New D23 Expo Presentation Lineup Announced

By Zach Cooper
New presentations to take the stage at the 2015 D23 Expo in August have just been announced. These range anywhere from Mickey Mouse to Disneyland Home Movies. There is certainly something to see for everyone planning to attend! The expo runs August 14th-16th at the Anaheim Convention Center.


Charles Phoenix: Big Retro Disneyland Slide Show!
Friday, August 14, 10 a.m., Stage 28

Be prepared for your Disneyland-loving spirit to soar when the Ambassador of Americana takes you to the granddaddy of all theme parks when it opened. With his spectacular collection of “found” mid-century-era Kodachrome images, unbridled enthusiasm, and keen eye for detail, Charles shares the early days of Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, and Tomorrowland. See long-gone attractions, including the Phantom Boats, Flying Saucers, the Indian Village, PeopleMover, House of the Future, Carousel of Progress, and the original Tomorrowland—promoted as “The World of 1986”—and the all-new Tomorrowland in 1967. Your imagination will be inspired! 

Disneyland Home MoviesFriday, August 14, 4:30 p.m., Stage 28

While Disneyland is one of the most photographed places on earth, this collection of one-of-a-kind footage and photography offers a unique viewpoint from another time. From the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Randy Haberkamp, Managing Director of Preservation and Foundation Programs; Lynne Kirste, Special Collections Curator; and surprise special guests will take guests on a journey from Walt’s inspirations for Disneyland to the park’s opening and evolution, as captured on film. Suzanne Lloyd joins the presentation to showcase her grandfather Harold Lloyd’s stunning photography of Disneyland taken the week before the opening and on opening day.


A Goofy Movie 20th Anniversary Reunion!
Friday, August 14, 6 p.m., Stage 28

Fans of A Goofy Movie won’t want to miss this special commemoration of the beloved Disney animated feature, which turns 20 in 2015. Film producer Don Hahn hosts a panel of A Goofy Movie talent––including Disney Legend Bill Farmer (Goofy), Jason Marsden (Max), Jim Cummings (Pete), Rob Paulsen (P.J.), and writer Jymn Magon––who will share behind-the-scenes stories and surprising anecdotes from the fan-favorite musical.

KISS Rocks Out in a Restaurant for the Family

By Zach Cooper
Did you know KISS band members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are restaurant partners in a family friendly restaurant chain? It's true!

Rock & Brews is a great place for rockin food at affordable prices, good craft beers, and a family friendly atmosphere.

The team that makes this possible is Simmons and Stanley, along with a successful restauranteur Michael Zislis and concert merchandise veterans named Dave and Dell Furano.

The restaurant features quality food including wings, salads, burgers and pizzas. Each member of the family will crave the deliciousness offered on the menu, especially for the great prices. They also serve excellent beers for those in the family over 21.

There is also great merchandise that celebrate rock and roll!

Earlier in January, their 8th location opened up, which is located in Oviedo, Florida. Though, there are numerous locations around US and Mexico.

For a good experience for everyone in family and to have some fun, be sure to visit Rock & Brews if you're ever in the area of one of their many locations.

Visit their website at www.rockandbrews.com for a full list of locations.

Information courtesy of www.rockandbrews.com/companyfactsheet.
Video courtesy of "MouseSteps / JWL Media" channel on YouTube.

"Fast & Furious- Supercharged" Officially Debuts at Universal Studios Hollywood

By Zach Cooper

The race was on a couple days ago at Universal Studios Hollywood! Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham and Tyrese Gibson all were in attendance walking across the red carpet to premiere the new "Fast & Furious- Supercharged" segment on the Studio Tour.

Using 34 4K projectors, the new ride takes guests through the streets of the movie and on an exhilarating 120 mile/hr race. Monitors in the tram show unique video content filmed with cast members. Also inside are numerous cars from the series.

Visit www.universalstudioshollywood.com now to purchase tickets!

*Information courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood
*Video 1 (top) embedded from the YouTube channel "Universal Studios Hollywood"
*Video 2 (bottom) embedded from the YouTube channel "SoCal Attractions 360"

LEGO Friends Heartlake City Grand Opening at LEGOLAND Florida

 

 By Zach Cooper
After months of construction, LEGO Friends Heartlake City is officially open at LEGOLAND Florida Resort. The media opening was held earlier today. The area is based off the LEGO Friends toyline about five characters: Olivia, Stephanie, Mia, Emma and Andrea.

Heartlake City includes many different features:

Mia's Riding Adventure seats up to 40 passengers on a circular platform with horse-shaped seats. The attraction spins on a U shaped track.

Friends to the Rescue is a interactive performance inside Heartlake Hall.

Heartlake Stepping Tones Fountain is an interactive heart-shaped fountain.

Stephanie's Newsroom is a fun photo opportunity area at the Heartlake News Desk.

The Heartlake Mall is the place to shop for the best LEGO Friends products.


This weekend, the park with be hosting "Friends Weekend," including fun experiences only from June 26-28.

Buy tickets or book your stay overnight by visiting florida.legoland.com.


*Photos courtesy of Chip Litherland for LEGOLAND Florida/Merlin Entertainments Group Inc.
*Information sourced from LEGOLAND Florida. 

The Park... Is...Open ~ Jurassic World Review

(Trailer courtesy of YouTube channel "Universal Pictures")

By Andrew Carter

Jurassic World is the fourth movie of the 'Jurassic Park' trilogy. Jurassic Park is a series of movies dated in present time, the only difference is that they have dinosaurs. Dinosaurs have not roamed the earth for 65 million years ago. When group of scientist reinvents dinosaurs on an island, that can't be good. Right? So when John Hammond gets called to help the scientist "clean up their mess" he becomes the dinosaur expert for the first three movies. 

In the new movie, "The Park is Open"! There are completely different dinosaurs. In the first three, the dinosaurs were real actual dinosaurs that went 'rouge'. When the new movie came, out we saw genetically modified hybrid dinosaurs. The outcome was not so good...

Jurassic World is a luxury resort, providing a habitat for an a large number of genetically engineered dinosaurs, including the vicious and intelligent Indominus rex, created in a lab. When the massive creature escapes, it sets off a chain reaction that causes other creatures to attack. Now, its up to former military man and animal expert (Chris Pratt) to use his knowledge, skills and love with the animals to save two younger brothers and the rest of the tourists inside the grounds.

Most people in the theater enjoyed watching Jurassic World, including myself. This movie ended as all Jurassic movies end with a special guest coming to save the people. I would indefinitely give this movie a 10 out of 10 rating. 

THE WARRIORS Beat The Cavs

 

By Andrew Carter
The Warriors, a team native in Oakland California has won the NBA championship! No one really had faith in the Warriors because of the ages of the players. Also the last time that the Warriors had won was 1975. That was 40 years ago.

If you ever do attend a warriors game the atmosphere is amazing and the games is very interactive. During the game you have challenges and tasks to complete. The best part is the halftime shows due to all of the excitement.  When I attend the games I do notice a lot of children and family members at the Oracle Arena.

A little background information on the Warriors is that when they first won the championship in 1975, they played in the Cow Palace (which is a big auditorium in San Francisco), which is when the name and jerseys said Golden Sate Warriors. Only now the jerseys just says Warriors. Finale fact about the Warriors is that Stephen Curry (#30) won the MVP trophy for the entire basketball series  and then Andre Iguodala won the MVP trophy for the playoffs.

Walt Disney Animation Studios at the 2015 D23 Expo

By Zach Cooper

The D23 Expo is back and bigger than ever this year, including more presentations, panels and other experiences from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Released today from D23 was list of events.

*List is directly from D23. 

Every Story Is a Journey: The Upcoming Films of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation StudiosFriday, August 14, 3:00 pm  - Hall D23After meeting the Emotions inside the mind of an 11-year-old, taking a trip to San Fransokyo where a boy genius and his robot save the world, and falling in love with a queen with icy powers who wants to “let it go,” come see where Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios plan to take you next. In what has become a D23 EXPO must-see, host John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, presents “Every Story is a Journey.” Filmmakers will unveil never-before-seen footage from Pixar’s upcoming The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory and Disney Animation’s Zootopia and Moana. The event will include surprise announcements, musical performances, and appearances by the films’ star voice talent. Cell phones, cameras and all recording devices will be checked for this presentation.
Welcome to Zootopia!Saturday, August 15, 1:30 pm - Stage 28Welcome to Zootopia, a magnificent mammal metropolis, and home to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ next feature, the comedy-adventure Zootopia. Join directors Byron Howard (Tangled, Bolt) and Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), producer Clark Spencer (Wreck-It Ralph, Bolt), and artists from the incredible production team as they introduce rookie rabbit-officer Judy Hopps, con-artist fox Nick Wilde and a host of dynamic animal characters, sharing footage and behind-the-scenes stories with D23 EXPO-goers.
Aladdin – The Making of a ClassicSaturday, August 15, 6:00 pm - Stage 28Join Walt Disney Animation Studios filmmakers, including legendary directors John Musker and Ron Clements, animators Eric Goldberg (Genie) and Mark Henn (Jasmine), as well as Jasmine herself, Linda Larkin, and the two actors who gave life to the character Aladdin: Scott Weinger and Brad Kane, as they unveil the stories behind one of the great Disney classics, Aladdin, a film that led to a “whole new world” for animation.
The Shorts of Walt Disney Animation Studios: from Paperman to Prep & Landing, Feast to Frozen FeverSunday, August 16, 11:30 am - Stage 28When Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded the Disney Brothers Studio in 1923, their first medium for storytelling was the animated short. More than 90 years later, Walt Disney Animation Studios continues this tradition, making groundbreaking and award-winning shorts including Feast, Paperman and this year’s hit Frozen Fever. Join the filmmakers behind these shorts and so many others, including Get a Horse!, John Henry, Lorenzo and The Ballad of Nessie for a conversation about this truly animated art form. 
Frozen FANdemonium: A Musical Celebration!Sunday, August 16, 3:00 pm - Hall D23Join host Chris Montan, president, Walt Disney Music, and the Oscar^®-winning songwriting team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez as they take you on a once-in-a-lifetime musical journey through the world of Frozen. This one-day-only performance features your favorite friends from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film—including Anna and Elsa––with sing-along experiences and fascinating stories behind some of your favorite Frozen songs.
The Tunes Behind the Toons: Screening/Q&ASunday, August 16, 6:00 pm, Stage 28D23 EXPO invites you to a special screening and Q&A panel for The Tunes Behind the Toons, a short form documentary that celebrates the power of music in animation. From the silent film days when organists played live accompaniments, to the music within today’s animated features, this documentary traces the origins of cartoon music and its pioneers. Featuring interviews with Alan Menken, Randy Newman, Patrick Doyle, Mark Watters, Bruce Broughton, Richard Sherman and many others. Producer/director Dave Bossert will lead a star-studded Q&A following the presentation.
ON THE EXPO SHOW FLOOR:
Animation – Show Floor ExhibitionFor the first time at D23 EXPO, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios have created a joint experience no Disney fan should miss. With live demonstrations, presentations and autograph signings with top filmmakers from each studio, plus free giveaways and interactive displays featuring the films Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Zootopia, Finding Dory and Moana, this is a can’t-miss attraction for animation fans.
An Animator’s Gallery: Eric GoldbergD23 EXPO 2015 hosts the first public exhibition anywhere of “An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg.” Celebrate Goldberg, whose artistry at Walt Disney Animation Studios began with his groundbreaking work on Genie in Aladdin, and continues to this day on projects such as the upcoming Moana and the 2014 Oscar^®-nominated Mickey Mouse short Get A Horse! The exhibition features a collection of more than 100 of Goldberg’s caricatured creations of Disney characters, drawn in a style reminiscent of art seen on the famed walls of Sardi's Restaurant and The Brown Derby. This incredible collection of art is from the newly released book An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg Draws the Disney Characters, and will be available for purchase in the Walt Disney Publishing pop-up shop on the EXPO show floor.
Frozen Album SigningWith the purchase of Frozen: The Songs or Frozen Picture Disc at the Disney Music Emporium, guests will be issued a wristband to secure a space for an album signing with Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez and Tom MacDougall (Co-Producer, Frozen Soundtrack) on Saturday, August 15 at 10:30 am.


Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are available at a discounted price for a limited time. Through June 30, 2015, tickets are $67 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $58 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $188 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.