Don’t Miss Villainous! at Disney California Adventure Park—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Hear all about the brand-new World of Color show, and find out about the return of Disney Channel’s Star Wars Resistance… Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Disney California Adventure Park Scares Up Brand-New Look at Villainous!

We’re fairly huge fans of all things Halloween ’round these parts (it’s one of the reasons we’re so looking forward to the D23 Expo 2019 Mousequerade—mass quantities of costume inspo, all in one room!), so it stands to reason we’d be particularly excited for all the Halloween fun to come at Disneyland Resort. And a festive fragment of said fun is sure to be Villainous!, the all-new World of Color show created just for Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, kicking off September 17. Take a peek at what to expect from the spooky and splashy new show at Disney California Adventure park—and hear from Disney Parks Live Entertainment’s Steve Davison—above!

Villainous! is a twisted tale brought to life through fountains, lights, lasers, state-of-the-art projections, and tons of cool special effects. Guests will follow along as a quirky young girl named Shelley Marie (created by famed Disney animator Eric Goldberg) takes an unforgettable journey through devious encounters with The Queen, Ursula, Dr. Facilier, Hades, Jafar, Maleficent, and more.

For more information on Oogie Boogie Bash (a separately ticketed event) as well as all things All Hallows Eve at both parks, check out Disneyland.com/HalloweenParty.

Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
August 23-25, 2019
D23 Expo 2019
September 9, 2019
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour—Presented by D23
September 21, 2019
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom at Walt Disney World
September 28, 2019
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on the Lot
January 17, 2020
Get VIP Tickets to Disney’s Frozen The Hit Broadway Musical
Parks
August 16, 20, 23, 27, 30; September 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29; October 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31, 2019
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom park
August 29, 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at and Walt Disney World Resort
August 29—November 23, 2019, 2019
2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
September 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 2019; October 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31, 2019
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure park
November 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24; December 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 2019
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom park
2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
Studios
October 18, 2019
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opens in U.S. theaters
November 22, 2019
Frozen 2 opens in U.S. theaters
December 20, 2019
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in U.S. theaters
March 6, 2020
Onward opens in U.S. theaters.
March 27, 2020
Mulan opens in U.S. theaters.
May 29, 2020
Artemis Fowl opens in U.S. theaters.
Television
August 9, 2019
Muppet Babies kicks off season two on Disney Channel (8:30 a.m. EDT/PDT)
September 1-30, 2019
“30 Days of Disney” on Freeform
September 29, 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge—Adventure Awaits premieres on Freeform (8 p.m. EDT)

Mickey and the Roadster Racers

Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures Comes to Disney Junior

Hot dog! We’ve got some great news from Disney Junior: The channel’s hit animated series Mickey and the Roadster Racers will premiere its third season with the brand-new title—Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures—as well as an updated version of the fan-favorite “Hot Dog!” song, on Monday, October 14, on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and DisneyNOW. And that same day, a new series of shorts, Hot Diggity-Dog Tales (starring Mickey and “mouse’s best friend” Pluto) will also debut on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and DisneyNOW.

The all-new season takes Mickey and the gang (Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy, and Pluto)—along with friends Chip ‘n’ Dale—on zany adventures all around Hot Dog Hills in loads of fun locales, including Mickey’s new gadget-filled house; the Mixed-Up Motor Lab at Mickey’s Garage; and Minnie, Daisy, and Cuckoo Loca’s Happy Helpers office. Designed to convey lessons about friendship, teamwork, and community, each episode features two 11-minute stories and mid-episode dance break in which Mickey and the gang invite viewers to dance along to the new “Hot Dog!” song. Sounds like a total blast to us!

Returning voices include Jay Leno as Billy Beagle, Patton Oswalt as Mr. McSnorter, and Kate Micucci as Emmy Lou, and they’ll be joined by guest stars such as Madison Pettis (Freeform’s The Fosters), Ana Gasteyer (ABC’s The Goldbergs), and more. So mark your calendars for some mirthful Mickey music and merriment beginning October 14!

