There’s no better place to be than at the Disneyland® Resort. Guests can discover two amazing Theme Parks – Disney California Adventure® Park featuring the new Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and the one-and-only original Disneyland® Park with its world-famous attractions and beloved Disney Characters. Plus, guests can stay at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort where an incredible vacation becomes an unforgettable storybook escape. First-class amenities offer more relaxed family time for making memories. And Downtown Disney® District, an eclectic entertainment, dining and shopping district is just steps from thei Hotel. Check out more in this video!
Now Open! BaseLine Tap House at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
BaseLine Tap House, a lively corner pub located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., celebrates the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles. The pub offers California Craft ales, lagers and cider as the stars of the drink menu, along with California wines on tap and specialty cocktails. A selection of small bites is also available.(David Roark, photographer)
“Walt Disney Presents” Gallery at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Showcases New Lands and Attractions
Guests to Disney’s Hollywood Studios can now get an insider’s look at the new Toy Story Land that opens at the theme park next summer. The sneak peek is part of the new Walt Disney Presents gallery that opened September 8. The gallery is home to a never-before-seen model of the new land, concept renderings and maquettes of attraction vehicles and icons.
Visitors to the gallery will also discover a model of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – another new land that will open in 2019 – and concept art of the new Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction also under development. Guests will get an idea of all the fun and exciting adventures being conjured up as part of a multi-year expansion of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Walt Disney Presents – renamed and reimagined from the former One Man’s Dream attraction – offers a self-guided stroll through Disney history. From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms, guests are transported into the life and legacy of the man who started it all – Walt Disney.
From sketches, photos and storyboards to models, costumes, artwork, props and more, Walt Disney Presents is a Disney history book open wide. On display in this multimedia, interactive space is the original Audio Animatronic Abraham Lincoln from the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Walt’s second grade desk is among dozens of other one-of-a-kind finds on view. A film presentation celebrates his amazing life story.
Walt Disney Presents explores Walt’s boyhood life in small-town America, the founding of his first cartoon studio and his many contributions to the film industry.
Guests see firsthand how his ideas began to grow beyond the silver screen, as he explored the world of three-dimensional entertainment, culminating in the creation of the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. That legacy inspires his namesake company to stay true to his vision of innovation and excellence in the fields of animation, film and television, theme parks, resorts and much more. The new lands and coming attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and theme parks around the globe continue Walt’s legacy.
Walt Disney Presents will also host character greetings as well as special sneak previews of upcoming Disney films. For more information about the new Walt Disney Presents gallery and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, visit DisneyWorld.com.
Photos – Light Lab Drinks at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Are you heading to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival this year? If so, make sure to check out the Light Lab area for some cool drinks and an even cooler looking environment.
Disney Unifies Kids’ Cable Channels in ‘DisneyNow’ App
Disney’s cable networks group has brought together shows, movies, games, and other content from its three networks — Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior — into a single app: DisneyNow.
Young Stars of the Avatar Sequels Get Inspiration During Visit to Pandora – The World of Avatar
The next generation cast of the upcoming Avatar sequels was immersed into the breathtaking world of Pandora during a recent visit to Walt Disney World Resort.
The visit was organized by AVATAR filmmaker James Cameron and film producer Jon Landau to acquaint the seven young actors with the world their film characters will inhabit and to inspire their performances. The visit did all that and more, with the actors coming away awestruck by the mystical world of massive floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and breakthrough experiences. Pandora – The World of Avatar opened in May to rave reviews as the newest land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
“It was important to bring the newest members of the cast to Pandora to help them prepare for their roles in the film,” said Landau. “Typically, actors are introduced to a film through digital imagery and virtual sets. Our walk-through delivered on-the-ground sights, sounds and experiences that brought to life for the cast this wondrous world.”
Chosen from around the globe, the young cast is the cornerstone of upcoming sequels to be released by Twentieth Century Fox. The visit Pandora – The World of Avatar exceeded their wildest dreams.
The seven newcomers range in age from 7 to 17 years old and include: Britain Dalton (Lo’ak of the Sully Family), Filip Geljo (Aonung of the Metkayina Clan), Jamie Flatters (Neteyam of the Sully Family), Bailey Bass (Tsireya of the Metkayina Clan), Trinity Bliss (Tuktirey of the Sully Family), Jack Champion (Javier “Spider” Socorro), and Duane Evans Jr (Rotxo of the Metkayina Clan).
Bass, who will play Tsireya, the young Neytiri of the ocean, reflected on the visit to Pandora.
“I am touching everything because I need to remember how it feels on my hands, how everything smells, how everything looks,” she said. “I took a bunch of photos just so I can look back and see what I went through. I am going to bring that back so I can portray my character and understand how she witnesses her world.”
Throughout the two-day visit, the cast was transported to a majestic and alien world. They sailed through a bioluminescent rainforest on Na’vi River Journey, where they were awed by the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. The cast also flew on the back of banshees in the Avatar Flight of Passage attraction that took them over the stunning world of Pandora.
Cameron’s original AVATAR film was a blockbuster hit that left millions of moviegoers longing to visit the Pandora he created digitally for the big screen. That’s now possible at Pandora – The World of Avatar. And although the physical world of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom doesn’t recreate specific scenes from the film (it’s set a generation after the events of the films) it represents the film’s core messages of exploration, preservation, and conservation.
Pandora – The World of Avatar is a unique partnership between Walt Disney Imagineering, James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment that brings to life the extremely vivid, authentic experience of an alien world.
“This is really the collaboration of two master storytellers, Disney and LEI,” Landau said. “Story is at the heart of Pandora the land and Pandora from the movie franchise.”
The four AVATAR sequels will be filmed concurrently. Twentieth Century Fox will release the first sequel in theaters nationwide on Dec. 18, 2020.
Appetizing Occasions at Walt Disney World Resort
Are guests looking for an unforgettable event to add to their Disney vacation? Suggest one of these upcoming culinary experiences from around Walt Disney World® Resort. And be sure to book these events for guests in advance so they can get in on the fun!
Highway in the Sky Dine Around – Additional Dates Now Available
Additional dates through December have now been released for the popular Highway in the Sky Dine Around.
This culinary journey on the Walt Disney World Monorail takes guests to three Disney resort hotels, where each destination offers a distinctively delicious experience. The journey starts with appetizers and cocktails at The Wave…of American Flavors at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Next, guests will travel to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to partake in dishes inspired by the South Pacific. And then, it’s off to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa where guests invited to sit back, sip champagne and enjoy an artisanal selection of cheeses or charcuterie before enjoying the main course of their trip at Cítricos. The final stop on this magical journey drops you back off at Disney’s Contemporary Resort where you’ll retire to a private patio to enjoy a delectable array of desserts, cordials and coffee. Here, guests will be able watch in wonder as fireworks light up the night sky over Cinderella Castle for the grand finale of your adventure.
Spots are filling up fast, so visit Disneyworld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE to reserve.
Mickey’s New Year’s Eve BBQ at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground!
Guests can join Mickey, Minnie and friends for a family-friendly barbecue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground as they celebrate the new year at Mickey’s New Year’s Eve BBQ. During this special finger-licking, foot-stomping barbeque event, your Clients will feast on mouth-watering items such as Bacon Jam Burger Sliders grilled on site, Wagon Wheel Mac’n’Cheese for the kiddos, and Mini S’mores served in Mason Jars!
In addition to this all-you-care-to-enjoy BBQ spread, guests will get to enjoy the sounds of a live bluegrass band and a DJ. After dinner, cowpokes can mosey on over to the dance floor for line dancing led by Disney Friends! Then it’s time to count down to midnight and watch the world-famous Magic Kingdom fireworks from a special viewing area.
Visit Disneyworld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE to book.
Down in New Orleans: A Disney New Year’s Eve Experience
Are guests ready to pamper their palate at an event they’ll remember for years to come! They can ring in the new year in style with Down in New Orleans: A Disney New Year’s Dining Experience inspired by the New Orleans French Quarter and Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”
When guests arrive at the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Ballroom of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, they’ll be surrounded by beautiful French Quarter-inspired décor and an array of stations that will immerse their senses in unique and extraordinary flavors, such as smoked salmon mousse cones and oyster beignets fried right before their eyes. Then, when dinner time finally approaches, they’ll be guided to a premier dining destination for the main course of the night where they’ll be welcomed by art-adorned walls with visions of New Orleans. They’ll take in the rich scents and vibrant flavors as they enjoy herb-crusted Louisiana redfish, crayfish étouffé, Black Angus beef, braised short ribs and roast filet of beef with truffled celery root silk, all while enjoying the authentic sounds of a live jazz band. At the evening’s end, a spirited vocalist will join the band and bring the classic sounds of Disney’s “Princess and the Frod” by legendary composer Randy Newman to life. Soon after, guests will be ushered to a private viewing area near the Porte Cochére, for champagne and the unforgettable sights of the world-famous fireworks at Magic Kingdom® Park to ring in the new year!
