April 30:
519 pm: It is currently storming at Walt Disney Word, but that won’t stop them from trying to get the word out about MyMagic+ and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Tonight’s festivities take place at Epcot, but it appears the worst of the storm should be over by then.
529 pm: Disney has made a commemorative MagicBand for the opening of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. 
554 pm: The Disney promotions folks have made a lot of stuff to promote MyMagic+ and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. 
607 pm: Still a gray day at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 
715 pm: The “Rock Your Disney Side” party has begun at Epcot’s World ShowPlace. The DJ is encouraging guests to take selfies with various vignettes representing various Walt Disney World experiences. Festival of Fantasy performers, Anna & Elsa, Festival of the Lion King, are all present. Mickey and Minnie are celebrating Disney’s Hollywood Studios 25th Anniversary while Goofy is enjoying Blizzard Beach. The DJ wants all selfies tagged with #RockYourDisney Side
740 pm: To accurately show the Disney Parks experience, the longest photo op line at the press dinner is for Anna and Elsa.
824 pm: The band “Drey-C” which supposedly performs at Downtown Disney is playing music to encourage guests to “Rock Their Disney Side” 
900 pm: With a performance of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, the first night of the press event comes to a close. Tomorrow, Walt Disney World will share information about MyMagic+, but until then… goodnight. Thursday, May 1: 752 am: Disney has released a video of the interactive queue of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. 900 am: Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a commemorative map for the 25th Anniversary. 
908 am: A selection of Studios 25th Anniversary Merchandise is available at DisneyStore.com Disney’s Hollywood Studios 25th Anniversary Polo Shirt for Men – Limited Availability
Mickey Mouse Tee for Adults – Disney’s Hollywood Studios 25th Anniversary – Limited Availability
Mickey Mouse Tee for Kids – Disney’s Hollywood Studios 25th Anniversary – Limited Availability
937 am: As Disney’s Hollywood Studios celebrates at the park, media is at the Yacht Club at a MyMagic+ themed breakfast
1002: Studio’s VP Dan Cockerell takes the Sorcerer Hat stage to welcome guests to the 25th anniversary of Disney Hollywood Studios. 1005: Over 80 opening day cast members still work at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 
1007: Meanwhile at the Yacht Club, Disney Parks Chairman Tom Staggs is talking about MyMagic+ 
1016 am: Samantha Brown is sharing her experiences with MyMagic+ 
1023 am: It was just announced that 3D Flyover maps are coming to My Disney Experience. 1029 am: WDW President George Kalogridis joins Samantha Brown to discuss MyMagic+ 
1051 am: The MyMagic+ presentation began with this video that Disney released in January. 1055 am: Following the MyMagic+ breakfast, Jim MacPhee has a more intimate Q&A about the details of the project. Jim leads all Walt Disney World theme parks and the MyMagic+ program. 1059 am: Jim just mentioned that they expanded from 29 FASTPASS attractions to over 70 FastPass+ options. 1106 am: The inside of the Studios park map features a recreation of the original park map. 
1110 am: Jim states that there is no set timeline to rollout MyMagic+ to other Disney destinations. 1121 am: Disney has released a picture of a special crew waiting for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to soft open. 
1209 PM: The local ABC affiliate in Orlando just said that Disney will continue testing the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for about a month before opening to the public. 127 PM: The 25th anniversary cupcake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios 
1:59 PM: A 25th anniversary merchandise display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
304 pm: 
Some Magic Kingdom attractions are closing early tonight due to the media party. Ariel’s Grotto, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and The Little Mermaid are closing at 500 pm.
311 pm: The weather held out so that Magic Kingdom guests can enjoy the Festival of Fantasy Parade. Lots of international media is enjoying the parade for the first time.
316 pm: It appears they ordered enough 25th anniversary merchandise. So far only the keychain is sold out.
456 pm: Our investigative team noticed something interesting on the bus from Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge. Where is Coulson when you need him…
541 pm: Tom Staggs says that they are “noodling” bringing Frozen to the parks, and Walt Disney World specifically. He says that they hope to have something to announce soon.
545 pm: According to this website that Disney has just revealed, it appears that the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will open on May 18.
655 pm: Fan favorite DJ Elliot is spinning at the Sorcerer Hat prior to the Character Cavalcade.
702 pm: Streetmosphere performers are leading the character cavalcade.
819 pm: At the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train dinner party, the desserts are places inside an old Snow White’s Scary Adventure mine car.
829pm: Some videos of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train interactive queue. We will have video of the ride later.
858 pm: Do any of these figures look familiar?
It appears that some of the old figures from Snow White’s Scary Adventure made their way into the new attraction.
May 2:
647 am:
Last night Disney’s Hollywood Studios held a special fireworks show to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Here is our video:
720 am: We posted two ride-through videos of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. In one, you can hear FanBoy’s lose his hat and hear his surprise when it was caught by the guests four rows behind him.
729 am: We are waiting for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train dedication ceremony to begin! It will begin in just a few moments.
732 am: The Seven Dwarfs take the stage
735 am: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs joins the party.
739 am: The attraction is officially dedicated with word that the it will be available to all guests May 28.
835: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is now available for booking FastPass+.
858 am: Good Morning America’s Ginger Zee reported from the Magic Kingdom this morning.
All 7 dwarfs have arrived! Coming up on @gma #mineride Walt Disney World https://t.co/cFR8eJp98i
— Ginger Zee (@Ginger_Zee) May 2, 2014
918 am: Yesterday Samantha Brown shared a video of her experiencing MyMagic+
936: Trader’s Sam Grog coming to the renamed Polynesian Village Resort (its original name)
941 am: Glow with the Show to be incorporated into the Symphony in the Stars fireworks for Star Wars weekends.
942 am: Festival of the Lion King reopens in its new location this June. There will also be a hard ticket event… Hot Harambe Nights on Saturdays starting June 7.
944 am: Hot Harambe Nights will feature a special Lion King show and a street party. Here are the narrators
- June 7 – Viola Davis: “The Help,” “Ender’s Game”
- June 14 – TBD
- June 21 – Montego Glover: “The Following,” “Memphis”
- June 28 – David Alan Grier: “Porgy & Bess,” “In Living Color”
- July 5 – Michael Beach: “ER,” “Third Watch,” “Sons of Anarchy”
- July 12 – Harry Lennix: “The Blacklist,” “The Five Heartbeats”
- July 19 – Joe Morton: “Scandal,” “American Gangster,” “The Good Wife”
- July 26 – Alfre Woodard: “Desperate Housewives,” “Miss Evers Boys”
- August 2 – Patina Miller: “Pippin,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1”
- August 9 – Brian Stokes Mitchell: “Ragtime,” “Trapper John, M.D.,” “Glee”
Harambe Nights takes place every Saturday from June 7 – August 9, 2014, with the Welcome Reception starting at 7 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. show time. Tickets are $119 for adults, $79 for ages 3-9, plus tax. Tickets with premium floor seating are $134 for adults, $94 for ages 3-9, plus tax. Capacity is limited, so you’ll want to go ahead and get your tickets by visiting Disneyworld.com/HarambeNights or calling 407-939-1319.
952 am: Disney’s Polynesian Village Villas and Bungalows will open in 2015. It will feature bungalows on the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon.
953 am: The Landing will open in 2015. That is when Downtown Disney will change its name to Disney Springs. No more specific date was given.
955 am: Rivers of Light is the new nighttime show coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
959 am: The World of Pandora will open at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2017.
1048 am: Disney already has over 50,000 signups for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train FastPass+
1150 am: And with that the press event is over. Look for recaps on LaughingPlace in the coming weeks.