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The 'Happiest Celebration on Earth'
Brings New Thrills, Frills to Walt Disney World Resort
 High-octane energy to rev-up thrill-seekers ... Royal
frills to stir princess dreams ... A breath-taking flight
for anyone who's ever wanted to soar like an eagle ... A
hair-raising ride for folks who really want to make a
splash.
With those new adventures -- and more -- Walt Disney
World Resort has launched into the midst of the "Happiest
Celebration on Earth."
Now through 2006, the Florida Vacation Kingdom is
premiering attractions and entertainment spectaculars as
part of a globe-spanning commemoration of the 50th
anniversary of the first Disney theme park -- Disneyland in
California. It's the first time all the Disney theme parks
around the world -- currently 11 -- have joined together for
one celebration that promises to be the largest in theme
park history.
At Walt Disney World Resort, the fun includes gifts from
Disney parks around the world in the form of E-ticket
attractions and shows that have thrilled millions of guests
on three continents:
At Disney-MGM Studios, "Lights, Motors, Action!
Extreme Stunt Show" spotlights the high-octane best of
the movie industry's stunt masters. Inspired by the
blockbuster show from Disneyland Resort Paris, this action
extravaganza sends cars, motorcycles and watercraft
careening and jumping across an enormous Mediterranean
village set.
At Magic Kingdom, guests can enjoy "Cinderellabration,"
an enchanting musical spectacular direct from Tokyo
Disneyland. Performed beneath the glittering spires of
Cinderella Castle -- adorned for the anniversary with a
swirling overlay of golden decorations -- the live stage
show enacts the coronation of Cinderella. This royal event
is attended by a coterie of Disney's most-beloved
princesses.
At Epcot, guests can take flight aboard Soarin',
an exhilarating hang-gliding journey over the magnificent
landscapes of California. Appropriately enough, this
incredible aerial tour of the Golden State comes to Epcot
from Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim.
That's just for starters. There's also screaming, get-wet
fun at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park, a look at the
newest Disney theme park an ocean away, and yet another
proverbial E-ticket ride rising on the horizon of Disney's
Animal Kingdom, slated for opening in 2006:
At Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, "flash flooding" takes
on a whole new meaning for Walt Disney World guests when
they experience Crush 'n' Gusher, a new white-knuckle
"water coaster." Guests are whisked away on inflatable rafts
to experience the up-and-down sensations of a roller coaster
-- made possible by some of today's latest water ride
innovations. Powerful water jets propel guests through
cavernous twists and turns, eventually spitting them out
into the tranquil waters of Hideaway Bay.
Later in the celebration, Walt Disney World Resort will
present a new adventure of its own with the opening of the
towering Expedition Everest thrill ride in the Asia
area of Disney's Animal Kingdom. The legend of the
yeti comes to life in a dramatic high-speed train adventure
that combines coaster-style thrills with the excitement of a
close encounter with the creature among the icy peaks of the
world's highest mountain.
Epcot guests can visit the Hong Kong Disneyland
Preview Center located in the China pavilion. Guests
pass among showcases filled with plans and photos, costumes
and models, maps and artwork of the newest Disney theme
park, which opened Sept. 12, 2005.
The "Happiest Celebration on Earth" also heralds the
return of a Disney theme park classic attraction to Walt
Disney World Resort, plus new food, fun ... and more:
One of the most beloved attractions at Magic Kingdom,
it's a small world, has reopened following nearly a year
of renovation and refreshment that promises to make it
better than new. Guests will discover fresh, vibrant colors,
detailed new costumes, and an enhanced audio system and
soundtrack that combine to give the attraction a new
richness. In addition to the renovation work, the celebrated
"clockwork" art from famed Disney artist Mary Blair that
dons the facade of the Disneyland attraction has been added
to the Walt Disney World attraction's main inner queue area
along with other fanciful, three-dimensional set pieces.
Little guests who just can't get enough "Cinderellabration"
from the new live spectacular that is performed at
Cinderella Castle can dress the part and dine like a
princess, too. The popular Disney character dining at
Cinderella's Royal Table in Magic Kingdom has expanded to
include A Fairytale Lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table.
The lunch offers a family-style salad and dessert along with
a choice of entrees and children's favorites and
non-alcoholic beverages. And little girls can dress up like
their favorite princesses in Cinderellabration-inspired
gowns on sale at all four Walt Disney World theme parks
and Downtown Disney.
During the 18-month "Happiest Celebration on Earth,"
guests can treat themselves to dozens of special desserts
-- such as a chocolate slipper filled with rich
chocolate mousse and served on a pillow of angel food cake
with a fresh fruit compote served at Cinderella's Royal
Table in Magic Kingdom. The dessert is inspired by "Cinderellabration,"
the glittering new Magic Kingdom stage show.
Pal Mickey, an interactive Mickey Mouse toy that
shares entertaining information in the four theme parks, is
now in the form of a "Happiest Celebration on Earth"
edition. Nattily dressed in a removable tuxedo jacket, the
10½-inch plush doll is updated with new fun facts about
attractions, shows, character greetings, sing-a-longs and
games. Other new merchandise for the celebration includes a
gold Mickey ear hat, trading pins, a collector coin set, and
a commemorative set of Disney Dollars.
The "Happiest Celebration on Earth" also has heralded new
resort benefits:
An innovative service, called Disney's Magical Express,
offers complimentary airport shuttle and luggage
delivery between Orlando International Airport (OIA) and
select Walt Disney World Resort hotels. With the new
service, guests check their bags at their hometown airport,
bypass baggage claim at OIA and board state-of-the-art motor
coaches to Walt Disney World Resort -- as their bags are
transferred to their room. In addition, guests flying on
participating airlines (currently American Airlines,
Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Song, United
Airlines, Ted and Northwest Airlines) on domestic flights
avoid airport check-in lines for their return home by
checking their luggage and receiving a boarding pass before
departing their Disney hotel.
With new "Magic Your Way" vacation packages,
guests can tailor a "Happiest Celebration on Earth" visit to
meet most budgets. Under this new program, a family of four
can enjoy a six-night/seven-day Walt Disney World vacation
-- including a stay at an on-property Disney hotel with
theme park tickets -- for as little as $1,500 and sometimes
less. More magic: unprecedented flexibility in customizing
tickets to suit the guest's individual interests. And "Magic
Your Way" tickets offer savings that increase with the
length of stay. "Simply put, the more you play, the less you
pay per day," said Walt Disney World President Al Weiss.
More information about the "Happiest Celebration on
Earth" and vacations at Walt Disney World Resort is
available at disneyworld.com, by
calling 407/W-DISNEY, or by visiting local travel agents. |
