Celebrate Soulfully this Summer at Disneyland Resort, with ‘Tale of the Lion King’ Debuting May 28

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

This past February, Disney Parks kicked off Celebrate Soulfully offering rich experiences that honor Black heritage and culture. Today, we’re excited to share more ways to “celebrate soulfully” this summer!

Throughout the month of June, Disneyland Resort will invite Guests to continue to experience Celebrate Soulfully as we highlight Black Music Month with daily live entertainment, plus specialty offerings including food, art and more available throughout the resort.

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the excitement to come for Celebrate Soulfully this summer:

“Tale of the Lion King” Debuts May 28 at Disneyland Park

Beginning May 28, 2022, Disneyland Park will welcome “Tale of the Lion King” to its new home at the Fantasyland Theatre where this original, story-theatre adaptation of Disney’s “The Lion King” will be staged in an all-new presentation (as depicted in this artist rendering). At the heart of the production is a traveling troupe known as The Storytellers of the Pride Lands who weave the tale of how a cub becomes a king through dialogue, song, dance and percussion. From the scenic and costume designs to the new original musical arrangements and choreography, every aspect of “Tale of the Lion King” honors and is inspired by the cultural roots of this timeless story.

Also on May 28, Troubadour Tavern will return with new menu items inspired by the show.

Celebrate Soulfully at Disney California Adventure Park with Live Entertainment

Beginning June 1 and running through July 4, Guests will get to enjoy Celebrate Soulfully at Disney California Adventure Park with daily live music celebrating Black music genres from Doo-Wop to Motown. Feel the nostalgia of Carthay Circle and enjoy Philly Phonics, an a cappella vocal group, performing snazzy, jazzy, tunes from the 1920s through today. Five & Dime will also stylishly sing and swing 1920s and ‘30s tunes with brass and sass!

In the evening, head to the Hollywood Backlot to enjoy the summer vibes of this special block party, featuring live musical acts seven nights a week. 

“The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure” Exhibit and More Coming to the Downtown Disney District

We’re thrilled to share that “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure,” a touring exhibit that illustrates the legacy and dynamic history of jazz, will be heading to the Downtown Disney District from June 1 to July 4!

In the “Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure,” Joe Gardner – musician, mentor, and star of Disney and Pixar’s original animated film, “Soul” – takes guests on a musical tour across America, showcasing the rich history of jazz along the way. 

As a tribute to a musical art form that was originated by African Americans, the exhibit illustrates the many different cultures and creators who influenced this evolving genre. Walt Disney Imagineering partnered with cultural institutions and subject matter experts to bring this story to life.

PHOTOS! The Soul of Jazz Exhibit Has Officially Opened in Disney World! - AllEars.Net

We are delighted to bring “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure” out here to the west coast! Complimentary to all resort Guests, the exhibit will be located in the building adjacent to Star Wars Trading Post.

And while visiting the Downtown Disney District this June, Guests will be able to keep the summer vibes going with live nightly music that is sure to stir the soul, with genres including jazz, R&B, funk, Motown and Doo-Wop. There will also be a DJ performing at the Downtown Disney LIVE! stage on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, playing a variety of upbeat genres.

There will be even more ways to feed every part of the soul as we continue to “celebrate soulfully” this summer at the Disneyland Resort – making it a great time to visit! We look forward to sharing additional details soon.

Judge DENIES Disney’s Claim to Dismiss $5 Million Magic Key Lawsuit

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

In January 2021, Disneyland Resort Guests learned that Disney would be getting rid of their much-beloved Annual Passes. Those Annual Passes would be replaced with new Magic Keys. When they were introduced in August 2021, there were four levels of Magic Keys — Dream Key, Believe Key, Enchant Key, and Imagine Key. The Imagine Key was, and still is, only available to Southern California Residents, and only the top-tier Dream Key has no blackout dates — at least, that’s what Guests were told.

