Disney Epic Mickey Launch Date Announcement and Brand New Trailer

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September 18, 2010

Disney Interactive Studios announced today that Disney Epic Mickey will be available on November 30 in North America, November 26 in the United Kingdom and November 25, 2010 in Europe. With its innovative style of gameplay using paint and thinner to dynamically change the game world, Disney Epic Mickey is one of the most anticipated titles of 2010. The game’s new video, “Journey”, is available for viewing now at www.Disney.com.

“I believe that video games tell stories as deep and as sophisticated as movies, books or any other medium. In Disney Epic Mickey, Mickey Mouse is faced with challenges worthy of a hero, while the players’ actions and their decisions throughout the game alter the gameworld,” said Warren Spector, general manager and creative director, Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point in Austin. “We are honored and humbled by the anticipation for Disney Epic Mickey, and we could not be more excited to get the game in people’s hands so that they can experience the thrill of becoming a hero and controlling their own destiny.”

Disney Epic Mickey is an action-adventure platforming game for the Wii console that sends Mickey Mouse on an epic journey of creativity and discovery. As Mickey, the player is propelled into Wasteland, an alternate world made up of Disney’s long forgotten characters and attractions, and is given the power to wield paint and paint thinner to dynamically change the world while determining Mickey’s path to becoming an epic hero.

Through the use of this unique paint and paint thinner, the key components of animation and Mickey’s tools for impacting his world, players will have the ability to shape how the story unfolds as they discover the concept of “Playstyle Matters” – an innovative style of gameplay created by Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point, led by industry luminary Warren Spector, where players creatively tackle different challenges in the world to explore all the possibilities and storylines – but with consequences for their chosen actions.

Disney Epic Mickey will be available exclusively for the Wii console.

Please visit www.Disney.com/DisneyEpicMickeyVideogame and www.Facebook.com/DisneyEpicMickey for more information.

The Best Thing I Love About Disney…The 50′s Prime Time Cafe

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

The Best Thing I Love About Disney…The 50’s Prime Time Cafe

The Best Thing I Love About Disney…The 50′s Prime Time Cafe

Why do I love The 50’s Prime Time Cafe at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? The food is good solid comfort food just like Mom used to make (if she was feeding a few thousand people a day). There is a lot of fun to be had if you are willing to play along with your “relatives” who are not shy about making sure you eat everything on your plate. As a matter of fact, green beans are notoriously left on plates and Mom or Cousin Bob has been known to feed them to you if you do leave them. Above all, please don’t put your elbows on the table or you will receive a stern reprimand from your Sister/Brother or whoever. Please don’t let this scare you off. If you do not want to play along, the Cast Members are very good at sensing this and will leave you alone to enjoy your meal.

But – these reasons are not what made me initially put The 50’s Prime Time on my must do every trip list, they became part of the overall experience after we were seated the first time and I looked around and felt – Hey, this is the kitchen I grew up in during the early 50’s (appropriate huh!!). It was our kitchen down to the vinyl chairs, linoleum covered tables and black and white TV showing reruns of I Love Lucy, My Little Margie, etc. It’s a little like the Sci-Fi Dine-In in Mom’s kitchen with better food. A lot of people love The 50’s Prime Time Cafe but those of us Oldies who were born in the 40’s and grew up during the 50’s particularly enjoy it. Give it a try, I think you’ll enjoy it!! Have a great visit to Walt Disney World!!

Ken

Now You Can Preorder the 2011 Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation Guide

By

Chip

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September 18, 2010

The Intrepid Traveler is celebrating the all-new 2011 edition of Steve Barrett’s The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation with a special pre-publication offer.

Once again, Steve has trained his scientific eye of the knotty problem of how to guide you through all the magic, all the thrills, all the joy of the “Happiest Place on Earth”™ without spending hour upon hour in long lines. “More than 20 minutes in line is too much!” is Steve’s motto. And this is the book that delivers on that promise.

The 2011 edition has been completed updated and field tested. Plus, new park photos throughout, including an 8-page, full-color WDW photo quiz, and all the latest info on Disney attractions in every park in WDW.

The new edition is at the printer now, and it will be a while before it hits the bookstore shelves, but for a limited time only you can pre-order your copy for just $9.95 (including free shipping in the US and Canada).

That way you can guarantee that you will be first in line for Disney fun.

Click here to preorder it now!

Setting Goals on Your Disney Vacation.

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

Do you set goals for your Disney vacation? There’s so much to do you almost have to. Still, every trip there are new things I’d like to try, but I end up sticking to a lot of the same things. I guess that’s my Disney confession: I’ve ignored some of the most popular rides, like Test Track and Spaceship Earth. But this trip, a short girls-only weekend at the end of the month, is a little different. For one, we have a twelve year old in tow, so I owe it to her to make sure she sees as much as possible in the one day she’ll be with us. For another, my good friend is bringing her 20-year old daughter who likes thrill rides. So we have to have a plan. Maybe not a touring plan–it’s a slow weekend and I don’t tend to use them when the parks aren’t crowded– but we need some sort of organization.

It occurred to me that if you’re fortunate enough to visit the parks regularly, you probably skip certain attractions if the line is too long or if you’re short on time because you know you’ll be back. For me, it goes even further than that. I take a very laid-back approach to touring the parks, sometimes riding only a handful of rides in one day even though I spend a lot of time in the parks. This time, I plan on doing things I haven’t done before or haven’t done in a long time and I plan on packing a lot in. Here are my goals for this trip:

1. Try Via Napoli. Okay, that’s an easy one. I like to eat. And from what I’ve heard, Disney has finally done pizza right.

2. Get everyone on Splash Mountain–none of them have ever been. It’s one of my favorites, but I tend not to do it because my kids are little enough that they think it’s scary.

3. Tour Boardwalk.

4. Ride Spaceship Earth. How did I miss this one? I mean, it’s right there when you walk into Epcot and it happens to be huge!

5. Ride Space Mountain. I’ve only been on it once and to be honest, I think it’s a little scary.

6. Watch the entire Dream along with Mickey show in front of the castle. I rarely watch the whole thing.

7. Get to the Magic Kingdom when it opens! I absolutely can never make opening at this park.

8. Get some great photos of Toontown. Time is running out.

9. Ride Test Track. Again, one of those I haven’t been on yet.

10. Try to time a ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad during Wishes.

11. Take a ton of pictures. I’m always needing them for this blog and for Chip and Co.

12. Attend at least one Disney meetup. Right now I’m signed up to go to the Disney Food Blog’s Foodie Fest. I’m also doing a meet up with Chip and Co readers in the Magic Kingdom. You can read about it on our Facebook page. Join us if you can!

13. Try to get a table at La Hacienda de San Angel, the new Mexican place in Epcot. I know, again with the food. The pictures from last night’s press event looked great.

14. Take a walk from the Poly to the Grand Floridian. It’s one of the nicest pathways in Disney World and a great place for pictures.

15. See Festival of the Lion King again.

Okay, and if I get up the nerve, I’ll ride Tower of Terror too. You know, for the twelve-year old.

Now I only have two more weeks to resign myself to ride Space Mountain. I can’t wait!

Geek-End Update, Saturday, September 18, 2010

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

Amid at Cartoon Brew posts a 1959 photo with a ton of Disney Legends.
Chip and Co looks at visiting Celebration. (You can see Chris’ post here, too.)
Designing Disney shares the Storybook Story at Disneyland Paris.
Didier Ghez at Disney History links to some great artwork that is on sale.
Fresh Roasted Corn…just go there!
The Jungle is “101” takes us backstage! Mike also shares one of the best times, ever, to visit Disneyland.
Dem Parkeology Boys do a little shadow huntin’ at Peter Pan’s Flight!
Jack Spence presents a detailed look at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe.
Futuerprobe waxes poetic about 2083…
Mark Sonntag at TagToonz posts images from a great 1935 publicity flyer.
HGB2 at Long-Forgotten proffers one of the most amazing Haunted Mansion-related posts.
Rob at A Filmic Light looks at composing Snow White.
SamLand takes an historical look at some rocks at Disneyland.
Matt at StudiosCentral shares some great details about Star Tours.
Ryan at the Main Street Gazette posts some details from One Man’s Dream.

Review: Disney Camp Rock the Final Jam for Nintendo DS

By

Chip

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September 18, 2010

Disney recently hooked me up with a chance to play Camp Rock the Final Jam on the Nintendo DS. Upon receiving it I cracked open the box, slapped on my headphones and started to play.

One thing I especially love is how the game feels like its 3 games in one.You won’t notice that initially but the more you play it the more that opens up for you.

First you have the puzzle game aspect which I like. You have to solve mysteries or puzzles to get things accomplished in the game.

Next the mini games are fun like looking for tokens or my favorite rowing a canoe.Very Cool!

Finally the highlight for me is the music. Playing the guitar, bass, drums or dancing I can imagine will be a really big hit for those die hard Camp Rock Fans.

I came into playing this game a little hesitant since it is a game based off a movie and we all know what that can mean. But I was presently surprised to find myself really enjoying this game.

I tried to let my daughter play it but she struggled with it so I would say you have to be over 6 to really enjoy this.

I would give it a thumbs up and a BIG thumbs up if you love the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and The Camp Rock Movies.

Check it out! If you have played the game or have questions let us know in the comment section below.

>>Chip

Disney World Quick Tips…Someone You Can Always Count On

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

When you are far from home and you are having a problem or you have an issue that requires some assistance, trying to find help can be difficult at best. Fortunately, at Walt Disney World, that is absolutely not the case. There is always someone that you, a lost child, a confused senior (as I occasionally get) , or anybody in need can count on. That person is and always has been the closest Walt Disney World Cast Member. They are there for you and always ready to help no matter the problem.

One of the most frightening things a parent can face is to become separated from a child, a senior, or anyone else while in a place with which one or both of you may be unfamiliar. Another situation that can pop up is a medical issue that requires assistance. Cast Members are trained and equipped to get the appropriate help or provide it themselves depending on the issue. They can help, they want to help, and most important of all they will help.

The things that you as a visitor can do to make sure you can get the help you need is to make sure that everyone in your party knows that if they get lost, become separated, or need help with anything while at Walt Disney World seek out a Cast Member. Also make sure that everyone has each others contact information (cell# etc.) on their person. This is particularly important for children and my fellow seniors, particularly on a first visit. There is also another thing you can do which may or may not seem silly – make sure everyone knows what Cast Members look like, especially while in the parks where issues are most likely to occur. As you enter each park, ask your children to point out one or two Cast Members so you are confident in their ability to recognize them. Just one more, have a meeting place set up that everyone is aware of and can relate to a Cast Member. That will just make it easier on everyone.

Remember, at Walt Disney World, the Cast Members are the best group of friends you could ever have. You can rely on them. Enjoy your Walt Disney World visit and remember those Cast Members!!!

Ken

Making a Disney Vacation Magical

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

I never thought I would be doing this, but I love Disney so much so the thought of writing about my experiences in Disney just makes my heart happy!

I have lived in New England for 32 years and have enjoyed Disney World 14 times! My husband and I began our first week as Husband and wife in Disney in 1999. As all of you know, it is such a magical place. We can’t deny them that one!

I would like to talk a little bit about the extras that they have in Disney. When we went this past August, it was my 3 year olds first time in Disney. Of course he watches Handy Manny and the rest of the Playhouse Disney gang, but this was totally different! He was going to be there! How exciting!!

