Good Eats: Liberty Tree Tavern, Walt Disney World.

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May 4, 2010

Located in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom, it’s always Thanksgiving day at Liberty Tree Tavern, where you can get traditional turkey and all the trimmings. Care for something lighter? There are salads, sandwiches and pasta as well. Don’t forget to save room for dessert: The restaurant’s Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake is a favorite among Disney park visitors.

Liberty Tree Tavern is a great place to take a break from the crowds. Parents with small children will feel perfectly comfortable taking them to this sit down restaurant just a few steps away from Fantasyland where they’ll find plenty of kid-friently choices. Meals are served either family style or a la carte. The dining rooms, all six of them, are pretty, furnished in colonial style pieces. Occasionally, the restaurant features characters; when you make your dining reservations, ask the cast member if they’ll be available during your visit.

As with most Disney World restaurants, you’re advised to make your advanced dining reservations as far in advance as possible, up to six months before your trip. Call 800-WDW-DINE to make your ADRS and for additional information. Liberty Tree Tavern is a one table-service credit restaurant for those on the dining plan.

How to Make Polenta at Home from Disney’s Food & Wine Festival

By

Chip

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May 4, 2010

Would you like to bring a bit of Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival into your home? Today’s video can show you how: Chef Jesse Tiascareno is preparing a dish that is typical of what is served at the Festival – “Spicy Chicken Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta.”

Chef Jesse is normally at Rancho del Zocalo. For the Festival, he is one of nearly 100 Disneyland Resort chefs who will be meeting and greeting guests and preparing unique fare for the 2010 event. If you’d like to meet Jesse, he is scheduled to appear May 24 at 4:00 p.m. at the Chef’s Showcase Stage. When you arrive, check the Festival Welcome Center for more details.

The full recipe is below. Let us know if you try it!

Spicy Chicken Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta
Wine selection: Château des Charmes Riesling

Serves 4

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, small dice
½ oz basil (1 tablespoon)
1 oz garlic (2 tablespoons)
2/3 cup fresh corn (1 cob), removed from cob
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup (optional)
1/3 cup regular polenta (ground yellow or white cornmeal)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped chives
Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound spicy chicken sausage links

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onions, basil, garlic and fresh corn and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add water, cream and maple syrup; bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and stir in polenta. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes while continuing to stir.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until polenta is creamy and has absorbed most of the liquid.
Remove from oven and stir in chives and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste.
Grill sausages, then slice in half. To serve, spoon polenta into warmed bowls and top with sausages.

For those unsure what Polenta is here is the description:

Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal (ground maize) originally made with Chestnut meal in ancient times. It can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the region and the texture desired. As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier forms of grain mush (known as puls or pulmentum in Latin or more commonly as gruel or porridge) commonly eaten in Roman times and after. Early forms of polenta were made with such starches as the grain farro and chestnut flour, both of which are still used in small quantity today. When boiled, polenta has a smooth, creamy texture due to the gelatinization of starch in the grain, though it may not be completely homogeneous if a coarse grind or a particularly hard grain such as flint corn is used.

Polenta was originally and still is classified as a peasant food. In the 1940s and 1950s polenta was not topped with luscious sauces but eaten with just a little salted anchovy or herring. The overreliance on maize as a staple food caused outbreaks of pellagra throughout much of Europe until the 20th century and in the American South during the early 1900s. Maize lacks readily accessible niacin unless cooked with alkali, which nixtamalizes it.

Since the late 20th century, polenta became a premium product. Polenta dishes are on the menu in many high-end restaurants, and prepared polenta can be found in supermarkets at high prices. Many current polenta recipes have given new life to an essentially bland and simple food, enriching it with meat and mushrooms sauces, and adding vegetables, beans or various cheeses into the basic mixture.

Source

Star Wars & Marvel Characters Come to the Rescue in Comicbook Store Robbery

By

Chip

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May 4, 2010

A comic book store owner dressed as Spider-Man became a real superhero for the day when he caught an alleged thief trying to steal an X-Men omnibus. I love the part where they talk about Star Wars Jedi Knights blocking the door. I can just see them now!

