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“Boo” has never been uttered in a bouncier, bubblier, “not-so-scary” fashion than during “Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade” … and ghostly apparitions never have been more wistful than they are skittering along the rooftops of Main Street, U.S.A. When you put it together with a green and orange fireworks spectacular and Land-to-Land trick-or-treating throughout Magic Kingdom, you have a Halloween event like none other: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

It’s enough to bring a smile to the face of a Disney villain! And the special-ticket after-hours party on 24 select evenings between Sept. 14 and Nov. 1, 2010, at Walt Disney World Resort will do just that. About the only one not wearing a grin is The Headless Horseman as he rides his trusty steed through the park ahead (no pun intended) of the parade.

Guests wanting to join in the spirit (no pun intended) of the party are welcome to don their favorite Halloween costumes for the 7 p.m.-to-12 midnight event. “Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade” takes place at 8:15 and 10:30 p.m. and the “Happy HalloWishes” fireworks spectacular at 9:30 p.m.

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In addition to trick-or-treating, meet and greets with characters and entertainment unique to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, many popular Magic Kingdom attractions – including, of course, The Haunted Mansion – are available to experience (but beware of hitchhiking ghosts).

Party dates in 2010 are:

Sept. 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30;
Oct. 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31;
and Nov. 1.

Prices are $59.95 (ages 10+) and $53.95 (ages 3-9) for all dates except Oct. 29 and Oct. 31 when tickets cost $64.95 (ages 10+) and $58.95 (ages 3-9). Advance purchase (prior to event day) savings of $6 per ticket are available for the parties on Sept. 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30; Oct. 1, 3, 7, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26; and Nov. 1.

Additional information is available at www.disneyworld.com/halloween. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 407/W-DISNEY.

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“Captain EO,” the classic musical spectacular that thrilled Epcot guests from 1986-1994, has returned to Epcot for a special open-ended run. The attraction’s return provides new audiences the opportunity to experience the original 3-D production for the very first time, as well as a nostalgic look back for longtime fans wanting to see Michael Jackson in a rare performance created for the big screen.

Twenty-four years ago, Jackson joined forces with Disney, producer George Lucas and director Francis Ford Coppola to create a groundbreaking 17-minute 3-D film experience starring Jackson as Captain EO performing two original songs, and featuring Academy Award®-winning actress Anjelica Huston, and a cast of merry, mythical space characters with dual personalities who undergo magical transformations to become Jackson’s electronic band in conquering the forces of darkness.

The colorful Disney-created characters include: Hooter, the little green elephant-like creature who sneezes wild musical notes through his flute-like trunk; Fuzzball, the orange-haired space monkey with butterfly wings; the Geex, a golden-haired, two-faced personality with two left feet, one right foot and two shaggy heads named Idy and Ody; Major Domo, whose mirrored silver costume becomes a complete set of drums; and Minor Domo with his sparkling purple torso that turns into an electronic synthesizer played by Hooter.

For all its technology, “Captain EO” is first and foremost a musical spectacular and a thrilling space-fantasy adventure. The realism of the 3-D process once again makes it seem that Jackson dances right out of the screen into the theater. While it’s not possible to replicate some of the special effects elements originally in the theater, it will boast a new 70mm print of the film and sound better than ever thanks to acoustical enhancements made to the theater since the film last played there. The total effect is one of motion, color and high energy filled with Jackson’s musical brilliance and various illusions to create an exciting and realistic journey in space for the audience.

During the journey, Captain EO and his merry crew discover a colorless planet where they are confronted by the Supreme Leader (Huston) and her forces of darkness. Using the power of music, dance and light to fill the planet and the theater with all the shades of the rainbow, the EO crew turns the black and white land into a magical world of color and happiness.

The production of “Captain EO” called on Hollywood’s finest choreographers, set designers, costume creators and special effects artists – all of them excited by the challenge of shooting this kind of imaginative film in three dimensions.

