Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resorts Welcome International Guests Back

Today, the U.S. opens its borders to travelers from around the world. And our Cast Members at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California are ready. To all who come to these happy places, welcome! 

Our Disney destinations across America have always been a source of joy for all ­– bringing people together to enjoy happiness, hope and inspiration. So, needless to say, we’re excited to once again greet our many friends from across the globe as they return to experience the magic at Disney theme parks.

No matter where our Guests are traveling from, there are unforgettable experiences waiting for them, brought to life by our Cast Members who continue to be the heart of the Disney magic. Whether it’s a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime 50th anniversary celebration at Walt Disney World Resort or new, heroic adventures and out-of-this-world offerings at Disneyland Resort, now is a perfect time to visit both destinations. 

At Walt Disney World Resort, the 50th anniversary celebration is in full swing throughout all four parks and beyond. The World’s Most Magical Celebration launched October 1, 2021, and will run a full 18 months. During this once-in-a-lifetime event, Guests will discover new attractions and entertainment, magnificent Beacons of Magic, celebratory sips and bites, special 50th anniversary offerings, and much more. 

Also new is our nighttime spectacular “Harmonious” at EPCOT – celebrating how Disney music inspires and unites people the world over. It’s another big milestone in the park’s multi-year transformation. Taking place on the World Showcase Lagoon, this show is one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney theme park. It features fireworks, floating set pieces, choreographed fountains, lights, lasers and more.

At EPCOT, Guests will also discover the new family friendly attraction, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure! Based on Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning “Ratatouille,” Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is an exhilarating “4D” experience for the whole family that’s part of a newly expanded France pavilion.

New offerings at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park include “Disney KiteTails” where performers fly windcatchers and kites of different shapes and sizes, including elaborate three-dimensional kites – some 30 feet long – that allow Disney animal friends like Simba and Zazu or Baloo and King Louie to soar like never before.

And “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom Park is a must-see that features spectacular fireworks, captivating Disney music, enhanced lighting, and immersive projection effects that extend – for the first time – from Cinderella Castle down Main Street, U.S.A.

There’s also as an emotional original song, entitled “You Are the Magic,” by eight-time GRAMMY-winner and former Walt Disney World cast member Philip Lawrence.

Also during The World’s Most Magical Celebration, the merriest season of the year at Walt Disney World Resort will feature festive entertainment, whimsical décor, seasonal food and drinks, and holiday-themed merchandise. The celebration begins Nov. 12.

On the west coast, Disney magic is also waiting to be discovered during a visit to The Happiest Place on Earth – the Disneyland Resort. Experience the fun and thrills of Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park, and stay in the magic at the Disneyland Resort hotels.  

At Disney California Adventure park, visit the all-new Avengers Campus, where Guests are invited to team up with the Avengers and their allies to live out their Super Hero dreams. The location consists of several heroic locations and the story unfolds with authentic, immersive details.

Ant-Man and The Wasp check in on the latest experiments using Pym particles at Pym Test Kitchen featuring IMPOSSIBLE. Iron Man shows off his new Mark 80 armor. General Okoye and the Dora Milaje arrive from Wakanda to train new warriors, and Doctor Strange steps through a mystic portal and into an Ancient Sanctum. And there’s more to discover! 

At Disney California Adventure park, Guests can also experience the fastest attraction at the Disneyland Resort: The Incredicoaster! Step into the world of “The Incredibles” with Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Violet, and Dash, along with Edna Mode, as Guests try to catch Jack-Jack. After their daring dash, Guests can explore Pixar Pier to experience more amazing moments with some favorite Pixar pals.

At Disneyland Park, Guests can visit the galactic outpost of Batuu and live out their own Star Wars story at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (also located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort). Join the Resistance in an epic battle against the First Order on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or pilot the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

And this holiday season will sparkle like never before at Disneyland Resort as it transforms into a merry and magical place from Nov. 12 to January 9.

