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Disney’s Secret Flying Dragon Caught on Camera — But Not for ‘Avatarland’

What you see here is one of Walt Disney Imagineering’s newest inventions being tested earlier this year at Minter Field Airport in Shafter, California — a flying dragon puppet that even — get this — breathes fire.

The flying fantasy object was recently spotted as reported by the Bakersfield Californian, but this picture here, amongst others, has actually been online since May. It comes via the Facebook page of Tammy Jackson-Zaninovich who reports the sighting as ‘just another day’ at the airport.

According to the report, the dragon has been making monthly appearances at the airport where Disney has been renting a hangar, golf cart and other paraphernalia and plans to ship the dragon (not fly it) to Orlando later this summer.

While all signs point to possible research for Avatarland at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one commenter on the original photo in May says it’s not Avatar related, though she wasn’t sure what the intent was. To her credit, she was also able to note the flying puppet would be able to breathe fire as well that it would return to the airport for further testing in June/July.

via insidethemagic.net

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Disneynature’s ‘Chimpanzee’ on Blu-ray August 21 #MeetOscar

'Chimpanzee' on Blu-ray Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has officially announced that it will bring Oscar home to the Disney blu-ray family on August 21, 2012 when it releases Disneynature’s Chimpanzee (now available for pre-order).

From Disneynature, the studio that brought you Earth, Oceans and African Cats, comes Chimpanzee — a remarkable story of individual triumph and family bonds. Journey deep into the African rainforest and meet Oscar, an adorable young chimp with an entertaining approach to life. The world is a playground for little Oscar and his fellow young chimps who love creating mayhem. Full of curiosity, a zest for discovery, joy and a love for mimicking others, they are some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom.

To celebrate the in-home debut of Chimpanzee, Disneynature is proud to continue the “See Chimpanzee, Save Chimpanzees” conservation program initiated with the film’s theatrical release. For every purchase of the movie through August 27, 2012, Disneynature will make a donation through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to conserve chimpanzee habitat, educate the next generation, and provide care for orphaned chimpanzees.

The conservation program tied to the theatrical release will help protect 129,236 acres (202 square miles) of wild chimpanzee habitat through infrastructure investments in the expanded Tchimpounga Nature Reserve in the Republic of Congo (Congo); educate 60,000 schoolchildren about chimpanzee conservation; and provide food and medicine for nearly all of the orphaned

Bonus features are set to include

DVD:

“See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” — This feature details the “See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” conservation program and how for every copy of the film purchased until August 27, 2012, Disneynature will make a donation to JGI to protect chimpanzees today and tomorrow. The feature also includes an interview with Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace.
Disney’s Friends for Change — This feature highlights Disney’s Friends for Change, a program that showcases steps that kids and families can take to make a positive impact on the world and the people and animals that live there.
Disney’s Conservation Legacy — This feature provides a look at the conservation efforts that Disney sponsors around the world.

BLU-RAY:

Everything on the DVD, plus …

ON LOCATION: THE MAKING OF CHIMPANZEE is a series of exciting short features that delve further into the incredible lengths the filmmakers went to tell the story of Oscar and his chimpanzee family.

30 Years in the Making—The story of the team of researchers who have been observing chimpanzees in the Ivory Coast for 30 years.
The Heart of the “Chimpanzee”—A behind-the-scenes look at how and why the film was made.
Piece of the Puzzle—A cameraman’s two-hour daily trek through the forest to get to the chimpanzees.
Don’t Blame the Tool—An observation of the chimpanzees’ daily lives and how they use rocks as tools to prepare their food.
Scar’s Army—An inside look at the struggles between the film’s two rival chimpanzee groups who share the same forest home.
Camp Invaders—A featurette on all the creepy, crawly creatures found at the filmmakers’ forest camp.
Forest of Bees—A feature detailing how the crew spent two days wading through a sea of bees that inhabited their filming location in order to capture 20 seconds of footage.

“Rise” Music Video—A music video featuring Hollywood Records recording artists McClain Sisters who wrote and performed the inspirational song that plays during the film’s end credits.
Behind the Scenes of “Rise”—An inside look at McClain Sisters music video shoot.

