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Hello everyone,
Last week Jon and I were in Disneyland Paris again for three days. As always, we had an awesome, action packed time!
I wanted to share with you some photos from our trip.
Let's start on Main Street USA with the brand new "New Century Notions - Flora's Unique Boutique" that has replaced the former Town Square Photography. It should be noted that PhotoPass pictures can still be viewed and purchased here.
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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,
I'm starting a new series here on the blog in which I aim to share my thoughts and experiences of the different lands of the Magic Kingdom style parks around the world. Think of it as the ultimate "grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom", to coin a classic phrase!
Of course, there will be many, many photos, so be warned, this post might take a while to load!
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 | Character Couture - Minnie Mouse | |
| DisneyDan
Sunday, July 27, 2014 8:51:04 AM |
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Hello everyone,
I've decided to start a new mini-series here on the blog, focussing on character wardrobes from the Disney Parks and Resorts around the world.
The Disney Characters are the best dressed celebrities in the world, with an outfit for literally any occasion! Today I wanted to share with you some of the adorable Minnie Mouse's collection.
Let's start with California, where she greets guests in her stylish Minnie's Fly Girls Airlines uniform.
In Florida she becomes Minnie Magique in her pink circus outfit for Pete's Silly Sideshow at the Magic Kingdom.
At Disneyland Paris during their wonderful Spring into Spring season you can see Minnie daily in their fabulous Spring Promenade, wearing a gorgeous spring dress.
Hong Kong Disneyland is home to the Golden Mickey's award ceremony, where Minnie always arrives dressed for the star studded occasion!
Tokyo DisneySea's Lost River Delta is home to a mysterious and magical excavation site, and of course Minnie is there discovering its hidden treasures!
When you sail aboard Disney Cruise Line, be sure to check your itinerary with the ocean's most glamourous cruise director, Minnie Mouse!
Which one is your favourite?
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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 | Happy 59th Birthday Disneyland! | |
| DisneyDan
Thursday, July 17, 2014 11:52:47 AM |
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Hello everyone,
Today (17th July) is the 59th anniversary of the grand opening of the original Disney theme park, Disneyland in Anaheim, California!
For a change, for my photo tribute, I thought I'd share with you non-character pictures. Let's celebrate and enjoy the beauty of the park itself!
Happy 59th Birthday Disneyland!
Dan. |
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| Happy 4th of July! | |
| PeterPanFan
Friday, July 4, 2014 1:20:44 PM |
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| Today is the day that the United States of America celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776 making it a free nation. On this most patriotic of US holidays we will celebrate with a Disney Character picture cavalcade celebrating both America's birthday as well as her history and the diversity of her people.
Then all 4th of July celebrations need a grand finale... so here is the "To Honor America" section of the Main Street Electrical Parade!
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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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Hello everyone,
Last weekend I was very lucky to be able to spend an unexpected, last minute trip at Disneyland Paris to once again enjoy all their Spring offerings.
While I never do trip reports, I thought it would be nice to just showcase some of my experiences in a photo round-up.
Instead of jumping from thing to thing, I'm going to group items into categories, such as meals, meeting characters, shows etc. So these aren't necessarily chronological.
Be warned! This is a very photo heavy post!
First up, Disney Magic on Parade. For some reason, the day we watched the parade Princess Aurora, Prince Phillip, Duffy, the Clubs Card and the White Rabbit were missing. The Peter Pan ship was also out because of being refurbished, however the characters were walking on the ground. The floating wizards that are usually before Mickey and Friends were behind, for some reason.
I was very happy that I got to watch Disney's Spring Promenade a couple more times before it ends (today in fact is its last day this year). I am in love with this parade/show, and am obsessed with the music, especially the "Let's Go Fly a Kite" sequence!
Along similar Spring lines, we saw the Welcome to Spring show once, which I was happy about. I am so glad that this show will be staying through the summer (obviously with a different title!). It brings much needed life and energy to Main Street, like similar shows at the US parks.
We also watched Disney's Stars 'n' Cars. I have to say that having known this parade from Walt Disney World more than a decade ago, and also knowing what it was like when it first came to Paris (where it was vastly different in concept to WDW), it is not too surprising that it is coming to an end.
Sticking with Stars 'n' Cars, we stayed for both sets of the lunchtime Stars 'n' Cars greetings one day. Here's who we managed to see.
I think we did exceptionally well meeting everyone that we did in two sets!
Other characters we met in Walt Disney Studios were Buzz and Spider-Man. We also saw Mickey at Toon Plaza, but didn't go to meet him.
At Disneyland Park, there were a lot of characters out and about over the few days I was there. Here's who I saw, including the special Spring greeting characters (Minnie and Duffy in special outfits, and Russell).
I also know that while I was there Scrooge, Donald and Daisy made an appearance in Fantasyland, Pluto in Frontierland, Tigger and Eeyore in Central Plaza, and King Louie and Mr Smee were in Adventureland. Those I know for sure, anyone else I can't attest to. Of course, as well as all of those, the Princesses were in the Pavilion, Meet Mickey was open as always, and Rapunzel was at the Spring location in Casey's Corner. I didn't get chance to meet any of those either, but thought it'd be good to mention.
On one of the days, the Auberge Royalty walked past me, and as well as Suzy and Perla there was the following.
I was privileged enough to stay in the Golden Forest Club in the Sequoia Lodge during my trip, and each morning had breakfast with the characters in the Golden Forest Lounge. Here's the Golden Forest Lounge (including the tea time items), my room and my breakfast greetings.
On my way from the Sequoia Lodge to the parks each morning I checked in the Hotel New York and the Disneyland Hotel. All regular characters the whole time, except one character at the New York one morning gave me a pleasant surprise!...
To break this post up a bit, here are some general park shots I took.
We ate dinner at Inventions two nights. The characters were almost identical both nights, so I won't post each occasion I met the same character, but instead just a photo of each different character between the two meals.
We also had lunch one afternoon at Restaurant des Stars at the Studios, which has now lost the Ratatouille theme, since the new area is opening imminently. Oddly enough there were some carvings that I thought were interesting.
We attended the Sunday Brunch at Inventions too. The theme this week was sports, but had an overriding feel of basketball only...
Finally, we saw the Magical Moment at the Disneyland Hotel on Sunday, after the Brunch.
We experienced some attractions and other shows too (Animagique, Cinemagique, Armageddon, Swiss Family Treehouse, Phantom Manor, Pirates of the Caribbean to name a few), watched Dreams! from Central Plaza and walked around, a lot!
Have a great Sunday everyone!
Dan.
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 | Happy first day of summer! | |
| DisneyDan
Saturday, June 21, 2014 2:43:34 PM |
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Today is the Summer Solstice, which means in the Northern Hemisphere it is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year!
I thought I'd share some of my favourite pictures from fun in the sun with our Disney pals!
And finally, these guys know all about summer!...
Happy first day of summer everyone!
Dan. |
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