Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales

by Al Kessel

A Long Time Ago....ok, NOT so long ago, on the Disney XD channel, Disney brought the saga of Star Wars to a new generation of viewers....a YOUNGER generation of viewers, as retold in a most interesting way: by recreating the tales using Lego's! And animation. Well, animated Lego's. 

The fun begins following the victory celebration in the lovable Ewok village on Endor (you know, after the defeat of the Empire in Return of the Jedi?). R2-D2 and C-3PO have gathered all the little Ewoks, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and pretty much anyone else who'll listen, to regale them with the tales of their adventures that lead to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Of course, this version, though it does present a lot of the events from the actual movie, is presented in a more child friendly way (of course, they ARE Lego's after all) but faithful enough to the original for most fans to be entertained. 

Of course, if you've read any of our reviews in the past, you know we're not about revealing spoilers, and this review is no different. But I will say that throughout 3PO's telling of the prequel movies, there is an underlying plot happening that makes the stories more fun. And don't forget, they ARE Lego's. So, that's always fun. 

The voice cast is truly amazing. The very talented Eric Bauza (Spongebob Squarepants Movie, Ben 10, Batman: Assault on Arkham) voices Luke, Michael Daingerfield (Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Catwoman) voices Han Solo/Admiral Ozzel/Biggs and none other than Anthony Daniels himself reprises his role as C-3PO!  

There are a total of 5 episodes on the DVD (which was released March 1, 2016):
 * Exit From Endor
 * Crisis on Coruscant
 * Mission to Mos Eisley
 * Flight of the Falcon
 * Gambit on Geonosis
Each episode runs about 22 minutes, so they're not too long that you risk getting bored (although they are quite fun). Great gags for both adults and kids, and some 'inside jokes' that only true Star Wars fans will get. The DVD also comes with a special FREE Exclusive Trading Card Set. So, that's cool!

Being a true fan of Star Wars, Lego's, animation and FUN, I really enjoyed Lego Star Wars Droid Tales. It reminded me of playing the Lego Star Wars video game, and brought back memories of the Prequel Trilogy (and trust me, it helps replace some of the BAD memories of the Prequel Trilogy!)

On a scale of 1-5 Deathstars, I give Lego Star Wars Droid Tales a 4! 

Happiest Blog On Earth...A Year Later...

Well, a different sort of entry for me. This one won't be about Disney, or Disneyland,  it's going to be about me. No, I'm not narcissistic (yes...I had to look up the spelling), but I wanted to share some bits and pieces of the last year with you all.

Wow...a year. A YEAR. 12 months. 365 days. That's a long time, right? Well, guess that depends on what glasses you're wearing when you look back at that year. But wait, let me back up a bit...

On March 5, 2013 life for me and Joyce got very interesting, and I don't mean "hey, that's a nice flower growing in your ear" interesting. I mean life changing 'what now' interesting. 

As many of you know, Joyce and I work(ed) for the same University. Joyce has been there for 13 years, and I (was) there 14 years. A LONG time. A COMFORTABLE existence. Then, on March 5, I was called in to a meeting room and was informed that my job, of 14 years, was being eliminated due to 'major workforce reductions'. Wow. 14 years. In the same job. In the same building. Working every day with my wife. Did I mention it was 14 YEARS?! I was lucky. I LOVED working at the same company as Joyce. It was awesome. Now, a lot of people used to ask us "how in the heck can you live together, AND work together?". Well, simple. We LOVE each other. DUH! It was great! 

But one year ago, on March 5, 2013, that all ended. Life had been irreversibly changed, forever (yeah I know, VERY dramatic dude). I went from being gainfully and moderately comfortably employed to...well, nothing. I still remember that day quite well. It's funny too, because you hear of people who go into shock not able to remember certain events immediately following the event (trust me, I have experienced that sort of shock a couple of times in my life, and have actually experienced that sort of amnesia). And although I know I WAS in shock after hearing those words "I'm sorry, but there's no place for your oldness in our new world" (ok, MAYBE they didn't say EXACTLY those words...), I do remember the day quite well. Since Joyce worked (still does) there too, management was nice enough to allow her to take the rest of the day off to be with me. On the way home, I remember going through a few different emotions: Anger, Sadness, Happiness, etc, and I remember having some serious anxiety. Then, Joyce said something TOTALLY unexpected: "Hey, now you have the opportunity to pursue your dream! Start your voiceover company and do it full time! We'll be fine!" HUH? Really? See, THIS is why I KNOW that Joyce is my 'soul mate'. While I was going through Dante's Seven Levels of Hell, Joyce was looking at the positive side of this extremely horrible event. 

