I was at the Disneyland Resort this afternoon and captured some newsworthy photos from all around the resort to share. A giant crane is in place right over Big Thunder. It looks bigger in person  Work on the center Fantasmic fountain is underway  New Orleans Bayou Bash has already been setup getting ready for the event kickoff tomorrow  Very temporary looking speaker setup  Mark Twain still in dry dock for its annual refurbishment  Christmas decorations still coming down in New Orleans Square  Blue sky and no more snow on the castle  Now for the juicy stuff, Fantasy Faire  A new structure has sprung up where previously a path led to Fantasyland  A closer look at that new structure  Over in DCA, it seems the Hyperion Bridge which crosses over...

By George Sawas on the Disney Parks Blog: Country superstar Brad Paisley recently taped a special performance at Disney California Adventure park for theDisney Parks Christmas Day Parade which airs on ABC December 25. Brad is no stranger to Radiator Springs. You may remember he joined us for the grand opening of Cars Land in June, and of course, he sang two songs for the original soundtrack of the Disney•Pixar film “Cars.” One of those songs, “Behind the Clouds,” is the song you’ll see Brad perform Christmas Day on ABC. In the Eastern time zone, tune in from 10 a.m.-noon; in the Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones, tune in from 9-11 a.m. to catch all the fun from Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts! Keep an eye on the Disney Parks...

Tim Alcoser was at the Disneyland Resort this past weekend and got some pictures around the resort as the holidays begin at the parks. Color! Holiday decorations have appeared on Buena Vista Street  As well as a stunning tree Over in Disneyland… Believe… In Holiday Magic had its first performance of the season last friday  Disneyland…. California Adventure. Awesome comparison shots  Now for a look in Car Land for it Christmas decor  Back on Buena Vista Street, the Santa meet & greet in Elias and Co. Mickey in his holiday garb Joy to the small world  Wrapping up the report with some picture of its a small world holiday  Thanks for...

From Erin Glover of Disney Parks Blog: We’re bringing the excitement of the newly expanded Disney California Adventure park to Pasadena, Calif., with a Cars Land-inspired float in the 124th Rose Parade on January 1, 2013! This year’s parade theme is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” – which is perfect for a story like “Cars,” in which the journey is as much a part of the experience as the destination. The float will feature floral representations of the stars of “Cars” – like Lightning McQueen, Sally, Luigi and Guido – along with familiar sights from the new Cars Land, including Ornament Valley, Radiator Springs Racers, the Cozy Cone Motel and more. My favorite thing about Tournament of Roses Parade floats are all the moving pieces, and this float...

Well, I think Disney tried their best to keep it a secret, but it seems that more observant park-goers have spotted some of the creative minds behind Cars Land at Disney California Adventure walking around Disney’s Hollywood Studios the last few days. What does this mean? Well, long before Cars Land ever opened at DCA, I had heard that Cars Land was coming 5 years later to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Walt Disney Imagineering and company management know Cars Land is a big winner (selling tons of food, merchandise, and park tickets) and understand it can be just as big a hit, if not bigger, in Orlando. Even while I was wiritng this article, things have progressed even further with Kathy Mangum, one of the creative minds behind Cars Land,...

We’re happy to announce the release of issue 16 of WDWNT: The Magazine. This is clearly turning out to be the Summer of Disney.  Although the calendar may not agree, the Disney Summer kicked off with The Avengers, and now hits the highest of high points with the opening of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street.  The transformation of Disney California Adventure has been nothing short of spectacular, and it’s given us fans something to enjoy for years to come. With that in mind, this issue summarizes WDWNT’s coverage of the Grand Re-Opening of DCA.  We also take the opportunity to look at some of Disney’s other large projects, such as the newest DVC resort, Aulani, and Pixar’s latest film, Brave.  We also cover a diverse range of other topics such as Disney...

Luigi’s Flying Tires is the culmination of a five decade journey for the Disney Parks. After the Flying Saucers attraction closed in the 1960′s guests continued to ask when Disney would take another crack at a floating vehicle attraction. After 5 years of waiting, Luigi’s Flying Tires is open, and once you get the hang of it, you can fly across the “dance floor” with great accuracy. Let’s take a look: A test tire out front of the attraction allows Cast Members to point out that you make sure not to step on the tire, but rather over it The indoor queue is divided into two areas, the first area you pass is the showroom Here are the various brands of tires that Luigi sells Fettucini brand! The lift in the show room The second...

Swing and sway with a herd of baby tractors in Mater’s Junkyard for a Cars Land Jamboree you aren’t soon going to forget. This particular ride video contains the rare “error” track where Mater forgets the lyrics to the song “Welcome to Radiator Springs”. The story behind this is that Imagineer Kevin Rafferty originally forgot the lyrics to one of the songs during a test recording session and John Lasseter thought it would be funny to include a track where Mater forgot the lyrics to the song. Listen for yourself: The sign adds a trailer to the famous Tow Mater sign… pretty clever Those lighting pieces usually aren’t there, but there is a neat photo area for guests to get a pic with a baby tractor The queue is filled...

Watch Bob Iger re-dedicate Disney California Adventure park on the morning of June 15th, 2012.  

Cars Land has officially opened! Here are some of the first glimpses of the land & Luigi’s Flying Tires! DJ’s Dance & Drive! Queue line for Luigi’s Flying Tires Mirrors to take a look at your new wheels! Free air refills. I think the beach balls add a fun touch to the ride! Thanks for...