19.3.10

Get Ready to Dance!

Here's a jazzy video of the new look for the Epcot monorails. See previous post for the concept art.



Fess Parker Remembered

Yesterday, Fess Parker (85), childhood hero to many, passed away. Fess Parker was very well known for his role as Davy Crockett in the Disney television show. He also acted as Daniel Boone for Disney as well.

The LA Times wrote an article about Fess Parker. Read it here.

Today is Foto Friday, and so here is my tribute to Fess Parker.



Image from the Tennessee State Library and Archives


Image from the Disney Parks Blog


Image from CraigHodgkins.wordpress.com

17.3.10

Childhood Dream Come True

The Disney Parks Blog posted a very cute article I'd like to share with you.
Fifty-five years ago, Rob Fischie was a little boy running through the gates of Disneyland on opening day. Today, Rob is a security guard in the Happiest Place on Earth.




Read the article HERE, on Disney Parks Blog!

An Update on 'Guilty Pary'

I recently wrote about a video game coming to the Wii system called "Disney's Guilty Party". Kotaku.com, a popular gaming blog, has posted an article about some of the gameplay. Their writers had the opportunity to play a bit of it.

Read the article HERE on Kotaku.com!

One of the particularly interesting parts, to me, was the way you can hide your clues from other players in the room. Obviously you are all looking at the same television when you play. This would make hiding the information the suspects give you difficult. 'Guilty Party' solved this by using a lie detector! When a player finished interrogating a suspect, they hover over the suspect with the lie detector. However, the player can press a button on their Wii-mote while they do this and it will display the opposite result (truth of lies)! Other players in the room who see the result won't know if you pressed the button and therefore cannot be sure that the suspect's information is valid. Clever, isn't it?

14.3.10

The Next D23 Expo

The dates for the next D23 Expo were announced on March 10th on the D23 website!
August 19th-21st 2011
Tickets for the Expo will go on sale one year in advance: August 19, 2010. If you missed it last year (and I very unfortunately did) then make sure you get to go in 2011! The panels and guests were incredible for the first Expo and I only expect it to get better and better!

12.3.10

Foto Friday

I've decided to dedicate Fridays to photography, as I have dedicated Saturdays to cartoons. So, here are some fantastic photos from around the web of Disney World, Disneyland, and other Disney related things! Enjoy!



"Sometimes It's In The Details"
Image by Garth Vaughn, posted on The Disney Blog


"Walt holding a model of the Jungle Cruise boats"
Posted from vintagedisneyparks.tumblr.com


"One Wild Ride"
Posted from F---yeahWDW.tumblr.com


"Epcot 1988 Spaceship Earth"
Posted from Flickr.com
My favorite park in the year that I was born!

"One Word, 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!'"

The Sherman Brothers were honored in Disneyland yesterday when Mickey Mouse unveiled a window dedicated to them and their work. The window is on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom and reads, "Two Brothers Tunemakers" with their names underneath.

The Sherman Brothers have worked on many Disney classics including "Mary Poppins", "The Jungle Book", "The Aristocats", "Bedknobs and Broomsticks", and "Winnie the Pooh". They are also the creators of the song, "It's a Small World (After All)".



Disney Parks Blog

11.3.10

TRON comes to EPCOT

These are the new monorail designs to promote the new TRON: Legacy movie in the Disney Parks, specifically EPCOT. Both feature the light cycles and are pretty slick, if you ask me!
Both images from The Disney Parks Blog.


New Tron Trailer!

I tried uploading this to Blogger from my computer two days ago, but it never finished processing it. So, I had to settle for this version on YouTube.
Enjoy:


'Give a Day Get a Disney Day' Reaches Goal

The 'Give a Day Get a Disney Day' Promotion from Disney Parks has reached it's 1 million volunteer goal!
Since January 1st, Disney Parks has been inspiring people to go out into their communities and lend a hand to those in need. For the people who gave their day, a free day in the Disney Parks was given! The goal was for 1 million people to volunteer their time and as of March 9th, 2010, the goal has been met!

If you are still looking to give back to your community, the HandsOn Network has many listings of events needing volunteers! Giving back feels amazing! Get out there and create smiles!

5.3.10

Fantasyland Expansion UPDATE!


Image from Disney Parks Blog


Walt Disney World has officially broken ground on the Fantasyland Expansion!
The Disney Parks Blog has this photo and one other that you can see HERE of the 1/4 size model of the new Fantasyland Expansion! In a previous post I posted some concept art for the new expansion after it was presented to guests of the D23 expo. This is the beginning of the work that has been started.

I am so excited! I can't wait for the Beauty and the Beast section, which I realize I never posted images of.
Enjoy:
Be Our Guest Restaurant

Gaston's Tavern

Star Wars Weekends 2010

This May, Disney 's Hollywood Studios is celebrating it's annual Star Wars Weekends!

This year, Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back will be celebrating it's 30th anniversary! Show director for Walt Disney Entertainment, Mark Renfrow has been working on Star Wars Weekends for 10 years and he is planning to incorporate some behind-the-scenes events to coincide with the anniversary.
Also during Star Wars Weekends there will be an addition to the Jedi Training Academy as Darth Maul will be joining Darth Vader to help train the young Padawans. Guests can also meet Star Wars actors as well as various Star Wars characters around the park including R2-D2 and C-3PO!

I love Star Wars weekends, especially seeing the Storm Troopers on top of the entrance to the park. I also enjoyed seeing some of the stars like Matthew Wood, the voice of General Grievous and Jake Lloyd who played little Anakin Skywalker. If you get the opportunity to go to Disney World during this event, I highly recommend it!

Star Wars Weekends take place on the following dates:
May 21–23, May 28–30, June 4–6, and June 11–13, 2010

For more about Star Wars Weekends, visit the official page HERE!

3.3.10

D Street


Image from Disney Parks Blog


Disney World's Downtown Disney district is getting a hip new store! This urbanized store, D Street, will offer a variety of products for both men and women. Items not only include clothing and accessories, but Vinylmation figures as well as locally made Disney art!

Silly Symphony Swings Gets a Top



This video from the Disney Parks Blog shows construction workers adding a top to Silly Symphony Swings, a new ride coming to Disney's California Adventure park. The swing-ride is themed to Walt Disney's classic animated short, "The Band Concert".

If you haven't watched the cartoon, I don't want to tell you what happens! Perhaps I'll post it in Saturday's "Morning Cartoon" post!

1.3.10

Endangered Gorilla Born at Animal Kingdom


Image from Disney Parks Blog


It's so tiny!
The newborn is doing well and it's mother is keeping it close. I say "it's" because the mother has been keeping it so close, the animal keepers have not been able to determine the baby's gender!
Adorable!

EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival 2010


Image from The Disney Blog


The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival is an event held every spring to showcase the beauty of flowers and gardening in Disney fashion. This year it will begin March 3rd and run until the 16th.

My favorite part of the festival is seeing all of the Disney-themed topiaries. I always wonder about the work that goes in to creating a Disney character out of flowers and greenery.

Also during the festival is the Flower Power Concert series! The series features live bands playing music from the 1960's and the 1970's at the American Adventure Pavillion!

For more about the festival and a download of the schedule, here's the official Flower and Garden Festival website!