DisneyParks Blog - As summer winds down and
kids head back to school, it won’t be long before they start
thinking about trick-or-treating, Halloween parties and
costumes. The Halloween Time celebration kicks off at Disneyland
Resort September 17, with more tricks, treats and family fun.
If you’re not quite sure how to celebrate
this year, there are two great ways to join in the fun.
Halloween Time: The
spooky fun runs from September 17 to October 31. Lots of fun
surprises and extras await you and your family with a regularly
priced theme park ticket. Highlights include Space Mountain
Ghost Galaxy, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Meet-and-Greet
opportunities with Characters and Disney Villains, a
spooktacular Halloween Roundup and lots of Halloween décor
throughout the Resort. Check
Disneyland.com
for details and ticket prices.
Mickey’s Halloween Party:
Big news this year! The trick-or-treat party at Disney
California Adventure park has moved to Disneyland park and is
now called Mickey’s Halloween Party. Along with the move comes
some big advantages. This special-ticket soiree, Tuesdays and
Fridays in October, as well as Halloween night (Sunday, October
31), brings to life all of the tricks and treats of the season.
As with every special-ticket event, Mickey’s Halloween Party
offers exclusive opportunities for ghouls and goblins of every
age. Highlights include exclusive access to the Halloween
Screams fireworks show, access to nearly all the attractions at
Disneyland park, more tricks and treats, and early access to
Disneyland park.
Exclusive Access to
Halloween Screams – If you loved this fireworks
spectacular last year, the show will be exclusive to guests
who purchase tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party. Last year,
guests told us Main Street, U.S.A. was so filled with fans
that they couldn’t fully experience the after-dark party in
the sky. So, this year, you can catch every snap, crackle
and pop of Halloween Screams with more wiggle room during
Mickey’s Halloween Party! Check out video of Halloween
Screams below.
More Tricks and Treats
– Jump into your costume and head to the greatest Halloween
neighborhood on Earth. Disneyland plays host to Mickey’s
Halloween Party and offers more treats, more fun and more
excitement, Tuesdays, Fridays and Halloween night during
Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort.
Early Access to Disneyland
Park – If exclusive viewing of Halloween Screams
and more treats aren’t enough, how about another bonus to
add to your revelry? Mickey’s Halloween Party officially
kicks off at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 7 p.m. on Fridays and
Halloween night. If you’re going to the party, you’ll get
early access to Disneyland. Tuesday night party-goers can
enter the park at 3 p.m., while Friday and Halloween night
guests will be greeted at the gate starting at 4 p.m.
Tickets for Mickey’s Halloween Party are
now available and can be purchased at
Disneyland.com.
Here’s an insider’s tip: if you purchase tickets in advance,
you’ll get a great discount.
In the coming weeks, we’ll share some
behind-the-scenes Halloween video and give you a first look at a
new cavalcade and new dance parties planned for Mickey’s
Halloween Party at Disneyland park.
Orlando Sentinel - Disney World visitors this week are among the
first to hear something new: Space Mountain set to music. An
uptempo, futuristic soundtrack has been added to the Magic
Kingdom roller coaster. I talked with Alex Wright, a show
designer with Walt Disney Imagineering, about the change, which
is an extension of adjustments made to Space Mountain in late
2009.
QUESTION: What are we hearing aboard
Space Mountain now?
ANSWER: We have a new audio accompaniment
to the ride through space, which we are referring to
“Starry-o-phonic” sound. It’s kind of an all-enveloping sonic
soundscape through the entire building that serves as a backdrop
for your voyage and is accented with effect speakers that are
triggered by certain events along your way on the ride. So as
you go around a quick turn or down a significant drop, you will
tend to hear an effect that punctuates that and really accents
it, especially in the newly darkened environment that came out
of the earlier parts of the renovation. That makes it a little
harder for people to anticipate the movements that are coming
up.
Q: Can it be heard the queue?
A: No, it’s only on the ride portion
itself.
Q: What is the style of the music?
A: The selection has three different
movements to it. … What we have is, for roughly a third of the
duration of the ride, you have one piece that’s kind of a
soaring orchestral backdrop. You have another section that’s a
little bit more percussive and active. And then you have a third
arrangement that’s more techno-fun, kind of a party-in-space
kind of thought to it, which has a lot of influences that have
been brought it. What it means is, as the ride changes character
on the way down, the music changes with it.
Q: And it follows the current theming,
right?
A: As you saw with the graphics and the
story points, we wanted to maintain the playfullness of our
Space Mountain. It’s this exuberant and optimistic view of
travel in the future, where it’s fun and playful.
Q: Why are the speakers along the track
instead of using onboard audio?
A: What we’ve tried to do, as with the
rest of the enhancement to the attraction, we tried to preserve
the things we really like about our Space Mountain. We approach
each one as an individual thing. It doesn’t need to be – and
shouldn’t be – like every other Space Mountain around the world.
In this case, the rockets we have here are so unique – low-slung
and single file – and that’s part of the visceral experience
that we think people really respond to. This leads to a
preference, in this case, for an off-board audio arrangement, so
it’s not speakers right next to your ear. We want to keep the
physical configuration as it is.
In doing that, we’ve put a lot of thought
into what should our experience be. And if the same music is
playing through the entire builidng at one time, how do you give
the different movements in the ride a different accompaniment?
Each time you go through there’s a slight difference in the
experience based on when you crest that first hill and where the
[sound]track happens to be in the cycle.
Q: So your next ride might not have the
same musical effects as the last one?
A: It’s interesting the differences in
how you interpret the music depending on what’s going on. It’s
intended to have a lot of action to it and a lot of moments.
I’ve actually seen and heard reaction from people who believe
this is synched to each vehicle. The reality is that we have
enough going on in there, so from your point of view, you can
interpret it as having been timed to your ride.
Q: Did you consider onboard audio?
A: We consider all our options all the
time, and clearly we’ve done that in other locations, so it is
something we have in our tool belt. But in this instance … to do
onboard audio requires headrests that are up here behind the
head and speaker placements, and that we felt that would have an
impact on the guest experience – it would work against some of
the things that are so unique about our Space Mountain. That
seemed not to be a fair trade.
The off-board option we were interested
in because we had never done it before. It had been discussed
and tested in a few different places, but never persued. We’re
always looking for another hoop to jump through, and this was an
interesting challenge. The difference in the way that it kind of
fills this space and offers you a sonic soundscape to travel
through, we think is the better way to go. We really love the
fact that our Space Mountain retains uniqueness in the lineup.
Q: Is it fair to say that the new audio
was part of the big picture of Space Mountain enhancements? That
this is Grand Plan, Part 2?
A: The audio component was something that
we could do after hours around the operation of the attraction,
we felt that was the way we should do it. It meant we could
bring the attraction back up [from the 2009 refurbishment] much
earlier and have people riding for the past several months — but
we still had this last little surprise up our sleeves.
DisneyParks Blog - I love fall. It is one
of my favorite seasons. The fall signifies I’m another year
older, but more importantly it is the start of college football
season. I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, so growing up
the fall was always filled with tradition. For the past several
years, we have released a series of pins celebrating these
football traditions called “Rivalry Weekends.” Gosh, there are
some classic rivalries!
The Rivalry
Weekends collection was first introduced 2007 by John Smith,
former Product Developer for limited edition pins (funny thing
is he now develops sports product for Disney). The first set of
pins saw four classic rivalries. We then took a year off (still
not sure why) and then introduced another set in 2009. The theme
last year was “Game On” (which was a popular phrase often
uttered by John).
This brings
us to this year and the 2010 collection titled, “Game Time.” The
collection will again include four classic match ups. The pins
are limited release which means they don’t have a finite
production number. You may also notice that the pins are focused
on teams from the east coast of the United States (mostly
because they will be released in Florida).
I’m often asked why we don’t feature more
teams. Believe it or not, there is a finite production budget
each month for pins. We base many decisions about development on
historic sales record, yet we like to try new things. This year
we introduced a new rivalry – University of Alabama vs.
University of Tennessee.
All of this brings me to one final
question: which is the greatest college football rivalry today?
I think you already know my answer. Look for these pins to be
released on October 7, 2010, at Walt Disney World.
Orlando Sentinel - In new court
documents, the mother of a Disney monorail worker killed last
year accuses her son’s former boss of “flippantly” vacating his
duty, creating a dangerous situation that “was virtually certain
to result in injury or death.”
21-year-old Disney monorail pilot Austin
Wuennenberg was killed on July 5, 2009 when two monorails
collided. His mother, Christine Wuennenberg, filed suit against
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in January.
In court documents, Christine Wuennenberg
accuses the monorail operations manager, David Gilmore, of
creating a dangerous situation by taking an on-duty meal break
with other employees, leaving the monorail control tower
unstaffed.
In the documents, Wuennenberg says
Gilmore didn’t tell her son or other pilots that no one was
going to be monitoring the monorails directly.
