Guests can save between 20% and 30% on vacations of 4 nights or more to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai’i. One offer is available to all guests, while another is available to Disney Visa Cardmembers.
To take advantage of any of the following offers, guests need to book by May 2, 2023. The offers are valid for consecutive-night stays most nights from August 23 to November 18 and November 25 to December 22.
Aulani Offer for All Guests
Guests can save up to 20% on select rooms for stays of 4 nights during the above time period. They can save up to 25% on select rooms for stays of 5 or more nights.
Aulani Offer for Disney Visa Cardmembers
Disney Visa Cardmembers can save up to 25% for stays of 4 nights and up to 30% for stays of 5 or more nights on ocean view and partial ocean view rooms. For other select room types, they can save up to 20% for stays of 4 nights and up to 25% for stays of 5 or more nights.
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
Aulani opened in 2011 on the islands of Oahu. It was Disney’s third standalone hotel that is not near a theme park, after Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. “Aulani” in Hawaiian is loosely translated as “orange,” “with deep messages,” or “message from the chief.” Then-Imagineer Joe Rohde was the lead designer of the Disney Vacation Club resort.
Several Disney characters, including Duffy’s friend ‘Olu Mel, meet with guests at Aulani.
“American Idol” usually films episodes at Aulani once per season.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s 25th Anniversary is quickly approaching. Disney is celebrating with special merchandise, photo ops, treats, and more!
From a Disnet Cast Member;
Jambo! It’s an exciting time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and we can’t wait to share all that is new with you. Just in time for the celebration of Earth Month and the 25th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on April 22, which is also Earth Day, let’s go on an adventure and explore the magic of nature at the theme park we love so much.
From special merchandise to nature-themed food and beverage offerings to adventurous in-park experiences, there are so many opportunities to celebrate. Check out these four ways below!
1 – TREE’t Yourself with 25th Anniversary-Inspired Merchandise
In honor of this milestone, you can show off your love for the park with items from the new Disney’s Animal Kingdom 25th Anniversary collection, available starting April 21 for a limited time at Island Mercantile, Discovery Trading Company and Mombasa Marketplace. The earthy collection includes everything from a commemorative Spirit Jersey to a tumbler and a pocket tee. Guests can also find a limited-edition commemorative Earth Month pin available for purchase now at select retail locations in the park. All of these items add up to the perfect “OOTPD” (outfit of the park day) for your next trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Also, the excitement doesn’t stop there. Coming soon is a 25th Anniversary Mini Loungefly Backpack and bucket hat that you won’t want to miss out on!
2 – Take Your Taste Buds on an Adventure With Commemorative Menu Offerings
What’s a Walt Disney World celebration without some delicious treats? Throughout Earth Month and on the 25th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you can enjoy new food and beverage offerings that celebrate this unique park.
New items debuting throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom exclusively on April 22 include the Colossal Elephant Roll and the 25th Anniversary Alive with Magic Cupcake. At Tiffins Restaurant, guests can enjoy a 25th Anniversary Dessert Platter, or they can dig into a 25th Anniversary Earth Tart at Tusker House Restaurant.
Additional Earth Month-themed sweets and sips will be available in the park throughout April, like the Bee Hive Mousse Dome and Flamingo Cupcake as well as the Bubbling Pink Lagoon and Viva Gaia Tonic drinks. Fun fact: The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail Sundae features a white chocolate image of Kejana, one of the beloved gorillas you can see in the park.
All of these items and more can be found in the Disney Eats Earth Month Foodie Guide.
3 – Strike a Wild Pose with Friends and Family
Starting April 16, Disney PhotoPass Service will offer photo ops in celebration of Earth Month and the park’s 25th anniversary! You can enjoy special props, Magic Shots and more to celebrate when you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
In the spirit of sustainability, the 25th anniversary sign prop is made completely out of recycled materials, including upcycled sign backers as well as cast member costumes and patches.
4 – Explore Commemorative Wilderness Experiences
Adventure is out there at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this month, and as someone who loves to draw, I am most excited about The Animation Experience at Conservation Station. During the month of April, you can learn to draw characters like Dumbo, Terk from “Tarzan,” Crush or Bruce from “Finding Nemo,” Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh” or Simba from “The Lion King”! Adventure doesn’t stop there though; from April 16 to April 23, Wilderness Explorers have the opportunity to earn a special badge by completing a limited-time nature challenge.
