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“Toy Story 3” beats Sandler, Cruise at box office

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Chip
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"Toy Story 3" beats Sandler, Cruise at box office

“Toy Story 3,” from Walt Disney Co’s Pixar Animation unit, sold about $59 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada during the three days beginning on Friday.

Its 10-day haul rose to $226.6 million, quickly making it the fourth biggest movie of the year behind “Alice in Wonderland,” “Iron Man 2” and “Shrek Forever After,” which leads it by just $3 million.

The Sandler-led ensemble comedy “Grown Ups” followed with $41 million — the fourth best of his consistently strong career. The critically maligned picture, which co-stars Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider, was released by Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp.

Cruise’s action comedy “Knight and Day” opened at a distant No. 3 with $20.5 million, far short of the tallies of his last big movies (2006’s “Mission Impossible IV” with $48 million, and 2005’s “War of the Worlds” with $65 million).

The $107 million film, which also stars Cameron Diaz, got a two-day head start by opening on Wednesday through News Corp’s 20th Century Fox, taking its five-day haul to $27.8 million.

Disney Parks Blog Weekly Recap June 27th

By
Chip
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Disney Parks Blog Weekly Recap June 27th

This week, we launched an option many of you have been waiting for at Walt Disney World — the Annual Pass Monthly Payment Program. It’s now available for Florida residents and simple to use. Just make a down payment equal to the price of a non-discounted one-day Magic Your Way base ticket and then pay the remainder through 12 recurring automatic monthly payments scheduled for the year.

We’ve also made it easy to find your Pass at http://www.disneyworld.com/payments. And now, here are a few other stories that grabbed your attention this week:

Golden Oak Luxury Residential Resort Community at Walt Disney World — Get a sneak peek at Golden Oak – a new one-of-a-kind, luxury residential resort community at Walt Disney World that Disney Imagineers helped design.

Moms Panel: Tips for Staying Cool this Summer at Walt Disney World — Walt Disney World Moms Panelist Tanya M shared her favorite ideas for keeping cool in Central Florida during the summer.

Special Fireworks on July 4 at Walt Disney World Resort — We’re celebrating Fourth of July at Walt Disney World with a unique choice of fireworks shows at several different theme parks.

Disney Character Bandz Have Arrived! – Find out where to find Disney-inspired Rubber Bandz at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.

America Sings? Main Street Electrical Parade? Bear Country? America on Parade? What New Attraction or Show do You Think was Most Impressive at Disneyland Park Between 1971 and 1975? – The latest in our Countdown to 55 series looks at 1971-1975. What do you remember most from this time?

Luxury Pet Resort at Walt Disney World Now Accepting Reservations – The new Best Friends Pet Resort is scheduled to open this summer at the Walt Disney World Resort, with air-conditioned rooms,”VIP” suites and private outdoor yards for your pet.

Video: ‘Lotso’ at Block Party Bash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear is now appearing in the Block Party Bash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Take a look at this video!

Chef’s Fired up over Epcot Food & Wine Festival Oct. 1.-Nov. 14, 2010

By
Chip
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Chef's Fired up over Epcot Food & Wine Festival Oct. 1.-Nov. 14, 2010

From left, Epcot Chef Albert Youngman and Epcot Executive Chef Jens Dahlmann, whip up some favorite dishes in preparation for the 15th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Oct. 1.-Nov. 14, 2010 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The popular culinarian event offers a variety of international tastings, wine and beer samplings, plus celebrity chefs, food and wine seminars and specialty dinners

Disney Week in Review – June 20th – June 27th

By
Chip
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Disney Week in Review – June 20th - June 27th

I hope you had a great week this past week. Thank you so much for visiting out website and making us apart of your day. Here are the best of this past week around the Disney Blog-o-sphere.

Finally here are a few articles from the C&C website you might have missed this past week.

  • Playing with Disney’s Lots-O’ Hugging Bear
  • Disney Confidential: Updates on Disney Dining Reservation System.
  • Disneyworld Dining on a Budget Tips & Tricks to Save Money
  • Top Quick Service Places to Grab a Bite in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
  • Whats your Biggest and Best Coaster at Walt Disney World?
  • Date Night at Walt Disney World
  • Creating the Perfect Disney Dining Day – Where would you grab 3 meals and a snack?

Have a great week!

Grammy Award-winning singer Gloria Estefan meets Woody and Jessie

By
Chip
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Grammy Award-winning singer Gloria Estefan meets Woody and Jessie

Grammy Award-winning singer Gloria Estefan poses June 26, 2010 with her new pals from the silver screen — “Toy Story 3” characters Jessie and Woody  — at the Magic Kingdom park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

“Toy Story 3,” the hit Disney-Pixar animated feature film, debuted in U.S. theaters on June 18, 2010. Estefan was on vacation at the Walt Disney World theme park with family and friends.

PassPorter Closeouts – Special $4 For 4th of July Closeout Sale!

By
Chip
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PassPorter Closeouts - Special $4 For 4th of July Closeout Sale!

Wow a great deal is going on now at our friends Passporter.com.

Get any book listed here for just $4 each from now until Monday, July 5, 2010 at 11:59 pm ET! Plus get free USPS Media Mail shipping on any order over $25 shipping to a U.S. address — so get a bunch and save even more!

Closeouts include older editions as well as the current Disney cruise guide and Disneyland guides, plus our 2009 edition of our Walt Disney World guide. These editions make GREAT gifts, too! Please note that no additional discounts or coupons can be applied on these closeouts.

Passporters Walt Disney World Guide is the most unique and helpful Disney Guide on the market. Now is the time to pick up 2009’s copy for only $4 what a great buy!

Click here for more information and order your copy today.

Marvel’s Little Big Planet DLC Details

By
Chip
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Marvel's Little Big Planet DLC Details

Hey there, True Believers! Get ready for Your Universe to invade Little Big Planet!

Beginning July 7, you’ll have a wealth of official new Marvel Super Hero and Super villain costumes for your Sackboys and Sackgirls!  Starting with the initial offering and continuing every other week following, we’ll introduce four different Marvel Costume Packs, each with five different costumes depicting Marvel’s mightiest Super Heroes and most dreaded Super Villains.

To get you fully prepared for the awesome onslaught of Marvel & LBP goodness, we’re unveiling all the glorious details for each costume right here on Marvel.com! We’ll kick things this Monday, June 28 with more art and information than you can shake a Skrull at. And since we love to tease our terrific fans, here’s the full list of upcoming LBP costumes to let your imagination run wild…

  • Captain America
  • Daredevil
  • Doctor Octopus
  • Elektra
  • Ghost Rider
  • Green Goblin
  • Hulk
  • Invisible Woman
  • Iron Man
  • The Human Torch
  • Magneto
  • Mystique
  • the Punisher
  • Rogue
  • Spider-Man
  • Storm
  • The Thing
  • Thor
  • Venom
  • Wolverine

But wait! There’s more! We’re also unveiling a magnificently massive Marvel Level Kit, which includes four levels of adventure pitting your Sackpeople against the evil plans of Magneto.  And of course, while you play through the levels, you’ll collect a huge assortment of Marvel-themed music, objects, materials, stickers and a special “Rooftop” background to help you CREATE your own fantastic levels.

Stay tuned to Marvel.com, the PlayStation Blog and LittleBigPlanet.com for more details on the Marvel Level Kit, Marvel Super Hero and Super Villain costumes and much more over the coming weeks!

The Grove in Los Angeles Celebrates ‘THE LION KING Day’

By
Chip
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The Grove in Los Angeles Celebrates 'THE LION KING Day'

Cast members from Disney’s THE LION KING (at Mandalay Bay) will be performing in Los Angeles at The Grove outdoor shopping and entertainment district during a free event on Friday, July 9 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Performers will include Kissy Simmons, who joined the Las Vegas company after appearing as “Nala” on Broadway; Buyi Zama, a native of South Africa, who has performed as “Rafiki” in seven productions of THE LION KING around the world; and Jelani Remy as “Simba,” previously seen in the theatrical touring production of High School Musical.  Join the cast as they celebrate “THE LION KING Day” at The Grove, performing iconic songs from the Broadway phenomenon such as “Circle of Life,” “Shadowland,” “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and “Endless Night” alongside the FAME Church Choir, Los Angeles.

As part of the celebration, guests can also join in the festivities by creating their own LION KING themed mask made from recycled products with Ann Closs-Farley Designs from 3-7 PM.

For Las Vegas, Disney hand-selected an acclaimed, international cast of performers from productions of THE LION KING across the globe including Broadway, Taipei, South Africa, London, Los Angeles, Australia, Toronto, Shanghai, Paris and Holland.

The Las Vegas production of THE LION KING is virtually identical to the other companies seen around the globe and is staged with all of the same spectacular music, sets, and costumes that have made it a worldwide phenomenon.  The show is performed at Mandalay Bay Monday through Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. with weekend shows at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.  For additional information, visit: www.LionKingLasVegas.com

Disney VoluntEARS Steve Luttrell Honored as VoluntEAR of the Year

By
Chip
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Disney VoluntEARS Steve Luttrell Honored as VoluntEAR of the Year

Walt Disney World Resort is celebrating the accomplishments of Disney VoluntEARS, which gave a record 251,000 hours toward improving the lives of Central Floridians in 2009, by recognizing top standouts with awards and charitable donations.

This week, high honors were given to Steve Luttrell as VoluntEAR of the Year and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort VoluntEARS Team as the VoluntEAR Team of the Year. Both received $2,500 cash donations to the charity of their choice.

VoluntEAR of the Year
By day, Steve Luttrell works as a member of Disney’s Engineering Services team. Nights and weekends, you’ll find him on the baseball field, helping kids learn the values of teamwork and sportsmanship. Luttrell has dedicated hundreds of service hours to Dr. Phillips Little League and has changed the lives of hundreds of youth during his six seasons of involvement. Known for maintaining composure under pressure, Luttrell coaches young boys and their parents beyond the basics of baseball and demonstrates the importance of personal responsibility. A donation of $2,500 will be given to the Dr. Phillips Little League in honor of Luttrell.

VoluntEAR Team of the Year
A small but powerful team, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort VoluntEARS Team increased their Cast Member participation from 51% to 89% within a year; completing 29 projects in Indian River County in 2009. Activities range from a Habitat for Humanity build to a March of Dimes walk to involving youth in a beach cleanup event to help them gain environmental awareness. In honor of the team, $2,500 will be donated to the March of Dimes Treasure Coast Division.

The Walt Disney Company, through the Disney VoluntEARS program, provides opportunities for Cast Members to contribute their time and expertise toward positively impacting their communities. Later this summer, the EARS to You program will recognize Disney VoluntEARS with thousands of dollars in grants for local non-profit organizations. More information will be revealed near the end of July.
By day, Steve Luttrell works as a member of Disney’s Engineering Services team. Nights and weekends, you’ll find him on the baseball field, helping kids learn the values of teamwork and sportsmanship. Luttrell has dedicated hundreds of service hours to Dr. Phillips Little League and has changed the lives of hundreds of youth during his six seasons of involvement. Known for maintaining composure under pressure, Luttrell coaches young boys and their parents beyond the basics of baseball and demonstrates the importance of personal responsibility. A donation of $2,500 will be given to the Dr. Phillips Little League in honor of Luttrell. A small but powerful team, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort VoluntEARS Team increased their Cast Member participation from 51% to 89% within a year; completing 29 projects in Indian River County in 2009. Activities range from a Habitat for Humanity build to a March of Dimes walk to involving youth in a beach cleanup event to help them gain environmental awareness. In honor of the team, $2,500 will be donated to the March of Dimes Treasure Coast Division. The Walt Disney Company, through the Disney VoluntEARS program, provides opportunities for Cast Members to contribute their time and expertise toward positively impacting their communities. Later this summer, the EARS to You program will recognize Disney VoluntEARS with thousands of dollars in grants for local non-profit organizations. More information will be revealed near the end of July.

‘Toy Story 3’ And Pixar Turn To The Web For Spanish Buzz Casting

By
Chip
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'Toy Story 3' And Pixar Turn To The Web For Spanish Buzz Casting

Voice123, LLC, a voice over casting website started out of Queens, NY in 2003, proved to be useful when it came time for PIXAR to cast the voice of ‘Spanish Buzz’ for the latest Toy Story movie, now in theaters.

The voice of Javier Fernandez-Pena was found by a PIXAR casting director through a web search, in which his Voice123 profile appeared. The recording took place in London, UK, on a Sunday in late 2009, and took four hours to complete.

The news of this job booking through an online casting website, comes on the heels of Voice123’s seventh anniversary, and is serving as proof that the traditional methods of casting for voice over work, through agents and casting directors, is changing to fit the needs of business quickly becoming dependent on digital resources for lower production cost, and increased value.

Here is the video of Spanish Buzz

Celebrating Exceptional VoluntEARS at Walt Disney World

By
Chip
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Celebrating Exceptional VoluntEARS at Walt Disney World

At Walt Disney World Resort, we have a tradition of community service that is part of our culture. Through the Disney VoluntEARS program, Cast Members can contribute their time and expertise toward making a difference in Central Florida.

Disney annually recognizes these efforts with VoluntEAR of the Year and VoluntEAR Team of the Year awards, which come with $2,500 cash donations to the charity of the recipients’ choice. Top standouts for 2010 will be named later today.

But before we look ahead, it’s worth looking back at 2009 VoluntEAR of the Year Alais Salvador, who won honors for providing more than 2,500 meals for the hungry and creating a Relay for Life team, which raised more than $56,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Click here to keep reading

New book details the inside story behind the creation of Walt Disney World

By
Chip
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New book details the inside story behind the creation of Walt Disney World

The original concept for this book about how Disney came to Central Florida originated in an unlikely place:  A law review article that  Emerson, a law professor, published with the Florida State University School of Law.  This review comes to us from Attractions Magazine:

It’s a plot Jack Bauer would love – a clandestine project by one of America’s most brilliant business leaders punctuated with multiple code names, fake identities, make-shift affiliations, and unique regulatory arrangements. And while almost every traveler recognizes Walt Disney World as one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, what might surprise them are the secret and pain-staking measures Walt took to keep his intentions for a Disneyland-East under wraps.

Project Future explores one of the most comprehensive and successful private developments in U.S. history – the Walt Disney World Resort.

The paperback by Orlando Attractions Magazine contributor Chad Emerson takes Disney fans and theme park enthusiasts on the ride with Walt and his advisors in the early ‘60s as they evaluate locations like St. Louis, Niagara, Monterey, Calif., Ocala, Fla. and the Miami area as possible sites for the new “Disneyland-East.”

Author Emerson, a tenured member of the faculty at Faulkner University’s Jones School of Law and highly-respected theme park and attractions industry expert, puts readers in Conference Room 2E at the company’s Burbank headquarters as the most senior Disney officials sort through the optimal parcels of land to place the “real working city” and planned entertainment development.

Click here to keep reading.

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