Tag: news

  • Disney Cruise Line Suspending all New Departures through April 28, 2020

    Disney Cruise Line Suspending all New Departures through April 28, 2020

    With the wellbeing of Disney Cruise Line guests and team members as its top priority and in line with direction from health experts and government officials, Disney Cruise Line has decided to extend the suspension of all new departures through Tuesday, April 28, 2020. 

    In light of this cancellation, Disney Cruise Line is offering clients with cruises already booked during this timeframe the choice of a 125% future cruise credit to be used for a future sailing within 15 months of their original sail date, or a full refund.

    The credit will be automatically applied to their account at the start of business on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.  You may place a reservation on hold by applying it as a payment option when booking a new reservation online.

    The future cruise credit is equal to 125% of the original voyage fare and is only valid for sailings departing within 15 months of the original sailing. The future cruise credit is applied per person and is non-transferable, non-refundable and has no cash value.

    Standard prevailing rates apply and guests are responsible for any balance due after the future cruise credit has been applied. If you end up not being able to use the future cruise credit, you will be eligible for a refund up to the amount you paid in full. Standard cancellation policies and terms and conditions apply to future sailings. Guests who previously received a 125% future cruise credit are not eligible for an additional future cruise credit.

  • VIDEO: Disney Offers Virtual Viewing of New Disneyland Parade

    VIDEO: Disney Offers Virtual Viewing of New Disneyland Parade

    Disney fans are searching for ways to bring magic and joy into their everyday lives and today, Disney has released a special virtual viewing of the all-new “Magic Happens” parade, which recently debuted at Disneyland park!

    This daytime spectacular celebrates the awe-inspiring moments of magic that are at the heart of so many Disney stories.

    So gather with family at home to watch this stunning moment of magic. Take a look at the video below:

    “Magic Happens” features nine newly designed floats, highlighting magic from classic Walt Disney Animation Studios tales, such as “The Sword in the Stone,” “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty,” to more recent stories, including “Frozen 2,” “Moana” and “The Princess and the Frog,” as well as Disney and Pixar’s “Coco.”

    The new floats were created as pieces of moving art, with their lines and aesthetic design telling a story along the parade route, while also evoking a sense of magic. The stories seen in “Magic Happens” are rooted in iconic Disney lore, but the soundtrack, costume design and choreography are heavily influenced by today’s contemporary designers. Be sure to listen up for the energetic musical score and new songs, co-composed by singer-songwriter, Todrick Hall.

  • BREAKING: Disneyland and Disney World Now Closed Indefinitely Amid Coronavirus Crisis

    BREAKING: Disneyland and Disney World Now Closed Indefinitely Amid Coronavirus Crisis

    Disneyland and Walt Disney World had initially planned to close through March in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, but now the U.S. Disney parks have now announced that they will “remain closed until further notice.”

    “While there is still much uncertainty with respect to the impacts of COVID-19, the safety and well-being of our guests and employees remains The Walt Disney Company’s top priority,” said the Walt Disney Company in a statement.

    “As a result of this unprecedented pandemic and in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice.

    The Walt Disney Company has been paying its cast members since the closure of the parks, and in light of this ongoing and increasingly complex crisis, we have made the decision to extend paying hourly parks and resorts cast members through April 18.”

    Just a little over two weeks ago, Disney and Universal Studios made the decision to close their gates to visitors, just hours after California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference to address the state’s prevention and containment efforts. Disneyland — alongside casinos, card rooms and theaters — had initially been given an exemption from the guidelines to cancel or postpone gatherings of 250 or more people, though Disney made the announcement shortly after that it would close its parks.

    As of now, all Disney parks worldwide remain closed, including its locations in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, and Shanghai. Shanghai Disney Resort as of March 9 partially resumed shopping, dining and other recreational operations, though the main theme park continues to be closed.

  • Baby Zebra Born at Walt Disney World Resort Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic

    Baby Zebra Born at Walt Disney World Resort Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic

    What’s black and white and cute all over? The newest member of the herd over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! The park has just announced the birth of a Hartmann’s zebra foal.

    Although Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Disney’s Animal Care team is continuing to provide top-notch care to thousands of animals.

    A Hartmann’s Zebra foal was born early Saturday morning (Mar. 21) to first-time-mom, Heidi… and it’s a girl! Check out the video below to see a few moments of sweet mother-daughter time.

    The foal, who has yet to be named, is about 65pounds, and is quite strong – she was standing within 30 minutes of birth. Already very active and curious, this little lady is much like her mother and has very long legs.

    Heidi is showing she’s a natural at parenting skills as she stays close to her baby to bond with her and nurse. Bonding is especially important, as a young zebra will imprint on its mother’s scent and memorize the unique markings on its mother’s hind legs to tell her apart from the rest of the herd. In a few weeks, after the pair develop a strong bond, they will be introduced to the Kilimanjaro Safaris savannah. 

    The foal was born as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of thousands of species of animals. Her arrival marks the third zebra birth at Walt Disney World this year.

    Hartmann’s mountain zebras are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are a vulnerable species due to habitat loss and hunting. To learn more about zebras and other species we are working to protect, visit DisneyAnimals.com 

  • Breaking: Disney World Closure Extended into April

    Breaking: Disney World Closure Extended into April

    As we reported before, Walt Disney World is supposed to re-open on April 1st. We now have that news that the closure may extend to April 9th, 2020.

    The Mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer, and the Orange County Mayor put out a Stay at Home Order tonight. This means that all residents need to stay at home, and all non-essential businesses will be closed starting Thursday March 26th through April 9th.

    There hasn’t been any official word from Disney yet, but when there is we will update you on the details.

    Make sure you contact Enchanted Kingdom Vacations with Kimberly to plan your next trip when Disney re-opens.

  • New Disney Online Program is the Perfect Resource During School Closures

    New Disney Online Program is the Perfect Resource During School Closures

    Schools around the country have closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and teachers are searching for ways to virtually enrich education and Walt Disney Imagineering’s partnership with Khan Academy could be the perfect online program for students.

    Imagineering in a Box’ is a free online program that brings together the diverse talents of Disney Imagineers around the world for a one-of-a-kind learning experience and is part of Disney’s commitment to helping today’s youth create the future they imagine. 

    The series offers 32 videos in which Imagineers share how they use a wide range of skills – from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics and engineering – to create immersive experiences. The online curriculum aims to ignite curiosity, inspire creativity, and encourage innovation in the minds of students and teachers alike, while creating fun and engaging opportunities to explore new concepts.

    Modules range from a tutorial on engineering software, to an interactive exercise where learners are encouraged to gather items around them and create something new. The program’s hands-on components will allow students to relate new concepts to real-world examples to bring treasured Disney stories to life. Each activity is designed to be scalable, allowing individuals to learn on their own or in a classroom setting. 

    Click here to get started!

  • Rosario Dawson Cast as Ahsoka Tano in ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2

    Rosario Dawson Cast as Ahsoka Tano in ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2

    The Mandalorian‘s second season will feature Rosario Dawson as a live-action Ahsoka Tano!

    The “Briarpatch” star has been cast in the guest starring role of Ahsoka Tano, Variety has confirmed.

    Tano is Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice and one of the central characters in the popular animated “Star Wars” series. This will mark the character’s first live-action appearance, after being voiced by Ashley Eckstein on all seven seasons of “Clone Wars,” the final season of which is currently airing on Disney Plus.

    Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” is slated to drop on Disney Plus this Fall, after showrunner and creator Jon Favreau confirmed that a second season was on the way late last year. Favreau also previously revealed that Carl Weathers, who plays Greef Carga in the series, is set to direct an episode of its sophomore season.

    The series is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, following the travails of Mando (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic. Season 1 ended with Mando flying off in search of Baby Yoda’s home planet. Precisely how Dawson’s Tano fits into the equation will be interesting to see, especially given all the events that take place between the end of the Clone Wars and the fall of the Empire.

    “The Mandalorian” is the first “Star Wars” series to air on Disney Plus, and the Mouse House also has two others series from a Galaxy far, far away in the works, namely a Cassian Andor series starring Diego Luna reprising his role from “Rogue One,” and an Obi-Wan Kenobi series with Ewan McGregor reprising the iconic role.

    The series is executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson. Karen Gilchrist serves as co-executive producer. Directors on season 1 included Filoni, Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow, who has been tapped to direct the Obi-Wan series as well.

  • Disney Pixar’s ‘Onward’ Coming to Disney+ Earlier Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

    Disney Pixar’s ‘Onward’ Coming to Disney+ Earlier Due to Coronavirus Outbreak

    Disney’s latest Pixar feature “Onward” will be arriving to the at-home market earlier than expected due to the coronavirus outbreak.

