My Disney Blog

UK Disney Fans - May I Have Your Attention!

Do you think your town is the most magical place to live? Does it have a touch of sparkle that makes it stand out from a crowd? Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the place where dreams come true, is searching for a UK town, village or city to become its first official “twin town” so now’s your chance to tell the world why your home town is so special.

From now until 22 November 2009, anyone across the UK (over 18 years) can nominate their home village, town or city to become the Walt Disney World twinned town by visiting www.waltdisneyworldtwinnedtown.co.uk. Full terms are available on the website.

The winning location will be announced as having official “Walt Disney World Twinned Town” status and arrangements will be made to hold a magical Disney party in January to celebrate the twinning. Plus, the lucky person who submits the winning nomination will jet off to Walt Disney World in Florida with their family (max 4 people) for the official twinning ceremony presided over by the mayor of Main Street, U.S.A., in the fairy tale Magic Kingdom.

To nominate your town, you can write about how great it is, take photographs, or even make your own video, showing why it deserves to win this amazing competition. Entries can be uploaded on the website and visitors to the site can browse all qualifying entries to check out the competition.

The winning entry will be selected by a team of judges, including TV star Angellica Bell, Vice President Creative Inc, Walt Disney World Duncan Wardle, Vice President and managing director of Disney Destinations International UK Hugh Wood, and one of the famous Walt Disney Imagineers, Patrick Brennan.

Comments Hugh Wood of Disney Destinations International: “Britain has an established tradition of twinned towns and co-operation with its European counterparts, and this is an incredible opportunity to be the UK’s first town ever to be twinned with Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. We believe it is time to recognise the great values that make UK towns and villages special and with so many guests visiting Walt Disney World every year from the UK, we felt there was no better way to find that special town or village than by allowing the British public to nominate the places they are proud of.”

Angellica Bell adds: “I am thrilled to be involved with the search for Walt Disney World’s first-ever twin town. Every village, town and city can enter, however big or small, and I cannot wait to see why people think their community deserves to win.”

--- Disney Dean

Disney Hawaii Resort Update as of September 22, 2009

I am updating this blog from Hawaii, and could not be more excited to share these images with you! I am currently staying in a gorgeous townhome in the Ko Olina development. Ko Olina is the development in which Disney is building their newest resort. I took the following pictures from several different vantage points, and tried to highlight the particular vantage point on the photos. I will embed a slideshow in this blog post, but will also include the link below the slideshow if you would prefer to view them on my PhotoBucket account.

The Ko Olina area is on the southwestern corner of the island of Oahu, Hawaii. It is the driest point on the island, receiving less than 20 inches of rain a year. In contrast, the highest mountain areas near the eastern (windward) side receive close to 300 inches of rain a year. In short, Ko Olina receives a TON of sunshine, and is in a great location to have a Disney resort. It is safe, clean, beautiful and it makes me want to live here. I'm lucky enough to have stayed here for 10 nights (still here), and I really never want to leave (unless it is for Disney trips!). The Ko Olina area is a good 30-45 minute drive from downtown Honolulu (depending on traffic), but it is worth the drive. It's really not a bad drive to Honolulu/Waikiki, and it is much more quiet and laid back in the Ko Olina development compared to Honolulu/Waikiki.

The coves in front of the new Disney resort are absolutely, positively AMAZING! You will be blown away swimming in any of the coves, but particularly in cove 1, as that is the cove Disney is building on. We go out near the J.W. Marriott Ihilani some mornings and feed the Bonefish in the cove. There are Sea Turtles, gorgeous fish and I'm sure there are many other creatures out there. The Marriott folks said about 4-5 times a year, a shark makes it's way into the lagoon - isn't that cool? :) Hey, it's their home, and they are most often more afraid of us than we are of them. Usually it's tiger sharks that make their way in, if they do at all.

Anyway, I will have more details coming soon. I just wanted to give you some eye candy for you to peruse at your leisure.

http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af239/DisneyDean/Disney%20Hawaii/

--- Disney Dean

3D Disneyland Resort Paris in Google Earth

I know I'm a few months late with this, and a lot of people may already know about it, but DisneyParks has a cool YouTube video showing the addition of Disneyland Resort Paris to Google Earth. I love the music that goes along with the video - a lot of suspense :) 

Anyway, here it is! It's a good way to get a Disney "fix" every now and then! 

 

--- Disney Dean

Disney Hawaii Resort Starts Preliminary Work

Disney is forging ahead with plans for it's Hawaii property, as noted in an AP story in the MercuryNews.

According to the article, preliminary site work has begun at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts' first family destination resort in Hawaii. The work at Ko Olina is on a 21-acre oceanfront site, and preliminary work includes establishing where the foundations will be placed, and laying underground utilities.

The resort is scheduled to open in 2011, with 350 hotel rooms and 480 timeshare vacation villas for Disney Vacation Club (DVC). The property will be quite expansive, with a pool and water play area, a huge spa, a wedding lawn, a convention center and a children's club.

I don't know about you, but I DEFINITELY want to visit Hawaii once they build there :) How about you? Are you excited to watch the construction of this magnificent property? Leave a comment below, and get the conversation going.

--- Disney Dean

Shanghai Disneyland Closer to Reality

The Walt Disney Company said Friday that they were one step closer to building a park near Shanghai, mainland China. This is exciting news, as the park would be nearly 8 times larger than the Hong Kong park! The more than 3.5 billion dollar project would be built in phases. According to the LA Times "The first phase, to be built on about one square mile, would include a theme park, hotel and shopping district, costing $3.59 billion and constructed over six years on a site near the Shanghai airport."

The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney would own about 43 percent of the new venture, with 57% being owned by a joint-venture holding company owned by the local government. The park could open as soon as 2012, but other figures indicate 2014. It isn't a done-deal  yet - it still has to receive a high-level stamp of approval from the central government in Beijing.

I think this very good news, as the potential for success in this region is very good, if it's done right. Maybe SOME day I'll get to the parks outside of the U.S. Until then, I'm very content to keep going to the U.S. parks over and over and over and over again ;)

The park makes sense because there is rampant copying of merchandise in China, and this will allow them to get a better grip on the situation. Also, as John Frost at TheDisneyBlog points out - it is great news for Walt Disney Imagineering - as this will likely help to avoid layoffs necessary if Shanghai wasn't built.

For more detailed information, here are some links to stories:
Los Angeles Times
Wall Street Journal

Image from Wikipedia

--- Disney Dean

Disneyland Paris Great News

Great news out of Europe this morning, as theme park operator Euro Disney reports a 20 percent jump in first quarter revenue. New attractions to mark Disneyland Paris' 15th anniversary had helped to create another level of emotional connections with their guests, according to chairman and CEO Kark Holz. New attractions, such as Crush's Coaster and Car Race Ralley have been very popular.

The growth included strong increases in visitor numbers, guest spend and hotel occupancy. The company (owned 40% by Walt Disney) has not made a profit since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. But, in the first quarter, revenue was lifted by €341 million.

In addition to Disneyland and Disney Village, the company runs a Walt Disney Studios park, seven themed hotels with about 5,800 rooms, two convention centres and a golf course. Half of the 2,000-acre site has yet to be developed.

During the coming year it will open further attractions, such as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Stitch Live, an interactive experience.

A spokesman said that the company had now reported seven consecutive quarters of strong growth and had yet to see any impact on consumer confidence from the global economic crisis.

For the entire article, visit the Times Online.

--- Disney Dean

More Investment in Hong Kong Disneyland?

Bloomberg is reporting that new investment may be coming for Hong Kong Disneyland in the near future. Hong Kong Disneyland's Managing Director Bill Earnest, reported that they are anticipating additional investment in the park. After dropping from 5 million visitors in the first 12 months of operation, the park is now seeing about 4 million visitors a year. Earnest said they are fully focused on the Hong Kong Park, adding that they are NOT currently negotiating a Shanghai park.

I don't know about you, but I am dying to visit the Asian parks! Have you been to one of these parks? Would love to hear about it - just post some information in the comments section of this post.

See the full article on Bloomberg.com

--- Disney Dean

Disney Castles

I just ran across a really neat blog post on Disney Frontier. The post has photos of the castles from each of the worldwide Disney parks, including Disneyland (Sleeping Beauty Castle), The Magic Kingdom (Cinderella Castle), Tokyo Japan (Cinderella Castle), Disneyland Paris (The Castle of Sleeping Beauty), and Hong Kong Disneyland (Sleeping Beauty Castle). It is definitely one of my goals to visit each of these magnificent parks to see each of these castles, and I would love to visit Tokyo DisneySea. How about you? Have you been able to visit all of the Disney Parks? If so, we would love to hear about all your experiences at the different parks. So far, I've been to two of them, and am planning on visiting Paris in a few years. So, why don't you head on over to Disney Frontier and check out the Castles around the World!

Disney Hawaii Resort

Very exciting breaking news from the folks at Disney! They've just announced an 800 room resort on the Island of Oahu, Hawaii, including a Disney Vacation Club! For ardent Disney fans like myself, this is tremendously exciting, and will actually open the path for potential land and sea packages in Hawaii. The resort is expected to open in 2011, with groundbreaking in 2008, but this will not be your usual "Mickey Mouse" property. It will be a complete mixed-use Disney resort property. It's great news for members of Disney Vacation Club (DVC), who have been hoping for a Hawaii property for a while now. The full text of the official press release is below -- Disney Dean

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts announced today that the company has finalized plans to purchase 21 acres of oceanfront property on Hawaii's island of Oahu.

The property, located on the island's western side in the picturesque Ko Olina Resort & Marina, Honolulu's premier resort destination, will be home to Disney's first mixed-use family resort outside of its theme park developments. The expansive resort, scheduled to open in 2011, will have more than 800 units including hotel rooms and villas for Disney Vacation Club, which is Disney's rapidly growing timeshare business.

"This resort hotel will give our guests another way to visit an exciting part of the world with a brand they trust," said Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. "In fact, Hawaii has been among our most requested Disney Vacation Club getaway locations beyond our theme parks. We are looking forward to building a special family resort that honors the cultural diversity of Hawaii and reflects the spirit of aloha that makes this location so unique."

Consistently ranked as one of the top family destinations in the world, Hawaii's natural beauty and extensive offering of family activities make it an ideal location for a Disney resort.

"Disney and Hawaii have something special in common, and that is the recognition of the importance of 'ohana,'" said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle. "We are pleased that a company known for providing families with a way to spend quality time together is investing in Hawaii. This is a wonderful opportunity for our residents who will develop careers at the new resort as well as people from around the world, who will visit our state to stay at this exciting new destination. Disney's presence in Hawaii opens new opportunities for innovative partnerships in non-tourism-related sectors, including new media and digital technology."

Upon completion, the resort hotel is anticipated to create more than 1,000 new jobs on Oahu and opportunities to develop long-term professional careers. Disney was recently named one of the top places to launch a career by Business Week magazine and is a competitive employer.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said, "As a mayor who works out of Kapolei on a regular basis and who has launched numerous economic development initiatives there, I know people in West Oahu will be excited that Disney has decided to build its new resort in Ko Olina. My family and I have visited most of the Disney parks and resorts around the world, and are huge Disney fans. I believe that Disney can help our city build a livable community in Kapolei where people can live, work and raise their families. We look forward to welcoming Disney to Honolulu as our new corporate neighbor."

Ko Olina

The new resort hotel will be the latest addition to the Ko Olina development, known for its sweeping ocean views, picture-postcard white sand beaches and tranquil crystal blue lagoons.

Jeff Stone, President of The Resort Group and master developer of Ko Olina, has been working closely with Disney on the land acquisition and project. "Ko Olina means 'place of joy,' and I can't imagine a more perfect fit here than a Disney resort that will bring joy to people from around the world," Stone said. "For many years, it has been our vision to continue to expand Ko Olina as a premier vacation destination for families and business travelers, and this new Disney resort hotel is making that vision a wonderful reality."

Senate President Colleen Hanabusa said, "Disney is known for making dreams come true, and the choice of Disney to build its new resort on the leeward side of Oahu sends a positive message to our youth. This will be a place that residents will be proud to see built, and having Disney as a neighbor has the potential to inspire our youth to dream about the possibilities for the future right here in our own community."

Disney Vacation Club

Part of the Disney resort hotel in Ko Olina will be dedicated to Disney Vacation Club, a timeshare program that helps families enjoy flexibility and savings on vacations for decades to come. By becoming a member of Disney Vacation Club, families can enjoy vacations at Disney destinations worldwide as well as more than 500 other popular Member Getaways vacation locations around the globe.

Disney Vacation Club has grown to serve more than 350,000 individual members from more than 100 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

"We are delighted to create a place in Hawaii that our Disney Vacation Club members can call home," said Jim Lewis, President of Disney Vacation Club. "We know that both our existing members and new members will be thrilled about this resort in Ko Olina."

Design Work

Designs for the resort are still being finalized by Walt Disney Imagineers, who have been traveling extensively throughout Hawaii for the past several months as they garner ideas to develop a resort celebrating Hawaii's vibrant culture and rich heritage. The team is working closely with local architects, engineers and cultural advisors, conducting research and exploring the region, building on a tradition that has long been a hallmark in the creation of everything from Disney films to Disney vacation destinations.

Plans for the resort hotel are expected to be finalized and revealed in early 2008.

Disney's Hawaiian Heritage

While the announcement marks Disney's first resort hotel development in Hawaii, the company's love affair with the islands began in the company's infancy with founder Walt Disney. From the 1937 Mickey Mouse animated short "Hawaiian Holiday" to the Hawaiian setting of Disneyland's groundbreaking Enchanted Tiki Room attraction, which debuted in 1963 and established the Audio-Animatronics art form, to the inclusion of Disney's Polynesian Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort, Walt often pulled inspiration from the popular islands.

Walt Disney Pictures continued the Hawaiian legacy in 2002 with the hit animated film "Lilo & Stitch," an original story about a Hawaiian girl who tames a seemingly untamable alien by teaching the meaning of "ohana," the Hawaiian tradition of family. The Walt Disney Company also does extensive film work in Hawaii, including on-location production for the hit ABC series "Lost." The feature film "Pearl Harbor" was also shot on location in Oahu.

"We are very excited about becoming part of the Ko Olina community," Rasulo said. "Clearly, Hawaii already has a special place in our hearts and in Disney's history. Building a resort hotel in Hawaii is the next chapter in our effort to create immersive Disney experiences that allow families to reconnect and recharge in the areas of the world they most long to visit."