Cast Members Get Sneak Peek of New MagicBand+

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

This summer, Walt Disney World will debut its highly anticipated new MagicBand, called MagicBand+. These new MagicBands will be able to do things above and beyond the traditional MagicBand. Regular MagicBands — which have been at Walt Disney World for years — are able to hold Guests’ theme park tickets, Park reservations, Lightning Lane Reservations, open your hotel room door, and more. MagicBand+ will be able to do all that and more, a lot of which will be in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary.

As part of its 50th Anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World Imagineers created 50 beautiful gold statues of classic and newer Disney characters. These statues are called the Fab 50. The new MagicBand+ will be able to interact with these statues, creating a truly one-of-a-kind experience for Guests. Some Walt Disney World Resort Cast Members were given the chance to use MagicBand+ and had a great time.

MagicBand+

WDW Ambassador shared footage of the fun interactions on Instagram.

We recently “banded” together with some Cast Members at Magic Kingdom for a special sneak peek of the new MagicBand+ Disney Fab 50 Quest! We had a blast bringing some of our favorite Disney characters to life and can’t wait to interact with the rest of the Disney Fab 50 Character Collection when MagicBand+ launches this summer. Which sculpt are you most excited to interact with? #DisneyCastLife #DisneyWorld50

In addition to using the MagicBand+ to interact with the Fab 50 statues, Guests will also see their Bands light up as they watch Disney Enchantment at magic Kingdom and Harmonious at EPCOT. Much like the Mickey ear hats that debuted at Disney years ago, MagicBand+ will light up in time to the music and change colors as the show progresses. 

Disney Enchantment

Guests who purchase MagicBand+ will also be able to become Bounty Hunters as they spend time in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The MagicBand+ will light up and vibrate as you get close to the hidden virtual bounties you are searching for. Then, in conjunction with the Play Disney Parks app, a thermal imager on your phone will reveal the hidden bounty. If Guests complete their missions, local guide masters will reward them with galactic credits. 

Now, the Fab 50 statues, as well as Disney Enchantment and Harmonious, were created specifically for the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary. The 50th is scheduled to run through March 2023, and it is unknown if the statues and shows will remain after that. Disney has not revealed what things the MagicBand+ will be able to interact with once the 50th is over.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom reveals the return date of the full “Festival of the Lion King” show

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

Disney made a big announcement yesterday about a Guest-favorite experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Tumble Monkeys will make their triumphant return to the Festival of the Lion King experience at Animal Kingdom beginning July 16.

It was also announced that Disney is making the shift back to the “Festival of the Lion King.” Performers will be preparing for the long-awaited return of the full show. For this reason, “A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King” will not be an available experience for Guests from July 5, 2022, to July 15, 2022.

Disney invites Guests to “delight in a Broadway-style show filled with songs, pageantry, and puppetry celebrating the classic movie, The Lion King.”

The Walt Disney World website touts the Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as follows:

“Join the inhabitants of the Pride Lands for a grand gala in honor of Simba, the lion cub who would be king.

As the lights dim, hear the sounds of the African savanna. A kinetic kaleidoscope of color floods the stage as colossal puppets, extravagantly costumed dancers, and incredible stilt walkers dazzle the senses.

During spectacular theatrics, you’ll relive all the classic songs from The Lion King, including ‘Hakuna Matata’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’ The spectacular finale includes a soaring rendition of ‘Circle of Life.’

It’s a moving and immersive theatrical experience celebrating music that has touched generations of Disney fans—and a festival you’ll want to be part of again and again!”

When the experience first returned after a nearly four-month closure of the parks in 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the attraction was called “A Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King,” which was a shorter version of the experience that didn’t include all of the show’s features, such as the Tumble Monkeys.

The full show will return on July 16, and the Tumble Monkeys and birds will all be there! If you’re in the parks that day, be sure to give them all a warm welcome!

‘Star Wars’ Original Trilogy Icon Passes Away

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

The Star Wars family sadly lost one of its icons this past weekend as X-Wing and Death Star designer, Colin Cantwell, passed away on Saturday, May 21, 2022, aged 90 at his Colorado home.

Behind every great creation is an equally great mind. That was the case for George Lucas’ Star Wars original trilogy which debuted with Star Wars (1977), now Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope in the late 1970s. While people like Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), bounty hunters like the character Boba Fett and Sith Lords like the disgraced Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen), were the brainchild of Lucas, other visionaries contributed to the sprawling Skywalker Saga.

Perhaps the most iconic “moon” in pop culture history, and almost as popular as the Millennium Falcon, the Death Star from A New Hope, is almost synonymous with the Star Wars franchise itself and is highly regarded as a classic cinematic location of modern times. The Death Star has been prevalent in the grander Star Wars story ever since the franchise’s birth in 1977 with the original Star Wars movie.

death star laser

Unfortunately, the man behind the original prototype designs of this iconic pop culture space station has sadly passed away.

