Take Your Virtual Meetings on the Open Road with These A Goofy Movie-inspired Backgrounds

April 7, 2020

By the D23 Team

Max and Goofy’s famous father-son road trip took them to a wide selection of interesting locations, from Lester’s Possum Park to the World’s Biggest Ball of Yarn—even to the stage of a Powerline concert! If you’ve ever wanted to visit one of these places for yourself, now you can… virtually, of course! Download these backgrounds featuring famous locations from A Goofy Movie so that your next virtual meeting can have you calling in from Powerline’s world tour—or wherever in the goofy world you want to be. Make sure to take a picture or screenshot and share using #D23GoofyMovie on social media to join in our week-long 25th anniversary celebration.

Click here to download

Keep checking D23.com all week for more ways to celebrate the 25th anniversary of A Goofy Movie, including a special A Goofy Movie virtual watch party.

Just a Spoonful of Chili…

April 7, 2020February 14, 2024

By Nicole Carroll, Walt Disney Archives

Anyone familiar with Walt Disney has probably heard that one of his favorite foods was chili. Simply put, Walt was a Midwestern boy and had a Midwestern appetite; he stuck to familiar “meat and potatoes” dishes. So, of course, Walt liked his chili. As his wife Lillian recalled, “He liked basic foods. He loved chili.” Walt would eat this favorite food at high-end restaurants like the iconic Chasen’s in Beverly Hills, but was equally happy eating it at home. His quick, no-fuss, at-home preference? A mixture of Gebhardt’s and Dennison’s canned chili.

In addition to the canned variety, Walt enjoyed fresh chili at home and at the Disney studio Commissary. The two chili and beans recipes seen here both come from a file in the Walt Disney Archives marked, “Walt’s Favorite Foods.” Although the exact dates are unknown, one recipe is marked revised on March 25, 1958. Based on the ingredients in the other, namely the chopped suet, we can determine that is the earlier recipe. Suet is a raw, hard fat that’s part of beef or mutton and later was often replaced by ground beef, as seen in the revised recipe. The other clue that hints at the first recipe being earlier? It called for more spices. Walt famously preferred milder foods and the second recipe reflected those preferences. The main part of the recipe calls for less spice, but at the bottom there’s an option for making it spicier. It is likely that this revised recipe not only accounted for the then-newer and more popular usage of ground beef, but Walt’s personal tastes.

walts chili — Earlier Chili and Bean recipe made with chopped suet (pre-1958)

Today, chili still plays an important role in Disney company culture and heritage. It can be enjoyed by Guests at Disney Parks and Resorts around the world and by employees at the Disney studio Commissary in Burbank, where Walt’s Famous Chili is on the menu daily!

Walt’s favorite combo, chili and crackers served at Disneyland Park (1976)

Next time you’re planning dinner, why not try Walt’s recipe? And if you don’t feel like making chili from scratch, you can still “eat like Walt” by cracking open your favorite canned variety! No matter what chili you have, be sure to serve it with plenty of crackers. Walt was often guilty of eating chili at the studio Commissary, then forgetting crackers and crumbs in his pockets only to be discovered when his clothes were sent out for dry cleaning.

For more information on Walt’s favorite foods and some favorites from around Disneyland Park, check out Eat Like Walt: The Wonderful World of Disney Food by Marcy Smothers. Marcy spent countless hours poring over the Walt Disney Archives’ most delicious (and enlightening) collections to understand Walt, food, and its history at Disneyland Park. I recently had the opportunity to talk to Marcy about her book and time spent researching in the Archives. The most surprising thing she learned? “Walt often ate at home on a TV stand with his family,” wrote Smothers. “I was really interested in where Walt ate when he wasn’t eating at the Commissary or at a restaurant.” She was pleasantly surprised to learn that Walt—ever the family man—could typically be found eating at home in front of the television. Smothers shares many endearing stories surrounding the Disney family dinnertime in her book, including this one looking at how meals were planned: “Lillian arranged with Walt’s secretary to call and report what Walt had for lunch, ‘because when he didn’t like the dinner, he often used the excuse he had it for lunch.’”

After the success of Eat Like Walt, Smothers’ next book project is called A Walk in the Park with Walt Disney. She describes it as “a guide to Disneyland told in Walt's words and those that worked alongside him."

