The Disney Gallery - WDWNT Archive 2007-2010

“Day One Disneyland”

WDWNT Author on May 20, 2010

For those of you saw my post on Maggie Parr, I briefly mentioned a new exhibit that is set to open in The Disney Gallery on May 22. We are just days away from the unveiling of the new artwork. Kim Irvine, Walt Disney Imagineer & Director, Concept Show Design, has been hard at work transforming the location before our very eyes. The new exhibit titled DAY ONE DISNEYLAND “Original Inspirations for ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’ will surely capture your imagination while taking you on a visual journey back in time. I can tell you, I’ve seen some of the artwork, and for all of you true Disney enthusiasts, this will be a dream come true for you to see.

Also in store are 55th-Anniversary inspired original art, giclees and deluxe prints by such notable Walt Disney Imagineers and Disney inspired artists as Steve Adams, Bruce Boyer, Charles Boyer, Jim Crouch, Jeremy Fulton, Larry Nikolai, Noah, Maggie Parr, Jimmy Pickering, Mark Seppala, George Scribner, and Yakovetic.

If you have time, join us for a special appearance and signing by some of our artists on Saturday, May 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in The Disney Gallery. Artists scheduled to appear include Steve Adams, Bruce Boyer, Charles Boyer, Jeremy Fulton, Larry Nikolai, Maggie Parr, Noah, Jimmy Pickering and Yakovetic. For details on this event visit www.ArtofDisneyParks.com.

Celebrate Mr. Lincoln’s Return

WDWNT Author on February 25, 2009

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) – A longtime favorite of Disneyland guests will return as “The Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” 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 Lincoln’s birth.

The current Opera House presentation, “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years,” will go on hiatus beginning Monday, March 16, in preparation for the new “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” show. When the updated “Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” opens later this year, “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years” will be presented as part of the “Disneyland Story” 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 Gallery’s 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 “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” was created by Walt Disney and his Imagineers for the State of Illinois Pavilion at the 1964 New York World’s Fair and featured the world’s 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”.

Some Very Interesting Rumors…

WDWNT Author on January 1, 1970

The latest Disneyland Update on MiceAge as always provides a great look at what could possibly be coming to the Disneyland Resort in the near future. Let’s take a look through some of the more interesting details brought up in this update:

Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln could very well be coming back in 2010, for Disneyland’s 55th anniversary, but with some very drastic changes. Some changes would be made to make the show very similar to the new version of the Hall of Presidents that will debut this July in Walt Disney World, that being the addition of George Washington & Barrack Obama with speaking roles, even though the attraction will still be just Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. The exit & entrance would be switched around so that guests can exit out into an expanded Disneyland/Walt Disney memorabilia exhibit. And the new location of the Disney Gallery is rumored to be connected next door in the current home of the Bank of Main Street, with the AP Processing center that is currently housed in the bank moving over to the Plaza Pavilion.
It’s a Small World Holiday will be opening officially this Friday, with soft openings planned to happen tomorrow & Thursday. The attraction will basically be the same overlay as it has been for the past 11 years, with-out the Disney characters or the new Americana room (that area will be covered in black drapes as always). The only change for this year’s holiday overlay will be the addition of the characters from the old Rainforest room to the South Seas room off in one corner of that room. The attraction will then close from January 5th to February 14th where the Americana scene will be unveiled & the Disney characters will be added. Apparently there are plans to incorporate these 2 new additions into next year’s holiday overlay.
Even though we here at Disneyland News Today have heard strong rumors that the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-through would be opening at the beginning of Holidays at the Disneyland Resort this Friday, it’s now more likely that it won’t open until Thanksgiving at the absolute earliest, maybe even later.
Disney is thinking of adding another parking structure to Resort on the site of the current Pumbaa parking lot, that will be desperately needed if attendance really does pick up at DCA. This structure is currently planned to open sometime in 2011, if all goes according to plan.
It seems Disney has finally nailed down a good plan on just how to refurbish the Disneyland Hotel. The plan at the moment is to first build a completely new 4th tower on a currently un-used site, & once that is complete, tear down 2 of the current towers & rebuild one from that, & then finally tear down & rebuild the 4th tower.

For more information on the topics above & plenty more, check out the Disneyland Update.