“Captain EO” is presented multiple times daily at the Imagination pavilion at Epcot. It replaces “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” which is planned to return at an undetermined date.

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The “Main Street Electrical Parade” has returned to Magic Kingdom for a limited engagement this summer and the cherished Disney nighttime spectacle has a new glow. Tinker Bell sprinkles her pixie dust to illuminate the classic parade and the parade’s highly recognizable musical theme is brightened by new technology..

The parade, which normally is featured at Disneyland Resort in California, was last at Walt Disney World Resort from 1999 into 2001. But it has returned to Magic Kingdom to headline “Summer Nightastic!” June 6 through Aug. 14, 2010, and is showcasing lots of features never before seen – or heard – in Florida.

Tinker Bell leads the procession on an all-new float, and her trail of pixie dust enchants all the parade floats with new beauty along the way. The popular pixie waves from the basket of a balloon floating gracefully above a magical garden shimmering with fairy light.

In addition, enhanced versions of two classic favorites return to the lineup after a 13-year hiatus – the shimmering diamond mine of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Pleasure Island haunts of Pinocchio.

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WHAT: The parade twinkles with approximately half a million lights. Of those, nearly 10,000 are new “pixie dust” lights spread over the 23 parade floats. The new LED lights use one-quarter of the power of incandescent lights. The Tinker Bell float alone has more than 25,000 points of light and 75 percent are powered by an LED source.

WHEN: Nightly beginning Sunday, June 6, and continuing through Saturday, Aug. 14, in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

LIGHTS ON DEMAND: A new control system makes it possible, for the first time, for each light to be programmed individually. One example is the new Tinker Bell float, which has 160 dimmers, by far the most of any parade float, to control the lighting. Programming for this parade took approximately two months.

AN EVEN BETTER HOEDOWN: The unforgettable musical theme of the “Main Street Electrical Parade,” which has inspired several generations of Disneyland Resort guests to clap along, was adapted from a synthesizer piece known as “Baroque Hoedown,” written in 1967 by Gershon Kingsley and Jean-Jaques Perrey. Disney themes are superimposed over the original piece. For “Summer Nightastic!,” the distinctive “electro-sytho-magnetic” “Baroque Hoedown” has new audio technology that gives it a richer, fuller sound.

Main St. Electrical Parade Fun Facts

• More than 80 performers appear in each presentation of Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade.”
• There are 11,000 lights on the dancers’ costumes alone. Thanks to the energy-efficient LED lights, some of the dancers’ costumes now carry only one battery pack instead of two.
• All the floats are battery-powered. More than 500 batteries supply power for lighting, propulsion, audio and special effects.
• Approximately five miles of wire is used throughout the floats.
• The tallest float in the parade is the Cinderella clock tower, at 18.5 feet tall.
• The Fireworks Finale float, the longest in the parade, has seven cars that span 118 feet.

Main St. Electrical Parade History

• “Summer Nightastic!” 2010 marks the return of the original Disneyland “Main Street Electrical Parade” to Walt Disney World Resort. Previously the parade had a limited engagement in Florida from 1999 through 2001.
• The original “Main Street Electrical Parade” premiered at Disneyland on June 17, 1972.
• The parade was presented at Disneyland nearly every summer until it was “retired” in 1996.
• A version of the “Main Street Electrical Parade” was created for Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in 1977.
• The Magic Kingdom version was presented until 1991 when it was replaced by “SpectroMagic” (“Main Street Electrical Parade” was refurbished for the opening of Disneyland Resort Paris).
• The original Disneyland “Main Street Electrical Parade” was brought out of retirement and extensively refurbished for a limited engagement at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom from 1999 into 2001.
• Following the conclusion of the parade’s limited engagement at Walt Disney World Resort, it premiered at Disney California Adventure in July 2001 as “Disney’s Electrical Parade.”
• The parade has been performed more than 5,000 times at Disneyland Resort.
• The original “Main Street Electrical Parade” floats were “flatter” and less three-dimensional than the current floats. While new floats have been added through the years, some have been retired: “it’s a small world” float, Briny Deep float, and special anniversary floats for Disneyland’s 25th Anniversary (1980) and Mickey Mouse’s 60th Birthday (1988).
• One of the original floats, the Title Drum Unit near the beginning of the parade, was created using an actual bass drum, one of the world’s largest in 1972. This drum had been used in Disneyland parades in the 1960s, when Mickey Mouse used to beat it using large drumsticks.
• A third version of the parade has been presented at Tokyo Disney Resort (premiering 1985).

More About “Summer Nightastic”

From June 6 through Aug. 14, 2010, Walt Disney World guests are able to see Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade,” experience new special effects at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, thrill to the new “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular,” and groove to a dance party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and to the “Sounds Like Summer” concert series at Epcot.

Guests can Learn more about “Summer Nightastic!” and check out deals for summer travel by visiting www.disneyworld.com/night or by calling 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639) or a local travel agent. All special summer events are included in regular theme-park admission.

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Downtown Disney, the 120-acre entertainment-shopping-dining complex at Walt Disney World Resort, welcomed several additions as part of its overall revitalization plan including two new stores, a quick-service restaurant and 3-D technology to the AMC Pleasure Island 24 Theatre Complex.

We’re excited to build upon our existing portfolio of unique offerings and are committed to bringing guests even more interactive experiences. These new diverse venues are perfectly in sync with Downtown Disney and reflect the feedback we have received from our guests.
Keith Bradford, Downtown Disney Vice President

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After its success at the Downtown Disney District in Disneyland in California, RIDEMAKERZ® opened a new retail entertainment experience on the West Side of Downtown Disney for a limited engagement. This store integrates full-sized cars and a supercharged interactive experience that lets guests build, customize and trick out their very own radio-controlled vehicles. Kids of all ages can satisfy their need for speed with over 649 million ways to create a mean machine. RIDEMAKERZ is open through fall 2010.

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D Street, a new apparel store where urban inspired product “intersects” with a Disney creative edge, is open on the West Side, showcasing a mix of products for both men and women. Building on the existing popularity of Tren-D at the Marketplace, D Street includes edgy apparel, pop culture novelties, Vinylmation figures and collectibles, artwork, handbags, accessories, jewelry and more. The store features a raw, unfinished industrial look and provides a great venue to showcase Disney art created by local artists.

AMC Entertainment has upgraded auditorium #1 to be the first Enhanced Theater Experience (ETX™) in the United States. The ETX auditorium includes a 20 percent larger, floor-to-ceiling screen, 3-D technology, 12 channel audio, and digital projection that delivers higher resolution than HD.

Opening this fall at Downtown Disney Marketplace will be an international Latin chicken quick-service restaurant- Pollo Campero. This new restaurant concept will offer Disney guests savory combinations of freshly prepared Campero Latin chicken, flavorful side dishes such as yuca fries and sweet plantains, and Latin drinks including horchata and tamarindo. For the more nutritious minded, they will offer chef-prepared salads, sandwiches and wraps, as well as sugar-free, gluten-free, low sodium, and organic offerings.

These new efforts come on the heels of the recent openings of littlemissmatched, Paradiso 37, Tren-D, Characters in Flight and Disney’s Design-a-Tee.

Summer nights at Walt Disney World Resort will enchant theme park guests when glittering light magic, high adventure, dance fever, thrills and chills set the after-dark scene. From June 6 through Aug. 14, “Summer Nightastic!” lights up the entertainment experience at the Vacation Kingdom with a megawatt parade, a fireworks extravaganza, a rockin’ dance party, concerts and other surprises.

At the Magic Kingdom, thousands of tiny lights illuminate the return of the beloved “Main Street Electrical Parade,” and the elaborate new “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular” paints the night sky more brightly than ever.

There’s a special energy in the parks at night. It’s all about the magic and the sense of adventure and mystery that nighttime possesses in the Magic Kingdom.
Chris Oyen, show director for the “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular”

“Main Street Electrical Parade” – This classic pageant of illuminated floats goes all the way back to 1972, when it first debuted at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. With 23 floats, more than half a million tiny colorful lights, 80 performers, synthesizer music based on “Baroque Hoedown,” and Disney theme songs woven in, the parade returns to Walt Disney World Resort for the first time since 2001. A nostalgia trip for many, this “crown jewel of summer” kicks off the season with lighting effects, floats and characters new to Walt Disney World Resort.

Tinker Bell waves her magic wand from the basket of a dazzling balloon float. The Tinker Bell float alone generates more than “25,000 points of light,” says Paul Chychota, the parade’s production manager.

Pinocchio and the boys from the classic film’s Pleasure Island sequence join the parade in Magic Kingdom this year, and Snow White appears with the Seven Dwarfs on a Diamond Mine float glittering with colorful gems.

Ten thousand strobes of “pixie-dust” light the parade trail as a treasury of classic Disney stories comes to life. Floats feature enhanced effects and, though the music stays true to the original parade, the score’s dynamics soar to greater heights thanks to state-of-the-art technology, Chychota says.

Beloved floats like the “Honor America” finale display – featuring the American flag and giant American eagle – return, along with costumed characters like Alice in Wonderland, Mickey Mouse and Goofy.

“Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular” – Magic Kingdom presents more after-dark magic when the sky explodes with vivid color and visual effects that tell a thrilling story headlined by fairies and pirates.

With this show, we’re making the skies come alive – we’re not just going to immerse you, we’re going to surprise you, too.
Chris Oyen, show director for the “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular”

The summer fireworks are accompanied by a whimsical score of classic Disney tunes and theme music from the hit film “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.”

The Fairy Godmother from “Cinderella” and other famous fairies star in the fireworks spectacular.

The fireworks perimeter around Magic Kingdom will expand by 25 percent for the summer show. No matter where you are in the park, you’ll be surrounded by the spectacle.

Pirate Alert: Captain Hook and his band of buccaneers burst onto the scene to seize the park’s Cinderella Castle. Disney’s creative entertainment team designed fireworks that tell the story, including a skull-and-crossbones display and other visual effects convincing enough to make you believe the castle is under siege.

We’re constantly innovating, pushing ourselves to be more creative with the kind of pictures we paint in the sky – we’re trying to make the skies come to life and dance.
Chris Oyen, show director for the “Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular”

NOTE: All photographic imagery used in this post © Copyright Disney.

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New characters from the soon-to-be-released Disney•Pixar film “Toy Story 3” are being added to the joyful, toy-full adventure of Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s California Adventure and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. In addition to playing with new characters in Toy Story Mania!, there will be opportunities in both parks for up-close fun with another all-new character from “Toy Story 3” – Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. He’s the bossman at Sunnyside Daycare in the highly anticipated animated feature film.

Toy Story Mania! – the 4-D interactive ride-game attraction inspired by the Disney•Pixar “Toy Story” films – is extremely popular with Disney Parks guests on both coasts. This high-energy, immersive adventure puts players squarely in the action as their game play triggers surprises that deliver a fourth dimension of fun. Toy Story Mania! engages guests in a whole new way with delightful characters of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.”

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Starting in late May, Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head and the gang are joined by a whole new set of characters from “Toy Story 3.” The new game greeting guests, “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts,” invites riders to shoot their virtual darts at all-new balloon targets in a primeval world filled with volcanoes and lava balloons, explained Sue Bryan, senior show producer, director, Walt Disney Imagineering.

Game players are welcomed by Rex (the nervous Tyrannosaurus rex) and his new friend Trixie (a blue Triceratops and one of the toy characters from the new film) cheering them on. The new game (it replaces “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop”) turns up the fun with more hidden surprises and the potential for volcanic levels of excitement. Other changes:

The “Hamm & Eggs” game will now be hosted by Hamm and Buttercup (a toy unicorn with heart-shaped nostrils).

In the prize scene, Trixie, Buttercup, Dolly (a doll), Mr. Pricklepants (a lederhosen-clad hedgehog) and one other surprise – all from “Toy Story 3” – will appear with Woody and Jessie.

“Our number-one goal in creating Toy Story Mania! was to come up with game-play challenges appropriate for all guests, from little kids to serious gamers,” Bryan said. “I love that we are keeping things fresh and new by adding these great new friends and fun to join some of the most popular characters of all time.”

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Walt Disney Parks and Resorts unveiled plans today for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, one of the largest new hospitality projects in Florida that will create hundreds of construction jobs in the state. The new resort will feature quality family suites designed around four unique themes: The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Cars and The Little Mermaid.

We are always looking for opportunities to expand and enhance our Walt Disney World offerings, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a great example of those efforts. This new resort will feature some of our most beloved characters and stories in a unique and special way that we think our guests will really enjoy. This project also underscores our optimism about the future, as we continue to invest in new experiences for our guests around the globe.
Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Located adjacent to Disney’s Pop Century Resort, the new resort will include 1,120 family suites in The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo wings, and 864 themed rooms in The Little Mermaid wings—for a total of almost 2,000 new units. Suites will feature both a living room and a bedroom, offering added space for families.

These themes have both compelling storylines and vivid visuals which will come together to create a truly memorable, immersive resort experience. With more multi-generational families vacationing together, guests are looking for places where they can play together and stay together. This resort was designed with the needs of families in mind, as we continue the Disney tradition of providing a great guest experience for every taste and budget.
Eric Jacobson, Senior Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, the 26th resort at Walt Disney World, will be one-of-a-kind, with themed building exteriors and room interiors, and larger-than-life icons from the animated films in the courtyard areas. Walt Disney World Resort currently features 25 uniquely themed, Disney owned-and-operated resort hotels with more than 26,000 guest rooms.

The new resort is expected to create more than 800 construction jobs, beginning immediately. All of the themed suites and rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort are expected to open by the end of 2012.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0J5LPUYHzM

Lights, water, music, fire and animation will come together like never before on June 11 when “World of Color” makes its dazzling debut at Disney’s California Adventure theme park. The show is choreographed with revolutionary technology that creates a playful, nighttime spectacular and a new way for guests to experience Disney stories – from the charming to the adventurous.

Presented on Paradise Bay in Disney’s California Adventure park, “World of Color” is a major milestone in the multi-year expansion of the park. The show combines nearly 1,200 powerful fountains, popular Disney music and an all-new kaleidoscope of audio and visual effects, including both classic and new animation projected on massive screens of water. “World of Color” floods the senses and takes the audience on an imaginative, emotional journey into the colorful worlds of Disney classics, such as “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid,” along with Disney•Pixar films including “Toy Story” and “WALL-E.”

What’s great about ‘World of Color’ is there’s something for everybody
Steve Davison of Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment

“World of Color”will take water-infused entertainment to a new level of artistry. Disney’s newest production features an unprecedented infrastructure of water effects, larger-than-life projections, lasers, fire, fog, surround sound and moving fountains that can shoot spouts from 30 feet to 200 feet high. Technical wizardry integrates all the media with one of the biggest show control systems ever built; more than 18,000 active points of control are precisely managed by a single system.

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“World of Color” debuts this year as part of “Summer Nightastic!” – a lineup of exciting, after-dark entertainment that will illuminate the night at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure theme parks. “Summer Nightastic!” will run from June 11 through Aug.29, while “World of Color” will continue entertaining guests year-round at Paradise Bay.

At Disneyland park, “Fantasmic!” ignites the night with thrills, life-like creatures including a fire-breathing dragon, and spine-tingling adventures for Sorcerer Mickey. In the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle, “Magical” sparks to life with a dazzling firework spectacular in which colorful, choreographed pyrotechnics burst and soar to a soundtrack of Disney songs. “Magical” features both Tinker Bell and Dumbo in flight over the castle.

