By Courtney Potter
New Trailer for Disney & Pixar’s Ciao Alberto, Debuting on Disney+ Day
For fans of Disney and Pixar’s Luca, it should come as no surprise that Alberto has been making quite a splash as Massimo’s employee… and we’ll catch back up with the duo in Ciao Alberto—an all-new short from Pixar Animation Studios debuting on Disney+ next Friday, November 12, during Disney+ Day: the streamer’s big celebration of new content releases, fan experiences, exclusive offers and more from across The Walt Disney Company.
With best friend Luca away at school, Alberto is enjoying his new life in Portorosso working alongside Massimo—the imposing, tattooed, one-armed fisherman of few words—who’s quite possibly the coolest human in the entire world, as far as Alberto is concerned. And Alberto wants more than anything to impress his mentor… but that’s easier said than done.
Ciao Alberto is directed by McKenna Harris and produced by Matt DeMartini.
5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend
We’re still recuperating from Halloween, but we’d be lying if we didn’t admit we are, ever so slowly, inching our way into holiday mayhem. To that end, we were delighted to realize that Jingle All the Way is making its Disney+ debut this very weekend! What else is in store from around the worlds of Disney? Season two of Animaniacs on Hulu; a new episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC; and more!
Just Launched: Disney Ultimate Toy Drive
Speaking of the holidays… wanna help Disney spread some joy? Just this week, The Walt Disney Company launched its 2021 Disney Ultimate Toy Drive—benefiting the Marine Toys for Tots Program—as part of its efforts to inspire a world of hope. The campaign kicked off during ABC’s Good Morning America, with co-anchor Michael Strahan and ABC News Correspondent Will Reeve announcing the $500,000 donation to Toys for Tots.
Now through this December 14, families and fans can join the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive and give back to those who need it most this holiday season by donating a toy online at shopDisney.com or donating a new, unwrapped toy in person at Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort or Disney Springs at Walt Disney World.*
Disney’s relationship with the Marine Toys for Tots Program began in 1947 when Walt Disney and his animators personally designed the original Toys for Tots train logo that is still used today.
For more info, check out www.disney.com/toydrive!
*At Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort, collection bins are located at the World of Disney store, Star Wars Trading Post, and Resort Hotel stores. At Disney Springs at Walt Disney World, collection bins are located at the World of Disney store, Marketplace Co-Op, Star Wars Galactic Outpost and Disney Springs® Welcome Center.
Adventures by Disney Announces Thrilling Arctic Cruises for 2023
If you’re looking to plan the trip of a lifetime for 2023, search no further than this all-new experience… Adventures by Disney just announced expedition cruises to the northernmost region of the earth: the Arctic!
Traveling aboard intimate, purpose-built ships that are specially designed to access remote destinations, guests will experience incredible, pristine natural wonders and diverse wildlife during these unforgettable adventures. A team of expert naturalists and Adventure Guides will bring the stories and cultures of these regions to life both on land and at sea during a broad range of excursions that every member of the family will enjoy.
Sailing on a chartered adventure with PONANT, a leader in luxury polar expeditions, the new Family Expedition Cruises to the Arctic are scheduled for two departures in June and July 2023. Families will discover the distinctive landscapes and unique wildlife of this region during special 10-day, nine-night itineraries—which will include breathtaking glaciers of this region’s most beautiful fjord, Kongsfjorde, as well as the opportunity to hear from Walt Disney Imagineering’s Joe Rohde, who’s set to join travelers on the July itinerary to share stories about both his impressive Disney career and his passion for nature and conservation.
But wait, there’s more: Adventures by Disney will give families the opportunity to explore Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands, with additional sailings to both destinations in 2023. Bookings for 2023 Adventures by Disney Expedition Cruise itineraries open to the public on Friday, November 12! Learn more by visiting adventuresbydisney.com; call 1-800-543-0865; or by contacting your travel agent.
First Look at Disney+’s The Book of Boba Fett
Did you feel that disturbance in the Force earlier this week? Well don’t worry, because it was for a very goodreason: Disney+ just debuted their action-packed trailer The Book of Boba Fett, a new series from Lucasfilm that’s launching exclusively on the streaming service on December 29.
The Book of Boba Fett, a sure-to-be-electrifying Star Wars adventure teased in a surprise end-credit sequence following the season two finale of The Mandalorian, finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) and mercenary Fennec Shand (Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen) navigating the galaxy’s underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate.
Disney Legend Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Robert Rodriguez, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson are The Book of Boba Fett’s executive producers. Mark those calendars, y’all!
Disney Branded Television Orders New Animated Series Primos
There’s more animated fun on the horizon, courtesy the good folks at Disney Branded Television… they’ve just ordered the new series Primos, an original animated comedy created and executive produced by Natasha Kline. The story, based on Kline’s own childhood experiences with her extended multicultural Mexican American family, introduces viewers to Tater—an eccentric 10-year-old girl with big dreams and, unbeknownst to her, a certain “it factor” that makes her exceptional. When her 12 cousins (“primos” in Spanish) move in for the summer, they help her discover just what it is.
“Primos is set in childhood summers spent with my cousins under one roof, and the comedy that’s borne from that wonderfully hectic setting,” Kline recently said. “As a kid, I didn’t see myself or my culture represented onscreen, so I’m excited to share my family dynamic through these new Disney characters and stories.”
Produced by Disney Television Animation, each half-hour Primos episode is comprised of two 11-minute stories. Tater’s aspirations and larger-than-life imagination are seen via entries in her super-secret diary, which turn her deepest thoughts into grandiose animation sequences. Stay tuned for more news about the series as it becomes available.
ICYMI: It’s All Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus 2
It’s a Halloween gift that keeps on giving: Official word that Hocus Pocus 2, the further adventures of those wonderfully wicked Sanderson Sisters, will premiere on Disney+ in Fall 2022! See who’ll be joining Disney Legend Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker for this sequel to the fan-favorite ’93 film right here at D23.com.
