Earlier today, Disney announced as part of their Limited Time Magic Promotion, they will be releasing special new mouse ears and head ware every month at Both The Disneyland Resort and The Walt Disney World Resort.
Some ears will be exclusive to respective parks.
By Thomas Smith on The Disney Parks Blog:
There’s nothing like ringing in the New Year at Disney Parks, but if you can’t join us, we’re keeping the excitement going to begin January with some special “Limited Time Magic” at the Walt Disney World Resort andDisneyland Resort.
We’re also excited to announce that 2013 will be the “Year of the Ear” at Disney Parks. Every month, Disney Parks will release new ear hats to add to your collection as part of “Limited Time Magic.” January will start with the limited release of Disney Couture Ear Hats. And each month, there will be fun designs to discover.
And we’re not done yet. We’ll have more “Limited Time Magic” information to share today on the Disney Parks Blog, including an exciting announcement to kick off the New Year at the Disneyland Resort. Be sure and check the blog later and remember that you can also find updates on Twitter using hashtag #LimitedTimeMagic and on our LimitedTimeMagic.com web page.
 |
Ep. 092 Tin Mouse Did Nick make it to another podcast after the Tower of Terror 10 Miler? Listen to find out. In this episode: Mechanical Kingdom, new Park Starz 2, Christmas figures and a full release calendar. Also some Epcot 30th talk and release procedure changes that are needed. |
Tim went to the Disneyland Resort on Christmas Day and was able to capture some magic!
I was at the Disneyland Resort on Christmas day and took a few photographs of the hustle and bustle on one of the busiest days of the year.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is set to close on January 7th for a major refurbishment. Red Car Newsboys entertaining Christmas guests over at Disney California Adventure as are the cast of Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular.
Sleeping Beauty Castle is arguably the most spectacular this time of year, only to be complimented with Believe…in Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular and snow on Main Street USA.
Thank you for reading! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
-Tim Alcoser
Enjoying the photos? Comment below to let the Photographers know!
By Brian Shapiro
Vinylmation news got off to a wicked start this week with a much anticipated preview of two figures from the Vinylmation Villains #3 series, and they did not disappoint! The two designs released feature Chernabog from Fantasia and the coachman from Pinocchio.
The detail on these figures is tremendous. The light and shadows on Chernabog are perfect, and the large wing accessories are impressive. The coachman is equally detailed and once again demonstrates one of the best aspects of Vinylmation, the penchant to showcase obscure Disney characters that don’t usually appear in merchandise. These figures will be released at Disney Stores on June 18, and will retail for $9.95 each. With Father’s Day on June 17, what more could you ask for as a gift? Just saying.
Although they have been available at local Disney Stores, on Friday, May 11, Urban Series #9 was released along with the combo topper set at D-Streets and online at DisneyStore.com.
It is interesting to note that this series is selling for $9.95 each for the blind boxes, a nice decrease in price since the last Urban series. The combo set is selling for $24.95, which is two dollars less than the last Urban combo set. Typical for Urban series, there is a lot of variety of designs for the figures in this set, which includes two variants.
Finally, Disney announced the release of an all new series of open edition three-inch figures called Vinylmation Mascots. This window boxed series will be coming to Dstreets and Disney Stores on June 22. Artwork for this set has been circulating around the internet, but Disney hasn’t released anything official. The mascots appear to be original stylized designs featuring the Fab 5. They do not represent any particular team, but have been designed in the spirit of rugged, retro looking sports mascots. We will share the artwork for this set in an upcoming report.
In the meantime, check your midichlorian counts. The Force will be strong with Vinylmation collectors next week when the Vinylmation Disney Characters as Star Wars Characters set is released on May 18!
Four of the Pairs 2 Jr key chains are on special at Disney’s Family Deals website.
Dopey, Cheshire, Minnie and Pluto are on sale for $8.99, or half off, until next Wednesday, October 10. Click here for the link.
By Kevin Rafferty, Jr. on the Disney Parks Blog:
Happy holidays, Disney Parks Blog!
As in years past, please enjoy caroling about the ways in which the Disneyland Resort supported the local community in 2012. And if you don’t feel like caroling, check out the video instead – it recaps many of the Resort’s efforts to support the community during a year that was not only focused on the grand reopening ofDisney California Adventure park, but also on enriching the lives of our neighbors!
Giving Around the Community
To the tune of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”Giving around the community
At the Disneyland Resort,
Helping nonprofits in the OC
New records to report!Giving around the community
More than $16 million bucks*,
CALIFORNIA letters for the state fair
Traveled north on flatbed trucks.You may get a sentimental feeling,
When you hear:
Disney VoluntEARS have been on duty
Ninety-two thousand hours this year.Giving around the community
$5 million for CHOC’s lobby,
After school programs in Anaheim
Kids find a safe hobby.Giving around the community
KaBOOM! playgrounds down the street,
Collecting toys for families
Gardens for schools complete.You may get a sentimental feeling,
When you hear:
Make-A-Wish and military
Guests attended Cars Land premiere.Giving around the community
Healthy cooking videos,
College scholarships and arts grants
How quickly another year goes!
*Amount includes cash, Disney VoluntEARS hours and in-kind donations
The Vinylmation figure created for the San Fransisco 49ers will be released at the Disney Store on Stockton Street on October 5. The store is located at 39 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108. The figure is also available via the online store.
By Greg Ehrbar on the Disney Parks Blog:
The Toyland soldiers in either Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort holiday parades are a “must-see.” Watching them on our annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade is very cool, but experiencing them in person is even more amazing.
They’re exactly like the toy soldiers in Walt Disney’s “Babes in Toyland” (which looks dazzling in its new Blu-ray release). In the big battle sequence, Tom Piper (Tommy Sands) leads the soldiers to defeat nasty Barnaby (Ray Bolger) and prevent him from marrying Mary Contrary (our beloved Annette Funicello). The “March of the Toys” was directed by Disney Legends Bill Justice and X Atencio. They also directed the “Spoonful of Sugar” special effects in “Mary Poppins” — so look for the soldiers there, too, leaping into a toy box.
The legacy of “Babes in Toyland” began with its first stage production in 1903. The producers were looking for another show to be as big a hit as their other musical extravaganza, which was based on L. Frank Baum’s book, “The Wizard of Oz.”
Ironically, Babes in Toyland was the enduring hit, and its Victor Herbert/Glen McDonough songs became standards. In 1934, producer Hal Roach cast Laurel and Hardy in his movie version of “Babes in Toyland” — which, with Walt Disney’s approval, included a “Mickey” character and the Three Little Pigs in the cast.
Just a few years later, Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was a worldwide sensation. Its success inspired MGM to produce a live-action answer of sorts to Snow White, right down to Walt’s innovative use of songs to advance the story. That was 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,” starring Judy Garland.
On live stages almost everywhere, “Babes in Toyland” evolved from one century to the next, as the characters, storylines and songs got mixed, matched, added and subtracted depending on the productions. In 1954 and 1955, TV viewers watched live TV broadcasts of “Babes in Toyland,” co-written by Neil Simon. Shirley Temple starred in the first color TV version in 1960.
There was even a disco version at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1979! Nevertheless, dedicated groups of artists keep the original Victor Herbert operetta available to new generations — like the Comic Opera Guild of Michigan, which produced four different cast albums of Toyland between 1976 and 2004.
“Before Walt Disney chose ‘Babes in Toyland’ as his first musical, he dreamed of making an Oz movie,” says Disney historian Jim Korkis. “Walt wanted to combine live action with animation for an Oz feature in the 1930s. When the Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers became stars in the late ‘50s, Walt cast many of them in The Rainbow Road to Oz. If you watch the Disney Treasures DVD entitled ‘Your Host, Walt Disney,’ you’ll get an idea of what it might have been like.”
Ultimately, Walt didn’t make either Oz film, but during the 1961 holiday season, his “Babes in Toyland” premiered in theaters. And the first “official” Disneyland Christmas parades also appeared, featuring floats based on the toys from the movie — including the toy soldiers, designed by Bill Justice himself.
Today, Walt Disney’s distinctive, iconic Disney “Babes in Toyland” soldiers remain a fixture in Disney Parks all over the world. No Disney movie has quite the influence on Disney Parks holiday tradition as “Babes in Toyland.”
Next year will bring the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures’ “Oz, the Great and Powerful” in theaters — and the appearance of the Oz garden during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. It’s been over 100 years and these magical, unpredictable worlds just keep on crisscrossing!
