The Mad T Party arrived to California Adventure this week with a flourish of color, noise and pomp. The walls were removed from the Carthay Circle Theater area, revealing a beautiful fountain and lots of amazing details. Did you hear that Billy Hill and the Hillbillies are moving to Big Thunder Ranch? What about the accident on the Raging Spirits coaster in Tokyo? Why did Universal Hollywood announce Harry Potter so early? You'll find theme park topics aplenty in this week's MiceChat Round-Up. All this plus three new videos on MiceTube as George and Jeff review Bob Gurr's new book, Design: Just For Fun. Read about the book, then learn how you can have lunch with Bob Gurr on June 30th! It's true! A brand new MiceChat event on June 30th! It's all here and ready for you!
The MiceEars Crew and MiceChat News Club put a lot of time and effort into assembling these Round-Ups every week, and we are looking for more to help! If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, please send a note to [email protected], we'd love to have you join us.
~ CakvalaSC
EDITOR’S PICKS
Design: Just for Fun by Bob Gurr, a Book Review If you look into the history of Disney theme parks, you'll see Bob Gurr's name along with Marc Davis, Roger Broggie, Rolly Crump, Claude Coats, Marty Sklar and many other Disney legends. If you've visited Disneyland or Walt Disney World, then you've seen a ride vehicle or attraction that Bob designed. Bob's written a brand new book, Design: For Fun and George reviews this highly anticipated new release!
Bob Gurr Book Signing Luncheon - June 30th (pick up a copy of the book and meet the legend himself)
If you live in the Southern California area, you won't want to miss out on the Bob Gurr Book Signing Luncheon at the beautiful Anabella Hotel on June 30th: tickets and books available HERE. The first 100 books sold for this event will be the red "Collectors" edition (which are very nearly sold out). Since all books will be picked up at the event, no shipping will be charged. That's Disney legend Bob Gurr + New book + Lunch + Plus great stories = Disney Nirvana (or should I say NERDvana).
To preserve an intimate feeling, this event will have very limited availability. Get your copy of the book, meet Bob Gurr and enjoy a delightful lunch at the Anabella Hotel's Tangerine Restaurant on June 30th, 2012 - TICKETS HERE.
MiceChat is NOT affiliated with the Walt Disney Company in ANY way.
The Disney web site is located at www.disney.com
Al's still on break!
Got a question for Al or any of the MiceAge columnists?
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Some of the construction walls in DCA came down this week, as the park’s latest version of their after dark “Drink Me” party was revealed, and we also take a look back at the original Golden Horseshoe Review! ~ Aladdin
Win a 2 Night Stay Plus Tickets to Visit Cars Land at the Disneyland Resort!
It's true! Anabella and Carousel are each giving away a
two night stay at their luxurious properties along with 4 One-Day Park Hopper tickets to celebrate the opening of Cars Land! Read this thread to get all of the details and enter soon!
Walls come down around Carthay Circle - Al Lutz note
DCA's new entrance Icon had its construction walls removed this past week, unveiling part of the new Buena Vista Street. Now the question remains, how many guests will go to the Carthay Circle Theater expecting to ride something, then find out it’s only another restaurant.
Mad T Party Soft Opens - Photos and discussion
DCA's colorful nighttime party infused with DJ's, special lighting, costumed dancers and alcohol has transmogrified into its third incarnation. The House of Cards is all decked out so it's time to fall into the rabbit hole and take a look at the Mad T Party.
NEW FOUNTAIN PICS from Buena Vista Street
DCA also took down the construction walls from around the NEW central fountain. This new circle area is now substantially different than the former concrete creation known as the Sunshine Plaza and its wave fountain.
Fond Memories of the Golden Horseshoe Revue
Hello everybody, we're mighty glad to meet you, here at the Golden Horseshow! Wild Ol' Dan takes us back to the good ol' days of the Golden Horseshoe Review!
Join The MiceChat Vancouver To Los Angeles Cruise This September! Our Disney Dream cruise last year was such a hit that we've booked another remarkable voyage at low group rates. Join us September 10th through 16th as we voyage from Vancouver to Los Angeles with a two night stop in San Francisco. We'll even visit the acclaimed Walt Disney Family Museum along the way. Don't miss out on this affordable, relaxing, and fun MiceChat adventure!
We have some great things to look forward to this week at WDW, as Big Thunder Mountain reopens. There are also some questions regarding AP discounts, and height balloons have mysteriously appeared in an old hotel location. Plus there's a lot more. And don't forget to check out the Orlando Parkhopper and Dateline Disney World columns to get even more news from the Orlando area! ~yoyoflamingo
Big Thunder reopening?
