The DisGeek Podcast

Your Guide to the Happiest Place on Earth

Blackbeard Comes Aboard at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park May 20

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From The Disney Parks Blog:

On February 11, actor Ian McShane appeared on a soundstage in Los Angeles for a very special “head shot” – one that will soon be featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean attractions at Disneyland park and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort.

Captain Blackbeard will make his appearance on the ghostly waterfall in the grotto scenes of the park attractions beginning May 20, coinciding with the release of the new film, “Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides,” in which McShane plays a starring role.

Walt Disney Imagineering writer Michael Sprout (who wrote the script for Bill Nighy as Davy Jones several years ago) was on hand to direct the special shoot with Ian McShane. Michael said, “He came in wearing his complete Blackbeard costume, including the sword, saying it helped him stay in character!” Look for Blackbeard soon in this classic attraction, and the return of Davy Jones later this year.

 

Here is the effect on YouTube:

“Brave” Given Release Date

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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:

Disney Parks Blog Meet-Up: The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure Park

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From The Disney Parks Blog:

We’ve taken you behind the scenes to see some of the amazing things the Walt Disney Imagineers are working on for the June 3 debut of The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure park. We’ve shown you what it’s like to create not only the Ariel Audio-Animatronics figure, but also how to animate her hair.

We’ve given you a glimpse of how impressive Ursula will be when she gets settled into her lair.

 

And we’ve shown you the beautiful “clam shells” – the vehicles that will take you “under the sea.”

 

Now we’re inviting you to join us for a very special meet-up, featuring Walt Disney Imagineers Lisa Girolami, Larry Nikolai and Chris Crump from the attraction’s creative team, as well as Walt Disney animators Andreas Deja and Mark Henn who worked on the animated feature film on which the attraction is based. Their tales will also be featured in an article in the May issue of D23 Magazine.

Today through April 28 at 11:59 p.m. (PDT), you can enter for a chance to attend our meet-up.

 

Those selected will be among an exclusive group at our panel discussion with the Walt Disney Imagineers and animators. The meet-up will be held May 10 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The team is still hard at work getting Scuttle, Sebastian and their friends ready to perform, so you will NOT be able to ride or visit the attraction.

 

Please carefully read the details on the form when you enter. As a reminder: You must be at least 18 years of age to enter, the meet-up does not require theme park admission and you must appear in person with a valid ID and your guest. If you are one of the 150 people randomly selected from our entries, you will be able to bring only one (1) guest. We will notify you by email if you are selected, with check-in details. All elements of this opportunity are subject to change without notice. Click here to register and learn more.

 

Destinations Officially Announced for Star Tours: The Adventures Continue

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From Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald on the Disney Parks Blog:

It won’t be long now before Star Tours re-launches and “The Adventures Continue” at both Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California! But where in the galaxy are we going?

We know a lot of you have been wondering and asking, and today we are happy to reveal the final destinations you can expect to visit when Star Tours resumes service. You already know we’re going to Tatooine for the Boonta Eve Podrace and to Coruscant.

Additional destinations include a visit to the beautiful planet of Naboo, a rare tour of the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk, and a trip to the icy planet Hoth (seen above in a still image fromStar Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back).

Of course, no Star Tours adventure would be complete without an unexpected visit to the Death Star, this time above the planet Geonosis.

In addition, we’ll be departing from a spectacular new Spaceport, created just for the new Star Tours voyages.

As revealed earlier, these destinations will be combined in more than 50 different story adventures, so you’ll never know where the Force will take you!

It appears that our speculation was correct with the exception of Bespin which was not mentioned above, but may still be in the attraction. Regardless, the possibility of “50 different story adventures” sounds like we’ll be riding this attraction a lot once it opens on May 20th at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Who knows, maybe we’ll be blasting off before then…