Disney News

Tag: news

  • Minnie Van Service Extending to Port Canaveral For Disney Cruise Line

    Minnie Van Service Extending to Port Canaveral For Disney Cruise Line

    The Minnie van service which transports guests to locations on Disney property is expanding yet again and will soon be offering guests transportation from Disney World to Port Canaveral.

    It was recently announced that Disney had expanded it’s Minnie Van service to Orlando International Airport and now they are looking expand it even further by giving guests who like to combine a cruise with their Disney trip an alternate and convenient way to get to Port Canaveral.

    Adding Minnie van service to the port has been rumored for months, but we now know Disney will begin transporting guests to the port starting September 1st. The service is only one way and will not offer return transportation.

    Through a collaboration with the rideshare service, Lyft, guests at select resorts can arrange their own private Disney vehicle right from the Lyft app on their smartphone. With Minnie Van service, Disney cast members will then pick you up and take you to wherever you want to be at Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando International Airport and now soon Port Canaveral.

    Currently point-to-point trips on Walt Disney World property cost $25, but Disney hasn’t released any info on price points for the trips to Port Canaveral.

  • V.I.PASSHOLDER Nights Coming to Disney World In August

    V.I.PASSHOLDER Nights Coming to Disney World In August

    Beginning in August, Disney World is introducing V.I.Passholder Nights which will give Annual Passholders exclusive access to Magic Kingdom or Epcot for two hours after each parks closes.

    Gold, Platinum, Platnum Plus and Premier Passholders will enjoy access to select attractions, shops and dining locations.

    The events will take place on the following dates/times:

    • August 5 at Magic Kingdom from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.
    • September 6 at Epcot from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.
    • October 25 at Epcot from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

    Check your email regularly for future event invitations and registration detail. If you receive and email invitation, be sure to register soon; event capacity is limited and subject to availability.

    Other new V.I.Passholder offerings include:

    • Passholder-exclusive in-park offerings: Passholders can enjoy special V.I.Passholder perks during some of the seasonal events throughout the year, like special giveaways and exclusive offerings.
    • Special surprises in the parks: Experience sneak peeks of new park offerings!
    • Merchandise events: Take advantage of the passholder merchandise discount at special events like Super Saturdays at Disney Springs.
  • New Haunted Mansion Ears Materializing At Disney Parks

    New Haunted Mansion Ears Materializing At Disney Parks

    Disney has been stepping up their ear game lately and if you’re a Haunted mansion fan then the newest Haunted mansion inspired Mickey ears and Minnie headbands appearing at Disney Parks will have you screaming with ghoulish delight.

    The new headwear has three different designs. The first is a Mickey ear hat inspired by the Hatbox Ghost complete with his iconic white hair, gold tooth and top hat.

    Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears

    There are also a couple of Minnie Ear head bands that are to die for. There is a perfect pair that features the Haunted Mansion wallpaper pattern on the ears with a bow made from the same pattern as the Cast Member costumes complete with a lace lining and a gargoyle.

    Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears

    Another pair draws inspiration from Ally Gal herself.  The ears are subtle and classy and  share the same pattern as the Tightrope Girls dress with a pink sheer bow.

    Haunted Mansion Mickey Ears

     

     

     

     

  • Disney Sued By Dog Trainer Who Brings Service Dogs to Parks

    Disney Sued By Dog Trainer Who Brings Service Dogs to Parks

    Disney is being sued by a dog trainer who brings service dogs to the parks. If you’ve been to Disney Parks, then you’ve probably seen plenty of service dogs as many trainers bring them to the parks to expose them to crowds. One trainer however, has filed a lawsuit in Orlando federal court this week alleging discrimination and retaliation by Walt Disney Parks and Resort.

    Susan Grill claims that the cast members, Disney security, and managers harass her when she brings her dogs to the parks. Grill, who has epilepsy and migraines filed a complaint in May 2017 with the Florida Commission on Human Rights, and she believes Disney is retaliating against her for filing it, the lawsuit said.

    Disney allows service animals — a dog or a miniature horse trained to help their owners with disabilities, according to Disney’s definition — at most places within its Orlando theme parks and hotels, according to its website.

    “This person’s complaints were already reviewed by the Florida Commission on Human Rights, which found that no unlawful practice occurred,” a Disney spokeswoman said in a statement.

    According to the lawsuit, in February 2017, Grill took a stroll around Disney Springs with three poodles. Grill often trains her dogs at Disney to adjust them to crowds. “All three were well-behaved and were wearing clearly labeled gear identifying them as ‘service dogs,’” the lawsuit said.

    Two Disney security guards stopped her and told her she could not train her dogs on Disney property, the suit said. An Orange County deputy sheriff who also approached her demanded to see the dogs’ certification papers and said the poodles were “fake,” the suit says.

    Disney security told Grill she couldn’t leave until their case was closed — which made her feel intimidated, she said in the lawsuit. A Disney Springs manager allowed Grill to stay but warned she was forbidden from returning with the dogs. Grill tried to argue, and the manager told her to leave immediately, the lawsuit said.

    The lawsuit alleged Disney’s head of security told Grill “…If she did not want people to grab her service dog and scream curse words at her, then she should not bring her service dog to the Disney Parks,” the lawsuit said.

  • No, Disney Is NOT Making Fortnite TV Show for Disney XD

    No, Disney Is NOT Making Fortnite TV Show for Disney XD

    Recently, rumors of a Fortnite TV show in the works for Disney have gained a lot of attention, but the hopes of Fortnite fans have been “knocked” as they find out the announcement made by a fake Twitter account isn’t real.

    If you’ve never heard of Fortnite, it’s a co-op fantasy ‘Battle Royale’-style survival game that was first released in July 2017. Earlier this year, it became the most-viewed game in YouTube history and the free-to-play game has attracted more than 125 million players globally. The games massive success made it easy for some to believe that a TV show was a real possibility.

    The rumors started after a Disney XD parody account tweeted the fake announcement of a Fortnite TV show leading many to believe a show was in the works as you can see in the post below.

    The fake announcement stated the show would premiere on August 12, 2019 and teased upcoming sneak peeks throughout the week and has been retweeted more than three thousand times.

    The parody account goes by the Twitter handle @DisnayXD and even uses a globe icon at the end of the username to convince users that it’s a verified account.

    The tweet gained enough attention to get addressed by an employee of Epic.

    Nick Chester tweeted condemned the tweet and anyone reporting it as fact, eliminating any question that a TV show is being made.

     

  • Disney Wins Bidding War Over Fox As Comcast Drops Out Of Battle

    Disney Wins Bidding War Over Fox As Comcast Drops Out Of Battle

    Disney and Comcast have been battling for months for control of Twenty-First Century Fox’s entertainment business, but today Comcast dropped out of the fight leaving Disney the winner of one of the highest-stakes duels in media history.

    “Comcast does not intend to pursue further the acquisition of the Twenty-First Century Fox assets and, instead, will focus on our recommended offer for Sky,” the company said in a statement Thursday.

    Comcast had been locked in a battle with the Walt Disney Company for the bulk of Mr. Murdoch’s Fox empire, with the cable company submitting a $65 billion offer for the assets last month topping Disney’s initial $52 billion offer. Disney quickly pushed back on Comcast’s offer with a higher bid of $71.3 billion, which Mr. Murdoch and his board quickly accepted. Shareholders for both Disney and Fox will vote on the proposed merger on July 27.

    CEO Brian Roberts, who had sought to outdo Disney given Comcast’s history with the company, which dates to an unsolicited takeover bid rebuffed by Disney in 2004, delivered a sporting statement. “I’d like to congratulate Bob Iger and the team at Disney and commend the Murdoch family and Fox for creating such a desirable and respected company,” he said.  The Department of Justice has already given the green light to Disney’s bid as long as it sells 22 regional sports networks.

    Comcast Corp. and Fox have been battling for Fox and Sky in order to amass more programming as they compete for viewers with both traditional TV networks and technology companies such as Netflix and Amazon.

    Comcast’s stock rose more than 2.5 percent today in premarket trading. Shares of Disney climbed 1.2 percent, while Fox’s stock dipped 1 percent before the opening bell.

  • Happy Birthday Disneyland! The “Happiest Place on Earth” Celebrates 63 Years of Magic

    Happy Birthday Disneyland! The “Happiest Place on Earth” Celebrates 63 Years of Magic

    On this day in 1955, the “Happiest Place on Earth” opened its doors for the first time and now Disneyland celebrates its 63rd anniversary!

    The original Disney theme park celebrates another year during its first-ever Pixar Fest. The “Happiest March on Earth” included 63 Disney characters, Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, and the Disneyland Resort Ambassadors marching down Main Street U.S.A.

    Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955 to over 31,000 specially invited guests, including; Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings, the Mouseketeers, Frank Sinatra, California Governor Goodwin J. Knight and Walt Disney who uttered the immortal words, “To all who come to this happy place, welcome…”

    When the theme park opened it was hailed by many as the eighth wonder of the world and admission was $1 including tax for adults and 50 cents for children under 12. To take in all the attractions at Disneyland guests, priced at 15 to 50 cents, it cost an adult $8.70 and a child $5.15.

    It was broadcasted on ABC and it was the biggest live telecast to date! The following day, Disneyland officially opened to the public. Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California on what used to be a 160-acre orange orchard, cost $17 million to build. The original park included Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

  • PHOTOS: Epcot’s Ratatouille Attraction Construction Update

    PHOTOS: Epcot’s Ratatouille Attraction Construction Update

    Construction on the Ratatouille attraction at Epcot has been underway since last September and now we’re getting a look at some of the latest aerial construction photos.

    These aerial pictures give a fantastic view of the progress being made on the transformation of the France Pavilion in The World Showcase.

    The framing for the exterior walls is nearly complete as you can see in the photos below.

    From a distance you can see the corner of the Ratatouille ride peeking out along France’s skyline.

    Ratatouille ride construction
    Photo: @bioreconstruct

    The exterior walls can be seen across World Showcase Lagoon and in the photo below you get an idea of just how large the structure will be in comparison to the surrounding area.

    Ratatouille ride construction
    Photo: @bioreconstruct

    The ride is scheduled to open sometime before October 1st, 2021 in time for Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. In addition to the Ratatouille ride, the expansion of the France Pavilion will include new shopping, dining, and more.

  • Bernie Sanders Blasts Disney CEO Bob Iger On Twitter Over $400 Million Pay

    Bernie Sanders Blasts Disney CEO Bob Iger On Twitter Over $400 Million Pay

    U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders took aim at the mouse house today on twitter today calling out, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger over his $400 million pay.

    The longtime senator from Vermont asks in a tweet why Iger is paid hundreds of millions of dollars, while workers at Disney theme parks struggle to make ends meet.

    “Does Disney CEO Bob Iger have a good explanation for why he is being compensated more than $400 million while workers at Disneyland are homeless and relying on food stamps to feed their families?” tweeted Sanders. Take a look below.

    Sanders attacked Iger’s hefty pay package, which some estimates say could earn the executive as much as $423 million over the next four years if he hits all of his performance goals.

    Sanders has targeted Disney before.  While on the presidential campaign trail he used the media conglomerate as Exhibit A in what he calls a “rigged economy” at an Anaheim campaign event. “Anybody make a living wage at Disney?” Sanders asked the crowd.

    Sanders was referencing a survey conducted by the Economic Roundtable — which found that 73% of Disney employees who were questioned said they don’t earn enough to pay for such basic expenses as rent, food and gas. It also found that 11% of resort employees have been homeless or have not had a place of their own in the last two years.

    Disney dismissed the study calling it inaccurate and unscientific and paid for by labor groups seeking a pay raise. Disney officials have said that the average annual pay for hourly workers at the resort is $37,000, which calculates to about $17.80 an hour.

    In a Facebook post Iger responded to Sanders: “To Bernie Sanders: We created 11,000 new jobs at Disneyland in the past decade and our company has created 18,000 in the U.S. in the last five years. How many jobs have you created? What have you contributed to the U.S. economy?”

    Sanders has been rallying with Disneyland workers in Anaheim, California, as they pushed for a minimum $15 per hour wage.

    “The struggle that you are waging here in Anaheim is not just for you,” Sanders told Disneyland workers last month at a rally. “It is a struggle for millions of workers all across this country who are sick and tired of working longer hours for lower wages.”

    Iger has thrown around the idea of running for president and he’s shown he willing to hold his ground and fire back, so we’ll have to see if this fizzles out or turns into a full out twitter war.

  • Massive Hollywood Studios Power Outage Shuts Down Most Rides

    Massive Hollywood Studios Power Outage Shuts Down Most Rides

    A Hollywood Studios Power Outage caused a pause in the magic today for guests visiting the park. It seems a problem with the cooling system shut down several rides at the theme park earlier this evening, a spokeswoman said. 

    Most of the rides are up and running now or in the process of starting back up. Reports on social media described it as a power outage.


    Park operators are working to fix the issue as quickly as possible, according to the spokeswoman. and the park remains open.

    Duke Energy’s map showed outages in the area. One theme-park goer posted a screenshot of the MyDisneyExperience app showing a substantial number of rides were “temporarily closed.”

    No other details were immediately available.