I’m leaving in a few minutes to catch a press screening of Monsters University so I can deliver a timely review here later this week. There have already been a number of earlier screenings at Disney World, so I’m actually the last person in my… Read More »Monsters University Opens This Week, Are You Going?
Concept art for Star Wars mini-park planned for Disneyland Paris
Orlando in the 1990’s was bookended by stiff competition between Disney and its rival Universal Studios. When Michael Eisner got wind that Disneyland’s cross-town rival Universal Studios was preparing to open in Orlando as well, he rushed the mouse’s plans for its own studio theme park into production, even opening a whole year ahead of Universal. Universal returned the favor by firing back with Islands of Adventure, which contained rethemed versions of the Beastly Kingdom attractions Disney had cut from its Animal Kingdom project just a year earlier. Universal even hired a lot of the Imagineers Disney had just laid off to help make IOA a quality theme park.
And then things calmed down for nearly a decade. Disney kept churning out new attractions (Expedition Everest, Toy Story Midway Mania to name two) while Universal Studios was the forgotten step-child in a larger corporation that was dealing with ownership and financial problems. Eventually that got all sorted out and two things happened that turned around the fortunes at Universal Orlando Resort.
First, Universal got the theme park rights to use the Kuka robotic arm roller coaster that everyone was excited about at IAAPA in 2004. Second, it was able to convince Harry Potter scribe J.K. Rowling that they would be better caretakers for her story than Disney. The Kuka robocoaster win had something to do with that, but Universal was also willing to give Rowling final approval on nearly every detail. Disney would not.
Disneyland Paris is developing it’s own tradition in conjunction with the French Open. Rafael Nadal has won the last four French Opens (and an amazing 8 total wins) and has celebrated three of them with a trip to Disneyland Paris. Here “Rafa” is celebrating with… Read More »French Open Champion Rafael Nadal Visits Disneyland Paris
Downtown Disney is about to undergo its own extreme makeover into Disney Springs, so June 15-16 may be the last year to really enjoy the great atmosphere of Car Masters Weekend until about 2017. If that’s not a good enough reason to get you out to see the cars, there is always the merchandise, special meet and greets, and the Pixar Cars themed fun. Plus this year they’re throwing in new fun from Splitsville and La Nouba by Cirque du Soliel and more.
Car Masters Weekend, now in its third year, is also the perfect way to celebrate Father’s Day. The Downtown Disney West Side area will be filled with classic cars and special entertainment as only Disney can arrange. Featuring all things “Cars,” the event showcases meet and greets with Disney•Pixar “Cars” and “Cars 2″ characters, a sock hop at Splitsville, select discounts on food and shopping, and more exciting entertainment for the whole family.Read More »Car Masters Weekend Returns to Downtown Disney for 3rd Year of Retro Fun
With the official opening date the Monster’s Inc ‘pre-quel’ just a few weeks away, Disney has released the last trailer for Pixar’s Monsters University: I like the trailer and I like the direction the movie appears to be going. However, it does seem like a… Read More »Final Trailer for Pixar’s Monsters University
Disney Parks has released this really cute Monsters University “Entrance” Exam to help kick-off the Monstrous Summer and a nifty bit of synergistic cross-promotion for the movie.
Click to embiggen.
To pass the test, check out the doors above and then answer where the monsters would pop up in the Magic Kingdom if they stepped through the door for a scare.
Write down your answers starting at the top left and moving across. Hint: A couple attractions are repeated.
Answers and your score are below the cut:
Read More »If Monsters University Was Set at The Magic Kingdom This Would Be Entrance Exam
Like Pixar’s Toy Story 2, it started out as a direct to video movie, but unlike other films in the Cars universe, this one is animated by Disneytoon Studios. They’ve done a great job with the Tinkerbell movies, so I was not surprised to see… Read More »New trailer for Disney’s Planes
A group of Disney World fans were invited to watch Monsters University over the weekend. The feedback for Pixar’s next film was general positive, leaning toward effusive. It had the heart of the original, a lot more laughs, and something of a “Revenge of the Nerds” vibe too. Can’t give anything else away without spoilers.
Meanwhile Disney Marketing has been ramping up the promotions for Mike and Sulley. There’s a whole Disney Parks summer promotion and a slew of new trailers and clips online:
First Morning Clip: