The Internet is really a wondrous place. Especially if you're a young person who's considering a career in animation. If you've ever considered becoming a character designer someday, you can always swing by Tom Bancroft 's Character Mentor Studio or Stephen Silver's blog and then pick up some good practical tips. Likewise if you've dreamed of becoming an art director, you should definitely be bookmarking Mike Peraza's sites . The same goes with Mark Evanier 's News...

Huffington Post -- As Broadway's "Mary Poppins" gets ready to close, regional productions of this acclaimed Disney musical begin popping up all over As any good Mary Poppins fan will tell you, when the wind shifts from the East to the West, it's then time for that practically perfect nanny to pack up her carpet bag and fly off for parts unknown. Well, I'm not sure which way the wind is blowing in New York City these days. But since Disney and Cameron Mackintosh 's Mary Poppins...

Pam dropped me a note on Wednesday to ask: I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not Disney will start producing Minimus the flying horse from Sophia The First in a figure form for the public to be able to purchase? Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved You're talking -- of course -- about the character that was introduced in "One of the Princes," the very first episode of "Sofia the First" to air on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior . And to my way...

Huffington Post -- "The Croods" directors reveal how DreamWorks Animation's caveman comic-adventure evolved You'd think given the sophisticated sorts of folks who annually attend the Berlin Film Festival that this wouldn't be the sort of crowd which would enthusiastically embrace something as crass-sounding as " The Croods ." But that's actually what happened last Friday night at the world premiere of this DreamWorks Animation production. As the credits began to...

Chuck Jones: Drawing on Imagination Opening Reception Saturday, March 23, 2013 from 6pm to 9pm San Francisco, CA: The Cartoon Art Museum and The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity will host a special reception for the exhibition Chuck Jones: Drawing on Imagination on Saturday, March 23, 2013 . Special guests include Chuck Jones' widow, Marian Jones , his daughter, Linda Jones Clough, and his grandson, Craig Kausen , who is the Chairman of The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, as well as other...

High-Flying Animated Comedy Adventure Soars into Theaters August 9, 2013 BURBANK, Calif. (February 28, 2013) - Dane Cook has been tapped to voice the lead character Dusty, a plane with high hopes in "Disney's Planes." Inspired by the world of "Cars" and directed by Disneytoon Studios veteran and aviation enthusiast Klay Hall ("King of the Hill," "The Simpsons"), "Disney's Planes" is an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure about Dusty's...

IT'S TIME FOR MOUSE MADNESS THIS MARCH AT THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM! March Exhibitions, Programs, and Events SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic Now through April 14, 2013 | Special Exhibition Hall Special ticket price for Snow White: $10 general | Special combination ticket which includes general museum admission: $25 adults; $20 seniors and students; $15 children ages 6 to 17. This special exhibition celebrates Walt Disney's first feature-length...

From Walt Disney Animation Studios, "Wreck-It Ralph" takes viewers on a hilarious journey. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman). The film is directed...

Mike Wazowski’s (voice of Billy Crystal) lifelong dreams of becoming a Scarer are derailed during his first semester at Monsters University when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), and their out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. “Like” MONSTERS UNIVERSITY on Facebook: http://facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity "Follow" Disney/Pixar on Twitter...

VES OPEN LETTER - CALL TO ACTION In light of current events, the Visual Effects Society (VES), an honorary body comprised of the very best visual effects artists around the world, today issues two calls to action : First, we call upon Governor Brown and the State Legislature to immediately expand its tax incentive program for the entertainment industry and to include a focused approach concentrated on the visual effects and post production sectors of the industry. Secondly, because we have reached...

You've probably already seen the pictures from Sunday's Princess Half Marathon event at the Walt Disney World Resort . Where 26,000 runners raced through Epcot and the Magic Kingdom during the early morning hours ... Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved ... only to have Rachel Booth of Mandeville, LA wind up as the winner for the second year in a row. Completing this 13.1 mile course in 1:17:38, 33 seconds faster than her 2012 pace. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All...

Huffington Post -- Rich Moore looks back at the roads not taken with Disney's "Wreck-It Ralph" It was the story that artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios had been struggling to get a handle on for over 15 years. A comic action-adventure set inside of the world of video games, where the computer-generated hero longed for something more. Two previous attempts had been made to turn this thought-to-be-promising premise into a full-length animated feature. But both of those proposed...

