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The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia

Category Archives: International Parks

Disney to Honor 10th Disney Princess Rapunzel

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LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Disney will officially welcome Rapunzel as the 10th Disney Princess character at a high profile, star-studded celebration, to take place in front of a global audience on October 2, 2011. Little princesses from across the globe will watch Rapunzel be welcomed into the Disney Princess royal court by Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Snow White and Tiana.

“Our aim is to help everyone explore the stories of how monarchs and other royals have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built”

In a world first, Kensington Palace, London, UK, was chosen by Disney as the perfect location for this magical welcoming ceremony of a Disney Princess, as it has been the home of many real life princesses over the centuries.

”Once Rapunzel becomes an official member of the Disney Princess court, she will be celebrated and recognized as such across Disney, and will be included in all Disney Princess products featuring multiple characters, in addition to her own merchandise line. Plus, across all Disney Parks, Rapunzel will for the first time wear her royal tiara, stolen from the kingdom by Flynn Rider in the Tangled film,” said Mary Beech, vice president of girls franchise development and marketing at Disney Consumer Products. “With London knowing a thing or two about bringing royal celebrations to a worldwide audience, it seemed only fitting for the city to become the stage for the celebration to welcome Rapunzel into our own Disney Princess royal court. We are inviting girls from across the globe to welcome each Disney Princess character to the Palace and celebrate with Rapunzel on her special day.”

Independent charity Historic Royal Palaces has joined with Disney to help stage the event, in a collaboration that aims to encourage children all over the world to explore the stories behind the real kings, queens, princes and princesses alongside Disney’s. “Our aim is to help everyone explore the stories of how monarchs and other royals have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built,” said Ruth Gill, Head of Interpretation at Historic Royal Palaces. “Kensington Palace has always been a place of spectacle, beauty and majesty, and home to many inspirational real-life Princesses. We are therefore delighted to celebrate our relationship with Disney by hosting this magical event that will welcome Rapunzel as the 10th member of the Disney Princess royal court.”

All ten Disney Princess characters will take part in the royal celebration and will be joined by VIPs, celebrities and little princesses from across the globe in festivities including a procession through Hyde Park, party activities and a welcoming ceremony.

Each Disney Princess character has a unique story that empowers girls to imagine and live their very own fairy tales. Rapunzel is a modern heroine – she may have lived her entire life locked inside a hidden tower but Rapunzel is no damsel in distress. The girl with 70 feet of glowing, magical hair is an energetic, inquisitive young lady who fills her days with art, books and imagination. She is full of curiosity about the outside world and can’t help but feel her true destiny lies outside of the lonely tower walls.

Kensington Palace has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is famed for its associations with Princesses. Princess Victoria (later Queen Victoria, Britain’s longest reigning monarch) was born at Kensington Palace on 24th May 1819 and was christened the following month in the Cupola Room. Her love for the palace ensured the renovations of the State Apartments in 1897 which were opened to the public on Queen Victoria’s 80th birthday. Today, parts of Kensington Palace continue to serve as residences for members of the Royal Family. The best known resident in recent years was Diana, Princess of Wales, who occupied apartments in the north-west part of the palace from 1981-1997.

Mayonnaise Girl takes Disney park way too seriously…

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In the Disney theme park fan community people can tend to take things a -bit- seriously for something that’s generally regarded as merely a fun excursion. One major point on contention and debate is the way Disney markets the parks – in particular how they’re portrayed to the public. It’s typically considered “Walmarting” or “Dumbing Down” to show the parks as a mindless series of thrill rides and princess meet-n-greets.

So you’ve got the parks, how they’re perceived, how they’re presented, and a general lamentation of advertising campaigns as “events” while real park milestones like anniversaries and ride openings are ignored… Whip those all together rapidly as though you would oil into egg whites and what have you got? Mayonnaise Girl at Tokyo DisneySea.

To explain: DisneySea opened on September 4, 2001, and so for its 5th anniversary in 2006 Disney decided to create an advertising campaign called “Sea of Dreams.” This marketing blitz had filmmakers create short films based in and on the Tokyo DisneySea theme park. Various characters between the short films would interact with interweaving stories and the themes of DisneySea would be explored. Notably though, these films take the theme park in a deeply serious manner as a life changing experience – a stance not seen in Disney’s advertising since the opening of EPCOT Center. Chief among these life-changed characters was Mayonnaise Girl, subject of the second film in the series.

See it for yourself below in its full glory.. While we like the metaphor of the Journey to the Center of the Earth attraction as an exploration of one’s own emotions, we have to admit it’s pretty bat-shiz crazy. To note, there’s plenty of good footage of attractions we don’t commonly see much of stateside. There’s also some Japanese cultural quirkiness.. like how getting a stain out with vinegar makes someone the life of the party and “cool.” But the real star? Mayonnaise Girl – eating a swirl of mayonnaise on white bread, something even her Japanese counterparts find a bit off.

Oh, and it gets even a smidgen weirder when you factor in the idea of “nosebleed” = “arousal” in Japanese culture. That must be some good sliced white bread..

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Culled from the Net

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What do we post when we have nothing to talk about ourselves? We rely heavily on friends and acquaintances with broader non-Epcot-based interests in a segment we like to call “Culled from the Net.”

First up, AJ over at the always-tasty Disney Food Blog teaches everyone how to order a specialty cake at Walt Disney World. We’re going to be honest and say our brief tenure at Disney Dining taught us that this is often a nightmare to try and facilitate and choreograph for what is often a cake that would make Betty Crocker cry… but AJ’s guest columnist Carrie Hayward managed to score some pretty nice cakes.

Disney Food Blog – How to Order a Cake

Next up, ever wish you were in Japan? Well, not earthquake-y Japan, but “our Disneyland is pretty awesome and we’re getting a new version of Fantasmic” Japan? Well, the Discussion Kingdom has some  people on the ground and the photos are flowing in their latest coverage of the opening of Fantasmic at the Tokyo Disneyland Resort.

Discussion Kingdom – Fantasmic opens at DisneySea

There was a pretty nasty accident at Disneyland Paris recently. A section of the boulder-effect on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad broke off and was struck by a vehicle and sent pieces of the faux-boulder flying a the passengers resulting in major and minor injuries. Not good, and to be honest, we’re not up on the full details – but the Disney Blog has it covered. Check them out for a handle on the situation.

The Disney Blog – Big Thunder Accident Update

And finally, have you ever wanted an adorable itty-bitty recreation of a theme park parking-lot tram? Well you sir are the reason we wrote that chapter about parking lots in the Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia! And now if you head on over to the DisneyParks blog you’ll find a special treat waiting just for you.

DisneyParks Blog – Itty-bitty Parking Lot Trams

Oh, and Disneyland is getting their own monorail toy.. finally. That’s it for now – we’ll check back in with more when there’s something to report or that someone else already reported and we’re too lazy to type out ourselves. Until then, keep on keeping-on explorers!

Epcot’s people at Disneyland Paris?

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Today we have a video from the Disneyland Paris resort about the re-dedication of the Molly Brown. Astute reader of the Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia will notice a name that looks familiar. Peggie Fariss.

Per page #19 of The Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia: research for the original script of Spaceship Earth was “…compiled by Peggie Fariss from the Smithsonian Institute.” Is it the same Peggie Fariss? We’re going to err on the side of “dunno” since we never saw a photograph of her, but the current Mrs. Fariss is a director at WDI. That she’d begin as a research assistant for EPCOT Center under folks like Ray Bradbury seems pretty plausible.