A Bolt poster outside the Magic Kingdom.

The temporary parade route that Disney Dreams Come True will be following during the Liberty Square bridge’s refurbishment. Click HERE for a bigger version of this picture.

Steel showing in-between 2 parts of City Hall.

And here is the new top to City Hall at dusk.

Construction on the Liberty Square bridge, which is closed off to guests… and parades.

Work going on under the bridge that leads to the Mad Tea Party & Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe.

They’re already starting to put up the Cinderella Castle Christmas Lights.

The curtains aren’t hanging on the sides of the screen to Mickey’s PhilharMagic, so instead this projection is shown.

They’re doing some work on the pavement in Liberty Square.

Seems they’re painting the poles near the Emporium.

The Grand Marshal Pre-Parade to Disney Dreams Come True, running up & down Main Street USA before the Disney Dreams Come True Parade showings at 3 & 7pm.

Nice tires on the Grand Marshall car.

Let’s take a look at Disney Dreams Come True, in its slightly abbreviated form.

The Princess float is not in the parade at the moment, so the Princesses are with the Fab 5 on the infamous Castle float.

Now here are a couple of videos from the backwards running Disney Dreams Come True Parade:

And now the parade returns back down Main Street:

Whew, that’s it for Disney Dreams Come True. Now moving over to Epcot:

Let’s take a look at the new StormStruck exhibit now open in Innoventions.

Work being done on the side of the American Adventure.

Work being done to the Japan pavilion once again.

Merchandise for the Beijing Olympics on sale at the China pavilion.

Construction going on at the United Kingdom pavilion.

A couple of Mickey Mouse shirts for sale inside MouseGear.

And here are some shirts in this design for various characters.

Back into Innoventions, the long-running IBM exhibit has been removed.

The lights in the concrete outside MouseGear are covered while being worked on.

The Toy Spring Action Shooters are finally on sale at MouseGear of all places!

Moving over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, paint is already peeling on a door at Toy Story Midway Mania.

Can you believe that people are putting their feet on this wall at Toy Story Midway Mania!?

Notice the un-painted section & burnt out lights.

Mr. Potato Head was broken down again.

This woman was wearing a Disney-MGM Studios shirt from 1990.

A new piece taking shape on top of the new north wing being constructed at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

And we close off this photo report as Matt McDonough, the drummer in the band Mudvayne, beets up John to get his Pinvest, & forces John to take a picture of him in it.

For more of John’s lovely pictures from the Walt Disney World Resort, be sure to check out his Flickr page. Thanks John!

The Walt Disney World® Resort continues to monitor the progress of Tropical Storm Fay. Recent forecasts indicate that there likely will be rain and wind conditions that may affect operations as early as Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 19, 2008. At this time, the Walt Disney World Resort will be open and operating as usual. Additionally, to ensure our Guests have opportunities to enjoy our Parks andDowntown Disney® Area offerings, we will open early as follows:

• All four Theme Parks will open at 8:00 a.m. on Aug. 19
• DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park will open at 9:00 a.m. on Aug. 19
• AMC Theatres will open at 10:00 a.m. on Aug. 19

We will announce additional changes to our operations if the storm’s direction and intensity make it necessary to do so.

The 26th Night of Joy at Walt Disney World Resort will have lots of “news” surrounding a lineup featuring a “Who’s Who” of Christian music Sept. 5-6:

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios will host the event for the first time
• First performances each evening will be at 7:15 p.m., with the fun continuing till 1:30 a.m.
• “Rap sessions” will engage guests in moderated Q&A discussion with select artistsA stellar 16-act lineup (with eight acts performing each night) will feature Artist of the Year tobyMac, Male Vocalist of the Year Chris Tomlin, Group of the YearCasting Crowns and New Artist of the Year Brandon Heath plus enduringly popular MercyMe and Rebecca St. James.  Here’s the complete talent lineup with show times and locations (subject to change): FRIDAY, SEPT. 5

  Artist - Stage - Showtimes

• Brandon Heath - Lights, Motors, Action! - 7:15pm
  Britt Nicole - Icon Stage - 7:30pm
  Matthew West - Premier Theater - 8pm, 9:15pm
  Chris Tomlin - Lights, Motors, Action! - 8:15pm, 9:45pm
  BarlowGirl - Icon Stage - 8:30pm, 9:45pm
  Rush of Fools - Premier Theater - 10:45pm, Midnight
  Rebecca St. James - Icon Stage - 11pm, 12:15am
  MercyMe - Lights, Motors, Action! - 11:15pm, 12:45am  

  SATURDAY, SEPT. 6

  Artist - Stage - Showtimes

  Red - Lights, Motors, Action! - 7:15pm
  PureNRG - Icon Stage - 7:30pm
  Mandisa - Premier Theater - 8pm, 9:15pm
  Casting Crowns - Lights, Motors, Action! - 8:15pm, 9:45pm
  Marcos Witt - Icon Stage - 8:45pm, 10pm
  GMA Winner - Icon Stage - 9:35pm
  Aaron Shust - Premier Theater - 10:30pm, 11:45pm
  tobyMac - Lights, Motors, Action! - 11:15pm, 12:45am
  Fred Hammond - Icon Stage - 11:30pm, 12:45am

One-night advance tickets ($44.95) and two-night tickets ($75.95) can be purchased online at www.disneyworld.com/nightofjoy or by calling 407/W-DISNEY.  Groups of 10 or more can go to www.nightofjoy.com or call 877/NITEJOY for ticket information. Guests attending Night of Joy can combine an evening of Christian music with the thrills of popular Disney’s Hollywood Studios attractions plus a DJ dance party each evening.

Applications will soon be accepted for the 2009 WDW Moms Panel:

Disney Parks undertakes its search in September for a group of park-savvy parents to be named the 2009 Walt Disney World Moms Panel, following in the footsteps of the first-ever online Walt Disney World Moms Panel which has been fielding and answering thousands of vacation questions in 2008.

The quest is for 16 parents who pride themselves on being Walt Disney World “know-it-alls” and have an undying passion to share their Disney knowledge with others at www.disneyworldmoms.com.  From Sept. 8 through Sept. 19, interested applicants can visit www.disneyworldmoms.com/2009 to apply for the panel.  The application process begins with a series of questions and three brief essays — about their family, why they are a great Walt Disney World vacation planner and their favorite Disney vacationing tip.

“The first-ever Disney Moms Panel has responded to more than 9,000 questions from vacation planners this year.  They have offered our guests countless tips to plan a magical vacation at our resort,” said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort.  “We thank the 2008 panel for their contributions and look forward to working with a new group of parents.”

Since the launch of www.disneyworldmoms.com in January 2008, the current 12-person panel has responded to questions covering just about anything from how to sign up for a character dining experience to what items are allowed in the parks.

Here is the complete Eat to the Beat Concert series line-up for this year:

Eight Grammy-winning acts join 10 other stellar hit-makers to bring a rocking mix of classic tunes to Walt Disney World Resort during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival beginning Sept. 26.  Eat to the Beat! concerts are scheduled three times daily through Nov. 9.

From rock to jazz, funk to pop, 10 new Eat to the Beat! acts and eight returning bands take their turn on the America Gardens Theatre stage in 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. shows.  The lineup (subject to change) includes:

Sept. 26-27 — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (NEW)
Sept. 28-30 — Sheena Easton (2 Grammys) 
Oct. 1-4 — Starship starring Mickey Thomas
Oct. 5-7 — En Vogue (NEW) 
Oct. 8-9 — Jonny Lang (NEW, 1 Grammy)
Oct. 10-12 — Peabo Bryson (NEW, 2 Grammys) 
Oct. 13-14 — Sister Hazel (NEW) 
Oct. 15-16 — David Sanborn (6 Grammys) 
Oct. 17-18 — Jon Secada (2 Grammys) 
Oct. 19-21 — Spyro Gyra (NEW) 
Oct. 22-23 — Otis Day & the Knights 
Oct. 24-26 — Exposé 
Oct. 27-28 — Kool & The Gang (1 Grammy) 
Oct. 29-30 — Boyz II Men (NEW, 4 Grammys) 
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 — Atlanta Rhythm Section (NEW) 
Nov. 3-5 — David Cassidy 
Nov. 6-7 — Night Ranger (NEW) 
Nov. 8-9 — Los Lobos (NEW, 3 Grammys)

Details on the 2008 Race for the Taste on October 12:

The 9th annual Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K takes place Oct. 12, giving competitors an opportunity to run and eat during the popular Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort.

