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Roundtable Contributors: Princess
Fee (DF’82),
Estelle Hallick (This Happy Place), Eric Hoffman (Netmongrel),
Alan Mize, Jeremy Morrison (Spins The World),
Melissa Sue Sorrells Galley (Mouse on the Mind), Blake Taylor (BlakeOnline.com),
and yours truly.
Alan Mize
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A new group of
“streetmosphere” performers were announced this week to mixed reviews. Joining the Storybook Circus area of The New
Fantasyland will be The Storybook Circus Giggle Gang. This clown trio consists of the “ringleader”
named Chuckles Buffoon McMonkeyshine, III and his two sidekicks, Whinny
Horselaugh and Snort. I love the various
streetmosphere characters that wander around the parks, especially the ones at
Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I also see
the obvious connection between clowns and an area themed towards Dumbo and
circuses. However, I have to say that my
first reaction is that I’m less than impressed with the announcement. A lot of the negative reaction I have read
seems to stem from some people’s irrational fear of clowns, but since I don’t
have that fear, that isn’t my issue. I
think my concern is that when I think of clowns, I don’t think of Disney. I think of the traveling circuses that I can
catch at my local arena or the clowns you can hire for a child’s birthday
party. For me, clowns just don’t seem up
to par with the level of entertainment that I have come to expect from Walt
Disney World. It’s quite possible that I
could be wrong, and I honestly hope that I am.
These clowns could bring a great interactive element to that area of Fantasyland
and I will reserve final judgment until I have a chance to see them in person
on my next visit. But for now, go ahead
and include me with the group that wonders what Disney was thinking with this
decision.
It could be worse, one of
the clowns could be named Pennywise...
Estelle Hallick (This Happy Place)
Just a little bit over a year since The Muppets came to theaters,
those wacky characters are still making waves. Not only will they start filming
a new caper movie in January, but Disney is finally getting around to blowing
the dust off of some Muppet classics. This morning, I started my day with the
news that The Muppet Movie, the first feature film starring the Muppets, is
going to be released on Blu-Ray in 2013. Instead of making a big stink about it
(like they might have done with a one-time-only dragon), Disney quietly let the
news slip in a trailer before the start of The Odd Life of Timothy Green. (They
seem to have the color scheme working for them.)
My life motto is something like "the more Muppets the
better" so I'm nothing but thrilled about it. In fact, I wish Disney was
singing it from the rooftops and strumming a banjo to celebrate. Let's hope
this is just the beginning. (We're still missing the last two seasons of The
Muppet Show on DVD!)
Princess Fee (DF’82)
Just this week, Pixar unveiled their new posters for the upcoming
prequel, Monsters University. The posters feature Mike and Sully, reunited and
ready to start their journey through the University and to become professional
scarers!
As someone who adored the first Monsters Inc. film, I cannot wait for
this one. And these posters are just enough to wet our appetites! The first
poster shows Mike and Sully with their letterman jackets, and the simple slogan
‘MU’ (standing for Monsters University). While the second poster – the
international poster, if you will – has the pair in a typical college dormroom.
Or typical for two scare monsters, I guess!]
The film will be released in the USA on June 21st 2013, but doesn't
open in this Princess's territory (UK) until July 21st 2013. Can I buy my
tickets, yet?
Jeremy Morrison (Spins The World)
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One of Epcot’s premier attractions, Test Track, will hold its official
grand re-opening this week. Days ago,
Cast Members and a select few lucky guests had the chance to experience the
re-imagined attraction.
The improved Test Track will allow guests to design and test a SimCar,
which will then be tested against the attractions version during the ride. Cars will be tested in Efficiency,
Capability, Power and Responsiveness. The post-show will continue the adventure, as
guests will have a chance to test their Cars over different terrains, sever
weather and the like.
This is an exciting achievement in Future World, and area of Disney
World that is desperate for modern upgrades.
The new design of Test Track is exactly the kind of forward thinking and
innovation Walt Disney strived for.
