Star Tours II - The First Day

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UPDATE: Hi everyone, we’re now replaying today’s Star Tours grand opening ceremony. Also, be sure and check back later for images and highlights from the celebration.

Star Tours Meet-Up: Recap of our First Meet-Up at Walt Disney World

posted at the Official Disney Parks Blog on May 20th, 2011 by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks

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Wow, what a first meet-up. Hundreds of Star Wars fans and Disney Parks Blog readers joined us at midnight for a first experience on “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” at Walt Disney World Resort.

Meet-up attendees got the red carpet treatment at Disney’s Hollywood Studios before a galactic welcome by Bree Starlighter and other favorite Star Wars characters.

There were also a few extra-special opportunities, including a discussion and Q&A with Walt Disney Imagineers Steven Speigel and Kathy Rogers. Both answered questions about the attraction and shared behind-the-scenes details on how it was created. Senior Character Artist Casey Jones and Senior Design Manager Jonathan Bishop also signed special posters. 

Sure, there were some unique experiences but it was you who really made our meet-up extra special. We made many new friends, including Adam Pitzer and Stephanie Weis, who traveled here from Jersey City. Both are getting married on Saturday and decided a Star Tours Meet-Up was the perfect way to kick off a special weekend. 

Kevin and Jennifer Thomas also traveled from Illinois for the experience and during the night, their daughter Zoey learned the ways of a Jedi Knight. Of course, we met too many people to name in this post but take a look at who else joined in the party.

Thank you to everyone for an amazing meet-up. If you attended this morning, please let us know what you thought. Did you meet someone new? 

The Force is Strong at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

posted at the Official Disney Parks Blog on May 20th, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager

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Anyone who has been lucky enough to witness the opening of a major Disney attraction isn’t likely to forget the experience anytime soon. This was exactly the case for the Disney Parks Blog team and thousands of spectators earlier today when “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – in a way that was truly out of this galaxy.

The celebration kicked off with a procession of Star Wars characters through the park. Bree Starlighter, host of the ceremony, welcomed the crowd and introduced actor Anthony Daniels, who portrayed C-3P0 in the films.

The fun was suddenly interrupted by a team of stormtroopers, followed by Darth Vader, who vowed to stop the opening at all costs by placing a force field over the attraction. Two brave Jedi Knights stepped in to fight back – and later revealed themselves as Walt Disney Company President and CEO Bob Iger and Star Wars creator George Lucas.

With some help from R2-D2, the forcefield was removed and the attraction opened to all guests.

Based on the Star Wars film franchise, the attraction takes guests on a wild 3-D adventure to multiple Star Wars destinations where they interact with famous faces from the film series.

Disney Parks Blog Readers Among First to Experience Star Tours at Disneyland Park

posted at the Official Disney Parks Blog on May 20th, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print

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We had a great turnout early this morning as Disney Parks Blog fans gathered for the “Star Tours Early Departure” at Disneyland park. As we announced earlier this month, 1,200 randomly selected readers had the opportunity to bring a guest for the special event to celebrate the upcoming Star Tours relaunch on June 3.

As you can see, hundreds of fans lined up to be among the first guests to experience the new 3-D attraction. They sipped coffee and hot chocolate in the early morning hours, then made their way into the park and the attraction queue.

Just before 3 a.m., Samantha and her father, Ramon (pictured above) were the very first guests to arrive at the event. Samantha was excited to be the very first guest to experience Star Tours this morning, and she said her father was the reason she became a Star Wars fan.

Just behind Samantha and Ramon was another Star Wars fan, Joel (also pictured above, right) who traveled from Flagstaff, Ariz., for this event. Joel’s older sister kindly agreed that he should be the one to attend the event with their mother, since he was such a huge fan and so excited to experience the attraction.

Miki, from Covina, Ca., truly arrived “in character” – wearing an Ewok costume that she made herself. Beverly and Steve traveled from Vancouver, Wa., to celebrate their anniversary (and Steve’s birthday) at the “Star Tours Early Departure.” They were encouraged to attend the event by their daughter, Jessica – Disney fan and loyal Disney Parks Blog reader. (Hi Jessica – thanks for reading!)

Check out the video below for even more highlights from this morning’s “Star Tours Early Departure” at Disneyland park.

