LEGOLAND® Hotel at LEGOLAND® California Resort is Now Officially Open

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April 5, 2013

A knight riding in on a horse, an adventurer arriving in a sidecar motorcycle, a pirate repelling down the porte cochere next to a LEGO® smoke-breathing dragon, and a little girl who figured out how to put a larger-than-life room key together…that’s how the nation’s first LEGOLAND® Hotel at LEGOLAND® California Resort officially opened its doors to the public today in Carlsbad, California.

Created to bring children’s imaginations to life, the 250-room, three-story LEGOLAND Hotel opened its doors after a ceremony showcased the three room themes based on the most popular LEGO toy lines inside the family theme park: Kingdom, Adventure and Pirate. Confetti blasts showered the dragon created out of 400,000 LEGO bricks and hundreds of guests and members of the media as they flowed into the Hotel where they were surrounded by an interactive LEGO world designed for children age two to 12 and their families.

“LEGOLAND Hotel is the perfect complement and extension to the experience guests enjoy when they visit LEGOLAND California , SEA LIFE® Aquarium and LEGOLAND® Water Park, “ said LEGOLAND Hotel General Manager Frank Idris at the opening ceremony. “I am ready to get this adventure started!”

The adventure began years ago when guest feedback showed it took more than one day to explore all the Resort has to offer. “Our guest feedback is extremely important to us,” said General Manager of LEGOLAND California Resort Peter Ronchetti. “After all, everything we do here is done to enhance the guest experience and help them create memories that will last a lifetime. Now they can extend their experience even further by staying and playing in an entire Hotel that builds on fun.” Construction began in October, 2011 and every detail was considered when creating the unique Hotel where each room is LEGO themed from the carpeting to the walls and bedding and contains at least eight LEGO models. There are more than 3,500 LEGO models throughout the Hotel using more than three million LEGO bricks. Five thousand minifigures line the wall behind the reception desk as a LEGO model of a bicycle riding surfer highlights the individual figures with his magnified wheels.

LEGOLAND Hotel offers themed and premium themed rooms along with junior and family suites. Premium themed rooms have additional LEGO models and décor such as themed wall paper. Suites include an extra TV and doors that adjoin to the next room. Children have their own sleeping area in every room complete with bunk beds, a trundle bed and their own TV. Special amenities in each room are designed with children in mind, such as the lowered peephole and toilet training seats that can be used with every toilet.

Interactive features include a Castle Play area, a talking and water spraying dragon on the patio, a LEGO play pit in the reception area and a treasure hunt inside the rooms where younger guests search for clues to open a locked safe filled with LEGO treasure! The Castle Play area is the hub for imagination and fun at LEGOLAND Hotel. Based on the LEGO Kingdom, Pirate and Adventure lines, the area features a pirate ship attempting to dock in a LEGO filled moat next to an interactive castle. Young guests can pull on a handle as they enter the castle causing the LEGO ogre above them to roar. Nightly entertainment takes place on the castle stage as a pirate, princess, knight or adventurer interact with young guests to get them ready for bedtime.

A family of four LEGO dragons live within the Hotel: One smoke-breathing dragon at the entrance, a playful young dragon in the lobby sits on top of a handle and slowly spins it to make a LEGO river flow, a baby dragon peers over the ledge of the castle in the Castle Play area and an interactive bubble-blowing dragon named “Bubbles” is taking a bath on the patio as she playfully sprays water and “speaks” to young guests.

In keeping with the high standards of food served within LEGOLAND California Resort, the LEGOLAND Hotel features a variety of healthy and flavorful food options for the whole family. Bricks Family Restaurant serves a breakfast and dinner buffet with a station designed specifically for kids at a height they can reach. Mini’s Lounge is adjacent to the Castle Play area and provides guests an opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy some beverages and quick snacks. The Skyline Café features a LEGO city skyline with 35 fun scenes including a woman fighting a turkey that came out of her oven, a man swimming in his apartment being chased by a shark and a woman holding a banana to try to entice a monkey off her balcony.

The outdoor pool area, featuring a gradual incline 5-foot-deep swimming pool and a plethora of lounge chairs, gives guests a place to cool off after a day at the Park. Swim Up movies are shown at poolside Friday and Saturday nights during peak season. Surrounded by LEGO palm trees and views of the Hotel, even this pool area is a LEGO fans dream.

BubbleFest XVII returns to Discovery Science Center and better than Ever

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Robbie Bulus

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April 4, 2013

This past week we had the opportunity to visit the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana to attend the annual BubbleFest event. In it’s 17th year this annual spring break family event takes a look into the delicate world of bubbles.

Now you may think bubbles? We were amazed what we saw during the day. Not only is it an outdoor festival with activities for all ages, which includes an inflatable play zone, water spheres and interactive science zones, BubbleFest also showcases an exciting Laser show which features what else, bubbles, light, special effects and more. In addition to the activities, various gourmet food trucks will be on hand for those interested in purchasing delicious food items.

This year’s Bubblefest Laser Show features Deni Yang who combines entertainment, art and science. This show requires a separate fee of $7 which can be added to the general admission ticket. He began performing at the young age of Four with his parents and has traveled around the world. His career as a bubble artist has won him international acclaim.

BubbleFest provides visitors hand-on learning stations to let them explore the world of bubbles and to help them understand the scientific principles and mathematics of bubbles. You can create a bubble mini-wall, bubble domes and much more, all while learning about math and science principles like surface tension, elasticity, air pressure and geometry.

Check-out our Highlight video coverage above.

BubbleFest lasts until April 14 and is included with general admission to Discovery Science Center, so you still have time to take the family for a day of fun.

For more info Visit or contact the Discovery Science Center at 2500 North Main Street, Santa Ana. Phone 714-542-2823. Website: www.discoverycube.org

Disneynature’s BEARS Sneak Peak

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Robbie Bulus

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April 3, 2013

In an epic story of breathtaking scale, Disneynature’s new True Life Adventure “Bears” showcases a year in the life of two mother bears as they impart life lessons to their impressionable young cubs. Set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, their journey begins as winter comes to an end and the bears emerge from hibernation to face the bitter cold. The world outside is exciting—but risky—as the cubs’ playful descent down the mountain carries with it a looming threat of avalanches. As the season changes from spring to summer, the brown bear families must work together to find food—ultimately feasting at a plentiful salmon run—while staying safe from predators, including an ever-present wolf pack. “Bears” captures the fast-moving action and suspense of life in one of the planet’s last great wildernesses—where mothers definitely know best and their cubs’ survival hinges on family togetherness.

Directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Earth,” “African Cats” and “Chimpanzee”) and Keith Scholey (“African Cats”), “Bears” is in theaters April 18, 2014, to celebrate Earth Day.

Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products launches new eCommerce Store

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Robbie Bulus

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April 3, 2013

Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products today announced the launch of a new eCommerce initiative that offers a revamped and engaging user experience for consumers. In order to attract fans and offer merchandise indicative of the brands they love, Fox product will now be available in innovative, official brand-specific shops that will roll out over the course of the year. These shops will not only feature an on-demand product offering, but also licensed and seen-on merchandise authentic to each Fox property. To kick things off, fans of NEW GIRL, GLEE, AMERICAN DAD and FAMILY GUY can now purchase all-new merchandise, view show content, and interact with their favorite brands across various social media platforms on the shows’ individual shopping hubs.

The revamped, fan-friendly eCommerce shops will offer an increased variety and stronger product offering for on-demand merchandise introducing categories like home goods, apparel, gym gear, pet apparel, and electronic accessories. The stores will also streamline consumer searches with product lines that allow consumers to find multiple products and licensed merchandise all in one shop.

In addition to fan-oriented merchandise, the official online shops will offer products that are reflective of what the characters from the popular Fox shows may wear or use. For example, in the New Girl shop, consumers can find kitchenware reflective of Jess, her personality, and her love for baking. Through an on-demand model, Fox is working to incorporate customizable merchandise where consumers can personalize their purchase, resulting in a one-of-a-kind creation that distinguishes it from any other licensed merchandise in the market.

“Our new ecommerce shops were developed with the intention of introducing a unique and innovative shopping experience to the fans of our television shows and films that will serve as an extension of our Fox brands,” said Morgan Chess, Vice President of Digital Strategy & Commerce at Fox Consumer Products. “Visitors will be able to watch the properties they love and then visit our new shops to find product that is not only referential to the films or shows they watch, but also authentic to the characters they love.”

The new online shops are engineered by MashOn Inc. and BLKBX Creative Group, who developed the creative elements for the new platform.

As the official shops roll out, they will be portable and will have the potential to reside on additional partner sites.

To visit the official shops, check out the following links:

FoxShop.com
New Girl at Newgirlshop.com
Glee at Gleeshop.com
American Dad at Americandadshop.com
Family Guy at Familyguystore.com

IDENTITY THIEF arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on 6/4/13.

