By Courtney Potter
The newest land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios glimmers and gleams when the sun goes down, and we learn all about The Wasp’s origins… Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!
Toy Story Land Will Light Up the Night at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
We’re mere days away from the opening of Toy Story Land inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort—which means all the final touches are being added and finessed. From the pictures and videos we’ve already seen, the land will be unbelievably colorful during the day… but the visual fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down! Check out this new clip, above (courtesy of our pals at Disney Parks), all about the incredible lighting and sound being employed specifically for nighttime enjoyment.
Hear from Walt Disney Imagineering’s Hannah Brennan, Ryan Wineinger, and Dave Minichiello—as well as Pixar Animation Studios’ creative director Roger Gould—about what it was like to see all the evening elements come together in such spectacular fashion. And remember: Toy Story Land officially opens on Saturday, June 30! “To infinity and beyond!”
Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:
| D23 and Walt Disney Archives June 29, 2018 Lunch with Disney Legend: Burny Mattinson June 30, 2018 D23’s Magical Screening Series: Robin Hood at Walt Disney World July 13, 2018 D23 Member Mixer—Seattle July 21, 2018 D23 Member Mixer—San Diego August 6, 2018 D23’s Behind-the-Scenes Experience: Pixar Animation Studios November 16-18, 2018 Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse August 23-25, 2019 D23 Expo 2019 Parks June 30, 2018 Toy Story Land opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios August 17, 24, 28, 31 September 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30 October 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park August 30-November 12, 2018 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival September 7-October 31, 2018 Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort Summer 2019 Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at Disneyland Resort Fall 2019 Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at and Walt Disney World Resort |
Studios July 6, 2018 Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp opens in U.S. theaters opens in U.S. theaters August 3, 2018 Disney’s Christopher Robin opens in U.S. theaters November 2, 2018 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms opens in U.S. theaters December 19, 2018 Mary Poppins Returns opens in U.S. theaters Television July 13, 2018 Fancy Nancy premieres on Disney Junior (11–11:55 a.m. EDT) August 10, 2018 Disney Channel Original Movie Freaky Friday premieres on Disney Channel (8–9:45 p.m. EDT/PDT) |
Who is The Wasp? Watch This New Featurette to Find Out!
Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Wasp, the next chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) adventure, is set to thrill moviegoers starting early next month—so if you need a primer on who exactly is The Wasp (the awesome hero alter-ego of Hope van Dyne, portrayed by Evangeline Lilly), look no further than this brand-new featurette, above.
In the clip, producers Kevin Feige and Stephen Broussard, along with stars Lilly and Paul Rudd, look at the legacy of The Wasp from her Super Hero origins in the Marvel comics—as a founding member of the Avengers—to her connections to the next Avengers film and to the MCU, going forward.
Directed by Peyton Reed and also starring Michael Douglas, Hannah John-Kamen, Laurence Fishburne, and Michelle Pfeiffer, Ant-Man and The Wasp swoops into a theater near you on July 6.
Disney Springs Celebrates Summer with Brews & BBQ
We’ve got some brand-new tips—make that tri-tips—from our friends at Disney Springs… and if you’re headed to Walt Disney World Resort for a vacation this summer, you’ll definitely want to know the score.
Beginning this Friday, June 29, Disney Springs celebrates summer with their Brews & BBQ foodie experience! Visitors will discover a whole host of deliciously unique food and beverage pairings as they roam through the many restaurants and shops throughout the area. This experience offers guests mouth-watering, BBQ-inspired dishes at nearly every restaurant at Disney Springs—plus, for guests ages 21 and older, each of these dishes can be paired with a craft-brewed beer.
Look for delectable delights including southern brisket tacos, pulled chicken nachos, BBQ guava ribs, fire-roasted shrimp, and grilled bistro sirloin steak—paired with brews from Bold City Brewery, Islamorada Brewing Company, Orlando Brewing Company, and more. Hungry yet? (We sure are!) The Brews & BBQ experience runs through September 3, so make sure to check it out—reservations are available through the Walt Disney World Resort dining website—if you’re in the proverbial neighborhood…
Music’s Biggest Stars Take Home ARDYs at the 2018 RDMA
If you’ve been following along here on D23.com, you know that the sixth annual Radio Disney Music Awards (RDMA) were held in Hollywood on Friday, June 22—and a host of music’s biggest stars took home a coveted ARDY statuette, including Shawn Mendes, Korean pop sensation BTS, Kelsea Ballerini, Camila Cabello, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Kygo & Selena Gomez, and Bebe Rexha. And the fans in attendance at the Dolby Theatre were treated to thrilling performances by Charlie Puth, American Idol winner Maddie Poppe, Marshmello, Meghan Trainor, and Echosmith.
But that wasn’t all: Music superstars Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and Janet Jackson were all on hand to receive their very special “Hero,” “Icon,” and “Impact” Awards, respectively.
Plus, in case you missed its initial broadcast, this year’s RDMA featured an extremely cool new music video collaboration between Disney Channel’s DuckTales and mega-huge DJ and electronic music producer Marshmello; read all about it, and take a gander at the clip, here at D23.com.
You Won’t Believe These Luminous Libations from Disney H2O Glow Nights
If you ask us, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is one of the best ways to cool off—while still having a total blast—during a Walt Disney World resort vacation… and this summer, thanks to Disney H20 Glow Nights, you can get the pool party going like never before!
At this separately ticketed nighttime event, hosted by Partysaurus Rex and all his Toy Story pals, guests have a “glowing” good time with character greetings, awesome attractions, and even a DJ dance party on the beach. But perhaps the most, well, illuminating additions to the event are the unique beverage concoctions being served up each evening—including the Black Light Cherry Lemonade, Fred’s Purple Sire, and the Green Glowrita. Take a look at the video, above, to see some of the amazing drinks being mixed. And don’t worry: There are “mocktails” available for the younger partygoers in attendance.
Don’t miss Disney H20 Glow Nights—on select evenings now through August 31 at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Click here for ticket information.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Added Experiences for 2018
Speaking of special events at Walt Disney World, we’ve got a bit more news to pass along… Yes, we know, summer only officially started back on Thursday, June 21. But we maintain that this doesn’t mean we can’t look forward to the fall—when temps cool off a bit, the pumpkin spice lattes begin to flow, and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party kicks into gear at Magic Kingdom Park! And this year, the annual event adds some brand-new experiences to the mix.
Taking place on select evenings from August 17 through October 31, the separately ticketed spooky soiree will welcome revelers to the Mad Tea Party with new lighting and special effects; invite guests to interact with new scoundrels on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction; offer explorers a brand-new soundtrack and added effects on Space Mountain; and entice the younger set with the new Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam, a dance party featuring some of your favorite Disney Junior characters—including Doc McStuffins.
And that’s all on top of the Not-So-Scary activities you’ve come to know and love, like the tuneful “Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular” castle show, a magical fireworks extravaganza, and an appearance by the Headless Horseman himself.
Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are now on sale! And stay tuned for more info on all the creepy-cool fun as the event draws closer…
