I’m sorry, this is old news, but you’ll understand if you know me at all: This happened while I was out (MARCH!), and I never got to tell you about it in between, but the old EPCOT Center (the greatest defunct theme park in the history of mankind) fan in me just about busted with joy when I got the release for this one. I thought the new cars were pretty, the new, quieter, (but not-yet-electric like my LEAF, Ben Solo,) motors a big step forward in Making Tomorrowland Tomorrow Again, and I really, really loved the story tableaux featuring this cute mechanical bird and Disneyland Guest favorite ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility). But then Erin Glover came out on the Disney Parks Blog (Read it; it’s good!) and said the thing that made that old, vodka-soaked chunk of coal in my chest creak ever-so-slightly: the bird’s name. Bird.
The Robot’s name was “Tiger”, by the way. Thanks to GM, Disney and BRC Enterprises.
“Bird…and the Robot” was a show in the showroom area of World of Motion, (Martin’s fan videos ftw!) after you got off the ride. There were all sorts of exhibits extolling the virtues of General Motors, including The Water Engine, which The Simpsons made fun of in one episode. It was an animated short on several screens that looked at several types of fuel and explained why the gasoline-powered motor was the best and smartest for mankind. But Bird, who had a twin brother at Tokyo Disneyland’s Tiki Room, was modeled after Groucho Marx (Google him, kiddos), and he was explaining to us what adorable kuka-type robot that he calls “Tiger” what kind of jobs its type of robot does at the GM plants: flipping over huge frames, screwing in bolts, welding in dangerous heat, painting in toxic fumes, you name it. It ends up conducting an invisible orchestra for the finale.
Each little vignette tells a story of Bird and the Robot. Even if it wasn’t on purpose, I love the coincidence. I’ll take any little remembrance of The Original EPCOT Center I can get.
New character additions and storytelling enhance the classic attraction Autopia at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot and its robotic friend, Bird, will now join guests embarking on the ultimate road trip. The new look for Autopia recently debuted in spring 2016 with cars repainted in Honda colors, and new fuel-efficient Honda engines, badges and tires. (All Autopia photos: Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)
AUTOPIA ENHANCEMENTS (March 24, 2017) Ð New character additions and storytelling enhance the classic attraction Autopia at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. HondaÕs ASIMO humanoid robot and its robotic friend, Bird, will now join guests embarking on the ultimate road trip. The new look for Autopia recently debuted in spring 2016 with cars repainted in Honda colors, and new fuel-efficient Honda engines, badges and tires. (Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)
New character additions and storytelling enhance the classic attraction Autopia at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot and its robotic friend, Bird, will now join guests embarking on the ultimate road trip. The new look for Autopia recently debuted in spring 2016 with cars repainted in Honda colors, and new fuel-efficient Honda engines, badges and tires. (All Autopia photos: Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)
AUTOPIA ENHANCEMENTS (March 24, 2017) Ð New character additions and storytelling enhance the classic attraction Autopia at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. HondaÕs ASIMO humanoid robot and its robotic friend, Bird, will now join guests embarking on the ultimate road trip. The new look for Autopia recently debuted in spring 2016 with cars repainted in Honda colors, and new fuel-efficient Honda engines, badges and tires. (Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)
AUTOPIA ENHANCEMENTS (March 24, 2017) Ð New character additions and storytelling enhance the classic attraction Autopia at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. HondaÕs ASIMO humanoid robot and its robotic friend, Bird, will now join guests embarking on the ultimate road trip. The new look for Autopia recently debuted in spring 2016 with cars repainted in Honda colors, and new fuel-efficient Honda engines, badges and tires. (Scott Brinegar/Disneyland Resort)
Pixar Fest Classic Afternoon Tea Celebration at the Disneyland Hotel
I’ve been bugging the nice people at Steakhouse 55 and Disneyland PR about this ever since they announced it was coming. It starts TODAY!!!!!! What are you sitting here reading for? Call (714) 781-DINE or (714) 781-3463 and eat a cowboy crumpet (or whatever those lil delicious-looking Woody’s shirt-patterned yummies are) for me.
This is the Steakhouse 55 Afternoon Tea (so behave yourselves) but it’s themed to Pixar Fest for a limited time, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 1, 2018 through September 2, 2018
They’ll have the usual loose leaf teas and herbal infusions, scones, salads, tea sandwiches, pastries and other sweet desserty things – but all themed to celebrate Pixar movies. Oh, now that I see the photo bigger than my thumb, that crumpet is a strawberry. NICE! It has a cute little fondant star! I think that is a Joy cupcake(It could be Sully and the photo or frosting is just a bit dark. Yeah, I think it’s Sully. What do you think?), Frozone on…cheesecake?, the Pixar Ball on a macaron (Not macarOOn – as my Chef Instructor used to remind us: “Remember, two O’s mean it’s coconuts, like two coconuts hanging on a coco palm tree!” You have to imagine the French accent on your own.) Where was I? North Long Beach, unfortunately. That might actually be a macarOOn there with the grape soda lid from UP on it, and that’s almost definitely the UP house on that last strawberry. Naw, it’s not Bing Bong. It’s the House.
Of course, if you enjoy something other than a sherry at the end of Tea Time (or IN your tea if your day has been especially trying), hand-crafted tea-infused cocktails are also available to enjoy at an additional cost. Pleases note: alcohol is only served to Guests 21 years of age and older with a valid ID.
Pricing: (tax and gratuity not included)
Premium Tea Party – $60.00 Adult
Classic Tea Party – $52.00 Adult
Kid’s Tea Party – $35.00 Children (3 – 9 years old)
Note from Fab the Mom: Yes, they have a Kid’s Tea Party – BUT! If your kids are rambunctious and energetic and noisy, or do not enjoy sitting still and being quiet for 2-3 hours, they will HATE this, and they will be miserable, and everyone else there will share in their innocent misery, and you will have blown at least 87 dollars on misery. And it will not be their fault. It will be yours. This is an afternoon tea. People usually splurge on this, dress up, expect a nice, refined afternoon. If your kid hates it, don’t force them – for everybody’s sake. Thank you.
A Nice Extra: Unlike places like Trader Sam’s, this special tea comes with 4 hours complimentary parking if you’re not equipped with a pass that includes parking. After 4 hours, you’ll be charged $6.00 per hour, but even I don’t usually last four hours.
Good advice from the nice mice people: “We highly recommend allowing additional time for the security checkpoint. Identification and vehicles may be checked at the gate.”
Make a Reservation
All reservations require a credit card guarantee. If you wish to cancel your reservation, please do so at least 72 hours prior to the event to avoid a $10 per person charge. Any reservations cancelled outside that 72 hour period will not be charged a cancellation fee. This charge will also apply to “no shows.”
The Fabulous The Fabulous Life of Allan Carr
I read about Alan Carr in Playboy and People and other magazines and newspapers when I was a kid (I actually did read my dad’s Playboys for the articles. They were really good.) and I saw him on various talk shows and such over the years. He singlehandedly brought back the Hollywood Musical with Grease and produced films like The Village People’s “Can’t Stop the Music”. They were cheesy as hell, but that’s what made him, to use one of his favorite words, “Fabulous!”
From the documentary “The Fabulous Life of Allan Carr”:
ALLAN CARR: I don’t wanna wake up and go “Gee, I wish I’d done that. And that’s unfortunately what happens to a lot of people. They wait so long to have the moment. And I’m having all the moments right now.”
So what the hell does this have to do with this site, Fab? Well, one, I liked the docu, so I think you should watch it, and I’m not an affiliate or getting paid for it or anything. I just loved this guy’s crazy style and I’m glad somebody took on his story. And two, the thing that brought everything crashing to a halt for him was his production of the 1989 Oscars.
Yes, THAT one.
ALLAN CARR : “We used to have big stars where you used to have to be beautiful to be in the movies. However in a long period of time we lost a lot of that glamour associated with Hollywood.”
LORNA LUFT (Judy Garland’s daughter): “Allan wanted to relive the 1930s and the 1940s when Hollywood was glamorous. And he did in his own home. He started giving parties.”
ALLAN CARR : “I turned my laundry room into an Egyptian deco discotheque.”
BRUCE VILANCH : “So it was like going to Studio 54 if it was in Cairo. You would go downstairs and suddenly you were in this other world.”
NIKKI HASKELL : “Allan was from the last era of the big dreamers. Let’s do this big. That’s not big enough. Let’s do it bigger. He was a one of a kind. There isn’t anyone like him. There’ll never be another Allan Carr.”
You can pre-order it now via the website. It comes out June 5.
Meet Voice of Alice – AND Tinker Bell Model – Katherine Beaumont at Street Food Cinema June 2!
In honor of the release of The Walt Disney Signature Collection of Peter Pan Anniversary Edition on Digital NOW and Blu-ray June 5
This weekend, in Partnership with Disney studios, Griffith Park’s Street Food Cinema turns into a world made of faith, trust and pixie dust as animated classic “Peter Pan” celebrates its 65th Anniversary, with special guest Kathryn Beaumont, the voice of “Wendy” and one of the models for “Tinker Bell” at Park Center in Griffith Park. Doors open at 5:30pmwith live music from Silver Twins at 6:30pmand the movie begins at 8:30pm. Food Truck favoritesBahn Mi, Cousins Maine Lobster, Foodism, L.A. Wing Co., Meat the Greek, Wise BBQ, Blast Ice Cream, and and more will be onsite. Plus comedian Kurt Long will be the MC AND the event is pet-friendly.
This is Kurt Long, not your pet…as far as I know, anyway.
But wait! There’s more! There is a costume contest sponsored by Disney with a prize package for the winner! Are you a great Peter Pan, Tink or even Captain Hook? Get your Neverland cosplay ready to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of PETER PAN! Winner receives special Peter Pan prize package from Disney!
Prize Package Details:
Peter Pan on Blu-ray Multi-Screen Edition
Peter Pan Neverland Blanket
Peter Pan Baseball Cap
Peter Pan VHS Notebook
Peter Pan pin set
Moon Lamp with Peter Pan decals
Pixie Dust making kit
Their costume contests are pretty sweet.
You can’t have movies and parks and pets and MC comedians and bands and costume contests and food trucks without boiling some plates:
“This ultimate outdoor movie experience founded in 2012 by the dynamic husband and wife team of Steve Allison & Heather Hope-Allison, has developed a strong community of entertainment and food enthusiasts across Los Angeles. Every Saturdaythroughout the summer, Street Food Cinema features beloved cult classic movies on a huge 50 foot screen alongside LA’s favorite food trucks like Cousins Maine Lobster, Street Kitchen LA and Churro Stix as well as emerging music artists such as Alex G., Past Action Heroes and The Urban Renewal Project: punctuated with themed audience games hosted by professional comedians to complete the interactive experience. Their Season 6 opener in 2017 was the worlds biggest La La Land screening AND the biggest Street Food Cinema to date at over 5,000 attendees. With their visionary idea to take the outdoor movie experience to fully inclusive night out –they incorporated a variety of fascinating food trucks, pre-movie live entertainment and cool interactive experiences to massive audience appeal in three major markets: Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix.”
Dough Not Miss This at Universal Studios Hollywood!
There’s plenty to Do and Donut at both the open-air shopping-and-dining-and-entertainment complex and the theme park, with Voodoo Doughnut, Sparky’s Mini Donuts, and Springfield’s famous Lard Lad Donuts. Sparky’s are my favorites, but I have to confess, I have yet to try Voodoo. I’m tempted to go for the coffin full of doughnuts, because COFFIN FULL OF DOUGHNUTS!
Trying to cut down on the carbs? Don’t fret, because Nectar Bath Treats has a setup which features a delicious “Donut Love” photo op wall display and selection of donut-inspired soaps so you can at least celebrate the day with your olfactory senses.
The ever-popular Voodoo Doughnut, created by Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson and Tres Shannon, serves a range of 60 eclectic doughnuts, including vegan options and the Hollywood Cream, created exclusively for Universal CityWalk. A variety of scrumptious flavored doughnuts include Grape Ape, Mango Tango, the Voodoo Bubble and Bacon Maple Bar as well as their signature Voodoo Doll. To commemorate National Doughnut Day, Voodoo Doughnut will also offer an exclusive Strawberry Confetti doughnut throughout the weekend, from June 1-3.
