Tales From The Mouse House...Episode 64

Town Of Rainbow Ridge - Big Thunder Mountain 

Welcome to Episode 64 of Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast...a special Video Voiceover episode! YAH!! On this episode, we share some pretty action-packed attraction videos with you and give you our thoughts and maybe some interesting little tidbits, as we watch WITH you! Well, sort of. 

Big Thunder Mine

So, what attractions you ask? Glad you asked. First up is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland, Disneyland. As you may or may not know, Big Thunder opened on September 2, 1979 and has been a fan favorite ever since...designed by legendary Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter, the concept actually came from fellow Imagineer Marc Davis's Western River Expedition, a western themed pavilion at the Magic Kingdom! This ride has a little of everything: runaway train; collapsing mine shafts; earthquakes; rattlesnakes and a goat with dynamite! YIKES! 

Radiator Springs

Radiator Springs Racers

Our next stop is Radiator Springs Racers, in Carsland inside Disney California Adventure. Now this...THIS is a ride! Radiator Springs Racers, along with Carsland, opened to very eager guests on June 15, 2012 and has honestly been packed nearly every day since. Carsland is of course, based on the popular Disney/Pixar Cars franchise, which features a world of animated and LIVING cars! First anounced in 2006, Carsland was one of the most anticipated Lands of Disney in quite some time. Radiator Springs Racers allows guests the opportunity to take a tour through the majestic Ornament Valley on a leisurely top-down drive...until you run into a slight problem. You're flung tail-fins first into a wild RACE! After speaking with Doc Hudson, you're off in a head-to-head race with another car. Who will win?! Well, for THAT answer, you'll have to watch episode 64, now won't you?! 

Of course, Carsland is one of our favorites so in an upcoming video episode, we'll share our Carsland Walk-Through, which highlights the awesome detail of the most Imagined areas in Disneyland, both day and night. So be sure to subscribe to the podcast (if you don't already). 

Ornament Valley

We hope you enjoy our little Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast, because we sure LOVE bringing it to you. As we've said many times, Walt Disney and his beloved Disneyland have become such huge parts of our lives, and the Magic Walt created inspires us each and every day. We truly love spreading that Magic to as many people as we can!

Cozy Cone Neon Beauty

As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 64, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

If you're looking for the perfect gift, why not visit our Amazon Affiliate Store at Tales From The Mouse House Amazon Store? You'll find great deals, AND help out the show!! Wow...a twofer! 


Thanks for making us part of your Disney experience and remember…
"Make It A Mickey Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Frankenweenie...The Tales Review

Disney's Frankenweenie

You know the story old story, the one that goes like this: Boy loves his dog. Dog loves his boy. Boy plays fetch with dog, dog gets run over by a car. Boy is sad. boy brings dog back from the dead. Ok, so maybe it's not your TYPICAL "boy and his dog" story, but Disney's Frankenweenie is without a doubt a testimony to love and devotion, and how it's possible to look past one's oddities and see the real person inside.

For those of you who haven't seen Tim Burton's latest masterpiece, we'll try not to spoil too much here. 

In 1984, 25 year old Tim Burton co-wrote and directed a live action short film called Frankenweenie. Produced and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution (a Disney Company), Frankenweenie was both a parody and homage to the classic 1931 film Frankenstein (which of course was based on the story of the same name by Mary Shelley). Burton's version of the classic Frankenstein story introduced a young boy named Victor Frankenstein, who loses is beloved friend and dog Sparky in an automobile accident. A very distraught Victor learns, through is school science class, all about electrical impulses in muscles, and formulates a plan to use said electricity to bring his best friend back to life. As you can well imagine, the newly resurrected Sparky causes quite the commotion and mayhem in the neighborhood, resulting in a very dramatic and climatic ending. Burton's original live action Frankenweenie, shot in black and white for effect, ran for only 30 minutes. 

Flash forward 28 years. Tim Burton has enjoyed a wonderfully creative career with movies like Edward Scissor-Hands, Beetlejuice, Alice In Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and stop motion animation films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. Mr. Burton has all but pioneered the art of stop motion animation films, and continually creates vivid and oddly heartwarming stories, through his signature style: dark, sometimes ghoulish visuals, macabre humor combined with a sort of twisted morality that can at times be difficult to define. However, in October, 2012, Tim Burton released a large budget remake of his 1984 Mary Shelley homage Frankenweenie that proves that not only is Tim Burton the absolute master of stop motion, but that he can deliver a touching, heartwarming film with veritable ease.

Tim Burton and Sparky

In this latest telling of Frankenweenie, Burton tells us pretty much the same story he did in 1984, however the characters are more developed and he's added several players to the telling. In this stop motion masterpiece (yeah, I said masterpiece) Burton has made young Victor more of an outsider - not really fitting in with his classmates (although his classmates are a little...odd as well), and more of a science wunderkind. As in the original, Victor's best friend is his beloved dog Sparky. They do everything together, including making their own homemade monster movie. And of course, keeping to the original, Sparky meets his demise fairly early on leading Victor on the same crusade as his real-life predecessor. As the story unfolds, Burton adds "life" to the film by creating a pretty impressive sub-plot involving his classmates, electricity and some deceased pets. I won't get into these to preserve at least SOME spoiler-free moments for those who have yet to see the movie. 

Victor Frankenstein and Sparky

We truly enjoyed Frankenweenie, it epitomizes Tim Burton at his very best. Every aspect of the movie is outstanding - from the lighting to the smoothness of the stop motion. In fact, there are times in the film that I found myself forgetting this was animation! The black and white medium Burton chose was perfection to say the least. Perhaps this style helps with the actual "feel" of the film, it sets the mood if you will as well as screams homage to monster movies of the good old days. The voice talent in Frankenweenie is nothing less than what we've come to expect from Tim Burton. Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Winona Ryder, the great Martin Landau and Charlie Tahan (Charlie St. Cloud) bring amazing life to the characters they play. The suburban neighborhood Burton puts the Frankensteins in is no less a visual feast than the neighborhood Edward Scissorhands resided in. Bringing everything together is yet another terrific score by legendary composer Danny Elfman, who's collaborations with Burton are as impressive as Burton's movies. 

Puppets From The Traveling Exhibit

Although touted as a "family film", there are some themes and scenes that may be a little disturbing to the younglings, so be cognizant of that fact. Also, the pure fact that it is in black and white may put off some younger viewers, but I promise, what Frankenweenie lacks in Technicolor it more than makes up for in story. 

Frankenweenie is definitely a must have for all Tim Burton fans, as well as for anyone who loves a good, heartwarming story with a lot of humor, action and many unexpected twists.  Frankenweenie is available now on DVD (SRP $29.99), 2-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack (SRP $39.99) and:

Disney BluRay3D+BluRay+DVD+Digital Copy 

        4-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack (Blu-Ray, 3D Blu-Ray, DVD   
        and Digital Copy-SRP $49.99) includes:

• All New Original Short: "Captain Sparky vs The Flying Saucers" - an exciting all new short featuring Victor and Sparky's home movie
• "Miniatures In Motion: Bringing Frankenweenie To Life
• "Frankenweenie" Touring Exhibit - Allows audiences to explore the artistry of the film's puppets, sets and props in a showcase that's traveling the world
• The original 1984 live-action Frankenweenie short
• Music Video - "Pet Sematary" by the Plain White T's

Frankenweenie can be purchased everywhere DVD and Blu-Rays are sold, or from our Amazon Affiliate Store at Tales From The Mouse House Amazon Store. This way, you'll get a GREAT movie and you'll be helping the Tales cause!! Enjoy and remember...electricity is our friend! ~~ Al & Joyce

        

