Disneyland quietly is testing a talking Mickey Mouse character who greets guests by name and has a moving mouth and blinking eyes.
Traditionally, the masked characters who interact with visitors don’t speak, only using sign language to communicate at the Disney parks. The test Mickey’s eyelids blink and his nose and upper lip move as he talks. His voice sounds like the cartoon character.
[...]
Michele Himmelberg, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman, confirmed that Disney is testing the talking Mickey. But she declined to comment about whether the character would be added to the park permanently.
For now, the talking rodent is greeting guests at Mickey’s House in Mickey’s Toontown.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyHIdr1aM7s

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6k2xdtU8Wc

What are your thoughts? Is this the next generation of character greetings in the parks?

“A Day at the Magic Kingdom Park” is a never-before-seen look at the park in miniature scale. The video is created from a series of photos snapped inside the Magic Kingdom Park. And the trick is tilt-shift photography.
It’s a sunrise-to-sunset story told without words. But the message is clear — celebrate.
Our celebration begins at the Magic Kingdom front gates and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The character train welcome and “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! are also featured.
Also, we captured some amazing images of our attractions and the “SpectroMagic” parade on one of the days it was running on Main Street, U.S.A.
Enjoy.

Via. The Orlando Sentinel

Walt Disney World’s monorail system is only partially operational now after an electrical short at a control booth at the Magic Kingdom monorail platform this morning.

Smoke was seen after the short, which happened at about 10:05 a.m and caused a train pulling into that station to stop. About 25 guests were on that train for about 10 minutes while a tractor towed the train to the station, where the guests unloaded.

Monorail loops to the resorts and Magic Kingdom are closed. The line to Epcot is still running.

Engineers are reviewing the system now.

“Our buses and ferryboats are currently available to transport guests as our engineering services team reviews the situation,” said Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez.

The Reedy Creek Fire Department responded to the incident around 10:14 a.m., but did not find a fire.

No injuries were reported, a sheriff’s spokesman said.

So what are your thoughts. Do you think that Disney needs to do something about their Transportation system?

So here is where you come in. Leave a comment underneath this post with your question. If it is good enough, then I will ask it during the interview next week!

So post away!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=08W5Os-Wnj0

If you’re a Disney fan, and I hope you are if you’re reading this blog, stop what you’re doing right now and set aside the next 50 minutes to flashback to the very first moments of Disneyland with Walt Disney pacing off the site and proceed through the year via timelapse video until the park is ready for opening day. This never-before-seen footage was sitting on a shelf all these years and only saved by a curious employee.

It starts off with some never before seen footage of Walt, Marvin Davis, Dick Irvine, and Roy Disney (seldom seen in photos) on the site. You really get to see how Walt already had the park in his mind and everything else was just details. Commentary is by Tony Baxter, Ed Hobleman, and Walter Magnuson.

Building Walt’s Dream – Playlist

Marty Sklar, Executive Vice President and Walt Disney Imagineering Ambassador, spent a lifetime making magic for the Walt Disney Company. After 54 years of service, he was honored with a tribute window at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday, July 17. The celebration coincided with the 54th anniversary of the opening of Disneyland, the place where Sklar began his Disney career.

The tradition of dedicating a second-story window along Main Street, U.S.A., was begun by Walt Disney as a way to pay tribute to the men and women who were instrumental in the creation and operation of Disneyland. Sklar’s window, unveiled on July 17, can be seen above City Hall at Town Square in Disneyland.

Sklar began his Disney career in June 1955 as editor of “The Disneyland News,” just one month before Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. Sklar also worked personally with Walt Disney on several major projects, including the creation of landmark Disney attractions for the 1964 World’s Fair and leading the design of Walt Disney’s final vision, Epcot.

Sklar holds great memories of all 11 Disney parks around the world, but he has a particular fondness for Disneyland.

“Disneyland will always be a special place for me because it’s the only park that Walt Disney walked in,” Sklar said. “For me, retiring on this date is significant, having been here with Walt for the opening of the original Disney park.”

Happy Birthday Disneyland! Congratulations on 54 years of magic, adventure and fantasy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEulKEvptGA

Via. The Examiner

Voiceover artist Dallas McKennon, whose voice is well-known in the Disney theme parks at various attractions, including the American Adventure, the Country Bear Jamboree, and the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster, has died at age 89.
McKennon also did movie work for Disney, using his vocal talents in Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. His voice was familiar to many cereal-muching Saturday morning cartoon watchers in shows such as Gumby and Archie, in which he spoke for the title character.
McKennon did some live film work, too, most noteably as innkeeper Cincinnatus in the series Daniel Boone with well-known co-star Fess Parker. He also appeared in an Elvis Presley movie, Clambake, as a gas station worker.
McKennon died on Tuesday, July 14, just five days before he would have turned 90. However, he will live on every time he warns Magic Kingdom guests to “hold on to your hats and glasses ’cause this here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ5hl4ktn-o

UPDATE: Below is a video of President Obama recording the speech:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdpAbHwoFq0