"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
-- Walt Disney

Saturday was the 108th anniversary of the birth of Walt Disney.

From The Main Street Gazette:

Today, children and teens look to Walt Disney as a figurehead, a company logo in the same vein of the golden arches, not realizing that he was a flesh and blood person who, along with an extraordinary collection of individuals, crafted whole worlds of entertainment and were the spark for innovations across the globe. While many of us never grew up with Walt Disney on our own television sets, we have learned about his life and times, and so will the younger generation provided we keep his spirit alive.

Walt only wanted to do right by the families he sought to entertain. Believing that they deserved more, Walt found ways, or created the avenues, in which to provide such quality. He never wished to repeat himself, and he always kept moving forward. There is a lot to be gleamed from this determination, respect for the family (no matter what the family-unit happened to look like), imagination, and ingenuity. To be even part of the man Walt Disney was would be a great man, and indeed in our leaders, colleagues, and friends we tend to seek out the qualities once inherent to Walt Disney and his accomplices.

By Dennis McLellan
May 21, 2009

( Click for more )</div> In 1947, Disney turned the job over to Macdonald, the studio's sound-effects wizard. Allwine was hired for the job in late 1976 while working in sound effects under Macdonald and continued to supply Mickey's voice until his death.

Allwine made his debut voicing the world's most famous mouse on "The New Mickey Mouse Club" (1977-78) and went on to supply Mickey's voice for Disney movies, TV specials, theme parks, records, toys and video games.

Among his credits as the voice of Disney's top animated star: “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” (1983), “The Prince and the Pauper” (1990) and "Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers" (2004) and TV series "Mickey MouseWorks," "House of Mouse" and "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."

Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Robert A. Iger described a "profound sense of loss and sadness throughout our company" over the death of the man who gave voice to Disney's most beloved character.

"Wayne's great talent, deep compassion, kindness and gentle way, all of which shone brightly through his alter ego, will be greatly missed," Iger said in a statement.

Roy E. Disney, Walt's nephew, director emeritus of the Walt Disney Co., said in a statement: "Wayne not only gave voice to the character of Mickey but gave him a heart and soul as well."

Allwine, who launched his Disney Studios career in the mail room a few months before Disney died in 1966, had been working in sound effects under Macdonald for more than seven years when he was sent to an open audition for Mickey's voice after an actor failed to show up.

The Glendale native had watched "The Mickey Mouse Club" on TV as a youngster in the 1950s and simply conjured up Mickey's voice from memory.

Allwine later said, however, that doing the famed falsetto of the perennially optimistic Mickey was easy for him.

"Actually, I was accustomed to doing vocal stuff," he told United Press International in 1997. "My father was a barbershop quartet singer. He was a high tenor with an odd voice and could go from lower range to upper range without cracking his voice. I inherited that."

Allwine always remembered what Macdonald told him after Allwine took over the voice of Disney's top animated star: "Just remember, kid, you're only filling in for the boss."

Allwine later acknowledged that in an interview for a “Walt Disney Treasures” box DVD set.

"It's really not about me; it's about Mickey, and Mickey is Walt's," he said. "So what I do is I get to take this wonderful American icon and keep it alive until the next Mickey comes along, and it will one day. And that's also one of the heartbreaks of the character, of doing the job, because, you know, I'm three; there's going to be a four."

It was, he said, "a great honor to represent what Walt loved so dearly and what Jimmy kept alive so well."

Allwine was born in Glendale on Feb. 7, 1947. While a student at John Burroughs High School in Burbank, he acted in school plays and formed his own music group, the International Singers, which performed in clubs and at colleges throughout the state.

He later formed other bands and had a stint with Davie Allan & the Arrows, for which he played rhythm guitar on the hit "Blues' Theme."

Among Allwine's credits as a sound effects editor are "The Black Hole," "Something Wicked This Way Comes," "Mickey's Christmas Carol," "The Black Cauldron," "Splash," "Three Men and a Baby" and "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier."

In 1986, he shared an Emmy Award for outstanding sound editing for a series for Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories."

As a married couple, Allwine and Taylor received similar reactions whenever people discovered that they were the voices of Mickey and Minnie.

"Everybody goes, 'Oh, that's so sweet,' " Taylor said. "When we got married, we kind of kept it quiet because everybody was saying, 'Oh, Mickey and Minnie got married.' It wasn't Mickey and Minnie; it was Wayne and Russi. We wanted to keep it about us and not about the characters."

In addition to his wife, Allwine is survived by his children from previous marriages, Erin, Alison, Peter, Christopher and Joshua; and a grandson, Isaac.

Funeral arrangements are pending.</div>

Got this CD for Wayne for his birthday.  Have been playing it a lot.  It rocks.



Nightmare Revisited
1    Overture / Devotchka
2    Opening / Danny Elfman
3    This Is Halloween / Marilyn Manson
4    Jack's Lament / The All-American Rejects
5    Doctor Finkelstein/In The / Amiina
6    What's This? / Flyleaf
7    Town Meeting Song / The Polyphonic Spree
8    Jack And Sally Montage / Vitamin String Quart
9    Jack's Obsession / Sparklehorse
10    Kidnap The Sandy Claws / Korn
11    Making Christmas / Rise Against
12    Nabbed / Yoshida Brothers
13    Oogie Boogie's Song / Rodrigo Y Gabriela
14    Sally's Song / Amy Lee
15    Christmas Eve Montage / RJD2
16    Poor Jack / Plain White T's
17    To The Rescue / Datarock
18    Finale/Reprise / Shiny Toy Guns
19    Closing / Danny Elfman
20    End Title / The Album Leaf

If you can't get excited about Marilyn Manson singing Disney songs, there is definitely something wrong with you.

Only three nights left till all the clubs at Pleasure Island at Walt Disney World close forever.

For your enjoyment, a video from my favoritest club of all: The Adventurers Club.

Walt Disney World visitors to get in free on their birthdays
By Scott Powers

Sentinel Staff Writer

Next year everyone will be able to come to Walt Disney World theme park on their birthdays and get in free.

That's the cornerstone of the 2009 national promotional campaign, "What will you celebrate?" announced today by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Anyone showing up with a valid ID including proof of birth date will get a free ticket on that date in 2009 for one of the theme parks at Disney World or at Disneyland in California.

( more details )

 Wow.  I'm in geek heaven.

To celebrate “The American Idol Experience” attraction coming to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, David Cook shouted the famous words “I’m Going to Disney World!” Wednesday night, May 21, after being crowned the newest “American Idol” in the popular show’s star-studded season finale in Los Angeles. Camera crews captured Cook’s pronouncement on the Nokia Theatre stage just moments after “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest announced his name to millions of viewers watching worldwide.

Later that night, Cook was featured in the newest “I’m Going to Disney World!” commercial that aired only hours after the finale. Starring in a role usually occupied by sports stars — such as Super Bowl or World Series champs — Cook is the first singer to ever star in the Disney commercial.

Cook’s role in the “I’m Going to Disney World” ad is all in celebration of the new “American Idol” attraction that will open at Walt Disney World in Florida in January 2009.

Currently under construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, it’s the first attraction anywhere in the world based on the popular television series, through an agreement with Fremantle Media Enterprises and 19 Entertainment.

When complete, Disney guests will be able to experience the thrill of an interactive attraction amidst all the glitz and glamour of the “American Idol” television show.

By starring in the commercial, Cook joins a line up of superstar professional athletes from the fields of football, basketball, and baseball, who have shouted the famous line during the past 20+ years, “I’m Going to Disney World!”

From The Disney Blog!

The failed experiment that was The Children’s Place attempt to run The Disney Stores is now officially over. Disney takes back operations today after The Children’s Place had to file for bankruptcy in the subsidiaries that ran The Disney Stores.

 

A Cars sequel???? Andy is going to FLIP OUT!!!!


Disney previews 10 new animated movies, most 3-D
Tuesday April 8 7:46 PM ET

Walt Disney Studios previewed 10 animated movies on Monday that it will release during the next four years, including further installments in the "Toy Story" and "Cars" series and two new fairy tales.

With the exception of "Wall.E," a robot love story opening on June 28, and "The Princess and the Frog," a hand-drawn animated fairy tale set in New Orleans and due to open Christmas 2009, the remaining eight movies will be made in digital 3-D.

"We're excited to be pushing the boundaries of 3-D and computer technology to tell our stories in the best possible way," said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

Digital 3-D still requires moviegoers to wear geeky glasses, but the left- and right-eye images are calibrated so finely that most viewers experience no headache or eyestrain.

The first Disney digital 3-D movie for release is "Bolt," the story of a dog of the same name who thinks he has superhero powers. John Travolta gives voice to Bolt while hit teen singer/actress Miley Cyrus is voicing Bolt's owner Penny in the movie, due to open on November 26.

"Up," the story of an unlikely 78-year-old adventurer and his 8-year-old sidekick, is due to be released on May 29, 2009. "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" are due to be re-released in digital 3-D on October 2, 2009 and February 12, 2010 respectively, while "Toy Story 3" is due to hit screens on June 18, 2010.

All the original cast from the previous "Toy Story" films, including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack, are returning for the third film, which picks up with Andy grown up and about the head off to college.

The classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Rapunzel," about a girl trapped in a tower whose long golden hair is the only way for anyone to climb up to her, will be released at Christmas 2010.

Next comes "Newt," a story of the last two blue-footed newts on the planet that aims to show that love is not a science, which is due to hit screens in summer 2011.

Another new original fairy tale, "The Bear and the Bow" -- an action-adventure about a royal family in rugged and mythic Scotland-- is slated to open Christmas 2011 starring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson.

"Cars 2," in which Lightning McQueen and his best friend Mater bid to take on the world's fastest cars, is due for release in summer 2012. "King of Elves," based on a 1953 short story by Phillip K. Dick, will hit screens at Christmas 2012.

So, Slate Magazine sent a reporter to Disney World for five days, alone.  So far, he's written four reports on the World and I'm really really annoyed by this guy.  He has absolutely no interest in being there, he slams everything.  It's really making me angry.  Why go with a hard heart and no interest in seeing the magic, the wonderment, the joy it brings to children and adults alike?

It bugs me endlessly that being jaded and grumpy seems to be the trendy outlooks of the time.  Not to mention snarky and sarcastic- two things I know I am. 

But at Disney?

Whatever.

Go read it.

As part of Disney's Year of a Million Dreams promotion, they're "hiring" a Chief Magic Official and made it a contest for Disney freaks like me.  All of the videos are in and you can now vote on your favorite at a nifty little website.

Patrick Hurd is my choice.  There's only three days left to vote!

Up early to get on the bus and get over to Hollywood Studios for breakfast with Playhouse Disney characters from Little Einsteins and Jojo's Circus.  It was pretty cool to be let into the park before it was actually open.  There was an entrance labeled "Character Breakfast" and they had the reservation list right there on a clipboard.  Very, very cool.  I felt special walking past all the families lined up to get into the park that morning, all lined up in the sun. 

It was our full day at Epcot and I was soooo excited.  We got a later start in the morning because we were only going to that one park-- my favorite park-- and we all wanted to sleep in a little. 

Up early this morning and dressed to head out to our first character dining experience.  Everyone told us to do Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary and I'm so glad we did.  We took the bus over to  Magic Kingdom and the monorail to the Contemporary.  I was temporarily distracted by a whole bank of pressed penny machines.  There was a family there with two kids crying while mom was digging through her purse looking for a quarter and explaining that the change machines weren't working.  Because I was prepared, I had a bag of cleaned pennies and two rolls of quarters.  I made change for the mom for two singles and made the kids smile.  I felt so good.  It cast a nice rosy glow over the morning for me.

This was our second day in the Magic Kingdom.  Wayne, Andy, Joey and I actually got to walk down Main Street in the morning, toward the castle.  We stopped to take pictures of Minnie and Mickey with some of Main Street's residents.  We handed them to this woman in Victorian garb and she made up this very funny little puppet show about Mickey trying to stop Minnie from shopping so much.  Very, very cute.  Maria was still absent at this point.  She joined us later that day. 

We tried to sleep in, I swear, but that Joey just loves 7 am.  We woke up, got dressed, stopped off at Classic Hall and refilled our mugs before heading to the Magic Kingdom.  I was so excited just waiting in line for the bus. 

While Wayne was at work on the 25th, I spent the day finishing up packing and cleaning the house so it would be nice when we got home.  I set up text message posting and voice posting to LJ. 

We went to Steve's house so he could have some time with the boys before we left for a week.  We all went to dinner at TGI Fridays and hung out for awhile before we went off to our hotel near the airport for the night.  I knew something was going to be off when we passed the airport and were nowhere near the exit for the hotel.  It actually was right next to Widener University so why it was the Philadelphia Airport Days Inn, I'll never know.  The room was big.  I'll give it that.  It wasn't the cleanest and the beds were HORRIBLE.  A few times over the course of the night we were roused from sleep by the fire engines pulling out of the fire station across the street. 

Up at 6 on Friday morning to leave the hotel at 7.  We left our car parked right out front and took the shuttle to the airport.  We checked in using a skycap service because we had too many bags to manage ourselves.  Two of our bags were overweight.  One by 4 pounds, the other by 8.  It was a $25 fee per bag.  Then I remembered I packed an extra duffle bag in case our souvenir shopping left us with too little space.  So I pulled out all of our shoes and some jeans to make the bags fit the weight requirements.  As we were headed toward security ther skycap reminded us they work for tips and while I would normally find that incredibly annoying, since he saved us $50, I tipped him.  Well. 