If someone had been, Wuennenberg says,
they could have used video monitors to see that a collision was
coming.
“Anyone paying even casual attention”
would have been able to “see it, hear it and feel it,” she said,
and ultimately, to stop it.
“There was a line de-energizing button in
the Concourse Tower that would have enabled anyone in the Tower
to simply push a button to stop this terrible collision from
occurring,” Wuennenberg said in the documents.
The crash occurred about 2 a.m. near the
end of a workday. A monorail train was backing along a track
switch that was supposed to re-align but didn’t, switching the
monorail from the resort’s Epcot line to a short spur leading to
a Magic Kingdom line.
The switch never re-aligned, so the train
wound up driving in reverse, smashing into a second train
piloted by Austin Wuennenberg.
Disney has since admitted that the
monorail pilot was told to go in reverse and that, before the
collision, there was an incorrect report that the track switch
had been aligned properly.
Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez would
not comment on the specific allegations made by the monorail
pilot’s mother, calling the depositions containing Wuennenberg’s
accusations “a part of the normal process.”
“We will respond when appropriate through
the court,” Suarez said.
DisneyParks Blog - Runners who have
experienced Disney’s marathon and half marathon events know how
the whimsy and friendliness of the parks appeal to first-timers,
but now there’s an added incentive to get up and go.
Jeff Galloway, one of the leading
marathon trainers in the country, has just signed on as the
official training consultant to the new “runDisney’’ series of
endurance events. Galloway, who is renowned for helping runners
complete their first marathons, will be offering his unique
training tips and programs at all runDisney events as well as at
rundisney.com
and
facebook.com/rundisney.
The “runDisney’’ series is the new name
for the collection of Disney endurance events that now all live
under the runDisney brand. The series includes the Walt Disney
World Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA, Disney’s Princess
Half Marathon Weekend presented by Lady Foot Locker, the
inaugural Wine & Dine Half Marathon and, of course, the upcoming
Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend.
So, let’s get off the sofa, lace up those
sneakers and get going. With Galloway’s help, you can take on
any runDisney event and make it all the way to the finish line.
Disney News -
Here is a first look at the interior of the new Hacienda de San
Angel currently under construction at the Mexico pavilion.
Notice the huge floor to ceiling windows giving a wonderful view
out into the World Showcase lagoon. Hacienda de San Angel is set
to open on September 15 2010.
Orlando Business Journal - The paint is barely dry at The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter and work is just underway at
the expansion of Fantasyland at Walt Disney World, yet fan
and theme park insider sites are touting new additions to
the theme parks.
Walt Disney
World Photo
Could the France
pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase be getting a new
neighbor?
Epcot’s World Showcase has been
considering adding a 12th country to the park, with Spain
being the likely choice, according to one Walt Disney World
insider. There is significant space between the France and
Morocco pavilions — enough to accommodate an additional
pavilion, said the source. Spain was actually under
consideration by Epcot when it was first developed, but like
the proposed pavilions for Australia, Russia, Venezuela,
Israel and the United Arab Emirates, it never got off the
drawing board.
Meanwhile, a Monsters Inc. roller
coaster has received the green light to be built by 2014 at
Disney’s Hollywood Studios, according to several websites.
Not many details have surfaced about
this possible ride, but fans are agog that the popular
Aerosmith-themed Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, also in the theme
park, may have some competition.
Walt Disney
World Photo
The Monsters,
Inc. Laugh Floor plays at the Magic Kingdom.
Contacted about the possible
additions, Walt Disney World said it didn’t have anything to
report.
DisneyParks Blog - Designer hot dogs are
the ultimate indulgence. Vacation food. The Lunching Pad in
Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom has added three to the menu –
on-the-go eating (and, yes, the calories still count). The taco
hot dog is topped with ground beef, lettuce, salsa and sour
cream. There are two versions of the reuben hot dog: one with
beef, onions, peppers and melted cheese, another with more
traditional corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand
Island dressing. We’ve heard that screaming on Space Mountain
burns calories …
Trail’s End
Restaurant at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground this
week changes lunch from a buffet to ordering off the menu. We
like this idea – the chili and fried chicken stay, but they’ve
added sautéed catfish, grilled pork chop, and spicy grilled
shrimp and Andouille sausage to the menu. And how about a warm
sticky bun sundae? (With a no-sugar-added dessert option too.)
Breakfast and dinner still are buffet
style. Lunch will be 1 point on the Disney Dining Plan.
Fun Foodie factoids Worth
Sharing:
More than 20 tons of fresh fruits
and veggies are consumed annually at Walt Disney World
Resort.
Every table-service restaurant has
at least one vegetarian option, and at least one low-fat or
no-sugar-added dessert.
The top-selling kids’ drink? The
5-calorie lemonade-pomegranate punch.
All smoothies are now made with
non-fat yogurt and fresh fruit purees (knocking them down
from 420 calories to just 120 calories).
Seventy percent of trans fat items
have been eliminated in merchandise locations.
IGN - You're not dreaming, Fantasia is coming out of the
Vault to play.
We've got the news on the upcoming Fantasia package that is
coming out on both DVD and Blu-ray from Walt Disney Studios
Home Entertainment on November 30, 2010. The collection will
contain both the original Fantasia and its modern
counterpart, Fantasia 2000 for the MSRP of $39.99 for the
DVD set and $45.99 for the Blu-ray collection.
The films have always been a raging debate between Disney
fans, some adoring the wonderment provided by Walt Disney's
vision oh so many years ago and falling under its charms of
bringing magic to life via drawing with an imaginative mind,
while other folks just think it's entirely too boring to sit
through. Never has there been a Disney animated piece that
has divided so many people. Where do you stand on the film?
Let us know in the comments section below.
The Fantasia releases will feature the following
bonus materials:
-- DisneyView (Blu-ray only)
-- The Schultheis Notebook - newly discovered document
reveals movie secrets (Blu-ray only)
-- Interactive Art Gallery (Blu-ray only)
-- Audio Commentaries from Fantasia Legacy Collection
(Blu-ray only)
-- Disney Family Museum
-- New Audio Commentary with Disney historian Brian Sibley
And the Fantasia 2000 releases will contain these
special features:
-- Destino - 2003 animated short debuting on Blu-ray
(Blu-ray only)
-- Dali and Disney - a date with Destino documentary
(Blu-ray only)
-- Disney's Virtual Vault - BD-Live (Blu-ray only)
-- Audio commentaries (Blu-ray only)
-- Musicana - Walt's inpiration for a sequel
Orlando Sentinel - This is one doghouse your furry friend
will not mind being sent to.
Walt Disney World’s new luxury
kennel, Best Friends Pet Care, opened to customers
Wednesday. The facility is cleverly themed with bright red
fire hydrants, paw-print windows and bone-shaped swimming
pools. It’s so inviting, pet owners can’t help but want to
leave their animals for some fun.
What sets the facility apart from
others in the 40-location chain are the over-the-top
amenities. The Lake Buena Vista site boasts a private dog
park, with a walking trail and a 1,300-square-foot “canines
only” splash pad, and four VIP (Very Important Pet) suites
with raised-platform beds, flat-screen televisions and
private, covered outdoor play yards.
The dog park was created with the
idea that guests need a place to interact with their dogs on
vacation, said Deb Bennetts, spokesperson for Best Friends
Pet Care. Owners are at the same resort, and they want to
check up on their loved ones, she said.
Pet parents can choose from a range
of a la carte activities from one-on-one playtimes and Dog
Day Camp with other dogs, to cuddle time and bedtime stories
with staff. Additional amenities and upgrades include ice
cream treats, bottled water and premium/orthopedic bedding.
Grooming services are also offered.
Cats have their own special place in
Kitty City, a room that houses Kitty Condos and is
separately ventilated to keep those annoying dog smells away
from finicky felines. Cats can also enjoy private playtimes,
activity toys in their suites and treats such as tuna on a
ritz.
The new Disney kennel also has a room
dedicated to the boarding of “pocket pets,” such as
hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and ferrets.
About the only thing average pet
owners might not delight in are the prices. The cost of one
night in a VIP suite exceeds one night for a family in a
Disney value resort this fall when rack rates are
discounted. There is a market for the luxury, though,
because the suites are already booked for all weekends until
Christmas.
Dog stays begin at $37 per night ($34
for resort guests), which includes indoor boarding with two
potty walks. At the high end, the VIP suites go for $76 per
night ($69 for resort guests). Cat owners will pay $23 ($21
for a resort guest) for a two-level condo and $32 ($30 for a
resort guest) for a four-level condo per night.
Prices are less for daytime boarding,
and discounts are given for pets sharing suites. Get more
details at
wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com
or 877-4-WDW-PETS.
DisneyParks Blog - You better believe
there are some pooches being pampered tonight at Walt Disney
World Resort. Our new luxury pet resort officially opened
its doors today and the first guests are already enjoying
the VIP suites and special extras like story time with
staff. Earlier this summer, we told you about the
one-of-a-kind Best Friends Pet Care facility located across
from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - Riverside. Now, we have
a first look around:
There’s a 1,300-square-foot “canines
only” splash-and-play water feature and areas where you can
sit, relax and watch your dog play. The entire park is
secure from outsiders and is available for use after dark.
A la carte activities for pets range
from one-on-one playtimes and social playgroup with other
dogs to cuddle time and bedtime stories with staff. Other
amenities and upgrades include ice cream treats, bottled
water and premium orthopedic bedding.
The pet resort can accommodate as
many as 300 pets for both daytime and overnight boarding.
For more information or to make a reservation, check out
www.bestfriendspetcare.com
or call 877-4-WDW-PETS.
/FILM - What’s the saying? It ain’t over ’till it’s
over? Sounds like Disney’s sale of Miramax to Ron Tutor
and a group of investors is far from over. The sale was
announced before all the money was firmly in place, and
now two of Tutor’s partners have reportedly backed out
of the deal. Where does that leave Miramax? At this
point, we’re not certain.
Variety says
that Morgan Creek founder James Robinson and Jerome
Schwartz were both partnered with Tutor in the deal,
and that they have both backed out of their
financial commitments to Tutor and Disney. Tutor,
Robinson and Schwartz were responsible for about
$400m of the sale price, with the balance coming
from banks.
This isn’t the
first indication that the deal could be wobbly. In
mid-August, just weeks after the sale was reported,
Variety wrote that issues were being raised over the
value of the Miramax film library, and that until that
valuation was determined, the sale wouldn’t be fully
nailed down.
Here the details
get financially tricky, but in essence the consortium of
banks that Tutor has lined up to provide the balance of
the deal’s money ($250m or more in debt financing) want
to shoulder that financing by syndicating loans out to
smaller banks. And based on the shaky valuation of the
studio’s film library, that may not work out for the
full $250m+ needed. That would have required Tutor,
Robinson and Schwartz to put up more money.
So the first
guess here, though it isn’t in Variety’s new report, is
that such a thing came to pass, and Robinson and
Schwartz balked. Regardless, if those two are out, that
could mean the end of Tutor’s bid to buy Miramax, at
which point the whole sale circus starts over again.
Disney News - Tails were wagging at Walt Disney World
Resort today when Best Friends Pet Care opened the doors to its
new, luxury pet resort. Dennis Dolan, CEO of Best Friends Pet
Care, and Phil Bernard, vice president of Walt Disney World
Operating Participants, were joined by Mickey Mouse’s favorite
dog Pluto to welcome the first guests.
The one-of-a-kind pet resort offers 17,000
square feet of air-conditioned indoor space, 10,000 square feet
of covered outdoor runs and play areas, and a 25,000-square-foot
dog park exclusively for the use of Best Friends clients and
their pets.
“Best Friends is thrilled to open the doors of this special,
luxury pet facility,” said Dolan. “We’ve been looking forward to
this day for a long time and we are very excited to finally be
ready to open the doors and show off this special facility. It
incorporates the very best concepts from our other Best Friends
facilities with some imaginative ideas that we think will
delight and surprise our Walt Disney World guests.
The facility, which already has many pet
guests booked for the Labor Day weekend, is able to accommodate
as many as 300 pets for both daytime and overnight boarding. Dog
owners can choose from a variety of accommodations, ranging from
a standard 32-square-foot all-indoor suite, to an expansive
226-square-foot VIP (Very Important Pet) suite with television,
raised bedding and private outdoor yard. Feline guests will
spend their visit in the separate “Kitty City” pavilion – away
from the dogs – in two- and four-room condos. There also is a
special area for the boarding of pocket pets, small mammals and
birds.
“At Walt Disney World Resort, we are focused on providing the
highest quality entertainment experiences for all guests.
Working with Best Friends Pet Care, we are pleased to be able to
extend that commitment to pets traveling with their owners,”
said Bernard. “Our mutual appreciation for even the slightest
detail is reflected in this one-of-a-kind facility and its
unique services and amenities.”
The facility offers a private dog park
exclusively for the use of Best Friends guests. It comprises a
walking trail overlooking natural wetlands and several large
areas of varying terrain for running and playing, including a
1,300-square-foot “canines only” splash-and-play water feature.
There also are sitting areas where owners can relax and watch
their dogs play. The entire park is secure from outsiders and is
available for use after dark.
Other features of the resort include: a grooming salon, which
will provide go-home-fresh baths and haircuts for pets, and two
1,100-square-foot camp rooms for play group and doggy day-camp,
each opening onto an outdoor play-yard.
Pet parents can choose from a wide range of a la carte
activities for pet guests from one-on-one playtimes and social
playgroup with other doggy guests, to cuddle time and bedtime
stories with staff. Additional amenities and upgrades include
ice cream treats, bottled water and premium orthopedic bedding.
Feline guests can also enjoy private playtimes, activity toys in
their suites, and treats such as ”Cookies and Milk” or “Tuna on
a Ritz.”
Best Friends Pet Care resort is located
across from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-Riverside at 2510
Bonnet Creek Parkway in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., 32830. Pricing
and other details are available at wdw.bestfriendspetcare.com or
by calling 877/4-WDW-PETS.
Best Friends Pet Care resort at Walt Disney World Resort was
designed by Mateu Architecture of Palmetto Bay, Fla. General
contractor for the project was Synergy Group of Bloomfield,
Mich., and Orlando, Fla.
About Best Friends Pet Care
Best Friends Pet Care Inc. (www.bestfriendspetcare.com) is
privately held by Brynwood Partners of Greenwich, CT. Founded in
1991, Best Friends is a long-time leader in the U.S. pet
hospitality industry, providing high-quality boarding for dogs
and cats as well as day care, grooming, training and related
services. The Company redefined pet boarding in 1996 with the
opening of its first full-service pet resort in Norwalk, Conn.
Since that time, Best Friends has expanded to more than 40 pet
care centers in 18 states, always innovating and providing new
offerings based upon the needs of pets and feedback from
clients.
DisneyParks Blog - As they say in the
digital world of TRON, “Greetings, Programs!” Today, we’re
sharing concept art that gives you a first look at the new party
we’re calling ElecTRONica. I’m told it’s the greatest nighttime
dance party to ever rock Disney California Adventure park.
Beginning October 8, the interactive,
digital world of “TRON: Legacy” will light up Hollywood Pictures
Backlot as we gear up for the film’s release on December 17.
This will be a cool opportunity to peek inside the world of this
movie, and it’s available only to visitors of Disney California
Adventure park.
It’s an “electrifying” experience for the
entire family, filled with music, lights and some of your
favorite food and beverage, all set amidst the captivating world
of “TRON: Legacy!” From a dazzling dance club under the stars to
an authentic recreation of Flynn’s Arcade to some radical
gaming, it’s like nowhere else on the grid! Each night, we’ll
feature live entertainers, complete with lasers, glow
accessories and the hottest music ever to rock the grid.
ElecTRONica is “the” place to dance the night away in a
fantastic world that only Disney can create. Highlights for the
entire family will definitely be Flynn’s Video Arcade, face
painting and the TRON: Evolution video game area.
ElecTRONica will transform Disney
California Adventure park Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays this
Fall. TRON fans and families can also enjoy the party seven days
a week during Thanksgiving week and Christmas week.
Orlando Sentinel - I’ve had more than my
usual allotment of Disney trading lately. Generally, I’m
bewildered by all the options – but I also know if I were to
start serious collection of pins and Vinylmation figures, it
would hurt my bottom line.
Last week I attended the Disney Pins
Celebration at Epcot with hundreds of other folks who don’t have
that issue. The primary activity is trading, of course. I had
not imagined that traders stood in lines to get up to bulletin
boards and pick out two pins to swap for — with a one-minute
time limit for browsing the board. Farther back in the
showplace, folks spread out their vast collections. One woman
told me she “only” had five books of “Nightmare Before
Christmas” pins. Clearly, I don’t know Jack Skellington.
Most entertaining to me were previews of
upcoming pins and vinyls, some devoted to the 40th anniversary
of Walt Disney World in 2011.
Here’s a set with characters “creating”
classic Magic Kingdom attractions.
More oldies in a postcard-inspired set
(Notable: Flight to the Moon, nomenclature for Grand Prix
Raceway.)
This fascinating set, when arranged just
right, makes up Cinderella Castle. The artwork on the individual
pins represents the posters seen underneath the train
station/entrance to Magic Kingdom.
Vinylmation will be in on the 40th
anniversary as well. (Sorry, shooting through glass casing is
not my best event).
Also coming up: a Vinylmation series
based on national flags. All 11 of the countries represented at
Epcot’s World Showcase will have a figure, “plus Brazil, of
course,” says Steven Miller, project manager, Disney Trading.
