Title for Next Star Wars Film Revealed—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Star Wars: Episode VIII Title Revealed!

Well, the moment has arrived: Star Wars: Episode VIII, scheduled for release December 15 (a date we already have circled in red permanent marker on our calendar), has finally gotten an official title! And it’s ever so tantalizing…

According to our pals over at StarWars.com, the film—set to be “the next chapter in the Skywalker saga”—shall henceforth be known as Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This eighth installment of the continuing Star Wars saga is directed by Rian Johnson; produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman; and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski.

Stay tuned for more The Last Jedi news in the days and weeks to come…

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
February 4, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Tangled On the Lot
February 10, 2017
Lunch with a Disney Legend: Dave Smith
February 11, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Tangled in Florida
February 19, 2017
D23 Member Night at Freaky Friday at La Jolla Playhouse
July 14-16, 2017
D23 Expo 2017
Studios
February 16, 18 and 22, 2017
Newsies in select movie theaters
March 17, 2017
Beauty and the Beast opens in theaters
April 21, 2017
Born in China opens in theaters
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 		Parks
January 13–February 20, 2017
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
January 20–February 5, 2017
Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure park
March 10–April 16, 2017
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
August 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
Television
February 26, 2017
The Oscars® are broadcast on ABC

Marvel on Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line Expands Marvel Day at Sea in 2018

This year, for the very first time, Disney Cruise Line is welcoming guests into the astounding world of Marvel—and they’ve decided to extend the adventures through 2018. Next year, guests will continue to celebrate Marvel Day at Sea on the Disney Magic during eight special voyages from Miami, departing January through April. These just-announced Marvel Day at Sea voyages will follow the premiere of the epic event on seven special sailings from New York City this fall.

The special day-long party combines the thrills of renowned Marvel comics, films, and animated shows with the sea-bound excitement of a Disney Cruise to summon everyone’s inner Super Hero! Guests will enjoy exclusive character interactions—including the debut of Black Panther and Loki, and the first official appearance of Iron Man on a Disney Cruise Line ship! Over in the Walt Disney Theatre, a spellbinding new Doctor Strange-themed production will keep families on the edge of their seats.

Plus, look for all-day entertainment (including interactions with some of the mightiest Marvel Super Heroes and the menacing foes who oppose them), an incredible deck bash, Marvel-themed activities for kids, special merchandise, and totally unique food and drink offerings. For more info on the Marvel Day at Sea sailings in 2017 and ’18, visit DisneyCruise.com.

Color by Disney App—Now Available for iOS and Android

Looking to add a little more Disney and Pixar magic to your everyday life? Enter the new Color by Disney App, now available for both iOS and Android! This unique coloring platform is designed to inspire and foster creative expression using an amazingly extensive library of Disney art! It’s sure to unlock hours of imaginative coloring… not to mention relaxation. Building on the trend of coloring books for adults—and the popularity of Disney’s “Art of Coloring” book series—Color by Disney is ready to help you take the fun of coloring “on the go.”

With a Color by Disney subscription (there are three to choose from), users instantly gain unlimited access to an ever-growing art collection of premium Disney and Pixar coloring images—with new content added weekly, and new features already on the horizon. You can find the app now on the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, and the Windows App Store. Take a sneak peek at the app via the video clip above!

New Trailer for Tangled: Before Ever After

We’re pretty sure you’re as excited for Tangled: Before Ever After (and the TV series it’s kicking off) as we are—and this latest trailer, which just debuted last week, has left us positively breathless! We can’t wait to find out exactly how Rapunzel’s long blonde hair grows back, and what kind of shenanigans the gang gets up to this time around. Take a gander at the teaser, above.

Tangled: Before Ever After comes to Disney Channel in March as a brand-new Disney Channel Original Movie, and it’s all in advance of Tangled: The Series, which will premiere soon after. Original voice actors Mandy Moore (Rapunzel) and Zachary Levi (Eugene) are returning for both the DCOM and the series; joining them are luminaries including Eden Espinosa (Broadway’s Wicked) as Rapunzel’s handmaiden and confidant, Cassandra; and Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) as Pete the Guard.

Beauty and the Beast logo

Celine Dion Added to New Beauty and the Beast Soundtrack

We remember it well… The first time we heard “Beauty and the Beast,” the title song from the legendary 1991 Disney animated feature. Life-changing, right? Well, while Ariana Grande and John Legend will be lending their dulcet delivery to the song popularized by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson (a Grammy®, Golden Globe®, and Oscar®-winning tune) for the upcoming live-action retelling, that doesn’t mean Ms. Celine will be absent from the new soundtrack.

In fact, Celine recently announced that she’ll be singing a new song, titled “How Does A Moment Last Forever”—written by original Beauty composer Alan Menken and Sir Tim Rice (of The Lion King fame)—that will play over the end credits of the film. So mark your calendars for Beauty and the Beast’s big debut on March 17… and make sure to stick around ‘til the end!

Disney Releases Earn 9 Oscar Nominations

By Beth Deitchman

And the Oscar® goes to…

We’ll find out who takes home the trophy on Oscar Sunday, February 26, but this morning we learned the names of the films and talented people behind them who have been nominated for the 89th Academy Awards®. Disney releases were honored in six categories, earning nine nods in all.

Walt Disney Animation Studios received three nominations, including nods for Moana and Zootopia for best Animated Feature Film, while three films—Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Jungle Book, and Doctor Strange—were recognized for their innovative visual effects.

Moana

The Academy Award® nominees were announced via a live-streamed event that was broadcast around the globe. Lin-Manuel Miranda, currently filming Mary Poppins Returns for The Walt Disney Studios in London, enthused, “I spent a good chunk of my childhood memorizing Billy Crystal’s musical Oscar monologues, so this is insane. Seeing The Little Mermaid changed my life at 9 years old, so to work with its directors, Ron Clements and John Musker, on Moana has been a dream come true. I share this humbling honor with them, my Moana songwriting partners, Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, and the entire Disney family. Congratulations to all this morning’s incredible nominees. And future congratulations to the kids watching the telecast this year, singing along with their favorite songs, performing epic private concerts for the mirror with a comb or a toothbrush microphone. You’re next.”

Zootopia

Nominated alongside Moana in the Animated Feature Film category, Zootopia’s directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore and producer Clark Spencer said, “We want to thank the Academy for honoring the hard work and passion that each and every artist put into Zootopia—the film, and its message of unity in a complex world, has been recognized in ways we couldn’t have possibly imagined.”

Rogue One

John Knoll acknowledged the large team that contributed to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’s nomination in the Visual Effects category. “Although the Academy only recognizes four people on the nomination itself, visual effects is truly a team effort and we had an incredible team on this film. On behalf of the nearly 800 artists, technicians and production folks around the world who contributed tirelessly to the work you see on screen and, equally important, everything that goes on behind the scenes to make it happen, we are deeply honored to receive this recognition,” he said.

The Jungle Book

Speaking on behalf of The Jungle Book, also honored for the visual effects that made it possible for a single human actor to appear alongside a jungle of photorealistic wild animals, Rob Legato remarked, “This nomination is such a thrill and at the same time quite humbling when you remember that we represent the vast contributions of a tremendous team of artists—from Jon Favreau’s expert direction, to the actors’ inspired performances and the partnership of the animators to bring those performances to life, to the cinematography, art direction, set design and lighting, the list goes on and on. While the film was virtually created there is nothing virtual about the caliber and artistic contribution of literally hundreds of filmmakers sharing one vision for the film.”

Doctor Strange

The stunning visual effects of Marvel’s Doctor Strange were also recognized in the category. Visual Effects Supervisor Stephane Ceretti said, “What an incredible list of films and great people to be amongst. Thank you Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Scott Derrickson, Susan Pickett, and the amazing team at Marvel. Congratulations to my partners on the film Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli, Paul Corbould, and the many artists who all contributed so much.”

This year’s Oscars marks first nomination for ESPN Films, which was nominated in the Documentary (Feature) category for O.J.: Made in America. “In many ways, O.J.: Made in America broke traditional formats in terms of its length and distribution, so it is incredibly gratifying to see this remarkable film be recognized simply for the quality and power of Ezra’s work,” Connor Schell, senior vice president and executive producer, ESPN Films and Original Content, ESPN, said, adding, “I congratulate the entire team that worked so hard on this project. It’s a proud day for ESPN Films to be nominated for an Academy Award in the company of such important work like I Am Not Your Negro; 13th; Life, Animated and Fire at Sea.

Here is the full list of nominees from Disney releases:

Animated Feature Film
Moana
Zootopia

Documentary (Feature)
O.J.: Made in America

Original Song
“How Far I’ll Go”—Moana

Short Film (Animated)
Piper

Sound Mixing
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Visual Effects
The Jungle Book
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Doctor Strange

The awards will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 26. Jimmy Kimmel will host the live broadcast, which airs on ABC beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

2017 Oscars

Just Keep Swimming with 10 Fun Facts About Finding Nemo—The Musical

By D23 Team

Today we are celebrating 10 years of going somewhere beyond the sea with Finding Nemo—The Musical, a spectacular of puppetry, music, and Disney•Pixar magic at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! To celebrate this milestone anniversary, we have an ocean full of facts about the show!

  1. The musical swam into Disney’s Animal Kingdom in January 2007, but we were singing with the fishes even earlier, in previews for the musical that started on November 5, 2006.
  2. The 14 swimmingly original songs were composed by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who would again team up to make magical music for the hit Disney animated feature Frozen.

    3. Finding Nemo the Musical

  3. Live actors sing, dance, act, and puppeteer to bring the story of Nemo and friends to life, but on the soundtrack recording, our favorite sparkling songwriters perform the tracks, with Bobby Lopez as Marlin and Kristen Anderson-Lopez as Dory.
  4. You’ll probably leave the show humming the main theme, “Big Blue World,” but you might have the song stuck in your head for another reason! Before Nemo and friends sang the tune on the stage, “Big Blue World” was originally first heard inside The Seas with Nemo & Friends attraction at Epcot.
  5. The Disney magic runs deep in the production of this musical. The puppets of our favorite fishies were created by Michael Curry, who designed the richly-detailed character puppets seen in the Broadway version of Disney’s The Lion King.
  6. Finding Nemo—The Musical made waves as the first non-musical Disney or Disney•Pixar animated feature to be transformed into an original musical production. The magic was repeated for Toy Story: The Musical on Disney Cruise Line, adding more musical elements to movies we already love.

    7. Finding Nemo the Musical

  7. While many of our favorite characters, including Marlin, Nemo and Dory, are represented by live performers operating larger-than-life puppets, other creatures in the sea are realized by a diverse array of puppetry styles, including rod, bunraku, and shadow.
  8. Performed on a stage flanked by big bubbles, the musical numbers shimmer with wondrous underwater effects created with innovative lighting, dynamic props, and animated projections.

    9. Finding Nemo the Musical

  9. Finding Nemo—The Musical was the first major musical spectacular produced for the Walt Disney World Resort by Disney Creative Entertainment. Previously, the team wowed us with Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure and The Golden Mickeys on Disney Cruise Line and at Hong Kong Disneyland.
  10. The show is performed inside the 1,500-seat Theater in the Wild at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This venue was originally an amphitheater, host to classics like Journey into the Jungle Book (1998) and Tarzan Rocks! (1999). Now enclosed, the theater allows us to enter the underwater world of Finding Nemo—The Musical (2007).

Celebrate Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure

By Jim Frye

There’s a whooooole lot of excitement being squeezed into 17 days as Mulan and Mushu welcome guests for the Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure Park. Now through February 5, you can join in the fun as the brave princess and her trusty—yet mischievous—dragon dance on screens of mist at Paradise Bay, lead a procession of beautiful Chinese umbrella dancers and other performers, and spread out a scrumptious feast with foods inspired by the cultures of China, Korea, and Vietnam.

DCA Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year, traditionally celebrated within Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures, commemorates the moment when both the sun and the moon begin their journey for another year. This year, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, together with Mulan, Mushu, Chip, and Dale, don their most festive Lunar New Year costumes for a joyous celebration that commemorates the Year of the Rooster. There’s a lot to see, do, and taste throughout the event.

Each night prior to World of Color, a new feature called Hurry Home—Lunar New Year Celebration tells the heartwarming tale of a Lunar New Year homecoming. The six-minute feature is presented in sequences, utilizing projected animation along with the lighting, special effects, and powerful fountains of World of Color.

DCA Lunar New Year

Hurry Home tells the story of a Little Lantern’s journey as it returns home for the annual celebration of good luck and fortune. Little Lantern encounters three “dream sequences,” featuring appearances by Mulan and the dragon Mushu. This pre-show employs two contrasting animation styles, with fully rendered CG animation and sequences inspired by traditional Chinese paper cut-out style animation. The story is scored with music created for the opening ceremony of Shanghai Disney Resort by Academy Award®-winning composer Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).

There are also a number of live performances and toe-tapping processions to get guests in the festive spirit, most of them centered around the Paradise Garden Grill and the Paradise Garden Bandstand area. The marquee event, of course, is Mulan and Mushu’s magical march honoring Lunar New Year, family, and friendship. The parade features beautiful umbrella dancers, drummers, and a spectacular dragon, all choreographed to the score of Disney’s Mulan.

DCA Lunar New Year

The Acrobats of China perform an exciting mix of traditional and classic Chinese dance with human performance art including riveting feats of strength, grace, and balance. This award-winning troupe showcases a cultural art form that has been thrilling audiences for more than 2,500 years. And while you eat, enjoy an array of performers, including Chinese concert musician Jie Ma performing on the traditional pipa string instrument, and Vietnamese concert guitarist, composer, and teacher Dat Nguyen.

And speaking of eating, the food offerings are enough to keep you coming back all 17 days! For a sampling of Chinese cuisine, try the pork soup dumplings or turnip cakes with spicy sausage. Korean delicacies include kimchi fried rice and steamed vegetable dumplings. And, for a bit of Vietnamese flavor, try the sticky rice cake with pork and sugarcane shrimp skewers. Also, at Paradise Garden Grill, guests can try the vegetable japchae, kalbi beef short ribs with steamed rice, whole crispy tilapia with citrus chili vinaigrette, beef pho noodle soup, mango pudding (don’t miss it!) and cassava-coconut cake.

You can also make your own wish for a wonderful future at Lucky Wishing Wall, get your photo taken with your favorite characters (who will be in traditional Chinese garb), and pick up some cool commemorative merchandise, including a specially designed T-shirt, pin, decorative trinket box, and traditional red envelopes for gift-giving.

Come ring in The Year of the Rooster as Disney California Adventure celebrates Lunar New Year through February 5. You can check for daily entertainment schedules as they become available, at Disneyland.com/LunarNewYear.

Extra! Extra! Newsies Stars Talk About Bringing the Show From Stage to Screen!

By Courtney Potter

Ready to “Seize the Day” in a whole new way? Disney Theatrical Productions has partnered with Fathom Events (the leaders in entertainment events broadcast to the big screen) to bring their Tony Award®-winning smash hit musical Newsies to cinemas across the country. And they’ll “open the gates” for a rare three-day event this February! Check out this inside look for the exclusive experience, below.

Filmed live on stage at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre this past September, Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical was once again directed by Tony® nominee Jeff Calhoun, and stars original Broadway cast members Jeremy Jordan (The CW’s Supergirl), reprising his Tony-nominated role as charismatic newsboy leader Jack Kelly; Kara Lindsay as intrepid reporter Katherine Plummer; Ben Fankhauser as apprehensive but passionate newsboy Davey; and Andrew Keenan-Bolger as lovable Crutchie. Joined by North American Tour stars Steve Blanchard as Joseph Pulitzer and Aisha de Haas as Medda Larkin, along with members of both the Broadway and North American Tour ensembles, the stage for this special one-night-only performance was filled with more “newsies”—and more ridiculously high-energy dancing, from Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli—than ever before.

D23 was fortunate enough to attend the filming—which took place after several weeks of round-the-clock rehearsals for both the cast and the film crew. During one of those rehearsals, D23 spoke with several members of the cast about what makes this event so extraordinary. “Coming back to the show has been crazy and amazing all at the same time,” says Lindsay (currently starring on Broadway as Glinda in Wicked). “It’s been what, three years? But it all kind of comes back as well. There’s a lot of muscle memory that kicks in… we’re all family, so it’s nice to be with our ‘siblings’ again and get to tell the story together again. We have so much fun, it’s stupid that it’s a job!”

Keenan-Bolger agrees, adding, “I think any time you spend some time away from a project, there are all these little light bulbs that come up. You might be in line for Starbucks and think of a line reading that you never tried out. So, having spent a few years away from it and getting to return, I feel like there’s a whole new vitality in the Broadway cast—and a lot of it feels like we’re doing it for the first time.” Not even a busy TV schedule could keep Jordan away from this one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “I missed the first few days of rehearsal for Newsies because I had to work on [Supergirl],” he admits. “So I had to re-memorize the whole show before I got to rehearsal and hit the ground running. I didn’t really sleep much that first week—but then the second week, I felt like all I did was sleep when I wasn’t shooting! The cast all gelled instantly—and after a day or two, the show felt like an old glove.” With a magnetic score by Tony winners Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid) and Jack Feldman, and a script by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein, the show has truly universal appeal. Says Jordan, “It has all the elements of a successful musical… memorable songs, great dancing, a snappy script, a great combination of humor and drama, a strong ensemble, and relatable characters.”

It’s the opportunity for fans across the country to see a Broadway production—preserved in its entirety (and even including a song for Crutchie, “Letter from the Refuge,” cut from the show during its move from New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse to the Nederlander Theatre in New York City in 2012)—right in their own hometown that really excites Fankhauser. “It’s so amazing to go into a movie theater and get that real ‘stage’ experience,” he explains, “and I take that with me as an artist, in terms of the impact it has on the audience… that impact that’s reaching through the screen. I think to have our show be so accessible through Fathom Events, it’s just going to further the momentum of it—and the love that everyone has for it. I think it’s so cool.” Keenan-Bolger continues, “There are going to be a lot of kids who will turn to their parents and say, ‘I want to do that.’ It’s going to be a lot of people’s first experience with musical theater—and I think in that, there lies a lot of responsibility for us to make this the most spectacular performance ever.”

Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical will also include exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and creators. Tickets for the three showings—on February 16, 18, and 22—and information about the select 700 movie theaters participating can be found at FathomEvents.com. Showings will also take place at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, CA on February 16 (sold out), 18, and 22.

