Magic Kingdom

With frosty mugs of Butterbeer raised in a toast, Universal Studios Hollywood officials announced plans Tuesday to bring the wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter to the California theme park. Details were limited but officials did say the California park would see a Hogwarts Castle and visitors would ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, the marquee attraction at the Florida park. Wizarding World will be built within the existing California theme park, but it was unclear if the new land might be located at least partially on the studio's back lot. > Photos: Top 10 Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides and attractions Wizarding World proved an instant hit when it opened in June 2010 at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure theme park.

Like the clang of the trolley car bell, the smell of baking fudge and the turn-of-the-century architecture, the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet is part of the fabric of Disneyland's Main Street USA. As part of a yearlong Limited Time Magic marketing campaign, the turn of the century inspired Dapper Dans will be performing songs this week by boy bands from the 1990s to today at Disneyland and Florida's Magic Kingdom. Billing themselves as the "original boy band," the Dapper Dans will sing a medley of "Bye Bye Bye" by 'N Sync , " What Makes You Beautiful " by One Direction and " Rock Your Body " from Justin Timberlake's post-boy-band solo debut.

by Stanley Elkin (Dutton: $15.95; 300 pp.) The West has devoted itself to vanquishing or distracting so many kinds of Fate--plagues, mass starvation, childbirth mortality, human sacrifice--that it tends not to notice that Fate is not eliminated but transformed. Our Promethean projects have pretty well trampled up the metaphysical space that used to hold Fate, and we have nowhere appropriate to lodge the new versions that persist in cropping up.

Disney has unveiled plans to roll out a revolutionary new digital reservation system at its four Florida theme parks allowing visitors to pre-book rides, shows, parades, restaurants and character meet-and-greets months before a vacation. So when will this latest dose of pixie dust spread to Disneyland and other parks in the theme park chain? Disney officials won't divulge an expansion timeline, but mouse-watchers say the new MyMagic+ vacation management system rolling out this spring at Walt Disney World could debut at Anaheim's two theme parks as early as next year.

Assembled in Anaheim to promote the Downtown Disney entertainment mall, tenants-to-be got the Magic Kingdom treatment Tuesday night: a reception at Disneyland's private Club 33 and dinner at the Haunted Mansion. The latter featured a band of musical zombies, fog machines, tombstones with guests' names, and spooky harpsichord music accompanying the meal. . . .

Disneyland has been giving away a car a day for the past 16 months to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Next month, they will also start giving away burros. Have pack animals replaced Pontiacs in the Magic Kingdom's gate giveaway? "No, it's something different," said Al Flores, a spokesman for the Anaheim theme park. "We're still giving away cars."

Wouldn't you know, it's just our luck An injured skater is now a lame Duck. It's too late to holler, rant and rave Just listen to Lord Stanley turn in his grave. BERT BARDEN Newport Beach

It's enough to make a visitor to Disneyland wish for Yesterdayland. Joe Soter of Tustin says that his son Joseph and a pal spent a day at the Magic Kingdom, and "when they got home, they complained about the lady on the Autopia ride who backed up traffic while talking on her cellphone the whole time!" Guess she couldn't simultaneously gab and press her foot on the accelerator. Opined the elder Soter: "Too bad the ride's cars don't have horns!" No age discrimination here!

Score another publicity coup for Disneyland. The media calls have poured in from around the globe. Europe. The Far East. Even a television station in India has checked in. They all want to know about Elizabeth Taylor's 60th birthday party tonight. To each of them, park spokesman Greg Albrecht gives essentially the same response: "This is not a Disneyland project. It's a private party. We're not commenting on the party," he says in a huff.

It isn't a cheap thrill. In fact, Disneyland gets more expensive all the time. And now--just in time for the Christmas rush--Disneyland has once again raised its ticket prices by $2, bringing the cost of adult admission to $25.50 for a one-day pass. Children's admission is now $20.50 for a one-day ticket, up from $18.50. And parking is now $4, up from $3.

The theme park industry will take a deep breath in 2013 after the launch of several landmark attractions and with more groundbreaking projects on the horizon. The last few years have seen several theme park additions that have altered the industry landscape and set attendance records -- from Cars Land at Disney California Adventure to Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure. The future promises even more theme park innovation in the form of Shanghai Disneyland in China and Avatar Land at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida.

More drama in the Magic kingdom Dwight Howard wrapped an arm around Stan Van Gundy on Thursday, a gesture intended by the Orlando superstar as a show of support for his embattled coach. It felt more like a front put up by a separating couple. The Magic coach had disclosed to reporters only a few moments earlier that franchise management had confirmed Howard's previous request for him to be fired. As Van Gundy was concluding his remarks, Howard approached and placed an arm around Van Gundy, unaware of the bombshell that had been unleashed.

The first phase of the multi-stage unveiling of the Fantasyland makeover has moved into "soft opening" mode in advance of an official unveiling later this month at the Magic Kingdom in Florida. Photos: Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom Three years in the making, the new Fantasyland at Orlando's Walt Disney World resort adds a Little Mermaid dark ride and a Seven Dwarfs roller coaster while updating the classic Dumbo ride and recreating the village from "Beauty and the Beast.

Disneyland had to close its gates for several hours during its 24-hour Leap Day celebration when after-work crowds overwhelmed the Anaheim theme park. Traffic on the Santa Ana Freeway was backed up for four miles Wednesday night as the main Disneyland parking structure swelled to near-capacity and frustrated visitors sat in gridlock on streets leading to the park. The 24-hour Leap Day event, which ran from 6 a.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday, saw more than 3,000 Disney fans lining up 10 hours before the gates opened in hopes of getting free commemorative Mickey Mouse ears.

Disneyland will celebrate Leap Day on Wednesday by offering late-night shows, music, food and character meet-and-greets while keeping the Anaheim theme park open for 24 hours straight. RELATED: 7 tips for tackling Disneyland in a day As part of the One More Disney Day marketing campaign, both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in Florida will open at 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday and operate until 6 a.m. Thursday. Here are the highlights planned for Disneyland on Leap Day: > Free limited-edition mouse hats handed out to the first 2,000 visitors entering the park at 6 a.m. (Lineups begin at 10 p.m. Tuesday)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning snagged his second Most Valuable Player Award in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, but he also scored another milestone: He will be the fifth football star to twice have declared, "I'm going to Disney World !" after the Giants beat the New England Patriots 21-17 in Indianapolis. Manning will appear today at the Orlando theme park for one day only at 1:20 p.m. (Eastern) for a Super Bowl MVP Parade down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.

Disneyland Paris will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a new nighttime spectacular in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle and a revamped evening parade starting in April. The Disney Dreams show will feature castle projections, water screens, dancing fountains, pyrotechnic displays and laser effects that combine elements from the Magic, Memories, and You show at Florida's Magic Kingdom and World of Color at Disney California Adventure. PHOTOS: Disney Dreams water show at Disneyland Paris The new Disney Dreams nighttime spectacular at the French theme park will employ 30-foot-tall water screens in the moats in front of the castle that will serve as giant canvases for Disney animated scenes set to an original musical score.

With frosty mugs of Butterbeer raised in a toast, Universal Studios Hollywood officials announced plans Tuesday to bring the wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter to the California theme park. Details were limited but officials did say the California park would see a Hogwarts Castle and visitors would ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, the marquee attraction at the Florida park. Wizarding World will be built within the existing California theme park, but it was unclear if the new land might be located at least partially on the studio's back lot. > Photos: Top 10 Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides and attractions Wizarding World proved an instant hit when it opened in June 2010 at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure theme park.