I'm always excited to kick off another Star Wars Weekend when May rolls around and I know there are lots of others who look forward to the event every year. But what I was unprepared for was the onslaught of guests that descended upon Disney's Hollywood Studios for the first weekend, which lead to the parking lot being completely full and enormous crowds throughout the park. So why is this year's Star Wars Weekends so much more popular than ever before?
I think the principle reason we saw the Studios' parking lot fill up and longer lines all around is the locals effect. Most Walt Disney World guests stay at a Walt Disney World resort and usually take the bus. Having been to the Studios for July 4th, Christmas and New Years Eve, I know that the parking lot has never filled up. Moreover, I spoke to a few Cast Members who indicated that the park was never in danger of closing to capacity on any of the Star Wars Weekend days.
The parking lot filling up is simply an interesting event that I had not witnessed in the 10 years I had been running this site. Every theme park in Walt Disney World has a plan for if it were to happen but when it happened at the Studios, I was surprised to say the least. The parking lot closure lasted about 2 hours starting around noon and guests were directed to park at Epcot and be bused over.
When we see so many more cars than usual in the parking lot, I see that as an increase in people that live in the local area coming to the event. It's even more intriguing because this year's event really doesn't have anything all that brand new or exciting compared to previous years. Heck, last year we had the brand new Star Tours: The Adventures Continue open up with George Lucas even stopping by and the parking lot didn't fill up.
On top of all that, the lines for characters and events were the longest I had ever seen. Shows held in the Premier Theater filled up routinely and the character meet lines were insane. Darth Vader and the Disney Star Wars characters always had big lines for Chewbacca, Boba Fett and even the clone troopers all had lines that looked to be 50 people long.
I think what we can deduce from the increase in locals is a sign that perhaps the economy is recovering and that 2012 has been a better year and so perhaps people that couldn't justify trips in the past few years wanted to be there this year. In addition, Walt Disney World's marketing has never been stronger. Their online presence in social media has resulted in a large digital footprint and Star Wars fans are well known for spending lots of time online. Lastly, the weather was perfect in terms of low rain chances. With all of those factors combined, you get a very busy Star Wars Weekends.
The real question will be how crowded the event will be over the next few weekends. This coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which brings a larger crowd on its own, and the following two weeks are in June, when many kids will be done with school and the start of summer vacation.
Fans of Star Wars Weekends may remember up to 2005, Star Wars Weekends was four weekends officially but Disney always tacked on an additonal two weekends (making six total weekends) to the event because of increased demand. Perhaps 2012 is the year they resume that strategy if they're seeing larger crowds than normal.
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Alex & Ani is the latest designer to join the ranks of other popular designers such as Dooney & Bourke, Chamilia, and Harveys who have partnered with Disney to create specialty products available at Disney Parks and the Disney Store. For those unfamiliar with Alex & Ani, they are a United States company that creates jewelry and charms made from recycled metals in an eco-friendly manner. Not only is a healthy environment important to them, they also have a philosophy that revolves around using positive energy research to influence their designs. One concept in particular they are known for is a patented expandable wire design, allowing for each piece to be adjusted to the desired fit.
The Alex & Ani blog announced the arrival of their newest Disney licensed charms to different locations throughout the Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts earlier this week. At Walt Disney World, the new charms are available at: Uptown Jewelry (Magic Kingdom), Agrabah (Magic Kingdom), Pirates Bazaar (Magic Kingdom), Emporium (Magic Kingdom), Once Upon a Time (Hollywood Studios), Tower of Terror (Hollywood Studios), Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort Hotel, Ink and Paint (Art of Animation Resort), Mouse Gear (Epcot), Calypso (Caribbean Beach Resort), Donald’s Double Feature (All-Star Movies Resort), Everything Pop (Pop Century), World of Disney (Downtown Disney, and TrenD (Downtown Disney).
