7 Guardians of the Galaxy Must-Haves

May 4, 2017May 4, 2017

By D23 Team

Can’t wait to see Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? Neither can we! Feel like one of the crew with these awesome items from Disney Store. And, don’t forget your D23 Discount, obviously.

Groot Dancing Figure
Could we really start this round-up with anything else? We fell in love with Baby Groot at the end of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy, and we can’t wait to see what he’s up to in the upcoming film. One thing we know for sure, Baby Groot can dance! This figure plays a clip from “Come a Little Bit Closer” from the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 soundtrack, and he’ll dance to your own awesome mix, as well. Yep, Groot can detect music and get his groove on to whatever song you like! Plus, he’s just darn cute.

Groot Journal
Need somewhere to jot down your thoughts? This notebook will have you saying, “I am Groot,” which here means, “Wow, this notebook is so cute, and it has an adorable bookmark.” I am Groot, indeed.

Rocket Raccoon Hooded Backpack
OK, how fun is this? This backpack is the perfect way to rep Groot AND Rocket! You’ll find Groot on the front of the backpack, and you can channel your inner… raccoon? by throwing on this faux raccoon-fur hood. Plus, you can add your name with a special personalization, so everyone knows this sweet bag is yours.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | Rock Hand Sign Hoodie
If you’re looking for something subtler, this classic, cozy hoodie will fit just right. The sweatshirt is customizable, and the print is also available in a variety of tees for men, women, and kids.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 iPhone Case
Keep in touch with your super squad in style with this awesome case for iPhone 6/6s.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Sound Machine
Rock the ultimate throwback with this sound machine. Clip it on to your jeans or your keys, and press one of the six buttons for different music and sound effects inspired by the film.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | Star Gazing Canvas Print
Bring the Guardians into your galaxy with this psychedelic artwork, perfect for brightening up dull walls.

Don’t Miss These Amazing Disney Details in Pandora – The World of Avatar

May 4, 2017May 19, 2017

By Beth Deitchman

We’re bringing you details about this amazing new land opening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom all week on D23.com. Click here to read part 1 about this spectacular world and the people you’ll encounter there, and hear more from the creative team bringing Pandora to life in the summer issue of Disney twenty three.

Soon after arriving in Pandora – The World of Avatar, guests encounter a welcome sign like one you’d see in any national park here in the U.S.—it warns about feeding the animals and cautions guests to stay on the trails. But written on the sign, just below the name of our location on this beautiful planet—the Valley of Mo’ara—are words we’ve seen before, in James Cameron’s Avatar: “Oel Ngati Kameie,” or “I see you.” Pandora, we are told, is “a world similar to Earth but unique in so many ways.”

It’s the flora and the fauna of Pandora that first captivates visitors, and starts you on your journey of discovery. There are large “Puffball” plants, blue and round, like their name; and the spiny, arcing Flaska Reclinata, which reacts to guests’ touch; there are flowers that seem to be Pandora’s answer to the tulip; and there are flowers that resemble nothing you’ve ever seen on earth. Zsolt Hormay, the Imagineer tasked with “placemaking,” revealed that there are living, “real” earthbound plants alongside manmade Pandoran foliage, including handmade vines that it took a team of 60 artisans to complete. Stefan Hellwig, executive creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering, also pointed out that there are trees and plants that have been “damaged” by large animals like Thanators and apex predators, just one example of the amazing detail that’s on display in Pandora.

Small details, like direhorse and Na’vi footprints that guests will notice beneath their feet here and there, are intriguing and, in some cases, even entertaining. A tree and rock formation with several flat surfaces that almost cry out for you to drum upon is intended for you to do just that! Guests are encouraged to bang on these drums, and at night, cause them to illuminate. Imagineer Steven Fortunato, who talked to us about the audio elements of Pandora, details, “When you engage with one of these drums or instruments, you not only hear the sound that you make here, but also the responses and sounds of other Na’vi celebrations that have gone before you, to greater enhance your sense of connection to this place.” At times, live performers will also engage with guests to create a musical spectacle that further immerses them into the rich local environment.

As you follow the river further into Pandora, you turn a corner and get your first full view of the Floating Mountains, and your breath is truly taken away. Photos simply can’t do justice to the scale and size of the mountains—you need to see them in person to appreciate what a wonder of design and Imagineering they truly are. Like all things in Pandora, the vista seems to change as the day goes on. Hellwig notes, “[The sun] goes around the mountains and at night there’s this beautiful silhouette of the Floating Mountains against the sky. It’s really quite gorgeous.”

As you take in the abundance of beautiful things found in Pandora, you might notice something that’s absent: marquees and signs. In a nod to Na’vi culture, attractions are marked with hand-woven totems. A totem that represents the Shaman of Songs has been placed outside Na’vi River Journey, while a hand-woven representation of a flying banshee welcomes guests to Flight of Passage. Hellwig says, “It’s important that [Pandora] feel like a natural place and not have these big printed marquees everywhere that would take [guests] out of that world.”

