VIDEO: Take Flight Over Disney Springs for an Aerial View of Town Center Construction
We take flight again this week, taking an aerial tour over Disney Springs, with a brief look at the Town Center section still under construction:
PHOTOS, VIDEO: Disney Parks Introducing New Merchandise Line for Women, Kingdom Couture
Created especially for Disney Parks, the Kingdom Couture collection was designed using luxurious fabrics and intricate details. The result is elegant yet comfortable apparel and accessories in the first “premium” line of apparel and accessories for Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Castle imagery can be found throughout the line.
The Kingdom Couture spring collection arrives in select merchandise locations in mid-April. Additional Kingdom Couture items will be introduced later this year. This means that select apparel and accessories from a particular season may only be available for a limited period of time at Disney Parks.
If you are visiting Walt Disney World Resort, look for this collection at World of Disney in Disney Springs Marketplace. At Disneyland Resort, you’ll find this collection at Vault 28 in Downtown Disney District; Fortuosity Shop in Disneyland park; and Elias & Co. in Disney California Adventure.
Select items may also be found on the Disney Parks online store or via the Shop Disney Parks mobile app.
VIDEO: First Teaser Trailer For “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
Lucasfilm has just released the first teaser trailer for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. Get a first look at some new heroes and villains, and some old ones too!
First Photo Of Pixar’s Newest Short, “Piper”
Entertainment Weekly has provided us with the first look of “Piper,” which is the new short that will debut before Pixar’s “Finding Dory”.
Before this summer’s Finding Dory plunges you back into the ocean, the new Pixar short film preceding the Finding Nemo sequel will offer you a prime spot on the beach alongside what could possibly be the studio’s cutest character creation yet: the big-eyed, diminutive little beach-dwelling bird, the eponymous Piper.
The inspiration for the six-minute short — about a hungry baby sandpiper learning to overcome hydrophobia — came from less than a mile away from Pixar Studios in Emeryville, California, where veteran Pixar animator and Piper director Alan Barillaro would run alongside the shore and notice birds by the thousands fleeing from the water but returning between waves to eat.
“Seeing the way these sandpipers react to waves and run, I always felt, ‘Gosh, that’s a film, that’s a character,’” says Barillaro, who began toying with animation software as a personal challenge to design a non-speaking character who was afraid of the water yet had to venture into it to eat. “It’s always fun to show a world we’re familiar with but from a different perspective. We’ve all been to the beach, but have we ever viewed water from just an inch off the sand? That could be very fearful from a bird’s perspective.”
Source: Entertainment Weekly
TONIGHT on WDW News Tonight (4/6/16): Win a Haunted Mansion Variant Comic, Rides Announced But Never Built, #ThanksShanghai
Tonight on WDW News Tonight, we continue to push the envelope with an entire evening of giving thanks to Shanghai Disneyland, and you can even win a Disney Parks Variant Cover Haunted Mansion comic book!
WDW News Tonight is hosted by Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, former hosts of WDW News Today: The Radio Show, but also features appearances by a number of other WDWNT correspondents.
If you are in the Orlando area, you can tune in to AM 1520 WBZW at showtime. For those outside the Orlando area, the show can be heard (and now watched via video stream) at Listen.WDWNT.com on your computer or mobile device. The show also utilizes new interactive avenues for our audience, including a live chat, the ability to call-in to the show, and live polling.
The show will also be available for streaming and download the very next day at WDWNewsTonight.com. While this won’t offer the interactive features and excitement of listening live, it offers those who can’t catch the show on Wednesday night a chance be a part of the fun.
Coming up on this week’s show:
- A discussion of the current state of the Walt Disney Company thanks to Shanghai Disney project
- #ThanksShanghai
- A recap of the week’s news (with a WDWNT comedic twist)
- A new game called “Find 999” where the winner gets the brand new Marvel Haunted Mansion #1 Disney Parks variant cover!
- “What did we just eat?” – A Disney dining review featuring Writer’s Stop Lounge and Crew’s Cup lounge
- “Tom and Nick are Angry About Things”
- An in-depth discussion and historical retrospective on things announced for Walt Disney World (or any Disney Parks), but never built
- And much more!
We hope that you will tune in this Wednesday at 9PM ET for another episode of WDW News Tonight!
If you missed last week’s show, you can watch it here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iGfILYqumI?rel=0]
PHOTOS, VIDEO: Take an Aerial View as Demolition Begins at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Say goodbye to Catastrophe Canyon and the Premier Theater as Disney has wasted no time in starting to clear land for Toy Story Land and the 14-acre Star Wars themed land at Hollywood Studios. We are happy to give you this exclusive, bird’s eye glance at the now closed backlot area and the work that has already been done:
As you can see, most of the Premier Theater has been leveled already
Catastrophe Canyon is GONE
The Earfful Tower still stands, but ground is being broken next door
We also have a video flyover to share with you as well:
VIDEO: Meet “The Big Friendly Giant” In The International Trailer For “The BFG”
A new international trailer for “The BFG” has been released and in it we get our first look at Giant Country and the giants that inhabit it, including The Big Friendly Giant himself!
The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle. Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams. Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows, but Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome. Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.
“The BFG” opens July 1st.
Source: Entertainment One UK
PHOTOS, VIDEO: Aerial View of Construction Progress on Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Animal Kingdom
It has been quite a while since we looked at the construction of Pandora: The World of AVATAR from the skies above Animal Kingdom, so with that being said, we are taking another exclusive look from above today:
The floating mountains and vines are looking more and more realistic every day
Props still being loaded into the massive theater for the flying Banshee simulator attraction
Towards the back of the land, you can see the military hangar which will house the main dining establishment for Pandora: The World of AVATAR
The multiple layers of mountain facade on the show building provide depth for the land’s massive backdrop
LArge masses of exposed steel still remain at the base of the mountains
We also have a video taken from the air to share with you as well:
Menu Revealed for Tiffins & Nomad Lounge at Animal Kingdom, Opens Memorial Day
Tiffins, the newest restaurant in the Discovery Island area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, opens Memorial Day weekend, and the Disney chefs have been hard at work to create inventive dishes inspired by the world travels of the park’s creators.
From the familiar to something new, the menu offers something for everyone – from a berbere-spiced lamb chop to a New York strip steak or beef short rib with potatoes. Starters include a Lobster-Popcorn Thai Curry Soup with Basil and Peanuts (Asia/Africa) to marinated grilled octopus (Europe). Sustainable seasonal fish crudo (South America) and a salad of roasted baby beets and goat cheese with walnut granola and a sun-dried cherry vinaigrette Discovery Island (North America) round out international creations.
Entrées include Berber-Spiced Lamb Chop with Mustard Greens, Lentil Stew and Mint Chutney (Africa); Berkshire Pork Tenderloin with Huitlacoche Tamale, Hominy Succotash and Red Mole Sauce (South America); Miso-glazed Black Cod with Forbidden Rice in Steamed Bok Choy with Turmeric Sauce (Asia), and Grilled Head-on Shrimp with Tomatoes, Roasted Fennel, Olives and Sea Urchin Butter Sauce (Europe). For vegetarians, the Roasted Market Vegetable Curry with Quinoa, Zucchini and Lime Chutney brings a taste of Asia.
Beverages focus on Africa, Asia and South America, including handcrafted cocktails and beers. Non-alcoholic beverages include exotic-fruit- flavored lemonades, Asian and African premium loose-leaf teas and coffee beans from Columbia, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Tanzania.
“With a focus on South American and South African wines, the beverage program is very special – we don’t have another one like it at Disney,” said Master Sommelier Brian Koziol, Food & Beverage Concept and Development director for Disney Parks & Resorts. “The program will focus on environmentality: producers that focus on sustainability, organic wines, and bio-dynamic viticulture,” he explained. “Environmentality is a core value at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and this beverage program is a great way to share that with our guests.”
With 55 seats inside, and 46 seats in a covered outdoor area, Nomad Lounge offers a half- dozen small bites such as a vegetarian summer roll, a seared Wagyu beef skewer, honey-glazed coriander-spiced pork ribs, Indian butter-chicken wings, seasonal fish balls with shishito peppers and house-made head cheese and chicken liver pate with chutney.
Like Tiffins, the lounge offers handcrafted cocktails with African, Asian and South American flavors, imported beers and a South American and South African wine list. Non-alcoholic beverages include exotic-fruit- flavored lemonades, Asian and African premium loose-leaf teas and coffee beans from Columbia, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Tanzania.
BREAKING: Rivers of Light & Nighttime Offerings at Animal Kingdom Delayed
Well, I’ll be the first to admit we were wrong (maybe I should claim April Fool’s joke on it), but it seems Disney admitted it first…
With the expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we’re excited to give Guests even more opportunities to celebrate the magic of animals and nature as day turns into night. While we’d hoped to debut these offerings on April 22, unfortunately, they will not open as planned on that date as we give the team more time to bring these innovative experiences to life in a way we know will exceed our guests’ expectations.
We’ll share more information about timing by mid- to late May.
So, in short, Disney will not even share a start date until mid-to-late-May. Basically, the show is WAY behind schedule.
To tide you over until the new nighttime offerings are actually running, Disney did share this video of the Tree of Life testing out its new nighttime lighting effects: