Have you had a chance to see “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure park?
While there’s no substitute for that nighttime spectacular, special colorful and animated changes will come to California icons in cities across the state in the “World of Color” Road Show this July. You’ll have the chance to see these cool transformations online at www.WorldofColorRoadShow.com.
Marvel Entertainment, LLC announced today that it has appointed as Executive Vice President, Head of Television, a newly created division of Marvel Entertainment. In this new role, Mr. Loeb will work alongside Dan Buckley, Publisher & President of the Print, Animation & Digital Divisions, Marvel Worldwide, Inc., to translate Marvel’s popular characters and stories to the television medium, in both live-action and animation formats. In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Loeb will oversee the development and distribution of live-action, animated and direct-to-DVD series. Mr. Loeb was previously a Marvel-exclusive Eisner-Award-winning comic book writer and an Emmy-nominated writer for his work on NBC’s Heroes. The announcement was made today by Alan Fine, Executive Vice President, Office of the President and Chairman of Marvel Studios’ Creative Committee, and by Mr. Buckley, to whom Mr. Loeb will report.
Mr. Fine stated, “It’s with tremendous pride that I announce the creation of our Marvel Television division and the appointment of Jeph Loeb as Executive Vice President. His work in the comic book field is in a class of its own, showing his passion and talent for bringing Marvel’s finest characters to life in an innovative manner. Jeph’s work on multiple award-winning television series and popular films has shown fans worldwide his ability to deliver thrilling entertainment in a number of media. With Jeph as our EVP, fans will experience the highest quality and most exciting television projects featuring their favorite Marvel characters.”
“I couldn’t be happier to accept this new position at Marvel Entertainment, working with both Dan and Alan to deliver exciting, cutting edge television projects,” said Mr. Loeb. “Marvel continues to break new ground in storytelling in both their comic book and film ventures, so, along with everyone here, I’m excited to bring the same brand of excitement into homes across the globe.”
Mr. Loeb has written acclaimed stories featuring every major super hero in comics, including Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Daredevil, Spider-Man, the X-Men and more. Multiple-time winner of the prestigious Eisner Award for his writing, Mr. Loeb quickly established himself as one of the most sought after writers in the comic industry. Mr. Loeb also served as writer/producer on television series Smallville and Lost; writer/co-executive producer on Heroes; and writer of hit films Commando and Teen Wolf.
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 5,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com.
Disney Store Launches Magical New Store Design on June 29th In Montebello, California
On June 29, 2010 at 9 a.m., Disney Store will unveil its new store design for the first time, featuring a more interactive and technology-driven shopping experience.
The first-of-its-kind store will open in The Shops at Montebello in Montebello, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles featuring a floor-to-ceiling transformation that includes a new experiential Disney Princess neighborhood for girls and a first of its kind Disney/Pixar CARS experience for boys.
In attendance at the store’s grand opening will be Disney Store President Jim Fielding, Chairman of Disney Consumer Products Andy Mooney, Disney Store Montebello Manager Sonja Rodriguez, as well as special appearances by Disney celebrities and Toy Story characters Buzz, Woody, and Jessie.
“We have infused Disney magic into all elements of this one-of-a-kind retail experience, and have selected prime retail centers to launch the Disney Store of the future,” said Jim Fielding, president of Disney Stores Worldwide. “Special features like the iconic Disney Princess castle with magic mirror and the Disney Store Theater are just two of the amazing elements in the new store that will enrich every child and family’s experience at the Disney Store.”
Other elements said to be featured in the new Disney Store design include scents matching movie clips played in the store and displays that will interact with customers as they pass by holding various products.
More than 20 new and remodeled Disney Store locations are slated to open this year in premier retail centers throughout the United States. North American locations have been confirmed for Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York; Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica, California; International Plaza in Tampa, Florida; Stockton St. in San Francisco, CA; and Fashion Valley in San Diego, CA.
The Disney Store at International Plaza in Tampa, Fla. will be nearest to Orlando and the Walt Disney World Resort.
This short brings to life the tall tale of giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his large blue ox Babe. It presents Bunyan’s shore-side discovery as a baby, his small town youth, his tree-cutting journeys out west, and his standoff with the diminutive Joe Muffaw with his steam-powered saw.
This article comes to us from the LA Times:
After Walt Disney died in 1966, his grieving staff sealed his office suite in Burbank, and even as work proceeded on “The Jungle Book” there was anxiety that the company’s past might be brighter than its future.
Four years later, those worries deepened as key executives approached retirement, including Walt’s older brother, Roy O. Disney. That’s why, in 1970, the company handed the key to Walt’s still-sealed office to a former UCLA research librarian named Dave Smith, who was sent into the chamber to learn its history.
