At first, Disney said it would never happen, but over the weekend this was released on their blog:

“Twenty-three years ago, at the height of his phenomenal entertainment career, Michael Jackson joined forces with Disney to create “Captain EO,” a groundbreaking 17-minute 3D film experience.

We are excited to confirm that the classic musical spectacular that thrilled Disneyland park guests from 1986 – 1997, will return for an exclusive, limited engagement at Disneyland park beginning in February 2010!

The attraction’s return to Tomorrowland will provide new audiences the opportunity to experience the original 3D production for the very first time, as well as a nostalgic look back for longtime fans wanting to see “The King of Pop” in a rare performance created for the big-screen, just one more time.

“Honey I Shrunk The Audience” will be closing sometime in the next few weeks to make way for the Captain’s return.”

I don’t know abt you, but I can definitely remember going to Disneyworld in Orlando, DYING to go see this.  The smoke and the lights and the 3d, and Michael of course, was the best thing that could EVER happen to you as a child I guess.  I grew up, but my love for Captain EO never did.  I read this and almost cried I was so happy.  That may be kinda weird, but we all have things from our childhood that made us just love being alive.  This, was one of those things for me.  I just might wait in line overnight folks… Ya, it’s that serious!

Hello world! I’m back! It’s been a while – I’ve taken a trip to Washington, had Thanksgiving, and, drumroll please….

I FINISHED MY FINALS!

Which means that I am done with my MA coursework – All I have left is to turn in my thesis on April 16, 2010. Did I mention that my thesis was 90% done already?

Anyway, since I have been gone, I went to Washington:

isn't it pretty?

We spent a week at home planning a wedding with my groomzilla (post on that will appear in the next couple of days) and having delicious Thanksgiving food. For the first time in my life I cooked a lot of the side dishes including the green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie (from scratch!) and the stuffing. I had supervision of course, as my sister (the seasoned cook) made sure that I couldn’t mess anything up, and I didn’t, which is very surprising. And the dog got in the Christmas spirit a bit early:

Boo's first appearance in the blog!

Since Victor and I are getting married in the summer, he is officially the oldest male in my immediate family. In our family that means carving the turkey at Thanksgiving, which he enjoyed too much I think:

Turkey carver extraordinaire!

The dinner was fantastic and stress free. Usually holidays at my house are a little on the tense side. Not that we don’t like each other, but the stress of planning big dinners really seems to stress people out. This year, however, we really had a good time:

Mi Familia!

The next morning I made a huge mistake, that will appear in a later blog post, I promise But let’s just say its a doozie, having made everything so perfect the night before it only logically followed that the next day I would wipe the slate clean again.

In the meantime I have been back in New York preparing for Christmas. We are official New Yorkers because we have out own Charlie Brown tree, and I finished all my shopping and wrapping:

Our tree!

And today it started to snow! My family has been driving to Orlando all day to go to Disneyworld, and Victor and I are trapped in a snowstorm. We decided to venture out in the storm and have some fun, after bundling up:

Then we decided to make designs in the snow with our gloves. The back windows of cars were our main target, and I don’t think its vandalism per se if we are spreading joy that will soon be covered up with more snow:

caught in the act!

Needless to say we have had a fun weekend celebrating the end of our respective MA degrees I am going to make sure to update the blog much more often – as I have a lot of material! Have a lovely and snowy weekend!

Roy Disney, the son and nephew of The Walt Disney Co. founders, died today at the age of 79 after a long bout with stomach cancer.

From the Associated Press:

Although he generally stayed out of the spotlight, Roy Disney didn’t hesitate to lead a successful campaign in 1984 to oust Walt Disney’s son-in-law after concluding he was leading the company in the wrong direction.

Nearly 20 years later, he launched another successful shareholders revolt, this time against Michael Eisner, the man he’d helped bring in after the previous ouster.

Disney, born in 1930, had practically grown up with the company. His uncle Walt Disney and his father, Roy O. Disney, had co-founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio seven years before, later renaming it The Walt Disney Co.

Two years before he was born, the company gave birth to its iconic cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. While Walt was the company’s creative genius, his brother was the one in charge of the company’s finances.

From CNN:

Roy Edward Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney, died Wednesday after a yearlong battle with stomach cancer, according to a Walt Disney Co. spokesman.

Disney “played a key role in the revitalization of the Walt Disney Co. and Disney’s animation legacy,” the company said.

He died in a Newport Beach, California, hospital at the age of 79.

His father — Roy O. Disney — co-founded the Disney entertainment business with Walt Disney in 1923.

