First Look: Pixar’s New Short ‘Lou’ Tackles Playground Bullying

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February 5, 2017

For its latest animated short, Pixar takes one of its tried-and-true treasure tropes — a box filled with toys and other goodies — and brings it to life. An unseen creature in a school’s lost-and-found bin helps teach a bully a lesson in “Lou”, a six-minute short directed by Dave Mullins, produced by Dana Murray and showing in front of Pixar’s next feature film, “Cars 3” (in theaters June 16).

With baseballs for eyes and cloaked in a red hoodie, the title monster keeps a watchful eye on the kids on the playground in secret from his box. A boy named J.J. is a real terror, snatching a video game from his classmate and kicking a girl’s stuffed animal into a basketball hoop, and Lou decides it’s time for a comeuppance.

Most Pixar projects come from someplace personal, Mullins says, and his idea came from feeling out of place during his childhood because he moved around a lot. “You either feel invisible because you don’t know the other kids or you’re embarrassed and you want to be invisible. I thought it’d be really cool to have a character who could hide in plain sight,” says Mullins, an animator on the “Cars” movies, ”Finding Nemo” and “Up” who makes his directorial debut with Lou.

His main character’s sole purpose in life is to give things back, and Mullins felt a bully was a perfect foil. “They’re usually just acting out because they’re awkward or young and don’t have their moral compass set. In a weird way, the bullies sometimes feel invisible, too,” Mullins says. “If you can find out what their motivations are, maybe you can solve some things.”
“That’s what I like about Lou: True happiness comes from giving,” the director says. “He gets J.J. to understand that and through that, what J.J. wants really is to be accepted by the other kids.”

Mullins, 45, ends the short with a “For Dad” dedication: His father died while Mullins and his team were developing Lou’s story and influenced the end result.

His dad was a football fan, while Mullins was more of a skater punk growing up, but the common love between the two was going to the movies. So in Lou’s box, there’s both pigskin and a skateboard.

Adds Mullins: “The football ended up becoming a device for J.J. to annoy the kids at the beginning of the film and then connect to the kids later.”

Darth Vader battles Buzz Lightyear in this fan made video

By

Chip

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February 5, 2017

Darth Vader takes on Buzz Lightyear in this ultimate battle of Good vs Evil! This awesome fan made video is by the guys at Nukazooka.

This video is only 2 days old and already has 4.8 Million Views. Impressive… Most Impressive.

Be sure to watch to the very end for a surprise guest.

CREDITS:
Soundtrack >> Stefan Smith (https://stefanlsmith.com)

Actors >> Derek Duncan (https://www.instagram.com/derekrayduncan/)
and Chase Rackley (https://www.instagram.com/chasenchrist)

Director/VFX >> Andrew McMurry (https://www.instagram.com/andrewfilms)

Producer >> Seth McMurry (https://www.instagram.com/iamtylerseth)

Buzz costume >> Slaydog Props (facebook.com/slaydogprops)

Link to soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HMwBnzmvJs

How to prepare your little ones for your Disney World Vacation

By

Catie

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February 5, 2017

I can’t WAIT to take my son to Walt Disney World for the first time! I know that when he first sees it, it will likely be completely overwhelming, and to help ease his mind and help answer his questions about what to expect, I have some ideas on how to prepare my little one for Walt Disney World:

TALK To Them: This one may seem pretty obvious, but talking about the basics is the best place to start. Explain to them what a vacation is, how you will get there, what a theme park is, and what kinds of things you will do on your vacation. Even little ones will comprehend at least some of it, and it’s something you can recall when you get to the airport or hotel “Remember I told you that we were going to get in an airplane to go to see Mickey?”

Pictures From Past Trips: Visual aids are always helpful when explaining about how WDW works – and if your kids are anything like mine, they will LOVE seeing old pictures of you, and it’s the perfect way to get them to see some of the rides, characters, restaurants, and sites they can expect to see once they arrive at the Parks.

Videos: Everyone has a smartphone, tablet, or computer at hand these days – so you might as well use it to show them videos of the Disney Parks. There’s an official Disney Parks You Tube Channel, or you can just search “Disney World Tour” for plenty of helpful videos. You can also request a Disney Vacation Planning DVD via the Disney Website that will help explain what WDW is all about.

Local Theme Parks: Start small, and take your little ones to a local carnival, fair, or theme park to give them an idea of what to expect. Waiting in line, riding rides, enjoying delicious carnival food, as you’re going through each of these, be sure to tell them that “This is like how it will be when we go to Disney”. Taking them on various rides is also a good test, as it gives you an idea of what things they might like when they’re at WDW
*The same goes for characters too – try and get them some character interaction BEFORE you wait in line to see
Mickey (only to find out your little one is scared to death of him!). Local baseball games/zoos/kids fairs, or even local Disney Stores sometimes have character meet and greets – all of which are a great place to bring your little one.

Let Them Help: Kids love to be involved in planning – no matter what their age! Even my not-quite-2-year-old toddler can follow requests like “can you bring mommy your sandals?”, so letting your kids help pack their suitcases, or pick fastpass rides, or choose restaurants “Do you want to eat with Mickey, or with The Princesses?” really lets them feel like they are a “big boy” or “big girl” who is really getting to participate in what the adults are doing.

Craft Up A Countdown: Once your trip gets closer, have your little ones help you make a “Countdown To Disney”. There are a bunch of ways to do this – a big calendar where they get to cross off each day, a paper chain where they tear one off each day, a chalkboard countdown, you can check out some ideas here and here.

Bottom line is – even if you are mega super ultra prepared and do ALL of these things I suggested, your kid still might not love Disney World, or they might still have breakdowns or be overwhelmed – and you just have to remember That’s all ok! Their love for Disney will likely grow as time goes on, and as they get older they will start to understand what a magical place it really is!

I personally know that I will be using ALL of these strategies on my son to help get him ready for his first trip to WDW, which is something I can’t wait for us all to experience as a family!

This Minnie Mouse Sprinkles Brooch is as Sweet as Candy

By

Danielle

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February 4, 2017

I can never get my fill of adorably sweet Valentine’s Day trinkets and baubles. This Minnie Mouse Sprinkles Brooch by LePetiteMouse on Etsy would make the sweetest touch to a Disney Valentine’s Day outfit!

This delightful candy inspired Minnie Mouse brooch is handmade, and full of sparkle! The bow is a rainbow of itty bitty nonpareils, sitting upon a glittery pink Minnie Mouse head. The Minnie Mouse head is embedded with shimmery pink hearts that make this the perfect accessory for your heart day themed attire! Check out this confectionery brooch delight and other sweet inspirations below!

Would you complete your Valentine’s Day ensemble with this Minnie Mouse Sprinkles Brooch?

Paddlefish Disney Springs Review and Photo Tour

By

Lisette R

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February 4, 2017

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Paddlefish Restaurant Disney Springs hosted an invitation-only VIP and Media event the evening of February 3rd. From the menu, the food, the desserts, the cocktails, and the bars on every level, the Paddlefish Team, the seating areas, and the views this restaurant is sure to be a popular venue to dine and enjoy some cocktails. Here is our Paddlefish Disney Springs Review and Photo Tour.

Paddlefish has four menus. For lunch I recommend the Lobster Corn Dogs, Hamachi Crudo, Market Fresh Oysters, Lobster Roll, or Crab Cake BLT. I will definitely be returning for Brunch as I would love to try the Crab and Asparagus Benedict. Seafood Boil on the Deck? Yes, please! For dinner we had the pleasure of sampling the Crab Cake and the Crab Fries Starters and both were excellent. We also enjoyed the Tableside Lobster Guacamole and Ahi Poke as well as the Scallops. Dessert menus will be available at opening.

The sampling of the starters, raw seafood, and entrees was plentiful to say the least. The presentation of all of the food was truly a class act and there was not a single thing we tried that we did not like. The food is flavorful and is presented with all of the appropriate accompaniments. Many of the food items, such as the Hamachi Crudo and the Ahi Tuna bacon, were a first-ever try for us and we thought these two dishes were fabulous.

