With less than 10 days until the ‘Happily Ever After’ Nighttime Spectacular debuts at the Magic Kingdom, Disney is trying to advertise for the show and hype people up as much as possible. Today, Disney has given us another look into this amazing show coming to the park. In today’s video, Imagineers show us how they prepared for this one of a kind show. Here is that video below from The Disney Parks Blog:
Happily Ever After debuts at the Magic Kingdom on May 12th.
Beginning May 12th at Disney’s California Adventure Park inside of the Bug’s Life Theater, and beginning May 26th at Disney’s Hollywood Studios inside of One Man’s Dream, Lightning McQueen will be making a pitstop to showcase a special preview of the upcoming movie Cars 3. Artwork and maquettes from the production will also be on display.
Cars 3 will be racing into theaters across America beginning June 16th, 2017.
Not As Great As The Original…. But Still Has A Lot To Love
When the first Guardians Of The Galaxy came out, it surprised critics, fans and movie goers alike. The Guardians Of The Galaxy were a B-list, maybe even a C-list group of superheroes that no one had ever heard of. Well, most people hadn’t heard of them, but even those comic book fans that did wondered if Marvel was scraping the bottom of the barrel. Marvel was on a roll with their movies and I feared that bringing the Guardians Of The Galaxy to the movie-going public was going to really hurt their track record, because who would want to go see a movie where two of their major characters were a raccoon with a gun and a talking tree that said three words. Was I ever wrong! Guardians Of the Galaxy ended up being my favorite Marvel movie, even beating such movies as “Iron Man” and “Avengers” in my eyes. And it still is my favorite till this day for me.
With both critical and financial success, the sequel to Guardians was given the green light and is now the 15th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). So, is it better than the first one and is it a good or bad sequel? As far as comparing it to the first one, Guardians 2 is not as good as the original but it is a good, sometimes even a great, sequel.
The film starts off where we see an absolutely amazing looking de-aged Kurt Russell romancing Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) mother back in the 70’s. Forget about anything you had seen before showcasing a de-aged actor because we now have an absolute winner here. It is flawless and perfect. We then fast forward to current day, somewhere in deep space, where The Guardians are now working as a team and hired by an alien race to destroy a giant tentacle creature. It doesn’t take long until The Guardians are being pursued by enemies, and along the way, they are aided by Star Lord’s dad. Star Lord and his father spend time together, bonding and making up for lost time. Then at some point, the Guardians have to come together with allies and enemies to overcome an ultimate evil entity that is hell bent on destroying the Universe and starting all over again in the name of perfection.
I really don’t want to go any further than that because I feel any more might ruin the movie. There are a ton of significant events that take place, and a lot of them are shocking to say the least. But if you are a fan of the first movie, you definitely need to see this one because so many things happen that affect the team as a whole and it is a worthy follow up.
I was kind of worried with early reviews I had seen because it seemed as though the sequel was not getting the love that the first Guardians had received. After seeing the movie, I can understand why some critics had problems with it. Part of the problem is that the team is split up for most of the film. Star Lord (Chris Pratt) is with his dad, Ego (Kurt Russell). Gamora (Zoe Saldana) is with her sister Nebuala (Karen Gillan), Rocket (Voiced by Bradley Cooper) is with Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) and Yondu (Michael Rooker) and Drax (Dave Bautista) is with a new character, Mantis (Pom Klementeiff). What worked so well with the first movie is for the most part the Guardians were all together and they played off each other very well. But at times, it feels that in Guardians 2 that they are ping ponging form one story-line to another. Don’t get me wrong, those story-lines are still good, and each character still plays of very well with each other, but I think it would have worked better if there were less parings. It also does seem at times that the Star Lord and his dad story-line seems to drag and it can get a bit trippy at times. The movie also makes it way too obvious that the overall theme is “family”, to the point where you are thinking, “OK, I get it already.” The original was able to attract not only comic book fans, but also struck a chord with your average movie goer. I don’t know if that will happen this time.
Now with the bad out of the way, I’m happy to say that the good so outweighs the bad in this movie. One thing that James Gunn and the cast were able to accomplish from the first movie is that they made us all genuinely care about each character. That is amazing considering that they are nowhere near as popular as the likes of Iron Man, Captain America and Spider-Man. We loved the Guardians as a team, but we also loved them as individual characters too. DC tried that with Suicide Squad and they failed miserably. That movie lacked chemistry between the group and Guardians is the complete opposite. Every single character has amazing chemistry with each other. And let’s face it, these actors make us believe they are not just actors up there on the big screen. To me, Chris Pratt was Chris Pratt in Jurassic World, but he is Star Lord in Guardians 2. You don’t see ex-wrestler, Dave Bautista, you just see Drax. And Rocket and Baby Groot aren’t CGI, they are real. Everyone does an excellent job convincing us they are who they are playing.
One thing I that I really appreciated about this movie is that it was not more of the same thing that many sequels are guilty of. It really does feel like a comic book more so than a movie. This is the next chapter in their adventure and this is issue number two. And if you are a comic book fan, you really are going to love it. The worlds that were imagined and created here are beautiful and it is really hard to distinguish anything being obvious CGI. I can tell that Rocket looks more realistic in this movie and it’s something they really didn’t have to work on but they did. And the whole world is going to fall in love with Baby Groot! And again, whatever team was responsible for creating the most realistic de-aging process I have ever seen for a young Kurt Russell really needs to be applauded for their accomplishments. The comedy in this movie is even better than the first movie and there will be many times in which you will find yourself laughing outside loud. I would have to say that Drax is the funniest, followed very closely by Rocket and Baby Groot. And all of the jokes hit, nothing is cringe worthy at all and the humor provides you with genuine laughs. Like I had mentioned before, there is a lot of shocking things that happen in this movie, where you did not see them coming.
The soundtrack and use of songs in this movie is not as good as those found in the original Guardians movie. There are definitely some standouts like “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO and “Brandy, You’re A Fine Girl” by Looking Glass. But some of the other songs I had never heard of, and that is rare for me. One of my favorite scenes from the first Guardians was during the opening credits in which Star Lord dances to Redbones’ “Come And Get Your Love”, and although hard to believe, I really feel they topped that this time. I won’t spoil it, but I look forward to seeing that scene over and over again and I am sure you will too!
Director James Gunn does another great job bringing incredible and beautiful worlds to life, providing us with another well done mix-tape for the movie, getting the best out of his actors and making us really feel for the characters we have come to love. But I feel he was a bit overambitious at times by throwing so many things at us and having so many characters and story-lines in the movie. There may be one or two characters that weren’t needed, like Sylvester Stallone’s character who seemed out of place. Sometimes less is more. Overall, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is a great follow up to one of the best Marvel movies ever made and it is a lot of fun.
And before I forget, remember to stay for all 5 after credit scenes. Yes, there are 5 of them, but for the most part, they are all worth it and some are very revealing. I do wish that they would just show them in quick succession instead of spacing them out all throughout the end credits. So if you want to see the very last scene, you have to wait until the last credit roles. It was a good one, but also feel it was something we had kind of seen during the movie too.
This morning, a new meet and greet experience debuted at Disney’s Hollywood Studios featuring Star Lord and Baby Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which of course also opened today in theaters.
The meet and greet is located inside Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream, replacing what was the Moana meet and greet experience.
The queue remains small, and just features some star projections over big galaxy images that cover the walls.
The meet and greet experience itself is pretty neat, featuring Star Lord and a living-character version of Baby Groot that can actually interact with guests.
See the pair in action in our video:
The experience is now open daily from open to close hours for the One Man’s Dream attraction and will remain through the 2017 holiday season.
Disney released a new Limited Release Princess Leia and R2-D2 MagicBand 2 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios today for May the 4th (otherwise known as Star Wars Day).
Thankfully for those of us not in Orlando or not willing to brave the crowds at the park today, it is also available on DisneyStore.com. The retail price is $27.99.
Welcome to another edition of Tom’s Top 7, a continuing countdown of my favorite (and occasionally, least favorite) things at the Disney Parks around the globe. Why seven? Brakes, brakes… WHERE ARE THE BRAKES?!?
As we celebrate Disney’s Hollywood Studios Appreciation Week here at WDWNT.com, I couldn’t help but get swept up in nostalgia for the park of old, the days of the Disney-MGM Studios, and a theme park that doubled as a working production center. With that being said, I decided to take a look back at my personal most-missed-list of things you can no longer find at Walt Disney World’s third theme park. Here are my Top 7 Things I Miss At Disney’s Hollywood Studios…
1. Who Wants to be a Millionaire – Play It! (2001-2006)
Eventually replaced by PIXAR Place and Toy Story Mania, Who Wants to be a Millionaire -Play It! fit the Studios well. It brought the world’s hottest game show to the parks and allowed guests a viable shot of being in the “hot seat”, and even if they didn’t make it there, they could play along in the studio audience.
2. The Earffel Tower (1989-2016)
One of and arguably the most famous park icon of the Disney-MGM Studios was the Earfful Tower. The 130-foot tower was located in the Studio Backlot Tour backstage area of the park. Originally sporting the Disney-MGM Studios logo, it was altered to reflect the park’s name change in 2008. The Earffel Tower was reinstated as the park’s icon for a bit after the removal of the Sorcerer’s Hat in 2015, but it would be short lived. The tower was removed on April 29, 2016 to facilitate the construction of the park’s Toy Story Land. Its condition and whereabouts are unknown.
3. Disney-PIXAR Block Party Bash (2008-2011)
Replaced by the dreaded (and thankfully defunct) PIXAR Pals Countdown to Fun, this parade with lengthy show stops was a good change of pace for the park. While the floats rolled out down Hollywood Boulevard, unlike normal parades, they stopped for a full show containing interactive segments, dancing, gymnastics, and eventually, an explosive ending that launched logo Nerf balls into the crowd (which made for fun, free souvenir). I know not everyone loved this, but I thought it was a really good offering. Did it fit the park very well? No. Was it fun? Absolutely.
4. Star Wars Weekends (1997-2015)
While overall there were things I didn’t like about it (insane lines to get autographs, merchandise, and park overcrowding), I can’t deny that I have some amazing memories of Star Wars Weekends. Offered periodically at first, the event became an annual tradition in the mid-2000’s and a reason for many Star Wars fans to book a trip to Walt Disney World every Spring. Some of the highlights for me were the Celebrity Motorcade, A Conversation with Mark Hamill in 2014, and the Stormtrooper pre-shows (luckily, all of which I filmed and can share with you below).
Almost deserving of its own spot on this list was the Hyperspace Hoopla, where Star Wars stars danced-off against each other in a theme park comedy masterpiece. Lucasfilm mandated the show be removed after the 2013 event, and has since also eliminated any Disney characters in Star Wars character clothing.
5. Studio Backlot Tour (1989-2014)
An opening day attraction, the Studio Backlot Tour was a half-day experience that slowly was cut away to about a half an hour over 25 years. While I lament the loss of the original tour, I didn’t care much for the final version of the attraction. That being said, my final ride was an emotional one, saying goodbye to the trams, Catastrophe Canyon, the special effects tank, Walt’s airplane, and more of the remaining shell of what once made for a memorable experience. Without Residential Street and actual production to see, it wasn’t much of anything, but it was the last vestige of the “working studio theme park”.
6. Star Tours (1989-2010)
I love Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, but the original Star Tours will always hold a very special place in my heart. While it was incredibly dated by the end of its run, it was undoubtedly a classic that changed theme parks forever. I owe this attraction my Star Wars fandom as I actually rode this ride before I had ever seen a Star Wars movie. I loved the attraction so much that my dad took me to Blockbuster when we got home from vacation and bought me the VHS boxed set of the original trilogy. Kids, ask your parents what Blockbuster and VHS are.
7. (Yeah, Seven) The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights (1995-2015)
I know this one still looms heavy in the hearts of many, myself included. The Osborne Lights were a staple of the Studios before they ever danced, but once the display moved to Streets of America and was sychirmnoized to music, it became an indelible piece of Walt Disney World history. It was everything the holidays at the parks should be: larger than life, covered in lights, a display of cutting edge technology, all while still being incredibly heartwarming. Will they ever return to Walt Disney World? With the amount of money being left on the table by not offering this, I can’t imagine a Walt Disney World theme park won’t someday host the lights one more time.
Sadly, the display was a victim of where it was. The only thing that made the display possible was a large, mostly underutilized empty street towards the back of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not to defend Disney, but there is nowhere that logistically could make this work today. Disney Springs would be overcrowded as the offering would be made free, no resort hotel has the parking area large enough, and no park currently has a space that could handle it. The only hope I see is a custom built area that is an expansion of a park, otherwise the Osborne lights will likely never return to Disney World.
“Sorry folks, it was my first flight and I’m still getting used to my programming!” – Captain RX-24 (Rex)
While these offering can not be seen anymore at Walt Disney World, an exciting future awaits Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little nostalgia for what was.
What do you think? Which of these was your favorite? Is there something else from the Studios that you miss? Let me know in the comments below.
With less than 10 days until passholder previews begin, and only 23 days till the official grand opening, Pandora: The World of Avatar will be open before you know it!
Disney has given us a new inside look into this upcoming land, which today showcases the Banshee Connect experience. The Banshee Connect allows guests to ‘pick out’ their own banshee for purchase and take home with them. No, it is not a life-size version, or even close to that, but we have the next best thing.
When guests visit this so called ‘rookery’, a Naturalist from Alpha Centauri Expeditions will assist a guest with identifying a favorite banshee from among 10 unique styles. Each interactive banshee includes three ranges of motion – mouth, head, and wings – that are controlled by hand with remote control. Guests will also hear them make authentic banshee sounds provided by Disney’s partners at Lightstorm Entertainment. Guests will determine each banshee’s personality through a combination of hand movements and sounds.
Guests can either display a banshee on their shoulder or cradle them in their arms. A banshee perch will also be available for purchase separately.
You will be able to purchase these banshees in Pandora: The World of Avatar in the Windtraders gift shop when it officially opens May 27th at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Next week, “Wishes” will have its last performance at the Magic Kingdom on the evening of Thursday May 11th and “Happily Ever After” will debut the next night on May 12th. In order to accommodate larger crowd levels expected for the final/first shows, Disney is adding additional viewing areas for fireworks over the next few days.
To accommodate the additional guests, Disney is opening up an a viewing area in the cast member parking lot located next to the Main Street bypass (behind Tomorrowland) on May 6th, 11th, 12th, and 13th. The backstage bypass between Main Street and Adventureland may also be opened to guests if the crowd levels are high enough.
Paddlefish at Disney Springs will be celebrating its first Mother’s Day by offering a new dish just for the special occasion.
For $48 per entree guests dining at Paddlefish on Mother’s Day can try lobster ravioli with fresh Maine lobster, as well as lavender, sage, brown butter, crushed tomatoes, and white asparagus. The dish will have a recommended wine pairing of Textbook chardonnay that will be $15 per glass.
Additionally, any mothers who visit Paddlefish on Mother’s Day will receive a complimentary carnation. For those that need a reminder, Mother’s Day 2017 is on Sunday, May 14.
