We all knew that Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando Florida is undergoing a major reworking. The Sorcerer’s hat has been removed, the studio tour has been shut down, The Art of Animation will be closing, and there are many rumors about what is yet to change in the movie-themed Disney-owned amusement park.
Disney Channel’s premiere of “Teen Beach 2″ last Friday has racked up about 7.5 million viewers….
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has revealed when the next four Marvel movies following next year’s ‘Captain America: Civil War’ are set to start filming.
The Orlando Sentinel asked their Facebook followers what else they would like to see changed at Walt Disney World after the decision to ban selfie sticks.
Walt Disney Records’ soundtrack to the hit Disney Channel Original Movie “Teen Beach 2” debuts at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart after scanning 24,000 units (includes TEA and SEA) in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
In addition to its Top 10 Billboard debut, the album ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s Soundtrack chart, No. 1 on the Children’s chart and No. 7 on both the Digital Album and Top Albums charts. The album also fast tracked its way to No. 1 on the iTunes Soundtrack chart and was No. 6 on the Album Overall chart.
Disney Channel’s premiere and encore telecasts of “Teen Beach 2” reached 13.3 million Total Viewers, including 4.4 million Kids 6-11 and 4.2 million Tweens 9-14. Friday’s premiere telecast was TV’s #1 movie year to-date with 7.5 million Total Viewers, 3.2 million Kids 6-11 and 2.8 million Tweens 9-14. Its availability on the WATCH Disney Channel App resulted in nearly 1 million views.
A fantastical music- and dance-driven story designed for kids, tweens and families, “Teen Beach 2” picks up at the close of summer. With surf season over and high school back in session, laid-back Brady and studious Mack’s relationship is headed for a wipeout when they receive a surprise real-world visit from their 1960s silver screen friends, Lela and Tanner, who have remarkably departed “Wet Side Story,” quickly followed by their 1960s bikers and surfer friends led by Butchy, Cheechee and Seacat. Knowing first-hand that the “real” world and the movie world don’t mix, Mack, Brady and all of the “Wet Side Story” friends must quickly devise a plan and use the magic of Lela’s necklace to get everyone back to their movie world before it’s too late.
The Teen Beach 2 soundtrack was released on June 23rd and is available at iTunes http://smarturl.it/tb2a1 and wherever music is sold. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, become a fan at Facebook.com/disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic.
Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) today announced the launch of CON RADIO, featuring an array of online audio programs allowing fans to stay current on everything happening in the convention and pop culture universe. CON RADIO has something for everyone: lifestyle, horror, Q&As with favorite celebrities, video games, and even sports entertainment. All free, all on-demand.
Fans can listen to CON RADIO anytime at: http://www.wizardworld.com .
“CON RADIO is a pop culture force to be reckoned with,” said horror expert Keenan McClelland. “It’s about time we obtained the best podcasts on the net and housed them under one geeky roof at Wizard! Thrill me!”
“What a time to be a geek! Never before has the storage, weird, creative, nerdy, and geeky have been embraced like it is today,” said Tony Kim, Crazy 4 Comic Con host. “While the pop culture universe expands, our con culture comes closer together. Thanks to this new initiative by Wizard World called CON Radio. We will be like the Avengers of radio!… except more flabby and not as good looking- but you won’t know that by our voices. Check us out, the world is depending on you!”
CON RADIO will feature nine unique programs at launch, including:
Common Room – A female-take on the geek culture and nerd lifestyle, with no topic off-limits. Recorded weekly.
Con Smash – Con Radio’s flagship program, featuring pop culture news & rumors, debates, celebrity interviews, contests & more. Hosted by Wizard World’s Mo Lightning & Billy Patterson. Recorded weekly.
Crazy 4 Comic Con – The most comic book-leaning podcast on Con Radio. Join host Tony Kim and special guests as he talks comic books, art, writing, and of course, the joy of comic cons all across the world. Recorded monthly.
Every Day is Halloween -Celebrating all things scary, Horror Guy Keenan creates a podcast experience unlike any other. Clips from classic movies, forgotten TV commercials, movie reviews, and industry analysis are just the proverbial tip of the knife. Recorded monthly.
