Category: News

Cogsworth Voice Actor David Ogden Stiers Dies at Age 75

David Odgen Stiers has died at the age of 75 after he lost his battle with bladder cancer. The famous actor is best known for playing Major Charles Winchester on “M*A*S*H”, but for many Disney fans he is known as the voice of Cogsworth — the clock — from Disney’s 1991 animated classic “Beauty and the Beast.”

The actor’s agent Mitchell Stubbs confirmed the saddening news Saturday night in an email.

He died “peacefully at his home in Newport, Oregon after a courageous battle with bladder cancer,” the MKS Talent Agency tweeted.
“His talent was only surpassed by his heart,” the agency added.

I am very sad to report that David died this morning March 3, 2018 peacefully at his home in Newport, Oregon after a courageous battle with bladder cancer.

His talent was only surpassed by his heart. pic.twitter.com/fjuGmbVYgd

— MKS Talent Agency (@MKSTalentAgency) March 3, 2018

The Emmy-nominated actor also provided the voice of a number of classic Disney characters including Beauty And The Beast’s Cogsworth, Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in ‘Pocahontas’ and Jumba in ‘Lilo and Stitch’.

Stiers was twice Emmy nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy or variety or music series for his work on “M*A*S*H”, but the accomplished award-winning actor also has more than 150 film and television credits. Beyond his beloved role in Beauty and the Beast the actor actually has multiple Disney credits to his name.

In addition to serving as the voice of Cogsworth in “Beauty and the Beast”, we was also the narrator of the film. Additionally, he also voiced Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in Disney’s “Pocahontas” and voiced the Archdeacon in Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

March 4, 2018
Aladdin’s Oasis To Be Transformed into The Tropical Hideaway At Disneyland

Disneyland is always looking for new ways to keep the park fresh and exciting and there will soon be a new area of Adventureland to explore. The area that used to be home to Aladdin’s Oasis will be transformed into a brand new guest experience called The Tropical Hideaway!

The popular Aladdin-themed show ran for over a decade ending in 2008 and it will now undergo a tropical renovation.

This new experience will soon appear along the tropical shores nestled between the Jungle Cruise and “Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.” This one-of-a-kind destination will be a popular rest stop for Adventureland locals and weary explorers alike. Guests will be able to rub elbows with their favorite skippers in an exotic traders’ market, featuring all of the sights, sounds and flavors of the tropics.

The name is surely a nod to the nearby Tiki Room’s theme song which lyrics include, “Welcome to our tropical hideaway, you lucky people, you”.

The Tropical Hideaway will sit on the former grounds of Disney’s long-running restaurant, Tahitian Terrace, a Polynesian-inspired eatery that stood from 1962 to 1993 before transforming into a theater for the former Aladdin live show.

There’s no word yet whether the Tropical Hideaway will try to replicate the original Tahitian Terrace concept—which included Tahitian dance shows that involved live firewalking.

February 27, 2018
Millennium Falcon Ride Pieces Being Added During Construction of Galaxy’s Edge

Were back with some more construction updates on Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios and one of the most recent installations is one that will get fans excited. It seems they have been moving along at hyper speed as pieces of the Millennium Falcon ride were spotted being lowered into place.

These close up shots of the work really give a sense of how the construction is coming along thanks to Yensid 55 who has been monitoring the progress of Star Wars Land construction on his YouTube channel.

Every piece put into place is an important one, but seeing what is clearly a piece of the inside of the hull of the Millennium Falcon is really exciting.

Thats right… For those who haven’t heard yet, one of the land’s two signature attractions will put you in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, piloting the ship, shooting blasters or preparing for hyperspace – all while completing a critical mission.

At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, guests visit Batuu, a remote outpost on the galaxy’s edge was once a busy crossroads along the old sub-lightspeed trade routes, but its prominence was bypassed by the rise of hyperspace travel. Now home to those who prefer to stay out of the mainstream, it has become a thriving port for smugglers, rogue traders and adventurers traveling between the frontier and uncharted space. It’s also a convenient safe haven for those intent on avoiding the expanding reach of the First Order.

If you want to see more of the progression they have made so far take a look back here. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is set to open in 2019.

February 22, 2018
Be Our Guest Restaurant Will Now Cost Two Table Service Credits On Disney Dining Plan

Earlier Disney announced that Be Our Guest Restaurant will be offering a new enhanced prix fixe dinner menu that includes new offerings including a variety of French-inspired dishes. Now online reports indicate that dinner will have new pricing plan for the three course meal and it will now cost two table service credits for those on the Disney Dining Plan.

Pricing will be $55 for adults and $35 for children, or two Disney Dining Plan credits according to a report by WDWMagic. This puts the dining experience in line with signature dining locations and even some character dining experiences.

The change will take place when the new menu goes into effect on July 27th. Guests were concerned when online reports noticed that reservations for July were not available, but we know now why. This exciting new menu was a good reason for the booking interruption and Disney will be creating a new children’s menu as well to be released at a later date.

Be Our Guest Restaurant is an expansive and elegant 550-seat dining destination located at the foot of Beast’s Castle in Fantasyland. Whether you are enjoying a quick-service breakfast or lunch, or the stately elegance of a table-service dinner

There have been reports that Belle will be joining Beast during the experience, but now there is speculation that Disney may even add more characters, but there has yet to be an official announcement on that.

Reservations are once again available again from July 27 and beyond and you can begin booking your advanced dining reservations starting this Friday, February 23rd.

February 21, 2018
Be Our Guest Restaurant Is Getting A New Enhanced Dining Experience

Questions about the future of Be Our Guest Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom have been swirling around ever since park-goers noticed that no dinner reservations were available for the entire month of July. Well, Disney definitely had something in store for it as they have just revealed a whole new dining experience for the Beauty and the Beast themed restaurant.

Starting this summer, Be Our Guest Restaurant will offer an enhanced prix fixe dinner menu that boasts a variety of delectable French-inspired dishes and new offerings. This unique experience will make you feel like royalty with a three-course dinner that includes your choice of appetizer and entrée, followed by a personal dessert platter.

To start off your meal, the appetizer menu will include favorites like the French Onion Soup in addition to rich new offerings like Charred Octopus with citrus-laced fingerling potatoes, pickled hearts of palm and red pepper coulis; Escargot with herb garlic butter and toasted gremolata; and a selection of assorted meats and artisanal cheeses such as chicken liver pâté, chorizo sausage Manchego, and truffle tremor.

For the main course, feast on mouth-watering entrées such as Grilled Center-Cut Filet Mignon with potato au gratin, Romano beans, Cipollini marmalade and a cherry-laced red wine reduction or the Smoked Black-Eye Pea Tortellini with roasted seasonal vegetables, tomato relish and basil-scented tomato water. Other enticing dishes include Poulet Rouge Chicken, Saffron-Infused Seafood Bouillabaisse, Roasted Lamb Chops and Kurobuta Pork Tenderloins.

And that’s just the beginning! Our chefs are hard at work putting the final touches on the fabulous desserts as well as the kid’s menu for this exquisite new dining experience. Stay tuned for updates on these menus.

Ever since Be Our Guest Restaurant opened it’s doors back in 2012, it’s been insanely popular and continues to be one of the most difficult Advance Dining Reservations to secure. Now with this delicious new menu coming soon, you may want to get to work on those ADR’s.

February 21, 2018
Toy Story Land Officially Has An Opening Date

Toy Story Land is set to open this summer and today we have an official opening date. Disney has announced the highly-anticipated toy-filled land inspired by the beloved “Toy Story” films, will open to guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios June 30, 2018.

When it opens, guests visiting Toy Story Land will “shrink” to the size of a toy and join in on the fun Woody, Jessie, Buzz, and Andy’s other beloved toys are having in Andy’s backyard. Here, guests can take a ride on Slinky Dog Dash, a roller coaster Andy has assembled from his Mega Coaster Play Kit and topped off with Slinky and Jessie. Check out the time-lapse video below above of one of Slinky Dog Dash’s first test runs.

Families will also be able to take a spin on Alien Swirling Saucers, a galactic play set that Andy won from Pizza Planet. Here, adorable little green aliens swirl about in their flying saucers with guests in tow in their rocket ship toys, while “The Claw” hangs overhead.

Guests can also walk through a new carnival game box to experience Toy Story Mania!, which has been a guest-favorite attraction at the park since it opened in 2008. Now expanded with a third track, the popular attraction will put even more guests in the action taking aim at 3D objects – using everything from baseballs to cream pies – in a variety of whimsical, fast-paced games.

February 16, 2018
New Documents Raise Questions About A Possible Name Change For Epcot

With the massive changes and reimagining of Disney’s Epcot, could the park also be getting a new name? Recently some official documents have come to light that show a new name for the park.

In the documents, the park is referred to as “Epcot World Center.” This is just pure speculation at this point, but it’s based in some pretty sound reasoning. These are official documents and for legal reasons names are usually extremely accurate.

Paperwork to alter Epcot’s parking lot was filed by Disney earlier this month. The plans shift parking to the east making room on the west side for new buildings and an 84-acre lake. It is suspected that these new buildings are the rumored Epcot entrance resort and it looks like the company has settled on area behind Living Seas pavilion for the resort.

Source: Blog Mickey

There is no official word on the possible resort, but an equally interesting fact is the possible new name found on these documents first reported by Blog Mickey. They saw the name after they zoomed in on the images and it certainly begs the question… Does Disney have some sort of name change in mind?

On the documents, the name is located in Future World right over spaceship earth, so it would seem it refers to the entire park and not just the World Showcase. It’s really a small change and Epcot is still in the name, but it certainly wouldn’t be the first name change for the park.

When the park first opened in 1982 it was known as “EPCOT Center”. Then in 1994 and 1995 the parks name was changed to “Epcot ’94” and “Epcot ’95” respectively. The annual name change didn’t last long and since that time the park has been known simply as “Epcot”.

It’s not immediately clear how “Epcot World Center” as a name, would tie into Future World, but perhaps with the addition of The Guardians of the Galaxy Roller Coaster and the rest of the changes coming to the park, it will make more sense once the entire park has gone though its full reimagination.

It’s kind of nice to see “Center” back in the name and it’s a far better name than some of the recent names that had been thrown around for a possible Hollywood Studios name change. Disney has since put the rumor to bed stating that “Disney’s Hollywood Studios name will remain the same for the foreseeable future“.

Though the name on the documents hardly seems an accident we will still have to wait and see if there is any official word from Disney about a name change.

February 16, 2018
Disney Streaming Service Will Not Include R-Rated Content

Disney’s upcoming streaming service is moving full steam ahead and more details are starting to emerge about what types of content the service will offer. Last August Disney announced plans to debut its own streaming service in 2019 with content like Star Wars and Marvel movies, Disney studio and Pixar films.

The programming for the over-the-top content service will be consistent with the Disney brand and there will be no R-rated films, according to a recent report from Deadline. So Marvel’s series currently on Netflix will stay where they are for now, and any R-rated content will reportedly go to Hulu instead of the Disney streaming service.

As we previously reported, Disney-ABC TV will providing original content for the service that would include feature-length films regular series and he also touted a “High School Musical” reboot, with the original producers on board.

Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO Bob Iger already confirmed a live action Star Wars Series and a TV series based on the 2001 Pixar film Monsters Inc. were in the plans for the future streaming service, at a quarterly earnings call with investors.

Disney is also reportedly prioritizing new movies, including Lady and the Tramp, The Paper Magician, Stargirl and Togo. Other projects in development are 3 Men and a Baby, Sword and the Stone, and Timmy Failure, according to the report.

