I’m back with another selection of vintage Disney ads from the beloved Disney News Magazine. If you’re unfamiliar, the magazine ran from from 1965 all the way to 2005. It was THE only way to get breaking Disney theme park news and behind-the-scenes info in the pre-internet era. One of the best things about these magazine are the ads, and what’s great is they were light on any non-Disney ads. That means there were Disney ads that are absolute gems. Today we’ll take a look at 7 of them, all from the Spring 1997 issue.

This VERY 90s looking ad shows off Disney’s two hotels at Disneyland Resort in California. One of the hotels is the Pacific Hotel, which I wrote about in a recent post showing off vintage Disney post cards:

[Pacific Hotel] would be renamed to Paradise Pier Hotel after Disney’s California Adventure opened in 2001. This hotel was built in 1984 as the Emerald Hotel of Anaheim, and then later renamed to Pan Pacific Hotel. Fun fact: The hotel was originally owned by a Japanese company, which is why it still to this day has a 13th floor. The reason is Japan does not have the same superstition as America when it comes to the number 13.

This Disney Cruise Line ad has to be one of, if not the first, ads for Disney’s new-at-the-time cruise company. While DCL was founded in 1995, the first Disney ship didn’t set sail until 1998. That means this ad is from 1 year before the Disney Magic made its debut.

The Disney Institute is still around today as a series of seminars for business professionals, but it started out much different. The original idea was to have multi-day programs where families could learn about the following categories: Animation, Culinary, Gardening, The Great Outdoors, Photography, Television and Youth. A very interesting and unique idea that unfortunately didn’t catch on. The Disney Institute complex is now the Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort.

I had to include this Cinderella Castle snow globe in this post only because of the price. FIVE payments of $19.00. Adjusted for inflation that’s FIVE payments of $30.97, for a grand total of $154.85!

Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame is a good movie in my opinion. But the film did not have the box office success or critical acclaim Disney was hoping for. That’s why I think it’s pretty funny this ad features a huge quote “CHILDREN WILL ADORE IT!” more prominent than anything else on the page.

What is there even to say about Disney Adventures magazine. It was without a doubt required reading for any Disney-loving kid who grew up in the 90s. Each issue featured comics, celebrity interviews, entertainment news, and movie and game reviews. Disney Adventures is still well remembered by fans and I see it constantly brought up on social media sites.

If you were a Disney fan in the 80s and 90s and didn’t have a Magic Kingdom Club membership, what were you even doing? With it you got discounts at the Disney Store, as well as tickets and annual passes to Disneyland. You also got a free subscription to Disney News Magazine, which alone made it worth it in my eyes.

What’s your favorite ad featured in this post? Let me know in the comments below. 

Check out my other posts with even more vintage Disney News Magazine content:

6 More Vintage 90s Disney News Magazine Ads

Five 80s and 90s Disney Theme Park Recipes from Old Disney News Magazines

5 Gloriously 90s Ads from the Fall 1990 Disney News Magazine

Even More Vintage 90s Disney Magazine Ads!

9 Must Have Items from the 1988 Disney Spring/Summer Catalog

Top 7 Vintage Disney Ads of Ancient Rental Cars Sitting In Disneyland and WDW

The post 7 Vintage Disney Ads From Spring 1997 Disney Magazine appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

We are still quite a few months from the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins in June.

Rainy Day Crowds

However, this year, it looks like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is considering pushing up the technical start of hurricane season to earlier in the year.

As any Florida resident, Florida frequenter, or Disney-goer can attest, hurricanes are a frequent annual frustration, to put it mildly, and traditionally the season for these oceanic storms starts on June 1…or does it?! 

Rainy Day at Animal Kingdom

According to the Weather Channel, the NOAA is considering bumping up the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, since recent years have reported storms originating before June — last year, Tropical Storm Arthur formed on May 16. 

Rainy Day Cavalcade

The idea was first floated at the NOAA Hurricane Conference in December, and the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service are planning to address the idea in the spring. 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

May 15 was the new suggested date, which would be the first time since 1965 that the start of hurricane season was moved. When the original dates were set in 1935, the start of the season was June 15, which was then changed to June 1 30 years later. 

Rainy Day in Animal Kingdom

Since Disney World and Orlando are in the middle of central Florida, hurricanes usually don’t amount to much more than rain, which we are ALL too familiar with, but it’s fascinating to see the changing weather patterns in a state notorious for, umm, pretty wild weather. 

6 tips for planning a Disney World trip during hurricane season

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How has hurricane season affected your Disney travel plans? Let us know in the comments! 

The post NEWS: The NOAA Considers an Earlier Start Date for the Atlantic Hurricane Season first appeared on the disney food blog.

EPCOT is currently undergoing a huge transformation that will introduce new attractions, restaurants, and decor around the park.

EPCOT

As part of the transformation, a brand new nighttime spectacular called Harmonious will soon make its debut in EPCOT. We’ve been keeping an eye on the new barges that will help bring this show to life as they make their way to World Showcase Lagoon. And the latest addition is absolutely MASSIVE!

Earlier today, we shared an inside look at some exciting new details about Harmonious. And now, we’ve had a chance to spot the newly-installed centerpiece of the show in person!

The centerpiece structure is taller than the other barges that have already appeared on World Showcase Lagoon. In fact, we could spot it from a distance as we were approaching the World Showcase.

The New Harmonious Barge is Visible from a Distance

It’s located in the middle of World Showcase Lagoon, with The American Adventure Pavilion visible behind it.

New Harmonious Centerpiece

The centerpiece structure will help bring several elements of the show to life, as it will support a high-density water curtain, moving lights, fountains, and more.

Harmonious Barges

But this isn’t the “final form” of what the new World Showcase skyline will look like. The concept art indicates that the barges will eventually function as fountains.

Harmonious Barges

Here’s a closer look at the new centerpiece!

Harmonious Centerpiece

Disney has not yet announced a date for when the new nighttime spectacular will premiere, but we’ll be on the lookout for any additional details. We’ll continue to check in on the progress of Harmonious, as well as the rest of the EPCOT transformation, so stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for all of the latest updates!

Learn more about the latest Harmonious details!

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Which new EPCOT addition are you the most excited to experience? Let us know in the comments!

The post PHOTOS! The Latest Addition to EPCOT’s New Fireworks Show is MASSIVE! first appeared on the disney food blog.

It’s been nearly a year since we were last able to watch a fireworks show at Disney World.

Happily Ever After

When the parks reopened last summer, nighttime spectaculars did not return and continue to be temporarily suspended. Although, we did get a little fireworks surprise around the holidays, and preparations are underway in EPCOT for its upcoming show, Harmonious, normal fireworks shows aren’t taking place. But, that hasn’t stopped Disney from testing fireworks!

A handful of times, Disney has tested various types of fireworks and light projections at night while the parks are closed. This past September, we learned from a reader (@kellielizabethharris) that guests at Disney’s Riviera Resort were notified via the My Disney Experience app that fireworks testing would take place in EPCOT one evening.

Harmonious Concept Art

We didn’t catch any videos of the fireworks testing, but it was likely for EPCOT’s upcoming show, Harmonious. We’ve since seen multiple barges move out onto World Showcase Lagoon, which will be used for various technical elements, like projections, during the show.

Harmonious

Then, in November of 2020, Magic Kingdom tested fireworks too! Luckily, we were able to snag a view of the fireworks from outside the park!

Fireworks Testing

Our view from the Contemporary gave us the perfect vantage point to see the fireworks.

Fireworks Testing

Here’s a little video of the action!

Although it wasn’t much, it sure was nice to see some fireworks over the Kingdom once again. One month later, in December of 2020, the park was testing fireworks again! A reader, Tim Macy, was nice enough to share some footage of the fireworks with us.

Fireworks Testing

These fireworks were big and golden, with little highlights of red and green.

Fireworks Testing

There were also some smaller, bright-red bursts in the mix. They were perfect for the holiday season!

Fireworks Testing

Last week, even more testing took place in EPCOT! Reader @jambohailey on Instagram shared a video of the fireworks from the view at Disney’s Beach Club Villas.

Harmonious Signage

While we may not know when fireworks will return to Disney World, we’ll definitely be on the lookout for any updates AND more testing! Stay tuned to DFB for Disney news.

More MAJOR Work Is About Kick-Off at Disney World’s Star Wars Hotel

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What’s your favorite nighttime spectacular (past or present) at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

The post PHOTOS & VIDEOS: Every Time Disney World Tested Fireworks Since Reopening first appeared on the disney food blog.