L. Frank Baum's beloved wizard character comes to life and as we delve deeper into the mythology of one of the most beloved movie's Hollywood has ever made. In this prequel to "The Wizard of Oz", James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, who is hurled away from a bleak and dusty Kansas landscape to the vibrant Land of Oz.

Disney, always known for their charitable gifts, has done it again: recently, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund donated $250,000 to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to support that fund's efforts to rescue animals in the wake of disasters and to make sure their personnel are equipped to do such work.

The IFAW is known to be among the first to respond for animal rescue when a disaster strikes.

After more than a year without one the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will once again be home to an actual Spa, and this time it's Disney owned and run. Stepping out from behind the cover of a third party contractor Disney Parks and Resorts welcomes home a lush new retreat at the Grand Floridian. "Senses," the first of several new Disney Spas across property, is opening for business on December 17th, 2012.

Recently, a man was arrested at Epcot after flashing a fake badge at an entrance turnstile - all in an attempt to gain entrance to the park for free.

Emerito Pujol, 74, entered Epcot on Saturday, November 3, and showed a badge as he passed through the turnstiles. An employee demanded a closer look of the badge, and Pujol said he was an undercover officer. The Miami man went on to tell a security officer he was "in service" and "guarding someone important."

The Disney Food Blog has done it again with a fabulous new eBook "DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays 2012!" AJ Wolfe takes you by the hand and shows you the ins and outs of holiday shopping, dining and special events at Walt Disney World with 230 pages full of fantastic information, carefully selected to help you make the most of your winter holiday trip.

It's no secret the Walt Disney Company is generous to various charities and causes, and recently, the company has announced its intentions to contribute some $2 million to the relief efforts after last week's Hurricane Sandy.

Across the promenade from the American Adventure on the shore of World Showcase Lagoon sits the America Gardens Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater and entertainment venue. The America Gardens Theater features a high-quality sound system and hosts concerts, singers, and bands from around the world. The intimate size of the venue affords every guest spacious seat with a great view to settle in for a show.

A person who's undergone a double lung transplant participating in a marathon is news in and of itself. Over the past weekend, a Navy SEAL did just that - and he also got to meet the family of the teen who made the transplant possible.

Justin Legg, who underwent a double lung transplant in 2010 due to complications from leukemia, ran the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon last Saturday at Walt Disney World. After finishing the 13.1 mile course, he was able to meet and thank the mother of his lung donor. Said Legg:

Women-only running events (95% or greater female) are on the rise, with over 200 events in 2011. Women of all ages, all shapes and sizes, and all athletic abilities are coming together to take on the challenge of conquering a long distance run. There is a sense of camaraderie and a lack of inhibition at these events that have women flocking to run.

Many Disney fans tune in their television sets every December 25 for the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. The celebration of music, floats, Disney characters and Christmas cheer is taped ahead of time in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. While the California tapings have already taken place, Walt Disney World is gearing up for their part in the special which is set to be taped later this month.

At this time, it looks like taping for the parade will happen at the Magic Kingdom Friday, November 30, and Saturday, December 1 (with Sunday, December 2, as a rain date).