Disneyland’s 2010 Food & Wine Festival Info & Video

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March 3, 2010

A great little video promoting the California Food & Wine Festival at Disneyland.

For more information see below:

From April 16 to May 31, 2010, please your “palette” with a kaleidoscope of culinary experiences at the Fifth Annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival. For 46 days, Disney’s California Adventure® Park and select locations at the Disneyland® Resort will host “The Art of Flavor,” one of the most anticipated events of spring! Enjoy cooking demonstrations, seminars and recipes that reflect the Golden State’s regional and culinary diversity. It’s presented by Vanity Fair® Premium Napkins and Plates.

Many Festival favorites are returning, in addition to new events and activities…including the all-new Festival Showplace!
Signature Events**
Reserve your spot at these extraordinary celebrations that will amaze and delight food and wine aficionados or anyone who appreciates a great culinary experience.

Seminars & Demonstrations
Immerse yourself in the appetizing world of California’s storied history of fine food and wine at captivating culinary demonstrations, celebrity chef appearances and wine, beer and spirits seminars — all celebrating “The Art of Flavor”!

Places to Discover
In addition to our scheduled events, there’s plenty to do and see throughout the festival including special dining opportunities, art exhibits and wine tasting.
Festival Highlights

“Taste of California” Marketplace
The marketplace returns to Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival! Enjoy unique festival foods created especially for the Festival. Delicious tapas-sized tastings are available in the Festival Showplace, located in Stage 12 in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. Expertly paired wines and beer are also available for purchase.

“Hollywood & Wine” Lounge
Enjoy an outstanding selection of wines by the glass, unique wine flights, beer and cocktails. Join your friends to toast the perfect day!

Festival Gift Shop
Shop for specially designed Festival merchandise and logo items to commemorate your visit.

The “Wine Seller”
With hundreds of wines featured, you’re sure to find a new favorite. The Wine Seller offers full-bottle sales of selected wines available for purchase to enjoy at home. For your convenience, bottle purchases will be delivered to Package Pickup located outside the entrance to Disney’s California Adventure Park.

Showplace Stage
Attend seminars, demonstrations and events — including Sweet Sundays — at the Showplace Stage, located in the Festival Showplace.

Chef Showcase Stage
Experience delicious demonstrations or see some of your favorite celebrity chefs live and in-person at this culinary hub in Sunshine Plaza. Every day find new ways to create a culinary masterpiece with your own art of flavor.

So Much More!
Discover new wine regions and varietals at the Festival Wine Walks, shop for unique gifts with Farmers Market merchants or enjoy a delicious new menu item available only during the Festival. Celebrate “The Art of Flavor” at the Fifth Annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival, April 16 – May 31, 2010!

Photo from flickr

Walt Disney Movie “Dumbo” may soon be headed on Broadway

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Chip

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March 3, 2010

The big buzz this morning has to be about a new musical based on the 1941 Walt Disney film “Dumbo” may soon be headed to the Broadway stage.

The New York Post reports that Disney Theatrical Group is currently exploring the possibility of a musical version of the classic Walt Disney Movie.

The New York daily writes that Billy Elliot director Stephen Daldry had been approached about the project. But nothing has been confirmed yet.

Some other Disney’s Broadway shows include Beauty and the Beast, Aida, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid and the Tony-winning The Lion King.

AMC Theatres at DisneyWorld Offers an Enhanced Theatre Experience

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Chip

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March 3, 2010

AMC Theatres^®(AMC), a leading theatrical exhibition and entertainment company, today announces that guests will be able to see movies in a new, entirely superior fashion when the AMC Enhanced Theatre Experience (ETX^TM) makes its U.S. debut on March 5 at AMC Pleasure Island 24 at Downtown Disney^® Area at the Walt Disney World^® Resort.

“We truly believe this premier location at Downtown Disney deserves the absolute best entertainment experience AMC can offer, and ETX is the cornerstone of that experience.”

ETX includes a 20-percent larger screen, 3D technology, digital projection and an upgraded sound system. Specifically, the digital projection system produces images comprised of 2 million pixels, which delivers a higher resolution than HD. This eye-popping image is then showcased on a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling screen that immerses guests in the image.

The ETX auditorium also boasts 12 audio channels fueled by 50,000 watts of power, which is a major upgrade and three times the power of typical auditoriums with six audio channels. As a result of this improved sight and sound experience, guests will not simply watch a movie. They will live it in ETX.

“We are proud to launch our new ETX concept for the first time in the United States at AMC Pleasure Island 24,” said John McDonald, executive vice president, U.S. operations. “We truly believe this premier location at Downtown Disney deserves the absolute best entertainment experience AMC can offer, and ETX is the cornerstone of that experience.”

The high-tech, state-of-the-art ETX auditorium will feature Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ “ALICE IN WONDERLAND” in 3D when the movie opens across the United States on March 5.

“With the upgraded screen and sound system, in addition to the premium viewing experience digital cinema offers, we believe our guests at AMC Pleasure Island 24 will walk away with a new perception of how movies should be delivered,” said McDonald.

Movies shown in the ETX auditorium will cost $2 more, while 3D titles such as “ALICE IN WONDERLAND” will cost $4 more to see it in ETX. For more information about ETX and amenities at AMC Pleasure Island 24, please visit www.AMCEntertainment.com.

Disney and Cablevision Take ABC Fight Public

By

Chip

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March 3, 2010

The Walt Disney Company and Cablevision each told viewers to take a side — their side — on Tuesday in a brewing battle over distribution payments that are increasingly seen as vital for television broadcasters.

Talks were halted Monday night between Disney, the owner of the ABC network, and Cablevision, the cable television provider for about three million households in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The signal for ABC’s New York station, WABC, has been retransmitted, essentially free, by Cablevision for decades, but Cablevision said Tuesday that ABC now wanted $40 million a year, or about $1 a month for each subscriber. Asked about the $1 figure, Kevin Brockman, executive vice president for communications for the Disney-ABC Television Group, said “that is absolutely, categorically not true and Cablevision knows it.” Mr. Brockman declined to say what price Disney was seeking.

Cablevision has countered with an offer of roughly 25 cents, another person briefed on the talks said. The people requested anonymity because the parties involved consider the talks private.

Click here to keep reading

Photo from blog.zap2it.com

Disneyland Resort Paris unveils New Generation Festival

By

Chip

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March 3, 2010

Disneyland Paris Resort has unveiled a year-long Generation Festival focused on the opening of the “Toy Story Playland” attraction this summer.

The festival is designed to promote characters from the latest generation of Disney films, including The Princess and the Frog and Lilo & Stitch, and Disney Pixar productions such as Toy Story, Ratatouille and Monsters, Inc.

It kicks off on April 2 and will run until March of 2011.

“Our castle and classic Disney characters will always be client favorites, but the Disney New Generation Festival creates compelling new experiences,” said Norbert Stiekema, Disneyland Resort Paris’s sales and distribution senior vice-president.

Toy Story Playland opens this summer, and will “shrink” visitors in a playground modeled on the character Andy’s backyard. It will also include a parachute simulator, a family-friendly coaster and a racing car attraction.

Disney is offering a 40% off incentive to promote the festival, which can be used alongside the Kids under 7 stay and play free offer. For details, go to disneytravelagents.co.uk.

Farm Credit Canada axes Disney World trips

By

Chip

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March 3, 2010

In the wake of all the bad publicity they have been getting here is a follow up to the story I posted yesterday. The article is from the Toronto Sun.

Farm Credit Canada has scrapped its employee recognition trips to Disney World and will rein in its expense account spending in the wake of the revelation the trips have cost the Crown corporation hundreds of thousands of dollars.It will also seek reimbursement of “any inappropriate expenses.”

The decisions came after QMI Agency revealed the Crown corporation set up to help keep family farms afloat has spent $591,000 over the past two years on Bravo Club and President’s Club employee recognition trips to destinations like Disney World, Atlanta and Nashville.

Farm Credit officials said last week the expense paid trips are an important part of their program for rewarding and retaining top employees.

Tuesday, however, following a request from Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz to review the corporation’s expense practices, Farm Credit’s board of directors voted for sweeping changes.

Gone are the Bravo Club and President’s Club trips. The $160,000 Bravo Club trip scheduled to depart on March 8 has been cancelled.

Click here to keep reading.

Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Starts Today!

By

Chip

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March 3, 2010

Today is the start of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival. But last night Disney was putting the finishing touches on a little display when you first walk into Epcot. Nothing like a campfire with marshmellows. Yum!

Click here to see more pictures.

Here is a video of Mickey and Minnie as you walk into the World Showcase from Jeff Lang DVD.

This topiary features dolphins and promotes the upcoming film “Oceans”.

*Bonus* Here is an article from Disney Park Blog talking about the 80,000 Bedding Plants Featured During Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot.

New Downtown Disney Store “D Street” Opening Soon

By

Chip

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March 3, 2010

A new Urban inspired store will be opening soon in Downtown Disney. D Street will be a one of a kind store offering a more Urban/Pop Flavor to the Disney mix. I am especially excited they will be offering Vinylmation figures as that is my newest guilty pleasure. No information on when it will open but I am sure it will be soon. Check out more below.

