By Courtney Potter
‘Incredible’ Amenities Coming to the First Storyliving by Disney Community
As the very first Storyliving by Disney community continues to blossom in Rancho Mirage, California, our friends at the Disney Parks Blog revealed that the Cotino community will offer the opportunity for individuals to purchase a membership for the Artisan Club—unlocking an amazing array of amenities infused with unique Disney and Pixar touches. Highlights include a one-of-a-kind gathering space inspired by an “incredible” location from a certain fan-favorite Pixar film…
Nestled along the shoreline of the grand oasis is Parr House, a distinct location inspired by the midcentury home of the famous family of superheroes in Disney and Pixar’s Incredibles 2.
Parr House is being brought to life by Walt Disney Imagineering as a “super” fun place for special events, celebrations, and limited overnight accommodations for Artisan Club members, all subject to availability. This space will immerse club members and their guests in an environment featuring iconic decor, curated art, and rich colors from the film. Along Parr House’s exterior, an elevated patio will offer spectacular views of the grand oasis and the surrounding mountains.
In addition to Parr House, Artisan Club members will experience a touch of the Disney lifestyle in a clubhouse complex featuring spaces for dining, wellness, art, recreation, and entertainment. All amenities are being thoughtfully designed by Imagineers to not only foster community, but also encourage the pursuit of individual passions.
Club membership will offer access to the waterfront clubhouse, club-only beach area, and recreational water activities—as well as magical Disney entertainment and events. There will also be a beach park separate from the clubhouse, accessible to the public with the purchase of a day pass.
The story of the Cotino community is just beginning, so stay tuned for further details!
For more information about Cotino, a Storyliving by Disney Community, visit storylivingbydisney.com/cotino.
Halle Bailey Named 2023 Disney Dreamers Academy Celebrity Ambassador
Speaking of the Disney Parks Blog, they recently documented a quite momentous occasion: Singer and actor Halle Bailey, who will star as Ariel in the live-action reimagining of the Disney classic The Little Mermaid, arrived at Walt Disney World Resort to be the celebrity ambassador for this year’s Disney Dreamers Academy! She was honored during a parade at Magic Kingdom Park, and was joined by Disney Dreamers Academy Executive Champion Tracey Powell… not to mention Princess Tiana!
The five-time Grammy®-nominated singer was among several celebrities, educators, business leaders and Disney cast members attending the multiday event—which is aimed at broadening career awareness and creating exclusive opportunities for Black students and teens from underrepresented communities.
It is just one of several amazing experiences in store for these students who will take part in immersive career workshops, networking sessions, and mentorship events while also experiencing all the fun and magic that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer.
Since 2008, Disney Dreamers Academy has inspired more than 1,400 students from across the country by fueling their dreams and showing them a world of possibilities as they prepare for their futures. Graduates have gone on to become doctors, storytellers, engineers, graphic artists, journalists and more, and have transitioned into mentors to the Disney Dreamers who followed them. Congrats to all involved!
ABC Reveals Summer Premiere Dates for New and Returning Series
Sure, we just celebrated the start of spring—but that doesn’t mean we can’t already start planning our summer TV viewing. And to that end, ABC has just unveiled their lineup of new and returning series featuring love, laughs, and some fierce competition!
On Monday, May 8, Jeopardy! Masters, the latest iteration of America’s Favorite Quiz Show® and hosted by the “GOAT” Ken Jennings, begins its three-week tournament and will crown its champion on Wednesday, May 24.
Following its finale, Johnny Knoxville, Eric Andre, and Gabourey Sidibe form the all-star panel of “pranxperts” featured on the new unscripted comedy series, The Prank Panel, which will air a special preview on Wednesday, May 24, and return with new episodes in its regular time slot beginning Sunday, July 9.
Steve Harvey serves as the judge, jury, and star of Season 2 of Judge Steve Harvey returning Tuesday, May 9.
The second season of the coming-of-age comedy series narrated by Don Cheadle, The Wonder Years, debuts with a special one-hour premiere on Wednesday, June 14.
Claim to Fame, the competition series hosted by Kevin and Frankie Jonas and featuring relatives of celebrities, debuts its second season on Monday, June 26, followed by the highly anticipated premiere of The Bachelorette, featuring Charity Lawson, in its new time slot.
Generation Gap, hosted by Kelly Ripa, has been renewed for a second season—and joins Press Your Luckand The Chase on Thursday, June 29, with Celebrity Family Feud and The $100,000 Pyramid joining The Prank Panel on Sunday, July 9.
Below are premiere dates for new and returning shows (all times listed are Eastern/Pacific).
Monday, May 8
8 p.m. — Jeopardy! Masters (Series Premiere)
Tuesday, May 9
9 p.m. — Judge Steve Harvey (Season Premiere)
Wednesday, May 24
8 p.m. — Jeopardy! Masters (Season Finale)
9 p.m. — The Prank Panel (Special Preview)
Wednesday, June 14
8 p.m. — Judge Steve Harvey (New Night/Time)
9 p.m. — The Wonder Years (Season Premiere)
Monday, June 26
8 p.m. — Claim to Fame (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. — The Bachelorette (Season Premiere)
Thursday, June 29
8 p.m. — Press Your Luck (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. — Generation Gap (Season Premiere)
10 p.m. — The Chase
Sunday, July 9
8 p.m. — The Prank Panel (Regular Time Slot Debut)
9 p.m. — Celebrity Family Feud (Season Premiere)
10 p.m. — The $100,000 Pyramid
New series descriptions are below.
Jeopardy! Masters
Hosted by Jennings, each hourlong episode of the new series will showcase the six highest-ranked current Jeopardy! contestants playing two action-packed and high-stakes games. Audiences will follow along as Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, Andrew He, Sam Buttrey, and James Holzhauer go head-to-head for the grand prize and the title of Jeopardy! Masters Champion.
The Prank Panel
The Prank Panel lets everyday people pitch pranks targeting family members, friends, and co-workers to a panel of the world’s greatest pranksters. Knoxville, Andre, and Sidibe form the all-star panel of “pranxperts,” taking viewers behind the scenes as they help to plot and plan elaborate and diabolical schemes. The panelists serve as mentors and saboteurs, with celebrity guests sometimes joining the fun.
ICYMI: 9 Details We Love About Mickey’s Toontown
Now open Disneyland Park, the reimagined Mickey’s Toontown pioneers a new way of play! With its welcoming green spaces, curb-free streets, and quiet areas for a bit of relaxation—but with all the quirky grandeur we’ve come to know over the years—the land is truly fun for both the young and young at heart. Read up on nine of our favorite details right here at D23.com.
Disney Cruise Line Announces Worldwide Destinations for 2024
Get ready to set sail for Lighthouse Point! Beginning June 6, 2024, with a preview cruise, guests sailing select itineraries on the Disney Magic will venture to Disney Cruise Line’s newest Bahamian destination, currently mid-bloom on the island of Eleuthera… Lighthouse Point is a vibrant beach retreat designed with families in mind, infused with Bahamian artistry, and developed with a commitment to conservation.
A seven-night inaugural sailing beginning June 8 aboard the Disney Fantasy from Port Canaveral, Florida, will also allow guests on that ship to be among the first to make a splash in the crystal-clear waters of this new destination. This ultimate island itinerary will feature two stops at Lighthouse Point and one day at Castaway Cay.
Following the preview and inaugural voyages, Lighthouse Point will be a featured port of call on select three-, four- and five-night sailings to The Bahamas and Caribbean on the Disney Magic out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. These itineraries will vary stops between Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay, with five special departures including both Disney Cruise Line island destinations. Bookings open to the public on March 30, 2023.
But that’s not all: Alongside Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line recently announced a full slate of summer 2024 itineraries! The Disney Dream returns to premier European destinations in the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, British Isles, and popular locales in the Norwegian Fjords and Iceland. These sailings will feature several new ports of call, including Valencia, Spain; Haugesund, Norway; and Hamburg, Germany, along with three Mediterranean destinations that will return for the first time since 2014: Catania, Italy; Kusadasi, Turkey; and Valletta, Malta. Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruises from Barcelona and Civitavecchia will range from five to 11 nights. Northern Europe and British Isles sailings will offer itineraries anywhere from three nights to one 12-night voyage that includes the Norwegian fjords and three days in Iceland, with an overnight stay in Reykjavik.
Meanwhile, cruises to Alaska from Vancouver, Canada, will return on the Disney Wonder from May through September 2024 with five-, seven- and nine-night sailings. Itineraries include iconic destinations such as Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and glacier viewing along the Stikine Icecap.
For specific Summer 2024 itinerary details, click here. To book a Disney Cruise Line vacation, visit disneycruise.com; call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500; or contact a travel agent. See ya on the high seas!
Disney Channel Reveals Raven’s Home Season 6 New Trailer and Premiere Date
The good folks over at Disney Branded Television have announced—via a fun new trailer (above)—that Raven’s Home, the long-running hit comedy series starring and executive produced by Raven-Symoné, will return for its sixth season beginning Sunday, April 9, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW. Episodes will then be available to stream on Disney+ starting Wednesday, April 19.
As the season begins, Raven (Raven-Symoné), Booker (Issac Ryan Brown), and Alice (Mykal-Michelle Harris) travel to London to visit Victor (Rondell Sheridan), where they become entangled in a mix-up of majestic proportions when Alice is mistaken for a member of the royal family.
A spinoff of the iconic Disney Channel comedy That’s So Raven (2003-2007), Raven’s Home follows the hilarious adventures driven by somewhat psychic Raven Baxter and her son Booker, who has inherited his mom’s gift to catch glimpses of the future. Also starring in the series are Felix Avitia as Neil and Emmy Liu-Wang as Ivy; returning in recurring roles are Ernie Grunwald as Lazlo, Juliana Joel as Nikki, JeCobi Swain as Dylan, and Marissa Reyes as Cami.
Raven’s Home is available on Disney Channel, DisneyNOW, and Disney+. All four seasons of That’s So Raven are also available on Disney+.
5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend Presented by State Farm®
You’re in for a weekend of old-timey, hero-filled, down-home fun from around the worlds of Disney… there’s a little something for everyone, so pop that corn and buckle up. What’s on tap? All-new episodes of Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and BUNK’D: Learning the Ropes on Disney Channel; the first two episodes of FX’s Great Expectations on Hulu (for mature audiences only); and so much more.
25 Years Later, Paolo Montalban Reunites with Brandy in Latest Descendants Film
Impossible? Not a chance! Paolo Montalban is reuniting with Brandy in the latest Descendants film to play King Charming and Cinderella, respectively—a delightful echo of their first collaboration in the iconic 1997 The Wonderful World of Disney musical Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Our pals at Disney+ recently announced that Montalban has joined Descendants: The Rise of Red, the latest installment in Disney Branded Television’s mega-hit franchise.
Montalban joins previously announced cast members Kylie Cantrall as Red, Malia Baker as Chloe, Brandy as Cinderella, Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts, China Anne McClain as Uma, Dara Reneé as Uliana, Ruby Rose Turner as Bridget/Young Queen of Hearts, Morgan Dudley as Ella/Young Cinderella, Joshua Colley as Hook, Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother, Jeremy Swift as Principal Merlin, and Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter.
Descendants: The Rise of Red returns to the lands of Auradon and the Isle of the Lost, home to the teenage progeny of Disney’s most iconic characters and notorious villains… and also takes audiences (for the first time!) through the rabbit hole to the hostile, unincorporated territory of Wonderland—the magical, mysterious place made famous in Alice in Wonderland.
The film follows Red, the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts, and Chloe, Cinderella’s perfectionist daughter. When the tyrannical Queen of Hearts incites a coup against Auradon, polar opposites Red and Chloe must join forces and travel back in time to undo the traumatic event that set Red’s mother down her villainous path.
Stay tuned for more Descendants news as it becomes available!
Hyperspace Mountain and Star Wars Month Return to Disneyland Resort
Great news, Star Wars fans! As revealed earlier this week by our friends at the @Disneyland and @DisneyParks social channels, Hyperspace Mountain will return as part of Star Wars Month at Disneyland Resort—taking place May 1 through June 4, 2023!
When Star Wars Month returns, guests will be able to touch down in a faraway galaxy filled with epic encounters, exciting flavors, and so much more.
More details will be revealed soon!
In the meantime, why not enjoy some incredible new products from the world of The Mandalorian (might we suggest wearing those socks on your trip to take in Hyperspace Mountain next month?!)… or celebrating your Star Wars-related D23 Gold Member platinum membership card with a specially curated watchlist?
Disney+ Shares Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All Premiere Date and Trailer
Disney+ recently announced the four-part docuseries Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All, in which Fulwell 73 Productions will spotlight how a child with a stutter rose to become one of the biggest global music superstars of all time.
For the first time, Sheeran opens the doors to a definitive and searingly honest view into his private life as he explores the universal themes that inspire his music. The series will follow Sheeran after he receives life-changing news and reveals his hardships and triumphs during the most challenging period of his life. Blending exclusive, never-before-seen personal archival footage, present-day interviews with his wife and loved ones, and intimate performances in cinematic locations, the series widens the lens to unearth what Sheeran thinks of the world, himself, and his music, and also showcases a decade of hits.
In each episode, Sheeran faces themes and emotions that most people experience. He expresses his deeper thoughts as he reassesses life, and how this difficult time has influenced him and his new music. His upcoming sixth studio album— (pronounced “Subtract”) is set to be released on Friday, May 5, in the U.S., with the lead single “Eyes Closed” arriving Friday, March 24.
“I’ve always been very guarded in my personal and private life; the only documentary I’ve ever made has been one that focused on my songwriting,” the singer/songwriter recently said. “Disney approached me to make a four-part documentary, and it felt like the right time to open the door and let people in. I hope people enjoy it.”
Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All, from Disney Branded Television, is set to premiere globally Wednesday, May 3, on Disney+.
3,093 Arabian Nights: Aladdin Celebrates Nine Years on Broadway
Another incredible milestone for Disney Theatrical, after The Lion King’s big 25-year celebration earlier this year…
As of March 20, Disney’s hit musical Aladdin has delighted Broadway audiences with 3,093 shining, shimmering performances over nine amazing years! Based on the Academy Award®-winning 1992 film of the same name, the hit musical opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre to critical acclaim on March 20, 2014, and quickly established itself as one of the biggest new blockbusters in recent years.
Over Aladdin’s run, a cumulative audience of 4.3 million has been treated to a staggering number of special effects: Aladdin and Jasmine have flown over 100 miles on the magic carpet while singing the Oscar®-winning “A Whole New World,” while the Genie has set off over 115,000 pyrotechnics in the showstopping “Friend Like Me.” And In “Prince Ali,” the cast and wardrobe team have made more than 200,000 lightning-fast costume changes.
The Broadway production has broken 16 New Amsterdam Theatre house records and spawned nine productions on four continents. Worldwide, it’s welcomed more than 16 million people—and can currently be seen on Broadway and on tour across North America, as well as in Tokyo, Mexico City, and Madrid, with a UK tour slated to open this year. The Broadway production recently joined the list of Top 20 longest Broadway runs.
The show’s director and choreographer, Casey Nicholaw, now has three musicals running on Broadway. Nicholaw has achieved this rare feat twice during Aladdin’s run and, additionally, twice had a whopping four concurrent runs! Plus, the prolific Tony® winner has launched seven national tours over the near decade run of Aladdin.
Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher, the show features music by Disney Legend Alan Menken and lyrics by Disney Legends Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and Chad Beguelin, with a book by Beguelin. The current Broadway cast includes Michael Maliakel making his Broadway debut in the title role, Michael James Scott as Genie, Sonya Balsara as Jasmine, and Jonathan Weir as Jafar.