We arrived around 11:45 am and made our way over to Jurrasic Parking. The parking today was complimentary. Universal movie posters such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurrasic World, and Fast and Furious greeted us as we entered.

We parked on Level 3, then walked down to Level 1 to get our temperature checked.

As you approach the temperature check station, there is signage requesting guests to follow the new hygiene procedures that have been implemented, such as wearing a face covering, passing a temperature screening, washing your hands, and keeping a 6-foot distance between others.

For temperature screenings, Team Members use a contactless thermometer to check guests’ temperatures. Once you have been cleared, you can enter CityWalk. There was no type of bag check point at CityWalk today.

We made it in! While not everything was open, these particular restaurants and stores were operating:

Eateries

• Blaze Pizza
• Buca di Beppo
• Crepe Café
• Johnny Rockets
• Pizza Hut/KFC
• Starbucks
• Taco Bell
• Voodoo Doughnuts

Shopping

• Guess
• Shoe Palace
• Skechers

Blaze Pizza, which is located on the ground level next to Starbucks, was fast and fire’d, ready to welcome guests.

Social distancing markers were placed on the floor 6 feet apart.

Next door, Starbucks followed suit with similar social distancing markers.

Starbucks asked that only one member of each party enter the indoor waiting area.

Buona sera, Buca di Beppo! We went inside to check out the social distancing markers in place at this popular Italian eatery.

Signage reminded guests at the door of the new hygiene procedures.

I don’t know about you, but I love this meatball social distancing marker.

Social distancing markers surrounded the host stand.

This pasta marker was almost made me order some Chicken Carbonara.

Every other table inside was closed.

Johnny Rockets was probably the most crowded restaurant. Both guests and Universal Team Members were enjoying some classic burgers and shakes.

Every other table sat empty at Johnny Rockets as well.

Hand sanitizer stations can be found between numerous stores and restaurants. They are appropriately spaced out through CityWalk.

Voodoo Doughnut was open to guests with the same social distancing requirements.

Souvenir menus were available at the entrance. This was handy for the reason that everyone was able to read the list in their own space while social distancing.

Couldn’t leave without some doughnuts!

These doughnut-themed stained glass windows add some extra character to the interior of the building.

On the upper level, KFC Express and Taco Bell were both open with the same social distancing procedures in place.

KFC also had signage on the door reminding guests once again to follow the new hygiene procedures.

There was no one to be seen near these two restaurants.

As CityWalk continues with its phased reopening, I’m sure more people will venture to the upper level.

The Habit Burger Grill will be coming soon to CityWalk between Panda Express and Taco Bell.

The last restaurant that was operating was Crêpe Café.

Social distancing markers only surrounded the main counter. The indoor seating was spaced out allowing guests to sit anywhere.

Universal Team Members in white vests reading “Clean is Universal” sanitized tables and handrails around CityWalk.

Thank you, Universal Team Members, for helping us stay safe!

More signage reminding guests to maintain distance was placed in front of the escalators.

As we made our way over to Universal Studios Hollywood’s park entrance, we noticed that Sephora had a message on the door.

It stated that Sephora will be reopening on 6/19 from 11am – 7pm. Let’s get back to beauty together!

Man, oh man, was it nice to see this view!

As we walked toward the entrance, we caught some Team Members removing the gates that were blocking off entrance to the front of the park gate.

Near this area, we could hear a repeating track stating the new hygiene procedures that guests are expected to follow.

It was surreal standing in this spot again looking into a closed Universal Studios Hollywood.

So close, yet so far…

Just over the Universal Studios Hollywood water fountain, we were able to catch a glimpse of the Despicable Me themed area, Super Silly Fun Land.

With Disneyland announcing its phased reopening, we will most likely be hearing news about Universal Studios Hollywood soon.

Tillys was open today with operating changing rooms.

There were no markings on the floor other than near the register.

There were no guests shopping when we entered the store.

The Skechers store opened around 2pm. Social distancing measures were in place inside and outside. A few guests were safely able to try some new kicks on.

The floor markings helped guide guests through the store smoothly.

Guess is another one of the few stores that opened today.

Social distancing stickers were placed all around the store.

The last retail store that was open was at CityWalk today was Shoe Palace.

Much like Guess, Shoe Palace had big circle markers on the main floor in front of the register.

The last thing we were able to see on the way out was the current construction on the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium which is due to open in 2021. This is the former location of The Hard Rock Cafe.

That wraps up the first Universal CityWalk Hollywood photo report! As you can tell, the first day of operations ran smoothly. Hopefully, we can see this trend continue.

Keep checking back at Universal Parks News Today for more updates regarding the Universal Parks from around the world.

The post PHOTO REPORT: Universal CityWalk Hollywood 6/10/20 (Grand Reopening, Social Distancing, A Peek Into Universal Studios Hollywood, Toothsome Construction, and More!) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Today we’re happy to share that Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s first-ever night-time show, “Rivers of Light,” will officially debut at the park on April 22.

The show, set on Discovery River in the Asia section of the park, will depict an ancient lantern festival guided by two storytellers who call forth four animal Spirit Guides: an Asian Tiger, Tropical Turtle, African Elephant and Great Horned Owl. These Spirit Guides return at different points during the show to lead the audience through their journey through the Rivers of Light.

Check out the video below to get the first look at some of the illuminated lanterns, water screens, moving fountains, light projections and other amazing elements that will be featured in “Rivers of Light.”

The post BREAKING: ‘Rivers of Light’ To Debut April 22 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom appeared first on WDW News Today.

Another radio broadcaster reports that the man was carrying two low-calibre weapons, cartridges and a Qur’an.  This has not been confirmed by the police.

The weapons were found during a security check, and the guest reportedly gave no resistance to the resort’s security team. As a security precaution, the man’s car has also been cordoned off by local police.

France remains under a state of emergency since November’s extremist attacks in Paris where 130 people were killed.

UPDATE: Disneyland Paris has issued an official statement:

“During a routine security screening checkpoint at one of our hotels, weapons were discovered in a guest’s luggage, through our x-ray machine. The police were immediately notified and the individual was arrested. We continue to work closely with the authorities; and the safety and security of our guests and cast members is our utmost priority”

The post Man arrested with two firearms at a Disneyland Paris’ Hotel New York appeared first on WDW News Today.

It’s been a couple of months since Pirates of the Caribbean has gotten underway after being in dry dock for an extended period, but now that we’re hitting some of the busiest days of the year the “refitted” Pirates of the Caribbean is again accepting crew members for current and future explorations. “Refurbishment” is probably not the best description for how Walt Disney World Imagineers spent a significant part of last summer. This most recent iteration of Magic Kingdom’s classic attraction is actually less of a refurbishment than a re-emergence.  While the enhancements could arguably be described as re-imagined,  they also effectively remain true to the attraction’s origins. The Imagineers have created a more real and immersive experience through lighting, texture, and color.

Your experience with the new Pirates of the Caribbean begins with the queue itself. As you enter the fort, the soldier dialogue makes it very clear that the pirates have arrived and the battle has begun. To begin the story even before a new crew member enters the attraction itself is a classic touch. This audio detail isn’t necessarily new, but it’s more prominent than it was prior to the recent closure. Continuing through the queue it becomes obvious that the lighting has been a point of emphasis during the update. There is improved consistency with the lanterns, and even the torch effects have been updated to appear more like a “flickering flame.” It’s subtle, but effective.

In the loading area there are still two lines — left and right. If you find yourself in the right loading line, pay attention. You just may be able to hear busy pirates nearby digging for buried treasure. And be sure to look ahead to the cave entrance as you embark on your journey. The cave entrance appears to reveal a difficult-to-discern but well-executed hint about the journey you’re about to embark on while also giving a small role in the story to the tower window.

As you approach the Grotto you still pass through the waterfall that now alternates between Davy Jones and Blackbeard. Blackbeard actually replaced Jones during the last revision so it’s good to see Jones again. The mermaid projections on the water are gone and that’s a little disappointing. But, to be honest, it was never a perfect fit to the overall sense of the story and felt somewhat forced by the feature films. That being said, you can still hear the mermaid song and, if you listen closely, maybe even a tail splash or two.

Dead Man’s Cove, for the most part, is the same. Originally, the back of this scene was open to provide a measure of depth, but during the Johnny Depp refurbishment this opening was closed off with sails and canvas material in order to better frame the scene. The space has been opened up once again and the depth has been restored. There is also newly scattered debris that contributes to an eerie and endless effect to the back of the cove. This decision adds more mystery for passers-by. The new expression of Dead Man’s Cove is one of the examples of how the Imagineers have pointed us back to the original Pirates.

The lack of light present in Hurricane Lagoon makes it difficult to notice that this scene has almost been completely rebuilt. The skeleton at the helm is much more believable than past versions. The lighting and colors so much more vibrant and immersive. Hurricane Lagoon had become tired over the years. The skeleton’s hair was matted and the colors were faded. In addition to the color and lighting, now there is quite a bit more movement — the skeleton’s hair moves with his clothes in the wind. The net effect is that Hurricane Lagoon is significantly more interesting and, ironically, more “alive”.

The newly refurbished Bombardment scene explodes with color. Again, the lights have obviously been adjusted, enhanced, or maybe just replaced — even the cloud effect on the back wall seems to be improved. Barbossa is now in his British uniform.  Although Barbossa only wore this uniform briefly in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, this draws more attention to him and that’s a good thing. It also appears that there is new or enhanced cannon movement. Additionally, the concussion cannons on the Wicked Wench and fort side have been re-activated. And is that gunpowder I smell?

Leaving the Bombardment scene you enter the seaport and the Well scene. Again, it’s subtle, but the well has been significantly upgraded. Look closely to see if you can find the first of three new Caribbean characters here in this scene. Beyond that, all new lighting contributes to an increased sense of drama. The coloration of the pirate faces in the prior iteration were exaggerated and aggressive, but that’s clearly been toned down to be more realistic. Now the colors are warm and less muted. Overall I would say that it’s much more theatrical or dramatic than before.

Similar touches are noticeable within the Auction scene, too, including a distinctly sweet yet musky projected scent that has been added. The auctioneer figure has been updated and has a great deal more fluidity. His facial expressions are enhanced and his animated movements more diverse. Watch for the detailed movement in his hand motion during “it be gold I’m after.” At a glance, the redhead is more believable than the prior show. New or enhanced lighting is obvious here, too. Overall the scene feels warm in tone and the light on the auctioneer casts a menacing shadow on the mercado wall which makes him somewhat Mephistophelian. Although the auctioneer is more devilish than ever, the redhead matches the intensity and has more noticeable attitude than before. And look for a second Caribbean character. It’s clear that the Imagineers are looking for greater authenticity and diversity. I wouldn’t be surprised to see female pirates in the future.

The cool blue tones in the Chase scene provide a nice contrast to the prior warmer ones earlier in the story. The pooped pirate is still holding a key to the treasure and there is now a visible map positioned on a crate to better support his lines as Jack Sparrow observes from a barrel nearby. Formerly, the map to the treasure was on the pirate’s leg – but it was very difficult to notice and consequently few people did. This helpful detail contributes significantly to the story later in the attraction. A third new and indigenous character appears in this area.

As you sail through the town, the night clouds are still visible and Old Bill is still loitering with the two cats and enjoying his rum. The Imagineers added a special touch here. Let’s just say that this pirate wreaks of a certain unsurprising “fragrance”!

The Burning City has always been an impressive scene but over the years it has been in dire need of this well-deserved refurbishment. Vibrant lighting, updated fire effects, and the addition of a wood burning aroma bring new life out of this scene. The torches now have the same “flickering flame” effect from the queue area and even the hairy-legged pirate’s jug and mug have been updated. Could this pirate hold clues about the fire and its origins? Be sure to look closely at the barefoot pirate with the pigs. This scene includes many new details for the most observant onlookers to discover.

And finally the Treasure Room comes into view. You want to talk bling! To start, it’s obvious this room glistens more than it ever has. For sure there is more gold but there are other enhancements, too. Once again, lighting effects have been helpful in giving this environment new life. Haunted Mansion fans will recognize the candle effect as reminiscent of Madame Leota’s seance candles. Also in the Treasure Room is the final piece of the story and how Jack found the loot. Remember the map in the pooped pirate scene? Piece the story together during your next cruise on the Caribbean.

Though subtle, the newest expression of Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean captures all the original glory of this famous pirate tale. And even though the California version can uniquely boast of Walt’s final touches, there remains in this mysterious grotto strong hints of its creator as well. Without dramatically altering the legacy or story, Disney Imagineering has done an outstanding job in giving us a re-imagined version of the Florida Pirate’s story. I’m thankful it’s a tale that continues to be told.

The post REVIEW: Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World – Re-Imagining a Classic appeared first on WDW News Today.

Outside, all signage was changed overnight to include Turner Classic Movies.

Upon entering the queue, the interactive movie posters and displays we showed you a few weeks back are now running. The posters switch between a logo for the Great Movie Ride and movie posters that come to life with some animated element.

The pre-show is no longer a 20-minute loop of trailers, but now a 45-minute documentary that spans all of the movies and genres covered in the ride. What’s great here is that some of the trailers even remain in the pre-show, including The Searchers (“No you don’t Ethan. Ethan, no you don’t!”). As time rolls on, many of the older films in the attraction have been forgotten to time and the pre-show does a nice job filling guests in on lesser-known classics such as Footlight Parade or The Public Enemy. The new film does a nice job providing background information that may spark more of an interest in seeing these films, which for TCM is probably the purpose of sponsoring the ride. If you want to find many of these films, Turner Classic Movies is often the easiest place to go.

See the entire pre-show loop for yourself:

The only physical change to the ride that guests can see is the marquee in the loading area. No longer a “Journey into the Movies”, the Great Movie Ride is now “The Ultimate Celebration of Classic Movies”. There’s also now movie posters just under the marquee that feature the new ads for the ride.

Robert Osborne of TCM and the cast-member physically driving the vehicle are now both your hosts. Osborne provides about 60% of the spiel for the ride (pre-recorded of course), while the live cast member still becomes a part of the show and throws in some remarks here-or-there.

The finale montage of the ride is now in gorgeous high definition, and luckily almost every memorable clip and soundbite has returned, repackaged in a rather nice manner.

See the attraction with new audio spiels and the new finale film montage:

The photo-op at the exit of the attraction (which bloggers tried to convince everyone was a new stroller parking area) was also installed overnight. Guests can pretend that their handprints are being placed in front of the Chinese Theater, which really is a photo opportunity that someone should have come up with many years ago.

Overall, the changes are long overdue. While it is sad to lose the original pre-show, the clips do live on as the actual trailers for those films anyway. The finale montage was clearly handled with the utmost care as most every clip, line of dialogue, and musical note was brought back refreshed and in a seemingly more organized fashion grouped by genre (provided Disney or TCM had the rights to it). Yes, there is less live-spieling and more pre-recorded narration, but honestly, Great Movie Ride cast members have been forced to stick to the script word-for-word for at least 15 years now and the spiel was about as tired as could be. With the exception of losing the fantastic pre-recorded spiel about Alien and the spaceship Nostromo, this has to be seen as an improvement over the tired lines such as “the horror movie is my all-time favorite genre”, “no, it’s not George of the Jungle”, and “Can anyone tell me what movie this is?”. This long-overdue refreshing of the ride breathes new life and hopefully is just a taste of larger changes to come to the attraction at the expansion of Disney’s Hollywood Studios moves forward.

The post PHOTOS, VIDEO, REVIEW: The NEW Great Movie Ride Presented by Turner Classic Movies Premieres appeared first on WDW News Today.

During a recent trip to Orlando I finally made it to Disney’s Liberty Tree Tavern for a lunch. While this meal in-and-of-itself isn’t necessarily noteworthy, doing so completed my Magic Kingdom dining “cycle” — a meal at every restaurant in Magic Kingdom. We’ve been trying to make it to the Liberty Tree for years but it has always been trumped by another option — most recently Be Our Guest. Now that we’re approaching that magical 180 days out marker for holiday vacations, it seemed like a good time to explore Magic Kingdom dining.

It’s been my experience that, while the Magic Kingdom offers perhaps the best Counter Service options in Walt Disney World, the park itself comes up somewhat short in the Table Service category. While the recent addition of Be Our Guest changes this at least thematically, for me it didn’t really change my position culinarily. This is why knocking the last two out — Liberty Tree Tavern and Plaza Restaurant — emerged as such a personal objective.

Let’s begin this review with theming. It should come as no surprise to anyone that guests enter the Liberty Tree story by stepping into Colonial-meets-Revolutionary America. Hosts, hostesses, and servers are dressed in very believable period costumes. Exposed wood, old masonry, brick, a hearth, and staples from the late 18th Century and early 19th Century create an atmosphere that hearkens back to our nation’s Revolutionary Era. To a large degree it works. Admittedly, for some reason Liberty Square has always been hard for me to get excited about. It may be the transitions or perhaps the size. By contrast, I do not have a similar problem with New Orleans Square in Anaheim. Regardless, different rooms themed around quintessential Americans like Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin, and Georgia Washington with artifacts and props unique to each contribute effectively. The Liberty Tree Tavern is a logical “next step” in the Liberty Square immersive experience. In fact, it may actually “complete” Liberty Square.

