Disney Parks 2009 new promotional campaign "Celebrations"

Jay Rasulo did in New York his awaited announcement and, as expected, it's a new Disney promotional campaign for 2009. This year, the theme is " Celebrations" with a tag line “ What Will You Celebrate? ”. The idea is to have families booking a trip to Disneyland or Walt Disney World to celebrate your birthday - or another event - together. More infos about it on the web site disneyparkscelebrations.com, and below the videos of Jay Rasulo announcement and the advertising clip as well as the official press release.







A Disney 'First' Launches 'Celebration Vacation' Travel Trend

NEW YORK (Sept. 18, 2008) Everyone who visits a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park on their birthday in 2009 can get in free, as Disney Parks embraces a newly identified family-travel trend called "celebration vacations."

A June 2008 survey of approximately 4,600 adults conducted by Ypartnership reveals that vacationers are increasingly motivated by events of high "personal significance" - milestone anniversaries,and birthdays, weddings and honeymoons, graduations and reunions and more. Seventy percent of respondents revealed they have taken a vacation primarily to celebrate a special occasion.

In 2009, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts will lead this growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences.

And to kick it all off: a first-ever opportunity for guests to receive a free ticket to one of the Disney theme parks on their birthday in 2009.

"Birthdays are the one occasion that we all share every year," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at an announcement event today in New York. "We thought a free birthday ticket would be the icing on the cake as we extend this new 'celebration vacation' trend to Disney Parks."

"The motivations revealed in this fascinating piece of work suggest that vacations are increasingly viewed as an appropriate way to either recognize or reward the participants for some event of great significance in their lives," said Peter C. Yesawich, whose marketing services firm conducted the survey. "As such, we call them 'celebration vacations'."

Research showed that when families take that "celebration vacation" they are looking for destinations that provide activities for children and - better yet - activities that adults and children can enjoy together, Yesawich said.

"Given these findings, it's not surprising that Disney Parks topped the list of destinations where families would most like to celebrate these special occasions," he said.

Respondents rated these as the top destinations for a celebration: Disney theme parks (40% combined), Hawaii (18%), Florida {other than Walt Disney World Resort} (13%), Europe (13%) and the Caribbean (12%). Interestingly, respondents without children in their household mentioned Walt Disney World Resort as the preferred destination for a "celebration vacation" with a comparable frequency to those with children (33% versus 27% respectively). The same was true among respondents over 55 years of age versus those between 21 and 34 years of age (34% versus 29% respectively).

"We see our parks as the ideal setting for a personal celebration," Rasulo said. "Guests can immerse themselves in their favorite stories and their favorite characters, creating a visit they'll never forget.

"And when our cast members get involved, it feels as if the entire park is celebrating along with you."

At Walt Disney World Resort, guests can add on to the fun, choosing from more than 200 experiences ranging from breathtaking (magical fireworks cruises, sunrise safaris, diving the depths with undersea creatures) to mirth-making (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, character dining, kids' pirate adventures). At Disneyland Resort, celebrants can book more than 50 magical experiences including "My Disneyland Birthday Party" and guided tours that reveal Walt Disney's inspiration for Disney Parks.

With all there is to do in Disney parks, guests can tailor their celebration with favorite attractions, favorite characters and special experiences. Maybe they have a "princess" day with themed meals, shows, attractions and perfectly princess merchandise at Disneyland. Or they turn Walt Disney World "wild" with trail riding, bass fishing and parasailing.

Thanks to new Web tools, guests can discover magical experiences, unique events, dining enhancements and more. The planning tool is accessible by way of www.disneyparks.com.

Disney Parks also is presenting park experiences with memory-making in mind, including street parties in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park, a Tomorrowland video dance party (Walt Disney World Resort), a celebration barbecue and festive birthday party (Disneyland Resort) and colorful park décor.

Disney parks are the ultimate setting for any celebration, turning a special occasion into a magical Disney experience. And with the opportunity of free admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort theme park on your birthday in 2009, it's even more special. All it takes is a valid ID including proof of birth date. Guests can get more details and start the process by registering their birthdays at www.disneyparks.com.

Free theme park admission details:
To receive free admission to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on your birthday in 2009, guests must bring valid ID including proof of birth date. Guests who already hold a valid multi-day ticket they will use on their birthday may choose from other birthday treats instead, however, no cash refunds or credits will be given. To register your birthday and find out more details, visit www.disneyparks.com.

