Disney Cancels Lake Nona Project; Star Wars: Galactic Star Cruiser Closing Permanently in September

There is some breaking news out of the Walt Disney Company concerning Florida as they have decided to cancel the $1 billion Lake Nona project and the Star Wars: Galactic Star Cruiser will permanently close in September. 

Disney Cancels Lake Nona Project:

In an email to to staff, President of Disney Parks & Experiences, Josh D'Amaro says the company has decided not to move forward with the construction of the Lake Nona campus. The $1 billion campus which was supposed to be ready by next year with staff moves to the Orlando campus delayed until 2026. 

In the memo, he stated that it was not an easy decision but believes it is the right one to make. He also stated that the company will no longer be asking employees to relocate and that conversations with those of who have already relocated to possibly relocate back to California. 

The situation and feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis looms large as Disney is not playing around. D'Amaro stated, "I remain optimistic about the direction of our Walt Disney World business. We have plans to invest $17billion and create 13,000 jobs over the next 10 years. I hope we're able to do so."

Star Wars: Galactic Star Cruiser Closing Permanently in September:

Walt Disney World announced more shocking news today that the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will close permanently as of October 1, 2023 with the final voyage on the immersive experience occurring September 28-30,2023. Here is official announcement:

Many fans will say they saw this coming right from when Galactic Starcruiser opened due to the price. Going forward, Disney says it will focus resources on other opportunities that will be more accessible to its large group of fans. 

Carrie Fisher Won't Appear in Episode IX, First Trailer for "The Last Jedi", and More from Celebration

Carrie Fisher Will Not Appear in Episode IX:

For months since the passing of our beloved princess, Carrie Fisher, it has been speculated whether she would appear in Star Wars Episode IX. At first, it was said she definitely would not appear. In recent weeks leading up to Star Wars Celebration Orlando, her brother Todd revealed that she would be appearing in the final film of the saga.

However today, in an exclusive interview with ABC's Paula Faris, LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy revealed that Carrie Fisher will not appear in the film. Here is the part of the interview where Kennedy is asked about Fisher's role in the final film:

EXCLUSIVE: Lucasfilm President Kathy Kennedy says Carrie Fisher will NOT be in @StarWars Episode 9 as General Leia. #SWCO #TheLastJedi pic.twitter.com/gxH80QteYb

— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 14, 2017

First Poster and Trailer of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" Released:

Finally, today the long awaited first trailer of "The Last Jedi" was released along with a new poster during Star Wars Celebration Orlando. Director Rian Johnson, LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill showed off the trailer today during the amazing panel detailing the film. Here is the poster:

The poster shows off Rey holding a lightsaber up flashing with half of Luke's face and half of Kylo Ren's face. Now here is the trailer:

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" hits theaters December 15, 2017.

Several Stills Released for "The Last Jedi" Revealed:

Also during today's panel several stills from the film were released, check them out below.

I am so excited for this film and I know most are just as excited. December cannot get here fast enough.

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is Official; List of NFL Pro Bowl Activities at Walt Disney World

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is the Official Title for Episode VIII:

We have waited months to hear the official title for Episode VIII of the Star Wars Saga. Today, it was finally revealed. Episode VIII of the saga will be called, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." The film is due out this December. Here is the poster that was released with the announcement:

Here is the official announcement from LucasFilm and StarWars.com:

We have the greatest fans in this or any other galaxy. In appreciation of the fans, we wanted them to be the first to know the title of the next chapter in the Skywalker saga: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI.

THE LAST JEDI is written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin, and Tom Karnowski. 

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is scheduled for release December 15, 2017.

List of NFL Pro Bowl Activities at Walt Disney World:

This weekend for the first time ever the NFL Pro Bowl is coming to Orlando. Beginning this Wednesday and leading up to Sunday's game there are tons of activities at Walt Disney World for fans to enjoy. Here is what fans can expect:

Wednesday, January 25th

2017 Pro Bowl Experience – ESPN Wide World of Sports – FREE – 10am to 6pm

• Disney Food Trucks – Enjoy selections from Disney’s theme parks and best restaurants in a “taste of the town” tailgate.
• EA SPORTS – Check out the EA SPORTS Madden NFL experience and get in the game with Madden NFL 17 and the free-to-play Madden NFL Mobile.
• Family Tailgate Photo Opp Presented by Ford Trucks – Snap a photo with your friends in front of an NFL tailgate set up
• Family Football Zone – An interactive area for kids and families to play together. Play catch in the field or take part in a range of football and tailgate-themed games.
• Long Snap Accuracy Challenge Presented by Verizon– Test your aim by long snapping footballs through a variety of obstacles.
• NFL Pro Bowl Trophy – Take a photo with the official NFL Pro Bowl Trophy.
• NFL Shop at Pro Bowl – Stop by for official NFL Pro Bowl merchandise and shop for your favorite NFL team gear at the NFL Shop trailer.
• Panini – Panini America, the exclusive physical trading card partner of the NFL, will give fans the opportunity to interact with their Panini Gridiron digital trading card app and make their own digital
  trading card. Fans can win packs of Panini NFL trading cards and get the Panini NFL Sticker Album.
• Run-A-Route – Test your wide receiver skills and run a see-and-react route to catch a pass down field.
• Touchdown Celebration GIF Booth presented by Aquafina – Immortalize your best touchdown celebration as a free, digital GIF.
• Wilson – Put yourself into the game with the Wilson X Connected Football, the world’s first smart football, get your very own Wx rating and find out how you stack up against your friends!

NFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 17) – FREE – 11:30am

AFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 16) – FREE – 11:45am

Special Olympics Flag Football Game – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 2pm to 3pm

USA 2017 Women’s World Football Games practice

• Practice #1 – 10:30am to 12:30pm
• Practice #2 – 3:45pm to 5:45pm

Pro Bowl Skills Showdown – ESPN Wide World of Sports – SOLD OUT – 12:30pm

Thursday, January 26th

2017 Pro Bowl Experience – ESPN Wide World of Sports – FREE – 10am to 6pm

AFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 17) – FREE – 9:45am

NFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 17) – FREE – 11:20am

USA 2017 Women’s World Football Games practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 29)

• Practice #3 – 10:45am to 12:30pm
• Practice #4 – 4:30pm to 6:30pm

NFL Play 60 Clinic – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 11:30am to 2pm

Organizations and schools taking part in the clinics include:

• Lake Asbury Elementary School
• Lakemont Elementary School
• City of Sanford: Westside Community Center

EA Sports: The Madden Bowl – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 3pm to 10pm

The Madden Bowl, the second EA Major Series event of the $1 Million Madden NFL 17 Championship Series, will bring together the top 16 players from across the country to compete during Pro Bowl Week.

Mike and Mike Show, ESPN Radio – Disney Springs – 6am to 10am

NFL Radio – Disney Springs – 3pm to 4pm

 Friday, January 27th

2017 Pro Bowl Experience – ESPN Wide World of Sports – FREE – 10am to 7pm

NFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 17) – FREE – 9:45am

AFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 17) – FREE – 11:20am

USA 2017 Women’s World Football Games practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 29)

• Practice #5 – 10:45am to 12:30pm

USA 2017 Women’s World Football Games – ESPN Wide World of Sprots (Field 29)

• Game #1 – 5pm to 8pm

EA Sports: The Madden Bowl – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 3pm to 10pm

Mike and Mike Show, ESPN Radio – Disney Springs – 6am to 10am

NFL Radio – Disney Springs – 3pm to 4pm

NFL Flag Championships – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 10am to 7:30pm

Sixty-four teams from across the country – eight regional champions in four divisions plus 32 at-large teams – will compete and each will represent a different NFL club. Divisions include 9-10 coed, 11-12 coed, 13-14 boys and 13-14 girls. NFL Pro Bowl players and Legends will serve as guest coaches, encouraging the teams as they compete for the national title. The 13-14 Boys Championship Game will be aired on ESPN on Sunday, Jan. 29 as part of the network’s broadcast of the Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium.

Pro Bowl Parade – Magic Kingdom – 2:30pm

The four Pro Bowl team captains will be joined by Mickey and his pals, as well as kids and families from Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), in the celebratory parade down Main Street U.S.A.

Pro Bowl 5k Packet Pickup – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Champion Stadium) – 10am to 2pm

Saturday, January 28th

2017 Pro Bowl Experience – ESPN Wide World of Sports – FREE – 10am to 7pm

AFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 17) – FREE – 9:45am

NFC team practice – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 16) – FREE – 10:00am

USA 2017 Women’s World Football Games – ESPN Wide World of Sports (Field 29)

• Game #2 – 12pm to 2:30pm (Field 17)
• Game #3 – 3:30pm to 6pm

EA Sports: The Madden Bowl – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 5pm to 10pm

Disney Springs Pro Bowl Bash – Disney Springs – 4pm to 7pm

Dancing, live radio broadcasts, NFL cheerleaders and team mascots await at the Disney Springs Pro Bowl Bash! Fans will receive giveaways and enjoy hours of free music from a Disney DJ. The Disney Springs Pro Bowl Bash will culminate with the Pro Bowl Dance Party.

Pro Bowl 5k Run – Epcot – 5am to 6:30am

North American Championship – ESPN Wide World of Sports – 5:30pm and 8:30pm

The North American Championship is a collaboration of the sport’s national governing bodies in each country, USA Football and Football Canada. The two U.S. National Teams encompass approximately 100 student-athletes spanning more than 20 states. The head coach of the U.S. Under-18 National Team is Matt Hennesy of Locust Grove (Okla.) High School. Kenny Sanchez of Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High School is the U.S. Under-19 National Team’s head coach.

Sunday, January 29th

2017 NFL Pro Bowl – Camping World Stadium – 8pm

 Source: Blog Mickey

Star Wars Celebration Returning to Orlando in 2017; Tiered Pricing Announced for Halloween & Christmas Parties

Star Wars Celebration Returning to Orland in 2017:

In honor of today first, "May the 4th be with you." Happy Star Wars Day! Today, Star Wars Celebration announced they will be returning to Orlando in 2017. Star Wars Celebration will take place April 13-16, 2017.

Tickets for the celebration will go on sale beginning May 25 at 12:00 p.m. PT, 3:00 p.m. ET, and 8:00 p.m. GMT. Will you be attending Star Wars Celebration in Orlando?

Tiered Pricing Announced for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party & Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party:

Tickets for both Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party will officially go on sale tomorrow May 5. Pricing will be different this year for the parties as tickets for the parties will go to tiered pricing. Here is the rundown:

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party:

September 2, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25 - Tickets will cost $72 plus tax for 10+ and $67 plus tax for children age 3-9 in advance. Tickets will cost $79 for 10+/$74 for 3-9 when purchased same day for event. 

September 23 - $85 plus tax for ages 10+ and $80 plus tax for ages 3-9. Tickets for this party can't be bought in advance. 

September 29 and 30 - Tickets will cost $79 plus tax for ages 10+ and $74 plus tax for children ages 3-9 in advance. $88/$83 for same day. 

October 2nd and 6th - Tickets will cost $86 plus tax for ages 10+ and $81 plus tax for kids ages 3-9 in advance. $95/$90 for same day.

October 4, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27 - Tickets will cost $91 plus tax for ages 10+ and $86 plus tax for ages 3-9 in advance. $95/$90 for same day. 

October 7, 14, 21, 28, 30 - $95 plus tax for ages 10+ and $90 plus tax for ages 3-9. Tickets for these parties cannot be bought in advance.

October 31 - $105 plus tax for ages 10+ and $100 plus tax for ages 3-9. Tickets for this party cannot be bought in advance. 

Passholders will get discounted rates for the party dates of 9/2, 9/8, 9/11, 9/13, 9/16, 9/18, 9/23, 9/25, 9/29, 9/30, 10/2, and 10/6. Tickets will range from $67-$80 plus tax depending on the date. DVC members have discounts on those nights plus 10/4, 10/10, 10/11, 10/13, 10/16, 10/18, and 10/20. Tickets will range from $62-$83 depending on the night.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party:

November 10 and 13 - Tickets will cost $86 plus tax for ages 10+ and $81 plus tax for ages 3-9 in advance. $91/$86 for same day purchase.

November 18, 27, 29 and December 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, and 13 - $97 plus tax for ages 10+ and $92 plus tax for ages 3-9 in advance. $96/$91 for same day purchase.

November 7, 8, 11, 15 and December 1 - Tickets will cost $91 plus tax for ages 10+ and $86 plus tax for ages 3-9. Tickets for these parties cannot be bought in advance.

December 9 and 15 - Tickets will cost $96 plus tax for ages 10+ and $91 plus tax for ages 3-9. Tickets for these parties cannot be bought in advance.

December 16, 18, 22 - Tickets will cost $99 plus tax for ages 10+ and $94 plus tax for ages 3-9. Tickets for the parties cannot be purchased in advance.

Passholders will receive discounts on these dates 11/7, 11/8, 11/11, 11/15, 12/1, 12/11, and 12/13. Tickets will range from $74-$84 plus tax depending on the night. DVC members have those nights plus some additional nights: 11/10, 11/13, 11/18, 11/27, 11/29, and 12/6. Tickets will range from $74-$89 plus tax depending on the night. 

Your Daily News from Around Disney 2/9/15

It's Monday and I returned to work today after a 10 day vacation of going nowhere. It was nice to be off but it was back to reality. That's enough about me though as I'm here to report another day full of Disney news. I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend, so let's dive into your daily news from around Disney.

Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life Grows New Roots:

After there had been walls around Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life for a while, those walls finally came down on Saturday to reveal the tree had grown new roots. The roots now have grown into the central hub area. Within the new roots on the tree are carvings of new animals from the circle of life from tiny bugs to large crocodiles and much more the Disney Parks Blog reported. With the addition of these new roots its gives guests a wonderful view of the Tree of Life as well as a widened walkway for guests going to Discovery Island. Here are some pictures that Disney released of the new roots that have grown from the Tree of Life. 

Disney's D23 Releases Lineup of Events for 2015:

Today, Disney's D23 released its lineup of events for 2015 for all around the country. It has added some new events and experiences for its members in San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles, New York City and more. D23 said it will release dates, ticketing information, and even more events, including in Orlando, will be announced throughout the year. All events and dates are subject to change and here is your list of D23 events for 2015:

• February 25: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, San Francisco (sold out)
• March 12: Cinderella Lights Up the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
• March 13: A Taste of Disney at Silverado Vineyards, Napa, Calif.
• March 14: Breakfast on Broadway, New York City
• March 15: The Hunchback of Notre Dame VIP Experience, Millburn, N.J.
• Spring 2015: Lunch with a Legend, Burbank, Calif.
• Spring 2015: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
• April 14: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Los Angeles (sold out)
• April 30: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Dallas (sold out)
• May 9: The Parent Trap, Burbank, Calif.
• May 29: VIP Studio Tour with Disney Legend Dave Smith, Burbank, Calif.
• June 10: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Washington, D.C. (sold out)
• June 20: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
• June 25: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Boston
• July 15: D23 Member Night at Newsies—On Tour, Toronto
• July 18: Disneyland U.S.A., Burbank, Calif.
• August 14–16: D23 Expo 2015, Anaheim, Calif.
• Fall 2015: Lunch with a Legend, Burbank, Calif.
• September 26, Pinocchio, Burbank, Calif.
• November 6, VIP Studio Tour, Burbank, Calif.
• November 7: D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives, Burbank, Calif.
• December 4: Light Up the Season, Burbank, Calif.

Disney Hotels are Reaching Occupancy Plateau:

Today, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Disney is reaching the hotel-occupancy plateau after their stellar first quarter results. Disney reported a hotel-occupancy rate of 89% up from 81% at this time last year. CFO Jay Rasulo stated it would be hard to see it going any higher. He is quoted as saying, "I think hoteliers in general will tell you that to try to fill a hotel up past 89 percent, 90 percent, 91 percent, is extremely difficult. He also points out that there are many hotels outside of Disney who aren't experiencing such high occupancy rates. According to Visit Orlando, the region's occupancy rate for the final quarter of 2014 was only 72.2%. Disney has dropped the amount of rooms it has with the conversion of 360 suites at the Polynesian Village Resort for its newest vacation club shares. Disney also has 3 hotels at its Disneyland Park as well as about 361 hotel rooms at it resort in Hawaii, Aulani.

This Day in Disney History:

On this day, February 9, in 1996 The Disney Institute opens at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Also on this day in 2006, Disney reacquires the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back from NBC Universal along with sports considerations for ESPN. The considerations include sports play-by-play analyst, Al Michaels, to contract with NBC.

Daily Disney Quote:

"I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter."

Walt Disney

Well that is all for today, tomorrow is another day looking forward to sharing the Disney news again tomorrow. You can now contact me with any suggestions for the blog at allstartedwithamouse5689@gmail.com. As always in the words of Mickey Mouse, "See Ya Real Soon."