Disney World PF Gathering and Tips for Disney Mania!

[Moonbear]

So...my tickets showed up in the mail today. They even came with a nifty luggage tag (not the magical express tags; those come separately).

I got certificate for some souvenier from Planet Hollywood, and a meal there too (a choice of three meals...one of the burgers and two other things...since those are overpriced there, that's the only way I'd get a burger there is with a certificate )...must be some promotion because that wasn't mentioned anywhere when I was booking stuff.

I was laughing so hard though...the plane tickets are in there, and they attach a note to them that says, "These are actual paper tickets..."

 

[ZapperZ]

When the DME tags arrives, you will be all set, Moonbie. And it's 24 more days. Do you have your Disney countdown on our Mac?

I've never been inside Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney. We might just try it since you have free coupons to eat there. I think we get 10 or 20% discount as DVC members.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

The Chronicles of Narnia opens this Friday in the US. For those who are not familiar with the book, this is a brief guide to the movie and the main characters.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Movie-Narnia.asp

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

From the Disney press announcement:

"For the fifth consecutive year, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, (Live with Regis and Kelly) host Walt Disney World's 22nd Annual Christmas Day Parade telecast from the heart of the Magic Kingdom, with special performances from the Disneyland Resort in California. Philbin has hosted more Walt Disney World Christmas Day parades than anyone else, while Kelly Ripa also stars on the ABC sitcom Hope & Faith. Ryan Seacrest (Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006) will lead the parade and concert performances from Disneyland Resort.

For more than two decades, the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade has been a family tradition featuring Disney's most cherished characters including: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pinocchio, Princesses Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Ariel and Jasmine, as well as the Disney Channel's favorite Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House, Stanley, the Little Einsteins, The Wiggles, characters from JoJo's Circus and others.

The special will highlight a variety of celebrity appearances and musical performances including: Star War's Hayden Christensen; country superstar band Lonestar; acclaimed model, actress and singer Vanessa Williams; The View's Star Jones; Mary Poppins' Julie Andrews; golf champion Tiger Woods; award-winning actor John O'Hurley, Dancing with the Stars; sister songstresses Aly and AJ; American Idol Fantasia; tween pop group The Cheetah Girls; and young stars of Disney's newest movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe -- Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and William Moseley.

In addition to the parade's impressive list of performers, the 22nd Annual Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade will feature fanciful pageantry from Disney's globally renowned theme parks, including Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. At the heart of the show, the Walt Disney World Christmas Parade takes center stage, with Disney favorites making their way down Main Street, U.S.A., in the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom.

Watch the Walt Disney World® Christmas Day Parade on ABC at its new time in your local area:

10:00 a.m. - NOON (EST)
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (CST)
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (MST)
2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (PST)"

If you can't wait to see the broadcast, you can see pictures of the taping of this show that just occurred from people who were lucky enough to attend the taping.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/xmas.htm

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Oh no, oh no, oh no! Say it isn't so!

Disney is working on a new set of animated Winnie the Pooh series for the 80th Anniversary, and <horrors>, they might be replacing Christopher Robin with a 6-year old girl?!

NOOOOOO!

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-12-06-winnie-the-pooh_x.htm

This is NOT a good idea, Disney! Not a good idea at all! Listen to me, don't do this!

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

Oh no, oh no, oh no! Say it isn't so!

Disney is working on a new set of animated Winnie the Pooh series for the 80th Anniversary, and <horrors>, they might be replacing Christopher Robin with a 6-year old girl?!

NOOOOOO!

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-12-06-winnie-the-pooh_x.htm

This is NOT a good idea, Disney! Not a good idea at all! Listen to me, don't do this!

Zz.

You can't just give a main character a sex change! Well, unless Christopher Robin has been pleading to be Robin Christopher. What are they thinking?

 

[ZapperZ]

Pictures of christmas in Disneyland's Toontown.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Lotion-View-174.asp

Zz <who is still traumatized at the thought that Christopher Robin is going to be replaced by a girl>

 

[ZapperZ]

Would you pay more than $2000 for a trip for 4 at WDW and be among the first to ride Expedition Everest when it opens next year? Well, obviously, someone would since the bidding for this has reached that level.

http://auctions.images.go.com/Images/I-Catalog/disneyauctions/categories/cat_themePark.html

I hate to break the news to this person - we Annual Passholders and DVC members will get an even earlier sneak preview of the attraction when it has its soft opening sometime in early spring. It it won't cost us anything other than what we paid for our passes already. :)

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

Would you pay more than $2000 for a trip for 4 at WDW and be among the first to ride Expedition Everest when it opens next year? Well, obviously, someone would since the bidding for this has reached that level.

http://auctions.images.go.com/Images/I-Catalog/disneyauctions/categories/cat_themePark.html

I hate to break the news to this person - we Annual Passholders and DVC members will get an even earlier sneak preview of the attraction when it has its soft opening sometime in early spring. It it won't cost us anything other than what we paid for our passes already. :)

Zz.

It's just a dinner for 2! But, it's phrased that it's a benefit dinner...those are the sort where you get a $50 dinner, and the rest goes to charity, or something like that. Corporations will buy tickets for things like that. But, for me, no way! It doesn't even include airfare or the hotel, so you're spending that JUST for dinner!

 

[ZapperZ]

It's just a dinner for 2! But, it's phrased that it's a benefit dinner...those are the sort where you get a $50 dinner, and the rest goes to charity, or something like that. Corporations will buy tickets for things like that. But, for me, no way! It doesn't even include airfare or the hotel, so you're spending that JUST for dinner!

Yeah, I forgot to mention that it is to benefit a charity, which is nice of Disney to do. But I'm still sore at them from hearing of the possibility of Christopher Robin being replaced. That is just stupid. Several fan websites are already up in arms about this. [Example: the Disney Blog at http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/ ]

If this really happens, I'm going to write a hate mail to them. And considering how much of my money I've spent at their property and buying their merchandise, they'd better listen, damn it!

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

The Chronicles of Narnia opens today, and a number of pins are being released to commemorate the opening.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10931636.jpg

 

[ZapperZ]

Unlike Chicken Little, The Chronicles of Narnia seems to be getting rather glowing early reviews so far.

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051207/REVIEWS/51203001

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

They released not one, not two, not three, but FOUR surprise pins today at WDW. They are all themed " Winter 2005", and after the tons of snow we got here yesterday in Chicago, these pins are rather appropriate. Fortunately, Winter 2005 pins series have various Disney Villans on them, which I don't collect. So I don't have any great desire to buy any of them.

Here's a sample of one of the pins with good ole Cruella De Vil :

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904263.jpg

I sometime look like that in the morning. :)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

If you're hoping to be in the Broadway cast of Tarzan, you're out of luck. (Drat! I was so hoping to see Danger in a loin cloth!) :)

Disney has announced the cast members for their new Broadway musical. It will begin preview in March of 2006.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/96720.html

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Disney has announced that their next animated movie will be a prequel to Peter Pan. It will be titled "Peter and the Starcatchers".

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds27076.html

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Three more weeks <sigh>, and then this:

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/3888/img07070vd.jpg

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Some school children are getting confusing message on whether they get to see Narnia or not. Someone should smack this school principle so that at least she has an excuse why she is this dizzy.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/printedition/orl-narnia0805dec08,0,7567955.story

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

A rather entertaining interview with Michael Flaherty, President of Walden Media, who partnered with Disney to produce The Chronicle of Narnia.

http://www.nationalreview.com/interrogatory/qa200512090901.asp

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Tomorrow, Dec. 12, is the 35th Anniversary of my most favorite Disney animation movie - The Aristocats! This film had its premiere in Los Angeles, California on December 11, 1970, and a later general release on Dec. 24th.

A special commemorative pin will be released tomorrow to mark this occasion. I hope a few are still around on Jan 1st.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904382.jpg

 

[ZapperZ]

The boxofficemojo.com is estimating that Narnia made $23.9 million on its opening day on Friday alone. This inspite of the major snow storm blanketing the eastern seaboard on that day.

