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Susan Boyle Trades 'Wild Horses' For Flying Elephants
Susan Boyle, the former frumpy songbird from Scotland, has finally made her way to California and where did she go first? That's right, Disneyland. But unlike Rihanna, she didn't get too crazy with her ride choices.
TMZ snapped Boyle riding on the Dumbo ride, which is best known as a kiddie pleaser but is also an original ride from 1955 when the park first opened. TMZ also reports that Boyle enjoyed the revamped It's a Small World ride as well. Guess she's happy with those somewhat controversial renovations.
Boyle is set to sing her cover version of the Rolling Stones song, "Wild Horses," on the finale of America's Got Talent tomorrow night. Her debut album, "I Dream a Dream," will be released on November 23.
Related Stories
· Dumbo Ride, Disneyland [Official Site]
· Susan Boyle coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: 3am]
Tags: Celeb Travel / Disney / Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Disneyland / Johnny Depp / → All Tags
Disney Expo Surprises Include Johnny Depp And New Rides
While most were firmly planted on the couch watching Sunday’s football games, things were wrapping up at the D23 Expo in Anaheim. Disney hopes that this year’s expo—which is much like Comic Con for Disney fans—is just the first of many for years to come. If they announce as much as they did during this year’s edition, then we’ll definitely be intrigued year after year. However, we did know about a lot of their new projects already, including a revamp of the Star Tours attraction, thanks to the ol’ rumor mill.
One big surprise was to see Johnny Depp himself step onto the stage in full Captain Jack Sparrow regalia. He was in character and playfully going back and forth with one of the Disney suits on stage; he even commented about what poor Kermit the Frog tasted like. Depp was there to confirm that he will be returning in 2011 to star in the fourth edition of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.
Tags: Disney / Walt Disney World / Disneyland / Amusement Parks / Theme Parks / → All Tags
Oops, They Did It Again: Disney Raises Prices On Theme Park Tickets
Apparently the fact that the country is in a huge economic mess doesn’t seem to phase the suits at Disney. We understand that earnings were down this quarter compared to last year, and that you need more cash, but the ticket prices to your parks already cost a lot of money. Nonetheless, over the weekend the admission costs to Disneyland and Walt Disney World both went up by a few bucks, just like they have for the last couple of years.
If you have your heart set on heading to the mouse house in Florida this summer, a one-day ticket will now cost $79. This is an increase of $4 over the former rate, and once you add in the tax, you’re looking at well over $80 for a day with Mickey and friends. Like always, it pays to stay longer—they want to fatten you up on churros. The difference between a three day base ticket and a ten day base ticket is less than $30, but it will still cost you over $200 per person.
Tags: Disneyland / Disney / Theme Parks / Roller Coasters / Amusement Parks / Halloween / → All Tags
Disneyland Is Already Thinking About Pumpkins And Candy
With Independence Day barely in the rear view mirror, another theme park is already prepping their offerings for Halloween. Hoping to build the excitement for the autumn amusement season, Disneyland in California has announced its plans for the spookiest of all holidays. Halloween Time will run from September 25 through November 1, just in time to take down all the pumpkins and put up all the Christmas trees.
Space Mountain will be getting a special holiday-themed overlay to spice things up for those looking to celebrate all things black and orange. The Ghost Galaxy idea premiered at Hong Kong Disneyland, but the folks in Anaheim will borrow this concept to add some new music and ghostly images to the walls of the roller coaster—sounds spooky awesome.
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Play A Pickup Game Of B-Ball With Mickey Inside The Matterhorn
When you visit Disneyland, you’re supposed to be immersed in the magic and theme, and not walking around wondering what’s behind each and every ride. Well the folks over at the OC Register probably have visited the theme park more times than most, and they wanted a closer look at what makes the Matterhorn tick.
For the ride’s fiftieth anniversary, they've managed to reveal much of the secret and inner workings of the park’s famous attraction. Did you know that the “mountain” rises to 147 feet above the park? That’s also where Tinkerbell “flies” off during her starring role in the nightly fireworks. There’s also a basketball court within the mountain, just in case Mickey and Minnie want to spend some time shooting hoops during their break.
In the 1990s the mountain was patched up to fill in the holes made for the Skyway attraction, which once dangled tourists above Disneyland from a wire. The bobsleds that twist and turn around the ride actually only use the bottom 80 feet of the Matterhorn, and the top is just a place to stick the engines that make the whole thing work. Finally, no matter how hard your scream, you’re still only going about 18 mph during your trip.
Related Stories: [Photo: Eccentric Scholar]
·Matterhorn Turns 50 [OC Register]
·Rumors Confirmed! Star Tours 2 In The Works At Disneyland [Jaunted]
·Theme Parks coverage [Jaunted]
Tags: Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Disneyland / Star Tours / Star Wars Travel / Frank Oz / → All Tags
Rumors Confirmed! Star Tours 2 In The Works At Disneyland
It's apparently going to be a good summer for theme park rides and theme park ride rumors. After half a decade of teasing, it looks like the Star Tours attraction at Disneyland might finally get an face lift.
The simulator ride debuted at the Anaheim park's Tomorrowland all the way back on January 9, 1987. For the next decade and a half it was one of one of Disneyland's most popular attractions, with long lines that stretched well beyond the physical building.
Once visitors got inside they stood in line some more, albeit within the shinier and more entertaining environment of the mock spaceport. Finally they got to tour the galaxy with a lovable - if frustratingly incompetent - little android.
Tags: Travel Photos / Disneyland / Flashing / → All Tags
'Flash' Mountain Not as Popular As It Used to Be
Remember that time 10 years ago when you and your best friend visited an amusement and you had your picture taken just as the roller coaster you were on began its "death-defying" descent? And remember when you bought it afterwards and laughed so hard, not only your faces but the faces of the random people who were crowded in the log-shaped cart behind you?
Now just imagine if that memorable picture also featured someone flashing? Wouldn't it be even funnier?
Apparently, folk used to flash these roller-coaster ride cameras pretty frequently. So frequently that Disneyland used to employ a "ride photo moderator" to weed out the flashers and anyone else doing anything lewd. That way, when passengers queued up at the photo purchase booth near the ride's exit, they wouldn't be subjected to seeing these scandalous photos.
Ah yes, "used to" is the key word here a The OC Register reports that Disneyland has removed the ride photo moderator position because "actual inappropriate behaviors by guests are rare." However, a warning: photos will still be monitored lest you think this is now an opening to resume your ride flashing behavior.
Related Stories:
· Disney responds to “Flash” Mountain concerns in the blogoshpere [OC Register]
[Photo: Miss Shari]
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China Wants To Out-Disney Disneyland
More tales from the "we can do anything better than you" files: China reckons they can build their own version of Disneyland that will outstrip Walt's vision. When your population includes one sixth of the world, this might just be possible.
The proposed theme park chain would be based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West--an ironic title, we think, although it's actually about a Buddhist monk's pilgrimmage westwards to India. There's a monkey king, a fairyland in the clouds, a dragon king temple under the sea and demon caves, just to name a few elements that could lend themselves to amusement park rides.
With a revival in the idea of protecting local culture striking China at the moment, this idea really could fly, although there are no signatures on dotted lines yet. But we want them to let us in too because it's not far if foreign tourists can't get their pair of Mickey Monkey King ears.
Related Stories:
· Can China's Homemade Theme Park Overtake Disneyland? [China View]
· Journey to the West Theme Park Idea [Shanghai Daily]
· China Travel Guide [Jaunted]
[Photo: jclor]
Tags: Theme Parks / Disney / Disneyland / Amusement Parks / → All Tags
New And Improved 'Small World' Opens At Disneyland
There was much uproar among theme park junkies last March, when Disney announced that it would revamp the “it’s a small world” attraction at Disneyland. In addition to the new paint, improved soundtrack, and fancy lighting, they were going to—gasp—add Disney characters to the attraction. The ride has remained pretty much unchanged since its debut in 1966, so the concern was somewhat warranted.
Tags: Holiday Creep Travel / Disneyland / Jonas Brothers / Celeb Travel / → All Tags
Christmas Coming To Disneyland Early
Fear not, Tiny Tim: Christmas is coming to Disneyland even if the bank repossesses all of Disney's coal on Christmas Eve. The Jonas Brothers--aka What The Kids Are Listening To These Days--get caught taping the Disneyland Christmas Day Parade
Christmas will continue for Disney, but will anyone be there to see it? Stock plummeted Friday after CEO Robert Iger announced that earnings were down at the American entertainment juggernaut. Maybe the company's hoping that "staycating" families will chip in and subscribe to Disney on cable once they've seen the JoBro and Miley Cyrus gallivanting about for an early Christmas.
Related Stories:
· Old Celeb Travel: MTV's VMA Moon Man Turns 25 [Jaunted]
· The Jonas Brothers Hit Up The Bryant Park Hotel [HC]
· Disney Shares Fall After Iger Says Theme-Park Bookings Decline [Bloomberg]
· As Disney Goes, So Goes The Nation [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Just Jared]
Tags: Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Disney / Disneyland / → All Tags
Exteme Makeover Travel: Disney Theme Park Edition
Next door to Disneyland is Disney's California Adventure. It's been around for awhile, but has really never caught on with tourists--or locals. Critics have often been quick to call-out its shortcomings and criticize where Disney officials cut corners and wasted money.
But Disney flung open the doors on the new preview center at the park this week so everyone could check out what's to come.
Tags: Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Disney / Disney World / Disneyland / → All Tags
Theme Parks Travel: Celebrate Your Birthday with Mickey... For Free
If the recent price hikes at Disney World have put the brakes on your trip to see Mickey and his posse, then we have some good news. As part of the park's 2009 "What will you celebrate?" promotion, the park is handing out free one-day, one-park tickets to either Disneyland or Disney World on your birthday. Just show your ID at the gates on your birthday and you'll be good to go.
Although for a family of four, a one-ticket discount doesn't represent a significant discount, it might be just the thing to give attendance a boost. Regardless of how you feel about the "deal," it's certainly better than nothing.
So far this promotion is only available at the Disney parks in the US. Too bad, as a little freebie promotion could definitely help one overseas park in particular.
Related Stories:
· Coming Soon: Free Admission to Disney on your Birthday [BT]
· Free on Your Birthday-What Will You Celebrate? [Official Site]
· Theme Parks coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo of an excited Donald Duck: Savannah Grandfather]