The Disneyland Resort features two theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney’s California Adventure park – plus the Downtown Disney District comprised of unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The resort’s three hotels are the luxurious, newly expanded 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the magical 970-room Disneyland Hotel and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel with its “day-at-the-beach” fun. For information on new attractions and vacations at Disneyland Resort visit www.disneyland.com, call 866/60-DISNEY or contact local travel agents.

© Copyright Disney | Gene Duncan, photographer

Don’t really have anything to say about this other than, come on it’s Tina Fey! At Disney!

A new store has joined the unique collection of shopping and dining experiences in the Downtown Disney area with the opening of D Street, where urban-inspired product “intersects” with a Disney creative edge.

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D Street is located in Downtown Disney West Side and showcases a mix of products for both men and women. Items include cutting-edge apparel, pop culture novelties and Vinylmation™ collectibles. The store offers an unfinished “industrial look” with fun, oversized props adorning the venue.

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Product lines feature vintage looks from Disney and urban influences. Vintage apparel includes artwork from classic Disney attractions and characters. D Street also provides a great venue to showcase Disney art created by local artists.

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This new urban-style location is the flagship store for Vinylmation serving as the place for launching the latest releases and trading of this new Disney collectible. Designed by artists from Disney Design Group, Vinylmation gives a whole new meaning to creative expression. Disney artists use a blank three-dimensional canvas bringing to life classic characters, attractions or icons inspired by Disney Parks & Resorts from around the world. They also showcase their own artistic styles with edgy and graphic-focused looks. These collectible figures come in a variety of sizes including 1.5- or 3-inch limited-release mystery or open edition boxes, to 9-inch limited-edition figures.

Wrapping it up

Anyone who has been following our site for a while knows how much I enjoy vinyl toys and this product line from Disney. This is a great place to check out the latest figures and maybe even trade with other collectors to get that one for your collection.

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With help from a world-famous mouse, dozens of eager children and a shower of confetti, officials opened the doors to the welcoming, new lobby of the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children and unveiled the first physical milestone of the hospital’s innovative model of pediatric health. The entrance serves as a gateway to the remainder of the children’s hospital where the smallest patients from around the world will receive superior treatment and care from renowned physicians.

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Inspired by the soothing environment of nature, the lobby features beloved and nurturing Disney characters such as Timon and Pumbaa from “The Lion King,” Flounder and Sebastian from “The Little Mermaid” and Rutt and Tuke from “Brother Bear.” Walt Disney Imagineers designed the space with these thoughtfully chosen characters to complement the hospital’s healing environment where young patients are supported by caring, medical professionals, along with family and friends.

Our goal is to create a therapeutic environment that reflects the type of attention and care children and their families receive during their visit. With this captivating entrance, we hope young patients overcome the apprehension of a hospital stay by engaging them in a world of fantasy, imagination and adventure.
Marla Silliman, administrator of Florida Hospital for Children

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I didn’t feel like I was in a hospital. The Little Mermaid’ section of the lobby was my favorite part and I loved scaring the salmon away.
Kyle Bennett, a 6-year-old boy from Orlando

The lobby of the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children features several interactive activities and experiences that children of all ages can enjoy to ultimately enhance patient experience. For example, kids can fish for virtual salmon, step into a safari to touch and illuminate markings on a cave wall, generate jungle sounds on musical step pads, swat chirping bugs that glow during an engaging game that tests memory skills or play in a magical world of bubbles and dancing creatures from under the sea.

This lobby was created with all the care and attention to detail that we devote to an attraction in our theme parks. It’s a place to leave worries behind and replace them with immersive, interactive fun. We’re delighted to have helped create a calm and relaxing environment for the children and families who will come here for care.
Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort

As part of a part of a $10 million commitment by Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Worldwide Outreach, the lobby represents the first in a series of significant milestones for the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children. Construction and renovations are currently underway and will continue throughout the year to complete units and patient rooms. By early 2011, the addition including seven stories and more than 200 dedicated pediatric beds, will open featuring concepts, colors, sounds and themes inspired by the lobby design. While patients, families and visitors will enter through the lobby, the same calming and reassuring atmosphere will be reflected throughout the entire Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children facility.

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Florida Hospital is in the midst of a fundraising campaign to help complete the development of the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C9txCWzE-E

They’ve written some of the most memorable songs in Disney theme park – and motion picture – history, and on March 11, 2010, the Academy Award-winning composers of the music from “It’s a Small World” and The Enchanted Tiki Room, as well as “Mary Poppins,” will receive the highest honor that the Disneyland Resort bestows. The Sherman brothers, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, will receive a tribute window on Main Street, U.S.A.

Among the Shermans’ more than 150 Disney songs are such familiar Disney theme park compositions as “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” (theme of The Enchanted Tiki Room), “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” (theme of Carousel of Progress) and “It’s a Small World,” one of the most translated and performed songs on Earth. All three are still performed in their attractions at Disney theme parks around the world, making the music as contemporary today as when it was composed.

Richard and Robert Sherman’s contribution to Disney spans 50 years and has touched virtually every aspect of our company. By dedicating a window on Main Street, U.S.A. inside Disneyland we are pleased to recognize them with one of the highest honors our company bestows.
Robert A. Iger, president and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company

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The music of the Sherman brothers has left an indelible mark on the Walt Disney Company and still resonates in Disney parks around the world. Their songs – particularly ‘It’s a Small World’ and the score of ‘Mary Poppins’ – are not just touchstones of Disney, but of American culture as a whole. The whole world sang these songs when they were new and they still sing them today almost five decades later. Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman are honored members of the Disney family.
Tom Staggs, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman

The tradition of honoring individuals with a personalized decorative window was started on Main Street, U.S.A. by Walt Disney and has continued at Disney parks worldwide. A Disneyland window is considered the ultimate honor anyone can receive from “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

The careers of Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman span almost 50 years and include two Academy Awards for “Mary Poppins” – Best Score, and Best Song for “Chim Chim Cher-ee.” The Sherman brothers gained recognition in popular music with several Top Ten hits, among them “Let’s Get Together,” sung in “The Parent Trap” by Hayley Mills; “Tall Paul,” Annette Funicello’s first Top Ten single; and “You’re Sixteen,” which made the Top Ten twice: sung by Johnny Burnette in 1960 and by Ringo Starr in 1974. In 1960, they began a phenomenal 10-year association with Walt Disney, during which time they composed more than 150 songs for Disneyland Park, other Disney parks, and Disney films and television shows.

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Their Disney credits include “The Jungle Book,” “Bedknobs and Broomsticks,” “The Sword in the Stone,” “The Aristocats,” “The Happiest Millionaire,” the “Winnie the Pooh” series and, of course, “Mary Poppins.” The theatrical version of “Mary Poppins” is consistently among Broadway’s top-grossing shows and is in its fourth highly successful year at the New Amsterdam Theatre. The North America tour continues to be a hit, and the show’s popularity is growing around the globe with international productions opening in Australia and Holland later this year.

The Sherman brothers went on to compose other song scores for “Snoopy Come Home,” “Charlotte’s Web,” the Broadway musical “Over Here,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (later brought to the stage in London and New York), “Tom Sawyer,” “Huckleberry Finn,” “The Slipper and the Rose,” “The Magic of Lassie” (which earned their ninth Academy Award nomination for Best Song), “The Tigger Movie,” the stage musical “Busker Alley” and “Beverly Hills Cop 3.”

Among the Sherman brothers’ honors are three Grammy Awards, 24 gold and platinum albums and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They have also been named Disney Legends, a designation which acknowledges the many individuals whose imagination, talents and dreams have created the Disney magic.