LEGO debuts six Disney princess sets Jan. 1

The next time you visit a LEGO store, you may find a distinctly pink-and-purple section carved out among all the Star Wars and Hobbit sets: Disney's princesses are coming.

Cinderella, Ariel, Merida and Rapunzel will debut Jan. 1 in six sets:

• Ariel's Amazing Treasures (77 pieces, $12.99) -- includes Ariel, Flouder and a few whosits and whatsits
• Ariel's Magical Kiss (250 pieces, $29.99) -- includes Ariel and Eric, as well as Eric's castle and, of course, his rowboat
• Cinderella's Dream Carriage (274 pieces, $29.99, pictured at right and below) -- includes Cinderella and one white horse, which does not change back into a mouse
• Cinderella's Romantic Castle (646 pieces, $69.99) -- including Cinderella, Prince Charming and a variety of accessories, including the famous glass slipper
• Rapunzel's Creativity Tower (299 pieces, $39.99) -- includes Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder, as well as Pascal
• Merida's Highland Games (145 pieces, $19.99) -- includes Merida and her three baby bear brothers. 

The characters are designed in the style of LEGO Friends -- less blocky than the LEGO you might be picturing in your mind.

The sets are available through Amazon.com or other online retailers. For more information, visit LEGO's Disney Princesses website.

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Disney starts the year with a vacation-a-day giveaway

Disney is ringing in the New Year with a new vacation-a-day giveaway, and there's still time to enter for the first day's drawing.

The prize: A five-day, four-night vacation for four to either Disney World or Disneyland. The giveaway starts tonight, Dec. 31, and continues through Jan. 31. You have to enter each day to be eligible for that day's drawing.

Disney also will post a new video every day featuring a Disney celebrity talking about how they resolve to spend more time with family this year.

Enter online and watch the videos at Disney's Family Time Resolutions 2014 site.

Good luck!

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Tickets on sale for 'Aladdin' on Broadway, opening March 2014

Tickets are on sale for Disney's "Aladdin" on Broadway.

The Disney animated film has been turned into a Broadway show with previews beginning Feb. 26, 2014 and an opening night of March 20, 2014 at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.

Casey Nicholaw who co-directed and choreographed "The Book of Mormon" and worked on "Elf: The Musical", "The Drowsy Chaperone" and "Monty Python's Spamalot" directs and choreographs the musical.

The show will feature music by Alan Menken; lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin with a book by Beguelin, who is a two-time Tony nominee for his work on the Broadway musical "The Wedding Singer" and wrote the lyrics for l "Elf."

The cast features Jonathan Freeman as Jafar. Now, if his voice sounds familiar, it should. He is the voice of Jafar in the movie version.

Playing Aladdin is Adam Jacobs He has played Marius in "Les Miserable" and Simba in "The Lion King" on Broadway.

Playing the role of Genie - made famous in the movie by Robin Williams' voice - is James Monroe Iglehart, who originated the role of Bobby in the Tony Award-winning musical "Memphis" and is a member of the hip hop improv group Freestyle Love Supreme.

Courtney Reed, who played Carla on Broadway in "In the Heights" and was in "Mamma Mia!" plays Jasmine.
And playing everyone's favorite bad bird is Don Darryl Rivera, making his Broadway debut as Iago.

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Three Kings Day celebration taking place at California Adventure from Jan. 3-6, 2014

Three Kings Day celebration will be held at California Adventure this year with a street party, music and traditional Mexican food.

Dia de los Reyes Magos commemorates the day the three kings followed the star to Bethlehem bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. It will take place Jan. 3-6, 2014. It has been celebrated for generations in Spain, Mexico, Central America and other nations, as part of the Christmas story.

Disney publicity photo

According to a Disney news release, the celebration will take place in the Paradise Garden area, site of “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!,” which is inspired by the warmth and joyous holiday spirit of the Latino culture. The ongoing “¡Viva Navidad!” festival features arts and crafts, storytelling and face-painting, along with a selection of special merchandise.

A special performance, six times a day, features the Three Caballeros on a holiday float, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse transported on brightly decorated street tricycles, flag-bearers carrying papel picado banners, Mexican folklorico dancers, samba dancers and drummers, plus giant “Mojiganga” puppets, including Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

Statues of the Three Kings will be displayed in Paradise Garden. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy also will appear there in “fiesta” costumes, along with The Three Caballeros.

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Photo: 'The Bachelor's ' Juan Pablo Galavis visits Disney World

The star of the upcoming "The Bachelor," Juan Pablo Galavis visited Disney World this week and mugged for the camera with Mickey Mouse.

A professional soccer player for seven years, he retired in 2008, he has been chosen the first ethnic star for the ABC show, which starts Jan. 5, 2014. He is now in sports and entertainment consulting.

He did appear on "The Bachelorette" in May 2013 but was eliminated. His daughter Camila with his former girlfriend, Venezuelan actress Carla Rodriguez, was born Feb. 14, 2009.

Disney publicity photo by Disney photographer Matt Stroshane

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Duffy the Disney Bear will get new costumes in 2014

The new year will bring a new clothes collection for Duffy the Disney Bear.

The Disney merchandise team has announced that there will be a new 12-inch pre-dressed bear coming out in 2014 and a variety of costumes will be coming out for the 17-inch bear, according to the Disney Parks Blog.

Some of the new costumes will be a new St. Patrick's Day and Easter inspired costumes as well as this inspired by "Pinocchio," "Steamboat Willie and Jake" and the "Never Land Pirates."

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Goodnight all from Epcot

When leaving Epcot at Disney World during closing, you might get a goodnight nod from the projections here on Spaceship Earth.

 

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Disney, Marvel DVD and Blu-ray releases for 2014: April-May

The next two months are is a fairly light DVD and Blu-ray release schedule with the exception of one big movie - "The Pirate Fairy."  Here's an update of what's coming out for April and May. (Updated: March 29)

April 1, 2014

"The Pirate Fairy" is another visit to Pixie Hollow. According to the official description, "When a misunderstood dust-keeper fairy named Zarina steals Pixie Hollow’s all-important Blue Pixie Dust, and flies away to join forces with the pirates of Skull Rock, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends must embark on the adventure of a lifetime to return it to its rightful place. However, in the midst of their pursuit of Zarina, Tink’s world is turned upside down. She and her friends find that their respective talents have been switched and they have to race against time to retrieve the Blue Pixie Dust and return home to save Pixie Hollow.

April 22, 2014

"The Spectacular Spider-Man: Complete Series" comes out on Blu-ray. This is the two seasons of the animated series from 2008-2009.

"Spider-Man 3" re-mastered in 4K is coming out on Blu-ray.

The Spider-Man trilogy. The first three Spider-Man movies in a 4-Disc set.

"Cloud 9" is a Disney Channel release. It follows Kayla, a prima donna snowboarder who was just unceremoniously dropped from her team and forced to train with Will, a former snowboarding champion who's struggling after a career-ending wipe-out. A video capturing it went viral, branding him an "epic fail" on the Internet. Now, as Kayla trains with Will to redeem her stature, Will creates a training regimen that tests whether she's really committed to rise to the challenge of professional competition. Meanwhile, Kayla must somehow maneuver to inspire Will to overcome his biggest obstacle - self-doubt.

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List of Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilm movie releases for remaining 2014 and beyond

Superheroes and different perspectives on fairytales are what's coming up in 2014 in movie theaters by Disney.

The one thing you won't be seeing is a Pixar movie. "The Good Dinosaur," which was supposed to come out in 2014 was moved back too 2015 by Pixar for more some more work.

There's a full list of movies, including the adaptation of the Tony-winning play "Into the Woods," which will come out next Christmas. (This has been updated May 1, 2014)

For all of you Marvel fans, in addition to the Disney/Marvel produced movies coming out the year, there are more Marvel movies coming out from Columbia Pictures and 20th Century Fox.

To get you caught up on the movie calendar moving forward, here is a list of the Disney, Lucasfilm, Marvel and Pixar release dates for the next few years:

May 2, 2014, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2": With the emergence of Electro (Jamie Foxx), Spider-Man must confront a foe far more powerful than he. And as his old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, Peter Parker comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: OsCorp.

