Mary Blair was an artist best remembered today for work done for The Walt Disney Company. Her style lives on through the character designs for the Disney attraction It's a Small World, the fiesta scene in El Rio del Tiempo in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, as well as an enormous mosaic inside Disney's Contemporary Resort.
Star Tours Annual Pass Holder Event Report
May 23, 2011 By 1 Comment
I’m not gonna rehash what all the other bloggers have already written, so if you want that in-depth, spoiler thing, go to them. I’m just going to do my best to recall my first experience on Star Tours: The Adventures Continue and I won’t go into TOO much detail because I’m not trying to wreck it for people.
New Star Trader Photo Report 5-15-11
May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Yesterday was just another trip to the park for me. I don't keep very good track of the events, but it just so happened that when I was there, Disneyland was giving Cast Members a preview of the new Star Tours. Yeah… I tried to creep up close to the door and sneak a couple of shots inside, but I was very efficiently intercepted by like pretty much every cast member there. Those guys stick together like, I don't know, Hell's Angels or something. Anyway, this is all I got of that:
While that was going on, I had a chance to check out the newly redesigned Star Trader store, and was pretty impressed with the changes. The theme is pretty much all "Star Wars". Instead of the goofy sci-fiish![](http://www.disgeek.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wpgallery/img/t.gif "gallery link="file" columns="6" orderby="title"")
, kiddie kind of music that they used to play in there, now the soundtracks of the "Star Wars" films play over the speakers.
If you're a Star Wars fan, feast your eyes:
Some pretty cool stuff. The t-shirts that are faded and all cool like are upwards of $30 a piece, and they are in serious need of more XL sizes (assuming that they hadn't sold out of them all by the time I got there). I mean it's fricking Disneyland, who are they kidding with their Mediums and Smalls? They had a cool shirt that I would have bought except their biggest size was Large, and I'm like "WTF?"
I can't be sure, but it's also looking more and more as if the Starcade is being derezzed in favor of merchandising. And why not, says I? If someone wants to play video games at DLR they can whip out their iPhone (or other handheld device).
That Starcade still has an entire upper-level that has been closed off since… I can't remember that far back! We should speculate as to what they can do with that empty space: another place to eat perhaps? Or just make that gift shop even bigger? Who knows?
So it's mostly Star Trader stuff taking up room. There is perhaps one row of coin-op video games that I saw against the wall…that nobody was playing.
I'd have gotten pictures to show of that, but to be honest, I just didn't. I was too busy trying to decide what I was going to buy. ~Paul J. Hale
Episode 14 – Ka-CHOW!
May 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Paul and Daniel take a look at what's on the Drawing Board. This time it's Carsland! We also visit the Main Street News Stand and as always our Tip of the Week. Click MORE for full show notes.
News
Disneyland Closes some attractions due to Pirates Premiere -
The closed features are: Sailing Ship Columbia, Mark Twain Riverboat, Tom Sawyer’s Island, Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes and the Fantasmic! show. The attractions are set to reopen May 12.
Other Attractions shops closed in may are:
DL – Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Star Trader store, Gadget's Go Coaster ride, Stage Door Cafe and The Golden Horseshoe restaurant.
DCA – Mulholland Madness (Reopening as Goofy’s Sky School), and crews are converting a dining and shopping complex in the Paradise Pier area, which is expected to open this summer
http://ocresort.ocregister.com/2011/04/28/disneyland-closes-attractions-for-pirates-premiere/76491/
Disney sets up some new crowd control measures in Adventureland, NOS, and Frontierland due to pirate premiere.
The bridge over the Pirates of the Caribbean queue is divided for easier crowd flow.
Disney Blog gives us a look at Ariel’s Wedding Dress (probably to coincide with the Royal Wedding)
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/04/first-look-at-the-royal-wedding-dress-ariels-that-is/
Soundsational Sneak Peak – Last week disney filmed a commercial for Mickey’s Soundsational Parade and we got a little sneak peak of two floats
http://www.ocregister.com/news/parade-297831-disneyland-new.html
http://micechat.com/forums/blogs/dateline-disneyland/1814-soundsational-sneak-peek-mermaid-lights-signs-bye-bye-brother-bear-more.html
Mary Blair Tribute at Disney Gallery – The Art of Mary Blair celebrating 45 years of it’s a small world
http://psc.disney.go.com/eventservices/artofdisneyparks/event/dlr_thedisneygallery.html
Nighttime Entertainment Boosts DCA attendence
http://ocresort.ocregister.com/2011/04/19/nighttime-entertainment-boosts-disney-business/75417/
Marvel wants IN at Disneyland – “It’s the biggest dream of all” (keep dreaming)
http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/116/1162758p1.html
Quick Hits
Main Street Building refurbishments done and look brand spanking new.
Tomorrowland Star Tours Neon now glow a purpleish blue to match the new marquee (used to be orange and red) Buzz has Purple and Green
The Star Tours Mural has been updated to include the Starspeeder 1000
Little Mermaid Marquee up (but covered) & Little mermaid building lights are now on at night (looks amazing)
In DTD Kitson Kids Closed (I never knew it was there!)
Celebrity Spotting in DL over the last few weeks:
Matt Damon, Hugh Hefner and his wives (he was riding around in an old man scooter) Paris Hilton, Tom Brady
Feature
On The Drawing Board – Cars Land
Luigi's Flying Tires
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/cars-radiator-spring-7392/
Tip of the Week
Fireworks Viewing – @tommypix
“Brave” Given Release Date
April 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Disney/Pixar's “Brave” (formerly known as "The Bear And The Bow") will be arriving to Theaters on June 15, 2012 – just a few months before the new “Monsters Inc 2” movie debuting in November.
The movie is directed by Brenda Chapman who worked on the Disney/Pixar movie “Cars.” The movie will star Reese Witherspoon (or her voice) as the Scottish Princess Merida, who would rather be an archer. Against her mother’s wishes, Merida makes a reckless choice that will unleash peril on her father’s kingdom and on her mother’s life! Yikes!
Sounds exciting and we can’t wait to see it!
Concept Art:
Episode 13 – Hurry Baaaack..
April 20, 2011 By 1 Comment
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In this episode it's Us vs. Them Haunted Mansion style! We also visit the Main Street News Stand and as always our Tip of the Week. Click MORE for full show notes.
Episode 11 – Robot Mickey
March 16, 2011 By 1 Comment
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In this episode, we talk D23 Member Mixer and Paul sees World of Color for the first time and wants to know what the devil is going on! We also visit the Main Street Newsstand and as always our tip of the week. Click MORE for full show notes
Ursula Moves Into Her Lair at DCA
March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
From Disney Parks Blog:
The infamous evil sea witch, Ursula, has taken her place inside The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure attraction opening June 3 at Disney California Adventure park. When you’re on the attraction, you can’t miss her. She’s 7 ½ feet tall and 12 feet wide! Of course, the Disney Parks Blog was there to capture this exciting day! Come with us behind-the-scenes as we show you Ursula being installed, and meet some members of the amazing team of Walt Disney Imagineers who brought Ursula to “life.”
Episode 10 – Pillows of Yum
March 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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In this episode, everything is Food Food Food! Daniel and Paul also visit the Main Street News Stand and go over the latest news, and as always, a very explosive tip of the week. Click MORE to see full show notes.
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Carthay Circle Theater Will Hold Restaurant
March 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Carthay Circle Theatre building, the upcoming centerpiece for Disney California Adventure, will hold a restaurant according to a story posted at the OC Register’s Around Disney Blog.
“We are in the early stages of determining the menu concept and interior design,” said John McClintock, a Disneyland Resort spokesman.
There are also rumors that the building will host a private club simular to Club 33. In response to the rumor McClintock said, “Nothing else about the location is far enough along to discuss at this time.”
The Carthay Circle Theatre building will serve as a hub in the new entrance area that is now under construction. The theatre will be part of Buena Vista Street, designed to look like the Los Angeles that Walt Disney saw when he came to California. The entrance area is part of a $1-billion makeover of California Adventure that is to be finished next year.
