Disney and Florida Attractions News Blog

ANAHEIM, Calif. and LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (April 25, 2013) – Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort will kick off a Monstrous Summer by keeping three theme parks open for 24 hours nonstop on Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of the family travel season.

The Magic Kingdom Park in Florida and Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park in California will stay open from 6 a.m., May 24 to 6 a.m., May 25, 2013, local time* marking the beginning of a summer of fun inspired by the upcoming Disney•Pixar comedy adventure Monsters University.

The oversized fun of a 24-hour Disney park “All-Nighter” called for an equally epic announcement, and the huge sphere of Spaceship Earth was transformed from Disney Parks icon to Disney●Pixar “Eye-con,” becoming a 180-foot-tall, fully animated Mike Wazowski, the loveable green-bodied, one-eyed monster who joins best pal James P. Sullivan (“Sulley”) in the prequel to Monsters, Inc., this summer as college students with hopes of becoming Scarers.

Walt Disney World President George Kalogridis joined Mike to share the news of the first-ever, three-park All-Nighter.

“This summer, Disney Parks are bursting with a monstrous lineup of new thrills, shows and happenings,” said Kalogridis. “Guests can start Memorial Day Weekend with a 24-hour-marathon of memory-making as three Parks stay open all day and all night to celebrate the bi-coastal kick-off of a Monstrous Summer at Disney Parks.”

Mike and Sulley will take a break from collegiate life and their Scare studies at Monsters University to host the All-Nighter, dropping in to scare up some school spirit. Guests will scream and giggle with delight at the lineup of thrills and entertainment that promises to make this a day and night to be remembered for a lifetime.

In Florida, the Magic Kingdom will feature a Monsters University theme where Mike and Sulley will be the Grand Marshals of the “Celebrate a Dream Come True” day parade – complete with pomp and circumstance – and make appearances in Tomorrowland. Guests also will find extra entertainment throughout the day and night, including characters in their pajamas in Town Square during the late night and early morning, and late-night dance parties in and around the courtyard of Cinderella Castle.

In California, guests can party the night away at both parks with special entertainment, including a Monsters University “TLT Monstrous” Dance Club and Star Wars characters in Tomorrowland, and late-night Character Pajama Party in Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland. The new Fantasy

Faire Royal Theatre at Disneyland will become a Royal Dance Hall late at night with a live band and dancing, and guests of Disney California Adventure will find Monstrous photo opportunities with new Monsters University “Dorms” in Hollywood Land and a new Monsters University float leading the Pixar Play Parade.

All three parks will feature limited-edition specialty merchandise and food and beverage offerings plus other surprises throughout the entire day.

The All-Nighter is just the beginning of the fun. In California, vacationers at “The Happiest Place on Earth” will see how Disneyland Resort “Just Got Happier” with great new attractions such as the “Mickey and the Magical Map” stage show. It is also the first summer for guests to experience the new Fantasy Faire with Disney Princesses at Disneyland, and they continue to enjoy the exciting new offerings of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure.

Walt Disney World Monstrous Summer includes new offerings and popular favorites in all four parks. This is the first summer for New Fantasyland, which has received rave reviews from guests since its December grand opening as the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. Guests also will find new, engaging offerings for the entire family throughout the Walt Disney World Resort this summer such as an interactive “Pirates Adventure” game at Magic Kingdom, the newly re-imagined Test Track at Epcot, the new Disney Junior show, featuring Sofia The First and Doc McStuffins, as new additions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, plus Wilderness Explorers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that will bring families together in exciting new ways.

ABOUT “MONSTERS UNIVERSITY”

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Screaming with laughter and oozing with heart, Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”), produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and features music from future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning composer Randy Newman (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Toy Story 3″). For more information, like us at facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity, and follow us on twitter.com/disneypixar. The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in 3D in select theaters. For more information, check out disney.com/MonstersU.

For more information on Monstrous Summer, check out http://www.disneyparks.com/MonstrousSummer

For those who may not be familiar with the Blue Sky Cellar, it is named after the initial free-thinking process imagineers go through when designing something new, a process they call "blue sky." Disney has been using the Blue Sky Cellar as a preview center for all the upgrades happening at California Adventure, but with the added purpose of showing the imagineering process behind what is being built.

With the massive California Adventure completed, it is now showcasing projects under development at Disneyland too!

Fantasy Faire (an enchanting village square), opening spring 2013, will be showcased when Blue Sky Cellar reopens January19th.

You'll also find information about the new show, Mickey and the Magical Map, when Blue Sky Cellar reopens!

RELATED LINKS:
** Mickey and the Magical Map

** Fantasy Fairie Announcement 2001:

The Beast’s Library in the Disney Animation Building is the perfect place to relax and cool off during a day at Disney California Adventure park. And now you can discover even more about the character inside you with updated questions and new characters just added to the library’s royal storybooks!

Halloween Time will run from September 14 through October 31st.

Disneyland park will host Mickey’s Halloween Party on the following dates:

Friday, September 28 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Tuesday, October 2 – 6 to 11 p.m.
Friday, October 5 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Tuesday, October 9 – 6 to 11 p.m.
Friday, October 12 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Monday, October 15 – 6 to 11 p.m.
Friday, October 19 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Tuesday, October 23 – 6 to 11 p.m.
Friday, October 26 – 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Monday, October 29 – 6 to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, October 31 – 6 to 11 p.m.

Mickey’s Halloween Party features:

++ Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular, exclusively for Mickey’s Halloween Party guests

++ Admission to the Disneyland park up to 3 hours prior to the event’s start time

++ Meet-and-greets with your Disney and Pixar pals and Disney Villains

++ Special treat stations offering both yummy candy and healthy goodies

++ Mickey’s Costume Party Cavalcade

++ Special dance parties

++ Access to nearly all attractions, including all the Halloween-themed attractions such as Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and Haunted Mansion Holiday

Tickets for Mickey’s Halloween Party go on sale for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders on July 9 and for the general public on July 16.

Each ticket is valid for admission to the event and parking for one (1) vehicle (larger vehicles may require an additional fee) on the specified event date.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – “If Main Street, U.S.A., is the romanticized version of Walt Disney’s hometown, Buena Vista Street is the next chapter of Walt’s life when he came to California,” says Ray Spencer of Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI). “It’s an extension of where we started at Disneyland Park . . . and now our guests can step across the plaza and get the rest of the story.”

A big part of that story was the premier of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937 at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, and that landmark building is the inspiration for the spectacular Carthay Circle Theatre that anchors Buena Vista Street. This new landmark for Disney California Adventure Park becomes one of the premier dining locations at Disneyland Resort, the Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge.

The upstairs Carthay Circle Restaurant and downstairs Carthay Circle Lounge recall the grandeur of the original theater’s 1920s Spanish Revival architecture with custom tiles, plaster arches, custom woodwork and other historic touches. The cuisine is the star of this production with artisan ingredients, locally sourced produce and seafood and meats from throughout Southern California. Executive Chef Andrew Sutton from Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa created the restaurant’s seasonal menu, and Chef Gloria Tae, also from Napa Rose, is at the helm in the kitchen.

“The culinary team is a group of true artists with passion and confidence for creating delicious food,” says Sutton.

Located on the second floor, the 256-seat restaurant (200 inside, 56 on the terrace) is open daily for lunch and dinner.

On the ground floor, the 68-seat Carthay Circle Lounge features cocktails from the 1920s with tableside service for signature beverages including martinis and classic punches. “The focus in the lounge is appetizers and tapas – international tastes that celebrate the diversity and heritage of Los Angeles in the 1920s and ’30s,” says restaurant manager and sommelier Joy Cushing.

Fried Banana Split Monte Cristo Sundae

Hours for both the restaurant and lounge are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

More Eats on Buena Vista Street

Buena Vista Street also offers four spots for quick bites: Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe; Mortimers Market, Trolley Treats and Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream.

The 178-seat Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe (134 inside, 44 outside) offers Starbucks coffee drinks; signature sandwiches such as a turkey Rueben, paneer and roasted vegetable and salami with olive tapenade, and roast beef and cheddar, as well as savory soups including vegetarian cream spinach, chicken tortilla, classic chicken noodle and cheesy enchilada. Sweet rolls, pastries and breakfast sandwiches are on the morning menu along with specialty coffees.

Mortimers Market will offer whole and cut fruits, bottled water, juices and soft drinks. (According to Disney legend, Mortimer Mouse is the name Walt Disney gave his new creation in 1928. He later changed it to Mickey.)

Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream features Dreyer’s ice cream, including bars dipped in milk or dark chocolate that guests can finish with sprinkles, pop rocks and other fun toppings. Hot fudge and strawberry sundaes and other frozen delights round out the sweet offerings.

When Cars Land opens June 15, the tiny town of Radiator Springs will also be teeming with atmosphere entertainment inspired by the Disney•Pixar film, “Cars.”

Big and red on the outside, gentle and good-natured on the inside, Red the Fire Truck shows up with his sirens blaring and his bell ringing, heading to meet up with his good buddy, a Volunteer Firefighter. The Firefighter lets everyone know the flowers in the area need watering. It’s “Red to the Rescue,” but each time the Firefighter attempts to use Red’s hose, it backfires on him! In all the fun, the plants manage to get wet, and you might too!

Bringing a completely different kind of beat to the street is “DJ’s Dance & Drive.” DJ, the ultimate party car, rolls into town with his giant speakers, built-in disc changer and his very own dance party, led by a girl named Spinner. This gang stops traffic everywhere they go, creating a spontaneous, interactive dance party. Spinner and the crew teach us moves like the Overdrive, the Reverse and the Hairpin Turn, while DJ calls up the hits, from “Life in the Fast Lane” to “Car Wash.” DJ’s going to shift Cars Land into high gear!

Cruise on down to Cars Land this summer at Disney California Adventure park. The residents there will be glad you rolled into town!

From Shawn Slater Disney Parks Blog

Valarie Sukovaty, Disneyland Public Relations reported on the DisneyParksBlog....

Imagineers are busy putting the final touches on Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure park. This busy California street will take you back to 1923, when Walt Disney first arrived in California.

Part of the décor includes colorful murals made of tiles that create a story, while also reflecting the architecture and the Spanish influence in California during the 1920s. The video below goes behind the scenes with Imagineers as they work with a vendor in Los Angeles to create each tile. Make sure you take time to see these beautiful murals this summer at Disney California Adventure park when Buena Vista Street, Carthay Circle Theatre and Cars Land open on June 15.

The Disney Parks Blog has been sharing a variety of videos and news bites about Cars Land each week. With a grand opening on June 15th, it's all starting to fall into place now.

For this point-of-view video, a camera was mounted on the driver’s side of a Radiator Springs Racers car during a recent test run in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure park. Vehicles are being tested seven days a week, mostly at night. By the time each vehicle is commissioned, it will travel approximately 36,000 miles per year!

Today we take you “behind the music” in North Hollywood with song writer and composer Bruno Coon and the band, “Billy Hill and the Hillbillies.” (Billy Hill and the Hillbillies have been entertaining at Disneyland park since the early 1990s.) In this recording session they performed the instrumental tracks for the songs heard on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.

CEO Bob Iger and Tom Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, toured the soon to open Cars Land at Disney California Adventure on March 6th and announced the Grand Opening would be June 15th!

On Buena Vista Street they rode the iconic Red Car Trolley, which explores the storefronts that line the street and continues to the Carthay Circle Theatre, the new icon of Disney California Adventure park.

This new entrance to the park will transport guests to a romantic, idealized version of 1920s Hollywood when Walt and Roy Disney first arrived in California to begin their careers as filmmakers. Buena Vista Street will be the perfect place for guests to shop and eat, watch the parade, or just sit and soak up the atmosphere.

On to Cars Land, the 12 acre land highlighted by the Ornament Valley Mountain Range. Cars Land will include several new attractions including the E-ticket Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and the Red Car Trolley. There will also be new dining and shopping locations such as Flo’s V8 Café, Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream, Elias & Co. and Los Feliz Five & Dime.

To accommodate a media preview and make final preparations for the opening, Disney California Adventure park will be closed for one day on June 14. Disneyland park, Downtown Disney District and the Disneyland Resort hotels will remain open for our guests on that day.

“Minnie’s Fly Girls Charter Airline” opened February 17th at Disney California Adventure park. This tune-filled “travelogue” of song, dance and audience interaction takes place in Condor Flats, across from Soarin’ Over California, featuring songs from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s in a colorful new show sure to appeal to the young and young at heart.

