Brand-New Music from Descendants 2—Plus More in News Briefs

June 1, 2017June 2, 2017

By Courtney Potter

Ursula’s daughter asks “What’s My Name,” and ABC’s Battle of the Network Stars announces its hosts … Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Ursula’s Daughter Asks “What’s My Name” in New Song from Descendants 2

A brand-new tune from the mega-huge, sure-to-thrill upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants 2 descends on the world this Thursday, June 1! “What’s My Name,” sung by China Anne McClain as Ursula’s powerful daughter Uma, will premiere on Radio Disney at 5 p.m. EDT—and will be available for download on iTunes at midnight! “What’s My Name” is one of six original songs featured on the Descendants 2 soundtrack, which also includes McClain’s renditions of “Kiss the Girl” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from Disney’s animated classic The Little Mermaid.

Got a hankerin’ to see the song in visual action, even before the movie itself premieres on Friday, July 21 (on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform, and Lifetime)? Here’s your chance: The music video for the single, with never-before-seen footage from the movie, will premiere on DisneyMusicVEVO, Wednesday, June 14. So mark those calendars … you don’t wanna miss any of the wicked fun!

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
June 3, 2017
D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: A Return to Walt’s Birthplace in Florida
June 14, 2017
Enjoy Complementary Tickets to a Special 3-D Advance Screening of Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3
July 14-16, 2017
D23 Expo 2017
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 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
2019
Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Studios
June 16, 2017
Cars 3 opens in theaters
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
July 21, 2017
Disney’s Descendants 2 debuts on Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime and ABC (8 p.m. ET)
July 21, 2017
Raven’s Home debuts on Disney Channel (10 p.m. ET)

ABC’s Battle of the Network Stars Announces Hosts and Team Captains

If you’re of a certain age—or just happen to enjoy throwback TV—there’s a show debuting on ABC this summer that you’ve just got to watch. We’re talking about Battle of the Network Stars, a pop-culture classic that aired on ABC throughout the ’70s and ’80s, and now, it’s back and better than ever! The 10-episode Summer ’17 event will pit teams of current and classic TV stars (from multiple eras and different genres) against one another in a variety of athletic games. Viewers can look forward to seeing a fun new take on some of the classic show’s sporting events, including Tug of War, Archery, Kayak Relay, the Obstacle Course, and the Dunk Tank.

Just this week, ABC announced the show’s hosts, sideline reporters, and team captains—and, as you’d expect, they bring some serious sports savvy with them. ESPN’s own Mike Greenberg and Joe Tessitore will take over for the late legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell as hosts, while their network-mates Cassidy Hubbarth and Cari Champion will report on all the shenanigans from the sidelines. And the show’s two permanent coaches are just about as amazing as you can get: Super Bowl 50 winner DeMarcus Ware and MMA fighter/Olympian/movie star Ronda Rousey!

The 100 TV stars who are taking part—from 14 different network and cable companies—will be announced at a later date, and they’ll join teams like “White House vs. Lawyers” and “Cops vs. TV Sitcoms.” Will your favorites get “drafted”? Find out when Battle of the Network Stars premieres Thursday, June, 29, at 9 p.m. EDT on ABC.

Adventures by Disney Teams Up with Turner Classic Movies for New Trip

Still looking to plan your summer vacation? We’ve got some simply bellissimo news… This August, Adventures by Disney is offering a very special departure of its Italy vacation in tandem with the good folks at Turner Classic Movies (TCM). You’ll visit Rome, Florence, Tuscany, and Venice, all while learning about the classic films that were shot in those locations! This unique, adult-exclusive, eight-day and seven-night trip runs August 11–18, 2017.

Exclusive to this TCM departure are several activities any film buff would plotz over, including a private tour of Cinecittà Studios—where you’ll walk through the Ancient Rome sets featured in classics like Ben-Hur, Roman Holiday, and even The Godfather: Part III.
For more info, visit TCMDestinations.com, or check out all the amazing vacations available at AdventuresByDisney.com.

Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts Guests on Doc McStuffins

Disney Junior’s critically acclaimed animated series Doc McStuffins is set to welcome a very special guest in a very special episode on Sunday, June 4, which happens to be National Cancer Survivors Day. Robin Roberts, anchor for ABC’s Good Morning America and a cancer survivor herself, supplies the voice for “Audrey’s Mom” in an episode titled “Hannah the Brave.” In this truly heartwarming story, Audrey is a four-year-old chemotherapy patient whose doll Hannah has an issue that leads to her hair loss, too. The episode includes a beautiful new original song, “Brave Like You.”

“Since Doc McStuffins premiered, we’ve been contacted by numerous families of children who have been dealing with very serious illnesses,” Chris Nee, the show’s creator and executive producer, recently said. “With this episode, we set out to tell a story for those kids whose illnesses can’t be cured by just a kiss and a cuddle. It was important to me to let them know that we see them and they matter. Having Robin Roberts portray Audrey’s mom in the episode is so special because she has experienced what many of these kids are going through—and she’s exactly who you would want cheerleading them through the tough times in their lives.”

Tune in to this inspiring episode this Sunday, June 4, at 8 a.m. EDT—only on Disney Channel.

Disney Springs Welcomes Delicious New Restaurants

Ready those knives and forks, y’all: Three new dining concepts are set to open soon at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort, and our tummies are already rumbling at the thought.

Before the end of 2017, Chicago-based Levy Restaurants will introduce a brand-new Italian restaurant featuring cuisine from James Beard Award winner (and Top Chef Master chef) Tony Mantuano, while Wine Bar George, with expertise from master sommelier George Miliotes, will start offering guests shareable plates and a ridiculously fantastic wine list (natch!) along with wine education classes and other special events. Plus, The Edison—a sumptuous “Industrial Gothic” restaurant, bar, and event space inspired by its sister location in Downtown Los Angeles—will recall the heyday of the 1920s with imaginative entertainment, classic American food, and craft cocktails.

Should you be taking a Walt Disney World Resort vacation later this year, make sure a jaunt to Disney Springs is on your itinerary… your taste buds will thank you!

The Visual Effects that Tell the Tales

May 31, 2017

By Courtney Potter

A cadaverous corps of ghostly sailors, led by an unearthly El Matador Del Mar (“the Killer of the Sea”)… miles and miles of churning ocean… undead sharks, ready for a feast. These are just a few of the amazing visual effects awaiting you in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Me Tell No Tales, the fifth film in Disney’s iconic Pirates franchise—and they were shepherded to the screen by Gary Brozenich, the film’s Visual Effects Supervisor. Gary, an Academy Award® nominee for 2013’s The Lone Ranger, tasked his incredible team with creating upwards of 2,000 visual effects shots… speeding Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) along on a brand-new, high-seas adventure of an after-lifetime.

D23 spoke with Gary as the film readied for its Memorial Day weekend debut. “What I love about [the Pirates world] is it’s always a combination of absolute, unforgiving realism,” says Brozenich. “There’s a demand for realism because there are practical reasons for some of the visual effects… [and] that’s always coupled with fantasy, which is composed completely of a Pirates vocabulary… I find that the combination of those two things—almost like the ‘sweet and sour’ of both together—is compelling.”

With the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, bewitching stories—as well as the extraordinary characters who tell them—are paramount… and visual effects enable both the filmmakers behind the scenes, and the actors in front of the camera, to tell their tales in the most captivating way possible. Case in point: The newest Pirates villain, the aforementioned “Killer of the Sea,” Captain Salazar (portrayed by Javier Bardem). “From a creative standpoint, I think [creating Salazar’s look] was probably one of our biggest challenges,” Brozenich explains, “and also probably one of the more interesting and fun parts of the work that we got to do for the film. Essentially, Salazar is trapped in an underwater world, along with his crew, for eternity… [Javier] would come onto the set with significant amounts of synthetic makeup on his face and hands, and a partial costume, and then [we’d add] the remaining parts… If you imagine anything that could float on a person if we threw them into a pool, that was something that we had to add back on to them in visual effects… ”

Brozenich and team also managed to seamlessly blend real footage of ocean water—shot on location in both Australia and Key West, Florida—with CG water environments, “something that had to be pretty meticulously planned from the start,” he admits. And let’s not forget the phantom animals found in that deep… a trio of ghost sharks, “one hammerhead and two great whites,” Brozenich says, “that play a very specific role in the film to get us from one part of the story to another… [They were] designed by Nigel Phelps, and they’re quite mangled, withered, eaten away, with whole sections missing where you can see through to the skeleton. There are practical versions of these dead sharks—but when they’re dropped into the ocean, the camera follows them down, they come to life, and that’s where our work begins.”

All told, Brozenich’s work on Dead Men Tell No Tales employed his treasure trove of experience to forge a film he can’t wait for audiences to enjoy. “The beauty of filmmaking is there are things that happen on the day that you can never plan for, and it’s figuring out the best way to [deal] with them,” he admits. “I think you always want to go in as heavily armed with information as you can be, especially for things that just ‘aren’t there.’ A giant blue screen, or somebody with half of their head missing, or a partial costume you’re going to be adding onto… you need to go into that with all the rules established, and with a real strong knowledge of what the final effect is intended to look like… There’s a huge amount of work that I think will slip right by and go unnoticed by audiences—and for all the right reasons.”

Everything We Saw, Touched, and Tasted at Summer of Heroes

May 31, 2017June 1, 2017

By Jim Frye

It’s time to Hero Up! Star-Lord. Gamora. Captain America. Black Widow. Marvel’s Super-Hero heavyweights have arrived for Summer of Heroes at Disney California Adventure.

After you experience the thrills of the brand-new Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! (at least two or three times—remember, there are six different songs and six different adventures), then take a little time to see, touch, feel, and—best yet—taste the incredible offerings available for Summer of Heroes, a celebration of some of your favorite Marvel characters. We got an early preview, and this is what we found.

Start in the gift shop as you exit your Mission: BREAKOUT! trip. You’ll find cool merchandise and collectibles created exclusively for the attraction.

This striking sweatshirt features the entire Guardians team standing in front of The Collectors’ Fortress.

Baby Groot is the standout character in the film and on the Mission: BREAKOUT! attraction (Wait until you see him chase “fireflies” while Star-Lord fights that giant monster!), and he looks ready to steal the show here, too.

As Rocket says, “There ain’t nothin’ like me,” and now he can boast he’s got his very own T-shirt.

With an ego like Rocket’s, of course he has another tee. This groovy shirt looks like it came straight from the late ’70s.

Ah, yes, the all-important portable music player with headphones—this shirt sums up Marvel Studios’ Guardians films as well as any shirt could.

It’s the old-school Electronic Basketball game that young Peter Quill had when he was younger.

Guardians of the Galaxy has brought back cult favorite Howard the Duck and canine explorer Cosmo. You can pick up your plush of either one.

