The Aristocats Special Edition Brings This Disney Classic To Life In Stunning Blu-Ray For the First Time!

The Aristocats Special Edition Brings This Disney Classic To Life In Stunning Blu-Ray For the First Time!

The Aristocats Special Edition
The Aristocats Special Edition available now on Blu-Ray!

Disney’s spectacular 20th full-length animated feature The Aristocats has arrived for the first time ever in stunning Blu-ray high definition as a The Aristocats Special Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) and Digital. Featuring a beautiful new digital restoration and great new bonus features, The Aristocats Special Edition invites audiences to relive all the tune-filled feline fun, comedy and adventure of this Disney classic.

The exciting tale takes place in the heart of Paris where a kind and eccentric millionairess, wills her entire estate to ‘Duchess,’ a high society cat, and her three kittens. When the bumbling butler Edgar tries to pull off the ultimate catnap caper in order to secure the fortune for himself, it’s up to alley cat Thomas O’Malley and his band of swingin’ jazz cats to save the day. The Aristocats features the voice talents of Eva Gabor, Phil Harris, Sterling Halloway and legendary French singer Maurice Chevalier, who performs the film’s titular opening song. The legendary Disney songwriting team of brothers, Richard and Robert Sherman, get the joint jumping with the jazz-inspired musical numbers Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat, Scales and Arpeggios, and Thomas O’Malley Cat.

The Aristocats Special Edition is chocked full of great bonus features, and is an especially wonderful treat if you are a super fan (like I am) of the Sherman Brothers!!! During The Lost Open featurette, Richard Sherman takes you through storyboards of a never-before-seen alternate beginning which introduces a deleted character and a deleted song How Much You Mean To Me and Court Me Slowly written and performed by the Sherman brothers. This song demo was one of the few times Richard and Robert ever sang together. And if your little one is anything like mine, they will be playing all of the songs over and over again! Zoe is especially fond of Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat! Also, The Aristocats Special Edition also has one of my most favorite Figaro shorts!!! Additional classic bonus features on The Aristocats Special Edition include the delightful deleted song, She Never Felt Alone and The Great Cat Family (Excerpt), which explores the history of cats.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6kVxV4O_dk&feature=share&list=PL2F52ED02924C2731

The Aristocats Special Edition full bonus features include…

– Oui Oui Marie Music Video

– Deleted Song – She Never Felt Alone: This deleted song, complete with animation, will tug at the heartstrings of any animal lover, as Duchess explains to Thomas O’ Malley why she must return to her beloved owner Madame Bonfamille. Richard Sherman discusses the song he co-wrote with his brother Robert, which captures the special relationship between a pet owner and their animal. It’s a moving sequence that will stir everyone’s fondest memories of their favorite pets.

– The Sherman Brothers: The Aristocats of Disney Songs: A tribute to the legendary Disney songwriting team of Robert and Richard Sherman, with particular emphasis on The Aristocats.

– The Great Cat Family (Excerpt): This animated excerpt tells the history of cats from ancient Egyptians to the present.

– The Classic Disney short Bath Day: Figaro has been freshly bathed and perfumed by Minnie when he meets up with Lucifer and his gang who chase him. In the ensuing fight, the gang is fooled into beating up Lucifer and making Figaro the winner. But the victor is soon put back in the tub by Minnie.

– Disney Song Selection:

  • The Aristocats
  • Scales and Arpeggios
  • Thomas O’Malley Cat
  • Ev’rybody Wants To Be A Cat

I am a huge The Aristocats fan, and it is such a treat to be able to share these with my family in the stunning Blu-Ray format! It really is amazing all the details that seem to pop out at you when you view it on Blu-Ray! The Aristocats Special Edition is a great addition to you Blu-Ray Disney Classics collection!!!

The Aristocats Special Edition

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Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go October 1-5, 2012

Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go October 1-5, 2012

Weekly Review time!!! This past week here at On the Go has been crazy busy, but a total blast!!!

Now it’s time to look back at all that happened October 1st – 5th!!!

Let’s Go!

Happy 30th Birthday EPCOT!!! I took a look back at my first visit to EPCOT Center in 1986 with some quality Fisher Price Camera Pictures of some of my favorite rides!

EPCOT30 Weekly Review
I think everyone who rode Horizons has this memory planted in their minds.

It’s after midnight, and Cinderella Diamond Edition is out on BluRay! I review this stunning and chocked full of Extras DVD Release. Even if you already own Cinderella, I would run out and get Cinderella Diamond Edition!!!

Cinderella Diamond Edition Weekly Review
Cinderella Diamond Edition Available on October 2, 2012

The Orlando Home Show was this weekend, and it was full of great ideas for your home and the fabulous Mark Brunetz was there, too!!!

Orlando Home Show Weekly Review
Orlando Home Show – October 5-7, 2012

Disney Interactive has launched a Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth App! Fans of Popular Newsy Web Series Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth Can Now Get Their Daily Cup of News and Laughter to Go with the Daily Shot App!

Daily Shot Weekly Review
Daily Shot Now Available in the App Store!

Wordless Wednesday took us to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Lobby of the Tower Hotel.

Wordless Wednesday Weekly Review
Wordless Wednesday – Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Tower of Terror

LEGOLAND Florida is Celebrating their First Birthday with tons of great savings and prizes for Florida Residents on October 15th!

LEGOLAND Florida Birthday Celebration Weekly Review
LEGOLAND Florida Birthday Celebration Will Be Full Of Prizes, Savings, and Fun!

