Disney News Blog

ANAHEIM, Calif. (August 21, 2008) – When the world’s most popular teenager turns “Sweet 16,” it’s cause to celebrate. And when that teen is Miley Cyrus – star of Disney’s “Hannah Montana” – there’s no better place to celebrate than at a Disney Park.

To honor the occasion and Miley’s philanthropic passion, Disneyland Resort in California has created “Miley’s Sweet 16 – Share The Celebration,” an unforgettable event for Miley and her fans that also will serve to recognize Youth Service America and help drive awareness of the need for youth volunteerism.

The Hollywood-style bash is planned for Sunday, Oct. 5, from 6 to 11 p.m., with ticket sales limited to 5,000 fans.

Tickets, priced at $250, go on sale at 9 a.m. PDT, Saturday, Aug. 30, at www.disneyparks.com/miley.

For Miley, the birthday bash is a once-in-a-lifetime event and she plans to make new Disney theme park memories during the evening. “I only turn 16 once, so it’s going to be an awesome party with my favorite rides, hanging out with friends, fireworks and more,” she said. “I’ll even get to sing a couple songs.”

The evening will celebrate Miley’s career as a Hollywood Records solo musical artist and as the “secret pop star” she portrays on the wildly popular Disney Channel series, “Hannah Montana.”

Miley’s Sweet 16 at Disneyland will feature a medley of party elements, large and small, that will allow guests to join in the celebration of Miley’s magical milestone. Special Party Zones will highlight the music and fun of Miley and Hannah Montana with themed activities and entertainment. Some of Miley’s favorite attractions will be open in each Party Zone, and the party will end with a bang as fireworks fill the Disneyland sky.

Sharing the Celebration with Youth Service America

In addition to all the birthday fun, Miley’s Sweet 16 will shine a spotlight on Youth Service America, an organization that seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people, ages 5 to 25, serving as volunteers. (For more information, visit www.YSA.org.)

In keeping with Miley’s passion for youth volunteerism, Disney Parks will make a significant contribution to Youth Service America.

With the organization’s involvement in “Miley’s Sweet 16 – Share The Celebration,” Miley said she hopes that other young Americans will be encouraged to volunteer in their own hometowns.

“The best part of the party is we’re going to recognize some really cool kids from Youth Service America who are giving back to their community,” she said. “That’s so awesome because I think it’s really important for kids like us to volunteer.”

For More Party Information

For ongoing information about “Miley’s Sweet 16 - Share The Celebration” party at Disneyland Park in California, as well as details on how to obtain tickets, fans may go to www.disneyparks.com/miley for details.

ANAHEIM, Calif.—August 19, 2008— When it comes to magical vacation experiences at the Disneyland Hotel, it’s character that counts. That’s why the famous resort hotel, located next to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks, is now featuring the opportunity to book Character Quarters – connecting rooms for children that are specially themed with Mickey Mouse or Disney princess décor.

Character Quarters are standard, smaller guest rooms that have a connecting door adjacent to a standard guest room. By reserving Character Quarters and a standard guest room, guests can guarantee connecting rooms, which are ideal for families traveling with younger children. (Character Quarters cannot be booked without a connecting standard guest room.)

Each Character Quarters room features a themed television set and two twin beds. The Mickey Mouse-themed quarters have flat screen televisions, floor-to-ceiling Mickey décor, furnishings, fixtures and amenities that match the rich, blue carpeting with lively “hidden Mickey” swirls and bright golden stars.

The Disney princess-themed rooms offer furnishings fit for royalty. The rooms are beautifully adorned with carpeting, wall coverings, Cinderella comforters and other amenities fit for a princess.

“The all-new Character Quarters allow our guests to immerse themselves in character magic typically only found in our theme parks,” said Tony Bruno, vice president of Disneyland Resort Hotels.

The Disneyland Hotel is the only hotel where guests can stay the night completely surrounded in the world of Mickey Mouse and Disney princesses, extending the magic of their experience at the Disneyland Resort.

For more information, please visit www.disneyland.com or call (714) 956-MICKEY.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (August 22, 2008) – The Disneyland Resort is celebrating health, fitness and family fun with more than 18,000 participants who registered for the third annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, August 29-31. The highlight of the weekend is a 13.1 mile event affectionately dubbed “The Happiest Race on Earth.”

Participants in the Disneyland Half Marathon will travel a course unlike any half marathon in the world. It passes through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure – and it’s full of Disney inspiration with flaming cannons at the start, live entertainers all along the route, and Disney characters as cheerleaders. Many of the participants will be dressed like their favorite Disney characters, including Minnie Mouse and Tinker Bell, and some even stop mid-race to pose with Mickey Mouse and his pals for photos commemorating both the race and Disney Parks’ ongoing Year of a Million Dreams celebration.

In three and one-half hours or less, runners will pass Disneyland icons such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Matterhorn, and they will also pass Anaheim landmarks such as the Honda Center, Angel Stadium of Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center before finally crossing the finish line in the Downtown Disney District.