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Robbie Bulus

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April 2, 2013

Take Home the Hilarious Unrated Edition on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack Including UltraViolet™, DVD & Digital Copy

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Disney’s Planes – Sneak Peek

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Robbie Bulus

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April 2, 2013

From above the world of “Cars” comes “Disney’s Planes,” an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure

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Disney/Pixar's Finding Dory to Dive into Theaters November 25, 2015!

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Robbie Bulus

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April 2, 2013

When Dory said “just keep swimming” in 2003’s Oscar®-winning film “Finding Nemo,” she could not have imagined what was in store for her (not that she could remember). Ellen DeGeneres, voice of the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish, revealed details today about Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Dory”—an all-new big-screen adventure diving into theaters on Nov. 25, 2015.

“I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time,” said DeGeneres. “I’m not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating ‘Toy Story 16.’ But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It’s got a lot of heart, it’s really funny, and the best part is—it’s got a lot more Dory.”

Director and Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton takes audiences back to the extraordinary underwater world created in the original film. “There is no Dory without Ellen,” said Stanton. “She won the hearts of moviegoers all over the world—not to mention our team here at Pixar. One thing we couldn’t stop thinking about was why she was all alone in the ocean on the day she met Marlin. In ‘Finding Dory,’ she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way.”

According to Stanton, “Finding Dory” takes place about a year after the first film, and features returning favorites Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang, among others. Set in part along the California coastline, the story also welcomes a host of new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory’s life.

“Finding Nemo” won the 2003 Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature; the film was nominated for three additional Oscars® (Best Writing, Original Screenplay; Best Music, Original Score; Best Sound Editing). It was also nominated for a Golden Globe® Award for Best Motion Picture–Comedy or Musical. In 2008, the American Film Institute named “Finding Nemo” among the top 10 greatest animated films ever made. At the time of its release, “Finding Nemo” was the highest grossing G-rated movie of all time. It’s currently the fourth highest grossing animated film worldwide. The film has more than 16 million Likes on Facebook, and Dory—with more than 24 million—is the most Liked individual character from a Disney or Disney•Pixar film.

DeGeneres’ distinctive comic voice has resonated with audiences from her first stand-up comedy appearances through her work today on television, in film and in the literary world. Her syndicated talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” is in its 10th season and has earned 38 Daytime Emmy® Awards. DeGeneres has won 12 People’s Choice Awards and the Teen Choice Award for Choice Comedian for three consecutive years. Additionally, her show won two Genesis Awards and a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Talk Show Episode. For her unforgettable turn as Dory, DeGeneres was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.

Terrapin Puppet Theatre of Australia Performs Play "Boats" in its Segerstrom Center Debut

By

Robbie Bulus

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April 1, 2013

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William Shatner Fights the Gorn in New Video from Paramount

By

Robbie Bulus

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March 29, 2013

More than four decades after they first squared off on an isolated desert planet, William Shatner comes face-to-face again

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Jaguar Land Rover Global Debuts at the New York Auto Show

By

Robbie Bulus

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March 29, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Pks5t5Il8&feature=youtu.be

Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled three stunning new models – the Range Rover Sport and the Jaguar XJR and XKR-S GT – at the 2013 New York International Automobile Show.

On Wednesday March 27, 2013, actor Daniel Craig revealed the all-new Range Rover Sport as part of a dramatic drive through the streets of Manhattan. The fastest, most agile and responsive Land Rover to date was put to the test by the British actor – entrusted to deliver the vehicle for its first unveiling to the world to a packed crowd of celebrity guests at Skylight, at Moynihan Station on 8th Avenue.

Land Rover Global Brand Director John Edwards said: “The all-new Range Rover Sport is an extraordinary car and we have revealed it in an extraordinary way – live on the streets of its biggest selling market. It turned heads and stopped traffic in one of the most dynamic cities in the world.”

Meanwhile Jaguar’s new high-performance models the XJR and XKR-S GT also made their global debut in New York. The new high-performance XJR is Jaguar’s dynamic new flagship sports saloon, and the most focused, agile and responsive Jaguar XJ ever made – delivering supercar performance and assertive looks with the highest levels of luxury.

The XKR-S GT is the ultimate road-going but track-ready version of the XK coupe. With initial production limited to just 30 units, it will also be the rarest ‘R’ model in the 25-year history of Jaguar’s R performance cars. Both models will join the expanding Jaguar line-up on display in New York, which includes the All-Wheel Drive XF and XJ sedans; and the F-TYPE sports car, which goes on sale this summer.