Michael Wada’s 8/22/10 DLR Photo Report
DLNT Photographer Michael Wada was at Disneyland yesterday and has a plethora of newsworthy photos to share with us. Lets get right to the photos.
Starting off at the Stroller Shop…
Chuck Canzoneri and The Muppets Invade Disneyland
Chuck Canzoneri reports to us with something very interesting that went on yesterday at Disneyland:
Filming was happening at Disneyland
Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the Muppets coming down Main Street in the Fire Engine?
Why yes it is! There’s Sweetums next to the driver
Other characters I can spot in the vehicle include Kermit, Gonzo, Pepe, Ms Piggy, Animal, Fozzy, and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (sorry if I missed any)
Sweetums looks a little grumpier than usual đ
Read More about Chuck Canzoneri and The Muppets Invade Disneyland
WDWNT Fan Meets – August 1st and 2nd at the Disneyland Resort
I’d like to remind everyone about our upcoming fan meets at the Disneyland Resort on Saturday August 1st and Sunday August 2nd. First up on Saturday:
Come enjoy an evening of fun on Saturday, August 1st, with the WDWNT Network and Disneyland News Today staff at Disney’s California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort. Among the fun and surprises, here is a schedule of group gatherings that will be a part of the unofficial fan meet:
4:00 PM – Meet outside the Blue Sky Cellar for distribution of “free gift” Group walk through the Blue Sky Cellar
4:30 PM – Meet directly in front of the Blue Sky Cellar to watch the Pixar Play Parade
5:30 PM – Group meet n’ mingle (and possibly some eating) at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market
6:30 PM – Meet for group photo and showing of MuppetVision 3-D in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot
7:15 PM – Meet for group ride on Mickey’s Fun Wheel in Paradise Pier
8:00 PM – Meet in front the former Orange Stinger attraction (Silly Symphony Swings construction walls) to watch Disney’s Electrical Parade
Then on Sunday:
Come enjoy an afternoon of fun on Sunday, 8/2/09 with the WDWNT Network and Disneyland News Today staff at Disneyland Park. Among the fun and surprises, here is a schedule of group gatherings that will be a part of the fan meet:
3:00 PM – Meet n’ mingle and group photo at Carnation Gardens on Main Street U.S.A.
3:30 PM – Meet for group showing of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland
4:15 PM – Meet for group ride on the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland
5:00 PM – Meet for group ride on Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square
5:45 PM – Meet for group ride through the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square
6:30 PM – Group meet n’ mingle (and possibly some eating) at the Hungry Bear Restaurant
7:30 PM – Meet for group ride on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Critter Country
8:00 PM – Meet in the hub on Main Street U.S.A. to view âMagical – Disney’s New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations In the Starsâ
You can R.S.V.P. (although not necessary to attend) and get more information on Facebook about the Saturday meet at this link or our forums at this link and the Sunday meet at this link or our forums at this link. These will be the first fan meets the WDWNT Network has done at the Disneyland Resort, and we hope you come by and enjoy the fun with us!
Celebrate the 54th Anniversary of Disneyland!
Disneyland will be celebrating its anniversary as always this July 17th with a small little show in Town Square. From D23:
On July 17 at 4:45 p.m., there will be a special 54th anniversary rededication moment on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland, with the Disneyland Band, the Mayor of Main Street, Mickey and Minnie Mouse joining in on the festivities. The Dapper Dans will take part in a pre-show leading up to the rededication moment.
Celebrate Mr. Lincoln’s Return
In a major press release, Disneyland has announced that Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln will return before the end of 2009 with a revamped show, the Disney Gallery will open where the Bank of Main Street now stands, and Annual Passport processing will move to the Plaza Pavilion later this year. Here is the announcement:
ANAHEIM, Calif. (February 25, 2009) â A longtime favorite of Disneyland guests will return as âThe Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,â an enhanced version of the show which appeared, in various forms, in the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland park from 1966 through 2004 . The attraction will reopen later this year in celebration of the 200th anniversary year of Abraham Lincolnâs birth.
The current Opera House presentation, âDisneyland: The First 50 Magical Years,â will go on hiatus beginning Monday, March 16, in preparation for the new âGreat Moments with Mr. Lincolnâ show. When the updated âDisneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincolnâ opens later this year, âDisneyland: The First 50 Magical Yearsâ will be presented as part of the âDisneyland Storyâ display of art, models and mementoes in the Opera House lobby.