To experience the 25th anniversary celebration on April 22 and the rest of the guest-favorite thrills throughout the park, you must have a valid park ticket and a park reservation for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger has made the Time 100 list in the “Innovator” category as one of the most influential people in 2023.
In a four-minute video on the Time website, Iger speaks about his decades-long career with ABC and Disney and how Disney’s values keep it standing.
In a full interview with Time, Iger also spoke about Disney’s ongoing feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Disney’s recent executive layoffs, and the company’s future.
Iger said of his return, “I was brought back for a reason. The company had gone through a very difficult period, exacerbated by a global pandemic. And more than anything, the company needed stability, needed to establish a set of priorities and focus on them. The only way you end up getting to success is by deciding what the opportunities are, and then organizing your people and your company to go after them.”
Mary Barra, the CEO of GM who is also on Disney’s board of directors, wrote the following about Iger for Time:
For 100 years, the Walt Disney Co. has entertained, informed, and inspired people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling. Bob Iger has guided the company to success for nearly two decades and is one of the best leaders I know.
There’s a reason Bob remains one of the world’s most admired CEOs. He has led landmark acquisitions, championed culture-defining films, launched innovative distribution platforms, and delivered strong financial results, all while never forgetting the people—the employees and the fans—who make it all possible. His return as CEO in 2022 ushered in a new era of transformation and creative excellence for the most magical company on earth.
His authenticity and pragmatism set him apart. “True authority and true leadership comes from knowing who you are and not pretending to be anything else,” he said. I’ve personally learned so much from his leadership.
Bob Iger & Disney
Bob Iger began working for ABC in 1974, performing menial labor on TV sets and working his way up through the ranks. By 1988, he was serving as the senior program executive for the Calgary Winter Olympics, which achieved record-high ratings for the network.
He was named head of ABC Entertainment in 1989. During his tenure, he greenlit shows that have made lasting impressions like “Twin Peaks” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
He was president of the ABC Network Television Group from January 1993 to 1994. He was named Capital Cities/ABC senior vice president in March 1993 and then executive vice president in July 1993. The next year, he was named president and COO of Capital Cities/ABC.
When The Walt Disney Company purchased ABC in 1995, Iger remained chairman. He was named president of Walt Disney International in February 1999.
He was promoted to president and COO directly under CEO Michael Eisner in January 2000.
In March 2005, Disney announced that Iger would be taking over the position of CEO from Eisner. Eisner officially exited the company in September 2005.
Iger became famous for all of Disney’s acquisitions during his tenure as CEO, starting in 2006 when the company purchased Pixar. Iger also re-acquired the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit that year.
In 2009, Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment, and in 2012, they purchased Lucasfilm. In 2011, Iger became chairman of Disney’s board.
Iger’s CEO contract was extended multiple times, until he officially announced he would retire in 2020. In early 2020, the board of directors named chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Bob Chapek as his replacement.
Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iger retained many CEO duties as he stayed on as chairman of the board. He officially retired on December 31, 2021.
Not even a full year later, on November 20, 2022, the board of directors fired Bob Chapek and brought Iger back as CEO. He signed a contract to stay on as CEO for two years. He and the board say they are committed to finding a replacement CEO. The new CEO could come from within the company or could be someone like Tom Staggs or Kevin Mayer, who were previously passed over for the position and left Disney. Iger’s contract could also be extended if a suitable CEO isn’t found.
The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was named one of Time’s most influential people of 2023 and sat down for an interview with the magazine. During the interview, Time asked Iger about Disney’s ongoing feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, sparked by Disney’s denouncement of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill last year.
Time asked Iger, “Did you checkmate Ron DeSantis?” referencing the recent reveal that the Reedy Creek Improvement District had, just before DeSantis’ board took over, passed a number of restrictive covenants which handed most of the District’s power to Disney for a period of at least thirty years.
“Disney World opened just over 50 years ago,” Iger said. “It was the vision and the dream of Walt Disney, probably the most ambitious thing he ever did—turning swampland in Central Florida into a business that employs over 75,000 people, that is visited by tens of millions of people every year, that is a major tourist destination in the United States, and for the state of Florida, that creates huge value for our company and its employees, and for the state of Florida itself. Our sole goal in Florida is to continue creating that value for all those constituencies. All we want is a relationship with the state that enables us to continue to do that. We have the wherewithal and we have the desire to continue to invest there to grow that business so that we can hire more people so that we can increase our attendance, and so that we can basically increase more value for the Walt Disney Company and for the state of Florida. It’s that simple.”
Time continued, “Usually, you’re very much a let’s-sit-down-and-get-past-our differences guy, and much less a let’s-go-to-the-mattresses guy. Is there no trying to meet with the governor?”
“I do not view this as a going-to-mattresses situation for us,” Iger said. “If the governor of Florida wants to meet with me to discuss all of this, of course, I would be glad to do that. You know, I’m one that typically has respected our elected officials and the responsibility that they have, and there would be no reason why I wouldn’t do that.”
Earlier this month at Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, Iger accused Gov. DeSantis of punishing Disney for exercising their right to free speech. “We love the state of Florida,” he said, citing the company’s various investments in the community over the years and saying he respected and appreciated what the state has done for Disney in the past. “Any action that thwarts these efforts simply to retaliate is anti-business and anti-Florida.”
Reedy Creek’s final moves shocked DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board, who expressed disbelief at Disney’s actions and retained multiple law firms to fight the agreement in court. DeSantis ordered a criminal investigation into Disney and the old board.
DeSantis also promised to double down on his efforts to punish Disney through methods both in the Legislature and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board. Notably, he promised to hike Disney’s hotel taxes and institute tolls on the roads around Walt Disney World Resort property now administered by the CFTOB.
The magic of the bayou is calling, so listen closely because we’re “digging a little deeper” into the experience guests can expect from the future attraction coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! The enchantment of the bayou will illuminate with a celebration during Mardi Gras season hosted by Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. And today, we’re thrilled to announce that Mama Odie will reprise her role as the catalyst to that magic.
As depicted in this newly released rendering, Mama Odie jokes with guests along their journey after a special display of her magic. The two-hundred-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and “seeing eye snake,” Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all-knowing, throughout the adventure. We’re so delighted that legendary actress Jenifer Lewis, who starred as the voice of Mama Odie in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog,” is once again returning to her role for the attraction.
If Mama Odie is a catalyst to the magic, then Sharika Mahdi is a catalyst to the Imagineers’ creations. This New Orleans artist and YAYA Arts Center alumna has inspired our work on the attraction with a local’s perspective. As we bring our attention to Mama Odie and the important role she plays in Tiana’s story, I’d like to share the latest in a four-part series commissioned to Sharika: a tribute to our wise and whimsical keeper of the bayou.
Notice how the long, flowing brush strokes offer visual cues for the floating journey that lies ahead in Tiana’s premier attraction. Along with “The Princess and the Frog” film, our team continues to use Sharika’s latest piece as inspiration for how Mama Odie will appear throughout the attraction. You may see evidence of this in the resemblance of the images above depicting Mama Odie.
Mama Odie joins a cast of friends – familiar and new – in Princess Tiana’s debut attraction. In December, we shared how a band of newly introduced critters will provide some of the soundtrack to your journey. In February, we shared the backstory behind the water tower that will punctuate the exterior. But what else is in store? Here’s a sample of what to expect from this musical adventure:
Brand-new cast of original Disney characters with distinct names and personalities
Dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics figures
Adorable critters with incredible talent, bringing the diverse flavors of musical gumbo found in New Orleans!
New, original music alongside favorite tunes from the film
Do you love beignets as much as Louis? Well, you’re in luck because the alluring scent of beignets being prepared for the party will be part of the attraction queue!
Additional talent voices from the film reprising their roles, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis, and the one and only Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana
Familiar faces from the film such as Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia and Prince Ralphie
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure builds on the story of Princess Tiana, a character whose pride and perseverance reminds us of a universal truth: within us lies the potential to make our dreams come true. This all-new adventure will bring Disney Parks guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before when the attraction opens in Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in 2024.
To make room for this new magic, Splash Mountain at Disneyland park will be closed starting May 31, 2023, so we can begin the next phase of development for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
