Bring the Wonder of Disney Home with Samsung’s The Frame – Disney100 Edition

Flex your fandom 24/7 with Samsung’s limited-time The Frame – Disney100 Edition! The Frame is a TV when it’s on and art when it’s off. Showcase your digital gallery anytime—and with the special Disney100 Edition, that means 100 pieces of art from some of Disney’s greatest stories! Plus, it comes with a commemorative Disney100-themed platinum silver metal bezel; a Mickey Mouse-inspired remote; themed packaging; and a certificate of authenticity. Don’t miss your chance to maximize the magic! The Frame – Disney100 Edition is available while supplies last.

What are you waiting for? The magic doesn’t stop after you finish your next Disney+ marathon… turn your TV into a work of pure Disney art and get Samsung’s The Frame – Disney100 Edition today!

Disney World’s “Once Upon A Wish Party” Celebrates World Princess Week and the 150,000th Disney Wish

Walt Disney World is known for its magic and one of its most enchanting evenings took place last week when the resort held Once Upon A Wish Party—one of the company’s largest-wish granting events ever.

The resort welcomed more than 50 remarkable wish kids and their families, and these honored guests were able to do meet and greets with many Disney princesses, which is a popular wish via Make-A-Wish.

The event was also extra special for Mikayla, the 150,000th Disney wish. Mikayla—a 17-year-old from Palm Beach Gardens who started her battle with cancer three years ago—wished to perform at Disney, and she did so in royal style by singing a few Disney classics, including “Beauty and the Beast” alongside Belle and The Beast.

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, poses for a photo with Mikayla, a 17-year-old Make-A-Wish kid who fulfilled her dream of performing at Walt Disney World Resort.

“Granting wishes is some of the most important work that we do at Disney,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said. “We’re humbled that so many wish kids choose Disney—it’s an honor, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. It tells us what our brand and the Disney experience mean to people.”

The celebration proclaimed wish kids as royalty for the day and had them meet more than 30 Disney princesses and characters. They also had a tea party in Wonderland and danced at a royal ball. Disney Publishing gave out an array of books while shopDisney delivered Disney Princess dresses, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse ear headbands, wands, tiaras, and much more to surprised families.

 

Disney and Make-A-Wish have had a strong bond over the last four decades with Disney being the largest wish granter in the world for Make-A-Wish. In fact, one out of every two wishes granted in the U.S. through Make-A-Wish has been a Disney wish.

Leslie Motter—Make-A-Wish America President and CEO—added that “as the number one wish granter for our organization, Disney is helping deliver joy when it’s needed most.”

“Through their stories and characters, Disney is creating unforgettable wish-granting experiences like Once Upon A Wish Party that allow families the space to create happy new memories together that I know will last a lifetime,” Motter said.

Pocahontas hugs a Make-A-Wish kid at Walt Disney World Resort.

To learn more about our longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish and other recent ways we’ve supported the organization, visit Wish.org/Disney.

Haunted Mansion Grounds Expand, Tiana’s Palace Opening, and More at New Orleans Square

By the D23 Team

New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park has boasted a flurry of updates recently, promising exciting new experiences for guests in the coming year. For instance, Princess Tiana has been expanding her presence at the land with not just a new attraction, but her famous restaurant—Tiana’s Palace—opens its doors at Disneyland in just a few days’ time!

If that wasn’t enough, we’ve just received some sympathetic vibrations… Spirited updates will be materializing at Haunted Mansion very soon—read on to discover what’s in store!

Concept art for the Madame Leota-themed shop. It is a small carriage house beside the Haunted Mansion’s exit, decorated with plants and hanging flowers. The entrances to the store are draped with red curtains.

A Disquieting Metamorphosis
Our friends at Disney Parks Blog just announced that an expanded queue and new shop will be manifesting at Haunted Mansion in 2024. The new outdoor queue will expand on the Mansion’s lore and immerse guests in enhanced theming. Longtime fans of Haunted Mansion are familiar with its ties to a mysterious sea captain—and the new queue will tie into this story, along with tales about Master Gracey, Madame Leota, and the one-eyed cat!

Speaking of Madame Leota… next year, she’ll be having a ball with an all-new store next to the attraction! This carriage house for the Mansion, belonging to Leota, will be a standalone shop sure to summon all you goblins and ghoulies when it opens in ’24.

A close-up of the sign for Tiana’s Palace, written in cursive with unlit lights dotting the letters. The sign is attached to the top of the restaurant, in front of a red brick roof and blue smokestacks topped with crowns.

Almost There
Tiana’s Palace, the reimagined quick service restaurant inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Princess and The Frog, opens September 7! Check out Disney Parks Blog for a first look at the delectable delights the restaurant will be offering—we can’t wait to dig a little deeper into the House-filled Beignet!

A fun fact about this new restaurant: The design of Tiana’s Palace in the film was actually inspired by the French Market Restaurant—the former restaurant in this space in New Orleans Square. In the film, Disney Animation artists added a wheelhouse and two smokestacks to give Tiana’s restaurant an iconic silhouette… so when the time came to bring a real Tiana’s Palace to life at Disneyland, Walt Disney Imagineers made those exact additions, making this a full circle moment!

The logo for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, written in vine-like green text. Below the logo is the light green text “Opening late 2024,” with the Disneyland and Walt Disney World logos below it.

Going Down the Bayou
Fans of The Princess and the Frog and splashy thrills alike have been keeping rapt watch on the progress of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the new attraction set to open in 2024. We’ve been ribbeted—uh, we mean riveted—by the details Disney Parks Blog has been revealing about the highly anticipated attraction. Recently revealed info includes:

  • Mama Odie, along with other familiar faces like Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia, and Prince Ralphie, will be appearing in the attraction
  • PJ Morton and Terrance Blanchard will be collaborating on the attraction’s new music
  • New story details include Tiana growing her business with Tiana’s Foods—an employee-owned cooperative
  • Plus, concept art of a new scene featuring some musical critters!

Stay tuned to Disney Parks Blog and D23.com for more updates on New Orleans Square as they are announced.

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®

By Courtney Potter

Another weekend is upon us, and we’ve got a cavalcade of delights to watch from around the worlds of Disney. The choices really run the gamut—from sci-fi adventure to, shall we say, comedy that’s fit more for the adults of the household… as well as an incredible new 4K restoration of a beloved Disney animated classic, and so much more! So gather up all your favorite snacks, beat the heat, and/or take a break from homework or that next DIY project you’ve got on your list, and enjoy. Read on for what to expect:

In an image from Star Wars: Ahsoka episode 2, from left to right, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) are standing in front of a spacecraft, in which is seated Chopper the droid. Ahsoka’s arms are crossed and she’s looking at something off camera to the right; Hera is looking at Ahsoka. They are both wearing coats as if readying to travel somewhere.

Star Wars: Ahsoka—first two episodes now streaming on Disney+
Unless you’ve been living offworld for the last few months, you know that Star Wars: Ahsoka premiered this week on Disney+! But perhaps you haven’t yet had the chance to check out the incredible action and memorable storytelling… or maybe you just want to watch the first two episodes again before Episode 3 drops next week. Either way, we don’t blame you one bit. Fire up your favorite streaming device and have at it! Set after the fall of the Empire, Ahsoka follows the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. Oh, and do check out our exclusive Q&A with Dawson (held back in May) for more about her experience with the series.

In an image from Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends, from left to right, Gwen Stacey (voiced by Lily Sanfelippo), Spidey/Peter Parker (voiced by Benjamin Valic), and Miles Morales (voiced by Jakari Fraser) are flying through the air, toward the camera; there are tall buildings seen behind them. It is daytime.

Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends—Friday, August 25, at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Disney Channel and 1 p.m. EDT on Disney Junior
The episode’s two stories include: “Hide & Seek,” in which Team Spidey and The Thing (voiced by Andy Milder) must stop Gobby (voiced by JP Karliak) from using invisibility to cause trouble in the city; and “Whale of a Time,” where Team Spidey is faced with keeping Doc Ock’s (voiced by Kelly Ohanian) mechanical whale from disrupting the real whales.

In an image from Hulu’s Vacation Friends 2, from left to right, Emily (Yvonne Orji), Marcus (Lil Rey Howery), Kyla (Meredith Hagner), and Ron (John Cena) are standing in what appears to be the lobby of a tropical hotel. They’re all wearing beach/vacation wear, and have confused looks on their faces. Emily and Kyla are both holding drinks, and Kyla is also holding a removable baby car seat.

