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June 2013

Global Themepark Attendance For 2012 Via TEA Report

Opening Ceremony

TEA has released its 2012 Theme Park attendance estimates listing the 25 most attended theme parks in the world. Disney has the top 8 spots and 3 others in the top 20. Not a lot of surprises if you’ve been following developments last year:

1. Magic Kingdom: 17,536,000 (+2.3% change)
2. Disneyland Park: 15,963,000 (-1.1% )
3. Tokyo Disneyland: 14,847,000 (+8.5%)
4. Tokyo Disney Sea: 12,656,000 (+8.5%)
5. Disneyland Park, Disneyland Paris: 11,200,000 (+1.9%)
6. Epcot: 11,063,000 (+2.2%)
7. Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9,998,000 (+2.2%)
8. Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9,912,000 (+2.2%)
9. Universal Studios Japan: 9,700,000 (+14.1%)
10. Islands of Adventure: 7,981,000 (+4%)

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Mickey and the Magical Map Now Performing at Disneyland

Editor: Please welcome back guest author Zoë Periale with her review of Disneyland’s newest stage show:

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Mickey and the Magical Map is a new show in Disneyland’s Fantasyland Theatre. Many people will know this location to previously house The Princess Fantasy Faire, Snow White: An Enchanting Musical, or one of it’s many other previous shows and events. Upon taking your seat in the theater the first thing you’ll see is naturally, the stage. When not in use a large cloth reminiscent of Yen Sid’s sorcerer’s hat from Fantasia’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice covers what soon will be revealed as the map itself. Surrounding the map and it’s cover are large panels of gold trimmed cartoonish wood as well as multiple buckets of paint.

When the show begins, you are quickly introduced to the main characters. Yen Sid, the Sorcerer who presides not only over the map and his workshop, but as Mickey’s Mentor. Mickey Mouse himself in his classic Sorcerer’s Apprentice robes, as well as a cast of characters called map makers. The story of the show goes as this; Mickey once again is getting ahead of himself, frustrated at simply being an apprentice. Desiring to paint the map like the other map makers, he is not yet allowed as he has not learned the secret of the map; which is the key to graduating from his apprentice role. Chaos ensues as once again, Yen Sid puts too much faith in Mickey and leaves him alone with the map and a paint brush. As seen in the Fantasia Short or even the Junction Point series of video games, Epic Mickey, our curious hero can’t be trusted alone with anything that may be magical.Read More »Mickey and the Magical Map Now Performing at Disneyland

It’s Back! Vote for our June Live Tweet!

Finally, I have time to conduct another one of these super fun events! We watched The Little Mermaid in January, Tangled in February… then took a really long break. The Master Tweeter from February did give me her picks for the nominees, so I will… Read More »It’s Back! Vote for our June Live Tweet!

Disney on Broadway, The Best Disney Experience Anywhere

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As Disney fans, we love the magic, fantasy and wonder that come with the company. Whether it be the first time you see fireworks explode over the castle, or watch Cinderella get her ballgown, it is all incredible and can only be experienced through Disney. The most magical, however, comes from the Disney on Broadway branch of the company and must be experienced at least once in everyone’s life.

First off, live theater is the most incredible experience on the planet, Disney or otherwise. The singing, dancing, production…it is mind boggling how fantastic it can be. When you factor in Disney to the equation though, the incredible element increases.

My first Broadway show was Mary Poppins in Disney’s New Amsterdam Theatre. Going in, I was excited. The grandeur of the theater mixed with the butterflies in my stomach created some pretty high expectations. As the curtain rose, Bert appeared on stage and I was transported to Cherry Tree Lane. The classic songs in these new arrangements paired with gorgeous vocals and amazing dance numbers (Bert tap danced on the ceiling!) made me fall in love with theater. As Mary Poppins flew over the audience during the finale, I knew, this is where Disney shines brightest.

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Top Ten Ways to Get Your Disney Sugar Rush.

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I like to think that calories consumed at Disney World don’t count.  Oh sure, I can’t prove it, but when was the last time you gained weight on a Disney trip? Given what is clearly the start of a solid scientific hypothesis, let’s just go with the idea that you can indulge all you want and not feel guilty. If you feel the same way, I’ve got the top ten must-do sugar rushes right here on this list. Best of all, everything, save for the bread pudding, is just one snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

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10. The  Red Velvet Cupcake at Starring Rolls in Hollywood Studios.

Unlike a lot of cupcakes sold at Walt Disney World, this one isn’t so sweet that you can’t taste the actual flavors, which is great because the red velvet base of this cupcake comes with a cream cheese center that’s topped with delicious cream cheese frosting.  These cupcakes will sell out early, so make sure you pick one up before early afternoon.Read More »Top Ten Ways to Get Your Disney Sugar Rush.

RetroLand: 1960 Tomorrowland Spaceman and Spacewoman

Construction for Disneyland’s original Tomorrowland didn’t even start until December 1955, that left them just 6 months to pull it all together. If you visited the early incarnation of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland you would have encountered a number of exhibits that were essentially corporate brochures realized… Read More »RetroLand: 1960 Tomorrowland Spaceman and Spacewoman

ABC Family has a hot summer line-up…but what about Bunheads?!

UPDATE: Bunheads has received a very coveted 25% tax break from the State of California for a possible Season 2. This is a good sign for an announcement of a new season, but ABC Family has still said they are going to wait to see how their summer programs do.

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ABC Family, now known for its teen and twenty-something programming that takes over social media nightly, is trying to mix it up…to a degree. This summer sees the channel bringing back some crazy big hits, some modest successes, and some new shows trying to mix up the formula we are used to.

Of course, Pretty Little Liars is returning for its summer season, so expect a LOT of tweeting. The show has taken over TV, Social Media and my high school, so look for some huge ratings to come from its premiere June 11th at 8pm. Right after is the premiere of Twisted, a new mystery drama about a guy who reconnects with his two best friends from his youth and the lead suspect of a murder at the same time. 

Twisted

Wednesday nights are dedicated to comedy, with Baby Daddy returning for a second season and Melissa and Joey returning for a third and it has already been green lit for a 4th. The exciting thing about the 4th season of Melissa and Joey is that the show will be the first ever to reach 100 episodes on the network, which is key for future syndication. Catch Melissa and Joey at 8, Baby Daddy at 830. At 9 is the new show Dancing Fools, a hybrid of So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Funniest Home Videos. I expect a quick cancellation because It. Was. BAD!Read More »ABC Family has a hot summer line-up…but what about Bunheads?!

Merchandise Find of the Week: Princess Shoe Ornament and Pajamas

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If I bought every item of merchandise that caught my attention in the last few years, I’d not only be broke, but would be buried up to my neck in hats, t-shirts, and Christmas ornaments. Disney World’s team in merchandise design has done an amazing job with all manner of wearable and collectible fun. Here’s one of the newest lines of merchandise that I think has some great potential.

Not only are there a baker’s dozen of Disney princess and villain themed Christmas ornaments in the shape of high heels, but there is a pajama/louge-wear outfit that highlights those same shoes.Read More »Merchandise Find of the Week: Princess Shoe Ornament and Pajamas