Disney News

New Signature Suites at Disneyland Hotel

The Disneyland® Hotel at the Disneyland® Resort in California is under renovation.  Guest rooms, restaurants, and the hotel pool are all getting a facelift. Plus, four new amazing suites grace the 11th floor of the hotel’s Dreams Tower and boast a distinct design, luxurious amenities and amazing views.

Mickey Mouse Penthouse
The swanky penthouse features an interior design with signature colors of black, white, red and yellow, occupies an expansive 1,600 square feet and includes an open living room, dining and kitchen area, two bedrooms and two and one-half bathrooms. Classic Mickey Mouse imagery and three-dimensional artwork dominate the design scheme throughout the penthouse. Photos and sketches from the Disney library are prominently displayed, featuring images of Walt and Mickey rarely seen by the public.

In the living room, guests encounter stylized contemporary décor featuring eclectic furnishings, Mickey motifs and hardwood floors. A giant impression of Mickey Mouse fills the ceiling, as glowing lights enhance the mood of the room. A built-in media wall is the focal point of the living room, featuring three flat screen TVs and a state-of-the-art home theater system worthy of Mickey’s status as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars.

The master bedroom is filled with luxury amenities including a king-size bed, lounge chairs, a 37″ flat panel TV and a DVD player, and it’s decorated with animation maquettes of Mickey Mouse in many of his most famous film roles. The master bath includes a steam shower, Jacuzzi tub and a double vanity with a built-in TV in the mirror. Unique glass tiles on the shower walls bring the magic of Mickey Mouse to life as the familiar image of Mickey appears only when the warm water of the shower hits the tiled wall.

Mickey Mouse Penthouse - Disneyland Hotel

Big Thunder Suite
The Big Thunder Suite is the wildest suite in the wilderness and immerses up to six pioneers in 1,400-square-feet of luxurious rustic accommodations inspired by the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction at the Disneyland® park. Howling wolves sound to the push of the suite’s doorbell as guests step into a mine shaft foyer inlaid with Fool’s Gold and hear the rumble of a passing runaway mine train. A button on the wall can be pushed to trigger sound effects from the attraction. The mine shaft leads into a living and dining area that separates the suite’s two bedrooms. In many rooms, repurposed wood from a Midwestern barn is used as flooring and paneling, which is complimented by textured earthen walls.

A stone-hearth fireplace in the living area serves as the suite’s centerpiece and houses a mounted flat-panel television. When not in use, the TV is cleverly concealed by one of the many pieces of attraction concept art found throughout the suite.The centerpiece of the dining area is a knotted table with seating for eight, with a wagon-wheel chandelier. Nearby is a wet bar made of petrified wood and above the bar hangs a “living portrait” of a gold miner who magically changes activities over the course of the day.

Rustic décor belies the luxurious amenities found in the suite’s two bedrooms. The master bath is revealed through a sliding barn door, where a free-standing copper tub is surrounded by a dramatic stone wall. The tub’s copper finish matches the copper piping in the adjacent steam shower, which is tiled with an earth-tone mosaic. A television is concealed behind the mirror above the bathroom’s bucket sinks.

Pirates of the Caribbean Suite
The specially redesigned suite is intended to fully immerse guests, providing family lodging that combines modern conveniences with décor, furnishings and ambience that evoke the fun, whimsy and adventure of the films and attraction.  The Pirates experience begins as you ring the doorbell, which plays, “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life For Me,” and enter the living room. There you will find Old World rugs covering dark-stained hardwood floors, with wooden beams overhead. The Spanish colonial-style furnishings could be part of a pirate’s plunder, yet the room also provides landlubbers’ comforts including a wet bar, 42-inch plasma TV and surround sound stereo system.

Among the treasures to be discovered in the suite, including some in locked display cases, are a replica of Captain Jack Sparrow’s revolver, rare pirate figurines (discontinued) from the popular Walt Disney Classics Collection, a lithograph signed by Disney Legend “X” Atencio (Lyricist for the song for “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life For Me”) and a replica of the mysterious Davy Jones’ “Dead Man’s Chest.”

