Mouse Extra

Many people look for ways to experience some of that “Disney Magic” at home. One of the more popular ways to do that is the Disney on Ice shows that are constantly touring the country. I know, for example, one show Lets Celebrate came through my area in November and just this past weekend another show, 100 Years of Magic, was here. I was able to take my two kids to Disney on Ice for the first time.

 And I would have to say, it was OK. First of all, I am not a figure skating fan. I find it very dull. So, I would take this over professional figure skating any day of the week. However, there was portions of the show that were that kind of boring to me. Some parts were way too long, like the drawn out princess ice dancing stuff. Other parts, like the Incredibles scene, were just down right dumb.

Basically, Mickey and the gang come out and introduce abbreviated 10 minute versions of a few Disney movies to short snippets of songs from those movies. They had sequences on Nemo, Alladin, Beauty & the Beast, Toy Story, the Lion King the Incredibles, and Pinnochio. The best of these was probably Mulan. It had the right tempo to it. The Pinnochio scene was well done, as well. I particularly liked the Monstro.

My vote for the best scene in the entire show was the Its a Small World scene where Jiminy Crickett comes out to transport Mickey & the Gang to Disneyland. The skaters were dressed as various dolls from around the country. This was followed by a SpectroMagic parade with lit up vechiles and Mickey floating over them in a balloon. I suppose the good outweighed the bad, and you’re child will likely love the show. Just be prepared from some boredom.

Today’s posting is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra

One of the best things about Christmas is that I tend to get a cool Disney gift somehow and this year was no exception. I was given the Lost Journals from Guide to the Magic by Tim Foster. Its billed as an Adventure Guide and it is just that, a fun filled book that I will bringing on my next trip. (Here’s a link to their site )
 
The set up is relatively simple. Each section of a park (like Adventureland or Sunset Boulevard or Dinoland USA) gets their own section. Within each section are several parts. You get a photo journal that shows little tidbits of that land and you have to find them. There is a scavenger hunt. For example, in Liberty Square you need to find 13 lantens, a dog, a steam whistle and many other items. There is also a blurb about various hidden mickeys in that land as well as a hidden symbol you need to seek out.

But my favorite part is the Fact Finding section. This lists numerous proposed questions. For example, in the Future World West section, one question is “I’ve heard that there is a tribute to the greatest thinkers of our time somewhere in Future World. Where is it?” The answer is a series of plaques in a little courtyard exiting innoventions.
 
As you can see, this is a lot different from the typical guide book to the world. There is no “when exiting Attraction A proceed immediately to Attraction B” or any comment about restaraunts, although the author has published a book with just that. The only drawback I can see from this book is it needs to expand to the resorts and the water parks.  But at $15 or so, its more than worth it.

Great music is a long standing Disney tradition.  Walt Disney himself put a strong emphasis on the importance of music, either for films or for theme park attractions.  Over the years the Disney Company has kept this tradition alive with some of the most memorable and beautiful pieces of music that have gone on to achieve incredible popularity and have become part of the culture at large.   But every once in a while, Disney will put out a terrific and unexpected release under the radar, and this week we have one such release.

 
Los Lobos, the group best known for covering the Richie Valens hit song “La Bamba” for the film of the same name, has recorded an album of Disney songs called “Los Lobos Goes Disney”.  And I can say with confidence that you don’t need to be a fan of Los Lobos, or even be very familiar with them, to really enjoy this release.  They have picked some terrific songs and given them a wonderfully sincere and worthy treatment.

The album, which was released earlier this week, features some well known songs done with a very modern approach and often something of a Tex-Mex flare.  “Grim Grinning Ghosts” is given a haunting reggae groove, with a vocal that recalls the original but without sounding like they are copying the ride’s soundtrack.  “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” seemed on the surface to me like it may be too tropical for a Los Angeles rock band, but they make it a natural fit with perfect fluidity and harmony.  The album ends with an instrumental medley of two Disney classics, “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “It’s a Small World”.  But the band flies through it with a feel that somehow blends California surf and Mexican carnival.

But the diehard Disney fanatic will appreciate the fact that Los Lobos have picked a couple of songs that are not often covered or even heard very much.  The best of these is a version of “Not in Nottingham”, from the largely under appreciated Robin Hood.  It is a good song in the film to be sure, but after these guys get done with it, the song becomes just a gorgeous piece of folk music that makes one think you might find Nottingham somewhere along the New Mexico and Arizona border.  It is obvious that Los Lobos and I share the same positive view of Robin Hood, as they cover the better know “Oo-Dee-Lally” later on the album with equally good results.

“Los Lobos Goes Disney” is an album that will please the Disney fan.  It may not translate as well to small children as it does to adult, but that’s difficult for me to say.  When I saw this album was being released, I didn’t know what to expect.  But what I got was a strong release from start to finish that I can’t stop listening to.  Enjoy.

In the effort to maintain quality family time with our children, we have recently scheduled “family game nights,” a pretty self-explanatory activity. With our entire family being the Disney fanatics we are, we certainly couldn’t pass up purchasing The Magic Kingdom Board Game.

The game is relatively simple for the young player but still packs a fun factor even for adults. The idea of the game is to visit one attraction from each land in the park and be the first player to make it to the exit. The attractions are selected randomly by each player from a deck of cards. We tweaked the rules for our 5 year old, since she is just learning how to read, by allowing every player to see the attractions he/she was dealt. This added to the fun of the game, making it easier to cheer each other on, or in my case, the kids got to send me back to start on multiple occasions to ensure I wouldn’t win. Along with the attraction cards, the game includes Event Cards, complete with Fast Passes for the attractions and helpful tour guides in Cinderella, Dumbo and others. Players can also ride the Railroad and get autographs from Mickey and Donald.
 
I would definitely recommend this game for all families looking to spend some special time together. A few things to keep in mind are; this game is only for up to 5 players and it combines both Disneyland and The Magic Kingdom Attractions. For example, the castle is Sleeping Beauty’s Castle but the Haunted Mansion is the Florida version. But it has created many good memories for about $20.00.

Today’s merchandise review is from Brooke, contributing writer to Mouse Extra.

I was very excited about the idea of D23, Disney’s new official “fan club”, when I first heard of the concept.  I was one who made sure on March 10 to check the website first thing in the morning.  But my excitement has certainly deflated into disappointment and now I think I will pass on D23 at least for the time being.

I know this topic has been burning up discussion forums and blogs throughout the Disney internet community.  I heard all sorts of things in support of D23 and those who are very, very critical of it.  I must admit that didn’t like it at first glance, as I thought the pricing just didn’t make any sense at all.  But I reserved judgment and waited to hear more.

For those on the fence, I would really suggest you listen to Mouse Guest Weekly’s March 15 episode.  (Click here for the show archives.)  Eric and his team interviewed three of Disney’s people who were directly involved in the making of D23, including Dave Smith of the Disney Archives.  It was a great interview and these folks are fascinating people, but it did nothing to convince me to join.  However, it may convince you so take a listen.

What you will learn is that D23, for $75 plus tax, gives you four magazines, a special gift lithograph, a membership certificate and card, the ability to purchase member-exclusive collectibles, and the chance to save on entrance to what sounds like a fascinating expo in Anaheim this year.  Plus they claim to have plans for more events but didn’t want to give any hint as to what they are or when and where they will take place.  The tone made it sound like they are some ways off yet.  Now, I can’t attend that expo.  It is only a few months away and I already have my vacation plans for this year, so that is worthless to me and I would imagine to many others as well.  These “upcoming events” they mentioned can’t be factored into my decision to buy in because they can’t be qualified at all.  Also, the certificate and card are essentially throw-aways in my book, and expensive collectibles are not in my budget and you don’t need to be a D23 member to find great Disney collectibles of which there certainly is no shortage available.  So that leaves me with $75 plus tax for a quarterly magazine and a lithograph.

Perhaps I too often think of things in a cynical way, but during the interview it was noted that the Disney 23 Magazine, which is truly the centerpiece of this program, was selling on the newsstand for $15.95.  The Disney folks said there were no advertisements as they wanted a “seamless experience” or some other silly phrase like that.  So what that essentially means, when compared to other non-seamless magazine experiences is that we the reader get to shoulder the entire cost of production and profit.   It is apparently a gorgeous piece, but for $16 bucks it better be.  But the real issue here is that you get absolutely no discount by subscribing!  In fact, you pay more.

But what bothers me the most is when people complain about D23 and get the standard and completely inane response from fans of “well if you don’t like it then don’t join!”  How ridiculous can that be?  That’s the entire frustration!  Of course we won’t join, but we all REALLY wanted to.  We wanted a great club.  We wanted something that presented a value for our dollars spent.  And what we got is $75 for 4 magazines and a lithograph!  (Oh, and the chance to spend a small fortune on flying to Anaheim for an expo or buying exclusive collectibles.)

I respect those who have decided to join D23.  But I wonder if when you heard the details was your first reaction really complete satisfaction and excitement?  Or did you have to do some internal convincing?  The possibility remains that D23 will grow into something really great.  Perhaps in the coming months we will hear about great member programs at Walt Disney World, or even in other cities throughout the country that will make it worthwhile to be a member.  But until that time comes, unless you live in the greater Anaheim area or are a collector with loads of cash, I can not suggest paying for D23.

It really was only a matter of time before the down economy had an effect on one of Disney’s third-party retailers.  According to the Orlando Sentinel, Virgin Megastores will be closing all of its location by the summer of this year, including the one found at Downtown Disney’s Westside. 

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said Virgin’s last day of operations at Downtown Disney will be May31.

The store “enjoyed strong sales,” she said, and Disney is in talks with several other retailers about filling the space.

This can not come at a good time for Disney, not that there is a good time for such news.  But with all the empty buildings littering the Pleasure Island landscape having another big fat empty elephant in the middle of the room is going to go a long way towards turning this once vibrant area into a proverbial ghost town. 

But, of course, we here at Mouse Extra are Disney World addicts.  The only thing we care about now is what is going into that huge space.  The longest running rumor has been that a giant flagship ESPNZone would go into that building.  At first, the rumor was Disney Quest would make way for the new sports-themed mega-restaurant.  But just over a year ago, we reported a Jim Hill Media rumor that indeed the Virgin location would be the one to go.

The problem here for Disney is the shear enormity of the building.  There are only a few things that could handle such a size without completely tearing the building down and starting fresh, which may very well be what happens.  Needless to say, this is going to put a major dent in the already struggling appeal of the non-Marketplace Downtown Disney area in the short term.