Vacation Friends 2—Friday, August 25, on Hulu
Making its Hulu premiere, this new film—recommended for mature audiences only—picks up a few months after the end of 2021’s Vacation Friends… Newly married Marcus (Lil Rey Howery) and Emily (Yvonne Orji) invite their uninhibited BFFs Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner), who are also newly married and now have a baby, to join them on vacation when Marcus lands an all-expenses-paid trip to a Caribbean resort. His reason for traveling there in the first place? To meet with the owners of the resort and bid on a construction contract for a hotel they own in Chicago. But when Kyla’s incarcerated father Reese (Steve Buscemi) is released from San Quentin and shows up at the resort unannounced—at the worst possible moment—things get out of control, upending Marcus’ best laid plans and turning the vacation friends’ perfect trip into total chaos.

In an image from Disney’s 1950 animated classic Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother has just turned Cinderella’s simple dress into a beautiful shimmering ballgown. The Fairy Godmother herself is in her iconic periwinkle dress with a hood and a pink bow at the neck, and she’s holding a wand.

Cinderella in 4K—Friday, August 25, on Disney+
This weekend, as part of World Princess Week and the ongoing Disney100 celebration, Disney+ debuts a stunning new restoration of Walt Disney’s 1950 animated classic Cinderella. The all-new restoration of this beloved film represents the first time it’ll be available to stream in 4K—and it’s also the culmination of a multiyear effort between the Walt Disney Studios Restoration and Preservation team and key players at Walt Disney Animation Studios. The result is a version of the film that’s restored to its original grandeur, authentic to the artistic ambitions of the Studios’ creative team… not to mention looking and sounding better than ever! The restored film had its festival premiere earlier this year at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it won a Golden Bear Award 52 years earlier in its international debut.

In an image from ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud, host Steve Harvey is standing on the brightly lit set, smiling. He’s wearing a brown velvet suit jacket and dark pants.

Celebrity Family Feud—Sunday, August 27, at 9 p.m. EDT on ABC
Hosted by Steve Harvey, the casts of ABC’s The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds—including Jenna Dewan, Richard T. Jones, Niecy Nash-Betts, and Kevin Zegers—play for the EB Medical Research Foundation and the Amazing Grace Conservatory, respectively; and later, actress Lauren Lapkus and friends (playing for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation) and actress June Diane Raphael and team (playing for Oceana) battle it out to see who will win the grand prize.

The Making of Charlotte Tilbury and Disney: A Magical Collaboration Written in the Stars!

Introducing a magical collaboration to celebrate two milestone moments—100 years of Disney and 10 years of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty—featuring Disney100 x Charlotte Tilbury limited-edition collectables, including her iconic, award-winning Magic Cream; sell-out sensation Beauty Light Wands and a NEW Tinker Bell-adorned make-up bag; 10 iconic looks inspired by 10 beloved Disney characters; and so many magical, incredible activations and experiences to commemorate.

For the first-time ever, Walt Disney Animation Studios transformed Charlotte Tilbury into her own Disney character for a one-of-a-kind animated short! Tilbury recalls, “I grew up on the magical tales of Walt Disney, which empower everyone, everywhere that with the magic of confidence your dreams can come true. Now, my dreams have become a reality; working with the incredible Walt Disney Animation Studios team and being transformed into my own Disney animation was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I’m so excited to fulfil my dream of flying above the rooftops of London spreading magic and a dreamy glow to everyone below with my special rose-gold pixie dust that Disney made just for me and this unique collaboration. Darlings, you don’t have to sleep to dream!”

 

The animated short came to life with just one magical trip: Earlier this year, Tilbury visited the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, CA, to meet with director and lead animator Eric Goldberg and special products and 2D animation producer Dorothy McKim. Together, the pair created the vision for Tilbury’s animated character to develop this bespoke short for beauty lovers, Disney fans, and everyone, everywhere. To capture Tilbury’s magnetic, sparkling energy, Disney created their first-ever rose-gold pixie dust just for her—the Queen of Glow herself—as a tribute to her world-famous Beauty Light Wands.

“Bringing Charlotte into the world of animation and having her fly alongside Tinker Bell has been magical,” said McKim. “Charlotte’s enthusiasm and her love of Disney animation, especially Peter Pan, has been infectious for all of us working on the project.”