With glowing reviews and the possibility to sustain an audience through the holiday season, this could turn out to be Disney's biggest hit.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

OK boys and girls. Here's another Disney trivia, and the first person to answer this correctly will win a Disney pin! A gift just in time for the Hollidays! As with the last one, if you win, I will contact you to make arrangements on how you sent the pin to you.

Here we go. The question has two parts, and you will have to answer both parts correctly.

(i) What is the name of this Disney villains?
(ii) In what movie did this villain appear?

Good luck!

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Narnia had a spectacular, better-than-expected opening weekend of more than $67 million.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/11/boxoffice.ap/index.html

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

I've said it before, and here's another clear example. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party this year has consistently produced some of the best looking pins of any series. This one is just plain charming.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10931551.jpg

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

That apears to be the demon from Fantasia but I have no idea what the name was.

I saw Narnia and enjoyed it. I need to get the books.
It looked quite alright for children. I don't remember ever seeing any blood, not even in the battle scenes or the scene with the sacrifice. There was blood on Edmunds lip, that's all that I remember.

 

[ZapperZ]

That apears to be the demon from Fantasia but I have no idea what the name was.
I saw Narnia and enjoyed it. I need to get the books.
It looked quite alright for children. I don't remember ever seeing any blood, not even in the battle scenes or the scene with the sacrifice. There was blood on Edmunds lip, that's all that I remember.

Yeah, from what I've heard, people said that the movie was quite faithful to the book. I haven't seen the movie yet, so it would be interesting to find out from people who have read the book and seen the movie if they feel the same way.

I think with this spectacular opening weekend, they're going to do the whole series, very much like the LOTR franchise.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

BTW, the one thing that we haven't talked about regarding Narnia is how Disney was marketting this movie to the churches and other christian organization. Since the movie (and the book) has what some people claim to be allegory to christianity, this line of marketing was consciously pursued by Disney (I think they saw how successful this type of marketing for The Passion of Christ).

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-narnia0905dec09,0,6513632.story

However, a lot of their PR stuff also tried to downplay this angle and publicized this movie as a family entertainment to everyone regardless of their religious background. I suppose one could also look at movies such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and find religious connotations there also. I just find all of this ironic considering that the Southern Baptist, till only recently, have had an ongoing boycott of Disney due to their policy on domestic partner benefits, and their "acceptance" of the GayDays week at WDW, even though Disney has no official part in that festivity.

People are just inconsistent! One minute a person can be a serious physicist, while in the next minute, he could be a raving Disney maniac. Go figure!

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

We should not forget that there are other celebrations going on (or about to go on) during this time of the year. Of course, there are Disney pins for those! :)

There are Hanukkah and Kwanzaa pins being released at Disneyland and Walt Disney World during the next couple of weeks. These two below will be released on the 16th of this month at Disneyland. The Kwanzaa pin is delightfully fun, and it has Donald in it!

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10128488.jpg

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10168729.jpg

 

[scott_alexsk]

When are you going there? My family and I are going to be in Disney World Tuesday through Thursday of next week.
-Scott

 

[ZapperZ]

When are you going there? My family and I are going to be in Disney World Tuesday through Thursday of next week.
-Scott

Oh, I hate you!

:)

We (as in Moonbie and I and a couple of friends) are going there the first week of January from January 1st onwards. Moonbie will be there until the 5th, while I will be there till the 8th. We are celebrating my birthday there on the 2nd., culminating in a birthday dinner with the characters at Liberty Tree Tavern. Last time I did my birthday there 2 years ago, it was so, so much fun.

You're in Honolulu? I was on Kauai 2 weeks ago for a conference in Lihue.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

The numbers are in. Narnia had the biggest opening ever for a Disney movie in the UK, home of C.S. Lewis.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051212/ennew_afp/afpentertainmentbritain_051212173017

Zz.