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Hello everyone,
This past weekend Jon and I were in Walt Disney World for a brief trip to see Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival and a few other things.
I thought I would share with you all some of the things we saw whilst there, including a full round-up of all the Flower and Garden topiaries, gardens and exhibits. This report is photo heavy, so be warned in case you have a slow connection.
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Hello everyone,
This is the third part of my Walt Disney World Christmas trip report. In case you missed parts one and two, here are the links:
Part 1 - The Magic Kingdom
Part 2 - Epcot
In this part I am going to share the festive fun we had at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Let’s start with Animal Kingdom.
At the main entrance, the beautiful Christmas Tree welcomed us.
On Discovery Island we met Mickey and Minnie in their Christmas attire, and Daisy was greeting in her safari wear, with some small little holiday additions - some holly and a candy cane striped scarf and ribbons.
Up at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Chip and Dale were inside the building due to the rain, but they were wearing winter scarves and hats. They were so cute!
In Asia, King Louie and Baloo were wearing winter scarves, and had a great backdrop with Christmas Trees and garlands with bananas on them!
In DinoLand USA, Santa Goofy and his trusty helper, Pluto (who has bells on his collar) had a nice setup with their own Christmas Trees, too. Donald Duck was at his location near Dinosaur, and while his outfit was his regular one, he had a festive addition to his hat, and a candy cane striped scarf.
It was really nice to see so many characters wearing Christmas outfits at Animal Kingdom - I just wish that there were as many at the Magic Kingdom (during regular hours), too!
Now let’s move onto Hollywood Studios.
Phineas and Ferb were at their regular location wearing Christmas hats and scarves (the same ones they wore at the Club Tinsel dance party at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which we saw in part one of this report).
Santa Goofy was greeting fans on the Streets of America, and while he wears the same outfit as he over at Animal Kingdom, it was nice to meet him with a different festive backdrop.
Hollywood Studios has some nice Christmas decorations, too, including a large tree at the main entrance.
Of course, the highlight for me for Hollywood Studios, and one of the top things from the whole trip was seeing the Osborne Lights. I love the Osborne Lights, and was so happy to finally get to see them again having spent several Christmases at the other Disney Parks around the world. The lights are nothing short of spectacular. The colours, the way they dance to the music - they are simply awesome. No amount of photos can ever do them justice, but I’ll try nonetheless!
I took some short video clips on my phone, which I’ll post below, but just be aware that the quality might not be the best!
So, this report along with the previous two parts, we have now covered everything festive that we experienced during our recent Walt Disney World trip. I think I’ll probably try to make a final part to just share with everyone the other things that we did during our trip that were not Christmas related, but that might not come until next week.
Have a great Christmas everyone!
Dan.
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Want to discover the magic of all the Disney Parks worldwide without leaving your seat?! Then be sure to check out my “Grand Circle Tour”, which is currently touring Main Street, Adventureland and Frontierland, here on the Character Central Blog! See below for links.
Part 1 - Main Street USA
Part 2 - Adventureland
Part 3 - Frontierland
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Hello everyone,
First of all, I'm sorry for the lateness with which this news article comes. Some of this news has been around for a few days, but Jon and I have been so very busy that I just haven't had time to post. However, if you join our forums our helpful members there nearly always post the latest things they find, so be sure to join our friendly community and never miss any updates! With that said, I've put together a roundup of the latest character news from this week, including brand new news today about Disneyland Paris' Halloween season this year, and a new Frozen event for Tokyo.
Let's start with an event that is just 2 days away, Villains Unleashed at Disney's Hollywood Studios!
Various sites across the internet, including this one, have been posting information regarding all the characters and locations for this hard ticket event. I have used various sources and compiled together the following guide based on everything we know so far. Of course, Disney can change anything at any time, so just bear that in mind. It should also be pointed out that there are no less than THREE brand new characters on this list that have never met guests before! Constantine from the Muppets Most Wanted (as announced here by the Disney Parks Blog), and the Star Lord and Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy (as announced here by the Disney Parks Blog)!