The Disneyland Half Marathon has become a popular road race for its flat loop course and mild climate, ideal for personal best times. Hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, it reached registration capacity in July. More than 13,500 runners are scheduled to participate in the Half Marathon on August 31, and 5,000 participants will be competing in the Family Fun Run 5K and Kids' Races on August 30, with participants from all 50 U.S. states and 16 countries.

"We are excited to welcome guests from all around the country to the third annual Disneyland Half Marathon," said Ed Grier, president of the Disneyland Resort. "By joining together with the City of Anaheim and other partners, we are able to provide participants with a unique race around the Anaheim Resort Area that will benefit the Anaheim Community Foundation." A monetary donation will be made to the Anaheim Community Foundation, the 2008 beneficiary of the Disneyland Half Marathon.

The Disneyland Half Marathon weekend is full of activities for the whole family, beginning on Friday, August 29, with the opening of the Disneyland Health and Fitness Expo. The two-day celebration of health and fitness features celebrity runner appearances and seminars on training, racing and nutrition, along with opportunities to experience the latest in running and fitness equipment. Expo hours are noon to 8 p.m. on Aug. 29, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 30.

This year’s Family Fun Run 5K celebrates the debut of Toy Story Mania!, an immersive attraction that opened in June at Disney’s California Adventure. Runners in the 5K will encounter their favorite characters from the Toy Story films, from Green Army Men marching off the start to Woody and Buzz at the finish line. Little runners (8 and under) will join in the fun with sprints, a 400-yard-dash and a Diaper Dash for crawlers.

Disneyland Half Marathon race finishers will earn a special commemorative medal depicting Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, one in a series of Disney race-specific medals.

A new award, the Disney Coast to Coast medal, will be presented to an estimated 1,000 runners who complete the 2008 Disneyland Half Marathon and who also completed either the Walt Disney World Marathon or Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January, 2008. Awarded for the first time this summer, the Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic “Partners Statue,” of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.

The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend builds off the successful 15-year history of Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, which is operated by Disney’s Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. and is traditionally held in January. More than 195,000 runners, joggers and wheelchair athletes have successfully participated in the previous Walt Disney World Marathon Weekends. For more information, see www.disneyworldsports.com.

The Disneyland Half Marathon is part of the Disney’s Endurance Series, which gives recreational athletes of all ages and abilities the chance to walk, jog, run, bike and swim their way “around the world.” From running marathons to road races and triathlons, participating athletes from around the (Disney) world compete to stay in shape, to achieve personal-best times and often to raise donations for charitable causes.

The next Disneyland Half Marathon will take place on Sept. 6, 2009.

LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN: In a New York City ballroom on Sept. 18, 2008, Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo (pictured) announced that Disney Parks will welcome guests in 2009 with free theme park admission on their birthday. The free one-day, one-park ticket is good for birthday celebrants in 2009 at any theme park at Disneyland Resort in California or Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. In 2009 during "What Will You Celebrate?", Disney Parks will roll out new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences. Guests can get more details at www.disneyparks.com. (Diane Bondareff, photographer)

A BIG APPLE CELEBRATION: A Disney balloon vendor, Mickey Mouse and a group of children join Jay Rasulo (center), chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Sept. 18, 2008 during an impromptu visit to New York City’s Times Square. The visit followed Rasulo's announcement that Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will welcome guests in 2009 with free theme park admission on their birthday. Disney Parks have embraced a new travel trend called "celebration vacations" by adding new entertainment and add-on services that allow guests to turn personal milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries into magical Disney memories. (Diane Bondareff, photographer)

Anaheim, Calif. – Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort will fill Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks with not-so-scary spook-tacular entertainment beginning Friday, Sept. 26 and continuing through Sunday, November 2.

The season of tricks and treats will be celebrated at Disneyland Resort with the traditional giant “Mickey Mouse” jack-o’-lantern in Disneyland Town Square, Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans Square and Candy Corn Acres in Disney’s California Adventure, along with festive foods, a lively mix of Disney characters in Halloween costumes and year two of Disney’s Happiest Haunt Tours.

During regular park hours at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort offers parents and children plenty of family-friendly fun in addition to the parks’ many popular adventures. Halloween Time activities include special shows, meet-and-greets with Disneyland characters in spirited costumes, along with opportunities to decorate Halloween cookies and listen to storytellers at “Woody’s Halloween Roundup” at Big Thunder Ranch.

Dedicated fans of Halloween and the Disney parks will want to sign up to experience all the “hot and cold running chills” of the season on Disney’s Happiest Haunt Tour, an expanded version of the Halloween tour launched in 2007. From Sept. 26 to Oct. 31, the three-hour Disney’s Happiest Haunt Tour will be offered twice a day, beginning at the “witching hours” of 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. The tour, conducted by a “unique” Disneyland Resort tour guide, includes the stories behind some of Disney parks’ spookiest attractions, told from the perspective of Disney villains. Stops at thrilling attractions including the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Snow White’s Scary Adventure are among the highlights of the tour.

