Go Retro with “Guardians Inferno”—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

The Guardians boogie down in a brand-new music video, and Disney announces two new streaming services… See more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Can You Dig It? Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Gets Funky

Fans of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 can now rejoice in the knowledge that they can now own the movie—replete with bonus features galore—to watch in the comfort of their very own living room. Yes, the blockbuster second film in the Guardians franchise just blasted onto digital platforms this week… and it’ll be rocketing onto Blu-ray® on August 22 (along with 4K Ultra HD, as well).

To celebrate such an auspicious occasion, director James Gunn and members of the Guardians cast created what might just be the best music video this side of “Thriller.” “Guardians Inferno,” the film’s end-credits song co-written by Gunn, features vocals by pop-culture icon David Hasselhoff—who makes a memorable appearance in the video… alongside Guardians stars Sean Gunn, Pom Klementieff, Michael Rooker, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, and (make sure to watch ‘til the end!) Chris Pratt. If you haven’t seen it yet, we don’t want to give too much away—but let’s just say it’ll leave you pining for a disco ball, some glitter, and a pair of far-out platforms!

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
August 12, 2017
Join D23 and TCM and Celebrate The Great Movie Ride
August 18, 2017
Lunch with a Disney Legend: Wayne Jackson
August 19, 2017
D23’s Disney Afternoon on the Lot
August 31, 2017
Stand Out During A Goofy Movie at the El Capitan Theatre
September 9, 2017
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour—Presented by D23
October 1, 2017
D23’s Fanniversary Celebrates 35 Years of Epcot
October 1, 2017
A Progressive Dinner Celebrating 35 Years of Epcot
October 3, 2017
D23’s Sip and Stroll
Parks
August 25 and 29, September 1, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, and 29; October 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, and 31; November 1
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park
August 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
September 15–October 31, 2017
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort
September 20, 22, 25, 27, 29, October 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31
Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Park
2019
Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World
Studios
November 3, 2017
Thor: Ragnarok opens in theaters
November 22, 2017
Coco opens in theaters
December 15, 2017
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in theaters
Television
August 12, 2017
“Woo-oo!” DuckTales Movie premieres at 12 a.m. and airs for 24 consecutive hours
August 19, 2017
Marvel’s Spider-Man debuts on Disney XD (7–8 a.m. ET)
September 23, 2017
DuckTales Series debuts with two new episodes (7 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

ESPN

Disney Announces Amazing New Streaming Services

Speaking of “watching your favorites in the comfort of your own living room”—or even while you’re out and about on your mobile device—The Walt Disney Company announced some super-cool news on that front just this week. After acquiring majority ownership in a state-of-the-art company called BAMTech, Disney will launch an ESPN-branded multi-sport video streaming service early next year, followed by a new Disney-branded streaming service in 2019.

What does this mean for you, dear readers? More amazing Disney and ESPN content—right at your fingertips—than ever before. The ESPN-branded service will offer approximately 10,000 (!) live regional, national, and international games and events a year—including Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, Grand Slam tennis, and more. And the Disney-branded service will begin with the company’s huge 2019 slate of films, including Toy Story 4, the sequel to Frozen, and the live-action The Lion King… plus a vast collection of Disney and Pixar films; original movies and TV shows; and tons of exclusive content.

Keep an eye out for more info about both streaming services as it becomes available!

Bug Juice

Bug Juice to Bunk with Disney Channel in 2018

Longtime fans of Disney Channel (read: all of us) might remember the channel’s very first foray into unscripted television—Bug Juice, a series that ran from 1998 ‘til 2001, chronicling the hilarious and heartfelt shenanigans of kids aged 10 to 12 as they spent a summer at sleep-away camp. Well, good news: The show is returning! In fact, production is underway as we speak at Camp Waziyatah in Waterford, Maine (the same location as the original series’ first season).

Bug Juice is produced by Evolution Media, which also created and produced the original version of the series—and helped bring several other popular unscripted kids’ shows to Disney Channel, including Movie Surfers, Totally in Tune, and Totally Hoops. Look for the return of Bug Juice in early 2018.

Star Wars

Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire Coming to Disney Springs & Downtown Disney

Feel that disturbance in the Force? Don’t worry, it’s a good one… there’s a brand-new, totally groundbreaking Star Wars hyper-reality experience coming to both Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort and Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort—and it’s all thanks to The VOID, a collaboration between Lucasfilm and ILMxLab that combines magic with advanced technology to create amazingly immersive social experiences.