There are two things worth noting regarding the atmosphere and theme. One, everything slowed down considerably once inside. We all know how crazy a day at the Magic Kingdom can be. For whatever reason, all that slipped away when we stepped into the Liberty Tree Tavern. Life just seemed to move slower, more simply. And it was nice. Second, the interior seemed tired. The energy that I’m accustomed to feeling in one of Disney’s signature restaurants just wasn’t present. My guess is that the renovations scheduled for this summer have been scheduled to address this aspect as much as anything.

Regarding the food, I would say that the Liberty Tree Tavern is “good”. And if you’re looking for a bit of a change of pace and fare that you either normally wouldn’t expect in the park or non-Thanksgiving, it rates even better than good. A friend and I ordered an appetizer, two entrees, and a desert. (I’m not bold enough yet to try using my blog credentials to ask for additional samples.) First, the Crab and Lobster Dip for Two is outstanding as an appetizer. As seafood goes it was fresh and tasty. The dish itself was a perfect appetizer. I went with the standard New England Pot Roast and my friend opted for the Pilgrim’s Feast. We were both pleased. Other than the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger, the pot roast is Liberty Tree’s most popular dish and it’s easy to see why. The vegetables were cooked to perfection and the braised beef in Cabernet wine and mushroom sauce was tender and perfectly seasoned.

I sampled the Pilgrim’s Feast of traditional roast turkey with herb bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, and vegetables but didn’t find it particularly tasty or unique, but then again it’s not necessarily trying to be. I mean, it’s turkey. But it’s still traditional New England fare prepared in a way consistent with the time period. Regardless I felt like I scored extra points in some way for eating at least semi-healthy in a theme park. In that same spirit, we chose not to go with the more popular Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake for desert, but the Fruit Crisp. Even though I’m sure the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake is as good as its name would let on, and comes highly recommended, I would absolutely recommend the Fruit Crisp as well. Looking back on it, the better decision would have been ditching the whole “eating more healthy” approach and just ordering them both. Next time we will.

It should be said here that the lunch menu is a la carte while the dinner menu is much more limited. You can check out the lunch menu in various places and I would say, relatively speaking, it is very affordable with multiple options. The dinner menu ranges from $33 to $38 per person, and the Patriot’s Platter is the only entree option. It includes roast turkey breast, carved beef, sliced pork with traditional accompaniments, and mixed greens with house-made dressing.

It’s difficult to place the Liberty Tree Tavern within the hierarchy of Magic Kingdom table service options. Plaza Restaurant, Crystal Palace, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Be Our Guest, Tony’s Town Square, and to a lesser extent Tomorrowland Terrace and Diamond Horseshoe all have an upside. For me they stack up like this: Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table are the most impressive and iconic, while Crystal Palace offers the best character dining. The Plaza Restaurant is far and away the best value and its soda shop vibe fits perfectly with Main Street. Tony’s Town Square, however, serves up a wonderful nostalgia. It may be said that, while Liberty Tree Tavern doesn’t blow you away in any one category, it scores well enough to be among the best overall in terms of theming, food, and value. And to reiterate an earlier point, the Tavern completes Liberty Square in a way other venues do not. Even though I have completed the Magic Kingdom table service cycle, I’m still wrestling with this one question: If I had to choose one Magic Kingdom table service to rule them all, which one would it be?

The post EDITORIAL: Liberty Tree Tavern and the Sum of Magic Kingdom Dining appeared first on WDW News Today.

We’re always looking at new ways to expand our Disney coverage and today we’re thrilled to share with you a new partnership that will bring Tokyo Disney Resort content here to WDWNT. Please welcome Chris from TDRExplorer.com! Below are a few words from Chris introducing himself and explaining what he does:

Konnichiwa! I’m Chris, the creator and Chief Content Editor of TDRExplorer.com. We are the one of few English language websites and podcasts dedicated solely to news and information about Tokyo Disney Resort. All our team members either currently live or have lived in Japan, so you know you are getting the best and latest information.

Our goal with TDRExplorer (and our podcast TDRNow) is to provide one easy source to turn to when you need to plan your trip to one of the best Disney Resorts on the planet! From news to advice, you can find it on TDRExplorer.com.

I am originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Moved to Tokyo, Japan in 2013 to pursue a new challenge. During the day, I am a web and mobile app developer for multi-national companies. In the evenings and on the weekends, you can bet that I am doing “research” at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

Tokyo Disney Resort is truly a magical theme park that every Disney fan needs to experience. I am excited to be contributing to WDWNT, bringing the best of Tokyo Disney Resort to the rest of the world.

Beginning today, you’ll be able to find content from Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea right here on WDWNT additionally we encourage you to visit and follow TDRExplorer along on Twitter.

The post WDW News Today teams up with TDRExplorer.com to bring you Tokyo Disney Resort news and content appeared first on WDW News Today.

There’s a few more happy haunts around the Haunted Mansion thanks to an early April Fool’s Day stunt by Google. For a limited time, any Google Map can be turned into a playable level of Pac-Man- the 80’s arcade classic. Of course, since the paths of Disney Parks are laid out as streets in Google Maps, you can run Pac-Man down Main Street and around the hub of the Magic Kingdom! Have Pac-Man eat his way around World Showcase, just like you do at Food & Wine!

To get started, head on over to Google Maps and click on the Pac-Man button in the bottom-right. Remember, this is presumably only for April Fool’s Day, so don’t miss out on playing Pac-Man all over The Most Magical Place on Earth!

The post Use the Disney Theme Parks as Epic Pac-Man Levels! appeared first on WDW News Today.

The popular D23 will be making its return to Japan for three days in 2015. D23 Expo Japan 2015 will take place from November 6th to November 8th in Maihama, Japan (Tokyo Disney Resort).

