Category: Disney

  • 20 Years After Its Debut, ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway Still Reigns Supreme

    20 Years After Its Debut, ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway Still Reigns Supreme

    On Monday, November 13, The Lion King reaches a historic landmark, officially marking its 20th anniversary on Broadway. The blockbuster musical’s legacy endures around the world, with 24 global productions since its debut, and Disney Theatrical Productions is celebrating this monumental anniversary in New York City, with the production that started it all.

    In honor of the milestone, a free performance of the show will be held at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City on November 15; it was preceded by a special event and ticket lottery in Times Square on November 12. “Though it’s been seen around the world, The Lion King was born in New York City—from the studio in the Flatiron district where we rehearsed, to the Bronx shop where its sets were built, to its Broadway home in the heart of Times Square,” said Thomas Schumacher President & Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. “This free performance is our chance to thank New York City for 20 years of loving support and we hope audiences who could otherwise not experience Julie Taymor’s glorious vision will join us to toast the show born here in their hometown.”

    And, on November 5, Tony nominated composer Elton John surprised an audience of hundreds of Lion King alumni and members of the creative team, including Julie Taymor, Tim Rice, Garth Fagan, Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Roger Allers, and Irene Mecchi at a celebratory event with a performance of “Circle of Life,” joined by the entire company of The Lion King.

    Following the success of the Oscar®-winning 1994 film, The Lion King debuted on November 13, 1997 at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. That same year, the stage musical won the Tony Award for best musical and director Julie Taymor became the first woman in theatrical history to win the Tony for Best Director of a Musical. Twenty years later, The Lion King is the third longest-running musical in Broadway history and continues to be a worldwide phenomenon.

    Globally, The Lion King has played on every continent except Antarctica. It has been seen in more than 100 cities in 19 countries, with nine current productions worldwide. The musical been translated into nine different languages, including Mandarin during its run at Shanghai Disney Resort. More than 90 million people have seen The Lion King, making it the highest-grossing entertainment title in box office history.

  • Disney Crosses $5 Billion Global Box Office as ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Hits $800 Million

    Disney Crosses $5 Billion Global Box Office as ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Hits $800 Million

    Disney is passing two big milestones. First, Disney-Marvel’s “Thor: Ragnarok” is expected to surpass $800 million worldwide at any moment. Second, and maybe even more importantly, with the help of Thor’s newest installment, Disney has pushed past the $5 billion mark at the 2017 worldwide box office for the third year in a row. Which makes it the second Marvel Cinematic Universe movie without Tony Stark in it to be able to do that, and of the 17 films in the MCU, it is the seventh to reach this milestone and the third to do so this year.

    “Thor” has now put Disney in the top spot globally. Universal is on the cusp of the $5-billion milestone itself with $4.97 billion worldwide ($1.6 billion domestic). Universal has one more film on its 2017 slate, “Pitch Perfect 3,” which will be released Dec. 22. But it’s pretty obvious which company will end up being the top earn for 2017, since it doesn’t count the 1 Billion Star Wars: The Last Jedi will is about to bring in. At the very least it’s bringing in a few hundred million in the final days of the year.

    The studio has surpassed this global box office milestone for the third year in a row, becoming the first and only studio to have reached this record three times according to Disney.

    Disney also noted that it’s responsible for four of the top nine highest-grossing films of the year, including “Beauty and the Beast” with $1.26 billion ($504 million domestic and $759.7 million international); Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” with $863.6 million worldwide; and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” with $794.8 million worldwide.

    Other major titles include Pixar’s “Cars 3” ($383.5 million global) and “Coco” ($178.9 million global) as well as two 2016 titles — Lucasfilm’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” with $309.3 million during 2017 and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana” with $252 million during 2017.

  • 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.

  • Holiday Fun Awaits at Disneylands’ Downtown Disney District

    Holiday Fun Awaits at Disneylands’ Downtown Disney District

    Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort is the perfect destination for you to enjoy the holidays with friends, as well as for shop for everyone on your list.

    This season, Downtown Disney District has “decked its halls” for an over-the-top holiday experience. Planters are bursting with oversized ornaments and bright holiday lighting, and a Christmas tree sparkles in the center of the promenade.

    In addition, nightly entertainment throughout the holiday season includes a new caroling act, Holiday Harmony. While their sweaters may be ugly, their voices certainly are not!
    Here are a few things for you to check out during the holidays at Downtown Disney District:

    Festive Dining

    You can eat breakfast with Santa Claus at Catal Restaurant. Join Old Saint Nick and his elves for a family-style breakfast, carolers and more! All kids will receive a Build-A-Bear Workshop teddy bear from Santa himself! (Dec. 16; Dec. 21-22)

    You can enjoy a special Haagen-Dazs holiday treat! Scoops of peppermint bark ice cream are layered with hot fudge and Oreos, and topped with whipped cream and candy piece. Also available as a milkshake!

    Holiday Shopping

    PANDORA Jewelry: If you pick up a Mickey & Minnie “Love Icons” charm at PANDORA Jewelry, you’ll receive a free Disney clutch with purchase while supplies last.

    Build-A-Bear Workshop: All of Santa’s prancing reindeer are at Build-A-Bear Workshop! Guests can make their own reindeer stuffed animal and choose the outfit of their choice.
    Other great retail spots include the newly redesigned Sephora, as well as Curl Surf and Sanuk. Disney fans will love the 40,000 square-foot World of Disney and recently opened Dream Boutique.

  • EPCOT CELEBRATES THE DISNEY PIXAR FILM ‘COCO’

    EPCOT CELEBRATES THE DISNEY PIXAR FILM ‘COCO’

    At Epcot This holiday season, you will get a taste of the magic and music of Disney Pixar’s blockbuster film “Coco,” which is now playing in theaters.

    From now until Jan. 6, 2018, El Mariachi Coco de Santa Cecilia, a new musical group inspired by the film, will entertain you at the Mexico Pavilion. Named for the town of Santa Cecilia seen in the film, El Mariachi Coco de Santa Cecilia perform songs from the movie including the beautiful “Remember Me” and the heartwarming “The World Es Mi Familia.”

    The film “Coco” revolves around Miguel, who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician – despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events during the celebration of the Dia de Muertos. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

    Later this season, Mexico Folk Art Gallery, which currently houses a spectacular collection of “Dia De Muertos” artwork, also will feature an interactive exhibit and festive dioramas showcasing scenes from the film.

    In addition to this new musical experience, you can enjoy “Las Posadas,” featuring colorful dancers and performers from Mariachi Cobre celebrating the holiday customs of Mexico during the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays.

  • Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail Debuts Extended Weekend and Holiday Hours

    Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail Debuts Extended Weekend and Holiday Hours

    It’s official. With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is here. And at Disney Springs, it’s not only here, but bigger and better than ever. That goes for everything from holiday shopping to entertainment, and of course, to the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail!

    Now back for its second year, the Tree Trail now boasts 25 Disney-inspired trees, including ten additions featuring iconic characters.

    Wondering what’s new? Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Snow White, Dumbo, Fantasia, and Lady and the Tramp now take center stage with trees themed to these beloved stories. There’s also a tree featuring an assortment of ornaments that are all available at the nearby Disney’s Days of Christmas store.

    Here’s a tip…  Look for the featured ornament on ALL the trees, housed inside a special display lantern; most are available for purchase. And one of our favorites—the Disney Springs Tree—showcases the many retail brands on the property – one look reminds me that I can pretty much complete all of my Christmas shopping without leaving property.

    Based on the popularity of this new seasonal staple, hours have been extended an additional hour every Friday and Saturday and also on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Tree Trail is offered through the holiday season, and will run through January 7, 2018. The updated operating hours are as follows:

    Monday – Thursday: 12 pm to 10 pm
    Friday – Saturday: 10 am to 11 pm
    Sunday: 10 am to 10 pm
    Christmas Eve, 12/24: 10 am to 11 pm
    Christmas Day, 12/25: 10 am to 11 pm

    Have you visited the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail yet? If so, you can share your best photos on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag “#DisneySprings” for your chance to be featured on Disney’s social media sites. I’d also love to know which tree you love most, so feel free to let us know in the comments below!

