Wreck-It Ralph smashed box office records for a Disney animated film in its opening weekend, and won over critics and audiences no less. With its creativity, heart and passionate storytelling, Wreck-It Ralph signals Walt Disney Animation Studios is back in the game, so to speak. This edition of Disney In Depth will explore what has led up to this new hit for the studio, as well as what awaits.

Many individuals say the Disney Renaissance began with 1989’s The Little Mermaid, with following entries Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King reaching even greater heights – everyone seems to leave out the forgotten The Rescuers Down Under. Regardless, this represented a period of unparalleled imagination and inspiration within the studio, continuing for several years to follow. Then came the slump. Audiences were no longer interested in musicals, so it seemed, and Disney animation switched gears into the sci-fi realm with productions like Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet. Computer animation emerged, and with that advent Disney entered the new arena with misses like Chicken Little and the awkward-yet-smart Meet the Robinsons. None of these performed all that wonderfully. It had appeared as though Disney lost its touch. But the studio had some exciting developments up their sleeve.

At the bi-annual Destination D event at Anaheim’s Disneyland Hotel last week, the Disney D23 Official Disney Fan Club hosted a series of events that focused on the legendary history of Disney animated features. Hundreds of Disney fans gathered inside the resort’s convention center to obtain exclusive access to lectures, concerts and footage. Over the coming weeks inside Disney In Depth, I will cover some of those topics featured in the fascinating presentations held at Destination D. As for now, this edition will focus on the exciting future of the division we know as Disney animation.

Walt Disney Animation Studios appears like it is entering that third renaissance we have all been waiting for. With the beautiful The Princess and the Frog and delightful Tangled leading the way, the studio that suffered from creative missteps like Home on the Range is now producing hit films that resonate with audiences and appeal to critics to boot. During “Inside Walt Disney Animation Studios Today,” animator Darrin Butters hosted an appealing round-up of the studio’s newest projects.

Warning: This edition contains some spoilers of details mentioned at the event.

Amazon currently has 100 MP3 Albums For $5 Each for the month of December 2011, so today’s the last day to grab the items in this sale. There’s plenty of great music from artists like Nine Inch Nails, Dio, Beck, Bruce Springsteen, and more, as well as soundtracks for Tron: Legacy and Book Of Mormon.

Below is a sample of some of the albums in this $5 sale, so grab it now before it’s over at 11:59pm PST tonight!

– Green Day – Insomniac
– Daft Punk – Tron: Legacy Reconfigured
– The Offspring – Greatest Hits
– The Book Of Mormon – Original Broadway Cast Recording
– Flight of the Conchords – I Told You I Was Freaky
– Bruce Springsteen – Greatest Hits
– Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral
– Beck – Odelay
– Dio – Holy Diver
– Korn – Korn III: Remember Who You Are

The Book of Mormon, the comedic Broadway musical created by South Park masterminds (and BASEketball stars) Trey Parker and Matt Stone along with Robert Lopez, has become the toast of the Great White Way since opening on March 24.

Recently the critically-acclaimed show, which has won nine Tony awards and five Drama Desk awards, finally recouped its production costs and is now turning a profit for its investors.