Universal Announces Room Rates, New Features for New 1,800 Room On-Site Hotel FAST FACTS Book now. Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort is accepting reservations. Opening Dates: early 2014; reservations being accepted for stays beginning on March 31, 2014. Style: Inspired by the iconic beach resorts of the 1950s and 60s, when the pool was the place to relax after the day's road trip. Rooms: 900 Guest Rooms and 900 Family Suites, each with colorful "retro" décor. Pricing: Starting...

February 25, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FIRST-EVER D23 EXPO JAPAN TO BE HELD OCTOBER 12-14, 2013 The Official Disney Fan Club's Signature Event Makes Its International Debut Meguro-ku, Tokyo , February 25, 2012 -The Walt Disney Company Japan announced today that it will stage the first-ever D23 Expo Japan , a special event for Disney fans created by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. D23 Expo Japan, the first Expo to be held outside the U.S., will feature an array of engaging presentations, hosted...

Early this Sunday morning, I left New Hampshire in the middle on a snowstorm. After a quick plane change in Detroit (where -- at that time -- it was a frigid 6 degrees), I caught a flight out to Los Angeles. Where -- as soon as my plane landed at LAX on Sunday afternoon, I grabbed my bags and then hustled out to curbside. Where I then jumped into a car that was headed to Garden Grove . "And what was out in Garden Grove?," you ask. Well, this was where the Disneyana Fan Club ... Photo by...

Travel Dates : April 6 - June 3, 2013 Walt Disney World has released special room only discounts for Florida Residents. You must check in during the travel dates listed above, however, you can extend your stay past June 3, 2013. Only the nights included in the travel dates listed above will be discounted. You cannot check in before April 6, 2013 and receive a discount. Availability is limited, and not all resorts and room types are available. Some nights may not be discounted, and weekend prices...

TAMPA, Fla. (February 19, 2013) -- Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Co. and Disney have entered into a long-term strategic alliance that makes Joffrey's the official specialty coffee of Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland® Resort and Disney Vacation Club properties. Through this agreement, Joffrey's becomes the first Disney Corporate Alliance sponsor in the category of specialty coffee and will have expanded presence at select Disney dining locations and resort hotels. "Like...

When " The Wizard of Oz " held its Hollywood premiere back on August 15, 1939 at Grauman's Chinese Theater ... Copyright Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved ... MGM really went all out. They took the courtyard of this famous movie palace and transformed into a miniature version of the Land of Oz. Complete with its very own tiny version of the Yellow Brick Road and a handful of Munchkins to greet the various celebrities who turned out for this star-studded affair. Mervyn...

When small-time magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) pulls one flimflam too many, he finds himself hurled into the fantastical Land of Oz where he must somehow transform himself into the great wizard—and just maybe into a better man as well . OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL releases in theaters on March 8, 2013! Visit the website: http:// www.disney.com/ozthegreat “Like” OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ozthegreatandpowerful "Follow" OZ THE GREAT...

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If you listen carefully today, you can hear thousands of people around the country quietly cursing. "And why are these people cursing?," you ask. Well, that's because these folks are just now realizing it's February 13th. Which means that tomorrow is Valentine's Day. That day when you're supposed to prove to your significant other that you genuinely care about them by tossing a thoughtful gift their way. Which can be somewhat difficult if you haven't actually gotten...

Marking a Disney first, Wreck-It Ralph Released with an Early Debut of the HD Digital and HD Digital 3D Versions - Available for Purchase on February 12, 2013 Followed by the Blu-ray TM Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D TM , DVD, SD Digital and On-Demand Debuts March 5, 2013 Burbank, Calif. - Walt Disney Animation Studios announces the debut of the hit arcade-game-hopping adventure "Wreck-It Ralph" marking a Disney first with the early release of the HD Digital and HD Digital 3D on February 12, 2013...

Greetings from the 110th edition of the American International Toy Fair . A trade show that Nancy and I love to attend because -- to be blunt -- it usually gives you lots of opportunities to learn about movies & TV shows that are still months ... Photo by Nancy Stadler ... if not years away from being released to theaters. Photo by Nancy Stadler Toy Fair is a particularly great show to cover / attend if you're someone who writes about The Walt Disney Company. Because if you're actually...