Pixie Dust is a Must

Concept Art released to Disney Co. Investors

2009-04-23T10:48:00.001-07:00

I found a website with some great concept art for attractions and even theme parks to come in the near future to Disney World. (http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/annual_reports/2006/int/dint.html) A lot if it is presumably focused around the new Pixar Place in Disney's Hollywood Studios...

This one looks similar to Toy Story Midway Mania - a car ride, but instead of shooting aliens or playing carnival games you use a flashlight to reveal monsters in Monstropolis.

I believe this one is a portrayal of Fantasmic!, but my second best guess would be that it is the artists rendering of the rumored replacement of Illuminations - Skydance

This one is most exciting, a whole new theme park! You can references my earlier post about Disney's Night Kingdom to learn more...

I'm not sure if this is the rendering of the rennovation of Pirates of the Carribean, or possibly another land that is planned to be added to one of the parks (possibly Night Kingdom?)

This sounds like a lot of fun! I bet they will put it into Pixar Place

I believe this complex will replace the old clubs at Pleasure Island

And finally, a race track through Radiator Springs. I have read speculation that this will re-theme Test Track, which with the current state of General Motors, would make sense.

Updated Itinerary

2009-04-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

I changed our ADR's around a little, which in turn changed our day to day schedule a little. Here is the newest itinerary..

OH and before I forget my mom got Dom and I FRONT ROW tickets for La Nouba! AANNNDD my dad got us a prepaid photopass disc and a personalized messenger bag/carryon! It has tons of pockets and it is the perfect size for my laptop. SCORE!

May 16
Disney Quest
Dinner at T-Rex – 6:00 pm
La Nouba – 9 pm

May 17
Typhoon Lagoon
Dinner at Ohana for Wishes 8:05 pm
Magic Kingdom Evening EMH

May 18
Tusker House 10:20 am
Animal Kingdom Morning EMH
Early Dinner at 50’s Prime Time at HS for Evening EMH – 5:05 pm

May 19
EPCoT
Lunch at Beaches and Cream
Dinner at Big River Brewing Co.

May 20
Breakfast at Boma 7:55
Blizzard Beach
Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic Dinner Package 4:35 pm

May 21
Magic Kingdom Morning EMH
Afternoon shopping at Downtown w/ lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express
Dinner at Tony’s Town Square 6:30 pm
Spectromagic 9:00 pm/Wishes 10:00 pm

May 22
Star Wars Weekend at Hollywood Studios
Dinner at Rose and Crown for Illuminations (9:00 pm) 7:40
Evening EMH at EPCoT

May 23
Lunch at Yak and Yeti 12:00 pm

Now that basically everything is planned I can't stop reading trip reports and staring at food porn on DISboards and MouseBuzz. Tuesday was my 21st birtday, and we went to a local restaurant for appetizers and a bottle of wine. At our table they had "conversation cards" and one of the conversation starter questions was "Do you like your vacations planned or spotaneous?" Dom asked me that question right as the waitress was coming over, and we were laughing. She couldn't believe that I had memorized my entire itinerary and could spew it out without thinking twice.

Dom and I love Lost, and we refer to non-Disney obsessed people as "the others"

more to come...

As Emily and Tyler would say - I love!

2009-03-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Weekends

2009-03-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates lately - I could blame the seemingly endless number of exams I've had but being honest I can only blame my laziness and how well All Ears is run (leaving me nothing fresh and exciting to say). SO in lieu of vacation advice and Disney updates I will take YOU along my journey to the world in May. Leading up to that I will make posts about things we will do while we are there and probably still some updates and construction photos...

That being said I am beyond stoked for Star Wars weekend. For those who know me you know that I am a Star Wars superfan, and for those who don't well - I am a Star Wars superfan! Looking at the pictures of Storm Troopers marching and the thought of taking a picture with Boba Fett - I swoon! Here are some pictures from past year's events...

(All pictures taken from last years photo gallery at All Ears)

So Badass!

I NEED a pictures with these guys! fhdisfhsahfas

Yes!

The first Star Wars weekend is May 22, which is our last full day at the world. I planned to eat breakfast at Boma, go to Blizzard Beach until about lunch time, then go to Star Wars weekend, followed by an Illuminations dinner at Rose and Crown. I think I may have to change my schedule ...

More updates to come...

New Disney Park - Night Kingdom

2009-02-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

From this Jim Hill Media:

"Disney's Night Kingdom" is the Mouse's long overdue response to SeaWorld's Discovery Cove. And -- yes -- the Mouse is actually going to build this $520 million project. Current plans call for this niche park to officially throw open its doors in October of 2011, just in time for the start of Walt Disney World's 40th anniversary celebration.

