Celebrate Pride Month with This Disney Parks Foodie Guide

By Andie Hagemann

Celebrate Pride Month with mouthwatering treats and sips across Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. From a Mickey-shaped shortbread cookie to towering rainbow layer cake and rainbow tumblers, there is something for everyone!

Our friends at Disney Parks Blog assembled a comprehensive foodie guide featuring all the Pride-themed treats to purchase this month at both resorts.

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Park

Available at Alien Pizza Planet, Hungry Bear Restaurant, Pacific Wharf Cafe, Cappuccino Cart, and Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Available June 10–30; Mobile Order available at select locations)

  • Pride Cookie: Mickey-shaped shortbread cookie dipped in white chocolate (New)

Plaza Inn (Available June 10–30)

  • Pride Cake: Rainbow sponge cake filled with white chocolate mousse, buttercream icing, and rainbow sprinkles

Disney California Adventure Park

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop (Available through June 30)

  • Celebration Sundae made with Ghirardelli’s signature handmade hot fudge and served in a delicious rainbow waffle bowl

Paradise Garden Grill (Available June 10–30)

  • Pride Cake: Rainbow sponge cake filled with white chocolate mousse, buttercream icing, and rainbow sprinkles

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Craftsman Grill (Available June 10–July 4; Mobile Order available)

  • Pride Donut: Vanilla cake donut with rainbow sprinkles and heart-hands chocolate decoration (New)

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Holiday Cart (Available June 10–July 4)

  • Pride Sugar Cookie: Vanilla sugar cookie dipped in white chocolate and rolled in rainbow sprinkles with heart-hands chocolate decoration (New)
  • Pride Pretzel Rods: Pretzel Rods dipped in white chocolate and topped with rainbow sprinkles (New)
  • Pride Crisped Rice Treat: Fruit-flavored crisped rice treat, striped with white chocolate and topped with heart-hands chocolate decoration (New)
  • Pride Cookie Shot with choice of milk, low fat milk, strawberry or chocolate milk or alcohol including Baileys Irish Cream, Grand Marnier, Captain Morgan Rum, Jameson Whiskey, or Rumchata (New)

Downtown Disney District

Sprinkles Cupcakes (Available June 13–26)

  • Pride Sprinkle Cupcake: Birthday cake–flavored cupcake filled with nonpareils, topped with strawberry frosting, and finished with a nonpareil rim
  • Rainbow Layer Cake: Festive cake features six colorful layers of vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting and carousel sprinkles

Splitsville Luxury Lanes (Available through June 30)  

  • Rainbow Tataki: Sashimi-style salmon, tuna, and steamed shrimp served with seaweed salad, avocado, kimchi ponzu, tataki sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds

 Offerings Throughout Disneyland Resort (Available while supplies last; Mobile Order available at select locations)

  • Pride Parade Castle Tumbler (New)
  • Coming Soon: Scented Pride Cake Straw Clip (New)

Both available at the following:

  • Alien Pizza Planet
  • Plaza Inn
  • Red Rose Taverne
  • The Golden Horseshoe
  • Stage Door Café
  • Hungry Bear Restaurant
  • Award Wieners
  • Fairfax Market Fruit Cart
  • Studio Catering Truck
  • Pacific Wharf Café
  • Paradise Garden Grill
  • Corn Dog Castle
  • Outdoor Vending
  • GCH Holiday Cart
  • Coffee House

Walt Disney World Resort

Magic Kingdom Park

Cheshire Café (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Key Lime Tart: Key lime tart with sweet whipped cream topped with a chocolate piece (New)

Outdoor Vending Throughout the Park (Available through June 30)

  • Mickey Pride Cake Pop: Confetti cake dipped in dark chocolate (New)
  • Mickey Pride Cake Pop: Confetti cake dipped in white chocolate (New)

 EPCOT

Connections Café (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Liege Waffle: Brioche dough with pearl sugar (New)

Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Cake: Almond frangipane cake layered with chocolate

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Available at ABC Commissary and Backlot Express (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Cupcake: Vanilla cupcake filled with rainbow sprinkles and berry marmalade, topped with a red berry buttercream, and garnished with rainbow sprinkles, rainbow glitter, and Mickey Pride ears (New)

Available at Rosie’s All-American Cafe and The Trolley Car Café (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Dome Mickey Hat: Whipped berry white chocolate cheesecake with a rainbow sparkle graham cracker cookie, glazed with a red-colored white chocolate shimmer mirror glaze, and topped with Mickey Pride ears (New)

Woody’s Lunch Box (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Lunchbox Tart: Guava-filled pastry coated in purple vanilla fondant topped with rainbow sprinkles, sour ribbon candy, and a blue chocolate Mickey (New)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Available at Restaurantosaurus, Flame Tree Barbecue, Pizzafari, and Creature Comforts (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Cupcake: Confetti vanilla cake, cotton candy mousse, vanilla buttercream, and a zebra rainbow-print white chocolate Mickey (New)

Nomad Lounge (Available through June 30) 

  • Pride Cocktail: Absolut Citron Vodka, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Cruxland Gin, pineapple juice, sour mix, Chambord, splash of Sprite, Blue Curaçao, and a glow cube (New)

Disney Springs

Amorette’s Patisserie (Available through June 30)

  • Jewel of Pride: Salted caramel butter popcorn mousse, dark chocolate chiffon cake, a mix of chocolate-covered pretzel with candy pecans pieces and white chocolate glaçage, garnished with a chocolate ring and a rock candy (New)

Coca-Cola Store Rooftop Beverage Bar (Available through June 30)

  • Simply Rainbow made with Simply Orange, Tito’s Vodka, blue curaçao, and grenadine

Sprinkles Cupcakes (Available June 13–26)

  • Pride Sprinkle Cupcake: Birthday cake–flavored cupcake filled with nonpareils, topped with strawberry frosting, and finished with a nonpareil rim 

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop (Available through June 30)

  • Celebration Sundae made with Ghirardelli’s signature handmade hot fudge and served in a delicious rainbow waffle bowl 

Gideon’s Bakehouse (Available through June 30)

  • Rainbow Crunch Cake Slice: Fluffy three-layer vanilla confetti cake covered with a multi-colored marshmallow buttercream and laced with mega-crunchy rainbow crumbs

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company (Available through June 30)

Throughout the month, add a “Love Is Love” ripple art print to select beverages upon request!

  • Rainbow Donut: Sweet donut topped with vanilla rainbow frosting and crystal sugar sprinkles

STK (Available through June 30)

  • Rainbow Cheesecake: Cheesecake with cotton candy, raspberries, and chocolate popping candy

The Polite Pig (Available through June 30)

  • Pride & Passion Cooler: A refreshing frozen drink made with rum, apple pucker, and passionfruit puree, rimmed with rainbow sprinkles, garnished with pineapple leaves, and served with a rainbow-colored straw

Vivoli il Gelato (Available through July 31)

  • Pride Sangria Float: Strawberry, mango, pineapple, and blueberry sorbetto with Terre Di Bacco Prosecco and sparkling soda 

Walt Disney World Resorts  

Available at Multiple Resorts (Available through June 30)

  • Rainbow of Pride: Vanilla cake roll with lemon cheesecake filling, rainbow sprinkles, and white chocolate (New)

Available at the following:

  • World Premiere Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
  • Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
  • Centertown Market at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
  • Good’s Food to Go at Disney’s Old Key West Resort
  • Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort
  • Riverside Mill Food Court at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
  • The Artist’s Palette at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa 

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Gasparilla’s Island Grill (Available through June 30)

  • Pride Artisan Marshmallows: A rainbow of marshmallows with flavors of watermelon, blood orange, coconut, green apple, blue raspberry, and blueberry (New) 

Disney’s Riviera Resort

Le Petit Café (Available through June 30)

  • Pride White Chocolate Lemon Madeleines: Lemon madeleines covered in a shimmering rainbow of white chocolate (New)

IMAGE 16 WDW MICKEY CEREAL TREAT 

Available at Various Locations at Walt Disney World Resort

  • Mickey Cereal Treat: Crisped Rice Cereal Treat with Rainbow Sugar (Available through June 30)

Available at the following:

  • Main Street Confectionery at Magic Kingdom Park
  • Big Top Treats at Magic Kingdom Park
  • Disney’s Candy Cauldron at Disney Springs
  • Goofy’s Candy Company at Disney Springs

(Note: All offerings are subject to change.)

 

Everything to Watch During Pride Month 2022

By Andie Hagemann

Kicking off this June, we’re celebrating LGBTQIA+ voices across The Walt Disney Company. And as part of that celebration, an incredible lineup of content is available across Disney’s streaming services and airing on Disney’s linear networks. From the brand-new episodes of hit series (Love, Victor; Motherland: Fort Salem; and Good Trouble) to hilarious romantic comedies (Fire Island and Crush), and fan-favorites launching on streamers, we’ve curated the ultimate viewing guide from across the company.

Get comfy on the couch with vibrant Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars merchandise from the all-new Disney Pride Collection. From now until June 30, 2022, The Walt Disney Company will donate all profits from the collection’s sales to organizations that support LGBTQIA+ youth and families.

Key Art for the documentary Our America: Who I’m Meant to Be

ABC Owned Television Stations

ABC Owned Television Stations will broadcast Pride content, community town halls, and resources for the LGBTQIA+ community across their markets of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Raleigh-Durham, and Fresno all month long. Additionally, the station group will broadcast Pride parades live on Sunday, June 12, in Los Angeles and on Sunday, June 26, in New York, Chicago, and in a first-time media partnership, San Francisco. The New York and Los Angeles Pride parades will also stream live for the first time on ABC News Live and Hulu.

Our America: Who I’m Meant to Be, the one-hour Pride documentary, returns with a new focus highlighting intersectionality and exploring how LGBTQIA+ individuals’ identities exemplify who they are. The production is LGBTQIA+-led and is a spinoff from last year’s special, which amplified the voices of transgender communities across America through first-person narratives. The special is now available to stream across the station group’s connected TV apps and 24/7 streaming channels, and is airing across linear on ABC Owned Television Stations.

Actresses Darcy Rose Byrnes and Tisha Custodio from the Disney+ Original series Big Shot play guitar and sing while sitting on the floor in a colorful bedroom.

Disney+

Disney+ launched a new Pride collection on the streaming service in honor of Pride Month, featuring LGBTQIA+ stories and characters. Fan-favorite series grown-ish, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Big Shot, and Gravity Falls are featured as a part of the collection. Films joining the collection include Disney’s Better Nate Than Ever, 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story (2021), Marvel Studios’ Eternals, Disney+ Original Howard, and many more. The Disney+ Pride collection is now live for all subscribers.

All six seasons of the critically acclaimed, award-winning series Glee launched June 1 across Disney+ and Hulu. The musical comedy follows a group of ambitious and talented young adults in search of strength, acceptance and, ultimately, their voice. Watch the dynamic group of high school students belt toe-tapping hits as they navigate the tribulations of growing up.

ESPN’s 30 for 30 Shorts Presents: Mack Wrestles tells the story of Mack Beggs’ love of wrestling along with his struggles with personal identity and outside forces that stigmatize transgender athletes. The short documentary launches on Disney+ Friday, June 3.

Victor (Michael Cimino) in Hulu Original series Love, Victor looks off at the crowd as he stands next to a Ferris wheel at the Winter Carnival.

The third and final season of Love, Victor premieres with all episodes on Friday, June 15, on Disney+ and Hulu. This season finds Victor (Michael Cimino) going on a journey of self-discovery—not only deciding who he wants to be with, but who he wants to be. With their post-high-school-plans looming, Victor and his friends are faced with a new set of problems that they must work through to make the best choices for their futures. The first two seasons are currently available on Hulu, and all three will be available on Disney+ starting June 15.

Trevor: The Musical, a filmed version of the Off-Broadway stage production, will debut Friday, June 24, on Disney+. The story follows Trevor (Holden William Hagelberger), a 13-year-old boy with a vivid imagination who struggles with becoming a teenager in 1981. After an embarrassing incident at school puts him under immense scrutiny, Trevor must learn to forge his own path. The musical is based on the 1995 Academy Award®-winning short film Trevor, which ultimately inspired the founding of LGBTQIA+ youth suicide prevention nonprofit The Trevor Project.

The remaining five episodes from The Owl House’s second season will join the streaming service on Wednesday, June 29. The hit animated series tells the story of Luz (voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles), a confident teenager who is transported into a magical realm and soon pursues her dream of becoming a witch with the help of a rebellious witch named Eda (voiced by Wendie Malick). Season one and the first 16 episodes of season two are now available on Disney+.

The cast of Searchlight Pictures’ Fire Island embrace with a group hug.

Hulu

In 2019, Hulu launched its “Pride Never Stops” campaign as a commitment to celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices year-round. This year, in honor of Pride Month, the streaming platform continues that tradition by finding new and unique ways to elevate LGBTQIA+ stories and events as well as the incredible artists behind them.

As Hulu continues to diversify its live content offerings, for the first time ever, the platform will livestream both the Los Angeles and New York City Pride Parades to all Hulu subscribers. Both parades will be available via the Pride Never Stops hub and will remain on Hulu for 30 days after their respective livestreams. The Los Angeles Pride Parade returns in person to Hollywood on Sunday, June 12, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. PT. The parade will have numerous surprise celebrity hosts and appearances alongside KABC’s Ellen Leyva, Karl Schmid, Christiane Cordero, and Eric Resendiz. The NYC Pride March will livestream on Hulu on Sunday, June 26, from 12–3 p.m. ET, and will be hosted by WABC’s Ken Rosato, Lauren Glassberg, and Sam Champion. The NYC Pride March will have surprise celebrity appearances and honorable mentions as the celebration makes its way down 5th Avenue and past the Stonewall National Monument. Plus, it will feature live music and in-depth profiles of people who have made a difference in the community.

Searchlight Pictures’ Fire Island premieres Friday, June 3, as a Hulu Original on the streaming service and is intended for mature audiences. Inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the film is an unapologetic, modern-day romantic comedy about around two best friends (Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang) who gather in the iconic vacation spot Fire Island to have a legendary summer with their crew of eclectic friends and chosen family.

The Hulu Original film Crush follows Paige (Rowan Blanchard), an aspiring young artist who is forced to join her high school track team. Paige uses the opportunity to pursue Gabriela (Isabella Ferreira), the girl she’s been harboring a longtime crush on—but it isn’t long before a different teammate, AJ (Auli’i Cravalho), catches her eye.

All three seasons of the FX series Pose are available to stream on Hulu. Set in the 1980s, Pose, starring Emmy® Award nominee MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson, and Emmy Award winner Billy Porter, looks at the juxtaposition of life and society in New York: the rise of the luxury universe, the downtown social and literary scene, and the ball culture world.

On June 7, seasons one and two of Vida are available on the streaming service. The half-hour drama series focuses on two Mexican-American sisters from the Eastside of Los Angeles who couldn’t be more different or distanced from each other. Circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood, where they are confronted by the past and surprising truth about their mother’s identity.

Mormon No More, an ABC News docu-series, premiering June 24, follows two married Mormon moms who fall in love and leave the faith. How will they navigate telling their husbands, families, and the church? What will it be like to co-parent their combined seven children with their ex-husbands? In their journey, we meet other Mormon and ex-Mormon LGBTQIA+ allies who wrestle with the church’s doctrines prohibiting same-sex relationships which could result in expulsion from the church.

Also debuting that day is the coming-of-age LGBTQIA+ drama, Wildhood. Set in a rural east-coast trailer park, Link (Phillip Lewitski) lives with his toxic father and younger half-brother Travis (Avery Winters-Anthony), but when he discovers his Mi’kmaw mother could still be alive, it lights a flame and they make a run for a better life. On the road, they meet Pasmay (Joshua Odjick), a pow wow dancer drawn to Link. As the boys journey across Mi’kma’ki, Link finds community, identity and love in the land where he belongs.

The “Pride Never Stops” hub also features additional LGBTQIA+ series and movies to stream all year long, including Hulu Original series Conversation with Friends, How I Met Your Father, and Shrill; ABC’s Abbott Elementary, Modern Family, and Brothers and Sisters; the Hulu Original movie Happiest Season; and many more!

Amalia Holm (Scylla) looks on while standing in a forest with a helicopter behind her.

Freeform

The final season of Motherland: Fort Salem premieres Tuesday, June 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, with episodes available the following day on Hulu. The end of season two left Abigail (Ashley Nicole Williams), Tally (Jessica Sutton), Raelle (Taylor Hickson), and Scylla (Amalia Holm) fugitives on the run. Now without a military nor a home, they seek protection alongside the Dodger community in the Cession—but laying low and staying out of trouble has never been their strong suit. With witch hunters working against them from inside the White House, they must call upon ancient forces in the final battle for their right to exist.

Good Trouble returns for the second half of its fourth season on July 7, but in the meantime, binge the previous seasons, all available on Hulu, while you wait for the next installment. The series follows the residents of The Coterie in downtown Los Angeles as they juggle career, love, and the twentysomething growing pains at a time in their lives where their friends are their family.

Colorful key art for the FX documentary series PRIDE. The title is in a rainbow font surrounded by buttons with photos of LGBTQIA+ icons from the 1950s, 1990s, and beyond.

FX

FX is proud to share stories from, and break down barriers for, the underrepresented voices and diverse cultures of its networks. In celebration of Pride Month, FX will showcase messages from members of the LGBTQIA+ community across its platforms discussing the ways others have supported them, to give audiences tangible ways to show up and act as allies, raise awareness, and drive positive change for the youth of the community and their families and allies. Follow FX throughout June to hear authentic, honest, and powerful voices of the FX and LGBTQIA+ communities with on-air promotions standing with LGBTQIA+ youth, social media content, and presence at the Los Angeles Pride Parade with the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia parade float, featuring the cast of the show.

On Friday, June 3, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT, join FX for all six-episodes of the documentary series PRIDE, chronicling the struggle for LGBTQIA+ civil rights in America. From the 1950s “Lavender Scare” to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond, PRIDE explores the queer legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the battle over marriage equality.

Celebrate Avengers Campus with Mickey’s of Glendale Merchandise

Mickey’s of Glendale, the Walt Disney Imagineering campus store, has created a selection of  gear celebrating the one-year anniversary of the opening of Avengers Campus inside Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort… and they’re offering D23 Gold Members the chance to get these Walt Disney Imagineering-exclusives through an amazing online event!

The event is scheduled to begin on Friday, June 3rd, 2022, at 7 a.m. PT.

You must be signed in as a D23 Gold Member. Use this link for the event.

Avengers Campus Merchandise
A dynamic collection that represents not only the current heroes on the campus, but all future heroes who aim to join the ranks of the Avengers and their allies.

  • Avengers Campus Jacket – The inspiration behind this design was a tactical, ready-to-action jacket—ideal for all conditions that our recruits may find themselves in.
  • Avengers Campus Journal – The Avengers Campus recruitment journal is a great tool for research, documentation, and gathering intel… all stored securely with an embossed metal cover plate.
  • Avengers Campus Kor Bottle – Taking cues from the “Man” himself, the Avengers Campus Kor- One Water Bottle is the exact bottle used by Tony Stark, as documented by the internal research department.
  • Avengers Campus Quinjet Tee – The Avengers Campus Quinjet t-shirt is a great reminder that the campus houses some of the brightest minds across the globe; with the schematic blueprint of the Quinjet, guests can appreciate the cutting-edge technology that the Avengers use to safeguard the world.

Worldwide Engineering Brigade: The Worldwide Engineering Brigade has always put science, technology, and empowerment first—but their group has always stuck to the mantra, “If you are going to save the world, you better look good doing it.”

  • WEB Hoodie Backpack – In a collection where functionality is on par with style, the Web Hoodie Backpack is the signature piece of the collection. Acting as a backpack when needed and converting into a full-sized hoodie when the mood strikes you.
  • WEB Spray Tee – Pairing alongside the hoodie is the WEB Spray Tee, offering just a bit of insight to the artistic style of the WEB facility and the unique street-inspired artwork that decorates the surrounding labs and workshops.
  • WEB Geo Charger and WEB Pen – Both the WEB Geo Charging Dock and Web Geo Pen offer a reminder that functionality and form are two key components in all the WEB accessories.
  • WEB Bomber Jacket / Flex-Fit Baseball Cap – The WEB Bomber Jacket and Flex caps are perfect flexes for when you want to represent your favorite engineering group, in either the streets or the laboratory.

Not a D23 Gold Member? Click here to join.

*Avengers Campus Gear is available only to D23 Gold Members, and will be available for purchase starting June 3, 2022—while supplies last. Must enter your D23 Gold Membership number to be eligible to purchase. Only one order per D23 Gold Member; any duplicate orders will be cancelled. Items not eligible for additional promotional discounts or offers. Offer subject to restrictions and change without notice. Void where prohibited.

Are You a Disney Expert? Try This Week’s Trivia Challenge!

As a member of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club, you know your magic! This week we’re putting your Muppets knowledge to the test, to see if you are the ultimate Disney fan.

Which Disney Legend did NOT guest star on The Muppet Show?

Correct! Wrong!

(D) Disney Legend Annette Funicello never made an appearance on The Muppet Show. Funicello, best known for her role as a Mouseketeer on the original Mickey Mouse Club, also appeared in classic Disney feature films including The Shaggy Dog and Babes in Toyland.

Are You a Disney Expert? Try This Week’s Trivia Challenge!
You are the ultimate Disney fan!
Looks like you are a Disney expert! Thank you for participating in this week’s Trivia Thursday. We’ll see you next week for your chance to uphold your title as the ultimate Disney fan!
Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!
Thank you for participating in this week’s Trivia Thursday! These questions are tricky, so don’t stop swimming yet. We’ll see you next week for your chance to earn the title of the ultimate Disney fan!

“Figure It Out” with the Stars of Disney’s Hollywood Stargirl

By Andie Hagemann

Lights, camera, action!

Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal) heads to La-La Land in Disney’s Hollywood Stargirl, a sequel to the hit Disney+ Original movie about the eccentric, free-spirited young girl—with an even more unique name—from Jerry Spinelli’s best-selling book. After her mother Ana (Judy Greer) is hired as the costume designer for a movie, Stargirl is transported out of Mica, Arizona, and into Los Angeles, California—a city full of dreams and possibilities… as well as eclectic people just like her. Upon arriving in L.A., Stargirl meets aspiring filmmaking brothers Evan (Elijah Richardson) and Terrell (Tyrel Jackson Williams), who recruit her to be in their movie; Mr. Mitchell (Judd Hirsch), her reserved downstairs neighbor; and Roxanne Martell (Uma Thurman), a musician she has long admired whom she meets in a chance encounter. As she acclimates to her new life in L.A., Stargirl’s kindness and infectious optimism inspire her new pals to “figure it out” as they go. Hollywood Stargirl premieres Friday, June 3, exclusively on Disney+.

(L-R) Grace VanderWaal as Stargirl Caraway, Tyrel Jackson Williams as Terrell, and Elijah Richardson as Evan rehearse a dance scene for their movie in Disney+’s live-action film Hollywood Stargirl.

Hollywood Stargirl, co-written by Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz, is an original story that continues Stargirl’s journey from her perspective compared to the first installment, which is told from Leo’s viewpoint. “Grace was 14 when we made the first movie and she was 17 when we made this one—that’s a huge difference,” said Hart, who also directed the film. “We wanted to honor both Grace’s growth as a young woman and Stargirl’s and how they’re different and how they’re similar… it was exciting to have a whole movie through her eyes and her mind.”

VanderWaal was equally enthusiastic about reprising her role as Stargirl and taking her journey to L.A. “It was very exciting because after seeing everyone love Stargirl it really made me appreciate and be honored even more to play her character,” VanderWaal said. “I slowly grow more and more love for her, and I’m so happy to get to play her as she’s growing up, seeing the world, and experiencing different things.”

She continued, “[Stargirl] is still her, but she’s maturing and defining that word of maturity and what it really means to her.”

(L-R) Grace VanderWaal as Stargirl Caraway and Uma Thurman as Roxanne Martel in Disney+’s live-action film Hollywood Stargirl talk as they sit against a wall outside a recording studio.

Life imitated art for the ukulele-playing teen as she was tasked with writing an original song for the film. Hart asked VanderWaal to compose a song using Hollywood Stargirl’s central refrain: figure it out as you go. In a mere two days, VanderWaal and songwriter Mike Elizondo wrote “Figure It Out,” which becomes the song that Stargirl and Evan compose for their sizzle reel. “The movie is so much about the creative process and the people who make the creative process rich and fulfilling,” Hart said. “I love that song so much.”

As Stargirl, Evan, and Terrell chase their show business dreams, Ana is also “figuring it out,” while learning from her eternally optimistic daughter. As she attempts to balance a new job, new city, and maintain her tight bond with her daughter, circumstances beyond her control make the transition quite difficult. Greer found Ana’s predicament relatable as she has two teenage stepchildren, and she channeled her own experience when portraying the role. “There’s so much opportunity for vulnerability when you’re a parent and you have an older child,” she said. “You have this moment in time with your kid when they’re a certain age where you can stop trying to cover up all your faults and be open with your older child. Ana in this story was struggling and on that line. She didn’t know how to put herself first nor how to be honest with her daughter.”

(L-R) Grace VanderWaal as Stargirl Caraway and Elijah Richardson as Evan sing in a recording studio in Disney+'s live-action film Hollywood Stargirl.

The stars of Hollywood Stargirl hope the film encourages the young and young at heart to keep chasing their dreams regardless of the hardships that may arise in the process. “Running away from your issues or your problems isn’t the way to go about things,” Richardson said. “Taking risks doesn’t always mean that you’ll fail. You can take a risk and be the most successful person ever, so be willing to take a risk.”

Watch Stargirl “Figure It Out” when Hollywood Stargirl premieres June 3, exclusively on Disney+.

Every Can’t-Miss Moment from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim

By Jocelyn Buhlman

This past weekend, fans made the hyperspace jump to the Anaheim Convention Center for four cosmically cool days of Star Wars Celebration. Since fans, Force users, Rebels, bounty hunters, and more had not been able to gather together for three years, the convention was filled with the Force—and joy! Besides allowing Star Wars fans to honor the franchise that has changed their lives, the weekend was full of epic announcements and can’t-miss moments from some of the most anticipated parts of the Star Wars galaxy. Check out our favorite reveals, trailer drops, and panels from Star Wars Celebration below:

Thursday

Diego Luna speaks onstage during Lucasfilm’s Studios Showcase, joined on stage by Kathleen Kennedy, Genevive O’Reilly, Sanne Wohlenberg, and Tony Gilroy. Behind them, the just-revealed Andor poster is on screen.

Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase

On the first day of Star Wars Celebration, fans gathered in the Celebration Stage full of anticipation for the latest news on Lucasfilm’s upcoming series and films. You can read our full recap of the panel here, highlights of which include debuts of new trailers for Andor and Willow, plus the announcement of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and the confirmation that the upcoming Indiana Jones film is close to finished in production.

The High Republic: For Light and Life

Diving into the world of Star Wars in the time before the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The High Republiccontinues to expand the galaxy far, far away in new and exciting ways. Attendees of the panel got sneak peeks at phase II of High Republic, which goes back 150 years before the start of Phase I, to an age of exploration for the galaxy where much of the technology with which we’ve become familiar isn’t the same. “This is a point in time where this area of space is very much unknown to the Republic and not everything is necessarily tied together as closely,” said High Republic author Claudia Gray.

Part of the Phase II reveals included the debut of new cover and concept art, including a sneak peek at the not-yet-final cover for Convergence by Zoriada Cordova, the cover for Quest of the Hidden City by George Mann, the cover of The High Republic: The Blade by Charles Soule and Marco Castiello, and a look inside The Art of the High Republic book. The concept art shown included imagery of Yoda, Marchion Ro, and Ember.

Plus, the High Republic comics are diving into Phase II with upcoming titles including the Dark Horse miniseries The Nameless Terror by George Mann, with art by Eduardo Mello and Ornella Savarese, as well a new run of Marvel’s Star Wars: The High Republic by Cavan Scott, with art by Ario Anindito.

D23 Galactic Disco Night

After a successful day of lightspeed jumping from panel to panel and adventuring around the show floor, the grooviest Star Wars fans headed to the House of Blues: Anaheim in their most Coruscant chic clothes, giving Lando Calrissian himself a run for his money in the funkiest fits the galaxy’s ever seen while they boogied like a Wookiee on the dance floor! D23 Members had the chance to meet iconic Star Wars characters, play games for a bounty of prizes, and cut a rug like a Kaminoan to sets from DJ Mamabear and Mayer Hawthorne.

Ewan McGregor, as Obi-Wan Kenobi, stands in a Tatooine marketplace, covered by his cloak. He looks down at something in his hand.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wars Celebration Fan Event

For those less interested in wretched hives of scum and villainy (and disco), fans gathered back at the Celebration Stage for a very special fan event—the red carpet premiere of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series! Attended by stars Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Moses Ingram, Bonnie Piesse, Rupert Friend, director/executive producer Deborah Chow, executive producer Joby Harold, and more cast and crew from the series, the event featured a surprise premiere of the first two episodes of the highly anticipated limited series, which also debuted early that night on Disney+.

Friday

The Death Star, painted like a beach ball, sits on a beach in front of LEGO Finn building a sandcastle and Darth Vader walking up with two Porgs perched on his sun hat. At the top of the image is the logo for LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation

The Summer of LEGO Star Wars

Mousequerade host extraordinaire Yvette Nicole Brown led panelists Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler, and Jens Kronvold Frederiksen of LEGO, and Douglas Reilly, Josh Rimes, Leland Chee, David Shayne, and Chris Gollaher of Lucasfilm, who represented Consumer Products, Games and Animation in a panel discussion showcasing what the LEGO Star Wars team was building to for fans to enjoy this summer.

Your summer plans might involve fewer barbecues and more bricks—LEGO bricks, that is—thanks to LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation, an all-new animated special, premiering August 5, 2022, exclusively on Disney+. Starring the wizard of wackiness himself, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and the panel’s host Yvette Nicole Brown, the special will also feature other returning cast members from previous LEGO® Star Wars specials.

Set shortly after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation follows Finn as he arranges a surprise vacation for his friends Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2, and C-3PO aboard—of course—the ultra-luxurious Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon. Finn’s plan to have one last hurrah together quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group. Tune in this summer to find out what kind of intergalactic goofiness he’ll discover on his adventure! 

Boba Fett, with his helmet on, and Fennec Shand, holding her helmet in her arm, stand inside the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge marketplace.

