Disney Banners Dress San Diego for the 2012 Comic-Con

The 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International officially opens on July 12, 2012. However, the anticipation in Southern California has been building over the past few months. Just like turning leaves signify changes in the seasons, successive waves of ticket sales, talk about convention center expansion and the posting of Comic-Con banners lead San Diego toward the annual rite called Comic-Con.

Frankenweenie and Wreck-It-Ralph Banners in front of the San Diego Convention Center

Over the past few days, Walt Disney Pictures sponsored Comic-Con banners have finally been posted directly in front of the San Diego Convention Center, dressing the site for the four-day celebration of the popular arts. At this year's convention Disney has already begun its advertising push, highlighting two of its most anticipated features, Tim Burton's full-length Frankenweenie and Walt Disney Animation Studios Wreck-It Ralph.

Always a Comic-Con favorite, Burton's quirky style and dark humor make attendees gravitate to whatever project he unveils. This year Burton will grace Hall H with the stop-motion animated Frankenweenie (2012), a Mary Shelley-inpired tale about a young boy who brings his dead dog back to life. In a Burtonesque twist of fate, the talented Tim Burton returns to Disney Studios, remaking the Frankenweenie (1984) short-film that actually led to his early firing as a Disney animator and director.

Walt Disney Studios is hoping its 52nd full-length animated feature will also appeal to the Comic-Con in-crowd. Slated for a November 2, 2012 premiere, Disney's Wreck-It Ralph is the story of an arcade game villain who doesn't want to be the bad guy anymore. Voiced by John C. Reilly, Ralph's 8-bit roots and classic game cameos should appeal to both gamers and animation junkies.

Tim Burton's Frankenweenie Banner - San Diego Convention Center

Walt Disney Animation Studios Wreck-It Ralph Banner - San Diego Convention Center

Although the convention center's transformation began just days ago, other parts of San Diego have had Disney sponsored banners posted since mid-June. Signs of the popular arts celebration hug San Diego Bay, adoring street lights along Harbor Drive all the way out to Point Loma. Comic-Con attendees flying into the San Diego International Airport at Lindbergh Field, will be greeted by traditional Comic-Con ads and Disney's Wreck-It Ralph banners.

Walt Disney Animation Studios Wreck-It Ralph Banners - Harbor Drive - San Diego International AirportThe Disney-designed banners are also posted throughout Downtown San Diego, from Petco Park to Horton Plaza. Starting in the historic Gaslamp Quarter, Frankenweenie and Wreck-It Ralph will accompany con attendees north to Broadway, possibly coaxing guests to partake in San Diego's downtown nightlife.

Tim Burton's Frankenweenie - San Diego's Historic Gaslamp Quarter

Tim Burton's Frankenweenie - San Diego's Historic Gaslamp QuarterWalt Disney Animation Studios Wreck-It Ralph - San Diego's Historic Gaslamp Quarter

Hidden Mickey Monday ºoº - Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage - Rope Loops

Rope Loop Hidden Mickey - Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage - Tomorrowland

Rope Loop Hidden Mickey - Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage - Tomorrowland

On ocassion, the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage Cast Members create a classic Hidden Mickey by looping spare rope on the wooden submarine dock.

Hidden Disney Details - Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Batteries

Imagineers have been hiding secrets and inside jokes since Disneyland construction began on July 21, 1954. There are several interesting Disney details hidden inside Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, including a few Hidden Mickeys, nods to the Toy Story animated features, an old sun & moon from Circle-Vision and specially Imagineered batteries.

Throughout the attraction, there are several batteries that have been labeled Made in Glendale, California, USA, Earth, Gamma Quadrant.

Glendale, California is about 35 miles away from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. It is home to Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) and the Imagineers who design, develop, conceive and construct everything for the Walt Disney Company and its theme parks. The batteries are a hidden tribute to the Imagineers who brought Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters to Tomorrowland.

The Gamma Quadrant refers to Pixar's Toy Story (1995) and Buzz Lightyear's official Space Ranger assignment. He tells the other toys that he has been assigned to the Gamma Quadrant Section 4, a sector in space which presumably includes the planet Earth.

