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Limited Time Magic, Sofia the First and other news
DisneyDan  Friday, July 12, 2013 12:40:55 PM
Hello everyone,

There really hasn't been a lot of news surrounding Disney Characters for some time, but finally today, I have a few small things to tell you.

In the last couple of weeks Sofia the First from the Disney Channel show of the same name has began making regular appearances at Disney California Adventure. I don't think she has started appearing in WDW yet, but I could be wrong. I haven't seen anything saying she has.

In a random piece of "news", Disney's ever popular Vinylmation series released a new Beauty and the Beast set. The chaser was Beast in human form. Now, as some of you may be aware the fan community usually refer, unofficially, to him as Prince Adam. This stems from a really old, rather random, PC-CD ROM trivia game that mentioned his name. Well, guess what? Some 20 years later and the bottom of the new Vinyl says the character's name is Prince Adam! I guess we can now all breathe a sigh of relief and live content in the knowledge that he is indeed Prince Adam!

Of course the biggest news is the latest Limited Time Magic offerings.

Disneyland doesn't really have anything exciting lined up. More of the Dapper Dans singing out-of-character songs, and musicians on the side of the Matterhorn.
Over in WDW though they have had a few interesting weeks, with more lined up.
The 4th July celebrations saw Mickey and Friends appear at EPCOT and some WDW Resort Hotels in patriotic costumes. Sadly we weren't there, but it looked like fun.
Then, this week Mickey and friends have been rocking out the America Gardens Theater in an energetic show featuring hip-hop, acrobatics and more.

Then there is the latest news... The next Long Lost Friends Week vote is in, and dates are revealed!

From 15th July through the 21st, guests can meet the following at the Magic Kingdom:
  • Louis and Dr Faciilier
  • Chicken Little and Abby Mallard
  • Robin Hood and Friends
  • and Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Bear and Br'er Fox.

What is interesting is that on the official Disney Parks Blog they fail to mention Br'er Rabbit, or Louis and Facilier, yet they are mentioned on the in the blurb on the Limited Time Magic page.
Hopefully all four sets will turn up, and there aren't any oddities.

Anyway, that is everything for today. If I hear anything else, I'll be sure to post it, as always.

Have a great weekend,

Dan.
Happy 4th of July!
PeterPanFan  Thursday, July 4, 2013 11:55:11 AM
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.


DDE May 2013 - Welcome to Walt Disney World Event

DDE May 2013 - Welcome to Walt Disney World Event

DDE May 2013 - Welcome to Walt Disney World Event

DLP Feb 2010 - Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show

WDW Sept 2008 - Meeting Pocahontas and Meeko

DLP Dec 2010 - Christmas Carolling with the Disney Characters

DLP Feb 2010 - Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show

DDE May 2013 - TDR 30th Anniversary DDE Event

Davy Crockett Donald

DDE May 2013 - Disneyland Opening Event

DDE May 2013 - Disneyland Opening Event

DLP April 2012 - Meeting the stars of Frontierland Celebrates!

HKDL April 2013 - Meeting Grizzly Gulch Chip and Dale

Meeting Route 66 Goofy

Disneyland July 2012 - Meeting Buena Vista Street Chip and Dale

WDW Feb 2012 - Wandering down Main Street U.S.A

WDW Feb 2012 - Fire Chief Smokey Miller

DCL Feb 2012 - Meeting Lilo and Stitch

DDE May 2013 - Easter in New York
Donald Duck
New York Sept 2008 - Meeting Minnie Mouse
WDW Feb 2012 - Main Street Electrical Parade
Disneyland Aug 2009 - Disney's Electrical Parade
A Salute to SpectroMagic
PeterPanFan  Tuesday, July 2, 2013 2:41:23 PM
Various online sources are reporting that many of the SpectroMagic floats have been destroyed (Think it was first reported on WDWMagic here).  When the Main Street Electrical Parade returned to the Magic Kingdom (originally as a special summer promotion) it was rumored that SpectroMagic would be receiving a large refurb and would be returning.  Sadly this never happened and MSEP just stayed in Florida.

