It’s easy for us adults to get bogged down in the aspects of an Orlando visit that we’d rather not have to endure the less magical things about the city, if you will.
Archive for Walt Disney World
5 Reasons Why Disney World Is Better Than Ever
New Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – Commercial
Hold on for the rockingest, rollingest train ride ever! Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has rolled into New Fantasyland!! And, yeah, it rocks! Come rock your Disney Side at the rockingest, rollingest train ride ever!
Petty Holdings, LLC and Pixar Animation Studios Roll Out Piston Cup Junior Ride-Along Cars
Petty Holdings, LLC and Pixar Animation Studios are bringing to life two characters from the Academy Award®-nominated 2006 animated feature film “Cars” – Aiken Axler and Sage VanDerSpin at Walt Disney World Resort. Petty Holdings initially began their relationship with Pixar when Richard Petty became the voice of “The King” in the original “Cars” movie.
The two full-size custom character cars, created by “Cars” creative director Jay Ward, will enter the line-up for the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World® Speedway near Orlando, Fla. beginning Saturday, June 14. The #28 Aiken Axler and #80 Sage VanDerSpin cars will be used in the new Piston Cup Junior Ride-Along program. For just $59, the Junior Ride-Along program gives children ages 6 to 13 (and at least 48 inches tall) the chance to experience real-life racing excitement as they ride shotgun with a professional driving instructor for three thrilling laps in a specially equipped Piston Cup race car.
“We’re thrilled to have Sage and Aiken join the Richard Petty Driving Experience team and know they’ll provide a truly magical element to our popular Junior Ride-Along program,” said Chris Kirby, Petty Holdings director of marketing. “Jay did an amazing job bringing these two characters to life in the form of two full-sized, high-performance, 600HP race cars.”
According to their official biographies, #80 VanDerSpin races for Team “Gask-its” and is the youngest winner of the Junior Piston Cup Pro Series. Axler is the #28 Nitroade racer who captured the Vitoline Rookie of the Year honors in his first full season of Cup competition. Both will be sporting their team colors and sponsors, along with their larger-than-life personalities, thanks to a specialty window wrap.
“The window wrap makes it possible to see the character eyes from the exterior, which really brings them to life, but doesn’t interfere with the view of the track,” added Kirby. “Once passengers are inside the car, the track can be clearly seen so they can fully enjoy the experience of racing around the track.”
Ward has also been named guardian of the ”Cars” franchise due to his in-depth knowledge and love of cars. Ward’s position allows him to have a hand in developing consumer products, interactive games, theme parks, marketing and ancillary projects involving “Cars,” – which led to his role in developing the VanDerSpin and Axler Piston Cars. Since joining Pixar in 1998, Ward has worked in the art department on a number of other Pixar movies including “Ratatouille,” “Monster’s Inc.” and “Brave.”
Both cars feature custom racing seats designed by The Joie of Seating – a premier fabricator of custom-fitted aluminum racing seats, owned and operated by two-time NASCAR Nationwide series champion Randy LaJoie. Specifically designed to ensure the safety and security of smaller bodies, these full containment racing seats feature built-in shoulder and head protection and a five-point safety harness with the same design used by NASCAR drivers.
Junior Ride-Alongs do not require reservations and are given on a first-come, first-served basis. Find out more information about program offerings, dates and times by visiting Drivepetty.com or call 800-237-3889.
Timeline of Rock Your Disney Side 24 Hour Events
Disney begins it’s Rock Your Side 24 event at 6:00 am May 23. Check out the timeline details below:
6:00 am – There will be a special edition of the Welcome Show, as heroes and villains make their way to Magic Kingdom Park.
10:00 am – The “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” Street Party will feature Disney heroes
12:00 pm – “Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade”
1:30 pm – The “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” Street Party will feature Disney Villains
3:30 pm – “Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade”
4:30 pm – 10:00 pm – The #INCREDIBLESSuperDanceParty rocks the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland
5:45 pm – The “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” Street Party characters will be determined by your votes throughout the day.
8:45 pm – “Celebrate the Magic” Castle Projection Show
9:00 pm – “Wishes Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks
9:45 pm – “Celebrate the Magic” Castle Projection Show
11:00 pm – Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade – (Disney Villains Pre-Parade ‘It’s Good to be Bad” will take place roughly 15 minutes prior to Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade)
11:00 pm – ???? – Half of Princess Fairytale Hall becomes Scary Tale Hall hosting Maleficent and the Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The other half will feature Anna & Elsa
11:00 pm – 5:00 am – The Incredibles Movie Night with screenings of Disney•Pixar’s “The Incredibles” at the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland
11:45 pm – “Celebrate the Magic” Castle Projection Show
1:00 am – Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade – (Disney Villains Pre-Parade ‘It’s Good to be Bad” will take place roughly 15 minutes prior to Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade)
1:45 am – Disney villains take over the rest of the park’s character greeting locations. Where Aladdin and Jasmine appear in Adventureland during the day, expect to find Jafar instead. Elsewhere, Dr. Facilier takes the place of Princess Tiana, Captain Hook subs for Peter Pan, and more!
2:00 am – 5:45 am – Disney’s “Up All Night” Dance Party at Cinderella Castle and the Frontierland Dance Party
5:50 am – The 24-hour event concludes with a special “Kiss Goodnight” at the Railroad Station in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A.
Patagonia Marketplace to Debut at 19th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Sept. 19 – Nov. 10
The flavors of Argentina and Chile will sizzle at the new Patagonia Marketplace when Disney’s fall culinary extravaganza, the 19th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival presented by Chase, opens Sept. 19 at Walt Disney World Resort. The 2014 festival kicks off a week early and runs 53 days – up seven days from the previous 46-day event — until Nov. 10, featuring new marketplace menus and debuting a variety of premium dining events.
Celebrated for its inspired food-and-beverage marketplaces, high-energy Eat to the Beat concerts, signature dinners and galas, the 19th festival will debut the new Patagonia Marketplace menu showcasing cuisine of Argentina and Chile such as fresh, sustainable roasted Verlasso salmon, quinoa salad and arugula chimichurri. Disney chefs this year also will dish up new Farm Fresh Marketplace offerings and debut new menu items at multiple marketplaces. A dinner showcasing Walt Disney’s culinary predilections, a foodie “Boot Camp Series” and a Friday morning celebrity chef nosh-and-chat cookbook event, “Food for Thought,” will debut.
Festival guests will be able to pair wines and beers with savory and sweet dishes from more than 25 ethnic and specialty marketplaces as they stroll the World Showcase Promenade and earn stamps on their complimentary festival “passport” souvenirs. Champagne, cocktails and “mocktails” also will be on festival menus. In Future World, the iconic Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog returns for a fourth year so that families can discover the cranberry’s rich agricultural heritage.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets On Sale
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will have 19 magical nights from November 7 -December 19. For a quarter century, Walt Disney World Resort guests have been mesmerized by this must-see event, a grandly festive tradition immersing families in the holiday spirit. Dates for 2014:
November 7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 20, 21 and 30
December 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 19. For information on ticket prices, click here.
Beginning at 7 p.m. (after regular park hours), guests with special event tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party can enjoy all the holiday splendor with lively stage shows featuring Disney characters all dressed up for the holidays, a unique holiday parade and favorite holiday traditions including complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, and snow flurries on Main Street, U.S.A. The fun continues with a holiday “Celebrate the Magic” castle projection show and Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season nighttime fireworks spectacular. Guests can enjoy new experiences and attractions at New Fantasyland.
NOTE: this is a hard ticket special event after regular park hours; purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets On Sale
This fall, the Magic Kingdom plays host to the ultimate trick-or-treating neighborhood as Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party returns for 26 special nights from Sept. 1 – Oct. 31.
Entertainment features the twice nightly “Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade,” led by the infamous Headless Horseman, followed by “HalloWishes,” a green and orange fireworks display complete with Disney villains. Also, guests won’t want to miss their Disney characters dressed in their Halloween best. Not to be left out, guests are invited to dress up in favorite Halloween costumes for trick or treating and more from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. for 26 select nights.
In addition to trick-or-treating, meet and greets with Disney characters donning Halloween costumes, and entertainment unique to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, many of the popular Magic Kingdom attractions – including, of course, The Haunted Mansion – are available to experience (but beware of hitchhiking ghosts).
Party dates in 2014 are:
September 1, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26 and 28
October 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31.
Click here for more information on ticket prices.
Pick Your Seven Dwarfs Name
Want to be a miner? You can see what your name is today! Just answer a few questions and soon you can join the crew. Click on the photo below to get started.
Photo – Buzz Lightyear Topiary at the 2014 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Take a look at the Buzz Lightyear Topiary from this years Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.
Soundbites: Bruce Vaughn EVP & Chief Creative Executive Walt Disney Imagineering Talks Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Bruce Vaughn EVP & Chief Creative Executive Walt Disney Imagineering Talks Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