Michael Baulderstone, 45, was dressed as Spider-Man as part of a fancy dress open day at comic Centre in Adelaide, Australia, confronted the man when he claims he spotted him taking the £100 book.

Security tapes show Mr Baulderstone, addressing the man before stopping him and confiscating the book. On top of that, a group of Jedi knights blocked the door to prevent him from escaping, along with The Flash.

“We had about 40 people in the shop dressed up as their favourite superheroes to celebrate International Free Comic Day,” he said.

“The thief didn’t have much of a choice but to hand the book back after a little bit of a scuffle.”

He added that customers initially thought the incident was a stunt, until Mr Baulterstone told them to call the police.

“It was a bit serious at the time, but now we’re looking back laughing at what greeted police when they arrived,” he said.

Source

The Muppets presents “American Woman”

By

Chip

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May 4, 2010

The Muppets will be back with a new video on Memorial Day Weekend and even earlier for Lost Fans. American Woman is a classic 1970’s song first released by The Guess Who and later remade by Lenny Kravitz.

As soon as it hits the web I will have it up on the site, but until them check out part of the interview MTV had with Muppets Studio general manager Lylle Breier:

So the Muppets are back, and in a very big way. They weren’t ever really gone, but they’ve re-emerged in the pop culture consciousness thanks to this recent viral excitement on the Internet. It turns out that this is all part of Disney’s master plan, as Muppets Studio general manager Lylle Breier explained in an interview with MTV last week.

“The idea really has been, over the last couple of years, to make a Muppet resurgence so that when [Jason Segel’s] movie comes out, everybody in the world would be ready,” she said. For Breier and the rest of the folks at Muppets Studio, it’s really the viral video outbreak that has been the biggest boon to that comeback.

“The Internet was a perfect place to do it. We spent a lot of time thinking about the original ‘Muppet Show’… and we tried to figure out, what would the medium be today?” It was a natural leap from there. “The Muppets did a variety show– [they were] popular in the ’70s. And we started to think, what would they be doing today and realized, you know, the Internet is a lot like a variety show.”

The timeline extends back into 2008, well before “Bohemian” arrived. “[In 2008] we started with about seven viral videos. ‘Ode to Joy’ [featuring Beaker] won a Webby last year and it was kind of our first foray. We’d always wanted to do ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and it just took awhile to get all the parties together and all the rights together.”

So the variety show continues in a sense, only it’s not a scripted half-hour of weekly television, but rather a semi-frequent web appearance. Really though, when you think about it, these viral videos are just the Muppets doing what they’ve always done: commenting on pop culture in their own uniquely entertaining way. And there’s more to come.

“‘American Woman’ is next, and it’s going to come out over Memorial Day,” Breier revealed, stopping short of running through the key players to be featured. “I think you’ll see a bunch of Muppets. It won’t have 79; ‘Bohemian,’ it just lent itself to have the most.” These viral video don’t operate under a set schedule, which frees the Studio team up to really put thought into delivering quality content for the fans. “Our hope is that we can keep giving new, fresh content out there on a regular basis, which we’ve done pretty much for the past two years. It’s not set.”

Those who don’t want to wait until the end of the month won’t have to. “Lost” fans will get a taste of the Muppets this week. Not during tomorrow’s episode but rather the next day, in a new promo with series creators Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof. “The writers of ‘Lost’ are big Muppet fans, and so on May 5 the first viral video with the Muppets and the writers of ‘Lost’ will be out.”

Click here to keep reading.

2010 FIFA World Cup Excitement Headed to Walt Disney World Resort

By

Chip

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May 4, 2010

2010 FIFA World Cup Excitement Headed to Walt Disney World Resort

ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill at Disney designated official live viewing location for month-long international soccer event from South Africa.

Soccer fans in Central Florida can get swept up in the fever of 2010 FIFA World Cup through unique viewing opportunities at Walt Disney World Resort.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill at Disney has been designated as an official viewing location for the month-long global soccer tournament. Soccer fans can watch live World Cup matches televised on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 from South Africa involving their favorite soccer national teams on the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill’s many large high-definition screens.

In addition, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill will offer special viewing parties running for the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and third-place match (June 26-July 10), which will include guaranteed seating to view the matches and an all-you-care-to-eat buffet featuring Buffalo wings, hot dogs, seasonal fruit, build-your-own salads, a nacho bar, desserts and non-alcoholic drinks – all for $19.99/per person, per game (plus tax).

The beautiful game kicks off on the world stage June 11, with open seating for breakfast and lunch available at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill for the group stage of play running through June 25. A special viewing area will be available for the championship match July 11.

Reservations can be made starting May 27 by calling 407/WDW-DINE or by visiting espnwwos.com.

The official FIFA World Cup viewing location designation builds on the long-standing soccer tradition at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The 220-acre complex, the leading multi-sports venue in the nation, hosts nearly 300 sports events each year, including the Disney Cup International Youth Soccer tournament (July) and the coveted Disney Soccer Showcase (December), which features the most decorated youth soccer players in the nation.

For more information on soccer events at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, please visit espnwwos.com.

Disneyland employees get 3 percent raises over next 5 years

By

Chip

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May 3, 2010

Disneyland Logo

The Disneyland Resort plans to give 3 percent raises annually to about 1,100 employees — including plasterers and machinists — over the next five years.

The Craft Maintenance Council, which represents employees from 13 unions, approved the agreement on the first vote — the first time it has done so in more than two decades, according to Disney.

“This is a great example of labor and management working collaboratively and cooperatively for the good of our (employees) to reach a fair and competitive agreement,” said Steve Eisenhardt, vice president of labor relations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in a prepared statement.

Jim Adams, the council’s chairman and chief negotiator, said the employees are happy with the agreement, which was approved swiftly.

“Any kind of increase in today’s economy is pretty good,” Adams said.

Disney has negotiated agreements with 11,100 workers in the past two years.

About 2,100 hotel employees, however, have worked without a contract for more than two years. Their union is opposed to joining Disney’s health plan, which requires employee payments. Workers pay nothing for the union-run program.

Disney and the hotel union are continuing with mediation, which began shortly after some members staged a hunger strike in February.

Source

Disneyland Rivers of America Gets a Refill

By

Chip

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May 3, 2010

Fans of Rivers of America at Disneyland noticed something missing these past few months: the river. But the water is returning as of Monday morning.

The 6 million gallon river was drained over a seven day period in January for maintenance and upgrades. Crews have been working for four months to replace boat tracks and add new features to the shoreline, the OC Register reported.

Among some of the items found in the empty river bed: half of a canoe from Davy Crockett‘s Explorer Canoe ride, hundreds of cell phones and walkie talkies, sunglasses, and of course, Mickey hats.

Much of the water was sent to a recycling facility where it was put in holding ponds, the OC Register reported.

“They are theoretically getting some of this water back,” Mike Markus, general manager of the Orange County Water District, told the OC Register. “There’s a certain cycle to it. They drained it, we treated it, it became part of (the) groundwater basin and they are extracting it.”

Water began flowing back into the attraction around 9am and will take about three or four days to refill, according to a park spokeswoman.

Many of the river attractions are scheduled to reopen around May 21 in time for the summer vacation season.

Source & Photo nbclosangeles.com

Good Eats – 1900 Park Fare Grand Floridian – Walt Disney World

By

Chip

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May 3, 2010

1900 Park Fare is a Character Meal lovers dream come true. This very large very open Buffet style restaurant is located in the Grand Floridian Resort just across the lake from Magic Kingdom. Accessible by Car, Boat and Monorail this picturesque resort is great for a meal or just a stroll around the grounds as a breakaway from the hustle and crowds of the Magic Kingdom Park.

They serve two meals here:

The Supercalifragilistic Breakfast is hosted by Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter and friends.

and

The Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner is hosted by Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, and Anastasia and Drisella.

While mostly serving American food there is a large variety for even the most picky eater. Both times we have gone it has not been that busy and the food was very good. The create your own omlet bar is so welcoming in the morning.

Helpful Hint – There are many Vegetarian, and healthy choices for breakfast and dinner. No matter your lifestyle you will walk away full.