Discover the Disney100 x Charlotte Tilbury magical collaboration for yourself at charlottetilbury.com, the Charlotte Tilbury App, in Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Wonderlands, and retailers in selected markets.

Check out the full animated short below.

 

Where to Find the Cast of Star Wars: Ahsoka in the Worlds of Disney

By Jocelyn Buhlman

It’s a big universe out there—and we’re not just talking about the Star Wars galaxy! With the critically acclaimed series Ahsoka having made it’s debut on Disney + this week, we’ve been exploring the Disney universe to look for some familiar faces… The cast of Ahsoka are no strangers to the worlds of Disney, whether it be Duckberg or Hell’s Kitchen. We’ve rounded up their Disney repertoire, so you can go “Ohhhh, that’s where I know them from!” and/or plan out your next streaming marathon:

In an image from Disney’s Haunted Mansion, Travis (Chase Dillon) and Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) hug each other, looking at something off-camera in fear. They are standing in a dark, windowed hallway of a mansion.

Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano)
Even with orange skin and prosthetic head-tails, Rosario Dawson is instantly a familiar face for many a Disney fan. Just this year, you may have materialized to a movie theater to see her explore a Haunted Mansion. Perhaps you’re a fan of her character Claire Temple from the Marvel series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders. Of course, most Star Wars fans are already familiar with Dawson from her previous portrayals of Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. She’s also lent her voice to the character of Daria in Elena of Avalor season 2, episodes 15 and 16, and depicted the Greek goddess Persephone in the film adaptation of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Sabine Wren)
As the rebellious Mandalorian Sabine Wren, Natasha makes a colorful entrance into the Star Wars galaxy! However, this isn’t the first time she’s stood out in the worlds of Disney. In The Greatest Showman, Bordizzo portrays Den Yan, an acrobat and blade specialist in P.T. Barnum’s circus.

In an image from the film Sky High, Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) sits a desk in a Sky High classroom, wearing a pink sweater and smiling. Behind her is a window opening out onto the school campus.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Hera Syndulla)
Before she was a general and one of the best pilots in the galaxy as Hera Syndulla, , Mary Elizabeth Winstead was high above the clouds for a very different reason—to learn how to be a super hero! In Sky High, Winstead portrays Gwen Grayson, a popular technopath who captures the heart of Will Stronghold. We don’t want to spoil the film’s fun, so you’ll just have to fly over to Disney+ to see what happens to the pair.

Dewey (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Louie (voiced by Bobby Moynihan, and Huey (voiced by Danny Pudi) lean on a table listening raptly to their uncle, Scrooge McDuck (voiced by David Tennant), while he speaks, in an image from DuckTales.

David Tennant
Returning to Star Wars to voice Huyang, David Tennant’s voice will already be familiar to many. Not just because we’ve heard his work as Huyang in Star Wars: The Clone Wars—but because he’s also the voice of Scrooge McDuck! In the 2017 version of DuckTales, Tennant voices the famously rich fowl as he embarks on adventure with his three mischievous nephews. Additionally, Tennant’s voice work can be heard as Igor the Door in season 4, episode 20 of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and as the voice of Oscar’s brain in Fish Hooks.

Tennant also takes a more menacing turn as Kilgrave in Jessica Jones, depicting a terrifying villain with mind control powers that only Jones herself can resist.

Lars Mikkelson
Lars Mikkelson might not look familiar to Ahsoka viewers, but his voice might ring a bell! While he’s portraying Grand Admiral Thrawn in live action for the first time, he’s previously voiced the chilling Chiss on the animated series Star Wars: Rebels.

Diana Lee Inosanto
Most of us are already familiar with Diana Lee Inosanto, who originated her character Morgan Elsbeth in season 2 of The Mandalorian. It was during this season that we learned of Morgan Elsbeth’s alleged alliance with Thrawn and her very apparent feud with Ahsoka. That’s not the only reason she’s familiar, though! Disney XD aficionados might know Inosanto from Kirby Buckets, a silly series about a boy whose drawings come to life. Inosanto appeared in season 2 episode 14, “O Bros, Where Art Thou,” in a subplot about Kirby’s sister, Dawn, and her fear of the dentist.

In an image from the film Thor, Hogun (Tadanobu Asano), Fandral (Josh Dallas), and Volstagg (Ray Stevenson) are all clad in armor, standing in front of a crowd inside the Asgardian palace. Hogun is standing, while Fandral and Volstagg are kneeling.

Ray Stevenson
The late Ray Stevenson was no stranger to the Star Wars galaxy—before his role as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka, he’d voiced the character Gar Saxon on both Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His intergalactic exploits don’t end there—he also appeared in both Thor and Thor: The Dark World as Volstagg, one of Thor’s friends in the Warriors Three, along with Fandral and Hogun.

Ivanna Sakhno
Before she was wielding lightsabers, she was breaking hearts! Ivanna Sakhno portrayed Kat Monroe, one of the “Top 5 Heartbreaks” of High Fidelity’s main character, record store owner Rob Brooks (Zoe Kravitz). Unlike Sakhno’s character in Ahsoka, however, Kat doesn’t influence people with the Force—instead it’s through her impressive Instagram following!

Livestream, Shopping, and More at Destination D23 presented by Lug

By The D23 Team

Celebrate 100 years of Disney and find the complete details about the biggest Disney fan event of the year, Destination D23 presented by Lug, below—including which panels will be livestreamed!

Please be advised: The event is currently sold out and all schedules, events, and merchandise are subject to change without notice. 

EXHIBITS

60 Years of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics® Technology Exhibit: The Walt Disney Archives and Walt Disney Imagineering join creative forces for a special exhibition at Destination D23 to celebrate the history of Audio-Animatronics technology. This exclusive exhibit will showcase the evolution of the art and its related technology through a diverse showcase of rare figural assets, photography, and vintage ephemera and documentation all in the name of celebrating key moments from Walt’s earliest inspirations and development to modern-day marvels.

SHOPPING

Attendees will be able to explore a completely transformed shopping experience, including Mickey’s of Glendale, fan-favorite brands at the Ink & Paint Marketplace, and—for the first time at Destination D23—The Walt Disney Company Store!

LIVESTREAM: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

For one day only: Anyone who is unable to attend Destination D23 will be able to livestream all the magical announcements shared on Saturday, September 9, 2023. To watch the livestream, go to our YouTube or Facebook pages (@DisneyD23) or visit D23.com/DestinationD23.

PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS

Saturday, September 9, 2023

  • 9 A.M. – 9:15 A.M.: Destination D23 Welcome
  • 9:15 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.: A Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow — Join Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro and special guests for an entertaining presentation looking to the future of Disney parks, featuring updates from around the world and some fun surprises along the way.
  • 10:45 A.M. – 10:55 A.M.: D23 Updates with Michael Vargo
  • 10:55 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.: The Early ’Ears – Ub, Oswald, and Mickey — Join Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline on a journey back to the roaring ’20s and the “Early ’Ears of Disney” during this retrospective conversation, featuring iconic characters like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Mickey Mouse, and the Legends behind them, like Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney.
  • 11:15 A.M. – 12 P.M.: 100 Years of Classic Characters: Unforgettable Stories — Actress and designer Ashley Eckstein catches up with fellow voice actors behind fan-favorite Disney characters, including Bret Iwan (Mickey Mouse), Kaitlyn Robrock (Minnie Mouse), and Disney Legend Bill Farmer (Pluto, Goofy), for a “table read” of iconic scenes spanning 100 years of Disney history.
  • 2 P.M. – 2:35 P.M.: National Geographic Live: Secrets of the Whales — Dive deep into the groundbreaking science of whale families—and their startlingly human parallels—through the awe-inspiring work of celebrated National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry.
  • 2:35 P.M. – 3:15 P.M.: Disney Cruise Line: 25 Years of Innovative Design at Sea — Get an inside look into designing and building Disney Cruise Ships from the Disney Imagineers currently working on its newest fleet. Learn of the intricacies that go into designing unique spaces and the complexities of ship design.
  • 3:30 P.M. – 3:55 P.M.: Marvel’s Avengers: Beyond Earth’s Mightiest – Celebrating 60 Years — Celebrate 60 years of Earth’s Mightiest Super Hero team, the Avengers! Since their debut in 1963’s The Avengers #1, this all-star roster of beloved characters has been uniting to fight the foes that no single hero could withstand. Now, join Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski to trace the comics history of the Avengers across six decades—and BEYOND! Surprising stories and tantalizing teases await in this can’t-miss panel about how the Avengers rose to become a pop culture phenomenon! Avengers, assemble!
  • 3:55 P.M. – 4:20 P.M.: 100 Years of Innovation: Magic in Every Medium — At its core, The Walt Disney Company lives by its ability to “keep moving forward”, as curiosity leads us down new paths. Imagineers Daniel Joseph and Karin Hanson reconcile a century of innovations in which Disney stories have been brought to life through magic, connecting how they have been inspired by the innovations of yesterday, to the exciting ways they innovate through storytelling today.
  • 4:20 P.M. – 5 P.M.: EPCOT: Always in a State of Becoming — A look into the design and ideas behind the transformation of EPCOT and its new neighborhoods, attractions, and experiences. Explore the legacy of the park and discover more about the collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney World Resort throughout this ambitious process. Highlights include details uncovered by the Marty Sklar Archives and the inspirations that have guided the evolution of Disney’s first park without a castle.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

  • 9 A.M. – 10:30 A.M.: Walt Disney Studios Showcase — A sneak peek at exciting upcoming projects from The Walt Disney Studios!
  • 10:45 A.M. – 11:15 A.M.: 100 Years of Walt Disney Animation Studios — Becky Bresee and Wayne Unten, heads of animation on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming feature Wish, sit down with legendary animator Mark Hennto revisit some of their favorite filmmaking memories.
  • 11:15 A.M. – 11:25 A.M.: Disney Global Ambassador Showdown — Join Disney Parks Ambassadors from every Disney destination around the world, as we learn more about each of their home resorts and engage them in a friendly competition to see whose resort is the “best of the best!”
  • 11:25 A.M. – 12 P.M.: Weird Disney: Centennial Edition — Get weird with Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, and experience 100 years of “Weird Disney” moments in the centennial edition of a Destination D23 fan favorite!
  • 2 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.: The Road to 1923: Walt Goes West — Dial the clock back to the 1920s as Disney Legend Don Hahn provides new and fascinating insights into Walt Disney’s fabled journey that would lead him to join his brother Roy in California, where the two would establish the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio—the beginning of what is now The Walt Disney Company.
  • 2:45 P.M. – 3:15 P.M.: Down the Rabbit Hole: The Disney You Didn’t Know — Join Disney archivists and authors Kevin M. Kern and Steven Vagnini for a journey down the rabbit hole as they uncover astonishing Disney discoveries, connections, and little-known facts that will change everything—well, at least some things—you thought you knew about the Disney universe!
  • 3:15 P.M. – 3:45 P.M.: 100 Years of Creativity: A Playful Look at Disney Imagination — Join Imagineers Diego Parras and Jason Grandt for a decade-by-decade look at some of the more interesting and lighthearted moments of Disney creativity from the last 100 years.
  • 3:45 P.M. – 4 P.M.: See Ya Real Soon: A FAN-Tastic Finale
  • 7 P.M. – 9 P.M.: DISNEY+ HALLOWSTREAM COSTUME BASH — Enter the world of Hallowstream with Disney+, the streaming home of your favorite Halloween stories. With phantomized photo-ops, chilling treats, and spellbinding surprises, guests will find all their hearts’ desires in this lavish lair of scares.

Destination D23 presented by Lug is a D23 Gold Member exclusive event. Visit JoinD23.com to learn more about the benefits to a D23 Gold Membership, including the 2023 D23 Gold Member Collector Set, which features the Mickey Mouse “Leader of the Club” Milestone Statue; a quarterly subscription to the Disney twenty-three publication; exclusive discounts and offers; access to fan-centric events; and more!

About Lug: Founded in 2005 by Ami and Jason Richter, Lug’s unique silhouettes and thoughtful designs keep you organized throughout your day. Featuring fashionable bags and accessories in brilliant colors and novelty patterns, Lug provides solutions to everyday life with both function and fashion in mind—and soon, some extra magical Character! Learn more at http://www.luglife.com

Disney Rewards is the proud Platinum Sponsor of this year’s event. Learn how to make Disney dreams come true with your Disney® Visa® Credit Card from Chase at DisneyRewards.com.

For more information about other Destination D23 sponsors, visit D23.com/DestinationD23.

Limited Time: Destination D23 Attendee Offers at Disney Springs

Enjoy exclusive discounts at Disney Springs with your Destination D23 badge from September 8 through 10, 2023. Simply show your badge at any of the venues listed below to unlock these amazing benefits!

Dining

Shopping

For a full list of evergreen discounts for D23 members, please visit https://d23.com/discounts/.

Disclaimer
All offers are up to the full discretion of Disney Springs, subject to change, and only valid between September 8 and 10, 2023. Offers will only be accepted when attendee shows their Destination D23 event badge.

How to Princess: 6 Ways to Celebrate World Princess Week

This World Princess Week, we’re celebrating the timeless magic and beloved storytelling of Disney Princesses. We’ll take a closer look at the innovative artistry that brought these iconic adventures to life, and at the inspiration the Disney Princess characters provide globally.

Rediscover the timeless tales, relive the magic, and be inspired by your favorite Disney Princess!

Three images in a triptych. The first image is a child sitting on a bed in a blue Cinderella-themed dress. The next image features plushies of Belle, Moana, Jasmine, Tiana, Cinderella, and Ariel sitting on a couch. The final image is a Disney Story doll of Mulan in her green soldier outfit. A child, who is mostly offscreen except of their arms, is holding the doll and putting a sword in its hands.

Shop the Stories You Love on shopDisney
Our first stop for products inspired by Disney Princess characters is shopDisney! Fans of all ages can dress as their favorite Princess with beautiful costumes and accessories; re-enact enduring tales with Disney Story Dolls; express their own fashion style with apparel featuring Disney’s Moana, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White; and more!

Three phone screens against a purple, glittery gradient. Above the phones are the Disney and Calm app logos. Each phone features a screenshot from the Disney Princess-themed section of the app.

 Go Confidently Back to School with Calm
Disney and Calm are bringing the inspirational stories of the Disney Princess characters to families with new mindfulness and sleep content, available exclusively on Calm. The robust new series of content is designed to help kids and their parents head into the new school year with confidence, encourage enjoyment and rest at bedtime, and help make mindfulness a priority for families. Parents will find sleep stories, meditations, and soundscapes featuring Disney Princess characters such as Moana, Rapunzel, Tiana, Jasmine, Ariel, Cinderella, and more.

Belle, Jasmine, and Mulan as they appear in the video game Disney Speedstorm. Each princess is wearing a racing suit in their associated color. Belle is leaning against a red and orange race car with the number “91” on it. In the lower right corner is the logo for the Disney Speedstorm game, in white.

Experience Disney Princess Stories in New Ways with Disney Games
Fans and gamers will be delighted by several new in-game Princess character offerings! Disney Dreamlight Valley welcomes Belle to the Valley, where players can explore the all-new “Beauty and the Beast” realm in the next free content update this September. Disney’s Jasmine is another character addition that will bring a royal racing style to Disney Speedstorm, as a break-out new Racer, coming soon.

In a screenshot from the game Minecraft, Sebastian, Ariel, and Flounder face the camera, with the castle of Atlantica in the distance behind them.

Disney’s Ariel, Snow White, Belle, and Jasmine also join Minecraft Disney Worlds of Adventure, releasing later this month. Lastly, fans can play the Courage and Kindness Token Quest in Disney Emoji Blitz all month long for your chance to collect the new Platinum Tiana Emoji and other rare Disney Princess Emojis!

A toy Disney Princess Castle. The top floor features a vanity, Aurora’s pink dress on a dress stand, and a pink bathtub. The bathroom with the tub also features a waterslide that leads to a pool on the ground floor. The ground floor features a kitchen, gold entry doors, and a dining room. 

Celebrate Disney Princess with New Products from Mattel
The ultimate Disney Princess doll house—the Disney Princess Magical Adventures Castle—is now available! Standing four feet tall and featuring magical lights and sounds, the castle includes 10 play areas, each inspired by a Disney Princess character. Kids (and kids at heart) will love discovering all three levels of play, with a slide and pool, and over 25 furniture and accessories.

Fashion dolls of Jasmine, Belle, and Aurora against a rose gold curtain background. All three dolls are in bejeweled gowns.

The Mattel Creations’ Royal Radiance Doll collection is a new line of collector dolls featuring newly reimagined looks. First up is Disney’s Belle, in her sparkling yellow gown decorated with elegant charmeuse rosettes and tear-shaped gems. Fans can also celebrate Disney 100 Years of Wonder with special collector-edition Tiana and Cinderella dolls, inspired by the timeless films, Disney’s The Princess and the Frog and Disney’s Cinderella. Tiana wears a luxe new vision of her memorable green gown, while Cinderella shines in satin, glitter, and an elegant diamond motif. The dolls are available for pre-order now and feature beautiful displayable packaging. A dream come true for any Disney collector!

triptych of three book covers: A Twisted Fairy Tale Anthology, which features the silhouette of a castle against a red background; The Queen’s Council: Realm of Wonders, which features an illustration of Jasmine holding the genie lamp against a purple background; and A Disney Princess Journey Through History, a white book with illustrations of Rapunzel, Mulan, Tiana, Cinderella, Moana, Belle, Snow White, Ariel, Aurora, Pocahontas, Merida, and Jasmine surrounding the title 

Discover New Worlds with Disney Princess Books
If you have a passion for adventure, you can take a trip to the many lands of Disney Princess characters with new offerings from Disney Publishing Worldwide. A Twisted Tale Anthology, available for pre-order now and edited by New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Lim, features 16 short stories with new twists on fan-favorite Disney films. Also available to pre-order now, The Queen’s Council: Realm of Wonders is a sweeping Young Adult fantasy series where Disney Princess characters grow up—and learn to rule—guided by the magical Queen’s Council. A Disney Princess Journey Through History is perfect for younger fans; starring Moana, Cinderella, Mulan, Jasmine, Merida, Tiana, Rapunzel, Aurora, and more, this deluxe hardcover picture book takes young readers around the world and back to experience the true historical times that inspired the worlds of Disney Princess characters.

A screenshot from Hey Disney! featuring an illustration of a blue-toned beachscape. On top of the illustration is the white text “Catch the Wave of New Moana Fun. Discover jokes, fun facts, Easter eggs—and boatloads more! Try ‘Hey Disney, tell me about the new Moana fun.’” To the right of the text is an illustration of Moana.

Celebrate World Princess Week with Hey Disney!
To celebrate World Princess Week, the Hey Disney! voice assistant (available on Alexa-enabled devices) will be debuting new Moana content! Enjoy jokes, games, and soundscapes with some of your favorite Disney characters—find out more about Hey Disney! by clicking here.

Q&A with Star Wars: Ahsoka Star Rosario Dawson

Ahsoka Tano’s story is just beginning.

The fan-favorite character embarks on a new adventure in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Ahsoka, now streaming exclusively on Disney+. Set after the fall of the Empire, the Original series follows the former Jedi Knight and Padawan to one of the greatest Jedi of all time, Anakin Skywalker, as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. In May, star Rosario Dawson opened up to D23: The Official Disney Fan Club about reprising her role as the dynamic and principled warrior.

D23: What was your experience with the Star Wars movies growing up?
Rosario Dawson (RD): I’ve always just really loved Princess Leia. I loved how strong she was. I loved how capable she was... She was so Force sensitive, even if it wasn’t spoken about in the same sort of way as Luke.

D23: What else do you remember about your early Star Wars fandom?
RD: It was very interesting how complex the characters were. It was never like, “I’m the good guy or the bad guy—and that’s definitive.” There was something more, something deeper.

In a scene from the first episode of Star Wars: Ahsoka, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) watches a Holoprojector message from Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

D23: What can you tease about one of your favorite scenes to film in Star Wars: Ahsoka?
RD: There’s this forest where we have this really crazy battle; Shin [Ivanna Sakhno] and Sabine [Natasha Liu Bordizzo] are fighting and I am also battling in it. It’s really quite beautiful. It’s kind of like a burnt-out forest with these red leaves. It’s just really striking and very beautiful.

D23: What do you think is special about the Star Wars universe that accounts for its continuing appeal over generations? Why is it such a great universe for storytelling?
RD: I really love the generational-family aspect between a lot of the characters. There are certain callbacks. In Obi-Wan Kenobi, you get to see Obi-Wan take off part of Darth Vader’s helmet. You get to see Ahsoka do that in the animated series [Star Wars Rebels]. But the only one who was ever properly able to take it off completely and help him to be seen again in the light was Luke [in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi]... [There’s a recurring theme that] the hero can become the villain and the villain can become the hero. I just think there’s something quite beautiful about that, and there’s a tremendous lesson in that.