Archive for the “Latest News” Category

A New Wave of Disney Movie Rides

A New Wave of Disney Movie Rides

When Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl sailed into theaters in 2003, no one expected the film to break records or launch one of the most successful film franchises of all time with three sequels and a fifth film scheduled for a 2013 release. Based on a 36 year old dark ride with a catchy theme song and starring the then-indie Johnny Depp who hadn’t yet proven himself as an A-list leading man, the movie seemed like a long shot, especially after the failure of Disney’s previous ride-based films.

And now, more than $3.7 billion dollars later, Pirates of the Caribbean stands as a testament to the potential blockbuster hidden inside the plastic veneer of every Disney theme park attraction. Walt Disney Pictures is well-aware of this potential and the company has a long history of ride-inspired feature films with even more on the way. From the made-for-TV Tower of Terror to 2013’s Magic Kingdom and Jungle Cruise, here’s a list of all of the Disney films inspired by theme park attractions.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2114

October 7, 2011 Post Under Latest News, Movies, Theme Parks - Read More

Disney Comics on the Go

Disney Comics on the Go

Disney may have purchased Marvel and all of its comic book properties in 2009, but superheroes aren’t the only characters appearing in Disney comics these days. Earlier this year, Disney Publishing Worldwide launched the Disney Comics app in the US for iPhone and iPad users with plans to expand the app to readers in more than 80 countries.

Screenshot from the Disney Comics iPad app, image copyright Disney

The app features a collection of comics, short stories, and graphic novels starring classic Mickey Mouse characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, etc.) as well as modern Disney characters (Rapunzel, Tiana, the casts of Cars 2 and Toy Story, etc). The comics range in length with most averaging between 20 and 50 pages.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2149

October 5, 2011 Post Under Games, Latest News - Read More

Rapunzel is Disney’s Newest Princess

Rapunzel is Disney’s Newest Princess

Ever since the perky, doe-eyed Rapunzel flounced onto theater screens in Tangled (2010), no one doubted that the royal beauty was a bona fide Disney Princess. But it wasn’t until October 2nd, 2011 that Rapunzel officially joined the ranks as the tenth “Disney Princess” during a beautiful coronation ceremony at Kensington Palace in London, England.

Screenshot of Rapunzel, the 10th Disney Princess, video copyright InsidetheMagic.net

Surrounded by the exquisite Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace is the official residence of many British Royals, including the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Princess Kate) who married in a lavish fairytale wedding this past April. No one would deny that Kensington Palace is quite the proper place for a Disney Princess to be crowned, and the other nine Disney Princesses (Snow White, Aurora, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Tiana) were in attendance for this first-ever grand coronation event.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2115

October 4, 2011 Post Under Games, Latest News, Movies - Read More

When Avatar and Disney Collide

When Avatar and Disney Collide

In December 2009, Avatar, a mega-hit blockbuster was released in theaters where it demolished domestic and worldwide box office records for a staggering haul of $2.7 billion dollars, $900 million more than Titanic (1997), the previous worldwide record holder.

A view of Pandora, image from the Avatar Game, copyright 20th Century Fox

But James Cameron’s Avatar did more than break records. Thanks to its phenomenal visual effects, majestic scenery, and a narrative that focused on the preservation of a culture strongly connected to the natural world, the film inspired a generation of fans, many of whom wished that the fantastical planet Pandora and its native inhabitants, the Na’vi, really existed.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2104

October 3, 2011 Post Under Latest News, Movies, Theme Parks - Read More

International Food & Wine Festival

International Food & Wine Festival

If you are visiting Epcot this fall, make sure you come hungry.

This year, the 16th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival begins on September 30th and runs through November 13th. The 45-day festival is a celebration of food and wine from around the world, including the eleven countries represented in Epcot’s World Showcase: Canada, Mexico, Norway, Morocco, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

A view of Epcot's World Showcase, photograph by Valerie Champagne

When my husband and I visited Disney World for our honeymoon last fall, we were disappointed to discover that we missed the beginning of the Food & Wine Festival by less than a week. The food and wine tasting booths were already in place and the event flags were hanging, but alas, we were not able to eat.

If you plan to attend this year’s Festival, you can pick up a Marketplace Discovery Passport at the Festival Welcome Center, and whenever you eat at the international marketplace, you will receive a unique stamp on your passport. At the end of your stay, you can take your passport home as a fun keepsake and a memory of the exotic and delicious foods that you sampled.

Read More: http://www.disney-blog.com/?p=2091

September 25, 2011 Post Under Latest News, Theme Parks, Vacations - Read More
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