The Making of Presidents and Play Things

WDWNT Author on September 23, 2009

Continuing our D23 Expo coverage, we have two more fantastic videos for you to enjoy. The first video is of the “Making of the U.S. Presidents” panel, featuring the creation of the new Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World and the progress on the upcoming Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show for Disneyland. The second video is from the “Making of Toy Story Mania” panel and features the development and execution of the Disney’s California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios attractions. We hope you enjoy these videos by Matt Paul, embedded via the WDWNTube:

A Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America

WDWNT Author on July 6, 2009

This weekend was a celebration of America at the Walt Disney World Resort, and WDWNT Videographer Matt Paul was there to capture all the festivities for the WDWNTube Disney Parks video site. Below you’ll find video of the new Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom, the “Celebrate America” fireworks show from July 4th, and the special patriotic tag from Illumination: Reflections of Earth:

The Making of a President

WDWNT Author on July 3, 2009

Disney has produced a press release and has released a video with more details on the creation of the new Hall of Presidents show, now officially open at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom:

The Sculpting of a President

Disney artist brings vivid authenticity to Audio-Animatronics Barack Obama
created for ‘re-Imagineered’ Hall of Presidents attraction in Magic Kingdom

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – How do you carve out a niche as the principal Disney sculptor when you’re following a bona fide Disney Legend? For Valerie Edwards, director of sculpting for Walt Disney Imagineering, the passing of the tools from the fabled hands of Blaine Gibson has involved the challenge of sculpting the likeness of President Barack Obama.

Edwards’ sculpting is for the Hall of Presidents attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, which is being readied for a red-white-and-blue reopening on July 4. The vintage attraction in the Liberty Square section of Magic Kingdom features Audio-Animatronics likenesses of all the United States presidents. All previous “heads of state” were sculpted by Gibson, now 91 years old.

As Gibson was sculpting the bust of George W. Bush following his election in 2000, he “hinted at the possibility” his role might pass to his protégée, Edwards, when the next president came to office. He’d been mentoring her for a dozen years and recognized the talent of the second-generation Disney artist. Now a 21-year Disney veteran, Valerie is the daughter of Disney animator George Edwards, who worked on projects such as the classic film “Sleeping Beauty.”

As for Valerie: She had a couple of very familiar “portraits” on her resume when she got the call to create the Obama bust. She wielded the sculpting tools behind the uncanny
Audio-Animatronics figures of Captain Jack Sparrow and his feature-film nemesis, Barbossa, at the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Magic Kingdom.

Of her latest project, she comments, “It was a great challenge and, certainly for me, it was time to put my best foot forward. After all, Blaine is a tough act to follow.

“There are techniques and tools that I learned to embrace from him and add to my repertoire,” Edwards continues. “For this kind of work, it’s not only sculpture as fine art, but sculpture as a mechanical art as well – because of all the internal mechanisms built into the figures. Blaine was the guy who developed this type of sculpture, and he had – and still has – so much to share.”

With Gibson providing oversight, Edwards’ hands were firmly on the tools for this latest “head of state.” Here are some facts and insights about the project …

The Wonder of the Reducing Glass – A tool that functions like a magnifying glass – except in the opposite way – can be valuable to the sculptor: “It takes big things and makes them small,” Edwards says. “Using it, you change the scale of your work to see it as it will appear to the guest. By changing your distance from your work, you also can match the scale of the reference you’re using. It’s such a valuable asset.”

Internet Research – To gather much of the physical information she needed to begin her Obama sculpture, Edwards pored over Internet photographs from the campaign that showed the candidate from many angles – from the back, the side and all views of his head. “On the Internet you can see so much and select what’s actually useful for detail, because what we’re creating has to be as realistic as possible.”

Art, Math and Science Converge – It helps that Edwards has a background in science as well as art. “Naturally, there is anatomy involved, but also math. Because so many parts of his face are moving mechanically, you have to be vigilant about diameters and circumferences. The calibration all had to be done through photos and scientific references for musculature.”

From a Block of Clay – Edwards employed traditional sculpting methods to begin the Obama sculpture. “It’s about finding a pleasant overall look in the facial composition and paying attention to his speech patterns, the muscles that work his face and his expressions both at rest and during speaking. Once it’s done, there are a lot of progressive meetings to meet criteria of other groups that handle the figure and create the movement.”

Fine Tuning – Living up to audience expectations was “daunting,” Edwards says. “Certainly this is a figure of a person everybody is acquainted with – they see him on the television and in media constantly. We had an expert anatomist look at it to make sure it was structurally sound and to guide us mechanically. We’re always working to find new materials and techniques that will deliver a more realistic figure – it’s a constant search for new materials and technology.”

