Plants Vs. Zombies Free 'til Nov. 10th!

To contact us Click HERE
Todd Jepperson

The ADA and PopCap Games have teamed up to STOP ZOMBIE MOUTH this Halloween. From now, 'til November 10th, you can follow this link and grab your free copy of the winner of over 30 game of the year awards, Plants Vs. Zombies!


 There's no limit to how many copies you install, so grab every computer you can get your hands on and share the gift of braaaaaaiiiins.

It's a Zombie Typocalypse!

To contact us Click HERE
Todd Jepperson

Looking for a way to kill time until Friday? Check out this cool online game Zombie Typocalypse! Controls are easy, just type words using the letter keys on your keyboard, switch weapons using the number keys, and switch ammo type using the '[' and ']' keys. Remember, kids, aim for the head!


(if it's too hard to read, follow this link over to Addicting Games)

'Zombie Apocalypse' to air on The Discovery Channel

To contact us Click HERE
Matt Boiselle

   If you are one of the countless souls gathered amongst the masses that when mid-December rolls around,
you have been beaten severely around the head and shoulders area with the never-ending glut of holiday-themed programming coming out of your High-Definition happy boxes.

  Tired of The Grinch ? Sick of Charlie Brown wrecking that damned pathetic looking Christmas tree ? Ready to punch Ralphie from A Christmas Story square in his giblets ? Then rejoice my fellow zombie aficionados, because The Discovery Channel has become the latest to jump on the back of the rampaging phenomenon of the living dead and it's impending holocaust.

    'Zombie Apocalypse', airing Tuesday, December 18th will focus on the stories and disaster-preparation scenarios of 4 different people who, in varying ways are readying themselves for what they feel WILL be the end of all things. The main thing to remember here is that with the title plainly expressed, the show itself seems to insinuate that there can be an apocalypse without the dead rising from the graves, and while that certainly seems feasible......it just wouldn't be as fun if there weren't any zombies shambling around....anyone agree ? Oh well, tune into The Discovery Channel on Tuesday, December 18th - airtime is unlisted as of yet, but it's sure to be in the prime-time hours so check it out !
 

FASTPASS+ What we know so far (and what we don't)

To contact us Click HERE
FASTPASS+ (FP+) has concluded its third test of 2012 at Walt Disney World. This system will go wide soon at WDW, so let's review what we know and what we don't.



What we know:

1. FP+ will allow for reservations ahead of time (weeks/months) before a vacation
2. If it follows the tests, FP+ will only let users choose four reservations per day (and only in one park)
3. If it follows the tests, FP+ will only let you choose ONE E-ticket, one or two D/C ticket rides, and then an A/B ticket ride (or a show/parade reservation?).You can't get all four roller-coasters as your four reservations, for instance.
4. Once it's fully enabled, FP+ will replace regular FP, and there will be no "day of" FP options
5. The exception to #4 above is that in-park kiosks will let you replace / remake reservations for the same day if you miss your reservation. Since this is essentially very late in the game, you shouldn't count on "big" rides being available. If you miss your Space Mtn. reservation, you are likely to have to choose something like PeopleMover or Philharmagic to replace it. Everything else will likely be "sold out" that day.

What we don't know:

1. It's unclear if annual passholders get to make reservations too. Early rumors point to 20 reservations per quarter (or 80 per year), but exactly HOW that will be divided hasn't been revealed yet, if the number is true at all.
2. No one knows if the TOTAL number of reservations in the park per day are going up, going down, or staying the same. Let's pretend that in 2010, the Magic Kingdom issued 200,000 paper ticket FASTPASSES per summer day, spread across the ten or so attractions that used regular FP (most of them E-tickets). In 2013, will the reservations system issue 300,000 reservations, now that smaller rides are included in the list of possible reservations? Or will it still be 200,000 - but not spread out among MORE attractions? If the latter, that will mean shorter standby wait times at the "big" attractions.
3. We don't know WHEN in 2013 the system will fully take over and replace regular FP.

Discussion
Spontaneity. There is little arguing that a major downside of the new system will be a loss of spontaneity. You have to plan the four reservations you get MONTHS in advance, so now the rides will be a bit like restaurants - your day is being planned out long before you arrive. This is far from relaxing, and changed the tenor of a "vacation" in general. A few folks may feel the opposite is true; that locking up reservations represents a relief, and they can now relax confident that they have what they need.

Optimism. I've been cautiously optimistic about FP+ since February of 2012, when I speculated that it's possible that the new system might be BETTER than the current system, especially if they result in shorter, faster-moving standby lines at the "big" rides like Space Mountain.

