2013 Disney Legends Award Honorees to be Celebrated during D23 Expo in Anaheim!

2013 DISNEY LEGENDS AWARD HONOREES

TO BE CELEBRATED DURING D23 EXPO IN ANAHEIM

Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs, Dick Clark and Other Talented Contributors To Disney History To Be Honored At A Ceremony On Saturday, August 10

BURBANK, Calif. – July 10, 2013 – Monsters Inc. and Monsters University stars Billy Crystal and John Goodman, technology visionary Steve Jobs, television icon Dick Clark and other beloved contributors to the Disney legacy will be named and honored as official Disney Legends during the D23 Expo 2013 at      2 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, in the D23 Expo Arena at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The Disney Legends Awards program is a 26-year tradition of The Walt Disney Company. The three-day D23 Expo provides a rare opportunity for the public to be a part of the always touching and memorable presentation, hosted by noted television personality Tom Bergeron (host of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos).

“The Disney Legend Award is our highest and most coveted honor,” said Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger. “It’s reserved for the extraordinary visionaries and artists behind the Disney magic, the men and women who push the limits of innovation and creativity to ensure Disney remains truly special. The eight Legends we honor this year helped create some of our most beloved characters along with exciting new worlds and thrilling attractions.  They also entertained millions of people and expanded our definition of what’s possible. They are all indelible parts of our legacy, and we are proud to recognize them as true Disney Legends.”

The 2013 Disney Legends Award honorees (listed alphabetically) are:

TONY BAXTER has developed beloved Disney attractions including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Journey Into Imagination, Splash Mountain, and countless more over the course of his 43-year career with Walt Disney Imagineering.  Revered by Disney fans, he is best known for his commitment to storytelling, attention to detail, and ability to develop new ideas and attractions by combining time-tested design practices with modern technology.

COLLIN CAMPBELL touched almost every part of the Walt Disney Company, from animated classics to legendary theme park attractions, with stints in live action film and television. Collin’s work with Walt Disney Imagineering includes the development of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as concept illustrations of Magic Kingdom Park and Epcot Center.

DICK CLARK brought rock and roll to 40 million homes across the country with the national debut of American Bandstand on ABC in 1958. He went on to produce game shows, award shows including the Golden Globes® and the Academy of Country Music Awards, comedy specials movies, and other popular television specials. Dick might best be remembered, however, as the host of ABC’s annual Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve from 1973 until 2011.

BILLY CRYSTAL is an acclaimed actor who lends his voice to Mike Wazowski, the frenetic, green cyclopean monster from Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Best known for his memorable roles in When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, and City Slickers, Billy, who has won six Emmy Awards and one Tony Award, has also been a fixture on ABC television, where he hosted the Academy Awards® broadcast nine times and found his breakthrough role as Jodie Dallas on Soap from 1977-81.

JOHN GOODMAN is a celebrated actor of stage and screen, and the voice behind James P. Sullivan, better known as “Sully,” from Monsters Inc. and Monsters University. Among John’s notable film appearances are The Big Lebowski, The Flintstones, and most recently Argo and Flight. John’s appearances in Disney-produced films include the Hollywood Pictures films Arachnophobia and Born Yesterday, as well as Touchstone Pictures’ Stella, Coyote Ugly, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and Confessions of a Shopaholic. 

STEVE JOBS changed the world of consumer electronics as the founder of Apple, and was known throughout the world for his visionary attitude and penchant for innovation. He was an early investor and chief executive of Pixar, and became the Walt Disney Company’s largest shareholder overnight when it acquired Pixar Animation Studios in 2006. That same year, he joined the Disney board of directors, and remained a valuable sounding board and advisor to the company until his passing in 2011.

GLEN KEANE has brought to life many of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ most popular characters. Since becoming a Disney animator in 1974, he has animated classic Disney characters such as Penny in The Rescuers, Elliott in Pete’s Dragon, Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and the titular characters in The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Tarzan. In 2010, Glen served as Executive Producer and Animation Supervisor for Tangled, a story he developed for more than ten years.

ED WYNN, a comedian whose career began on Broadway in the early 1900s, appeared in numerous Disney classics of the 1960s, including Mary Poppins, Babes in Toyland, That Darn Cat, The Absent-Minded Professor, and Son of Flubber. Fans of Disney animation know him as the manic and distinctive voice of the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

Each honoree receives a two-foot-tall bronze Disney Legends sculpture that signifies the imagination, creativity and magic they have brought to the Company. Disney Legends Award recipients also participate in a handprint ceremony, and their bronzed prints will be displayed in the Disney Legends Plaza at the Company’s Burbank headquarters.

Admission to the ceremony will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is included in the price of a ticket to the D23 Expo. In addition to the 4,000-seat D23 Expo Arena, the ceremony will be simulcast into a 2,000-seat overflow theater inside the Convention Center.

The first Disney Legend, actor Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Happiest Millionaire), was named in 1987.  Including this year’s honorees, a total of 237 Disney Legends have been named.  Past Disney Legends include Tim Allen, Robin Williams, Julie Andrews, Howard Ashman, Regis Philbin, Annette Funicello, Peter Jennings, Angela Lansbury, Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Sir Tim Rice, Dick Van Dyke and Barbara Walters.  At the inaugural D23 Expo in 2009, the Legends Awards ceremony, which honored Robin Williams, Beatrice Arthur, Estelle Getty, Rue McLanahan, Betty White, Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer, Harry Archinal, Don Iwerks and Leota Toombs Thomas, was presented to thousands of Disney fans for the first time. 

Tickets and pricing information for D23 Expo 2013 are available at D23Expo.com Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 Expo and can be purchased for single days or for the full three days of festivities. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on admission, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 Expo for themselves and their guests. More details about D23 Expo entertainment, events, and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can keep up with all the news by visiting D23Expo.com or by following "DisneyD23" on Twitter and Facebook.

Exclusive Disney's Planes Videos Land Weekly on Disney.com for "Takeoff Tuesdays" Series!

Starting today, Disney.com is celebrating “Takeoff Tuesdays” featuring exclusive digital shorts inspired by Disney’s upcoming animated film, Planes.  Before Disney’s Planes soars into theaters in 3D on August 9, head to Disney.com for weekly racer profiles featuring the stars of the film including Dusty, El Chupacabra and more.  

In the first video, get to know the charming caped Casanova himself, El Chupacabra. As a racing legend in Mexico, El Chu is known for his passion for racing and his dramatic flair. Visit Disney.com every Tuesday for more video profiles featuring all-new characters.

“Disney’s Planes” is an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure featuring Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar. 

“Disney’s Planes” takes off in theaters on Aug. 9, 2013. For more information, check out Disney.com/Planes, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyPlanes and follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures.

Disney Consumer Products announces line up for D23 Expo!

Disney’s Ultimate Fans to Enjoy Access to Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Content and Merchandise

Glendale, Calif. – July 9, 2013 — Disney Consumer Products (DCP) will give Disney’s most loyal fans an up close look at an extensive collection of interactive experiences and merchandise that celebrate Disney, Marvel and Star Wars timeless characters during the bi-annual D23 Expo, the ultimate Disney fan event. Held at the Anaheim Convention Center from Aug. 9-11, 2013, Disney fans will have the chance to follow their favorite products from “sketch to shelf” and learn how Disney Consumer Products extends storytelling from character and content extension to product development through featured discussions, art and sculptures and final product displays.

While at the D23 Expo fans will also be able to immerse themselves in exhibits, hands-on demonstrations, special signing opportunities and exclusive product offerings at the Disney Consumer Products Pavilion.

Disney Consumer Products’ exciting lineup of events and attractions includes:

Celebrating Disney, Marvel and Star Wars

• Disney Junior Fun Spot – Get a sneak peek of brand-new toys before they hit store shelves this fall and enjoy special giveaways while supplies last. 

• Disney Princess Ariel-Themed Sephora Pop-up Shop – Sephora Pro artists and manicurists will give attendees the royal treatment with products from the Disney Ariel Collection by Sephora. The collection will be available for purchase along with an exclusive-to-D23 Expo-only Swarovski crystal-encrusted Ariel compact mirror. Attendees will receive starfish hair clips with every complimentary beauty service each day, while supplies last. 

• The Mystical World of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen – See feature animation art concepts, storyboards, unreleased film clips, and products from the mystical world of Frozen, the daring comedy-adventure from Walt Disney Animation Studios releasing in November 2013. 

• Steamboat Willie Redux – Celebrate the history and timelessness of the most cherished Disney character through this graphically re-interpreted mash-up of the pioneering 1928 cartoon short, Steamboat Willie. 

·         Spider-Man’s Ultimate Innovation – Come check out products on the cutting edge of product innovation and design featuring one of the most popular Super Heroes in the world, Spider-Man, in Marvel’s first-ever appearance in the DCP showcase at the D23 Expo.

• Star Wars at D23 Expo! – For the first time at the D23 Expo Star Wars fans can have access to experiences created for them by Lucasfilm and Disney. Darth Vader: The Evolution of a Villain, located in the DCP pavilion, showcases the development of the iconic villain from early concepts to striking realization. Crash Course in the Force: Star Wars Saga 101, presented by Lucasfilm’s resident authority Pablo Hidalgo in Stage 23, will give Star Wars newbies and experts alike a thorough grounding in all matters of the Force and the Star Wars legacy. 

Fans will have the opportunity to participate in other immersive experiences, including: Find Your Voice with The Little Mermaid, a karaoke experience celebrating the music from the film; Journey through the Art of Tink, a gallery where Disney artists, designers, illustrators, and animators from around the world have re-imagined our magical, sassy and feisty fairy, Tinker Bell; What Makes a Puppet a Muppet?, which will help fans learn what it takes to create a Muppets “plush” and then create your own; Take a Ride with Disney•Pixar’s World of Cars and Disney’s Planes, which explains how the highly collectible diecast vehicles are made; Assembling The Avengers Franchise, an exclusive tour through the history of The Avengers and the chance to see the latest The Avengers products;  and I heart Mickey & Minnie, a rarely seen collection of beloved Mickey Mouse toys, apparel, and accessories from past decades, along with a showcase of Minnie Mouse-inspired fashions from around the globe.

Disney Store

D23 Members attending the Expo are invited to attend the Disney Store signature store opening ceremony to “Unlock Imagination”, each morning at 9 a.m. at the Convention Center, when the D23 Expo floor opens for members. The 1,800-square-foot Disney Store retail space will be packed with the latest D23 Expo merchandise created by Disney Store and will feature guest artist signings. In addition, guests will find an array of products not yet available to the public, including a Disney∙Pixar capsule collection, which will bring together multiple characters from Disney∙Pixar’s cherished portfolio of films for the first time ever.

Presentations from Disney Store on the Disney Consumer Products Workshop Stage include:

• Disney Fairytale Designer Collection – Guest artist signing with Gerald Mendez and Jessica Fuchs (Friday, Aug. 9 – 10:15-11:15 a.m.) 

• The Art of Ariel – Special guest artist signing with Gerald Mendez, Enrique Pita, Quincy Sutton, and Steve Thompson (Saturday, Aug. 10 – 10:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) 

• Artist Series Two  – On Sunday, Disney Store will launch Artist Series Two, a collection of merchandise with artwork created by Disney Store artists and will host a guest artist signing on stage with Robert Farrell, John T. Quinn III, Jeff Shelly, and Becky Wong (Saturday, Aug. 10 – 2 p.m.-3 p.m.) 

Disney Publishing
Disney Publishing will take fans into the world of books, apps and everything in between by showcasing how artists, storytelling and innovative content combined creates stories full of magic and adventure. Guests can participate in live readings with Fairy Godmother on Friday, watch artists behind popular Disney stories sketch live on Saturday and get their hair styled like a Disney Princess by Sephora on Sunday with the help of the Disney Princess Royal Salon app. New books and never-before-seen lithographs featuring Peter Pan, Mickey Mouse and Sleeping Beauty will be available for sale inside the booth.

Disney Publishing’s Stage 28 presentations and signings include:

• Ridley Pearson and The Kingdom Keepers Insider App Quest – New York Times best-selling author Ridley Pearson embarks on a journey to write the seventh and final book in the Kingdom Keepers series—only this time, his readers are helping him write it! Join the author as he reveals how deception and betrayal rock the Kingdom Keepers’ world as the merciless group of Overtakers (Disney villains) stage an unexpected comeback (Presentation: Friday, Aug. 9 – 12 p.m.-1 p.m. Signing: 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., Talent Round Up). 

• Dave Bossert Remembers Roy E. Disney with special guest Roy P. Disney – Dave Bossert and Roy P. Disney will share stories, drawings and candid photos found in Bossert’s new book Remembering Roy E. Disney: Memories and Photos of a Storied Life (Presentation: Friday, Aug. 9 – 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Signing: 2:45 – 3:45, The Dream Store). 

• Disney Imagineering Legend Marty Sklar Presents…Dream It! Do It!: My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms – Disney Legend Marty Sklar will take guests through a presentation based on his new memoir—one that recounts his epic Disney adventure, including working as Walt's literary right-hand man for the Disney Parks, writing a film expressing Walt's philosophy for the Walt Disney World project and Epcot and opening nine of the 11 Disney parks around the world  (Presentation: Friday, Aug. 9 – 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Signing: 4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Talent Round Up).
  

Tickets and pricing information for D23 Expo 2013 are available at D23Expo.com Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 Expo and can be purchased for single days or for the full three days of festivities. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on admission, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 Expo for themselves and their guests. More details about D23 Expo entertainment, events, and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can keep up with all the news by visiting D23Expo.com or by following "DisneyD23" on Twitter and Facebook.

Walt Disney Studios to present screening of "Disney's Planes" at D23 Expo!

D23 Expo Attendees to Be Among the First to See the Film in 3D

with Special Appearances from Select Filmmakers and Stars

BURBANK, Calif. – July 1, 2013 – D23: The Official Disney Fan Club reveals plans for a special 3D screening of the high-flying big-screen adventure Disney’s Planes at the D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

D23 Expo attendees will be among the first to see Disney’s Planes on its opening day. An action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure from Disneytoon Studios, Disney's Planes will take flight in theaters nationwide August 9, but D23 Expo guests will see this special 3D presentation featuring an introduction by some very special guests. Dusty Crophopper dreams of competing as a high-flying racer, but he’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps him train to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar. 

Directed by lifelong aviation enthusiast Klay Hall (King of the Hill, The Simpsons), and produced by Traci Balthazor-Flynn, Disney’s Planes features the voices of Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Priyanka Chopra, John Cleese, Cedric the Entertainer, Carlos Alazraqui, Roger Craig Smith, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Sinbad, Gabriel Iglesias, Brent Musburger, Colin Cowherd, Danny Mann, Oliver Kalkofe, and John Ratzenberger.

The screening is slated for Friday, August 9, 2013, at 3 p.m. at the Arena inside the Anaheim Convention Center. For more information about the movie, check out Disney.com/Planes, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyPlanes and follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures. 

DISNEYTOON STUDIOS, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, is home to a vibrant group of filmmakers, artists, and production teams who produce original high-quality series-based stories for in-home and theatrical audiences, including Disney’s Planes, which hits the big screen Aug. 9, and the popular Disney’s Fairies franchise, starring Tinker Bell and her Pixie Hollow friends. 

Start Your Day with Donald Duck in “Wake Up with Disney" App!

Disney fans can now wake up and start every beautiful morning with their favorite furious fowl Donald Duck using Wake Up with Disney. People can turn an alarm clock into an interactive activity with 3D Disney characters, starring the popular Donald Duck at launch with more characters to come.

Fans can customize and choose additional costumes with backgrounds for Donald like Safari and Fire Chief. Donald Duck talks, laughs, and interacts with fans along with waking them up.

Wake Up with Disney featuring Donald Duck has other capabilities as well, including a 5-Day weather forecast, flashlight, and nightlight, all in one app.

Visit the App Store to download Wake Up With Disney is available to download for $.99 for iOS devices on the App Store: http://bit.ly/14gjcsr. 

Disney Parks and Resorts to Celebrate 60 Years of Imagineering at Disney's D23 Expo!

Disney Takes Fans Behind the Magic with an Unprecedented Look at the Imagineering “Dream Factory”

BURBANK, Calif. – June 28, 2013 – In honor of the 60th anniversary of Walt Disney Imagineering and the origins of Disney Parks and Resorts, Imagineering is hosting an “open house” at the D23 Expo, August 9-11, opening the doors of its unique facilities and offering an unprecedented look at its creative processes—all on the floor of the Anaheim Convention Center. In addition, Imagineers past and present will host an entire day of panel discussions on Sunday, August 11, celebrating their 60 magical years of “dreaming and doing.”

Within the “open house” pavilion, D23 Expo guests will get an up close look at an eclectic array of Imagineering’s creative minds—ride engineers, model builders, pre-visualization artists, special effects designers, inventors, and show animators—as they share the skills and talents behind Imagineering’s creative process. In addition, guests will have the chance to glimpse at the “workspaces” of several project teams from around Disney’s global portfolio of parks and resorts, perhaps spotting a few clues into coming attractions along the way.

For the first time at the D23 Expo, Walt Disney Imagineering will be showcasing some of its most historical and revered concept art from its Art Library, including Herb Ryman’s original drawing of Disneyland. Also in the Disney Parks pavilion, D23 Expo guests will again have the chance to explore Mickey’s of Glendale, an outlet of Walt Disney Imagineering’s employee-only store, to shop for unique souvenirs and collectibles and Walt Disney Imagineering merchandise not available anywhere else.

In addition to the Imagineering Open House, D23 Expo attendees will be able to attend 12 unique presentations and panel discussions that will take fans on the incredible journey behind the latest Disney resorts, attractions, and entertainment including:

·      The Art and Artistry of Aulani – Imagineers Joe Rohde and Jeanette Lomboy will share the authentic tapestry of art and stories found at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. 

·      Mayhem, Mischief, and Monkeys: The Magic of Mystic Manor – Join Imagineers Joe Lanzisero and others for the strange stories behind Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor, the newest and one of the most sophisticated attractions ever built.

·      Undiscovered Disneyland – Legendary Imagineer Tony Baxter shares rare and never-before-seen footage of the early days of Disneyland, from design and construction through opening day.

·      Broadcasts from Buena Vista Street – Enjoy the latest ‘soundtrack’ from Disney California Adventure’s Buena Vista Street, featuring a live performance of Scary Symphony from radio station KBVS and a panel discussion led by Imagineers.

·      Disney Ambassadors – Join current Disney Parks Ambassadors from around the world as they discuss this renowned program and share insights about its rich heritage, current outreach efforts, and the importance of sharing Disney goodwill.

·      Voices of the Disney Parks – Back by popular demand, this panel of famous Disney voices will gather for an encore panel discussion, including recreations of some unforgettable Disney Parks sayings.

·      Charles Phoenix Presents – Noted humorist and self-proclaimed “retro daddy” Charles Phoenix shares some of his favorite images from around Disney, featuring classic kitsch, clashing colors schemes, and hairdos that truly defy gravity.