Beginning this holiday season, The VOID’s Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire will transport you to “a galaxy far, far away”—where you’ll be able to engage with friends, family, and all manner of Star Wars characters through sight, sound, touch, smell, and motion! It’ll even allow environmental effects to be felt using “Haptic” feedback, bringing the physical and digital worlds together like never before.

We’ll have more information about Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire—including when tickets go on sale—in the coming months, so stay tuned.

The Chew

ABC’s The Chew Returns to Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Take ABC’s mega-popular The Chew and combine it with Epcot’s epic Food & Wine Festival, and you’ve got a recipe for success! For the third year in a row, The Chew hosts Carla Hall, Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Daphne Oz, and Clinton Kelly will film five episodes—set against the backdrop of Epcot’s iconic Spaceship Earth—during the 22nd annual fest of all-things-delicious, from October 4 through 6… with the shows set to air on ABC the following week.

But that’s not all: For the entire length of the festival—a whopping 75 days, from August 31 to November 13—The Chew will feature segments highlighting food and beverages from “around the world” of all four Walt Disney World Resort parks, as well as Disney Springs.

Going to the Food & Wine Festival the week of October 4, and want to attend a taping? Visit The Chew’s ticketing website for more information. And don’t forget to check your local listings for exact October airdates!

Animator Paul Felix Shares Why Bambi is Still “Deer” to Our Hearts 75 Years Later

By Jocelyn Buhlman

On August 13, 2017, we are delighted to celebrate 75 years of the animated classic Bambi, which recently was released as part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection. Not only is it a classic film beloved by Disney fans everywhere, this film has also en-deer-ed itself to animators and artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Animator Paul Felix, who worked on popular Disney films such as Mulan and Tarzan, along with many of the classic Disney Afternoon television shows, counts himself as a fan of the film, and he shares why this movie is so deer-ly beloved by the studio as a reference point for their films for 75 years.

Felix was 24 when he first watched Bambi. He recalls, “I had bought a high-tech Laserdisc player at the time, and one of the first discs I bought was Bambi.”

He, like many, many of the other artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios, was instantly smitten with the beautiful artistry of the film. “I can’t overstate how much of an effect watching this movie had on me, because I had just started at Disney,” Felix explains. “It also had the most amazing use of color in it, but I couldn’t even think about that for about 10 more years because there’s so much more to be learned.”

Paul Felix Bambi art

And now, having had many years to learn from Bambi, Felix was recently given the opportunity to show off the impact of the film. To celebrate the film’s 75th anniversary and its release as part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection, Felix created a special Disneygraph of Bambi and Thumper (pictured above). He was honored to create the lithograph, exclaiming, “It was a blast!”

Since the movie had such a strong personal connection for him, he saw this opportunity as a way to pay tribute to artists he admired. “The people who created this film are giants to us. It’s nice to pay them homage that way,” Felix says. “It’s like a fanboy thing. I’m really honored—I got to actually meet Marc Davis and Tyrus Wong, who worked on the project, and having that personal connection means a lot to me.”

Disney Legend Tyrus Wong served as lead artist for Bambi, and his beautiful and iconic artwork has left an impact on the studio ever since. Felix explains, “Bambi never goes away. We’re constantly taking a look at it, to the point where we all know almost every single one of those sketches that Tyrus did, and we know every single sequence from the film.”

Bambi

Wong’s influence goes beyond the Walt Disney Animation Studios to a more personal level with Felix. The unique artistry of Wong’s work resonates with Felix’s own approach to animation. Felix has two favorite scenes in particular: “One is the meadow sequence with the deer, because he got really expressionistic with coloring the deer in pastel colors jumping over the logs. The second is the “I Bring You a Song” sequence, when Bambi and Faline are falling in love. The scene is done exclusively through the action of nature. Bambi and Faline are not falling all over each other—it’s not expressly emoted through [the characters]—but instead it’s what happens around them that lets you know how they feel. And Tyrus explored all these moods in his paintings, and he’s the one who set the template for the film’s visual vocabulary.”

That visual vocabulary that Wong created for the film is still very relevant 75 years later. Felix explains, “One thing I’d like to impress is how much this movie means to the studio. It’s a really deeply revered film—a real touchstone for us. Just seeing how far animated films have come from black-and-white Mickey Mouse films five years before [Bambi was released], it’s amazing.”

Bambi

Felix recalls that even recently, Bambi was referenced as a touchstone for the studio. He recalls, “I was talking to an artist and he said that it just came up in a meeting today. The director said to him, ‘Can you make this look a little more like Bambi?’”