  • Starbucks Now Offering Delivery Service at Disney Springs

    Starbucks Now Offering Delivery Service at Disney Springs

    On the go and no time to stop for that cup of joe? For anyone shopping at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World there’s now no need to stop or take a break if you fancy a Starbucks! The Starbucks (Market Place) is now offering a new service where they will deliver your Starbucks order to you wherever you are in Disney Springs.

     

    Starbucks at Disney Springs

    Here’s how it works:
    Download the Starbucks App, connect a debit/credit card to the account, select the order tab, and select location.

    Starbucks starbucks

    Starbucks drinksDelivery service is available daily between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
    It’s not been revealed if the service is temporary just for the busy holiday season or if it will be a permanent offering.

  • 6 Things You Should NOT Take in the Parks

    6 Things You Should NOT Take in the Parks

    Disney is pretty accommodating to guest needs and requests, but there are some things that just aren’t allowed to be brought into the parks, for good reason. Guest safety is of the utmost importance to Disney, and should be given the same level of importance for the rest of us. It only takes one bad decision cause an injury or severe situation. With so many people in the parks, we all have a responsibility to understand the rules, and particularly the items that should never be brought to a Disney park. Here are 6 items that Disney won’t allow into the parks and you should just leave at home!

    1. Weapons:

    Anything that should be considered a weapon is an obvious bad idea. No guns, knives, mace, etc. This one is probably pretty obvious and goes without saying, but to err on the side of caution and safety, we still have to say it. There is no need to have these items at a Disney Park and fortunately for the rest of us, security will not allow you to enter with the items. If you try, you are likely to be pulled aside and asked a series of questions, too.

    2. Skateboards, Wagons, Skates, Shoes w/ Built-in Wheels:

    I am quite thankful for this rule. I can only imagine the inattentive youngsters that would be wheeling all over and collide with different guests and small children who are trying to move about the parks. The cast members will stop any guest who tries to break this rule, and if easily detectible, these items won’t be allowed through security. The only things on wheels that are allowed are strollers, wheel chairs and motorized wheel chairs. Depending on the driver, these can be dangerous enough!

    3. Folding Chairs:

    I know it is tempting to bring camp chairs to sit and wait for parades and fireworks instead of standing or finding a seat along the sidewalk, but this just isn’t allowed. If the walkways were filled with chairs, this would present safety hazards for everyone. There would be more potential to trip, traffic is blocked more, they would take up space otherwise needed for strollers while the owner is on a ride, etc. There are many reasons why this is a bad idea, so just don’t do it!

    4. Pets:

    Service pets are allowed into the parks, but personal pets are not. Don’t think you will be able to get by with bringing a small dog or pet in a bag or another kind of portable transport. Cast members are watching for any signs of unauthorized animals and will ask you to leave the park.

    5. Glass Containers:

    This rule does exclude baby food, as well as perfume (since you can purchase this at Epcot). Glass has the high potential to break and create dangerous situations for yourself and other guests. You will want to ensure that any items you bring into the park are not made of glass. Security will inspect for this upon entry into the park and will not let you in with the items.

    6. Large Coolers:

    According to Disney’s website, coolers larger than 24″ (61 cm) long x 15″ (38 cm) wide x 18″ (46 cm) high for coolers with or without wheels, are not permitted inside the parks. These same dimensions and rules also apply to suitcases, backpacks or any other bag that you may try to bring in. Remember that coolers and bags smaller than this will still be inspected before you are allowed to enter the park, so make sure that you follow inspection protocols.

    The good news is that you shouldn’t need most of these items to have a great day at Disney! Disney has these rules in place so that we can ensure that the parks stay a safe environment for everyone. If you question if something is acceptable to bring to the parks, it is likely not, but always feel free to ask a cast member, especially security or guest relations.