Cinderella Castle has night lights

[crazy4wdw]

Cinderella Castle has night lights

Christopher Boyd | Scott Powers and Jason Garcia, Sentinel Staff Writers
November 12, 2007

Walt Disney World is giving its Cinderella Castle a new nighttime, ice-palace look for the holiday season, starting tonight.

Disney has created the new look for the Magic Kingdom's centerpiece structure by attaching 200,000 LED lights to 32,000 square feet of fish net, then draping it over the castle.

The ice-palace look will be the big special effect of a new evening show running through the holiday season, featuring the characters of Cinderella, including her fairy godmother. Similar effects were employed at the castle in Disneyland Paris in 2005, and have been added to Disney castles in California, Hong Kong and Toyko.

Theme-park trade show

The world's largest gathering of theme-park attraction designers, builders, consultants and buyers begin swapping ideas, sales pitches and deals today with the return to Orlando of the annual IAAPA Attractions Expo to the Orange County Convention Center.

The industry show expects to draw 25,000 people from 85 countries, with 1,145 exhibitors displaying everything from the latest amusement rides to new security systems. The trade show, which will cover a half-million square feet, begins Tuesday.

"They will do business for the 2008 season, but also for many seasons beyond," said David Mandt, vice president of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. "And it will shape the way the parks will look into the future."

Rider error led to mishaps

An increasing number of fair-ride accidents investigated by state inspectors are turning out to be the result of errors made by riders, leading to a call for riders to be more careful about heeding safety regulations.

Statistics released by the Florida Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection show 87 percent of the accidents investigated in 2006 were due to rider error, up from a 10-year average rate of 76 percent.

The bureau, which inspects and regulates amusement rides at smaller parks, fairs and traveling circuses, carnivals and shows, also reported that it is seeing fewer violations by ride operators. (Larger parks such as those at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are exempt from the inspection program; they do their own inspections and file select accident reports.)

Charles H. Bronson, Florida commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, which includes the bureau, stated in a written release that he thinks operators are doing a better job of assembling, operating and maintaining rides, thanks to inspectors' work and stringent standards followed during 10,000 inspections a year.

"But ride patrons also need to be responsible and follow the rules and regulations to prevent accidents," Bronson stated.

Fairs in Florida historically kick off during the fall season.

JetBlue on board

JetBlue Airways has begun allowing passengers who take cruises to check in for their return flights while they're still at sea.

The move comes a month after Disney Cruise Line announced such a remote check-in option onboard its ships -- but only for passengers traveling on participating airlines. JetBlue is the eighth airline on board with the program.

Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. have also begun similar programs.

More 'green' resort hotels

Two more Walt Disney World resort hotels have joined Florida's Green Lodging Program.

Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground are the 45th and 46th hotels to enter the program, which requires a plan to conserve energy and other resources.

Nine other Disney World hotels are already part of the program, which the state established in 2004. The Department of Environmental Protection has designated 52 hotels thus far, and has more than 170 applications pending.

Last summer, Gov. Charlie Christ notified state agencies that they should hold all meetings and conferences at hotels accepted into the program.

AirTran heads to San Juan

AirTran Airways has a schedule ready for the new service it announced last week between Orlando International Airport and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Beginning March 5, an AirTran jet will depart daily from OIA at 10:55 a.m. and arrive in San Juan at 2:35 p.m. The return flight will leave San Juan at 3:20 p.m. and arrive in Orlando at 5:20 p.m.

On April 9, AirTran will add a second daily flight, leaving OIA at 1:25 p.m. and landing in San Juan at 4:05 p.m., and departing from San Juan at 4:50 p.m. and touching down in Orlando at 8 p.m.

 

[rantnnravin]

Disney has created the new look for the Magic Kingdom's centerpiece structure by attaching 200,000 LED lights to 32,000 square feet of fish net, then draping it over the castle.

 

[EUROPACL]

If this is what it looks like...

...I like it. As far as changes to the castle it's the best one yet.

 

[rantnnravin]

ok, that's not so bad
i was picturing those horrific things my neighbors toss over their bushes every year...

 

[Wick]

Looks great! Anyone have any clear shots w/o the watermark?

 

[EUROPACL]

Here is a better piece on the Ice Castle...


http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071111/clsu001.html?.v=49

Thousands of Twinkly Crystal Lights Create Icy Cascade


LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- A dazzling new lighting spectacle is transforming the iconic Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort into a glimmering, shimmering ice palace at holiday time.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071111/CLSU001 )


Bathed in more than 200,000 tiny white lights, the castle glows and glistens as "Cinderella's Holiday Wish" delights Magic Kingdom guests nightly, starting Nov. 12.

"We are thrilled to be adding this brilliant new castle spectacle to the holiday festivities at Walt Disney World this season and for seasons to come," said Francois Leroux, vice president of Walt Disney World Entertainment. "This glistening holiday enchantment creates perfect fairytale magic for this festive time of year."

"For a park aglow in holiday magic, this becomes the new and eye-filling superstar," added Disney Entertainment show producer Rob Hamberg who supervised the weeks-long rigging of the turrets and towers for the light show. "Nothing will rival 'Cinderella's Holiday Wish' for sheer visual spectacle."

And what a spectacle.

As if suddenly dusted in a million ice crystals, Cinderella Castle shines like the galaxies, adding to the wintertime wonderment of the holidays at Florida's Vacation Kingdom.

Fun Facts

To transform Cinderella's fairytale castle into a magical ice palace it took ...


* Five weeks and 65 elves
* Two cranes
* 15 miles of cables, cut and dyed castle colors, supporting ...
* 32,000 square feet of fishing nets, supporting ...
* 200,000 energy-efficient LEDs, interspersed with ...
* 500 strobes
* One Fairy Godmother working some very special magic ...

"Show Before the Glow" Stars Disney Characters

To mirthful holiday music, Mickey, Minnie and the gang appear onstage, admiring the festive lights illuminating Main Street, U.S.A. But what to do about the darkened, unadorned castle?

As they bandy about ideas, the Fairy Godmother suddenly appears. It is Cinderella who should rightfully decide, she insists.

Enter the princess herself, with her Prince Charming. All agree with Cinderella that her castle should sparkle the way her beloved glass slippers do - like shimmering ice and snow.

With a wave of Fairy Godmother's wand - and guests joining in to make the wish come true - Cinderella Castle magically morphs into a glorious wintry confection, twinkling in the sky.

"The castle suddenly shines like a glistening blanket of ice," explained Disney show writer/director Alan Bruun. "Guests won't believe their eyes at the spectacle as Cinderella's holiday wish comes true."

Show times will be nightly at 5:45 p.m. Cinderella Castle aglow will also play a supporting role in other Magic Kingdom entertainment such as live stage shows, the nighttime fireworks extravaganza "Holiday Wishes," and the after- hours Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, a specially-ticketed event featuring the new "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade."

Like a global necklace, dazzling castle lighting spectacles also adorn Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Resort. Disneyland Paris, now marking its 15th anniversary, started the castle lighting tradition in 2005 when Leroux conceived the concept.

SOURCE

 

[Another Voice]

I imagine this is going to look even better in person. To me this is what Disney should really be all about - that moment when you are stopped midstep and have to go "wow!".

 

[CanadianGuy]

Orlando Attractions Magazine attractionsmagazine.com has a video posted on their videos page of tonight show and castle lighting.

It's only 107 MB. ( :EEK: ) .. I'm downloading it anyway.

Knox

 

[Macca1111]

I think that's really pretty. Thanks for the links, as I'm not going to get to see it in person.

 

[jimh13432]

Here's a picture of the castle with all the pretty lights for Christmas...........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:25th_Celebration_Cinderella_Castle_1997.jpg


OOOPS!!!!!! My bad...................

 

[Beaniebug]

Wow! Thanks for posting the pic. I think it looks great. Wish I could see it in person this year.

 

[schmitty]

I saw it on Monday and it looks amazing. Ill post a picture of it in a bit.

 

[EUROPACL]

Matt has found some more from another site...

http://www.mousesteps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=140&Itemid=65

It looks great...way to go guys.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

Here's a link to a YouTube video of the lighting ceremony that happens each night.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1DS0AE3vTwA

 

[disrailfan]

DW, DD and I were there a few weeks ago for Halloween. Unfortunately we could see the lights, but they did not light them while we were there except one night after the park closed for business to guests we saw them lit up from the California Grill.

 

[Master Gracy]

oh yes, thats very similer to the paris set up
- and very pretty

 

[kimsuenew]

It is beautiful! It makes me wish we could be winter visitors and not fall ones!

 

[suzimar57]

stunning!

looking forward to being there next year during the holiday season, to see it in person!