Disney News

Category: News

  • Disney’s The Haunted Mansion Board Game Materializing in Time for Halloween

    Disney’s The Haunted Mansion Board Game Materializing in Time for Halloween

    Whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still it may be family game night and Funko has just released a new board game called The Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits that is perfect for foolish mortals.

    The haunted new game allows you to explore all the classic rooms of the ghost-infested manor, from the festivities-filled Ballroom to the Attic and out to the Graveyard and beyond in search of spirits. Beware, though, of the Hitchhiking Ghosts, who are notorious for “following you home” as that may spell your doom in the end!

    Take a look at the features and details below:

    • Socialize with the Happy Haunts by collecting matching sets of ghost cards.
    • Explore all the classic rooms of the ghost-infested manor, from the festivities-filled Ballroom to the Attic and out to the Graveyard and beyond in search of spirits.
    • Beware of the Hitchhiking Ghosts, who are notorious for “following you home” as that may spell your doom in the end!
    • Move around the mansion by rotating the Endless Hallway around Madame Leota’s Séance Room, collecting Ghost cards in front of them in sets, each of which are worth different point values.

    The Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits board game launched September 30th on Amazon and at Walmart for $24.97.

  • New Coca-Cola and Disney World Collection Now Available at Disney Springs

    New Coca-Cola and Disney World Collection Now Available at Disney Springs

    The Coca-Cola Store at Disney Springs has a new exclusive collection that blends Coca-Cola and Disney World together in a refreshing new way.

    The product developers were inspired by the timeless appeal and youthful optimism both brands represent and the design approach is all about bold simplicity—celebrating the iconic Mickey Mouse icon with the Coca-Cola script logo – where the world’s favorite soft drink meets the happiest place on earth.

    You’ll find just about anything you might be looking for in the collection including a wide variety of t-shirts, sweatshirts, drinkware, hats, keychains, and more as you can see below:

    From the opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, Disney and Coca-Cola began their partnership on Main Street, U.S.A when Coca-Cola sponsored the Refreshment Corner. The partnership continued to expand to Walt Disney World Resort at Magic Kingdom Park with their own Refreshment Corner (now Casey’s Corner). A few years later in 1982, Coca-Cola became the exclusive supplier of carbonated beverages at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and now the partnership has only continued to grow to other Disney Parks around the world.

    Fast-forward to 2020 and the Coca-Cola Store at Disney Springs has become a guest-favorite destination and one of my favorite spots on property. If you haven’t stopped in before, this store is a must-stop for any shopper! The building is modeled after a 1920’s bottling plant and is filled with unique branded gear including their eco-conscious 5by20 collection, which includes handcrafted items from female artisans around the world.

    You’ll also find merchandise that pays homage to other popular Coca-Cola drinks including Sprite and Fanta just to name a few and even a new line of exclusive Coca-Cola Loungefly bags and wallets.

  • Disney Announces ‘The Lion King 2’ in the Works Without Jon Favreau

    Disney Announces ‘The Lion King 2’ in the Works Without Jon Favreau

    A sequel to 2019’s photorealistic version of The Lion King is in the works, and Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Barry Jenkins is set to direct.

    Details are scarce but the film is rumoured to delve deeper into the mythology of the characters including Mufasa’s origin story, continuing the story first brought to the screen in the 1994 animated adventure.

    Jenkins took to twitter to confirm the news as you can see in the post below:

    “Helping my sister raise two young boys during the 90s, I grew up with these characters,” Jenkins said in a later statement. “Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true.”

    The film will continue with the photo-realistic technology that director Jon Favreau used in the 2019 film and 2016’s The Jungle Book. There is no release date set for The Lion King follow-up or for the production start, but it is understandably a top priority for Sean Bailey’s division after the last film grossed $1.6 billion worldwide.

  • Yara Shahidi Cast as Tinkerbell in New Live-action ‘Peter Pan’ Movie

    Yara Shahidi Cast as Tinkerbell in New Live-action ‘Peter Pan’ Movie

    Disney reportedly cast “Grown-ish” star Yara Shahidi to play Tinker Bell in its upcoming live-action adaptation of “Peter Pan.”

    Shahidi will be the first woman of colour to take on the iconic role of the character, previously assumed by Julia Roberts in 1991’s Hook and Ludivine Sagnier in 2003’s Peter Pan.

    The 20-year-old actress seemingly confirmed the news on Instagram Friday, sharing a picture of Tinker Bell drawn as a Black woman as you can see in th post below:

    “Thank you for all of the love. It, truly, means so much to me,” she wrote in the caption. “I’m excited for this next adventure!”

    She also shared a photo of herself dressed in green and wrote, “lettssssgooooo #Tinkerbell.”

    Shahidi is best known for her starring role on ABC’s “Black-ish,” as well as being a star and producer of Freeform’s “Grown-ish.” The actor and activist recently signed an overall deal with ABC Studios. On the film side, Shahidi recently led the YA drama “The Sun Is Also a Star.”

    Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson are set to take flight with Shahidi’s Tinker Bell as the two titular children in Peter Pan and Wendy, while Jude Law has been tapped to play Captain Hook in the upcoming movie, which will be directed by David Lowery and produced by Jim Whitaker from a script co-written by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks.

  • Frozen Sing-Along Returning to Hollywood Studios

    Frozen Sing-Along Returning to Hollywood Studios

    “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration,” is returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

    For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration is a musical show based on Disney’s 2013 animated film Frozen and the songs from the film, located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Shanghai Disneyland Park. It was also formerly hosted at Disney California Adventure, Disneyland Park in Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland.

    Beginning Monday, October 5, you can once again join Erik and Aria, the Royal Historians of Arendelle, for their comedic retelling of the unique story of their kingdom, filled with delightful, sing-along moments from Disney’s “Frozen” and special appearances by Anna, Elsa and Kristoff.

    Disney said is a blog post that the Frozen Sing-Along “will be the same incredible show guests have loved for the past six years, with some adjustments to staging and audience seating to allow for appropriate physical distancing.”

    The show originally premiered at the Premiere Theater in the Streets of America section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the 2014 Frozen Summer Fun on July 5, 2014. The show moved into its current location at the Hyperion Theater in Echo Lake on June 17, 2015, the former home of The American Idol Experience.

  • Disney World Shares First Look at Polyneisan Village Resort Make-Over

    Disney World Shares First Look at Polyneisan Village Resort Make-Over

    Walt Disney World has shared a first look of the upgrades coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and it looks amazing!

    That arrival experience is about to take on a whole new look with an enhanced entryway that will debut just in time for the resort hotel’s 50th anniversary. 

    One of the biggest changes will greet you right up front – a new porte cochere will showcase the iconic mid-20th century architecture the Polynesian is famous for.

    The team from Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney World have crafted a design inspired by colors, patterns and textures found throughout the resort. This new entry features a high-pitched, open-truss roof covered in a thatch style. There’s also a bold façade that features pops of color complementing the Longhouses found throughout the resort.

    Along the Monorail station, bold new wooden screens will be covered with geometric patterns in bright, tropical colors that complete an exciting new composition that will greet you when you arrive.

    Enhancements will also be made to the lush gardens and fountains that have welcomed guests to the resort since opening day. 

    The open and airy design of the entryway will feature dramatic lighting elements, including beautiful chandeliers inspired by glass floats, fishing nets and oversized bamboo elements. The new chandeliers will match the existing grand chandelier in the resort lobby, artfully bridging interior and exterior spaces.  

    While work is underway over the coming months, guests can still enjoy access to the Great Ceremonial House and its operating dining and retail outlets. 

    Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has been a favorite destination of guests and cast members since its opening on Oct. 1, 1971, this beloved resort hotel immerses you in an oasis straight out of the South Seas with a sense of aloha that embraces you from the moment you arrive. 

    The new arrival experience is just the beginning of what guests will discover when the resort reopens in summer 2021. All of the resort’s guest rooms are being beautifully redone too. 

  • Hong Kong Disneyland Announces Reopening on September 25

    Hong Kong Disneyland Announces Reopening on September 25

    Tuesday, Disney announced that Hong Kong Disneyland will officially reopen on September 25, 2020!

    The park was closed between Jan. 23- June 18 due to precautions against the coronavirus outbreak. It reopened with some fanfare, but it was forced to close again on July 15 when Hong Kong suffered a third wave of virus infections.

    In alignment with the latest guidance from health and government authorities, the resort will continue its measured approach with health and safety measures implemented as a top priority, including capacity control, health screenings, temperature checks, requiring face masks, social distancing, and increased cleaning and disinfecting.

    “We thank all of our Cast Members for their dedication efforts in preparation for our reopening, and we hope to see you real soon,” Disney said in a blog post.

    Beyond running at a reduced capacity and promoting social distancing, Hong Kong Disneyland will also be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays (with the exception of public holidays and special designated days) until further notice.

  • Adidas Releasing New Toy Story Shoe Collection October 1

    Adidas Releasing New Toy Story Shoe Collection October 1

    It’s been 25 years since since Pixar’s Toy Story was released and Adidas and Pixar have teamed up to create a new Toy Story inspired youth collection to help celebrate.

    Slated to release Oct. 1, Adidas and Pixar have joined forces to create a “Toy Story” Friendship collection featuring sneakers and apparel.

    “Now more than ever, this collaboration represents the importance of bringing people together on the court, in the classroom, on the playground and in the world,” the brand wrote in a statement. It’s a reminder that we all have friends to lean on, just like Andy had Woody, Buzz and the whole “Toy Story” gang. Take a closer look below:

    While there are many adults who would probably love to get their hands on this release, the collection has been specifically curated with sizes for juniors, children and infants with prices beginning at $22.

    In total, there are seven sneakers included that celebrate all the famous characters fans of the film have grown to know and love.

    The Dame 7 x Buxx sneaker has white, purple and green on the upper portion of the shoe and Buzz Lightyear details and glow-in-the-dark elements featured throughout.

    Another standout, the D.O.N. Issue #2 x Wood has blue denim and print details that are a nod to Sheriff Woody’s classic character. Andy’s name is also on the right outsole.

    In 2019, Adidas and Pixar teamed up to create a “Toy Story 4”-themed capsule collection that released on the same day as the movie. This line included footwear and clothing as well.

  • Vegan Mickey Mouse-Shaped Chicken Nuggets Coming to a Store Near You

    Vegan Mickey Mouse-Shaped Chicken Nuggets Coming to a Store Near You

    Incogmeato by MorningStar Farms has partnered with Disney to create the brand’s first plant-based Mickey Mouse Shaped Chik’n Nuggets.

    The nugget cooks and tastes like a traditional chicken nugget. Additionally, this option has less fat and less sodium than a traditional nugget option.

    Incogmeato Mickey Nuggets have 57% less fat and 35% less sodium than regular chicken nuggets and they also pack plant-powered nutrients such as fiber and iron.

    “As Disney is committed to offering more plant-based foods, we are excited to be working with Incogmeato on the first-ever plant-based Mickey Mouse shaped nuggets. By creating foods that kids love and with the nutrition parents can feel good about, families can experience the magic of Disney during meal time,” said John T. King, VP of consumables licensing at Disney.

    Incogmeato Mickey Mouse Shaped Chik’n Nuggets can be found at retailers nationwide, starting this month, in the frozen chicken section.

  • Disney World Reveals Extra Hours for Holiday Season

    Disney World Reveals Extra Hours for Holiday Season

    Disney World scaled back its September hours, but as they prepare for the holiday season they recently revealed they will temporarily expand their hours for the holidays.

    During the first five days of December, the Magic Kingdom will open at 9 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Epcot will open at noon and close at 8 in the evening.

    According to the Walt Disney World website, the Magic Kingdom will open at 9 a.m. and close at 6 p.m, during the first week of November. The following week, starting on the 8th, it will stay open until 7 p.m.

    Meanwhile, Epcot will open at 11 a.m. and close 7 p.m. for the majority of November (last November, Epcot was open from 9 in the morning until 9 in the evening). It will switch to its December hours starting on November 27th.

    Hollywood Studios is opening one hour later at 10 a.m. and closing two hours earlier at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom will be closing at 5 p.m. Both of these parks will have these hours throughout the month of November and into December.

    These hours show a change in Disney’s scheduling and marks the first time since the coronavirus pandemic that the Magic Kingdom will not see a reduction in its operating hours from the previous year. Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios will apparently still be running on reduced hours during the first few days of December.