Disney News

Category: Sports

  • Buccaneers MVP Tom Brady Is “Going To Disney World”

    Buccaneers MVP Tom Brady Is “Going To Disney World”

    After the Tamba Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl victory Sunday, the game’s most valuable player, Tom Brady, and longtime teammate Rob Gronkowski turned to the TV cameras and both announced to the world that they’re “going to Disney World!’’

    That iconic phrase is part of Disney’s popular Super Bowl commercial, which annually features heroes of the big game in a nationally televised TV spot airing on social media sites and major TV networks across the country.

    For the first time, this year’s commercial features an additional honor with footage of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park illuminated in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ colors and then alternately in blue in recognition of the nation’s health care heroes who’ve been courageously battling the global pandemic. Take a look at the new commercial below:

    The magic will continue Monday for Gronkowski during a thrilling afternoon at Walt Disney World Resort, where he will experience some of Disney’s most popular attractions.

    Meanwhile, the celebratory planning is already underway for Brady’s highly anticipated visit to Walt Disney World Resort, likely in the coming months. It will be Brady’s fourth visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth following a Super Bowl victory, the most of any player in history.

    Brady and Gronkowski delivered remarkable performances in the Buccaneers’ 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night in Tampa. They added another chapter to their storied history together by connecting for two touchdowns in the first half, propelling the Buccaneers to an early lead they would never relinquish. In winning the seventh Super Bowl of his illustrious career, Brady completed 21 of 29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns on his way to being named Super Bowl LV MVP. Gronkowski, who came out of retirement this season to join Brady on the Buccaneers, led the team in receiving with six catches for 67 yards and the two crucial scores.

    They join some of the biggest names in the NFL who have appeared in Disney’s popular Super Bowl commercial, which has become woven into the fabric of the game since 1987 when New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms first appeared in the spot following his team’s Super Bowl victory. This marks the ninth time Disney has featured two Super Bowl stars in the same commercial.

  • No Super Bowl Parade this year at Walt Disney World

    No Super Bowl Parade this year at Walt Disney World

    Disney World will not host its annual Super Bowl parade at the Magic Kingdom this year.

    The parade, which has traditionally been held the day after the Super Bowl, is not happening this year due to COVID-19. The virus has also kept Disney from holding other parades and events that would lead to people being bunched into the same area.

    One tradition will remain. Disney said it will feature the Super Bowl star player in the iconic “I’m Going to Disney World!” commercial on Sunday night after the game.

    This year’s commercial will be the latest installment in a long-running Super Bowl tradition created by Disney in 1987 when New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms first appeared in the commercial following the team’s Super Bowl victory. Since then, the commercial has featured some of the biggest names in Super Bowl history

    ”Disney Parks hopes to be able to bring back our other Super Bowl traditions next year, including letting football and Disney fans see and cheer on their favorite player in the park,” Disney Parks blog said.

  • Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Reopening Next Month at Disney World

    Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Reopening Next Month at Disney World

    Winter is coming and Disney has announced that Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf will reopen to guests beginning Nov. 6 at Walt Disney World Resort.  

    Winter Summerland Miniature Golf offers two uniquely themed 18-hole courses, each with their own distinct musical soundtrack.

    As the name suggests, the first course draws inspiration from the winter season, including snow castles and ice hockey rinks. The second course represents all things summer. Guests navigate surf boards, sand sculptures and even a melted snowman.

    As Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf reopens next month, Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will close for the season on Nov. 5 and reopen on Jan. 31, 2021. 

  • Colin Kaepernick Signs Production Deal with Disney

    Colin Kaepernick Signs Production Deal with Disney

    Colin Kaepernick has signed a first-look deal with Disney, which will include a docuseries focusing on his journey from playing for the 49ers to becoming an activist.

    The deal between Kaepernick’s production arm, Ra Vision Media, and The Walt Disney Co. was announced Monday. The partnership will focus on telling scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity. It also will provide a platform to showcase the work of directors and producers of color.

    “I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives,” Kaepernick said in a statement. “I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing.”

    Despite being exiled from the NFL since the 2016 season when he took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality, Kaepernick still wants to play.

    A person close to the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback told The Associated Press that Kaepernick is in excellent shape and ready to play but hasn’t received any calls.

    Following the nationwide protests in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized to players for not listening to them earlier, encouraged them to protest peacefully and denounced racism.

    Kaepernick, who became the face of a Nike campaign in 2018, will work closely with The Undefeated, which is expanding its portfolio across Disney, to develop stories from the perspective of communities of color.

    His deal with The Walt Disney Co. will extend across all Disney platforms, including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated.

    “During this unprecedented time, The Walt Disney Co. remains committed to creating diverse and inclusive content that resonates and matters,” said Bob Iger, Disney’s executive chairman. “Colin’s experience gives him a unique perspective on the intersection of sports, culture and race, which will undoubtedly create compelling stories that will educate, enlighten and entertain, and we look forward to working with him on this important collaboration.”

    The docuseries chronicling Kaepernick’s journey and his last five years is the first project in development.

    “Developing exceptional storytelling told through a wide array of voices is at the core of who we are at ESPN,” ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said. “Colin has had a singular path as both an athlete and an activist, and, as the nation continues to confront racism and social injustice, it feels particularly relevant to hear Colin’s voice on his evolution and motivations.”

  • BREAKING: NBA Approves Plan to Resume Season at Disney World with 22-Team Format According to Sources

    BREAKING: NBA Approves Plan to Resume Season at Disney World with 22-Team Format According to Sources

    The NBA board of governors voted Thursday to approve a 22-team format to restart the 2019-20 season at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the league announced.

    The vote was 29-1, with the Portland Trail Blazers voting against the proposal according to ESPN sources.

    Under the plan, 13 Western Conference teams and nine Eastern Conference teams will play eight regular-season games, a possible play-in tournament for the eighth seed and playoffs at the Walt Disney World Resort, sources said. To see the details of how the 22 team season will work look below:

    The top 16 teams in the Eastern and Western conferences will be joined by teams currently within six games of eighth place in the two conferences — New Orleans, Portland, San Antonio, Sacramento, Phoenix and Washington, sources said.

    The play-in tournament will include the No. 8 and No. 9 teams — if the ninth seed finishes the regular season within four games of the eighth. In that case, the No. 9 seed would need to beat No. 8 seed twice to earn the playoff berth, while the No. 8 would need one win from the two potential games.

    The league is targeting a start date of July 31, where 22 of the 30 NBA teams are expected to participate in Orlando.

  • NBA and Disney Confirm Talks to Restart Season at Florida Complex

    NBA and Disney Confirm Talks to Restart Season at Florida Complex

    The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company to use the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to resume the season in late July.

    The National Basketball Players Association is also part of the talks with Disney to use the massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando.

    NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the conversations were still “exploratory,” and that the site would be used not only for games but for practices and housing as well. Take a look at the post below:

    “Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,” Bass said.

    The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 255-acre campus with multiple arenas that could host games simultaneously and has been home to, among other things, the Jr. NBA World Championship in recent years. ESPN is primarily owned by Disney, one of the NBA’s broadcast partners.

    Space won’t be an issue, even if Major League Soccer — which is also in talks to resume its season at Disney — is there at the same time as the NBA. The entire Disney complex is roughly 40 square miles, with nearly 24,000 hotel rooms owned or operated by Disney within the campus.

    The NBA suspended its season March 11, becoming the first of the U.S. major pro leagues to do so after it became known that All-Star center Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19. The list of NBA players who were known to test positive eventually grew to 10 — not all were identified — and Commissioner Adam Silver said last month that the actual total was even higher.

    But the league has been working on countless return-to-play scenarios for several weeks, all with the caveat that testing would be an integral part of any resumption of the season. Teams have been allowed to welcome players back to their training facilities for voluntary sessions since May 8, and more than half of the league’s franchises have taken advantage of that opportunity.

    The next steps would likely include a loosening of the restrictions for those voluntary workouts — no more than four players are currently allowed inside any facility at a time — and then a plan for when training camps could open. If the league plans to resume play in late July, then camps conceivably could open around the start of that month.

  • NBA Experience Will Open August 12 at Disney Springs

    NBA Experience Will Open August 12 at Disney Springs

    Lace up your shoes and practice your jump shot, because NBA Experience will officially open Aug. 12, 2019!

    This all-new destination coming to Disney Springs will invite you to feel what it’s like to be a basketball superstar. This one-of-a-kind environment will be packed with 13 interactive elements and hands-on activities across 44,000 square feet and two floors.  

    In the new video below, Walt Disney Imagineer Stan Dodd shares more insight into what you can expect at NBA Experience, plus hear what has NBA players excited for this all-new destination:

    And here are some new details about NBA Experience we’re sharing for the first time:

    • When you enter NBA Experience, you’ll feel like you’re walking through the players’ tunnel out onto the court at an NBA or WNBA arena.
    • A ticket to NBA Experience grants you access to every activity in any order you choose, and you can return to stations multiple times to try and improve your performance or learn more about the game, the players and the teams you love.
    • In an activity that tests shooting skills, spots will light up on the court as you move from one location to another attempting to sink as many shots as possible in 15 seconds.
    • In a slam dunk challenge, you can change the height of a standard 10-foot-tall rim to as low as seven feet so you can perform your own superstar moves – captured by burst photography.
    • See how you stack up to some of the world’s best basketball players by measuring your vertical leap, wingspan, and shooting and dribbling skills.
    • Various activities can be personalized with your name and associated with your favorite NBA or WNBA teams, and your stats will be tracked just like a real pro game.
    • Real-time technology will aggregate stats of NBA and WNBA games and players for continuous updates, while leaderboards will show top NBA Experience performers throughout the day – will your name be at the top?
  • Patriots Stars Tom Brady and Julian Edelman Celebrate Super Bowl Title at Walt Disney World

    Patriots Stars Tom Brady and Julian Edelman Celebrate Super Bowl Title at Walt Disney World

    It was a fairytale scene today, complete with its own castle, as Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots and his teammate Tom Brady 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 Patriots’ 13-3 Super Bowl victory, park guests and Patriots fans lined the famous street as a Brady and Edelman waved from a float they shared with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other beloved Disney characters. Balloons and a blizzard of confetti in the Patriots’ team colors completed the happy scene.

    Take a look below to see the famed commercial starring this years cast!

    It’s the perfect way for them to celebrate their Super Bowl victory Sunday night in Atlanta, which sent them into the NFL history books with six Super Bowl titles. Brady led the way, throwing for 262 yards and Edelman caught 10 passes for 141 yards to earn the game’s MVP award.

    Take a look at the entire parade below:

    The Patriots parade today will marked the fifth time Patriots stars have celebrated their team’s Super Bowl victory at Disney Parks. Brady and Edelman are among a long list of superstar athletes who’ve celebrated the biggest achievements in sports by visiting Disney Parks.

    Super Bowl campions have been making the trip to Disney World ever since Phil Simms first came up with the idea at Super Bowl XXI. Tom Brady was most recently honored there in 2004.

  • 2019 Star Wars Race Weekend at Disney World Will Celebrate Epic Star Wars Rivalries

    2019 Star Wars Race Weekend at Disney World Will Celebrate Epic Star Wars Rivalries

    Disney recently hosted more than 43,500 runners for the Star Wars Half Marathon at Walt Disney World Resort and we’re already exploring ways to channel the Force for next year’s race.

    In honor of Star Wars Day, Disney announced today that the Star Wars race weekend at Walt Disney World Resort will celebrate epic Star Wars rivalries in 2019. With this new theme comes a new name – Star Wars Rival Run Weekend presented by OtterBox. Starting next year, runners will be able to choose which side of the Force they will run for during the race weekend April 4-7, 2019.

    This race event will feature some favorite Star Wars rivalries from across the saga, with distances geared for all skill levels. In addition to the 5K, 10K, half marathon and the runDisney Kids Races, there will again be two challenges for runners to tackle. There’s the Star Wars Rival Run Challenge, which involves running the 10K and the half marathon during the race weekend, and the runDisney Kessel Run Challenge – completing the Star Wars Rival Run Half Marathon at Walt Disney World Resort and running the Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon at home.

    Regardless of which side you choose, you won’t want to miss your chance to be a part of this unique adventure where you’ll encounter Star Wars characters along the course as you journey to the finish line to earn one-of-a-kind medals.

  • Disney Launches Its Sports Streaming Service ESPN+ Today

    Disney Launches Its Sports Streaming Service ESPN+ Today

    Disney has taken its first step into the world of video streaming today with the launching of its new streaming video product ESPN+.

    The new ESPN App has been completely re-imagined experience and includes the seamless integration of ESPN+, the first-ever multi-sport, direct-to-consumer premium subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International group, in partnership with ESPN.

    ESPN+ is available for a seven-day free trial, followed by a subscription fee of just $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year, with the ability to cancel at any time. During the first week of launch (April 12–18), fans are being offered a special extended 30-day free trial subscription backed by American Express.

    The innovative new app elevates the digital sports experience and becomes the premier, all-in-one digital sports platform for fans, giving them easy access to all of ESPN’s news, scores, analysis, video and audio content. With enhanced design and mobility in mind, the new ESPN app and ESPN+ are available across mobile and connected living room devices—with an optimized experience for each platform.

    “This next-generation app is ESPN’s most sophisticated and elegant digital product experience, and a central piece of our next era of innovation,” said James Pitaro, ESPN President and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks. “No one is in a better position than ESPN to serve sports fans. With this launch, fans will find a re-imagined, easy to use and increasingly personalized experience that puts all of ESPN’s incredible content at their fingertips like never before. With the exciting introduction of ESPN+, they’ll also get more sports content than ever, with direct access to thousands of live games, incredible original programs and an unmatched on-demand library, all at a great price.”

    On mobile devices, sports fans will enjoy a highly personalized content experience that begins on the home screen, which features a dynamic feed of relevant ESPN content and coverage—including scores, news, video clips, live events, statistics and more—that balances what is important to each individual fan and the most compelling content that ESPN knows sports fans need. The mobile app also offers three tiers of video access, all powered by BAMTECH Media’s best-in-class video platform: video clips and highlights for all users; “TV Everywhere Streaming” of live and on-demand content from ESPN’s U.S. linear and digital networks for pay TV subscribers; and ESPN+, for the direct-to-consumer streaming service’s subscribers.

    Kevin Mayer, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company, added, “The launch of ESPN+ marks a new era of innovation for The Walt Disney Company, defined by a direct and personal relationship with our consumers. This product reflects our new direct-to-consumer strategy focused on combining our incomparable brands and unmatched content with industry-leading technology to give users an unparalleled digital experience. With BAMTECH Media’s state-of-the-art video platform, ESPN+ delivers an incredible experience for fans with a rich slate of content only ESPN can deliver.”

    ESPN+, which is backed by American Express at launch, leverages BAMTECH Media’s video and commerce platform to offer fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. ESPN+ delivers an unparalleled programming lineup powered by four key pillars of content that includes live sports events from MLB, NHL, MLS, college sports, Top Rank Boxing, PGA Tour golf and more; high-quality original shows and films, including the 30 for 30 documentary “The Last Knight,” the first in the award-winning series to appear exclusively on ESPN+; exclusive studio programs, such as Detail, written, produced and hosted by NBA legend Kobe Bryant; and an unmatched on-demand library that includes the entire 30 for 30 archive, the best of ESPN’s award-winning newsmagazine program, E:60, and storytelling brand, SC Featured, and The Masters films, annual recaps of 57 years of The Masters, beginning with Arnold Palmer’s 1960 victory, and going right up until 2017.

    “For the launch of ESPN+, our focus has been on applying the innovations in direct-to-consumer technology we’ve built at BAMTECH over the years to create an all-new best-in-class consumer experience that brings sports fans more of the content they love, wherever, whenever they want,” added Michael Paull, President, BAMTECH Media. “ESPN+ launches with several exciting product features, including an upgraded HD stream quality to make the action crisper and cleaner, and decreased video load time, getting fans into the live action faster.”

    ESPN+ subscribers will receive app and streaming experience enhancements such as HD streaming; functionality that allows users to pause, rewind, restart and even multitask while streaming; limited advertising throughout the entire ESPN App or website; as well as the ability to also subscribe to additional premium streaming services like MLB.TV (and NHL.TV, beginning in 2018–19), all within the ESPN app environment.

    The new ESPN App delivers a unique experience to every fan, while also enabling meaningful curation and presentation from ESPN’s unmatched storytellers, journalists and content creators. The app’s new design delivers a rich, easy-to-use interface that enhances personalization and discoverability—presenting content in a myriad of ways to customize it to each individual fan. The powerful technological platform surfaces ESPN content based on favorite teams, sports and leagues, as well as ESPN’s award-winning journalism and personalities.

    The new ESPN App, which is presented at launch by Audi, delivers a dynamic and comprehensive sports streaming experience on digital living room devices, as well—including a dedicated ESPN+ section surfacing the best live, upcoming, on-demand and library content available to subscribers; as well as access to ESPN’s entire library of available on-demand content.

    The ESPN App with ESPN+ launches today on the following devices and platforms, with more to follow:

    • Amazon: Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Fire TV smart TVs and Fire Tablets (4th generation and newer)
    • Apple: iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. The ESPN App with ESPN+ will also be supported in the Apple TV App on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
    • Google: Android phones, Android TV and Chromecast