These Disney Films are Real Page-Turners

By Courtney Potter

There’s nothing quite like cracking open a book for the very first time. It’s like turning the page straight into the greatest adventure of your life! Books—and the magical stories contained therein—held the key for much of Walt Disney’s early feature-film success. The Walt Disney Company’s first full-length animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), was based on a 19th-century German fairy tale popularized by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. So it’s no surprise that Walt would begin the film with an image (and a live-action one, at that) of a storybook, opening to the title page…

Over the years, many Disney films begin with this same tantalizing motif—a storybook, either live-action or animated, slowly opening and inviting us in. D23 took a spin through some of the most famous of these openings, and uncovered a few interesting facts along the way!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
According to our friends over at the Walt Disney Archives, this prop book not only still exists—a feat, considering its age—but is also currently on tour in Japan as part of their Power of Princess exhibit. The English-language version of the book features a specially carved spine… while a second version of the book (presumably used for international releases of the film) features a Dutch cover!

Pinocchio
This beloved character, the “wooden puppet who dreamt of being a real boy,” first appeared in a children’s novel by Italian writer Carlo Collodi in 1883. In Disney’s 1940 feature, the book in the animated opening sequence is seen next to several other stories on a shelf, including Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland—titles that The Walt Disney Studios would later produce.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
This two-part 1949 film—featuring animated retellings of Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, narrated by Basil Rathbone, and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, narrated (and sung) by Bing Crosby—has two storybook openings, which pull us right into the wacky shenanigans.

Cinderella
Another prop currently on tour in the Walt Disney Archives’ Power of Princess exhibit, is used to open Cinderella (1950). This tome features a leather cover with a suitably fancy metal latch. Fans of the gal in the glass slipper may remember that a prop storybook was also featured in the 2015 live-action Cinderella; that book is titled Perrault Birds Tales (a reference to author Charles Perrault) and is also preserved in the Archives.

Sleeping Beauty
Seen in several Archives exhibits over the years, the prop book from the opening sequence of this 1959 film showcases beautifully intricate artwork—depicting the tale on which the film is based—and is attributed to Disney Legend Eyvind Earle. (Over hundreds of years, several famous authors told a “Sleeping Beauty” story, including Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm.)

The Sword and the Stone
The Sword and the Stone (released in 1963) is based on the Arthurian legend—which stated that only the rightful king of Britain could pull a sword (usually called “Excalibur,” but also known as “Gram” in some Norse versions of the tale) from a stone—as well as a 1938 novel by T.H. White.

The Jungle Book (1967)
A great example of a live-action storybook opening for an animated film, The Jungle Book (1967)—the last animated feature overseen by Walt Disney before his passing in 1966—was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s novelized adventure of the same name.

Robin Hood
Another feature based more on legend than a lone tome, Robin Hood (released in 1973) tells the tale of the English hero who “robbed from the rich and gave to the poor.” Fun fact: The Walt Disney Studios put out their own live-action version of the tale in 1952, entitled The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men. It was Disney’s second fully live-action feature and was produced at Denham Studios in England.

The Prince and the Pauper
In this animated short that accompanied the film The Rescuers Down Under, Mickey Mouse takes on the classic story of silly switching, playing dual roles of the impoverished youth and the prince who discover they look exactly alike.

Enchanted
This 2007 film found Disney once again employing a unique mix of animation and live-action—so of course it warranted its very own storybook opening sequence! We especially love the “pop-up book” look of the castle as the book’s cover flies open…

Disney’s A Christmas Carol
Disney’s retelling of the legendary Charles Dickens tale (first adapted for the 1983 film Mickey’s Christmas Carol) was released in 2009, starring Jim Carrey—as multiple roles—and directed by Robert Zemeckis. The film employed amazing performance-capture technique, in which actors were filmed with digital cameras (in a full 360 degrees) and then “translated” into animated images.

Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Walt Disney Animation Studios revived the beloved Winnie the Pooh character for a new, traditionally animated film—inspired by two previously unadapted A.A. Milne stories and released in 2011. A large, open version of the Winnie the Pooh storybook was recreated for the Disney Winnie the Pooh exhibition that the Walt Disney Archives helped curate in Japan in 2014.

The Jungle Book (2016)
While this novel is technically a storybook ending, we would be remiss if we didn’t include last year’s live-action/CGI retelling of The Jungle Book, directed by Jon Favreau. The storybook flies open, revealing King Louie’s temple as if it had been carved directly into its pages!

Getting Ready for the Main Street Electrical Parade’s Return to Disneyland

By Nicole Nalty

Just shy of its debut 45 years ago, the Main Street Electrical Parade makes a triumphant return to Disneyland park. The parade’s lengthy run and cross-country travels have solidified its fan-favorite status for Disney fans young and young at heart, and we can’t wait to celebrate on the West Coast. If you’re planning a trip to see the Main Street Electrical Parade, here’s everything you need to know to make the most of the sparkling spectacular’s homecoming.

Main Street Electrical Parade

Time is Ticking
This family favorite won’t be around forever! The Main Street Electrical Parade makes its debut on January 20 and will run nightly at Disneyland park until June 18. If you live near the mouse house, you’ve got plenty of opportunities to catch this parade before it glows away, and if you’re deciding whether or not to make a trip this spring, we think this will tip the scale. (At least for us!)

Main Street Electrical Parade

Embrace the Nostalgia
The Main Street Electrical Parade evokes a feeling of nostalgia in many fans, and we’re sure magical memories will come rushing back the second we hear “Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls.” While we wait, we’ll just keep watching this enchanting commercial featuring more favorites of years gone-by… how many can you spot?

Drumming Right Down the Middle of Main Street, U.S.A.
Speaking of nostalgia, our friends at the Disney Parks Blog shared even more good news––the parade’s original opening float will return with the parade! Fans may remember Casey Jr. pulling a larger-than-life drum that read “Disneyland Presents… Main Street Electrical Parade” down Main Street during its original run, and now you can see it again in all its glowing glory.

Main Street Electrical Parade merchandise

Magical Mementos
Adorable––and illuminating!––items will hit the shelves of Disneyland park stores during the parade’s limited time run. We’re particularly fond of the animated glow headband…

Main Street Electrical Parade food

Electrifying Eats
Secure the best spot on the street with a Main Street Electrical Parade Dining Package. Fans can enjoy a three-course meal at Blue Bayou Restaurant or an On-The-Go dining package at Aladdin’s Oasis. All dining packages come with reserved viewing for the parade, so choose what works best for you!

Jay Leno Shifts Gears for Mickey and the Roadster Racers

By Beth Deitchman

When executive producer Rob LaDuca and co-executive producer/supervising story editor Mark Seidenberg began to imagine Hot Dog Hills—the mini-metropolis that the characters of Mickey and the Roadster Racers call home—they wanted to fill it with colorful personalities from the world of racing, along with cars that would be as unique as their drivers. They’ve gotten invaluable assistance in both areas from one person: comedy legend Jay Leno. The noted car collector invited the creative team to his garage for research, and he had such a good time he’s sticking around in Hot Dog Hills, lending his voice to the character of Billy Beagle, racetrack announcer and head of the Beagle Boys Camera Crew.

Billy Beagle from Mickey and the Roadster Racers

LaDuca, Seidenberg, and the team looked at a variety of extraordinary cars and car collections, including those of 1960s car designer Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and cars “kustomized” by George Barris—the man behind the original Batmobile and the Munster Koach, to name just two. But knowing that Jay Leno’s famed garage is just a Sunday drive from the Mickey and the Roadster Racers production office, the creative team arranged to take a field trip to meet Leno and view his vast collection.

Leno details that he pointed out the difference between modern cars and those from a bygone era—which, he explains, were quirkier. “Cars have to look a certain way now,” Leno tells D23, “but when you see cars of the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s with enormous headlights and big grilles in the front, they take on an anthropomorphic sort of tendency—they tend to look human. The grille looks like a smile or a frown. The headlights look like big eyes. Older cars look more friendly [than modern cars], like a big dog.”

The creative team was steeped in car history during their visits, as Leno showed them vehicles that included early electric cars, cars that run on steam, and European sports cars, among others. “When you see cars from the turn of the century and from the early 1920s, roads were not paved, so the wheels were huge and the cars tended to sit higher up off the ground,” Leno notes. “And because it’s animated, you can have a car from 1920 competing with a modern super car from today and doing equally well in the race.”

Mickey and the Roadster Racers

“The fun thing about having people who are not ‘car people’ [creating the show] is that car people tend to take things literally,” Leno observes. “[They’d say] ‘The car could never do that.’ But you can do whatever you want, it’s a cartoon—you can make it fly if you want! So they would come and see the different types of vehicles and utilize elements from one and put it on the other,” he adds. Leno pointed out details and made suggestions and, he says, “That was the fun part—showing them steam engines that blow huge clouds of steam, which another character could use to block the guy behind him, things that like. You want to have a little basis in reality.”

When it comes to voicing the very verbose and loquacious Billy Beagle, Leno enjoys being a little larger than life. “The character has a bit of an ego and he likes to make himself sound more important than he is,” Leno explains. The team has taken full advantage of having, in Jay Leno, a voice actor with quick comedic wit and impressive automotive acumen. “Jay loves to ad lib and make jokes, so we record everything and then go back in and see how many ad libs we have time for within the animation,” LaDuca says, adding, “A lot of his ad libs have to do with cars, so he brings a lot of knowledge to the recording session.”

“It’s fun to throw in kid jokes and things that will be silly and fun, and I enjoy pitching ideas,” Leno tells D23, and he wants Billy Beagle to amuse all members of the family. “The trick is to try and find contemporary references that parents will think are funny and kids will think are silly—that’s the tricky part, but that makes it fun to do,” he says.