Disney’s Happiest Haunt Tour is darkly humorous and spooky and is not recommended for young children or for those who might not enjoy the featured attractions (or might not meet the 40-inch height requirement for Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad). The tour fee is $59 and does not include park admission. Guests who take the tour receive an exclusive collectible remembrance and a Halloween treat. Each tour group has a maximum size of 20 guests. Tours may be booked up to 20 days in advance by calling (714) 781-4400.

Popular, family-friendly entertainment also returns for the Halloween season. At Disney’s California Adventure Sunshine Plaza is the Candy Corn Acres, where Mickey Mouse’s pal Goofy sets out to grow the West’s biggest and most unusual candy corn, including candy corn coconuts, candy corn carrots and candy corn pumpkins. The Plaza will be overgrown with the “fruits” of Goofy’s labor.

Also returning for the season is Haunted Mansion Holiday. Inspired by the innovative animated film, Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas,” Haunted Mansion Holiday comes to life when Jack Skellington and his friends create holiday mayhem at the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square.

A perfect way to celebrate Halloween in special Disney style is the one-of-a-kind Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party. This private costume party lets little ones laugh and play with some of their favorite Disney Characters—including Mickey himself—and ride select attractions as they trick-or-treat through Disney’s California Adventure park. The experience also includes interactive games, “spirited” music, and a nightly character cavalcade. It’s an unforgettable evening of Halloween fun for everyone. Dates for Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party are Oct. 3, 10, 16. 17, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31. Tickets are $29 per person when purchased at least one day in advance, $37 per person for tickets purchased day-of and for all Oct. 31 tickets. They may be purchased online at www.disneyland.com or by calling (714) 781-4400.

Throughout the Disneyland Resort during Halloween Time, families can enjoy unique Halloween-themed food items including Zero’s Ghostly Ghoulash, a favorite of Jack Skellington’s pet in “Haunted Mansion Holiday,” and merchandise including Disney costumes, collectible pins and coins and a special set of Halloween-themed Mickey Mouse ears resembling the Mickey jack-o’-lantern in Town Square.

For more information about Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort and new attractions, visit www.disneyland.com/halloween.

As part of Disney Parks “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign, Disney fans of all ages will now be able to celebrate their birthdays with a personalized virtual party delivered right to their computers.

The all-new Disneyland Birthday Club, available online, adds to the fun of the magical offer announced on Sept. 18: Everyone who visits a Disneyland Resort theme park on their birthday in 2009 can get in free.

The Disneyland Birthday Club is a virtual club that offers Disney fans a complimentary Virtual Birthday Party via e-mail. After registering at www.Disneyland.com/BirthdayClub, they'll receive a “Happy Birthday” e-mail with birthday greetings from one of their favorite Disney characters, complete with “virtual" balloons and streamers, catchy birthday music and even a fantasy birthday cake with candles to "blow out," along with some additional birthday surprises.

The Disneyland Birthday Club Web site features birthday party planning tips, available upon registration.

The Disneyland Birthday Club is an at-home online feature, free with registration. Guests can also opt to join the Club when they register for the "Free On Your Birthday" ticket using the "What Will You Celebrate" link at www.Disneyland.com. Guests can begin using "Free On Your Birthday" tickets on Jan. 1, 2009.

Disneyland Birthday Club registration is now open. The first birthday e-mails will be sent in November. A Spanish-language version of the Birthday Club site, www.DisneylandEspanol.com/BirthdayClub, will go online in late September.

The offer for free admission on your birthday in 2009 is also good at Walt Disney World Resort, as Disney Parks embraces a new trend in family travel called “celebration vacations.” This newly identified national trend shows that American families are hitting the road to mark life’s special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions and more – with a “celebration vacation.”

In 2009, Disney Parks will champion this growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences. Disney presented the trend to guests with a first-ever opportunity to visit free on their birthday.

“Birthdays are the one occasion that we all share every year,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at an announcement event today in New York. “We thought a free birthday ticket would be the icing on the cake as we extend this new ‘celebration vacation’ trend to Disney Parks.”

To help guests plan their celebrations, the magic-makers at Disney are prepared to make it easier than ever for guests to plan celebrations large and small, customizing and personalizing each experience. New Web tools can help customize any celebration.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The giant Mickey Mouse Jack-o’-Lantern and the Town Square Christmas Tree will be the symbols of celebration for their respective holidays at Disneyland this fall. But the traditional fan favorites are only the beginning as Disneyland Resort welcomes new shows and immersive experiences, along with an exciting preview of things to come at Disney’s California Adventure park.

It’s all part of the fun as Disney Parks poses the question to guests: “What Will You Celebrate?” Whether it’s the holidays, an anniversary, a family reunion or another special occasion, there’s something for everyone at Disneyland Resort.

