ANAHEIM, Calif., April 24 – Disneyland Resort will glow like never before this summer as it debuts an all-new fireworks show, Magical, along with sensational new characters and effects that will brighten the Summer Nightastic! lineup of after-dark entertainment.

WHAT: Guests can see Disneyland Resort in a whole new light as Summer Nightastic! brings nighttime shows and parades to life – bigger, better and brighter. A huge new dragon and other special effects will highlight Fantasmic! Explosive surprises will illuminate the night sky in the all-new fireworks spectacular, Magical. Guests can rock the night away at a new dance club in Tomorrowland. Sparkling new magic comes to “Disney’s Electrical Parade,” as well as to Pixie Hollow, the enchanting home Tinker Bell inhabits with her fairy friends.

WHEN: Nightly, beginning Friday, June 12, and continuing through Sunday, August 23, at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks. All shows and immersive experiences are free with park admission.

A BOLDER FANTASMIC!: Guests will find new thrills at the popular Fantasmic! on the Rivers of America in Frontierland. The evil Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty” transforms into a 40-foot tall, fire-breathing dragon. Ursula the Sea Witch from “The Little Mermaid” introduces her pet eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, who slither into the show with new power. In addition, the Fantasmic! video projections practically leap off the giant mist screens, thanks to HD (high-definition) technology … (in this case, HD takes on a new meaning - Huge Dragon).

AN EXPLODING CELEBRATION IN THE SKY: Magical is a new Disney fireworks spectacular created especially to celebrate Summer Nightastic! at Disneyland. Tinker Bell is once again your host, waving her wand to ignite the brilliant color, stunning special effects and charming music. But she won’t be alone in the sky this summer. Dumbo will make his surprise airborne debut in the new show. Tink’s sparkling touch awakens a fantastic array of Disney’s most magical characters, from Pinocchio to Mary Poppins to Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, and the Three Good Fairies from “Sleeping Beauty.”

NEW FLOATS BRING NEW MAGIC TO ‘DISNEY’S ELECTRICAL PARADE’: Everything about “Disney’s Electrical Parade” will have a new glow as Tinker Bell leads the way, waving from the basket of a magical balloon aboard a new opening parade float. The parade’s beloved music and floats will feature electrifying audio and lighting technologies, with sparkling pixie dust added to all the parade floats. Snow White and Pinocchio return to the parade this summer as well, after several years’ absence, riding bright new versions of their classic floats.

AN EXCITING NEW DANCE CLUB ‘IGNITES THE NIGHT’ IN TOMORROWLAND: Tweens, teens and families will be drawn to the TLT Dance Club at Tomorrowland Terrace in Disneyland. Dazzling décor will include an illuminated DJ console where the TLT Dance Club DJ will spin the hottest dance tunes, guaranteed to keep Tomorrowland rockin’ all night. Live bands and the hottest Southern California radio stations will appear on select nights throughout the summer.

PIXIE HOLLOW ENCHANTMENT: Tinker Bell and her friends have been welcoming guests into their Pixie Hollow home, tucked into the glen near the entrance to Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, since fall of 2008. This summer, for the first time, nighttime visitors will find magical surprises as Pixie Hollow and the nearby pond come to life in iridescent light shows. Pixie dust cascades across the landscape and radiates down into the pond. Even the water becomes enchanted as playful fountains spring to life, pop jets perform with whimsical precision, and sparkling strobes shine throughout Pixie Hollow.

More information about Summer Nightastic! can be found at www.disneyland.com/summer.

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Calling all scoundrels, rogues and ne’er-do-wells - Captain Jack and the crew of the Black Pearl want YOU.

Starting in late June, the Pearl drops anchor in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom for The Pirate League, recruiting and training Walt Disney World guests of all ages in the scurrilous ways of buccaneers.

Each guest checking in at the plunder-filled pirate’s lair gets an official pirate name. Then it’s off to Muster Station for applications of beards and eye patches, scarves and scars, earrings and gold teeth – all done with the savvy skill of a veteran pirate who shares his own tales of sea-sailing adventures.

After the new buccaneers recite a sacred pirate oath, they are officially part of Captain Jack’s motley crew, leaving their old identities behind. Past a hidden portal and into the treasure room, the shipmates have their “pirate portrait” taken before being turned loose on an unsuspecting Adventureland – and no doubt feeling right at home at the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

Guests can chose from three daily pirate packages:

First Mate Package: Includes bandana; choice of facial effects – scars, tattoos, fake teeth, earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; one 5×7 inch photo and personalized pirate oath - .95 plus tax

Empress Package: Includes bandana; shimmering makeup – face gem, tattoos, nail polish, earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; one 5×7 inch photo and personalized pirate oath - .95 plus tax

Captains Package: Includes choice of costume/outfit from selection: choice of facial effects - scars, tattoos, fake teeth, earring and eye patch; sword and sheath; pirate coin necklace; three 5×7 inch photos and personalized pirate oath - 4.95 plus tax.

Newly donned swashbucklers can test their pirate prowess on the streets of Adventureland where they search for clues and discover treasures. And for mateys who need a little more training, learn the secrets for survival by the Captain himself during “Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial.”

Boys, girls, and grownups ready for the pirate life can start the process by calling 407-WDW-CREW beginning May 11.

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TREN-D GRAN-D OPENING: Television and music personality Joey Fatone carries his daughter Briahna April 10, 2009 through the “Tren-D” store at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. during Friday’s Grand Opening festivities for the new fashion boutique.

