As we pulled up to Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, there was a row of beautiful classic cars in the parking lot. I instantly got excited. It meant we had arrived at the launch event for Disney/Pixar’s new virtual kingdom World of Cars Online. I had been waiting for this day to come.
World of Cars online is an online virtual world where users can create their own personal car and explore Carburetor County, including Downtown Radiator Springs. They can interact with characters from the film and play games, such as Ramone’s Paint Blaster. Users can also go on quests and establish a racing career. The launch goes along with the upcoming film “Cars 2”.
All guests, including the average folks like me, walked into the event on the red carpet, passing by a slew of photographers waiting to catch snapshots of celebrities in attendance. Once you stepped off the red carpet, you were thrust into the world of Flo’s V8 Cafe.
Old license plates and shiny hubcaps adorned the walls, and a full service counter was set up for refreshments, such as milkshakes and fizzy soft drinks, as well as selections from Bob’s Big Boy’s delicious food menu. Seven stations were set up with giant monitors to allow guests to experience the new World of Cars Online, and life-size versions of Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Sally were the center of attention.
Since the set up for the event was Flo’s V8 Cafe, it only made sense to have Jenifer Lewis, the voice of Flo, in attendance. Just like Flo, she’s a sassy but sweet lady.
Cheech Marin, the voice of Ramone, was there as well. He, too, was getting in on the Cars Online action with his wife Natasha Rubin.
In the middle of the event, Disney Online Studio’s Vice President and co-founder of Club Penguin Lane Merrifield spoke about what to expect from the new virtual world, as well as thanking Lewis and Marin for lending their voices once again.
Tori Spelling arrived later with her husband Dean McDermott and children Liam and Stella.
“Liam especially is obsessed with ‘Cars’. We have the DVD and it’s in our car literally every day, so we really wanted to bring them.”
Melissa Joan Hart socialized with Spelling, as well as her fellow cast mates for her new TV show (“Melissa and Joey”) with Joey Lawrence, also at the event with daughter Charli, on ABC Family debuting Tuesday, August 17. Hart, like Spelling, attended because of her children, who were out of town.
“There’s no other bigger movie in our house than ‘Cars’. And that’s all [my sons] play with. That’s their life. They love ‘Cars’. They love the movie, they love to play with them so I had to come today and just take some pictures and send them to them.”
One of the most important guests in attendance was Mr. Robert Iger, current Walt Disney Company President and CEO.
As 6PM drew near, it was time to start heading back to my normal college student life. On our way out, we received an unexpected (and quite heavy) gift bag filled with goodies. I thought, ‘What in the world could be in this bag that would be so heavy?’ I opened it and found out.
We received the bag, which is a cooler bag to keep your beverages and food cold, an air freshener for the car, a small “Cars” toy (mine was Doc Hudson), a World of Cars pen, a tractor crossing sign, a World of Cars cloth (like a Shamwow), an oil drum that I’m using as a pencil holder, and, best of all, an emergency kit for the car, complete with jumper cables!
This event was so much fun! I’d like to give a special thanks Kirsten Erickson for allowing me to attend! To see all of my photos from the event, you can view the complete album here.
Just in case you’re curious, here’s the full list of stars and VIP’s in attendance:
- Allisyn Ashley Arm, actress
- Bradley Steven Parry, actor
- Cecilia Cassini, 10-year-old fashion designer
- Cheech Marin, actor
- Chloe Bridges, actress
- David Lambert, actor
- Dean McDermott, actor
- Garcelle Beauvais, actress
- Jay Ward, art department coordinator for “Cars”
- Jenifer Lewis, Broadway actress/voice artist
- Jessica Newman, actress
- Joey Lawrence, actor
- Lane Merrifield, Disney Online Studio’s Vice President and co-founder of Club Penguin
- Matt Timmons, actor
- Mayim Bialik, actress
- Melissa Joan Hart, actress
- Nick Robinson, actor
- Rachel DiPaola, Disney Online Studios’ “World of Cars” product director
- Robert Iger, Walt Disney Company President and CEO
- Ryan Newman, actress
- Taylor Spreitler, actress
- Tori Spelling, actress
- Vincent Martella, actor
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