Disney Cruise Line reveals Magical Main Dining Choices on Disney Dream

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June 29, 2010

Elaborately themed restaurants, distinctly Disney touches, and world-class cuisine will please the palate and satisfy all of the senses – making dining aboard the Disney Dream a memorable entertainment experience for families and guests of all ages.

Main Dining

With Disney, guests expect the unexpected, so Disney Cruise Line developed an innovative rotational dining concept that remains exclusive to the Disney fleet. While guests “rotate” through different restaurants for dinner, their servers accompany them. Thus, guests enjoy a variety of dining experiences with friendly, familiar, personalized service.

Animator’s Palate
On the Disney Dream, Animator’s Palate is a re-imagined version of the signature Disney Cruise Line restaurant that brings the magic of Disney animation into the dining room for a one-of-a-kind experience that will captivate the entire family.

Inspired by classic animator’s studios, the venue is filled with character sketches, maquettes (three dimensional character models), paint brushes, colored pencils, computer work stations, film strips and other tools of the animation trade. Scenes and characters from popular Disney and Disney•Pixar films adorn the walls.

Spanning from floor to ceiling are “paint brush” pillars and “pencil” columns. Depicted in relief on the ceiling are abstract, oversize artist’s palettes and light boxes. During dinner, sparkling lights travel up the columns, through fiber optic brushes to “paint” the artist’s palettes with vibrant colors.

The cuisine will match the character of the restaurant, creatively combining fresh flavors with culinary flair to please guests’ palates. Wines from California and the Pacific Rim will complement the menu.

Royal Palace
Royal Palace is an elegant restaurant inspired by the classic Disney films “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Sleeping Beauty.” Disney Dream guests feel like royalty as they are immersed in the lavish surroundings of this venue.

Splendid décor includes ornate marble floors and luxurious carpets plus a magnificent, hand-blown chandelier made of glass slippers, with essential elements from each fairy tale such as royal crests, roses and tiaras. Chair backs are embellished with gilded emblems in the same motifs. The custom carpet is a pattern of flourishing roses in regal tones.

Grand, hand-painted portraits of the princesses – Cinderella, Snow White, Belle and Sleeping Beauty (Aurora) – and their princes grace the far wall. Portholes providing spectacular views of the ocean are framed with majestic, tiara-topped window valances.

With meticulous attention to detail, many of the restaurant’s features are modeled precisely from the inspirational films. The Royal Palace’s circular floor plan, fluted columns and iron railing work are all recreated from the “Cinderella” ballroom scene. Wall sconces are fashioned after those seen in “Beauty and the Beast.”

At Royal Palace, guests will feast on a world-class continental cuisine. The menu will include dishes fit for a monarch, including beef Wellington, crowned rack of lamb, king salmon and princess cake. The wine list will feature an excellent selection of Old World wines. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served at this restaurant.

Enchanted Garden
Enchanted Garden is a whimsical, casual restaurant inspired by the gardens of Versailles. It features a dining environment that magically transforms from day to night.

Upon entering Enchanted Garden, guests will feel as though they’ve arrived at a lovely conservatory, with white trellises, original artwork depicting lush greenery, and the image of a beautiful blue sky on the ceiling above.

Abundant, custom glass “flower” light fixtures suspend from the canopy overhead, ornamental light posts line the restaurant’s center promenade and a charming terrace fountain is the focal point of the room. The cascading fountain rises seven feet tall and at its pinnacle stands a fanciful cherub Mickey Mouse statue.

During the meal, the restaurant transforms into an enchanting evening scene. The sky overhead becomes a glorious sunset, with dazzling colors and shades of light that change into a twinkling field of stars. The light fixture flowers “bloom” and become infused with color, wall sconces open to become beautiful folding fans, paintings are illuminated in a nighttime perspective and the centerpiece fountain is basked in shimmering light.

The cuisine will match the crisp and airy feel of the restaurant with a seasonal menu featuring market-fresh ingredients. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style and dinner is a full-service, plated affair. A scrumptious selection of desserts includes a selection of gelatos during the day and a grand finale chocolate display with infused truffles and hand-made confections at night.

A leader in the family cruise segment, Disney Cruise Line delivers a vacation experience that every member of the family feels was created especially for them.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888/DCL-2500 or contact their travel agent. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at 888/325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com.

Junction Point taking the Mean Mickey out of Upcoming Epic Mickey Game

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Chip

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June 29, 2010

Mickey Mouse will not be bad in the coming “Epic Mickey” video game. He was just drawn that way.

Warren Spector, creative director of Disney Interactive Studios’ Junction Point, said the beloved international icon will not transform into a snarling rat as originally planned for the game when players make mischievous choices, such as pilfering treasures from a store or erasing characters with thinner. Instead, Mickey will take on a smudgy look if he does something naughty.

“We’re not going to change Mickey’s image so much,” said Spector.

During a recent demonstration of the latest iteration of the upcoming Wii game that has been on display at this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Spector said the decision to scrap the malevolent-looking Mickey was made because of negative feedback during focus testing of the game, which features Mickey trekking through a cartoon wasteland.

“People don’t like it when you mess with Mickey,” said Spector. “We did a focus test that was really eye-opening for me. There was a biker dude saying, ‘Oh, I’d never play a Mickey Mouse game,’ and then we showed him images of a changed Mickey. I was sitting there thinking, ‘You’re gonna love what we do,’ but he said, ‘No! Don’t mess with my childhood.'”

“Epic Mickey” is set in a virtual world of wayward renditions of Disney locales, such as Adventureland and Skull Rock. Throughout the game, players will be faced with moral dilemmas about whether to help other characters. For example, should Mickey persuade a lovelorn pirate to give a bouquet of flowers or an ice cream cone to a lactose intolerant Henrietta Cow?

“Mickey constantly gets himself into trouble, not just in this game but in his films as well,” said Spector.

After “Epic Mickey” appeared on the cover of Game Informer magazine last fall, several fans were outraged about Mickey’s makeover. Later others were miffed that images of the game did not resemble the concept art. Spector said the images and art never were intended to show the final version of the game and that it was part of the “normal creative process.”

“Sometimes you go too far to find out where too far is,” he said.

Spector insisted that Mickey will maintain his traditional retro ensemble — yellow shoes, red shorts — throughout the game but will be surrounded by levitating little guardians that will glow a different color whether players employ more paint or thinner. He also teased there are a “cloud of possibilities” that will lead to multiple endings of “Epic Mickey.”

Source

Disney’s Sorcerers Apprentice – Sorcerers Wanted Sweepstakes

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Chip

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June 29, 2010

Enter the Sorcerers Wanted Sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Southern California for a behind the scenes at how the magic happens, including a visit to Disneyland to become an Imagineer Apprentice.

Click the picture above to enter.

Great Wolf Lodge planned near Disneyland

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Chip

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June 29, 2010

Great Wolf Resorts Inc. of Madison, Wisc., has signed an agreement with a real estate company that plans to develop a Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort in Garden Grove, less than two miles from Disneyland.

The 600-suite resort will be developed by McWhinney, of Loveland, Colo., and will be located within the International West Resort, an upscale hotel and resort district adjacent to Disneyland. It will feature 30,000 square feet of meeting space, 100,000 square feet indoor water park and additional indoor entertainment areas and amenities.

“The Great Wolf Lodge will be the biggest attraction to be included in the International West Resort,” said Matt Fertal, city manager of the city of Garden Grove. “This will be the most significant revenue generator in the city.”

Click here to keep reading.

Cops Accuse Donald Duck of Drunk Driving

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Chip

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June 29, 2010

Donald Duck is a jailbird now.

Police in Massillon, Ohio, arrested a drunk driving suspect who shares his name with Disney’s most famous waterfowl.

Law enforcement officials say 51-year-old Donald Norman Duck was intoxicated when he pulled into a drive-through pizzeria around 5:25 p.m. Saturday and repeatedly bumped the car ahead of him, ABC 5 reports.

According to the driver who was struck, Donald Duck then stuck his head out the window and shouted: “Sorry dude, something must be wrong with my brakes.”

But the collision ruffled the other driver’s feathers, so she called 911.

When police arrived on the scene, it became clear that Duck was down on his luck.

Officers described the suspect as smelling of alcohol and having red eyes. While searching for his driver’s license, they said, Duck pulled out a bag that appeared to contain marijuana. He then reportedly confessed to officers that he had had a few drinks, smoked some marijuana, and took some prescription medication before getting behind the wheel.

