You can expect to lots of brand new merchandise hitting the Disney theme parks pretty soon! OrlandoFunTickets.com has been writing about Disneys upcoming movie The Princess and the Frog, we also wrote about Toy Story 3 and touched on the upcoming Disney version of Rapunzel. Now we have yet another animated film to announce, and fans of a certain loveable bear will be ecstatic to hear it! At a press conference in London’s Leicester Square, Walt Disney Animation/Pixar COO John Lasseter announced the next film after The Princess and the Frog will be about the adorable characters from The Hundred Acre Wood—Winnie the Pooh! This will be the first time in 35 years that the Winnie the Pooh characters have been part of a feature animated film, so it’s about time we get to see Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and Rabbit come back for more adventures.

John Lasseter said: "Winnie the Pooh has already been one of my favorite characters. Everyone always thinks Winnie the Pooh is for little kids but I screened original prints of the two Disney films and what's interesting was how they made a theatre full of adults laugh so hysterically."

The movie will be based on five original stories by the creator of Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne. Pooh is reportedly the second most licensed character after Mickey Mouse. While Disney has released certain Pooh movies in the recent past, they haven’t been successful. The 3D animation style wasn’t well received with fans used to the traditional Pooh cartoons of the 1960’s. So when Lasseter announced the new feature film, he made sure to point out they would be returning to traditional animation for the loveable animal characters. While the movie won’t come out until the Spring of 2011, you can still enjoy Winnie the Pooh characters at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is an adorable ride where you travel in a “hunny” pot through the forest with Pooh’s friends. Though there was a bit of a ruckus caused when Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride had to close for this ride, but the Pooh ride has been successful ever since! It seems like traditional Disney animation is back and so is Winnie the Pooh.

Blu-ray revolutionized the way people watch movies. DVD was a step up from VHS and now Blu-ray has been a giant leap up from the DVD system. Crystal clear quality, incredible sound and beautiful images are all worth the more expensive Blu-ray discs and players available on the electronics market. Disney recently began to release its classic movies on the Blu-ray format, starting off with Sleeping Beauty. Pinocchio, Fantasia, Fantasia 2000 and Beauty and the Beast are all in the supposed lineup of Disney’s next Blu-ray offerings. When Sleeping Beauty was released on the high definition format the reviews were unanimously positive. What is already considered one of Walt Disney’s most beautiful films was restored to a clarity and quality never seen before. As with every special release there were never-before-seen featurettes regarding the making of Sleeping Beauty and other unique content.

Now for Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, fans of the original Disney princess will get a chance to see the movie restored to Blu-ray quality and get amazing inside looks on the classic Walt Disney film. Snow White fans will get to see new storyboards, two deleted scenes and a music video for “Someday My Prince Will Come.” Along with those extras they will be able to get a sneak peak at what is sure to become the next Disney classic, The Princess and the Frog. Right here in Orlando, Walt Disney World is gearing up for the release of the classic on Blu-ray with special events at the parks.

Over at the Disney theme parks, especially the Magic Kingdom, you will be able to get an extra dose of Snow White as Disney prepares for the movie’s release. The Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort is now holding a “pre-parade” where Snow White and Prince Charming lead the “Celebrate a Dream Come True” parade in order to promote the Blu-ray edition of the 1937 film. Along with Snow White on Blu-ray Disney is also promoting Toy Story 3 and The Princess and the Frog. This is a great season to check out the Disney theme parks. There are special events happening everywhere!

Even though Toy Story 3 does not come out until June 18, 2010, Disney is already releasing goodies for the loyal Toy Story fans that have been waiting for new info. In the third installment of the popular Pixar franchise, Andy has grown up and is ready to head off for college, leaving the toys in a panic. Their biggest fear is that they will be thrown away and forgotten, but what really happens is that Andy decides to keep Woody and get rid of his other toys. The rest of the crew, including Jessie, Buzz, Rex, Hamm and Slinky Dog, are given to a daycare and decide to plan their escape while Woody tries to find his friends. As usual there are some comedic twists thrown in, including Buzz Lightyear being reset into Spanish mode, as the toy crew tries to find a new home for themselves. As for what happens to them, we’ll have to wait until next year to find out, but there are many ways to get your Toy Story fix early.

Disney has already released teaser posters featuring your favorite Toy Story characters holding a “3” in the signature Toy Story font. There are also plans for a Nintendo Wii game called Toy Story Mania which features a number of shooting gallery games and even exclusive 3D levels to go with the third movie’s IMAX and 3D release. If you’re familiar with the name, it’s probably because you rode the attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The 3D enhanced attraction is suitable for riders of all ages and takes you through a fun carnival-like atmosphere where you can shoot at targets to get points. Over at the Magic Kingdom, the ever-popular Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin sends you on a mission into outer space right alongside Buzz as you shoot at evil aliens and try to get the most points out of all the space rangers on the ride.

