Welcome to this week’s Disney News Round Up! We have great news that the Hatbox Ghost will return to the Haunted Mansion, along with confirmation of another great plus . . . a new scarier Yeti for the Matterhorn! There are also photos of the new 60th Character Costumes and they are getting some mixed reviews, let us know how you feel about them. May 2nd is the Micechat Gumball Rally. If’ you’ve never done it, get your team together right now! You won’t want to miss this amazing day at Disneyland. Who can ride the most attractions at Disneyland in a single day? Could it be you?! TICKETS AND INFO HERE!

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MiceChat Disney News Roundup

Disneyland announces new magic for classic attractions as the park prepares for its Diamond Celebration
Last week Disneyland announced some notable enhancements coming to three classic attractions this May as part of the park’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration. In Fantasyland, the classic Peter Pan’s Flight will get a re-imagined nursery scene along with special effects upgrades throughout the rest of the ride. Nearby, the Matterhorn‘s Abominable Snowman will be getting a makeover, making your encounter with him even scarier than before. And in New Orleans Square, a long-lost ghost and his hat box will soon be reappearing in the Haunted Mansion. Meanwhile, work continues on Sleeping Beauty Castle and in the former Condor Flats as those areas continue to get ready for the 60th.

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Disney-Wonder

3 FUNtastic Upcoming MiceTrips

You asked and we delivered: We always offer amazing adventures all over the world, but we’ve just added a very affordable Baja cruise on the Disney Wonder. If you live in Southern California, don’t miss it. All three trips below are booking right now. Contact [email protected] for details on these or any Disney vacation.

Alaska – June 1st through 8th, 2015
Join us on the Disney Wonder as we visit Vancouver, Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and enjoy two amazing whale watching days at sea! MiceChat has arranged special excursions at amazing low rates as well as group activities on and off the ship.

MiceChat WDW Invasion and Disney Dream Cruise – October 22nd through 30th, 2015
We have back to back adventures in October as MiceChat invades Orlando and then sets sail on the amazing Disney Dream. In orlando, we’ll enjoy a variety of activities:

  • Oct 23 – Epcot Food and Wine Festival Sip & Nibble – eat and drink your way around the world
  • Oct 24 – WDW Gumball Rally – Who can ride the most attractions at WDW in a single day?
  • Oct 25 – Magic Kingdom Meetup – Meet us at noon for a MiceChat meet, followed by lunch and attractions.
  • Oct 26-30, 2015 – All aboard the Disney Dream on its first trip following a big refurbishment. We’ll be Visiting Nassau and Disney’s private Island Castaway Cay!

Join us for WDW, the Disney Dream or both adventures on this fantastic vacation!!!

MiceChat 3 Night Baja Cruise – May 15, 2016
Have you been wanting to try a Disney cruise but not spend a lot of money to do so? We’ve got a special 3 night Disney Wonder cruise just for you. Those of you living in Southern California won’t even need airfare as this is a trip to Baja Mexico leaving and returning to beautiful San Diego, CA. This trip leaves one day after the world famous MiceChat Gumball Rally (Our 10th anniversary of the big event), consider this a SAIL-ebration. Book this one soon, rates are at their lowest now and will rise quickly.

Ask us for more details on any of our upcoming MiceTrips or for Disney adventures of your own by emailing us at [email protected]. It doesn’t cost you more to use our travel agent, it’s just more magical. Let us do the work, you enjoy the Disney fun!!!

Disney Parks News and Reports

The beginning of the 60th celebration for Disneyland is just a few weeks away, and we have news about parades and pressed pennies, and also about a fiendish phantom returning to the Mansion! ~ Aladdin

MiceChat Disney News Roundup

60th Character Costumes
Diznygrl reports that the Official Costumes for Mickey and Minnie have now been released, how do you feel about them ? Like it or hate it? Discuss it here!

Paint the Night rehearsals
Disneyland has released a video of rehearsals of the new Paint the Night Parade! We also get to hear some of the music for this successor to the Main Street Electrical Parade and Light Magic.

The Hatbox Ghost Is Officially Coming Back!!
Broken right here on MiceChat back in October, the long rumored Hatbox Ghost has now been confirmed.  Madame Leota’s becon call will soon be materializing a certain disembodied spirit for the first time in over 45 years! The affection for this particular apparition, who will soon be returning home to roost in the rafters, has only grown over the decades. No doubt, Constance will be wielding a welcome.

Magical Milestones pressed pennies onstage for the 60th?
stardecked asks about pressed pennies for Disneyland’s 60th, and the answer is here!

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Disneyland Resort takes center stage with new rumors and ideas for the coming year. ~ Trekkie Dad

MiceChat Disney News Roundup

Pocahontas for the 60th
A character not often seen at Disneyland is rumored to return for the 60th anniversary, according to a rumor heard by Capt Hook.

Tunnel of Love ride for Paradise Pier (what theme?)
toonaspie has started a discussion that explores various themes that might be used for a dark ride at Disney California Adventure’s Paradise Pier.