Characters with set locations (locations with a proper line):
- Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow - Captain Hector Barbossa until 11.30pm
- Animation Courtyard - Maleficent until 11.30pm
- Sunset Boulevard - The Witch
- Near MuppetVision - Constantine the Muppet
- Streets of America - Cruella de Vil, Dr. Facilier, Jafar, Bowler Hat Guy, Shan Yu, The Queen, Captain Gantu, Dr. Hamsterviel
- Near Star Tours - Darth Maul, Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Stormtroopers
- Near the Sci-Fi Drive In - Emperor Palpatine and the Royal Guards
Wandering Characters (characters that may appear randomly and may or may not form a proper line):
- Near Hades Hangout (AKA the Sorcerer's Hat Stage at the centre of the park) - Queen of Hearts, Big Bad Wolf, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Governor Ratcliffe
- Near Indiana Jones Stunt Show - Brer Fox and Brer Bear, the Hyenas - Shenzi, Ed and Banzai
- Villains Dominion (the Streets of America) - Stromboli, Gaston, Prince John, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Frollo, Lady Tremaine, Drizella, Anastasia, Gideon, J. Worthington Foulfellow
- "The Dark Side" (near Star Tours) - Jawas, Jango Fett, Stormtroopers, Greedo, Asajj Ventress, Tusken Raiders, Gamorrean Guard, Zam Wesell, Aurra Sing
Shows and Happenings (all information adapted from the Disney Parks Blog):
- “Guardians of the Galaxy” Awesome Mix Tape Dance Party at the Animation Courtyard - Dance party featuring Gamora and the Star Lord. They will not greet guests, but the Disney Parks Blog did say they would "interact".
- Hades Hangout - The party kicks off at 8pm at the Sorcerer's hat stage, where hosts Hades, Megara, Pain and Panic. They’ll be joined throughout the night by other villains such as the Queen of Hearts, the Sheriff of Nottingham, the Big Bad Wolf and Captain Hook. None of them will be greeting guests, as per the norm with Disney dance parties.
- Oogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Show - On Sunset Boulevard, Theater of the Stars presents a production of extreme performances, hosted by Oogie Boogie. It’s an all-new show that’s sure to thrill!
- Fantasmic! - On Sunset Boulevard, a gang of villainous henchmen, known as the Night Crawlers, tempt you to join them for a special pre-show to the evening’s performance of Fantasmic!
- “Villainy in the Sky” Fireworks - Hades summons Maleficent to the main event stage (Sorcerer's Hat) to close things out with a devilishly dazzling display of pyrotechnics!
What's interesting also about this list is that The Witch and The Queen will both be greeting, in separate locations. I think there may be some sorcery involved in this one! (Remember, they are both the alter egos of the evil Queen Grimhilde!)
It's also worth pointing out that Emperor Palpatine and the Royal Guards will be greeting, which is very rare. On top of that, of course as we already knew from a couple of weeks ago, Captain Gantu and Dr Hamsterviel will be landing for some alien terror!
On to some Frozen news now, and Hong Kong Disneyland announced at a special media event, and later via their Facebook page, that Anna and Elsa from the wildly popular movie Frozen would feature as characters at the park during their "Disney's Sparkling Christmas" celebrations, from mid-November this year.
Just a few hours ago the Tokyo Disney Resort Blog also announced some news regarding Frozen at the resort. From January 13th until March 20th a new Frozen section will be added to their poplar nighttime show, Once Upon a Time, and, from what I can make out (the Japanese being difficult to translate, as always), they will also feature in some capacity either in the parade, or at least along the parade route during the day.
Staying with the Asian parks, Hong Kong held special preview event of their brand new nighttime parade, Paint the Night, which debuts in October this year. We have some videos posted on our forum here which you should check out, it looks really awesome!
We come to Paris now, where just today they sent out their press release regarding the upcoming Halloween season. The complete English version is below.
A Maleficent Halloween at Disneyland® Paris
From 1 October to 2 November 2014, Disneyland Paris is the place to be to meet the Halloween gang of Disney Villains. Every day, Maleficent will bring together the Disney Villains in a cheerfully ominous atmosphere, promising Disneyland Paris guests encounters to die (laughing) for. The Sleeping Beauty Castle Courtyard will be transformed to welcome the good Disney Villains who will take mischievous pleasure in taking over Disney's Halloween Festival.
