Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will find that the pre-school favorite “Playhouse Disney - Live on Stage” is no more. Instead it is being replaced by “Disney Junior - Live on Stage” to coincide with the new Disney Junior Channel on television.
This is a great show for the younger Disney fans. As the show is inside, it can also be a welcome break from the summer heat.
The full Disney press release is below.
Ahoy, Mateys! Jake and the Never Land Pirates Landing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as Part of Show Debuting March 4
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Jake and the Never Land Pirates are landing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios March 4, 2011, less than a month after they cast off on their first adventure on Disney Channel as part of the launch of Disney Junior programming designed for 2-to-7-year-old children.
At the Walt Disney World theme park, they are playing a role in “Disney Junior–Live on Stage!”, a theme park show created for young guests. Co-starring roles in the show are played by the cast of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and Little Einsteins — other shows that are part of the Disney Junior schedule.
“Ever since ‘Playhouse Disney–Live on Stage!’ premiered in 2001, it has been a chance for our younger guests to experience their Disney Channel friends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios,” said Dan Fields of Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative director for “Disney Junior–Live on Stage!” “As their circle of TV friends has grown and changed during the years, we’ve endeavored to make sure those new friends are part of their vacation fun, too.”
Like the previous show (”Playhouse Disney–Live on Stage”), “Disney Junior–Live on Stage!” will be presented several times during the theme park day. Guests should check their Times Guide for show times
FASTPASS TO THE BIG CHEESE: For the first time in Disney Parks history, Magic Kingdom guests will be able to reserve meet-up time with Mickey Mouse.
Magic Kingdom Guests Will Be Able To Determine a Time To Meet with Mickey Mouse Beginning Later This Spring
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Magic Kingdom officials have a hunch a really “hot ticket” in their realm this summer is going to be something other than a ride, a snack or a show. Rather, it’s a first-ever opportunity to nail down a time to meet with Mickey Mouse.
When meet-and-greets with Mickey move into a permanent new location in Town Square later this spring, Magic Kingdom guests will be able to obtain a Disney’s FASTPASS ticket specifying a one-hour window when they can return to see the popular character for hugs, photos and autographs — without waiting in the standby queue. It will mark the first time the complimentary, computerized service has been available for a character meet-and-greet at any Disney Park.
Since spending time with Disney characters is at the top of the “must-do list” of many guests, the FASTPASS ticket will allow them to experience their Mickey Mouse meet-and-greets more conveniently. As a result, guests will be able to devote more time enjoying other Magic Kingdom experiences with family and friends.
The new meet-and-greet location, Town Square Theater, will be located inside the current Exposition Hall area just inside the park entrance. Imagineers already are working to completely transform the space for the new experience. “This isn’t just remodeling Expo Hall; it is completely re-imagining this entire venue as a beautiful Victorian-era theater and the new home for Mickey Mouse,” Jon Georges, WDI Director, Senior Show Producer, said.
Image: Walt Disney Company
“Mickey and Main Street, U.S.A. are great examples of pure Americana that complement each other very well,” Concept Designer Jason Grandt said. “We drew a lot of inspiration from classic Mickey animated shorts such as The Nifty Nineties and Mickey’s Grand Opera. Many of the scenes in these shorts look like they take place right on Main Street.”
Guests arrive at a building befitting Mickey Mouse’s stardom — with a grand-Victorian-theater elevation, including a marquee that glistens with gold-leaf trim and sparkles with lights. Inside, there’s a mosaic floor, lush curtains with gold rope tie-backs and polished-brass chandeliers. Imagineers are creating new elements and surprises for Magic Kingdom guests, including an interactive queue — with an extra touch of Disney magic — and highly themed retail shops.
The queue takes guests “backstage,” where Mickey is waiting to greet them in a rehearsal-room environment amid posters, steamer trunks and stage props.
In addition, during the New Fantasyland construction, royalty will be visiting as the Disney Princesses will be in Town Square Theater to meet and greet their loyal subjects.
Currently, guests can visit with Mickey Mouse in Tomorrowland, in a location to the right of Space Mountain. Meet-and-greet experiences with the Disney Princesses are currently at Adventureland Verandah.
(photo - Disney)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.
More blooming fun for 2011!
Epcot promises to be a spectacle for visitors to this year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Thirty million blooms, half a million plants, dozens of Disney character topiaries and 1,000 butterflies add up to a wonderful world of theme park color at the 18th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, March 2-May 15 at Walt Disney World Resort.
Among this year’s fun festival facts:
- 30 million blooms blanket the park throughout the festival, which runs 75 colorful days.
- Dozens of Disney character topiaries represent the largest collection of Disney character topiary in the world and include classic film stars like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Cinderella and Tinker Bell.
- 1,000 native butterflies represent up to 10 species at the larger-than-ever Bambi Butterfly House. Among the garden’s two dozen nectar plants are Cape Royal plumbago, passion flower, coral honeysuckle, blazing star, butterfly bush, scarlet milkweed and canna lily.
- More than 500,000 plants, trees and shrubs are planted for the festival; 250,000 of those are annual blossoms installed for the festival.
- Festival plants include 60 different species of trees, 47 types of palms, and 48 varieties of bedding plants.
- At least 25 different plants, grasses and mosses of various colors, including pink and red begonias, dusty miller, palm fiber, palm seeds, ficus and lichen, are used to create and define features of the festival topiaries. More color has been added to the topiaries than in any previous topiary presentation.
- More than 15 floral, herbal and spice ingredients of 8 popular perfumes are revealed in the Fragrance Garden presented by Guerlain at the France pavilion. Guests can sniff the enduring fragrance Shalimar to discover botanical notes that include lemon, Arabian jasmine and vanilla. Some components of the other Guerlain fragrances include mimosa, magnolia, rose, nutmeg and vetivergrass.
- 198 hands-on gardening demonstrations and seminars will be presented.
- Thirty “flower towers” of impatiens line Innoventions Plaza.
- 240 floating mini-gardens, each three feet in diameter, of multi-hued impatiens provide splashes of color on two ponds that border the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
- 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables in clay pots, barrels and urns enhance the landscape throughout Epcot.
- 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists are needed to install the festival landscape, topiaries and many exhibits; 100 Epcot horticulturists maintain topiaries and other festival displays.
- It takes more than one full year and about 24,000 cast member hours to prepare for the annual festival.
- The festival’s weekend Flower Power concert series includes 11 artists and groups with 133 Top 40 hits, including 16 No. 1 songs. This year’s musical hit-makers from the 1960s and ’70s include Jose Feliciano, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Melissa Manchester, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone, Ricky Nelson Remembered Featuring the Nelsons, Davy Jones, Juice Newton, The Guess Who, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. and Chubby Checker & The Wildcats.
Guest information for the 18th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is available at disneyworld.com/flower or at 407/W-DISNEY.
Staying at Emerald Island Resort? MNSSHP is a great family event.
If you are visiting the Emerald Island Resort in October. Its a great time to visit with cooler temperatures and smaller crowds than in summer time.
Throughout the month of October, there are plenty of events to get you in the mood for Halloween.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at The Magic Kingdom is open select evenings during October. Join Mickey, Minnie and friends for some family friendly Halloween fun, special Halloween fireworks and parade. Come dressed in costume (or not) and join in the fun. This event has a separate entry ticket.
Seaworld’s Halloween Spooktacular is another family friendly Halloween event that runs weekends in October. Kids are welcome to come dressed in costume and trick or treat for ghoulish goodies, catch spooky shows and meet amazing sea creatures. Seaworld’s Halloween Spooktacular is included with park admission. Take a look at their spooktacular website for some ghoulish crafts and games.
Not for the feint of heart are Halloween Horror Nights at Universal. On select nights Universal Studios Florida theme park is transformed into a nightmarish labyrinth of haunted houses, outrageous live shows, and electrifying scare zones while an army of mutants, monsters and maniacs roam the darkened studio streets.
From professional to passionate! Located in the town of Davenport, about 30 minutes from Emerald Island / Orlando finds The Bludzwurth Casket & Urn Company. This is a family passion and not a huge corporation event fueled by profits. For a modest donation, you can walk through the The Bludzwurth Casket & Urn Company on the 30th and 31st of October when the Doctor is in!
What about All Hallow’s eve itself? If visiting the area and you want to go trick or treating on October 31st, try the town of Celebration. Its a real treat! From traditional door to door trick or treating to a haunted walking trail, Celebration has something to offer the whole family. The Trail of Nightmares haunted walking trail is new to Celebration this year. The proceeds benefit a local charity.
