The Best Things I Love About Disney Is…The Remy Experience

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August 26, 2010

Rats are not supposed to be cute, especially in the dining room of a very nice restaurant and even more importantly on the cheese and fruit tray that has just been brought to your table. Well, Disney has done it again. They have taken everything above that is supposed to be horrifying and made it way TOO CUTE!! I’m talking about the Remy Experience at Les Chefs De France in the World Showcase at Epcot. Remy and his handler make several trips through the dining room at lunch and at least one trip at dinner. The current schedule (like everything else at Disney, subject to change) is Monday through Saturday at 12:30, 1:40, 2:50, and 5:20 PM.

When Remy visits your table he will talk to you with a somewhat limited vocabulary but believe me he gets his point across. The handler controls him through the handle on the tray lid and does an excellent job of it. The biggest surprise for me came when I pointed my camera at him (for the picture above) he looked straight at the camera and of course he said “Cheeeeeese”. It is a truly fun event and definitely adds to the dining experience. Remy and his handler try to visit as many tables as possible during the trip around the dining room and even if they don’t happen to stop directly at your table the tray can be rotated to face you and you won’t miss out. I may have forgotten to mention, the food and service at Les Chefs De France are both excellent and we will be returning on our next visit even if for some strange reason Remy is no longer there. It’s fun and it’s cute, enjoy your visit and say hi to Remy for me!!

Ken

Marvel Pic of the Day – Marvel Pedicure

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

Ok Nerds here is a very cool and interesting paint job on some Marvel Fans Toes. I am going to show this to my wife and see if she would run our and get them done like the girl in this picture. Cross your fingers 🙂

Source

Classic Disney – Noah’s Ark from 1959

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

The well-known biblical tale is brought to life as a stop-motion musical, which feels more like Rankin/Bass’s specials in the medium than a Disney production, only it’s more stylized.

Noah is advised by a heavenly voice that a great rainstorm is coming which will wipe out most of Earth’s inhabitants. So he and his three sons build a boat to precise specifications and begin rounding up two animals of every kind, plus of course, their own women.

When the lengthy time on the boat brings spirits down, Noah’s sons provide some music to cheer everyone up. Interestingly, household items are used to create the characters; the whooping cranes have pencil beaks, corks are abound, and the moose’s antlers are really sporks. This is a Disney oddity, if ever there was one, but it offers quite a fun time.

Disney withdraws from Annie Awards

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

This article comes to us from Variety.

Hollywood’s longest running toon kudofest, which Disney has sponsored since its first year in 1972, will have to go on without submissions or support from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

“After more than a year of discussions with the ASIFA board, we have regretfully decided to withdraw from the organization and no longer participate in the annual Annie Awards,” said Disney-Pixar prexy Ed Catmull.

“We believe there is an issue with the way the Annies are judged, and have been seeking a mutually agreeable solution with the board.

Although some initial steps have been taken, the board informed us that no further changes would be made to address our concerns.”

While some at Disney suggested the move could cripple ASIFA-Hollywood — a 5,000-strong organization of animation professionals and enthusiasts — by rendering its top prize “the best animated feature not produced by Disney-Pixar,” org chief Antran Manoogian insisted releases such as Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” and Disney Animation’s “Tangled” can still compete.Catmull’s criticisms come at a time when animated features have been driving the box office, boosted by the use of 3D in the field. Though the Annies predate the addition of animated feature categories to such award shows as the Oscars, Golden Globes and the PGA Awards, the rise of such prestigious competition has forced ASIFA to reevaluate its own process in order to remain credible.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Fun Facts

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

WHAT IT IS: Typhoon Lagoon is a 61-acre themed water recreation attraction — inspired by the imagined legend of a typhoon, earthquake and volcanic eruption combining to create an inland sea with breaker waves (Typhoon Lagoon) and a towering watershed mountain (Mt. Mayday) atop which is a stranded shrimp boat (the Miss Tilly).