Big News for Star Wars Resistance Fans

Are you ready to (re)join the resistance? Our pals over at Disney Channel just announced that their animated series Star Wars Resistance will be returning for its second and final season later this fall. Find out which date to circle in red on your calendar—and catch a look at the Season 2 trailer—by clicking here.

Shanghai Disney Resort Celebration

Shanghai Disney Resort Celebrates All Things Duffy This September

For those not in the adorable know, Duffy is a cute and cuddly teddy bear that was hand-sewn by Minnie Mouse and given to Mickey Mouse as a friendly companion on all his ocean voyages. He’s since been spotted all over the world—and now, during the month of September, you’ll find Duffy (and his friends ShellieMay, Gelatoni, and StellaLou) flying among the clouds!

To help kick off Shanghai Disney Resort’s Duffy Month, a brand-new aircraft portraying Duffy and Friends made its maiden flight earlier this week. The plane, carrying lots of special guests, flew from Kunming in China’s southwest to Shanghai, following an appropriately delightful unveiling ceremony at the Kunming Changshui International Airport. This Duffy·Friendship Express plane became the fourth Disney-themed aircraft to join China Eastern Airlines’ fleet as part of its partnership with Shanghai Disney Resort—after the unveiling of the Toy Story Land-themed Toy Story·Happy Holiday Express last spring.

Duffy Month will include the sure-to-be-charming “Duffy’s Heartfelt Moments” celebration at Shanghai Disney Resort from September 2 through 30. Guests at the resort will enjoy Duffy-themed decorations, such as an incredible new floral Duffy display at the entrance to Shanghai Disneyland; a special Duffy parade down Mickey Avenue (from September 16 to 30); themed food and beverage offerings; cozy and colorful merchandise; and so much more. So if you happen to be winging your way to China next month, make sure to visit Duffy and join the party!

 Imagineering in a Box

Khan Academy Now Offers “Imagineering in a Box”

Our pals over at Walt Disney Imagineering just announced a very cool partnership with the good folks at Khan Academy, the online destination that offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and personalized learning (in many different subjects!) outside of the classroom. If you’ve ever wondered just what goes into becoming an Imagineer, you’ll want to take part in “Imagineering in a Box”—a free online program that brings together the talents of Disney Imagineers from around the globe for a truly unique learning experience.

The series offers 32 different videos in which Imagineers share how they use a wide variety of skills—from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics, and engineering—to create the immersive experiences Disney is known for. The online curriculum hopes to ignite curiosity, inspire creativity, and encourage innovation in the minds of students and teachers alike, all while creating fun and fascinating opportunities to explore! The program’s hands-on elements will allow students to connect new concepts to real-world examples to bring favorite Disney stories to life. Find out more about “Imagineering in the Box” by visiting KhanAcademy.org.

2022 USA Special Olympics

Walt Disney World Resort to Host Special Olympics USA Games in 2022

There’s a marvelous, bound-to-be-memorable event coming to Walt Disney World Resort in a few short years… it’ll be the official host of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from June 5 to 11, 2022.

These games will celebrate the incredible 50th anniversary of Special Olympics Florida, and mark the continuing relationship between The Walt Disney Company and Special Olympics—which includes additional sponsorship and support for the Games, as well as lots of passionate employee volunteers.

But that’s not all: For the first time in the Games’ history, athletes were invited to create the logo for the ’22 USA Games! Nine athletes contributed to the design, and the colorful new logo was unveiled as part of the announcement ceremony held last week.

Keep your eyes peeled for more information about the 2022 USA Games in the coming months!

See Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios from Above

Speaking of Walt Disney World Resort, we’re closing in on the hugely anticipated opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios—and to kick off the festivities a little early, we were lucky enough this week to get a bird’s eye view of Batuu via some incredible drone footage. See it right here at D23.com.