Creating something to delight multiple generations was a central focus during production and a personal passion of the creative team. Senior Writer Carolyn Gardner said, “I’ve been surrounded by pilots ever since I can remember. My dad was a private pilot [and] flight instructor, my mom flew her own ‘solo’ flight, my big brother worked at our local airfield and my cousin’s an air traffic controller. I hope audiences feel their own hearts take wing when the show’s flight crew launches into the fun-filled, flight-themed songs.”

“Come Fly with Me,” originally performed by Frank Sinatra, introduces the crew – Amanda, Pat, Kate and Lee – to all their potential “passengers” (the audience). Minnie makes her grand entrance during “Straighten up and Fly Right,” a hit song by Nat King Cole. The performance also includes two medleys, incorporating a number of other musical favorites. “Destination Medley” is a fun, ‘round-the-world collection of standards such as “Brazil,” “I Love Paris” and “Lady of Spain.” The Disney “Flying Medley” is an uplifting blend of Disney tunes, including “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and “When I See an Elephant Fly.”

Art Director Brian Sandahl’s challenge was to design a stage that doesn’t look like a stage. “When the show is not being performed, the stage fits nicely into the aged look of Condor Flats, and you’d almost not even notice it,” says Brian. “The décor for the stage looks very industrial, very much like found objects you would see in Condor Flats; however, when the show begins, a common flight sign becomes the ‘show sign,’ a steel drum magically becomes a check in counter and an old trunk becomes a prop trunk for the many props in this show.”

The music, costumes and props send this latest addition to Disney California Adventure park soaring to new heights. You’ll definitely want to “book a flight” with “Minnie’s Fly Girls Charter Airline” on your next visit!

From the Disney Parks Blog

One of our attractions that is just now entering daily ride testing is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree where baby tractors twirl and swing around, pulling trailers behind them (that’s where we get to sit). When completed, the tractors will appear to be dancing to songs that Mater is singing – they just can’t help themselves!

In addition to starting the ride testing, we’ve been making some other big changes to this area with the installation of our marquee and a huge new set piece – Mater’s Junkyard Jukebox. Take a look and see all the great work that’s being done in Mater’s junkyard. (Please note that the music you hear in the video is for the video only and will not be part of the fun songs you’ll hear Mater singing. More on these fun songs later!)

ANAHEIM, CALIF. — Dec. 1, 2011 — Disneyland Resort today announced that Ghirardelli will open a new location inside Disney California Adventure park in late spring 2012. The soda fountain and chocolate shop will add yet another layer of traditional San Francisco flair to the Pacific Wharf area of the park.

“The addition of a world-renowned brand like Ghirardelli highlights our focus on providing quality, immersive experiences that transport our guests to a different place – in this case to San Francisco,” said Mary Niven, vice president of Disney California Adventure park. “With the culmination of our expansion only a few months away, it is an exciting time at Disney California Adventure and we look forward to partnering with Ghirardelli in bringing this delicious chocolate experience to our guests.”

The new location will feature Ghirardelli’s world-famous hot fudge sundaes and decadent chocolate products. Each guest will be able to enjoy a complimentary sample of the signature Ghirardelli Squares® chocolate. The Disney California Adventure store follows the 13-year success of a similar location at Downtown Disney in Walt Disney World.

“We are very excited to expand our successful relationship with Disney, particularly as we prepare to celebrate our 160th anniversary next year,” stated Martin Thompson, Ghirardelli president and CEO. “Our rich heritage, which began in California, combined with our premium brand of high-quality chocolate is a perfect fit with the quality experience Disney offers their guests.”

Ghirardelli joins Disney California Adventure as it completes an expansion that began in 2007. New attractions include the nighttime spectacular “World of Color” and a classic dark ride, The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. The project‘s culmination is the 12-acre Cars Land, which opens in summer 2012 along with the newly designed Buena Vista Street entrance to the park, the iconic Carthay Circle Theatre and the Red Car Trolley. The expansion builds upon the transformation of Disneyland Resort into the premier multi-day Southern California vacation destination.

The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure opened to guests on June 3, 2011, at Disney California Adventure park. This whimsical underwater adventure begins when guests board pastel-colored clamshell vehicles and head “under the sea” to visit Ariel and her friends in a musical retelling of the classic motion picture. During this immersive experience, guests will see the Little Mermaid falling in love, getting her legs, losing her voice and winning the prince as the best-loved musical numbers bring the attraction to life all around them.
•This is the first Disney ride-through attraction that takes you “under the sea” with Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian and Ursula, with music and scenes from “The Little Mermaid” film.

•Nearly 200 Audio-Animatronics figures perform in the attraction. The Under the Sea scene alone has 128 figures, including 50 spinning starfish.

•Ursula is the largest Audio-Animatronics figure in the show at 7½-feet tall and 12-feet wide. She also has a squash-and-stretch function in her torso and flexible materials so she can bounce along with the music.

•An 86-foot long, hand-painted mural greets guests in the loading area of the attraction. The mural depicts many of the characters guests will see within the attraction including Prince Eric, King Triton, Sebastian, Flounder and, of course, Ariel.

•The attraction was created by a team of talented Imagineers and consultants including Senior Show Producer Lisa Girolami, Creative Director/Show Designer Larry Nikolai, and Frank Antonides, director of project management – all from Walt Disney Imagineering – along with Chris Crump, production and show designer, and Danny Troob, musical arranger and orchestrator.

•The attraction building was inspired by the Dragon Gorge scenic railway at the long-gone Ocean Park amusement zone in Southern California.

•The building’s façade features a statue of King Triton and relief carvings of six frolicking mermaids. The mermaids are Ariel’s older sisters: Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Attina, Adella, and Alana.

•The Palace of Fine Arts rotunda, originally the entrance to the former “Golden Dreams” attraction, has been incorporated into The Little Mermaid attraction architecture and is now part of the entrance façade.

•A special skin technology had to be incorporated into the Audio-Animatronics figures for Ariel, King Triton and Ursula since they have so much skin exposed.

•The attraction features an Omnimover ride system pioneered by Walt Disney Imagineers in the 1960s and used for the “Doom Buggies” of the Haunted Mansion, as well as in Adventures Through Inner Space, formerly in Tomorrowland.

•Attraction vehicles are sculpted multi-colored, pastel clamshells.

•The attraction experience is approximately 5½ minutes from the time guests load the clamshell to the time they exit the clamshell.

•Music in the queue features an orchestral medley of songs from the film.

•Songs from the original film written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are featured in the attraction: “Part of Your World,” “Kiss the Girl,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and the Academy Award winning “Under the Sea.” Guests will recognize the voices of Jodi Benson (Ariel) and Pat Carroll (Ursula).

•The Little Mermaid feature film debuted November 15, 1989, and the film won Academy Awards for Best Song, “Under the Sea,” and Best Original Score.

•The Little Mermaid was the first Disney film based on a classic fairy tale since Sleeping Beauty three decades earlier.

•Imagineers working on the attraction consulted with Ariel’s animator in the film, Glen Keane, who recommended that her hair be treated as a character all its own.

•Each scene of the attraction was first built as a one-quarter-inch scale model and then as a one inch scale model, so Imagineers could “ride” through the attraction scene-by-scene before full construction began.

•The attraction concludes with a surprise ending that takes us beyond the ending of the film.

•A similar version of the attraction is scheduled to open in the new Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

ANAHEIM, Calif., June 2, 2011 – Guests will enter the enchanting story of “The Little Mermaid,” complete with characters and songs from the Academy Award-winning Disney animated motion picture, when they board The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, premiering Friday, June 3, in Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort.

Set in and around Ariel’s underwater world and located inside a new space on Paradise Pier, the new attraction combines the enduring appeal of a classic Disney “dark ride” with wonderful technological innovations to offer guests a personal journey into the scenes of the film. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure adds to the excitement of Disney Soundsational Summer, June 3 through Sept 5, a season that offers guests even more ways to make special memories at the Disneyland Resort.

Adventurers on the attraction will feel as if they are descending below the ocean’s surface, one of the special effects that take this “dark ride” to a new level of sophistication. Once “under the sea,” guests will find themselves immersed in the classic story of “The Little Mermaid,” sharing Ariel’s adventure through advanced Audio-Animatronics technology, a magical cast of characters and a captivating musical score that will entice everyone to sing along.

“Being involved in this attraction is a dream come true for me,” said Lisa Girolami, Walt Disney Imagineer and Senior Show Producer for The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. “I watched the movie when it first came out and I’ve seen it many, many times since. To be able to create Ariel’s world and bring it to our guests, and then get to watch the faces of the kids and parents as they come through here, is just going to be the best thing ever.”

‘Out of the sea … Wish I could be … Part of that world’

The fun begins outside the attraction, where the building housing The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is a new landmark along Paradise Pier. Its Victorian Exposition-style exterior, including a statue of King Triton and relief carvings of frolicking mermaids (Ariel’s sisters), was inspired by the spectacular pavilions found in the classic seaside amusement parks of the early 20th century.

“Many times I’ve thought, ‘Why didn’t we have a Mermaid attraction sooner?’“ Keane said. “But now I’m glad we didn’t. They’ve done this one so well.”

Actresses Pat Carroll (left) and Jodi Benson (right), who voiced the roles of Ursula and Ariel in Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ are reunited at the all-new attraction ‘The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure’ at Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday. The first-ever attraction based on the classic Disney film opens June 3, 2011. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland)

In The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Ariel’s story unfolds in colorful scenes filled with Audio-Animatronics characters and memorable music from the hit Disney animated motion picture, “The Little Mermaid.” The Disney California Adventure park attraction brings the popular motion picture to life in magnificent scenes where guests can sing along with Sebastian and friends, keep an eye out for the evil Ursula, and experience the romance of Ariel and Eric. Special effects transport guests “under the sea,” taking them into Ariel’s world in ways never before seen.

Goofy’s Sky School, Restyled Shops and New Restaurants Will Complete Transformation of Paradise Pier in Summer 2011

ANAHEIM, Calif.− Guests will enjoy wild, hilarious flying lessons beginning July 1 at Goofy’s Sky School, one of several new attractions and restaurants opening in Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure park. Along with the debut of The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, these new experiences will complete the transformation of Paradise Pier, a section of the park reminiscent of a seaside amusement park of the 1930s.

The fun at Paradise Pier adds to the excitement of Disney Soundsational Summer, June 3 through Sept 5, offering guests even more ways to make special memories at the Disneyland Resort,

New dining locations also make their debut July 1, offering a variety of options for lunch, dinner and snacks at Paradise Pier -- Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Garden Grill and Bayside Brews, a beer and pretzel kiosk. This spring, the popular Corn Dog Castle made its return and Seaside Souvenirs opened as a restyled merchandise location.

During the past two years, Walt Disney Imagineers have added new attractions, enhanced the entertainment offerings and updated the architecture in Paradise Pier, the boardwalk area surrounding Paradise Bay. The water spectacular “World of Color” opened in 2010, along with Silly Symphony Swings, and guests first enjoyed the high-scoring fun of Toy Story Mania! in 2008.

Ariel and Goofy are now part of the cast of Disney characters along Paradise Bay, inviting guests to stay and play all summer long.

Goofy’s Sky School – Joining the fun along Paradise Pier July 1, this coaster attraction invites guests to enroll in Goofy’s Sky School, a hilarious adventure filled with zany dips, twists and family thrills. Inspired by the classic Goofy “How-to” shorts of the 1940s and 1950s as well as the cartoon short, “Goofy’s Glider,” the attraction takes “novice pilots” on a flying lesson through the wild, blue yonder. Zipping over and through the clouds, the flight path rises three stories high with plenty of wacky antics and instruction from Goofy via whimsically animated billboards.

Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – The sights and sounds of the boardwalk are part of the flavor at this quick-service Italian eatery, which offers something for everyone. The menu includes delicious pasta dishes and salads, and guests will be able to watch their flatbread pizza being pulled piping hot from the ovens. Flatbreads run the gamut from a traditional cheese or pepperoni to a Portobello mushroom and spinach flatbread with pesto, artichokes, mozzarella, ricotta-salata and Pecorino Romano cheese. Pasta fans can dig into classic spaghetti and meatballs, pasta tossed with chicken in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce, or five-cheese ravioli with pesto and toasted pine nuts.

Hearty salads include a chicken Caesar; Mediterranean chef salad with provolone, salami, capocollo, fresh mozzarella, cured ham, roasted peppers, olives and greens in a red wine vinaigrette; and a field greens salad with Craisins® dried cranberries, raisins, caramelized pecans and a basil vinaigrette. Vegetarian options are also available.

Paradise Garden Grill – Guests will find a Mediterranean spin on the food at this location with a variety of skewers and kabobs. Signature items include chicken, beef, vegetable, and tofu skewers served with rice pilaf, cucumber salad and grilled pita bread, with a selection of sauces, including Moroccan chili tomato and tandoori-spiced yogurt. Refreshing Greek salads and a kid’s menu are also available

Bayside Brews – Warm, salted pretzels are an ideal treat to pair with a cold beer, available at this new kiosk beginning July 1 at Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure park. Bayside Brews will offer beverages and six types of beers on tap, for guests 21 years of age and older. The beers include domestic and specialty brews.

Corn Dog Castle – This boardwalk favorite returns to serve one of California’s favorite beach snacks. The quick-serve eatery offers two choices for corn dog fans, original and hot link. A meatless option is also available, as a delicious, deep-fried cheddar cheese stick.

Seaside Souvenirs - This quaint boardwalk mercantile recalls the nautical-themed curio shops of seaside towns across the land. Formerly known as Souvenir 66, the mementos here are themed to the nearby The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure attraction, and it also carries general merchandise and sundries.

Fun Facts About Goofy’s Sky School:

•The attraction is inspired by the classic Goofy “how-to” short films of the 1940s and 1950s as well as the cartoon short, “Goofy’s Glider.”

•The flight instructor’s motto is on the entrance sign: “Fly the Goofy Way.”

•The attraction tells the story of Goofy’s decision to launch a flight academy following a failed attempt as an egg farmer on his California farmland.

•Residents of the egg farm-turned-flight school still linger on the premises, making this wacky flight school even more thrilling.

•Guests will enjoy unexpected turns on this “flight,” which features several "switchback" sections over 1,200 feet of track.

•Attraction vehicles will hold four guests per car.

•Guests must be 42 inches tall to ride, and FastPass is available for Goofy’s Sky School.

ANAHEIM (Feb. 25, 2011) – As families prepare for their 2011 summer vacations, the Disneyland Resort announces grand opening dates for several, highly-anticipated new attractions and family experiences.

The all-new “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” will bring a new beat to the streets of Disneyland Park beginning May 27. Also at Disneyland park, guests will once again visit galaxies far, far away with the opening of Star Tours, The Adventures Continue, on June 3.

At Disney California Adventure Park, the expansion continues with the June 3 grand opening of The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. Guests will also find some exciting changes at the Disneyland Hotel this spring.

May 27 premiere: All new for 2011, “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” officially steps off for Memorial Day weekend with an explosive musical score, thrilling rhythms and bold percussion that will have guests dancing to many of their favorite Disney tunes. Live musicians will amplify the fun, and colorful dancers will entertain guests to the beat of a syncopated drum line, twinkling cymbals and steel drums. Mickey Mouse and his pals will be jamming like never before, riding down Main Street, U.S.A. on whimsical float units.

Grand opening June 3: At Disney California Adventure park, get ready for an all-new voyage with one of Disney’s most beloved characters, Ariel. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure will invite guests to take a magical journey under the sea to experience all the fun and adventures in Ariel’s world. From the great songs to state-of-the-art animatronics and special effects, guests will become a part of her world in a way that’s never happened before.

The experience is a musical retelling of the classic motion picture as the best-loved songs come alive in magnificent scenes. Guests will sing along with Sebastian and Flounder, keep an eye out for the evil Ursula, and watch the Little Mermaid fall in love.

The Little Mermaid attraction represents the next big milestone in the expansion of Disney California Adventure park. “World of Color” debuted last year and continues to wow guests every night with magic that combines choreographed lights, lasers, music, animation and Disney storytelling. And beginning in 2012, guests will explore the new, 12-acre Cars Land.

Grand opening June 3: For those who dare to venture into the deep, dark corners of the universe, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue officially launches in Tomorrowland at Disneyland park, taking guests on interstellar adventurers to Coruscant, Tatooine and other destinations in the “Star Wars” galaxy. With the return of favorite Star Wars characters and the addition of more familiar faces and destinations, guests will experience Starspeeder travel in an all-new way . . . in 3D! This attraction also launches at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort on May 20.

Disneyland Hotel Enhancements: As part on an exciting renovation project, the Disneyland Hotel gets a retro theme with a contemporary twist. Along with beautiful new décor in the rooms, guests will enjoy historic and nostalgic elements of Disneyland park, circa the 1950s. In keeping with that spirit, the new Tangaroa Terrace restaurant will open this spring, along with the new bar called Trader Sam’s. The tiki-inspired design and storyline for this restaurant and bar tie in thematically with the mid-century modern architecture of the Disneyland Hotel and the adjacent Dream Tower, soon to be renamed Adventure Tower.

Guests will enjoy these exciting additions and more at the Disneyland Resort this summer. To learn about the continuing expansion at Disney California Adventure park, guests can visit the Blue Sky Cellar preview center located within the park. The Blue Sky Cellar houses concept drawings, models and other exhibits from Walt Disney Imagineering that allows guests a sneak peek of what’s coming next to Disney California Adventure.

New Displays Feature Models and Drawings by Disney Imagineers,
and New 'Animated' Map of Disney California Adventure Park

ANAHEIM, Calif., January 28, 2011 – The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure becomes the newest star in the 2011 update of Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar, the place where Disney California Adventure park guests find an exclusive preview of what is new and what is coming next for the expansion of the Disneyland Resort. Beginning Friday, January 28, a refreshed Blue Sky Cellar show will feature new models and a new video, along with dozens of concept drawings for the Little Mermaid attraction and other upcoming enhancements to Disney California Adventure park.

In the Blue Sky Cellar screening room, a new, birds-eye view painting of Disney California Adventure comes to life with projected animation that will delight guests with fun surprises. An updated film presentation features Disney Imagineers describing their work, along with footage of model-making, sculpting, “blue sky” meetings and all the aspects of bringing a Disney concept to life.

Other highlights include:

• Sketches and layout diagrams for the new attraction, along with three-dimensional models and other art work, all crafted by Disney Imagineers, the creative minds behind the design and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions.

• A preview of Goofy’s Sky School attraction and the new Paradise Pier dining locations that will open later this year.

• All-new attraction posters for California Screamin’, Mickey’s Fun Wheel and Silly Symphony Swings – designed in the style of traditional Disney theme park attraction posters which have appeared at the entrance to Disneyland for more than 50 years.

• Concept art for the new park entrance, the Buena Vista Street entry plaza, and the Red Car Trolleys which will transport guests from the park entrance through Hollywood Land to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
  

The “coming soon” area of Blue Sky Cellar continues to look even further ahead to 2012 and Cars Land, the 12-acre expansion of the Park that will bring to life the town of Radiator Springs from the Disney?Pixar animated film Cars, complete with three new attractions for families and kids of all ages.

Based on the belief that idea gathering is best when “the sky’s the limit,” the Blue Sky Cellar is designed to resemble an Imagineering “charette,” an extended creative idea development meeting. Guests receive an inside-look at how Imagineers take “blue sky” ideas and refine them into the classic storytelling that characterizes Disney theme park attractions and adventures.

In this whimsical immersive setting, Imagineers have taken over a former wine cellar and set up shop. Wine barrels have turned into work stations and the former wine tasting room has become a screening room where videos showcase the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into the creation of new and upcoming attractions for Disney California Adventure.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Jan. 5, 2011 – As Disney Channel prepares to launch a new multiplatform brand, Disney Junior, in February, both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s California Adventure are set to debut the new “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!” attraction in March.

It’s a prime example of Disney putting synergy in motion across its various business units.

Beginning next month, Playhouse Disney – a block of programming on Disney Channel and about two dozen Disney international channels – will be rebranded as Disney Junior.

At Disney Parks, a new 22-minute stage show will update the popular “Playhouse Disney – Live on Stage!” attraction. The new show brings back three audience favorites – Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins – and 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.”

“Disney Junior – Live on Stage! demonstrates the agility of our company in meeting the expectations of our guests,” said Rilous Carter, vice president of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. “We go to great lengths to ensure something special for all of our guests, including very young children. Disney Junior – Live on Stage! will be unique entertainment that, at its core, is developed specifically for parents and small children to enjoy together.”

Carter says that television is a rapidly changing medium, with new shows and new stories every season, and adds that guests want to see those stories and characters in person, in Disney Parks.

In early 2012, an expanded Disney Junior will premiere on cable and satellite television channel lineups, reaching about 75 million homes. The new Disney Junior channel will provide 24-hour children’s programming currently available only on the Playhouse Disney block of Disney Channel.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2010) – When it comes to enjoying the magic of the holiday season with family and friends, there’s no place like Disneyland Resort. The holidays will shine brightly throughout the resort from Nov. 12 through Jan. 2, 2011, as guests create memories for a lifetime.

Guests will enjoy the return of Disneyland Resort’s most popular offerings, including special holiday versions of “it’s a small world” and Haunted Mansion, along with “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, colorful holiday décor and a nightly snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A.

Other holiday highlights at Disneyland will include the traditional snowdrifts and icicles adorning Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle. After dark a sensational 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. The 60-foot-tall Disneyland Christmas tree is specially designed to present a nightly 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., “it’s a small world” Mall and New Orleans Square.

A holiday tradition in Disneyland is “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, in which Disney characters join together to celebrate the magic of the season. Guests can watch as the characters wrap gifts, bake holiday treats and prepare for the arrival of Santa Claus, who shouts a jolly greeting to spectators along the parade route. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse even take to the ice for some skating fun.

Themed entertainment, sparkling decorations and tasty treats add festive warmth to holiday fun at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Guests also will be able to book guided holiday tours that provide entry into “it’s a small world” Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday, reserved seating for the Disneyland “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, a keepsake remembrance, 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.

Returning holiday favorites at Disneyland park include:

• “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.
• 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 Haunted Mansion to transform it with his skewed vision of the holidays.
• Santa Claus and his reindeer will return to greet Disneyland guests at Santa’s Reindeer Round-up in Big Thunder Ranch, Frontierland. Kids and their families will chat with St. Nick and see real reindeer grazing in a corral.

• 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 along the Paradise Bay boardwalk includes a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and lampposts decorated with seasonal wreaths.
• Santa Claus will greet guests on the boardwalk near Ariel’s Grotto on Paradise Pier.

Also part of the regular Disney California Adventure attractions and entertainment lineup:

· “Pixar Play Parade” is complemented by two new shows: the energetic “dance-off” competition of “Disney Dance Crew” on the Backlot Stage in Hollywood Pictures Backlot, and the rock concert-style “Disney Channel Rocks,” featuring music from Disney Channel movies and series, performed on the Palisades Stage in Paradise Park, alongside Paradise Bay lagoon.
· In Blue Sky Cellar at Golden Vine Winery, the Imagineers’ workshop offers guests a preview of what’s coming to Disney California Adventure, including The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure in 2011.
· Guests along Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure also will enjoy the newly enhanced Toy Story Mania! and Silly Symphony Swings attractions, along with such popular favorites as California Screamin' and Mickey’s Fun Wheel.

The Downtown Disney district and the Disneyland Resort hotels will join in the merriment with twinkling lights and ornaments, special entertainment and holiday dining. Expanded hours at both Disneyland Resort theme parks will extend the holiday fun. For more information about holidays at Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com/holidays.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (October 29, 2010) - The Topping Out Ceremony at Cars Land today celebrates the achievement of the construction team that is bringing the new land to life. It also marks a milestone in the overall expansion of Disney California Adventure park.

Topping Out is a long-standing tradition among construction workers and engineers. It customarily takes place when the highest piece of steel is installed on the frame of building. The final beam is painted white and signed by the ironworkers, steel design engineer and construction management. It’s said that the tradition dates back to an ancient Viking custom in which, upon completion of a construction, they would hoist an evergreen to the top in celebration. The evergreen, which is still part of the tradition, is said to signify growth and bring good luck. Today’s ceremony takes place in “Ornament Valley,” under development in Cars Land.

Opening to Disney California Adventure guests in 2012 and inspired by the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars,” the 12-acre Cars Land will invite guests to “take the off-ramp” and literally step into the movie’s Radiator Springs setting. It will feature three new attractions, including the E-ticket thrill ride Radiator Springs Racers – taking guests zooming through the Cars Land landscape. Other Cars Land attractions will include Luigi’s Flying Tires (striking a chord with anyone who remembers the Flying Saucers in Tomorrowland) and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, a swinging square dance featuring baby tractors pulling Mater’s junkyard trailers.

The expansion of Disney California Adventure park is creating even more fun and adventure for families planning multi-day visits to Disneyland Resort. Additional Disney California Adventure milestones in 2010-2011 include the after-dark spectacular “World of Color,” which opened this summer and recently surpassed 1 million guests. An encore inspired by the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures “TRON: Legacy,” debuting in theaters Dec. 17, will join the “World of Color” show beginning Sunday evening, Oct. 31. The premiere of a new attraction, The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, is set for 2011, and that voyage through the Little Mermaid’s underwater world, will open in a refreshed Paradise Pier area, with new and enhanced shops and food locations, plus Goofy’s Sky School, a wacky variation on the classic boardwalk “wild mouse” attraction.

Some interesting facts about Cars Land and the Cadillac Mountain Range under construction:

• From both a creative and a structural standpoint, the Cadillac Range is one-of-a-kind, built to an unusual level of complexity with very few 90-degree angles.
• Walt Disney Imagineers devoted more than 28,000 hours to designing the structural steel system for the rockwork and Radiator Springs Racers show building.
• Because of the unique shape of the Cadillac Range, this Topping Out will not be the last piece of steel to go up, but it is the highest and most prominent. It will be part of the Pinnacle of the Cadillac Range, representing a 1959 Cadillac, whose tail fin was also known as the Pinnacle.
• Cars Land construction began in July 2009. Steel installation started in March 2010.
• At 280,000 square feet, the Cadillac Range is the largest rockwork job in any domestic Disney theme park - larger that the Matterhorn, Splash Mountain or, in Florida, Expedition Everest.
• More than 4,000 tons of steel will be erected by the time the rockwork and Radiator Springs Racers are completed.
• In addition to the attractions, Cars Land will be home to food and merchandise locations inspired by the Radiator Springs landmarks in the movie: Flo’s V8 Café, Radiator Springs Curios, Cozy Cone Motel, etc.

Disney California Adventure has officially added a 3rd showing of the World of Color show each night through Labor Day.

Step into the control room for the World of Color!!

ANAHEIM, Calif. – As the splash-tacular “World of Color” adds a dazzling new dimension of water, animation, color, fire and light to Disney California Adventure park, a new party called “Glow Fest” joins the park’s “Summer Nightastic!” lineup and adds even more illuminated excitement for guests.

Colorful beams of light and energetic performers star in this high-energy, electric festival for the entire family. Featured in the Sunshine Plaza and Hollywood Pictures Backlot areas of the park, each night lights up with dancers, drummers, world music performers, interactive dance and play areas, and gleaming orbs of lights that move in near-perpetual motion throughout the party zones.

Taking a cue from “World of Color,” festival producers say the theme of “Glow Fest” is a “celebration of color,” immersing guests in a sea of brightly colored displays, wildly costumed entertainers and lighting used like never before in Disney California Adventure. Beginning with the distinct sound of drums echoing throughout the entrance area of the theme park, powerful rhythms signal the beginning of the evening fun.

During “Summer Nightastic!” “Glow Fest” takes center stage in Sunshine Plaza every evening from roughly 6-8 p.m., and continues in Hollywood Pictures Backlot until park closing.

“Glow Fest” activities are included in regular admission to Disney California Adventure.

Here are some facts to shed even more “light” on “Glow Fest”:

THE LIGHT IS RIGHT: LED lighting, which consumes less power than traditional bulb lighting, is featured throughout “Glow Fest.” In addition to energy conservation, LED bulbs also supply more robust, saturated colors and greater reliability than traditional lighting techniques – allowing “Glow Fest” to shine even brighter each night.

PAINT THE TOWN: Many of the structures, dance platforms and stages are adorned with paint that reacts to ultraviolet (UV) light, to put even more “glow” in the fest.

LIVING LARGE: A mammoth 60-foot x 90-foot screen serves as an interactive dance and movement play area. Guests can dance in the area and see their own images projected to approximately 50-feet-high on the screen at the end of Hollywood Boulevard.

COLLABORATIVE COLOR: On another screen, guests can get into the colorful fun by using hand and body movements to create a giant color mural. Each movement, such as a wave or a jump, creates a new blend of colors on the interactive mural screen. As more and more guests get into the action, the image on the mural changes colors and shapes.

PIED PIPER OF COLORFUL FUN: A high-energy emcee for the evening activities travels throughout the festival to lead the fun and games.

HAVING A BALL: Sprite-like performers inside giant, colorful orbs create kinetic balls of color as they roll throughout the festival, supplying plenty of photo moments.

MUSICIANS, DANCERS AND STILTWALKERS, OH MY!: Adding to the fun of “Glow Fest” is a cast of performers that keeps the party spirit going until the park closes. Two stiltwalking performers – called “Lantern Sprites” – carry illuminated globes and can occasionally pose for photos with guests. Dancers clad in eye-popping colors perform atop platforms throughout Sunshine Plaza and Hollywood Pictures Backlot, and dance styles from around the globe are performed on the giant, LED-lit stage in Sunshine Plaza.

DRUMMING UP EXCITEMENT: Five vertical drumming stations, each featuring a professional drummer atop the tower, “drum up” the excitement throughout the festival. Guests are invited to join in the fun as well by playing one of the 22-inch drums mounted at the base of the brightly hued tower.

New characters from the Disney•Pixar film “Toy Story 3” have been added to the joyful, toy-full adventure of Toy Story Mania! at Disney California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition to playing with new characters in Toy Story Mania!, there are opportunities in both parks for up-close fun with another all-new character from “Toy Story 3” – Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. He’s the bossman at Sunnyside Daycare in the animated feature film.

Toy Story Mania! – the 4-D interactive ride-game attraction inspired by the Disney•Pixar “Toy Story” films – is extremely popular with Disney Parks guests on both coasts. This high-energy, immersive adventure puts players squarely in the action as their game play triggers surprises that deliver a fourth dimension of fun. Toy Story Mania! engages guests in a whole new way with delightful characters of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.”

Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head and the gang are joined by a whole new set of characters from “Toy Story 3.” The new game greeting guests, “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts,” invites riders to shoot their virtual darts at all-new balloon targets in a primeval world filled with volcanoes and lava balloons, explained Sue Bryan, senior show producer, director, Walt Disney Imagineering.

Game players are welcomed by Rex (the nervous Tyrannosaurus rex) and his new friend Trixie (a blue Triceratops and one of the toy characters from the new film) cheering them on. The new game (it replaces “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop”) turns up the fun with more hidden surprises and the potential for volcanic levels of excitement. Other changes:

The “Hamm & Eggs” game is now hosted by Hamm and Buttercup (a toy unicorn with heart-shaped nostrils).

In the prize scene, Trixie, Buttercup, Dolly (a doll), Mr. Pricklepants (a lederhosen-clad hedgehog) and one other surprise – all from “Toy Story 3” – appear with Woody and Jessie.

“Our number-one goal in creating Toy Story Mania! was to come up with game-play challenges appropriate for all guests, from little kids to serious gamers,” Bryan said. “I love that we are keeping things fresh and new by adding these great new friends and fun to join some of the most popular characters of all time.”

About Toy Story Mania!

In the timeless tradition of Disney storytelling, Toy Story Mania! takes its inspiration from the fact that Andy’s toys spring to life whenever he is away. Soon after Andy got a “Midway Games Play Set” for his latest birthday, the toys jumped at their first chance to open the box and set up the game booths and carnival trams so everyone could ride and play. That means “no assembly required” for their game-playing guests – just nonstop fun. (That is, until Andy gets home!)

Arriving guests are welcomed by Mr. Potato Head, more than five feet tall and looking like he stepped right down from the movie screen. The state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronics Mr. Potato Head makes a perfect carnival barker, capable of engaging guests in two-way conversation and encouraging them to “step right up” for the immersive Toy Story Mania! experience.

Everyone gets a front row seat when guests put on their 3-D glasses, “shrink” to the size of a toy, and board Toy Story Mania! carnival tram ride vehicles which add a huge amount of fun to the interactive experience. The exciting and colorful route takes guests through “Andy’s Bedroom” filled with oversized murals and toys. The vehicles angle to face Toy Story Mania! game booths – high-tech yet rooted in classic midway games of skill – and guests aim for 3-D animated targets using their own on-board spring-action shooters. Players pair up and sit side-by-side for a friendly competition that delivers an ever-changing variety of targets and surprises.

As they play, guests can actually see the “virtual” objects they’ve launched leave their
spring-action shooters and hit (or miss) the targets. And thanks to 4-D special-effects technology, they may sense objects whirring past them as they pop out of the 3-D scenes.

The Toy Story Mania! games – five of them, plus an introductory practice round – are designed to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages and skills, from beginners to experienced gamers. Play is energized by the spirit of the “Toy Story” characters cast in games that best suit their very animated personalities.

No matter how many times guests return to ride and play, they can be sure every ride-through will seem different.

Pixar Animation Studies created animation of the new characters plus animation for “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts.” New music – a dino-themed version of Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” – comes from veteran music editor and Newman collaborator Bruno Coon, who did the original music for the attraction.

Toy Story Mania! was the first time that Walt Disney Imagineering created an attraction for two Disney parks simultaneously. The attraction opened in California and Florida in 2008.

More Fun in Store

Disney Parks guests not only get to play with “Toy Story 3” characters in Toy Story Mania! – they get to see another new character from the film.

Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear has joined his “Toy Story” pals in the delightful “Pixar Play Parade” at Disney California Adventure and “Block Party Bash” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can pose for photos with Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear in the meet-and-greet area inside The Magic of Disney Animation. Over at Disney California Adventure, guests can pose alongside the “Toy Story” gang inside a life-sized “blister pack” as if they themselves are toys.

About the Movie

“Toy Story 3” welcomes Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the whole gang back to the big screen as Andy prepares to depart for college and his loyal toys find themselves in… daycare! These untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice, so it’s all for one and one for all as plans for the great escape get underway. A few new faces – some plastic, some plush – join the fun. "Toy Story 3" disney.go.com/toystory/ is a comical new adventure in Disney Digital 3-D.

09 June 2010
ANAHEIM, Calif. – Five years in the making, the nighttime water show “World of Color” will surpass all Disney water productions with stunning special effects in the picturesque Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure park. While the larger-than-life animated projections, lasers, fog, fire and music will create a strong supporting cast for the dazzling production, the real “stars” of the show are the nearly 1,200 programmable fountains that can be found waiting in the wings just beneath the surface of the bay.

Eight different types of computerized and synchronized fountains create a giant underwater lattice of these geyser-inducing gushers, bringing Disney animation to life like never before.

The breakthrough “stars” of “World of Color” are:

Grid Fountains: Living up to their mechanical moniker, Grid Fountains cover the entire underwater platform for “World of Color” in a network that creates a vast “ensemble cast” of aquatic actors. Positioned eight feet apart, these vertical fountains are capable of firing water up to 40 feet in the air. Their on-stage specialty is creating massive, three-dimensional designs, such as a whale moving through the lagoon.

Chaser Fountains: Always “chasing” applause from fountain fans, more than 400 Chaser Fountains create lightning-fast effects that follow – or “chase” – each other in rapid-fire succession. Engineered with a unique stop-action valve, these up-and-down fountains allow booming beads of water to be projected up to 80 feet high, creating artistic patterns above the water’s surface.

Single Water Whip Fountains: While their name doesn’t imply “grace,” the Single Water Whip Fountains are some of the most graceful and elegant featured in “World of Color.” With independently moving heads that can sway in any direction and project water more than 100 feet in a vertical pattern, more than 75 Single Water Whip Fountains join together to perform a mesmerizing ballet.

Dual Water Whip Fountains: A close sibling to the Single Water Whip Fountains, Dual Water Whip Fountains create not only vertical patterns, they also can transform water into wider, fan-like designs. Combined, these water wizards create a 380-foot projection surface which rises 50 feet in the air at the rear of the underwater platform. In theatre parlance, the 65 Dual Water Whip Fountains create an ultimate cyclorama on Paradise Bay – a water screen that measures more than 19,000 square feet.

Flower Spout Fountains: One dozen Flower Spout Fountains pepper the platform beneath the surface of Paradise Bay. Among the most versatile actors in the show’s aqueous cast of players, these fountains have nozzles that can shoot high-velocity streams of big, frothy water and then easily transition the shape of those streams into a “blooming” 60-foot-wide flower petal.

Dancer Fountains: Six Dancer Fountains perform in “World of Color,” with swirling dual nozzles that create intertwining streams of water. Much like dancers performing in a Broadway theater company, their graceful, choreographed movements create a sprightly scene to complement the cast.

Butterfly Fountains: A delicate quartet of Butterfly Fountains creates a smooth and serene effect, fluttering just above the water’s surface throughout “World of Color.” With butterfly-like wings, they deliver smooth, yet stunning patterns.

Geyser Fountains: The most “vocal” member of the “World of Color” fountain cast, Geyser Fountains launch 40 gallons of water at once, creating a distinct “pop” sound that echoes throughout the bay. Along with being the loudest of the performers, the 10 Geyser Fountains also live up to their name by being the most powerful; each Geyser Fountain can shoot huge bursts of water that reach 200 feet into the sky.

These eight versatile performers make their debut June 11. While they are apt to respond to applause with grateful encores, no autographs, please.

“World of Color” uses powerful water fountains, kaleidoscopic colors, compelling music, fire, lasers, special effects and larger-than-life digital projection to bring Disney and Disney•Pixar animation to life in a whole new way in Disney California Adventure park. A one-of-a-kind “stage” – nearly an acre of superstructure and innovative technology – has been built in the Paradise Bay lagoon to present this enchanting, exciting and moving nighttime spectacular. A new, terraced park offers prime waterside viewing and provides a site for live entertainment, music festivals and outdoor film premieres.

“World of Color is a must-see experience that will entertain and delight our guests in a whole new way, while solidifying the Disneyland Resort as a multi-day, world-class tourist destination,” said Disneyland Resort President George A. Kalogridis.

The expansion continues in Disney California Adventure park in 2011 with an amazing attraction, The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, and in 2012 with the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land, featuring the world of Radiator Springs and its three new attractions. Extensive landscaping, new stores and restaurants will create an even richer environment throughout the park.

As expansion continues, Walt Disney Imagineers will bring more of Walt Disney into the park, celebrating the hope and optimism of California that attracted Walt to this land of opportunity in the 1920s. Guests entering the new Buena Vista Street, set for completion in 2012, will be instantly immersed in the world that inspired Walt during his early days as an animation pioneer.

Multi-day, World-Class Tourist Destination
The expansion builds upon the transformation of the original Disneyland park into a multi-day destination resort that began in 2001 with the creation of the Disneyland Resort and the opening of Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney district and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

Since then, the Disneyland Resort has continued to grow with the addition of popular attractions and shows such as Toy Story Mania!, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror. In 2009, the resort completed a major expansion of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which included the first West Coast destination for Disney Vacation Club. In addition, the signature Disneyland Hotel is undergoing a major refurbishment that is expected to be completed in 2011.

According to the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Anaheim is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the country, enjoying some of the highest hotel occupancy rates in the nation and attracting millions of visitors each year who spend billions of dollars in the area.

Coming Soon to Disney California Adventure
Disney California Adventure is already home to some of the Disneyland Resort’s most popular attractions and shows, including: Toy Story Mania!, Soarin’ Over California, California Screamin’ and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Major family attractions and continued park enhancements are on the horizon for 2011 and beyond, including an all-new Buena Vista Street, envisioned as the 1920s and 30s Los Angeles experienced by a young dreamer named Walt Disney. The Carthay Circle Theatre, a re-creation of the great California movie palace where “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” had its premiere, anchors the newly designed plaza. This new park landmark celebrates the legacy of Disney family entertainment. From this plaza, guests set out to experience all the thrills, excitement and wonder of California – past, present, and future.

The Red Car Trolley, based on Los Angeles’ historic Pacific Electric Red Car Line, will transport guests from Buena Vista Street, down Hollywood Boulevard, to the footsteps of the famed Hollywood Tower Hotel, home to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Expansion plans include the first-ever ride based on Disney’s classic animated movie “The Little Mermaid.” The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure will take guests “under the sea” to experience magnificent scenes and magical songs from the movie.

Cars Land, an all-new 12-acre addition to Disney California Adventure, re-creates the town of Radiator Springs as inspired by the Disney•Pixar film “Cars.” Cars Land will feature three immersive family rides showcasing characters and scenes from the movie, including one of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park: Radiator Springs Racers, a twisting, turning, high-speed adventure through the town and desert valleys of Radiator Springs. Additional landscaping, façade and graphics enhancements, restaurant and retail innovations, and an extensive menu of entertainment, holiday celebrations and unique special events further create new, compelling and memorable experiences for guests visiting Disney California Adventure.

Blue Sky Cellar
The Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar, located in the former Seasons of the Vine Theater in the Golden State region of the park, features models and Imagineering concepts – giving park guests a look at exciting new projects as well as a sneak peek at what lies ahead. Inspiring new concepts for Disney California Adventure will appear in this space through periodic updates. For more information, visit www.DisneyCaliforniaAdventure.com

09 June 2010
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- “World of Color” bursts with the imagination and technology of the 21st century, while it draws on the decades-old Disney tradition of creative storytelling. The show is infused with Walt Disney’s special gift for conjuring tales full of magic, excitement and heart, and the ingenuity of today’s Imagineers.

History

• Initial planning for “World of Color” began in July 2005. Even before the ambitious expansion plan was announced for Disney California Adventure park, the Disneyland Resort leadership wanted to add a one-of-a-kind, new attraction to the Disney California Adventure experience.
• It was a five-year process, from planning to launch. A variety of concepts – rides as well as shows – were considered for the Paradise Bay lagoon during the initial brainstorming.
• “World of Color” was conceived as a kind of “living ‘Fantasia,’” using music, animation, color, light and water to involve the audience in an exciting, whimsical and moving journey of storytelling.
• The “World of Color” creative team, led by Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment, believed it was important to execute the show on a massive scale. After looking at existing fountain/water shows – many of them very spectacular – the cast members concluded that, in the words of Walt Disney, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
• Team members were told they couldn’t have fountains with multiple heads or moving heads. They created them.
• Team members were told they couldn’t create color and light in fountains. They found ways.
• Team members were told they couldn’t project images on water if it was not a water screen. They went beyond creating a “movie screen” on water – developing a show in which water, light and color become the characters, on a screen so versatile that it might be 100 feet, 200 feet or 380 feet wide at any given time.

Some “World of Color” Facts and Figures

• The man-made Paradise Bay lagoon is 3.5 acres with 15 million gallons of water.

• When preparations for “World of Color” began, the Disneyland Resort collaborated with the Orange County Water District to conserve the water in Paradise Bay. Instead of draining the lagoon to the ocean, the water was sent through the Water District’s state-of-the-art Groundwater Replenishment System. After being purified, the water was stored in the county’s underground water basin, which added to the overall water reserves. When the time was right, the purified water was used to refill Paradise Bay. For these efforts, along with other Resort-wide environmental practices, Disneyland Resort was recognized with California’s highest and most prestigious environmental honor: the 2009 Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award.
  
  
• The “stage” for “World of Color” is a platform composed of nearly 1 full acre of engineered superstructure, longer than a football field and capable of settling on three levels – one for the performance, one under the water surface and one for maintenance.

• The show features nearly 1,200 powerful and programmable fountains, and a vast underwater grid with more than 18,000 points of control. Each fountain has multiple points of control for lighting, color intensity, water angle, height and more.

• The fountains in “World of Color” can send water to heights ranging from 30 feet to 200 feet (by way of comparison, Mickey’s Fun Wheel reaches a height of 150 feet, some of it below the edge of the lagoon).
  
  
• “World of Color” employs 28 high-definition projectors (14 of them, submersible).

Inspired by “Your Host, Walt Disney”

• The Emmy Award-winning “Wonderful World of Color” (1961-1969) was Walt Disney’s first color television series, an extension of his previous “Disneyland” and “Walt Disney Presents” anthology series. Like those earlier shows, it entertained audiences with both classic storytelling and innovative artistry.
• The television show premiered with an all-new theme song composed by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman. (The Sherman Brothers received the highest Disneyland honor – their names on a Main Street, U.S.A. window – on March 11, 2010.)
• The music and kaleidoscopic images of Walt Disney’s pioneering TV show inspired the colorful, ever-changing experience that immerses guests in the new “World of Color” spectacular in Disney California Adventure park.

Photo ©Disneyland/Paul Hiffmeyer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (April 29, 2010) – Summer nights at Disneyland Resort will be brighter and more exciting than ever as “Summer Nightastic!” returns, bringing with it the most dazzling show of all: the new “World of Color.”

Presented on Paradise Bay, “World of Color” is a major milestone in the multi-year expansion of Disney’s California Adventure park. The show combines hundreds of versatile, performing fountains, popular Disney music and an all-new kaleidoscope of audio and visual effects, including both classic and new animation projected on giant screens of water. “World of Color” floods the senses and takes the audience on an imaginative, emotional journey into the colorful worlds of Disney classics such as “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid” along with Disney•Pixar films including “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo.”

“Nighttime is especially exciting during the summer at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks,” said George A. Kalogridis, president of Disneyland Resort. “The addition of ‘World of Color’ to our ‘Summer Nightastic!’ entertainment program continues to raise the bar for the after-dark experience at Disneyland Resort.”

The premiere of “World of Color” will add new sparkle to an already radiant lineup of favorite nighttime experiences in Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. A formidable, fire-breathing dragon joined the cast of “Fantasmic!” last summer, and the “Magical” fireworks spectacular also debuted in 2009, sending Dumbo into the air over Sleeping Beauty Castle for the first time.

“Summer Nightastic!” 2010 premieres Friday, June 11, and continues nightly through Sunday, Aug. 29, at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. “Magical” fireworks continue through Labor Day weekend. “World of Color” and “Fantasmic!” will continue to entertain guests on select dates year-round.

MORE ‘FANTASMIC!’ THAN EVER: Guests will enjoy magical thrills in the popular “Fantasmic!” spectacular on the Rivers of America in Frontierland. Recent enhancements include the climactic transformation of the evil Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty” into a fully animated 40-foot-tall dragon. The show has also added cutting-edge digital video technology and an appearance by Flotsam and Jetsam, the slithering eels who serve Ursula the Sea Witch in “The Little Mermaid.”

‘MAGICAL’ CELEBRATION IN THE SKY: Now entering its second summer, “Magical” has proven that the Disneyland Resort continues to outdo itself when it comes to sensational fireworks shows. The familiar image of Tinker Bell lights up the show, now followed by another airborne Disney character, Dumbo the flying elephant, who dances across the night sky over Sleeping Beauty Castle. Acclaimed puppeteer Michael Curry, whose credits include Olympic opening ceremonies and “The Lion King” on Broadway, has created a Dumbo with lifelike movements that are accentuated by the show’s marvelous melodies. Tink waves her wand to awaken a fantastic array of Disney’s most magical characters: Pinocchio, Mary Poppins, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, and the Three Good Fairies from “Sleeping Beauty.”

NEW FACES IN TOY STORY MANIA!: With the June 2010 release of the Disney•Pixar animated motion picture “Toy Story 3,” a new game and some new characters from “Toy Story 3” will take their places in the “virtual midway” of the Toy Story Mania! attraction along Paradise Pier in Disney’s California Adventure. Guests who experience the interactive ride-game attraction will encounter exciting, new challenges presented by fun, new faces this summer. In addition, there will be opportunities for up-close fun with an all-new character from “Toy Story 3” – Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY IN TOMORROWLAND: Summer is a time for tweens, teens and families to hang out and dance the night away at the TLT Dance Club on Tomorrowland Terrace at Disneyland. Dazzling décor includes an illuminated DJ console where the TLT Dance Club DJ spins dance tunes guaranteed to keep Tomorrowland rockin’ all night. Live bands and DJs from the hottest Southern California radio stations will appear on selected nights throughout the summer.

PIXIE HOLLOW ENCHANTMENT: Tucked into the glen near the entrance to Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Pixie Hollow home of Tinker Bell and her friends comes to life at night in iridescent light shows. Pixie dust cascades across the landscape and radiates into the pond. Even the water becomes enchanted as playful fountains spring to life, pop jets perform with whimsical precision and sparkling strobes shine throughout Pixie Hollow. As always, Tinker Bell herself is there to greet guests and welcome them into her magical realm.

BARGAINS AND SPECIAL EXPERIENCES FOR THE COST-CONSCIOUS TRAVELER: Guests looking for a Disneyland Resort getaway on a budget will find great savings this summer at any of the three on-site resort hotels. Through Sept. 1, savings options include up to 40 percent off the room rates at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa; up to 35 percent off at the Disneyland Hotel; or up to 30 percent off at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. These hotel room offers require a two-night minimum stay. Guests staying at any one of the Disneyland Resort hotels are within easy walking distance of both theme parks and the exciting shopping, dining and entertainment of the Downtown Disney District. Other resort hotel benefits include Disney character wake-up calls, easy access to character dining locations, and a “Key to the Magic” card – a pass that allows guests to charge meals and merchandise to their hotel accounts. And of course, staying in a Disneyland Resort hotel entitles guests to legendary Disney service from the moment of check-in. For guests in search of a complete package for a longer vacation, Disneyland Resort offers “2 More Nights Free.” Guests who book by Sept. 1 can receive two extra nights of hotel accommodations and two more days of admission added to their theme park tickets for free, when they book a three-night, three-day Disneyland Resort vacation package. The special vacation package provides guests five days and nights of magical Disneyland Resort experiences, for the price of three. Guests who book “2 More Nights Free” and hotel guests with admission tickets will enjoy the additional benefits of one Magic Morning early admission to Disneyland and select attractions.

More information about “Summer Nightastic!” can be found at www.disneyland.com/summer.

New characters from the soon-to-be-released Disney•Pixar film “Toy Story 3” are being added to the joyful, toy-full adventure of Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition to playing with new characters in Toy Story Mania!, there will be opportunities in both parks for up-close fun with another all-new character from “Toy Story 3” – Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. He’s the bossman at Sunnyside Daycare in the highly anticipated animated feature film.

Toy Story Mania! – the 4-D interactive ride-game attraction inspired by the Disney•Pixar “Toy Story” films – is extremely popular with Disney Parks guests on both coasts. This high-energy, immersive adventure puts players squarely in the action as their game play triggers surprises that deliver a fourth dimension of fun. Toy Story Mania! engages guests in a whole new way with delightful characters of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.”

Starting in late May, Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head and the gang are joined by a whole new set of characters from “Toy Story 3.” The new game greeting guests, “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts,” invites riders to shoot their virtual darts at all-new balloon targets in a primeval world filled with volcanoes and lava balloons, explained Sue Bryan, senior show producer, director, Walt Disney Imagineering.

Game players are welcomed by Rex (the nervous Tyrannosaurus rex) and his new friend Trixie (a blue Triceratops and one of the toy characters from the new film) cheering them on. The new game (it replaces “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop”) turns up the fun with more hidden surprises and the potential for volcanic levels of excitement. Other changes:

The “Hamm & Eggs” game will now be hosted by Hamm and Buttercup (a toy unicorn with heart-shaped nostrils).

In the prize scene, Trixie, Buttercup, Dolly (a doll), Mr. Pricklepants (a lederhosen-clad hedgehog) and one other surprise – all from “Toy Story 3” – will appear with Woody and Jessie.
“Our number-one goal in creating Toy Story Mania! was to come up with game-play challenges appropriate for all guests, from little kids to serious gamers,” Bryan said. “I love that we are keeping things fresh and new by adding these great new friends and fun to join some of the most popular characters of all time.”

About Toy Story Mania!

In the timeless tradition of Disney storytelling, Toy Story Mania! takes its inspiration from the fact that Andy’s toys spring to life whenever he is away. Soon after Andy got a “Midway Games Play Set” for his latest birthday, the toys jumped at their first chance to open the box and set up the game booths and carnival trams so everyone could ride and play. That means “no assembly required” for their game-playing guests – just nonstop fun. (That is, until Andy gets home!)

Arriving guests are welcomed by Mr. Potato Head, more than five feet tall and looking like he stepped right down from the movie screen. The state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronics Mr. Potato Head makes a perfect carnival barker, capable of engaging guests in two-way conversation and encouraging them to “step right up” for the immersive Toy Story Mania! experience.

Everyone gets a front row seat when guests put on their 3-D glasses, “shrink” to the size of a toy and board Toy Story Mania! carnival tram ride vehicles which add a huge amount of fun to the interactive experience. The exciting and colorful route takes guests through “Andy’s Bedroom” filled with oversized murals and toys. The vehicles angle to face Toy Story Mania! game booths – high-tech yet rooted in classic midway games of skill – and guests aim for 3-D animated targets using their own on-board spring-action shooters. Players pair up and sit side-by-side for a friendly competition that delivers an ever-changing variety of targets and surprises.

As they play, guests can actually see the “virtual” objects they’ve launched leave their
spring-action shooters and hit (or miss) the targets. And thanks to 4-D special-effects technology, they may sense objects whirring past them as they pop out of the 3-D scenes.

The Toy Story Mania! games – five of them, plus an introductory practice round – are designed to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages and skills, from beginners to experienced gamers. Play is energized by the spirit of the “Toy Story” characters cast in games that best suit their very animated personalities.

No matter how many times guests return to ride and play, they can be sure every ride-through will seem different.

Pixar Animation Studies is creating animation of the new characters plus animation for “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts.” New music – a dino-themed version of Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” – comes from veteran music editor and Newman collaborator Bruno Coon, who did the original music for the attraction.

Toy Story Mania! was the first time that Walt Disney Imagineering created an attraction for two Disney parks simultaneously. The attraction opened in California and Florida in 2008.

More Fun in Store

Disney Parks guests not only get to play with “Toy Story 3” characters in Toy Story Mania! starting in late May – they get to see another new character from the film.

Starting May 9, Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear will join his “Toy Story” pals in the delightful “Pixar Play Parade” at Disney’s California Adventure and “Block Party Bash” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

In addition, Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests can pose for photos with Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear in the meet-and-greet area inside The Magic of Disney Animation. Over at Disney’s California Adventure, guests can pose alongside the “Toy Story” gang inside a life-sized “blister pack” as if they themselves are toys.

About the Movie

“Toy Story 3” welcomes Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the whole gang back to the big screen as Andy prepares to depart for college and his loyal toys find themselves in… daycare! These untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice, so it’s all for one and one for all as plans for the great escape get underway. A few new faces – some plastic, some plush – join the fun. "Toy Story 3" disney.go.com/toystory/ is a comical new adventure in Disney Digital 3-D. Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” debuts nationwide on June 18, 2010.

ANAHEIM, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Lights, water, music, fire and animation will come together like never before on June 11 when "World of Color" makes its dazzling debut at Disney's California Adventure theme park. The show is choreographed with revolutionary technology that creates a playful, nighttime spectacular and a new way for guests to experience Disney stories – from the charming to the adventurous.

Presented on Paradise Bay in Disney's California Adventure park, "World of Color" is a major milestone in the multi-year expansion of the park. The show combines nearly 1,200 powerful fountains, popular Disney music and an all-new kaleidoscope of audio and visual effects, including both classic and new animation projected on massive screens of water. "World of Color" floods the senses and takes the audience on an imaginative, emotional journey into the colorful worlds of Disney classics, such as "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid," along with Disney-Pixar films including "Toy Story" and "WALL-E."

"What's great about 'World of Color' is there's something for everybody," said Steve Davison of Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment.

"World of Color" will take water-infused entertainment to a new level of artistry. Disney's newest production features an unprecedented infrastructure of water effects, larger-than-life projections, lasers, fire, fog, surround sound and moving fountains that can shoot spouts from 30 feet to 200 feet high. Technical wizardry integrates all the media with one of the biggest show control system ever built; more than 18,000 active points of control are precisely managed by a single system.

"World of Color" debuts this year as part of "Summer Nightastic!" – a lineup of exciting, after-dark entertainment that will illuminate the night at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks. "Summer Nightastic!" will run from June 11 through Aug. 29, while "World of Color" will continue entertaining guests year-round at Paradise Bay.

At Disneyland park, "Fantasmic!" ignites the night with thrills, life-like creatures including a fire-breathing dragon, and spine-tingling adventures for Sorcerer Mickey. In the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle, "Magical" sparks to life with a dazzling firework spectacular in which colorful, choreographed pyrotechnics burst and soar to a soundtrack of Disney songs. "Magical" features both Tinker Bell and Dumbo in flight over the castle.

The Disneyland Resort features two theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney's California Adventure park – plus the Downtown Disney District comprised of unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The resort's three hotels are the luxurious, newly expanded 948-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the magical 970-room Disneyland Hotel and the 481-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel with its "day-at-the-beach" fun. For information on new attractions and vacations at Disneyland Resort visit www.disneyland.com, call 866/60-DISNEY or contact local travel agents.

All-new Web Site Keeps Visitors Up to Date On Expansion at Disney’s California Adventure

ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 16, 2009) – Fans of Disney’s California Adventure can explore coming attractions and exciting plans for the park during its expansion at a new, interactive Web site, starting July 16.

The site, hosted at www.DisneysCaliforniaAdventure.com, will serve as an online preview center, taking visitors behind the scenes of the multiyear expansion at Disney’s California Adventure. It features videos, photos, renderings, interviews and other assets to keep users up to date on the progress of attractions and entertainment coming to life in the park.

Like the Disney parks themselves, the site will “continue to change and add new things” with regular updates.

Among the highlights at www.DisneysCaliforniaAdventure.com:

· What’s New – link to the latest information on new developments at the park

· Big Plans – see the “big picture” approach to the ambitious expansion project

· Pictures and Videos – link to renderings, photos and exclusive, behind-the-scenes views of works in progress

· Individual Attractions – click on the pictures of “World of Color,” Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Buena Vista Street or Cars Land for more details about those exciting attractions

In addition to www.DisneysCaliforniaAdventure.com, guests can visit Blue Sky Cellar at Disney’s California Adventure to see concepts and models, or play trivia games related to the expansion. Guests can also find information about other Disneyland Resort attractions, or plan a celebration or vacation at Disneyland Resort, by visiting www.disneyland.com, calling 866/60-DISNEY or contacting local travel agents.

Disney Imagineers reveal details of ‘World of Color,’ a nighttime water spectacular coming in spring 2010

ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 16, 2009) – Nestled in the Golden Vine Winery at Disney’s California Adventure, Blue Sky Cellar is a place where guests get a sneak preview of what’s new and what’s next during the expansion of the park. Beginning July 16, guests will see the first in-depth look at “World of Color,” the next major milestone in the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure, opening in spring 2010. Disney Imagineers, the creative minds behind the design and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions, are sharing their models, concepts and sketches to reveal the development of this spectacular water, animation and special effects show.

At Blue Sky Cellar, guests are invited to preview works in progress at Disney’s California Adventure by immersing themselves in a facsimile of an Imagineering workspace. Based on the belief that idea gathering is best when “the sky’s the limit,” Blue Sky Cellar is designed to resemble an Imagineering “charette,” an extended creative idea development meeting. Guests receive an inside look at how Imagineers take “blue sky” ideas and refine them into the classic storytelling that characterizes Disney theme park attractions and adventures.

In this whimsical immersive setting, Imagineers have taken over a former wine cellar and set up shop. Wine barrels have turned into work stations and the former wine tasting room has become a screening room where a video showcases the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into the creation of new and upcoming attractions for Disney’s California Adventure. Additionally, guests in Blue Sky Cellar will have fun testing their knowledge of Disney trivia at one of the interactive workstations.

The video seen in the screening room features Imagineers describing the approach and vision of the Disney California Adventure expansion. Guests will see footage of model-making, sculpting, Blue Sky meetings and all the aspects of bringing a Disney concept to life. In the latest video, Imagineer Steven Davison and others show guests some of the astounding animation and water effects they can expect to see in “World of Color” in 2010.

Included in the original announcement of the multi-year expansion of Disneyland Resort in fall 2007, Blue Sky Cellar is part of the overall commitment to keep the community and Disneyland Resort guests informed of the exciting new and upcoming plans for the resort. Guests are encouraged to check back for updates on additional exciting developments and attractions, both at Blue Sky Cellar and online at www.DisneysCaliforniaAdventure.com.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Opened on Feb. 8, 2001, Disney’s California Adventure anchored a major expansion of Disneyland Resort. The expansion included Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Downtown Disney, a 300,000-square-foot shopping, dining and entertainment district.

Building this expansive project took more than three years and resulted in an additional 6,000 jobs, bringing the total employment at Disneyland Resort to 20,000, making Disneyland Resort Orange County’s largest single-site employer.

The expansion was a catalyst for transforming the Anaheim Resort Area into a multiday destination that attracts millions of visitors from around the world who spend billions of dollars each year. Hundreds of millions of dollars in additional tax revenue, generated by the expansion, help fund vital services for the city of Anaheim.

Disney’s California Adventure has become one of the nation’s most visited theme parks. The 55-acre park is filled with dozens of shows, adventures and attractions that appeal to guests of all ages. Through Disney’s legendary storytelling, the fantasy of California comes to life in four themed lands – Golden State, Paradise Pier, a bug’s land and Hollywood Pictures Backlot.

Resort Expansion

In 2007, a significant multiyear expansion of Disney’s California Adventure was announced including new family-oriented attractions and shows that feature more stories and characters from both Disney and Pixar.

The park expansion began with the 2008 opening of Toy Story Mania! This interactive 4-D ride-through attraction transports guests into a carnival midway hosted by beloved “Toy Story” characters.

In early 2009, Mickey’s Fun Wheel, a 150-foot-diameter attraction that features a new Mickey Mouse marquee, reopened along with the Games of the Boardwalk, carnival-style games that now showcase some of the most beloved Disney and Disney•Pixar characters.

