Finding Mickey Blog

A Monstrous Summer At Disney Parks

Admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:32:54 +0000

A Monstrous 24-Hour "All-Nighter"

On May 24, 2013, for one day and one night only, Guests on each coast will have the chance to spend 24 whole hours inside the Disney parks!

From 6:00 AM to 6:00 AM, enjoy all the monster-themed madness inside Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, as well as Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park in California. From special entertainment and monstrous merchandise to frightening food and boo-verages, this "All-Nighter" is shaping up to be one scary good time!

Meet Mike and Sulley

Get up close and personal with some of your favorite Characters from Disney•Pixar's Monsters University!

Mike and his college roommate Sulley are taking their scholastic scares on a summer road trip, and they're making pit stops at Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, and Disney California Adventure park at Disneyland Resort in California!

Drop by the Monsters University-themed areas in each park for a chance to meet and take pictures with some of your favorite Characters!

The Monsters March This May

Stand back! The monsters have taken over the Pixar Play Parade at Disney California Adventure park at Disneyland Resort in California!

Woody, Merida, Lightning McQueen and a host of popular Disney•Pixar Characters will be joined by the crew fromMonsters University. See what happens when this monstrous student body puts its scary spin on this playful parade.

From Closet Door to Laugh Floor

For a totally different kind of "yuk" than you might expect from something so scary, grab a seat at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

Led by Mike—the "monster of ceremonies"— this colorful gang of comics has been studying up on their jokes all semester. Will they graduate to new comedic materials? Check out the "frights" and sounds to see for yourself!

Take a Ride on the "Monsterail"

Guests traveling around Walt Disney World Resort in Florida are in for an all-new kind of ride when they step aboard the "Monsterail."

One of the iconic Monorail trains at the Resort has been redesigned and monster-ized with visuals from the newest Disney•Pixar film. So get ready—this is one frighteningly fun Monorail ride you won't soon forget!

Theme park hours are 6:00 AM on May 24 to 6:00 AM on May 25, 2013. Subject to capacity restrictions. Select attractions, entertainment and services will be available. Valid theme park admission required.

Learn more about the Monstrous Summer at Disney Parks HERE!

Additional information can also be found at the Disney Parks Blog.

Iron Man Tech Arrives at Disneyland April 13, 2013

Admin — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:35:10 +0000

Marvel and Disney join forces in a new exhibit coming to Disneyland Park April 13, 2013. Iron Man Tech, presented by Stark Industries "Building a Better Hero" will open at Innoventions in Tomorrowland. Through the magic of augmented reality, guests will be able to virtually "suit up" in the sophistocated Iron Man armor Mark I-VII, created by Stark Industries' CEO Tony Stark. While touring his Hall of Armor guests will be invited to experience the latest Mark 42 Iron Man suit and even test some of its weapon systems. This experience will be available for a limited time only.

Iron Man 3 opens in theaters May 3, 2013.

Happy 111th Birthday Walt Disney!

Admin — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:49:00 +0000

On December 5th, 1901, Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois. Elias Disney and Flora Call Disney named their fourth son after Reverend Walter Parr, the family's pastor and close friend. Growing up in both Illinois and Missourri, young Walt developed a talent for drawing and storytelling. Though his first foray into cartoons failed (the Laugh-O-Gram Studios in Kansas City) Walt famously found success as an animator and filmmaker in Hollywood, California.

Prep & Landing, is a Christmas-themed cartoon short from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Prep & Landing features Wayne & Lanny, a pair of highly trained elves who ensure Santa's safety by securing houses and preparing icy rooftops for landings. Animators from Prep & Landing pay homage to Walt Disney and his December birthday with a neat hidden detail broadcast every holiday season.

The license plate reads 12501WED - paying homage to Walter Elias Disney, who was born December 05, 1901.As Lanny & Wayne finish prepping a home for Santa's arrival, they bump into late model station wagon. Half covered with snow, the nondescipt car features a very special license plate number. Marked 12501WED, the tag is a subtle nod to December 05, 1901 and Walter Elias Disney.

Hidden Mickey Cyber Monday ºoº - Holiday Shopping Hidden Mickeys

Admin — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:50:30 +0000

Take a break from the online shopping spree to check-out a variety of gift giving and tech-inspired Hidden Mickeys in honor of Black Friday & Cyber Monday.

Hidden Mickey Mouse plush - Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011) © Walt Disney Animation

The end of Thanksgiving signals the start of the Holiday Shopping Season. Walt Disney Animation's Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice features several Hidden Mickeys, including a computer display featuring a plush Mickey Mouse for a little girl on Santa's nice list.

Holly Berry Hidden Mickeys and a Hidden Disney insect - Lilo & Stitch (2002) © Walt Disney Animation

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day. Since there aren't any R or S sounds in the thirteen letter Hawaiian alphabet, Mele Kalikimaka is the rough Hawaiian translation of Merry Christmas. As Lilo & Stitch exchange presents, a bit of Hidden Disney appears as a large insect turned holiday gift. Originally the movie's monster mashing climax, rewrites relegated the big bug to a quick Christmas cameo.

