New Pixar-Themed Immersive Children’s Experience Debuts April 12 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Starting April 13, 2018, Disney’s Contemporary Resort will introduce a brand-new, playful and immersive Pixar character experience as part of a pilot program. Each night, kids, ages 4-12, will be transported to a world full of excitement and adventure with their favorite characters from Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story” and “The Incredibles”!

It all kicks off with Space Ranger Training where kids will learn how to identify and battle enemies of the Star Command. Then, Woody and Jessie will show them the ropes of the Wild West during Woody’s Roundup. During the Piston Cup Challenge, youngsters will be able to build a race car, then race it on the Radiator Springs Racetrack. And finally, kids will learn some sweet dance moves during the Incredible Dance Party with Mr. Incredible and Mrs. Incredible. What else is on the menu? Games, dinner and dessert, of course!

The nightly getaway for kids, ages 4-12, will open doors for registration at 5 p.m. and programming will run from 6-10:30 p.m. for a fee of $65 per child (plus tax). Children must be fully toilet-trained.

While the kids play, parents can enjoy their own getaway throughout Walt Disney World® Resort.

Stay tuned for more details and reservation information in the coming days!

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U2 Tribute Band ‘Elevation’ Joins More Award-Winning Acts to Rock Raglan Road Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival 2018 at Disney Springs March 16-18

St. Patrick’s Day revelers may go for the perfect-pour Guinness when U2 tribute band Elevation launches into “With or Without You.”  Families with kids can opt for a fish-and-chips party as award-winning traditional Irish band The Maguires – new to Raglan Road Pub – tunes up their talent dubbed “insanely awesome” by Milwaukee Irish Fest.

And more award-winning bands are lined up for three non-stop days of live music, Irish dance, first-rate food and fun during the Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival 2018 at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Disney Springs March 16-18.  Here’s the complete lineup:

  • Young Dubliners – One of Celtic rock’s hardest working bands, the Young Dubliners play hundreds of shows to thousands of fans across the United States and Europe every year. Young Dubliners are known for their hearty rock and Irish-infused live performances.
  • Elevation (U2) — Back by popular demand, this stellar U2 tribute act will play two special nighttime shows March 16 and 17. They appeared at Raglan Road’s Great Irish Hooley last September during U2’s world tour celebrating 30 years of the groundbreaking Joshua Tree album.
  • The Maguires – Called “brilliant” by IrishCentral news, The Maguires traditional Irish family band comprises Emma, 17, on fiddle, flute and whistle; Aoife, 15, on concertina and uilleann pipes; Sean, 12, on bodhrán; and their dad, Philip, on guitar. Trad favorites and modern tunes combine with syncopated, infectious rhythms sure to wow Mighty Festival crowds.
  • Briste — This inspiring all-female trio includes Emma Robinson (flute, whistle), Joanna Boyle (banjo, vocals) and Alison Crossey (bodhran, guitar). They grew up listening to and playing traditional Irish music, winning numerous awards at County, Ulster and All Ireland competitions, quickly gaining themselves a fine reputation in traditional music circles. Blending together their rich musical backgrounds, Briste creates a fresh and exciting mix of country, folk and Irish traditional music.
  • The Byrne Brothers — An exceptionally talented traditional Irish music family from Donegal. They are Luca, 13 (button accordion); Finn, 11 (banjo, mandolin and whistle); Dempsey, 8, (whistle and bodhran); and father,Tommy (guitar, Uilleann pipes, fiddle, whistles, bagpipes and bodhran). Their show combines exciting traditional Irish tunes with modern dance beats, and they love to interact with every audience.
  • The Raglan Roots Coalition – This edgy house band is known for its soul-rockin’ Celtic bluegrass with hip-swingin’, knee-shakin’ funky roots beats.
  • Reel Republic – Hailing from the southwest corner of Ireland, Aisling Egan-Sage (fiddle); Liam O’Keefe (box, vocals); and Colin Foley (guitar, vocals) are Reel Republic 2.0, three seriously talented musicians always pushing to make the next gig better than the last.
  • Out the Gap – Niall McIlroy (guitar, ukulele bass, whistles and flute); Deirdre Ni Mheachair (fiddle); and Aidan Byrne (guitar, vox, keys and percussion) make up the pub’s newest house band performing a sweet combination of innate musicianship, beautiful tune playing and fairly outrageous virtuosity.
  • The Raglan Road Irish Dancers – Plucked from the cast and stages of the world’s greatest Irish dance shows, the Raglan Road Irish Dancers perform throughout the Mighty Festival. You can even learn some traditional Irish dance steps – no experience necessary!

Guests can enjoy a mighty selection of beers, spirits and craft cocktails to pair with exceptional pub grub and more elegant Irish fare while musicians and dancers perform on multiple stages, indoors and out, from noon-1:30 a.m. March 16 and 10 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. March 17 and 18.  Mighty Festival guests can accent their Irish holiday attire with complimentary face painting available for up to nine or 10 hours each festival day.  On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest age 18 and older. Reservations can be booked for other festival days by calling 407/938-0300.

The entertainment schedule will be posted at raglanroad.com.

Guests can order from Raglan Road’s brunch, lunch, dinner and bar menus that include new dishes like the Guinness-braised pulled pork, apple chutney with pork crackling on a homemade bun, and the handmade gnocchi with seared Georges Bank scallops and crispy pork belly.  Traditionalists can dig into the pub’s loin of bacon and cabbage, the authentic Irish dish of St. Patrick’s Day, plus other pub classics.  Throughout the event, the restaurant’s Cooke’s of Dublin counter-service eatery will offer Irish favorites, as well, including fish and chips.

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Inside Disney’s Ambitious Plan To Bring Frozen To Broadway

Caissie Levy’s dressing room is, appropriately, freezing. The Broadway veteran sips a hot cup of coffee and builds a fortress of throw pillows around her to try to warm up before she takes the stage at the St. James Theater. There, she will stand in a makeshift ice palace and rehearse “Let It Go,” the Grammy-winning anthem from Disney’s animated blockbuster Frozen. The song closes Act I of Frozen: The Broadway Musical with the wry line, “The cold never bothered me anyway.”

Full Story

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First Look at Disney Cruise Line’s Next Ships

The Disney Cruise Line fleet has the most beautiful ships at sea, and the three newest vessels setting sail in 2021, 2022 and 2023 will be no exception. This first, early rendering depicts the magnificent exterior of the next Disney ships, which will elevate family cruise vacations to a whole new level. The rendering was revealed today by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger at The Walt Disney Company’s annual shareholders meeting.

In keeping with the distinct Disney Cruise Line style, the new ships will embody the elegance and romance of the golden age of ocean cruising with unique touches all their own. The three new vessels will offer more innovation, new technologies, spectacular entertainment and more Disney stories and characters than ever before. Ingenuity and innovation from stem to stern will amaze and delight Disney Cruise Line Guests of all ages.

On our new ships, we will bring Disney’s iconic stories and franchises to life in thrilling and surprising ways, building on the creativity we’ve introduced across our existing fleet. Just over the past several years we have added innovations such as Marvel and Star Wars themed spaces in our kids’ clubs…dazzling stage shows like “Beauty and the Beast” that are unrivaled in their originality and visual presentation…and an entirely new genre of dining experience combining live entertainment, storytelling and interactive moments at our Tiana’s Place and Rapunzel’s Royal Table restaurants.

Each new ship will be approximately 140,000 gross tons – slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy – and each is currently planned to include about 1,250 guest staterooms. While design plans, ship names and itineraries are still in development, we are already dreaming up exciting new ways to create the world’s most magical oceangoing adventures.

These new vessels will be powered by one of the cleanest-burning fuels available, liquefied natural gas, or LNG.

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VIDEO: Flyover the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Construction Site

While the highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands won’t debut to Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort guests until 2019, eager fans can take a voyage over the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge construction site – right now!

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The Walt Disney Company Commits More Than $100 Million to Bring Comfort to Children and Their Families in Hospitals

Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), today announced an innovative plan to dedicate more than $100 million in company resources, including cash, products and services, to reinvent the patient and family experience in children’s hospitals across the globe. This initiative will roll out over five years, expanding the Company’s rich legacy of supporting children’s hospitals, which dates back to Walt Disney.

“Disney’s timeless stories have touched hearts and lifted spirits for generations, and we believe they can bring comfort to children and families going through a very difficult time,” said Mr. Iger. “Using the powerful combination of our beloved characters and legendary creativity, we’re planning to transform the patient experience in children’s hospitals around the world — creating a personalized and engaging atmosphere that will inspire young patients and ease the stress of a hospital stay.”

Read more

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Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Returns

The popular Disney California Adventure® Food & Wine Festival is now open and runs through April 12, 2018 with more than a dozen Festival Marketplaces featuring California-inspired tastes and sips, in addition to live music, entertainment and special activities throughout the park. The festival’s signature events are can’t-miss experiences that open Guest’s senses to delicious California cuisine in new ways and include new experiences such as Celebrity Chef LIVE! at the Hyperion, as well as returning favorites like Disney Family of Wines Dinner, Sweet Sundays and the Winemaker or Brewmaster Dinners.

Additional fees required for the signature events and certain seminars. Separate admission to Disney California Adventure Park is required and is not included with the cost of such events. Space is limited for all ticketed events; advance reservations are recommended. Guests must be 21 years of age or over to consume alcohol and to participate in some events; valid photo ID required. Events and demonstrations are subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice.
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Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Returns

It’s the 25th anniversary of the Epcot® International Flower and Garden Festival, and the park is once again overflowing with the brightest plants, flowers, trees and topiaries adorning both Future World and World Showcase.