What would an amazing meal be without dessert? We sampled the Bourbon Pecan Torte, Fresh-Made Mini Doughnuts in a Bag, and the Carrot Cake. We loved them all and highly recommend them all. The Mini Doughnuts arrived in a brown bag, which a really fun touch to this treat. The Carrot Cake arrived in a sampling size glass dessert cup and was delicious. Our personal favorite was the Bourbon Pecan Torte. This delectable treat is an absolutely melt-in-your mouth kind of good.

Paddlefish has three Specialty Cocktails. The ‘Not Everyone’s Margarita’ contains Tequila, Mezcal, Creme de Mure Liqueur, Sour Mix, Jalapeno Juice, in a Black Lava Sea Salted rimmed glass with Jalapeno and Blackberry garnish. We were sceptical about this particular drink but it was not too peppery, as we expected it would be, and it was actually very good. Our personal favorite was the French-Style Cocktail known as ‘Little Bird’. The ingredients list for this cocktail is Boyd & Blair Vodka, Mezcal, Pineapple Juice, Apricot Liqueur, Sour Mix, and Lemon. Word to the wis;, this drink goes down VERY smooth so you may want to linger over it a bit. The third Specialty Cocktail was the ‘Captain Handsome’ and is made with Boyd & Blair Vodka, Raspberry liqueur, Fresh Raspberries and Fresh Thyme. This particular beverage is the Paddlefish version of an Adult Raspberry Lemonade and can be ordered as such.

You will find a bar on each of the three levels of Paddlefish Restaurant Disney Springs. We are particularly fond of the 3rd level Deck Bar. This area is beautiful at night and we suspect this will quickly become a busy spot for gathering with friends for an evening of fun, relaxation and libations.

We want to give a big shout-out to Chef Mark Boor and the Paddlefish Disney Springs Team. Each and every Team Member we spoke with and encountered were knowledgeable and friendly. For a pre-opening Event you might expect some confusion and some glitches. However, this was not the case with this amazing team. We spent a good bit of time with Lisandra and her customer service skill-set is practically perfect. If you need to know about the ingredients in the Specialty Cocktails, then Jorge is your man. Some of the team members such as Tammy, Senia, Mike, and Jessica were very friendly, with a smile at the ready, as they brought around some of the lovely Starters and Samples. You must try the Lobster Corn Dogs from Mike and the Crab Cakes from Jessica as these were our personal favorites. The man himself, Chef Mark Boor, was nice enough to take a few moments to speak with us and take a photo. From the moment you enter Paddlefish Disney Springs you will feel welcome. The Paddlefish Team went above and beyond our expectations and they are the very reason the evening reached the level of expertise we experienced.

There are seating areas both inside and outside on the decks. You can have a large group seating, or something more intimate, both inside and outside as well. Our personal favorite seating area is the blue chairs all along the 3rd deck level. As you can see from the pictures, you can also enjoy a quiet meal indoors as Paddlefish offers seating in quiet nooks indoors as well. The third floor deck is a lively spot with music playing, and seating along the open window bar area.

Paddlefish Disney Springs sits in a prime location on Lake Buena Vista offering the best views of any Disney Springs Restaurant. The location lends itself to being a place to enjoy an evening nightcap, and a bite to eat, while enjoying the views from the restaurant’s outer decks.

If you have a chance, be sure to check out all three levels of Paddlefish Disney Springs. Each level is accessible via interior and exterior stairs, or elevator. As you enter, be sure to check out the Fish Art Mural, constructed of Lobster Claw Crackers. Even the bathrooms tie in to the Paddlefish Theme. The exterior staircase is well-lit at night and will take you down to the walk-way through Disney Springs.

When the invitation-only VIP Event concluded, we were handed a parting gift by a Paddlefish Disney Springs Team Member. The gift is a Chef’s Apron with a recipe card, autographed by Chef Mark Boor, for Crab Cakes. How cool is that?

