It's official! The Force to expand at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Today at the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced to an audience of more than 7,500 fans that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., allowing Star Wars fans to step into the stories from a galaxy far, far away.

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single themed land expansions ever at 14 acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

These authentic lands will have two signature attractions. Along with the thrilling battle experience, another attraction puts guests behind the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, as they take on a customized secret mission.

Iger also shared concept images of the Star Wars-themed lands, giving fans a glimpse at what is to come for Disney parks.

The partnership between Disney and Lucasfilm dates back to 1987, when the successful Star Tours attraction, inspired by George Lucas’s legendary Star Wars film series, opened at Disneyland. The attraction was then redesigned, emerging as “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” in 2011 and featuring more than 50 different story outcomes and the possibility to visit five different planets.

For 60 years, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been delighting millions of people with fantastic storytelling, exceptional entertainment and extraordinary experiences, creating places where guests can make life-long memories with their friends and families. This announcement marks an unprecedented time of growth with exciting developments happening around the world – from Disneyland Resort’s Diamond Celebration to the anticipated opening of Shanghai Disney Resort in China.

Photo Friday: Happy Fourth from Disneyland!

Happy 4th of July!

For this week's Photo Friday, let's head back in time to July 4th, 2013 and this shot from Disneyland's 4th of July fireworks celebration!

It's amazing how much fireworks can light up the night sky, this shot has not been altered at all (aside from resizing) - the sky was really that red during the fireworks.

Enjoy and happy birthday America!

Photo Friday: Dinner anyone?

Welcome back foolish mortals for another Tip Tuesday!

Last Friday I had the honor of sitting down at a Haunted Mansion themed table as part of Master Gracey's ball during Mousekemeets.

So this week, I thought I'd share a photo from one of the real Haunted Mansion ballroom scenes - this one from Disneyland.

It never ceases to amaze me the level of detail the Imagineers put into all their work.  The level of authenticity and believability is second to none, and I'm still blown away by the Pepper's Ghost effect, even if it is developed more than 100 years ago.

Anyway, enjoy!

Tip Tuesday: Thinking of going to Disneyland? First you have to get there

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

This week, I wanted to start a series of tips related to my recent Disneyland trip this May.  I spent about six days in sunny (really sunny and hot) Los Angeles, and managed to get in a few days at Disneyland and California Adventure.

As I planned for this trip, one immediate difference struck me between this trip and my past trips to Walt Disney World.  It was so obvious that I really took this major difference for granted -- how was I going to get there?

Well, duh... I was going to fly.

As I said, this was so obvious that I just took this decision for granted, but as I started to research further, I quickly found that this was not so simple - where was I going to fly to?

You may not be aware that the greater Los Angeles area has not one, but five airports - all served to some degree or another by airline carriers.

The main airports are the Los Angeles International Airport (better known as LAX), LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) and John Wayne International Airport (SNA).  Smaller airports are the Bob Hope Airport (BUR) located in Burbank and the Long Beach Airport (LGB) located in Long Beach, as the name implies.

While LAX is, by far, the largest airport in the LA area, it is not the closest to Anaheim.  That would actually be the John Wayne International Airport, located in Santa Ana.  From this airport, Disneyland is about a 20-40 minute drive, depending on traffic, whereas the drive from LAX to Anaheim is at least twice that long, if not much longer.  The Long Beach Airport is a close second, while the Bob Hope Airport is the furthest away.

So as you can see from the map above, in terms of distance, John Wayne or Long Beach are the best airports to fly into if you're going to Disneyland.  But... there's more to consider -- airfare.

Depending on what airline you fly, you might find a cheaper fare to LAX or ONT than SNA or LGB.  The good news is that Delta has many regular flights to SNA, which were cheaper than flights to LAX or ONT.  It all depends on what airline you use and what day and time of year you're flying.  The best thing to do is go online and check airfare for all the LA airports and see what you can get... and then check it again, and again, and again until you think you're found the best price.

Another benefit to John Wayne is that it's a MUCH smaller airport that LAX, which means it's far easier to get into and out of than the behemoth that is LAX.  Anyone who's been through LAX knows what I mean.

