Central Floridian Vienna Girardi, who rose to fame during her stint on ABC’s The Bachelor, visited Typhoon Lagoon this weekend. She and her family cooled off in the warm temps at the Disney World water park. (Photo by Todd Anderson/Walt Disney Co.)

NBA star Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat compared athletic wear with Mickey Mouse at ESPN Wide World of Sports this weekend. Disney World gave the player a trio of basketballs that formed the trademark shape of Mickey’s head. (Photo by Todd Anderson/Walt Disney Co.)

Oscar-winning actress Mo’Nique prepares to view “Captain EO” at Epcot with 3-D glasses and one Mickey Mouse glove — very Michael Jackson on Friday, the re-opening day of the film at Walt Disney World. Mo’Nique is a comedian but won the Academy Award earlier this year for her dramatic role in Precious.

Also attending Friday were guests Jaymes Gabourel (sporting a glove of his own) and his aunt Andrea Smith, both of Washington, D.C.  The Captain EO signage in the background is the original decor used for the attraction during its original run at Epcot from 1986 to 1994. When EO was replaced by Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, the sign was moved and bolted inside a maintenance building at Disney World.

EO will be at Epcot for a limited time, although Disney has not yet announced an end date.

Click here for the Captain EO photo gallery.

Click here to read more on Captain EO.

ABOVE: Disney cast members get ready to view the Captain EO show at the Imagination! pavilion, as Epcot vice president Dan Cockerell introduces the film, during a sneak preview, Wednesday.  (PHOTOS by Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

One-third of the Disney pop powerhouse JoBros was on the beach on Saturday as a host of Radio Disney musical mainstays took the stage at the Daytona Beach Bandshell for the inaugural American Music Festival.

Though Kevin Jonas didn’t perform, he did emcee the event and help attract the young crowd that showed up.

The Sentinel’s Nick Masuda was there to photograph the event, which attracted almost 4,000 people to see acts such as Lifehouse, Honor Society, Miami’s City of God, Chris Via and even local faves Orange Ave. and Selby.

You can check out photos of the festival here and read more about  the event from the Sentinel’s pop-music critic Jim Abbott here.

Singer Gloria Estefan poses with Toy Story 3’s Jessie the cowgirl as co-star Woody looks on Saturday near Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom. Estefan is visiting Walt Disney World with family and friends. (Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney Co.)

Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner (who did the “I’m going to Disney World” honors after the winning Super Bowl XXXIV with the St. Louis Rams) poses with his wife, Brenda, and two children, Dakota and Kate, from their First Things First Foundation at the Magic Kingdom this week.  The organization, in conjunction with Give Kids the World, has been hosting children with life-threatening illnesses and their families this week at Walt Disney World.  It’s the seventh consecutive year that Warner has been a host for the event. (Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney Co.)

Anthony Anderson, who starred in NBC’s Law & Order, checks out a Venetian mask at the Italy pavilion in Epcot with mask maker Giorgio Iurcotta (center) on Monday. Anderson is vacationing at Walt Disney World this week with his son Nathan (left), wife Alvina, and daughter Kyra (right). (Photo by Gene Duncan/Walt Disney co.)

Walt Disney World fans at the Magic Kingdom know that the iconic Cinderella Castle changes colors each night more often than Flora, Fauna and Merriweather can work their magic.

So what’s your favorite color for the castle each night? Enjoy this gallery of photos, and be sure to cast your vote here.

Photos by Steven Ford, Orlando Sentinel

Lotso is short for Lots-O’-Huggin’, and the DHS character (set up in the Magic of Disney Animation building) typically greets guests with open arms and lots of (wait for it, wait for it) huggin’. It’s pretty endearing. Lotso is kinda big, and I’m not really sure how he signs autographs with those big paws, but he does it.

The line was too long for my tastes, so I can only imagine if he smells like strawberry as the plush doll versions of him in the stores do.

Lotso’s stomping grounds are where the Up characters used to be. The current scenery includes toy blocks that spell out TS3 and a green army man who moves up and down a yo-yo string above Lotso’s head.

But the little detail I liked best is the tag on Lotso’s rump — just like your teddy bear used to have, I’d wager. See, kids? Little things make a difference.  

Toy Story 3 is set to debut in theaters on June 18.