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©Atlanta Braves/MLB A lineup of marquee baseball teams, including the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers, will visit Walt Disney World for Atlanta Braves Spring Training at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Braves, who earned a National League Wild Card berth in 2012, report to the complex for two weeks of training in early February, before opening at Champion Stadium on Feb. 22 against Detroit. The late February date marks the earliest start for Braves at Disney since the team arrived in 1997. A pair of visits by the Yankees, Feb. 23 and March 16 (night game), a March 12 contest versus the Cardinals, and a March 18 game against the Philadelphia Phillies highlight the schedule. The Washington Nationals and Tigers, both reigning playoff clubs, make up the core of the Braves’ 18-game home schedule at Champion Stadium. Each will play three games apiece at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Nationals visit Disney on Feb....

The Official Disney Parks Blog  has produced a great video giving us an update on Splitsville from company founders Guy Revelle and Mark Gibson. This new 50,000-square-foot upscale entertainment center will combine bowling with billiards, dining, music and nightlife. Two large patios overlooking the West Side will feature food and drink, along with 30 bowling lanes and plenty of dining options inside. Splitsville will be opening in December 2012 at Downtown Disney's West Side.

Disney has posted an  update on the Official Disney Parks Blog regarding the upcoming changes to the Main Street Bakery and the integration of Starbucks.  The change that will see Starbucks introduced into the Main Street Bakery in mid 2013 has generated a lot of discussion on many Walt Disney World fan forums. No doubt many Disney fanboys will be taking credit for this "update" from Walt Disney World and once again will lull themselves into some false sense of accomplishment that they forced Disney's hand and made them do the right thing. Poppycock! Disney knew they were doing the whole time. They are absolutely in no position to answer to each and every fanboy call, nor should they ever be. They are a business ladies and gentlemen, and a very good one at that. Whew. That is why I DO NOT host forums on MikeandTheMouse - everybody is an expert! Here is the update from Disney. UPDATE 11/12: Here’s some additional information about our Walt Disney Wor...

Planning for the big holiday transformation at Magic Kingdom Park takes months -- it begins in summer. But the work of replacing jack-o-lanterns with ornaments and toy soldiers happens in hours. Watch as Magic Kingdom Park transitions from Halloween to the holidays in this time-lapse video.

Mickey Mouse and a few of his best pals opened the gates of Magic Kingdom a little early this morning to welcome dozens of Central Florida kids to be among the first to experience New Fantasyland. During a special sneak peek organized just for them, members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida walked beyond the walls of Cinderella Castle into the Enchanted Forest and found themselves inside the pages of some of their favorite stories. They got to experience the new Enchanted Tales with Belle and Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, as well as toast Gaston with a frozen mug of Le Fou’s Brew. “We wanted to share some of the excitement of New Fantasyland with members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida who have something in common with Belle – a love for learning,” said Nancy Gidusko, director of Community Relations for Walt Disney World Resort. “As a company committed to making a difference in the lives of children in Central Florida...

©Walt Disney Company/GM GM put out a great press release late last week  giving us some new details about the reworked Test Track experience, and today Disney has a new update giving us a few more details.  The new Test Track officially opens on December 6, 2012, with some limited soft openings expected before that date in late November. Read on for the full Disney press release. LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL. – Walt Disney World Resort guests will experience the thrill of designing their very own virtual vehicle – then putting their design through its paces – when the re-imagined, multi-sensory Test Track Presented by Chevrolet grand re-opens Dec. 6, 2012.  The iconic Epcot attraction, a new collaboration between Chevrolet Design and the creative team of Walt Disney Imagineering, celebrates how meticulous design not only shapes the look of Chevrolet cars and trucks, but drives their performance on the open road.  For inspiration for the project, Walt D...

©Walt Disney Company The Official Disney Parks Blog  has today released a few more details about the upcoming 'Celebrate the Magic' castle projection show at the Magic Kingdom. Also confirmed is that just like the shows predecessor, there will be seasonal variations of the show, including a Holiday version, Valentines, Summer, and Halloween. The show begins during regular park hours tomorrow night Tuesday November 13, 2012 at 7:45pm and 8:35pm. It will also be shown during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at 9:15pm. From the Disney Parks Blog “Celebrate the Magic” pays tribute to the artistry and imagination of Disney stories, from beloved classics to contemporary favorites.  As the show begins, Tinker Bell appears to fly around Cinderella Castle, weaving in and out of the turrets. She splashes pixie dust on the castle, transforming it into a spectacular piece of living art. As the pixie dust subsides, we are taken back to the beginnings of pen...