Insert snazzy logo!

Beginning October 1, we will be making a change to the monthly giveaways. Giveaway entries will be limited to a maximum of 10 per person no matter how much you donate throughout the month.

Normally, every dollar donated is a separate entry ($1 = 1 entry, $20 = 20 entries, $100 = 100 entries, and so on). The problem with this is that in theory, a person could “buy” the giveaway, which would be unfair to everyone else. Yes, there is always a chance that the “little man” could still win (winners are chosen using a random number generator), but their chances are far less.

Another change is also being made. Winner(s) of the previous giveaway will not be eligible for the current giveaway. We don’t want to make it seem like we’re playing favorites, even though winners are picked at random. And, we want other guests to have a crack at the prizes.

You can now follow up on new News posts with Twitter; new posts will automatically post to Twitter when they’re posted. You still have to come here to read the posts (obviously!).

If you prefer to read the News in your email client or news reader, the RSS feed is always an option.

As Halloween time approaches, it’s time to start thinking about how to end the year. The Haunted Experience is finished. The new website layout is finished. And, updates/improvements have been made that will debut in September.

Yes, September is when it all starts, but we’re still waiting for word about next month’s possible monthly giveaway sponsorship. I should know by Monday/Tuesday at the latest. With all of this talk turned towards monthly giveaways, I started thinking about the following months.

This month’s giveaway has generated so much interest (there will be 2 winners now!) and revenue for the website, that the current plan is to have a giveaway every month for the rest of the year. If all goes well, December’s possible sponsorship promises to be a biggie for Disney theme park enthusiasts. As for the other months, you’ll just have to wait and see!

The Walt Disney Family Museum (WDFM) is pleased to present the special exhibition Between Frames: The Magic Behind Stop Motion Animation, on view from September 27, 2012 to April 28, 2013 in the Museum’s Theater Gallery. Curated by WDFM Registrar and Curatorial Assistant Anel Muller, the exhibition explores the evolution of stop motion animation in the United States—especially in special effects, television, and film—while examining some of the key milestones and innovators including Willis O’ Brien (King Kong), Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas), Art Clokey (Gumby), Ray Harryhausen (It Came From Beneath the Sea), Henry Selick (Coraline and James and the Giant Peach), Phil Tippett (Star Wars and Jurassic Park), and more. Read More

Welcome back to Beckyland! Becky’s second contribution to the site is the old Disneyland information and ticket booth. Could you imagine seeing booths scattered all around the park nowadays? How about the horrific lines just to buy additional tickets or get information? Yikes!

San Francisco, CA – August 13, 2012—Animal lovers rejoice! Our furry friends will be in the spotlight all throughout September at The Walt Disney Family Museum, where we will be screening the classic Disney live-action film Old Yeller daily. Based on Fred Gibson’s Newberry Honor-winning book of the same name, Old Yeller tells the moving tale of the mutual devotion between animals and their human companions.

Through the production of Old Yeller, Walt Disney sought to combine the popularity of his nature films as well as that of The Mickey Mouse Club by bringing to life a story that emphasized both animals and children—a story that would go on to capture the heart of audiences across the country. Old Yeller opened to great success in 1957, and was well-received by critics and audiences alike. The extraordinarily positive reception of Old Yeller encouraged Walt to continue his endeavors in the field of live-action. Since then, many more animal films have been made, but this tried and true Disney feature is perhaps the finest of its genre. Read More

Yesterday, I completed the new site design, and now the focus will be on changing the WordPress theme to match. It’s a different monster to tackle, and will require the News to periodically be shut down for testing.

The new site design will debut in November, but you will see the new layout on October 1 with this year’s Haunted Experience graphics. I’m not sure about this year’s theme, though. I typically lean toward either a Haunted Mansion or Disney villain theme. This year, I’m throwing around the idea of either a Nightmare Before Christmas or an all-inclusive Pirates of the Caribbean theme.

—EDIT—

For testing, I will need to do a separate installation of WordPress. So, the news will not be interrupted.

All $1 donations are automatically entered to win, and each dollar counts as an entry. So, the more you donate, the better chance you have of winning. All donations must be received by August 31 (Pacific Time), 2012. Winner(s) will be selected at random. Check the comments in this post to identify the winner.

It has been far too long since we last had a giveaway. Let’s fix that! And, why not start with an epic movie?