Mousekingdom Blog

While everybody talks about Indiana Jones and how some of the special effects are done, one article found on the net mentions a redo of Star Tours.

Next up for Landis is another nostalgia-oriented project–a redo of the Star Tours ride at Disneyland. (Cnet News Blog)

Until Disney confirms this news it is and stays a rumor of course, but looking at the source of the article, Industrial Light & Magic’s Hayden Landis, we can be pretty sure Star Tours II is in the making.

… on May 27, 1933 three little pigs with the help of Walt and his crew made their big, colorful entry on cinema screens around the USA. Yes, today 75 years ago Walt Disney released the technicolour animated short “Three Little Pigs” on the big screen, directed by Burt Gillett. The short not only introduced the Fifer Pig, Fiddler Pig and Practical Pig who went on to star in three additional shorts for Disney (1934, 1936 and 1939), were seen again Who Framed Roger Rabbitt as well as in Disney’s tv show House of Mouse and are even today can still occasionally be met as characters in the Magic Kingdom style parks around the globe.

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Some of you might remember that I pointed out a fun feature on the website brandchannel.com a couple of weeks ago: BrandCameo which keeps track of the brands popping up in the number one movies according to the US box office numbers. “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” having won the crown last week (before ceeding it to Indy 4 this weekend) I wondered, whether there would be any brands to report and checked out the site today. And very much to my surprise there was a brand cameo in the movie - even so it plays most of the time in the fantasy world of Narnia!!

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If asked what my preferred park is I have difficulties choosing between Animal Kingdom (even pre Expedition Everest) as this park is a Imagineering marvel and Epcot. I don’t want to choose but for reason Epcot has the edge. I love Illuminations (those reading the blog regularly will know this), but also enjoy some of the attractions and can wander hours and hours around the World Showcase.

The World Showcase has a lot to offer, while some might say there are not enough rides, there is so much stuff to see and do (and eat). On this trip however I noticed that the one place I hang out the most is Japan. It could be the Drums of the Matsuriza, the amazing candy artis Miyuki, the small but beautiful gardens or the whole Japan pavilion that keeps me there every time. Whatever it is, I can’t seem to get enough of that place and am already looking forwards to my next visit (even if that will not be before 2009)

… 2009? That a long time away. I guess browsing some of my Japan Pavilion pictures will have to keep my happy,… for now.

Everyone ready? In just two minutes the finale of the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest will commence in Belgrad, Serbia. Hundreds of millions of viewers all over Europe and even on tv-sets in Australia and New Zeeland plus countless fans all around the globe watching live online at eurovision.tv will see and hear songs competing for 25 countries (down from an original 43 after two semi finales).

Why am I posting this on a Disney blog? Hey, I just want to point you to some great entertainment! Well, actually there is a Disney connection this year: Germany is represented by the girl band No Angels singing “Disappear” - please no cheap jokes now

Anyway, the girl band casted on the tv show “popstars” had an extended chart success in Germany and several European countries in the 90s and early years of this century before disbanding and then reuniting a year ago (albeit now missing one of the original members). So where is that Disney connection I promised? Keep reading after the break…

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I finally managed to see “Enchanted” in the German version last night. See, here in Germany we dubb all the movies. Whether this is good (young children can enjoy a Disney movie) or bad (if there would be subtitles they would learn English playfully) is up to everyone. I personally do see some problems, especially if they choose a very unique voice to dub a certain actor / part. But hey, that even can be in favor of a character, as a different speaker can also positively influence a performance. Where it does get IMHO very problematic is with songs…

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As Disney fans we only (mostly) see the magic, as Disney Geeks we want to know how everything works, As a Disney employee you can get the real story. Those stories can make some interesting articles with some nice stuff, weird surprises and (unfortunately) sometimes bad stories too. One of those stories was pointed out to us by an associate editor of Lamag.com.

If you’re a Disney (Theme Park) fan and love anything Pirates, especially Jack Sparrow, you wil have fun reading the article. Some guest might even recognize themselves (and to the girls and woman out there, if you do, that isn’t a good thing this time )…

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Mickey Mouse has a big impact on American history, an impact that goes far beyond American boundaries. Just look at the theme parks around the world, the movies playing in thousand theaters and the millions of toys in the shops. Even if you don’t have a Disney holiday, most likely you will still encounter some sort of Disney on your trip (or near your home). You can also ask what cartoon character is the most known in the world; I am pretty confident that Mickey Mouse will make it on the top spot as most well known cartoon character. Mickey (and his friends) are everywhere, even making an impact on our daily lives.

But what about the impact on Mickey Mouse and Disney from the outside? It’s a question that popped up in my head, more specifically the impact of today and in the (near) future! Let’s have a look at some possible theories (I think) that has have impact on the mouse and that might form the future look of Disney. Let’s do so starting with the biggest influence at the moment; PIXAR!

