Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. From Disney and Pixar, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition and challenges destiny to change her fate.

Brave follows the heroic journey of Merida, a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin (voice of Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (voice of Craig Ferguson) and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (voice of Robbie Coltrane). Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric Witch (voice of Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to harness all of her skills and resources—including her clever and mischievous triplet brothers—to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late, discovering the meaning of true bravery.

Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and produced by Katherine Sarafian, Brave is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters and signature Pixar humor that audiences of all ages around the world have come to eagerly expect. The film takes aim at theaters on June 22.

D23 Member Maria Kerrigan (pictured here with her Disney buddy Adele Curcuruto) went lawn bowling at D23's Smoke Tree Ranch Roundup in January.

Buena Vista Street will bring back a chapter in Los Angeles history that D23 Member Maria Kerrigan has seen in her family photo albums. “My dad grew up in Los Angeles and talked about the red trolley cars,” she explains. “And to have Disney recreate a part of California that doesn’t exist—to be able to step back in time—and to watch your kids experience that for the first time is going to be really amazing.”

Maria is mesmerized by stories from the golden age of Hollywood as passed on to her by her grandfather. “He ran MGM and my mom grew up with Sharon Disney,” she points out as the root of her family’s connection with Disney. And from Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri, to his vacation home in Palm Springs, California, Maria has traveled to some of Walt’s favorite places. “Bringing my boys to D23 events lets them hear the history of what would be contemporary for their great-grandfather—the stories, the studio experience, and all the history connects them with their heritage.”

Anaheim Premiere
“I am so excited for Buena Vista Street, because that is old Hollywood. I look forward to seeing the Carthay Circle Theatre. I heard that it was going to be a theater, and then a restaurant, so I am excited to see the unveiling… and it’s coming up so soon! I can’t wait to see the whole street and getting to see what it was like when Walt came to California, because California changes so much.”

"Bringing my boys to D23 events lets them hear the history of what would be contemporary for their great-grandfather---the stories, the studio experience, and all the history connects them with their heritage," Maria says.

Strike Up the Family Band
“My boys got to play at the park when they were in middle school at Carnation Plaza. That was the most fabulous experience as a parent. To go there and see your kids perform. Chris had a clarinet solo and Ryan was playing the trumpet. That experience just made me even a bigger Disney fan because I have really great memories with my family.”

Beverly Hill Billys
“I love that I can go to the parks and enjoy time with my family. One of our favorite things to do is to go see Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. We love the Puddle Prance. It’s a lot of fun. It’s nice to be able to go to a place where everyone has something that they can enjoy. There is something for everyone.”

Glass Menagerie
“When I was little and I would go to Disneyland, my godmother would go to the glass shop on Main Street and I would pick out an item, and I still have that box at home. I started collecting again. We went about twice a year, so I have roses and the little character figurines that I have been collecting over the years. I just love them. Recently, I got a glass rose with a butterfly on it and a crystal castle that’s really pretty.”

By D23′s Billy Stanek

Each month, Disney fans and D23 Members send us dozens of questions for Disney Legend and Chief Archivist Emeritus, Dave Smith. To get your answers, check back every couple weeks—we’ll be publishing more of our beloved Disney Legend’s answers to your questions about Disney history!

Ask Dave Your Disney History Question ►

Q: Can you give me any information on Disney’s early 1990s concept theme park called Disney’s America?
Hank, Tellico Plains, Tennessee
A: Disney’s America was to be a history-themed park in Prince William County, near Haymarket, Virginia. The plan was to bring history to life by examining the country’s conflicts and successes.  While state officials and local residents were generally in favor of the project, there was intense opposition from a group of historians and environmentalists who complained about it being too near the Manassas Civil War battlefield. Eventually the project was cancelled.

Q: Can you help me find who the narrator is in Disney’s film, The Story of Menstruation?
Amanda, Durham, North Carolina
A: The narrator of this well-known educational film was Gloria Blondell. Miss Blondell came to the Disney Studio on July 25, 1945, to record the narration. She also occasionally did the voice of Daisy Duck, and is known for appearing on such television series as Thriller, Wanted: Dead or Alive, The Life of Riley, and I Love Lucy.

Q: Where was the Walt Disney World Preview Center located while Walt Disney World was being built?
Leon, Indiantown, Florida
A: The Walt Disney World Preview Center, which was open from January 1970 to September 1971, was located on Preview Boulevard, now Hotel Plaza Boulevard, near the intersection of State Road 535 and Interstate 4. The building is still there, on the north side of the boulevard between the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort and the Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort; it is now the national headquarters of the Amateur Athletic Union.

