There’s something about the eerie claymation style of Tim Burton’s work that is so wonderfully magical. Although his films might be a tad darker than your average Disney film, I would still love to see some dark, gritty versions of classic Disney stories.
Today, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we announce the illustrious storytelling troupe of the Royal Theatre will also once again weave the romantic, comedic tale of “Beauty and the Beast.”
Guests are invited to be our guest later this spring, when Messieurs Smythe and Jones take us on an adventure in the great wide somewhere for a whimsical retelling of how Belle and the Beast met and fell in love – all with a happily ever after at the end, naturally!
Spring and summer at the Disneyland Resort will be more thrilling than ever this year with new family vacation fun and spectacular entertainment. Guests continue to discover the excitement of the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration and its nighttime spectaculars, plus new and enhanced Star Wars experiences. At Disney California Adventure Park, Cars Land will soon debut its newest attraction, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters.
Guests planning a summer vacation at the Disneyland Resort also will enjoy a new “Frozen” musical, based on the blockbuster Walt Disney Animation Studios film, and the unforgettable, new Soarin’ Around the World attraction. Magic awaits guests of all ages in 2016, including these 16 special experiences.
At Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure celebrates its 15th anniversary Feb. 8, 2016, with adventures from Buena Vista Street to Cars Land, and something for guests of all ages, including the thrilling California Screamin’ coaster, the uplifting Pixar Play Parade and the high-scoring action of “Toy Story Mania.”
1. The new live “Frozen” musical premieres in late spring 2016, immersing audiences in the emotional journey of Anna and Elsa with all of the excitement of live theater. The entertaining musical adaptation will include elaborate costumes and sets, stunning special effects, show-stopping production numbers and some unique theatrical surprises. The show will play at the Hyperion Theater.
2. The fun-filled Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters attraction, debuting soon at Casa Della Tires in Cars Land, is rolling with fun as Luigi’scugini (cousins) have come from Carsoli, Italy, to help celebrate Race Day in Radiator Springs. Park guests join in the fun by hopping aboard miniature Italian roadsters, in the style of late 1950s micro cars. The cars perform the traditional dances of their village, moving to upbeat music and Luigi’s singing in a precision-choreographed dance across what appears to be a trackless “dance floor.” Each car has its own routine, so guests will enjoy different ride experiences depending on which car they board.
At Disneyland Park
Exciting Star Wars experiences in Disneyland Park celebrate the Star Wars film saga.
3. Star Wars Launch Bay invites guests to visit a Star Wars-themed cantina, discover authentic replicas of film props, and encounterStar Wars characters such as Chewbacca, from the light side, and Kylo Ren from the dark side.
4. The Star Wars-themed transformation of Space Mountain into Hyperspace Mountain thrusts guests into an X-wing Starfigher battle as they race through the darkness. The experience is enhanced by a new soundtrack, inspired by the Star Wars films’ musical themes and re-orchestrated to match every move in the attraction.
5. At the Star Tours – The Adventures Continue attraction, guests encounter a new adventure and characters from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” while journeying aboard a Starspeeder 1000.
6. Guests will relive stories from the Star Wars saga – or discover them for the first time – through the short “Star Wars: Path of the Jedi” film which connects iconic scenes from the iconic films in fun new ways.
7. The popular interactive show Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple has been reimagined with Darth Vader and the Seventh Sister Inquisitor from the popular Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels.
8. As preparations begin in 2016 for a new Star Wars-themed land, guests will enjoy unique limited-time opportunities to experience some of their favorite attractions in new ways. While the Disneyland Railroad is temporarily closed, guests at the Main Street and New Orleans Square Train Stations will be able to get up-close with the historic steam engines that have circled Disneyland park for decades and learn about them firsthand from Disneyland Railroad engineers. Limited-time experiences for the Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia will debut throughout the year.
9. Super Hero fans will have their own special encounters at Super Hero HQ. They’re invited to learn more about their favorite Super Heroes, such as Thor and Spiderman, and meet some of them in person.
60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration Continues in 2016
The stunning entertainment found every year at the Disneyland Resort is now even more dazzling, with three nighttime spectaculars that are part of the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration, continuing through Sept. 5, 2016.
10. The sparkling “Paint the Night” parade builds on the tradition of breathtaking nighttime parades in Disneyland Park that began with the “Main Street Electrical Parade.” Illuminated almost entirely by LED lights, “Paint the Night” is a state-of-the art, vibrant wonder that immerses guests in the magical, luminescent worlds of many Disney and Disney●Pixar characters, including Ariel, the Little Mermaid; Woody and Buzz Lightyear from “Toy Story”‘; Lightning McQueen from “Cars,” Disney Princesses and Mickey Mouse and his pals.
11. The “Disneyland Forever” fireworks spectacular entertains guests from the tips of their toes to the sky high above, surrounding the audience with music, dazzling visual projections and other special effects that bring the pyrotechnics to life in surprising new ways. Guests may enjoy the projections from multiple locations, including Main Street, U.S.A., and Small World mall.
12. At Disney California Adventure, “World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney” is a fun-filled version of the popular, nighttime “World of Color” spectacular. Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris joins Mickey Mouse on a magical water canvas, bringing to life the remarkable story of Walt Disney and The Happiest Place on Earth with animated imagery, live-action film, fountains, lasers, special effects and a stirring musical score.
Special Offer for Southern California Residents and Themed Dining
13. Special two-day and three-day Southern California Resident tickets* make this an ideal time for Southern California residents to visit the parks. Purchase options include a two-day ticket with a choice of one park per day for $149, a two-day Park Hopper ticket for$189, a three-day ticket with a choice of one park per day for $179, or a three-day Park Hopper ticket for $219. These tickets are available through May 19, 2016 and valid through May 26, 2016. For details, visit http://Disneyland.com/flex
14. Any visit to the Disneyland Resort becomes more special with themed dining and refreshments, and the resort presents some tasty new surprises in 2016. At Disneyland, the Star Wars-themed menu at Galactic Grill includes the Darth Tamale, a First Order Specialty Burger with Angus beef and chorizo on a dark bun, and The Pastry Menace éclair. Plaza Inn is ideal for family dining with a menu that features fried chicken, pot roast and made-to-order salads. Children and the young at heart are delighted to encounter Disney characters at the “Minnie & Friends Breakfast in the Park” at Plaza Inn, one of several character meals at the resort.
15. At Disney California Adventure, guests will enjoy the recently opened Smokejumpers Grill, decorated with mementos from courageous, forest firefighters with a menu that features burgers and other favorites. The popular Cove Bar along Paradise Bay serves beverages and appetizers in an expanded patio area in 2016. The elegant Carthay Circle Restaurant continues to provide an ideal location for fine dining and adult relaxation in its lounge. And guests who want to meet Disney Princesses will find them at the character dining at Ariel’s Grotto.
16. Hotel restaurants at the Disneyland Resort include Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel, Napa Rose and Storytellers Café in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s PCH Grill at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. For dinner at Disney’s PCH Grill, guests enjoy a menu inspired by the California beach scene, with smoked tri-tip, spice-rubbed ribs, fish and vegetarian tacos, fried chicken, and hot dogs right off the grill.
In an evening of glitz and glamour befitting a classic Hollywood movie premiere, LEGOLAND Florida Resort welcomed celebrities, media and VIP guests to a gala event Jan. 28 for the grand opening of “The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure.” The theatrical attraction reunites Emmet and friends in an all-new short story combining dazzling 3D computer animation with “4D,” real-world effects such as wind, water and fog.
The resort built for kids staged an appropriately kid-centric world premiere, punctuated by twin blasts of glittering confetti that welcomed the Master Builder heroes back to the big screen. Hundreds of fans strolled an “interactive,” special effects-filled red carpet before entering the Wells Fargo Fun Town Theater to celebrate the return of Emmet, Wyldstyle, MetalBeard, Benny and Unikitty.
Joining the festivities were 8-year-old actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, star of ABC TV’s “Modern Family,” Joey Bragg, star of Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie,” Jack Griffo, star of Nickelodeon’s “The Thundermans,” singer-songwriter Megan Lee, star of Nickelodeon’s “Make It Pop,” Isabela Moner, star of Nickelodeon’s “100 Things to Do Before High School,” Jace Norman, star of Nickelodeon’s “Henry Danger,” Madisyn Shipman, star of Nickelodeon’s “Game Shakers,” and social media sensations The Eh Bee Family and Family Fun Pack.
In 2014, kids around the world embraced the adventures of Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the key to saving the world in “The LEGO Movie™,” which went on to gross more than $400 million worldwide.
But what happened after the movie?
Fans can find out starting tomorrow, Jan. 29, now that “The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” has officially opened at LEGOLAND Florida Resort.
Returning to voice their iconic characters are actors Elizabeth Banks (Wyldstyle), Nick Offerman (MetalBeard), Charlie Day (Benny) and Alison Brie (Unikitty). Actor, writer and comedian Patton Oswalt voices the scheming Risky Business, brother of movie villain President Business, a new character created exclusively for the attraction.
Set after the events of the movie, the 12 ½-minute story finds the gang entangled in an Evil Secret Plot involving a mysterious theme park inspired by their adventures in “The LEGO Movie,” one that requires them to call on the Master Builder skills of a surprise ally to save the day.
“The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” was directed by Rob Schrab, who is making his feature film directorial debut with “The LEGO Movie Sequel,” set to open May 18, 2018. When it came to designing the attraction, he said a strong story was critical to its success.
“We only spotlight them for a fraction of the amount of time,” he said, “so it’s important to get to the fun as soon as possible. This is the first time Emmet, Wyldstyle and the gang meet since the film.”
Developed in collaboration with LEGOLAND owner Merlin Entertainments Group and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, the attraction was created by Los Angeles-based Pure Imagination Studios with input from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the talented writer-directors who brought “The LEGO Movie” to hilarious life, along with producer Dan Lin.
The result is a delightfully clever blend of the same sly humor and breathtaking, built-with-LEGO visuals that made the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO film a global hit among kids and adults alike.
For Offerman, the opportunity to slip back into MetalBeard’s shoes – er, bricks – was a welcome one.
“I have worked with Rob on ‘Childrens Hospital’ and ‘Parks and Recreation,’ so it was like a nice reunion of old pals from summer camp,” he said of making the attraction. “We just tried to make each other laugh with silly renderings of dead-serious pirate-y mayhem.”
Following its debut in Florida, “The LEGO Movie™ 4D A New Adventure” will open Feb. 6 at LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., and at all other LEGOLAND theme parks and LEGOLAND Discovery Centers worldwide in 2016.
For more information, visit www.LEGOLAND.com and www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com.
So we all walk up to an attraction and glance up to see what the wait times are before we decide to enter a ride at the Disney Parks right? Well check out this perfectly fitting stand-by wait time at Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom.
Located in Future World West, “The Land” is among the most popular pavilions at Epcot. A large part of its current popularity can be attributed to the fact that it the home of “Soarin,” which is currently closed for a major refurbishment…
As most moms know, these days, a trip to Disney takes some serious planning, and mama, you’re all over it.
Two new spring-inspired Outdoor Kitchens, three mischievous Disney topiary characters and an innovative musical play garden will debut during the 23rd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival March 2-May 30, 2016. The popular spring festival at Walt Disney World Resort, known for its tasty edibles, sweeping floral displays and dazzling topiary creations, expands from 75 days to 90 days in 2016.
The new La Isla Fresca and Cider House Outdoor Kitchens will introduce fresh variety and flavor to the culinary offerings at a record 13 festival kiosks surrounding the World Showcase Promenade. Donald Duck’s mischievous nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, make their topiary debut with Donald and Daisy in the park’s signature front-entrance garden. Xylophones, drums and chimes will take child’s play to tuneful levels at the new Harmony Gardens play area featuring “leader-of-the-band” Mickey Mouse topiary.
Live Garden Rocks concerts will set the beat with familiar pop tunes each festival weekend. And special “Fun Fresh Weekends” add new adventures to the seasonal event.
Guests of the 2016 festival can celebrate spring with gardens-full of Epcot options:
Forty 8-to-9-foot-tall Disney-crafted “flower towers” and sweeping beds of multi-colored blooms will add to the floral splendor of the park’s landscape. At least 70,000 bedding plants will surround the Future World east and west lakes alone; on the water, more than 200 mini-gardens will be set afloat.
For more information about the 23rd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639). Watch for details at EpcotInSpring.com as they become available. The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.
Gazillion, Inc., announced that its first wave of the Marvel Heroes 2016 initiative – the biggest update to its super-powered action-RPG in nearly two years – is available today for free download at MarvelHeroes.comand on Steam®. Today’s update includes a number of highly requested improvements for PC and Mac gamers, highlighted by the following:
A heroic action-thriller, “The Finest Hours” is based on the remarkable true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the Coast Guard. Presented in Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, the film transports audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale. “The Finest Hours” original motion picture soundtrack features score by award-winning composer Carter Burwell and will be available digitally on January 29, 2016. “The Finest Hours” storms into U.S. theaters on January 29, 2016.
Carter Burwell has scored over 80 films, including “Blood Simple,” “Raising Arizona,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Barton Fink,” “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “Rob Roy,” “Fargo,” “The Spanish Prisoner,” “Gods and Monsters,” “Velvet Goldmine,” “The General’s Daughter,” “Three Kings,” “Being John Malkovich,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (BAFTA Nominee for Film Music), “Before Night Falls,” “A Knight’s Tale,” “The Rookie,” “Adaptation.”, “Intolerable Cruelty,” “The Ladykillers,” “No Country for Old Men,” “In Bruges,” “Burn After Reading,” “Twilight,” “Where the Wild Things Are” (Golden Globe Nominee for Best Original Score), “A Serious Man,” “The Blind Side,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “True Grit,” “Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 & 2,” and “The Fifth Estate,” “Mr. Holmes” and “Legend.” Burwell received his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for “Carol.” He was also nominated for a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Movie Award for “Carol.” He received an Annie nomination for Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production for “Anomalisa.” In addition, Burwell received The Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Music Score for “Carol” and “Anomalisa.”
The end credit track is a cover of the sea shanty “Haul Away Joe” performed by Kodaline. Made up of childhood friends — Steve Garrigan (lead vocals) Mark Prendergast (guitar), Jason Boland (bass) and Vinny May (drums), Kodaline have released two studio albums In A Perfect World and Coming Up For Air. The group has sold out numerous tours in both North America and Europe. The group’s songs have been featured in several television, film and ad placements including Google, ESPN, The Voice (NBC), Chicago PD (NBC), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Modern Family (ABC), So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), American Idol (ABC) and many more. Their music videos have garnered over 105 million views and are continuing to grow.
Disney’s “The Finest Hours” is based on the unforgettable story of the Coast Guard’s courageous mission, which is directed by Craig Gillespie and stars: Chris Pine; Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck; Ben Foster; Holliday Grainger; John Ortiz; and Eric Bana. Produced by Jim Whitaker and Dorothy Aufiero, the screenplay is by Oscar® nominee Scott Silver and Oscar nominees Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias. Doug Merrifield serves as executive producer.
“The Finest Hours” original motion picture soundtrack will be available digitally on January 29. For more information on “The Finest Hours” please visit http://movies.disney.com/the-finest-hours. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like us on Facebook.com/disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic.