    The Walt Disney Studios announced today that Disney and Pixar’s Onward will be available to buy digitally and on Movies Anywhere beginning today at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST and on Disney+ on April 3 in the U.S.

    The film premiered in theaters on March 6 and earned rave reviews from audiences, including a 95% Verified Audience Score on RottenTomatoes. With cinemas currently impacted by closures due to the global health crisis, Disney will offer the film ahead of schedule to purchase on digital platforms in the U.S. beginning today at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST for $19.99.

    “While we’re looking forward to audiences enjoying our films on the big screen again soon, given the current circumstances, we are pleased to release this fun, adventurous film to digital platforms early for audiences to enjoy from the comfort of their homes,” said Dan Scanlon (Director, Onward) and Kori Rae (Producer, Onward).

    In Onward, teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad, embarking on an extraordinary quest aboard Barley’s epic van Guinevere. Like any good quest, their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps, impossible obstacles and unimaginable discoveries. But when the boys’ fearless mom Laurel (voice of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) realizes her sons are missing, she teams up with a part-lion, part-bat, part-scorpion, former warrior—aka The Manticore (voice of Octavia Spencer)—and heads off to find them. Perilous curses aside, this one magical day could mean more than any of them ever dreamed.

  • California Man Dies of Coronavirus After Visiting Disney World

    California Man Dies of Coronavirus After Visiting Disney World

    A 34-year-old man has died in California after testing positive of coronavirus just days ago, and 2 weeks after visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Florida

    In a Facebook post, family members of Jeffrey Ghazarian, said he died Thursday morning at a Pasadena hospital after being hospitalized for several days, according to TMZ

    His family stated he had a history of asthma and frequent bronchitis as a child. He also had beat testicular cancer back in 2016, which made him a higher risk for contracting coronavirus.

    According to TMZ, his sister stated, “He suffered a lot and put up a good fight. We will miss our Jeff every day but we are thankful for all the fun happy memories of the times we had together.”

    According to his family, Ghazarian flew from Los Angeles to Orlando on March 2 for a work conference. During his time in Orlando, he went to Disney World and Universal theme parks with friends.

    TMZ reported that Ghazarian began to develop a cough on March 7 and the next day he coughed up blood.

    He returned to Los Angeles International Airport on March 9 and immediately went to the emergency room, where he also had a high fever.

    TMZ reports that medical personnel performed a chest x-ray and confirmed that Ghazarian had pneumonia. He was reportedly tested for COVID-19 before he was sent home with antibiotics and fluids and was instructed to self-quarantine while he awaited the results.

    He found out he tested positive for coronavirus on March 13, TMZ reported. The next day he was taken to the hospital by ambulance and quickly transferred to the ICU. At which point, doctors discovered that his lungs were 60-70 percent blocked with pneumonia.

    Doctors chose to sedate and intubate him in hopes that using a ventilator would help his lungs heal.

    Ghazarian passed away Thursday morning.

  • Disney & Edy’s Release Ice Cream Flavors Inspired By Pixar Movies

    Disney & Edy’s Release Ice Cream Flavors Inspired By Pixar Movies

    Edy’s is partnering up with Disney’s Pixar to release four new ice cream flavors that celebrate Pixar’s classic animated hits “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles” and “Monsters, Inc.”

    The limited-edition flavors can be found at participating stores (such as Publix and Meijer) now, but they won’t be around forever, so don’t miss your chance to enjoy these yummy additions to the Edy’s family.

    First, there is Coral Reef Orange and Cream, which pays homage to “Finding Nemo.” The light orange and vanilla sherbet include the sweet addition of little chocolate fishes.

    Then, there’s Cookies and Scream, a yummy cookies n’ cream combo that is a nod to “Monsters, Inc.” It’s made with light vanilla ice cream, chocolate cookie pieces, a fudge swirl and little Mike and Sully chocolate pieces.

    And then there’s Jack-Jack Cookie Crumble, which is a combo of light chocolate and vanilla ice cream mixed with chocolate cookie pieces and little chocolate masks (to mimic the superhero masks worn by the characters in “The Incredibles”).

    Last but not least is Edy’s new Chocolate Peanut Butter Toy Chest. Made with light chocolate ice cream and a peanut butter swirl, the dessert is made even more decadent thanks to chocolate “Toy Story” pieces that are filled with peanut butter.