The celebration of the Jackie Robinson West Little League team’s national championship will continue Friday as team members and their families are scheduled to go to Disney World together on a trip sponsored by United Airlines and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
“The Story of Frozen: Making a Disney Animated Classic”(8:00-9:00 p.m. – 4.7 million and 1.1/4):
From 8:00-9:00 p.m., “The Story of Frozen: Making a Disney Animated Classic,” made ABC the 2nd-most-watched TV network in the hour and boosted its time slot by 18% in Total Viewers over the Net’s average in the hour this summer with all programming (4.7 million vs. 4.0 million). In addition, the special scored an 8-month high for ABC in the time slot with Kids 2-11 (1.3/5)– since 12/31/13.
On one of my very first Disney trips, I had the great misfortune of meeting…Jafar. I say misfortune because I was four or five and I was TERRIFIED of him in the movie so seeing him up close and personal more or less scarred me for life. Since that point I was never really a fan of the villain’s but as I got older and less scared of characters, I wanted to meet a few. So when tickets for Villain’s Unleashed became available I jumped all over it! I didn’t hurt that the event was the day after my birthday so I decided to treat myself to a little fun with some Disney villains. The event itself is my very first hard ticket event at a Disney park so I didn’t really know what to expect. I had heard the horror stories about the event last year and while I had no real expectations I was a little bit nervous about what I was jumping into.
I kept an eye on the blogs to see which villains would be making an appearance that night and I was pleased with the list. I’m a hard core Princess and the Frog stan so Dr. Facillier was at the top of my list and of course bowler hat guy because I absolutely LOVE Meet the Robinsons. With this in mind I set out to Disney Hollywood Studios for the event on Saturday. I’m lucky I live very close to the park so my drive was short and sweet and I parked my car and headed to bag check. I didn’t have any issues with parking. On my walk up to the entrance I realized that people were actually dressing up for this and I saw some AMAZING costumes. I got through everything quickly grabbed my badge and headed to get a map. Even when I arrived I noticed there weren’t a ton of maps left but I got mine and headed off towards the sorcerer’s hat. I looked around it didn’t seem to be particularly busy but I wanted to be near to where the characters were meeting so after asking directions I headed to the back lot. That was the central hub of characters for the night and about every 60 feet there was a meet and greet. I looked at the times and I got in Bowler hat guy’s line.
He came out promptly at 8:30 and we were then informed that the characters would not be signing so when the meet started we flew through. I headed off to see Dr. Facillier and I had to wait a little bit because he had to go converse with his friends on the other side for a few minutes. Once he returned it took no time at all to get through the line, but I got to speak to him long enough for him to tell me I was pretty. I was VERY happy about that :P. It was then I decided to make the trek over to the Animation Courtyard to see about Maleficient- who is the snazzy new Angelina Jolie version now- and her wait was 3 hours long! So I skipped off to see about Captain Barbossa and after deciding I didn’t want to wait an hour for him I went to see about the evil queen. I hopped in her line and got to chat up Gaston while I waited. Cut to 25 minutes later and I had my photo and ran into Prince John and got a regal looking selfie. And Mr. Stromboli was ever the gentleman. And my last character of the night was Shan Yu himself and let me tell you he was so scary but awesome in person.
I was so pleased I managed 6 characters that evening and they might not have been everyone’s top picks but I was really happy with it. I’ve heard so many complaints about the event and I won’t say it wasn’t without its flaws. But it was what your made of it. I personally went into the event with the idea I wouldn’t get to do everything. I wanted to see the characters, so I skipped all the shows, and the merchandise. I had an amazing time that night and my hope is that Walt Disney World will have this event multiple times during the Halloween season next year. I can hope right but heres to a night of wicked wiles and villainy I had a blast!
Get a taste of what to expect in the second season of “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” when it premieres Tuesday, September 23 at a new time, 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC!
This season’s cast of celebrity dancers includes a fashion icon, a YouTube sensation, a NASCAR legend, and a movie star, to name a few. The stars will grace the ballroom floor for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of “Dancing with the Stars,” which airs MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. One couple will be eliminated on the “Dancing with the Stars” results show the following day, on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).
The thirteen professional dancers teaching the celebrity cast how to bring heat to the dance floor are Mark Ballas, Cheryl Burke, Sharna Burgess, Witney Carson, Artem Chigvintsev, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani, Allison Holker, Derek Hough, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd, Emma Slater and Karina Smirnoff. Two-time Mirrorball champion and movie star Julianne Hough joins Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba at the judges’ desk.
As announced this morning on ABC’s “Good Morning America” by “Dancing with the Stars” hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews, the 13 celebrities with their professional partners heading to the dance floor this season (in alphabetical order) are:
To me, Disney is all about being together. It’s a place where family, friends, and strangers can enjoy a step out of reality into a world of pixie dust and just spend quality time together. Sometimes, I have to step back and marvel at this amazing place that is, quite literally, my heaven on earth. So many people come together to make each and every guest’s vacation a magical one, from the custodial workers, to the performers in the parades, to the people controlling the crowds at the end of a long day. At Disney, every cast member is important to the big picture, and that’s not something that is realized at all companies.
Even though not everyone understands the appeal of the Disney parks, the ones that do share a special connection with each other. That’s why I am so thankful for the internet- it allows me to connect with an incredible amount of people that understand exactly how I feel about Disney. It’s refreshing to talk to someone who “gets” Disney, someone who understands just how amazing the smell of Pirates of the Caribbean water is or how there’s nothing better than passing under that Walt Disney World arch. Whether it’s on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook groups, or Disney fan sites like WDW Daily News, it’s wonderful that people that share that common bond can follow along with other’s trips and lives. I don’t think that there are really a lot of people that feel that way about Disney, so it’s important that we stick together!
I fell into the “Disney trap” when I was eight years old, and I wouldn’t have wish it any other way. I’m so glad that I’m able to be a part of a community that is centered around a place where it’s okay to still act like you’re five years old, wear Mouse ears that would look ridiculous anywhere else, and sing along to Disney songs at the top of your lungs. As Walt Disney once said, “You’re dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.” I think he had the right idea.
Disney Consumer Products and Marvel announced today the debut of an annual national multi-platform campaign aimed at taking the Marvel brand to new heights — ‘Marvel Super Hero September.’ Launching this September, the month-long celebration will showcase what being a Super Hero is all about by encouraging the public to “Power Up Like a Marvel Super Hero.” This will be done through a supercharged lineup of retail partnerships, licensing partners, advertising, and online activations. The strategy will place a stake in the ground for the Marvel brand, celebrating the entertainment company’s rich 75 year history and its wide array of characters.
“Marvel Super Hero September is giving us the opportunity to assemble some of the very best of our licensees and retailers to showcase the power and reach of the Marvel brand,” said Josh Silverman, executive vice president, global licensing, Disney Consumer Products. “This stands as one of the largest non-film campaigns in Marvel history and we’re looking forward to seeing how kids, fans, parents, and adults will celebrate their passion for Marvel.”
The central hub for ‘Marvel Super Hero September’ will be a new online portal — MarvelSuperHeroSeptember.com. The site will house Super Hero content and activities, including a national photo sweepstakes contest with the support of select national retailers. Marvel will also be re-launching Marvelkids.com to provide even more Super Hero content.
Don’t mess with Disney! Electronic DJ Deadmau5 is in hot water with the purveyors of magic and the happiest places on earth. “Landed home to some interesting news: looks like Disney officially just filed in opposition of my trademark,” the musician tweeted on Tuesday, Sept. 2. “Lawyer up mickey.”
The American Red Cross and Disney today unveiled a new disaster preparedness video, featuring Disney Channel star Cameron Boyce, to help teach kids and families the importance of preparing for natural disasters and other emergencies. The spot will run on Disney Channel as part of National Preparedness Month in September.
“When a disaster strikes, it is critical that the entire family is prepared,” said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. “Disney’s continued support helps us keep children safe by educating them about the importance of preparedness in ways that are relevant and fun.”
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort is a one-of-a-kind celebration of chilling, family friendly fun. From Friday, Sept. 12, through Friday, Oct. 31, guests will explore their spooky Disney Side with special Halloween transformations of Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain; encounter Disney villains conjured by a magic cauldron; dance to the Mad T Party band and meet Mickey Mouse and his friends in Halloween costumes.
An additional Halloween Time highlight is the separate-ticket, after-hours Mickey’s Halloween Party, where adults and children show their Disney Side by dressing in costumes, trick-or-treating at Disneyland Park and enjoying an array of special entertainment, including the exclusive “Halloween Screams” fireworks spectacular.
New to Halloween Time at Disneyland this year are the latest twists at Haunted Mansion Holiday and additional entertainment experiences at the Halloween Carnival at Big Thunder Ranch, with more mysterious fun joining the Astounding Cauldron of Magic.
Spooky Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy in Tomorrowland is one of the guest favorites during Halloween Time. The unique Halloween-themed experience begins as a typical Space Mountain adventure, but suddenly launches voyagers into a haunted section of the universe. Ghosts appear out of the starry darkness and swirling galaxies of Space Mountain, reaching out as if to grab guests as they speed through space. The exhilarating drops and curves are punctuated by piercing screams, creepy sound effects and haunting music.
Jack Skellington returns to Disneyland to take over the Haunted Mansion and brings Haunted Mansion Holiday back to New Orleans Square. Transformed with a mix of Halloween spookiness and Christmas cheer, Haunted Mansion Holiday is inspired by the classic animated film “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Guests find new surprises within the Mansion every Halloween, including this year’s special gingerbread house, designed to resemble an “iron maiden” coffin with spikes (candy canes) and a hapless gingerbread zombie trapped inside. This is the 14th original gingerbread design since Haunted Mansion Holiday debuted in 2001. This one features opening and closing doors, lights and a very unhappy zombie struggling for his un-life.
