Archive for the 'Disneyland' Category
The Michael Jackson theme park that never was, but still could be
November 5, 2009 12:29pm
Michael Jackson dreamed of a theme park based on the J.M. Barrie story of “Peter Pan,” complete with looping roller coasters, 3-D flight simulators, water rides, stunt shows, dinner theater, nighttime spectaculars and hotels.
The Disney and More blog has the full story of how the dream nearly became reality, including blueprints and concept art from the envisioned project.
In the late 1990s, the King of Pop partnered with Burbank-based Landmark Entertainment Group — the creators of the Spider-Man ride at Islands of Adventure and the Jurassic Park water ride at Universal Studios Orlando — to draft a plan for Peter Pan’s Neverland theme park.
The concept looks remarkably similar to Disneyland past and present, with all the Peter Pan parts of the park (pirate ship, dark ride, skull rock) amplified and embellished with plenty of pixie dust.
Peter Pan’s Neverland envisioned a grand entrance into Victorian London with replicas of Kensington Gardens, Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.
On Neverland Island, reached by boat, there were six themed lands:
Read the rest of this entry »
First look: ‘Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee’ opens at Disneyland for a limited run
November 5, 2009 7:28am
I got a sneak peek at “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee” last night, and I have to say I really enjoyed the latest Disneyland show.
The limited-engagement show, tied to the upcoming “Princess and the Frog” animated movie from Disney, begins its daily run at the Anaheim theme park starting Friday (Nov. 6). The 20-minute production — presented four times a day — continues through Jan. 3.
About three dozen performers dressed in 1920s-era Mardi Gras costumes dance through the crowds in second-line fashion near New Orleans Square before boarding the Mark Twain Riverboat for a floating musical revue.
The hybrid parade-show combines two of my favorite experiences at Disneyland: Read the rest of this entry »
Knott’s vs. Universal: Halloween scare fests battle to a bloody draw
October 14, 2009 4:08pm
The bloody writing is on the wall: Universal Studios Hollywood is this close to overtaking Knott’s Berry Farm for the top Halloween event in Southern California.
As in years past, it comes down to quality versus quantity: Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights puts on a far better show, but Knott’s Halloween Haunt is still twice as big and far more established.
For 2009, Knott’s has 13 mazes, seven shows and three scare zones over 28 nights compared with Universal’s four mazes, two shows, six scare zones over 16 nights.
Halloween bloodfest heats up at Southern California theme parks
October 2, 2009 8:58am
October marks the return of the annual death match between Halloween Haunt at Knott’s Berry Farm and Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood for the blood-splattered title of best Halloween theme park event in Southern California.
Halloween Haunt, celebrating its 37th year, is universally regarded as the granddaddy of Halloween events. Halloween Horror Nights, which focuses on movie-set-quality authenticity, is the bloodier and gutsier upstart bent on Halloween supremacy.
My recommendation: Hit ‘em both. You won’t be disappointed.
Fright Fest at Six Flags Magic Mountain, which includes its Halloween event as part of general admission, can’t compare or compete with the big boys. Disneyland, Legoland and SeaWorld San Diego focus more on family-friendly fare.
In Northern California, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom delivers a similar Fright Fest event, and California’s Great America offers its slim-downed take on Halloween Haunt.
2009 Halloween events at California theme parks:
Halloween events at U.S. theme parks
October 1, 2009 12:16pm
If the calendar on the wall says October, then it must be time for Halloween mazes, monsters and mayhem to take over theme parks across the U.S.
Here’s a rundown of the haunted attractions:
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.
Disneyland: Get your turkey legs at new food kiosk
September 13, 2009 6:30am
There’s not a whole lot of extra space at Disneyland, so it’s always surprising when a new building pops up at the 54-year-old Anaheim theme park.
A new food kiosk, wedged next to the Matterhorn roller coaster and the Monorail track, has been designed to look like a Swiss chalet in order to blend in with the surrounding mountain village theme.
Edelweiss Snacks, currently under construction and scheduled to open Sept. 25, will serve lunch, dinner and snacks.
Among the offerings:
Read the rest of this entry »
Star Tours reboot coming to Disneyland and Disney World in 2011
September 12, 2009 12:01pm
The 1980s-era Star Tours attractions at Disneyland in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida will get a complete overhaul by 2011, Disney announced today.
In the new 3-D version of the venerable simulator ride, visitors board a Starspeeder and join a high-speed pod race through the desert canyons of Tatooine in a scene from the “Star Wars” movie series.
Theme park news: Legoland water park, Real Madrid theme park, Wizarding World DVD extras, Neverland negotiations
September 12, 2009 5:58am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
* Legoland California to open a separate-admission, 5.5-acre water park by summer 2010. (L.A. Times)
* Built in 1927 and rebuilt in 1948 and 1994, Comet coaster at Great Escape in New York gets American Coaster Enthusiasts landmark designation. (Screamscape)
* DVD extras on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” movie to include short feature on Wizarding World themed land at Universal Studios Orlando. (Orlando Sentinel)
* Report: Michael Jackson’s family negotiating to open Neverland as a Graceland-like amusement park by Christmas. (New York Post)
* Disney: No plans to use Marvel characters in Orlando parks, no concerns about brand confusion with Universal Studios. (Orlando Sentinel)
