Archive for the 'Disney's Animal Kingdom' Category
How to get free tickets to Disneyland and Disney World in 2010
September 29, 2009 3:01pm
Starting in 2010, Disney will give away free theme-park tickets to 1 million people who spend a day volunteering in their community.
The give-a-day, get-a-day marketing campaign — which replaces the wildly successful 2009 free-on-your-birthday promotion — starts Jan. 1, 2010 and runs through Dec. 15, 2010.
Volunteers must pre-register online at the HandsOn Network — which represents more than 70,000 nonprofit agencies nationwide — to be eligible for the free ticket.
The tickets are valid at six theme parks in the U.S.:
Disneyland and Disney World to launch official Disney theme park blog
September 28, 2009 10:54am
The Disney theme parks will finally join the blogosphere today in an attempt to bring some of the rabid faithful currently chatting at unofficial fan websites under the corporate umbrella.
Check out the new blog at http://disneyparks.com/blog/.
The blog will be the official source for information about new rides and attractions, exclusive videos and photographs as well as in-depth coverage of events at Disney theme parks in the United States.
Get your mouse ears on for the opening of the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco
September 7, 2009 5:59am
Walt Disney, the man whose creativity spawned an international entertainment industry, will finally get his due Oct. 1 when the Walt Disney Family Museum opens in San Francisco.
The interactive museum is in San Francisco’s Presidio, a former U.S. military facility that is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The museum will focus on the life and times of Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and Disneyland, among other internationally known characters, films and businesses.
Highlights will include Disney’s successes and disappointments and the creation of characters that have become an indelible part of pop culture in the U.S.and abroad.
Poll: Would you pay for FastPass perks at Disney theme parks?
July 22, 2009 11:19am
Disneyland issues VIP FastPasses to celebrities, fights the sale of the line-cutting tickets online and dreams of a day when visitors can reserve ride times via cellphone.
So that raises the obvious question: Would visitors pay to use the theme park giant’s currently free FastPass system?
Disney theme parks around the world offer variations on the FastPass ride reservation system, which allows visitors to return to an attraction at a designated time and enter via a shorter line.
* Hong Kong Disneyland sells a $25 Star Pass booklet that offers “priority entrance” to six of the theme park’s most popular attractions.
* Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., is testing a new centralized FastPass distribution system in which visitors pick up all their line-hopper passes at a single location, according to Mice Age.
* Disneyland Paris provides VIP FastPasses to visitors staying at on-property hotels that offer “immediate access” to nine attractions at the resort’s two theme parks.
Vote: Would you pay for FastPass perks at Disney theme parks?
Walt Disney World monorail crash kills driver
July 5, 2009 4:14pm
A Walt Disney World monorail driver was killed early this morning when two trains collided as visitors were leaving the theme park, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Stunned employees and park visitors tried to reach Austin Wuennenberg, the 21-year -old monorail driver who was trapped in the crushed cockpit, local news reports said. (Watch eyewitness video of the crash scene from Orlando TV station WKMG.)
Wuennenberg was pronounced dead at the scene, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The monorail trains collided around 2 a.m. Sunday at the Transportation and Ticket Center, located at the parking lot of the Magic Kingdom, according to Walt Disney World spokesman Mike Griffin.
Disney to offer ride wait-time updates via cellphone
November 12, 2008 7:18am
My friend and colleague Dawn Chmielewski reports that starting next year, visitors to Disney theme parks will be able to use their cellphones to check ride wait times, locate restaurants and find characters as well as receive admission discounts and merchandise deals.
Disneyland and Walt Disney World visitors would have to download an application to their Verizon Wireless phones to access the information. Some information would be available regardless of your wireless company.
Disney World prepares for Tropical Storm Fay
August 18, 2008 3:25pm
As Tropical Storm Fay approached Florida today, Walt Disney World Resort continued to operate normally, but will open its four theme parks an hour early, at 8 a.m. Tuesday, “to ensure our guests have opportunities to enjoy our parks and Downtown Disney offerings.”
The resort also said it would not waive cancellation or change fees for pre-booked vacation packages unless Fay is upgraded to a hurricane.
The storm policy at Walt Disney Travel Co. allows such fees to be waived on “Magic Your Way” vacations only if the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for the Orlando area or for a guest’s home within seven days of the scheduled arrival, according to spokeswoman Jacquee Polak.
Funland amusement + theme park blog
December 11, 2007 3:54pm
The Los Angeles Times Funland blog covers news, trends, issues and changes at the major California theme and amusement parks as well as the latest information on new rides, attractions, shows and parades.
Most Popular (See ALL Funland stories)
> How the Disney-Marvel deal affects Universal Studios theme parks
> Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open at Universal Studios Orlando in 2010
> Iger: No plans to bring ‘Captain EO’ back to Disneyland
> Knott’s Berry Farm to add 1980s-era thrill ride in 2010
> Snoops reveal Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park secrets
> Disneyland unveils Halloween theme for Space Mountain, fireworks show
> Walt Disney World monorail crash kills driver
> Could ‘Flash Mountain’ return, in light of Disneyland job cuts?
> Disneyland fires Jack Sparrow — but don’t believe the salacious rumors
> Universal Studios Hollywood to replace ‘King Kong’ with new attraction
Most Commented
> Disneyland passholders: Watch out for birthday blackout dates
> Jonas Brothers tape Christmas Day Parade at Disneyland
> Miley Cyrus’ dad to join her onstage at Disneyland Sweet 16 birthday party
> Man hit by roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon throw wedding reception at Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Coaster Wars II: Magic Mountain vs. Cedar Point
> Exclusive tour inside Disneyland’s Dream Suite
> Magic Mountain relinquishes coaster crown
> Dearly departed – on Disneyland rides!
Series Recaps
> Complete coverage: Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure
> Complete coverage: X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Complete coverage: Pony Express at Knott’s Berry Farm
> Complete coverage: The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood
> Complete Coverage: Land of Adventure at Legoland California
> $1.1 billion California Adventure expansion preview
> 2008 amusement & theme park preview
Park by Park
> Disneyland
> Disney’s California Adventure
> Knott’s Berry Farm
> Universal Studios Hollywood
> Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Legoland California
> SeaWorld San Diego
> San Diego Zoo
> San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park
> Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
> California’s Great America
> Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
> Magic Kingdom
> Epcot
> Disney’s Hollywood Studios
> Disney’s Animal Kingdom
> Disneyland Paris
> Tokyo Disneyland
> Hong Kong Disneyland
> Universal Studios Florida
> Islands of Adventure
> Cedar Point
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During the summer months, Funland will also focus on California’s water parks: Raging Waters (San Dimas, San Jose and Sacramento), Knott’s Soak City (Buena Park, Chula Vista and Palm Springs), Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (Valencia) and Wild Rivers (Irvine).
You’ll also find occasional Funland posts on national and international theme and amusement parks.
Funland Friends
Enthusiast sites
> Screamscape – The Ultimate Guide to Theme Parks
> Theme Park Review – News, updates, photos and videos
> Theme Park Insider – Ride reviews and reader ratings
> Roller Coaster Database – Searchable information on coasters worldwide
> Theme Park Syndicate – Theme park news aggregator
> CoasterBuzz – Portal to the thrill
> Lifthill – Roller coasters, thrill rides and theme parks
> News Plus Notes – Amusement industry news and notes
> Theme Park Rangers — Inside scoop on Orlando attractions
> Westcoaster — News, reviews and rumors on California coasters
> Roller Coaster Pro — “High quality amusement information”
> About.com Theme Parks — Guide to Florida & California parks
> Bear-y Tales — Unofficial Knott’s news and information
> IOA Central — Universal Studios fan site
> Orlando United — Universal and Disney parks in Florida
> Thrill Ride — Ride reviews & random notes
> Ultimate Rollercoaster – Definitive guide to coasters, thrill rides and amusement parks
>
Disney fan sites
> MiceAge – A different look at Disney
> MousePlanet – Consumer’s guide to Disney and theme parks
> Blue Sky Disney – Insider info on Imagineering
> Jim Hill Media – News, reviews, history and commentary
> Yesterland – Discontinued Disneyland attractions
> DoomBuggies – Tribute to Disney’s Haunted Mansion
> The Disney Blog – Disney news and information
> Mickey News – Your complete source for everything Disney
> Laughing Place – Connecting Disney fans around the world
> Mouse Links — A Little Dose of Disney column
> Inside the Magic — Weekly podcast
> Original D — Dedicated to the original Disney park
> Broke Hoedown – The PG-13 ramblings of a Disney fan
> Disney Report — Breaking news from the world, land & company
> Visions Fantastic — Trip planning, discussion, audio & video
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>Industry sites
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> BlooLoop – Networking the Attraction Business
> Amusement Parks USA – Carnivals, fairs, festivals and amusement parks
> Amusement Today – All about the business of fun
> Funworld – Amusement industry magazine
> Park World - News, commentary, profiles, interviews, trade show reports and new ride information
> InPark – Covers theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums and museums
> Amusement Today — Amusement industry trade newspaper
> InPark Magazine — Theme park, water park & museum industry news
— Brady MacDonald / Los Angeles Times staff writer + theme park blogger
