Happy New Year! Tonight, we live streamed our special New Year’s Eve presentation of “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks from Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort – and you can watch the replay for yourself below.
Be sure to check back for more live events on the Disney Parks Blog in 2015.
LIVE VIDEO: New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Magic Kingdom Park by Thomas Smith: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
There’s nothing our Creative Entertainment team enjoys more than producing amazing live entertainment for our guests. Here are just a few of the new experiences that debuted in Disney Parks around the world in 2014:
All this, plus the Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event over Memorial Day weekend, expansion of Halloween on the High Seas to all four ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, and more!
There’s been quite a lot happening in the world of Creative Entertainment this year, and 2015 promises to be even bigger, especially with “Frozen Fun” and the Diamond Celebration coming to Disneyland Resort. Keep reading Disney Parks Blog all year long, and we’ll have the scoop for you. Happy new year!
Top 5 Entertainment Milestones at Disney Parks in 2014 by Shawn Slater: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
Earlier this year, avid Disney Parks Blog readers joined us as we celebrated the arrival of two Western lowland gorillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Those births were a very exciting time for our Animal Programs team, but we’ve had plenty of excitement throughout the year with hundreds of births and hatchings! (You are probably thinking, “Where are they keeping all of these baby animals?!”, but keep in mind that this large number includes invertebrates that can have 100 offspring at a time!) While we don’t have the space here to feature all of our new babies, the Animal Programs team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge have helped compile a quick list of some of the baby animals we welcomed this year.
Just around the corner from the gorilla families on Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, you can find a maze of slender-tailed meerkat burrows, and might even catch a glimpse of this baby meerkat or one of its nine siblings! The adults can be seen sitting upright as they keep watch over the newly extended family, and an alarm chirp sends them all scurrying into the safety of the burrows.
A short walk from the meerkats, the African Aviary on Pangani Forest Exploration Trail is also home to new babies. These offspring weren’t born, they hatched! The Great blue turaco is the largest of the 23 types of turacos found only in Africa. They are primarily fruit eaters, and although they can fly very well, they prefer to run and scamper about the tree limbs, almost like a squirrel. This beautiful bird and recent hatchling can be seen in the Africa Aviary.
Also in the African Aviary, you can find a colony of Black cheeked lovebirds – a vulnerable African species of parrot. Only two zoos in the United States care for this species. The hatchlings weigh in at only ~5 grams (about the weight of a quarter) and reach only 4 inches in length when they are fully grown.
A wallaby joey is one of the many interesting species you don’t want to miss at the Oasis Exhibits as you begin your adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He is most active during the cooler parts of the day, mornings and after late day rains. If you didn’t see his birth announcement on the Disney Parks Blog, you can check it out here.
Kilimanjaro Safaris, an open-air vehicle tour of a lush African savannah, is now home to this cute springbok calf, along with three other calves and their families. The springbok is able to run alongside its mother within an hour after birth, but of course it tires quickly, and will then flatten itself into the long grass and hide from predators.
In 2014, the team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was delighted to welcome three Thomson’s gazelles, which are very similar in appearance to the springbok. The newest addition, pictured here, is a girl who was born in October. Although she’s resting in this photo, she often leaps and tears around the savannah. Thomson’s gazelles are some of the fastest antelope in Africa, and combine their incredible speed with agile jumps and maneuvers. They are often able to outrun cheetahs and other predators.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is also home to a Red river hog sow and her three piglets, born in May. This is her second litter and the entire family, including dad and aunt, can be found on the Pembe savannah.
(Did you know a female hog is called a “sow”? You did? “Sow” did I!)
All of our births and hatchings are celebrated because many animals, including the Western lowland gorilla and Black cheeked lovebirds, need our help for their species to survive. Several species are a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). Look for other baby animals and their families throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We look forward to the New Year as we continue to protect wildlife and wild places around the world.
Happy New Year from all of our families to yours!!
Wildlife Wednesday: Celebrating Animal Births at Walt Disney World Resort in 2014! by Dr. Mark Penning: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
The year is almost over, so let’s take a look back at all that 2014 brought to the Disneyland Resort!
VIDEO: Celebrating 59 Years of Magic at the Disneyland Resort – We celebrated 59 years of Disneyland with a special celebration and a sneak peek at the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration.
A Look Back at June 14, 1959: Grand Opening of the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail System, Matterhorn Bobsleds and Submarine Voyage at Disneyland Park – George shared this amazing look back at the opening of three major Disneyland park attractions 55 years ago.
Time-Lapse Video: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Refurbishment at Disneyland Park
Fans of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad raved when the attraction reopened earlier this year with an upgraded track and new effects.
Global Sing-Along Celebrates 50th Anniversary of ‘it’s a small world’ – We celebrated the anniversary of the Disney Parks classic this year with a global sing-along.
Runners Assemble For Victory at the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend at the Disneyland Resort – The inaugural Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon invited athletes to assemble with some of their favorite heroes.
Five Lessons Learned During ‘Legends of Frontierland: Gold Rush!’ at Disneyland Park – Disneyland park guests helped create the story of “Legends of Frontierland: Gold Rush!” in this first-of-its-kind experience.
Dateline Adventureland: Adventure Trading Company Now Open at Disneyland Park – Guests caught Juju fever when the Adventure Trading Company set up shop in Adventureland.
What was your favorite Disneyland Resort event in 2014?