D Street, will be located in the Downtown Disney West Side and showcase a mix of products for both men and women. Items include cutting-edge apparel, pop culture novelties, Vinylmation figures and collectibles, artwork, handbags, accessories, jewelry and more. The store will have a raw, unfinished industrial look, an provide a great venue to showcase Disney art created by local artists.

Product lines will feature vintage looks from Disney Couture and urban styles. Vintage apparel includes artwork from classic Disney attractions and characters. D Street will also showcase jewelry designers Tarina Tarantino and Classic Hardware, and fashion labels Mighty Fine and Harajuku Lovers.

The new urban-style location will also pave the way for everything in Vinylmation figures. D Street will become the flagship stores for Vinylmation figures, and become the platform to showcase the latest releases from the various collections, including the Park Series, Urban Series, Holiday Series, Cutesters and more. Designed by the creative talents from our Disney Design Group, Disney’s Vinylmation figures take on a whole new meaning in the world of collectibles. These 3″ and 9″ figures are often designed to represent icons, attractions and characters from Disney Parks & Resorts or have more of street feel with their urban-inspired looks.

Photo and Article Source

Disney Cruise Line “Disney Dream” Update

By

Chip

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March 3, 2010

The Disney Park Blog gives us a sneak peak of the ship building process. The Disney Dream is being built like a giant Lego set: first, individual blocks, or sections, are assembled at ground level, then a huge crane picks them up and places them on their final location on the ship. If you look at the image you can see the bridge of the ship making its way on the crane ready to be mounted on the forward section of the ship.

Second picture is of the iconic element of the Disney Cruise ships, the funnel. The image below shows one of our 200-ton funnels sailing through icy European waters on its way to the Meyer Werft Shipyard where the rest of the Disney Dream is currently under construction. Don’t worry about the white coloring, once it arrives into the shipyard they’ll give it a few coats of that Mickey-Mouse-red paint that has become a symbol of our cruise ships.

Source

Photos from disneyparkblog.com

ABC Family Original Movie “Beauty & the Briefcase”

By

Chip

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March 2, 2010

They say a good man is hard to find, but one woman will make it her career goal to find love in the workplace in ABC Family’s new original movie, “Beauty & the Briefcase” (fka. “The Business of Falling in Love”), premiering Sunday, April 18th (8:00/10:00 PM ET/PT).

The film stars Hilary Duff (“Gossip Girl”), Matt Dallas (“Kyle XY”), Michael McMillian (“True Blood”), Chris Carmack (“The O.C.”) and Jaime Pressly (“My Name Is Earl”).

“Beauty & the Briefcase,” based on the book Diary of a Working Girl by Daniella Brodsky, stars Hilary Duff as Lane Daniels, a bright effervescent fashion journalist whose career and love life intersect in a complicated way when she pitches the article “Switching Careers to Find Love” to Cosmopolitan magazine her favorite magazine and ultimate career aspiration. Lane can’t believe her luck when the editor goes for it in a big way, handing her the professional opportunity of a lifetime a potential cover story!

In order to pull the undercover story off, Lane must first land a corporate job. From there, her mandate is simple find lots of eligible guys in suits in the office and date as many as possible! She quickly learns that going to work at the investment bank, Thompson/Fulworth, doesn’t just mean wearing a nice suit and going to lunch. Luckily, Lane’s new boss, Tom (McMillian), takes her under his wing and teaches her the ropes. As she navigates her way through the corporate world, she also meets Seth (Dallas), a hottie on whom she develops a crush after he comes to her rescue when the copy machine goes haywire. But her perfect plan goes awry when she meets Liam (Carmack), a gorgeous music producer with a British accent who sweeps her off her feet outside the office. Her editor’s (Pressly) rules for the story are clear Lane can only date the businessmen where she works so Liam is strictly off limits! Lane is forced to choose between what she believes might be love and her Cosmo cover story and the results are far from what she expected to find!

“Beauty & the Briefcase” is directed by Gil Junger and written by Michael Horowitz. Executive-producers are Hilary Duff, Frank Von Zerneck, Robert Sertner, Ira Pincus and Jessica Horowitz.

New Tron Legacy Pictures – Countdown to New Trailer Begins

By

Chip

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March 2, 2010

The countdown has begun..Only 3 more days remaining till we see the new Tron Legacy Trailer from Walt Disney Pictures. For the time being Tron’s Facebook page was nice enough to supply us with pictures that I will update till the new trailer comes out!

Are you looking forward to seeing Tron Legacy? Let us know in the comment section below.

Inside Look at Almost Alice – Official Video

By

Chip

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March 2, 2010

Inside Look at Almost Alice from the team at Buena Vista Records.

“Almost Alice,” featuring music inspired by ALICE IN WONDERLAND, is now available on iTunes! http://bit.ly/ctt0xE