2010 Walt Disney World Marathon Highlights

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January 13, 2010

Nearly 24,000 runners battled freezing temperatures to run the 26.2 mile course through Walt Disney World. Music and fireworks sent runners into the cold early morning darkness. Participants from all 50 states and 50 countries started their run near Epcot and made their way through the Magic Kingdom, Disneys Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom before concluding at Epcot. This years marathon had a wide range of ages- from 18 to 78.

Adriano Bastos from Brazil won his sixth straight, seventh overall, Disney Marathon with a winning time of 2:22:08. Japans Lisa Mizutani completed the course in 2:51:20 winning the womens division for the second year in a row.

The Endurance Series at Walt Disney World 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 Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon (Jan. 6-9, 2011), Champion 5k at ESPN the Weekend (Feb. 27, 2010), Disneys Princess Half Marathon Weekend (March 5-7, 2010), Expedition Everest Challenge (June 12, 2010) and the inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend (Oct. 1-2, 2010). Please visit disneyenduranceseries.com for more information and follow us on Twitter @DisneySports for daily updates.

Disney fires production chief Oren Aviv

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Chip

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January 12, 2010

Disney fires production chief Oren Aviv

Continuing to clean house and put his own team in place, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Rich Ross has ousted the studio’s production chief, Oren Aviv, according to two people close to the executive.

Aviv, who had been at the studio for 18 years, was president of marketing from 2000 to 2006 before taking the production job. Aviv also served as an executive producer on the studio’s movie series “National Treasure” and was a close ally of former studio head Dick Cook, who was ousted by Ross last year.

The studio has been suffering a creative drought, with a number of movies, including “Shopaholic,” “G-Force” and “Old Dogs,” underperforming at the box office.

Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Iger has been publicly critical of the movie picks. In October, he named Ross, who built Disney Channel into a children’s-programming juggernaut, to succeed Cook. Since that time, Ross has fired a number of Cook’s top executives and has restructured the marketing and distribution operations. He is expected soon to name a new production head and marketing chief.

A Disney spokeswoman had no immediate comment.

Source

Photo from zimbio.com

Now is the time for your Disney Vacation

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Chip

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January 12, 2010

There are so many Disney Park offers going on right now for both Disneyland & Disneyworld it’s impossible not to save money! Here is a collection of all the commercials that the Disney Marketing Machine is running right now.

In this commercial spot, the magic is discovered at home with a visit from Dumbo and great resort offer- buy a 3-night package and get 2 more nights free.. For more details, visit: http://www.disneyland.com

Jungle Cruise animals take a rest to enjoy four days, 4 theme parks for $99 with the 4DayDreamPass ticket. For more details, visit: http://www.disneyworld.com/99

TV Spot featuring favorite Toy Story characters and a great resort offer at Walt Disney World. Learn about this great gift card offer at http://www.disneyworld.com

Jungle Cruise animals take a rest to enjoy the rest of Disneyland with the 2fer ticket. For more details, visit:

Analyst says higher gas prices could crimp Disney World Travel

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Chip

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January 12, 2010

Even as they attempt to dig out from the global recession, Walt Disney World and other theme parks could face a new threat: Higher crude oil and gasoline prices.

Thatâ€™s a potential concern raised by stock-research analysts who follow the Walt Disney Co. for Janney Capital Markets.

â€œWe suspect the dramatic rise in the cost of cruise mayâ€¦limit regional attendance (ie: those that drive to parks) and may start to incrementally weigh on margins,â€ analyst Tony Wible wrote in a research note issued yesterday.

The oil-price fear is part of a mixed outlook Wible has for Disneyâ€™s theme-parks business. He also expresses concern that Disney has continued to discount â€” with offers including a free $750 gift card for guests who book five-night stays in certain Disney World resorts â€” saying â€œwe generally believe these promotions are a negative harbinger for the health of the parks business.â€

But he also noted that traffic at Orlando International Airport and hotel-occupancy rates in Orlando have turned positive after extended declines.

Click here to keep reading

Marvel Kills ‘Spider-Man 4,’ Looks To Reboot Franchise

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Chip

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January 12, 2010

Is this a little bit of a Disney influence? Or is this something that should’ve been done all along?

Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures has pulled the plug on the current Spider-Man franchise, opting instead to do a reboot, putting Peter Parker in high school. That means director Sam Raimi is out, and star Tobey Maguire is out.

“A decade ago we set out on this journey with Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire, and together we made three Spider-Man films that set a new bar for the genre,” said Amy Pascal, co-chair of Sony Pictures Entertainment, in a release. “When we began, no one ever imagined that we would make history at the box office, and now we have a rare opportunity to make history once again with this franchise. Peter Parker is an ordinary young adult grappling with extraordinary powers has always been the foundation that has made this character so timeless and compelling for generations of fans. We’re very excited about the creative possibilities that come from returning to Peter’s roots and we look forward to working once again with Marvel Studios.”

The reboot will be produced by Columbia, Marvel, Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin. It’s unclear when this new movie would go into production, or when it would be released, although 2012 has been bantied about.

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Disneyland Construction, Pricing & More

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Chip

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January 12, 2010

Yesterday Dateline Disneyland posted an article in the Micechat forums. It is a huge post of all the construction going on at Disneyland. From the draining of the Rivers of America, to the new ticket prices, and even information about the new Red Cars that are coming in 2012. Here are a few highlights from the post, I would recomend heading over there and reading the full post. (link is at the bottom)

The Rivers of America have been drained as the River closes for a scheduled refurbishment over the next four and a half months.

The Red Car Trolleys will help unite the new 1930s Los Angeles-themed Buena Vista Street with the Hollywood Pictures Backlot, which will soon be getting some much needed period-specific re-theming and in the process be renamed Hollywood Land.

