BREAKING: Hall of Presidents Reopens at Magic Kingdom December 19th featuring Donald Trump Speaking

Following a year-long transformation, The Hall of Presidents will officially reopen at Magic Kingdom Park on Tuesday, December 19, with enhancements that will bring the story of the American presidency to life as never before. The epic theatrical production was envisioned by Walt Disney himself to honor the country by honoring the presidents of the United States.

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This endeavor began with a single animated figure of President Abraham Lincoln that was developed for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. In 1971, advances in technology made it possible for Imagineers to make Walt Disney’s vision a reality by including every chief executive who ever served the United States of America.

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The history of innovation at The Hall of Presidents continues to this day. In addition to updating the show’s content, Imagineers have incorporated the latest in theatrical design and Audio-Animatronics technology. Landmark moments in history come alive on a panoramic 180-degree screen that transports guests across more than 200 years of the American story. High-impact projection, sound, lighting and other enhancements take guests into rare and indelible moments in history that helped define a nation.

As has been the tradition with every new president since the attraction debuted, an Audio-Animatronics figure of President Donald J. Trump has been added to the show and features the latest advances in technology that enable smoother and more lifelike movements. President Trump personally recorded remarks exclusively for The Hall of Presidents, just as each sitting president has done for the attraction since the early 1990s.

Rich in innovative storytelling and tradition, The Hall of Presidents carries a legacy and passion for American history that has been part of Disney Parks for more than 50 years.

PHOTOS, VIDEO, REVIEW: The Hall of Presidents Returns, Now Featuring Donald Trump

The Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom reopened today after a lengthy refurbishment. This refurbishment adds in Donald Trump as the current president who delivers a speaking role, but also a redeveloped story and script as well as an upgraded lighting, projection, and sound package. Entering the rotunda yields new exhibits explaining Walt Disney’s vision for a presidents show and his passion for Abraham Lincoln, as well as a cabinet with original busts used for the development of the attraction. These new exhibits are a fantastic addition, one that will please fans of the parks and Walt’s legacy.

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Entering the theater you witness the first major change: there are spikes along the stage. We imagine these are to prevent people from trying to get on the stage, very forward thinking.

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The projection system was upgraded as well as the sound, making for a fully engulfing video that literally stretches across the entire theater. Similar to before, we follow the presidency from the early days through major shakeups in the world and government.

Abraham Lincoln still stands and speaks, however this animatronic appears refurbished and very fluid. While Lincoln’s voice has changed, his Gettysburg Address remains the same.

The new montage includes a scene with Barack Obama, which leads into the screens rising and revealing all 45 American presidents. The Obama figure has been moved to stand next to Clinton, behind Bush.

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The Donald Trump animatronic takes center stage after the other presidents are introduced, similar to the past incarnations of the attraction. He delivers the passage for being sworn into office and then presents a very neutral speech about the legacy of the American Dream and the presidency.

Overall, the attraction continues the positive message of the American Dream while not taking any political sides. This is how we anticipated the attraction to come back, and it’s refreshing to see the final product be just as inspiring as past incarnations. Regardless of your political standing, the show up to the presidents reveal is simply an amazing awe-inspiring presentation. The show reminds us that we’re American, regardless of our struggles.

“Actually, if you could see close in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them and up my spine is growing this red, white and blue stripe.”
-Walt Disney

Two New MagicBand 2 Colors Debut at Walt Disney World

Two new MagicBand 2 colors will soon be joining the recently released solid-color black MagicBand.

The first new color is brown, and will debut as a background for a new design featuring the Seven Dwarfs from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” All seven dwarfs (Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy) will be on the MagicBand along with diamonds they dug from their mine.

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This new MagicBand design retails for $22.99 and went on sale on December 18th.

The second new color is a solid-color millennial pink and is being described as “the fashion-forward, trendy shade of pink that continues to grow in popularity.” This delicate, softer pink MagicBand is a great compliment to the popular rose-gold Minnie Ears.

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Debuting on January 8th, the solid-color millennial pink MagicBand will retail for $12.99.

Smash Mouth, Rick Springfield Amongst the New Performers at the 2018 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

The 2018 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival will feature seven new and 17 total artists for the Garden Rocks concert series.

This is the 25th year of the Garden Rocks series and will feature rock, pop, country, R&B and dance artists from the 1960s through the 2000s.

Popular acts in the upcoming lineup include Smash Mouth, Rick Springfield, Lonestar, Village People, and STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas.

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Here’s the full lineup for the 2018 Garden Rocks series (subject to change without notice):

  • March 2-5: Night Ranger “Sister Christian”
  • March 9-12: STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
  • March 16-19: Simple Plan “Welcome to My Life”
  • March 23-26: Little River Band “Reminiscing”
  • March 30-April 2: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman”
  • April 6-7: Foghat (NEW!) “Slow Ride”
  • April 8-9: Survivor (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “Eye of the Tiger”
  • April 13-14: Smash Mouth (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “All Star”
  • April 15-16: Rick Springfield (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “Jessie’s Girl”
  • April 20-21: Jo Dee Messina (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “Stand by Me”
  • April 22-23: Lonestar (NEW!) “Amazed”
  • April 27-30: Blood, Sweat and Tears featuring Bo Bice “Spinning Wheel”
  • May 4-7: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry VIII I Am”
  • May 11-12: Village People “Y.M.C.A.”
  • May 13-14: Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles (NEW!) “Hotel California”
  • May 18-21: The Guess Who “American Woman”
  • May 25-28: The Spinners “Working My Way Back to You”

Performances begin at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. and are located at America Gardens Theatre every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.

All concerts are included with Epcot admission.

PHOTOS: Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout Ride Disney Parks Exclusive Funko Pop Vinyl Released

UPDATE: These are now available on ShopDisney.com as well!

Guests at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts can now pick up another Disney Parks exclusive POP Vinyl figure from Funko…

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Inspired by the golden statue of the Collector outside of his fortress at Disney California Adventure’s Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout, the figure was apparently released in September, but is now available again.

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The figure can be found at the exit of the attraction and retails for $19.99.

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Surprisingly enough, guests at Walt Disney World can find the figure as well at select locations at Disney Springs.

New and Returning Entertainment Plays World Showcase During the Epcot International Festival of the Arts

In addition to all the artful offerings scheduled for the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, guests can enjoy some new and returning live entertainment during the event and beyond.

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Matboukha Groove – With a name that means “cooked,” this returning act spices up the promenade with a unique and entertaining fusion of World Music styles. Catch Matboukha Groove’s Epcot encore at the Morocco stage January 1st through July 1st, 2018.

Groovin’ Alps – Grab your lederhosen and get ready to dance along with this high-energy German percussion band. This brand-new group brings the sounds of the mountains to Epcot with Bavarian folk tunes played on items found on a dairy farm. Find Groovin’ Alps in Germany from January 10th through March 27th, 2018.

Bodh’aktan – Returning to once again rock Canada’s Mill Stage with the fun of kilts, jeans, sweat and beards, Bodh’aktan mixes Quebecois, folk, and polka to make fantastic rock and dance music. Join the party January 12th through the 28th, 2018!

Disneyland Paris Unveils Plans for Festival of Pirates and Princesses

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Today, Disney has released some concept art for the new seasonal event, ‘The Festival of Pirates and Princesses’.

The images were released alongside more information on what guests can look forward to in the new year:

The Festival of Pirates and Princesses at Disneyland® Paris from 31 March to 31 May 2018. 

All fairy tales start with the words “Once upon a time”. How the rest unfolds is up to Disneyland® Paris guests; this spring, guests can choose their side—Pirates or Princesses! Guests can experience shows and attractions, meet Disney Characters, have their faces painted, get dressed up and enjoy a variety of entertainment at Disneyland Park. This will help them create their very own adventure story, with them starring as the hero. They can choose to be one or decide to be both – that’s the real magic of Disneyland Paris! Our brand-new “Festival of Pirates and Princesses” season is one of the highlights of the 25th Anniversary celebrations that are coming to a close in September 2018.

PARTICIPATE IN A BRAND-NEW INTERACTIVE SHOW: DISNEY PIRATE OR PRINCESS: MAKE YOUR CHOICE!

Disney Pirate or Princess: Make your Choice! is the latest novelty coming to Disneyland Paris in spring 2018 and it involves more than 85 performers. Show director Christophe Leclercq has created a wholly interactive and unrestricted show: “This is the first time we have ever immersed our guests so fully in an outdoor show. They decide on their team and they experience a different story depending on the choice they make.”

The two worlds will merge several times a day. Setting off from opposite ends of the Parade route, both the Pirates float and Disney Princesses float stop halfway and immerse guests in a musical celebration. Then, the floats will head to Central Plaza where they’ll come together for a mammoth spectacle of guest interaction.

On the blossoming, spring-colour Princesses float, guests will see the heroes of our childhood, like Cinderella and Belle, as well more recent favourites, like Rapunzel. Christophe says, “There will be nine Disney Princesses in total, as well as Moana—and they will be joined by none other than Mickey Mouse!” They will be surrounded by a troupe of dancers in costumes bursting with flowers and other natural sculptures and will be celebrating the Fantasyland® world, where dreams come true.

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On the Pirate side, a huge galleon will sail down Main Street, U.S.A.®, as though it were on the ocean’s peaceful waves. Captain Hook and Mr Smee will be on-board, up against Peter Pan and Wendy… as well as Minnie Mouse in her best buccaneer outfit! “New Characters also join this crew, including the hero from Disney Junior’s Jake and the Never Land Pirates, who will sail by on the hull of his ship!”. An acrobatic crew of pirates can be seen leaping from one mast to another or up into the air, making this spring cruise a joyful, musical adventure celebrating the spirit of Adventureland®.

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Next, it is on to Central Plaza, in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, where everyone converges. Guests are then invited to choose a side and take part in one of the two routines, Pirates or Princesses, along with their favourite Disney Characters, all to the same playful melody, paying homage to Disneyland® Park, which is the only place where the two worlds can be enjoyed in unison! “And because the brand-new show will be on a couple of times every day, nothing is stopping you from coming back and switching sides later in the day! Both adventures have a little something everyone!” Christophe adds.

EXPERIENCE A SPRING DEVOTED TO PIRATES AND PRINCESSES THAT ALSO EXTENDS OUR 25THANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Pirates and Princesses were not forgotten in Disneyland® Paris’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, which are still in full swing until September 2018. Every day, Disney Stars on Parade, created especially for the 25th Anniversary, transports guests into Disney tales, exploring unique worlds with Peter Pan, Disney Princesses and Princes and a multitude of other Disney Characters. The captivating night-time show Disney Illuminations transforms Sleeping Beauty Castle into a screen that’s beyond your wildest dreams, where the stories of The Little Mermaid and even Frozen come to life. For the first time, sequences from live action films such as Pirates of the Caribbean are also included. Guests can witness an extraordinary sea battle, including cannon shots fired by Jack Sparrow’s legendary Black Pearl. In fact, Jack Sparrow has even joined the adventure in Adventureland’s must-see Pirates of the Caribbean, along with Captain Barbossa and a crew of new pirates.

This spring is also the perfect opportunity to rediscover classic attractions such as Le Pays des Contes de FéesBlanche-Neige et les Sept Nains and Peter Pan’s Flight.

EXPLOREDISNEYLAND® PARK: THE BEST PLACE TO BECOME A PRINCESS OR PIRATE

Our younger guests who dream of looking like their favourite heroes can find costumes in a number of shops throughout Disney Parks all year long. Le Coffre du Capitaine (Adventureland®) is the ideal hideout for those who want to become the perfect pirate, while La Chaumière des Sept Nains (Fantasyland®) crowns anyone who wants to be a real princess! Exclusively at Disneyland® Hotel, guests can become a Princess for a Day1 and undergo a fairy-tale transformation! Face-painting stands2, which are loved by guests, can be found throughout Disneyland Park and provide the ideal opportunity to have your face painted in some of the most fantastic artistic creations. Pirate or princess: make your choice!

Disneyland Paris Merchandise teams have also developed an entirely new range of products related to this festival.

A host of Disney characters will be around for photographs3 with all the pirates and princesses at their meeting point at Pirates’ Beach, among others, near Captain Hook’s galleon, or in the Princess Pavilion, a magical location saved for the greatest Disney heroines where guests can experience delightfully enchanting encounters.

ENJOY A FEAST FOR YOUR TASTE BUDS AS WELL AS YOUR EYES

Finally, foodies have the opportunity to dine at Cinderella’s royal table, which is decorated for a princess, in Auberge de Cendrillon3 (Cinderella’s Royal Inn), or head to Captain Jack’s – Restaurant des Pirates3, home to pirates on the lookout for exotic cuisine, in a Caribbean beach-tavern setting.

Pirate or Princess: you can choose to be one or decide to be both. That is the real magic of Disneyland Paris!

Fireworks, parades, certain shows and festivals are on selected dates and are subject to weather conditions and changes. Attractions, entertainment, shows, shops and restaurants may be closed, modified, delayed or cancelled without prior notice. For any additional information, please contact us.

1A charge applies. Upon reservation (limited times & places). Several packages available.

2Not suitable for children aged under 3. A charge applies.

3Available all year long.

See the Parks Programme for schedules and frequencies

Will you be picking the side of a princess or a pirate? Let us know in the comments!

New Concept Art Released for Updated Tokyo Disneyland Entrance

Disney has just released concept art for the new entrance for Tokyo Disneyland, set to be ready for guests by 2020.

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This seems to be a major style change from the current entrance, matching the architecture of the park after the gate. The changes will also add additional turnstiles. Work is set to begin on the new entrance in Spring 2018.

What do you think of the changes? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

VIDEO: SpectacuLAB Debuts in Barren Wasteland of Innoventions at Epcot

The new SpectacuLAB show recently debuted inside of (what’s left of) Innoventions in Future World at Epcot, right across the way from the Colortopia exhibit. Check out a full recording of the show below:

SpectacuLAB is saved by a pretty interesting final third of the show, but otherwise is a fairly boring and poorly put together offering. The seating arrangement is terrible as well, with a seemingly endless number of even rows in the space, making it near impossible for anyone not in a middle-aisle seat to see any of it. Well, at least kids can sit on the floor, so they may end up taking something away from this thing.

SpectacuLAB is now performing daily at Epcot, but Innoventions is slated for demolition in the not-too-distant future.

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

Guests can now find D-Tech on Demand phone cases for the iPhone X at Walt Disney World. We found the following at the Marketplace Co-Op at Disney Springs. The cases cost $29.99, $34.99 if a guest chooses to have them personalized.

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World
iPhone X now shows up as an option in the kiosks. Sadly, not a ton of designs are online yet, but it shouldn’t be long until they are just as plentiful as all of the others. Here’s a look at everything available as of this evening:

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

PHOTOS: iPhone X D-Tech on Demand Phone Cases Now Available at Walt Disney World

 

More designs should be on the way soon. D-Tech on Demand at the Magic Kingdom is the only other locations with the iPhone X cases currently.