Dewayne Bevil

Space Mountain music: Hear all about it from an Imagineer

Disney World visitors this week are among the first to hear something new: Space Mountain set to music. An uptempo, futuristic soundtrack has been added to the Magic Kingdom roller coaster. I talked with Alex Wright, a show designer with Walt Disney Imagineering, about the change, which is an extension of adjustments made to Space [...]

A peek at Disney Pins, Vinylmation leading up to 40th anniversary of Disney World

I’ve had more than my usual allotment of Disney trading lately. Generally, I’m bewildered by all the options –  but I also know if I were to start serious collection of pins and Vinylmation figures, it would hurt my bottom line.
Last week I attended the Disney Pins Celebration at Epcot with hundreds of other folks [...]

Star sighting: Miss Florida, other Miss America contestants at Magic Kingdom

Jaclyn Raulerson — a.k.a. Miss  Florida 2010 — visits with Mickey Mouse at the Magic Kingdom on Friday. Raulerson and all the other contestants for Miss America 2011 spent the day at Walt Disney World. The pageant will be in Las Vegas on Jan. 15, 2011.
Raulerson, 20,  is a UCF student and a ninth-generation Floridian. [...]

Magic Kingdom: Vidia joins Tinker Bell at Pixie Hollow meet-and-greet

A new fairy has moved into Magic Kingdom. Here’s Vidia, hanging out with Tinker Bell at Pixie Hollow. Vidia started meeting with theme-park guests on Thursday. In fairy circles, Vidia is known for being a fast flier. Disney World has moved her in in advance of the release of “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Resuce” on DVD and [...]

New show will be called ‘Disney Channel Rocks!’

The new street show coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in October has a name: “Disney Channel Rocks!” (That’s the name, not a personal interjection.)
The show, as previously reported, will replace the current High School Musical 3: Senior Year — Right Here! Right Now! and have a similar format, only with one less exclamation mark.
“Rocks!” will [...]

Magic Kingdom: Where and when to find Night of Joy acts

Night of Joy — which is actually two nights of joyful noise — is fast approaching. The Christian music festival at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will take place on Sept. 10 and 11. Here’s the list of acts for each night, plus what time they’ll go on and on which stage.
Friday, Sept. 10
Group 1 [...]

Cirque du Soleil: Florida-resident tickets for $50

Florida residents can now purchase tickets to Cirque du Soleil’s “La Nouba” at Downtown Disney for $50. The deal is good for performances between  now and Oct. 23, 2010. It applies to the theater’s Category 2 seats, which typically sell for $85 and are primarily in the upper bowl or on the ends of the [...]

It’s not too late for another spin on Star Tours

Despite what you might have heard, Star Tours isn’t shut down — yet. Yes, yes, there was a “shutdown ceremony” last week during the after-hours Last Tour to Endor event (held in conjunction with Star Wars Celebration V) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but let’s just say that was pretend — dramatic license with pyrotechnics.
Star Tours [...]

Epcot: A look at the grand opening of Via Napoli

The grand opening of Via Napoli, a restaurant at the Italy pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase. There’s an emphasis on pizza, but there’s other fare as well.

The new eatery is along the backside of the Italy pavilion. There was basically nothing there before, and the previous Italian restaurant, Tutto Italia, remains open for business.

Earlier in [...]

Last Tour to Endor event will include special Star Wars touches

Coming soon: The return of the Jedi to Disney’s Hollywood Studios – But it’s not Star Wars Weekends, Part Deux.
On August 14, the theme park will be the site of Last Tour to Endor, a one-night-only, after-hours, separate-ticket occasion tied to the Star Wars Celebration V event based primarily at the Orange County Convention Center.
Guests [...]

Magic Kingdom: Main Street Electrical Parade extended indefinitely

They’re leaving the lights on at Walt Disney World. The return of the Main Street Electrical Parade to the Magic Kingdom has been extended indefinitely, WDW announced Thursday.
The parade began its current gig on June 6 and was scheduled to end its run on Aug. 14 with the rest of the Disney parks’ Summer Nightastic [...]

Star sighting: The Bachelor’s Vienna Girardi at Typhoon Lagoon

Central Floridian Vienna Girardi, who rose to fame during her stint on ABC’s The Bachelor, visited Typhoon Lagoon this weekend. She and her family cooled off in the warm temps at the Disney World water park. (Photo by Todd Anderson/Walt Disney C…

Passholders primed for Tower of Terror event on Friday the 13th

Disney World annual passholders can start registering Friday, July 23, for a special Tower of Terror event that will be held on Friday, August 13. Yep, Friday the 13th. (Cue lightning sounds!)
The after-hours event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will showcase the new drop sequence that has been in use during Disney’s Summer Nightastic promotion, which [...]