At Disneyland park, nostalgic holiday magic shines brightly with the glistening Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle and a 60-foot Christmas tree on Main Street, U.S.A. “A Christmas Fantasy” parade returns featuring beloved Disney characters joining Santa Claus for a merry musical celebration and other festive experiences that include the “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular and magical snowfall over portions of Main Street, U.S.A. Guests will also delight in the seasonal transformation of “it’s a small world” Holiday and the 20th installation of Haunted Mansion Holiday.

For the holidays At Disney California Adventure park, Guests can create new memories during Disney Festival of Holidays and discover the sights, sounds and tastes of a diverse season of celebrations, including eight festival Food Marketplaces. “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” features Disney characters hosting a fun street party with Mexican folklórico dancers and Mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers and percussionists, giant mojiganga puppets and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their fiesta best! For the first time, friends and family are invited to enjoy a celebration of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ new musical comedy, “Encanto,” with live entertainment and special appearances by Mirabel, the young hero from the film.

Celebration of Disney+ Day

In Sept., Disney announced that we would be celebrating Disney+ Day in a big way on November 12, and we’re excited to share more about what Disney Parks Guests and shopDisney users can expect later this week as we roll out the blue carpet around the world for Disney+ subscribers.

In celebration of Disney+ Day, Disney+ subscribers with a valid ticket or pass and theme park reservations for the day will enjoy special benefits at select Disney theme parks. Disney+ subscribers are invited with their travel party to enter all theme parks at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort 30 minutes before regular park open.

Disney+ subscribers are the real stars at Disney Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park, where Guests will be welcomed with a blue carpet experience, including special photo opportunities throughout the parks.

lus up their photos with complimentary Disney PhotoPass digital download(s) taken at select locations, offered especially to Disney+ subscribers via the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps

Fan favorite Disney+ characters are also joining the festivities with appearances around the parks. The fun doesn’t stop there – there are more surprises in store for subscribers who visit on Disney+ Day at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort!

Learn about how Guests can celebrate Disney+ Day at Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort via handy event guides directly in the My Disney Experience mobile app and the Disneyland app. For Guests using a mobile device, they can directly access the Walt Disney World Resort event guide and the Disneyland Resort event guide.

Disney+ Day is coming to Disneyland Paris too with a special celebration taking place at Walt Disney Studios Park for all Guests to enjoy!* Guests can be the star they are, and strut the blue carpet in true Hollywood style, stopping along the way for selfies with Disney characters dressed in blue for the occasion. Relax between takes in an eatery reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood at Restaurant en Coulisse – and don’t miss the chance to indulge in a complimentary Disney+ Day-inspired treat offered with each menu item purchase. Disney+ Day photo locations will plus up Guest’s pics with special character appearances (both in-person and virtual); and to culminate the celebration, Walt Disney Studios Park will remain open for 30 extra minutes with a grand finale illuminating the Tower of Terror in blue.**

Guests can celebrate with Disney Parks from home, too! They can step up their selfie game on the My Disney Experience app with a special appearance from Grogu. This all-new AR feature rolls out November 12, and just for Disney+ Day, Guests will be able to give it a go right from home!

Disney+ subscribers will enjoy more special benefits from home with free shipping on shopDisney from November 12-14. In addition, for a limited time starting TODAY, shopDisney is rolling out new customizable products from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel including short sleeve and long sleeve T-shirts for kids and adults from Disney+ favorites: “Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Luca,” “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” and “Loki.”

In celebration of Disney+ Day, Disney Publishing Worldwide will offer selected $0.99 cent eBooks Nov. 8-17. Fans can discover the stories behind their favorite Disney+ series, including, “Loki,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” and “The Mandalorian.”

Guests can also choose to memorialize the magic with the release of a limited set of digital collectibles representing some of the most beloved characters and stories from iconic Disney franchises. Each digital collectible purchase will include a free offer code allowing new subscribers to enjoy several free months of Disney+.***

For Guests not already a Disney+ subscriber, they can join in the celebration with a special, introductory offer, and get one month of Disney+ for only $1.99, then $7.99/mo. 

Guests may be required to verify that they are a Disney+ subscriber by displaying their logged-in home screen on the Disney+ app via their phone to receive special benefits at the parks. Please be sure to download the Disney+ app and sign in prior to arrival.