Flashback to the 80s: Walt Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald Recalls How Star Tours Began

posted at the Disney Parks Blog on May 22nd, 2011 by Gary Buchanan, Social Media Managing Editor

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In the final episode of her series of inside-look videos featuring “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” Star Wars: The Clone Wars star Ashley Eckstein sits down for an interview with Walt Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald. As he has outlined throughout the year with his posts on the Disney Parks Blog, Tom worked closely with Star Wars creator George Lucas on the original Star Tours attraction. And he’s been working since that time with George and the talented teams at Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd. to create the new 3-D, multi-sensory attraction for Guests visiting Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Join us as Ashley takes Tom on a trip back in time to recall the original idea for Star Tours and how the “galaxy far, far away…” came to life.

A Look Inside ‘Star Tours – The Adventures Continue’ with Ashley Eckstein and Some Star Wars Friends

posted at the Disney Parks blog on May 21st, 2011 by Gary Buchanan, Social Media Managing Editor

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Our good friend and former Disney’s Hollywood Studios Cast Member Ashley Eckstein returns today to take us on a quick video tour behind the scenes of “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.”

Ashley, the voice of Anakin Skywalker’s eager Padawan Ashoka Tano on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has had quite a busy and exciting week in the Walt Disney World Resort galaxy. In addition to shooting a series of “Star Tours” sneak peek videos for you and other Disney Parks Blog readers (keep a lookout for the next one, an interview with Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald), on Friday she stood alongside fellow Star Wars celebrities and characters, Star Wars creator George Lucas and Walt Disney Co. president and CEO Bob Iger Friday for the gala Grand Opening Ceremony. Then she began her month-long duties as Celebrity Host of Star Wars Weekends 2011 and prepped for the premiere of the newest designs from her popular “Her Universe” line of Star Wars-themed fangirl fashion (she’s debuting new designs that will be available exclusively for a limited time for Star Wars Weekends Guests).

Let’s join Ashley inside the attraction as she talks about some of the exciting new additions to the Star Tours Spaceport. And look for some cameos by some of your favorite Star Wars characters. 

Disneyland Resort Sounds

posted on May 17th, 2011 by Michele Himmelberg, Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort

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Recognize these sounds?

Since the opening of Disneyland park in 1955, the strategic and clever use of sound has transported guests from frontier America to the jungles of Africa; from turn-of-the-century America to edge-of-the-galaxy Tatooine. We’ve been haunted, romanced, humored, enchanted, and sung to, with the many and varied sounds of the theme parks. And it’s not just about music.

Joe Herrington is a Principal Media Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering and a big advocate of sound, as was Walt Disney. According to Joe, the role of sound at the Disneyland Resort, or any Disney park for that matter, tells half the story of any land, attraction or entertainment you experience.

“Walt understood that,” says Joe in a Disneyland Podcast interview. “Walt incorporated sound and always tried to find new ways to use it. He was so proactive in sound technology, and in all kinds of ways, to utilize sound.”

Which distinctive Disneyland Resort sound transports you to another place?

New Disney California Adventure Updates Coming to Blue Sky Cellar

posted at the Official Disney Parks blog on May 16th, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print

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On this week there are a lot of updates coming to the Walt Disney Imagineering Blue Sky Cellar.

Starting May 18, additions will include a new aerial view of the park, above. In this photo, you can see the incredible progress being made in Cars Land (bottom right) as well as the soon-to-be complete Paradise Pier (bottom left). At the top, you can also see the park’s new entrance taking shape.

Also set to debut this week at Blue Sky Cellar are new attraction posters for The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Goofy’s Sky School and Grizzly River Run. Designed in the style of the traditional Disney theme park attraction posters, these three are sure to become instant classics. 

I’m sure many of you are anxious to add these to your attraction poster collection, along with previously released images for California Screamin’, Mickey’s Fun Wheel and Silly Symphony Swings, so look for many of these attraction posters and much more when they become available in Spring 2012. 

There is so much to see at Blue Sky Cellar, from models and artist renderings to concept drawings and more, all crafted by Walt Disney Imagineers.

Which changes at Disney California Adventure park are you most excited about?

May the Fourth by Tom Fitzgerald

May the Fourth Be With You!

posted on May 4th, 2011 by Tom Fitzgerald, Executive VP & Senior Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering

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Today, May 4, we unveiled a stunning new piece of Star Tours art which serves as the attraction poster at Disneyland park and the marquee at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Designed by Imagineer Scot Drake, the piece features the new Starspeeder 1000 surrounded by many of the planets, vehicles and characters from the show. Look for Darth Vader lurking in the shadows.