Pirates of Caribbean Suite - Disneyland Hotel

Fairy Tale Suite
Guests enter the Fairy Tale Suite delighted by pixie dust and the appearance of Tinker Bell, who illuminates a crystal castle encased in the wall. A marble foyer descends into an enormous bedroom overlooking the entire resort through floor-to-ceiling windows.

The sage and champagne colors used throughout the suite elegantly blend the combination of blonde and glass furniture. The suite’s centerpiece is an exquisite canopy bed overlooking the corner view. The room is finished with crown moulding, automatic drapes and a custom-designed dresser, from which a flat-panel television ascends at the touch of a button.

The focal point in the suite’s bathroom is a beautiful hand-cut mosaic of a stylized Sleeping Beauty Castle. The mirror disguises a TV and the double vanity countertop twinkles with shooting stars. Domes and Corinthian columns mix thematically with an abundance of modern amenities, including a steam shower and Jacuzzi tub with chromo-therapy.

Fairy Tale Suite - Disneyland Hotel

Which suite would you stay in?

Disney Dream Sails to Sea

Disney Dream

Late last week, Disney Cruise Line®’s newest ship, the Disney Dream™, said farewell to the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and made a 26-mile journey down the winding Ems River on her way to the North Sea. It’s a process known as “conveyance” and it’s unique to the ships built by Meyer Werft since the shipyard is so far inland. The delicate maneuver involved guiding the 1,115-foot vessel by tugboats as she traveled backward down the river to Eemshaven, a seaport in The Netherlands.

Fireworks lit up the sky as she passed through the first sea lock to leave the Papenburg shipyard, and again as she passed the town of Leer several hours later. Thousands of residents turned out all along the river’s shores to cheer her on during the overnight journey.

The crew is currently conducting sea trials to test the ship’s engines and other control systems out on the North Sea. Meanwhile, work on her interior areas continues at a steady pace in order to get ready for the maiden cruise from Port Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 26.

Disney Dream

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By |2017-06-27T10:24:16-05:00November 18th, 2010|Categories: Disney News|0 Comments

Disney Dream Sails to Sea

Disney Dream

Late last week, Disney Cruise Line®’s newest ship, the Disney Dream™, said farewell to the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and made a 26-mile journey down the winding Ems River on her way to the North Sea. It’s a process known as “conveyance” and it’s unique to the ships built by Meyer Werft since the shipyard is so far inland. The delicate maneuver involved guiding the 1,115-foot vessel by tugboats as she traveled backward down the river to Eemshaven, a seaport in The Netherlands.

Fireworks lit up the sky as she passed through the first sea lock to leave the Papenburg shipyard, and again as she passed the town of Leer several hours later. Thousands of residents turned out all along the river’s shores to cheer her on during the overnight journey.

The crew is currently conducting sea trials to test the ship’s engines and other control systems out on the North Sea. Meanwhile, work on her interior areas continues at a steady pace in order to get ready for the maiden cruise from Port Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 26.

Disney Dream

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‘Disney Junior – Live on Stage!’ Debuts in 2011

Disney Junior - Live on StageDisney California Adventure® park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ in Florida will celebrate the premiere of Disney Channel’s new multiplatform brand, Disney Junior, with “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” next year. The lively show in the Parks will debut with new characters, some new adventures and a new marquee.

Children and parents who now enjoy the popular “Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!” at both Parks can look forward to sharing this new production.  This new show will bring back three favorites: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins.  It will also introduces a brand new segment based on Disney Junior’s newest series that will debut in February 2011, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.”

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” will air on Disney Junior in February 2011 and will share the magical and adventurous world of Never Land with preschoolers. The story centers around Jake, an enthusiastic young boy who leads a team of kid pirates (Cubby, Izzy, and their faithful pirate parrot, Skully) in fun adventures that will teach teamwork concepts.

Stories from the show will come to life in the Parks with colorful, puppet versions of some of the most popular Disney Junior characters, bright visuals, whimsical scenery that fills the stage, catchy songs and interactive moments.

