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Meryl Streep to be cast in Mary Poppins Returns

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Word has come down that Meryl Streep is in talks to join Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda in Disney’s sequel to its beloved classic, ‘Mary Poppins Begins’. Is she joins, this will reunite Streep and Blunt who worked together in ‘The Devil Wear Prada’. Streep is said to be cast as Mary’s cousin Topsy, a character that wasn’t in the 1964 film.

‘Mary Poppins Returns’ screenplay will be written by David Magee and is referencing the seven Mary Poppins novels written by P.L. Travers. It takes place in Depression-ear London and follows and now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, and their children.

Like the original, this Mary will be a musical. Marc Shaiman will be composing an all new score and original songs with Emmy nominee and Tony winner Scott Wittman.

With these names, and all this talent, I’m looking forward to a new live action musical Disney movie. What are your thoughts on this new announcement?

Disney Cruise Line Theaters Voted Among Top in Industry

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Travel Pulse has announced their choice for the top 6 cruise ship theaters within the cruise industry. Theaters on board Disney Cruise Line ships have scored two of those coveted six spots.

Buena Vista Theater 

The Buena Vista Theater can be found on all four of the Disney Cruise Line ships and feature classic and first-run Disney films. The audio and visuals in the venue are stunning thanks to a Dolby 3D picture and Dolby 7.1 surround sound.

Walt Disney Theater

All four Disney Cruise Line ships also include the Walt Disney Theater, which feature live performances on board comparable to Broadway style productions. The venue seemingly employs every theatrical technique from puppetry to pyrotechnics and, of course, some unmistakable Disney magic to even bring Tinker Bell to life. All kinds of expert rigging activates the space to enhance the vocal and dance performances. Plus, the theater can serve as a large scale cinema for special screenings.

The following cruise ship theaters also made the list:

  • Illuminations – Queen Mary 2, Cunard Line
  • Imax Theatre – Carnival Vista, Carnival Cruise Line
  • Royal Theater – Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Internation
  • World Stage – Koningsdam, Hollan America Line

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

Source: http://www.travelpulse.com

New Disneyland Disney Pin Scavenger Hunt Announced

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If you were excited about the Disney Pin Scavenger hunt that was announced for Walt Disney World, then you’ll be excited to hear that Disney has announced another pin scavenger hunt will take place at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, as well!!

beginning August 4th, guests at Disneyland resort can take part in the new PinQuest Disney Pin Scavenger Hunt.

 

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Inorder to take part in this fun new adventure, guests should first purchase an adventure kit. This item contains a lanyard to showcase pins; a decoder medal for use with PinQuest pins; and a lanyard pouch to hold the Disneyland park map included in the adventure kit. The lanyard pouch also holds PinQuest clue cards, which are sold separately.

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There are six different PinQuest clue cards. Each clue card has a question that needs answered and shared with a NavigatEAR cast member in a particular location. Once solved, you can redeem the clue card for a PinQuest pin using the perforated ticket on the bottom of the clue card.

Continue the hunt by using the decoder medal from the adventure kit. Line up the arrows for each pin to determine your next destination within Disneyland park.

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After purchasing all six clue cards and receiving stamps and pins from each participating location, guests can return to any designated PinQuest location for the final step. The participating locations include:

At those locations, guests who have completed the entire Disneyland PinQuest are eligible to purchase a QuestEAR pin completer pin (shown above).

All items for this PinQuest are available while supplies last. These items will not be sold via the Disney Parks online store or Shop Disney Parks app. You’ll need separate admission to Disneyland park in order to participate.

If you’re unsure of where to begin planning your Disney Parks vacation, contact me today to take advantage of my FREE vacation planning services! I specialize in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii, as well as Adventures by Disney. Contact me today at [email protected] for a free quote, or you can find me on my facebook page here.

photos: Disney Parks Blog

Live Music Returns to Tomorrowland Terrace

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Disney announced today that there will be live music returning to the Tomorrowland Terrace Stage at Disneyland Resort.

Live music is returning to the stage at Tomorrowland Terrace. Guest favorites such as 80z All Stars, Scot Bruce, Suburban Legends and more will be performing on weekends, Friday through Sunday, beginning August 6 for a limited time. Different bands will appear from day to day. Be sure to check the entertainment schedule before your visit.

This sounds like a great opportunity to grab a snack and dance the night away under the stars!

If you’re unsure of where to begin planning your Disney Parks vacation, contact me today to take advantage of my FREE vacation planning services! I specialize in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii, as well as Adventures by Disney. Contact me today at [email protected] for a free quote, or you can find me on my facebook page here.

photo: Disney Parks Blog

Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse Measuring Cups, So Cute!

Mickey Mouse Measuring Cups.

I swear if I had my own personal Toodles, all of my kitchen tools, gadgets etc would be Mickey themed! Until that happens, I’ll have to settle for finding my own Mickey tools! These Mickey Mouse Measuring CupsMeeska Mooska Mickey Mouse Measuring Cups, So Cute! on Amazon are a good start though.

These were a Disney Parks item, and I really think they are TOO cute. You get a 4 cup set of Disney measuring cups in the traditional cup sizes. Each cup is decorated in Mickey icons, his famous ears, classic red shorts, iconic gloves, and unforgettable yellow shoes. Those fun designs are some of my favorite Mickey inspirations. These are fabulous to just display in your kitchen, but can also be practical kitchen items as well.

You can get them for under $22 with free prime shipping on Amazon now!

Do you try to theme as many things in your kitchen with Disney as you can too?

A Vans Toy Story Collection of shoes and accessories is in the Works

Vans Toy Story Collection

For quite a while now, Disney fans have been painting and decorating Vans Shoes with Disney flair. Last year Vans and Disney decided to partner together to bring us officially licensed Disney vans! Now it appears that there is a Vans Toy Story Collection in the works.

Inside the Magic recently discovered some gorgeous sneak peek photos from Instagram. This is looking to be a really rocking collection. One of my favorite details, is that there is the iconic “ANDY” printed on the bottom of the shoe. How fabulous, we get to be Andy’s toys! One of my favorite “toys” from the popular movies, are the Green Aliens. So I was ecstatic to see they not only have a pair inspired by them, but they also glow in the dark!

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There is still no official release date for these playful kicks, but if it follows the trend from the last collection, we can expect a fall debut. What do you think of this amazing collection, will you also be awaiting their launch? The collection from last year was also pretty spectacular, I’m sure this one will be too. I know that I will probably need the Green Alien ones. I can’t wait!

RunDisney to undergo some Magical Enhancements for the upcoming Race Season

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Disney announced yesterday that they will be undergoing some magical enhancements in the RunDisney racing department for the upcoming Race Season.

One of the biggest changes that runners will see is that finishers of the 5k races as well as the kids races will no longer be receiving rubber medals, but in fact, will now be getting “metal” medals! Disney offered up some photos of a few of the upcoming 5k medals, and we’re very excited about them:

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In addition to the new medal styles, Disney also announced that starting with the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, all event guides will be digital. They will be easily accessible from any device – computer, tablet and a smartphone. The event guides will be able to provide the most up to date race weekend information. The first digital event guide will be live soon on runDisney.com.

 

Have you ever run a runDisney race before? Which was your favorite?

 

If you would like to run a runDisney race, but aren’t sure where to start, contact me today to take advantage of my FREE vacation planning services! I have plenty of experience with Running Disney, and can point you in the right direction! I specialize in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii, as well as Adventures by Disney. Contact me today at [email protected] for a free quote, or you can find me on my facebook page here.

Photos: Disney Parks Blog

More info released on The Muppets Present….Great Moments in American History

Muppets

Muppets

Disney Auditions has more information on the all new The Muppets Present….Great Moments in American History show coming to the Magic Kingdom!

Disney Parks Talent Casting is seeking male improvisational actors who sing for The Muppets Present….Great Moments in American History Live show in the Magic Kingdom.

Here is a little more info about the show and who they are looking for:

Jefferson James: male improvisational actor (must portray 20-30 years old) who sings, 5’10” and taller, to be James Jefferson, “JJ”, Town Crier of Liberty Square. JJ is a Revolutionary history buff who delights in sharing his knowledge of the Colonial era and Liberty Square with anyone who will listen, and he has teamed up with his good friends Sam Eagle, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and others to share some great moments in American history!

You can apply for the job here.

The show is supposed to be opening this October. Stay tuned for more info.

h/t blogmickey.com

 

Sunshine Seasons to stop serving breakfast this Weekend

 

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According to WDW News Today, Sunshine Seasons quick service location inside The Land Pavilion at Epcot will discontinue serving breakfast this weekend, on Sunday July 31st. The restaurant will begin opening at 11am for lunch service, and will remain open until park close.

No word on whether or not this is a seasonal hours change, or a permanent one, but we’ll let you know if we learn more. What do you think of the new hours?

 

If you’re unsure of where to begin planning your Disney Parks vacation, contact me today to take advantage of my FREE vacation planning services! I specialize in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii, as well as Adventures by Disney. Contact me today at [email protected] for a free quote, or you can find me on my facebook page here.

Liberty Tree Tavern’s Updated Dinner Menu Review

Liberty Tree

Liberty Tree

Did you know that Liberty Tree Tavern recently updated their Bill of Fare dinner menu?  While some favorite food offerings have remained unchanged, or undergone some minor changes,  you will find some others are no longer on the dinner menu and new offerings have been added in their place.  Here is my review of Liberty Tree Tavern’s updated dinner menu.

To begin, my server brought me a plate of two dinner rolls, on a triangular stoneware plate with rounded edges, and whipped honey butter in a small stoneware bowl.  The rolls were a bit dry for my taste.  However, the whipped honey butter was a perfect blend of butter and honey that added a slight sweetness, and a little flavor, to the roll.

Next up was the Declaration Salad tossed with house-made Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing in a stoneware bowl.  I was happy that the salad was made with mixed greens, and that the cucumbers still had the outer skin on them, thus adding a bit of crunch to the salad. I should note here that some of the lettuce is iceberg lettuce, of which I am not a fan.  There was also shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, and red onions.  The house-made strawberry vinaigrette dressing was, in my opinion, oily with very little flavor.  I prefer a vinaigrette dressing to have more vinegar and less oil.  There was a bit of sweetness to the dressing but I could not place the flavor of strawberry.

After the salad and rolls were removed, my server brought me the Patriots Platter.  Now this is where the food gets interesting.  The Roasted Turkey, Sliced Tavern Ham, and Pot Roast were the three meats offered and were served on a large triangular stoneware plate.  Also included on the plate were herb stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce.  Gravy was served on the side in its own little silver gravy boat.

The ever-popular Roasted Turkey Breast is still on the menu and has remained unchanged.  I found it to be very flavorful.  I asked my server to check with the chef to let me know what seasoning they put on the turkey. Can you believe that salt and pepper are the only two seasonings added to the turkey?  With all that flavor I expected to hear that there was some secret ingredient added.

The Sliced Tavern Ham, now on the menu, has replaced the Pork Roast that was here before.  The ham was just okay.  I found it to be lacking in flavor and a little dry.  I prefer ham that has a moister, and somewhat saltier, taste.

And now for my personal favorite of the meats; the Pot Roast.  Replacing the Carved Roast Beef, which is no longer on the menu, the Pot Roast is a welcome addition.  As a native of New England, where Pot Roast is a common expectation for Sunday dinner, I was skeptical and thought there was no way this was going to match my mom’s Pot Roast.  Well, sorry mom, but this was the best Pot Roast I have ever eaten.  As soon as I put my fork into the meat it literally came apart.  No knife was needed at all.  As I took my first bite of this melt-in-your-mouth Pot Roast, it caused my taste buds to awaken from the combination of flavors.  The gravy and the seasonings, along with the moistness of the meat, were absolutely delectable.

The herb stuffing was good and had the right mix of moistness and texture.  Personally, I prefer stuffing with cranberries, pecans, celery, and onion.  While I could see and smell the herbs in the stuffing, beyond that it did not carry a lot of flavor.  I imagine that in the colonial days there were not a lot of choices for seasoning foods. This is likely one way for Liberty Tree Tavern to stay true to its theme.

As a person who is not typically a fan of mashed potatoes, I found the potatoes to be pretty good.  They were not over-mashed and had some small chunks of potatoes in there that gave them a nice texture.  I found them to have a good flavor without being salty or too thin.

The seasonal vegetables were fresh-tasting thin green beans.  I found these to be very tasty with a hint of garlic and oil.  They were also cooked exactly to my preference offering a crisp crunch without being too soft and overdone.

And now for the most flavorful offering on the platter; the cranberry sauce.  Made with cranberries, orange, and cinnamon, the cranberry is absolutely delectable.  This combination of flavors are very pleasing to the palate.  From the sweetness of the orange, to the tartness of the cranberry, all combined with a burst of cinnamon is like no other flavor I have ever tasted.

If you enjoy gravy then you are in for a treat.  The gravy arrived in its own little silver gravy boat.  It was good without being too salty or overly heavy.  I sampled the gravy with the Roasted Turkey Breast and the Mashed Potatoes.  I did prefer the Roasted Turkey Breast all on its own without the gravy.  However, I discovered that I enjoyed the taste of the mashed potatoes with the gravy.

Now onto the dessert.  Everyone loves dessert and I am no exception to that rule.  The offering was Johnny Appleseed’s Tart, which is a change from the Johnny Appleseed’s Cake on the previous menu, served with a scoop of Edy’s Vanilla Ice Cream.  I am particularly happy about this change as I do not care for cake.  The tart and ice cream were served on a round stoneware dessert plate. I found the offering to be an excellent mix of sweetness and tartness along with a touch of spice.  The pastry shell of the tart is quite sweet if you eat it by itself and that took me by surprise.  Oh, but there is a reason for this!  Combined with the tartness of the apples and craisins, along with the spice of the cinnamon, this recipe is perfection in the flavor department.

The changes to the Bill of Fare dinner menu have been in place since November 2015.  This is when Liberty Tree Tavern re-opened after completion of a refurbishment.  The quality of the food, along with the historical atmosphere, has remained intact.

If you are looking for a sit-down restaurant to have a nice meal, and relax with good conversation, then Liberty Tree Tavern is a nice option.  Seating is in different rooms, rather than one large open room, which allows you to hear each other talking.  I know one of the struggles I find is that the restaurants at Disney World are often very noisy due to large open spaces.  This is not the case here at Liberty Tree Tavern.  If you are looking for exotic foods then this is not the place for you.  However, if you are trying to find a home-cooked style meal, then Liberty Tree Tavern is sure to fit the bill with their updated Bill of Fare dinner menu.

What do you think of the changes to the Liberty Tree Tavern Bill of Fare menu?  Please leave your comments in the box below.

 

One of a kind Storm Trooper Escort to see Kylo Ren at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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This little boy got a treat of his lifetime when the Storm Troopers from the First Order escorted him ahead of the lines for a one of a kind experience to see Kylo Ren at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Check out the video below:

Disney’s The Rocketeer Is Getting a Reboot

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The 1991 classic Disney live action film The Rocketeer is getting, what I consider a ‘rethink’. Although Disney is calling is a reboot, it’s not a retelling of the story. It could be considered a sequel. But, can you call it that, without the lead characters?

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the project is still very early in its stages of development. It is supposed to take place 6 years after the original and instead of Cliff Secord being the lead character, this go round it will be a young African-American female. The film’s plot centers around the new Rocketeer taking the title after Cliff goes missing while fighting in WWII. She then goes on a mission to stop a corrupt scientist from stealing the jetpack technology and shifting the balance of the Cold War.

Titled The Rocketeers, this film is being written by Max Winkler and Matt Spicer.

While the remakes and reboots have been dominating the box office of late, and revisiting classic ideas can work very well, The Rocketeer is not going to be a straight remake. The story may be similar but making the lead a young African-American female changes the dynamic of telling the story and could make for a very exciting film.