Magical Adventures & Memories
Just saw these Santa Mickey mugs for Dole Whip and had to share! The line was too long to ask last night but I’ll update as a find more info. If they are like the Halloween Dole Whip mugs, they will be available daily, not just for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The Halloween mugs were available in some resort locations with desserts inside too, so keep an eye out.
The works of Irish artist Graham Knuttel have found homes among Hollywood royalty like Sylvester Stallone, Whoopie Goldberg and Robert DeNiro. On Nov. 11, 2011, one of the renowned artist’s works will find a home at Walt Disney World Resort.
His latest commission — a painting for Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant at Downtown Disney — will be unveiled during the opening day of Festival of the Masters, one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded juried art festivals since 1975. While the painting will be on permanent display at the pub, Knuttel will exhibit a collection of many new pieces at the Nov. 11-13 festival and will appear at Raglan Road “Meet the Artist” events Nov. 12 at 2 and 3:30 p.m.
Known for his bold, bright canvases of stylized figures, Knuttel’s Raglan Road painting is based on a poem, “On Raglan Road,” written in 1946 by lovesick poet Patrick Kavanagh and recorded in song by Ireland’s greatest folk musician, Luke Kelly. The pub scene in the painting pops with more than two dozen unconventional Knuttel figures that include Kavanagh, Kelly, Irish rockers Bono and The Edge and writers James Joyce and Brendan Behan. Looking closely, admirers may discover a photo of a child wearing mouse ears.
Nearly 150 award-winning artists who create paintings, jewelry, sculptures, photographs and more will show off their works at the festival. There’s also live entertainment and family-friendly activities each day. Hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission and parking are complimentary. More information: disneyworld.com/artfestival.
Hope to see you there!
In addition to the downloadable demo of the game, consumers who are interested in getting a first-hand look at Disney Universe can also visit a participating Best Buy store beginning December 12. Select store locations will have an Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system available for consumers to play the demo of the game.
Disney Universe offers a four-person multiplayer action experience, with frenzied gameplay that appeals to players of all ages. The game features 45 classic and contemporary iconic character costumes inspired by well-known and legendary properties, such as the Disney•Pixar hits WALL•Eand Monsters, Inc., Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Academy Award® winning classics, The Lion King and Aladdin. You can check out a review at my friend and fellow Disney blogger’s site DisneyEveryDay.com, with review from another friend, John Saccheri, who you may remember from his touching Give Kids the World post here last year. Check out the trailer below:
The downloadable demo available now features swashbuckling adventures with the first level of the game’s Pirates of the Caribbean world and includes costumes inspired by Stitch from Lilo & Stitch, Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc., Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and one of Disney’s most beloved characters of all time, Mickey Mouse.
Disney Universe is now available for the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo and Windows PC.
Published by Disney Interactive Studios, Disney Universe is rated E10+. Please visit www.DisneyUniverse.com for more information.
For more information about Disney Universe, please visit www.DisneyUniverse.com. DisneyUniverse is now available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation, Wii and Windows PC.
If you’re a local about to be forlorn at the ending of Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival this weekend, or just too far off to experience the festival in person, you can enjoy delectable Disney creations online with Disney.com’s web series. I somehow missed season one, but I’m excited to check out this series for great ideas to recreate Disney masterpieces at home:
The “Taste of Disney” web series on Disney.com offers guests the rare opportunity to explore the delectable culinary experiences found at Disney Parks and bring the magic into their homes. Mother and daughter hosts Pam Brandon and Katie Farmand are back for the second season, giving guests a behind-the-scenes look into the amazing food and special events of Disney Parks.
This season’s episodes feature in-depth interviews with the head chefs and event planners from Disney Parks, sharing their secrets from the most magical dining spots in the country. Fans can look forward to:
After watching each episode, guests will be able to access the recipes for all featured dishes and make them at home. Guests can also check out the “Meet the Chefs” page for in-depth information about the hosts, chefs and other guests from the series.
Which recipe would you love to see recreated on the series??
After seeing Winnie the Pooh in theaters this summer, I was excited to get the DVD+Blu-ray combo pack and share it with my 3 year-old. He hadn’t seen it with me when it came out because he was still at the age where I worried he wouldn’t make it through the whole film. However the minute I popped it in the Blu-ray player, he was enthralled. You can read my review of the film if you’d like, here I’ll just cover the DVD and Blu-ray extras.
Of course, as mentioned in the review, I loved the Ballad of Nessie, and still did on the Blu-ray. It’s so heartwarming and a fun little lesson for children. One thing I noticed watching it at home is I really heard the lovely Zooey Deschanel songs better and really enjoyed hearing them.
The Blu-ray bonus features aren’t too many in number, but with a primarily kids film, I don’t think they are really necessary anyway. These aren’t film buffs Disney is aiming at but there’s just enough behind-the-scenes fun to keep them entertained:
Blu-ray ™Bonus Features:
· Exclusive bonus short “Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon” – In this charming short, Pooh comes up with a daring plan to get a hold of some honey by fooling a group of bees.
· “The Ballad of Nessie” – The animated short film included in the theatrical release is the heartwarming tale of how Nessie found her new home in the Loch Ness.
· “Winnie the Pooh and His Story Too” – A fun and informative behind-the-scenes look at the film, designed for the whole family. Hosted by John Cleese (narrator of the film), and with occasional help fromPooh himself, this featurette explores Winnie the Pooh’s history from his beginnings as a character in a book, to his continued life in the movies. The filmmakers reveal how they worked to keep the look of the characters and settings in this movie consistent with their first appearances on-screen in1966. Pooh, being a bear of very little mind, finds much of this confusing, but the Narrator and the filmmakers make it all clear to Pooh – and you!
· Deleted Scenes introduced by directors, Stephen Anderson and Don Hall – 5 deleted scenes including “The Tummy Song,” “”Rabbit’s Friends and Relations,” “Original Eeyore Intro,” “Original Tigger Intro” and “Pooh Searches for a Tail”
· Sing-Along with the Movie – Follow the red balloon and changing word colors to seven song lyrics featured in the film.
· Disney Song Selection – “Winnie the Pooh Theme Song,” “The Tummy Song, “A Very Important Thing To Do,” “The Backson Song,” “It’s Gonna Be Great,” “Everything is Honey” and “The Winner Song Finale”
The DVD bonus features are limited to the Ballad of Nessie, The Balloon, and 3 deleted scenes. Here’s a fun look at the real Hundred Acre Wood.
Winnie the Pooh is available now on DVD, Blu-ray, combo pack and digital download.
Friend and zannaland correspondent Nicole Siscaretti got to experience Disneyland Adventures first hand, as one of the games creators explains the ins and outs of the game. Things like “you never die in Disneyland” (you just splat and come right back) and how you collect coins and can then purchase costumes for your avatar in Bibiddi Bobbidi Boutique within the game.
Kinect Disneyland Adventures arrives in stores November 15th. Be sure to pick it up for your adventurer or the whole family!
I was just sent these clips and they’ve made me even more excited to see the all-new The Muppets movie opening on November 23rd! The second clip in particular is a perfect example of classic Muppet humor –
With the recent release of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
on Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack, there will probably be quite a few swashbucklers ringing your bell for candy treasure in a couple of days! Disney was kind enough to send me some Pirates of the Caribbean Costumes
to outfit my own crew, so I thought I’d share some of our fun photos here to show what a great option these costumes are for the whole family. I must add, if I could get my 12 and 11 year old to not only agree on costumes, but actually wear them too, you know these are a great choice! With so many fun pirate-themed days and activities throughout the year, you never know when you might need a great costume like these.
If you need to get more inspiration, check out this clip from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides –
Here’s another great post from Ryan Wilson of the Main St. Gazette – enjoy! ~Zanna
The leaves have been rustling here, and it is getting darker earlier in the evenings, which can mean only one thing, in just a few days princesses, pirates, monsters, cowgirls, and bugs will be descending upon our streets in search of sweet treats! This, of course, makes it the perfect time to watch a spooky movie with the ones you love the most. Here are my top five Disney flickswhich are sure to give you just as many tricks as they do treats!I need to start off with two dishonorable mentions. Arguably, the two most frightening attractions in Walt Disney World and Disneyland are The Haunted Mansion
and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
. Films based upon both of these attractions have been created, with all-star casts attached, but both features fall well short of their potential. Still, for images that remind you of your favorite attraction, or just a bit of family fun, they will do the trick in a pinch.
Number 5 – The Black Cauldron
(1985)
The Black Cauldron, it is said, has the power to bring the dead back to life as a warrior horde. The Horned King, a villain who is sure to send shivers down your spine, seeks the cauldron in order to raise just such an army. However, this is a classic fantasy journey, and the scores of undead are met with plenty to smile and laugh about. This animated feature was seven years in the making, and it feels as if it could have used a couple more years cooking in the cauldron, but still manages to deliver the good vs. evil action!
Number 4 – Hocus Pocus
(1993)
Set in Salem, MA in the 17th Century and the early 1990s, this film features a trio of inadvertently humorous witches brought back from beyond the grave. The Sanderson sisters, portrayed by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker, use their witchy ways to suck the life out of children in order to maintain the young(ish) beauty (if they say so…). After being summoned to the present day, it is up to the children who accidentally brought them back to stop them, along with their talking cat. This film shows that comedy really can be scary!
Number 3 – Animated Shorts
There are tons of animated shorts that would make for the perfect Halloween viewing. These are just a few of my favorites spooky shorts. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949) features Ichabod Crane who has run afoul of the Headless Horseman. Bing Crosby’s narration is sure to give you chills! Night on Bald Mountain (Fantasia
– 1940) is the darkest segment of Fantasia and features the heavy Chernabog, the second most memorable character from Fantasia who remains a time-tested, fan-favorite Disney Villain to this day. Chernabog’s beckoning to the dead is sure to frighten even the bravest of souls. Lastly, The Skeleton Dance (1929). This short is the first of the Silly Symphonies
and is sure to spark ghoulish grins for the whole family.
Number 2 – Nightmare Before Christmas
(1993)
This Halloween-Christmas hybrid, which fans watch all the year round, features jack Skellington, the King of the Pumpkin Patch who wishes for something more that scares and finds it in Christmas. While the citizens of Halloween Town may seem terrifying to adults at first glance, the non-menacing way in which they are utilized, along with the terrific songs, call kids back to this film again and again. Though the dastardly Oogie Boogie, may draw out a scream or two, especially from insect-phobic children and moms!
Number 1 – Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1983)
This movie, featuring Jonathan Pryce as the enigmatic Mr. Dark, is the real deal folks. Based upon Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name, Mr. Dark and his carnival blow into Greentown one fateful autumn evening. They’ve come to town seeking to grant the residents’ wildest wishes… for a price. What secrets are held within the Pandemonium Carnival and can Mr. Dark be stopped by a librarian and two young boys? You’ll have to watch the film to find out, but be warned, it is not for the faint of heart!
As you might be aware, I love Christmas and a major reason for this is all the wonderful twinkling lights on display everywhere, especially at Walt Disney World. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights in particular are a highlight of the season for me. I’m sure you’ve heard of talented homeowners doing their own version of dancing lights coordinating with music during the holiday season. Well I’ve just discovered one of those talented folks, who decided to take on Halloween. Check out these AMAZING light and music displays from one man in Riverside, CA.
Sandstorm by Darude: (This song always reminds me of playing Dance Dance Revolution left, right, up, up, jump!)
Thriller by Michael Jackson:
Aren’t these amazing?! I for one would LOVE to have this guy as a neighbor! Keep up the great work!