A Hidden Mickey from the displays on Gantu's spaceship - Lilo & Stitch (2002) © Walt Disney Animation

Instead of surfing the web for online deals, Lilo & Stitch's Captain Gantu uses the monitors in his starship to scan a map of the Hawaiian Islands and find a Hidden Mickey.

A television test screen Hidden Mickey from Buena Vista Street - Disney California Adventure Park

From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, shoppers seek out the best deals on LED or LCD televisions. Head over to Disney California Adventure's Buena Vista Street for the latest in 1930s technology. The Julius Katz & Sons display window offers up a state of the art electronic television, complete with solid wood cabinet, six-inch display tube and Hidden Mickey test screen.

The Solar Sailer passes a landscape Hidden Mickey from TRON (1982) © Walt Disney Pictures

In the early 1980s, the internet was still more science fiction than fact. Catalog shopping from Sears or Montgomery Ward's was the closest thing to online marketplaces like Amazon.com or eBay. In 1982, Walt Disney Pictures gave users a glimpse of the future in TRON, which featured high-tech computers, Hidden Mickeys and a futuristic landscape called the grid.

AKB48 Sugar Rush Lyrics and Video!

Admin — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 06:42:09 +0000

Can't get that catchy Sugar Rush song out of your head? Neither can we! Sugar Rush is an original song sung by the mega popular Japanese girl group AKB48. The group has 67 members ranging in age from their early teens to mid-20s and currently holds the Guinness World Record for being the world's largest pop group. The group is split into three teams, thus allowing them to perform in several places at one time. Below are the lyrics for the addictive Jpop song Sugar Rush and a portion of the AKB48 Sugar Rush music video. Enjoy with a cherry on top! :)

donna michita tte

massugu janai darou

sou magari kune tte

dekoboko shiteru hazu sa

tsurai koto toki ni wa aru you ne

bokutachi wa soredemo hashiru yo

amaimono te mo ikaga？

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

kanashikunattara

mabuta wo tojite goran

hora yume no naka nara

namida wo wasurerareru

moshi koko de DANCE toshi datte

bokutachi wa

anata tari shinai

amaimono te mo ikaga?

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

Come down the highway

Come, come meguru yo

Open Road

genki no gasoline

Oh-

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

S-U-G-A-R

Jump into your racing car

It’s SUGAR RUSH!

SUGAR RUSH!

Hidden Mickey Monday ºoº - Wreck-It Ralph - Double U Dee's Hidden Mickey & Hidden Disney

Admin — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 01:46:00 +0000

Wreck-It Ralph, the 52nd animated feature from Walt Disney Studios, famously features dozens of arcade game character cameos. Sticking true to Disney Animation's tradition of hidden gags and inside jokes, Wreck-It Ralph also contains several Disney-themed Easter Eggs and at least one Hidden Mickey.

A full picture of Mickey Mouse has been hidden on a cleverly worded billboard for Double U Dee's or WD's for Walt Disney. Found in external shots of the arcade, the billboard is located just behind the red-roofed Litwak's Family Fun Center.

A lost Bolt appears on a bulletin board flyer, visible during the Bad Guys Anonymous meeting - Wreck-It Ralph (2012) © Walt Disney Animation

A bit of Hidden Disney appears during Ralph's first Bad Guys Anonymous meeting. The lost dog flyer posted in the Bad Anon meeting room is a nod to Walt Disney's Bolt (2008), a reference to the flyers Penny made while her beloved American Shepherd was missing.

Tiny the Tyrannosaurus Rex from Disney's Meet the Robinsons (2007) makes a random dinosaur cameo in Wreck-It Ralph (2012) © Walt Disney Animation

Most of Wreck-It Ralph's character cameos take place in the busy and bustling Game Central Station. Mixed in with video game icons are a few Hidden Disney references, including Tiny the Tyrannosaurus Rex from Meet the Robinsons (2007). One of the Bowler Hat Guy's ill-conceived henchmen, Tiny's enormous body and small arms weren't very useful while trying to grab Lewis, the little pre-teen inventor.

Played at the very end of the credits, the Wreck-It Ralph kill screen pays homage to Pac-Man and 80s arcade games. © Walt Disney Animation

Keep those eyes open for more Hidden Disney and stay to the end of the credits for a little surprise. Wreck-It Ralph has one last game inspired bit of bonus content, as the movie ends with a Pac-Man-style kill screen. Due to hardware limitations, glitches or programming errors, elite gamers learned certain arcade games from the 80s had kill screens instead of proper endings. The famed Pac-Man bomb screen appeared as the game's 256th level, since the system's limited processing could only account for values 0-255. Since kill screens could only be reached after hours of gameplay, some developers left them in the code and hardcore gamers sought them out as badges of honor.

NEWS: Disney to Acquire Lucasfilm Ltd.

Admin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:10:55 +0000

Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 - Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.

"Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas," said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney's unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value."

"For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next," said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I've always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I'm confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney's reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products."

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and "evergreen" Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.

Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm's legendary Star Wars franchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world's top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney's strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.

The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney's very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company's unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney's portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company's ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world's highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.

[official press release]

Hidden Mickey Monday ºoº - Haunted Mansion Holiday - Ballroom Hidden Mickeys

Admin — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 04:03:00 +0000

Inspired by Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Disneyland's Haunted Mansion gets an annual makeover called the Haunted Mansion Holiday. The popular overlay mixes themes from both Halloween & Christmas, decking the mansion's eerie halls from late-September to mid-January.

Disneyland's annual Halloween Time festivities draw guests to New Orleans Square, who line up to see Jack Skellington's seasonal nightmare. Every year Disney's Imagineers keep the holiday event fresh by adding original gags, creating elaborate ballroom centerpieces and finding new ways to hide Mickeys.

Over the years, the Haunted Mansion's Holiday Hidden Mickeys have been tweaked, moved and reinvented. Winter storms have pushed piles of toys, festive sleds and heavy snowdrifts through the ballroom's doors, usually with some sort of Mickey hidden within the mayhem.

2012 Haunted Mansion Holiday - Snowdrift Hidden Mickey (Center)

2011 Haunted Mansion Holiday - Snowdrift Hidden Mickey

2009 Haunted Mansion Holiday - Snowdrift Hidden Mickey (Lower Right)In addition to the seasonal snowdrift Hidden Mickeys, a Halloween-themed version of the Haunted Mansion's classic ballroom place settings also appear. The standard blue china Hidden Mickeys have been recreated with black, spider web patterned plates. Just like their classic porcelain counterparts, these Halloween Hidden Mickeys get moved around the table by Cast Members or playful ghosts. Incidentally, these seasonal Hidden Mickeys always share the ballroom table with an elaborate Nightmare Before Christmas centerpiece, designed specifically for that Haunted Mansion Holiday season.

2012 Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare - Ballroom Place Setting - Plate Hidden Mickey

2010 Haunted Mansion Holiday - Ballroom Place Setting - Plate Hidden Mickey (Left)2008 Haunted Mansion Holiday - Ballroom Place Setting - Plate Hidden MickeyThough the Haunted Mansion Holiday is already quite a spectacle, try to keep those eyes focused in the dimly lit ballroom for these spectacular seasonal Hidden Mickeys.

Hidden Disneyland Details - Sparky's Empty Grave from Frankenweenie

Admin — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:25:30 +0000

Every Autumn, Disneyland's Haunted Mansion undergoes a whimsical transformation, becoming the Haunted Mansion Holiday. Inspired by Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Madame Leota and the mansion's 999 haunts open their eerie estate to the quirky ghouls from Halloween Town. Beginning in 2001, Jack Skellington has hosted the annual holiday overlay, a mishmash of the otherwise mismatched Halloween and Christmas holiday seasons.

A new Disney Detail has been added to this year's Haunted Mansion Holiday. In anticipation of Tim Burton's latest Disney project, the stop-motion animated Frankenweenie (2012), a special grave and marker have been added to the pet cemetery in the mansion's front garden.

Sparky's Empty Grave in front of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion

Though empty gravesites may not seem strange in a pet cemetery, or more specifically - Pet Sematary. This empty grave and bone shaped cross are tributes to Sparky, the four-legged star of Burton's Frankenweenie, which was released in theaters on October 5, 2012.

Hidden Mickey Monday ºoº - Carthay Circle Theater - Terrazzo Floor Mickey

Admin — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 05:15:02 +0000

The Carthay Circle Theater - Buena Vista Street - Disney's California Adventure ParkCalifornia Adventure's Carthay Circle Theater stands as the centerpiece of the park's 1920s & 30s themed Buena Vista Street. Inspired by the original built in 1926, Disney's replica of the storied cinema pays homage to Hollywood's Golden Age.

Located at 1901 Buena Vista Street, the Carthay Circle Theater's design was inspired by Southern California's Spanish styling and the Art Deco movement popular in the 1920s. The theater's grand entrance is framed by its wonderful ironwork, ornately painted tiles and colorful terrazzo flooring.

Terrazzo Floor - Carthay Circle Theater's Grand Entrance

Just outside the theater's entrance, a Mickey has been hidden in the Carthay Circle's poured terrazzo floor. To the far right of the main doors, there is a plaque marked 1901.

Terrazzo Floor Hidden Mickey - Carthay Circle Theater - Disney's California Adventure Park

The miniature Classic Mickey is located within the white strip of flooring near the 1901 plaque. Slightly larger than the width of a pencil, the marble chip Hidden Mickey is embedded within the terrazzo.