Every Way to Celebrate the Holidays Virtually with Disney

December 4, 2020December 4, 2020

By Jocelyn Buhlman

The holiday season is here, and with it the celebration of traditions new and old—and for us at D23, that usually means adding some extra Disney magic while we deck the halls. If you’re looking for some extra pixie dust during your at-home celebrations, look no further! We’ve rounded up all the ways you can get holly and jolly the Disney way, from tasty recipes to festive films.

Ring In a Season of Magic with D23
We’re bringing the seasonal celebrations to you, wherever you might be! Check out our Season of Magic page for fun crafts, recipes, articles, and more to help spread holiday cheer from the comfort of your own home. Plus, check back in every day through December 23 to discover a new prize you might be able to win in our Season of Magic Sweepstakes

Join Us for a Virtual Holiday Party
If you’re a D23 Gold Member (or thinking about becoming one), we’ve got a special holiday event just for you! Tune in on December 8 to watch our virtual holiday party celebrating the new book, Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks. Join authors Graham Allan, Becky Cline, and Charlie Price as they take us on a holly, jolly tour of the holiday traditions at Disney Parks around the world. Get more details here.

Calling All Festive Foodies
All year, Disney Parks Blog has been sharing recipes for some of our favorite Disney Parks treats, and the holiday season is no exception. Make sure to visit their Disney Magic Moments site throughout the month to see what treats you need to try. Want to get cooking right away? Why not try your hand at their Gingerbread Cream Cheese Muffins, make a masterpiece with their guide to making Disney-themed charcuterie boards, or start your cookie collection early with some of their favorite cookie recipes!

Daily Surprises from Disneyland Paris
The Disney Parks magic doesn’t stop there—our friends at Disneyland Paris have created the coolest virtual advent calendar, with a special surprise every day leading up to Christmas! Check it out now, and keep checking every day to see what new surprise is in store.

Play Holiday Tunes with Extra Magic
If you’ve already decked your halls and cooked up classic treats, the only thing left to do to finish making your home a winter wonderland is to play some festive tunes! Good thing Disney Music has put together the perfect playlist of music for “that time of year.” Get details on how to stream it here.

Tune In to Classic and New Holiday Favorites
No holiday celebration is complete without gathering around the TV to watch a festive film or special celebrating the season! This year is full of Season’s Streamings, including a slate of holiday new arrivals on Disney+. Whether you’re rewatching your favorite The Simpsons holiday episodes are piecing together a new holiday tradition with The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, there’s something on Disney+ for everyone to stream.

Head to Hulu to you can check out their Holidays section and re-watch favorites and discover new classics, including Happiest Season, Snow Buddies, and some very cute seasonal scenic involving puppies and kittens.

Over at Freeform, the fan-favorite “25 Days of Christmas” programming block is back with more of your holiday favorites you can watch all month leading up to Christmas. Check out their full schedule here. Leave room in your holiday viewing schedule for special content airing on ABC and streaming on the DisneyNOW app, too!

Hanukkah Hijinks from Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs—Plus More in News Briefs

December 4, 2020December 4, 2020

By Courtney Potter

Daveed Diggs and Disney Channel Want a “Puppy for Hanukkah”

If you read these News Briefs with any regularity, you know we A) love Broadway’s Hamilton (and musical theater in general), B) delight over adorable puppies, and C) obsess about any and all holidays. So you can imagine our insane excitement when we found out those three things were coming together this week, courtesy our friends over at Disney Channel.

Fry up some potato latkes and get the menorah ready, because Hamilton star Daveed Diggs and his band Clipping have released a brand-new, super-catchy original Hanukkah song called “Puppy for Hanukkah”—the video for which (seen above) will be found on Disney Channel in rotation now through December 18. (It’ll also be available on DisneyMusicVEVO.) This new Hanukkah ditty is an imaginative hip-hop anthem that isn’t just totally danceable—it also offers up a great cultural learning opportunity for kids and families, no matter their background or faith.

Featuring a diverse cast of kids, the video conveys a universal message of hope and joy—honestly, who doesn’t want a puppy?!—at a time when we need it the most. Now if you’ll excuse us, we need to go check on our drying dreidels…

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, fabulous stuff to watch on our TV from around the worlds of Disney—it truly is our favorite time of year. So, what can you expect this weekend, streaming on the device of your choice? Well, let’s see: There’s the animated hit Anastasia joining the Disney+ library; the 1996 holiday classic The Preacher’s Wife airing on Freeform; the all-new special Disney Holiday Magic Quest bringing some high-stakes Disney Parks adventure right into your home, courtesy Disney Channel; and so much more.

