Summer of Yesterday by Gaby Triana

I received a review copy of Summer of Yesterday by Gaby Triana (thanks for the heads up, This Happy Place Blog).

So, why am I reviewing a teen summer romance book?

Glad you asked.

Fort Wilderness and time travel.

Need I say more? I'm only a few chapters into it and it's a good read, so far.

From the blurb:

Thanks to a stupid seizure she had a few months earlier, Haley’s stuck going on vacation with her dad and his new family to Disney’s Fort Wilderness instead of enjoying the last session of summer camp back home with her friends. Fort Wilderness holds lots of childhood memories for her father, but surely nothing for Haley. But then a new seizure triggers something she’s never before experienced—time travel—and she ends up in River Country, the campground’s long-abandoned water park, during its heyday. 

The year? 1982. 

And there—with its amusing fashion, “oldies” music, and primitive technology—she runs into familiar faces: teenage Dad and Mom before they’d even met. Somehow, Haley must find her way back to the twenty-first century before her present-day parents anguish over her disappearance, a difficult feat now that she’s met Jason, one of the park’s summer residents and employees, who takes the strangely dressed stowaway under his wing.

Seizures aside, Haley’s used to controlling her life, and she has no idea how to deal with this dilemma. How can she be falling for a boy whose future she can’t share?

The full review will be coming to Mice Chat and Communicore Weekly (the Greatest Online Show™).

Guide to the Magic for Kids by Tim Foster

I received a review copy of Tim Foster's Guide to the Magic and I'm finally cracking the spine, so to speak.

The book is really well-laid out and looks like a fantastic guidebook for young children and tweens to use before, during and after their Walt Disney World vacation.

A full review is coming soon!

Happy Birthday Disneyland!

A great way to celebrate Disneyland's birthday is to read the wonderful Disneylanders by Kate Abbott.

Jeff and I reviewed the book at Mice Chat and we both loved it. It's a book about a young girl whose life is changing right in the middle of her annual family vacation to Disneyland.

From the review:

One of the nice things about Kate’s style with Disneylanders is that the scenes, like Disneyland, enfold you. You can see (and smell) Disneyland in this book.

Grab your copy today. I guarantee that you're going to love it.

WYWHW: Echo Lake at Disney-MGM Studios

Wish You Were Here Wednesday

LAKESIDE TREATS, TREATS, TREATS (ST-7)
At Echo Lake, in the Disney MGM-Studios, you have two great places to meat and eat: Min & Bill's Dockside Diner and Dinosaur Gertie's.

Min & Bill's Dockside Diner

Only in Hollywood could you find a freighter ship offering tasty sandwiches, seafood, salads, snacks and beverages.

Dinosaur Gertie's Ice Cream of Extinction

The architecture is California Crazy, but the flavor is simply scrumptious. Ice cream novelties.

Lakeside

(L-R) Sights & Sounds - Record your own music video! Presented by Selah. Lakeside News - Hollywood's best selection of comic books. (Backside of) Keystone Clothiers - Disney character clothing, jewelry and accessories with a Hollywood flair.

Special thanks to Todd at DisneyParksEarchive for the 1989 guide map descriptions.

Press Release: Little Mermaid Look-A-Like Contest

The world of Cosplay at conventions has grown tremendously over the years. Now, the Burbank International Film Festival is holding a virtual look-a-like contest for Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid. Send in a photo of yourself in your best Ariel costume and  you could be invited to be part of the event!

WORLD'S LARGEST “ARIEL” FROM THE LITTLE MERMAID LOOK-A-LIKE CONTEST TO COINCIDE WITH EXCLUSIVE 25TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING OF THE CLASSIC FILM IN WORLD FAMOUS BURBANK, CALIFORNIA. 

FANS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE INVITED TO SEND IN THEIR PICTURES OF THEMSELVES IN ARIEL “FAN” COSTUMES AND WIN PRIZES. SPECIAL GALA SCREENING HIGHLIGHTS FULL SCHEDULE OF SPECIAL EVENTS FOR 6TH ANNUAL BURBANK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, WITH HONOREES INCLUDING THE WRITER/DIRECTORS OF "THE LITTLE MERMAID."

(July 8, 2014 - Burbank, California) The Burbank International Film Festival will be hosting the exclusive 25th Anniversary screening of "The Little Mermaid" on Saturday, September 6th at 12 noon at the AMC Town Center 6 Theaters. Prior to the screening, there will be a special "Ariel” Red Carpet with select fans in attendance invited to pose for a team photo with dozens of other Ariels. In lead up to the event, the hosts are posting pictures from throughout the world of fans' dressed as Ariel, with special prizes awarded to lucky fans.

“We are extremely honored and excited to be screening this timeless Disney classic that most children have never before seen on the big screen in a theatrical environment,” said Jeff Rector, Director of the Burbank International Film Festival, in a statement released today.

To submit your photos of yourself or a friend or loved one dressed as Ariel, please send your pictures to Mermaid@BurbankFilmFest.org

For questions about the event and the festival, check out www.BurbankFilmFest.org/

To purchase tickets for the screening, go to www.itsmyseat.com/events/166715.html

About the Festival:

Our mission is to promote up-and-coming filmmakers by providing a gateway to expand their careers in the entertainment industry. We shine a light on the unknown talent of today, helping them become the celebrated filmmakers of tomorrow. Not only do we actively champion independent filmmaking, we are one of the few, if not the only film festival in the world that offers film distribution seminars to help filmmakers guide their cinematic vision toward profitability.

The Burbank International Film Festival is a California non-profit organization operating as a 501C3 tax-exempt corporation.

Media contact: Daniel Bernstein/Bernstein Entertainment 310-902-2554 dbernsteinpr@aol.com

Press Release: StarWars.com Relaunches!

I've been a Star Wars fan since the first film was released in 1977 and patrolled my neighborhood with a yardstick as lightsaber. The prequels cooled the flames of my fandom somewhat and I admit that I was excited and nervous about Disney taking over the helm. Regardless, I'm glad to see Star Wars making a resurgence and I'm looking forward to the new content being released.

PRESS RELEASE

The new site features:

·      Long-form articles and videos that go behind the scenes of past, current and upcoming projects

·      Exclusive online videos, including a behind the scenes video of the making of Chopper from the upcoming series Star Wars: Rebels, and more to come in the following weeks

·      The immersive Databank, an encyclopedia of hundreds of pieces of Star Wars knowledge about characters, creatures, locations, droids and devices.

·      Details about upcoming fan events

·      Users can log in with their Disney ID to access upcoming special features and digital experiences

·      New, simple navigation and design

·      Rich, consistent experience across all platforms and devices using the same technology that powers the entire Disney Interactive Media portfolio

Droid Designs: Chopper from Star Wars Rebels Comes to Life on Star Wars Video

Doubloon Lagoon Postcard from Disney's Port Orleans Resort

Wish You Were Here Wednesday: Doubloon Lagoon at Disney's Port Orleans Resort

Evoking a bygone era of romance and charm, the hidden courtyards, splashing fountains and lush gardens of Disney's Port Orleans Resort create a welcome retreat. At the heart of it all is Doubloon Lagoon, where "Scales" the sea serpent invites visitors to make a splash!

Communicore Weekly: Big Thunder, Birnbaum's Guides and More!

Welcome to this week's Communicore Weekly (the Greatest Online Show™)!




This week we take an in-depth look at the history of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and we review the three latest Birnbaum Travel Guides. Cadet Leo returns with a review of a Jim Henson Studios' restroom and we learn about where Big Thunder gets its name in this week's Five Legged Goat.

Download on iTunes here! | http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/communicore-weekly/id496333443

Direct download here! | http://www.bamferproductions.com/communicore/0129-CommunicoreWeekly.mp3

Call The Communicore Weekly Hotline and leave us a message at 424-785-GOAT! That’s 424-785-4628! Tell us what you thought about this week's history segment.

Disney Book Giveaway! Imagineering Field Guide to Disney California Adventure!

Win a copy of the Imagineering Field Guide to Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort.

You can get 5 points by heading over to Mice Chat and leaving a comment on the review that we did.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Images from Carowinds New Slides

Carowinds shared some more images of their new slides. (See the press release from last week.)

Surfer’s Swell will travel a total of 263 feet; riders will plunge downward through a tunnel then swoop up onto an angled wall that mimics the sensation of catching an ocean wave.  Guests then gracefully enter a final tunnel for a fun ‘splash landing’ into a pool at the bottom of this 45 foot tall experience.  

Dorsal Fin Drop offers 351 feet of slide and takes riders on the whirl of a lifetime as they gain speed in a curved-tunnel that blasts them into a bowl.  Like a shark circling its prey, guests spin and swirl before sliding into the corkscrew exit.   

Are you going to try out the new water slides at Carowinds on your next visit?

New Disney Book: Once Upon a Dream by Charles Solomon

Over the past few years, we've seen some great books come from D23, the Walt Disney Family Museum and Disney Publishing Worldwide. I just received a review copy of Once Upon a Dream: From Perrault's Sleeping Beauty to Disney's Maleficent by Charles Solomon.

Solomon is a biggie in Disney history circles and has written quite a few titles on animation history and Disney animated films.

I'm only about half-way through the book and it's already quite spectacular. The book is large and Solomon takes advantage of the larger format to present art across both pages for some breathtaking shots.

A full review will be coming to Mice Chat and Communicore Weekly, soon!

Press Release: Carowinds Opens New Water Slides

Have you had a chance to visit Carowinds, lately? It looks like they're about to add a large number of attractions over the next few years.

New waterslides to open at Carowinds June 20!

Dorsal Fin Drop, Surfer’s Swell bring new sliding thrills to Boomerang Bay!

Charlotte, NC- June --, 2014    Carowinds, Thrill Capital of the Southeast, is excited to open two new water slides in their waterpark Boomerang Bay Friday June 20.  The new slides will stand over 4 stories high and add 600+ feet of sliding fun, bringing new thrills and splashes to the popular water park.  

They’ll offer two distinctively different rides unique to Boomerang Bay.

Surfer’s Swell will travel a total of 263 feet; riders will plunge downward through a tunnel then swoop up onto an angled wall that mimics the sensation of catching an ocean wave.  Guests then gracefully enter a final tunnel for a fun ‘splash landing’ into a pool at the bottom of this 45 foot tall experience.  

Dorsal Fin Drop offers 351 feet of slide and takes riders on the whirl of a lifetime as they gain speed in a curved-tunnel that blasts them into a bowl.  Like a shark circling its prey, guests spin and swirl before sliding into the corkscrew exit.  

The slides open just in time for the first official day of summer and are the first phase of a multi-year, multi-million dollar, capital investment plan at the park initiated by its parent company Cedar Fair.  “Cedar Fair noted the growth in Charlotte and across the Carolinas, and saw an opportunity to grow our park as well” says Bart Kinzel Carowinds VP and General Manager adding “there are a lot of plans in the works to better serve our guests across all areas from infrastructure to new rides, it’s an exciting time.”  

The new slides will be the premier experience inside Boomerang Bay, the waterpark will now have 2 wave pools, 13 waterslides, and 2 kiddie splash pools with over 2 million gallons of water to help visitors have fun during the areas hot Carolina summers.  Riders will need to be 48” in bare feet in order to slide down, each rider will slide down on a single rider inner tube.   

First Riders

A group of special kids from the University City YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, are eagerly anticipating opening day.   When the slides were announced in September 2013 they didn’t know how to swim, and never could have imagined themselves swooshing down the exciting twists and curves of Carowinds new slides.  Now after 9 months of weekly lessons sponsored by Carowinds the kids will become the honorary first riders down Dorsal Fin Drop and Surfer’s Swell.

“We are so grateful to Carowinds for providing the opportunity for these 15 children to learn to swim,” says Matt Fitzwater, University City YMCA Executive Director. “This is not just a fun activity but a life-saving skill. This group represents the confidence and safety that comes with swim lessons.”

Check out all the summer events, and new sliding fun on the parks social media channels http://www.facebook.com/carowindspark  , http://www.youtube.com/user/CarowindsPR, on  twitter and Instagram find them  @carowindspark .  For information on park schedule, prices and attractions head to www.carowinds.com .