So, I began to change my thought process a little. I started to run different scenarios for a business model in my head: ok, straight commercial voiceover work, audiobook narration (because I had at that point already recorded one audiobook), or perhaps a combination. Yeah, that's it...offer BOTH services! So, at that moment, Storyteller Productions was born! I already had a profile on a site owned by Amazon/Audible called Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), which is an awesome place for narrators and authors to 'hook up' and create audiobooks. But I'd not really done anything with it. So, I added some more demo samples to my profile and started looking for titles accepting auditions. Funny thing, I had that profile since December of 2012 and never ever had anyone interested. But 2 days after 'The Event", out of the blue I was offered 3 audiobooks a day apart! Three that I didn't even audition for, the authors found my profile and thought my voice was right for their project! 

At Joyce's urging, I began building up the things I needed to start this Voice Over biz. I started reading lots of articles, following VO people on FaceBook and YouTube, watching HOURS of videos on how to place your microphone; WHICH microphones were better; audio editing software, etc. And, the most aggravating part - how to sound treat a room. You know, how to make your workspace nearly soundproof so external noises like AIRPLANES, LOUD CARS, MOTORCYCLES, LAWN EQUIPMENT, don't hinder the recording. Well, I've solved the microphone and software issues (purchased a GREAT editing software and a GREAT microphone). BUT...the sound treatment...well, let's just say it's a work in progress. Oh, I've got a fairly decent area, but still would LOVE to have a real audio booth. And there's the training issue. Now, for those unfamiliar, most successful narrators/voice actors spend years and thousands of dollars on voice lessons, technical training and acting lessons. Well, I do not have the luxury of years or dollars, so, this has been a very trying time! I've had to learn what I can 'second hand', bug and pester many excellent voice actors for advice (who I might add, I thank from the bottom of my heart for their patience and willingness to answer questions). But it's difficult to get someone to understand that, yes, I DO understand that it takes a long time to make serious money in this business, but I don't HAVE that kind of time. I'm 49 years old! And desperate for money! :-) 

At first, life was not so bad. We had the severance and some other funds, but those petered out. And life began to get stressful - financially. We went from living pretty ok, to scraping pennies at times. Now, it's not like I'm NOT looking for work. I won't name names, but I'm positive there are a few in my life who believe that I'm not looking and that I'm satisfied with letting my wife foot the bill while I 'play voice actor'. I've submitted no less than 300 resumes over the last year. I've even applied for jobs at fast-food restaurants and coffee places. Not. One. Call back. In fact, I was even rejected for a job at another University saying I wasn't qualified enough....FOR THE SAME JOB I'D DONE FOR 14 YEARS! Of course, there's probably some logical explanation, but I believe that A) I was in the same job for 14 years so many employers probably feel I won't stay in a low level position; B) I'm 49 years old. Most employers want 'young blood'; and C) I have two college degrees and possibly, employers will react like point A.

It's been a rough year. In many ways. Ok, let me stop here and admit a few things. When you've been at the same job for that long, the job begins to define you. It's your identification. I was 'the VA guy' (Veterans Affairs). That's what I did and WHO I was. Even though (honestly) over the last few years the job became unfulfilling and 'corporate life' began to suck the life out of me, it was still ME. When that is pulled away, you're left with a 'ok, NOW who am I' line of thought that can and does do a number on your confidence. It's sort of like going through a grieving process. You actually hit all 5 stages, and truthfully, it can drive you into depression and seriously damage your self-confidence. So, when Joyce suggested I begin a 'new' life as a voice actor, I thought sure! But deep down, I doubted my ability.

I've narrated quite a few books since last March, and THINK I'm on the upward slope, but still, there's that part of me that was 'damaged' a year ago that keeps saying 'you're no good. Quit now. You NEED a real job. EVERYONE is saying that you're not making it!' (I know, my inner voice is quite a jerk!). Trust me, I've had many melt-downs over the last year, and poor Joyce has had to suffer through them. But, she's NEVER lost confidence in me, even when I have great difficulty in having ANY in myself. She's never let me quit this endeavor, though I've 'given up' many, many, many times. But not Joyce. She, for some WEIRD reason believes in me. She believes that I have a talent for this business and won't let me quit. 

