WDWNT’s Jason Diffendal was visiting the Walt Disney World Resort earlier this month and has some news-worthy photos to share with us from during WDWCelebrations‘ Holiday Hoopla:
The Epcot Christmas Tree
Read More about Jason Diffendal’s 12/1-12/5/10 WDW Photo Report
WDWNT Reporter Banks Lee visited three Walt Disney World theme parks on Wednesday (take a WILD guess which one he did not go to) and took plenty of photos to share with us in a lengthy photo report:
The gingerbread house is up and open at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
We finally have details on what guests can expect when the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios debuts a special ride experience for Summer Nightastic!, from the Mickey Monitor passholder publication:
As part of Summer Nightastic!, Walt Disney Imagineers came up with even more unexpected thrills in the Hollywood Tower Hotel! If you listen closely, you can hear the distant rumble of thunder, not to mention the giggles from the disembodied voice of a child. New lighting and sound effects will add to the new experience, bringing Guests into the eerie halls of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Throughout the summer, you’ll find the eerie blue lights and lightning crashing around The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. It’s your chance to take your summer fun to a whole new dimension!
Details have also emerged on the “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular”, also from the latest Mickey Monitor newsletter:
“Summer nights are so special there’s no better word for them than ‘Nightastic!,’” said Chris Oyen, Show Director, Walt Disney Entertainment.
“Nighttime adds mystery, romance and magic. That’s what we hear Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother tell us when the Summer Nightastic! fireworks
spectacular begins.”Drawn to the magic
“When they hear this, Aurora’s Godmothers— Flora, Fauna and Merryweather—are drawn to the magic,” Chris said. “They help the Magic Kingdom® skies burst with fireworks in perfect synch with great Disney songs.”
It all reaches the height of excitement when Captain Hook and his pirate crew try to capture Cinderella Castle and it may look as if they’ve blown off parts of the magical structure! Will Tinker Bell arrive in time to save the day, or should we say, the night?
Only for a limited time this summer!
“We’ve re-imagined new magic from something that only a select few were able to experience before,” said Chris, referring to the much-loved “Magic, Music and Mayhem.” From those sparkling roots, Chris is delighted that he and the Walt Disney Entertainment team are now able to bring Summer Nightastic! fireworks spectacular to a new level and to a larger audience, including Passholders like you.
“Night after night, there will be more opportunities to see our ‘perimeter fireworks,’ the ones that surround the Park. Those are usually limited to holidays and specially ticketed events. But they’ll all be there to see, hear and feel—especially for these special summer nights. Because like we said, they’re ‘Nightastic!’”
Disney has updated the press release for Summer Nightastic to include the “Rock N’ Glow Dance Party” and the rather generic name for the new fireworks show that will run at the Magic Kingdom:
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade” will light up the streets of Magic Kingdom, headlining a season of after-dark excitement coming to Walt Disney World Resort in summer 2010.
Beginning June 6 and continuing through Aug. 14, “Summer Nightastic!” will light up the night with shimmering, shining Disney magic in Walt Disney World theme parks. Here’s a look at what’s in store:
- Showcasing floats and characters appearing at Walt Disney World Resort for the first time, Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade” returns with its joyous sights and sounds. Direct from Disneyland Resort and marking its first engagement in Florida since 2001, the cherished parade will be led by Tinker Bell waving from the basket of a magical balloon aboard a new float. Pinocchio and Snow White join the parade this summer aboard bright new floats. Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade” is set for its summer-long nighttime premiere June 6 at Magic Kingdom.
- The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios welcomes “drop-ins” this summer with even more pulse-racing surprises. New lighting effects created especially for “Summer Nightastic!” will bring unexpected frights to guests who step into that infamous service elevator … if they dare.
- “Summer Nightastic!” also means music! In the courtyard of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Rock N’ Glow Dance Party” will have guests wanting to “trip the light fantastic” to sizzling summer sounds being spun by DJs. And at Epcot, the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series returns (June 12-July 31) with bands playing musical tributes to artists who filled summers gone by with musical magic.
- What could be more summery than fireworks on a star-studded night? Magic Kingdom will treat guests to “Summer Nightastic Fireworks Spectacular,” filling the night sky with vivid colors and brilliant visual effects while whimsical music fills the air.
