It has officially happened…Princess Tiana has arrived at the Magic Kingdom. Escorted by a jazz band and many of her friends from Disney’s upcoming film The Princess and the Frog, Princess Tiana is bringing a bit of creole hospitality to Disney World.

Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee, an elaborate song-and-dance extravaganza featuring the new Disney princess, is set to run for the next ten weeks, in honor of the new film. Featuring jazz music, pyrotechnics and a revamped Riverboat ride, this is sure to wow Disney lovers young and old. The show runs three times daily, and features characters like Prince Naveen, Dr. Facilier and Louis the jazz-singing alligator, in addition to the princess of honor, of course.

But if you can’t make to Disney World in the next ten weeks, you can still see a glimpse of the action. Orlando Attractions Magazine has released this video of the show, which looks to be quite the spectacle. Check it out:

The economic recession has had profound effects on nearly every major business, and Disney theme parks are no exception. With more Americans struggling just to make ends meet, many have chosen to stay home rather than travel long distances to ride Space Mountain and clash with Caribbean pirates.

But things may be looking up for Disney, according to Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Rasulo told the Orlando Sentinel that “we recently have seen a lot more lookers on the Internet.” And while that may or may not result in actual sales, it is a positive and encouraging sign after what has been a very difficult year for the company. Operating profit has fallen a whopping 28 percent at Disney’s parks division during the first nine months of the fiscal year, which has forced Disney to use deep discounts to stimulate travel.

However, Rasulo expressed confidence that the company’s new cruise ship, The Disney Dream, will encourage people to travel once again.

“Obviously, as a company we are not completely immune from the realities of the economy,” he said. “But we think there’s going to be an incredible amount of excitement. We think that the family cruise market is one that we have just skimmed the surface of.”

“People like vacationing with Disney. They like everything we stand for. And we think it’s time to be in more places that families vacation.”

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Salmonella poisoning is soooo yesterday. Today’s hip illness? Swine flu! Also known as the dreaded H1N1 Virus, the illness loves to rear its ugly head in tight, crowded spaces, especially those with LOTS and LOTS of children. So does this mean that you should cancel your Disneyland trip and stick with the local bowling alley?

Not necessarily. The New York Times has an excellent article about the lengths to which Disney goes to prevent massive outbreaks of illness. “Any place where large masses of people accumulate over a relatively short or defined period of time could serve as a conduit to infection,” Philip M. Tierno Jr., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University Langone Medical Center, told the Times.

But Disney does not take swine flu lying down. “Disney parks maintains rigorous standards of hygiene and cleanliness for our cast members and guests,” said chief physician Michael Hankins at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. “We provide employee training and implement extensive cleaning procedures as necessary. Hand washing and other basic hygiene steps, as recommended by the CDC, remain extremely effective ways to combat seasonal flu whether at school, on the playground or visiting a theme park.”

So rest easy, friends, and remember that next time you visit the Magic Kingdom, you can still french kiss a random Jack Sparrow impersonator or freak out your friends by licking random objects.

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Disney is once again moving East, reports the LA Times. There’s a Disney park already in Hong Kong, and soon there will be one in Shanghai as well! After a decade of negotiations, the Beijing government has approved plans for a Disney park of its own, which should bring in tourism, publicity, and loads and loads of money.

Construction of the park is projected to cost about $3.59 billion, or half the cost of Paris Hilton’s sweet sixteen party. If everything goes according to plan, the new Disney resort could open as early as 2014.

“China is one of the most dynamic, exciting and important countries in the world, and this approval marks a very significant milestone for the Walt Disney Company in mainland China,” said Disney President and Chief Executive Robert A. Iger.

In addition to Disney’s American resorts, the company also has theme parks in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Paris.

Thinking of taking a Disney cruise? Tampa Bay Online reports that Disney’s new Disney Dream cruise ship will come equipped with a 765-foot-long high-speed flume ride, sending passengers on inflatable rafts through a clear acrylic tube that will extend beyond the ship’s edge.

Sounds like a party to me. Let’s recap: a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, people on rafts and tube slides that extend over the edge of the ship. Sign me up right now! The good news is, if you fall out of the raft, you’ll still land in water. Shark infested water, mind you, but water just the same.

Perhaps they should advertise it as “Disney’s Flume Ride of Death,” because as we all know, the most fun things in life end with the words “of death.”

The ship is currently under construction in Germany but will begin taking passengers in January of 2011.

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According to eTravel Blackboard, Disney’s newest slim-figured creation, Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog” (coming to theaters in December, just saying), will debut at the Magic Kingdom in November, in anticipation of the movie which is itself highly anticipated. But anticipations aside, I found the eTravel Blackboard article very fascinating. Why? Well, mainly it’s just this particular quote:

“The good times will roll as festively dressed, bead-tossing revelers lead Magic Kingdom guests to the Liberty Belle Riverboat dock,” said the amusement park in a statement.

Can amusement parks make statements? I understand that representatives can make statements, but parks? I sometimes hear voices when I’m at Disneyland, but the doctor gave me a prescription for that.

But I apologize. That has nothing to do with anything: The POINT is, starting in November, you can visit Disney World and have your picture taken with Princess Tiana, along with Belle, Ariel, the creepy fox from Pinocchio, or anyone else who strikes your fancy.

And it looks like there shouldn’t be a problem with jealousy among the other princesses. Said Aurora in a statement, “We’re really excited to meet our new sorority sister. As long as that bitch doesn’t get in my face, I think we’ll get along just fine.”

Starting in 2010, you’ll be able to get into the Magic Kingdom (California or Orlando) for free! Wait…there is a catch. You have to dedicate a day to volunteer work first. You can sign up for the program at DisneyParks.com, and learn all the details about how you too can earn your way into Disney World by simply painting a house, picking up trash along the highway or changing an old lady’s soiled diapers. You’ll be just like Chris Brown, except you get to go Disney World when you finish your community service, whereas he just gets to go to anger management class. Yay you!

Still, a full day of volunteer work is a very tough sell. “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” is the slogan. And in return, you can already hear the kids shouting, “Give me a break, I’m going to Chuck E. Cheese’s.”

Tampa Bay Online reports that were eight documented injuries at Disney World over the summer. One woman passed out after riding Splash mountain and suffered a fractured skull, one man broke his wrist while leaving the Test Track ride, and one woman was even injured on the Peter Pan ride! (Okay, to be fair, she was 74). Apparently Disney World is becoming more dangerous than a mosh pit at a death metal concert, so here are a few tips to keep yourself and your family safe when enjoying the Magic Kingdom:

- Swinging plastic lightsabers around is certainly fun, but try it on Space Mountain and you may lose an arm just like Luke Skywalker.

- If you are currently taking Valium, Vicodin, Morphine or a similar medication, DO NOT ride Star Tours…unless you want to experience what interstellar flight really feels like.

- If you’re tempted to wear your “Jonas Brothers Suck” t-shirt…don’t. It might seem funny at first, but ask yourself: is it still funny when you’re being chased across Toon Town by 300 screaming teenage girls with torches and pitchforks?

- Regardless of what your friends may tell you, riding the Tower of Terror without a seatbelt does NOT “enhance the experience.” It just turns you into a human pinball.

- Persons who suffer from demonic possession should not enter the Haunted Mansion. Your spirits may become agitated as they feel they are being mocked.

- If you see a woman who sort of looks like Ursula the sea witch, do not ask her to pose for a photograph unless you’re ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN it’s her.

- Most importantly, if you get injured on the Peter Pan ride, you’re probably safest just staying home at all times.

Image courtesy of Flickr.