Disney animators needed some help creating the Boston terrier Winston in the short film Feast.
So director Patrick Osborne put a call out for Disney staffers to bring their terriers to work for a canine study session. Especially with the promise of delicious peanut butter, the terriers came in full.
Disney reportedly spent $1 billion to get its new theme park technology off the ground, and the combination of the MyMagic+ platform and the MagicBand bracelets that make the “magic” happen are starting to pay off.
A collection of new behind-the-scenes stills from the set of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope have been made available on IGN, offering a look at the making of the early sci-fi classic.
Pastry chefs throughout Walt Disney World Resort are making things a little sweeter with deliciously decorative holiday displays and sugar shacks made of edible ingredients. These candy-decked dwellings adorn the lobbies at various Walt Disney World Resort hotels. On the menu this holiday season at Walt Disney World Resort:
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Inspired by Disney’s “Frozen” guests can enjoy an all-new Gingerbread Holiday Ice Castle on the 4th floor Grand Canyon Concourse. This culinary concoction is adorned with sugar, snowflakes, gingerbread shingles and chocolate-coated trees. Plus, favorite characters from the film including Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff will be showcased on this 17-foot-tall ice castle. “Frozen” ice desserts, build-your-own snowman marshmallow kits, plus classic gingerbread treats are available for purchase.
Ingredient fun facts:
The lobby of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is the location of a new gingerbread display inspired by the Jersey Shore. This new “gingerbread stand” is reminiscent of New Jersey Boardwalk concession stands with wreaths made of ice cream cones, plus Disney whimsy with Mickey and Minnie shaped gingerbread heads surrounding the marshmallow dotted marquee.
A fully detailed, life-sized carousel in the resort’s lobby is created from a recipe that uses gingerbread, chocolate, sugar paste and tons of enthusiasm, energy and talent. Guests who wish to take home a treat of their own can buy small gingerbread kits from the Beach Club Marketplace. Pastry chefs give demonstrations on select days to provide guests with tips on creating a gingerbread invention at home.
Carousel fun fact: There are seven hidden Mickey’s can be found on the carousel.
Ingredient fun facts:
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
The lobby of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort becomes home to a delectable scene in motion: A miniature New England-style train races through a sugary rock mountain surrounded by a candy-coated model village in this don’t-miss, edible display.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
This guest favorite gingerbread house is large enough that it doubles as a real bake shop in the Grand Floridian Resort lobby. Featuring a classic Austrian gingerbread recipe, the bake shop offers freshly baked items such as cookies, shingles and gingerbread ornaments. Other homemade items for sale include Stollen Bread, chocolate peppermint bark, truffles and miniature gingerbread houses. Demonstrations of how to decorate a gingerbread house take place in front of the gingerbread house several times per week.
Gingerbread house fun fact: Chefs spend 400 hours baking the gingerbread and 160 hours decorating the house.
Structure Composition:
Gingerbread Ingredients:
Mobile is driving huge growth for Disney: The company is now the number six mobile games publisher in the world, according to Disney Interactive president James Pitaro.
Having bested Red Skull and The Winter Soldier, Captain America has found his latest nemesis: Daniel Bruhl.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and dozens of their other Disney pals help ring in the festive spirit of the holiday season during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom.
On select nights from Nov. 7 – Dec. 19, guests with tickets to this special, after-hours event can enjoy an evening filled with all the magic and wintry wonderment of the season, complete with complimentary hot cocoa and cookies, snow flurries falling on Main Street, U.S.A., as well as a jolly parade and breathtaking fireworks show.
New this year, Queen Elsa from “Frozen” uses her incredible powers to transform Cinderella Castle into a glistening ice palace for the holidays in the “Castle Dream Lights Celebration” and “A Frozen Holiday Wish” stage show. The castle, draped in 200,000 shimmering white lights, will be transformed nightly by Elsa with Anna, Kristoff and Olaf cheering her on.
Twice during party nights, guests can enjoy “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” and watch as more than 160 performers, 12 floats and catchy Christmas music light up the streets of the Magic Kingdom. New to the parade in 2014, Ralph and Vanellope from “Wreck-It Ralph,” and a processional featuring Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, along with their pals Olaf and Kristoff, join in the frosty festivities.
Festive floats, toy soldiers, gingerbread men, skiers and ice skaters bring the sights, sounds and even the smells of the holidays to life at 8:30 and 10:30 each night of the party.
Sweet aromas of peppermint and gingerbread leap out of the kitchen and onto Main Street, U.S.A. from Goofy’s Candy Company and the Bake Shoppe floats, while the scents of fresh-cut evergreens and pine trees wafts from the Christmas Tree and the Ski Shoppe float.
Jolly Disney characters come together in two live entertainment shows, both sure to please guests of all ages. Mickey Mouse gives Minnie Mouse a gift, and Goofy, Donald and others come together to perform their own version of The Nutcracker in the “Celebrate the Season Show” on the Cinderella Castle stage. Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski and Stitch fight holiday gloom and attempt to track down Santa Claus across the galaxy in the “Totally Tomorrowland Christmas” show. This jubilant show held in Tomorrowland is chock full of the season’s coolest dance numbers.
Guests can hoot and holler with the Country Bears, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar and Clara Cluck, at the “Holiday Hootenanny!” held inside the Diamond Horseshoe in Frontierland. Over in Tomorrowland at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, Club Tinsel welcomes Christmas vacation with brothers Phineas and Ferb, who are hosting a holiday dance party of their own.
To check open party dates, ticket prices, or to purchase tickets for this special holiday party, guests may purchase tickets online at disneyworld.com or by calling 407/WDW-7679.
Day guests will get to experience “Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” as the parade is presented in place of Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade from Dec. 20-31.
A Hawaiian holiday episode of “Jessie” guest starring Maia Mitchell (“Teen Beach Movie”) and popular “Liv and Maddie” characters Joey Bragg and Tenzing Norgay Trainor, plus a holiday reunion episode of “Girl Meets World” guest starring “Boy Meets World” alumni Rider Strong (“Shawn Hunter”), William Russ (“Alan Matthews”) and Betsy Randle (“Amy Matthews”), new episodes of “I Didn’t Do It” guest starring Reginald Vel Johnson (“Family Matters”), “Dog With A Blog” and “Liv and Maddie,” will be presented during the fourth annual “Fa-la-la-lidays” winter programming event beginning FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28 through December. The animated premiere of Disney Pixar’s “Toy Story That Time Forgot” is also scheduled during the month. The multi-platform rollout begins with the “Jessie” episode, available to verified viewers on WATCH Disney Channel on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21. WATCH Disney Channel will continue to roll out holiday programming including 25-days of throwback and holiday-themed episodes, beginning, MONDAY, DECEMBER 1.
The “Fa-La-La-Lidays” celebration includes the winter makeover of DisneyChannel.com. Each week, kids and families will receive a new, exclusive “gift” to unwrap containing holiday-themed games, videos and activities. It will also feature online crafts, giving fans the ability to print their own one-of-a-kind presents to share, including posters, holiday cards and ornaments.
Almost nine months after launching Disney Movies Anywhere with Apple integration, Disney is expanding its movie service to Android devices through a partnership with Google Play.
In the Downtown Disney District, guests may take a break from their holiday shopping and dining to go skating on “Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink.” The rink opens for 60-minute skating sessions from 3 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 3 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This year, the Downtown Disney Winter Village around Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink is bigger than ever, offering shoppers holiday gift items such as “Frozen” plush toys, holiday crystal from Arribas Brothers, art works, clothing and accessories, all sold from the windows of the charming village houses. Hot chocolate from Ghirardelli along with coffee, sweets and baked goods from La Brea Bakery are also available at the Downtown Disney Winter Village.
The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort join in the holiday festivities with twinkling lights and ornaments, special entertainment and holiday dining with themed menus. The six-foot-high gingerbread house in the spacious lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is large enough for hot chocolate to be sold from its window. Guests also will enjoy new and favorite menu items at Napa Rose in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and at Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel, which recently debuted a seasonal Chef’s Tasting Menu.
One of the many benefits of staying at one of the hotels of the Disneyland Resort is Extra Magic Hour,* an early admission option available to registered hotel guests every day of their hotel stay. Extra Magic Hour offers admission prior to park opening to select attractions, stores, entertainment and dining locations in Disneyland Park (currently Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) and Disney California Adventure Park, including Cars Land (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays). Extra Magic Hour is only available for guests who book and stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel, and each registered hotel guest (ages 3 and older) must have a valid theme park ticket and active hotel room key card.*
Guests wishing to stay in one of the Disneyland Resort hotels will enjoy a special hotel offer** during the holiday season. When guests book through Nov. 19, they may save up to 20 percent on premium rooms Sunday through Thursday nights through Dec. 18, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel or Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.** Weekend discounts are not available and discounts are not available Nov. 13 through 16, and Nov. 21 through Dec. 13. To book, call 714-520-6425 or visit www.disneyland.com/offers.
For more details about Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, visit www.disneyland.com/holidays.