**Go Behind the Scenes of Disney Holiday Magic Quest with New Featurette**

Hey, speaking of Disney Channel’s new holiday special… wonder what it’s like to have the run of a Disney park essentially all to yourself? It’s just about as incredible as you’d think—as evidenced by this new behind-the-scenes featurette, detailing the making of Disney Holiday Magic Quest at the Magic Kingdom inside Walt Disney World Resort.

Join cast members from Disney Channel’s ZOMBIES 2—Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, Ariel Martin, and Pearce Joza—as well as the special’s creative team as they explain how they brought to life the epic challenges seen throughout the event.

Airing tonight (Friday, December 4, at 8 p.m. ET/PT), Disney Holiday Magic Quest finds the ZOMBIES 2 stars navigating a series of challenges and obstacles through iconic Disney attractions and locations, including the Haunted Mansion and Cinderella Castle, in an attempt to restore the holiday magic that was stolen by famed Disney villains Maleficent and Evil Queen. As the stars compete for the grand prize, proceeds will be donated to Toys for Tots—a nonprofit organization that delivers hope and the magic of the holidays to less fortunate kids.

Hulu Launches New Watch Party Feature for All On-Demand Subscribers

Finding new ways to connect with friends and family, especially during this holiday season, is more important than ever before. And thanks to our pals over at Hulu, all on-demand subscribers will now be given the chance to enjoy a shared entertainment experience with loved ones no matter where they reside…

This week, the company officially launched Hulu Watch Party for Hulu and Hulu (No Ads) subscribers on Hulu.com. Viewers can now safely connect with their friends and family from the comfort of their homes to watch thousands of titles from Hulu’s on-demand streaming library. From the new Hulu original The Happiest Season to holiday episodes of beloved shows like The Golden Girls, This Is Us, and Family Guy, Hulu is home for the holidays this season.

How does it work? Glad you asked! After launching Hulu Watch Party through the “Watch Party” icon on each title’s Details page, viewers can share a link with up to seven other Hulu subscribers to join. Viewers must be 18 years of age or older to access the feature. While watching, group members will be able to react in real-time through the chat function and control their own playback. It’ll certainly make for one cool TV yule!

Disney Parks Wishables and Make-A-Wish: Making Spirits Bright

The Walt Disney Company and Make-A-Wish have enjoyed a truly incredible 40-year relationship—and it continues this holiday season with a new collection of Disney Parks Wishables themed to Disney’s iconic animated hit Aladdin.

This adorable new series features the original wish granter himself, the Genie, and is now available at select Disney Parks around the world; at the Disney store; and online at shopDisney.com. And that’s not all: Disney will donate 100 percent—you read that correctly, a full 100 percent!—of the purchase price from sales of the latest series to Make-A-Wish for more life-changing wishes, marking a first for a product collection from Disney Parks. Amazing, right?

This Disney Parks Wishables is the final collection in the trio of products released this fall that began with the debut of the popular Wishes Come True Blue color collection and last month’s adorable Mickey Vintage Plush, which both unlocked donations to Make-A-Wish. Plus, the good folks at the Disney Parks Blog announced that as of this week, sales from the first two merchandise offerings have unlocked a total donation of $591,100 to Make-A-Wish so far!

Lucasfilm to Celebrate 50th Anniversary in 2021

Hard to believe—since time seems to fly faster than the Millennium Falcon doing the Kessel run—but 2021 marks the incredible 50th anniversary for Lucasfilm. Naturally, they’ll be celebrating this momentous occasion with some equally momentous events… First up: The launch of commemorative, fan-favorite 50th anniversary Star Wars products, kicking off this January and continuing throughout the year with special-edition product releases.

Lucasfilm, for the uninitiated, was founded in 1971 by Disney Legend George Lucas; its films and franchises, including Star Wars and Indiana Jones, took the entire globe by storm and revolutionized visual effects, sound design, animation, and many other groundbreaking filmmaking techniques. The artists and technicians of Lucasfilm have never stopped innovating, and they continue to influence the film industry today. For example, The Mandalorian—the first-ever live-action Star Wars series—is currently one of most popular (and critically acclaimed, and galactically fantastic!) offerings available on Disney+.

We can’t wait to see what else Lucasfilm has in store—for its fifth decade, and beyond.

Show Off Your Disney Style with These Mickey-Inspired Sunglasses

December 3, 2020December 7, 2020

By the D23 Team

Every follower of fashion knows that no outfit is complete without accessories—and when it comes to showing off your Disney style, nothing ties a look together quite like a cool pair of shades! Ray-Ban sunglasses are a timeless fashion staple—but their newest collaboration adds some extra pixie dust to a classic design.

The Ray-Ban Disney Mickey Mouse, Limited Edition D20 sunglasses will be available soon at Island Supply at Magic Kingdom, Sunglass Icon® at Disney Springs, and Sunglass Icon® at Downtown Disney, —so D23 Members are getting a first look at this new design!