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As reported earlier today the Narnia Chronicles keep Disney rather busy right now with all the promotion going on for the second installment of the series (Prince Caspian), which opened only past weekend, but also with the pre-production for the third movie of the series “The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader”. John Griffin of The Gazette now got the first scoop on the 2010 Narnia movie from Andrew Adamson, director of the first two installments of the series (as well as Dreamwork’s Shrek and Shrek 2 - which the article accidentially credits to Disney <g>)…

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… I am not talking about the singer with the ever changing name (why should I say hail to him?) … I am talking about Prince Caspian, the second installment of the “Chronicle of Narnia” series of Walt Disney Pictures, which premiered in the US and selected international numbers before the weekend. The results? First spot in the movie charts on its opening weekend - but that is only part of the story …

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Another great Disneyland Resort Paris with lots of magic has come to its end (it always to early to go home, whatever Disney park you are visiting at the moment). My good friend Andrea invited my to accompany him and I could not say no to that. 2 Disney nuts at Disney equals a lot of fun.

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A short update thanks to the TAG Blog on the current production status of Disney’s first feature length 2D animation film in years to be released on the big screen, The Princess and the Frog: apparently the experimental phase has ended for the movie’s first act and actual animation work is taking place. Accordingly more and more artist are joining the crew.

Can’t wait to see the new Star Wars; The Clone Wars animation? The official release will be on the 15th August but Disney fans visiting the Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World during the Star Wars weekends will be in for a treat. With an already impressive guest list fans will also have the chance to see some exclusive previews during the Star Wars weekends…

Among the features at this year’s Star Wars Weekends, which run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 6 to June 29, 2008, will be “Behind the Force — Experience The Clone Wars,” an exploration of the creation of this groundbreaking Star Wars feature film. During “Experience The Clone Wars,” fans will get a chance to meet a representative of Lucasfilm Ltd. and, at the culmination of the presentation, see an exclusive clip of Star Wars: The Clone Wars that can be seen only at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends. (StarWars.com)

Visit the Star Wars / Disney event page to get the latest updates on the weekends.

I’m Italian, I love Disney, live in the country which provides 75% of Disney comics worldwide and now comics are taking over the themeparks! HURRAY!

If that sentence had no sense to you let me clear this out; the Italian Disneyland Resort Paris office had the idea for the team up of a life time; a guidebook of Disneyland Resort Paris made by the publishing division with comic versions of the Disney characters guiding guests through the themepark, giving advices on what to do, where to eat, where to stay and so on!

Sure it might not be the equivalent of the “Imagineering field guides” we Disney fans worship so much but it sure is a nice way to give the first time guests which venture in the Paris resort a way of knowing what to do, how to do it and so on.

I’ve always been very critical about the whole idea of Disney needing to speak to guests in Paris in 200 plus languages! I have always been of the crazy (and never lickely) idea that Disney should just decide where to stand on it’s feet ; if all French or all English and stick to it without needing to play word game so to have characters state one sentence in English and then another character states a similar reply with the sense of the question in French.

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One million views and counting! Time to celebrate ClickMagique’s PicParade…

ClickMagique’s PicParade is loaded with more then 8000 Disney related pictures and recently had the honors of the 1.000.000th picture being blended in. Only the pictures that are actually opened will be counted, so we can honestly say that this is an impressive result. This result can only by accomplished because of you, the fans and visitors, so a big thank you for sharing your pictures on ClickMagique’s PicParade and a big thank you to all visiting and looking at the pictures too.

The picture that was blended in on 1.000.000 was the picture of Tigger walking past “It’s a Small World” waiving at the photographer in Disneyland Resort Paris. A very nice picture to celebrate this mile stone. But it isn’t enough. We want more!

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Disney is doing very well again with a better than expected 22% rise in profit. Especially the movies National Treasure: Book of Secrets and the fairy tale “Enchanted” together with Disney theme park attendance are taking care of the big profits in their last quarter.

Even with the frightening economic situation at the moment, Disney seems unstoppable boosting their profits and making their shareholders happy.

“All of the big media companies are doing fundamentally very well and the market just refuses to acknowledge it,” (Reuters)

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Hong Kong Disneyland has opened their version of “It’s a Small World” only days ago. Their version differences itself from other worldwide version by adding 38 Disney Characters to the classic ride. Disney fans and purist where horrified by the idea that a classic ride would contain Disney Characters. Especially since the news came out the Disney company would be adding the same Disney characters in the Disneyland Anaheim version. Disney fans stood up and let themselves be heard by expressing their thoughts and feelings all over the web about the upcoming changes Disney wants to do. (Example Save the Rainforest website). They didn’t like it…

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Disney has released the poster for the upcoming third part in the High School Musical series. The success of the previous two movies made it possible to release the third part in the theater. No choice as to go and see it for myself (as my son will drag me into the cinema to see it), but I hoped the franchise would end here. What more can they tell about the group and friends after they left school.

But the success of the series will be used to start another movie with new kids. So I think we are in for High School Musical IV and V and…

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