The Disney Frontier Blog

I received an email from Tim, the owner of AfterTheMouse.com. Here is what he had to say about his new site:

For more details contact:

Tim Jennings (site Owner)

(Rather than post his email address, contact me if you want it)

London 30th October

Disney Cast Members get their own independent web community.

After the Mouse is an independent, non-Disney affiliated community portal for past and present Disney Cast Members.

The site was founded to answer the one question guaranteed to be asked at any Disney Reunion, “I wonder what happened to that kid we used to work with…?”

The site is founded by English ex-Cast Member Tim Jennings who says “The idea behind the site is simple; many of us who worked for the Mouse have very fond memories of this special time in our lives, and the friends we made. The community allows members to find each other, make contact and renew friendships.”

The community is open to all Cast Members regardless of where or when they worked. Parks, Resorts, and Disney Store employees are all welcome to join and find their place in the group.

Blogs

Blog posts and links to http://afterthemouse.com/ would be really appreciated. All links will be reciprocated. Specialized blogs of particular interest may be added to our “news and Rumor” pages

Since I am not an ex-cast member (just a wanna be), this site isn’t for me. However, if you are, check it out and give Tim some feedback.

Earlier, I linked to some online clips for the new Little Einstein’s DVD. Via some Disney PR folks, I was able to get an advanced copy of the DVD to review. While I’m not an expert reviewer, I can tell you my kids have watched it probably 10 times over the last five days - that means it’s good.

The main feature, Rocket’s Firebird Rescue, is about the length of three normal TV episodes found on the Disney channel. The nice thing about the DVD is instead of featuring one artist, usually a painter, and one classical song it features multiple types of art including sculpture and dance. In this DVD they also include some shapes around June’s dancing. All in all, it is far more educational than a typical episode.

The alternative viewing that I mentioned previous turned out to be a some what interactive “game”. During the DVD, when a feather appears on screen, you can hit enter on your DVD remote. It will pause the movie and run an educational feature related to that spot in the movie. When all the feathers are found, you get to see a special surprise - I won’t spoil it here.

This DVD makes good use of Disney’s FastPlay feature. Usually, this means the movie plays after the previews without having to hit play - nice when watching in the car. In this DVD with FastPlay, a second regular length episode will play after the main feature.

You can buy the DVD starting today. Here is a link to Amazon: Rocket’s Firebird DVD. I recommend it if you’re kids are a fan of the Little Einsteins or if they are just getting to that age where Baby Einsteins isn’t cutting it anymore.

It’s ashame but true. Tomorrowland is far from futuristic anymore. Everything futuristic has either come true (microwave ovens) or is so unlikely (hover cars), that there is little imagination lent to the idea. The best the imagineers have done is the Carousel of Progress which features not to imaginitive near term technologies that feel more like an advertisement for a consumer product than a fantastic vision of tomorrow.

Matt at Paleo-Future has an excellent blog post along these lines. Paleo-Future: Disney Calls Future a Thing of the Past (1997)

Disneyland in China?

Complete Google Map of Disney World with pins for attractions, dining, restrooms, and shopping.

Anyone who listens to the official Lost Podcast knows that the executive directors have always wanted the show to end on their terms. In fact, they have been lobbying to choose an end date so the show won’t get cut abruptly. Their rationale is simple, the show can’t work for ever. Unlike most dramas where new story lines can constantly be developed, Lost has a beginning, middle and end.

Now the press is reporting the end date, 2010. This AP article, which probably is running in countless papers across the country, blames the lower ratings this season as the cause for the date. It paints this decision as a last ditch effort to save the show.

I couldn’t disagree more. To me, as a rabid Lost fan, this is great news. The writers will have parameters to work in that will help reveal certain plot factors throughout the story. They don’t have to fear ABC and its programming decisions. The show is going to jump three fold in quality over the next 3 seasons. I can’t wait to see it.

This image was submitted by reader Robert Payne. This is a local Reno, Nevada license plate from a potential DisneyFrontier reader.

Well, the new Disney.com home page has launched and it’s about a million times better than the old one. I do have one complaint. In the DisneyMotion.com site, you can link to specific videos. On the new home page, you can’t. Anyway, I can’t wait to see how it evolves.