AVATAR comes to the Animal Kingdom

Today at a press conference at Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob Iger and Tom Staggs announced a long-term creative partnership with James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the fantasy world of AVATAR to life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort.


James Cameron and his producing partner Jon Landau and their team at Lightstorm Entertainment will serve as creative consultants on the project and will work side-by-side with Walt Disney Imagineers as they dream up experiences that will take guests deep into worlds of AVATAR like never before. There are also two sequels to the record setting first film in the works, which will offer more fascinating stories, characters and locations to explore in the AVATAR universe. Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort is planned as the site of the first AVATAR-themed land with construction expected to begin by 2013.

Disney to close Grand Floridian spa for 18 months

According to the Orlando Sentinel  Walt Disney World is closing the spa at its most-expensive resort for 18 months as the company embarks on an expansion project at the hotel.


The spa the Grand Floridian hotel — one of only two full-service spas in Disney World — will shut down Sept. 19.

"We are in the early stages of an expansion project at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa," Disney spokesman Bryan Malenius said Friday. The spa will "temporarily close this fall as part of a planned renovation."


The Grand Floridian is considered one of the top spots to stay on Disney property. With nearly 900 rooms, the Victorian-themed hotel has standard room rates that begin at $440 a night.  More....