Greetings, MiceChateers! Convention season is in full swing, and almost everyone I know is either prepping for a convention, at a convention or recovering from a convention, and over here, we’re no different. Those most special of days are upon us in a little more than a month, and as it gets closer, we’ll be putting together a special guide to help you be a D23 Expo expert before you ever set foot inside the Anaheim Convention Center.

Walt’s Original Mouseketeers

On Sunday, August 16th at 5PM in Stage 23, the D23 Expo will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of The Mickey Mouse Club. I was a second-generation fan, catching the black-and-white episodes after school every afternoon in the mid-seventies, just before Lisa Whelchel et al came into being, so when I hear that Spin and Marty (Tim Considine and David Stollery) are going to be there, I get all fangirl squee. I am eight again.

Of course, it wouldn’t be The Mickey Mouse Club without the Original Mouseketeers! In attendance will be: Sherry Alberoni, Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Tommy Cole, Darlene Gillespie, Cubby O’Brien, and Doreen Tracey. The event will be hosted by the author of the wonderful The Official Mickey Mouse Club BookLorraine Santoli. There will be, of course, music and magic – and memories.

If you want to actually meet one of the Mouseketeers who are appearing, you do have a chance! D23 Autograph Central is the place to be Sunday, before the event, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM. If you want to take home more than an autograph, there will be some really special Mickey Mouse Club 60th Anniversary merchandise in the Disney Dream Store. There will also be some great memorabilia on display, including props and costumes from the Mickey Mouse Club Circus in Walt Disney Archives Presents: Disneyland – The Exhibit, and the rarest treasure, never before seen by the general public, Annette Funicello’s original handprints from her Legends Ceremony in 1992. These will be on display in one of the show floor’s “photo spots”.

Legends_Annette2

Kitchy Kitchy Cool!

Speaking of the D23 Expo, I just learned today that one of my favorite people, Charles Phoenix, will once again be presenting one of his infamous, I mean famous Disneyland slideshows at the D23 Expo. It’s called Charles Phoenix: BIG RETRO DISNEYLAND SLIDE SHOW! Big on fun, short on historical decorum and HUGE on love for Disneyland of Old, you’ll constantly switch between sighing over sights of lost attractions and venues and laughing at Phoenix’ droll narration.  It’s happening Friday, August 14 at 10 AM. Grab a cup of Maxwell House and meet him at Stage 28. And if you miss Charles on stage, you’ll be able to meet him later at the Walt Disney Birthplace booth!

Charles Phoenix headshot

Super Serious About Super 8

On Friday, August 14 at 4:30 PM, attendees are in for a rare treat: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, the Oscar(R) folks) will be doing a presentation at Stage 28 on their collection of Disneyland home movies. Yes, that is a thing! There is really nothing else that can take us back in time to when the park was young as these reasonably rare treasures.

“From the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Randy Haberkamp, Managing Director of Preservation and Foundation Programs; Lynne Kirste, Special Collections Curator; and surprise special guests will take guests on a journey from Walt’s inspirations for Disneyland to the park’s opening and evolution, as captured on film.”

That. Also, Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd will show some footage her grandfather took of Disneyland, pre-opening and on opening day. None from the end of any flagpoles, I presume.

Disneyland-Home-Movies

20 Years of Goofy

Can you believe it’s been 20 years since Goofy and Max first took us to Lester’s Possum Park? Join host (and film producer) Don Hahn as he leads a look at A Goofy Movie with stars Bill Farmer (Goofy), Jason Marsden (Max), Jim Cummings (Pete), Rob Paulsen (P.J.), and writer Jymn Magon as they tell never-heard-before stories and share special memories from this fun Disney film.

A-Goofy-Movie

Making Experiences

“This fall, PBS will premiere a new two-part, four-hour film exploring the life and legacy of Walt Disney as part of the American Experience series. Go behind-the-scenes with team who brought the project together for a special sneak peek of the film: moderator Don Hahn (film producer, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King), Sarah Colt (director/producer, American Experience: Walt Disney), Neal Gabler (biographer, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination), and Becky Cline, the Director of the Walt Disney Archives.”

Sometimes, they just do it so pretty I have to leave it as is. It’s Saturday, August 15 at 4:30 PM. Photo courtesy of PBS/American Experience.

, Fab News: D23 Expo, MAPO@MTOC and More

Best of Destination D

My friends come back from Destination D and I see the pictures and I just get so jealous. They get so much cool stuff. Yes, I know, it’s reciprocated, but I want all the cool stuff, and I also want all my friends all over to get all of the cool stuff all the time too. Is that too much to ask?

