It may not be the Anaheim original, but Walt Disney World Resort
in Florida is no second fiddle when it comes to the dream
business.
Dreams, of course, are at the heart of the latest and possibly
most ambitious Disney parks promotion ever. During the
15-month-long “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration, Disney plans
to disburse a million dreams (literally) to visitors at its
properties on both coasts. The “Disney Dreams Giveaway” includes
dreams large and small, ranging from commemorative FASTPASS badges
to stints as grand marshal in a Disney parade, or even a Disney
Cruise or Disney Vacation Club membership.
TravelAge West attended a special sneak preview at Walt Disney
World in January, and discovered firsthand the stuff that Disney
dreams are made of. Headlining the event was the debut of the new
Cinderella Castle Suite at the Magic Kingdom park. High atop the
castle’s turrets, the folks at Disney Imagineering have created a
one-of-a-kind fairy tale chamber where the clock never strikes
midnight. The suite features gleaming gold mosaic tiles,
canopy-draped beds, ornate stained-glass windows and
custom-designed tapestries weaving the tale of Cinderella.
There’s even a glass slipper displayed in the entryway.
No reservations required, and none are accepted for a Castle
Suite sleep over. That privilege is reserved for a one lucky
family, randomly chosen each day during their Walt Disney World
Resort visit. Future winners probably won’t receive quite the same
fanfare as the Fouch family of De Witt, Michigan, however. As the
first-ever recipients of a night at the Cinderella Castle, the
Fouch family was feted with a special after-hours celebration that
featured a ride in Cinderella’s carriage, concert by Grammy nominee
Daniel Powter, and a makeover by the Fairy Godmother herself.
The Cinderella Castle Suite wasn’t the only new bit of wizardry
that Walt Disney World previewed recently. A new attraction at
Epcot, “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” shows off state- of- the
-art technology that juxtaposes animated figures amidst a backdrop
of water. Riders hop a “clamshell” and join the search for Nemo
while peering into a colorful reef set in one of the largest
saltwater aquariums in the world. (The same technology makes its
debut at Disneyland this June, when “Nemo” transforms the classic
submarine attraction.)
The “Nemo” theme finds an even more spectacular backdrop in
"Finding Nemo-The Musical,” which also premiered at Walt Disney
World Resort.
Set in the “Theater in the Wild” at the Animal Kingdom park, the
all-new Broadway-caliber musical stage show features original songs
by Tony Award-winning "Avenue Q" co-composer-creator Robert Lopez
and a cappella musical "Along the Way" co-creator Kristen
Anderson-Lopez.
“Finding Nemo-The Musical” marks the first time Disney has
transformed a nonmusical animated feature into an original musical
stage production. Based on TravelAge West’s opening night preview,
the show is sure to become a resort “must see.” Elaborate puppetry,
dancing and high-tech effects transform the theater into a
convincing undersea environment. At times, the audience will
believe that they’re floating
along with Nemo and friends in the Great Barrier Reef.
Another Disney-Pixar animation hit sets the stage at "Monsters,
Inc.
Laugh Floor Comedy Club” at Magic Kingdom. A sneak preview
revealed an interactive attraction in which guests can laugh, joke
and match wits with comedians recruited by “Monsters, Inc.’s” very
own Mike Wazowski.
The Comedy Club is coming soon to Tomorrowland.
And, speaking of tomorrow, the folks at Walt Disney World Resort
weren’t content to simply preview the new attractions already in
place.
They also announced that two new attractions based on the hit
Disney- Pixar “Toy Story” franchise are in the works for 2008. And,
they unveiled a “Year of a Million Dreams” ad campaign featuring
images by Annie Leibovitz. The acclaimed photographer was on hand
to personally display her fantasy-filled photos featuring Scarlett
Johansson as Cinderella, Beyonce as Alice in Wonderland spinning in
a giant teacup and David Beckham slaying a dragon. More images from
Leibovitz are in the works, anchoring an ad campaign set to run in
upscale publications throughout the year. Rumor has it that
celebrities are jostling for inclusion in the stunning series,
proving that no matter how rich or famous you are, everyone wants
to be part of a Disney dream.
