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RESCUE TRAINING BEGINS TODAY FOR 150 NEWLY HIRED LIFEGUARDS AT LEGOLAND® FLORIDA WATER PARK ATTRACTION -- New attraction opens Saturday, May 26, 2012

Largest Expansion in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom History Will Nearly Double the Size of Fantasyland

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history is underway, a project that will nearly double the size of Fantasyland and deliver a new home for Ariel, new ways to interact with favorite Disney princesses, an exciting new family coaster, a double dose of Dumbo and more. Scheduled to open in phases beginning in late 2012, the new Fantasyland will immerse guests in Disney stories as never before.

Among the highlights planned:

Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, a major, all-new attraction during which guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the classic film.

The castle of the Beast, standing majestically upon a hill just across an old stone bridge from Ariel’s new home.

The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature a lavish dining experience in the elegant ballroom, gallery, and mysterious “West Wing” of the castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent facility will offer “great food fast” service by day and full table service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle's Village, guests will find the rousing Gaston’s Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts. Just outside the village is Belle’s cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle. The adventure begins in Maurice’s workshop, where a magical mirror is the doorway to a captivating new kind of storytelling experience: Guests are transported to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive, re-telling of the “tale as old as time.”

But that’s just the beginning of what guests will discover when the multi-phase project is completed. Here’s more of what’s in store:

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will take guests on a rollicking, musical ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” The coaster will feature a first-of-its kind ride system with a train of ride vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to every twist and turn of the track. The journey will be accompanied by music from the classic Disney film and animated figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs.

In Princess Fairytale Hall, Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel, will greet guests in their new home, an elegant royal court on the site where Snow White’s Scary Adventures stands today. The sound of the calliope will lead guests to the brand new Storybook Circus and not one but two circling carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Before taking to the skies on this Fantasyland favorite, guests can experience an array of fun-filled family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages inside the Big Top. Next door in Storybook Circus, the classic Barnstormer gets a bright new look as well, featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini. It’s a twisting, turning roller coaster “flight” high above the circus fun.

The Disney Dream is new to Orlando and Port Canaveral! Outstanding new cruise ship graces Florida's East Coast , January 4th, 2011.

LEGOLAND® Florida Construction Recycling From Concrete to Palm Trees - Park Reuses Assets

POLK COUNTY, FL (November 18, 2010) – LEGOLAND® Florida is preventing 18,000 tons of concrete slab from entering Florida’s landfills by crushing the existing sidewalks and foundation into stones and powder. The Park has contracted with an outside company to operate a 15 ton machine to “chew up” concrete and sort it into several different sized bits. Once crushed, the gravel will be re-used in the Park as a base layer for the new sidewalks thorough Central Florida’s newest full-day family theme park. “It’s important to us at LEGOLAND Florida to make as little environmental impact as we build Central Florida’s newest full-day family theme park,” said General Manager of LEGOLAND Development, John Ussher. “By recycling and reusing the concrete already on the property, we’re not only saving 18,000 tons of slab from area landfills, but doing what’s right for our business.”

Other ways the Park is reusing assets is with tree restoration and relocation. 660 oaks and palm trees from the property’s former adventure park area have been moved to an alternate location for the duration of construction. Once the diggers and back-hoes have completed their job, the trees will be relocated to their new home in LEGOLAND. LEGOLAND® Florida opens in October 2011 and will be a 150-acre interactive theme park dedicated to families with children between the ages of 2 and 12. With more than 50 rides, shows and attractions, LEGOLAND is geared towards family fun! There are currently four other LEGOLAND Parks in the world – LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad, LEGOLAND Billund in Denmark, LEGOLAND Deutschland near Günzburg, Germany and LEGOLAND Windsor outside of London. The LEGOLAND theme parks are a part of Merlin Entertainments Group, the second largest attractions operator in the world. For the most current information, log on to www.LEGOLAND.com. The MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS GROUP is the leading name in location based, family entertainment, which has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over the last five years. Europe’s number one, and the world’s second largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin has 62 attractions and 6 hotels in 12 countries, across 3 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 38.5 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and more than 14,000 employees. Merlin Entertainments operates the following attractions – SEA LIFE – the world’s No 1 aquarium brand, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The Merlin Entertainments London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, THORPE PARK, Chessington World of Adventures, Heide Park, Underwater Adventures, and Earth Explorer.

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Disney's Pleasure Island to Become "Hyperion Wharf"

More than two years after it closed the doors to its Pleasure Island nightclubs, Walt Disney World said Thursday that it will convert the once-thriving nightlife area into a faux wharf with new restaurants and shops. The revamped district, to be called "Hyperion Wharf," will open in stages through 2013. As part of the changes, Disney says it will tear down most of the area's former clubs, including Motion, Adventurers Club, BET Soundstage Club and Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club. The moniker "Pleasure Island" will be phased out entirely. In their place, Disney says it will add new restaurants and shops themed around newly themed seaport setting. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

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