How can you resist that face? And how can you resist this delicious sourdough bread that looks just like like Baby Groot?

Mmmm, whoever thought of mixing bacon with maple cream should be given a medal. This Maple Bacon Cream-Filled pastry is available at Schmoozies.

Apparently, Bruce Banner isn’t the only awesome product of those gamma rays. Just look at this giant Gamma-Sized Donut (real name), covered in green frosting and filled with blackberry-black currant. The Hulk would be proud.

A Layered Chocolate Multiverse Parfait. As Stan Lee would frequently write in his comic books: “Nuff said.”

These ain’t your momma’s tacos—unless your momma happens to live on another planet. These are called The Most Dangerous Tacos In The Galaxy, named after Gamora, who is known as the most dangerous woman in the galaxy. You’ll enjoy the barbacoa beef, green onions, and habanero salsa.

Check out these “fitted” shirts from Spider-Man and Captain America—and don’t forget to pick up your very own Marvel-themed Mickey Mouse hats.

Hang Time: Disney’s Most Memorable Basketball Game

May 31, 2017

By Courtney Potter

Disney and basketball… a uniquely entertaining combination that started years before all the collegiate and NBA action on ESPN and ABC. From 1946’s Double Dribble, a Goofy cartoon short in which players (named after various Disney artists) broke every basketball rule in the book, to the Wildcats “gettin’ their head in the game” in 2006’s High School Musical, Disney has made many a fast break when it comes to basketball fun.

Perhaps the most celebrated basketball scene in the history of Disney films comes courtesy of 1961’s The Absent-Minded Professor. Fred MacMurray (the very first Disney Legend) stars as Ned Brainard, the Medfield College professor who can hardly remember his own wedding day—let alone the formula for his latest invention, the wondrously buoyant “flubber.” After turning his Model T Ford into a fantastical flying machine, Ned sets his sights on a more pressing issue: “The professor proceeds to rescue his alma mater’s undersized basketball team when it seems faced with certain defeat at the hands of a team of giants,” explains the film’s original production notes. “He applies a touch of his miracle compound to the team’s shoes at half time, and the boys are off and running.”

The scene in question—co-starring Tommy Kirk, Keenan Wynn and Nancy Olson—features eight real-life star basketball players of the time as the opposing team… including University of Southern California’s (USC) Gordon Martin and Mike Fryer; and University of California, Los Angeles’ Carroll Adams. And a beloved assistant coach at USC, Bob Kopf, served as the segment’s technical advisor.

Naturally, thanks to “the goo that flew” (and some Hollywood trickery), Medfield’s squad carries the day. The teams looking to take home the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy might not have “flubber” up their jersey sleeves… but you can be sure there’ll be plenty of high-flying action when the 2017 NBA Finals begin—airing exclusively on ABC—on June 1.

What Type of Disney Traveler Are You?

May 30, 2017November 26, 2019

Brought to you by Alamo Rent A Car a proud sponsor of

By D23 Team

Whether you’re counting down the days to your trip or dreaming of your next getaway, find out what kind of Disney traveler you are.

This campaign has ended. Check out D23.com for more Disney fun!

A Star-Studded, Stellar Opening for Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

May 26, 2017May 30, 2017

(from left to right) Joe Quesada, Bob Chapek, Zoe Saldana, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Rooker, Pom Klementieff, James Gunn, Kevin Feige

By Nicole Nalty

Before Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! opens to the public this Saturday, May 27, the cast and crew of the film and the creative team behind the attraction gathered for a truly out-of-this-galaxy opening ceremony.

Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, first took the stage to share his excitement for the new attraction and the future for Super Heroes at the Disneyland Resort. “Now this is a momentous occasion, but it’s just the beginning of what will become an even bigger Super Hero presence at Disney California Adventure,” Chapek said, “And with the strong partnership between Marvel and Walt Disney Imagineering, we’re very excited with what’s to come. And it is sure to please Marvel fans hungry for more magic at Disney Parks.”

Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn is definitely one of those fans. “A lot of kids dream of being writers and directors and they dream of winning Oscars®. For me, I dreamed of this, of having a ride at a Disney theme park based on movies that I helped to create.” The opening of this new attraction is a “full circle” moment for Gunn. “When I was a little kid, my earliest memories are when I was four years old, coming to Disneyland and riding the Haunted Mansion, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Dumbo, and these are the greatest memories I have. It makes me so excited that families and friends are going to be able to come here to the park and experience with their families and friends what I was able to experience here through Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Some of the Guardians cast then took the stage, including Zoe Saldana (who made it back from Pandora just in time to celebrate!), Pom Klementieff, Michael Rooker, and the Collector himself, Benicio del Toro, to help kick off the official opening of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

Find out more about the new attraction here and experience it all for yourself when Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! opens on May 27.

45 Reasons to Celebrate 45 Years of Star Wars

May 25, 2017May 25, 2022

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Star Wars: A New Hope premiered today in 1977, and 45 years later we are all still obsessed with the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and that scoundrel Han Solo. To help celebrate the impact of this amazing movie and the other films of the Star Wars saga, we’ve rounded up 45 reasons for 45 years of why we love Star Wars.

1. The Opening Crawl
No other movie opens quite like the Star Wars movies do, and those scrolling yellow words have become cultural icons almost as famous as the movie that follows them.

2. The Music
John William’s brilliant score evokes an emotion like no other, whether you are sitting on the edge of your seat as the “Main Title” announces the start of the movie, dancing with your friends to that irresistibly catchy “Cantina” song, or if you’re making a menacing entrance to the “Imperial March.”

