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Magic Kingdom Update – Slow Progress in Fantasyland (Part 1)

I always enjoy a nice stroll around the Magic Kingdom, this weekend was no exception. Despite the Easter holiday, crowds were relatively light. Disney was prepared, however. There were lots of extended queues at he ready and extra manager types hanging around.

There’s plenty to see, even though not much progress has been made overall.


Although it’s not the most direct route, I like approaching Storybook Circus via the path near Space Mountain. They’re working on something behind the roundhouse for the Great Goofini trains.


However, the signage on the construction walls leaves something to be desired.


They’ve added the word ‘Water’ and a little bit more aging to the water tower at the station..

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To Pixar and Beyond

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The author and Merida, both shooting for their own respective hands. Photo courtesy of Pixar.

Last week I had the fantastic opportunity to visit Pixar Animation Studios for a preview of the upcoming film Brave. Needless to say, it was exactly what I hoped it would be: Incredible(s).

We (assorted press/bloggers) were broken into groups (Clan Dingwall!) and sent on a whirlwind tour that included interviews with Mark Andrews (Director of Brave), Katherine Sarafian (Producer of Brave), a host of Pixar animators that worked on Brave, and also an interview with Enrico Casarosa who created and directed the Oscar-nominated short La Luna that will accompany Brave in theaters (we screened La Luna, and it was both sweet and breathtaking). However, all of those interviews and experiences are currently under embargo. Don’t worry, I’ll share everything before Brave opens!

What I can talk about is my visit to Pixar Animations Studios, and all the fun things that we were able to do.

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Checking in with ABC’s 2011-12 Lineup

8 months and 13 shows later, we have seen every new show ABC has to offer for this 2011-2012 season. Now we have had a few flops (I’m looking at you “Work It”), but we have had a really solid season…especially compared to last year. When your biggest show is “No Ordinary Family,” you have a problem. Anyways, I felt like now would be a wonderful time to reflect on the past season. Find out the hits, the misses and what to look forward to this summer.

THE MISSES: It’s always better to start off with the bad…right? Out of the 13, 3 have already been cancelled. Those three include the I-Take-Myself-Too-Seriously “Charlie’s Angels,” the Did-I-Actually-Have-Any-Fans “Man Up,” and finally, the piece de resistance, the Why-ABC-Just-Why “Work It”. Many people could see from a mile away that these would be cancelled within weeks of their premiere, and they were right.

There are also a few shows as of now that are on the brink of cancellation including the Started-Off-Great-But-Nosedived-Like-The-Subject-Matter “Pan-Am” and the Trying-To-Get-The-Same-Viewership-Numbers-As-Paranormal-Activity “The River”. Both ended with about 3 million viewers watching the final episode…which does not bode well with ABC execs. Don’t be too surprised to see press releases stating that they have been cancelled in the coming months. So 5 out of 13 are duds, which is not a bad percentage. Luckily, ABC could make up for those with the other, actually good, shows.

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Painter Thomas Kinkade Dies at Age 54

Thomas Kinkade, a prolific painter known for his painting style that infused scenes with a romantic glowing light, had died from what appears to be natural causes at his home in California. He was 54.

Kinkade claimed to be the most collected modern painter generating up to $100 million a year in sales. His mass-produced editions satisfied some need in families and could be found in galleries all around the world.

Disney fans will be familiar with Kinkade as he frequently painted scenes from Disney’s animated classics and the theme parks. Kinkade often spoke of parallels between his life and Walt Disney’s. Both traveled to California as young men with just a few dollars to their name and a portfolio to show their talent. Paintings from Kinkade’s Disney Collection are sure to immediately become more valued.

In the news: The AP and Mercury News

Photo from 2008 introduction of Disney collection.

Update: Below the jump, I’ve added a gallery of a few Kinkade paintings large enough where you can make out the detail he put into each work:

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Star Wars Weekends 2012 Celebrity Guests Announced

Disney has announced what looks to be a nearly full roster of Star Wars Celebrity guests for the 2012 Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s going to be hard to beat last year’s event, when they re-opened Star Tours, here’s the scheduled celebrity… Read More »Star Wars Weekends 2012 Celebrity Guests Announced

An Analysis of the Disney Parks Blog

A couple months ago, John wrote a brief post titled “how well are Disney Parks doing on social media?” He concluded in the end that “Disney has not successfully figured out how to use social media to aid its in park and resort guests.” And… Read More »An Analysis of the Disney Parks Blog

Adult Only Areas on Disney Fantasy Provide Retreat

Join the Disney Fantasy’s Assistant Cruise Director Natalie as she shows you the best spaces and places for adults to relax and have fun! Although it was often too windy for the curtain effect to work, I liked the Satellite Falls area (above). I also… Read More »Adult Only Areas on Disney Fantasy Provide Retreat

New Wine Bar Coming to EPCOT – Tutto Gusto

Construction walls have been looming over the facade of Tutto Italia while Disney’s fairies prepare a whole new dining experience for Walt Disney World. The resort’s first in-park wine bar, Tutto Gusto, will open this May inside the Italy pavilion inside EPCOT Center. Gusto is… Read More »New Wine Bar Coming to EPCOT – Tutto Gusto