Archive for October, 2009

Disney Cruise Line Sets Sail for America’s Last Frontier: Disney Wonder Bound for Alaska in 2011

Oct 08, 2009 in Disney Cruise Line

CELEBRATION, Fla. (Sept. 11, 2009) – For the first time ever, Disney Cruise Line will offer Alaskan cruises during a four-month season of seven-night sailings aboard the Disney Wonder in summer 2011. Combining the natural wonder and adventurous spirit of Alaska with the unparalleled, family-friendly experience provided by Disney Cruise Line, the Disney Wonder will depart out of Vancouver, B.C., calling on popular ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.
0611ar_0280dz31504806
Before and after the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

In response to guest demand, the Disney Magic will once again return to the Mediterranean in 2011 with 10- and 11-night cruises sailing out of Barcelona.  In addition to popular ports in Italy, France and Spain, the Disney Magic will visit Tunis in northern Africa and the island nation of Malta.

“We’re excited to offer this incredible choice of itineraries for 2011, with cruise vacation options for every family – whether that’s outdoor adventure in Alaska, the beauty and culture of Europe, folklore and pageantry of Mexico or tropical fun in the Caribbean,” said Disney Cruise Line President Karl Holz.  “The unique advantage of Disney Cruise Line is that we offer a customized ship experience that brings families together, while still catering to the personalized vacation needs of every guest who sails with us.”

Disney Cruise Line also will offer a number of repositioning cruises and special sailings in 2011, including a 15-night Panama Canal crossing, two 14-night transatlantic voyages, a five- and six-night cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, and Vancouver to Los Angeles, with first-ever stops in San Francisco and Victoria, B.C., and 10- and 11-night holiday sailings to the Mexican Riviera and the eastern Caribbean.

Guests will be able to book Disney Wonder and Disney Magic itineraries for the 2011 season beginning Sept. 28, 2009.

 
Disney Wonder 2011 Schedule

Departing out of Vancouver, the Disney Wonder will sail a total of 18 seven-night cruises to Alaska for the 2011 summer season, calling on Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.

As part of the new Alaska itinerary, Disney Cruise Line guests will be able to experience breathtaking natural vistas, an abundance of wildlife and the rich history and customs of Alaska’s native culture.  On their Alaskan adventure, guests may catch a glimpse of a brown bear, bald eagle or humpback whale, and explore magnificent glaciers and fjords in Juneau.  In Ketchikan, guests can fish for some of the largest wild salmon in the world and learn about local culture through hand-carved totem poles.  In Skagway, Disney Cruise Line guests can traverse panoramic landscapes by railway, or pan for gold like miners from the famous Klondike gold rush.

The first-ever Disney cruise to Alaska will depart on May 3 with the last cruise of the season scheduled for Aug. 30.  Rates for the seven-night Alaskan itinerary start at $939 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

To prepare for the Alaska sailings, a brand-new venue called Outlook Café will be added to the Disney Wonder during dry dock in October.  Located high atop deck 10, the 2,500-square-foot Outlook Café is a stylish retreat for guests to relax and enjoy a beverage or cocktail as they peer out through floor-to-ceiling, curved glass windows at breathtaking vistas.  The design of Outlook Café is sophisticated with contemporary Art Deco inspiration.  An elegant spiral staircase connects Outlook Café with the existing Cove Café one deck below.  The 65-seat lounge has a granite-topped cocktail bar with comfortable seating throughout the space, all providing picture-perfect views of the surrounding landscapes.

Book-ending the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder will sail seven-night itineraries to the Mexican Riviera.  Rates for the seven-night Mexican Riviera itinerary start at $639 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy.

Comments (1)

To Infinity and Back! Buzz Lightyear Returns From Space!

Oct 08, 2009 in Walt Disney World
BUZZ LIGHTYEAR TOY RETURNS FROM SPACE TO A HERO'S WELCOME AT DISLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Oct. 2, 2009) – Disney Parks and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today celebrated Buzz Lightyear’s cosmic achievement as the longest tenured crew member in space with a ticker-tape parade down Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.  Some of Buzz’s new friends, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin and International Space Station Expedition 18 astronaut Michael Fincke, attended.
 
After living his dream of space travel, Buzz Lightyear returned to Earth aboard Space Shuttle Discovery STS-128 on Sept. 11, following more than 15 months of dedicated service onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The 12-inch-tall action star flew to space as part of an education initiative between Disney Parks and NASA to encourage students to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
 
“Buzz’s historic space flight is a great example of spreading the excitement of space exploration to students around the world,” said NASA’s Assistant Administrator for Education, Dr. Joyce Winterton.  “We hope that our space station crews and Buzz will spark student interest in the International Space Station and its scientific potential.” 
 
“We can’t thank our partners at NASA enough for bringing Buzz Lightyear home from space to his family, friends and fans here at Disney Parks – after all, this was his dream come true,” said Duncan Wardle, vice president, Disney Parks.  “He was certainly missed and deserves a hero’s welcome!”
 
Coinciding with the celebratory parade, NASA announced two new student contests and conducted special educational experiences in the park, including fun and informative discussions with NASA astronauts. 
 
The ISS Student Experiment Competition challenges students in 5th-8th grade to devise experiments to be conducted aboard the space station.  The winning 12 experiments will be performed by future station crew members and videotaped for the winning schools.  More information on the competition is available at NASA.gov/BuzzonISS.com.
 