LOCATION: Downtown Disney resort area near Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Downtown Disney West Side on Buena Vista Drive — Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

ACCESS: Vehicle parking lot is located off of Buena Vista Drive and is next to park entrance; buses operated from the Transportation and Ticket Center and most Walt Disney World resort hotels (Magic Kingdom resorts require transfer to Typhoon Lagoon buses at the Transportation and Ticket Center).

OPENED: June 1, 1989

Attractions:

Typhoon Lagoon: One of the world’s largest surfing lagoons (approximately 109,000 square feet, containing nearly three million gallons of water).
Mt. Mayday: The centerpiece watershed mountain, featuring . . .
Three speed slides — Humunga Kowabunga slides zip guests along 214-foot routes at up to 30 miles per hour.
A trio of curving body Storm Slides — Rudder Buster, Stern Burner and Jib Jammer wind in and out of caves, through waterfalls and between rock formations, sending guests along at up to 20 miles per hour over distances of about 300 feet each.
Three white-water rafting adventures — Keelhaul Falls, Mayday Falls and Gangplank Falls slide through caves and under waterfalls in inner tubes (Keelhaul Falls and Mayday Falls) or family-size craft (Gangplank Falls).
Crush ‘n’ Gusher: A water-coaster thrill attraction that takes riders aboard inflatablerafts on a twisting, turning, up-and-down adventure propelled by powerful water jets.
Ketchakiddee Creek: A separate water playground for children ages 2 to 5 (under four feet tall) and their parents. Features scaled-down versions of many of the water play activities the “big kids” can do, including a pint-sized white-water rafting adventure, an activity pool and S.S. Squirt, an interactive tug boat.
Shark Reef: A unique 362,000-gallon salt-water coral reef diving environment in which guests can snorkel amidst the colorful fish, coral and plant life of the Caribbean.
Castaway Creek: Guests hop onto inner tubes for a meandering water tour along a 2,100-foot circular channel that takes them through a misty rain forest, a hidden grotto and a sun-drenching, all with a spectacular view of Typhoon Lagoon and its many activities.

FACILITIES:

Leaning Palms and Typhoon Tilly’s (restaurants serving hamburgers, hot dogs, specialty sandwiches, salads and ice cream in waffle cones; beer also is served)
Let’s Go Slurpin’ (a full-service bar featuring frozen drink specialties and spirits)
Getaway Glen and Hideaway Bay picnic areas (picnicking is permitted but no alcohol or glass containers can be brought in)
Happy Landing’s Ice Cream (ice cream and beverages)
Lowtide Lou’s (snacks, ice cream, beverages, sundries and towels)
Hot dog carts (hot dogs, chips, snacks and beverages)
Beachcomber Shacks and Polar Patios (premium shaded rental spaces include towels, locker, drink mugs, Adirondack seating, ice chest stocked with bottled water, service attendant)
Singapore Sal’s and High ‘n Dry (swimsuits, souvenirs and sundries)
Locker rooms (dressing rooms, showers, locker rental, towel rental, life jacket rental)

INFORMATION:

Guests may call 407/824-4321 or visit disneyworld.com

Muslim hostess and Disney still at odds over headscarf with video

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

This article comes to us from USA Today.

A Muslim woman who sued Disney last week for refusing to let her wear a religious headscarf at her job as a Disneyland Resort restaurant hostess says she has been suspended without pay for turning down the company’s alternatives – including a large hat and bow-tie bonnet she called “humiliating” and “embarrassing.”

In the photo provided by Unite Here Local 11, Imane Boudlal is shown wearing a hat-and-bonnet that Disney suggested she wear after refusing to let her wear a Muslim head scarf at work. Boudlal, who’s a restaurant hostess at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, says Disney’s suggested hat-and-bonnet is embarrassing and makes a joke of her religion.

According to her union, Unite Here Local 11, Imane Boudlal was suspended Tuesday after rejecting both a Disney-made hijab, or headscarf, and offers of four “backstage” jobs out of the public eye.

But Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said that while the company had not scheduled Boudlal for future work hours, Boudlal’s characterization was inaccurate.

“Over the last four days we have made every attempt to provide Ms. Boudhal with several different costuming options which we believe would accommodate her religious beliefs and meet our costuming guidelines,” said Brown in a prepared statement.

“We also offered her four roles” – three phone-based positions and one bakery job, all of which paid at least as much as what she was making as a hostess at the Grand Californian Hotel – “that would allow her to wear her own hijab,” the statement added. “She’s chosen to reject over and over again all the options presented to her.”

Disney’s strict dress code prohibits “cast members,” or employees who meet the public, from wearing religious items. But the company has worked to accommodate employees’ concerns by allowing such modifications as longer sleeves and skirts instead of pants. In 2004, Disney World in Florida was sued by a female Muslim employee who wanted to wear a headscarf to work. The case was settled out of court and the terms were confidential.

Click here to keep reading.

Here is more information from Fox News

Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Celebrates Anniversary with Fifth Consecutive Sellout

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

A record field of more than 14,000 registered participants will take to the streets of Disneyland Resort and the city of Anaheim for the fifth anniversary of “The Happiest Race on Earth” – the Disneyland Half Marathon. In addition to the 13.1-mile half marathon, the weekend features activities for the entire family, including a Health & Fitness Expo, Disneyland Fabulous 5K presented by the Los Angeles Times, and Kids’ Races.

In true Disney fashion, the fifth anniversary of the race weekend will be celebrated in several ways. Athletes who complete the half marathon will be rewarded with a commemorative edition finisher medal featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle circled by a vibrant number “5” and running Mickey Mouse. Nearly 570 “Legacy Runners” – those who will be running in their fifth Disneyland half marathon – also will receive special recognition throughout the race weekend.

Participants from 16 countries and all 50 U.S. states are set to compete in weekend races. More than 14,000 are registered for the half marathon Sept. 5, and 5,000 are registered in the Family 5K and Kids’ Races, Sept. 4. Participants and the general public can also visit the Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo at the Disneyland Hotel. The expo features the latest in official Disneyland Half Marathon merchandise and more than 90 vendors of fitness apparel, footwear, sunglasses, high-tech gadgets and nutritional products.

The Disneyland Half Marathon features a course unlike any other in the world. Passing through the two Disneyland Resort theme parks – Disneyland and Disney California Adventure – and the streets of Anaheim, participants will experience a race full of inspiration that only Disney can provide, including live entertainers and Disney characters at the start line and along the route. The road race has become popular for its flat loop course and mild climate – ideal for personal best times. Hosted by the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim, it reached registration capacity – for the fifth consecutive year – in late spring.

“We are so proud to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Disneyland Half Marathon,” said Disneyland Resort President George A. Kalogridis. “This unique event has become a tradition of fun and memories for thousands of athletes and their families. We share the success of this event with the city of Anaheim. Since 2006, we have jointly brought more than 80,000 participants from around the world to the Anaheim resort area.”

Throughout the race, runners will pass Disneyland icons such as Sleeping Beauty Castle and the Matterhorn, Anaheim landmarks such as the Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center, and will see themselves on the jumbo screen running on the field inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim before finally crossing the finish line next to the Disneyland Hotel.

An estimated 2,350 runners are eligible to earn a special medal for the third annual Disney’s Coast to Coast Race Challenge. To be eligible, runners must have completed the Walt Disney World Marathon or Half Marathon or Disney’s Princess Half Marathon this year at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla., in addition to completing the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon. The Coast to Coast medal showcases the iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse (known as the Partners Statue).

The next Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend will take place Sept. 2-4, 2011. Registration is scheduled to open Jan. 3, 2011, for the 2011 Disneyland Half Marathon.

