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Disney News

BLACK WIDOW Advanced Tickets and Disney+ Pre-Order Now Available

12 June 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

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The latest installment in Marvel Studios’ Cinematic Universe is another step closer to release. Starting today, BLACK WIDOW is available for pre-order on Disney+, or for advanced purchase at local theaters.

To celebrate, the studio has released another new featurette of the film and a special message from the cast:

Those wanting to see the BLACK WIDOW on the big screen can purchase tickets online through Fandango or wherever tickets are sold.

If you can’t wait to see BLACK WIDOW on Disney+ next month, be sure to check out our other updates from the film. And be sure to stay tuned for our review of it!

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books Tagged With: Avengers, Black Widow, black widow movie, black widow trailer, Disney, Disney Plus, Marvel, Marvel Avengers, Marvel's The Avengers, marvels avengers, scarlett johansson, The Avengers

Disney Wish Cruise Line Reveals

29 April 2021 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

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This was such an exciting morning as we all gathered around the fire (ok, our screens) to watch this newest reveal of Disney Wish updates. This Disney Cruise Line ship appears to be unlike any other in terms of technology, themed spaces, and new updates to what we’ve gotten used to on Disney ships. Let’s go through the news together and be sure to watch our live stream tonight at 8pm to see our thoughts – and share yours!

 

Here are the official updates from the Disney Parks Blog:

 

Disney Wish:

To “Swim”-finity and Beyond

We’re taking fun in the sun to the next level on board the Disney Wish with a brand-new family water attraction and three themed districts that offer dedicated space for families, children and adults alike.

You’ll be immersed in “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse” animated shorts aboard the first-ever Disney attraction at sea, AquaMouse. Complete with show scenes, lighting and special effects, and splashtacular surprises, this wild water ride is sure to delight everyone in the family as they zig, zag and zoom through 760 feet of winding tubes suspended high above the upper decks.

Families will have more pools, more deck space and more dining than ever before in an expansive district themed to Mickey and friends. In addition to AquaMouse, the area will feature six pools — spaciously staggered among tiered decks and surrounded by lounge chairs — and a fresh take on quick and casual fare with a festive character twist.

Little ones will delight in an all-new Toy Story-themed district designed especially for families with toddlers and young children. This whimsical water wonderland will include a splash zone, wading pool, family waterslide and smoothie bar.

Adults will indulge in sun-drenched serenity at Quiet Cove, a peaceful refuge dedicated to lounging, sipping and soaking. Set away from the bustle of family activities, this secluded adults-only district will feature a luxurious infinity pool, poolside bar and chic cafe.

The Rose lounge Disney Wish

Prepared and Served with Flair – A Culinary Cabaret

With the debut of three brand-new family dining concepts ranging from theatrical entertainment to cinematic adventure to sophisticated elegance, dinner on board the Disney Wish will be so much more than a meal – it will be a chance to interact with favorite Disney stories in exciting new ways.

Frozen Dining Disney Wish

Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure is Disney’s first “Frozen”-themed theatrical dining experience that will bring the world of Arendelle to life through immersive live entertainment — featuring favorite characters like Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf — and world-class cuisine infused with Nordic influences.

Worlds of Marvel Disney Wish

Worlds of Marvel is the first-ever Marvel cinematic dining adventure, where you’ll play an interactive role in an action-packed Avengers mission that unfolds around you, complete with a worldly menu inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

1923, named for the year The Walt Disney Company was founded, is an elegant celebration of the company’s legacy, paying homage to the golden age of animation and offering a tasteful tribute to its Californian heritage with dishes inspired by the state’s unique fusion of cultural flavors.

Walt Disney Theatre Wish

A Whole New World of Family Entertainment

We’re combining innovative design, technology and storytelling to create immersive entertainment environments that will surround guests in Disney stories in new and unexpected ways on board the Disney Wish.

The Grand Hall will evolve from a fairytale gathering space into an environmental theater through the magic of built-in special effects and the first-ever atrium stage on a Disney ship. Dedicated shows and interactive entertainment will come to life all around the hall, putting you front and center as you play a special role in the magic.

Luna is a brand-new entertainment hub that will transition from a daytime setting for family fun into an elegant evening venue for adult-exclusive entertainment, offering a variety of live shows and interactive programming throughout the day.

Hero Zone is a futuristic sports arena where physical activity will blend with imagination during action-packed challenges and game show-style competitions for families to take on together.

The Walt Disney Theatre is an opulent show palace that will come alive with original Broadway-style stage productions developed exclusively for Disney Cruise Line.

The Wonderland and Never Land Cinemas are intimate screening rooms that will provide you more options than ever to watch classic and first-run films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and more.

In true Disney Cruise Line fashion, the Disney Wish will offer a robust menu of world-class entertainment throughout every voyage, including spectacular stage shows, exhilarating deck parties, one-of-a-kind character experiences, fun family activities, contemporary cabarets and more.

Imagineering Lab Disney Wish

Imaginations, Assemble! Cool Clubs for Kids of All Ages

Children ages 3 to 12 will enter the captivating worlds of favorite Disney stories in the reimagined Disney’s Oceaneer Club, a real-life wonderland featuring more spaces and stories than ever before.