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend

December 3, 2020

By Zach Johnson

This weekend is filled with magic and mystery! Disney Channel will debut two can’t-miss holiday specials, beginning Friday with Disney Holiday Magic Quest and continuing Sunday with Challenge Accepted! Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown. Also on Friday, Disney+ will make Anastasia available to stream, while Hulu will premiere the complete first season of its original series The Hardy Boys. Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” is the gift that keeps on giving—and one of our favorites, The Preacher’s Wife, is in this weekend’s lineup!

Disney Holiday Magic Quest—Friday, December 4, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
Strange things can happen inside the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort after dark! And this special, virtually hosted by Raven-Symoné, will feature ZOMBIES 2 stars Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, Ariel Martin, and Pearce Joza competing in a high-stakes holiday adventure. They will navigate a series of challenges and obstacles through iconic Disney attractions, including the Haunted Mansion and Cinderella Castle, in an attempt to restore the holiday magic that was stolen by Disney villains Maleficent and Evil Queen. As they compete for the grand prize, proceeds will be donated to Toys for Tots, a nonprofit organization that delivers hope and the magic of the holidays to less fortunate children.

Anastasia—Friday, December 4, on Disney+
Joining the Disney+ library, the two-time Academy Award^®-nominated animated adventure tells the story of Anastasia Romanov (voice of Meg Ryan), daughter of the last Russian czar. After the evil wizard Grigori Rasputin (voice of Christopher Lloyd) puts a hex on the royal family, a young Anastasia disappears. Years later, the Grand Duchess (voice of Angela Lansbury) offers a reward for her granddaughter’s return. So, con men Dimitri (voice of John Cusack) and Vladimir (voice of Kelsey Grammer) devise a scheme to hold auditions and cast an orphan girl with an uncanny resemblance to the missing princess. They bring her to Paris to claim their reward, not knowing she’s the real Anastasia! All the while, Rasputin has been biding his time, waiting to destroy the Romanov family for good!

The Hardy Boys—Friday, December 4, on Hulu
The Hulu Original Series, featuring characters from the beloved novels, begins after a devastating family tragedy strikes. So, the Hardy brothers—Frank (Rohan Campbell), 16, and Joe (Alexander Elliot), 12—are forced to move from the big city to their parents’ hometown of Bridgeport for the summer. Staying with their Aunt Trudy (Bea Santos), Frank and Joe’s quiet summer quickly comes to a halt when they discover their dad, detective Fenton Hardy (James Tupper), has taken on a secret investigation. Realizing their dad may be on to something, the brothers take it upon themselves to start an investigation of their own—and suddenly everyone in town is a suspect. All 13 episodes will premiere at launch.

The Preacher’s Wife—Saturday, December 5, at 7 a.m. ET on Freeform
Directed by Penny Marshall, this sentimental 1996 film is remake of the 1947 classic The Bishop’s Wife. It stars two-time Academy Award^® winner Denzel Washington as a charming angel named Dudley who’s sent to Earth to help Rev. Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) and his wife (Whitney Houston) save their marriage. But things take a turn when Dudley accidentally falls in love with the preacher’s wife. Featuring an all-star cast (Loretta Devine, Gregory Hines, Jenifer Lewis, Lionel Richie) and an all-star soundtrack (“I Believe in You and Me,” “Who Would Imagine a King”), the film is a love letter to faith and family.

Challenge Accepted! Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown—Sunday, December 6, at 7 p.m. ET on Disney Channel
This holiday special will center on Santa Claus (Kevin Frazier) and Mrs. Claus (Nischelle Turner) enlisting the help of Disney Channel stars to save the holidays from Ebenezer Scrooge (Anneliese van der Pol). The stars—including Milo Manheim, Chandler Kinney, Trevor Tordjman, Kylee Russell, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson, Sky Katz, Jason Maybaum, Mallory Mahoney, Raphael Alejandro, Will Buie Jr., Christian J. Simon, Ruth Righi, Ava Kolker, and Ramon Reed—take on a series of holiday-themed challenges to lift her evil curse on Christmas. The special will include a performance by ZOMBIES 2 star Meg Donnelly with one lucky fan and a show-stopping number from the pop group Now United.

7 Spellbinding Stories from the Cast of the Disney+ Original Godmothered

December 2, 2020

By Beth Deitchman

Disney’s Godmothered is a holiday wish-come-true for anyone with a penchant for fairy tales with a modern twist, hilarious comedies that star talented and wickedly funny actors, and a super-sized sprinkling of Disney magic. The Disney+ original film debuting Friday, December 4, stars Jillian Bell as Eleanor, a fairy godmother-in-training who is determined to save her profession by proving that the world still needs these wand-wielding makers of magic. She leaves The Motherland—the far-off place from which she and her brethren hail—to create the ultimate happily-ever-after for Mackenzie (Isla Fisher), who as a 10-year-old, once sent a letter (that ultimately was mislaid) in which she requested the services of a fairy godmother. Now a 40-year-old single mom, Mackenzie no longer believes that she needs such a fantastical being in her life, but, as Bell suggests knowingly, “Maybe she does…”

Recently, Bell and Fisher were reunited virtually with some of their fellow Godmothered cast members, including Santiago Cabrera, who plays Hugh, Mackenzie’s on-air reporter partner; Jillian Shea Spaeder and Willa Skye, who play Mackenzie’s young daughters, Jane and Mia, respectively; Emmy® winner Jane Curtin, who plays Moira, The Motherland’s estimable headmistress; and Artemis Pebdani and Utkarsh Ambudkar, who portray Mackenzie’s colleagues at the Boston-based TV news station where she works. During the spirited press conference, the actors shared favorite memories from the film’s Beantown location shoot and discussed the film’s unconventional take on the beloved world of once-upon-a-times and happily-ever-afters. Here’s what they had to say:

Isla Fisher has a decidedly more optimistic outlook than Mackenzie does at the beginning of the film.
Fisher, a versatile actress who is also an accomplished author of children’s stories (and a mom herself), says that she views life as “an open book” and she tries not to pin her hopes on any specific paths. “It’s nice to let situations in life guide you into new beginnings or openings that you might not have envisioned for yourself and push yourself out of your comfort zone by being open to doing something potentially that wasn’t necessarily in your wheelhouse,” Fisher shares.

To help get into character, Jillian Bell made sure she was dressed for success.
“It started with a corset,” the actress says with a laugh, recalling a trip to a bridal store where she tried on a host of wedding dresses. She remembers, “They were all huge ball gowns. I remember seeing other women there who were trying on dresses to be married, and they were looking at me and I was in the poofiest thing, falling out of the dressing room, and they were all like, ‘Congratulations!’”

That fateful shopping trip enabled Bell and Godmothered director Sharon Maguire and costume designer Renee Ehrlich Kalfus to home in on the princess-inspired pink dress that Eleanor wears throughout the film. “I actually really liked it… it really helps get into character, stay in character, and it helps the posture,” Bell explains, though she confesses she was also glad to change into sweatpants at the end of the day. She adds, “I wish I could’ve kept one [of the dresses] because I like to keep one costume for everything I do, but this was a pretty massive costume to ask for.”

Jane Curtin also loved her own character’s dress… but it was her character’s hair that had an extra-special effect.
“It was the only tall character I’ve ever played,” Curtin laughed. “It was a momentous thing for me to actually tower over other people.” Curtin credits the makeup, hair, and costumes as one of the keys to fleshing out The Motherland’s exacting headmistress. “They forced you into a certain posture and a certain way of being, and it really suited the strictness of Moira. I liked the whole outfit,” she says.

Cabrera, Pebdani, and Ambudkar spent time at a local news station as part of their research for their roles.
“We were taken around by real news people and field reporters,” Cabrera explains, and he notes that a professional from a local Boston station was also on hand to offer expert advice while they were filming. Pebdani also received help learning how to look like a natural while operating the news camera. She adds, “[They] taught me how to hold it and look tough and really what you would do, you know, how close your eyeball would actually get—that sort of thing.” Ambudkar teased a different approach to realizing his character: “I have to play a news boss who has no idea what he’s doing, so I didn’t have to do any research and it worked out just fine,” he says with a laugh.

Jillian Bell was able to share a few fairy-godmother moments with her young co-stars.
Jillian Shea Spaeder, who sings and plays guitar in her real life, enjoyed having the opportunity to perform in the film… but she admits to being a little daunted at having to do so in front of a large audience. She remembers looking out at the background actors and thinking, “Wow, there’s a lot of people here.” And while she deftly conquered her nerves over the two days of filming the performance scene, she looked to Bell for inspiration as she faced singing in a chilly airplane hangar while wearing a sleeveless dress. “Jillian Bell taught me a wonderful trick, to breathe out the shivers, and I took that with me the whole movie,” Spaeder shares.

The cast was aware that the film continues Disney’s enduring legacy of fairy godmothers.
“The Fairy Godmother from Cinderella—she’s the O.G. She’s the original godmother… That’s the one to try to beat,” Bell stresses, though she deliberately avoided channeling the enchanted icon so that she could create her own character in Eleanor. Curtin revealed that she was able to draw upon some personal experience making Disney magic. “I played the wicked queen just one night, overnight, in Disneyland,” she shares, recalling her appearance in the 1987 TV special Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. “We shot it from midnight until six o’clock the next morning, and I had the cape and the things coming out of my fingernails when I go to the mirror. Oh, [it was] awesome,” she recalls.

The modern idea of “happily-ever-after” that’s featured so prominently in Godmothered is extremely meaningful to the film’s cast.
“For young girls watching, you know, happily-ever-after doesn’t necessarily include a castle, a prince, and a dress. It can be blessings you have in your life with your family or work,” Fisher says. Curtin agrees that the vision of happily-ever-after in Godmothered represents the world we live in today. “It’s what you believe and it’s a goal that you can achieve on your own,” she emphasizes. “If you want it, if you believe that you can get it, it’s something that’s not reliant on magic, it’s reliant on you and your spirit. I think that that’s really something that we all have to remember, that we are capable of such amazing things and such positive things for ourselves and for others—and that’s happily ever after.”

OHHHH, D.C.! – That Darn Cat! Turns 55!

December 2, 2020December 1, 2020

By Holly Brobst, Walt Disney Archives

This December we celebrate the 55th anniversary of the release of one of my favorite Disney films, That Darn Cat!

A 1965 “cops and robber” comedy from Walt Disney Productions, the film was produced by the inimitable trio of Walt Disney, Bill Walsh, and Ron Miller. Studio stalwart Robert Stevenson directed the star-studded cast that includes Dorothy Provine, Roddy McDowall, Neville Brand, and three Disney Legends—Hayley Mills, Dean Jones, and Ed Wynn.

Add in a couple more Disney Legends, songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman, and crooner Bobby Darin, who sings the Shermans’ unforgettable title song (one that’s just as sassy as the movie’s namesake), and you’ve got some memorable shenanigans afoot to enjoy!

However, the star that steals the show is, of course, Syn the seal point Siamese cat. Syn was awarded the much-sought-after PATSY Award for Best Animal Actor from the Hollywood office of the American Humane Association for his performance in the film.

Celebrate with us by surveilling D.C. on Disney+!

Everything You Need to Know about the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

December 2, 2020December 2, 2020

By Jeffrey Epstein

It’s beginning to look a lot like… the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth. The annual EPCOT event is back with some updates for the season through December 31. There are character cavalcades, holly jolly attraction enhancements, musical delights, exclusive merchandise, and, of course, mouth-watering treats from savory to sweet and everything in-between. We have all the details, and a few tips from the pros, to ensure you have a most wonderful time while being safe as possible during this unprecedented period.

A Festival with Character

Rounding pathways of World Showcase, a trio of cavalcades “pop up” to surprise and delight guests. Keep an eye out for the “Mickey and Friends Holiday World Tour” featuring Mickey, Minnie, and the gang. Queen Anna and Elsa are sure to please with their “Frozen Holiday Promenade.” And of course, Santa Claus pays a visit to make sure you’ve been nice. D23 Members are never naughty, right?

And there are more characters to be discovered in new ways for guests. “It’s important in these times to be strategic but also magical,” explains Disney Parks Live Entertainment’s Tom Vazzana . “Everything we thought about had to work within our safety guidelines, and that challenged us to get really creative. Some guests are saying they are seeing more characters than they ever have before because they’re so present out in the park.” He notes how Winnie the Pooh or Joy from Inside Out might now be spotted in the lawn between Journey into Imagination and The Land pavilion. “What a great photo we were never able to do before! While you can’t approach them physically, they’re much more accessible to guests.”

Music to Our Ears
Musical performances are key to any EPCOT festival, and the new enhanced health and safety guidelines presented an opportunity to reimagine some of the harmonious offerings. “There’s been a renaissance, in my opinion, of how we do things,” Vazzana notes.

Head over to the America Gardens Theatre to check out the Voices of Liberty – Voices of the Season. The breathtaking a cappella group has returned to EPCOT and is sure to stun with their rendition of holiday music; their catalogue of favorite songs includes “Joy to the World,” “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah,” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” “We’ve developed two new sets for them for the holidays,” reveals Vazzana, who notes that guests should all feel comfortable sitting in the Theatre to experience the show. “The show director and our safety team went out and found the right spacing and the right distancing, and we are able present theater to our guests that is rarely about to happen right now. ”

Also in the Theatre, don’t miss the incredibly talented Mariachi Cobre performing Las Posadas, a celebration of Mexican holiday traditions. “Normally you’d visit the Mexico pavilion to experience them but now they are featured at the America Gardens Theatre,” Vazzana points out. “I think that’s something to be proud of, too; with our focus on inclusivity, we are showcasing more diverse talent—from Mariachi Cobre to JOYFUL! ”

Speaking of JOYFUL!, make sure you visit the Festival headquarters inside the World Showplace pavilion to see their show, A Celebration of the Season, a selection of dazzling holiday music from gospel to R&B. Their high-energy performance and soaring vocals will have you dancing as you dine. Also in World Showplace, pianist Carol Stein tickles the ivories (and soothes the soul) with her rapturous renditions of holiday classics. Plus, the JAMMitors are bringing their percussive talents to the Canada pavilion . Complete details and times are available on the My Disney Experience app.

Attraction Holiday Touches

Don’t miss a cruise on Living with the Land to experience Merry & Bright Nights, when twinkling lights illuminate this beloved attraction. From oversized ornaments and “sandy” snowmen to Mickey topiaries topped with Santa hats, there’s a delight around every corner. And of course, everyone loves a festive holiday sweater, and Figment is wearing not one but two on Journey into Imagination!

But It’s All About the Food
No EPCOT festival is complete without a delectable assortment of treats to eat, and the chefs do not disappoint. Dozens of new and favorite items are looking forward to meeting your tastebuds this season. We asked Chef Kevin what were his three can’t-miss items…

Beef Bourguignon (Yukon Holiday Kitchen, Canada): “The Beef Bourguignon out of Yukon Holiday Kitchen is a super-hearty dish, very flavorful, paring with the Chateau des Charmes merlot is perfect for me, so you get the bold merlot and then the red wine notes from the braised beef.”

Lomi Lomi Salmon (Mele Kalikimaka, Showcase Pavilion near Traveler’s Café): “I love the Lomi Lomi from Mele Kalikimaka; it’s a really light and refreshing dish. It’s something a little different for us, but I think it’s a huge success.”

Blackened Bass, White Cheddar Grits, and Okra (Festival Favorites, World Showplace Events Pavilion): “I’m a Southern boy so the blackened bass with the grits and the okra tomato stew is another one of my go-tos.”

EPCOT’s general manager of operations, Kartika Rodriguez, also wants to make sure you don’t miss the Gingerbread Milkshake (also in World Showplace at the Holiday Hearth) and “Don’t forget the Cookie Stroll!” she says of the new way to experience pure bliss. Guests who purchase five of the delightful holiday treats (may we suggest the Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie and the Gingerbread Cookie, both available in World Showplace) receive a sixth, bonus Minnie Peppermint Cookie for free. “The cookies are fantastic. I’m a
sweets person so the holidays are all about desserts for me,” Rodriguez says.

We also may have ventured ’round World Showcase a few times—just for research, of course—and found a few other favorites we might suggest including the Tamal de Pollo (a rich chipotle chicken tamale from Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen, Mexico), Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl (you really can’t go wrong with this dish from the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen, German), Slow-Roasted Turkey (with stuffing and the trimmings, it’s like having the best of Thanksgiving all over again at American Holiday Table, The American Adventure), Holiday Pot Pie (a delicious plant-based delight with a fluffy crust also from American Holiday Table), Grilled Lamb Kefta Kebab and Grapes (which has a spicy kick to it at the Sapphire Holiday Kitchen, Morocco), and the Smoked Salmon Potato Latke (a festival favorite has returned to L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen, between Morocco and France).

Merchandise and More
Throughout EPCOT, Chip and Dale can be found on adorable ornaments, comfy T-shirts, and more. Plus, each country in World Showcase has unique collectibles that are sure to make the season bright, including a cookie jar (perfect to store any extras from your Cookie Stroll!).

To go to the next level of magic and merriment, try Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition, a hunt through World Showcase to see how our favorite Frozen snowman is learning about new ways to celebrate the season (and when you complete the expedition, you win one of three Frozen-themed tumblers)! Purchase your expedition map at Mouse Gear, Disney Traders, or World Traveler at International Gateway to start your search.

And inside World Showplace there are many festive photo spots, including one with Frozen’s Olaf and Marshmallow, as well as an incredible gingerbread replica of the United States Capitol Building made with a whopping 165 pounds of gingerbread!

For more details, visit the Disney Parks Blog and keep up-to-date on the My Disney Experience app.

Seasons Eatings! Er, Greetings!

How Pixar’s Soul Celebrates and Represents Black Culture

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020

By Zach Johnson

The themes in Disney and Pixar’s upcoming film Soul may be universal, but they are explored through the singular experiences of one man: Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx). Since Joe is the animation studio’s first Black lead, director Pete Docter, co-director Kemp Powers, and producer Dana Murray made it their mission to ensure Joe’s story is both authentic and representative of a culture that has often been underrepresented onscreen.

“They were dedicated to making Joe very real,” says actor and consultant Daveed Diggs, who voices neighborhood cynic Paul. “Everybody in the film could be real people. There are so many ways to be Black. In animation, you risk creating something that feels like a caricature and saying: ‘This is Black.’ But there’s a real diversity of experience in this movie.”