The store, located at Downtown Disney, blends both vintage and modern designs with stylized Disney characters. Apparel and accessories are featured from designers including Tarina Tarantino, Roxy and Kidada Jones. (Gene Duncan, photographer)

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Paradiso 37, a high-energy restaurant and bar featuring cuisine from North, South and Central America, welcomes guests to its table in May at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort.

The lakeside eatery will offer a delectable variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of the Americas, plus an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila and 10 signature frozen margaritas.

The new concept was developed by Orlando-based E-Brands Restaurant Group, a multi-concept restaurant group which currently owns and operates Timpano Chophouse, Samba Room, Taqueria Canonita, Aquaknox, David Burke, Salsa Orlando and Canonita Express in a number of locations across the United States.

The lively Downtown Disney restaurant will feature nightly entertainment and will be open daily from 11 a.m. until late night.

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Usually, making an effort to help the environment requires getting out in a park and picking up trash, chaining yourself to a tree, or some other kind of active endeavor. But now, Disney is offering those who want to be environmentally friendlier a fun and easy way to make a difference. For every person who sees the new EARTH film during its opening week, Disney will plant a tree in their honor. EARTH premieres nationally on April 22 and is the first film by Disneynature, the first new film label to be introduced by Disney in 60 years.

“EARTH is a spectacular film from the world’s most acclaimed nature filmmakers, and we couldn’t think of a better way to launch the new Disneynature banner, and to celebrate the spirit of the film and Earth Day at the same time,” said Dick Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. “The film gives moviegoers an entertaining and unprecedented view of our planet, with some of the most astonishing imagery and exciting natural drama ever presented on the big screen.”

Many may not realize that one of Walt Disney’s dreams was to create nature documentaries. From 1948 to 1960, his True Life Adventure series won eight Academy Awards by chronicling the antics of real animals.

EARTH now seeks to revitalize Disney’s dream by telling the remarkable story of three animal families (polar bears, elephants in the tropics, and humpback whales) and their amazing journeys across the planet. Narrated by James Earl Jones, the film features rare action, unimaginable scale, and impossible locations to combine Disney storytelling with nature documentary.

People can learn more about EARTH at Epcot, where the International Flower & Garden Festival features a display about the movie inside Garden Town. Outside, there’s also an impressive sand sculpture dedicated to the film.

Once the movie has completed its opening week, Disney will tally up the number of moviegoers and plant one tree for every one of them in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is considered the most endangered rain forest in the world. A hot spot of biodiversity, the Atlantic Forest is struggling for survival with only seven percent of it remaining.

So if you’d like to make an easy contribution to the environment and see a great film at the same time, be sure to check out EARTH when it opens on Earth Day, April 22. The film will be playing at Downtown Disney, of course, at the AMC 24 Theatres Complex on Pleasure Island. We especially recommend enjoying the film there in the luxury of loveseat-style stadium seating with the awesome quality of THX Surround Sound and Sony Dynamic Digital Sound.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to visit Epcot, where you can learn new ways to be ‘green’ in your garden at home and see cool photographs of Disneynature’s EARTH before the movie comes out. As always, save on your Disney adventures with Walt Disney World tickets from DWTickets.com.

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It started with the opening of new stores like Tren-D and Disney Design-A-Tee early this year, and then guests were offered an amazing new experience earlier this month in the form of Characters in Flight, a hot air balloon ride taking off from the waterfront and hovering over Walt Disney World. Now, even more fun additions are being made to Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island, and they can leave no doubt that Walt Disney World is working hard to improve everyone’s favorite entertainment district in time for vacation season in Orlando, Florida.

First up, there’s no denying that the closing of Pleasure Island’s nightclubs has left a void in Downtown Disney. However, Disney is now filling at least some of that absence with a new nightly celebration that takes the parties that once existed inside the nightclubs and moves them right to the streets. “Celebrate Tonight!” is an energetic street party hosted by Disney DJs who will spin the latest and greatest of party hits. Perfect for anyone celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or just having fun, this new celebration is themed to match with Disney’s What Will You Celebrate? promotion and invites everyone to celebrate along – no matter what the occasion.

As part of the fun, guests are invited to join in on popular group dances and participate in sing-alongs. There’ll also be stilt walkers and a party crew to get the crowd motivated and excited. “Celebrate Tonight!” will be held every night in the West End Plaza of Pleasure Island, with the party carrying on from 5 to 11 pm Sundays through Thursdays and 6 pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

And aside from a new party, spring will also see the opening of a new restaurant at Pleasure Island called Paradiso 37. This high energy restaurant and bar will arrive in early May and bring with it cuisine from North, South, and Central America for a true paradise.

Located lakeside across from the now closed 8TRAX, Paradiso 37 will offer a delectable variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of Americas. Guests will also be able to sample an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila, and ten tasty signature frozen margaritas. In addition, this lively new addition to Pleasure Island will offer nightly entertainment, serving up food, drinks, and music until late into the evening.

Paradiso 37 is coming to Downtown Disney from the Orlando-based E-Brands Restaurant Group, which also owns and operates Timpano Chophouse, Samba Room, Taqueria Canonita, Aquaknox, David Burke, Salsa Orlando, and Canonita Express.

With a new restaurant and street party, it looks like Pleasure Island, which has been somewhat shy of pleasure for quite a while now, is coming back to life just in time for the summer. Take it as your cue to plan your Walt Disney World vacation, which can include fun days at the parks and exciting nights at Downtown Disney. Book your Walt Disney World tickets now at DWTickets.com and you’ll have made step one towards a pleasurable Disney getaway.

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