The Walt Disney Company Donates $1 Million to OneOrlando Fund; Official "Pete's Dragon" Trailer

The Walt Disney Company Donates $1 Million to OneOrlando Fund:

We have all been affected by the tragedy that occurred early Sunday morning at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. No more than the city of Orlando itself we are all Orland United. Disney has been quiet the last few days in honoring the victims lost of the horrific tragedy. Today, the Walt Disney Company announced they are donating $1 million to the OneOrlando Fund. The Walt Disney World Resort will also be providing complimentary accommodations for family and friends of the victims. This is truly what makes Disney the great company it is. Here is the full release that was announced on the Disney Parks Blog:

"Today, the Walt Disney Company is announcing a $1 million cash commitment to the OneOrlando Fund, established by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to assist those affected by the tragic events in Orlando. Also, eligible donations from Disney employees will be matched dollar for dollar by Disney Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation.

“We are heartbroken by this tragedy and hope our commitment will help those in the community affected by this senseless act,” said Bob Chapek, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “With 74,000 Cast Members who call Orlando home, we mourn the loss of the victims and offer our condolences to their families, friends and loved ones.”

OneOrlando Fund will provide funds and other services to individuals affected by the tragedy. The website for the new fund is www.oneorlando.org.

Walt Disney World Resort has also been working in coordination with other Central Florida agencies and leaders to provide support to those in need. In coordination with OneBlood, cast members and other employees working at Walt Disney World Resort wishing to donate blood to help victims may donate at five designated locations across the resort property.

Through an effort led by the City of Orlando and the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association, Walt Disney World Resort is also providing complimentary accommodations for the families and friends of the victims.

Our hearts are with everyone impacted by this horrific event."

Thank you Disney for making us smile when it's been so hard to do the last few days. I continue to pray for the victims and for Orlando. Just remember to hug your loved ones a little tighter. We stand as one, we stand united for the victims. 

Official "Pete's Dragon" Trailer Released:

Today, the official trailer for Disney's remake of its family classic in "Pete's Dragon" was released. Here is description that was released along with the trailer:

Some secrets are too big to keep. Watch the brand new trailer for Disney’s Pete’s Dragon, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, and Oakes Fegley.  See the film when it flies onto the big screen in 3D August 12!

A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, “Pete’s Dragon” is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon. “Pete’s Dragon” stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence and Oscar® winner Robert Redford. The film, which is directed by David Lower, is written by Lowery & Toby Halbrooks based on a story by Seton I. Miller and S.S. Field and produced by Jim Whitaker, p.g.a., with Barrie M. Osborne serving as executive producer.
For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliott. And from Pete’s descriptions, Elliott seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs, and the truth about this dragon. Disney’s “Pete’s Dragon” opens in U.S. theaters on August 12, 2016. 

Check out the trailer below:



"Pete's Dragon" hits theaters in 3D on August 12, 2016.

New "Pete's Dragon" Photos, Trailer Out Tomorrow; New Look Inside Shanghai Disneyland Ahead of Grand Opening

New "Pete's Dragon" Photos, Trailer Out Tomorrow:

We will be getting a new trailer for "Pete's Dragon" tomorrow live on Access Hollywood with Bryce Dallas Howard there for the debut. We also got a new poster as well as a new still from the film featuring both Pete and Elliott. Check them out below:

Synopsis: For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than tall tales… util she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliot. And from Pete’s description, Elliot seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr. Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an 11-year-old-girl who father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he belongs and the truth abut this dragon.

Disney's remake of its cherished family film will be released on August 12, 2016 in theaters.

New View of Shanghai Disneyland Ahead of Grand Opening:

We are just days away from the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland this Thursday. Today, Disney released a new look inside the new theme park (the first of its kind on the main land of China). In almost time lapse of a day inside the park it travels through each and every land of the new park including an ending of fireworks above Enchanted Storybook Castle. Check it out below:

Get a new view of Shanghai Disney Resort.https://t.co/RyM9UFybbn

— Disney (@Disney) June 13, 2016

Official Teaser Trailer for Disney's "Moana"

I wasn't going to post this today due to this morning's tragic events in Orlando, but the show must go on and we must fight for what is right. This trailer for "Moana" is amazing and just remember to hug your loved one's today and remember to love everyone. There is no need for hate in this world. Pray for Orlando.

Disney's "Moana" stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Maui and Auli'i Carvalho as Moana. The film is due to hit theaters this Thanksgiving, November 23. Check out the trailer below:

Watch the teaser trailer for Disney’s #Moana! See the film, starring @TheRock & @AuliiCravalho, this Thanksgiving! 🌊https://t.co/ORZrEG15Ux

— Moana (@DisneyMoana) June 13, 2016

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. 

Shanghai Disneyland Grand Opening to be Telecasted, Celebrated at DCA; Experience a Brand New Adventure in the Enchanted Tiki Room Comic

Shanghai Disneyland Grand Opening to be Telecasted, Celebrated at DCA:

We are just one week away from the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland, Disney's first theme park to open on the main land of China. Today, we found out that the grand opening of the brand new theme park will be simultaneously presented on the Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney XD from 8:00 - 8:30 p.m. in a music-filled television celebration called, "Grand Opening Celebration of Shanghai Disney Resort." The show will air without commercial interruption. On Friday, June 17 it will air again on Freeform from 10 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

The show will be narrated by Sofia Carson with Disney CEO Bob Iger who will be joined by nearly 3000 distinguished guests, celebrities, and government officials in front of the world's largest, tallest, and most interactive castle at the heart of any Disney Park, The Enchanted Storybook Castle. Mickey Mouse will also join in on the fun of the grand opening. 

World-renowned pianist Lang Lang will perform a custom arrangement of the musical sensation “Let It Go” (Disney’s “Frozen”) and China’s television and movie superstar Sun Li will take center stage. Each is a Shanghai Disney Resort Honorary Ambassador. The historic event includes the debut of an original song, “Ignite the Dreamer Within,” written especially for the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland. Acclaimed composer and conductor Tan Dun, widely known for his stirring scores for the films “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Hero,” will lead the Shanghai Symphony with an original composition of the new song, celebrating the occasion’s poetic message. Additional featured music includes “Once Upon a Dream,” “Heigh Ho” and “Some Day My Prince will Come.”  - The Laughing Place

The show will be produced by Disney Parks in partnership with IMG, the special will be directed by the award-winning Hamish Hamilton.

That's not all as Disney California Adventure will join in the celebration of the grand opening as from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. in Hollywood Land guests will enjoy special entertainment and photo opportunities. The festivities will include colorful performances by local community groups, along with character appearances by Mulan and Mushu. Some of the best Asian food and beverage options  will be available to purchase including pork bao, almond cookies, and pot stickers.

The park will also be giving out a commemorative button to celebrate the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort to all Disneyland Resort guests, while supplies last. Join the fun in just 7 days on June 16, 2016.

Experience a Brand New Adventure in the Enchanted Tiki Room Comics This Fall:

A brand new 5-part comic series of the Disney Kingdoms comics will feature the Enchanted Tike Room debuting this fall. It will be released inside Disney Parks. The series will be written by Jon Adams. Artwork will be penned by Horacio Domingues with cover artwork by Brian Kesinger.

Recently Steven Miller of the Disney Parks Blog did an interview writer Jon Adams, Brian Crosby with Disney Kingdoms, and Walt Disney Imagineers Tom Morris, Executive Creative Director; Andy DiGenova, Associate Producer; and Josh Shipley, Creative Services Specialist. Check it out below:

Steven: What makes the Disney Kingdoms series unique?

Tom: “The Disney Kingdoms series gave us an opportunity to build on stories from our classic Disney Parks attractions that guests love. We’re hoping the books inspire readers to revisit favorite attractions with a new perspective. For this series, we’re taking guests to a tropical island filled with everything loved from the original attraction and introducing some new characters, stories and places to discover.”

Steven: How is the storytelling in this series different from previous series?

Jon: “The Enchanted Tiki Room is a place of legend, fantasy and mystery. I grew up watching shows where new characters were introduced each week into a familiar setting that had previously established characters. I wanted to apply that vignette storytelling concept to this new series. In each issue, new visitors will arrive by boat to an isolated island populated by singing birds, plants, and ancient Tiki gods.”

Andy: “We loved Jon’s fresh approach to storytelling. It was different than our previous [Disney Kingdoms] comics that had more linear stories.”

Brian: “There’s a sense of mystery about the island and Jon’s idea had us asking questions: Why is the island enchanted? How does it connect the people who visit the island? There will be a nice connection for guests who read all five issues in this series.”

Steven: I love collecting all things Tiki-related including artwork. What will readers see when they pick up an issue?

Josh: “The illustrations will be extremely colorful and the images will pop off the page. They will make readers feel like they are on that mysterious island. We pulled reference images from the Walt Disney Imagineering Resource Library to really connect the comic illustrations to the Disney Parks experience. We’ll also feature variant covers by other artists such as a cover with José by Walt Disney Imagineer Jason Grandt.”

Disney Files Plans for Expansion & New Ride at Typhoon Lagoon, "Moana" Teaser Poster, and More

Disney Files Plans for ExpNew Ride at Typhoon Lagoon:

Yesterday, Disney filed plans for a new hotel in Disneyland. Today, they moved over to the east coast as they filed plans for a brand new family raft ride and an expansion of Typhoon Lagoon. The ride and the expansion would expand the water park another 2 plus acres.

The expansion would include new guest areas plus the new water ride that will be to the west of the Crush N' Gusher ride in the water park. Sidewalks and landscapes will be provided for guest access to the area according to state records found by the Orlando Business Journal. More details on the new family raft ride is that it will include an elevated flume/track and will be supported by columns. 

Crush N' Gusher was the last ride added to Disney's Water Parks when it was completed in 2005. Construction lasted less than a year on Crush N' Gusher. While no completion date could be found in the plans, it can be assumed if construction starts within the next few months, the ride could be completed by sometime in 2017. Most likely after the parks' closure during the winter month's.

"Moana" Teaser Poster Revealed: 

Today, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson revealed the first poster for "Moana" which hits theaters November 23, 2016. He also revealed that we will get our very first look at the film this Sunday when the first teaser trailer is released on his Twitter. Check out the tweet below:

#MOANA EXCLUSIVE: This SUN I'm excited to share the spectacular visuals behind this movie w/ the 1st teaser trailer. pic.twitter.com/ouEnFvRqbv

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) June 8, 2016

2017 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Dates Announced:

The 2016 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival just ended last week. Today, it was revealed that the 2017 festival will take place from March 1 through May 29, 2017. What can guests enjoy possibly at next year's festival:

• Outdoor kitchens offering delectable bites and libations
• Dozens of world-renowned, Disney-themed topiaries
• Breathtaking garden spaces and wildlife habitats
• Inspirational exhibits, seminars and how-to demonstrations
• An outdoor concert series featuring fan-favorite bands
• And much, much more

It is one of the best and most beautiful times of the year to visit Epcot and I can't wait to see what's offered at next year's festival. 

Disney Announces Plans for New Luxury Hotel for Disneyland to be Completed by 2021

Disney has proposed to the City of Anaheim that it will begin construction on Disneyland's 4th Disney-themed hotel in 2018 and have a completion date by 2021. They termed the new hotel a "flagship hotel" with 700 rooms, a four-diamond hotel and parking structure. The hotel will be built on the 10 acres of 1401 Disneyland Drive, the north end of the Downtown Disney parking lot. 

In an article by the OC Register it said, "Walt Disney Imagineering will design the hotel, which currently does not have a theme, Disneyland officials said. Guests will sit on a rooftop deck to watch Disneyland’s nightly fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle, there will be signature restaurants, two pools, a fitness facility, concierge service and a kid’s play area."

While no theming has been announced look at the above concept art of at least one of the pools, who is in the middle of the pool but Dory, Nemo, and Marlin. Could the pool area be themed to "Finding Dory" or "Finding Nemo"?

Next up is the concept image where you can see guests greeting Mickey Mouse in the lobby of the new resort. To achieve the 4-diamond rating from AAA, Disney will have to spend $225,000/guest room which includes $30,000 in furniture, fixtures, and equipment in each room.

Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said on the proposal, “This new flagship hotel would create thousands of jobs and benefit Anaheim with more than $750 million in additional tax revenue over the next four decades, while helping the city reach its stated goal of attracting more high-end visitors."

The new hotel would be first hotel built in Disneyland in 20 years once its completed. It will join the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, and the Grand Californian as the only Disney-owned hotels on Disneyland property. 

I hope this is a sign that Star Wars Land will be completed way before the hotel is in 2021 and not a sign that they will be opening them both in 2021. Are you excited for the new Four-Diamond Hotel coming to Disneyland?