In order to depict that “diversity of experience,” the filmmakers assembled a group of cultural and music consultants that included Dr. Peter Archer, Jon Batiste (jazz compositions & arrangements), Dr. Christopher Bell, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Diggs, Herbie Hancock, Marcus McLaurine, George Spencer, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (voice of Curly), and Bradford Young. Meanwhile, the in-house team, dubbed the Pixar Cultural Trust, included Frank E. Abney III, Aphton Corbin, Robert Grahamjones, Jessica Heidt, Katrina Henderson, Searit Kahsay Huluf, Paige Johnstone, Albert Lozano, Mara MacMahon, Sean Muriithi, Rod Pearson, Nicole Pellerin Chandler, Montaque Lamont Allen Ruffin, Gini Cruz Santos, and Michael Yates. “We talk a lot about cultural specificity, and I think it’s important to understand that cultural specificity is not a dividing thing,” Powers says. “I like to say that sometimes being hyper-specific allows us to see the universality in all of our experiences.”

Soul, debuting exclusively on Disney+ on December 25 and theatrically in international markets where the streaming service is not yet available, has a lot of heart… and soul. Set in both New York City and The Great Before (a fantastical place where new souls get their interests, personalities, and quirks before going to Earth), the film covers a lot of ground, both literally and figuratively. To give audiences an immediate sense of who Joe is, the filmmakers went to great lengths to ensure the city had a distinct authenticity. “It was really important that New York is a great melting pot of a city, and it was also important that Joe was able to pass through Black spaces,” says Powers. “I thought it would contribute to the cultural authenticity of the character and make the whole story come alive.”

As an example, Powers says, “There’s no more culturally authentic place in the Black community than the barbershop. In many ways, it’s the town center, particularly for Black men. It’s a place where these men—from all walks of life—come together.” There is a similar sense of community in the tailor shop run by Joe’s mother, Libba (voice of Phylicia Rashad). “I relate deeply to Libba in many ways. She is both strong and soulful,” says Dr. Cole. “And while she is protective of her son, she ultimately accepts that he must follow his passion.” Dr. Cole was instrumental in shaping the strong Black women of Soul. “We spent a lot of time talking about the portrayal of Black women,” she recalls, adding that it was important for her to see that female characters such as Libba and jazz legend Dorothea Williams (voice of Angela Bassett) would in no way be “portrayed in stereotypical ways.”

In ways that are hard to quantify, the insights from the consultants proved invaluable. “Questlove contributed in a big way when it came to music,” Murray says. “He’s like an encyclopedia when it comes to music.” Citing another example, Powers adds, “There’s a whole range of Black characters with different skin tones. There was a learning curve for our lighting team. [Cinematographer] Bradford [Young] came in and consulted with them on a number of occasions.”

The filmmakers are forever grateful to the consultants, whose varied perspectives enriched and legitimized Joe’s story. Likewise, the consultants are grateful to the filmmakers for inviting them to tell their stories through Joe and the other characters in Soul. “I was one of many people who came to see the early versions of the film and give my thoughts,” recalls Diggs. “They had long discussions and every word would get written down; follow-up questions would be asked. It was really impressive to see the care with which they tried to craft this piece and to make sure that they heard from a wide variety of people.”

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

November 30, 2020November 25, 2020

By Zach Johnson

The holidays season is in already full swing, but you can get even more into the spirit with the brand-new ABC special The Disney Holiday Singalong, airing Monday night. Then, tune in to Freeform Wednesday to watch It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, starring your favorite Muppet friends. Later that night, ABC will air a new Hannukah-themed episode of The Goldbergs. Disney Junior will debut a new Doc McStuffins special on Friday, while the new original comedy film Godmothered will begin streaming that day on Disney+.

The Disney Holiday Singalong—Monday, November 30, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
Ryan Seacrest returns to host a night of merriment, featuring performances by Andrea Bocelli (“Silent Night”); BTS (“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”); Michael Bublé (“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”); Ciara (“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”); chloe x halle (“Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”); Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert (“Hey Santa” and “Jingle Bells”); Julianne Hough (“Whistle While You Work” and “Let It Snow”); Adam Lambert (“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”); Leslie Odom Jr. (“What’s This?”); Katy Perry (“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Cozy Little Christmas”); P!NK (“The Christmas Song [Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire]”); Kerry Washington (“Joy to the World”); and more. Plus, Disney on Broadway will return to the New Amsterdam Theatre for the first time since March with a performance by the Broadway casts of Aladdin and The Lion King and the North American Touring companies of Frozen. Plus, DCappella will carol throughout the show, encouraging fans at home to sing along!

It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie—Wednesday, December 2, at 7 a.m. ET on Freeform
Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” is off to a great start, thanks in part to this 2002 fan-favorite! Loosely based on the film It’s a Wonderful Life, the television movie introduces Rachel Bitterman (Joan Cusack), who dreams of tearing down the Muppet Theatre and turning it a nightclub where she can overcharge her patrons. She inherits Bitterman Bank and decides to change the term of the Muppets’ loan so the final payment is due before their annual Christmas show. After Fozzie Bear loses the loan money, the Muppets turn to Kermit the Frog for help. But when a desperate Kermit wishes he’d never been born, an angel named Daniel (David Arquette) arrives to show him what the world would look like without him. Kermit must realize how important he is to his friends to in order to return home in time to try to save the theater. In addition to featuring Muppets such as Animal, Beaker, Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Janice, Miss Piggy, Rizzo the Rat, Rowlf the Dog, Sam the Eagle, Scooter, and others, It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie boasts a human cast of Zach Braff, Mel Brooks, Sarah Chalke, Carson Daly, Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg, Matthew Lillard, William H. Macy, Kelly Ripa, Molly Shannon, and many others.

The Goldbergs—Wednesday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
ABC is your home for the holidays, and in the all-new episode “Hanukkah on the Seas,” Pop-Pop (guest star Judd Hirsch) surprises the family with an ill-advised winter cruise to Canada. Meanwhile, Erica (Hayley Orrantia) stirs up holiday trouble of her own at home.

Doc McStuffins—Friday, December 4, at 7:30 p.m. ET on Disney Junior
Coinciding with National Handwashing Awareness Week, the new Doc McStuffins special The Doc Is In will feature the beloved Doc McStuffins interacting with real kids, families, and medical professionals to promote healthy habits. Incorporating some the series’ most popular songs, the special will feature real medical professionals Dr. Myiesha Taylor, MD, founder of the Artemis Medical Society and the “We Are Doc McStuffins” movement, and Mark Lee, R.N., who provides tips to preschoolers about ways to prevent spreading germs.

Godmothered—Friday, December 4, on Disney+
Set at Christmas time, the original comedy introduces Eleanor (Jillian Bell), a young, inexperienced fairy godmother-in-training. Upon learning that her chosen profession is facing extinction, she resolves to show the world that people still need fairy godmothers. After finding a lost letter from a 10-year-old girl in distress, Eleanor decides to track her down. To her surprise, she discovers that the girl, Mackenzie (Isla Fisher), is now a 40-year-old single mom working at a news station in Boston. After her husband died several years earlier, Mackenzie doesn’t really believe in happily ever after anymore. But Eleanor is determined to give Mackenzie a “happiness makeover”… whether Mackenzie likes it or not!

When Squids Attack!

November 29, 2020August 1, 2022

By Francesca Scrimgeour, Walt Disney Archives

Infinite Mystery! Unearthly Beauty! Fathomless Oceans! Claimed as “the mightiest motion picture of them all,” 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) is one of the most ambitious films ever created at The Walt Disney Studios. Both challenging to produce and legendary in its creative legacy, the movie is replete with silver-screen action of all kinds, including a terrifying battle between a giant squid and the crew of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus submarine. The thrilling scene was filmed at the Disney studio lot in Stage 3, which was constructed specifically with the production of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in mind. The stage was built to hold a pool of water that ranged from three- to 18-feet deep, and allowed for the large-scale dramatic staging of scenes featuring a full-size deck of the Nautilus clashing with the giant squid.

Originally, the sequence featuring the squid battle was written to happen at sunset with a deep, red afterglow in the sky. However, that staging ended up feeling too peaceful, preventing the squid from coming across as the convincing, menacing creature of the deep it needed to be. Technical difficulties that the crew faced in bringing this behemoth puppet to life included visible wires, breaking cables, and the squid’s unstable and absorbent body material. Due to these challenges, shooting the sequence was halted, which was a disheartening moment for the production team. However, soon the tides began to turn for this underwater encounter.

Filmmakers had a breakthrough idea—to stage the scene in the dark of night, battered by a powerful storm with blustery wind, torrential rain, and gigantic waves. An updated squid featuring different coloring, a bulbous shape, and a menacing brow would soon bow to rapt acclaim. The creature’s tentacles also became tapered at the end, making them more snake-like, and they could stretch to twice their length. Twenty-eight puppeteers brought the monster squid to life (now with eight writhing tentacles). To help augment the illusion of the chaotic storm, the production acquired wind machines, water cannons, and wave makers, all of which further heightened the drama that would end up on screen.

Through the brilliant decision to change the mood of this epic struggle, the filmmakers crafted an over-the-top masterpiece—audiences couldn’t get enough of the “whale of a tale” that was created. The production team’s artistic vision in creating a larger-than-life action sequence made motion picture history and went on to win Academy Awards® for Special Effects and Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration. Marvel at the majesty of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on Disney+, and as Captain Nemo once said: “The real story of the ocean’s depth begins where you left off.”