*A Health Pass is required for any guests aged above 12 years and 2 months in order to visit Disneyland Paris. Please visit our Health and Safety page https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-us/health-safety-measures/ 

**Please note that seasons, shows, parades and similar events at Disney Parks may be changed, delayed or cancelled at any time without notice for reasons beyond our control.

*** This Disney+ offer is only valid for new and returning Disney+ subscribers, cannot be shared with any other person or transferred in exchange for money or any other consideration, with or without the NFT, and is only available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Mexico, and Singapore.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Forced to Shut Down Production

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently being filmed in Georgia — as are most Marvel films — and is scheduled to be released as part of Marvel’s Phase 4 slate in November. Marvel had originally planned for the highly-anticipated Black Panther sequel to be released in July, but it was pushed back in October, along with a number of other Marvel films, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessThor: Love and Thunder, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Unfortunately, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now experiencing another setback as production has been put on hold indefinitely as star Letitia Wright — who plays Shuri — recovers from an injury she sustained in August. While Marvel originally stated that Wright’s injury would not affect the production schedule — they would shoot the scenes that she was not a part of — it looks like that has now changed. Marvel has apparently shot all the scenes that they can without the starlet, and they must now go back to the drawing board to figure out how to continue.

Black Panther

The Hollywood Reporter received a statement from Wright’s representative and reported the following:

Wakanda Forever had been filming mostly in Atlanta for the last two months. Director Ryan Coogler is said to have shot all footage that his crew is able to without Wright.

Sources say the production is taking the hiatus to reconfigure the shoot to get things back on track for an early 2022 restart. The shutdown is expected to begin the week of Thanksgiving.

“Letitia has been recovering in London since September from injuries sustained on the set of Black Panther 2 and is looking forward to returning to work early 2022,” a representative for Wright said in a statement to THR. “Letitia kindly asks that you keep her in your prayers.”

Letitia Wright Black Panther

After sustaining the injury while filming in Boston, Wright traveled to London, where she has been healing ever since. Wright was promoted to the lead role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever after Chadwick Boseman — who played the titular superhero — died of cancer in 2020, so it is safe to assume that there are not too many scenes that she will not be a part of.

Marvel has said that, at this time, they do not anticipate the release date of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to be impacted by the pause in production.

Behind the Scenes of Drawn to Life – New Cirque du Soleil Show at Disney Springs

The debut of the highly anticipated Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil & Disney is getting closer and Disney has released more information about the show.

Froma Disney Cast Member;

We’re less than one month away from the Nov. 18 grand opening of Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil and Disney, and the excitement is building both inside and outside the iconic white theatre at Disney Springs. Today we’re sharing a new behind-the-scenes video where you can learn more about the inspiration and artistry behind this first theatrical collaboration between three creative icons: Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering.

Drawn to Life celebrates Disney’s extraordinary legacy in the art of animation, from the earliest pencil sketches to the feature films of today. The classic characters and moments from Disney Animation are reinterpreted through Cirque du Soleil’s innovative design, acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography and creative costuming alongside an original score inspired by timeless Disney music.

In the video you hear from Eric Goldberg, a veteran director, designer and animator who began his association with Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1990 supervising the animation of the wise-cracking Genie in “Aladdin.” As Animation Director on the show, Eric shares his insider’s perspective on how Drawn to Life blends live performance and animation in a new way.

For more information, visit DisneySprings.com/Cirque. Keep an eye out for more behind-the-scenes stories leading up to the show’s grand opening!

Fab 50 Ornaments Now Available!

Get ready to bring a dose of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary home with you! Now that we have officially welcomed November, Disney has revealed fantastic new holiday merchandise just in time for holiday shopping.

A fun experience that is part of Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration is the Fab 50 character collection which includes 50 Disney character statues spread throughout the four Parks. Now, new Disney ornament collections are available of these Fab 50 character sculptures.

Keep in mind, there are a few Fab 50 character statues that are NOT included in what’s currently available on shopDisney.

Each Ornament set is $49.99.