Smarter Planet by IBM debuts in Innoventions at Epcot
Smarter Planet by IBM opened January 29, 2010 in Epcot at Walt Disney World. It is designed to show the impact that individuals and groups working together can have on the planet. IBM is an original sponsor in Innoventions since 1994.
Smarter Planet is located in Innoventions West. This building is on the right as you [...]
Monorail Coral Smoke Incident Yesterday
Update: word is that the Express line at the MK had trouble tonight too with one train being pushed back to the barn.
Monorails are known to be prone to brake fires. They’re usually small ones that are easily put out, sometimes just by the wind of travel. I’m hearing a report that last night Monorail Coral was involved in a brake fire that possibly spread to its tires.
The monorail pilot reported Signal 25, aka “Visible Odors” the keyphrase for smoke, with passengers on board. There were no injuries, but I’m told that Monorail Coral is offline until it can be fixed. With Monorail Silver in the shop too, this means the monorail system is running at low capacity for the next few days.
I’m thankful that no one was hurt, but this is yet another accident in a string of back luck for Disney’s transportation system. I wish Kevin Lansberry luck and speed in getting everything fixed. WDW doesn’t need any more bad PR right now.
.gif)
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Monorail Coral Smoke Incident Yesterday
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Culinary Quest: Carnation Cafe at Disneyland
After beginning the culinary quest in Downtown Disney (where the really good food is), I went inside the parks to Disneyland. I have had an annual pass for fifteen years, but I had never eaten at Carnation Cafe on Main Street until now. On the DISboards, Carnation Cafe has been noted as a popular breakfast [...]
Disney recalls The Princess and The Frog Jewelry
Federal consumer safety regulators have announced a recall of 55,000 “The Princess and The Frog” children’s pendants sold at Walmart stores. Two models are being recalled due to high levels of the toxic metal cadmium.
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, importer FAF Inc. is recalling 55,000 children’s metal necklaces that were sold at Walmart from November 2009 through January 2010 for $5.
The recalled jewelry is shaped as a metal crown or frog pendant on a metal link chain necklace in a crown-hinged box, and were sold with the words “The Princess and the Frog” on the packaging. The model numbers and UPC codes on the packaging are as follows:
* Crown: Model # 4616-4191, UPC # 72783367144
* Frog: Model # 4616-4190, UPC # 72783367147
If you own one of these products you can return it to Walmart for a refund or replacement product.
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Disney recalls The Princess and The Frog Jewelry
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Miramax Studio closed by Disney
When Eisner added the Weinstein brother’s Miramax studio to its quiver there were a lot of people wondering if that arrow would shoot straight. But it was fashionable in Hollywood at the time to have a boutique label that could go and win a couple Oscar’s every year and if it lost a tens of millions of dollars a year, well that was the price for fame.
Well, there’s a new sheriff in town, CEO Bob Iger, and he’s not interested in glamour for the studio, just franchises that are productive. So, Miramax found itself whittled down until just a skeleton crew was left to go through the motions. Now, the door will be locked on the Disney chapter for Miramax and the final 80 employees out on the street. A sad ending for what was once a bright jewel of a studio, even if no one could ever tell you if it was diamond or paste.
Carpetbagger has a wrap up of how the news was being taken in Sundance and some news of a possible future for Miramax over at the NY Times.
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Miramax Studio closed by Disney
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Wide World Of Sports gets new name
Okay, this has taken a while, but they’re finally rebranding the Wide World of Sports park at Walt Disney World. Here’s photographic proof of them added the E in ESPN to the new sign for WWOS.
The 220-acre sports complex at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. has been rebranded as ESPN, and will officially relaunch Feb. 25, 2010 as “ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.” Pictured, the “E” of the ESPN logo is lowered into place on the complex’s entrance sign on Jan. 28, 2010.
