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Bambi 2 -Releasing From The Disney Vault For The First Time Ever In HD!

By
Chip
-

Bambi 2 -Releasing From The Disney Vault For The First Time Ever In HD!

Walt Disney Studios invites audiences to once again fall in love with the adorable, beloved forest friends – Bambi, Thumper, Owl, Flower and Faline – in this magnificent Bambi II Special Edition, the heartwarming story of a son’s courage and a father’s love. Available for the first time in Blu-ray™ high-definition, this touching sequel to Walt Disney’s original animated classic Bambi is finally releasing from the Disney vault on August 23, 2011 and will be available for a limited time.

Celebrate the unbreakable bonds of family and the power of friendship in this remarkable story, which reveals how Bambi was raised by his father, the Great Prince of the Forest. Perfect for the whole family to enjoy, this collectible release was packaged to include a variety of special bonus features including a new deleted song, interactive games, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more.

Bambi II will be available for purchase as a 2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack for the suggested retail price of $39.99/$46.99 Canada, a 1-Disc DVD for $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada, a High Definition Movie Download for $39.99 U.S./46.99 Canada and/or a Standard Definition Movie Download for $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada.

For more information on this release, please visit www.Disney.com/Bambi2.

Bonus Features: Blu-ray and DVD Combo Pack

  • All-New! Friend Owl’s Forest Fun Games – three Interactive learning games
  • All-New! Deleted Song – ―Sing the Day‖
  • Thumper’s Hurry Scurry – an interactive game
  • Disney Sketch Pad: Learn to Draw Thumper – a tutorial on how to draw Thumper
  • Bambi II – The Legacy Continues – a featurette about the history behind Bambi II
  • Bambi’s Trivia Tracks – pop-up text that reveals fun facts about the movie

Movie Download

  • New! Deleted Song – ―Sing the Day‖
  • Disney Sketch Pad: Learn to Draw Thumper– a tutorial on how to draw Thumper
  • Bambi II – The Legacy Continues– a featurette about the history behind Bambi II

Social Media:
Those who want to stay connected with what’s happening with the upcoming release of
Bambi II are encouraged to: ―

Bambi Voice Talent:

  • As with all of Disney’s animated classics, Bambi II is distinguished by an exceptional cast of voice talent including Alexander Gould (Finding Nemo, TV’s ―Weeds‖) as Bambi, Patrick Stewart (TV’s ―Star Trek: The Next Generation,‖ The X-Men movies) as the Great Prince and Andrea Bowen (TV’s ―Desperate Housewives‖) as Faline. The charming original songs in Bambi II are brought o life by a who’s who of extraordinary vocalists including Alison Krauss and Martina McBride.

Bambi II Synopsis

Bambi, one of the silver screen’s most cherished characters, makes his triumphant return. The eagerly awaited next chapter of Bambi’s unforgettable story continues for a whole new generation in a film that’s sure to delight your entire family. Join Bambi as he reunites with his father, the Great Prince, who must now raise the young fawn and teach him the ways of the forest. But in the adventure of a lifetime, the proud parent discovers that there is much that he can learn from his spirited young son. Thumper, Flower, Owl, and your favorite characters return – and you’ll meet some wonderful new friends – as Bambi’s magnificent legacy continues. Illustrated in the breathtaking animation style of the original classic and bursting with new songs, Bambi II is truly a wonder to behold.

Disc Specifications:

  • STREET DATE: August 23, 2011
  • Feature run time: 72 minutes
  • Rated: G (Bonus Material Not Rated)
  • Aspect Ratio: Blu-ray = 1080p High Definition/1:78:1
  • DVD = Widescreen/1.78:1/Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions
  • Audio: Blu-ray = English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
  • DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
  • Subtitles: English SDH, French and Spanish
  • Suggested Retail Prices: 2-Disc Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack = $39.99/$46.99 Canada
  • 1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
  • High Definition Movie Download = $39.99 U.S./46.99 Canada
  • Standard Definition Movie Download = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
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Bambi 2 -Releasing From The Disney Vault For The First Time Ever In HD!