And that's not all! During this delightfully frightening month, ghosts and "Disney’s Funky Pumpkins*" will take possession of Main Street, U.S.A., astonishing pumpkins will take over the flowerbeds in Central Plaza and Frontierland will be transformed into an autumn garden, where sunflowers and pumpkins will take centre stage. Finally, Mickey and friends will offer guests a special Harvest festival-themed cavalcade, not far from Minnie's Halloween Costume Corner or the incredible candy-making machine invented by greedy Goofy, all designed to ensure Disney's Halloween Festival is a laugh a minute!
NEW: The Maleficent Disney Villains Promenade
Every day, the Disney Villains will be happy to have their photos taken with guests to immortalize this fearsomely funny occasion forevermore. Together with Maleficent, the Disney Villains will parade around Central Plaza to welcome guests.
NEW: Maleficent's Court
This year, Maleficent will cast a spell on the Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Disneyland Park and will invite some of the Disney Villains to join her in the Castle Courtyard. Maleficent, surrounded by her friends, the Disney Villains, will take over the place - it has now been invaded by imposing brambles, which guests will be able to pose in front of, next to the Disney Villains.
That is how huge brambles mysteriously appear in the Castle Courtyard. Shaped like the famous horns of Maleficent herself, these brambles form the outline of an imposing dragon. As night falls, the bramble will take on a more disquieting look, immersing guests in a universe of bright, unsettling colours.
Mickey's Halloween Celebration
To celebrate Halloween and to provide guests with a unique party, Mickey and friends will offer guests a cavalcade specially dedicated to the Harvest festival, and have naturally been inspired by the autumn and Harvest theme. Several times a day, Mickey and friends will parade in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and along Main Street, U.S.A., surrounded by dancers wearing autumn colours.
This year, the lovely Daisy will open the cavalcade. The Three Little Pigs and Horace will join Mickey's Halloween Celebration on their brand new float "Raise the Rafters!". Surrounded by owls, black cats, spiders and bats, the Three Little Pigs, Horace and Clarabelle will dance to country music in front of their farm. A tree and an enchanted mushroom will come to life as if by magic.
As for the Disney Characters, they will be showing off their most stunning seasonal costumes. Donald will explore the wonders of autumn in a world made of straw and pumpkins, together with his inseparable nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. Meanwhile, Uncle Scrooge will bring up the rear, determined to keep determined to keep careful watch over a strange pumpkin that appears to be worth its weight in gold…
Mickey and Minnie pay homage to the Harvest season from their huge horn of plenty, filled with autumn leaves, fruits and pumpkins. Behind them, Chip and Dale, accompanied by the charming Clarice, have taken advantage of the Harvest to steal and hoard as many hazelnuts as they can lay their hands on!
Ghosts invade Disneyland Park
They thought they could keep a low profile throughout Halloween month, but guests will only be able to unmask them and immortalise them in a photo!
The ghosts of the former residents of Main Street, U.S.A. will use Halloween as the perfect opportunity to make their grand appearance. Delighted to be able to make an appearance during Disney's Halloween Festival, they will take over Main Street, U.S.A., trying to blend into the scenery. The Park's apprentice ghost hunters will be invited to unmask them, armed with their cameras.
Hilarious encounters with Disney Characters
The Disney characters get dressed up to the nines to welcome guests in a vibrant and colourful Halloween atmosphere for those special photo opportunities with guests.
Halloween Costume Corner - Passionate about sewing and fashion, Minnie will invite guests to discover her amazing sewing workshop, specially created for Halloween. An extravagant, colourful world where everyone is encouraged to let their imagination run wild. Minnie, in her fabulous Halloween-inspired dress will no doubt jump at the opportunity to pose with her admirers.
Goofy Bonbons - Halloween would not be the same without bonbons and spells. For that reason, Goofy has designed and created a truly amazing candy-making machine to dazzle those with a sweet tooth, young and old! Fans of bonbons and Goofy will not miss the opportunity to stop in front of this astonishing machine. Goofy might even join them to make sure everything is in good working order. A moment to treasure and a chance for everyone to persuade him to share his confectionery secrets!
Jack and Sally's Cemetery (from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas© Disney) - The famous couple created by Tim Burton will be at Disneyland Paris during Halloween for a mortally enchanting encounter. The set recreates the universe of the film The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Jack and Sally in person will welcome those who will be courageous enough to meet them. A reproduction inspired by the universe of Tim Burton, Jack and Sally's Cemetery is a unique place.
NEW: Disney PhotoPass+
The perfect opportunity to capture your best moments with the Disney Villains.
