RSS Feed

Tag Archives: Disney Park

July 6

Posted on July 6, 2013 by disneydetail

July 6, 2012 – Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure Opens in Walt Disney World’s Epcot

APWSA

“Attention secret agents! Your mission, beginning now, is to join Agent P in Epcot’s World Showcase to help him thwart the plans of the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.”

On July 6, 2012, the Phineas and Ferb interactive game “Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure” was launched it Epcot’s World Showcase at Walt Disney World. Based on the hit Disney Channel animated series Phineas and Ferb, guests join the character Agent P to track down and stop the plans of the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Guests are given a device called a F.O.N.E (Field Operative Notifications Equipment) at one of four kiosks located in Norway and Italy pavilions in the World Showcase. Through the F.O.N.E, clues are provided to help guests locate several “Inators,” inventions by Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Two to four agents are able to use the F.O.N.E, with each mission lasting between 30 to 45 minutes.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

July 4

Posted on July 4, 2013 by disneydetail

July 4, 1987 – The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Attraction Opens in Tokyo Disneyland

TDR_BTMR_2

“Are you brave enough to give it a try?”

On July 4, 1987, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction opened in Tokyo Disneyland’s Westernland. Based on the original 1979 attraction, and taking its cues from the Walt Disney World version, the Tokyo Disneyland version has become one of the most popular attractions in the resort, evidenced by the current use of a Fastpass. The end of the attraction is different from both American park versions, as the track makes a u-turn before heading back in front of the station to the boarding area.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

July 2

Posted on July 2, 2013 by disneydetail

July 2, 1967 – The Rocket Jets, the PeopleMover, and the General Electric Carousel of Progress Open in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland

vlcsnap-2013-07-02-05h21m17s40

“There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow just a dream away!”

On June 2, 1967, as part of a major update to the Tomorrowland section of the Magic Kingdom, three new attractions were opened: the Rocket Jets, the Peoplemover, and the General Electric Carousel of Progress. The Rocket Jets were the replacement for Astro-Jets and the Tomorrowland Jets. The attraction is built much like the current Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction, where guests climbed into rockets and circled around a space shuttle, able to control the height of their rocket with a lever, giving guests a great view of the park. The attraction was closed on January 6, 1997, and replaced with the Astro Orbiter in 1998.

The PeopleMover was an innovative attraction at the time of its opening, as it featured electric motors in the track that would propel the vehicles through Tomorrowland; this same technology was used to build a PeopleMover in the Houston International Airport. Guests would board the PeopleMover and see a preview of Tomorrowland as they traveled through several of the attractions. The attraction had major improvements added in 1968; the Superspeed Tunnel was added in 1977, and footage from the feature film Tron was added in 1982. The attraction was closed on August 21, 1995.

Carousel_of_Progress_1900

The General Electric Carousel of Progress was originally an attraction at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and was moved to Tomorrowland  after the fair was over. Sponsored by General Electric, the attraction took guests through the home of an Audio-Animatronic family through the years, stressing the increased importance of electricity as the decades changed. A song for the attraction, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” was written by the legendary songwriting team the Sherman Brothers. The attraction closed on September 9, 1973, and was moved to Walt Disney World, with America Sings taking the Carousel’s place in Disneyland.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

July 1

Posted on July 1, 2013 by disneydetail

July 1, 1966 – The Primeval World Attraction Opens on the Disneyland Railroad

PrimevalWorld

“…travel back in time back to the fantastic Primeval World – land of the dinosaurs.”

On July 1, 1966, the diorama on the Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad Primeval World opened in Disneyland. The original attraction was featured at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, as part of Ford’s Magic Skyway. The attraction appears to have been inspired in part by the “Rite of Spring” segment from the 1940 animated feature Fantasia. Using Audio-Animatronics, several dinosaurs are brought to life in a misty swamp area, including an Apatosaurus, a Pteranodon, a Tyrannosaurus, and a Stegosaurus. As more is learned about dinosaurs (such as the renaming of the Brontosaurus to the Apatosaurus), it has created several inaccuracies in the attraction, including the fact that the Stegosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus did not exist in the same time period. A version of the attraction has been created for the Western River Railroad in Tokyo Disneyland, appearing just before the arrival at Adventureland Station.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

June 28

Posted on June 28, 2013 by disneydetail

June 28, 1957 – The First Date Nite in Disneyland Event is Held

Date Nite

“Let’s dance at Disneyland! Date Nites are late nights at Disneyland!”

On June 28, 1957, the first Date Nite in Disneyland event was held in the Carnation Plaza Gardens. The park’s hours were extended until 1 AM on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer season, and couples would come in to dance the night away with some of the best names in entertainment. Several bands were invited to play in sections of the park, including The Elliott Brothers, who headlined at the Plaza Gardens. The Golden Horseshoe Saloon was also featured as a venue for dancing, as was the Space Bar in Tomorrowland. In 1958, an album by the Elliot Brothers called “Date Night at Disneyland,” which featured recordings of the band playing popular songs of the time that would have been played during the event, including a track called “Let’s Dance at Disneyland.”

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

June 17

Posted on June 17, 2013 by disneydetail

June 17, 1972 – The Main Street Electrical Parade Begins its Run in Disneyland

main-street-electrical-parade-00

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Disneyland proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination, in thousands of sparkling lights, and electro-syntho-magnetic musical sounds: the Main Street Electrical Parade!”