D23’S The Rocketeer 20Th Anniversary Celebration at Historic El Capitan Theatre In Hollywood June 21

By
Chip
-

D23’S The Rocketeer 20Th Anniversary Celebration at Historic El Capitan Theatre In Hollywood June 21

In 1991 when The Rocketeer hit theaters, actor Bill Campbell effortlessly won fans over with his sincere portrayal of the heroic Cliff Secord. In honor of the 20th anniversary of this Disney film favorite, Campbell will participate in a panel discussion hosted by writer/producer/director — and self-proclaimed Rocketeer fan — Kevin Smith. The panel will occur immediately before an exclusive screening of the film on June 21, 2011 at the legendary El Capitan Theatre, where the film premiered two decades ago, transporting audiences to a golden age of thrills, glamour and, of course, sleek jet packs. Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club have an opportunity to secure tickets for themselves before seats are sold to the general public. In addition to the rocket man himself, the panel will also feature Academy Award®-winning makeup artist Rick Baker (whose other work for Disney includes Enchanted and Captain EO) the two screenwriters responsible for the acclaimed film, Danny Bilson (GoldenEye: Rogue Agent) and Paul De Meo (James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing), and as a special treat, renowned illustrator William Stout (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Muppet Wizard of Oz) will be on hand, representing his friend Dave Stevens, creator of The Rocketeer comics.* Other talent will be announced in the coming weeks.

Following the movie, guests are invited to tour the Hollywood Museum — located in the nearby historic Max Factor building — and explore the museum’s four floors of exhibits as well as a special exhibition of props and costumes from The Rocketeer, curated exclusively for this event by the Walt Disney Archives.

The Rocketeer follows the adventures of stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) who discovers a stolen rocket pack and sets off on a series of heroic (and sometimes hilarious) adventures that attract the attention of Howard Hughes, the FBI, gangsters, a band of Nazis and one aspiring actress, namely Cliff’s girlfriend Jenny (Oscar® winner Jennifer Connolly). Directed by

Joe Johnston, the film also stars Terry O’Quinn, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton and Paul Sorvino.

Check out the trailer at:
http://d23.disney.go.com/expo/062111.EE.EVENT_Rocketeer.html

Tickets are currently available for D23 Members who have the advantage of being able to reserve their own seats. The general public will be able to purchase remaining General Admission tickets on May 23. Event ticket cost is $50 per person.

D23 Members and their guests will receive a special commemorative Rocketeer gift. All attendees are invited to attend the special Rocketeer exhibit following the film, where there will also be exclusive, limited-edition Rocketeer collectibles available for purchase from D23 and event co-sponsor, Creature Features.

Event check-in begins at 6:45 p.m. at the El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd; panel and screening begins at 7:30 p.m. The Walt Disney Archives exhibit will follow the screening from 9:45 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the Hollywood Museum located at 1660 N. Highland Ave.

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Disney’s Prep & Landing Arrives on DVD – November 22

By
Chip
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Disney’s Prep & Landing Arrives on DVD – November 22

This coming holiday, Disney invites audiences of all ages to make Prep & Landing (the all-new modern classic Christmas tale) part of their family’s “must own” holiday-viewing collection! Arriving to DVD on November 22, 2011, Prep & Landing is the perfect blend of Christmas spirit, humor and entertaining characters that will keep the entire family grinning from ear-to-ear. Complete with two new bonus shorts – “Tiny’s Big Adventure” and “Operation Secret Santa” (which features Betty White as the voice of Mrs. Clause) – Prep & Landing will be available for the suggested retail price of $19.99 in the U.S. and $24.99 in Canada. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer for all ages! For more information on this release, please visit www.Disney.com/PrepAndLanding.

Prep & Landing is an adorable holiday story about a high-tech team of elves who ensure homes around the world are properly prepared for their visit from Santa. After working for a tireless 227 years, an elf named Wayne (voiced by Dave Foley) is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion. Instead he is partnered with an idealistic rookie elf named Lanny (voiced by Derek Richardson) to execute a special Christmas Eve mission. While on their journey, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits and ultimately threaten Christmas for children around the world. But in the end, these two elves work together to guide Santa through a raging snowstorm in order to save Christmas.

