Skip Bayless is dead wrong about Disney.
The sports television host left ESPN this year amidst an exodus of expensive talent (see above video from May), and he joined Fox Sports 1, the same move former ESPN on-air talents Colin Cowherd and Jason Whitlock have made. In a new interview this week with the LA Times, Bayless discussed the move and suggested that he felt constricted at ESPN, which, if you ever watched his show “First Take,” is hard to believe.
Disney is known around the world for its family-friendly entertainment offerings. But family fun doesn’t always come cheap. On Disney Cruise Line, you may end up paying a pretty penny for a vacation. But is the higher price worth it all?
To make it even easier for you to shop, dine and play at Disney Springs™, buses are now available to transport Guests to Disney Springs from Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® starting at 4 p.m. daily. With a drop-off location in the heart of the property, the new service puts you in the middle of Town Center, the newest neighborhood filled with world-class brands, one-of-a-kind eateries and high-quality entertainment.
You can ride attractions through the afternoon, then indulge in one of Disney Springs’ 30+ food and beverage options by night. Or, catch an early fireworks show, then savor some sips at one of the vibrant lounges. Whether you want to end their evening with La Nouba™ by Cirque du Soleil®, a movie at AMC Dine-In Theatres, bowling at Splitstville Luxury Lanes or shopping at the wide-array of retailers (there are over 50 new stores!), they’ll find there’s plenty to enjoy once they’ve had their fill of theme park fun.
While the service from the Parks is intended to be one-way, Disney transportation will continue to be available from Disney Springs back to Disney Resort hotels. And for Guests with their own vehicles, the arrival experience is more convenient than ever with complimentary self-parking, which includes two new parking garages that utilize “smart technology,” making finding a spot a breeze.
Another day, another Disney collaboration. But while we’re accustomed to seeing Disney’s more classic characters printed on fast-fashion tees and sweats, anyone raised in the post-Little Mermaid era (with Pixar dominating box offices) has a reason to get excited.
With fall just around the corner, “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” at Magic Kingdom® Park is preparing to mark the season with enhancements to the show’s grand finale.
Beginning Sept. 2, 2016 at Walt Disney World® Resort, the finale scene in “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” will feature new costumes, décor and choreography. Youwill also hear an original song celebrating autumn, from the songwriting duo of Valerie Vigoda and Brendan Milburn who composed the show’s catchy tune “On This Day.”
Presented on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage, “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” brings to life beloved Disney stories both classic and contemporary in a spectacular performance featuring memorable music, lively dancing, delightful costumes and special effects magic. Mickey and his troupe of Merry Makers have invited friends from other lands to join them in a grand celebration. In addition to favorites like Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Goofy, the show also brings together a wonderful cast of characters including Anna, Elsa and Olaf from “Frozen;” Rapunzel, Flynn Rider and the gang from the Snuggly Duckling in “Tangled;” and Tiana, Naveen and Louis from “The Princess and the Frog.”
Also starting this weekend is the special fall edition of the popular Main Street Trolley Show, greeting everyone along the avenue with a joyous song all about “the magic that can happen when it’s autumn.”
As Hawaii’s top family beach resort celebrates its 5th anniversary, we’re excited to announce new Guest experiences that will debut later this year at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa!
Starting in November, KA WA‘A, a luau at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa will bring epicurean dining and imaginative entertainment to guests. Luau Guests can feast on a sumptuous, local island buffet, and enjoy lively music and traditional Hawaiian dance, including hula kahiko and modern hula ‘auana. Before the luau, you will have the opportunity to enjoy special pre-show entertainment, family activities, traditional crafts and more.
Also in November, Moana, from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ film “Moana,” will arrive at Aulani to meet with Guests and recount tales of adventure. The animated feature film is about an adventurous teenager who, with help from demigod Maui, sails out on a canoe for a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and save her people.
Both new experiences are inspired by Hawaii’s deep cultural roots in canoe exploration—a voyage which brought Hawaiian ancestors to the beautiful ‘Ewa Loa plains surrounding Aulani.
If you’ve ever visited Walt Disney World, you know it takes some time before you can navigate it easily. There are so many nuances and details to know, and when you arrive, it’s easy to be swept up in the meet-and-greets and parades before realizing you don’t have dinner reservations, are sunburnt to a crisp, and sat down for more than 10 minutes all day.
The 2016-2017 runDisney race season gets up and running in September with a string of nine race weekends and events geared for runners of all ages and levels. In the U.S., each race weekend offers runDisney Kids’ Races, 5K, 10K, half marathon and a massive health & fitness expo, while Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend also features the full 26.2-mile marathon.
The runDisney series kicks off Labor Day weekend with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna and concludes with the Tinker Bell Half Marathon presented by PANDORA jewelry in May. In all, more than 200,000 runners from around the world are expected to participate in runDisney events at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and, for the first time this season, Disneyland Paris.
Here’s a breakdown of all runDisney race weekends coming up this season:
Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna (Sept. 1-4): More than 32,200 runners are expected to participate in the various events during this 11th annual event. Many runners will participate in more than one event, including more the than 6,000 runners doubling their running fun during the 10K and the half marathon in the Dumbo Double Dare challenge.
Disneyland Paris – Val D’Europe Half Marathon Weekend (Sept. 23-25,): The much-anticipated debut of the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend comes this fall. Kick-off parties, uniquely designed medals and a course that takes runners through the Disneyland Paris Resort area and the Parisian countryside sets this inaugural international event apart from other runDisney races. This race weekend features the Disneyland Paris 5K and Disneyland Paris Half Marathon, as well as the Castle to Chateau Challenge for runners who complete the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon and a runDisney race in the U.S.
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend presented by MISFIT (Nov. 3-5): This culinary-themed race coincides with the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. For the first time, what used to be a nighttime race will now take place in the early morning hours. Participants will run through multiple theme parks and finish at Epcot, site of an exclusive after-hours post-race party. New this year are the Disney Wine & Dine 10K and Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge, for runners who do both the 10K and the half marathon.
Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend (Nov. 10-13): This 3rd annual race weekend includes a 5K that pays tribute to the 75th anniversary of Captain America, while the 10K gets its theme from the upcoming film, “Doctor Strange”, the latest installment in the Marvel film franchise. The Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon caps the weekend’s events. Runners can put their super powers to the test by participating in the Infinity Gauntlet Challenge – running the 10K and the half marathon. There’s also a pasta party during the weekend’s events, where guests can indulge in a buffet dinner and interact with their favorite Marvel super heroes.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna (Jan. 4-8, 2017): This is runDisney’s signature event, which began in 1994 and features a marathon that takes runners along a magical 26.2-mile journey through Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Known as one of the top family-destination races, this race weekend attracts more than 55,000 runners and their guests. Participants who didn’t get enough action during the race weekend can run from the parks to paradise by participating in the Disney Castaway Cay Challenge. The Monday after the marathon takes place, guests can sail on the Disney Dream and run a 5K on Disney’s private island in the Bahamas.
Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend – The Light Side (Jan. 12-15, 2017): One of two Star Wars-themed races in the runDisney series, this race weekend at Disneyland Resort is one of the most popular runDisney events of the season. Runners can meet and pose for pictures with their favorite Star Wars heroes as well a variety of races including the Rebel Challenge – tackling the 10K and the half marathon.
Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (Feb. 23-26, 2017): With more than 26,000 runners participating throughout the weekend, this is 8th annual event one of the largest women-specific endurance events in the country. The fiercest princesses of them all can sign up for the Disney Glass Slipper Challenge, which involves running the 10K and the half marathon.
Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side (April 20-23, 2017): This race weekend is the newest at Walt Disney World, taking place for the first time last April. Before the race, runners have the opportunity to interact with their favorite Star Wars characters from the dark side of the force. The toughest runners can participate in the Dark Side Challenge by doing the 10K and half marathon on back-to-back days.
Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend presented by PANDORA jewelry (May 11-14, 2017): This 6th annual race coincides with Mother’s Day weekend and is Disneyland Resort’s women-specific endurance event. Runners can earn their “wings” across the weekend’s events, and those with a little more faith and trust can do the Pixie Dust Challenge – “flying” through the 10K and half marathon.
Some of the most special features of a runDisney event are the highly coveted medals for each race. In addition to the event-specific medals, runners also have the opportunity to earn a special Coast to Coast Challenge medal, given to those who complete a half marathon at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World resort in the same calendar year. Runners who specifically do the Disney Princess Half Marathon and Tinker Bell Half Marathon will receive a special pink edition of the Coast to Coast Challenge medal. And if the force is with them, runners who participate in both Star Wars-themed half marathons will earn the Kessel Run Challenge medal.
For more information on runDisney events, visit runDisney.com.
A team of Star Wars superfans today revealed the new toy line for the highly anticipated “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” movie via a series of fan-made animated shorts launching on the Star Wars YouTube channel. As part of a competition in collaboration with creative network Tongal, a team was assembled to write, direct and produce original, fan-made stop-motion shorts starring key toys from the new line to kick off a global UGC contest that asks fans to share their own “Rogue Stories.”
“These fan-created shorts are a tribute to the incredible content that the Star Wars community posts online every day,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “The Go Rogue campaign was designed with Star Wars fans in mind – we want them to be front and center in the run up to ‘Rogue One’ by imagining and creating their own Rogue Stories.”
Here’s a quick look at some recent food and beverage updates at Walt Disney World® Resort:
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, Minnie Mouse invites Guests to meet all of her friends at delightful dinner parties throughout the year to celebrate each season. And, from Sept. 12-Nov. 6, 2016 you can enjoy a frightfully fun character experience during Minnie’s Halloween Dine at Hollywood & Vine. The cost is $46.99 per adult and $27.99 per child, plus tax and gratuity. Some dining plans are accepted. Book today online at DisneyWorld.com/dine or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
