New Walt Disney World Attraction Coming VERY Soon

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Some very exciting news was announced during this year’s Walt Disney Company’s annual shareholder meeting.

A brand new attraction coming to the Parks this year is ahead of schedule and is reportedly nearly completed. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced this news during the meeting.

This year marks the end of the massive revamp of EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort. This Park has seen some incredible renovations and exciting new attractions this year. One of the main new additions the Park is receiving is an exciting new Moana-themed attraction called “Journey of Water.” This incredible new area allows Guests too,

“Explore the wonders of water along an interactive trail that’s fun for all ages—based on the Disney animated film Moana.“

Journey of Water Inspired by Moana

The new area will capitalize on the massive success of the movie Moana. Moana follows the story of a young Hawaiian girl who sets sail on a journey to save her people. Along the way, she meets Maui, a demigod who has fallen from his previous status. The unlikely duo goes on a wild adventure to save their people and fulfill an ancient quest.

A major theme in the movie is Moana’s relationship with water. In the film, Moana has a special relationship with water and values it heavily. In our world, water is also an incredibly valued source. The new Journey of Water attraction is meant to help Guests understand the important role that water plays in our lives and in our world.

The attraction is planning to open in late 2023; however, that might change. During the shareholder meeting, Mr. Iger revealed that the Journey of Water is nearly completed. A walk-through of the land showed that the progress was coming along very well and the land looked ready to open. With the announcement that a live-action Moana is happening, this land is more timely than ever.

This news is very exciting, and with any luck, this attraction will be open in EPCOT very soon!

Could Disney Lose Rights to Mickey Mouse

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Via DisDining.com

It seems the ball is in Disney’s lawyers’ court to protect the world’s most beloved and iconic character. But is it true that Disney could really lose its rights over Mickey Mouse? John Oliver on his HBO late-night show, Last Week Tonight, challenged the Walt Disney Company with his willingness to simply take Mickey Mouse for his own.

According to Intellectual Property Law, the short answer is yes. The copyright on Mickey Mouse will expire just next year in 2024, 95 years after his first appearance, sending him to the public domain. This copyright applies explicitly to the very first iteration of Mickey Mouse in his animation debut, Steamboat Willie (1928). This black and white hand-drawn cartoon introduces Mickey with a tall white cap and without the white gloves that have become his modern uniform.

Deadline shared Oliver’s comments that Disney’s use of Steamboat Willie in attachment to the Walt Disney Animation Studios logo is an attempt to circumvent the expiring copyright, claiming the image as a trademark associated with their brand. While no one can argue that Mickey Mouse and the Disney Company are inseparable, there remains a legal gray area undoubtedly about to be explored.

For example, Oliver mentions that other classic characters associated with the Walt Disney Company have already fallen victim to copyright expiration. At the start of 2022, Christopher Robin’s iconic friends entered the public domain. This includes Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit, and Eeyore, but Oliver cites a specific example where Winnie the Pooh himself is the murderous villain in what seems to be an indie horror flick. The film is titled Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.

Know for his show’s wild antics, John Oliver invited Steamboat Willie as a new character onto his show. While immediately recognizable, Mickey tested some new Last-Week-Tonight style catchphrases as he and Oliver wondered aloud where Mickey Mouse’s iconic voice fell on the copyright spectrum.

Oliver argued that, while legally Steamboat Willie will be public domain, there will still be considerable risk in using him for “new and interesting” things. A risk that clearly thrilled Oliver, as he happily called a Steamboat Willie mascot onto the stage and offered to hire him out for events.

Steamboat Willie on Disney+

John Oliver’s actions dared the Walt Disney Company to respond. He questioned if Disney would do anything in the Mickey Mouse copyright arena, and if so, what? Summing up the copyright drama thematically, Mickey Mouse says, “I guess you’ll find out,” to which Oliver giggles, “Yea! I guess we will!”

Company Investing $17B in Walt Disney World Over Next 10 Years

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

When addressing the situation in Florida with Governor DeSantis, Reedy Creek Improvement District, and Disney, CEO Bob Iger noted that The Walt Disney Company will be investing billions in Walt Disney World over the next 10 years.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (10507025y) Disney CEO Robert Iger arrives at the world premiere of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”, in Los Angeles World Premiere of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” – Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA – 16 Dec 2019

Iger stated that they are planning on investing $17 billion in Walt Disney World over the next 10 years. They will be creating 13,000 new jobs, leading to thousands more indirect jobs, as well as attracting more tourists.

Iger cited the 75,000 employees they have in Florida and 50 million visitors they have brought in this year alone, including 8 million internationally. He pointed out that Disney is the largest taxpayer in the state.

Disney Genie+ Price Reaches New Record High at Walt Disney World

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

The Disney Genie+ price reached an all-time high at Walt Disney World today. The service costs $35 per person today, which is six dollars more than the previous highest price of $29.

Disney Genie+ Price

The service sold out before noon yesterday. If a sellout occurs, sales of Genie+ will not resume again until the next day. Guests can purchase Genie+ starting at 12:01 a.m. on the day of their visit.

Genie+ reached its previous record highest price in the past few months, including yesterday. It first reached that price during the 2022 holiday season, with its record high before that being $22 in October.

Disney Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane

Disney Genie service logo

Disney Genie is a free feature that launched in October 2021 at Walt Disney World. Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane are the paid program that replaced FastPass+.

When Genie+ first launched, the service was available at a flat rate of $15 per person, per day. Last year’s switch to date-based pricing saw a new high price of $22 — which Disney noted was the highest it would go in October, implying the even higher rates that have now come to pass.

Individual Lightning Lane prices have always been on a date-based basis, but the maximum was formerly $20. Since the update to the pricing scale for Genie+, rates for Individual Lightning Lane have been rising as well.

Genie+ Lightning Lane Attractions

Select attractions offer Lightning Lane access that you can book through Genie+. Check out the current full list below.

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Magic Kingdom

  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle
  • Haunted Mansion
  • “it’s a small world”
  • Jungle Cruise
  • Mad Tea Party
  • Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
  • Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
  • Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
  • Mickey’s PhilharMagic
  • Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
  • Peter Pan’s Flight
  • Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Space Mountain
  • The Barnstormer
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  • Tomorrowland Speedway
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

EPCOT

  • Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment
  • Living with the Land
  • Mission: SPACE – Green
  • Mission: SPACE – Orange
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
  • Soarin’ Around the World
  • Spaceship Earth
  • Test Track
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Turtle Talk with Crush

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

  • Alien Swirling Saucers
  • Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage
  • Disney Junior Play & Dance!
  • For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
  • Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
  • Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
  • Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
  • Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  • Muppet*Vision 3D
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
  • Slinky Dog Dash
  • Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Toy Story Mania!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

  • Festival of the Lion King
  • DINOSAUR
  • Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
  • Feathered Friends in Flight!
  • Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!
  • It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
  • Kali River Rapids
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris
  • Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
  • Naʻvi River Journey
  • The Animation Experience at Conservation Station

DeSantis Launches Investigation Into Disney

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced today that he has officially ordered an investigation into Disney over recent developments regarding the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Walt Disney World has been locked in a heated legal, political, and social battle with Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis after the company spoke out against the Parental Rights law. DeSantis and his supporters have retaliated by passing legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a privilege held by the company since 1967 that allowed it to treat Walt Disney World as a self-governing area. In its stead, DeSantis appointed a handpicked board now called The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

However, the new board made national headlines last week when it discovered a strange clause in the previous board’s last Development Agreement. The clause severely limits or eliminates most of the new board’s power with a “royal lives” clause; a common clause in UK contracts (but less common in the United States) that defines the contract’s terms to expire “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England…” The clause also says that the Declaration will terminate “as of the date that none of [Walt Disney Parks & Resorts] owns any real property within 10 miles of the RCID properties.”

Upon discovery, the board immediately spoke out against Disney, with one member stating: “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.” It should be noted that the Development Agreement, and all other agreements, were discussed in public meetings before the Florida House voted to sign power to DeSantis. Disney released its own response:

“All agreements signed between Disney and the district were appropriate and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law.”

While speaking at a book signing in Smyrna, Georgia last week, DeSantis commented on the situation, ominously stating “There’s a lot of little back-and-forths going on now with the state taking control, but rest assured, you know, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” Today, in a letter to Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel, the Governor ordered an investigation into any possible “legal or ethical violations” by the previous Reedy Creek Board.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District argues that the previously made agreements are unlawful and should not have been allowed. Ron Peri, one of the new Board Members, stated that the agreements have stripped the board of all of its power and “made Disney the government”.

It should be known that the members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District originally passed and signed this agreement in a public forum with no comment.