Orlando Theme Park News

Magic Kingdom Update - Big Thunder Rehab (Part 1)

2012-01-27T19:39:00.005-05:00

The Magic Kingdom is one of the most dynamic theme parks in the world. It is currently receiving the biggest expansion in the park's history (by the way, some great photos of Fantasyland's Expansion can be found here), some of the original attractions are being (or have already been) refreshed, and most of the facades of the themed areas are being refurbished.

Let's take a look at the current status of the work being done around the park:

The parking lot, from above:

Welcome to the Happiest Place on Earth:

Here you are some photos of the current work being done on some of Main Street's facades:

The park's signature balloons:

More facade work:

Tarps are starting too look extremely realistic. Take a look!:

Magic Kingdom's new interactive game was not testing (tests take place every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, but this is subject to change at any time):

Pinocchio was meeting guests:

By the way, here's one of the latest "portals" added:

Magic Kingdom's good morning show:

The bridge that connect Main Street U.S.A. to the central hub is also receiving some attention:

Cinderella Castle:

We never noticed the golden colors of these themed props used in the "Dream Along with Mickey" show:

Celebrate Today! It may be time to change this themed dance party:

What a fantastic garden:

But, it is time to leave the hub to go to Adventureland:

The Sunshine Tree Terrace's facade is still receiving some work:

One of the newest portals is also found in Adventureland:

The Tiki Room. This is the version we all love:

Moving over to Frontierland, we noticed that the menu of the Golden Oak Outpost is gone again:

Splash Mountain:

Something's missing here:

Some work is also being done on the bridge near Splash Mountain:

It is finally time to check out the current status of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad's refurbishment:

Lots of walls:

The ride is closed, folks. The sign's saying it:

More photos of the area:

Behind the walls:

Now, what if we took the Riverboat to check out the rest of the ride? You know what? Let's do it!:

CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO PART 2 OF THIS UPDATE >

Magic Kingdom Update - Big Thunder Rehab (Part 2)

2012-01-27T19:39:00.004-05:00

Welcome to part 2 of this new Magic Kingdom update (PART 1 can be found here).

Now, let's take a look at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad from the Riverboat, like we promised:

There's certainly a lot of scaffolding around the track:

The track will soon receive new wooden boards:

Big Thunder Mountain is without any doubt one of the best attractions of the park, so we are glad it is receiving some attention:

More work being done on the themed buildings around the attraction:

I would love to be able to eat a sandwich on the rock formation of Big Thunder!:

But, let's take also the Train to see what they are doing to the rest of the ride, including one of the lift-hills:

There's even more to see here:

And that is all. Let's all thank this guy for allowing us to take those photos:

Some more work being done around Frontierland:

The ugly light fixture near Donald's meet-and-greet is finally being hidden by the trees growing around it:

Quiet afternoon:

Moving on to Tomorrowland, we found an incredibly busy highway:

Some minor work is being done near the Merchant of Venus shop:

Going in one of the shops of the park, we found this great t-shirt:

It looks really cool:

Time to get back:

Work on the new bus booths has not started yet:

And now, as a bonus, here you are a look at the status of the Grand Floridian Expansion:

Some panoramic photos (you can view many more panoramic photos here):

And we conclude with a look at an airship that has been around O-Town for the last few days:

And that is all. Thank you very much for reading!

CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO PART 1 OF THIS UPDATE >

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As members of Orlando Theme Park News, we work hard to provide you the latest news, rumors, and photo-updates from each and every park in the Central Florida area on a daily basis, completely free of charge. If you want to show us your gratitude for our hard work, there are multiple ways you can do so: you may donate us something by clicking on the big "DONATE" button on the sidebar, you can join our official Facebook page, and you can even subscribe to our newsletter (you can subscribe using the gadget found on our sidebar). Thank you very much for your support, and enjoy the rest of your visit here on Orlando Theme Park News!

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Iceploration Opening Very Soon at Busch Gardens

2012-01-27T13:49:00.000-05:00

We just wanted to remind all our readers that one of the countless new attractions and shows that will debut this year around Central Florida will open very soon. Actually, it will open as soon as...next week! Here's the reminder that Busch Gardens posted on the park's official Facebook page:

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Iceploration Opening Day... One week away from today! Here is a sneak peek, shared only with our loyal Facebook fans.

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To make it clear, Iceploration will officially open to the public on February 2, 2012, and judging from the photo, the theming of the theater is going to be really nice! We look forward to this new show!

Disney Resorts Stop "USA Today" Room Delivery

2012-01-26T20:49:00.001-05:00

Beginning from this coming Monday, the free delivery of USA Today newspapers directly in front of your room (this applied to Disney's Deluxe Resorts only) will be discontinued. Here's the official confirmation:

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"USA Today" Resort Hotel Delivery To Stop Beginning Jan. 30, 2012

Starting January 30, 2012, delivery of complimentary newspapers to the doors of Guest rooms will be stopped* at the following resort hotels due to our commitment to the environment and in response to Guest demand:

Walt Disney World Resort: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Disneyland Resort: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

If desired, Guests will be able to pick up a complimentary newspaper before 1 p.m. near the elevators or other designated areas Monday-Friday.

* Exception: Signature Suites and rooms with VIP Guests will still have newspapers delivered directly to the room doors by the delivery vendor.

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As stated in the advisory, guests will still be able to pick up their free copy of the newspaper near the Reception.

Fantasyland Update (With Panoramic Photos) - Part 1

2012-01-25T16:00:00.002-05:00

Hello, and welcome to a brand-new Fantasyland update!

As usual, we have lots of things to report. Let's start right away our update from the old Skyway area:

Work is proceeding slowly in the area:

No more stroller parking:

Peter Pan's Flight's queue line is also receiving some additions:

Rumors indicate that Disney will install some interactive elements here, as part of the $1 billion Next-Generation initiative. First, they'll work on the Fastpass queue (to widen it for disable people with wheelchairs); then, they will start with the installation of the interactive elements:

The removal of the Castle Dreamlights has finally started:

This sign is a bit misleading. Nothing is being refurbished. Something is just being removed (just kidding):

Let's move on to the former location of Dumbo - The Flying Elephant:

We'll soon have a much, much, much nicer Dumbo attraction:

The entire queue area has been removed:

The old fans and thematic elements sit there, waiting to be either sold or thrown away:

The base of the old Dumbo:

Work continues on the new Castle Walls:

A look at Beast's castle:

A look at the fantastic rock-work:

Gastone's Village:

There's much more to see here:

CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO PART 2 OF THIS NEW FANTASYLAND UPDATE >

Fantasyland Update (With Panoramic Photos) - Part 2

2012-01-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

Here we are on part 2 of our new Fantasyland update (PART 1 can be found in the home page).

Let's continue to take a look around the Little Mermaid's area:

Particulars of the area:

The rock-work:

As we reported a few days ago, the foundations of the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride are starting to really take shape! The next step would be pouring the cement:

Storybook Circus is really looking good:

Old Dumbo with the new Dumbo attraction in the background:

Work on the queue area of Dumbo continues:

Working hard to make more dreams come true:

The new Dumbo attraction looks fantastic:

The themed tower of the Great Goofini has almost been completed:

Goofy is once again causing a lot of troubles!

The roof of Storybook Circus' Train Station is finally receiving themed shingles:

A look at the other circus tents:

And that is...

...wait! Not, that's not all. We still have some panoramic photos to share with you!

CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO PART 3 OF THIS NEW FANTASYLAND UPDATE >

Fantasyland Update (With Panoramic Photos) - Part 3

2012-01-25T16:00:00.000-05:00

And here we are on the final part of our huge Fantasyland update (PART 1 and PART 2 are here).

Here you are finally some nice panoramic pictures of the entire Fantasyland area:

The Beauty and the Beast's area:

Beast's Castle:

A look at the rock-work from above:

This next photo gives you a better idea of how small Beast's Castle is in reality:

Maurice's Cottage:

Gaston's (or Belle's) Village:

The Little Mermaid's area:

Storybook Circus:

Some photos of the Grand Floridian Expansion:

...and, here's a bonus: A pictures of the great Forbidden Mountain at Disney's Animal Kingdom:

And we conclude this update with a fantastic 3-D view of how the Magic Kingdom will look after all the new attractions of the Fantasyland Expansion will be open to the public (we thank a lot our reader Gian Luca for creating this great photo for us!):

And this should be all, for now. Thank you for viewing! (Remember to check out also our Epcot update!)

CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO PART 1 OF THIS NEW FANTASYLAND UPDATE >

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Universal Orlando Announces Many New Experiences

2012-01-25T08:11:00.000-05:00

Here's what we have been waiting for. Universal Orlando has finally revealed all the fantastic new additions that the park will welcome in 2012! Here's the official press release, containing more information:
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2012 IS THE YEAR TO BE AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO!

Universal Orlando Resort to Offer More New Entertainment Experiences Across the Entire Destination than During Any Other Year in its History

Orlando, Fla. (Jan. 25, 2012) – This year, Universal Orlando Resort will debut more adventure, excitement, laughter and awe-inspiring moments than ever before – making 2012 an extraordinary year to be here. There will be something for everyone and every family. From a new Blue Man Group show and newly re-created experience inside one of Universal Orlando’s most popular attractions to a stunning parade, spectacular nighttime show and brand-new blockbuster attraction based on an incredibly popular film – Universal Orlando Resort is bringing guests more new entertainment across our entire destination in 2012 than during any other year in our history.

The new experiences will begin debuting in February. Guests will discover the exhilarating entertainment of a new Blue Man Group show; marvel at breathtaking new animation and effects in The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man; dance and celebrate with their favorite animated characters during Universal’s Superstar Parade and relive memorable moments from Universal Pictures most powerful and beloved films during the nighttime show Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular – 100 Years of Movie Memories. And coming this summer – families will laugh together as they are transformed into minions for an incredible adventure inside the new Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction.

Universal Orlando will also be marking the Universal Pictures Centennial Anniversary Celebration during 2012 with a series of events to be announced throughout the year.

“We are about to offer our guests a historic range of incredible new entertainment experiences,” said Alice Norsworthy, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Universal Orlando Resort. “This year will be filled with excitement and entertainment for the entire family.”

The new 2012 experiences at Universal Orlando Resort include:

Blue Man Group ~ Opening February 2012 at Universal CityWalk

Universal Orlando’s Blue Man Group show is taking their unique and captivating mash-up of high energy music, comedy, audience participation and collective exhilaration to another level. Featuring a new show environment, new music, new technology and new experiences, the show will allow audiences to join the Blue Men as they discover, engage and explore the world’s obsession with cutting-edge technology. Signature Blue Man Group moments combine with breathtakingly fun new pieces for an explosive evening of entertainment. New show elements include the curious Blue Men interacting with enormous “GiPads,” a funny and insightful look at contemporary communication vehicles, and a pulsating new finale with an original Blue Man Group music score that will have guests jumping to their feet. Look closely – you may even see the Blue Men take a spin on one of Universal Orlando's most popular attractions.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ~ Experience March 2012 at Islands of Adventure

Universal Orlando is transforming what is already one of the most amazing attraction experiences ever created into what will feel like an all-new adventure. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man will soon feature all-new, 4K digital high-definition animation, new high tech 3-D glasses and upgrades to the set, audio and lighting systems. The re-animation of the ride film will include an entirely new level of detail for guests to discover, including a cameo by legendary comic book icon and Spider-Man co-creator, Stan Lee.

Universal’s Superstar Parade ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Some of today’s most beloved characters and stories will bring new adventure to the streets of Universal Studios during Universal’s Superstar Parade – an all-new daily parade that features larger-than-life floats, state-of-the-art technology and hundreds of energetic street performers. Guests will sing and dance along with characters like the minions from Despicable Me, E.B. from the hit comedy, Hop, Nickelodeon’s Dora & Diego and SpongeBob SquarePants during the interactive experience. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy performances and character meet and greets prior to the parade at select locations throughout the day.

Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories ~ Opening Spring 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Narrated by award-winning actor and recent Golden Globe - Cecil B. DeMille honoree, Morgan Freeman, Universal Orlando’s brand-new nighttime show, Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular, will celebrate the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films – all on cutting-edge waterfall screens within the Universal Studios lagoon and surrounded by colorful fountains and pyrotechnics. The experience will take guests on a journey through epic cinematic moments. The new show opens this spring, runs all summer and then on select nights through the end of the year.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ~ Opening Summer 2012 at Universal Studios Florida

Universal Orlando’s newest attraction, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, will take guests on an unforgettable 3-D adventure with their favorite characters from the hit film – Gru, Margo, Edith, Agnes and the mischievous minions. The experience begins when guests enter Gru’s home, where they learn that they’re being recruited to become minions and undergo “minion training.” Things don’t go as planned, and guests find themselves on a wildly hysterical journey with Gru and his daughters. Once guests make it through training, they join an interactive, minion-inspired dance party where they can show off their best moves.

Universal’s Creative team is working closely with Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment to bring this all-new adventure to life in the most authentic way possible. In fact, the beloved characters in the attraction will be voiced by the film’s original cast: Steve Carell (Gru), Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith) and Elsie Fisher (Agnes). The ride’s experience is being developed by the same creative team that brought you the award-winning film, Despicable Me. The motion-picture event Despicable Me 2 arrives in theaters on July 3, 2013.

Other New Experiences Opening this Year

Hollywood Drive-In Golf, a unique 36-hole miniature golf experience inspired by the classic drive-in movie era, will open in February at Universal CityWalk.
A great, new immersive retail entertainment experience that will become home to SpongeBob SquarePants and other characters from the number one kids animated TV series, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants. It will open inside Universal Studios this year.
Minutes away from Universal Orlando, the popular Wet ‘n Wild water park will open its first interactive family water play area, this summer – allowing everyone in the family to splash and swim together. Amidst lush, tropical landscaping, the new area will feature 15 water slides and more than 100 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons - making it the largest interactive water play experience in Florida.

For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.universalorlando.com.

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We are speechless. We are absolutely looking forward to see each and every single show and attraction listed in this press release! And all of these experiences will open before most of the attractions of the new Fantasyland will. Universal has really stepped up its game. Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, and Busch Gardens certainly need a way to respond effectively to all these fantastic novelties that will debut at Universal Orlando if they don't want to lose thousands of potential visitors.

All the artworks are subject to the copyright of © 2012 Universal Orlando Resort. All rights reserved.

LEGOLAND Water Park: New Artworks & Photos (1)

2012-01-24T18:47:00.001-05:00

As part of the media, today we had the great pleasure of visiting the former Splash Island Water Park, which will soon become LEGOLAND Florida's Water Park. Here you are some photos of the current status of the water park, along with the official artworks that will give you a preview of how the various water slides and guest areas will look once the water park will open to the general public:

First of all, here's the Main Entrance of the new LEGOLAND Water Park (which will soon have turnstiles):

The official map of LEGOLAND Florida's Water Park:

Some bathrooms can be found right at the entrance, together with the lockers area:

The lockers area (the lockers will be installed soon):

A quick-service restaurant:

This covered patio will be a seating area linked with the nearby restaurant:

This may be the Guest Services building of the water park, but we need confirmations on this:

Some of the old, fake palms that ere around the water park have been removed:

Our first stop is the water park's lazy river, called the Build-A-Raft River:

Guests will be able to build their own LEGO towers with soft LEGOs:

It looks like it will be a lot of fun!!:

Mr. Adrian Jones, General Manager of the park:

You may recognize the guy next to Mr. Jones!:

As of now, the river is empty, but it will soon be filled with water and laughter:

This is how it will look once it will open:

Our second stop is the DUPLO Splash Safari:

For now, it is only a pile of dirt:

This is how it will look once it will open. It will be a great area for young kids!:

A look at another bathroom building inside the park:

Let's continue our tour of the water park:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS OF LEGOLAND FLORIDA'S WATER PARK! >

LEGOLAND Water Park: New Artworks & Photos (2)

2012-01-24T18:47:00.000-05:00

Let's see some more photos of LEGOLAND's new water park (PART 1 of this update can be found here):

The park's LEGO Wave Pool, which is the only attraction of this kind found at any LEGOLAND Water Park (yes, it is true that there are only two LEGOLAND Water Parks in the world, as of now, but still...):

Don't expect huge waves in this pool, though. The LEGO Wave Pool will have continuous - but very mild - waves. Remember that this will be a very kid-centered water park:

The back wall of the LEGO Wave Pool will have very bright colors, as well as some LEGO models:

This is how it will look once it will open (you can see the LEGO Imagination Station in the foreground, which will be a great area for younger kids to play with water by building their own "dams," playing a "whack-a-mole" game with water elements, and much more):

A look at the Joker Soaker:

It already looks nice now, but it will look even better very soon:

It will be very similar to "Walkabout Way" at SeaWorld Orlando's Aquatica:

This is how it will look once it will open:

These two slides (the yellow and blue slides on the left) will be called Twin Chasers:

A better look at the slides:

This is how they will look once the park will open:

These water slides here are called Splash Out and Twin Chasers:

These are obviously geared toward teenagers. Or brave kids:

They are steep!:

To conclude, we wanted to share a few information about this new LEGOLAND project. The water park is scheduled to open in May 2012 (LEGOLAND's management was very surprised to see the water park in such good conditions), but the official opening date will be revealed in about two weeks. Also, Mr. Adrian Jones confirmed that this is only step one of a major LEGOLAND Florida expansion project... And that is all. For now, at least. We recommend you to check back here often for all the latest news about this great LEGO-themed attraction!

