Alas, I’m no where near San Diego this time of year. So if you’re going I’d love to hear what you’re most looking forward to.

See below the cut for all of Disney’s offerings.

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES’ COMIC-CON AGENDA IS FULL OF “FIRSTS”

DIRECTORS ZEMECKIS, BURTON TO TAKE PART IN FIRST-EVER 3D PANEL;

ANIMATION LEGENDS MIYAZAKI & LASSETER TO ANCHOR ANIMATION PANEL

Studio to Showcase Key Titles—PONYO, TOY STORY & TOY STORY 2 DOUBLE FEATURE, DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, TOY STORY 3 and TRON

Animation greats Hayao Miyazaki and John Lasseter and directors Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton will take part in their first ever Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center July 23-24. The filmmakers will be on hand to help Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures showcase a wide-ranging roster of upcoming films, including 3D juggernauts ALICE IN WONDERLAND, TRON and DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and animated gems THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, PONYO and the TOY STORY trilogy.

Zemeckis, Burton, Miyazaki and Lasseter will take part in industry panels.

* COMIC-CON’S FIRST EVER 3D PANEL — Veteran directors Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton join TRON producers Sean Bailey and Steve Lisberger on Thurs., July 23 at 11 a.m. for an unprecedented presentation featuring behind-the-scenes filmmaker insights about the highly anticipated 3D adventures DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND and TRON. In addition to Q&A opportunities with each of the filmmakers, the 90-minute panel will feature never-before-seen concept art, trailers, actual 3D film footage and other Comic-Con-only footage debuts. In a groundbreaking technical feat, this is the first time ever that 3D footage will be shown at Comic-Con. Patton Oswalt will moderate.

* ANIMATION PANEL — Animation legends Hayao Miyazaki and John Lasseter join veteran animation directors Lee Unkrich, Kirk Wise, Ron Clements and John Musker on Fri., July 24 at 12:45 p.m. for an animation panel which will highlight upcoming animated films, including Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY/TOY STORY 2 double feature, Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 3, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ half-hour holiday TV special PREP & LANDING, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG and Miyazaki’s PONYO. John Lasseter will host the panel and Patton Oswalt will moderate a group Q&A following the presentation, which will include filmmaker insights, trailers and select film sequences.

ABOUT THE MOVIES

PONYO

From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” Already a box-office success in Japan, the story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by NOAH CYRUS) and her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent, including CATE BLANCHETT, MATT DAMON, TINA FEY, FRANKIE JONAS, CLORIS LEACHMAN, LIAM NEESON, LILY TOMLIN and BETTY WHITE. PONYO opens in U.S. theaters on Aug. 14, 2009.

TOY STORY & TOY STORY 2 – DOUBLE FEATURE (In Disney Digital 3D™)

Disney●Pixar’s TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2 return to the big screen in an exciting double feature Oct. 2, 2009—this time in Disney Digital 3D™.

TOY STORY

They’re toys, they talk—at least when people aren’t around—and they’re back… celebrating the return of the “Toy Story” franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3Dä! TOY STORY, the film that started it all, takes moviegoers back to that fantastic fun-filled journey, viewed mostly through the eyes of two rival toys— Woody (voice of TOM HANKS), the lanky, likable cowboy, and Buzz Lightyear (voice of TIM ALLEN), the fearless space ranger. The comically-mismatched duo eventually learn to put aside their differences when circumstances separate them from their owner Andy and they find themselves on a hilarious adventure-filled mission where the only way they can survive is to form an uneasy alliance.

TOY STORY 2

Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 2 picks up as Andy heads off to Cowboy Camp, leaving his toys to their own devices. Things shift into high gear when an obsessive toy collector named Al McWhiggin (voice of WAYNE KNIGHT), owner of Al’s Toy Barn, kidnaps Woody (voice of TOM HANKS). At Al’s apartment, Woody discovers that he is a highly valued collectible from a 1950s TV show called “Woody’s Roundup,” and he meets the other prized toys from that show - Jessie the cowgirl (voice of JOAN CUSACK), Bullseye the horse and Stinky Pete the Prospector (voice of KELSEY GRAMMER). Back at the scene of the crime, Buzz Lightyear (voice of TIM ALLEN) and the gang from Andy’s room – Mr. Potato Head (voice of DON RICKLES), Slinky Dog (voice of JIM VARNEY), Rex (voice of WALLACE SHAWN) and Hamm (voice of JOHN RATZENBERGER) – spring into action to rescue their pal from winding up as a museum piece. The toys get into one predicament after another in their daring race to get Woody home before Andy returns.

DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (In Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D)

DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3D motion picture event. Ebenezer Scrooge (JIM CARREY) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (GARY OLDMAN) and his cheery nephew (COLIN FIRTH). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late. Opens in theaters nationwide on Nov. 6, 2009.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Walt Disney Animation Studios presents the musical THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, an animated comedy set in the great city of New Orleans. From the creators of “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” comes a modern twist on a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana (ANIKA NONI ROSE), a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana. THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG marks the return to hand-drawn animation from the revered team of John Musker and Ron Clements, with music by Oscar®-winning composer Randy Newman. Opens on November 25, 2009 in NY and LA, and on December 11, 2009 nationwide.

PREP & LANDING
PREP & LANDING is ABC’s first television special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The half-hour holiday special reveals the never-before-told tale of an elite unit of Elves known as Prep & Landing. Every Christmas Eve, this high-tech organization ensures that homes around the world are properly prepared for a visit from the Big Guy (aka Santa Claus). After working tirelessly on Prep & Landing for 227 years, an elf named Wayne (voice of Dave Foley) is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion to be the Director of Naughty List Intelligence. Instead, Magee (voice of Sarah Chalke), the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center Coordinator (NPCECCC for short), partners Wayne with Lanny (voice of Derek Richardson), an idealistic rookie who has an undying enthusiasm for Christmas. During their Christmas Eve mission, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (In Disney Digital 3D™)

Walt Disney Pictures’ magical animated classic BEAUTY AND THE BEAST returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. Opening Feb. 12, 2010, the film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of PAIGE O’HARA), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of ROBBY BENSON) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince. Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was the first—and only—animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (In Disney Digital 3D™)

From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER; Linda Woolverton wrote the screenplay. Capturing the wonder of Lewis Carroll’s beloved “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass” (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history, ALICE IN WONDERLAND comes to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™ on March 5, 2010.

TOY STORY 3 (In Disney Digital 3D™)

The creators of the beloved “Toy Story” films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters in TOY STORY 3. Lee Unkrich (co-director of “Toy Story 2” and “Finding Nemo”) directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award®-winning screenwriter of “Little Miss Sunshine,” brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings. TOY STORY 3 comes to theaters nationwide in Disney Digital 3D™ on June 18, 2010.

TRON (title not final) (In Disney Digital 3D™)

TRON is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world that’s unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (GARRETT HEDLUND), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (JEFF BRIDGES), looks into his father’s disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Along with Kevin’s loyal confidant (OLIVIA WILDE), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

 
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Disney vastly expands Comic-Con presence

Of course, if the shoe fits, wear it. I’m looking at you, you know who you are.

 
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Weird Al targets Jungle Cruise Skippers in latest video

You remember those two white rhinos sent to Uganda from Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Well now the first white rhino born in 27 years has come from one of those animals. Congratulations to Disney’s Animal Program and the whole team for this success.

First-time mother Nande, a 10-year-old female white rhino born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, gave birth June 24 to a healthy male calf at the Ziwa Sanctuary in Uganda after a 16-month gestation period.

“We are thrilled to contribute to the sustainment of this critical species in Uganda,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President of Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We are joining with the Government of Uganda and Rhino Fund Uganda in celebrating this milestone birth, which represents a significant accomplishment for wildlife conservation.”

Nande is one of two white rhinos transferred in 2006 as part of the first-ever reintroduction of white rhinos from the United States to Africa. She was joined by Hasani, also born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, to help re-establish a white rhino population that has been extinct in Uganda since 1982 as a casualty of civil unrest in the region. There are an estimated 11,000 white rhinos remaining worldwide, with 190 in North American zoos.

