Matt.weiland

@howertcn on Twitter

The weird relationship between Mac from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia and former Phillies second baseman Chase Utley officially has a much more satisfying coda now that actor Rob McElhenney is friggin jacked as hell.

Actor, writer, and It’s Always Sunny co-creator McElhenney’s Mac is one of the weirdest bozos on TV, and one of the most notable characters to go from thin to fat and back again before our eyes. But Mac’s obsession with Utley just may be the defining trait of his character.

Things got very specific about Utley during the show’s fifth season in a brilliant episode called “The World Series Defense.” Set around the series-clinching Game 5 of the 2008 World Series, Mac hopes to get a personal letter to Utley by giving it to Sweet Dee, who has decided to get blitzed on “riot punch” and later run on the field to kiss a player when the series win is locked up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6cEOk7x4HA

Mac wants her to kiss Utley for him, explaining that he gave the letter to “Major League Baseball, his lawyer, his manager and his mom” but he hasn’t written back. The letter itself is pretty odd but Mac stresses there’s “nothing sexual” about it. And oh, sh*t, there were stickers. Unfortunately Mac and Utley never got to “have a catch” or talk about their dads because the gang got locked in a hotel supply closet, but the episode became a fan favorite.

Utley even responded to the letter years later, but his stance on Mac’s affection apparently changed when pictures of McElhenney shirtless at a pride parade surfaced over the weekend. Because the man who was once Fat Mac is now absolutely jacked.

And Jacked Mac certainly has gotten Utley’s attention. On Monday, he posted an Instagram video of him standing next to a shirtless, still ripped McElhenney and called him his #mcm, hashtag-speak for “Man Crush Monday.”

It’s the ending this story deserves, really. And it’s great that McElhenney and Utley can keep this bit going for Sunny fans who still remember lines from an episode that aired nearly nine years ago. Because no matter what shape Mac is in, it was clear that their relationship was always going to be…

YouTube

… a real home run.

YouTube

Braziliandanny created an amusing video where they used the new Animoji feature of the iPhone X to recreate popular movie scenes. They featured scenes from Pulp Fiction, A Few Good Men, and Star Wars: A New Hope.

• iPhone X Users Make Animals Sing in Hilarious Karaoke Videos Using the New Animoji Feature
• Rick and Morty Claymation Shorts Featuring Recreations of Scenes From Popular Movies
• The Characters of Silicon Valley React to the Tim Cook’s One More Thing iPhone X Announcement

During Thursday’s NFL Network pregame show, Michael Irvin couldn’t resist taking a shot at Steve Smith’s pants. It seems like a bad idea to joke with the guy who once broke his own teammate’s nose, but it was heartening to see Irvin put his own neck on the line for once.

Read more...

In a very clever mashup by Funny or Die, the characters of Silicon Valley including Richard, Gillfoyle, Erlich, Dinesh and Jared, gathered around the dining room table to watch to Tim Cook‘s “One More Thing” announcement of the iPhone X, during which Apple senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi made animal faces and sounds while showing of the new Animoji feature. The collective responses were of interest, amusement, concern and finally such disbelief that caused Richard to leave the room.

The cast of HBO’s Silicon Valley had a pretty strong reaction to Apple’s iPhone X launch leading us to wonder if this new phone is really all that.

• A Hilarious Apple Parody Referring to the Newly Announced iPhone X As a $1,000 Emoji Machine
• A New Silicon Valley Season Two Trailer Focuses on Rising Tension Between Pied Piper and Nucleus
• The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss

Buster: Hey, possible nephew.

Notapusy - 3x04

submission from James Car

Gene Parmesan: Uh, I’ve got some bad news. I’m… Gene Parmesan. How you doing?

¡Amigos! - 2x03

Michael: Watch out for bridges and hop-ons. You’re going to get some hop-ons.

Key Decisions - 1x04

submission from Jack McGraw

J. Walter Weatherman: And that’s why you always leave a note.

Pier Pressure - 1x10

We’re talkin’ WAFFLES, y’all.