I highly recommend that anyone traveling with kids keep carry-on bags to a minimum.  We struggled to get through security and it was difficult.  Business travelers seemed annoyed with us and were in a big hurry.  Wayne and I just did our best to gather all of our stuff and the kids, re-shoe everyone, pull the stroller off the belts and get moving.  I was thrilled to see a little playground there for the kids to play in while we waited to board. 

On the plane, I sat with Joey and Wayne sat across the aisle from us with Andy.  We put Andy's headphones on and he watched Cars with no problems.  Joey started out okay, watching Nemo, but toward the end of the flight he wouldn't stay in his seat.  We tried magnadoodle and coloring too but he was tired and when Joey gets tired, Joey gets manic.  About 15 minutes before the end of the flight, he fell asleep.

We got off the plane and went right to the Disney Magical Express counter to get a bus to our resort.  We didn't even have to pick up our luggage!!  I think that's so awesome.  They sent us these yellow luggage tags before the trip and the staff at the airport pulls all those bags off and they seperately go to the resort and are delivered right to your room!  We only waited for a few minutes before loading onto a really nice bus where we saw a video about the parks and relaxed on our way to the resort. 

When we got there our room wasn't ready, so we went to the food court and ate.  I had an incredible parmesan-crusted chicken breast with a salad and Wayne has a cheesesteak wrap.  We walked around the resort and took pictures.  The kids played in a small playground.  It was so sunny and warm-- a really nice break from the grays of PA in the winter! 

We went to our room and unpacked.  The boys napped.  When Maria arrived we set out to Epcot because they were having extra magic hours.  Maria ate with us at the Electric Umbrella where we all had burgers and fries.  Maria left to meet a friend and the four of us went on the new Nemo ride at The Seas.  We saw Turtle Talk with Crush and went on the new (and incredibly disappointing) Journey into the Imagination.  It used to be one of my favorite rides at all of Disney and now it sort of sucks.  In Kodak's Imageworks Andy took a green screen photo where they added Lightning and Mater in later.  He loves it! 

We also walked all the way around the World Showcase before heading back to the hotel. 

If you haven't seen Ratatouille, you need to.  It's adorable.

Watched Pirates 1 last night for the first time in awhile.  Still love it.

Finally saw High School Musical.  I thought it was cute.

DVDs waiting to be watched:  Pirates 2 & 3, National Treasure, High School Musical 2.

Britney Spears:  What do they need to do to get this girl committed?  She seems to be in desperate need of serious help.  They need to take her back to Louisiana and away from the media, paparazzi and the disaster her life has become and let her heal.

Brad Renfro: Not really familiar with him or his work.

Writers Strike:  Sad that they had to acquiesce to taking unionizing animation and reality writers off the table to get talks started again but glad that maybe the strike will end soon.

Heath Ledger:  I loved Brokeback Mountain.  I'm very sad for his two-year-old daughter.  Otherwise, I don't really feel anything about it.  It's always sad when someone so young dies suddenly but I don't really feel upset by it.  I'm more upset about the needless deaths daily in the Middle East.  I don't get why all these celebrities are coming out with statements regarding his death.  He worked with Mel Gibson once and they're both Australian, so that's sort of understandable but John Travolta?  What's the connection there?

Just ordered tickets to see Rent on May 17, two weeks before it closes.  Wayne has only ever heard the CDs and seen the movie.  I'm psyched to see it live again.  The energy in that theater is just so intense and fun.  For Christmas I received tickets for Wicked on my birthday.  I've been psyched to see that for awhile too.  Now all that's left on my list is Spring Awakening.

Yesterday I shuffled all of our advance dining reservations for our table service meals in Disney to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours benefits for people staying at Disney Resorts.  Since it's so close, I couldn't change a couple of things and that leaves us running around a little bit more but that's okay.  Like on the day we're going to the Animal Kingdom we're actually having a character breakfast first at Hollywood Studios.  I'm so excited to leave (ONE WEEK!!!!) and proud of myself for really trying to maximize our enjoyment and researching how things work.  I can't wait to see my boys' faces when they're there.  They're so happy to watch the planning DVD that I know we're going to have a great time.

Other than that, I'm job searching..there are a couple things I'm really interested in doing if someone will only give me a chance. 

Andy is currently on the couch playing Click Start- which is his new favorite toy.  He likes the Typing Time game where he spells out the words he knows...Andy, Joey, Lexi, Mommy, THX.   Joey started doing something really funny this morning.  He tripped over something on the floor and fell and he shouted, "Fell down!" I asked if he was okay and he said, "Fine."  It's only funny because that's Andy's way to get some attention.