New Experiences for Star Wars Day at Sea

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

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Last year was a first for Disney Cruise Line as the Inaugural Star Wars Day at Sea sailed off into another galaxy. The event returned this past January and will be back again in 2018 on select sailings. Here is a look at some of the new offerings you can expect to find on a voyage to a galaxy far, far away.

  • Expanded Nighttime Spectacular: The spectacular deck show, “Summon the Force,” celebrates the 40 Force-filled years of Star Wars featuring new iconic characters: Kylo Ren, Ezra, and Sabine! The deck show is bursting with John Williams’ epic score, now including music from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

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  • “Star Wars Rebels” Appearances: The “Star Wars Rebels” characters Sabine and Ezra, along with Ahsoka Tano, have taken a break from fighting the Empire to visit you in an all-new base location. You can find out what the rebellion is up to with showings of “Star Wars Rebels” season three on the upper deck’s Funnel Vision. Then the duel continues with the deadly Jedi hunter, the Seventh Sister joining the Dark Lord himself in “Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple.”
  • Special Guest Speakers: Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Star Wars saga with a special lineup of guest speakers sharing what it’s like to bring the galaxy to life on screen. This year’s speakers include: Hannah Gills, producer for Industrial Light & Magic; Pablo Hidalgo, creative executive for Lucasfilm Story Group and Jason McGatlin, executive producer for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” among others, on select sailings.

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  • Out-of-this-galaxy Merchandise: Only on Star Wars Day at Sea, can you find exclusive intergalactic merchandise aboard the DCL; only on select sailings, and features pins, drinkware, apparel and more.
  • Stellar Screenings: Experience the first of Star Wars standalone films and the latest installment in the Star Wars universe: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” at sea.

Be ready to “use the force” and prepare for an intergalactic mission as you fight the Empire across the sea of galaxies (or fight the rebel scum, if you’re on that side) on Star Wars Day at Sea. Star Wars Day at Sea will take pace on select sailings on the Disney Fantasy from January until April of 2018.

PHOTOS: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Expanding Bus Loop for Pandora – The World of AVATAR

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

We are just a few weeks away from the opening of Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, and now the park is getting the finishing touches ready for the large influx of guests they are expecting.

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From the parking lot, you will notice a batch of new trees going up just behind Pandora.

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Given time, the trees should grow in and block the view of the massive show buildings for the land’s two attractions.

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Meanwhile, it appears as though a third bus loop will be added shortly, adding more bus stops for Disney Transportation, as well as another structure to hide the backstage area from the view of guests.

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The new loop will be the closest to the park, just north of the two existing terminals.

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Guests will enter and exit from this space, fairly close to the security checkpoint of the park.

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Luckily, these do not take very long to construct, so it should be functional long before May 27th and the opening of Pandora.

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We also have a short video of the construction, as well as the latest progress on Pandora, and the first piece of AVATAR merchandise released at Walt Disney World:

MARVEL Super Hero Summer Event Announced for Hong Kong Disneyland

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

To celebrate the recent opening of the Iron Man Experience, Hong Kong Disneyland will celebrate MARVEL Super Heroes all Summer starting this June.

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MARVEL Super Hero Summer will feature encounters with Captain America and Spider-Man, as well as a brand new walkthrough experience set exclusively in Hong Kong to immerse guests in the MARVEL Universe. An array of MARVEL merchandise and food and beverage will also be offered throughout the park.

A “Tron” Reboot With Jared Leto Starring Is In The Works by Disney

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

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“Tron 3” may be officially dead, but now news is coming out that a complete “Tron” reboot is in the works that would star Jared Leto (“Suicide Squad”).

According to The Hollywood Reporter:

The studio is in the very early stages of development for a new Tron movie, with Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto circling to star, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.No writer has been hired at this exploratory stage, and no filmmaker is involved. Justin Springer, who co-produced Tron: Legacy and exec produced the Tom Cruise sci-fi movie Oblivion, will produce. Leto and and his producing partner Emma Ludbrook would also be involved in some producing capacity if the project moves forward.

Tron was the 1982 Disney movie set in the fantastic world inside a computer program, a cyberspace called the Grid. Starring Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner, the film wasn’t a hit at the time but was influential with its envelope-pushing special effects and drew a cult following in the years after due to its imaginative story.

In 2010, Disney revisited the world with Tron: Legacy, which starred Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde and brought back Bridges. Joseph Kosinski directed. The expensive movie made $400 million worldwide, good enough to warrant interesting in a sequel.

But it’s been a series of shutdowns and restarts for a sequel and just as it seemed it was heading towards pre-production, the studio pulled the plug for good in 2015.

Sources say this new project is not a direct sequel and is being built out of the source code of the deleted Tron 3 script. Leto would play a character named Ares, who has not appeared on screen before but was a key player in that script.

At this stage it’s too early to tell if Kosinski or actors from Tron: Legacy will return.

It’s too early to tell, but I dont like this idea. There are many fans of “Tron Legacy”, including myself, and we wanted the story to continue with a proper sequel. It doesn’t make sense to create a new character and base the story around him and not the characters and their stories that we have grown to appreciate. I know Jared Leto won an Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal in “Dallas Buyers Club” but I saw him recently in “Suicide Squad” and in my book, he is the worst Joker we have ever seen. Hopefully Disney knows what they are doing. We’ll have to wait and see.

Source: THR

VIDEO: Sneak Peek at Navi River Journey in Pandora: World of Avatar

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

The latest post by the Visit Pandora twitter feed, an account created to promote the upcoming land at Animal Kingdom, recently posted a brand new clip showing us some more footage of the Navi River Journey Attraction. The clip is about 9 seconds long, but is slow and gives us a good look at what to expect. The footage below is longer than what the TV spot previously has shown us.

Stay tuned for more Avatar updates in the weeks to come as the grand opening will be approaching. Pandora: World of Avatar will open May 27th, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

CONFIRMED: La Nouba Will Have Its Final Performance on December 31st, 2017

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

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The La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil show has been entertaining Disney Springs guests for 19 years since 1998. The show is, unfortunately, coming to a close this year. The final performance will take place on December 31st, 2017.

With ten months to take in a show, you still have plenty of time to be mesmerized by the artistry of the talented La Nouba team. For additional details, including current offers, or to purchase tickets, click here or call 407-939-7600.

“We are incredibly proud of the success that La Nouba has had for nearly two decades,” said Jerry Nadal, Senior Vice President of the Resident Shows Division for Cirque du Soleil. “We want to thank Walt Disney World Resort for a wonderful relationship over the years. We look forward to announcing what’s next for Cirque du Soleil.”

Disney and Cirque du Soleil will soon have news to share about new entertainment coming to Disney Springs, so stay tuned for future updates.

One Week Left for Tangled Lantern Photo-Op at Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

Disney Photo Pass has recently been testing out some new props to use in some photo opportunities that add a bit more ‘pixie-dust’ magic into the frame.

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Disney has tested this out near Rapunzel’s tower in Magic Kingdom with a new prop, a magic glowing lantern that that looks like one from the movie. As the prop lights up, the photo-op will only be out starting at dusk and can be found near the Tangled restroom area at Magic Kingdom. This new limited-time engagement will be available to guests until March 15th, 2017.

First Official Photo Of Emily Blunt As Mary Poppins In “Mary Poppins Returns”

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

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Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) returns to the Banks home after many years and uses her magical skills to help the now grown up Michael and Jane rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives in MARY POPPINS RETURNS, directed by Rob Marshall.

Here is the first glimpse of Golden Globe® winner Emily Blunt (above) as Mary Poppins in “Mary Poppins Returns,” the all new sequel to Disney’s 1964 film “Mary Poppins.”

Directed and produced by Rob Marshall, “Mary Poppins Returns” also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer and Julie Walters with Colin Firth and Meryl Streep. The film, which introduces three new Banks children, played by Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh and newcomer Joel Dawson, also features Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury. The film is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in PL Travers’ additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Whishaw) and Jane (Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children and their housekeeper, Ellen (Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Streep). The film is produced by Marshall, John DeLuca and Marc Platt.  The screenplay is by David Magee based on The Mary Poppins Stories by PL Travers with Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman writing all new songs and Shaiman composing an original score.

PHOTOS: Disney Parks Introduces New Neverland Merchandise Collection Featuring Peter Pan

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

Peter Pan’s Flight is one of the most beloved attractions in the history of the Disney theme parks. It seems odd that the parks have never really had their own full line of merchandise dedicated to these classic characters. Well now they do…

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The Never Land – Think Happy Thoughts collection is now available at the Disneyland Resort and should soon also be flying into Walt Disney World Resort stores. There is no word as of yet if the items will be available through the Shop Disney Parks app, but items of a similar nature usually do.

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The collection consists of a number of housewares, mostly made of ceramic.

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This normal-style coffee mug retails for $14.99.

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The bottom or back of each item has the logo for the collection.

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Another mug features Big Ben and the children and Peter flying off to Never Land. Retail $17.99.

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The coolest piece has to be this ornate picture frame. Retail $27.99.

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This next piece appears to be a vase. Retail $16.99.

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Decorative kitchen napkins say “Take Me to Never Land”. Retail $5.99 each.

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There are also these reversible placemats. Retail $12.99 each.

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 So, what do you think of this new collection?

WDWNT.com Celebrates 50 Years of Pirates of the Caribbean with a Week of Special Events & More!

WDWNT on March 6, 2017

This month, perhaps the most-beloved and historically important theme park attraction of all-time is celebrating a “kraken-sized” anniversary, so WDWNT.com will be going “overboard” with a celebration to be treasured (that may or may not end with us burning down a town while drinking)…

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WDWNT.com is “Celebrating 50 Years of Sacking the Spanish Main” aboard The Pirates off the Caribbean ride at Disney Parks with an entire week of special content, merchandise, and more!

Back to the Future LIVE!: The History of Pirates of the Caribbean – Monday, March 13th at 9PM

Streaming live on YouTube, catch the next edition of WDWNT’s beloved history show Back to the Future, as we delve into over 5 decades of rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves across 5 Disney Parks (and several films). This multimedia experience will include rare imagery, thoughtful insights, and more on perhaps the greatest theme park adventure of all time!

 

LIVE from Disneyland – A Celebration of Pirates of the Caribbean’s 50th Anniversary – Saturday, March 18th

Join Tom Corless and Jason Diffendal LIVE from Disneyland Park as they celebrate the ride’s anniversary from the park where it all started. Live streams of the ride and more will take place on all WDWNT social media accounts, and we invite you to come out and join us if you will be visiting the Disneyland Resort that day.

 

Limited Release T-Shirt on TeePublic.com

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WDWNT.com is proud to present the work of artist Rob Yeo for our next limited release t-shirt to mark this very special occasion. The shirt is available now through March 26th, 2017 at TeePublic.com and then it will return to Davy Jones’ Locker. Various colors and styles (and even a print you can hang up) are for sale now with proceeds supporting WDWNT.com and the artist behind this great design! Find it here!

Special Features

A number of special feature articles will appear on WDWNT.com to celebrate the legacy and your memories of the Pirates of the Caribbean!