Tales from the Laughing Place Issue #15 Coming Soon
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(December 31, 2009 - London, England & Celebration, FL) Today Tales from the Laughing Place Magazine announced the contents for their fifteenth issue that is due for release in January ‘10.
Issue 15 offers stories from two Disney resorts separated by over seven thousand miles but whose histories are intrinsically linked. The first international Magic Kingdom that was built on landfill in Tokyo Bay relied on the attraction roster and styling of the original Walt Disney World theme park. Tokyo Disneyland even took possession of an ambitious Audio-Animatronics show that was one of the founding attractions at Magic Kingdom when it opened on October 1, 1971. “Issue fifteen celebrates attractions past, present and future at both Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney Resort,” Tales publisher Lee J MacDonald begins. “Tales was present on the final day of operations at The Mickey Mouse Revue and we take an affectionate look back at the history of the thirty-seven year old show including some rare artwork and maquettes from the development of the attraction. In addition Tales talks with Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Show Writer Kevin Rafferty about the creation of its replacement in both Orlando and Tokyo namely Mickey’s PhilharMagic.”
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“As a prelude to our upcoming article about the creation of Disney/MGM Studios Rhett Wickham interviews director Jerry Rees about the development of Back to Neverland which was the original movie that introduced the art of animation at the park when it opened in ’89. The piece includes personal photographs from Jerry’s collection on-set with Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite,” Lee continues. “Lindsay Cave also takes a first look at the expansion of Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland with the creative team responsible for the largest addition to ever be built to the first park in Florida. Tales also talks to Walt Disney Imagineering’s Senior Interactive Producer Jonathan Ackley about the most recent efforts in Orlando and Tokyo to introduce interactive gaming experiences – Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot and The Leonardo Challenge at Tokyo DisneySea.”
“Tales was also given unprecedented access to the cast, crew and backstage areas of Cirque du Soleil’s first resident show in Japan. The article features artwork of costumes and photographs of the stage, performers and backstage areas,” Lee adds. “ZED is a remarkable spectacle that most of our readers may never witness themselves and we are delighted to be able to bring a glimpse of the magic of the show to a wider audience.”
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Issue 15 of Tales from the Laughing Place Magazine (52 pages) features the following articles:
Telling Tale – In Gear: A sneak peek at future projects at Disney’s California Adventure Park and Hong Kong Disneyland;
Tales of Character – With a Little Help* from his Friends: Tales bids farewell to The Mickey Mouse Revue and reveals the story behind the show’s replacement Mickey’s PhilharMagic;
Celluloid Tales – The Kid in the Candy Store: Rhett Wickham talks to director Jerry Rees about the development of the lengendary Back to Neverland movie that used to be presented at Disney/MGM Studios;
Playing the Game: Epcot’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure and The Leonardo Challenge at Tokyo DisneySea;
Tales of Character – Beyond these Castle Walls: A first look at the proposed expansion of the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland;
Tokyo Tales – Poetry In Motion: Behind the scenes with the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s ZED at Tokyo Disney Resort;
Superstar Me! The creation of The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios;
Tokyo Tales – Eye-Spy Kaiju!
A photo-essay demonstrating how the Tokyo Disney Resort celebrated the opening of Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek!; and
Tales from the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort – An Art to the Season.
“As the first decade of the twenty-first century draws to a close it is appropriate to look back at the changes at the Disney theme parks worldwide,” Lee concludes. “The past ten years saw four theme parks open, of which three opened within little more than a year of each other, numerous hotels open their doors for the first time and a host of new ground-breaking attractions and shows from the Broadway quality of Finding Nemo – The Musical and E-Ticket thrills of Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to Tokyo DisneySeas’ richly detailed Tower of Terror to the family fun of the Audio-Animatronics extravaganza Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek! at Tokyo Disneyland. Tales has been there at every significant moment and milestone to highlight the creativity that keeps tens of millions of guests entertained annually at the eleven parks worldwide. Tales will also be there for the next decade as the first changes to Disney’s California Adventure open, namely World of Color and CarsLand, the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland debuts with Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy StoryLand and the new cruise ships come online. In addition we eagerly anticipate the launch of the sixth Disney resort in Shanghai. We hope that Tales readers will join us for what promises to be an exciting decade for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and all of Disney’s business units.” Tales is a 52-page quarterly high-quality advertising-free magazine dedicated to the creativity of the Walt Disney Company and its business units such as the theme parks, movies and musicals. The magazine has a strong emphasis on photography and artwork from the Disney libraries and is printed on quality paper-stock to help preserve the publication for years to come. Issue 15 is due for release in January 2010. Tales from the Laughing Place Magazine is available as part of a four-issue subscription or individually with worldwide shipping. Issues 2 through 14 inclusive are available as back issues and Issues 1 through 6 inclusive are now available on a CD-ROM in high-resolution PDF for home printing. For further information about Tales please visit our website:
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-- Posted December 31, 2009