WDW Daily News

To be a Disney fan is to know true loyalty.

Those who follow the Walt Way love the brand to no avail—theirs is a fandom that will never end, no matter how many reboots and “live-action re-imaginings” they are forced to endure. If that isn’t dedication, we don’t know what is.

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Though 2016 saw the opening of a lot of new attractions, this year saw more than a dozen closures, including the largest one-day mass-closure at a single park in the entire resort’s history.

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Love STAR WARS?  Love LEGOS?  Put them together and you have one awesome show. LEGO STAR WARS The Freemaker Adventures: Complete Season One is now on Blu-ray.  This family of scavengers is in a battle against the Empire to restore peace to the galaxy.  What I love best about the LEGO STAR WARS computer-animation is the attention to detail.  Every part of an actual LEGO comes to life including their finely shaped hairpieces and funny little hands. Fans of Star Wars will love traveling through the galaxy with Zander, Kordi, Rowan, and droid RO-GR.  Kids will enjoy the LEGO adventure while adults will love the humor. I found myself laughing out loud at the witty, and sometimes sarcastic, dialogue.  This Blu-ray includes all 13 episodes of season one as well as two bonus features.  There is also a pack of exclusive magnets.  Bringing LEGO and STAR WARS together is a surefire way to bring your whole family together.  From youngsters who are new to the Star Wars story to those of us who grew up with the original characters, everyone can have fun watching LEGO STAR WARS The Freemaker Adventures: Complete Season One on Blu-ray.  So use the force and go out and get yourself a copy.

Bravo to Disney for creating another inspirational character. Princess Elena of Avalor is a powerful young woman ready to rule her kingdom.  Disney’s ELENA OF AVALOR: READY TO RULE is now on DVD, just in time for the holidays.  With the help of her family and magical friends, Elena is learning to rule her kingdom with compassion and bravery.  I love how Elena is not some weak little girl waiting for others to take care of her.  She is ready to take charge and show the world what she is made of.  This is the message I want my daughters to hear as they grow up.  Looking back, I don’t remember any female animated characters that taught me to be strong and confident.  Princesses were always waiting in the woods for a prince to save them.  Princess Elena of Avalor breaks that stereotype as she shows young girls they can be great leaders too.  This DVD comes with several epidsodes: First Day of Rule, Model Sister, All Heated Up, and Island of Youth as well as surprise gift.  The wonderful storytelling, amazing adventures, and incredible animation won’t disappoint you.  Go ahead and get your own copy of Disney’s ELENA OF AVALOR: READY TO RULE now on dvd.

If you are looking for a magical way to spend some time with your family, Disney’s The BFG: Big Friendly Giant is a great choice.  Now on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital HD, The BFG is a wonderful story for all ages.  I remember reading the novel written by Roald Dahl, author of other fantastic books such as Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and James and the Giant Peach. I vividly remember silently reading then laughing out loud at all of the BFG’s made-up vocabulary.  Whizpopper was especially hilarious!  The movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, is absolutely amazing.  The way the giants are depicted and how they interact with the world is just how I imagined when I read the novel.  The BFG has humor, suspense, and really tugs at the heart.  The relationship between Sophie, played splendidly by Ruby Barnhill, and the BFG, played by Mark Rylance, is so special. Children who watch the film will wish that they too could have a giant friend to take them on adventures.  The Blu-Ray bonus feature that I just loved was Bringing The BFG to Life.  I am always mesmerized by behind-the-scenes footage.  This bonus feature is hosted by Spohie herself, Ruby Barnhill.  There are in-depth interviews with the cast and crew. Learning about how they scaled the sets was very interesting to me.  As a 5th grade teacher, I would love to introduce this movie as well as the novel to my students.  It is refreshing to have a classic story of friendship that is just timeless. Disney’s The BFG: Big Friendly Giant on Blu-Ray and DVD is definitely on the list for a family movie night at my school.  Go ahead and get yourself a copy for the holidays.  You and your family will have a great time watching together, and your children will go to bed in anticipation of the BFG blowing dreams into their windows.

With Walt Disney Animation Studios gearing up to release their latest animated adventure, Gallery Nucleus has shared more than 35 pieces from their upcoming show that celebrates the long Disney history of Moana directors Ron Clements and John Musker.

