Disney's Next Short "Inner Workings" to Play Before "Moana"; PhotoPass Debuts Zootopia Magic Shot at Disney World

Disney's Next Short "Inner Workings to Play Before "Moana":

Disney's next animated short will be called "Inner Workings" and will debut at the Annecy International Animation Festival in France in June. The short will then appear before Disney's next animated film, "Moana", when it hits theaters November 23, 2016. 

The Annecy International Animation Festival is one of the most prestigious and well-regarded animation festival's in the world. Disney has premiered its shorts' many times before including most recently in 2013 with its short, "Get a Horse." "Inner Workings" will be directed by Leo Matsuda, a story artist for Big Hero 6 and Wreck-It-Ralph, and produced by Sean Lurie. The short is "the story of the internal struggle between a man's Brain-a pragmatic protector who calculates his every move, and his Heart- a free-spirited adventurer who wants to let loose." 

The film pays homage to Disney's animated classics of the past like 1943 wartime short "Reason and Emotion" and the Cranium Command, the 17-minute long short that appeared in Epcot's Wonders of Life pavilion between 1998-2007, with an entirely new spin. 

"Moana" will also be previewed in work-in-progress sequences during the Annecy International Festival on "June 17.

PhotoPass Debuts Zootopia Animated Magic Shot at Disney World:

Disney's PhotoPass just got furrier and funnier as they give guests the opportunity join in on the fun in Zootopia with Nick Wilde when the visit Disney World. You can get a animated magic show when guests get their picture taken by PhotoPass photographer at the Magic Kingdom entrance or on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood Studios.

All guests will be able to view the animated magic shots in their accounts before they expire. Guests must have an active Memory Maker or Memory Maker One Day entitlement to download and share them online.

Animal Kingdom to Test New Access to The Oasis, Disney Legend Mary Blair Gets Animated Tribute, and New Pocahontas Meet & Greet

Animal Kingdom to Test New Access to The Oasis:

WDWMagic is reporting that Disney's Animal Kingdom will be testing a new access to The Oasis before park opening beginning next week. The test will allow guests on non-Extra Magic Hour days to enter The Oasis area of the park 30 minutes before the park opens. 

The early entry will allow guests to plan their day with Cast Member assistance, and make any last minute Fastpass + reservations. No attractions will be open at the time as guests will be limited to the entrance and The Oasis area of the park. This will allow less congestion as their have been frequent long lines to enter the park. The test will run through the end of July.

Disney Legend Mary Blair Gets French Animated Tribute:

The Annecy Animation Festival debuted a new animation short from French animation studio, Gobelins, about Disney legendary artist, Mary Blair. The short is just 86 seconds long and conveys the work of Blair so well. Here is the synopsis from the studio on the short called, "Mary":

"Mary Blair is hired to work in Walt Disney's gigantic and rigorously maintained garden. As he welcomes her and invites her to get to work, she starts producing plants magically. Although he is amazed, Walt cannot refrain from correcting and toning down Mary's work behind her back."

Mary Blair was a real pioneer in animation, illustration, and imagineering at a time when the field was dominated by men. Most known for her works in the "Alice in Wonderland" animated feature, the monorail lobby in Disney's Contemporary Resort, and her work on the It's A Small World attraction. Here is the short:

New Pocahontas Meet & Greet at Disney's Animal Kingdom:

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Disney's "Pocahontas" and the Disney Parks Blog shared with its readers a new meet & greet with the Powhatan princess in a spot thats 'just around the riverbend.' The new location is in the Discover Island Character Landing at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Pocahontas can only be found at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and she is not the only rare character that can be only seen at Animal Kingdom. Tarzan, Rafiki from "The Lion King," Russell and Dug from "Up," and Baloo and Louie from "The Jungle Book" are all exclusive to the park.