Dave Smith to Sign ‘Disney Trivia from the Vault’ at Disneyland Resort in July
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Disney Legend Dave Smith, founder of the Disney Archives and Chief Archivist Emeritus, will be making a special appearance at the Disneyland Resort on July 14, 2012 to sign his new book, Disney Trivia from the Vault.
Beginning with the July 1983 issue of Disney Channel Magazine, Dave Smith began answering Disney trivia questions from viewers of the Disney Channel. In the ensuing thirty years, his column has continued through multiple publications, including Disney Magazine, the on-line Disney Insider, and most recently the Disney D23 website. ‘Ask Dave’ questions have come from Disney enthusiasts the world over, and have covered topics ranging from Cinderella’s last name (Tremaine) to the number of triangles covering the surface of Epcot’s Spaceship Earth (11,324 facets comprising 954 triangles.)
Over 1,100 questions have been fielded by Dave Smith, the now-retired Chief Archivist of The Walt Disney Company, and this book is a compendium of the most interesting and revealing of those queries. The book is divided into chapters that each cover an aspect of Disney history, including Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney films, Disney television, and Disney characters. Many of the questions bring up interesting information that has not been published elsewhere, and readers will delight in discovering some of the secrets behind their favorite movies and theme parks. ‘Did the same actress provide the voice of Maleficent, as well as the voice of Madame Leota, the head in the crystal ball in The Haunted Mansion?’ ‘Who was the first athelete to say “I’m going to Disneyland!”?’ Only Dave knows the answers!
The event will take place from 9 am – 11 am PT at the Disneyana Shop on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Disneyland® park. Disney Trivia from the Vault will be available for $9.99, plus tax beginning at shop opening on the day of release. Park admission is not included and is required.
Disney Trivia from the Vault is also available for pre-order on Amazon.com
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Books, Dave Smith, Disney Archives, Disneyland, Events, Signings, Trivia
VIDEO: Five Years of Expansion at Disney California Adventure
From the initial announcement of the expansion at Disney California Adventure in 2007, through the opening of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street today, the ‘sizzle reel’ video we are pleased to share with you below takes a look at the announcements and changes that have helped shape Disneyland’s second gate into what it’s become.
Featuring Robert Iger, CEO and President of The Walt Disney Company, along with then Disney Parks Chairs Jay Rasulo and Tom Staggs, as well as chief executive John Lasseter, the video takes us through the addition of Toy Story Mania!; Disney/Pixar Play! Parade; the nighttime fireworks spectacular Magical, which features a flying Dumbo; a re-vamped Fantasmic!; the Paradise Pier re-do with Mickey’s Fun Wheel; World of Color; Silly Symphony Swings; Goofy’s Sky School; Mickey’s Soundsational; The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure; Star Tours 2; Mad T Party; and of course Cars Land and Buena Vista Street.
Categories: California Adventure, Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, CarsLand, Disney California Adventure, Disneyland, John Lasseter, Pixar
Periwinkle to Join Pixie Hollow at Disney Parks in October
In honor of Secret of the Wings, which debuts on 3D Blu-ray on October 23, Disney Parks has officially confirmed it will be introducing Tinker Bell’s new wintery friend, Periwinkle, as a meet & greet character at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom theme parks. No specific date has been given other than her appearances will begin in October.
For Tinker Bell and the other warm season fairies, the Winter Woods remains a mysterious and forbidden place. Secret of the Wings takes audiences on an amazing journey of discovery with Tink, into this forbidden world where she discovers a magical secret that changes her life forever.
Below is a previously released clip from the film:
Disneyland Now Offering Mobile Theme Park Tickets via Web Enabled Devices
The Disneyland Resort has now launched a service which allows Guests with web-enabled devices to purchase and receive tickets through them. At this time, however, the resort is allowing only 1 day tickets to be purchased this way (both single and park hopper options available).
In order to purchase a ticket this way, point your mobile browser to DisneylandMobileTickets.com and fill out the secure order form. Once the order has been processed, you will receive your ticket in the form of a bar code on screen as well as by email. Cast members at the turnstiles will then be able to scan in your ticket bar code and allow admission.
According to the site, each transaction may be for up to a total of fifteen tickets and they must be used prior to December 31, 2013.
Please note that to our knowledge the Disneyland Resort has not yet officially announced this service, so until they do, using it is at your own risk.
UPDATE #1: 6/8/12 – This option has now officially been confirmed by the Disney Parks blog.
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Tickets
Climbers Wanted: Classic Matterhorn Show to Return to Disneyland
Unless they’re rising to the Grizzly Peak challenge, it appears that when the Matterhorn at Disneyland returns from its lengthy refurb/overhaul on June 14, the alpine climbers won’t be far behind. The on-again, off-again crowd favorite in which cast members scale the mountain throughout the day, along with occasional fab five favorites, are reportedly returning according to a casting call recently placed by the Disneyland Resort.