Besides the amazing visuals, Bambi presented something new narratively as well, when it addressed a real-world fear that has impacted viewers of the film of all ages. As Felix explains, “Disney had never explored a theme like that before. The decision was made that we’re creating a sense what life is like in these animals in the forest, and loss is part of it, and you couldn’t leave that out. The question was, how do you prepare the audience for that? I imagine for children to have an experience like Bambi, they can explore what would it would be like if this happened. It’s way to safely imagine, and it’s a way for kids to think outside of themselves.”

Thanks to Bambi, Walt Disney Animation Studios developed a visual and narrative toolkit to prepare the studio for years of beloved animated classics. No wonder audiences are still twitterpated by the film 75 years later.

7 Enchanting Reasons to Visit Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

By Courtney Potter

Nothing says “summer” quite like the great outdoors. Roasting marshmallows around a roaring campfire… exploring nature with a good ol’ fashioned carriage ride… biking along beautiful pine forest trails… or even trying your luck on an exciting fishing excursion. But what if you could do every one of those activities (plus a whole lot more!) in the shadow of the Magic Kingdom? Good news—you totally can!

The cabins and campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort are situated on 750 enchanting acres of pine and cypress forests that evoke the historic charm of the American frontier. The area is rife with deer, rabbits, ducks, and even the occasional armadillo—and each accommodation, whether a lovely furnished cabin or an inviting campsite, allows guests to “rough it” in totally modern comfort. But it’s not just the Fort Wilderness Resort’s beauty that warrants a visit… it’s the staggering amount of fun you can have there, even after a full day at one of the surrounding Disney parks.

We’ve chosen seven of our favorite Fort Wilderness Resort activities that are sure to create memories for a lifetime. Visited the resort yourself and have an outdoorsy obsession to share? Head over to D23’s Facebook or Twitter to let us know!

Hoop De Doo Revue

1. Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
One of the most famous stage shows at Walt Disney World Resort—and one of the longest-running dinner theater shows in the entire country—the beloved Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue first honky-tonked its way into the hearts of Fort Wilderness guests back in 1974. The Pioneer Hall Players present two hours of vaudeville comedy and song and dance, set against the backdrop of a finger-lickin’ all-you-can-eat buffet of fried chicken, pork ribs, and side dishes galore. (If we could teleport there right now, we totally would.)

Fort Wilderness

2. Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-Along
Guests can join Disney faves Chip ‘n’ Dale for a delightful Fort Wilderness sing-along around a (real) campfire, where you can roast marshmallows and warble tunes to your heart’s content! In fact, there are many more locations around Walt Disney World Resort where you and the fam can partake of cool campfire activities… check out the listing here.

Fort Wilderness

3. Tri-Circle-D Ranch
Here’s a Fort Wilderness activity you might not have heard of before… Ever wanted to see the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A., horses up close? You can at Tri-Circle-D Ranch, where a real blacksmith makes horseshoes for the variety of breeds (including Arabians, Clydesdales, and Appaloosas) that live—and work—at Walt Disney World. Plus, the Ranch offers pony rides for kids, as well as rollicking wagon and romantic carriage rides that allow guests to explore Fort Wilderness’ beautiful surroundings in a totally unique way.

Fort Wilderness

4. Fort Wilderness Archery Experience
In this 90-minute experience, good for both kids (ages 7 and older) and adults, Archery Guides will teach you how to hold and fire a compound bow at range targets. Class size is limited to 10 guests each, which means you’ll receive personalized advice from the Guides. You’ll be feeling like Robin Hood in no time!

5. Movies Under the Stars
Who wouldn’t want to see the latest Disney blockbuster under the Fort Wilderness stars? It’s like taking a drive-in movie and putting it right in the middle of a beautiful forest! The resort offers complimentary screenings of popular Disney films in the gorgeous outdoor theater of their Meadow Recreation Area. Get some fresh air, quote along with your favorite characters… it’s a win-win situation.

6. Daniel Boone’s/Davy Crockett’s Wilderness Arcade
For the gamers among you, there are two different arcades at the Fort Wilderness Resort—Daniel Boone’s, near the Meadow Swimmin’ Pool, and Davy Crockett’s, near Pioneer Hall. You’ll find a variety of contemporary video and classic pinball games… and in case you work up an appetite, don’t worry—there are snack shacks and other restaurants nearby. (We especially enjoy the Trail’s End and their amazing breakfast buffet.)

