Disney Channel Stars Visit Animal Kingdom

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

Sometimes you just have to take a break from a busy day and check out videos with tigers, porcupines, and butterflies! Disney shares three videos that feature these animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Check out the videos and details below as shared by DisneyParksBlog.

Disney Channel stars Ava Kolker and Christian J Simon from “Sydney to the Max” teamed up with the Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team and National Geographic to learn about the animals that live at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.* Ava and Christian had the unique opportunity to get up close to some of the most incredible animals on the planet and learn how the animal care experts take care of them. These previously recorded pieces showcase Sumatran tigers, zebra longwing butterflies, giant swallowtail butterflies and prehensile-tailed porcupines. 

Ava and Christian worked with Dawn, an animal keeper, to prepare some food-based enrichment items for the Sumatran tigers and then delivered these to the Sumatran tigers at the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Check out the video below to find out what happens: 

Ava and Christian got up close to a prehensile-tailed porcupine while learning from Conservation Manager Dr. Zak and Maria, an animal keeper, about what makes these animals unique. They even met a baby porcupine, called a porcupette! 

Dr. Zak shared with Ava and Christian why butterflies are so important and provided the chance for them to interact with zebra longwing butterflies and giant swallowtail butterflies in the Pollination Garden near Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. 

Together we can make a positive impact by protecting the places these and other animals call home. To check out more of Ava and Christian’s animal adventures, click here to visit the Disney Magic Moments collection in the DisneyNOW app. DisneyNOW is a kids-safe app with the newest episodes and current seasons of your favorite Disney Channel shows, DCOMs and dozens of games. 

Cirque du Soleil Will Debut “Drawn To Life” On November 5th

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

It’s been a whirlwind few months for Cirque du Soleil, as the performance company’s been hard hit with debut cancellations, massive layoffs, and even bankruptcy. However, “Drawn to Life” at Disney Springs is now scheduled for a Fall debut, and tickets have just gone on sale on the Cirque du Soleil website.

Tickets are available as early as Thursday, November 5, with seats starting at $79. After its debut, performances will take place daily at 5:30 PM from Tuesday through Saturday.

The performance schedule runs through the end of December. Do keep in mind that these showings are contingent on current health and safety restrictions, and are subject to change.

You can purchase tickets for “Drawn to Life” at Disney Springs by clicking here.

“Drawn to Life” was meant to make its official debut on April 17, 2020. When the wave of COVID-19 closures hit, the debut was postponed indefinitely. Cirque du Soleil has offered to replace or refund any purchased tickets for all showings impacted by the closure. Guests with any questions about their tickets should call the “Drawn to Life” hotline at (702) 352-0221.

Disney Skyliner Will Be Resuming On July 15th

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

Already seen testing on various lines throughout the latter half of the extended parks closure, the Disney Skyliner will be back in full swing starting July 15.

While we were aware that transportation to the parks would resume upon the reopening of the theme parks, we now have confirmation that all three lines of the Disney Skyliner will be in operation for the reopening of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Hours for the Disney Skyliner are slated to be 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM for EPCOT, and 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney’s Pop Century Resort, which will be reopening on July 10, and Disney’s Riviera Resort, which is now open, will have transportation to the two newly-reopened parks. (Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort will not reopen until July 29, and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will not be reopening until August 12.)

Other forms of theme park transportation will also be available, albeit on a limited basis, via Monorail, ferryboat, and resort buses.

Disney+ Is Launching “Summer Movie Nights” Beginning July 3rd

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

We’re excited to share Disney+ is launching “Summer Movie Nights” each Friday night over the summer. The movie nights begin July 3rd with the highly anticipated Hamilton, plus an oldie but goodie – The Mighty Ducks! Check out the movie line up and teaser from Disney+ below.

First up – the Disney+ teaser for “Summer Movie Night”

Disney+ “Summer Movie Nights” Schedule is as follows:

Friday, July 3

  • Hamilton
  • The Mighty Ducks

Friday, July 10

  • X-Men: Days of Futures Past
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story

Friday, July 17

  • X-Men: Apocalypse

Friday, July 24

  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Friday, July 31

  • Incredibles 2

Friday, August 7

  • X-Men
  • The Peanuts Movie

Friday, August 14

  • Ant-Man and the Wasp
  • The Greatest Showman

Friday, August 21

  • Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Friday, August 28

  • Fantastic Four (2005)
  • Alice Through the Looking Glass

Friday, September 4

  • The Wolverine

Disney Wins Lawsuit Over Property Taxes

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Disney had sued Orange County Property Appraiser, Rick Singh, arguing the 2019 property tax appraisals for Walt Disney World are too high. Well, we have learned the good news for Disney this morning as the years-long lawsuit has ended in Disney’s favor.

As shared by the Orlando Sentinel:

Walt Disney World and the lodging industry lobby just won a sweeping legal victory that could save Disney and other big hotel owners millions of dollars in taxes. Ruling in a years-long lawsuit between Disney and Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh, an appellate court determined that Singh’s office improperly inflated the value of Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort, a luxury hotel with an annual property tax bill of more than $4 million.

But attorneys and appraisers say the decision, which was issued June 19, will reverberate far beyond that one hotel. That’s because the court declared the entire method that Singh had used to appraise the Disney property — a method that is widely used by other property appraisers — is illegal under Florida law.

Now, experts predict that Disney and other hotel companies, whose finances have been crushed by COVID-19, will seize on the ruling and use it to push for lower tax assessments on scores of other properties. Disney alone is already challenging the appraisals for more than 10 other hotels.

“We are pleased that the court concluded that the method used by the property appraiser violated Florida law,” Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to a reassessment of our properties consistent with Florida law and the court of appeal’s ruling.”