“What’s New, What’s Next” – Walt Disney World Resort
“What’s New, What’s Next” – Interviews
“Celebrate Volunteers” Media Event
Epcot “Can Do” Cavalcade
“Disney’s Friends for Change” – Private Concert featuring Demi Lovato & Joe Jonas
Here is a complete video of the festivities from last night’s “What’s New, What’s Next for Walt Disney World” press event, recorded by WDWNT’s own Matt Paul:
Banks Lee attended the “What’s New, What’s Next for Walt Disney World” press conference on Wednesday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports and has plenty of photos from the event to share:
The ESPN globe is in place
Read More about Banks Lee’s 2/10/10 “What’s New, What’s Next” Photo Report
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 10, 2010) – The “Main Street Electrical Parade” lights up the streets of Magic Kingdom and headlines a season of after-dark excitement coming to Walt Disney World Resort.
“After the sun goes down, our Walt Disney World parks will light up the night with ‘Summer Nightastic!’, ” announced Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort, at a media event Wednesday.
Disney magic will shine and shimmer in a whole new light. Here’s a look around:
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Big news today…we’re thrilled to announce that one of the most beloved attractions in Disney history, the Main Street Electrical Parade, is returning to Magic Kingdom Park this summer – and it’ll be better than ever. The classic parade will feature new LED lights and new audio technology when it begins its limited engagement at Walt Disney World in early June 2010.
Tinker Bell will lead the parade waving from the basket of a magical balloon aboard a new float. The parade’s return is part of Summer Nightastic! — an amazing lineup of new and enhanced entertainment planned this summer at Walt Disney World theme parks. For example, there will be new lighting effects and a new addition to Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Also, Magic Kingdom will treat guests to a special summer fireworks spectacular.
There’s plenty more planned and we’ll have more details in upcoming weeks but we wanted to tell you what we knew first on The Disney Parks Blog. Check back here for more.
In response to an overwhelming response from our followers, we are providing a number of ways to keep in touch with live updates from tonight’s announcements from the “What’s New, What’s Next for Walt Disney World” press conference from 5:30 PM through 6:45 PM ET. You can either follow the updates on Twitter by following us @wdwnt, by the special live interactive chat on WDWNTunes, or by refreshing this post that will be updated with information as it is provided. The updates will begin below shortly, we hope you enjoy our live coverage.
6:42 PM ET – Fireworks show at Magic Kingdom will be never seen before, not Magic, Music, and Mayhem.
6:29 PM ET – Summer Nightastic will also include extended hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom seven days a week, Main Street Electrical Parade will be the version of the parade that performed at Disney’s California Adventure in 2009
6:20 PM ET – Presentation ended, more details coming from post conference events, so stay tuned
6:10 PM ET – Tower of Terror additions may be temporary for Summer Nightastic or permanent, not sure
6:07 PM ET – Wide World of Sports talk – http://twitpic.com/12h4e8
6:06 PM ET – Disney Cruise Line stuff, not our bag 😉
6:00 PM ET – Parks Blog has info already on June 2010 MSEP return: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/02/main-street-electrical-parade-returns-to-walt-disney-world-resort-this-summer/
5:59 PM ET – Now on to Fantasyland Forest: http://twitpic.com/12h2tq
5:58 PM ET – Electrical Parade will have new floats that debuted at Disneyland in 2009 for WDW 2010 return
5:57 PM ET – Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios to get new drop sequences and effects, Magic Music and Mayhem fireworks coming to Magic Kingdom
5:56 PM ET – MSEP officially returns for Summer Nightastic: http://twitpic.com/12h25z
5:55 PM ET – Main Street Electrical Parade to return to Magic Kingdom
5:54 PM ET – Talking about recent changes
5:50 PM ET – Talking about Give a Day, Get a Disney Day
5:48 PM ET – Crofton Begins Presentation: http://twitpic.com/12h0kz
5:46 PM ET – Still waiting: http://twitpic.com/12gznv
5:37 PM ET – Another look at the stage: http://twitpic.com/12gy1i
5:35 PM ET -Meg Crofton and Al Weiss have arrived and taken a seat.
5:26 PM ET – Banks Lee has a front row seat: http://twitpic.com/12gvnp, http://twitpic.com/12gvmx
5:04 PM ET – Matt Paul intimidated by Channel 6’s equipment 🙂
4:54 PM ET – Another pic from inside the grill: http://twitpic.com/12goob
4:50 PM ET – Blurry picture of new ESPN Grill at Wide World of Sports: http://twitpic.com/12gocx
4:45 PM ET – WDWNT is checked in: http://twitpic.com/12gndc
4:40 PM ET – The event is being held at the new ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, which will be dedicated as such later this month: http://twitpic.com/12ghsy, http://twitpic.com/12gigp