On June 17, 1972, the Main Street Electrical Parade began its run in Disneyland. Originally a summer parade, the lights were dimmed throughout the park as a half a million tiny lights on floats traveled from “it’s a small world” down Main Street to the Town Square. Synthesizer music was used for the parade, with the music a variation of a piece called the “Baroque Hoedown,” with well-known Disney songs woven throughout. The parade was replaced in 1975 with the America on Parade celebrating America’s bicentennial, but returned in 1977 with an new version; an “Honor America” float was then added to the parade in 1979. The parade ended its run in Disneyland on November 25, 1996, with huge crowds lining the street to wish it farewell. In 1999, the floats were sent to Walt Disney World in Florida for their version of the parade, but were sent back in 2001, as Disneyland began the parade again through Disney’s California Adventure under the new name Disney’s Electrical Parade. This newer version of the parade ended its run on April 18, 2010, and was once again sent to Walt Disney World, where it currently still runs.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

June 15

Posted on June 15, 2013 by disneydetail

June 15, 1967 – Club 33 Opens in New Orleans Square at Disneyland

Club33

“Envisioned by Walt Disney, who drew inspiration from the executive lounges at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the club opened in 1967 and has since held a place of mystery and legend among Disneyland park guests.”

On June 15, 1967, the private membership restaurant Club 33 opened in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square. The restaurant was founded as a way for Walt Disney to attract new sponsors, having been inspired by the executive lounges seen at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Walt and Lillian Disney traveled to New Orleans with designer Emile Kuri, and picked out several antiques that are featured in the restaurant. The name is derived from the club’s location: 33 Royal Street, New Orleans Square. The club has exclusive membership and a long waiting list, with new membership opportunities being offered rarely. Inside, the exclusive club contains two dining rooms and several areas, furnished in elegant themes ranging from the Victorian-age style to First Empire style. The menu for the restaurant changes due to season, as well as special events. A version of this exclusive club also exists in Tokyo Disneyland.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

June 3

Posted on June 3, 2013 by disneydetail

June 3, 2011 – Star Tours: The Adventures Continue Attraction Opens in Disneyland

StarToursAdventureContinues

“You never know where the Force might take you. With multiple storylines and locations, many different Star Tours adventures await you. Riding once is not enough!”

On June 3, 2011, the Disneyland Park attraction Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opened. It is an updated version of the original Star Tours attraction, with the Disneyland version opening a few weeks after the Walt Disney World version, which reopened on May 20, 2011. The attraction’s timeline takes place before the events of the original Star Tours attraction, between the events of the films Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The updated attraction was announced in 2005, and the Star Tours attraction was closed in 2010 for the total renovation. The Disneyland attraction’s exterior is modeled like a Tomorrowland space port, and has guests in the role of space travelers. C-3PO acts as the (unfortunate) pilot in this version, who gets inadvertently trapped in the cockpit of the ship as it takes off. During the “voyage,” a guest is randomly chosen as a Rebel spy, and the mission of the voyage is to deliver the spy to safety. In total, there are 54 different possible ride experiences, which includes two opening segments, three primary destination segments, three hologram message segments, and three ending destinations.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

June 1

Posted on June 1, 2013 by disneydetail

June 1, 1995 – The Disneyland Paris Attraction Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune Opens

Logo_disney-SpaceMountain

“Feel the g-force as you dodge screaming meteorites and black holes – and then go back and do it again!”

On June 1, 1995, the Disneyland Paris attraction Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune (translated as “From the Earth to the Moon”) opened in Discoveryland. The attraction is actually a variation of the popular Disneyland attraction Space Mountain, and was built to create interest around the then struggling park. It is the fastest of all versions of Space Mountain, and cost $89.7 million to create. The theme was inspired by author Jules Verne’s 1865 novel From the Earth to the Moon, and was the first roller coaster to have a synchronized audio track, known as the Synchronized On-Board Audio Track (SOBAT). The attraction’s queue area was designed for a Victorian feel, in keeping with the Verne story. In 2005, the attraction was redesigned, and was renamed Space Mountain: Mission 2.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

May 31

Posted on May 31, 2013 by disneydetail

May 31, 2008 – The Attraction Toy Story Midway Mania! Opens in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios

toy-story-mania-00

“Ride and shoot moving targets at this midway-style, 4D shootin’ game starring your favorite Toy Story characters.”

On May 31, 2008, the 4-D attraction Toy Story Midway Mania! opened in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. Inspired by the Toy Story franchise, guests board spinning vehicles while wearing 3-D glasses, and enter Andy’s room to play five carnival midway games. It is one of the most technologically advanced and expensive attractions created for the park, costing about $80 million. The host of the attraction is an Audio-Animatronic Mr. Potato Head, decked out as 1920s barker, who tells jokes and identifies people in the audience to talk to. The five games of skill are: Hamm & Eggs (shooting down barnyard animals and hardboiled eggs), Rex & Trixie’s Dino Darts (launching darts and popping balloons), Green Army Men Shoot Camp (baseball toss at plates), Buzz Lightyear’s Flying Tossers (a ring toss on the Little Green Men), and Woody’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Shootin’ Gallery (suction-cup darts shot at mine0cart targets). Each game has an Easter egg that triggers gameplay changes or additional targets.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
Newer Posts →