Recap of Disney's 2016 Shareholders' Meeting; Preview "The Jungle Book" at Disney Parks

Recap of Disney's 2016 Shareholders' Meeting:

Today, the Walt Disney Company held its annual shareholders' meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The meeting kicked off with the announcement by Bob Iger how happy it was to be there in Walt's birthplace. He then announced that the company would be donating $250,000 to the Center for Early Childhood Creativity and Innovation at the Walt Disney Birthplace.

Photo Credit: D23

They then officially announced the digital and blu-ray release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" for April 1 on digital and April 5 on Blu-ray. The bonus material included in the release will include:

• Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey—For the first time, discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary.
• The Story Awakens: The Table Read—Cast members familiar and new reflect on the memorable day they all first came together to read the movie’s script.
• Building BB-8—See how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars universe.
• Crafting Creatures—Watch movie magic as the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life.
• Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight—Go deeper into the epic, climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren.
• John Williams: The Seventh Symphony—The legendary composer shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens.
• ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force—An insider’s look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie’s visual effects.
• Force For Change—Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe to help others.
• Plus Deleted Scenes

That wasn't all the Star Wars news is that Iger said the company would break land officially on Star Wars Land in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World next month in April. 

Photo Credit: The Walt Disney Company

The biggest news however came from Disney Cruise Line as they announced two new ships will be added to the fleet in 2021 and 2023. Disney Cruise Line said that they have reached a memorandum of agreement with Germany's Meyer's Werft shipyard. Each ship will gross approximately 135,000 tons, slightly larger than both the Disney Dream and Fantasy. Each ship is currently planned to have 1,250 staterooms. 

In the official announcement Bob Iger had this to say, "We pride ourselves on the unforgettable vacation experiences we deliver to our guests each and every day, and the expansion of our Disney fleet will allow us to create even more magical memories for families at sea and in incredible cruise destinations around the world."

Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, added: "The expansion of Disney Cruise Line only adds to our excitement for the unprecedented growth taking place across our vacation destinations, from new Star Wars experiences coming to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts to the 25th anniversary of Disneyland Paris and the grand opening of our newest park, Shanghai Disney Resort."

Still no word on when Star Wars Land will open in either of the parks or the new name for Hollywood Studios at Disney World. 

Preview "The Jungle Book" at Disney Parks Beginning March 18:

Soon you will be able to preview scenes from "The Jungle Book" at both Disney California Adventure and Disney World beginning March 18. At each of the parks guests will be treated to a special introduction by director John Favreau as he pays homage to Walt Disney, the original animated classic, and the legacy of Disney's innovative storytelling. 

The preview will be shown in The Bug's Life Theater at Disney California Adventure with special in-theater effects. At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the preview will be shown inside One Man's Dream where guests will see an advance look at clips. 

"The Jungle Book" is based on Rudyard Kipling's timeless stories and of course is inspired by Walt Disney's animated classic. The story takes us on a journey of Mowgli, a man-cub who's been raised by a family of wolves. The film will hit theaters in 3D on April 15, 2016.