Movement, Hair and Makeup – Once the presidential figure passes from Edwards’ hands to
Audio-Animatronics programmers, myriad functions are keyed into the figure’s mechanical substructures for the mouth, eyes and every “perfectly synced facial movement,” she says. As the figure is completed, artists work on the finishing facial touches and hairpiece. Edwards checked on the figure while in the manufacturing phase “to make sure the external package was not compromised.”

Obama Delivers – Imagineers agree that the Audio-Animatronics Barack Obama is the most dynamic presidential addition – ever – thanks to new materials and refined technology. When the Obama figure begins to deliver the presidential oath of office on the Hall of Presidents stage, the array of subtle movements and facial expressions are convincing. And the words spoken by the president – including the oath of office and Obama’s thoughts on “the American dream” – are his own, recorded soon after his inauguration in the White House Map Room.

Hall of Presidents Passholder Previews Announced!!!

WDWNT Author on June 5, 2009

Just announced on the Walt Disney World Passholder website:

Be among the first to see the Hall of Presidents attraction before the official re-opening July 4th weekend! Open to all Passholders, this preview includes the Animatronics® figure of our 44th President, Barack Obama. And his predecessors will look more amazing than ever in a re-imagining of this inspiring, unforgettable attraction.

Preview Event Details

  • Date: June 28, 2009
  • Time: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Location: Magic Kingdom® theme park.
  • Passholders do not need to sign up to attend the preview, but they do need to show a valid Pass and Photo ID at the Hall of Presidents attraction entrance.
  • Seasonal and Epcot After 4 Passholders will need valid admission to the Magic Kingdom theme park in order to attend.

Additional Information

  • The preview is subject to temporary closures. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Since myself and some of the WDWNT staff are going to be at the Walt Disney World Resort on June 28th, we will have pictures and video of the updated attraction coming on the same day. In addition, if any passholders are planning on attending the previews when they begin at 11:00 AM on June 28th and would like to meet up with us, please send me an email at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com. If the response is strong enough, I may send out invites through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Walt Disney World Resort in New York? It Almost Happened

WDWNT Author on April 16, 2009

The Staten Island Notebook has put out a fantastic article by Chuck Schmidt explaining how the upcoming opening of the Doorway to Dreams Disney Vacation Club sales shop in the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island is not the first connection between the Empire State and the Disney Parks:

Want to get a first-hand peak at what the accommodations look like at a typical Disney Vacation Club resort without traveling more than a thousand miles south?

Later this year, the Disney Vacation Club will open Disney’s Doorway to Dreams in the Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City, L.I. The idea is to help prospective DVC members learn about membership in a relaxed, no-pressure atmosphere.

A full-scale, two-bedroom model of vacation home accommodations will be featured. Also included in the experience will be an interactive family vacation discovery zone, a comfortable discussion area where you can chat with DVC reps and a supervised children’s play area.

This isn’t the first time Disney has had a presence on Long Island. In fact, you might be stunned to learn that when the Disney folks were searching for potential sites for an “East Coast Disneyland” in the 1960s, Flushing Meadows in Queens — the same site where the two New York World’s Fairs were held — was being seriously considered.

First, a little history lesson. In the mid-1950s, Walt Disney gambled everything — including his own house — that Disneyland, the world’s first theme park, would be a success. He was right. The Anaheim, Calif.-based park captured America’s imagination and, naturally, led Disney to think about creating a sequel — a second Disneyland somewhere on the East Coast. But there were fears among many of the Disney hierarchy that Disneyland’s West Coast brand of entertainment might not fly east of the Mississippi.

The failure of Freedomland, a Disney-style theme park in the Bronx which opened to much acclaim 1960 before closing in financial ruin in 1964, only fueled that uncertainty. An astute Walt Disney saw the New York World’s Fair, which ran from 1964 through 1965, as an opportunity to gauge the area’s acceptance of his product, as well as to introduce new technology his Imagineers had been working on in California.

The Flushing Meadows site “was seriously considered as a possible setting for Walt Disney World,” Charles Ridgway, former WDW press and publicity director, told us in 1994. There were many things in the site’s favor, including a large population base and two nearby airports (LaGuardia and Idlewild, now JFK).

Think about it: Had those plans to place WDW on Long Island come to fruition, Staten Islanders would have had about a one-hour drive to get to the Vacation Kingdom of the World.