Disney PhotoPass+ allows guests to collect all their souvenir photos taken on rides or with Disney Characters by Park photographers at photo locations in high definition in a virtual portfolio. The photos are also available on a dedicated website (www.disneyphotopass.eu) and on a mobile app that enables guests to download them, share them on social networks and even purchase personalised photo products (photo albums, mugs, calendars etc.).
Disney's Halloween Festival will therefore be the ideal time to capture the best poses next to the Disney Villains.
Disney's Halloween Party: the grand finale on 31 October!
Guaranteed screams, even for the bravest guests. The most magical Halloween night will take place at Disneyland Paris!
The now famous Disney's Halloween Party (ticketed event) will be held on 31 October 2014 in Disneyland Park. A unique experience to share with family or friends from 8.30 pm to 1 am.
Disneyland Park will reopen its doors after dark and guests will see it as they have never seen it before - in a more mysterious atmosphere than ever, with unexpected animations, terrifyingly delicious surprises and a "hellish" atmosphere. The moon will bring out the ghosts, Disney Villains and other creatures for the party, who are all ready to play their tricks around the most mysterious of places. After enjoying the many attractions Disneyland Park has to offer, guests will be able to immerse themselves in the magical extravaganza of the Disney Dreams®! night-time show.
Thrilling rides
Hair-raising, high-speed sensations!
Halloween will be the perfect occasion to test guests' vocal chords on rides that will make them tremble with fear! With The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster with Aerosmith, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Crush’s Coaster® and Space Mountain: Mission 2, Disneyland Paris will be the place to be to test the limits of the most overwhelming fears.
The Disney Villains have chosen the right occasion for their largest gathering — Disney's Halloween Festival 2014 has become autumn's unmissable event.
In an atmosphere where laughter mingles with spells cast by Maleficent, guests will find themselves immersed in a strange, delightful world that only Disneyland Paris knows how to create. To celebrate Halloween and the Harvest season with Mickey and friends, come to Disneyland Paris from 1 October to 2 November 2014.
Finally, although nothing official has been announced (as far as I'm aware, and I get all the press releases such as the one above for Halloween), Merida will finally be coming to Disneyland Paris for Christmas, and Anna and Elsa will be greeting guests there, too, instead of just being in the parade. Many sites and pages on the internet have been circulating this news this week, and I have reason to believe it holds a good amount of truth. What's interesting is that Anna and Elsa are said to be going into the Princess Pavilion - I wonder where the other princesses will go? Of course, Disneyland Paris only today released the full Halloween information (above), so until they release the full Christmas press release, anything can change! When they do finally release it, I'll be sure to post it here on the blog.
Ok that's everything for today. We were at DLP on two separate occasions over the past few weeks, I have already compiled one photo trip report which includes over 50 photos of the brand new Ratatouille area there, so be sure to check that out! Another report for our second trip will be coming soon!
Also, don't forget to read part one of my Grand Circle Tour of all the world's Magic Kingdoms, here. Part 2 is coming soon, too!
Dan. |
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Hello everyone,
Let's start with Walt Disney World, where this week the Disney Parks Blog confirmed that the immensely popular Frozen Summer events are being extended by a whole month, until 28th September. This is great news for fans who want to experience the winter wonderland that has taken over Disney's Hollywood Studios! You can sing along with Anna, Elsa and Kristoff at a special show at the park, or watch them in the magically frozen parade that happens daily.
The Disney Parks Blog also announced that Baymax and Hiro from Disney's brand new movie, Big Hero 6, will debut as characters at the Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando this autumn. No other details about where in the parks and for how long they'll greet for has been released yet. Once Disney say more, I'll be sure to update here on the blog.
Bob Iger told investors earlier this week at a meeting that, “We’re also developing ideas and designs for a far greater Star Wars presence in our parks,” and, “We expect to provide details about this sometime next year.” Nobody knows any more than that right now, but it's an exciting prospect nonetheless!
Mickey's Halloween Party tickets for Disneyland in California went on sale, and have dates from Friday 26th September through to Halloween night itself. Prices start from $56 for annual passholders online advance purchase.
