|
 |
| Hello everyone,
This week has actually been quite a news filled week for a change!
Disneyland Resort in California has been at the forefront of most of the news, so let's start there. On the 12th March, the brand new Fantasy Faire area officially opened to all guests. We have all talked about this a lot recently, but now it's officially open, and it seems to be really popular. Disneyland did an excellent job of it, and we can't wait to see it it in May!
The Disney Parks Blog also announced that the new Mickey and the Magical Map show at the Fantasyland Theatre will debut on May 25th. We will miss this by a few days, sadly, but plan to be back in DL in the summer, so we cannot wait to see it! Much to my happiness, it sounds like it will have Stitch in it too!
Apparently it will feature entertainment at both parks at the Resort, including one in DL that will feature Hercules! Hercules is a very rare character indeed, and it will be the first time outside of Tokyo DisneySea that he has met guests in a very long time.
Over in WDW, not strictly character related, but worth a mention; the design for this year's Star Wars Weekends logo has been released, which features Chip and Dale as Ewoks - my favourite Star Wars characters! We hope to be able to attend SWW this year, and so we look forward to seeing which characters will be out... Maybe even Ewok Chip and Dale? Of course that's my own speculation, but that would be very cool indeed!
There will also be a new "nighttime" parade, although details were sketchy, we can hope that it'll be an electrical parade? Again, that'll bring more characters to the park, even if it is just for a parade. Whilst I mention Mystic Point, HKDL are pretty good with their themed characters, and having characters in special outfits in the different lands, which makes me wonder who might appear once Mystic Point opens in May? I guess we'll find out soon enough!
At Disneyland Paris, we have heard from various contacts that for the 20th Anniversary Extension (which runs past the end of April, through to the end of September this year), will include some minor day parade changes. Tiana and Naveen are likely to be replaced with Belle and Prince Adam, and Pluto will finally return to the day parade, having been absent since last year. He will now walk in front of the Mickey and Friends finale float, with Goofy who is being demoted down from the float to the ground. I have also heard that the music will be altered slightly, but from September (not April), but I have yet to get proper confirmation of this. I'll let you all know when I hear for sure.
Finally, here at Character Central we launched the first of our brand new Trip Planners. Covering pretty much anything you could possibly imagine about planning a trip, and tips and advice for while you're on your trip (complete with tons of useful links), the new Planners are an EXCELLENT resource, and we are proud to say that they are the first of their kind anywhere! The first one is for Tokyo Disney Resort, and we will gradually be adding the other Disney Parks, with Hong Kong being the next one, hopefully in the next week to ten days. So check it out and let us know what you think!
Ok, I think that's everything for now,
Dan. |
|
|
 |
| Hello everyone,
I have some character related updates for you this afternoon.
In Tokyo, our friend attended a Disneyana convention, and made a report on our forums about what he saw, which includes Mickey and Friends in their brand new 30th Anniversary outfits! I believe this is the first time they have been out for any public event, so he was very lucky to see them! I have to say, they do look better in person than what the previous artwork releases had made them appear. We'll be in Tokyo Disney Resort in May, shortly after the 30th launch, so we can't wait to see all the cool new stuff, including their brand new parade! For those interested, also in that thread are pictures of the brand new 30th merchandise, including pins.
The Disney Parks Blog has officially confirmed that the new Fantasy Faire in Disneyland will open on March 12th (less than 2 weeks away!). The Disneyland website has been updated accordingly, and now includes lots of info of what we can expect to find there! It details the new stage which will bring to life two beloved Disney stories. One will be Beauty and the Beast, and will star Belle; the other will be about Tangled, and star Flynn Rider. The website specifically says "Disney heroes and heroines". I think they are deliberately going for a Flynn oriented story for Tangled, to appeal to the boys, which will be cool. It also mentions the new Princess met 'n' greet, which sounds like it will be really detailed, and much better than the Princess meet 'n' greet in either Magic Kingdom or Paris. We'll be there in May, and can't wait to see it all!
Over in Animal Kingdom, the new Mickey and Minnie meet 'n' greet will open in "the spring", which could mean anytime soon basically! Taking over the former Beastly Bazaar store (because DAK really needs less retail...), it will literally just feature Mickey and Minnie. Donald and Daisy are apparently moving to Discovery Island where the Pooh friends currently are, and Goofy is already seen in Dinoland practically all day. Camp Minnie-Mickey is remaining as-is, less the Greeting Trails, for the time being, and you can continue to meet some critter friends and other random Disney pals, as well as watch the Lion King show. The Pooh friends are suspected to move into C M-M, maybe to Greeting Trails, but no official confirmation of that, as yet.
Limited Time Magic continues to be a bit of a flop, with the Golden Horseshoe Revue (DL) and Long Lost Friends Week (WDW) still being the best ones so far. Disneyland is yet to hold its own Long Lost Friends Week, and I have heard rumours that they want to out-do Florida, and so we might be treated to some really cool characters! Other upcoming events include Pirate Week (Jack Sparrow rumoured to appear. No date yet), Independence Week (Patriotic characters) and Friday 13th Villains Dance Party (Villains of course! September 13th).
Remember also that this new version of the site has some wonderful new features, including the ability to create your own profile and check off all the characters you have met! They'll appear on your profile in a big list! Find out how, here!
Ok, that's all for today,
Dan. |
|
|
 |
Hello everyone,
Not really anything too exciting sadly this week, but just a few updates regarding Limited Time Magic,the new Fantasy Faire and Valentine's Day.
As Long Lost Friends Week at the Magic Kingdom draws to a close, we heard that it has been quite a success, and that WDW are now seriously considering more events for later this year, which would be really great! Once we hear more, we'll report it of course, but so far we heard it suggested that there could be a voting system like there was for Character Fan Days at DL last year.
This week's Lost Friends line-up consisted of the Big Bad Wolf, the Three Little Pigs, Scrooge McDuck, Ludwig von Drake, Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Prince John, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, Pinocchio, Geppetto and Jiminy Cricket (don't think I missed any!).
My only problem with an otherwise really neat week, is that some of those aren't so much "long lost" as they are just harder to find - especially the Pinocchio family. Long Lost to me would be characters that have not literally been seen in years. I guess we can't have everything! I hope that their next round - when ever they decide to do it - is just as well set up, and has even better characters!
Over at Disneyland, their Limited stuff continues with the Horseshoe running until the start of February, and the Bayou Bash with the Princess and the Frog gang.
Sadly, the next offering for this coming week is nowhere near as exciting, and is instead a vote on next years merchandise logo. I try to stay positive overall normally, with balanced arguments and seeing both side, but I have to admit, I'm at a loss with this one. In the past they wouldn't have thought twice about just asking that sort of thing on Facebook or the Parks Blog anyway, so why now make it a "limited time opportunity?" Did I miss something?
Anyway, later this year we know that they plan to hold a Villains dance party event in WDW, and at Valentine's both US Resorts will feature a week long celebration with all the Princesses and their Princes.
Also, in WDW we know that the 4th July will be celebrated all week long with patriotic characters and the like, instead of just on the day, as in the past. So there are definitely some good things to come, but this week is certainly the lamest attempt so far!
Speaking of Valentine's, you may recall that earlier this week I revealed some details exclusively here on the blog about Disneyland Paris's happenings this year. Now, in addition I have discovered that the character meet 'n' greets (click the link to see details) will extend through the weekend, making Valentine's a four day event this year! The cavalcade will remain exclusively for the 14th though, sadly.
We will be there for the entire 4 days, so be rest assured we'll be updating live from the parks on Twitter and Facebook!
Jumping back to Disneyland, and someone on the DIS posted some new details about how the new Fantasy Faire will be set up. I can't guarantee the accuracy of the information of course, but it does sound like it will be quite good once finished! Nearly every Princess will be represented and new character based entertainment will be in the line up. We look forward to seeing it in May!
Finally for the parks, and actually not a Disney park for once! As you probably know, we aren't just Disney Character fans, and we do visit other parks, including the Universal ones (which we LOVE incidentally!). Technically this site is actually Character Central, meaning we cover all characters where possible, and we do have dedicated sections for non-Disney Parks. Anyway, my point was going to be that we have been adding a bunch of characters from other parks to the site increasingly often, and two we added recently were Bumblebee and Optimus Prime (Transformers) at Universal Studios Hollywood. We now know that just in the last few weeks Universal added Megatron to their line up! I thought this was really cool, and worth mentioning, as I know a lot of our fans out there also love similar things to us! We look forward to meeting him some time!