While Spectro was an old parade and was definitely in need of updates and improvements, it is still sad to hear that it will never return. Especially since it wasn't replaced by something newer and better.  While MSEP is a classic and is a much beloved parade, it too is decades old and it pales in comparison to Dreamlights in Tokyo Disneyland.

With Hong Kong Disneyland (and apparently Disneyland) working on a new nighttime parade there is a big question about what will happen in WDW.  Will they just run MSEP into the ground and then retire it without a replacement or will they join the bandwagon and begin working on a new nighttime parade?

I have loved the nighttime parades since I was a child and seeing them is always a must; however, after seeing Dreamlights it is obvious both MSEP and SpectoMagic were very outdated.  While I am sad to see the demise of Spectro, I will hope that the popularity of the nighttime "light" parades means that eventually even the Magic Kingdom will get a new one (They are FINALLY getting a new day parade... is it too much to hope that they might eventually get a new night parade as well?).  Personally I would love to see a new and improved version of SpectroMagic using new technology and the same (or slightly updated) soundtrack ... basically a "SpectroMagic Dreamlights"; however, if they wanted to do something completely new that wouldn't be bad either :)

Since it seems like SpectroMagic is truly gone now, we will have a picture tribute to the late, great SpectroMagic parade (you can find MANY more pictures on our SpectroMagic page)

"On this magic night,
A million stars will play beside us,
A special spell of light,
Glimmering, shimmering, carousel-ling
'Round the world tonight,
A symphony in SpectroMagic.
Pure enchantment lights our way!"
Happy 120th Birthday Roy O. Disney
DisneyDan  Monday, June 24, 2013 12:55:05 PM
Hello everyone,

Today would have been Roy O. Disney's 120th birthday!
Roy O. Disney was one of Walt's older brothers, and Walt's lifelong business partner.
Roy was responsible for the financial side of things at the Studio, and after Walt's death at the young age of 65, it was Roy who pursued with the Florida Project, and oversaw its grand opening in October 1971. It was even Roy who insisted the name of the new resort be changed from just Disney World to Walt Disney World, in honour of his brother's dream.

It is often said by those "in the know", that if it wasn't for Roy, we wouldn't have the company we have today. He kept Walt and the company in check, and ensured Walt Disney World opened without a single outstanding debt, which was quite remarkable.

The Walt Disney Company today does not forget Roy's amazing efforts, and there are tributes to Roy throughout the Disney Parks.

For this post, below I have shared some of our pictures of Disney's tributes to Roy that we have seen around the world.

Happy Birthday Roy! Thank you for your dedication to, and pursuit of Walt's ultimate dream!

Exploring Walt Disney Studios Store

The Roy O. Disney - Walt Disney World Railroad

Roy and Minnie at World Bazaar

Wandering up Main Street USA

Roy O. Disney's Window

Finally, outside the parks, on the real Hollywood Boulevard, Roy has his very own star.

Checking out the Stars on Hollywood Boulevard

Dan.
Welcome to Summer!
DisneyDan  Saturday, June 22, 2013 2:41:02 PM
Hello everyone,

Last night was the Summer Solstice, which traditionally marks the start of summer. Across North America many schools finished yesterday for the long summer break.
So, today being Saturday, the first whole day of summer, and the first whole day off of school, I thought we'd take a look at what our beloved Disney Character friends might get up to this year!

Here's some snaps from them in past years of the Characters having fun around the world.

Maybe they'll join a Summer Camp again?

Goofy's Summer Camp

Naminamina - Disney Kids Summer Adventure

Naminamina - Disney Kids Summer Adventure

Naminamina - Disney Kids Summer Adventure

Naminamina - Disney Kids Summer Adventure

Naminamina - Disney Kids Summer Adventure

Maybe they'll hit the beach?

Meeting Mickey and Minnie Mouse in their Summer Beach outfits

Meeting Hawaiian Chip and Dale

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

They might even do some surfing!

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

Or perhaps try some party games, such as the limbo!