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Disney Channel, Disney XD Details Full Panel Line-up for San Diego Comic-Con

High-wattage star power and notable creative teams from Disney’s favorite series for kids and families are the centerpiece of Disney Channel and Disney XD’s fan meetings at the leading pop culture convention, Comic-Con International 2012, Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14 in San Diego.

Included in the stellar guest line-up are: Elijah Wood and Bruce Boxleitner with executive producer Charlie Bean and consulting producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz from “TRON: Uprising;” Jason Morgan Ritter, creator Alex Hirsch and creative director Michael Rianda from “Gravity Falls,” and “Fish Hooks” creator Noah Z. Jones, executive producer Maxwell Atoms, along with Justin Roiland and Kari Wahlgren. Also, Vincent Martella, Alyson Stoner, Dee Bradley Baker, and co-creators Dan Povenmire and Swampy Marsh from the Emmy Award-winning “Phineas and Ferb” will screen a clip of the epic summer episode “Where’s Perry, Part 1;” noted creator and animation producer Craig McCracken will show a sneak peek of his upcoming comedy series for Disney Channel, “Wander Over Yonder.”

Disney XD will break out exclusive advance clips of new “Motorcity” episodes and the upcoming series “Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja.”

Disney Channel and Disney XD Panels at Comic-Con International 2012:

TRON UPRISING – FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2:15 – 3:15 p.m. (Room 6A)
Voice cast Elijah Wood (“Beck”) and Bruce Boxleitner (“Tron”) join executive producer/director Charlie Bean and consulting producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. The panel will also feature never-before-seen clips of Disney XD’s turbo-charged original series “Motorcity” and a sneak peek of the upcoming animated series “Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja.” The panel will be moderated by Daily Variety film editor Josh Dickey.

PHINEAS AND FERB – SATURDAY, JULY 14, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. (Room 6A)
Creators/executive producers Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh join cast members Vincent Martella (“Phineas”), Alyson Stoner (“Isabella”) and Dee Bradley Baker (“Perry”). The panel will also include an exclusive sneak peek of this summer’s epic two-part cliffhanger episode “Where’s Perry?” Special guest moderator to be announced at Comic-Con.

DISNEY CHANNEL TELEVISION ANIMATION – SATURDAY, JULY 14, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Room: 5AB)
Disney Channel Television Animation: Fans can see exclusive footage and clips from upcoming episodes of Disney Channel’s BAFTA award-winning series “Fish Hooks” and its newest mystery adventure series “Gravity Falls,” plus a first look at the upcoming series “Wander Over Yonder.” Panelists include: “Fish Hooks” creator/executive producer Noah Z. Jones and executive producer Maxwell Atoms and voice talent Justin Roiland (“Oscar”) and Kari Wahlgren (“Shellsea”); “Gravity Falls” creator Alex Hirsch and creative director Michael Rianda and voice talent Jason Morgan Ritter (“Dipper”), and “Wander Over Yonder” creator Craig McCracken and co-producer Lauren Faust. The panel will be moderated by Eric Coleman, Senior Vice President, Original Series, Disney Television Animation.

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‘Pete’s Dragon’ to Have Brazzle Dazzle Blu-ray Day in October

Pete's Dragon on Blu-ray Celebrating its 35th anniversary and ahead of any official announcements, the official Disney DVD site is reporting that the beloved classic Pete’s Dragon will be making its debut on blu-ray on October 2, 2012.

While Disney announced earlier this year that the film would be released on blu-ray this year, information surrounding the release outside of the site seems to be as elusive as Elliott himself. To complicate matters further, the DVD site has proven to be very unreliable in terms of release dates in recent months.

The announcement was actually made on the site some weeks ago but no information regarding the blu-ray edition was available until today, though there’s apparently nothing to report. While the site promises the movie has received an ‘all-new digital restoration,’ the reported extras so far appear to match that of the ‘High Flying’ DVD edition that was released just a few short years ago.

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New Disney Arrivals at Hot Topic for June 21, 2012 (7 Items)

New Hot Topic arrivals for June 21, 2012

Below is a list of new items now available for purchase at Hot Topic. Clicking on a product’s image or description will launch the product’s page on Hot Topic in another window.

