HP “Gets in the Game” at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

WDWNT Author on July 29, 2010

Walt Disney World Resort today announced an expansion to its long-term business relationship with HP, which now includes naming rights for the 165,000-square-foot fieldhouse at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Beginning today, the fieldhouse will be renamed with the HP brand and will feature several new high-tech elements designed to enhance the sports experience for the nearly 1.5 million athletes, coaches and fans who visit the complex each year.  HP also becomes the official imaging, printing and PC partner for ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, the leading multi-sports venue in the nation.

The centerpiece of the soon to be renamed fieldhouse will be the HP creation zone where athletes, coaches and fans can download, design and enhance commemorative photos and images of their events, then immediately produce and print them onsite.  The HP creation zone will also include a retail area featuring a variety of imaging-related products and options for youth athletes and consumers, such as creating life-size posters of action photos, custom wallpaper coverings for the home and other photo keepsakes/memorabilia.

“HP’s innovative technologies further differentiate the athlete experience at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in ways that no other youth sports venue can match,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president of Disney Sports Enterprises.  “The HP technological enhancements in the complex are just the latest in a growing number of technology-driven projects that are at the core of our growth strategy, which centers around continually elevating the sports experience for our athletes, coaches and fans.”

There will also be an HP internet “café” capability inside the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Grill featuring HP TouchSmart PCs.  Individual stations will offer online access to a variety of sites, including ESPN.com, ESPNRISE.com, ESPNWWOS.com, Disney.com, Disneyworld.com and others.

The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Welcome Center, an onsite concierge facility, will offer kiosks that also feature HP TouchSmart PCs.  The kiosks, which will also be located at additional locations throughout the complex, will enable athletes and fans to access and print a wide range of sports event information, including field assignments and schedule updates, as well as general Disney information and resources, such as dining reservations and vacation planning tools for theme parks, resorts and water parks.

“The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex continues HP’s decades-long collaboration with Disney to captivate audiences through technology innovation and digital entertainment,” said Michael Mendenhall, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at HP.  “The HP fieldhouse will deliver the ultimate sports environment, combining state-of-the-art athletic facilities with a rich, interactive technology experience to extend the spirit and passion of sports beyond the field of play.”

The fieldhouse accommodates virtually any indoor sport, including basketball, wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball, martial arts, team handball, roller hockey, cheerleading and dance, trampoline and tumbling, indoor tennis, etc., in addition to concerts and conventions.  Opened in 1997, the venue has a seating capacity of 5,500 and room for six full-size collegiate basketball courts.

HP’s presence at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex extends the company’s long-standing relationship with Disney, which began in 1940 when HP worked with Walt Disney to enhance the acoustics in movie theaters before the release of Disney’s “Fantasia” movie.  Currently, HP sponsors the MISSION: Space attraction at Epcot and is one of the sponsors of the Disneyland Dream Home at Disneyland Park.  Disney is one of HP’s largest customers and utilizes thousands of HP business PCs, servers and printers, in addition to technology services, business intelligence software and storage.

The expansion of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex’s relationship with HP comes on the heels of the complex’s most comprehensive redesign since it opened in 1997.  In February 2010, the complex, which was already the leading multi-sport venue in the world, was re-imagined with the ESPN brand, bringing the signature elements of ESPN to the complex to create a one-of-a-kind sports experience that lets athletes, coaches and fans feel as if they’ve reached the big time with ESPN.

Walt Disney “World Cup”

WDWNT Author on May 4, 2010

If you’re like me, you’ll be glued to the television for a few weeks once the 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June. Walt Disney World is offereing a pretty unique way to enjoy the games while you’re visiting:

Soccer fans in Central Florida can get swept up in the fever of 2010 FIFA World Cup through unique viewing opportunities at Walt Disney World Resort.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill at Disney has been designated as an official viewing location for the month-long global soccer tournament. Soccer fans can watch live World Cup matches televised on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 from South Africa involving their favorite soccer national teams on the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill’s many large high-definition screens.

