pin Traders today and have to say I had a great time trading and talking with all of the attendees. Our co-host of the upcoming Disney Pincast, John Rick, is the founder of the group and once again put on a great Disney pin trading meet. Next month, the CJDPT will be hosting its huge “Trade till’ You Fade” event from April 11-13. For more information on this upcoming opportunity to trade with hundreds of Disney pin traders and take part in numerous Disney activities at this event, head on over to www.cjdpt.com. A special note, I will be attending this event along with staff members Jason Diffendal and John Rick and we will be recording a special edition of the Disney Pincast.