Having fun with Rafiki and Timon

They could even take a road trip down the famous Route 66, like Goofy!

Meeting Route 66 Goofy

Finally, these two guys seem to always know what to do! Phineas and Ferb will undoubtedly come up with some awesome inventions this summer!

Meeting Phineas and Ferb at the Vex Robotics World Championship!

Wherever your summer adventure takes you, I hope you all have tons of fun, sprinkled with Disney magic!

Dan.
Happy 25th Birthday Roger Rabbit!
DisneyDan  Friday, June 21, 2013 12:26:10 PM
Hello everyone,

Today is the 21st June, which means it was 25 years ago today that 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' first premiered at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City!

Roger Rabbit is a much beloved character by many, but sadly has not made regular appearances in the parks for quite some time. Luckily, Character Central were at a very magical event recently, and Roger Rabbit made a surprise appearance, along with none other than Jessica Rabbit and Eddie Valiant!

So, please join us in celebrating with Roger, Jessica and Eddie, and enjoy these exclusive pictures from when Roger Rabbit came out of Toon Town for one very special morning last month at DLP!

Happy 25th Birthday Roger, Jessica and Eddie!

Roger Rabbit's Toontown Dream

Roger Rabbit's Toontown Dream

Roger Rabbit's Toontown Dream

Roger Rabbit's Toontown Dream

Dan.
Happy 11th Birthday Lilo and Stitch!
DisneyDan  Friday, June 21, 2013 12:16:37 PM
Hello everyone,

Due to life circumstances, I missed the official premier date of Lilo and Stitch on the 16th of June (shocking I know, since Stitch is my favourite character!), but today is the day it was officially released in theatres across the US, making today its second official birthday.

Characters who have featured in the parks from the first movie include Stitch, Lilo, Captain Gantu and Dr Jumba.

So, let's celebrate with Lilo, Stitch and all the gang with our usual picture cavalcade!

Meeting Lilo and Stitch

Breakfast at Ohana

Breakfast at Ohana

TDR 30th Anniversary DDE Event

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

Having fun with the Characters at Stitch's Hawaiian Paradise Party

Happy 11th Birthday Lilo and Stitch!

Dan.
Latest News! The vote is now open for Limited Time Magic Long Lost Friends at WDW!
DisneyDan  Friday, June 21, 2013 11:30:17 AM
Just a few minutes ago the Disney Parks Blog announced its list for the vote for the next Long Lost Friends Week at Walt Disney World.

The list consists of:
  • Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horse Collar
  • Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, Sheriff of Nottingham and Prince John
  • Fifer Pig, Fiddler Pig, Practical Pig and Big Bad Wolf
  • Clarice, Chip and Dale
  • Wendell, Liver Lips, Shaker and Big Al
  • Chicken Little and Abby Mallard
  • Brer Bear, Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit
  • Flik and Princess Atta
  • June and Leo from Little Einsteins
  • Tweedle Dum, Tweedle Dee and Queen of Hearts
  • Louis the Alligator and Dr. Facilier (Face)
  • Penguins from Mary Poppins
  • Suzy and Perla

I have to say, overall, the list is somewhat disappointing. The first three sets were out last time!
Chip and Dale are regulars, and although Clarice is "rare" for WDW, she can be met all the time in Paris, Tokyo, and sometimes in California.
The Country Bears are out regularly in California, Tokyo, and actually at the Christmas Parties in the Magic Kingdom, too!
I give them credit where it is due for Chicken Little and Abby Mallard - they are definitely rare these days.
The Brers, well, all three can be met in Tokyo, and Brer Fox and Brer Bear are out in California often.
Flik used to be out daily in WDW, and still is at DCA in California. Atta is definitely more unusual, but was at the dance party for the Party for the Planet LTM recently at Animal Kingdom. Why not also have Francis and Gypsy, or some other bug friends?
June can be met everyday at the Play 'n' Dine at DHS, if you eat there. Leo is definitely more rare, but was out regularly until just about two years ago. But why not have Quincy and Annie too?
The Tweedles and the Queen of Hearts are out daily in California, Paris and Tokyo, and the Queen of Hearts can be found at the Halloween Parties in the Magic Kingdom too.
Louis is definitely a rare one. Dr Facilier can be met during Halloween in Paris and California, and at the Halloween Parties in the Magic Kingdom.
The Penguins from Mary Poppins are OUT in WDW sometimes - we saw them when we were there last month! Ok, they aren't regular, but they DO appear! There is also a good chance of finding them in the afternoon pop-up surprise sets on the Streets of America at DHS! Definitely not a good option.
Suzy and Perla are out fairly often in California and Paris, though not all the time. For WDW they are definitely uncommon.

