Celebrate Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure from January 26–February 18

By Beth Deitchman

If you’ve got a brand-new 2018 calendar and can’t wait to start circling important dates, we’ve got one you won’t want to miss. Our friends at the Disney Parks Blog have just announced that the hugely popular Lunar New Year festival is returning to Disney California Adventure park again in 2018, from January 26–February 18.

The Year of the Dog gets off to a spectacular start at DCA, with live entertainment, festive foods, and more. The nighttime water show Hurry Home—Lunar New Year Celebration will once again delight guests on Paradise Bay, and your favorite Disney characters will be dressed in their holiday best, including Goofy’s turn as the God of Good Fortune. It will be a celebration for all the senses, with the returning Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession; traditional crafts; specialty Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese foods at Paradise Garden Grill; and even the opportunity to add your own wish to the Lucky Wishing Wall.

Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure

For more details, visit Disneyland.com/LunarNewYear and stay tuned to D23.com as the spectacular celebration approaches.

Watch A New Trailer for Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time

By D23 Team

Disney fans were given a look inside the world of A Wrinkle in Time, Disney’s new epic adventure based on the beloved novel by Madeleine L’Engle, in a new trailer that debuted during ABC’s live broadcast of the 2017 American Music Awards.

Visionary director Ava DuVernay is at the helm for upcoming film, in which young Meg Murry (newcomer Storm Reid) embarks upon a transformative journey under the guidance of three remarkable celestial beings: Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling). The three “Mrs. Ws” have journeyed to earth to help Meg search for her father (Chris Pine) and embrace the “warrior” that lies within her. The film also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peňa, and Zach Galifianakis.

Oscar® winner Jennifer Lee (Frozen) wrote the screenplay based on L’Engle’s classic novel. Jim Whitaker and Catherine Hand produce, with Doug Merrifield serving as executive producer. To take audiences across dimensions of time and space, the filmmakers have assembled an impressive creative team comprised of some of the most talented artisans working today, including: Tobias Schliessler, ASC as director of photography, Naomi Shohan as production designer, Oscar nominee Spencer Averick as film editor, two-time Academy Award® nominee Paco Delgado as costume designer and four time Emmy® nominee Ramin Djawadi as composer.

Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time opens in U.S. theaters on March 9, 2018.

This Brand-New Trailer is an Incredible Start to the Weekend!

By D23 Team

They’re back—Mr. and Mrs. Incredible (voiced once again by Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter), Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (newcomer Huck Milner), and Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson). Incredibles 2 opens in theaters on June 15, 2018, and we’ve just gotten our first look at the upcoming film in a just-released trailer.

At D23 Expo 2017, director Brad Bird shared that the sequel to Pixar Animation Studios’ 2004 Oscar®-winning feature places the family in an expanded universe that introduces new allies and a brand-new villain. “Incredibles 2 is really a family film, it’s just that the family happens to have super powers,” Bird said. “They may have super speed or super strength, but they experience the same problems as any family.”

Super problems for the Incredibles mean super fun for Disney fans! Stay tuned to D23.com for more about Incredibles 2 as the release date nears.

5 Especial Things We Learned from Coco’s Cast & Filmmakers

By Courtney Potter

Disney•Pixar’s Coco is a colorful celebration of love, life, and familia—and recently, D23 “seized our moment” for a chance to hear some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the stars and filmmakers themselves! On a recent sunny Southern California afternoon, director Lee Unkrich, co-director/writer Adrian Molina, and producer Darla K. Anderson gathered members of the film’s voice cast—including Benjamin Bratt and Edward James Olmos—to share stories from the making of the film… and what the heartwarming finished product means to them.

Read on for a rundown of some of their magnifico tales!

Lee Unkrich

1. Director Lee Unkrich recalls the origins of the Coco story.
“Darla and Adrian and I all worked on Toy Story 3 together,” explained Unkrich. “And when we finished that film, I started to think about what was next… one of [my ideas was] telling a story set against Dia de los Muertos [Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration]. I had always been interested in the tradition, and I spent some time doing some research and really trying to understand more than I already knew. And the more that I dug in, the more that I learned about how central family is to this celebration… I just started to see the potential to tell a unique story—to tell a story that could only be told in animation, that could be visually dazzling, but also had the potential to have a real emotional core to it. And that was really kind of the beginning of this journey. We immediately headed down to Mexico on the first of what proved to be many lengthy research trips, and spent time learning about the traditions, learning about the culture, and spending a lot of time with many beautiful families down in Mexico.”

