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Michelle Snow

Michelle Snow is a huge fan of Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars in films and TV, as well as the Disney parks. She's also an award-winning writer who has written several guidebooks on Orlando. Follow her on Twitter @zengrrl. Her blog, CitySurfing Orlando has covered Orlando and the theme parks since 2010. Her favorite rides at the Disney parks are Star Tours, Big Thunder Mountain, and Indiana Jones Adventure, and she may have cried tears of joy when she first saw the Millenium Falcon at Galaxy's Edge. She collects anything to do with Star Wars original trilogy (she saw 1977's "A New Hope" on opening weekend), Snow White, Grumpy, Tinkerbell, and Stitch.

Some Great Disney and Star Wars Games For Your Christmas Gift Giving (or For Yourself)

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Games are always a fun Christmas present to get for families. They’re lots of fun and give them a chance to spend time together.

I recently got a box of games from Wonder Forge to try out, so one evening, I gathered my best friends and some kids (a 6 year old boy and 9 year old girl) to put these games through their paces.

I can happily report we had a lot of fun with these games, though a few were a bit challenging to figure out at first.

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Our overall favorite Disney Frozen Surprise Slides. This game is similar to the classic game Candy Land, but with the twist that you can pop out pieces on the board and change the game track. It adds an extra level of strategy to the game, but it’s easy to knock over game pieces doing this. Our 6 year old and 9 year old testers loved this game, and it was fun for the adults, too. Much laughter was had during the game. This game is for 2-4 players; Ages 3+ (beware of small pieces).

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Our second favorite was Pictopia – Disney Edition Trivia Game. This trivia game uses cards with pictures of various Disney characters, film, and park attractions, with each card having several questions on it. It really is a test of how well you know your Disney trivia, and it can be tough for younger players, even though it says for ages 7+ on the game box. Even our 9 year old tester had trouble with some of the questions. I would say the adults can play the game as is, but if you have younger players (say 13 and under), maybe fish through the card pile and find some of the easier cards with characters and movies they may know. This game is for 2-6 players; Ages 7+.

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We also enjoyed the Star Wars Face Off Dice Game. Played similar to Yahtzee, there is a Star Wars twist in that you can make matches based on the Jedi/Hero side or the Sith/Villain side, with different rules for each. Heroes get to try to make regular matches – a straight, 4 of a kind, full house – rolling until a villain dice shows up. Villains get one re-roll, and then must bluff what their hand is. If they win they get the points, if their bluff is called the other person gets the points. Our 6 year old was having trouble with the bluffing, but the 9 year old was starting to get the hang of it. Even if you omit the villains rules for younger kids, it’s still a fun game. This game is for 2-4 players; Ages 8+.Read More »Some Great Disney and Star Wars Games For Your Christmas Gift Giving (or For Yourself)

The Hundred-Foot Journey Begins Final Trip Home To Your DVD Shelf

100ftjrny-blurayFrom producers Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey comes the deliciously entertaining The Hundred-Foot Journey, available for pre-order today with delivery on December 2, 2014.

Based on the best-selling novel by Richard C. Morais, the film stars Helen Mirren as Madame Mallory, the chilly chef/proprietress of the Michelin-starred Le Saule Pleureur restaurant located in a quaint village in the south of France. All is well until the Kadam family migrates from India to the village, and Papa opens up Maison Mumbai, an Indian restaurant, only a hundred feet from her own doors.

To add to the complications, Papa’s son Hassan falls for Mme. Mallory’s sous chef Marguerite, and is also a fine cook in his own right – a fact noticed by the Madame, who takes him on as a prodigy.

This flavorful tale of cultural differences, shared passions, and the unifying nature of food makes this movie a delight for all.

In addition to the film, the Digital HD and Blu-ray Combo Pack come with the following bonus features:

Read More »The Hundred-Foot Journey Begins Final Trip Home To Your DVD Shelf

Sleeping Beauty available for first time on Diamond Edition

sleepingbeautydiamond-dvdcoverRelive the classic story of Princess Aurora and Maleficent when Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” is released on Diamond Edition Blu-ray, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on October 7, 2014.

This version of the fairytale contains digitally restored picture and sound, as well as several very cool bonus features including never-before-seen deleted scenes, a sing-along to “Once Upon A Dream,” and more.

Adapted from the music of Peter Tchaikovsky, “Sleeping Beauty” was the last animated feature produced by Walt Disney to be based upon a fairytale. It features the voice talents of renowned opera singer Mary Costa as Sleeping Beauty and Disney stalwart Eleanor Audley as the evil fairy, Maleficent.

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Disney’s Planes: Fire and Rescue Lands in Homes November 4, 2014

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Just in time for Christmas, Disney’s Planes: Fire and Rescue lands in Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere, DVD and On-Demand platforms Nov. 4, 2014.

In this fun sequel to last year’s hit movie Planes, world famous racer Dusty Crophopper joins an elite fire and rescue unit and learns what it takes to be a true hero. Both John and I gave the movie high marks in our reviews here at The Disney Blog.

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Bonus features on the Disney Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital HD, and Disney Movies Anywhere home releases include the all-new exclusive animated short “Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular.”

Here is the complete run-down of the bonus features:
Read More »Disney’s Planes: Fire and Rescue Lands in Homes November 4, 2014