Overall we highly recommend a visit to Paddlefish Restaurant Disney Springs. The menu has so much to choose from that you will be hard-pressed to make a decision. The food is excellent, and in fact, is the best we have tasted in a very long time. The cocktails on offer are very good and the Paddlefish Team are excellent team players. The seating throughout, and the views from above, cannot be found anywhere else at Disney Springs. We felt welcome when we arrived, and appreciated when we left, which really left us feeling happy with the experience. You can book Advanced Dining Reservations beginning February 6, 2017 for any dates from February 7, 2017 and beyond. One additional note is that the Disney Dining Plans are accepted here. Happy Paddlefish-ing!

Starring Rolls at Hollywood Studios to Close Permanently on February 5th

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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February 4, 2017

The announcement was made this week that the popular Hollywood Studios eatery Starring Rolls Cafe, located on the corner of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards, will be closing permanently on February 5, 2017.

Starring Rolls has long been a popular eatery for those looking to have a quick snack due to its central location and outdoor patio. On the menu were breakfast items like specialty coffees, croissants and pastries as well as lunch options including sushi and focaccia sandwiches. The restaurant also served a selection of coffee, wines and liqueur as well.

However, what Starring Rolls Cafe was primarily known for was the famous Butterfinger Cupcake which frequently topped lists as one of the best snacks at Walt Disney World. Could this closure mean the demise of this famed Disney treat?

For right now the Trolley Car Cafe or Starbucks just across the street has been selling these yummy treats under another name, along with many other delicious varieties so no worries!

No word on what Disney plans on doing with the empty space. Stay tuned to Chip and Co for details as soon as we get them.

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Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider booking with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect package to nabbing those hard-to-get dining and Fastpass reservations. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025, via email at [email protected] or follow along on Facebook.

Reserve a Garden Rocks Dining Package During Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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February 4, 2017

Garden Rocks Dining Packages are now available to book for select dates during the 2017 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at participating Epcot restaurants followed by guaranteed seating at one of the concert performances later that same day. Dinner reservations must be at least 2 1/2 hours prior to showtime.

Dining Packages are available on the following dates:

March 3 – 6
March 10 – 13
March 24 – 27
March 31
April 1 – 3
April 7 – 10
April 14 – 17
April 21 – 24
May 5 – 8
May 19 – 22

Breakfast Packages start at $39 plus tax (adults) and $23 plus tax (ages 3-9). Lunch Packages start at $39 plus tax (adults) and $15.50 plus tax (ages 3-9). Dinner Packages start at $53 plus tax (adults) and $17.50 plus tax (ages 3-9). The Disney Dining Plan is accepted towards the package and requires two table service credits per person. The list of participating restaurants are as follows:

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Biergarten
Chefs de France
Coral Reef
Garden Grill
La Hacienda de San Angel
Restaurant Marrakesh
Nine Dragons
Rose and Crown Pub and Dining Room
San Angel Inn
Spice Road Table (pictured)
Teppan Edo
Tokyo Disney
Tutto Italia
Tokyo Dining
Via Napoli.

The Garden Rocks Concert Series take place Friday through Monday evenings at 5:30pm, 6:45pm and 8:00pm and are located at America Gardens Theatre. Below is the schedule of performing artists:

Jon Secada: March 3 & 4
Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of STTX: March 5 & 6
The Pointer Sisters: March 10 to 13
Simple Plan – New! March 17 & 18
Plain White T’s: March 19 & 20
Night Ranger: March 24 to 27
Little River Band: March 31 to April 3
Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Bo Bice: April 7 to 10
Gin Blossoms: April 14 to 17
The Orchestra starring former members of ELO: April 21 to 24
Expose – NEW! April 28 & 29
Berlin featuring Terri Nunn – NEW! April 30 & May 1
STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas: May 5 to 8
The Guess Who: May 12 to 15
Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone: May 19 to 22
The Spinners: May 26 to 29

Reserve your Garden Rocks Dining Package by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463. Advance reservations are highly recommended, as these events fill up quickly. Concerts are included with regular park admission to Epcot.

Contact [email protected] or visit my Facebook page here to start planning your next magical Disney adventure. All of my planning services are 100% FREE and can help save you both time and money!