In addition, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill will offer special viewing parties running for the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and third-place match (June 26-July 10), which will include guaranteed seating to view the matches and an all-you-care-to-eat buffet featuring Buffalo wings, hot dogs, seasonal fruit, build-your-own salads, a nacho bar, desserts and non-alcoholic drinks – all for $19.99/per person, per game (plus tax).

The beautiful game kicks off on the world stage June 11, with open seating for breakfast and lunch available at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill for the group stage of play running through June 25. A special viewing area will be available for the championship match July 11.

Reservations can be made starting May 27 by calling 407/WDW-DINE or by visiting espnwwos.com.

Epcot’s Flower Power Concert Series Line-Up 2010

WDWNT Author on February 17, 2010

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Epcot becomes a living jukebox featuring hit songs of the 1960s through the 1990s each Friday through Sunday of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World Resort.

That’s when America Gardens Theatre presents Flower Power concerts – a series showcasing artists and groups involved in recordings that climbed the Billboard charts in years gone by. The 11 weekends of the 2010 Flower & Garden Festival will feature acts that produced 126 Top 40 hits – including 16 releases that topped the charts.
Here’s the lineup (Entertainment is subject to change without notice):

March 5-7 – Jose Feliciano
March 12-14 – Paul Revere & The Raiders
March 19-21 – David Cassidy
March 26-28 – Starship featuring Mickey Thomas
April 2-4 – Tony Orlando
April 9-11 – Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone
April 16-18 – Ricky Nelson Remembered featuring the Nelsons
April 23-25 – Atlanta Rhythm Section
April 30-May 2 –Fran Cosmo (Former lead singer of Boston)
May 7-9 –Davy Jones
May 14 – 16 – Chubby Checker & The Wildcats

The groups’ shows at America Gardens Theatre are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. They are included with Epcot admission.
Additional information about the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available at www.DisneyWorld.com/flower.

Disney Officially Announces Two New World Showcase Eateries

WDWNT Author on February 8, 2010

Disney has released a statement regarding the two new restaurants coming to Italy and Mexico in World Showcase at Epcot, including some interesting new details:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Two exciting additions are coming to Epcot World Showcase, with culinary expansions under way at the Italy pavilion and Mexico pavilion.

In Italy, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria is under construction with opening planned for fall 2010 in time for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Operated by Patina Restaurant Group, the same restaurateurs who run the pavilion’s Tutto Italia Ristorante, the 300-seat pizzeria is inspired by Naples 45, another Patina Restaurant Group pizzeria on East 45th Street in New York City.

The casual pizzeria will feature wood-burning ovens – and will import water from a source that most resembles the water in Naples, Italy, home of some of the world’s best pizza dough. The menu also will feature pastas, salads, sandwiches and Italian wines.

The 14,000-square-foot space will include indoor and outdoor dining.

At Mexico, the popular Cantina de San Angel restaurant is expanding, and will feature 400 seats with al fresco seating for lunch and a perfect place for viewing “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” the nightly Epcot fireworks spectacular.

The restaurant will feature south-of-the border creations from the culinary team at San Angel Inn LLC, who have run both the outside eatery and the pavilion’s San Angel Inn for more than 25 years. Opening also is set for fall 2010.

Stanley Tools: Proud Sponsor of Construction at Walt Disney World

WDWNT Author on January 22, 2010

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World has signed up a new corporate sponsor: Stanley Works.

The New Britain, Conn.-based tool manufacturer has signed a multiyear contract making it the “official tool provider” at Disney World and ensuring its brand is on view throughout the giant resort.

Stanley’s logo now appears on construction walls in Disney theme parks (on signs that feature quotes from Walt Disney) and its tools are now part of the garage area of the Lights, Motor, Action! Stunt Show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Tools will soon be added to the queue of Test Track in Epcot, as well.