Click Here For Some Frankenweenie Fun With Science

Tales From The Mouse House...Episode 63

Welcome to episode 63 of Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast!! Well, it's been awhile since we've chatted with you! On this first episode of 2013, we discuss what's going on around our place, like the COLD weather we've been experiencing in Arizona. Wow, overnight temps for us have been between 20 and 25 degrees! It's been a wild few weeks to be sure. And of course, no cold weather would be complete without someone getting sick. Yep, Joyce is suffering from a head cold. We also share some of our plans and goals for 2013, like completing the audiobook, In The Shadow Of The Matterhorn, Intimate Stories of Life, Love and Laughter at Disneyland by David W. Smith, or, for Joyce, to get more organized. SO, what goals have YOU set for yourself in 2013? We'd LOVE to hear about them. Maybe we can all help each other stick to our goals this year!

Our awesome friend and podcast sponsor Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations also joins us to share an outstanding new sweepstakes his agency has launched. Trust us when we say, this is one sweepstakes you're going to want to participate in. This is a once in a lifetime Disney Magical vacation you're playing for people! Check out Randy at Mouse Ear Vacations and check out the "SIGN UP" link on the bottom of the page for YOUR chance at this awesome vacation, and for complete details, tune in to the podcast!

A MUST READ for 2013

On our last visit to Disneyland, we decided to satisfy our craving for ice cream at Haagen Dazs in Downtown Disney, and I (Al) cover that experience in our Food Review segment. Now, we know it's FREEZING cold outside, but really, it's ALWAYS a good time for ice cream...right? And, Joyce reviews an attraction I already covered several episodes back, but since she figured it was one of my LEAST favorite attractions, she'd give it some positive air time! Yes, this is an attraction you can find in Fantasyland, and was actually one of the original "Dark Rides" in the Park when it opened in 1955. Can you guess which one? 

Disneyland

We hope you enjoy our little Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast, because we sure LOVE bringing it to you. As we've said many times, Walt Disney and his beloved Disneyland have become such huge parts of our lives, and the Magic Walt created inspires us each and every day. We truly love spreading that Magic to as many people as we can!


As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 63, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!


Thanks for making us part of your Disney experience and remember…
"Make It A Mickey Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Mickey & Donald...Have A Farm!

Mickey & Donald...Have A Farm!

Old Mac Mickey Had A Farm...oh, and his friend Donald owned it with him! Meeska-Mouska-Do! And all their Mickey Mouse Clubhouse© friends help them keep their musically fun farm running smoothly...well, almost! So, get ready to roll up your sleeves, hop on the Clickety-Clack tractor and prepare to lend a helping hand in this barnyard adventure!

Fun On The Farm

Ok, if you have little ones, you're most likely very familiar with the Disney Junior channels Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Of course, if you don't have little one's in your life, odds are you MAY have heard of this show, but never watched it...right? The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is targeted to preschoolers but is appropriate for children of any age. In true Disney fashion, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse sets our Disney heroes in a series of escapades designed to teach viewers how to solve a specific age-appropriate problem utilizing basic skills, such as identifying shapes and counting through ten. 

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey & Donald Have A Farm continues this premise, and adds fun activities that are farm/barnyard related, like operating the Clickety-Clack tractor and planting seeds to grow food. Comprised from previous seasons, included on the DVD are five fun and educational episodes:

• Mickey and Donald Have a Farm
• From Season One of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Goofy's Petting Zoo
• From Season One of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Clarabelle's Clubhouse Mooo-Sical
• From Season Two of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Goofy the Homemaker
• From Season Two of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
• Donald Hatches and Egg
• From Season Three of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Packed with nursery rhymes, sing-a-long songs and how-to instructions, each episode invites the viewers to play along with the Clubhouse friends and learn about teamwork, problem solving and even early math skills (something I wish I'd have had when I was a kid!). 

All in all, even for an older Disney fan like myself, Mickey & Donald Have A Farm is a cute engaging and fun filled trip to the farm. With approximately Two Hours of adventure and learning,  you can let your little ones watch without feeling like they've wasted their time! Oh, and included in the DVD packaging is a hands-on activity that you can join your little ones on: Let's Get Growing Mickey's Planting Kit PLUS Fun Farm Facts - A neat little kit to let you grow your very own Clubhouse Garden! With detailed instructions on how to turn an egg carton into a seed starter, Farm Funnies (cute jokes your little ones can share with their friends and family), a package of seeds to plant and pretty high quality plastic soil stakes for your seeds. Seed selections will vary but in our pack, we received Nevada Lettuce...and when they grow we'll share photos! 

Grow Your Own Salad!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey & Donald Have A Farm is available on DVD now for an SRP of $19.99, and you can find it just about any place that sells DVD's, or, you can find it on our Amazon Affiliate Store at Tales From The Mouse House Amazon Store . If you're looking for a fun way to teach your little ones some amazing things, this is definitely the DVD series to buy! Ah, if only I were a kid again...I mean chronologically...we all know I'm still a kid at heart! So, while you're waiting for your copy to arrive, check out a preview below! -- Al 

Travel Back In Time...To 2012!

Remember WAY Back in 2012?

Well, if you know me, you know I LOVE gadgets! All kinds - computers, phones, iPads, and...APPS! I love those cool little applications that can just make your life so much fun, and of course, can make you look up at the clock and say "HOLY...what the? What happened to the time?" Yep, I get hooked on apps. 

Last year, I found this app called "Video Time Machine" distributed by Original Victories. This is one cool application, truly. It gives you access to over 10,000 videos, from 1860 to 2012, all organized into categories like MOVIES, MUSIC, TV, ADS, etc. Simply select a year, then a category (or "all") and you'll find all kinds of fun and interesting videos. And yes, I did say 1860...as in the YEAR 1860! They actually have film clips/shorts from WAY back when!! Once you find a video you really like, you can share it to Twitter or FaceBook. Pretty cool.

So, in honor of the Earth not being wiped out and all (you know, the whole Mayan thing), Original Victories and Shout! Factory has created a brand new app - 2012 Time Machine. Very similar to the original Time Machine, the 2012 Time Machine focuses on all the awesome events from the past year, including a few brand new categories like Style, Tabloid, and my all time favorite - Viral Videos! 

First off, the interface is really smooth. With very easy to understand controls, you can't get lost. As before, simply select a category (I recommend starting with Viral Videos!), then either use the left/right arrow buttons to advance to the next video, or go back to the previous video. If you're feeling especially lucky, roll the dice for random videos. Also as before, if you find that cute dog viral video you love, you can share it with your friends via Twitter or FaceBook. The videos really do play very smoothly. I received the app to review today and played with it for about an hour and a half, and watched, well, WAY too many videos and only experienced one that seemed to glitch a little bit, but nothing tragic. 

Space Jump

I personally love these Video Time Machine apps. For me, they're a great way to remember our history. For example, I went to high school in the 80's (the 1980's thank you very much!) and the original Video Time Machine has a great many videos from that era that I completely forgot about, but really get a kick out of seeing again. The 2012 Time Machine will be that same source of nostalgia for many people in the years to come I'm sure, and for now, it's fun to look back and realize just how many awesome (and NOT so awesome) things happened in 2012. It's pretty cool to relive some of these highlights, or even catch a few that you completely missed!

What? We Elected A New President? 

Currently these apps are only available in the Apple App Store, and you can purchase the original Video Time Machine for $2.99, and the brand new 2012 Time Machine for only $.99, which is a great deal. It's certainly a fun and nostalgic way to spend many, many, many, many hours! I give this app 4 out of 5 App Nods! 

If you interested in learning more about the 2012 Time Machine, click the image below, or watch the totally cool trailer video below (destined to be on the 2012 Time Machine app I'm sure!). Have fun!  --Al 

2012 Time Machine