joanne
February 11th, 2006, 16:17
Walt Disney World Resort Moves Mountains To Celebrate New Expedition Everest Attraction
NEW YORK -- New York City's famed Times Square will be transformed into the legendary Mount Everest on Feb. 15-16 by Walt Disney World Resort. A 57-story spectacular brings the Himalayas to life, with powerful avalanche effects, daytime pyrotechnics and the ferocious roar of the yeti, plus world-renowned aerialist acrobats performing a never-seen-before display of vertical acrobatics.
The two-day show, "Everest in the City," will take place hundreds of feet above Times Square to celebrate the launch of the thrilling new Walt Disney World attraction Expedition Everest, grand opening in April at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Project Bandaloop, featuring the world's most creative aerial acrobats, will fly through the sky as they perform off a pair of towering billboards spanning two skyscrapers at Broadway and 47th Street. Serving as the dramatic backdrop, the billboards feature a runaway train racing through snow-covered mountains, just narrowly escaping the wrath of the fearsome red-eyed yeti, legendary protector of the Himalayas.
The brave climbers will face the wintry elements as they navigate the mountain while performing an exhilarating acrobatic ballet accompanied by an original musical score. New Yorkers and visitors to Times Square in February will have the chance to view the incredible mountain billboard.
To broaden "Everest in the City" beyond a traditional billboard, Walt Disney World Resort partnered with industry leaders including Sylvania, Hip Cricket and AOL CityGuide. Sylvania gives the yeti his glowing red eyes using the new OSRAM LED-powered light technology. Each of the yeti's two 30-inch-diameter eyes will be lit with six OSRAM DRAGONchain® LED modules, making the fearsome protector's glare visible from hundreds of yards away.
While Sylvania is responsible for giving the yeti his eyes, Hip Cricket will control their stare. Thanks to technology provided by Hip Cricket, visitors to Times Square can use their wireless phones to interact directly and in real time with the yeti by texting the word DISNEY to the short code "4YETI", which will make the yeti's eyes flash at a specific time.
For anyone not able to view the spectacular show in person, AOL CityGuide will feature exclusive video of the event. Visitors on aol.com/everest (http://www.aol.com/everest)also can enter an online contest that will award 25 lucky visitors to the site a trip for four to Walt Disney World Resort to experience an exclusive tour of Expedition Everest.
About Project Bandaloop
Project Bandaloop honors nature, community and the human spirit through dance. Project Bandaloop's choreography draws on aerial, vertical and horizontal movement to craft dances, many site-specific. Under the artistic direction of Amelia Rudolph, the company hopes to enrich the quality of life with their performances, out-reach and ability to bring dance to new audiences.
About Expedition Everest
Expedition Everest is the newest addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Rising from the mythical Himalayan village of Serka Zong, this runaway train adventure combines roller coaster thrills with the excitement of a close encounter of the hairy kind -- the fearsome yeti, protector of the mountain. Reaching speeds up to 50 mph with spiral curves and an 80-foot plummet, the runaway train speeds through a darkened mountain cavern to escape the wrath of the yeti. Peaking nearly 200 feet high and occupying about 6.2 acres, Expedition Everest is one of the 18 mountain attractions created by Walt Disney Imagineering at Disney theme parks worldwide.
The new attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom is part of the 18-month "Happiest Celebration on Earth" celebrating 50 years of Disney theme parks globally and commemorating the 1955 opening of Disneyland.
About Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is a 500-acre theme park where the exciting worlds of wild and whimsical creatures come to life on an authentic African safari, in an Asian rain forest, on a trip back in time to the age of the dinosaurs, and in other attractions and shows brimming with stories about animals and encounters with Disney characters.
NEW YORK -- New York City's famed Times Square will be transformed into the legendary Mount Everest on Feb. 15-16 by Walt Disney World Resort. A 57-story spectacular brings the Himalayas to life, with powerful avalanche effects, daytime pyrotechnics and the ferocious roar of the yeti, plus world-renowned aerialist acrobats performing a never-seen-before display of vertical acrobatics.
The two-day show, "Everest in the City," will take place hundreds of feet above Times Square to celebrate the launch of the thrilling new Walt Disney World attraction Expedition Everest, grand opening in April at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
Project Bandaloop, featuring the world's most creative aerial acrobats, will fly through the sky as they perform off a pair of towering billboards spanning two skyscrapers at Broadway and 47th Street. Serving as the dramatic backdrop, the billboards feature a runaway train racing through snow-covered mountains, just narrowly escaping the wrath of the fearsome red-eyed yeti, legendary protector of the Himalayas.
The brave climbers will face the wintry elements as they navigate the mountain while performing an exhilarating acrobatic ballet accompanied by an original musical score. New Yorkers and visitors to Times Square in February will have the chance to view the incredible mountain billboard.
To broaden "Everest in the City" beyond a traditional billboard, Walt Disney World Resort partnered with industry leaders including Sylvania, Hip Cricket and AOL CityGuide. Sylvania gives the yeti his glowing red eyes using the new OSRAM LED-powered light technology. Each of the yeti's two 30-inch-diameter eyes will be lit with six OSRAM DRAGONchain® LED modules, making the fearsome protector's glare visible from hundreds of yards away.
While Sylvania is responsible for giving the yeti his eyes, Hip Cricket will control their stare. Thanks to technology provided by Hip Cricket, visitors to Times Square can use their wireless phones to interact directly and in real time with the yeti by texting the word DISNEY to the short code "4YETI", which will make the yeti's eyes flash at a specific time.
For anyone not able to view the spectacular show in person, AOL CityGuide will feature exclusive video of the event. Visitors on aol.com/everest (http://www.aol.com/everest)also can enter an online contest that will award 25 lucky visitors to the site a trip for four to Walt Disney World Resort to experience an exclusive tour of Expedition Everest.
About Project Bandaloop
Project Bandaloop honors nature, community and the human spirit through dance. Project Bandaloop's choreography draws on aerial, vertical and horizontal movement to craft dances, many site-specific. Under the artistic direction of Amelia Rudolph, the company hopes to enrich the quality of life with their performances, out-reach and ability to bring dance to new audiences.
About Expedition Everest
Expedition Everest is the newest addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Rising from the mythical Himalayan village of Serka Zong, this runaway train adventure combines roller coaster thrills with the excitement of a close encounter of the hairy kind -- the fearsome yeti, protector of the mountain. Reaching speeds up to 50 mph with spiral curves and an 80-foot plummet, the runaway train speeds through a darkened mountain cavern to escape the wrath of the yeti. Peaking nearly 200 feet high and occupying about 6.2 acres, Expedition Everest is one of the 18 mountain attractions created by Walt Disney Imagineering at Disney theme parks worldwide.
The new attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom is part of the 18-month "Happiest Celebration on Earth" celebrating 50 years of Disney theme parks globally and commemorating the 1955 opening of Disneyland.
About Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom is a 500-acre theme park where the exciting worlds of wild and whimsical creatures come to life on an authentic African safari, in an Asian rain forest, on a trip back in time to the age of the dinosaurs, and in other attractions and shows brimming with stories about animals and encounters with Disney characters.