6 Seafaring Facts about Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean

March 18, 2019March 18, 2021

By Karina Schink

On this day in 1967, Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland. Whether for its uplifting music, its ragtag band of characters, or the enthralling story witnessed from aboard your bateaux, this seafaring attraction has become a favorite in the hearts of Disney fans around the world.

In celebration of its anniversary, we decided to take a walk off the plank into the vast knowledge of the Walt Disney Archives and see what kind of treasured facts hid under the “X” of this beloved attraction.

It was originally meant to be a wax museum.

Before the “Imagineers” of WED Enterprises created an attraction that would drop guests down waterfalls into the swashbuckling world of pirates, Walt Disney brought a simple idea forward: “pirates of the Caribbean.” It was up to a team of Imagineers to decide what those four words meant. One of Walt’s original ideas was for a walk-through wax museum attraction. Then, Disney Legend Marc Davis evolved the idea into a more interactive walk-through, where guests would experience about six different vignettes, each depicting a short story. Of course, both of these ideas were revised to become the sea-faring adventure we know today after an innovative new ride system was developed for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.

It was Imagineer X. Atencio who penned “Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life For Me”

Animator and (later) Disney Legend Xavier “X.” Atencio made the transition over to Imagineering in 1965, leaving his fingerprints on iconic attractions such as Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Some of his most recognizable “handiwork,” however, is not something you see, but something you hear. The Disney Legend penned two of the most iconic Parks songs: “Grim Grinning Ghosts” and “Yo Ho, A Pirates Life For Me.” X. had never penned a song or tune before approaching Walt with ideas for lyrics to accompany their latest, pirate-themed attraction. He also provided the voice of the attraction’s ominous Jolly Roger skull and crossbones!

Atencio turned to Disney’s Treasure Island for inspiration.

Early in the development for the attraction, Walt asked X. to join the Imagineering team in developing their newest attraction. X. knew he had to fully immerse himself into pirate culture, so he turned to where most of us do when looking for inspiration: movies. Specifically, he found that spark from Disney’s 1950 live-action hit, Treasure Island.

At 15 minutes, it is the longest attraction at Disneyland.

During the 15-minute boat ride, guests travel 1,838 feet through two huge structures. At its opening, the show featured 119 life-size, three-dimensional figures—64 humans and 55 animals.

Sculptor Blaine Gibson had to revise his designs when they were recognized as employees.

Sculptor Blaine Gibson (pictured above right, with Walt Disney and Marc Davis) had a habit of people-watching in search of inspiration for the physical appearance of the characters he created for a host of Disney attractions. While this was a great source for material, his wife scolded him to stop staring at people in public, and the habit eventually caught up to him. He had to change a nose on one of the pirates’ faces when a fellow employee mentioned that it looked like a man from another Disney department.

Paul Frees, or as you may know him, your Ghost Host, voiced several characters.

Fans will recognize the work of famed voice actor and Disney Legend Paul Frees as the voice of Ludwig Von Drake and for belting the dreadful Haunted Mansion greeting, “Welcome, foolish mortals…” But, he also lends his voice to another of the most iconic phrases in the Park: “Dead men tell no tales…” (You probably read that in his voice, didn’t you?)

Just Announced: Disney Channel Fan Fest Returns to Disneyland Resort

March 18, 2019

On Saturday, April 27, two of our favorite worlds come together at Disney Channel Fan Fest, which brings the casts of our best-loved Disney Channel series and movies to Disneyland Resort for a day of on-stage events, meet-and-greets, sneak peeks, and more—including a spectacular, star-studded cavalcade. A host of stars from Descendants 3, Zombies, Kim Possible, Andi Mack, Raven’s Home, Sydney to the Max, Coop & Cami Ask the World, BUNK’D, Bizaardvark, and the upcoming Just Roll With It—such as Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Meg Donnelly, and Raven-Symoné—will participate in the uniquely Disney experience taking place throughout Disney California Adventure park.

This is sure to be a day you won’t want to miss, and fans can join the fun whether they’ve traveled to DCA or not. Fan Fest main stage events and the cavalcade will be live-streamed on DisneyNOW and on Disney Channel’s Facebook. Fans can also follow Disney Channel’s Instagram throughout the day for exclusive highlights from all the day’s events.

One special event we’re especially excited to see—and hear—is a live musical performance from select Disney Channel stars. This can’t-miss concert kicks off Disney Channel Voices, a new initiative to showcase diverse music and give multitalented young stars a platform to express themselves and make a deeper connection with their fans.