The Tokyo Disney Resort Blog released some details about this year's Christmas events at their parks. The Japanese, as always, is quite difficult to translate, but I have managed to pull some details from it. At Tokyo DisneySea we can expect to see the Color of Christmas show on Mediterranean Harbor, featuring Mickey and friends. Over at Lost River Delta you can celebrate the Spanish festival of light, although I don't think any characters are involved - it sounded like just decorations and lights. At American Waterfront there seems to be another show, called Snow Crystal Illumination. I'm inclined to think this one may be a character show since it says it'll be at Waterfront Park, an area they usually use for character shows. However, again, it's hard to translate. There is also mention of character greetings, but no further details provided. Based on past years, it'll most likely be Duffy and ShellieMay in special costumes, but others could appear also. At Tokyo Disneyland, Disney's Santa Village Parade returns. As always with Japan, there will be lots of cool decorations, merchandise and treats available throughout the season, which runs from 7th November through 25th December inclusive.
If you haven't already read it, you should check out part 1 of my Grand Circle Tour of the Magic Kingdoms of the world. Part 2 will be coming soon!
Have a great weekend everyone,
Dan. |
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Hello everyone,
Yesterday the Disney Parks Blog announced some more details about the Villains Unleashed event to be held at Disney's Hollywood Studios on 23rd August. One of the most surprising details from the release was that Captain Gantu and Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel from the Lilo and Stitch series would be making appearances on the Streets of America for greetings during the party!
Some of the highlights of the event include:
- Hades Hangout - The party kicks off at 8pm at the main event stage, where hosts Hades, Megara, Pain and Panic are killing ‘em with comedy. They’re joined throughout the night by the Underworld Dancers, DJ Igg Nite, live music and other Villains, including the Queen of Hearts, Sheriff of Nottingham, the Big Bad Wolf and Captain Hook.
- Villains Dominion - The Streets of America will be swarming with baddies. Here you’ll have the opportunity to meet favourites like Cruella De Vil, Jafar, Dr. Facilier and Gaston, along with more rarely seen baddies such as Shan Yu from “Mulan,” Bowler Hat Guy from “Meet the Robinsons”, or Captain Gantu and Dr. Hämsterviel from “Lilo & Stitch: The Series”. In addition look for Judge Claude Frollo, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, Drizella, and more!
- The Dark Side - During “Villains Unleashed,” the area around 'Star Tours - The Adventures Continue' becomes a wretched hive of scum and villainy, the place to find nefarious bounty hunter Boba Fett, Sith apprentice Darth Maul, and the ultimate villain - Darth Vader! And that’s not all! Wandering the area, you’ll stumble upon more malcontents from that galaxy far, far away: Zam Wessel, Aurra Sing, Asajj Ventress, Jango Fett, Greedo, Jawas, and others.
- Villainous Encounters - Visit Stage 4 (where The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attraction is seen during the day), and you can “Parlay” with the one and only Hector Barbossa. And just around the corner in the Animation Courtyard is where you’ll discover a bit of the Moors, where you can have an audience with the mistress of all evil, Maleficent!
- Oogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Show - Over on Sunset Boulevard, Theater of the Stars presents a production of extreme performances, hosted by the original master of scare-monies, Oogie Boogie. It’s an all-new show that’s sure to thrill!
- Fantasmic! - Strolling up Sunset Boulevard, a gang of villainous henchmen, known as the Night Crawlers, tempt you to join them for a special pre-show to the evening’s performance of Fantasmic!, itself a celebration of the power and intrigue of some of the greatest Disney villains.
- “Villainy in the Sky” Fireworks - Hades summons Maleficent to the main event stage to close things out with a devilishly dazzling display of pyrotechnics!
It all sounds completely awesome, right?! Jon and I have actually already seen Captain Gantu and Dr. Hämsterviel a couple of times in the past. They featured several years ago in a popular Tokyo Disney Resort summertime show, titled "Midsummer Night's Panic". You can check out our dedicated Gantu page here, and dedicated Dr. Hämsterviel page here for lots more photos of both these galactic villains! I'm also putting a couple of photos below for your enjoyment!
Moving on now, and over at the Magic Kingdom the next couple of days will see a new system in place for the perpetually long line to meet Anna and Elsa from Disney's 'Frozen'. FastPass+ reservations can still be made (providing there is availability), however, now the stand-by line is being cut in favour of an alternate concept. If you aren't able to get a FP+ reservation (or are willing to wait in line anyway), you now receive a return time ticket for a half hour window later in the day. Disney are reportedly going to give out less of these per hour than the the equivalent amount of people who would have waited in line, meaning that in theory the line should now be a lot shorter when you return since the ticket system ensures only a limited number of people can be in line at any given moment. If the system is a success, then I expect that we can see it permanently implemented. Disneyland Paris already use virtually the same system for their popular Princess Pavilion, whereby tickets are distributed for a return time, and then you return later with a (supposedly) shorter wait. Of course these systems do have one major disadvantage in order to make lines shorter - less people now have the opportunity to experience these greetings, and there is a chance you might not get a ticket. It'll be interesting to see how it works out, and if Disney adopt this permanently.
Finally, yesterday Tokyo Disney Resort's official blog announced that the Mystic Rhythms show at Hangar Stage in Tokyo DisneySea's Lost River Delta area will be closing to make way for a new show in 2016. The new production will use projection mapping technology and follows a young girl through the world of shadows! No other information has been released at this stage, but once it does, I'll be sure to post it here.
You should also check out this neat tilt shift, time lapse video of Tokyo Disneyland that Tokyo Disney Resort released just recently. It features a bunch of characters, shows and parades, and is quite cute!
Ok, that's everything for now. If you play the Disney Tsum Tsum game on your iPhone or Android device, why not check out our brand new sister site, Tsum Tsum Central!
Have a great week everybody,
Dan. |
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Yesterday the Disney Parks Blog announced a summer full of fun at Disney's Hollywood Studios featuring the incredibly popular Frozen characters, Anna and Elsa.
The biggest news to come out of it is that it would seem Kristoff will be stepping out of Arendelle to make his Disney Parks debut in a special procession through the park! 'Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome' will happen at 11am each day.
There is mention of Olaf too, and although we don't know for sure yet, from the description it is likely he will appear on the big video screen only, and not as a character on stage. However, anything could happen, and we really hope he does appear!
Here's a roundup of everything you can expect from 5th July through to 1st September inclusive.
- Olaf on Summer Vacation – Olaf the snowman is having the time of his life on his very first summer vacation! He chimes in throughout the day to keep everyone updated on all his adventures. Plus, you can pick up your very own Take-Along Olaf from locations in the park, so he can join you on your summer vacation. And when you share your photos with Olaf on social media, be sure to tag them with #OlafSummerVacation. They may just get selected to appear in that day’s grand finale!
- Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome – At 11am each day, Elsa and Anna arrive in Hollywood as part of their goodwill tour of neighbouring kingdoms, making their way down Hollywood Boulevard in a horse-drawn sleigh. Kristoff is along for the fun, too, joined by a flurry of skaters, skiers, ice cutters and more! The entire procession culminates in a special moment at the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon Stage to officially welcome the visiting royalty to this kingdom of Hollywoodland.
- For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration – Cool down inside the Premiere Theater, where Anna and Elsa join the Royal Historians of Arendelle for a fun and comedic retelling of the unique history of their Kingdom, filled with delightful, sing-along moments from “Frozen.”
- Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Frozen Funland – Inside Soundstage One, Oaken and his cousins have created a Frozen Funland filled with cold weather activities, unique photo opportunities, and more! There’s a frozen pond with ice skating demonstrations, wintertime fun for kids in the “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” play area, a “big summer blowout” with plenty of “Frozen” merchandise, and special “Frozen”-inspired food and beverage offerings.
- “Coolest Summer Ever” Dance Party – Starting at 5.30pm each day, a dance party takes over the area around the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon Stage, with a DJ, live band, and more! The band plays a variety of classic and contemporary summer rock and roll hits, as well as a cool, rocking medley of “Frozen” favourites. It’s going to be hot!
- “Frozen” Fireworks Spectacular – Everything wraps up at 9.45pm when Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf come together at the Sorcerer’s Hat Icon Stage for a grand finale to the day’s festivities, kicking off an awe-inspiring fireworks display set to the glorious music of “Frozen!”
Once more information becomes available, I'll be sure to post it here on the blog.
Have a great weekend everyone,
Dan. |
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Today is the 25th anniversary of the grand opening of Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Originally named the Disney-MGM Studios, the park has seen many new additions over the years, including characters!
So let's take a character filled tour of the Studios as we wish it a very Happy 25th Birthday!
Happy 25th Birthday Disney's Hollywood Studios!
A Belated Happy 16th Bitthday to Disney's Animal Kingdom
Last week saw the 16th anniversary of the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Sadly Jon and I were not available to post anything, but, better late than never, right?! So, here's a few pictures from our fun times at Animal Kingdom in celebration of its 16 years.
Dan.
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No trip to a Disney Park would be complete without meeting everybody's favourite star, and the world's most famous mouse, Mickey! I've compiled a list of our top places to meet him at each of the 11 Disney Parks around the world. Some of them are not as obvious as you would initially anticipate, as I have tried to offer suggestions of places where you find him wearing different outfits, or where lines are shorter.
So, let's take a look! I've organised the locations purely by destination, and not in any kind of rank order.
1. Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in California
Disneyland is the gateway to the whimsical world of Toontown, and where better to meet Mickey than in his house there? Depending on your time of visiting, Mickey could be wearing a variety of outfits which include his classic suit, his bandleader outfit, Steamboat Willie outfit or Sorcerer's Apprentice hat and gown. You never know which one he'll be wearing, and while you wait you get to explore the magical home of the world's most beloved mouse!
2. Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort in California
When Mickey visits DCA, he greets is fans on the historical Buena Vista Street, wearing his 1920's Los Angeles clothes. It's a cute outfit and a fitting location indeed.
3. Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
Mickey's home at the Magic Kingdom is in Town Square Theater on Main Street USA. Here Mickey feels most comfortable, and actually talks to guests whilst wearing his special magicians costume! What sort of conversation will you have with him?
Sadly we haven't yet visited Mickey at Town Square Theater since he started talking to guests. The photo above is from a previous visit. The picture below is one taken by our good friend Lori, who has been lucky enough to meet him since he started talking!
4. EPCOT at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
While visiting EPCOT, Mickey greets guests at the Character Spot. Although he doesn't wear a special outfit here, it is the only place you can meet him regularly in the park.
Note that the backdrop has changed since we last saw Mickey here, but remains largely similar.
5. Disney Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
At Disney's Hollywood Studios, Mickey wears his Sorcerer's Apprentice inside the Magic of Disney Animation building. Which spells will you help him conjure up?
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
Join Mickey before he sets off on his next expedition, at the Adventurers Outpost on Discovery Island! Minnie is nearly always there too, also wearing her explorers costume.
7. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris
This one is a bit more obscure (you might have expected I had chose 'Meet Mickey Mouse' in Fantasyland), but I have chosen Discoveryland because when Mickey visits the retro-future he dons his special space suit. Although he doesn't come out daily in Discoveryland, unlike the rest of the locations listed above, it is fairly regular, and it is the only place in the world you will find Mickey wearing a space suit!
8. Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris
When he's filming on location at the Studios, Mickey greets fans wearing his classic outfit at Toon Plaza, in Toon Studios. The backdrop is nearly always that of his house back in Toontown.
9. Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort
Again, you might have expected me to chose Mickey's permanent location in Toontown, but that can often get lines of 4 hours or more, and so I have picked somewhere a bit more "relaxed". Although he doesn't come out daily in Westernland, when he does, Mickey wears his special Western outfit. The Japanese call this a "free" character set, meaning he will walk around greeting guests, instead of having a multi-hour wait! Be warned though, when he appears, there will nearly always be hoards of Japanese fans screaming for the attention of their idol! The experience of watching them do that is alone worth meeting Mickey here over any structured location!
10. Tokyo DisneySea at Tokyo Disney Resort
Deep in the heart of the Lost River Delta, Mickey is on an excavation trip. When he's taking a break from digging up ancient ruins, he greets his fans in his tent, wearing his cute archaeologist outfit. This is one of the few places at Tokyo Disney Resort where a structured meet 'n' greet location has relatively "short" lines, too, making it a great place to visit Mickey and friends!
11. Hong Kong Disneyland at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Bears and gold are the main attraction in the little town of Grizzly Gulch. It's also where Mickey likes to hang out when visiting Hong Kong Disneyland, and he does it in style, wearing his excellent gold rush costume! Minnie nearly always appears alongside him, too.
Of course, these locations aren't the only places at the parks where you can meet the Big Cheese, but are the ones that I felt were different or unique in some way.
Dan. |
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