The fall season kicks off with a very special event: a once-in-a-lifetime private party in Disneyland for teen sensation Miley Cyrus. “Miley’s Sweet 16 – Share The Celebration” will take place Sunday evening, Oct. 5, inside Disneyland. (The ticketed event is sold out). Miley will celebrate with family, friends and fans, perform a couple of songs, and recognize the outstanding contributions of Youth Service America, an organization that seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people serving as volunteers.

Beginning later in October, guests can enjoy an array of new attractions at Disneyland Resort, adding to the fun of the Halloween and Holiday seasons.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: On Friday, Oct. 24, “High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now!” premieres at Disney’s California Adventure. The new street show celebrates the infectious energy of the upcoming theatrical motion picture “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” Featuring a cast of 14 dynamic singers and dancers, the show takes place on a traveling “rock concert” stage with stacks of speakers and rows of lights. Interactive sequences featuring hot new songs from the movie will draw guests into the streets of Disney’s California Adventure for an exciting live concert experience.

PIXIE HOLLOW: The magical realm of Pixie Hollow appears in Disneyland on Tuesday, October 28. Entering along a pathway with an enchanted pool, between the entrances of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, guests are gradually immersed into the community of fairies. Guests will get the strange feeling that they are shrinking to fairy size as they encounter statues of Tinker Bell and her friends, and spot other evidence of the pixies’ presence. When guests arrive at Tinker Bell’s home, they will meet some of the pixies in person.

BLUE SKY CELLAR: For those who want to stay in-the-know about the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure park, a preview center opens Monday, Oct. 20 at the Golden Vine Winery in Disney’s California Adventure. The Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar – named for the Imagineers’ ‘blue sky’ creative process – displays never-before-seen models and art outlining the concepts and design for the park’s coming attractions, along with a video presentation. The showcase will be updated regularly so that fans can stay abreast of developments.

SLEEPING BEAUTY CASTLE WALKTHROUGH: Sleeping Beauty Castle, a beloved Disneyland landmark since the park’s debut in 1955, will open a “reawakened” version of its classic Castle walkthrough in time for the December holiday season. The new scenes inside the corridors tell the Sleeping Beauty story with modern special effects technology that recreates the look of the original Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough of the 1950s through the 1970s.

The new attractions and shows offer added value for Disney fans this fall as they enjoy all the traditional holiday attractions at Disneyland Resort.

Halloween highlights at Disneyland include the 16-foot-tall Mickey Mouse Jack-o’-Lantern on Main Street, U.S.A.; Woody’s Halloween Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch; and Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas,” which continues into the Christmas season.

At Disney’s California Adventure, Halloween is celebrated at Candy Corn Acres, featuring Goofy’s whimsical candy corn “crops.” Families also will enjoy a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience at the separate-admission nighttime Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat party, with treat locations throughout the park.

The Christmas holiday season gets underway on Friday, Nov. 21, when the traditional “A Christmas Fantasy” daily parade and “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks make their seasonal debuts. The towering Christmas tree appears on Main Street, U.S.A., and the décor and nighttime show surrounding Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle will be will be more spectacular than ever. The lights and effects that appear after dark extend into Disneyland Central Plaza, down Main Street, U.S.A., and to the Christmas tree at Town Square for a sparkling transformation that sets the scene for “Believe … In Holiday Magic” fireworks with their magical snowfall finale.

Additional holiday highlights include the return, Nov. 21, of the “it’s a small world” holiday attraction, celebrating holiday traditions around the world. Guests will visit Santa Claus throughout the season at Santa’s Reindeer Round-up in Big Thunder Ranch, and those looking for a unique experience may book time with a guide for Disney’s Holiday tours.

Abundance of Fall Fun at Disneyland Resort as New Shows and Attractions Enhance Traditional Halloween and Holiday Seasons

ANAHEIM, Calif. (October 2008) - The giant Mickey Mouse Jack-o’-Lantern and the Town Square Christmas Tree will be the symbols of celebration for their respective holidays at Disneyland this fall. But the traditional fan favorites are only the beginning as Disneyland Resort welcomes new shows and immersive experiences, along with an exciting preview of things to come at Disney’s California Adventure park.

It’s all part of the fun as Disney Parks poses the question to guests: “What Will You Celebrate?” Whether it’s the holidays, an anniversary, a family reunion or another special occasion, there’s something for everyone at Disneyland Resort.

Beginning later in October, guests can enjoy an array of new attractions at Disneyland Resort, adding to the fun of the Halloween and Holiday seasons.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3: On Friday, Oct. 24, “High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now!” premieres at Disney’s California Adventure. The new street show celebrates the infectious energy of the upcoming theatrical motion picture “High School Musical 3: Senior Year.” Featuring a cast of 14 dynamic singers and dancers, the show takes place on a traveling “rock concert” stage with stacks of speakers and rows of lights. Interactive sequences featuring hot new songs from the movie will draw guests into the streets of Disney’s California Adventure for an exciting live concert experience.