Here is the complete schedule of events for the day, subject to change*:

11 a.m. PDT Disney Channel Fan Fest Cavalcade

FAN FEST MAIN STAGE EVENTS:
12 p.m. PDT Just Roll With It Interactive Session
1 p.m. PDT Coop & Cami Ask the World, BUNK’d, and Sydney to the Max Session
2 p.m. PDT Andi Mack and Raven’s Home Session
3 p.m. PDT Disney Channel Animation Celebration featuring DuckTales, BigCity Greens, and Amphibia
5 p.m. PDT Disney Channel Voices Showcase
6 p.m. PDT Descendants 3 Session

And for some extra fun, between the sessions, fans can test their Disney knowledge through live hosted QUIZney games.

Celebrity meet-and-greet experiences will be available for fans with wristband distribution at park opening hour on a first come, first served basis and while supplies last.

To keep up with the latest updates, visit DisneyNOW.go.com/fanfest (and, of course, stay tuned to D23). We’re so excited to return to Disneyland Resort for this truly fan-tastic event, but we’re not the only ones. Hear from Disney Channel stars in the video below, and save April 27 for #DisneyChannelFanFest!

*Schedule, events, and appearances subject to change or cancellation without notice including but not limited to dates, times, and sessions. Theme Park admission for Disney California Adventure Park is required.

The Truth About Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists

March 18, 2019March 13, 2019

By Zach Johnson

Welcome to Beacon Heights University, “where excellence is not an option—it’s a requirement.” That ominous description comes courtesy of Ava Jalali (Sofia Carson) in the pilot episode of Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, premiering March 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform. Executive producer I. Marlene King is expanding the Pretty Little Liars universe with the 10-episode series, featuring two returning players: Alison DiLaurentis (Sasha Pieterse) and Mona Vanderwaal (Janel Parrish).

Anchored by the two frenemies, the new series follows three hard-working college students, Ava, Dylan Walker (Eli Brown), and Caitlin Park-Lewis (Sydney Park), whose lives are, regrettably, tethered to the same wealthy, manipulative jerk: Nolan Hotchkiss (Chris Mason). Alison, who found love with with Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) on Pretty Little Liars, accepts a job as a teaching assistant at the university, where she soon learns life on campus isn’t as picture-perfect as it appears.

“We wanted something that felt really new but honored the tone and themes of the original Pretty Little Liars,” explains King. “And once Sasha and Janel said they were interested in keeping their characters alive, that was sort of the way in. I knew we could use those two to take us to a new place, a new setting and a new world to explore.” Both actresses were eager to reprise their roles, which they played for seven seasons on the breakout hit Pretty Little Liars. “Marlene was like, ‘I’m not ready to say goodbye to Mona,’ and I said, ‘Me neither!’” Parrish recalls. “She then asked, ‘Well, what if we didn’t have to…?’ And I was like, ‘[Gasp] Tell me more!’”

Like its predecessor, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists is based on novelist Sara Shepard’s popular book series. Carson, who had previously worked with King on Freeform’s Famous in Love, had long been a fan of the stories Shepard and King created. “I was sold from the very beginning,” she admits. “It is such an honor to be part of this show and to continue [its] legacy.”

King describes the highly anticipated series as a “little looser” adaptation of Sara’s books than its predecessor. The reason for that, she says, is simple: “The books had a couple twists you couldn’t do for TV.” Luckily, Shepard “loved” the changes and “has a little cameo in the pilot.” Those who are unfamiliar with the characters needn’t fret. “Obviously if you’re a fan, you’re going to love this so much, because there are so many Easter eggs you’ll notice,” Carson says. “But if not, it’s a whole new world—with a whole new set of lies and mysteries and suspense.”

Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, which also stars Graeme Thomas King as Jeremy Beckett, Kelly Rutherford as Claire Hotchkiss, and Hayley Erin in an undisclosed role, is more mature than the original series, according to its returning actresses. “These characters, they’re really deep,” says Pieterse. “There’s a lot to them. It’s really fun to dive into that and see all these people who are putting on fake personas and trying to be perfect. [Because] that’s impossible!”

Parrish describes the show as “mysterious and steamy.” Pieterse agrees it’s “racier,” teasing, “We’ve got a lot of surprises and things up our sleeve that I think fans are going to enjoy…”

Adds Parrish, “[There are] lots of twists and turns—very PLL-style!”

You Can’t Miss These Thrilling New Trailers—Plus More in News Briefs

March 14, 2019

By Courtney Potter

This Brand-New Avengers: Endgame Trailer is Everything We Needed Today…

You know it’s gonna be a good day when you can catch a new glimpse at some of the world’s greatest Super Heroes. Yes, we were just gifted with a brand-new trailer for Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios’ sure-to-be-monumental conclusion to a whopping 22 films.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and produced by Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Avengers: Endgame follows the grave course of events set in motion by Thanos—y’know, the one that wiped out half the universe and completely fractured the Avengers’ ranks. Naturally, this compels the remaining Avengers to take one final, truly epic stand.

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
March 18, 2018
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour – Presented by D23
March 20, 2018
D23’s Sip and Stroll at Disney California Adventure
March 25, 2018
Be Among the First to see Disney’s Dumbo!
April 5, 2018
Lunch with a Disney Legend–Linda Larkin
April 6, 2018
D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: The Lion King on Broadway
April 6, 2018
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour – GOLD FAMILY EXCLUSIVE
April 15, 2018
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour – Presented by D23
May 4, 2018
D23’s Magical Screening Series: The Lion King at Walt Disney World
May 6, 2018
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour – Presented by D23
May 11, 2018
D23’s Magical Screening Series: The Lion King on the Lot
May 16, 2018
D23 Celebrates Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World
June 1, 2018
D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: Return to Walt’s Chicago
June 8, 2018
Lunch with a Disney Legend – Paige O’Hara
August 23-25, 2019
D23 Expo 2019
Parks
March 1-April 23, 2019
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
March 6-June 3, 2019
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Summer 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at Disneyland Resort
Fall 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at and Walt Disney World Resort

Studios
March 8, 2019
Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel opens in U.S. theaters
March 29, 2019
Dumbo opens in U.S. theaters
April 17, 2019
Penguins opens in U.S. theaters
April 26, 2019
Avengers: Endgame opens in U.S. theaters
May 24, 2019
Aladdin opens in U.S. theaters
June 21, 2019
Toy Story 4 opens in U.S. theaters
July 19, 2019
The Lion King opens in U.S. theaters
August 9, 2019
Artemis Fowl opens in U.S. theaters
Television
March 3, 2019
American Idol kicks off second season on ABC (8–10:01 p.m. EST)

A Whole New Aladdin Trailer—Plus Colorful New Poster

We’ve got a few more months to wait ’til the live-action retelling of Aladdin—directed by Guy Ritchie—soars, tumbles, and freewheels its way into a movie theater near you. But to tide us over, our wish for a new trailer was just granted. If you haven’t had a chance to delight in the music and merriment, check it out, above!

That’s not all—the trailer’s release was accompanied by this fantastical new poster. Disney’s Aladdin is a thrilling, vibrant tale that follows that über-charming street rat of the same name (Mena Massoud); the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott); and the larger-than-life Genie (Will Smith) who may just be the key to their future… With new recordings of the original Aladdin songs (written by Howard Ashman, Alan Menken, and Tim Rice)—plus several new songs penned by Menken and Oscar®-winning songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen)—Aladdin opens in theaters around the world on May 24.

Go Behind the Scenes of Dumbo’s Dreamland in New Clip

Speaking of “Disney films we’re ridiculously excited to see”: Dumbo, brought to life by Tim Burton (the mastermind behind The Nightmare Before Christmas, among many other terrifically unique films), soars into theaters at the end of the month. Go behind the scenes of this adventurous live-action retelling of Disney’s 1941 animated classic in the new clip, above. Plus, if you’re visiting Disneyland park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or even taking a trip aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship in the next few weeks, you’ll get to see an exclusive sneak peek of the film…

And in case you’re wondering whether the director himself is excited for fans to finally see the film, wonder no more: Burton showed up at Disneyland park last weekend to surprise and delight guests both at the park’s Dumbo sneak peek (located inside the Main Street Opera House) and at the Dumbo the Flying Elephant attraction in Fantasyland!

Look for Disney’s Dumbo, starring Colin Farrell, Danny DeVito, Michael Keaton, and Eva Green, beginning March 29.

Special Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Sneak at Star Wars Celebration Chicago

Great news for Star Wars fans either local to the Windy City or willing to make a (road/train/plane) trip—if you attend the huge Star Wars Celebration Chicago event on Saturday, April 13, you’ll be privy to a very special panel… all about what’s to come at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts.

Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm will join forces to present “Bringing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to Life at Disney Parks,” a panel featuring revealing discussions about the immersive land, and how guests can live their very own Star Wars story. And do take heed: There might just be a couple of fun surprises during the panel!

The ultimate fan experience focused on “a galaxy far, far away,” Star Wars Celebration Chicago will take place from April 11–15—and will give fans from all over the world the chance to gather together to enjoy big announcements, immersive exhibits, exclusive merchandise, autograph sessions, and so much more. For more information, visit StarWarsCelebration.com.

See the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival in Action!

Warning: Don’t watch this video if you’re hungry in the slightest… because you will immediately feel the need to head down to Disneyland Resort for the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, tickling the taste buds of guests now through April 23! See some of the delectable delights available in the clip, above.

DCA’s Food & Wine Festival allows foodies of all ages to explore California-inspired cuisine and beverages, as well as enjoy live entertainment, family-friendly seminars, and cooking demonstrations. Kids can even join the fun with hands-on “cooking” experiences that end with a yummy surprise! And for those of you looking to really dig in, the Sip and Savor Pass is now available to all guests—entitling holders to eight select food and non-alcoholic drink items from any participating Festival Marketplaces, Paradise Garden Grill, and other select Festival Food & Beverage Carts. Click here for more information… now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to go grab a lil’ snack.

Hong Kong Disneyland Springs into Spring with Carnivale of Stars

Looking to put a little spring in your step? So is Hong Kong Disneyland! For a limited time, guests can enjoy the fabulous spring-themed offerings and vibrant decorations of the park’s Carnivale of Stars—for a limited time, now through June 26.

What can guests expect? Well, the all-new Disney Stars Springtime Celebration at the Castle Hub Stage invites guests to welcome spring with favorite Disney characters in adorable seasonal outfits, while the center of the park and Fantasy Gardens feature beautiful landscapes re-creating scenes from Disney animated hits including Moana, The Lion King, Bambi, and more. Plus, the popular Disney Character Egg Hunt is back this year with more than 100 charming Disney character-themed eggs scattered across the entire resort—including new eggs featuring Bo Peep and Slinky Dog from Toy Story; Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack from The Incredibles; Ralph and Vanellope from Ralph Breaks the Internet; and Marvel’s own The Wasp and Captain Marvel. Look out for more than 50 delicious spring-themed eats and treats, and a slew of exclusive seasonal merchandise items… and lest we forget—the highly anticipated new attraction, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle!, opens in just a few weeks’ time!

In addition, guests staying at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s three hotels will also discover a cool, large-scale, outdoor Easter “Magicarnival” from April 19 to 28. Stay tuned for more info to spring forth from Hong Kong Disneyland in the coming weeks.

ABC’s The Fix Is So Much More Than a Legal Drama

March 14, 2019March 14, 2019

By Zach Johnson

Craving a “juicy” new drama? Get your fix with ABC’s The Fix, which Robin Tunney jokingly compares to a “double decker hamburger.” Adds Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, “It’s dripping!”

From executive producers Marcia Clark, Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, The Fix follows Maya Travis (Tunney), an L.A. district attorney who suffers a devastating defeat after prosecuting charismatic movie star Severen “Sevvy” Johnson (Akinnuoye-Agbaje) for double murder. With her law career derailed, Maya starts a new life in rural Washington—only to return eight years later, when Sevvy is again under suspicion for murder and she finally gets another chance at justice.

“This is not a legal show per se,” says Clark, who co-wrote the enigmatic drama. “We almost never go to court. It’s all about the personal interactions of all the characters—Sevvy and his family, Maya and her relationships—and all the ways that they maneuver behind the scenes.”

Akinnuoye-Agbaje describes the series (premiering March 18) as a “bullet train ride,” saying, “Every episode, it’s high stakes. You don’t actually know who is guilty, who to suspect.” Similarly, Clark promises plenty of “twists and turns,” saying, “It’s very fast-paced, but the characters are all really nuanced, and they have layers to them. And they do surprising things you don’t expect that will keep the audience guessing—and the audience will be guessing from day one.”

The series, which co-stars Marc Blucas as River “Riv” Allgood, Scott Cohen as Ezra Wolf, Merrin Dungey as CJ Emerson, Mouzam Makkar as Loni Kampoor, Breckin Meyer as Alan Wiest, Adam Rayner as Matthew Collier and Alex Saxon as Gabriel Johnson, was especially appealing to Tunney for another reason: “I wanted to play a three-dimensional character where it wasn’t just about the work, or like a soap, where you’re [simply] somebody’s wife or somebody’s mother.” Likewise, Akinnuoye-Agbaje says he relished the chance to portray a “larger-than-life movie star,” while also exploring how Sevvy “came about that lifestyle, and the pressures it takes to uphold that.”

Akinnuoye-Agbaje adds, “Like Robin said, it’s a sexy, dynamic, dripping drama!”

Nothing is as it seems, and that’s what makes The Fix so addicting. “By the time the season finale rolls around, we will answer every question,” Clark says. “And we will close the case.”

The Fix premieres Monday, March 18, at 10|9c on ABC.

Did You Know? 5 High-Speed Facts About The Love Bug

March 13, 2019April 18, 2019

By Jim Fanning

Shifting for himself against all odds, that scrappy little speedster Herbie first sped into view 50 years ago when The Love Bug was released on March 13, 1969. This high-octane comedy hit about a Volkswagen “Beetle” with a mind—and heart—of its own is one of Disney’s most popular hits. Through the magic of Disney special effects, the lovable car skips across a stream, rides in a mineshaft elevator, and careens over every kind of terrain. The soft-hearted four-cylinder gives his all to help down-on-his-luck race driver and Disney Legend Dean Jones, ably assisted by feisty mechanic Michele Lee and offbeat sculptor and Disney Legend Buddy Hackett, much to the consternation of villainous upscale auto dealer and Disney Legend David Tomlinson. To celebrate 50 years of laughs and thrills with Herbie, here are five freewheeling facts about The Love Bug.

