Loaded Couch Potatoes

This is probably the best video I’ve seen of Disney testing out their fountains for the World of Color.  Still no word on an opening date from Disney.

If you didn’t see the behind the scenes look video posted last month, click here.

The Disney Parks Blog just released this video with a great look at all the effects that go into the new World of Color show at Disney’s California Adventure.

There’s just so much information here I gave up on trying to write a summary of all this.
Everything you need to know is in this video from the D23 Expo:

Just as I had speculated earlier, Jay Rasulo (chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts) announced during his keynote speech that Star Tours 2 will be coming to Disneyland in California and Disney Hollywood Studios at Disney World in Florida.  This project has been rumored to be on the back burner since 2002, and now it’s finally OFFICIAL

The current version of Star Tours will close down in October of 2010, and the new version will open sometime in 2011.  They’ve released piece of concept artwork and a short video.

(continue reading…)

The first D23 Expo has already made some big waves with the announcement of “Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides.”  Johnny Depp was on stage, and in character, as Captain Jack Sparrow with Dick Cook (Walt Disney Studios chairman) for the big announcement.  The news came out today, the second day of the D23 expo (D23 being the official Disney fan club).  It was the big conclusion of 2 hours of celebrity appearances, film clips, and movie announcements (I’ll have more on all of that soon).  The fourth Pirates film is due out summer of 2011.

(continue reading…)

Master Black talks about the new Disney / Marvel deal, and the leaked images from Hulkie the Pooh. (continue reading…)

The new tequila bar in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot, La Cava del Tequila, started it’s “soft opening” over the weekend.  The bar features 74 varieties of tequila.  They serve it in both shots (both full and half shots) and in margaritas.  Overall I thought the atmosphere was perfect for a tequila bar, but the price of the drinks could be a little lower (lowest priced shot is $7). I’ve included pictures below.

(continue reading…)

A few weeks ago several Star Wars fan sites noticed Disney was inviting the 501st legion to be at the D23 expo in September (the first convention for Disney’s official fan club, D23).  After several of the sites started asking questions, Disney posted the following on their D23 official website.

(continue reading…)

According to Variety, the Walt Disney Co. has purchased Marvel Entertainment in a $4 billion deal.

Assuming that the deal is approved by Marvel shareholders, Disney will now own popular characters such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four, amongst many, many others.

It is not immediately clear how this move would affect the various film franchises Marvel has in the works (such as the Iron Man films and the upcoming Thor and Captain America movies) or the licenses to Marvel-based movies owned by other studios (such as Spider-Man and the X-Men).

It is also unclear how this would affect the theme park license Universal owns on the Marvel characters.

MakingOf.com has posted a slide show of concept art from Disney’s upcoming Rapunzel feature.

Looks pretty great to me.  I haven’t been all that stoked by what I’ve been seeing on The Princess and the Frog, but these Rapunzel images look like vintage Disney to me.

The movie won’t be in theatres until December 2010.