Voyage of the Little Mermaid Confirmed

Projected for 2010 Disney's California Adventure Golden Dreams Theatre will be replaced with a the Voyage of the Little Mermaid dark ride.

An artist sketch (above) shows clamshell vehicles, similar to the Haunted Mansion's doombuggies, traveling through scenes backed by 5 of the movie's major musical numbers:

• Part of Your World
• Poor Unfortunate Souls
• Under the Sea
• Kiss the Girl
• Part of Your World (Redux)

The 2006 DVD release included a preview of the projected ride - someone has captured and put on You Tube for your viewing pleasure. I'm sure it will be much more exciting IRL!

Outside will be a new Mermaid Grotto featuring a sand castle play area and water garden.

Disney's California Adventure Re-Imagined

Disney to spend $1.1 billion to make-over Disney's California Adventure making it less California and more Disney. Check the LA Times Daily Deal Blog for updates. You can also track all DCA's projects on the Mice Chat Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker. The changes and additions to come look very promising! ºoº

Making of the Disneyland Dream Suite

The Making of the Disneyland Dream Suite Official Disneyland Resort Postcast
[release date December 31, 2007]

For the first time in history, as part of the Year Of A Million Dreams at Disney Parks, guests will have a chance to spend an unforgettable night inside Disneyland in the new Disneyland Dream Suite as part of the Disney Dreams Giveaway. This posh, one-of-a-kind suite is located in New Orleans Square, above the famous Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. In this video podcast, you'll get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the place that Walt Disney himself dreamed up more than 40 years ago. (2008 DISNEY DREAMS GIVEAWAY SWEEPSTAKES starts 1/01/08 and ends 12/31/08. California and Florida properties only. No purchase necessary. Subject to official rules available at disneyparks.com/2008rules. Disney Dream Prizes are awarded through a random process.)

Dream Suite Specs

2,200 square feet
livingroom
2 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
courtyard

The new Dream Suite is where the art gallery used to be. This space was always meant to be Walt Disney's family suite, but he passed before it came to be. 40 years later Walt's dreams are still coming true! ºoº

Opening Summer 2008 - Toy Story Mania!

As posted at Disneyland.com:

Beginning this summer, you can step right up and compete in an interactive "Toy Story" adventure like no other. It's Toy Story Mania!— a brand new attraction inspired by Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” films.

You'll grab some 3-D glasses before boarding your ride vehicle and zipping off into a world of immersive, midway-style games. Highlights include the following:

• Games are hosted by favorite characters including Woody, Buzz, Rex and Hamm!
• Your spring-action shooter will launch darts at balloons, rings at aliens, eggs at barnyard targets and more!
• Certain targets trigger surprise reactions and special effects.
• You can compete for the high score.
• It's never the same experience twice and is another great reason to visit during The Year of a Million Dreams!

It's Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s California Adventure® Park. [Toy Story Mania! is inspired by Disney-Pixar's “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.” ©Disney/Pixar]

Disney Dream Portrait Series

I can't express how much I love the Disney Dream Portrait Series by Annie Leibovitz. Three more images were added in October 2007.

Julie Andrews as Blue fairy and Abigail Breslin as fairy-in-training

Rachel Weisz as Snow White

Roger Federer as King Arthur

Beautiful! I feel very fortunate we were able to see the Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life 1990-2005 exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art last year. It included her personal and professional works. ºoº