Inside The Mouse Castle 03-08-2016 - Marvel at Disney California Adventure, 'Star Wars' on Blu-Ray and 'High School Musical 4'

By Tim Callaway

Zootopia's Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps.

Disney's Zootopia opened last weekend with record-breaking box office numbers for a March release. Naturally, Anthony and I didn't bother to see it. No worries, we'll both rectify that this week. A 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes certainly got our attention. 

Disneyland's announced April 2 closure of Super Hero HQ caught us all by surprise. What will be next for the Star Wars Launch Bay's attic? A preview center for Star Wars Land maybe? And what will happen when Captain America and Spider-Man are sent packing to DCA? Will the Mad T Party be replaced by a Mad A (for Avengers) Party? It's time to get some rumors started.

Here's what else we've got Inside The Mouse Castle this week:

• Keep those calendars marked. The Jungle Book begins sneak peek screenings at DCA and Disney's Hollywood Studios on March 18. Frozen--Live at the Hyperion opens at DCA May 27 and Rivers of Light, the new nighttime water show at Disney's Animal Kingdom, debuts April 22.

• It was no coincidence the Walt Disney Company had its annual shareholders meeting in Chicago last week. It was a fitting reminder that the Windy City was where Walt was born. To mark the occasion, Bob Iger announced that the Company would donate $250,000 towards the restoration of the Walt Disney Birthplace.

Disney Cruise Line will add two new ships in 2021 and 2023.

• Disney Cruise Line will launch two new cruise ships in 2021 and 2023, bringing their fleet total to six. The as-yet-unnamed ships will have 1,250 staterooms each and will be larger than DCL's current biggest ships, the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy.

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes out on Digital HD on April 1 and Blu-ray on April 5. Want a little variety with your trip to a galaxy far, far away? Retailers Target, Walmart, Best Buy and the Disney Store are all offering unique packaging and/or bonus materials.
• Big Hero 6 is moving to the small screen. An animated series based on the hit film will debut on Disney XD in 2017.
• A live-action movie version of The Nutcracker Suite? Disney is working on it and Lasse Hallstrom (The Hundred-Foot Journey, Chocolat) is slated to direct.

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens in High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

• Ten years after the original High School Musical hit big for the Disney Channel, casting calls are going out for High School Musical 4. Jeffrey Hornaday (Teen Beach Movie) will direct. 

Enjoy!

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The Mouse Castle Lounge 12-11-2015 - Disney Historian Jim Korkis and Restoring Walt's Office

By Tim Callaway

Walt Disney's granddaughters (l. to r.) Michelle Lund,
Jennifer Goff and Joanna Miller cut the ribbon with Bob Iger
to reopen Walt's office. 

This week, the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank unveiled and rededicated the restored office suite of Walt Disney. It was a painstaking labor of love by Disney studio employees and archivists to recreate Walt’s office exactly as it appeared at the time of his death. It was authentic down to the actual furniture and personal items that were there in 1966. On hand for the dedication were Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, Walt’s granddaughter Joanna Miller, and Disney Legends Richard Sherman and Dave Smith. We’ll be hearing from all of them in today's show.

Before that, though, we welcome the return of Disney historian Jim Korkis to the Lounge. Jim is a meticulous researcher and a marvelous storyteller and his two most recent books from Theme Park Press, Secret Stories of Walt Disney World and The Vault of Walt: Volume 4, belong in your collection, as do Jim’s many other books.

Secret Stories of Walt Disney World
by Jim Korkis

Please welcome Jim Korkis, My guest today in The Mouse Castle Lounge.

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 10-26-2015 - 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' 'Jessica Jones' and 'Tower of Terror'

By Tim Callaway

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Okay, we're not quite done with this yet. Because our timing was off a bit last week, Anthony and I are taking the opportunity today to really break down the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Join us as we attempt to answer the burning question, "Where is Luke Skywalker and what did J.J. Abrams do with him?"

We also talk about how the explosion of online ticket sales for The Force Awakens crashed sites like Fandango.com and MovieTickets.com in an onslaught that was eight times higher than any previous movie pre-sale.

Seriously, this stuff is crazy.