Mickey and the Roadster Racers

But the lifelong car enthusiast hopes that kids don’t just find Mickey and the Roadster Racers funny, but that they take inspiration from it. “I hope it makes them curious about mechanical things. Video games and that kind of stuff are OK, but you’re not learning how things go together or how things work,” he states. “I like to see kids come away with a little something that makes them understand how things move and makes them curious about how a car would go down the road and what propels it.”

Tim Gunn Talks Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Disney Magic and his Disney Fashion “Fab Five”

By Beth Deitchman

Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy are off and running in the brand-new animated series Mickey and the Roadster Racers, which debuted on Disney Junior and Disney Channel this weekend. The old friends are in new roles, racing their unique transforming vehicles in competitions all around the globe; and Tim Gunn has taken on a new role for the series, as well. Gunn, beloved as the voice of Baileywick on Sofia the First and as mentor to aspiring designers on Project Runway, is lending his voice to Robbie Roberts, a world-famous—and maybe even a little world-weary—travel writer reporting on Mickey and the gang’s high-speed adventures. D23 chatted with Gunn recently about his favorite Disney memories, and asked him to reveal his “Fab Five” Disney fashions…

D23: What can you tell me about your character, renowned travel writer Robbie Roberts?
Tim Gunn (TG): He’s a curmudgeon; an extremely seasoned traveler who has seen everything, so for him, basically everything is guilty until proven innocent—but I will say that Mickey and company completely win him over and he ends up being a die-hard fan.

Robbie Roberts

D23: On Project Runway, you’re so supportive and protective of the designers, and Baileywick (on Sofia the First) has that same quality with Sofia. How is it different voicing this character?
TG: In a manner of speaking, Robbie Roberts is a more inclusive version of who I actually am—because I can be rather jaded and cynical about things—but I have an open mind and if circumstances present themselves in a way that my viewpoint can be altered, it happens. And that’s exactly what happens with Robbie Roberts, which I think makes the impact even more joyous and, in some ways, more believable.

D23: When you were growing up, did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine that you would lend your voice to an animated Disney project—let alone two?
TG: I never, ever dreamed it. It’s totally and completely surreal. I grew up with Mickey Mouse and Minnie and Pluto and Goofy. The first time I went to Walt Disney World in Florida, my mother took our very small family for our first trip. My niece and nephew were 4 and 7 at the time and—this is the Robbie Roberts in me—I thought, “What is this experience going to be like?” But I have to tell you, we were there for less than 24 hours and I was bitten by the entire Walt Disney World bug! I went down into the lobby of our hotel and Goofy was there, and I went running back to the rooms, saying to my niece and nephew, “Get up! Get up! Goofy’s in the lobby—you’ve got to run!” It was very contagious!

D23: Do you have a favorite attraction?
TG: I love Peter Pan’s Flight, when you’re suddenly suspended over London. I found the whole thing so beautiful, I think I rode on it a dozen times.

D23: You really are a member of the Disney family now—what does that mean to you?
TG: It’s a huge, wonderful honor. I get chills when I think about it and I pinch myself every day. Whenever anyone asks me if there’s something that I haven’t done that I want to do, I say, “Absolutely not.” If nothing ever, ever happened to me again I couldn’t feel more fulfilled and fortunate than I am.

We couldn’t help but ask Tim Gunn to tell us his “Fab Five” fashions from all of the worlds of Disney. He, of course, didn’t hesitate to “make it work.”

Cinderella and Fairy Godmother

1. Cinderella in Cinderella: For me, I love all of the iconic looks, starting with Cinderella in the gown that she fled the ball in.

Alice and White Rabbit

2. Alice in Alice in Wonderland: I grew up with Disney movies, and Alice in Wonderland, the animated film, is a favorite. Alice’s pinafore is definitely on my list.

Maleficent

3. Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty: She totally terrified me, but I was fascinated by her outfit. The Disney characters [created] for me, my first real awareness of the power of what I now call the semiotics of clothes—that the clothes we wear send a message about how the world perceives us.

Darth Vader

4. Darth Vader in Star Wars: Talk about allegory! Another villain, Darth Vader, [is an example of how] you can tell many things about the quality of character—or lack thereof—by what he or she is wearing.

Queen of Hearts

5. The Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland: Red is such a color of power, and that character is in such high command of the circumstances surrounding her and what’s happening. I just remember being totally captivated.

Fabulous Minnie-Inspired Photos—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Celebrate National Polka Dot Day with Minnie-Inspired Photography

Get ready to rock your dots with Minnie Mouse fans around the world on Sunday, January 22: National Polka Dot Day! To celebrate the big day—and to kick off this year’s #RockTheDots, the annual worldwide party for fashion muse Minnie and her super-cute polka-dot style—fine art photographer Gray Malin has released a new series inspired by the style icon set against Hollywood’s most iconic landscape… the red carpet.

Malin recently released a new video art piece, and “Leading Lady” image, celebrating Minnie Mouse via his Instagram account, ahead of revealing the full series on Tuesday night, January 17. Malin—known for his unique aerial compositions—took inspiration from Minnie’s long Hollywood history to stage a photograph using white parasols to illustrate his muse’s trademark polka-dotted dress… and to give a hearty nod to Hollywood glamour at the same time.

Wanna own a piece of this year’s #RockTheDots? Prints are available via Malin’s website, here.

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
January 19, 2017
D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience: The Magic of Disney Park Maps
February 4, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Tangled On the Lot
February 11, 2017
D23’s Magical Screening Series: Tangled in FloridaFebruary 19, 2017
D23 Member Night at Freaky Friday at La Jolla Playhouse
July 14-16, 2017
D23 Expo 2017
Studios
February 16, 18 and 22, 2017
Newsies in select movie theaters
March 17, 2017
Beauty and the Beast opens in theaters
April 21, 2017
Born in China opens in theaters
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		 Parks
January 13–February 20, 2017
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
January 20, 2017
Main Street Electrical Parade returns to Disneyland park
January 20–February 5, 2017
Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure park
March 10–April 16, 2017
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
August 31-November 13, 2017
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
Television
February 26, 2017
The Oscars® are broadcast on ABC

New Descendants 2 Teaser Trailer Premieres on Oh My Disney

Disney Channel movie enthusiasts, listen up! Our pals over at Oh My Disney just revealed a brand-new teaser trailer for Descendants 2, the wickedly cool upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie sequel that premieres this summer. The film will once again feature Dove Cameron as Mal, Sofia Carson as Evie, Booboo Stewart as Jay, Cameron Boyce as Carlos, and Mitchell Hope as King Ben—as well as new addition China Anne McClain as Uma, daughter of fave The Little Mermaid baddie Ursula. Take a gander at the clip, above.

Descendants 2 (which also just revealed its new poster on their Twitter feed) will premiere later this year… so keep your eyes peeled for an official debut date soon!

Star Wars on Disney Cruise Line

Star Wars Day at Sea Returns to Disney Cruise Line in 2018

Ready to “go rogue” on the high seas? (We sure are!) Well, pack your bags—because Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has just announced that their über-popular Star Wars Day at Sea events are coming back in early 2018. The totally epic day will be part of 15 special Disney Fantasy sailings to the Caribbean from January through April next year.

Each event will feature a full day of Star Wars celebrations—including a spectacular deck party (complete with fireworks display), encounters with all your favorite galactic pals, Star Wars-themed family- and kid-friendly activities, special food and drink offerings, and cool themed merchandise.

The western Caribbean itinerary includes Cozumel, Mexico; Falmouth, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, and Castaway Cay; while the eastern Caribbean itinerary includes Tortola, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay. For more info on all of DCL’s 2018 itineraries (as well as cruises throughout 2017), lightspeed to DisneyCruiseLine.com.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Epcot International Festival of the Arts—Now through February 20!

There’s a fabulous event happening at Walt Disney World Resort right this very minute… and if you haven’t heard about it yet, we’re here to clue you in (especially those of you heading there for vacation over these next few weeks). You do not want to miss your chance to visit the very first Epcot International Festival of the Arts—a showcase of visual, culinary, and performing arts from around the world. The fest is held each weekend (Friday through Monday) from now through February 20, and features new art every week—showcasing work by Disney legends Mary Blair and Herb Ryman, and live demonstrations by the likes of Costa Alvezos and Joe Kaminski.

But that’s not all: Disney Theatrical Productions is getting into the mix, providing an amazing showcase of Broadway talent—singing songs from shows like The Lion King, Aladdin, and Newsies—at the America Gardens Theatre. For a complete rundown on the entire festival from D23.com, click here.

Star Wars Force Arena

Mobile Gaming Fun with Star Wars: Force Arena

If you’re craving more Star Wars action in your day-to-day (and seriously, who isn’t?), look no further than the latest mobile game from Netmarble Games Corp.—one of the fastest-growing mobile game companies in Asia—and Lucasfilm. Star Wars: Force Arena allows players to build a powerful team of iconic Star Wars characters to lead into real-time battles against other players, fighting with (or against) friends… and it’s now available in a whopping 154 countries around the globe!

Star Wars: Force Arena includes more than 80 playable in-game cards, 60 of which are beloved Star Wars characters that match with their own unique units to create powerful duo combinations. And don’t worry—the roster also includes new faces from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Available now on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and on Google Play for Android devices, Star Wars: Force Arena might be a great way to scratch that Star Wars itch as we head towards Episode VIII’s debut this December!