Disney’s multi-sport venue hosts more than 250 sporting events each year for amateur and professional athletes. On Feb. 25, ESPN Wide World of Sports will re-open with more than 40 high-definition and robotic video cameras, plus 10 handheld cameras, and 40 high-definition video screens, including two Jumbotrons placed throughout the complex.
(Photo Courtesy Disney. The amazing Gene Duncan, Photographer)
.gif)
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Wide World Of Sports gets new name
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Football World Cup to get extra coverage from ESPN & ABC
I don’t know if you’re a football soccer fan, but you may have heard of the World Cup. In 2010 it ends in South Africa with the winning country able to claim king of the world status for the next four years. Sometimes I feel like the United States is the only country that has no idea of the importance of this sport around the world.
Things have been changing during the last few World Cups with it gathering more attention in the United States with each win of the national team. ESPN and ABC saw this and bid on the broadcast rights for the games in the hopes that the trend continues.
“At some point you’ve got to treat it like the significant sporting event that is,” said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice president of content. “I understand it has not traditionally stopped work and stopped the country to watch it in past years. But we’re going to treat it like it should.”
I hope it works out for Disney’s sports channels, but I don’t ever foresee the whole country shutting down for the World Cup the way some other countries do. Still, I’ll be watching, at least when the US is on and I’m at home.
(Via the AP)
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Football World Cup to get extra coverage from ESPN & ABC
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Florida’s High Speed Rail to stop at Disney World
President Obama mentioned the high speed rail project that will run from Tampa to the Orlando International Airport in the State Of The Union tonight. The project will get about 50% of the funding it needs from the federal stimulus package, with the rest, it’s assumed, coming in future budgets. So we don’t know if they’ll use that 50% to just build the northern part of the line (from MCO to Disneyland) or to start preparing the whole line. But we do know they’re planning a stop at Walt Disney World, because Meg Crofton has previous said Disney is willing to give up some land for the station.
The Orange area is the proposed location for the station. The High Speed Rail line will go right up the middle of I-4 (highlighted in yellow) until it reaches the 528 (just north of SeaWorld). That puts the proposed station right between Osceola Parkway and ESPN Wide World of Sports, on Disney property. The former Disney owned town of Celebration is right on the other side of the I-4.
If this is the final location for the station, then I hope Disney quickly accelerates their plan to build out Pop Century with new family suites. Pop Century is the closed property to the station. This also gives Disney the chance to add a little rail of their own. Apeople mover, street car, or light rail line connecting Downtown Disney, WWOS, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom would run right by this location and serve as a perfect way to move these new High Speed Rail passengers quickly to their destination in the resort.
I don’t know if there is space, but if Disney World would be willing to relocate their Casting building across from Downtown Disney, that would deposit all those High Speed Rail passengers right into the Downtown Disney Shopping area (via a very short people mover line or moving walkways).
Do you have a a preference for either location or suggest someplace else on Disney property adjacent to the I-4?
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Florida’s High Speed Rail to stop at Disney World
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Ugly Betty put up on the shelf
Disney is calling it quits for Ugly Betty after its fourth season on ABC. A pretty respectable run for a show that was basically a retread of a soap opera from Mexico.
I never really got into the show, I was not the target market, to say the least. But the numbers it pulled in its first season were wonderful. So was the acting and writing. Hopefully Disney will find somewhere else in its project pool for members of the cast, especially America Ferrera.
ABC chief Steve McPherson says that choosing this early in the season to make it the last gives the writers time to pen a satisfying conclusion to the show. If that’s the case, how would you like the story to end? Should Betty get her due?
Discuss this post, and anything else related to Disney, at the TownSquare Forums.
The Disney Blog recommends Kelson Prime for web hosting and consulting.
Ugly Betty put up on the shelf
The Disney Blog - Disney News and Information -- by fans, for fans
Animation Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
If you are looking to do something different the next time you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios I have a suggestion for you. Take some time to enjoy the Magic of Animation and the Animation Academy.
One of the reasons that I love Walt Disney World is all of the unique things you can see or do [...]
