Hello Fabanistas! Today, we’re taking a look at The Jungle Book at the El Capitan Theatre as well as my visit to the Disney California Food & Wine Festival, a DVD sure to enchant the little ones, and some giant news about Cannes from my mailbag!

The Jungle Book at The El Capitan Theatre

I was invited to see The Jungle Book at the El Capitan on Friday with the Side Street Strutters (plus one stellar vocalist – is she with Five and Dime?) as the opening act. It’s always best to see Disney movies at the “El Cap”, because there is usually an amazing preshow themed to the film, a magnificent organ concert, and wonderful displays to see downstairs PLUS a Disney Studio Store and Ghirardhelli soda/ice cream joint adjoining. For you pin collector types, they even have exclusive pins there you canNOT get anywhere else! So, if you’re in SoCal and aren’t married to the idea of seeing a new Disney/Marvel/Star Wars film in IMAX, check it out at the El Capitan Theatre first. It’s even on the Metro Red Line, right across the street.

As for the movie itself, you already know how I feel about the music. Hearing it in the film was even better, and I’m not the only one who thought so – the CD was on the counter in the store, and people beelined for it straight out of the theater. I also loved the two songs they played over the credits at the end of the film. The animation for both of those blew me away! So different from each other, but both incredible in their own way. The film was exciting and fun. It called back to the original with great respect, but was definitely its own film, much more serious in tone, in keeping with the more realistic look and feel, closer to Kipling than to cartoonish, (no barbershop quartet vultures here), but the characters are relatable and likeable. Really great movie, just about as scary as any other Disney movie. Every kid is different, so I can’t tell you if yours will be scared or not. There’s fire, animals chasing and fighting, and danger from things like natural disasters, rivers, insects etc. It’s a jungle out there.

Take note: the Strutters’ show is between the Previews and the movie itself, so don’t be confused when the lights dim, as I was. I thought I had gotten there late or something. They show the Previews, the house lights come back up, then the Strutters come marching down the side aisles – I’m spoiling this so that you’ll have your phones ready to take photos if you like.

Disney California Food & Wine Festival 

I finally made it to Disneyland, after three months or so away. I wanted to show Alice and Noe Season of the Force, but they made me conserve my energy. So, Noe met the Hatbox Ghost for the first time, and playful spooks made sure that he got a really good look.

It was a bittersweet noon meet, seeing everyone after so long, but having to say goodbye to a beloved family we wouldn’t be seeing for a while. We picked up the new Star Wars poster shirts (God bless Steven Miller!) shirts for a dragon up north and a Kylo Ren lightsaber shirt for me, shockingly enough, then headed to the Food & Wine Festival over at Disney California Adventure. But first, we had to stop at Oswald’s so Noe could pick up the new Oswald and Ortensia plush! This is the first Ortensia to ever be sold in a US Disney park! Fun fact: Ortensia was named by Warren Spector. Before then, she had several different names, including one that was slang for female genitalia in Australia! Also, she is his WIFE, not his girlfriend – they actually have children. Lots of them. Which would make even cuter plush than Snowgies STEVEN MILLER. Just saying.

Then it was off to buy my lanyard and tasting card, and yes, I know, everything under $6.50 goes on the cute mini gift card, everything over, pull a tab off the tasting card. They need an alcohol tab card, and we were disappointed that they didn’t have cocktails like they do at the Epcot one. Banana soju milkshake, amirite? A woman in line with me waxed poetical over the Gray Goose cocktail they had in the France pavilion. So, what I did was, I used my Disney VISA on the trip to Epcot, and I spent the bonus dollars I earned at the DCA one. It worked out pretty well. Got to everything but LA Style, so…next weekend, we’ll be back. I did tweet a complaint to @Disneylandtoday about the lack of shade. They need to plan better so that wind or not, there’s some protection. It was brutal. Maybe some pergolas. I’ve seen these folks work miracles for special events before. There’s a workable solution and if anyone can do it, they can. But at least they have a sense of humor about it.

So, yes, the food was wonderful, I had a sip of Alice’s The Patsy and it was fantastic. But the very, very best part was going to Off the Page and seeing the artists there, each one of them incredible talents, not a dud in the bunch. Such a treat.

I was honored and thrilled to finally meet Kurt Raymond, whose murals and other gorgeous work I’ve admired for so long without knowing who created them. Getting to meet him was like receiving a gift.

 

Stephen Cargile with two of his works. Some months ago, I showed you the Shanghai Disney Store, beautiful behemoth that it is, and its clock tower. Stephen did the clock tower; he’s with WDI now. I just hope that doesn’t curtail his incredibly structured artwork, based upon original Disney animation designs.

Mike and Patty Peraza were busy greeting fans and signing artwork, but took time to say hello. Mike’s works are always a big hit with Disney fans, and people really dug Patty’s cloth Hat Box Ghost!

 

David Bird’s “Fireworks Nightly”, featuring the castle with fireworks, sold within minutes. Here are the remaining three shortly after the artists began signing. I was only there a short while, so I don’t know if any of them are still left.

David Bird, looking fresh and hip. Or with a fresh hip. Something like that.

Surprise! James C. Mulligan! He wasn’t on the announcement, but I was thrilled to see him. Remember when I wrote about the CHOC Luau? He did live art onstage, and it was fantastic! I didn’t get a chance to say hi because he was swamped.

Don’t miss out! There are still two weekends left!

Gumball Rally 2016 – Sign Up Now

The world-famous MiceChat Gumball Rally is rolling your way on May 14th, 2016. The Rally is a competition to see who can ride the most attractions at Disneyland in a single day. If you love Disneyland, this event is a must. Gather together 2 to 4 of your friends or family members and form a team today! I will be there! Noe will be there! Come see what everyone will be wearing! Come for the bacon, stay for the awards ceremony! It’s pure, candy-coated FUN!

Goldie and Bear Arrive Today!

If you are parenting or palling someone in the Disney Junior set, this is some major news. GOLDIE & BEAR: BEST FAIRYTALE FRIENDS is out on DVD today. If you’re out of the loop on this, it’s a pretty big deal, let me tell you. It includes 7 episodes for over 2 hours of classic fairytales with a twist! Plus FREE Exclusive Playtime Fun Activity Kit with re-usable stickers, games and more! 

Climb a beanstalk with Jack, try on Little Red’s famous hood, outsmart the tricky Big Bad Wolf, and much more. Join Goldie and Bear – and your favorite fairytale and nursery rhyme characters – for magical, song-filled fun you’ll treasure today and ever after!

 

Very official information:

Voice Cast: Natalie Lander (ABC’s “The Middle”) as Goldie; Georgie Kidder (Disney XD’s “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) as Bear; Jim Cummings (Disney Junior’s “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”) as Big Bad Wolf; Mitchell Whitfield (“Winx Club: Beyond Believix”) as Humpty Dumpty and Woodsman; David Kaufman (“Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”) as Jack and Brix; Mary Birdsong (Disney XD’s “Crash & Bernstein”) as Mother Bear, Mother Good and Jack’s Mom; Barry Wiggins (“Dog & Me”) as Father Bear

Executive Producer/Director          Chris Gilligan (“Frankenweenie”)

Episodes: 

• The Birthday Chair/ Big Bear
• Fee Fi Fo Shoe/ Little Gold Riding Hood
• Bear’s Red Shoes/ Goose Sitters
• Moon Jump/ Big Good Wolf
• Pinocchio-itis/ The Clubhouse That Jack Built
• The Egg/ Golden Kickball
• Thumbelina’s Wild Ride/ Big Bad Houseguest

MouseAddict Tells You When Fab News is Out!

Tuesday and Thursday. Except when there’s a MiceAge Update. Or Fab’s really sick. Or something else weird happens. Or there’s a Fab News EXTRA! Want to know all about it, and also what parts of Disneyland are busy, what the hours are, and have some cool fireworks to play with too? Download the FREE MouseAddict app.

From the Mailbag:

The BFG Will Stand For Big French Giant at Cannes

DISNEY’S “THE BFG” TO RECEIVE GALA SCREENING 

AT THE 2016 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

BURBANK, Calif. (April 14, 2016) – Disney’s “The BFG” is to receive a Gala screening at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The fantasy-adventure film will screen out of competition at the Palais des Festivals as part of this year’s festival, which runs May 11-22, ahead of its July 1, 2016 release date.

The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally come together to bring “The BFG” to life. Directed by the three-time Academy Award® winner from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison based on the best-selling book by Dahl, “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country and stars three-time Tony Award®, two-time Olivier Award and Oscar® winner Mark Rylance, newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Jemaine Clement, Rebecca Hall, Rafe Spall and Bill Hader. The film is produced by Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Sam Mercer with Kathleen Kennedy, John Madden, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Michael Siegel, Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov serving as executive producers.

The Disney/Amblin/Reliance production in association with Walden Media will open in U.S. theaters on July 1, 2016, the year that coincides with the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl¹s birth. The Walt Disney Company is distributing the film in the U.S. and select international territories while Mister Smith Entertainment will oversee distribution in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.  Amblin’s partner, Reliance, will distribute the film in India.

First published in 1982, “The BFG” was Roald Dahl’s own favorite of his stories. Today, the book is published in 41 foreign languages, including Vietnamese, Korean, Ukrainian, Indonesian, Albanian, Estonian, Hebrew and Welsh. “The BFG” is the latest Dahl title to be adapted for stage and screen, following major films, including “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971), “James and the Giant Peach” (1996), “Matilda” (1996), “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (2005) and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009).

Spielberg’s affiliation with the Cannes Film Festival dates back to 1974 when “Sugarland Express” was screened and won the festival’s best screenplay award. Since then the director has had numerous films screen at the festival, including “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” which was the closing night film in 1982. In 2013, Spielberg served as the festival’s jury president.

The 69^th Annual Cannes Film Festival will take place May 11-22, 2016.

Thank you!

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