Ultimately, the specter of cold and snowy winter weather and the high price of acquiring enough land for the project (remember, WDW is twice the size of Manhattan and any open land on Long Island is prime real estate) shelved the idea, according to Ridgway. A sleepy, swamp-filled, mosquito-infested tract of land 15 miles south of Orlando, Fla., proved to be the perfect setting.

Disney also used the World’s Fair to test out his ground-breaking form of entertainment — life-like robots, controlled by pre-programmed computers, soon to be dubbed Audio-Animatronics. There were four Disney-created shows at the fair featuring the new technology — It’s a Small World at the Pepsi-Cola Pavilion, the General Electric Carousel of Progress, Ford Motor Company’s Magic Skyway and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln in the Illinois State Pavilion.

Not surprisingly, they were among the fair’s most popular shows. When the fair closed, all four attractions were packed up and shipped west, where they took up residence at Disneyland; they were subsequently replicated, in one form or another, in Walt Disney World when it opened in 1971.

It’s a Small World remains a mainstay at both parks, while the Carousel of Progress is closed at Disneyland and has been relegated to a seasonal attraction at WDW. The Grand Canyon/Primeval World segments of the Magic Skyway can be seen during the train ride at Disneyland, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln evolved into the more elaborate Hall of Presidents in Florida.

For more information about the DVC and the new Doorway to Dreams, visit www.disneyvacationclub.com.

The article hits home for me personally, as the land once inhabited by Freedomland park in the Bronx is a mere 5 minutes away from my house. The old World’s Fair grounds in Flushing Meadows are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from where I live as well. This has always given me a rare treat, as I can always get a good look at the Unisphere and what remains of the fair every time I’m traveling to the Laguardia or JFK airports for a flight down to Orlando.

This article is also very timely as we are just a few days away from the 45th anniversary of the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. To celebrate this anniversary and the anniversary of the legendary Disney attractions of the fair, (including Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the Ford Magic Skyway, and It’s a Small World) episode #90 of the WDW News Today Podcast and episode #60 of the Disneyland News Today Podcast will be presented as a single program dedicated as a tribute to these major milestones. For the first time ever, we will be bringing together the podcast teams from both shows for a formal episode containing some of our most popular segments such as “What Were They Thinking?!?” and “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” (as well as a few special surprises). We hope you will join us this Sunday for what will be a very meaningful edition of the program.

Robert Ashburn’s 3/13/09 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

WDWNT Author on March 16, 2009

Our good friend Robert Ashburn of Figmentsmedia.net visited the Magic Kingdom on a less-than supernatural Friday the 13th and has a number of newsworthy photos to share with us:

Posters for Disney-Pixar’s “Up” and Disney Channel’s “Sonny with a Chance” at the Transportation and Ticket Center

Some exterior work on the Exposition Hall on Main Street U.S.A.

Read More about Robert Ashburn’s 3/13/09 Magic Kingdom Photo Report

The Summer Shapes Up at WDW

WDWNT Author on March 3, 2009

Wondering if you should visit the Walt Disney World Resort this summer? Disney thinks that you should, and has put out a press release to tell you about everything new and upcoming at WDW:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – From May through August 2009, summer simmers with exciting new attractions and events at Walt Disney World Resort. The smash TV hit “American Idol” inspires a new attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios while, at Magic Kingdom, a Liberty Square icon reopens its doors and street parties turn up the spirit as Disney’s “What Will You Celebrate?” hits full-stride. Treehouse lodging is back, resort guests now can save some time by checking in online before they arrive, Stars Wars Weekends let guests release their inner Jedi, and Downtown Disney unwraps new fun – on the ground and in the air…

Summer Fun at The American Idol Experience

While guests are usually the ones to enjoy the attractions and shows at Walt Disney World Resort, “The American Idol Experience” places Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests in the spotlight, immersing them in the thrill of auditioning and performing or voting on their favorite musical performances.

Modeled after the famous “American Idol” television show, the newly opened Walt Disney World attraction makes dreams come true by showcasing the talents of park guests age 14 and older who have aced the auditions (audition slots are limited and interested guests are encouraged to arrive early).

Like the television show, fans – not the onstage judges – have the final say on who is deemed the best of the best. With seating to accommodate 1,000 audience members, the high-tech theater is wired so guests can vote for their favorite singer.

What Will You Celebrate? Adds Gifting Option, Park Fun

During “What Will You Celebrate?” inviting Disney Parks guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences, ways for guests to customize and personalize a visit are endless.