Earlier in the week, I visited D Street,
a prime Vinylmation outlet at Downtown Disney. The store has
settled in since the grand opening. It’s less crowded (some of
the bulky artifacts from the late Adventurers Club have been
removed), and it’s blending vinyls and other merchandise more.
I like the changing traffic signal
outside.
Inside, I was drawn to the new “Toy
Story” series. Note Buzz’s helmet, which is one of the first
times that Vinymation has broken the Mickey mold. (See also
Buttercup the unicorn’s horn from this series, plus a giraffe in
the animal series and an angry emu in the Have a Laugh series.)
Miller says they will reserve the right to accessorize “when it
makes sense.”
Also graphically appealing is the Big
Eyes series (this is Goofy, see?). Others represented in the
collection, which was released this spring, include Buzz,
Mickey, Minnie, Grumpy, Donald Duck, Marie, Mike Wazowski,
Pluto, Stitch, Tinker Bell and “Pie-Eyed” Mickey.
DisneyParks Blog - If you’ve ever been to
Disneyland Park, you’ve undoubtedly used a sign or two to get
you from land to land! As I continue to show you the Disneyland
Resort through the work and eyes of our cast, I’d like you to
meet some of the handiest folks this side of Main Street,
U.S.A., our cast members at the Disneyland Resort Sign Shop.
These talented individuals use various techniques – from
sketching to painting to carving – in creating the unique signs
you see all over the Resort. Check out the video below to hear
more about the detail that goes into creating each and every
sign!
VCStar - Honolulu City Council Chair Todd Apo says he's
leaving the council to become the director of public affairs
for the Disney resort at Ko Olina on Oahu.
Apo said Tuesday his resignation
will take effect Nov. 8 to provide for a smooth
transition at the council.
The councilman says he'll lead media relations,
community and government relations and internal
communications for Aulani, a new Disney Resort & Spa now
being built at Ko Olina.
The resort is due to open next
August.
Apo has represented the Ewa,
Kapolei, and Leeward Coast areas of Oahu on the council
since 2004. He's served as council chair for two years.
DisneyParks Blog - “Aww, isn’t that cute”
probably aren’t the words most people say when they see a
vulture. These birds play a critical role in our ecosystem,
however, serving as nature’s caretakers by helping to keep the
earth cleaner and disease free.
To help Guests learn more about vultures,
on September 2, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Animal
Kingdom Lodge will join other conservation organizations around
the world in celebrating International Vulture Awareness Day.
Guests can
try on a replica of vulture wings, create an arts-and-crafts
vulture, learn about vulture digestion (talk about a unique
conversation starter at your holiday dinner gatherings!), or
even take part in a vulture meet-and-greet.
International Vulture Awareness Day
originated in South Africa in 2006 to raise awareness of the
plight of vultures in that region. Now, this event is expanding
around the world and focusing on issues and conservation
programs that are affecting these birds. Challenges facing
vultures range from loss of habitat and food sources to
electrocution on power lines and poisoning of food carcasses.
Did you know that global vulture
populations have been reduced by more than 50% over the last 15
years? Some of the most devastating losses have occurred in Asia
where three species of vultures – Oriental white-back,
slender-billed and long-billed populations have been reduced by
97% in just the last 10 years.
Programs like the Disney Worldwide
Conservation Fund (DWCF) are helping to support the conservation
of vultures. Since 2000, DWCF has directed more than $125,000 to
conserve vultures around the world through annual grants and
it's Rapid Response Fund. For example, this year DWCF is helping
to protect Asian vultures whose numbers are dwindling due to
chemicals in their food sources.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Guests can
see lappet-faced vultures at the Tree of Life and black vultures
at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge,
Guests can see Ruppell’s Griffon vultures.
DisneyParks Blog - Are you the person family and friends come to
for advice when planning their Disney vacations? If so, Mickey
might want to meet you. Disney Parks is looking for new members
of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. The panel is an online
forum that serves as a resource for families planning a Disney
vacation, offering unique insights and time-tested tips from
real Disney fans.
DisneyParks Blog - The Disneyland Half
Marathon is celebrating its fifth anniversary on Sunday with a
record field of more than 14,000 registered participants. The
fifth annual Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, held September
3-5, also includes Kids’ Races and the Disneyland Fabulous 5K,
which has 5,000 registered athletes. This is the biggest
Disneyland Half Marathon to date, and includes runners from 16
countries and all 50 U.S. states.
To commemorate the fifth anniversary,
athletes who complete the half marathon will receive a
special-edition finisher medal featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle
circled by the number “5” and running Mickey Mouse.
Nearly 570
“Legacy Runners” – those who have competed in the race all five
years – will also receive special recognition throughout the
race weekend. Nearly 2,350 runners are going for the Coast to
Coast medal, which requires a runner to complete one of three
qualifying races at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Half
Marathon in the same year.
Throughout the race, runners will pass
Disneyland icons such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and the
Matterhorn, Anaheim landmarks such as the Anaheim Convention
Center and Honda Center, and they will see themselves on the
jumbo screen running on the field inside Angel Stadium of
Anaheim, before finally crossing the finish line next to the
Disneyland Hotel.
If you missed your chance to participate
in the races this year, you can register for next year’s
Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend on Sept. 2-4, 2011, beginning
Jan. 3, 2011.
If you’d like to watch the race, you can
view the runners from several locations, including the
following:
The Start – Disneyland Drive to
Katella Avenue 6:00 a.m. to 6:40 a.m. (Accessible only by
foot)
The Esplanade between Disneyland
Park and Disney California Adventure Park 6:12 a.m. to 7:02
a.m. (Accessible only by foot)
Disneyland Drive to Ball Road 6:20
a.m. to 7:26 a.m. (Accessible only by foot)
Angel Stadium 6:45 a.m. to 9:20 a.m.
(Accessible via Orangewood Ave. entrance)
Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Paradise
Pier Hotel and ESPN Zone 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Spectators who purchased a ChEAR
Zone package will have reserved seating in the Finish Line
area.
You can also see a detailed map of the
course that helps illustrate where these viewing areas are in
the race
here.
The Disneyland Health and Fitness Expo is
also open to the general public on September 3 from 12 p.m. to 8
p.m., and September 4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This event, located
in the Disneyland Hotel Exhibit Hall, features the opportunity
to experience the latest in running and fitness equipment as
well as the opportunity to get running tips during the speaker
series.
Good luck to all athletes participating
in the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend!
Orlando Sentinel - Recently, the Orlando
Sentinel’s Jason Garcia explored how Disney theme-park fans have
been disappointed and dismayed over Expedition Everest’s Yeti
failure at Animal Kingdom.
Now come reports that a similar fan
letdown has taken place at Disneyland, this time with the
fire-breathing Maleficent in the recently updated Fantasmic show
that debuted there a year ago. The giant West Coast dragon,
which is familiar to anyone who has seen it at the Hollywood
Studios version of the show, is 45 feet tall and with menacing
eyes of red.
Or, at least, it was menacing. Now,
though, the technically troubled beast seems to have finally
bitten the dust after a brief, troubled tenure at Disney’s west
coast park. And it didn’t even take Prince Phillip’s courage to
fell the dragon. Rather, some fans said they witnessed the
dragon simply collapsing face-first into its demise, which might
not be a surprise, given how the mechanical animal had suffered
from various glitches for quite some time.
Disney officials, however, said simply
that the beast suffered mechanical difficulties and would not be
returning.
The Los Angeles Times has more on the
fall of the once-mighty legend that some fans had taken to
calling “Murphy” or even “the reluctant dragon.”
Let’s just hope our Hollywood Studios
incarnation of terror will continue to breath fire, and
enjoyment, for all in King Stefan’s kingdom and beyond.
The New York Times - The Walt Disney Company continued its
streak of surprise hires by naming a radio executive to take
over its ABC Family cable channel.
Michael Riley, who has spent the last two
years running Radio Disney, will take over as president of ABC
Family, the company said Monday afternoon. Mr. Riley, 40,
succeeds Paul Lee, who left last month to take over ABC.
The decision is unusual given Mr. Riley’s
limited experience in original programming, an enormous part of
his new job. He does have TV on his résumé, however: before
joining Disney, Mr. Riley worked for the Turner Broadcasting
System in Europe.
Disney has become known for
unconventional executive shuffling. Last year, it hired a
television executive to run its movie studio. It subsequently
promoted a little-known TV manager from Latin America to run the
Disney Channel. And within the last year, Disney’s chief
financial officer switched jobs with the company’s theme park
chairman.
DisneyParks Blog - The Walt Disney
Company is rich with so many wonderful traditions, one of my
favorites being hand-drawn animation. While there have been many
changes and advancements in technology that have changed the way
we create our animated classics, the beautiful tradition of
hand-inked and hand-painted cels is still very much alive at
Walt Disney World. In 1997, the Animation Gallery at Disney’s
Hollywood Studios began creating the beloved Ink & Paint
collection, which is available exclusively at the Animation
Gallery. Each cel in the collection is inked and painted by
hand, by our talented design team whose passion for the craft
helps to keep one of our most treasured Disney traditions alive.