Aurora and I had the unique opportunity to see another side of Titanic: The Experience, and it was a ghostly good time!

Titanic the Experience Weekly Review
Titanic: The Experience

Betsy took us along for another look at the Art of Animation Resort, because since all of the sections of the Resort have opened she has some new favorite details!

Art of Animation Resort Weekly Review
Loyal Order of the Lugnuts

Heather Thomson, from the hit Bravo show the Real Housewives of New York, will be speaking on October 21st during the Women for Israel Breakfast at the Hilton Orlando to benefit the Jewish National Fund.

Heather Thomson Weekly Review

And we ended the week with some news that made this WWE FanGirl get excited, WWE NXT is going to be at Full Sail Live! On October 11th!

WWE NXT Weekly Review
WWE NXT is taping at Full Sail Live! on October 11th! Photo Courtesy of Central FL Top 5!!!

Thanks for joining us this week at On the Go, and we can’t wait to bring you even more posts next week!!! We’ll be looking at some fun activities at SeaWorld Orlando, the Richard Petty Experience, some Food and Wine Festival Fun, and more!

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Daily Shot App Web Series Now Available On The Go In The App Store

DISNEY INTERACTIVE LAUNCHES DAILY SHOT ON THE APP STORE

Daily Shot App Web Series Now Available On The Go

 

Daily Shot  App
Daily Shot Now Available in the App Store!

Fans of Popular Newsy Web Series Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth Can Now Get Their Daily Cup of News and Laughter to Go!

 

Disney Interactive has launched Daily Shot on the App Store, a new app that delivers episodes of the popular newsy web show Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth right to fans’ iPhones and iPads. With the Daily Shot app, fans can also access past episodes of the show and easily share their favorite videos with friends via email, Twitter and Facebook. You will even be able to connect directly with Ali Wentworth through her Twitter account@AliEWentworth!

On Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth, the funny comedienne, actress, best-selling author and mother of two, shares her irreverent take on the latest news and current events, along with her producer and co-host John Carhart. The 3-7 minute episodes are filmed at her kitchen table and on location around New York City, and provide busy parents a daily dose of news, celebrity gossip, sports headlines, and more.

I have really enjoyed the episodes that I have seen, because it reminds of when I was little and heard my Mom talking around the table with her friends over a cup of coffee. And while the episodes are only a few minutes, the time doesn’t pas by too quickly and it doesn’t seem so compacted that it seems rushed or forced.

Daily Shot airs across the Yahoo! network, including Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com) and Shine (http://shine.yahoo.com) and on Disney’s leading online parenting platform, Babble.com, where she also has a personal blog titled Ali in Wonderland.

Ali Wentworth was co-creator, star and co-executive producer of the television series, Head Case on the Starz Network. She has appeared in numerous television shows including, The Oprah Winfrey Show as an on-air correspondent, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Hard Ball, In Living Color and Seinfeld, among others. Her movie appearances include “It’s Complicated,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Trial and Error” and “The Real Blonde.”  Earlier this year, Ms. Wentworth released a new book, Ali in Wonderland, a collection of funny stories about her life, which quickly became a New York Times best seller.  She has also authored The WASP Cookbook, a collection of family recipes spiced up with a humorous commentary on life.

If you have a few minutes, make sure to check the Daily Shot out!!!

 

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Cinderella Diamond Edition Available In Stores Today!

Cinderella Diamond Edition Available In Stores Today!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Blu!

Cinderella Diamond Edition
Cinderella Diamond Edition Available on October 2, 2012

A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” and at the stroke of midnight, October 2, 2012, dreams around the globe really will come true when The Walt Disney Studios opens its prestigious vault to release one of Walt Disney’s most timeless and beloved masterpieces of all time, Cinderella, in the highly anticipated Blu-ray™ Diamond Edition Collection.

Cinderella is by far my favorite Princess! I love everything about Cinderella, and how she never gives up or becomes cruel in the face of adversity. And to have the opportunity to review Cinderella: Diamond Edition was a complete pleasure, because I was floored by the beauty of the animation when I was watching it on BluRay. It was amazing to watch this classic become as vivid as it is in my memories, and to hear the crispness of the sound. I will admit that I have asked Zoe if we could watch it over and over again!!!

The “Cinderella: Diamond Edition,” with its spellbinding storyline, memorable music, unforgettable characters and spectacular animation, sparkles like never before with a wide-array of bonus features that extend the viewing experience for the whole family to enjoy including never-before-seen material, family-friendly interactive activities, games and more.

There are soooo many bonus features on Cinderella: Diamond Edition!!! From the opportunity to watch Cinderella with an introduction from Diane Disney Miller, to a new Tangled Ever After animated short, a never before seen alternate opening sequence, and Behind The Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland which is a look at New Fantasyland opening soon!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du9A-A_9OT0&feature=share&list=PLF5D8C9F3347E661F

Cinderella will join the company’s prestigious line-up of Blu-ray Diamond Collection titles this Fall which is currently comprised of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Bambi, Lady and the Tramp, and The Lion King. Disney’s Blu-ray Diamond Collection represents The Walt Disney Studios’ most prestigious and treasured animated classics. Diamond Edition titles boast the highest level of picture and sound; feature groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content; and include unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalization and customization, made possible because of Blu-ray technology.

Cinderella Diamond Edition is an absolute must own for anyone who appreciates Disney animation at its finest! The film itself is beautiful, but the amount and quality of bonus features really make it an amazing value!