Mmmmmng, doooooonuuuuuuuut! (drool) Who doesn’t love them? At Universal Studios Hollywood, guests visiting Springfield, hometown of America’s favorite animated family, the Simpsons, can delight in the sweet circular treat – LARD LAD DONUTS, an amazing cooked cake confection made fresh daily. Selections include “The Big Pink” famous giant creamy pink-frosted sprinkled donut, and the “Flavor of the Day” giant donuts, including Maple Bacon, Chocolate Glazed and S’mores. At night, look up above LARD LAD and you might just see everybody’s most famous homicidal clown sidekick trying to make an escape from Springfield Penitentiary! “The Bart, the!”
Sparky’s Mini Donuts was created by food entrepreneur Trish Conklin and made famous at San Francisco’s Pier 39. At the Universal CityWalk location, guests can watch donuts made fresh to order right before their eyes where they are served plain or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. A party-size bucket of 36 mini donuts is also available. Fab says: “This size goes well with a Venti Americano from Starbucks. And get your own; this is my party.”
Trish Conklin celebrating National Doughnut Day with a bucket of Sparky’s Mini-Donuts at Nectar’s Donut Love Wall
For a unique and captivating experience, Nectar Bath Treats creates bakery-inspired products that look good enough to eat. Their plant-based and cruelty-free handmade bath treats include donut-shaped soaps complete with a variety of scents and sprinkles, including Candy Kiss, featuring a sweet blend of pink sugar and cotton candy aromas; Coco Bliss, featuring the perfect blend of juicy pineapple an exotic coconut scent, and Razzle Dazzle, featuring a blend of blackberries and sweet vanilla fragrances. The highly Instagram-able store also showcases a “Donut Love” wall to capture a sweet moment with friends. These are fantastic, but then you get a terrible craving and you want to eat one. Or someone’s kid comes to visit and they don’t stop to wonder why there’s a mini-cupcake in the bathroom and all hell breaks loose. That’s why I keep them in my drawers. (The furniture/storage ones.)
An Incredible(s) Tale “As Told By Emoji”
In celebration of The Incredibles 2 hitting theaters on June 15, Disney yesterday released a special episode of its popular series “As Told By Emoji,” which translates classic Disney narratives into a modern form of storytelling: emojis. See below to revisit the original film that delighted audiences over 13 years ago.
The episode includes iconic moments such as the “Where’s my super suit?” scene, and eagle-eyed fans can even catch a quick cameo from The Toy Story’s Woody, Monster Inc.’s Sully, Brave’s Merida, Cars’ Lightning McQueen, and Finding Nemo’s Crush.
Hey, remember last time, when I put up that thing about the Incredibles 2 Show at the El Capitan in Hollywood? I just got the email!
On Wednesday, June 13, there will be an Incredibles DOUBLE FEATURE at 6:00 PM. Remember what I told you about this being the Disney Studio’s home theater, and the pictures and stories I’ve shown and told you about the directors and sometimes stars showing up unannounced on opening night and for pre-opening fan events? Just reminding you of that. Making zero promises, but gently reminding you. It’s $50, which includes both films, reserved seating, popcorn in a collector’s bucket, 20 oz soda, costume contest, raffle prizes and MORE!
Will this hardcore Brad Bird fangirl try to be there? Um, YES!
“In “Incredibles 2,” Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers back, while Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) navigates the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell), Dash (voice of Huck Milner) and baby Jack-Jack—whose superpowers are about to be discovered. Their mission is derailed, however, when a new villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot that threatens everything. But the Parrs don’t shy away from a challenge, especially with Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) by their side. That’s what makes this family so Incredible. Written and directed by Brad Bird (“Iron Giant,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille”) and produced by John Walker (“The Incredibles,” “Tomorrowland”) and Nicole Grindle (“Sanjay’s Super Team” short, “Toy Story 3” associate producer), Disney•Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” busts into theaters on June 15, 2018.
“Bao” Short An empty-nesting Chinese mom gets another chance at motherhood when one of her dumplings springs to life. But she must come to terms with the bittersweet revelation that nothing stays cute and small forever.
Before the movie, see a multi-media character show with in-theatre special effects featuring Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and Frozone. Plus, a fashion icon makes her El Capitan Theatre stage debut, dahling.”
If you need to move from anyplace on their website to anyplace else, right-click and open in a new tab, because none of their buttons or links work. You also won’t be able to buy tickets on the site, but you can call 1-800-DISNEY-6 to order or go to the box office when you stop by to see SOLO and the costumes on display, because it’s a great film, and they sing in French in it!
Thank you!
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