Let the Memories Begin

Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes-Win a Vacation to Disney!

18 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Let the Memories Begin with the Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes!

Enter the Disney Parks Memories Sweepstakes for a chance to win a 4-person family vacation to a Disney Resort each week in February 2011!

Guests can enter either online or via mobile once a day for the chance to win:

· Current week: 5-days, 4-nights at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida

· Week 4: 7-days, 6-nights at any Disney Resort worldwide

Guests can also go to the sweepstakes site each day to download the Daily Digital Download, featuring exclusives such as Disney-themed picture frames, wallpapers and more.

The sweepstakes runs from now until Feb. 28, 2011. For rules, please see: Official Rules

First Haircut Magic at Harmony Barber Shop

28 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

first haircut magic kingdom — Ready for anything with Mickey stickers!

It’s not news to any regular readers that we go to Walt Disney World…a lot, nor that we have 3 children. My oldest son is about to turn 12 this weekend, my daughter is 10 and my youngest son turned 2 the end of October. While we have visited the barber shop in the Magic Kingdom many times, in both its locations, we had never experienced a “first haircut” there. With our first child, the thought just never occurred to us and we took him to a local kids hair cutting place. With our daughter, well, we just never really cut her hair until she was about 4 anyway! So since we now frequent Disney a lot more than “normal” with the blog and Moms Panel and twitter meet-ups etc. It seemed only natural to experience this rite of passage, well, the right way.

Now what’s changed since our last visit, aside from the new location, is that you can now actually book appointments at the Harmony Barber Shop. Since this is such a popular attraction among those who know the Magic Kingdom, the wait time can get quite long in the shop. Simply calling 407-WDW-DINE will secure you a spot in the barber’s chair. Walk-ins are still available but will be taken when available around those with appointments. Our time was for 11am on a busy Saturday, and despite the line out the door, the wait wasn’t too bad for those without appointments. These dual-skilled cast members/stylists know their stuff and do it efficiently. The “First Haircut” package is $18, a child’s haircut is $15, Adult haircut is $19 and colored hair gel and pixie dust is $7.50

The Magic, The Memories and…US!

20 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

I was recently invited to attend the media preview for the Magic Kingdom’s much anticipated “Castle projection show”. The show was announced some months back along with the 2011 campaign – “Let the Memories Begin“. The show and campaign itself received much criticism from cynics, assuming Disney was just using other people’s photos and videos so they didn’t have to come up with something on their own. Many objections to “YouTube videos on the castle” were heard over the interwebs.

Ever the Disney-supporter, I posted on twitter and facebook about how I supported this campaign. Really, I’m the kind of Disney fan that doesn’t think we are “owed” anything, yet many critics compare each year’s promotion to the Year of a Million Dreams or the What Will You Celebrate? campaigns, which were overflowing with extras, freebies and one-of-a-kind experiences. Last year, you still got a free ticket – if you volunteered for it. This year, however, the focus is on families – no matter what that consists of, and the memories created at Disney Parks throughout the world. After all, aren’t the best “extras” the intangibles that you hold in your heart and mind for years to come?

Despite my understanding and excitement about Let the Memories Begin, I still wasn’t sure how the Castle would fit in to this equation. After all, people don’t typically like when Cinderella Castle is messed with. (I happen to be one of the few people in the universe that thought it was cute – but totally understand those that were upset at its appearance for their visits; a year is a long time for bright pink.) Would this be something that most guests couldn’t relate to if their pictures weren’t selected? Would it disrupt the magic of the kingdom? Well, all my fears were assuaged Tuesday night when I experienced “The Magic, The Memories and You” first-hand.

First we were treated to a press conference with Park executives Al Weiss, and Meg Crofton. We were told about the upcoming news at the Parks (Wild Africa Trek, La Hacienda, Via Napoli, Star Tours 2). Alan Bruun, Associate Creative Director Walt Disney World Entertainment then gave us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the new castle show was created. The castle was actually graphed with a grid for the 3-D photo imaging required to ensure seamless projections and special effects. We were shown the locations for the 16 projectors used in the show. In addition to videos pulled from the Let The Memories Begin site where guests can submit their family videos, 500 photos taken in-park that day will be hand-picked to appear in the sometimes twice nightly show on the castle. As Bruun was quoted that night, “it’s a heck of a lot more than a slide-show on the castle”. Since seeing is believing, we all headed over to Cinderella Castle to experience the show for ourselves.

NEWS: Let the Memories Begin at Disney Parks in 2011

23 September 2010 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

NEW YORK (Sept. 23, 2010) – In 2011, Disney guests will become the stars of a nightly spectacular when photos taken in the park during the day become larger-than-life projections on Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort or “it’s a small world” at Disneyland Resort. This groundbreaking new experience will celebrate the family vacation memories created in Disney theme parks every day.

And this week, Disney guests will begin starring on television, too, as part of the new “Let the Memories Begin” campaign. For the first time, Disney Parks is featuring the home videos and snapshots of real guests in television ads and other marketing that will allow an audience of millions to share in true-life, heartfelt moments.

“A Disney vacation is the perfect way to create family memories that will last a lifetime,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at a media announcement Thursday in New York. “We’ll spotlight those ‘only-at-Disney’ moments with family and friends during our ‘Let the Memories Begin’ campaign.”

A just-released survey of U.S. and Canadian families conducted for Disney Parks by Ypartnership, a noted research firm that tracks consumer insights and trends in travel, showed that vacation memories hold a special place in family history.

Nine out of 10 parents said they planned their vacations with the express hope that they would result in a lasting family memory, the survey showed. And those memories stuck with them – nearly three-quarters said they think back “often” or “very often” on their favorite vacation experiences.

‘Memories in the Making’ to be Shared on Disney Park Icons

Beginning in January 2011, some Disney parks guests will find that the memory they just made has become a larger-than-life image during a “Let the Memories Begin” nighttime experience.

At Walt Disney World Resort, the guest photos will be projected on the soaring spires of Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom. At Disneyland Resort, the iconic façade of “it’s a small world” will be the canvas for the show.

In both locations, Disney PhotoPass photographers will capture guests caught up in the Disney experience – a memory in the making – and as many as 500 photos will be used in each location every day, producers estimate.

The nighttime show will use the latest in high-intensity projection technology to create vivid visuals that seem to defy the architecture of the building. A new song commissioned for the show will provide an emotional context for these images of the Disney guest experience.

For TV Ads and More, Disney Parks Issues a ‘Call for Memories’

Beyond seeing their own projected photos in lights, guests also could become the stars of Disney Parks television commercials, online campaigns and social media opportunities that will showcase to the world the power of memories.