Big Expansion Announced for Tokyo Disneyland; Details on Disney Pin Celebration 2016 Pixar Party

Big Expansion Announced for Tokyo Disneyland:

Today, a huge expansion was announced by Tokyo Disneyland and the expansion is expected to be completed by 2020. What are the details you may ask of this amazing expansion? A new Beauty and the Beast-themed area that will expand Fantasyland is possibly the biggest part of the expansion. A new attraction in Tomorrowland based off "Big Hero 6." A new character greeting facility will be built at the entrance to Toontown. Finally, across the way at Tokyo DisneySea a new version of Soarin' will be built. Here are the full details:

The major attraction being built in the new Beauty and the Beast-themed area will have the newest technology and last for a genuinely incredible 8 minutes. According to the press release, guests will board enchanted serving dishes that will dance in rhythm to the film's well-known music. It will follow Belle on a romantic musical journey inside the Enchanted Castle where she dances into the heart of Beast, just in time to break the fateful spell. Also included in the new themed land will be a new shop and restaurant, details on both were not announced. 

The new land isn't all that's coming to Fantasyland as a new 1,500-seat live Fantasyland Theaters will be built. It will be the first full-scale indoor theater for live entertainment at Tokyo Disneyland. According to the press release, the theater will be, "Signature Disney entertainment unique to Tokyo Disneyland and featuring the Disney Friends will be presented in this storybook theater environment." 

The theater will be built near the Beauty and the Beast-themed area, towards Space Mountain and behind the new Tomorrowland attraction. That new Tomorrowland attraction will be based off of Disney's Academy-Award winning film "Big Hero 6." The first attraction based off the film inside a Disney Park.

The attraction will be much like Mater's Junkyard Jamboree at Disney California Adventure. It will be an exciting musical 'whip ride' that will swing guests unpredictably round and round. The ride should last for about a minute and a half. The attraction will tentatively open in Spring 2020. 

Besides the "Big Hero 6" attraction a new outer space-themed shop will open, a first for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, will be selling multiple flavors of popcorn. The story behind the popcorn at Tokyo Disneyland is that throughout the park that sells popcorn with crazy flavors that are supposedly amazing.

Guests will be able to meet Minnie in the new character greeting facility being built at the entrance to Toontown. Announced in the press release, "After walking through Minnie’s design studio and her work area with interactive elements, guests can meet Minnie in person, take pictures with her, and generally spend a memorable time together." Again it is set to tentatively be completed by Spring 2020. 

Soarin' will make its debut across the way inside the Mediterranean Harbor section of the park and will open by fiscal year 2019. The attraction will premiere with original scenes and the newest visual images. If you notice though in the concept art the ride vehicle is much different that previous Soarin' attractions that use a hang glider. It almost looks like the flying machine developed by Leonardo Da Vinci. The attraction will be located across from Mysterious Island that is home to the iconic attraction, Journey to the Center of the Earth. 

Elsewhere inside Tokyo DisneySea, "newer versions of current attractions and entertainment programs" are also being developed. Who's ready to book a trip to Tokyo Disneyland in 2020?

Details on Disney Pin Celebration 2016 Pixar Party at Disney World:

Let's celebrate 30 years of Pixar magic with a party. The Disney Parks Blog today released details on this year's Disney Pin Celebration 2016 Pixar Party. The event will take place August 26-27, 2016 at World Showplace in Epcot. Here are the details from the Disney Parks Blog:

This “totally wicked” event is slated to take place August 26 (from 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.) and August 27, 2016 (from 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.) at World ShowPlace in Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort. Join us as we celebrate 30 colorful years of Pixar Animation Studios! This award-winning studio has produced a myriad of full length feature films, shorts, (Car) Toons, and television specials full of colorful characters that we love and cherish. The pins for the Pixar Party will feature characters from “Cars” to “Brave” to “infinity and beyond.” The event team shared as many details as they could with me, so here’s the scoop!

Admission to Pixar Party is $140 per guest and includes the following:

• Trading Board Games (four (4) vouchers per day)
• Pixar Party Scavenger Hunt
• Auction Opportunity (includes pre-production pins, artist proof pins and more)
• Meet Disney Pin Merchandisers
• Artist Signings with Disney Design Group Artists
• One (1) $30 Disney Gift Card

Other event offerings include:

• First opportunity to pre-purchase select themed Pixar Party merchandise via the Random Selection Process 
• Limited Edition Commemorative Gifts 
• Welcome Pin
• Pixar Party Scavenger Hunt Six (6) Pin Gift Set (previously found on trading boards)
• Goodbye Pin Set

Here’s a look at the Pixar Party event merchandise catalog. Some of these designs are absolutely “incredible!”

Hungry for more? There’s even a “Little Chef” Breakfast you can sign up for, which includes a breakfast buffet, trading time inside the Pixar Party venue (from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.) and a limited-edition commemorative gift pin – available only to breakfast attendees. Keep in mind this package sells out fast.

Sign up for the Pixar Party beginning Thursday, April 28, 2016. Ticket Sales begin at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on DisneyParksMerchandise.com. Reminder: Event admission does not include theme park admission to Epcot but theme park admission is required to attend the event. Package limited to availability. No discounts will be offered in conjunction with this package.

So “just keep swimming” towards the Pixar Party date and in no time, you will be saying … “mine, mine, mine.”

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters Opening March 7; You're Invited: Pixar Party Trading Event Coming to Disney World

Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters Opening March 7 at Disney California Adventure:

After being closed for nearly a year, Luigi will be finally returning to Cars Land along with his cousins from Carsoli, Italy with the opening of Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters on March 7th. Disneyland Annual Passholders will begin previewing the new attraction on March 4th.

Luigi returns by turning the tire storage yard behind Casa Della Tires into a trackless dance floor. Cars Land guests will ride along with with Luigi's cousins as they move and spin to upbeat Italian music as they perform traditional dances of their hometown village.

Each car will have its own high-spirited personality, its own name, and signature dance moves. Each ride will be unpredictable, as you won't know which way they will turn or spin next. Here is a video of how Disney Imagineering thought of all this for the new attraction:


For Annual Passholders here is what you need to know for the preview that begins on March 4th:

• Annual Passholders can experience this special opportunity from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Operation times are subject to change. Check your Passport carefully as blockout dates may apply and affect your ability to be admitted into the theme park.
• Guests must present valid Passport at attraction entrance. Photo I.D. may also be required.
• Guests must be at least 32” (81 cm) or taller to ride this attraction.
• Parking or separate theme park admission is not included with this special opportunity.No advanced registration is required. 
• Please note that this preview may involve long wait periods and the attraction may experience temporary closures. Capacity restrictions apply.
• If you have further questions, call the Annual Passport Member Services team at (714) 781-7277.

Will you be joining Luigi in a dance of at Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters?

You're Invited: Pixar Party Trading Event Coming to Disney World:

2016 is the 30th Anniversary of Pixar Studios. Disney and Pixar fans get ready because the Pixar Party Trading Event is coming to World ShowPlace at Epcot, August 26-27, 2016. You will be able to join in on the celebration with this years trading event. Registration for the event will open on April 28, 2016. Here are some more details on the event that the Disney Parks Blog released this morning:

• Introduced at last year’s event to ensure that all attendees have equal access to the trading boards, we will again provide each Pixar Party Trading Event attendee with vouchers to use for the trading board experience. Guests will have the opportunity to trade at the boards a designated number of times during the two-day event. 
• As a reminder, it is also important to note that Walt Disney World Resort has updated park rules regarding items that may be brought into the theme parks. Guests should be aware of the restrictions on bags (including suitcases, backpacks, trailers, wagons) and folding chairs. Please carefully review the list of prohibited items and other park rules at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/.
• You are welcome to bring Vinylmation figures to trade with other guests, however we will not sell Vinylmation figures nor offer Vinylmation trading activities at the event.

More information on the event will be released in the coming weeks and months, so stay tuned.