Roy E. Disney’s 56-year association with the company culminated in 2003 when he stepped down as vice chairman of Disney’s board and chairman of the Disney Studio’s Animation Department. He kept the title director emeritus and consultant in recent years, the company said.

“As head of Disney Animation, Disney helped to guide the studio to a new golden age of animation with an unprecedented string of artistic and box office successes that included ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘Aladdin’ and ‘The Lion King,’ ” the company said.

We went to Orlando in Nov 2009 and had great time in Disney world.

!!!

Well I found it.  I was watching the Disneyworld special on HGTV about how they decorate Disneyworld, all of the parks and the hotels for the holidays.  There is one woman who is in charge of organizing all of this.  She knows which ornaments go on which trees and then where each of the 1,300 trees go. It’s a full time job and they even have this huge warehouse where all the decorations are stored.  I’m sure it would get old after awhile.  I bet the last thing that these workers want to think about is how they are going to decorate their own home.

Down side of the job, she had to supervise everyone once the park closed to make sure everything was going smoothly.  But, it was only for about 5 days. I could just drink coffee.

Then as she was walking along main street, she pulled out her colored coded schedule!

It was like we were soul mates.

Ripp and Redd: Hustlers and Players

When it’s too early for the club to come alive, or perhaps too late and the crowd begins to wane, what would be any DJ’s ace in the hole, his one trusted trick up his sleeve? How to turn the evening tide from the worse to the electric, stimulating, intensifying pleasure all have been waiting for with baited breath the entire evening? In two names and one act, blood brothers from the Panhandle State, Ripp and Redd. Hailing from the greater Jacksonville, Florida area, this duo alone can generate the jumping sounds of bass, the enamoring melodies, and the adept delivery of lyrics unparalleled known to mankind. Who knows, perhaps even the extra-terrestrial are somehow tuned in to become part of the pair known as  the life of the party.

Ripp and Redd came from modest up bringings, but it wasn’t their lot in life to be held down by anyone or anything. No, talent on their level simply could not be suppressed by man or circumstance. With a small loan to the local music shop, Ripp purchased his first keyboard, laid down some notes, and history was made. Within a matter of one year the duo had already taken an astronomical leap in the market under the moniker, 4 Deep. At some point, the unity of the act began to meander and the two brothers alone remained.

Scouted by Joe Stern-McGovern and Terje Himberg-Larsen of DJ White Shadow fame, the duo were swept to the west coast’s San Diego in a quest to create their first official album. Due to circumstances beyond control, all was put on hold for a year as various matters were straightened. Meanwhile, Ripp and Redd continued to forge their own destiny, never failing and never quitting at what they knew was their life calling. In the interim, Ripp and Redd put out no fewer than 4 outstanding singles which rocked the region from east to west, and north to south.

You Cannot Stop the Unstoppable

By the close of 2009, Universal Soldier Records, a division of Universal Artists, International, had undergone a change in their methodology through the assistance of the likes of the late, great Casey Rankin of Japan’s legendary Pure-Records, as well as fielding suggestions and tutelage from Sony Records and Warner Bros. insiders who had the skill and maturity to assist the struggling independent label.

With the reconstruction of Universal Soldier Records came the active partipation of Universal Artists, International. With the restructuring came the first great, official step for Ripp and Redd as the pair joined Birmingham, Alabama’s renowned, Black Flock Gang, also known widely as BFG, on their first compilation album, Radio. Featured fourth on the roster of hits, Ripp and Redd cut loose with their full momentum in the raucous single, Get 2 da Money. Even prior to the release of the album which would come to be known as  Radio, word from insiders at EMI, Virgin, and Interscope assured us the album being an assured success, in part due to the continued and strenuous efforts of Ripp and Redd.

A force such as Ripp and Redd isn’t likely to play second fiddle to any act, although their bond with the Black Flock Gang will certainly be a strong one. Audiences can look for the future release of Ripp and Redd’s own debut yet to be named sometime early next year. Rumor has it the album will most likely be distributed by a major within the US, or some powerhouse from abroad. Nevertheless, one thing is certain, whoever backs the duo is one lucky entity, as these two cannot and will not accept anything less than full-fledged success on a level yet unimagined.

To obtain a download of any future single by Ripp and Redd, Black Flock Gang, or any other Universal Artists, International’s roster of talent, please visit the charitable site, www.endhivaids.com which is coming in mid-January with the latest classics and hits, courtesy of Joe Stern-McGovern, Universal Artists, International, Shaka Productions, and DJ Funk Daddy, with prices starting at $.99 per download.