Cantwell worked on the Death Star, the TIE Fighter, the X-Wing, the Imperial Star Destroyers, landspeeders, sandcrawlers, and more — all unforgettable parts of the Star Wars story — with direction from Lucas himself. The designer also worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and WarGames (1983) during his long career.

luke raising x wing on dagobah

According to Deadline:

Born in San Francisco, Cantwell graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in animation. He then was personally invited by Frank Lloyd Wright to attend his School of Architecture.

Before he made his way to Hollywood, Cantwell already had an amazing career. Cantwell worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA, creating educational programs for the public to better understand space flights.

Cantwell is survived by his partner of 24 years, Sierra Dall.

Colin Cantwell

From its planet-killing capabilities to the location of Darth Vader (Dave Prowse/James Earl Jones) and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s (Alec Guinness) famous duel, and its resurrection in JJ Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019), the Death Star is well-known to even the most casual Star Wars fans. Featured in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, the First Order’s Starkiller Base was inspired by its predecessor, proving that the legacy of the not-moon continues to lace its way through Lucasfilm’s leading franchise, the Star Wars universe.

starkiller base preparation the force awakens

The initial designs of these landmark Star Wars vehicles surely paved the way for the technology and transport fans can see in projects like The Mandalorian and the upcoming Star Wars series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, up to this day.

‘Encanto’ Experience Coming to the Parks!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

If you’re an Encanto fan, we have some exciting news for you as The Walt Disney Company’s CFO has confirmed an ‘Encanto’ Experience is coming soon.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Encanto was released in November 2021 and Disney movie lovers haven’t stopped talking about it since. The diverse Madrigal Family is full of inspiring characters, and the award-winning music by Lin-Manuel Miranda is stuck in our heads on repeat. Disney isn’t keeping its Encanto success a secret as the film has already been deemed an upcoming franchise by Disney CEO Bob Chapek.

Lin Manuel Miranda recently confirmed that Disney is in talks over an Encanto experience within the Disney Parks. We’ve already seen an Encanto projection overlay at “it’s a small world” at Disneyland Resort as well as its spectacular Encanto float at Disneyland’s returned Main Street Electrical Parade. Plus, Mirabel Madrigal has been known to pop up for a character meet and greet opportunity at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.

Now, Disney has announced Disneyland’s Tarzan’s Treehouse (similar to Walt Disney World Resort’s Swiss Family Treehouse) will be undergoing transformation. Rumors are swirling that the treehouse could be transformed into an Encanto attraction, but Disney has yet to confirm.

We Don't Talk About Bruno

On May 18, 2022, Senior Executive Vice President and CFO of The Walt Disney Company, Christine McCarthy, spoke at the MoffettNathanson 9th Annual Media & Communications Summit in which Encanto was mentioned.

Christine McCarthy was asked to talk about keeping Disney’s theme parks relevant. McCarthy stated:

“So, our parks have been around for a long time. Disney World is celebrating its 50th. Disney Land is just celebrated its 65th, it’s now 66, soon to be 67. But if you went there in the ’60s or the ’70s or the ’80s, it’s not the same experience and even if you hadn’t been there four or five years you will go and you will find something that was updated, it may be a seasonal update, it may be something that we’ve pulled in from some of our great content, something that’s not yet really in the parks, but I think you will see it soon is something like Encanto.”

“What was really just wonderful in the music that — elements of that could be incorporated into the park experience. Some of it will be transitory, some of it will be more permanent. Certainly, when we put like a Marvel or Avengers Campus, that’s more permanent. But we can do things with entertainment that really are relevant. So, I would say it’s cast, creativity and relevancy. And that unless you’re there with your eyes open and letting your — let you experience the heart and the mind, I don’t think people appreciate that.“

encanto

Now that we have confirmation of Encanto’s growth from Bob Chapek, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Christine McCarthy – it sounds like we may be able to enjoy Encanto in the Parks sooner rather than later!

Disney Executive Is Retiring After 50+ Years With the Company

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Big news to share as a top Disney executive with The Walt Disney Company has announced his retirement after 50 plus years with the company.

George Kalogridis started his work with Disney as a busser in 1971 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. His career launched into leadership roles including Presidencies at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, to now the President of Disney Segment Development and Enrichment for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products.

New was released on May 19, 2022, when George Kalogridis announced his retirement from the company after his many years as a loyal Cast Member.

Reporter @ScottGustin took to social media to share,

In response to Kalogridis’ announcement, Disney released the statement: “Throughout his storied fifty-year career, George has been committed to developing our Cast Members and delivering unparalleled service to Guests across the world and has helped influence generations of Cast Members in how to deliver Disney’s special brand of magic.”

Kalogridis is known for his involvement in many beloved Disney Park experiences we all know and love today including the creation of Disney Pin Trading, “Frozen Summer Fun” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the opening of Pandora—The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

george-kalogridis-window-magic-kingdom

On September 12, 2021, Disney celebrated Kalogridis with a special window on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park as shown in the video below:

Thank you for all of your contributions George!