Disney’s original Tinker Bell just celebrated her 94th birthday in the most enchanting way possible – surrounded by the magic of Disneyland.
Before Peter Pan & Wendy (2023), actress Margaret Kerry was the name associated with Tinker Bell. While the character was portrayed as non-verbal in the original 1953 animated film (just as in the recent live-action remake), Kerry played a pivotal role in bringing the mischievous fairy to life.
A skilled dancer, the actress was hired to spend an impressive six months at the Disney Studios, pantomiming the character’s iconic motions. The studios provided Kerry with various props – including a remarkable giant keyhole mounted on a stand and a pair of oversized scissors, which were used in the memorable scene where Tinker Bell finds herself trapped in a jewelry box – to film her movements as reference for animators.
Kerry’s contributions extended beyond Tinker Bell’s physical movements. She also lent her voice and provided additional reference for Neverland’s red-haired mermaid – specifically, the one who starts trying to pull Wendy into the water. A true Disney icon.
Tinker Bell has long served as a mascot for Disneyland, so it’s only fitting that the actress spent her birthday at the happiest place on earth. Twitter user @ObservantView shared a picture of Kerry on her big day – strolling through the Park hand in hand with none other than Peter Pan.
While fans recently witnessed a new incarnation of Tinker Bell in the new Peter Pan & Wendy film, portrayed by Yara Shahidi, Margaret Kerry’s legacy remains indelible. Her contributions paved the way for the enduring popularity of the character, who’s arguably second only to Mickey Mouse in terms of her presence in Disney branding.
At the grand age of 94, it’s heartwarming to still see Kerry playing a part in the Disney magic. While the actress has faced challenges in recent years thanks to her diagnosis with prosopagnosia, a condition that impairs her ability to recognize faces, she recently found her own fairytale ending fitting for any Disney classic: after 70 years, she reconnected with her former boyfriend, World War II veteran Robert Boeke, before marrying on Valentine’s Day, 2020. Now that’s a happily ever after.
A lightsaber from Savi’s Workshop is one of the most popular – and expensive – souvenirs from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Guests can customize their own saber or purchase a deluxe saber inspired by their favorite Star Wars character!
Hand-built lightsabers cost $249.99 per Guest, with a slightly cheaper build-a-droid experience available at Droid Depot for around $120 per Guest. But some crystal upgrades and luxury sabers can run up to $400!
Star Wars and Disney YouTuber Finding the Force recently purchased a limited-edition Cal Kestis lightsaber staff released to celebrate May the Fourth. Unfortunately, it broke as he opened it while sitting on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park.
He quickly approached a Disney Cast Member, who he claimed “refused” to help him out, and made him carry the heavy saber to the back of the Disney Park. Video of the interaction made its way to TikTok and other social media platforms, where Disney Parks fans criticized the YouTuber for his behavior. Some said he went “Karen mode.”
The Lightsaber
Used by everyone from Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader to Kylo Ren, the lightsaber is the weapon of choice in the Star Wars universe. Nearly every Star Wars fan dreams of channeling the Force while visiting Savi’s Workshop!
But the Cal Kestis hilt isn’t any old lightsaber part. Modeled after EA’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a video game, only 7,500 of this double-bladed saber were made. It comes in a wooden box and can change the blade color with the touch of a button.
Blades for the Cal Kestis saber are available in blue, green, yellow, purple, red, or white and cost between $45 and $50, depending on the blade length purchased. It’s exclusively available at Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities at Disneyland Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or on shopDisney (though it’s sold out online at this time).
The Disney YouTuber’s Behavior
After Finding the Force realized his lightsaber hilt was broken, he shared his journey to exchange it with his 100,000 YouTube subscribers. Though it’s nowhere near someone like former Disney Channel star Jake Paul or Mr. Beast, the YouTube channel has a large platform to influence Disney Park Guest behavior.
As he walked through Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom at Disneyland Resort, the YouTuber became more frustrated that Disney Cast Members wouldn’t carry the lightsaber to Galaxy’s Edge for him.
“The purpose of this video is not to just smear Disney as a company because I vacation at Disney Parks, I’m enjoying it with my kids, I have a lot of fun there,” he said. “…I just think that there’s a major issue with the customer service.”
The YouTuber admitted that he was frustrated after missing rope drop on May the Fourth due to a transportation issue. He waited an hour to get into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, then headed to Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities to buy the limited-edition hilt and other souvenirs.
After carrying the 10-20 pound saber and 10-pound crate to the front of the Theme Park, he decided to film a review. Unfortunately, half of the saber wasn’t making any noise. He headed to Guest Services at Town Hall on Main Street, U.S.A, hoping for a quick fix.
The Guest Relations Cast Member informed him that merchandise from Batuu could only be exchanged there, and he would have to carry it back. They also could not help him do so, likely because of liability issues. “Are you joking?” the YouTuber asked.
“This is time I’m wasting returning their merchandise,” he said.
Another Disney influencer filmed the YouTuber as he carried the lightsaber down Main Street, U.S.A., through Adventureland, and to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. He feigned doing a workout and asked Disney Cast Members, including a Stormtrooper, for help along the way. Of course, he was denied.
When the YouTuber finally reached Dok Ondar’s, he kneeled in front of a Disney Cast Member and begged for help. They quickly found a manager who gave him a new lightsaber. He then asked for it to be shipped to his house for the trouble.
“Because the Plaid at the very front of the Park said there was nothing that could be done, that I had to physically walk this box back without handles,” he argued.
