The Disney Parks Blog just announced a special event taking place this November that is sure to delight Disney shopping fans. The Benefit Sale, which will be held November 6 from 5:30-9:30 AM at Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney, is a one day shopping event that will offer huge discounts on select Disney merchandise to shoppers at some of their favorite Downtown Disney stores. But these great discounts aren’t the only reason to look forward to this event, as it will also benefit and help support the Heart of Florida …

The Walt Disney Family Museum opened its doors on October 1, 2009, and has been an amazingly valuable resource on the life and career of Walt Disney ever since. Located in the Presidio of San Fransisco, the 40,000 square foot building holds 10 interactive galleries that present Walt Disney’s legacy through drawings and animation, movies, music, and more. In addition, the museum contains a state-of-the-art theatre, cafe, and gift store. This fall, the museum will celebrate its one-year anniversary with a host of special events open to guests of all …

After already becoming the highest grossing animated film of all time and passing the impressive $400 million dollar mark domestically a few weeks ago, Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 3″ has now achieved yet another distinction. Today, Disney reports, “Toy Story 3″ will become the third Disney film to gross $1 billion, joining 2006’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” and this year’s remake of “Alice in Wonderland.”
Surpassing the $1 billion mark puts “Toy Story 3″ in an elite group of only seven movies that have achieved this distinction. The other …

The poorly planned insider trading scheme set up by Yonni Sebbag and girlfriend Bonnie Hoxie, a former assistant to Disney head of corporate communications Zenia Mucha, has resulted in a guilty plea.
The two were arrested in May and charged with conspiracy to commit fraud after sending anonymous letters to hedge funds and investment companies promising an early peek at quarterly financial results. When the financial companies tipped off authorities, the scheme was played out through undercover FBI agents posing as interested investors.
Hoxie was released on $50,000 bail; Sebbag has been …

The Creative Arts Emmys 2010 were awarded last night, and Disney/ABC’s achievements in television this year were not forgotten. While HBO was the top winner of the night, earning 17 awards, ABC led the broadcast networks with 15 awards.
ABC’s TV programs earned many of the awards, including “Modern Family,” which took home three awards for their casting, picture editing, and sound mixing. “Dancing With the Stars” also earned multiple awards, receiving two awards for hairstyling and technical direction. “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Lost,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “FlashForward” all won one award …

Disney fans now have a whole new way to enjoy Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story” characters in Toy Story Playland, a new addition to the Disneyland Paris Resort. The new land, which opened August 17, is part of the park’s Toon Studio, which already includes attractions from the popular films “Finding Nemo” and “Cars.”
In this new land, guests are able to experience Andy’s backyard from a toy’s point of view. Everything in the land is made out of toys and is scaled to fit a toy’s size. This includes benches made out …

Disney announced today that Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 3″ has officially become the top-grossing animated film ever made. The movie has taken in $920 million at the box office worldwide, surpassing the previous record holder, Paramount/Dreamworks’ “Shrek 2,” which grossed $919.8 million.
Debuting on June 18, “Toy Story 3″’s opening weekend grossed $109 million in North America, making it Pixar’s highest-grossing opening weekend. The film fared similarly well overseas, with high grosses coming in from such countries as Japan, United Kingdom, and Australia (but not Russia).
The film has also become the fourth …

Disney formally unveiled an online community created for kids and themed to the Pixar film favorite, Cars. World of Cars includes games, interactive activities, and more!
The online world allows users to “create a car” when they sign up, then interact with Cars characters Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, and others while also interacting with fellow users and players online. Disney’s goal for the online community is to keep kids anticipating the release of Cars 2 in 2011 and the opening of Cars Land in Disney California Adventure in 2012.
This is Disney’s …

Disney fans who are members of Disney’s D23 community now have an extra incentive to spread the word about the group. D23: the Official Disney Fan Club gives Disney fans access to special events, merchandise, and other benefits when they purchase a membership to the club. But now referring their friends to the program will earn them even more rewards.
The gifts D23 members earn through the new “Refer a Fan” program depend on the number of fans they recruit. The gifts are as follows:

Refer one (1) fan who becomes a …

According to Engadget, Verizon’s partnership with Disney mobile will soon extend even further.
Disney has reportedly been testing a GPS navigator and tour guide for Walt Disney World, which will be based on HTC Hero handsets. The guides will feature shopping discounts, bonuses for users, and updated wait times for Disney World rides and attractions.
When the guides will arrive in the parks — and the form they’ll take after testing — is unknown. Another concern is pricing. Disney’s current Verizon Mobile Magic application is expensive, and the thinking is …