The photo below shows the new marquee as it was being installed just this morning at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Adventures Continue – only weeks away!

It’s ‘Time to Add the Magic!’ at New Disney Hawaii Resort

KO OLINA, Hawai'i, April 21, 2011 – Today, in a ceremony on the lagoon fronting the site of Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai'i, local crew members from Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company, Inc., joined with Disney cast members (employees) to celebrate the completion of major structural work on the Disney resort and the beginning of Disney’s “time to add the magic.”

 

The event was a symbolic representation of the shared efforts of Disney and Hawaiian Dredging in building the new resort, which will welcome its first guests on Aug. 29, 2011. The construction crew and Aulani Disney team met on the beach to exchange gifts – lei from the construction workers to the Disney cast, and Mickey Mouse ears from the Disney cast to the construction workers. As part of the milestone moment, Hawaiian Dredging “handed over the keys” to the people who will add final detailing, theming, landscaping and all the other magical touches guests expect to find at a Disney resort. 

Djuan Rivers, vice president of Disney Vacation Club and Resort, Hawai'i, joined with Eric Hashizume, vice president of Hawaiian Dredging and Elliot Mills, managing director of Aulani, to bring the construction workers and Disney team members together to begin “adding the magic” to Aulani. They gathered on the sand to form the image of the trademark Aulani arch and then transformed it into the familiar silhouette of Mickey Mouse. Mickey, Minnie and their Disney character pals joined in the celebration.

As Walt Disney Imagineers continue adding the magic to Aulani, they are weaving Hawaiian stories into the buildings, interiors, art and gardens of the resort with the help of local architects, artisans and historians. The celebrated Disney magic, storytelling and service will create wonderful family vacation memories at the resort, drawing on the beauty, fun, enchantment and traditions of the islands.

Remodeled Lego Store at Downtown Disney - Walt Disney World

Thanks to Orlando Attractions Magazine for this one :-D

Visit http://AttractionsMagazine.com for more information.

Earth Day, April 22, 2011. SeaWorld debuted its new Shamu show "One Ocean". Special guest, Jungle Jack Hanna, opened the show with Sea World Park President Terry Prather. Here are the Higlights. Watch Episode 22 of Orlando Attractions Magazine The Show for more coverage and interviews.

Follow Orlando Attractions Magazine on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/attractions

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/attractionsmagazine

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/attractionsmagazine

Today begins the 1964 New York World's Fair

The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City.
The fair ran for two six-month seasons, April 22–October 18, 1964 and April 21–October 17, 1965.
The theme was symbolized by a 12-story high, stainless-steel model of the earth called Unisphere.

The Disney Influence and the 1964-1965 World's Fair

The longest lines at the 1964-1965 World's Fair (in New York City) were for the 4 attractions created by Disney. Walt took some of the attractions and elements of others to his Anaheim park when the Fair closed.

The fair also is remembered as the vehicle Walt Disney utilized to design and perfect the system of "audio-animatronics", in which a combination of sound, mechanical electronics and computers controls the movement of lifelike robots to act out scenes.

The Walt Disney Company designed and created four shows at the fair:

    ºoº In the "it's a small world" attraction at the Pepsi pavilion, animated dolls and animals frolicked in a spirit of international unity on a boat ride around the world. The song was provided by the Sherman Brothers. Each of the animated dolls had an identical face, originally designed by New York (Valley Stream) artist Gregory S. Marinello in partnership with Walt Disney himself.

    ºoº General Electric sponsored "Progressland" where an audience seated in a revolving auditorium viewed an audio-animatronic presentation of the progress of electricity in the home. The Sherman Brothers song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" was composed for this attraction.

    ºoº Ford Motor Company presented Disney's "The Magic Skyway," the second most popular exhibit at the fair, using Ford cars in an early prototype of the Omnimover system to move the audience through scenes featuring life-sized audio-animatronic dinosaurs and cavemen. The Walt Disney Company had earlier been asked by General Motors to produce their exhibit, but they declined.

    ºoº At the Illinois pavilion, a lifelike President Abraham Lincoln recited his famous speeches in "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln".

After the fair, there was some discussion of the Disney company retaining these exhibits on-site and converting Flushing Meadows Park into an east coast version of Disneyland, but this idea was abandoned. Instead, Disney relocated several of these exhibits to Disneyland and subsequently replicated them at other Disney theme parks; Walt Disney World is essentially the realization of the original concept of an "east coast Disneyland" with Epcot Center designed a "permanent" world's fair in 1982 and was expressly built as a tribute to the World's Fair.

 

Two attractions from the fair exist at Walt Disney World, including a variation of the original "it's a small world" and the updated Carousel of Progress. The two remaining attractions currently exist as evolutions of the originals: The Magic Skyway inspired the PeopleMover, and later the Tomorrowland Transit Authority; and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was expanded into The Hall of Presidents.

Today begins the 1965 New York World's Fair

April 21, 1965
 

Today begins the 1965 New York World's Fair

The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City.

The fair ran for two six-month seasons, April 22–October 18, 1964 and April 21–October 17, 1965.

The theme was symbolized by a 12-story high, stainless-steel model of the earth called Unisphere.

The Disney Influence and the 1964-1965 World's Fair

The longest lines at the 1964-1965 World's Fair (in New York City) were for the 4 attractions created by Disney. Walt took some of the attractions and elements of others to his Anaheim park when the Fair closed.

The fair also is remembered as the vehicle Walt Disney utilized to design and perfect the system of "audio-animatronics", in which a combination of sound, mechanical electronics and computers controls the movement of lifelike robots to act out scenes.

The Walt Disney Company designed and created four shows at the fair:

    ºoº In the "it's a small world" attraction at the Pepsi pavilion, animated dolls and animals frolicked in a spirit of international unity on a boat ride around the world. The song was provided by the Sherman Brothers. Each of the animated dolls had an identical face, originally designed by New York (Valley Stream) artist Gregory S. Marinello in partnership with Walt Disney himself.
    ºoº General Electric sponsored "Progressland" where an audience seated in a revolving auditorium viewed an audio-animatronic presentation of the progress of electricity in the home. The Sherman Brothers song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" was composed for this attraction.

    ºoº Ford Motor Company presented Disney's "The Magic Skyway," the second most popular exhibit at the fair, using Ford cars in an early prototype of the Omnimover system to move the audience through scenes featuring life-sized audio-animatronic dinosaurs and cavemen. The Walt Disney Company had earlier been asked by General Motors to produce their exhibit, but they declined.
    ºoº At the Illinois pavilion, a lifelike President Abraham Lincoln recited his famous speeches in "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln".

After the fair, there was some discussion of the Disney company retaining these exhibits on-site and converting Flushing Meadows Park into an east coast version of Disneyland, but this idea was abandoned. Instead, Disney relocated several of these exhibits to Disneyland and subsequently replicated them at other Disney theme parks; Walt Disney World is essentially the realization of the original concept of an "east coast Disneyland" with Epcot Center designed a "permanent" world's fair in 1982 and was expressly built as a tribute to the World's Fair.

Two attractions from the fair exist at Walt Disney World, including a variation of the original "it's a small world" and the updated Carousel of Progress. The two remaining attractions currently exist as evolutions of the originals: The Magic Skyway inspired the PeopleMover, and later the Tomorrowland Transit Authority; and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was expanded into The Hall of Presidents.

 

The 1964 New York World’s Fair – A New Disney Technology is Born

posted on April 21st, 2011 by Erin Glover, Manager, Social Media and Print

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As a new member of the Disney Parks Blog team, I will be updating readers on some of the latest events and news from the Disneyland Resort. Today, I’m excited to share a special piece of Disney history with you.

As Michelle Harker shared yesterday, we’re marking a historic time for Disney Parks this week with the anniversary of the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair, which opened on April 22, 1964. The Fair featured four spectacular attractions, produced by Walt Disney and his creative team, which went on to become the beloved Disney Parks experiences.

In a 1964 episode of “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color,” Walt Disney previewed the attractions being developed for the Fair, featuring a new, innovative form of animation. He explained that “…Disneyland gave us a new art and a new type of artist – one that works with a slide rule and blow torch instead of pencil and brush. Just as we had to learn to make our animated cartoons talk, we had to find a way to make attraction figures talk, too. We created a new field of animation.”

This new form of animation was so advanced, a name had to be developed for it: “Audio-Animatronics technology.”