Well, those of us attending the D23 Expo will get a taste of Destination D Sunday, August 16 at 4:30PM on Stage 28. One is with Archivist Emeritus Dave Smith and the other is with Imagineer Jason Grandt, and they’re both about the development and design of Walt Disney World, and I will probably be in the front row for this one.

Destination-D

 

Mary Poppins Flies Into Orange County

poppins-logo-with-dates_med

Our pal Dave Avanzino, who does a ton of cool artwork for Disney (and did this year’s Yesterland.com tour as well) is, as I told you a few weeks back, designing the sets for Musical Theater of Orange County (MCTO) for their staging of Mary Poppins. Artistic Director Mitch Atkins, says producer Lori Atkins, is a technical director with Disney Creative Entertainment – so you know you’re going to get a good show. This is one to take the kids to, and tickets are now on sale:
DATES: JULY – 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
GENERAL SEATING: $25, GROUPS of 20 or MORE: $20 each
Please visit MTOC.org for ticket information

Here’s the New CFO

Congratulations to Christine McCarthy, Disney’s new CFO, who will be replacing Jay Rasulo, who said his goodbyes a few weeks ago. Formerly Disney’s treasurer, her base salary is one third less than her predecessor’s, as is the norm in the United States.

Christine McCarthy New Disney Chief Financial

A Long Shot, But a Sweet One

Long-time MiceChat reader Steven Wilson has taken up a cause on Change.org that really touched that sooty black piece of coal in my chest: he’s trying to get Disney to save the house that inspired the movie Up.  Edith Macefield refused to sell, so they built the shopping center around her little home. When she died, she willed it to the building contractor, who had apparently been kind to her, but he couldn’t bear to tear it down. Now, it’s a matter of weeks before it’s going to be torn down because he can’t afford the upkeep. Visitors drop off notes and balloons at the house, and some even paint it, and now there’s a small movement to save it because of its connection to the beloved Pixar film. Good luck, Steven!

, Fab News: D23 Expo, MAPO@MTOC and More
Change.org

An Extra Jolly Holiday For One Lucky Reader

On Tuesday, we announced a contest to win two tickets to the Dick Van Dyke event to be held on July 16th.

And the lucky winner of the two tickets is:  Leslie E. Smith

Our congratulations to Leslie and her guest!!!

But, just because you didn’t win the big prize doesn’t mean you can’t go as well. Tickets are still on sale for this amazing event. We will also be contacting runners up with a special opportunity.

Dick-Van-Dyke-Event

Sign up for the event while tickets last at:  http://jollyholiday.eventzilla.net/

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

In my photos from Into the Woods Tuesday, I got permission to use the photos from the director, but neglected to give the photographers proper credit. In journalism classes, I learned that the three worst things you could do were: 1. Plagiarize 2. Plagiarize and 3. Use something without giving the creator proper credit. My professor would roll up my diploma and smack me about the head and ears with it if she knew. I want to apologize again to the nice, wonderful, forgiving and understanding people I neglected to give credit to: (and thank you for not killing me)

The posed shots of Marss, Steve and Ferdie were by longtime MiceChat reader and supporter Ray Pierce, who is also the founder and director of Hollywood Aerial Arts. (Holy moly!)

The Title Card photo is by Hailey Williams of Archer Photography. Hailey’s the official photographer for Steampunk Theater Company, so any performance photos you see in the news, ads, etc. are hers. She and her husband Jacob are the marketing team for Steampunk Theater.

The candids were by me. Here’s one I left out.

I so suck at selfies.
I so suck at selfies.

I hope everyone has a gloooooorious fourth of July weekend. Wear sunscreen and stay hydrated, and take aspirin or Motrin or whatever if you get sunburned.

Shelly Valladolid
Shelly Valladolid, aka Fab, has been writing about Disney and theme parks for about two decades. She has written for various fan and pop culture sites, Disney Magazine and OCRegister.com and participated in several books, including Passporter's Disneyland and Southern California and Disney World Dreams. She was co-founder and president of the Orlando, Florida chapter of the NFFC (now Disneyana Fan Club). She taught a class on theme park history at a Southern California University. She is creator and co-owner of Jim Hill Media, one of the creators of MousePlanet and was a consultant on MSNBC, The Motley Fool and others about Disney and various media matters. She was a Heel wrestling manager on TV and a voice artist on the radio in Honolulu, HI, where she grew up. She has a blog and a podcast with her daughter, Mission:Breakout Obsessive Alice Hill. She and her husband, MiceChat columnist Noe Valladolid, live in Southern California with Alice.