For more information on Ripp and Redd, please visit Universal Artists, International at www.universalartists.net, and look for the coming Ripp and Redd profile, as well as their personal Myspace sites. Announcements of their future singles are soon to be released globally as the duo are heralded as the inheritors to Florida’s proverbial throne, if not the entire Deep South.

Platinum on Wax

If you wish to book Ripp and Redd domestically, please contact Joe Stern-McGovern’s assistant at joesternmcgovern@myspace.com. For international bookings, please contact Guy at guy@universalartists.net, or Joe Stern-McGovern himself at joe@universalartists.net. For all matters of A&R or production, please contact Shaka at shaka@universalartists.net. For information about the Black Flock Gang, please visit www.myspace.com/blackflockgang or write to blackflockgang@myspace.com.

Management

www.universalartists.net

Click Image to embiggen.

Photographed by Gold41

Top of Cinderella’s Castle on a warm winter Christmas Day at Dinseyworld.

– License

So we arrived on a rainy Friday afternoon to Disney. Our plan was to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party that night. This was great since we didn’t plan to go to the park that night; we’d now have some extra time in Magic Kingdom. 

Of course it didn’t help that the plane was an hour late arriving so by the time we arrived at the hotel we had to head out to Magic Kingdom. My two youngest were tired from the travels and with their colds we thought it best not to take them out to the park in the rain. 

So it was my seven-year old and myself. It wasn’t that busy but I think the rain kept most people away. It rained off and on all night. Mickey’s ‘Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade’ runs twice during the night so we decided to wait for the second show and hit the park. We shopped for pins and holiday hats. We also grabbed our FREE cookies, apple slices, hot cocoa and apple juice. There were a number of fun activities for kids throughout the park like signing a Christmas card for Santa, pretending to walk the plank, bowling and more. At one point the rain stopped and I actually packed the rain ponchos in my bag. But as we rode Thunder Run roller coaster the rain came back. And a light shower feels pretty sharp when it hits you whizzing around on a coaster. 

A little rain doesn't stop my daughter

Signing a Christmas Card for Santa

One of the many marked snack stops in the park

Enjoying unlimited cocoa and cookies

We were starting to get pretty wet at this point (it’s a good thing the other two kids didn’t come out). My daughter wanted to go but I convinced her to hang out a little longer to catch the ‘Holiday Wishes – Celebrate the Spirit of the Season’ fireworks show. She was glad we stayed; it was pretty spectacular. We hoped to catch the second showing of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, but they decided to cancel it due to rain. I should point out this was the one moment when it actually wasn’t raining. 

Waiting in the rain for the fireworks to start

Fireworks...

...fireworks...

...fireworks...

...fireworks...

...and more fireworks

It was cold and wet so we didin’t get to enjoy the party as much as I hoped but my daughter and I still had a great time. Hopefully we’ll be able to attend sometime in the future when the weather isn’t so disappointing.

第三日 – Downtown Disney

原以為係會租車了, 但媽咪咪車牌要到期, 不能租車至回程, 唯有坐的士。

先到附近嘅Downtown Disney找吃的。

剛巧遇上免費的face painting,

小公主最開心, 終於可以一嚐心願, 你睇佢開心到!

完成後唔夠一個鐘小公主就要求媽咪咪幫佢洗咗面, 因為佢覺得好痕, 但媽咪咪見佢唔係敏感, 於是借估拖延, 因為媽咪咪想佢記得個感受, 將來唔再要求。

 Downtown Disney 其實好似一個市集咁,

那裡有一間好大的積木店,

小公主幫忙組合巴斯光年, 仲有張證明書。 

之後去咗factroy outlet, 原以為在較低消受稅嘅吸引下, 會買多啲, 但係無囉! 在outlet內最令人開心嘅係一餐西人中餐, 小公主都食到大叫yum yum yum。

多日無奶茶的爸bu, 敵不過咖啡因, 來一杯星巴克。

小公主都唔執輸, 來一杯熱朱古力。

同場遇上香港來的朋友,

拍一張大合照留念。

第四日 – Animal kingdom, Hollywood’s studio and Epcot

由媽咪咪負責精選行程, 一日快玩三個樂園。小公主一向鍾意動物, 所以我們最先去Animal kingdom。

坐車遊森林睇野獸;

睇海底奇兵(Finding Nemo)音樂劇。

不過小公主都一路問住幾時先見到阿米老鼠。無問題, 為娘立刻安排簽名及合照。

之後到Hollywood’s studio

食晚飯;

 睇燈飾。

玩了一個非常好玩嘅反斗奇兵4D遊戲, 但排咗好耐隊, 因此錯過了Magic Kindgom嘅煙花, 只好去Epcot看了。

但小公主很失望冇得再去Magic kingdom。

第五日 – 回程

下午5時上機, 早上在酒店一個迷你公園玩了一會,

到附近另一個outlet食西人中餐, 行逛一會就坐的士到機場, 結束旅程。

(image source)

Dear Funkawesome Readers of this Blog,

I have news. I’m off to the Wonderful World of Disney for four whole days. I’m not even kidding.