Walt Disney and his team of Imagineers from WED Enterprises (the original name for Walt Disney Imagineering) developed this breakthrough technology for the creation of what would become legendary Disney Parks attractions:

• “it’s a small world” was the centerpiece of the UNICEF pavilion and took visitors to more than 100 countries with child-like Audio-Animatronics figures singing the tune written by Disney Legends Richard and Robert Sherman.
• “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” was Walt Disney’s personal tribute to the 16th president. “Ever since I was a small boy in Illinois, I’ve had a great personal admiration for Abraham Lincoln,” said Walt Disney in his introduction for the attraction, created for the State of Illinois pavilion.
• The Carousel Theater of Progress was developed with the assistance of General Electric and told the story of man’s progress and the rise of “push-button living.” The Carousel of Progress was a Disneyland park attraction from 1967 to 1973. The show then moved to Magic Kingdom Park in 1975, where it was rewritten and restaged with the new name, “Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress,” in 1994.
• Ford’s Magic Skyway took audiences back in time to the world of the dinosaur, populated by enormous Audio-Animatronics figures. Guests of Ford’s Magic Skyway travelled through the vignettes using technology that would later be the inspiration for the PeopleMover, a Tomorrowland attraction in Disneyland park from 1967 to 1995.

Take 5: Walt Disney World Resort 40th Anniversary

posted at the official Disney Parks blog by Thomas Smith, Social Media Director, Disney Parks

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This October, the Walt Disney World Resort will celebrate its 40th anniversary. As we prepare for our celebration, we’ve shared some first looks at limited edition 40th anniversary park merchandise. Here are some of our top ways to sport Disney gear and celebrate with us.

Take 5: Walt Disney World Resort 40th Anniversary

1. Colorful Merchandise for Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary – What’s your favorite color? Check out the colorful, retro-inspired merchandise created for the 40th Anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort.
2. Cinderella Castle Collage: Celebrating 40 Years of Magic at Walt Disney World – As we get ready to celebrate 40 years of magic and wonder at Walt Disney World, Disney Theme Park Merchandise has created something special – a pattern that represents both Cinderella Castle and the iconic attractions that have comprised our magical kingdom since 1971.
3. Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary Ear Hats – Take a look at the 1970s map printed on the underside of the 40th anniversary limited release ear hat.
4. Celebrating 40 Years of Walt Disney World Magic in Style with Dooney & Bourke – Here’s a peak at the new Dooney & Bourke 40th Anniversary Collection for Disney Parks.
5. Walt Disney World’s 40th Anniversary Merchandise Collage – Check out this 40th anniversary collage created by the Disney Design Group, which is now prominently featured on some 40th anniversary merchandise.

Epic Creation Contest

The Epic Creation Contest is your chance to be part of the adventure!

 

Begin your own epic journey of creativity and discovery in the world of Disney Epic Mickey just as Mickey explores an alternate Disney world ruled by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.



Show your creativity and love of Disney in either of two ways! Write your very own epic adventure taking place in the world of Disney Epic Mickey. Create your epic piece of art inspired by your favorite character from the game. Two grand prize winners will be selected to each receive one of two epic fan prize packages, and 8 runner-up prizes will be awarded.



Submit a 500-700-word essay describing an original epic adventure within the world of Disney Epic Mickey (see official rules below for full details) no later than May 11, 2011. No more than one (1) essay may be submitted by each Guest. Work will be judged by a panel of Disney Cast Members.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY 

Submit an original work of art (see official rules below for full details) no later than May 11, 2011. No more than one (1) piece of artwork may be submitted each Guest. Work will be judged by a panel of Disney cast members.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK 

The two winners whose work has been chosen by the panel will be notified by e-mail on or before May 26, 2011.

Art Submission Grand Prize package includes:

(1) Nintendo Wii console

(1) Disney Epic Mickey video game for Nintendo Wii

(1) Mickey Mouse Lithograph

(1) Replica of the Snow White program from the film premiere

(2) Tickets to the Sci-Fi Trading event at Disneyland (tickets only, does not include park entry)

(3) Tickets to Destination D at Walt Disney World (tickets only, does not include park entry)

(1) Package consisting of assorted pieces of vinylmation and pins

(1) Oswald plush toy

Essay Submission Grand Prize package includes:

(1) Nintendo Wii console

(1) Disney Epic Mickey video game for Nintendo Wii

(2) Tickets to the D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center

(1) D23 Silver membership

(1) Walt Disney Family Museum individual membership

(1) Package consisting of assorted pieces of vinylmation and pins

(1) Oswald plush toy

Eight Runner-Up Prize packages include:

(1) Plush toy

(1) Package consisting of assorted pieces of vinylmation and pins

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

WDIG Terms of Use