StarStruck star Sterling Knight invades Radio Disney. He talks about his role on the hit movie StarStruck, and takes some calls from some of his fans.
Unfortunately I can’t post the video here… Click here to see Sterling.
Disney World tries again to restore parental waivers
The Daily Disney is reporting on the Florida Court decision that ruled that parents did not have the authority to sign away their children’s rights before participating in potentially dangerous activities.
Fourteen months ago, the highest court in Florida ruled that parents did not have the authority to sign away their children’s civil-lawsuit rights before participating in potentially dangerous commercial activities — a decision that outraged the state’s tourism industry and prompted warnings that businesses would begin to drop children from certain programs.
The fallout so far, however, has been more ripple than wave.
A handful of small dive shops say they no longer offer junior scuba certification. An open-cockpit biplane operator at Fantasy of Flight in Polk County stopped taking children on flights — only to see business plummet, so now it accepts kids again but fears sharply higher insurance premiums. Orlando’s Gatorland says it has halted plans for a new, $1 million attraction because it would require participants to sign legal waivers.
But others appear unfazed. Neither Walt Disney World nor SeaWorld Orlando, both of which have publicly decried the court ruling, have imposed new restrictions on activities that require parental waivers. The Richard Petty Driving Experience, which operates a racetrack at Disney World, has even lowered the minimum age for teens who want to ride along in a stock car that speeds around a track at up to 165 mph.
Click here to keep reading.
*New* Alice in Wonderland: Wonderland Featurette
Here is some bonus footage in this Featurette. I can’t wait to see this movie. As soon as they post movie times I am ordering my ticket!
Walt Disney Pictures and Tim Burton’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND coming to theaters in Disney Digital 3D on March 5, 2010.
Are you looking forward to seeing this movie? Let us know in the comment section below.
Disney Cast Member Figure Part of New ‘Star Tours’ Set
How cool would that be? Disney Park Blog shares with us this upcoming release that I am sure will find its way into my collection.
Disney & Hasbro will release a commemorative set of figures from the original Star Tours boarding party, featuring Star Tours Officer, Kaink, Teek, Ree-Yees and Chewbacca. Ree-Yees will include a custom 3-eye camera as seen in the Star Tours pre-boarding video.
The Disney Cast Member will be introduced as the Star Tours officer when the set launches in May during Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.The boarding party will not be as rare as the Holographic Emperor Stitch figure but it will be a one-time production run…limited to 15,000 pieces. Sets will also be available at the Disneyland Resort.
Click here to keep reading and for more photos.
Photo from disneyparkblog.com
Do you collect any Disney or Star Wars merchandise? Let us know what you collect in the comment section below.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Relaunch
Disney Wide World of Sports Complex has changed its name to ESPN Wide World of Sports. Still bringing you all the sport goodness you love just with the backing of the leader in sports ESPN. Here is the article from Disney Park Blog along with some great photos:
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will officially relaunch on the evening of February 25 and it’s going to be an event you won’t want to miss.
Right now many of the new enhancements are installed and ready for the big day. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the new signage and facilities at the Complex, from the main sign and entrance gate to the new globe and Champion Stadium jumbo screen. But be sure to check back as we have saved some of our coolest enhancements for the big reveal!
And here’s your official invite to come check out the new complex that will take youth sports to the next level. Some of your favorite athletes and ESPN personalities will be in attendance at the official ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Red Carpet event. High-five today’s biggest athletes from MLB, NFL, and NBA, shake hands with the familiar faces of ESPN and get ready for a grand opening moment you have never seen before. Be sure to arrive before 5pm and stick around for some great events after the red carpet. The Harlem Globetrotters will put on a special performance including appearances from some of the biggest names in sports and four MLS teams will be playing in the inaugural Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic, so get your tickets now for a full night of events!
Click here to keep reading and to check out more photos.
Photo from disneyparkblog.com
What do you think about the change? Are you attending the relaunch? Let us know in the comment section below.
Staying On Site vs Staying Off Site at Disneyworld
Chris over at Everything WDW makes some interesting points to staying on site vs off site. We have done both but I perfer to stay onsite due to the convenience and proximity. Both have their pro’s and con’s. Check out her article below.
Deciding where you want to stay on your Disney vacation is probably the second decision you’ll make, right after deciding when to go. It’s a decision that can greatly affect your experience and given the sheer magnitude of options in the Orlando area, your choice won’t necessarily be easy: Do you need a lot of space? Which parks will you be going to the most? Do you want a luxury resort or just a place to lay your head at the end of the day? To further complicate things, you have to decide whether or not you want to stay on or off Disney property.
Click here to keep reading.
What do you and your family like to do? Any suggestions for those still undecided?
‘Epic Mickey’ Could Eventually Be Multiplatform After All
MTV talks about Disney’s Epic Mickey making the Multiplatform jump. Although after reading the article Disney does not really say that would be the case. They said in the future, does that mean future Disney games or Epic Mickey future? Check out the article and you decide:
Just because Disney and Junction Point decided to make “Epic Mickey” exclusive to the Wii doesn’t mean they might not change their minds and take it to other systems in the future. A multiplatform approach had been considered before Warren Spector convinced Disney to avoid the 360 and PS3, and as of right now that’s still the official plan. After the initial launch, however, anything is possible.