Update on Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 6:09PM by Admin

Darkwaing Duck's nemesis Megavolt - © Walt Disney Television AnimationNice Catch JalenJade! Megavolt is one of the main villains from Walt Disney Television Animation's Darkwing Duck. Thanks for illuminating us!

Remembering America Sings on the 4th of July

As we celebrate the 4th of July, let's look back and remember America Sings. America Sings was Disneyland attraction inspired by the upcoming United States Bicentennial in 1976. It originally opened on June 29, 1974 replacing the General Electric sponsored Carousel of Progress. The quirky concept art for America Sings was created by Disney Legend Marc Davis, one of Walt's Nine Old Men. These drawings were published in the summer 1974 issue of Disneyland Vacationland magazine.

Thanks to scottof83 on YouTube for the following videos! His father taped the America Sings farewell performance in 1988. After America Sings closed most of the audio-animatronics were used in Splash Mountain which opened a year later on July 17, 1989.

Ten years later Carousel Theater welcomed Innoventions, an attraction featuring the inventions of tomorrow. The Carousel Theater inner hallway mural currently includes a Sam & Ollie hidden Disney detail, a nod to America Sings.

Hidden Mickey Monday ºoº - Clarabelle's Hidden Mickeys - Buena Vista Street & Toontown

Clarabelle the Cow - Plane Crazy (1928)In 1928, Clarabelle the Cow made her first appearance, as a dairy cow, in Mickey Mouse's Plane Crazy. She soon evolved into more of an anthropomorphic character, appearing regularly in Disney cartoons until 1943, then becoming one of the Walt Disney Studios forgetten characters.

After almost 40 years of neglect, Clarabelle made cameos in Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988). Lately, she's enjoyed a modern resurgence in popularity, making regular appearances in the Disney Channel's animated Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Clarabelle was also part of the popular Epic Mickey (2010) video game, playing one of the forgotten characters from the past.

Clarabelle Cow - Disneyland's Family Fun Days - January 2011

Clarabelle the Cow is no longer a shadow from Disney's forgotten past, having been made a part of the revamped Disney California Adventure Park. Clarabelle's Ice Cream Shop has opened on the re-themed Buena Vista Street, complete with hand scooped ice cream and Hidden Mickeys.

A keen eye will be needed to spot the new Mickeys at Clarabelle's. Check for the Clarabelle's Dairy milk bottles, displayed on shelves behind the counter. Each of the bottles features Classic Mickeys hidden on the logo as cow spots.

Milk Bottles from Clarabelle's Ice Cream Shop - Buena Vista Street - DCA

Clarabelle's Dairy Bottle Hidden Mickey - Buena Vista Street - DCA

Close-up of Clarabelle's Dairy Bottle Hidden Mickey - Buena Vista Street - DCA

Not in the mood for ice cream? If you're craving frozen yogurt and more Hidden Mickeys, head back to Disneyland's Toontown to find another cartoon cow-themed dessert shop, Clarabelle's Frozen Yogurt. This Clarabelle's Hidden Mickey is much easier to find, although this cow spot is only visible when the yogurt shop is closed.

Clarabelle's Frozen Yogurt - Toontown - Disneyland

Clarabelle's Frozen Yogurt Hidden Mickey - Toontown - Disneyland

Actually, both of these Disneyland Resort cow spot Mickeys lead back to Orlando, Florida and the famous Minnie Moo. Born in Edgerton, Minnesota in 1984, she was originally owned by dairy farmer Melvin Brockberg and his family. In 1988, Brockberg's niece, Jody Kline, began sending pictures of the specially spotted cow to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

AP Photo - As published in The Victoria Advocate (11OCT1990)

Photo © TOM BURTON - ORLANDO SENTINEL (01AUG1992)In 1990, the Disney Company purchased Minnie Moo and brought her to Walt Disney World. Thousands of WDW guests visited her at various venues over the years, including the petting zoo, Grandma Duck's Farm, Starland and Fort Wilderness. Minnie Moo, the black & white Holstein cow with a Classic tri-circle Mickey spot on its left side lived the Florida theme park until she died in 2001. Although she's left for greener pastures, photographs of Minnie Moo's Mickey have been hidden at several Walt Disney World Resort locations.