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Fuel surcharge kicks back in for some at Disney Cruise Line as oil prices rise

Disney Cruise Line shipsx large
Disney Cruise Line shipsx large

Disney Cruise Line shipsx-large

Rising oil prices have triggered a provision in Disney Cruise Line’s fuel surcharge policy that will result in some passengers on upcoming voyages being subject to the fee.

Disney says passengers on voyages departing between now and March 31 who booked between May 28 and Dec. 1, 2008 — a period when the line was collecting a fuel surcharge fee in advance at the time of booking — will no longer get refunds of the money in the form of on-board credit due to oil’s rise above $70 a barrel.

Disney first implemented an $8 per person, per day fuel surcharge in 2008 as oil prices soared to nearly $150 a barrel. Falling oil prices prompted the line to eliminate the charge on Dec. 1, 2008 for all new bookings, and the line said at the time that customers who already had paid the fee for an upcoming voyage would get a refund in the form of an on-board credit when they sailed. The promise of a refund, however, came with a caveat that the refunds would end if oil prices went back above $70 a barrel, something that has occurred in recent months.

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Photo courtesy Disney Cruise Line

Former Disney parks chief reflects on tenure

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During a seven-year span as leader of the Walt Disney Co.’s parks-and-resorts business, Jay Rasulo presided over the opening of just a single new theme park — yet he boosted sales from less than $6.5 billion when he arrived to nearly $11 billion this past fiscal year.

The results reflect Rasulo’s emphasis on growing by tweaking Disney’s existing theme parks rather than building new ones and by expanding into new businesses entirely, transforming Walt Disney Parks and Resorts from a theme-park operator into a “family vacation” company.

Rasulo’s tenure as Disney parks chairman ended this week as he traded jobs with the company’s longtime chief financial officer, Tom Staggs, in an executive shuffle designed by Disney Co. Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger. In a recent interview, the 53-year-old Rasulo looked back on his time as parks chief.

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Picture from Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel

Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” Slated for 3D on Blu-ray

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The Walt Disney Studios Jan. 7 said it would release it first 3D title, the CG-animated A Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey, on Blu-ray Disc in the fourth quarter.

Disney joins Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) as the first major studios to bookmark home entertainment releases this year on pending 3D high-definition televisions and adapted Blu-ray players earmarked for launch this summer.

Released last November theatrically and on Imax 3D, Carol has generated more than $137 million in ticket sales, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.

The Carol Blu-ray release will also include a 3D showcase disc featuring a compilation of upcoming 3D product, footage and promotional trailers containing a variety of clips from Disney’s 3D content library, including Walt Disney’s 1953 animated short Working for Peanuts.

Other promos of upcoming 3D-enabled Blu-ray releases include Alice in Wonderland and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3, in addition to other original content.

“The Walt Disney Studios has produced and released more 3D content than any other major studio to date and remains at the forefront in the continued innovation and development of today’s most advanced digital 3D and Blu-ray technology,” said Bob Chapek, president of distribution for The Walt Disney Studios. “We are excited to offer consumers an incredible line-up of true three-dimensional films and footage that will revolutionize the in-home entertainment experience.”

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So long General Motors from Epcot’s Test Track

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test track

test-track

Interesting article about Test Track and GM’s possible departure from sponsorship at Disneyworld.

By all appearances, General Motors, the Detroit auto giant forced through bankruptcy last year, remains sponsor of the Test Track attraction at Epcot. Even though GM’s $100 million sponsorship contract with Walt Disney World is believed to have expired last year and there was never any announcement of a renewal, the company’s logo and presence is still splashed all around the pavilion.

Still, there are some signs around Test Track of the painful restructuring that GM is going through.

For example, GM has pulled cars from the brands it plans drop (Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Pontiac) from the swanky showroom that guests walk through when they exit the ride, such as a Saturn VUE hybrid that until recently was on display in the area. The only cars displayed now are from GMC, Chevy, Buick and Cadillac, GM’s remaining core brands.

GM has also removed a large model Hummer made of wood that had been something of a minor attraction in Test Track’s gift shop. (The model was large enough for a crash-test dummy to sit in the driver’s seat). In its place: One of Disney World’s much smaller souvenir model monorails, which does laps around a small pile of boxes of the toys.

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Picture from mouseextra.com

‘Thor’ moves up release date while ‘Spider-Man 4’ stalls

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440px thorprof

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Hot on the heels of the news this week that production of Spider-Man 4 is  delayed, Paramount and Marvel Entertainment have pushed up the release of Thor by two weeks to May 6, 2011, reports Variety.

Thor, starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, was going to open on May 20. Disney has now grabbed that date for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Spider-Man 4 was supposed to start filming in February, reports Nikki Finke, then it pushed to March. Then late March/early April. And now there’s no date at all. Finke says director Sam Raimi “hated” the script.

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Good & Bad – Pirates of the Caribbean 4 – On Stranger Tides News

Johnny Depp Pirates
Johnny Depp Pirates

Johnny Depp Pirates

I know a few months back I posted an article about:

Johnny Depp may walk away from a fourth installment of Pirates of the Caribbean after Disney ousted the veteran studio chief who first backed his vision for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Well I have some good news & bad news…

Good News – The official announcement has been made by Walt Disney Pictures that the film “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” will be released to theaters on May 20, 2011.

Bad News – Currently, Johnny Depp is not attached to the film. I hoping that Depp will star in the film, although, after Dick Cook’s departure, you never know what might happen. I’d like to point out that a year and a half is an incredibly short amount of time to write, shoot, edit, and promote such a blockbuster.

Cantina de San Angel walled off ready for demolition

Cantina de San Angel Thumb 9541
Cantina de San Angel Thumb 9541

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Wow this really caught me off guard I was not expecting it to be demolished. Here is the article from WDW Magic, be sure to check out the other photos in the link provided below.

The Cantina de San Angel is now fully walled off in preparation for it’s upcoming demolition. Over the course of the next few months the building will be demolished, and a new improved restaurant built in it’s place. The new location is set to offer more seating, better views of the lagoon and Illuminations, and an improvement of guest flow through that area of the promenade.

A limited array of Mexican quick order food (including Churros!) is available at the nearby Taqueria Del Lago. The menu for Taqueria Del Lago is here.

Click here for more photos from WDW Magic

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Disney’s Taylor Morrison Dream Home Giveaway

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dreamhome

dreamhome

Taylor Morrison, builder of the Innoventions Dream Home at the Disneyland Resort, is awarding one lucky winner a dream home of their own plus a Disneyland vacation for four.

The contest is open to US residents regardless of home state, but the prize home’s (ARV approximately $200,000) location will be chosen by the winner from a limited number of applicable communities (see sweepstakes rules for full details). The Disneyland vacation includes air transportation, hotel and four 2 day park hopper tickets.

The sweepstakes also offers an instant win component offering various prizes detailed at the link below.

You may enter once per day up until May 31, 2010. Additional entries can be awarded through various tasks with a maximum of 148 entries per entrant.

For full details and to enter, visit Taylor Morrison’s Dream Home Giveaway

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Photo from kelleykarnes.com

Disney World Marathon Breaks Records Before Races Even Start

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cigna

cigna

It seems more and more people are attending Disney Marathons. I know I would love to go someday. Being able to run around the place I love visiting would be so awesome. I will add that to my list and put it right next to the Boston Marathon.

I found this article over at Stitch Kingdom talking about the record attendance, and the race hasn’t even started yet.

ore than 55,500 expected runners – Disney’s largest marathon weekend field ever – are registered for the 17th annual Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA Jan. 7-10, 2010. This year’s capacity field tops last year’s record by 10,500 registered participants and aims to place the marathon weekend as the top combination race weekend in the country.A record 55,500 athletes have registered for the variety of events that make up the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. In 2009 the Walt Disney World Marathon was the eighth largest in the nation and the second largest combination race weekend. The main event – Sunday’s 26.2-mile journey through Disney’s four major theme parks – starts at 5:40 a.m. near Epcot.

Runners can look forward to VIP treatment as new “More Magic” options have been added. A pre-race pasta party and a post-race private celebration are new ticketed events available to those in attendance. On Thursday, Jan. 7, the Pasta in the Park Party at Epcot will give runners and their friends and family a chance to “carb load” before the race and see a special viewing of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” a nighttime fireworks display. After the marathon on Sunday, the chance to ride select attractions and unwind with a live DJ and Disney characters is available when Disney’s Hollywood Studios hosts a private Victory Lap Celebration.

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Rock out with IRON WEASEL! On Disney XD’s Newest Show

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‘I’m in the band’ is a music-filled, live-action comedy series for kids and families about a teenager who realizes his wildest dream when he joins his favorite “vintage” rock band, Iron Weasel, and sets out to help the band he idolizes make an epic comeback.


I’m in the Band Premieres Monday, January 18 on Disney XD!

Michael Jackson as Captain EO

A tribute to Michael Jackson, here are the clips of him from Captain EO.

Captain EO formerly shown at Disney theme parks. The film stars Michael Jackson. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, executive-produced by George Lucas, choreographed by Jeffrey Hornaday, photographed by Peter Anderson, produced by Rusty Lemorande, and written by Lemorande, Lucas and Coppola. The score was written by James Horner, and featured two songs (“We Are Here to Change the World” and “Another Part of Me“) by Michael Jackson.

Walt Disney World – Hall of Presidents finale w/ Barack Obama

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Here is the *NEW* video from the Hall of Presidents with Barack Obama. He delivers a great speech. Looks like the update to this exhibit is going to be good. I am not sure but the animatonic of him isn’t the greatest..it may look better up close and not on video. Here is review from Theme Park Mom for the attraction on the whole.

Just the Finale with Barack Obama

Found some more videos of the whole exhibit. There are 3 parts.