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THE WALT DISNEY BIRTHPLACE – LET’S MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL
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With your help last fall, the Walt Disney Birthplace was saved. Now it’s time to make it beautiful. This phase of the project will focus on exterior beautification of the property, transforming the house into the beautiful icon we all want it to be. With our help, the project will be able to add a restored front porch, a white picket fence, benches, rose gardens, and trees – and they’ll also be installing the dedicated paver stones which have proven to be the most popular reward item on their fundraising campaigns!

They’ve created some cool new “perks” for the campaign (which is on Indiegogo this time). There are four new collectible pins, a new “Chicago” T-shirt design, a polo shirt embroidered with their monogram logo, and a lot of new ways to put your name on the home: a double-size paver stone, dedicated picket fence posts, sponsored rose bushes, trees, and benches. Lot’s of great ways to help the project, leave a legacy or remember a loved one.

WE NEED YOUR HELP MICECHAT – This is our chance to not only honor Walt’s legacy but to become part of it: Visit The Walt Disney Birthplace “Let’s Make It Beautiful” campaign HERE and let’s push this project over the top!!!

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MiceChat Disney News Roundup

Captain EO Officially Being Replaced
Disney announced that Captain EO would be replaced by a Tomorrowland movie preview.

Accident @ Richard Petty 🙁
A tragic accident occurred at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Walt Disney World.

AV Room

MICECHAT PODCAST: We’re Walking Right Down The Middle Of Main Street USA – Disneyland is getting sparkly for the 60th anniversary. Doug and Dusty examine Main Street USA for signs of the big celebration to come. They also take a grand circle tour of Disneyland aboard the classic Disneyland Railroad. This show is packed with the sounds of Disneyland and some really exciting news for folks visiting in the next year and a half. Enjoy this walk through the park by clicking play below, or Direct Download, iTunes

 

Disafterdark: Joining us this week is Real Fans 4 Real Movies Andy DiGenova Check out his other podcasts Holy Bat Cast & Taking the Bullet Don’t forget to have a look at our sponsors app. Magical Trips by Emily Rawling  We would really appreciate it if you would head over to iTunes and subscribe to the show and leave us a review. Even if you don’t use iTunes, it will really help us build up the awareness of the podcast or if you listen on Stitcher Radio, please leave us a review there too.

Direct Link | iTunes Link

The Season Pass: The Essential Theme Park Podcast: We’ll Unveil Trapped: Lock & Key from Knott’s Scary Farm 2014. Creators Jeff Tucker and Gus Krueger break-down the creative process of Trapped along with conversation and dissection of every room. This podcast also contains two full stereo walk-throughs of the VIP experience.  This is the biggest TSPP ever released…4 terrifying hours…be prepared.

Direct Link | iTunes Link

Disney Avenue Podcast: Welcome back friends to the March 2015 edition of the Disney Avenue Podcast! Host Keith Michael Mahne and Dusty Sage of MiceChat.com interview the queen of creativity herself, the amazingly talented Terri Hardin. If you’ve always wanted to know how to become an Imagineer or wanted to hear what being an Imagineer is all about then you are in luck as Terri is about to lay it all out for you! Terri is the definition of creativity and is just an amazing person!

Direct Link | iTunes Link

Mousetalgia! – An Unofficial Disneyland Podcast: Join Team Mousetalgia as we take a look back at the release of star wars in 1977 with Lucasfilm’s director of fan relations at the time, Craig Miller. Miller takes us for a look inside the inner workings of Lucasfilm as Star Wars was released, which caught everyone by surprise with its overwhelming success. Miller talks about starting the official Star Wars Fan Club, George Lucas’s early plans for a 12-part saga, and operating Artoo’s head for various Lucasfilm productions.

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Unofficial Universal Orlando Podcast: On this episode we are joined by Zoe Waycott, who took part in Universal Orlando’s International Program, in which she spent 3 months working at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We tak about the interview process, getting to Orlando, her accomodation, her training and then working inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Direct Link

Featured Columns

MiceChat Disney News Roundup

Samland: Disneyland Capacity – The Sponge
A theme park is a sponge that sucks up people. It is a finite space that has an infinite capacity as long as there is someplace to put all the guests. If Disneyland were an empty lot you could theoretically put more than a 1.1 million people inside of the 85 or so acres. That gives each person 4 square feet, the rule that Disney uses.

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The MiceEars Crew puts a lot of time and effort into making the Disney News Round-Up happen.Our thanks to:Editor CakvalaSC and the MiceEars Crew: Aladdin, Yoyoflamingo, Trekkie Dad, DLandFansAZ, RegionsBeyond, Fishbulb & Dustysage.

We hope to see you online again soon, Dusty and the amazing MiceChat crew!

If you have questions for Anthony our Editor or our MiceEars Disney News crew they can be e-mailed at: [email protected] or Follow him on Twitter @CakvalaSC | Flickr: flickr.com/photos/cakvalasc/ | Instagram: instagram.com/cakvala

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CakvalaSC
MiceChat.com's webmaster and occasional writer. Cakvala is senior graphic designer and photographer. Admirer of all things Disney and theme-parks !