At Disneyland Resort, the new charms are available at: Emporium (Disneyland), Pieces of Eight (Disneyland), Le Bat en Rouge (Disneyland), Gone Hollywood (California Adventure), Treasures in Paradise (California Adventure), World of Disney (Downtown Disney), and Disney Vault 28 (Downtown Disney).
It is unknown as to whether or not the empty bracelets will also be available, but if the partnership is anything like that with Chamilia and the pictures released on the Alex & Ani blog are any indication, it is reasonable to believe that they could be. I don’t know about you, but the simplicity of the design is very classy… I can’t wait to pick up a few on my next trip!
Alex & Ani Designer Bracelets Come to Disney originally posted on
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Beneath the Tower of Terror’s ominous shadow at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, you’ll find the fun blue and pink sign for Hollywood Scoops Ice Cream!
Now, after seeing the menu recently, I could NOT believe I’d never tried the APPLE CRISP SUNDAE!! Did you know that was there and not tell me?!?
I love all things apple crisp, so I couldn’t wait to high-tail it over there and snag this snack on my next trip!
Atmosphere
This little ice cream stand at the corner of Sunset Ranch Market channels art deco retro Hollywood in style and decor.
The lines here are often long, but since it’s one of the only places around where you can get your hand-scooped ice cream fix, it’s usually worth the wait.
Eats
I begged Matt from Studios Central to meet me in DHS (what better way to explore Hollywood Studios food than with the expert?), and we decided to sample both the Brownie Sundae and that Apple Crisp treasure.
At least I was hoping it was going to be a treasure. (Cue ominous, dramatic music here…)
Brownie Sundae
The Brownie Sundae looked great. A huge brownie cuddled with vanilla bean ice cream, blanketed in HOT hot fudge and some serious whipped cream? Awesome.
And if you’re a brownie and hot fudge sundae lover, this is definitely for you. The hot fudge is thick and super-sweet, and complements the creaminess of the ice cream well (especially when that ice cream gets a little melty). The brownie was not at all dry, which is always the big fear when you do Theme Park brownies…
The portion is pretty large, however, so if you’re looking to share, one sundae should suffice.
Brownie Sundae
On to the coveted Apple Crisp!! The sundae is served with no whipped cream or cherry; instead, it’s topped with caramel sauce and streusel! Fancy.
But, of course, I was a little underwhelmed when I saw it, and and I asked them to add some whipped cream to make it a bit more photogenic.
Ahem. Seriously. This is what happened next…
Apple Crisp
Ha ha ha!! Photogenic? Check!
Anyway, on to the review! Unfortunately, this was clearly canned apple filling, which meant that — even piping hot — it was a little “gummy.”
I did, however, really enjoy streusel, which was like a sweet, crushed up pie crust. I think I would have preferred a more cinnamon-butter-oatmealish topping, but honestly I was just impressed that they’d gotten as far as the streusel at a counter-service spot!
Apple Crisp Close-Up
The ice cream was great, and if you’re OK with the canned apple filling, you’ll like this.
Another point to note: the apple crisp was served very hot. Take care as you transport your molten apple dessert once you purchase it, and prepare for your ice cream to be all but melted in short order.
Both sundaes sell for $5.19. Other ice cream flavors here include Chocolate, Orange Sherbet, Strawberry, Cookies & Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Butter Pecan, and Fat-Free No-Sugar Added Vanilla.
Overall
If you’re in the mood for ice cream or a sundae and don’t have time to sit down anywhere, this is a good bet; though I might choose the cheaper homemade ice cream sandwich here instead from time to time.
And if you’re torn between ice cream and another type of dessert, don’t forget that Starring Rolls and Sweet Spells are just down the street, where you could spend less money and get a Butterfinger Cupcake or Carrot Cake Cookie (respectively).
Will these sundaes be on your list for the next visit? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!