"Why did you call 'Disney's Night Kingdom' a niche park?," you ask. Well, because -- just like Discovery Cove (Which only allows in a thousand visitors each day) -- DNK will be restricting the number of guests that can enter this park every afternoon. Only 2000 people will be allowed into WDW's 5th theme park at any one time.

And -- yes -- I said "afternoon." Disney's Night Kingdom's operating hours will be 4 p.m. to midnight (5 p.m. to 1 a.m. during daylight savings time).

Okay. I know. DNK already sounds unlike any Disney theme park that's currently operating on the planet. But there's a reason for that. The Imagineers want your Disney's Night Kingdom experience to be distinctly different. Something that you'll remember for the rest of your life.

How so? Well, let's first start with the extraordinary guest service that you'll experience as you enter DNK. Current plans call for Disney's Night Kingdom to be staffed by 4000 cast members. That means that -- for every guest that visits this theme park -- there'll be two cast members to take care of their every need. So expect to receive a lot of personalized attention & pampering once you arrive on site.

Speaking of arriving ... Guests will enter DNK through a new, super-sized version of the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island. As you & your family are registering for that night's activities, the club's members will entertain as well as offer hints about the extraordinary adventures that await you.

After you've finished checking in, there's a whole new world to explore. Have you ever dreamed of acting like Indiana Jones and riding a zip line over a pool full of hungry crocodiles? Or hand-feeding a hippopotamus? Well, here you can.

Mind you, Disney's Night Kingdom will have no traditional theme park rides per se. But you'll still be able to get your fill of excitement & adventure as you strap on a pair of night vision goggles and then wander out into a pitch-black African savanna. Where you'll then be able to observe up-close lions & hyenas as they go through their nocturnal hunting routines.

You'll also be able to try your hand at spelunking as you explore a cave full of bats. Or -- if you're not a big fan of bats -- how about rock climbing? Does that sound too much like work? Then why don't you head on over to that South American-themed enclosure where you can frolic with some penguins?

As for the look of Disney's Night Kingdom ... Well, this theme park's horticultural budget will be just about as big as WDW's Typhoon Lagoon is. So expect DNK to look pretty lush.

And once you've had your fill of adventures, why not grab a gourmet meal at one of the park's two highly themed eateries? Or -- better yet -- find a seat inside of Night Kingdom's centrally located main theater. Where you'll then be dazzled by a state-of-the-art stage show which will be produced by Disney Theatrical and feature top Broadway talent.

I know, I know. A lot of you may have trouble wrapping your heads around a Disney theme park that's as distinctly different as DNK is going to be. That's why the business plan that the Walt Disney Company has drawn up for this project calls for Disney's Night Kingdom to operate at only 60% capacity during its first year of operation and then only 80% capacity during Year 2. Starting in Year 3 ... Well, by then, Disney hopes to have all of the bugs worked out (not to mention finally having a handle on the marketing of WDW's newest theme park). Which is why they then plan on Disney's Night Kingdom operating at 100% capacity during its third year of operation.

As for future plans for the park ... Well, DNK's blueprints do include spots for two new hotels. But these resorts will only be built in response to guest need.

Speaking of hotels ... The Mouse expects that Disney World's higher end resorts (i.e. The Contemporary, the Polynesian, the Grand Flo, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Yacht & Beach Club, the Boardwalk as well as the Dolphin & the Swan) will be the primary feeders for Disney's Night Kingdom. With DNK drawing most of its visitors from these pricier on-property hotels.

"And why is that?," you query. Because just like Discovery Cove (which charges $269 - $289 for a one day adventure that also includes a week's worth of free admission to either SeaWorld Orlando or Busch Gardens Africa), admission to DNK is going to be pricey. Right now, Mickey's leaning toward charging guests $250 - $300 per person in order to gain entry to DNK.

Now keep in mind that this admission fee will also cover the cost of the gourmet meal that you'll be consuming while you visit Disney's Night Kingdom. Plus any non-alcoholic beverages that you quaff over the course of that evening. More importantly, that your admission fee to WDW's newest theme park will be considerably lower should you purchase it as part of a Disney World vacation package.

Another thing that you need to be aware of here is that the Mouse also plans on making DNK available to convention groups. So WDW's newest theme park could wind up being sold out for weeks, if not months in advance. Which is why -- if you really want to visit Disney's Night Kingdom -- advance reservations will definitely be recommended.

As to when the Walt Disney Company will be revealing that this project is actually in the works ... Next month's annual shareholder meeting in Albuquerque is a possibility. Though it's far more likely that Mickey will wait 'til the fall. So that Disney's Night Kingdom can then be announced as part of WDW's annual press event.

So there you have it, folks. Disney World's next theme park will NOT be Villains themed and/or loaded with lots of coasters. But -- rather -- it will be an intimate, natural environment that then offers you the chance to have lots of personalized, hands-on, once-in-a-lifetime adventures.

__________________________________________________________________

I literally just finished reading that and I am still absorbing all of that information. My initial reaction is that it seems very different from anything I've ever heard of before, but I am sure that is what they are going for. I really like the idea of it being via the Adventurer's Club, but personally I think it would be cool to have the Adventurer's Club be moved to Animal Kingdom, and have the Entrance to Night Kingdom be via that way.

It is also expensive at $300/person, which would cost family's upwards of $1,000, but I don't think it's really a place for children, or at least young children. For the experiences described in the article, I think the price is fair. One would have to travel extensively, and pay for each experience separately to encompass what this park will have to offer. And from what I understand, many of these attractions (zip line, spelunking) usually occur in underdeveloped countries driven solely by tourism. I would much rather put my life in the hands of the Disney company, rather than that of a travel company that has little to no regulation from insurance companies or government.

Lastly, I like this idea MUCH better than that silly Villains rumor that has been floating around. The villains idea to me is so NOT Disney. Disney doesn't theme around characters, or roller coasters, that's what Six Flags and Universal Studios like to do . Disney is much more than that, and that's what keeps us all so devoted to it. I think the idea of a villains park is not only un-Disney but it is tacky.

2009-02-16T15:36:00.001-08:00

OKAY - I know I have updated a ton of times in the past 24 hours but I HAD to share this:

(from my favorite Disney messageboard MouseBuzz)

Cute Disney Blackberry Themes

2009-02-16T15:05:00.001-08:00

After some re-vamping of my Blackberry Pearl 8130 I finally found a theme that wasn't targeted to 13 year old girls, or 19 year old boys with their pants around their ankles - but instead to awesome Disney fanatics! You have to sign up for the website and confirm your e-mail address, but both of these themes are free.

EPCOT

Download Here

.. and the one that I am currently using

Magic Kingdom

Download Here

I also used the theme from Spectromagic and made it into a ringtone on Mobile17. Next month will switch to EPCOT and use the music from Illuminations

2009-02-16T12:04:00.001-08:00

Video from new American Idol Experience motorcade:

(video is from allearsnet.com)

see full All Ears blog post HERE

2009-02-16T05:38:00.000-08:00

Our Trip Itinerary for May 16 - May 23

May 16
• Arrive
• Toy Story Mania
• Disney Quest
• Dinner at T-Rex – 6:00 pm
• La Nouba – 9 pm

May 17
• Typhoon Lagoon
• Dinner at Ohana for Wishes – 8:05 pm
• Magic Kingdom Evening EMH

May 18
• Animal Kingdom Morning EMH
• Early Dinner at 50’s Prime Time at HS for Evening EMH – 5:05 pm

May 19
• Epcot Morning EMH
• Late Lunch at Beaches and Cream
• Evening at Hollywood Studios
• Late Dinner at Big River Brewing Company

May 20
• Hollywood Studios
• Hollywood and Vine Fantasmic Dinner Package 4:35 pm

May 21
• Magic Kingdom Morning EMH
• Dinner at Tony’s Town Square – 6:30 pm
• Spectromagic - 9:00 pm/Wishes - 10:00 pm

May 22
• Breakfast at Boma – 8:00 am
• Blizzard Beach
• Star Wars Weekend at Hollywood Studios
• Dinner at Rose and Crown for Illuminations (9:00 pm) – 7:40

May 23
• Lunch at Yak and Yeti – 12:00 pm

I made my ADRs (advance dining reservations) first thing Sunday morning. It was my first time using the new automated teleprompting, and I have to say it was very accurate and un-annoying, unlike most systems similar. The CM (cast member) who helped me was very knowledgable, and we were able to get exactly the times we wanted at all the restaurants we were hoping for. Lets just hope the weather holds up that week and things continue to move smoothly.

Every evening
Brings an ending
Every day becomes a legacy...

Introduction

2009-02-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

I love all things Disney - my desktop picture is a map of disney, my kitchen is decorated around a series of items purchased at the World of Disney, and I have been to the World about a dozen times in the past 8 years.

I'm not sure at this point what exactly this blog will target, but the focus will of course be Disney. I will post important updates I find, great Disney resources, and my own personal planning and traveling adventures and experiences.