Disney Purchases New Incomplete Global Dream Ship for a HUGE Discount

By

-

December 1, 2022

Disney Purchases New Incomplete Global Dream Ship for a HUGE Discount

Disney has purchased the Global Dream ship for a huge discount! The ship is incomplete and was previously known as the Global Dream. The ship will join Disney Cruise Line’s fleet in 2025.

According to capital.de, Disney purchased the ship at a hugely discounted price of just 40 million Euro ($41 million). The original price was closer to 1.8 billion Euro, and the ship is only 75% complete.

Disney will be assuming all of the risks with converting the ship and will have no warranty claims on the ship. The company is expected to spend 1 billion Euros to finish the ship.

Disney has announced that this ship will be based outside of the United States and will sail “to new global destinations.”

“Our cruise ships give us the unique opportunity to bring Disney magic to fans no matter where they are, and the addition of this ship will make a Disney Cruise Line vacation accessible to more families than ever before,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

What do you think of another new ship coming to Disney Cruise Line?

If you’d like to plan your next Disney cruise, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation!

First Look at Universal Orlando’s Great Movie Escape – Tickets on sale now

By

Sara

-

December 1, 2022

First Look at Universal Orlando’s Great Movie Escape – Tickets on sale now

Take a first look at Universal Orlando’s Great Movie Escape! Guests can now book epic escape adventures inspired by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s iconic Jurassic World and Back to the Future films by purchasing tickets for Universal’s Great Movie Escape – comprised of two next-level escape room experiences, opening on December 9 at Universal CityWalk.

Universal’s Great Movie Escape invites guests of all ages to solve their way through a pair of first-of-its-kind escape rooms based on two of the biggest film franchises in history. Universal’s entertainment team partnered closely with filmmakers and escape room industry experts around the country to create innovative experiences that go beyond the typical escape room – blending state-of-the-art challenges, detailed sets and original storylines to immerse guests in story-driven adventures that allow them to escape into the movies like never before.

Another unique feature of Universal’s Great Movie Escape is the variety of challenges guests must work together to complete – each one specifically crafted so that the experience is enjoyable for novices and escape room-aficionados alike. Each adventure boasts eight incredibly detailed environments featuring state-of-the-art activities that are:

randomized – so the solution can vary with each visit
customizable depending on party size – ensuring everyone gets to participate
designed to adjust based on skill level and complexity – so there’s always something to solve

As soon as guests enter the art deco-style, theater-inspired venue, they’ll immediately be swept into one of the following adventures:

Jurassic World: Escape
Guests are new geneticists at a secret lab on Isla Nublar, where they are undergoing training that includes the completion of various day-to-day tasks that range from feeding ferocious dinosaurs to splicing dinosaur DNA to create new genetic codes…until they learn an apex predator has broken free and now they must work together to avoid becoming its prey.

Back to the Future: OUTATIME
Guests are transported to a museum in 1993, where they learn Back to the Future’s antagonist, Biff, is up to his antics and has stolen Doc Brown’s newest time travel device to sabotage the space-time continuum. Guests must work together to uncover Doc Brown’s clues as they travel through time to track down Biff and save the past and future before they run “outatime.”

Tickets for Universal’s Great Movie Escape are on sale now and start at $49.99 per person, plus tax for access to either Jurassic World: Escape or Back to the Future: OUTATIME (experience includes up to six guests per group and may include multiple parties). Pricing varies depending on date and time of visit. Guests may also book a private experience exclusive for their party starting at $300 per group, plus tax (up to eight people).

Will you be booking Universal’s Great Movie Escape?

If you’d like to plan your next Universal Orlando vacation, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan an epic vacation!

Step Back in time on a Nostalgic Journey with Willow now on Disney+

By

Kevin Koszola

-

December 1, 2022

Step Back in time on a Nostalgic Journey with Willow now on Disney+

After 34 years, Warwick Davis has returned to the Lucasfilm fantasy epic of “Willow” for Disney+. The new adventure takes viewers on a quest with a new generation of characters.

The series picks up twenty years after the film, and it features the return of Warwick Davis to the starring role. The new series debuted on November 30th with two episodes available on Disney+.

The story began with an aspiring magician from a Nelwyn village and an infant girl destined to unite the realms, who together helped destroy an evil queen and banish the forces of darkness. Now, in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, the adventure continues, as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.

An epic period fantasy series with a modern sensibility set in an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty, “Willow” features a diverse international cast with Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers.