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Read more A model of the new Fantasyland expansion is now on display at Disney's Hollywood Studios in the One Man's Dream exhibit. AllEars.Net's Jack Spence stopped by and snapped a few pictures the other day, which he shares here. Most of these photos are close-ups to give you a better idea of what this new area will look like when completed.
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After a few years of being cut back, the nightly fireworks spectacular known as Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is back to being shown every night in the park and if you want to see it on your next visit, follow ...
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With it being April, that of course conjures up the childhood rhyme of “April showers bring May flowers” and so being prepared for rain at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is something you’ll want to keep in mind. While we’d like to think our vacation to Walt Disney World will ...
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Disney World and Disneyland candy shops specialize in house-made sweet confections, and fudge is one that can be found on both coasts!
And while we don’t talk about it ALL the time here on the DFB, we are constantly scanning the fudge counters for new flavors and interesting options. We’ve even got a fun Disney Fudge Primer for you!
A unique fudge we found on a recent trip is a swirly-twirly version called Dulce de Leche! Isn’t it gorgeous? I had to try it.
Fudge
The predominant flavors of vanilla and caramel really shine through. And bonus: there is definitely enough to share! You can even purchase it with a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan!
It’s the perfect vacation treat, but is also travels really well. Presto — an edible souvenir!
Close-up of fudge
This variety is a seasonal flavor, so you won’t find it year ’round; but we’ve seen it at all the normal spots where fudge can be found: Main Street Confectionery at Magic Kingdom; Beverly Sunset Sweet Spells at Hollywood Studios; and even occasionally at Goofy’s Candy Company in Downtown Disney.
TIP: If you do plan to head home with a stash of Walt Disney World Fudge — and you SO should — be sure to wrap it well and store it in the freezer. It will keep for a couple of weeks that way (good luck with it actually sitting in your freezer for two weeks…).
Do you LOVE Disney fudge? Have you tried the Dulce de Leche, or do you have another favorite? Let us know your Disney fudge story!
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Read moreDisney Ink and Paint artists Eric Magill, Theodora M. DeLaney, David Rippberger, Lynn Rippberger and Sharon K. Vincent will be at Disney's Hollywood Studios on June 23, 2012 for the release of "Tailor Made".
The cel features Donald Duck as he directs Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disney's Hollywood Studios as they re-create the classic scene from the 1938 shirt, Walt Disney's "Brave Little Tailor".
The Tailor Made cel is limited to 1,000 pieces and the first 750 that are sold will come with a matching limited edition pin that was created for the release.
The release event will take place inside the Animation Gallery store at Disney's Hollywood Studios from 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm on June 23, 2012.
Those unable to attend the event mayu pre-order your cel by calling Walt Disney Event Services at 407-827-7600. Artist signatures will only be available for orders placed before or on Friday, June 22 by 3:00 pm ET.
Prices for the cel are
- Unframed cel $125
- Black Frame and Cel $215
- Black Frame with Pin and Cel $240
- Black Frame with Pin, Postcard and Cel $265
- Gold Frame and Cel $290
Thanks to Stitch Kingdom for the tip about the event.
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Here at TouringPlans.com we spend a lot of time honing our predictions to make our Crowd Calendar the most accurate available. One of the many methods we employ is projecting park hours for all of Disney’s Florida theme parks. You may be wondering why we bother since Disney World publishes its park hours for all to see. Well, Disney does not always make things easy (as outlined here).
The published hours are available for the next six months (currently through December), but they are simply preliminary hours. Disney doesn’t create an operational schedule for its employees that far in advance. Using things like hotel occupancy rates and dining reservations, Disney reviews all hours for a given month approximately two weeks prior to the start of a that month (for instance, July’s adjusted hours should be released on or around June 15) and makes changes to its park hours.
How often are park hours changed about two week before the start of a month? This post will give you idea of what to expect when July hours are adjusted. And the chart below shows what the final park hours were for Walt Disney World in July 2011.