Here are some of the top things you shouldn’t miss at the Festival:

  • Gardens, Gardens and More Gardens: In addition to all the natural flora throughout the park, the Walt Disney World® horticulture squad has curated some truly breathtaking gardens for Guests to enjoy this year. New garden destinations this year include “The How-To Garden” and “The Imagination Play Garden” which are perfect for adults and kids to enjoy together. Returning favorites include “The Goodness Garden Butterfly House” and “The Water Wise Garden,” which showcase environmental responsibility as well as just being fun!
  • Outdoor Kitchens: What would an Epcot Festival be without fun food and drinks? 15 Outdoor Kitchens this year grace World Showcase, with the newest being “The Honey Bee-Stro,” which features Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Purée; Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese; and Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses. These dishes were created to showcase multiple honey varietals in creative and exciting ways. Returning Outdoor Kitchen favorites include “The Berry Basket” (featuring a lamb chop with quinoa salad and blackberry gastrique) and “THE SMOKEHOUSE: Barbecue and Brew” (featuring a pulled-pork slider and warm chocolate cake with Bourbon-salted caramel sauce and spiced pecans). YUM!
  • Spike’s Pollen Nation Exploration: One of the beloved characters from Disney animated short cartoons, Spike the honeybee, has been “pollen-nating” throughout the Festival. In this springtime scavenger hunt, gardeners of all ages can follow Spike on his pollination trail around World Showcase, where he will “bee” busy collecting nectar and pollinating gardens at Epcot. To get started, your Clients can purchase their map and stickers at Port of Entry. Available while supplies last.
  • Garden Rocks Concert Series: Each Friday through Monday of the Festival (what we like to call a “Disney Weekend”), favorite artists from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s will rock out at the America Gardens Theatre. Rick Springfield, Survivor and Lonestar are just some of the popular rock and rollers in the lineup. Each night, there will be three performances – 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. – and guests can pair a wonderful meal at several of our Epcot restaurants with reserved concert seating in a nice package. Visit Disneyworld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE to book today!
  • Character Topiaries: Locations throughout the park feature some of the most beloved Disney and Disney•Pixar characters including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lady and The Tramp and Buzz Lightyear.
  • Merchandise: Guests will find a wealth of hats, T-shirts, mugs and other fun Festival merchandise throughout Future World and World Showcase.
  • Tours: One of the great ways to get the “inside track” on the Festival or the latest in gardening techniques is to take one of the tours offered during the Festival. There are tours of The Land pavilion greenhouses and the “Gardens of the World – Spring Edition.” There is also the daily Royal Tea Garden Tour at the United Kingdom pavilion that includes a tea tasting. Call 407-WDW-TOUR for more information.

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Thor: Ragnarok – Strobe Technology and Fun Film Facts

In support of the Blu-ray & 4K release of Thor: Ragnarok, we have a special clip from the commentary track discussing the unique strobe light technology behind the Hela vs Valkyrie flashback sequence, along with a variety of additional fun film facts from Taika himself!

Unique Lighting – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jvx8tTtLWs

8 Film Facts from the Thor: Ragnarok Commentary Track with Taika Waititi

  1. The character of Surtur was voiced by Clancy Brown and motion-captured by Taika Waititi.
  2. The Doctor Strange sequence was filmed in London during the Doctor Strange production, 8-9 months prior to principle photography on Thor: Ragnarok.
  3. The synth music was a big part of the world of Sakaar. Mark Mothersbaugh developed the score and pulled together a variety of analog synth music and original pieces from Robert Moog and blended them with Asgardian instrumentals to create a new score.
  4. Taika Waititi designed Valkyrie’s wrist tattoo.
  5. The 3-headed gladiator on Sakaar had his far-left head modeled after Taika Waititi.
  6. The unique lighting design of the battle between Hela and the Valkyries has never been used in a major film before. The sequence was designed by Stu Rutherford, who starred in Waititi’s “What We Do in the Shadows,” and Carlo Van de Roer. The “bullet time” effect of the long shadows is created by a series of strobe lights that surround the actors during the scene while it is shot in slow motion.
  7. Mark Ruffalo wears the classic Patrick Nagel album cover for Duran Duran’s “Rio” when he puts on Tony Stark’s clothes.
  8. The original Norse myth of Ragnarok includes Surtur as taking part in the destruction of Asgard.

 

Learn more about the making of Thor: Ragnarok from director Taika Waititi on the film commentary track, now available on Digital HD and arriving on Blu-ray and 4K March 6th

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Disney World teases Toy Story Land in adorable Oscars commercials

The Orlando-based resort teased the opening of Toy Story Land — first phase of its ambitious Hollywood Studios revamp — in a series of video shorts that aired during the ceremony, across which the iconic Pixar ball wheels through several American cities and landscapes en route to a mystery destination.

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