Before I wrap this up, I'll add one more variable to the mix.  Don't discount San Diego.  Yes, it's about a 90 minute drive to Anaheim (assuming no serious traffic issues), but it's a beautiful drive up I-5 and I've often found flights into San Diego (SAN is the airport code) can be even cheaper.  Remember, Disney don't provide any free ground transportation from any of the airports, so you're likely renting a car anyway.

Every Disney Parks fan needs to visit Disneyland at least once (I recommend visits every few years), so I hope these tips will come in handy whenever you start to plan that trip out west!

Tip Tuesday: Disneyland lodging

Welcome back for another Tip Tuesday!

With a trip to Disneyland the near future, I thought I'd share a tip about lodging when it comes to planning a Disneyland vacation.  One of the first major questions to answer is this:  to stay on property or not.

This is a key decision that must be made because it can impact many aspects of your trip.  Here's something you might not have considered before.

Do the Disney resorts give you closer access to the parks than off-site resorts?  Well the answer is both yes and no.  Certainly the Grand Californian provides the closest access to both parks - it is part of Disney California Adventure and has it's own special entrance to that park, so there's no beating the Grand Californian when it comes to proximity to the parks.

But what about the Disneyland Hotel and the Paradise Pier Hotel?

Click image for a larger view

If you take a look at the map to the right, you'll see the locations for the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel and the Good Neighbor Resorts on Harbor Boulevard.

Do you see how far away both the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotels are from the main esplanade between Disneyland and California Adventure?  True, there is the monorail station in Downtown Disney that is fairly close to the Disneyland Hotel providing transportation to Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom, but overall, it's pretty clear that the Good Neighbor Hotels, especially those right across from the main pedestrian entrance provide closer walking access to the park entrances than do the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel.

Now, I know location is only one factor to keep in mind.  There's also theming, which you certainly will not get with any of the Good Neighbor Hotels.  I've stayed at these hotels before and will be doing so again soon and I'm not under any illusion that these hotels provide anything more than a clean room with decent amenities.  If you're looking for any sort of theming or experience, you'll find it at a Disney hotel, not at any of the Good Neighbor Hotels.

On the other hand, there's the price to consider and there's simply no way the on-property resorts come anywhere close to the inexpensive rates of the Good Neighbor Hotels.  Some of the rates you can find along Harbor Boulevard will be half (or more) the rate for the on-property hotels.

It's all about determining what your priorities are.  If you are focused mostly on proximity and/or price, then the Good Neighbor Hotels are the way to go.  If, instead, you're focused more on amenities and experience, then you need to seriously consider one of the on-property hotels.

Once you've got an idea of where you want to stay, you'll next need to think about how you're going to get there.  I'll share some thoughts about that in a future post.

What do you think?  Which is the better option?  Staying on-property or off?  Post a comment!

No April Fool's joke! Audio versions of Kingdom Keepers 6 and 7 to be released April 1

Image courtesy Kingdom Keepers Insider

Kingdom Keepers fans - the day you've been waiting for will be here soon.  Today, Ridley Pearson released the cover for the anticipated final volume of the Kingdom Keepers series.

What is no surprise is that our favorite five heroes (and a few more) will have the final battle with the Overtakers at the place where all the Disney magic started -- Disneyland. 

Here's a description of the book from KingdomKeepersInsider.com:

The Kingdom Keepers’ senior year in high school is almost over. For more than three years, they’ve done little more than surveillance missions into the Disney parks after dark. Their battles are long behind them, they agree, the threat to the Disney realm silenced—albeit at great cost.

But inside the catacombs of the Aztec temple where Finn Whitman faced down his nemesis, the monstrous Chernabog, a new threat brews. One that will rise like a phoenix … or, more accurately, like a stealth bomber.

Deception and betrayal rock the Kingdom Keepers as the merciless group of Disney villains known as the Overtakers stage an unexpected comeback. Supercharged with black magic, the Overtakers seek an iconic element that will power them to victory and render the Keepers—not to mention all of Los Angeles—defenseless.

But a discovery by the Keepers provides them with one hope of victory––a lost icon that hasn't been seen in decades. Believed to be gone forever, it may yet be saved. If so, the Keepers have one last chance to preserve the heart of the Kingdom––Disneyland––from a terrifying destruction decades in the making.

But wait, there's more.

If you're like me, you've been enjoying the Kingdom Keepers series on audiobooks.  I spend a fair amount of time in the car, so I often listen to audiobooks.

Kingdom Keepers 1-5 are on audio, but, for various reasons, book 6 was never released on audio.  Well, that oversight will be corrected on April 1 as well.  According to the Brilliance Audio website, the audio versions of KK6 and KK7 will both be released on April 1.

Both titles are, again, read by MacLeod Andrews, who read all but the first Kingdom Keepers novels (book 1 was read by Christopher Lane).  As with the previous titles, these performances are unabridged.  Both books have run times of approximately 9 hours each.

As much as I'm looking forward to reading/hearing the final story in the Kingdom Keepers saga, I'm equally looking forward to finally enjoying book 6 and I prefer to - in it's audio format.

Photo Friday: It's A Curious World After All

 

It's back -- Photo Friday returns!

My apologies for the looonnngg absence - the journey to earn a Masters degree from USC became all-encompassing for the last few months.

But enough of the past -- moving on to the future!

And speaking of the future, since I'm planning a return to Disneyland soon, I thought I'd share a photo that the DisneyMommy especially enjoys -- Alice and the White Rabbit found in the Disneyland version of it's a small world. 

I'm still blown away at how different the Disneyland and Walt Disney World version of these attractions are.  I'll have more about that in a future post.

Anyway, it's good to be back!

Photo Friday: Climbing the Matterhorn

 

Time again for another Photo Friday!

This week, we're staying with the string of Disneyland-related photos from my trip this past June.  One fine clear day, I happened to catch the mountain climbers atop the Matterhorn in Fantasyland.  This is a fun sight to see as this group of cast members take turns climbing up and down the side of the Matterhorn mountain.  The only hitch, as you can see, is that their presence disturbs the forced perspective built into the summit of the mountain.

But it's still a neat shot and a fun thing to see in person if you get the chance!

Tip Tuesday: Single rider line

Welcome back for another Tip Tuesday!

This week, I want to begin sharing a few tips I picked up from my trip out west to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure over the July 4 weekend -- and I'm starting with the biggest tip of all - the single rider line (which is much more used in DL/DCA than at WDW).

Theme park experts know about the benefits of the single rider line, but for those of you who might not be aware, several (not all) Disney attractions offer a special line for single riders.  Often this line will move much faster than the regular standby line, though, of course, not as fast as a FastPass line (if available).

The purpose of the single rider line is to fill up ride vehicles when a group doesn't have enough people to fill the ride vehicle, particularly those with higher capacities.  So, for instance, a group of four comes up to Radiator Springs Racers.  The ride vehicle can hold six, so the group of four boards the vehicle, then (assuming a party of two isn't readily available), two single riders are sent to fill up the remaining seats.

Most people like to ride with their party and that's the major drawback of the single rider line.  As the name implies, you're riding on your own, most likely without your party.  On the (big) plus side, the wait times can be a mere fraction of the standby line time.  Case in point:  during the busy July 4 weekend at Disney California Adventure, I took the single rider line while the standby line was at a whopping 150 minutes (Fastpasses were long gone).  My total wait?  Somewhere around 35 minutes, and that was with a 5-8 minute complete ride stoppage.

Sometimes the single rider line can be hard to find.  For a couple of attractions at Disneyland, the single rider entrance actually was the exit, so if you're not sure if an attraction has a single rider line, just ask a cast member.

I wouldn't recommend the single rider line for young children because of some of the obvious safety concerns, but for teens and older, the single rider line can be a great way to quickly experience your favorite attractions again and again.  I was able to ride Radiator Springs Racers three times - all on a busy day where the standby wait was at least 60 minutes and sometimes much longer and Fastpasses were already gone.

So if you're ok with splitting up - go single rider!!  You'll get to do a lot more that you think!

Photo Friday: Disneyland for the Fourth

Welcome to another Photo Friday!

Well today's photo is literally hot off the camera.  I took this photo about 3 hours ago at Disneyland during the annual 4th of July fireworks spectacular!

I was all the way at the back of Main Street USA, but at least I had a good angle!

Happy Birthday America!