Walt Disney World’s commitment to conservation and rhinos goes beyond this first-ever rhino transfer. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has supported more than $250,000 in rhino protection and research projects in partnership with non-profit organizations throughout the world. For more information on the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund visit www.disney.com/conservation

 
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Cute Alert: Baby White Rhino with Disney Roots

Financial Secretary John Tsang said the park already “has brought substantial economic benefits to Hong Kong.”

With its new features, the park “will rise up to the keen competition in the region on the tourism front, attracting more family visitors from around the world,” Tsang said.

That’s a very different goal than The Walt Disney Company originally set out to meet with HKDL. Disney was just looking for a foothold in the Asia market. They didn’t expect the park to need enough attractions to have an international draw, not did they layer in enough story telling that the locals could appreciate (not having been exposed to Disney’s western based stories yet).

These issues were all discussed but then discarded by Disney higherups in the initial HKDL planning stages. Hopefully having to correct mistakes with large outputs of cash (see also California Adventure) will put an end to the idea that you can build a small park and hope people will come.

 
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Hong Kong Disneyland Expansion Gets Gov’t Approval

Over the last few years Disney has made a concerted effort to green all of their hotel properties by meeting Florida’s Green Lodging program requirements. There are also a few simple steps you can take to stay green while celebrating your Magical Vacation.

Getting to Orlando the Green Way:

The first step in planning your green Disney vacation is to book green travel.

• Make a carbon offset payment or travel with a company that does. Carbon offsets are not as expensive as you might think, often costing just $10 to $50 a person for a plane flight.
• Travel via train. When you share your travel with other passengers, you’re cutting down on your fuel consumption by sharing it with others.
• Rent a small car or rent a hybrid car. Even if you plan to drive, you might consider renting a small car if you have a gas guzzler. Plus you save on wear and tear on your own vehicle extending it’s life.
• If you do drive your own vehicle. Don’t use luggage racks and keep everything inside to reduce wind resistance and improve gas mileage.

Where to Stay and Play the Green way:

Stay in one of Walt Disney World Resorts hotels that have a Palm from the state of Florida, Green Lodging program.

All-Star Music Resort
All-Star Sports Resort
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Beach Club Resort
Beach Club Villas
BoardWalk Inn
Caribbean Beach Resort
Contemporary Resort
Coronado Springs Resort
Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
Polynesian Resort
Old Key West Resort
Pop Century Resort
Port Orleans Resort
Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Wilderness Lodge
Yacht Club Resort

You can find other Central Florida hotels that have been certified green by the state of Florida here.

When you check out make sure to provide positive feedback. Give your hotel kudos for doing the green thing.

Being Green Starts Before you Leave home:

• Pack Light. Lighter suitcases equates to less fuel being consumed by the airplane. See Lani Teshima’s excellent Travelite site.
• Check your water heater and turn it to “Vacation” the lowest lowest setting. Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror to remind you to reset it once you get back.
• Adjust your thermostat or turn off off AC/heat if your home doesn’t have pets or plants.
• All appliances that aren’t keeping food cool, including cable converter boxes, toasters, and TVs, should be unplugged as they can draw as much as 40 watts of power per hour even when they’re off.
• Switch your icemaker to off (usually by lifting the wire) to prevent flooding in case it breaks while you’re on vacation.
• Have a waterbed? Turn down the heating.
• Stop delivery of your newspaper. If you can’t, then donate it to a school or library during your trip.

Turn your Hotel Green:

Even if you have the best green habits at home you shouldn’t forget to bring them with you to your hotel room.

• Reuse towels instead of having them washed every day. A neat trick to keep track of which towl belongs to which family member is to bring a handfull of safety pins and colored beads. Attach a pin and bead to each towel with a designated color for each guest in the room. Make sure to remove the pins before checkout.
• Set A/C to 80 while you’re out having fun. Some of Disney’s rooms do this for you automagically now. Ask about it at check-in.
• Turn off all lights and unplug electric devices when you leave for the parks in the morning.
• Close drapes to keep room cool, or open to heat room up in winter
• Keep your showers short to conserve water.
• Bring a few reusables from home to use on your vacation.
  • Use toiletries from home and don’t open any of the ones the hotel provides.
  • Bring your own plastic drinking cups to reuse in hotel instead of the disposable glasses provided.
  • Bring Water bottles to refill while in the park (in FL you might want to bring a Britta Water filter)

There’s an alternative to packing life’s little necessities on every trip: Try a service like Owner’s Locker. If you’re a frequent visitor to Central Florida take a look at this great service.

Being Green In The World

When visiting Walt Disney World, they make it easy to be green.

• Whenever possible, use Disney’s buses or monorails or if you’re off property use the shuttles or public transportation instead of a taxis or rental cars. If it’s practical, walk or bike.
• Eat at restaurants that source local products. Disney grows some of their own product for the restaurants in ‘The Land’.
• Consider a ‘Voluntourism‘ experience.

Being green at the parks

• Only take one “times guide” and “park map” per family per park.
• While at Disney’s Animal Kingdom make a contribution to the Walt Disney World Conservation Program and wear your button proudly to provide awareness to other travelers. You may also want to visit Rafiki’s Planet Watch for an extra dose of environmentallity. (Actually you can find conservation messages all over DAK without looking too hard.)
• Make sure to take advantage of the recycling opportunites in the parks by disposing of bottles in the recycling cans.

I’m always looking for more tips. Please add your best in the comments below.

 
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How to Travel Green on your Walt Disney World Vacation

The ratio of grosses in theaters with 3-D screens to those that are 2-D only has declined significantly and fairly consistently since “My Bloody Valentine,” the first film this year to play on a mix of both, suggesting audience interest in the new format is waning.

He notes…

The more theaters with 3-D screens there are in a given region, the more they may split audiences interested in the technology and thus lower their average gross.

It’s also possible that as 3-D releases increase in frequency — “Up” came out four and a half weeks before “Ice Age,” “G-Force” follows just three weeks later — audiences become a little less enchanted by what they get for their extra money.

3-D at the cinema has come and gone before.  I think this time it will stick.  Some studios and exhibitors have been pushing for it as a way to combat piracy.

Have you gone to see the latest 3-D releases?  What were your thoughts?  Did you see a 2-D screening of the same film?  Do you think it is worth an extra cost?

 
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Is 3-D Cinema Failing Again?

• Guests are no longer allowed to ride in the nose cone with the monorail pilots.
• Added new sensors to all monorail switches and the spur line.
• Added additional set of visual confirmation to all switches.
• Require Monorail Pilots to drive forward through the switch from the EPCOT loop to the Magic Kingdom express look. This requires moving from the forward cab to the back cab in the EPCOT station and then backing out until they’ve passed the switch.
• Monorail Control Coordinator is no longer allowed to leave the monorail station area without having a qualified replacement taking that position. It’s unclear if they’re also required to stay in the tower when trains are switching beams.
• Three employees involved in the incident have been suspended with pay pending the results of the investigation.
• The Behind the Magic Steam Train tour at Magic Kingdom has been canceled through October 12th. This is probably due to the close proximity of the train barn to the monorail barn. They’re in the same building behind the MK.

Some of these are just temporary changes and some will likely become permanant pending the results of the OSHA and NTSB reports.

 
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List of Changes Disney’s Made Since Monorail Death

FC Barcelona soccer star Leo Messi is continuing his celebration of his team’s UEFA Champions League title by spending a week at Walt Disney World near Orlando, FL. Messi, one of the sport’s biggest stars, is experiencing many of Disney’s attractions, including visiting Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, the leading multi-sport venue in the nation.

At the complex on the eve of the Disney Cup International Youth Soccer tournament, Messi took time out to kick the soccer ball around with a local youth soccer team along with Mickey Mouse. Messi signed autographs and posed for photos with the kids as well as treated them to a demonstration of his coolest soccer tricks.

More than 150 youth boys and girls soccer teams (ages 9-17) from 10 different countries will compete in the 11th annual Disney Cup International Youth Soccer Tournament at Disney, July 14-19. The tournament features teams from Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, Guatemala, Honduras and Puerto Rico. The event is one of several youth soccer tournaments at the Disney sports complex, including Disney’s Soccer Showcase, which features the most elite high school soccer players in the nation.

(Photo Courtesy Disney. Kent Phillips, photographer)

 
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Argentine soccer star Leo Messi meets Mickey Mouse

The same day another analyst says that Disney should have better than expected earnings. (The comments at this link are worth reading too.) This is largely due to all the job cuts the company made starting to pay off in cost-savings. Of course, there’s that question of did they cut too much, especially at the parks and resorts where guest safety and guest experience is so crucial to generating repeat business.

The Walt Disney Company announces their results on July 30th… care to make any predictions?

 
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Analysts Mixed on Disney’s Potential

• Remember that “musical marriage proposal” video at Disneyland where everyone wondered if it was a viral video attempt by Disneyland. Turns out it was. Doesn’t make it any less fun and charming.
• Here’s a good reason to watch the MLB all-star game. If a grand slam is hit, the first 1 million people to register will get a free ticket to G-Force. Is anybody out there planning to actually pay to see this movie?
• Disney’s broadway musical version of “The Little Mermaid” will close on August 30th. The touring version is expected to launch shortly there after. At least it did better than Tarzan and during a rough economy.
• Check out ThemeParkMom’s coverage of the American Idol Auditions that have just rolled into Orlando. She also has a short post over at Attractions Magazine’s blog on some of the American Idol Experience Dream Ticket winners who were at the audition.
• If you can’t make it to Walt Disney World right now, check out Joe Penniston’s flickr photostream for some beautiful photos that will put you right back in the middle of Disney magic.

 
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Around the Hub - Disney News and Links

Local TV channel WESH is reporting that two Disney World employees have been suspended pending further investigation of the Monorail Collision. The two cast members are reportedly the Manager who was on-duty as Monorail Control after the original employee called in sick and a worker in the Monorail shop who was responsible for running the switches that failed to change and left Monorail Pink on a collision course with Monorail Purple.

Although the investigation is not complete, it makes me wonder which policies these cast members violated to deserve their suspension or if the suspension is just cautionary until everything is wrapped up.

Previously: NTSB investigating Monorail Collision, Disney World Cast Member dead in Monorail Crash.

 
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Disney suspends two cast members over Monorail Crash

Guests to Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort can now immerse themselves in the life of one of the most iconic figures of our time. “Diana — The People’s Princess” celebrates the late Princess of Wales in a walk-through experience featuring 800-900 rare artifacts — most of which have never been viewed by an American audience. On view are items from her childhood, royal items from her engagement and wedding, hand-written notes, photography and signature gowns and suits.

Here’s a little video showing the set up of some of the exhibit:

Diana’s celebrated life plays out in video stations throughout the experience, including her unprecedented work with children and charities. Presented by The People’s Princess Charitable Foundation, “Diana — The People’s Princess” is open daily through Nov. 30, 2009. Tickets may be purchased at the exhibit, located at Downtown Disney West Side. Prices are $14.50 (ages 10 and above), and $5 (ages 3-9). Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.

(Photos courtesy Disney. David Roark, photographer)

 
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Diana - The People’s Princess exhibit opens at Downtown Disney, Orlando

One of the most heartbreaking details revealed by the NTSB is that the Monorail Purple pilot died while trying to switch his train into reverse and save the lives of his passengers. An upstanding young man and a hero. I hope Walt Disney World finds some way to honor his heroic actions.

Update: The Orlando Sentinel has discovered a potentially unsettling detail. The Manager who was responsible for Monorail Central Control was off property at the time of the crash, although still issuing commands through their radio. They had been asked to take over the Central Coordinator duties after the original coordinator left early due to illness. My sources tell me it’s unlikely this was a contributing factor to the crash. But having the coordinator in the station as an extra pair of eyes during switch times is probably a bonus.

The full text of the statement below the cut:

The National Transportation Safety Board has developed the following factual information from its investigation of the collision of two trains on the monorail system at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, that occurred early Sunday morning:

At about 2 a.m. on July 5th, a Walt Disney World monorail train, designated the Pink train, backed into another monorail train, designated the Purple train, near the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) monorail station. The operator of the Purple train was fatally injured; the six passengers on that train were treated at the scene. The operator of the Pink train, who was transported to the hospital, treated and released, was the only one aboard that train at the time of the collision.

Prior to the accident, the Pink train had been instructed to detrain all passengers at the TTC station and then to operate without passengers past the station and a switch to a point where the train could be backed through the track switch from the Epcot loop over to the Magic Kingdom loop. The operator of the Pink train moved the train past the track switch and stopped.

The Pink train was then instructed to back through the track switch, towards the Magic Kingdom loop. At about the same time, the Purple train, which was inbound to the TTC station, was instructed to stop at the station to detrain passengers. For undetermined reasons that are currently under investigation, the switch had not changed position needed to allow the Pink train to be routed to the Magic Kingdom loop, which resulted in the Pink train backing down the same track it had just come from, putting it on a collision course with the Purple train. The Pink train passed through the TTC station and struck the Purple train while it was outside the station.

There are indications that the operator of the Purple train had brought the train to a stop and had attempted to put the train in reverse prior to the collision. To this point in the investigation, no anomalies or malfunctions have been found with the automatic train stop system or with any mechanical components of the switch or with either of the trains.

The on-scene phase of the investigation is expected to continue for several days.

The parties to the investigation are Walt Disney World, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Orange County Sherriff’s Office, and the Transportation and Communications International Union.

 
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NTSB releases preliminary statement on Monorail Accident

The OC Register has more details including where Disney plans to park all those cars now. (Hint: you’ll be walking.)

 
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Original Disneyland Parking lot now completely gone

I’m not yet ready to make any suggestions as  own ideas are still developing, however, I think this opinion piece from Theme Park Insider editor Robert Niles is worth reading.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident, and it appears that the federal agency will have much to criticize in its report. Not only does there appear to have been operational failures by monorail personnel, leading to the accident, but also Disney’s monorail system design was fatally flawed.

The accident appears to have happened because Monorail Pink, which was to have transferred to another monorail beam, did not make the track switch, and instead proceeded backward down the Epcot line, back into the station where it collided with Monorail Purple, killing driver Austin Wuennenberg. Apparently, the monorails’ automatic collision avoidance system was switched off during the track switch.

And that is the design flaw.

Robert goes on to suggest that as a consequence the Walt Disney Company should lose control of the Reedy Creek District. I’m not sure I’d go that far right now, but I can foresee a circumstance or two where I might get behind the idea.

I’m hoping the OSHA and NTSB reports will be very insightful as to what went wrong and what might be done to prevent this from occuring again (Disney has already implemented steps that will prevent it, at least in the short term).

There are lots of questions that are unanswered as to what went wrong. And that says something in itself. But for now we wait.

 
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What should Disney change after Monorail Death?

In the video you see Austin doing the job he obviously loved so much and doing it very well. He interacted with, entertained, educated, and awarded the Cimino family, and especially one little boy whose dream Austin was making come true, with a memory that they will cherish forever.

Now the Cimino family has done the same for us. We get a chance to see Austin in his element and shining in his role of Monorail Pilot. It’s magical moments like this that helps set Walt Disney’s theme parks apart from any other. Austin was just doing what so many of his fellow cast members do so well. But it’s nice to have this as a tribute to the young pilot who died before he could make many more dreams come true as I’m sure he would have.

See the video and read the Cimino family’s story.

 
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Fallen Monorail Pilot Receives Tribute from Guests

Bay Lake Tower, the newest Disney Vacation Club property at Walt Disney World, has been rising next to the Contemporary Resort for months now. Nearly every time I ride the monorail from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom, the tower is a hot topic of conversation, with Disney guests exclaiming, “That wasn’t there last time!”

Now the site is almost ready to go, ahead of schedule according to the cast member who gave me and some other Florida mom bloggers a tour last week. The first guests will check in on Aug. 4. Before that, though, Disney Vacation Club is offering sales tours at the resort beginning July 10.

Imagineers say the designed Bay Lake Tower to complement the Contemporary’s modern architecture and interior design. It is connected to the Contemporary by a covered walkway, and check-in will be done in the Contemporary’s lobby.

This is a look inside Bay Lake Tower’s lobby. I was surprised to see the many bright colors used in the decor inside, and I love the way the curved trunks of the palm trees inside contrast with the straight lines of the outdoor landscaping beyond them.

This is a monorail resort, and guests are reminded of that with the view outside the elevators on every floor.

There are 295 units at Bay Lake Tower, ranging from studios to three-bedroom grand villas, all with a view of Bay Lake or the Magic Kingdom. Of course, Disney gave us a tour of one of the most expensive units in the building, a three-bedroom grand villa with a Magic Kingdom view. Those windows in the living room cause a collective gasp when you walk through the door. They rise from the living room floor to the ceiling of the unit - two stories.

Stylized “Mickey modern art,” like this piece above the bed, hangs throughout the resort. I am in love with the colors of this one. You can also see one of the many balconies with seating outside the window here. Can you imagine having your morning coffee out there, just looking out over the Magic Kingdom?

Dark woods and granite are used in the kitchen and bathrooms of the unit.

This is the new Bay Cove pool area, complete with a waterslide. There is a pool bar on the right. This view also shows what you might see if you were staying in a Bay Lake view unit.

And this is the real feather in the cap for Bay Lake Tower owners. The new Top of the World lounge, on the top floor of Bay Lake Tower. Disney officials told us that the lounge will be reserved exclusively for owners at Bay Lake Tower, those who pay rack rate or trade or rent points to stay here will not be allowed in the rooftop lounge. The Top of the World lounge will serve an appetizer menu, and you can bet there will be plenty of people “Wishing on a Star” up here every night during the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks.

When not enjoying central Florida’s attractions you can find Leigh Caldwell at her blog Theme Park Mom or on twitter @ThemeParkMom.

 
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Bay Lake Tower DVC Resort Preview

One drawback, each balloon is $12. But I’m guessing you can recover the LED device and insert it into your own balloon back at home as many times as you want until the battery dies (about 48 hours they say).

I hope this makes its way to Orlando soon.

(via the OC Register)

 
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Illuminated Mickey Mouse Balloons Light Up Disneyland

I feel this is good news for safety of the system as the NTSB will have expertise in investigating similar systems. Despite what Disney thinks about classifying the Monorails as an Amusement Attraction they really are a form of railway and that is the arena of the NTSB.

As you may have heard the monorail system at Walt Disney World has been cleared by OSHA to return to normal operations. That this happened so soon seems to lend weight to the idea that this tragedy was human error and not technology related.

Disney has worked overnight to add extra safety features to the Monorail switch system. It’s my understanding that they’ve also added an extra body with responsibility for having visual confirmation that each switch has been fully locked into place before allowing any train to proceed. It will be interesting to see what other solutions are implemented (cast member in the rear cone, a pilot always facing in the direction of travel, etc).

For now, at least, there will be no guests allowed in the cones. The Disney spokesman said this was out of courtesy to the monorail pilots, and I think that’s the right thing to do. When you’ve lost a friend and co-worker the last thing you need is the additional strain of having to play host to four kids bouncing around the cabin.

Finally, as I posted earlier, Disney fans were successful in getting the hashtag of #Austin on the twitter trending topics. This made me think of @DisneyParks the official twitter account for the Disney Parks division. I think it is probably too much to expect Disney to be tweeting through a disaster like this. There really wasn’t anything they could add like safety advice or good news. But I really think it would have been nice if their first post could have joined in the Disney fans efforts to honor the pilot with the hashtag in their tweet. That said, we all join in their sentiment.

 
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Monorails Running Again at Walt Disney World

Previously: Former Monorail Pilot gives possible explanation of accident, Monorail Accident at Walt Disney World leaves Cast Member Dead.

 
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Disney Fans Honor Fallen Monorail Pilot with Twitter Trending Topic