But how, you say? Just one of the many perks bestowed on Rob for selling his soul to his swanky corporate day-job. Am I complaining? Only half-assed. (We’re staying at a 5-star after all.)

You see, my ultimate dream is for he and I to be hippies – him on the guitar, me at the keyboard – working from any old place on the planet, sipping fresh fruit juice (with Grey Goose) because, somehow, being a hippie will classify as a respectable line of work, like being a model or movie star or full-time Twatter.

Too big of a dream?

Well, just to get a taste (you know, manifest the dream and all) you can bet your ass I’ll be typing on my laptop (OK, texting) while Rob strums a guitar (or drums on an empty Coke bottle we paid $10 for) whilst sailing on the river that runs through the spectacle of It’s a Small World.

Who says dreams can’t come true, even if they’re a little distorted sometimes.

Miss you already,
sandyb-licious

PS: On another note, Disney just happens to be the last place my family and I vacationed together before my parents divorced, which left me horribly scarred. Should be great!

The Land

The Circle of Life

The Land

Soarin´- simulador de vôo em asa delta em que você sente a brisa, os cheiros e a imagem – sinta a extraordinária sensação de um võo-livre – parece que você está voando sobre as maravilhas naturais do estado da Califórnia – uma experiência inesquecível, no mais novo “ride”desse parque.  Para os que ficam esperando na fila, há distrações muito legais (assista ao vídeoacima ).

Living with the land – passeio por estufas de plantas e legumes e uma fazenda de piscicultura – estava, infelizmente, “closed for refurbishment”.

The circle of life – filme sobre animais e o círculo da vida – se você não entende muito de inglês não adianta – vai ficar meio perdido.

Journey to Immagination

Immagination!

 

Journey into Immagination with Figment – viagem pelos sentidos humanos.

Honey, I shrunk the Audience – filme em 3D sobre o filme: Querida, encolhi as crianças – dessa vez quem encolhe, é você, espectador.

fonte colorida

EPCOT é a sigla de Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (Protótipo de Comunidade Experimental do Amanhã) e na verdade era a ideia inicial de Walt Disney para a Walt Disney World, em 1966.

Apesar de todo o milagroso progresso do desenvolvimento tecnológico, o Epcot nunca está ultrapassado, pois é sempre atualizado.

O Epcot é dividido em duas partes: o Future World, com atrações “high-tech” e World Showcase, que apresenta 11 nações do mundo, separadas por uma grande lagoa, a World Showcase Lagoon. 

No Future World, as fontes coloridas com águas dançantes alegram crianças e adultos.

第一日 – 入住酒店

(為了令小公主舒服些, 媽咪咪响起飛後係幫小公主換上睡衣, 但落機後又懶幫佢換番普通衫, 一心想著到酒店後即沖涼)

晚上跟一班從香港來開會的師兄弟妹吃飯。

第二日 – Magic Kingdom

一入到公主就見到Pluto, 條人龍仲唔係好長, 即刻同佢合照先。初初以為小公主會怕咗佢地咁大隻, 點知又無喎, 仲鬼咁鍾意添。

嘩! 有聖誕節裝飾喇, 仲有個職員幫忙影相, 正!

第一個項目, 坐小火車(省下媽咪咪不少腳程)到主人米奇個家。 

小公主見其他小朋友有本簿比啲卡通人簽名, 有鋪買簿瘾嘅小公主當然想買, 媽咪咪都心軟如佢願, 比佢開心吓。

到達米奇間屋, 小公主好興奮。

之後仲同屋主影番張相。

响米奇間屋出嚟見到這個過山車嚷著要玩, 好就比妳試吓! 上去之前, 媽咪咪已經話比小公主知係好快, 佢死話OK。點知佢玩完話最鍾意。大膽鬼!

小公主又點可以唔同公主影相呢!

仲有五分鐘就開始巡遊, 都可以在睡公主城堡前找到好位。

雖然小公主唔知巡遊係咩, 但都耐心等候。

睇完巡遊, 繼續行程。在Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo Boutique(一間令小朋友變成小公主嘅商店)門外,

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (令灰姑娘變公主嘅咒語)

之後就一頭都係金粉, 洗咗四日先洗晒。

跟維尼熊歷奇。

坐飛象。

睇3D電影。

 當然唔少得食啦!

 除咗上面果啲, 小公主仲玩咗: 小小世界, 白雪公主驚嚇旅程, 怪獸公司講笑話, 旋轉木馬, 等等。

唔好以為玩得好多, 我地遊咗半個園都無就係時候講Bye Bye。

第三至五日嘅相, 要等下個post。

Diariamente, no Animal Kingdom, é apresentada a parada dos animais e os personagens Disney, às 11h e às 14h, uma celebração à alegria e à imaginação.

Kali river rapids

5 – Kilimanjaro Safari

4 – Pangani Forest Exploration Trail

3 – It´s tough to be a bug!

2 – Expedition Everest

1 – Kali River Rapids

Expedition Everest

Expedition Everest-Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

– um trenzinho segue pela montanha-russa que sobe o Monte Everest, o “Teto do Mundo”, quando um Abominável homem das neves, o Yeti, arrebenta os trilhos, em meio a uma tempestade de neve.

Imperdível… – na loja, depois do ride, tem Yetis fofíssimos, de pelúcia, para vender – me arrependi de não ter comprado – não é sempre que se pode ter um Abominável homem das neves, em casa.

Kali river rapids

touch and soak

Kali River Rapids

 

– emocionante aventura descendo corredeiras no rio asiático – as pessoas que ficam vendo as balsas passarem, podem jogar água nas pessoas lá embaixo.

 Fui 3 vezes seguidas, fiquei encharcada de água – adoooooreeeeeiiiii!!!

Kilimanjaro Safari – as estradas da Reserva Selvagem de Harambe, levam você a um safari de aventuras com animais de verdade – gostei, mas podia ser melhor.

Pangani Forest Exploration Trail / Maharajah Jungle Trek – passeio a pé, pela floresta africana, com vista de pássaros, gorilas, e até o dragão de komodo… (veja o vídeo abaixo)

artistas de It´s tough to be a bug

The tree of Life

It´s tough to be a bug!

– show de calouros 3D, com a personagem principal do filme, Vida de Inseto: Flik. 

O mais interessante é que você tem de passar por dentro da Tree Of Life (Árvore da Vida), em que estão esculpidos rostos de diversos animais – adoreeeeeeeiiiiii!!!!! – o melhor 3D dos parques…   

Festival of The Lion King

Festival of The Lion King – musical da Broadway sobre o desenho animado: The Lion King – fantástico, imperdível, encantador! – estou me repetindo, conscientemente… – não tenho palavras para descrever tanta magia…

Inaugurado em 1998, o Animal Kingdom é o mais novo parque da Walt Disney World, com uma área cinco vezes maior que o Magic Kingdom, com o intuito de celebrar os animais: reais, imaginários e extintos.

O parque foi construído em três anos e a maioria dos animais foram trazidos da África.

Por todo parque é possível encontrar animais raros, acompanhados por seus tratadores que estão à disposição para responder às perguntas. 

Localizado, logo antes da entrada do parque, o Rainforest Cafe é parada obrigatória para quem gosta de restaurantes temáticos (leia mais sobre ele no post anterior).

Dinoland

DinoLand

Dinosaur! – uma aventura no mundo dos dinosauros, em tecnologia de audio-animatronics – infelizmente, eu não pude ir, por conta de meus problemas de coluna.

TriceraTop Spin – voe com os dinosauros - brinquedo para os pequenos.

Primeval Whirl – montanha-russa temática do período Jurássico. 

Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo

– musical da Broadway sobre o desenho animado: Nemo – fantástico, imperdível, encantador!  – Espero que venha para o Brasil, logo!

Restaurante temático que pode ser encontrado logo na entrada do Animal Kingdom e, também, no Downtown Disney.

Todo ambientado como uma floresta tropical, come-se, bebe-se e compra-se, como se estivéssemos no meio de um safári – com cascatas, aquários, animais selvagens, pássaros e insetos enormes.

Esse restaurante pode ser encontrado em várias cidades dos Estados Unidos e em alguns países, como Egito, México, Canadá, Turquia, França, Inglaterra e Japão.

www.rainforestcafe.com

all you can eat

Enormes, também, são as porções servidas, churrascos e sobremesas do tipo – all you can eat!