Hello, and thanks for all the well wishes! I’m still (sort of) obeying doctor’s orders (and missing AP days, dash it all!) but it gave me time to catch up on some video, including finding some old chestnuts from the 70s and 80s that Disney put out to celebrate theme park milestones. (Like the 60th Anniversary special, they were more about popular acts like the Miami Sound Machine and the cast of The Dukes of Hazzard than about the park itself.) I also got a sneak preview of The Good Dinosaur DVD/Blu-Ray/Digital Download combo, which hits the streets TODAY, and it’s pretty sweet.  Over at Walt Disney World, one of our favorite artists is doing a couple of shows and closer to (my) home, the Human Animal is going to go bananas over the newest version of the Disney corn dog.

Good Dinosaur, Great Bonus Material!

Disney-Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur hits the streets as you read this, so order a copy right now! The DVD copy only has two things, the commentary, which is very, very good and has a disclaimer that it’s not the opinion of the legal official Disney anything, and Sanjay’s Super Team, one of the greatest shorts of this century, plus a really cool short film that will make you want to pack up your family and go to Wyoming for a week to clean dinosaur bones with paintbrushes for fun, and taught me that I have been saying diplodocus wrong all my life. I like the way it sounds when I say it better, so I’m going to keep saying it that way. It always sounds precocious.

With the BluRay, the extras are more plentiful, adding over two hours of entertainment value to the package.

Digital HD*, Blu-ray Combo Pack & Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA)

THEATRICAL SHORT – Sanjay’s Super Team – Sanjay loves the world of cartoons and comics, while his father tries to draw him into his Hindu traditions. Reluctance quickly turns into awe-inspiring adventure as the boy embarks on an amazing journey, returning with a new perspective they can both embrace.

TRUE LIES ABOUT DINOSAURS – We know – it’s preposterous to think Apatosaurs spoke English. Learn more about what separates the fictional dinosaurs of “The Good Dinosaur“ from what scientists know about real dinosaurs.

RECYCLOSAURUS – Pixar takes creative competition seriously. Maybe a little too seriously. Watch as “The Good Dinosaur” crew competes to see which department can create the best dinosaur ever…using only discarded items from the studio’s “free table.”

THE FILMMAKERS’ JOURNEY – Finding your way from an idea to a film takes a lot of exploration. Director Peter Sohn and his fellow filmmakers talk about the challenging, inspiring, and unexpectedly emotional experience of making “The Good Dinosaur.”

EVERY PART OF THE DINOSAUR – The filmmakers talk about the special animation challenges of “The Good Dinosaur” – including figuring out how to animate a dinosaur who’s really a boy, and a boy who’s got the spirit of a dog.

FOLLOWING THE T-REX TRAIL – Follow the filmmakers as they travel to a working cattle ranch and meet the McKays, a close-knit family whose work ethic, generosity, and stories inspired the T-Rex ranchers of the film.

COMMENTARY – Commentary from director Peter Sohn, story supervisor Kelsey Mann, supervising animator Mike Venturini, director of photography/lighting Sharon Calahan, and supervising technical director Sanjay Bakshi.

DINO BITES – Montage of original animated pieces produced to promote “The Good Dinosaur.”

HIDE AND SEEK – A short animated clip produced to promote “The Good Dinosaur.”

DELETED SCENES

• The Attack  – An idyllic introduction to the family farm is cut short when a savage predator attacks the newborn Arlo. With an introduction by Director Peter Sohn.
• Building the Silo – An admiring Arlo is thrilled to follow along as his father builds a silo for the family farm. With an introduction by Director Peter Sohn.
• Waiting for Poppa – Arlo awaits the return of his beloved father on a stormy night, only to be greeted with tragic news. With an introduction by Director Peter Sohn.

Blu-ray 3D & DVD:

·       THEATRICAL SHORT – Sanjay’s Super Team

Digital Exclusive:

JUST LISTEN – Trace the development of the unique soundscape of “The Good Dinosaur,” from the wilds of British Columbia as Sound Designer Craig Berkey collects sounds, to the recording studio where Jeff and Mychael Danna use instruments from around the world to create the music.

I’m up way past my bedtime because I thought it was just going to be a couple short things, as usual. This is packed, and it’s all high-quality, interesting, fun stuff. Seriously. Fab News is literally getting posted late because I was watching the extra bonus material longer. And I’d watch it again in a heartbeat. It’s not “one-and-done”. And I still want to drag Noe and Alice up to Wyoming. The bang for your buck for this disc/disc set is fantastic. I give it a solid yes on “Is it worth it?”

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Wonderful World of Disney Stars Celebrate Disneyland’s 60th

…and lots of other stars, too! The special was filmed over about two months or so, in several locations, including Disneyland, of course, and the Kodak Theater, which was a perfect spot for a blue-carpet entry:

There were several great performances – everyone loved when some clever parent held up their baby at the end of Elton John’s performance of “Circle of Life”. Good on Disney for including it in the show! It created positive buzz and showed a lot of heart!

The special was a huge success for ABC and Disney:

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Sunday Prime (7:00-11:00 pm – 6.0 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49):

Boosted by “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60,” ABC led the broadcast race on Sunday in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5), beating NBC with its 2-hour James Burrows special by 25% (1.2/4), CBS by 36% (1.1/3) and Fox by 50% (1.0/3).  “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60” ranked as Sunday’s No. 1 broadcast program in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6).  In addition, ABC’s Disneyland 60th celebration special was the most social program on Sunday night (53.6K tweets).

• In viewers and young adults, the Net posted 3-month highs on Sunday – since 11/22/15.

Tweet of the night: (posted with permission)

The favorite live act among Disney fans live-blogging, tweeting and posting was when Dick Van Dyke joined host Derek Hough and a troupe of chimney sweeps onstage for some bona fide Disney Magic:

Of course, most theme park fans weren’t tuned in to watch the latest music hits – we knew that Harrison Ford was going to drop a few rare crumbs for the upcoming Star Wars Land (or “Project Orange Harvest” for those of us who have been following along for the last two D23 Expos) down our ravenous maws. Oh, hey, look, it’s a cute droid!

and look! It’s Jimmy Kimmel with a lightsaber!

Star Wars: Live in Concert is coming back. This was the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel conducting. Check out the audience’s lightsabers! How beautiful! I could look at this photo for hours.

Finally: (after a Universal Harry Potter commercial that ABC sold the airtime to, so, no, it wasn’t “IN YOUR FACE DISNEY”, Twirps) Harrison Ford told us about the Star Wars Experience. (New name?)

Click them for a larger version.

Ford was greeted with a well-deserved standing ovation. See video below:

 Artist Showcase with Greg McCullough, Feb 24 – 28

Walt Disney World

• February 24-28: Art of Disney, Disney Springs™ Marketplace from 1-8p.m.
• March 23 – 27: Art of Disney, Disney Springs™ Marketplace from 1-8p.m.

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These Dogs Are Bananas!

I love Rachel Bshero because whenever she shows up, there is something delicious involved. Today was no different; she posted on the Disney Parks Blog that to celebrate Zootopia (which is getting great reviews) they’re serving up BANANA corn dogs for my vegetarian friends that are tired of the cheese ones. Oh, heck, for everyone, right? They’re dipped in a corn/honey batter and sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces. They’ll be at Award Weiners at Disney California Adventure until March 18. There’s also a fountain drink tumbler available.

Mike wrote two books!

And I’m finished with one of them. So far, so good. And so FUN! And I’m so sick. I swear, I’m getting through them, Mike. You should actually write up your stamp story and send it to Dusty. It’s a nail-biter! Look for my review later this week!

Thank you!

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