The numbers in red are July 2011 dates that changed when park hours were adjusted in mid-June last year. Yes, there were many changes.
There are a few things you should notice about this chart:
-
As mentioned above, these are the final park hours from last year (I want to make that very clear); final hours for this July (2012) have not yet been released.
- The opening times for all parks change very, very rarely (once, for the Magic Kingdom, out of 124 park openings in July).
- Epcot times change very, very rarely (which is why they are not listed).
- Wishes is performed once per night, and changes in July are very rare. We’ve not listed Wishes because of this, although Wishes technically is not shown on July 3rd and 4th since a special holiday fireworks take its place.
- The days that have Extra Magic Hours almost never change.
- Closing times for the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as the number of performances of the Main Street Electrical Parade and Fantasmic!, are highly variable at peak times (such as July), which is why there is so much red on that chart.
So the real question is what you should expect for this year. Since we started actively tracking park hour changes, we have noticed that the previous year is quite a good predictor of the upcoming changes. We do make some adjustments for our internal calculations, but the chart above should give you a good idea for planning purposes.
One thing to remember is to compare days of the week rather than numerical dates. For instance, if you are traveling from Sunday, July 8, through Saturday, July 15, 2012 you would look at the second Sunday through the third Saturday from last year (July 10-16, 2011). Please also keep in mind that this chart is one of many references for you to use in planning your trip and is not necessarily the exact operating times.
I hope you find this information useful. I am planning to make this a regular feature as hours are released, so other months are coming. Please let me know in the comments below if there is anything else you would like to see on a regular basis.
Thanks!
Disney World Park Hours: What To Expect For July is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
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Star Wars Weekends returns to the Walt Disney World Resort during May and June 2012, as Disney's Hollywood Studios celebrates the Star Wars film saga and the hit animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The annual special event, included in regular theme park admission, will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 18 through June 10, 2012.
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By Kevin Yee Life rolls on in Orlando, with Kim Possible Adventure closing down in Epcot and the end of the Flower and Garden Festival as well, but the big new addition was a scale model of Fantasyland put on display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, at the One Man’s Dream museum exhibit. Hollywood Studios was [...]
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On Saturday, June 23, join Disney Ink and Paint Artists: Erin Magill, Theodora M. DeLaney, David Rippberger, Lynn Rippberger and Sharon K. Vincent as they celebrate the premiere of the Tailor Made entry into the Ink and Paint Cel series. In the cel, Donald Duck directs the cast of Mickey and Minnie at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as they recreate a scene from the 1938 animated short, Walt Disney’s Brave Little Tailor.
The cel is hand-painted with edition size of 1,000 pieces. As an extra bonus, the first 750 framed pieces sold will be accompanied by a matching limited edition pin created for the release.
The event will take place at the Studios Animation Gallery at Disney’s Hollywood Studios from 10 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 5 pm on June 23, 2012.
For those unable to attend the event, you may contact Walt Disney Event Services at 407-827-7600 to pre-order your cel. Artist signatures will only be available for orders placed before or on Friday, June 22 by 3:00 pm ET.
Prices are as follows:
Unframed Cel$125Black Frame and Cel$215Black Frame with Pin and Cel$240Black Frame with Pin, Postcard and Cel$265Gold Frame and Cel$290
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Last week, I wrote about my experiences from previous Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and told you what to look out for, things you had to see and things you ought be able to skip. Now that I have attended the first weekend of this annual event, let me go back and fill in the gaps, because this year’s event has some interesting things to offer and new ways to navigate.
Crowds – I said before that if you are in the Studios for only Star Wars events you will face heavy crowds, but if you are touring the regular park attractions you won’t notice the crowds. That’s been my experience for several years and was definitely that way on Friday, the first day of the event. That morning I was able to walk on to Rock and Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror with no problems, and use Fastpass to ride Star Tours. Even the wait at Toy Story Mania on Friday was low, less than 45 minutes in the standby line.