  • Marvel Super Hero Academy is a high-tech Avengers headquarters where young “recruits” will train to be the next generation of Super Heroes with the help of their own heroes, like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
  • Fairytale Hall is a royal trio of activity rooms where princesses and princes will let their creativity shine at Rapunzel’s Art Studio, read and act out stories at Belle’s Library, and test newfound icy powers at Anna and Elsa’s Sommerhus.
  • Walt Disney Imagineering Lab is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for kids to discover the secrets of Disney Imagineers with hands-on activities and inventive experiments.

For the littlest cruisers ages 6 months to 3 years, It’s a Small World Nursery will offer babysitting services in a whimsical environment inspired by the beloved Disney attraction of the same name.

Edge (ages 11 to 14) and Vibe (ages 14 to 17) are trendy hangouts where tweens and teens will chill and play in their own way, with dedicated programming designed to engage the unique interests of these age groups.

Hyperspace Lounge Wish

A Trove of Untold Treasures Exclusively for Adults

For the first time on a Disney ship, you will embark on a space-jumping tour of the Star Wars galaxy at Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge, a high-end bar styled as a luxurious yacht-class spaceship. This richly themed, immersive experience will be reserved for adults every evening, offering interactive tasting experiences and signature beverages inspired by destinations such as Batuu, Tatooine and Mustafar.

You’ll savor gourmet meals and exceptional beverages at an upscale suite of epicurean excellence exclusively for adults, inspired by the elegant icons of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Beauty and the Beast.”

  • Palo Steakhouse is an evolution of the Palo restaurant that Disney cruisers know and love, now combining the relaxed sophistication of authentic Italian dining with the classic refinement of a modern steakhouse in a genteel setting inspired by Cogsworth, the tale’s majordomo-turned-enchanted-clock.
  • Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement will offer the most luxurious dining experience on board, featuring a gourmet menu crafted by the three-Michelin-starred chef. This romantic and intimate venue evokes the dazzling spirit of the film’s candelabra maitre d’, Lumiere.
  • The Rose is a chic lounge at the entrance of Palo Steakhouse and Enchanté. Inspired by the fateful flower at the heart of the story, The Rose will be an idyllic setting for a pre-dinner aperitif or after-dinner cocktail.

Senses Spa is a tranquil oasis offering indulgent spa and beauty treatments, drawing on the serenity of natural elements to promote pampering and relaxation. The spa will feature private treatment rooms, lavish spa villas, and steam and aromatherapy rooms, while the reimagined Senses Fitness will offer state-of-the-art exercise and wellness facilities.

Other adult-exclusive spaces on board the Disney Wish will include the Quiet Cove pool district; a variety of gourmet cafes, relaxed bars and upscale lounges; and more.

Disney Wish cabin
Disney Wish cabin

Artful Accommodations Where Dreams Do Come True

With an all-new look and feel steeped in enchantment and inspired by dreamy Disney stories, every stateroom on board the Disney Wish will be a luxurious, peaceful retreat designed with ample room for families, plenty of storage and upscale amenities. Most will feature Disney Cruise Line’s signature split-bathroom concept for utmost comfort and function.

Most of the ship’s 1,254 staterooms will offer an ocean view — including 877 (70%) with a spacious verandah — and there will be 451 connecting doors that adjoin rooms to accommodate larger families.

2-story suite Disney Wish

The Disney Wish will elevate the concierge experience with more than double the number of premium concierge staterooms and suites, including Disney’s first-ever staterooms located above the bridge, boasting floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal breathtaking ocean views overlooking the bow of the ship. An exclusive lounge with private sun deck will be the perfect place for concierge guests to relax, sip a cocktail, and enjoy a premium level of dedicated service throughout the voyage.

The Disney Wish will also debut four royal suites – richly adorned, lavishly appointed suites that accommodate up to six guests and feature extravagant details and first-class amenities. These include a pair of two-story suites, the first of their kind within the Disney fleet, which will feature stunning statement pieces like an elegant spiral staircase and a spectacular two-deck-high stained-glass frieze.

Disney Wish Ship

Setting Sail Summer 2022

The Disney Wish will sail its maiden voyage — a five-night cruise to Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay — on June 9, 2022, followed by an inaugural season of three- and four-night cruises to the same destinations from Port Canaveral, Fla. Bookings open to the general public on May 27, 2021.


Interesting to note that booking windows will be a little different for the Wish. Normally, Platinum Castaway Club Members (those with 10+ cruises) can book 3 days prior to general public. Gold Castaway Club (5-9 cruises) can book 3 days prior, and Silver Castaway Club (1-4 cruises) can book 1 day prior.

Now with the Wish the Castaway Club requirements are changing a bit. Platinum Castaway Club members with 25+ sailings may book starting 5/17, Platinum with  20+ sailings – 5/18, Platinum with 15+ sailings – 5/19, all other Platinum members – 5/20. Gold members may book starting 5/24, DVC members – 5/25, Silver members – 5/26. And the general public can book beginning 5/27.

So that does change things up for some folks. Be aware and if you decide to book, know your dates!

Let’s Discuss!

So that is a LOT of news to take in and get excited about! As mentioned above, we will be discussing all of this news and Disney Cruise Line on our weekly live stream at 8pm! You can watch the replay below if you cannot make it live. We’d love to have you join in the discussion with our other regular watchers and chat-ers! We have a lot of fun each week!

https://youtu.be/yQXlUyGH3H8

 

 

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Filed Under: Disney Cruise Line, Disney News, Family Travel, Latest News, Travel Tagged With: 1923 dining room, Aqua Mouse, AquaMouse, Arendelle dining, Disney Cruise, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line news, Disney News, Disney Wish, Disney Wish Reveal, Disney Wish ship, Enchante dining, Frozen dining, Hyperspace Lounge, Imagineering Lab, Marvel Disney Cruise, Marvel Super Hero Academy, Oceaneer's Club, The Rose lounge, Worlds of Marvel dining

New Poster and Trailer Revealed for ‘Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings’!

19 April 2021 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

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The next exciting entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe just got an exciting update! Earlier today, Disney released a new poster and teaser trailer for ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’. This comes on the birthday of actor Simu Liu. The actor – who plays Shang-Chi in the film – debuted the poster and trailer on his social profiles.

Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.

“Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and produced by Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Charles Newirth serving as executive producers. David Callaham & Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham wrote the screenplay for the film, which opens in theaters on September 3, 2021.

If you’re looking for more MCU content, be sure to check out our reviews of the other Marvel films!

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Filed Under: Disney Movie News & Reviews, Disney News, Movies & Books, Official Disney Tagged With: Disney, Disney movie, Disney News, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel movie, marvel trailer, movie trailer, shang chi

Wishes Come True Blue ShopDisney Collection

22 October 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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This new collection is living up to its name. The ShopDisney Wishes Come True Blue items are giving back to Make-A-Wish: The Disney Parks Wishes Come True Blue Color Collection celebrates 40 years of Disney and Make-A-Wish® working together to grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Purchase any item in the Wishes Come True Blue Color Collection now through World Wish Day® 2021 (April 29, 2021) in the US, Canada and across Europe, and Disney will donate 25% of the purchase price (up to US $500,000) to Make-A-Wish®. wish.org/Disney What better way to give back and get some sparkly fun new blue items in the process??

Wishes Come True Blue collection

You can see the entire Wishes Come True Blue collection here, but here are some of my favorite items – click any item to see it on ShopDisney.com:

 

Wishes Come True Blue Loungefly
Loungefly Minnie Backpack $90
Crocs Wishes Come True Blue Crocs
Sorcerer Mickey Crocs $59.99
Disneyland Mask Wishes Come True Blue
Disneyland Mask – preorder $12.99
WDW Mask Wishes Come True Blue
WDW Mask – preorder $12.99
WDW Spirit Jersey Wishes Come True Blue
WDW Sparkly Spirit Jersey $69.99

WDW Spirit Jersey Wishes Come True Blue back

Disneyland Wishes Come True Blue Spirit Jersey
Disneyland Sparkly Spirit Jersey $69.99

Disneyland Spirit Jersey front ishes Come True Blue

Mickey Sparkly Starbucks Tumbler – $27.99
Disneyland Castle long sleeve shirt Wishes Come True Blue
This looks like a spirit jersey but is just a long sleeve shirt with the print on the front – $54.99
mini backpack Wishes Come True Blue
Mini Loungefly Backpack $45 and Alex & Ani bracelet $49.99

Again, there’s much more to the Wishes Come True Blue Collection, including pins, hats, ears, and more! So check out the whole collection! Let me know what you’ve decided to add to your Disney wardrobe (or tumbler collection like me!) To find more ShopDisney merchandise favorites, check out our Disney merchandise posts!

 

 

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Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Disney News, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment Tagged With: Disney crocs, Disney LoungeFly, Disney Merchandise, Disney Spirit jerseys, Disney Starbucks Tumblers, Disney Store, Disneyland merchandise, Make-A-Wish, ShopDisney, WDW merchandise, Wishes Come True Blue, Wishes Come True Blue collection

Haunted Mansion Dooney & Bourke 2020 Designs

21 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Just in time for the 2020 Halloween season, another new design has joined the Disney Dooney & Bourke lineup! This pattern is being added to the existing Haunted Mansion designs, but in a new way. Previous Haunted Mansion Dooney & Bourke patterns included the familiar Haunted Mansion wallpaper design. In 2018, there was a pattern with a black background and a fun art style featuring classic faces from the ride.

