Mousekingdom Blog

If you would like to see some great pictures of the Star Wars Weekends that have started at Walt Disney World visit the www.starwars.com website. They have a picture viewer online and will be updated every week with new pictures.

If you want to see some more pictures check out this topic at Disboards where you’ll see many character, including Darth Vader and Jedi Mickey. If you read this trip report you’ll witness what happens when somebody wins the Special Star Wars who wants to be a millionaire.

Would you have know the answer to the question;

What opera did Chancellor Palpatine and Anakin watch?

Do you know the answer to this? It is Squid Lake. The winner was a 15 year old Star Wars fan who, for sure, was very happy.

Before you can enter the Disney MGM studios you will have to pass the Stormtroopers at the entrance. On this video you can see what they have to say before the park opens. If you can’t make it to the parks during Star Wars Weekends have a look at it, it is really funny.

This past week Orlando played host to Pow Wow, the United States’ annual travel trade show, with a whole lot of Pow and even more Wow! The convention is an opportunity to hear about nearly every travel-related location, accommodation, event, etc all over the country, as well as offering a chance to preview what’s new in the theme parks, specifically Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. If you have ever wondered what happens at a big Disney Event, consider this your personal invitation to Disney’s Pow Wow Farewell Party.

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Today Star Wars weekend are kicking in at the Disney-MGM studios in Walt Disney World. I have never been to one of these and do not think I’ll ever plan my holiday around them. I do enjoy the movies, but I am not that big of a fan.

Just to be up to date on what is going on in the park I did check out the guest list. I do not know about you but I would find it a little disappointing. Not so much for who is coming, but that there are only 2 Star Wars celebrities every weekend. Being sold as Star Wars Weekends I would have expected a lot more celebrities on the list. I have been to many conventions (I used to own a comic book store), including Star Wars conventions and the lists where a lot longer. Maybe I was spoiled so I am interested in what other people have to say about these weekends in WDW.

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After witnessing the website about the Walt Disney World Bathrooms it was time we are invited to another unusual event, this time regarding Disney Trash Cans. The Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh (Scotland) presents a photographic exhibit of trash cans from Walt Disney World.

…the exhibition isn’t rubbish, it is art, or at least an important facet of design in the 21st century. “It’s all to do with repeated images and the concept of mass customization…

Searching the web a little you’ll find websites and Blog already sharing the “Trash”. Look at the Jazzyfox Blog to see a collection of Trash Can Pictures from WDW. To see some Trash Cans from the Disneyland Resort you can check out the Started by a Mouse website.

Oh, and don’t forget to look for the Talking Trash Can on your next WDW trip

There isn’t any other sport that unites Europe as much as soccer (or football as it is called here). So sponsoring a major pan-european soccer event or advertising in connection with it is a sure way to get access to some of the most coveted potential potential customers and guests. This year the league of the top clubs of Europe, the UEFA Champions League, celebrates “50 years of champions”. Since May 13 the according “Champions Festival” is taking place for fans in Paris and now, tonight, the anniversary season finally comes to the grand finale with the finale match of the two top teams - at the “Stade de France” in Paris, otherwise also known as the backyard of the Disneyland Resort Paris.

Sounds just like another boring soccer report with a rather constructed Disney reference? Well, not really - because the reason I wanted to publish the story here is actually what happened and what did not happen and how Disney is NOT involved… (more…)

The new Brother Bear sequel will be released on august 29, like many of the Disney Part 2 movies this one will be released on Video and DVD instead of the theater. Jeremy Suarez returns as the voice of Koda, while Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas are back as the beloved moose duo, Rutt and Tuke. It will also feature three original songs from Melissa Etheridge.

I like the first movie, with the moose being the highlight. Some of their lines where so simple but so funny…

because I love… dew.
Excuse me? I don’t believe I heard what you said.
*Sighs* I said I love… dew.
I love dew, too, eh.

It still makes me laugh. Here is a full Brother Bear Script - Dialogue Transcript
A search on Amazon.com for Brother Bear didn’t bring back the option to pre-order the new sequel on DVD yet. But check the Brother Bear Search on Amazon again to place a pre-order once available. I know I will.

Ok, I admit it: I might be late. But hey, I missed it when it came out originally … but after all now I found it … just yesterday … and it is still as great as it was when it came out originally between May 2nd and 9th. Oh, sorry, forget to say what I was talking about: 5 exclusive, free VIDEO PODCASTS from the upcoming Disney Pixar feature CARS! You hand’t heared of it either? Ha, so I am not that late

And yes, you heared correctly, Disney and Pixar are offering five short VIDEO reports running between 2:32 and 3:52 minutes each with exclusive material from the upcoming feature and exclusive glimpses backstage into the making of the film.

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Do you know that feeling? You are just listening to some interview and suddenly there is this when this totally unexpected news is revealed? Well, I just had that seconds ago. I was listening to the edition March 23rd, 2006 of the Walt Disney World® Resort: Plugged In podcast, in which they interviewed Al Weiss. I just played in the background while working on the website DLP.info, listening only half-heartedly but then he got my full attention, when he was asked to talk about his new role.

See, Al Weiss has just been appointed to the newly created possition of “President of Worldwide Parks and Resorts Operations” (officially also referred to as “President of Disney Theme Park Operations”). In that function he will have influence on all Disney resorts around the globe, certainly including Disneyland Resort Paris - but excluding Tokyo Disneyland as that is owned and operated by the independent Oriental Land Company under a license agreement. Looking back at the success of Walt Disney World under his leadership, the numerous WDW-exclusive attractions, I wondered what can be expected now for the globe-wide strategy? He did reveal at least a bit of it…

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Well first of all, I wanted to say a bit of an apology for my lack of presence over the last couple of months! Life has been a bit hectic! My life over the next 18 months or so is going to be pretty much Disney Disney Disney though, so I thought for my comeback i’d post an update on whats happening with me and what you can expect from me over the coming weeks and months (Andy, stop hitting me over the head with that bat! I said i’d write a blog entry!!!)

Well… First off I’ve just finished University, thats the main reason i’ve not been about to post! Thats pretty boring and dis-interesting to read though (as far as this blog is concerned anyway)…. onto my next point

On the 24th May, I am heading stateside. I’m heading back to California, so my intention is to post regular updates on my trip there and whats happening in the Park where it all began! I’ll be in California from 24th May - 6th June, in that time there will be plenty of visits to Walt’s Original Magic Kingdom I’ll also be posting photos of my trip on my website so you’ll be able to see exactly what I am getting up to! I hope this will be of interest to you all!

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Most people know Epcot’s Mission: Space is being toned down this summer to provide the option of a more passive (and less nausea-inducing!) ride. But there is another new experience in Central Florida which provides an astronaut’s taste of The Real Thing.

Just announced at the big Pow-Wow travel convention in Orlando is the ZERO-G experience, a chance to feel what it is REALLY like to be weightless in space. Flying from the Kennedy Space Center (but as a separate company, the Zero Gravity Corporation), they offer 27 people at a time the chance to go up in their customised Boeing 727 and enjoy a zero-gravity feeling for up to 30 seconds at a time as it flies a parabola at 24,000ft.

It sounds like an amazing opportunity, and it is linked with some real astronaut training and briefing (under proper supervision from their astronaut team). The downside? It costs $3,750 per person (plus tax!!).

Susan and I are just drawing breath again after the big International Pow-Wow travel convention in Orlando, which is America’s biggest annual travel trade forum, with all manner of conferences, media events, travel shows, exhibits, tours and receptions (plus the occasional party!). The focus is obviously only on the US - hotels, attractions, car hire, cities, travel organisations and more - but that is still a huge area of interest. And, as it was in Orlando, there was a big focus on Florida, and the theme parks. And that’s where our Encounter with an Imagineer came in.

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If you love gaming then you’ll either be at Los Angeles or you wish you would be at Los Angeles for the annual E3 gaming convention right now (from May 10th to May 12th). Of course there are a lot of Disney products to be found at the E3 convention. Some of the Disney game titles on the convention, presented by Buena Vista Games, are; Disney’s American Dragon: Jake Long, Attack of the Dark Dragon, Disney’s Chicken Little: Ace in Action, Disney’s Kim Possible: Global Gemini, Disney’s Kim Possible: What’s the Switch?, Disney’s The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure…

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Do you remember the Pride Mountain concept Colin found and shared here in the blog? It was an amazing piece of artwork that could (and should) fit into the ranks of an Imagineering team. I just got a mail from Tim, the creator of the Pride Mountain, inviting me to have a look at his latest creation.

This time he attacks (literally) the Tower of Terror. To be more precise, the Tower from the Walt Disney Studios park in Disneyland Resort Paris. Although the Paris version is not ready yet, here is a version our hobby imagineer would have loved to seen build instead of the Anaheim clone Paris will be getting.

Read about this “fantasy” attraction on the Theme Park Review forum and enjoy a dream of an imagineer in the making.

Apple.com has added a new Cars Trailer online. This one gives a lot of information on the story and I can tell you now; it looks good. I am sure that we will get yet another fantastic PIXAR movie. Check out the great trailer.

The premiere is not far away anymore. CARS will Premiere at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Friday, May 26th but is already completely sold out as mentioned on LUXO, a blog on PIXAR animation.

In case you would still like to get some tickets you can visit two auctions on Ebay. The first one offers 4 tickets and bidding will end on May 15th. At the time I wrote this entry the tickets where already on a $430 bid. The second one has 7 tickets offered. However selling them a piece and going at $35 per ticket at this time. The bidding on this one ends on May 16th.

Map from Orlando Sentinel showing the future of Pleasure Island.

Now here is a great picture on a Disney Calendar. The Picture comes from the official Tokyo Disney Resort Fanclub calendar and was send to us by Xavier M. (Thank you). It shows the Tower of Terror at DisneySea on the page of month September, the same month first guest will be able to ride the new attraction. The picture in the calendar looks great, it proofs that you not always have to dig into the archives and use old pictures for a calendar, like they seem to do at Disneyland Resort Paris, but that you can share upcoming new attractions with the fans in a newly created picture like the one shown here.

What a way to promote a new ride. Using a calendar, giving fans early access to what to expect, and for sure a great reminder to book a next visit to be at the park during the opening of the new adventure.

Interesting on the picture is the ghost showing at the left hand side. His eyes are glowing, looking down onto the people who are riding the elevator, promising a new story for the attraction. And looking at the peoples faces, it looks like Disney wants to go the scary road with this one…

I am thinking maybe Tokyo should be my next Disney destination.

It look like Disney will not leave the Happy Meals behind as Robert A. Iger defends McDonalds and explains the  power of the  marketing tool in this article on Forbes.com

“To set the record straight, we have had a very positive relationship with McDonald’s for the last ten years,” said a Disney spokesman in a statement. “While our contract with them will expire at the end of the year, we look forward to a more flexible, non-exclusive relationship where we will be working with them on a case by case basis.”

The big chance will be that Disney will not be exclusive anymore once their contract with McDonalds expires. Now other entertainment giants can (and will, like Dreamworks has planned to do) add their toys in the mix.

The future looks bright for the Mouse. The ABC hits “Desperate Housewives” and  “High School Musical” are bringing in high profits for the Disney Company. But also the park, or at least some of the parks, are taking care of a healthy growth: TV, parks lift Disney profit to 12% gain

Disney’s theme parks helped too — despite troubled performances in Paris and Hong Kong — according to the second-quarter financial report Disney filed Tuesday.

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