PIXIE HOLLOW: The magical realm of Pixie Hollow appears in Disneyland on Tuesday, October 28. Entering along a pathway with an enchanted pool, between the entrances of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, guests are gradually immersed into the community of fairies. Guests will get the strange feeling that they are shrinking to fairy size as they encounter statues of Tinker Bell and her friends, and spot other evidence of the pixies’ presence. When guests arrive at Tinker Bell’s home, they will meet some of the pixies in person.

BLUE SKY CELLAR: For those who want to stay in-the-know about the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure park, a preview center opens Monday, Oct. 20 at the Golden Vine Winery in Disney’s California Adventure. The Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar – named for the Imagineers’ ‘blue sky’ creative process – displays never-before-seen models and art outlining the concepts and design for the park’s coming attractions, along with a video presentation. The showcase will be updated regularly so that fans can stay abreast of developments.

SLEEPING BEAUTY CASTLE WALKTHROUGH: Sleeping Beauty Castle, a beloved Disneyland landmark since the park’s debut in 1955, will open a “reawakened” version of its classic Castle walkthrough in time for the December holiday season. The new scenes inside the corridors tell the Sleeping Beauty story with modern special effects technology that recreates the look of the original Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough of the 1950s through the 1970s.

The new attractions and shows offer added value for Disney fans this fall as they enjoy all the traditional holiday attractions at Disneyland Resort.

Halloween highlights at Disneyland include the 16-foot-tall Mickey Mouse Jack-o’-Lantern on Main Street, U.S.A.; Woody’s Halloween Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch; and Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas,” which continues into the Christmas season.

At Disney’s California Adventure, Halloween is celebrated at Candy Corn Acres, featuring Goofy’s whimsical candy corn “crops.” Families also will enjoy a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience at the separate-admission nighttime Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat party, with treat locations throughout the park.

The Christmas holiday season gets underway on Friday, Nov. 21, when the traditional “A Christmas Fantasy” daily parade and “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks make their seasonal debuts. The towering Christmas tree appears on Main Street, U.S.A., and the décor and nighttime show surrounding Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle will be will be more spectacular than ever. The lights and effects that appear after dark extend into Disneyland Central Plaza, down Main Street, U.S.A., and to the Christmas tree at Town Square for a sparkling transformation that sets the scene for “Believe … In Holiday Magic” fireworks with their magical snowfall finale.

Additional holiday highlights include the return, Nov. 21, of the “it’s a small world” holiday attraction, celebrating holiday traditions around the world. Guests will visit Santa Claus throughout the season at Santa’s Reindeer Round-up in Big Thunder Ranch, and those looking for a unique experience may book time with a guide for Disney’s Holiday tours.

ANAHEIM, Calif., Oct. 17, 2008 –- Before an audience of more than 1,000 Cast Members, media and former Ambassadors, Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier announced the 2009 Disneyland Resort Ambassador Team at Disneyland today. Cast Members Danielle DuBois and Quinn Shurian will serve as the 44th team to represent the resort and its Cast as the 2009 Disneyland Resort Ambassadors.

“Being chosen to represent 20,000 Disneyland Resort Cast Members is an incredible honor and one of the highest achievements of a Disney Cast Member. This program is a unique and important part of our company’s heritage,” said Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier. “These two Cast Members will take the magic and good will of Disneyland throughout our community and beyond in the coming year.”

The prestigious honor of being selected as a Disney Ambassador began during the 10th anniversary of Disneyland, when Walt Disney realized the need for an additional representative to help fulfill the many media, public appearance and VIP hosting requests he received. He selected the very first Ambassador in 1965 and the tradition has continued ever since.

Today, the Ambassador selection process involves months of preparation and interviews with fellow Cast Members and executives where candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of their Disney knowledge and their passion about being a Disney Cast Member.

The new Ambassador team will represent the company during the recently announced “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign. The celebration runs through 2009 and invites all guests to mark their special occasions at a Disney park in a way only Disney can provide. Their full-time duties include participating in more than 200 events from - Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2009 - including Cast Member recognition ceremonies, grand openings, marketing events, special promotions and media interviews. They will also host dignitaries and other VIPs at Disneyland Resort.

In 2006, DuBois began her career at the Disneyland Resort as a lead and trainer in the imaging department. Prior to that, DuBois lived in Yokohama, Japan and served as an English teacher to students that ranged in age from 3 to 80 years old. After attending California State University, Chico, where she received a degree in communication design, DuBois participated in the Up With People Worldsmart program – an international community service youth group. For one year, DuBois dedicated her time to giving back through performances and activities in 18 countries. DuBois attended College Park High School in Pleasant Hill and currently resides in Irvine, Calif.

Shurian began his career at Disneyland in attractions in 1994 and had roles in Guest Relations and Guest Communications before reaching his current position as a communications specialist in Cast Communications. He also is an Adventure Guide for Adventures by Disney – traveling around the world sharing his passion for Disney with families on vacation. Shurian has been a Disney VoluntEAR for nearly 10 years – dedicating time to various projects around the community. Two of those years he has held spots on the Disney VountEARS Leadership Council. Shurian attended Newbury Park High School and currently resides in Orange, Calif.