It’s safe to say that you will never have the same experience twice at Pandora. The land feels alive, and changes constantly over the course of the day. But there is no change as dramatic as the one you see when you return to Pandora at night, when the bioluminescent forest comes to life. To give us an impression of what the land will be like when it opens, Walt Disney Imagineering Portfolio Creative Executive Joe Rohde and Avatar Producer Jon Landau previewed the bioluminescence for us, and it’s like nothing you’ve experienced before. “Every exotic plant is hooked up to the bioluminescent system,” Landau informs us, and that extends to the Floating Mountains, the river, and even the ground beneath your feet, which positively glows after dark. Guests will be able to influence the bioluminescence at the drum area, and they’ll marvel as they notice how the light is affected by animals—unseen, but their presence quite palpable nonetheless—as they travel through the forest.

Rohde noted also, “If you’re really, really paying attention, you’ll notice that the whole sound environment has altered. You’re hearing different kinds of animal sounds… And the experience of the entire land will be quite different [at night].” The sounds change over the course of the evening, and guests will be able to hear the animals—and the plant life—reacting to each other. Landau states, “It’s the evolution of a night on Pandora. The sounds will complement the complete evolution.”

Rohde stresses that the entire land will appear to be alive and moving after the sun goes down, but he adds, “We want to also have quiet places where you can just tuck away and enjoy it for what it is, as well.”

Guests will almost certainly feel an overwhelming sense of awe as they cross the bridge into Pandora for the first time by day, and at night, Rohde suspects that will evolve into a sense of wonder. Landau reminds us that the Avatar film began and ended with the character Jake Sulley opening his eyes. “I’m hoping that when people come here and come to Pandora, their eyes will be opened and they will look at our world a little bit differently when they go back across the bridge.”

What We Know About Star-Lord’s Father in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

May 3, 2017

By Jim Frye

Star-Lord is back, and this time he’s got daddy issues. Biiiiiiiiig daddy issues.

Picking up where Guardians of the Galaxy left off, Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the action-packed, irreverent, epic space adventures of Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, played by Chris Pratt, and his gang of eccentric characters as they patrol and protect the universe. And even though the original film could have been considered a risky move at the time because of its lack of name recognition, it proved a breakout success, becoming 2014’s highest-grossing film of the summer, instantly making Pratt one of the most recognizable—and likeable—actors on the planet.

That’s a hard act follow—which is where dad comes in. “I knew where I wanted the story to go before the first film was out in theaters,” says writer/director James Gunn. “But the one thing I had to figure out was if I was going to tell the story of Peter Quill and his father as Volume 2—which I thought was the big reveal—or save it for a later time. Ultimately I decided that it was the best story and went with it.”

What do we know about Peter’s father? Marvel Studios President and Producer Kevin Feige gives some hints: “When we started turning the wheels on a sequel, there were some very obvious clues at the end of the first film where the storyline could go. Peter talks about his father. Nova Prime (played by Glenn Close) tells us something very ancient, very unusual. Yondu tells us that he purposefully did not deliver Peter to his father. So James went back and started to work on where that would take us in a storyline. And it takes us to a place where we meet the Guardians, only a few months after the events of [the first] Guardians.”

Casting Ego was no easy task, either, but Marvel ultimately went with an actor who has quite a bit of name recognition, especially to Disney fans. “In the case of Ego, Quill’s father, it’s a very unique character,” Feige says. “You want the audience to have the same sort of rush as Peter does when he learns who it is. So when you have Disney Legend, film icon Kurt Russell step out of that ship and announce himself to Peter, it was a chill-inducing moment. And that’s why you get Kurt Russell.”

For his part, Disney Legend Kurt Russell was more than happy to return to Marvel—and Disney. “After I read the script, I watched the first movie,” Russell says. “I remember that six or seven minutes into the movie, Chris Pratt is walking along. Then the music starts up, and he kicks off one of those alien rats or whatever they were. And I immediately liked the movie. I liked the atmosphere. And I liked his character.”

He continues, “Then as I watched it unfold, I got it. I read the script again and began to look at it and understand what was being asked. I started looking forward to it because I thought it was going to be an interesting project. There was a father/son relationship here that I thought was very relatable and very interesting that 20, 30 or even 40 years from now will sustain more than just the entertainment value of what the viewer is watching.”

Describing where we find Peter in the new story, Gunn says, “As you know, the first Guardians of the Galaxy is about Peter’s relationship to his mother and coming to terms with that. The second movie is about Peter Quill’s relationship to his father and his other fatherly figures. Yondu is obviously a fatherly figure to him. And then he meets his actual father, Ego, played by Kurt Russell, who is in a lot of ways everything he wanted. He is coming to terms with things and with his feelings of abandonment, how he feels about his real father’s life, which is very different from his own.”

But who, exactly, is Peter’s father, and where’s he been all this time? Gunn explains: “Ego is an intergalactic adventurer in his own way who has gone to many different worlds and many different planets and had his own kind of adventures, not dissimilar to what the Guardians have gone through. He also has been looking for his son for a very long time and he wants a relationship with him in the same way that Peter wants a relationship with his father because it fills this giant void that he’s had in his heart his whole life. Since he was a child, Peter has carried around a photograph in his pocket of David Hasselhoff, who he told the other kids at school was his dad. Yondu, of course, was supposed to deliver Quill to Ego and didn’t, for some reason, and audiences are going to see the reveal behind that mystery.”

Pratt offers insight on the importance of Peter’s quest to find his true parentage. “Quill is desperate to know who his dad is and dreamed his whole life that his dad was somebody special, somebody important, somebody cool,” he says. “So when Quill finally meets his bigger-than-life father, who’s been searching for him, it fills this giant void that he’s had in his heart his whole life.”

Over the course of the film, Quill finds himself reexamining his relationship with Yondu, as well. “Of course, he’s always looked at Yondu, who abducted him, as being the guy who threatened to eat him or was hard on him,” Pratt says. “But he learns through the course of this film that the relationship is more of a father/son dynamic than he could’ve ever expected to get from anyone else.”

Yondu is definitely one of the more colorful and memorable characters in the Guardians films. “It’s somewhat of a father/son relationship, where we don’t agree on things,” says Michael Rooker, who plays Yondu. “When the movie opens, they haven’t seen each other in a few months, so their relationship is very intense and conflicted, to say the least. They are constantly at each other’s throats. Of course, they find that there are deep-rooted feelings for one another that exist and eventually that comes out in our storyline. You discover that Yondu truly cares about this kid.”

Moms. Dads. Sisters. Family. It all makes Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 more than just a big adventure. It’s a big adventure with even a bigger heart. Come join this galactic family reunion in theaters May 5.

Captain Jack’s Surprise and Descendants 2’s New Trailer—Plus More in News Briefs

May 3, 2017

By Courtney Potter

Johnny Depp surprises boatloads of Disneyland guests, and Epcot’s popular festival expands to 75 days… Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Surprise! That Really Was Johnny Depp Inside Disneyland’s Pirates Attraction!

Can you imagine? Rounding the corner on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland Park and spying the Disney Legend-ary Johnny Depp—in full Captain Jack Sparrow regalia—as he interacts with each boatful of excited park guests? Well, that exact scenario played out for some very lucky visitors just a few short days ago… and we have video proof! Check out the fantastically fun clip, above.

It was a perfect way to celebrate the attraction’s recent 50th anniversary—as well as a “swashbucklingly” good reminder that Johnny’s latest big screen outing as good ol’ Cap’n Jack, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, sails into a theater near you on May 26. We’re getting our tri-cornered hat dry-cleaned for the occasion!

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
May 12, 2017
Lunch with a Disney Legend: Marty Sklar in Florida
May 13, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl On the Lot
May 13, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Florida
May 19, 2017
D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: An Afternoon Adventure to Pandora with Joe Rohde in Florida
May 20, 2017
D23 Invites Members to be Among the First to Explore Pandora—The World of Avatar
June 3, 2017
D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: A Return to Walt’s Birthplace in Florida
July 14-16, 2017
D23 Expo 2017
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
March 1–May 29, 2017
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
May 27, 2017
Pandora—The World of Avatar opening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
May 27, 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy–Mission: BREAKOUT! opening at Disney California Adventure
August 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
2019
Star Wars-Themed Lands Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Studios
May 5, 2017
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opens in theaters
May 26, 2017
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales opens in theaters
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)

Meet Pandora – The World of Avatar’s Na’vi Shaman of Songs

When Pandora – The World of Avatar opens at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on May 27, guests will be warmly welcomed by the Na’vi Shaman of Songs (a character with a strong connection to Pandora’s alluring music) on the new Na’vi River Journey attraction. Disney Parks Blog offered up a sneak peek at the amazingly complex Audio-Animatronics® figure last week; see her for yourself here.

Disney’s Descendants 2 Debuts Brand-New Trailer

Viewers of the recent Radio Disney Music Awards were not only rewarded with dynamite performances by the likes of Fitz & the Tantrums and Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho, as well as a totally cool Britney Spears medley (celebrating her well-deserved Icon Award) that featured a surprise appearance by her sister Jamie Lynn, but they also had the chance to see the very first trailer for Disney’s Descendants 2! In case you missed it (hey, it happens to the best of us), check it out above.

The sequel to the über-popular 2015 Disney Channel Original Movie, Descendants 2 follows Mal (Dove Cameron), Evie (Sofia Carson), Carlos (Cameron Boyce), Jay (Booboo Stewart), and Ben (Mitchell Hope) as they try to keep the newest Villain Kid—Ursula’s daughter Uma (China Anne McClain)—from bringing down the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon for good. Look for its huge five-network debut this July!

The Co-Host Search is Over: Ryan Seacrest Joins Live!

She’s the longtime co-host of Disney|ABC’s hit syndicated talk show, and he’s a veteran broadcaster with success in both radio and TV. It’s a match made in heaven! This past Monday morning, after a year-long search, Daytime Emmy® winner Kelly Ripa welcomed a brand-new—and permanent—co-host to Live with Kelly… Ryan Seacrest! Now called Live with Kelly and Ryan, the show will continue to welcome all manner of celebrity guests for an hour of mid-morning hilarity live from New York City.

Speaking of which… while he has indeed moved to NYC to co-host with Kelly, that doesn’t mean formerly Los Angeles-based Ryan won’t lend his dulcet tones to nationwide radio. In fact, he’ll continue hosting (and executive-producing) On Air with Ryan Seacrest from a brand-new iHeartRadio studio inside New York’s ABC7, where Live is taped each day. And that’s not all: Ryan will also continue to host E!’s Live from the Red Carpet award shows, as well as ABC’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest.

Congrats, Ryan!

Behind-the-Scenes Fun from Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Can you hear that? The premiere of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is so close, the delicious drumbeat of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” is growing louder and louder… Looking for something to tide you over ‘til you head to your local cineplex for megatons of Guardians merriment on May 5? Take a look at D23’s rad rundown of enjoyable behind-the-scenes tidbits.

75 Days of Delicious: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Goes Big for ‘17

It’s one of the most popular food festivals in all of America, and it’s held under the watchful gaze of Spaceship Earth… it’s the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, and for 2017, it’s stretching to a whopping 75 days! From August 31 through November 13, a record number of Marketplaces (35 in all) will tickle the taste buds of thousands of guests.

As in previous years, the Food & Wine Festival will feature celebrity chefs; hands-on culinary workshops and demos; the Party for the Senses (a very yummy, very entertaining way to end your day at the festival); and some of your favorite music artists at the popular “Eat to the Beat” concert series. Families will once again enjoy a Ratatouille-inspired scavenger hunt, as well as culinary demonstrations and dishes geared towards kids’ tastes. Plus, you can hang out with D23 at Sip and Stroll, a foodie phenomenon featuring D23-exclusive culinary and beverage demonstrations, a dessert reception during IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, and more! Find out more and secure your spot here.

So start readying those appetites, and look for more info on the 22nd Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival as it becomes available in the coming months…

May the Force Be with Your Mobile Device—Star Wars: Puzzle Droids

Good news, Star Wars fans: A new casual puzzle game has just entered our universe, and it’s now available for download on the Apple App Store, Google Play, and the Amazon Appstore. Star Wars: Puzzle Droids is “match-3” adventure that invites players to tap into the holographic memory banks of favorite droid pal BB-8 for a truly epic Star Wars adventure. The journey features familiar scenes as well as previously untold moments, all via compelling gameplay and interactive puzzle boards; players can journey across Jakku and Takodana, and even take on the First Order alongside familiar faces including Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron.

Featuring more than 100 levels (wow!), Star Wars: Puzzle Droids is a free download (with in-app purchases) that is sure to add to this week’s big Star Wars Day/“May the Fourth” fun! Solve the puzzle, you will…

A Historic Sailing for the Disney Wonder

Talk about an extraordinary voyage! Just last week, the Disney Wonder became the very first passenger vessel to transit (that’s fancy boat talk for “passed through”) the Panama Canal’s new set of locks. The crossing was part of a 14-night voyage where guests were transported from Port Canaveral, Florida, to San Diego, California.
It’s the kind of thing that needs to be seen to be believed, so check out the cool video about the historic moment from our friends at Disney Cruise Line, above.

How to Have the Perfect Star Wars Day at Disney Parks

May 3, 2017

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Star Wars may take place in a galaxy far, far away, but you can absolutely enjoy a day of intergalactic adventures at places a little closer to home. Disneyland park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida both bring all the thrills, smiles, and epic lightsaber battles right into the magic of a Disney theme park. On the days when you need your healthy dose of Star Wars adventures, we have just the thing for you: our guide to a perfect Star Wars day, either at Disneyland or Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disneyland:
Start off the day with a delicious meal from the Galactic Grill’s breakfast menu—there’s nothing like a big breakfast to energize your fight against the Dark Side.

Tomorrowland is the place to be for a Star Wars day at Disneyland. While it’s still early in the morning, head over to Hyperspace Mountain and jump to lightspeed in an epic battle against the First Order.

The Star Wars Launch Bay is your one-stop shop for everything Star Wars–related. Cute souvenirs? Check. Props and replicas from the movies? Check. Unique meet-and-greet opportunities with your favorite heroes and villains? Check!

Once you get a picture with Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, or whichever character you’re destined to meet, it’s time to leave the Star Wars Launch Bay and plan for your out-of-this-galaxy lunch. Yay!

The Galactic Grill isn’t just unique for its Star Wars-themed cuisine (Will you be biting into a First Order Specialty Burger or the Jedi Order Chicken Sandwich?). It also hosts the stage for an adventure perfect for any future Jedi padawans in your life: Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple.

This show allows your younglings to don a Jedi robe and train in the ways of the Force. But are they ready to face the ultimate test? They may have to fight a few famous Sith to defeat the Dark Side!

Of course, no Star Wars day at Disneyland is complete without riding on Star Tours — The Adventures Continue! This classic motion simulator attraction features unique combinations of adventures that make you the star! Will you be catching a cruise to Kashyyyk? Perhaps you will brave an encounter with the dreaded Death Star and the famed bounty hunter Boba Fett. You could even end up on Jakku, with Finn guiding you as you fly alongside the Millennium Falcon! No matter what your destination is, Star Tours — The Adventures Continue will make any fan feel like they’re one with the Force.

For an out-of-this-world dinner, why not pick up a pizza or pasta at Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port? This delicious diner now features new, Star Wars-themed dishes, such as the Forest of Endor Pasta.

While you’re digesting your dinner, take a seat at the Tomorrowland Theater for a screening of Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, the epic retelling of the Skywalker Saga leading up to the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Make sure to pick out a souvenir to commemorate your adventure at Star Trader. This Tomorrowland location overflows with everything a Star Wars fan could want, although we always have our eyes on those Ear Hats. Who will you be? BB-8, C-3PO, R2-D2, or Princess Leia? There’s a hat to celebrate all the fan-favorite characters from Star Wars.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
There’s plenty of Star Wars adventures to be had at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Your Star Wars day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios should start off with a jump to lightspeed on Star Tours — The Adventures Continue. Which planets will you visit? Can you deliver the Rebel Spy back to the Rebel Alliance? For this beloved attraction, you’re not just the star—you’re their only hope!

Once you’ve exited Star Tours — The Adventures Continue, take a moment to enjoy the scenery. The outside of this attraction features a replica AT-AT Walker and a Speeder Bike. Why not take a photo and pretend that you are part of the action?

Now that you’ve saved the galaxy once, it’s only natural to meet some more heroes! The Star Wars Launch Bay, besides featuring Star Wars exhibits, featurettes, and a cool Cantina set, gives you a chance to meet with heroes like Chewbacca and BB-8, or come face to face with the villainous Kylo Ren.

To teach your little ones the way of the Force, take them to Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple at Echo Lake. Once your younglings learn to use the Force against the likes of Darth Vader and the Seventh Sister, they’ll be ready to face any bad guy they meet!

You may be seeing a lot of bad guys at your next stop, too. Enjoy Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away, a new show with reenactments of some of your favorite Star Wars scenes, featuring Kylo Ren, Darth Maul, and a Stormtrooper march led by the fearsome Captain Phasma herself.

Once night falls, settle in for an amazing celebration with Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. While you enjoy this state-of-the-art spectacular––featuring unbelievable projection effects, lasers, pyrotechnics, and more in a dazzling array of colors and sounds––why not enjoy something sweet to eat? This show features a special dessert party package that lets you enjoy out-of-this-galaxy sweets, including Darth Vader cupcakes, as you take in the view.

To end your perfect day, make sure you stop by Tattooine Traders, your source for intergalactic commerce, where you can build your own custom lightsaber or take home your very own astromech droid. No matter what you choose, you know you’ll be telling the tales of your Star Wars adventures for a long, long time….

Kaltxi!—Welcome to Pandora – The World of Avatar

May 2, 2017May 24, 2017

By Beth Deitchman

There’s a moss-green-colored door, a little left of center on a temporary wall inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, that stands just outside Tiffins, the fine-dining establishment inspired by world travel. “Prepare for Pandora” reads one of the wall’s panels, and after going behind the wall for a visit that Avatar producer Jon Landau describes as a “sneak, sneak, sneak peek,” guests should prepare to be amazed by this new 12-acre land, opening on May 27 inside the park at the Walt Disney World Resort.

D23 was invited to be among the first to visit Pandora – The World of Avatar, to cross the bridge that connects this new world to the rest of the park. The bridge has a patina that’s weathered and worn, but green lichens are in abundance along its rails. This is the first time we notice that there is life and regeneration all around us in Pandora, but it most definitely isn’t the last.

This is an important part of the Pandora narrative, Stefan Hellwig, executive creative director, Walt Disney Imagineering, explains. The land has been set a full generation after the events that took place in Avatar—and after any movie that James Cameron will make in the future, he stresses. The conflicts between the Na’vi and the RDA, the ill-intentioned mining company in the film, have ended. “The Na’vi and humans are at peace, and the Na’vi have welcomed us as visitors to Pandora,” Hellwig explains, before describing the three groups that now call Pandora their home.

Of course, the indigenous Na’vi are a strong presence on Pandora, but there are newcomers with whom guests will interact more frequently. All visits to Pandora are facilitated by ACE—Alpha Centauri Expeditions—sort of an intergalactic travel company that maintains the infrastructure on Pandora, along with details like the ride queues and trash cans. Then there are the ex-pats—these are folks who fell in love with Pandora and decided to stay when the conflicts with RDA were over. They’ve made a life for themselves here, owning and running the Pongu Pongu tiki bar, or merchandise locations, like Colors of Mo’ara. Cast members on Pandora have embraced this back story, and are happy to share details about the land and their own personal Pandoran history.

When we talk to Jon Landau about how cast members have been integrated “in story,” he stresses that he wants each to come up with his or her own back story. “If you’re working here, you made a choice to be on Pandora,” he says, and he wants each cast member to decide, “Why did you make that choice? And how do you communicate that to our guests who come through the land?”

Because Pandora exists at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it is intended to be as real a place as Harambe in Africa, Mark LaVine, executive story development, Walt Disney Imagineering, explained. One need not have seen the movie Avatar to appreciate Pandora. “It’s not about these characters in the movie—it’s about YOU going to that world,” LaVine says.

The Imagineers have gone to great lengths to make it clear which structures in Pandora have been created by the Na’vi, and which buildings or facilities were established by the RDA. For example, the structure that houses the Na’vi River Journey attraction is naturally built, with local leaves, bamboo, and similar materials. On the other hand, the sacred caves that are found at the beginning of Flight of Passage abruptly give way to an RDA facility, which the RDA built by callously boring a hole into the existing rock. Hellwig wants guests to notice “that juxtaposition, that big story of the damage that humans can make to natural environments, and of course, the reparation of that now that the conflicts are over.” As you walk through this part of the queue on your way to explore Pandora on the back of a banshee, you’ll notice weathered signs that prominently feature words like “toxicity.” “It’s clearly saying that the RDA was not very sympathetic to the environment,” Hellwig notes.

But with the RDA out of the picture, the humans who have stayed behind on Pandora have embraced the value of the land, and peacefully live alongside the Na’vi. Flight of Passage is made possible through the work of the Pandora Conservation Initiative PCI, which has set up shop in the giant RDA facility in order to study the banshee, as well as the long-term effects of the damage done by the RDA. “By studying the banshee, that’s how they get to understand how the environment is doing,” LaVine explains. Through experiments on display in the lab, the PCI is working on cleaning the water, looking for invasive species, and promoting reintroduction programs of animals.

Regeneration and regrowth are important themes that can be seen again and again at Pandora, from the small, young plants that are sprouting alongside their giant, fully grown counterparts, to an oddly shaped mass of green, that on further inspection, proves to be a downed RDA chopper that is now covered with moss, well on its way to being reclaimed by the land.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a long tradition of celebrating nature, transformation through adventure, and a personal call to action—and all of these themes are in full force throughout the new land. Landau shared that he and the Imagineers looked at the land itself as an attraction that would engage people. “This land is about exploration and discovery,” he said, adding, “To have exploration without the payoff of discovery is not worth it.”

There is something to discover at every turn in Pandora – The World of Avatar. In part 2 we looked at the amazing details in the flora, the fauna and the bioluminescent forest, and part 3 took you further into Pandora’s two thrilling attractions, in part 4 we delve into delectable food and collectable merchandise, and hear more from the creative team responsible for this amazing new land in the summer issue of Disney twenty-three.

D23 Fab Five: Laurie Hernandez’s Favorite Disney Role Models

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017

By Ingrid Meilan

At the young age of 16, Olympian Laurie Hernandez is already a role model. In fact, after the gymnast took home the Mirrorball trophy on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Val Chmerkovskiy, Hernandez said that inspiring young people was her No. 1 goal.

And while the spunky teenager aspires to be someone that her fans can look up to, Hernandez says she had some magical role models of her own growing up. “I love everything Disney!” Hernandez told D23 at the fifth annual Radio Disney Music Awards. “Everybody here just wants to show up and have fun and I love that,” Hernandez said of the April 29 show.

While Hernandez (who also recently authored a best-selling memoir, I Got This: To Gold and Beyond) got to make new Disney memories of her own, meeting her favorite Disney Channel stars at the RDMA, we asked Laurie to share her “Fab Five” Disney role models. She had a tough time picking just five, but here is her list:

1. Moana
“I love her whole persona and her attitude. And I love the fact that she just can’t deny the urge to go out into the sea and see what’s out there. I feel like I can relate to her because I’m constantly like, ‘I want to see what’s on the other side! I don’t want to stay in the safe zone!’ I want to go past that reef! I’ve been staring at the edge of the water as long as I can remember, too!”

2. Elsa and Anna
“I have to have both Elsa and Anna share a spot on the list. I love their partnership. They remind me of my sister and me. But my sister would have still made me a snowman and she wouldn’t have told me to go away!”

3. Snow White
“I love Snow White. I just think she’s so gorgeous and elegant. She has a different look than all the other princesses. She’s a classic. And I love how sweet and kind she is.”

4. Cinderella
“I love how Cinderella takes care of herself. People had preconceived notions about her and she goes up against them and defies their expectations. I love that people see the natural beauty in her. And also, who doesn’t want a fairy godmother? I want one!”

5. Mulan
“Mulan is one of my favorites—her father wanted this male soldier [for a son] and someone who could fight. He got a girl and was disappointed… but then she went out and proved that a girl can be strong and a soldier and a warrior. She was better than all of them! Go, girl!”

Exclusive: Once Upon a Time Takes to the Stage with a Musical Episode

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017

By Jeffrey Epstein

Witches and saviors. Royalty and villainy. Curses and reverses.

Over the past six seasons, Once Upon a Time has taken viewers on a roller coaster of fairy-tale proportions. The only place it hasn’t gone? To the piano. This Sunday, May 7, the ABC hit fantasy show sings—literally and figuratively. In the episode that finally sees Emma and Hook walk down the aisle, something magical causes our favorites to break into song. Rather than go with traditional Disney tunes (see why below!), creators and executive producers Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz selected Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner to compose seven original songs for the show. That, in and of itself, is reason for Disney fans to celebrate: Zachary and Weiner are the talented two who wrote the music for the outstanding show Twice Charmed which plays on the Disney Magic.

We sat down with Kitsis and Horowitz to get the scoop on all the high notes the episode will hit. (Plus we have two, exclusive Hook-tastic shots to share!)

Exclusive: Captain Killian “Hook” Jones (Colin O’Donoghue) in this Sunday’s musical episode.

What made you decide to do a musical episode?

Kitsis: Our show naturally lends itself to a musical. So the first year, we were like, no, we’re not going to do it. Truthfully, we were terrified ’cause we had never done one, and when we met Michael and Alan, it started to make it less scary. And then less scary turned into all of us being really excited and inspired.

Why did you decide not to use Disney songs?

Kitsis: We opened the whole show on the end of what people thought the Snow White story was, so we felt like it would be a cheat to just have somebody sing a song like “When You Wish Upon a Star” because the show always pushed us to be original in our telling of these fairy tales. We felt the music had to comply with that.

Horowitz: Look at Beauty and the Beast, for example, and a song like “Be Our Guest.” That song is perfect for that story in that movie and those characters, but to try to shoehorn that into our show, that’s not the story we’re telling.

Will the wedding be full of song?

Kitsis: The wedding will be full of song and cheer because you can’t have a musical episode and have a wedding without a song. The wedding encompasses everybody, the town, and how much Emma means to everybody, and at the same time, it’s still personal and intimate between the two of them.

Any hints as to what causes people to break out in song, besides magic?

Kitsis: I would say, in true Disney fashion, when you wish upon a star.

Exclusive: Captain Killian “Hook” Jones (Colin O’Donoghue) and pirates in this Sunday’s musical episode.

What did the cast say when you told them they were going to be doing a musical?

Kitsis: Can I sing? Can I be in it?

Horowitz: Our cast is up for any challenge, and they always manage to not only meet but exceed our expectations. They were super-collaborative with Alan and Michael, sitting down with them and working with them. The guys really tailored stuff to everybody, and each different character has a different style of song that we think is suitable to their character.

Did the cast have musical experience?

Kitsis: Josh Dallas was in London on the West End for years. Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin both had musical theatre background. Lana could sing. Rebecca Mader has such an incredible voice. So maybe their careers don’t show that credit but their talent does.

Can you talk about how Emma’s walls come down through the music?

Kitsis: In musicals we sing what we can’t express or what’s in our head. So for Emma, we’ve spent six seasons watching her slowly bring her walls down, and this wedding is the ultimate symbol of that. She’s embraced her family, she’s embraced her future, and she’s ready to open her heart up again. We felt like the musical was perfect for that because that intimate internal thing in her head would be best expressed through singing.

Will there be any special guests?

Kitsis: We believe there will be some surprise guests and some of our favorite storybook residents singing.

What have been highlights of this past season for you?

Kitsis: It was fun to do Aladdin and Jasmine and a magic carpet ride. It’s great for us to see the six seasons and the history of the show really start to pay off. I loved watching the evil queen face herself and move on. I loved watching Rumpelstiltskin put his child first.

Horowitz: In addition to the musical, I’d say the season finale has come together in a way where it really sums up so many different things for so many different characters.

What do you feel has been the overarching theme this year for the show?

Kitsis: I think the main one has been about belief. The belief that things can get better. The belief that you can get better. Believing in magic and believing in help, and I think the finale really is going to illustrate that.

Horowitz: Yeah, I’d agree with that. I’d say that there’s a surprising amount of strength and fortitude you need to have belief in anything. And it really comes to a head at the end of the season.

Explore Pandora – The World of Avatar and Sail with the New Pirates of the Caribbean Crew in the Summer Issue of Disney twenty-three

May 1, 2017May 1, 2017

By Nicole Nalty

The newest issue of Disney twenty-three is full of adventures! The magazine, exclusive to D23 Gold Members, features a double cover celebrating two of Disney’s most exciting summer experiences: the opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar at Walt Disney World, and the debut of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Readers will set out on a behind-the-scenes look at Pandora with the creative team responsible for this unprecedented project, including Walt Disney Imagineering’s Joe Rohde, Avatar director James Cameron, and Avatar producer Jon Landau, and meet Pirates newcomers Javier Bardem and Kaya Scodelario, who reveal what it was like to join the crew, as they set sail on an all-new adventure with Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, and Orlando Bloom.

See Johnny Depp (Captain Jack Sparrow) surprise unsuspecting Pirates of the Caribbean crews at Disneyland.

Plus, take a cruise through Cars 3 with Cristela Alonzo, take a tour of Duckburg with the creative team behind the upcoming reimagined DuckTales, and see what Thor’s been up to in an exclusive interview with Chris Hemsworth.

Get a first look at the triumphant return of Fantasmic! and Disneyland’s Rivers of America with Walt Disney Imagineering’s Steven Davison and Kim Irvine, and marvel over the art of Bambi in celebration of its 75^th anniversary year, created by Disney Legend Tyrus Wong and other influential artists.

