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‘The Muppets’ Raise the Curtain November 23

'The Muppets' Raise the Curtain November 23

I’m really looking forward to this movie. I’ve been a HUGE Muppet fan since I was kid and I look forward to every new Muppet movie. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Disney does the right thing and give these iconic characters the star treatment. From what I’ve seen so far the writing team Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller seem to have taken advantage of the steam the Muppets have created with those viral videos created over the past couple of years.

When Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater, they help Kermit reunite the Muppets to stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater.

What do you think about the Muppets reboot? Leave your comments below.

‘Like’ THE MUPPETS on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/Muppets

THE MUPPETS opens in theaters everywhere on November 23rd!

'The Muppets' Raise the Curtain November 23

Phineas & Ferb: Across the Second Dimension – The Final Trailer

Phineas & Ferb: Across the Second Dimension - The Final Trailer

Phineas & Ferb: Across the Second Dimension hits stores today and to celebrate we have released a final trailer, which tells you “The Top 5 Things to do Across the 2nd Dimension.”

Stay tuned later this week for our review.

Phineas & Ferb: Across the Second Dimension - The Final Trailer

Enchanted Tiki Room’ Returns to Magic Kingdom August 2011

Enchanted Tiki Room’ Returns to Magic Kingdom August 2011

Disney sent out a press release yesterday talking about the reopening of the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park. If you remember Anonymouse broke this news story back in May. But with her you can never tell if it is fact or fiction so today we lay that mystery to rest.

Here is the official word.

The Sunshine Pavilion, featuring a show variously known as “Tropical Serenade” and “The Enchanted Tiki Birds,” debuted on Oct. 1, 1971, in Magic Kingdom. In 1998, following substantial refurbishment, it re-launched as The Enchanted Tiki Room – Under New Management, with two famous Disney birds – Iago from Aladdin and Zazu from The Lion King– taking control and trying to spruce up the show.

The “new management” has been let go and the future of the Adventureland landmark is in the wings and wit of José, Fritz, Michael and Pierre – four crooning parrot hosts who ushered in sophisticated Audio-Animatronics technology at California’s Disneyland in 1963 at The Enchanted Tiki Room.

In time for fall 2011 vacations, The Enchanted Tiki Room (as the Magic Kingdom attraction now will be called) is being prepared to reflect the show at Disneyland that represents a milestone in Disney theme park entertainment. While Walt Disney’s creative team previously had produced movable figures, none had the sophistication of the bird-brained cast of the Tiki Room. José, Fritz, Michael and Pierre produce movements when solenoid coils hidden inside receive signals recorded onto magnetic tape and are regarded as the first “true” Audio-Animatronics figures.

They introduce a musical presentation by more than 200 birds, flowers and tikis. Even the audience gets into the act, joining in during the musical ditty “Let’s All Sing Like the Birdies Sing.”

The Enchanted Tiki Room is slated for opening in August 15th 2011. I would expect a soft opening earlier that week.

Enchanted Tiki Room’ Returns to Magic Kingdom August 2011

Around the “Disney” World – Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

Around the "Disney" World - Epcot's Italy Pavilion

The Italy Pavilion is one of my absolute favorite places in EPCOT.  Filled with beautiful scenery, wonderful food and wine, and fun shopping, the pavilion temporarily fills my European travel desires that are on hold while I have a toddler.

Italy Pavilion
Picture courtesy of Chip and Co writer, Ken

From afar, the pavilion looks beautiful against the water, with Venetian gondolas tied up to a boat dock with the pavilion, created to resemble St. Mark’s Square in Venice, located off the water.  When you walk into the pavilion, on your right is a Wine shop, offering tastings, glasses, and bottles, including my personal favorite, Rosa Regale.  On the left side of the pavilion are the shops, where you can find perfumes, jewelry, and clothing, as well as other souvenirs.

Inside the pavilion are fountains, gardens, and two delicious table service restaurants.  The newest, pictured at top, Via Napoli, which is primarily a brick-oven pizza restaurant, occasionally has a quick-service pizza station during the busiest time of year.  The other restaurant, Tutto Italia, is another popular choice, filled with a more standard Italian menu of pasta and other dishes.

Though there are no rides, the Italy Pavilion offers visitors more than just food and shopping for entertainment.  Throughout the day, a variety of entertainers, including musicians, acting troupes, clowns, and more can be found performing.  And, as with all over pavilions around the World Showcase, a Kidcot station is also in the pavilion as well.

What are your favorite foods, entertainers, shops, or places to relax and watch Illuminations in the Italy Pavilion?  We’d love to hear your comments!

NEW Back-to-School Tween Fashion from Disney Channel show Shake It Up

NEW Back-to-School Tween Fashion from Disney Channel show Shake It Up

Summer may be over but the fun isn’t! Tweens can make a statement when they hit the school halls this fall with the season’s back-to-school must-haves!

In celebration of the hit Disney Channel show, Shake It Up, Disney Consumer Products is releasing a collection of apparel and accessories for tweens inspired by the style of the show’s leading ladies.

The latest “D-Signed” collection at Target® debuts, this time based on fashions worn by the shows female dancing duo CeCe and Rocky (played by actresses Bella Thorne and Zendaya). The CeCe and Rocky Collection does not feature the character’s face on it like so many franchises do, instead the designs are influenced by both girls’ styles. Indie Rock with an urban dance feel, the collection features uber-trendy pieces mixing pattern and fabric, creating a fun and fearless look. Ultra-cool, rebel blacks are punched up with electric green, fuchsia and deep purple. Sequins, grommets and studs accent animal prints and dark mottled tie-dye to bring together a perfect, dance-ready look!  The CeCe and Rocky D-Signed collection will be available in girl sizes 4 to 16 at Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com starting August 1, 2011.

Meanwhile, at Payless, an assortment of Shake It Up-inspired boots and sneakers with rainbow and sparkly laces, plus ballet flats and shoes will be available in girl sizes 12 to 5.

Celebs, Promotions and New Medals on runDisney’s Horizon

Celebs, Promotions and New Medals on runDisney’s Horizon

We are about a month away from the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend and there’s no doubt the more than 14,000 registered runners are counting down the days. There’s indeed a lot to be excited about this year. Actors Drew Carey (“The Price Is Right’’) and Megyn Price (“Rules of Engagement’’) are among the celebrities who will be either running or participating in the weekend of events, Sept 2-4.

But that’s not all. There’s more runDisney news on the horizon. For the next three Mondays, we will unveil a new medal and announce a cool new promotion tied to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna. Follow us on our runDisney Facebook page to catch all of the details.

Also, if you’re planning to run any of our runDisney races, particularly the Disneyland Half Marathon, and you have an inspirational reason for running, we’d love to know about it. Just follow this link to tell us your story.

Source Disney Parks Blog

Celebs, Promotions and New Medals on runDisney’s Horizon

Sinbad Gets ‘Goofy’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Actor and comedian Sinbad visited Walt Disney World Resort last week, and Disney Parks photographer Gene Duncan was on hand to snap this photo of the funnyman with one of our funniest friends, Goofy, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Famous Funnyman Sinbad Gets ‘Goofy’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Known for his roles in television and film, Sinbad has been making people laugh for more than 20 years, from memorable appearances on “Star Search” to being named one of the “Top 100 Stand-Up Comedians of All-Time” by Comedy Central.

His latest project is a series called “Sinbad: It’s Just Family,” which airs on the “WE tv” network.

Source Disney Parks Blog

Sinbad Gets ‘Goofy’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Mama Bargains.com Review – Great Service and Excellent Products

Mama Bargains.com Review - Great Service and Excellent Products

I had the pleasure of trying out Mama Bargains recently. You might remember the giveaway we ran last month where one lucky Chip and Co fan won a $30 Gift Card. As an added bonus for that giveaway MB also gave me a $30 Gift Card to try out their service.

So with Gift Card in hand I started stalking monitoring their website. I left a tab open in my firefox and checked their website 5-7 times a day. I also became a fan on Facebook Page so I wouldn’t miss out on anything. I read on their site you can also have them text you when a new deal comes available which didn’t interest me but it might for some people.

It took me a little bit to figure out that they post offers on their website and it stays there till it sells out. Then the next deal goes live. Doesn’t matter what time it is the next one goes live. So you have to monitor their site constantly. If you check out their FB page you will see they have a community that does the same thing I have been doing night and day.

It actually turned out to be alot of fun.

Most of the products listed didn’t interest me. Some were for boys, others were to fru fru girly for me so I waited for the right time to strike. It took about a week of watching and waiting till I found something.

Mama Bargains.com Review - Great Service and Excellent Products

This bright bin lunch box came available. Which is perfect since my oldest starts Kindergarten this year. We have a Ariel lunch bag now but I remember the good old days of bringing in my Gi Joe Night Rider lunch box to school and thought this would be a good gift for my little one. My idea is to get some Disney Stickers and Paint Markers and decorate it up.

So once this deal went live I ordered it. Ordering was a breeze and took only moments. I think it took me longer finding my email with my Gift Certificate code than it did to order the product.

Now we played the waiting game. It took about 8 business days to receive the product which is not bad. The product comes straight from them so that is pretty good shipping time.

Mama Bargains.com Review - Great Service and Excellent Products

Here is our lunch box. Just like the picture. The color is a little off from the lighting on the camera but it is a Firetruck Red. My little one really liked it and is excited to personalize it like we did with her Disney World Autograph book.

Overall my experience was great and I had no issues with my experience. Mama Bargains has some really great deals if you don’t mind waiting. If you have young children this website is perfect! I look forward to watching their website and facebook for more deals and offers.

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

Disney screenings of ABC shows “Once Upon a Time” and “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” at 2011 D23 Expo

Disney screenings of ABC shows “Once Upon a Time” and “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” at 2011 D23 Expo

Be among the first to watch ABC’s most anticipated new fall series and animated holiday special and have a chance to learn the secrets behind how they were made. Fans will have those opportunities at the D23 Expo, where the entire world of Disney comes together, August 19 and 20, at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Get a jump on the holiday season on Friday, August 19 at 12:45 p.m. in Stage 23, as the D23 exposition unwraps Walt Disney Animation Studios’ festive new special, “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice,” with an exclusive premiere screening of the latest, nicest and naughtiest adventure in this multiple Emmy Award®-winning program. Santa’s dauntless elves, Wayne and Lanny, find themselves up to their pointy ears in trouble, as they race to recover classified North Pole technology, which has fallen into the hands of a computer-hacking Naughty Kid. Their mission to prevent Christmas from descending into chaos has some riotous twists, turns and surprises. A special “Christmas in August” presentation and Q&A, moderated by “D23’s Disney Geek” host Jeffrey Epstein, will follow with Emmy Award-winning directors Kevin Deters & Stevie Wermers-Skelton, and producer Dorothy McKim.

Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz — the esteemed executive producers/writers of “Lost” and writers of “Tron: Legacy” — bring you ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” a bold, new series where fairytale characters collide with our world. On Saturday, August 20 at 12:45 p.m. in Stage 23, join Eddy and Adam for a Q&A, moderated by “D23’s Disney Geek” host Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a special screening of the show. Brace yourselves for a modern fable with thrilling twists and hints of darkness, brimming with wonder and filled with the magic of our most beloved fairytales. The series will premiere on Sunday, October 23 on ABC.

ABC Family Orders Additional 22 Episodes Of Hit Switched At Birth

ABC Family Orders Additional 22 Episodes Of Hit Switched At Birth

ABC Family has given a back-season order of 22 episodes to the network’s one-hour original drama, “Switched at Birth,” giving the break-out series a full first season order, Michael Riley, President, ABC Family has announced. ”Switched at Birth,” premiering Monday nights at 9:00PM ET/PT, will air its summer finale on Monday, August 8th. The series, which premiered this June with a 10-episode episode order, is scheduled to return in early 2012.

“Viewers have fallen in love with this show, just as we did when we first saw it,” said Riley. “We set out this year to bring viewers more original content than ever before, all with the trademarks of our bright, authentic, quality storytelling. We’re so thrilled to see this series become a break-out hit this summer and become a key component of our programming lineup into next year.”

“Everything about this ground-breaking show speaks to our Millennial viewers,” said Kate Juergens, Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Development, ABC Family. “It has heart, humor, drama and an incredible cast that has brought beautifully nuanced performances to every role. To see it resonate so deeply with audiences is just fantastic.”

“Switched at Birth” was recently honored as the recipient of AFTRA’s (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) 2011 American Scene “Crystal” Award®” — the top individual television program honoree in this year’s competition — “for its groundbreaking and seamless inclusion of performers with disabilities, storylines that showcase new assistive technologies, and ethnic diversity.” The series has also been nominated by the Teen Choice Awards in the “Choice Summer TV Show” category; Katie Leclerc and Sean Berdy have been nominated in the “Choice TV: Breakout Star” category; Vanessa Marano in the “Choice Summer TV Star: Female” category; and Lucas Grabeel in the “Choice Summer TV Star: Male” category. Constance Marie was also recently nominated by the ALMA Awards for “Favorite TV Actress – Supporting Role.”

ABC Family’s hit original series ”Switched at Birth” hit series highs in Viewers 12-34 in its most recent airing on July 25 and, 2011 to date, ranks among cable’s Top 5 original scripted series in Prime in Viewers 12-34 and Females 12-34. In addition, the No. 1 cable series at 9 o’clock in key female demos, “Switched at Birth” is typically Monday’s No. 1 TV telecast each week in Females 12-34. Moreover, launch to date, “Switched at Birth” is pacing as ABC Family’s No. 2 freshman season ever in Total Viewers and target 18-34 and 18-49 demos, behind only the freshman season for “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”

“Switched at Birth” tells the story of two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital. Bay Kennish grew up in a wealthy family with two parents and a brother, while Daphne Vasquez, who lost her hearing at an early age due to a case of meningitis, grew up with a single mother in a working class neighborhood. Things come to a dramatic head when both families meet and struggle to learn how to live together for the sake of the girls. Lizzy Weiss, Paul Stupin and John Ziffren serve as executive producers. “Switched at Birth” stars Katie Leclerc as Daphne Vasquez, Vanessa Marano as Bay Kennish, Constance Marie as Regina Vasquez, D.W. Moffett as John Kennish, Lea Thompson as Kathryn Kennish, Lucas Grabeel as Toby Kennish, and newcomer Sean Berdy as Emmett. Marlee Matlin guest-stars as Melody.

Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 98 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today’s families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today’s relationships – told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family’s programming is a combination of network defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with “13 Nights of Halloween” and “25 Days of Christmas!” ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.

Chip & Company Week in Review, August 1, 2011

Chip & Company Week in Review, August 1, 2011

Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of the Chip & Company Week in Review!  There has been a lot going on this week, so while I hope you have been able to read all of our great news stories, I certainly understand if you missed some of them – I know I did!  Take a look at some of these articles, and click on those you missed!

But remember, Chip & Company isn’t just news stories, check out our great writers and their original articles!  Here is just a small sampling for you to enjoy for the first time, or relive once again!

  • In our “Around the ‘Disney’ World” series, Ken wrote to us about the pavilion in France!  I hope you enjoyed it, but if you missed it, check it out!
  • Do you love Disney food?  If so, then you have probably had your mouth watering during our “Disney Food Confession” series!  Chip wrote about one of his favorites – the Mickey Mouse Waffle!
  • Is there anything at Walt Disney that you would consider a waste of time?  Lee has some on his personal list, and he shared them with you in his Top 5 Time Wasters at Disney World.  What are your thoughts?

Thank you everyone for reading Chip & Company!  Also, thanks to all of you that helped us to successfully reach our goal of 5000 Facebook Fans!  I heard a rumor that Chip is having a special contest for that, so look for details if they aren’t out already!  Have a great week!

Chip & Company Week in Review, August 1, 2011

Disneyland establishes machinist training program with Fullerton College

Disneyland establishes machinist training program with Fullerton College

Fullerton College and the Disneyland Resort have joined together to create a unique machinist training program that prepares adults for successful careers as machinists. A total of six students were selected earlier this year for the program, four of whom are Disneyland Resort cast members and two who were recommended by the machinist union.

The four-year program, which is supported by the International Association of Machinists District Lodge 947, consists of full-credit courses on the campus in subjects ranging from blueprint reading to automotive fundamentals. The units attained through taking those courses can be applied toward an associate’s degree. Program participants not only receive a classroom education, but also paid hands-on training three days a week in various departments of the Disneyland Resort including overhaul and manufacturing facilities, attraction maintenance and transportation services.

“This collaboration helps to develop the talents and potential of our cast members,” said Rich Langhorst, vice president of facilities and operations services at the Disneyland Resort. “The hands-on learning environment supported by the Disneyland Resort and Fullerton College is a great way to further develop the skills of the craft workers in our local-communities.”

Upon completion of the program, all participants are eligible to be hired into permanent positions available at the Disneyland Resort. In addition, each candidate who successfully completes the program is awarded the Journeyman card, which certifies that the candidate performs technical work at an advanced level and is trained to use power tools.

“One of the primary missions of the California community college system is to advance the state’s economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous work force improvement,” said Dr. Rajen Vurdien, Fullerton College president. “Our partnership with Disney allows us to provide real world experience and training that will benefit Orange County.”

“Community colleges are uniquely designed to respond to the needs of our local work force through practical-based coursework,” said Dan O’Brien, Fullerton College machining instructor. “The students are dedicated to improving their skills and gaining real-world experience, which is a huge advantage in this competitive job market.”