Companies Align to Bring Unprecedented New Experiences to Guests at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort…and Right on Their Verizon Wireless Phones

November 12, 2008 - Marking a first in both the travel and mobile industries, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Verizon are teaming up for a multi-year relationship designed to enhance the guest experience – before, during and after guests arrive at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. This alignment allows guests to have a personal tour guide right in their wireless phones along with reliable new services at the parks. Early next year guests will also use Verizon Wireless’ technology when experiencing Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, an ultra-interactive attraction coming to Epcot in Walt Disney World Resort.

“With more than 90 percent of families bringing a mobile phone into our Parks, our objective was to enhance the magical Disney experience through innovative wireless technology,” said Jay Rasulo, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Imagine receiving up to the minute tips on special Park activities with just the touch of a button or receiving a call from Buzz Lightyear welcoming you to the Magic Kingdom.”

Beginning next year, guests will be able to access an array of features on their Verizon Wireless phones while at the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort to help them make the most of their Disney experiences. Planned services include an exclusive mobile application that will give guests with Verizon Wireless service the ability to easily locate shows, restaurants and the Disney characters anywhere inside the Parks; get real-time attraction availability information; access mobile games; receive messages from characters and more. Verizon Wireless is also continuing to invest in its wireless network from coast to coast, and the relationship with Disney means the wireless users will benefit from further enhancements to the Verizon Wireless network in the Parks.

John Harrobin, senior vice president of digital media and marketing for Verizon, said, “All of our efforts focus on one goal: making the Disney experience even better for our customers. There are few life experiences that are more memorable than visiting a Disney Park, and now guests with Verizon Wireless service will unlock even more magic from their visit – by navigating the Parks easier and faster with instant access to key information such as ‘Where’s Mickey now?’ and other special features – even when they travel home and share their experiences with family and friends.”

In addition, guests visiting Epcot in Walt Disney World Resort in early 2009 will be among the first to experience Disney’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure. An ultra-interactive attraction, Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure invites guests of all ages to team up with members of Team Possible to save the world from various comical villains and their mad inventions. Armed with an official Verizon Wireless “Kimmunicator,” guests will use these handheld devices to help maneuver through the mission. The interactive wireless theme park game was inspired by Disney Channel’s Emmy® Award-winning animated series, “Kim Possible.”

While Verizon Wireless customers will have exclusive access to an array of enhanced features, Disney and Verizon are also working to ensure that some mobile information such as dining locations, show times and locations will be available to all Parks visitors, regardless of their wireless company.

Additional details will be available next year as the companies expect to add a suite of services and functionalities to help guests at Disney Parks have the most magical experience. For more information about Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, visit www.disney.com. For more information about Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

Disney Parks and Resorts – Taking Guests to New Frontiers

The agreement between Disney and Verizon is another step in a series of new initiatives that highlight the latest technologies from Disney Parks and Resorts with a continued focus on improving guest experience and providing immersive entertainment. Disney Parks and Resorts continue to exemplify how technologies can be used to build new connections and redefine how guests plan and enjoy their vacations. From the time guests begin planning their vacation using Walt Disney World Resort in 3D on Google Earth or tuning into Disney Travel on Demand, the experience is designed to make their lives easier. Guests can take their vacation experience to a new level with Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, an interactive wireless theme park game for families, and by personalizing and sharing their Disney experiences when they return home, using DisneyLink, a desktop application.

About Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is where dreams come true and magic comes to life. This segment of The Walt Disney Company encompasses 11 theme parks at five of the world’s leading family vacation destinations – Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Resort Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. It also includes: Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club; Adventures by Disney; Disney Regional Entertainment, which operates the ESPN Zone sports dining and entertainment centers; World of Disney stores in New York, Orlando and Anaheim; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts had approximately $10 billion in revenues in fiscal 2006. More information about Disney Travel on Demand and all of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts can be found at www.DisneyParks.com.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 71 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 228,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

Disneyland Resort A Great Spot For Holiday Shopping, From Passes To Unique Gift Items

ANAHEIM, Calif. – As the 2008 holiday season approaches, Disneyland Resort offers magical gift ideas for all ages. The Resort gift list includes toys, dolls, collectible art and unique items such as personalized mouse ears and toy light sabers. Shoppers can find everything from stocking stuffers to the ultimate gift for a Disneyland fan: the Disneyland Resort Annual Passport.

The Annual Passport is an ideal and practical gift for anyone who visits the Resort more than two or three times per year … or would like to! The gift of a Disneyland Resort Annual Passport will enable the recipients – family members, friends and Disney fans in general – to celebrate throughout the year with the magic of Disneyland Resort.