Fort Wilderness during the holidays

7. All the Fort Wilderness Holiday Fun to Come…
Our final fave is of the seasonal variety, but it’s so cool that we just had to mention it! There are many families who vacation at the Fort Wilderness Resort year after year—and when that time of year is the holidays, that means jingle bells a-plenty! Guests decorate their campsites and cabins with sparkling lights and lots of holiday cheer, which really adds a warm glow to the already-stunning surroundings. If you’re looking for a super-magical time of year to visit Fort Wilderness, the holiday season won’t let you down.

Did You Know?: 8 Mighty Fine Facts About Adventure Thru Inner Space

By Greg Ehrbar

Certain past Disneyland attractions stir instant memories for guests fortunate enough to have experienced them—and also inspire the imaginations of those who wish they could have enjoyed them.

Topping many a list is Adventure Thru Inner Space, which opened August 5, 1967. This ingenious attraction took guests through a Mighty Microscope to become tiny enough to enter the molecules of a snowflake, all in a style and manner that was as mind-twisting and unsettling as it was enlightening and optimistic. Here are some little tiny jots and tittles about the Disneyland classic:

Adventure Thru Inner Space
Walt Disney (fourth from left) studies a model of the attraction with Monsanto’s Dr. Charles Allen Thomas (second from left), Disney Legends X Atencio (far left), Claude Coats (far right), and other executives.

1. It introduced the Omnimover system, which was all started by a candied apple. Imagineer Bob Gurr first dreamed up the idea while brainstorming with Imagineer John Hench. “John wanted to know why we couldn’t tell a story by allowing the moving guests to go up and down steep hills and look in any direction, even behind them,” Bob recalled. “I casually picked up a toy candied apple on a stick from his desk, twirled it in the air and said, ‘Like this?’ ‘Yeah, like that.’” The ride vehicles were dubbed “Atomobiles.” The Omnimover system would later be used to transport guests through the Haunted Mansion and other Disney parks favorites.

Adventure Thru Inner Space

2. It was going to be part of Tomorrowland 10 years earlier. “Science Land”—also known as “Adventures in Science”—was to be built near the present site of Space Mountain. The “Micro-World” attraction would take guests into a drop of water. “The ride vehicles were originally shaped like protozoa,” explained Disney author and historian Todd James Pierce from the Disney History Institute. “The first piece of Micro World concept art released (dated 1957) looks very close to the Inner Space pre-show area.”

3. It could be a bit scary. Imagineer Alan Coats—son of Imagineer Claude Coats, the show designer of Adventure Thru Inner Space—shared this letter a man wrote to Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith from the Spring 2001 issue of Disney Magazine: “I was so terrified by the Adventure Thru Inner Space ride that I snuggled tight to my mom and wouldn’t open my eyes. I did open my eyes on a trip about two years later and was fascinated by the ride.”

Adventure Thru Inner Space

4. The Mighty Microscope was wondrous—and intimidating. Designed by Imagineer George McGinnis, this mammoth device caused many a youngster (and adult) to quiver because one could see other guests aboard their Atomobiles as they went inside, then a few feet up, other guests who appeared to have shrunk in size before entering the snowflake!

5. Paul Frees gave one of his finest—and most unnerving—performances. It was a role he was destined for since being heard in such science fiction films as The Time Machine and recordings like Exploring the Unknown. It is also one of the few, if only, attractions narrated in first person. “It was one of my all-time favorites,” says Paul’s son Fred, an accomplished voice actor himself. “Partly because it was voiced by dad and partly because I liked science.” The attraction’s writer, Imagineer and Disney Legend X Atencio—whose credits also include the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean—and Pete Renoudet, who plays Henry in Country Bear Jamboree, also provided voices in the preshow area.

Buddy Baker

6. Buddy Baker (pictured above) created his most unusual, avant-garde score. “With 45 musicians, on May 31, 1967, Baker recorded some 47 different pieces of music,” wrote Disney artist and historian Stacia Martin in The Sounds of Disneyland. “No one before had given musical voice to things like the internal vibrations of a water molecule (bass marimba) or the random frenzy of whirling molecules (electronic flute).” In addition, there was a happy, peppy Sherman brothers tune called “Miracles from Molecules.”

Adventure Thru Inner Space

7. It was pre-CG and lasers, but it continues to inspire today’s filmmakers. “You weren’t really all that concerned about how things were done because you were inside the atom, for gosh sakes!” says Don Hahn, producer of Beauty and the Beast. “And it wasn’t just about exploring a snowflake, it was about ‘the future’ and that was why it was in such a key location in Tomorrowland. It had the same magic, fantasy, and promise to it as going to the moon. It was such a special ride.”

