Review: Kinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure

Is it just me, or did this game not get much press at all?? I have heard more about Epic Mickey 2, which is not out for another 5 months, than I have heard about this game! The only reason I have it is because my younger sister saw something about it and wanted to get it. And I do not know why Disney did not put as much advertising into this game, I think it’s great!

The premise of Kinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure is that you are a child on a field trip to an awesome theme park, Pixar Park! You run down this path and enter the hub of the park, which has the Pixar ball on the ground and the words Pixar for you to stand next to with the little birds from the “For the Birds” short flying around.

There are 5 spokes off of this hub leading to playsets for 5 different Pixar movies: Cars 1-2, Up, Toy Story 1-3, Incredibles and Ratatouille. There are kids running around all of these playsets playing pretend in their favorite movies scenes.

To play, you “walk” (to make your person walk, you move your arms up and down) over to the playset you choose and find the blue Pixar ball on the ground. The game for that ball will come up and you click on it. Another kid comes down and explains their idea for the game of pretend to you and then you are transported into that scene and the game begins!

One cool feature that this game has is that it scans your body to update your character so that the clothes and skin look like you. Make sure you do this in optimum light though; I had it give me incorrect colors a few times because it was too dark for it to scan. Once you are scanned in, it shows you what you will look like as a super hero, car, explorer, toy and rat for your different adventures.

This game is very active; it has you running, jumping, swimming, climbing, swinging, throwing, zip lining, pushing yourself down ramps, river rafting….and these are just in the first couple levels of each world! Compared to some other games out there for the Xbox Kinect, I find the controls to be very accurate, especially with activities like climbing; you really have to put your hand up where the pegs are, not just swing your arms in the air because you may not grab hold. The more coins and points you earn for your time in each level, the more you earn towards getting a new level and getting new friends to come to play with you.

This game also has the option for cooperative game play, so someone can just hop into the game with you and start playing! I have not been able to try out this feature as I do not have anyone to join me on my adventures right now, so I would be interested to hear how this feature works for others!

Of course, you are not able to tell me how it is if you don’t have the game, so what are you waiting for?! You can purchase it here from Amazon: Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure

Great Disney Toy Deals for friends in the UK

In the past, I have written posts that only pertained to everyone in the US and/or Canada.  Well, this is not one of those posts. In fact, this post is especially for all of my friends in the United Kingdom.  I understand how difficult it can be for you to buy Disney items when you are so far away from Disney.  Well, if one of the items you are looking for are toys and games for your children, then I think I have found a reasonable solution for you!

Tesco Direct has come to me to let you all know about the awesome and affordable Disney toys and games that they have.  While I was looking through the site, I found toys and games that I have never seen before, they are very unique and look like a lot of fun! The prices seem to be quite affordable as well! (Thank you to my friend Kymie for confirming  as I am not well versed in pounds)

 So what are the toys that they offer? Well I have 3 links to share: Toy Story Toys and Games, Disney Princess Toys and Games and Disney/Pixar Cars Toys and Games. There are quite a lot of toys and for all ages! Are any of these categories featured on your child's Christmas list? Want to find something unique and Disney to surprise them with this year? It is definitely worth your time for you to check out these Tesco sites!

Have you used Tesco before? Are you planning to purchase from them in the near future, especially for any Disney items? Leave your feedback and let me know what you think?

unKNOWN Actors: Cheech Marin

Yes, I know, when you see the name Cheech Marin, there is a good chance you think of something quite different from Disney, and probably something that is not very Disney like.  You may be surprised to know though that Cheech has done several parts in Disney films.  Cheech also brings a first to the unKNOWN Actors series; he is the first actor that I am covering that is still alive! Born in Los Angeles July 13, 1946, he is still acting today. 

Cheech’s first appearance in a Disney related project was for Mickey’s 60th Birthday in 1988.  You can see Cheech in a Disneyland segment as a janitor.

The same year, you hear Cheech providing the voice for Alonzo Ignacio Julio Federico de Tito, also known as Tito in Oliver and Company (1988).

The Lion King provides him with his next opportunity in a Disney film, voicing one of the three main hyenas in Scar’s posse, Banzai.   He also comes back in 2004 to voice Banzai in The Lion King 1 ½ and even does his voice in the Playstation game, Kingdom Hearts II.

Cheech is heard once again in 2006 in the Disney/Pixar movie Cars, lending his voice to the artistic body shop car, Ramone.  He also does the voice for Ramone in the short Mater and the Ghostlight.

After hearing his voice in these movies, you can even go to Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World and hear him. Cheech’s voice was used in the 4D movie attraction It’s Tough To Be a Bug as the deadly Chilean spider, Chili.

Hey, just realized that Cheech allowed me to have two firsts in my series; the first actor still alive and the first actor in a Pixar movie.  Pretty cool stuff! Make sure to check out Cheech Marin in these films and who knows, maybe we will be able to hear him in more Disney creations in the future!

New Resort: Awaiting Full Judgement

Disney announced on their blog a few days ago about plans for a new resort on the Walt Disney World Property. Where the planned "Legendary Years" area of Pop Century Resort remains lie, there will be a brand new resort capturing the hearts of Disney movie lovers, Disney's Art of Animation Resort. This resort is aimed at families and will have wings of the hotel themed to 4 different Disney movies: Cars, Finding Nemo, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. The Little Mermaid wing will be the largest with 864 themed rooms while the remaining 1120 will be themed around the three other movies. There will be rooms and suites in the resort, the suites having both a living room and a bedroom, sleeping 6 people while the rooms will sleep 4. Disney's Art of Animation Resort will be a value resort and a non-DVC resort.

While the unveiling of a new resort is very exciting, there are several questions that come to mind. The main one that comes to me is Why these Movies? Two of these four movies already have representation at resorts on property; the new Finding Nemo rooms at Caribbean Beach and The Lion King theme at the Kidani Village DVC Property at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Disney has so many different movies, why are they repeating? It doesn't really make sense to me. I will be also interested to see the layout of the resort when it is released, I am curious as to why The Little Mermaid is such a large portion of the resort. And will this resort have any interactions with the Pop Century Resort? These hotels share a waterway and there are bridges connecting the two properties currently built.

Hopefully all of these questions will be answered for us, but in the meantime, the speculation continues. Do you have any questions about the new property? Feel free to comment about them! Keep your eyes here for updates as they become available.

To see the Disney Parks Blog post about the new Disney's Art of Animation Resort, click here.