Just last week, I had a the fortunate
opportunity to sit down with Ink & Paint Artist, Sharon Vincent,
who has been with the Ink & Paint team at Disney’s Hollywood
Studios since the beginning. Sharon gave me a whole new look
into the delicate world of hand drawn art, which I am so excited
to share with you today.
Dara: I’ve heard that you’re an
expert when it comes to Ink & Paint Animation cels. How long
have you been Inking & Painting? How did you get involved with
such a delicate and intricate craft?
Sharon: My father was a
very talented artist, and began teaching me when I was about 5
years old. He loved many different forms of art, and encouraged
me to be versatile, and to always try and “learn something new.”
In 1985, while reading the newspaper, my Dad spotted an article
about a new art studio that would be relocating to Central
Florida. He said, “Hey, this is right up your alley.” So, as
soon as this company arrived, I went and applied for a job,
which was at the independent Ink & Paint Studio. I was very
excited and honored when in 1989, I was invited to join the Walt
Disney Feature Animation opening crew, here at the Florida
Studios.
Dara: A lot of people don’t know
what it takes to create a Hand-inked and Hand-painted Animation
cel. Can you walk us through the delicate process of creating an
Ink & Paint cel?
Sharon: The term cel is
short for Celluloid Acetate, a transparent material which is
used for hand-painted animation frames. Here’s a quick synopsis
of what it takes to create a Hand-inked and painted cel. Once we
finalize the rough concept art it is sent through a final
clean-up stage. During this process the line work for the
characters is refined, insuring that each individual line is
fluid and tapered allowing us to breathe life into the
characters. The character’s line work is typically applied by
traditional hand-inking (using an old fashioned quill pen nib),
or by a silk screening process on the topside of the cel. Once
the line’s are complete, the cel is flipped over, and the paint
is applied by hand on the reverse side, allowing us to achieve
clean lines when flipped back over and viewed from the front.
The most common technique used for
animation painting is known as “floating”. This is where paint
brushes are in contact with the paint only, never touching the
surface of the cel. Our last step is to ensure that each cel is
complete, has been beautifully painted and has dried thoroughly,
so it’s ready to hang in your home.
Dara: The new “Dreams Come True”
cel is particularly special. It’s the first time that we see
Walt Disney in a cel, from the Studios’ Ink & Paint Collection.
What can you tell me about the creative process you and the team
went through, to dream up the cel? Is there anything about the
new cel that you want share with our Disney Parks Blog fans?
Sharon: We start with a
brainstorming session and then build a story around it, add a
little character and viola! We all felt it was time to create
another vintage cel, highlighting everyone’s favorite, Mickey
Mouse, but this time taking it all the way back to 1928, as my
teammate Jim Bonserio, suggested. This particular cel tells a
heartwarming story, of how “Dreams Come True” and recounts the
legend of when Walt dreamt up the idea of Mickey, on his train
ride from New York City to Los Angeles.
Do you have your own questions for Sharon
and the rest of the talented Ink & Paint Team? Or would you like
to look at the hand painted cel collection in person? Then be
our Guest at the Animation Galley at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
on Saturday, September 11 from 10:00am – 1:00pm & 2:00pm –
5:00pm to meet the artists and to join the premiere celebration
of the newest cel, “Dreams Come True!”
Can’t make it to the Studios but would
love to add the “Dreams Come True” Cel to your collection? Call
Walt Disney Event Services at 407.827.7600 to order your cel, or
visit
ArtofDisneyParks.com
for more information.
SpawnKill - Even before Disney
Interactive’s Epic Mickey made the GameInformer covers
and all that jazz, this game had been receiving a lot of hype.
With such an epic game, it’s only sensible that an equally epic
collector’s edition should come out. Well, take a look at the
picture above. Can you get more epic? Okay, so maybe it’s not
that epic, but it’s certainly something. For $69.99,
take a look below to see what you can get with Epic Mickey
Collector’s Edition.
The Epic
Mickey Collector’s Edition includes (as pictured below):
A five inch Epic Mickey
figurine
Wii Console skins
A faceplate for your Wiimote
An epic behind-the-scenes DVD
According to VP Graham Hopper, Disney
Interactive was “thrilled to roll out this Collector’s Edition
featuring so many unique items including the collectible Disney
Epic Mickey figurine and content that will surprise and
delight gamers and Disney fans alike.” Graham also stated that
he hoped the DVD would “enhance and expand the overall Disney
Epic Mickey experience.” Let’s hope that it does. Watch
out for all the paint when Epic Mickey splashes onto
the Wii this holiday season.
gamespy - Disney Interactive is dusting off the light cycle for
another adventure, and now we know when the publisher will give
gamers the keys to Tron: Evolution. In announcing the
collector's edition of the game, Disney also provided its
official release date.
Featuring a light cycle model from Sideshow Collectibles, the
Tron: Evolution Collector's Edition will be packaged in a
special protective casing with a drawer for the game's disk. And
fans will be able to pick it up when the game ships on December
7.
"Tron has proven to be a franchise that
inspires loyal fans and collectors and will continue with the
holiday's new entries," said Craig Relyea, senior vice president
of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. "This
collector's edition will give fans of Tron: Evolution and the
Tron movies a great opportunity to not only get the game but
also a unique Tron collectible."
The new movie, Tron: Legacy, is set to premier on December 17.
The game, developed by Turok studio Propaganda Games, is an
action RPG set during the era between the original 1982 film and
its upcoming sequel, and Disney said Evolution will provide
significant details about the Tron mythology.
Tron: Evolution is being developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation
3, and Windows PCs. The collector's edition is now available for
pre-order and retails for $129.99.
Orlando Sentinel - At our house,
Halloween pajamas are as much of a tradition as Christmas PJs.
My son and daughter look forward to getting cozy each night in
October, lighting our pumpkins and checking out the neighbors’
decorations.
This year, however, I think they will be
really excited to see the Disney Store offerings. I can’t
remember ever seeing Mickey and Minnie Halloween pajamas that
would fit my kids — and, believe me, I’ve looked.
Minnie Mouse makes her appearance in a
witch costume on a purple nightgown, while Dracula Mickey leads
the way to trick-or-treating on orange-and-black boys pajamas.
Each sells for $14.50, but if you buy two sleepwear items now
the total is $22.
The nightgown is available is sizes 2/3,
4 and 5/6. The pajamas are still available in sizes 2 to 7.
(Girls 7/8 and boys 8 to 10 are already sold out.) The Halloween
pajamas are only available online.
DisneyParks Blog - Stephen Colbert was in
town last weekend to attend the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, and
he made time to bring his family back to the Disneyland Resort.
I can “repor” that Stephen’s alter ego was
nowhere to be found during our time together, but he did get a
little “goofy” outside Soarin’ Over California at Disney
California Adventure park, which Stephen described as
“fantastic!”
Congratulations, Stephen on your team’s Emmy
for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program!
BSC Kids - Disney has teamed up with Nintendo for a new video
game called Disney Guilty Party comes out today(August
31). We have a few trailer videos for this new game at the
bottom of this post.
The game will be like the classic crime
solving game called Clue. The Disney Guilty Party
game will be a fun family game that allows each player to guess
and find clues to who is behind the crime. The Wii’s remote will
be used and no other needed accesories it appears to need. The
game appears not to use the regular Disney characters at all,
but since we do not know all of the character options, we cannot
say for a fact either way.
The game has very real looking graphics
and appears to be friendly for all ages. I love the fact that
this game is coming out before the holiday rush begins. I get
the feeling that this game will sell well and Disney will have
to expand the series of this game.
DisneyParks Blog - Where at Disney Parks
can you find this?
Regular readers of the Disney Parks Blog know we like to get the
week going with a puzzler. And this week, it’s an image that
requires a keen eye to identify. Look closely — this face
watches over guests as they begin a journey into the past at one
of our parks. But do you know where?
Yes, look up and you’ll see the face on a
special gong that hangs above the doors to the full-scale
reproduction of Hollywood’s historic Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and home to The Great Movie Ride.
The original theater in Hollywood, California opened in 1922,
six years before movies would get sound.
The Great Movie Ride brings 11 timeless
films to life. How many have you seen?
DisneyParks Blog - Listen up Space
Mountain fans, there’s a new addition to the Walt Disney World
Resort attraction that just may be music to your ears. It’s an
enhanced audio experience with sounds you’ve never heard before.
Walt Disney Imagineering has added a new composition that’s
exclusive to the attraction at Magic Kingdom Park that will play
with varying sound effects throughout all “flights” on 60 newly
installed speakers. “Starry-O-Phonic Sound” compliments a slew
of enhancements that debuted on Space Mountain last year,
including new lighting, storyline elements and updated decor.
