Last night, Thursday, April 22, it was reported that the Walt Disney World Skyliner had an issue with gondolas banging into each other. A Disney fan shared an Instagram story reporting the incident.
As reported via WDWNT: Disney Skyliner gondolas have once again crashed into each other. Instagram user nextstopmainstreet shared a video showing what appears to be two gondolas compressed against each other. Alyssa from nextstopmainstreet reports that two gondolas “banged into each other” and that there is shattered glass at the station. The incident appears to have happened at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios Skyliner station. As of 8:45pm, the Skyliner station at Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopened.
You may remember back in 2019, shortly after the opening of the Disney Skyliner, multiple gondolas piled up at Disney’s Riviera Resort station as shown in the photo above. The incident last night seems to have only included two gondolas. For the full story, visit source WDWNT.
Happy Earth Month Disney fans! Disney has been celebrating all April, and has made a new announcement regarding more solar power on the way to Walt Disney World. With two new solar facilities coming to the property, Disney plans to power 40% of their annual energy consumption!
As announced by Disney: “Walt Disney World has been basking in the glow of the Sunshine State and using solar energy for several years, and today, Walt Disney World and Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) are teaming up with local utility partners in Central Florida to develop two new 75MW solar facilities, which are expected to come online in approximately two years. These new solar projects add to a not-so-hidden Mickey shaped solar array, built in collaboration with RCID and Duke Energy, sharing that authentic Disney flair across 22 acres of land, as well as the massive 270-acre, 57MW solar facility built in partnership with RCID and Origis Energy USA. When combined, Walt Disney World’s total solar facilities will produce enough renewable energy to power up to 40% of its total annual energy consumption.”
That’s seriously impressive! But, of course there’s more! Disneyland Paris, Disneyland in California, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disney, and even Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay are using solar power to better the environment. Check out all the details as shared by Disney here.
Cirque du Soleil’s “La Nouba” show at Disney Springs closed on December 31, 2017. While the massive tent on the West Side of Disney Springs has remained without a Cirque du Soleil show since, a new show was announced called “Drawn to Life” presented by Cirque du Soleil & Disney. The show has been highly anticipated but due to the pandemic, we’ve had some highs and lows when it comes to debut dates. Well, now we are learning at least a season confirmation… “sometime in the fall”.
Due to COVID-19, the initial April 17, 2020 “Drawn to Life” debut was cancelled. The next debut date released was November 5, 2020 which was then pushed back to February 10, 2021. Unfortunately, the February date was cancelled and we haven’t received a date since.
As reported by LA Times‘ during a discussion with Cirque Chief Executive Daniel Lamarre: “Cirque is also working on setting a new opening date for “Drawn to Life,” its collaboration with Disney that was set to open in Orlando, Fla., last year. “It’s a tribute to Disney animation, and we felt honored to have the opportunity to do a show with the IP [intellectual property] of Disney,” Lamarre said. “We should be able to open sometime in the fall.”
The Cirque du Soleil and Disney – Drawn to Life website explains the new show as a “first-of-its-kind creative collaboration between iconic memory makers Cirque du Soleil and Disney. Drawn to Life invites you into an astounding world where the art of Walt Disney Animation is experienced like never before. Gather your whole family for an unforgettable leap into this amazing new show—a live acrobatic journey where our stage is transformed into a giant animation table. The art of classic Disney animation is reinterpreted through innovative design, acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography, eclectic costuming, all-new Disney animation and an original score inspired by timeless Disney music. The show is absolutely alive with all the high-flying, mind-blowing exuberance that Cirque du Soleil is famous for.”
When tickets were for sale prices ranged from $79 to $179 depending on your seat selection. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as we learn more about a possible debut date for this highly anticipated show! We will do our best to keep waiting patiently in the meantime!
Happy belated Earth Day (and Happy Anniversary to Disney’s Animal Kingdom)! Disney has been hard at work to harness the power of the sun to power parks globally. Disney has announced there is a new solar facility coming online at Castaway Cay! When completed, this new solar array will power 70% of Disney’s private island in The Bahamas. This new facility represents a larger effort by Disney to power its parks more responsibly. Globally, these solar facilities are enough to power 65,200 homes for one year, the equivalent of 8 Walt Disney World theme parks!
