Back from a much needed 5 day beach vacation with the family. A big thanks to all the Disney Blog co-authors who stepped in with their posts while I was enjoying the white sands of Longboat Key. Amazingly, there is a Disney tie-in as the barber who cut my hair is related to one of Magic Kingdom’s longtime performers. It’s a small world, eh.
- Speaking of Small World, Imagineering Re-Birth set off a bit of a fire storm when it reported on the possible addition of Disney characters and a removal of the rainforest to add a "USA" section (boy, if that isn’t symbolic) to Walt Disney’s classic "it’s a small world" attraction. Please tell me this rumor is not true.
- LaughingPlace.com has pictures and video of the Pixar Block Party Bash from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’m on the way to go see it myself this afternoon, but if you’re not local, the folks at LP had done an excellent job of capturing the magic.
- The rumored ‘Night Kingdom’ boutique experience has made it into wider news. Everyone seems to be focused on the fact that this would be an adult park. But I don’t think that is certain (even if the park is). However, the later hours, would suggest most of the offerings would be for teens and above.
- LA Weekly sent a reporter to the Doombuggies.com Haunted Mansion Swinging Wake event. It sounds like the event was to-die-for (no pun intended).
- Bob Iger believes The Walt Disney Company will see revenues of over One Billion Dollars (it’s helpful if you imagine Dr. Evil saying it) this year just from it’s online properties. That’s less than 3% of overall revenues for the Mouse House. But hey, it’s a start considering what Disney paid for go.com all those years ago.
- You’ll soon be seeing a lot more movies in Disney 3-D as 10,000 more movie theaters add the technology over the next three years. Right now the number is currently somewhere north of 1,000 (thanks to U2 and Hannah Montana’s successful shows) but should be above 3,500 by this October (in time for another return of Nightmare Before Christmas?). Hollywood Studios are widely believed to be looking at 3-D technology to save their revenue streams since it’s impossible to film off screen and so far not available to view at home. So people will have to visit the theaters to see their favorite films, bands, and events in 3-D.
- Finally, the 101 Dalmatians DVD contest is open until Wednesday the 12th at Midnight EDT. To enter the contest please fill out the contest entry form.