Not long after purchasing their Dream Keys, Guests learned that “no blackout days” didn’t mean much. Because you need reservations to visit both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and there are so many Magic Key Holders, reservations filled up incredibly quickly. Guests who thought they would be able to go whenever they wanted — as they could with their old Signature Annual Passes — found themselves unable to make reservations to visit the Happiest Place On Earth for weeks at a time.

The struggle to book reservations with the top-tier Dream Key frustrated many Guests. One woman was so frustrated that she filed a lawsuit against Disney, claiming that the company engaged in deceptive practices when it said that there would be no blackout dates. The lawsuit claims that Magic Key Holders were made “second-class ticket holders” because of the limited number of reservations available to Key Holders. Limiting the number of reservations artificially limits the number of Key Holders that can visit each day.

Disneyland Resort

The lawsuit — which was filed on November 9, 2021 — was originally filed with the Orange County Superior Court, but was moved to a U.S. District Court because the Disney Parks offices are headquartered in Florida and the Plaintiff is in California. When the case was filed, Plaintiff said that they hoped to make the case a class-action one. Disney, as with all lawsuits, filed to have the case dismissed.

Unfortunately for Disney, a judge has now denied Disney’s motion for dismissal. The judge wrote the following in their decision:

Here, there are two reasonable interpretations of the “subject to availability” limitation: Plaintiff’s version, which construes the limitation as barring Dream Key Pass holders from making a reservation only when reservations to the park in general are unavailable; and Defendant’s version, which construes the availability limitation as something different and additional to the capacity limitation. As such, the Court finds that the Plaintiff has pled fact sufficient to find that the term “subject to availability” is capable of more than one reasonable construction and is thus ambiguous. 

Accordingly, the Court DENIES Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s claim for breach of contract. 

Disney has been dealing with a number of Key Holder complaints since Magic Keys first went on sale. Many Dream Key Holders feel that they are not getting what they are paying for if they are unable to go to the theme parks when they want to. The reservation system only came into place when the Parks reopened after the pandemic, and they have not been a very popular move. Even though people aren’t fans of making Park reservations, Disney officials have said that they are not going anywhere any time soon.

New Alaska Airlines Themed Aircraft Celebrates Adventures to “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” at Disneyland Resort

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Alaska Airlines joined forces with Disneyland Resort on May the Fourth, to unveil a new, one-of-its-kind Star Wars-themed aircraft that even Chewbacca would be proud of! The plane, painted space black with the iconic Millennium Falcon emblazoned on the tail chased by TIE fighters, celebrates Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the newest land of adventure inside Disneyland Park. The plane is now flying on routes across Alaska’s network for the universe to enjoy!

For this latest collaboration – Alaska’s seventh painted plane for the Disneyland Resort – no Jedi mind tricks were needed: the force was strong for a Star Wars livery to finally enter Alaska’s fleet. The aircraft’s official name is “Star Wars Transport to the Disneyland Resort” with a tail number of N538AS. After the big reveal and celebration at the gate in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the plane made its inaugural flight today and ultimate arrival at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

The unique design of the Star Wars-inspired plane is a collaboration among teams at Alaska, Disneyland Resort and Lucasfilm. Familiar spacecraft span each side of the plane with hand painted, detailed imagery: the Millennium Falcon and four TIE fighters. Designers at Disneyland Resort focused on the incredibly identifiable, widely recognized Millennium Falcon for the spotlight, in addition to the well-traveled spaceship being the focal point at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a 14-acre land in Disneyland Park.

The Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Disneyland Resort logos are featured in the center of the fuselage. For a lighthearted touch, porgs (the cute avian creatures that lived on Luke Skywalker’s remote island) look back at passengers from both winglets, as another porg greets Guests at the boarding door. 

To bring the imagery to life, the plane’s exterior required 228 gallons of paint applied during 540 work hours over 27 days. For the painting, 23 base colors were used with numerous custom colors mixed onsite for the detailed airbrushing of the Millennium Falcon and the TIE fighters.

Watch how this Alaska Airlines plane was transformed!

“Star Wars Transport to Disneyland Resort” is scheduled to fly in the Alaska fleet and throughout Alaska’s network. Guests can also spot “Friendship and Beyond at Disneyland Resort” at airports and in the skies with a whimsical tribute to Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park – our last Disneyland Resort-themed aircraft that began service in October 2019

Foodie Guide May the 4th and Beyond

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Hollywood Studios

Guests don’t have to travel to a galaxy far, far away to indulge in some tasty treats and superb sips celebrating May the 4th! This year, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort are joining in on the adventure by serving up items that are out-of-this-world!

From special offerings like the Lightsaber Churros at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the adorable Grogu treats scattered throughout Disneyland Resort, there are plenty of items to try.

Disneyland Resort

To stay in-the-know on all the latest and greatest Star Wars at Disneyland Resort, check out the Disneyland app for the digital food and merchandise guide!

Disneyland Park – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Celebrate Black Spire Day this year at Disneyland Resort, an annual celebration honoring this bustling outpost in Batuu, with tons of eats and treats deliciously crafted by the locals at Black Spire.

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo (available on Mobile Order)

  • Ishi Tib-style Pasta with Braised Beef Bantha: Beef pot roast, coconut curry sauce, pasta, and mixed vegetables (New)
  • Vintian Mineral Mousse: Banana brûlée-centered dark chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse, vanilla chantilly, chocolate crumble, and cherry garnish

Kat Saka’s Kettle  

  • Outpost Mix: Colorful blend of seasonal flavors including caramel and chocolate-glazed popcorn
  • Shaak Cheese Popped Grains: white cheddar flavored popcorn

Milk Stand (available on Mobile Order)

  • Chocolate Chip Sweet-Sand Cookie: Chocolate chip-toffee cookie topped with pistachios and sea salt (New)
  • Blue Milk – Mon Cala Swirl: Blue Milk with blue mango sour jellies topped with a sour shimmery mango gel (New)
  • Novelty: Bubo Wamba Family Farms Cup (New)

Oga’s Cantina  

  • Five-blossom Bread: Warm pretzel knot with Hawaiian black sea salt served with honey-mustard cream foam and Calabrian cheese sauce (New)
  • Fondor Fizz: Toniray Teal Chardonnay, Tito’s Vodka, and Joffrey’s White Tea with flavors of lemongrass and pea flower citrus (New)
  • Sesid Seltzer: Tropical Pineapple-Orange Hard Seltzer (New)
  • Black Squadron Lager – Golden Lager with a touch of Honey (New)

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Beverage Cart

  • Sullust Garlic Chips: Mix of Buffalo and White Cheddar-flavored Garlic Chips

Disneyland Park – Tomorrowland and Main Street, U.S.A

Galactic Grill (available on Mobile Order)

  • Parfait of Mustafar: Chocolate lava cake, chocolate ganache, and red pâte à choux filled with salted caramel pudding and red chocolate mousse (New)

Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen

  • Grogu Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel with marshmallow ears and enrobed in colored white chocolate and gold sanding sugar (available while supplies last)

Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa

Holiday Cart

  • Star Wars Sugar Cookie dipped in chocolate with Star Wars decoration (available through May 10) (New)
  • Wookiee Cookie: Chocolate-hazelnut-filled chocolate cookie rolled in sprinkles with a chocolate sash (New)
  • Pretzel Lightsabers: Pretzel sticks dipped in white chocolate with colored sanding sugar (New)

Downtown Disney District

Marceline’s Confectionery (available on Mobile Order)

  • Grogu Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel with marshmallow ears and enrobed in colored white chocolate and gold sanding sugar (available while supplies last)

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (available through May 31)

  • Light Classic Shake: Electric blue vanilla shake, silver and blue galaxy sprinkles, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle (New)
  • Dark Classic Shake: Wild cherry shake, red and black sprinkles, whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and a cherry (New)

