RIP Dave Smith

February 16, 2019

It's always sad to write these. If you haven't heard already, we lost Dave Smith on February 15th at the age of 78. Four decades he's been with The Walt Disney Company, & chances are a good portion of anything you know about Disney's past came from him. Founder of the Walt Disney Archives, & dubbed an official Legend in 2007, he's been gathering & preserving historical treasures of film, TV, theme parks are more since his hiring by Roy Disney in 1970. With his first job cataloguing everything in Walt's untouched suite after his death, later being responsible for it's full restoration in 2015. He's wrote numerous books on the subject, some of which I own myself, such as Disney A to Z, Disney: The First 100 Years, The Quotable Walt Disney, Disney Trivia from the Vault, and The Ultimate Disney Trivia Books 1, 2, 3, and 4. He also appeared in many publications throughout the years as well. Even after his retirement in 2010, he kept going as a consultant for 9 years. Truly devoted in every way to all the things of Disney's past. He will be missed by all. CEO Bob Iger stated it best, “He was the unsung hero of Disney’s history who, as our first archivist, spent 40 years rescuing countless documents and artifacts from obscurity, investing endless hours restoring and preserving these priceless pieces of our legacy, and putting them in context to tell our story. Dave was a true Disney Legend, and we are indebted to him for building such an enduring, tangible connection to our past that continues to inspire our future.” Condolences to his friends & family. I'm sure Walt has a place for him.

RIP David Ogden Stiers

March 5, 2018

David Ogden Stiers was lost to us to cancer over the weekend at the age of 75. He will be remembered to most for his role on M*A*S*H , but to me he'll always be for his voice roles in many Disney animated classics. Many of my favorite characters including, Cogsworth in Beauty & The Beast, the Arch-deacon in The Hunchback of Notre Dame , Governor Ratcliffe in Pocahontas, & Dr. Jumba in Lilo & Stitch . Those iconic roles are just a small piece of this man huge career that even saw him come back for the sequels. I always hate when we lose people, but try to take small comforts in knowing that they will always be immortalized in the characters they played. My condolences go out to all his friends & family.

RIP Michael Mantenuto

April 27, 2017

It's always sad to lose someone. When that someone is only 35 years old though, it's tragic. Michael Mantenuto was found dead on Monday, April 24 as a result of suicide. Michael played Jack O'Callahan in Disney's Miracle opposite Kurt Russell. According to TMZ, besides parts in two other movies, he also went on to enlist in the Army, & joined the Special Forces. Suicide is something that is becoming all to normal now, & it's scary. To think we've made a world in which so many people can think there's no other way out just makes me a little ashamed to be part of it. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow just a day away. RIP Michael, I hope you find peace.

Jun 18, 2019

Michelle Rejwan Now Senior VP Live Action Development And Production For Lucasfilm

Hollywood Reporter reports Michelle Rejwan is now the Senior VP of Live Action Development & Production. She will oversee new feature films as well Disney+ series while still producing with president Kathleen Kennedy. That seems like a hefty responsibility to drop on someone who's previous credits at Lucasfilm are producing The Force Awakens & The Rise of Skywalker. Kennedy really sees something in her though, having “seen first-hand her skills collaborating with writers and directors, and I've been incredibly impressed with her creative skills and her ability to manage the complexity surrounding these massive projects.” Can she be the Feige of Star Wars? Time will tell. After the hate Kennedy got from the last installment, which I loved by the way, one could think this is just to give her a scapegoat if things don't go as well over the next few projects. Curious to see how much influence this winds up having as a whole. What do y'all think? Trust in Kennedy? Or do you think maybe a more vetted choice would have been better? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

May 21, 2019

Disney Reveals Name of Tokyo DisneySea's 8th Port

After breaking ground in what is to become Tokyo DisneySea's 8th port, we now have its official name. Fantasy Springs will be the title, but that's not all Dismey released on the subject. They also released some beautiful day & night concept art depicting the look of the new lands. Oriental land is investing 250 Billion Yen on this project that will feature lands themed to Frozen, Tangled, & Peter Pan. Frozen's land of post film Arendelle will feature an attraction that tells the story of Elsa and her beloved sister, Anna. Sounding like the familiar Epcot ride, suests will board boats and experience the sisters’ heartfelt journey, enjoying songs from the film, and encountering surprising thrills. There will also be a restaurant set inside the beautiful Arendelle Castle. Tangled's land will naturally feature Rapunzel’s tower rising above the forest. It will also include an boat attraction where guests will board gondolas for a romantic boat tour of Rapunzel’s “Best Day Ever” as she journeys with Flynn to the lantern festival. Flickering lanterns illuminate the attraction’s climactic scene while Rapunzel and Flynn sing an iconic song from the film. The pand will also feature a restaurant, inspired by the hideout of the band of thugs who appeared in the film in the "I've Got A Dream" sequence. Neverland will also be home to two attractions and a restaurant. Featuring landmarks including verdant mountains, Captain Hook’s pirate ship and Skull Rock. One attraction will fly over the jungles of Neverland into a battle with Captain Hook and his crew of pirates to rescue Wendy’s younger brother, John, who has been kidnapped by Captain Hook and his pirates. You'll board boats and follow the Lost Boys down a river until Tinker Bell sprinkles the boats with pixie dust, & you take off flying through Neverland on an adventure that featuring iconic music and dynamic 3D imagery of the characters from the film. The second attraction immerses us in the oversized world of Pixie Hollow, while the restaurant is inspired by the Lost Boys and their hideout. There will also be a new Disney Hllyel in the park. Themed to Disney fantasy, it will rise above and around the magical springs that serve as the core of the new themed port’s story. Offering 475 deluxe-type and luxury-type guest rooms, this park facing hotel will also feature a merchandise shop that helps share the story of the magical springs. One day I'll make it out here to see all the amazingly beautiful things TokyoSea has to offer. Luckily, I have one more reason to postpone that adventure until this amazing new addition is done.