Disney Channel Announces "Descendants 2" for 2017; Plaza Restaurant to Begin Accepting Walk-Ups Instead of ADR's

Disney Channel Announces "Descendants 2" for 2017:

The Disney Channel today announced that the sequel to last year's hit Disney Channel Original Movie, Descendants, in "Descendants 2" will hit televisions in 2017. The film will begin filming this summer with Kenny Ortega (High School Musical) returning to direct the film. 

Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson, BooBoo Stewart, and Mitchell Hope will all return and reprise their roles in the sequel. China Anne McClain (A.N.T. Farm) will join the cast as Ursula's daughter, Uma. Also yet to be cast are the roles of Gaston and Captain Hook's children. 

Disney Channel President and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh had this to say on the return to Auradon: "Just when you thought 'Happily Ever After' had come to the land of Auradon, Descendants 2 turns the page to reveal a whole new level of mystery and surprise."

Plaza Restaurant to Begin Accepting Walk-Ups Instead of ADR's:

Are you sad that Skipper Canteen has begun accepting advance dining reservations (ADR's)? Well, the testing will continue at another Magic Kingdom restaurant. The Plaza Restaurant on Main Street, USA, will now be getting rid of advance dining reservations (with the exception of guests being able to reserve a table from 11:00 a.m. until Noon). 

Guests who already have advance dining reservations for the Plaza Restaurant will still be able to honor their reservations until those reservations run out. From then on the restaurant will only be accepting walk-ups. This is to appease those few guests who don't like the idea of pre-planning their vacations or guests who are literally visiting on the fly and can dine at a restaurant without having to make a reservation. 

Disney Channel Begins Casting for "High School Musical 4"

What Team!!!! WILDCATS!!!!! The Disney Channel and Disney just made a huge announcement. Disney Channel has begun casting today for "High School Musical 4." Yes, you heard that correctly the hit franchise that debuted 10 years ago will be coming back with another sequel. Here is the press release from Disney

MARCH 1, 2016
Disney Channel to Begin Casting Today for “High School Musical 4″

More than 10 years after High School Musical became a global phenomenon, Disney Channel is getting ready to return to East High one more time with the announcement of High School Musical 4.

A nationwide casting search begins today for the planned Disney Channel Original Movie that will continue the story of the global sensation High School Musical—and introduce new East High Wildcats and their cross-town school rivals, the West High Knights.

Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “High School Musical is part of Disney Channel’s DNA. It embodies all that we stand for. As a way of continuing to embrace that heritage, we’re excited to announce ‘the start of something new’ —as we launch a search for a new class of East High Wildcats to star in a fourth installment of the ‘High School Musical’ franchise.”

DGA Award nominee Jeffrey Hornaday (Disney Channel’s Teen Beach Movie, Teen Beach 2) is attached to direct and choreograph the movie.

Dan Berendsen (creator/executive producer of Freeform’s Baby Daddy, writer of Disney’s Hannah Montana: The Movie, Disney Channel’s Teen Beach 2 and Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie) and Peter Barsocchini (writer of all three High School Musicalmovies) are the screenwriters of High School Musical 4. Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush return as the executive producers.

Directed and choreographed by Kenny Ortega (also of Disney Channel’s Descendants) High School Musical is remembered fondly by a generation of kids and families and renowned for inspiring viewers to explore and participate in music, dance and theater. The now iconic Disney Channel Original Movie premiered January 20, 2006, delivering 7.7 million Total Viewers in the U.S.—at the time, the highest ratings for any telecast ever on Disney Channel. It broke new ground as the first-ever TV movie soundtrack to reach #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and went on to become the #1 album of 2006 as well as the #1 soundtrack and #1 Kids’ album of that year.

Its critically acclaimed sequel, High School Musical 2, ranks as the #1 basic cable telecast of all time (18.6 million viewers for its August 17, 2007 premiere). The “High School Musical 2” soundtrack is triple Platinum and its DVD release was the top-selling TV property on DVD for 2007. Walt Disney Pictures debuted High School Musical 3: Senior Year in October 2008. Its premiere weekend box office sales marked the highest debut ever for a musical and for a live-action G-rated film. It grossed over $250 million at the worldwide box office.

High School Musical received two Emmy Awards, the Television Critics Association Award, an Imagen Award (recognizing the positive portrayal of Latinos in entertainment media), a Billboard Music Award for Soundtrack of the Year, an American Music Award and a Producer’s Guild of America Award. The movies also delivered licensed amateur and professional touring stage productions, a bestselling junior novel, a popular consumer products franchise at mass retailers, a themed show at Disneyland Parks and Resorts in Anaheim, Orlando and Paris, and a sold-out 42-date arena concert tour in North America and Latin America.