Archive for the ‘special interest’ Category

Is it that time again already?!

The latest issue of Celebrations Magazine is now available!

You already know that it’s a fantastic magazine. I sing its praises when it arrives every month, so you really should pick it up.

To make it extra special for me this month, the cover story is about my favorite attraction of all time, The Haunted Mansion, and if I do say so myself, the article is fantastic. Then again, I may be a little biased, seeing as how I’m the one that wrote it!

So, stop wasting time, and order your copy today!!!!

For ordering info, be sure to check out www.celebrationspress.com!

It’s that time again!

The latest issue of Celebrations Magazine is now available! If you’re a subscriber, you should have received the latest issue. If you’re not…then what are you waiting for? It’s absolutely worth it, and it’s a great read every month.

And to make it even better…there is another article in it by yours truly! This time around, I explore Discovery Island, the oft forgotten island that failed to do what Animal Kingdom now excells at. If you read it, be sure to let me know what you think!

For ordering info, be sure to check out www.celebrationspress.com!

A lot of people propose to their significant other at a Disney Park. Each one is magical in their own way, but some are a little more than others.

The official Disney Parks YouTube page posted this back in early June, and I didn’t really get a chance to discuss it until now. It’s probably one of, if not the best proposal I’ve ever seen.

It’s a singing, dancing proposal to end all proposals. Check it out:

There has been a bit of controversy surrounding the video, though. Lots of people are crying foul, and saying it’s all fake. While it does have an over abundance of clearly convenient  attributes to it, and does seem to go above and beyond typical Disney proposals, I still feel it’s the real thing.

If you ask ahead of time, most Disney Cast Members will go out of their way to help make your proposal special, and that’s obviously the case here. To me, it seems like these two guests in this truly magical moment are current or former Disneyland Cast Members themselves, and that’s how he was able to set up all that extra “magic.” I mean, look at that girl’s face. She looks incredibly surprised (and slightly embarassed) by the whole thing. Either that, or she’s a really good actress!

Regardless, whether it is a clever piece of Disney marketing, or just them helping a fellow Cast Member out, it truly is remarkable and definitely memorable!

Last week, subscribers started to receive issue 5 of Celebrations, a fantastic magazine run by Tim Foster and Lou Mongello. I highly recommended this magazine a few weeks back, and still firmly do.

Especially this latest issue, because an article of mine appears in it! That’s right, the Main Street Windows article I mentioned awhile back appears in issue 5.

I just got mine today, and I must say that they continue to amaze me with how beautiful and informative each issue is. This month’s issue also features great articles about Disney’s Hollywood Studios (by Glenn Whelan of Passamaquoddy.blog.com),  pressed pennies (by the DisneyDaddy, Chuck Lionberger), and much more! For more information, and to order your copy, check out www.celebrationspress.com. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

And if you do already get the magazine, let me know what you think of the article!

Of course you do. Everyone does. How can you not? Every visit there usually holds something magical, and you take a memorable moment home with you.

Now, there is a great new book called WDW Memories that is asking you to share your memories with the world. Straight from their website, “WDW Memories will spotlight favorite Disney vacation memories as told by everyday Walt Disney World Resort visitors. The nature of this publication is simple; to give Disney fans, new and old, access to the memories and magical moments only Disney can create and post it on a global platform.”

They have already recieved quite a few submissions, but they are looking for me. If you have a special memory from Walt Disney World that you’d like to share, check out their website, and send an email over to Lisette.

I’ve already sent mine in, and hopefully some of us will be able to share our stories with the world when the book comes out.

For more details, check out www.mywdwmemories.com.

I’m a few days behind, but I just wanted to let you know that June 9th was the 75th anniversary of everyone’s favorite foul tempered duck!

Donald Fauntleroy Duck (and yes, that is his real middle name) first appeared in the short film “The Wise Little Hen,” and then quickly worked his way into our hearts.

Here’s to another 75 years!

Come on…how cool does that look?