Make sure that you keep up to date with the latest Disney Picture, Disney Movie, and Cinderella Diamond Edition news!

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Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Review

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Review

Hello Gamers!

Disney Interactive Studios and Square Enix have released another game in their highly successful Kingdom Hearts series. This one is for the Nintendo 3DS and titled “Dream Drop Distance”. The title is a play on the 3D aspect of the game as well as a “Dream Drop” component that was added to this installment not in previous ones.

kingdom hearts dream drop distance review
Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance – Available for the Nintendo 3DS

First off, allow me to tell you a bit about myself. I always find it is important to know something about a reviewer while reading a review so that you know where they are coming from. I know that when I know a little bit about a reviewer, it helps me make a more informed decision about whether or not I agree or disagree with their opinions.

have loved video games since I was a child. I think I’ve went through every system from Colecovision and intellivision (showing my age) to the current PS3 etc. I have already put a pre-order in for the upcoming new Nintendo Wii U. Now, at 40 years of age, I still love video games, but it takes a lot more to keep me interested and engaged. I definitely prefer a game where I don’t have to sift through a Bible sized book of instructions in order to play. I really love the Nintendo 3DS and feel it is the perfect platform when you’re ON THE GO in MCO or otherwise. It’s like a small alternate universe you can fit in your pocket. I love keeping the 3D slider on Maximum 3D although it’s a bit of a challenge keeping your eyes in the “sweet spot” when battling Ursula and other Villains!

So, now, let’s get to Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance! Only for the Nintendo 3DS.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6bIOFaLYd0

You needn’t have played other Kingdom Hearts games in the series to enjoy this title. It helps, but is not needed. Kingdom Hearts is basically a union of Final Fantasy and Disney. On its own, I don’t really like Final Fantasy. When married with Disney, I think it’s magical. It gives the fight between good and evil a real sense of wonder and validates Mickey Mouse as a relevant Hero.

I’d love to give you some of the back story about Kingdom Hearts, but even though I have played and completed every single one, I can’t. I have no idea what the story is. As a true matter of fact, I don’t even think the writers who explain the story even understand it themselves. It’s a convoluted mess that makes me laugh every time I read it. If you get a moment, and it interests you, check out the Wikipedia entry of the storyline and try to make sense of it. It will blow your mind LOL.

kingdom hearts dream drop distance review
Some of the characters in Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance

You play one of two characters in this game, Sora and Riku. The game features seven playable Disney Worlds, including La Cité des Cloches from The Hunchback of Notre Dame; The Grid from Tron: Legacy; Prankster’s Paradise from Pinocchio; Country of the Musketeers from Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers; and Symphony of Sorcery from Fantasia. The two other playable worlds are Traverse Town and The World That Never Was. You alternate between playing as Sora and playing as Riku when a timer runs out and you go into a Dream Drop. It’s fun but also a little gimmicky. It’s really a way of making the game longer without adding more worlds. Meaning, you play the world as Sora and then the same world as Riku with few variations. It can be frustrating when you are just about to kill a boss and you are “dropped” and switched to the other character (shakes fist at sky) J.

Unlike most Disney games, you actually fight in Kingdom Hearts. No blood of course, but using your KeyBlade you bash enemies around in satisfying style. You need to kill the boss of each world as both Sora and Riku in order to save the worlds from evil. Familiar Disney characters and villains are always popping up making it a Disney fans delight. The voice work on the characters is top notch and appears to be the original actors whenever possible.

kingdom hearts dream drop distance review
It is time to protect the Princess!

This installment of the series adds a special “flying” move technique called FLOWMOTION that really makes gliding and pummeling enemies a lot of fun, especially in 3D.

The pet component is totally cool. Remember those virtual reality pets that you needed to take care of on little key chain games back some years ago? This Kingdom Hearts game contains mini games like that.
You can create and “adopt” pets they call spirits that fight alongside Sora and Riku and help you in the game. They are needed to defeat many enemies. You need to nurture these spirit pets to make them more powerful. You get to feed them and pet them using the touch screen. The more attention you give them, the more they level up and become an asset to your game play. Of course, I love the Big Blue Panda Mickey looking one.

Children pick up this game and get into it almost immediately while those of us over 25 will likely need to read the instructions a few times to figure out what is going on. Once you do, it is a marvelous fun romp through Disney fantasy realms where you can escape reality and believe you are saving beloved Disney characters and enchanted places.

Something fun to note – Sora can sometimes be spotted in the Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. I only saw him once but bascially freaked out when I did. He was the most amazingly designed park character I have ever seen – holding his keyblade weapon and all. Try and catch him the next time you are at the MNSSHP event! The first person to tweet me a NEW picture of Sora from this year’s event gets a prize!

Also – A new Kingdom Hearts game is in the works for all the major current and upcoming new consoles within the next year. If you get a chance to play this Nintendo 3DS installment, you’ll be seasoned enough to take on the next big screen Kingdom Hearts when it is released!

Now go forth and save the Disney Worlds!

kingdom hearts dream drop distance review
Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Logo

Be sure to follow John Saccheri on Twitter @DisneyWorlds!!!

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Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go September 10-14

Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go September 10-14

Weekly Review time!!! This past week here at On the Go has been full of great stuff, and now it’s time to look back at all that happened September 10-14!!!

Let’s Go!

Monday started with a review of Walt Disney Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey into a New World action-packed animated musical adventure Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey into a New World debut for the first time ever in vivid High Definition on August 21, 2012.

walt disney pocahontas - Weekly Review
Walt Disney Pocahontas and Pocahontas II is available on Blu-Ray on August 21, 2012.

Aurora shares some of her highlights from Nights of Joy with Shalon at the Magic Kingdom. Included are links to our many performance videos on YouTube and Facebook Albums of pictures!

Night of Joy - Lecrae - - Weekly Review
Lecrae putting on an AMAZING Show in front of Cinderella’s Castle!

Wordless Wednesday took us to the roofs of Hogsmeade at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Wordless Wednesday - Weekly Review
Wordless Wednesday – The Roofs of Hogsmeade

It’s almost time for Oktoberfest in Celebration, and if you are in the area you will want to swing by because it is a lot of fun for the whole family!

Celebration Florida - Weekly Review
Celebration, FL

Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orlando City Soccer’s President are visiting other parks in the Kansas City area, including Livestrong Sporting Park, to explore stadium options for the Citrus Bowl.

Orlando City Soccer - Weekly Review
Orlando City Soccer

Betsy had the chance to attend a Lunch and Learn for Joe’s Crab Shack, and their new menu additions look delicious!!!

Joe's Crab Shack - Weekly Review
Joe’s Crab Shack entrance

The Orlando Solar Bears announced today that they have agreed to terms with defenseman Derick Martin.

Orlando Solar Bears - Weekly Review
Orlando Solar Bears

Star Wars Celebration VI was held at the Orange County Convention Center, and Cheryl shares some of her preparations and pictures!

Star Wars Celebration VI - Weekly Review
Star Wars Celebration VI Logo

The Orlando Solar Bears announced that single game tickets for the 2012-13 season will go on sale beginning Wednesday, September 19.

Orlando Solar Bears Opening Night Logo - Weekly Review
Orlando Solar Bears Opening Night Logo

Thanks for joining us this week at On the Go, and we can’t wait to bring you even more posts next week!!! We are going to be dedicating a lot of our posts to one of our favorite events at the Magic Kingdom…Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!!!

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Joe’s Crab Shack Lunch and Learn

Joe’s Crab Shack entrance

Recently I visited Joe’s Crab Shack on International Drive, one of five in the Orlando area, for a Lunch and Learn about some of their great offerings. I was fortunate enough to experience this great luncheon with a handful of others to taste many of the menu items. Joe’s Crab Shack was founded in 1991 in Houston and now has over a hundred locations in more than 30 states.Their menu features great seafood from Alaska, New England and the Gulf Coast.

Shrimp

The lunch was hosted by Chef George, who had come in from Texas just for this event. As he introduced each item samples were brought out for us to try. First we tried the Gulf shrimp first, both hot and cold, served with Old Bay seasoning, ready to peel. These were amazing! I loved these. I had a slight preference for them chilled as opposed to warm, but both were great.

Before we tasted the food, Chef George made sure he let us know the best way to approach each type of seafood. For instance, I learned that snow crab is sweet and mild and their crab legs can be opened using a zipper. The also sweet king crab can also be opened using the zipper, but the more mild Dungeness crab legs need to use a cracker. We each had an opportunity to try the different kinds of crab that are the stars of most of the Steampots on the menu. Different crab appetizers and entrees make up half of the entire menu at Joe’s. Don’t worry, even if seafood isn’t your thing, they have plenty of items like steak, pasta, chicken and burgers as well as salads for the vegetarians.

Chef George displaying the Bean Town Bake Steampot

The food was all incredible, and the luncheon was very informative. I have never been to Joe’s Crab Shack before, but have always been a huge fan of seafood, and I even learned some new things. For instance, a 1 1/4 lb. lobster only is about 90 calories. The kids’ menu was inspired by Chef George’s son and is color coded to make picking different options fun for the kids. Fun fact, one person’s job is just to shuck corn all day. Joe’s sells between 1 and 1.5 million crab legs each year. Crab legs are very low in calories and have the good kind of cholesterol.

After having tried a good portion of the menu items, we came to the consensus that the favorite was the Samuel Adams Steampot, which has snow crab, a pound of clams, lobster claws and smoked sausage that have all been steamed in Sam Adams. This was the most delicious thing that I tried hands down! Everything was fabulous, but the flavors complemented each other so well and the Sam Adams just married them all together perfectly. To finish up, we sampled some of the new drinks on the menu and then had the delectable Homemade Berry Cobbler for dessert.

Homemade Berry Cobbler a la mode

I learned a lot about the variety of menu items Joe’s Crab Shack has to offer. The food and service were awesome and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend any and all of what I tried to anyone who enjoys seafood. I cannot wait to go back to Joe’s sometime soon and highly encourage you to go visit your nearest Joe’s Crab Shack soon. They even have a great playground area for kids and tons of outdoor seating and sometimes offer live entertainment. With lots of seating inside and out, Joe’s Crab Shack is a great venue for parties of all kinds and sizes. Check out Joe’s on your next visit to the Orlando area or find your nearest Joe’s here. Thank you to Joe’s for hosting such a great event and I look forward to visiting again soon!

 

Chef George demonstrating proper method
Crackers and zippers
Eat Me
Joe’s Classic Steampot
New drinks on the menu
Outdoor seating
Playground
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Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go September 3-7

Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go September 3-7

Weekly Review time!!! This past week here at On the Go has been full of great stuff, and now it’s time to look back at all that happened September 3-7!!!

Let’s get this party started!!!

