New art for Storybook Circus at the Magic Kingdom

I know it’s going to be a great week on the Disney Parks Blog when I get to start by posting a new Fantasyland update. Today I’m happy to share new details on the Storybook Circus area that’s planned as part of the new Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom Park.

With all the updates we’ve done on the “royal” side of the Fantasyland expansion – Beast’s Castle, Maurice’s Cottage and Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid – the plans for Storybook Circus seemed to be a bit more mysterious. Until now.

Storybook Circus will be based on our animated film, “Dumbo.” Here, Casey Jr., the famous locomotive from the movie, has rolled into town and brought the grand Storybook Circus with him. The area will be filled with colorful circus tents and nods to the famous film. For example, guests – especially little ones – are welcome to cool down with Casey Jr., who can be found near the train station, getting splashed by playful circus animals.

Just past Casey Jr., guests will encounter big-top circus tents that lead to a “double” version of Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Also, in the tradition of classic air shows, Barnstormer will take on a new look and theme, becoming a spiraling stunt plane built by The Great Goofini.

What do you think? Will you be there when the circus comes to town?

Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2011

Details will continue to unfold between now and the start of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, themed “Passport to a World of Flavors,” but here are the early highlights for the 16th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

From Sept. 30-Nov. 13, Epcot World Showcase Promenade features a panoply of delicious tastes, wine and cocktail pairings and other drinks, live entertainment and special culinary fun. More than 25 international marketplaces feature tapas-sized portions ($3 to $8) paired with beer, wine and cocktails.

What’s hot this year? Here are the headlines:

• Hawaii, the Caribbean islands and Portugal all debut Marketplaces – look for Kailua pork sliders in Hawaii, ropa vieja in the Caribbean and calamari salad in Portugal.
• The new Odyssey Lounge opens, where guests can check in with friends and family back home, play games and surf the web while enjoying a specialty cocktail or a glass of wine or beer. There’s even a charging station for mobile phones and other electronic devices.
• Celeb chefs are back – top culinarians like Jeff Henderson, Cat Cora, Alan Wong, Gale Gand, Suvir Saran, Jamie Deen, Rock Harper, Celina Tio and more. All told, more than 270 chefs participate.
• There’s always fun stuff at the Festival Welcome Center, from a wine bar to tasting seminars and free sessions with cookbook authors.
• Eat to the Beat! Concert Series is back at America Gardens Theatre with first timers the Pointer Sisters, The Orchestra starring former members of ELO and Gin Blossoms. Taylor Dayne kicks it off opening weekend.
• Also back are First Bites Opening Reception on Sept. 29 (one time only); Kitchen Memories (formerly Celebrating Family and Friends in the Kitchen); Mixology Seminar, and “3D” Disney Dessert Discovery. And of course the grand Party for the Senses!
• A new Cranberry Bog display by Craisons tells the story behind the cranberry’s rich agricultural heritage.

The Party for the Senses grand tasting events and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs (Aug. 16 is the date you can start booking). Festival details are available at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine

Nastia Liukin visits ESPN RISE Girls Showcase at Walt Disney World

Reigning Olympic gold medal winner Nastia Liukin of the United States works with young gymnasts Friday during the ESPN RISE Girls Showcase at Walt Disney World and gives her most definitive remarks to date on defending her all-around title at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Liukin, 21, gave instruction and encouragement to four Orlando-areagymnasts – including Clermont’s Olessia Dunaeva – at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney. 
Liukin, who trains in Plano, TX, also interacts with the USA Basketball Women’s under-19 team, including fellow Dallas-area hoops star Alexis Jones (Irving, TX), at the sports complex at Disney and gives her thoughts on the Dallas Mavericks-Miami Heat NBA Finals matchup. 
The USA Basketball Women’s under-19 team is competing at the sports complex as part of the ESPN RISE Girls Showcase, which brings together one of the biggest collections of elite female youth athletes in the country. The three-week sports festival involves nearly 15,000 elite and recreational female athletes competing in basketball, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), softball, taekwondo and volleyball.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

In honor of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opening today at Disneyland I'm including this great promo video of Darth Vader's day at Disneyland.

Scotty McCreery Celebrates ‘American Idol’ Win at Walt Disney World

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (MAY 30, 2011) – To celebrate his May 25 win on the popular “American Idol” television show, country music singer Scotty McCreery today was honored in a celebratory parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

Excited fans lined the streets, cheering on the 17-year-old singer from Garner N.C., as he joined Mickey Mouse in a convertible sports car and greeted fans before taking the microphone to sing his new hit single, “I Love You This Big” in front of “The American Idol Experience” attraction in the Disney theme park.

On Wednesday, McCreery was crowned the “American Idol” in a star-studded 10th anniversary season finale that was viewed by an estimated 29.3 million people.

In addition to the parade, McCreery later surprised guests by making an unannounced appearance on-stage at “The American Idol Experience” attraction inside the theme park.

George Lucas and Bob Iger open 'Star Tours:The Adventures Continue'

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (May 20, 2011) – Star Wars^TM creator George Lucas and Disney President and CEO Bob Iger wielded lightsabers amid a legion of stormtroopers Friday, May 20 to open “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” a new 3-D adventure at Walt Disney World Resort.

A cast of hundreds of Star Wars characters and performers – including Anthony Daniels, who has played the golden droid C-3PO since the first film debuted in 1977 – converged on Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the launch of the attraction destined to send millions of guests on virtual journeys throughout the Star Wars galaxy.

Fittingly, the launch of Star Tours anchored the opening day of Star Wars Weekends, a popular event in the park celebrating the Star Wars legacy with special shows, presentations, motorcades and memorabilia. Star Wars Weekends continue each Friday-Sunday now through June 12, 2011.

And on June 3, 2011, “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” will open at Disneyland Resort in California.

“Star Tours immerses guests into the Star Wars universe like never before,” Iger said. “The innovative technology and storytelling take guests on thrilling new adventures, bringing George Lucas’ iconic characters and locations to life in a completely new way.”

With eye-popping digital video leveraging Dolby 3-D to deliver a vivid and realistic visual experience, a dramatic musical score and motion simulator-based technology, guests are immersed in a Star Wars adventure like never before on a theme park attraction. Walt Disney Imagineering worked with Lucasfilm, Ltd. and Industrial Light & Magic – the groundbreaking visual effects division of Lucasfilm – to bring the out-of-this-world attraction to life.

Star Tours, which had thrilled Disney guests since the 1980s, was “powered down” in 2010 so Disney’s Imagineers could begin work on the new attraction.

In “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” there are more than 50 story combinations, so guests can find new adventures each time they experience the attraction.

Utilizing the random story combinations, the Starspeeder spacecraft embarks on a wild adventure, visiting several planets made famous in the Star Wars films. Among the locations that might provide haven from the Empire’s pursuit are the icy planet of Hoth, the lush jungles of Kashyyyk and the underwater Gungan world on Naboo.

And along the way guests may encounter Star Wars characters that offer to help (or hinder) their journey, including Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Darth Vader and Boba Fett. “Skytroopers,” a legion of stormtroopers created just for the Star Tours attraction story, might even join in the chase.

In fact, guests will never know where the Force will take them. Flights are now departing during regular operating hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.