1. The Love Bug Started its Engines with Walt
Herbie’s road to stardom started in the early 1960s when Walt Disney bought the rights to a screen treatment written by Gordon Buford entitled Boy-Girl-Car. Walt felt that the main concept—an automobile with a mind of its own—would make a delightful fantasy-comedy in the tradition of such hits as The Absent-Minded Professor (1961). “I had given Walt a script about the first sports car that had ever come to the United States,” recalled Jones, “and Walt said ‘I’ve got something better for you—Boy-Girl-Car,’ which became The Love Bug.” After Walt’s untimely passing in 1966, his winning team of producer/writer Bill Walsh, director Robert Stevenson, and writer Don DaGradi—Disney Legends all (shown here, l—r) drove on, shifting The Love Bug into high-gear production in 1968.

2. A Volkswagen was Cast for Star Power, Not Horsepower
To fill the all-important title role, Walsh set up an auto audition by parking several small automobiles near the Studio commissary. “As the employees passed by on their way to lunch,” Bill recalled, “they looked at the little cars, kicked the tires, and turned the steering wheels. But everybody who went by patted the Volkswagen. They didn’t pat the other cars, which was indicative. The VW had a personality of its own that reached out and embraced people. Thus, we found our star.” The new car-star was a 1963 sunroof-model 1200 Volkswagen.

3. Herbie was a New Disney Star in the Classic Tradition of Mickey Mouse
Walt reveled in portraying animation-like effects in live-action films, and The Love Bug abounds with laugh-inducing cartoon-like impossibilities, thanks in large part to an animation veteran, co-writer Don DaGradi. But beyond the visual gags, DaGradi and Walsh established Herbie as an endearing personality. “You’re ‘with’ the underdog,” explained Walsh, identifying Herbie as such, adding as an example “little, defenseless Mickey Mouse [who] tweaks the cat’s nose and gets away with it. Take Herbie: He’s a bug—even his makers call him that. He’s underweight, gawky, clumsy, but so jaunty as he braves the vicious [California] freeways. Heck, a VW is a born Disney character!” Baseball fan Walsh selected 53 as Herbie’s racing number because it was Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale’s number. As for the motorcar’s moniker, Walsh named the car after seeing Hackett’s Vegas act featuring a joke about a ski instructor named Herbie.

4. Herbie Got Up to Speed with Disney Big-Screen Magic
To best portray Herbie’s astounding ability to outdistance the big racecars, the lively little VW was given a powerful bus engine in some sequences. For other scenes, the bug was outfitted with a posh Porsche engine that could do 90 mph in third gear and 115 in top. Herbie was further enhanced with Porsche brakes, Koni shocks, and wide-base wheels with Indianapolis 500-type race tires. In all, 21 VW Beetles were used, each tricked out to perform different onscreen special effects. For the breathtaking race sequences, renowned Disney second unit director Arthur J. Vitarelli headed a 127-man crew filming racing sequences at such actual tracks as Grand Prix Raceway and Monterey Raceway. The second unit filming was completed first, in fall 1967 with principal photography following in 1968. Forty expert drivers were gathered by acclaimed stunt driver Carey Loftin, who oversaw the racing scenes. Celebrated racing promoter Andy Granatelli, and race drivers Max Balchowsky, Bob Bondurant, and Joe Playan all took part in the film. Balchowsky was famed for his “Old Yeller” Buicks of the 1950s. Art Vitarelli mounted two Mitchell cameras on “Old Yeller” No. 5 so as to capture the racing action at 150 mph.

5. Herbie was Given a Grand Prix of a Grand Premiere
Once production reached the finish line, The Love Bug opened at Radio City Music Hall on March 13, 1969. Even though it had already been released, the new film was welcomed into the winner’s circle with a gala Hollywood premiere on March 26, at the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. All 1,500 guests—including such Disney favorites as Sebastian Cabot and Kurt Russell, as well as Love Bug stars Jones, Lee, Hackett, and Benson Fong—were invited to wear “California mod” outfits. Following the screening, the star-studded audience was led to “The Bug House” (a nearby underground garage) for an “underground” party with wild psychedelic décor. Audiences raced to catch The Love Bug, making Herbie’s star vehicle the second most successful Disney film (after Mary Poppins, 1964) produced up to that time, a record it held for years. In fact, the film zoomed to the top of the box-office charts to become the number one hit of 1969. So “in” was the film with everyone, Herbie rode on to an enduring career in four additional feature films, a television mini-series, and a made-for-TV movie. It’s no wonder the lovable bug is a Disney superstar, for as Dean Jones explained, “Herbie had all the qualities of a great hero. He was sympathetic, he was loyal. He had tenacity. He had heart. Herbie was a car for all seasons, for all peoples.”

A Night at the Circus: Every Magical Moment from the Dumbo World Premiere

March 13, 2019May 31, 2019

By Karina Schink

On the evening of March 11, the the fifth floor of the Dolby Theatre was transformed. Aerial dancers took flight in hoops above and jugglers on stilts began to perform as bells chimed from the carnival games and the smell of hot dogs and popcorn filled the air. The circus had come to town.

But this was no ordinary circus, for this troupe of carnival characters accompanied Disney’s all-new, live-action Dumbo to town.

Dreams Take Flight
Last night we were thrilled to be on hand for the world premiere of Tim Burton’s live-action take on the 1941 classic Dumbo. While underneath the tented ceiling, we spoke with many of the film’s talented actors and filmmakers, who shared these behind-the-scenes details.

Eva Green, who plays French trapeze artist Colette Marchant, had to overcome her phobia of heights and jump right into training to prepare for the role. A team of circus performers stepped in to train Green to become an aerial performer. “I would never have thought I’d be able to go up there and do things, and I owe them because I faced my fear.”

One Peculiar Pachyderm
As we head to the circus in the new film, we’re all eager to see one thing within those red and white stripes: the elephant, the myth, the legend—Dumbo. In this live-action take on the classic story, Dumbo himself, brought to life by CGI, didn’t actually appear in the film until post-production. We had a chance to ask producer Justin Springer what that was like.

An All-New Disney Villain

We all love a good baddie, and there’s none quite like a Disney baddie. Joseph Gatt is a newcomer to the world of Disney villains. We asked him to give us a little (spoiler-free) description of Neils Skellig, and he makes a comparison to a little ol’ villain we think you’ll know.

Pink Elephants on Parade Once More

It’s no secret that Tim Burton and Danny Elfman’s partnership is one for the history books, and they’ve delivered movie music magic once again. Arcade Fire provides a new rendition of the tear-jerking “Baby Mine” for the end credits; Sharon Rooney (who portrays Miss Atlantis) sings the song in the film. Elfman composed the film’s score. He told us what it was like to revisit the animated Dumbo in search of musical inspiration.

Of course, these weren’t the only stars in attendance. Tim Burton, Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Nico Parker, DeObia Oparei, and Finley Hobbins also dazzled at the spectacular premiere.

We couldn’t have asked for a better night inside that circus tent, and we certainly can’t wait to see our favorite baby elephant take flight on March 29 when Dumbo debuts in theaters everywhere.

Exclusive D23 T-shirt Iron-Ons

March 10, 2019March 11, 2019

Join the celebration with this Mickey- and Minnie -inspired T-shirt art! Choose your favorite or make them all! Be sure to share your pictures on social media with #10YearsofD23.

What you will need:
Injet printer
Inkjet iron-on printer transfer paper
Scissors
Light color T-shirt
Iron

Kids, be sure to get an adult to help!

Download the PDF with instructions and iron-on artwork for your t-shirt here.

Exclusive D23 10th Anniversary Ear Headband

March 10, 2019March 22, 2019

Make your own Minnie ear headband – D23 10^th Anniversary style!

What you will need:
Gold Glitter Paper
2 sheets of heavy printer paper
1 sheet of glittery black felt
8.5” x 11” x 3/16” thick foam board
Tacky Glue
Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Scissors
Box cutter or craft blade
Pen

TIP: Be sure to cut out your materials on a safe surface as to not damage any furniture or flooring.

Kids, be sure to get an adult to help!

Download the PDF with instructions and template for your ear headband here.

10 FAN-tastic Memories from 10 D23 Team Members

March 10, 2019March 11, 2019

By the D23 Team

Today marks our 10th anniversary since D23: The Official Disney Fan Club was founded, and since we’ve been sharing magical Disney moments with Disney fans. We love celebrating Disney with fans because we’re Disney fans, too! To help celebrate our milestone anniversary, we asked 10 of our team members to share their favorite moments from when we first kicked off the club way back in 2009 to now. What’s your favorite memory from 10 FAN-tasic years of D23? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Max Lark (Disney twenty-three Editor-in-Chief)
There are a lot of interviews that stand out. For the Disney Legends issue of Disney twenty-three, we were fortunate to interview a lot of Disney luminaries, but getting the chance to interview Tim Allen in a soundstage on the Studio lot, Dick Van Dyke in Walt’s “formal” office, and Kurt Russell in Walt’s “working” office were pretty unforgettable experiences for a guy from Detroit who wonders, sometimes, how he landed at Disney.

As someone who is a huge Elton John fan, interviewing him on the phone for his movie Gnomeo & Juliet will always be one of my favorite memories. I mean I idolized this guy as a child; to have him call my office phone and say, rather charmingly, “Hello Max, this is Elton…” Well for me, it doesn’t really get much better than that!

Getting the chance to go to Marceline, Missouri, and walk in Walt’s footsteps was also a highlight. I did a lot of research and had the time to amble across the same open fields he did, to see the same streams, to eat dinner in the house where he lived for five years. After walking down Main Street in Marceline, a walk down Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland is now an altogether different experience.

Putting together the Saving Mr. Banks issue of Disney twenty-three will always be a highlight and an issue that I am especially proud of. It’s funny how a labor of love can turn into something you love.

Jim Frye (Disney twenty-three Contributing Writer)
My best D23 memory is having a conversation with the legendary (and Disney Legend!) George Lucas at D23 Expo 2015! It was just before the Legends ceremony where George was being inducted. We were in the middle of special Star Wars-themed issue of Disney twenty-three magazine and wondered if it would be possible to get a few quotes from Lucas. So myself and Max Lark took off down to the green room where all the inductees were waiting, and Jeffrey Epstein was able to get one of us in—me! And that’s when it happened. I have to admit, it was hard to form words at first, because my mind was consumed with the fact that I was TALKING TO GEORGE LUCAS! The rest is all a blur, but luckily you can see parts of that conversation in the 2015 winter issue of Disney twenty-three in the article, “Thank the Maker.”

Courtney Potter (Disney twenty-three Contributing Writer)
I’ve been lucky enough—even before I wrote for D23.com—to attend every D23 Expo, and to see the growth of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club from a fairly close perspective. Back in 2012, when D23 was planning its Destination D event at the Disneyland Resort, I wound up as part of the team helping to execute a ‘flash mob’ to open the weekend with a bang—and it’s one of my favorite D23-related memories. Not only was it a total blast to rehearse a dance number, set to an incredible mash-up of songs from Disney animated films, with some of my colleagues, but it was also so much fun to see the reaction of the guests when we (seated amongst them in the audience) got up and started to dance! I’ve never been a performer at Disneyland, but I feel like I got to experience that same kind of heart-warming joy for a few moments that morning… bringing a little bit of magic to those D23 Members in a tangible, first-person way.

Steven Vagnini (Walt Disney Imagineering, Former D23 Team Member)
D23’s Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th (2011)—the second of the six Destination D events held thus far—marked what was perhaps the most elaborate and in-depth Walt Disney World retrospective mounted by The Walt Disney Company. D23 Members gathered at Disney’s Contemporary Resort to meet and hear from dozens of Disney Legends and resort pioneers in this celebration of four decades of “the Vacation Kingdom of the World.” Among the luminaries were Debby Dane Browne, the first Walt Disney World Ambassador; Bob Foster, the counsel charged with scouting Central Florida to acquire the property; and many current and former Imagineers, marketing leaders, entertainment designers, songwriters, and archivists. The highlight was the finale concert, Magic Journeys: A Flight of Fancy Through 40 Years of Walt Disney World Musical Memories, which included special performances by the Kids of the Kingdom, the Main Street Philharmonic, resort entertainment legends Billy Flanigan, Carol Stein, Laura Compton, and Denny Zavett, the Encore! Choir and Orchestra, Dreamfinder and Figment, and Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman.

Francesca Scrimgeour (Walt Disney Archives)
D23 has given me so many great memories over the years, but one of my favorite memories was before I joined the Archives team, during the D23 Expo at the 2011 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony. The ceremony was gorgeous, and getting to watch so many of my childhood heroes be inducted as Disney Legends is something that I will never forget. Many of the voices of modern Disney Princesses were inducted that year and many of them even participated in a musical interlude where they sang together! To top it all off, that was the year Jim Henson was honored, which led to a once-in-a-lifetime performance from Kermit the Frog and Rowlf the Dog performing “Rainbow Connection,” and the audience sang right along. I thought I had reached the pinnacle of excitement during the show, but on my way out, my friend and I stopped to watch the handprint ceremony, and were in for quite a surprise. We saw Anika Noni Rose “cementing” her legacy, and myself and my friend were picked out of the crowd and asked if we wanted a photo with her. Of course we did! We ran right over and quickly snapped a photo with the incredibly gracious Anika that we still treasure today!

Tyler Slater (D23 Events Team)
My favorite memory as part of the D23 Team was our managing our Magic in Manhattan event. The fun-filled day included a taping of ABC’s The Chew, a private tour of the 1964-’65 New York World’s Fair grounds, a behind-the-scenes experience at the New Amsterdam Theatre, a meet-and-greet experience with the Aladdin cast, and then concluded with seating to see the Broadway spectacular.

It’s my favorite memory because it reminds me of the incredible diversity not only in our fan club, but also The Walt Disney Company. From ABC, to our heritage, to watching one of my favorite Disney movies come to life on Broadway, it will always be a moment in my career I’ll see as a dream come true in one of my favorite cities in the world.

Jeffrey Epstein (D23 Creative Content Director)
Having been with D23 before its launch, I have been lucky enough to experience a lifetime of unbelievable moments with the fan club over the past 10 years. From interviewing the Once Upon a Time cast on stage at numerous D23 Expos to attending the opening of the magnificent Shanghai Disney Resort, it is almost impossible to pick one. But… In 2010 we held the first-ever Destination D event, themed to the 55th anniversary of Disneyland. The entertainment one night was a “two part” musical event in the majestic Grand Ballroom of the Disneyland Hotel, E Ticket: Music from the Disney Parks. The first part included wildly talented actors such as John Tartaglia, Traci Thoms, Wilson Cruz, Michael Urie, and Ana Ortiz singing parks favorites, and the second part was the wonderful Disney Legend Richard Sherman at the piano, playing a selection of songs he and his brother, Robert, created for Disney parks around the world. As the concert approached, an actor had to bow out because of work, and I was asked—somewhat on a lark—to fill in, singing “A Whole New World” with Ana (then on Ugly Betty, now on Whiskey Cavalier!). It had been years since I had sung in public, so breaking out a beloved Disney classic in front of more than 1,000 Disney fans could easily have been trial by fire. But I could not have felt more supported—by Ana, the amazing D23 Members in the audience, and even the man himself, Richard Sherman. My heart was so full, it felt like it could have burst. If we ever sold bottled pixie dust, I’m pretty sure that is the feeling it would create.

Laura Sanchez (D23 Events Team)
The trip to Marceline is one of my favorite memories. When the buses pulled up amongst the cheering people of the city and the children of Marceline, and seeing that the kids had made a huge welcome mural and the whole thing made me cry. The electricity of pride and excitement from everyone involved was palpable.

There was also the Lunch with a Legend hosting Marty Sklar. This was our first Lunch with a Legend and it thrilled me to be able to watch our guests have the opportunity to talk on a personal level with such a wonderful Disney Legend.

Destination D of 2011 celebrating WDW anniversary is another wonderful memory. The closing concert with Kids of the Kingdom, the Main Street Marching Band, and then with Richard Sherman not only performing but bringing in the Dreamfinder and Figment to perform with him was another electrifying moment.

The Fanniversary roadshows hold a special place for me as well. Again, it wasn’t the show but the D23 members who were all just so thrilled that we would bring the fun of Disney and the Fan club to them! Always so many smiles and tears from joy.

Justin Arthur (D23 Team, Formerly the Walt Disney Archives)
I’ve had so many great memories of D23 over the years, but one of my favorites has to be the very first D23 Expo Japan in 2013. I had been to the three D23 Expos in Anaheim prior to it, but D23 Expo Japan was such a unique and extraordinary experience. After many months of planning, packing, and getting items through customs, the Walt Disney Archives team arrived in Tokyo to install our very first Japanese exhibit, “Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives.” The D23 Expo Japan was held at the Tokyo Disney Resort (you could do much worse), and the exhibit made its debut inside the beautiful Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta. I’ll never forget the morning we opened the Expo, when hundreds of Disney fans, who had been lined up for hours, came streaming in, thrilled that we had “brought the Archives” to them. Working with the incredible Disney Japan team, and meeting so many passionate fans over the course of the Expo was so special. After that initial Expo, the exhibit travelled all over Japan, enjoyed by thousands of Disney fans across the country, and it was followed by many more successful D23 Expos and Walt Disney Archives exhibits!

Michael Vargo (Head of D23)
One standout moment for me was a recent one, because it reminded me of how impactful Disney fandom is. Last summer, I joined several D23 Members on a trip to the Midwest: Marceline, Missouri—where Walt Disney enjoyed his early boyhood years. The local schools were on their summer break, but that did not stop the students from coming to town to welcome Disney and D23—some even changing their vacation plans to be there. When we arrived in the town of just over 2,000 people (2,333 to be exact!) on that warm summer morning, we were greeted by a true community of enthusiastic Disney fans. As our busses arrived at the town’s Main Street, I never experienced such a heartfelt and genuine greeting like I did that day. The local elementary school students and teachers were cheering loudly and waving banners as they lined the town’s streets; the high school cheerleaders and marching band were practicing for weeks to give us a rousing welcome performance; and the entire community came together to give us the ultimate D23 welcome. It gave your body goosebumps and made your eyes water. Standing there in the middle of Main Street watching a community of Disney fans come together, really showed how the magic of Disney touched people far beyond our theme parks or movies. We at Disney love to make magic, but that day, the people of Marceline made it for us.