Disney Parks and NASA today also launched an online Mission Patch Design Challenge that will run from Oct. 2-Nov. 6.  Students ages 6-12 will have the opportunity to design a mission patch to commemorate Buzz’s return aboard shuttle Discovery and his accomplishment of being the longest-serving toy in space.  The student with the most creative mission patch and 100-word essay will win a trip to Walt Disney World Resort and a VIP tour of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  More information on the Mission Patch Design Challenge is available at DisneyParks.com/buzz.
 
Disney and NASA prepare to honor Buzz Lightyear's return from spNASA and Disney today also launched a new online game as part of the Space Ranger Education Series, both at nasa.gov/kidsclub.  The series includes fun, educational games for students, as well as materials for educators to download and integrate into their classroom curriculum.
 
Buzz Lightyear is the intrepid space ranger toy from the Disney•Pixar films “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.”  Originally released in 1995, “Toy Story” was the first fully computer-animated feature film, which earned director John Lasseter a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  Both films chronicle the comedic adventures of a group of toys that come to life when humans aren’t watching. Buzz is one of the beloved toys of child-owner Andy, along with the rest of Andy’s toy gang, including the likeable cowboy Woody, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky Dog, Hamm, Jessie the cowgirl and Bullseye the horse.
 
Buzz isn’t just returning home. He returns to the big screen alongside Woody and the rest of the gang, this time in Disney Digital 3D™.  Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” 3-D double feature hits theaters today (Oct. 2) for a limited two-week engagement.  The Disney Digital 3Dä “Toy Story” celebration culminates next summer in a brand new adventure starring Buzz and Woody: “Toy Story 3” – in theaters June 18, 2010.

Leave your Comment

Give a Day of Volunteer Service in 2010, Get a Day of Disney Theme Park Fun – Free

Oct 08, 2009 in Disneyland, Walt Disney World

Disney Parks announces "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program foDisney Parks is launching a program that celebrates the spirit of volunteer service with a simple proposition: “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.”


Disney hopes to inspire families to volunteer in their communities during 2010 through this first-of-its-kind program. One million people who perform volunteer service for a participating organization will receive a free one-day admission ticket to a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park.
While the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program kicks off Jan. 1, right now guests can learn more about the program and how to get their free one-day admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme park by visiting DisneyParks.com (for the United States and Puerto Rico) or DisneyParks.ca (for Canada).
In the past year, guests have been celebrating all sorts of special moments in their lives at Disney parks – from birthdays and anniversaries to reunions and graduations – as part of the “What Will You Celebrate?” campaign.
“In 2010, we want to recognize and add one more reason for celebration: the contributions people make to their communities every day,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We want to inspire 1 million volunteers – people who will invest time and energy to make their own communities and neighborhoods a better place.”
To enable people to sign up for an eligible volunteer project, Disney is working with HandsOn Network, the nation’s largest volunteer network.  Part of Points of Light Institute, HandsOn Network has 250 on-the-ground volunteer action centers across the country and connects volunteers to more than 70,000 nonprofit agencies that need their help.
“Wherever we live, our communities need our hands-on help to thrive,” said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute. “We are thrilled at this unprecedented effort by Disney Parks to help mobilize 1 million volunteers into action.  ‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ has the potential to reach so many families and instill the volunteer spirit in a new generation.”
Bob Iger, president and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said, “‘Give a Day, Get a Disney Day’ fits perfectly with our long history of supporting and participating in volunteer efforts.  It’s a great way to honor guests who are making a positive contribution to their communities.”
           
Starting Jan. 1, 2010, guests can go to DisneyParks.com for the United States and Puerto Rico or DisneyParks.ca for Canada to search for volunteer opportunities available in those areas through HandsOn Network and sign up for a day of volunteer service.  Many of the opportunities will be for projects that entire families can participate in together.
To raise awareness for grass-roots community volunteerism and the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program, Disney VoluntEARS and volunteers from Southwest Airlines are joining with local volunteers on projects coordinated by HandsOn Network in cities across North America this fall and winter.  Southwest Airlines also is providing transportation for the initiative.
           
“Southwest Airlines strives to make a positive difference in the communities we serve, from protecting the environment to supporting a local cause,” said Linda Rutherford, vice president of Communications and Strategic Outreach, Southwest Airlines.  “Southwest employees give back both locally and nationally through volunteerism, with individual and personal efforts, serving together as teams or through companywide efforts.  The opportunity with Disney unites two companies that are devoted to the spirit of volunteerism.”
 
Give a Day, Get a Disney Day details:
Must pre-register and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunity at disneyparks.com.  Ticket quantities for this program are limited. Must be at least age 6 to participate. Other terms and conditions apply.  For details, see disneyparks.com in the United States and Puerto Rico. In Canada, see disneyparks.ca.
           
About HandsOn Network
           
Disney Parks announces "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" program foThe volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute, HandsOn Network is the largest volunteer network in the nation and includes more than 250 HandsOn Action Centers that reach more than 83 percent of the nation’s population and extend to 10 countries.  HandsOn includes a powerful network of more than 70,000 corporate, faith and nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve and creating scaled impact.  In 2008, the network delivered approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service.
 
About Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are where dreams come true.  More than 50 years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres and vibrant storytelling.  His vision now includes a collection of five of the world’s leading family vacation destinations – Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan; Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France; and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, China.  In addition, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club, with nine resorts and more than 420,000 members; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to some of the world’s most popular destinations; Disney Regional Entertainment, which operates the ESPN Zone dining and entertainment centers; the World of Disney stores; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Leave your Comment