Live-Blogging the Parks and Resorts Presentation - D23 Convention 2011

6:30 PM 

They're running late, of course. Lots of people still filing in, and they just announced the presentation won't begin for another 10 minutes. Boo!!

6:42 PM

Presentation begins with a montage and salute to Walt Disney's Carousel of Projects (probably because the title of this presentation is "Carousel of Projects").

6:47 PM

People are still filing in. They haven't begun yet.

6:49

Finally starting!

6:51 PM

They're starting with a long, extended advertisement for Parks and Resorts. Many of these images and photos are used in The Magic, The Memories, and You.

6:54 PM

Bandleader Mickey starts us off by conducting the D23 orchestra in a jazzy version of When You Wish Upon a Star.

6:55 PM

Mickey just introduced Tom Staggs, who looks quite dapper, though he kind of sucks at "banter."

7:00 PM

Staggs is showing a cast member appreciation video. This is a nice touch. Glad to see the hardworking CM's get some appreciation.

7:04 PM

Staggs has just started talking about the Fantasyland Expansion. He just introduced Imagineer Bruce Vaughn to update us.

The FLE will contain lots of trees and benches, because they want guests to be able to "relax."

Ariel's Undersea Adventure will contain an interactive queue where guests will go on a scavenger hunt with Scuttle.

7:10 PM

Belle's Castle will feature a live Lumiere, probably along the lines of Mr. Potato Head, but better. Vaughn described it as "one of the most complex animatronics we've ever built."

7:13 PM

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will feature a revolutionary new ride system that will allow it to rock back and forth on the track. The attraction will be both in and out of doors. Based on the preview video, it looks like it rocks back and forth a lot more than I thought!

7:16 PM

Staggs is now talking about Aulani. Kind of surprised this is still there, given their recent legal problems!

7:18 PM

They're plugging Aulani with a long, kind of boring, performance from some Hawaiian band. Is anyone really interested in this?

7:21 PM

Just presenting a laundry list of features at Aulani:

-Dedicated kids area
-Dedicated teen area
-Private beach space and pools for adults
-World class spa

Imagineering legend Joe Rohde (the lead Imagineer for the project) just made an appearance via video. He's taking guests on a "video tour."

7:26 PM

A random audience member just won a free trip to the opening of Aulani!

7:31 PM

On to Shanghai!

Bob Weiss has been introduced to discuss this project. He's taking us on a video walkthrough of the concept art. The construction doesn't begin until next month, so he really doesn't have a whole lot to show us yet. This feels like filler right now.

They're going to have a lot of dragons in the Shanghai park, but had to carefully consider the dragon's cultural role in China, which I assume means we won't see Mushu gracing the Shanghai park.

Honestly, it's starting to get a bit dull. They need to announce something exciting soon.

7:34 PM

The Shanghai castle won't be the home to any particular princess. Instead they're calling it "The Storybook Castle" and will serve as a home for all the characters. Lame.

New item: The castle will be the first to have an actual ride-through attraction in it. It will begin in Fantasyland and go through the castle. Sounds similar to the Storybook dark ride at Disneyland.

7:36 PM

Now we're heading back to the U.S. to update ourselves on the work at California Adventure.

So far, they're just updating us on what we already know. DCA will be 1930's Hollywood themed, and they plan to bring back the old "red cars."

7:42 PM

Carsland update. Nothing new here. Watching the grass grow is more exciting than this part of the presentation.

7:49 PM

A VERY long presentation on Carsland just ended, but nothing new to report, really.

George Kalagridis (president of Disneyland) just came out to announce...

Some kind of technology that will allow guests to interact with characters in a "whole new way" and also to "ride attractions of yesteryear." Sounds promising.

They're also getting a small expansion in the Carnation Gardens called "Fantasy Fair" which sounds like a special meet and greet location, a stage that will host live, interactive shows. There will be a special show with ribbons or something.

7:57 PM

The show is ending.

That's it?!?!?!??!

What a disappointment.

Wow.

I'm speechless, and not in a good way.

8:07 PM

I don't think I can even write a summary right now, because I'm so disappointed. That was just awful; a complete disaster. Holy cow.