Disney announces new "Premier Passport"

For a few weeks, there has been a rumor circulating that Disney was considering offering a new annual pass for both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Upon hearing this rumor, many fans said "finally!"

Well today, Disney made it official. The new "Premier Passport" will be a combination of Walt Disney World's and Disneyland's Premier Annual Passes. The cost for this super pass is $700 a year.

Benefits for Passport holders at Walt Disney World:

• Unlimited admission for a period of one year to all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks, including park hopping privileges
  
• Unlimited admission to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Water Parks
  
• Unlimited admission to DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (valid only on event days; some events require an additional admission charge) and Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course (greens fee only. Tee time reservations are required and subject to availability)
  
• Parking at all four Theme Parks
  
• Subscription to Mickey Monitor, a collectible Passholder-only publication

Benefits for Passport holders at Disneyland Resort:

• Unlimited admission to both Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure
  Parks for a period of one year, including park hopping privileges
  
• Parking at any pay-on-entry parking lot
  
• Subscription to "Backstage Pass"
  
• Complimentary subscription to Disney’s Family Fun Magazine (one per household)

Guests who already have a Premium Annual Pass for both Resorts, will automatically be issued a “Disney Premier Passport” – with an expiration date based on the later of the two annual passes. Guests may also upgrade an annual or seasonal pass for one resort to a “Disney Premier Passport” for an additional fee.

Captain EO returns to Disneyland, for now

This coming February, the late Michael Jackson will return to Disneyland as Captain EO, one of Disney's first 3D films will once again be shown, according to the DisneyParks official blog. Disney officials say Captain EO will take over the space currently housing Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Captian EO's time at Disneyland will be limited, though there was no indication of how long EO would run.

This announcement has re-ignited rumors that a similar move is planned for Epcot at Walt Disney World, where Honey I Shrunk the Audience currently is playing in the space Captain EO first premiered in Sept. 1986. Thus far, there is no word from Disney on any plans for Captain EO at Epcot.

My take:
While I'm not a huge MJ fan, it would be nice to see EO return to Epcot for a limited time. This would be a good opportunity for Disney to take out an aging outdated attraction like HISTA and, after EO's run is done, replace it with something new and fresh.

Epcot's Illuminations named best outdoor night show

Amusement Today has announced their 2009 Golden Ticket Awards, honoring the best of the best in amusement/theme parks.

In the outdoor night show production category, Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth was named the best production. The Disney parks took four of the top five spots in this category (Disneyland 2nd, Disney's Hollywood Studios 4th and Magic Kingdom 5th).

Also, The Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios earned second place for the best dark ride, while Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland placed 4th.

As for indoor roller coasters, Disney earned several honors. Rock N' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios was named 2nd while Space Mountain earned double honors (Disneyland's version placed 3rd while WDW's version placed 5th).

Disney parks, however, didn't fare quite as well in many of the other categories including best park and best new ride. Cedar Point took the top honors in the best park category. Disneyland and WDW's Magic Kingdom were the only Disney parks represented at 3rd place and 8th place respectively. Disney didn't make the best new ride list. Blizzard Beach earned a 3rd place spot in the best waterpark category.

Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom did place 4th and 5th in the cleanest park category, but, interestingly enough, no Disney park made the list in the friendliest park staff category.

Disney's Hollywood Studios came in 4th place in the best shows category, while Epcot came in 3rd place for best food. Epcot and Animal Kingdom came in 3rd and 4th place respectively for best landscaping while Spash Mountain was named 3rd place in best water ride at an amusement/theme park. As for best waterpark ride, Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach came in 5th place.

When it comes to the holidays, no Disney park made the list for best Halloween event, while Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom came in 3rd and 4th place for their Christmas events.

Finally, Amusement Today also released the top 50 steel and wooden roller coasters. Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom was ranked 36th and Disneyland's Space Mountain ranked 49th. Disney doesn't have any wooden coasters.

It all started 54 years ago today...

“To all who come to this happy place; welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America...with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

With these words said on July 17, 1955, the Happiest Place on Earth was born. Today marks the 54th anniversary of Disneyland and the final day in the career of one of the greatest Imagineers ever, Marty Sklar.

Of course, the opening of Disneyland didn't go as smoothly as Walt would have wished, but open it did and has become a signature piece of America ever since.