Editor's note: Today, a Saudi Arabia Cleric sent a fatwa against.....Mickey Mouse!...saying that Mickey Mouse "must die". More infos about this on the CNN Video HERE.
As soon as it will be available tomorrow, i'll let you know about Jay Rasulo mystery announcement in New York. Very probably, it will be the announcement of a new Disney marketing campaign "Magical Gatherings"...so, don't expect major news about new attractions or Shanghai Disneyland...
In the meantime re-discover this rare 1952 lovely Disney short below " The Little House ".

1952 Walt Disney Studios Cartoon " The Little House "

Today, i propose you to (re) discover a rare Walt Disney Studios short movie called " The Little House ". This 8 minutes long 1952 cartoon was done the same year than " Suzie, the little blue coupé " and the animation and the style is typical of this Walt Disney Studios era.

Two years before the Studios released Cinderella, and you can feel in some scenes of this short - more specifically the scenes with humans - a similar style.

Enjoy it!

A Great Disney Village restaurant idea that never was...

This indoor "Dining in New York" restaurant project for the Disney Village - where guests would have dinner on a New York rooftop with the Manhattan skyline in front of them - was a hell of a good idea, but unfortunately never realised.

However, the good point is that it could be built in the future. Not that the imagineers are specifically thinking about it, but technically speaking, it's not a difficult concept to build. It's an all indoor decor with a huge backdrop who give to the guests the feeling they are outside - like the Sci-Fi Cafe at Disney Hollywood Studios - even if they're not.

The project was designed for the Disney Village, but it will be a great restaurant idea for the Walt Disney Studios, too. A perfect concept, in fact. Imagine that, when the imagineers expand the Hollywood Boulevard - as they will do in the next years - they create a "New York" street, this restaurant project will fit perfectly. And, because it's all about decor and illusion, it will also fit perfectly in the WDS theme. All they'll have to do is to have a larger area where they can put more tables, and, of course, to avoid the Twin Towers in the backdrop painting!

Artwork: copyright Disney Enterprises Inc

Hong-Kong Disneyland open Art of Animation exhibit and Toy Story Zoetrope

A new "Art of Animation" opened at Hong-Kong Disneyland recently. the exhibit located beside “Animation Academy” in Town Square, include maquettes, storyboards and background paintings from Disney Animation Studios and a great Toy Story Zoetrope. Here is the official press release and two videos.

Hong Kong Disneyland Launches “Art of Animation” to Inspire Imagination. A rare behind-the-scenes peek at the origins of Disney’s stories

Parents and children can now embark on a stimulating artistic journey through the world of Disney animation, as Hong Kong Disneyland presents the “Art of Animation” set to inspire creativity in Guests of all ages.

Celebrating the classic Disney and Pixar stories and characters that have delighted children and adults alike, Guests will gain a better understanding of Disney animation, from past to present – from the creation of the beloved Mickey Mouse to The Incredibles.

Guests’ fantastic voyage will culminate in the form of a colorful life size Zoetrope, which demonstrates the fundamentals of animation in an innovative and whimsical way. The first of its kind in Hong Kong, the Zoetrope is set to bring exhilarating and electrifying experiences to Guests.

“The Walt Disney Company possesses the flawless ability to tell classic and moving stories that have inspired creativity in generations of children,” said Maple Lee, Vice President, Marketing, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. “The ‘Art of Animation’ is at its core, the history of animation within the company, and how we have taken from sketches and artwork, to combine all of these elements to create great characters, stories, movies and entertainment offerings.”

Featuring characters from “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2”, the Zoetrope which is situated inside the new attraction, is a simple mechanism that creates the illusion of movement by presenting a continuously changing series of images – actual 3-D figures – on a spinning disk. Through a flashing strobe light a sense of motion is created as the figures spin around.



Maple Lee added, “Watching the Zoetrope in action is a mind-blowing experience, as the Toy Story characters come to life right before your very eyes. It is an entertaining demonstration of what Walt Disney once described as, ‘Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive.’”

The moment Guests enter the “Art of Animation”, they will be surrounded by conceptual artwork from the late 1920s to the present. Guests will be able to further their knowledge of how animation is created at Disney, which is the basis for many of the attractions and entertainment offerings at Disney theme parks around the world.

The “Art of Animation” is filled with maquettes, storyboards and background paintings of Disney Characters. The attraction is divided into Mickey and Friends; the Golden Age of Animation featuring films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty; the Renaissance of Disney Animation featuring films such as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin; and the Next Generation featuring films such as Toy Story and Ratatouille.



The “Art of Animation” is located beside “Animation Academy” in Town Square and is open during regular Park hours. The combination of the all-new “Art of Animation” and “Animation Academy” offers a unique corner in which young Guests can step into the enchanted world of animation; from learning the fundamentals of animation to a step by step tutorial on drawing beloved Disney Characters.



Photos: copyright Disney- Hong Kong Disneyland