Disney Dooney Haunted Mansion 2020

For the Disney Dooney & Bourke Haunted Mansion 2020 edition, it’s a teal blue background with familiar faces and icons from the classic Disneyland and Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion attraction. The art style for these new designs is similar to that of Shag, without actually being a Shag creation. The allover print pattern features familiar spirits from The Haunted Mansion, including Madame Leota, Hitchhiking Ghosts, Caretaker, The Bride, Hatbox Ghost, Stretching Portraits, Singing Busts and many more

There are currently 4 different styles available on ShopDisney and I’m sure we’ll see them in parks soon as well.  Let’s take a closer look:

2020 haunted mansion dooney satchel
Dooney & Bourke Haunted Mansion  Satchel – $268

 

Haunted Mansion 2020 Dooney Crossbody Bag
Haunted Mansion 2020 Dooney & Bourke Crossbody Bag – $198

 

haunted mansion dooney backpack
2020 Haunted Mansion Dooney & Bourke Backpack – $248

 

Dooney & Bourke Haunted Mansion 2020 wallet
Dooney & Bourke 2020 Haunted Mansion Wallet – $178

Which is your favorite style? Will you be adding the Haunted Mansion 2020 designs to your Disney Dooney & Bourke collection? There are some other fun Loungfly Haunted Mansion designs you may enjoy too!

Be sure to check out the Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2020 merchandise while you are there and see the Food & Wine Disney Dooney & Bourke designs for 2020 too!


Select Disney Dooney & Bourke handbags are available at Shop Disney– including an adorable Jungle Book Dooney design which came out in July and we love! There’s also a cool Geometric Mickey design, if you’re looking for a more subtle Disney connection.

If you’re looking for a particular bag and can’t find it on ShopDisney, try the Merchandise Hotline. The number for Walt Disney World Resort is 407-363-6200 or 407-828-1451. They may be able to help you out. Be sure to have as much info about the pattern name and bag style as you can.

Disclosure: *ShopDisney.com links are affiliate links, which means it costs you nothing extra to click or buy, but if you do, the site gets a small commission and you help support zannaland. Thanks for reading!

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Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Disney News, Latest News Tagged With: D&B, designer bags, designer handbags, designer purses, Disney Dooney, Disney Dooney & Bourke, Disney Dooney 2020, Disney Haunted Mansion, Disney Haunted Mansion Dooney, Disney Merchandise, Disney purses, Dooney and Bourke, Downtown Disney, Haunted Mansion, Haunted Mansion 2020, Haunted Mansion Dooney, Haunted Mansion Dooney & Bourke, Haunted Mansion Dooney & Bourke 2020

Halloween at Walt Disney World 2020 – What’s Different?

15 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Disney Halloween 2020 This year has been a challenging one for theme parks and the tourism industry in general. The normal Disney holiday offerings and events that we have grown accustomed to and can mark our calendars by have changed drastically. Normally we’d be over a month into Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties by now, but as you know, Disney Halloween in 2020 is very different. For all of August, we wondered “When is Disney going to decorate for Halloween?!” However today was a banner day, as the Halloween decorations appeared on Main Street, U.S.A.! (This was after an announcement a few weeks back that they would be adding Disney Fall Decorations them on this day.)

What’s Different For Disney Halloween This Year?

I decided to celebrate by making a Park Pass reservation, and Christian joined me and we roamed around and discovered all the Halloween fun! As you can see in the video, there aren’t the huge pumpkins in the front of the park entrance or the train station, as there used to be. Also missing are the Main Street scarecrows in Town Square. I understand that this decision may be to discourage crowding and queuing up for photo ops, but I do hope they add the scarecrows at some point!

With the elimination of the parties, Disney has added most of the party-specific snacks to regular park hours. We seek out some of them and test them out in our video. The other addition to replace the party entertainment is character cavalcades. Characters have been coming out on trolleys, horses and parade floats during regular park hours.

Now that Disney Halloween is here, these characters are now in costume, and joined by favorite villains and other spooky favorites. There are no schedules for these cavalcades, and not all of them are every day, so if you visit, you may not see all of them. For us, we just did a quick trip, and just missed the Boo to You float with all the Fab 5 characters (but we did catch them on the train station!), and the Villains “Good to Be Bad” float. It will be fun to just happen upon these if you are in the park from now through the end of October!

Roy and Minnie Statue

This was our first visit back to the Magic Kingdom in over 6 months, so we also shared our thoughts on the new Cinderella Castle coloring as well. We wrap it up with some Halloween merchandise overviews in case there’s anything you want to add to your list next time you visit!

Christian and I also checked in with the Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom* game, and find out if there will be a special Halloween or Christmas card this year! *We’re going to have a new video soon with the updated gameplay for this fun game. It’s been a while since we’ve played!

We hope you enjoy our silly vlog, I will admit it was a lot harder to do our silly banter in a mask, but hopefully I’ll get used to it next time!

We’ll have some other Halloween fun coming up here soon at Zannaland, so be sure you are following along everywhere so you don’t miss a thing!

 

 

Watch all the Disney Halloween 2020 fun right here:

 

Zannaland and Up the Waterfall Community – Let’s Connect!

FOLLOW THE ZANNALAND FAMILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WATCH OUR VIDEOS, VLOGS AND PODCAST TOO: 
  • Twitter: @zannaland, @otisney
  • Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall, @otisney
  • Zannaland’s facebook page, Up the Waterfall on Facebook
  • Zannaland on YouTube
  • Listen to Up the Waterfall podcast, subscribe on iTunes, or watch Up the Waterfall on YouTube

Thanks for watching and reading, and joining in the fun!

