How many wonders can a person wonder in a day?

So the college program coordinators put together special events just for College Program. It’s called Academic Field Experience (AFE). Our first one was the tour of the Animation Building, “Off the Page” in Disney California Adventure’s Hollywood Backlot. The grand finale event was called a Turtle Talk with Crush! An in-depth, private tour exclusively for College Program participants!  We attended it on September 4^th. When I mention us, I mean Rachel, Jenna, Mariana, and I.

 In order to describe our day in the best way possible, I used the information provided on the Disneyland’s website: “When you enter the circular lobby, marvel at the enormous multimedia displays and breathtaking sound system. Original character sketches appear on giant screens along with clips from the films.”        

There are 4 different sections, Animation Academy, Character Close-UP, Sorcerer’s Workshop, and Turtle Talk with Crush. We started our way into the “Character Close-Up”. In this area, we learned about the: Toy Story Zoetrope-“It is dramatically spinning in the center of the room. Instead of using traditional, one-dimensional drawings, the Toy Story Zoetrope features three-dimensional sculptures of characters from the Disney•Pixar film Toy Story 2. As large disks whirl under a flashing strobe light, the Toy Story characters appear to come to life right before your eyes.”

In the Animation Academy, “Discover the secrets of how to draw a classic Disney character from a Disney animator at Animation Academy. When the hands-on show is over, you get to take home your artwork as a souvenir.

Learn the Basics of Drawing-Fun for any age and experience level, Animation Academy provides step-by-step instruction on how to draw some of your favorite Disney characters. Learn some basic tricks and techniques to give your drawing a professional pedigree.

Disney Animation Building-Animation Academy is only one part of the Disney Animation building, where you can learn all about the art and history of Disney animation, in an interactive, hands-on environment.  We learned how to draw Goofy and Jack Skellington!

Our 3^rd stop was the: Sorcerer's Workshop, which has 3 interactive rooms:

·         Magic Mirror Realm — Enter ye into this medieval castle and learn how to create simple animation. The very walls reveal many of your favorite Disney characters beautifully arranged by theme: Fairies and Spirits, Heroes, Villains and Mentors. See if you can spot the artful astrological symbols that grace each one!

·         The Beast's Library — Find your "Disney self" in this glorious library that fades to disrepair as the Beast's famous rose loses its petals! The library repairs itself before it darkens again, its pristine draperies becoming tattered and aged. Sit at one of the royal storybooks and take a quiz to discover which of the Disney characters you are most like.

·         Ursula's Grotto — "Become" the voices of classic Disney characters in a mini-theater! Venture into the villainesses' undersea grotto and stand in each "movie pod," where you can choose to either act or sing in a famous Disney movie scene. The pod will play back the scene on 2 different projection surfaces complete with your voice! If you watch carefully, you might get a glimmer of Ursula's henchman, Flotsam and Jetsam, slithering around the room.

Finally, we got to experience:

Turtle Talk with Crush

Check it, dudes! You can totally talk to Crush in this awesome interactive encounter at the Animation Screening Room. Chill with the righteous surfer turtle from Disney·Pixar's Finding Nemo and learn mondo facts about his aquatic life as he asks you questions about being human.

And as Crush would say, “Later, dudes!”

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneys-california-adventure/animation-academy/