Prep & Landing, which first debuted in 2009 as ABC TV’s first animated television special produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, features the voice talents of Dave Foley (Disney●Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Cars) as Wayne, Derek Richardson (TV’s “Men in Trees”) as Lanny, Sarah Chalke (TV’s “Scrubs” and “Roseanne”) as Magee, Mason Vale Cotton (TV’s “Desperate Housewives”) as Timmy Terwelp, David DeLuise (Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverley Place”) as Dancer, Peter Jacobson (TV’s “House M.D.,” Transformers) as Waterkotte, Lino DiSalvo (Disney’s Bolt) as Gristletoe Joe, William Morgan Sheppard (Transformers, The Prestige) as The Big Guy, Nathan Greno (Disney’s Bolt, Meet The Robinsons) as Dasher, Hayes MacArthur (Life As We Know It, She’s Out Of My League) as Thrasher and Kasha Kropinski (Fame, Big Fish) as Miss Holly.

Bonus Features:

  • Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer Shorts:
    • “Tiny’s Big Adventure“ – The assistant to the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center is trying to make a pot of coffee and in the process, accidentally ruins the elves’ break room
    • “Operation Secret Santa” – Lead elves Lanny and Wayne are sent on a special assignment by Mrs. Clause (voice of Betty White) into Santa’s office
  • Prep & Landing Kringle Academy Training Videos – Entertaining Elf training videos shot in Santa’s workshop
  • Elfdate.com/The Fruitcake Factory/Spa Navidad
  • Welcome to Kringle Academy
  • Kringle Academy Equipment Training
  • Academy Do’s and Don’ts

Disc Specifications:

  • STREET DATES: November 22, 2011
  • Release Format: 1-Disc DVD
  • Suggested Retail Price: $19.99 U.S. / $24.99 Canada
  • Feature Run Time: 22-minutes
  • Rated: TV-G (bonus material not yet rated)
  • Presentation: 16×9 Widescreen
  • Audio & Languages: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French Canadian 5.1 Dolby Digital, Latin Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
  • Subtitles: French & Spanish
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A Look Inside ‘Star Tours – The Adventures Continue’ with Ashley Eckstein

By
Chip
-

A Look Inside ‘Star Tours – The Adventures Continue’ with Ashley Eckstein

Our good friend and former Disney’s Hollywood Studios Cast Member, Ashley Eckstein, returns today to take us on a quick video tour behind-the-scenes of “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.”

Ashley, the voice of Anakin Skywalker’s eager Padawan, Ashoka Tano, on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has had quite a busy and exciting week in the Walt Disney World Resort galaxy. In addition to shooting a series of “Star Tours” sneak peek videos for you and other Disney Parks Blog readers (keep a lookout for the next one, an interview with Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald), on Friday she stood alongside fellow Star Wars celebrities and characters, Star Wars creator George Lucas and Walt Disney Co. president and CEO Bob Iger Friday for the gala Grand Opening Ceremony. Then, she began her month-long duties as Celebrity Host of Star Wars Weekends 2011 and prepped for the premiere of the newest designs from her popular “Her Universe” line of Star Wars-themed fangirl fashion (she’s debuting new designs that will be available exclusively for a limited time for Star Wars Weekends Guests).

Let’s join Ashley inside the attraction as she talks about some of the exciting new additions to the Star Tours Spaceport. And look for some cameos by some of your favorite Star Wars characters.

 

Let us know in the comments if you’ve had a chance to experience the attraction yet, or if you have a favorite character or destination in the 3-D adventure! (If you’re wondering, I am quite partial to the navigating the ice planet of Hoth and the splash-tastic underwater journey through Naboo with its jump-in-your-seat ending. And I love when Admiral says, “It’s a trap!” Ackbar beams a transmission into our Starspeeder 1000).

Source Disney Parks Blog

A Look Inside ‘Star Tours – The Adventures Continue’ with Ashley Eckstein

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LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Video Game Review Q&A

By
Chip
-

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Video Game Review Q&A

We had the opportunity to ask the guys and gals over at LEGO a few questions about their LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Video Game. Here is what they had to say!

1. What are the differences between formats? PS3, Wii, DS, etc

All versions of the game share the same basic design principles and level concepts – but we obviously
have different opportunities to take advantage of the particular capabilities of each platform. We use
the touch screens on the DS and 3DS to give you an easy way to switch characters, and to add some fun
new gameplay mechanics like taking control of parrots, lighting explosives and using mystic powers.
We’re proud of the 3D effect we’ve been able to achieve on 3DS, which we think adds a new level of
immersion in the game; and the Street Pass pirate battles are a great new extra unique to that device.
The Wii version looks great, but on 360 and PS3, we’re able to take the graphics to an even higher level
of quality in HD.

2. How were you able to fit all of the movies in one game?

Working in the world of LEGO gives us a special kind of freedom to re-tell stories in our own way. By
restricting ourselves to action rather than dialogue, condensing scenes, and dropping certain peripheral
elements entirely, we can distill the essential elements of a movie into a handful of key action scenes,
linked by fast-moving, fun cutscenes. There was a great deal of brilliant material to work with across the
full set of four Pirates of the Caribbean movies – but thanks to LEGO, we managed it!

3. Did you get to meet some of the cast from the movies?

It was a great privilege to show the game in person to the awesome Ian McShane in New York. And in
London, Sam Claflin and Astrid Berges-Frisbey, who play Philip and Syrena, were knocked out to see
LEGO versions of themselves!

4. How many characters can you play in the game?

There are 70 characters in the game plus 2 slots for custom characters.

5. Will there be any online play?

We’ve focused on the local co-op experience – making sure that two players in the same room together can have fun and play together.

Q&A with Jonathan Smith, Head of Production at TT Games

More about the game:

Disney Interactive Studios and TT Games are bringing the popular Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise home with LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game. Based on the popular Disney theme park attraction and film franchise, consumers can now take on the role of their favorite characters including Captain Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa, Davy Jones and many more. The game sets sail on May 10, 2011 across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, 3DS and PC, just days before the release of the new Walt Disney Pictures movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger’s Tides”.

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I love this site – The Monorail Society

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

I love this site - The Monorail Society

Picture a world where every major city had a rapid transit system of the future. Walt Disney did just that as he envisioned the technology of the Monorail being utilized in place of light rail or car or bus transportation.

He even campaigned for this in political circles, but his untimely death ended this dream, and the monorail’s future. At least, for the most part, in North America. But in other parts of the world, the monorail is alive and well, and flurishing! With commercially viable lines in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan, and South America, the monorail is here to stay.

And one website is dedicated to making sure it stays that way: The Monorail Society. This website was started by Kim A. Pedersen who still serves as the President of the Society. Here is an excerpt from his official biography:

“Kim is of the generation that was convinced by Walt Disney that monorail was going to be the transit mode of the future. In the late 1980’s, Pedersen wondered what ever happened to monorail. He decided to spend a year researching libraries and other sources to get answers. He found that new monorails were enjoying great success in Japan but were only used for amusement parks, fairs and zoos elsewhere. Seeing the need for a voice to promote the people-popular transit mode, in 1989, he founded The Monorail Society.”

And what will you learn when you visit this great site?

  • The first monorail to carry people was built in 1825 and was called the Cheshunt Railway. It was pulled along by one horse and was a suspended monorail.
  • The monorail has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, such as: The Time Machine (1960); Forty Pounds of Trouble (w/Tony Curtis in Disneyland); and Fahrenheit 451. Characters and stars such as Elvis, Gumby, Frasier, James Bond, Ren and Stimpy, the Thunderbirds, and Godzilla have all had interaction with monorails.
  • Many collectibles have been produced, including the famous Schuco Toy Set, the Disney monorail sets, and many die-cast versions.
  • Novelty monorails abound, from backyard versions to human-powered offerings.

So whether it’s a Beam, Suspended, Hobby, Human-powered, or Maglev version, the monorail is always a fascinating ride!

When you visit The Monorail Society website, you’ll find so much more than I have included in this brief review. You can also show your support for this under-appreciated marvel by becoming a member of the Society, as I have, or by making a donation.

In conclusion, here are the answers to this question raised by The Monorail Society: Why Monorails?

  1. They are proven
  2. They are safe
  3. They are environmentally friendly
  4. They are cost effective
  5. They are popular!

So get out there and lobby your congressperson to put one in your city today!

I love this site - The Monorail Society

Maximizing the Magic: 5 Tips to Make Your Vacation Perfect!

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Maximizing the Magic: 5 Tips to Make Your Vacation Perfect!

If you are making your first trip to Walt Disney World, or your first trip in a long time, there are a few things you should do to prepare yourself and your family for your magical vacation.

1. Familiarize yourself with the park layouts-you should have a general idea of how all the parks are laid out and what major attractions your family would like to experience. Don’t forget to check the height restrictions on the major attractions. Nothing is worse than getting up to the height check and finding out your little one doesn’t hit the mark. This can be devastating, if you know your child isn’t going to be able to ride a certain attraction, start preparing them for it ahead of time.

2. Work in a pattern-When you are looking at your park map, try to pick a route that maximizes your time and minimizes your running from one land to the next. You’d be surprised how much time you lose crossing Mainstreet U.S.A. countless times to go to Space Mountain, then Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, then back to Space Mountain, etc. Try to tour the lands by land and do and see what you can in that land before heading to another one.

3. Plan for a break-Disney is a big place and you won’t realize how big until you’re on your feet all day. In the summer months the heat and humidity can suck the life out of you in no time. Make time to take little breaks for a healthy snack (a piece of fruit or a bottled water are a great idea) to re-charge and re-fuel. The little 5 minute “break” you just took could save you from a day’s worth of exhaustion, aggravation and frustration.

4. Plan a Character Meal-If you have family members who want to meet the Big Cheese and friends, plan a character breakfast. It’s a great way to start the day, you get a hearty meal and Mickey and his friends will come visit you, at your table in the lovely air conditioned restaurant. You won’t have to stand in line outside in the blazing inferno of the heat and risk not getting your autograph and picture and characters will generally take more time with your child during a character meal where things are less rushed and more controlled.

5. Extra Magical Hours: If you are staying in one of the Disney resorts, you will have Extra Magical Hours, this means you’ll be allowed into a park either an hour early or you’ll be able to stay late. The times and days rotate for the parks so check the calendar of events to find out when your extra magical hours are. The parks are far less crowded during this time and you can get a lot of ground covered. If you have late magical hours, take a break at your resort in the afternoon (the pool is a great place to cool off and have fun!) and then head back into the parks for dinner and your late night magic. The rides will shut down at park closing, but you can enjoy a nice slow walk out of the parks.

There are many ways to experience the magic of a Disney vacation but I guarantee you a pixie perfect plan will give you magic beyond compare!

Maximizing the Magic: 5 Tips to Make Your Vacation Perfect!

A Fun Way to get your Disney Fix each week

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

Disney Listener Questions Disney World Travel

There is a fun way to get your Disney News  each week – Mouse Chat.

MouseChat.net – is a weekly Disney News and Review Show covering everything happening at the Disney theme parks and on Disney Cruise Line.  So if you can not be at the parks as often as you like, come with the folks at Mouse Chat as they review the resorts, special events, new rides, dining plans, and answer any questions you have about Disney.

This week the team at Mouse Chat did a fun and informative listener question show.

You can listen to Mouse Chat anytime you like from their website, or add it to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod list of podcast subscriptions and get the show automatically loaded on your device each week.

If you like our show, please let your friends know.

Please join Mouse Chat by listening to their shows at MouseChat.net or by downloading Mouse Chat to your mobile device from
iTunes.

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I love this Disney site – The Magical Blogorail!

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

I love this Disney site - The Magical Blogorail!

One of the sites that I have taken quite a liking to is the site “The Magical Blogorail”.  This site started back in November when a group of Disney bloggers, under the guidance of my friend Beth, decided to take the plunge and start a “loop” about a specific topic related to Disney.  The idea was born based on the blog carnivals you see out on the Internet.  The incredible thing is that since that first post back in November by the Magical Blogorail Blue Loop, they have now included a red loop, a green loop, a yellow loop, and an orange loop!  I am excited about the Blogorail in part because I was fortunate enough to be added to the red loop when it started back in February 18th.

All of us that write for the Blogorail have a love for Disney, and of course, we all have a blog as well, so bringing us all together under a common theme each month has generated a ton of traffic to our sites!  I did a Google search today for the keywords “Disney Blogs”, and Google told me that there were about 90,900,000 results!  To this day, it humbles me to know that out of all of those results, there are people out on the Internet that come to my site and read the information that I have to share about my family’s love for our Disney vacations!

The Magical Blogorail site is a starting point to your exploration of the bloggers that make up the various loops for the Blogorail.  You will find pages dedicated to each loop, and within that you will find links to each of the blogs that make up the loop’s members.

I am convinced that there are two reasons why the number of visitors to my site has increased as much as it has.  The first is because Chip agreed to let this newbie writer ply his trade on ChipandCo.com.  The second reason is – without a doubt – because of Beth and her decision to include me in the Magical Blogorail Red Loop.

The more that I write about Disney, the more I learn that there are thousands of great people that share my passion for Disney out in the world, and I thank each and every one of you for sharing some of your knowledge and love of Disney with me, because it has helped to make me a better writer.  If you haven’t checked out the Magical Blogorail before, please go check it out today!  It will open you up to a great set of bloggers who have a wealth of Disney knowledge to share with you!

For more information about The Magical Blogorail, check them out on their website, follow them via Twitter, and check out their Facebook page!  As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day!

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I love this Disney site - The Magical Blogorail!

May the Force Be With You: A girl’s guide to surviving Star Wars Weekends

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

May the Force Be With You: A girl’s guide to surviving Star Wars Weekends

In celebration of Star Tours officially opening today we bring you this great post from our writer Michele on surviving Star Wars Weekends. Enjoy..

If you live in this Galaxy, chances are you have not escaped “the force” of Star Wars. If you have ever come in contact with the male species, chances are, you know about Star Wars. If you have a son, nephew, brother, husband…you know about Star Wars.You know that every pointy object can become a light saber, the Yoda voice is imperative when quoting the famous movie lines, and in their opinion…all women should look like Princess Leah in Return of the Jedi.

If you have a Star Wars fan in your family, It’s virtually impossible to escape attending a Star Wars Weekend; so i’m here to prepare you, my fellow females, to survive the force.

Even the most prepared vacation planners can be left with shoe prints on their plans during Star Wars Weekends. Everything you know about vacationing, touring plans, lines and character meet and greets is not valid here. This weekend is a marathon, not a sprint and it’s not for the faint of heart. In order to survive, you must use the force, the female force. Don’t head into Star Wars Weekends without these guidelines to the galaxy.

“Fear is the path to the Dark Side”: Don’t be intimidated. Aside from the level of the crowds at these events, the intensity is also very high. Hollywood Studio’s is filled with a very diverse crowd: families looking to share a unique experience with their children, groups of friends who are Star Wars Fans, adults who are intense FANatics, groupies, grown men acting like little boys and people you will think truly are from another galaxy. Don’t let this detour or distract you from what you want to get accomplished, the experience is what you make it!

“A Jedi gains power through understanding”: Know what you want to accomplish. If you have little one’s who just want to interact with characters, participate in Jedi training and just enjoy the event, then keep your map, autograph book, cameras and sharpees out and ready; characters can pop up anywhere, anytime; BE READY! If Jedi Training is on your priority list, head there in the morning to register, this is very popular and there are only a certain number of participants per show. Padawans must be between the ages of 4 and 12 and must be present to be registered. If you are interested in the limited edition merchandise, you’ll need to head to the backlot first thing in the morning as well. While the specific merchandise varies every year, special items include boxed pin sets, t-shirts, posters, artists renderings, etc. Each year the host of Star Wars Weekends changes and the visitors can vary from week to week. If you are interested in special guests, check the Disney website to see which weekend has your favorite star; but beware that these can change without notice! In the past, tickets for celebrity autographs have been distributed at the Indiana Jones show location. Ask a cast member for ticket distribution and autograph locations.

“The fear of loss is a path to the dark side”: set realistic expectations. Battling the crowds with a small child isn’t ideal; don’t plan to get everything done in one day; it won’t happen and you’ll spend your day being frazzled and disappointed instead of participating in the fun. Have in mind which things you’d like to accomplish on what day. For example: “today we want to do Star Tours, Jedi Training, visit the merchandise shop and meet Darth Vader”. Leave room and time in between to wander around the parks and peek for other characters. Don’t forget to look for Jedi Mickey, Princess Leah Minnie, Darth Goofy, and Storm Trooper Donald. If you see these guys appear, get in line FAST! They are hard to catch, the line fills extremely quickly and they are only out for a limited amount of time.

“Truly wonderful the mind of a child is”-if you gather only one useful piece of advice from this article, let it be this. You will see amazing things if you see the world through your child’s eyes. Although the thought of spending a weekend in Disney celebrating Star Wars didn’t thrill me; I have to admit, it was one of my favorite Disney trips. The memories we made that trip are so special, my step-son fought Darth Maul at Jedi Training, we met every single character that was in attendance and danced with them all at the Hyperspace Hooplah, Princess Leah recognized our little one at various times throughout the day, (he was smitten!) we saw celebrities, met some great Star Wars FANatics and built our own light saber. Our favorite part of the whole weekend came at the end; Hyperspace Hooplah; the “closing ceremony” of the weekend is a fun filled show with characters representing both sides of the force; including a small stage “variety” show, complete with a dance contest and all the fun a galaxy can hold.

Ladies, i’ve given you the guidelines to surviving the galaxy but it’s up to you to make your trip out of this world. Whether you have previous knowledge of Star Wars, are just trying to appease the men in your life, or couldn’t care less, I guarantee you’ll leave knowing the name of every creature in the galaxy and have a slew of extraordinary experiences to share.

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Bluray Movie Review – Gnomeo and Juliet

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
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Bluray Movie Review - Gnomeo and Juliet

When Chip asked for reviewers of Gnomeo and Juliet, I jumped at the chance.  My expectations were fairly low – I hadn’t heard much chatter about the movie at all and that’s rarely a good sing.

However, within the first 2 minutes, I was hooked.  A spin of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Gnomeo and Juliet begins with a regular garden gnome on a stage, in front of the red curtain, reading the required prologue.  As he’s quickly evacuated from the stage, the animation really begins, zooming in on a duplex on Verona Street, with mailboxes for Montague and Capulet at the addresses 2B and 2B.

I was impressed with all of the details, from the gnomes eyes which showed paint strokes, to the joke to the mushroom “You look like a fun guy!” Gnomeo and Juliet take on the classic play and give a Disney twist.  They tribute Disney with references to the Tiki Room and Kermit the Frog, but they also incorporate many details from the play.  In one scene, a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern moving truck is shown, and in several others, direct quotes are reworded to fit within the theme of the movie “A weed by any other name…”

With a slightly dry sense of humor, this film also incorporates music by Elton John and cameos by Elton John in gnome form and William Shakespeare, as voiced by Shakespearean actor and Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart.

My husband and I really enjoyed this movie and hope you do, too!  Look for it on demand and sold on DVD and Blu-Ray starting Tuesday, May 24th!

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Bluray Movie Review - Gnomeo and Juliet

Set Sail Without Sinking Your Budget

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-

If you’ve longed to be aboard Disney Cruise Line but have been putting it off for the sake of the budget, now could be the time to go for it! Say “adios” to the land under your feet and set sail to discover the Mexican Riviera on Disney Cruise Line for these great rates:

7-Night Mexican Riviera Cruise
From $1,519* per person
Based on Double Occupancy For October 23, 2011
Category 05B Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah
Sailing aboard the Disney Wonder

7-Night Mexican Riviera Cruise
From $1,267* per person
Based on Double Occupancy
Available Most Sail Dates: January 22-February 12, 2012
Category 05B Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah
Sailing aboard the Disney Wonder

For more information or for your free quote contact Pixie Vacations

*Rates in U.S. dollars, subject to availability. Other restrictions may apply. Government taxes and fees, gratuities and excursion are not included. See the Disney Cruise Line Brochure for Applicable Terms and Conditions

Set Sail Without Sinking Your Budget
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