Year in Review: 2014 at the Disneyland Resort by Erin Glover: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
From food trucks to new dining rooms, 2014 was a busy year for the Walt Disney World Resort chefs. Here’s a look at the top stories for Walt Disney World Resort Dining:
We’re looking ahead to 2015!
2014: A Delicious Year for Walt Disney World Disney Dining by Pam Brandon: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
We’re about to ring in the year 2015, and what better way to celebrate than with another great desktop/mobile wallpaper from Disney artist Jeff Maurer.
Be sure to check out the terms of use about using the wallpaper before you download it.
And check out our complete gallery of wallpapers on our special page.
Ring in the New Year With Our 2015 Disney Parks Wallpaper by Jennifer Fickley-Baker: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
With the beginning of a New Year, I wanted to give you a look at new merchandise coming to Disney Parks. It was no easy task selecting these items as there are many great things coming in 2015. Here’s my list of favorites in no particular order.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – I can’t wait to add the mini-figurine created especially for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to my tiki collection. This statue was inspired by the figure that will be found inside the Great Ceremonial House. The coolest part is that the torches have lights that flicker.
Dooney & Bourke – We will continue introducing new handbags from Dooney & Bourke in 2015. I love the black and white bicycle artwork in the top image from Disney Design Group Artist Paola Gutierrez.
Orange Bird – If you’re an avid reader of the Disney Parks Blog, you know that I’m obsessed with the Orange Bird. This year, look for a new 7-inch plush; salt and pepper shakers; a towel set and more.
Disney Attractionistas – The concept artwork above was created by Disney Design Group Artist Mike Sullivan and features two dolls from a new line called “Disney Attractionistas.” Coming this summer, the dolls were inspired by attractions found at Disney Parks.
Disney Parks Online Store Shirts – I’m thrilled to give you a preview of new shirts coming to the Disney Parks online store. This year, we are featuring some fan favorites from Disney Parks such as the Harmony Barber Shop on Main Street, U.S.A. or the classic Disneyland park attraction, Adventures Thru Inner Space. Look for the 40th Anniversary of Carousel of Progress tee online from January 15-18 at http://DisneyStore.com/ParkEvents.
Pirates of the Caribbean – Avast! Thar be pirates sailin’ in 2015! Building on the success of the Haunted Mansion Authentic program, we will be introducing new Pirates of the Caribbean attraction products. The artwork above shows a few designs from a master style guide created by Disney Design Group.
Character Nutcrackers – Later in 2015, we will release nutcrackers inspired by themed lands and attractions at Disney Parks. These limited release items were designed by Disney Design Group Artists such as Alex Maher (Main Street, U.S.A.), Costa Alavezos (Tomorrowland) and Natalie Kennedy (“it’s a small world”).
Which items will you add to your Disney collection? Please share in the comments below.
Look Ahead to New Disney Parks Merchandise Arriving in 2015 by Steven Miller: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
As most of us are reflecting on our year and thinking about our most memorable moments, I did the same for Disney Cruise Line. It was a pretty exciting year for us, and there are five things that stood out to me the most …
Five Most Memorable Moments for Disney Cruise Line in 2014 by Jonathan Frontado: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
Disney Parks Blog meet-ups are one of my favorite parts of working on our team. Not only do we get to allow some of the biggest Disney fans out there the chance to experience something new at our parks, but we get to meet our readers face to face, as well!
In 2014, we were able to offer some one-of-a-kind experiences to our fans – from testing out the new Food Trucks at Downtown Disney, to dressing up like favorite superheros for an early screening of “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Here’s a look back at the fun we had with our readers in 2014.
Year In Review: 2014 Disney Parks Blog Meet-Ups by Jennifer Fickley-Baker: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
Traveling with young children comes with specific needs, and the Baby Care Centers located within all four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks help give parents of little ones peace of mind. Whether a family has a nursing infant, a potty training preschooler, or both, the centers provide a respite just for them. As a mom of three, I love that there are toys, books and movies to entertain my preschoolers while I change and feed the little one.
Check out this video for a Disney Parks Moms Panelist’s point of view on how the Baby Care Centers have been a go-to resource during her family’s visits.
Does your family use the Baby Care Centers when you come to Walt Disney World Resort?
#DisneyKids – Baby Care Centers Aren’t Just for Babies by Jamie Langdon: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
As 2014 is coming to a close, we here at Disney Parks are proud and excited to learn that our fans have made us the most-geotagged locations on both Facebook and Instagram this year! Specifically, Disneyland Resort claimed the top spot on Instagram, with Disney Parks pulling in the most tags on Facebook.
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Above are a few of the photos we’ve shared from @Disneyland on Instagram this year. As much as we love sharing our photos with you, the most fun part of what we do on Instagram is sharing photos from our guests. The same goes for our @WaltDisneyWorld and @DisneyAulani Instagram feeds – many of the photos shared across all three come directly from fans like you. To share your photo with us, just add #Disneyland, #WaltDisneyWorld or #Aulani to your photo description or tag @Disneyland, @WaltDisneyWorld or @DisneyAulani to your photos during your visit!
Looking for more ways to connect with Disney Parks? I’ve got your handy guide to all things Disney Parks social here:
On Facebook:
On Twitter:
On Instagram:
On Pinterest:
Disney Parks Most-Geotagged Locations on Both Facebook and Instagram in 2014 by Erin Glover: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog
