Tag: news

  • First Look: New Entrance Fountain at EPCOT Celebrates the Past, Present and Future

    First Look: New Entrance Fountain at EPCOT Celebrates the Past, Present and Future

    As we previously reported, a multi-year transformation of EPCOT is underway that will reimagine the park while keeping true to the original vision and now crews have removed all the “progress walls” from the main entrance plaza, giving you the first full look at the reimagined entrance fountain.

    Now in front of iconic Spaceship Earth you’ll now see a reimagined fountain, standing in the footprint of the original that welcomed guests on the park’s opening day in 1982.

    While there is still more work to be done, the area is much more open and welcoming now. It features new planters, pathways, lush landscaping and a vibrant new color palette that will eventually tie into the four new neighborhoods we’re creating inside the park – World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase. Take a closer look at the new fountain below:

    “Our design team took special interest in this water feature, as we looked back to the geometry of the original for inspiration while creating some new magic of our own. In the fountain’s center is a brilliant light, a unique liquid-cooled fixture we’ve designed with new capabilities that complement the fountain’s changing colors and will coordinate with new lighting coming to Spaceship Earth and the upcoming World Celebration beyond,” Disney Parks said.

    Three acrylic pylons, each standing over 16 feet tall and featuring the park’s logo, surround the fountain and hearken back to the creation of EPCOT. Their timeless design and vertical presence draw your eye upward toward the sky – perfectly framing views of Spaceship Earth.

    This new fountain is the centerpiece of EPCOT’s entrance plaza, which we’ve designed as a welcoming area that brings people together. The greenery and use of water celebrate a harmony between humanity and the natural world. This park was built to inspire optimism, and we’re infusing this transformation with the magic of possibility.

  • New Reigning Cats and Dogs Loungefly Mini Backpacks Coming Soon

    New Reigning Cats and Dogs Loungefly Mini Backpacks Coming Soon

    Just in time for the new year, the all-new Disney Parks Reigning Cats and Dogs collection features two new Loungefly Mini Backpacks that are both the cat’s meow and doggone amazing!

    The entire collection will be available at Walt Disney World Resort, Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort and online at shopDisney.com beginning Dec. 28.

    This all-new assortment is the first-ever collection from Disney Parks for pet owners and pets alike with apparel, accessories and more! Take a closer look at the Loungefly Mini Backpacks below:

    Rolly, Lady and Pluto Loungefly Mini Backpack – $90

    Life will be a walk in the park with this mini backpack by Loungefly that keeps your essentials safely stowed under the watchdog eyes of three of Disney’s canine characters: Rolly, Lady and Pluto. Fetch on this paw-some accessory that’s really something to bark about.

    Marie, Figaro and Oliver Loungefly Mini Backpack – $90

  • Electrical Water Pageant Returning Soon to Walt Disney World Resort

    Electrical Water Pageant Returning Soon to Walt Disney World Resort

    Disney has announced, The Electrical Water Pageant will soon make its return to the waterways of Walt Disney World Resort, just outside of the Magic Kingdom.

    Guests at Disney Resort hotels along Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake will once again have a chance to see this twinkling nighttime musical processional that’s enchanted onlookers since 1971.

    The announcement was made in a post to the Walt Disney World Cast and Community Facebook page on Wednesday as you can see in the video below:

    According to the Disney World website, the floating nighttime parade will resume on December 20. 

    The Electrical Water Pageant, a procession which includes a medley of patriotic songs, can be viewed from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

  • New Breakfast Offerings Coming to Magic Kingdom for the Holidays

    New Breakfast Offerings Coming to Magic Kingdom for the Holidays

    Want to start your holiday adventure off at Magic Kingdom Park with a quick and delicious breakfast? The new breakfast lineup is delicious and will give enough energy to make it to you first Churro or Mickey Ice Cream Bar!