Along with admission to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, the gift of an Annual Passport entitles the Passholder to attend special Annual Passholder events, enjoy discounts at many Resort food locations and Downtown Disney vendors, take advantage of special rates at Disneyland Resort hotels, and receive regular updates on new events and Annual Passholder benefits through the exclusive Annual Passholder Web site, the collectible “Backstage Pass” newsletter and e-mail. In 2008, Annual Passholder benefits included exclusive opportunities to preview the new Toy Story Mania and Innoventions Dream Home attractions, the Pixar Play Parade and the one-of-a-kind Disneyland Dream Suite.

Disneyland Resort offers an Annual Pass option for every lifestyle and budget. The Premium Annual Passport is valid every day of the year. Other Annual Passports have “blockout dates” but entitle the bearer to purchase discounted “blockout day” tickets.

• The $134 Southern California Select Annual Passport (for California residents living in zip codes 90000-93599) offers 170 pre-selected days of admission to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.

• The $174 Southern California Annual Passport (for California residents living in zip codes 90000-93599) offers 215 pre-selected days of admission.

• The $269 Deluxe Annual Passport offers 315 pre-selected days of admission.

• The $389 Premium Annual Passport offers daily admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure and includes parking in the Mickey & Friends parking structure off Disneyland Drive. Premium Annual Passholders also enjoy special discounts at many Resort food and merchandise locations.

(Passholders of the Southern California Select, Southern California and Deluxe Annual Passports may purchase a $59 annual parking pass for Mickey & Friends.)

Disneyland Resort Annual Passports may be purchased at Disneyland Resort ticket booths or online at www.disneyland.com.

More Gift Ideas - Shopping at Disneyland Resort

From the long-established Disneyland Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A., to the numerous specialty shops in Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the Resort hotels, Disneyland Resort offers many options for the holiday shopper.

Personalized Mouse Ears and Tomorrowland Light Sabers can be fashioned especially for that Disneyland or Star Wars fan. Design your own Light Saber grip and select the color of your energy beam! Limited-edition holiday plush toys and bean bag toys will be available for holiday gift-giving, including Mickey and Minnie beanies in holiday attire embroidered with holiday messages. An all-new line of Princesses and their pets premiers in November, featuring plush versions of Cinderella with her dog Bruno, Jasmine with her tiger Rajah, etc. Specially designed pens, PokitPals (to carry pills and other small objects), collectible pins and Disney’s Wild Racers (“Cars With Character”) will make ideal stocking-stuffers.

For the serious Disney fan and collector, there are limited-edition holiday art works, the annual holiday edition Marie Osmond doll, and Vinylmation “mystery pins,” available only at Disney theme parks in a variety of offbeat character designs.

Each of the shops at Downtown Disney will have its own holiday offerings. As usual, Disney Vault 28 will be on the cutting edge with apparel and accessories by jewelry designer Tarina Tarantino, Billy Martin (guitarist for Good Charlotte) and others.

The Merriest Of Holiday Celebrations Make Spirits Brighter Than Ever At Disneyland Resort

ANAHEIM, Calif. (November 11, 2008) – When it comes to celebrating the magic and sparkle of the holidays, there’s no place like the Disneyland Resort, the Merriest Place on Earth. From November 21 through January 4, the annual Disneyland Resort holiday celebration will be more dazzling than ever.

Guests will enjoy the return of the holiday’s most popular offerings as well as be immersed in new entertainment at both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks.

Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, first introduced in 2007, will be decorated even more elaborately this holiday season with additional snowdrifts and icicles. After dark, a sensational new holiday lighting and special effects show will carry the magic of the holidays from the Castle all the way to the Christmas Tree in Town Square. And, for the first time in 53 years, the Christmas Tree will be completely artificial, which enables Disneyland to present a holiday light show like no other with more than 62,000 energy-efficient LED lights.

The Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle presentation unfolds throughout the evening in three acts, each of them featuring a touch of winter snow on Main Street, U.S.A. The finale of the show includes the legendary “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks show, which takes guests on a journey of sights and sounds of the season and ends with a touching rendition of “White Christmas” along with a climactic snowfall swirling down on Main Street, U.S.A., “small world mall” and New Orleans Square.

New this year, just in time for the holidays and for the first time in seven years, guests will walk through the iconic home of Sleeping Beauty. A “reawakened” Sleeping Beauty Castle show tells the story of “Sleeping Beauty” in a style reminiscent of the Disneyland Castle walkthrough of earlier years, but enhanced with 21st-century special effects.

Themed entertainment, sparkling decorations and tasty treats add festive warmth to holiday fun at both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. Guests can also book guided holiday tours that provide expedited entry into the “it’s a small world” holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday, VIP seating for the Disneyland “A Christmas Fantasy” parade and entertaining information about the history behind Disneyland holiday traditions. For information and reservations guests can visit Disneyland City Hall or call (714) 781-4400.

Other returning holiday favorites at Disneyland park include:

• Santa’s Reindeer Round-up, which transforms Big Thunder Ranch into a “West Pole” getaway where Santa can unwind with Mrs. Claus and his team of reindeer. Kids and their families will chat with St. Nick, see real reindeer grazing in a corral, play some reindeer games, create take-home Yuletide souvenirs and join in holiday line dances with music from a Western trio.