Ticket and program information is available on the Disney Japan website starting in April.

Themed around “the power of story,” D23 Expo Japan 2015 will bring together fascinating tales from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel.

– Business Wire

This is very exciting news, I wonder what they have in store for Disney fans here in Japan (Maybe talk about the expansions at Tokyo Disney Resort). Whatever it is, I am sure it will be fantastic! Here is a quick rundown of some of the items planned.

• Princess exhibition featuring costumes, artwork, props, and more!
• Hands-on experience with Star Wars
• Toy Story 20th Anniversary
• Tokyo Disney Resort Special Exhibition
• In addition a Kingdom Hearts fan event will be held on November 3rd at Cinema Ikspiari

D23 Expo Japan made its debut in 2013. Be sure to keep your eyes on TDRExplorer for the latest and up-to-date information!

via TDRExplorer.com

The post D23 Expo Japan Returns in 2015 appeared first on WDW News Today.

The Sorcerer’s Hat is no more. For some this is a moment of triumph and restoration. For others it represents a seismic shift in Disney’s Hollywood Studios ethos and theme. My family and I are both excited about it as well as a little sad to see such an icon of so many Disney trips say goodbye. Regardless of your personal reaction, the decision to remove the hat allows Hollywood Studios to return to its original intent and design as well as to restore the park to its more purely “imagineered” vision.

By now most of us know the story. It was 1984. Michael Eisner and Frank Wells had just accepted roles as CEO and COO of Walt Disney Productions. Early in their leadership Walt Disney World added Captain EO, Mickey’s Toontown, the Norway Pavilion, and two new resorts. To generate interest beyond Walt Disney World’s only two parks at the time, Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, plans for what was then referred to as “The Third Gate” were in motion at WDW.

According to Jeff Kurtti’s Since the World Began, plans for a third park grew out of concepts for a new EPCOT pavilion. In addition to the Norway Pavilion, Disney leaders Eisner and Wells as well as the Imagineering community had been developing a “Movie Pavilion” that would tell the story of Hollywood with a unique Disney “bent.” Once they got into the concept, however, the decision was made to abandon notions of a new pavilion within EPCOT and instead expand the idea into a new park that became MGM Studios, which became Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2008.

Thematically, this new park was created in the spirit of 1930’s and 1940’s Hollywood. This is significant because, if you’ve visited the real Hollywood, Walt Disney World’s iteration is nothing like Hollywood is now nor ever has been. Here is what Michael Eisner read from the dedication plaque on the park’s opening day:

The world you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood—not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic. We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was—and always will be.

The “state of mind” referenced on the plaque probably comes closest to capturing the essence of the park. I’ve heard Matt Hochberg, host of www.studioscentral.com, talk about the design of Hollywood Boulevard from the entrance to the original Studios centerpiece, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, as a metaphorical journey from 1935 Hollywood to the present with Prime Time 50’s Cafe squarely in the middle. It’s a fascinating take on the park’s tight thematic design and Imagineering vision. And it makes sense. The net effect is this: Disney’s Hollywood Studios was created to be a representation of all Hollywood could have been, perhaps should have been, but actually has only existed in our  imagination. This vision naturally culminated in the full-scale replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, which premiered Disney’s Mary Poppins in 1964. So it is with good reason that Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat was not original to MGM Studios. It was added an an attraction during 2001’s 100 Years of Magic Celebration at Walt Disney World.

Over countless trips early in my Disney park experiences I never really gave the Sorcerer’s Hat much thought. It didn’t really fit aesthetically, but it wasn’t terribly dissonant in its theming. Because “Hollywood” in my mind always implied a sense of magic, at least to a degree, the Sorcerer’s Hat felt consistent enough. It wasn’t until we were at rope drop one morning with a long, straight-down-Hollywood-Boulevard, view that I realized just how intrusive Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat was to the park described on the dedication plaque.

You can see in the photo above, as the Hat disappears an ever better Hollywood has emerged. Even given the size of the Hat, the impact removing one visual element from an environment is surprisingly dramatic. Similar to the recently completed work on the Magic Kingdom hub, removing the Hat really opens the area up for guests.  Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the only structure built to full-scale on Hollywood Boulevard, is also the perfect icon for the “Golden Era” Hollywood  the Imagineers have captured. It makes everything better from the Citizens of Hollywood characters to the sense of nostalgia, and we haven’t lost Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat completely, we’ll just have to make our way to Anaheim to see one now!

The post EDITORIAL: Why Removing the Sorcerer’s Hat from Hollywood Studios is a Good Thing appeared first on WDW News Today.

In a post on the official Disneyland Paris Facebook account, the rumoured event was finally let out of the bag:

“It’s official! We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be holding our first ever running weekend from September 23rd to 25th 2016, guaranteeing some sportingly good fun for young and old alike! It’s time to dust off those running shoes and get training! #disneylandparishalf ”

With the event still over 18 months away registration signups are not yet live, however, Disneyland Paris is asking people to register interest at http://run.disneylandparis.com/.  With the event being a weekend event, and Disneyland Paris stating the main event is a half marathon, it’s expected that Saturday 24th September 2016 will be a 10k run, with the half marathon being on Sunday 25th September.

Whilst you are unable to register as a runner just yet, you actually are able to book your accommodation package for September 2016 through Disneyland Paris’s website, which usually falls outside of their usual booking timescales.

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Dream It! Do It! My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms, Marty Sklar
Different from other books I’ve read on the subject of Disney backstory and mythology, Dream It! Do It! by Marty Sklar will be most enjoyed by those most familiar and intrigued by the stories perpetuated by and grounded in Disney lore. Sklar is a career Imagineer that has contributed to every major event in the development of each of the Disney parks. Additionally, he may be the only single person with both a working and personal relationship with anybody that’s anybody associated with the Disney parks story — including the man himself, Walt Disney. This includes the Sherman brothers, John Hench, Mary Blair, Card Walker, Dick Nunis, Joe Fowler, Joe Potter, Claude Coats, and Roy O. Disney. And that is by no means a complete list. If you’re looking for an insider’s perspective and little-known albeit interesting pieces of information associated with Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and even Disneyland Paris and Tokyo, this is your book. What I enjoyed most were the stories about the creation of the engineering and imaginative feat that became Walt Disney World. What I enjoyed least were the inner workings of the corporation itself.

Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination, Neal Gabler
It’s worth reading just for the behind-the-scenes story on the production of Snow White alone. But the author also takes a deep dive into the early studio years that makes the Walt Disney story that much more accessible to fans and park visitors. There’s some decent stuff on Sleeping Beauty but I found myself wanting more about the genesis and production of Cinderella. For me, this biography has probably been the most comprehensive—even through those painful war years and nature documentaries. Gabler cites pop culture writers of the day and movie reviewers where it is appropriate. Readers Beware: this is quite the commitment. But for hardcore fans, I think it’s also a rite of passage of sorts.

The Haunted Mansion: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies, Jason Surrell
Even though The Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite attractions, I never could put my finger on why so many Disney enthusiasts were so obsessed with it. My hope was that reading Surrell’s book would help me understand the Haunted Mansion phenomenon and it absolutely has. He begins with the genesis of the idea in the Museum of the Weird for which Yale Gracey and Rolly Crump were commissioned to begin exploring and experimenting with gags for the mansion. Surrell then walks his readers through the whole creative process. Along the way you meet X. Atencio, Marc Davis, Claude Coats, and plenty of others that had a hand in bringing the attraction to life, er, afterlife. The last third of the book addresses each “scene” in the Mansion in detail—but not so much detail as to be overwhelming. It’s an easy read and highly recommended for Disney fans at practically any interest level.

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney, Michael Barrier
Oddly enough, this has been my favorite Walt Disney biography. Given Barrier’s obvious bent toward the history of animation and Disney’s place in it, I didn’t have the highest expectations. I am generally more interested in Walt’s life than in the medium itself. But the fact is that Michael Barrier made me care. He made Walt’s life through the lens of historical animation even more interesting. I’m not sure I would make this my first biographical endeavor into the life of one of the most influential people of the Twentieth Century. But I would recommend it as the second.

The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Jeff Baham
This book is everything you would expect from the founder of Doombuggies.com. Jeff is exhaustive in his research and relentless in his pursuit of the most accurate and most thorough Haunted Mansion apologetic. Different from Surrell who takes an Imagineer’s perspective, Baham writes for the person who just can’t get enough of the Haunted Mansion. A couple of reviewers didn’t like the second section of The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney’s Haunted Mansion and the way it takes readers step-by-step through the Mansion, but that was probably my favorite part. But that is not to say that I didn’t also love all the history and background present in the first half as Coats, Crump, Davis, and Gracey dominate the narrative as they rightfully should. The bottom-line: this is just a really cool book.

Walt Disney: An American Original, Bob Thomas
Promoted as the only “authorized” biography by the Disney family, what Thomas does get right is that he doesn’t waste a lot of time on the parts of Walt’s story that might have the potential to drag. Instead, the author gives most of the big story lines equal billing: Oswald, “Steamboat Willie”, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Disneyland, and the World’s Fair. Of the biographies that I’ve read this is perhaps the easier read. I liked most about this book the attention Thomas gives to Mary Poppins, something Gabler’s book misses in my opinion. That being said, a reading of Gabler, Thomas, and Barrier provide what appears to be an accurate view of the man you’ll come to know simply as “Walt.”

Not reviewed here are the two Walt Disney Imagineering books. These are great but aren’t your typical front-to-back reads and tend to focus exclusively on the creative aspect, which isn’t for everybody. Regardless, they are great to have. Four Decades of Magic is a series of essays, some more interesting than others, that includes some very interesting and fun background and content. (For instance, did you know that there is purportedly a ghost that haunts Pirates of the Caribbean Florida? Chad Denver Emerson’s book will tell you all about it.) I didn’t review it here because it doesn’t have the most “finished” feel to it. And I’ve intentionally avoided Project Future but only because I’m just not as interested in the corporate side of the Disney experience. There are plenty of others but I feel good about recommending all six of these books as a part of your 2015 February Survival.

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Thomas O. Staggs has been named Chief Operating Officer of The Walt Disney Company, it was announced today by Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

A 25-year Disney veteran, Mr. Staggs is Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, overseeing the strategy, operations and creative development of the company’s iconic travel and leisure businesses. He will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer immediately, while continuing to lead Parks and Resorts until a successor is named. Disney’s senior management team, including all business segment leaders, will report jointly to Mr. Iger and Mr. Staggs, with the exception of the Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel, Chief Communications Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer, who will continue to report directly to Mr. Iger.

“Tom is an incredibly experienced, talented and versatile executive who has led Parks and Resorts during a time of unprecedented growth and expansion, including the construction of Shanghai Disney Resort. His proven ability to lead a business as well as his successful tenure as Disney’s former CFO make him an ideal Chief Operating Officer, expanding his portfolio into all the company’s businesses,” Mr. Iger said.

“It’s a privilege to step into this role, and I am humbled and honored by the opportunity. I look forward to working more closely with Bob and the talented senior management team across the company to continue to build Disney’s future through unparalleled creativity, innovative technology and global expansion,” Mr. Staggs said.

Since 2010, Mr. Staggs has led Parks and Resorts’ global team of more than 130,000 Cast Members, Crew Members and Imagineers, with the segment delivering record revenue, profit and attendance levels. In addition to overseeing the development of Shanghai Disney Resort, and a new Avatar-themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, during Tom’s tenure, Disney has launched two new cruise ships; opened Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, in Hawai‘i; added three new lands at Hong Kong Disneyland; doubled the size of Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom; and completed a multi-year expansion of the Disneyland Resort with the addition of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure Park.

Prior to that, Mr. Staggs served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Walt Disney Company. He played a critical role in the execution of the acquisitions of Capital Cities/ABC, Pixar Animation Studios and Marvel Entertainment. As CFO for twelve years, he spearheaded the realignment of Disney’s performance goals toward the combination of profit growth and strong long-term capital returns and free cash flow. He has been praised by Wall Street for his financial and communications skills, and was consistently voted the entertainment industry’s No. 1 CFO by Institutional Investor magazine.

Mr. Staggs joined Disney in 1990 as Manager of Strategic Planning and quickly advanced through a series of positions of increased responsibility, leading to his appointment as Chief Financial Officer in 1998. Before joining Disney, he worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley & Co.

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Seeing all the things that Disneyland Paris had in store for Christmas had me excited to book a trip to experience it.  Having done a big family Christmas the year before, I didn’t feel necessarily guilty for being away from the majority of my family and friends so my fiancé, David, and I decided to go for it.  We’d spend Christmas in Disneyland Paris – Christmas Eve until 26th December (or Boxing Day to some).

David and I had last been to Disneyland Paris in February 2014.  We recognised the crowds were probably going to be bigger at Christmas but seeing as we’d achieved a lot in our earlier trip, we were fine with having to wait a bit longer for stuff if crowds did descend on Marne-la-Vallée (it turns out we didn’t really need to worry about this too much, but more on that later).

In our last trip we’d stayed at the Sequoia Lodge, which is Disneyland Paris’s celebration of American national park hotels.  It was a great hotel for a winter stay, and was top of our list to try again, but we decided to give one of the other hotels a try.  David has a big love of westerns, and although in terms of amenities, it is lacking a pool/sauna, the wild west themed Hotel Cheyenne was very comparable in terms of comfort.  It’s theming is not subtle, by any means, but it is kind of adorably likeable with its rooms themed around different icons of the American west and staples of western films.

We’re experienced Disney travellers by this point so we’d planned our trip to make the best out of the relatively short time we had there.  We caught a very early flight on Christmas Eve and we’d leave very late on Boxing Day, which meant we essentially have three full days to enjoy the variety of Christmas delights Disneyland Paris had to offer. Stopping in an official hotel also meant that we had Extra Magic Hours too, which meant that we were able to enter either park on the three mornings we were there two hours before regular guests, which was invaluable to ensure we got to ride many of the latest and greatest attractions multiple times.

Whilst we’re on the subject of Disney Hotels, there’s little things about staying on them that still niggle me.  I’m not sure if this is simply something that I’ve come to expect, from my years of travel, but I’ll never get used to having to pay extra for tea and coffee facilities in room in a hotel chain as relatively expensive as a Disney hotel.  Granted, it’s not majorly expensive – a refundable€25 allows you rental of a kettle in the room and an additional non-refundable €8 gets you a tea and coffee set with a few tea bags, freeze dried coffee sachets (the less said about the disgusting Segafredo coffee served on site, the better), sugar, milk and four biscuits – but I’d just come to expect as standard by now.  Similarly, the sparse amount of shower gels and soap offered in your bathroom just comes across mean.

But enough about the hotel – what festive celebrations did Disneyland Paris have for us over the three days?  First, lets start with the decorations. I’m sure most Disney fans have googled for pictures of the parks and hotels all done up for Christmas – I know I had, but it’s very different seeing them in person.  Disneyland Paris’s are very tastefully done.  All of the six onsite hotels (I didn’t visit the Davy Crockett Campgrounds on this trip) have similar garlands in reception areas and the outside of buildings, as well as well-dressed trees in reception.  The trees all are very similarly decorated bar a few unique ornaments themed to the hotel, so Hotel New York has taxi cabs and miniature Statues of Liberty, while Newport Bay Club has boats and lighthouses and Hotel Cheyenne has rusty gold buckets and horse saddles.

They’re all very charming and get you into the Christmas spirit.

In terms of Christmas attractions, much like other Disney Parks, Disney have approached Christmas with Elsa in mind.  I was expecting this, as DLP’s publicity material for Christmas has Elsa dressing a tree (currently my holiday desktop wallpaper!) Firstly, let me preface by declaring how much I love Frozen.  I think it’s potentially one of the greatest things Disney have ever made, and in my earlier February trip, I was disappointed that there wasn’t any more Frozen merchandise and presence in the parks. However, this trip – it just felt like overkill, with none of it done particularly great.

A positive to begin with – there were lots of great Frozen merchandise to be found through the stores, from dolls to mugs and Christmas baubles, there was lot of items with Anna and Elsa’s faces on it, and it was all really well made and of impressive quality.  One of the nicest items that I’ve not seen elsewhere, and was in fairly short supply in the parks, was a great plush of Sven.  It was super cute.

Now, onto the not so great.  The big finale to a day in Disneyland Paris is Disney Dreams!  The regular show, a mix of castle projection, coloured water jets and fireworks, blew me away in February. We made a point of watching it multiple times during our four-night stay.  It was the most impressive nighttime spectacle I’d ever seen in a Disney Park (and, granted, I’ve not seen World of Colour, but I’ve seen Illuminations, Wishes and Fantasmic within the last 18 months).  So it goes without saying that I was excited for an updated version of this show with a Christmas theme.

It was still visually impressive in some regards, with Sleeping Beauty’s castle looking amazing at night, but the projection element just felt off this time, and the Frozen elements were too heavily forced into the show.  Disney has some great winter imagery from their films and shorts, from Bambi to Beauty and the Beast to old Silly Symphony shorts, yet these really only got seconds of screen time, whilst nearly every song from Frozen (bar, Fixer Upper and Do You Want To Build a Snowman) were played almost in their entirety.  There was very little new animation either, just copy and pasted from the films.  After how much I loved the original Dreams! I was really disappointed with this version and didn’t make a return visit after viewing it for the first time on Christmas Eve.  There were great moments, though: hearing the crowd singing Let It Go, in multiple languages at the same time felt special.

Over the Christmas period, Anna and Elsa are also taking visitors in Fantasyland though expect long queues throughout the morning for the privilege.  For those who don’t get to meet the Queen and Princess in person, the royal duo make an appearance just before the main Christmas parade as they ride down Main Street USA in a horse and carriage whilst the Love is an Open Door and Let It Go blare out the speakers through Town Plaza, Main Street and the hub.  This was the element of the Christmas celebrations that seemed most thrown together.  The programme guide had me thinking it would be royal procession with the guards and citizens of Arendelle leading a mini-parade of dancers and singers preceding the arrival of Elsa and Anna, and the main Christmas parade.  In actuality, the two aforementioned songs loop continuously as the crowd in Main Street looks on quizzically, as finally a small horse and carriage with the royals finally comes into view.

Once they pass you, that’s really it – the music may still be playing, but you’ve seen everything, and the next parade, although scheduled immediately after in the programme guide, doesn’t in reality start for another ten minutes which leads to a lot of standing around and foot traffic on Main Street on one of the busiest days of the year.

I think it’s a feeling that’s being felt throughout the worldwide Disney Parks and fan communities, in that Disney need to cool it with Frozen (excuse the pun), unless they’re really going to create something special.  Everything feels a little thrown together, from cut and pasted video contented and lip syncing in a carriage down Main Street, Disney can and should give this a little more thought.

Okay – with the negativity out the way, Main Street is home to one of the more impressive Christmas entertainment additions in Magical Christmas Wishes or the lighting of the Main Street Christmas Tree. This event happens three times nightly and is narrated by Jiminy Cricket as talks about the magic of Christmas with Pinocchio as the already impressive tree on Main Street changes colour and fake snow falls from the sky above the street.  It was visually beautiful and the already awesome music loop of Christmas classics seemed to get even better at this point in the evening.  Like the Disney Dreams show of February past, David and I ensured we caught this show multiple times during our trip.

There were lots of little pluses throughout the parks.  Like I say, the decorations, mainly around Main Street USA in Disneyland Park and the entrance plaza in the Walt Disney Studios were really well dressed for the season with great trees, wreathes, lights and garlands.

Music loops had classic christmas tunes and characters appearances involved the usual fan favourites of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale, but this time in their holiday dress. A lot of the characters appeared from Extra Magic Hours onwards, so it was a really good reason to rush to the park first thing to ensure you got that brilliant photo with Mickey without having to queue for hours.

As a bit of a leftover from the Halloween celebrations, Jack from A Nightmare Before Christmas appears dressed as Sandy Claws in Frontierland which is a great photo opportunity, and Merida also is meeting fans just by Casey’s Corner.

The final big Christmas addition is a new sweet treat themed parade where Mickey and friends treat guests to festive songs and dances on gingerbread floats and parade vehicles.  It wasn’t anything totally awe-inspiring, but there are a flew lesser seen characters (Chip and Dale’s Clarice, for example) and with Main Street decorated so brilliantly, there’s excellent photo opportunities to be had here.

There’s lots to this mini-trip that I haven’t really discussed yet.   I’m planning to write about these in another article which will cover great dining experiences at Walt’s, The Lucky Nugget, Chez Remy, an amazingly well done themed area of the Walt Disney Studio’s Park housing the new attraction Ratatouille: The Adventure.  

In terms of crowd levels the parks were a lot busier than they were in February (which was still a fairly busy period with it being school holidays in the UK), however they were not totally unmanageable.  Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were still fairly busy, but we definitely benefited from later opening hours, FastPass and Extra Magic Hours for hotel guests in the morning, which meant we could do some of the busier and newer attractions like Crush’s Coaster with minimal wait times.  On Christmas Eve crowd levels dwindled towards the end of the day, presumably as local guests returned home to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones, and the parks were only really filled with hotel guests on Christmas morning.  As Christmas Day progressed Disneyland Parc started getting busier, but again, it was not unmanageable. December 26th (or Boxing Day to us Brits) was another story.  Presumably the family celebrations for the local residents now done, they descended to Disneyland Parc which caused wait times to climb (over an hour for the Disneyland Railroad nearly similar waits for Pirates of the Carribbean which the day before had been a walk on).  Tempers were flaring also as we witnessed a few instances were guests and cast members argued over various issues from carriage capacity on trains to positions on Main Street for the parade.  Having had a lot of fun and memorable experiences, we were happy to be leaving at this point.

I know that it seems that I’ve been pretty down on the experience with this trip report, but in actuality I had one of the best christmas holidays I can remember. How many times in your life are you going to be riding a roller coaster on Christmas morning? How many other boxing day mornings do you get to take a selfie with Mickey Mouse?  Christmas is really what you make of it and I think David and I certainly ensured we had a Christmas to remember as we approach 2015 and our wedding in March.  Disneyland Paris’s Disneyland Parc remains perhaps my favourite Disney park worldwide other than perhaps Epcot, but spending Christmas there was a treat which I’m sure will have to be repeated at some point.

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On the eve of Destination D: Attraction Rewind, D23 has announced that it will be making a few changes to its membership lineup for 2015. To begin, D23 will be introducing a new “D23 Gold Family Membership” which will allow you to bring up to three additional guests to D23 events. Additionally in 2015, D23 will be bringing new special pricing for Gold level memberships though as of this writing those prices have not been announced. In order to make way for all these special Gold privileges, D23 will be phasing out the D23 Silver Membership and during renewal those members will have the opportunity to upgrade to D23 Gold, D23 Gold Family, or to become General Members.

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