Mark Twain catches fire

Orange County Register
The Mark Twain, a replica steamboat that cruises the River of America at Disneyland, caught fire during yesterday’s showing of Fantasmic!, a nighttime show that uses the Mark Twain as a show element. The Disneyland Fire Department quickly controlled the small blaze and reported no damage. The department noted that such a small fire would typically extinguish itself.

From the released statement:

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Disney to Expand Hong Kong Disneyland

It looks like the Walt Disney Company (DIS) and the Hong Kong government have finally reached an agreement to expand their undersized and underperforming Hong Kong version of the Magic Kingdom. Though its joint venture, Hong Kong Disneyland declined to comment about ongoing discussions, Reuters reports an announcement is expected by early next week. On the face of things it looks like an important breakthrough for Disney, which in March announced it was sacking 30 Hong Kong-based “Imagineers” because discussions with the Hong Kong government, which currently owns 57% of the park, were going nowhere.

However it appears as though Disney ended up making all the concessions. According to press reports, Disney will pay for the entire expansion costing as much as $800 million. The government will convert its debt to equity to prevent its share from being diluted below the 50% mark. The Hong Kong government, quite rightly, was reluctant to pony up any more cash into the money-losing park considered too small to attract enough first time visitors, let alone getting them to come back. Although Hong Kong covered more than 80% of the initial $2.9 billion cost of the project, the government has just a 57% share in the joint venture, with Disney holding the other 43%.
by Frederik Balfour

complete article

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 Photos by LovesDisney

Traffic getting into the Resort, Friday evening, about 7:00PM





 Monorail waits up to 30-40 minutes - Only one train was operating Friday evening.



The new Studio Disney 365 is now open in Downtown Disney
Read the full press release HERE



Jack Skellington merchandise, World of Disney



Park hours and refurbishments - Disneyland Resort Entry Plaza

Be sure to check out LovesDisney's Trip Report and Photos from her experiences at the Disney Dream Suite over the weekend!

 

Special events for ANNUAL PASSHOLDERS, D23 MEMBERS and OPEN (PUBLIC) EVENTS.

ANNUAL PASSHOLDER SPECIAL EVENTS
The Following offers and special events are for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders Only. For more information about Disneyland Resort Annual Passes, visit the Official Disneyland website - www.disneyland.com/ap

Purchase Advance Tickets for Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party and Save

The Disneyland® Resort's popular Halloween party — Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party — is back for 2009 and Annual Passholders can take advantage of a special opportunity to purchase advance tickets and save on select nights!

This "spirited" event at Disney's California Adventure® Park includes:

• Amazing attractions to get you spinning, looping and free-falling!
• Lively music to boogie your bones!
• Special treat stations where you can scare up some goodies!
• Creepy crafts and activities for some frightful fun!
• A nightly Character cavalcade.
• Plus, lots more spook-tacular entertainment for little boys and ghouls!
• Complimentary parking for one vehicle at the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure — larger vehicles may require an additional fee.

Advanced Purchase Ticket Prices
$26 Special Passholder Discount for These Dates: October 2, 8, 15, 21, 22, 28
$32 Regular Admission Price for These Dates: October 9, 16, 23, 29

Day-of-Event Ticket Prices
$39 If Purchased and Used on These Dates: October 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29
$42 If Purchased and Used on These Dates: October 30 and 31

All Dates
Ages Two and Under: No Charge!

Times
Wednesday and Thursday: 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Halloween Night: 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Buy your tickets now and print them at home — or call (714) 781-4400†.

D23 MEMBERS
The following are events specifically for D23 Members. For more information about D23, visit www.disney.com/d23

D23 MEMBERS-ONLY EVENT AT DISNEYLAND RESORT JULY 17

July 17  --  D23 presents Disneyland, U.S.A. (FREE) (Anaheim, CA) -- Celebrate Disneyland's 54th Anniversary with a special screening of Walt Disney's recently restored 1956 "People and Places" featurette Disneyland, U.S.A., as well as a panel discussion including Imagineer Tony Baxter, Disney Legend and Chief Archivist Dave Smith, and Disney Studios Film Archivist Ed Hobelman.  The event will take place at Disneyland's Team Disney Anaheim Theater and will be followed by a D23 Member reception.

