Disney Considers Withdrawing from Hulu

A number of us here at families.com are big fans of ABC’s Disney-rific show “Once Upon A Time Some of us don’t have the time to watch the show when it airs, so we’re able to catch up with it online later. However, we might not have that option for much longer. One of the best ways to catch up with shows is through media website Hulu. Hulu streams dozens of shows from various channels: NBC, ABC, FOX, and many of their cable affiliates. In most cases shows are available the morning after they air (FOX makes free viewers wait … Continue reading

Where Might “Once Upon A Time” Be Headed?

We’re big fans of ABC’s “Once Upon A Time” around here on families.com. I’ve discussed the show before, and Mary Ann’s reviewed one of the latest episodes. The Disney-inspired drama recently took a short break for the holidays, but it’s going to be back with new episodes starting this coming Sunday, January 8. I’m not planning to review each episode as it comes along. But now that we’re about halfway through the season I think it will be interesting to take a moment to consider where the show has been, and where it might be going. Emma, the daughter of … Continue reading

Disney Parades on Once Upon A Time

The week before Cinderella made her debut on ABC’s Disney-influenced fairy tale drama “Once Upon A Time,” news broke that “Lost” star Emilie de Ravin was cast as Belle for the program. The princesses have arrived. “Once Upon A Time” already features Disney’s first princess Snow White as a major character wrapped up in the series’ main story arc. As is befitting a drama of this size, however, many other fairy tale figures make appearances, such as Rumpelstiltskin and Little Red Riding Hood. Original Disney characters such as Jiminy Cricket and Maleficent also factor into some scenes. However, the entrance … Continue reading

First Glimpse of Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent

I’ve reported less on forthcoming Disney movies than I used to, now that I’ve learned how the whole studio machine works. I don’t believe rumors of a film until filming actually starts and we see some production photos. That’s why I’ve said very little about Disney’s live action Maleficent film. I first heard rumblings about Disney wanting to make a live action movie about one of their most popular villains back when Tim Burton made his feature length “Alice in Wonderland.” At the time the rumor was that Burton wanted to direct. After hearing that I assumed that Helena Bonham-Carter … Continue reading

Princess Sofia the First: Let’s Hope She’s the Last

Next year Princess Sofia the First, the newest and youngest of Disney’s royalty, will make her debut. She’s going to star in a movie that will air sometime in the next few months on both the Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Her royal highness is only still just a child, with her main peer group (i.e., the ages at which Sofia is directed) being children between the ages of 2 and 7. Sofia’s a true Disney original; unlike any of her predecessors she’s not based on a pre-existing character from a fairy tale, myth, or historical event. She’s going to … Continue reading

The Crazy Origins of Pinocchio

“Pinocchio” started its life as an 100-some paged 1883 Italian novella by Carlo Collodi. Walt Disney was introduced to the story by one of his staff during production on “Snow White,” and he loved it so much he made it his next film. Given the greater length of the original “Pinocchio” than, say, one of the Brothers Grimms’ super short stories, I don’t have the space to do a full compare/contrast between the Disney film and its source text. What I’ll do instead is list the most notable differences between the two versions. Perhaps the most shocking disparities between Collodi’s … Continue reading

Beauty and the Beast to Receive 3D Release

After the phenomenal success of “The Lion King” 3D release, plans have resumed to bring “Beauty and the Beast” back to theaters – in 3D of course. Years ago Disney talked of bringing the Oscar-nominated film back to theaters in 3D, but things never coalesced. For reasons known only to Disney execs, “The Lion King” was instead chosen as the first Disney film to get a 3D makeover. It was a wild success, with the nearly 20-years-old movie topping the box office for weeks ahead of brand new films. With that resounding victory under their belts, now Disney execs have … Continue reading

A Day at the Magic Kingdom – Tips for Your First Visit

If you’ve never been to Walt Disney World before, your first trip can be somewhat daunting if you’re not sure where to go and what to do. While the parks do provide maps and event details, it can be confusing to the average visitor. So, to save you from hopefully experiencing any more frustration than you really have to (and in order to keep you from asking questions such as, “When is the 3 o’clock parade?”), here are a few tips to help you truly experience the magic. 1. Plan Ahead. Which rides does your family really want to experience? … Continue reading