ANAHEIM, Calif. (June 3, 2011) – As Disney Soundsational Summer gets underway, even more excitement is coming to Disneyland Resort, where the premiere of the all-new The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure is just the latest milestone in the ongoing expansion of Disney California Adventure park. The distinctive peaks of the Cadillac Range are already visible on the horizon beyond Pacific Wharf, signaling the creation of Cars Land, the all-new 12-acre land set to open in 2012. And work on the newly themed Disney California Adventure entry gate into Buena Vista Street, complete with Red Car Trolleys and the distinctive Carthay Circle Theatre, will continue through 2011 for a 2012 opening.
GOOFY’S SKY SCHOOL, NEW RESTAURANTS MARK THE COMPLETION OF PARADISE PIER: On July 1, the newly refreshed Paradise Pier area of Disney California Adventure will be complete, with the opening of Goofy’s Sky School, the zany coaster attraction inspired by the classic Goofy “How-to” shorts of the 1940s and 1950s. New Paradise Pier dining locations opening July 1 are Paradise Garden Grill, featuring a Mediterranean-inspired menu; Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, featuring pasta dishes, garden salads and individual flatbread pizzas; and Bayside Brews, serving pretzels, beer and other beverages.
COMING IN 2012 AT DISNEYLAND RESORT – HIT THE ROAD WITH MATER AND LIGHTNING MCQUEEN!: Some of the biggest thrills in Disney California Adventure expansion may still be yet to come. Crowning the multi-year expansion project in 2012 will be the opening of Cars Land, inspired by the Disney•Pixar blockbuster “Cars.” Cars Land will feature three immersive family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the movie, including one of the largest and most elaborate attractions ever created for a Disney park: Radiator Springs Racers, a twisting turning, high-speed adventure through the town and desert valleys of Radiator Springs. Other Cars Land attractions will include Luigi’s Flying Tires (striking a chord with anyone who remembers the Flying Saucers in Tomorrowland) and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, a spinning attraction with a musical, hoedown theme.
Guests in this land also will enjoy new, “Cars”-themed dining and shopping locations.
A NEW ENTRANCE - BUENA VISTA STREET WILL WELCOME GUESTS INTO DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE: As work on the expansion of Disney California Adventure nears completion, guests will be welcomed through a new entrance gate and into Buena Vista Street. The transformation will immerse guests in the atmosphere Walt Disney experienced upon first arriving in Los Angeles in the 1920s. Buena Vista Street will feature Red Car Trolleys, inspired by the transportation system that once served Southern California, and the Carthay Circle Theatre, modeled on the site of the 1937 world premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Carthay Circle Theatre will become home to a new lounge and an elegant restaurant, designed to be the premiere dining location in Disney California Adventure.
Also ahead for Disney Destinations in the Western United States:
AULANI, A DISNEY RESORT & SPA, KO OLINA, HAWAI‘I, OPENS TO GUESTS: The first guests at Disney’s newest resort will arrive on August 29, 2011. Aulani will draw on the celebrated Disney magic, storytelling and service to create wonderful family vacation memories, complemented by the beauty, fun, enchantment and traditions of the islands. Each day of their stay, Aulani guests will be able to customize their experience – relaxing on the beach or in the spa, playing in the unique pools and water play areas, dining in the resort’s signature restaurants, discovering the island on specially planned excursions, gathering at the fire pit for storytelling, or spotting the statues of Menehune, the legendary island little people, hidden throughout the resort.
DISNEY CRUISE LINE ADDS NEW WESTERN PORTS, ITINERARIES IN 2012: Combining the magic of exciting locales and natural wonders with unparalleled guest service for every member of the family, Disney Cruise Line introduced its first Alaska cruises in 2011, along with cruises out of the Port of Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera, all on the Disney Wonder. In 2012, the Disney Wonder will add Pacific Coast cruises from Los Angeles, calling on San Francisco, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico. Also new will be a 15-night voyage to Hawaii from Los Angeles, calling on Hilo; Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; and Ensenada, Mexico. And for the first time, Disney Cruise Line Alaska cruises will depart from Seattle in 2012, along with Vancouver.
Beginning in fall of 2012, the Disney Wonder’s sister ship, the Disney Magic, will sail 12 seven-night cruises from the Port of Galveston, Texas, to the Western Caribbean. Ports of Call will include Grand Cayman and Mexico’s Costa Maya and Cozumel. The Disney Magic will also sail out of Port Canaveral, Florida, on Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries and, for the first time, out of New York with cruises to the Bahamas and the along the New England coast.
At Port Canaveral, Florida, the newest ship in the Disney fleet, Disney Fantasy will depart March 31, 2012, on her maiden voyage - a seven-night Caribbean itinerary. The Disney Fantasy will offer many of the innovative features that the Disney Dream brought to the cruise industry in 2011, including AquaDuck, the world’s first shipboard water coaster. In addition, the Disney Fantasy will feature new design elements and guest experiences that will give the ship a unique identity.