WDW Daily News

Guests can experience galaxies far, far away as Disney Cruise Line takes them into the world of Star Wars with Star Wars Day at Sea. From January to March 2020, Guests can enjoy out-of-this-galaxy experiences on special seven-night Caribbean cruises aboard the Disney Fantasy. This one-day event is perfect for those who want to combine the magic of a Disney cruise with the thrilling adventures of Star Wars. 

It doesn’t matter if you are Padawans or Jedis when it comes to their knowledge of the saga, there are fun activities for everyone! Here are the top five legendary experiences you can have while sailing on the high seas.

1. Feel the Force with out-of-this-galaxy entertainment.

Guests can watch as some of the saga’s most iconic moments come to life during this exclusive, nighttime deck show. See some of Star Wars most popular characters, including Rey! Guests can immerse themselves even more and let the Force flow through them during our fireworks at sea spectacular set to John Williams’ Star Wars score. 

2. Help Chewbacca in a fun-filled scavenger hunt.

There are porgs onboard! Guests can help their favorite Wookiee find the porgs that are wreaking havoc throughout the ship. At the end, Guests can meet Chewbacca as he congratulates them on a job well done!

3. Experience epic encounters.

Whether guests are a part of the light side or have dabbled into the dark side, they’re sure to see some familiar and exciting faces. They can even meet Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader during scheduled photo sessions. And, they might just see some First Order Stormtroopers or Jawas wandering around the ship.

4. Brush up on Star Wars knowledge.

During the sailing, all films in the Star Wars saga will air on the big screen so guests can jog their memory. They can also stop by Star Wars 101, an interactive session designed to give them the lowdown on all things Star Wars. Once they’re a Star Wars expert, you can gather the family and join a game of Star Wars trivia!

5. Let the little ones have their own fun.

Inside Disney’s Oceaneer Club, little rebels can join the Resistance when members of the resistance and BB-8 come by looking for recruits. In the Star Wars: Command Post, kids can even defend against the First Order during a fun puzzle-solving adventure game. 

Final preparations are underway for the debut of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, the new separate-ticket party in Disney California Adventure® Park. In particular, the dance crew from the Isle of the Lost is getting ready for the new, pulsing DescenDANCE Party!

DescenDANCE Party is a new experience inspired by the popular “Descendants” franchise from Disney Channel. As the DescenDANCE Party begins, a spell is cast, summoning the dance crew to teach everyone moves that are set to the biggest hit songs from all three “Descendants” movies. The original “Villain Kids” might even crash the party through magic mirrors! The Backlot DJ will also spin tunes that will make any “Villain Kid” proud, inviting everyone to step onto the dance floor into the night.

Celebrity choreographer Nika Kljun created the show’s dance moves. She brings a unique flair and high-energy vibe to this dynamic spectacle. Check out the video for a first look:

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open its doors to guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort on Aug. 29, 2019. The park will hold an official dedication ceremony in the new land the day before, on Aug. 28, and our #DisneyParksLIVE team will be there to stream it live for you!

To catch the live stream, visit Disney Parks Blog at 9:55 a.m. ET on Aug. 28, 2019. The live stream, presented by AT&T..

As we’ve previously shared, the highly anticipated attraction Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open on Dec. 5, 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® in Florida and Jan. 17, 2020 at Disneyland® Park in California.

When it opens, this harrowing adventure will blur the lines between fantasy and reality and will put you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance. Guests will join the Resistance and depart from Batuu in a transport ship to meet General Leia Organa at a secret rendezvous point. Along the way, however, they’ll be captured by a First Order Star Destroyer. The action then ramps up as Guests seek to escape the clutches of Kylo Ren and the First Order – with the help of some heroes of the Resistance. Today, we’re excited to share this first look inside the attraction!

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be one of the most ambitious, advanced and immersive experiences ever undertaken by Walt Disney Imagineering. The attraction is also one of the largest Disney has ever created. Its massive show building is a world unto itself, housing two full-size AT-AT walkers and a Star Destroyer hangar bay – complete with a TIE fighter and a garrison of Stormtroopers – plus more thrills and surprises.

Stay tuned for more updates on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

The Walt Disney Studios—including studio leaders and filmmakers from Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Disney live action, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios—offered guests at D23 Expo 2019 a captivating look at Disney’s upcoming film slate. Alan Horn, co-chairman and chief creative officer, The Walt Disney Studios, was joined by Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Disney live action’s Sean Bailey, Pixar’s Pete Docter and Disney Animation’s Jennifer Lee for the presentation in Hall D23 at the Anaheim Convention Center, featuring never-before-seen footage and a host of stars from films such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Marvel Studios’ The Eternals, Jungle Cruise, Onward and Frozen 2.

“You’re not just fans, you’re family,” Horn said, as he kicked off the highly anticipated presentation. “It’s because of you that we keep working so hard to make great movies, and we love D23 Expo because it’s where we can share them with you first.”

Fans inside Hall D23 at D23 Expo 2019 in Anaheim, California, were the first to learn of six new series in development for Disney+ and discover key details about the highly-anticipated streaming service. The star-studded event featured in-person and video appearances from the stars of Disney+’s slate of originals from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, and included sneak peeks, trailer premieres and exclusive news about the service and its upcoming projects.

“With less than three months until launch, Disney+ will soon entertain and inspire audiences of all ages for generations to come, and we’re excited to preview some of the amazing original content being created for the service exclusively from our world-class brands today at the D23 Expo,” said Kevin Mayer, chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment. “Storytelling is the cornerstone of The Walt Disney Company and we’re thrilled to unveil a new slate of original shows from the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes, along with popular television franchises set to return with all-new series streaming only on Disney+.”

The presentation was hosted by one of the stars of the Disney+ original film Lady and the Tramp, Yvette Nicole Brown, and featured some of the creative minds behind Disney+’s content slate including Sean Bailey, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions; Kevin Feige, president, Marvel Studios; Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm; and Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channel Worldwide.

With the streaming service set to debut on November 12, many of the stars, filmmakers and creatives behind Disney+’s original movies and shows that will be available at launch were in Hall D23 today for the first public preview of the eagerly anticipated content. Six new trailers were seen for the first time today at D23 Expo 2019, along with a first look at an animated shorts series from Pixar:

The Mandalorian

As Lucasfilm ventures into Star Wars episodic live action for the first time in history, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told Disney fans, “It’s both exhilarating and liberating to be able to tell stories that expand beyond two hours, and the quality of our episodic series for Disney+ will be identical to our feature films.” Brand-new Disney Legend Jon Favreau and his fellow executive producer Dave Filoni were joined by series stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito—as well as Taika Waititi, who brings the droid IG-11 to life—to premiere the teaser trailer for the first-ever Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian.  Additionally, earlier today, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger also announced that new Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen will join the cast of the series. Set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order, the series follows the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

The D23 Expo audience was the first to hear how Target and Disney will come together with a creative retail collaboration that encompasses experiential retail and merchandising – including the launch of 25 Disney stores within select Target stores nationwide on Oct. 4, with 40 additional locations opening by October 2020. The “shop-in-shop” will feature an enhanced Disney assortment of more than 450 items, including more than 100 products that were previously only available at Disney retail locations.

D23 Expo fans heard more details about the “Zootopia”-themed land coming to Shanghai Disney Resort. In addition to a major new attraction that blends storytelling and state-of-the-art technology to bring this favorite film to life, guests can expect immersive entertainment, merchandise, and dining options that can only be found in this mammalian metropolis.

The story of a generation comes to an end. Watch the D23 special look for Star Wars the Rise of Skywalker

This past weekend I had the great opportunity to go to WIZARD WORLD Chicago.

If you have never been to a convention like this, then you are definitely missing out. Whether you are a fan of Marvel, Disney, WWE, Star Wars, or just about anything in pop culture, you are guaranteed to have a great time.

I have been several times over the years and I continue to be entertained by the fans in their Cosplay, the wide variety of merchandise and the amazing artwork. Where else can you walk past Ironman, Arya Stark and Jon Snow, and a zombie at the same time?

Where else can you see people bring their favorite characters to life with no judgment from others for “playing dress up”? Where else can you walk up to both a famous comic book artist and someone who is just starting their career to discuss their pieces and why they chose that particular character and style? There are even opportunities to meet celebrities from TV, movies, and more. The crowd pleasers this past weekend were Jeff Goldblum and John Travolta.

WIZARD WORLD Chicago also amazes me every year because of the LACK of people on their electronic devices. It is a rarity to see so many people in one place just enjoying the event and each other. It is so refreshing to see people smiling, laughing, and living life without having to be attached to their phones. If shopping is more your style, then there are plenty of opportunities for that.

I know we spent hours winding through the many shops looking at pop culture figurines, comics, tshirts, and posters. I even managed to find a few items from my favorite Broadway shows as well as a picture book for my classroom.

Like I said, there is something for everyone. WIZARD WORLD convention information can be found at wizardword.com, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. No matter where you live in the USA, there is a Wizard World convention coming to a venue near you in 2019-2020. Go ahead and get those tickets so you too can be part of one of the best fan conventions in the country. I promise you will have an awesome time!