Recently, Disney held a successful special double-feature showing of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D to promote the upcoming installment in what is now a trilogy. In between the two movies, a trailer of Toy Story was shown to get the crowds ready for Toy Story 3. Are you ready for the Woody and Buzz’s latest adventure?

Disney is going for a double-hitter this holiday season. Not only are they releasing The Princess and the Frog, they are also releasing their version of A Christmas Carol. Starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, and Colin Firth, the film was directed by award-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis. In order to promote the movie, Disney will be sending a custom-made vintage replica train around the nation to bring the Disney’s A Christmas Carol experience to 40 cities in 36 states.

This is a great activity for families of all ages and best of all it’s free! Everyone is going through tough times in this economy and this special Disney event is a great way to experience the Disney magic without having to fork over any cash. This train tour will be both a moving museum and theatre. Dolby will be providing Dolby Digital 3D Cinema for people that visit the touring exhibit to get an exclusive sneak peek at Disney’s A Christmas Carol on DP2000 digital projection. Along with getting the sneak preview of the movie, the exhibit will feature authentic artifacts from the Charles Dickens Museum of London. Artwork, props and costumes will be featured along with contests to win HP computers and wireless printers. As you explore the wonderful exhibit you will be surrounded by 'snow,' carolers and Christmas decorations. Dick Cook, the chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, thinks this is a great way to introduce families to the upcoming film.

"Disney's A Christmas Carol Train Tour is an incredibly fun way to introduce families across the country to the wonders and spectacle that is Robert Zemeckis' unique and spectacular new holiday film…From Los Angeles to New York, and all points in between, guests are going to have a fabulous time discovering things about the making of this extraordinary film, participating in their own festive fantasies, and getting into the holiday spirit all year round. Disney's A Christmas Carol is great entertainment for moviegoers of all ages, and this is the perfect introduction to a fun and exciting new holiday classic."

Along with The Princess and the Frog this is going to be a great movie year for Disney. We can’t wait to see both films.

October is here and Halloween is right around the corner. The Orlando theme parks are ready for Halloween and so are we. Over at Halloween Horror Nights the scare zones and haunted houses are up and scaring the thousands of visitors that come their way. Universal Studios Orlando won a Golden Ticket for their Halloween Horror Nights event. That basically means it considered the best Halloween event in the theme park world. This year Universal is paying tribute to horror icons from the silver screen like Chucky, Saw, Wolfman, Dracula and Frankenstein. Along with the houses there are great scare zones featuring cannibals, World War II zombie soldiers and mutated humans. They also have a scare zone called Cirque du Freak.

The Scare Zone looks just like the name implies. It’s a sideshow-themed zone where bearded ladies and deformed humans roam around hunting for frightened victims. But this scare zone is also representing Universal Studios’ latest movie Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. Yes, even Universal is getting in on the vampire madness that has swept America. But Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is about a teenage boy that accidentally breaks a 200 year old truce between two vampire factions. He then has to help Mr. Crepsley, played by actor John C. Reilly, restore the peace between the factions.

This isn’t the first time Universal dedicates a section of Halloween Horror Nights to their movies. After all, we have a Saw house this year and the Wolfman house is about Benicio Del Toro’s movie, which comes out next year. But recently, John C. Reilly and other actors from Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant stopped by Halloween Horror Nights to talk to fans and promote the movie, which will be out in theatres October 23. You might recognize Reilly from some of the other movies he’s done like Step Brothers and Talladega Nights with Will Ferrell. The fans were excited to see Reilly and other actors from the movie before they headed into the park for some horror nights fun. Don’t forget the event runs all throughout October, so get your tickets now!

Fans of the Disney/Pixar hits Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are in for a special treat this week as Disney brings the computer animated films back to theatres for a very special event. For two weeks both Toy Story and Toy Story 2 will be playing to audiences across the nation in 3D. Not only will they be in 3D, but the movies will be shown back to back in a rare double feature event. The best part is one movie ticket gets you access to both movies!

In between the two movies, audiences will get an intermission of about five to ten minutes. You might want to think twice about going to the bathroom or heading out for extra snacks, because Disney has some special things prepared for that break. Audiences will get a chance to play Disney trivia, view scenes of the Toy Story characters speaking to each other with new dialogue and get a very special preview of Toy Story 3. It took over a year for both movies to be converted to 3D format, but Disney is very excited about the new opportunity they’re presenting their fans.

