Friday, February 20, 2009

Atlantic Highlands: Film One Fest Is The Newest Addition To The Film Festival Circuit!














To all budding Spielberg's/Michael Bays & Joe Pytkas, get yourself to the Atlantic Highlands Film Festival website to download your submission form...

The first annual Film One Fest will be held in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
on July 18th at an outdoor summertime screening alongside the town's picturesque marina. Seastreak fast ferry service (to-and-from Manhattan in under 40 minutes!) will be available to festival goers.






There are categories for established filmmakers (as well as students) and topics will cover everything from local history... to narrative... animation... and experimental.



There are several things that will distinguish The Film One Fest from the rest of the festival circuit (including its stunning outdoor location) including the requirement that all films be no longer than one minute in running time-- a creative challenge for any -- and all -- storytellers!












Organizers are still seeking sponsors and can be contacted at: http://filmonefest.org.

Monday, August 04, 2008

L.A.'s Newest Hotspot: A Volcano Is Brewing. Maybe.



A patch of land in Ventura County -- near the tranquil town of Fillmore -- has seen the ground heat-up to an astounding 812 degrees!

This has happened five or six times since at least 1987, with the latest occurrence of smoke pouring from cracks in the ground as recently as last Friday. The event continues to puzzle firefighters and geologists after a month and a half of monitoring.

While there are no flames, firefighters cleared dry brush and created a 30 foot containment line surrounding the smoking hole.








Geologists who surveyed the area (in a part of the old Sespe Oil Field), are unclear what's causing the heat-- but they have a theory:

The area is an active landslide that has trapped hydrocarbons generally found in petroleum products. As the surface cracks, oxygen creeps in and causes a naturally occurring combustion.

The 812-degree temperature was only a foot below the surface.

The LA Times reports that the 3,000-acre Sespe Oil Field was, "...discovered in 1887 and has since produced about 50 million barrels of oil. The field contains more than 300 oil wells." 210 of the well sites remain active.

Always willing to turn tabloid, Hollywood Thoughts offers a couple of other possibilities: If the geologist's landslide theory isn't rock solid, perhaps we're witnessing the long discussed nightmare (some would call it a dream) of California cracking in half to slide into the sea... or maybe this is birth of a baby volcano and the folks of Fillmore are about to repeat the fate of Pompeii's populace?!? Stay tuned...

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Matt Kemp: The Dodger's Goodwill Ambassador


A Hollywood Thoughts sighting in Hollywood...

Matt Kemp, the promising young Dodger outfielder, was spotted paying his bill at the local Roscoe's Chicken eatery (with his model-beautiful) girlfriend, when he was approached by a group of 'tweener baseball fans for a chance at an autograph and a snapshot.













Kemp was immediately approachable and posed for pictures and signed for every kid gathered around him.

In a world where most celebs would opt to tip one back, we give a tip of the cap to Kemp.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Disneyland's House of the Future: Shoulda Been Sponsored By The Aaron Brothers 1c Frame Sale!



In a word, here's my review of the new Innoventions House of Tomorrow:

Bleccch!

What a disappointment.

I wrote back in February that I felt the "house" should have been a freestanding structure-- like its 1960's precursor. Constructing a "house" inside the existing "Innoventions" exhibit hall (basically, a stripped-down trade fair for new Disney-themed video games) is simply not magical... or fun. With it's movie-set fake walls, there's no real way for an individual to allow their imagination to believe they are in a real 'house of the future' (at least not in the way you could with the park's original version).



Today's HOTF feels more like you're on the floor of some cut-rate house decoration convention.

Where's tomorrow's microwave oven or videophones??!!?? Sadly, there is VERY LITTLE in the way of blue-skying tomorrow's techno-advancements. Most of what is seen are tiny increments of existing hardware (as in: you'll see this in stores by Christmastime).



And what about those picture frames??!!??



Honestly-- is this the best piece of technology the Imagineers could muster? It must be, as the joint is OVERFLOWING with digital picture frames!

How close to the bottom of the technology barrel are you scraping when you decide to feature gadgets that can be bought for $19.99 at your local Rite Aid??!!?? Aaron Brothers Art Mart missed a great opportunity to sponsor this, ahem, attraction.

Day One, and it's already the 'House of 2001.'

Aside from the smart refrigerator (and the recipe-on-the-kitchen-countertop), there 'aint much future packed into this joint's fake walls.



The HOTF is a GREAT idea-- it's just that this version needs more time on the drawing boards.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Disney's California Adventure Extreme Makeover: No Better Blues




Disney announced plans today to try and improve on their under-performing second gate, Disney's California Adventure. The press release describes what the Burbank gang is planning for the former Disneyland parking lot...

Things don't appear to be getting any better. And they're spending over a billion dollars on the improvements.

To my way of thinking, they've made the announcement too soon-- there's an awful lot of half-baked ideas in that official statement.

Put another way, if this is the best they've got (with the exception of the mentioned "Cars Land"), we're all in store for Dismal California Adventure, version 2.



They've announced that they are building a "Unique Nighttime Spectacular" water show that, "...features colorful lighting." You've GOT to be kidding me. How very... um... 1973.

The not-on-anyone's-travel-agenda tortilla-and-bread-making plant remains??? REALLY? The one part of the park you could roll-a-grenade-through-and-not-hit-a-soul (kids, don't try this at home), remains largely intact?!? Who the heck is doing their research?? Who in their right mind spends 66 bucks to watch a machine flatten corn meal?!? Am I alone here? I'm thinking, 'where's my mine train ride through the grizzly mountain?' and Disney president, Bob Iger is giving me maize.



HOLLYWOOD PICTURES BACKLOT: They wanna hold workshops with writers and directors. Wow. Plastic folding chairs in an overheated conference room and a tacky dais of your favorite (but never heard of them before) Desperate Housewife staff scribes. So now DCA is the biggest, most fun version of The Learning Tree Annex. Is this release for real? Did Iger read this pap before it was released? It sounds like a mid-level publicist wrote this drivel before it had the chance of being reviewed by Head Imagineer Bob Weis, Pixar and Imagineering Guru John Lasseter OR Iger. This whole document comes across like a boring travel pamphlet published by a podunk chamber of commerce.

I wince when Iger invokes Walt's name-- I don't believe their intent is true. In fact, I think it is an indicator that WDI is still grasping for TRUE solutions to an underwhelmed public response to DCA, and using the iconic Disney name like a salve to cover the lack of ideas.



The bottom line is that DCA is too "off the shelf"-- not enough unique "DISNEY" ideas to ride approaches. What I'm seeing in this release is the mention of a lot of shops and restaurants, and not enough (except as stated above, regarding CARS LAND) fun and innovative attractions.

GOLDEN STATE: Sounds unchanged. Read the release, you'll agree with me.

PREVIEW CENTER: As a kid I LOVED seeing models of "Discoveryland" and other proposed projects from WDI. That said, I fail to see how a small storefront crammed with posterboard models will drive ticket sales to 15 million. Hey, I kid... but is the best idea they have to "fix" an entire themed land?

Lastly, where was any mention of John Lasseter? Neither the LA Times, the Disney release or today's Wall Street Journal column mentioned him-- and he's for all intents and purposes, guiding this re-do.



Iger is known in some Hollywood camps for being an very affable -- yet not so creative -- guy. Without John Lasseter's hand -- a true storyteller & creative force in the mold of Walt Disney -- the project is up a creek.

I get the impression that the creative teams have a long way to go before they plunge the first shovel into the soil. If they move too quickly, today's press release indicates that Disney is about to make another big blunder in the old parking lot.

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Monday, September 17, 2007

When Good Pluto Goes Bad

Check this out...

Pluto Fight

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Clearly, the kid has done something to seriously piss-off Pluto.

The probably-pimpled-teen in the costume is moving at full throttle-- WAY too fast to be moving safely in that dense of a crowd. Imagine the premium Disney would be paying if Pluto had mowed-over an innocent bystander.

For some who might be thinking this is an act, I say, this is no act. Chasing a kid doesn't make for good theatre. Except on Halloween. When the brats are tee-peeing your front yard.

No matter how badly a kid acts towards a character, there's no justifying this sort of reaction. Face it: giant mice and upright walking dogs are role models for our kids. Resorting to physical intimidation isn't the way you solve a problem. Especially if you're a big, furry dog.

You wonder what would have happened if the enraged Pluto actually collared the kid? How traumatic would it have been for some of the smaller kids to have witnessed an enraged Pluto doing a beat-down on the scamp?

Friday, June 15, 2007

Disneyland Confirms Attraction To Close



Hollywood Thoughts ran into Ed Grier-- the 51 year-old president of Disneyland -- the other day...

In our brief conversation, Grier officially confirmed the rumors of the imminent destruction of Tom Sawyer Island's Fort Wilderness attraction (recently renamed, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island). As Hollywood Thoughts reported last month, the wooden fort -- designed, in part, by Walt Disney -- will be replaced by a stone fortress similar in style to the one found in the Pirates of the Caribbean battle scene.

When asked if the fort would be re-opened to the public and feature a pirate themed stunt show (as rumors have suggested), Grier said, "No-- it'll be used for storage and a backstage break area for cast members." When we pressed that this would be a loss for the kids (remember climbing up to the fort's shotgun lookouts to peg passing canoe paddlers?), we were told the change was necessary to fill a need for a critical lack of "backstage" space for staff.

There have been unofficial internet posts that suggest demolition work has already begun-- but that they have stalled because of asbestos found in the fort's fifty-one year-old structure.

Grier is a 26-year Disney veteran who oversaw the company's operations of Tokyo Disney Resort before being named President of the Disneyland Resort in 2006.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Donald Trump Saving The Lives Of Party Girls!




In one of those Life-Is-Stranger-Than-Fiction moments, Hollywood Thoughts takes notice of Donald Trump's partnership with FOX on a new reality project called Lady or a Tramp.

The idea is simple: party girls are sent to charm school and then judged on their ability to reform themselves.

Here's the actual casting call posted on the internet last week for Trump's new show:

"Casting for a new network reality competition
series is looking for younger women who are
18-30, love to party and full of attitude.
The premise of the show is to take these
rude and crude party girls, and with proper
etiquette training turn them into Ladies.
If this describes you or someone you know,
send an email with name, age, contact numbers,
a detailed description of yourself or the person
you are nominating and why they would be great
for the show and a photo to Brenda Della Casa at:
creativelolita@gmail.com."


Hello?!!? Anyone else out there find this sorta... um, twisted?!?

Didn't Donald find enough satisfaction in setting party girl/ Miss USA Tara Conner back onto the straight-and-narrow? Now he's taking-on all of the nation's bad girls? Isn't the incessant chatter over Paris, Lindsay and Britney enough? What's the new catchphrase? "Take your kegger-- you're fried"???

One can only hope experts in this field, Rick and Kathy Hilton, will be a part of the makeover team...

Monday, June 11, 2007

Sopranos Final Episode...




... Sucked.

No, your HBO feed didn't go on the fritz, it was just (show creator) David Chase's cruddy ending.

Wait! There was no ending. Just a blank screen. With no sound.

I might be wrong on this one, but I think I know why the guy has only written and directed one other episode (the pilot). He's the George Lucas of the small screen: great on the BIG idea-- not so good with the specific details (structure & dialogue).

The run-up to the final episode has been wonderful... but, boy, what a let down the final hour turned out to be-- completely disjointed and totally unsatisfying.

Yeah, I got the message: we should remember the good times... and life goes on. Blah, blah, blah. Give me the Dallas "It-Was-Only-A-Dream" series finale-- I think I prefer it as the most satisfying-of- the-unsatisfying of cop-out endings.

Chase has been clear that he hates TV's normal storytelling techniques.

NOTE TO DAVID CHASE:

It's never good to piss-off your audience. Us "groundlings" out here prefer our stories with a beginning, middle and end. It's satisfying. It's good structure. It's what keeps us returning... and keeps you on the air.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Paris Hilton Busts Out Of The Hollywood Hills!



A shot of Paris Hilton leaving the Sheriff's new "Kings Road Detention Facility," high above the Sunset Strip.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Paris Hilton Get Out Of Jail Card: Lee Baca



Hollywood Thoughts bets that we'll hear Sheriff Lee Baca try to justify his decision to spring the celebutard because of county jail overcrowding.

Lame.

While the Sheriff has a good argument for obtaining funds to build more jails (so the crooks aren't going free), the bigger message being sent is: When you've got the dough, you're free to go.

For anyone that hasn't heard: The most recent account has Hilton's shrink convincing Baca to release Paris because she was on the edge of a breakdown (Sure. She's the first person incarcerated in L.A.'s Twin Towers to have ever felt that way). How soon 'til some con files a lawsuit over being someone's bee-yaatch or a bout of the night sweats...???

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Paul McCartney Makes Kissy Face

Hollywood Thoughts just took a stroll into the local Starbucks with the creator of the website Tabloid Baby, when we were confronted by this picture:



Is there anything more pitiful than a sixty five year-old icon making a pouty kissy face?

The Germans have schadenfreude to describe pleasure derived from someone else's misfortune, but does a word or phrase exist that adequately describes the pucker factor you get from someone else's embarrassing actions???

This shot, by the way, is posted in every Starbucks around the world to promote Maca's new album, "Memory Almost Full."

Join the first ever Hollywood Thoughts contest to create such a word by hitting the comment button below...

:::

This is our 75th post! Thanks to Guy Blake, Esq. for the inspiration.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

"Finding Nemo" Submarine Ride: A Sneak Peek!



Spoiler Alert-- stop reading if you don't want to discover the secrets of the new ride!

The following peek is for our land-locked readers unable to make the trek to Disneyland anytime soon to see the park's latest "E-ticket" attraction.

Hollywood Thoughts
got a spot on-board the newly renovated subs as a part of an industry premiere this past Saturday night (the press preview is tomorrow, Wednesday, June 6th... and the ride opens to the general public on Monday, June 11th).

The sub attraction originally debuted in 1959, but has been mothballed for nearly a decade-- so it was an oddly familiar feeling climbing down the sub's twisting stairwell; a true time machine for a favorite ride of my L.A. childhood.

We had two rides that lasted approximately 12 minutes each. The subs themselves are largely the same-- only minor tweaks to the exteriors (a different shaped skipper's "sail"), and all of the craft have lost their gray paint scheme to share a bright yellow livery.



The inside cabin sports a wire-mesh lining that houses a new sound system that keeps the water-bound action in synch with the view of each rider's individual porthole. The re-jiggered subs accommodate two additional passengers-- and the biggest change involves the installation of electric motors. No more nauseous gas fumes filling the interior from the old diesel engines.



For The Record:

The fleet of nine subs allowed the Disney theme parks to boast that they were the world's eighth largest "navy."

Some Things Never Change:


Yes, you still sail through a curtain of bubbles to make your first "dive" into deep waters. First stop? The film's Darla character (the dentist's bratty brace-faced niece) in scuba gear bagging an unfortunate little fish.



The subs still have a narrator in the form of the skipper and his (now female) first mate-- both sporting breezy Aussie accents.

The storyline quickly shifts to include a view of undersea vents... volcanoes... and an ancient "lost" civilization. Both times through this section we had slow downs-- including one full stop. I later spoke to a cast member who confided that the boat drivers still "needed practice"-- hence the unscheduled delay. The subs are on tracks, but each "driver" controls the speed of your ride (I guess busy days might result in a slightly faster trip).

In truth, the "ancient ruins" are the weakest portion of the journey-- the art direction seems thin. Pretty soon, though, the ride earns itself an "E Ticket" value for its technical bling factor.

The gang at Disney Imagineering has the entire animated cast of "Finding Nemo" joining -- via high-definition video projection -- each sub along its journey-- and it's a pretty impressive effect.



The animation techniques used on "Nemo" are not new-- but they are employed in an incredibly fresh staging. Additionally, the structure of the ride (and it up-to-date sound system) allows for "Nemo" to be one of the few attractions (aside from Star Tours) to employ a true storyline with dense -- but easily tracked -- dialogue.

The ride is packed with action: there are explosions... sub eating whales... snaggly-toothed sharks... shipwrecks... and deadly explosive mines.

Yes, there are several "old school" underwater animatronic figures (scuba divers, chomping eels, a forest of jelly fish, blue whales and swimming sea turtles) with the rote movements of their 1950's predecessors. The new animated figures come into play once the subs enter the lagoon's covered "cave."



Hollywood Thoughts has learned that inside the "cave," the subs are separated from the animated characters by a giant wall of invisible plexiglass. Behind the plexiglass -- in the center of the cave -- exists a "dry" control room where the various characters are hi-def images projected onto glass to give the impression that Nemo & Company are swimming alongside the sub's portholes. Set pieces - also in the dry environment -- mimic those placed near the sub to heighten the illusion that all of the action occurs underwater. Pay attention to the "lava flow" scene. GREAT STUFF that'll leave you shaking your head in respect of the imagineer's efforts!

Some other stand-out scenes:

A hyper-realistic recreation of the film's shipwreck scene where Nemo first meets Bruce the shark. The underwater lighting and art direction here is fantastic-- and creepy. You won't believe how much depth there is to this location.

