“it’s a small world” is one of the most polarizing attractions at the Disney theme parks. The charming boat ride through scenes of frolicking animatronic, ethnically diverse children singing in the spirit of international unity, is a ride you either love or you hate. But even if you refuse to ride “it’s a small world” for fear of getting the saccharine, over-long, and repetitive theme song stuck in your head, you’ll have a hard time denying that the ride, originally featured at the 1964 New York World’s Fair before it moved to Disneyland in 1966, is just so darn… precious.
And what could be even more precious than “it’s a small world”, you ask? Why, children’s clothing inspired by “it’s a small world”, of course!
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1054
Recognize these?
Mickey Ears are worn by thousands of theme park visitors year-round, but in 2011 the classic look has gotten a much-needed upgrade. The newest trend seen round the parks are highly decorative Mickey Ears which are themed in everything from bridal to pirate, princess, ice cream, and Jack Skellington. The World Showcase at Epcot even sells specialty country ears, such as the Mexico-themed hats below.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1025
For two months from March to May, the Epcot theme park at the Disney World Resort was in full bloom during the 18th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. This year’s festival, hosted by HGTV, celebrated spring with more than 100 topiaries, including 75 Disney character topiaries arranged throughout the park.
Mickey and Pluto topiaries at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, photograph by Samantha McElhaney
2011’s brand-new topiaries: Toy Story 3, Winnie the Pooh, Cars 2, and Rapunzel’s Tower, joined perennial favorites Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Aladdin. The fairies of Pixie Hollow appeared live and in topiary form in the Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden to promote Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games, coming this Fall on the Disney Channel. The festival also featured the brand-new Bambi’s Butterfly House with Bambi character topiaries and hundreds of native butterflies to celebrate the release of the Diamond Edition of Bambi on Blu-ray and DVD.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1011
Walt Disney World’s The Haunted Mansion is one of my absolute favorite theme park rides. One of my earliest Disney memories is seeing the hitchhiking ghosts during my first visit to Disney World when I was four. During my honeymoon visit last fall, I saw the moving eyes of the Madame Leota tombstone for the first time, but most of the cemetery surrounding the line queue was under construction.
Leota's tombstone in the Haunted Mansion graveyard, image from insidethemagic.net
For years, the line queue’s graveyard has featured tombstones with the names of Disney Imagineers and humorous epitaphs such as Dear Departed Brother Dave, He Chased a Bear Into Cave, and Here Lies Good Old Fred, A Great Big Rock Fell On His Head. After months of renovations, the graveyard has been revamped and expanded into a longer, interactive line queue.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1001
In the fall of 2009, the Walt Disney Company made a deal to acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4.24 billion, a purchase which transferred control of Marvel’s comic book and movie library to Disney, along with a library of 5,000 characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Daredevil, and Captain America – all of whom have inspired major motion pictures in recent years.
As of now, Disney has held off on incorporating the Marvel heroes into any of its theme parks, although the company is free to do so everywhere except for Walt Disney World in Florida, due to Marvel’s existing contract with Disney competitor Universal’s Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks.
Concept art for Dubailand's Marvel Superhero Theme Park, image from disneyandmore.blogspot.com
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=988