To find out more about D23's Summer 2009 Special Events Calendar, including admissions and how to register for events, visit www.disney.com/D23 and click on the "Expo & Events" tab. All D23 Special Events are subject to change without notice, have varying admission fees and registration processes, and may require advance reservations due to space limitations.

OPEN EVENTS
The Following are events open to the pubic. These are ticketed events which may or may not require admission to the Disneyland Resort. Unless where noted, parking is not included.

D23 Expo Announced - Tickets Now on Sale

ANAHEIM and BURBANK, Calif. – June 3, 2009 – Disney fans will be given unprecedented access to never-before-seen movies, TV shows, park experiences, collectibles and more from Sept. 10 to Sept. 13 at the Anaheim Convention Center when Disney and D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans present the first-ever D23 EXPO.

Tickets to the D23 EXPO are available beginning today at http://www.D23Expo.com. Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for the full four days of festivities. Admission is discounted for members of D23.

“We hope this will be the ultimate event for the multitude of fans who have been so instrumental in Disney’s success,” said Disney President and CEO Bob Iger. “The D23 Expo represents the finest in Disney entertainment from across our great company and will offer a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experience for people of all ages to enjoy.”

Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle added, “The upcoming D23 Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center will serve as an exciting opportunity to present Anaheim to the millions of Disney enthusiasts around the world. For the thousands of inaugural-year D23 Expo attendees who will visit our city in September, this will be a special and a memorable time in the birthplace of Walt Disney’s original theme park. It is a great honor for Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center to host this event.”

Among the centerpiece events of the D23 EXPO will be an extraordinary, exclusive opportunity to get early glimpses ofseveral all-new Disney feature films. Only at the D23 EXPO will guests preview a wide range of upcoming movie events, including The Princess and the Frog, Rapunzel, Disney’s A Christmas Carol, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, TRON, Toy Story 3, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Walt Disney Pictures will present these special sneak peeks in a state-of-the-art cinema built especially for the D23 EXPO.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will take D23 EXPO guests behind the scenes to explore the rich legacy and exciting future of Disney’s theme parks and vacation destinations worldwide. Highlights will include a special look at what’s being imagineered for the future of Disney’s California Adventure, a peek behind closed doors at the amazing new technologies defining today’s and tomorrow’s Disney theme park experience, and the opportunity to meet and hear from the Imagineers, Cast Members and key Disney Parks and Resorts executives who create lasting memories for millions every year.

In many different ways, the D23 EXPO will explore the history and heritage of Walt Disney and the company he founded more than 80 years ago. The D23 EXPO will be home to the 2009 Disney Legends Awards – a 22-year tradition that pays tribute to the talented men and women who have made indelible contributions to Disney entertainment. This year’s recipients will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 12, marking the first time the prestigious event has been held off Disney property.

In an extraordinary exhibition designed specifically for the D23 EXPO, an incredible collection of classic and contemporary Disney props, artifacts and costumes will be accessible to the public for the first time ever. “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” brings together such amazing pieces as the fully restored, 11-foot model of the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; the stunning, jewel-encrusted book used in the opening moments of Sleeping Beauty; and other rare surprises from throughout Disney’s history. Ranging from the original Mickey Mouse Club and the musical classic Mary Poppins to recent hits like Pirates of the Caribbean and High School Musical, the “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives” is a never-before-experienced exhibit that’s a D23 EXPO exclusive.

The D23 EXPO spotlight will also shine on Disney Channel's brightest stars in a can't miss-special event. There will also be an ESPN Sports Lounge, live broadcasts from Radio Disney, and a preview of ABC's new fall primetime shows, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks at www.D23Expo.com.

For Disney fans who want to take home part of the magic, Disney Consumer Products will offer myriad opportunities to do just that. Only at the D23 EXPO will guests be able to walk through the eight-room “Disney Dream Home,” celebrate the holidays Disney-style, see fine art created before their eyes, learn about Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, experience Disney couture fashion shows, meet and hear from the authors of a dazzling array of Disney books, prepare for trick-or-treating with the latest Disney Store Halloween costumes, and more ... all under one roof.