    From Egg & Bacon Croissant Breakfast Sandwich to Tots & Sausage Gravy, Magic Kingdom has what you need. And on the sweet side, the Cheshire Cat Tails are a delicious chocolate pastry twists decorated with pink and purple striped icing that are perfect anytime of day.

    Beginning Dec. 20 through Jan. 2, the breakfast items below will be available from park opening through 11 a.m., except for the Cheshire Cat Tails, which will be sold all day:

    • Donut Holes; Egg & Bacon Croissant Breakfast Sandwich (Westward Ho) 
    • Donut Holes; Egg & Bacon Croissant Breakfast Sandwich; Tots & Sausage Gravy (The Friar’s Nook)  
    • Cheshire Cat Tails; Egg & Bacon Croissant Breakfast Sandwich (The Lunching Pad)  

    Magic Kingdom Park is decked out in full festive regalia, and their chefs have been busy cooking (and baking!) up delicious treats just for the holidays! Let us know in the comments what your looking forward to most!

  • ‘Sister Act 3’ Officially In Development, with Whoopi Goldberg Returning to Star

    ‘Sister Act 3’ Officially In Development, with Whoopi Goldberg Returning to Star

    During Disney’s Investor Day event, the studio confirmed that Sister Act 3 is officially in development and Whoopi Goldberg set to reprise her iconic role.

    The View co-host played Deloris, a lounge singer who joins a convent after being placed in a witness protection program to stay away from a pimp.

    The film, which follows 1992’s Sister Act and 1993’s Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, will debut on Disney+. Disney took to Twitter to make the announcement after the investors meeting as you can see below:

    Goldberg, 65, has long advocated for another Sister Act installment, teasing the possibility of a third film in October.

    “For a long time, they kept saying no one wanted to see it,” Goldberg said. “And then quite recently, it turns out, that may not be true. People may want to see it.”

    The announcement of the third installment, with Perry at the helm, gained widespread attention online. Perry, the creative force behind 22 movies, 20 plays and eight TV shows, built a 330-acre movie studio complex in Atlanta last year.

  • Disney Blocked Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean Return

    Disney Blocked Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean Return

    Disney blocked Johnny Depp from making a returning cameo appearance to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise according to a recent report.

    The studio had distanced itself from the 57-year-old actor even before his ‘wife beater’ libel trial in the UK, despite never formally severing ties according to The Hollywood Reporter.

    THR reveals Disney blocked Depp’s return. Citing producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s desire to include Depp in the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, even if just in a cameo role to hand over the reins of the franchise to Robbie, the report says “Disney balked,” refusing to entertain the idea due to the reputation risk it would pose for the family-friendly media giant. Take a look at the relevant paragraph below:

    The paragraph in question reads:

    Disney had already backed away from a Pirates future with Depp well before the U.K. trial, even if it never formally severed ties. Bruckheimer, who has been one of Depp’s biggest champions and once suggested the finger injury happened because “he got it caught in a car door,” was hoping to at least bring the Captain Jack Sparrow character back briefly in the next outing — said to be a female-centric incarnation fronted by Margot Robbie. Disney balked.

    There have already been multiple petitions signed by more than a million fans online, that have demanded Depp be reinstated in his role as Sparrow. 

    Meanwhile, in the same article it was reported that Depp had tried to keep his wife Heard from starring in the 2018 action film Aquaman, with the actor allegedly attempting to have her replaced from the movie. 

  • Nigerian Dwarf Goats Added to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Safari

    Nigerian Dwarf Goats Added to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Safari

    Disney World announced today, that they have introduce a new species of Nigerian dwarf goats to Animal Kingdom park.

    As guests wrap up their journey on the Harambe Wildlife Reserve they’ll see a warden’s outpost where these miniature West African goats chase, climb and play like kids. But don’t let their size fool you, they are fully grown adults.

    Originally from Nigeria, the goats are considered to be of high value because of the high protein milk they provide, which is also very sweet. Take a closer look at them below:

    By being able to help support the village with the goat milk products, there is less of a need for people to rely on wildlife, which in turn helps keep wildlife and their habitats protected. With the Warden’s outpost being on the edge of the reserve, this shared land is managed in a way that helps protect local wildlife so both the animals and humans can live near each other in harmony.

    Since the opening of the park in 1998, Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park has continued to grow and evolve, bringing new encounters to the savanna and with this addition they aren’t kidding around.

  • Disney Makes New Changes to Virtual Queue for New Star Wars Ride

    Disney Makes New Changes to Virtual Queue for New Star Wars Ride

    Disney World is making a slight adjustment to the virtual queue process for one of the most popular experiences at Walt Disney World Resort, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

    Beginning Sunday, Dec. 20, distribution times for virtual queue enrollment will be 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.

    Currently the virtual queue reopens daily at 2 p.m. for anyone who wasn’t already able to join a boarding group earlier in the day.

    Keep in mind, to access the 1 p.m. virtual queue opportunity Guests must have a valid ticket or pass, a Disney Park Pass Reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and be inside the park. Access to a boarding group is subject to availability and not guaranteed.

    As a reminder, only Guests with a Disney Park Pass reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be able to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

    When Park Hopper hours become available on Jan. 1, 2021, Guests visiting from another theme park will not be able to request to join the virtual queue. We encourage these Guests to explore other areas of the park, including in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge where they may experience Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run among other offerings.

  • Disney Confirms Moana Sequel Series Coming to Disney+ in 2023

    Disney Confirms Moana Sequel Series Coming to Disney+ in 2023

    During Disney’s Investor Day event, the studio confirmed that the 2016 animated hit film Moana is getting a sequel series on Disney+.

    Moana brought to the screen the story of a 16-year-old strong-willed daughter of Polynesian village chief, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti. When a blight strikes her island, Moana sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, in the hope of returning the relic to Te Fiti and saving her people.

    The Moana series was announced with a number of other animated series in development for the streaming platform, including the Big Hero 6 spinoff Baymax!Tiana, and Zootopia+ as you can see in the post below:

    The Moana animated series will reportedly follow the titular spirited voyagers as she once again ventures beyond the safety of her Polynesian island home of Motunui, and will see Walt Disney Animation bringing in storytellers from Moana’s home region of the Pacific Islands in order to faithfully continue to tell authentic stories of wayfinding and other traditions brought to life for generations through oral storytelling.

    The movie was a huge success for Disney, receiving two nominations at the 89th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, and Best Original Song for the inspirational “How Far I’ll Go”. Moana went on to gross $690 million at the box office on its estimated $175 million budget.

    The Moana sequel is set to come to Disney+ sometime in 2023.

  • ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Offcially Confirmed for Disney+

    ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Offcially Confirmed for Disney+

    During Disney’s Investor Day event, the studio confirmed that a new sequel to the 1993 Disney classic “Hocus Pocus” will be running amok amok amok on Disney+

    Earlier this year in October, Bette Midler — who starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as a trio of witches who are accidentally resurrected on Halloween in the film — revealed in an interview with that she, Parker, 55, and Najimy, 63, have all agreed to star in the highly anticipated sequel.

    Disney also shared the news on their twitter account as you can see below:

    “They want to make a movie, they’ve asked us if we were interested and of course all of us said yes,” Midler, 75, said at the time. “I’m game, I’m totally game.”

    In the original film, “After moving to Salem, Mass., teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) explores an abandoned house with his sister Dani (Thora Birch) and their new friend, Allison (Vinessa Shaw). After dismissing a story Allison tells as superstitious, Max accidentally frees a coven of evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy) who used to live in the house. Now, with the help of a magical cat, the kids must steal the witches’ book of spells to stop them from becoming immortal.”

    Although casting has not yet been confirmed for the sequel, Midler previously said the original cast was interested in returning to their iconic roles. They recently brought their characters back to life for a virtual fundraising event in October – yes, it even included a performance of I Put A Spell On You.