Benjamin Bratt

2. Benjamin Bratt explains some of the inspiration for his character, music and film legend Ernesto de la Cruz.
“The first inspiration you draw from is the image that they create,” said Bratt. “Clearly, this guy, even in a skeleton form, he’s got swagger, y’know? So it’s easy to adopt that idea, principally. But Lee and Adrian and Darla [also] pointed me in the direction of studying some of the movie clips of Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete. These were film stars, and music stars, in the equivalent strata of someone like Frank Sinatra—guys who were as beloved and as admired for their singing prowess as they were for their acting chops… Beyond that, my own father—who’s now deceased, and who I lost touch with many years before he passed on… although he was quite a bit different than Ernesto de la Cruz, he was larger than life: 6 feet 3 inches, massive frame, broad shoulders, and a booming voice. The kind of person who, no matter which room he walked into, would command attention… [It] was the kind of thing that I could draw on because it was familiar to me.”

“The brilliance of it was the real beauty of the storytelling… ”

3. Alanna Ubach, who plays Mamá Imelda, had a surprise in store for her mother during the film’s premiere.
“I was sitting in between my husband and my mother,” said Ubach, “and I told my mother that I had a surprise for her, because she used to sing [the Mexican folk song] ‘La Llorona’ to me when I was a little girl, in order to make me go to sleep… But I kept telling her, ‘I have a surprise for you.’ And she said, ‘Oh, I can’t wait. I love surprises!’ And so the lights dim, and she’s watching it, and she sees Coco, the abuella [grandmother], for the first time—and she says, ‘Ay! Mi Alanna! You’re Coco!’ I’m like, ‘No, no, no, Mom. Just keep watching.’ She said, ‘Okay.’ I watched her cry three times, and then Miguel is finally introduced. ‘Ay! Alanna, you’re Miguel! You’re the voice of Miguel!’ I’m like, ‘No, Mom, keep watching. Keep watching.’ And finally ‘La Llorona’ came on, and it was just waterworks!”

Anthony Gonzalez

4. Lee Unkrich chats about Anthony Gonzalez’s (voice of Miguel) initial audition for the role.
“At his very first audition,” says Unkrich, “we had him read a bunch of scenes [and] script pages. And then when we were all done, he took out a CD and said, ‘I brought a song I want to sing to you.’ And at that point, we didn’t even know if Miguel was going to be singing in the movie, so that wasn’t part of the audition. And unfortunately, we didn’t have a CD player that day, where we were. So Anthony, true to his great spirit, just said, ‘Oh, well, whatever—I’ll just sing it a cappella!’ And he launched into this beautiful, 10-minute-long, sweet rendition of this song, sung just to the few of us. And you know, we were already wowed by his audition, and then that just really sealed the deal.”

5. Oscar® nominee Edward James Olmos—who voices Chicharrón, a pivotal character in the film’s colorful Land of the Dead—reveals what it was like to see Coco for the first time…
As Olmos explained, “I hadn’t seen the movie [until a few days’ ago]… I walked in and sat down… and then the movie started. And an amazing feeling came across me immediately—the quality was superb; the feeling, the music, the sound, everything. The performances were extraordinary! And as it went along, my part came in, and I said, ‘Oh my!’ I felt emotional for this guy. And Chicharrón, within a matter of a few minutes, became someone that I could identify with—a relative, a friend… So then the story started to evolve. And by the time it got to the end, I was in heaving sobs… not only has pride taken over, because I am Mexican, full-blooded on everybody’s side; not only am I a person who has been inside of [the movie industry] for over 50 years; not only have I really tried to understand myself inside of this art form—but this film became something really profound. And I looked around, because I was in the last chair in the back, and the other people were all crying [too]… The brilliance of it was the real beauty of the storytelling.”

Don’t miss Disney•Pixar’s Coco, in U.S. theaters November 22!