"What is most exciting is that a whole new generation of moviegoers can see both films in the way that they are meant to be seen, in a shared audience environment," says Pixar co-founder John Lasseter, head of Disney animation and the director of both films. If you can’t get enough of the Toy Story franchise then head over to either of the two Orlando theme parks with Toy Story rides: Disney’s Hollywood Studios or the Magic Kingdom.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the brand new Toy Story Mania ride will send you on an adventure through a carnival where you shoot at various targets, like balloons, just like you would at a real carnival. At the Magic Kingdom, you can ride the highly popular Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and help Buzz defeat the enemy aliens in an adventure kids of any age can enjoy. October is going to be a great month for Toy Story fans.

Are you excited for Disneys return to 2D animation? Fans all over the world have December 11th marked on their calendars as they eagerly await the arrival of Disney’s first African-American princess, Princess Tiana. Disney’s 49th animated film will take place in beautiful New Orleans, Louisiana and follow the story of Tiana, a 19 year old waitress with dreams of having her own restaurant and Prince Naveen, a man who is cursed by a voodoo doctor and turned into a frog. When Naveen searches for the beautiful girl that will reverse his curse with a kiss, he finds Tiana who agrees to kiss him, only to get turned into a frog herself. Naveen and Tiana then have to head out on an adventure through the swamps of Louisiana to find a way to revert back to their human forms. As always, they will encounter lovely animal friends to help them on their journey as well as an evil witch doctor and a good voodoo priestess that allies with Tiana and Naveen to help them both.

This story is going to be great and will hopefully get Disney back onto the 2D animation ball. The parks and the Walt Disney Company are going full speed ahead to promote this movie. Not only will Princess Tiana get her own riverboat show at both Disney parks this October, merchandise for the movie is already on shelves and tickets are being sold for the limited November 25th release in select cities. If you aren’t lucky enough to live in a city that is having the November 25th showing, Disney still has a treat for the rest of us that will have to anxiously await December 11th,2 009.

Starting October 5th, everyone over the age of 10 that visits Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will all receive a special certificate. Guests will then be able to redeem these certificates at various locations throughout the parks for a voucher of $8 off a child admission to the movie theatre when you purchase a regular price adult ticket. This is yet another great reason to get your discount Disney tickets and make it out to the parks this fall to get a head start on your The Princess and the Frog movie experience!

What Walt Disney is to the West, Hayao Miyazaki is to the East. Miyazaki is the most famous Japanese animator in the history of the nation. His films have won Oscars and his animated movies have brought more people to the movies than "Titanic" did on this side of the world. Some of you might be familiar with previous movies like “Princess Mononoke," "Spirited Away" (which won an Oscar in 2003), or "Howl’s Moving Castle"; but if you aren’t Disney is planning to change that with Miyazaki’s latest film “Ponyo."

“Ponyo” tells the story of Ponyo, a little half-girl, half-goldfish that wishes to be human. Sound familiar? While there are hints of “The Little Mermaid” in this tale, there aren’t any singing crabs or musical numbers. “Ponyo” has similar elements to the classic tales but the similarities end when Miyazaki’s infusion of Japanese imagery comes into play. Water plays a huge part in Japanese imagery and mythology as it does in “Ponyo." There is an ocean wave sequence in the movie animators are raving about and there is a sea witch by the name of Lady Eboshi, but she is nothing like Ursula. The characters in Miyazaki’s world are never fully evil or fully good. Just like in real life there is plenty of grey area in this film that will have the older crowds thinking. Kids will love the adventure and story of true friendship, adults will love the deeper life themes that are always weaved into every Miyazaki story.

Everything is hand-drawn, so don’t expect any Pixar 3D animation here. Miyazaki has stated before that he plans to draw by hand as long as he can, and his animators will be doing the same. “Ponyo” also features the voice talents of Disney kids Noah Cyrus (Miley’s little sister), Frankie Jonas (the youngest Jonas brother) and star actors like Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett and Tina Fey. As for Ponyo’s presence at the Disney theme parks, we’ll have to wait and see. Disney is presenting this great movie to American audiences, but whether or not this adventurous little girl will be featured in the Disney theme parks or not is still unknown. OrlandoFunTickets.com is guessing we’ll see Ponyo merchandise at Epcot’s Living Seas or near Ariel’s Grotto. After all, Ponyo is now part of the undersea world in the Disney film family. “Ponyo” is playing in theatres across the US now, so make sure you check it out!