Disney News Round Up: The Year of Refurbs and Safety

Before we begin though, we want to invite you to a VERY special upcoming MiceChat event at SeaWorld San Diego. The park is turning 50 years old and we are celebrating with an amazing event and offer for you. Bring the whole family.

Announcing the biggest, splashiest celebration ever: The MiceChat, SeaWorld 50th Anniversary Celebration!  Join MiceChat at SeaWorld San Diego for a day soaked with fun.

• Admission

• Delicious Buffet

• Animal interactions

• Meet and Greet with SeaWorld Parks Creative Director, Brian Morrow

• Front of the line access on Manta

• VIP show seating

All for less than then cost of a single-day admission into the park!!!

MiceAge Update: Grey Skies Clearing for Disneyland’s 60th
After a short winter off-season, Disneyland Resort is gearing up for a busy spring and summer ahead. While Burbank bosses hash out long-term expansion and financial strategies that have been complicated by the troubled MyMagic+ rollout in Walt Disney World, the Anaheim team has been scrambling to put their own budgets back together for the 60th Anniversary in 2015 and the inevitable remake of Tomorrowland after the anniversary. In this update we’ll fill you in on what they’ve done with Big Thunder, what they’ll be doing with the Little Mermaid ride, and what other work around the Resort has been postponed or is still on track.

MiceChat Podcast #15: A Spoonful of Sherman
Our latest show was quite a while in the making. We think it was worth the wait. Aside from our usual round up of Disney and theme park news, we’ve got an outstanding interview with Robbie Sherman (son of Disney legend Robert Sherman of the Sherman Brothers). Robbie was quite candid. The interview was conducted at the Disneyana Fan Club show and sale, so there’s quite a bit of background noise, but it’s all in good fun. It’s a spoonful of Sherman and then some. Enjoy!

Direct Link | iTunes Link

IT’S BACK!!!!! Let’s find out who can ride the most attractions at Disneyland in a single day . . . it’s the MiceChat Gumball Rally.  Click HERE for more information and to sign up!

Join Disney Legend Bob Gurr and the MiceChat Crew as we set sail on the Disney Magic for a once in a lifetime Mediterranean cruise (from Barcelona to Italy and back again).  Stay after the cruise and you can also join us for a journey to Disneyland Paris!  Ask us for more details by emailing us at [email protected]

Dapper Day and Rainy Day trip reports are pouring in, Minnie Hosted a late night scavenger hunt in Disneyland, and Captain America is now greeting guests in the old America Sings building!   ~ Aladdin

Dapper Day 2014 – FROZEN edition
Dreams of Color and crew always have some of the most inventive outfits for Dapper Days, and the latest Dapper weekend was no exception! See his trip report from last week, here!

Dapper Day with Walt Disney! (DLR – 2/23/14)
tiptopclub1939 is new to MiceChat and has this unique Dapper Day Report. He even put together a Dapper Day Drop, at the Hollywood Tower Hotel! You will want to see these photos!

Everybody’s doing it! With that said, here is The Matterhorns (Jew Crew) Dapper
sbk1234 and friends make it to Disneyland for Dapper Days and have this photo report!

Joe’s 2014 Minnie’s Moonlit Madness review – an after hours Disneyland Scavenger hunt
mre200200 and friends were able to participate in Minnie’s Moonlight Madness Scavenger Hunt in Disneyland, and Joe gives us a firsthand look at the this year’s event!

Quick TR: Soarin’ Splash and RAIN!
CassiefRN decides to visit Disneyland and DCA during the rain, and has this report. The Great Movie Rider also adds a few Rainy Day Photos!

3/1/2014 – Captain America and Various Rainy Day Pictures
Ron W visits the newest character meet and great location in Disneyland, at Innoventions. and introduces us to Captain America!

Tiki Juice Bar on Yelp’s top 100 American eateries (Sorry Napa Rose & Club 33!)
jcruise86 informs us about Yelps most recent list of 100 American Eateries, and one particular location in Disneyland makes the list!

Muppetvision updated
A certain impostor amphibian is making appearances in the Muppetvision 3D pre show, just in time to promote the upcoming Muppet Movie. More info at this link!

