MouseStation 174 – MousePlanetWatch news
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Run time 0:38:38
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Walt Disney World News
- After announcing a free dining plan for Disney Visa cardholders last Monday Disney added an offer for the general public on Thursday. Check out this week’s Park Update for the codes. Thanks to Sue Pisaturo of MousePlanet sponsor Small World Vacations for passing along all of the details!
- A passholder preview for Toy Story Mania! will be held on May 10-12.
- The “line rage” trial ended with Victoria Walker being convicted of battery of Aimee Krause. Sentencing is set for next Wednesday.
- The three finalists for the Disney Dream Chief Magic Official (CMO) have been released. Along with David Hawley and radio DJ Tripp West, MousePlanet reader and MousePad discussion forum member Justin Muchoney has been voted a finalist. It’s a good bet that West is going to be mobilizing his listener base to vote for him, so let’s leverage the power of the MouseStation to support Justin! The polls open on Monday, April 14, and will run through April 22. So vote early, and vote often for Justin Muchoney and support the MousePlanet family! After all, his possivisionouraging is contagious!
- Registration has opened for the Race for the Taste 10K on October 12.
- The list of construction permits filed with Orange County includes refencing part of Echo Lake at the Studios, replacing filters at Kali River Rapids, adding new vending machines in the queue area at Lights Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show, and plenty of other work across Walt Disney World.
- Quick Takes:
- Registration is now at 80% of capacity for both the 2008 Go Red for Women 5K and the 2008 Disney’s Women Run the World 15K. The 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon is now 55% full.
- Disney Parks & Resorts has worked with the Travel Channel to produce seven one-hour episodes of “Season of Disney”, which will feature Samantha Brown and Jeff Corwin showing their favorite things about Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the Disney Cruise Line.
- Disney’s Costuming & Cosmetology Design Team recently won two 2008 North American Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors (NAUMD) Image of the Year awards in the Hotel and Entertainment categories.
- Disney senior vice president of conservation and environmental sustainability Jerry Montgomery has been appointed by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to the board of the South Florida Water Management District.
- Orlando International Airport has moved up past Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul to become the 11th busiest passenger airport in the U.S. in 2007.
- WFTV is reporting that a family is suing Walt Disney World after their 15-year-old daughter suffered some cuts and bruises while riding the Crush ‘n’ Gusher at Typhoon Lagoon.1
This and other news can be found in this week’s Walt Disney World Park Update.
Disneyland News
- The greatly expanded Food & Wine Festival began Friday at Disney’s California Adventure.
- The Disneyland Resort recognized Julie Andrews for her role as the ambassador for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration by dedicating “Jingles,” the lead horse of King Arthur Carrousel, in her honor.
- In a first-ever collaboration with the Newport Beach Filn Festival, Walt Disney Studios is represented at a pair of events at the 2008 Newport Beach Film Festival.
- Disney announced last week that the popular Virtual Magic Kingdom online game will cease operation on Wednesday, May 21.
- The Spring 2008 MouseAdventure drew record numbers of teams and players to the Disneyland Resort for a day of fun and frustration under the blazing California sun.
- This and That:
- Monorail Blue arrived at the Disneyland Resort last week.
- MouseOwners.com reported last week that the model rooms for the Disney’s Vacation Club Grand Californian Villas will open at the Disneyland Resort DVC sales center by Memorial Day weekend.
- We reported last week that Disneyland has been testing a GPS device that allows users to determine their location within Disneyland park and locate nearby restaurants and attractions. We learned last week that the units come from Fun Finder GPS.
- The Disney Rewards Visa Card Character meet and greet location has relocated from the shuttered “Seasons of the Vine” attraction, and is now located in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area.
- There are a few changes to the Attraction Refurbishment schedule at the Disneyland Resort.
This and other news can be found in this week’s Disneyland Park Update.
The Walt Disney Company News
- Philippe Gas has been named President of Euro Disney, replacing Karl Holz, who has been selected as President of New Vacation Operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
- Labor unions representing all of the other Disney parks worldwide are joining the new union representing Hong Kong Disneyland cast members for a three-day global conference on union representation and working conditions in Hong Kong this week.
- Following the international TV deals we reported last week, Disney continued its wheeling and dealing, signing agreements with Indian cable channel Zee Studio for distribution of Disney films on their channel, licensing films to Magyar Telekom in Hungary, including that country’s first-ever Video on Demand agreement, and launching a Latin American version of Playhouse Disney.
- Continuing to fuel rumors that it will station a ship in Europe when its two new ships are built, the Disney Cruise Line opened an office in London, with a focus on increasing its presence internationally.
- The Kirstie Kelly for Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings collection has added a new Giselle series, which premiered Sunday evening during Briday Fashion Week in New York City.
- It looks like High School Musical 4 is already on the books, slated for 2009 or 2010.
- A year after the rollout of the new Disney.com web site, the results are proving to be impressive.
- Animation legend Ollie Johnston, the last surviving member of Walt’s Nine Old Men, passed away from natural causes at age 95 on Monday at a long term care facility in Sequim, Washington. In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting donations to the California Institute of the Arts, the World Wildlife Fund or the National Resources Defense Council.
- The Miramax film Smart People debuted at number 7 at the box office this week with a take of almost $4.1 million.
Administrative stuff
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Wrapping up
On April 27, Mark will be walking to raise money for the March of Dimes for the third time. Please consider supporting him. The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.
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