We started the week with a look at SeaWorld Orlando’s Animal Rescue Team’s efforts to save stranded pilot whales. SeaWorld Orlando Animal Rescue Team, along with several local agencies, responded on September 1, 2012, to 22 short-finned pilot whales that stranded at Florida’s Avalon State Park Beach in St. Lucie County.

SeaWorld Orlando Animal Rescue Team Weekly Review
SeaWorld Orlando’s Animal Rescue Team, along with several agencies, responded to 22 short-finned pilot whales that stranded at Florida’s Avalon State Park Beach in St. Lucie County.

Tuesday, Aurora looked back on our time with the Orlando City Soccer Club this season.

Orlando City Soccer Weekly Review
Orlando City Soccer shoots and SCORES during their last game of the 2011-2012 Season!

Wordless Wednesday took us to one of my favorite moments in Wishes!

Wordless Wednesday Weekly Review
Wordless Wednesday – Wishes!

Scared Shrekless Family Fun is coming to the Gaylord Palms Resort this Halloween offering guests the opportunity to scare up some fun with their favorite characters from Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda!

Scared Shrekless at Gaylord Palms Resort Weekly Review
Scared Shrekless at Gaylord Palms Resort – October 13th and 27th

Betsy took us along on the final leg of her Disneyland in this amazing Trip Report!

httpv://youtu.be/O11z4CWTpqc

We also took a look at the adorable The Tigger Movie that is out now on Blu-Ray.

The Tigger Movie Weekly Review
The Tigger Movie is available now on Blu Ray!

And we ended the week with a giveaway that would make any woman happy…A chance to win a pair of Custom Christian Louboutin shoes! In honor of Disney’s global release of the classic animated masterpiece “Cinderella”, which will be available in Blu-ray™ Diamond Edition on October 2, 2012, Walt Disney Studios, in collaboration with Christian Louboutin and Glam Media, today reveal details of their national quest to find a modern-day Cinderella. One lucky woman whose style and fashion sense best embodies the Cinderella fairytale will ultimately be awarded with a pair of original Cinderella slippers re-imagined by world-renowned shoe designer Christian Louboutin during a private event at Disneyland, CA taking place on September 27th.

Cinderella Christian Louboutin Giveaway
Enter the Cinderella Christian Louboutin Giveaway Today!

Thanks for joining us our Weekly Review at On the Go, and we can’t wait to bring you even more posts next week!!! We’ll be covering Nights of Joy at the Magic Kingdom, Disney on Ice: Rockin’ Ever After, LEGOLAND going to galaxies far away, and a ghostly Titanic Experience!

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The Week in Review: August 19th – August 24, 2012: Halloween, Adventures, Movies, and More!

The Week in Review: August 19th – August 24, 2012: Halloween, Adventures, Movies, and More!

This past week here at On the Go has been full of great stuff, and now it’s time to look back at our Week In Reviews so we can see all that happened August 19th to August 24th!!!

Let’s Go!

On Sunday, we brought you news about Cohen’s Deli Opening a Kosher Hotel Near Walt Disney World!

There is a Kosher Hotel coming to the Walt Disney World Area!

Monday brought us news about the 2012 Halloween Merchandise at Walt Disney World! Halloween is my favorite time of year, and this year the merchandise is well designed and even better than last year’s offerings.

Duffy’s Halloween Costume

We are all really pumped for the Orlando Solar Bears to Come Out of Hibernation, and they have signed a new player!

Simon Danis-Pepin Orlando Solar Bears

Tuesday brought the first in our Girls Night Out in Orlando series, where a few of the gals had a fun night at Universal’s CityWalk!

Wordless Wednesday took us to Animal Kingdom at night for a look at the Tree of Life. Animal Kingdom is a beautiful park at night.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Tree of Life at Night

I also went shopping at DStreet, and found that the Mavericks of Mayhem line by Noah had arrived at Downtown Disney’s Westside!

Mavericks of Mayhem Teams

Thursday started with another installment of Betsy’s California Adventure!

Matterhorn

Then I reviewed Doc McStuffins: Friendship is the Best Medicine, available now on DVD.

Doc McStuffins: Friendship Is The Best Medicine Available August 21, 2012 on DVD

Nights of Joy are coming to Walt Disney World, and we look at the artists that will be performing this year!

We ended the week with Cheryl taking us along for her DVC stay at Bay Lake Tower for One More Disney Day.

Disney Vacation Club Bay Lake Towers Couch Area
Disney Vacation Club Bay Lake Towers Couch Area (courtesy of Betsy Bates)

We also gave away two tickets for the Big Time Summer Tour with Big Time Rush with Special Guest Cody Simpson, coming to the Amway Center on August 28, 2012.

Catch Big Time Rush at the Amway Center with Special Guest Cody Simpson August 28th at 7pm!!!

And finally we took a look at two new logos that the Orlando Solar Bear will be using!

Orlando Solar Bears Opening Night Logo

Thanks for joining us this week in review at On the Go, and we can’t wait to bring you even more posts next week!!!

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The Week in Review: August 6 – August 10, 2012: Movies, DVC, and Orlando Sports…Oh My!

The Week in Review: August 6 – August 10, 2012

It has been another amazing week here at On the Go, and now let’s take a look back at how the first full week of August went down!!!

Let’s do this thing!