We’ve all been on the ride, seen the movies, and wished we could be there with Captain Jack Sparrow and the rest of his crew.

Short of actually setting sail and becoming a pirate yourself, there is an easier way to become a Pirate in the world of Disney’s popular franchise: Video games. When the first Pirates movie came out, a game came out for the original Xbox loosely set in the same world, and had you square off against other pirates of lore and eventually the crew of The Black Pearl.

However, the game itself was rather forgettable, and wasn’t the experience we all hoped for. Disney Interactive Studios and Propaganda Games are hoping to correct that mistake with Pirates Of The Caribbean: Armada Of The Damned.

Though details are few at the moment, a bit is known about the game. Much like the original, it will be a RPG of sorts, but completely revamped. Players will assume the role of a young man, setting out to make a new for himself on the Seven Seas. It WILL take place in the same world as the Pirates films, however it will be set BEFORE the events of the movies. Players can explore the open world, choosing to pick their own battles, explore mysterious islands, and pretty much do anything else a pirate would do!

IGN.com has a great little interview with Alex Peters, director of the game. Again, he’s tight lipped on the exact details, but it’s just enough to get me excited! Click here to read it!

No release date is set yet, but based on what we know so far, it won’t be an easy wait! I can’t wait to play it!

Do you have a son who feels left out when his sister gets made up as a Princess at the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boutique?

Well, have no fear, because The Pirate League will soon be opening!

That’s right, just like it’s Princess counterpart, The Pirate League will transform young boys into fearsome pirates!

The Pirates League will be located in the area between the Pirates of the Caribbean entrance and the merchandise shop. The store will officially open on June 29.

Boys will get new pirate names before receiving a variety of accessories, including beards, eye patches, scarves, scars, earrings and gold teeth. After taking a sacred oath and an official portrait, they will then be part of Jack Sparrow’s gang.

There are three pirate packages available for your young swashbuckler:
- First Mate Package ($49.95): bandana, choice of facial effects, sword and sheath, pirate coin necklace, 5×7 photo and a personalized pirate oath.
- Empress Package ($49.95): bandana, “shimmering” makeup, sword and sheath, pirate coin necklace, 5×7 photo and a personalized pirate oath.
- Captains Package ($124.95): choice of costume, facial effects, sword and sheath, pirate coin necklace, three 5×7 photos and the personalized oath.

I’m curious to see if this will become as popular as the Princess makeover available at Downtown Disney and at Cinderella Castle. If so, we’ll soon be seeing Pirates invading all over Walt Disney World!

On April 29th, 2009, two more Disney Legends will be recieving their very own windows honoring them on Main Street, USA in Disneyland.

The first window will belong to Rolly Crump, who is best known for his work at Disneyland. He worked on various projects like Rhe Haunted Mansion, Rhe Enchanted Tiki Room, it’s a small world, and The Carousel of Progress. Crump retired from the company in 1996, but still continues to contribute ideas to this day. He was inducted as a Disney legend in 2004.

The late Don Edgren is also receiving a window. Don was the original chief engineer in the field for the original construction of Disneyland, and he also led the Imagineering engineering team for New Orleans Square and Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. He was inducted as a Disney legend in 2006.

Rolly and Don’s names will be over the porch of the old bra shop and above the Silhouette Studio, respectively.

I love the old attraction posters that Disney displays at the front of their park, advertising all the sights and sounds you will see inside.

One of my favorites is the old 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea one from Disneyland. Though the ride no longer exists in its original form, the poster reminds of me the way it used to be.

I always wanted to put that poster on my wall, and finally decided to actively pursue it. Searching the Internet, I failed to come across an image large enough that would print out the size I wanted, so I decided to make one myself.

They had a fairly niced sized version in the Imagineering book that Disney put out in the 90’s, so I scanned it and blew it up a little. I printed it on 13×19 glossy photo paper, and it looks fantastic!

I figured I would post it here, in case any of you wanted to do the same! Click to enlarge: