July 4 Celebrations at Disneyland

With another national holiday just around the corner, it’s time again to look at the special events going on at the Disney Parks. Last year I highlighted what went down in Orlando for July 4. I thought I would switch things up this year and focus on the events in Anaheim. The official Disney parks blog has an overview of what to expect at Disneyland on the 4th, which links to the Disneyland Daily Events calendar for the specifics. One thing you should definitely anticipate: fireworks. But then you probably guessed that already. Because July 4 is a Monday this … Continue reading

Disney World Bridal Studio Upgrade

It seems everything at Walt Disney World is getting a facelift these days. First come plans for a major Fantasyland expansion, and next we hear that popular destination for Disney fan couples Franck’s Bridal Studio has undergone a technological renovation. Stitch Kingdom reports that Disney’s one-stop shop for weddings has added two new planning rooms, updated its furnishings, and most importantly, upgraded its technological capabilities. Before, couples would travel to the Franck’s in person to meet with their wedding planner to iron out all the details on their upcoming Disney-themed nuptials. While it’s still necessary for couples to meet with … Continue reading

Disney Purchases Facebook Gaming Company

Walt Disney Corporate’s certainly busy buying up companies lately. First they officially took charge of Pixar, then Marvel, and now, according to the Washington Times, they’re preparing to buy Playdom for $563.2 million. So what’s Playdom? If you’ve ever played a game on Facebook like Sorority Life or Social City, then you’ve used a Playdom product; Playdom makes many of the little games available for play on Facebook, MySpace, or fancier cell phones. Playdom isn’t the only electronic/online property Disney’s snatched recently. Just a month ago it also purchased Tapulous, the maker of a popular iPhone music game, and in … Continue reading

Disappointed in Disney’s Summer Offerings

Why doesn’t Disney have me excited this summer? That’s the question I keep asking myself, and one to which I just can’t find the answer. My first major shock of the summer is that I’m not interested in seeing Pixar’s newest film. For the past three or four years, one of the few trips I actually take to the movie theater is to see Pixar’s latest. As soon as I found out that 2010 meant “Toy Story 3” my enthusiasm waned. What surprises me even more is that I still feel the same after hearing and reading the film’s rave … Continue reading

Disney Tickets Together on Facebook

Everything goes through Facebook these days. Companies use it to network, advertising agencies promote their wares, and people play games and scroll through pictures of their friends. With everything attached to Facebook now, it’s hard to remember the early days of the site, back when it was only designed for students. Those days are long past, and now Facebook routinely performs one of its primary services as a marketing tool. Companies create pages for their products of which people can become fans; sometimes agencies also put together groups where fans come together and discuss their favorite show, clothing line, etc. … Continue reading

Last Year for Grad Nite in Orlando

The high school graduating class of 2011 sure is lucky; they are the last students able to celebrate their graduation at Disney World. The official Disney Parks blog just announced that after this year Disney World has no intention to continue the Grad Nite tradition. For decades the resort has hosted Grad Nites in the spring, offering seniors an exclusive party in honor of their achievement. On several nights in late April, May, and early June, both Disney World and Disneyland open their gates for high school seniors to throw a massive party. It’s like an uber prom; celebrity DJ’s … Continue reading

Pixar Loses “Alma”

Disney’s dropped the ball. This year Pixar animator Rodrigo Blaas put out a short called “Alma” that he created on his own time. Pixar or Disney did not make or distribute it. I admit that when I first skimmed the story and watched the short, I assumed that “Alma” was a Pixar production. The first thing out of my lips when finishing “Alma” was “wow.” It was fantastic, but not like what I’d expect from Pixar, especially for the frothy, if brilliant, clips they put in front of their feature lengths. It boasts a sinister ending, though not one so … Continue reading