Archive for May, 2009

Apple Commercial for iPhone Featuring Disney/Pixar’s UP (Video)

Caught this on the television as I was fast forwarding through the commercials. For your entertainment:

Sanders Art Studio Announces Limited Edition Concept and Promotional Art Prints from Disney/Pixar’s UP

'Adventure is Out There' by Eric Tan

Sanders Art Studio is proud to offer eight new limited edition pieces of concept and promotional art from the Disney/Pixar film UP. Complete with certificate of authenticity, each print comes on acid-free archival paper.

The posters are as follows:

“I Can Speak” Promotional Art by Eric Tan from Disney/Pixar’s UP – Giclee Print (Paper)

“Wilderness Must Be Explored” Promotional Art by Eric Tan from Disney/Pixar’s UP – Giclee Print (Paper)

“Beware of Dogs” Promotional Art by Eric Tan from Disney/Pixar’s UP – Giclee Print (Paper)

“Adventure Is Out There” Promotional Art by Eric Tan from Disney/Pixar’s UP – Giclee Print (Paper)

“Visit the Tepui” Promotional Art by Eric Tan from Disney/Pixar’s UP – Giclee Print (Paper)

“Discover A Lost World” Concept Art from the production of Disney/Pixar’s UP.

“Adrift In The Clouds” Concept Art from the production of Disney/Pixar’s UP.

“Paradise Falls” Concept Art from the production of Disney/Pixar’s UP.

Star Wars Weekends Map and Schedule For May 29-31, Video Blog From Weekend #1

Better late than never, eh? This weekend’s guests include Peter Mayhew and Matthew Wood in addition to hosts Jay Laga’aia and Ashley Eckstein.

Star Wars Weekends Map and Schedule May 29-31

In addition, StarWars.com has prepared a video blog highlighting the events of the first weekend. Good introduction to SWW in general.

Video of the Folks at Pixar Studios Ringing the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange (Updated)

On May 29, 2009, the folks at Pixar had the distinct honor and pleasure of ringing the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange in honor of the opening day of UP live from their campus in Emeryville, CA. Enjoy.

Updated to higher quality video

Video courtesy of the New York Stock Exhange.

Lord Vader, You’ve Just Lost the Death Star, Now What? ‘I’m Going to Disney World!’

The folks at StarWars.com have done some investigative journalism and have unearthed images and information about appearances Darth Vader made at Walt Disney World as far back as 1977, which came as a shock even to them.

Check out the article here.

New ‘American Idol’ Kris Allen Celebrates with His Fans at Walt Disney World

American Idol winner Kris Allen is joined on stage by his #1 fan, Minnie Mouse © Mark Ashman/Disney

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., May 29 — Dreams keep coming true for new “American Idol” Kris Allen.

Last week, the 23-year-old singer from Conway, Ark., became the newest “American Idol” by garnering the most fan votes in the television series’ thrilling Season Eight finale. Moments after his victory, Allen did what dozens of sports celebrities and heroes have done for more than two decades: He looked into a television camera and shouted, “I’m going to Disney World!”

This week, America’s newest star lived out his post-finale show pronouncement when he basked in the glow of a victory parade and gala celebration at “The American Idol Experience,” the new Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park attraction based on the “American Idol” television show.

Celebrating with Allen Friday at Walt Disney World was his new bride, Katy. The longtime sweethearts were married eight months ago.

Read more…

First Look: Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 Teaser Trailer (Video)

Attached to UP, the teaser trailer to Toy Story 3 has been released. Unfortunately, this version is in 2D. Enjoy.

Ten Things to Know About SeaWorld’s Newest Attraction, Manta

1) The attraction features 10 aquariums, totalling nearly 250,000 gallons of water. Special features include a pop-up aquarium where smaller guests can ‘pop up’ in the middle and surround themselves with the tank’s inhabitants and a 220 square foot overhead viewing panel. That panel alone weighs almost 16,000 pounds (8 tons) and is the largest of its kind ever produced by the manufacturer, Nippura. The salt-water habitats at the attraction consist of 71,000 pounds of salt.

2) More than 3,000 animals are on display at the attraction, including a giant Pacific octopus. There are 300 rays in the all-around-you aquarium, comprised of eight separate species of ray: cownose, spotted eagle, roughtail, southern, shark ray, giant guitarfish, white blotched river ray and (of course) Manta. In the wild, there are more than 400 species to be found in both saltwater and freshwater. A group of rays is known as a ‘fever.’ Most give live birth to litters of anywhere between five and fifteen rays. Now that’s a fever!

3) Manta, a spinning, flying roller coaster, features four showcase inversions: two in-line spins, one flat spin and one pretzel loop

4) Specially crafted rails make Manta one of the world’s smoothest coasters

5) In a sure-to-be-remembered moment, Manta’s speeding train and guests in the queue line are separated only by a waterfall — Manta on one side, and waiting guests on the other. In line, visitors will feel the punch of air as the train flies past at highway speeds. On the ride, guests will gasp as they dart within 2.5 feet of the gushing water.

6) Approaching the end of the ride, but with a few twists and spins still to be had, Manta’s train seems to skim the surface of the lagoon, throwing out a 14-foot high, 60-foot long spray of water.

7) Manta’s loading platform was designed to hide the boarding process from riders. SeaWorld’s experts wanted the head-first, face-down launch to be a surprise. (Surprise!)

8 ) Manta by the numbers: Vehicle Wing Span – 12 feet; Length of train – 72 feet, 2 inches; Weight per train (empty) – 33,100 pounds; Wiring per train: 2,524 feet; Track length – 3,350 feet; Weight of steel used: 2,772,600 pounds; Number of bolts used – 12,186; Maximum height – 140 feet; Maximum drop – 113 feet; Top Speed – 56 miles per hour; Height requirement – 54 inches.

9) Manta’s design is so efficient, the first drop provides all the power the flying cloaster needs to speed for the rest of the ride, inversions and all. In fact, if the track were flat after the drop, the train could coast for nearly two miles.

10) The coaster was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) in Switzerland, designers of Kraken, Sheikra, Montu, Kumba, Griffon and more. According to a recent poll from Amusement Today, B&M is responsible for four of the top ten steel coasters and twenty out of the top fifty.

Information courtesy of SeaWorld.

Kodak Introduces Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings Single Use Cameras, Time Limited Special Offer

UPDATED: To learn more and to purchase the camera, visit the page on Disney Fairy Tale Weddings or on DisneyStore.com.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 29 — Princes and princesses have a new way to get friends and family to help capture spontaneous shots of their wedding: the new, exclusive single-use Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings Camera by Kodak! That’s right; couples tying the knot have an exciting new option. This elegant new camera gives wedding guests a unique way to capture high-quality images of the big day. Couples who want to be among the first to purchase the new cameras for their weddings or rehearsal dinners can visit http://www.disneyweddings.com starting today.

Read more…

Creative Forces Behind Disney/Pixar’s UP to Ring Closing Bell at New York Stock Exchange May 29

While the event has already taken place, we hope to provide you with video and more coverage soon. Keep checking http://www.stitchkingdom.com/tag/nyse for more coverage of this historic event. (Video has been posted here)

While the New York Times may continue to report on their financial bleak outlook for Disney with an apparent shortage of toys inspired by UP or the Jonas Brothers in.. well, whatever they do, it appears Pixar may get the last laugh – or at least the last bell.

Regardless of how Disney’s stock performs, the entire New York Stock Exchange is going UP. On Friday, May 29, at at 4:00 PM EST, Pete Docter (Director, co-writer), Jonas Rivera (producer) and Bob Petersen (co-writer, voice of Dug, et al) will ring the closing bell from the company’s studios in Emeryville, CA via remote.

The event will be streamed live at http://www.nyse.com beginning at 3:59 PM EST.