On Monday, Todd Perlmutter, of Disney Film Project fame, takes a break from taking the blame about everything around here to take a spoiler free look at The Odd Life of Timothy Green.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Looking for an opportunity to volunteer in the UCF area? Or are you looking for a 5K to run? Are you a huge college sports fan? If you answered yes, you might want to check out the Inaugural Orlando Health Gridiron 5K Challenge, that our friends at the Central Florida Sports Commission have created!

2012 Gridiron 5K Challenge

Check out our review of the latest Disney Chanel Original Movie Let It Shine on DVD and enter for your chance to win a copy!

Let It Shine Comes to DVD August 7, 2012

This week’s Wordless Wednesday takes us over to the Hollywood Drive-In Golf at Universal’s CityWalk!

Hollywood Drive-In Golf Golf at Universal Citywalk

Earlier this summer we told you about SeaWorld rescuing a pregnant manatee that gave birth to an adorable calf, and we updated you about their return to their home in Merritt Island, Florida.

SeaWorld Orlando’s Animal Rescue team prepares calf and mom for transport to Sykes Creek.

Thursday, we were really excited to let you know about Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month returning this year in September! This is definitely something you are going to want to check out!!!

We are all super excited about the Solar Bears returning to the ice in Orlando, and they will be returning under their 2001 Turner Cup Championship Banner!

And we wrapped up the week with Cheryl taking a look back at her DVC stay at the Beach Club Villas!

Beach Club Villas Studio Main Room
Beach Club Villas Studio Main Room (courtesy of Betsy Bates)

Then finally I took a look at the really cool tokidoki MARVEL merchandise that is available at DStreet!

Tokidoki MARVEL Men’s T-Shirt

Thanks for joining us this week at On the Go, and we can’t wait to bring you even more posts next week!!!

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*** SPOILER FREE *** Review of The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Having seen The Odd Life of Timothy Green just a few days ago, I’ve been trying to put my finger on the pulse of the movie.  There is so much wrapped into this compact, sweet, lovable, and quirky movie that I don’t feel that simple labels like “comedy” or “drama” are enough, though it clearly has elements of both.  What shines through most in this movie though is its tremendous heart.  There are in this movie no good guys, and no bad guys – there are just people behaving like… people, and yet their lives are all simply transformed by Timothy.

The story was conceived by Ahmet Zappa son of the singer, songwriter, and musician Frank Zappa.  For Disney to put this out under their own brand rather than one of their subsidiaries says a lot about their trust for the material and Zappa.  This trust goes back a few yeas to the creation of Kingdom Comics in 2008 which included a multi-year contract to create new films and rejuvenate old live-action Disney films by first releasing them in graphic novel form.  This is the first new film to be released through this venture.

You are going to cry at this movie.  There is no doubt.  Some of those tears will be from laughing, some will be from sorrow.  But many will come from that place you enter when you let yourself go in the magic of a moment and realize how amazing the world would be if things always could just work this way.  To be able to put our wishes, our hopes and our dreams into a box and have them come true… even if only for a short while.

Those who love the art of storytelling will almost immediately pick up on the O. Henry styling of the story.  There is a twist to the tale, it’s not hidden – the trailers for the movie already give it away.  But the twist is designed to deliver a message and that’s what’s important.  Life is fleeting.  We are here for a moment, and then we’re gone.  But it’s what we do with that moment.  The way in which the lives of those whose lives intertwine with our own are affected by that which we do and the choices that we make.  In the end, this is what matters – so make them count.

The moments of impact Timothy gets to make, are not ones that are chosen for him.  But when they come he accepts them and embraces them all.  Makes the best of the moment for good or for ill.  And with that he transforms the lives of those around him in a way that has no other description than magic.  But it’s not in your face magic.  No, rather it’s the sort of subtle magic that is administered by Mary Poppins or comes riding in on a tornado from Oz.  Right down to magical storms and whimsical winds.

Despite being a family movie, I can’t say that this movie is for everyone.  Some of the themes that run through this are deep and may require explanation to your children.  The emotions in this movie are strong – it could be as much as a two box movie depending on the viewer.   And many people like to avoid that sort of thing.  This movie is also not without its flaws, but at the same time few are worth nitpicking. However, if you can be accepting of a little magic running its course, then I highly recommend seeing this movie.

As much as I’d like to give a star rating for this movie now, you will have to wait until August 27th when I release Episode 86 of the Disney Film Project Podcast for that and a more thorough review.

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Our Thoughts on Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

A few of us had the opportunity to stay at Walt Disney World’s Art of Animation Resort, which opens today. We were able to stay in one of the Nemo Family Suites, explore the resort, take advantage of the Pool and Play areas, tour the soon to open Cars Family Suites, shop for resort specific merchandise, and eat at Landscape of Flavors. It was an amazing stay!!!

What was your favorite detail at the Art of Animation Resort?

The Big Blue Pool at Art of Animation was one of our favorite places!!!
Shelley: My absolute favorite detail of the Art of Animation Resort was how the trees around The Big Blue Pool were grown to have curvy trunks as if they were waving under the sea.
Aurora: The fact that in The Finding Nemo area that everything looked like it was under water. The way that the plants were placed and the way the trees were angled and the vibrant colors. The fish on the sides of the buildings with the colors being gradual blues made you feel like you were under water!
Betsy: There are so many to choose from, but I think one of my favorites has to be the diving mask by the Big Blue Pool that belongs to P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney. I missed it the first time I walked by the pool, but loved it as soon as I noticed it.
Megan: I loved the large icons. My favorite has to be Crush outside of the EAC building.

What is your biggest tip for people staying at the Art of Animation Resort?

Squirt at the Righteous Reef Playground at night is alive with color!
Aurora: Take advantage of everything to see! Take a tour of the property. Take pictures. Make sure that you look for the small details. The kids will LOVE finding their favorite characters in hidden spots all over the resort. This place is a feast for the eyes.
Betsy: Take time to enjoy this resort! It is amazingly themed and detailed and I hope that people will take the time to appreciate the effort that the imagineers put into constructing a resort that is so immersive. I want to go back just to hang out by the pool, enjoy the atmosphere and the great food!
Megan:Take time to look at the sketches in the lobby. Try to find the piece of artwork in the chandelier in the Lobby signed by John Lasseter.
Shelley: Make sure that you take time to enjoy the resort during the day and at night, because there are so many creative uses of lighting that make all the difference and bring out details that aren’t as easily noticed in the daytime!

What should people know about staying at the Art of Animation Resort?

A view of the jogging trail from the Finding Nemo Family Suites.
Betsy: There is a great walking/jogging path along Hourglass Lake that is beautiful at night. We were only able to experience part of it due to construction, but by the time the resort is completely open in the middle of September this will be a great place to exercise or just to take a nice stroll along the lake with your family.
Megan: Make sure to schedule time to spend hanging out at the pool or to go for a run around hourglass lake
Shelley: In the far corner of the check-in area of Animation Hall, there is a children’s play/screening area with a twist! Thursday through Sunday from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm artists will be on hand showing kids of all ages how to draw their favorite characters and holding “Animation Classes”.
Aurora: That this is not your typical value resort. They have raised the bar. The pool is AMAZING! The Scenery is Beautiful. The Themeing kicks all the other resorts butts. This place is not your typical small room resort!

 

What are you looking forward to experiencing again?

The amazing attention to detail can be found everywhere in the Finding Nemo Family Suites!
Megan: The rooms. I loved how spacious they were. The details in them made me feel like I was in the movie.
Shelley: I am really looking forward to bringing Zoe to the Resort to experience the pool, water play areas, and playgrounds! I think she will absolutely love all that there is to offer!!!
Aurora: I can not wait to stay in the Little Mermaid section! But I honestly can not wait to get in that Big Blue Pool again and float around listening to Mr. Ray Jabber under the water!
Betsy:  I think the Big Blue Pool is the thing I’m most looking forward to since I forgot my bathing suit this last trip. I want to hear the underwater speakers, play games by the pool, enjoy adult beverages at The Drop Off pool bar and just relax and soak it all in.

What would you eat again at the Art of Animation Resort?

Shelley's amazing macaroon cupcake! It is hard to believe that this is came from a food court of a Value Hotel!
Shelley: Absolutely!!! With soooo many vegetarian options with a world twist and a beautiful setting I have a feeling I won’t get tired of eating at Landscape of Flavors any time soon!
Aurora: I LOVED My Meatball Sub. I will get it with the home made potato chips this time however. I also loved my yogurt and would get that again for a breakfast option. I want to try the Make Your Own Salad with Chicken, Also the Make your Own Pasta. I was VERY Jealous of Shelley’s cupcake with the macaroons on top so I may have to get one of those!!!!
Betsy: I loved the mini buckwheat waffles that I had for breakfast. My mom used to make buckwheat pancakes when I was little and I haven’t had them in years. This most definitely satisfied that craving. Plus, they were super cute and had Dory on them. 🙂
Megan: Definitely! The food was well above the normal value resort food quality.
What is one thing that you wish the Art of Animation Resort had?

Aurora: I would LOVE to see a Toy Story Section added on somewhere down the line. That is one of my personal favorite movies and I think the Theming is ENDLESS!

Betsy: I know value resorts don’t have them, but I would love it if there was a hot tub. This resort is so different from all the other value resorts, and dare I say, several steps above the rest, that I wouldn’t think it would be out of place at all.
Megan: A slide. The pool would be over the top if it had a slide.
Shelley: I wish that the resort had a tour with insight into the design and a look at the Imagineers designed the resort.

 

We hope that these tips and thoughts help you as you plan a stay at Walt Disney World’s Art of Animation Resort!!!

 

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Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – Landscape of Flavors Menus and More Food Pics

While we briefly gave an overview of the meals we sampled the other day for breakfast and dinner, I thought we should take a closer look at what I’m sure will become one of my favorite counter service locations on property: Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. There are so many amazing things to share about this great food court. It is like no other value resort in its attention to detail and theming that are prevalent throughout the resort common areas and suites.

One of my favorite details I wanted to share was all of the incredible artwork in the different dining areas themed after the resorts areas of The Lion King, Cars, Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid. I wish I could take some of this artwork home to decorate my house! It feels like you are immersed in a very cool art gallery while enjoying some truly incredible food. I was trying to describe the menu to a friend the other day and think Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village is the closest as far as the world flavors influence, but with some Riverside Mill from Port Orleans Riverside thrown in with the create your own pasta and salad options. Having said that, this food court really doesn’t feel like any other. The ambiance is very relaxed and welcoming. I cannot wait to go back and try some of the incredible offerings that this restaurant has!

Also check out our post from the other day with pictures of what we ordered for dinner and breakfast here.

