Nancy Stadler - All Comments

re: Gronckles, Nadders and Vikings, Oh My! DreamWorks "How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular" Has Them All

saba — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 07:33:26 GMT

This is just what I was looking for. I was not expecting that I'd get so much out of reading your write up! You've just earned yourself a returning visitor

re: Geoffrey Rush isn't rushing to exit Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise

apple fanatic — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 13:06:17 GMT

Barbossa is so totally cool. I love all the pirates, but Barbossa is amazing. I can't wait for POTC 5. Keep it up Geoffrey, you are awesome as Barbossa!

re: Disney California Adventure Update: Kids Race Power Wheels to Cars Land

FettFan — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:12:25 GMT

Another reason we all love John Lasseter.

re: The mysterious tail ... er ... tale of "On Stranger Tides" mermaid, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey

Liz — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 02:06:42 GMT

This is soo cool i loved seeing Astrid as a mermaid, obviously she was meant for that part and i would be so excited to see her in another pirate movie!!! The mermaid tail and scales looked so real! I especially loved the part when she transformed from mermaid to human.

re: Geoffrey Rush isn't rushing to exit Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise

noah — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:44:48 GMT

i love barbossa ecpically in the fourth one because he got all classy and was pretending to be on the rolay leagues side just to kill blackbeard

re: Geoffrey Rush isn't rushing to exit Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise

Benjamin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:59:33 GMT

I think Pirates of the Caribbean 5 would be empty without Barbossa. To leave Barbossa out of the films would be like leaving Moe or Larry out of the Three Stooges. The movies are set up in such away, that you need the blending of certain consistent characters for it to be an enjoyable film. Films with such examples are A Team, Magnum P.I., The Mummy 1, The Mummy 2 Oceans 11, 12, 13, Star Wars and so. These films all use the blending of consistent characters. Movies that focus on only one individual can become boring real fast, but a film that mixes personalities and characters will never get boring. Johnny Depp is a good actor and I like his films, but Pirates of the Caribbean 5 would not be worth it without Rush as Barbossa.

re: Geoffrey Rush isn't rushing to exit Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" film franchise

Taylor Craft — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 00:39:44 GMT

I would LOVE to see Barbossa come back, villan or not! He and Jack are amazing together and you just can't shove Barbossa away! It won't work! You have to keep him and tell us what happens!!!

re: The mysterious tail ... er ... tale of "On Stranger Tides" mermaid, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey

Fedhi Benattou — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:22:43 GMT

Rob Marshall did a very good job for the movie Pirates Of Caribbean 4 !!! CONGRATULATIONS ROB !!!!! ;) I LOVE SO MUCH MERMAIDS AND MERMEN !!!! I'm a very good swimmer , i practise swimming since 21 years now !!!! The mermaid tails in the movie Pirates Of Caribbean 4 : On Stranger Tide , are very BEAUTIFUL , GORGEOUS , MARVELLOUS !!!! Astrid aka Syrena is GORGEOUS !!!!!! The Costume designer did an EXCELLENT JOB !!!!!!!! DEFINATELY !!!!! =)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=) It's A REAL PLEASURE FOR ME TO SEE THE MERMAIDS SCENES !!!! By the way , i will have a REALISTIC mermaid tail soon !!! I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE IT !!!!! So if they want a mermaid and a merman in the next movie Pirates of Caribbean 5 !!!!! I'm HERE !! I CAN PLAY THE PART !!!!! YES YES YES !!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

XOXO

Fedhi Benattou .

re: Looking back at ABC Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios theme park

Robyn K. — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:39:20 GMT

Nancy, you nailed it on the head! I attended three Super Soap events and my first was much much different from the last two, and it was because of all the changes that ABC made to appease Disney (or maybe just to appease the main company).

The first year I went was 1998 and it was actually at the end of a school trip to Disney. I was 14 and totally obsessed with Cameron Mathison and I was super excited that I was going to be at the Studios during Day 1 of SSW. Because I was there with friends, I didn't take in any of the shows, but I did get to see several of the stars at the autograph sessions. And Port Charles was still on the air, so not only did I get to see my Cameron and the adorable Michael E Knight, but I also got to see Julie Pinson, Jay Pickett and Michael Dietz! Every inch of the park was crowded with people, because there wasn't Fastpass yet, so I felt really lucky that I even got to see the stars I did, because the lines for each autograph session were just crazy long. But you know what? It felt pure and real and that everyone was there for the same goal, to see the stars, even in just a parting glance. There wasn't any tension or anger between guests because everyone knew everyone had the same chance of seeing the stars.