We hope you’ve enjoyed this toast to Walt! Prepare your chili and beans, fill your pockets with crackers, and raise your scotch mist (Walt’s drink of choice)! If you choose to try out the recipes above, be sure to share photos of your creations using the hashtags #waltdisneyarchives and #eatlikewalt!

Walt in the studio Commissary with future President of Mexico Miguel Alemán Valdés in 1942. Note the crackers in the center of the table.

EXCLUSIVE: First Look at Ellie Makes A Friend, An Adorable New Book Celebrating Artistic Differences

April 6, 2020

By the D23 Team

If you need an extra dose of adorableness in your life, be sure to pick up the new book Ellie Makes a Friend, heading to shelves on April 7. We have the chance to share some exclusive art from this new book by author Mike Wu, which explores what happens when an artistic elephant befriends a panda named Ping with impressive painting skills. After everyone starts praising Ping’s art, Ellie begins to doubt her own skills—but soon she learns an important lesson about how different perspectives lead to fresh inspiration. To get some perspective on the book ourselves, we sat down with Wu to discuss his super cute story.

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club: What was the inspiration behind Ellie Makes A Friend?
Mike Wu (MW): I wanted to go back to my roots. I thought it was important to write a story that was honest and with experiences I’ve had. Besides, who doesn’t want to draw cute a Panda.

D23: When did you first realize you wanted to write children’s books?
MW: I’ve wanted to write children’s books since I was young. Growing up in New York City, I was influenced by art, illustration, comics, and visual storytelling. Children’s books combined all of these things. I love working on the Pixar films but I felt I needed to tell my own stories as well and Children’s books were a perfect way to express that.

D23: How do you balance working as an animator at Pixar and writing and illustrating your stories?
MW: It is challenging to juggle both, but I keep the Pixar work at the studio and I carve out time in the evening after my kids go to bed. This is my time to be creative and work on my personal art.

D23: What advice would you give to young artists and writers?
MW: Believe in your work. Everyone has a story to tell because we are all unique with different experiences. Keep writing and drawing or whatever medium you use to express yourself. Share your work and accept feedback even if it is critical. Then go back and rewrite and redraw and keep improving.

D23: This is the third book in the Ellie series—what made you want to keep going with Ellie’s story?
MW: Ellie is a champion of the arts and I feel Ellie’s story is just beginning. I have many Ellie stories I’d like to write and I love that kids respond so positively to her.

D23: What do you hope young readers take away from this story?
MW: I hope they take away an important message we have facing us today. We should not give into fear, but rather celebrate our differences so that you can accept and learn about new things and new people. We have so much we can learn about others that will in turn, help us grow as individuals.

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

April 6, 2020April 7, 2020

By Zach Johnson

It’s the end of an era. On Wednesday, ABC’s Modern Family caps its 11-season run with a one-hour documentary special and a two-part series finale that we predict will make you laugh as hard as you cry. (More on that here.) The next night, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy will sign off—and if we’ve learned anything over the last 16 seasons, it’s to expect a crazy cliffhanger! Meanwhile, National Geographic delivers two new episodes of Cosmos: Possible Worlds and Disney Channel rolls out five new episodes of its shorts series Marvel Super Hero Adventures. And on Friday, Disney+ invites the whole family to join in the Celebration of the Music from Coco. Now that’s music to our ears! Plan accordingly, because we’ve rounded up five programs you should watch this week:

Marvel Super Hero Adventures—Monday, April 6, at 11:55 a.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
The first episode in season four, “Charge Ahead,” features Spidey swinging into action with his arc-powered pal, Ironheart, after the city loses electricity. Each short airs on Disney Channel and in DisneyNOW, with a new short rolling out daily through April 10.

Cosmos: Possible Worlds—Monday, April 6, at 8 p.m. on National Geographic
Once again, host Neil deGrasse Tyson brings us two back-to-back episodes of the popular series. The first, “Magic Without Lies,” spotlights the man who discovered a hole in reality and the technology that it made possible. The second, “A Tale of Two Atoms,” examines how a deadly embrace between two atoms altered the world’s fate.

Modern Family—Wednesday, April 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
After 11 seasons, the award-winning comedy concludes with a heartwarming and hilarious two-part series finale at 9 p.m. ET/PT, preceded by a one-hour retrospective, A Modern Farewell, at 8 p.m ET/PT. In the first part, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) adjust to having a new baby, while Phil (Ty Burrell) and Claire (Julie Bowen) realize they need one of the kids to move out in order to take control of their house again. Meanwhile, as Gloria (Sofía Vergara) becomes more successful at work, she notices Jay (Ed O’Neill), Manny (Rico Rodriguez), and Joe (Jeremy Maguire) don’t seem to need her as much. In part two, the Dunphy-Pritchett-Tucker family discovers saying goodbye is much harder than it seems.