The notice is calling for males and females, with a minimum of three years experience in ‘mountaineering, rock climbing, and rappelling. Able to comfortably lead climb traditional 5.8/5.9 routes. Good understanding of hanging belays and strong rope management skills. Good upper body strength and ability to work at substantial heights. SPRAT Certification a plus. Especially seeking Climbers with daytime availability Monday through Friday.’
It is requested that those interested and eligible send their resume to [email protected] with the subject heading of ‘Mountain Climbers.’ Selected applicants will be called in to interview on May 11, 2012. Resumes are due by May 10, 2012 at 12:00 pm PT.
UPDATE #1: 5/8/12 – the official Disney Parks blog has confirmed the report.
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Entertainment, Matterhorn
First Look: Merida Meet and Greet Character at Disney Parks (Photos)
Several photos have begun to surface on the interwebs within the past few hours featuring what appears to be the official meet & greet character for Princess Merida from Disney/Pixar’s Brave. While we have found multiple sources of photos for Merida, none of them explain where the photos originated, but it’s likely they came out of the CinemaCon tradeshow currently taking place in Las Vegas, where movie theater exhibitors were treated to the first 30 minutes of Brave last night in addition to a teaser for the Monsters Inc. prequel, Monsters University, and the other news regarding The Good Dinosaur and Lee Unkrich’s project set around the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday.
The Princess Merida character, which also happens to be the first Disney/Pixar face meet & greet character, is expected to begin meeting with guests at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts in Mid-May. At Walt Disney World, Merida will be the focus point of a play’n'greet located in the Fairytale Garden at the Magic Kingdom, recently displacing Rapunzel. No official start dates for the meet & greets have been announced.
Brave debuts in theaters on June 22, 2012. Artwork for the film is currently on display in the Animation Building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
source/source - h/t to @RogerRadcliffe
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Magic Kingdom, Movies, Pixar, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Brave, Characters, Meet and Greet
‘Custom Letter Plaques’ by Dave Avanzino to Launch at Disneyland Resort
Even if he’s not recognized by name, the most casual of Disney Parks guest is likely to be familiar with the work of ‘multimedia dimensional artist’ Dave Avanzino. Among his prized works include shadowboxed themed signs — such as Disney theme park names or lands — in which the letters are comprised of 3-dimensional paper sculpture ‘objects’ that are related to the theme being spelled out.
Those who attended last year’s Disney D23 Expo may have also met Avanzino himself inside the D23 Dream Store. There, Avanzino was testing out a pilot program in which attendees could commission their own personalized sign and choose from a wide assortment of themed alphabets and mix’n'match for the desired effect.
Things must have gone well for the program as the Disney Gallery in Disneyland is preparing to launch the ‘Custom Letter Plaques Program in about a month. Avanzino himself will be on hand to kick off the program on March 1, 2012 at the Disney Gallery, from 10 am – 4 pm. The cost of the sign will run $495 – $995 based on the number of letters (up to 20).
For more information and a sample, click here.
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Merchandise, Theme Parks Tags: Art, Collectibles, Dave Avanzino, Disney Gallery, Events, Merchandise
D23 ‘Disneyland Off the Map’ Event to Tour Walt’s Apartment, Dream Suite and More
Disney D23 has announced it will be offering its members an exclusive experience at the Disneyland Resort on Tuesday, March 6, titled ‘Disneyland Off the Map.’
The event runs all day and includes guided visits to Walt Disney’s private family apartment above the firehouse, a trip around the park aboard the Lilly Belle V.I.P. parlor car on the Disneyland Railroad (weather permitting) and a tour of the Disneyland Dream Suite above Pirates of the Caribbean. Surprises, gifts and ‘very special dinner (and drinks) inside one of the resort’s most unique restaurants’ are also included in the event.
Tickets are $250 per person and will be available beginning February 9 at 1 pm ET. Members may purchase one additional ticket for a guest. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Event Page.
For those unable to make it to the event, a reminder that rides aboard the Lilly Belle are available to all Disneyland guests on a first come, first serve basis at no additional charge. See a conductor at the Disneyland Railroad Main Street station for reserved times.
Please note theme park admission is not included in the price of the event and will be required to attend.
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: D23, Events
Disneyland ‘Lunar New Year’ Celebration Details Announced
With good wishes for 2012, the Disneyland Resort invites guests to celebrate the Lunar New Year season at Disneyland park from Jan. 20-29. The Happy Lunar New Year Celebration! at Disneyland is a joyous tribute to coincide with the traditional Lunar New Year, and it recognizes time-honored traditions of the season with exciting, live performances, fun activities and special food offerings.
- Guests will enjoy the Happy Lunar New Year Celebration! from 10 am to 5 pm Jan, 20-29 at Small World Mall with special character appearances and family entertainment. Exhilarating live performances will be held Jan. 20-23, Jan. 25 and Jan. 27-29 (weather permitting).
- Lunar New Year is a time when families and friends gather to wish each other good fortune and good health for the coming year. The Happy Lunar New Year Celebration! at Disneyland Resort pays tribute to the time-honored traditions and family celebrations that are observed within the Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures.