 

 

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Filed Under: Disney News, Latest News, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney Halloween, Disney Halloween 2020, Disney Halloween differences 2020, Disney Halloween merchandise, Disney Halloween vlog, Halloween character cavalcades, Magic Kingdom Halloween, Magic Kingdom halloween decor, Magic Kingdom Halloween snacks, Main Street Halloween, zannaland vlog

D23’s Halloween Hullabaloo – Virtual Mousequerade Contest!

10 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Leave it to D23 to figure out how to keep the Halloween magic alive this season! If you’ve ever attended a D23 Expo event, you know that the Mousequerade is a huge part of the fun. I may have never participated myself, but I LOVE roaming the Expo halls and seeing all the folks in their amazing costume creations. Some of them are just mind-boggling. I’ve seen a full Matterhorn attraction on a person, and a full sized centaur lady from Fantasia, among other incredible costumes. I have no doubt these contestants will not disappoint.

D23 Halloween Mousequerade

D23 has joined up with the fabulous Ashley Eckstein, who has been a staple of the D23 Expo events since the start. I’ve been lucky enough to interview Ashley a couple of times, and see her speak as well. She is such an inspiration!  (And of course you know her from her role as the voice of Ahsoka Tano, her magical and inclusive Her Universe line of clothing and accessories, and may have seen her in the former Star Wars Weekends as well). Also judging is the wonderful and hilarious Yvette Nicole Brown, who hosted the Disney Legends ceremony at last year’s Expo, as well as playing Aunt Sarah in the live action Lady and the Tramp and my personal favorite, her role as Shirley on Community. The grand prize winner will receive a $500 Disney Gift Card! See all the details as well as some other Halloween Hullabaloo fun from D23 below:

 

It’s the most “wicked-ful” time of the year, and D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is celebrating the season with D23 Halloween Hullabaloo. From its first-ever D23 Halloween Mousequerade Contest and incredible new content to a weekly sweepstakes and exclusive collectibles, Disney fans will be able to enjoy lots of treats this fall—with maybe a trick or two thrown in—including:

D23 Halloween Mousequerade Contest: Grab your needle and thread for D23’s first-ever virtual costume contest during which creative contestants will be competing for fantastic prizes in front of celebrity judges Ashley Eckstein and Yvette Nicole Brown. And the category is… “All Things Disney.” Costumes should be inspired by the fantastic worlds of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, from movies and TV to Disney Parks attractions and other Disney properties. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $500 Disney Gift Card—and the ghoulish delight of victory! The festivities will be streamed on October 31 on D23.com, as well as D23’s Facebook and YouTube channels. For more information, visit D23.com/Mousequerade.

D23 Halloween Hullabaloo Sweepstakes: What better way to skele-brate the season than with a ghoulishly good sweepstakes? This October, D23 Members can enter for a chance to win a bubbling bundle of prizes from our cauldron. Don’t lose your head, because each week you get a new chance to enter.

D23 Halloween HULLABALOO

Limited-Edition Pins: On September 28 at shopDisney.com, D23 Gold and Gold Family Members will have the exclusive opportunity to purchase two collectible pins designed by artist Kevin Kidney. These pins, one of the Haunted Mansion’s Hatbox Ghost and the other of Tinker Bell dressed in a wildly witchy costume, are each presented in a limited edition of 1,750.

Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks – D23 Book Launch Party: D23 Gold and Gold Family Members are invited to celebrate the launch of this new book by Disney Editions, as we look at the “spine-tingling half” of the book that pulls back the curtain on that magical combination of Disney and Halloween around the world!

D23 Halloween Hullabaloo Disney+ Picks: For the first four weeks of October, be on the lookout for a new short-form video series featuring our friends from all around Disney who will be sharing some of their favorite films found on Disney+, including behind-the-scenes tidbits to enhance the frighteningly fun experience!

The fine print:

D23 Halloween Mousequerade Costume Contest open to 50 US/DC; D23 Members; 18+. Photo entry begins at 12 AM PT on 9/17/20 and ends at 11:59 PM PT on 10/1/20. If selected as a Semi-Finalist, video entry begins at 9 AM PT on 10/13/20 and ends at 9 AM PT on 10/20/20. Void where prohibited. Rules/odds: https://d23.com/mousequerade-official-rules/.

More details on all of these things and more are available at D23.com.

Have you created a Disney costume at home? Let us know in the comments below!

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Filed Under: D23 Expo, Disney News, Latest News Tagged With: Ashley Eckstein, D23, D23 giveaway, D23 Halloween, D23 Halloween Hullabaloo, D23 Mousequerade, D23 sweepstakes, Disney Costume contest, Disney Halloween contest, Disney Halloween Costume contest, Halloween Hullabaloo, Halloween Mousequerade, Yvette Nicole Brown

Disney Holidays 2020 – Cancellations and Reactions

9 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Cinderella Castle Dream Lights

Yesterday, the internet broke yet again as Disney announced their updated 2020 Holiday lineup for Walt Disney World Resort. Every Disney twitter user, blogger, and Disney news site shared the news. Of course, for the ultimate reaction, leading with NO MORE CASTLE LIGHTS! Or the second hardest-hitting news, NO GINGERBREAD HOUSES! I read the news with everyone else, but took a step back to look at the bigger picture. I wanted to share my thoughts with you, in hopes we can all embrace the holidays in any form.

