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MouseStation 111 – MousePlanetWatch news

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Walt Disney World News

Updated information about
the death at Expedition Everest confirms that Jeffery Chalmers Reeb (not

“Reed”, as reported last week) died of natural causes related to a an enlarged

heart and an irregular heartbeat.
Additional dining options
have been added through the New Year’s holiday at the Magic Kingdom to help

feed the huge crowds.
The Atlanta Braves return
to Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in February for their 11th spring

training visit.
Walt Disney World was named the World’s
Leading Theme Park/Attraction in the World

Travel Awards.
There’s been lots of construction
is going on around the resort, including prep work on the Kim Possible Interactive

Adventure at Epcot, rebuilding of the bus stops at loops 1100, 1200 and

1300 at Fort Wilderness, the load/unload walkway at Kali River Rapids and

a designation of the site for the Best Friends Pet Resort.
Quick Takes:
- The midnight showings of the special New Year’s edition of Fantasy
  in the Sky fireworks has picked up an extra night, and is now scheduled
  
  for December 29, 30 and 31.
- We’ve now got a stronger rumor of extra Pirate & Princess Party dates,
  though we still don’t have official confirmation from Disney.
- The changeover from Disney-MGM Studios to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
  is underway, as the Walt Disney World web site now shows the new name
  
  and old signage is coming down.
- 11-year Disney veteran Ken Potrock has been named to take over the
  Disney Sports leadership, replacing the recently-retired Reggie Williams.
- Walt Disney World International Program participants from Spain and
  Germany visited foreign language students at Rollins College to participate
  
  in a cultural exchange.

This and other news can be found in this week’s Walt

Disney World Park Update.

Disneyland News

Disneyland’s first new monorail
has arrived, and MousePlanet was the first to have photos

of the monorail being lifted onto the track. If you’re curious about

how the monorails actually work, MousePlanet’s Doc Krock wrote an article

back in 2001 describing the mechanics behind

the monorails. (Yes, the article didn’t get converted with the rest

of the site, so you’ll have to put up with our old color scheme to read

the article.) For more on the design of the Mark V monorails that will be

replaced by the new Mark VII – including a photo of the Mark III, to

which the Mark VII bears more than a passing resemblance – check out

George McGinnis’ guest article

from 2004 (in our current color scheme).
The winners of MousePlanet’s holiday photo
contest have been selected, and the winning photos

have been posted with commentary by MousePlanet staff photographer Frank

Anzalone.
The showing of Enchanted
at the El Capitan with the added attraction of “Disney’s Enchanted

Experience” has been extended through January 13. You can buy tickets

here.
NFFC’s annual “Strictly Disneyana”
show and sale will take place on January 20, 2008. You can get a $1 discount off the $6 admission price

by using the coupon on the show flyer here.
Vons is selling SoCal 1-day
Park Hopper tickets for $86 adults/$76 children.
For a preview of what’s going on over New
Year’s Eve , there’s information on the LA Times travel blog. Check

it out for information on New Years Eve at SoCal

theme parks and a 2008 Theme Park Preview
Eden Espinosa, who plays
Elphaba in “Wicked” at the Pantages Theater, got her start at

Disney.l Check out the story in the LA

Times.
There are even
more new hotels coming to the Disneyland area. Check out the story in

the Orange

County Register.
The River Belle Terrace
is now, indeed, officially open.
627 Tuba players may have set a new
world record in Downtown Disney. Check out the story in the Orange

County Register.

This and other news can be found in this week’s Disneyland

Park Update.

The Walt Disney Company News

A.D.
“Bud” Albers has been named Chief Technology Officer of the Walt Disney

Internet Group.
Disney-ABC International Television has made
a deal with Channel One, the Russian state television broadcaster to

put many Disney films on the small screens of millions of viewers in Russia.
Alan
Wagner, who served as the first president of the Disney Channel, died

last Tuesday in Manhattan.
Based on both the 3-day
and 5-day

weekend numbers, National Treasure: Book of Secrets was easily the

number one movie for the weekend. Meanwhile, after the 5-day weekend, Enchanted

topped the $100 million mark.