Click here to keep reading

Pictures by Fishbulb

Disney’s Volunteer Vacation Contest

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January 12, 2010

Share a story about how your family demonstrated the power of giving back for a chance to win a vacation to Walt Disney WorldÂ® Resort and be recognized at Disney Parks’ Celebration of Volunteerism event on February 11, 2010. See rules

Click here the picture above to enter.

AAA/CAA Travel presentsâ€¦Discover Your Magical Disney Dreams

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Chip

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January 11, 2010

Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 6 â€“ 11 PM Eastern
Registration and attendance is Free and Easy!

Join AAA/CAA online for this virtual travel show, where thereâ€™s magic at every destination. Whether youâ€™re planning your very first visit to a Disney Destination or looking forward to returning to your favorite Disney theme park, youâ€™ll find that the magic is endless! During the live event you can-

Interact with fellow travel enthusiasts and travel experts.
View live webcasts and hear about Disney Destinations.
Learn travel tips and international travel requirements.
Explore your best Disney vacation options!

January is Disney Month at AAA and CAA! What better time to let AAA/CAA Travel help you plan your Disney dream vacation! When you book a Disney vacation with AAA/CAA Travel in January, youâ€™ll receive special values and extra savings in addition to the exclusive benefits given to AAA/CAA members!

During the show, you can enter the special drawing for a magical AAA VacationsÂ® package to either the DisneylandÂ® Resort in Southern California or the Walt Disney WorldÂ® Resort in Florida. There will be other great prizes you may qualify for during the live event.

Donâ€™t miss out! AAA/CAA Travelâ€™s virtual travel show on January 19 will let you Discover Your Magical Disney Dreams!

Click here to learn more

Disneyland So-Cal 2fer Commercial x 2

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Chip

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January 11, 2010

Jungle Cruise animals take a rest to enjoy the rest of Disneyland with the 2fer ticket. For more details, visit:

as an added bonus here is another 2fer commercial

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuWDGfRMNLc[/youtube]

Enjoy the magic of DisneylandÂ® Park on one day and the excitement of Disney’s California AdventureÂ® Park on another day â€” at a spectacular rate of just $36 a day**! From January 5 to April 12, 2010, Southern California residents can purchase a 1-day admission to a DisneylandÂ® Resort Theme Park and visit the other Park within 30 days for FREE*.

The popular 2fer Ticket is back â€” but only for a short time! Make 2010 a special year and visit both Theme Parks at a great value.

With the 2fer ticket, you have the opportunity to explore each Park on different days â€” plenty of time to catch some of your favorite attractions!

Revisit beloved attractions at DisneylandÂ® Park such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Check out all the fun-filled attractions at Disney’s California AdventureÂ® Park, like the popular interactive 4-D Toy Story Mania, Soarin’ Over California and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terrorâ„¢.

Turn your visit into a 2fer getaway with great Resort offers! Go wild over the weekend while you enjoy signature Disney magic and accommodations at DisneylandÂ® Resort Hotels!

Man creates sprawling Disney railroad in yard

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Chip

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January 11, 2010

Dave Sheegog of Anaheim Hills has created a sprawling Disneyland-themed garden railroad in the backyard of his two-story home.

Castle Peak Thunder Railroad, a 1,370-square-foot utopia that encompasses 11 model trains, five themed lands, dozens of plastic figurines and replicas of five iconic Disney buildings.

Heâ€™s so detailed about it, that heâ€™s been known to compare paint samples to actual Disney trains, and photograph Disneyland landmarks so that his model buildings are to scale.

Click here to read more about Sheegog, his railroad, and what drives his passion.

Source

Photo EUGENE GARCIA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Collection of Muppets Cavalcade Videos

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Chip

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January 11, 2010

If you love the Muppets as much as I do then you will enjoy this…A comprehensive post of all the Muppets VoluntEARS Cavalcade Videos from the Magic Kingdom theme park.

The Muppets pre-parade celebrating volunteering at the Magic Kingdom – This was shot on opening Day 01/08/2010

Disney’s Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade at the Magic Kingdom theme park steps off minutes before the daily Celebrate a Dream Come True parade. The musical cavalcade includes an appearance by Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and Sweetums, and two cars full of volunteers. The cavalcade also includes a team of dancers, dressed in volunteer attire.

Heres a preview of the new Disneys Honorary VoluntEars Cavalcade, which precedes “Celebrate! A Street Party” at Disneyland park. This video is from a rehearsal in California. You can see Miss Piggy and Kermit in the real thing once a day, prior to parades at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom park in Florida.

Brazilian runner wins seventh Disney Marathon title

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Chip

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January 11, 2010

Brazil’s Adriano Bastos will have to find space somewhere on an arm or a leg for another tattoo of Mickey Mouse ears. That’s how the 31-year-old personal trainer from Sao Paulo has marked his six victories in the Walt Disney World Marathon, and he earned his seventh title Sunday.

Bastos, dubbed “the hair guy” by spectators and fellow runners for his head full of pigtails, crossed the finish line of the 26.2-mile course in 2:22:08, waving both the Brazilian and American flags.

Bastos was in third place at the 20-mile mark near Disney’s Pop Century Resort, chasing his countryman Fredison Costa and Virginia’s Michael Wardian. But Bastos surged past the 22-mile mark and stayed there. Costa, a 32-year-old professional runner from Sorocaba, finished 33 seconds behind the winner in 2:22:41 in his first U.S. marathon. Jay Lumpkins, 24, of Ocoee was third in 2:24:24.

Bastos, who scored his first Disney victory in 2003, said he plans to keep competing here until he achieves 10 consecutive victories. Sunday was his sixth in a row.

Click here to keep reading

Picture MATT STROSHANE / HO