Final Project

Here is my Final Project. Enjoy :)

Last Blog Post

 So, for my last blog post I am going to do a tribute to my favorite Disney moments. From the times I've spent in Disneyland, to my favorite movies, to my favorite characters. Since this is my last blog I thought it would be fun to sum up my love for Disney!

First, I must say I have been to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim California over 20 times! Yes, it's a little crazy considering it's a 6 hour car ride from where I live in Northern California. Disneyland is part of my family tradition. Everyone in my family is a huge fan and knows the park like the back of their hand. One of my favorite times going to Disneyland had to be the Christmas of 2009. It was just a few days after Christmas and we took our annual, "After-Christmas-Getaway". We drove down to southern California to visit some friends but arrived at a hotel right across the street from Disneyland! It was definitely the best surprise ever! Disneyland during the holidays is my favorite time to go. The park is beyond decorated and the park is that much more magical. We enjoyed our weekend as a family at our favorite place!

My favorite Disney Pixar movie is definitely Toy Story! Finding Nemo is in close standings, but Toy Story holds first place. It is probably my favorite because it is a movie that grew up on as a kid. Since its release in 1995, it had been playing on my VHS player. I loved all the sequels too, which is rare because usually sequels aren't as good as the first.  Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 were just as cute and entertaining. The lovable characters are also a definite reason for my liking. Buzz Lightyear and Woody make the ultimate team along with all their side-kicks- Rex and the green aliens being my favorite.

My favorite Characters of all time have got to be Goofy, Tinkerbell and the green aliens from Toy Story. Goofy is just a classic. He always makes the crowd laugh and has an infectious personality. Tinkerbell was my favorite when I was a young teen. There was just something about her sassy personality and her little lime green dress that I loved! Tinkerbell has also gained more popularity at Disneyland now that she flies across the sky in the fireworks spectacular almost every night. The green aliens from Toy Story are my current obsession! They are so cute and awkward. They don't really have much importance but I love them anyways. The bright green creatures with their 3 eyes are hard to resist!

 

I hope my readers have enjoyed my blog and have found a love for Disney!

TURKEY EARTHQUAKE

Print:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/world/europe/strong-earthquake-rocks-eastern-turkey.html?_r=2&scp=4&sq=earthquake%20in%20turkey&st=cse

TV:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-20125113/2-week-old-baby-rescued-amid-turkey-rubble/

Online:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/28/13-year-old-pulled-from-turkey-earthquake-rubble-after-five-days/

Radio:
Two week old baby girl was pulled out of the rubble in Turkey's earthquake. The baby, named Azra Karaduman, was rescued from a seven-story apartment building that collapsed on Sunday after a 7.2 earthquake crippled parts of the country. Over 200 deaths have been reported and victims are still being found. We hope more successful rescues like Azra's will be made.

TV Voice over:

Holidays in Disneyland

 

From November 14, 2011 to January 8, 2012, the holiday season transforms the entire Disneyland Resort into a winter wonderland. Hundreds of thousands of lights brighten the night, fireworks burst to the sounds of the season and snow falls in Southern California! Special attractions, restaurants and stores abound with warmth and jolly spirits.

Gleaming ornaments and unforgettable moments lie in the traditions of Disneyland Resort. Meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus (my personal favorite), sharing breathtaking fireworks (the most beautiful firework show around) and visiting Sleeping Beauty's crystallized ice castle are just a few of the seasonal events that keep amazing visitors year after year.



 A Christmas Fantasy Parade
Including trumpeting toy soldiers, romping reindeer and skating snowflakes, this parade has become a magnificent tradition. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and other Disney Characters sport their most festive apparel for this extravaganza that welcomes Santa Claus to Main Street, U.S.A. It is one of the best parades Disney puts on. Yes, they put on a holiday parade every year. No, it isn't the same one though. They have a new parade every holiday that is for sure to keep you coming back every holiday season.