We decided that this trip was going to be the trip that we stayed in the park. The Pop Century Resort was the winner. We went the last week in August so we were able to get the dining plan for free! (Well, we upgraded so it was a little bit more expensive but completely worth it)

I wanted this trip to be perfect for him. My 10 year old (who has been 4 times himself) and I started having Disney Mondays (while Daddy was at Fire Training) On Disney Mondays, we would make something that we love for supper and we would watch a Disney movie. The kids loved it so much. After the movie was over, we would go online and see all the fun stuff they had at the parks. While we were doing our “research” as he called it, we stumbled across so many really neat things!

The first thing that we came across was the Customized Disney maps. Disney will create a map specifically for your family. We picked all of the attractions that we would be interested in and in another 2 weeks, we got the maps and they were so nice! There were additional suggestions on the map as well as stickers to mark the map up with. We used them the whole trip!

The other thing I did was order my 10 year old some pins for Pin Trading. He read up on the rules it really was a lot of fun!! My little one had no interest what so ever in it, he was way too young to understand it. It was just such a great thing to come up with though. Imagine being a kid in Disney and wanting to trade something and you are never told “no” by the employees. That’s just another great Disney addition!

I called Disney and asked them what I could do to make my trip even more Magical. I knew the dining plan was going to be fantastic, as we were able to go to a table service meal every day and see the characters, but I wanted to do more. I was able to book the boys for the Pirates League which was a huge hit! What an amazing face painting job! You really get a lot for $29.95 (which is the base package) and the experience of it all was amazing for the whole family.

Our trip was amazing. From Space Mountain to Playhouse Disney Live, Disney is a one of a kind family vacation!

Author : Robin Turilli

Robin is now a member of the Chip Panel an elite group of Disney Guest Bloggers featured on the Chip and Company site. If you love Disney and enjoy writing you should apply to the Chip Panel..Along with being immortalized on Chip and Company Website you will be entered in a drawing for a free $25 Disney Store Giveaway!

The Best Things I Like about Disney – Doing Nothing.

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

The Best Things I Like about Disney – Doing Nothing.

I know that Disney vacations are go go go, but the best part of my vacation is often when I’m doing absolutely nothing. I’ve had some great conversations with grandparents sneaking a break on the benches in Frontierland; you can learn a lot from a couple who’s been married for 50 years. Sometimes I’ll spend a couple of cool hours sitting in the lobby of the Grand Floridian doing absolutely nothing but people watching and enjoying the free air conditioning (and no, I’m not always staying there when I do it). And there’s also nothing I like better than finding a bench and watching the castle change colors at closing time when everyone else is running out of the Magic Kingdom. Those are some of my best memories. They didn’t cost extra and they weren’t dependent on anyone but me and my companions to make it happen.

The next time you’re in the World, I challenge you to sit down and do nothing. It might be difficult. After all, we’ve sort of trained ourselves to want to do everything on every trip. But if you sit back and relax, you’ll see things you won’t normally see. You might even meet some new people. It’s another way of making that Disney magic happen.

Disney’s Off Kilter Band & One Lucky Fan

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

Off Kilter: unusual in a strange or interesting way.

At least that’s how the dictionary defines it. For me, Off Kilter is one of the most under-rated, memorable and enjoyable acts in all of Walt Disney World.

Located in EPCOT at the Canadian pavilion, Off Kilter is a band that mixes hard rock, country and traditional Celtic melodies with their own twist. The group is made up of five high energy and engaging members. Jamie Holton on bagpipes and lead vocals, Mark Weldon on bass and vocals, Scotty Zymowski on drums, Tony Escapa on keyboards and Randy Holbrook on guitar. And not only are they incredible musicians that deliver foot stomping, hand clapping, “put a smile on your face” entertainment; they are all class act people.

Two years ago, my then five year old son Aiden, could not wait to see Off Kilter on our trip to Epcot. He listened to his CD constantly and searched the web for as many YouTube videos as he could find of Off Kilter performing. When our day at Epcot finally came, Aiden wasn’t feeling well and we ended up with an emergency visit to Florida Hospital before we could see them perform. He was heartbroken! We were scheduled to leave the next day and thought we wouldn’t have another chance to see the show.