Learn About:
Sleepy Hollow

Magic Kingdom
Disney World Restaurants

And if we’re talkin’ waffles, more often than not we’re also talkin’ about Sleepy Hollow Refreshments.

You see, long before Chicken and Waffles starting popping up pretty much everywhere in Disney World from Backlot Express to the Fantasy Fare Food Truck (even the Polynesian’s Captain Cook’s had an unexpected take on them for a time), Sleepy Hollow understood the Power of the Waffle. While specific waffle items have come and gone from the menu, this location is currently home to its original Big Three: the Sweet and Spicy Chicken Waffle Sandwich, a Breakfast Waffle (currently served with egg and cheese), and the Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich with Chocolate-Hazlenut Spread… which we all simply refer to as the “Nutella Waffle Sandwich. Oh, yeah, and it’s got Fruit, too.”

Or maybe that’s just me?

Anyway, we’re revisiting the Nutella Waffle Sandwich today because… well, frankly because I wanted one on my last trip! And I thought I’d share it again today with you. After all, even though the Nutella Waffle never left the Sleepy Hollow menu, that doesn’t mean things here can’t change (Case in Point: the return of the Sweet and Spicy Chicken Waffle Sandwich after it was taken off the menu for a while — though good news: the price on the item has actually gone down, making it a better value). Anyway, I placed my order…

Nutella Waffle Sandwich

… and there you have it, it’s as glorious as ever. Just like always, the base is a big ol’ crunchy, golden Belgian Waffle, fresh from the iron. Then, it’s slathered in gobs of chocolate-hazelnut Nutella spread which becomes slightly melty.

So much Nutella!

Not gonna lie: I asked for extra spread, and you should, too. Because although a little Nutella is good, a lot of Nutella is better.

The fruit has stayed standard over the years, and even though I kid about the necessity of fruit, it’s actually pretty great here. Lots of fresh strawberries, blueberries, and sliced banana make this too big to really eat like a sandwich, despite the waffle’s official name.

Fruit galore!

So be sure to grab a knife and fork — and maybe even an extra plate — so you can deconstruct this glorious beast and take it slice by slice (or share with a pal!). In slices like this, it’s like a Nutella Waffle Pizza!

Nutella Waffle Slice

Whatever YOU want to call it, just get it! Because the Nutella-Waffle-and-hey-there’s-fruit-but-it’s-too-big-to-be-a-sandwich-maybe-it’s-more-like-a-pizza is just as great as it’s always been!

Nutella Waffle Happiness

And since Sleepy Hollow now has Hand-Dipped Corn Dogs a la Disneyland, you’ve got more than one reason to make a stop — or two! — during your visit to the Magic Kingdom!

What’s your favorite Disney waffle? Let us know!

Disney Food Blog Fans, be sure to check out our DFB Disney World Dining Guide e-Books! Find great deals at DFBStore.com! Also, come on over and:

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Should you find yourself in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland after 9 pm and in need of a bite, you might want to blast on over to Galactic Grill to check out their new Late Night Menu!

Galactic Grill AT NIGHT!

The Micron Burger is a mini-double slider packed with American cheese, house sauce, caramelized onions and a pickle ($7.99).

©Disney

Meteor Potato Bites are tots loaded up with ground beef, caramelized onions, house sauce, and cheddar cheese sauce ($7.99).

©Disney

Here’s a new twist on Chicken and Waffles… the Sweet or Spicy Star Clusters feature crispy chicken bites (NUGGS!) served over blue cheese coleslaw and pickle chips all served up in a waffle bowl! You choose a sweet chili or spicy buffalo sauce to finish it off ($8.49).

©Disney

The Lunar Space-Adilla is filled with pepper jack cheese, Ortega chilies, chicken, and chipotle-ranch sauce ($7.99).

©Disney

Also look for Little Dippers (French Toast Sticks with salted caramel and strawberry sauces for $7.49) on the menu. And keep the kiddos calm in those late night hours with a Kids’ Power Pack which includes a small banana, sliced apples, baby carrots, cheese crackers, and a Danimals® yogurt smoothie with milk or water ($5.99). Of course, Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars, Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Strawberry Fruit Bars will be up for grabs as well for a sweet way to end a totally sweet day in Disneyland.

