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Characters in Flight Balloon Video, Photos, and that Pesky Wind

The Characters in Flight helium balloon ride at Downtown Disney officially opened on April 21, 2009. The balloon, operated by Aerophile, takes up to thirty guests 400 feet in the air for around five minutes, providing 360-degree views of all of Walt Disney World and the surrounding Orlando area. One of the most-discussed aspects of…

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Pirates League coming to Magic Kingdom

Our Disney friend Shawn Slater has posted some details of a new experience coming to the Magic Kingdom – Pirates League. It will sort of be the pirate version of the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique. It’s under construction in Adventureland. From https://disneyshawn.blogspot.com Opening in late June 2009 in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom Park is the Pirates League,…

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Photos from the new Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney held an “Open Mouse” today for cast members to get a look at their newest vacation club resort, Kidani Village at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Here are a few pictures of the resort. For more photos and information, buy a copy of our upcoming Summer issue. We’ll have a full story on the new…

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New Disney/Star Wars Merchandise Announced for Star Wars Weekends 2009 and Beyond

At this past weekend’s FX! International Show, a Disney products panel was held, hosted by Disney product developer Brad Schoeneberg, in which new merchandise was revealed for the upcoming Star Wars Weekends event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here are some of the highlights (click the images to enlarge them): New to this year’s Star Wars…

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Disney's Hollywood Studios to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with Ceremony and Imagineering Sessions

From wdwcelebrations.com: On Friday May 1, 2009, the date of the anniversary, the park will open at 8:00 am with a special rope drop ceremony welcoming guests into the park to kick off the celebration. In addition, two special sessions to commemorate the anniversary will take place in the Premiere Theater, one at 9:00 am…

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Last days to ride Space Mountain and the TTA for a while

This Saturday, April 18, 2009 will be your last chance to ride Space Mountain and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority (TTA) for a while, as they both will be closing until the fall. Space Mountain’s refurbishment will include some replacement of the track, a new enclosure for the ride’s waiting line area and a new ceiling….

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Raytheon to Bring Robotic Arm Ride Simulator to Innoventions at Epcot

As revealed to Disney cast members via their online web portal called the Hub, Walt Disney Imagineering is working with Raytheon to develop a new motion simulator attraction for Innoventions at Epcot. The attraction is called “The Sum of All Thrills” and will allow guests to design a roller coaster, jet plane, or bobsled ride using real-life…

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FX Show this weekend features celebrities, collectibles and more

The annual FX! International Show is back at the Orange County Convention Center this weekend. This is the 20th year for the show. The show runs Friday through Sunday. Most of the hall consists of dealers selling various collectable toys and action figures and comics from your childhood up to some not yet widely released…