In 2008, one special Buzz Lightyear action figure was actually able to travel “to infinity and beyond” aboard the space shuttle Discovery. For a record-setting 15 months, Buzz Lightyear orbited the Earth in the International Space Station as a teaching tool to get children excited about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Now, visitors from all over the world will be able to see this special Buzz Lightyear toy in person, as the figure was donated to the Smithsonian last week.
John Lasseter was on hand last Thursday to officially donate …

Disneyland Paris kicked off its 20th Anniversary celebration yesterday with full fanfare, and a special celebrity was on hand for the festivities. Actress Salma Hayek joined Mickey Mouse himself to kick off the grand 20th anniversary celebration, which has brought a spectacular nighttime show, new parade, and more to the European park.
Hayek, who won an Academy Award for her performance in the film Frida, took part in the many festivities of the 20th Anniversary celebration, which included the premiere of the nighttime spectacular “Disney Dreams!“, the updated “Disney Magic on …

There’s a lot to look forward to at Disney California Adventure Park in Disneyland this summer. The park will welcome in some huge additions, including Buena Vista Street and the much-anticipated Cars Land. But one addition that should not be overlooked is the Red Car Trolley, which began its test runs at the park this week.
The Red Car Trolley is inspired by the historic Pacific Electric Red Cars that once transported passengers around Los Angeles. The new trolley will take DCA guests around Buena Vista Street and the Hollywood Pictures …

Today marks the start of Disneyland Paris‘ special 20th Anniversary Celebration, and as part of the festivities, Disneyland Paris guests will be able to enjoy a brand-new nighttime show that is truly spectacular. “Disney Dreams!,” which will make its official debut at the park tonight, brings together projections, water, fireworks, and more to create a truly stunning show.
The new show follows Peter Pan’s shadow as he travels through scenes from beloved Disney animated films, which are projected onto Sleeping Beauty Castle. Combining technology from such other recent Disney nighttime shows …

The theatrical debut of The Avengers is just a few months away, and this week, Disney Parks announced one way that Walt Disney World guests will be seeing its presence in the parks very soon. Following the success of the Tron monorails, which were installed in 2010 and removed last year, Walt Disney World will wrap one monorail with a special Avengers design.
The Disney Parks Blog released this special sneak peek image of the re-themed monorail (right), which will make its debut in Walt Disney World this spring. Stay tuned …

This week was an exciting one for Disney shows on Broadway. On March 28, Peter and the Starcatcher began preview performances on Broadway before its official opening in just a few short weeks. Just a day later, Newsies celebrated its opening night.
Peter and the Starcatcher tells the story of Peter Pan–but not the one we’re used to. Based on the novel Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry, the show, which is a play with music, tells the tale of how Peter Pan became the boy who …

For the past few years, Walt Disney World guests have been able to get their very own Pirate makeover during their Disney vacation, thanks to The Pirates League in Adventureland. This week, Disney introduced some new looks to The Pirates League that both boys and girls are sure to love.
For the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides last summer, Disney introduced a special Mermaid Transformation package to The Pirates League, which allows guests to look like the mermaids from the film. Based on the popularity of the …

This week, it was announced that Disney Legend and Imagineer Alice Davis, who was responsible for the costume design of some of the most beloved Disney attractions, will be honored with one of the highest honors that a Disney employee can achieve: her own window on Main Street, USA. In a special ceremony held inside Disneyland’s Club 33, Imagineer Kim Irvine announced that Davis will receive her window on May 10.
Alice Davis originally came to Disney to design costumes during the production of Sleeping Beauty, which provided a reference for …

This fall, Tinker Bell fans will be able to enjoy a brand-new feature-length film about Tinker Bell and her fairy friends. The CG-animated film, entitled Secret of the Wings, will make its debut on Blu-ray combo pack and DVD on October 23rd, 2012, becoming the first Tinker Bell film to be released on Disney 3D Blu-ray.
The film focuses on Tinker Bell and her fairy friends (Fawn, Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Vidia), while also introducing a brand-new winter fairy named Periwinkle. In Secret of the Wings, audiences will go along with Tink …

A few months ago, we let you know about the Mad T Party, a brand-new nighttime celebration coming to Disneyland’s Disney California Adventure Park. This week, Disney announced that the party will be starting in just a few short months, making its debut on June 15, 2012.
The party, which is based on Tim Burton’s 2010 film Alice in Wonderland, will feature a cast of whimsical characters, such as the special Mad T Party Band (pictured at right), which features this recognizable lineup of characters:

Mad Hatter – the host with a hat …