"Goodnight Darth Vader" book soon will be out

Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. Goodnight Darth Vader?

Yes, there is now going to be a bedtime story featuring the the Sith Lord himself. Writer/artist Jeffrey Brown has written and illustrated the book. Brown also wrote "Star Wars: Darth Vader & Son," "Star Wars: Vader's Little Princess" and "Star Wars: Jedi Academy."

According to starwars.com, in "Goodnight Darth Vader," little twins Luke and Leia want a bedtime story and who is better to tell it than daddy Vader.

The story, told in verse, pays homage to the Star Wars world with tales of Han Solo, Chewbacca, Boba Fett, heroes, aliens and villains, the website states.

The books is done with conjunction with Lucasfilm and Chronicle Books.

Read More

Guide to topiary locations at 2014 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Every year Disney unveils new topiaries for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. This year, it's Muppets.

Kermit The Frog and Miss Piggy are joining the numerous Disney and Pixar characters around the park for the 21st annual event.


Here are the locations of where the various topiaries will be during the festival lasting from March 5- May 18, 2014:

© Steven Liebman

Goofy, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck: The front entrance. The topiaries will have a new computer-generated look while telling a story. Goofy’s butterfly net will prove useless as topiary butterflies light on the back of his floral garb. A topiary bee buzzes on an exasperated Donald’s head. The garden will feature a real waterfall and pond with water lilies.

Mickey, Minnie and Pluto: Behind Spaceship Earth

Tinker Bell's Butterfly House: The West Side between Future World and the World Showcase.

Buzz Lightyear: Near Mission Space

Mater's Parts, Plants & Play Garden: Test Track Walkway

Phineas and Ferb: At the Odyssey Bridge

Mike & Sulley's Monstrous Garden: Imagination Walkway

Fantasia: World Showcase Plaza

Bambi and Friends: Canada Pavilion

Peter Pan and Captain Hook: United Kingdom Pavilion

Winnie the Pooh & Friends: United Kingdom Pavilion

Classic Disney Couples: International Gateway and the bridge to the France Pavilion

Beauty and the Beast: France Pavilion

Woody & Lotso : The American Adventure Pavilion

Lady and the Tramp: Italy Pavilion

Kermit the Frog & Miss Piggy: Between the Italy and Germany Pavilions

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Germany Pavilion

The Lion King: Outpost between the Germany Pavilion and the China Pavilion

Troll: Norway Pavilion

Pandas: China Pavilion

Soccer Goofy: Bridge between Future World and World Showcase

Read More

AT&T finishes network cell expansion at Disney Parks

AT&T has finished its network improvement at Disneyland and Disney World using a variety of small antennas.

After taking over as The Official Wireless Sponsor for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort AT&T announced its plan to expand its network. And it has, by using a variety of ways which are designed to blend "seamlessly into the aesthetics of the Disney Parks and Resorts, their impact has been easy to see," according to the AT&T blog.

"For the first time ever, we deployed outdoor Distributed Antenna Systems (oDAS) and indoor DAS (iDAS), repeaters and small cells on a large scale at one location," the blog states.

AT&T has also stated that its engineers have found where the small cells have been placed there has been more than a "10x increase in mobile voice and data traffic."

To get this done AT&T deployed more than 350 small cells, 25 DAS systems and 40 repeaters at all of the Disney properties in the U.S.

Read More

Anna and Kristoff meet in a deleted scene from 'Frozen'

Anna and Kristoff have a classic meet cute in "Frozen," when Kristoff arrives covered in snow and ice at Oaken's Trading Post (and Sauna) to buy carrots for Sven. But it almost didn't turn out that way.

As part of the run-up to the release of "Frozen" on DVD, Disney yesterday shared a rough animation of a deleted first meeting between Anna and a much-more-mercenary Kristof. "Frozen" will be available for download on HD Digital Feb. 25 and on Blu-ray DVD March 18.

We can't speak for Anna, but this would have made a terrible first impression on us.

See what you think of the deleted scene:

Read More

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival to start early this year

This year you'll have an extra week to get your fill of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

The event will kick off Sept. 19 and run through Nov. 10 (otherwise known as the unofficial start of the Christmas season at Disney). That's 53 days to eat and drink your way around almost 30 food and beverage marketplaces, attend food and wine seminars and chill with the Eat to the Beat concert series.

That makes 128 "days of yum" at Epcot this year, Disney points out, counting the Food & Wine Festival and the outdoor kitchens at the Flower & Garden Show.

Few other details have been announced about Food & Wine. Menus typically start to trickle out in the spring, and special events start booking in mid-August. We'll keep you in the know, or you can visit the official site.

Read More

Hong Kong Disneyland planning on building third hotel

Hong Kong Disneyland plans to build its third and largest hotel.

The hotel will have 750 rooms and is expected to be finished by 2017, according to the Hong Kong Standard.

The new hotel will be built between the two existing hotels, Disneyland Hotel and Hollywood Hotel, will have a rainforest and adventure theme with a pool and three restaurants, according to the website.

The resort is aiming to have the hotel opened by 2017 to meet the demand expected when the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is complete.

Read More

New Planes, Star Wars, Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy toys unveiled by Disney

Disney is going after the boys toy market by storm this year hoping that toys inspired by "Planes: Fire & Rescue," "Star Wars Rebels" "Guardians of the Galaxy" and Sony's "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will lead the way.

"We're excited to see these four properties take off at retail as we know these innovative products will resonate with kids and fans who want to create their own heroic stories," Josh Silverman, executive vice president, global licensing at Disney Consumer Products, said in a news release.

 Here are some of the toys being highlighted at the 2014 American International Toy Fair:

From Mattel this air racer Dusty Crophopper saves the day and puts out the blaze by scooping up “water” balls and racing to the rescue. Take aim, pull the lever and shoot the “water” balls at the “fire” targets to take them out. From Mattel this toy is $49.99 and will be available June 2014.

There are numerous die cast collectibles for $6.99 from Mattel. These will be available  June 2014.

The infrared deluxe RC helicopter from Thinkway is $59.99 and will be available August 2014.

The Planes: Fire and Rescue Action Shifters Burning Bridge Rescue from Mattel will be $34.99 and be available June 2014.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Star-Lord Role Play Set from Hasbro for $14.99. It will be available in July 2014.

Marvel's Guardian of the Galaxy Star-Lord Quad Blaster by Hasbro for $19.99. Available July 2014.

Marvel's Guardian of the Galaxy Spacecraft assortment by Hasbro for $14.99 each and will be available July 2014.

Marvel's Guardian of the Galaxy Rocket Racooon Action Mask by Hasbro for $19.99 and will be available July 2014.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Giant Web Slinging Spider-Man Figure by Hasbro for $29.99 will be available in Fall 2014.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Spider Strike Triple Strike Cruiser for $19.99 by Hasbro in the Spring of 2014.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Motorized Spider Force Web Blaster from Hasbro  for $19.99. Available in Spring 2014. 

Star Wars Command Millennium Falcon Set for $29.99 by Hasbro will be available in Fall 2014.

Star Wars Rebels Inquisitor Lightsaber from Hasbro

for $19.99 will be available in Fall 2014.

Read More