The panels continue on Sunday August 11, with a full day dedicated to the celebration of Walt Disney Imagineering’s 60th anniversary. The presentations in the 2,000-seat Stage 23 with current and former Imagineers will explore a wide range of topics, from working with Walt Disney himself and the exploration of creativity, innovation, and humor in the parks, to a lively discussion of what it’s like to lead one of the world’s most creative organizations. More details on these exciting panels and presenters will be revealed soon.

About D23 Expo 2013

The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit www.D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

D23 Expo Celebrates the Wonderful Worlds of Disney with Inaugural Costume Contest!

“À La Mode” Invites Guests at the Ultimate Disney Fan Event to Dress Their Best For Fun and Prizes On Friday, August 9

BURBANK, Calif. – June 25, 2013 – Since the first D23 Expo in 2009, fans have shown their passion for Disney by dressing up as their favorite and most beloved Disney characters while attending the one-of-a-kind event at the Anaheim Convention Center. This year, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates that excitement and enthusiasm with the first À La Mode Costume Contest, which will take place Friday, August 9 at 2:30 p.m. in Stage 23.

À La Mode, named after The Incredibles’ couture genius Edna Mode, is the first competition of its kind to showcase fans’ creativity through costumes inspired by all things Disney, including Motion Pictures (Animation, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm); Parks & Resorts; Consumer Products; Media Networks (including Disney Channel, ABC, and ESPN); and Interactive.

Five collectible trophies—specially designed for the À La Mode Costume Contest—will be awarded to the most magical costumes in the following categories: Original Design (or inspired by…), Re-creation, Craftsmanship, Young Fan, and Best in Show.

The contest will be two (2) hours in length, and, therefore, the number of entrants is limited. Guests interested in participating MUST complete an entry form, available now at D23Expo.com. Closing date for entry is July 21. Not all applications for entry will be accepted. Applications will be evaluated on the merits of quality and quantity and selected at the producers’ discretion.

Tickets for the D23 Expo are $57 for a one-day adult admission and $47 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $50 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available for both D23 Members and the general public, and D23 Members can save as much as $84 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for members and general admission, visit D23Expo.com.

About D23 Expo 2013

The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

Let's Go Fishing!

At the time Goofy & Wilbur were released, I thought what a great pairing this sculpture would be with Fishing Mickey. Even though they're from two different shorts, it could really make for a fun display!

I recently added both these pieces to my collection and couldn't be happier in how the two pieces look together. It's like they were each sculpted with the other piece in mind.

Fishing Mickey ('Something Fishy') from The Simple Things (1953) was an Open Edition release sculpted by Patrick Romandy-Simmons. The sculpture was released in March, 1999 and honored with retirement in April, 2001.

Goofy & Wilbur ('Fishing Follies') from Goofy & Wilbur (1939) was a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 1,000 sculpted by Bruce Lau. The sculpture was released in October, 2007.

Click Each Image for a Larger View

D23 Expo 2013 Announces "Broadway and Beyond"

DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS TO PRESENT

“BROADWAY AND BEYOND”

A MUSICAL JOURNEY INTO DISNEY’S HISTORY ON BROADWAY AND BEYOND

BURBANK, Calif. – June 11, 2013 – D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is thrilled to announce a special theatrical performance, Broadway and Beyond.Thomas Schumacher, president and producer, Disney Theatrical Productions will host a musical journey into Disney's history on Broadway and beyond at the D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. 

Heidi Blickenstaff

The performance features an all-star line-up, including Heidi Blickenstaff (THE LITTLE MERMAID), Ashley Brown(MARY POPPINS and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Merle Dandridge (TARZAN® and AIDA), Josh Strickland (TARZAN®) and Alton Fitzgerald White (THE LION KING), who sing beloved songs from the award-winning musicals they starred in as well as classic tunes from the Disney on Broadway catalogue.

The one night only performance will take place on Friday, August 9, 2013 at 6:30pm on Stage 23 inside the Anaheim Convention Center.

Ashley Brown

DISNEY THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, a division of The Walt Disney Studios, was formed in 1994 and operates under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.  Worldwide, its eight Broadway titles have been seen by over 124 million theatergoers, grossed over $8.9 billion and have cumulatively run a staggering 195 years.  With 15 productions currently produced or licensed, a Disney musical is being performed professionally somewhere on the planet virtually every hour of the day. 

Alton Fitzgerald White

The company’s inaugural production, Beauty and the Beast, opened in 1994. It played a remarkable 13 year run on Broadway and has been produced in 28 countries worldwide. In November 1997, Disney opened The Lion King, which received six 1998 Tony® Awards including Best Musical and is now the highest grossing show in Broadway history.  The show continues in its 16^th smash year, having welcomed over 68 million visitors worldwide.  The Lion King can also currently be seen on tour across North America, the U.K., and Japan, and in London’s West End, Hamburg, Tokyo, Madrid, and Sao Paulo.

Merle Dandridge

Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida opened on Broadway next, winning four 2000 Tony® Awards, and spawning productions around the world.  Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, opened in London in 2004 and established itself as one of the biggest stage musical successes to emerge in recent years. The Tony Award®-winning Broadway production played more than six years at Disney’s New Amsterdam Theatre and can now be seen on tour across North America and in Mexico City.

Josh Strickland

Tarzan®, which opened on Broadway in 2006, is now an international hit with an award-winning production in its 6^th year in Germany.  In January 2008, The Little Mermaid opened on Broadway and was the #1-selling new musical of that year.  Its success continues with three new productions around the world: Holland, Russia and Japan.

Two new critically acclaimed productions opened on Broadway in 2012, receiving seven Tony® Awards between them: Newsies, in its second year at the Nederlander Theatre, and Peter and the Starcatcher, now playing at New World Stages.

Other successful stage musical ventures have included King David in concert, the national tour of On The Record, several touring versions of Disney’s High School Musical, and Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin.

Its new musical, Aladdin, will open in Toronto in fall 2013.

About D23 Expo 2013

The D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings the entire world of Disney under one roof, providing attendees with unprecedented access to Disney films, television and theme parks. For the latest D23 Expo 2013 news, visit www.D23Expo.com. To be part of the D23 Expo conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 and tag your tweets with #D23Expo.

Looking Back: Goofy & Wilbur

In October, 2007 the Walt Disney Classics Collection, in honor of Goofy's 75th Anniversary released Goofy & Wilbur.

This is probably my favorite WDCC sculpt of Goofy. So many things that I like about this piece .. the interaction between Goofy and Wilbur and the sculpture being more than just them in a boat but includes some environment with the water and cattails.

The piece also includes a lot of plussing elements .. Wilbur is made of bronze, Goofy's ears are made of pewter and his hair strands are a nylon fiber. The motor handle and reed stems are brass and the handle on the fishing net is pewter. A special anniversary backstamp was added in honor of his 75th Anniversary. 

"Fishing Follies" a Numbered Limited Edition (NLE) of 1,000 was sculpted by Bruce Lau.

Goofy and Wilbur is a cartoon produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures on March 17, 1939. It was the first cartoon which featured Goofy in his first solo role without Mickey Mouse and/or Donald Duck. 

In this cartoon Goofy goes fishing with his pet grasshopper, Wilbur, only for persistent bad luck to befall the duo. The cartoon is notable for its high level of japery throughout, and its remarkable sequence of 13 consecutive pratfalls.

Click Each Image for a Larger View

  

Music, Movement are New Realms for Classic 'Fantasia'

The creators of the Rock Band and Dance Centralvideo games are teaming up with Disney for a game that inserts you into the world of Fantasia.

As apprentice to sorcerer Yen Sid, Mickey Mouse experimented with magic in the 1940 animated classic. In Fantasia: Music Evolved,Yen Sid tutors the player's fledgling skills using Fantasia's magical realms.

"You are the new sorcerer's apprentice," says John Drake of the Boston game development studio Harmonix, which pioneered the music and dance game genres. Yen Sid, which is "Disney" spelled backwards (a nod to studio head Walt), thinks that "you have musical potential," he says, "and the power to become a great musical sorcerer."

The game also seeks to inject some magic into the muted music game category, which approached $2 billion in sales in 2008, when games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band were most popular. Fantasia: Music Evolved "is different," says Harmonix project lead Daniel Sussman. "We're trying to build something accessible and creative."

Players use their body movements to — like magic — transform a colorful, vivid interactive world inspired by the original film. Like theDance Central video games, Fantasia: Music Evolved makes use of the Kinect motion sensor; its camera captures the player's body and puts their silhouette on screen.Fantasia: Music Evolved is expected to be released next year for Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

By reaching out toward the screen, players direct their magical "muse" across the landscape, transforming the objects they linger on. An oceanic level has a circle of spinning seahorses that make music as you hover over them and a playable calliope made of coral. An industrial newspaper plant level requires you to command repair droids and resurrect the production process.

You unlock 25-plus songs as you progress through more than one dozen realms. As songs play, you use your arms, as if you are casting magical spells, to match rhythmic cues on screen, just as players matched beats on guitar and drum controllers inGuitar Hero and Rock Band.

Instead of tapping buttons on the plastic guitar neck or hitting drums in those games, players swipe one or two hands up or down or left to right, based on the on-screen pattern. Other times, you push toward the screen — as if you are wielding the Force — and trace curvy designs. All the while, you are amassing magical energy points, although the designers expect to make the game essentially a no-fail adventure.

At certain points during the songs, you can choose one of three different mixes. Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, for instance, had an original mix, an orchestral mix and an '80s heavy-metal ballad mix.

Each decision is reflected through the entirety of the song, resulting in a new mix. Designers plan to let players save and share their mixes with others.

Magical energy is used to further transform the landscapes. In the world called The Shoal, you can unlock a set of clams that come to life as a playable jazz drum set, complete with snare, toms and cymbals. Record a series of notes and the loop plays as part of the score during the rest of the game.

"You as the magician are casting out your energy to great affect and great impact in this world," says Sussman. "The reward basically is to use tools we give you to mold (the game world) in your own image."

Once you unlock areas in the game, they will be available for arcade and party play. The game designers also plan to have a two-player mode.

Disney Interactive approached Harmonix three years ago about the project. "We wanted to create a new experience for Fantasia," says Chris Nicholls, executive producer at Disney Interactive. "Not just take the film and make it interactive so you could dance with hippos, pretend to be a crocodile or fight dinosaurs."

He and the Harmonix team went through an archive of Fantasia production notes and early storyboards searching for core principles to build the game around. The game designers connected with the scene where Mickey is on a mountaintop manipulating the heavens and weather, and with it, the orchestral backdrop.

Thus, in the game "you do reach out and grab music and change it," Sussman says."You take very familiar pieces of music and art and transform it into something very personal."

Fantasia: Music Evolved is an interactive successor to the original film, which Walt Disney described as "an adventure in color, sound and motion," Nicholls says. The game "takes you on an adventure through color, sound and motion (and) lets you experience that rush and interaction with creativity that many games don't."

EXCLUSIVE: Disney Insider Animated GIF Offers Exclusive Progression of the Making of Monsters University

A scene from Monsters University in the third step of
Pixar’s progressive animation process, digital modeling.

In the latest exclusive from Disney Insider, Disney•Pixar fans have a chance to get a behind the scenes look at the making of Monsters University. Using an animated GIF, Disney Insider is giving fans an inside look at Pixar’s six-step progressive animation process, showing one scene from the film as it is transformed from an initial sketch into the final frame that will appear on the big screen. Head to Disney Insider to check it out now!

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer.  The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Screaming with laughter and oozing with heart, Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”), produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and features music from future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning composer Randy Newman (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Toy Story 3”). 

Check out disney.com/MonstersU, like us at facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity, and follow us on twitter.com/disneypixar. Rated G by the MPAA, the film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in 3D in select theaters.