 

Landcape of Flavors general pictures and artwork

 

Breakfast pictures and menus

 

Snacks and drinks

 

Dinner pictures and menus

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The Avengers: A Review With Some Spoilers


Being a huge fan of the previous movies in this series, I have been looking forward to The Avengers ever since it was announced. Most movies that are highly promoted and overhyped by the studio rarely live up to the expectations, so there was a little hint of worry looming behind my excitement as I walked into the theater. After the first few minutes, any shred of doubt was gone. The packed theatre was buzzing with anticipations, and erupted in applause and laughter many times throughout the movie. The Avengers more than delivered on everything it promised to be.

This, sixth in this series of movies, begins with Loki devising a way back to Earth with the intent this time of conquering and ruling the people of Earth with the help of his mysterious army of Chitauri. Obsessed with total domination, Loki steals the Tesseract, a mysterious and powerful source of galactic energy, in order to further his conquest. Left with no other options, Nick Fury and the S.H.I.E.L.D agency activates the Avengers initiative to battle this extinction level threat to the human race. The Avengers become a group of unsuspecting heroes, and find themselves with no other option than to work together as a team to defeat Loki and his invading army.

The story seamlessly moves through the sequences evenly balancing out the back stories, character interactions, and action sequences beautifully. Director Joss Whedon does an amazing job both individually fleshing out the characters while maintaining the focus on the ensemble as a whole. Each main character, the lead in their own movie, brings something special to the group without overpowering the other members. Even the minor characters, Black Widow (a minor character from the Iron Man 2) is fleshed out with a more complete back story including new Avengers member Hawkeye.

The combinations of great story, witty dialogue and amazing action sequences make this film a nonstop thrill ride that I want to experience again and again. I know that I most definitely will be seeing Avengers again before it leaves the theater.

 

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOrNdBpGMv8

 

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An afternoon at Kidani Village

The other day I found myself with a few extra hours before I was supposed to meet up with friends for dinner and decided to go exploring. Not actual exploring, like at the polar ice caps or anything (for anyone who knows me, I don’t do cold), but one of my favorite types of exploring: at Disney resorts. After some brief investigative work a few weeks ago, I made a list of some lesser known activities around the parks and resorts that I’d like to highlight here or at least try out for myself. So, back to the other day, I chose to spend a few hours at the Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village.

This resort opened back in May of 2009 and I had my first stay there several months later. One of my favorite things about the resort, aside from the animals, of course, is their restaurant Sanaa. The food has always been great, featuring flavors of African and Indian influence in a setting that has, in my opinion, one of the best views to be found from a restaurant anywhere on Walt Disney World property. When I learned that there was a free Cultural Tour of Sanaa, I knew I wanted to learn more about one of my go to restaurants. On the activities guide at the Animal Kingdom Villas, the description is listed as “Discover the inspiration behind this unique location through the eyes of one of our Cultural Representatives.” Based on this, I was expecting something similar to the Cultural Safari that takes place at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Jambo House in the evenings.

Seeing that the tour was scheduled for 4pm, I opted to get to the resort with plenty of time to see the animals on the savanna before I needed to check in at the restaurant’s podium. I started my adventure in the library at Kidani Village, which is probably my second favorite rooms at a resort in which to relax. After a short while I went downstairs to Sanaa to make sure that they knew I was there for the tour. Sometimes these tours are not very well known, to the point where not many guests show up, so it is best to announce your presence if you don’t see any other people around, which was the case this time.

My host, Vincent, was from Botswana and kindly gave me a private tour, which was really cool since it was more like us just hanging out and having a conversation as opposed to a typical lecture style tour. We started at the entrance to the restaurant where he explained that the word Sanaa means “works of art” in Swahili. The restaurant is decorated accordingly with various works of art from tribal drums from different African nations, to gourds used as drinking vessels, coffee pots, clothing, light fixtures and wall hangings.

During the tour, Vincent explained how the restaurant was setup into areas reminiscent of the boma, roughly translated to a hearth or safe area for gathering. There is usually a boma found in each home, and then also a larger boma in the village for everyone to gather together. After pointing out a couple of hidden Mickeys, in the restaurant, one of which I’d never noticed, Vincent led me to the lounge area of the bar. He advised me that the chef would be coming out to greet me with the bread service that is typically on the menu as an appetizer. This was an added bonus that I wasn’t aware of previously: free food!!!

Chef Johnathan came out and described the process the restaurant used for making the bread in the tandoor oven and how they only use fresh herbs and spices and grind them there at Sanaa to ensure consistency. The bread service consists of several pieces of naan and three dipping sauces: a coriander (more commonly known here as cilantro) chutney, a mango chutney, and a cucumber raita. While I’m not a fan of cucumber at all, unless it is in the pickled form, I decided to be an adult and try what was served to me. The sauce was creamy, being yogurt based, with only a hint of cucumber if you didn’t actually eat the chunks of cucumber mixed in, which I didn’t. The mango chutney was typical, but with some peppers mixed in and it was a bit more liquid than what I’m used to. My favorite of the sauces was definitely the coriander chutney, which by taste, is very similar to a sauce that I make based on a recipe that used to be used at Jiko. I love cilantro, but if you are not fond of it, you may want to skip this one. I enjoyed this so much I went back and asked for and received a copy of the recipe to take home.

The tour and tasting took me about half an hour, which was just about perfect since I had the place to myself. I would gladly take this tour again, especially now knowing that there is a snack at the end. It was a great way to spend a part of my afternoon and think it would be fun with a group of friends maybe even ending the tour at the bar with an adult beverage. If you go, say hi to the bartender Kat. Have you been to Sanaa? Did you take the tour? Have you taken any other tours? I’d love to hear your feedback.

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