So, what’s next for Future World?
Time will tell. My hope –
Spaceship Earth. It shows a great vision
of the future. Assuming the future ended
in 1983.
One thing is certain, the future looks a little better now – and will
only get more exciting.
Blake Taylor (BlakeOnline.com)
In the midst of so much excitement happening in Walt Disney World this
week is the crown jewel of all the hoopla, New Fantasyland. While most of the
area has been in on-and-off soft openings since October and in
"official" previews since Thanksgiving week, the entire expansion
permanently opens in its entirety today, December 6. For those of us who can't make
it down to Disney quite yet to experience all the fun in person, the Disney
Parks Blog has released a set of exquisite computer desktop backgrounds.
Developed by Disney's Yellow Shoes Creative Group, they are brilliant.
But my favorite part of these images is not necessarily what they
depict, but how they depict it: Disney characters, alive and real, in their
homes. There's a certain quality in that
that makes this expansion something really special. Cars Land in California Adventure is
incredible, but what really hits it home is seeing Lightning McQueen and Mater
driving down the street as if they actually inhabit this recreation of Radiator
Springs. Mickey's Toontown Fair was loads of fun, but what gave it extra depth
was the fact that Mickey and Minnie were visited in their actual houses. As a preschooler, the very first thing I
exclaimed to my dad when I got home from my first visit to Hollywood Studios
was that I went to the real Pizza Planet.
That's just cool, no matter what age you are. There's just something
about knowing these Disney stories and characters for so long, and now getting
about to to enter their world and explore it in ways their film counterparts
simply don't allow. That's what makes this expansion so brilliant. That's what delves it into deeper water. That's what gives it its magic.
Melissa Sue Sorrells Galley (Mouse on the
Mind)
While this news doesn't
exactly take place inside Disney Parks, it is great news for Walt Disney World
fans: Netflix bought exclusive U.S. rights to movies from Walt Disney Studios
beginning in 2016. Why do I care about something that happens so far into the
future? Because, as part of this deal, Disney has agreed to give Netflix the
right to stream a bunch of older movies, including Dumbo and Alice in
Wonderland. I can't think of a better way to pass the time between trips to
Disney World!
Eric Hoffman (Netmongrel)
Netflix announced it will
now be streaming live and animated Disney, Pixar, Marvel Comics, and Lucasfilm
movies. This marks the first time a
major studio has chosen Netflix's streaming delivery service over traditional
cable tv networks.
Securing first run rights is
a major win for Netflix and adds a sizable and valuable library of movies to
its catalog. Netflix has a similar deal
already with Dreamworks Animation.
Existing Disney titles are
going to begin showing immediately while first run content will begin in 2016.
I am sure that Disney fans
have most if not all of their treasured films on DVD or in digital format
already. However I am hopeful that some
of the older, more obscure releases from the Disney library will make it onto
Netflix.
As of the time of writing I
have not personally had a chance to fire up Netflix to see what is available
but can't wait to do so. It's like
Christmas in…well, December.
Ryan P. Wilson (Main Street
Gazette)
Dragons are mythical creatures, just as many of the stories the fill
Fantasyland have sprung up from myths and legends. Yet, there is a video out
there of this incredible flying, and fire-breathing, dragon taking to the skies
over New Fantasyland yesterday. Here’s the problem, all signs indicate that
this is a one night only flight, for a special press event.
Many guests, enthusiasts, and writers
around the globe have been following along with Gary Buchanan’s quest to find
this dragon via the Disney Parks Blog and the viral Tumblr site, Believe In
Fantasy. So, all the tweeting and reading amounts to a short video Disney
released itself and some videos and pictures that will come from those who were
able to attend the press event. I don’t know what makes the dragon fly, though
I am aware of how to make an elephant fly, but to pull this out for a single
night, a night when regular guests weren’t even in attendance, just feels like
bad form. I hope these reports of One Flight Only turn out to be a myth of
their own.
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