What a couple of days it’s been! And what a couple of days it’s going to be! I’m writing this Monday night after a press day for Hotel Transylvania (I can tell you all about it Thursday afternoon, but not a word til then, sorry) followed by a wonderful panel and showing of The Emperor’s New Groove hosted by the groovy kids of OH MY DISNEY. And yes, there were spinach puffs.

It Was Groovy, You Should Have Been There

OH MY DISNEY is kind of like a Mouse-centered Buzzfeed with better spelling, and they are the ONLY ones who have been able to seriously stump me at Disney trivia. Twice. Good work. They also do some pretty cool local stuff. Keep an eye out; I’ll try to have the latest info on their happenings here. If they let me know, I’ll be sure to let you know.

So anyway, there was an Emperor’s New Groove trivia contest, with really good questions – and most of the fans got them right! There was also a bunch of free door prizes – ticket and tour packages from upcoming El Capitan shows, original release Groove posters signed by the panel backstage, and the piece de resistance, three rows of lucky attendees were treated to fresh, hot spinach puffs! The folks at OH MY DISNEY were as good as their word.

A costume contest was included, where both Disneybounding and costumed entries were allowed. A cute little guy playing Sid won second place.

Thursday: From Kingdom to Kuzkotopia – the panel discussion. (with rare artwork!)

A Whole Renewed World

At the Disney Studio Store at the El Capitan Theatre, there was a ton of Aladdin merchandise, because they’re showing a run of Aladdin right now.

Check out these adorable Jasmine purses. Yes, they’re coin purses!

Why’s this film getting so much retail love? Good news: Aladdin is making its way back into our homes and into our hearts with a new release. And not just a new release. A new release plus Christmas plus your birthday plus a surprise trip to Disneyland, if you’re any sort of an Aladdin fan. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9bvhaV2re4

“Disney’s beloved masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar. Experience the laughter, adventure and Academy Award®-winning music (1992: Best Music, Original Song, “A Whole New World,” Original Score) for the first time on Blu-ray and Digital HD. And now Aladdin shines even brighter with never-before-seen tributes to the enchanting talent of Robin Williams, the ‘Genius behind the Genie.'”

So, here’s what’s interesting: two separate release dates. The first, September 29, is Digital (Disney Movies Anywhere, Digital HD & SD), and the second, October 13, will be the Physical version (Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital) and DVD).

Blu-ray & Digital Bonus Features include:

• The Genie Outtakes – Robin Williams’ Genie outtakes are magically brought to life
• Genie 101 – Our host, Scott Weinger (the voice of Aladdin), takes us through the various transformations of the famous (and formerly famous) celebrity references of the Genie
• Ron & John: You Ain’t Never Had a Friend Like Me – Directors John Musker & Ron Clements sit down and discuss the experiences of their long-running partnership together at Disney
• Aladdin: Creating Broadway Magic – Join host Darren Criss as we take “a new fantastic point of view” at the story of how Aladdin went from a classic Disney animated film to become Broadway’s smash hit with composer Alan Menken and others
• Unboxing Aladdin – Our host, Joey Bragg from Disney Channel’s Liv & Maddy, explore the Easter eggs and hidden secrets of Aladdin in this unboxing video
• Classic Bonus – ALL classic bonus material from the original DVD release
• DMA (Disney Movies Anywhere) Exclusive: Deleted Song – “My Finest Hour” – Jafar takes the stage in this never-before-seen deleted song. Includes intro from Ron & John.

DVD Bonus Features: Select Classic Bonus, including:

• Deleted Song / “Proud Of Your Boy” (Original Demo Recording)
• Deleted Song / “You Can Count On Me”
• Deleted Song / “Humiliate The Boy”
• Deleted Song / “Why Me”
• Deleted Scene / “Aladdin & Jasmine’s First Meeting”
• Deleted Scene / “Aladdin in the Lap of Luxury”

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Halloween season, that is! One tradition that’s been in Anaheim even longer than Disneyland, and that Disneyland’s been a longtime part of, is the Anaheim Halloween Parade! Friend of MiceChat Charles Phoenix is helping them with some much-needed fundraising by throwing an awesome slide show on October 11th:

What better way to rest your feet after the CHOC Walk (or arriving fresh as a “sleeping bear” – more on that later) than to avoid the packed park while celebrating Disneyland and Anaheim’s colorful history while supporting another fantastic cause? Relax and take a fun-filled trip back in time with the one and only Charles Phoenix!

To learn about the history of this illustrious parade, watch this video from City of Anaheim – Municipal Government

Here’s their Facebook Page! 

Thanks for your support!

Because of your help, I was able to get to different press stuff today so that I could see and do it in person instead of relying solely on press releases. Thank you so much for that. It’s truly appreciated and really put to good use. If you would like to support Fab News (like the trip I’m taking to Orlando next month; right now, I’m trying to make appointments out there with anyone who will talk to me about their theme park or resort) click on one of the banners below.

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