May 18, 2013

Unique food, treats and snacks are being added to many locations around the Disneyland Resort for the Monstrous all-nighter event and Disney is sharing a few of these items to whet our appetite. Of course the Disney chefs had to get in on the Memorial Day weekend fun to kick off a Monstrous Summer atDisneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Magic Kingdom Park, Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park will stay open from 6 a.m., May 24, to 6 a.m. May 25, – which gives us 24 hours to nosh our way through the delightful bites. We won’t give away all the ideas the chefs have planned, but here are a few:                                                                The cupcake craze gets a nod at Gaston’s...

By Shawn Slater on the Disney Parks Blog: The all-new, live stage production, “Mickey and the Magical Map,” debuts this summer at Disneyland park, and today I’m excited to be able to tell you a little more about the show and what you can expect to see when it opens! The show begins with the timeless character of Yen Sid, the wise sorcerer from Disney’s classic “Fantasia,” who appears within his mysterious workshop to tell us of a wondrous map with the power to take dreamers to any place imaginable. Yen Sid sets his mapmakers to work painting the enormous map – a map so large it covers the entire breadth of the stage. This is when our hero Mickey Mouse enters, full of curiosity, and dreams of being more than just an apprentice. He’s a bit of a rascal...

By Shawn Slater on the Disney Parks Blog: We’ve been giving you peeks into the new Fantasy Faire coming to Disneyland park here on the Disney Parks Blog, and today, I’m pleased to let you know that this area will officially open for guests on March 12. One of the highlights of Fantasy Faire will be the Royal Theatre, where you’ll be treated to two unique shows relating the tales of “Beauty and the Beast” and “Tangled,” as told by a pair of Renaissance Storytellers, Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones. Messieurs Smythe and Jones are men of the theatre and lovers of legend and lore. The storytellers present the tale as old as time and the hair-raising tale of Rapunzel, with the assistance of some fellow villagers, all to the musical accompaniment of Sir Samuel...

By Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog: Earlier this month, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland park closed for a major refurbishment that includes all-new track and updates to the mountain itself as well as other visual elements. One area receiving an update will be the Rainbow Ridge Mining Town. Dating back to 1956 and the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train attraction, Rainbow Ridge Mining Town is a classic feature of Frontierland. When the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishment is complete this fall, Rainbow Ridge Mining Town will look very much the same as it always has. It is being refurbished with new materials, but many items from the original area will be reused such as props, signs and select doors, windows and shutters. Several other items are...

By Steven Miller on the Disney Parks Blog: The start of a New Year brings many reasons to celebrate. This year, there are two months of back-to-back holidays including Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. I caught up with Monty Maldovan, long-time artist with Disney Design Group, about some of the new merchandise coming for Mickey Mouse’s bear, Duffy the Disney Bear. Monty recently celebrated the release of three original art pieces, including one featuring Mickey and Duffy, at the Art of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace. “I had a lot of fun designing some of the seasonal outfits for Duffy the Disney Bear this year,” said Monty. “We have some new things that our guests have told us they wanted including outfits for 17-inch bears and...

ANAHEIM, Ca., Jan. 28, 2012 – Love is in the air at Disneyland Resort as fairy tale princesses find true love with their princes, and “happily ever after” becomes a reality. It all happens during True Love Week February 11-17, 2013 at Disneyland Resort. The weeklong love fest is part of “Limited Time Magic” at Disney Parks, where each week in 2013 guests will be treated to a sprinkling of Disney magic, with fun and surprises that enhance their vacation memories. During True Love Week, a tapestry of romance is woven throughout the resort — from special entertainment and limited-edition Valentine’s merchandise to candlelit dinners for two and new, themed photo locations offering encounters with beloved Disney sweethearts – all for a limited-time only. The...

By Erin Glover on the Disney Parks Blog: If you’ve visited Disneyland park recently, you may have noticed that Fantasy Faire is quickly taking shape next toSleeping Beauty Castle. Opening this spring, Fantasy Faire will not only be a home for Disney princesses, but it will also be a natural extension of Fantasyland. To find out how the look and architecture of this new area will be designed to flow with Sleeping Beauty Castle and Fantasyland, I went to the creative lead for the project: Michel Den Dulk, Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering. “My goal,” he said, “was that the new Fantasy Faire would meld over into the existing Fantasyland naturally.” He said that his intention would be for first-time visitors to never suspect that this addition came...

By George Sawas on the Disney Parks Blog: Today we are letting our hair down to show you one of the most stunning images yet created for Disney Parks‘ ongoing Disney Dream Portrait series. Created by legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz and featuring six-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift as Rapunzel, our latest portrait is captioned “Where adventure awaits.” This beautiful image can be seen in upcoming issues of Vanity Fair, InStyle and People. Check back Friday and I’ll take you behind the scenes on the set of this “hair-raising” photo...

Escape from Casey Jr. By Daniel Butcher You will probably find me strange.  It has been my dream to experience a significant evacuation from a Disney attraction.  I am convinced that it would be exciting and a cherished memory!  Seriously, how cool would it be to be walked off from Space Mountain with the lights on?  Would it not be great to see the Haunted Mansion from outside a Doom Buggy?  My daughter and I have both held our breaths as ours came to a halt in the graveyard scene.  Some may believe these sorts of incidents would lessen the magic, but for me it would only increase it! Sure I have had my near misses but nothing significant.  Several years and a kid ago my family was stuck on Peter Pan’s Flight.  We dangled in our ship above the scene,...

By George Sawas on the Disney Parks Blog: Tomorrow we’ll be sharing the latest image by acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz for Disney Parks. Until then, any...