May 16, 2014 "Million Dollar Arm": This is a sports drama based on the true story of baseball pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel who were discovered by sports agent J.B. Bernstein after winning a reality show competition.

May 23, 2014, X-Men: Days of Future Past": The X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods. The characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from "X-Men: First Class" in a battle that must change the past – to save their future.

May 30, 2014, "Maleficent":  This is the untold story of Disney’s most beloved villain from the 1959 classic "Sleeping Beauty," reveals the events that hardened Maleficent’s heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora. This stats Angelina Jolie as Maleficent.

July 18, 2014, "Planes: Fire & Rescue": In this sequel to "Planes," when world famous air racer Dusty  learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting planned.

August 1, 2014, "Guardians of the Galaxy":  An American pilot and a group of futuristic ex-cons go on the run with a highly coveted object in space.

August 8, 2014, "The Hundred-Foot Journey": The Hundred-Foot Journey is based on the international best-selling book by Richard C. Morais and tells the story of an Indian boy living in France who becomes the culinary apprentice to his father’s rival. Lasse Hallstrom has signed on direct; Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake are producing the film.

October 10, 2014,  "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day": This movie stars Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner, is now dated for wide release on  Miguel Arteta will direct and 21 Laps and The Jim Henson Company have signed on to produce the film. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, based on the award-winning children’s book by Judith Viorst, follows young Alexander through the mishaps of a terrible day for his family after he wishes they all would experience the same troubles he does.

November 7, 2014, "Big Hero 6": This is the first direct Disney/Marvel movie. It is a computer animated adaptation of the comic book series Big Hero 6.

"Big Hero 6"

November 21, 2014, "McFarland":  Kevin Costner stars as a high school track team coach at McFarland, California where he lead the Latino students through several social issues of the 1980s to win a championship.

Dec.  25, 2014,  "Into the Woods": Based on the Tony-winning original musical by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim, the story follows a baker and his wife’s quest to break a witch’s curse in order to start a family. Along the way, the couple encounters several well-known fairy tale characters, and together they learn what happens after “happily ever after.” Rob Marshall directs.

2015

March 13, 2015, "Cinderella": Helena Bonham Carter has been cast as the fairy godmother in Disney’s upcoming live-action feature directed by Kenneth Branagh. The announced cast includes Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother, Lily James in the title role and Richard Madden as the prince.

May 1, 2015, "Avengers: Age of Ultron": A sequel to the 2012 blockbuster movies is being directed by Joss Whedon.

May 22, 2015, "Tomorrowland": The film is being directed by Brad Bird and written and produced by Bird and Damon Lindelof. George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy and Thomas Robinson have been tapped to star in the film.

June 19, 2015, "The Fantastic Four" the reboot from 20th Century Fox.

July 17, 2015, "Ant-Man": Biochemist Dr. Hank Pym uses his latest discovery, a group of subatomic particles, to create a size-altering formula. Though his first self-test goes awry, he develops an instrument that helps him communicate with and control insects.

June 19, 2015, "Inside Out":  A Pixar movie looking inside the mind of a little girl.

Oct. 9, 2015, "The Jungle Book": Jon Favreau directs this adaptation of Rudyard Kiplings's tale of a boy named Mowgli is raised by wolves.

November 25, 2015, "The Good Dinosaur": What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? This original tale is directed by Bob Peterson (co-director/writer, "Up;" writer, "Finding Nemo") and produced by John Walker ("The Incredibles," "The Iron Giant"). This movie was moved back from a 2014 release date.

Dec. 18, 2015, "Star Wars Episode VII": The long awaited continuation of the Star Wars saga is to start production in 2014 and is being directed by J.J. Abrams. 

2016

Third Amazing Spider-Man in development from Columbia Pictures

"Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Dead Men Tell No Tales": The fifth installment in the successful series starring Johnny Depp

March 4, 2016, "Zootopia": In this Walt Disney Animation Studios production, a fast-talking fox who's trying to make it big goes on the run when he's framed for a crime he didn't commit. Zootopia's top cop, a self-righteous rabbit, is hot on his tail, but when both become targets of a conspiracy, they're forced to team up and discover even natural enemies can become best friends.

May 6, 2016, Untitled Marvel movie

May 27, 2016: "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

May 27, 2016: "X-Men Apocalypse," in development will acts a sequel to "X-Men Days of Future Past."

June 17, 2016,  "Finding Dory": This Pixar movie is the sequel to "Finding Nemo" focusing on Dory.

July 8, 2016, Untitled Marvel movie

Nov. 23, 2016, Untitled Disney animated movie

Dec. 16, 2016, Untitled Star Wars standalone film

2017 and Beyond

March 3, 2017: A sequel to The Wolverine from 20th Century Fox.

May 5, 2017, Untitled Marvel movie

June 16, 2017, Untitled Pixar animated movie

July 4, 2017: "Fantastic Four" sequel coming from 20th Century Fox.

Nov. 22, 2017, Untitled Pixar animated movie

2018: Amazing Spider-Man 4

March 9, 2018, Untitled Disney animated movie

June 15, 2018, Untitled Pixar animated movie

July 13, 2015: An Untitled Marvel movie from 20th Century Fox.

Nov. 21, 2018, Untitled Disney animated movie

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Photos: Tour of Primeval Whirl at Animal Kingdom in Disney World

Sometimes it's the simplest rides which give you a smile. On a recent trip to Disney World, I once again went on  Primeval Whirl at Animal Kingdom.

For those not familiar with the attraction, it is a simple small wild mouse roller coaster you might find a boardwalk. The big twist is that the cars on the coaster spin at times. So as the car moves forward, it also moves around 360 degrees. The ride is themed with a few dinosaurs and idea that a meteor is coming to destroy the earth and the dinosaurs.

What do you think?

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

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"Limited Time Magic" 2014 merchandise on sale through Jan. 9

It seems like this Limited Time Money -- er, Magic -- thing has worked out okay for Disney, because it's bleeding over into the new year.

Disney has started sales of its Limited Time Magic 2014 castle design on T-shirts and other merchandise. All of the products feature the design pictured at right. The design, inspired by "it's a small world," was chosen by fans on Disney's social networks earlier this year.

Although the print and the mug do not include the 2014 date, the other products have worked the year into the design.

These products are available only through Jan. 9 and will ship after Feb. 21. You can find all of these on the Disney Store website:

• White t-shirt for adults ($24.95) and an off-white, flecked t-shirt for women ($32.95) 
• Mug ($12.95) 
• iPhone 4/4S and 5/5S cases ($34.95)
• Women's watch ($45)
• Matted print, 18x14" ($39.95) 

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Jim Henson bio turns us on to early Muppets videos

Reading this year's well-reviewed biography of Jim Henson by Brian Jay Jones has set me on a mission to revisit the entire Muppet oeuvre. My most delightful discovery? Some of Henson's early commercial work with Muppets.

Real Muppet aficionados are probably well aware of these shorts, which are available on YouTube. But they came as a surprise to me.

My favorites: Henson's series of 10-second commercials for Wilkins Coffee, a local Washington D.C. coffee company. The ads star "Wilkins," who likes Wilkins Coffee, and "Wontkins," who doesn't. They highlight Henson's delight in Muppets doing violence to one another: At one point Wilkins actually pulls a gun on Wontkins. Henson made almost 180 commercials for Wilkins Coffee from 1957-1961. For all the violence, the ads are laugh-out-loud funny, and TV viewers tuned in to some shows in the DC market just to see what Wilkins would do to Wontkins next.



How successful were the Wilkins ads? The company saw its sales rise 25% after the ads started to run. You can see more of the ads on the Muppet Wiki.

It's also fun to see a proto-Cookie Monster chewing the scenery for an IBM training film Henson made in 1967. Look at those teeth! It's no wonder the Muppet team made Cookie less toothsome when he made his move to Sesame Street.

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Tokyo Disneyland looks to expand

Tokyo Disneyland is planning to expand.

The Oriental Land Co., Ltd, which operates the Tokyo Disney Resort says it plans to acquire 8.8 square miles (23,382 square meters) within the Tokyo Disney Resort area for future use.

The land is owned by Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, which will sell the land for 9.319 million yen or about $88, 600.

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Minnie Mouse Marathon Bra introduced by Champion

In an attempt to add some Disney style to running gear, Champion Athleticwear has designed a new Marathon Bra featuring Minnie Mouse, according to the runDisney blog.

The Minnie Marathon Bra has been designed for runDisney and will be sold at the Champion Athleticwear booth and with other runDisney merchandise during Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo, Jan. 8-11, 2014 during the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.

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Atlanta Braves 2014 spring training schedule at Disney World is available

Part of the entertainment during the winter and spring at Disney World is Spring Training.

The Atlanta Braves play at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from Feb. 26 to March 26, 2014.

Here is the complete 2014 schedule:

• Wednesday, February 26 Detroit Tigers 1:05pm
• Friday, February 28 Houston Astros 6:05pm
• Sunday, March 2 Detroit Tigers 1:05pm
• Monday, March 3 New York Mets 1:05pm
• Tuesday, March 4 Washington Nationals 1:05pm
• Thursday, March 6 Washington Nationals 6:05pm
• Saturday, March 8 Miami Marlins 1:05pm
• Tuesday, March 11 Philadelphia Phillies 1:05pm
• Wednesday, March 12 Washington Nationals 1:05pm
• Friday, March 14 Tampa Bay Rays 1:05pm
• Saturday, March 15 St. Louis Cardinals 1:05pm
• Wednesday, March 19 New York Yankees 1:05pm
• Friday, March 21 Detroit Tigers 1:05pm
• Saturday, March 22 Boston Red Sox 1:05pm
• Sunday, March 23 New York Mets 1:05pm
• Monday, March 24 Houston Astros 6:05pm
• Wednesday, March 26 Miami Marlins 1:05pm

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Disney officials to discuss 1st quarter 2014 financial results in February

Walt Disney Company officials will discuss fiscal first quarter 2014 financial results through a live audio webcast on Feb. 5, 2014.

Every quarter officials discuss financial results. This webcast will begin at 5 p.m. EST. Results will be released at about 4:15 p.m. EST.

The webcast can be listened to at www.disney.com/investors. The audio cast will be available through Feb.19, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

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Disneyland ride and attraction closings and refurbishments in 2014: July-November

© Steven Liebman

The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage will close for work

starting in January for about nine months.

Here is a look at closings and refurbishments scheduled for Disneyland and California Adventure. These closings are subject to change, so check before you go: (Updated July 5)

Jan. 5 - Sept. 26, 2014: Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is closed for refurbishment.

March 10 - July 3, 2014: Alice in Wonderland close for refurbishment.

May 27 - July 3, 2014: Space Mountain closed for refurbishment.

Aug. 25 - Nov. 13, 2014: Matterhorn Bobsleds closed for refurbishment.

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Disney puts Olaf's summer song from 'Frozen' online

If you enjoyed the whimsical "Summer Sung" in Disney's latest movie "Frozen," you can now watch it again - for free.

Disney has put online the video of the song sung by the magical snowman Olaf, who dreams of summer fun, but has no idea what happens to snow in the summer.

Summer Song - Frozen on Disney Video

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Disney World ride and attraction closings and refurbishments in 2014: July -December

The Tomorrowland Speedway, and the Astro Orbiter at Disney World have been closed for refurbishment but should open this month.

These closings are subject to change, so make sure you check the Disney World site before you head out for your trip.  (Updated, July 11)

June 2 - Aug. 4, 2014: Tomorrowland Transit People Mover closed for refurbishment.

June 2 - Sept. 19, 2014: Astro Orbiter will be closed for refurbishment.

July 7 - Aug. 11, 2014: It's Tough to Be A Bug at Animal Kingdom is closed for refurbishment.

Aug. 4 - Aug. 8, 2014: Liberty Square Riverboat closed for refurbishment.

Sept. 8 - Sept. 19, 2014: Mickey's Philharmagic closed for refurbishment.

Sept. 22- Sept. 28, 2014: Carousel of Progress closed for refurbishment.

Sept. 28 - Nov. 9, 2014: Walt Disney Railroad is closed for refurbishment.

Oct. 26 - Jan. 3, 2015: Typhoon Lagoon closed for refurbishment.

Jan. 1 - March 6, 2015: Cinderella's Royal Table closed for refurbishment.

Jan. 4 -March 14, 2015: Blizzard Beach closed for refurbishment.

Jan. 5, 2015: American Idol Experience at Hollywood Studios will permanently close.

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Lineup for the 2014 Night of Joy announced

The lineup for the 2014 Night of Joy at Disney World has been set and announced.

Publicity photo of the Casting Crowns who will perform
at the Night of Joy.

The Christian music festival a the Magic Kingdom features live performances by Christian stars. Entrance to the events is a separate ticket.

Disney has announced the following lineup:

Sept. 5, 2014

Hillsong United
Chris Tomlin
Matthew West
For King & Country
Mandisa
Building 429
Matt Maher
The Neverclaim

Sept. 6, 2014:

Skillet
Casting Crowns
MercyMe
Israel Houghton & New Breed
Britt Nicole
Colton Dixon
Rhett Walker
We As Human
One Girl Nation

Ticket information is not yet available and should be available in the Spring, according to Disney. More information is available at nightofjoy.com.

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Twitter co-founder joins Walt Disney Company Board of Directors

Photo by Andrew Mager/Wikimedia

Jack Dorsey has joined the Walt Disney Company 

Board of Directors.

The chairman of Twitter and CEO of Square Inc. has joined the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors as an independent director.

“Disney is a timeless company, one we all grow up learning from and admiring,” said Jack Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter.

“The perspective he brings to Disney and its Board is extremely valuable, given our strategic priorities, which include utilizing the latest technologies and platforms to reach more people and to enhance the relationship we have with our customers,” Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chairman and chief executive officer, said in a news release.

Dorsey will stand for election along with the company’s other directors at the annual meeting on March 18, 2014.

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Significant milestone at Shanghai Disneyland

A significant milestone has been taken place at the Shanghai Disney Resort with the topping of a the front of a house building.

A publicity photo of  a topping off ceremony at Shanghai
Disney Resort

The moment was commemorated when concrete was poured into the last section of the roof structure for a key building in the resort's retail, dining and entertainment area, according to a Disney press release.

The building is near  the site of a number of dining and entertainment options.

Shanghai Disney Resort's retail, dining and entertainment district will be made up of a 46,000 square meter pedestrian-access area and will be located next to Shanghai Disneyland, Shanghai Disney Resort's Magic Kingdom-style theme park.

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Special Photo: Merry Christmas to all

From us at Disney Diary to all of you:

May Christmas bring you the best gifts all: Love and laughter.

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Videos and Photos: Jingle Cruise Christmas and jokes

This year one more attraction at Disney World has been altered for the Christmas holiday.

The Jungle Cruise has been transformed into the Jingle Cruise, complete with jokes tailored to the new ride.  Here is a video of all of the jokes and a photo gallery of the changes made to the ride.

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

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Disney Holiday Photo: Santa Mickey hat

There are numerous ways to dress up Disney World during the holiday season. One way is a simple Santa Mickey Hat. Put it on anything and you got a holiday look.

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Vin Diesel to voice Groot in Marvel's 'The Guardians of the Galaxy'

Vin Diesel, the man behind the Riddick and the Fast and the Furious franchises will voice Groot in the upcoming "Guardians of the Galaxy," Marvel has announced.

The Guardians of the Galaxy is about a futuristic group of beings which must join forces to defeat a big bad - think of it as The Avengers from the 31st Century. The team includes Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Racoon, Zoe Saldana as Gamora and Dave Bautista as Drax.

The film will  be in theaters Aug. 1, 2014.

Vin Diesel has starred in three Riddick movies and four of the six movies in the "Fast & Furious" series.

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Disney releases movie poster of Jon Hamm in 'Million Dollar Arm'

Disney today has released the trailer and poster of "Million Dollar Arm" starring Jon Hamm.

The movie tells the story of JB Bernstein, a sports agent who uses an unconventional recruitment strategy to get talented Asian cricket players Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel to to become pitchers in Major League Baseball.

The movie is scheduled for release, May 16, 2014.

The movie trailer is below.

Trailer - Million Dollar Arm on Disney Video

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Video: Behind the scenes stories about the music of 'Mary Poppins'

Music plays such an important role in all Disney movies and in "Saving Mr. Banks" we learn how the music was created for the "Mary Poppins."

"Saving Mr. Banks" is the behind the scenes story of how Walt Disney convinced "Mary Poppins" author P.L. Travers to sell the movie rights to her book. It a look at what the real story is behind making of the movie.

In this Disney video, Disney Legend Richard Sherman and Disney Producer Randy Thornton tell the story behind the music of "Saving Mr. Banks" and "Mary Poppins". Plus, Richard Sherman, part of the duo who wrote the music for "Mary Poppins" plays some of his favorite musical moments from this iconic soundtrack.


The Story Behind The Music - Saving Mr. Banks Soundtrack on Disney Video

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Photo: Ornaments in France Pavilion at Epcot in Disney World

What do the ornaments on your Christmas tree look like? Here are a couple of ornaments created and on display at the France Pavilion at Epcot in Disney World.

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Photos: The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs at Disney World

New this year during the Holidays Around the World at Epcot in Disney World is the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs.

The singing group, featuring the members of the Off Kilter, the Celtic rock band which normally play at the Canada pavilion, takes guest on a journey across the Great White North, exploring holiday traditions and songs.

Here is a quick look at the band:

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

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Disney World to expand FastPass+ system, report says

These paper FastPasses are on the way out
at Disney World, with a new test at Animal
Kingdom. (Disney publicity photo)

Disney is planning to expand testing this week of the MyMagic+ project to all visitors at Animal Kingdom theme park, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The current testing has been kept to guests staying on Disney property at Disney resorts. Using the FastPass+ ride reservations system guests were allied to obtain three FastPasses a day.

Starting Wednesday, the test will be expanded to include guests staying off property and day-trippers. This means for the first time the paper based FastPass system, which has been around for more than a decade, will be turned off.

Eventually, Disney will get retire the entire paper based system in favor of the RFID MyMagic+ technology.

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Star Wars Weekend dates at Disney World are announced

Disney publicity photo

Disney has announced on its website the dates for the Star Wars weekends in 2014 at Disney World.

Star Wars celebrities, special shows and presentations take place each weekend at Hollywood Studios. The events will take place May 16 through June 8, 2014.

Who will be attending and other information will be available early next year.

Broken down, the Friday, Saturday and Sunday weekends are:

• May 16 – 18, 2014
• May 23 – 25, 2014
• May 30 – June 1, 2014
• June 6 – 8, 2014

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Disney Animated is named Apple's iPad app of the year

Apple has named "Disney Animated" its iPad app of the year.

The app, which brings the Walt Disney Animation Studio to life, tells the history of the of Disney animation through a special hands-on experience. The interactive images and animated clips explain Disney visual effects and contained a timeline of all 53 Disney animated films.

The $9.99 app joins a list of numerous 2013 Best apps from the Apple Store.

The app was also selected by Mashable as a Mashie Award finalist for Best Branded App. It was also awarded Best Digital Book in the FutureBook 2013 Innovation Awards.

Here is the list of all the Best of 2013.

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Disney Holiday Photos: A look at the ornaments on the Animal Kingdom Christmas Tree

All around Disney World during the holiday season are Christmas trees. They are in every park and at every resort. 

In total, 1,300 decorated Christmas trees can be found throughout the resort. Many of them have their own distinct decorations.

For example, the tree outside the Animal Kingdom Park is filled with all kinds of animal themed ornaments. Take a closer look below at the tree:

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

© Steven Liebman

   

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