R.A. Pedersen's Blog, page 10
July 28, 2012
New Cars Land Attractions Offer Accessibility to Guests with Disabilities
Each new Cars Land attraction offers a transfer option for guests in wheelchairs or electric convenience vehicles. Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree includes two, specially designed ride vehicles with side doors that open for transfers, and Luigi’s Flying Tires features an alternate loading area with an accessible ramp.
The flagship attraction in Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers, has an alternate, accessible loading area separate from the main track, and a second, accessible location for viewing att...
July 27, 2012
2012 Canoe Races of the World Keep Disney Park Tradition Alive
Olympians or not, more than 800 Cast Members on 75 teams paddled their hearts out in the recent Canoe Races of the World event–commonly referred to as C.R.O.W–in Magic Kingdom.
Surrounding Tom Sawyer’s Island on the Rivers of America, the racers started near Country Bears Jamboree, passing by Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion, rounding the corner near Liberty Square’s Riverboat to the finish line.
The annual two-week event began at Walt Disney World in 1973 after the tradition was starte...
July 25, 2012
Ultra Exclusive Nowhere Else in the World First Look Lion King Art of Animation Photos
We are absolutely positively sure there are no photos anywhere on the WHOLE interwebz of the new Lion King wing that opens soon at the Art of Animation resort at Walt Disney World. So we are bringing you our ultra-exclusive one-of-a-kind first look photos of the Tropic-of-Jaundice in its full glory.
Because it’s not like we and everyone else on the web just took the same free photos from Disney’s PR department and said “sure, we’ll publish that if you give us a cookie – and you want us to call...
Super Greeters Enhance the Experience for Brazilian Guests of Disney World
With the international tour group season in full swing, Walt Disney World Resort is on pace to exceed last year’s record for guest visitation from Brazil.
A big part of the success with international tour groups from Latin America – and Brazil in particular – has been the 80 “Super Greeters” stationed throughout Walt Disney World Resort this summer. The program continues to grow since it began, up from about 30 Super Greeters in 2009.
This year’s Super Greeters from Brazil are mostly alumni of...
July 24, 2012
Imagineering Files Permits for Adventureland Interactive Adventure Installation
There’s not a lot of details, but Imagineering has filed the first paperwork for what’s going to be an interactive experience in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom theme park themed to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
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The paperwork refers to the project simply as “PIRIM” (Pirates Interactive something something… Media?) and refers to the Audio-visual and Show Control component installation locations.
The new items will be installed at and around the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction it...
July 19, 2012
Magic Kingdom Adding FASTPASS to Six Existing Attractions
UPDATED: Address list updated to include identification of Haunted Mansion and “it’s a small world.”
The Walt Disney World resort has filed permits to add Fastpass signage to six existing attractions at the Magic Kingdom theme park. The permits only refer to the attractions by their addresses within the park, so deciphering exactly which attractions are getting the system is a bit difficult, at the same time we can rule out the new New Fantasyland additions as we know their addresses to compar...
July 17, 2012
First Look and Photos: Cast Members Perform 10th Encore Show For Charity
In 2002, a few Walt Disney World Cast Members sharing a passion for artistic expression and a desire to help local charities came together to create magic in a special way — producing cabaret-style productions of Broadway standards.
Today, this group of Cast Members, aptly named Encore! Cast Performing Arts, has morphed into one of the largest Cast clubs, boasting more than 500 performers from a variety of backgrounds and from all areas of the Walt Disney World Resort. In addition, more than 5...
July 13, 2012
Remaking the Riverside Resort
Since the introduction of the Royal Princess Rooms at the Port Orleans Riverside resort at Walt Disney World, the folks at Disney have been quietly working to upgrade and rework much of this older resort in general. Recently they unveiled a renovated and newly appointed lobby and will continue work on the grounds and guest rooms in the coming months.
Elsewhere in the resort the plan is to reshape the common areas and paths for a more modern guest experience, include new walkways between the bu...
New La Vida Antigua Gallery Opens in Mexico Pavilion at Epcot
The newest addition to Epcot’s plentiful lineup of art galleries is the La Vida Antigua Gallery which began a partial opening this week. The exhibit chronicles the history of native civilizations in the nation – essentially reinstating the cultural aspects that were removed from the pavilion when the boat ride was given the Three Caballeros overlay.
The exhibit is a little behind schedule and not yet complete – several of the vitrines aren’t installed yet – but here’s a glimpse of what is inst...
Permit for New Air Conditioning at Aunt Pollys in Magic Kingdom
Just throwing this quick update out there because it might be the ever so slightest glimmer of hope for cold fried chicken in the Magic Kingdom. Disney filed a permit to replace the air conditioning system at Aunt Polly’s on Tom Sawyer Island. The area is also a break room for the cast so it could just be standard repair work, but the permit outlines the entire venue suggesting more than just the backstage space. Here’s hoping.