The Big Picture

Now I’m not here to lecture anyone, but I would like to remind you all of that Christmas classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Remember little Cindy Lou Who? She loved Christmas and was the embodiment of childhood innocence in that original tale and accompanying tv special that we all grew up with. I identified greatly with Cindy Lou. I was also blonde with blue eyes, and Christmas was the best time of the year for me. I was graced with being born exactly two weeks before Christmas, which meant pretty much the entire month was celebratory for me.

Growing up in New England, driving into Boston to see the various light and holiday displays around town was a tradition I looked forward to each year. Other traditions included decorating our tree, my mom baking tray after tray of Christmas cookies, watching Christmas specials on tv. I vividly remember being an angel in the Christmas pageant at our church, and when I was older, attending midnight Mass with my grandparents. I know I’m not alone in my memories. I know you all have your traditions too. But think back to Cindy Lou. She, like all the Whos in Whoville, learned that Christmas is something that lives inside us all. We don’t need decorations or presents or all the fluff and folderol that accompanies the holidays. Christmas will come, no matter what the castle looks like.

I know, I know, it’s 2020, and we all deserve the Christmas we know and love, after enduring over half a year of disappointments, unwelcome changes, and cancellations. But what 2020 has taught us all is that we can’t depend on outside forces to bring us happiness, joy, and fulfillment. 2020 has taught us what truly matters, what is important, and the value of our choices. Hopefully 2020 taught us how our choices affect others, and how we can help more than hurt. We will survive the castle not having lights. We will.

The Disney Holidays Changes

Let’s go down the list of the rest of the changes and postponements and see how we can look at things a different way. The holidays at Walt Disney World will begin November 6, 2020 and run through December 30. The text in quotes below comes from the Disney Parks Blog post announcing these changes.

Magic Kingdom: 

Character cavalcades at Magic Kingdom Park will take on a special holiday twist, with Christmas friends on festive floats in their holiday finest. Gingerbread Men? Check! Elves and Reindeer? Check, check! And the Toy Soldiers will join the Main Street Philharmonic as they march through Magic Kingdom Park, bringing musical holiday cheer for all to hear.

When night falls, special projection effects will give a festive look to Cinderella Castle this year, providing a colorful backdrop for our Guests’ photos. The appearance of the iconic castle will be transformed with a rotating series of designs including a whimsical Christmas sweater and a regal overlay of red, green and gold ornamentation. This will be in place of the Castle Dream Lights. Other holiday experiences that draw big crowds will be on hiatus this year as well, such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

What does that mean for you? You get to look at all your past Cinderella Castle Dream Lights and remember the wonderful times you had experiencing them first hand. You can watch videos! You can decorate your house with white LED lights and do your best castle makeover at home. Set up holiday stations around your home with different decorations, and hand out cookies and cocoa to all your family members in the house! Dress up your pets and create your own Christmas parade roaming your halls. You can still visit the Castle, and see the projection show on it, just no lights, and no Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Personally, I am a HUGE fan of the Toy Soldiers, and seeing them march with the Main Street Philharmagic sounds so fun!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

EPCOT: 

Candlelight Processional at EPCOT will be on hiatus this year but holiday character promenades will take place at EPCOT. Starting a bit later in the season, on Nov. 27, we’ll celebrate highlights from the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Holiday kitchens will return around World Showcase promenade with favorites like American Holiday Table featuring Slow-roasted Turkey with Stuffing and Bavaria Holiday Kitchen with dishes like Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl.

Guests will be invited to step inside World ShowPlace to enjoy the returning group, JOYFUL!, who present a journey through R&B, Gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music. Also, the Voices of Liberty will bring their incredible 8-part harmonies to the America Gardens Theatre stage for a special concert of favorite carols and songs of the season. There are plenty more details about this festival to come, so stay tuned.

So Candlelight Processional is a beloved classic, and a way for those looking for a more spiritual celebration of the holiday can be uplifted through story and song. However, you can listen to the entire show on Apple Music and other music streaming services, and thank goodness again for YouTube, where you can watch Candlelight Processional (on repeat if you want!).

Candlelight Processional

As you can also see above, Disney is not taking away our holiday food. It sounds like they will still be offering a Festival of the Holidays with foods from around the world. I’m very happy to see JOYFUL! will be performing, they are an amazing group and should not be missed.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

There will be merry character motorcades at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Of course, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a meal among friends and family. Minnie Mouse will be hosting a yuletide gathering for all her friends at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting Nov. 6. Santa Goofy will be there, along with Minnie and more in their holiday best.