Also included in the summer issue of Disney twenty-three:

A tour of Golden Oak Ranch, one of Disney’s most storied filming locations
Popular Disney myths busted
A celebration of Disney’s most innovative films, attractions, and experiments
A toy-filled edition of “From the Desk of” as we tour John Lasseter’s office at Pixar Animation Studios
Regular features including A Walk with Walt, D Society, and Ask Dave

Plus, all D23 Gold Members will receive a Na’vi translator card featuring the Shaman of Songs, the character featured on the attraction Na’vi River Journey. This card is a collectible on its own and, when used with the Na’vi language translator device (available at Pandora this summer), will tell the guest how to say the words in the Na’vi language.

The summer issue of Disney twenty-three will begin arriving mid-May! Learn more about D23 Gold Membership here.

5 Reasons to Watch the Radio Disney Music Awards Tonight

April 30, 2017

By Ingrid Meilan

The fifth-annual Radio Disney Music Awards were handed out on Saturday, April 29 in Los Angeles and will air on Disney Channel at 7 p.m. ET today. These are awards that are voted for by you, the fans, and the show is two hours of pure joy with a sprinkle of Disney magic. D23 was on-hand for the big night and we had a blast! Here are the five reasons why the 2017 RDMA was the most fun award show we’ve ever seen:

1. Good vibes

“Radio Disney is like a huge family,” Singer Skylar Stecker told us. Mech-X4’s Alyssa Jirrels concurred, saying, “There’s so much youthful energy and we all get to celebrate music and our peers. That’s a beautiful thing.” And it’s true: everywhere we looked, we saw people hugging, laughing, grinning for the Smile Cam and dancing. Forever in Your Mind’s Ricky Garcia summed the RDMA up for us in one sentence: “It’s about the kids, the fun, the positive vibes going around and all the awesome performances.”

2. It’s music’s biggest night for families

Just like the tunes on Radio Disney, the RDMA can be enjoyed by fans of all ages. Elena of Avalor’s Constance Marie, whose date was her daughter Luna, 8, told us, “I’m a grown woman and I screamed out loud when I found out I got tickets to the Radio Disney Music Awards! My daughter and I listen to Radio Disney in the car together all the time.” Stuck in the Middle’s Nicholas Bechtel, 12, told us that the RDMA was awarded the parental seal of approval in his household. “Before I was on the Disney Channel,” the actor told us, “my mom always let me watch this show. It was the one award show she wasn’t worried about being inappropriate for me.”

3. It’s made for Disney fans, by Disney fans

“It’s the Disney Grammys!” The Lion Guard’s Joshua Rush exclaimed. And truly, the RDMA is filled with magical moments for Disney fans. The crowd went wild at the world premiere of “Ways to be Wicked” from Descendants 2, sang every word along with Auli’i Cravalho, Alessia Cara, and Jordan Fisher’s gorgeous Moana medley and cheered when Noah Cyrus performed her hit single “Make Me (Cry)” while wearing a very cool Mickey Mouse shirt. Andi Mack actor Asher Angel confirmed that the stars are fans too when he excitedly told us, “I grew up watching the Disney Channel and it’s still crazy to think that I’m on it!”

4. Britney Spears

Everyone we talked to told us that they were looking forward to former Mouseketeer Britney Spears being awarded the first-ever ‘Icon’ Award. And the big moment did not disappoint. Kelsea Ballerini, Sofia Carson and Hailee Steinfeld paid homage to the pop princess by performing a mash-up of her biggest hits. Spears’ little sister Jamie Lynn also made a surprise cameo, bringing the superstar to tears as the audience chanted her name.

5. Heroes are in the house

The RDMA doesn’t just reward the musically talented. The show also recognizes people who are making a difference. Nick Jonas was honored with the ‘Hero’ Award for his work with the non-profit organization Beyond Type 1 which helps people living with diabetes. Youth leaders were also given RDMA ‘Heroes for Change’ awards for the charitable work they’ve done in their own communities. As Jonas remarked, being a hero isn’t reserved for celebrities. “Being a hero isn’t that you wear a cape or you’re a performer like me,” the singer said. “Every day gives you an opportunity to be a hero. Be kind to someone who needs it… raise your voice in some way, it does make a difference.”

Surprise! That Really Was Johnny Depp Inside Disneyland’s Pirates Attraction!

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

Meet Pandora – The World of Avatar’s Na’vi Shaman of Songs

Disney’s Descendants 2 Debuts Brand-New Trailer

The Co-Host Search is Over: Ryan Seacrest Joins Live!

Behind-the-Scenes Fun from Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

75 Days of Delicious: Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Goes Big for ‘17

May the Force Be with Your Mobile Device—Star Wars: Puzzle Droids

A Historic Sailing for the Disney Wonder

Exclusive: Captain Killian “Hook” Jones (Colin O’Donoghue) in this Sunday’s musical episode.

Exclusive: Captain Killian “Hook” Jones (Colin O’Donoghue) and pirates in this Sunday’s musical episode.

See Johnny Depp (Captain Jack Sparrow) surprise unsuspecting Pirates of the Caribbean crews at Disneyland.

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