8. References to the attraction have been featured in its replacement, Star Tours. After Star Tours replaced Adventure Thru Inner Space (which closed in 1985), guests could find tributes to the original attraction throughout the experience. A keen eye could spot a miniature Atomobile among the scraps passing overhead in the Droidnostics Center and also catch a glimpse of the Mighty Microscope in the lower right view (when the StarSpeeder exited the hangar bay.) Today, in Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, guests can look for the Mighty Microscope as their StarSpeeder exits a tunnel in the Death Star!

This Disney Afternoon Art Gallery Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Again

By D23 Team

The best part about coming home from school was turning on your television and seeing your favorite Disney characters embark on another amazing adventure in the Disney Afternoon programming block. Whether your destination was Duckburg, St. Canard, Spoonerville, Cape Suzette, or the dark rooftops of New York City, you knew you were going to be in for a wild ride of silly antics and amazing action. Feeling a little nostalgic? We’ve gathered up some of our favorite artwork from the Disney Afternoon cartoons so you can let your inner child come out to play.

Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Wasp Starts Production—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Scott Lang’s latest (tiny) adventures have begun, as have rehearsals for Frozen on Broadway… See more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Big (Tiny) News: Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Wasp Begins Production!

How do we love Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man? Let us count the ways… awesome action, hilarious script, great story, and—oh yeah—an amazing cast led by the stellar Paul Rudd, and featuring the likes of Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, and Michael Pena. And you know what we love even more?! News that the 2015 film’s sequel, Ant-Man and The Wasp, has just gone into production! Check out the adorably tiny announcement in the brand-new teaser video, above.

Here’s what we can expect: In the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang (Rudd) faces the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne (Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas) with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside The Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from their past.

Ant-Man and The Wasp welcomes Academy Award® nominees Michelle Pfeiffer and Laurence Fishburne to the cast—along with Hannah John-Kamen (Ready Player One), Walton Goggins (Vice Principals), and Randall Park (ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat). The film, helmed by original Ant-Man director Peyton Reed, races into theaters next July!

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
August 12, 2017
Join D23 and TCM and Celebrate The Great Movie Ride
August 18, 2017
Lunch with a Disney Legend: Wayne Jackson
August 19, 2017
D23’s Disney Afternoon on the Lot
October 1, 2017
D23’s Fanniversary Celebrates 35 Years of Epcot
October 1, 2017
A Progressive Dinner Celebrating 35 Years of Epcot
October 3, 2017
D23’s Sip and Stroll
Parks
August 25 and 29, September 1, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, and 29; October 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, and 31; November 1
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park
August 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
September 15–October 31, 2017
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort
September 20, 22, 25, 27, 29, October 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31
Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Park
2019
Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World
Studios
November 3, 2017
Thor: Ragnarok opens in theaters
November 22, 2017
Coco opens in theaters
December 15, 2017
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in theaters
Television
August 12, 2017
“Woo-oo!” DuckTales Movie premieres at 12 a.m. and airs for 24 consecutive hours
August 19, 2017
Marvel’s Spider-Man debuts on Disney XD (7–8 a.m. ET)
September 23, 2017
DuckTales Series debuts with two new episodes (7 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Frozen the musical

“Let It Go” to Broadway, But First Denver: A Look at Frozen the Musical

Broadway will be a little chillier in 2018, when Disney Theatrical Productions brings its mega-huge, sure-to-be-fabulous musical version of the animated hit Frozen to the St. James Theatre on the “Great White Way.” But right now, the show is getting ready for its “out-of-town tryout” at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and D23.com has a peek into all the behind-the-scenes fun. Read all about it here.

All Aboard! The Disneyland Railroad is Chuggin’ Along Once More!

The Rivers of America are flowing through Disneyland once again, and we couldn’t be more excited! Our friends over at the Disney Parks Blog have a very special look at the big festivities this past weekend, which included the reopening of iconic attractions like the Disneyland Railroad; the Rivers of America’s Davy Crockett Canoes and Tom Sawyer Island; and the Mark Twain Riverboat.

See how everyone at the Disneyland Resort—including Pixar Animation Studios’ Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter—got in on the fun, in the video above. And if you’re visiting the resort soon, make sure to give these attractions a looksee! (Don’t forget about the reinvigorated Fantasmic! nighttime spectacular, either… )

Disney Princesses

Love Disney Princess Movies? See Them (Again) On the Big Screen This Fall

Amazing news for fans of Disney Princesses! (And honestly, who among us isn’t?) AMC Theatres around the country—as well as the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood—will be hosting a huge “Dream Big, Princess” movie marathon, running from September 8 through October 13, at a whopping 300+ movie theater locations! Each movie will run for one week, and will have 14 showings per week at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. each day.

As for the movies you can expect, it’s a veritable “who’s who” of Disney animation legends: Beauty and the Beast will play the week of September 15; Mulan comes to theaters the week of September 22; Tangled swings onto the big screen the week of September 29; The Princess and the Frog dances into theaters on October 6; and Brave launches onto the screen the week of October 13. At the El Capitan, you can expect Brave the week of September 8; The Princess and the Frog the week of September 15; Tangled the week of September 22; and Moana the week of September 29.

Tickets for all shows go on sale this week! Make sure to check your local AMC Theatre listings (and the El Capitan website) for more information…

Go Behind the Scenes of Disney’s New Broadway Musical Frozen

By Beth Deitchman

There’s a chill in the air on this warm July morning—but it’s the best possible kind. Today Disney Theatrical Productions released a first sneak peek at the production of the new Broadway musical Frozen, revealing what some frozen things are doing in summer: preparing for a big Broadway opening in the spring of 2018 at the St. James Theatre!

The two-act stage production of Frozen will expand upon and deepen the plot and themes of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ blockbuster 2013 feature. Jennifer Lee, the film’s screenwriter and director (with Chris Buck), who is writer of the musical’s book, promises that we’ll learn more about what Elsa goes through on her emotional journey. And, since the Broadway production of Frozen includes more than twice as many songs as were in the film—with Oscar® winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez penning new music for the stage—we’re melting over the thought of an expanded musical journey, as well.

Director Michael Grandage, Disney Theatrical Productions President and Producer Thomas Schumacher, Anderson-Lopez, Lopez, Lee, and Choreographer Rob Ashford are among the members of the creative team who you’ll hear from in this new video. They’re currently preparing for an out-of-town tryout at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts from August 17–October, 2017. If this glimpse inside the rehearsal room has you feeling like you can’t hold it back anymore, just let it go and visit DenverCenter.org for information on the Denver engagement and to purchase your tickets, which are on sale now.

Tickets for the Broadway run are now available at FrozenTheMusical.com or by calling the Disney on Broadway hotline at (866) 870-2717. Group tickets for 20 or more will be available at DisneyTheatricalSales.com or by calling (800) 439-9000.

As previously announced, Frozen stars Broadway veterans Caissie Levy as Elsa and Patti Murin as Anna. They are joined by principal cast members Jelani Alladin (Kristoff), Greg Hildreth (Olaf), John Riddle (Hans), Robert Creighton (Weselton), Kevin Del Aguila (Oaken), Timothy Hughes (Pabbie), Andrew Pirozzi (Sven), Audrey Bennett  (Young Anna), Mattea Conforti (Young Anna), Brooklyn Nelson (Young Elsa), Ayla Schwartz (Young Elsa), Alyssa Fox (Elsa Standby), Aisha Jackson (Anna Standby) and Adam Jepsen (Sven Standby).

The stellar design team for Frozen includes scenic and costume design by Tony® and Olivier Award winner Christopher Oram (Wolf Hall Parts 1 & 2, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Evita), lighting design by six-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Aladdin; Hello Dolly!; An American in Paris), sound design by four-time Tony nominee Peter Hylenski (The Scottsboro Boys, Motown, After Midnight), video design by Tony winner Finn Ross (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), puppet design by Michael Curry (The Lion King, Spamalot), hair design by David Brian Brown (War Paint, She Loves Me), makeup design by Anne Ford-Coates (On Your Feet!; On the Twentieth Century) and special effects design by Jeremy Chernick (Aladdin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

Rounding out the musical team are two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Oremus (Avenue Q, Wicked, The Book of Mormon), who serves as music supervisor and creates vocal, incidental and dance arrangements. Joining Oremus on the music team are Tony nominee Dave Metzger (orchestrations), Chris Montan (executive music producer) and Brian Usifer (music director).

Frozen is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.

Legendary Disney Imagineer Marty Sklar Dies At 83

Legendary Disney Imagineer Martin A. “Marty” Sklar passed away in his Hollywood Hills home on Thursday. He was 83. During an illustrious career spanning 54 years, Marty worked closely with Walt Disney and was instrumental in creating, enhancing and expanding Disney’s creative vision. Named a Disney Legend in 2001, he is best remembered and revered by fans around the world for his work bringing Disney’s theme parks to life.

“Everything about Marty was legendary – his achievements, his spirit, his career,” said Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “He embodied the very best of Disney, from his bold originality to his joyful optimism and relentless drive for excellence. He was also a powerful connection to Walt himself. No one was more passionate about Disney than Marty and we’ll miss his enthusiasm, his grace, and his indomitable spirit.”

Born in New Brunswick, N.J., on February 6, 1934, Marty was a student at UCLA and editor of its Daily Bruin newspaper when he was recruited to create The Disneyland News for Walt’s new theme park in 1955. After graduating in 1956, he joined Disney full-time, and would go on to serve as Walt’s right-hand man—scripting speeches, marketing materials, and a film showcasing Walt’s vision for Walt Disney World and Epcot. During this period, he also joined WED Enterprises, the forerunner of Walt Disney Imagineering, and he would later become the creative leader of Imagineering, leading the development of Disney theme parks and attractions for the next three decades. He retired as Executive Vice President and Imagineering Ambassador on July 17, 2009, Disneyland’s 54th birthday. Disney marked the occasion by paying tribute to Marty with the highest Parks and Resorts recognition, dedicating a window in his name on Disneyland’s City Hall.

“Marty was the ultimate Disney Imagineer and Cast Member. From his days working as an intern with Walt to just two weeks ago engaging with fans at D23 Expo, Marty left an indelible mark on Disney Parks around the globe and on all of the guests who make memories every day with us,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “He was one of the few people that was fortunate to attend the opening of every single Disney park in the world, from Anaheim in 1955 to Shanghai just last year. We will dearly miss Marty’s passion, skill and imaginative spark that inspired generations of Cast, Crew and Imagineers.”

Bob Weis was one of those Imagineers. “Marty was one of Walt’s most trusted advisors and helped turn his most ambitious dreams into reality. For us, it’s hard to imagine a world without Marty, because Marty is synonymous with Imagineering,” said Weis, President, Walt Disney Imagineering. “His influence can be seen around the world, in every Disney park, and in the creative and imaginative work of almost every professional in the themed entertainment industry.”

Marty’s impact and achievements were recognized with a number of prestigious awards and accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement award from TEA (Themed Entertainment Association), induction into the Hall of Fame of IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions), and the prestigious Professional Achievement Award from UCLA.

He also authored several books about his experiences and adventures at Disney: Dream It! Do It!: My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms (2013), and One Little Spark!: Mickey’s Ten Commandments and The Road to Imagineering (2015).

Marty is survived by his wife of 60 years, Leah; son Howard and his wife, Katriina Koski-Sklar; grandchildren Gabriel and Hannah; daughter Leslie; and grandchildren Rachel and Jacob.

Marty and Leah were two of the founders of the Ryman Program for Young Artists, a project of Ryman Arts, a nonprofit foundation whose purpose is to teach and mentor “traditional” drawing and painting skills to talented young artists in Southern California. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Marty’s name to Ryman Arts at www.rymanarts.org.

Disney Bands We Wish We Could See in Concert

By Jocelyn Buhlman

The free and breezy days of summer were made for going out with friends and finding a world of entertainment waiting for you. Festivals, concerts, surprise pop-up performances… Summer is full of music experiences for every taste, but what about Disney fans? Well, to see our dream concerts we might need a little summer magic—since so many of our favorite musical acts exist only in Disney TV shows and movies! Here’s what our summer concert lineup would look like if we sprinkle some Pixie Dust on it:

O-Boyz (Kim Possible)
Who is your favorite member? Robby (the cute one), Ryan (the youngest one), Dexter (the smart one), or Nicky Nick (the funny one)? Seeing Middleton High’s hottest boyband would be a dream come true, as long as they aren’t being held hostage by Señor Senior Senior. We might need some extra help from Kim Possible to make this concert happen.

Lizzie McGuire

Lizzie McGuire and Isabella (The Lizzie McGuire Movie)
Hey now, hey now! This concert is what dreams are made of! The lovable Lizzie McGuire and her fabulous popstar doppelganger, Isabella, performing together on the same stage. It’s the perfect concert to throw back to our childhood (as long as the scheming Paolo isn’t there!).