The crowd was this busy 90 minutes before Hyperspace Hoopla on Saturday
Saturday was a different story. Crowds were so heavy that cars were being turned away from the parking lot and forced to park at Epcot. Our bus from the Magic Kingdom sat for 25 minutes trying to turn into the Studios gate. Attraction lines were very long, and waits for Star Wars shows were very long. If you plan to attend one of the upcoming weekends, I’d advise getting to the park early on Saturdays, and concentrating on only a few things you really want to do. Crowds were very intense.
Shows – There are really two show locations for Star Wars Weekends, the Premiere Theatre at the end of the Streets of America and the main stage in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat. As before, I still think the best plan of attack is to look for the shows that interest you and make time for those. However, I will caveat that by saying that after attending all but one show this past weekend, I must say they are all rather enjoyable.
The Premiere Theatre hosted four shows throughout the day. The first show runs twice, and is called Legends of the Force, and features stars of the Clone Wars cartoon series talking through how an episode is created, plus a sneak peek at Season 5. I don’t watch the show, but the actors were very enthusiastic, and made the show a lot of fun.
Crowds to get into the Premiere Theatre shows routinely stretched out onto the Streets of America, but still made it in.
The second show was Stars of the Saga, a talk show style format featuring the weekend’s celebrity guests. The best part of this show, however, is the cadre of Stormtroopers who invade the first 15 minutes. This is some of the most hilarious stuff you will ever see, and well worth catching.
The final show I caught was Obi-Wan and Beyond, where voice actor James Arnold Taylor, voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi on the Clone Wars, shows you how a voice actor works and runs through hundreds of voices he has done. This is one not to be missed. It’s funny, endearing and uplifting all at once.
I did not catch the final show in the Premiere Theatre, which was a martial arts demo by Ray Park (Darth Maul), because I had to make my way to the main stage for the Hyperspace Hoopla, the last show of the night. I lined up for a spot for the 8:00 pm show at 6:20. If you will remember, last week I said you could linepup about an hour ahead of time. At least on this past Saturday, that was not enough. Disney will have to rethink things if the crowds keepgrowing, because it was a miserable, hot and uncomfortable experience waiting for the show. However, seeing the StarWars characters dancing to modern tunes was well worth it. Just make sure you plan on grabbing your spot at least 90 minutes ahead of time if you want a good view.
Merchandise – As expected the lines for merchandise at Darth’s Mall, located behind Rock and Roller Coaster, were very long in the morning on Friday as fans rushed to get limited edition merchandise. However, by mid-afternoon they had died down and things were a little calmer.
The hottest items I saw aside from the limited editions were the all new line of clothes from Her Universe, the female clothing line by Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano on the Clone Wars. She debuted hoodies that let women and girls dress up like Ahsoka or Princess Leia along with several other shirts. Aside from that, the R2D2 buckets with snacks or drinks inside were also big items and caused long lines at the locations that served them. Over at Tatooine Traders, the all new Droid Factory was the big hot ticket, as kids lined up to build their own droid toys.
Lines for characters in spots like this were long all weekend.
Characters – As expected, there were an abundance of characters in the park, and it seemed as though they were everywhere. On Saturday, with the record crowds, it definitely appeared as though Disney was putting more characters on the streets outside of assigned locations to bleed off some of the crowds. But no matter who you wanted to find, from Anakin to Zam Wessell, they were there. Lines were very long, so if you have a character you want to see, make sure to locate them on the guide map or ask a cast member and get it taken care of early.
So that was my experience at the first Star Wars Weekends of 2012. Basically, I spent most of my day on Saturday going in and out of the Premiere Theatre and had a very enjoyable afternoon, but I know not everyone will want to do that. What about you? Did Ny of you experience thfirst weekend, and what tips would you have?
Star Wars Weekends – A Few More Tips is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
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studioscentral: We have LOTS of new photos from Disney's Hollywood Studios to share starting with this week's photo update http://t.co/8yQolqbF
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New Finding Nemo 3D billboard in parking lot
New Brave billboard in parking lot
A hot day at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Star Wars Weekends sign added to marquee outside the park entrance
Looking down Hollywood Boulevard
Stage is up in front of the Sorcerer's Hat for Star Wars Weekends
Temporary hot dog stand near the Sorcerer's Hat
New Brave banners up in Animation Courtyard
There are 4 banners total
These will remain until next major Disney film replaces it
And here is the last banner
Queue work to Disney Junior is complete
Fantasyland Expansion scale model has been added to Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
Beast's Castle
Ariel's Castle
Storybook Circus
Dumbo
Sign that explains the model
A Dumbo model has also been added
No visible work at The Captain Jack Experience
Entrance to Toy Story Midway Mania
Picnic tables added near Backlot Tour
Temporary hot dog stand between Toy Story Midway Mania and Backlot Tour
Streets of America
Temporary hot dog stand on Streets of America
Entrance to Muppet Vision 3D
Star Wars merchandise added to Youse Guys Moichendice
New reversible plush pillow Lotsos
Star Tours turned 1 year old
Sounds Dangerous closed, but being used for a Star Wars Weekends event
Outdoor alcohol stand being set up outside 50's Prime Time Cafe
Onto Sunset Boulevard
Looking down Sunset Boulevard
A sign has been added to explain layout of Sunset Ranch Market restaurants
Closer look at the sign
The Tower of Terror
Rock 'n Roller Coaster
Back down Sunset Boulevard
Another new Citizen of Hollywood
I'm told her name is Betty Shambles
That's it for this week!
View our Star Wars Weekends 2012 weekend one photos
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There has always been a cross-town rivalry between Walt Disney’s theme parks and Universal Studios’ attractions. When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, Universal Studios had already been offering studio tours at it’s Hollywood park for decades. When Universal Studios decided to build in Orlando, Michael Eisner fired back by opening Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) at Walt Disney World.
These days the stakes are even higher. Not only are the resorts expanding in Los Angeles and Orlando, they’re also expanding globally. Brook Barnes in the New York Times has a profile looking at this arms race for tourist dollars:
$265 million Harry Potter-themed addition to its resort here sent 2010 attendance soaring 30 percent over the year before, draining attention from Walt Disney World in the process. Universal is now racing to replicate the attraction at its parks in California and Japan while expanding the boy wizard’s presence in Orlando.
To maintain momentum, Universal — with more Comcast money — is introducing a swarm of offerings. A major 3-D ride themed to Michael Bay’s “Transformers” movies opens this Friday at Universal Studios Hollywood, at an estimated cost of $100 million. New draws at Universal Orlando include a refurbished Spider-Man ride, a lavish parade, a high-tech fountain and pyrotechnics show and a ride based on “Despicable Me.”
Disney denies they’re involved in trying to match Universal Studios. But history has proven that Disney is often coy when in reality they’re working hard to be seen as a leader in theme park development. When a rival claims that title, like Universal has arguably done with Harry Potter and Transformers, then Disney will step up to the plate sooner or later with it’s own challenge.
Do you see this as a war between the two rival companies? How do you feel about how Comcast’s ownership has changed the Universal Studios brand parks?
Battle between Disney and Universal Catches Eye of New York Times originally posted on
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I don’t know about you, but if I lived in California, I would be jumping for those D23 tickets to go do a Carsland and Buena Vista Street walk-through before the official opening on, everyone together now, JUNE 15th! But, alas, I am in Florida, recapping the past ten years of DCA for you to enjoy before that lovely June day. Today, we will talk about the 2 now deceased (maybe not the best word choice…) parades that ran up and down the Performance Corridor for years. No, I’m not kidding, it was called the Performance Corridor instead of a Parade Route…oh DCA.
First up, we have the infamous “Eureka”. Named after the state motto, it was also the name of the deity that was represented on each of the floats, dressed as to reflect certain regions of California. She was in the sun logo, Hispanic California, an angel from “The City of Angels,” Beach-Loving Beauty, Chinese woman of Chinatown, and the Golden Goddess representing the Golden State. With each float came its respectable share of interesting costumes (A man dressed as the Hollywood Bowl, two men on stilts as the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.). In addition to the odd costume choices, the float performers were really cool, with the beach/surfing float containing a skateboarding half-pipe being used and the City of Angels section having drummers hanging off the side of float.
Though it did gain a small cult following among some Disney fans, it ultimately was not successful (Shocking!) at DCA. The problem? It had no Disney Characters. Not even Mickey. Though “Tapestry of Nations” at Epcot had no characters and was very popular, this parade had a very hectic and discombobulated feel to it that off put some, unlike “Tapestry”. It opened with the park in Feb. 2001, closed for the off-season, returned for the Summer of 2002, and never ran again.
After the park became such a folly for Disney and the crowd numbers weren’t what they were expecting, they needed something to pull the people in and fast. The solution? “Disney’s Electrical Parade”.
July 4th 2001 the show came back from the Disney Parks graveyard. Though it didn’t bring in the people, it did bring smiles to the people that did see it. After leaving following the huge “Glowing Away” campaign given to its departure in the 90′s, people thought they would never see it again, but you know what they say…when you have a dying theme park, you bring back anything you can! The show had a large update in 2009 with the addition of a Disney Fairies themed lead float (And the subtraction of the Blue Fairy lead float), the 7 Dwarves’ Mine Train float, updates to the music and lights, and fairy dust trails lining all the floats. The parade “Glowed Away” for a second time in 2010 as it headed for WDW. It was (kind of) replaced by “Glow Fest” and “World of Color”.
Premiering in 2005 as part of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary was “Block Party Bash”. Not as much of a parade as a street party, this Pixar extravaganza had you dancing with your favorite Pixar characters to your favorite dance songs. Featuring floats from “Toy Story”, “A Bug’s Life”, “The Incredibles” and “Monsters, Inc.”, this high-energy show had over 60 performers and acrobats moving and grooving to the music. After its first season, the parade was scaled down to featured a few less floats, some characters being dropped, special effects being toned down, and the number of show stops being brought down from 3 to 2. Even with this, the parade still seemed to be pretty popular. It brought kids into the mix after DCA was often regarded as “too adult”. The parade left in 2008, being sent to “Disney’s Hollywood Studios” and was replaced by the “Pixar Play Parade”. The Pixar Play Parade should be returning right around June 15th after a few years on hiatus due to the lack of a parade route because of construction.
Did I mention one of your favorite parades? Would you like to see them back in the park? Were you as jealous as I was of those drummers hanging off the floats? Let me know in the comments below. As we get one more week closer to the big re-reveal of DCA, I will be returning with an article on the past shows at the Hyperion Theater. Until next time, “Come Away With Me!” Have a Magical Day!
(Photos courtesy of Laughingplace.com)
DCA History Lesson: Parades originally posted on
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studioscentral: Big lines to enter hollywood studios now http://t.co/5tIex5nn
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studioscentral: Getting ready to head to Disney's Hollywood Studios for this weeks photo update... And maybe some more #sww2012 fun too!
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Disney’s Hollywood Studios is once again hosting Star Wars Weekends from May 18 – June 10, 2012, for fans celebrating the George Lucas films.
If you have young padawans that can’t wait to meet Chewbacca (“let the wookie win”) or a budding Jedi that dreams of a lightsaber battle with Darth Vader, this event is for you!
Adults that grew up with the Star Wars empire are equally excited about this special event with the opportunity to purchase unique merchandise and meet celebrities. I’m looking forward to attending my second Star Wars Weekend this year, and not only will I be posing for a picture with an Ewok, I’m going to snag one of these galatically-good snacks as well!
According to the DisneyParks Blog, there are some fun treats awaiting hungry Star Wars fans! My 12-year old son just told me that he likes “all of them,” but he’s headed for the Darth cupcake first.
Darth Vader Cupcake
A special chocolate cupcake featuring Darth Vader will be available for $4.99 at Darth’s Mall, ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, Studio Catering Co., Pizza Planet, and Starring Rolls Cafe.
This is pretty much the regular chocolate, peanut butter cupcake with a Darth head stuck in it, but we’re not complaining! Also, it’s definitely more ornate than last year’s version! “It is useless to resist” the power of the Darth cupcake!
Darth Cupcake
Churro Bucket
Loyal droid R2D2 features his own bucket of churros with chocolate dipping sauce. Get yours at the Herbie’s Cart, Fantasmic!, and the churro cart in front of The Great Movie Ride.
R2D2 churros and chocolate
Kids’ Power Pack OR Corn Dog Meal
The kids’ power pack will keep your kids rolling along just like R2D2. Get your savory snack at Pizza Planet, Backlot Express, Studio Catering Co, ABC Commissary, Catalina Eddie’s, Fairfax Fare, or Rosie’s All-American Café.
Or opt for a corn dog and chips at Herbie’s Cart.
R2D2 Kid Power Pack
R2D2 Corn Dog and Chips
Souvenir Cups
R2D2 serves up drinks just like on Jabba’s sail barge!
R2-D2 souvenir cups hold delicious frozen lemonade (Anaheim Produce), a tasty shake (Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner, 50’s Prime Time Café), and a hot fudge sundae (Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant).
R2D2 Drink
R2D2 Lemonade
R2D2 Milkshake
I can’t wait to hear the reviews on these! Let us know what YOU find at Star Wars weekends this year!
Are you attending Star Wars Weekends? Which snack will you munch on while watching the stormtroopers parade through the park?
Disney Food Blog Fans, be sure to:
Orlando Restaurant Picks
Related posts:
- Star Wars Weekends Darth Vader Cupcake and Other Specialty Foods
- “Food Network Challenge: Star Wars Cakes” This Weekend
- Disneyland Cupcakes and Star Wars Beer
Read morestudioscentral: Cm mentioned there were 48,000 guests at Hollywood studios yesterday #sww2012
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If you’re a Star Wars fan who won’t be getting out to Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year, you’ll be very happy about what we have to share. Our friend Jeff Lange over at JeffLangeDVD.com and MouseSteps.com (both awesome sites you should check out all the time) captured some highlights of the first day of Star Wars Weekends 2012 for your enjoyment:
Here’s a very funny skit featuring some Stormtroopers that is performed while guests are waiting for Stars of the Saga
Some children were dressed up as Snig and Oopla (characters from various Star Wars Weekends activities)
Star Wars Weekends Celebrity Welcome with James Arnold Taylor, Ashley Eckstein, and Ray Park
And last, but certainly not least, this year’s Hyperspace Hoopla:
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studioscentral: Hollywood studios parking lot filled to capacity. Guests receive this pass to park in Epcot #sww2012 http://t.co/jWvtdoNm
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studioscentral: RT @attractions: Hollywood Studios parking lot is full. They're sending people to Epcot to park and take the bus back.
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studioscentral: RT @wdwtodaypodcast: Getting report that traffic to enter Hollywood studios is backed up to I4 and back to front of pop century
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One of the most anticipated events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Star Wars Weekends is Hyperspace Hoopla, with its Dance-Off with the Star Wars Stars. After seeing the opening night performance, many are calling it the best one yet. See for yourself in our front-row video below. The Hyperspace Hoopla portion of the show usually features [...]
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studioscentral: Heading out of Hollywood studios. Thanks for following our coverage of star wars weekends. Lots more tomorrow! http://t.co/5WaYvPdV
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