From beginning to end, it’s a beautiful way to welcome 2018 and it’s sure to be a night you’ll remember. Reserve seats for your this once-in-a-lifetime event today by visiting Disneyworld.com/dine or calling 407-WDW-DINE. Down in New Orleans – A Disney New Year’s Eve Experience will take place on Dec. 31, 2017, from 7 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and will feature restaurant-style reserved seating.
Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend Celebrates 2nd Annual Event with Over 20,000 Runners
Disneyland Paris Resort welcomed more than 20,000 runners for the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend on September 21-24. The event marked the second annual race weekend to take place at Disneyland Paris Resort bringing out a crowd of dedicated participants that spanned ages one to 82.
The weekend kicked off with the Disneyland Paris 5K which took place this year under the Parisian night sky for the first time. Also new this year was the Disneyland Paris 10K that took runners through the Disneyland Paris Resort and was filled with plenty of Disney entertainment. With the addition of this 6.2-mile course, the bravest runners conquered the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo Challenge, combining the 10K and half marathon races.
The race weekend concluded on Sunday when runners from across the globe raced through the enchanting lands of Disneyland Paris Resort and the picturesque French countryside during the Disneyland Paris – Val d’Europe Half Marathon
After the great success of this year’s event, the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend will return in 2018 on September 20 – 23! For more information, please visit:http://run.disneylandparis.com/bookings.
Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend is the only international race in runDisney’s nine-race series that encompasses Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris. Next up is Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend presented by MISFIT™(Nov. 2 – 5) at Walt Disney World Resort and Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend (Nov. 9 -12) at Disneyland Resort. For more information about runDisney, visit www.runDisney.com.
Garmin® and Disney bring motivation and imagination to the playground
Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the vívofit jr. 2 activity tracker1 for kids with Disney, Star Wars and Marvel-themed bands and mobile app adventures. Featuring designs of kids’ favorite characters including Minnie Mouse, BB-8TM and Marvel’s Captain America, each band theme offers a corresponding mobile app adventure where children can complete missions to advance in the journey and unlock new character step icons, with the help of their parents, by achieving 60 minutes of activity every day. This exciting collaboration leverages kids’ favorite characters, encouraging children to be active, and ultimately shaping habits for lifelong health and fitness.
Disney Cruise Line Itinerary Update
In order to enable the British and U.S. Virgin Islands the appropriate time to recover from the effects of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, Disney has altered the itinerary for the Oct. 21 and Nov. 4, 2017 Disney Fantasy sailings to include ports in the Western Caribbean. The revised itineraries are below.
Oct. 21, 2017
- Saturday – Port Canaveral
- Sunday – Day at Sea
- Monday – Cozumel, Mexico
- Tuesday – George Town, Grand Cayman (tender port)
- Wednesday – Falmouth, Jamaica
- Thursday – Day at Sea
- Friday – Castaway Cay, Bahamas
- Saturday – Port Canaveral
Nov. 4, 2017
- Saturday – Port Canaveral
- Sunday – Day at Sea
- Monday – Cozumel, Mexico
- Tuesday – Costa Maya, Mexico
- Wednesday – George Town, Grand Cayman (tender port)
- Thursday – Day at Sea
- Friday – Castaway Cay, Bahamas
- Saturday – Port Canaveral
Port Adventures that guests pre-reserved in Tortola and St. Thomas will automatically be removed from your cruise activities, while those for Castaway Cay will remain as scheduled. Likewise, pre-reserved onboard activities like Palo Brunch, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and beverage tastings are being adjusted to fit this revised itinerary. Should guests wish to explore Port Adventure opportunities featured on this revised itinerary, please visit the My Cruise Activities section of our website at www.disneycruise.com this Friday, when all of the shore excursions and onboard activities are expected to be available on the site. Modifications to your pre-arranged Cruise Activities and Port Adventures can be made online up to three days prior to your sailing.