Grey’s Anatomy—Thursday, April 9, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
Mark Driscoll and Tameson Duffy wrote the highly anticipated season 16 finale, titled “Put on a Happy Face.” Directed by Deborah Pratt, the episode centers on Link (Chris Carmack) trying to convince Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) to take it easy during the final stage of her pregnancy. Meanwhile, Hayes (Richard Flood) asks Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) a surprising question, and Owen (Kevin McKidd) makes a shocking discovery.

A Celebration of the Music from Coco—Friday, April 10, on Disney+
A reimagined live-to-film concert experience recorded last year at the Hollywood Bowl, the special brings to life performances from the spectacular Disney and Pixar film Coco. Featuring a full 60-piece orchestra, enjoy performances of the Academy Award®-winning Original Song “Remember Me,” plus “Un Poco Loco,” “The World Es Mi Familia,” and “Proud Corazón,” as well as some fan favorites from the Latin-American soundtrack, including “La Bikina,” “Bésame Mucho,” “Recuérdame,” and more. Directed by Ron de Moraes, the special includes special appearances and performances by Benjamin Bratt, Jaime Camil, Felipe Fernández del Paso, Alex Gonzalez, Sarah Hicks, Natalia Jiménez, Eva Longoria, Rudy Mancuso, Mariachi Divas, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Miguel, Carlos Rivera, Alanna Ubach, and Coco director Lee Unkrich.

Inside the Stop-Motion Magic of Isle of Dogs

April 6, 2020April 6, 2020

By Jennifer Vanoni, Walt Disney Archives

The 2018 film Isle of Dogs was the second stop-motion animated feature from director Wes Anderson and his right-hand man, master puppet maker Andy Gent. The two forged a dynamic bond while working on Anderson’s first stop motion foray, The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009). Their creative synergy was crucial in bringing the vision of Isle of Dogs to life.

Gent and his team at Arch Model Studio Ltd. in London spent close to 34 months sculpting and breathing life into the various scale models that would eventually become the canine stars of the film. The team builds all of their puppets by hand beginning with the articulated metal skeletons, working outward to eventually place silicone skin and hair strand by strand.

Three of the film’s star puppets, Duke, Rex, and Boss, are currently on display as part of the Inside the Walt Disney Archives exhibit at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California. Until the museum reopens to the public, we invite you to enjoy a collection of film stills and close-up photos of our canine friends.

Master puppet maker Andy Gent and his dog, Charlie

Puppet maker airbrushes an Isle of Dogs puppet

Puppet maker sculpts an Isle of Dogs puppet

What the Stars of Modern Family Want to Take Home from Set

April 6, 2020April 2, 2020

By Zach Johnson

The memories will last a lifetime… and so will the mementos. The award-winning comedy Modern Family ends its 11-season run tonight on ABC, and a few of its stars are hoping to take home a souvenir from the set. Ahead of the hourlong series finale, beginning at 9|8c, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Reid Ewing, Nolan Gould, and Jeremy Maguire share what they had their eyes on while filming the series’ final season.

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Lily Tucker-Pritchett)
“There’s this picture above the fireplace: It’s Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), Cam (Eric Stonestreet), and Lily. I’m super young in it and I have this really weird, crooked smile.”

Nolan Gould (Luke Dunphy)
“There’s a piece of wall that’s built into one of the sets of the Dunphy house, and it’s where Ariel Winter and I used to mark our heights, like we were an actual family. At the start, I was smaller than Ariel; we were both small. We tied up around season three, and then I took off and now I’m like a foot taller than she is. It’s a great way to quantify time. Then again, I don’t know what I’m going to do with it—it’s just a big chunk of wall.”

Reid Ewing (Dylan Marshall)
“The art director is amazing. She picks out artwork for each set. I would probably want a nice little piece of art from the Dunphy house or something like that. They have little portraits of canaries. Maybe they’ll give me something from there. But I’m cool with just having the episodes, to be honest; they’re a pretty cool thing to remember the show by.”

Jeremy Maguire (Joe Pritchett)
“I want all the fake jewelry—and not just Sofía Vergara’s. It’s just because I like jewelry!”

Before the series finale of Modern Family, tune in for the one-hour documentary special, A Modern Farewell, at 8|7c. Featuring special appearances from the cast and crew, ABC will give viewers a heartfelt look back at one of television’s most culturally defining series. Through exclusive interviews and reflections, the special will chart Modern Family’s historic evolution, from the writing and casting of the pilot to the final table read.

EXCLUSIVE: Read the First Chapter of Onward: The Search for the Phoenix Gem

April 3, 2020

By the D23 Team

The adventure beginneth! Disney and Pixar’s Onward is now available on digital and Disney+, and if you’re ready to explore more of that world, dive into Onward: The Search for the Phoenix Gem, an eBook about Sadalia, an ordinary teenage elf with big dreams! Join her as she investigates the truth about the Lightfoot brothers’ epic quest. A free download (available only in the U.S.) will be available April 3 through April 11. Before your literary journey starts, enjoy an exclusive excerpt of the first chapter below:

Chapter One

It. Was. Bonkers. ABSOLUTELY BONKERS.

Those were the only words Sadalia could think of to describe what had happened that day at New Mushroomton High School.

Sadalia Brushthorn was a sophomore, and she had a full course load. She was taking Alchemy, Realm History, and lots of other stuff that didn’t really hold her interest. But then there was journalism.

Journalism was her favorite. She had a nose for news. At least, that’s what her father said. He said she had the ears for it, too. “Elves like us have a keen sense of hearing. That’ll make you the best reporter to get the inside scoop!”

Sadalia’s hearing seemed average to her, but one thing of which she was certainly certain (she liked to say that a lot—“certainly certain”) was that she would have a career as a reporter one day. Even when she had been no bigger than a gnome, she had always asked, “Who? What? Where? When? Why?” and not necessarily in that order.

In fact, she already was a reporter, and she considered herself to be a pretty darn good one, too. In addition to honing her writing skills in her journalism class, Sadalia was a reporter for the school newspaper, The Fortnightly Dragon. It was considered to be biweekly, which implied that the newspaper came out once every two weeks, but for reasons she didn’t really understand, the paper came out three times a week.

When Sadalia asked the journalism teacher, Mrs. Nightdale, why that was, she laughed and said, “Who knows? It’s a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, then placed inside a conundrum and baked in an oven at three hundred and fifty degrees for thirty-five minutes. We’re certainly hot off the presses here at The Fortnightly Dragon!”

Sadalia had no idea what any of that meant. But she wasn’t complaining. More newspaper issues meant more writing opportunities. No one in her journalism class had volunteered more often or pitched more ideas than Sadalia. She was constantly looking for a story that would be her big break, one that would prove to everyone that she had what it took to be an honest-to-goodness newspaper reporter.

But most of the stuff that happened at school fell into one of two categories: boring, or really, really boring. Sadalia didn’t want to waste her time writing stories about the latest happenings of the Friends of the Unicorn Club (boring—plus, everyone knew unicorns were the most disgusting things in the realm), or interviewing the guy who fixed the drinking fountains (really, really boring). It didn’t help that not many exciting things went on in the quiet suburbs of New Mushroomton. But someone had to cover those things, to be sure, and it was usually her.

She just wanted that one big story—the one that would change her life forever.

Then one day, she got exactly what she wanted. And her life was never the same.

JUST ANNOUNCED: The Walt Disney Studios Announces New Dates for Upcoming Films

April 3, 2020June 26, 2020

By the D23 Team

We have exciting news to share from our friends at The Walt Disney Studios! Following the announcement in March that several titles would be delayed due to the global health crisis, The Walt Disney Studios today shared new dates for Disney’s Mulan, Marvel Studios’ Black Widow, and more. Additionally, we’ve just found out that Disney’s Artemis Fowl will now debut exclusively on Disney+. Find out more, right here on D23.com.

Grab a marker—or your device of choice—and add these brand-new dates to your closest calendar:

UPDATED 6/26/20

2020

Empty Man (20th Century Studios)—August 7, 2020
The Personal Life of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures)—August 14, 2020
Mulan (Disney)—August 21, 2020
The New Mutants (20th Century Studios)—August 28, 2020
The King’s Man (20th Century Studios)—September 18, 2020
Death on the Nile (20th Century Studios)—October 9, 2020
The French Dispatch (Searchlight Pictures)—October 16, 2020
Black Widow (Marvel Studios)—November 6, 2020
Deep Water (20th Century Studios)—November 13, 2020
Soul (Disney and Pixar)—November 20, 2020
Free Guy (20th Century Studios)—December 11, 2020
West Side Story (20th Century Studios)—December 18, 2020
The Last Duel (20th Century Studios)—December 25, 2020 (limited)

2021

The Last Duel (20th Century Studios)—January 8, 2021 (Wide)
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (20th Century Studios)—January 22, 2021
The Eternals (Marvel Studios)—February 12, 2021
Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Animation Studios)—March 12, 2021
Bob’s Burgers (20th Century Studios)—April 9, 2021
Ron’s Gone Wrong (20th Century Studios)—April 23, 2021
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Marvel Studios)—May 7, 2021
Cruella (Disney)—May 28, 2021
Untitled Pixar Animation—June 18, 2021
Untitled Disney Event Film—July 9, 2021
Jungle Cruise (Disney)—July 30, 2021
Untitled 20th Century—August 13, 2021
The Beatles: Get Back (Disney)—August 27, 2021
Untitled 20th Century—September 10, 2021
Untitled 20th Century—October 1, 2021
Untitled 20th Century—October 22, 2021
Untitled Disney Live Action—November 19, 2021
Untitled Disney Animation—November 24, 2021
Untitled 20th Century—December 3, 2021
AVATAR 2 (20th Century Studios)—December 17, 2021

2022

Untitled 20th Century—January 7, 2022
Nimona (20th Century Studios)—January 14, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder (Marvel Studios)—February 11, 2022
Untitled Pixar Animation—March 11, 2022
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Marvel Studios)—March 25, 2022
Untitled Disney Live Action—April 8, 2022
Black Panther 2 (Marvel Studios)—May 6, 2022
Untitled Disney Live Action—May 27, 2022
Untitled 20th Century—June 10, 2022
Untitled Pixar Animation—June 17, 2022
Captain Marvel 2 (Marvel Studios)—July 8, 2022
Untitled Indiana Jones (Disney)—July 29, 2022
Untitled Disney Live Action—August 12, 2022
Untitled 20th Century—September 16, 2022
Untitled Marvel—October 7, 2022
Untitled 20th Century—October 21, 2022
Untitled Disney Live Action—November 4, 2022
Untitled 20th Century—November 11, 2022
Untitled Disney Animation—November 23, 2022
Untitled Star Wars (Lucasfilm)—December 16, 2022
Untitled 20th Century—December 23, 2022

Just Announced: Disney’s Artemis Fowl to Debut Exclusively on Disney+

April 3, 2020

By the D23 Team

Disney made a magical new announcement today that is sure to enchant the future movie nights of Disney fans everywhere: the live-action feature film Artemis Fowl will debut exclusively on Disney+. The release date will be announced soon.

Based on the best-selling young adult book by Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl stars newcomer Ferdia Shaw in the title role alongside Lara McDonnell, Josh Gad, Tamara Smart, Nonso Anozie, Josh McGuire, Nikesh Patel and Adrian Scarborough, with Colin Farrell and Judi Dench.

“With audiences largely unable to attend theatres in the current environment, we are thrilled to offer the premiere of Artemis Fowl on Disney+,” said Ricky Strauss, President, Content & Marketing, Disney+. “Director Kenneth Branagh and his spectacular cast take viewers right into the vibrant fantasy world of the beloved book, which fans have been waiting to see brought to life onscreen for years. It’s great family entertainment that is the perfect addition to Disney+’s summer lineup.”

In this fantastical, spellbinding adventure, 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl (Shaw), a descendant of a long line of criminal masterminds, embarks on a journey to find his father (Farrell), who has mysteriously disappeared. With the help of his loyal protector Butler (Anozie), Artemis sets out to find him, and in doing so uncovers an ancient, underground civilization—the amazingly advanced world of fairies. Deducing that his father’s disappearance is somehow connected to the secretive, reclusive fairy world, cunning Artemis concocts a dangerous plan—so dangerous that he ultimately finds himself in a perilous war of wits with the all-powerful fairies.

Kenneth Branagh, p.g.a. and Judy Hofflund, p.g.a. are producing with Angus More Gordon and Matthew Jenkins serving as executive producers. Conor McPherson and Hamish McColl wrote the screenplay.

The film had originally been scheduled for a theatrical release in the U.S. on May 29, 2020.

The “Artemis Fowl” books are currently available in the U.S. from Disney-Hyperion.

Stay tuned to D23.com for more exciting Disney+ news as it breaks.

Virtually Viewing Disneyland’s Magic Happens Parade—Plus More in News Briefs

April 3, 2020

By Courtney Potter

Enjoy a Virtual Viewing of Disneyland’s New Magic Happens Parade

There are so many ways to bring #DisneyMagicMoments right into your living room (or, y’know, whatever comfy place you prefer to occupy whilst watching things on the streaming device of your choice)… and just this past weekend, our good pals at the Disney Parks Blog revealed one more.

Disneyland park recently debuted its latest parade, the incredible Magic Happens, and now you can enjoy it—virtually! This daytime spectacular celebrates the awe-inspiring moments of magic that are at the heart of so many Disney stories. Featuring nine newly designed floats, created as pieces of moving art, the parade highlights magic from classic Walt Disney Animation Studios tales such as The Sword in the Stone, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, to more recent stories including Frozen 2, Moana, and The Princess and the Frog, as well as Disney and Pixar’s Coco. And it boasts an amazing musical score and new songs, co-composed by triple-threat talent Todrick Hall.

Check out the parade at the link above… and why not don some Mickey ears for added couch-bound pizazz? That’s our plan!

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend

Yes, we here at D23.com want to make sure you know what you absolutely, positively cannot miss watching this weekend… so do peruse our just-posted rundown, which includes the season finale of Disney+’s Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings and the premiere of Disney and Pixar’s Onward on the streaming service. Find out more by clicking here.

Storytime with… Video Series Features Fave Disney Stars

Speaking of things to watch this weekend, especially if you have little ones at home (or just like being read to; no judgement here), there’s something special you should really check out: Disney’s new Storytime with… video series on YouTube. Click the link above to watch the latest installment, featuring Toy Story 4’s Tony Hale.

Featuring talented storytellers from across The Walt Disney Company, the entertaining new series showcases stars such as Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen (Mulan, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Yvette Nicole Brown (Disney+’s Lady and the Tramp), Ally Maki (Toy Story 4), and even Jeff Goldblum (Disney+’s The World According to Jeff Goldblum), all reading some of their favorite Disney tales. For the complete playlist of available Storytime with… videos, click here—and enjoy!

Woo-oo! Everything You Need to Know about DuckTales Season 3!

The embarrassment of fun-things-to-watch-this-weekend riches just keeps on growing, what with this Saturday’s (April 4) big third season premiere of DuckTales on Disney XD! D23 was lucky enough to chat with executive producer Matt Youngberg and co-executive producer/story editor Francisco Angones about the show; read what they had to say about the adventures to come by clicking here.

Disney Parks Donates Supplies to Hospitals and Medical Professionals

Disney has continued to focus on ways to make a difference in this unprecedented time of closed theme parks and stores, and suspended cruises… In fact, in response to requests from hospitals that are in need of additional protective garments and medical-related supplies, Disney Parks just donated a whopping 150,000 rain ponchos to MedShare—a humanitarian aid organization—for distribution to hospitals in need. The idea was inspired by nurses across the country who inventively found that rain ponchos can be an excellent way to protect their clothing and prolong the use of PPE, while also freeing up gowns when needed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything we’ve seen before,” said Charles Redding, MedShare CEO and President. “We have to find ways to pool our resources and work together to help the healthcare workers who are doing their very best to treat patients and contain COVID-19. We appreciate Disney partnering with us to support hospitals and healthcare workers on the frontlines.”

Disney Parks also recently donated more than 100,000 N95 masks to the states of New York, California and Florida, and is finding additional ways to give back. All these efforts follow the recent donation of more than 270 tons of food to local food banks from Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. Additionally, Disneyland Paris donated more than 100,000 medical supplies—including masks, hygiene caps and protective shoes—to the French government for distribution to hospitals in France. We’re all in this together, right?

ICYMI: Disney Channel Shares “We’re All In This Together” Message

Speaking of those comforting words from our friends at East High, Disney Channel recently kicked off a tuneful, heartfelt campaign to offer reassurance and a sense of community. Check out the complete list of the 35+ Disney Channel stars who will present their messages of hope and togetherness—and see the first clip in the series—right here at D23.com.