The D23 EXPO also will be home to the “Disney Dream Store,” where guests will find exclusive D23 EXPO merchandise and collectibles; the Disney pin-trading headquarters; and much more, including the chance to build your own Mouse ears.

Showcasing Disney’s appeal to fans of every generation, the D23 EXPO has created a multi-layered experience: Avid Disney enthusiasts can attend dozens of specially created panels and celebrity-speaker events, details of which will be announced over the next several weeks. Younger Disney fans, meanwhile, will be able to experience special interactive play areas, meet their favorite Radio Disney DJs broadcasting live, watch “Princess makeover” demonstrations from the Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique, and have fun in the Baby Einstein play area. Together, families can enjoy the Disney Crafts Center and learn about Disney-themed scrapbooking.

The D23 Collectors’ Forum will present a wide range of options for collectors to show and sell their Disney memorabilia, and those interested in exhibiting can visit www.D23Expo.com for more information.

Fans also will be able to view and even take part in the first-ever Disney Fan Art Gallery, which will include the finalists in the Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest, as well as a one-of-a-kind fan art show. Full details and contest rules can be found at www.D23Expo.com or www.disney.com/D23.

All activities at the D23 EXPO are included in single- and four-day admissions, including the “50 and Fabulous Film Festival,” which honors three classic Disney movies that are celebrating their golden anniversaries this year. Sleeping Beauty, The Shaggy Dog and Darby O’Gill and the Little People, all originally released in 1959, will be presented on the big screen, one movie each evening, for Disney fans of all ages to enjoy together. Also featured at the D23 EXPO will be a special screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming Tinker Bell: Lost Treasure, along with an in-depth exploration of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Diamond Edition, which will be released this fall by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Tickets to the D23 EXPO, which go on sale today, are $37 for a one-day adult admission and $27 for children 3-12. To experience every bit of entertainment and excitement at the D23 EXPO, four-day passes are also available at $111 for adults and $81 for children. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on up to four same-day admissions, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 EXPO for themselves and their guests.

Special vacation packages are available at the D23 EXPO website, from both the Walt Disney Travel Company (including Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations, D23 EXPO tickets and theme park admission), and the Anaheim Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, which is offering a limited number of area hotel rooms at special rates to those attending the D23 EXPO.

Many more details about the entertainment, events and special guests that will be part of the first-ever D23 EXPO will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can keep up with all of the announcements by visiting www.D23EXPO.com, as well as by following “Disney D23” at Twitter and on Facebook.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the wonder and excitement that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his fledgling studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official community for fans in Disney’s 85-year history. D23 gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication Disney twenty-three; a rich website at www.disney.com/D23; a new collectibles line, The Walt Disney Archives Collection; and special events for D23 members throughout the year, highlighted by the D23 EXPO in Anaheim, California, September 10-13, 2009.

Fans can join D23 at www.Disney.com/D23, all Disney Store locations within the United States, select shops at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, and www.DisneyShopping.com/D23.

2 Nights Free Promotion/Free on your Birthday Promotion

‘Get 2 More Nights Free’ to Savor All the Exciting New Summer Entertainment At Disneyland Resort

New Travel Packages Deliver Great Value and Complement ‘Free on Your Birthday’ Offer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (March 25, 2009) – With free admission to a theme park on your birthday throughout 2009, new adventures and entertainment at both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks, and a special travel offer that will add two free nights to your three-night stay, a visit to the Disneyland Resort this summer offers value-minded vacationers plenty to celebrate.

By purchasing a three-night Disneyland Resort vacation package this summer, guests can magically extend their visit with an offer worth celebrating: Get two more nights free!  This special Disneyland summer vacation offer provides a magical and affordable way for families to take in all the new fun and adventures at the Happiest Place on Earth this vacation season.

With the new summer vacation packages, guests pay for three nights of hotel accommodations and three days of theme park admission, and then receive two more nights at the hotel and two more days of theme park admission.  Together, the special deal provides guests five days and nights of Disneyland fun, for the price of three.
 
Bookings for this limited-time offer must be made between March 24 and August 11, 2009. The summer vacation package offer for two more nights free is valid at all three Disneyland Resort Hotels – Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa for arrivals between April 1 and September 26, 2009. Beginning May 1, the offer is also available at participating local Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Hotels, providing guests with a wide range of hotel accommodations and prices to fit every budget. Guests at a Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Hotel must also begin their travel by September 26.

New Entertainment and Experiences

In 2009, the Disneyland Resort is pulling out all the stops by asking guests, “What Will You Celebrate?”  As part of the yearlong celebration, guests will enjoy many new magical experiences.  “Celebrate! A Street Party” launches this spring at Disneyland Park.   A cast of dancers, DJs and Disney characters invite guests to join the celebration as they take to the street for a high-energy street party featuring lively music, colorful costumes, confetti and streamers. Guests will join in twist dancing, a conga line and all the colorful fun of a celebration on Main Street, U.S.A., or at “it’s a small world” mall.

Meanwhile, because there’s so much in life worth celebrating, in April, Disneyland Park will also present the Celebration Roundup and Barbecue at Big Thunder Ranch, a good ol’ cowboy-style hoedown featuring food and fun for the whole family.

This summer the Happiest Place on Earth will be the Most Exciting Place on Earth!  At Disneyland Park, Fantasmic! is bigger, brighter and bolder than ever before.  And the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle will come to life with a spectacular new fireworks show that will have guests celebrating across the Magic Kingdom.  Over at Disney’s California Adventure Park, Tinker Bell works her pixie magic and brings a bright new sparkle to the guest-favorite and classic Disney’s Electrical Parade.

In 2009, guests can also visit a Disney park for free on their birthdays. For guests who wish to visit on their birthdays and also take advantage of the paid summer treat of two more nights free, the Resort offers a selection of birthday treat options available with the packages. Just present your valid Park Hopper ticket on your birthday at the Main Entrance ticket booths and receive one of the following options instead of the free theme park birthday admission:

• A birthday FASTPASS ticket for certain attractions for up to six people in the birthday party (the number of birthday FASTPASS tickets is limited and may not be available after 11am; all guests must have valid Theme Park admission).  Or…
• A Birthday Fun Card in an amount equal to the price of a 1-Day/1-Park Disneyland Resort ticket (based on general admission price or the reduced admission price for Guests ages 3-9 at the Main Entrance ticket booth, respectively).  The Birthday Fun Card can be used at participating locations in the theme parks for select merchandise, Disney’s PhotoPass on-site services and tours.  Or…
• A 1-Day/1-Park Ticket that can be used anytime in the next 12 months, starting from the celebrant’s date of birth.  This ticket may be used by the Birthday celebrant only.

To book a Disneyland Resort vacation package, visit www.disneyland.com, call (800) 854-3104 or visit your local travel agent. For general Disneyland Resort information, park hours and entertainment schedules, call (714) 781-4565 or visit www.disneyland.com. The summer vacation offer cannot be combined with any other discounts.

Free theme park admission details: To receive free admission to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on your birthday in 2009, guests must bring valid ID including proof of birth date.  Guests who have purchased a valid multi-day ticket they will use on their birthday may choose from other birthday treats instead. No cash refunds or credits will be given.  To register your birthday and find out more details, visit www.disneyparks.com.  For terms and conditions of the Birthday Fun Card and details on participating locations visit disneyparks.com/birthdayfuncard.

“Get 2 Nights Free” offer is valid for bookings from 3/24/09 through 8/11/09 for arrivals at a Disneyland Resort hotel from 4/1/09 through 9/26/09 with travel being completed by 10/1/09, and is valid from 5/1/09 through 9/26/09 at participating Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor hotels with travel completed by 10/1/09.  Upon the purchase of a 3-night package, with 3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Tickets, at a participating hotel for a family of four (2 adults, 1 junior (ages 10 to 17) and 1 child (age 3-9), two (2) consecutive free nights will be added to the hotel stay and two (2) days added to the tickets.  Limited to two (2) free nights per package / reservation and not valid for previously booked rooms.  Check for offers associated with longer night stays.  The Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Tickets expire 13 days after first use or 10/13/09, whichever occurs first, and each day of use of a ticket constitutes one full day of use. Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial purposes.  Offer subject to availability and blockout dates; advance reservations required.  Not valid with any other discount or promotion.  Subject to restrictions and change without notice.  Walt Disney Travel Company CST: 1022229-50, NYST # 2006-0198.