VIDEO: Disney Releases The “Shiny” Sequence From “Moana”
Disney has released the full musical sequence of “Shiny” from “Moana”. “Shiny” is performed by Jermaine Clement and written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Source: Disney VEVO
PHOTO REPORT: Epcot 12/21/16 (Holidays Around the World, New Merchandise, Gingerbread Carousel, Etc.)
Our latest photo report brings us to Epcot for a look at Holidays Around the World, new merchandise, and more. Let’s hop right in and see what’s new and exciting around the park.
The holiday season marches on at Epcot, along with the ever-popular Holidays Around the World celebrations.
A number of pins celebrating the 25th anniversary of beauty and the Beast were recently released.
A selection of fairly neat pins were also released for Holidays Around the World.
I’m not sure why, but some of the pins have the “WDW” icon you will find on transportations systems around the resort, namely the Railroad at the Magic Kingdom.
A holiday Eaches Vinylmation was released featuring Donald Duck and Snowman Donald Duck.
A new series of kid’s shirts allows little girls to dress as their favorite Princess… kind of…
A strange, futuristic tree adorns the entrance to the Art of Disney at Epcot.
This awesome piece of Hatbox Ghost art is for sale inside.
And suddenly all of the Disneyland locals got offended…
Topiaries adorn the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.
There is now a Le Cellier Tervis for sale in the Canada shops.
Canadian guests can get 150th anniversary buttons at the store upon request, either in English or in French.
Some new, Disney made sports shirts for sale in the Canada pavilion.
The Land pavilion is decorated for the holidays.
They kind of went a little overboard with the decorations inside of the Living with the Land attraction, but it is a nice touch.
Brilliant decorations can be found all around World Showcase.
A former backstage area in the Mitsukoshi store was converted into shopping space for the holiday season.
The space is being used for toys and models.
This Marie is part of a new series of plush with oversized features.
This great Epcot snow globe featuring World Showcase is now available.
A similar artwork style appears on the new World Showcase ornament this year.
It lights up, which is pretty neat.
Several of the Agent P World Showcase Adventure kiosks have closed, leaving just the bridge between World Showcase and Future World for a sign-up location.
The holiday tag has returned to IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth for the season. We have a video of the tag for you to enjoy below:
Christmas at the Beach Club
The gingerbread carousel has returned to Disney’s Beach Club Resort and it looks as delicious as ever.
PHOTOS: Annual Passholder Exclusive Entrance Lines Now Open at Walt Disney World
The Passholder-only entrance lines debuted today at Walt Disney World, allowing annual passholders to take advantage of express entry into the theme parks during the busiest time of year.
Signage directs passholders to their exclusive entrance.
Signage over the Annual Passholder entrance at the Magic Kingdom.
Our thanks to WDWNT’s own Jesse DeRosa for the pics.
WDWNT: Nerd Alert – The “Rogue One” Roundtable Is Now Available For Download
Join hosts Joe Hogarty, Ron D’Anna, Jack McCarthy and special guests Ferdra Ekres and Eric Lancy as they share their thoughts on “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”!
This special episode is now available for download through WDW News Today: Original Programing and iTunes!
Unreleased Peter Pan ‘Disney Infinity 3.0’ Figure Sold for Over $900
It looks like the unreleased Peter Pan figure for Disney Infinity 3.0 was closer to mass production than most thought.
Just a few weeks ago, a pre-release production figure of Peter Pan was sold on eBay for $995! The seller’s description reads:
Final Stage Production Sample, new in the box, received from a former Disney Infinity Employee.
Part of a very limited production run to ensure final quality standards before mass manufacture.
Please note, because the content patch for this character was never released, this figure will not work when placed on the Disney Infinity base.
It appears that the figure was just about ready for market, and a handful of these figures are probably still out in the wild. Of course, as noted in the above description, the figure won’t work in the game, because like many 3.0 figures, it would require a update to support it. The bottom left of the box even has a tag that notes a update is needed in order to use the figure.
