Disney News Blog

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

A trio of Green Army Men characters from the Disney-Pixar animated films “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” march through “Pixar Place” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The newest addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, “Pixar Place” is modeled after Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. The street is adorned with larger-than-life versions of classic childhood toys and games, including Barrel of Monkeys, Scrabble and Battleship. “Pixar Place” is also home to “Toy Story Mania!,” a cutting-edge ride-through attraction that combines the fun of a video game with 4-D technology and interaction with favorite Disney-Pixar stars.

(Gene Duncan, photographer)

Cameron Mathison Headlines ABC-SOAPNet Super Soap Weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; Thorsten Kaye, Erika Slezak and Jason Thompson Join the Event

This year’s event marks the last in Orlando as ABC’s Daytime Division embarks on the 2009 Soap Nation Tour, a collection of nationwide initiatives designed to interact with fans more often on a year-round basis.

BURBANK, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2008) – Cameron Mathison will headline ABC-SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend Nov. 15 and 16 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Also joining the stellar lineup of 30 stars from the ABC daytime dramas are Thorsten Kaye, Aiden Turner and Rebecca Budig from “All My Children,” Erika Slezak, Michael Easton and Kristen Alderson from “One Life to Live,” and Laura Wright, Kelly Monaco and Jason Thompson from “General Hospital.” Soapnet.com will reveal the full Super Soap Weekend all-star lineup on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

This year will mark the last Super Soap Weekend in Orlando as ABC’s Daytime Division embarks on the 2009 Soap Nation Tour, a collection of nationwide events designed to interact with fans on a year-round basis offering greater access to stars in more cities, more often. The final Walt Disney World weekend will be dedicated to the fans with special retrospectives and exclusive productions.

This year, special trivia and commemorative clip packages honoring the 45th anniversary of “General Hospital,” the 40th anniversary of “One Life to Live,” “All My Children’s” 10,000th episode, and past Super Soap Weekends will be shown during the event. Super Soap Weekend will become more interactive than ever before with the introduction of new mobile programs and text trivia. A special musical number will be developed for Colgate Total Street Jam that honors the final event, as well.

Throughout the weekend, fans will have the opportunity to meet favorite stars from “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital.” Festivities include celebrity motorcades, autograph sessions, game shows, interviews and the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind memorabilia from each of the shows. The Colgate Total Street Jam will close the event each day with live musical performances by some favorite daytime stars. Colgate Total toothpaste has served as the presenting sponsor of the event for nine consecutive years.

“We recognize that we live in a ‘Soap Nation’ – from primetime soaps to daytime soaps to reality and celebrity soaps, they are all around us. The 2009 tour will be a collection of coast-to-coast fan-based events that will ignite our ‘Soap Nation’,” said Brian Frons, president, Daytime Disney-ABC Television Group.

“Our fans have told us that they want us in their neighborhoods so we are traveling our daytime talent to better serve them. The new year will bring new ways we will involve our stars in more events, in more cities, more often.” Frons continued, “We thank Walt Disney World for being a wonderful host and partner and look forward to our plans to send Super Soap off with a bang and the celebration it deserves.”

“We have certainly enjoyed hosting the ABC soap stars – and their fans – over the years, and we’re going to make sure this year’s event is a fitting finale,” said Rilous Carter, vice president, Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Confirmed events within the 2009 Soap Nation Tour that support the new effort begin on the West Coast with the maiden voyage of SOAPnet Presents Rock the Soap, a three-day cruise (from Los Angeles to Mexico) hosted by Bob Guiney and filled with top daytime stars including Rebecca Budig, Thorsten Kaye, Jason Thompson, Kelly Monaco, Kassie DePaiva and Bree Williamson, featuring musical performances, autograph sessions and parties. More information about the event can be found at www.rockthesoap.com; new contests will be developed to provide trips to New York so winners can attend “Broadway Cares,” a one night musical celebration featuring daytime stars; and continued participation in the CMA’s Music Festival with stars attending the event weekend. Additional information regarding new fan experiences and expanded affiliate events will be released next year.

ABC-SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend is included with theme park admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where guests of all ages are caught up in the glitz, glamour and excitement of show business. For future updates and more information about ABC-SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend, guests may call the recorded Super Soap Hotline recording at 407/397-6808, or visit the ABC Daytime Web site at ABC.com.

Susan Lucci, Emmy Award-winning star of the ABC Daytime drama "All My Children," strikes a pose with her "Dancing with the Stars" professional dance partner, Tony Dovolani, Nov. 15, 2008 at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Lucci and Dovolani, who were eliminated from "Dancing with the Stars" on Nov. 5, appeared at "ABC SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend," a soap opera fan event being held this weekend at the Walt Disney World theme park. (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

IT'S SHOWTIME!: Disney's Hollywood Studios raises the curtain on the newest showbiz-themed attraction, "The American Idol Experience."

Opening in 2009, all the excitement of the popular "American Idol" TV show comes to life in a first-of-its-kind attraction. Walt Disney World guests can vote on their favorite performance, or audition with the chance to perform on stage. Disney's Hollywood Studios is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (David Roark, photographer)

Everywhere you look in Walt Disney World, the holidays are coming to life, starting with the 200,000 lights that decorate Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom and cover it with sparkling ice from top to toe. See how the Disney Imagineers make this phenomenal transformation take shape.

Each holiday season, the streets of Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida sparkle with five million lights. In 1995, Walt Disney World® Resort adopted the displays from Little Rock's Jennings Osborne after his neighbors grumbled. Now, Disney crews start work in March to get ready for guests in November and December.

For more information about how Walt Disney World celebrates the holidays, visit www.disneyworld.com/holidays