• “A Christmas Fantasy” parade will be presented November 21 through January 4 on Main Street, U.S.A. This ever-popular procession depicts an enchanting collection of holiday scenes, music and a cast of Disney characters and performers in Yuletide vignettes.

• Haunted Mansion Holiday presents a madcap celebration as the traditions of Halloween and Christmas collide. The ghoulish but well-meaning Jack Skellington from the film Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas has come to the Haunted Mansion to transform it with his skewed vision of the holidays.

• “it’s a small world” holiday transforms “it’s a small world” into a worldwide celebration of the season, boasting more than 300,000 glittering lights on its facade.

Disney’s California Adventure celebrates the season with fanciful park-wide decorations and lively entertainment.

• Guests approaching the park will immediately get in the holiday mood as they encounter the iconic “CALIFORNIA” letters transformed to appear as swirling red and white peppermint sticks.

• “a bug’s land” transforms as Flik and his bug buddies spread giant Christmas lights and oversized ornaments throughout their realm.

• The holiday scene at Paradise Bay includes a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, hundreds of sparking lights on nearby trees, and lampposts decorated with seasonal wreaths.

The Downtown Disney District and the Disneyland Resort hotels will join in the merriment with twinkling lights and ornaments, special entertainment and holiday dining.

Just in time for the holidays, new entertainment comes to life in both parks. At Disney’s California Adventure, the daily “Pixar Play Parade” is joined three times each day by performances of the energetic, traveling rock and dance concert show, “High School Musical 3: Senior Year – Right Here! Right Now!” Also new to Disney’s California Adventure is the Blue Sky Cellar, a Walt Disney Imagineers’ workshop that offers guests a preview of new attractions coming to the park over the next few years.

At Disneyland, in addition to the reopening of the doors to Sleeping Beauty Castle, guests have a new opportunity to explore the world of Tinker Bell inside Pixie Hollow, a magical place where visitors meet “Tink” and her pixie friends.

Expanded hours at both Disneyland Resort theme parks will extend the holiday fun. For more information about holidays at the Disneyland Resort, and to send Disneyland Resort e-card holiday greetings to friends and relatives, visit www.disneyland.com/holidays.

The interior of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, long closed to guests, will "reawaken" in time for Thanksgiving. A vibrant new version of the classic walkthrough attraction features colorful scenes of Aurora, her gallant prince, the evil Maleficent and other characters from the beloved fairy tale film.

The attraction is scheduled to open at 5 p.m. Wednesday, kicking off the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

This revived Sleeping Beauty Castle "show" differs from the window-display dioramas which could be seen in the castle during the 1980s and '90s. It takes its inspiration from the unique style of the original Disneyland castle walkthrough attraction of 1957, co-designed by animation art director and color stylist Eyvind Earle, who was credited with giving the motion picture "Sleeping Beauty" its distinctive and colorful look of storybook illustrations in medieval style.

Enhanced with new scenes and special-effects magic, the re-Imagineered attraction employs technology not available in the 1950s to tell the story of Sleeping Beauty, including the magic of good fairies Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, and the more sinister spells of the evil Maleficent.

For the first time, guests who are unable to climb stairs or navigate the passageways of the Castle will be able to experience the walkthrough "virtually" in a special room on the ground floor of the Castle.

REAWAKENED BEAUTY -- In time for the Thanksgiving holiday, Disneyland guests will once again experience the story of "Sleeping Beauty" inside the new walkthrough attraction located inside the famous Disneyland castle. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland)

ANAHEIM, CALIF, December 15, 2008 - As Disneyland Resort celebrates the holiday gift-giving season, a newly launched Monthly Payment Program for Annual Passholders will make it easier for Southern California residents to have their own frequent Disneyland Resort celebrations in the year to come.

This new program lets Southern California residents enjoy the Disneyland Resort magic throughout the year with an Annual Passport, while paying in 12 monthly installments.

By selecting the payment option, Guests will pay for the cost of a 1-Day, 1-Park ticket upon purchase and will pay the remaining amount over the next 12 months, with no finance charges applied. For example, a Guest purchasing a Southern California Select Annual Passport for $134 would pay $69 at the time of purchase - with the remaining balance of $65 spread out over the next 12 months.

"Annual Passports provide a great entertainment value and flexibility for our Guests who make frequent visits to our parks throughout the year," said Jill Estorino, senior vice president of Marketing for the Disneyland Resort. "Through this new program, Guests can literally turn a one-day ticket into an Annual Pass for less than $6 a month.

"This program was based on feedback from our current Annual Passholders - and we're excited to provide them with this new option just in time for the holidays," added Estorino.

The Monthly Payment program for Annual Passports is offered only to Southern California residents within the 90000 and 93599 zip codes.

All Annual Passport options are available through the program, including Premium, Deluxe, Southern California and Southern California Select Annual Passports. The program is available only at the ticket booths. Next year, it will be offered for online purchases.