Exclusive: Preview a New Song by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater from Tangled: The Series

By Beth Deitchman

During the Tangled: The Series panel at D23 Expo 2017, the series’ cast and creative team shared a preview of an upcoming special episode that was, both literally and figuratively, music to our ears. The tentpole episode, “Queen for a Day,”—which airs this Sunday, November 19 (7–8 p.m. ET)—finds Rapunzel in charge of Corona while the King and Queen are away. But when a blizzard strikes, Rapunzel must confront the tough decisions that come with leading a kingdom. Disney fans will enjoy all of the comedy, adventure and heart we’ve come to expect from the series, but the special episode also features something else—two songs by the team of Oscar®-winning composer and Disney Legend Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. And D23 has an exclusive clip from one of the songs:

“We knew from early on that music was going to be special in the show, and I wanted to keep it special by not using songs in every single episode,” says Executive Producer and Supervising Director Chris Sonnenburg. A lifelong student of animated and Broadway musicals, Sonnenburg notes that large music pieces often trigger a change in a character. This tentpole episode is a pivotal one for Rapunzel—and for Varian, the young alchemist, who moves further along his own “rocky” road in “Queen for a Day.” It’s emotional for both, and the characters’ feelings come through in Menken and Slater’s new songs.

The songs are a true collaboration, Sonnenburg emphasizes. Menken and Slater have been involved from the start and as lyricist, Slater works very closely with the other writers on the show. The song demos the team first receives from Menken may be starting points for what fans will hear in Sunday night’s episode, but, Sonnenburg notes, “Even though it’s pared down and a little more simplified, Alan communicates the emotion he would like to come through in the song. You can often hear his intent in the demos.”

Many years ago, Sonnenburg remembers watching Disney Legend Howard Ashman work with Jodi Benson (also a Disney Legend) during the recording of “Part of Your World” in a behind-the-scenes video from The Little Mermaid DVD. “He talked her through the moment and the space she was in, and kind of painted a picture for Jodi of what was going to be happening. Watching them interact just communicated to me at that time, ‘These are two amazing artists coming together to tell a single story,’” Sonnenburg recalls. Now, to be able to have that experience with Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Jeremy Jordan, Eden Espinoza, and the rest of the talented voice cast, is a dream come true. “I don’t want to undersell how magical that is,” he says.

Recording new songs by Menken and Slater is a highlight for the actors, as well. Before recording “Make You Proud,” the song that Jeremy Jordan sings in “Queen for a Day,” the actor would record verses and snippets of the song and send them to Sonnenburg by phone. “Jeremy is such a talented performer. Having him trust my notes, and knowing that when he performs the song it’s going to be the right tone, is part of the Disney magic,” Sonnenburg emphasizes.

Tangled The Series

Over the course of Tangled: The Series’ first season, Rapunzel has been learning a lot about herself and her role in Corona, and that will continue, Sonnenburg shares—as will the mystery of how Corona’s strange rocks come into play. “It’s very important to me that we respect the content [of the 2010 feature film Tangled],” he says, “and fans have been very supportive as we’ve built upon that mythology.” He’s also been excited to see fans rally around some of the new characters, such as Cassandra, Varian, and Lance Strongbow. “Eden Espinoza, Jeremy Jordan, and James Monroe Iglehart are all phenomenal performers and have such a great presence on Broadway,” Sonnenburg stresses. “So being able to have them be part of the family fits with the DNA of Tangled. I think the fans in the audience agree with that and they cue in to how naturally this cast fits together.”

So untangle your schedule for Sunday night and set a date to watch “Queen for a Day” on Disney Channel from 7–8 p.m. EST. “This tentpole episode is going to shake a lot of people,” says Sonnenburg, who promises, “And it’s going to be a lot of fun!”

Travel to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on a Brand-New Star Tours Experience

By Nicole Nalty

Lightspeed to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue! This morning, guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland park took the first trip to the previously unexplored planet coming to life at both parks in 2019.

Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Executive Scott Trowbridge just shared (via the Disney Parks Blog) details on this new destination, one of two new locations coming to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland park. The planet, known as Batuu, was once a busy crossroads along the old sub-lightspeed trade routes, but its prominence was bypassed by the rise of hyperspace travel. Now it’s a thriving port for smugglers, rogue traders and adventurers traveling between the frontier and uncharted space—not to mention a convenient safe haven for those hoping to avoid the expanding reach of the First Order. While Batuu is a whole new planet to us (and we can’t wait to explore!), it is clearly already familiar to many characters from the Star Wars saga as a stepping-off point for epic adventures.

Star Tours Batuu location

Experience Batuu on Star Tours – The Adventures Continue now, and stay tuned for more details on all things Star Wars at Disney Parks.

5 Super Things We Learned from the Big Hero 6 The Series Cast and Crew

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Are you ready for the return of your favorite team of San Fransokyo super geniuses—back to save the day once more? The TV movie Baymax Returns, which launches Big Hero 6 The Series, premieres Monday, November 20 on Disney XD and Disney Channel (8–9 p.m. EST). We recently heard from some of the series’ cast and crew about why we should be pumped to blast off with Hiro, Baymax, Go Go, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Fred in this new series of super adventures through the fantastic city of San Fransokyo.

Big Hero 6 The Series

1. There’s a super team at the helm.
Executive producers Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle are no strangers to Disney animated TV series and there’s a reason why everyone was thrilled that they’re heading up another action-packed heroic series. As Ryan Potter (voice of Hiro) puts it, “It was in good hands from the get-go, because these guys did Kim Possible.”

Schooley and McCorkle agree that their experience made them eager to take on the challenge of this super team. McCorkle explains, “The movie came out three years ago, and we had done a bunch of other shows for Disney—we were like, ‘Yeah, we’re in!’” Of course, “a bunch of other shows for Disney” weren’t just any shows. This writing duo made animation so not the drama by creating Emmy® Award-winning Kim Possible and working on beloved shows such as Goof Troop, Hercules, and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.

There was one new challenge they hadn’t anticipated in taking on the world of Big Hero 6. Schooley jokes, “It had to go win the Oscar®, to put even more pressure on us!”

2. It Starts Where the Movie Ended.
If you got to the end of Big Hero 6 and wished the movie never had to roll credits, fear not! Big Hero 6 The Series will take you right back into the world of the film. McCorkle explains, “We thought that a story of getting the team—and Baymax—back together would be fun.”

Although the new series departs from the film’s CG animation for a more traditional 2D style, it’s still the same super team you know and love, back in action! To Schooley and McCorkle, the TV movie is the perfect transition. “It leads you back into the world in our new style,” Schooley says.

Big Hero 6 The Series

3. Its Influences Are a Little Unexpected…
Of course, the Big Hero 6 The Series team wasn’t going to make the show without talking to the original Big Hero 6 film team first. While the animation style is changing, the spirit and heart of the story’s inspiration stays the same. And what is that inspiration? “101 Dalmatians-meets-anime,” McCorkle laughingly explained. The original film’s team frequently cites 101 Dalmatians and other Disney classics of the era as visual influences, and that carries into the new series.

4. There’s a Little Bit of Big Hero 6 in All of Us.
Everyone in the cast and crew can see themselves in this super team. Han-Yee Ling, a writer for the series, recalls her own connection to the show: “I’m sort of the Fred of my family.” Of course, that doesn’t mean that she spends her free time running around in a fire-breathing mascot costume, but as she is the only creative mind in a family of physicists, engineers, and doctors, she can relate to Fred being surrounded by great scientific minds. Being surrounded by a bunch of geniuses certainly helps her write about the super-genius cast of Big Hero 6 The Series. She says, “Because my family has this background, I can mine them for stories, and my dad always loves lecturing about physics.”

Big Hero 6 The Series

For Ryan Potter, the character connection runs even deeper. He auditioned for the role of Hiro when he was 17 years old and recalls seeing the design for Hiro and noticing a striking similarity. Even the director the movie, as Potter remembers, exclaimed, “Wow, that’s creepy,” upon seeing the resemblance!

But it’s not just about looks for Potter—his connection to Hiro comes from the heart. As a kid who went to kindergarten in Tokyo and then grew up in America, Potter was used to only seeing relatable characters in anime shows, until Big Hero 6 came along. “The kid in me will always relate to Hiro,” he says fondly.

5. It all comes back to science and learning.
 When Schooley and McCorkle first walked out of the theater after watching Big Hero 6, they had already fallen in love with the film’s themes. They saw the film’s message as “science and learning are positive things—and that’s how you solve problems.” For them, having the chance to build a whole series around that optimistic message was a dream come true.

The heart of the series all comes back to one thing. McCorkle explains, “Being heroic and being a good person is the ultimate theme of the series, but there’s something nice about saying ‘It’s cool to learn. It’s cool to be smart.”

Or, as Potter puts it, what drives the show and the team is simply, “carrying on Tadashi’s original goal of helping people.”

Are you ready to be satisfied with your care? Big Hero 6 The Series premieres with Baymax Returns on Disney XD and Disney Channel on Monday, November 20, at 8 pm EST.

