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Toys”R”Us and Disney Create New Collection of Innovative Wood Toys Based on Disney-Pixar Cars

Toys"R"Us and Disney Create New Collection of Innovative Wood Toys Based on Disney-Pixar Cars

Toys”R”Us, Inc. today announced the launch of its first-ever collection of wood vehicles, track and playsets based on the popular Disney-Pixar movie, Cars. Two years in the making, and now available exclusively at Toys”R”Us® stores around the world and online at Toysrus.com, the Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection was created and designed by Toys”R”Us in collaboration with Disney Consumer Products.  The current collection of 15 items consists of a variety of collectible Cars vehicle 2-packs, destination playsets and a track set giving kids a unique way to recreate the storyline from the 2006 blockbuster movie.  The wood line will soon be expanded with vehicles and playsets based on the highly anticipated release of Cars 2, in theaters June 24, 2011.

(See Below for Pictures)

“The Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection builds on our long-standing relationship with Disney Consumer Products and our desire to bring new and innovative play experiences to kids and families through quality products,” said Richard Barry, Vice President, General Merchandising Manager, Learning Toys, Electronics and Entertainment, Toys”R”Us, Inc.  “We are excited to introduce this differentiated line of toys that allows kids to race through the world of Cars in a whole new way.”

“Toys”R”Us has shown a commitment to offering a broad selection of high quality toys,” said Chris Heatherly, Vice President of Toys at Disney Consumer Products.  “In developing this wood collection with Toys”R”Us, we were able to capture the unique personality of each cherished movie character and transfer it into premium products that bring the world of Cars to life through classic wood track set play.”

The Cars franchise continues to capture the imaginations of kids year in and year out with compelling products and content, delivering new adventures such as the Cars Toon series of shorts airing on Disney Channel.  The Toys”R”Us Product Development and Merchandising teams worked together with the Disney Consumer Products team to develop a specialty product that offers kids’ favorite characters in real wood with vibrant colors and innovative functionality.  The resulting Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection captures amazing details to deliver high play value for kids and striking aesthetics for collectors.

The Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection is one of this year’s first Toys”R”Us global exclusives with the full product line available in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, U.K., Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  Cars enthusiasts, both young and old, can collect all of their favorite, four-wheeled characters like Lightning McQueen, Mater, Doc Hudson and Sally, and race through an adventure-filled wood world of ramps and tracks down the iconic Route 66 to end up at original Cars destinations, such as Tow Mater‘s Yard or Luigi‘s Casa Della Tires.  Customers can find the distinctive wood vehicles, playsets and track set in the Imaginarium® department of Toys”R”Us stores.

The Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection products are priced from $16.99 to $49.99 and include:

DisneyPixar Cars Wood Collection Vehicle 2-Packs

Kids can collect all of their favorite Cars characters in special 2-pack sets, including favorites like: Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen and Sally; Doc Hudson and Dusty Lightning McQueen; Fillmore and Sarge; Flo and Ramone; Mater and Hudson Hornet Doc; The King and Chick Hicks; Dinoco McQueen and Tex; and Wingo and Boost.  Additionally, the following Disney-Pixar Cars Wood Collection Vehicle 2-Packs will be available exclusively at Toys”R”Us this spring: DJ and Snot Rod; Cruisin’ Lightning McQueen and Ramone; Tractor and Young Tow Mater; Red and Guido.

Luigi’s Casa Della Tires Playset

Little ones can work with Luigi at his Casa Della Tires to make sure the residents of Radiator Springs are ready for their next road trip. While visiting Luigi’s, kids can spin his tower of tires, stop by the air pump for a “fill up,” or crank-up the vehicles onto the mechanic’s ramp for a quick tune-up before launching them onto the track.  This playset includes a Luigi vehicle.

Tow Mater’s Yard Playset

Kids can join Lightning McQueen’s pal, Mater as he pulls and hauls cars into his home base – Tow Mater Towing and Salvage.  From there, kids can use the working crane to grab, lift, swing and drop the vehicles into the fenced-in tow yard or head out into Radiator Springs through the quick-escape ramp that exits through the garage.  This playset includes a Mater vehicle.

