Mousey Movies - Failure to Launch

Well, I guess I am about to lose some loyal readers! 

Not every movie I watch is a Disney movie.  There is in fact a secret place in my house with a Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy library.  Disney fans may know that he plays Angels outfielder Ben Williams in Angels in the Outfield.  This library is called upon when something sweet, mindless and fun is needed to entertain the Between Adults and the Between Wife is not in a mood to watch things explode. 

But I have a new problem!  I can’t watch any movie without evaluating it for Mousiness.  It’s a gift and a curse! So when recently viewing Paramount Pictures’ 2006 Failure to Launch, I saw it’s total Mousiness  In this romantic comedy, McConaughey stars as an adult still living at home in his 30s. His parents hire Sarah Jessica Parker’s Paula to simulate a relationship with McConaughey’s Tripp so he can gain the self-esteem needed to move out on his own.  Of course, complications occur along with a possible real romance. 

Now, just because a movie is Mousey that does not mean I would recommend it for children.  In fact, the Between Kids were sent to watch the Disney Channel while the adults took in the Mousey Romance.  I present to you my attempt to balance out all of the Mousey superhero Mousey Movies I have posted before.  Betweenlanders I give you Failure to Launch:  

·         Sidekick:  Justin Bartha plays Tripp’s “geeky computer guy” friend Ace.  Bartha would also take on the sidekick role for Disney in Nicolas Cage’s National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets as computer geek Riley Poole.  Personally I like both Ace and Riley as they seem like guys I would hang out with while I doubt I could keep up with the super cool Tripp.  I almost jumped on another moment as potentially Mousey as Ace’s first date with Zooey Deschanel’s Kit occurs at an Aquarium that reminded me of Epcot’s The Living Seas with Nemo and Friends.    

·         Stuffed with Fluff: Speaking of Kit, Deschanel has her own Disney ties.  She appears in the Disney and Walden adaptation of the literary classic The Bridge to Terabithia, which makes me sad.  So I have never re-watched it.  I am more familiar with her work on the Winnie the Pooh soundtrack which includes her distinctive voice covering the theme song“Winnie the Pooh” with her band She & Him along with two other tracks.  

·         Out of the Lab:  We are introduced to Tripp’s “nephew” Jeffrey playing video games with Tripp’s friends.  As I looked closely at Jeffrey I kept thinking this youngster really looks familiar!  After a few minutes I realized that Jeffrey was the lead character Leo from Disney XD’s Lab Rats played by Tyrel Jackson Williams.  Williams has a small but important role as it helps explain why Tripp still lives at home.       

·         Bear Bottoms:  I have to warn you, there is nudity in Failure to Launch.  National Football League legend and Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw shows his bare bottom to the world.  Honestly he seems as comfortable with displaying his bottom as the triplets in Brave.  And he would fit in with King Fergus and the clan leaders, swapping some warrior or football tales. 

                 

·         The Rat:  Tripp is not Paula’s only client.  She meets with a young man we assume is a new client on their first simulated date.  He speaks from his heart; the original Star Wars movies are superior because they are all about storytelling.  I am sure many of us would agree!  The client is played by Patton Oswalt, who knows about passion having played Remy in Ratatouille, a rat with a heart for cooking!     

·         The Rifleman: Actor Rob Corddry plays a gun salesman who Kit visits to help with a bird problem.  Corddry would be a strange fit for a Disney movie, having starred in movies like Hot Tub Time Machine.  But we would be wrong!  Corddry appears on the special features of The Muppets in a deleted scene as Sleazy Superman in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater.   

·         The Grand One: The moment that will make any Disney fan sit up is Tripp’s first date with Paula.  It occurs on a boat named, Grand Imagineer!  Most Disney fans would assume that the Grand Imagineer has to be Walt Disney.  But we would be mistaken this time.  The boat in the film is actually named after Hondo Crouch a humorist, rancher and poet from Texas who died in 1976.  My attention was had, but the moment was not as Mousey as I wanted.       