From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to a Disney Park Near You

Friday afternoon marked two major panels for Disney Parks fans—the first exploring the collaborations between Lucasfilm and Disney around the world. The panel featured Imagineers Scott Trowbridge, Asa Kalama, and Ann Morrow Johnson, retired Imagineer Tony Baxter, and Lucasfilm’s Matt Martin. Beyond journeying through experiences like Captain EO, Star Tours, and Star Wars: Hyperspace lounge, our friends at Disney Parks made some exciting reveals—such as announcing that Boba Fett and Fennec Shand are now exploring Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland!

35 Years of Star Tours with D23

Artoo, lightspeed to Endor! Our second panel about Disney Parks zeroed in on the attraction that started Lucasfilm and Disney’s collaborations: Star Tours! While we didn’t have a StarSpeeder handy, we were still able to transport our audience through the history of Star Tours during our first ever panel at Star WarsCelebration. Captained by Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Ashley Eckstein, our panel dived into the past with a look back at the 1987 Star Tours with panelists Tony Baxter, Lucasfilm’s Dennis Muren, and Imagineer (and creator of Captain RX-24 himself!) Chris Runco. After treating our audience to the ENTIRE original Star Tours film, we made the hyperspace jump to 2011 and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, featuring Imagineer Meghan Short and VFX Supervisor Bill George.

Saturday

Dave Filoni, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Carl Weathers, Pedro Pascal, Grogu, and Jon Favreau at the panel Mando+ :  A Conversation with Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni at Star Wars Celebration

Mando+:  A Conversation with Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni

Mandalorian masterminds Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni took to the Celebration Stage for Mando+: A Conversation with Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni, moderated by Ash Crossan of Screenrant. A cantina’s worth of guests joined in the fun, include Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Carl Weathers, Temuera Morrison, Katee Sackhoff, Rick Famuyiwa, and Rosario Dawson. In the CUTEST turn of events ever, fans were also surprised by the Star Wars Celebration debut of Grogu himself! Beyond special appearances, the panel also discussed of season three of the series, including revealing that Rick Famuyiwa will executive produce “The Mandalorian,” Season Three. An exclusive sneak peek of the season was shared with the crowd—and that’s just where the fun began!

Natasha Liu Bordizzo, who will play Sabine Wren in the Ahoska series, walks on stage during the Mando+: A Conversation with Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni panel at Star Wars Celebration.

In a surprise turn of events, the audience also got a major update on the Ahsoka series, including a look at early footage of the series… and a major reveal that Natasha Liu Bordizzo will be portraying fan-favorite character Sabine Wren in her live action Star Wars debut!

Both Ahsoka and The Mandalorian season three will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2023.

Tales of The Jedi

Host Amy Radcliffe chatted with special guest Dave Filoni about Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, an anthology of six all-new animated shorts that premieres this Fall on Disney+. Filoni revealed that the anthology will feature some of our favorite Force users from the Star Wars prequel era, including Ahsoka and Count Dooku. The Ahsoka awesomeness continues with a teaser trailer and the premiere short in the series, featuring a very young Ahsoka Tano and her mother.

Sunday 

Star Wars: The Bad Batch supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jen Corbett, story editor Matt Michnovetz, and voice actors Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang sit onstage in front of a screen with the Star Wars: The Bad Batch logo at Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2

The final day of the convention called for one more look ahead at the future of Star Wars—namely, the next season of the Disney+ animated series, Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Featuring supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jen Corbett, story editor Matt Michnovetz, and actors Dee Bradley Baker (voice of ALL of the Bad Batch) and Michelle Ang (the voice of Omega), panelists shared insight on season two before revealing a clip from the first episode and a teaser trailer. The second season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch will premiere this fall exclusively on Disney+.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our out-of-this-world Star Wars Celebration festivities. Whether you were at the Anaheim Convention Center or livestreaming the events from a distant planet, we hope you felt the power of the Force this weekend and are looking forward to a new galaxy of Star Wars fun!

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

By Andie Hagemann

Prepare for plenty of marvelous content coming to your TV (and assorted streaming devices) this week. ABC’s fan-favorite special The Wonderful World of Disney returns with a presentation of Zootopia on Monday. Learn all about the latest Marvel Super Hero with a brand-new short, A Fan’s Guide to Ms. Marvel, detailing everything you need to know before the series premiere, debuting Wednesday. On Friday, catch the premieres of The Villains of Valley View and Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion, followed by the launch of the new Disney+ Original movie Hollywood Stargirl.

Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) runs in pursuit of a crisis in the Disney animated film Zootopia.

The Wonderful World of Disney: Zootopia—Monday, May 30, at 8 p.m. ET, on ABC
The city of Zootopia is a buzzing metropolis with mammals ranging from the enormous elephants to the smallest shrew—and yoga-practicing yaks. Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) makes history as the first rabbit to join the Zootopia police force, but despite her impressive feat her fellow officers remain unimpressed due to her small stature. Determined to prove them all wrong, Judy takes the lead on a case after several Zootopia residents disappear. She turns to an unlikely ally, a sly fox named Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman), to crack the case.

Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios' Ms. Marvel.

A Fan’s Guide to Ms. Marvel—Wednesday, June 1, on Disney+
Before the premiere of Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel on June 8, watch this documentary short that gives you an exclusive look at the groundbreaking new series coming to Disney+. Learn how the filmmakers brought the character from the comic to the screen and hear behind-the-scenes details from the series star herself, Iman Vellani.

Disney’s “The Villains of Valley View” stars Isabella Pappas as Havoc/Amy, Lucy Davis as Eva/Surge, James Patrick Stuart as Vic/Kraniac, Malachi Barton as Colby/Flashform, Reed Horstmann as Jake/Chaos, and Kayden Muller-Janssen as Hartley.

The Villains of Valley View—Friday, June 3, at 8 p.m. ET, on Disney Channel
The brand-new series, which tells the story of a villainous family moving to the suburbs, premieres with two back-to-back episodes. Watch as this mischievous family hilariously attempts to blend in, despite being born to stand out. Things get complicated for their neighbor Hartley (Kayden Muller-Janssen) after Amy (Isabella Pappas) and Jake (Reed Horstmann) get ahold of their dad’s evil invention. Fearing Hartley will reveal their true identities, the family decides to blackmail her.

Violet Rodriguez (Scarlett Estevez) wears a luchador mask in promo art for the new series Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion.

Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion—Friday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET, on Disney Channel
This new series, debuting with two super-charged episodes, follows an overshadowed girl (Scarlett Estevez) who finally gets her time in the spotlight after a magical luchador mask bestows her with superpowers akin to those of the city’s top Super Hero, Black Scorpion (J.R. Villarreal). Meanwhile, Violet grows impatient when she feels her Ultra Violet social media account isn’t receiving enough attention.

Actresses Uma Thurman as Roxanne Martel and Grace VanderWaal as Stargirl Caraway in Disney’s live-action film Hollywood Stargirl.

Hollywood Stargirl—Friday, June 3, on Disney+
Free spirit Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal) is transported to a city of possibility and dreams when she relocates to Los Angeles after her mom Ana (Judy Greer) accepts a new job as a costume designer for a movie. Stargirl quickly becomes friends with an eclectic group of people, who are all chasing their own dreams in Hollywood, and in a world of uncertainty they all “Figure It Out” together.

Meet New Star Wars Characters Soon at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Star Wars Celebration 2022 is bustling full of aliens, rebels, and the occasional droid, all coming together at the Anaheim Convention Center to celebration the iconic franchise that has shaped so many of our hearts and minds. Across the way from the convention center is Disneyland Resort—and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. So, naturally the Happiest Place on Earth is top-of-mind for many of the fans enjoying their out-of-this-world weekend at Star Wars Celebration. Luckily for them (and any Disney Parks fan!), Star Wars Celebration hosted the “From a Galaxy Far, Far Away to a Disney Park Near You” panel today to share some exciting new developments about Star Wars at Disney Parks.

Boba Fett, in full armor, stands inside the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge marketplace.

One of the stand-out moments of any Star Wars: Galaxy Edge visit is getting to meet your favorite characters—and more will be arriving at the land tomorrow! The legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand will soon stake a claim in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland  Park, starting May 28. Keep a sharp eye out for these two troublemakers hiding in the shadows around Black Spire outpost.

If you were enthralled watching watching Boba Fett reinvent himself on the Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett, alongside Fennec Shand, you’ll be excited to see a new part of their journey! The duo is full of surprises as they navigate the galaxy’s underworld on the sands of Tatooine—and now you’ll get to experience a previously untold part of their story that takes them to the planet Batuu and Black Spire Outpost, a destination long familiar with bounty hunters and even more colorful characters.

Now, we know what you’re thinking: “When do we get to meet Grogu?!” The adorable child who stole our hearts from the first two seasons of The Mandalorian will be headed to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at a later date, along with Din Djarin—a.k.a the Mandalorian! To bide your time until you can meet this fan-favorite duo, keep up with Mando, Grogu, and their journey together with the first two seasons of The Mandalorian on Disney+.

Fennec Shand, holding her helmet in her arms, stands inside the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge marketplace.

Since Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, Star Wars storytelling has experienced a galactic expansion to include many new characters and stories across a wide range of settings. Now, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is likewise expanding the stories guests can encounter when visiting. Having been designed from the outset to connect with a broad range of Star Wars storytelling, Black Spire Outpost has played a role in many of these stories stretching over thousands of years. And while, up to now, most of those story connections have been shared through media and publishing, you’ll soon have an opportunity to connect with those stories with the immersive detail and authenticity that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was designed to deliver.

Disney Parks is committed to the long history of Batuu and the collection of amazing characters who inhabit the outpost, including legacy characters and original characters. With the ever-expanding galaxy of the Star Wars universe, we as visitors may be able to experience different stories throughout Star Wars history—but the characters on Batuu cannot. They will remain in their specific story and timeline and won’t intersect with other characters or stories that would not be appropriate for their time and place.

Stay tuned to D23.com for more news about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as it breaks, and may the Force be with you on your next adventure!

Sivako! Rise to the Challenge and Find These Hidden Details in Pandora – The World of Avatar

By Sarah Sterling

We can hardly believe it has been five years since Pandora – The World of Avatar first opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Guests have been enjoying the beautiful Valley of Mo’ara since 2017 and experiencing one-of-a-kind attractions like Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey. In honor of this land’s quinquennial, we invite you to participate in a scavenger hunt for some of the more elusive hidden details within Pandora!

1. Wait, that’s not a waterfall?
The floating mountains of Pandora are truly something to behold. These rocks and the large mountain range that loom over you as you enter the Avatar Flight of Passage queue are dotted with numerous lush waterfalls…most of which are real. Far in the back of the mountains are a few fake waterfalls created by painted and textured spinning wheels. These wheels give the impression that there are large falls all the way at the top of the mountain range where it would have been difficult to create real water features large enough to be seen by guests. The next time you are in Pandora – The World of Avatar, see if you can distinguish the fake waterfalls from the real ones!

2. The real-life Jackie Ogden
During the Avatar Flight of Passage pre-show, we meet Dr. Jackie Ogden from the Pandora Conservation Initiative. Ogden prepares us for our Iknimaya (a Na’vi rite of passage) and gives a brief overview of what has happened on Pandora since the events of the 2009 film, Avatar. Did you know that this fictional Dr. Ogden is a tribute to the real-life Dr. Jackie Ogden who worked for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for 19 years? She most notably served as the Vice President of Animals, Science, and Environment at Walt Disney World Resort! Thanks to Dr. Ogden, Disney Parks and Resorts became widely recognized for their work in animal care, conservation, and environmental sustainability.

3. A repurposed mess hall
In Avatar, the RDA (Resources Development Administration) travels to Pandora to find the highly valuable “unobtanium” and causes damage to the planet through their unethical mining practices. As explained on Avatar Flight of Passage, it has been over a generation since these events took place and the planet is still recovering! RDA’s impact on Pandora is shown in discreet ways all over the land. Satu’li Canteen itself is a repurposed RDA mess hall taken over by Alpha Centauri Expeditions. In the check-out queue for this restaurant, you can spot photos of the original RDA mess hall on the wall. Satu’li Canteen maintains the same half-dome shape of the mess hall but has been overgrown with native vegetation and transformed into a wonderful tribute to Pandoran culture!

4. WDI-ID’s!
Disney Imagineers often leave hidden Easter eggs in their projects and Pandora – The World of Avatar is no exception! Over at Pongu Pongu, you’ll notice that there are dozens of leftover RDA nametags hanging from the ceiling. These nametags show the names and photos of RDA officials and, if you look closely, you can spot one tag featuring former-Imagineer Joe Rohde! Rohde was the creative executive behind all of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including Pandora – The World of Avatar.