It is indeed up and running, so why not share your experiences with the recently refurbished attraction here. Any changes? For the better or worse?
Site balloons on former Venetian Hotel Site
This past week, several keen eyes have reported seeing site balloons at the former original Venetian resort site. While nothing may become of it, it's interesting to note Disney might be looking at something in the area. What could it be?
The A/V Room
We have a new Communicore Weekly with topics on: NYC for D23, Grand Floridian Review and the five legged goat goes to its laughing place!
We also have a new video from Sarah!
And lastly there is another brilliant Just ask Alex!
LIVE BROADCAST AT RALPH BRENNAN'S JAZZ KITCHEN
As the official venue of choice for MAGIC 24.7, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney Anaheim will be hosting a live broadcast from the Ralph Brennan Radio Booth in the Jazz Kitchen on August 11, 2012 (exact time of broadcast TBA).
We'll be doing a live cooking demo, featuring our station's own signature drink (Twisted Magic), doing live contests and bringing on special Disney Park guests. We hope you can join us! For the full itinerary, check out our special event website: magic247live.com!
YOUR DISNEY TOP FIVE
The Time Rovers are going live again this Thursday at 6pm Pacific for one hour! Here's what we're discussing: If Disney gave you a free pass to do ANYTHING to any of it's parks...what would it be? Call us LIVE on Skype (username Magic24.7) or on our MAGICLINE at (424) 270-1955 and get in the discussion!
Remember to bookmark our site (magic247radio.com) and listen between 6am-4pm Pacific Monday to Friday for your official MiceChat.com Newscasts featuring YOUR posts and more Disney Park news! We also have welcomed former Weather Channel meteorologist Jeff Mielcarz to the station, who will provide you with Disneyland & WDW weather Monday to Friday!
PODCAST UPDATE
Every Monday to Friday between 6-9 am Pacific, we give you your MiceChat.com Newscast. Coming soon, you’ll be able to get a full recap of news from your favorite site.
Have you signed up for MiceDeals? Don’t miss out on 50% to 80% off Southern California and Orlando
area theme park, restaurant, hotel and attractions!
Visit MiceDeals.com today and sign up at the top of the page for your daily
deal reminder. Hurry, because they sell out quick and don’t last long
Sandsculpture Festival 2012 featuring 20 years Disneyland Paris Disney is always known for it's creativity. These sand sculptures at Disneyland Paris are not the usual sand castles. Check out what Disney artists can do when they put their imagination to work when it comes to playing with sand! These videos are incredible!
NHL Stanley Cup Finals 2012
Care to predict which team will win the Stanley Cup this year? The Forbidden Eye wants to know where you stand.
Graduation for many is just around the corner, some need help! If you are good at planning parties, your help is requested.
Graduation Party: need ideas...
Attention all party planners or more so party caterers, knittingknerd is graduating and some real help on food suggestions for her party.
From the Gumball Rally, here are some photos from the beginning of the race:
5/28: Disney’s Big Thunder Reopens, Animation Resort Tour, Uni’s Spongebob Store and More This week the Orlando Parkhopper crew jumps around the area theme parks to brings you the latest news and info. The big story this week is from the Magic Kingdom where Big Thunder Mountain Railroad has returned from its epic refurbishment. Merida, from Disney Pixar's Brave has also begun greeting guests as well. Next up, we venture over to the new Art of Animation resort to tour the grounds and see if it's worth a stay. From Disney, we head down the road a bit to Universal Studios Resort to see their new Spngebob Square Pants shop and we even stop by SeaWorld just for fun.There's a lot of ground for us to cover today, so let's get started. We hope you had a fabulous three-day weekend!
5/28: Carthay Circle unveiled and T Time in Hollywood It was a busy week at the Disneyland Resort as Disney removed construction walls around Disney California Adventure's new Carthay Circle Theater and fountain area. The unveiling of these key features gave guests a big sneak peek at the new Buena Vista Street area, which officially opens June 15. Meanwhile in Hollywood Land, the new Mad T Party nighttime event soft-opened, giving enthusiastic Memorial Weekend crowds their first taste of the new Alice In Wonderland-themed dance party. In Cars Land, finishing touches continue to be lavished on the new 12-acre land as the nearby Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and Soda Fountain nears its grand opening. At Disneyland, the Carnation Caferemodel and expansion project continues to show progress with gorgeous new signage. And in Downtown Disney, the La Brea Bakery reopened after completing its own expansion project. We've got all the latest news, photos, video and more in today's Memorial Day edition of Dateline Disneyland!
5/27: The Best Food you Never Ate – Fictional Food of the Magic Kingdom It's something you have seen on each visit but never really grew a taste for. Hidden in the details of many of the lands at the Magic Kingdom are references to food, or food packaging. Hercules Oats, King Carrots, Muskrat Moonshine, they are all there in plain sight. But they are enhancements to the land, rater than things you can actually eat. Join George Taylor as he observes some of the finer details in set dressing from around the park. You will see things you never knew you never knew.
5/26: Monkey Madness – Part 2 of a Safari to South Africa with Adventures by Disney Teresa Cory brings us another spectacular installment of her once in a lifetime Safari to South Africa with Adventures By Disney. This week we detail some pretty amazing meals. Visit a park called Monkeyland where the little simians roam free. We'll also see the Birds of Eden, the beautiful Bramon wineries, take a hike to the beach and visit elephants at Knysna Elephant park. There are plenty of surprises in store in this chapter of the Safari to South Africa.
5/25: New Paris digs for Mickey Mouse; Aulani Resort evolves; Civil War pilgrimage; more Weekend update is here to share photos from the annual Star Wars Weekends at Disney Hollywood Studios, and the grand opening of Legoland Florida's new water park. There is also an update from Disneyland Paris. Mickey Mouse is now meeting and greeting guests in the former Fantasyland Festival Stage area. Affordable food options seem to be on Disney's mind at their Aulani Hawaiian Resort as we have a report on the changes that can be seen around this resort in paradise. Scarlett Stahl continues her family pilgrimage with a trip to Appomattox Manor, Petersburg National Battlefield, and Blandford Church. Finally, Rya86n finishes up his dream trip on the Disney Dream at Christmas time. It's all here for you in the Weekend Update
5/25: Fantasyland Growing, Refurbs Wrapping Up, Star Wars Weekends, and MORE!! Hello, and welcome to Dateline DisneyWorld! This week, we will take a look at the ever changing landscape of the New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom, introduce to you a brand new Photo eBook of this year's Flower and Garden Festival, and take a look at the first Star Wars Weekend that happened a week ago at Disney's Hollywood Studios! That said, let's get started at the Magic Kingdom!
5/25: SeaWorld’s Manta & Universal’s Transformers Open, Plus HUGE Disney Price Increase What an amazing week for Southern California theme park enthusiasts! On Thursday, two theme parks opened two major attractions. Universal finally officially opened Transformers the Ride 3D, and SeaWorld San Diego opened Manta. How do they measure up? Were they worth the wait? We'll let you know. We also check up on Disneyland's preparations for summer and follow the last remaining weeks of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street Construction (hint, construction walls are coming down). Finally, with the recent price increases at the Disneyland resort, we thought it would be wise to review all of the pricing for the major theme parks and bring you a breakdown of the best values. You'll be surprised just what you could do in the theme park world for the cost of a single Disneyland Premium Annual Pass. Ready for a whopping week of fun? Let's get to it!
5/25: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! California Adventure is the theme park that celebrates the Golden State of California. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! is based on a TV quiz show that’s taped in New York City, starring New York-born Regis Philbin, and broadcast by the New York-based American Broadcasting Company (ABC). But there is a California connection: ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company, which has its corporate headquarters in Burbank, California. See? This attraction celebrates California!
5/23: Disney Off the Beaten Path
So you have done Space Mountain and lived to tell the painful tale. You bounded over the falls at Splash Mountain and had fun doing it. Not to mention the fact that you have a stack of unused fast passes for Peter Pan's Flight, Big Thunder Mountain and Winnie the Pooh. But if you are sick of fighting the endless crowds and lines that come with the more popular activities, then we have a treat for you. Why not explore one of these many alternative experiences in and around the Walt Disney World Resort? There are campfires at Fort Wilderness, Caverns on Tom Sawyers Island, and canoeing just to name a few. Read on, there are some great ideas here.
5/23: Samland talks to Billy Hill and the Hillbillies The magic that Disney delivers is comes in many forms. None has more impact than the interaction of live performers with their audience. Billy Hill and the Hillbillies have been performing in Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe since 1994 and have grown a very loyal following. What makes this classic Disneyland act tick? Sam talks to Kirk Wall, of the Hillbillies, about the more than 39,000 shows they have performed there and where they are headed from here.
5/22: From the Wilds of the Jungle to Adventures in Space with Aaron! This week, we talk to Aaron. He started his Disney career at Walt Disney World, exploring the rivers of the world on the Jungle Cruise, before winding up in the final frontier on Space Mountain.
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