Q: A week ago or so, I noticed a Monorail Café menu for sale/bid on eBay. All I could think about was getting this menu for my son as a Christmas present for the memories it brings. Is there a way to tell if it is an original menu for Monorail Café? Also, could it have been stolen, or did they sell or give them away when they closed the Café?
Philip, Colorado Springs, Colorado
A: The Monorail Café at the Disneyland Hotel closed in 1999. I would assume that you have an original menu—I have not heard of any reprints. There are a number of the menus pictured on the Internet, as they come up for sale from time to time, so you can compare yours. They were sold or given away when the restaurant closed, just as many restaurants give menus to customers if they ask for them.

Q: I recently came across a photo in an envelope with a pre-printed return address that states, “Fun Photo Gallery Disneyland Anaheim, Calif.” on it. The photo (probably Polaroid) shows a group posing in a frame labeled “Honored Guests.” I have never heard of this and am wondering where the gallery was located, what is there now, and, if possible, how long it operated there?
William, Fountain Valley, California
A: There was an Art Gallery and Photo Studio on Main Street, U.S.A. from 1955 to 1959, offering, beginning in 1957, plywood cut-out flats behind which you could pose. Then the operation moved to Tomorrowland, from 1959 to 1967, first known there as Photo Gallery, then Fun Fotos. One paid a dollar for a black and white Polaroid photo.

Q: My question pertains to the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. I have been there several times, and have always left wondering why San Francisco was chosen as the site for the museum. I saw an episode of Eye on the Bay, which told about the museum and the artifacts in it, and how there was a warehouse in San Francisco that housed some of the artifacts, but this still has me wondering how those pieces ended up in San Francisco. I feel like something is missing as to why San Francisco was chosen to house these special items. I am glad that they are here, and love going to the museum. I am just curious how it ended up here.
Jennifer, Fremont, California
A: The museum is a project not of the Disney Company but of the Disney family, spearheaded by Walt’s daughter Diane Disney Miller who lives in the San Francisco area. Having the museum in her backyard, so to speak, enables her to keep close tabs on it.

Q: Was James Baskett recognized with the Disney Legends Award or wasn’t he?
Wild Ol’ Dan, New Orleans, Louisiana
A: James Baskett, who starred as Uncle Remus in Song of the South, has not yet received a Disney Legends award. There were no Legends awards presented in 2010. Baskett did win a special Oscar for his portrayal.

Q: I’m watching Dumbo and one of the elephants sounds exactly like Minnie Mouse. Is the person that did the voice work for Minnie the same as the elephant?
Salvador, Oxnard, California
A: None of the actresses who did the voices of the elephants in Dumbo had also voiced Minnie Mouse. The uncredited actresses were Verna Felton, Noreen Gammill, Dorothy Scott, and Sarah Selby. Felton played the elephant known as Matriarch, Gammill was Fidgity, Scott was Giddy, and Selby was Prissy… and good luck to anyone who knows which elephant is which.

Q: I have always been intrigued by Mr. Disney’s quote about “Think, Believe, Dream, Dare,” but have never been able to find when and why he first uttered those magic words. Would you be so kind as to share with me the etymology of that famous quote?
Don, Bradenton, Florida
A: As you may have noticed on the Internet postings of the inspirational story about Walt Disney speaking to an eight-year-old boy, its author is unknown. We are not aware that Walt ever told this story.

Q: I was going through a box of home movies and found a Disney short called Jealous Mickey. The box has “Home Movies” and “Made in Hollywood Calif.” on it. It has “Enterprises Inc.” on the end flap. The number is 1525-A. This must have been purchased by my parents when I was little. It appears to be in great condition and was probably only run once or twice. Is there a market for this?
Barbara, Camarillo, California
A: When shortened home-movie versions of the Disney cartoons were released in 8mm and 16mm versions, they were often given different titles by Hollywood Film Enterprises, the licensee.  Thus, Jealous Mickey is their title for a part of Mickey’s Rival (1936). They had cut the cartoon into several parts, and gave each part a new title. These films have little or no value, since the cartoons have been released in their complete form on video and DVD.

Q: My very first stuffed animal was an Eeyore. He was given to me at the hospital and has been a constant companion ever since. I am told he belonged to my aunt before me. He is made of furry cloth and has felt features. Interestingly, he is stuffed with ground nutshells and shredded clippings. I’m wondering if you had any idea as to when he may have been manufactured? It would be nice to know more about my Eeyore that spurred my love of Disney.
Jodi, Gainesville, Florida
A: There have been many different plush versions of Eeyore; without knowing the name of the manufacturer and approximate date, it would be hard to find information about yours. The character first appeared in a Disney film in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree in 1966.

Q: To Amanda from Florida who was looking for the picture of Walt Disney World being evacuated on 9/11: I found an AP photo of the evacuation on this blog. I hope it’s the one she was looking for!
Shawn, Lincoln, Rhode Island
A: Thanks for the follow-up.

Q: I have a large collection of Disney character alphabet blocks in different sizes and colors, with two colors on a block. Is there any record of what sizes and type of characters/letters and colors were produced together on a block? Some characters/letters seem to come in only two colors and others in four colors.
Bill, Mission Viejo, California
A: The primary Disney licensee for alphabet blocks was Halsam Products of Chicago, which was first licensed in 1934; they were purchased by Playskool in 1962 and Playskool continued doing the blocks at least through the 1970s (when they were sold in large cans). The Disney blocks were sold throughout these decades, with the packaging changing from time to time, but the blocks remaining pretty much the same (other than new characters being added). They were advertised as “safety blocks,” with smoothly finished sides, rounded corners and edges, and harmless lacquers. The pictures I saw of them were all two-colors.

Q: I recently asked you on the Disney Wonder about whether Walt Disney had been to Pago Pago, American Samoa. If you learn something about this, please let me know.
Lewis, Pago Pago, American Samoa
A: Walt Disney visited Pago Pago on October 22, 1962, while on a South Pacific cruise on the S.S. Mariposa. On that trip he also visited Bora Bora, Papeete, Nandi, and Honolulu.

Q: I love the caricature of you holding a toy Donald Duck.  Who drew it?
Barbara, DeWitt, Michigan
A: That fun drawing was made by Canadian Disney artist and caricaturist Peter Emslie. Besides working for Disney’s Canada office, he also spent some time in the art department at Walt Disney World. He is currently a freelance artist and educator. Peter did that particular drawing after seeing me in a television interview.

Q: Which is the shortest of all the Disney animated movies?
Justin, Appling, Georgia
A: That would be Saludos Amigos, at 42 minutes. Normally, a film of that length would be called a featurette, but Saludos Amigos has always been counted as one of Disney’s animated feature films.

Q: My dad often talks about our family trips to the Magic Kingdom back in the 1970s. Whenever I mention an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World with my family, his first question is “Are you going to have space burgers for lunch?” Might he be referring to the burgers at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café?
Colleen, Buffalo, New York
A: Perhaps he was thinking of the offerings in the old Tomorrowland Terrace, the former name of Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café.  Besides a Space Dog and a steak sandwich, back in the late 1970s guests could order a Moon Burger (a cheeseburger)—95¢; an Orbit Burger (a regular hamburger)—80¢; or a Gemini Burger (double beef patties)—$1.25.

Q: I’ve long been a fan of archives and history, especially that of Disney (which means, naturally, owning multiple editions of Disney A to Z). I’m curious about what sort of various job opportunities ever open up in the Archives or similar sorts of departments at the Disney Company, and what sort of experience and knowledge they might require?
Alissa, Des Moines, Iowa
A: The Walt Disney Archives is a small department, and employees tend to stay a long time.  These days the staff includes not only trained archivists but those who have studied library science, business, history, and other fields. A comprehensive knowledge of Disney is a major plus.

Q: I have heard that there is a video clip of Roy E. Disney portraying his uncle Walt Disney. Have you heard of this video, and is it on DVD anywhere?
Scott, Remlap, Alabama
A: That short film was first called Mickey’s Audition, then the name was changed to Mickey’s Big Break. It was made in 1991, and has been shown several places at the Walt Disney World Resort—in a temporary attraction in a soundstage at Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios), and in the Magic Kingdom in the Main Street Cinema and the Town Square Exhibition Hall (now Town Square Theater). It is no longer being shown, and has not been released on DVD.

Q: I was recently listening to a Cinderella episode of the Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air show from 1938, and the voice of the Fairy Godmother sounded like Verna Felton, who did the voice in the 1950 animated feature. Did she do the voice both times?
Louis, Rego Park, New York
A: That episode of the old Disney radio show aired on the NBC radio network on February 27, 1938. That would make it a dozen years before we made our Cinderella feature film. We do not have voice credits for that episode, but there have been Internet postings noting that Verna Felton was the Fairy Godmother.