Splitsville Luxury Lanes (available through May 31)

  • Galaxy Roll: Fresh salmon, cucumber, and avocado rolled in soy paper topped with steamed shrimp and ahi tuna drizzled with spicy kimchee ponzu sauce

Kayla’s Cake (available through May 31)

  • Galaxy Caramel Macaron: Satisfy two cravings at once with sea salt caramel with white chocolate ganache

Naples Ristorante e Bar (available through May 31)

  • Red Galaxy Cocktail: Light rum, peach schnapps, pineapple juice, squeezed lime, squeezed honey, and a splash of grenadine served on the rocks and topped with mint (New)
  • Green Moon Cocktail: Served with either tequila or mezcal, Anchor Reyes, canton ginger, lemon juice, a squeeze of honey syrup, and topped with soda water served in a hurricane glass garnished with green pepper and lime (New)

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen (available through May 31)

Dueling Fates (New)

  • Empire cocktail with Cruzan citrus rum, blue Curacao, lime juice, and Sprite
  • Rebel cocktail with Effen cucumber Vodka, watermelon Torani, and Sprite

Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite (SOLD OUT)

For Guests that have already purchased tickets to one of the sold-out Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite events, there are plenty of delicious treats  to try! Be transported to another world with eats and sips like the Cantina Snack Dog from Refreshment Corner Hosted by Coca-Cola or the incredibly delicious Purple Saber Funnel Cake from Stage Door Café. For a dark side twist on a classic tale, try The Dark Stuff from Red Rose Taverne. Or Guests can take a trip to the French Market Restaurant throughout the night, they have to try the Dathomirian Cannelloni. Whatever they want to try, Guests should make sure to bring your appetite!

Disney Hotel Undergoing Revamp, All-New Pixar Theme Coming Soon

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

Disney has just announced that the fan-favorite hotel, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, located in Disneyland, will soon get an all-new theme!

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel in Disneyland Resort is a fan-favorite hotel, themed to the California beachfront boardwalks. Disneyland currently describes the hotel as:

Celebrate the heyday of California beachfront boardwalks at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. Step back in time at this old-fashioned yet modern hotel—home to a variety of shopping and recreation opportunities—and ride a wave of relaxation from your charming seaside-themed room all the way up to the rooftop pool for some welcome fun in the sun.

Soon, however, the California beachfront theming will wash away as Disney announced the hotel will undergo a revamp and will include an all-new Pixar theme!

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel retheme

As seen in the concept art above, Paradise Pier will soon include Pixar theming elements, including the iconic Pixar balls seen in various films.

According to Disney Parks Blog:

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will soon begin a transformation, with an all-new theme! The reimagining of the hotel will weave the artistry of Pixar into its comfortable, contemporary setting. Guests will gain a new perspective on some of their favorite Pixar worlds and characters through carefully curated artwork, and décor that reveals the creative journey of the artists who helped bring these stories to life.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel retheme

Additionally, the new Pixar-themed hotel will include the Pixar Lamp as the center of the lobby, as seen in the concept art above. Disney Parks Blog shared:

Guests will be welcomed into whimsical character moments, like the iconic, playful Pixar Lamp balancing atop its ball in the lobby (as pictured in this artist concept rendering). Stay tuned, as we will share much more about this project soon!

At this time we do not know what the new hotel’s name will be, or when this revamp will be taking place, but Inside the Magic will update you as we get information.

Paradise Pier Hotel swimming pool

Disney also recently announced new hotel benefits coming for Disneyland Guests, including a new walkway from Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel to Disney California Adventure Park, as well as early theme park entry.

Other exciting news at the Disneyland Resort includes upgrades coming to the shopping and dining district, Downtown Disney. As previously announced by D23, the multi-year project to reimagine Downtown Disney District is being planned with work starting in January 2022 and will include an even broader collection of shopping, dining & entertainment experiences.

Paradise Pier Fireworks