Disney Blog at Magical Kingdoms

By Guest Blogger Kathleen Hubert

For decades, the name Walt Disney has conjured up images of magic, wonder, imagination, joy and laughter for children and adults of all ages. This coming year, The Walt Disney Company has big plans for its movies, videos, television shows and theme parks.

Disney will start off the New Year with a theatrical re-release of one of its most beloved animated classics, Beauty and the Beast. The film is a technological, artistic and historic landmark in the studio’s history. It was the first animated feature film to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and one of the first films to blend traditional, hand-drawn animation with innovative computer imagery. To honor its legacy and introduce it to a new generation of moviegoers, Disney has converted the entire film to 3D from the original computer files, bringing out more of the vividly detailed animation. Disney has planned more 3D re-releases for its classics in the future, including The Little Mermaid and Pixar’s Finding Nemo.

continue reading…

Here’s a preview of the latest Toy Story Toon, “Small Fry,” which will play before Disney’s The Muppets, in theatres November 23.

Buzz Lightyear is left behind at a fast food restaurant when a kids’ meal toy version of Buzz takes his place. While Bonnie’s toys are stuck with the annoying three-inch-tall Buzz impersonator, the real Buzz is trapped in the restaurant at a support group for discarded toys. As Woody and the gang devise a way to rescue their friend, Buzz tries to escape the toy psychotherapy meeting.

Here are our pick of the top Disney Christmas gifts this year:

FOR THE KIDS

Fisher-Price Disney’s Rock Star Mickey

Learn the secrets to being a classic rock star with the Disney Rock Star Mickey from Fisher-Price. Jam out as Mickey kicks across the floor, bobs his head to new tunes, and drops into a Mickety-Split. As you learn move after move, you’ll find yourself thinking: Now, that’s one talented mouse!

Buy from amazon.com
Buy from amazon.co.uk

continue reading…

If you’re planning a Disney trip, or just want to earn a bit of extra money for something else, you can earn some by taking part in online surveys, research and writing reviews. While you’re not going to become a millionnaire by doing this, every little bit helps!

Some of the sites below pay in gift vouchers rather than cash, but you can use these to buy things for your trip, or just to use for Christmas presents or such like.

Obviously, some sites are better than others, so I’ve reviewed the ones that I’ve used to save you wasting time. I can only review UK sites, being UK based.

continue reading…

You may have seen my previous article on How to Make a Cinderella Coach Cake, which I made for my daughter’s birthday a couple of months back. That was for her actual birthday, for her Disney Princess-themed birthday party I made this Castle cake. While it’s not strictly a Disney castle, it can be Disney-fied by adding some Princess figures, or Princess candles as I did.

continue reading…

Cake pops are the “in thing” at the moment, and are very popular for birthdays, baby showers, and gifts in general. Here are some I made recently for my daughter’s Disney princess themed birthday party.

For the cake ball mixture I followed Bakerella’s recipe, which is for 48 cake pops, but halved the ingredient quantities to just make 24 pops.

continue reading…

I made this Cinderella Coach cake for my daughter’s 4th birthday recently and thought I’d share with you how I made it.

At least 2 days before assembling the cake you need to make the wheels as they need time to harden. Get some white or ivory fondant (sugarpaste) and knead in gum tragacanth or CMC powder, according to instructions. Make sure it’s well mixed in. Wrap the fondant tightly in a sealed plastic bag and place in sealed container, ensuring no air can get to it. Leave for at least 8 hours if using gum tragacanth powder. Alternatively you can buy ready made modeling paste.

Before starting I did a rough drawing of the coach, using the cake pan for the main coach circle. I then drew the wheels, door, etc.

continue reading…

By Guest Blogger Kathleen Hubert.

Many can list Walt Disney’s accomplishments as easily as they might list items on a grocery list. Disney created Mickey Mouse. He produced the first full-length animated movie. His amusement park, Disneyland, became the first theme park. Disney formed the first multimedia corporation. Disney’s achievements are truly impressive, but more impressive still may be the impact that he and his company have made upon the world and world culture.

Mickey Mouse, Disney’s first unqualified success, appeared at a time when the world was in the first throes of the Great Depression. Mickey’s indomitable spirit, as well as the technological advances that Disney displayed in those first cartoons, struck a chord with movie-going audiences seeking signs that neither the human spirit, nor humanity’s ability to progress into the future, had been irreparably damaged by hard times. People became invested in Mickey Mouse. In rooting for Mickey, audiences were cheering on their own success as well.

continue reading…

Brave is the next animated feature from Pixar Animation Studios after this year’s Cars 2. It’s scheduled to be in US theaters June 22, 2012.

Here’s the official trailer, just released today.

Mother/Daughter Royal Wedding Viewing Party How-To’s:

DisneyFamily.com has some tips on how to have your own Disney Princess Viewing Party.

Disney personality and expert Miranda Becker offers a few tips on how you can host your very own Royal Wedding Viewing Party:

·        Set the DVR to record the ceremony and festivities so that you and your girls can watch first thing in the morning over tea & crumpets!

·        A traditional wedding cake in England, is a Fruitcake with Marzipan – Miranda will show you how to make special Wedding Fruitcake Cupcakes which you can decorate and even make little marzipan crowns for!

·        DisneyFamily.com printable Princess Tiaras to have at each place setting

·        DisneyFamily.com printable Kate Middleton Printable Paper Dolls.  Have your girls dress Kate in their favorite Princess gown for the ceremony!

continue reading…