By Courtney Potter
Celebrate Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure This January
Don’t want those New Year’s celebrations to end on January 2? Fret not: Disneyland Resort’s got you covered in a magical way! Lunar New Year, traditionally celebrated within Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures, commemorates the moment when both the sun and the moon begin their journey for another year… and it’s coming back to Disney California Adventure park (DCA). This year’s festivities—expanding to 17 days—will feature amazing food, live performances, themed décor, limited-time merchandise, and all kinds of fun activities!
DCA’s Lunar New Year Celebration will culminate each night, before World of Color, in a new six-minute pre-show called “Hurry Home”—presented in water, animation, and special effects on Paradise Bay. This adorable story follows a Little Lantern on its journey home to join its Lantern family in celebrating Lunar New Year; featuring animated appearances by Mulan and Mushu in several “dream sequences” (inspired by traditional Chinese paper cut-out style animation), the pre-show also includes a score highlighted by an original arrangement of the music created for the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort by Academy Award®-winning composer Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). But that’s not all! Guests will also find three new Asian marketplaces offering themed foods; Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mulan, and Mushu all dressed in their Lunar New Year best; and memorable entertainment (including a troupe of Chinese acrobats) throughout the park’s Paradise Garden area.
The fun begins Friday, January 20, and runs through Sunday, February 5. See you there!
Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:
| D23 and Walt Disney Archives January 14, 2017 The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour—Presented by D23 January 19, 2017 D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience: The Magic of Disney Park Maps July 14-16, 2017 D23 Expo 2017 Studios December 16, 2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters February 16, 18 and 22, 2017 Newsies in select movie theaters March 17, 2017 Beauty and the Beast opens in theaters May 26, 2017 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales opens in theaters |
Parks November 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29; December 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World Resort November 10–January 8, 2017 Holidays at the Disneyland Resort November 11–January 8, 2017 Holidays at Disney Springs January 20, 2017 Main Street Electrical Parade returns to Disneyland park January 20–February 5, 2017 Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure park August 31-November 13, 2017 Epcot Food & Wine Festival Television December 1-25, 2016 Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas December 25, 2016 The Disney Parks’ Magical Christmas Celebration, 9–11 a.m. on ABC January 15, 2017 Mickey and the Roadster Racers Premieres at 9 and 9:25 a.m. ET on Disney Channel and Disney Junior February 26, 2017 The Oscars® are broadcast on ABC |
Disney Gets Golden with Golden Globe Nominations
Can it be that we’re already heading into “awards season”? It sure can! Earlier this week, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominees for their 74th Annual Golden Globe® Awards, which will be presented on January 8, 2017. Disney and ABC (represented by films, TV series, and actors) were among the fantastic nominees in eight different categories:
Best Animated Film
Moana
Zootopia
Best Original Song—Motion Picture
“How Far I’ll Go”—Moana (Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda)
Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy
black-ish
Best Television Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
American Crime
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series—Musical or Comedy
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series—Musical or Comedy
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
American Crime
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Felicity Huffman, American Crime
For a full list of the nominees, check out the Golden Globes website—and mark your calendars for the January 8 telecast, hosted by the suitably hilarious Jimmy Fallon.
Disney Wonder Welcomes The Princess and the Frog-Inspired Restaurant
Disney Cruise Line is known for its amazing, elaborately themed, totally delicious restaurants… and its newest offering on the Disney Wonder is no exception. Tiana’s Place, a brand-new dining experience aboard the recently transformed ship, combines fabulous live music, a New Orleans-style street party, ridiculously tasty food (can you say “warm beignets”?), and all the fun you can expect from a restaurant inspired by Disney’s 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog.
Take a gander at Tiana’s Place in this new video—featuring a member of the Disney Parks Moms Panel as she interviews Daniel Cowan, DCL Hotel Director, about what makes dining aboard the Wonder (and the rest of the fleet) so special.