5. Whose handprints?
Another fun detail left behind by Joe Rohde and some of the creative team behind the Avatar film franchise are these red handprints in the exit of Avatar Flight of Passage. As you leave the attraction, you can spot three handprints on a wall. Each print has a set of initials next to them. They stand for Joe Rohde (J.R.), James Cameron (J.C.) and Jon Landau (J.L.). James Cameron was the director of Avatar (2009), and Jon Landau was the film’s producer.

6.  Happy birthday, James Cameron
In the queue for Avatar Flight of Passage, guests can spot another nod to director James Cameron. Before you enter the forest section of the queue, there is a rusted metal wall featuring the business name “JC Shoring.” “JC” clearly stands for “James Cameron,” but it doesn’t end there. Below, you can see the numbers “08.016.54,”a reference to Cameron’s birthday, August 16, 1954.

7. Required reading
The laboratory room is one of the most interesting parts of the Avatar Flight of Passage queue – there is so much to look at! Don’t be too distracted by the humongous Avatar in a flotation tank – there are some unique references to Avatar and the people who inspired Disney’s Animal Kingdom to be found! On a shelf next to a baseball, you can find Jane Goodall’s book, Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey. Goodall was heavily involved in the creation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and assisted Disney with their conservation efforts. She even awarded The Walt Disney Company the Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award in 2011. Another, this time fictional, book that can be spotted in this room is Dr. Grace Augustine’s textbook, Pandoran Botany. Played by Sigourney Weaver in Avatar (2009), Grace Augustine is known for being an expert on Pandoran ecology. This book is a nod to her role in the story of the land.

Have you noticed these unique references and details within Pandora – The World of Avatar? Keep this list handy on your next visit and see how many you can find! This addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been delighting and entertaining guests for five years and we can’t wait for many more years of thrilling experiences with the Na’vi! Keep reading D23.com for more details on your favorite Disney Parks and Resorts.

Disney Junior’s Eureka! Adds Stars to Voice Cast—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Starry Voice Cast Set for Disney Junior’s Eureka!

There’s a sure-to-be-adorable new animated series coming soon to Disney Junior (and to Disney+)—and its voice cast is chock full of stars from stage, screen, and music!

Set in the fantastical prehistoric world of Rocky Falls, Eureka! centers on Eureka, a young inventor who is way ahead of her time. She designs inventions and contraptions in the hopes of making the world a better place and moving her prehistoric community into a more modern era. Emmy Award®-winning actress Loretta Devine, drummer Sheila E., and renowned ballet dancer and New York Times best-selling author Misty Copeland have joined the cast of the Disney Branded Television series as Eureka’s grandmother, Wanda; Yurt, a traveling musician; and Rockanne, a dance teacher, respectively.

Rounding out the Eureka! voice cast are Kai Zen as Pepper, Devin Trey Campbell as Barry, Fred Tatasciore as Murphy, Cree Summer as Verna, Kevin Michael Richardson as Dima, Aydrea Walden as Olive and Groopy, Connor Andrade as Clod, Cade Tropeano as Bog, Madigan Kacmar as Julia, Vivienne Rutherford as Lark, Judah Howery as twins Spruce and Cypress Stoneland, Dee Bradley Baker as Ptero, and André Sogliuzzo as Link. Also joining recurring guest roles are Ellie Kemper as the school librarian, Chee; Jack McBrayer as a pet kanga bird; Ryan Michelle Bathé as Barry’s mom, Sierra; and Wendell Pierce as Barry’s father, Cliff.

The series is set to premiere Wednesday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Junior. An initial batch of episodes will also premiere the same day on on-demand platforms and streaming on Disney+.

And here’s a cool bit of info about the series: Christiana “Chee” McGuigan, a science educator who has worked at the California Science Center, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, serves as its very own science education consultant! Plus, Dr. Knatokie Ford, a biomedical scientist, social entrepreneur, and former senior policy advisor for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, advised on the original series development. And that’s not all: Engineering experts from Disney’s world-renowned Imagineering team advised on the early development of Eureka’s inventions. Don’t miss all the inventive fun!

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

Well, it’s hard to believe, but Memorial Day weekend is here—and we hope you find some time for rest and relaxation… unless your plans include a ride on the just-debuted Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction at EPCOT, in which case, brace yourself! But no matter where you are, enjoy some tuneful, adventurous Guardians fun on Disney+; check out the season finale of The Owl House on Saturday; and so much more.

New Trailer for Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder

 Earlier this week, Marvel Studios shared a new trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder, revealing new details about the God of Thunder’s latest adventure—including a trek to Olympus where Zeus (Russell Crowe) reigns supreme.

The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced—a search for self-discovery. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who—to Thor’s surprise—inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Directed by Waititi and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, Thor: Love and Thunder opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, July 8.

Disneyland Paris’ Marvel Avengers Campus to Welcome New Recruits This July

The next generation of heroes will assemble across the pond later this summer when Marvel Avengers Campus opens at Disneyland Paris! Get all the details on this entirely reimagined universe—opening as part of the resort’s 30th Anniversary celebration—right here at D23.com. 

First Look at Disney+’s Family Reboot

The good folks over at Disney+ recently debuted the trailer for the upcoming Original series Family Reboot. Executive produced by Live with Kelly and Ryan’s Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Julian P. Hobbs, and Elli Hakami, the six-part series follows real families as they take a one-of-a-kind journey to reconnect.

In Family Reboot, cameras follow families that have become so busy with their individual lives that they’ve lost touch with one another. In each episode, a family leaves their busy schedules, devices, and distractions behind for a week-long journey led by a Family Reboot guide focused on reconnecting and rebuilding their familial bonds. They leave the journey completely “rebooted”—more connected, happier, and ready to take on their busy lives at home again, but with an entirely new outlook.

Look for the series beginning Friday, June 15, exclusively on the streaming service.

ICYMI: Disney+ Orders Season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series—and Shares a Special Look at Season 3!

Last week’s big National Streaming Day saw a slew of big announcements—including the fact that Disney+’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is returning for a fourth season! But that wasn’t all… We were also treated to a fun first look at season three; check out the clip, and read up on all that fantabulous Wildcat news, by clicking here.