Here’s a special message from The Space Mountain Project Team.
Bloomberg - Time Warner Cable and Walt Disney Co. have come to
terms for a carriage agreement, avoiding a possible blackout of
Disney’s ABC and ESPN shows on the cable system, the New York
Post reported, citing an unidentified person close to the talks.
The agreement still needs to be reviewed
by the companie’s legal advisers, the newspaper said.
The existing Time Warner Cable/Disney
contract expires Thursday, a week before the NFL season opens in
New Orleans, the newspaper added.
Orlando Sentinel - Two of Orlando's
newest roller coasters recorded multiple rider injuries during
the second quarter of the year, according to updated filings
from Florida's big theme parks.
At Universal Orlando, a 36-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman
each experienced back pain after rides on the year-old Hollywood
Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios Florida.
And at Walt Disney World, a 54-year-old man had trouble
breathing and later had a heart attack, and a 74-year-old man
became dizzy and ill, after riding the 4-year-old Expedition
Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The Rockit incidents were the only guest injuries reported by
Universal during the period, while the Everest injuries were
among nine reported by Disney World during the
April-through-June quarter.
More injuries
The two theme-park operators reported basic details of the
injuries as part of a longstanding agreement in which the
state's big parks avoid government ride-safety regulation in
exchange for submitting quarterly reports documenting noteworthy
injuries.
The remainder of the injuries reported by Disney World included:
a 68-year-old woman with chest pain after riding Spaceship Earth
at Epcot; a 27-year-old man who felt ill after riding Mission:
Space, also at Epcot; a 54-year-old woman who fell and broke her
tibia at Castaway Creek in Disney's Typhoon Lagoon; a
72-year-old woman who had a seizure and a 65-year-old man who
had chest pain after riding Kilimanjaro Safaris in Animal
Kingdom; and a 68-year-old woman and a 61-year-old woman who
each fell while exiting the Mad Tea Party in the Magic Kingdom,
with the first breaking her hip and the second breaking her left
arm.
Neither SeaWorld Orlando nor Busch Gardens Tampa Bay reported
any injuries for the quarter. Wet n' Wild reported a 54-year-old
woman who experienced chest pains in the water park's wave pool.
DisneyParks Blog - Mickey made a summer vacation stop in Ko
Olina, Hawai`i, yesterday to admire his likeness, sculpted out
of beach sand, and to mark an important milestone for Aulani, a
Disney Resort & Spa.
In exactly one year, August 29, 2011, the
Resort will open to hotel guests and Disney Vacation Club
members.
Just for fun, click on the video to see
how this wild sand sculpture of surfer Mickey was created. While
the artists were at work, there were real dolphins and bonus
(turtles) swimming just outside the lagoon.
MTV - While the fall-to-Thanksgiving film season is usually rife
with Oscar bait, it's also prime time for releasing family
films. One such movie is the highly anticipated "Tangled,"
Disney's updated and traditionally animated take on Rapunzel,
starring the vocal talents of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi.
Kicking off our Fall Movie Preview, we bring you a delightful
chat we had with the ever-gracious and lovely Moore, during
which she discussed non-typical femmes fatales, singing in front
of a 65-piece orchestra and Levi's powerful pipes.
MTV: How is Rapunzel different
from the typical femme-fatale characters?
Mandy Moore: She's not the typical
femme fatale or the typical Disney princess even, because: A)
She doesn't know she's a princess. I think she sort of has this
inkling that something isn't quite right in her life, [but]
she's just really sort of motivated to find out what else is out
there beyond this crazy tower she's lived in for 18 years.
Having said that, she's very independent, she can take care of
herself, and she's definitely come up with really entertaining
ways to keep herself busy.
MTV: Is the Disney take on
Rapunzel the same as the original fairy tale?
Moore: Pretty much. She has an
overprotective mother who tells her she's not missing out on
anything, and it's a big bad world out there and it's too scary
and dangerous and she'll be eaten alive, literally, if she
decides to venture out into the world.
MTV: What was your reaction to
Disney changing the film's original title, in an effort to lure
in more young boys?
Moore: I think I was initially a
bit taken aback, only because people know the story of Rapunzel,
so when you say you're working on "Rapunzel," it's sort of a
no-brainer, you don't have to explain it to people. But as the
title sort of sunk in, I understood the decision behind changing
it. The movie is so great and so cute, and people are going to
see the trailer and know what the story is about. I guess you
sort of have to leave it up to the brains at the top. They know
what they're doing.
MTV: What can you tell us about
this particular story? Can you tease any romance?
Moore: She sort of comes face to
face with this stranger who precariously ends up in her tower,
and he's very handsome [and] he knows it. He's quite the ladies'
man, if you will. Somehow, they get roped into going on this
adventure together and start to see a different side of one
another, and potentially a romance ensues. There's [also] a few
musical moments.
MTV: What was that experience
like, recording with legendary Disney composer Alan Menken?
Moore: That was fun. I'm
definitely the quintessential girl who grew up watching "The
Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin" and the
like, so it was probably one of the coolest things I've done
thus far, being in the studio with Alan Menken and a 65-piece
orchestra. It was such a moment in time. I kept telling myself:
"Just be in the moment. Remember this. You're going to want to
think about this for years to come." It was really magical and
sort of everything you'd want a Disney animated experience to
be. As one of the players involved, I was like, "Oh my God!" ...
To watch it all come to life, because so much of your job —
you're looking at storyboards, you're having things explained to
you, but there's nothing tangible to see or get, it has to form
in your imagination, which is one of the slightly taxing parts,
but also the most fun — to get to be a kid again and go into the
depths of your imagination and play around. This, being there
with the orchestra and hearing the score sort of come to life
and what the feel of the movie was going to be at different
parts was like, "Oh, OK, now I really get what we're doing." So
that was definitely a moment for me. It was the first time I met
Zach [Levi].
MTV: Does Zach actually sing in
the film?
Moore: He does, and he's amazing!
Oh my God, we had one rehearsal before we went into the studio,
and I was so interested [in him], because they wanted to cast
actors in the roles who could also sing, and I had no idea that
he sang, and it turns out he's like a big musical-theater nut
and had that in his background. He has a beautiful voice, but he
has the perfect voice for something like this. He's such a sweet
guy, and he's so funny in the movie, but I think his voice will
astonish people, like, "Wow, where did that come from?"
Orlando Sentinel - Disney Channel and
Radio Disney are counting down to the Friday premiere of
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam with specials, contests, games
and merchandise. If your kids are as crazy about Camp Rock
as my kids are, you might consider some of these activities this
week.
Today:CR2
T-shirts for girls can be found at Disneystore.com — use express
shipping for arrival by Friday — and at the Disney Store at
Seminole Towne Center. (Florida Mall has not received CR2
T-shirts yet.) For some reason, there doesn’t seem to be as much
merchandise on the shelves this time around. World of Disney and
Target, which had a lot of toys, school supplies and clothing
for the original movie, don’t have anything yet.
Fans can check out the official Camp
Rock 2: The Final Jam website
here,
where they can play games, see photos and videos, and watch the
red carpet interviews from the New York City movie premiere.
Tuesday: Camp Rock
2: The Final Jam video game is released for Nintendo DS.
Players customize their avatars with camp clothing; compete in
water balloon fights and canoe races; and join Mitchie, Shane
and other campers as they prepare to battle Camp Star.
Aug. 31 is also the last day to enter the
Rock the Summer Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a trip for two
to see Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato in concert in Irvine,
Calif., on Sept. 19. The first runner-up will win outfits worn
by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas in the movie. Enter
here
and see official rules.
Wednesday: Radio
Disney’s “On the Set” special premieres from 6 to 8 p.m. ET on
AM 990. On-air personality Ernie D interviews Jonas Brothers,
Demi Lovato, Meaghan Martin, Alyson Stoner, Matthew “Mdot”
Finley, Chloe Bridges, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Roshon Fegan
and Jordan “J” Francis during the two-part show.
Thursday: Part Two of
Radio Disney’s “On the Set” special airs from 6 to 8 p.m. ET.
A new “Total Access” segment will begin
airing multiple times each day on Disney Channel and Radio
Disney. These segments go behind the scenes of the Jonas
Brothers Live in Concert tour, which also features Demi Lovato
and cast members from CR2.
Friday: Ernie D. hosts a
pre-show from 6 to 8 p.m. ET on Radio Disney.
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
premieres at 8 p.m. ET on Disney Channel. Music videos from
Hannah Montana and Selena Gomez will debut after the movie.
Saturday: The Rock-along
version of Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam premieres at 8
p.m. ET on Disney Channel.
Sunday: The Dance Jam
version of Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam premieres at 8
p.m. ET on Disney Channel.
DisneyParks Blog - UPDATE: Did you figure
out where all the Hidden Mickeys in the video are located? Here
are the answers in order of appearance: Disneyland Dream Suite,
Shooting Exposition in Frontierland, Aladdin’s Oasis, Exit of
Pirates of the Caribbean, Golden Horseshoe, Indiana Jones
Adventure, Gadget’s Go Coaster in ToonTown, Haunted Mansion,
Innoventions Dream Home.
Do you know what a “Hidden Mickey” is?
Fellow Disney Parks blogger Thomas Smith blogs about the ones at
Walt Disney World. I figured it’s time to talk about the “Hidden
Mickeys” right here at the Disneyland Resort.
If you do indeed know what a “Hidden
Mickey” is, then you’re smiling right now and probably proud of
yourself that you’ve found a few or more. A “Hidden Mickey” is a
Mickey Mouse shape that Walt Disney Imagineers have
strategically placed throughout the Disneyland Resort. (They’re
actually in all the resorts.) It comes in many forms, from a
complete Mickey Mouse profile to the outline of his head and
ears. They come in all sizes and they’re fun to “hunt.” They’re
top secret too, like Area 51. Ask a Walt Disney Imagineer where
the “Hidden Mickeys” are and he or she will say they don’t know
what you mean. (They’ll say it with that Disney twinkle in their
eye.)
My favorite “Hidden Mickey” is in Soarin’
Over California. As you “fly” over Palm Springs, look at the
golf ball as it comes hurtling towards you. (Your instinct will
be to shut your eyes, but keep them wide open or you’ll miss
it!) There on the golf ball is a black “Hidden Mickey.”
What’s your favorite “Hidden Mickey?”
Look at this video and try to guess where these little guys can
be found. By the way, some people say there are nearly 200
“Hidden Mickeys” at the Disneyland Resort. (I can neither
confirm nor deny.) Have fun!
DisneyParks Blog - Did you ever wish you
could sample the cuisine at the Epcot International Food & Wine
Festival – without walking all the way around World Showcase? Or
get a little closer to celebs like singer Taylor Dayne or Chef
Keegan Gerhard from TV’s Food Network? All the while sipping
wine, beer and spirits? Anyone for a Singapore-Singapore Sling
or a strawberry-balsamic martini? Sign me up.
If this is your idea of a good time, make
a reservation for the First Bites Opening Reception 6:30-9 p.m.
Sept. 30 at the Festival Welcome Center. They’re limiting
attendance to 400 to ensure a good time – and you can get a jump
start on all the festival fun. And it only happens this one
night.
Think of it as a mini Food & Wine Fest,
with culinary demos, wine seminars, cookbook authors and more…
your opportunity to take it all in. Marketplace tastes include
lots of the new dishes for 2010: USA’s bison chili with wild
mushrooms, Belgium’s steamed mussels with roasted garlic, South
Korea’s lettuce wraps with roast pork and kimchi slaw . . .
you’ll navigate 10 savory stations just steps from each other.
And then there are the sweets, with four new desserts, from
pecan bread pudding to Belgium waffles with berries, and loads
of chocolate.
Cost is $195, tax and gratuity included.
Theme park admission is required.
It’s an evening of delicious tastes and
live music – and the perfect excuse to indulge. With a goodie
bag to go!
Disney News - It's been a while since we
had a webcam, but now thanks to the people at Weatherbug we now
have a cam to get a little Disney Fix. Poised high a top of the
Contemporary Resort we get to see the Castle and Astro Orbitor.
The camera seems to have been running for quite some time now
and you can actually play the camera to see it in motion. Click
This LINK to view the Cam.
BusinessWeek - The Walt Disney Co. spent $780,000 in the second
quarter to lobby the federal government on the right of TV
station owners to negotiate transmission fees with cable
operators, among other issues, according to a disclosure report.
That's down from the $1.26 million that
Disney spent in the year-ago period, and less than the $1.25
million it spent in the first quarter of 2010. Disney also
lobbied the federal government on the plan to expand broadband
Internet access nationwide.
In the April-to-June period, the company
lobbied Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, the
U.S. Copyright Office and other agencies, according to the
report filed July 20 with the House clerk's office.
Palm Beach Post - Disney's Expedition Everest rollercoaster
returned to operation after a short shutdown Sunday afternoon at
the Animal Kingdom theme park.
Bystanders reported that guests were
removed from the ride sometime after 2:30 p.m. The ride was
running again shortly before 5 p.m.
"We may temporarily suspend an attraction
and escort guests off for any number of reasons," Disney
spokeswoman Andrea Finger said.
She did not elaborate on the reasons for
the Everest ride shutdown.
The $100 million attraction has been the
marquee attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom since opening in
early 2006.
Its biggest attraction is a 20-foot tall
abominable snowman that provides a scare to rollercoaster
riders, although it has not worked consistently.
ET - In only one year, Mickey Mouse will make his presence felt
in Hawaii with a new vacation wonderland.
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina,
Hawai'i, is scheduled to open on August 29, 2011. The 21-acre
resort, under construction adjacent to the Ko Olina beach, is
said to be inspired by the stories and culture of Hawaii and
promises to offer Disney fun and relaxation for the whole fam'.
Attractions include an 18,000-square-foot
spa, two restaurants, Disney character breakfasts, a kids' club
(Aunty's Beach House), a wedding lawn and a spectacularly themed
pool area complete with swimming pool, wading pool, tube slides,
sunset-facing hot tubs and a snorkel lagoon
Wall Street Journal - Pixar Animation
Studios' "Toy Story 3" will cross the $1 billion mark at the
global box office on Friday, Walt Disney Co. (DIS) said, making
it the second film by the studio to cross that threshold this
year.
Disney is the first studio in history to
launch two films in a year beyond the $1 billion mark--the other
being Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland." Disney's "Pirates of
the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" also took in over $1 billion in
2006.
"Toy Story 3," meanwhile, became the only
animated film to reach an elite group of seven films to reach $1
billion--the others being "Avatar," "Titanic," "The Lord of the
Rings: The Return of the King" and "The Dark Knight."
As of Thursday, "Toy Story 3" tallied
more than $592.9 million of ticket sales internationally.
Domestically, where it is the ninth-highest earner in history,
it has taken in $404.6 million. The film, which features a group
of toys that secretly come to life, won rave reviews.
Earlier this month, the box-office
performance of hit movies like "Toy Story 3" and deferred
revenue at ESPN helped the company report a 40% jump in fiscal
third-quarter profit. A strong performance by "Alice" and "Iron
Man 2" helped results.
Disney's shares were up 2.3% to $32.68
recently amid a broad market rally.
DisneyParks Blog - Friday, guests at our
“World of Color” Meet-Up at Disney California Adventure park
were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of
“World of Color.” The event kicked off at 7 p.m. in Stage 17 at
Disney California Adventure park, with a different kind of world
of color as the stage was filled with multi-colored lights and
music.
Guests participated in a panel discussion
with Steven Davison, a Disney Parks Blog author and Vice
President of Parades and Spectaculars, Sayre Wiseman, Director
of Production at Walt Disney Imagineering and Mary Niven, Vice
President of Disney California Adventure park and Guest
Services.
Steven Davison gave guests a look at concept
ideas for “World of Color.” He shared a never-before-seen
animatic that was created back in 2008 and showed some of the
early planning that went into the show.
Sayre Wiseman, who helped bring “World of
Color” to life, shared some interesting stories creating the
show. She also showed some home videos that she and Steven shot
of the production process.
Mary Niven talked about some of the
unique challenges she and her team faced in trying to create the
best possible experience for guests. Mary said that she thought
this nighttime spectacular was a real “game changer” for guests
and the Park. She also shared some funny stories about her
conversations with guests and her granddaughter’s first
impressions of the show.
After the panelists finished, we turned
the event over to our guests and let them ask our speakers
whatever was on their mind. There were a few particular insights
from the show that I really enjoyed. When asked how the team
created “glitter,” Steven replied that it was actually a
“magical discovery” that happened almost on accident. During
special effects tests, they learned that the glitter effect
happened when lasers hit water in a certain way.
While walking around and talking with our
meet-up guests, I learned that we had guests from as far away as
Minnesota and Georgia. Josh Latka, 21, from Newnan, Ga., never
thought he’d get in to the meet-up and said he faced a dilemma
when he got in: “I was trying to figure out what to do. My
parents said, ‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. You have to
do it.’ So I bought a ticket and came out.”
We also had some other super-fans in
attendance. Three members of the audience participated in all
our blog-related events at Disneyland Resort: Toy Story Mania
Meet-Up, ‘World of Color’ Premiere Trivia Contest and last
night’s “World of Color” Meet-Up. To thank these superfans, we
gave them an exclusive blanket that was only given to the “World
of Color” opening team.
Meet-up guests were also treated to a few
gifts, including the special Disney Park Blog pins a glossy 8×10
“World of Color” photo shot by Disney Parks Blog author Paul
Hiffmeyer, and a “World of Color” candy apple.