About the Disney Endurance Series

The Endurance Series at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort gives recreational athletes of all ages and abilities the chance to walk, jog, run, bike and swim their way “around the world.” From marathons to road races to triathlons, athletes from across the country and around the world compete to stay in shape, achieve personal best times and raise donations for charitable causes. Popular Endurance Series events are the inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend (Oct. 1-2, 2010),Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna (Jan. 6-9, 2011), Champion 5K at ESPN the Weekend (February 2011), Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Lady Foot Locker (Feb. 25-27, 2011) and Expedition Everest Challenge (summer 2011).

For more information on Disney’s Endurance Series please visit www.disneyenduranceseries.com.

Fashion Bug Celebrates 70 Years of Style with VW Bug Sweepstakes

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

Fashion Bug celebrates its 70th birthday in September. Fashion Bug stores celebrate “70 years of style” with special offers, promotions and a fantastic sweepstakes where they will give away a new, 2010 Volkswagen® Beetle.

Having opened its doors in 1940 as “Charming Shoppes”, a women’s apparel store with a commitment to offering up-to-date fashions for women on a budget, the store was re-named in the 1960s to give the chain a more fashion-forward vibe. Fashion Bug is still the specialty store where women across the country can look great and spend less. From dress to business casual, and from active knits to jeans and fashion tops, Fashion Bug offers fresh looks to satisfy all the lifestyle needs of today’s busy woman.

All during September, stop into Fashion Bug stores for fabulous birthday sweepstakes, special promotions such as RightFit jeans and dress pants and MVP items at a special price when you buy two or more. MVP items always offer shoppers best-selling items at the lowest possible price every day.

Customers can join in the festivities by entering the Ultimate Accessory sweepstakes for a chance to drive away with a new, 2010 Volkswagen® Beetle®. A second prize winner will jet off on a fabulous and fun-filled week long vacation for four to Walt Disney World® theme park. 100 third prize winners will each receive a $70 Fashion Bug Gift Card. For a chance to win, enter at Fashion Bug stores or online http://www.fashionbug.com/sweepstakes.

Another special party favor is especially for Fashion Bug Credit Card members. Fashion Bug is offering 70 bonus fashion rebate points with any Fashion Bug credit card purchase from September 1 through September 31. Fashion Bug’s Fashion Rebates program offers card members the opportunity to earn points toward Fashion Rebate Certificates that are good on future purchases. This one-time bonus is available to both existing card members and customers who open a new Fashion Bug credit card account from September 1 until September 31.

For more information about this great celebration, please contact your local Fashion Bug store. For store locations and contact information or more about Fashion Bug, please visit fashionbug.com.

D23 and Walt Disney Pictures Present a Special Preview Screening of Secretariat

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

Our friends at Walt Disney Studios are offering D23 Members and their families an exclusive sneak peek at Secretariat, the remarkable true story of horse racing’s legendary 1973 Triple Crown winner. The movie will be shown at the historic Studio Theatre on the Walt Disney Studio Lot.

The beautiful and emotional film tells the story of housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane), who agrees to take over her ailing father’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery — with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) — manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.

The film strives for authenticity, and Penny Chenery, now 87, was an important resource during the making of the film. Secretariat is directed by Randall Wallace, whose directorial credits include We Were Soldiers, and is the Oscar®- and Golden Globe®-nominated screenwriter of Braveheart.

Please note, no cameras of any kind will be permitted inside the theater. This includes still cameras, video cameras and cell phones with built in cameras. We suggest you leave these in your car, or you will be asked to check them in the lobby of the theater.

Secretariat arrives in theaters nationwide on October 8, but D23 Members and their guests get to see this unforgettable film nearly a month before the general public!

DATE
Monday, September 13, 2010

LOCATION
Studio Theatre, The Walt Disney Studios
Burbank, California

TICKETS
Available next Tuesday, August 31, at noon PDT. Check back here at that time for ticketing information.

COST
Free

SCHEDULE
Check in begins at 6 p.m.; Screening begins at 6:30 p.m. (please do not arrive at the Studio Lot before 6 p.m.)

Disney Food Confession – Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

Where is it? Ireland marketplace during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

What is it? Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie

When can you get it? The 15th annual festival, Oct. 1-Nov. 14, 2010, adds an “extra helping” of international flavors to World Showcase promenade with marketplaces featuring samplings of cuisine, wine tastings, celebrity chefs, special events and lively entertainment. The global gathering features many events that are included in regular park admission.

Photo Credit: by Disney

If you have a Disney Food Confession email [email protected] or let us know on the Disney Food Confessions Facebook page.. He is accepting Food ideas or Photos if you have them!

Disneyland Half Marathon – By the Numbers

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

1 -Commemorative fifth anniversary Disneyland Half Marathon medal for each finisher of the half marathon

2 – Number of theme parks that participants will visit during the half marathon

5 – 2010 is the fifth anniversary for the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend

9 – Water stops positioned throughout the course

13.1 – Number of miles in the 2010 Disneyland Half Marathon

16 – Countries represented

17 – Number of consecutive years that runners have participated in the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend near Orlando, Fla.

50 -U.S. states represented in the Disneyland Half Marathon, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico

50.7 – Percentage of half marathon participants who are from the 5-county Southern California area. This is the race’s lowest percentage of Southern California runners, as more are traveling from outside the area to participate!

64 – Percentage of female runners

83 – Age of the oldest participant registered for the half marathon

93 – Vendors scheduled to exhibit at the Disneyland Health & Fitness Expo, displaying the latest in running and fitness apparel, equipment and nutrition

460- Registered runners from foreign countries

561 – Number of Legacy Runners – those who will have completed all five Disneyland Half Marathons

1,000 – Number of participants for the Kids’ Races

1,900 – Number of volunteers expected to work the weekend

2,350 – Number of runners eligible to receive the Coast to Coast Challenge Race medal

4,000 – Number of Disneyland Fabulous 5K participants

9,751 – Number of Disneyland Half Marathon registered participants from California

14,000 – Number of registrants for the half marathon

Timmy Time set to Premiere on Playhouse Disney on Sept 13th

By

Chip

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August 25, 2010

Timmy Time is scheduled to air in North America from September 13, 2010 on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney, following a special sneak preview on the evening of September 7th. Timmy Time is Aardman’s first animated television project aimed at the preschool audience, and the stop-motion series has already enjoyed great success in its first season of broadcast overseas, proving to be a top performer in the UK on Cbeebies.

Miles Bullough, Executive Producer and Head of Broadcast at Aardman Animations, says “We’ve enjoyed our relationship with Disney Channel through our launch of Shaun the Sheep in 2008, and we are further delighted to partner with Playhouse Disney in bringing Timmy Time to the North American audience.”

Timmy Time follows the adventures of Timmy, a little lamb with a lot to learn as he enters preschool. Fans of Aardman’s hit children’s series Shaun the Sheep will recognize Timmy as the baby lamb on the farm who is frequently drawn into all kinds of chaotic adventures by the mischievous older sheep. Used to having his way by being “the only lamb in the flock,” Timmy is now heading to preschool to graze on some important life lessons about playing nicely with others, namely his fellow classmates of the furry, feathered and spiky types.

Episodes portray all the aspects of a preschooler’s day that are familiar to parents — painting, puzzling, making music, building with blocks, napping, snacking and more — through strong but simple storylines that are told without human dialogue, instead using a unique combination of expressive character animation, gesture and reactions, comedy and slapstick, bleats, quacks, oinks and the like. Creator/Producer/Supervising Director Jackie Cockle (BAFTA winner, producer on Bob the Builder, director on The Wind in The Willows, among other television credits) believes that “preschoolers can easily identify with Timmy as he learns universal lessons about himself, his friends and the world around him.“

To find out more about Timmy, his classmates, and the show, visit www.timmytime.tv.

Timmy fans can look forward to his first DVD release in early 2011 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, who also distribute the DVD releases of Shaun the Sheep, the second fastest-growing children’s brand on DVD in 2009. Timmy toys will also be available in Spring 2011 from JAKKS Pacific.