With everything from fireworks cruises, street parties and behind-the-scenes tours to specialty cakes and in-room decorations to choose from, guests who have decided their answer to “What Will You Celebrate?” have more choices as they ponder, “How will I celebrate?” The fun is nonstop, too, with a party spirit stamping the new “Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It!” street party in the Magic Kingdom. Floats, a cast of Disney characters, stilt walkers and more “move it” down Main Street, U.S.A. accompanied by high-energy tunes and an open invitation to guests to come join the fun.

Main Street, U.S.A. also is home to the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade, a tweaked send-up of the former Dreams Come True parade with changes to some of the floats and soundtracks and the grand marshal in the lead role. Singers and dancers as before invite guests lining the parade route to come join in the celebration.

With all there is to do in Disney parks, guests can tailor a celebration with favorite attractions, favorite characters and special experiences. Thanks to new Web planning tools, learning about available choices and then customizing a “celebration vacation” itinerary – or “gifting” a celebrating family member or friend with a personalized Disney experience – is easier than ever. Through www.disneyparks.com, guests (or their travel agents) choose the celebration destination – Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. With a click, they access an interactive online celebration “planner” to shop the many experiences that are a cornerstone of a “celebration vacation” at Disney Parks – experiences that transform guests into the stars of their own party whether the occasion is a birthday, anniversary, Quinceanera, personal triumph or any celebration.

Now there is also a way to participate in a guest’s upcoming celebration visit when you can’t be there: by “gifting.” The giver reviews the possibilities using the online planner, then calls a Disney Dream Maker to personalize and customize the gift. At Walt Disney World Resort, Dream Makers can be reached at 407/WDW-GIFT.

Star Wars Weekends Returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Once again, the power of the Force and the magic of Disney combine in May and June for Star Wars Weekends, a sci-fi fan-fest inspired by the popular film saga.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 22-June 14, 2009, Disney’s Hollywood Studios becomes the temporary home for a band of out-of-this-world characters, including Wookiees, Sith, droids, Jedi, Ewoks, bounty hunters and Rodians. Dates are May 22-24, May 29-31, June 5-7 and June 12-14.

A giant, “A to Z” gathering of Star Wars characters – from Anakin Skywalker to Zam Wesell – will roam the streets of the theme park during meet-and-greet sessions. Jedi Training Academy – one of the interactive entertainment experiences featured in the theme park – takes place throughout the day on the event’s main stage and allows young guests to learn from a Jedi Master before testing newly acquired skills in a battle with Darth Vader.

Also featured: the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind Star Wars memorabilia, Star Wars trivia contests, special Star Wars parades, rides on the famed Star Tours attraction, and autograph sessions and star conversations with famous Star Wars actors and creative geniuses.

Event activities are included in theme park admission. For more information, guests may go online to www.starwars.com or www.disneyworld.com/starwarsweekends.

Hall of Presidents to Reopen in July

A July reopening is planned for the Hall of Presidents, an iconic attraction in Magic Kingdom. An Audio-Animatronics version of President Barack Obama will join representations of the previous 43 presidents of the United States as part of an attraction that has been celebrating American history since Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1971. Disney Imagineers are also updating a broad array of show elements.

Whole New World of Lodging Greets Summer Guests

New home-like accommodations presented by Disney Vacation Club are debuting in time for summer guests. New options will combine to revive “treehouse living” at Walt Disney World Resort and immerse guests in the African experience.

Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – Treehouse living, a cherished Disney World tradition from 1975-2002, returns with the opening (scheduled for summer) of 60 three-bedroom villas elevated 10 feet off the ground on pedestals and beams designed to blend into the forest glens where they are nestled, providing Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa with a new room category.

Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Fresh from the conversion of select rooms at Jambo House (at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge) into vacation villas, Kidani Village is taking shape (for phased openings scheduled in the spring and fall) with thatched roofs and hewn timber design. Kidani means “necklace,” and the building is shaped like a piece of native African jewelry with villas forming the beads, garden-like walkways creating the knots in between and the lobby representing the ornament or jewel at its center. With the spring opening comes Sanaa, a new family dining location, featuring savanna views and serving familiar foods from tandoor ovens and slow-cooked specialties with flavorful spices of Africa.

Disney Vacation Club accommodations can be booked by anyone for overnight stays through www.disneyworld.com or by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639).

Walt Disney World Resort Debuts Online Check-In Service

Walt Disney World Resort has launched Online Check-In Service, designed to simplify and streamline guest arrivals. The new service is complimentary and available to guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club resorts.