Main Street U.S.A. Christmas Tree
Main Street U.S.A. is the overture and the encore for a visit to Disneyland Park. Its majestic tree shines with more than 70,000 lights and has over 2,000 ornaments! Walk down Main Street decked with snow and holiday decor and pick up some handmade candy, freshly created by expert confectioners. The caramel apples are the best!



 
 Santa's Reindeer Round-Up
During Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, create cowboy-inspired gifts and join in sing-a-longs in Frontierland. Mrs. Claus, Santa and real reindeer invite Guests to the Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Hoedown. Santa and Mrs. Claus are a must see in Disneyland (they are there before and after Xmas...makes you kind of wonder, huh?)

Disney Around the World (in lieu of 11/6 post)

Living in the United States, we are very familiar with the Disney culture. It pretty much has taken over the nation since Walt Disney created Ricky the Rat, and later, Micky Mouse. When Walt created Disneyland in 1955, no one had an idea the effect it would have on today's culture. It took the nation by storm and soon enough we had Walt Disney World in 1971. The Disney Company has spread far beyond the US. Here are the Disney resorts around the world.


Disneyland Resort- Anaheim, CA:
This is the original Disney theme park. Disneyland opened in 1955. At first it was a flop, but it soon became very popular and gained mass success. Disneyland is one of the most popular theme parks in the world, bringing in million of tourists every year. It also had a recent expansion with California Adventure in 2001

Walt Disney World- Orlando, FL:
Walt Disney World was the second Disney park. It is the most visited entertainment park. The resort contains four theme parks and two water parks. It sits on 30,080 acres. The park opened in 1971 and had bigger and better plans than Disneyland in California. Walt wanted it to be more than the one-day visit Disneyland was intended for. To get the full effect of Disney World, I recommend spending at least a week there.

Disneyland Paris- Paris, France:

This park, Disneyland Paris, opened in 1992. Disneyland Paris consists of two theme parks, a retail, dining and entertainment district, and seven Disney-owned hotels.  It was the second Disney resort to open outside the United States (following Tokyo Disney Resort) and the first to be owned and operated by Disney.

Tokyo Disney Resort- Tokyo, Japan:
Tokyo Disney Resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park (Tokyo Disneyland), but developed into a resort with two theme parks, three Disney hotels, six non-Disney hotels, and a shopping complex. Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney theme park opened outside the United States.




Hong Kong Disneyland Resort- Hong Kong, China:
Hong Kong Disneyland officially opened on September 12, 2005, the resort contains the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park, the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Hollywood Hotel, and several retail, dining and entertainment facilities covering 320 acres of the island. The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is the second extension into Asia after the opening of the Tokyo Disney Resort.


Shanghai Disney Resort- Shanghai, China:
The Shanghai Disney Resort is a new upcoming theme park resort built by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. The resort is scheduled to open in 2016. Phase 1 of the resort's development will feature a Magic Kingdom style park, Shanghai Disneyland Park, an entertainment district, 2 themed hotels, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transportation hubs.

A little bit of Mickey in your stocking

What is better than getting a little Disney holiday merchandise? I personally would be content with a Disney souvenir underneath the Christmas tree. This past weekend (yes, on the dreaded Black Friday) I made my way to New York City to get some holiday gifts. My best friend Rachel and I, being the extreme Disney fans that we are, had to stop by the Disney Store in Times Square. It was packed inside, to say the least. It was well worth it to us though. The store itself is actually pretty big. It consist of two levels and a pretty decent floor plan. The store is very well organized with different sections divided by the merchandise genre. They have a princess section, a classic Mickey section, a Toy Story section and many more. Those three just happen to be my favorite :)

As we shopped through the store we noticed they had some pretty decent deals going on. Gifts under $20 and discounts off your entire purchase, if you spent over a certain amount of money. Rachel and I found some things we just couldn't leave behind. Being the Vinylmation collector that she is, Rachel picked up some New York exclusives. Since she is from California, she had to buy the collectible Vinylmations here in NYC.  She picked out a cute Statue of Liberty one and a Taxi Cab one. Both were adorable and $15. We also purchased a great hot/cold Minnie Mouse mug for $9.95. The classic plush animals were $19.95 and the smaller ones were 2 for $20. Great deals to say the least!

As we made our way upstairs, I immediately found the Toy Story section. I fell in love with a Buzz Lightyear zip-front jacket. Unfortunately they didn't have my size because it was for little boys. A large would've been perfect but they only had smalls and mediums. If you are interested in Disney clothing I highly recommend shopping online. Hit up those "Cyber Monday" deals. The Disney website has a lot of good deals going on for the holidays. One of the best finds I made was the ornaments. Disney has some of the best Christmas ornaments. They have about every character, classic Mickeys, every princess, traditional holiday ones, and some over-the-top ones too. You'll be sure to find one right for everyone in your family! Check out the Disney merchandise and spread the holiday cheer!

Xtranormal Video

Disney Auditions
by: caseykrygierpinkl0ver

CLUB 33

This week's blog entry is taking a turn to Disney's unknown. Well maybe it isn't the "unknown", but more of a Disney secret that many people do not know about. No this isn't a hidden Mickey or a secret hidden message in a movie, this is a secret place inside Disneyland. Club 33 is a restaurant located inside Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This five-star restaurant sits right in the heart of New Orleans Square above the other eatery, Blue Bayou.

What makes Club 33 so special, you ask? Well, for starters it is not open to the public. This is a member’s only, exclusive restaurant only open to those apart of the club. Club members can arrange for their friends to take part in the experience though. Two types of memberships are available- Limited Corporate Membership and Individual Membership. Both of course come with a nice price tag- $27,500 (if they are a corporation) or $10,450 (for individuals). On top of that, they pay annual fees of about $6,100 or $3,275, respectively. Becoming a member is quite difficult. It mostly just takes a lot of patience considering the wait list is standing at a fourteen-year wait. The wait list is currently closed at the moment too.

Club 33 is the only place on the Disneyland property (besides select places in California Adventure) that allows the serving of alcohol. Aside from their top-of-the-line wine list, the food is reportedly amazing too. From the finest meats to fish to greens, you are sure to have one of the most enjoyable dinners. A children's menu is also available. A flat fee of $59 for the kid’s menu should give you some sort of insight to the pricey-ness of the club. 

You may be asking yourself, 'Why do people what to be members to such an expensive club?'. It is simple. This is an elite club that gives a certain status to your name. Because Club 33 is so exclusive, you have every right to brag about your membership. Some benefits besides the restaurant include free admission to both parks on your reservation day, valet parking at the California Grand Hotel, a ride aboard the famous Lilly Belle Railroad Car, a visit to the wheel house of the Mark Twain Mississippi River Boat, and admission to Club 33 special events which they host often. Club 33 is non-the-less an elite group to be part of. Start applying for that membership today!

The New Disney Hype

We all know Disney is great at their marketing skills and sales. They always have a new hype going on- a new collectable that will attract Disney fanatics from all over. I remember when I was younger the Disney Pin Trading was the fad. They had pins of all the characters, attractions, and of course limited edition ones to keep you buying. I personally collected the Tinkerbell pins. They are all so different and cute! I have about 30 Tink pins and probably around 50 pins all together. Pin trading at the park is still in effect. You can buy pins and trade them amongst the Disney Cast Members(employees). The pin trading has now died down and the next disney collectable is on shelves everywhere.

The Disney Vinylmations are the new craze! A vinylmation is a figurine that is shaped in the form of Mickey Mouse. The way they are designed makes them a collectable. There are thousands of different designs from the characters of all Disney movies to everyday objects, and cool abstract designs. There are many different series to the vinylmation collection. The vinylmations are only a 3 inch figure but they are quite pricey. Depending on the edition you can spend anywhere from ten to hundreds of dollars.

Aside from their cute appearance, another reason people are hooked on these little fellas is that there is a chase for all of them! In every series of vinylmations there is a mystery one to the set. They are usually pictured as the question mark on the back of the box set. There is no guarantee that you will get the mystery one or ever even come close to getting it. They are packaged in a way that you never know which one you are buying. This is fun but also a bummer because it is very probable that you will buy doubles.

I myself do not own any vinylmations, besides one miniature green alien one, but my best friend is a huge collector. She has spent over $800 on her collection and it is still growing. Some people find this Disney fad to be a not-so-good one, but others are all over it. A true Disney fan has some sort collectable from the parks. Whether or not the Vinylmation Collectables are for you, they are here and staying for awhile!

Radio Commercial

This is the radio commercial I made for Burt's Bees!

Video Interview

This is the original cut of the interview I did of my roommate Stephanie!

This is the edited version of the interview with Stephanie!

Disney California Adventure Makeover

Disney California Adventure, which opened in 2001, was constructed as part of a major expansion that transformed the Disneyland area and its hotels into the Disneyland Resort and consists of five areas: Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, A Bug's Land and Paradise Pier. Each area is meant to resemble various aspects of California, its culture and landmarks. It was expected that the park would be a massive success.  The actual attendance for its premier year was far below Disney's expectations and continued to disappoint the company.

Trough feedback from employees, locals, tourists, and many Disneyland vistors, the company was able to understand some setbacks that effected the success of the park.
         -lack of "Disney-quality" attractions
         - lack of rides for young children
         - with an estimated price tag of $600 million, the park was criticized for being built "on the cheap", with a small number of attractions and minimal theming
        - admission was too expensive for what the park offered.

California Adventure has now gone under major renovations, in hopes to attract more visitors and revenue. A $1.1 billion expansion and renovation plan has been put into effect since their decision in 2007. Rides will be redesigned or replaced with a larger focus on Disney characters and stories. Some new additions include:

Buena Vista Street- The park's main entrance gate is similar to the entrance at Disney Hollywood Studios in Florida, with a design to resemble the landmark Pan-Pacific Auditorium. Buena Vista Street,  will lead guests into the park in a recreation of early 1920s Los Angeles when Walt Disney first arrived with Mission and Art Deco facades housing shops and restaurants. The Golden Gate Bridge replica was removed and replaced by a simple arched bridge.  Construction of Buena Vista Street began in the fall of 2010 and is planned to open in the spring of 2012.

Cars Land- This attraction is inspired by Cars, the movie.
The new Cars Land will contain three attractions and will span 12 acres. The first, Radiator Springs Racers will be among the most expensive rides ever built at an estimated $200 million. The ride will begin with a race briefing from Lightning McQueen and end at the Wheel Well Motel from the movie.
The other two attractions are going to be smaller family attractions with smaller height requirements featuring Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, a tea-cup like attraction, and Luigi's Roamin' Tires. Cars Land will also feature a life-size model of Radiator Springs and several dining and shopping venues.
It is supposed to open in 2012, after the park celebrates its 10th anniversary.

I personally cannot wait for the park to be finished with these major changes so I can go back home and enjoy them. Although these changes have a set completion date, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.", in the words of Mr. Walt Disney himself.

Interview with Professor Ernay

Last week's assignment was to interview a classmate and practice editing our audio files. Being that there was an uneven number of students in class, I ended up having to interview my professor. I was nervous at first, but the interview with Professor Ernay turned out to be a fun and pretty insightful. Here are some excerpts from our interview. 

Q:"Where are you from?"
A:"I'm from Pennsylvania originally, but I grew up in New Jersey."

Q:"Since you're from the area, where is your favorite place to visit in New York City?"
A:"My favorite place to visit in New York City on a regular basis is Central Park."

Q:"Besides teaching, what are your other hobbies?"
A:"I play a lot of tennis, um, spend a lot of time with the family, and watch a lot of TV..."

Halloween Hits Disneyland

Every year, Disneyland turns into a not-so-scary Halloween Haunt. From September 16th through October 31st, Disneyland is decorated all the way from Toon-Town to Adventure Land, from Tomorrow Land to Main Street, and all the way to Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Needless to say, the place is decked out! 

Some of the newest editions to this annual dress-up include the spooky addition to Space Mountain. The ride is now playing eerie music as you blast off into space, as well as having creepy creatures lurking around every twist and turn of the turbulent ride.

Main Street is decorated from head to toe with Halloween decor. Jack-o-lanterns beyond jack-o-lanterns line the street and stores, as you first enter the park- 300 pumpkins to be exact. Also, you can be sure to find special edition Halloween souvenirs in the stores, not only on Main Street, but throughout the park.

Being from California, I have visited this Halloween Spectacular multiple times, and I must say my favorite part of it all, is the redecorating of The Haunted Mansion. Instead of being the normal, already spooky attraction, they transform it into The Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack Skellington and all his friends take over the mansion and add more Halloween fun, and a taste of Christmas. This attraction stays open until after the new year.

I highly recommend going to Disneyland during this time of year. If you want an even better Halloween experience, try going to Mickey's Halloween Party, taking place on select weekends in October. At this party you can dress up (a special treat for the older crowd who normally aren't permitted to do so), take pictures with the Villains, and help yourself to special spook-tacular treats. Also, you can enjoy the park's traditional attractions. This event is an additional fee, but is well worth it. Hope everyone enjoys their Disney-filled Halloween!

New Disney Princess

This Sunday, October 2nd, Disney will induct another princess into their royal world. Rapunzel, from "Tangled" will be along side the other nine princesses Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan and Pocahontas at her coronation ceremony at the Kensington Palace in the UK(Residence to the British Royal Family for over 4,000 years). The Walt Disney Company will host this first ever event with Historic Royal Palaces which is a charity that helps people understand how royals helped shape society. Not only will there be a party, but a procession through Hyde Park will take place for the public to view for free!

Rapunzel is the 10th princess to join the Disney bunch right behind Tiana from "Princess and the Frog". Rapunzel is indeed a princess, but wasn't aware of it until she turned 18 and went off on her own, against her mother's commands. Her mother Gothel, or who she at least thought was her mom, was in fact a woman who kidnapped her for her magical hair when Rapunzel was a newborn. Gothel kept her locked up in her tower to keep her away from her family a Once Rapunzel turned 18 she set out to follow the glowing lights that her original kingdom lit every year on her birthday, in hopes that she would return. Eventually, with help from Flynn Rider (the prince figure), she makes it back to her kingdom and discovers that she was supposed to be there all along.

Disney, once again, recreated another fairytale story that has every little girl wearing costumes, wigs, and singing songs. For being the 50th animated Disney film and the 10th Disney princess, it is only necessary that "Tangled" and Rapunzel be celebrated in such a royal manor.

LION KING 3D

Last Friday, I had the pleasure of going to see "Lion King 3D"  in Manhattan at the AMC Orpheum. The price of the movie? $17. I'm living on a college budget, but it was well worth it. I mean come on, it's Disney! The movie, of course, was great, but the 3D effects weren't anything special. There weren't any pop-outs like a usual 3D, as I was expecting. The scenery in the film was 3D, though, so it actually looked like you were grazing in the grass with Simba. I couldn't have been more thrilled that they brought back this Disney classic. Since its release in 1994, we haven't heard much from Pride Rock. Having been raised during "The Lion King's" premiere days, it immediately brought back childhood memories. This movie is definitely a Disney classic and will remain iconic.

PICTURES

Who's hungry?

home sweet home

Hollis, represent!

you've got a friend in me

meet the author

Welcome!

Hi and welcome to "For the Love of Disney"! My name is Casey and I'm from San Jose, California. Although I'm not from the Los Angeles area, I am a HUGE Disney fan! Through this blog, I hope to share my love for this empire by posting upcoming releases, news, and some secrets about the parks, movies, and characters.

A little bit about me, though. Aside from moving all the way across the country to attend St. John's, my life is pretty normal. I have danced since I was 7 and continued all the way through high school. I have two brothers, one older and one younger. They drive me crazy, but now I kind of miss their company. I couldn't be happier that I moved out to New York, considering it has been my dream since I was 5 years old. There is so much to do out here! I've already met some amazing people and have had some great experiences. I can't wait to see what else is in store!