1900 Park Fare is a restaurant to add to your vacation itinerary time and again. Be sure to bring your camera for some unique Character Photos and make sure to come with a hearty appetite.

Disney & Charlotte Tarantola Announce “Alice in Wonderland” Inspired Fashion Collection

By

Chip

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May 3, 2010

The surreal/fantasy-adventure film directed by Tim Burton, “Alice in Wonderland,” comes to DVD and Blu-Ray on June 1, 2010 (U.S. retailers). In the spirit of this fantastic journey, Disney Consumer Products and Charlotte Tarantola have come together to create stunning cardigans worthy of this celebrated Disney line: Charlotte Tarantola for Disney. Well-known in the fashion industry for her trend-right designs that play up coloration and innovative treatments, Tarantola was given access to Tim Burton’s artwork for “Alice in Wonderland” to develop a collection that captures the allure and mystery of Alice’s surrealistic journey in an apparel line that is decidedly 21st Century.

The collection offers prints, ruffles and sparkles that will make you never want to leave Wonderland. Like Alice peering through the looking glass, you can see flowery friends, tea-time treats, pocket watches, lace and mysterious keys, elements from the film with a balance of artistry and subtlety found only in other Tarantola creations.

“The arresting settings and characters in Tim Burton’s interpretation of “Alice In Wonderland” provided great inspiration and have made it possible for us to work with a group of renowned designers to create a truly unique collection of lifestyle products that will continue to position Disney at the forefront of fashion trends,” said Pam Lifford, executive vice president, global fashion and home, DCP. “Our collaboration with Charlotte Tarantola brings it all together in a way that is fun and interesting for consumers and Disney fans alike.”

Since 2002, Disney has collaborated with the hottest designers to make classic characters like Alice, Snow White, Mickey Mouse and others fashionable. Disney is now viewed as a major fashion player, consistently ranking on the Women’s Wear Daily WWD100 list of the most influential fashion brands. Continuing this trend, Charlotte Tarantola for Disney is designed for trend-forward women and discerning gift givers and is sure to be a hit this summer.

Retailing for $114 to $120, the Charlotte Tarantola for Disney “Alice in Wonderland” pieces will be available nationwide in specialty stores and fine department stores including Macy’s, as well as at www.charlottetarantola.com.

Thinking about a Disney World Halloween and Christmas in May.

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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May 3, 2010

Thinking about a Disney World Halloween and Christmas in May.

I know it’s not even summer yet, but if you’re planning on visiting Disney World this fall, you may want to think about attending a special party at night in the Magic Kingdom. Starting in September on select nights, you can attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. If you’re visiting after Halloween through December 19th, you can go to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, also in the Magic Kingdom. Both parties are a great way to see characters you don’t always see in the parks, as well as special shows, parades, and fireworks–even snow on Main Street at the Christmas party! They’re also, if you go on the right night, an excellent way to avoid crowds.

Parties are held several times a week, usually on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, as well as on alternate Fridays or Saturdays. Check the official Disney Website for exact dates. Regular tickets start at around $59.95 for adults and $53.95 for kids; premium prices on Halloween run a few dollars more. You can purchase your tickets from Disney or from your travel agent, but you can’t buy them at a Disney store. You can also buy them the day of the event if they’re still available. You’ll notice a sign as you go into the Magic Kingdom telling you if there are tickets left. You can also ask at your resort.

We’ve gone to MVMCP several years in a row and have always encountered low crowds, walking on just about every ride, but I’ve also heard horror stories about crowds. There’s not really a formula for picking slower nights, but in general you’ll find that weeknights are less crowded than weekends, when local visitors bump up attendance levels. The days before and after Thanksgiving will be very crowded as will any night that discounted tickets are available for visiting groups, such as Pop Warner* kids and their families. Parties are more crowded the closer they are to Halloween or Christmas. Generally the last night of both parties is very crowded.

You’ll notice that Disney offers small discounts on certain nights for those who buy their tickets ahead of time or for annual passholders. These incentives usually mean that these dates have been historically less crowded, so these nights are a good bet if you want to avoid big crowds. Last year, as the dates for the parties grew nearer, Disney offered more and more discounts to cast members and passholders, which probably indicates that these parties weren’t selling out. With the economy the way it’s been, it’s not surprising that people are forgoing buying special event tickets, but if you can swing it, it’s a really great night.