Besides my AWESOME wife, I have a couple of great friends (funny, we've never met face to face, but still...) that encourage me as well. You know who you are, so I won't embarrass you here (besides, I didn't get written approval to use your names, don't need a legal hassle! :-) ). 

So, what's the point in this long, boring and self pitying tome? That's a great question! I guess I just wanted to update you all. As many of you know, Joyce and I host a couple of podcasts (Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland podcast and Lost Flight 815), and have heard us chat briefly about this situation. But not many of you know how hard it's been. Change is NEVER easy. I don't care what anyone says, good change or bad change, it's never easy. There are always serious things to take into consideration. And that's the thing about THIS sort of change...it's tough to plan for. Over the past year I've put myself through a lot of potentially damaging things. And I say 'put myself through' because thats exactly what it is: ME doing it to MYSELF. I used to say that no one can do anything to us unless WE allow them to. No one has power over you unless YOU give it to them. And...unfortunately over the last year, I've allowed my negative self to have power. And that is bad. Negativity sucks the life out of you. I've beat myself up horribly over this past year. Anytime over the last year when I'd start thinking positively, get some motivation to just keep swimming, that STUPID voice would shout...'STOP! YOU SUCK!' But the odd thing is, this morning I woke up in a pretty good, positive mood. For the first time in a year, I actually feel like things will be great. Maybe this last year has been a process...a rebuilding time (kind of like we ALWAYS hear about the Arizona Cardinals!). I had to be completely destroyed in order for the 'new me', the me defined by ME, to emerge. 

Don't get me wrong, it has been VERY difficult, and yes, I know the difficult times are not over. BUT...I know that with Joyce by my side, giving me that kick in the buttocks I need every once in awhile, we'll be fine. And, as I look back on March 5, 2013, I see it as the day my old life died - it was both a blessing and a tragedy. Blessing because I was released from a job that I was NOT happy in, one that was life sucking and left me mentally and emotionally exhausted every day. A tragedy because, well, you know....money! It took a year for me to realize I had to let go of the past, of the 'old me'. 

So, my advice to anyone going through a similar life changing event is...go ahead, be sad. Be mournful. Grieve. It's natural to freak out about what happened and what WILL happen. BUT...in the end, let that event trigger something glorious, something BETTER. Don't wallow in self pity and allow YOURSELF the power to bully YOU. Now, I'm not thinking life is all rainbows, puppies and unicorns. I'm fully aware that life is not done being hard. It's not done delivering blows to my man-berries. BUT...I know that that's part of life. You need some resistance in order to grow. Look at muscle building for example: in order for muscles to grow strong, you have to first break down the fibers to initiate your bodies adaptation mode. The harder you work the muscles, the more you break down the cells, the more your body will build MORE muscle to respond. It's not an easy thing to completely change your life, especially after nearly half a century, but it's not impossible. 

If you're interested in learning more about my voiceover career, visit our company website at www.storytellerpodcasts.com or LIKE our FaceBook page at Storyteller Narration, or visit my Narrators Page on ACX at Al Kessel Narrator. Thanks for reading my rant.  - Al 

Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast...Episode 80

Welcome to Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland podcast EPISODE 80!!! YEA!!!! On this special episode, we stray from our usual format a bit, but for good reason. We thought that since it IS the Halloween Season and all, and we DO love the Disneyland Resort at this time of year, we’d share the complete audio/music from the Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction! Yep, good ol’ Jack Skellington himself has taken over the Haunted Mansion and turned it into a Holiday DEE-LIGHT! Oh, and we share what’s going on around the old Tales Homestead, and a few Disneyland Resort News tidbits. 

It's The Most Wonderful Time...of the Year

Yeah, and we've got to admit, we get a little...'odd' in our Host Chat segment. What can we say? It's been a weird few weeks! What with missing Disneyland and all...yeah, we NEED a Disneyland trip!

This time of year always makes me (Al) a bit lonely for Disneyland. I mean, the fall/Halloween decorations, the slight chill in the air during the days, the very chilly nights. One of THE best, if not THE best, times to visit the Resort. Everything is so...so...awesome! I'm sure you've heard the story a thousand times, but this was the season I made my first ever visit to Disneyland. And the season I got hooked on Disneyland. So, if YOU'RE planning a trip to the Happiest Place On Earth, I highly recommend going during the Halloween season! 

Hey, if you have a favorite Halloween Disneyland memory, how about sharing with us? We'd LOVE to share it with other listeners on our Halloween Special coming up in October. In fact, it doesn't HAVE to be a Disneyland story. It could be ANY Disney Park or even just a favorite Halloween story. We always love to hear from you guys! 

Hey, if YOU'RE in need of a great travel agent, why not give our sponsor, Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations a holler! I bet he can make YOUR vacation a MAGICAL one! Visit Randy at www.randyc-mouseearvacations.com. NOW is the time to book your Disneyland Holiday adventure! 

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 80, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

A Monster...In Paris!

We often receive DVD's and Blu Rays for review that we really enjoy. Some that never really received much attention when they were released, but really have that special something that makes them instant classics. Then, there's A Monster In Paris. 

Ok, before I go much further let me preface this review by saying A Monster In Paris isn't a HORRIBLE movie, it's actually ok, but misses the mark for us as an animated adventure. 

Here's the story: Set in Paris, France during the 1910's, A Monster In Paris follows the adventures of Emile (an extremely shy projectionist voiced by Jay Harrington), his wacky inventor/delivery man and friend Raoul (voiced by Adam Goldberg). Now, Emile secretly adores Maud, a co-worker at the cinema but of course, is too shy to profess his love. One day, Raoul invites Emile to go on a delivery with him to the botanical gardens, but also the home of a plant "genius". As Raoul and Emile enter, they find the professor is in New York, however, left his monkey Charles (who seems to have a great vocabulary via flash cards) in charge, with specific instructions for Raoul - DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. Of course, Raoul just can't help himself and finds a potion marked "Atomize-A-Tune" (which gives Charles a terrific operatic voice) and one marked "Super Fertilizer - Unstable". So, what does our wacky inventor do? Yep, he "experiments" with the super fertilizer by pouring it on a sunflower seed - which grows to an enormous size. While Raoul and Emile discuss the potential of such a wonderful potion, the sunflower topples over, crashing into the shelves housing the two potions creating an explosion. Everyone escapes the chaos unscathed, however, Emile catches footage via his movie camera, of a hideous monster!

Raoul and Emile

Now, if you've read any of our reviews you know we're not into spoilers, so that's all you're going to get out of me story wise! Suffice it to say,  the troublesome trio accidentally creates Franc, the product of a reaction between a common flea and the two potions mentioned earlier. What they fail to realize, however, is that this ‘monster’ is actually a soft-centered soul with an astounding talent for music.

 

"Franc" the Monster In Paris - With A Voice!

With the help of an enchanting nightclub singer Lucille, Franc becomes the talk of the town, just as stories of Paris’s newest monster attract the attention of the egotistical police commissioner, hell bent on securing a big prize to help his battle to become mayor. The unwitting trio and the singer must team up to protect Franc, a monster with more than a musical career to protect!

A Monster In Paris, as you may have guessed, is a straight to DVD/Blu Ray release and was originally produced in France, with French voice actors/singers, in 2011, then translated for English speaking audiences in 2013. Since we did not view the original version (and...we don't speak French), we're going to talk about the English version.

Charles The Monkey

As I said at the beginning, this wasn't a horrible movie, but not something I'd watch again. The basic plot is of course predicable, but entertaining. You have the shy hero, the wacky does nothing right side-kick, the beautiful damsel in distress (well, actually TWO in this movie), the monster who's actually a big misunderstood gentle giant, the evil "good guy" who's hunting the monster and of course, the aid to the evil "good guy" who eventually sees the light. The "feel" of this animated movie is truly Persian and the music is heavily influenced by that as well. The tunes, although not Disney worthy, are kind of catchy but quickly become annoying. The movie (and the DVD case) really promote the fact that Sean Lennon (son of the famous Beatle John Lennon) appears in this movie, but the truth is only in song...and only 2 or 3 at that. Could have been any singer truthfully. The voice acting was ok, nothing to "write home" about, and the animation reminded me of an art school project. Not great, but not terrible. 

Lucile

I can see that this movie would appeal to some, especially the younger viewers, but honestly, not something I'd even put on my top 25 list. The music didn't have that something special to keep you humming it all day, and to be honest, it was more grown up than child type music. 

As we always say, don't take our word as canon, watch it for yourself. Currently available from Shout! Factory, in collaboration with EuropaCorp, A Monster In Paris is available on DVD, and on a two-disc Blu-Ray 3D Combo Pack. The movie runs about an hour and 27 minutes, and SRP is $24.97 for the Blu-Ray Combo Pack (which does come with a digital copy by the way) and the DVD for $14.97.

If you do watch A Monster In Paris, let us know what YOU think...peace out --- Al 

Tales From The Mouse House....Episode 68

Happy Easter and welcome to episode 68! We're back to a more...."normal" format on this episode! We discuss all kinds of fun stuff in our Host Chat, like, the crazy weather in Arizona and how it's creating all kinds of misery.....like Joyce's allergies raging full speed ahead! Because of the weird weather - one week it was freezing cold, the next HOT, then the next cold, well, you get the picture, all the desert plants are blooming early and in full force. So, poor Joyce is suffering horribly from it. Oh, and we have a winner in our audiobook giveaway! Tune in to find out WHO! If you "LIKE" our FaceBook page, keep an eye out because we're going to launch another contest this coming week on FaceBook for...yep, ANOTHER copy of the audiobook!

Oh how we MISS THEE!

 

And of course, as many of you already know, I (Al) am without formal employment (nice way to put it, huh?) so I've been really working on my VoiceOver stuff. In fact, Joyce and I decided to take our podcast production "company" and turn it in to a legitimate COMPANY. We're calling it Storyteller Productions (cuz, well, we tell stories...) and I've embarked on a fun voiceover career. I've taken our good friend Dave Smith's (author of In The Shadow Of The Matterhorn) advice and have begun seeking audiobook narration gigs. And I've got FOUR in production right now! One is a book I'm REALLY suited for: a Walt Disney biography! YEAH!! 

Brand New Audiobook!

In our Attraction Reviews, I start a new series reviewing extinct attractions, but only ones that were around since 2007 when we started visiting. Should be fun! And in Food Reviews, Joyce discusses some alternatives for those Resort Guests who would rather have something not of the meat variety! 

Joyce and I really want to thank all of you who tune in to our fun little show. We truly have a passion for Walt Disney and his beloved Disneyland, and we're honored that you allow us to share that love with you!  


Hey, if YOU'RE in need of a great travel agent, why not give our sponsor, Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations a holler! I bet he can make YOUR vacation a MAGICAL one! Visit Randy at www.randyc-mouseearvacations.com 

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 68, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

AND, we're listed 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

(Enjoy a little Splash Mountain...)

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 

Tales From The Mouse House...Episode 61

Welcome to episode 61 of Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast! As many of you know, each year from mid-November to early January, the Disneyland Resort is transformed into a Winter Holiday Wonderland, complete with lights, Holiday music and believe it or not...SNOW! Well, among these wonderful treats, another annual Christmas tradition at the Resort is the Candlelight Processional Ceremony. A tradition beginning in 1958, each year, the Disneyland Resort hosts a celebration of the Season with beautiful orchestral and choir music, a wonderful Candlelight narration of the Biblical Christmas Story, presented by many of entertainments biggest names (like John Wayne, Gregory Peck, James Stewart, James Earl Jones, Carry Grant and many more!). This year was no different, in fact, Disney expanded this Holiday treat to 20 nights!    

2012 Disneyland Candlelight Processional

Unfortunately we were not able to attend this prestigious event, but our great friend Mr. Daps and his crew not only attended many of the nights, but they filmed them as well! And being the AWESOME guy Mr. Daps is, he has graciously agreed to allow us to share the audio from one of the most highly anticipated of the 2012 Processionals - narrated by Mr. Dick Van Dyke! Mr. Van Dyke is a Legend in the Disney community...in fact, he IS a Disney Legend! His presentation of the Christmas Story, despite some wetter than desired conditions (it rained!), is masterfully delivered. We're honored to bring you this special Holiday treat! We hope you enjoy the show. 

 If you’d like to view this or any of the 2012 Candlelight Processional videos by Mr. Daps, check out his website at www.dapsmagic.com or his YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/mrdaps.

Be sure to join us next week for our special Christmas Greetings episode! We'll share some of our favorite Holiday stories, some fun Holiday Attractions and Shows at the Disneyland Resort that we enjoy, (hopefully) some of YOUR Holiday stories and...a special interview with a man we're sure you ALL will know! Ok, a little hint: he has a great white beard, awesome dimples and when he laughs, he tummy jiggles like a bowl full of jelly! So, be sure to send in your Holiday stories, or if you'd just like to say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas to us or someone you know, we'd LOVE to share them!!

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 61, 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 Minnie Mouse Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Happiest Blog On Earth...Are You BRAVE Enough?

So lads and lasses, are YE BRAVE enough...to start a brand new Holiday tradition at YOUR table? Well, it's pretty easy...if you know where to get your inspiration! And Disney/Pixar's Brave has just the tips to help you make your holiday table one that all the Clans will envy!

In Disney/Pixar's Brave, our heroine Merida sets out on a perilous journey to set her own path in life, to be her own person. Set in Scotland, in a rugged and mythical time, Brave is a beautiful and inspirational movie that introduces viewers to the wonderful world of Gaelic lore, family traditions and KILTS! What's better than that? How about starting your VERY OWN Holiday Traditions based on Disney/Pixar's Brave?

Disney/Pixar is sharing a myriad of ways to bring the beautiful world of Scotland to YOUR holidays with some Brave inspired tips. Everything from how to host and plan a family dinner complete with printable and fun name cards, napkin holders and authentic Scottish recipes (alas, no Haggis recipe! Trust me, Haggis IS good...I'm Scottish...so I know!). 

And while you're at it, no Scottish Clan Gathering is complete without a traditional Scottish Jig! What's that? You don't know how? No worries, the link below also includes a step by step (yes, pun intended) guide on how to dance the Highland Scottische that will have EVERYONE leaping to their feet for a twirl, even your grumpy old uncle Jed! 

Just click on the link below and download your very own Scottish Holiday Tradition NOW! And, be sure to pick up YOUR copy of the new Disney/Pixar movie Brave, available on Blu-Ray/3D Blu-Ray/DVD and Digital Download combo pack! Thanks and Slainte! ~~Al 

http://www.wdistudio.com/BRAVE/BRA_FamilyDinner.pdf

Happiest Blog On Earth...Ayres Hotel Anaheim

A GREAT Off-Property Alternative...     

By now, most of you know that Joyce and I love staying at the On-Property Hotels at the Disneyland Resort. Our favorite of course is the Grand Californian. I don't like using this word often, but I do use it to describe this hotel - elegant! How else would you describe this place? Don't get me wrong, the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier are awesome as well, just in different ways. I could go on, but this isn't about the Resort Hotels...it's about the next best thing: Ayres Hotels of Southern California -   Anaheim. 

Ayres Hotel Anaheim

Ok, truthfully, it IS kind of spendy to stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel. I won't lie. If you can afford to do it all the time, awesome! If not, then you're like most of us. So, on our most recent visit to the Disneyland Resort, Joyce and I had a serious talk about where to stay. We WANTED to stay at a Resort Hotel, but it just wasn't in the budget this trip. So, we began looking at the "Good Neighbor" hotels, and found a lot of nice places...but they still carried that spendy price tag. So, we decided to expand our search a little. Of course, the farther away from the Parks you go, the less expensive, that's pretty logical. But the farther you go, the less convenient it is. Again...pretty logical. We wanted to save some money, but at the same time wanted to be close to the Resort. So Joyce remembered this chain of hotels she came across when we were looking for a place to stay when we visited Coronado. The Ayres Hotels of Southern California. She found that there was one only two miles from Disneyland! And, right off the interstate! Two BIG pluses. She got on their website, showed me the photos - very nice - and of course, read the reviews. And let me tell you, we were hard pressed to find ANYTHING negative. Oh there were a few things: room was too loud (uh, right off the interstate dude), and the room was too hot (I'll reply to that comment in a moment). So we decided to book our room. 

The reservation process was super easy. We reserved a King Room, nothing special. About a week before our vacation, they sent us an email confirming everything. First, let me tell you, getting there was almost too easy! The hotel is located literally right off the interstate, across the street from the Honda Center on Katella Avenue in Anaheim. As we pulled into the drive-way, we were both blown away by how beautiful the place is. The exterior of the Hotel is truly beautiful, the grounds are well kept, clean. As we walked in to the lobby, once again, blown away! Beautifully ornate fireplace going; comfy regal looking chairs around it; inviting seating areas. The whole package. Check-in was one of the best experiences we've ever had. Second only to the Grand Californian. Seriously. The girl who processed our check-in was extremely friendly, welcomed us to the Hotel and to California, answered all questions we had, then gave us a detailed map of the grounds and where our room was located. Ok, on to the room.

King Bed Room - VERY comfortable bed

Or room was located on the third floor. And although we booked a standard king, the room we walked in to was far from that. Our king sized bed was THE most comfortable bed I've experienced (made it difficult to get up in the morning!), very comfy leather easy chair, awesome sofa, small table and chairs for dining, business desk and comfortable chair, 32" flat screen TV (yeah!) and honestly, the bath area was beautiful too. There was also a kind of wet-bar area, with a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker and a small sink. Oh, and one of the coolest things: next to the bed, an iHome MP3 alarm clock/radio where you could plug your iPhone or iPod into! And of course, free Wi-Fi, which came in handy because our AT&T Mi-Fi's (personal wi-fi devices), couldn't find a signal! Our room had an awesome view as well. We faced the direction of Disneyland (and the interstate), and didn't really realize how wonderful this was until Monday night, when Disneyland launched the Halloween Fireworks Show. We could see it from our room! BONUS!!

Sitting/Dining/Wet Bar Area

The hotel offered free parking and a daily free buffet style breakfast. Now, the parking was great. Convenient and safe, well lit. The breakfast, well, although I'm sure it's very good, Joyce and I are a little picky about our dining experiences, I don't know, maybe we've watched too many of those Mystery Diner shows on the Food Network! So, since we weren't even aware of the free breakfast, we just skipped that perk and ate at the Park. So, on to the negative comments we've read about the Ayres. One of the comments was that the hotel was too loud, too much traffic noise. Uh...right off the interstate! Yes, we could hear some traffic noise, but honestly, it wasn't bad at all. On a scale of 1-5 for loudness, I'd say our room was about a 1.75. Believe me, because we record podcasts I'm VERY sensitive to external noise! The second complaint was that the room was too hot. Uh, nope! Now maybe something has changed since that reviewer stayed, but if anything, our A/C worked TOO WELL!! It was at times, COLD. We had to bundle up in bed...but that's not necessarily a bad thing!  Now, the rooms are eco-friendly, there's a device on the wall as you enter where you have to put one of your room key cards in, in order to have the power in the room active. This is so if you're gone for a long time, you're not wasting electricity. So, it's obvious that if you remove the card, the power goes out, as does the A/C. So maybe that contributed to the heat in the room? For our visit, neither of these negative comments were validated at all.  

Cozy Dining Area

The whole place, including the rooms, is decorated in a European inspired look, and it kind of gives you the feeling you're in a cross between a Disneyland Resort Hotel and the Bellagio in Las Vegas!  The entire place was very comfortable, very clean, very inviting, very convenient. One thing that did kind of strike me as odd: the Ayres Hotel IS a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, however, it's not advertised in any Disney media as such. Why? In my opinion, Ayres is much nicer, cleaner and affordable than MANY of the Good Neighbor Hotels within walking distance to the Resort. This hotel certainly aligns with that wonderful Disney Customer Service Magic. 

Nice, Clean Bath Area

Joyce and I will certainly be returning to the Ayres Hotel Anaheim in the future. The price is perfect for anyone, especially those going to the Disneyland Resort on a budget. But the great thing is, IF you ARE on a budget, staying here you won't have to give up comfort, convenience and elegance (there's that word again!) in favor of money. You get the best of all worlds here. And they usually have awesome package deals, or discounts available. Joyce and I took advantage of their Autumn Special when we went, and currently they're running similar specials. Just check out their website for complete details (http://www.ayresanaheim.com). Since hotel reviews are new for me, I'm going to create a new rating scale: instead of 1-4 stars, I'm giving 1-4 E-Tickets (with one being STAY AWAY and four being STAY HERE!). So, Ayres Hotels of Southern California - Anaheim receives 4 E-Tickets from Tales From The Mouse House! ~~ Al