They agreed and gave him two Lightning Lane passes for his trouble, but the YouTuber was unhappy with his experience.
“I just can’t believe that there’s nothing Disney could do,” he concluded. “They couldn’t just make a phone call to have someone bring up a box for me? That just sounds like the easiest solution they could have done for a lifelong Disney Parks customer.”
Social Media Reactions
As soon as Finding the Force’s video popped up on TikToker Ryan’s (@r10883) news feed, he felt something was wrong with the YouTuber’s behavior toward Disney Cast Members. He called the reaction “going Karen” and shared footage from the original video:
#greenscreenvideo @Finding The Force treats workers at disneyland poorly bc his lightsaber doesnt work and he has to WALK to take it back. everything is explained in pt. 2 ❤️
Particularly, Ryan was frustrated with a moment in the video when Finding the Force filmed a Disney Cast Member walking away and writing, “Thanks for nothing!”
Commenters overwhelmingly agreed that the YouTuber behaved poorly.
“Ain’t no way he acted like that was such a heavy thing to carry across the Park like people walk around holding their 30lb child across the Park…” said @gotserotonin.
“I was there on the 4th. people were walking around with [lightsabers] and going on rides,” @titi_aon recalled. “They had no issues with carrying them.”
Others pointed out that the YouTuber could’ve hopped on the Disneyland Railroad to save himself some walking or removed his black hoodie in the heat. Some said that his behavior made them stop watching his channel.
“He comes across as really entitled in some of his videos which is why I stopped watching,” @master_cinema wrote. “I understand it’s frustrating to have a broken saber, but to complain about sometimes so trivial as a 7 minute walk with a box and to be so disrespectful to people doing their job is crazy to me.”
Finding the Force responded to the backlash by commenting on his original YouTube video. He claimed people misunderstood his sense of humor and that he was never rude to Disney Cast Members:
It is worth noting that 1) I was not disrespectful to any cast member in person 2) yes my dramatic storytelling is my way of making light of a really crappy situation 3) I was only joking about the manager, I would never film anyone who did not want to be in my videos and he did send the Saber to my house because I repeatedly asked him nicely.
When it comes to all of Disney’s properties, the Toy Story series is undoubtedly one of the most beloved. The story of a group of sentient toys shaped an entire generation and continues to do so today.
So much so that Toy Story characters and attractions can be found in many Disney Parks. Not to mention, Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios has an entire area dedicated to the IP: Toy Story Land.
But one of the first examples of a Toy Story attraction in a Disney Park is none other than Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters.
Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters first debuted in Disneyland Park’s Tomorrowland, but it was so successful that it wasn’t long before the attraction was replicated in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Nowadays, this Buzz Lightyear ride can be found in Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and even Tokyo Disneyland. However, one of these international versions will soon be closing down…
According to a report by Inside the Magic, Tokyo Disneyland’s version of Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters is temporarily closing beginning today. But there’s no need to fret for any Space Rangers out there because this attraction is scheduled to reopen on November 1.
Although there was little context accompanying this announcement, we can guess that this temporary closure is for the sake of refurbishment and nothing more.
However, it’s worth noting that Tokyo Disneyland itself hasn’t posted anything regarding the closure, and this could possibly be a hoax. Unfortunately, only time will tell in this case.
UPDATE: As it turns out, Tokyo Disneyland has released an official warning stating that Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters will be closed from May 11 to October 31!
There’s no denying, Dole Whips are a cult favorite among Disney fans! Thanks to Delish we can now create an unofficial Dole Whip Cupcake treat! Enjoy the recipe below as shared by Delish.com:
Dole Whip Cupcakes
Yields: 24 / Prep Time: 20 Min / Total Time: 1 Hour, 40 Min
Ingredients:
FOR CUPCAKES:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 c. crushed pineapple with juice
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
FOR FROSTING:
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 c. powdered sugar, divided
1/4 c. pineapple juice
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Small pineapple wedges, for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325° and line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, mix cake mix with crushed pineapple, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pans and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
2. Meanwhile, make frosting: In a large bowl, combine butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, pineapple juice, and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth. Add remaining 2 cups powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Swirl frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish each cupcake with a pineapple wedge and a decorative straw.
Disney is sharing an incredible dessert from Topolino’s Terrace that we simply can’t get enough of. Check out the recipe for the Warm Chocolate Cake with Molten Raspberry-Caramel Center as shared by Disney. Happy cooking!
Warm Chocolate Cake with Molten Raspberry-Caramel Center
From Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Disney Vacation Club Property Serves 12
Place raspberries in food processor and purée until smooth.
Melt chopped chocolate in microwave-safe bowl on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook until golden brown.
Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream and puréed raspberries. Pour over melted chocolate and stir with spatula. Add butter and salt; stir until incorporated.
Set aside.
For Chocolate Cake Batter:
Sift powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt into small bowl.
Melt butter and chopped chocolate in microwave safe bowl on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
Whisk eggs and egg yolk in medium bowl and add to chocolate mixture. Add in sifted powdered sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
For Warm Chocolate Cake with Molten Raspberry-Caramel Center:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 1/2 cup muffin tins or aluminum baking cups with unsalted butter.
Add 1/4 cup of cake batter into each tin. Top with 1 tablespoon of raspberry caramel and another 1/4 cup of chocolate cake batter.
Bake for 9-10 minutes, until edges are baked but center is still soft. Rest for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Serve warm.
Cook’s Note: Serve with vanilla gelato or fresh berries.