To end the event, guests were escorted to
Paradise Park for a viewing of “World of Color.” After the show
guests were free to enjoy the Park till closing.
I hope our speakers and guests had as
much as fun as I had. Thank you again, Steven, Sayre and Mary,
for giving our meet-up guests such a great experience last
night, and thanks to all of our guests for coming and following
us on the Disney Parks Blog, Facebook and Twitter.
LATimes - Some residents in Glendale say they are fed up with
months of noise, dust and traffic associated with construction
on the Walt Disney Co.'s massive creative campus.
At the City Council meeting this week,
residents on the 1300 block of Truitt Street said they have
asked Disney and city officials to ease the effects of
construction on a new child-care facility being built a mere 30
feet from their homes.
City officials — who told the residents
they had passed their concerns to Disney officials and were
unaware they had not been resolved — agreed to set up a
neighborhood meeting with all stakeholders to address the
issues.
"Let's get some mitigation to this,"
Councilman John Drayman said. "I can't imagine what you're going
through."
The residents cited constant beeping and
other construction noise, in addition to dirt and dust, truck
traffic and cramped parking. The worst, they said, included a
week of earthquake-like conditions during demolition and dirt
compactions that left cracks and other damage to their homes.
"All of
these issues are happening on a daily basis," said resident
Kevin Barry. "All these issues are happening for months now.
We really feel we are not getting the help we need."
The construction is part of an expansion
project on Disney's 125-acre campus in northwest Glendale
that currently includes the headquarters of KABC-TV and two
125,000-square-foot buildings completed on Flower Street in
2006.
City officials have long lauded the
development as a major boost to the city's industrial
corridor. But on Tuesday, council members took a harsher
stance, agreeing with the residents that construction
conditions could improve.
DisneyParks Blog - Sharing a laugh with
Minnie Mouse is a great way to end a week and begin a weekend,
as contestants in the upcoming 2011 Miss America Pageant
discovered during a visit to Magic Kingdom Park today. Miss
Alabama 2010 Ashley Davis, of Dothan, Ala.; Miss Virginia 2010
Caitlin Uze, of Arlington, Va.; and Miss Iowa 2010 Pauli
Mayfield, of Davenport, Iowa (pictured below) joined the rest of
the contestants at Walt Disney World Resort on Friday. Here’s a
quick video of some of the fun:
During their visit, the contestants
recorded segments for the 2011 Miss America Pageant broadcast. .
Returning to ABC for the 90th anniversary of the Miss America
Pageant, the competition will broadcast live from Las Vegas on
Saturday, January 15 at 8 P.M. ET.
Disney News - Beginning today Sunday (August 29
2010), Trail's End at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort will offer
an a la carte menu service for lunch instead of a buffet
service. We understand that this is a trial, and menu items
include chili, fried chicken and waffles, sautéed catfish,
grilled pork chop, spicy grilled shrimp and Andouille
sausage, Wilderness S’mores and a warm sticky bun sundae.
Breakfast and Dinner will remain all you care to eat buffet.
WFTV - A Polk County man, who works for
Disney World, was arrested on charges of child pornography
Friday.
Timothy Wayne
Hammerstone, 22, of Polk City, faces 16 counts of possession of
child pornography.
The Polk County
Sheriff's Office said Hammerstone was talking with boys in
California using his Xbox gaming system. Investigators say
Hammerstone convinced one of the boys to send him naked
photographs. When the boy's mother found out, she contacted
police.
Hammerstone
worked at the commisary at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Disney
issued a statement saying, "We have no tolerance for this type
of activity and he no longer works for the company".
LATimes - With less than a week to go
before their programming contract expires, the rhetoric between
Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner Cable is starting to heat up.
At issue are fees that Time Warner, the
nation's second-largest cable operator and the dominant pay-TV
company in Los Angeles, pays Disney to carry its various
networks and channels, including KABC-TV here as well as ESPN,
ABC Family and Disney Channel.
Battles between programmers and
distributors are becoming quite common, and usually agreements
are reached without consumers losing any channels. Fox and Time
Warner had a heated fight that was resolved without any signals
being pulled, even though a new deal wasn't struck until after
the old contract had expired.
However, Disney hasn't been afraid to see
its channels go away. Earlier this year, its channels were
pulled from Cablevision Systems Corp. in a fee dispute that left
viewers without the first half-hour of the network's telecast of
the Oscars until a new pact was finalized. Satellite broadcaster
Dish Network also stopped carrying some Disney channels earlier
this summer.
Disney countered that Dish was not
authorized to carry the dropped channels in the first place and
pointed to a favorable ruling it received in a legal battle
against the satellite broadcaster. Disney also said it had been
extending its deal with Cablevision for two years before finally
pulling its signal.]
That Disney doesn't mind playing hardball
isn't lost on Time Warner.
"If they’ve done it with those two and
they’re threatening to do it to us, there’s a definite pattern
emerging," executive Jeff Simmermon said in a
blog post on
the Time Warner website. Disney has been running advertisements
alerting consumers of the potential loss of its channels and
offering a website that will detail what alternative providers
are available.
"Switching providers isn’t going to get
rid of a problem with Disney when Disney is the problem,"
Simmermon wrote.
An ABC spokesman said Disney "remains
committed to negotiating a fair agreement that recognizes the
value of our channels."
In a report issued Friday, Janney
Montgomery Scott analyst Tony Wible said he thinks Disney can
get between 40 cents and 60 cents per subscriber for its local
ABC television stations.
In the past, broadcasters such as
Disney's ABC leveraged carriage of their local TV stations to
launch new cable networks: Cable operators didn't want to pay to
carry local television stations because said stations are
available to consumers for free already. Instead, cable and
satellite distributors agreed to carry new cable networks and
pay for those so they could say that they technically weren't
paying for a broadcast station. That's how Disney launched ESPN2
and Fox launched FX.
Now, though, no one is really clamoring
for new cable channels, and broadcasters are desperate for a
second revenue stream. Cable operators already charge consumers
a fee to get local signals, so broadcasters figure they should
be compensated.
Disney already owns some of the most
expensive cable networks around including ESPN, which costs
distributors more than $4 per subscriber, according to Wible.
The Disney Channel costs almost $1 per subscriber, and ESPN2
costs almost 60 cents per subscriber.
While it's likely that neither side wants
to see the channels come off, it might help if both could agree
on when exactly the deal expires. Time Warner Cable indicated to
Company Town that the agreement ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 1,
and Disney said it is up at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 2. How about
making it easier on all us reporters stuck covering this and
having the next agreement expire in the middle of the afternoon?
DisneyParks Blog - Summer is winding down
and kids are heading back to school. It’s a busy time for
mothers, so the Disney Parks Blog is giving Mom her day with
this look back at some posts from the Walt Disney World Moms
Panel. Always ready with tips and advice, the panel is a go-to
resource for Walt Disney World vacation planning. What piece of
valuable information have you gotten from the Moms Panel? Let us
know in the comments.
The Moms Panel shows us the best of the best
at Walt Disney World.
Who are these super moms and dads? Get to know the Walt Disney
World Moms Panel through their stories.
Moms Panel: It Takes a Village
– This year, the Panel made a donation to Give Kids The World,
where families with critically and terminally ill children can
stay at a 70-acre resort designed for children with special
healthcare needs for free.
Asking the Moms 101
– The Walt Disney World Moms Panel is made up of men and women
just like you. They’ve fallen in love with Walt Disney World
Resort and want to share their knowledge, passion and experience
with everyone they meet!
One Fine Day
– Panelist Allison shares a very special moment for her family
at Magic Kingdom park.
Mickey’s Magical Macho Moms?
– To be considered for the Panel you don’t need to be a parent
or even female. You only need to have a vast knowledge of Walt
Disney World and a passion to share that knowledge.
Walt Disney World Moms Panel
Welcomes New Members –
Due to the increasing popularity of the Walt Disney World Moms
Panel web site, we welcomed back 22 panelists from 2008 and 2009
and added 21 more new panelists for the largest ever group of
Disney-savvy vacation gurus.
Moms Panel: Smiling Through the
Tears – Walt Disney
World Moms panelist and mother of five Heather Murry of Georgia
knows a lot about life’s challenges. She knows not just how to
face those challenges but to conquer them. But raising a large
family is just one of things that make Heather a champion.
A Dad is a Mom
– Most people are surprised to learn that you don’t have to
actually be a mom to be on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. You
just have to have an incredible vast knowledge about Walt Disney
World Resort, a passion for all things Disney and an incurable
drive to pass on your knowledge to other people.
Disney Adding New Moms Panelists
– The Walt Disney World Moms Panel is a forum where Moms (and
dads) answer your online questions and offer advice about
vacations to the Walt Disney World Resort. The site is a forum
led by real, park-savvy parents who assist with the vacation
planning process based on their own experiences.