Alright Betweenlanders we have proved a romantic comedy can be Mousey.  But I believe it is time for us to get back to animated and action packed Mousey Movies.  But remember Between Husbands, if you look close enough you may find the Mouse in those movies we watch, and occasionally enjoy in shame.         

    

Dreaming Disney - WDWNT: The Magazine

As you have probably figured out I read quite a bit, seriously a little less than half of my posts are Between Books!  So I am constantly looking for new things to read related to Disney.  Recently I picked up and devoured WDWNT: The Magazine a free fan written online magazine, that is did I mention free?  

The magazine is offered by the WDWNT podcast network on a monthly basis.  The magazine can be read in two ways.  One is to read it online through a web browser.  The second is to download the magazine into an e-reader device.  This if the format I prefer downloading the PDF file onto my computer and then emailing it as a document to my kindle account for upload on devices that support the Kindle application, which I am finding in the Between Family is a growing number of devices.  But I would give you this word of advice.  It is possible for you to download the file directly from the WDWNT: The Magazine website.  But this version of the file tends to display two pages of text simultaneously on the devices I read it on.  But by downloading the magazine from MagCloud I can access a file that is perfectly formatted for my device.  You can also order on demand print copies of WDWNT: The Magazine from MagCloud for a fee.

The articles themselves are fan written and vary in content.  They include regular monthly features on food (primarily in the Walt Disney World Resort), Vinylmation, things to try on a Disney Parks vacation, or experiences being evacuated from attractions.  Feature articles primarily focus on Disney parks and may range from the history of specific attractions, recaps of recent events within the parks, reviews of Disney theatrical releases to walkthroughs and reviews of new attractions (such as recent articles by Tom Corless on Cars Land and Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure).  This is just a tip of the iceberg being driven by the diversity of the writing staff and their personal interests.  

First and foremost, I love free.  Free is good!  And I appreciate being able to access a variety of Disney related articles for this one low low price.  Additionally, I have read articles on a number of topics that I was not fluent in.  I for example now understand the changes that had been made to the Mickey style Vinylmation mold.  I do enjoy the range of articles.  The magazine is not geographically centered on any one park, so the Disneyland Resort is a frequent topic in this magazine with roots in the Walt Disney World Resort.  And it is not uncommon to find a non-Disney article amongst its pages.

So if free fits your price range I suggest you add WDWNT: The Magazine to your reading diet.  It will help you dream of your next or last Disney vacation in Betweenland.  I do believe you will not be disappointed with the value for the price, of free! 

Dreaming Disney - Disney Movie Rewards



Sometimes it is easy to forget that there was a time when some tips that were second nature to you were not a no brainer.

So today’s public service announcement is the following, if you are buying Disney movies for your home collection you may be eligible for free stuff.  And let’s be honest if you have children you have probably already have a movie collection with a few Disney movies and you may be eligible for free stuff right now.

Did I mention free.  Free is good!

In most Disney DVD and Blu-Rays you purchase you can find on the outside of the box a Disney Movie Rewards symbol.  If you see this symbol, you will find on the inside a sheet with a code which you can enter at www.DisneyMovieRewards.com for a specific number of points.  Points vary by the format you have purchased, with more expensive formats generally having more points assigned to them.  You collect your points on the website and redeem them for rewards that range from a few hundred points to 25,000 points.  Though for most folks the most desirable big point item is the 15,000 point Walt Disney Studio private tour. 

So far what have I gotten?  Well, one thing I have gotten is coupons, coupons for buying more movies.  Through Disney Movie Rewards, Disney has promoted coupons to upgrade old VHS or DVD copies of movies to Blu-Ray.  And to be honest these coupons have been nothing to sneeze out with savings from $5 to $10.  Our upgraded copies of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were downright cheap when combined with an in store savings.  And recently they promoted a coupon for John Carter at $5 off, which again is a significant amount to a busy family. 

There have also been offers specific to specific home video title.  For example we have redeemed for the cost of shipping, or a small fee, a stuffed Bolt and another time Tinker Bell charms. 

But then we have not even spent any of our points yet.  It’s the redemptions that we have been the most excited about.  We have been saving for years for an item that we seem to miss every time it is offered.  But I promise you someday we will get it!  But we have still had some nice items with shipping costs paid by Disney.  These have included a youth sized Cars 2 hat and a massive Cars LED sign.  The sign was something that we got for less than 1,000 points as part of a Christmas promotion.  We thought it would be small wall light.  Instead two days later we received a very unique LED sign.  It helps give one room of our house a really cool Cars feel.  And we have been known to drag guests past the sign.    

I think one question, especially for point hoarders like me, is when will it end?  Well I guess technically the program could end anytime.  But since it has continued for the last several years I hope this loyalty program does not end anytime soon.  Seriously, I am hoarding points!  Please don’t end! 

So why a public service announcement today?  Earlier this month I told a co-worker about the program.  She commented they had a few movies, but would be shocked to find out they had any points of significance.  Well her family had nearly 2,000 points sitting in their movie collection and was looking at some fairly nice rewards on the website for them to choose from.  So be aware, you could have the cost for some fairly nice free, did I say free, stuff hiding in your movie collection.  And at the very least you could be denying yourself some coupon savings on movies if you are not signed up at www.DisneyMovieRewards.com.  It is always a bonus when you can dream of Disney free or discounted!

Between Books - An Unofficial History of Disney's Haunted Mansion

Jeff Baham in An Unofficial History of Disney’s Haunted Mansion explores the history and legacy of this beloved Disney attraction.  Baham provides a history including the ride’s origin and development.  He highlights the role of Imagineers such as Yale Gracey, Rolly Crump, Marc Davis and X Atencio and Legends like Paul Frees in evolving Walt Disney’s original concept for a walk through haunted house into the ride we have today.  Baham guides his readers through the attraction noting the history or background of the gags and theming that entertains the mansion’s guests including the mechanics of the Stretching Room and how the Pepper’s Ghost effect work.  Baham also includes a chapter on Haunted Mansion themed merchandise.  Additionally there are several text sidebars placed along the main text to provide additional context or guest and cast member stories; ranging from what is WED (WED Enterprises the precursor to Walt Disney Imagineering) to stories of special merchandise events.  Throughout the book are sprinkled numerous photos from the Haunted Mansion itself or related to the attraction’s effects.     

It is an understatement to anyone who has listened to Baham on the Moustaliga podcast to say that he is a Haunted Mansion expert.  He loves this attraction and this book along with www.Doombuggies.com are two ways he shows his respect for this attraction.  An Unofficial History of Disney’s Haunted Mansion is both easy to read and enjoyable.  It helps provide depth to a classic attraction that is a must ride for any visitor to Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom.  If I could improve any one aspect of the book it would be the pictures.  They are all black and white and at times not as clear as one would desire.  But we have to remember this book does not have a major publishing house behind it, which likely led to the lower quality photographs.  Jeff Baham in An Unofficial History of Disney’s Haunted Mansion provides us a fitting tribute to the Haunted Mansion, while showing the high quality work a devoted Disney fan can produce.      

Walt's Windows - Dreamfinder on The Today Show

Once I picked up From Dreamer to Dreamfinder I found myself looking for videos of incidents Ron Schneider included in his memoir.  One of the first I wanted to see was his October 1982 interview with Imagineer Barry Braverman on The Today Show being interviewed by Bryant Gumbel. 

Schneider describes the interview as, “The wig and hair were all wrong and I’m pushing too hard…like a new employee on his first day (Schneider, 100).”  Have a look for yourself:

I am no Dreamfinder expert, but I do agree that the beard looks as if it could fall off any moment.  And I know understand Schneider’s comments in his memoir about his early fake arm and how it did not look correct.  I think for me my biggest concern is that Gumbel treats Dreamfinder as a created character and not a living being.  But overall with failing beards and all, this interview would have gotten my young self excited if I had seen it for this new thing called Epcot. 

Between Books - From Dreamer to Dreamfinder

I never met Dreamfinder.  I am not obsessed with Dreamfinder.  I have no nostalgia for the old version of Journey to Imagination at Epcot.  In fact I have warmer feelings for the Audio-Animatronic Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, and he is not even alive!  Dreamfinder and the height of Figment’s presence in the park were simply before my time.  So I looked to From Dream to Dreamfinder as a chronicle of an Epcot, character and attraction that I never experienced.  And coming from that perspective I was shocked to how much I connected with Ron Schneider’s From Dreamer to Dreamfinder.

Schneider, best known as the original Dreamfinder at Epcot’s opening in 1982, chronicles his life in themed entertainment in From Dreamer to Dreamfinder: A Life and Lessons Learned in 40 Years Behind a Name Tag.  While Disney fans may be aware of the character of Dreamfinder and expect much of the book to be about Schneider’s time at Epcot, readers instead will find a book that outlines a long and diverse experience in themed entertainment ranging from theme parks, dinner shows, and historical reenactments.  Schneider starts with his childhood and his growing love of Disney, including his attendance at the first operational day of the Disneyland Park.  Schneider becomes what can only be called a Disney fan collecting park memorabilia while also showing an interest in theater.  In 1971, Schneider begins his first job as a in park performer.  He portrays a mountain man whose performance partner is a lion named Major!  Schneider moves forward improving his acting skills until he in 1980 becomes an understudy to legendary Disney performer Wally Boag at The Golden Horseshoe at Disneyland.  While in Disney employment he hears of a character created by Imagineer Tony Baxter planned for the second park at the Walt Disney World Resort, Epcot.  Schneider auditions for the new role and becomes the original Dreamfinder, helping to define the character and his interactions.  After several years portraying this iconic character, Schneider shifts into other roles including freelance writing, writing and supervising the celebrity look-a-likes at Universal Studios Florida, serving as a guide for Titanic: The Exhibition, and a return to Disney opening the new Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.  Schneider closes the book with five appendixes sharing his years of experience on themed entertainment.

I found this book very surprising.  I thought I would find a nicely written memoir that looked fondly on professional experiences and almost exclusively within Disney Parks.  What I found instead was refreshing.  First Schneider makes it clear that he was a Disney fan before he even became a performer, starting as a kid.  And his fandom continues into the age of the Internet with his participation in the Disney fan community.  Additionally, I expected that of this book at least a third would be dedicated to Dreamfinder at Epcot.  Instead, this is far from the focus of the book.  Instead the diversity of Schneider’s career stands out.  I felt as if he went more in-depth into his time supervising the look-a-likes at Universal than his days as Dreamfinder, which makes sense he spent twice as much time in that role.  I did not realize that this book would start in Disneyland, and that he had experiences at Walt’s original park.  And the diversity of Schneider’s experiences helps highlight the range of themed entertainment experiences, I had not expected for example to read chapters, and very interesting chapters at that, on dinner shows.  If I could ask for more content on any one of these topics it would have been his tenure with Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.  But his lack of in-depth discussion on how the magic is made, which he alludes to but does not spell out for his reader, is likely due to the respect he is giving an active show. 

I really came into this read with preconceptions that were proven wrong.  Because another expectation I had was Schneider would paint a very rosy picture of his days at Disney and other themed entertainment experiences.  Instead, the book is highly realistic about these experiences and at times Schneider names the guilty.  There is at least one personality that he speaks of in code, a personality that Schneider clearly did not like, but in general he talks about people known within the themed entertainment circles.  For example, he discusses Crazy Joe of the restaurant Fiascos in depth, including both positive and negative points about his personality and operation.  And he is not above criticizing shows found in amusement parks such as calling out the shortcomings of a show titled “Super-Santa-Tastic Extravaganza” before a guest even sees the show.  Schneider is frank about situations in which he felt his contribution was ignored or overlooked.  And he even discusses the burn-out of being a Disney cast member and character.  Overall he is very frank as he invites the reader into his life.              

I really enjoyed, as you can probably guess, this well written memoir.  Ron Schneider is engaging and shares his experiences both on and off stage.  And despite the fact that for me the nostalgic factor was non-existent even I could feel the excitement on the back of my neck as I read of his return as Dreamfinder at the 2011 D23 Destination D event celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort.  Dreamfinder’s, I mean Schneider’s, writing made it clear that something special and emotional was going to happen even to the non super-fan.  From Dreamer to Dreamfinder is a well written and highly engaging book that provides depth to the performance aspects of theme parks, and an essential for Between Book libraries.    

Review Copy Provided by Bamboo Forest Publishing

           

Goofy Gadgets - Disneyland Explorer for iPad



Screenshot from Disneyland Explorer

 The Between Family is constantly looking for ways to have Disney fun in Betweenland.  The youngest Between Kid has become a big fan of the free application Disneyland Explorer for iPad. 

“Disneyland Explorer for iPad” allows one to slide through a virtual tour of The Disneyland Resort including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, the Downtown Disney District, and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.  The screen is filled with images from these locations and one truly just slides the image to navigate to another land, attraction or region within the resort.  Then by clicking on the images one can dig deeper into the attractions of the resort.  For example clicking on Monstro the Whale will allow you to pull up a more detailed picture of the Storybook Land Canal Boats.  But it’s the games that are a real hit.  Favorites include:

·         The Matterhorn: Play hide and seek with the Yeti.

·         Pirates of the Caribbean: Shoot at and sink pirate ships.

·         The Haunted Mansion: Play the organ.

·         Splash Mountain: Use a water cannon to fight off bees.

·         Star Tours – The Adventure Continues:  Visit alien worlds.

·         Fireworks at Disneyland Park: Create your own fireworks show.

·         Soarin’ Over California: Tour California landmarks.

All of the games are pretty simple with easy navigation and objectives.  For an adult they may be too simple.  But for a young child the navigation and goals are easily within their reach.  In many ways the younger you are, the more fun this free, yes free, application is.  It will help the entire family recapture their Disney memories or prepare for a Disneyland vacation.  If you love Disney and have an iPad in the house it is very worth your time to download Disneyland Explorer for iPad. 

Between Books - Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: Clash of the Class Clowns

Kirk Scroggs continues the story of Danvers Blickensderfer in Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: Clash of the Class Clowns.  Danvers was a former regular human boy who is now a young Muppet with an internship with the Muppets and performing in a Muppet boy band named Mon Swoon.  In this volume Danvers faces off against a new kid in school, Phips a hilarious class clown.  But Phips is not his only nemesis as his little sister Chloe arranges for a reality TV show based on Danvers’ predicament and attempts to unseat Missy Piggy as the diva of the Muppets.  And he decides with his friend Kip to release a single as a super boy band featuring both Mon Swoon and Emo Shun, clearly it will be a hit!  And of course he continues to search for the cause of his Muppet state.  To quote Waldorf, “This book’s got more plots than a graveyard (Scroggs, 207).  I did not even mention the joking zombies or the joke off with Phips!  And of course, Sam the Eagle teaches us all about comedy.

This second offering by Scroggs follows the same format as the first.  He tells his story alternating between narrative text and cartoons that weave in and out of each other.  The illustrations are enjoyable and often funny.  Waldorf is right; there is a lot of plot in this 220 page book.  For some readers the amount of plot could be overwhelming as you feel the tension around the question will everything be resolved?  Fortunately most of the plot points, expect for those useful for a third volume find conclusion. 

Like with Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet, I do not feel like I am the target audience.  I read the book because the Between Tween insisted and I do like to please my children.  The Between Tween quizzed me daily for the three days it took me to finish the book.  I do feel this volume and series would make fun and enjoyable reading for those aged nine to 14.  If and adult can give a book to a kid or tween that they bond over and encourage reading you are clearly winning!  But the youth will probably enjoy it more than you. 

So for the review that matters, I checked in again with the Between Tween.  The Tween says that Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: Clash of the Class Clown is highly enjoyable and really fun.  The volumes are one that can be reread and future volumes are must haves.  The Tween’s favorite plot point was the karate style five masters of comedy segment.  And the Tween was frustrated by Chloe who seems so nice and cute but is so mean to Danvers.  A favorite moment for the Tween was when the Swedish Chef threw mashed potatoes and gravy at the comedy zombies.  And the Tween loved the Puffins who judged the Joke-Off.  The Tween enjoyed the humor and it kept the Between Tween laughing. 

 For the adult reader Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: Clash of the Class Clown is probably not a masterpiece.  But it does provide a really good and fun opportunity to encourage a youngster to read; in fact they may beg to read it.  In the Between House, when the third volume is released in September 2012, it will be a must buy! 

Dreaming Disney - Psycho Suzi's

Psycho Suzi's Easter Island Head

I blame the Poly! 

The Between Tween loves Hawaiian culture.  The kid loves Tikis, dark woods and fruity drinks.  We once took the Between Kids to the Polynesian Resort to eat at ‘Ohana and from that moment the kid has been hooked.  If the kid cannot live in Anaheim or Orlando as an adult, Hawaii is the place the kid wants to be!

For a birthday celebration the Between Wife found Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge as a Tiki themed restaurant within driving distance in Betweenland.   Admittedly the whole family would have preferred a trip to ‘Ohana instead of car trip to North Minneapolis!  But we did make the best of it and took in an early lunch on a rainy Saturday to celebrate the Between Kids' birthdays. 

Let’s just get this out early.  The initial reaction I got from a friend when I told him we were planning to take the kids to Psycho Suzi’s was, “You’re taking your kids there!  It’s a bar.”  And all I can say is yes, yes it is.  We found several online reviews that noted that kids were not admitted in the evening.  But we also saw several that noted they took their kids.  So here is my opinion.  I think the earlier you go in the day the more kid friendly the atmosphere will be.  We arrived before noon on a weekend and the restaurant was not packed with drinkers.  Yes, there were folks at the Bloody Mary bar, but they were not disruptions to our experience.  And we did not have to field any questions about alcohol inspired behavior.  But I am sure hours later the whole atmosphere is probably more like a rowdy Trader Sam’s (I want to go there). 

Psycho Suzi's Dining Area

One of the reasons we wanted to go was to pick up some Tiki inspired glasses for the Between Tween.  We found out from our server that only alcoholic drinks were served in the Tiki glasses.  This method allows the staff to know that only drinking age adults have alcoholic drinks in these fun glasses.  We knew that the Between Tween would be sad but we adults decided to take the bullet and split an alcoholic beverage early in the morning, for us early.  We knew that the look of the glass would impact our drink decision and our server let us know that we could view all the glasses in the gift shop.  Once there we found out that we could just buy the glass!  So instead of having an early cocktail we just bought empty glasses.  We were really pleased that this was an option especially since they had a great selection of really fun mugs and glasses.

A Nice Choice of Tiki Glasses

The food was in the Disney price range, on par with a pricey quick service meal, and much cheaper than a Disney buffet.  The kids got typical fare in hot dogs and a small pizza.  The Between Parents split a deep dish medium pizza which was very good, especially for those we have not had a deep dish in awhile.  The Between Tween also got a mango soda water which received a thumbs up.  In the end I don’t feel like we were adventurous enough.  And if a second trip ever occurs I believe the adults will focus on sharing beer battered appetizers and perhaps skip the pizza.  Also we had discussed getting table s‘mores for desert, which we did not indulge in this time.  But we all agreed they sound really fun.

The dining area itself is decorated in deep dark wood themes.  This theme even goes down to the carpet which is stylized after a wooden plank floor.  From where we were sitting we could see Tiki statues and Tiki glasses and mugs decorating other parts of the dining room.  But in our area of the dining room the decorations were primarily giant wooden utensils!  The reason we sat in this area was to get a view of the deck.  We all wished it was not raining as the deck was where we wanted to be.  It was decorated with a Tiki and Polynesian theme and was situated next to the Mississippi River.  If we come back, which we might with some interested family members, this is where we want to be.

The Outside Deck

Did I mention I really want to go to Trader Sam’s?  Overall, Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lodge gave the Between Family a fun and tasty lunch.  And we walked away with some prized souvenirs, decorating the Between Tween's bedroom.  I think the real lesson here is though you may not be able to get a table at your favorite Disney restaurant because of where you live, does not mean you still can’t find dining that reminds you of those special meals.