The Avengers Poster

Marvel

I've loved Marvel Comics most of my life. My family wasn't comic book collectors, but I liked the stories and the cartoons and shows that were based on them. My favorite was X-Men, but I've never really found a Marvel Comic character that I didn't like. This May, Marvel, now owned by Disney, will release the latest in their blockbuster summer movies featuring classic characters. The Avengers brings together characters from several recent movies, including Iron Man, Thor, the Incredible Hulk, Black Widow, and Captain America. A new poster was just released for the film and a new trailer is set to debut on itunes tomorrow at 12PM EST.

New Trailer for Brave

Disney/Pixar

Disney just released a new trailer and poster for Brave. The two minute trailer features a scene from the archery contest. The archers are competing for Princess Merida's hand, and she is NOT happy about it.

I can't wait until Brave is released on June 22!

Quote of the Week

Disney

Give the people everything you can give them. Keep the place as clean as you can keep it. Keep it friendly, you know. Make it a real fun place to be. 

- Walt Disney

Disney Tub Toys

Disney

I love Disney tub toys! We have several sets (it seems like at least one set is on clearance every time we go to Disney World), but my favorite is the It's a Small World boat with children from various countries. The children represent China, Mexico, Italy, Africa, and Japan. They sit in the boat and float along as your child plays in the tub. We purchased this on our one trip to Disneyland since Bean was born. She loves it and has played with it for several years. Recently, Disney released a new version of the boat with Donald in his Mexican costume at the front. The set also includes Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin, Stitch and Peter Pan. It is absolutely adorable!

Disney also has several character sets, generally in groups of 5 - 7, that come in a storage bag. We have 3-4 of these sets. My sister's favorite is the Nightmare Before Christmas set with Jack Skellington, Sally, Oogie Boogie, the Mayor, and Zero. We have a set with Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Hercules, Pinocchio and Dopey. Another set is Pixar characters: Mr. Incredible, Dash, Buzz Lightyear, Sulley from Monsters Inc, Nemo, and Woody. The set I love is one that we haven't purchased yet, the Star Wars set: Yoda, C-3PO, R2-D2, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Clone Trooper, and Boba Fett. Maybe when we go to Star Wars Weekends, if it's still available.

Other sets include a classic characters set: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto; a Playhouse Disney set with Mickey & Minnie from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Lumpy & Darby from Tigger & Pooh Supersleuths, and Leo & June from Little Einsteins; and a Princess set with Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Belle, Aurora, and TinkerBell.

In addition to sets, we have a few Donald Duck rubber duckies. My favorite is Donald in the Haunted Mansion Doom Buggy. We also have a few Princesses made for the tub or pool. Bean loves her Ariel that changes color with warm or cool water. In all, there are a lot of Disney toys for kids to have fun with in the tub.

Happy Mardi Gras! Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler!

 Happy Mardi Gras!

And as they say in New Orleans...

Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Happy Presidents Day

Jim Henson Company

Happy Presidents Day!

Girl Scouts Bridging into the Next Century at Disney World

Disney

The Girl Scouts organization is turning 100 this year. To celebrate, special Bridging events have been planned across the country. One is being held in Savannah, GA, the home of the first Girl Scout, Juliette Gordon Lowe. Another, which is open to Girl Scouts of all ages, will be held at EPCOT this May. Bean is currently a Daisy in the troop that my sister and I run, so we have decided to attend this special event.

The celebration will take place May 25-28, 2012. Girls will participate in a special welcome and recite the Girl Scout Pledge before dividing into smaller groups for the bridging. Characters will be available at the bridging to congratulate the girls and each Girl Scout will receive a commemorative item from the event. The Bridging event will take place at 8am on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th. Breakfast will be available, as an add-on at additional cost, after the bridging. Breakfast will consist of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, tater tots, bacon, French toast sticks, oj, and coffee. Disney will also have a swaps area to trade with girls from across the country, so don't forget to make something special to take with you.

An additional add-on is the Disney Youth Education Series Program: Many Cultures, One World, that will focus on Girl Scouts around the world. It is open to all Girl Scouts except Daisies, and will take place on Friday the 25th and Monday the 28th. Ticket packages for the event are available for 3, 4, or 5 days, at a considerable discount. On-site hotel rooms are also available at either the All-Star Sports Resort or Caribbean Beach Resort. This would be a great opportunity to celebrate with your Girl Scout and have a family vacation at Disney World.

Additional information is available from Disney and from the sponsoring troop, Girl Scouts of Citrus.

Pixar La Luna Short

Pixar

Pixar has released a teaser clip of their new short, which will premiere with Brave, in theaters this summer. The story follows three generations of an Italian family, a grandfather, father, and a little boy. It's a coming of age story and a story about finding your own voice amongst the conflicting, traditional views of your elders.

The images are beautiful, reminiscent of the watercolor style favored by the writer and feature the music of Michael Giacchino, who wrote the score for The Incredibles and Ratatouille. It looks like a perfect short to pair with Brave.

Quote of the Week

Disney

The way to get started is to
quit talking and begin doing.

- Walt Disney

Happy Birthday, Mr. Dickens!

Today would have been Charles Dickens 200th birthday. I love reading Dickens books, such as Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and of course, A Christmas Carol, which is by far my favorite. All of these stories were originally published as weekly or monthly chapters and were then collected as novels. While many of Dickens' stories are sad, dealing with the struggles of the poor and destitute, they also contain a message of hope that things will get better if you can just hold on, and a belief that people can be better.

Dickens' final work, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, was never completed, but it is one of my favorites. The story has been turned into a play, and much like the movie Clue, has multiple possible endings. When you go to see the play, the actors portray the story as written by Dickens. Then, they all come out onto the stage and tell the audience that this is as far as Dickens' story goes, but that notes he had left hint at three possible endings. They explain that each ending has a different culprit for the disappearance of Edwin Drood, and then allow the audience to vote on which ending they'd like to see. When I saw the play many years ago, they actors performed all three endings, much like in Clue. (This may be how it happened, but what about this?) I loved it! I think Charles Dickens is one of the greatest authors in the English language, with as long-lasting an impact as Shakespeare. So, today is a great day to remember Mr. Dickens and revisit one of your favorite Dickens' stories.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Dickens!

America on Parade Vinylmation

Disney

I love Americana! I always look forward to the Fourth of July. One of my favorite things at EPCOT is listening to the Voices of Liberty and the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps. Now, they've created a Vinylmation set that's perfect for collectors of Americana. America on Parade is a set of three Vinlymations, Mickey, Goofy, and Donald, that commemorate America's bicentennial celebration that occurred at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in 1975-76. The set is an online exclusive of the Disney Store and is available for $44.95.

Quote of the Week

Disney

She believed in dreams, all right, but she also believed in doing something about them. When Prince Charming didn't come along, she went over to the palace and got him.

 -  Walt Disney, defending Cinderella in 1949

The Magic, the Memories, and You!

Disney

For the past year, Disney has had a nightly projection show on Cinderella Castle (It's a Small World at Disneyland) featuring classic Disney images as well as PhotoPass photos taken throughout the day. During the Christmas season, they added segments that turned the Castle into a grand gingerbread house, ice palace, and fancy package.

Starting today, they will add new segments featuring some of the most romantic scenes in Disney history. At one point, the Castle will be entirely covered in climbing red roses and stained glass windows that show the stories of Cinderella, Snow White, and (my favorite) Beauty and the Beast. Another segment turns the castle into a beautiful, star-filled sky.

Disney

The segment that I most look forward to seeing features the King and Queen from Tangled lifting a lantern into the sky. The lantern is then joined by hundreds of others, and I'm sure it will be just as awe inspiring as it was in the movie. These new segments will run through mid-April. A new summer show will turn the Castle into a giant Sand Castle. Goofy rides a wave across the Castle, washing it away to reveal a surprise new segment. I haven't yet had a chance to see these displays in person, but the videos I have seen look wonderful. I really look forward to seeing it the next time I'm in Disney World.