From a Disney Cast Member;
As we celebrate Earth Day, I wanted to share some of the amazing work being done around the world to power the magic by harnessing the sun! I am incredibly proud to share that we’re continuing to make tremendous steps towards reducing our carbon footprint at our global parks and resorts with new solar facilities coming online around the world.
While using solar energy may not be a new concept, we are pushing the boundaries in our unique Disney way, including solar panels atop our most famous attractions at Disneyland Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and a solar farm in the shape of Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World Resort. And coming soon are solar canopies at Disneyland Paris that will provide shelter for 9,500 guest vehicles, a facility that will power ~70% of Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in The Bahamas, and two colossal solar facilities coming to Central Florida. To put all of this into perspective our Disney Parks, Experiences and Products solar portfolio around the world can produce enough energy to power eight Magic Kingdom Parks at Walt Disney World Resort.
Pretty cool, right? Through the innovative use of space, and with a touch of Disney magic, we are using the sun to conserve energy and power up in a responsible manner. Let’s take a tour around the world to see our solar arrays in action.
Powering ~70% of the island’s power, Disney Cruise Line will soon bring online 4,320 solar panels at Castaway Cay.
Walt Disney World has been basking in the glow of the Sunshine State and using solar energy for several years, and today, Walt Disney World and Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) are teaming up with local utility partners in Central Florida to develop two new 75MW solar facilities, which are expected to come online in approximately two years.
These new solar projects add to a not-so-hidden Mickey shaped solar array, built in collaboration with RCID and Duke Energy, sharing that authentic Disney flair across 22 acres of land, as well as the massive 270-acre, 57MW solar facility built in partnership with RCID and Origis Energy USA. When combined, Walt Disney World’s total solar facilities will produce enough renewable energy to power up to 40% of its total annual energy consumption.
Disneyland Paris is setting the standard for solar energy in Europe – working on one of the largest solar canopy plants in collaboration with Urbasolar. These solar canopies will provide practical and innovative use of 67,500 solar panels sitting atop an outdoor guest parking lot.
Hong Kong Disneyland is also setting an example locally, serving as home to the single largest solar panel site in Hong Kong. Across 20 attractions and buildings, the park has installed over 5,000 solar panels.
Soaking up the California sunshine, atop the Radiator Springs Racers attraction sits 1,400 solar panels that help power the magic at Disneyland Resort.
And solar power energizes Tokyo Disney Resort, generating enough power to fuel the iconic Dreamlights Parade with solar panels installed at eight backstage locations across the resort.
Since 2009, Disney has operated under a long-term vision to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and we’re just getting started. Our new set of ambitions goals commit us to achieve net zero emissions for our direct operations by 2030.
To learn more about how we help protect and celebrate the magic of nature not just during Earth Month, but all year round, be sure to tune into my Instagram handle, @DrMarkatDisney. Together, we can take better care of the world we share.
Drawn to Life, the new show expected to replace La Nouba in Disney Springs, was notably absent from the list of shows announced today by Cirque du Soleil to be returning to the stage.
“It’s a tribute to Disney animation, and we felt honored to have the opportunity to do a show with the IP [intellectual property] of Disney,” Lamarre said. “We should be able to open sometime in the fall.”
Fall 2021 is going to be a busy time at Walt Disney World® Resort, as the 50th Anniversary celebration of Magic Kingdom® Theme Park is planned to begin October 1, 2021.
La Nouba was the original Cirque du Soleil show on Disney property, and ran for 19 years from 1998 to 2017. It was housed in a free-standing theatre that resembled a white tent in Disney Springs.
Drawn to Life is the story of the love between a father and a daughter. Delightful, mesmerizing movements of Cirque du Soleil acrobatic mastery pair with the magic of Disney animation to accentuate the show. The main character is Julie, a courageous and determined young girl. Her father, Tom, was a Disney animator who raised his daughter and surrounded her with Disney animated characters who helped her grow and played important roles in her life.