3. The Skywalker Saga
We wouldn’t have Star Wars without the Skywalker family, and every moment of the family’s journey has captivated our hearts, from Anakin’s redemption to Luke and Leia’s discovery of their legacy.

4. Amazing Aliens
From Chewbacca’s fuzzy face to the pointy ears of Yoda, there’s an alien out there for everyone to love, and the unique, kooky, and just plain weird designs of Star Wars aliens have affected our cultural consciousness.

5. Wipe Transitions
Part of the charm of Star Wars is how we get from one scene to another with the use of wipe transitions, which was George Lucas’ tribute to the classic movies he grew up enjoying.

6. Cool Costumes
Whether it’s something as simple as Han’s cool vest and blaster or as elaborate as Padme’s dramatic gowns and headpieces, we wish we could wear the fashions of the Star Wars universe every day!

7. Star Tours
What’s a better way to experience the adventure of Star Wars for yourself than on an attraction at your favorite Disney park? The adventure is different each time you ride, which means you’re always in for a thrilling Star Wars story where you are the star!

8. Impressive… Most Impressive Villains
Star Wars has provided us with plenty of villains who follow the rule of cool in their own way, whether it’s through Krennic’s white cape, Phasma’s chrome armor, or cyborg Jedi hunter General Grevious’ collection of lightsabers. And, of course, there’s the classic black of Darth Vader.

9. Dazzling Disney+ Series
From The Mandalorian to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Disney+ has allowed us to explore more reaches of the Star Wars galaxy in all-new ways! Plus, we got to watch a new season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and meet The Bad Batch, continuing the legacy of the animated series we love.

10. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The fan-favorite TV show detailing the events between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith was beloved for introducing us to Anakin’s plucky apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, the villainous bounty hunter Asajj Ventress, and a whole army of Clones who won our hearts with their surprisingly unique personalities.

11. Star Wars Rebels
Disney XD’s animated series chronicling the adventures of a crew of rebels fighting the Empire helps bridge the gap between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy and give us an inside look at the Rebel Alliance.

12. Star Wars Resistance
Adding to the impressive repertoire of Star Wars animated series, Star Wars Resistance follows in the footsteps of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels by exploring part of the story we don’t see in the live-action films. Set after Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the series follows Kazuda Xiono, a young pilot recruited by the Resistance and caught up in missions spying on the fearsome First Order.

13. Meeting Your Heroes… and Villains!
Whether you visit the Star Wars Launch Bay to meet Chewbacca or if you enroll in the Jedi Training Temple to fight against Darth Vader, the Seventh Sister, Kylo Ren and more of the worst of the Sith, there’s always a chance to meet your hero (or villain!) at Disney Parks.

14. Lightsabers
Green. Blue. Purple. White… Red? What color would you pick? These elegant weapons for a more civilized age have fueled our imaginations ever since Obi-Wan first gave Luke his fathers’ lightsaber.

15. Spectacular Spaceships
Star Wars is practically an A to Z of cool spaceships, from the Rebel Fleets’ collection of ships to the Empire’s deadly TIE fighters, to the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon.

16. Star Wars-Themed Lands
We’ve been creating our own Star Wars stories since 2019, when a galaxy far, far away arrived at Disneyland and Walt Disney World and let guests live out fully immersive Star Wars theme park adventures!

17. A New Way to Cruise Through Space
Have you ever wanted to travel on a starship, get caught up in intergalactic espionage, and befriend mysterious aliens? Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, which just opened this year, is a two-night immersive adventure that expands how we can be part of the Star Wars story.

18. Out-of-This-World Languages
While Galactic Basic is famously represented by the Aurebesh script throughout the Star Wars films, the movies also provide a wide variety of interesting alien languages, such as the growling Shyriirwook spoken by Wookiees or the beeping binary of astromech droids.

19. A Galaxy of Planets
The glittering ice caves of Hoth. The rising twin suns of Tatooine. The sprawling metropolis of Coruscant. No matter where in the Star Wars universe you travel, every planet has an amazing sight to behold, like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

20. The Force
It surrounds us and penetrates us and binds the galaxy together—the Force may not be a person, but it’s almost a character in its own right in the films. Whether the light side or the dark side, the Force guides every moment of the Star Wars saga.

21. The Jedi
Qui-Gon. Obi Wan. Luke. They are the protectors of the galaxy who use the light side of the Force to keep the peace. The Jedi Order is made up of a variety of interesting humans and aliens that we can’t help but admire.

22. The Sith
Being a good guy is fun, but sometimes you need to put on a dark cloak and light up your red lightsaber. The Sith use the dark side of the force and their red-bladed lightsabers to spread chaos and war throughout the galaxy.

23. Adorable Droids
They may simply beep and boop or they may be fluent in millions of forms of complaining, but no matter whether they are humanoid-shaped or an adorable orb, we love the droids of the Star Wars universe.

24. Life lessons
Even though Star Wars is set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there are still plenty of ways we can learn from the Star Wars saga. We’ve rounded up the best lessons we’ve learned throughout the saga here.

25. The Classic Trio
The farmboy, the princess, and the scoundrel: The original trio from Episodes IV-VI have a special place in our hearts for all the snark, love, and quick-thinking that enchanted audiences all over the world again and again.

26. The Prequels Trio
The prequels introduced us to some familiar faces, some new faces, and one face we’d only seen covered by a mask: Obi-Wan, Padme, and Anakin lead us in the prequel trilogy, providing us with a lot of fun and a lot of heartbreak as the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker unfolded in Episodes I-III.

