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Another Year of Dreams to Come! |
| 2007 has seen families entering a
fairy-tale realm within the Magic Kingdom to spend a night
living like princes and princesses. It's found Guests throughout the
Disney Parks gifted with surprises big and small as part of
the Disney Dreams Giveaway - from custom trading pins to
cruises to Europe, from a DREAM FASTPASS badge that cuts the wait
time for some of the most popular Disney attractions to a personal
chat with a Disney Princess. This year has truly seen the magic of
Disney come alive for Guests at Disney Parks as never before. Well, 2007 is winding to a close in a few short months - but happily, the dreams will keep coming true! The Walt Disney Company has announced that The Year of a Million Dreams will continue through 2008, with all-new dreams to be granted (as well as many continuing favorites) as part of the new 2008 Disney Dreams Giveaway*. Faron Kelley of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts told us what's coming: "We have some great surprises, including the roll out of wonderful new attractions and entertainment in both... ... California and Florida, and a million new dream prizes that will be awarded across both Resorts." These new prizes include a very special new experience at Disneyland that is resurrecting one of Walt Disney's own dreams for the Park. Faron is "global project development director" - and, as he explains it, "Basically, that means I'm the celebration guy!" And he says that the new plans have been in the works for about half a year, although they've been kept tightly under wraps until now. "After the six months for The Year of a Million Dreams, we said 'This is really something that's just too good to take away.' We wanted to give a longer chance to more of our Guests to experience it," he explains. "Some dream prizes will be brought back by popular demand, such as the one-of-a-kind Mickey Mouse ears, which have been redesigned a little bit; the Dream FASTPASS badge, which has been wildly popular item; and the limited-edition pin and lanyard set, also redesigned for the celebration. We'll also continue with $500 shopping sprees, some fun dining experiences, and with the one-night stay in the Cinderella Castle suite. One prize that is not returning, however, will be replaced by something that is sure to have Disney fans buzzing. "We're not going to be continuing the Mickey suite in California, because we have a brand-new surprise that's coming in - the development of the Disneyland Dream Suite, which will give Guests on most nights the opportunity to stay overnight inside Disneyland Park," Faron reveals. "The Disneyland Dream Suite is being built specifically for The Year of a Million Dreams. It's going to be in what was once the Gallery in New Orleans Square. That space, amazingly enough, was originally intended by Walt to be an apartment for family and friends. Walt had his own apartment on Main Street, but he wanted a larger space where family and friends could stay when they visited the Park. It was never brought to fruition, but working with Walt Disney Imagineering we found the original plans that Walt Disney himself had commissioned, and those renderings are being used as inspiration for the development of the Disneyland Dream Suite!" In addition to the prizes, The Year of a Million Dreams will see some exciting new attractions and entertainment at both Resorts in 2008. Look for "Toy Story Mania!, an amazing new attraction opening this summer at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida and Disney's California Adventure. It's a ride-through Toy Story competition inspired by Disney*Pixar's 'Toy Story' films," Faron explains. "It has some wonderful effects - in addition to keeping score for you as you interact with the attraction, it's done in 3D so you wear 3D glasses as you ride through using your spring-action shooter as you aim at targets, It's a very immersive experience for the entire family." Also, in spring 2008, look for Block Party Bash to leave Disney's California Adventure and make its way across the country to Disney-MGM Studios. The new Pixar Play! Parade will open at Disney's California Adventure. At both Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's California Adventure, Playhouse-Disney Live on Stage! will have a whole new cast of characters and a new show beginning in the spring. Isn't a year normally 365 days? Sure - but for the dream-makers at Disney, anything is possible, and with the new prizes and surprises coming your way, we're betting that Guests will not be complaining about this two-year-long Year of far more than a Million Dreams. |
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