• If you will be joining us by computer, go to www.talkshoe.com/tc/20663 anytime near 8:00pm EST this evening and enter the community call. (Note: You may want to head over here earlier and open a TalkShoe account, just in case you want the best experience this evening. Remember you don’t need to register to join in,  we just suggest it.)
• If you can not use a computer, you can even join by telephone. To do this, just dial (724) 444-7444, then enter 20663 and # as the Call ID Number, and then just enter 1 and # or your TalkShoe Pin Number (if you have a TalkShoe pin number, not required)

We hope to see you at WDW News Today Live! this evening as we continue our 1 year anniversary celebration here at WDW News Today. Please feel free to email us at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail message at (206) 666-2982 if you have any questions or concerns.

Episode 20 starts off with our weekly Disneyland News and Rumors. Among the things covered this week are the opening of the Innoventions Dream Home, the debut of Monorail Red (finally!), the upcoming Voyage of the Little Mermaid attraction, and much more! Tackling the news with me this week are Kenny, Lee, and Jose!

Coming to you live from the parks this week is the brand new stage show in Adventureland, as part of the Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries, the Secret of the Stone Tiger! Headphones are suggested for the best listening experience.

Finally this week, it’s the return of our newest segment, Jurassic Park, where in each edition we’ll be taking a look at one of the Disneyland Resort’s many extinct attractions! This time, in honor of the 4th of July, Kenny, Lee, Jose, and I take a look at America Sings!

If you would like to contact us with any questions, suggestions, comments, or concerns you can email us at wdwnewstoday@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail message at (206)-666-2982. Enjoy the show!!! See Ya Next Week!!!

To download this episode of the DLNT Podcast, please visit our Podcast Download page. To just listen to the show (not download it) click on the little player attached to this post. Or you can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

2009/2010 - Silly Symphony Swings - In Development - (7/4/08) We’ve got a little more information to share today about the new Silly Symphony Swings restoration plans. According to our sources the remodeled attraction will have a Band Conductor Mickey on top of the tower who will move around to the music. The top will be remodeled to be more like a carousel to allow for the placement of scenes from the Silly Symphonies on the inside of each section.

2009/2010 - Goofy’s Flite School - In Development - (7/4/08) We’ve heard that plans for Goofy’s Flite School are moving forward, and yes that is the correct spelling. From the sound of things it may take on a similar look to Goofy’s Barnstormer in Florida as it will now look like an old giant barn has been converted by Goofy into a make-shift airplane hanger… while apparently leaving all the old chicken coops intact.

UPDATE: Here’s a short video of the fireworks last night from inside Disneyland when the show was cut off & the cancellation announcement was made:

But for now, Orlando Attractions Magazine has a video of the complete Florida version (which I believe is exactly the same) that went off with-out a hitch. That version was recorded on July 2nd, so a test day. WDWNTube’s John Corigliano was at the Magic Kingdom in WDW to see the show yesterday, & I’m sure he’ll be bringing back an excellent video for you all to enjoy!

All of Innoventions, including the new Innoventions Dream Home, is now finally open!

Would you believe that Innoventions actually has a line!?

Tom Morrow still greets guests on video & as an animatronic…

… Not sure how this will work with all the new stuff

From Tom, you apparently go on to a mini-game show about ABC TV shows (no prizes awarded, of course)

The inner walls are lined with various murals featuring past & present Tomorrowland icons

From there you finally enter the Innoventions Dream Home! Check the Dateline Disneyland article for a full photo guide of the new Dream home (way too many pictures to share here). The link is at the top of this post

You exit the Dream Home through the Elias Family Party Tent…

… And then you go up the stairs that take you to the Segway Experience on the 2nd floor

Here’s a look at the placing of the new Wall-E meet ‘n greet in Hollywood Pictures Backlot

These sponsor themed ads are apparently new

Be sure to check the Dateline Disneyland article for, as I said, many more pictures of the Innoventions Dream Home, as well as a look at Toy Story Midway Mania, the Grand Californian Expansion, & new posters inside the Disneyland Hotel! The link is at the top of the post.

At about 5 p.m. today the first members of the public boarded the new Mark VII Monorail at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland station.

While some people who went on the first red monorail trip seemed to think it was just another monorail, some guests were thrilled to be on the new train.

“It was air conditioned and it was pretty,” said 8-year-old Bethany Masten from Sacramento. Masten and her family were on the first public trip with the new monorail.

Disney marked the arrival of the new monorail train with signs throughout the park. And the monorail features more than just the red sides, blue glass windows and blue-lighted floors and seat backs. The train’s message also reflects the new train.

“Ladies and gentleman, welcome aboard the monorail 7,” the speakers sounded on each ride around the park. Later, the recorded message says, “You’re riding on the new Mark 7 Monorail, the latest-generation Disneyland monorail.

“I have no other monorail experiences to compare this to, but this train looks pretty futuristic,” admitted 38-year-old John Sturgeon. This was the first visit to Disneyland for Sturgeon and his family who came to the park from Silver City, New Mexico.

On that same, second ride for the public, was Catherine Keene of San Diego. She admitted that she made her group wait for the new train, which she said looks much cooler than the old train and that also rides more smoothly.

“We saw the red monorail driving along the tracks all day. It looked so pretty and new, so we all wanted to ride on it,” Keene said.

On a ride around the track with a monorail driver, Scott Kea, he said that a few things have changed for the drivers. He said the new train has more cameras, the ability for drivers to talk to specific sections of the train and a “cushier” seat for the driver.

While some guests did not know about the new train, Michael Villanueva, a 29-year-old from Brentwood, was excited for the new train. As he walked up on the monorail platform he said of the old-style monorail train “that one’s boring, I want to go on the new one.”

Villanueva said he’s been waiting for the red monorail to open. He saw the monorail testing earlier in the day, but when he saw signs announcing that guests could go on the monorail he said he ran to the monorail station in Tomorrowland.

“I was like ahhhhhh I have to ride on the new monorail,” he said.

Disney Spokeswoman Betsy Sanchez said the red monorail’s soft opening means it will be open off and on throughout the weekend. She did not know when the monorail would begin full-time operations for park guests.

A these 2 lines new?

New sign for the Art of Disney at the exit of Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years

The Dream banners are back

Monorail Red is finally taking guests

Speaking of stuff that finally happened… SPACE MOUNTAIN IS CLEAN!

This is where the tree in New Orleans Square that fell was a couple of days ago

Looks like Single Rider is now operating over at Toy Story Midway Mania

You can find more of Mint’s pictures from his latest visit to the Disneyland Resort here!

Check WDWNTube for videos of both the Secret of the Stone Tiger & Random Acts of Indy!

Disney’s Monorail Red (or Mark VII) will open to the public this evening as part of a “soft opening.”

Disney Spokeswoman Betsy Sanchez said this afternoon that the new monorail train will be open on and off again throughout the weekend.

The Mark VII line of trains (three in all) will slowly replace the current monorail trains. The red monorail is the first to roll-out and the blue train arrived a few weeks ago. No word yet on when the orange train will arrive at the park.

CHECK BACK tonight for an update and photo slide show of the new trains in action.

The public launch of the new red train with blue glass windows was expected to be in late February. But, testing and adjusting the monorail to work perfectly has pushed the opening back again and again.

The biggest change to the monorail trains is in the look: The first electric cars have blue glass and red stripes that change color in the sunlight. The next two cars will be blue with purple glass and orange with blue glass.

Bench seats will face the windows, allowing visitors a full view of the parks, Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Hotel. The capacity and speed will remain the same.

The Monorail started in 1959 as part of Disneyland’s first expansion and the track was extended to the Disneyland Hotel in 1961 to a length of two and a half miles.

For three years, Disney Imagineers have been working on the train upgrades.