Thank you very much for viewing, and have a great day!

CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO PART 1 OF THIS LEGOLAND WATER PARK PREVIEW >

Disney's Contemporary Resort Parking Restrictions

2012-01-24T17:49:00.001-05:00

The Contemporary Resort will maintain its temporary parking restrictions throughout the rest of the month:

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Disney's Contemporary Resort - Parking Restrictions Through Jan. 31

Due to limited capacity, the Guest parking lot at Disney's Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake Tower will be restricted through January 31, 2012. Parking will be limited to the following guests:

Contemporary Resort Guests with a valid Key to the World card
Guests attending a convention, meeting or special event at the resort
Guests with confirmed dining, recreation or salon/health club reservations

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Disney has been extending these restrictions since last December. Hopefully everything will be back to normal after January 31, 2012, so that everybody will be able to park in the Resort's parking lot to enjoy a nice dinner.

Let's Dance - Featuring Burn the Floor 2012 (VIDEO)

2012-01-24T07:27:00.000-05:00

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has brought to the park once again their famous "Let's Dance - Featuring Burn the Floor" show, which takes place inside the Desert Grill, in the Timbuktu area of the park.

BGTNation shared with us a great video of the show. Enjoy:

The show has a lot of new songs this year, according to BGTNation, so, even if you had the opportunity to see it in the past few years, you should head back and see it, as it will look almost completely new to you.

To see photos and to read additional information about this show, please, visit BGTNation.net.

Rumor: New Magic Kingdom Parade in the Works?

2012-01-23T18:53:00.000-05:00

Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom i well-known worldwide for the quality of its attractions and show. It is a great theme park, where attention to details is really considered essential. Unfortunately, there's at least one thing that doesn't seem to match the quality of Disney's standards: the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade. Indeed, the number of floats of the parade is very, very limited, and most of them have been going up and down Main Street U.S.A., Liberty Square, and Frontierland since more than 15 years. It is time for a change.

On this subject, Screamscape reported an interesting rumor this morning. Check it out:

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2013 - New Parade - Rumor - (1/23/12) According to a new rumor going around, Disney is making plans to launch a new deluxe daytime parade sometime in 2013… likely around the same time they are ready to open the majority of the Fantasyland expansion site. No word on the theme or the show, though I’ve heard that that proposed floats will be quite complex. As for the night parade, I’ve also heard that there may be plans afoot to refurbish and upgrade Spectromagic for an eventual return when they finally retire the Main Street Electrical Parade once again. (I’ve got to wonder if they’ll send MSEP to Shanghai at that point…)

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If this turns out to be true (and we hope this "dream" will actually come true), we could have a brand-new parade in 2013. But, what do you think on this subject? Share your ~~dreams~~ comments with us!

The Disney Look... to the Past! (January 20-26)

2012-01-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

It is once again Monday, and this means that you will be able to read a new edition of our special feature: "The Disney Look... to the Past!" Enjoy:
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This Week in Disney History: January 20-26

Jan. 24, 2006 ― Disney announces the acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios

From humble origins as a minor computer division of Lucasfilm, Pixar grew into the world’s premier computer animation studio, producing a string of critically acclaimed box office smashes entwining astonishing visuals and creative, engaging storytelling. But after a distribution arrangement between Disney and Pixar lapsed, leaving future relations in question, Disney CEO Bob Iger permanently fused the two animation giants in a $7.4 billion all-stock deal. After the acquisition, Disney•Pixar released “Cars,” “Ratatouille” and “Wall-E” — all Academy Award nominees or winners for Best Animated Feature. “Up” and “Toy Story 3” notched additional wins in this category and entered exclusive company with “Beauty and the Beast” as the only animated films to earn Oscar nominations for Best Picture.

Jan. 20, 2006 ― “High School Musical” premieres on Disney Channel

It was the start of something new: an unexpected New Year’s Eve karaoke jam between Troy, a varsity basketball captain (Zac Efron), and Gabriella, a shy star student (Vanessa Hudgens), was just what both had been looking for. When word spreads around East High School that they auditioned for the winter musical, some fellow Wildcats want them to keep their heads in their respective games, and manipulative drama club president Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) is determined to make both stick to the status quo. Though circumstances conspire against them, Troy and Gabriella bop to the top roles, reminding everyone at school that they’re all in this together. Alright, maybe you didn’t get the geeky song references, but your 11-year-old would. “High School Musical” became a Disney Channel sensation and kicked off a film trilogy that captivated the globe with the exploits of the Wildcats. The soundtrack was the best-selling album of 2006 in the United States, with more than 4 million copies purchased to date.

Also this week in Disney history:

Jan. 20
1950 ― “Lion Around” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

Jan. 21
1933 ― “The Mad Doctor” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts
1955 ―Wrather-Alvarez Hotels, Inc. announces the construction of the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
1960 ― “Gala Day at Disneyland” (documentary featurette) debuts
1977 ― Walt Disney Pictures releases “Freaky Friday”
1995 ― “Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable" debuts at The Land at Epcot
1998 ― Disney acquires the Wrather Corporation, owners of the Disneyland Hotel
1998 ― The original Disneyland parking lot closes
2011 ― The Disney Wonder arrives at the Port of Los Angeles, beginning a two-year stay on the West Coast

Jan. 22
1964 ― Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Misadventures of Merlin Jones”
2001 ― “The Book of Pooh” (television series) debuts on Disney Channel

Jan. 23
1948 ― “They’re Off” (Goofy cartoon short) debuts
1987 ― The Mark V trains debut on the Disneyland Monorail System
1999 ― Cirque du Soleil opens in Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort
2006 ― Monsters Inc.: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! opens at Disney California Adventure Park

Jan. 24
1941 ― “Pluto’s Playmate” (short) debuts
1993 ―Mickey's Toontown opens at Disneyland Park
2007 ― “Finding Nemo — The Musical” officially opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
2007 ― The Seas with Nemo and Friends officially opens in Future World at Epcot

Jan. 25
1961 ― Walt Disney Pictures releases “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”
2002 ― Touchstone Pictures releases “The Count of Monte Cristo”

Jan. 26
1945 ― “The Clock Watcher” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts
1975 ― Flight to the Moon closes at Disneyland Park
2003 ― “Jimmy Kimmel Live” debuts on ABC
2011 ― The Disney Dream cruise ship departs from Port Canaveral, Fla. on its official maiden voyage

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Thank you very much for reading, and have a great rest of your day!

The info and photos here posted are subject to the copyright of the Walt Disney Company. All rights reserved.

Screamscape Reveals Possible Spiderman Rehab Date

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

This morning, Screamscape posted an interesting news that gives us a hint about a possible closure date of "The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman" ride at Islands of Adventure (the ride would close for a short rehab):

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Screamscape sources report that the Adventures of Spider-Man will close for the final phase of the upgrade starting around February 8th or so. In addition to finishing up the installation of the new digital projection systems and new animation footage, I’ve been told that the front of the attration area will also get a bit of a rehab, including some new surfacing of the area in front of the ride entrance.

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We will have to wait until Wednesday, January 25, 2012 to have the official confirmation.

Epcot Update: Tutto Italia Rehab, Habit Heroes (1)

2012-01-23T09:31:00.001-05:00

Epcot is receiving a lot of attention lately, and it is only second to Magic Kingdom for the number of refurbishments taking place inside the park. Let's take a look around to see what is new and what has changed since our last update:

First of all, the hideous Whirly-gigs are still placed just next to the Universe of Energy pavilion:

Test Track will soon close down for a lengthy refurbishment:

We would love to say the same about the Imagination pavilion...

But, let's go inside the park itself:

We never have enough photos of the fantastic Spaceship Earth:

The new Tip Board is still working, and it does its job very well:

Soarin' had a bearable wait time (and FastPasses were still available at 3 p.m.!):

Innoventions West is in really bad shape:

Nothing has changed inside:

The only thing that surprised u was the fact that the entrance located right next to the former "Slapstick Studios" theater was used only as an emergency exit:

This is very unusual. We don't know if it will be a permanent thing or if the automatic doors were just not working properly. We will keep you up-to-date with this as well:

The directions from the exterior of Innoventions:

Moving on to Innoventions East:

Work on the new Habit Heroes exhibit are almost done:

It has a very cartoon-like look, but the theme of the exhibit is very important:

It will teach guests the importance to eat well and exercising:

The exhibit's logo is very nice:

It won't be long before this exhibit opens to the public:

Work also continues on the new Vision House:

The former Environmental Corner is also behind walls:

Want to know more about molecules and atoms?:

...then, let's play chess (someone pressed the home button on the bottom of the computer screen and accessed Windows Vista's games. We thought this was quite funny):

But this is not all! Click on the following link to view photos from World Showcase, as we check out the current work being done inside the Tutto Italia Ristorante, including some interesting over-the-wall photos!

CLICK HERE TO PROCEED TO PART 2 OF THIS EPCOT UPDATE >

Epcot Update: Tutto Italia Rehab, Habit Heroes (2)

2012-01-23T09:31:00.000-05:00

Thank you for continuing to read this new Epcot update (for PART 1, click here).

We'll now move on to World Showcase:

The Canadian castle/faux hotel looks magnificent after its refurbishment:

Moving on to Italy, we found this temporary booth (used also during the Food & Wine Festival), which offers a limited menu while Tutto Italia is under refurbishment:

The menu:

The booth:

And now, let's take a look at the current status of the Tutto Italia Ristorante:

From here, everything looks the same...

...but, as we go up, things start to look different:

The interior of the building has been completely dismantled:

All the interior walls are completely gone:

The outdoor seating area is also gone:

They may be planning to build a covered outdoor patio, similar to the one currently available at Via Napoli:

They will soon remove an entire section of the tiled pavement, as you can see:

Via Napoli is still open:

The restaurant even has an extended outdoor seating area:

The Pizza window is also open:

Tutto Italia will soon have a brand-new look (we're referring to the interior of the building):

Moving on to the American Adventure pavilion, we noticed some work being done on the structure behind the stage of the American Gardens Theater:

We noticed a large crane behind the China pavilion:

We checked using Google Earth, and it looks like it may be placed inside Disney's Typhoon Lagoon. This would be understandable, as the water park is currently under refurbishment:

Winnie the pooh and Tigger were meeting at International Gateway:

There they are:

Time to get back home...

Thanks for the great day, Epcot!:

And that is all, folks! Thanks again for reading! Have a good day!

CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO PART 1 OF THIS UPDATE >

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Reminder: Dumbo Ride to Remain Closed Until March

2012-01-23T07:57:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder for all those who missed this operational adjustment:

The new "Dumbo - The Flying Elephant" attraction located in the new Storybook Circus area in the Magic Kingdom park will not open on February 18, 2012 as it was first announced. The attraction is scheduled to open on March 12, 2012, and only one of the two Dumbo rides is anticipated to be operational.

Also, remember that the "Plaza Ice Cream Parlor" is scheduled to reopen on March 28, while Big Thunder Mountain Railroad's projected reopening date is May 28, 2012. Please, be mindful of all the attractions' closures, so that you don't have any surprises during your visit, and you can adjust your schedule accordingly.

Thank you for your attention. If you have any question, feel free to contact us.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride's Foundations Work Continue

2012-01-22T16:17:00.000-05:00

Even though we will post a complete Fantasyland update in the next few days, we just wanted to share with our readers a very interesting news from the future site of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride. It looks like the cement is being poured. This means that work on the actual attraction's building has officially started! Take a look:

In these pictures you can notice the amount of dirt that has been moved to make way for the base of this future family coaster (which will be fairly large, and certainly a major addition for the Magic Kingdom):

And now, here's the actual work being done on the base structure of the ride:

It seems like we won't have to wait too long before we'll see the ride's structure going vertical...

And this is all. Of course, as we mentioned at the beginning of this post, we will have a major Fantasyland update very soon, which will cover all the areas of the land that are being worked on.

LEGOLAND Florida Tweaks Its Official Website

2012-01-22T16:07:00.001-05:00

Just recently, LEGOLAND Florida has made some minor changes to the home page of the park's official website. Among the changes, we noticed the addition of an official park ad that advises guests to buy tickets from the website to save up to $7 (of course you can save even more by visiting LEGOLANDphotos.com).

You will also notice the addition of a new button that invites you to check out the official park map of the site (which is NOT interactive yet, and it is in very low resolution unfortunately, but we are sure this will change soon). Lastly, the waterpark is now being advertised more heavily, as the opening date of this new addition is approaching very fast (Summer 2012).

You can check out LEGOLAND Florida's official website by clicking here.

SeaWorld Orlando's TurtleTrek Preview - Episode 1

2012-01-22T09:11:00.001-05:00

SeaWorld Orlando released a nice video just a few weeks ago. It give us a general overview of all the new details about the new TurtleTrek exhibit that they will share with us in the near future. Enjoy:

It definitely looks quite interesting, doesn't it? We can't wait to learn more about this and the other projects that SeaWorld Orlando has in store for us in 2012 and 2013.

Kali River Rapids to Close for Rehab Jan. 24 - Feb. 9

2012-01-22T07:43:00.002-05:00

The Kali River Rapids attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom will close for a two-week refurbishment starting next week. Here you are the exact dates of this seasonal refurbishment:

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Disney's Animal Kingdom - Kali River Rapids Refurbishment begins January 24, 2012

Kali River Rapids will be closed for its annual refurbishment Tuesday, January 24-Thursday, February 9.

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All the other rides and attractions in the park will be open during Kali River Rapids' refurbishment.

Magic Kingdom's Parade Route Temporarily Changed

2012-01-21T08:02:00.000-05:00

This morning we have a very important advisory to share with you. Starting from tomorrow, January 22, 2012, the Magic Kingdom will have a shorter parade route (that will be reverted back to the original very soon):

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Modified Parade Route Begins Sunday, January 22, 2012

Due to pavement work in Frontierland, the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade will follow a modified route beginning Sunday, January 22, 2012. The parade will travel from Town Square down Main Street, U.S.A., make a full circle in front of Cinderella Castle and return back to Town Square.

The Main Street Electrical Parade will not be performed during pavement refurbishment, while the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party will continue to perform as usual.

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Here's the new, temporary parade route (that will be seen starting tomorrow in the new Times Guide):

Well, this finally explains why the parade route is now featured inside Magic Kingdom's Times Guide!

SeaWorld Update - TurtleTrek and More (PART 1)

2012-01-20T18:24:00.002-05:00

Welcome to a new SeaWorld Orlando photo-report. Today we will check out the entire park, with a focus on the future site of TurtleTrek, the Dine With Shamu area, and more:

Here we are:

Banners advertising the on-going Just for Kids Festival are up:

Great landscape:

Some mandatory Manta pictures:

A turtle was meeting guests (it was a character, of course. Turtles can't really "meet" people, am I right?):

Welcome to Key West, one of the most beautiful places on Earth (at least in my opinion):

Do you remember this midway game, which was located in the now-closed Penguin Plaza?:

Well, it has now been moved nest to the Whale & Dolphin Theater (where "Blue Horizons" performs):

The Stingray Lagoon:

The Dolphin Cove:

Work continue on the future TurtleTrek attraction:

Theming the gift shop:

There's still some work that needs to be done in the area:

The home of the 360-degree theater:

What is that wall hiding?:

Yes, it's Journey to Atlantis, which is currently down for refurbishment:

The entrance of the ride is completely walled-off:

The Kraken:

The High Seas Market is still offering Pepsi products:

The Penguin Plaza is also completely walled-off, as we reported a week ago:

For more photos of the Penguin Plaza, click on this link >>

Let's move on to the Pacific Point Preserve:

The Shark Encounter exhibit should be the next attraction to receive a thorough refurbishment:

It really shows its age:

Let's visit other areas of the park:

CONTINUE YOUR TOUR OF THE PARK BY HEADING TO PART 2 >

SeaWorld Update - TurtleTrek and More (PART 2)

2012-01-20T18:24:00.001-05:00

Hello, and thanks for continuing to enjoy this new SeaWorld update (PART 1 can be found here):

Let's continue our update by venturing inside the great "Wild Arctic" (the exhibit is great, the ride is not):

Some guests were hanging out with Beluga Whales! What a great experience it must have been for them!:

The projector inside the attraction still works:

In Shamu's Happy Harbor we noticed that the temporary kid-sized railroad was still there:

It may remain for a little while:

The photo-opportunity with Shamu has been moved outside the boundaries of Shamu's Happy Harbor:

Another photo-op is situated in front of it:

BACK IN TIME - The path behind the Dine With Shamu area about was open three weeks ago:

Now the area is closed once again. Here's a peek above the walls:

Some photos of SeaWorld's best show: "One Ocean":

The LED lights under the fountains are really nice:

Take a look at these majestic animals:

By the way, the CD with all the music of the "One Ocean" show is finally available!:

It costs $15.95 (discounts available with Annual Pass). We've been waiting for it to be available for months:

And we conclude this update with some gorgeous photos of the full moon next to the Kraken coaster:

Where nature and rides meet...

And this is all. Thanks for reading, and have a great night!

FOR PART 1 OF THIS NEW SEAWORLD UPDATE, CLICK HERE >

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