Today is a special day for Disney Cruise Line as we depart from the port of Vancouver, Canada, for a return to “The Last Frontier” — Alaska! This summer, the Disney Wonder will once again visit ports of call in Alaska, and Guests on board will experience all the grandeur of this majestic land paired with the magic of Disney for one EPIC adventure.
On board, themed entertainment and authentic experiences uniquely blend the spirit of Alaska with the magic of Disney. Offshore, cruise-led activities bring local culture and customs to life, while Guests have the chance to experience the beauty of Alaska in a way that only Disney can provide.
Set sail with us in the video below for a look at the natural splendor and adventurous spirit of an Alaskan sailing with Disney Cruise Line.
The Disney Wonder will return to Alaska for the 2022 and 2023 summer seasons to explore the region’s breathtaking natural vistas, glaciers and wildlife. Departing from Vancouver, most of these seven-night cruises will visit Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.
The Princess Diaries starred Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis, a teenage girl living an invisible life until her grandmother — played by the iconic Julie Andrews — tells her that she is the heir to the throne of the country of Genovia. Mia then has to learn how to be a princess, as well as deal with her newfound fame, all while struggling to remain a typical teenage girl. Luckily, she always has her best friend Lilly by her side.
The role of Lilly Moscovitz was played by Hollywood veteran Heather Matarazzo, who has been in a number of popular films and television shows, including Welcome to the Dollhouse, Roseanne, The L Word, and Law & Order. Matarazzo has been in the industry for quite a long time and has a number of fans who love all of her work. She worried those fans the other day when she sent out a series of tweets, saying that she was done “struggling to survive” in Hollywood.
The tweets have since been deleted, but not before a number of fans and news outlets took notice. Buzzfeed reported the thread, which had the following messages:
I have hit my limit with Life today. I have hit my limit with whatever games the Universe is playing. I am done. I am tired. I truly feel at a f**king loss.
I feel at a loss because I feel I have done THE WORK, for a long time, with no complaint. I have taken the disappointments, the rejections, etc., and maintained that rejection is redirection. I have had continual FAITH in the Universe, but today, something broke. I feel cast.
I’ve given my life to acting for over 30 years. And am done struggling just to survive
I just need a win. A life-changing win. Cause this ain’t it. F**k.
Matarazzo’s honestly was something many people identified with. After she sent out the tweets, a number of people sent her words of encouragement.
Hold on Heather. Keep venting, sharing how you feel. It's healthy and will help. A win is waiting. You'll get there. Reach out whenever you feel like letting go. You're a badass who has risen before and will rise again. Sending you #hopepic.twitter.com/mMtCuc22Vh
— Author Jenn Sadai (@AuthorJennSadai) May 11, 2022
Matarazzo deleted the tweets not long after they were sent, but they have opened up the door for more people to talk about the importance of mental health. No matter what industry you work in, it can take a toll on you. It is always important to take care of your mental and emotional health, and maybe even speak to a professional if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Matarazzo has more than 60 acting credits to her name and currently has two projects in post-production — The Mattachine Family and Paint. Back in 2020, Matarazzo’s Princess Diaries costar Julie Andrews said that a third film in the franchise was going to happen, but that was just before the pandemic, and Disney has not confirmed anything at this time.
For all the grumbling in the atmosphere from Disney Parks fans who have had their fill with The Walt Disney Company‘s affinity for price hikes at each theme park, Guests sure are spending more while on their Disney vacations.
During The Walt Disney Company‘s Fiscal Year 2022 Quarter 2 earnings call on Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek and Disney CFO Christine McCarthy had lots to share about the good things happening inside the House of Mouse, including an increase in theme park operating income, better-than-expected Disney+ subscriber growth, and perhaps not quite as earth-shattering losses due to Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland being closed for part or all of the quarter.
“Our strong results in the second quarter, including fantastic performance at our domestic parks and continued growth of our streaming services, with 7.9 million Disney+ subscribers added in the quarter and total subscriptions across all our DTC offerings exceeding 205 million, once again proved that we are in a league of our own,” said CEO Bob Chapek during the call.
When it came to theme park operating income for The Walt Disney Company, Disney’s Parks, Product, and Experiences division reported impressive numbers–numbers that suggest that despite months of unrest over Disney’s newly-revamped (and newly re-priced) Annual Passholder programs at Disney World and Disneyland Resort, increases in food prices in the parks (and smaller portions reportedly being served), and in other prices, Disney Guests are still showing up and still spending cash.
A press release from The Walt Disney Company ahead of Wednesday’s earnings call said it all:
“Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Disney Parks, Experiences and Products revenues for the quarter increased to $6.7 billion compared to $3.2 billion in the prior-yearquarter. Segment operating results increased by $2.2 billion to an income of $1.8 billion compared to a loss of $0.4 billion in the prior-yearquarter. Higher operating results for the quarter reflected increases at our domestic parks and experiences businesses and, to a lesser extent, at our international parks and resorts and merchandise licensing businesses.”
And there was seemingly no attempt to cover the fact that Disney has indeed raised prices for many things across the board, leading to increased profits.