So Happy Anniversary Disneyland and to Marty Sklar, we thank you for all your years of service and dedication to making Disney magic. We wish you all the best in all you do.

Kobe Bryant and Lakers celebrate NBA win on Main Street... in Disneyland

Celebrating the best in basketball, the Disneyland Resort saluted the 2009 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday with a victory parade down Main Street U.S.A, in Disneyland park.

Kobe Bryant, MVP of the recent NBA Finals, smiled and waved to fans as he rode on a float to represent the Lakers in the special, celebration parade.

Some favorite Disney characters joined the magical parade as Disneyland guests cheered for the Lakers and their 15th NBA championship. The Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic to win the title in a “Fairytale Series” that matched up teams located near Disneyland Resort, in Anaheim , and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando .

“It’s like a dream come true to be here and celebrate at Disneyland, coming down Main Street U.S.A. with all the fans cheering,” Bryant said after the parade. “It’s a tremendous honor to represent my team.”

The presidents of the two Resorts, Ed Grier at Disneyland and Meg Crofton at Walt Disney World, made a friendly wager on the NBA Finals. On Thursday, Meg Crofton fulfilled her pledge by donning a pair of Lakers’ purple and gold Mickey Mouse ears and walking down Main Street, U.S.A. , in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

Each of the Resorts also turned the lights of their respective castles to the team colors of the Lakers and the Magic, in celebration of the historic pairing. Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland park was glowing with Lakers purple and gold during the NBA Finals and will stay that way through Thursday night.

“I heard there was a little competition with Disneyland and Disney World and we won,” Kobe Bryant said, “so our colors are staying up a little bit longer.”

Two of the many Lakers fans at Disneyland on Thursday were selected to ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds with Bryant after the parade. David Guerrero and his son Jonathan, 4, of Pomona , are Annual Passport holders and they came to Disneyland in their team jerseys to celebrate the Lakers’ World Championship.

“They just picked us out of the crowd and said, ‘Do you want to ride the Matterhorn with Kobe ?’ I’m shaking, this is so exciting,” David Guerrero said as Jonathan jumped up and down. “In Southern California , being a Disney fan and a Lakers fan, it just goes together and that’s why we wanted to be here today.”

The Disneyland Resort victory parade provided yet another reason for dancing in the streets as Disney Parks asks guests, "What Will You Celebrate?" in 2009. Guests are celebrating birthdays, graduations, engagements and more at Disney Parks and they are utilizing an unprecedented offer good throughout 2009 – the opportunity to visit a theme park at Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resort free on their birthdays.*

Disney Legends to receive Main St. windows at Disneyland

According to the D23 Web site, on April 29, for the first time in history, two people will receive a window on Main Street, U.S.A. on the same day. The windows will honor Disney Legends and former Walt Disney Imagineers Rolly Crump and the late Don Edgren. Look for Rolly and Don's names over the porch of the old bra shop and above the Silhouette Studio.

Rolly Crump is best known for his work at Disneyland on the Haunted Mansion, the Enchanted Tiki Room, it's a small world, the Carousel of Progress, among other projects. Crump also contributed to the development of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. After a brief stint away from Disney, Crump returned to work on several pavilions in Epcot. He was inducted as a Disney legend in 2004.

Don Edgren was the original chief engineer in the field for the original construction of Disneyland. He also led the Imagineering engineering team for New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, while also participating in the initial master planning for Walt Disney World in Florida. He was inducted as a Disney legend in 2006.

(source: Disney Legends Web site)

Disney reveals "Small World" additions to Disneyland

A favorite Disneyland attraction returns to Fantasyland, Friday, Feb. 6, when "it's a small world" opens with some new storytelling magic. With the premiere of a new "Spirit of America" scene, new musical enhancements and a new look for some of the attraction's familiar child dolls, "it's a small world" will once again take guests of all ages on "the happiest cruise that ever sailed."

This classic attraction has been renovated and enhanced while retaining the world-renowned charm that holds such a special place in the hearts of Disneyland guests. The "it's a small world" journey continues to celebrate children of the world and their message of harmony and friendship. And now, for the first time, guests will be able to find some of the child dolls dressed as their favorite Disney characters, in the countries where their stories take place. For example, dolls dressed in Aladdin and Jasmine costumes are in the Middle East scene, and a doll dressed as Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" appears in the Great Britain scene.