Opening in spring 2010, “World of Color” will bring nighttime excitement to Paradise Pier with a panorama of spectacular water effects, dancing fountains and music that will bring Disney animation to life with a new creative and technical approach. “World of Color” boasts a 9,000-guest viewing area.

The first major attraction based on Disney’s classic “The Little Mermaid” is coming to the park’s Paradise Pier area with leading-edge animation and special effects. Guests will be able to dive into the magnificent scenes and magical songs from the movie when The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure debuts in 2011.

In 2012, a brand new gateway to Disney’s California Adventure will welcome guests into the Los Angeles that Walt experienced as a young artist arriving with big dreams in the 1920s. Red Car Trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Red Car Line will travel up and down Buena Vista Street alongside new dining, shopping and entertainment experiences. A new visual icon inspired by Los Angeles’ historic Carthay Circle Theatre, which premiered “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937, will draw guests into the heart of the park.

Culminating the major expansion is the entirely new, 12-acre addition: Cars Land, which recreates the town of Radiator Springs as inspired by the hit Disney•Pixar film “Cars.” Cars Land will feature three immersive family attractions, Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi’s Flying Tires and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. Radiator Springs Racers will be one of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park. This major E-ticket attraction will place guests in the middle of a twisting, turning, high-speed adventure.

Walt Disney Imagineering’s Blue Sky Cellar, a preview center located near the Golden Vine Winery, showcases the expansion plans for Disney’s California Adventure. Here, guests can take a sneak peek at models, concepts and sketches and view a video of what’s new and what’s next. An online version of Blue Sky Cellar launches July 2009 at www.DisneysCaliforniaAdventure.com.

Continued Investment

Investment in Disney’s California Adventure has continued since its opening, broadening the appeal to guests of all ages. Guests have been further immersed in thrilling new attractions and shows, giving them compelling reasons to stay longer and visit often.

* Based on the Disney•Pixar movie “a bug’s life,” a bug’s land was added in 2002. This land added several new rides and shows designed for younger guests.
* “Disney’s Aladdin-A Musical Spectacular” debuted at the 1,800-seat Hyperion Theatre in 2003. This 40-minute, Broadway-quality musical entertains thousands of people every day.
* The Twilight Zone® Tower of Tower opened in 2004. The 13-story attraction encourages guests to leave reality behind as they experience a new dimension in fun and sheer thrills.
* “Turtle Talk With Crush” was added in 2005 inside the Disney Animation building and continually amazes guests with its interactive technology.
* In 2006, “Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!” featuring more than 40 animated figures, opened to rave reviews.
* Toy Story Mania! opened in 2008, adding another immersive family experience to the park. The 4-D ride-through interactive attraction is hosted by favorite characters from the Disney•Pixar “Toy Story” films.
* Joining the lineup in 2008, “Pixar Play Parade” brings together the energy and excitement of beloved films in a unique, dynamic and water-filled spectacular.

Continued investment also is being made at the award-winning Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, adjacent to Disney’s California Adventure, with 200 new rooms slated to open in fall 2009 along with 50 vacation villas, the first Disney Vacation Club villas on the West Coast.

Home to Popular Attractions

Disney’s California Adventure is home to some of the highest-rated attractions at Disneyland Resort, based on guest satisfaction ratings. Among them are:

* “Soarin’ Over California”: This exhilarating airborne adventure takes guests soaring over the wonders of the Golden State, from the beaches to the mountains.
* California Screamin’: The 6,000-foot-long roller coaster, inspired by the “golden age of coasters,” thrills guests as they experience sharp turns, go upside-down and make sudden drops. At launch, guests go from 0 to 55 miles per hour in less than five seconds.
* The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror: This thrilling and chilling supernatural adventure, based on the classic “Twilight Zone” television series, surprises guests with a series of faster-than-gravity drops and amazing special effects.
* “Disney’s Aladdin-A Musical Spectacular”: With dancing genies, soaring carpets and imagination taking flight, this amazing musical production brings favorite characters from Disney’s “Aladdin” to life.
* Toy Story Mania!: One of the most engaging, dynamic attractions at Disney parks, this next-generation interactive ride-game experience is fun for the entire family.

With dozens of highly entertaining shows, adventures and attractions, Disney’s California Adventure appeals to guests of all ages, and takes them to a California that could only be Imagineered by Disney.

ANAHEIM, Calif., July 16, 2009 – Elaborate preparation is underway for “World of Color,” the spectacular nighttime water show that will astound guests with its magnitude and creativity when it debuts in spring 2010 as the next major milestone in the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure park. Surpassing all Disney water productions, “World of Color” will bring Disney animation to life with powerful fountains that become stars of the show as they create the world’s largest projected water screen.

For months now, guests at Disney’s California Adventure have been peering into the lagoon near Paradise Pier as Walt Disney Imagineering and Creative Entertainment have installed the massive infrastructure and innovative technology that will create the stage for this extraordinary combination of music, animation and stunning water effects. Teams of Disney workers have built nearly an acre of superstructure to support the complex “World of Color” production.

“World of Color” will combine hundreds of magnificent fountains, dazzling colors and an all-new kaleidoscope of audio and visual effects, to take water-infused entertainment to a new level of artistry. The production will flood the senses, taking audiences on an imaginative journey into the colorful worlds of animated Disney classics such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Lion King” and “Pocahontas,” along with Disney•Pixar films “Toy Story,” “WALL-E” and many more.

Disney’s newest production features an unprecedented infrastructure of water effects, larger-than-life projections, lasers, fire, fog, surround sound, and stunning images. This technical wizardry, combined with classic Disney film sequences, will create a breathtaking emotional experience for guests, as jaw-dropping effects sweep across the lagoon, soar into the sky, and rush toward the audience.

A newly designed 9,000-capacity viewing area will provide Disney’s California Adventure guests the best view in the park of this exciting nighttime extravaganza. The show lasts approximately 25 minutes.

Some of the technical magic behind ‘World of Color’ includes:
• Nearly 1 full acre of engineered superstructure, longer than a football field and capable of settling on three levels – one for the performance, one under the water surface and one for maintenance
• More than 1,200 powerful and programmable fountains
• A vast underwater grid with more than 18,000 points of control. Each fountain has multiple points of control for lighting, color intensity, water angle, height and more.
• Fountain heights that range from 30 feet to 200 feet in the air (by way of comparison, Mickey’s Fun Wheel reaches a height of 150 feet, some of it below the edge of the lagoon)
• A precise system of flame projections, lasers, and special effects that will flood the senses as guests experience the animation
• Scenic elements that rise more than 80 feet above the lagoon
• The world’s largest projected water screen — a wall of water 380 feet wide by 50 feet high for a projection surface of 19,000 square feet
• Nearly 30 high-definition projectors

Photo © Disney

ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 12, 2009) – Everything about “Disney’s Electrical Parade” has a new glow this summer as Tinker Bell sprinkles her pixie dust to illuminate the classic parade, presented by Sylvania. Even the parade’s highly recognizable musical theme is brightened by new technology, adding to the excitement of Summer Nightastic!

Tinker Bell leads the procession on an all-new float and her trail of pixie dust enchants all the parade floats with new beauty along the way. The popular pixie waves from the basket of a balloon floating gracefully above a magical garden shimmering with fairy light.

In addition, enhanced versions of two classic favorites will return to the lineup after a 13-year hiatus – the shimmering diamond mine of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Pleasure Island haunts of Pinocchio.

Photo © Disney

WHAT: The parade twinkles with approximately half a million lights. Of those, nearly 10,000 are new “pixie dust” lights spread over the 17 floats. The new LED lights use one-quarter of the power of incandescent lights. The “Tinker Bell” float alone has more than 25,000 points of light and 75 percent are powered by an LED source.

WHEN: Nightly at 8:45 p.m., beginning Friday, June 12, and continuing through Sunday, Aug. 23, at Disney’s California Adventure.

LIGHTS ON DEMAND: A new control system makes it possible, for the first time, for each light to be programmed individually. One example is the new Tinker Bell float, which has 160 dimmers, by far the most of any parade float, to control the lighting. Programming for this parade took approximately two months.

AN EVEN BETTER HOEDOWN: The unforgettable musical theme of the “Electrical Parade,” which has inspired several generations of Disneyland Resort guests to clap along, was adapted from a synthesizer piece known as “Baroque Hoedown,” written in 1967 by Gershon Kingsley and Jean-Jaques Perrey. Disney themes are superimposed over the original piece. For Summer Nightastic!, the distinctive “electro-sytho-magnetic” “Baroque Hoedown” has new audio technology that gives it a richer, fuller sound.

FUN FACTS

* More than 80 performers appear in each presentation of “Disney’s Electrical Parade.”
* There are 11,000 lights on the dancers’ costumes alone. Thanks to the energy-efficient LED lights, some of the dancers’ costumes now carry only one battery pack instead of two.
* All the floats are battery-powered. More than 500 batteries supply power for lighting, propulsion, audio and special effects.
* Approximately five miles of wire is used throughout the floats.
* The tallest float in the parade is the Cinderella clock tower, at 18.5 feet tall.
* The “Fireworks Finale” float, the longest in the parade, has seven cars that span 118 feet.

HISTORY

* Summer Nightastic! 2009 will mark the 30th summer of the “Electrical Parade” performances at Disneyland Resort.
* The original “Main Street Electrical Parade” premiered at Disneyland on June 17, 1972.
* The parade has been performed more than 5,000 times at Disneyland Resort.
* It has been presented nearly every summer, with the following exceptions: a 1975-76 hiatus for the Bicentennial “America on Parade”; the 1983-84 break for “Flights of Fantasy” parade; and the “Electrical Parade” retirement from Disneyland following the summer of 1996. Renamed “Disney’s Electrical Parade,” it premiered at Disney’s California Adventure in July 2001.
* The original “Main Street Electrical Parade” floats were “flatter” and less three-dimensional than the current floats. New floats have been added through the years and some – “it’s a small world” float, “Briny Deep” float, and special anniversary floats for Disneyland’s 25th Anniversary (1980) and Mickey Mouse’s 60th Birthday (1988) – have been retired.
* One of the original floats, the “Title Drum Unit” near the beginning of the parade, was created using an actual bass drum, one of the world’s largest in 1972. This drum had been used in Disneyland parades in the 1960s, when Mickey Mouse used to beat it using large drumsticks.
* Versions of the parade have been presented at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida (premiering 1977), Tokyo Disneyland (premiering 1985) and Disneyland Paris (premiering 1992).

Photo © Disney

Photo © Disney

Photo © Disney

ANAHEIM, Calif. - April 24, 2009 - /PRNewswire/— Disneyland guests are dancing down Main Street, U.S.A., with Mickey Mouse and the gang in a high-energy show that celebrates spring at the Disneyland Resort. The party rocks with a new street show, revs up with a new dining experience and swings for six full weeks with Disney's California Food & Wine Festival. Valuable ticket offers and vacation packages add a big bonus to the new entertainment, making this one of the best times ever to experience the magic in Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure parks.

Whether guests are marking a birthday, anniversary, graduation, family reunion, quinceañera or any special occasion, they'll discover that Disneyland Resort is the perfect place to celebrate with favorite characters, world-class attractions and entertainment, and legendary guest service - all the ingredients to make magical Disney memories.

To top it off, some extra-special travel and ticket values are available for a limited time.

"Disneyland Resort has always been a popular destination for celebrations, and we've seen all kinds of celebrations here in 2009," said Ed Grier, president, Disneyland Resort. "With new entertainment and adventures appearing this spring and summer, along with our special vacation value packages, we're offering guests more reasons than ever to celebrate today."

Now through June 3, Southern California families (zip codes 90000-93599 in California, 21000-22999 in Baja California) will find the best value at Disneyland Resort by purchasing the "Southern California 2fer Ticket," which enables guests to visit either Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure one day, then come back on another day to play in the other park, for free! Information is available at www.disneyland.com or by calling (714) 781-7290.

For those planning a multi-day getaway at Disneyland Resort, there's the "2 Nights Free" offer. Guests who purchase a three-night summer vacation package - three nights of hotel accommodations and three days of theme park admission - will receive two more nights at the hotel and two more days of theme park admission. That's a total of five days and nights of Disneyland fun for the price of three. Details on these packages are available at www.disneyland.com or by calling (800) 854-3104.

These travel values are in addition to the first-of-its-kind "Free on Your Birthday" offer - one day's free admission to a Disneyland Resort park with valid ID. More details and online registration for Free on Your Birthday are available at www.disneyparks.com.

Guests who take advantage of these value offers will find plenty of fun at Disneyland Resort, including new celebration experiences.

The whole family can join the action with two new immersive shows this spring at Disneyland. Celebrate! A Street Party is a dazzling street show featuring a cast of nearly 100 dancers, DJs and Disney characters inviting guests along the Disneyland parade route to celebrate with them as they perform more than a dozen musical numbers in a lively presentation that allows some guests to show off their own dance moves in a conga line or twist party.

The best place at the Resort for hearty mouth-watering barbecue fare is Celebration Roundup and Barbecue, a spot where guests can celebrate their special occasions ranch-style with Woody and Jessie from "Toy Story," Chip 'n Dale and festive, country entertainment with live musicians. Located at Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland, Celebration Roundup and Barbecue features family-style table service with a menu of barbecue chicken and ribs, corn cob wheels, ranch beans, cole slaw, cornbread, watermelon slices and a unique surprise dessert.

At Disney's California Adventure park, guests will enjoy the fourth annual Disney's California Food & Wine Festival, a celebration of the international cultures, people, food and traditions that have made California one of the most diverse culinary destinations in the world. From April 24 through June 7, the Festival features more than 600 experiences, many of them complimentary, including wine and spirits seminars, culinary demonstrations and a Junior Chef program for children. Food and wine aficionados will get tips from award-winning Disneyland Resort chefs, noted winemakers and celebrity chefs such as Guy Fieri. Unique ticketed events include "World Celebration" dinners, two nights of the gala finale "Taste, Food-Wine-Life" and intimate receptions with stars of the food and wine world. Information and reservations for ticketed events are available at www.disneyland.com/foodandwine.

Aspiring young princesses (and knights) will get the full fairy-tale treatment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, new in Fantasyland at Disneyland. Young girls are greeted by their very own Fairy Godmother-in-training who will magically transform them into the princesses of their dreams with a makeover including hairstyles, make-up and jewels. For boys, a magical experience transforms them into gallant young knights.

At Disney's California Adventure park, guests will find a new lineup at Games of the Boardwalk, along the Paradise Pier Midway. The games, themed to Disney characters for the first time, include "Goofy About Fishin'," a ball-pitch "Casey at the Bat," a "Bullseye Stallion Stampede" horse race, and a water-spray "Dumbo Bucket Brigade."

The Disneyland Resort features two theme parks plus the Downtown Disney District comprised of unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort's three hotels are the luxurious 745-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the magical 988-room Disneyland Hotel and the "day-at-the-beach" fun of the 489-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. For information on new attractions and vacations at Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com.

2fer Ticket Details: 2fer tickets are valid for Southern California residents within ZIP Codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within ZIP Codes 21000-22999. Proof of residency is required for admission. Admission is valid for one Park each day, but not for both Parks on the same day. Tickets are valid 30 days from first use. First use must occur between 1/6/09-6/3/09. Each day of use constitutes one full day of use. Guests may purchase up to 8 tickets per person per day with valid ID. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use. The offer may not be combined with other discounts or promotions. The offer is not valid before 1/6/09 and is subject to restrictions and change without notice. $35 message is based on the purchase price of an adult 2fer Ticket, which is $69. Tickets are $59 for guests ages 3 through 9. Check for entertainment show times. For more information on the 2fer, visit www.disneyland.com or call (714) 781-7290.

"Get 2 Nights Free" offer is valid for bookings from 3/24/09 through 8/11/09 for arrivals at a Disneyland Resort hotel from 4/1/09 through 9/26/09 with travel being completed by 10/1/09, and is valid from 5/1/09 through 9/26/09 at participating Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor hotels with travel completed by 10/1/09. Upon the purchase of a 3-night package, with 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Tickets, at a participating hotel for a family of four (2 adults, 1 junior (ages 10 to 17) and 1 child (age 3-9), two (2) consecutive free nights will be added to the hotel stay and two (2) days added to the tickets. Limited to two (2) free nights per package / reservation and not valid for previously booked rooms. Check for offers associated with longer night stays. The Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Tickets expire 13 days after first use or 10/13/09, whichever occurs first, and each day of use of a ticket constitutes one full day of use. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial purposes. Offer subject to availability and blockout dates; advance reservations required. Not valid with any other discount or promotion. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Walt Disney Travel Company CST: 1022229-50, NYST # 2006-0198.

Free on Your Birthday Details. To receive free admission to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on your birthday in 2009, guests must bring valid ID including proof of birth date. Guests who have purchased a valid multi-day ticket they will use on their birthday may choose from other birthday treats instead. No cash refunds or credits will be given. To register your birthday and find out more details, visit www.disneyparks.com. For terms and conditions of the Birthday Fun Card and details on participating locations visit disneyparks.com/birthdayfuncard.

Photo ©Disney

16 March 2009 -- The latest sign of expansion and "re-Imagineering" in Disney's California Adventure park is the new illuminated "Paradise Pier" sign on the "California Screamin'" roller coaster. Installed overnight between Thursday and Friday, March 12 and 13, the sign reflects the "vintage Disney" themeing that is part of the Disney's California Adventure expansion. It was designed in the style of beachfront amusement park signs from the 1920s and '30s, the era when Walt Disney first arrived in Hollywood and begin producing animated cartoons. As the "re-Imagineering" continues at Disney's California Adventure this spring, the ferris wheel attraction will reopen as "Mickey's Fun Wheel" and the Games of the Boardwalk will reopen in completely new versions featuring Disney characters.

ANAHEIM, Calif., February 19, 2009 — Disney's California Food and Wine Festival will celebrate the international cultures, people, food and traditions that have made California one of the most diverse culinary destinations in the world. With a theme of “World Celebration,” the Festival expands to six weeks in 2009 – April 24 through June 7 – featuring daily complimentary demonstrations and premier ticketed events at Disney’s California Adventure park and throughout the Resort.

Tickets for the premier events - which include unique opportunities to go “Behind the Scenes With …” celebrity chefs and winemakers - go on sale beginning Tuesday, Feb. 24, at www.disneyland.com/foodandwine.

More than 600 complimentary experiences will be available at the fourth annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival, including culinary demonstrations, children’s programs and wine and spirits seminars. In addition, food and wine aficionados will get tips from Disneyland Resort chefs, mingle with noted winemakers and celebrate at the spectacular ticketed events, including the gala Festival finale “Taste Food-Wine-Life.”

“The 2009 Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival will take guests on a delicious journey around the globe,” said Gary Maggetti, director of food and beverage for Disneyland Resort theme parks. “We invite guests to celebrate their favorite foods and wines with our great variety of events, and to explore new tastes and flavors with our outstanding chefs and wine experts.”

Food & Wine Festival events held in Disney's California Adventure require park admission, which is not included in the event price. Some events may require an additional fee and pre-registration.

Featured celebrity chefs, including Guy Fieri of the Food Network, along with nearly 100 Disneyland Resort chefs will conduct cooking demonstrations that showcase their talents and an international mix of delectable dishes. Guests will collect cooking tips while they watch the pros in action, discovering new twists on timeless classics and sampling the festival cuisine. Guests will also taste delicious festival-inspired dishes at the Wine Country Trattoria, Pacific Wharf Café, Farmer’s Market and other eateries inside Disney’s California Adventure park.

New Events for 2009
Guests will enjoy several new signature events this year.
• Behind the Scenes With… – Unique opportunities to share food, wine and conversation with cooking personalities from popular television programs and celebrity winemakers. The stars include Guy Fieri (“Guy’s Big Bite”), Keegan Geerhard (“Food Network Challenge), Tommy Lasorda (Lasorda Wines), and John and Nancy Lasseter (Lasseter Family Winery). The evenings begin with tasty appetizers and exquisite wines, followed by question-and-answer sessions hosted by Chef Jamie Gwen.
• Sweet Sundays – The sweetest of all events features a light buffet breakfast and sparkling wine at the Golden Vine Winery at Disney’s California Adventure. Guests will see demonstrations and taste three signature desserts created by acclaimed pastry chefs, including chefs from Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. in San Diego and Cake Monkey Bakery in Los Angeles.
• Festival Wine Walks - Guests will explore wines of the world, or a single region, when they purchase a tasting passport and select up to four tastes of spectacular wines. A tasting tour that features craft brews will also be available. Delicious wine country tapas that complement the beer and wine will be available at The Lounge at the Golden Vine Winery.
• World Celebration Dinners – Disneyland Resort chefs will create an elegant menu that blends the food, wine and celebrations of regions around the world. France, Japan, Korea, Italy and Spain will be featured.
• Master Sommelier Michael Jordan, of the award-winning Napa Rose restaurant, will add a new class to his “Introduction to Wine Tasting.” The “Advanced Wine Class” includes three two-hour sessions that take guests to the next level in their knowledge of wine regions, varietals, growing and harvesting style. Both entertaining classes will offer training as well as a blind tasting to test the participants’ skills.

Popular Returning Events
Events returning for 2009 feature Disneyland Resort chefs and premier winemakers.
• Winemaker Dinners - Disneyland Resort chefs will partner with premier California winemakers to prepare outstanding culinary delights at six exclusive “Winemaker Dinners,” on selected Friday nights. Each Festival meal will be paired with award-winning vintages and served at Steakhouse 55, inside the Disneyland Hotel.
• Napa Rose Cooking School - Disney Executive Chef Andrew Sutton will once again lead this hands-on course that sells out quickly. Each class will create and enjoy a themed meal paired with wines and each class member will go home with an official chef’s coat to commemorate the experience. This amazing opportunity takes place in the show kitchen of the renowned Napa Rose restaurant at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Guests must be at least 18 years of age and advance reservations are required.
• Festival Wine Receptions – Guests will have an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful sunset and weekend evening under the stars, on the patio of the Golden Vine Winery inside Disney’s California Adventure park. While sampling from a variety of selected wines and enjoying hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, guests will meet fellow wine enthusiasts, make new friends and discover new favorite wines.

For more details and pricing information, visit www.disneyland.com/foodandwine

ANAHEIM, Calif., October 15, 2008 – Nestled in the Golden Vine Winery at the base of Grizzly Peak in Disney’s California Adventure Park, the Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar is a place where Guests will get an exclusive sneak preview of what is new and what is in store for the expansion of the Disneyland Resort. Beginning October 20, Guests will view working models as well as dozens of concepts and sketches from Disney Imagineers, the creative minds behind the design and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions.

With Blue Sky Cellar, Guests will be invited for the first time to preview works in progress at Disneyland Resort by immersing themselves in a facsimile of an Imagineering workspace. Based on the belief that idea gathering is best when “the sky’s the limit,” the Blue Sky Cellar is designed to resemble an Imagineering “charette,” an extended creative idea development meeting. Guests receive an inside-look at how Imagineers take “blue sky” ideas and refine them into the classic storytelling that characterizes Disney Theme Park attractions and adventures.

In this whimsical immersive setting, Imagineers have taken over a former wine cellar and set up shop. Wine barrels have turned into work stations and the former wine tasting room has become a screening room where videos showcase the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into the creation of new and upcoming attractions for Disney’s California Adventure.

Guests will view several new attraction models, including the newly envisioned Paradise Pier area with its turn-of-the-20th-Century look, ride vehicle maquettes from Toy Story Mania!; and the new character overlays to the Games of the Boardwalk. Special features include updates and character additions to attractions such as Mickey’s Fun Wheel (an enhancement of the current Sun Wheel) and Silly Symphony Swings (a refreshed and rethemed Orange Stinger).

Brand new sketches and artwork line the walls including images of the new entrance area, soon to be known as Buena Vista Street, which will bring to life a nostalgic look at Los Angeles from the 1920s and 30s when Walt Disney first arrived in California; a Red Car trolley, reminiscent of the Pacific Electric Railway; and a new central plaza area including a replica of the Carthay Circle Theatre, where Walt premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

The “coming soon” area features images of Disney’s World of Color and The Little Mermaid attraction, and looks even further ahead to Cars Land, a 12-acre expansion of the Park which will bring to life the town of Radiator Springs from the Disney?Pixar animated film Cars, complete with three new attractions for the whole family. Additionally, Guests in Blue Sky Cellar will have fun testing their knowledge of Disney trivia at one of the interactive workstations.

The screening room features Imagineers describing the approach and vision of the Disney California Adventure expansion. Guests will see footage of model-making, sculpting, blue sky meetings and all the aspects of bringing a Disney concept to life.

Included in the original announcement of the multi-year expansion of the Disneyland Resort in Fall 2007, the Blue Sky Cellar is part of the overall commitment to keep the community and Disneyland Resort Guests informed of the exciting new and upcoming plans for the Resort. Future updates will focus on other new areas and attractions, and Guests are invited to return periodically for additional exciting information.

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.