What’s in store for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary? There are always rumors, speculation, and even a few ideas floating around. ~Trekkie Dad

Paint The night Parade.
According to a rumor found by Disfa10, Hong Kong’s night parade may be coming to Disneyland for its 60th anniversary.

Disneyland 60th Anniversary Ideas
DisneylandMaster has some ideas for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary that might create a nostalgic sense.

Beauty and the Beast: Belle’s Enchanted Journey
Here’s a well thought idea for a Fantasyland attraction presented by DisneylandMaster.

No More Lily Belle
When Disneyland’s Lily Belle parlor car returns from rehab, will only Club 33 members get to ride? wonders The Disney Ninja.

Zarina The Pirate Fairy
Like disneygogetter, if you are a fan of Pixie Hollow, you might wonder if Zarina will ever appear there.

Some big news coming this week from Walt Disney World, starting with a complete redesign of the Hub in the Magic Kingdom. Also, we have another 24 hour party to kick off the summer season, along with questions about fireworks at the Polynesian and the drained moat. Take a look at what’s going on in the Walt Disney World forum this week, as it seems there is more news coming out each week! ~yoyoflamingo

Poly fireworks
A question many people have been asking since DVC started construction – how is the view of the fireworks from the Polynesian now that Sunset Point has been closed? Are there any other nice places to view them? If anyone can share some thoughts, please do here!

24 hours of Your Disney Side Party in the MK, May 23rd to 24th
After the success of the previous all nighter, Disneyland and Walt Disney World are again hosting a 24 hour party to kick off the summer season. See the details, swap stories and compare strategies in this thread!

Cinderella’s castle moat draining
Does anyone have any idea of the timetable for the draining of the moat? Some kind MCers are hoping to see the moat in all its glory and, fingers crossed, the moat will be refilled by their arrival. Post your thoughts here.

Big changes slated for ‘The Hub’
Walt Disney World recently announced, along with a flyover video, their plans to ‘improve’ the Hub to increase traffic flow and crowding, as well as adding prime parade and fireworks viewing areas. What do you think of the changes: a horrible idea or cautiously optimistic? Share your thoughts here…

Welcome to this week’s episode of Communicore Weekly, where we talk about Pirates, Earbook, American Adventure, and CarsLand Buzz! DISNEY HISTORY! — Ever want to know who those blood thirsty Pirates painted on the walls of the Pirates of the Caribbean queue are? Learn all about them in this week’s Disney History! BOOK OF THE WEEK! — George looks back at 2013 with Unofficial Walt Disney World ‘Earbook 2013 for the Book of the Week! BATHROOM BREAK! — George uses a patriotic potty in the Bathroom Break! FIVE LEGGED GOAT! – And finally, find Buzz Lightyear in CarsLand in this weeks Five Legged Goat!

Direct Link |  iTunes Link

Rock Your Disney Side 24-Hour Party!
Sarah the fantastic MiceChatter brings us much news this week! Who is going to the next 24-Disney Parks event? Who has met Captain America already?

The Haunted Mansion Show Extra: How the Ghost Host is Done
We bet you are wondering how “The Haunted Mansion Show” is achieved. To make up for another episode being pushed back to next week, the show’s creator, Nick Barbera, will demonstrate how the Ghost Host can be animated like…. well, an animated corpse.

Disafterdark Series 2, Episode 11 – Logan’s Fun Welcome back to the Mouses Head and thank you for the download. Joining us in the Mouses Head this week is Logan Sekulow, Director of “As Dreamers Do” Paul D is on Tigger (Tiger) Beer, Nick is on Bud Light with Lime, Logan is drinking a Scotch Mist and Paul is drinking Fullers Honeydew. We chat about some news as usual, then we talk at some length with Logan about his movie.

Direct Link | iTunes Link

Unofficial Universal Orlando Podcast #80 – Universal 2014 and Beyond
On this weeks show, we delve in to what we can expect to see coming to a Universal Theme Park near you in 2014 and beyond and as part of the show we discuss some of the biggest rumors out there too.

Direct Link | iTunes Link

SeaWorld Podcast Ep 19 – The Impossible Dream of brining Penguins to North America
We have a big episode for you!  The Unofficial SeaWorld Podcast team is getting ready for the big 50th meet up at SeaWorld San Diego where you can join them on March 22nd.  Get your tickets now to the 50th meet up! Mike introduces us to Frank Todd who is the man who wrote the book on penguin care for SeaWorld and the world!  This interview is not to be missed!  Frank Todd is our new hero!

Direct Link | iTunes Link

Window to the Magic Enjoy the sounds of the park on our weekly journeys into the wonderful world of the Disney sound experience!

Direct Link | iTunes Link

The Seasonpass Podcast This week TSPP visits the Give Kids The World village in Kissimmee, Florida.  The discussion with the Director of Risk Management, Neal McCord, elaborates on the origin, people, purpose, and expanding mission of this amazing and humbling foundation.

Direct Link | iTunes Link

Mousetalgia Episode 280: Dapper Day, Pete Docter on directing
Mousetalgia talks Dapper Day, dining, and Docter on this week’s show! First, Jeff reports on his trip to Disneyland Resort for Dapper Day on February 23, discussing the variety of styles, costumes, Disneybounding, and people-watching opportunities afforded by this increasingly popular unofficial event held in Disney parks around the world. Next, we discuss dining at Disneyland, focusing on the Storyteller Cafe dinner buffet at the Grand Californian and the Harbour Galley at Disneyland Park.

Direct Link | iTunes Link

Roadside attraction/travel/non-Disney or Universal or Knott’s amusement photos by me.
RegionsBeyond created a thread is for small roadside attractions, tourist locations, food photos other amusement parks and assorted bits of weirdness I’ve visited from all over – hope folks shall enjoy!

Allure of the Seas – December 29, 2013 – Photo Report
Mikeland was lucky enough to sail with my family on the Allure of the Seas on December 29, 2013 for their New Years Cruise. I though I’d share a few photos with you.

The world famous MiceChat Gumball Rally will be rolling your way the first Saturday in May. Lots of fun and surprises are in store. Join the info list now so you won’t miss out on early discounted registration (just after the first of the year). Last year’s event sold out in record time with over 100 names on the waiting list. Don’t end out shut out of the best fan event of the year, add your name to the list HERE and we’ll notify you when tickets go on sale.

Universal Orlando Update – Hogsmeade Detour and New CityWalk venues
Progress is quick at Universal Orlando Resort, where new venues are about ready to open at CityWalk. We’ll also take you into Islands of Adventure to look at changes coming to Hogsmeade, along with refurbs.

Rainy days wash out crowds as Captain America arrives at Disneyland
Some much-needed rain hit Southern California over the weekend, washing the recent crowds out of the parks. The rain storms resulted in some standard attraction closures in both parks, the cancellation of parades, and even.

ImagiNERDing Review: The Wind Rises by Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most acclaimed and respected filmmakers in the world. He’s been called a modern Walt Disney, which isn’t an inaccurate description; Miyazaki has pushed the boundaries of animated filmmaking beyond.

Welcome to Rumorville
Welcome to Rumorville! This week we explore Disney theme park rumors. Rumors that are so ridiculous that guests believed them…some of them. Some Cast Members compete, un-officially, to see who can tell the biggest, tallest.

The World Showcase Pavilion That Never Was – Equatorial Africa
We’ve all heard stories of World Showcase pavilions that were conceptualized but never built. The story of the proposed Equatorial Africa Pavilion is fascinating because plans for this pavilion made it so far through the.

Major Changes Coming to the Central Hub of the Magic Kingdom
Hello, and welcome to Dateline Disney World! This week, we’re talking about some major changes coming to the Hub at the Magic Kingdom, as well as the typical round of news.

Moose: Chapters From My Life by Robert B. Sherman
George: When we received review copies of Moose: Chapters From My Life by Robert B. Sherman (and edited by Robert J. Sherman), we were both extremely excited.

Aladdin Returns to Disney California Adventure and Disneyland’s Mechanical Kingdoms
Your wish has been granted. . . the Aladdin Musical has returned to Disney California Adventure to entrain once again with its proven mix of pop culture and production numbers.

Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure
On The Amazing Race, a reality television show, contestants solve puzzles and perform tasks, often going to more than a half dozen countries, such as to Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Japan, France, and the UK.

Planning a runDisney Vacation
The runDisney announcement of yet another awesome race event earlier this week just solidifies the trend of runners’ vacations at the Disney Parks.  With eight weekends now spanning the year on both coasts.