Pumpkin will soon be peppermint

We’re not sure why, but we know sooooo many people who adore pumpkin flavored anything — pumpkin spiced coffee, pumpkin latte, pumpkin pie coffee creamer, pumpkin scones, pumpkin doughnuts. Pumpkin fans beware: Even though Thanksgiving is not yet here, many purveyors of pumpkin products are making way for pumpkin’s minty holiday cousins. — tb-two* staff

A feast for all

Alonso High junior Victoria Mendez has had a dream “since I was 8 years old” to organize a community event and make a difference. She persevered, and the dream is coming true Sunday, when the DOTS (Dreaming of That Smile) club she organized at Alonso sponsors the Feast for All to provide food for the homeless. All you need to do to attend is bring a bag of nonperishable groceries to the Northwest Hillsborough YMCA, 8950 W Waters Ave., Tampa, between 1 and 5 p.m.

“The event is for raising awareness and helping homeless people and families from our own community,” Mendez says. It will include music, food, activities and games for people of all ages. The club secured sponsors including Froyo, Carrabba’s and SweetBay to donate food and money. 

Donations of food will be given to a local food bank and cash will go to a local homeless shelter. Mendez says DOTS wants to surprise the organizations so asked that their names not be published. 

— tb-two* staff

In other Disney news

As it put the last minute polish on its new Fantasyland, Disney was also busy buying up Lucasfilm. To celebrate this $4.05 billion acquisition, the Walt Disney Co. announced it would produce a seventh Star Wars movie, with a working title of Episode 7, set to release in 2015. May the force be with Mickey.

More amusement park news

The hugely popular Transformers 3D ride that makes passengers feel like they’ve been dropped into the middle of a long, loud movie chase scene at Universal Studios in Hollywood is being replicated in Orlando, opening in June, the park announced last week.

The innovative attraction, estimated to cost about $100 million by industry analysts, has been declared a game changer in the theme park business and credited with elevating Universal’s revenues with higher attendance. It makes use of 3D and flight simulator technologies to immerse passengers in an intense story line — a chase with Megatron where they feel wind, heat and water and smell smoke as they swerve and soar through downtown Chicago.  — Sharon Wynne, tb-two*

Be our guest

Disney’s expanded and refurbished Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom doesn’t officially open until Dec. 6, but if you’re there before then, it’s likely you’ll get to see some of the new park. tb-two* was there recently and noticed people lining up around dusk next to the wall separating the original Fantasyland from the still-in-progress Seven Dwarfs Mine Train roller coaster. No extra ticket was needed; guests were escorted through castle walls into such places as the Beauty and the Beast addition and Little Mermaid ride. How fun! — Michelle Stark, tb-two*