Actor-singer Josh Gad hangs out with Gaston Friday, Nov. 24, 2015, while vacationing at Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Gad, who voiced the beloved snowman Olaf in Disney’s “Frozen,” will play Gaston’s foolish sidekick, LeFou, in Walt Disney Pictures’ live-action film adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast.” The film debuts in theaters March 17, 2017. (Kent Phillips, photographer)
The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger, joined by members of the Disney family, dedicated Walt Disney’s newly restored office suite on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank today. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Burbank studio, the Walt Disney Archives restored the space, located in the original Animation Building, to include Walt’s formal and working offices, along with original furnishings, some items from his collection of miniatures, awards, and his piano.
“We put this permanent exhibit together to serve as a source of inspiration,” said Iger during the ceremony, “a reminder to have great ambition, to take bold creative risks, to constantly innovate and push the limits of possibility, to relentlessly pursue perfection, and to tell fantastic stories that touch peoples’ hearts. That was Walt Disney.”
Walt Disney’s granddaughters Joanna Miller, Jennifer Goff, and Michelle Lund were on hand for the event, along with special guests including Richard Sherman (composer of Mary Poppins, “It’s a Small World,” and many Disney classics), Kathryn Beaumont (the voice of Alice from Alice in Wonderland and Wendy in Peter Pan), and former head of Walt Disney Imagineering Marty Sklar.
In 1970, when Disney Legend Dave Smith founded the Walt Disney Archives, Walt’s furnishings from his offices were removed, and, for the last 45 years, they were safely cared for by the staff of the Walt Disney Archives. Through exhibitions and loans from the Archives, millions of guests have seen special displays of items from the office at Disney’s theme parks in California and Florida and in museums around the country.
This new, permanent exhibit is dedicated to the creative genius of Walt Disney and presents the history of the man and the company he founded through artifacts and images. There will also be rotating exhibits on various Disney subjects to celebrate anniversaries, films, and events throughout the Company’s history from 1923 to the present day. The first exhibit is dedicated to Kem Weber, the architect who designed the look and feel of the Studio lot, which opened in 1940. Weber also designed furniture for the Studio, and his designs, along with concept artwork, will be showcased for a limited time.
Walt Disney’s office will be open to Disney employees, cast members, and studio visitors. In 2016 it will be added to tours of the Studio lot and Archives that D23: The Official Disney Fan Club regularly offers to its Gold Members.
As Walt Disney Co. planned its campaign for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Chief Executive Robert Iger had a question for his marketing team: How much do we really need to do?
Say what you will about the evilness of the Galactic Empire in Star Wars, but it’s hard to argue that they weren’t a tremendously organized bunch.
| The Walt Disney Family Museum is proud to announce a completely reimagined website at waltdisney.org, launching in celebration of Walt Disney’s birthday.
The museum’s Board and staff have collaborated with the Presidio-based agency Swirl, Inc. to bring you a vastly enhanced website experience. The site includes many new features, including an innovative multimedia section on Walt Disney, and showcases an enticing virtual preview of the museum’s galleries. The website provides content-rich, interactive resources for students, historians, and Disney fans around the world. Viewers can visit the site to learn more about Walt Disney, Diane Disney Miller, and their family legacy, and discover their own creative inspiration in Walt Disney’s story. Please, come take a look—explore, discover, imagine, and find inspiration at the newwaltdisney.org. Continue the celebration of Walt’s birthday at the museum, offering free admission to all on the eve of Walt’s birthday, Friday, December 4. Limited capacity; tickets issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional paid exhibition ticket required for Disney and Dali: Architects of the Imagination. If you don’t see the new website right away, please clear your browser’s cache. Some systems may take up to 48-hours to show the new website. |
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Stumped about what to buy the theme park fan in your life? Or are you a theme park fan wondering what to put on your holiday wish list this year?
Disney and Nintendo are teaming up to launch a new e-sports special called Clash of Karts: Mario Kart 8 on Disney XD.
Now this could all be a horrible mistake… but if not, Harrison Ford might just have dropped a whopper of a spoiler about ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’.
If guests are staying at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel this holiday season they can ring in the New Year with the exclusive Countdown to Midnight event at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort.
This special event begins at 8 p.m. at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Convention Center and is available to Guests of Walt Disney World Resort hotels only. The price is $300 per person (tax and gratuity included). Beer, wine, mixed drinks and a champagne toast are included, as well as the all-you-care-to enjoy menu. Package availability is limited and non-commissionable. Advance reservations are required and can be made by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
Five-time Academy Award®-winning composer John Williams has composed and conducted the score for the original motion picture soundtrack Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The soundtrack is available worldwide for pre-order digitally at http://smarturl.it/swtfaa1, physically at http://smarturl.it/swtfap, and at Disney Music Emporium (http://smarturl.it/swtfadme).
Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Star Wars: The Force Awakens releases in U.S. theaters on December 18, 2015. The limited edition first run of the physical soundtrack, featuring premium digipak foil packaging, will be released wherever music is sold onDecember 18. The soundtrack will also be available at all digital download, streaming and hi-res services on Dec. 18.
Also available at DisneyMusicEmporium.com is an exclusive bundle, which includes the Star Wars: The Force Awakens CD and a special Star Wars poster http://smarturl.it/swtfadme. The vinyl version of the soundtrack, expected in early 2016, is also available now for pre-order. Fans who order the vinyl will receive a digital copy of the album on December 18th.
For more information on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, please visit http://www.theforceawakens.com. For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like us on Facebook.com/disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic. For more information on Disney Music Emporium, please visit, DisneyMusicEmporium.com, become a fan at Facebook.com/disneymusicemporium or follow us at Twitter.com/DisneyMusicEmp.