“I didn’t expect this to become my life’s work, but it did,” Smith, 69, said on a recent afternoon as he gave a tour of the Disney Archives, a massive collection spread across several in-house libraries and high-security warehouses filled with Disney movie props, costumes, toys, art, animation, vintage theme-park gear and company publications.
If you love Disney History you will want to click here to keep reading.
The state recently eased up restrictions on Disney’s liquor license, making it simpler for the company to sell alcohol in more areas within Disney California Adventure.
The new rules allow the park to put up temporary bars and stands, such as the ones at the new nightly Glow Fest, without getting further permission from the state Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Previously, Disney had to get approval from the state every time the park added a new bar, said Dan Hart, the Alcoholic Beverage Control district administrator who is in charge of Orange County. Now, Disney officials can put up short-term serving spots whenever they wish.
Enter Oriental Trading Company’s Summer of Fun Giveaway Sweepstakes for your chance to win a cruise of the Bahamas on a Disney cruise ship or weekly prizes of OTC theme packages.
Click here to enter.
Chickens from Goofy’s Barnstormer in the Magic Kingdom.
This question comes from Ryley, who asks: “Is there a Chick fil A anywhere at wdw?”
Ryley, I have bad news: Sadly, you won’t find a Chick-Fil-A on Disney property, although there are a number of other non-Disney restaurants on site. The good news is that there are several located nearby, the closest being at 7891 W Irlo Bronson (407-787-4001). There’s a Super Target just a little farther down the road, so if you’re out running errands, it’s very convenient.
I did find one site, Food Delivery Orlando, that will pick up your order from any restaurant and bring it to your resort. I’m not sure how good of a deal that works out to be or how fresh your food would be when you get it, but it’s a thought. If you’re flying out of Orlando (MCO), there’s a Chick-fil-A in the main terminal.
Thanks for your question and for reading the site. Hope this helps.
Have a Disney question? We have answers. Write us at Chip and Co. We answer every question.
You’ve probably seen the headlines. After 11 hours and 5 minutes, American John Isner bested France’s Nicholas Mahut in a history-making Round 1 match at Wimbledon; it was the longest match in Grand Slam history. This got me thinking. Were there any epic character dining match-ups? And then it came to me. Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace are very evenly matched and the advantage could easily be shared between the two.
Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary features the Fab Five. Your little ones will meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and everyone’s best friend Pluto during breakfast and dinner character dining. Dressed in their chef’s garb, the characters will make the rounds.
Photo Credit: Princess Ashley via Flickr
The Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace hosts Winnie-the-Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Photo Credit: d.k. peterson via Flickr
This is a tough one. Chef Mickey’s has a small advantage because you’ll meet five characters instead of four. However, the characters at both restaurants are costumed, which means they won’t be speaking to your children (yet), and all are classic characters. But c’mon, this is Disney World. As much as my kids love both Mickey and Winnie-the-Pooh, at Disney World the Mouse himself has a clear advantage.
This set goes to Chef Mickey.
Chef Mickey is located in the Contemporary Resort, which is a very short monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom. On a nice day, my family enjoys the short walk from the Magic Kingdom over to the Contemporary for dinner.
Crystal Palace is conveniently located in the Magic Kingdom, off the hub. There’s no need to leave the theme park – just take a break from your touring to recharge and refuel.
For most guests, eating at Chef Mickey’s is more difficult from a logistics standpoint. Unless you’re staying at a monorail resort or have access to a car, you won’t have a direct route from most Walt Disney World resorts to the Contemporary. You must travel to a central location such as a theme park or Downtown Disney and then catch a monorail, bus, or boat to the Contemporary. Of course, it can be nice to take a break from the Magic Kingdom, head on over to Chef Mickey’s for dinner, and then return to the Magic Kingdom for Wishes. Even with that, The Crystal Palace wins this one simply because it’s located directly in the park itself. Yes, you need theme park admission to eat here but if you’re thinking about character dining, chances are you have kids and the Magic Kingdom is a must-do park.
The Crystal Palace wins this set.
Both restaurants offer a buffet instead of family-style meals and both restaurants have their die-hard fans.
Breakfast is largely the same at Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace with the ubiquitous breakfast fare – eggs, waffles, breakfast pastries, fresh fruit, cereal, breakfast meats, and potatoes with a few signature items thrown in. What kid will be able to resist pizza for breakfast (aka Minnie’s Breakfast Pizza) at Chef Mickey’s or the much talked about Pooh’s Breakfast Lasagna at Crystal Palace?