After allegedly failing a sobriety test, Donald Duck was taken into custody.

Police in the Ohio town say they’re familiar with Donald Duck’s antics.

“He’s a frequent flier,” Capt. Joe Herrick of the Massillon Police Department told Fox 13.”He’s got multiple previous DUIs, multiple previous no operator’s license and operating under suspension, so he’s not that good a driver.”

Click here to keep reading.

Disney Food Confession: Smoky Portobello Mushroom Soup.

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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June 29, 2010

Disney Food Confession: Smoky Portobello Mushroom Soup.

What is it: Smoky portobello mushroom soup with roasted Shiitakes and chive oil.

Where is it: Artist Point, a Disney signature restaurant located in the Wilderness Lodge.

Why you want it: The roasted mushrooms have a smoky, almost bacon-like texture and taste. I swore it was bacon, which made me nervous because I’d recommended this to my vegetarian friend. The soup is smooth and creamy and the chive oil gives it a little kick. It’s also topped with deep fried shallots. They’re not breaded, just fried with a superb crunchy goodness. You’ll love these. Even if you don’t like mushrooms (we know you’re out there), you’ll love this soup.

A personal note: This is the best soup I’ve ever had anywhere. In fact, it may be the best appetizer I’ve ever had. Having said that, if you’re a vegetarian you should know that it contains chicken stock, which I found out after my vegetarian friend ate it. Oops. She hasn’t said, but I think it was worth it to shelve her scruples for one night. It’s that good. I mean, we’re both still talking about it. You can probably call ahead and get the chef to make your soup sans chicken stock. By the way, if you haven’t been, Artist Point is a hidden gem at WDW. I highly recommend it.

Photo Credit: I tend to eat most of my food before I take a photo, so rather than subject you to my messy plate, I got this photo here from Mike and Kelli’s cute Disneymoon page.

Disney ‘Step Up 3D’ Offers Interactive Experience for Fans

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Chip

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June 29, 2010

New Step Up 3D channel is first to integrate the iPhone platform with Facebook, MySpace and YouTube to create one connected community of fans around the movie, in theaters on August 6, 2010

thisMoment, a company focused on creating engaging experiences at the point where social media, mobile devices, and the real-time Web collide, today announced that Walt Disney Studios is leveraging its Distributed Engagement Channel (DEC) to create an official interactive experience for Step Up 3D fans.

The new channel, which connects over a million Step Up fans across Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and the iPhone, will feature film content, music videos, multiple contests, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, as well as real-time chat functionality across multiple Web environments.

Fans currently have an opportunity to participate in The “Step Up 3D” ARE YOU #BFABB (Born From a Boombox)? Dance Contest – a user-generated video contest that gives fans the opportunity to submit their best dance moves to win a cash prize, a trip to the World Premiere of the film and perform on BET’s “106 & Park.” Disney, Step Up 3D director, Jon Chu, and the producers of “106 & Park” will serve as judges for the contest and select up to 10 finalists.

The finalists will then compete in a new “versus” dance battle feature inspired by the movie that will allow fans to view two semi-finalist videos, side-by-side, and place their vote for the top two first prize winners.

To view the Step Up 3D channel on Facebook, visit: http://www.facebook.com/StepUpMovie; on MySpace, visit:
http://www.myspace.com/StepUpMovie; and on YouTube, visit: http://www.youtube.com/StepUpMovie.

Where is your favorite place for a Quick Bite at Magic Kingdom?

By

Chip

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June 29, 2010

Magic Kingdom to me has more Quick Service food options than any other park. From the traditional Hamburgers, Hotdogs, and French Fries to the Asian Influenced Noodle Bowls there is something for every palate and family type.

One thing I love about a Disney Quick Service Restaurant is in its name Quick! You can get in and our pretty quick and is a great way to recharge so you can get back to riding the rides.

Here are my choices for Top Eats for Quick Service Bites at the Magic Kingdom.

5. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café – One of the best places to rustle up a hamburger in Walt Disney World. The main attraction here is the Fixins Bar.

4. El Pirata y el Perico Restaurant – Nice little quick stop near Pirates to grab a burrito or taco. Hardly ever crowded you can really get in and out fast!

