• The Star Wars Land expansion at Disneyland means extended ride closures during construction. Everything on the Rivers of America including the Mark Twain, Columbia and Tom Sawyer will be shut down for more than a year beginning January 11, 2016. Likewise Fantasmic! and the Disneyland Railroad. While much of the Internet is speculating on what the new train and river configurations will be when the dust settles and Star Wars emerges, Tim and Anthony offer their short-term take on what no train, no Big Thunder Trail and no Fantasmic! will do to crowd control. We don't think it will be pretty.
• Disneyland is extending its Diamond Celebration until September 2016, which means the resort will turn 61 while it's still turning 60.
• Websites that offer dining reservation services at Disney resorts (usually for a fee) are coming under fire by Disney. Disney Dining Buddy is the first site to suspend activity after receiving a "request" by the Mouse to stop.
• The Indiana Jones-referential Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar has opened at Walt Disney World's Disney Springs (no longer Downtown Disney). We want to go there.
• Garrett Hedlund (Sam Flynn in Tron: Legacy) says a Tron 3 film may not be dead on the grid after all. Maybe.
• Duffy the Disney Bear is bidding farewell to Epcot. This pleases us. Outside of Japan, he never was a thing.

Enjoy!

www.TheMouseCastle.com

Anthony is back from a week at Disneyland, where he checked out all the Halloween Time activities. There was fall finery everywhere and pumpkin spice-flavored everything, but, we're mostly excited by the perfect pic Anthony took of the goat on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Of course, Halloween festivities are barely underway and we're already talking about Christmas. We've got a preview of all the stuff to expect--and what will be missing--from this year's holiday events at Disneyland.

Here's what else we have slated for this episode of Inside The Mouse Castle. It's enough to make your head spin.

• Rob Marshall (Into the Woods, POTC 4) will direct a new Mary Poppins movie for Disney. Before you lose your minds for them daring to touch this untouchable classic, keep in mind this will not be a remake of the original. It won't exactly be a sequel either. P.L. Travers wrote eight Mary Poppins books. The new movie will likely be adapted from stories we haven't seen on the screen before. If you really want something to be excited about, Emily Blunt (Into the Woods) is the rumored front-runner for the role of the practically perfect nanny. We can't think of a better choice.
• Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects) has confirmed he'll direct a remake of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We aren't certain if it's going to be for Disney or not, but we're intrigued nevertheless.
• There's a new trailer for next year's live-action remake of The Jungle Book. Despite some interesting casting choices (Bill Murray as Baloo, Christopher Walken as King Louie), we're not terribly excited yet for this CG-heavy adventure.
• Star Wars is coming to Netflix. Maybe. Kind of. Probably not where you are. Whatever.
• Here's some travel advice for your next Walt Disney World visit: don't joke about building a meth lab in your hotel room. Kthanksbye.

Enjoy!

www.TheMouseCastle.com

www.TheMouseCastle.com

The Force is strong with us Inside The Mouse Castle this week. Just about every story Tim and Anthony bandy about has some connection to Star Wars. This wasn't by design. It's just how the news stream happens sometimes. We like it.

Tim starts with his first impressions of Disney Infinity 3.0 and the Star Wars play set that comes with it: Twilight of the Republic. With the help of Tim's grandkids, they gave it a good run over the weekend. The kids loved it. Tim liked the look of TOTR--and certainly felt the Star Wars characters are welcome--but he couldn't help but feel this was just more of the same from Disney Infinity. Quest, destroy bad guys, rinse, repeat.

Here's what else we've got on today's show. It's more fun than shooting womp rats in Beggar's Canyon:

• How many box office records will Star Wars: The Force Awakens break after it opens on December 18th? We're pretty sure its opening weekend number are going to be through the roof. Industry analysts are predicting a $615 million opening--the biggest ever. It's certain to be bolstered by a huge presence on IMAX screens around the world.
• To make way for Star Wars Land at Disneyland, Big Thunder Ranch will close its gates on January 11, 2016. The ranch's petting zoo will close on January 10th.
• Disneyland has a Star Wars Half Marathon event in January. Next April, Walt Disney World will get one as well. Star Wars Half Marathon - The Dark Side will be held April 14-17, 2016. The event will include half-marathon, 10K and 5K races. Registration at runDisney.com starts September 22nd.
• On Sunday, Tim is running his first half-marathon ever--at Disneyland, of course. The Disneyland Half-Marathon Weekend starts this Thursday. Will you be there? Look for Tim in his usual Mouse Castle garb.
• Ready for a global unboxing of Star Wars toys on YouTube? Yeah, we're not sure what to make of it either. But visit the Star Wars YouTube channel this Thursday for a preview of merchandise from Star Wars: The Force Awakens--much of which will start appearing in stores September 4th, dubbed "Force Friday." (Note: On ITMC, we got our dates confused. The worldwide online unboxing begins on September 3rd. The products will launch on September 4th).
• Hannibal's Mads Mikkelsen is reported to be in talks to join the cast of Marvel's Doctor Strange. With Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton and Chiwetel Ejiofor already on board, this is going to be one star-studded MCU installment.

Enjoy!

www.TheMouseCastle.com