I still think that if they tweak the system *just right* they can end up with a reality where people who want to make 1-2 really important reservations can do so, but otherwise, the day is spent waiting in lines. The inequality of the 2009-FP-World won't exist, where clueless tourists skipped the FP system (thinking erroneously that it was just optional and their wait would be the same either way) while locals and experienced users realized shorter wait times as a result. The revised system is unlikely to let first timers make such a mistake, and the net result is more fairness distributed, which can only be good.

---
Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

... And We're Off !!

To contact us Click HERE
It took a bit of patience, pre-planning, and a whole lotta' labor to put away the graveyard of Shingle Creek Manor this year without resorting to off site storage somewhere. All the while I plotted and planned for something even bigger this next year, of which I'm sure the reality of it not being possible with just the two of us will slap me in the face around mid-Summer. For now, the shop is back to normal and the props have been neatly put away, and the stress of Christmas is upon us...

We hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving and found plenty to thankful for. Although Christmas had already found it's way to our store shelves before Halloween had even arrived, the official starting flag was waved today with the ridiculousness of Black Friday. So like many of you we are running the race of gift buying, cookie making, Christmas card sending, food baking,  house decorating, before the big day panic that is Christmas. Good times....!

It's a Zombie Typocalypse!

To contact us Click HERE
Todd Jepperson

Looking for a way to kill time until Friday? Check out this cool online game Zombie Typocalypse! Controls are easy, just type words using the letter keys on your keyboard, switch weapons using the number keys, and switch ammo type using the '[' and ']' keys. Remember, kids, aim for the head!


(if it's too hard to read, follow this link over to Addicting Games)

'Zombie Apocalypse' to air on The Discovery Channel

To contact us Click HERE
Matt Boiselle

   If you are one of the countless souls gathered amongst the masses that when mid-December rolls around,
you have been beaten severely around the head and shoulders area with the never-ending glut of holiday-themed programming coming out of your High-Definition happy boxes.

  Tired of The Grinch ? Sick of Charlie Brown wrecking that damned pathetic looking Christmas tree ? Ready to punch Ralphie from A Christmas Story square in his giblets ? Then rejoice my fellow zombie aficionados, because The Discovery Channel has become the latest to jump on the back of the rampaging phenomenon of the living dead and it's impending holocaust.

    'Zombie Apocalypse', airing Tuesday, December 18th will focus on the stories and disaster-preparation scenarios of 4 different people who, in varying ways are readying themselves for what they feel WILL be the end of all things. The main thing to remember here is that with the title plainly expressed, the show itself seems to insinuate that there can be an apocalypse without the dead rising from the graves, and while that certainly seems feasible......it just wouldn't be as fun if there weren't any zombies shambling around....anyone agree ? Oh well, tune into The Discovery Channel on Tuesday, December 18th - airtime is unlisted as of yet, but it's sure to be in the prime-time hours so check it out !
 

Warm Bodies: Watch the first 4 minutes NOW !

To contact us Click HERE
Matt Boiselle
       
       Think Endless Love meets Night of the Living Dead - take a budding teen romance, and throw in hordes of flesh-craving denizens of the dead, and PRESTO !.... you have the latest romantic-comedy to hit the big screen in the upcoming movie Warm Bodies.

     This sure to be cult-hit stars Nicholas Hoult as the zombie-in-love named R, and his human crush Julie(played by actress Teresa Palmer) - the movie, which was created from the novel written by author Isaac Marion, puts the two smitten adolescents in an almost-"forbidden love" scenario - the more that zombie R falls in love with Julie, the less he holds onto the zombie tendencies, but as time passes, the urges of the undead begin to take over more and more intensely, and R starts to become a "bonie", a savage flesh-hungry beast that will devour anything in its path.

    Will true love prevail ?, or is it no match for the primal rage which lays dormant in the black soul of a reanimated killer ? - Warm Bodies hits theaters February 1st, but you can feast your dead eyes on the 1st 4 minutes of footage just by clicking on the video link above and judge for yourself if this movie deserves your hard-earned dollars - watch and enjoy !!

FASTPASS+ What we know so far (and what we don't)

To contact us Click HERE
FASTPASS+ (FP+) has concluded its third test of 2012 at Walt Disney World. This system will go wide soon at WDW, so let's review what we know and what we don't.



What we know:

1. FP+ will allow for reservations ahead of time (weeks/months) before a vacation
2. If it follows the tests, FP+ will only let users choose four reservations per day (and only in one park)
3. If it follows the tests, FP+ will only let you choose ONE E-ticket, one or two D/C ticket rides, and then an A/B ticket ride (or a show/parade reservation?).You can't get all four roller-coasters as your four reservations, for instance.
4. Once it's fully enabled, FP+ will replace regular FP, and there will be no "day of" FP options
5. The exception to #4 above is that in-park kiosks will let you replace / remake reservations for the same day if you miss your reservation. Since this is essentially very late in the game, you shouldn't count on "big" rides being available. If you miss your Space Mtn. reservation, you are likely to have to choose something like PeopleMover or Philharmagic to replace it. Everything else will likely be "sold out" that day.

What we don't know:

1. It's unclear if annual passholders get to make reservations too. Early rumors point to 20 reservations per quarter (or 80 per year), but exactly HOW that will be divided hasn't been revealed yet, if the number is true at all.
2. No one knows if the TOTAL number of reservations in the park per day are going up, going down, or staying the same. Let's pretend that in 2010, the Magic Kingdom issued 200,000 paper ticket FASTPASSES per summer day, spread across the ten or so attractions that used regular FP (most of them E-tickets). In 2013, will the reservations system issue 300,000 reservations, now that smaller rides are included in the list of possible reservations? Or will it still be 200,000 - but not spread out among MORE attractions? If the latter, that will mean shorter standby wait times at the "big" attractions.
3. We don't know WHEN in 2013 the system will fully take over and replace regular FP.

Discussion
Spontaneity. There is little arguing that a major downside of the new system will be a loss of spontaneity. You have to plan the four reservations you get MONTHS in advance, so now the rides will be a bit like restaurants - your day is being planned out long before you arrive. This is far from relaxing, and changed the tenor of a "vacation" in general. A few folks may feel the opposite is true; that locking up reservations represents a relief, and they can now relax confident that they have what they need.

Optimism. I've been cautiously optimistic about FP+ since February of 2012, when I speculated that it's possible that the new system might be BETTER than the current system, especially if they result in shorter, faster-moving standby lines at the "big" rides like Space Mountain.

I still think that if they tweak the system *just right* they can end up with a reality where people who want to make 1-2 really important reservations can do so, but otherwise, the day is spent waiting in lines. The inequality of the 2009-FP-World won't exist, where clueless tourists skipped the FP system (thinking erroneously that it was just optional and their wait would be the same either way) while locals and experienced users realized shorter wait times as a result. The revised system is unlikely to let first timers make such a mistake, and the net result is more fairness distributed, which can only be good.

---
Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

... And We're Off !!

To contact us Click HERE
It took a bit of patience, pre-planning, and a whole lotta' labor to put away the graveyard of Shingle Creek Manor this year without resorting to off site storage somewhere. All the while I plotted and planned for something even bigger this next year, of which I'm sure the reality of it not being possible with just the two of us will slap me in the face around mid-Summer. For now, the shop is back to normal and the props have been neatly put away, and the stress of Christmas is upon us...

We hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving and found plenty to thankful for. Although Christmas had already found it's way to our store shelves before Halloween had even arrived, the official starting flag was waved today with the ridiculousness of Black Friday. So like many of you we are running the race of gift buying, cookie making, Christmas card sending, food baking,  house decorating, before the big day panic that is Christmas. Good times....!

It's a Zombie Typocalypse!

To contact us Click HERE
Todd Jepperson

Looking for a way to kill time until Friday? Check out this cool online game Zombie Typocalypse! Controls are easy, just type words using the letter keys on your keyboard, switch weapons using the number keys, and switch ammo type using the '[' and ']' keys. Remember, kids, aim for the head!


(if it's too hard to read, follow this link over to Addicting Games)

'Zombie Apocalypse' to air on The Discovery Channel

To contact us Click HERE
Matt Boiselle

   If you are one of the countless souls gathered amongst the masses that when mid-December rolls around,
you have been beaten severely around the head and shoulders area with the never-ending glut of holiday-themed programming coming out of your High-Definition happy boxes.

  Tired of The Grinch ? Sick of Charlie Brown wrecking that damned pathetic looking Christmas tree ? Ready to punch Ralphie from A Christmas Story square in his giblets ? Then rejoice my fellow zombie aficionados, because The Discovery Channel has become the latest to jump on the back of the rampaging phenomenon of the living dead and it's impending holocaust.

    'Zombie Apocalypse', airing Tuesday, December 18th will focus on the stories and disaster-preparation scenarios of 4 different people who, in varying ways are readying themselves for what they feel WILL be the end of all things. The main thing to remember here is that with the title plainly expressed, the show itself seems to insinuate that there can be an apocalypse without the dead rising from the graves, and while that certainly seems feasible......it just wouldn't be as fun if there weren't any zombies shambling around....anyone agree ? Oh well, tune into The Discovery Channel on Tuesday, December 18th - airtime is unlisted as of yet, but it's sure to be in the prime-time hours so check it out !
 