3. Casey’s Corner – A great place to have a hot dog right on Main Street. I was having a hard time picking between here and the Main Street Bakery as they are both really good. Casey has the best viewing location for Wishes Nigh-time Spectacular

2. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café – Ray’s has one of the best priced and most filling quick service meals at all of Walt Disney World the 1/2 Chicken and BBQ Rib Combination. It is so filling and I have never walked away from here hungry.

1. Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station – I love a good bowl of noodles. With options for meat eaters and vegetarian alike this is a welcome stop at the Magic Kingdom.

So what are some of your favorite Quick Service locations at the Walt Disney World Resort? Let us know in the comment section below.

Tour of Disney’s Golden Oak Development – Luxury Homes at Walt Disney World

By

Chip

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June 29, 2010

This is a video of what is viewable at Disney’s Golden Oak development site near Walt Disney World. Golden Oak is a one-of-a-kind luxury residential resort community offering the unprecedented opportunity to purchase a home at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Especially designed for resort living, Golden Oak will provide an entirely new way for families to connect with the world’s best-known family destination and entertainment brand.

You can find photos at Mousesteps website here. Thanks to Jeff Lang DVD for the video.

Worker critically injured at Walt Disney resort construction site in Ko Olina

By

Chip

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June 29, 2010

Sad news from the Disney Aulani Resort in Hawaii our thoughts and prayers go out to the worker and his family.

A worker was critically injured this morning at the Aulani – Disney Vacation Club Resort construction site in Ko Olina.

The man, described to be in his late 50s, was pinned by a scissors lift, a folding industrial platform. He was taken in critical condition by an ambulance to a local hospital.

Fire rescue crews and paramedics were summoned to the construction site at 92-111 Kamoana Place just before 9 this morning.

Source

Forever 21 & Disney to Offer Fashionable “Minnie Muse” Collection This Holiday

By

Chip

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June 29, 2010

A Mouse is on the Catwalk! Forever 21 and Disney Consumer Products to Offer Fashionable “Minnie Muse” Collection This Holiday Exclusively at Forever 21, Collection Plays Up the Fashionable Side of Minnie Mouse and Channels the Worldly ‘Fashionista’ Inside Every Woman.

Disney Consumer Products and Forever 21 announce their collaboration on a new fashion line of apparel and accessories for young fashionable women called “Minnie Muse” exclusively for Forever 21 Twist. The new collection is inspired by modernized sketches of the style icon, Minnie Mouse, and will be available at Forever 21 stores nationwide and online at Forever21.com starting November 2010— just in time for the Holidays. The line will also include stationery and gift items.

The upcoming collection follows Minnie Mouse shopping and visiting fashion capitals— London, Paris and Tokyo— in preparation for her line. Disney Consumer products designed this special Minnie Mouse character art and style guide exclusively for Forever 21. The style is fresh and portrays Minnie Mouse in a way no has ever seen her before, leggy, modern and glamorous.

This is the first celebrity muse for the fast fashion retailer’s Twist Collection of clothing and accessories. Product line details and images will soon be available.

About Forever 21 Inc.
Forever 21, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, is a specialty retailer of women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, known for offering the hottest and most current fashion trends at a great value to consumers. Forever 21’s model of fast fashion works by keeping the store exciting with new merchandise brought in daily. The retailer operates over 480 stores in the United States, with international operations in Canada, Korea and Japan. For more information please visit: www.forever21.com.

Disney’s Upcoming Thriller “Don’t be afraid of the Dark” with Katie Holmes

By

Chip

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June 29, 2010

Walt Disney Studios has assigned January 21, 2011 as the release date for the thriller Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, starring Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce. The film, which is being produced by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Johnson centers on a young girl (Bailee Madison) who is set to live with her father (Pearce) and his girlfriend (Holmes) in an old mansion they are renovating. She unwittingly unleashes malevolent creatures that try to destroy her entire family.

The film will bow on the Friday following the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. It’s one of the remaining titles from the now defunct Miramax Films.

Don’t be afraid of the dark is about a young girl, after moving in with her father and his girlfriend soon discovers creatures are living in the house with them. Originally thought to be friendly, she soon learns otherwise.