Loretta Modern and the Zettabytes (Pixel Perfect)
Back when holographic rock stars were the stuff of science fiction and not science reality, Loretta Modern was the computer-generated it-girl of our dreams. She can sing! She can dance! She might actually be an autonomous person with her own thoughts and feelings and not just a computer program! With a lead singer that unique, we’d never miss out on their pixel-perfect performance.

Zenon

Proto Zoa (Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century)
Want a concert that’s out of this world? Why not jam out the 2049 way with a concert by Proto Zoa, only the most stellar musician to rock outer space? We all want to be his supernova girl and seeing him in concert would be lunarious.

Boyz ‘N Motion (That’s So Raven)
If you think you see a concert in your summer future, might we recommend the musical stylings of Trey, Ricky, and JJJ (the third J is silent)—they’re the Boyz ‘N Motion and they gave us their devotion on That’s So Raven. We’d love to see the Boyz serenade us, but maybe we should check with Raven first to make sure our future has more music than mishaps in store for us.

Camp Rock

Connect 3 (Camp Rock)
Three brothers. One band. Thousands of screaming fans. When they’re not helping out at Camp Rock, Shane, Nate, and Jason Gray are the world-famous boy band Connect 3, and we can’t help but play their music all night long! Even if we aren’t spending the summer at Camp Rock, we’d still love to see these rockin’ and rollin’ brothers perform.

Love Händel (Phineas and Ferb)
This concert would have stayed in our dreams if it wasn’t for quick-thinking Phineas and Ferb’s plan to get the band back together. Now we can fulfill our glam-rock, old school concert dreams for a performance that can fill at least one of our 104 days of summer vacation.

A Goofy Movie

Powerline (A Goofy Movie)
When it comes to our favorite fictional musicians, one performer stands out from the crowd. Call us goofy, but we’d road trip across the country just to see superstar Powerline rock the stage.

Jordan Cahill (Stuck in the Suburbs)
This teen-heartthrob sensation’s concert would probably sell out in seconds, but maybe if we had a little help, we could get tickets… Maybe if we had a little help in the form of accidentally stealing his phone! What better concert to attend than one where we can secretly pull the strings to change his hairstyle, fashion sense, and maybe even alter song lyrics to help Jordan Cahill be true to himself again. A lot can happen to your summer concert experience when you have a superstar’s phone in your hands.

Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem

Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem (The Muppets)
When we need to get our groove on, there’s only one band we want to hear: Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem! The house band for The Muppet Show provides a rollicking good time to anyone looking to add muppet-y mischief to their summer concert lineup.

8 Ways to Celebrate Summer at Shanghai Disney Resort

By Nicole Nalty

Can you believe it’s been just over a year since we celebrated the opening of Shanghai Disney Resort? This summer, the spectacular resort is celebrating the summer season with all sorts of new entertainment, eats, and treats that are so cute we’re seriously considering booking plane tickets right now.

You can’t miss Shanghai Disneyland’s castle––the new landmark is the tallest Disney castle in the world, making it easy to make your way to Summer Blast, a new, can’t-miss show featuring classic characters like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, newer favorites like Moana and Maui, and even an appearance from Hank, the sneaky septopus from Finding Dory. Journey through a rain forest, surf through Hawaii, and dive under the sea with Disney characters during this musical (and misty!) performance.

Shanghai Disney Resort Cool Oasis

There’s even more refreshing entertainment in store––Duffy’s Splashing Pre-Parade keeps things cool before Mickey’s Storybook Express, and more shows throughout the park have been re-imagined with some wonderful water features.

When it’s time for a bite to eat––or as Winnie the Pooh says, “time for something sweet”— there’s no shortage of options at Shanghai Disney Resort:

Shanghai Disney Resort Cool Oasis

Have you ever had a Mickey ice cream bar? Of course you have! But have you ever had a Minnie ice cream bar? Dipped in white chocolate, this Minnie ice cream is the perfect sweet to beat the heat.

Shanghai Disney Resort Cool Oasis

Mickey waffles are a breakfast essential at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, but our friends in Shanghai prefer someone a bit quackier stamped on this breakfast basic. Top a Donald Duck waffle with ice cream during the summer months for a tasty treat.

Shanghai Disney Resort Cool Oasis

You could consider the coconut when keeping cool at Shanghai Disney Resort, or dive into Dory’s Deep Blue Sea Cooler and more beverages in one of these cute cups.

Shanghai Disney Resort Cool Oasis

Looking for something heartier? Gasteau’s Chocolate Gateau milkshake looks magnifique! Or, try a twist on a classic éclair, filled with either chocolate or vanilla ice cream.