In Disney News...

It's time for a roundup of the latest Disney news!

...More great Disney history books are on the way! The 75th anniversary of PINOCCHIO (1940) will be celebrated next year with PINOCCHIO: THE DISNEY EPIC by J.B. Kaufman, author of other Disney history books including SOUTH OF THE BORDER WITH DISNEY and SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. PINOCCHIO: THE DISNEY EPIC will be released on February 17, 2015. (February 2015 Update: The publication date has been pushed back to May 26, 2015.)

...Also due out in February 2015: A WISH YOUR HEART MAKES by Charles Solomon. This history of CINDERELLA is timed to coincide with the release of Disney's live-action version of the story, directed by Kenneth Branagh, in March 2015. Solomon's other Disney books include THE ART OF THE DISNEY GOLDEN BOOKS and ONCE UPON A DREAM, a history of SLEEPING BEAUTY.

...The Winter Issue of Disney Twenty-three magazine will soon be arriving in mailboxes of D23 members! The cover features INTO THE WOODS (2014), Disney's filming of Sondheim's ersatz "fairy tale" musical which opens on Christmas Day. Also featured in the issue: decorating Disneyland for Christmas and the notebooks of Disney technician Herman J. Schultheis.

...Christmas decorating has taken place at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, as chronicled in photos by Dateline Disneyland. It looks like the second year of the Jingle Cruise will be even more elaborate than last year! We're excited to check it out at an after-hours private holiday party for Annual Passholders next Tuesday evening.

...The holiday season at the parks officially started yesterday, November 13th, and runs through Epiphany on January 6, 2015. The festivities will include the return of the popular Viva Navidad! at Disney California Adventure, with a Three Kings Day celebration from January 4th through 6th.

...Speaking of the Jingle Cruise, I might have ordered this limited edition shirt this week!

...The famous handmade candy canes return to Disneyland's Candy Palace and Disney California Adventure's Trolley Treats beginning on November 28th. The schedule is at the Disney Parks blog. It's a challenge to snag one of these so I was happy to be able to purchase one last year. We all agreed it was worth the trouble!

...I don't understand why Disney has decided FastPasses are needed to see the Fantasmic! show after over two decades. That's going to complicate life for those of us who are used to simply showing up in the afternoon and staking out a spot while enjoying a picnic along the Rivers of America. Will we now need to obtain passes in the early morning hours if we don't want to be stuck standing while watching the show? Details are at MousePlanet.

...Disney's stage version of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME is currently playing at La Jolla Playhouse; here's a review from Variety which is generally positive, while noting some issues which might need to be worked out before it proceeds to Broadway, and here's a mixed take from the Los Angeles Times.

...Coming for Valentine's Day 2015: A Diamond Edition Blu-ray/DVD combination release of ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS (1961).

...Longtime Disney animator Andreas Deja, who I saw give a captivating presentation at Destination D in 2012, has a book coming out in 2015: THE NINE OLD MEN: LESSONS, TECHNIQUES, AND INSPIRATIONS FROM DISNEY'S GREAT ANIMATORS.

...The Maelstrom ride at the Norway Pavilion at Epcot will be replaced with a FROZEN attraction. This caused outrage in many quarters but frankly this one didn't disturb me too much, as I found Maelstrom creepy -- although I loved the section where the boat goes backwards!

...Coming from Disney next February, Kevin Costner starring in the inspirational sports film MCFARLAND, USA (2015):



...Future releases from Disney include a sequel to THE INCREDIBLES (2004); TOY STORY 4 (2017); and MOANA (2016) and ZOOTOPIA (2014). The latter features a character who looks an awful lot like Disney's animated ROBIN HOOD (1973).

...Also on the way in Spring 2015, a FROZEN (2013) short, FROZEN FEVER (2015).

...And here's a teaser trailer for Pixar's INSIDE OUT (2015), coming next June. And don't forget about TOMORROWLAND (2015), coming in May -- here's a trailer. Lots of Disney films ahead!

...Here's interesting info on the No-Fly Zones over Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

...I love this new FROZEN print by Dave Perillo, seen at the right.

...I'm emphatically not a fan of Disney recently testing "FastPass-only" rides. The concept is wrong, wrong, wrong.

...Beginning in 2016, Disney's princess dolls will be made by Hasbro, rather than Mattel.

...A couple months ago the New York Times featured an article on Disney and the Oregon Ducks mascot.

...Coming November 24th: A special 25th Anniversary double-disc CD of THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989) soundtrack.

...Our family team, Skippers in De Nile, had a great day playing in the Sugar Rush MouseAdventure game at Disney California Adventure on the last Sunday of October. We successfully completed nine out of ten puzzles! If we'd just had a few more minutes for the very last one... The next MouseAdventure game is expected to take place at Disneyland in late spring 2015.

...DISNEY DURING WORLD WAR II was just released, and I anticipate receiving it for Christmas. It's by John Baxter.

...Take a photo tour of the Pixar campus.

...Attention Southern Californians: A reminder that the next Throwback Thursday screening at the El Capitan Theatre on December 11, 2014, will be SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON (1960). The discounted price includes popcorn and a soda. And don't forget the El Capitan now offers tours!

...Leonard Maltin gives a thumbs up to Disney's BIG HERO 6 (2014), now playing in theaters. It beat INTERSTELLAR (2014) at the box office last weekend. Hoping to see it soon!

For more Disney news of the last few months, please visit the roundups for July and August.