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Please note, Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels can receive mail throughout their stay. Occasionally, some Guests choose to ship items in advance of their vacation to help save luggage space.

If you intend to receive mail during your vacation, you should be sure the letter or package:

• Includes the mailing address of your Disney Resort Hotel
• Clearly features the word “Guest” on the front and the date of your arrival

Please note that a $5 per package handling fee may apply to all packages that are received through the Front Desk or are delivered to your Disney Resort hotel room.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration’ and ‘The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration’ Add More Spectacular Artists to the Happiest Event This Holiday Season

Disney kicks off the holidays with three musical specials originating from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. The shows will be presented on Disney|ABC Television Group platforms, including ABC Television Network, Disney Channel, the ABC and Disney Channel apps and VOD, among other branded digital platforms. The holiday specials will include performances by some of the world’s most popular recording artists, celebrity hosts, Disney character appearances and heartwarming wish-come-true moments for three lucky families from across the country.

“The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration,” will air THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (8:00–10:00 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network. “Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration” will air FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EST), on Disney Channel. “The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration” will air SUNDAY DECEMBER 25 (10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network.

Previously announced performers include Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks, Kelly Clarkson, Sofia Carson, Jordan Fisher, Forever in Your Mind, China Anne McClain, Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce and Booboo Stewart.

The holiday specials are a collaboration by Disney Parks, Disney|ABC Television Group and IMG.

The multi-platform programming schedule is:

THANKSGIVING – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24

“The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” premieres on the ABC Television Network (8:00–10:00 p.m. EST) and on the ABC app. Join Emmy Award-winners Julianne and Derek Hough as they host the magical two-hour special from the Walt Disney World Resort. They join “Descendants 2” star Sofia Carson to kick off the holiday season in a way only Disney can, showcasing extraordinary music performances, special appearances and some unforgettable Disney magic moments.

Musical performances include:

• Boyz II Men, joined by JoJo, will sing a holiday favorite from the steps of Cinderella Castle
• Alessia Cara will sing “How Far I’ll Go” from Disney’s animated feature film, “Moana” (in theaters November 23) for the very first time on broadcast television.
• Kelly Clarkson will perform “Underneath the Tree” and “Stronger.”
• Flo Rida performs two of his smash hits.
• Zara Larsson sings a holiday classic from a stunning location at Walt Disney World.
• From Disney’s Hollywood Studios, OneRepublic performs one of their hit songs.
• Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks will perform “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “Ugly Christmas Sweater” and “Marshmallow World,” all from their new album, “Christmas Together,” out November 11 (Pearl Records, Inc.).

Additional performances to be announced.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

“Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration” premieres on Disney Channel (8:00–9:00 p.m. EST) and on the Disney Channel app and Disney Channel VOD, beginning at 12:01 a.m. PST. The special will be available on-demand and will be featured in encore presentations on Disney Channel through Tuesday, December 20.

Musical performances include:

• “Jolly to the Core,” performed by Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart.
• “Silent Night,” performed by Hollywood Records and Republic Records recording artist Sofia Carson.
• Kelly Clarkson performing a song from her 2013 holiday album “Wrapped in Red.”
• “Descendants 2” star China Anne McClain performing “This Christmas.”
• Forever In Your Mind performing “Celebrate.”
• Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks perform a holiday duet from their new album, “Christmas Together,” out November 11 (Pearl Records, Inc.).

CHRISTMAS – SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25

“The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration” will air on the ABC Television Network (10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST; airtimes vary, check listings) and on the ABC and Disney Channel apps. This Christmas, Disney Parks celebrate the joy of the holiday season as hosts Julianne and Derek Hough take viewers on a magical ride down Main Street and beyond. The Christmas Day celebration will be bigger and brighter than ever before, bringing together the beloved Christmas day parade, magical musical performances, surprise celebrity guests and heart-warming family stories to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Musical performances include:

• Alessia Cara will perform a holiday favorite.
• Sofia Carson performs “Silent Night” featuring an alternate musical arrangement from her performance on Disney Channel and also hosts from backstage.
• Kelly Clarkson performing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
  In front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World, Gavin DeGraw sings a Christmas classic.
• “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” performed by Jordan Fisher who will also make his Broadway debut in “Hamilton” on November 22.
• OneRepublic performs from Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
• Solo and duet performances by Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks from their new album, “Christmas Together,” out November 11 (Pearl Records, Inc.).

Additional performances to be announced.

For many guests at the Disneyland Resort, a visit during the holidays means a must-do voyage through the heartwarming “it’s a small world” Holiday. Now in its 20^th season, “it’s a small world” Holiday is transformed from the classic attraction into one that depicts children of the world dressed in seasonal costumes and happily singing a mix of holiday songs, along with the “it’s a small world” theme.  The story of the attraction changes from a charming party with dolls, toys and decorations representing children of many nations, all joining in a song of unity, to the winter wonderland of “it’s a small world” Holiday.

Fun Facts:

• Guests who enjoy searching for “Hidden Mickey’s” at the Disneyland Resort will discover a new challenge for Holidays 2016: There are at least half a dozen “Hidden 20s” in “it’s a small world” Holiday, a tribute to its 20^th holiday presentation.
• Jolly decorators use 50,000 lights on the façade of “it’s a small world” Holiday, and an additional 350,000 mini-lights in the trees, hedges and animal topiaries surrounding the attraction in whimsical Fantasyland. Thousands of additional lights decorate the shops and food kiosks around the attraction, bringing the total to more than 400,000 lights adding sparkle and wintry ambiance to the plaza area around “it’s a small world.”
• The warm holiday atmosphere of the plaza area is further enhanced with colorful garland, festive poinsettias and beautiful, international holiday wreaths.
• After dark, the smiling clock at the front of “it’s a small world,” decked out in a Santa hat, reveals a sparkling projection show. On every quarter hour, the brightly light façade of the attraction is transformed into an enormous clockwork mechanism with advanced 3D-projection technology presented by Siemens. The gears and springs pull back to reveal a world of holiday wonders hidden behind the whimsical clock.
• Guests on “The Merriest Attraction on Earth” sail through 10 scenes inspired by places around the world, such as Europe, Asia and Africa, each representing unique cultural holiday traditions celebrated in these regions.
• Among the holiday special effects inside the attraction are scents of fresh pine from a glistening winter forest and peppermint from tantalizing candy canes in the European scenes. In the South Seas scene, hundreds of iridescent bubbles float through the air.
• Nearly 150 giant candles decorate the Christmas Tree in the European scene. Once a common tradition in Western European countries, the lighting of candles has inspired the string lights seen on modern Christmas trees today.
• The attractions’ finale features a 14-foot snowman made of glimmering crystal snowflakes that shine with thousands of luminous lights. The snowman stands atop a 10-foot-wide snowflake and holds a beautiful “icicle” sign that spells out “Happy Holidays” in colors that change as guests drift along. The snowman joined this festive attraction in 2011, bringing an extra sprinkle of holiday pixie dust with him.
• The iconic music of “it’s a small world,” written by the legendary Sherman Brothers, is one of the attraction’s signature elements throughout the regular season. During “it’s a small world” Holiday, guests may still hear this classic tune weaved in between the joyous caroling of holiday favorites “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls.”
• Many languages of the world can be heard serenading guests, with cheerful tunes in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian languages. Festive signs and banners throughout the attraction spread holiday greetings in such dialects as French Canadian, Dutch, Asante and Hawaiian.
• The Disneyland Resort has its own team of holiday “elves” who help create the magic of “it’s a small world” Holiday each year. It takes a talented and dedicated team of nearly three dozen cast members 35 days to install the glittering façade, and nearly 18 days to decorate the holiday attraction’s dazzling interior.
• Throughout the regular year, 100 percent of the holiday props and scenic elements are actually stored inside the attraction. A merry reminder: Do not open until the holiday season begins!

Disney kicks off the holidays with three musical specials originating from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. The shows will be presented on Disney|ABC Television Group platforms, including ABC Television Network, Disney Channel, the ABC and Disney Channel apps and VOD, among other branded digital platforms.  The holiday specials will include performances by some of the world’s most popular recording artists, celebrity hosts, Disney character appearances and heartwarming wish-come-true moments for three lucky families from across the country.

Julianne Hough (“Grease: Live”) and Derek Hough (“Hairspray Live”) are set to host two specials on ABC – “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, Nov. 24 (8:00–10:00 p.m. EST), and “The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration” on Christmas morning, Sunday, Dec. 25 (9:00–11:00 a.m. EST; airtimes vary, check local listings). Julianne, who will also act as executive producer on the Thanksgiving and Christmas specials, and Derek are longtime “Dancing With the Stars” fan favorites with multiple Emmy Awards and mirror ball trophies between them.

Stars of “Descendants 2,” the highly anticipated sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” will host and perform holiday songs in “Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration” on Disney Channel on Friday, Nov. 25 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EST). Hollywood Records recording artists Forever In Your Mind and Sofia Carson will also perform holiday songs.

Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks join the festivities, performing on all three holiday specials. The multi Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning artists will light up the night singing duets from their newly released album, “Christmas Together” (Pearl Records, Inc.), plus solo performances, all from the steps of the Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.

Multi Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson will also perform on all three holiday specials. From iconic locations across the Walt Disney World Resort, the talented singer, songwriter and author will perform songs from her 2013 Christmas record, “Wrapped in Red,” in addition to one of her most popular hit songs.

On each of the specials, ABC and Disney Channel stars will also grant wishes to families throughout the Disney theme parks, part of Disney’s “Share the Joy” campaign, inspiring families to spread goodwill this holiday season by giving back and volunteering to help others.

“Disney Channel Holiday Hits,” an album featuring holiday songs performed during “Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration” will be released from Walt Disney Records on Friday, November 18. The album features four songs: “Jolly to the Core,” a holiday rendition of “Rotten to the Core” from “Descendants” (performed by Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Cameron Boyce and Booboo Stewart); “Silent Night” (performed by Sofia Carson); “This Christmas” (performed by China Anne McClain) and “Celebrate,” an original song from Forever In Your Mind.

The holiday specials are being produced by Disney|ABC Television Group and IMG.

The multi-platform programming schedule is:

THANKSGIVING – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24

“The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” premieres on the ABC Television Network (8:00–10:00 p.m. EST) and on the ABC app. Join Emmy Award-winners Julianne and Derek Hough as they host the magical two-hour special from the Walt Disney World Resort. They join “Descendants 2” star Sofia Carson to kick off the holiday season in a way only Disney can, showcasing extraordinary music performances, special appearances and some unforgettable Disney magic moments.

Musical performances include:

• Solo and duet performances by Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks from their newly released album, “Christmas Together.”
• Kelly Clarkson performing “Underneath the Tree” and “”

Additional performances will be announced in the coming weeks.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

“Disney Parks Presents: A Descendants Magical Holiday Celebration” premieres on Disney Channel (8:00–9:00 p.m. EST) and on the Disney Channel app and Disney Channel VOD, beginning at 12:01 a.m. PST. The special will be available on-demand and will be featured in encore presentations on Disney Channel through Tuesday, December 20.

Musical performances include:

• “Jolly to the Core,” performed by Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart.
• “Descendants 2” star China Anne McClain performing “This Christmas.”
• “Silent Night,” performed by Hollywood Records and Republic Records recording artist Sofia Carson.
• Forever In Your Mind performing “Celebrate.”
• Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks perform a holiday duet from their newly released album, “Christmas Together.”
• Kelly Clarkson will also be performing a song.

ABC stars and Disney Channel stars Jenna Ortega and Isaak Presley, of “Stuck in the Middle,” and “Bizaardvark” stars Olivia Rodrigo and Madison Hu will join Carson and Boyce in surprising families from around the country, who are dedicated to various philanthropic efforts, with once-in-a-lifetime experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort.

CHRISTMAS – SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25

“The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration” will air on the ABC Television Network (9:00–11:00 a.m. EST; airtimes vary, check listings) and on the ABC and Disney Channel apps. This Christmas, Disney Parks celebrates the joy of the holiday season, as hosts Julianne and Derek Hough take viewers on a magical ride down Main Street and beyond. The Christmas Day celebration will be bigger and brighter than ever before, bringing together the beloved Christmas day parade, magical musical performances, surprise celebrity guests and heart-warming family stories to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Musical performances include:

• Solo and duet performances by Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks from their newly released album, “Christmas Together.”
• Kelly Clarkson performing “Underneath the Tree.”

• Sofia Carson performs “Silent Night,” featuring an alternate musical arrangement from her performance on Disney Channel, and also hosts from backstage.
• “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on An Open Fire)” performed by Jordan Fisher, who will also make his Broadway debut in “Hamilton” on November 22.

Additional performances will be announced in the coming weeks.