This Olaf’s Frozen Adventure Art Will Melt Your Heart

By Nicole Nalty

The thought and care behind each strand, seam, and snowflake shines through in every scene of a film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and that’s just one of the reasons we can’t wait to see the latest chapter in the Frozen story, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. The featurette, debuting before Disney•Pixar’s Coco––in theaters this Thanksgiving––brings Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and Kristoff back to the screen for a holiday celebration they’ll surely never forget. To create this winter wonderland, the folks at Disney Animation created stunning visual development art, which we’re lucky enough to share with you today. Take a look below and don’t miss Olaf’s Frozen Adventure when it opens on November 22!

Olaf's Frozen Adventure art
Artist: Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay, character design lead. Digital.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure art
Artist: Michael Giaimo, production designer. Paint.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure art
Artist: Lisa Keene, associate production designer & Jim Finn, visual development artist. Digital.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure art
Artist: Armand Serrano, visual development artist. Digital.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure art
Artist: Paul Felix, visual development artist. Digital.

Black Panther Posters and a Star Tours Addition—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Gorgeous new character posters for Marvel Studios’ upcoming adventure, and a new scene comes to the legendary Disney Parks attraction … Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Black Panther

Brand-New Character Posters for Marvel Studios’ Black Panther

The excitement at your local cineplex just doesn’t quit over the next few months, what with Disney•Pixar’s Coco opening in a little over a week; Star Wars: The Last Jedi making its debut in December; and Marvel Studios’ thrilling Black Panther leaping onto the big screen this spring. Lucky for us, the Marvel powers-that-be just released some new—and seriously gorgeous—character posters… check out a few of them, above.

Black Panther follows T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), who—after the events of Captain America: Civil War—returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to take his place as King. But an old enemy reappears on the radar, T’Challa’s mettle as King and Black Panther is tested as he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film also stars Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, and Andy Serkis. Mark your calendars for February 16!

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
November 17, 2017
Lunch with a Disney Legend: Russi Taylor
November 18, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in Florida
November 18, 2017
Mickey’s of Glendale—Orlando Shopping Event
November 18, 2017
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour—Presented by D23
November 21, 2017
Enjoy Complimentary Tickets to a Special 3-D Advance Screening of Disney•Pixar’s Coco
November 26, 2017
Join D23 at the Saks Holiday Breakfast with Snow White
December 6, 2017
D23’s Holidays in Hollywood Studios
December 10, 2017
D23’s Light Up the Season
December 10, 2017
D23’s Holiday Shopping Day at Mickey’s of Glendale
February 2, 2018
D23 Member Night at Disney’s Aladdin at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Parks
November 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 26 and 28. December 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 22
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World Resort
November 10–January 7
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort
December 16
Star Wars: Galactic Nights returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
2019
April 13, 2018
Pixar Fest begins at the Disneyland Resort
February 28–May 28, 2018
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Summer 2018
Star Wars: Pixar Pier opens at Disney California Adventure
2019
Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World
Studios
November 22, 2017
Coco opens in theaters
December 15, 2017
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in theaters
February 16, 2018
Marvel Studios’ Black Panther opens in U.S. theaters
Television
November 20, 2017
Big Hero 6 The Series launches with a one-hour movie on Disney XD and Disney Channel (8 p.m. ET)
December 1–25, 2017
Disney|ABC’s 25 Days of Christmas

Star Tours The Adventures Continue

New Scene Coming to Star Tours—The Adventure Continues at Disney Parks  

Just in time for next month’s massive Star Wars: The Last Jedi premiere, Disney Parks on both American coasts will be adding a brand-new scene to the legendary Star Tours—The Adventure Continues attraction!

Beginning November 17, a scene inspired by the film—in which a Starspeeder is caught in the middle of a truly epic battle through salt-covered terrain on Crait—will start thrilling guests at both Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Check out an image from the new scene, above. And guess what? According to our pals over at the Disney Parks Blog, there might be something else added to the attraction too… so keep your eyes ‘n’ ears peeled.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line Unveiling New Fun in 2018   

Listen up, people who like fabulous vacations (read: all of us!): Thrilling new spaces and a host of amazing new experiences—designed for guests both young and young-at-heart—are coming to the Disney Magic this March.

An enchanting new dining experience for families, called Rapunzel’s Royal Table, will delight in a meal themed (for the first time) to the beloved story of Disney’s Tangled. The nightly adventure will transport Disney Magic guests to the kingdom of Corona for an evening of music and interactive fun featuring Rapunzel, her parents—the King and Queen of Corona—and even the mischievous Snuggly Duckling Thugs. And the best part? Rapunzel’s Royal Table is the perfect complement to Tangled: The Musical—the original production charming guests during Disney Magic sailings.

Meanwhile, teens will revel in a brand-new space on the ship reserved just for them, called “Vibe”; it’s themed after a trendy urban loft environment and will include a coffee and smoothie bar, video games, and even special events like DJ spin-offs and movie-making. And the adults in your group may rest and relax at a reimagined Cove Café—the perfect place to sip a specialty coffee (or a cocktail) and enjoy some light bites.

Learn more about these fabulous new Disney Magic offerings—as well as all DCL sailings—at disneycruise.com!

Disneyland After Dark

Disneyland After Dark: New Event Series Celebrates Vintage Disneyland

Here’s something cool for all you “vintage Disneyland” fans out there: A brand-new, after-hours series of events, allowing guests to step back in time to the 1950s and ‘60s, is kicking off on select evenings at Disneyland park beginning this January.

Disneyland After Dark will give guests the opportunity to dress up and celebrate—under a million twinkling lights—to the tunes of fun live bands while enjoying favorite rides ‘til 1 a.m. Original attraction posters of Disneyland experiences from yesteryear will welcome one and all, and special photo locations will allow guests to commemorate the evening. (Unlimited digital downloads are included with your event admission!) Live music and dancing will bring the bygone era to life throughout the park, and the sky will light up with an exclusive showing of Fantasy in The Sky fireworks. But that’s not all: Guests will receive a commemorative lanyard and a vintage-inspired park map that will highlight the special experiences taking place throughout the evening.

Tickets for the first Disneyland After Dark event, January 18’s Throwback Nite, go on sale for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders on November 30, and to the general public beginning December 7. Each Disneyland After Dark “nite” will feature specialty entertainment, themed food, exclusive merchandise, and so much more… look for more information on future “nites” soon!

American Idol

American Idol Voting Kicks Off with ABC’s 2017 American Music Awards

This spring, American Idol will begin another search for the next great music superstar—and this Sunday, November 19, fans across the nation will have the chance to vote an Idol hopeful through to Hollywood ahead of the season premiere… it all kicks off live during the 2017 American Music Awards (AMAs) on ABC at 8 p.m. EST.

Idol’s panel of all-star judges—Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie—recently traveled the country on their search… and for some lucky auditionees who nearly made the cut, the journey isn’t over. Bryan, Perry, and Richie will select singers to re-audition for a second chance at the competition; those new audition videos will be broadcast live during Sunday’s AMAs, and viewers will then have the opportunity to vote for their favorite singer by visiting www.americanidol.com/vote. The singer who gets the most votes will receive a Golden Ticket to Hollywood—and they’ll be revealed by Lionel Richie himself, live, during a special appearance on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars this coming Monday, November 20.

So make sure to tune into the 2017 American Music Awards—hosted by black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross—to help make an Idol hopeful’s dream come true!

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Dates Announced for Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival 2018

Yes, it’s true—spring won’t be “sprung” until a few months from now… but that doesn’t mean we can’t start planning for the future. Example: We’re marking our calendars now for Epcot’s 25th International Flower & Garden Festival in 2018 at Walt Disney World Resort. It’s a milestone anniversary for the lush event, and it all takes place February 28 through May 28—free with your Epcot admission.

The fest’s “silver anniversary,” a 90-day celebration of all things beauteous, will feature fan-favorite exhibits, events, and tastings—including 15 different Outdoor Kitchens; the “Garden Rocks” concert series (bringing classic rock ‘n’ roll stars from the ‘60s through the ‘90s to the Festival stage); a brand-new interactive play area for children; all manner of plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, and themed gardens; and the return of Epcot’s “Egg-Stravaganza” scavenger hunt.

For more information on the big 25th anniversary Festival, visit epcotinspring.com.

Walt Disney World hotels

Cool New Walt Disney World Resort Enhancements

Speaking of Walt Disney World Resort, our intrepid D23 team revealed a great rundown of fantastic enhancements coming to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Yacht & Beach Club Resorts over the next few years. Take a look at some of the colorful enhancement renderings, and read all about what’s in store, right here.