WDW Daily News

WIZARD WORLD COMIC CON CHICAGO was back in Illinois this weekend.  This event is the mecca of pop culture.  Whether you are into comics, fan art, superheroes or sci fi, Wizard World Comic Con Chicago has something for you.  This trip was slightly different than past years as our Cosplay-loving daughter is away at college (she will have to head to the event in St. Louis next spring).  Usually she is our guide as we go from booth to booth checking out merchandise and explaining different characters to us.  She also loves creating new Cosplay (role-playing costumes of different pop culture characters) for Wizard World Comic Cons.  .  Wizard World events are a blast when you express yourself by dressing up as your favorite hero or villain.  This year we saw everything from Disney princesses and Marvel Avengers to zombies and Xmen.  People are so creative with their looks.  Of course, if you aren’t quite ready to cosplay, you can always pick up some cool merchandise at the many vendors and exhibitors throughout the main halls.  There is also a gaming lounge where you can participate in an epic video game tournament. The artwork that is displayed and is available for purchase is incredible.  One of my favorites was an artist that had different scenes from pop culture with Star Wars Stormtroopers as the main characters.  I also loved a painting of Carmen Sandiego and Where’s Waldo having a drink as Boba Fett is walking in to find them.  So creative!   Don’t even get me started on the “cute” versions of the Avengers and other popular characters.  I am a sucker for cuties.  What we really like about Wizard World Comic Con Chicago is that is possible to meet some of your favorite celebrities.  Guests can purchase VIP Experiences that allow you to meet the person, get an autograph, take a photo, and get guaranteed access to the panel discussion.  This is an amazing opportunity.  We have been to other comic cons where this is not remotely possible.  It is purely luck if you get into the room to see the panel discussion or catch a glimpse of the celebrity.  Wizard World Comic Con events allow you to purchase tickets for autographs and photos so you will definitely get that treasured moment without missing the rest of the programming because you have to wait in line all day.  We also love that the Wizard World Comic Con Tour is traveling all around the United States, not just Southern California.  In t the fall and winter of 2015, there are 9 more dates in 9 cities scheduled, and there are 17 dates and cities lined up for 2016.  Go to www.wizardworld.com for more information on these events and to get your admission.  Whether you are single, a couple, have a family, or are young or old, there literally is something for everyone at Wizard World Comic Con.  Even if you just want to shop and “people watch” you find yourself having a huge smile on your face all day.  The people who attend the event as well as the artists and vendors are some of the most positive people we have ever met.  They truly want everyone to have an enjoyable experience.  So what are you waiting for?  Pick a city near you, buy your admission, and start planning your cosplay attire!  As they say on the website, WIZARD WORLD is where pop culture comes to life.  Don’t miss it!

Before there was Disney World, there was nothing… or in Orlando, Fla., there was very little. In 1971, Walt Disney transformed 40 miles of unwanted land into what is now “the most magical place on earth.”

Full Story

Pixar Animation Studios heads back inside the mind with an all-new short. “Riley’s First Date?” made its world premiere this afternoon at D23 EXPO 2015. Director Josh Cooley, along with “Inside Out” filmmakers Pete Docter (“Up,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and Jonas Rivera (“Up”), introduced the short, which revisits Riley, now 12, who is hanging out with her parents at home when potential trouble comes knocking. Mom’s and Dad’s Emotions find themselves forced to deal with “Riley’s First Date?” The short will be included as a bonus feature in the digital HD & Blu-ray releases of Disney·Pixar’s “Inside Out,” which will be available digitally Oct. 13 and on Blu-ray Nov. 3, 2015. 

Check out these photos from the 2015 D23 Expo Press Preview:

Read more

Disney is on every little kid’s bucket list — and on lots of big kids’, too. But a trip to one of the parks for a family can be an expensive endeavor.

Full Story

The battle for the best theme park with the best rides between Orlando’s Big Three theme parks is heating up, and trends show the best is yet to come.

Full Story

Havaianas, known for energetic and vibrant Brazilian designs in footwear, today announced a new strategic alliance with the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Vacation Club.

“We are thrilled to have entered into this relationship with the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort and Disney Vacation Club because they embody instant joy much like Havaianas,” said Marcio Moura, Havaianas’ USA President. “We look forward to creating a harmonious relationship and further expanding opportunities within the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort and Disney Vacation Club in the coming years.”

For the past four years, Havaianas has produced Disney-themed flip-flops and this new alliance will give the brand opportunity to further engage with Disney fans. Havaianas will soon be made available for sale to Disney guests at 22 retail locations across the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disneyland Resort and Disney Vacation Club including a dedicated retail build-out at Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

Havaianas is also currently working with Disney Theme Park Merchandise to create exclusive co-branded flip-flops.

Additionally, in November, Havaianas will become an official sponsor of all runDisney races that provide runners with a unique Disney experience.

The premise for the latest Disney Channel movie may be one of the coolest ever.  Disney’s DESCENDANTS, now on DVD, focuses on the life of the children of our favorite heroes and villains.  How awesome is that?  The teenage kids of Maleficent (Kristin Chenoweth-amazing as always), the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella De Vil are invited to attend prep school alongside the children of Belle and Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Prince Charming, the Fairy Godmother, Mulan, and the rest of the heroes.  First of all, I think the costuming is incredible.  You can tell right away who the parent would be by the way the teens are dressed.  Now this isn’t in a costume sort of way–more of a fashionable hint.  If you are familiar with DisneyBounding, then you will have the idea.  I think these fashion pieces should be in the stores asap for teens/young adults.  It is very cool.  Next, Disney’s DESCENDANTS has all of the fantastic musical numbers you would expect from a Disney production.  “Rotten to the Core” kicks off the show and sets the tone for the villains. (This song is currently playing on Radio Disney).  Maleficent has a wonderfully evil song and Dove Cameron as her daughter, Mal, has the lead in several songs.   Watching these heroic and villainous teens interact may not look too different from your average high school campus.  There is a internal and external battle between good and evil for these kids.  Again, much like the hallways of your local school.  The Bonus Features include Backstage Dance Rehearsals with Director Kenny Ortega, the always hilarious Blooper reel, and #Mal, a peek into Mal’s social media life.  Disney’s DESCENDANTS is a unique look at the stories we all know and love. Next time you watch a Disney classic or a new release, ask yourself, “What happens next?”  Your answer may take you on a whole new adventure.

Well, summer is coming to a close.  School supplies are in the stores.  The nights are beginning to get chillier.  Buses are practicing their morning routes.  Is this starting to depress anyone?  If so, I have the cure….Disney’s TEEN BEACH 2–now on DVD. This sequel to Disney’s TEEN BEACH MOVIE is the ideal way to make summer last just a little longer.  Ross Lynch and Maia Mitchell are back as Brady and Mack.  School is starting for them, and they aren’t too sure how to deal with their relationship in the hallways of high school.  After all, their beach romance didn’t include homework and classes and college prep.   Lucky for them some old friends stop by to experience modern high school life for themselves.  Lela and Tanner arrive from their fictional movie and immediately turn everything into a song and dance number.  Disney’s TEEN BEACH 2 has all of the singing and dancing that you loved from the first movie.  You will be rocking out with the cast in no time.  Want to learn the choreography?  Check out the Bonus Exclusive:Cast Dance Rehearsals.  Learn the steps and turn your Homecoming Dance this fall into something straight out of “Wet Side Story.”  Disney’s TEEN BEACH 2 is a must-watch as we stretch out these last few days of summer.  It will have you humming in the hallways on your first day of school.

Back in 2012, the Orlando Sentinel compared Disney theme parks in the U.S. for the ultimate East Coast vs. West Coast throw down. But a lot has changed in three years, with additions, subtractions and updates at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

Full Story