It's also fun watching Dorrie (the Ellen DeGeneres character) bounce around a massive forest of jelly fish (a nice use of mirrors) and trying "whale speak" (yes, we get swallowed by one-- though this effect doesn't really work since our "exit" isn't represented in an anatomically correct fashion. I'll let you figure that one out). There's also a vibrating run through a field of explosive mines. Less impressive is the depiction of Crush the turtle's less-than-wild-ride on the EAC (Eastern Australian Current).

Hollywood Thoughts can't confirm this, but it doesn't seem that Ellen DeGeneres or Albert Brooks actually reprise their (voice) roles for the ride.

Look for a tip of the hat to the old ride's sea monster-- he's towards the end of the run and now a permanent part of the surrounding corral reef.

The Bottom Line:


"Nemo" physically straddles the boundry between Disneyland's Tomorrowland and Fantasyland... and this latest version of the popular ride is the perfect metaphor for a part of the park that represents both technology and imagination.



6/6: NEMO UPDATE:

To help with the expected crush of summer crowds, Disney has just announced that beginning June 11th, the day the subs resurface, guests will be allowed to join the queue until official park closing-- with the subs will continuing their voyages for up to 2 1/2 hours after park closing. While in line, guests will also be armed with a special Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage activity guide to aid them in search of “Hidden Nemos."

The park is also debuting Nemo-themed food creations, such as a snack pack with cheddar fish crackers mixed with an “East Australian Crunch,” popcorn buckets, cupcakes, and apple juice throughout Tomorrowland.

:::

On Other Fronts:


Hollywood Thoughts
reliable sources indicate that Fort Wilderness on Tom Sayer's Island will be demolished in the next several weeks. Its "foot print" will remain, but in the place of a WOODEN fort, a STONE one -- similar to the version found inside the Pirates of the Caribbean battle scene -- will rise.

There's a chance this space will become a storage facility for the "Fantasmic!" river show, but there's also a possibility that a small store and some sort of pirate stunt show will come to exist at this location.


Monday, May 21, 2007

Pirate Premiere = No Lines At Disneyland



Soon after arriving at Disneyland this past Saturday afternoon (2pm), I encountered a sign that said the park would be closing at 5pm. At this time of the year, the park is normally open 'til midnight-- why such a short day?!?

What to do??? Turn around and make the long hike back home?

How does a Dad explain to his three year-old that Disneyland is a 'no-go'-- especially after a week's worth of hype-talk?



Like a dork, I had accidentally plopped us smack dab in the center of the world premiere for the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. The early closing time was to accommodate the red carpet arrivals (the film would unspool on a giant, temporary, screen built at the foot of Tom Sawyer's Island).





The place looked crowded, but I decided to proceed with caution. Main Street was clogged with thousands of fans and dozens-and-dozens of TV crews. I was immediately in a tail-spin: the whole day looked like it was going to be a huge mess. Big, pushy crowds. Tight squeezes past the sun baked mobs and TV gear... and Disney's rope nazis with their non-stop, full-throated war chants ("Stay to the right, folks! Keep moving! Keep MOVING, people!). In my experience, big crowds never make for great memories at the Happiest Place On Earth.


Boy, was I wrong!

Bless the Pirate fans! Most of the bodies in the park were all clumped along Main Street waiting to eyeball a celeb. Meanwhile... Fantasyland, Toontown and Tomorrowland were mostly empty pieces of real estate. Overall, the park was lightly attended because -- I think -- of its shortened hours. Those in attendance were, as I said, gathered mostly 'round the red carpet.



In just a short time, we visited the following rides:



Peter Pan; Snow White; Pinocchio; Mr. Toad; Dumbo; Casey Jr. train; Storybook Canal Boats; Alice In Wonderland;
It's A Small World; Roger Rabbit's Car-toon Spin; Minnie Mouse House; Mickey Mouse Film Barn; Goofy's House; Donald's Tug Boat; Peter Pan (a second time around!); Autopia (TWICE-- we never had to get out of the car!); The Monorail; Tomorrowland Rocket Ride and Star Tours.

Wow! An all time high for us: 20 rides in a single visit. A perfect day for a toddler-- all because of a few pirates.

Saturday's crowds had to be among the smallest I have seen -- in terms of the length of lines for attractions -- in nearly three years. The "perfect storm" was stalled over Main Street, while it was smooth sailing on the 'east side' of the park.



As a side note, I never ventured near Main Street's crowds again until nearly 8:15pm (where I almost got knocked over by Maria Shriver & Arnold's HUGE (30+ folks) entourage.

While I cannot fathom waiting in the hot sun for nearly 16 hours (many people arrived at Disneyland around 4:30am!) to spot a celeb on a red carpet, I heard from MANY folks that the stars were VERY generous in signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans-- good for them!



Two final thoughts:

There's a new onslaught of pirates coming to Disneyland: this Friday (the 25th), Tom Sawyer's Island will officially be re-christened as, "Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island." Rumors indicate that a second phase will be completed on the island sometime next year-- with the hand constructed lincoln-log style "Fort Wilderness" being torn down-- possibly to house a pirate stunt show. The speculation has the park's devotees in an uproar: Tom Sawyer's Island is considered the "Holy of Holies" as it is the only attraction personally designed -- top-to-bottom -- by the hand of Walt Disney.



Lastly, the new "Finding Nemo" attraction (at the site of the former submarine ride) is just two weeks away from its grand opening. The subs were undergoing testing on Saturday, and the buzz indicates a new form of animation that allows some of the film's characters to "follow" along the sub's portholes during the "undersea" adventure. Remember the overwhelming stink of diesel when you pressed your nose up against the glass? That's a memory of the past: the new subs are all electric. Catch the OLD subs here.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Britney Spears Has A Shaved Head & A New Tattoo



Honestly, with a headline like that, I don't think there's much more to say.

But why do I care? I don't... except that all of this happened not much more than 500 feet from my backdoor.

See, when I came home tonight, there were twenty to thirty photographers lurking in the alley across from my garage door. I soon found out they were paparazzi stalking Ms. Brit who was inside the slightly tattered buzz-parlor known as "Body + Soul."

Hey, a celebutard right in my backyard. Literally.

I decided to take a look. Who cares if the hot turkey melt I just picked-up from the Mel's Diner would be reduced to a congealed mess of gouda on cold poultry meat? I smelled a story... and I JUST HAD to be an investigative reporter for my readership.



I went around to the front of the place, and was quickly engulfed by a mob of nearly a hundred twenty-somethings. But, LOOK! There she is! I spotted my quarry: a now bald-headed, trash talking, newly inked mother-of-two. Ooops, she just did it again.

Who the hell is watching after the kids while Mama is running around without panties or hair??!!??

Ah, hell... at least the new 'do has Brit's carpet matching her drapes. If you know what I mean.

With her wrist newly etched with a pair of red lips, and a completely cut down pate, she definitely looks like the type that would man the drive-thru next to Kevin whats-his-name on the fry machine* (*please review the Federline Super Bowl commercial if you're having a tough time following the line of thought here). Maybe she was celebrating her one day of sobriety after her short -- but successful? -- stint in rehab.



Bottom line? Well, let's just say I don't quite understand people that still wonder why home values are slipping here in the 'hood...

Monday, February 12, 2007

Cinderella Suite Sounds Sweet!



If you've ever dreamed of actually spending the night inside a Disney theme park, your wish has just come true. It's a part of Disney's "The Year of a Million Dreams" campaign.



Unused space within Orlando's Cinderella castle -- originally envisioned as in-park accommodations for the Disney family -- has been transformed into a "Cinderella Castle Suite." Each day, a specially selected Walt Disney World guest will be chosen randomly at the park for their special night in the newly outfitted (17th century-style) penthouse.



The guest (and up to five members of their party) can keep the castle lights burning bright into the night inside the suite that consists of a salon, bedchamber and bathroom (off a private marble-floored foyer).





Guests will discover a mosaic of the fairytale pumpkin coach in the foyer's marble floor inlay-- as well as a Steuben designed glass slipper.



A Disney press release states that despite all the
careful attention to centuries-old details, "...the
amenities of the Cinderella Castle Suite are
definitely 21st century. There's a lavish garden tub
plus a shower. As for an ornately framed,
17th-century-style portrait of Cinderella above a
regal fireplace in the bedchamber: it magically
changes into a modern, 21st-century flat-screen
television."





As for guests to California's Disneyland park? The company has outfitted a special Mickey Mouse themed room at the Disneyland Hotel (outside of the magic kingdom).

Hollywood Thoughts wonders how long 'til a randy Prince and Princess are caught canoodling on a castle turret by early arrivals to the park?!?