Also be heading to the streaming service will be Magic Camp and Noelle, two movies currently in post-production. The shows may cost $25 million to $35 million for 10 episodes, though a more ambitious series could go up to $100 million, the report said.

There has been no mention of a price point as of yet and the Disney plans to start with a domestic service only, and then expand overseas.

February 15, 2018
BREAKING: Hollywood Studios Name Will NOT Change In The Foreseeable Future

With rumors swirling around about the future of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and a possible name change, Disney finally addressed the issue in a recent statement. Disney put the rumors to rest stating that the parks name will not be changing.

“In response to questions we have been receiving, we also want to let fans know that the Disney’s Hollywood Studios name will remain the same for the foreseeable future since we are immersing our guests in a place where imagined worlds of Hollywood unfold around them from movies and music, to television and theater”, the company said in a statement.

Rumors of a name change for Disney’s Hollywood studios have persisted since Disney CEO Bob Iger, not so subtly, hinted about it at a shareholder meeting back in 2015.

“It’s not announced. We used to be MGM Studios, we changed to Hollywood Studios and we’re doing some significant work there right now that I guess will result in a name change,” Iger said at the meeting. “We’ll announce that we’re changing the name, but we won’t announce what we’re changing it to. How’s that?” he continued.

So the “foreseeable future” still doesn’t mean they won’t be changing the name one day. We still know that with the evolving nature of the park a name change may still be the park’s future.

Toy Story Land is scheduled to open this summer at Hollywood Studios, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in 2019 and neither of those projects had been announced when Iger made his off the cuff statement.

We know that the idea has been seriously considered by Disney, because back in August several Disney fans had received a survey asking their opinions of several potential new names for the park. The internet blew up last week with speculation that “Cinemagine Park” had been settled on, from that list, as the parks new name. Perhaps Disney didn’t like the survey results or maybe it was the reaction to the possible name choice that was floating around. In either case it’s clear that Disney doesn’t want possible name change to be a distraction to all of the upcoming changes.

If Disney really wanted to make it clear the name would remain the same indefinitely, they might have chosen different language for their statement. But for now everyone can rest easy that “Cinemagine Park” is not the new name of the Park. Perhaps Disney feels the Hollywood name does fit the future of the park, but only time will tell.

February 7, 2018
Eagles Star Quarterback Nick Foles Celebrates Super Bowl Title at Walt Disney World

It was a fairytale scene Monday, complete with its own castle, as Super Bowl hero Nick Foles of the Philadelphia Eagles starred in a milestone moment – a celebratory “I’m Going to Disney World!” parade down Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom Park.

In front of the majesty of Cinderella Castle the day after the Eagles’ 41-33 improbable Super Bowl victory, park guests and Eagles fans lined the famous street as a smiling Foles waved from a float he shared with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other beloved Disney characters. Balloons and a blizzard of confetti in the Eagles’ team colors completed the happy scene.

“World champions,” shouted Foles. “To be at Disney World is unbelievable.”

Afterward, Nick Foles and the gang spent some time enjoying Disney World, experiencing several signature Disney attractions and interacting with Mickey and Minnie.

It was a magical experience for the hero of Super Bowl LII who passed for three touchdowns and caught a fourth touchdown pass (unprecedented for a quarterback in Super Bowl history) in Philadelphia’s upset victory on Sunday night in Minneapolis. A backup quarterback for most of the season, Foles stepped into the starter’s role in December and turned in a stunning performance in Sunday’s big game. His heroics helped him deliver Eagles fans their first world championship in franchise history and earned Foles the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

After the Super Bowl victory, Foles looked into the TV cameras and announced he was “Going to Disney World,” an iconic line that is part of a TV ad airing nationally.

Foles’ trip Monday to Walt Disney World Resort continued a rich Disney history that began in 1987 when New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms first uttered those famous words “I’m Going to Disney World!” Thirty-one years later, the post-championship celebrations that take place at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or Disneyland Resort in California remain an enduring reminder of the power of magic that happens at Disney Parks.

February 6, 2018