Sheriff’s Race ‘n Chase Track Set

Cars fans will be delighted to relive one of the film’s classic scenes – when Lightning McQueen first raced through Radiator Springs frantically searching for Mack with Sheriff hot on his bumper!  Kids can race through the set, knock down a row of cones and topple a tower of Luigi’s tires.  This set includes a special edition metallic Lightning McQueen vehicle, a Sheriff vehicle, a Radiator Springs billboard sign for Sheriff to hide behind, a race ‘n chase ramp, interchangeable track pieces and four tires.

Toys"R"Us and Disney Create New Collection of Innovative Wood Toys Based on Disney-Pixar Cars

Main Street Maze

Main Street Maze

Disneyland has been repaving Main Street, which means lots of walls are up one day and down a few days later. These walls aren’t exactly pleasing to the eye, but would you rather see a hole in the ground or the wall? Aside from the eyesore problem, they’re somewhat tough to navigate around, especially when the park is closing or the mad rush of people leave right after the fireworks.

Disneyland’s got to do what they’ve got to do to keep up park maintenance. I give them props for truly caring about the park’s appearance. (Disneyland is known for their high appearance and grooming standards.) I don’t think anyone wants to see Main Street full of cracks and missing chunks of asphalt. I just wish it didn’t create a tough exit.

The new paved areas do look nicer, though…

Main Street Maze

Main Street Maze

Main Street Maze

Main Street Maze

Coming to Bluray: Tales from Earthsea

Coming to Bluray: Tales from Earthsea

From Disney and Studio Ghibli comes the epic animated adventure Tales From Earthsea, directed by Goro Miyazaki, and featuring the voices of Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, and Mariska Hargitay.

Based on the classic “Earthsea” fantasy book series by Ursula Le Guin, Tales from Earthsea is set in a mythical world filled with magic and bewitchment. Journey with Lord Archmage Sparrowhawk, a master wizard, and Arren, a troubled young prince, on a tale of redemption and self-discovery as they search for the force behind a mysterious imbalance in the land of Earthsea; crops are dwindling,dragons have reappeared, and humanity is giving way to chaos.

Featuring a timeless story and magnificent hand-drawn animation, Tales From Earthsea is must-have DVD for every film enthusiast’s collection.

Coming to Bluray March 8, 2011

Rating: US-PG-13; Canada-PG

Suggested Retail Pricing: 1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada

Bonus Features:

  • Behind the Studio
  • Enter The Lands
  • Studio Ghibli Trivia Challenge

Cast:

  • Timothy Dalton (Toy Story 3, The Tourist, The Informant)
  • Willem Dafoe (John Carter of Mars, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Spider Man)
  • Cheech Marin (Cars, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Spy Kids)
  • Mariska Hargitay (TV’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order)

Director:

  • Goro Miyazaki (directorial debut)

Producers:

  • Toshio Suzuki (Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke)
Coming to Bluray: Tales from Earthsea

Coming to Bluray: Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind

Coming to Bluray: Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind

For the first time ever, the magic of Blu-ray™ high definition reveals the exquisite details in Hayao Miyazaki’s epic masterpiece, Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind. Experience the film that launched the Academy Award–winning career (2002 for best animated feature, Spirited Away) of one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animation.

After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley Of The Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.

Like Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and Ponyo, Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind will dazzle your senses with its intricately imagined storytelling and stunning animation.

Coming to Bluray March 8, 2011

Suggested Retail Pricing: 2-Disc  Blu-ray Combo Pack (BD+DVD) = $39.99 U.S./$44.99 Canada

Features:

  • Behind the Studio
  • Enter the Lands
  • Studio Ghibli Trivia Challenge
  • Original Japanese storyboards
  • Behind the Microphone
  • The Birth Story of Studio Ghibli
  • Original TV trailers

Cast:

Director:

Producers:

  • Michio Kondô (Nausiacaä and the Valley of the Wind)
  • Isao Takahata (Castle in the Sky, Nausiacaä and the Valley of the Wind)
  • Yasuyoshi Tokuma (Spirited Away, Pulse, Ritual)
Coming to Bluray: Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind

Help with Disney Dining Questions

Help with Disney Dining Questions

I love talking about Walt Disney World with anyone who will listen, especially those who have never visited before. Nothing brightens my day more than having someone who has never been contact me for help with their first ever trip. I get so excited for them and I really appreciate having the pleasure of helping them to plan such an important family trip.

I am not a travel agent, nor do I have the skills of a travel agent. All I can offer is my advice from my own personal experiences and the first-hand knowledge gained from my travels to WDW this past many years. My children are always telling me I should go back to school and become a Disney travel agent but, as I tell them, I am looking forward to actually being able to stop working one day not start a whole new career from scratch. I am looking forward to spending my retirement years at Walt Disney World, after all. Still, if I had known 20 years ago what I know now, that is exactly the path I would have taken.

I was recently contacted by a very sweet lady who had some questions regarding her upcoming first-time Disney trip. Her questions revolved mostly around the free dining plan she was lucky enough to secure for herself and her family. Specifically, she asked questions about Cinderella’s Royal Table and her other choices for table service meals. She also asked for advice on maximizing her free dining benefits while incorporating some additional meals.

I thought that maybe others were having the same questions, so I thought I would share the advice I gave to her with all of you. This information will be of the same value to those who are paying for the dining plan. Just to be clear, the Disney Dining Plan affords you 1 table service meal, 1 quick service meal, and 1 snack per person per day.

Here is the advice I offered:

1.  I believe it is a great idea to use a table service credit for a character breakfast on your first full day at Walt Disney World. Good choices are Chef Mickey’s, the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, and the Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom, just to name a few.

2.  Using snack credits for breakfast items and having breakfast out by the pool, and then letting the kids have a lazy morning swimming and having some fun at the resort, is another great idea. Your kids will love you for it.

3.  If you plan to head to Downtown Disney after a day in the park, but you are unsure about eating at Downtown, an alternate idea would be to take a bus from the park to any resort of your choosing and have a meal there. You should choose a resort you are really interested in seeing and have dinner, then check out the property. Afterwards, take that resort’s bus to Downtown Disney.

4.  If you are interested in a signature dining experience, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table, but you cannot decide whether or not you want to use 2 table service credits per person for the meal, try paying for some less expensive meals and go ahead and use the credits.  For example, breakfast dining is the least expensive meal, so you might choose to pay for a breakfast at Chef Mickey’s in order to save some TS credits.

Let’s look at this idea more closely. For this example, I  have based the figures on a family of 4 with 2 adults and 2 children. The charge for breakfast at Chef Mickey’s is $26.62 for adults (2) and $13.99 for kids (2). So, that would be 81.22 to pay for Chef Mickey’s instead of using the 4 TS credits.

Another example would be breakfast at Hollywood and Vine. Here, the cost for adults is 24.99 (2) and 13.99 for kids (2). So, that would be 77.96. If you pay for this you will save 4 TS credits.

So, if you decided to pay for both breakfast meals, you would be paying a total of $159.18 which is still cheaper than paying for Cinderella’s Royal Table at $173.00. If you do not want to use them for a signature dining experience, you will be able to use TS credits you saved for more dinner-time meals, if you choose to use them that way.

There are many options to maximizing the meal credits based on your family’s wishes. If you have specific dining questions, feel free to call on the experts at Disney Dining at 407-WDW-DINE.

Whether you are lucky enough to get free dining or if you have to pay for it, these tips will still help in your planning. Either way, I hope you will have a magical vacation with your family.

Help with Disney Dining Questions

Disney Character Updates and News for February 2011

Disney Character Updates and News for February 2011

Walt Disney World Updates

The big upcoming character news for WDW are the changes coming because of Toontown closing. All the current residents of Toontown will be moving to new locations:

  • Mickey and Minnie are moving to Tomorrowland near Space Mountain but may also occasionally show up in Frontierland and Liberty Square
  • The Princesses will be moving to the Adventureland Veranda
  • The Fairies (including Tink) will be moving to Epcot near MouseGear. At first not all the fairies may be out but at least Tink, Terrence, and Vidia should be and more of Tink’s friends may be back for Flower and Garden once that starts

The next big piece of news is that it has been announced that Phineas & Ferb will be coming to DHS in May!

Disneyland Updates

Family Fun Weekends are continuing through the beginning of March and extra characters or more common characters in special outfits have been there for each event.

In California Adventure they have expanded their little shows that have “replaced” the Pixar Play Parade and now there is a “Monsters Inc: Monster Mayhem” show in addition to the Heroes in Training show.

Due to various refurbs currently Critter Country is completely closed… no word on where or if the characters that normally meet there have found a temporary home while the refurb is going on.

Disneyland Paris Updates

Most of the current changes to Disneyland Paris are related to the Fantasyland refurbs with characters showing up in unusual places. For example the Disney All Star Express has had more random characters much like the original Character Express and some characters have randomly shown up in Videopolis. Things will probably be quiet in DLP until the start of the new festival in April.

That is all the news for this month. As always you can find the latest Character news and information as well as lots and lots of photos at Disney Character Central!

Disney Character Updates and News for February 2011

A DiVine Sight

A DiVine Sight

For many years I have really enjoyed the live entertainment at the Disney parks. Whether it was an act that is no longer in the parks, such as the living statues in Italy at Epcot, or the current entertainment offerings, I have always found them to be so unique. My family and I experienced one of the best examples of this during our day at the Animal Kingdom this past November.

We were on our way to our favorite ride at the park, Expedition Everest, when all of a sudden my husband started scrambling for the camera. He said, “Oh my gosh, look at that!” I couldn’t believe it. It was DiVine and I hadn’t seen her at the park for the last couple of trips. This time we got lucky again. When we were there a few years ago, she was in the middle of the walkway but this year she was in great camouflage with her surroundings and she was moving ever so gently behind the fenced area toward Asia.

She is mesmerizing to watch. She moves in a strange but graceful way and I can’t seem to stop staring at this unique artistry. I did some research on DiVine for this blog and found out that she is a performance artist named Priscilla Blight who has travelled all around the globe and has now brought her expressive talents to the Animal Kingdom for an exclusive engagement. She now makes her home on the pathways between Africa and Asia.

You must look carefully or you will walk right past her, as I guess I have done for the past couple of years. This time, she was easier to spot and even if we had not seen her right away, she caused such a crowd that we certainly would have caught on. We all had our cameras out and we were all following her around like paparazzi. If you are lucky enough to spot her, take a moment to enjoy this unique 10-foot tall plant girl.

A DiVine Sight

Mickey’s Soundsational Parade to Debut in Summer at Disneyland

Mickey's Soundsational Parade to Debut in Summer at Disneyland

Along with Star Tours 2.0 and Little Mermaid being pushed back to June, the new parade at Disneyland will also make its way to the park in the summer. This news, along with the date push-backs, were announced on Inside the Magic’s website.

Mickey’s Soundsational Parade will feature many performers and Disney characters making their way down Main Street while grooving to Disney tunes.

I’m super excited for this parade, and I hope a lot of other people are, too!

Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog.

Mickey's Soundsational Parade to Debut in Summer at Disneyland

Star Tours 2.0, Little Mermaid Delayed at Disneyland and California Adventure

Star Tours 2.0, Little Mermaid Delayed at Disneyland and California Adventure

I found this bit of news on Ricky Brigante’s Inside the Magic website. You can read the original article here.

The Little Mermaid dark ride, currently under construction at California Adventure, was supposed to have a spring opening date, but alas, it has been pushed back to June. No specific date has been announced.

Across the way at Disneyland, work is being done on Star Tours. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (aka Star Tours 2.0) had an opening date of May 20, 2011, but that has also been pushed back to June 2011.

While I’m sad that I’ll have to wait a bit longer for these two attractions, I think it’s important that they make sure everything is done properly to give guests the best experience they possibly can. I can’t wait until June! (I just hope they don’t open when my pass is blocked out.)

The photo above is concept art from Blue Sky Cellar. The pictured mural will be featured in the Little Mermaid dark ride attraction.

  • A Decade of Fun at Disney California Adventure Park: Top Attractions, 552,000 Points, 236 Doors and More (chipandco.com)
  • New Blue Sky Cellar Show Previews Little Mermaid and Unveils an ‘Animated’ Map (chipandco.com)
Star Tours 2.0, Little Mermaid Delayed at Disneyland and California Adventure

Disney Family ‘Out of the Cold’ Sweepstakes

Disney Family ‘Out of the Cold’ Sweepstakes

Melt away those winter blues with a vacation to sunny California. Enter the Disney Family & Campbell’s Out of the Cold Sweepstakes.

Grand Prize Winner

One Grand Prize winner will receive $4,500 toward a trip for four to beautiful San Diego.

For more details and to enter click the picture above.

Disney Family ‘Out of the Cold’ Sweepstakes

Disney Family Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Sweepstakes

Disney Family Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Sweepstakes

Disney Family is giving one lucky person $3500 towards your very own Ultimate Bedroom Makeover!

Grand Prize:

  • $3,500 to create your very own dream bedroom!

The winner will be announced on or around March 31, 2011!

Click on the picture above to learn more and to enter.

Disney Family Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Sweepstakes

Baby Einstein Adds Three New Discovery Kits to its Collection on February 22nd

Baby Einstein Adds Three New Discovery Kits to its Collection on February 22ndBaby Einstein Adds Three New Discovery Kits to its Collection on February 22ndBaby Einstein Adds Three New Discovery Kits to its Collection on February 22nd
Baby Einstein, an award-winning leader of infant products, proudly adds three new products – Baby Lullaby, Neptune’s Oceans & World of Rhythm – to its line-up of recently unveiled Baby Einstein Discovery Kits on February 22, 2011. Baby Einstein Discovery Kits, which are specifically designed for babies up to two-years of age, help parents introduce babies to the beautiful worlds of classical music, nature and the arts through integrated multimedia kits.

Baby Einstein Discovery Kits (which are each packaged to include a Baby Einstein DVD, a music CD and either a book or Discovery Cards) are designed to help provideparents with new ways to introduce their little ones to the world around them in playful and engaging ways. The kits not only promote discovery and inspire baby’s natural curiosities but they also encourage parents to look to their everyday experiences as a way to extend content beyond just the kit.

All multimedia elements included in the kit compliment the other, inviting little eyes and little ears to enjoy the bright colors, real-world images, fun puppet shows and delightful melodies featured either in the DVD, CD, babybook or Discovery Cards. Discovery Kits align with a baby’s path from infant to toddler by offering three broad levels of discovery — Experience (Level 1), Explore (Level 2) and Expression (Level 3). Level 1 kits are about experiencing music, utilizing popular classical music works by Beethoven, Mozart, Bach and others, re-orchestrated for little ears and enhanced with simple baby-friendly images and puppet shows. Level 2 kits invite babies to explore the outdoors and focus on animals found in nature, the ocean and around the home. Level 3 kits feature puppet hosts including Coco the dancing cockatoo, Vincent Van Goat and Bard the Dragon, and give toddlers a platform to move and express themselves throughmusic, colors and words.

The new Baby Lullaby, Neptune’s Oceans & World of Rhythm Discovery Kits join six recently released titles (Baby Beethoven, Baby Mozart, Animals Around Me, Wild Animal Safari, World of Colors and World of Words) bringing the collection to nine total. Kits can be found at stores across the U.S. and Canada only and/or online at BabyEinstein and retail for the suggested price of $19.99 U.S./$24.99 Canada.

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE DISCOVERY KITS:

Each Discovery Kit includes a DVD, a music CD and either Discovery Cards or a book. And each DVD includes an English, French and Spanish language track.

Level 1: Experience

· (NEW) Baby Lullaby (releasing February 22, 2011) – Take your baby on a soothing journey with classical lullabies by Bach, Brahms and Mozart. Enjoy relaxing ocean waves, sweet puppet shows, and tranquil images. From fun time to rest time, Baby Lullaby is the perfect way to spend special time with your baby.

· Baby Beethoven™ (released November 23, 2010) – Parent and baby can listen to the joyous sounds and cherished works of Beethoven. See how musiccelebrates the sounds of different instruments. Together, they will experience a world of enchanting sights and sounds and make new discoveries with Baby Beethoven.

· Baby Mozart™ (released November 23, 2010) – Parent and baby will discover the joy of classical music together and listen to Mozart’s popular works – including “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” – delightfully re-orchestrated for little ears. They’ll look at real-life images and enchanting puppet shows bringing a symphony of sights and sounds together as they share new discoveries with Baby Mozart.

Level 2: Explore

· (NEW)Neptune’s Oceans (releasing February 22, 2011) – Dive in with your little explorer for a voyage of undersea discovery! Journey across Neptune’s Oceans to encounter amazing marine life in their natural habitats. Penguins, whales, dolphins, sea lions and crabs come to life in engaging musical portraits. Together, you and your baby will ride a tide of fun as you explore this wondrous new world!

· Wild Animal Safari (released November 23, 2010) – Parents can take their little explorer on an exotic musicalexpedition to meet wild animals from across the globe. Together, they’ll journey to the jungle, savanna, desert and forest on a wild, wonderful voyage of discovery with Wild Animal Safari.

· Animals Around Me (released November 23, 2010) – Parent and child set off on a fun-filled “field trip” to discover animals found at the park, on the farm, and in their own backyard – whether furry or feathered, winged or wiggly, bumpy or cuddly, they’ll explore the Animals Around Me.

Level 3: Expression

· (NEW) World of Rhythm (releasing February 22, 2011) – Your little one will want to keep a beat, snap his fingers and march his feet! Join new characters Pillie, the musical woodpecker, and Coco, the dancing cockatoo, and share the excitement of rhythm with your baby. World of Rhythm explores rhythm in music, rhythm in nature and rhythm as a form of expression. It’s a fun way to encourage children to express themselves through singing, dancing, clapping and playing!

· World of Colors (released November 23, 2010) – Parent and child share a rainbow of sights and sounds and discover the wonders of color together! They’ll join puppet host “Vincent Van Goat” as he creates six Van Gogh masterpieces exploring red, green, blue, yellow, orange and purple with World of Colors.

· World of Words (released November 23, 2010) – Parent and child join playful puppet host Bard the Dragon on an exciting adventure using everydaywords, such as flower, cat, and moon, plus beautiful scenery from nature with World of Words.

Earn Rewards For Purchasing Baby Einstein Products

In November, 2010, the Baby Einstein Company launched The Baby Einstein Rewards Program, a customer loyalty program created just for families

and powered by Disney Movie Rewards.As part of this program, The Baby Einstein Company includes “Magic Codes” inside the packaging of every

Discovery Kit for Baby Einstein Reward members to enter as part of their account and be able to earn and accrue reward points. Reward points can

then later be redeemed for a variety of great products including strollers, baby bouncers, books, CDs, DVDs and more. The Baby Einstein Rewards

Program is only valid for members who live in the U.S. and Canada and excludes Quebec.

In 2011, The Baby Einstein Company is expanding their rewards program to any newly released product from their full-breadth of product lines

including baby toys, books, gear and CDs. Visit the Baby Einstein Rewards site for more information on this program,.

Baby Einstein Adds Three New Discovery Kits to its Collection on February 22nd