Guests will enjoy riding "it's a small world" again and again as they search for the 29 Disney and Disney·Pixar characters now represented in the attraction. The new doll costumes and playful toy decorations are fashioned in the same artistic style that was created by art director, color stylist, Disney Legend and Imagineer Mary Blair, whose sense of design shaped "it's a small world" from the beginning.

Also among the enhancements is an entirely new "Spirit of America" scene. It's based on original concept art by Mary Blair and maintains the "it's a small world" theme that friendship crosses all nationalities, including that of the United States. Additional fresh touches may be found in the augmented "it's a small world" soundtrack. As the familiar "it's a small world" plays throughout the attraction, now some subtle film music is seamlessly woven into the song as counterpoint melodies fitting the characters represented in certain scenes.

The "it's a small world" attraction made its debut as an exhibit at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. After two hit seasons at the fair, the attraction moved to Disneyland in California where it was expanded and then dedicated by Walt Disney himself on May 28, 1966.

My take: This looks like a great addition to IASW. The characters don't take away from the overall theme and intent of the attraction. As the Imagineers had intendend, it really "plusses" the attraction, rather than taking something away. I hope this enhancement makes its way to Walt Disney World very soon.

I know Disney purists are having a fit right now, but, to be honest, even Walt wasn't a "purist." He always thought of his parks as an ever-changing thing. That's how it should be.

Video report from the Los Angeles Times:

Disneyland to use recycled cooking oil to power railroad, riverboat

CNBC is reporting that Imagineers at Disneyland have come up with a way to recycle cooking oil to power the Disneyland Railroad and the Mark Twain Riverboat. In addition, the company is using compressed natural gas to fuel the guest trams. This is all part of Disneyland's innovative environmental initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Here's an excerpt from the article:

"These initiatives demonstrate Disneyland Resort's ongoing commitment to balancing environmental stewardship throughout our operations," said Michael O'Grattan, senior vice president of resort operations. "These are just a few steps in our ongoing journey to reduce Disneyland Resort's environmental footprint." Used Cooking Oil Fuels Disneyland Railroad Beginning this week, the Disneyland Railroad is being fueled by a special biodiesel made from recycled cooking oil used throughout the Resort. "We have been recycling our used kitchen grease for years, but this innovation takes recycling to another level," said Frank Dela Vara, Disneyland Resort's director of environmental affairs and conservation. "Now the oil used to cook French Fries and other foods is processed to power our Disneyland Railroad and our Mark Twain Riverboat. This move allows the Resort to save approximately 200,000 gallons of petroleum diesel per year." The Disneyland Railroad's five trains have been using a soy-based biodiesel since April 2007. The B99.9 used cooking oil-based biodiesel will continue to reduce emissions by up to 80 percent. Disneyland Resort's Mark Twain Riverboat also will begin using the new biodiesel within the next few weeks.

No word yet on when these initiatives may make their way over to Walt Disney World.

Pins give sneak peek into changes at Small World in Disneyland

The L.A. Times has an article showing some pins that Disney inadvertently released which give a glimpse into some of the changes coming to It's a Small World in Disneyland (see image below, courtesy of The LA Times). Disney fans will recall that Imagineering planned to subtly insert classic Disney characters into different parts of the attraction. Purists were aghast and even Mary Blair, the original artist who created the IASW dolls, pleaded with Imagineering to cancel this idea.



Well Disney decided to move forward with the concept, and personally, I'm glad they did. Based on some of the pin designs, it seems that the Imagineers really did try to make these additions as subtle as possible - almost like a hidden Mickey. I think this will re-invigorate an old attraction. Sure, there is a certain amount of nostalgia when it comes to the originals (though IASW isn't an opening day attraction). But remember this, Walt always said that Disneyland (and Walt Disney World) are ever changing. Walt would have approved of something like this. He never would have wanted any attraction to become set in stone and unchanging.

I just hope these changes make their way to IASW at WDW. I, for one, would actually look forward to riding IASW instead of feeling like my daughter is dragging me onto the attraction.

What do you think? Should Disney update Walt Disney World's IASW like Disneyland's?