Also planned for fall 2009 is a prominent new home on Main Street, U.S.A., for The Disney Gallery. Formerly located above Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square, The Disney Gallery houses treasured Disney artwork and collectibles representing creative efforts from throughout The Walt Disney Company. A frequently changing exhibit area often includes never-before-displayed art. The Disney Galleryâs new home will be in the Bank of Main Street building, located next door to the Main Street Opera House and currently serving as the headquarters for Disneyland Resort Annual Passport processing. The Bank will continue to operate as an Annual Passport center until mid-summer 2009. After that, Annual Passport processing will move to the Plaza Pavilion, near the entrance to Adventureland.
The original âGreat Moments with Mr. Lincolnâ was created by Walt Disney and his Imagineers for the State of Illinois Pavilion at the 1964 New York Worldâs Fair and featured the worldâs first fully animated human Audio-Animatronics figure, built by Walt Disney Imagineering. The show, made its Disneyland debut in the Main Street Opera House on July 18, 1965.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today as we get more information on this breaking news on the return of “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”.
Celebrate the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort
While there isn’t a lot news going on at the moment, I thought I would post the new Holidays at the Disneyland Resort commercial, that features snow on Main Street, Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, the Main Street Christmas tree, & It’s a Small World Holiday:
Bye Bye Jack, Hello LED
I have 2 pieces of news for you that I wanted to bring out in one post. First off, as was expected (we just didn’t know when), the Main Street Christmas tree has been installed in the park. This year is the first year a fake tree is being used, due to the new LED lights that have been installed in the tree to go along with the Sleeping Beauty Castle Lighting Show.
The 2nd piece is a rather shocking piece. Captain Jack Sparrow has been cut as a meet ‘n greet character in the park, which basically means that after November 15th, you’ll no longer be able to meet with Jack anywhere in Disneyland. I find it quite odd that if they’re trying to conserve money by cutting characters, that they cut Jack first, who seemingly is one of the more popular meet ‘n greet characters at the Resort. Again, this could just be a temporary thing, so be sure to stay tuned to Disneyland News Today for the latest.
Dateline Disneyland Construction Update
The latest Dateline Disneyland article on MiceAge has a fine update on construction through-out the Disneyland Resort. Let’s take a look at some of the latest happenings:
The King Triton & Ariel statues have been removed, as well as most of the current theming in Ariel’s Grotto.
This is what has become of the turntable where Ariel entered to meet ‘n greet guests. No word on if the turntable structure will remain for Pixie Hollow.
A construction wall has popped up near the old Fantasyland Skyway Station. Don’t get your hopes up though, because there’s no way the Skyway is ever returning.
Let’s take a quick tour of the new Wishing Star Crystals store, which opened August 30th.
A window display.
In the store, you can buy personalized “magic crystals”.
The Conestoga Wagon near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is still 100% in tact.
This sign is in place at Harbour Galley.
Some of the exterior Haunted Mansion Holiday decorations have already arrived, & are waiting to be installed in the queue area.
Many of the Halloween displays in the shop windows on Main Street USA have already been installed.
Finally, over at Department 56 in Downtown Disney, the new wall sectioning off the store looks to be mostly complete.
New Pavement, No New Music
Earlier this week we had reported that the planned repaving of Main Street that is to be done this winter was shortened from a 2 month job, to just a 2 week job. Well it now seems that it will last 4 weeks, which gives them time to fix up the areas in dire need of work.
We also said that once the repaving of Main Street is done, Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams would return with changes at the beginning of the parade, as well as new show stop music. At the moment, that idea has been scrapped, but you never know what could come up in the rumor mill between now & the winter.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today to find out what happens with Main Streetâs pavement & Walt Disneyâs Parade of Dreams!
New Music, No New Pavement
Various reports are stating the planned repaving of Main Street USA this winter will now last only 2 weeks, as opposed to the originally planned 2 months. Instead of repaving the whole of the street, only areas in dire need of work will be fixed up. Also, Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams may be getting new show stop music, as well as a few changes to the beginning of the parade to accommodate the new promotion for 2009.
Stay tuned to Disneyland News Today to find out what happens with Main Street’s pavement & Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams!