Yesterday, a new exhibit opened in the Production Gallery at the Magic of Disney Animation in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The new exhibit celebrates art from the upcoming PIXAR film Inside Out:
A panoramic view of the exhibit
Marquette statues and artwork make up the exhibit
There is for sure a theme park with a castle in Riley’s mind…
PIXAR clearly tried to delve into what places and ideas exist to a child… and there’s apparently some corporate synergy with this one…
There also might be a roller coaster through Riley’s mind…
The exhibit is now open, so go check it out while you wait for the release of Inside Out this June!
For a limited time, a sneak peek of “Tomorrowland” will be presented with special in-theater effects at the Imagination Pavilion theater at Epcot and the Tomorrowland Theater at Disneyland park, current and former homes to the Magic Eye Theater and the Captain EO attraction starring Michael Jackson. At Disneyland, you will also be able to discover an exhibit inspired by the movie, featuring production artwork and props used in the “Tomorrowland” film.
Captain EO closed at Disneyland last year and the now-renamed Tomorrowland Theater has hosted sneak peeks for Guardians of the Galaxy and Big Hero 6 since then, meanwhile Captain EO has never returned as promised. It will be interesting to see if it ever does and if the April closure of Captain EO at Epcot is the final curtain for the 1986 classic in Florida. Only time will tell…
The Disney Parks-exclusive “Tomorrowland” sneak peek begins in mid-April at Epcot and Disneyland park. “Tomorrowland” opens in theaters on May 22, 2015.
We have a special treat for you today! Our own Nick LoCicero flew high over the construction site for Pandora: The Land of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom earlier today and he has some video and photos from his trip to share with us! First up, a video fly-over which will give you a really good look at the site and how big it is compared to the rest of the park:
The DINOSAUR show building is huge, but it appears to be about the same size as the structures rising in Pandora, albeit the AVATAR buildings will be much taller
You can clearly make out the theaters for the Banshee ride now, but it is unclear if the structure next door is related to that ride or the boat attraction
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club has announced additional special member events in the Orlando area, adding even more exclusive experiences for fans in Central Florida. Hot on the heels of a D23 Member-exclusive screening of Walt Disney Studios’ live-action Cinderella, the fan club is slated to bring more magic to the Walt Disney World Resort area throughout the rest of 2015, including—for the first time—intimate events celebrating classic Disney films similar to what members enjoy at The Walt Disney Studios lot with guest speakers, screenings, and other surprises.
WAKING UP WITH SLEEPING BEAUTY: On the morning of Saturday, April 18, D23 Gold and Silver Members will be able to enjoy this animated classic on the big screen. Special guest, animator and Walt Disney World Creative Designer Lon Smart, will explore the film’s numerous landmark achievements including its unique artistic style and groundbreaking visual effects. Plus, all members will receive a special journal designed to look like the ornate storybook at the beginning of the film.
LET’S GET TOGETHER WITH THE PARENT TRAP: Celebrate this beloved film—starring Hayley Mills in dual roles—with D23 as we present the 1961 hit on the big screen Saturday, June 6. D23’s Steven Vagnini will present a look at the making of the movie with rarely seen photographs and imagery. All attendees will receive a special gift. Plus, guests who attend the screening will receive priority admission on that day to D23’s shopping event with Mickey’s of Glendale.
MICKEY’S OF GLENDALE ORLANDO SHOPPING EVENTS: The Walt Disney Imagineering store is opening up a pop-up shop for D23 Gold and Silver Members. On Saturday, June 6, guests will be able to peruse and purchase signature items from the store’s unique collection. And on Saturday, November 14, members will be able to pick up some key holiday gift items for the Disney fans in their lives—and for themselves.
SIP AND STROLL: D23 brings a new twist to a fan favorite, as members gather in celebration of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, October 3. Attendees will enjoy a continental breakfast, guest speakers, and an insider look at this annual event, now in its 20th year, before sipping and strolling around World Showcase—with some delectable surprises.
Calendar (all events and dates are subject to change):
April 18: Waking Up with Sleeping Beauty—AMC Downtown Disney 24, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
June 6: Let’s Get Together With The Parent Trap—AMC Downtown Disney 24, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
June 6: Mickey’s of Glendale Orlando Shopping Event—Location TBA, Walt Disney World Resort
October 3: Sip and Stroll—Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort, Fla.
November 14: Mickey’s of Glendale Orlando Shopping Event—Location TBA, Walt Disney World Resort
Are you ready for Grogmageddon? I hope Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is ready for tomorrow…
Disney officially announced today that Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto will soft open on March 28th, but no souvenir mugs will be available until the official opening in late-April. With the amount of anticipation there is for the opening of this bar and restaurant, one would assume tomorrow is bound to be interesting for the rather small location that seats under 50 guests inside and 82 on the patio.
The drink list will include some favorites from the original location in the Disneyland Hotel, but also 5 new signiature drinks that will eventually have a souvenir mug you can take home:
Only at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto:
Polynesian Pearl
Nautilus
Castaway Crush
Tahitian Torch
Dark & Tropical Stormy
Favorites imported from Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar:
Krakatoa Punch
Uh-Oa!
HippopotoMai-Tai
Shrunken Zombie Head
And there are Sam’s No-Booze Brews:
Schweitzer Fal
Skipper Sipper
Polynesian Punch
There will also be a selection of small plates for guests to enjoy.
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto did in fact hold a soft opening this weekend and WDWNT was on the scene to check out the bar and lounge amidst the insanity of the first weekend:
Welcome to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto
Inspirations from the Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fill the unique bar
An octopus and a clam look on as the bartender prepares a Nautilus
Here’s a look at the menu
Every so often, one of these drinks will come out as a black pearl
Here’s a look at the food
The pearl drink cups come out of the oyster
A look at some of the souvenir mugs
The Nautilus bowl is pretty amazing
T-shirts and Hawaiian shirts for sale at Bou-Tiki
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto is open daily from 4PM until midnight. We’ll share more photos, videos, and a review later this week, so stay tuned!
Production Weekly has revealed that the actual title of the sequel to “TRON: Legacy” will be called “TRON: Ascension.” Production will take place in Vancouver and film for 5 months starting in October 2015 and ending in February 2016.
Last week Hugh Jackman hinted that after his portrayal of Wolverine in “X-Men: Apocalypse,” his next Wolverine film would be his last Wolverine film.
James Mangold, who directed “The Wolverine,” basically confirmed that the next Wolverine will be the last time we see Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
I for one am going to miss Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. He has done an excellent job ever since he started playing the character back in 2000. He’s been playing Wolverine for 15 years? Wow! I think with each movie, he has gotten better portraying the character and you know that he has loads of respect for the character. Will miss him very much and hope that the last Wolverine movie will be “Old Man Logan.”
Come on Disney and Marvel, make friends with Fox like you did with Sony for Spider-Man. Fox is not going to be able to make a decent adaption of “Old Man Logan” without the assistance of Disney/Marvel loaning out some of their major characters to Fox. This movie can not be done without the Hulk. Period. End of sentence.
First Image Of Ryan Reynolds As “Deadpool”
And It looks great! I was beyond shocked when if first saw this image because one thing about Fox in regards to their Marvel super heroes, they dont like giving them costumes, well, definitely not those that mirror the comic book. Thank you Fox, or whoever made this choice, to go with something authenitc for a change. Hey Disney/Marvel, Captain America can still use some help with his costume.
Character Posters Revealed For Marvel’s “Daredevil” Netflix Series
Matt Murdock/ Daredevil:
Karen Page:
Foggy Nelson:
Claire Temple:
Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk:
Blinded as a young boy but imbued with extraordinary senses, Matt Murdock fights against injustice by day as a lawyer, and by night as the Super Hero ‘Daredevil’ in modern day Hell’s Kitchen, New York City.
Marvel’s “Daredevil” premiers on Netflix on April 10th.
New Featurette Highlighting “Quicksilver” And “Scarlet Witch” From “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”
Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson introduce you to Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch in a new featurette for Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron”!
Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
WDWNT’s Newest Program “Nerd Alert” Debuts April 2nd At 10PM
It’s finally here! We have been working on this for a while, but now we have our first episode of “WDWNT: Nerd Alert” in the can and it will air this Thursday night at 10 PM which can be heard on WDWNT: On The Air. Our first episode will immediately follow “WDWNT: The Radio Show,” which will air from 8-10 PM.
I will host the show along with Patrick Hackett and Ron D’Anna. With Disney purchasing Marvel Entertainment in 2009, and then purchasing Star Wars and Lucasfilm in 2013, we realized that without a doubt we have a ton of subjects to talk about regarding those two franchises. Marvel and Star Wars will be our main focus but we also mention any important news made by DC/Warner Brothers and other comic book and sci-fi related production companies.
In our first episode, we will discuss in our news segment:
The latest “Avengers: Age Of Ultron” TV spot.
The Russo Brothers signing on to direct “Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 and 2.
Star Wars Battlefront coming to next gen platforms and leaving old gen behind.
Our first Topic Of The Week will be “Our Top Ten Superhero Movies Of All Time.”
Finally our last segment will consist of us reading and answering listener emails.
Patrick, Ron and I hope you will join us this Thursday for the very first episode of “WDWNT: Nerd Alert!”
When Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar opened at the Disneyland Hotel in 2011, Walt Disney World regulars immediately were clamoring for the amazing concept to make its way to Florida. Tiki bars are certainly not the most unusual thing in the world anymore, but throw in some Disney magic and nods to some of the greatest theme park attractions of all-time and you have something really special.
Some of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on the menu are transplanted from the California location, but many are unique, and (for the most part) the appetizer menu offered is completely exclusive to the Florida hot spot.
The patio menu (which was much easier to photo in sunlight than the indoor menu under black-light)
If you plan on visiting Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto anytime soon, be advised hours are subject to change as it is in a soft-opening phase now until late April. The official operating hours are 4PM-12AM midnight. These hours are indeed shorter than the west coast counterpart, but the food menu is slightly more limited here and you do not have access to the counter service menu of the nearby establishment like Tangaroa Terrace at the Disneyland Hotel. With the popularity of the bar so far (resulting in multi-hour waits to get inside), I find it hard to believe that these hours will not expand at a later date. Also, children are not allowed inside after 8PM. Right now, the bar is using a pager system and inviting guests to enjoy the same full menu outside on the Tiki Terrace patio which features live music and (soon) a view overlooking the pool area.
The HippopotoMai-Tai
Besides the interior ambiance, the main draw of Trader Sam’s is a series of limited-run collector cups that started with the opening of the Disneyland location in 2011. Many of the original mug designs from Disneyland have already been retired or updated, making the originals quite desirable. Despite Disney claims that the souvenir cups would not be available during this soft opening period, most of them actually are. New souvenir mugs include the Polynesian Pearl, the HippopotoMai-Tai, and Rum Flight.
The Rum Flight
Additional special souvenir glasses just for Grog Grotto are coming, but for now you can acquire some of the Disneyland glasses and bowls as well. The Nautilus drink can be ordered now as well, but they do not have any of the submarine-shaped bowls for purchase just yet.
Sure, getting a Disney-themed souvenir mug is cool and all, but what really makes ordering a drink here an experience is the special effects that take place when certain beverages are offered. While Disneyland has just 4 triggered effects in the bar and lounge, Grog Grotto at the Polynesian currently has 6:
The appetizer menu is a bit small and it would be nice to have some more variety or larger dishes, but whatever plates we did try, we generally enjoyed.
The corn-battered sausage was really great
Pork tacos were solid, but the tortilla was a little bland
Pan-fried dumplings were also excellent
Headhunter Sushi Roll, pricey but spectacular. The sauce really makes it.
Hawaiin Poke was perfect: the tuna and all of the accompaniments were spectacular, my favorite dish
I would like to see the menu here expanded a little, even though you can always go to the bar upstairs and get wings and such, or even next door to get a counter service meal at Captain Cook’s. We continually ordered drinks, but there just wasn’t enough variety or large enough meals to satisfy everyone’s  hunger. Bar food can be great and a lot of the lounges at WDW do a fantastic job putting together small plates that can equal a sizable meal. The focus here is certainly on the drink menu, but I think it’s crazy to not develop a bigger dining menu when you have 130 seats between the Grog Grotto and the Tiki Terrace. Captain Cook’s and the other restaurants here are overwhelmed all of the time, so making this another valid option to guests, even if they just want to eat on the patio, would be great.
I’m really nit-picking about the menu size because everything else was fantastic. The servers are doing a fantastic job for being only 3 days into this (considering the nightmares I’ve had on first nights at new WDW restaurants), the drinks are spectacular, and the ambiance in unmatched. Yes, it is a bar, but it is a great gem for the Polynesian Village.
While many lament the loss of the original lobby, the resort is looking brand new and has only bolstered their already fantastic line-up with Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. This resort is a special place and they built a really special place inside of it with not much real estate to work with. Trader Sam’s has remained ever-popular over the last 4 years at the Disneyland Hotel because it doesn’t age. It is so well done, so perfectly executed that people keep coming back, just like Pirates of the Caribbean or the Haunted Mansion. It surely will have a long and prosperous run at Walt Disney World as there isn’t anything like it anywhere on property or off.
Even if the wait is a little long, it will be worth it. I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t have a wonderful time in here, even if you don’t enjoy bars or drinking. It’s just a very pleasant place to hang out, enjoy a beverage and a bite, and soak in some memories from attractions long-gone or much loved.
Something BIG is coming to Epcot, and it will be here sooner than you think. Former Imagineer and now Disney consultant Jerry Rees recently updated his website bio to the following:
Jerry has Directed a record-setting 16 trans-media Disney Theme Park attractions in Anaheim, California; Orlando, Florida, Hong Kong and Paris, France. His projects span multiple formats, such as Showscan, Hi-Res Digital and in-theater illusions, and include the show “Cinemagique”which won a THEA Award for Best Attraction. His recent creation, “Animation Magic” which plays aboard Disney’s new cruise ships, won a THEA Award for “most innovative use of technology”. His 17th attraction is slated to open at EPCOT in 2016.
Meanwhile, on his resume…
“Mystery Attraction” / EPCOT -Next-gen larger-than-life interactive spectacle. Premiere planned for late 2015 or early 2016.
And then there’s these…
When I spoke to Jerry in late-2013 for a book project, he was actually just a few days away from leaving for Florida to work on the project. While he wouldn’t say too much about it, he claimed it was “very ambitious” and that he “couldn’t believe Disney is willing to invest in something like this”, leading us to believe the project is something the likes of which we have never seen before.
Nothing links this story to the Frozen attraction opening next spring (so you can rule that out and deem that this is a separate project), but there are two possible scenarios for what this attraction might be:
With Innoventions West closing at the end of the month, this could be the replacement for that attraction space; or Innoventions West could become the new Festival Center so Disney could put a new attraction in the Wonders of Life pavilion building.
Rees could be working on a brand new nighttime show for the park to replace IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
Based on Rees description of the attraction as a “Next-gen larger-than-life interactive spectacle”, this sounds more like a nighttime show than an attraction, but it really could still be an attraction as opposed to entertainment. We just don’t know enough at this time and there aren’t any very strong rumors out there for what Disney might be up to.
Regardless, it is nice to see that Epcot will not be forgotten in all of the expansions of the other three WDW theme parks, with now a Frozen ride, Frozen meet and greet pavilion, and this “larger-than-life” mystery attraction” on the way by next year. Now if Disney would only tell us what it is…
