Brian Wilson Signs with Walt Disney Records

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October 8, 2009

Brian Wilson Signs with Walt Disney Records

Beach Boys Co-Founder to Record Two Albums, Including Covers of George and Ira Gershwin Classics

Wilson to Craft Collaborative Compositions from Previously Unpublished Music from George Gershwin

Two giants of popular entertainment have come together as Brian Wilson, the pioneering musical genius who co-founded the Beach Boys and wrote many of the band’s greatest hits, has signed with Walt Disney Records.

In the months ahead, Wilson will record two new solo albums for the label’s Disney Pearl imprint, including one featuring covers of classic songs by great American songwriters, George and Ira Gershwin. …

Below is a little information about Brian Wilson just in case you didnt grow up listening to the Beach Boys

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Creating Disney Magic – Disney Water Art

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Chip

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October 8, 2009

Water sketch art on the streets of Magic Kingdom Park will stop you in your tracks, itâ€™ll likely do the same to you if youâ€™re quick enough to spot it. The Florida sun is not a friend to custodial water artwork but itâ€™s amazing while it lasts.

The way the art is created is unexpected. The custodial crew at Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Park take the tools of their trade â€“ a broom and water pan â€“ and turn them into instruments to entertain.

Iâ€™ve heard Guests call the water sketches of Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Tinker Bell amazing and â€œabsolutely beautiful.â€

Raytheon Company to unveil The Sum of All Thrills at Epcot

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Chip

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October 8, 2009

Raytheon Company plans to unveil an interactive, math-based experience called ” The Sum of All Thrills”

“Raytheon is working to foster young students’ interest and success in math and science, two of the primary fundamentals on which American competitiveness has been built,” said William H. Swanson, Raytheon Company Chairman and CEO and 2009 MATHCOUNTS honorary chairman. “Raytheon shares The Walt Disney Company’s commitment to innovation and education through imagination. We’re proud to offer INNOVENTIONS visitors a unique experience that combines all of these attributes and that seeks to unlock the math and science potential within every student.”

In addition to the experience at INNOVENTIONS, Raytheon will be supporting another 2009 initiative at the Walt Disney World Resort – the 2009 Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition. Taking place May 7-10, 2009, at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, the competition is the culmination of an enrichment and coaching program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement in every U.S. state and territory. Raytheon is the title sponsor of the MATHCOUNTS National Competition for the next three years, through 2011.

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National Lampoon’s Vacation Sequel in the Works

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Chip

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October 8, 2009

New Line is ready for a Vacation â€” with a new generation of Griswolds.

The studio is developing a follow-up to the classic 1983 comedy National Lampoon’s Vacation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will focus on an adult Rusty Griswold, son to Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo’s Clark and Ellen, who embarks on his own family getaway. (Ryan Reynolds, call your agent.)

Watch clips from National Lampoon’s Vacation

David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) is on board to produce and possibly direct. New Line is meeting with writers to pen the script, which could include cameos for Chase and D’Angelo to return as grandparents.

How is this related to Disney you may ask?

The original Vacation was written by the late John Hughes. The story was based on his own ill-fated childhood family trip to Disneyland.

Princess Tiana makes her WDW debut

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Chip

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October 8, 2009

Princess Tiana, star of the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures animated feature film â€œThe Princess and the Frog, greets young fans at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The newest Disney princess will make her Disney Parks debut on Oct. 26 with meet and greets as well as in Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee!, a jazzy cavalcade and lively musical production aboard the Liberty Belle Riverboat.

Do you have a Disney Question?

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Chip

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October 8, 2009

Heading to the park and looking for a great place to eat?
Want to know when a specific Disney movie is releasing in theaters?
Just need some information on a specific Disney Resort?

Well we want to help..We are going to try out a new feature on the Chip and Co website called:

Ask us your Disney Question.

Just click the Disney Question button in the top right of the page and we will get back to you.

Disney “Quick Service” eateries test seating program

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Chip

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October 7, 2009

Walt Disney World is experimenting with new crowd-control methods in some of its busiest in-park restaurants, hoping to make the facilities more pleasant for guests and more profitable for the resort.

Inside four quick-service restaurants in the Magic Kingdom, Disney has begun restricting access â€” but guaranteeing seating â€” during particularly busy lunch rushes. Managers say the approach helps smooth out traffic in part by eliminating the need for groups to split up and send someone to order food while another person holds an open table â€” something that can clog up as much as one-third of a restaurant’s capacity at any given time.

“This has been very helpful for us from an efficiency standpoint, because everything’s so well-organized,” said Liz Clark, general manager of food and beverage in the Magic Kingdom.

The tinkering illustrates one of the small ways theme parks have sought to squeeze more money out of existing operations â€” beyond top-level cost cuts â€” in the midst of a recession that has sapped attendance and guest spending.

Disney does not break out how much restaurant sales contribute to the revenue of individual theme parks. But experts say it is substantial.

Click the picture above for the complete article.

Disney Weddings Site Redesign Goes Live

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Chip

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October 7, 2009

The site has many new features including rich media, easy navigation, and brand new tools such as Design Studio, Calculator Tool, and Comparison Tool and more. They also have a Tell Us Your Story section for past brides to submit photos of their Disney Wedding.

We hope you enjoy their new site. Be sure to take a look and let them know what you think.

Judge throws out Segway lawsuit against Disney

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Chip

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October 7, 2009

A federal judge on Tuesday threw out a class-action lawsuit brought by three disabled people upset that Walt Disney World would not allow them to ride personal Segways in its theme parks. But the judge left an opening for a similar suit to be filed against the resort.

In dismissing the original case, U.S. District Court District Judge Gregory Presnell also rejected a proposed settlement Disney had negotiated with the three plaintiffs that had drawn protests from some disability-rights advocates. Under the terms of that settlement, Disney would have been permitted to continue banning the two-wheeled Segways at both Disney World and Disneyland in exchange for deploying its own upright — but four-wheeled — scooters for disabled guests to use, paying the three plaintiffs’ legal fees and giving them $4,000 each for future Disney vacations.

Critics had argued that the proposed settlement would have unfairly bound other disabled people who did not believe Disney’s four-wheeled scooters were an adequate substitute for their own scooters.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2009 Walkaround

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Chip

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October 6, 2009

Wander Epcot’s World Showcase promenade with Lou Mongello and friends from WDWRadio as they explore and enjoy the Walt Disney World’s 14th annual Food & Wine Festival.

Ghost walking around Disneyland

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Chip

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October 6, 2009

I’ve heard people talk about ghosts around Disneyland late at night. Am I crazy or does it look like there is a ghost walking around the park?

Small World Vacations Review

By

Chip

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October 6, 2009

Small World logo

I am planning our Disney World vacation for next year, we try to go every year if the budget permits. As always I start the planning process 6 months out. Most times I am at the Disney Website 2 and 3 times a week checking for specials, signing up for sweepstakes, and pricing out different vacations. This year I wanted to check out the various Disney Authorized Vacation Planners I have listed on the Chip and Co website.

Last week I find out about the “Buy 5 get 2 Free” and the “Buy 4 get 3 Free” special Disney is running. I think we were one of the first websites to get the info through special secret Disney Channels. Just kidding I learned about it from Mouse Savers! So as soon as I get the news I goto all the Vacation Planners websites and request a quote.

Mouse Savers recommended Small World Vacations which must be a good sign. Most sites have a automated service telling you we got your info, well get back to you, yada yada yada. The first real email I get is from Dawn at Small World Vacations. So right off this is one MAJOR plus for them! She emails me the price quote and tells me about the deal Disney is running. I didn’t have to explain the deal to her she was up on the news which is another BIG plus.

About a day later the other quotes start flooding in, which I am not knocking the other sites, they all have great Disney Agents, but if you want fast service Small World Vacations wins that category.

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