Take a look at ‘Let it Go’ from Disney’s ‘Frozen’ in this behind the mic video featuring performers singing all 25 languages.
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Disney to expand the number of daily FastPass + offered
Tom Staggs, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts just announced via a blog post:
“As expected, most of our guests think that securing times to ride our attractions is one of the best ways to maximize the fun of a Walt Disney World Resort vacation. We’ve heard from a number of guests that they would like the opportunity to add additional FastPass+ entitlements during their visit, in addition to the three they can plan in advance. So, we’re working on providing them with the ability to add and enjoy additional entitlements on the day of their visit. Once they’ve used the three they’ve booked, we’ll enable them to select another at kiosks in the parks. And once they’ve used the fourth, they can select another, and so on. We also heard that other guests liked the fact that with the FastPass+ service they could use FASTPASS when they park hopped. So we’re working on a service enhancement to add that feature to FastPass+ as well.”
Let us know on twitter what you think of this news. Count us as fans of this news. It shows Disney does listen to their guests and is striving to make FP+ a quality experience for everyone.
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‘Frozen’ is cash machine for Disney
Just how big is Disney’s “Frozen” franchise?
- The movie has grossed more than $1 billion in ticket sales around the world.
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Universal Orlando’s Hogwarts Express Details Revealed
One of the most memorable and exciting experiences from the Harry Potter series will come to life at Universal Orlando Resort this summer. Imagine:
- Being transported from the Muggle world to the wizarding world as you pass through the brick wall at King’s Cross Station to arrive at Platform 9 ¾
- Watching in amazement as the Hogwarts Express pulls into the station – its billowing steam and authentic whistle beckoning you to hop aboard
- Sitting in one of the train’s cabins with your family and friends and actually riding the Hogwarts Express – just as your favorite characters did in the Harry Potter films
- Looking outside your cabin window and enjoying a scenic, breathtaking journey through the British countryside as you encounter magical creatures, some of your favorite Harry Potter characters…and even Dementors…
Since the very first Harry Potter film, every fan has dreamed of taking the same classic journey Harry Potter did aboard the Hogwarts Express. And this summer – they will get to live it.
Today, Universal Orlando revealed never-before-released details about the Hogwarts Express experience that will debut as part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley – the all-new, magnificently themed land opening this summer. The train will connect the new land in Universal Studios Florida with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure – allowing guests with park-to-park admission to enjoy a real journey aboard the iconic locomotive.
Never before has this been done – creating an actual train ride experience to connect two spectacularly themed environments. The Hogwarts Express experience combines powerful storytelling, live special effects, lifelike animation and state-of-the-art technology to take riders on the journey of a lifetime. Guests will enjoy two completely different experiences depending on whether they’re traveling to Hogsmeade or London.
Once seated in the cabin, guests will be able to look out their windows as an incredibly authentic and magical adventure unfolds before them. They’ll see Hagrid come alongside the train on his flying motorbike, Buckbeak the Hippogriff swoop gracefully over the black lake, the Weasley twins on brooms and up to their usual antics, the Knight Bus swerving through London traffic – and other special moments and surprises.
Universal’s Creative team has been working closely with Warner Bros., Stuart Craig and the production team from the Harry Potter films to create a sensational Hogwarts Express experience that the entire family can enjoy. The Creative team has gone to great lengths to ensure the experience is true to the books and films. Everything about the train is authentic – from the paint and the materials used to build it….all the way down to the whistle.
Park-to-park admission is required to experience the Hogwarts Express journey from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley (located in Universal Studios Florida) to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade (located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure). For more information about the Hogwarts Express – including a new video that features a first-look at the ride experience – and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, visit www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter.
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Video – The Lion King Australia Cast Sings ‘The Circle of Life’ on Airplane Passengers!
The Ling King Australia Cast surprised passengers on Virgin Australia flight 0970 back to Sydney.
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Every Role a Starring Role – Disneyland Resort Environmental Integration Representative
This Earth Month installment of “Every Role a Starring Role” spotlights cast member Helen Jaco, an environmental integration representative at the Disneyland Resort. Helen helps reduce waste at the Disneyland Resort by working with various departments to increase environmental awareness and help them find creative ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
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MyMagic+ Testing Expanded to Include Day Guests
As part of the test-and-adjust process for MyMagic+, Day Guests (those Guests who are not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel) are now able to make FastPass+ selections 30 days in advance of their trip and can purchase MagicBands to link to their plans in My Disney Experience.
Day Guests may make FastPass+ selections for each day they have admission linked in My Disney Experience starting 30 days in advance of their visit.
While day Guests are not issued MagicBands, they may use their RF-enabled theme park admission to enter the theme parks and redeem FastPass+ selections, or they may purchase a MagicBand and link their theme park admission to the MagicBand.
MagicBands will be available to purchase for $12.96 plus tax at Walt Disney World Resort Park merchandise locations and at Downtown Disney®. They will be available in all seven colors – pink, blue, red, green, orange, gray and yellow.
After a MagicBand is purchased, Cast Members will link the Guest’s admission media (or other RF media such as an existing MagicBand or Memory Maker card) to the retail MagicBand. If the Guest’s ticket is already linked to his/her My Disney Experience account, all of the plans, such as tickets, dining reservations and FastPass+ selections, will be seamlessly linked to their new MagicBand.
Touch to pay is not available for day Guests. Only Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels who establish charging privileges upon check-in are able to touch to pay using MagicBands or RF-enabled theme park tickets.
As a reminder, MagicBands are available to all Guests staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
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Universal Orlando’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is Now Open
Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort officially welcomes its first guests today. This brand-new value and moderately-priced property is the fourth on-site hotel at Universal Orlando Resort and evokes the classic, retro-feel of iconic beach resorts from the 1950s and 60’s.
Located on-site at Universal Orlando Resort, the new hotel is a destination within itself – featuring a stunning design with bold colors, retro-inspired architecture and sweeping vistas that transport guests back to a time of relaxation and endless family fun. Cabana Bay guests can experience incredible amenities throughout the hotel, including:
· Bowling a strike at the 10-lane Galaxy Bowl
· Channeling the godfather of fitness at the Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio
· Racing down the iconic dive tower waterslide and splashing into a 10,000 square foot zero-entry pool in the Cabana Courtyard
· Enjoying a retro-themed specialty cocktail from Swizzle Lounge or Atomic Tonic
· Finding something delicious for the entire family at Bayliner Diner, a food court with something for everyone to enjoy including a salad bar, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, pasta and grab-and- go items
· And this summer, guests will be able to enjoy even more incredible amenities, including a second 8,000-square-foot zero entry pool, Universal Orlando’s first lazy river at an on-site hotel, The Hideaway Bar & Grill, and additional moderately-priced family suites and value-priced standard guest rooms. When complete, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort will feature a total of 1,800 rooms – 900 family suites and 900 standard guest rooms.
Click here to watch a video series to learn more about the hotel and all the amenities it has to offer from members of the team that brought the hotel to life.
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Walt Disney Records To Release Aladdin Original Broadway Cast Recording Featuring Exclusive Bonus Content
The cast of the new Broadway smash, Disney’s Aladdin is currently in the studio laying down tracks for the Original Cast Recording of the show, to be released by Walt Disney Records digitally on Tuesday, May 27th. The physical album is set for release on Tuesday, June 17th and will also be available for purchase in-theater. The Aladdin Original Broadway Cast Recording will be produced by Alan Menken, Michael Kosarin, Frank Filipetti and Chris Montan and executive produced by Kurt Deutsch.
Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, Aladdin features music by Tony Award® and eight-time Oscar® winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). This new production features a full score, including the Oscar and Grammy® winning hit “A Whole New World,” and four other cherished songs from the film and multi Grammy-winning original motion picture soundtrack. The cast album also includes four Menken/Beguelin songs written especially for the stage and three Menken/Ashman songs that were cut from the original film, plus exclusive bonus content created especially for the album.
Disney’s Aladdin, the new musical comedy based on the Academy Award®-winning animated film, opened to critical acclaim on March 20th, 2014 at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. USA Today raves, “Pure GENIE-US! Aladdin delivers a rush that will surprise you.” The Associated Press exclaims, “Disney hits magic again…a wonder to behold!” while The New York Times hails the show as “Fabulous… Extravagant!” and the Daily News declares, “Seriously, it’s amazing!”
Aladdin stars Adam Jacobs (Les Miserables, The Lion King) in the title role, Courtney Reed (In the Heights, Mamma Mia) as Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart (Memphis, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as Genie, and, as Jafar, Tony Award nominee Jonathan Freeman (Mary Poppins, The Producers, She Loves Me) brings to the stage the role he indelibly created in the animated film. The show also stars Brian Gonzales, Brandon O’Neill and Jonathan Schwartz as Aladdin’s sidekicks Babkak, Kassim and Omar, Clifton Davis as Sultan and Don Darryl Rivera as Iago.
The Aladdin Original Broadway Cast Recording is available in theater and for pre-order at http://www.aladdinthemusicalstore.com and Amazon.com.
For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, please visit Disney.com/music, become a fan at Facebook.com/disneymusic or follow us at Twitter.com/disneymusic.
For more information on Aladdin, visit AladdinTheMusical.com. Connect with Aladdin on Facebook.com/Aladdin and Twitter.com/Aladdin.
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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
In its second year of operation, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort continues to surprise and delight guests with its animation-inspired design, whimsical amenities and spacious suites ideal for families. Here are 10 things you might not know about this magic Disney resort.
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