27. The new trio
The heroes of the sequel trilogy stole our hearts from the beginning of Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Rey, the scavenger with a Force-powered secret has millions of little girls rocking the three-bun style; Finn, the Stormtrooper with a heart of gold, convinced us we can control our destiny; and the ever charming and handsome pilot Poe Dameron reminded us why it’s so important to be a rebel.

28. Perfect Puppets
The immersive nature of the Star Wars universe is aided by some amazing special effects, like the detailed puppets utilized throughout the trilogy. From the giant Jabba to the little, monkey-like Salacious Crumb, the amazing puppets of the Star Wars saga are a tradition that continues into the new trilogy of films.

29. Industrial Light and Magic
George Lucas created Industrial Light and Magic to make special effects like we’ve never seen before for Star Wars, and since then the company has become the leader in special effects in film, even helping found Pixar!

30. Books We Can’t Stop Reading
When you’d marathoned every Star Wars movie and memorized the TV shows, it’s time to crack open a book and start exploring even more of the Star Wars universe.

31. Comics with Action on Every Page
If you’re more of a visual person, there’s also a world of Star Wars comics full of the kind of action, adventure, and excitement you expect from any good Star Wars story. You can check out Marvel’s line of Star Wars comic, out now.

32. Star Wars Experiences Like No Other
There are special entertainment options available at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, including fantastic fireworks shows and a march of the First Order. If you’re looking for a vacation away from the mainland, have you tried the Star Wars Day at Sea on Disney Cruise Line?

33. Star Wars Celebration
Every year, Star Wars fans gather together to celebrate everything they love about a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars Celebration is the official convention covering all things Star Wars for a weekend of panels, announcements, exhibits, screenings, and more!

34. LEGO Star Wars
Brick by brick, the world of LEGO Star Wars has built a silly galaxy of hijinks, from their hilarious holiday special to video games we can’t stop playing.

35. Iconic Hairstyles
Though they are from a long time ago, everyone in Star Wars is rocking fashion-forward hair. Who hasn’t tried their hand at some Leia hair buns on the sides of their head or mastering Rey’s three-bun stack?

36. The Humor
Whether Leia is snarking about her rescue attempt or BB-8 is throwing you a thumb’s up, there’s always something to keep us laughing. “Can someone get this big walking carpet out of my way?”

37. “I have a bad feeling about this”
One of the most iconic lines in the Star Wars franchise, at least one character per movie has bad feelings at a key moment. The line also appears in many Star Wars books, comics, TV show episodes, and video games! The line is so iconic it has even snuck its way into certain Star Tours sequences and even an Indiana Jones movie!

38. Easter Eggs
Are you headed to cell block 1138? Have you been paging Mr. Eroeg Sacul? Do you know why Finn’s Stormtrooper designation is FN-2187? The Star Wars universe is full of fun Easter eggs we love to discover (and use as an excuse to watch the movies again… and again… and again…)

39. Unforgettable Sound Effects
If we asked you to imagine the sound of a wookiee roaring or a lightsaber buzzing, can you hear them? The talented special effects team behind the Star Wars saga created iconic sound effects that are beloved by fans today.

40. Video Games
The Star Wars storytelling doesn’t stop when the movie ends—there’s a whole catalogue of amazing video games where you can be the star of an amazing Star Wars epic of your very own.

41. Miles and Miles of Merchandise
What’s in your collection? Everyone has a favorite Star Wars toy, or shirt, or even Mouse Ear Hat that lets the world know they are a fan.

42. It’s A Story the Whole Family Can Enjoy
Whether you sat on the edge of your seat in a theater in 1977 or in front of the TV as your Blu-Ray™ brought you magic, watching Star Wars is an experience everyone can enjoy, young or old, as it is a timeless classic that will continue to be beloved for generations.

43. It’s A Story about Underdogs
Luke is a farm boy, Rey is a scavenger, and we’re just a bunch of kids trying to get through life! What makes Star Wars so magical is that we can relate so much to the experiences of a simple underdog becoming a greater hero—that could be us one day!

44. It’s A Story We Can All Enjoy
Star Wars brings us together in an unique way, uniting us at D23 Expo or Star Wars Celebration or anywhere in the world! Our love for the galaxy far, far away is something that unites us and ties us together.

45. It’s an Adventure That Keeps Continuing
We may be celebrating 45 years of Star Wars: A New Hope today, but even though the end credits roll, the story isn’t over. Star Wars grows and evolves with us, and we will keep adventuring and learning and believing as long as there is a galaxy far, far away for us to enjoy.

8 Tantalizing Tales from the Team Behind the Latest Pirates of the Caribbean Adventure

May 25, 2017

By Beth Deitchman

“Dead Men Tell No Tales…” The words are part of a sinister warning to all who come “seeking adventure and salty old pirates” on the iconic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, but they’ve never been as thrilling as they are when spoken by Javier Bardem, as Captain Salazar in the latest installment of the iconic Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. And lucky for us, actors and filmmakers love a good yarn, especially when they’re the stars of a highly anticipated new movie.