Remember, you’ll only see these menu items appear after 9 pm, so plan your Galactic Grill trip accordingly (after your viewing of the returning nighttime spectacular Fantasmic!, perhaps?)

Will you be grabbing some late night bites at Galactic Grill? Please let us know with a comment!

And if you’re headed to Disneyland, don’t forget to take a peek at our Disneyland food youtube videos!

Disney Food Blog Fans, be sure to check out our DFB Disney World Dining Guide e-Books! Find great deals at DFBStore.com! Also, come on over and:

• Subscribe to our Newsletter
• Follow us on Twitter
• Become a Facebook Fan

The details did not include the land's actual location within the park, but they did say that Grand Avenue would "capture the spirit of present-day Downtown Los Angeles, showing vintage office buildings and warehouses representing the different vibrant districts and cultures of the city."

The first new location to open in the land will be the BaseLine Tap House, a new bar featuring California craft ales, lagers and cider, as well as small plates, including pretzels and charcuterie.

Disney's backstory machine at work:

BaseLine Tap House celebrates the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles by paying homage to the building’s former life as the Figueroa Printing Company, a mom-and-pop print house that had ties to the Disney studios in nearby Burbank. The space retains many of its cool architectural and mechanical details with exposed walls and old printing equipment and artifacts, blending the past and present in an inviting space.

The real Grand Avenue runs parallel and just to the east of the 110 in Los Angeles, from Chinatown north of downtown to across the 110 from the USC campus. Its most prominent stretch runs atop Bunker Hill from the Ahmanson Theater and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to the Walt Disney Concert Hall and then on to The Broad museum and MOCA.

From a personal standpoint, I am thrilled that Grand Avenue is becoming an official Disney "land," since I was born on Grand Avenue — at the California Hospital that stands in the block just north of 15th Street, between Grand and Hope Street. That's a couple of blocks east of the LA Convention Center, if you're looking for a point of reference.

Grand Avenue at Disney's Hollywood Studios joins Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard, and Echo Lake as lands in the park named for Los Angeles area landmarks, though Grand Avenue will be the first to be set in the current time period.

Rate and Review:

• Disney's Hollywood Studios

The official trailer for the fifth Sharknado installment, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, premiered at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con last week, and today Syfy dropped clip on YouTube so the rest of the world could finally get a look at it. And basically, that we can glean from the trailer is that if you really liked the first four Sharknados as well as the National Treasure movies and Indiana Jones, I guess, you are gonna freaking love Sharknado 5. It’s got everything. Hieroglyphics! Shark shrines! Fire! Ian Ziering literally even says, “Why’s it always gotta be sharks,” in a nod to the latter film franchise. (Also, because that’s the name of the movies, dummy!)

As we previously reported, the plot summary for the fifth Sharknado states that “the mission gets personal for Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and his bionic wife, April (Tara Reid) when their young son gets trapped in a traveling ‘nado and transported all over the world.” Also, Fabio plays the Pope and Chris Kattan as The Prime Minister of England, and do you really need to know more than that?

Sharknado 5 will be chomping and munching and gnashing its way onto TV screens on Sunday, August 6th at 8:00pm ET on Syfy.

Lucasfilm/Disney

What would Star Wars: The Force Awakens be like without Rey? She and Finn have the biggest roles in the film, and yet Hasbro’s Star Wars Monopoly game was sold with only four tokens: Finn, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Kylo Ren. Hasbro released the game to coincide with the release of Force Awakens. (Was the Darth Vader piece just his melted helmet?)

In January of 2016, the hashtag #WheresRey gained traction after eight-year-old Annie Rose requested a Rey token for the game and the story went viral. At the time, Hasbro said Rey was left out because her presence would be a spoiler (how?), but they promised to add her to the game by Fall of 2016.

Fall of 2016 has come and gone, so the Associated Press reached out to Hasbro to see why Rey still isn’t in sets sold in the U.S. (she is in some of the sets sold in five other countries).