Photo Credit: Disney

Play for Keeps with this Fun Mickey Mouse Dominoes Set

By

Danielle

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February 3, 2017

I have lots of Disney board games, and I’m always on the look out for new ones to collect! Oddly enough I’ve never even thought of a Mickey Mouse Dominoes Set before, even though little mickeys painted on seems like an obvious choice! I can’t get over how gosh darn adorable the carrying case is either!

Mickey Mouse Dominoes

Mickey’s iconic silhouette replaces dots on the playing tiles of this fine set of 28 black and white dominoes. A decorative tin with a Mickey-ears carrying handle makes it easy to bring the fun wherever you go!

Would you play for keeps with this fun Mickey Mouse Dominoes Set?

Monthly Magic with Pixie Dust Parcels Subscription Service

By

Danielle

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February 3, 2017

Do you find yourself missing the Disney Parks? Well, a monthly Disney subscription service is the best way to cure those Disney Blues! Pixie Dust Parcels is perfect for when you just need a little piece of home until your next trip.

Pixie Dust Parcels is a monthly Disney subscription service that is a surprise box featuring authentic merchandise from Walt Disney World Resort Parks. They also have child parcels that are catered to children of all ages. Everything in the boxes are park exclusive merchandise, you won’t find run of the mill licensed products from the big box stores in your monthly surprise. The owners are very personal, and love to do live videos while shopping for the monthly items, as well as host monthly giveaways for subscribers! They even go live when dropping the parcels off at the post office, talk about pixie dusted service! Keeping with the personalized pixie dusted service, they even hand write each post card with your name on it.

Be sure to check out their Facebook page for giveaways too!

So if you’re having Disney withdraws, Pixie Dust Parcels is here to help you wish upon a star!

Is the Starring Rolls Cafe Closing for good?

By

Anonymouse

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February 3, 2017

Hey there ladies and gents it is I Anonymouse back with some Disney World Gossip!

So I read a report online that the Starring Rolls Cafe will be closing for good on February 4th, 2017. Other than this one site I have not seen this mentioned anywhere.

I for one love the delicious cupcakes like the World Famous Butterfinger Cupcake and the ever popular Red Velvet Cupcake.

Over the past few months those same cupcakes have been made available at Trolley Car Cafe (Starbucks) just across the street. I thought it just had to do with the limited hours that Starring Rolls Cafe runs but maybe it actually has to do with them closing up shop.

I for one would be quite upset if they do close Starring Rolls Cafe, what about you?

Let us know what you think in the comment box below.

As always nothing is official till Disney says it is.

That is all the Disney gossip I have for now. For my past gossip articles be sure to check them out here. Got any good gossip/rumors please email me at anonymouse@chipandco.com or on my Facebook page.

Delightful Hand Poured Disney Inspired Jar Candles

By

Danielle

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February 3, 2017

I absolutely adore candles, of course Disney inspired candle fragrances are my favorite! 3CheekyChicksWaxCo on Etsy has a delightful array of Disney Inspired Jar Candles, that have clever names and a simplistic chic design.

These magically inspired candles are a hand poured para soy wax, with high quality fragrance oils. I love all the fun names like Pineapple Twirl, Biceps to Spare, Breakfast at Mickeys, etc. They even have several resort, and princess ones too! These candles are 7.5 ounces, will burn approximately 40-45 hours. You can find all of the jar candles that are available here! For those of us who prefer melts, they have all of the fragrances available for those as well.

Which of these delightful Disney Inspired Jar Candles fragrances sounds like your favorite?

New “Express Fresh” Menu Being Tested at Select Disney World Resort Hotels

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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February 3, 2017

A new in-room dining menu called “Express Fresh” will be available to select Walt Disney World guests beginning February 7 through April 1, 2017. The “Express Fresh” menu will feature quick to prepare casual meals in disposable containers that are delivered to the Guest’s room within 30 minutes.

“Express Fresh” will initially be offered only at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort during the testing period. The traditional in-room dining menu will continue to be offered during this time.

What do you think of the “Express Fresh” menu concept?

Contact [email protected] or visit my Facebook page here to start planning your next magical Disney adventure. All of my planning services are 100% FREE and can help save you both time and money!

Photo: Disney