Pandora - Avatarland idea for glowing plants

To contact us Click HERE
I ran into some glowing plants recently and think Disney could adopt this technology pretty easily, tweaking it for Pandora at DAK.


As you can tell, the palm frond is glowing with dots, something like looks like it belongs in the Avatar movie. In this case, the dots are green, but it could be done with blue, I assume.

It was accomplished via refracted lights shining from underneath the leaf. The prism effect threw light dots all over the trees, the walkway, the people. It kind of looked like lasers, but I wonder if they weren't just LEDs since lasers strike me as dangerous to put onto people like that.

This example was found in the Christmas decorations at Lowry Park Zoo (in Tampa).







---
Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

FASTPASS+ What we know so far (and what we don't)

To contact us Click HERE
FASTPASS+ (FP+) has concluded its third test of 2012 at Walt Disney World. This system will go wide soon at WDW, so let's review what we know and what we don't.



What we know:

1. FP+ will allow for reservations ahead of time (weeks/months) before a vacation
2. If it follows the tests, FP+ will only let users choose four reservations per day (and only in one park)
3. If it follows the tests, FP+ will only let you choose ONE E-ticket, one or two D/C ticket rides, and then an A/B ticket ride (or a show/parade reservation?).You can't get all four roller-coasters as your four reservations, for instance.
4. Once it's fully enabled, FP+ will replace regular FP, and there will be no "day of" FP options
5. The exception to #4 above is that in-park kiosks will let you replace / remake reservations for the same day if you miss your reservation. Since this is essentially very late in the game, you shouldn't count on "big" rides being available. If you miss your Space Mtn. reservation, you are likely to have to choose something like PeopleMover or Philharmagic to replace it. Everything else will likely be "sold out" that day.

What we don't know:

1. It's unclear if annual passholders get to make reservations too. Early rumors point to 20 reservations per quarter (or 80 per year), but exactly HOW that will be divided hasn't been revealed yet, if the number is true at all.
2. No one knows if the TOTAL number of reservations in the park per day are going up, going down, or staying the same. Let's pretend that in 2010, the Magic Kingdom issued 200,000 paper ticket FASTPASSES per summer day, spread across the ten or so attractions that used regular FP (most of them E-tickets). In 2013, will the reservations system issue 300,000 reservations, now that smaller rides are included in the list of possible reservations? Or will it still be 200,000 - but not spread out among MORE attractions? If the latter, that will mean shorter standby wait times at the "big" attractions.
3. We don't know WHEN in 2013 the system will fully take over and replace regular FP.

Discussion
Spontaneity. There is little arguing that a major downside of the new system will be a loss of spontaneity. You have to plan the four reservations you get MONTHS in advance, so now the rides will be a bit like restaurants - your day is being planned out long before you arrive. This is far from relaxing, and changed the tenor of a "vacation" in general. A few folks may feel the opposite is true; that locking up reservations represents a relief, and they can now relax confident that they have what they need.

Optimism. I've been cautiously optimistic about FP+ since February of 2012, when I speculated that it's possible that the new system might be BETTER than the current system, especially if they result in shorter, faster-moving standby lines at the "big" rides like Space Mountain.

I still think that if they tweak the system *just right* they can end up with a reality where people who want to make 1-2 really important reservations can do so, but otherwise, the day is spent waiting in lines. The inequality of the 2009-FP-World won't exist, where clueless tourists skipped the FP system (thinking erroneously that it was just optional and their wait would be the same either way) while locals and experienced users realized shorter wait times as a result. The revised system is unlikely to let first timers make such a mistake, and the net result is more fairness distributed, which can only be good.

---
Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

... And We're Off !!

To contact us Click HERE
It took a bit of patience, pre-planning, and a whole lotta' labor to put away the graveyard of Shingle Creek Manor this year without resorting to off site storage somewhere. All the while I plotted and planned for something even bigger this next year, of which I'm sure the reality of it not being possible with just the two of us will slap me in the face around mid-Summer. For now, the shop is back to normal and the props have been neatly put away, and the stress of Christmas is upon us...

We hope everyone had an excellent Thanksgiving and found plenty to thankful for. Although Christmas had already found it's way to our store shelves before Halloween had even arrived, the official starting flag was waved today with the ridiculousness of Black Friday. So like many of you we are running the race of gift buying, cookie making, Christmas card sending, food baking,  house decorating, before the big day panic that is Christmas. Good times....!