Stanley has also provided a Mac Tools truck for use by Disney technicians, and it will have access to resort facilities for employee and sales meetings.

The companies declined to disclose exact terms of the deal.

Jim MacPhee to Lead “Next Generation” for WDW

WDWNT Author on December 17, 2009

From Jason Garcia of the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World has a new executive in charge of theme-park operations — as well as new technology.

Disney has appointed Jim MacPhee to the position of vice president, next generation experiences and Walt Disney World parks.

MacPhee, 51, is a former vice president in charge of Epcot who earlier this year was moved to vice president for “special projects,” and the chatter is that he has been involved in developing new interactive technologies that can eventually be deployed in the parks.

Regarding the new “next generation experience,” Disney would say only that “we are constantly exploring new ways to deliver high-quality immersive experiences to new and existing audiences. Our goal is to take every element of the vacation experience to a new level.”

MacPhee will report both to Nick Franklin, the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts executive in charge of global business development who is also getting a new title of “executive vice president, next generation experience,” and to Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World.

It is believed that this new position may have something to do with the resort’s transition to using new, innovative technologies such as RFID tags and the next generation of the Living Character Initiative program. Only time will tell.

Flower and Garden Festival Blooms Early at Epcot in 2010

WDWNT Author on November 3, 2009

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The 17th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival kicks off March 3 – earlier than ever – and continues for 75 days through May 16, 2010, with bold strokes of seasonal color and brand-new topiary whimsy. Last year’s festival began March 18; now Walt Disney World guests get a head start on the gardening season as they explore exhibits and activities geared toward discovery and outdoor fun.

Even before spring has sprung, Donald Duck and his topiary pals set up camp in full floral color to celebrate the Great Outdoors at the Epcot front entrance. The elaborate topiary with a North American theme, live waterfall and pond features Goofy in a fly-fishing misadventure, Daisy Duck roasting marshmallows over a campfire and Pluto in his “pup tent.” It’s a must-stop photo op for guests as soon as they pass through the park turnstiles.

“The advantage of starting earlier is that we’ll be able to feature more brilliant color than ever, with richly hued petunias, violas, snapdragons and other hardy flowers,” says festival horticulture manager Eric Darden. “By starting earlier and going through mid-May, it allows more guests than ever to experience the festival and to plan ahead for their spring and summer gardening.”

New This Year!

Up to 700 butterflies flutter into an expanded and relocated, futuristic-themed Bambi’s Butterfly House – double the size of previous years’ Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden. The new butterfly abode in Future World West, at 3,500 square feet, allows hundreds of the winged beauties to flit among the lush foliage of a larger screened enclosure, where guests can wander and watch as multiple butterfly species light on flowers filled with nectar and as caterpillars emerge from their chrysalis in a special discovery exhibit. Bambi joins butterfly floral topiaries to welcome guests to the enclosure.

Special gardens, events and children’s play areas throughout the park offer more reasons to visit the 17th annual festival:

· New Victory Garden – Disney’s “fab five” topiary pals – Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and Goofy – gather at American Adventure to tend tomatoes, beans, peppers, herbs and other edibles in their first Victory Garden as a salute to the history of World War II gardens, the new White House vegetable garden and the many community gardens being planted across the country.

· Newly Expanded Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden – Colorful topiaries of Tinker Bell and friends from Walt Disney Pictures’ latest DVD release “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure” will sprinkle pixie dust over this playful, expanded garden for kids. New characters on display with returning fairy favorites are fast-flying, sharp-tongued Vidia and charming Terence, dispenser of pixie dust. Tinker Bell’s Nook has hands-on activities. In a synergistic turn, the “Lost Treasure” DVD includes a bonus feature on “The Making of the Fairy Garden,” featuring Disney cast members who designed and built Pixie Hollow, along with the movie’s producer and director, who helped plan the garden.

· First-Ever American Gothic Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse – Topiary experts pull out all the stops to create an American Gothic Mickey and Minnie topiary scene based on the 1930 Grant Wood painting. At World Showcase Plaza.

· Pirates Adventure Zone – Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Croc topiaries will lure young swashbucklers to this interactive space designed for exploration and adventure. Next to the Germany pavilion.

Throughout the festival, more than 70 topiaries plus sweeping floral beds and exhibits will decorate the park landscape and showcase the extraordinary craftsmanship of Disney gardeners. A Fragrance Garden at the France pavilion will tell the “love story” of plants and perfume, and the art of bonsai will “wow” guests at the Japan showcase.

Festival highlights also include:

·Flower Power concerts – Popular bands will rock the open-air America Gardens Theatre every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. Jose Feliciano is scheduled to kick off the concert series March 5-7. On subsequent weekends, the lineup is slated to feature pop favorites like Davy Jones, Chubby Checker & The Wildcats, Tony Orlando, former Boston lead singer Fran Cosmo, and other top acts.

· Disney Gardening at Home presentations – Disney horticulturists will share gardening tips and lead guests in a hands-on, take-home activity.

· The Great American Gardeners series – Gardening celebrities and authors from across the country will reveal their gardening secrets. Opening weekend, Robert Bowden, author and director of lush Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, kicks off the series.

· The Garden Town Festival Center – Guests can shop for festival merchandise, attend speaker presentations and demonstrations and ask gardening questions of the experts.

· Special Festival Celebrations – An Art in the Garden celebration of plein air artists is scheduled March 26-28; a Florida Farmer’s Market celebration is April 23-25, and the popular I Dig Bugs event is set for April 30-May 2.

Star Tours II & Fantasyland Expansion Press Release

WDWNT Author on September 15, 2009

I know it’s a few days late, but here is the full press release we were given at the D23 Expo concerning these two exciting new projects for Walt Disney World and other on-going “Parks and Resorts” projects:

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo detailed plans for future lands, attractions and adventures that will be delighting Disney guests for years to come, at the first D23 Expo. Most notable among the announcements were the confirmation of an all-new Star Tours attraction and the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

“Storytelling is the DNA of Disney dreams and we’re always exploring new ways to tell new stories in new places,” Rasulo told a crowd at the Anaheim Convention Center in California before taking them on a “behind-the-magic” tour of their favorite Disney destinations.

Rasulo announced that a new 3-D version of the tremendously-popular “Star Tours” attraction will debut at the Disneyland Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2011. Based on the iconic Lucasfilm “Star Wars” films, the attraction will include immersive new elements that will take guests to many familiar places in the Star Wars galaxy.

For Walt Disney World in Florida, Rasulo outlined plans for the largest expansion in the history of the Magic Kingdom, vastly increasing the size of Fantasyland by 2013. Guests will soon be able to:

-Visit their favorite Disney Princess in her castle, cottage, or chateau to share a dance with Cinderella; celebrate Sleeping Beauty’s birthday with the Good Fairies; or join Belle in an enchanting story performance in the Beast’s castle library.
-Be Our Guest and dine in one of three enchanted rooms inside the Beast’s castle.
-Fly with Dumbo high above brand new circus grounds, twice the size of the existing attraction with a new interactive, three-ring circus tent.
-Journey under the sea with Ariel, The Little Mermaid, in her very own attraction – also opening at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim in 2011.
-Meet Tinker Bell and her friends in the magical world of Pixie Hollow.

Rasulo provided updates on the multi-year expansion of Disney’s California Adventure including the new “World of Color” attraction slated to open in the spring of 2010 and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land scheduled to open in 2012 where guests will literally step into the town of Radiator Springs and its six acres of hand-carved rockwork.

Rasulo noted the progress of several other recently-announced projects including the three new lands coming to Hong Kong Disneyland by 2014; the Disney Dream, the new ship being built by Disney Cruise Line; the many diverse itineraries being offered by Adventures by Disney that take guests on 19 unique, once-in-a-lifetime guided vacation experiences; and Disney’s first family destination resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.

We Were “Totally” Right About Tomorrowland Stage

WDWNT Author on August 28, 2009

According to the Orlando Sentinel Theme Park Rangers Blog:

A trusted source reports that Disney is reviving a Stitch show that will be presented this year during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. It’s name: “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas,” but it will include the rascally character.

Expect it on the stage where Stitch was previously seen for the short-lived, much-panned Stitch’s Supersonic Celebration.

A Disney official told me they have nothing to announce at this time.

In an 8/16 photo report, I remarked that a new show was set to debut on the stage in November and that modifications were currently being made to the stage. It appears my sources were correct and we can expect “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas” to fill the gap caused by the demolition of the Galaxy Palace Theater and “Mickey’s Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this breaking story.

WDWCelebrations Hits The Road To Celebrate “Fifty-Five”

WDWNT Author on July 16, 2009

WDWCelebrations Heads West in 2010 to present “Fifty-Five”, a WDWCelebrations Commemorative Event Honoring the 55thAnniversary of Disneyland®

Orlando, FL, July 15, 2009 — WDWCelebrations is pleased to announce an exciting new Commemorative Event for 2010, celebrating the historic 55th anniversary of Disneyland® Park in Anaheim, California. Dubbed “Fifty-Five”, this Commemorative Event takes place Thursday through Saturday, July 15th to July 17th, 2010, and will be produced in association with our newest partner, WindowtotheMagic.

During the organization’s longest and largest Commemorative Event to date, guests will be able to enjoy favorite WDWCelebrations signature offerings such as history walks, scavenger hunts, group rides, group meals, and, of course, a few very special surprises. This event will encompass the entire Disneyland® Resort, offering fans a taste of the West Coast Disney with an East Coast twist.

WDWCelebrations warmly welcomes WindowtotheMagic to our family of treasured partners.  Paul Barrie, Jr. and his team currently produce the internet’s preeminent Disney audio podcast “A WindowtotheMagic,” as well as numerous fan DVDs.  Paul has been creating Disney-related content for the internet since 1996.

Jason Diffendal, Co-Founder of WDWCelebrations, remarks, “We are constantly looking at new opportunities to bring like-minded Disney fans together to celebrate. We couldn’t pass up an opportunity to celebrate the fifty-five years since 1955 when Walt realized his dream.  Disneyland® is Walt’s place and sets the stage for what is sure to be a spectacular event!”

Jackie Steele, Core Team Member of WDWCelebrations, adds, “Our past events have focused on the Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, but this is the perfect occasion to recognize Walt Disney’s first theme park masterpiece, the one that started it all.  We are also very excited to be working with Paul Barrie Jr. and his talented team for this event.  Paul does such a great job with his podcast, and it will be a pleasure to have him on our team.”

Registration for this event will open in December 2009.  More information about the event will be released in the coming months via the WDWCelebrations.com website and newsletter as well as the WDWCelebrations official fan page on Facebook and the WDWCelebrations Twitter feed.

About WDWCelebrations, L. L. C.

WDWCelebrations, L. L. C. is a Florida-based organization created by Disney fans, dedicated to “celebrating the magic of the past, present, and future, together.”  WDWCelebrations was founded by the organizers of Celebration 25, which commemorated the 25th anniversary of Epcot® in 2007.  WDWCelebrations Commemorative Events are designed to celebrate milestones in Disney park history.  More information about WDWCelebrations and its events can be found at http://www.wdwcelebrations.com.

About “A WindowtotheMagic”

WindowtotheMagic is owned and operated by Paul Barrie, Jr.  Paul has been creating Disney-related content for the internet since 1996, and visits Disneyland® many times a year to record audio and video for his podcast, “A WindowtotheMagic.”  More information can be found at http://www.windowtothemagic.com.

Disneyland® Park and Walt Disney World® Resort are registered trademarks of The Walt Disney Company.