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Howling about Miyazaki’s latest release

Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film is in theaters now. Unfortunately you’d never know it unless you lived in LA or near select theatres in the NorthEast. When is this masterpiece coming to Orlando. The IFCBlog (How could I have missed this great resource before) has the depressing details including the poor per theatre performance for the… Read More »Howling about Miyazaki’s latest release

Computer Animator? Disney’s hiring

Embarked on a course that leaves traditional hand drawn animation to the film vaults, and most of its former animators on the streets, the Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios finds itself short staffed when it comes to talented Computer Animators. In fact, their recent seminar at SIGGRAPH doubled as a recruiting session. So if you… Read More »Computer Animator? Disney’s hiring

Judges Rule for higher safety standards in California

The recent tragic death of a 4-year old after riding Walt Disney World’s Mission: Space attraction at Epcot has highlighted the lack of oversight by local, state, or federal agencies for the Florida tourists destination.  Now California’s Disneyland theme park, which operates under some of the strictest state oversight in the nation, has just been… Read More »Judges Rule for higher safety standards in California

Lindsay Lohan Blog IX: Mom Predicts Big Things for Lindsay

As for the very late nights, her mom, Dina, isn’t worried. Five years from now, she predicts, Lindsay "will get the kinds of roles that Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow got so that she can get that Academy Award. … People will forget what Lindsay did in this period of her life." Lindsay Lohan’s mom… Read More »Lindsay Lohan Blog IX: Mom Predicts Big Things for Lindsay

Chasing after the teens

I don’t get to talk about comics as much as I’d like to because frankly, there hasn’t been much interesting there since the relaunch of the Donald Duck series two years ago. All that just changed with a recent announcement at Book Expo America. Disney announced a partnership with Slave Labor Graphics for a four… Read More »Chasing after the teens

Swiss Family Director

Disney’s record on remakes is hit and miss. That Darn Cat, (miss — except for the performance of Christina Ricci); Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan (hit); Freaky Friday (miss and hit depending on what version you’re watching); Herbie (it remains to be seen). So it is with equal parts dread and anticipation that I am… Read More »Swiss Family Director

Disney World Death Update

Dr. John Kuluz, an associate professor and expert in pediatric critical care and brain injuries at the University of Miami, said the mother’s report of her son’s rigidity suggests that the brain was a more likely suspect. "That episode of being rigid makes it sound as if the brain was having increased pressure," said Kuluz,… Read More »Disney World Death Update

Blink before riding: Steps to better decision making at Disney World

It is difficult to speculate exactly what happened yesterday to cause the sad death of a young boy at Walt Disney World. Eventually the autopsy will reveal whether the attraction had anything to do with the death. It may not have. I do not mean to accuse the family or Disney Management of misdeeds, but I do wonder what a 4-year old was doing on Mission Space (M:S) at Epcot.

M:S is one of the most intense experiences available to guests visiting Walt Disney World. So what would lead a family to want to take their young child on it? Which warnings did they see and which did they miss? How can we give a family more information before they make their decision to join the queue? All questions that need to be answered to make the Disney World experience as safe as possible for all guests.

Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror probably qualifies as the most intense experience availabe to guests at the four Walt Disney World themeparks. Not only does the name imply its intensity, but as you approach the attraction to ride you can see exactly what happens to guests already on board as they plummet faster than gravity and then are jerked back up only to be pulled back down again repeated times. If the visual clues aren’t enough, the screams of terror is another signal. Those with weak constitutions know by these indicators to stay away. Parents with questions can see what happens during the ride and can judge if their child is appropriate for the attraction. At least that should work in theory.

Read More »Blink before riding: Steps to better decision making at Disney World