People who bought the all-male game can request a Rey from customer service, spokeswoman Julie Duffy said Wednesday.

“In early 2016, Hasbro updated the 2015 Star Wars: Monopoly game to add a Rey token,” Duffy said by email. “This product was sold to retailers in several markets around the world but is not available for sale in the U.S. due to insufficient interest.”

Duffy said the company offered the updated version of the game to U.S. retailers but “retailers had ample inventory so they did not choose to sell the new version.”

How many people knew they could get a Rey token by calling customer service? Probably not many, since the company has only sent out 99 Rey tokens in the U.S. and 10 in Canada, according to Duffy. This also won’t do much to dispel the rumor from a supposed insider who claimed Rey was left out because “No boy wants to be given a product with a female character on it.” (Masculinity is fragile.)

Annie Goldman and her mother Carrie were disappointed with Duffy’s explanation. They expected the set with Rey to be available in America. Annie told AP calling customer service was “an awful lot of trouble to go through” and most kids wouldn’t know it’s an option. She told AP, “They didn’t keep their word.”

(Via the Associated Press)

shittysimpsons:

Oh, Mr. Mooney, I just gotta meet Bob Cummings!

HBO

Game of Thrones is the biggest, most covered show on TV, but we know shockingly little about season seven. The cast and crew are extremely tight-lipped when it comes to spoilers (one of the many reasons it’s a shame Ian McShane’s character wasn’t long for this world), and the full-length trailer reveals both everything (dragons, Sand Snakes, and White Walkers, oh my) and nothing. But one thing’s for certain in season seven: death is coming.

To be fair, that’s true of every season of Game of Thrones — there have been over 150,000 deaths — but especially for this upcoming one. The “Great War is here,” after all, so you know what that means: it’s death pool time! Boylesports revealed the betting odds for which character is most likely to expire first, a list, perhaps unsurprisingly, topped by a cagey pervert.

Characters Who Will Die First in Season 7

Petyr Baelish: 1/1
Ellaria Sand: 4/1
Euron Greyjoy: 6/1
Gregor Clegane: 6/1
Melisandre: 7/1
Cersei Lannister: 8/1
Arya Stark: 10/1
Jaime Lannister: 12/1
Tyrion Lannister: 33/1
Jon Snow: 100/1
Daenerys Targaryen: 100/1

As for the overall death odds:

Characters Who Will Die in Season 7

Ellaria Sand: 1/7
Euron Greyjoy: 1/5
Theon Greyjoy: 1/4
Petyr Baelish: 2/7
Melisandre: 1/2
Cersei Lannister: 5/6
Jamie Lannister: 11/4
Tyrion Lannister: 5/1
Jon Snow: 6/1
Daenerys Targaryen: 8/1

You have no idea how happy I am to not see Samwell’s name above, which of course means he’s going to die the most tragic death of all. He died the way he lived: under a pile of books.

HBO

The online explainer series Shots Fired performed a really astute deconstruction of the animated opening title sequence for the HBO series Silicon Valley, noting the story behind the sequence, the rotating players and the little social statements that are cleverly hidden in plain sight.

The show’s creator Mike judge didn’t even want titles he wanted to save every second of air time for the show itself. But HBO has a long tradition of iconic title sequences so it pretty much had to happen. HBO set Judge up with a design firm U+ Co and together they brainstormed the neat little toy valley. The titles are full of tiny little in-jokes and stories and every season the show has added and updated these.

The title sequences from seasons one, two, three and four.

• The Silicon Valley Season 2 Teaser Trailer Features the Cast, Expensive Shampoo, and Artisanal Butter
• Silicon Valley, A New HBO Comedy Series Created by Mike Judge That Pokes Fun at Startup Culture
• Trailer for Season 3 of the HBO Comedy Series ‘Silicon Valley’ About a Beleaguered Tech Startup

The post An Astute Deconstruction of In-Jokes and Tech References in the ‘Silicon Valley’ Title Sequence appeared first on Laughing Squid.

AMC

There wasn’t much to laugh about in the dark third season finale of Better Call Saul, but behind the scenes, there was on particular scene that inspired an incredibly funny observation from Bob Odenkirk in this week’s Better Call Saul Insider Podcast.

The scene comes near the end of the episode, and is not that memorable by itself. In it, Kim Wexler is deciding whether to watch To Kill a Mockingbird for the second time that day while sharing her Doritos with Jimmy, who she suggests should dip the Doritos into the nacho cheese sauce. “It’s cheese on cheese,” Kim says to a reluctant Jimmy.

AMC

What’s funny about that scene is that it’s the first time Bob Odenkirk had eaten a Dorito in 30 years. “They’re loaded with chemicals. That’s all they are — a few kernels of corn that are blasted with chemicals,” Odenkirk said. “So, I was like, ‘I don’t want to put this weird chemical in my mouth.”

That changed, however, the second those chemical-blasted kernels of corn hit his taste buds.

‘Oh my God!” he exclaimed, to the laughter of Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, and Co. “I couldn’t frigging believe it. And not just one. I had, like, 20 of them. Every single one of them blew my brain receptors out. Just completely. It’s insane what they’ve done.”

As anyone who has listened to them in interviews, the creative team behind Saul are always giving credit where credit is due.

“It’s a testament to the chemical efforts of the chemists who make Doritos,” Odenkirk said. “The people in the labs who make Doritos, they’re good at what they do. And they lit up parts of my brain!”

“This is why science matters,” the episode writer Gennifer Hutchison joked.

Odenkirk added that the flavor sensation didn’t end after the first chip, either. Even after multiple chips, the Doritos continued to excite parts of his “brain and tongue that have never been touched.”

As a favor to Odenkirk, showrunner Peter Gould finally suggested that Jimmy may be eating some more Doritos next season.

Because words don’t do the story justice, listen to it on the Insider Podcast (at the 1 hour, 18-minute mark).

Netflix

The sensation surrounding Netflix’s Making A Murderer might have faded from the public eye ever so slightly in advance of a potential Season 2, but that doesn’t mean Steven Avery’s case is over or isn’t still being litigated every day. The latest development in the investigation into the murder of Teresa Halbach and the pursuit of who might have killed her if it wasn’t Steven Avery or his nephew Brendan Dassey is the formal introduction of a new suspect into the proceedings. The person in question was Halbach’s former boyfriend Ryan Hillegas whom she had recently ended things with, moving on from the relationship with one of his close friends.

Avery’s lawyer Kathleen Zellner submitted a nearly 2,000-page motion to the state of Wisconsin positing that Avery deserves a new trial in large part because Hillegas was not investigated deeply enough at the time of the original investigation and didn’t have an airtight alibi for the day of Halbach’s death on top of that. Throw in the fact that when a post-conviction investigator originally attempted to approach Hillegas’ best friend at the time Scott Bloedorn for further interviews he was reticent to participate, until the investigator let him know that another suspect was on the way to being introduced into the case and he almost immediately guessed it was Hillegas. The evidence is thin (in a case with more than enough thin evidence already), but something at least seems fishy.

About 200 pages of Zellner’s motion is available to read on her website, if anyone is so inclined. It also names Avery’s original lawyers (Dean Strang and Jerry Buting) and his post-conviction counsel (Suzanne Hagopian and Martha Asksins) as complicit because they “were ineffective in failing to hire the experts needed to establish that all of the evidence used by the state to convict Mr. Avery was planted or fabricated.”

After the motion was filed, the Wisconsin Department of Justice responded accordingly:

“We are confident that as with Mr. Avery’s prior motions, this one also is without merit and will be rejected once it is considered by the court.”

Whatever the effect of this latest motion, if any, this case continues to take twists and turns every few weeks that would make for an intriguing drama if it weren’t real people’s lives.

(Via WBAY)

Mike Myers (Saturday Night Live, Austin Powers) is hosting ABC’s remake of The Gong Show, except he’ll be disguised in this creepy makeup and ABC is pretending he’s a 72-year-old British comedy legend named Tommy Maitland, whose made-up backstory claims he used to host “an Australian game show called Dingo’s Got the Baby, in which one contestant would be the dingo and another the baby, and a chase would ensue.” A dingo eating a baby is a horrifying reference to a death and a wrongful conviction in Australia, so that — along with the roasting of Will Arnett and bathroom references Myers made in his Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance — should hint at the type of jokes Myers and executive producer Arnett will be trying to get past network censors.

Sony is also playing along with the ruse, not mentioning Myers in their synopsis:

The Gong Show is back! Hosted by comedian Tommy Maitland and executive produced by actor/comedian Will Arnett. Every episode will celebrate unusually talented and unique performers on a primetime stage. A revolving panel of judges featuring Hollywood’s hottest stars praise, critique and gong contestants in one of TV’s all-time great variety shows.

Myers is being a little less coy, using the official “Tommy Maitland” Twitter account to retweet someone saying “Tommy Maitland IS Mike Myers!” And that Twitter account is already providing plenty of fodder to replace the Gary Busey gingerbread man in my nightmares:

The Gong Show will bring the nightmare fuel to ABC on June 22 at 10pm EST.

(Via Sony Pictures Entertainment)

WATCH: Annabelle Wallis: Tom Cruise Scrapped Our Kissing Scene

What?! Free + Disney? Impossible!

But wait — it’s not! There are actually free things to do — and even a few free things to EAT — at Walt Disney World. And we’re sharing our 10 favorite today in our latest DFB Video!

Disney Springs

Whether you’re looking to take a trip around WDW on the monorail, catch live music in Disney Springs, or take in a camp fire with Chip n Dale, there are some surprising ways to have a great time at Disney without laying out a bunch of cash.

We detail all of our favorites in our latest DFB Video — 10 FREE Things to Do in Walt Disney World!

 But now we wanna hear from you! What are some of your favorite FREE things to do in Walt Disney World? Leave a comment and share your secrets below!

Disney Food Blog Fans, be sure to check out our DFB Disney World Dining Guide e-Books! Find great deals at DFBStore.com! Also, come on over and:

• Subscribe to our Newsletter
• Follow us on Twitter
• Become a Facebook Fan

ABC

Last week during the 2017 television upfronts, ABC announced that Last Man Standing had been canceled, along with Dr. Ken on the network’s Friday night schedule (while Modern Family got picked up for another two seasons). There was no reason given for the cancellation of the conservative-leaning show, which has always managed to squeak by on somewhat decent ratings — although the attention Tim Allen recently drew to himself by comparing Hollywood to living in “1930s Germany” may not have helped.

In any case, conservative fans are pissed about the demise of their favorite show, and are demanding satisfaction with a petition and threat of a boycott of ABC, should the Disney-owned network refuse to un-cancel the show as NBC recently did with its sci-fi time-travel drama Timeless.

The petition, which has accumulated nearly 100,000 signatures at the time of this writing, makes the case that Last Man Standing “appeals to a broad swath of Americans who find very few shows that extol the virtues with which they can identify.”

Last Man Standing was not just selling conservative ideals though, as some of the characters in the show are clearly of the liberal persuasion, yet the characters on the show all manage to get along and take care of one another, despite their politically opposed views. The show is about more than politics though, it is about family. In fact, politics is only a secondary part of the show, but one in which many Americans can readily identify.

Last Man Standing is one of the only shows on broadcast television, and the only sitcom, that is not constantly shoving liberal ideals down the throats of the viewers. And sadly, that is likely the real reason the show has been cancelled.

ABC will be officially releasing its 2017 fall schedule later Tuesday morning, so it still remains to be seem whether or not fan voices will be heard.

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

Happy Friday, everybody! Time for a new installment of Ask Alan, where I take your questions about the past, present, and future of TV.

First up this week, my Bosch review — specifically, my comment about how the first season is easily skipped — inspired a question about other good shows where you can jump in a season or more past the beginning, which is increasingly a concern for people struggling to keep up in Peak TV.

From there, we get into the oddities of TV cast credits: why some people are “with,” some “and,” some “Very Special Guest Star,” alphabetical order versus order of prominence, cast regulars who aren’t in the opening title sequence, etc.

And, finally, I am called to account for the above tweet, which of course was in response to the thing that happened at the very start of this week’s The Leftovers. Do I have any regrets? (And if you liked both the episode and its very special guest star, might I suggest watching this clip. I apologize if it gets stuck in your head, but it’ll be worth it.)

As always, you can email me questions at askalan@uproxx.com, or tweet at me with the hashtag #AskAlanDay.

Marvel released a behind the scenes video for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 where Chris Pratt (Star-Lord) shows off some of the awesome props from his upcoming superhero film. Pratt is especially fond of his favorite prop of all, Dave Bautista (Drax). Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will blast its way into theaters on May 5th, 2017.

Related

• First Official Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Photo Featuring Mini Groot and Announcement of New and Returning Cast
• Chris Pratt Shares His Excitement About Working on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
• Chris Pratt Takes Us on a Charming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Set Tour for His Charity Auction

The post Chris Pratt Presents His Favorite Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Prop and It’s Dave Bautista appeared first on Laughing Squid.

It’s well known that Walt Disney came up with the concept for Disneyland — and, subsequently, Disney World — because he thought there should be a place that parents and kids could enjoy together.

Cinderella Castle

And we’re so glad he did!  Every Disney World vacation has its moments when it comes to traveling with little ones. And most of those moments are COMPLETELY. AWESOME.

But, let’s face it. Not all of them are exactly the kind of memories we want to share on our Facebook page… know what I’m sayin’? So we’ve devised a list of tips and tricks — some food related, some not-so-much — to help you plan a Disney trip your kids will LOVE!

Here we go!

Plot Your Chicken Nugget Route Carefully

Sometimes, our little angels can be somewhat intolerant. An unfamiliar restaurant can make a kid stop in his tracks and wail, “Eww! I don’t wanna eat THERE!”

Here’s a good tried and true strategy to help reduce those moments: let them help plan the food journey. A lot of times, it’s the fear of the unknown that makes kids balk at new eating establishments. Once they’ve looked at the menu and are assured that their beloved nuggets and fries are available….with a Souvenir Light Up Cup!…they’re more willing to give it a try.

Kids’ Chicken Nuggets Meal

Then, when they give you the side eye when you walk up to the restaurant, you can say, “Hey, kid. Don’t look at me. YOU picked this one!” (And then make them pay for it.)

Book At Least One Character Meal

That being said, make sure to book at least one Character Meal. Lines for characters around the Parks can be CRAZY long if you don’t have a Fastpass. A Character Meal (you can check out all of the restaurants, meal times, and featured characters here) is a great way to interact with a handful of characters, grab some autographs, and snap some photos, all in one fell swoop.

Winnie the Pooh at Crystal Palace

Plus, there’s food. AND it’s a great way to see how the littlest ones are going to react to to the costumed characters. (Will they freak or will they fawn?)

For instance, a first day visit to Crystal Palace is a good way to test the waters before you stand in a 45 minute line in the Parks, only to find out your World’s Biggest Pooh Fan just ISN’T DOWN with a five-foot Pooh Bear who has feet the size of her torso. Much easier to swallow that info while you’re eating Mickey Waffles in an air-conditioned room.

Take A Spin Around YouTube

Another way to help the kids get on board with the planning is to show them videos of the rides in the Parks you’ll be visiting so they’ll know what they can expect. Ask them what their favorite rides are from the videos you watched together (make sure to check the height requirements so you don’t have any disappointed shorties!) and then book Fastpasses for their favorites.

Does your little one dream of flying with Dumbo?

Bonus tip! You can check out even more Disney Tips through our DFB YouTube Channel!

Buy Some Cheap Disney Souvenirs

Make a plan to pick up a few inexpensive Disney items from the dollar store before you leave for your trip and stash them in your suitcase. Because, let me just tell you, the siren song of the Disney Souvenir is strong once you enter those gates, my friend.

Remember… there’s tempting merchandise at every turn!

Lessen the temptation for “gimme”-itis by supplying your brood with Mickey-faced whoosits and whatsits before you even step foot on park property. Pass one or two out every other day (if they’re behaving and telling you what magnificent parents you are for taking them on this wonderful trip) and that hopefully will keep the Veruca Salts at bay.

Another tip: grab some bubbles while you’re at the dollar store. They make a great stress reliever for anxious children and are a terrific time-passer while you’re waiting for the parade to start. 

And Perhaps Most Importantly…

And maybe the most important tip: Don’t overplan your days. There’s so much to see, do and experience at Disney, but downtime is your FRIEND! All of those sights, smells, and spins on the rides can overstimulate even the hardiest among us, but especially those wee ones.

Take a break in the middle of the day, maybe right after lunch, just to head back to your hotel and CHILL. Take a nap. Read a book. Take a swim. 

Pool Time

Just give your brain a breather for a bit. Then, when you head back over to the Park for the evening, you’ll be relaxed, refreshed, and ready to watch some awesome nighttime shows! Your feet, your brain, and your family will be so thankful you made that break happen…so happy that they MIGHT even tell you what a magnificent parent you are .

Parents, we’re pulling for you and your little ones to have a memorable — and perfectly magical! — Disney World vacation!

Do you have any tips to share when it comes to taking your kids to Disney? Please let us know with a comment!

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The man that we know best as Cody Rhodes — but who now usually goes more or less by “Cody,” or “The American Nightmare,” if you’re nasty — left WWE just a couple of months before the current brand split that divided the roster between Raw and Smackdown Live. But as you might suspect, plans were in motion well before the split became official, because something of that magnitude requires at least a little planning.

I hope you won’t be too bummed out to hear this, but one of the tentative plans they had for Cody in the brand split was completely awesome, and not too far off-base from some fantasy booking that more than a few fans had come up with themselves. Some things are just lay-ups, you know?

Cody was recently on the air with 107.7 The Bone, which is actually a thing in the Bay Area, and he talked about how he came just one person’s approval away from pulling double duty after the draft:

“At one point the plan was for me to be Stardust on one brand, and Cody Rhodes on another brand. I thought that was a really great idea. Absolutely wanted to do it! Everybody wanted to do it except for one person who will remain nameless, but that one person has the main vote.”

Yep, that’s the best possible idea for Cody, all around. We can feel free to speculate all we want on who that “one person” was who nixed the plans, but there are really only a handful of people that it could possibly be. So speculate away! And like I said, try not to let this news ruin your day, because it didn’t happen anyway, and may have been one of the catalysts to convince Rhodes to ask for his release anyway.

(h/t 411Mania for the transcript)

As you may have seen in an earlier post, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at the Disneyland Resort is currently undergoing an exciting hotel-wide renovation.

As the first phase of hotel rooms are completed and guests are starting to experience some of the new magic, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to share the details found in our newly reimagined guest rooms.

The headboards are made of quarter-sawn oak, a hallmark of Craftsman design, which frame a blossoming orange tree mural overhead—with mischievous Chip n’ Dale playing in the branches. When guests open the sleeper bed (available in select rooms), artwork of Bambi, along with other woodland creatures, bid them goodnight.

California-inspired artwork dot the room walls, including original designs of orange crate labels paying homage to Disney history. For example, Dominguez Grove Oranges is named for the family of Ron Dominguez, the owners of the property that Disneyland would be built on. Also, Silver Lake Brand Citrus is named for the Los Angeles neighborhood that was home to Walt Disney’s Hyperion Street Animation Studio.

Countertops of the room’s desk, dresser and coffee station incorporate pieces of green glass from wine bottles, creating a beautiful, unique surface. Above the coffee bar, textured copper detailing adds depth to the aesthetic of the room while enforcing the Craftsman story. Copper was one of the most common metals used during early Arts and Crafts designs, especially in Pasadena homes by Greene and Greene.

Lastly, all rooms are powered with the latest technological features and premium amenities, including 55-inch smart TVs, Keurig coffee makers and built-in USB chargers.

When is your next visit to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa?