Steampunk Maleficent Dragon!

Today The Disney Parks Blog unveiled what may be the best parade float in human history.

Steampunk is cool. Maleficent in dragon form is cool. Steampunk Maleficent Dragon is a whole new reason to plan a vacation to Walt Disney World. I can't stop smiling when I look at these shots. This amazing float will be part of this Spring's Festival of Fantasy parade at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

Now, if Disney's really smart, they'll make a clockwork toy out of this to sell in the parks...

Photos from Disney Parks Blog

Villainous Handouts at World of Disney

In Downtown Disney, the villain-themed room at the massive World of Disney store gets the most attention from true-blue Disney fans; Not only does it contain the best art collectibles, but it features some wildly inspired fixtures, including these creepy, wonderful...er...sconce-like things.

Each villain's personality is brilliantly summed up with a single hand holding a signature film prop.

These just might be the coolest retail wall fixtures on the planet.

Lego Maleficent at Night

Evening at Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney means live music, great food and a life-or-death struggle atop the Lego Store. I've posted about Lego Maleficent before, but the amazing sculpture is even better after dark. I can't get over how perfect the color and lighting is on that creature.

Lego remains one of the most perfect products on Earth, and Maleficent is one of Disney's most perfect creations. The powerful combination of the two can make passerby stop, stare and forget about the passage of time as they're overcome with a perfect storm of awe and delight.

Note to Disney: Sleeping Beauty dark ride. Please.

Rare Characters From 1983's Flights of Fantasy

In a recent post we watched the giant Fantasia brooms march by, and now we're taking a look at some more rarely-seen characters who grabbed the spotlight in Disneyland's 1983 Flights of Fantasy parade. We've got a dozen photos today, starting with the best armored oddballs ever:

 

The Trumpeter, Hippo Knight and Rhino Guards from Robin Hood show up! Check out the rhino on the far right menacing the crowd.

Heffalumps and Woozles. Hide the honey!

Disney's Favorite Way to Bump Off a Villain

Quick: What's Disney's favorite way of killing off an animated baddie?

Not all Disney villains die, of course. Some are imprisoned and some (mainly in the comedies) are merely humiliated. Then there's Pinocchio, a very dark film in which five major villains get off with no punishment at all -- because the message of Pinocchio is watch out!

When Disney storytellers do kill off a creep, however, they've definitely got one preferred method. Let's take a look at the list of all the Disney animated villain death scenes:

Ghosts of the Past: The Disney Villains Shop

This quaint little shop in Disneyland's castle courtyard has seen many changes over the decades. It's been a magic shop, a Christmas store, and it currently sells swords and family crests. In the early 90's, however, it housed the Disney Villains shop.

One of the most fun stores in the park, The Villains Shop sold a colorful variety of shirts, hats, license plate frames and coffee mugs, all featuring characters such as Maleficent, Chernabog, the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, Ursula, Cruella and the Cheshire Cat.

The Cheshire Cat?!?

Maleficent on the Castle

As you pass through Sleeping Beauty Castle into the main Fantasyland courtyard, it's natural to immediately focus your attention on the great rides ahead. If, however, you slow down a moment and look to the left, you'll spot this wonderful painting on the castle wall depicting one of the best moments in Disney animation: Prince Phillip's confrontation with the dragon Maleficent. Look at that great use of color, pulling your eyes to the flame's impact on the shield.

No doubt about it, that dragon is one of the best film monsters of all time. When I finally took the time to really get a good look at this painting, however, one element made me smile most. Let's zoom in on the real star of Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

Yes, Samson the horse is one of Disney's great unsung heroes. Sleeping Beauty's happy ending couldn't happen without this stalwart, long-suffering trooper -- and all he gets is a carrot. I think the artist in charge of this great painting felt the same way; he took the time to capture the humor and determination in the character. I mean, compare the horse's face to Prince Phillip's; who got the most flattering portrait?

Disneyland contains a bazillion great little details. This painting, quietly tucked to the side, is just one of them.

Everything's Better With Dragons

The humongous new Maleficent dragon atop the remodeled Lego store is the best thing that's ever landed in Downtown Disney...besides chocolate-covered marshmallows on a stick. The fact that it's made out of Lego just makes the creature more wonderful. Downtown Disney's a great place, but a few more jaw-dropping sights like this would add extra fun to the mix.

It's hard to believe the shop originally opened with nothing up there. I'd like to shake the hand of the person in charge of the remodel -- the visionary who gazed up at the plain rooftop and said, "Something's missing...Aha!"

Disney and Lego -- what a perfect pairing! It's nice to know that, even though the building-brick company operates a competing theme park a bit farther south, the two giants can cooperate to create something as cool as this.