Here's what else is going on this week Inside The Mouse Castle:

• The new trailer for Marvel's Jessica Jones looks dark, ominous, violent...and absolutely amazing. The series starring Krysten Ritter and David Tennant launches on Netflix November 20. 

• DisneyLife will launch in the U.K. next month. It will offer classic Disney films, television series and even books in a media streaming service that sounds like a cross between Netflix, Disney Movies Anywhere and iTunes. 
• Bob Iger has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. It's good to be king.
• Disney is developing a new theatrical movie based on the Tower of Terror theme park attraction. We kind of hope it's better than the 1997 made-for-TV flick starring Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst.

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 10-19-2015 - 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' Spider-Man at Disneyland and Indiana Jones

By Tim Callaway

John Boyega (center) and Oscar Isaac (right) in
Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

So, yeah, the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Heard anything about it? 

When Anthony and I recorded this week's show, we'd heard a little bit about the trailer, but it hadn't been released yet. Never ones to be deterred by a lack of information, we pressed forward with the show anyway, talking about a trailer we hadn't seen yet and analyzing the new Force Awakens movie poster we did see.

You can see both of them here, right now.

The Force is strong with us in this week's Inside The Mouse Castle. Here's what else is going on:

• Disney Infinity will have a Star Wars: The Force Awakens play set that will launch on December 18 to coincide with the film's release. You know I couldn't resist sneaking that one in.
• Benicio del Toro (Guardians of the Galaxy) is expected to play the villain in Star Wars VIII: Insert Subtitle Here. We think it's a rule now that if you do a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, you have to do a Star Wars film. 
• Spider-Man will start making appearances at Super Hero HQ, inside the old Innoventions building at Disneyland, beginning November 16. This makes my spider sense tingle.
• Was Steven Spielberg serious when he said he'd make a fifth Indiana Jones movie with Harrison Ford? We don't think so, but it's fun to think about.

Is the green guy headed to Planet Hulk?

• Mark Ruffalo will play Bruce Banner/Hulk in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok. The rumor is the movie will bring in elements from Marvel Comics' Planet Hulk story line.
• In an online Q&A, James Gunn shared a few details about Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. He confirmed Nebula (Karen Gillan) will play an expanded role in the movie. Meanwhile, Groot will remain Baby Groot, much to the chagrin of Drax (Dave Bautista). Gunn is also hopeful Stan Lee will be back for another cameo appearance.

Fantasia.

• Walt Disney's Fantasia will be back on the big screen for a limited engagement in November to mark the film's 75th anniversary. Anthony and I would like Miley Cyrus and Nicolas Cage to see it with us. We'll explains. For details, visit www.Fantasia75.com. 
• Bob Iger has been inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Apparently, Disney-themed toys have really caught on.
• It was inevitable. There will be a Descendants 2 on the Disney Channel. To quote Darth Vader: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 05-11-2015 - The Hatbox Ghost Returns, 'Tomorrowland' Premieres and the D23 Expo Expands

By Tim Callaway

George Clooney, his wife Amal and his niece Mia join
Bob Iger and his wife aboard the Monorail.

Last weekend was crazy busy at the Disneyland Resort. Brad Bird's new movie Tomorrowland had its world premiere at Downtown Disney followed by an after-party at the real Tomorrowland. On hand were the film's stars George Clooney, Britt Robertson and Raffey Cassidy, along with a host of other celebrities.

But wait, the weekend also saw the running of the Tinker Bell Half Marathon as well as the return (finally) of the Hatbox Ghost to the Haunted Mansion. Anthony and I talk about all that (okay, we skipped the Tinker Bell Half Marathon, sorry) plus these other fascinating stories in this week's Inside The Mouse Castle.

• Now that Brad Bird has just about put Tomorrowland in his past, what's next? We know (and Bird has officially confirmed) that The Incredibles 2 will be his next film project, but could he also be lining up a deal to helm a Star Wars movie?
• The Avengers 2.5, or as it's also known, Captain America: Civil War, has begun shooting in Atlanta. 
• Avengers director Joss Whedon closed his Twitter account. Was it because he's too busy, or was the Twitterverse just being too mean to him?
• Disney's live action Cinderella has passed $500 million in worldwide box office, making it the third highest grossing film of the year so far. Avengers: Age of Ultron (surprise!) leads the pack at close to $1 billion. 