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage” is scheduled to debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and Disney California Adventure® park in March 2011.

By |2017-06-27T10:24:17-05:00November 16th, 2010|Categories: Disney News|0 Comments

‘Disney Junior – Live on Stage!’ Debuts in 2011

Disney Junior - Live on StageDisney California Adventure® park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ in Florida will celebrate the premiere of Disney Channel’s new multiplatform brand, Disney Junior, with “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” next year. The lively show in the Parks will debut with new characters, some new adventures and a new marquee.

Children and parents who now enjoy the popular “Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!” at both Parks can look forward to sharing this new production.  This new show will bring back three favorites: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins.  It will also introduces a brand new segment based on Disney Junior’s newest series that will debut in February 2011, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates.”

“Jake and the Never Land Pirates” will air on Disney Junior in February 2011 and will share the magical and adventurous world of Never Land with preschoolers. The story centers around Jake, an enthusiastic young boy who leads a team of kid pirates (Cubby, Izzy, and their faithful pirate parrot, Skully) in fun adventures that will teach teamwork concepts.

Stories from the show will come to life in the Parks with colorful, puppet versions of some of the most popular Disney Junior characters, bright visuals, whimsical scenery that fills the stage, catchy songs and interactive moments.

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage” is scheduled to debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and Disney California Adventure® park in March 2011.

Walt Disney World Resort Nighttime Shows

From Magic Maker® Dawn CrowderWishes Fireworks Show

Although I love pretty much every aspect of a Walt Disney World® vacation, I have to say that my favorite part are the NIGHTTIME SHOWS! They are breathtakingly beautiful, full of great music and there’s always a good lesson behind the storyline. And who doesn’t enjoy a great fireworks show? It’s the perfect end to any day at the Walt Disney World® Resort!

I will start with my favorite regularly-scheduled nighttime show at the Walt Disney World® Resort, Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom® Park! This fireworks spectacular is shown nightly at the Magic Kingdom® Park unless there is inclement weather or another scheduled event (i.e., Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party). My favorite spot to watch the Wishes fireworks show is on the Main Street U.S.A. side of the “Hub” (the area around the Walt Disney & Mickey “Partners” statue) and near a trash can. but really anywhere near the “Hub” area and into the Main Street U.S.A. area is fine. Try not to get too close to the castle as you won’t be able to see all of the fireworks. I absolutely love taking as many pictures as I can of the fireworks shows to see how they turn out. When shooting fireworks, you have to be sure that your camera is held perfectly still. That’s where the trash can comes in. I have a twelve-inch tripod that I sit on top of the trash can. I also put my camera on the setting that will allow my shutter speed to slow down. This will allow the picture to display trails of light as the fireworks light up the sky! Watch for Tinker Bell to fly from Cinderella Castle to the Tomorrowland® area just after Jiminy Cricket says, “And it all starts with a wish!” (Although on windy or rainy nights she may not fly – Tinker Bell is not a fan of storms!) I always try to get a spot about 45 minutes before the show starts, then send my husband to get some yummy popcorn while we wait!

Next we have Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot®. This is shown every night at park closing from the middle of World Showcase Lagoon. It’s a beautiful show, bringing about a message of world peace and unity. The music is moving and inspirational. My favorite place to watch Illuminations is either from the France pavilion while sitting at the little tables near the water or in the area between the Germany and Italy pavilions. Just make sure you can see the center of World Showcase Lagoon and that the wind is not blowing in your face; otherwise, you will be fighting smoke the entire show! To get good fireworks pictures just be sure to utilized the tips given above for Wishes. I would recommend getting your spot for the show at least 30 minutes before it starts.

Fantasmic!Lastly, there is the Fantasmic! show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™. This is another favorite of mine. This is shown on select nights (usually about 3-4 times a week) near closing time at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater. Because it is not shown every night, I recommend participating in the Fantasmic! Dining Package so you will be guaranteed a seat. Basically, you enjoy a delicious dinner at either Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose Restaurante Italiano, or The Hollywood Brown Derby and pay a set price for dinner.  You are then are given a pass for the reserved seating area. Reservations for this MUST be made in advance. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you can use 1 table service credit for the first two restaurants listed and 2 table service credits for The Hollywood Brown Derby. If you don’t want to do the Fantasmic! Dining Package, I would get to the amphitheater about an hour before show time, earlier if you are there during busier times. Any seat is good in this amphitheater. If you sit near the front you might get slightly wet. The theme of the show is about the power of your imagination. Mickey Mouse is the hero and the finale includes Sorcerer Mickey conquering the villains and creating a beautiful fireworks display from on top of the mountain! The villains are featured quite a bit in this show, including Jafar from Disney’s Aladdin turns into a giant snake and Maleficent from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty becomes a huge dragon. All of this takes place a good distance away from the crowd, across the water on the stage, but it’s good to be aware of these features in case you have a child who you think may not enjoy the show. Have your camera ready when you see a big white boat heading your way from the right!

A couple of other tips I would like to share for all the nighttime shows is to bring ear plugs for the little ones who may not like the loud noises of the fireworks. Also, buying a few tubes of glow jewelry before you arrive is a good idea. It will entertain the kids (and the adults!) and may save you some money as they sell various glow toys and jewelry at the shows. As I said before, these shows are my favorite part of our Walt Disney World® vacations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

What tips do you have about seeing the nighttime shows at the Walt Disney World® Resort?
Share with them with us below in the comments.

By |2017-06-27T10:24:17-05:00November 11th, 2010|Categories: Disney News|1 Comment

Walt Disney World Resort Nighttime Shows

From Magic Maker® Dawn CrowderWishes Fireworks Show

Although I love pretty much every aspect of a Walt Disney World® vacation, I have to say that my favorite part are the NIGHTTIME SHOWS! They are breathtakingly beautiful, full of great music and there’s always a good lesson behind the storyline. And who doesn’t enjoy a great fireworks show? It’s the perfect end to any day at the Walt Disney World® Resort!

I will start with my favorite regularly-scheduled nighttime show at the Walt Disney World® Resort, Wishes fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom® Park! This fireworks spectacular is shown nightly at the Magic Kingdom® Park unless there is inclement weather or another scheduled event (i.e., Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party). My favorite spot to watch the Wishes fireworks show is on the Main Street U.S.A. side of the “Hub” (the area around the Walt Disney & Mickey “Partners” statue) and near a trash can. but really anywhere near the “Hub” area and into the Main Street U.S.A. area is fine. Try not to get too close to the castle as you won’t be able to see all of the fireworks. I absolutely love taking as many pictures as I can of the fireworks shows to see how they turn out. When shooting fireworks, you have to be sure that your camera is held perfectly still. That’s where the trash can comes in. I have a twelve-inch tripod that I sit on top of the trash can. I also put my camera on the setting that will allow my shutter speed to slow down. This will allow the picture to display trails of light as the fireworks light up the sky! Watch for Tinker Bell to fly from Cinderella Castle to the Tomorrowland® area just after Jiminy Cricket says, “And it all starts with a wish!” (Although on windy or rainy nights she may not fly – Tinker Bell is not a fan of storms!) I always try to get a spot about 45 minutes before the show starts, then send my husband to get some yummy popcorn while we wait!

Next we have Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot®. This is shown every night at park closing from the middle of World Showcase Lagoon. It’s a beautiful show, bringing about a message of world peace and unity. The music is moving and inspirational. My favorite place to watch Illuminations is either from the France pavilion while sitting at the little tables near the water or in the area between the Germany and Italy pavilions. Just make sure you can see the center of World Showcase Lagoon and that the wind is not blowing in your face; otherwise, you will be fighting smoke the entire show! To get good fireworks pictures just be sure to utilized the tips given above for Wishes. I would recommend getting your spot for the show at least 30 minutes before it starts.

