It’s March Madness time – are you ready to fill out those brackets?
And no, we aren’t talking about basketball. Disney Parks recently announced the first ever March Magic Tournament.
The tournament is going to pit attractions from Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort against each other and fans will have a chance to vote for the ultimate Disney attraction.
Thirty-two attractions are in the competition and each attraction has been given a team name. The roster includes names such as Star Tours Troopers, Gracey Manor Hitchhikers, Toad Hall Mayhem, and the …

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is getting a new interactive queue — as well as an enhanced backstory.
The updates to the ride in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom are currently underway during night time construction. Guests will learn about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad founder, gold magnate Barnabas T. Bullion.
Here’s what we are learning about Mr. Bullion, who rules the Big Thunder Mining Company with a golden fist:
Barnabas T. Bullion is the founder and president of the Big Thunder Mining Company. The longtime mining magnate comes from a powerful East Coast family …

As we first reported earlier this week, the Characters in Flight attraction at Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney was recently closed abruptly for an unscheduled inspection.  Now, word comes from the tethered balloon’s operators that rides on the attraction will be suspended indefinitely.
The ride was first closed suddenly after a the balloon’s operator, Aerophile, experienced a mishap at their location in Hong Kong with a similar balloon.  In the accident, the Hong Kong balloon sprang a leak and plunged more than 180 feet.  Five people were injured in the accident …

Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise attraction may not rate on anyone’s list as a thrill ride, but according to a Southern California couple who rode the attraction in 2010, the ride really was perilous, and the skipper was “recklessly speeding,” which they said led to the crash.
Jeffrey and Maria Lee filed a lawsuit on February 3rd, claiming they were seriously injured in the accident. The lawsuit states:
“[The couple] noticed the ride operator was driving the boat very fast. As the Jungle Cruise ride approached the Hippopotamus area of the ride, the …

Disneyland’s iconic Matterhorn attraction will be undergoing “routine maintenance” for the next six months, making  this easily one of the longest renovations in the ride’s history. The ride officially shut down January 9, and is expected to reopen again this summer.
While the ride is closed, crews will be updating the attraction with a fresh coat of exterior paint, as well as repairing the rock-work and adding new ride vehicles. Previously, the vehicles had tandem seating, but the new ride vehicles will have three individual seats in each car, with two …

Beginning March 7, 2012, you’ll need you may need to take your FASTPASS window seriously, as it is rumored that  Walt Disney World will begin enforcing the times that guests may utilize FASTPASSes.
The FASTPASS system, which allows guests to obtain a ticket for the resort’s most popular attractions later in the day, thus avoiding long stand-by lines, creates a time window during which guests may return and enjoy the ride, normally with a much shorter waiting time.  Previously, it was a well-known fact among Disney fans that guests could return …

The sentence was vague and fleeting, like the glow from a light that shines for a moment, and then vanishes. That it lacked an attribution as to source made it even more indefinite. It was exactly what it purported to be, a rumor, yet even the mere possibility sent my heart racing.
It was buried in the December 21, 2011 “WDW News and Rumors” rundown from a popular Disney community website and it read:
“There’s a possibility that SpectroMagic could return in October 2012.”
Craving something more definitive, I searched for corroboration. If …

Families can now experience the popular Disney attraction it’s a small world anytime they want on the iPad, iPhone and iPod with a new animated storybook app that was released on iTunes today.
The storybook application features music, beautiful artwork and plenty of other special Disney features, including the innovative ride-and-explore technology, as well as an “it’s a small world” sing-along, tap and play interactivity, and a finale where readers can learn to say “Hello!” in sixteen different languages.
For more information and to purchase this app, please click here.
Source

The news of a partnership between Disney and James Cameron’s company set the Disney fan space abuzz yesterday, and while it’s far from dying down, answered some of fans’ most pressing questions.
The partnership between Disney and Cameron’s company, Lightstorm Entertainment, will bring AVATAR Land to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  Cameron directed the blockbuster film, and has two follow-up sequels in development for release in the near future.
The most interesting detail to come from the Q&A session, during which questions were fielded by Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs, had to do with the …

This month has been full of exciting events surrounding the opening of Disney California Adventure Park’s newest attraction, “The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.”  And recently, celebrity pals Mariska Hargitay and Debra Messing took in the new attraction together.  The two actresses spent the day park hopping with their sons and taking in the sights and sounds of both parks.  Check out these adorable pictures capturing some of the fun moments.
Photo copyright Disney. 
Source