I do wonder if some of the vintage-look holiday decor that has been placed around the Studios will return this season, we’ll have to wait and see. I don’t think too many of the spots caused a bottleneck of guests, but we’ll see. Of course, Hollywood Studios took the hardest hit a few years back when the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights ended. I think at the time, and since they ended, I personally stuffed my emotions down to my feet, because I knew I’d be an emotional wreck if I let myself truly think about the loss.

Spectacle of Dancing Lights
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Now, 5 years later, I deeply, greatly miss those lights and the times my family would spend under them. It was such an amazing experience that hasn’t been duplicated since. I am not alone in my years and years full of memories of my children looking up in wonder at the lights, enveloped by the music, catching the “snow” in their hands. It is part of why I am so thrilled that Give Kids the World is putting on the Night of a Million Lights this year. I will gladly pay to experience some semblance of magical lights, with the proceeds going to such a good cause. The point is, we got through the ending of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, we will make it through this temporary loss of Castle Dream Lights.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom:

All we know about Animal Kingdom is that there will be festive flotillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Similar to what they have now with characters floating down the river around the backside of the Tree of Life, but…festive! I do hope we get some of the beautiful Animal Kingdom luminary decorations that debuted last year back as well, but as with the other parks, we’ll have to wait and see. Disney has promised:

Festive décor, themed merchandise, seasonal food & beverage offerings and entertainment all across Walt Disney World Resort. Holiday magic will be in full force at the four theme parks and Disney Springs, and Santa Claus will make time for special pop-up appearances at each location, waving and exclaiming holiday wishes to all.

 

Disney Springs:

Guests will discover Christmas around every corner as they come across a collection of elaborately-decorated Disney Christmas trees spread throughout this retail, dining and entertainment destination. In the evening, Guests visiting areas within Town Center, West Side and The Landing will encounter a magical snowfall, adding an extra touch of wonder to their holiday shopping. And to top it off, Jock Lindsey will once again be turning his hangar bar into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar complete with delightful holiday décor and a delicious limited-time menu filled with festive favorites.

I am assuming the Tree Trail in Disney Springs will be spread out around the entirety of the Springs. That was definitely a popular trail, and would not align with social distancing guidelines. I am surprised to see a place so small as Jock Lindsey’s bringing back their holiday festivities. Again, I’m assuming it will be a reduced capacity to allow for a more safe experience. Disney Springs is a very festive place to just stroll around, hear the holiday music, and look at the decorations. I’m sure that will still be the case this year.

Disney Resort hotels: 

Disney Resort hotels will also be decked out for the holidays, with their lobbies featuring iconic trees and other festive flourishes. One thing to keep in mind is that our gingerbread displays will not return to the Resort hotels this year. While we know they are a favorite of people taking in the holiday décor, we’re not able to include those displays due to physical distancing guidelines.

So the trees will be back, but not the gingerbread displays. I know this is also a tough one for folks who took holiday family photos in front of the giant gingerbread house in Disney’s Grand Floridian each year. I’m sure the Disney pastry chefs are just as disappointed as we are.

Grand Floridian gingerbread house

More than Just Disney Holiday Decorations

Another thing to remember is there are still so many cast members who haven’t returned to the magic for various reasons. This could’ve been their favorite time of year too, and now they have gone months without their jobs. The Castle Dream Lights may not be going up because the tech crew that puts the lights up isn’t there. The pastry chefs may not have been all called back either. The performers in the Christmas parade and other shows and live entertainment are still waiting for that call.

It is very easy to look at the parks and resorts and think we are owed the traditions we have come to expect and enjoy each year. Family vacations have been planned around these seasons: hotels, party tickets, dining reservations, booked far in advance. We have turned to Disney for our holiday traditions and Disney has provided. We love all of these events for a reason, Disney does the holidays better than anyone. Now, Disney needs us to understand that circumstances have changed, and as such, traditions must as well. We’d all like nothing more than to stroll down Main Street, U.S.A., see all our favorite Residents of Main Street, and the Dream Lights waiting at the end of the street. But we must be patient, we must understand, that Christmas doesn’t reside in a holiday party, or a gingerbread house.

Whoville Christmas ending
Forgive the non-Disney analogy, but I think it fits. ♥

Christmas will come, no matter what. The memories in our hearts and our minds will light Cinderella Castle. They will fill the Grand Floridian with the scent of gingerbread. The songs in our heart will perform the Candlelight Processional. The Christmas at Disney we knew and love will return when it can. Until then, it’s up to us to keep it alive. 

What About You?

How will you celebrate Christmas this season? Do you have any other ideas for bringing the magic home this season? Will you be visiting the Disney parks and resorts for the holidays?

 

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Filed Under: Disney Holidays, Disney News, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Disney Resorts Tagged With: Candlelight Processional, Castle lights, Christmas spirit, Cinderella Castle Dream lights, Disney cancellations, Disney Christmas, Disney Christmas 2020, Disney Christmas decorations, Disney deep thoughts, Disney holiday memories, Disney holidays, Disney holidays 2020, Disney hotels christmas, Grand Floridian gingerbread house, Mickey's Christmas Party, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Chic Minnie Disney Dooney & Bourke Designs

8 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Another new Disney Dooney & Bourke design has appeared, this time it’s all about Minnie Mouse and she’s CHIC! The Chic Minnie collection has only two bags available that we can see now, a Tres Chic Crossbody Bag and a Tres Chic Shopper Tote. They are covered in a stylized Minnie Mouse Parisian design, with some Mickey too. French phrases and landmarks adorn the white background with pops of red, black, yellow, and blue. These would make a perfect accessory to a Disney’s Riviera Resort photo shoot! Let’s see the designs below:

 

Disney Dooney & Bourke chic minnie crossbody front
Tres Chic Minnie Crossbody front – $198

 

Disney Dooney chic minnie crossbody back
Tres Chic Minnie Crossbody back – $198

 

Disney Dooney chic minnie shopper tote front
Tres Chic Minnie shopper tote front – $268
Disney Dooney chic minnie shopper tote back
Tres Chic Minnie shopper tote front – $268

 

Which is your favorite style? Will you be adding the Chic Minnie designs to your Disney Dooney & Bourke collection?

These styles have been spotted around the Disney Parks as well, so if you plan to visit soon, you may pick one up there. Be sure to check out the Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2020 merchandise while you are there and see the Food & Wine Disney Dooney & Bourke designs for 2020 too!


Select Disney Dooney & Bourke handbags are available at Shop Disney– including an adorable Jungle Book Dooney design which came out in July and we love! There’s also a cool Geometric Mickey design, if you’re looking for a more subtle Disney connection.

If you’re looking for a particular bag and can’t find it on ShopDisney, try the Merchandise Hotline. The number for Walt Disney World Resort is 407-363-6200 or 407-828-1451. They may be able to help you out. Be sure to have as much info about the pattern name and bag style as you can.

Disclosure: *ShopDisney.com links are affiliate links, which means it costs you nothing extra to click or buy, but if you do, I get a small commission. Thanks for reading!

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Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Disney News, Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Latest News Tagged With: Chic Minnie Dooney, Disney Dooney, Disney Dooney & Bourke, Disney handbags, Disney Merchandise, Geometric Mickey Dooney, Jungle Book Dooney, Tres Chic Minnie

Fall 2020 Decorations Coming Soon to Disney’s Magic Kingdom

27 August 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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When will the Fall decorations appear on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom? This was one of our first “Speculation Station” segments on our Up the Waterfall LIVE! show (Thursdays at 8p on Facebook and YouTube!) and now I can’t even remember what my guess was, but if you guessed September 15th, you win!

Fall 2020 decor Magic Kingdom

Autumn at Magic Kingdom is always one of our favorite times of the year. The Fall season is very different this year, with the cancellation of the usual Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, due to Covid-19. However, the return of the classic Halloween Mickey pumpkin lamp decorations is somehow comforting. This season, we will see those happy jack-o-lanterns against the new Cinderella Castle Royal Makeover as a backdrop. In addition to decor, Disney has just announced that there will be some new surprises. We are happy to see Disney going above and beyond. According to Disney:

…There will be some bewitching surprises this year, including a special Halloween-themed cavalcade with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and pals wearing their favorite Halloween costumes. Guests may even spot those rascally chipmunks, Chip ‘n’ Dale, in costume over in Frontierland, and look for other Disney character friends dressed up and riding the horse-drawn trolley down Main Street, U.S.A.

And speaking of costumes, you will want to get yours ready! To bring some Halloween party fun into the park this year, for the first time guests of all ages can wear their funniest, Disney-ist, most creative costumes during Magic Kingdom regular operating hours from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31. As an important reminder, costume masks are not permitted for adults; only children younger than 14 years old are permitted to wear costume masks. In addition, all guests are required to wear approved face coverings during their visit.

Autumn at Walt Disney World Resort wouldn’t be complete without our popular fall treats, such as the famous Pumpkin-spiced Waffle Sundae at Magic Kingdom. Check back soon for our official Foodie Guide to Fall at Walt Disney World, which will contain all of the yummy details.

Fall 2020 treats Magic Kingdom

Festive Halloween-themed merchandise will be available in select locations around the park. Featured items include a new spirit jersey, Loungefly backpack and candy-swirl Minnie Mouse headband, along with a selection of apparel inspired by Disney Villains and more. *NOTE – be sure to be following Zannaland on Instagram! We’ll be giving away some sweet & spooky ears in the coming weeks! 

And be sure to capture special moments with Disney PhotoPass! Photographers will be available throughout the park for themed photo opps. But beware – happy haunts may materialize in the pictures!

We are very excited to see Fall and Halloween returning to the Magic Kingdom (even if we are still observing from afar). What’s your favorite part of autumn in Magic Kingdom? Stay tuned for more news on the ever-changing new Disney park updates.

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Filed Under: Disney News, Latest News, Official Disney, Theme Park Holiday Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Autumn 2020 Disney, autumn Disney parks, Autumn Magic Kingdom, Disney Halloween, Disney Halloween decorations, Fall 2020 Disney, Fall decorations Disney, Fall Disney parks, Fall Magic Kingdom, Halloween 2020, Magic Kingdom Halloween, Magic Kingdom halloween decor, Mickey's Not So Scary

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