“Operating incomegrowth at our domestic parks and experiences was due to higher volumes and increased Guest spending, partially offset by higher costs. Higher volumes were due to increases in attendance, occupied room nights, and cruise ship sailings. Cruise ships operated at reduced capacities in the current quarter while sailings were suspended in the prior-yearquarter. Guest spending growth was due to an increase in average per capita ticket revenue, higher average daily hotel room rates, and an increase in food, beverage, and merchandise spending. The increase in average per capita ticket revenue was due to a favorable attendance mix and the introduction of Genie+ and Lightning Lane in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Higher costs were primarily due to volume growth, cost inflation, and higher marketing spending.”
It may be the last time the Disney executives can be so chipper on an earnings call for a while, thanks to even more upset about CEO Bob Chapek‘s recent statement about Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, followed by the Company’s admitted determination to see the bill repealed. Many Disney Parks fans feel that Disney is attempting to “indoctrinate” children with some of its recent content, leading many to “boycott Disney,” even if only verbally.
However, the recent events involving Disney, DeSantis, and Reedy Creek didn’t transpire until the current quarter, meaning the bad news can be pushed aside for a little bit longer. The third-quarter earnings call might have a completely different tone to it.
Last year, Walt Disney Imagineering announced it would officially move its iconic headquarters from Anaheim, California, to Lake Nona, Florida, located right near the Orlando International Airport and nearby the Disney Parks. Over 2,000 jobs will reportedly move to what Disney describes as a master-planned working community.
Over the past few months, fans have questioned whether the move was still on. Some Imagineers left the company following the announcement, not wanting to relocate their families from California to Florida.
Orlando Sentinelreported in July of 2021 that Disney could receive over $570 million in tax breaks from the state of Florida for building the campus and cited this as a significant reason for the move. This tax break would be among the largest for a major American corporation.
However, the Walt Disney Company’s relationship with the state of Florida has weakened over the past few months after the company publicly spoke out against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
Many wondered if this controversy would affect Disney Imagineering’s move to Lake Nona. California Governor Gavin Newsom even asked Disney to reconsider the move, recommending they stay in a more supportive state for LGBTQ+ employees. After all, Disney only made a statement against the law after protests from LGBTQ+ Cast Members and fans.
A few weeks later, Governor Ron DeSantis announced retaliation against The Walt Disney Company, introducing and successfully passing legislation to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District. In 1967, the Reedy Creek Improvement Act passed, allowing Disney to operate private municipal services like roads, fire prevention, and water surrounding Walt Disney World.
Considering this hostile environment, fans continued to speculate on the scheduled Disney Imagineering move to Lake Nona. As of this week, it seems the move is still on.
Disney’s Careers website continues to post high-level Imagineering positions in the Orlando area, with the most recent position posted on May 10. Two job postings in Glendale, California, even note that “the team will relocate to Orlando, FL in late 2024.”
After months of speculation, Disneyland Paris has finally confirmed the name of its long-awaited Marvel retheme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
Disneyland Paris is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary bringing Guests buckets of Disney magic across Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park, and Disney Village. Despite new shows like Disney D-light — the drone pre-show to the Disney Illuminations fireworks — and character cavalcade such as Dream… and Shine Brighter! in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, perhaps the most enticing aspect of the three-decade celebration is the opening of Disney Parks’ second Avengers Campus.
The only Avengers Campus at any Disney Park is the one found in Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Southern California. The arrival of the Marvel-themed area at the former Euro Disneyland Park is just one of the forthcoming enhancements coming to Disneyland Paris. Over the next two years, the Disney Park will welcome Avengers Campus, Arendelle: World of Frozen, and a rumored Star Wars Land akin to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts.
Similar to Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney Studios Park’s Avengers Campus will feature WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, Doctor Strange: Journey Into the Mystic Arts, and an anxiously-awaited Iron Man retheme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Even as concept art and ride details have been trickling in, the name of the future superhero attraction has remained unknown.
Until now.
In a new post, Disneyland Paris Communication Officer, Clément Gonier (@cgonier), has shared the new television commercial which quietly features the new name of the Marvel retheme.
Featuring Guests watching a battle between Black Widow, Taskmaster, and Black Panther, and meeting the enigmatic Tony Stark/Iron Man, the TV ad finds the Disney Park visitors standing outside the former Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith show building with a sign displaying its new name — Avengers Assemble: Flight Force.
The high-speed rollercoaster shuttered in September 2019, and finally, three years later, the attraction will reopen at Walt Disney Studios Park. As with any new Disney Parks attraction, it is sure to capture the attention of Guests visiting the Disney Resort when the land opens in “Early Summer 2022”. Disneyland Paris also recently relaunched its New York Disney hotel with Disney’s Hotel New York — The Art of Marvel.
Being the thrill ride it is, it can be expected that Avengers Assemble: Flight Force will be part of the Disney Premier Access system. Similar to Disney Genie and Lightning Lane in the United States, Disney Premier Access allows Guests to purchase a speedier entrance to their favorite rides at an additional cost to their theme park ticket.
The opening of Avengers Assemble: Flight Force marks the second major Marvel attraction arriving at the Walt Disney Company’s Disney Parks this year. May 27 finds the all-new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind debut in EPCOT Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