Q: I know that Fauntleroy is Donald Duck’s middle name, but do any of the other characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Pluto) have middle names? I also was wondering if there has ever been a book published that details the families of the characters and their backstories?
Rachael, Littleton, Colorado
A: No, the other characters have not been given middle names. The most comprehensive book on the history of the characters is John Grant’s Encyclopedia of Walt Disney’s Animated Characters. Perhaps your local library might have it.

Q: I was a fan of the television drama series Avonlea. Do you know when it aired on Disney Channel and how long it ran?
Jody, West Des Moines, Iowa
A: Avonlea, based on the stories by Lucy Maud Montgomery who wrote Anne of Green Gables, aired on Disney Channel from 1990 to 1996. The popular series was about a high-spirited girl, Sara Stanley, who went to Prince Edward Island in Canada to live with relatives. Sarah Polley starred as Sara.

Q: I am doing a research paper on Disney films made during WWII, specifically those designed to help the war effort. Do you have any information about why Walt Disney wanted to make films like Der Fuehrer’s Face, and why Donald Duck was used in a number of these films?
Debra, Sacramento, California
A: A wave of patriotism swept the nation during World War II, and Walt Disney was one of many caught up in it. He vowed to do what he could to help the war effort, spearheading the production of training and propaganda films by his studio and the designing of military insignia for fighting units. By the 1940s, Donald Duck had become the most popular character at the Disney Studio, and since he had an explosive temperament, he seemed a natural for war-related cartoons.

Q: We recently enjoyed a second dinner at Club 33. We were told by a hostess that the restaurant was completed in 1967. But after leaving, I thought to myself, “How could Mr. Disney sit at a table and watch the guests in New Orleans Square below him in 1967 when he died in 1966?” Could you straighten out the timeline of the Club 33 construction and completion for me?
Denise, Auburn, California
A: Walt Disney never had a chance to sit in Club 33 and watch his guests below in New Orleans Square (as depicted in a well-known piece of artwork), because he died six months before the club was finished. He was very involved in the early planning of the club, and he and his wife, Lilly, had traveled to New Orleans with the club’s designer, Emile Kuri, to select the beautiful antiques to be featured there. But he never got to see the results as he died on December 15, 1966. The club opened on June 15, 1967.

Q: Will they ever release the movie, Perri, the story of a flying squirrel, made in 1957?
Deborah, Albuquerque, New Mexico
A: Perri was released in 2011 on a DVD entitled True Life Adventures: Nature’s Mysteries.

Q: I have what looks like an original watercolor painting. It is from a made-for-TV movie Disney made about 1977 called Harness Fever, I think. In the bottom-right-hand corner of the painting is written in pencil “Harness Fever” and ”Prod. 3752.” Do you know who would have been the artist, or anything else about it?
Bill, Veneta, Oregon
A: This film was also known as Born to Run, which was its TV title in the U.S. when it aired in 1979. It had been released theatrically in Australia and the U.K. as Harness Fever in 1977. We do not know who would have painted your artwork, but the film was produced in Australia, with David Copping credited as its art director.

Q: While cleaning my uncle’s house, I found a box with a publicity package for the original Tron, and assorted one-sheets from various films. Are these worth anything?
Barbara, Stratford, Connecticut
A: Movie memorabilia such as this does have collector interest. These days, such things often get offered for sale on eBay.

Q: I am hoping you can help me with a title of a box set of books I had when I was younger. There were four or five hardcover books. Each book included a different set of stories (fantasy, adventure, and so on). I think they were from the late 1960s or early 1970s. The stories were shortened from the originals. They were all different color books.
Anthony, Tomah, Wisconsin
A: There were two early boxed sets of four Disney books that are fondly remembered. They had enormous sales through mail-order campaigns. The initial set, from 1965, was called The Wonderful Worlds of Walt Disney, with the individual titles being Fantasyland, Worlds of Nature, America, and Stories from Other Lands. The next set (1970, 1977) was The Walt Disney Parade, including Adventures in Fact, Fun Favorites, Fantasy on Parade, and Great Moments in Fiction.  The sets were published by Golden Press and can be readily found on eBay and at many used book stores.

Q: Is there a version of Disney A to Z available that can be downloaded? Is the third edition available on PDF format? Will there be a fourth edition available?
Georgina, Kissimmee, Florida
A: The third edition of Disney A to Z was complete at the time of its compilation, which was 2005-2006. Everything from the two previous editions was included, plus new information. There are no current plans for a fourth edition, and as of now, the third edition is not available electronically.  The encyclopedia is updated monthly on the Disney website by clicking her.

Q: Hello, I am the owner of a Walt Disney signature on a Disneyland Autopia license. I want to make sure it is authentic.
Leo, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
A: If you want to send a scan of it to the Walt Disney Archives, they can give you their opinion as to whether it is Walt Disney’s signature. Contact them at Disney.Archives@disney.com.

Q: I worked for Disney attractions for nine years and 16 years for Publix Super Markets. Publix has a picture of its founder George Jenkins and Walt Disney standing next to each other in front of pictures of landscaping. I contacted Publix, and they are not aware of when and where this picture was taken. They believe it was before the Florida Project. Walt Disney is indeed young looking before he was involved with that. The Jenkins family said that George Jenkins visited Walt Disney at the studios. Did the Disney Company back then keep track of the visitors. This would be George W. Jenkins, founder of Publix Super Markets.  I have a copy of this picture for I worked for both of their companies. Unique to have.
Douglas, Lakeland, Florida
A: Is there a negative number on the verso of the photograph? That would help us identify it if it’s indeed a photo shot by a Disney staff photographer. You might want to send your question and a copy of the photo to the Walt Disney Archives.

Q: I purchased a commemorative coin that claimed to have been given to individuals who entered Walt Disney World on its grand opening. Is there any truth to this claim? Can you give me any information about this coin?
Andrew, St. Louis, Missouri
A: There was no coin given to guests at Walt Disney World during its grand opening. There was a coin that guests could purchase. It has Mickey’s head on one side, and Cinderella Castle, the Contemporary Resort, and a sailboat on the verso, and it is marked “Official Opening Oct. 1971.”

Q: I have long heard that Disney provides gifts or cast-member exclusives to its employees for certain events or anniversaries, whether that be personal or Company. When does this program date to, and do you have an item that you received that is a personal favorite?
Dan, Edwardsville, Illinois
A: Disneyland began honoring its cast members with service awards beginning with its “Tencennial” in 1965, but the Disney Studio did not follow suit until 1981. But besides these service awards, there were indeed occasional gifts to cast members throughout the company, starting also around the 1980s. Often it would be a button or pin. I fondly remember an ornate metal key given to us at the opening of New Fantasyland at Disneyland in 1983, and special commemorative bronze coins for the grand openings of Epcot and Tokyo Disneyland. Cast members were also given the opportunity to purchase limited edition lithographs created for Mickey Mouse’s 50th birthday and other events, and there were occasional cast-exclusive cels.

Q: Rumors have circulated for years that the mascot for Staten Island Community College (now the College of Staten Island) was drawn by Walt Disney himself. It was of a dolphin holding a book and a T-square while wearing a hat with the initials SICC on it. The Disney Company is said to have given the college permission to use the design on the condition that there be no association with the Disney name. Any truth to this rumor?
Chuck, Freehold, New Jersey
A: I find nothing in the Disney files to confirm the rumor you have heard.

Q: In the short “Casey at the Bat,” there is a scene where a lady in the stands pulls a pin out of her hair with the intention of doing something with it, but the next scene has been cut in all the versions I have watched.  What did she do with it?
Brian, Hillsboro, Oregon
A: There is no cut in that scene; it has always been the same. The lady in the stands is yelling “Kill the umpire,” and she pulls out her pin, perhaps threatening to do just that—but you have to read that into the story.

Q: At Christmastime in 1972, my family brought a limestone block to Disneyland. The block was salvaged from an old house on our farm in Ellis, Kansas. The house was once owned by Walt Disney’s grandfather and had the initials of Roy Disney carved into it. Roy and Walt had spent time at this farm when they were younger. I am curious about the pictures of our farm that are in the archives in Disneyland. I would like to bring my children and grandchildren to Disneyland to see these sometime soon. My wife and I now live on this farm and are proud to still have it in our family. A little bit of history and a lot of pride! Could you please let me know if the stone and pictures are still in Disneyland?
Dennis, Ellis, Kansas
A: In the fall of 1912, Roy O. Disney traveled to the home of his uncle, William Harvey Disney, in Ellis to help with the harvest. Six decades later, I visited the farm and noticed the initials, and when I told Roy about them, he indeed recalled carving them. A few years later, when the building on the farm was being demolished, I requested the block of stone with the initials for the Walt Disney Archives. The family brought it with them on a driving trip to California, and it is in the Archives’ collection in Burbank, California. They also have a few photographs of the farm. You can contact the Archives directly.

Q: Who played Lola in Geek Charming?
Gracie, Colorado Springs, Colorado
A: In this Disney Channel film, Lola was portrayed by actress Lili Simmons.

Q: I am looking for a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party button from 1990. It is the only one I do not have. Can you assist with any information as to where I may find this button, or in fact did Disney hand out buttons in 1990?
Robert, Chatham, Ohio
A: We do not have a 1990 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party pin in the Walt Disney Archives, so we can assume that none was produced, even though there was indeed a party (on December 7, 8, and 14).

Q: I don’t have a question, but I just wanted to thank you again for the opportunity to see the original Steamboat Willie typewritten script during the D23 Disney Studios tour this last Sunday and to be able to touch an actual Oscar statue!
Steve, San Diego, California
A: I am pleased that you enjoyed your visit. Thanks for your generous comments.

Q: I’m not sure of another way to contact you, so I’m using this. I’m a current student in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College. I was in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World. I am fascinated by the Disney Company and the Archives. I wish I could get a job with the Archives. I just wanted to tell you that I think you’re a great person and an amazing leader in the library and information science field. Thank you for being such a positive influence in our field.
Lindsey, Boston, Massachusetts
A: Thank you, Lindsey; I appreciate the kind words.

Q: When was Sharon Disney born? I know when Diane Disney was born but not Sharon.
Ian, Roselle, Illinois
A: Walt and Lilly Disney’s younger daughter, Sharon, was born on December 31, 1936. Later in her life, she served on the Disney board of directors for several years; she passed away in 1993.

Nominated for 8 Tony® Awards including Best Musical, Newsies is the brand-new, New York musical about an unlikely band of underdogs who take on the biggest names in publishing in a remarkable fight for justice and fair pay. With its heart-stirring songs, electrifying choreography and incredible breakout cast, Newsies has taken Broadway by storm!

For a limited time, D23 Members purchase Orchestra and Front Mezzanine seats at many performances for just $89 each (a savings of up to 20 percent).

Based upon the real-life “Newsboy Strike of 1899,” the musical features a score by Disney legend and eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by four-time Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein. This dynamic smash hit is choreographed by Tony Award nominee Christopher Gattelli and directed by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun.

Purchase Tickets at Ticketmaster.com ►

THE PROMOTIONAL CODE IS THE FIRST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR D23 MEMBERSHIP NUMBER.
(If your membership number is 1234 your promotional code would be 1234).
Your membership number is listed on the back of your D23 Membership card or available by emailing GuestServices@D23.com.

Valid for performances from June 11 through August 18, 2012
Monday through Friday, Saturday Evening, and Sunday Evening June 17, 2012
Excluding: June 13 Matinee, June 15 Evening, June 16 Evening, June 22 Evening, June 23 Eve, June 30 Evening, July 14 Evening, July 21 Evening, July 28 Evening, and August 11 Evening.

NOTE: D23 Members may be asked to present their D23 Membership card at the theater. Offer valid for select orchestra and mezzanine seats at most performances Monday through Friday and Saturday evenings from June 11 through August 18, 2012, and Sunday, June 17 evening. Offer not valid for performances 6/13 Mat, 6/15 Eve, 6/16 Eve, 6/22 Eve, 6/23 Eve, 6/30 Eve, 7/14 Eve, 7/21 Eve, 7/28 Eve and 8/11 Eve. Offer not valid on prior purchased tickets and may not be combined with any other offer. ALL SALES FINAL. No refunds. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply. Prices include $2.00 facility fee per ticket to which discount does not apply. Standard Ticketmaster services fees apply to online or phone orders. Dates, times, prices and cast subject to change without notice. Offer may be revoked without notice. Limit 20 tickets per person per 7-day period. Offer Expires 6/9/2012.

New series for the 2012-13 season are 666 Park Avenue, The Family Tools, How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life), Last Resort, Malibu Country, Mistresses, Nashville, -The Neighbors, Red Widow and Zero Hour.

America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Body of Proof, Castle, Dancing with the Stars, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, Grey’s Anatomy, Happy Endings, Last Man Standing, The Middle, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, Primetime: What Would You Do?, Private Practice, Revenge, Scandal, Shark Tank, Suburgatory, 20/20 and Wife Swap will return.

“We are using the success we achieved last season as a strong foundation to launch some more great shows this time around,” Lee said. “Last year was about stability and ambition, this year is about growth and continuing momentum, with strong programming that will stake ABC’s claim on more nights as the home of quality entertainment.”

A solid mix of promising new series and returning hits is what drove ABC to strong results in the 2011-12 Season. Season to date among Adults 18-49, ABC claims TV’s No. 1 comedy/scripted series (Modern Family), the No. 1 drama (Grey’s Anatomy) and the No. 1 freshman drama (Once Upon a Time). Led by Emmy-winning Modern Family, ABC’s two-hour Wednesday night comedy block continues to connect with audiences, posting its second straight year of growth with viewers (+3%) and young adults (+6%). In addition, ABC is the only network up during the 10 o’clock hour on Monday-Friday as lead-in to affiliates’ late-local newscasts with Total Viewers (+8%) and Adults 25-54 (+7%).

Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. Please note shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2012-13 season.

ABC’s fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern); new shows are in bold:

Things get out of hand for befuddled father George Banks (Martin) when his young daughter unexpectedly announces her plans to wed. Life gets even crazier in the sidesplitting sequel when his daughter and his wife (Keaton) both announce they are pregnant, and George desperately tries to capture the wild and crazy days of his youth.

Pick up your copy beginning today, and relive every heartwarming and hilarious moment in this special two-disk collection.

In One Shot at Forever, a small-town high school baseball team from rural Illinois in 1971 playing with hand-me-down uniforms and peace signs on their hats defied convention and the odds. Led by an English teacher with no coaching experience, the Macon Ironmen emerged from a field of 370 teams to represent the smallest school in Illinois history to make the state final, a distinction that still stands. There, sporting long hair and warming up to Jesus Christ Superstar, the Ironmen would play a dramatic game against a Chicago powerhouse that would change their lives forever.

In this gripping, cinematic narrative, Sports Illustrated writer Chris Ballard tells the story of the team and its coach, Lynn Sweet, a hippie, dreamer and intellectual who arrived in Macon in 1966, bringing progressive ideas to a town stuck in the Eisenhower era. Beloved by students but not administration, Sweet reluctantly took over the ragtag team, intent on teaching the boys as much about life as baseball. Inspired by Sweet’s unconventional methods and led by fiery star Steve Shartzer and spindly curveball artist John Heneberry, the undersized, undermanned Macon Ironmen embarked on an improbable postseason run that infuriated rival coaches and buoyed a town suffering from a damaging drought and the shadow of the Vietnam War—one in desperate need of something to celebrate.

Beginning with Sweet’s arrival, Ballard takes readers on a journey to the Ironmen’s historic season and then on to the present day, returning to the 1971 Ironmen to explore the effect the game had on their lives’ trajectories—and the men they’ve become because of it. Engaging and poignant, One Shot at Forever is a testament to the power of high school sports to shape the lives of those who play them, and it reminds us that there are few bonds more sacred than that among a coach, a team and a town.

And in Across That Bridge, Congressman John Lewis draws from his experience as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless guidance to anyone seeking to live virtuously and transform the world. His wisdom, poignant recollections and powerful ideas will inspire a new generation to usher in a freer, more peaceful society.

The Civil Rights Movement gave rise to the protest culture we know today, and the experiences of leaders like Congressman Lewis have never been more relevant. Now, more than ever, this nation needs a strong and moral voice to guide an engaged population through visionary change.

Marvel’s The Avengers is expected to cross the $1 billion threshold at the global box office on May 13, its 19th day in release, The Walt Disney Studios has announced. This is the first Marvel Studios film and the fifth Walt Disney Studios release to reach this important milestone.

The news comes just a week after Marvel’s The Avengers shattered records with a $207.4 million opening weekend, the biggest domestic debut of all time. The film has now earned an estimated $373.1 million at the domestic box office and $627.2 million internationally. As one of only 12 films in history to gross $1 billion, it joins Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Alice in Wonderland, Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on Disney’s list of billion-dollar films.

“We’re obviously thrilled with the global success of The Avengers,” said Bob Iger, Disney’s Chairman and CEO. ”It’s a fantastic movie and an extraordinary franchise that will continue with more great stories and compelling characters for years to come.”

Marvel’s The Avengers has set several domestic box office records including the industry’s all-time second weekend record with an estimated $103.1 million, fastest film to reach $200 million (3 days), fastest to $300 million (in a record 9 days), and highest Saturday ($69.5 million) and Sunday ($57 million) totals. In addition, its opening day of $80.8 million is the second-highest single-day gross of all time. Moviegoers gave Marvel’s The Avengers a rare A+ CinemaScore.

Internationally, Marvel’s The Avengers began opening April 25 and is the biggest opening weekend of all time in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Central America, Peru, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines and United Arab Emirates. Marvel’s The Avengers has now opened in all major markets except Japan (August 17).

On May 8, Disney announced that a sequel to Marvel’s The Avengers was in development, following last month’s announcement that a follow-up to 2011′s Captain America: The First Avenger will be released April 4, 2014. A sequel to last summer’s Thor is scheduled for release November 15, 2013, and the third installment of the hit Iron Man series, which has earned more than $1,000.3 million worldwide, will arrive in theaters May 3, 2013.

Sure, you might’ve read about the resort’s opening back in ’92, but do know the real stories and true facts behind the planning, designing, and building of Disneyland Paris Resort? For instance, did you know that the same man who worked on the restoration of Notre Dame supervised the stained glass windows in the castle? Or that the Plaza Gardens Restaurant has its very own backstory?

So take a ride with us through 10 of the best and most magnifique facts about Disneyland Paris Resort! It’s the next best thing to going there…

The Stained-Glass Windows of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle
Paul Chapman, an English stained-glass specialist who’d worked on the restoration of Notre Dame, was a fascinating European artisan who contributed to the construction of the castle. When work began on the park, he was already in his 80s, but he didn’t hesitate to supervise the creation of the splendid stained-glass windows that tell the story of Sleeping Beauty’s Princess Aurora.

Coat of Arms in the Castle
Inside the castle, on the first floor—just before the terrace—one can find the coat of arms belonging to the artists who worked on the castle concept. The Latin inscriptions make reference to the roles that the Imagineers played in the project. The Disney family coat of arms, which features three lions, can be found on the left side of the castle, just above the entrance to Fantasyland.

The Murals of the Plaza Gardens Restaurant
The three murals decorating Plaza Gardens, painted by Dan Goozee, revive the atmosphere that existed 100 years ago and reinforce the idea that nothing in the park is here by chance. Everything is anchored by a storyline in which Plaza Gardens was originally in the middle of nowhere. Then the railroad arrived, a hotel was built, and the town developed between the restaurant and the hotel from 1870 and 1880.

The Main Street Transportation Company Building
The shape of the Main Street Transportation Company building opposite City Hall is similar to the shape of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA.

The Artifacts in Discovery Arcade
In the U.S., filing the model of an invention that you wished to patent became obligatory in 1836. By 1880, the Patent Office had already received more than 175,000 models, and there was no space left to stock them—so in 1907, Congress insisted that they be sold, destroyed, or given away. Years later, American Cliff Petersen started to collect these artifacts and managed to bring together some 40,000 of them. Fifty-two of the collection’s best pieces are on display in the Discovery Arcade windows.

Building Big Thunder Mountain
“I had bought lots of mining tools from the period to scatter around Big Thunder Mountain and imply that the miners existed,” remembers Imagineer Pat Burke. “There was an Irish team in charge of installing all the props. The tools they had were modern and not at all what was needed to work on the machinery we had bought, which came from the [previous] century. So I lent them all the tools from the right time period, and you can now see them in the queuing area of Big Thunder Mountain, where they were used to install the decorative elements.”

The Futuristic Discoveryland
The concept for Discoveryland was so successful and effective that when the new Tomorrowlands were created in the U.S. parks, the basis for them was the very same design that had originally been developed for the Paris resort.

Building Alice’s Curious Labyrinth
“We only had two and a half years before the opening to grow the hedges of the Alice’s Curious Labyrinth maze,” remembers Imagineer David Minichiello. “To accomplish this feat, we found a tree nursery in the north of France. As soon as the hedges had finished growing there, we relocated the finished maze, piece by piece. Each of the hedges was numbered, like pieces of a puzzle.”

Hidden Details of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Skilled European artisans who specialize in creating and restoring tapestries from French castles designed the tapestries that guests can admire in the Tower of Terror lobby.

Walt Disney and Louis Lumière
The “Place des Frères Lumière” at Walt Disney Studios Park is a fitting homage to the French cinema pioneers—which clearly has its place in a Disney park, since Walt Disney had the chance to meet Louis Lumière during his trip to Europe in 1935. At the time, Lumière was working on technology to show movies in 3D!

By D23′s Didier Ghez