Officially, these parties begin at 7:00 p.m. and run until midnight, but Disney will allow you to enter the park at 4:00. Many guests don’t visit the parks that day since you can get in early, opting instead to save a day on their park passes and relax at their resort pool or plan other activities. I would advise against entering at 7:00, when the park closes, as you’ll run into a bit of a traffic jam trying to get into the park. You’ll be given a wristband to wear and you can enjoy all the attractions at that time. Since the parks close earlier during these months, attending one of these events is a good option for non-Disney resort guests who want to visit the parks late but won’t be able to take advantage of extra magic evening hours.

Because you may encounter crowds and because not every attraction is open, don’t make this your only visit to the Magic Kingdom on your trip. If you’re going on a crowded night or you’d just like to organize your time better so that you can see all the shows, Touring Plans (the people behind the Unofficial Guide) has a plan for these events.

I love the Magic Kingdom at night and the energy of these parties. Whether it’s the thrill of seeing your favorite villians and trick-or-treating at the Halloween party or walking down Main Street with a hot cocoa as it “snows” with the incredible Christmas lights in the foreground, these parties are two of my favorite special events at Walt Disney World.

*Pop Warner is a sporting event teenagers that’s held yearly at WDW, usually a week or so after Thanksgiving. It generally doesn’t affect crowds in the parks during regular hours except the first and last day of the event. This year it appears that the discounted night for Pop Warner kids and their families is December 7^th, although we don’t have confirmation from Disney on that yet.

Disney Interactive Studios “Disney Sing It” – Will Get Families Singing Together

By

Chip

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May 3, 2010

Nothing brings together families like the magic and music of Disney’s films, and today Disney Interactive Studios announced a new interactive way for families to come together and enjoy their favorite songs from their favorites films. Disney Sing It: Family Hits is a karaoke game featuring the most beloved songs and videos from 20 all-time favorite Disney films, alongside vocal tips from the Princess and the Frog’s Anika Noni Rose. Disney Sing It: Family Hits will be available for the PlayStation(R)3 system and the Wii(TM) console in summer 2010.

Tapping into both the past and the present, Disney Sing It: Family Hits features favorite songs from all-time classic Disney films, including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book, as well as contemporary favorites from films like Disney*Pixar’s Toy Story and Cars, The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and The Frog, and more. Further immersing players in the moment, the easy to follow karaoke gameplay is accompanied by full screen HD videos featuring montages, as well as original footage from each of the Disney movies.

“The Disney Sing It franchise has produced a passionate fan base, and they’ve expressed a big demand for songs from Disney’s timeless movies,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “Now, music fans of all ages will be able to enjoy Disney Sing It: Family Hits, both as an engaging karaoke performance game as well as perfect entertainment for family fun.”

In Disney Sing It: Family Hits, players will use the pitch bar to assist in hitting the right notes and can sing solo, partner up for a duet, compete head-to-head, or pass the microphone around to up to 8 players in the Family Mode. To relive key moments, the Sing It Encore Mode enables players to play back their performances and add fun effects to customize their tunes.

To assist players in improving their performances and unlocking awards and Disney themes, the Tony award winning singer/actress Anika Noni Rose, who also voiced Princess Tiana in The Princess and the Frog, provides vocal exercises and techniques. Anika takes players through a series of basic voice instructions, game tutorials and singing games that are designed to help all players become better singers and performers. Lessons include proper microphone technique, how to hit high and low, long and short, and fast and slow notes, among other tips, providing a valuable learning tool for players of all ages.

Disney Sing It: Family Hits from Disney Interactive Studios is Rated E for everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).

Disney Food Confession – Bananas Foster Mascarpone Cheesecake

By

Chip

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May 3, 2010

Where to find it – Brown Derby in Walt Disney World – Disney Studios

What is it – Bananas Foster Mascarpone Cheesecake with cherry compote and port wine reduction.

Why you want it – Bananas and Cherry are unexpected but delicious paring of flavors.

Picture credit – meshmar2 via Flickr