Epcot: Prepare for Neapolitan pizza

We’re just about two weeks away from the official opening of the long-anticipated Epcot pizzeria, which will be called Via Napoli and located in the back of the Italy pavilion of World Showcase.
Here are clues on what to expect, based on the menu and a news release from Patina Restaurant Group, which will open its new [...]

Epcot: Prepare for Neapolitan pizza

We’re just about two weeks away from the official opening of the long-anticipated Epcot pizzeria, which will be called Via Napoli and located in the back of the Italy pavilion of World Showcase.
Here are clues on what to expect, based on the menu and a news release from Patina Restaurant Group, which will open its new [...]

Star sighting: Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade at ESPN Wide World of Sports

NBA star Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat compared athletic wear with Mickey Mouse at ESPN Wide World of Sports this weekend. Disney World gave the player a trio of basketballs that formed the trademark shape of Mickey’s head. (Photo by Todd Anders…

La Nouba trading pin tied to New Year’s Eve ticket

A special Disney trading pin will be offered for New Year’s Eve at “La Nouba,” the Cirque du Soleil show at Downtown Disney.
The design of the limited edition pin will not be fully revealed until guests arrive on Dec. 31, a news release says. It’s the second time “La Nouba” has had a pin. The [...]

Star sighting: Mo’Nique at Epcot, Captain EO

Oscar-winning actress Mo’Nique prepares to view “Captain EO” at Epcot with 3-D glasses and one Mickey Mouse glove — very Michael Jackson on Friday, the re-opening day of the film at Walt Disney World. Mo’Nique is a comedian but won the Academy Award earlier this year for her dramatic role in Precious.

Also attending Friday were [...]

What’s old is new again as ‘Captain EO’ returns to Epcot

 
Walt Disney World continues its wave of nostalgia with the rebirth of Captain EO — a 3-D sci-fi movie featuring Michael Jackson and a crew of fuzzy space explorers — at Epcot. 
The film, which ran at the theme park from 1986 to 1994, returns July 2 for a limited run, although Disney has not announced [...]

‘Captain EO’: Performers recall making Michael Jackson’s 3-D movie set to return to Epcot

The return of Captain EO to Epcot will have folks in remember-when mode. Remember when EO opened in 1986 and director Francis Ford Coppola was there? Remember when Michael stood on that car outside the courthouse and waved to fans? Remember when we heard the news last year that he’d been taken to the hospital [...]

Star sighting: Gloria Estefan at Magic Kingdom

Singer Gloria Estefan poses with Toy Story 3’s Jessie the cowgirl as co-star Woody looks on Saturday near Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom. Estefan is visiting Walt Disney World with family and friends. (Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney Co.)

Star sighting: NFL’s Kurt Warner at Magic Kingdom

Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner (who did the “I’m going to Disney World” honors after the winning Super Bowl XXXIV with the St. Louis Rams) poses with his wife, Brenda, and two children, Dakota and Kate, from their First Things First Foundation at the Magic Kingdom this week.  The organization, in conjunction with Give Kids the [...]

Parks plan special events for Independence Day

Three of the Walt Disney World theme parks will mark Independence Day with special events on July 4.
+ At Epcot, the patriotic coda to IllumiNations will be attached. The showing will begin at 10 p.m. An expanded collection of the Voices of Liberty singers will be in concert at 12:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m. amd 3 p.m. [...]

Disney adds audio descriptions for park tours

Walt Disney World’s latest enhancement for guests with disabilities kicks in Sunday, June 27, with audio descriptions of its theme parks for folks for visual disabilities.
Disney already has detailed audio descriptions of 50 rides and attractions across its four theme parks in Florida and the two in Anaheim, Calif. The latest development guides guests [...]

Summer Nightastic: Attack on castle just another storytelling device

I have a new favorite thing at Walt Disney World. Actually, it’s more of a thing-within-a-thing. Nothing in the World makes my heart race than the middle portion of the newish nighttime fireworks show at Magic Kingdom.
That portion of the Summer Nightastic Fireworks Spectacular features rockets’ red glare against Cinderella Castle, a very intense scene [...]

Star sighting: Anthony Anderson (‘Law & Order’) at Epcot

Anthony Anderson, who starred in NBC’s Law & Order, checks out a Venetian mask at the Italy pavilion in Epcot with mask maker Giorgio Iurcotta (center) on Monday. Anderson is vacationing at Walt Disney World this week with his son Nathan (left), wife Alvina, and daughter Kyra (right). (Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney co.)

D Street: Grand opening features Vinylmation mania, breakdancing Mickey, painting spree

D Street, the new merchandise store at Downtown Disney, celebrated its grand opening this morning. There was, of course, a Disney Moment (trademark pending) beforehand, including pyrotechnics, the world’s fastest painter and breakdancing Mickey Mouse. That’s a lot of stimulation before lunchtime.
Inside, the store has a bit more stock than it had during the passholder [...]