“We have a very large audience base that has Wiis in their home”, Disney exec Steve Wadsworth explained out at DICE 2010, according to Gamasutra. “That’s not to say that we won’t go to other platforms [in the future].”
Click here to keep reading.
Photo from gamerzines.com
Disney’s New Movie Theme
To all Disney Fans….I have a question for you. Â How do you like Disney’s new movie theme? Â What is the new theme you ask? Â Well….in a word “grief.”
For those of you scratching your head, let’s review Disney/Pixar’s last two blockbuster movies.  UP from Pixar was a movie that many people were apprehensive about after the trailers came out.  When the movie finally hit the box office, it became clear that this movie was special.  Why was it special?  Simply put, it went somewhere that Disney/Pixar movies have never really gone before.  A large portion of the beginning of the movie was laden with grief, and the audience FELT that grief.  When I saw it in the theater, everyone who was over the age of 10 was overcome with grief and gave way to more crying than I have ever seen for any movie.  This emotional pull was very universal, and I can imagine many parents having to answer the question “Mommy/Daddy, why are you crying?”  This is one of the large reasons UP is so critically acclaimed.
The latest Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog, was even more direct with the use of grief. Â I won’t spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen it; however, I will say to those parents with children be prepared to hug your kids when the scene in the movie arrives. Â This portrayal of grief is way more direct, and even younger children can begin to grasp it’s magnitude much more easily than with UP.
Disney goes through themes with it’s movies from time to time.  Most of the themes have been along the lines of “Damsel in Distress”, “Strong Female Character”, “Antagonist Death”, and even “Family Member Tragedy.”  I can’t remember a time where personal tragedy and grief were such a prominent part of Disney movies.  Personally I think this was a step that Disney needed to take in order to bring their movies back into greatness.  While controversial on a certain level, Disney makes lifelike fairy tales.  Grief is a part of life, and I think Disney has shown great ability to adapt and grow by using this powerful human emotion.
So, how do you feel about this new movie theme from Disney/Pixar?
Disney Picture of the day – Disney Villainesses
Disney Villainesses by violatekate on deviantART
The characters (top to bottom, left to right)
Mirage – The Incredibles
Zira – The lion king 2
Madame Medusa – The Rescuers
Queen of hearts – Alice in wonderland
Queen Grimhilde – Snow white
Madame Mim – The sword in the stone
The Wicked Stepsisters – Cinderella
Maleficent – Sleeping Beauty
Cruella de Vil – 101 Dalmations
Ursula – The little mermaid
Disney Studios hopes to duplicate ‘High School Musical’ success
What I think is cool is that its going to be along the same lines as a John Hughes comedy. I was fortunate to grow up in the 80’s with movies like Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and Weird Science.
So far the show is still in the idea phase and Disney has not given their blessing just yet.
Below is some of the article from Variety.
The studio, which struck a chord with younger audiences when it graduated Disney Channel’s hit franchise “High School Musical” to the bigscreen, is developing “Prom,” a comedy that revolves around a group of teens prepping for the big dance.
Disney is looking to experiment with how it packages the project, exploring the idea of casting complete unknown thesps to star as the nine lead roles, and rein in the budget to boost the profit potential of the pic. The tone is said to be similar to the types of teen comedies helmed by John Hughes or Cameron Crowe.
Joe Nussbaum, who has experience directing young thesps like Amanda Bynes in Universal’s “Sydney White,” and others in the direct-to-DVD pic “American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile” and MGM’s “Sleepover,” will helm the project, based on a script by Katie Wech, whose written for “The Dead Zone” and was an associate producer on “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.”
Click here to keep reading.
What do you think about the show’s idea? Do you think it will be as good as High School Musical? or as funny as a John Hughes comedy? Let us know in the comment section below.
Tables in Wonderland at Walt Disney World
Disney Park Blog gives us some more information about the Tables in Wonderland experience. Formally known as Disney Dining Experience.
Annual Passholders and Florida residents get sweet dining deals with Tables in Wonderland (if you don’t know about TIW, check it out at Disneyworld.disney.go.com). We love the complimentary valet parking and 20 percent discount for dinner at dozens of Walt Disney World Resort restaurants.
From time to time, Tables in Wonderland hosts fabulous dinners, and the next one is Feb. 25 at The Wave at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, celebrating the Sunshine State’s local bounty of fruits and veggies. Imagine heirloom tomatoes from Myakka, strawberries from Plant City, tiny opal basil and arugula from Odessa, Florida Gulf coast spiny lobster…all turned into delicious creations in the kitchen of Chef Frank Brough. And dinner guests get to meet farmers Mike and Sandy Lott who grow their delicious strawberries near Plant City. Wine will be paired with each of the four courses by sommelier Jim Killam of Vineyard Brands.
Dinner starts at 7 p.m. Cost is $92 per guest. For reservations, send an e-mail to [email protected] and tell them your name, phone, address and how many guests. The event is limited to 50 diners.
For more information All Ears has the best article I have been able to find including participating restaurants.
Toy Story 3 Welcomes Buttercup
Saddle up for fun and let Buttercup lead your child away on a magical adventure! This cuddly unicorn features velvety-soft, snow-colored fur with sparkly gold and pink accents. He sports a signature mythical golden horn and a fun-to-comb mane and tail. Buttercup’s durable plastic eyes are both charming and scratch-resistant. Hypo-allergenic. Ages 3 and up.