- Throughout the day, cultural groups perform in colorful attire along Small World Mall. These may include a Chinese Dragon dance troupe, lion dancers, ribbon wand dancers, Korean drummers, Vietnamese musicians and dancers, and martial artists.
- In Mulan’s Chinese New Year Procession, seen at selected times throughout the day, Mulan and Mushu proceed in colorful costumes to the photo location area. There, guests will greet Mulan and Mushu, along with Chip ‘n’ Dale dressed in festive, Asian-inspired attire.
- Small World Mall is decorated for the celebration with Chinese Zodiac symbols, ornamental lanterns, “Happy Lunar New Year” banners and more.
- Signs explaining the meaning and traditions of various Lunar New Year celebrations are presented in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
- The Lunar New Year begins at a different time each year according to the movements of the sun and moon, usually beginning in late January. It’s fitting to have the Disneyland celebration at Small World Mall, where “just one moon and one golden sun” are shared by children from around the globe in the “it’s a small world” attraction.
- A colorful, photo location invites families to pose in front of themed backdrops, which include a variety of Disney characters and family photos. Disney’s PhotoPass Service will be on hand to help guests capture their magical experiences and share their memories.
- Food carts at Small World Mall will serve special treats, including chocolate churros, eggrolls, edamame and almond cookies.
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Theme Parks Tags: Events, Holidays
CONFIRMED: 24 Hour Parties at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom on Leap Day, February 29
BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON ‘ONE MORE DISNEY DAY’ AND OTHER EXCITING DISNEY NEWS
@stitchkingdom
CONFIRMED!: DISNEY HAS CONFIRMED BOTH DISNEYLAND AND MAGIC KINGDOM WILL OPEN AT 6 AM ON FEBRUARY 29 AND REMAIN OPEN FOR 24 HOURS. PLUS THEY WILL BE GIVING AWAY A FREE VACATION EVERY DAY BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2012 AND FEBRUARY 29, 2012. ALSO, BOOK A 3+ NIGHT PACKAGE AT WALT DISNEY WORLD OR DISNEYLAND BETWEEN FEBRUARY 26, 2012 AND MARCH 10 AND GET ONE FREE NIGHT (must book by January 31). SEE ONEMOREDISNEYDAY.COM FOR DETAILS.
Those of our readers who have been playing along at home know that we first announced news of a Disney Parks campaign titled ‘One More Disney Day’ back in early August. Although we were off on the timeline for the reveal, we have gradually come across confirmations that what we first suspected is in fact true — that the ‘One More Disney Day’ is tied to a new Disney Parks campaign for 2012.
Although Disney Parks has been actively trying to throw us off by putting up pseudo-pages for the campaign, playing it is not much more than a sales pitch (e.g.., ‘What can you do with one more Disney day? Visit a water park or Downtown Disney’), we confirmed just two days ago that the campaign will be teased on the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade event when it’s broadcast on the ABC network on December 25. Though it’s likely that the mention will just refer to the official announcement being made live on ‘Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve,’ on December 31, also broadcast on ABC.
Since that last confirmation, Disney Parks has come clean and has now updated its sites ONEMOREDISNEYDAY.COM and UNDIAMASDEDISNEY.COM with a special teaser video along with a countdown to the announcement. According to the new page (which also invites guests to sign up for an email of the announcement), ‘Disney Parks will be celebrating like never before!’ How exactly is to be determined, but we believe based on circumstantial evidence and rumors with some substance that both Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland will remain open all night on February 28 and continue operating through Leap Day, February 29.
This is the second time that Stitch Kingdom has successfully named the Disney Parks national campaign several months before official announcement.
UPDATE #1: 12/25/11 – As reported, the announcement was teased this morning on the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade:
Lopez: ‘I took a little sneak peek at the calendar and 2012 is a leap year.’
Menounos: ‘That is right and to celebrate the extra day we get in 2012, Disney Parks is gonna do something very special that’s never been done before.’
Update #2: It could just be another one of their tricks, but now that the teaser makes it clear that the announcement focuses primarily on leap day 2012, the following tweet was just sent out by Disney Parks using the hash tag #Disney24 which would allude to the 24 hour party theory at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.
Watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve Dec. 31 for a special announcement by @DisneyParks http://t.co/mfAnnf7J #Disney24
@DisneyParks
Disney Parks
Update #3 (12/29/11) – With just a couple of days to go, it really does appear that the joke is on us. Sources have confirmed to us that while the 24 hour parties are in fact happening, it’s just the first of many ‘spectacular’ events to be taking place at Disney Parks throughout 2012. The sad part is with the fact that Disney Parks first decided to disguise the campaign, then drop not-so-subtle hints about what (at least part of) the event entails makes one wonder how much of it is real and how much of it is a ploy. Make no mistake, we’re 99.99% certain the parties are happening, especially in light that cast members are being told it is, but since nothing is fact until it’s announced, there sure is a lot of questionable acts and information being deployed.
On a side note, congratulations to Disney Parks for getting this one by us (almost): This video from the recent Disney Store Times Square event in New York City has a particularly interesting tag.
Categories: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Magic Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: OMDD, One More Disney Day
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