Jason Bateman will voice the cunning fox, Nick Wilde, in Zootopia.

• Disney Animation announced Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin will voice the lead characters in Zootopia. Bateman will be a "scamming fox" named Nick Wilde while Goodwin will voice "optimistic bunny" Judy Hopps. The film will open in the U.S. on March 4, 2016.
• The big presentations at the D23 Expo will get a bigger venue this year. Traditional popular draws like the Disney Legends Award Ceremony and the Walt Disney Studios and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts presentations will move from the 5,000-seat arena at the Anaheim Convention Center to a new "Hall D23" that can handle 7,500 people. The D23 Expo will be held August 14-16.
• Disney California Adventure's nighttime dance party, the Mad T Party, returns on May 22nd. Break out your Bedazzler, though, because now it's going to be the Diamond Mad T Party.

Enjoy!

The Hatbox Ghost

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Inside The Mouse Castle 03-23-2015 - A Monorail on eBay, 'Captain America: Civil War' and a Mo'Ne Movie

By Tim Callaway

Anthony and I don't have enough money to buy a Walt Disney World Monorail train or a Tron light cycle replica, so instead we're arguing about Into the Woods and pineapple pizza on today's Inside The Mouse Castle.

• The front portion of a Mark IV Monorail from Walt Disney World showed up on eBay last week...then disappeared before the auction closed. Bidding was to start at $169,000 (or you could have bought the thing outright for $260,000), but the item was pulled Sunday night with no explanation. 

Tron: Legacy

• An auction that is expected to go through will be held on May 2nd and it's super cool. Get on the grid with a full-size, fully-functional replica of a Tron: Legacy light cycle. It'll only cost you $25,000-$40,000. You know you want to.
• We officially know more plot details about Captain America: Civil War and they're pretty much the plot details we knew already...but now they're official. Actually, Disney didn't make them official until the synopsis leaked to multiple news outlets. Here it is:

Following the events of Age of Ultron, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man or Captain America, which causes an epic battle between former allies.

• A new book about Apple and Pixar visionary Steve Jobs, Becoming Steve Jobs, is out this week and includes a fascinating and touching story involving Disney chief Bob Iger. In January 2006, just a half hour before Disney would announce its acquisition of Pixar, Jobs shared some troubling news with Iger that threatened to cancel the deal. Jobs even gave Iger an out if he wanted it. 
• Disney's CFO and senior executive VP Jay Rasulo sold $12 million in Disney stock last week. Was it just normal profit-taking or is Rasulo cashing out before leaving the Mouse? He's been working without a contract since January 31st and was recently passed over for the chief operating officer position that went to Tom Staggs.

Mo'ne Davis talks with Good Morning, America host Robin Roberts

• Mo'ne Davis made history last year by becoming the first girl ever to pitch a winning game (a shutout, no less) in the Little League World Series. Now, the Disney Channel is making a movie about her life. Throw Like Mo will be executive-produced by Debra Martin Chase and written by Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson. Davis will act as a consultant on the film.
• Muppet Moments is a new short-form video series featuring Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and other Muppet favorites in casual conversations with young children. It premieres on Disney Junior April 3rd and yes, it's cute.

• On Blu-ray, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere this week, Into the Woods. <Hooray!>
  Coming out on May 19th, Strange Magic. <crickets>

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 02-09-2015 - Tom Staggs, Shanghai Disneyland and Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

By Tim Callaway

Another week, another trip to Disneyland.

Anthony and I both paid a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth last week. He zoomed in for a day trip last Wednesday. I joined our friends at MiceChat over the weekend to help celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Inside The Mouse Castle this week, we talk about our trips, why it's kind of cool to fly solo at Disneyland and Anthony's strange fascination with wayward Baymax balloons.

We also touch on these fascinating and thought provoking topics:

• Business is booming at the Walt Disney Company. They reported record first quarter revenue last week and then announced the promotion of Tom Staggs to chief operating officer, making him the heir apparent to succeed Bob Iger when he retires in 2018. 
• Our obsession to figure out a way to get to Shanghai Disneyland in 2016 continues, especially after seeing these crazy awesome pics from the resort's upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. 

• Trader Sam's Grog Grotto will open this spring at Walt Disney World's Polynesian Village Resort. Yeah, we want to get there too.
• New for Disney Infinity 2.0: Sam Flynn and Quorra from Tron: Legacy. But they're virtual characters only, and only available in the iOS version (for now).

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 12-29-2014 - Happy New Year at Disney Parks, 'Into The Woods' and Pirating 'Frozen'

Happy New Year!

Break out the party hats and the noisemakers! It's time to ring in 2015! Anthony and I have all the info for making the best of your New Year's Eve visit to Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Just don't mind the crowds, because it's going to be packed. Both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World reached capacity on Christmas Day and the gates closed to new guests for several hours. You know that's going to happen again on December 31st. So, arrive early, take a chill pill and pace yourself. And along the way, enjoy the special entertainment, music performances and fireworks extravaganzas that await you heading into the Disney new year.

Here's what else we have in store in the latest edition of Inside The Mouse Castle:

Anna Kendrick stuck on the steps of the palace in Into the Woods.

• Into the Woods is a dark and delightful adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical. I caught it over the weekend and highly recommend it whether you're a fan of movie musicals or just appreciate great cinematic storytelling. I've also fallen in love with Anna Kendrick, who plays the tormented and torn Cinderella, but I digress.
• Apple Pay technology is now live at Walt Disney World. Got that new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6+ for Christmas? You can now use it for purchases in and around the Florida resort.
• We were excited about the Marvel Experience making it's debut in Phoenix, but less-than-stellar reviews on Yelp have us second-guessing our enthusiasm. Anthony and I might wait until the superhero circus hits San Francisco before we check it out. We hope the bugs are worked out by then.
• Bob Iger blah blah blah Fortune interview blah blah blah technology blah Pixar blah Marvel blah Lucasfilm blah blah OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THE PICTURE OF HIM WITH THE MILLENNIUM FALCON?!?! blah blah blah blah blah MagicBands.

Bob Iger with the Millennium Falcon. NBD.

• Disney's Frozen was the second most pirated film of 2014 (The Wolf of Wall Street was number one). Guardians of the Galaxy didn't make the top 20, proving that even thieves will pay for quality.

Happy New Year!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 12-15-2014 - Club 33 Meets 21 Royal Street, Oswald's 'Empty Socks' and 'Star Wars' Trading Cards

Le Salon Nouveau at Club 33.

Is there a new restaurant opening next door to Disneyland's Club 33? Is it just a private dining room? Is it for Club 33 members only? Will it ever be open to the general public. What the hell is the fuss all about?

In the latest Inside The Mouse Castle, Anthony and I take on the growing controversy (that seriously doesn't need to be one) over the announced opening of 21 Royal Street. It's a small dining venue for groups of no more than 16. It's geared for Club 33 members, but Disney hasn't ruled out opening up reservations for non-members at a later date. Time will tell. What we do know is it will be open for business sometime in January or February. Stay tuned. 

Also on today's show:

• A long lost Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon was discovered in Norway. Empty Socks was the 12th of 26 Oswald shorts released by Walt Disney from 1927 to 1928.
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens trading cards? Sure, why not? Entertainment Weekly gave us a tease from J.J. Abrams identifying who some of the new characters are in the recently released trailer. Will there be an actual set of Episode VII trading cards? We can only hope.
• At an event sponsored by Variety last week, Bob Iger announced that upcoming theme park attractions based on Star Wars would use the newer movies as their inspiration. I guess that means there no speeder bike races on Endor anytime soon.
• A new trailer for Pixar's Inside Out has been released. It's good.  I mean really good.

• Will Spider-Man ever make the crossover into the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Apparently Marvel and Disney have been talking to Sony about it. That's one of the less traumatic revelations to come out of Sony's uber-embarrassing mass hacking. There's still time to work Spidey into Captain America: Civil War. Just sayin'.

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 10-17-2014 - 'Dr. Strange,' Deadmau5 vs. Disney and Walt's Renaissance Man

We love our rumors here at The Mouse Castle. Marvel's Dr. Strange rumors, Pirates of the Caribbean rumors, even Pete's Dragon rumors (no, really). We've got them all and more in this edition of Inside The Mouse Castle.

• DC announced a slate of new films that will go head-to-head against the Marvel Cinematic Universe at least through 2020. Will moviegoers care as much about Superman, Batman and the Justice League as they do Iron Man, Captain America and the Avengers? Or is this all superhero overkill that will soon burnout audiences?
• Deadmau5 turned up the heat in his trademark dispute with Disney. The music producer and performer otherwise known as Joel Zimmerman says Disney approached him about writing music for Star Wars Rebels and a proposed Fantasia remix album even as Disney Legal was preparing to take action against him. Deadmau5 performs wearing an oversized helmet that Disney says is way too similar in style and appearance to Mickey Mouse.
• Disney is putting their time and money behind ten start-up companies through the Disney Accelerator program. The companies, mostly in the tech and gaming sectors, just completed a 15-week mentorship program that could result in ongoing partnerships and even acquisitions by Disney.
• Flamingo Crossing, a new hotel, dining and entertainment complex, recently broke ground on the west side of Walt Disney World property. Is this finally the harbinger for a long-rumored fifth gate at the resort? Anthony and I think this is probably the same old tired rumor we've been hearing for years.
• There's nothing like getting serenaded by the Dapper Dans as you fly to Walt Disney World. Disney pulled out all the stops for passengers aboard Southwest Airlines' inaugural non-stop flight from Dallas' Love Field to Orlando. 

• It's not a surprise that Hiro and Baymax will soon be doing character meet-and-greets at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, but we're very pleased to learn that the Big Hero 6 heroes will be taking up residence in space adjacent to Disneyland's under-utilized Starcade in Tomorrowland.
• We weren't certain as we were preparing the show, but now we know the new Disney Kingdoms comic book series published by Marvel will be all about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It's set for release next spring and it's sure to be a hit with fans of Disney Kingdoms' previous Seekers of the Weird series.
• If there is one new book to add to your Disney collection, it's Marc Davis: Walt Disney's Renaissance Man. It's an incredibly rich collection of art by the late Disney animator, who besides being one of Walt's Nine Old Man and bringing Tinker Bell, Maleficent and Cruella de Vil to life was a gifted Imagineer who lent his immense talents to the development of Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, it's a small world and the Jungle Cruise. The book contains insightful essays about Davis by the likes of Don Hahn, Andreas Deja, Glen Keane, Pete Docter, Mindy Johnson and Paula Sigman Lowery. You need this.

Enjoy!

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Inside The Mouse Castle 10-03-2014 - Bob Iger's Contract, Luigi's Flat Tires and 'Star Wars' Rumors

Bob Iger, Disney's Chairmen and CEO, has a brand new shiny contract extension that will keep him at the helm of the Mouse House into 2018. What can we say? We like the guy and look forward to him hanging around well past Disneyland's 60th, the return of Star Wars to theaters and the opening of Shanghai Disneyland. In the latest edition of Inside The Mouse Castle, Anthony and I talk about Iger's successful history with the company and continued promising future. We also take on these other fascinating topics:

• It looks like Luigi's Flying Tires will be flying out of Disney California Adventure come January. We've always loved the concept of the ride as an homage to the long gone Flying Saucers at Disneyland in the 1960s, but found the ride itself less than user friendly with difficult to maneuver ride vehicles. 

Luigi's Flying Tires in 2012 when beach balls made the ride fun.

• Disney and Amazon have apparently made peace over the pricing dispute that quashed pre-order home video sales, most notably September's release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier on Blu-ray. Visit Amazon now and both Guardians of the Galaxy and Maleficent are available for pre-order.
• There's a lot to like about the new teaser trailer for Pixar's Inside Out, which is both a nostalgic trip through Pixar's movie past and a charming intro to its most original idea in years.

• Are all those rumors about Star Wars: Episode VII helping or hurting the film? Casting and plot point leaks (and outright falsehoods) abound and some media sites (including this one) are pledging to keep legitimate story reveals as spoiler-free as possible. 
• At Marvel, Robert Downey, Jr. has said (again) that he kinda sorta probably will keep playing Iron Man as long as he needs to. To quote, "I'm sure we'll ride that thing. You've got to surf that thing all the way into shore." Make what you will of it. It sounds like he'll be around past his current contractual obligation for the second and third Avengers films. We're still keeping hopes high for Iron Man 4. Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix is definitely out for the title role in the upcoming Dr. Strange film, but Dominic Clark is definitely in to reprise his role as Tony Stark's dad in next year's limited TV series Agent Carter. 
• We love this imaged mapped Walt Disney World wedding cake. That is all.

• Disney's Aladdin on Broadway is going international next year. The Tony Award-winning musical will open in Tokyo with a Japanese cast next May.
• Need to pay more money to get more Frozen? For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration will run most nights through the holiday season at Walt Disney World beginning November 7th. Eighty-nine bucks (on top of your park admission) will get you into the private dessert party at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Call (407) 939-1854 for more details.
• Basketball superstar LeBron James will produce a sports-themed television series geared for younger viewers to be seen on Disney XD. Becoming will spotlight inspirational stories from the sports world and will be released through ESPN Films and James's own Springhill Production Company. The first episode debuts on October 26th.

Enjoy!

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Inside the Mouse Castle 08-08-2014 - The Haunted Mansion at 45, Star Wars at Disneyland and the D23 Expo

Saturday marks the 45th birthday of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. Come out to socialize with Tim and Anthony as they share a little Mansion history and talk about what makes the home of 999 happy haunts such an incredible attraction all these years later.

Also, in this episode:

• CEO Bob Iger got the interwebs buzzing this week with his comment that Disney's plan to "grow Stars Wars' presence significantly" in the parks. We'll look at what it means and what it doesn't and why everyone just needs to settle down.
• Tickets to the 2015 D23 Expo, Disney's ultimate fan event, go on sale on August 14th at 10 a.m. PT. We take a look back at past Expos and try to justify why spending $2,000 for a Sorcerer Package ticket might actually be a pretty good deal.
• Disney is opening the video vault and releasing Tarzan, Hercules and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad on Blu-ray for the first time. A newer home video release is Disneynature's Bears and Tim offers his review of the Alaska nature doc. It's a beautiful film, but does is really benefit from being narrated by Wreck-It Ralph?

Enjoy!

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion marks its 45th year.

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The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Stuff You Can Win Inside 'The Mouse Castle Lounge'

Concept art for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
© Renzo Piano Building Workshop

It's been a busy week for me in Baltimore, attending meetings, eating expensive dinners and drinking cocktails paid for by other people. And yet, I still managed to record one more episode of The Mouse Castle Lounge before leaving town.

In today's installment, the Walt Disney Company has thrown its full support behind the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, a new 300,000-square foot facility dedicated to movie history. The museum won't open until early 2017, but the renovation of Los Angeles' historic May Company building has already started and fund raising is well underway. Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger heads up the museum's $300 million capital campaign along with co-chairs Annette Bening and Tom Hanks.

Bob Iger speaks at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' inaugural celebration
Photo by Matt Petit/© A.M.P.A.S.

Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted an inaugural celebration for the museum attended by an impressive list of Hollywood hot shots: John Lasseter, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jason Schwartzman, George Takei, Laura Dern, John Landis, Rachel McAdams and Alexander Payne, just to name a few. Warren Beatty (Mr. Annette Bening) was there also and posed for this great shot in front of his Dick Tracy hat and trench coat:

Warren Beatty with his Dick Tracy duds
Photo by Todd Wawrychuk/© A.M.P.A.S.

For more information about the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and how you can support it, visit http://www.oscars.org/academymuseum.

Don't forget, you can still win one of historian J.B. Kaufman's wonderful books about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Fairest One of All or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film, simply by listening to either today's podcast or this podcast and following the instructions to enter. It's easy to do and entries must be in by 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on Friday, April 19. Good luck!

There's more inside today's Mouse Castle Lounge including an update on Disneyland's problems with Cal OSHA and a preview of Disneynature's most recent home video release, Wings of Life. Enjoy!

The Mouse Castle Lounge can also be heard on iTunes and Stitcher.

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