Disney News

Author: Nate

  • “Star Wars” Imperial AT-AT Popcorn Bucket Taking Disney Parks by Force

    “Star Wars” Imperial AT-AT Popcorn Bucket Taking Disney Parks by Force

    This is the Popcorn bucket you are looking for… With the release of The Star Wars: Last Jedi right around the corner, Disney has come out with this awesome new “Star Wars” Imperial AT-AT Popcorn Bucket.

    Whether you’re a Star Wars fan, a Popcorn Bucket collector or both you’ll love this one.

    Recently, the Tomorrowland popcorn cart in Disneyland Park debuted the new popcorn bucket inspired by the AT-AT vehicles first seen in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, but the price tag on these puppies is a force to be reckoned with at a whopping $25.

    At such a steep price the AT-AT “maul’s” all other popcorn buckets sold around the park, except the big Oogie Boogie from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” back around Halloween. The legs on the Imperial Walker are fully-articulated, so guests can recreate the Battle of Hoth while they snack around the park.

    The four-legged buckets had been spotted recently and are making the rounds on social media.

    Just taking my new pet AT-AT for a walk around Tomorrowland. We ate some popcorn and searched for Hoth 🖤 #disneypopcornbucket

    A post shared by 🖤Alicia in Wonderland🖤 (@missaliciam) on

  • Disney and Fox Deal Back On and Moving Fast

    Disney and Fox Deal Back On and Moving Fast

    It turns out the talks aren’t really finished and there is still a strong likelihood of a deal between Disney and Fox. Disney is “progressing speedily” towards an acquisition of Fox, according to a new report from Deadline.

    It would appear that the two studios are nearing a deal that might have some in Hollywood a little nervous but it would be super exciting for fans that have long waited to see both the Fantastic Four and X-Men within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    It’s the film rights have kept the X-Men from joining the MCU as of yet, but one X-Men producer would love to see the crossover happen. A recent Vanity Fair article explained how X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner threw in her support to have the mutant icons team up with the Avengers in theaters. “Well, I wish. I would love it, I would love it. But it’s not for me to say,” she said. Too bad it’s not up to her.

    If the deal goes through, the Murdoch family will continue to maintain ownership over the sports and news divisions while Disney would get the studio rights to everything on the film side according to the report.

    There is so much more at stake here for Disney than the obvious rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four brands. They also want distribution rights for the original Star Wars trilogy and prequel trilogy. Most of those rights revert back to Disney in 2020, but the original 1977 film’s rights will remain at Fox.

    Another bonus is the Avatar franchise. Earlier this week director James Cameron commented on how any sale of Fox’s TV and film operations would impact the Avatar sequels. He noted it probably wouldn’t affect the Avatar series and explained that “at this point in time Disney has a bigger investment” in the franchise than Fox, referring in part to Disney World’s Pandora: The World of Avatar attraction.

    Disney would love to get its hands on the FX channel. And of course they want the vast, impressive, lucrative library of Fox movies and TV series from past and present, to add to their upcoming streaming service and, probably, to deny those movies and series to Netflix, along with the Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm properties.

    While in the midst of negotiations Disney is really hoping that Sony doesn’t out fox them on the deal. It was recently noted that Sony Entertainment had shown interest in purchasing 21st Century Fox along with a few other companies, including Comcast and Verizon. However, if rumors are true those talks have since reverted to Disney.

    Much of this is speculative, but the talk of Disney purchasing Fox is much more than a big rumor. Deadline’s new report makes a good point that, if this deal does happen, we’ll probably find out about it in a pretty out of the blue way. We may not know when that announcement could come, but don’t be too surprised to hear that Disney has officially purchased Fox in the near future.

  • Disney’s Live-Action ‘Mulan’ Finds Its Star

    Disney’s Live-Action ‘Mulan’ Finds Its Star

    Disney has found a lead for its live-action ‘Mulan‘. Chinese actress Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, is set to star in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the classic Chinese tale.

    In its search to find the film’s star, the studio was determined that the actress was young and of Chinese decent. Disney auditioned thousands of individuals for the role. The newcomer will star as Hua Mulan, who disguised herself as a man to take her father’s army conscription in fifth-century China.

    Following a worldwide search, the studio announced the casting Wednesday. Stemming from Disney’s trend of adapting its library of animated classics as live-action feature films, following the successes of “Maleficent,” “Cinderella,” “The Jungle Book,” and, most recently, “Beauty and the Beast,” which is currently 2017’s biggest box office hit. The studio is now shooting “Dumbo,” with Tim Burton directing and Colin Farrell starring.

    According to IMDb, Yifei is 30 years old and started her career at an extremely young age, beginning modeling when she was just 8 years old and acting in Chinese TV shows. She lived in Queens, New York for part of her childhood and she’s fluent in English, which should come in handy for the movie. She has also acted as a brand ambassador for some of the biggest names in beauty: Dior, Tissot, Garnier, and Pantene.

    Niki Caro (The Zookeeper’s Wife) will direct this new take on Mulan, which is inspired by both the 1998 animated film and the centuries-old folktale. The film is based on a script initially penned by Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek and rewritten by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

     

  • Marvel Releases Avengers: Infinity War Teaser Trailer

    Marvel Releases Avengers: Infinity War Teaser Trailer

    The first official trailer for Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” has finally arrived. We began our Marvel Cinematic Universe journey together back in 2008. All roads lead to Thanos next year. Get your first official look at “Avengers: Infinity War” right here.

    Following the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” the Avengers as we know it no longer exists. Lines were drawn; sides were chosen. The Avengers is nothing more than a team name without any team members. Can Earth’s Mightiest Heroes put aside their differences and unite once more? Do they even stand a chance against the Mad Titan who delights in their failure and desperation? Can they stop his thirst for power and chaos as he begins to collect the Infinity Stones?

    The trailer packs as many super heroes as it can in a mere 2 minutes and 30 seconds: Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Vision (Paul Bettany), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), and so much more.

    “You can fight it. You can run from it. But destiny still arrives.” We know the trailer brought a smile to your face as much as pain and suffering put one on Thanos’ face. Now excuse us while we watch the trailer a thousand more times!

    See the culmination of the last decade of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when “Avengers: Infinity War” opens in theaters on April 27, 2018.. Stay tuned to mydisneydorks.com.

  • This Bathroom Captures the Spirit Disney’s Haunted Mansion

    This Bathroom Captures the Spirit Disney’s Haunted Mansion

    Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, you just might be in this couples bathroom. Measuring in at about 28 square feet, this bathroom is located in Los Angeles and replicates with great detail the Foyer from Disney’s Haunted Mansion with ghoulish delight.

    The apartment belongs to Carrie Hayward, author of PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons, and husband Patrick Johnson, puppeteer and co-owner of Swazzle and the haunted bathroom was designed by Hayward and an assist from interior decorator Leslie Landis. Take a look at all the pictures below.

    When Hayward was a child, her family would visit Disneyland, in Anaheim. As a life long Disneyland fan she dreamed of meeting her prince charming one day.

    As she got older, Hayward kept her passion mostly under wraps. Then one day while she was waiting to board Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, she threw a nickel in the fountain and wished to meet a man who shared her love of Disneyland. Later that night she met Patrick and on their first date he casually mentioned that he had a Disneyland annual pass and the rest as they say is history.

    For Hayward and Johnson, redecorating to capture the spirit of the foyer in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion was a thrilling ride. With all the work they put into the bathroom, they don’t envision redecorating—or moving—anytime soon.
    [metaslider id=1107]

    “we will probably be in this place a long time,”

    says Hayward and they don’t plan on moving anytime soon.

    Hayward’s philosophy is that you should make your home comfortable no matter how long you intend to live there, regardless of whether you rent or own. They invested in some things that they cannot take with them when we leave, but for them, it’s worth it to be able to enjoy them while they live there, no matter how long that is.

  • RUMOR: Donald Trump’s Hall of Presidents Debut at Disney World to be Before Christmas

    RUMOR: Donald Trump’s Hall of Presidents Debut at Disney World to be Before Christmas

    Reports at Disney World have surfaced stating that Donald Trump’s expected debut in he newly refurbished Hall of Presidents may happen before Christmas. The Hall of Presidents was set to reopen on June 29, but has remained closed since January 17.

    In past years, the Disney theme park attraction would close for a short period of time to include the newest president. However, Trump’s inclusion has taken much longer than expected, especially as he was elected over a year ago.

    The Hall of Presidents is expected to open by Christmas of this year according to WDWMagic sources . We should point out that relying on unnamed sources surrounding this particular attraction has been in the fake news category in the past, but if you consider that back in June, Disney did say in a tweet that the attraction would open by “late 2017,” then this date does make a lot of sense.