Fantasmic!Lastly, there is the Fantasmic! show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™. This is another favorite of mine. This is shown on select nights (usually about 3-4 times a week) near closing time at the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater. Because it is not shown every night, I recommend participating in the Fantasmic! Dining Package so you will be guaranteed a seat. Basically, you enjoy a delicious dinner at either Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose Restaurante Italiano, or The Hollywood Brown Derby and pay a set price for dinner.  You are then are given a pass for the reserved seating area. Reservations for this MUST be made in advance. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you can use 1 table service credit for the first two restaurants listed and 2 table service credits for The Hollywood Brown Derby. If you don’t want to do the Fantasmic! Dining Package, I would get to the amphitheater about an hour before show time, earlier if you are there during busier times. Any seat is good in this amphitheater. If you sit near the front you might get slightly wet. The theme of the show is about the power of your imagination. Mickey Mouse is the hero and the finale includes Sorcerer Mickey conquering the villains and creating a beautiful fireworks display from on top of the mountain! The villains are featured quite a bit in this show, including Jafar from Disney’s Aladdin turns into a giant snake and Maleficent from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty becomes a huge dragon. All of this takes place a good distance away from the crowd, across the water on the stage, but it’s good to be aware of these features in case you have a child who you think may not enjoy the show. Have your camera ready when you see a big white boat heading your way from the right!

A couple of other tips I would like to share for all the nighttime shows is to bring ear plugs for the little ones who may not like the loud noises of the fireworks. Also, buying a few tubes of glow jewelry before you arrive is a good idea. It will entertain the kids (and the adults!) and may save you some money as they sell various glow toys and jewelry at the shows. As I said before, these shows are my favorite part of our Walt Disney World® vacations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

What tips do you have about seeing the nighttime shows at the Walt Disney World® Resort?
Share with them with us below in the comments.

Take a ride on the AquaDuck Water Coaster!

Disney Cruise Line® introduces a cruise industry innovation on the Disney Dream™ with the debut of AquaDuck, the first-ever shipboard water coaster. Guests aboard the new Disney Dream™ can get swept away on the exhilarating high-speed flume ride which features twists, turns, drops, acceleration and river rapids. Stretching 765 feet in length and spanning four decks in height, AquaDuck uses powerful water blasters to propel guests around the perimeter of the ship’s top deck.

Computer Rendering:

Actual Footage of the AquaDuck on board the Disney Dream™:

By |2017-06-27T10:24:17-05:00November 10th, 2010|Categories: Disney News|0 Comments

Take a ride on the AquaDuck Water Coaster!

Disney Cruise Line® introduces a cruise industry innovation on the Disney Dream™ with the debut of AquaDuck, the first-ever shipboard water coaster. Guests aboard the new Disney Dream™ can get swept away on the exhilarating high-speed flume ride which features twists, turns, drops, acceleration and river rapids. Stretching 765 feet in length and spanning four decks in height, AquaDuck uses powerful water blasters to propel guests around the perimeter of the ship’s top deck.

Computer Rendering:

Actual Footage of the AquaDuck on board the Disney Dream™:

Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival Canceled

Disney California Adventure® park is in the middle of a multi-year expansion. Due to the construction, they have had to make some changes to accommodate the growth including not being able to be host the 2011 and 2012 Disney’s California Food & Wine Festivals in Disney California Adventure® park. This was not an easy decision, but expansion work over the next two years in some areas of the park present significant logistical challenges around scheduling the hundreds of festival offerings. This work includes transforming the park’s entry plaza as well as the hub area where the event main stage has been located. When the work is completed, it will be reminiscent of the Los Angeles that Walt found when he arrived in the 1920s, complete with Red Car Trolleys. Below is a rendering that shows what the area will look like when completed.

The Cast Members at Disney California Adventure® Park feel it’s most important to ensure our park experience is the best it can be during this exciting time. After the expansion is completed and we Cars Land opens in 2012, other opportunities for special events and festivals will be explored.

By |2017-06-27T10:24:17-05:00November 8th, 2010|Categories: Disney News|0 Comments
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