Note that this list is generated and posted automatically. Stitch Kingdom should not be held responsible for any inaccuracies, misinformation or item availability.

	Marvel Thanos T-Shirt – $20.50 This T-shirt features the face of the Mad Titan, Thanos. share this item
	Marvel Thanos T-Shirt 2XL – $22.50 This T-shirt features the face of the Mad Titan, Thanos. share this item
	Marvel Thanos T-Shirt 3XL – $24.50 This T-shirt features the face of the Mad Titan, Thanos. share this item
	Marvel Nick Fury S.H.I.E.L.D. T-Shirt – $20.50 This T-shirt features the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, in the sky. share this item
	Marvel Nick Fury S.H.I.E.L.D. T-Shirt 2XL – $22.50 This T-shirt features the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, in the sky. share this item
	Marvel Nick Fury S.H.I.E.L.D. T-Shirt 3XL – $24.50 This T-shirt features the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, in the sky. share this item
	iHip Marvel Comics Vintage Print DJ Style Headphones – $29.99 Marvel Comics Vintage Print DJ Style Headphones from iHip are a bass-lovers dream. An ideal companion for the semi/professional DJ. Featuring large drivers to provide a level of thumping bass response sure to shake the teeth in your head share this item

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Disney Water Parks Offer New Entertainment, Dining and Extra Magic Hours in Summer 2012

Summer 2012 brings a splash of fun for the whole family at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach water parks, with new entertainment and dining options at Typhoon Lagoon and Extra Magic Hours at both parks.

New Entertainment
The relaxing atmosphere at Typhoon Lagoon is enhanced with new sounds of summer. For the first time, Calypso band “Tropicals” brings Caribbean steel drums to Typhoon Lagoon from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every Friday through Sunday until July 15. The band can be found near the Crush ‘n’ Gusher water coaster pool area. Returning this year every day through September 8, characters Lilo and Stitch can be found just outside of the High N’ Dry sundries shop at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon; at Disney’s Blizzard Beach, guests can chill out with Goofy, who can be found roaming the water park.

New Dining Option
Typhoon Lagoon guests looking for summer fare beyond the normal park offerings may visit Tropicalamity. The new temporary food and beverage tent, located near Crush ‘n’ Gusher water coaster pool area, features a variety of eats, including chicken jerk pita wrap, citrus chicken salad, hot meatball sub and cold Italian sub.

Summer Extra Magic Hours
Guests staying at Walt Disney World resort hotels can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours on select days and times at both Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach through late August.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon – Currently, Wednesday mornings before the park opens, from 8-9 a.m. through August 22. Starting July 7, guests can take advantage of additional extra magic hours Saturday mornings before the park opens, from 8-9 a.m. through August 18.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach – Currently, Thursday mornings before the park opens, from 8-9 a.m. through August 23. Starting July 3, guests can take advantage of additional extra magic hours Tuesday mornings before the park opens, from 8-9 a.m. through August 14.

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Radio Disney Names N.B.T. Finalists; Showcase This Weekend at Walt Disney World

The popular musical talent competition for young artists, Radio Disney’s “N.B.T.” (Next BIG Thing), hits a higher octave in its fifth season beginning in the fall. This season’s winner will perform on the hit Disney Channel series “Austin & Ally,” have a single released by Disney Music Group and be the opening act for popular Radio Disney recording artists at the “N.B.T.” finale concert this year in Los Angeles. Radio Disney and Disney Channel audiences will determine the winner when they are invited to look, listen and vote for their favorite artist.

Radio Disney will introduce its season five “N.B.T.” artists at the first-ever three-night showcase at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort from Friday, June 22 through Sunday, June 24 at 8:00 pm ET. The showcase, hosted by Radio Disney on-air personality and “N.B.T.” host Jake Whetter, will feature all of the season five artists, giving fans a taste of their varied musical styles. Season four “N.B.T.” winner Shealeigh and runner-up Zack Montana will also take the stage for headline performances.

“This season’s showcase event at Walt Disney World Resort and the integration with Disney Channel’s ‘Austin & Ally’ exemplify our efforts to continuously expand ‘N.B.T.,’ providing our audience with an enhanced experience each season and delivering increased exposure for our young artists,” said Phil Guerini, Vice President and General Manager, Radio Disney.

Kicking off July 1 at Chicago’s Taste of Joliet, “N.B.T. On Tour” powered by Invisalign Teen is a multi-market concert tour featuring season five “N.B.T.” artists, “N.B.T.” alumni and popular Radio Disney artists. “Austin & Ally” stars Ross Lynch and Laura Marano are expected to make guest appearances throughout the tour, which will stop in more than 15 cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Sacramento and Seattle. Invisalign Teen will also sponsor the multiplatform competition on Radio Disney and Disney Channel.

“We are thrilled to come back for a second year as title sponsor of Radio Disney’s ‘NBT On Tour,’ and look forward to engaging with fans and their parents about Invisalign Teen,” said Thomas M. Prescott, president and CEO of Align Technology (Invisalign). “One of the keys to a successful performance is exuding confidence, and Invisalign Teen is a modern choice for straightening teeth that can help kids feel more confident as they pursue their dreams — no matter what their passion may be.”

“Holding auditions in various cities this year helped us select a talented lineup of artists that represent a mix of musical styles from rockabilly to R&B and acoustic pop,” said Kelly Edwards, Executive Director, Music and Programming, Radio Disney. She added, “In addition to hearing new music from five great artists, fans will also fall in love with their charismatic and dynamic personalities.”

This year’s artists, ages 12-17, are:

Chloe and Halle Bailey 13-year-old and 12-year-old (respectively) sister R&B singers and actresses from Atlanta, Georgia
Damian Otchere 16-year-old pop and R&B singer, dancer and actor originally from Brooklyn, New York, currently residing in East Orange, New Jersey
Elle Winter 13-year-old pop singer, songwriter and actress from New York, New York
Jack Skuller 16-year-old rockabilly singer and songwriter from Hoboken, New Jersey
Katherine Hughes 17-year-old acoustic pop singer and actress from New York, New York

“N.B.T.,” a daily multiplatform competition that launched the careers of Hollywood Records recording artist and Disney Channel star Coco Jones (“Let It Shine”), as well as Kicking Daisies, Shealeigh and Allstar Weekend, puts the spotlight on aspiring young recording artists and provides them with the chance to showcase their music across national broadcast and online platforms. Over the course of 10 weeks, Radio Disney and Disney Channel audiences will be invited to look, listen and vote for their favorite artist via multiple entry points including RadioDisney.com and by texting “NBT” to DISNEY (347639) (standard messaging rates may apply).

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‘Monsters University’ Concept Art in Ultra High Resolution

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Concept art. ©2012 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved

Walt Disney Studios (NYSE:DIS) and Pixar Animation Studios have provided us with concept art for their upcoming film Monsters University and monsters they are. The original images were so big, we had to downsample them to a miniscule ~10 MP for your enjoyment.

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge them to fill the screen. You can then click on the resize arrow to view them at 100% of the size we have provided.

[View with PicLens]

In case you missed it, here are four hi-res images released yesterday in conjunction with the teaser trailer:

[View with PicLens]

Screaming with laughter and fun, Monsters University stars the vocal talents of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray and Peter Sohn and is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”) and produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”). The film opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2013, and will be shown in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.

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New DisneyStore Arrivals and Sales for June 21, 2012 (27 Items)

New DisneyStore.com arrivals and sales for June 21, 2012

Below is a list of new items and sales now available for purchase at DisneyStore.com. Clicking on a product’s image or description will launch the product’s page on DisneyStore.com in another window.

Note that this list is generated and posted automatically. Stitch Kingdom should not be held responsible for any inaccuracies, misinformation or item availability.