The Game Fix Podcast – No pop culture hub would be complete without a spotlight on video games. Gamers can get their fix from a gang of radio personalities who’ve spent their entire lives gaming, from the NES to the latest and greatest consoles. Recorded weekly.
The Modern Geek Show – Fashion, flirting, fitness… How does today’s geek find time to balance all of this, work, and his or her pop culture interests? Recorded weekly.
Talking TV WITH Liz and Lindi – Team Supernatural Drama isn’t just a title, it’s a lifestyle! Regulars on the con scene for a while, hosts Liz Pochop & Lindi Smith have recently expanded their reviews to Entertainment Weekly’s website (ew.com) and now this exclusive-to-Con Radio podcast. Recorded weekly.
Wizard World Classics – Missed a favorite celebrity on his or her panel? That’s OK – Listen to it here! Wizard World presents brand new, and classic, clips from various celebrities in short segments that keeps the show flowing! Recorded weekly.
WrestlingAudio Presents… – Simulcast sports entertainment (pro wrestling) programming from the 10-year podcast veterans of WrestlingAudio.com. Includes news & rumors, celebrity interviews, contesting, more. Recorded 1-3 times per week.
In addition, CON RADIO plans to develop additional shows expected to launch this summer as well as live streaming from Wizard World Comic Con shows nationally.
Fans can interact with CON RADIO on Twitter: @radioforgeeks.
Calling all foodies! The new Family Culinary Adventure at Walt Disney World® Resort allows guests to go backstage, step into the kitchen at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and work alongside a Disney Chef.
Upon arrival in the kitchen, guests will be broken into groups and assigned a portion of the meal, which they’ll prepare with the aid of a Chef. Teams will regroup to introduce their menu item before sitting down to a group dinner. At the conclusion of the adventure, guests will be presented with a cookbook signed by the Chefs and a white Chef’s hat.
This 3 ½ hour interactive experience is available twice a week and costs $175 per adult and $125 per child (ages 9-12), plus tax. Each experience is limited to 30 Guests. Beer and wine are included for Guests 21 years and over. Transportation to and from Disney’s Contemporary Resort is available for Disney Resort hotel Guests only.
A Disney PhotoPass photographer will be on hand to capture photos of the group during the experience. Photos are included in the Memory Maker product. If guests have not purchased Memory Maker, they will be able to purchase the photos a la carte. Each Guest will receive a PhotoPass card with a 16-digit claim code, which will include all the photos taken of the entire group during the experience. Photos will be available to view on the Disney PhotoPass website within 24 hours of the event.
Summer is here and the forecast for Walt Disney World Resort is cool – the Coolest Summer Ever. Exciting new entertainment, dining and shopping experiences are giving guests endless ways to have a ‘cool’ time.
From “Frozen” fun throughout the theme parks, to a splashing good time at Disney’s Water Parks, to fresh finds for shoppers at Downtown Disney, guests will find there is something for everyone at Walt Disney World Resort this summer.
“Frozen” Summer Fun
The fun heats up “Frozen” Summer Fun June 17 through Sept. 7 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guest favorites Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf are welcomed to Hollywoodland twice each day as they take part in the Frozen Royal Welcome, a festive cavalcade throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios, accompanied by the Royal Arendelle Flag Corps and a flurry of skaters, skiers and ice cutters.
During the cavalcade, Anna leads the procession in an elaborate horse-drawn sleigh, with Elsa gliding by on a stunning, ice palace float. The entire procession pauses twice along the route in tribute to these visitors from Arendelle, as guests in Hollywoodland are invited to join in singing “Let It Go!”
The popular show, For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration, welcomes guests to the beautiful Hyperion Theater, located right in the heart of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The Royal Historians of Arendelle host this fun and comedic retelling of the unique story of their kingdom, filled with delightful, sing-along moments from “Frozen,” plus all-new in-theater effects and special appearances by Anna, Elsa and Kristoff. Outside the theater, there is a new merchandise location filled with all-things “Frozen.”
But that’s not all that’s in store for guests visiting “Frozen” Summer Fun.
The fun centers around the Event Stage throughout the day, with Olaf’s Summer Cool Down — where Olaf keeps things cool several times each day. Having always dreamed of being in “snow business,” Olaf is joined by some of his summery friends to sing his famed number, “In Summer,” inviting the audience to join in. Then, Olaf sends a flurry from his personal snow cloud out over the audience in an icy blast.
Twice each hour beginning at 10 a.m. daily inside the ABC Sound Studio, guests also can view a showing of the new animated short, “Frozen Fever,” which debuted in theaters with Disney’s live-action “Cinderella,” and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.
Then once the sun goes down, DJ Chill and some favorite Disney Characters take to the stage to host the “Coolest Summer Ever” Dance Party.
As the night comes to a close, Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf come together at the Event Stage for a grand finale to the day’s festivities, kicking off an awe-inspiring “Frozen” Fireworks display set to the music of “Frozen” and, of course, a flurry of snow.
“Since we launched Frozen Summer Fun in mid-June, the reaction from our guests has been sensational,” said Ray Fournier, Producer, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Creative Entertainment. “People really love seeing Olaf and the fireworks. They’re responding so enthusiastically as we bring to life the story of Elsa, Anna and their Frozen friends.”
There’s also the “Frozen” Summer Fun Premium Package option for guests to purchase at an additional cost that includes reserved viewing for the Frozen Royal Welcome complete with regal refreshments of water, soft drinks and ice cream, reserved seating for a showing of For the First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration and Frozen Fireworks viewing paired with a Frozen-themed dessert party complete with specialty desserts, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. Cost is $69 for adults and $39 for children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuity included). Reservations can be made online at DisneyWorld.com or by calling 407-939-3463.
Other Cool Experiences
Downtown Disney – Guests can find hot summer fashion trends and cool new waterfront dining at Downtown Disney. New retail stores include Sanuk, APEX by Sunglass Hut, Havaianas, Erin McKenna Bakery NYC and more, as well as new dining experiences such as The BOATHOUSE (now open) and Morimoto Asia (opening fall 2015). Downtown Disney is currently undergoing the largest expansion in its history, to be renamed and re-imagined as Disney Springs, an exciting new waterfront district for shopping, dining and entertainment. Disney Springs will be completed in 2016.
Disney’s Water Parks – Sunny ‘ski’ slopes and palm tree-lined lazy rivers await guests at Disney’s Water Parks – Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon – this summer. And a cool new deal doubles the fun at Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. When guests purchase a one-day water park ticket, they can park-hop between the two water parks in the same day that both are open.
Magic Kingdom – When they’re not visiting Hollywoodland, Anna and Elsa from “Frozen” meet and greet guests daily at Princess Fairytale Hall in Magic Kingdom. The royal sisters also appear during the daily Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, and guests can enjoy visuals from “Frozen” during the “Celebrate the Magic” projection show that transforms Cinderella Castle each evening.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom – New dining and entertainment offerings welcome Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests this summer as the theme park continues to undergo the largest expansion in its history. A new shopping and dining option, Harambe Market, is now open for guests in the Africa section of the park. Harambe Market offers a new quick-service food and beverage location with street-inspired dishes from walk-up windows. The new space also opens up a new pathway from Africa to Bradley Falls and the Asia section of the park.
Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and their friends now welcome guests for a fun-filled character dinner at Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, in addition to breakfast and lunch. “Donald’s Safari Dinner” offers guests the opportunity to meet some of their favorite Disney Characters, including Donald and Daisy, while enjoying a delicious selection of all-you-care-to-enjoy spit-roasted carved meats, unique salads, creative vegetarian offerings, hearty stews, and delicious desserts – all with an African touch. Guests can make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE (3463) or by visiting DisneyWorld.com/dining.
Epcot – Epcot guests can enjoy cool new entertainment acts throughout Epcot World Showcase this summer:
Disney has a plan to fight the irresistible pull of screens with even cooler technology. Earlier this month, Disney unveiled Playmation, a combination of hardware and apps meant to get kids playing outside again.