Your Guide to Photo Walls at D23 Expo

By Jocelyn Buhlman

We can’t wait for everyone to experience the magic of D23 Expo 2019—especially since we’ve been hard at work making brand-new experiences to fill all three days with Disney magic. One of these new experiences offers a chance for you to capture your D23 Expo memories more permanently in a super-cute photo. Stop by Center Stage to take pictures in front of six never-before-seen photo walls celebrating some of our favorite Disney movies and characters. Plus, be sure to explore the show floor and discover two more photo walls. So what are you waiting for? Smile, look at the camera, hold your breath, and say cheese!

We want to see what memories you make! Share your photos with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #D23Expo, and be sure to tag us at @DisneyD23!

Center Stage

Donald Duck Photo Wall

Celebrate 85 Years of Donald Duck
As an extra special gift to the ultimate quack-up, we’ve dedicated an entire photo wall to celebrating 85 years of Donald Duck! Fluff your feathers and strike a pose in front of this collage of Donald’s many memorable expressions.

The Little Mermaid Photo Wall

Go Under the Sea with The Little Mermaid
Find this wall to take a shellfie perfect for… What’s that word again? Instagram! Inspired by the ending of the “Under the Sea” musical number from the film, fans of flippin’ your fins should swim on over to Center Stage to take a photo.

Emperor's New Groove Photo Wall

“Pull the Lever, Kronk!”
“Why do we even have that lever, anyway?” To take a picture in front of, obviously! We know you’ve always wanted to join Yzma in her evil schemes, and this wall will make those dreams come true. Just make sure to avoid any trap doors, alligators, or mysterious poisons—that may or may not turn you into a llama.

Big Hero 6 Photo Wall

Take Flight with Baymax
Are you satisfied with your photo? You will be, once you pose in front of these wings inspired by our favorite huggable healthcare robot. Inspired by Baymax’s supersuit from Big Hero 6, strike a super pose and you just might feel like you can save the day.

A Goofy Movie Photo Wall

Stand Out with Powerline
This photo wall, covered in posters from the concert we all wish we attended, is the perfect way for you to stand out from the crowd—or simply to remind everyone how much you love A Goofy Movie (we see “I2I” with you on that!).

Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Photo Wall

A Picture of Timeless Romance
Last year, we celebrated 90 years of Mickey and Minnie, so naturally we created a wall for D23 Expo that celebrates their romance! Grab your sweetie and snap a photo in this heart-shaped frame decorated with symbols and phrases representing our favorite couple.

Show Floor

Spider-Man Photo Wall

Make a Point to Celebrate 80 Years of Marvel
We’re throwing it back with this photo wall celebrating 80 years of Marvel Comics featuring an Internet-famous still from the 1960s Spider-Man TV series.

Lilo & Stitch Photo Wall

Say “Aloha” to Stitch
Grab your ’ohana for the perfect picture—because what family photo is complete without Stitch? Our favorite blue alien is here to add some out-of-this-world fun to this adorable photo wall celebrating the people we will never leave behind—or forget.

Marvel Celebrates Its 80th Birthday with Ambitious Marvel Comics #1000 and an Exclusive D23 Expo Variant Cover

By Jim Frye

It’s time to pull out the super-suits, spandex, and birthday cake!

Marvel is celebrating its 80th birthday—which occurs August 31—with Marvel Comics #1000, a massive, oversized, special-edition book that features the greatest array of luminaries from both classic and current comic books (and beyond!), in perhaps one of the most ambitious single issues ever created. The puzzle-like story reveals a long-kept secret of the Marvel Universe with some startling discoveries along the way.