	Vinylmation 3” Figure — Duffy the Disney Bear – $14.95 Keep your collectible shelf cute and cuddly with our Duffy the Disney Bear Vinylmation 3” Figure. Mickey and Minnie’s toy pal is plussed with fuzzy flocked fur to make him even more special than ever! share this item
	Vinylmation 3” Figure — Duffy the Disney Bear in Sailor Suit – $14.95 Set sail for cute and cuddly shores with our Duffy the Disney Bear Vinylmation 3” Figure. Mickey and Minnie’s toy pal is dressed in his adorable sailor suit to make him even more collectible! share this item
	Vinylmation Monorail Cars Figure — 3” – SALE $5.00 — SAVE 58%! You’ll be speeding towards our very first Vinylmation Monorail Series, featuring beloved characters from Cars and Cars 2. You won’t know which Vinylmation Monorail you’ve got until you’ve opened the box! share this item
	Vinylmation Robots 2 Series Figure — 3” H – SALE $5.00 — SAVE 61%! Vinylmations have gotten mechanical with our Vinylmation Robots Series 2 featuring 3” vinyl collectible figures! You won’t know which Vinylmation Robot gadget you’ve got until you’ve opened the box! share this item
	Cami Rapunzel PJ Pal for Girls – SALE $9.99 — SAVE 39%! As Rapunzel ponders when her life will begin, she’ll need a good night’s sleep to rest up for her daily activities! Relax and dream with Rapunzel as you wear this comfortable all-cotton two-piece cami Tangled PJ Pal during bedtime. share this item
	Short Rapunzel PJ Pal for Girls – SALE $7.99 — SAVE 52%! Climb to a kingdom in the clouds wearing this Short Rapunzel PJ Pal for Girls. Our Tangled princess provides snuggly summertime comfort pajamas for restful sleep in her tower of dreams. share this item
	Short Tinker Bell PJ Pal for Girls – SALE $7.99 — SAVE 52%! Soar along to slumberland in this Short Tinker Bell PJ Pal for Girls. Our popular pixie provides snuggly summertime comfort pajamas for restful sleep on the flight to her island of dreams. share this item
	Online Exclusive Vinylmation Theme Park Favorites Series 3” Figure — Ringer Tee Red – SALE $5.00 — SAVE 61%! Vinylmations have now become the ultimate Disney Parks fans! If you love both collecting Vinylmations and visiting the Disney Parks, then this clear red Vinylmation wearing iconic Disney Parks apparel makes the perfect collectible souvenir! share this item
	POP! Peter Pan Vinyl Figure by Funko – SALE $5.00 — SAVE 60%! Let your dreams soar off to Never Land with the help of Peter Pan as this POP! vinyl figure. Collect The Boy Who Never Grew Up and all other POP! figures by Disney and Funko for an assortment sure to pop out with delight on your shelf. share this item
	POP! Emperor Zurg Vinyl Figure by Funko – SALE $5.00 — SAVE 60%! Space Rangers beware! Evil Emperor Zurg is on a mission to become the most villainous POP! figure ever! Collect all POP! vinyl figures by Disney and Funko for an assortment sure to pop out on your shelf with intergalactic triumph. share this item

AFTER THE JUMP: More new items from DisneyStore.com

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New Disney Arrivals at Hot Topic for June 20, 2012 (4 Items)

New Hot Topic arrivals for June 20, 2012

Below is a list of new items now available for purchase at Hot Topic. Clicking on a product’s image or description will launch the product’s page on Hot Topic in another window.

Note that this list is generated and posted automatically. Stitch Kingdom should not be held responsible for any inaccuracies, misinformation or item availability.

	Marvel Universe Heroes 4 Glass Set – $22.00 The Marvel Comics Glass Set is a 4-piece set of 16 ounce glasses featuring distinct Marvel hero character designs on both front and back of each one. share this item
	Disney Where’s My Water? T-Shirt – $20.50 Where’s My Water? is a fun, simple – yet challenging – physics-based puzzle game featuring Swampy the Alligator and his quest to take a shower. share this item
	Disney Where’s My Water? T-Shirt 2XL – $22.50 Where’s My Water? is a fun, simple – yet challenging – physics-based puzzle game featuring Swampy the Alligator and his quest to take a shower. share this item
	Disney Where’s My Water? T-Shirt 3XL – $24.50 Where’s My Water? is a fun, simple – yet challenging – physics-based puzzle game featuring Swampy the Alligator and his quest to take a shower. share this item