Your ‘awwwwww’ photo of the day

Looks like Main Street to me, but I could be way off. I’m sure someone will let me know if I am 😉 My family and I have a soft spot for working dogs; my aunt, who was blind most of her life, had 2 different helpers, my wife helps those with disabilities find work and many have service animals. Plus, UGA, where I work, is a training campus for service dogs, students walk around with pups and teenaged dogs to get them used to crowds. Kudos to the administration for allowing this very important work.

Photo is from The Chive. Some content on The Chive may be considered offensive to some. Though clearly, they have a soft spot.

Did you know you can take your dog to Walt Disney World? Well, not in the parks, unless it’s a service dog, but they can stay at the super swanky Best Friends Resort! And you can visit them during the day if you wish. Check ’em out.

New Star Tours 2.0 Destination Reveled!!!

In an announcement early this morning that caught most insiders, investors and cast members by surprise, Disney and Lucasfilm announced that one of the new Star Tours experiences will center around none other than Captain EO!

“We’re very excited to finally be able to tell the public about this,” a source inside Lucasfilm said. “Those of us that have been here since the 80’s have always thought Captain EO was GL’s best work. And after the overwhelming positive response at Walt Disney World and Disneyland to the Captain’s return, we all knew that adding him and his crew to the Star Wars Universe was the right thing to do.”

Details were not announced other than Captain EO’s robotic security officer and one-man band, Major Domo, would be the pilot. The new version of Star Tours, dubbed Star Tours 2.0 by many, has long been expected to have several travel destinations including Tatooine, Endor and Alderaan as well as a run in with the Deathstar and Boba Fett. Major Domo will again be voiced be Gary DePew, as he did in the original 3D film in 1986.

Captain EO's robot security officer Major Domo will pilot guests into the world first shown in 'Captain EO' in 1986.

Of course, most speculation centered around Captain EO himself, Michael Jackson. “We’re using original footage, rehearsals, outtakes and even some concert film to bring Jackson back into the role he made famous. Computer technology allows us to create an environment where Jackson will live and breathe as the heroic Captain once again,” my source says. “Captain EO is back to save the Universe once again. With Dance!”

Look for an official announcement from the Mouse soon.

BIG THUNDER HIPSTER

Hipster Captain EO was 3D before you liked 3D

Jeff Heimbuch started a Twitter Trend this morning, #EPCOTHipsters. I had to get in on it.

New Mickey Ears!!!

Ok, the headline is a little deciving, these are NOT new mickey ears found in the parks, but rather in my head.

During our last visit, I noticed how many Mickey Ear hats had little, tiny hats on top like a top hat, mortar board, Sorcerer’s hat and so on. So, the family and I were talking on our last day and I said, ‘wouldn’t it be funny to have a set of ears with another little set of ears on top.’ And my bride said, ‘why don’t you make some?’ So I did.

Disney designers, take notice!! And please call if you’re interested 😉

 

Sunday Walt Disney World Scenes

NEW!! Pixar iPhone Wallpapers

New Disney Poster

Disney Psykopaint

Pskykopaint is a web-based paint application to turn your photos into some amazing pieces of art. I took some images from my favorite Flickr photog Express Monorail and ran them through the paces. I think they turned out beautiful. Go check them out and let ’em know you read it here!

Walt Disney World Resorts Character Meet-and-Greets

Did you know you and your children can meet many Disney characters face-to-face at Walt Disney World? Of course you do. Do you know where they are? Maybe not.

One of the more surprising things about my recent trip to the Walt Disney World resorts in February was the number of character meet-and-greets in all 4 parks. My family and I have been 4 times since 2006, one trip to Disneyland, and when I lived in Southern California, we went to Disneyland at least once a month. I can honestly say I never saw the number of characters interacting with park goers be as many as in 2011.

I can speculate as to why, but firmly believe that John Lasseter’s overseeing of the Disney Parks has a lot to do with it. When I first took my daughter to Walt Disney World in 2006, the only characters we saw were either at the EPCOT Character meet, during early Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom, or at the Character meals. During all my trips to Disneyland, I can only remember one Character interaction: Captain Hook and Smee on Thanksgiving morning when the park was EMPTY.

We should all write Mr. Lasseter a letter thanking him for what he's done for Disney and the parks.

Flash forward to 2011. In addition to the regular cast of characters at Hollywood Studios, which are very approachable by the way, we got to see Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. and Minnie Mouse in a nurses uniform filming something in front of the Brown Derby. Plus, Handy Manny at the Animation Courtyard. At EPCOT two hours after opening, we ran into both Stitch and Daisy Duck, with very short lines, at the front of the park. The EPCOT Meet-and-Greet indoor area was full with all the top-tier names.

Here I am accosting Evie Starlight. She was very gracious. And very thin.

Ms. Mouse getting her close up.

Magic Kingdom saw Pluto, Chip and Dale, Fairy Godmother, the Evil Stepmother and Step sisters, Mary Poppins at the Carousal IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. Tigger and Pooh. Peter Pan, alone, and with no line. Woody and Jessie together, Capt. Jack, Jasmine, Frontier Donald, Buzz Lightyear and Future Chip and Dale. But the most surprising of all was Mickey and Minnie at Splash Mountain AND Space Mountain for over 4 hours! Both days we were in the park. This is in addition to the Celebration parade with a revolving cast, including the Mad Hatter, Baloo, Mr. Incredible, Mickey, Goofy and Mike Wazowski, plus the Castle show. And the talking trash can in Tomorrowland.

Thanks to Disney Nerd Stacey Lantz for the pic!

At Animal Kingdom, Goofy was outside at the gates, then inside Dinoland with Pluto. Flik, who I’ve never seen before, in between Africa and Asia, Lilo and Stitch near the Lion King and all the spots at Camp Minnie Mickey were full. We saw both Brother Bear, from, um, ‘Brother Bear’ and Terk from Tarzan.

Speaking of a Bug's Life, did you know Dot was voiced by Hayden Panettiere?

This is Terk. From Tarzan. Voiced by Rosie O'Donnell.

So all in all, a great experience. My guess is that cast members are swapping out turns so the characters are in the parks longer. There was a noticeable size difference in Stitch at Animal Kingdom from when he went in for his pineapple juice to his return.

As far as I know, all the characters will give autographs. And of course Disney just happens to sell autograph books with your favorite characters on them. But, I saw two things that I highly recommend. First, a pillowcase and a permanent marker. We got one of these for our daughter’s 7th birthday slumber party. All the kids signed it. It’s STILL on her bed, long after the gifts have been forgotten. Second, a large, blank Vinylmation. I saw this in someone’s window at POP Century with about 10 autographs, I almost knocked on the door to congratulate them on such a fabulous idea. This year, my little girl used her ‘Up’ Adventure Book (just like Ellie!) and some of the characters drew little doodles. Squee!

This is a Vinylmation. It's blank. Get it signed. Live a long a prosperous life 😉

Can you look at this and not get a tear? I can't. Bless Pixar for making such compelling characters.

Now, how to find them. For the most part, they were out in the open, if a little tucked off to one side. Mickey and Minnie were well off the beaten path, next to the rest rooms at Splash Mountain and in between the rest rooms and Space Mountain in Tomorrowland. Fairy Godmother was behind Cinderella’s fountain in Fantasyland, where as Peter Pan was next to Philharmagic.

Just announced today, Disney will offer FastPasses to meet Mickey in the Magic Kingdom this spring in side the referbed Exposition Hall area just inside the park.

There are some also some phone apps to help you find them, but I think you’ll do better taking your time in the parks, talking to cast members (they really are nice) walking those paths you’ve never been on before. As I like to say, to get the most from a Disney resort, you’ve got to get Just Off Main Street 🙂