We recently caught up with some of the talented people who are bringing Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales to a screen near you this Friday, May 26. Keep a weather eye open for secrets and behind-the-scenes stories from the directing duo who are steering the cinematic ship this time around, familiar pirate mates, and a few of the new faces who are setting sail in the fifth Pirates film from Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

1. Rønning and Sandberg made sure that each character had a fully realized emotional journey over the course of the film—except for one.
“[Jack Sparrow] doesn’t have an arc. He’s sort of the spice of the story,” Sandberg explains. Rønning concurs, joking, “He learns nothing.” But the filmmakers wanted the audience to learn something about Jack—while still allowing the iconic pirate to remain blissfully un-self-aware. “We created this backstory about how Jack becomes Jack Sparrow, and we also tied Salazar into that, to make sure that we had the villain and a conflict that was personal,” Sandberg says.

2. For Javier Bardem, joining the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was a family affair.
According to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Penelope Cruz played an instrumental role in her husband’s decision to play Captain Salazar. Bruckheimer says that Cruz was the first person Bardem consulted after he was offered the role. “We’re so fortunate that she liked her experience in making Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” Bruckheimer says. Bardem took note of the creative team’s passion, work ethic, and attention to detail when he visited Cruz on the set of that film: “I saw the quality of the production, of the detail.” Walking around the boat during his visit to the set, Bardem lifted a plate and noticed hand carvings on the wood beneath it. “The art department did that,” he says. “Nobody will ever see it—but it was there. [As an actor] you have to respect that. You are the one who is going to bring that level of detail into the performance. I saw that then, and I knew that it was an important value in the production. It helped me to say yes.”

3. The Academy Award®-winning actor was a fan of the Pirates franchise, and especially Captain Jack Sparrow.
Bardem enjoyed the franchise as a moviegoer—and especially admired the “extraordinary” character Johnny Depp brought to life on the screen. “I wanted to play with that,” he says, and he remains impressed by Depp’s generosity as an actor. “When the scene comes, he knows that there’s nothing better than sharing, and he makes you feel comfortable, relaxed, and taken care of.”

4. Johnny Depp did double duty as casting director, bringing music icon Paul McCartney into the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise for a memorable cameo role.
“Keith Richards used to play Jack Sparrow’s dad,” Rønning points out, noting that the Rolling Stone was unavailable to return for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. “We wanted a cameo,” he continues. “We’re fans of the franchise, and we want those little treats that we love about it, too. Sir Paul McCartney was at the very top of our list.” There was some uncertainty over how the filmmakers might approach Sir Paul, Rønning recalls, until “Johnny realized that he had his number on his phone—so he texted him. [Paul] texted back, and over the next couple days, they went more and more into the pirate lingo, and we knew that we got him. It was fun to transform him into a pirate.”

5. Pirate movies were all but forgotten in 2003, and Geoffrey Rush credits the film’s untraditional characters for its unparalleled popularity.
“[Johnny] has a tangential, warped, kind of absurd creative mind,” Rush says warmly, remembering how Depp determined the pirates drank rum because the water was “off,” and how the actor also theorized the sun had taken its toll on them, as well. “And then he came up with this idea which I though was really, really clever,” Rush recalls. “He said, ‘In the script, sometimes I’m on boats, and sometimes I’m on land. I just want to play around with never getting my sea legs or my land legs. I thought that gave him so much scope.” Rush also muses, “And I’d like to think [part of the film’s appeal] was Barbossa not having a parrot, but having a monkey.”

6. As newcomers to the franchise, Kaya Scodelario (Carina Smyth) and Brenton Thwaites (Henry Turner) relied on each other a great deal.
“I think it’s great when you have an initial chemistry—you understand each other as a professional and how you work,” Scodelario says. “With Brenton, I knew that if I was making a choice with the character, he could roll with it and he could understand the scene in the same way that I did. I felt like we could experiment with each other. There was no pressure. Knowing that we were both the newbies, and on the same level, we had that trust in each other. That, for me, was really cool—that we could just learn as we went along.” The admiration is mutual. “What I loved about Kaya was she wasn’t afraid to share ideas, and had the confidence to say something,” Thwaites emphasizes. “The conviction and fearlessness save a lot of time, so we’d get to the meat of the scene and what was happening. It was nice to work like that.”

7. Running around on a boat in high heels proved to be quite a challenge—but not for the actor you might suspect!
Kaya Scodelario’s period costume involved a corset and 17 layers of fabric. “My first day on set I remember wondering, ‘How am I going to do anything in this dress?’ I’m very much a jeans-and-T-shirt gal, so I was quite nervous about all that,” she says, admitting that she eventually adapted—and realized that she could ask her husband to loosen her corset at lunchtime, just enough to allow her to enjoy a hearty meal. Thwaites, however, grouses (good naturedly) about the heels he and the other pirates had to wear. Scodelario is quick to take umbrage. “There was a day when all of the men were complaining about the little heel that they had to wear on their boots. All of them! [I thought] ‘Are you kidding me?!’” she laughs.

8. One of the set pieces Rønning and Sandberg are most proud of was never in the script.
In one comically suspenseful sequence that’s sure to have viewers watching with their hands at the ready, to cover their eyes, Jack Sparrow faces certain death by guillotine. “There was an action sequence in Jeff Nathanson’s brilliant script, but there were never the kind of gags like the kind that inspired Johnny Depp’s character of Jack Sparrow—the old Buster Keaton movies and Charlie Chaplin and that kind of physical humor,” Rønning explains. They wanted to find their way back to this classic slapstick comedy, and, Rønning laughs, “You dream up something, and then six months later they’ve built this thing! And then you get Johnny Depp and you strap him in there, and you get it—it’s fun!”

9 Magical Disney Memories from 1977

May 25, 2017

By Jocelyn Buhlman

With the 40th anniversary of Star Wars almost here, we decided to use some Disney magic to go back in time and take a look at what else was happening in the world of Disney in 1977. It was an exciting year, not only introducing us to the Skywalker Saga but also bringing the premieres of several animated classics, a brand-new Mickey Mouse Club, and some updated pixie-dust at Disney theme parks. So strap into your time machines, Disney fans, and hold on tight, because we are bringing you nine magical Disney memories from 40 years ago!

1. Star Wars
This groundbreaking sci-fi franchise all started with one movie back in 1977 about a boy and a girl and a galaxy. The film originally opened to limited release, but proved so popular that it had a second “opening day” where it returned to the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and Darth Vader, C-3PO and R2-D2 all famously put their prints in the concrete in front of the theater. 40 years later, we are just as captivated by Star Wars as audiences were back in 1977. (Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the legendary Star Wars franchise in 2012.)

2. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
This animated classic featured a series of previously released featurettes chronicling the adventure of everyone’s favorite silly old bear. With a cast of huggable characters, memorable melodies by the Sherman brothers, and some of the last animation that Walt Disney oversaw personally, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh remains a classic in the Disney canon to this day.

3. The “new” Mickey Mouse Club
This groovy revamp of the classic Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1959) was notable for its themed days (Tuesday Let’s Go Day! Thursday Discovery Day! Friday Showtime Day—filmed at Disneyland!) highlighting different special guests or talents of the main Mouseketeers. Gold Members got a look back with the stars of the show in the Spring 2017 issue of Disney twenty-three. In 1977 they also filmed a special at Walt Disney World, where a snooping reporter tried to get dirt on the squeaky-clean Mouseketeers. This revival helped pave the way for an all-new Mickey Mouse Club (also known as MMC), which delighted the children of the 1990s.

4. The Rescuers
A charming tale of two agents from the Rescue Aid Society, The Rescuers enchanted audiences everywhere and even inspired an animated sequel. Besides being a beloved classic, The Rescuers is also notable as being the last film on which three of the Nine Old Men—Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, and Frank Thomas—served as key animators.

5. Pete’s Dragon
Elliott and Pete captured the imaginations of children everywhere in this blend of live action and animation. The lovable dragon, Elliott, was designed by Disney artist Ken Anderson and instantly became an iconic figure in Disney animation, even inspiring a live-action remake of the film that was released in 2016.

6. Superspeed Tunnel added to PeopleMover
Guests could race through images of cars and boats in this fast-paced addition to the beloved Disneyland classic the PeopleMover. While the ride vehicles still moved at a leisurely pace, video projection and the strategic use of fans created the illusion of speeding along with images around you. This new segment of PeopleMover was eventually enhanced with The World of Tron, which projected exciting footage of lightcycles to race alongside you. When the PeopleMover reopened with the Superspeed Tunnel, the attraction also featured a new detour providing guests with a peek inside Disneyland’s newest thrill ride…

7. Space Mountain at Disneyland
Space Station 77 landed in Tomorrowland! While its Florida counterpart opened at Magic Kingdom in 1975, this wildly popular out-of-this-world roller coaster made its West Coast debut in 1977, joining the Matterhorn as only the second roller coaster at Disneyland Resort. Space Mountain remains a hugely popular attraction at Disneyland and is still enchanting guests with its intergalactic thrills in different iterations, such as the spooky Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy during Halloween celebrations and the Star Wars-themed Hyperspace Mountain.

8. The Main Street Electrical Parade Reopens at Disneyland and Premieres at Walt Disney World
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls… While this parade originally premiered at Disneyland in 1972, the fan-favorite nighttime spectacular briefly went dark only to return in 1977 bringing even more sparkling lights and electro-synth-magnetic musical sounds to Disneyland. At the same time, a version of the parade also began lighting up the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A. in Florida. The original 1972 version of the Main Street Electrical Parade featured two-dimensional floats, while the version that lit up in 1977 premiered many of the three-dimensional floats that are still glowing down Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland today. Including one very famous float…

9. Pete and Elliott Join the Main Street Electrical Parade
One of the most iconic floats in the Main Street Electrical Parade did not start lighting up Main Street, U.S.A. until 1977. The magnificent Elliott float, accompanied by his beloved Pete, made its debut with the reopening of the parade at Disneyland and its premiere at Walt Disney World. Elliott added a very magical moment to the parade when Pete encourages the crowd to shout “Brazzle Dazzle!” and Elliott disappeared before the audience’s eyes!

Awesome! We Rode Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!

May 25, 2017March 26, 2018

By Jim Frye

Rocket Raccoon rides to the rescue—again!—this time in Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, the brand-new attraction opening this weekend at Disney California Adventure, kicking off the park’s Summer of Heroes celebration. D23 previewed the attraction, and we have to tell you that it’s awesome—so awesome that we came off our first ride and went right back on again… and again… and again!

With all the heart-pounding thrills of Disney’s most adrenaline-packed attractions, and all the adventure, fun, and laugh-out-loud humor of Marvel Studios’ super-popular Guardians of the Galaxy films, Mission: BREAKOUT! is gearing up to be the can’t-miss stop on your next visit to Disney California Adventure.

None other than Imagineer Joe Rohde himself, dressed in his best Star-Lord-style jacket, welcomed us to The Collector’s Fortress. Rohde and his team of Imagineering magic-makers have been busy of late, opening Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! in California the same exact weekend they open brand-new land Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando. Both are based on popular film franchises with easily recognizable characters.

For Mission: BREAKOUT!, guests are treated to a special tour of The Collector’s Fortress. The Collector, who goes by the name Taneleer Tivan, is played by Benicio Del Toro in the films. He’s an eccentric man who takes great pride in having the largest collection of interstellar fauna, relics, and species in the galaxy. Heck, he even has an elaborate collection of sounds that guests will experience as they wait in the queue. But in Mission: BREAKOUT!, Taneleer shows off his latest—and most prized—display yet: the captured Guardians of the Galaxy. Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, and Baby Groot—they’re all there. But rest assured, they don’t intend to stay captured for long, especially Rocket, who—as fans of the films know—prides himself in breaking out of every jail cell he’s ever been put into. And this one is no different—except this time, he needs our help.

“It’s a very familiar story,” says Rohde as we prepare to enter the Collector’s Fortress. “It’s an inside job where a guy on the inside, Rocket, is going to use our security clearance to open the doors to free his friends, who are imprisoned within the Collector’s vast, extremely power-consumptive facility where he holds all of these precious objects that he’s collected from around the various galaxies for his VIP guests. We are his VIP guests.”

Rohde explains that all the elaborate metalwork on the outside of the building represents a couple things: First, it represents the arrogance of its owner, Taneleer (there’s even a life-sized golden statue of him at the entrance). It also displays all the energy that the Fortress eats up. To free his friends, Rocket needs to shut down that power grid.

Inside the Lobby

Once inside, guests are going to have a heyday as they take in the extensive displays. “These items are from all around the universe,” says Rohde. “Some of them are alive; some are precious, precious objects that have been collected and held here.” The display cases are everywhere—hanging from the ceiling, lining the walls, up on shelves. Everywhere. Guests will be hard-pressed to see everything on their first few visits, especially since the displays will be ever-changing and ever-rotating, just like an actual museum. On the big screen at the end of the hall is a video made personally by The Collector, where he introduces his prized Guardians of the Galaxy. After the video, guests are taken to Taneleer’s private office, where it’s discovered that Rocket has escaped and is poised to cause mayhem as he tries to free his friends.

And without spoiling any of the surprises, you’ll love how Rocket jumps aboard your Gantry Lift, plugs in some of Star-Lord’s favorite tunes, and off you go! And when I say, “Off you go,” I mean fast. You’re immediately launched straight up into the adventure to free the Guardians.

You Don’t Need to Know About the Films

And here’s what’s cool: If you’re a fan of the Guardians films (and who’s not?), you’ll absolutely love this new attraction. However, if you haven’t seen the films, no worries—you don’t need to know anything about the Guardians to enjoy Mission: BREAKOUT!, because it’s a completely self-contained story. And boy, what a story it is!

“It is distinctly meant to be its own universe,” says Rohde. “The dimensional universe will grow and expand. We really tried to not simply reflect on an existing narrative, but to extend the narrative and expand it.”

While filming Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, writer/director James Gunn pulled together the cast and directed multiple all-new scenes for the attraction. We don’t want to ruin the scenes, but let’s just say it’s hard not to fall in love with Baby Groot all over again. In addition, Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Dave Bautista’s Drax, and Bradley Cooper’s Rocket join the fun multiple times throughout the attraction and—based on which profile you get—the scene changes each time you ride.

In true Guardians fashion, there’s a cameo or two thrown in for good measure (one of our favorite parts of the entire attraction). Oh, and lest you think that all the fun is left to the Marvel afficionados, Disney fans will find plenty to keep them coming back, too. Hint: Make sure to look closely inside those display cases and especially up in the rafters as you enter the Gantry Lift area of the Collector’s Fortress—you just might see a large, fur-covered “beast” who has been known to roam the Matterhorn.

There are six different vignettes, or ride profiles, that will mix and match scenes, accompanied each time by one of six different songs, ranging from Elvis Presley’s “Burnin Love,” to “Give Up the Funk” by Parliament, to “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5.

Dave Bushmore, vice president, Franchise Creative & Marketing at Marvel Studios, really enjoyed the collaboration with Imagineering. “Joe and all the Imagineers were great to work with,” he says. “For us, we’re always excited to see any iteration of our characters, whether it’s in the comics, or animation, or film. It’s a thrill to have them translated into the theme parks and it’s been an awesome experience—and Joe’s been great. When we first started working together, he actually secluded himself to just take in what this universe was all about and came back to us and shared what he believed it to be, and we totally bought in.”

Why Guardians of the Galaxy? Why were these the first Marvel characters to be featured in a Disney attraction in the United States? According to Rohde, “There’s something about the Guardians—there’s an energy to it, there’s an irreverence to it,” he says. “This is something that can come out of nowhere. It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s not so serious. It’s super-energetic, super-accessible.”

Of course, when Rohde says, “nowhere,” he could also be referencing, “Knowhere,” the actual location in the first Guardians film where we first meet The Collector.

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! opens just in time for summer 2017 at Disneyland Resort, and the Summer of Heroes inaugurates an ever-expanding universe of Super Hero stories at Disney California Adventure. In addition, guests in the park’s Hollywood Land will join some favorite Super Heroes for epic, new experiences for a limited time.

But, of course, the main attraction is Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! We loved it—and we’re already planning our next escape. We’ll see you there!

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(from left to right) Joe Quesada, Bob Chapek, Zoe Saldana, Benicio Del Toro, Michael Rooker, Pom Klementieff, James Gunn, Kevin Feige

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