disney fan

Learn about ABC’s “Once Upon A Time In Wonderland” Fall Series and Visit the Jolly Roger at the D23 Expo

24 July 2013 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

As a fan of Once Upon a Time on the ABC network, I was excited to read this news about their presence at the D23 Expo. Attendees will learn more about the new series Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, and can board Captain Hook’s Jolly Roger pirate ship as well as visit the Evil Queen’s vault! See all the details below:

Be among the first to watch ABC’s most anticipated new fall series and animated specials and have a chance to learn the secrets behind how they were made. Fans will have those opportunities at the D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where all the worlds of Disney come together, August 9 – 11, at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Executive Producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz will be featured at a panel titled “ABC’s Once Upon A Time: Behind The Fairytale” on Saturday, August 10 at 1:00 p.m. at Stage 23. Eddy and Adam will talk about exciting developments for season three of their hit series Once Upon A Time as well as their new fall series, Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, which takes place in the Victorian England of Alice and the strange new land that exists on the other side of the rabbit hole. The Q&A with the executive producers will be moderated by D23’s Jeffrey Epstein.

Guests on the D23 Expo show floor are invited to come aboard the Jolly Roger for a swashbuckling good time with some of your favorite fairytale characters from ABC’s hit series Once Upon A Time. Explore the famous pirate ship and feast your eyes on original props from the set. You will also find Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, and Emma Swan (and Emma’s red leather jacket). Every pirate who boards the ship gets to visit the Evil Queen’s vault. And a surprise awaits when you unlock a box from Regina’s wall of hearts. No pirate will leave empty handed! Don’t let this exciting adventure sail by without you!

In addition, as previously announced, guests will be able to get an up-close-and-personal look at some of the elaborate costumes from Once Upon A Time inside the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit located on the second floor of the Convention Center.

The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

Disney Studios To Host Two Arena Presentations At D23 Expo 2013-Celebrities and Exclusive Sneak Peeks

16 July 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

The Studios presentation is always a highlight of the D23 Expo and this year, we get two presentations! I can’t wait to see the sneak peeks and which celebrities will be making appearances. Here are the official details below:

D23 Expo 2013 will celebrate its grand opening with a welcome from Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger followed by the first of two arena presentations hosted by The Walt Disney Studios at the Anaheim Convention Center. On Friday, August 9, The Walt Disney Studios will surprise and delight fans with sneak peeks of the incredible slate of upcoming animated films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, and Disneytoon Studios, hosted by Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter. Then, on Saturday, August 10, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn will host The Walt Disney Studios live action arena presentation which will pull back the curtain on upcoming releases from Disney Live Action and Marvel Studios. Both presentations will feature exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes footage, filmmaker discussions, and surprise celebrity appearances.

The 4,000-seat arena, the largest venue at The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, will for the first time feature a 2,000-seat overflow theater where guests will be able to watch these once-in-a-lifetime happenings though a live feed.

Art and Imagination: Animation at The Walt Disney Studios (Friday, August 9, 10:00 a.m.): Disney and Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter, filmmakers and star talent will take guests on a journey through The Walt Disney Studios’ slate of upcoming animated features, including Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen and Pixar Animation Studios’ The Good Dinosaur. Plus, catch the U.S. debut of the new Mickey Mouse short Get A Horse!, major movie announcements, and a not-to-be-missed live musical performance.

Let the Adventures Begin: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios (Saturday, August 10, 10:30 a.m.): The Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn will showcase the Studios’ exciting live-action release slate, including Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks and Tomorrowland, Marvel’sThor: The Dark World, and much more.

Tickets for the D23 Expo are $57 for a one-day adult admission and $47 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $50 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available for both D23 Members and the general public, and D23 Members can save as much as $84 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for members and general admission, visit D23Expo.com.

VIDEO: Warren Spector and Peter Ong Discuss Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for Nintendo 3DS

24 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Junction Point vice president and creative director Warren Spector, Peter Ong and the rest of the team from DreamRift behind the development of Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for the Nintendo 3DS and some folks from Disney Interactive. We were shown an amazing Disney day and night, meeting with VIP lounges and Magic Kingdom tours and a lovely dinner at California Grill. In between all the wining and dining, we learned so much about the game, from the people that poured their hearts and souls into its creation. It’s rare, as a consumer, to meet the minds behind a video game, and discover all hard work and detail each person contributed.

Hearing from Warren Spector was, as a Disney fan, wonderful. Not only is he a long-time video game fan, but a long-time Disney fan as well. Seeing his passion in action was a treat as he described his involvement in Epic Mickey. I had wondered if Disney nerds experts like those of you reading this now, would find things within the game that would satisfy our particular level of…attention. Warren assured us that we would be in heaven with the specific park and Disney film details within Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

In addition, talking through the actual game developers throughout the day and learning how they watched the Disney films used in the game countless times, and various other ways they kept true to the Disney brand, the classic gaming experience they were honoring, and bringing in a whole new generation with the drawing aspect to the Nintendo 3DS.

This video below will shed some light on the thought process behind the game and how game play develops.

As far as the details go, yes, it is played on a 3D handheld system, however you can turn OFF 3D any time, if your eyes have had too much or you’d just like a traditional gaming experience. The game is rated G but for ages 7 and up because of the 3D aspect. Too much exposure to the 3D setting on young eyes can be damaging. Outside of that issue, there are no other concerns as far as violence or age range go.

Epic Mickey Power of Illusion — Screenshot from the Aladdin level

I was able to play through the first level of the game, and as a very casual gamer, I was able to figure things out, but there were some parts that were a little frustrating, so keep that in mind with younger players. Of course practice and patience is the key to any successful video game conquest!

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion is a great game for anyone looking to recreate a classic 16 bit experience with a modern update, or any fan of Disney animated features or Parks. The game will be available on November 18, 2012.

Disclosure: Great thanks to the Disney Interactive team for our day in the parks as we learned about this game. I was provided special access at Walt Disney World, dinner and refreshments throughout the day. My opinions and thoughts are my own.