To honor its birthday, Marvel has created an exclusive new Marvel Comics #1000 D23 Expo variant cover, featuring Mickey Mouse alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, drawn by legendary artist Humberto Ramos with colors by Edgar Delgado! Exclusively revealed here on D23.com, the limited-edition variant cover will be given away at D23 Expo 2019 to attendees at the MARVEL COMICS: Marvel 80th Anniversary panel on Saturday, August 24, 5:30–6:30 p.m. PT at Stage 28. During the panel, Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and Executive Editor Tom Brevoort will take fans through the amazing, incredible, and uncanny history of Marvel Comics, looking back at the history of the Marvel Universe and honoring the iconic characters and timeless stories that have inspired fans all around the world.

Marvel Comics #1000

“Marvel Comics #1000 is a big, almost 100-page special-edition that commemorates Marvel’s 80th year of publishing comic books,” says Brevoort from his New York office. “The very first comic book that we did in 1939 was Marvel Comics #1, and this new story is a mystery that concerns a new artifact in the Marvel Universe that has its origins in that original Marvel Comics #1.” That artifact is called the Eternity Mask, and Brevoort promises lots of mysteries, plus answers ahead.

“The Eternity Mask is the central McGuffin,” he continues. “It is a thing that’s passed from character to character throughout the Marvel Universe, and by the end of this story, a new character that we are going to meet for the first time will have it now and will become a new player in the Marvel Universe going forward.”

The idea for this milestone book was that each of its 80 creative teams would create a single page, with each page relating to one of the years of Marvel’s 80 years of publishing. These teams include creative forces and celebrity contributors such as Brad Meltzer, Adam Goldberg, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Neil Gaiman; and top-selling and historic comic creators such as Chris Claremont, Walt Simonson, Jason Aaron, Rob Liefeld, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Erik Larsen, George Perez, Peter David, Kelly Sue DeConnick, and so many more.

“Marvel Comics #1000 is a chance for 80 great creative teams to do a segment that encapsulates what they love about Marvel, the characters, the tone, the style, the flavor—what Marvel means to them,” says Brevoort. “As a result, it’s a book that has something for just about everybody. If you don’t like one page, the next page is completely different. It’s as wide-ranging a project as there’s ever been. No other comic in the history of comic book publishing has had this many creators in a single project.”

At the center of it all is a “spine story” that ties all the many parts together. The mastermind behind that spine story is writer Al Ewing, perhaps best known for his work on Valkyrie: Jane Foster and the Eisner Award-nominated Immortal Hulk, among others.

“The hardest part was to balance it out,” says Ewing. “The book ended up as a mystery that segues into a party, and then rotates back to the mystery. Which is fun—as a reader, you’re slowly lulled into a false sense of security, almost, and then we end by turning over a final card and showing you something big.”

He goes on to explain the significance of the Eternity Mask: “It’s been around since the time of Camelot. It came to America during the revolution. It’s the missing piece of the Marvel Universe. More than that, you’ll have to read in Marvel Comics #1000 itself.”

THE EVOLUTION OF MARVEL COMICS OVER 80 YEARS
Through 80 years of Super Heroes, mere mortals, Asgardian battles, gamma radiation, cosmic villains, and thousands upon thousands of characters, the Marvel Universe has changed in innumerable ways, evolving into the House of Ideas that it is today.

Looking back, Ewing says the biggest evolution has been one of tone. “Going from the Golden Age to the slick anti-commie comics and monster mags of the ’50s, and into Smilin’ Stan’s snappy patter in the ’60s, is already a whiplash,” he says. “But following that, you get an evolution of the Stan Lee method, with writers taking that in-the-room-with-you narrative style and using it to attempt to communicate certain hard-won cosmic truths, before doing away with it altogether as the cosmic truths get realist and materialist in the ’80s, then get drowned in pure style in the ’90s, get hyperreal in the ’00s… it’s a kaleidoscope.”

Brevoort’s 30-year career with Marvel has given him a unique perspective on the company. He believes the biggest milestone in the history of Marvel is the launch of the contemporary Marvel Universe—the Universe that started in the 1960s with Steve Ditko and Disney Legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It revolutionized the way Super Hero stories are told.

“They made the characters more three-dimensional human beings who had problems and foibles and dealt with real-world issues,” says Brevoort. “More than anything, that’s the key that’s at the heart of everything we do today.”

Marvel refers to this as “reflecting the world outside your window,” something that Ewing says is crucial to Marvel’s success. He gives examples of grounded, real-world characters that set Marvel apart—and will continue to make Marvel successful in the future.

“Peter Parker looking like he’s having a nervous breakdown as he tried to pay the rent. The Fantastic Four yelling at each other, Ben Grimm and his depression and self-hatred. Bruce Banner staring into the middle distance as he readies to succumb to his darkest urges,” says Ewing. “Half the magic of ‘the hero who could be you’ is that you, whoever you are, wherever you come from, whatever your deal is—you can be a hero. But the other half is a dark magic, which is seeing Super Heroes go through the crap we go through. The Fantastic Four and Captain America and Spider-Man—most of all Spider-Man—they have to go through the various hells of ordinary people so that when they rise from that, they can take us with them, even if only in our minds.”

Marvel Comics #1000 goes on sale August 28 at comic shops everywhere.

Drink the Magic of D23 Expo at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes

By Savannah Salazar

D23 Expo brings magic in every form, from panels and merchandise to, yes, food! Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes at the Downtown Disney District is offering an exclusive CrazyShake® made just for D23 Expo attendees! A sweet treat for fans, the D23 Supreme is an Oreo shake with crushed Oreos aplenty, a D23 chocolate cupcake, and whipped cream to top it off. The specialty shake will be available at Black Tap Anaheim throughout D23 Expo, from August 23–25, with limited quantities each day, so prepare your taste buds for goodness and sweetness galore!

Go on a Magical Quest at D23 Expo 2019 with Gameloft

By D23 Expo Team

There’s so much to do and see at D23 Expo 2019, but make sure you take time to stop by the Gameloft booth to see the latest from the ever-popular Disney Magic Kingdoms and take part in the first-ever public hands-on experience of two brand new mobile games–Disney Princess Majestic Quest and Disney Getaway Blast. For the very first time, these games will be playable to the public, and in celebration, Gameloft is rewarding attendees with fun swag. Make sure to stop by to experience your own magic!

First up is Disney Princess Majestic Quest, where D23 Expo attendees can lend a hand to beloved Disney Princesses after a magic storm leaves their kingdoms in ruin. But don’t worry, these heroines save their homes in a game that delights Disney fans and puzzle lovers alike. Experience brand-new Disney Princess stories featuring all-time favorites like Jasmine, Belle, Ariel, and more. Gameloft is handing out face fans of Ariel and Jasmine, and a full photo wall provides the backdrop for a photo to remember.

Second, take a break from the show floor with Disney Getaway Blast, guiding players through physics-based puzzles in an all-new Disney vacation paradise. The game introduces popular Disney and Pixar characters in a new, adorable style and lets fans build a collection of beloved characters as they pop through puzzles.

Fans can look forward to collecting Mickey Mouse, Belle, Aladdin, Stitch, and many more as they embark on some seriously relaxing “me-time.” Attendees are invited to get into the vacation spirit with photos on the Disney Getaway Blast photo wall and head home with adorable Disney Getaway Blast face fans.

Disney Magic Kingdoms

Finally, Guests old and new are invited to see the latest in their own Disney park with Disney Magic Kingdoms. In the three years since launch, it has never been better to create your own Disney park–with more of your favorite Disney and Pixar characters than ever before! In addition to a photo wall, attendees can collect exclusive items such as a Disney Magic Kingdoms pin, their own park map, and a collectable set of stickers chronicling the wide world of Disney in Disney Magic Kingdoms.

With these three titles and an exclusive array of swag, say hello to the Gameloft team and discover a new destination for magic!

Explore Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios From a Bird’s Eye View

By Zach Johnson

It turns out a galaxy far, far away is closer than you think! The grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort is right around the corner. Before it opens August 29, enjoy this out-of-this-world aerial view of the planet Batuu!

The video, which includes new music from Oscar®-winning composer John Williams, features our first look at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge as the sun rises. It also showcases the land’s amazing landscape and rockwork, where you can soon chart your own adventures in and around Black Spire Outpost. Guests can become part of the story as they sample galactic food and beverages, explore an intriguing collection of merchant shops, and take the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. A second attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, will open December 5, placing you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance and will blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

Before you hit hyperspeed, check out 10 “can’t-miss experiences” at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Find Out When Season Two of Star Wars Resistance Premieres

By Zach Johnson

The Force will be with you this fall, Star Wars fans!

The Emmy Award®-nominated series Star Wars Resistance will return for its second and final season beginning Sunday, October 6, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel and in DisneyNOW, with subsequent airings on Disney XD. The new season takes place during the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi leading up to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, as Kaz and the team continue to fight against the threat of the First Order, culminating in an epic series finale. A season two trailer for Star Wars Resistance was released today on the Star Wars YouTube page.

Star Wars Resistance stars Christopher Sean as Kazuda Xiono; Suzie McGrath as Tam Ryvora; Scott Lawrence as Jarek Yeager; Myrna Velasco as Torra Doza; Josh Brener as Neeku Vozo; Donald Faison as Hype Fazon; Elijah Wood as Rucklin; Jim Rash and Bobby Moynihan as Flix and Orka, respectively; Liam McIntyre as Commander Pyre; Jason Hightower as Captain Doza; and Sumalee Montano as Agent Tierny. Joining the voice cast in guest starring roles are Joe Manganiello as Ax Tagrin, Daveed Diggs as Norath Kev, and Lucy Lawless as the Aeosian Queen.

Season two picks up after a harrowing escape from the First Order, as the Colossus and all its residents find themselves lost in space, pursued by Agent Tierny and Commander Pyre. Kaz and team also face a myriad of new dangers along the way including bounty hunters, a suspicious Hutt, General Hux, and Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. Meanwhile, Tam grapples with her future and where her true allegiance lies—with her friends or the First Order. The thrilling final season of the animated series will show how the unlikeliest of heroes can spark hope across the galaxy.

Lucasfilm Animation veteran Dave Filoni created the series; Athena Portillo, Justin Ridge, and Brandon Auman serve as executive producers; and Amy Beth Christenson serves as art director.

Find These 5 Easter Eggs in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion

By Zach Johnson

Ever since the Haunted Mansion first opened its creaking doors at Disneyland park on August 9, 1969, guys and ghouls of all ages have been bewildered by the mysterious manor and its 999 happy haunts. In celebration of the attraction’s 50th anniversary, we’ve uncovered a few Easter eggs we’ve been just dying to crack open for Disney fans!

Organ in Haunted Mansion

1. Like a Bat Out of Hell
The organ in the ballroom scene is actually Captain Nemo’s pipe organ—minus the pipes!—from the 1954 classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The instrument was repainted and refitted with a bat-shaped music stand and other ghostly details. The organs in the other Haunted Mansions are exact replicas of the Disneyland original.

Inside the Haunted Mansion

2. Dead Men Tell No Tales
The pistol-carrying duelists emerging from their portraits in the ballroom scene are just two of the Audio-Animatronics® face sculpts recycled from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Designed by Blaine Gibson, one of the duelists was actually the famous Auctioneer himself!

Haunted Mansion Pet Cemetery

3. Fraidy-Cats, Beware!
In the early 1980s, Kim Irvine—Walt Disney Imagineering’s senior concept designer for Disneyland and the daughter of Madam Leota herself, Leota Toombs—bought pieces of statuary from local nurseries, then asked show writer Chris Goosman to compose humorous epitaphs for dead pets. The original pet cemetery was located on the right side, near what is now Splash Mountain. This hidden spot proved to be such a hit that Imagineers made it official, creating a permanent pet cemetery along the attraction’s queue in 1993.

Inside the Haunted Mansion

4. Take a Number
The unlucky number 13 is a recurring design element. For example, the 13 tombstone epitaphs are tributes to Disney Imagineers, including Disney Legends X Atencio, Claude Coats, Rolly Crump, Marc Davis, and Yale Gracey. In the Grand Hall, 13 candles sit on top of the birthday cake. The spell book in Séance Circle, titled Necronomicon—Book of the Dead, is opened to pages 1312 and 1313. Also, the anthropomorphized Grandfather Clock found in the Corridor of Doors is shaped like a demon’s head, with the crooked hands moving backwards past the number 13—not 12.

Hearse outside Haunted Mansion

5. The Final Journey
In the early 1990s, Imagineer Bob Barnick persuaded Disneyland to buy a hearse from a local antiques dealer to use in a proposed Young Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. When plans for the show were abandoned, Barnick pitched parking the hearse outside the Haunted Mansion. Disney Legend Tony Baxter, Disneyland’s creative lead at the time, argued that to do so would require a tie-in to the Haunted Mansion story. Inspired by the popular “invisible dog on a leash” park toys, Baxter suggested hitching the hearse to a phantom horse. The clever photo op made its debut in September 1995 and proved to be such a hit that a similar enhancement was added to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Contrary to urban legend, the Disneyland hearse was not used to bring Brigham Young to his final resting place. However, the Walt Disney World hearse had been used in the 1965 Western The Sons of Katie Elder.

Iron Man Introduces Captain America to Indie Rock Band Joywave

By: Zach Johnson

After being encased in ice for 66 years, the heroic Steve Rogers—aka Captain America, a “man out of time”—relied on the Avengers to catch him up to speed on the 20th Century. Musically, his to-do list in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: The Winter Soldier included listening to everything from disco to Nirvana—and in a new collaboration between Marvel Comics and Hollywood Records, Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, teaches him all about Joywave.

Joywave Poster

When battle begins, Captain Marvel says she hears “Ride of the Valkyries.” Thor, meanwhile, says he’s fueled by “earthly metal music.” But after Captain America reveals his head is “just a loop of ’70s soul,” courtesy of a playlist from Nick Fury, Iron Man takes it upon himself to bring him into the 21st Century. When he does, Black Widow admits she’s “impressed” with Captain America’s musical taste, which features the indie rock band Joywave’s new single, “Obsession.”

As part of the collaboration, Marvel Comics also created a lithograph and poster for Joywave. Featuring Daniel Armbruster on vocals, Paul Brenner on drums, Joseph Morinelli on guitar, and Benjamin Bailey on keyboard/guitar, Joywave released a visual video for “Obsession” Friday which features a number of other Marvel Comics characters, such as Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel.

See the comic strip within the pages of Marvel Comics, on sale this week!

Joywave recently announced a North American tour with Bastille, which is set to begin in October and end in November. Their new album, Possession, is scheduled for a 2020 release.

Join the Party with Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL

By Karina Schink

We’ve got the inside scoop on BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America’s latest game Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL. We all know them, we all love them, and we already know that our obsession with Disney’s fluffiest and cuddliest friends, Tsum Tsums, is going to grow!

Disney Tsum Tsum Festival

With Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL, you can play a variety of activities with your Tsum Tsum, and start racking up points to build and add to your collection of little pals!

Disney Tsum Tsum Festival

Play against a friend to see who has the best skills, or you can connect with players online to keep the party going! You can play the popular puzzle game, and earn as many points while connecting your Tsum together to create the longest chain or play various activities like Bubble Hockey, Tsum Curling, and Tsum Rhythm with up to 4 of your friends! Only time will tell which activity will be your forte and gain you the most points—and therefore the most Tsum Tsums!

And, make sure you stop by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America’s booth on Mickey Avenue to try out the game at D23 Expo 2019 and get an exclusive Disney TSUM TSUM FESTIVAL pin while supplies last!