That feeling wasn't there the next two times I went to SSW and I think that had to do with Fastpass. Sorry to say, but the system felt flawed each time we went. Here's why: Both years the Disney cast members cut the line, forcing many of the soap fans to stand in line with the regular park guests. The problem with that was, that it became a free for all once the gates opened to get to your designated Fastpass area AND once you got to your area, you found that the guests who were allowed in early, had gone through and gotten at least one pass already and were going around a second time.

In addition, I agree that personnel changes to SSW did not help the fun, soap feel to the weekend. In the first years of SSW, the actors did it all. Linda Dano did Soap Talk, while the awesome Walt Willey did Who Wants to be a Millionaire and other, more interactive events with the fans. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Cameron and JP Lavoisier was hilarious hosting Triple Play, but I have no idea why they brought in Bob Guiney to host Soap Talk, a buffoon of a man who only knew about soaps because he was married to Rebecca Budig. When they replaced Walt with Bob, I think the entire weekend lost a lot of credibility.

And the Street Jam, which started out ONLY featuring the actors, turned into an event that was more about Disney synergy. Example: High School Musical salutes the soaps. What soap fan knows or even cares about High School Musical? I would have rather had David Canary, Eden Riegel or Jacob Young perform instead.

Finally, getting back to 1998 versus the later years, it seems like, when the event first started, it focused more on the autograph sessions and less on the shows. And I thought that made sense. Why did we wait in line at 3 in the morning? To actually meet the stars. For me, the shows and motorcades were secondary. But, when I came back in 2006, there were so many events for the stars to be at, that the autograph sessions got impacted. How? Well, the Disney cast members had to hold the sessions to a strict hour, when in the past, some stars could stay and sign for close to 3. And it actually got worse from 2006 to 2007. In '06, if the stars knew they could stay and there were still fans to meet, then they would (as politely as they could) ask their cast member to wait and would keep signing for an extra half hour. But in '07, the cast members cracked down and, even though the actors knew they had time, and the fans knew they had time, the cast members kept each session to the minimum time, preventing fans from meeting their favorite stars.

Still, I miss SSW and I hope that, wherever it returns to (WDW or California Adventures), it comes back with the same fun of the first few years and that, if they keep the Fastpass system, they give all the soap fans a chance to get them, not just those who spend the night.

And that Walt Willey is a part of it ;)

re: Looking back at ABC Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios theme park

Sue in Texas — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 13:56:02 GMT

I wish they'd bring it back, since I never got to go!

I agree with you, Nancy, the future doesn't look bright for our shows. My mother--who's been watching AMC for 35+ years--has Alzheimer's and watching her show is one of her joys in life. It will be a sad day for our family if AMC disappears while she's still connected with it.

I remember the old days with the big production budgets for the shows and dining at the Soap Opera Bistro in DCA. Sad those times aren't coming back again for us soap lovers, but at least we've made some really good memories over the years.

re: Looking back at ABC Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studio theme park

Gary — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:36:01 GMT

Those of us who work/have worked at Disney-MGM Studios during the event have mixed feelings about it. Some of us miss the stories and crazed fans who would call their soap stars by name and demand to know where they were at in a given moment (this became so common that they would give us guides with the soap character's name first instead of the star's name first), and some of us do not. The stories of insane fans and crazy moments are still swapped in our breakrooms by those who were there, and I think there is still a certain nostalgia about it.

re: Looking back at ABC Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studio theme park

Dani — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:40:12 GMT

I loved SSW and am still flabbergasted as to why they stopped it! I loved Linda and really loved Bobs Talk Shows! Those were some of my favorite memories... and I didn't think it missed a beat! bring it back!

re: Gary Beach and Terrence Mann remember "Beauty and the Beast" 's trip from the screen to the stage

Cheap Broadway Tickets — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:18:04 GMT

This was my favorite movie ever since I was little and it is STILL my favorite. It was a touching story on Broadway just as on film! The new songs were AMA-zing the costumes just a great and so were the sets! I started to cry at the end of it all! I will remember this show forever!

re: Gary Beach and Terrence Mann remember "Beauty and the Beast" 's trip from the screen to the stage

Whisper — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:41:02 GMT

Near as I could tell watching it, there's nothing at all from the original Broadway cast on the new Blu-Ray release special features. There are no interviews with Beach or Mann, Susan Egan or anyone other than the pseudo-celebrities who filled the roles years later on stage. The original cast is not mentioned.

re: Tune Tuesday: Members of the Broadway cast for Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" remember this show's trip from the screen to the stage

Russell — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:12:18 GMT

.Let us not forget that Beauty and the Beast (after the animated movie) started as a stage show at the Disney/MGM Studios. I really do not think that cast ever got the Kudos they deserved.