I realise my comparisons are between the other parks, but as you can see, these characters are not truly "Long Lost" - and some of them CAN be found at WDW! It just depends on the time of year (Christmas, Halloween etc).

Overall I think they really needed to up their game with this one, especially after Disneyland held such an AWESOME one that totally blew everyone away! For those who don't recall, DL had REAL rare characters such as the Three Good Fairies, John Smith and Ping (Mulan's alter ego).

Let us know what you think by hitting the 'Discuss' button below, and commenting on the Forum!

Dan.
Entertainment News for Tokyo Disney Resort and Disneyland Resort
DisneyDan  Thursday, June 20, 2013 3:22:07 PM
Hello everyone,

Yesterday Oriental Land Company, the operating company behind Tokyo Disney Resort, released a press statement that revealed some changes to the entertainment line-up at the Resort from next year.

At Tokyo DisneySea, the long running Legend of Mythica will end on September 14th 2014. This seems a long way off, and no replacement has been announced for the epic harbour spectacular, but with over a year until its last performance, there is a lot of time for OLC to announce something new.
It is a very popular show, but by the time its last performance rolls around, it will have been at the park for over eight years, which is especially long for a Tokyo production (entertainment in TDR tends to change fairly frequently compared to the other Disney Parks. A maximum of about four years isn't uncommon).

Also in TDS, in Mermaid Lagoon, the Little Mermaid show will be given a compete overhaul, and will feature some new technology such as digital displays. Although the press release mentions characters such as Sebastian, Flounder and King Triton, it is not known whether they will be actual characters, or just digital versions or puppets.
The current show will have its final performance on 6th April 2014, and will be closed for about a year (no definite opening date announced yet - just 'spring 2015').

Finally for TDR, although not character related, OLC also announced that a new night time projection show would be coming to Tokyo Disneyland's Cinderella Castle. The press release talks about projection mapping technology to bring it all to life, which is what the ridiculously popular Disney Dreams! at Disneyland Paris uses - they even used a picture of DLP's Sleeping Beauty Castle in the release to illustrate their intention. Hopefully they won't lift directly from Dreams though, and instead have their own show. Disney Dreams! is a truly awesome show in every respect, and it really belongs uniquely at DLP.

Over in California, the DCA Today Facebook page yesterday announced (rather suddenly) that Dancin' with Disney is reopened at Hollywood Land. There is no word as to which characters are appearing, but I will keep my eye out, and post on the Blog as soon as I hear anything.

Ok, that's all for today.

Dan.
Happy 17th Birthday Hunchback, and Belated 15th Birthday Mulan!
DisneyDan  Wednesday, June 19, 2013 2:02:59 PM
Today is the 19th of June, and on this day in 1996 Disney's animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame had its world premiere in New Orleans.
Also on this day in 1998, Disney's Mulan was released nationwide across the US and Canada, having premiered 9 days earlier on the 10th June.
I have been busy and forgot to post about it on the 10th, so seeing as today is its general release date, I thought it was just as appropriate to celebrate it!

So, in our usual Character Central style, here's a photo cavalcade of our favourite Disney Characters from those movies!

Happy Birthday Quasimodo and friends, and Mulan and friends!

Meeting the Hunchback of Notre Dame Characters

Meeting Quasimodo and Esmeralda

Disney Dreamers Everywhere Gala Dinner Show and Grand Finale

Shan Yu

Dan.
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