MI News Desk

In theaters this week, we get a surrealist escape to today. Not a film that recalls a remake of the future, not a dark sequel filled with superheros, not an animated romp to an icy bygone world. No, this week Disney offers us the chance to discover the Odd Life of Timothy Green.

With a realistic base featuring an imaginative twist that echoes classics such as Big Fish and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, this film is a break from the fictional worlds of summer-flicks and instead finds its setting in a world that is quite familiar, a small town set in modern day. Despite having a realistic tone, there is a touch of magic that makes this story a little different.

So the big question is: Should you take the leap of faith for the Odd Life of Timothy Green? Unless you are the adventurous type with a knack for diving right into family dramas, you probably won't find yourself jumping for joy.

Today we ventured into the parks a little early this week to take a look at the new pop -up location for the princesses. The new Princess Royal Walk is located at "it's a small world" mall. The location itself is a bit lackluster, but construction is now in full swing for it's new location at Carnation Gardens.

Over at Disney California Adventure, Disney determined you can no longer have a "ball" at Luigi's Flying Tires, making a barely entertaining attraction less appealing.

Disney California Adventure just got happier with the largest piece of the five year expansion Cars Land opening. Cars Land features 12 acres of immersive excitement, offering freewheeling fun for everyone as it brings the town of Radiator Springs to life, just as guests remember it from the Disney●Pixar movie “Cars.”

While Aulani starts construction on it's expansion in September, guests can take advantage of a special travel offer of five nights for the price of three. The limited time Aulani “5 for 3″ special offer is available for booking now through Nov. 10, 2012. This offer will be available for stays most nights Sept. 10, 2012; through Dec. 18, 2012.

Disney Parks Blog announced Pete's Silly Sideshow coming to the new Fantasyland at Walt Disney World. In one of the big-top tents in the Storybook Circus area will house Pete’s Silly Sideshow character greetings, a place where guests can meet some of their favorite Disney circus stars, This new area will be opening with the new Fantasyland this winter.

Disney Parks Blog has finally revealed the technology behind the "Glow with the Show" ears and they are sharing it with us! Below is the video from Disney Parks Blog.

Leading up to the premiere of the highly anticipated "Paperman" animated short, Disney has released a new mini series called Paperclips which will go behind-the-scenes with the making of "Paperman." In this first clip, director John Kahrs discusses missed connections being the inspiration for the feature.

"Paperman" will premiere before Wreck-It Ralph in theaters November 2.

Goldstar is currently offering $9 tickets to see CINDERELLA at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood.

Last week, we mentioned that the special two-week engagement includes accsess to the film plus the chance to see Cinderella live before each screening. Guests can enjoy a special exhibit of Christian Louboutin's modern day take on the iconic glass slipper. The special engagement is from August 15-30th.

This is part of the celebration of the "Cinderella" Diamond Edition coming to Blu-ray this fall.

Click for more information on this awesome El Capitan Theater ticket discount.

MouseInfo's "Let it Shine" Sweepstakes gives you the chance to win a copy of Let it Shine DVD! Set in Atlanta, this Disney Channel Original Movie is a celebration of family and friendship. The film is now available on DVD.

There's two ways to enter for your chance to win. Details after the jump.

Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS) is making its breakthrough BRDF Explorer available to the industry through a new open source site (github.com/wdas/brdf), it was announced August 7, 2012, at SIGGRAPH in Los Angeles by Brent Burley, the project’s principal engineer from WDAS software group.

The new tool is hoped to be "immensely useful for improving CG realism in film and games, as well as helping advance research in this important area."

Disney’s BRDF Explorer is an advanced physically-based shading and rendering toolset that evaluates BRDFs (a four-dimensional function that defines how light is reflected at an opaque surface) and how they compare to real life. It is capable of exploring the MERL 100 (Mitsubishi’s set of empirically measured data) and MIT CSAIL data sets, along with programmatic BRDF functions that can be defined by the user.

Disney just announced today that Fantasmic! will be getting another high-tech update, it will be included as part of the GLOW WITH THE SHOW program. Using infrared technology, the purchasable ear hats have glowing LED ears that have the ability to light up in sync with various locations around the Disneyland Resort.

The technology was first unveiled in a special World of Color performance during media preview in June in which all audience members were given a free pair of the ears. Reports have also surfaced online that the ears also come alive in other parts of the resort including at the Mad T Party dance parties that happen nightly in Disney California Adventure.

As with WORLD OF COLOR, it is likely (although still officially unannounced) that the Disney Parks Blog will also host a FANTASTMIC! GLOW WITH THE SHOW giveaway in which lucky winners are able to attend the park to see the show and be awarded a special free pair.

Disney released a video giving a sneak peek at how the GLOW WITH THE SHOW technology actually works.

Just in time for Halloween, Disney Parks Blog announced that the "Art of Frankenweenie Exhibition" will be coming to Disney California Adventure from September 14- November 5 inside the Animation Building. Guests will be able to see the touring art exhibit along with a extended sneak peek of Tim Burton's animated feature film.

Be sure to check out our coverage from this years Comic-Con for a sneak peek of the "Art of Frankenweenie."

This week Disney Parks Blog gives us a closer look of concept art of for the new Fantasy Faire coming to Disney in Spring 2013. These pictures give us a first look inside the Royal Hall where the prinesses will be meeting with guests.

With everything new that has arrived to the Disneyland Resort this summer, guests may be needing to ask a question asked or two. Walt Disney Imagineering have introduced: Ask Otto!