L Frank Baum’s Ozma of Oz (1907), the third book in the popular Oz series, was one of my favorite childhood stories. When I was in middle-school, I bought Ozma of Oz and Tik-Tok of Oz (1914) in a special 2/$1 book promotion at WalMart, and they were my first introduction to the world of Oz outside of the beloved MGM film starring Judy Garland.
Over the ensuing years, I have read almost all of the 14-book series and have been awed by Baum’s imaginative and colorful characters, from the mechanical man Tik-Tok to the patchwork girl Scraps and everyone’s favorite trio, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
Screenshot from Return to Oz, image copyright Disney
In Ozma of Oz, Dorothy Gale is transported to the magical land of Ev after being swept overboard in a terrible storm and stranded in a floating chicken coop. Dorothy’s only companion is Billina, a spunky hen who starts to talk as soon as the two land on Ev’s enchanted shores. In Ev, they are confronted by the terrible Wheelers and they rescue the run-down mechanical man Tik-Tok who tells them about Ev, a land separated from Oz by the great Deadly Desert, and formerly ruled by the royal family of Ev who have been captured and transformed into ornaments by the evil Nome King.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1762
The five week audition period for Disney Channel’s Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off ‘Shake It Up’ Edition came to an end on August 3rd. More than 28,000 videos were submitted online showcasing talented young dancers from all over the United States. And now the real contest begins.
Screenshot from the Make Your Mark: Ultimate Dance Off website, image copyright Disney
It’s time for Make Your Mark fans to make their voices heard by voting online for their favorite videos as the most liked auditions of the day. Videos with a STAR under them have been chosen as featured videos by a Disney.com editor, while videos with THUMBS UP have been chosen by fans as the most liked videos of the day. Videos with the STAR and THUMBS UP are the best of the best, as voted by Disney and Make Your Mark fans!
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1740
If you’re currently in your 20s or 30s, you know that the TV shows of your childhood are nothing like the TV of today. Thanks in part to an earnest social networking fanbase, on July 25th, Teen Nick debuted The ’90s Are All That, a two-hour weeknight programming block featuring a rotating lineup of some of the most popular Nickelodeon shows from the ’90s.
Currently, the TV block includes episodes of All That, Kenan and Kel, Clarissa Explains It All, and Doug. The ’90s Are All That website has even more to offer with a rotating lineup of clips and episodes of Rocko’s Modern Life, Hey Arnold, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Rugrats, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, CatDog, Ren & Stimpy, and more! Website fans can chat, view media, vote in polls, and enter sweepstakes to win ’90s-era products! Remember GAK, anyone?
As one of the millions of former kids who grew up watching these classic Nickelodeon shows in a regular afternoon lineup, I think the late night programming block is fantastic. Now the kids of the 21st Century can see the best of what the ’90s had to offer, and they’ll have to agree that the ’90s were indeed All That. If the Disney Channel were to follow Teen Nick’s example and bring back some of their own ’90s hits, then I, and millions of other 20-something-year-olds, would be in absolute nostalgia heaven.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1620
Whether they’re on the bus, lounging by a pool, or getting their hair done at the salon, most girls love reading magazines. In my teens I used to read YM, Seventeen, People, and the occasional Cosmo, and now that I’m in my 20s, I indulge in Entertainment Weekly and Time.
Disney Princess Magazine, screenshot from disney.go.com/princess
Although there are numerous magazines geared towards teenage girls (Teen Vogue, Cosmogirl, Teen People, Tiger Beat, J-14, etc.), the subject matter is usually too mature for girls as young as seven and eight who want magazines of their own. Fortunately, Disney has filled this marketing gap with its Disney Princess Magazine which features stories, activities, games, and recipes targeted for “little princesses of all ages”.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1670
The days are getting shorter and summer is coming to an end. The start of the school year is just around the corner, and by the time Labor Day arrives on September 5th, most kids will be back in school, eagerly counting down the days until Thanksgiving break. For those of us who haven’t made it to a Disney theme park this year, now would be a great time to visit Disneyland to take advantage of a special discount during Disney’s Soundsational Summer which ends on September 5th.
Disneyland Resort Discounted Tickets Offer, image from Disneyland.disney.go
In June, Disney raised ticket prices for visits to both the Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, bringing a 3-day Disneyland with Park Hopper ticket up to $224 for adults. With Disney’s current offer, those tickets are now only $199, a savings of $25 per ticket! The offer is not available at the box office and discounted tickets must be purchased in advance online.
Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=1707
