The Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom recently received several major updates. However, despite being open for over 4 months since the refurbishment, tweaks are still being made inside. The latest update is a significant improvement to the singing busts in the graveyard scene. No longer do their faces glow, clearly revealing the secret behind [...]

The new edition of Orlando Business Journal features a story on the cover about Disney’s testing of the Nintendo DS as a guide to the Magic Kingdom. (Which was first reported here on our blog on Jan. 10) Quoted in the article is our own Ricky Brigante. Thanks to reporter Dan Ping for contacting us. [...]

The very popular Pirate and Princess Party has returned to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. On select nights, this hard-ticketed event takes over the Magic Kingdom’s streets, filling them with festivities themed to pirates and princesses. To get a feel for what the parties are like, check out our 4-minute summary video offering [...]

Former Disney World ambassador Lowell Doringo (left) and VIP guide Aaron (right) pose with three ladies who used to work in the Cinderella Castle Suite years before it was transformed, (from left) Jean Holland, Suzan Johnson and Charlene Bloom. Long-time Walt Disney World Cast Members Charlene Bloom, Jean Holland and Suzan Johnson recently felt like [...]

A limited number of families visiting the Magic Kingdom next week will be selected to help test a new service called Disney Magic Connection. Disney Magic Connection is actually a special Nintendo DS the family keeps with them for the day at the park. Through the wireless connection they’ll be able to: • See interactive [...]

I spent the first half of today (beginning at 9am) at the Magic Kingdom for day 2 of the Christmas Day parade taping. The day began with the Jonas Brothers’ performance, followed by some performers from Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Menudo. The rest of the day (until 3:30pm or so) featured various parade floats running [...]

I spent most of today at the Magic Kingdom watching them record parts of the Christmas Day TV Parade. It was a foggy and drizzly day but the shows went on. Today was mostly recording the stage show portions of the ABC special. I missed seeing Patti Labelle performing in the morning. I arrived as [...]

Notice anything missing in the above photo? If you’ve ever tried to take pictures of the castle from the train station at the Magic Kingdom, you’ve no doubt wished the flagpole wasn’t in the way. Well now you’ve gotten your wish – at least temporarily. The flag pole has been taken down in anticipation of [...]

We’ve just updated our photo gallery with some more holiday photos. View our pictures of the Christmas decorations and special events from all around Disney-MGM Studios (including the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights), Epcot, Magic Kingdom (including the newly decorated castle) and the Downtown Disney Marketplace. Keep checking our photo gallery as the season rolls [...]

Pilgrim Mickey and National Turkey Federation Chairman Ted Seger present the two saved birds at Ten Star Ranch in Dubois, Ind. Two turkeys will receive presidential pardons from President George W. Bush at The White House on Tuesday, in the 60th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation. Following their presidential pardons, the two turkeys will join [...]

I’ve uploaded a video of tonight’s new Cinderella Castle lighting ceremony called, “Cinderella’s Holiday Wish”. It’s around seven minutes long and features Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the Fairy Godmother on the castle stage. It’s a fun little show with some spectacular lights on the castle.The video is 640×360 MP4 with HD [...]

For the first time, Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World magically morphs into a shimmering, glimmering ice palace for the holidays – thanks to a new special effects spectacle bathing the castle in 200,000 twinkly white lights. Magic Kingdom guests will be treated nightly to the castle celebration, which also features cherished Disney characters. Similar [...]

Three more of the “Sinister 11″ portraits have been added to four that were placed in The Haunted Mansion’s load area during the refurbishment.  Two more were added to the first scene, but it is almost too dark to even see them.  That leaves only two missing, for now. The Sinister 11 were the portraits [...]

Photo by Matt Stroshane Oscar-nominated actress Laura Dern, star of films including “Jurassic Park,” “Blue Velvet” and “Rambling Rose,” takes a spin Oct. 27 on the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction with son Ellery, 6, at the Magic Kingdom. Dern visited Walt Disney World during a break in filming for “Recount,” a drama about Florida’s [...]

For eight Ukrainian children, dreams became reality on Oct. 12 as they entered Main Street U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park. The children, ages 9 to 20, were born with birth defects as a result of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. They spent the past couple of weeks in Central Florida meeting with physicians, receiving occupational [...]