For a more in-depth look at the figure, check out the latest video from YouTuber Infiniteer Adventures.
https://https://youtu.be/Ot_JJJawYlo
It is sad to see a figure that was so highly anticipated and close to mass production was canceled. Especially when the Finding Dory and Alice Through the Looking Glass content was still released even after cancellation.
BREAKING: Disney Removing Large Cups from Counter Service Locations, But Why?
In a strange turn of events, several counter service locations at Walt Disney World recently removed large drink cups from their menus.
A large drink cup I acquired at Pecos Bill’s just a month ago, now gone from the menu.
The confirmed locations so far include Sleepy Hollow Refreshments, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Casey’s Corner, Westward Ho, and Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, all located at the Magic Kingdom.
Now, many counter service locations at other parks do not have large cups because the establishments feature self-serve soda fountains where guests are able to get refills on their own. The Electric Umbrella, Sunshine Seasons, Restaurantosaurus, and Backlot Express are examples of these types of counter service locations. Almost all counter service locations at resorts have these self-serve fountains as well, most sporting the Rapid Fill technology which limited the time and amount of refills the cups can be used for.
We have been unable to confirm why this is happening and if the trend will continue, but there are several possibilities here. The first is that Disney is trying to up-sell guests on souvenir cups. Westward Ho and Pecos Bill’s offer a fairly large souvenir cup shared like a jug, but even the souvenir mugs at Casey’s Corner and Cosmic Ray’s are much smaller than a large fountain beverage. That being said, Sleepy Hollow does not currently sell a souvenir cup.
From my personal collection: as you can see, the Country Bears jug is quite large, but the other souvenir cups are considerably smaller.
The second is that it is a cost cutting measure since most locations don’t even need to stock the large cups since they use a self-serve drink fountain. In addition, guests could be ordering just one large fountain drink for $3.69 and sharing it rather than buying one drink for each guest in their party. Disney could make a lot more money at $3.29 a drink if everyone in the group buys one.
With the busy holiday crowds, it could also be a way of streamlining service at some of the resort’s busiest eateries.
For those hoping self serve fountains or Coke Freestyle machines will be added, I wouldn’t hold your breath. Most of the locations mentioned above are far to small for either of these things to be installed.
Whatever the reason, we will have to keep our eyes peeled to see if the large cups return to these locations or begin to vanish from more around Walt Disney World.
CONFIRMED: Remember… Dreams Come True Fireworks Will Return to Disneyland
As we told you last week, the beloved fireworks spectacular “Remember… Dreams Come True” will be returning to Disneyland Park.
Initially presented as the evening highlight of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland Resort in 2005, “Remember… Dreams Come True” features Tinker Bell’s flight, brilliant fireworks, soaring music, dazzling special effects and an amazing journey through the various lands of Disneyland with archival audio tracks, favorite songs and familiar phrases from some of the park’s most popular attractions, past and present. From the flame effects erupting from Sleeping Beauty Castle during the Indiana Jones Adventure sequence, to the feeling of being in a virtual stretching room as fireworks launch straight into the sky to welcome the Haunted Mansion’s “Grim, Grinning Ghosts,” Remember is sure to please any fan of the park.
You’ll have a chance to relive all those moments and more, when “Remember… Dreams Come True” once again begins regular weekend performances on Feb. 3.
Broadway Performance Line-Up Announced for Epcot Festival of the Arts
When the Epcot International Festival of the Arts begins January 13, you’ll find performing arts celebrating all styles and genres of music – with the Disney twist – all around Epcot.
Disney Theatrical Productions will bring an exciting new showcase of music and Broadway talent to the America Gardens Theatre stage. Throughout the six weekends of the festival, different pairings of Broadway artists will perform songs from some of Disney on Broadway’s award winning shows.
Here is the lineup for this brand new series:
Jan. 13-16 and 20-23: Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland performing songs from: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid
Jan. 27-30 and Feb. 3-6: Kerry Butler and Kevin Massey performing songs from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Tarzan, Newsies and Aladdin
Feb. 10-13 and 17-20: Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White performing songs from Disney’s The Lion King, Aida, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid
Performances will be 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday through Monday of each festival weekend.
Future World Plaza will also be filled with a variety of other visual and live performances including Epcot Living Statues, performances by Central Florida high schools and acclaimed university and college talent appearing through a partnership with Disney Performing Arts. Plus, Epcot’s American Music Machine will perform on the Future World Fountain Stage.
The festival runs Fridays through Mondays from Jan. 13 – Feb. 20.
Carrie Fisher Suffers A Massive Heart Attack On Flight From London To LA; Status Uncertain
UPDATE: Carrie Fisher’s brother has told the AP that Carrie is out of emergency and is in stabilized condition at an LA hospital.
Actress Carrie Fisher had a massive heart attack on a flight from London to LAX.
According to TMZ:
Our sources say Carrie was on a flight from London to LAX when she went into cardiac arrest. People on board were administering CPR.
We’re told the emergency occurred 15 minutes before the plane landed in L.A. A flight attendant asked if there were any medical personnel on board and an EMT who was sitting in the back of the plane came up to first class and administered life-saving measures.
The plane landed just after noon in L.A. and paramedics rushed her to a nearby hospital.
Fisher, who became famous, of course, as Princess Leia from ‘Star Wars,’ has been on a book tour.
Source: TMZ
BREAKING: Disney Legend Charlie Ridgeway Has Passed Away
We are sad to have learned that Disney Legend Charlie Ridgeway has passed away.
Here is Charlie’s official Disney Legend bio:
Journalist-turned-publicist Charlie Ridgway didn’t consider himself a salesman when he joined Disneyland’s publicity office in 1963. He did, however, know what made good news and, as a result, ably promoted Disney theme parks by assisting with the planning and logistics of more than 150 major press events. Among the most memorable moments of his career, Charlie recalled a 1964 dinner hosted by Walt Disney at Disneyland for the United States Olympic Team. It was attended by press and celebrities alike, including comedian Bob Hope.
According to Charlie, “We had a stage set up and Walt made a short speech and got a lot of good laughs. Then he sat down, and Bob Hope walked up to the microphone, when one of the whistles on the nearby train went ‘toot, toot.’ Hope didn’t miss a beat and said, ‘Walt, your waffles are ready.’ He brought the whole house down.”
Born July 20, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois, Charlie graduated from high school in Shelbina, Missouri, in 1941. Shortly thereafter, during World War II, he enlisted with the United States Army and served in the field artillery unit of the 13th Armored Division.
After the war, Charlie earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and, in 1947, began his career writing and editing news for radio and newspapers. Early jobs included WDZ in Tuscola, Illinois; WERC in Erie, Pennsylvania; and the Erie Dispatch. In 1952, he moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the staff of the Los Angeles Mirror-News, followed by the Long Beach Press Telegram in 1962.
Even before he was hired as a cast member, Charlie promoted Disneyland as a news reporter. During 1954-55, while the Park was under construction, he authored some of the first articles about Disneyland to appear in any of the major metropolitan newspapers. He also covered Disneyland’s grand opening celebration on July 17, 1955. Eight years later, he joined the Park’s publicity staff.
He once said, “Disneyland was the one public relations job I thought I would enjoy, and I was right. And my radio and newspaper background helped me to understand what the reporters needed and how best to work with them.”
As a result, Charlie was promoted to Disneyland’s publicity supervisor in 1966. In 1969 he was bumped up to publicity manager and, later, director of press and publicity for the then under construction Walt Disney World. He helped launch the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971 and Epcot Center in 1982. He also helped launch Disneyland Paris in 1992, as well as special projects for celebrations such as Donald Duck’s 50th birthday.After more than 30 years with Disney, Charlie Ridgway retired in 1994. He would go on to consult on special projects, including the launch of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Disney Cruise Line. He published his memoir, “Spinning Disney’s World,” in 2007.