The DisGeek Podcast

Your Guide to the Happiest Place on Earth

Fantasy Faire coming to Disneyland

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Last friday at the D23 expo Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs and Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis announced Fantasy Faire, a new area in the Carnations Plaza Gardens. The area is basicly becoming a new Princess meet and greet and I have to admit, I’m not very thriled about it.

While the concept art looks really nice and I have no doubt it will look great, I just don’t like the idea of a Princess meet and great replacing an area with the amazing history that the Carnations Plaza Gardens has. Tom Staggs reassured the crowd at the D23 Expo that the Swing Dancing will continue on. I will of course reserve final judgement for when it opens.

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Today at the D23 Expo, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs and Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis announced an exciting transformation poised to take place at Disneyland park.

The boundaries of Fantasyland are expanding with a brand new experience called Fantasy Faire. For this project, Carnations Plaza Gardens Stage is being reimagined into an enchanting village square that will immerse guests in the stories of their favorite princesses in exciting new ways.

Guests will travel through a village square surrounded by fairytale cottages and pavilions to the heart of the square – Tangled Tower, inspired by the film. The village square will come alive with activities and entertainment, including a Royal Ribbon Parade where guests can dance and interact with Belle or Rapunzel. Guests can visit the their favorite Disney royalty from such films as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Tangled.”

The Fantasy Faire Stage will be a new entertainment venue where the stories of Disney’s fairy tale heroes and heroines will be brought to life, letting guests become part of the story as well.

And at night, the Fantasy Faire Stage will come alive with the classic music and dance offerings that Disneyland park guests have loved for years.

Storytellers Statue Unveiled at D23 Expo

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Disneyland has, “Partners” and Disney California Adventure will have, “Storytellers”.

A new statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse will be featured on Buena Vista Street when it opens in 2012. It’s called Storytellers and it is a young Walt just ariving in Hollywood to prusue his dreams. I cant wait to see the real thing!

More from the Disney Parks Blog:

How does this statue help tell the story of Buena Vista Street?

It is a young Walt Disney as you would have seen him when he just stepped off the train from Kansas City in 1923, arriving in California to pursue his dreams. The street is set in the time period between 1923-1937, the time when Walt arrived and subsequently innovated, risked and created the studio that is the origin of all that The Walt Disney Company has become. He is located on the ground, not on a pedestal or planter, so that he is accessable to guests – “one of us.” Early Los Angeles (Buena Vista Street) is Walt’s land of opportunity and dreams at this time, and metaphorically it is for our guests as well!

Tell us what is going on in the scene depicted in the statue.

Walt has just arrived in California from Kansas City, and as he looks around in wonder and optimism, the world is his oyster to realize his dreams.

The statue is also an amalgam of young Walt and early Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse – although not created until after Walt’s arrival in Los Angeles – was, according to story, created on a train and was part of Walt’s travels and his muse, and is a fitting travel partner.

How does this statue compliment the iconic Partners statue at Disneyland park?

It could be considered a “bookend” in that in Disneyland park, the Partners statue is a mature Walt and Mickey, already wildly successful and the guests are the benefactors of their effort. Walt has realized his dreams and is sharing with us. Also, the Partners statue is more of a “monument” at Disneyland park.
In Disney California Adventure park, the statue is of young Walt as he arrived in Los Angeles, and at this point in time nobody knew who he was. He is one of us, and his optimism and enthusiasm are yet to be proven. In a way at this point in his life he is “everyman” but you can see it on his face, and in Mickey’s, that through this remarkable individual’s dreams and efforts, something great is going to happen.

How did you decide on the placement of the statue?

We wanted it in the new Hub, facing the center and on the street corner, so that he is one of our guests. We also wanted him near the Carthay Circle Theatre so that he could be part of that scene as well.

The statue maquette is on display this weekend at the Parks & Resorts Pavilion at the D23 Expo and will later be seen in the Blue Sky Cellar at Disney California Adventure park.

Bird’s Eve View of Buena Vista Street

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While the Parks and Resorts presentation goes on at the D23 Expo the folks over at the Disney Parks Blog posed a video of a birds eye view of Buena Vista Street.

Enjoy!

Another update from the D23 Expo! Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs and Bob Weis, Executive Vice President, Creative, Walt Disney Imagineering, just took us back in time to 1920s Los Angeles, with updates on the upcoming Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure park. Imagineers have worked hard to transport guests back to the Los Angeles that Walt experienced when he first arrived in California.

Guests will be able ride the Red Car Trolley up Buena Vista Street to the new icon of the park, Carthay Circle Theatre — a recreation of the original theater where “Snow White and Seven Dwarfs” premiered in 1937. Guests will also be able to experience the park’s charming period architecture, mix of stores, eateries and guest services — it will be a whole new entry way into the park that immerses guests into the experience.

Now travel back in time with this new flythrough video, which takes you on a tour of the new Disney California Adventure park entrance like you’ve never seen before!

Main Street USA Restaurants to Expand at Disneyland

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In Episode 20 we talked about the rumor that the Plaza Pavilion will house the Blue Ribbion Bakery and have some kind of Mary Popins theme.  I joked that there will be a sign posted that says, “Please do NOT feed the birds!”  I loled.  Anyways The Disney Parks Blog confirmed the bakery moving and becoming the, “Jolly Holiday Bakery Café”.  They also confirmed that the Carnation Café will expand and offer indoor seating.  Here is the post from the DPB:

Tomorrow marks the start of very exciting expansion projects on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland park. We’re getting ready to welcome a new bakery and looking forward to expanded space in some of our existing eateries.

The expansion kicks off with the all-new Jolly Holiday Bakery Café. The bakery will be located on the current site of the Plaza Pavilion, which recently hosted the Annual Passport Processing Center. The new location will feature an expanded menu, as well as outdoor seating. When Jolly Holiday Bakery Café opens in January 2012, the Blue Ribbon Bakery will close to make way for the next step in the Main Street, U.S.A., project.

We’re also excited to announce that, for the first time in decades, Carnation Café will once again offer indoor seating to Disneyland park guests, increasing the total number of seats and giving guests more options for experiencing this iconic restaurant year-round. Carnation Café will close for this refurbishment at the beginning of 2012 and re-open in the summer.

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor and the Candy Palace display kitchen will also be gaining additional space. The newly reconfigured ice cream parlor will create more room for guests purchasing the extremely popular hand-dipped cones, and a larger Candy Palace kitchen will allow even more guests to view magical sweet treats as they are created. These locations will close in January 2012 and re-open in the spring.

Well I for one can’t wait to see this!

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room is Back at The Magic Kingdom

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Iago and Zazu… those pesky birds.  They angered the Tiki Gods with all of the celebrating.  Back in January the Gods set, “Under New Management” ablaze and nobody cried.  But this last weekend saw the return of the original classic back to entertain guests for many years to come. Except for one thing, it’s not exactly the same.

As Disney put it, it’s more of a tribute show as certain elements from the original has been left out.  The Enchanted fountain for instance.  But still, a Tiki Room running at 90% is better than no Tiki room OR Under New Management.

Here is a little behind the scenes video the Disney Parks Blog put together:

Good stuff!  Let’s try not to anger the Gods again.