    Perhaps the biggest controversy surrounding the attraction came from a report from Vice, which, cited an anonymous source at Disney who stated that there was an internal struggle amongst Imagineers on whether or not to completely retool the attraction so that the 45th president wouldn’t have a speaking role.

    Only time will tell if these current reports prove true or if Disney plans to keep it on the back burned a little longer.

    Below is a look at the most recent version of the attraction before it closed in it’s entirety.

  • Disney Parks Chief Might Be Bob Iger’s Successor

    Disney Parks Chief Might Be Bob Iger’s Successor

    If experts are right, it would seem that Bob’s still your uncle in the quest to find a new leader of the band for The Disney Company. Disney Parks Chief, Bob Chapek, Might Be Bob Iger’s Successor. After what seemed like an obvious succession plan failed last year when heir apparent Tom Staggs left the company, Disney was left with the difficult task of finding a new chief.

    Staggs was seen as the likely successor after being given his promotion to COO in February 2015, more than two years in advance of Iger’s then-scheduled retirement. But last year he stepped down after being told the board had lost confidence in him.

    There are quite a few options out there, but it seems Disney may be focusing on a business-unit strength — the Parks division — in picking Bob Iger’s CEO replacement. Bob Chapek has delivered steady returns at the helm of Parks and Resorts, the only one of four units to post an increase in sales and profits for the past fiscal year.

    Chapek joined Disney after working in marketing at H.J. Heinz Co., the food-processing company, and at agency J. Walter Thompson. At Disney, Chapek reorganized the consumer-products division, cutting jobs and focusing the business on brands rather than lines of merchandise.

    Chapek’s also worked in the film studio and in consumer products and has emerged as a key contender to take over when Iger departs in July 2019. Iger extended his contract in March) Iger’s postponed his retirement three times with contract extensions but says the latest is the last.

    At the parks division, Chapek has focused on pricing, introducing a tiered system of tickets that cost more during peak times and eliminating some annual passes. He’s searched for ways to get patrons to pay extra for perks such as nighttime events and passes to get to the head of the line in the company’s California parks.

  • BEST CYBER MONDAY DISNEY DEALS

    BEST CYBER MONDAY DISNEY DEALS

    Black Friday is over and now you get to sit back and relax and shop from your computer because it’s Cyber Monday! Today we have rounded up the best deals for Disney fans, with a look at the best discounts on everything from Disney toys to travel.

    While some of the Black Friday weekend deals are still live so check out our post about Black Friday Specials if you haven’t already.

    As always, the go-to place for Disney merchandise is…Disney. On top of normal savings, you can save another 30% off purchases of $150 or more on shopDisney with promo code CYBYRRR. That’s on top of discounts on parks merchandise, toys, holiday decor, etc.

    DISNEY TOYS, BOOKS & MOVIES

    LEGO Star Wars Assault on Hoth ($247) – Holy cow does this look cool. Given the price, it should be pretty cool. LEGO sets are one of the Deals of the Day, so you can click here to find many other sets that’s on sale!

    Disney Frozen Musical Elsa ($18) – Take 40% off this Elsa doll that sings “When We’re Together.” Elsa is wearing (what I assume is?) a new dress from Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. 

    Dance Code Princess Belle ($60) – My first reaction was “how is this doll still $60 after a 40% discount?” After reading about it, that turned to “wow, keep that possessed doll away from me.” With that said, I must admit that if I were a kid it’d probably be really cool to be able to program a doll to perform dance routines for Belle to perform.

    Disney Elena of Avalor Royal Castle ($29) – At 3 feet tall, this is a pretty sizable gift for the price. 

    Moana Adventure Collection ($15) – Cool Maui and Moana dolls that are 63% off.

    Star Wars Chewbacca Electronic Mask ($13) – This internet-famous Chewbacca mask is 60% off for Cyber Monday. 

    Cars 3 Lightning McQueen 20″ Vehicle ($6) – Half off a large sized Lightning McQueen toy.

    The Lion King: Walt Disney Signature Collection (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD) ($13) – There are actually 16 Disney movies on sale at Target, and some incredible deals in there. I’ve been having trouble getting Target’s site to load, but that comes with the territory on Cyber Monday.

    DISNEY TRAVEL GADGETS & ACCESSORIES

    Anker PowerCore Lipstick Charger ($10) – This Lightning Deal will probably be sold out by the time most of you wake up, but if you’re able to take advantage, it’s a great deal at 75% off. Let’s hope another external battery Lightning Deal shows up later, as there’s not much in the way of external batteries aside from this right now.

    Lightweight Travel Backpack ($12) – Another Lightning Deal (for some colors and sizes), this super lightweight bag is perfect for a day bag in the parks, and will easily pack into your luggage.

    4-Port USB Hub ($7) – I’m not a fan of this plugging into a USB port (I prefer the wall versions), but it’s a good deal, and the wall version that’s currently on “sale” is actually not that good of a deal.

    Professional Travel-Sized Hair Dryer ($13) – Huge savings on a high-quality hair dryer. Sarah always travels with her own dryer, as the ones provided at Disney hotels don’t cut it.

    Compression Luggage Cubes ($14) – The best of both worlds in terms of organization and saving space in your suitcase. At 77% off, this is an incredible deal!

    Digital Travel Luggage Scale ($6) – A convenient method for weighing luggage while on the move, to make sure you didn’t buy too many Tsum Tsums during your Walt Disney World vacation.

    4K Waterproof Action Camera ($70) – Basically a knock-off GoPro. Given the overwhelmingly positive reviews, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and you can’t go wrong saving another 50% off the already-discounted price.

    TravelPro Crew11 Suitcase ($112) – This 75% off suitcase really deserves more attention. TravelPro is the only brand of suitcase we use. It’s the most popular brand with flight attendants, and for good reason–mine still looks brand new after years of heavy use. Sarah just purchased this exact bag when it was on sale for Prime Day.

    Mission Enduracool Towel ($3) – We purchased two of these on Prime Day since they were on sale, and we accidentally(?) received two cases. We still prefer Frogg Toggs as a way to stay cool on hot and humid days at Walt Disney World. However, at only $3.54 (76% off), this is a great deal–especially if you don’t like the residue of Frogg Toggs. Added UV protection and free lip balm sweetens the deal.

    There are a bunch of other great deals online, but we recommend opening the Amazon Cyber Monday Deals homepage, and browsing the ‘Deals of the Day’ and the shopDisney.com website.  Ebay is also a great place to find the best deals on all you Disney needs.

  • Fans Can Meet Thor and Loki at Disney’s California Adventure Park

    Fans Can Meet Thor and Loki at Disney’s California Adventure Park

    With Marvel Studios recent released Thor: Ragnarok’s the timing couldn’t be better for the Asgardian brothers Thor and Loki to start appearing at the in the parks. The two are found meeting Marvel fans around the Disney California Adventure Park.

    The two do a bit on the Hollywood backlot stage before they meet with the fans nearby. The “moment” is called “Thor and Lokis Heroic Encounter” located right in Hollywood land.

    Thor and Loki

    Thor and LokiThor and Loki

    Some classic moments were photographed by @thelizziness. Thor and Loki do a moment on the Hollywood Backlot stage before meeting with guests nearby.

    Thor is actually a returning character. He used to be across in Disneyland Park. He was located in Superhero HQ, but sadly closed on April 2, 2016.

  • Disney Stance Snow White Sox Will Make Your Feet the Fairest of Them

    Disney Stance Snow White Sox Will Make Your Feet the Fairest of Them

    Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, and as expected that comes with tons of collaborations with all the top merchants.

    Following on from Le Creuset‘s dreamy poison apple pot, the original Disney princess is teaming up with Stance for an extra-special sock collection.

    [metaslider id=989]

    The film itself was released in 1937 and the sock design is in keeping with the art deco movement of the time. The patterns feature Snow White, Maleficent and a fairytale castle scene reimagined in tones of deep green, mustard yellow and vibrant neon pink – all designed by artist Jaz Meier. Pick your favorite pair or collect all three – The Snow White Collection from Disney & Stance launches on November 27th and will be available at shopDisney.

    Stance is a brand all about expressing your individuality through cool printed socks. In our case, that means showing off your Disney fandom and style!

    ICYMI, they’ve had collections around classic Mickey and Minnie, Star Wars, and the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. Now, along with a number of other reputable brands including Saks Fifth Avenue, they’re celebrating the 80th anniversary of Disney’s first full-length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.