Food is plentiful and varied at both dinner buffets. The salad bars will tempt you with their traditional and not-so-traditional offerings of greens, pasta salads, and bean salads. A buffet wouldn’t be a proper buffet without some soups and carved meats – you’ll see them at both restaurants. And then there are the predictable offerings that include something for meat-lovers, at least one seafood dish, some pasta, and lots of tasty sides. Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace know their core audience and cater to it. Both have stations with traditional kid favorites like mac ‘n cheese and chicken tenders. Let’s move to dessert. Say these two decadent words with me. Sundae Bar. And yes, both restaurants have one.
For me, the food choices and quality at both character dining experiences are similar. So, the score is “deuce” and the winner will be a matter of your family’s preference. In fact, it may even change up on any given day.
Many families opt for the Disney Dining Plan so let’s start there. Chef Mickey’s and Crystal Palace will run you one table-service credit so there’s no clear winner based on “cost” alone. For those paying out-of-pocket, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s (adult, $26.62; child, $14.90) is a few dollars more than Crystal Palace this summer. Interesting. I would have thought that breakfast at Crystal Palace would have a premium but more on that later. When we talk dinner, the price for children at both buffets is equivalent – $17.03. However, mom and dad will pay about a dollar more for dinner at Crystal Palace ($35.14) than they will at Chef Mickey’s. Looking at cost as the only factor, one game (breakfast) goes to Crystal Palace while one (dinner) goes to Chef Mickey’s.
Other components of value would be the character experience itself, the food variety, and the food quality. As mentioned in Set 1: Characters, you get a little more bang for your character buck at Chef Mickey’s. Otherwise, the two character experiences are very similar. The same can be said for food variety and quality. It’s close, but this chair umpire makes the call that gives the game to Chef Mickey’s based on an extra character autograph.
However, the set’s not over. What do other Walt Disney World guests think? After looking at the average score given to each buffet at AllEars.Net and TheDis, the slightest of edges and therefore the game goes to Crystal Palace which scores just a little bit higher than Chef Mickey’s.
Where does this leave us? Looks like this set is a tie-break situation.
Okay, so let’s recap. Chef Mickey wins the character set while Crystal Palace takes the location set. It’s a toss-up between the two for food and value. For all intents and purposes (at least for our hypothetical tennis match), we’re all tied up and the winner of this set takes the match. You’ll have lots of back and forth as you consider some of the less tangible aspects of the dining experience.
• Ease of ADRs. Chef Mickey’s is one of the more difficult ADRs to secure – right up there with Le Cellier and Fairytale Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table. Throw in the fact that Crystal Palace offers an extra meal, lunch, and Crystal Palace is my winner here.
• Venue. With its Victorian inspired atmosphere, complete with gorgeous architecture, it may look like Crystal Palace takes the win over the more cartoonish and graphic décor at Chef Mickey’s. However, don’t count Chef Mickey’s out just yet. It’s located in the Contemporary which means the kids will watch the monorail travel not just by the hotel, but through the building. This one’s a tie.
Photo Credit: Samantha Decker via Flickr
Photo Credit: hz536n via Flickr
• Empty Theme Park. In Set 4: Value, I said I was surprised that breakfast at Chef Mickey’s was more expensive than the same meal at Crystal Palace. That’s because I would pay a premium for those 8:05 ADRs before the Magic Kingdom opens. It’s an amazing opportunity to have Main Street, U.S.A., practically to yourselves.
Photo Credit: PrincessAshley via Flickr
This set goes to Crystal Palace.
So there you have it. In my match-up between the top-seeds Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey’s, Crystal Palace scores the match point – barely. If you were the chair umpire, which would win those close calls? Now, I think it’s time for me to turn off Wimbledon to return to my regularly scheduled programming.
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You call follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer.
This article is featured on this months edition of Disney Blog Carnival.
Send your child a character phone call and make their day extra-special!* Have a favorite character call your home with a personalized message – they can even greet your child by name!
You can have Tianna or Woody call your child and wish them a Good Night, a Birthday or Holiday Greeting, even give them some Encouragement!
Just click here to try it out.
Where is it? Napa Rose at Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland
What is it? Grilled Free Range Veal Chop with a Strawberry – Tangerine Salsa, Avocado, and White Cheddar Bacon Grits
Why you want it? So tender you can eat it with a fork.
Photo Credit: by IamChadams via Flickr
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!
This excellent news comes to us from the forums at WDW Magic:
Beginning on June 28, 2010, Guests will have new options for their photos from the Space Mountain® Attraction. The three product options available to the Guests are:
Guests will also get a Space Mountain themed PhotoPass card which can later be used at any other PhotoPass location.
The USB Drive will include the Guest’s ride photo plus 7 extra professional stock photos of the Space Mountain attraction.
The original charge for the USB Drive and the first ride photo is $24.95. Additional photos can be added to the same USB drive as part of the same transaction for $9.95 per photo. All regular Merchandise discounts apply.
Source
Photo by downbeat via Flickr