Runners will enjoy a ceremonial toast and fireworks display at the 7 a.m. start of the race at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, then embark on a 6.2-mile journey through Disney’s Hollywood Studios and past Disney’s Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts before passing through World Showcase at Epcot, the epicenter of the food and wine festival. 

At the finish line, runners — along with ticketed friends and family members — will have an opportunity to sample international cuisine from the Epcot festival at a post-race picnic.

There will also be several Race for the Taste Kids’ Races, including a Heelys’ Race and Roll race (200m) for kids ages 8-14.  Other kids’ races include a 100-meter event (ages 1-3), a 200-meter race (ages 4-6), a 400-meter race (ages 7-9) and an 800-meter event (ages 9-11).  

Runners can register online at www.disneyraceforthetaste.com. Race-only registration is $55; race registration that includes a Disney theme park ticket is $92.  Each participant who completes the race will receive a medal shaped like a chef’s hat.  Awards will be presented to the top three finishers in several categories, including top male, top female and wheelchair divisions.

Details on the T-Rex restaurant opening now in late October (another change) at the Downtown Disney Marketplace:

Walt Disney World guests will go on an adventure back in time to dine among the dinosaurs when T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover opens it doors by late October at Downtown Disney.

 T-Rex, developed by Schussler Creative, Inc., and operated by Landry’s Restaurants, Inc., features dining and retail in a 30,000-square-foot, 600-seat interactive prehistoric environment.  The concept is built around water, fire and ice:  Guests will be greeted with life-size animatronic dinosaurs that live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig site and much more.

Schussler Creative Chairman Steve Schussler, the founder of Rainforest Café and T-Rex restaurants, depicts the experience as “edutainment,” noting that this “treat for all five senses” includes artifacts such as fossils — all carefully labeled — that are hundreds of millions of years old, carefully crafted animatronic dinosaurs, and even a meteorite found in Argentina.

A full-size skeleton replica of Argentinosaurus, one of the largest of the dinosaurs and copied from a museum specimen about 125 feet in length, looms over the entrance, joined by a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.

The theme carries over to the menu, which features items with names such as Caesarsaurus (Caesar salad), Raptor Ribs (Asian BBQ ribs), Pterodactyl Wings (Buffalo chicken wings), Triassic Tortellini (tri-colored cheese tortellini) and Gigantosaurus Burger (think really big hamburger!).

Menu choices range from starters (appetizers, salads and soups) to pastas, burgers and sandwiches to a broad selection of entrees plus desserts.  Some favorites include rotisserie chicken, fried shrimp, steaks and ribs, tarragon chicken salad sandwich, Cobb salad and “Chocolate Extinction.”  Guests will be able to make reservations by calling 407/WDW-DINE.

“It’s business as usual at Walt Disney World Resort. We’re continuing to monitor the weather,” said Andrea Finger, a Disney spokeswoman.

While the storm is not expected to directly hit the central Florida area, be sure to stay tuned to WDW News Today for more information on this story.

Eight two-person teams will turn up the heat in the kitchen at Walt Disney World Resort in the hope their culinary creations land them a top spot representing Team USA at the Bocuse d’Or World Cuisine Contest – commonly called the “Culinary Olympics” – in Lyon, France, in January 2009.

Walt Disney World guests can attend the competition and observe the chefs performing their culinary wizardry and savor the flavors. Each of the eight teams will serve up elaborate fish and beef dishes before a live audience and prominent panel including the country’s top chefs: Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Charlie Trotter, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Georges Perrier, Michel Richard, Laurent Tourondel and former Bocuse d’Or USA competitors.

The eight finalists competing for a spot on the U.S. Team include:

The competition at Disney culminates Sept. 27 with a Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony recognizing the first, second and third place teams. The evening will feature a silent auction, live musical entertainment, dancing and a chance to meet and mingle with some the world’s top chefs, including the Gala Dinner Chefs, as well as Paul Bocuse, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and the Deans of The French Culinary Institute, Alain Sailhac and Andre Soltner.  The star-studded dinner includes hors d’oeuvres, a four-course tasting menu, and a dessert reception prepared by Chefs Daniel Boulud (Daniel, New York City), Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago), Patrick O’Connell (Inn at Little Washington, Washington, D.C.), Michel Richard (Citronelle, Washington, D.C.), Georges Perrier (Le Bec Fin, Philadelphia), Laurent Tourondel (BLT, New York City), Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park, New York City), David Myers (Sona, Los Angeles) and Traci des Jardins (Jardiniere, San Francisco), and will be paired with Diageo Reserve Signature Cocktails and Moët Hennessy Champagnes.  The highlight of the evening will be a Dom Pérignon toast and theannouncement of the Bocuse d’Or USA winning team.

The newly selected Bocuse d’Or USA team will go on to compete among 24 teams from around the world at the Bocuse d’Or World Competition in Lyon, in the gold standard event held every two years.

Tickets for the Gala Dinner are $450 per person, plus tax including gratuity, and can
be purchased beginning Aug. 25 by calling 407/WDW-FEST, with proceeds benefiting Bocuse d’Or USA (a not-for-profit organization sponsoring the competitors’ training, travel and culinary education).

Throughout the six-week-long Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Sept. 26-Nov. 9, guests can sample food and wine from around the world at international marketplaces and specialty dinners, attend seminars and wines schools and meet guest chefs. For more information, contact www.disneyworld.com/food.

If guests purchase a provided 5-night, 6-day Magic Your Way package, they’ll get accommodations for five nights at a select Disney Value Resort or a select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort and a 6-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket for just –

$49* per person, per day for a family of four in a standard room at a select Disney Value Resort (total package price is $1,168). These vacation packages are valid for stays most nights Sept. 28 – Nov. 25, Nov. 29 – Dec. 3 and Dec. 13-23, 2008.

or

$94* per person, per day for a family of four in a studio at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa or Disney’s Old Key West Resort (total package price is $2,236). These vacation packages are valid for stays most nights Sept 28 – Oct 1, Oct 24 – Nov 1, Nov 10 – Nov 25, Nov 29 – Dec 3, Dec 13 – 23, 2008.

Discount Booking Codes Are:
DGL - Magic Your Way Package Discount
QXD - Magic Your Way Plus Dining package discount
UVL - Magic Your Way Plus Deluxe Dining Package Discount

*Rates are based on two adults, one junior and one child. The number of packages available at these rates is limited. Theme Park tickets are valid for one Theme Park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use. No group rates or other discounts apply.

You can get more information and book these special packages through Magical Travel, or get more information by participating in the Trip Planning area of the WDW News Today Community Forums.

A two-story tall dinosaur is pictured August 13, 2008 being transported on a flatbed truck past a pedestrian crossing sign at the Downtown Disney entertainment district at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The dinosaur will be featured inside a new restaurant, currently under construction, called “T-Rex: a Prehistoric Family Adventure.” Developed by Schussler Creative, Inc. and operated by Landry’s Restaurants, the 600-seat restaurant will feature dinosaurs, waterfalls, bubbling geysers and a fossil dig site. “T-Rex” will open in mid-October at Downtown Disney. (Kent Phillips, photographer)

Notice that the restaurant is once again ahead of schedule and will now open even earlier than was last reported, Sometime in the middle of October. Stay tuned to WDWNT as we continue to update you on the progress of the T-Rex Restaurant at Downtown Disney.