Within 10 days of their arrival dates, guests are able to provide check-in information, advise the resort of their arrival times and request room preferences (although those cannot be guaranteed). Guests can also register the names of all the people in their party and provide a credit card to cover charges at the resort hotel.

Upon arrival at their resorts, guests visit a special welcome location where their room keys and other registration material are waiting. Disney Cast Members are also available to provide additional information and answer questions.

Meeting professionals can also arrange private group check-in at a Disney resort convention center or other locations.

For more information about the new Online Check-In Service or to make a resort reservation, call 407-W-DISNEY or your local travel agent or click on disneyworld.com.

New and Aloft at Downtown Disney: Aerophile!

Imagine an eagle’s-eye view of the Downtown Disney area, with sweeping, 10-mile panoramas of Lake Buena Vista and environs. Downtown Disney greets summer guests with a new iconic attraction in the form of a giant tethered balloon – Aerophile — that will take guests 300 feet into the air from the waterfront. The 72-foot-diameter balloon can lift up to 30 guests at a time on a six-minute ‘’flight,’’ by day or night. Aerophile made a spring debut at Downtown Disney’s West Side. It joins other newcomers at Downtown Disney for summer:

  • TrenD, a hip new Downtown Disney Marketplace boutique with urban-inspired fashions.
  • Disney Design-a-Tee, presented by Hanes, inviting Marketplace guests to personalize the popular souvenir to their own tastes.
  • T-Rex : A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover – a fun prehistoric environment millions of years in the making.
  • Downtown Disney restaurant from E-Brands, Paradiso 37, a restaurant from E-Brands featuring Mexican and South American cuisine.

‘’Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration’’ Dance Party Debuts

He’s the Guru of Gross-Out, the Maker of Mischief. Now, everybody’s favorite galactic pal stars in ‘’Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration,’’ a high-energy, retro-futuristic music video dance party in Magic Kingdom. The fun features Stitch, an interactive dance troupe and a DJ celebration host who invites all Tomorrowland guests to come party, dance and celebrate.

Some new details that can be found throughout this release include:

  • Renaming the upcoming “Characters in Flight” balloon “Aerophile”
  • The new TrenD store will sell Disney-made urban fashions
  • E-Brands’ new restaurant on Pleasure Island will be called “Paradiso 37”, not “El Dolbe” as originally reported

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as we continue to gather details on these upcoming offerings at the Walt Disney World Resort.

More Details on Disney World’s 40th Anniversary

WDWNT Author on August 12, 2008

While we are still a little more than 3 years away from the 40th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort on October 1, 2011, there are many rumors of new additions to the Disney theme parks that are becoming more and more likely. We have already told you about the plan to renew classic attractions at the Magic Kingdom such as Space Mountain, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, The Enchanted Tiki Room, The Country Bear Jamboree, and the Hall of Presidents, as well as add a few new attractions such as a Little Mermaid dark-ride and some new nighttime entertainment offerings. Now details are emerging on some planned projects for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the celebration.

By now, you are all aware of the world’s worst kept secret of Star Tours receiving its new story, queue, film, and store sometime in 2011, but you may not be aware of another film change that is now making the rounds. It appears that filming for the proposed “Soarin’ Around The World” film is set to begin soon and we can plan on seeing the updated Epcot and California Adventure E-Ticket debut sometime in late 2009/early 2010 if all goes according to plan. Epcot is also expected to be replacing Illuminations Reflections of Earth with a new show sometime in the 2009 and who can forget the still unofficial Monsters Inc. roller coaster that’s coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With all these big-budget projects and the expected financial downturn that WDW is about to go through, it will be interesting to see what from this list actually makes it off the blueprints and into the parks.

Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on these rumors as we get closer to Walt Disney World’s 40th anniversary.

Hall of Presidents Changing Again

WDWNT Author on August 4, 2008

It appears that one way or the other, some big changes are coming to the Hall of Presidents Attraction at the Magic Kingdom. It was just made official that the attraction will be closed for some major show changes from November 2008 until July of 2009. Despite that this refurbishment is now public information, what changes are going to occur remains a mystery. While we would expect the addition of an Audio-Animatronics figure of the new president of the United States (whether it be John McCain or Barack Obama) with a speaking part, it has been rumored that the new version of the show would simply add the latest president to the line-up on stage and give Abraham Lincoln a longer speaking part in the show. 

This refurbishment is now set to begin on November 1, 2008 and end on July 1, 2009. Be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information on the future of the Hall of Presidents becomes available.