Disney’s Imagineers rethink objects into works of art

An activity within the halls of Walt Disney Imagineering combines artistic endeavors, being green and creative stretching this month.
The third annual WDI Green Art Show shows off creative expression of cast members while emphasizing recycled materials. The objects range from traditional art materials to repurposed vertical blinds.
“If you get to play around with other media [...]

Disney Cruise Line: ‘Villains Tonight’ video shows off costumes, concepts

 
Disney Cruise Line has released a video featuring bits of its new “Villains Tonight” show, which is now aboard the Disney Magic cruise ship.
Along with moving pictures of the cast (and costumes) in action, there are interviews with bookwriter Hunter Bell, scenic designer Brad Kaye and actors Julia Tobey, Mo Brady and Ryan Dietz.
The video [...]

Star sighting: Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts at Magic Kingdom

Jay DeMarcus, one-third of country music supergroup Rascal Flatts, and his mother, Caron Myers, pose in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  DeMarcus brought his mother to Disney World for her birthday. (Photo by Diana Zalucky/Walt Disney Co.)

Flashbacks to the early days of Disneyland — one in living color

A post earlier this week on the Disney Parks blog included a photo of the first public appearance of the Mouseketeers. It’s 1955 at Disneyland.
It reminded me that months ago a co-worker forwarded me an old-school video he found online — and that I had never looked at it. It’s definitely worth sharing.
Jeff Altman found [...]

Disney Cruise Line: Remy will offer fine dining next year on Disney Dream

Our former colleague Scott Joseph shares some Disney Cruise Line news out of New York City on his “flog.” The upshot: When the Disney Dream sets sail early next year, it will have a fine, fine-dining restaurant called Remy, and the menu will be created by Scott Hunnel (Victoria & Albert’s) and Arnaud Lallement (l’Assiette [...]

Author keeps ‘Kingdom Keepers’ coming with kids, Disney villains

Author Ridley Pearson made a name for himself with novels featuring murder, thievery and other crimes.

His first trip to Disney World set his writing career on a kinder, gentler yet still thrilling path. Pearson is the mind behind Kingdom Keepers, a series of adventure books for young readers set within the inner workings of Disney’s [...]

Star sighting: Darius Rucker at Magic Kingdom

Singer Darius Rucker, former frontman of Hootie & the Blowfish, takes flight on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin at Magic Kingdom Tuesday. Along for the ride are daughter Dani and son Jack (front row) plus daughter Cary (back row, right) with family friend Rachel Herman.  Rucker won “Best New Artist” of the Year” at the 2009 [...]

Magic Kingdom: Musical lineup set for Night of Joy 2010

Walt Disney World has announced the lineup for the 2010 edition of Night of Joy, its Christian-music event that’s returning to Magic Kingdom theme park after a brief stay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Five of the 15 acts are new to the festival, which will be Sept. 10 and 11. [Each performer is booked for one [...]

Downtown Disney: New D Street sports Vinylmation, Adventurers Club relics

Over the weekend, I traveled to Downtown Disney for an annual passholder preview of D Street, a new West End store featuring funky, modern clothing (think Tren-D from the other end of Downtown Disney). But at least half the store is oriented toward Vinylmation, the collectible Mickey Mouse forms that seems to be growing in [...]

Star sighting: Atlanta Braves skipper Bobby Cox takes a bow

Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox sits in the dugout at ESPN Wide World of Sports before the Braves’ spring training game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. Cox is retiring after this season.

Cox waves to the crowd before the game — his last at the Disney World complex. He has worked with the Braves every spring since the Wide [...]

Star sighting: C.C. Sabathia at ESPN Wide World of Sports

New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia greets high school players before their game at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney World on Wednesday.  The teams are from Wausau West High School of  Wausau, Wis.,  and Whitney M. Young Magnet School of Chicago.  (Photos by Scott Miller)

Sabathia gave pitching advice to Adam Kramer (left) of [...]

Star sighting: Ryan McPartlin (‘Chuck’) at Magic Kingdom

Aye, aye, Captain, Captain! Ryan McPartlin, who plays Devon a.k.a. “Captain Awesome” on NBC’s Chuck, comes face to face with Captain Hook at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday. (Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney Co.)

Villains receive top billing, light-hearted approach in new Disney Cruise Line show

It’s all villains on deck for the newest show on the Disney Cruise Line.
Villains Tonight! is a musical comedy/variety production that’s making its official debut on the cruise that’s currently at sea aboard the Disney Magic out of Port Canaveral. The show was previewed for friends and family while in port Saturday.
The premise is that [...]

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