My mom and several other family members had stayed in the park and went to the show. Afterwards, my mom spoke with Jamie and told him what had happened with their number one fan. Jamie was very empathetic about the whole situation and he got all the guys to autograph drum sticks for Aiden and even offered to come to the hospital or the hotel if we missed their last show, just to meet Aiden!

Luckily, we did make it for a tiny bit of the last show, and although Aiden still wasn’t feeling 100%, he was clapping and smiling the entire show! Afterwards, we took Aiden up to meet Jamie. Jamie brought him on stage and introduced him to all the guys. The look on his face is something I will never forget!! From then on, Aiden swore he was going to learn to play bagpipes just like Jamie!!

This past summer, we made a return trip to Disney World and Aiden, 2 years older and still in love with Off Kilter and bagpipes, couldn’t wait until we got to Epcot to see Off Kilter. He proudly wore his “When I grow up I want to be a Bagpiper” shirt and clapped and sang along with every song, right in front of the stage. Jamie even commented on his shirt during the show and I thought Aiden would explode with joy! After the show, Jamie came down to meet with Aiden for a while and take pictures. It was Aidens favorite part of our entire trip!

So next time your in Epcot and hear the melodic strains of bagpipes floating on the breeze, head on over towards the Canadian pavilion where Off Kilter will treat you to an amazing show! Whether they are singing and dancing around in their kilts (and boots!), posing for comedic pictures on stage or making a little boys dream come true, Off Kilter delivers every single time and I can guarantee you will walk away with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

And by the way; Aiden starts bagpipe lesson this month and he can’t wait to get back to Epcot to tell his hero, Jamie Holton ALL about it!!

Author: Jaime Gottfried
Vermilion, OH

Jaime is now a member of the Chip Panel an elite group of Disney Guest Bloggers featured on the Chip and Company site. If you love Disney and enjoy writing you should apply to the Chip Panel..Along with being immortalized on Chip and Company Website you will be entered in a drawing for a free $25 Disney Store Giveaway!

Photo credits Jamie Gottfried & Disney

Disney World Quick Tips…Avoid Schlepping Souvenirs

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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September 18, 2010

Disney World Quick Tip…Avoid Schlepping Souvenirs

Disney World Quick Tips…Avoid Schlepping Souvenirs

One thing I love to do at Walt Disney World is shop for souvenirs. Something I hate as much as I love shopping is carrying those things around all day long. There is an alternative, the “package delivery service” available at all Disney merchandise stores. Unfortunately, if you are staying off site, the service is not available to you. It is just one more of the perks for staying in a Disney resort. As you prepare to pay for your purchases just let the cashier know before he/she begins to ring up your items that you would like the items delivered to your resort. You give them the information they need i.e. name, resort, and anything else they require and you walk away from the cash register carrying only the receipt they give you. As if by Magic (yup – it’s Disney) the items will arrive at your resort approximately 24 hours later.

We use this service every visit and have never had an issue. There is one word of caution, you want to avoid using package delivery on the day before you check out because there are no guaranteed delivery times and since check out time at most resorts is 11:00 AM it’s very likely your packages will not arrive at your resort before you check out. You probably wouldn’t have time to pack them even if they got there in the morning because of the check out time. Based on our past experiences you can use the system with confidence. Enjoy your Walt Disney World visit (and the shopping too).

Ken

Planning an Affordable Disneyworld Vacation

By

Chip

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September 18, 2010

Many times people ask us how to plan an Affordable Disneyworld Vacation. While we try to post tips and tricks as much as we can, but we have yet to put all those various things we have learned over the years into one location.

Not anymore…

Nancy one of our writers and founder of “The Affordable Mouse” a website and blog dedicated to helping folks plan affordable Disney vacations. Has come up up a full 50 Page planning guide to help assist you will all facets of your Disney World vacation.

To receive yours…

Click the tab at the top of the page that says Planning to sign up and receive your FREE copy today.