Some brief website updates now. I have been adding some new Disney Characters also, and the latest ones can be easily seen on the Recently Added list in the panel to the left of this article.
We are also working really hard to get all the character meeting information up to date across the site, though this is a massive task! I have also been updating location information, descriptions and guidebook information, as well as giving many pages brand new images. It's hard work, but we hope that you all appreciate our efforts.
We are really hoping that VERY Soon the new version of the website will be launched, and we can assure you, you will all LOVE it!
Finally, although we are now three weeks into the New Year, I thought if any of you had missed it, you might still want to check out my EPIC Year in Review for 2012. Be warned though, it is HUGE and you need some time to be able to read the whole thing! There are HUNDREDS of pictures, so you might want to make sure you're at a good computer before hitting the link!
Ok, I think that is all for now. You can discuss anything mentioned here by clicking the blue title bar above, and then scrolling down to Discuss, to leave comments on our forum.
Dan. |
|
 | 2012 - A Character Filled Year in Review | |
| DisneyDan
Saturday, January 12, 2013 5:25:29 AM |
|
|
Hello everyone!
This is a little later than I had anticipated, but thought you would all appreciate it nonetheless.
Last year, 2012, was an incredible year for us. We set new records throughout the year for our trips, and we had some of our most magical adventures ever!
Let us start way back at the beginning, with the turn of the New Year, at Disneyland Paris.
Please be warned that this is a very picture heavy post, so before clicking to continue you should ensure you are in a position to load HUNDREDS of photos! [ Read More... ] |
|
|
|
Hi all,
Just two updates today.
Following my lengthy blog about Limited Time Magic the other day, we finally got to find out what WDW's latest offering would be today.
The Disney Parks Blog announced that from January 14th through 20th, EPCOT's Canada pavilion would host 'Winter Wonderland', where you would be able to meet your favourite Disney Characters. Their example shows a picture of Donald Duck in special clothes, and I imagine other will be there too.
Given this promotions massive anticlimax so far, this is a start, I guess!
As I was writing this, the Disney Parks Blog ALSO announced Disneyland's next offering (select dates through February 12th), which, again going back to my criticism of the Limited stuff so far this year in my last blog post, is a previous years' recycled event, that they are branding as "Limited Time Magic". Sigh.
Well, nonetheless, Disneyland will be celebrating Mardi Gras again this year with the characters from The Princess and the Frog, including a cute mini-show with Tiana, Naveen and Louis, and lots of live bands. Also, look out for Mickey and the gang in their cool Mardi Gras clothes!
Over at Disneyland Paris, the rumour mill has been turning...
DLRP Express posted on Facebook an interesting picture. The old Lion King set at the Videopolis Theatre is being disassembled this evening! Although the show has been gone for years, the set of the old Lion King show has always been there, not really doing anyone harm, but not being very useful either.
Disney being Disney, and with money being tight, I can only imagine that they have plans for the stage, rather than fruitlessly wasting time taking all the set down. I can dream, right?...
Ok, that's all for now.
Dan. |
|
|
|
Hi all!
We are back form our crazy round the world Halloween trip, and I have a few small updates for you this evening!
Over the coming weeks I plan to write a full trip report for both Tokyo and Hong Kong, and of course in due course the pages on this site will be updated with all the most recent pictures and character, show and parade information. But that might take a while!
I don't want to go into too much detail right now, as I don't really have the time, but here's a recap of some fo the things that happened while we were away that I didn't get to blog about...
- For Halloween at WDW, some very special characters appeared at the Hotel Resorts, including Panchito and Jose, and Louis the Aligator!
- Ralph and Venellope from Wreck-It-Ralph started meet and greets at Disneyland CA and Hollywood Studios at WDW.
- WDW announced that Santa Goofy will meet guests at a special location on the Streets of America during Christmas Season, while the Osborne Lights are there.
- Scrooge will return for meets at the Magic Kingdom for the Parties.
- There was also some BIG news for the Magic Kingdom... They will FINALLY be getting a new day parade! Hooray!
At Disneyland Paris, their Christmas Season will be kicking off this Friday, and although the schedule has not been released yet, a good friend of ours has provided the information for us! It looks set to be an amazing season, filled with true Holiday magic!
Here's the schedule as it stands right now. Please note ANYTHING can change at ANY time.
Characters Meet and Greet:
- Mickey and friends 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Town Square
- Duffy the Disney Bear 9:30 - 4:00 PM
Location: Town Square
- Santa Goofy 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Gazebo, Town Square
- Stitch and Angel 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Christmas Tree, Town Square
- Winnie the Pooh 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Location: Casey's Corner, Main Street USA
- Belle 11:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Old Mill, Fantasyland
- Jack and Sally 10:30 AM - 4:45 PM
Location: Phantom Manor, Frontierland
- Santa Clause 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Cottonwood Creek Ranch, Frontierland
Shows and Parades:
- Disney Magic on Parade 4:30 PM
- Christmas Cavalcade 11:15 AM, 12:15 PM, 1:15 PM
- Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony 6:15 PM
- Castle Lighting Ceremony 6:45 PM
- Disney Dreams 8:15 PM
I think that's everything for now!
Dan. |
|
|
|
Hi all,
This is a very brief news update, as we are on our way to Hong Kong Disneyland later today!
I saw a couple of character related things around the internet this week that were worth mentioning.
First off, and maybe the biggest news was that the US Parks and Resorts, next year (2013), will be dubbed "Limited Time Magic", and will feature a year full of new and interesting events on both coasts.
Of course there are some oddball ones, such as the Dapper Dans singing pop songs (!), but there are also some for us character fans, including "Long Lost Friends Week", which is due to feature, to quote, "lesser known" Disney characters.
There will also be themed weeks, such as the week of 4th July, that will feature Mickey and Friends in their patriotic clothes, and Pirate Week, which, as you can imagine, features them in their pirate gear.
We look forward to hearing more about these events, and the full line-up for the year. We only hope that they release dates for each specific week in advance enough so that everyone can plan the week they want to attend.
You can check out our member's forum post about it here, which also has a link to the Parks Blog post.
In WDW, EPCOT is due to close the Character spot for a lengthy - and long overdue - overhaul.
The new version is due to reopen in February. In the meantime Mickey and Friends are being moved around the park. Though nothing official has been announced yet regarding the future of it, it is expected that they are going to take a leaf out of their own books, and their recent efforts at the brand new Silly Sideshow at the Magic Kingdom. Hopefully EPCOT will finally get an appropriately themed character location, with Mickey and Friends wearing some neat new Future World outfits.
Again, you can check out our forum post about it here.
Over in DL, although this is not official, Miceage king Al Lutz has reported that the West Coast park is due to cut their Christmas offering s from 2013, and instead host ticketed Christmas Parties, like the Magic Kingdom. I won't get into the whole thing here, as I am on limited time (our flight to HKDL awaits! LOL!), but you can read his article here. I for one would be sad if DL went down this route. DL's seasonal offerings are one of the many great things that often sets them apart from WDW, and is another anil in the coffin towards the US Parks becoming standardised, much to the fans disappointment.
With the announcement in NY earlier this week regarding the Limited Time Magic, it was also made apparent that the Disney Princesses would be getting a makeover. Cinderella was there, and if you check that Parks Blog post I mentioned above, you'll see a picture of her in her new dress and hairstyle. I have also heard that the other core Princesses will also be receiving makeovers. As yet, as far as I know, there is no date for their official relaunch. If anyone knows otherwise, just let me know!
Ok, I think that's all for now then.
Like I said, we're off to Hong Kong Disneyland tonight, and later next week Tokyo Disney Resort!
We'll try to update our Facebook page regularly, as well as our Twitter account, with pictures from our adventures at the parks, so be sure to follow us there!
Dan. |
|
 | Happy 2nd Anniversary Duffy! | |
| DisneyDan
Sunday, October 14, 2012 12:49:38 PM |
|
|
Today (October 14th) marks the second anniversary of the launch of Duffy the Disney Bear on a permanent basis at the US Parks (WDW and DLR).
Duffy is one of Mickey Mouse's best friends, and was created by Minnie for Mickey when he went on a long sea voyage, to keep Mickey company.
Duffy is soft, fluffy and always very happy to give you a hug. With open arms and gentle paws, Duffy is not just a teddy bear, he is THE most loveable, huggable Disney bear.
Happy 2nd Anniversary Duffy!
The pictures below are just from the US Parks, as it is ONLY his anniversary in the US today.
Dan. |
|
|
|
Today is the 41st Anniversary of the opening of the Magic Kingdom, Disney's Polynesian Resort and Disney's Contemporary Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Also, on this day 11 years later, EPCOT opened, which means it is also celebrating, and is 30 years young today!
Over the years Walt Disney World has strived to be the number one vacation destination in the world; and for us Disney fans, I think you'll agree that it really is a truly beautiful and magical place.
Magic truly lives at Walt Disney World, and I am sure that Walt Disney would be proud of the work that his company has achieved. Walt had one goal - to provide a place where people can come to have fun and escape the real world. He also dreamed of a place where a diverse range of cultures come together and live their dreams in a vast community built on the ideals and promises of a better future.
Those dreams and ideals have come true, and tens of nationalities work at Walt Disney World, and many more visit every day.
Happy Birthday Walt Disney World Resort. Long may you bring us joy and happiness, and a vision of a better tomorrow, for all.
Seeing as the most notable birthday today is EPCOT, my photo tribute will be primarily EPCOT orientated, with some pictures of the Contemporary, Polynesian and Magic Kingdom added at the end.
Dan. |
|
|
|
Hi all,
This week we attended the first MNSSHP of the season at the Magic Kingdom in Florida.
There are a few minor changes this year to the line-up, but nothing too noteworthy.
The Boo To You Parade is down by 3 characters this year, sadly. Angelica, Liver Lips and Shaker have all been cut.
There are some additional performers, and some new outfits for the performers in the parade.
There is also the new Not So Scary Street Jam! which is basically a street dance party right before the parade. We don't rate this very much, and think that of all the things Disney could have added, they wasted a group of performers' talents, whereas they could be additional characters in the parade!
There is some new merchandise, including the usual pins and t-shirts.
The atmosphere seemed to be a bit more lacking than previous years, with less smoke effects and projections, I thought. Sadly, as the years have gone on, there has been a steady define in the MNSSHP offerings.
Now, for the most important part, the character meet 'n' greets!
Phineas and Ferb at the Arboretum next to City Hall
Mickey and Minnie in Town Square Theater (in Halloween costumes)
Cinderella, Prince Charming, Snow White, The Prince, Rapunzel and Flynn in Town Square Theater
Villains around Central Plaza at select times - includes Jafar, Gaston, The Tremaines' and Lotso
Villains Dance Mix 'n' Mingle - briefly meeting after the show are Dr Facilier, Cruella, Maleficent, The Queen of Hearts and Frollo (as far as we could tell - it is always chaos around there!)
Adventureland Veranda - Tarzan, Jane and Terk
The Nook - Tinker Bell and Periwinkle
Agrabah Bazaar - Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie and Abu
Jack Sparrow outside Pirates of the Caribbean
The Glade (Liberty Sq, behind the Christmas Shoppe) - Tiana and Naveen
Liberty Square boat dock - Duffy (in a Halloween costume)
Frontierland Dance Party - Woody, Jessie and Bullseye (hard to meet unless you dance with them)
The Seven Dwarfs outside Big Thunder Mountain
Castle Courtyard - Aurora and Phillip
Fairytale Garden - Merida
Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet outside the Pooh attraction (in Halloween costumes)
Donald and Daisy opposite the Pooh attraction (in Halloween costumes)
Alice and the Hatter at the Tea Cups
Tomorrowland Dance Party - Goofy, Pluto, Stitch, Chip and Dale (hard to meet unless you dance with them) (in space costumes, including Stitch as 626!)
Buzz Lightyear next to his attraction
The biggest changes this year are the addition of Merida, Periwinkle, Phineas and Ferb. Of course, all these can be met in the parks during the day, but nonetheless, here they are.
To see our full detailed page about MNSSHP, click here.
Ok, I think that's everything for now!
If we hear of any changes as the parties progress, we'll be sure to update you on the blog!
Dan. |
|