Set 20 years after the original film, the series checks up on the people of Tir Asleen in the decades since the film. If you like the fantasy genre, then you’ll love this epic storyline!

Come back here on Chip & Co. for the latest theme park and entertainment news updates!

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

Oswald The Lucky Rabbit Stars In An All-new Walt Disney Animation Studios Short

By

Kevin Koszola

-

December 1, 2022

Oswald The Lucky Rabbit Stars In An All-new Walt Disney Animation Studios Short

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit returns to the studio that bears his creator’s name – Walt Disney Animation Studios – with an all-new animated short, over 94 years since Disney’s last Oswald cartoon.

Created by Disney Animation’s hand-drawn animation team to help celebrate the start of Disney 100 Years of Wonder that marks 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company, the short, appropriately titled “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” is directed by famed animator Eric Goldberg (“How To Stay At Home (Starring Goofy),” “Pocahontas,” “Fantasia/2000”) and produced by Emmy Award^®-winning producer Dorothy McKim (“Prep & Landing,” “Get A Horse!,” “Meet The Robinsons”) and available on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ YouTube channel.

“On the eve of Disney’s 100^th anniversary, it was such a joy to create the first new Oswald short from our studio since 1928,” says McKim. “Our hand-drawn animation team – including our hand-drawn legends Mark Henn, Randy Haycock and Eric Goldberg, as well our wonderful team of 2D apprentices, had a ball animating in the style of Oswald’s era.”

“Oswald is such a plucky scamp. We wanted to bring Oswald back, and in the short, he literally returns to his original home, the movie screen,” says Goldberg. “We wanted to have Oswald do all of the ‘squash-and-stretch,’ ‘rubber hose’-animation style, celebrating that first generation of Walt Disney’s artists.”

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is considered Walt Disney’s first breakout animated star, and widely considered one of the first characters in animation history to feature a unique personality. Walt Disney introduced Oswald to moviegoers in 1927 with the short “Trolley Troubles.” 26 Oswald short films were created by Walt Disney and his team, with the final Disney shorts starring the character releasing in late summer 1928, the same year Walt lost creative control over his beloved rabbit. In 2006, Disney CEO Bob Iger made an unprecedented deal with NBC/Universal, that included permitting sportscaster Al Michaels to contract with NBC in exchange for the return of Oswald to his original home. Since then, Oswald has appeared in video games and merchandise, an animated short, and in Disney theme parks globally.

In conjunction with the animated short, Disney is also today launching an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Snapchat lens globally that allows users to channel Oswald using AR technology.

Come back here on Chip & Co. for the latest theme park and entertainment news updates!

First Look at Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

By

Greg Gately

-

December 1, 2022

First Look at Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Seeing Kevin Feige introduce Gamora, Zoe Saldana, was huge today. The reaction during the panel was raucous, to say the least. This is what Marvel and Guardian fans have been waiting for.

Today at CCXP22 (Comic-Con Experience 2022) in São Paulo, Brazil, Marvel Studios debuted the trailer for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, introduced Zoe Saldana, who plays Gamora in the franchise, before delighting the enthusiastic fans with the trailer debut for the highly anticipated upcoming feature film, releasing in U.S. theaters on May 5, 2023.

In Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” our beloved band of misfits is looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn writes and directs “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Will Poulter and Maria Bakalova. Kevin Feige is the producer and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nikolas Korda, Simon Hatt, and Sara Smith serve as executive producers.

Marvel shares Special Look at Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

By

Chip

-

December 1, 2022

Marvel shares Special Look at Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

Today Stars and filmmakers from Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” ventured to São Paulo, Brazil today for Comic Con. While there they shared this special look at the Legacy of Ant-Man.

Experience 2022 (CCXP), building excitement for the feature film opening in U.S. theaters on Feb. 17, 2023. Stars Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp), and Jonathan Majors (Kang) joined filmmakers Peyton Reed (director) and Kevin Feige (producer and president of Marvel Studios), sharing insights and sneak peeks of footage from the epic adventure.

A special retrospective look at Ant-Man and the Wasp in their roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—including footage from “Ant-Man,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Ant-Man and The Wasp” and “Avengers: Endgame”—as well as a glimpse of the upcoming film

Here is “The Legacy of Ant-Man” Special Look

New Teaser Trailer and Movie Title Released for Indiana Jones 5

By

Kevin Koszola

-

December 1, 2022

New Teaser Trailer and Movie Title Released for Indiana Jones 5

The Walt Disney Company today released the teaser trailer and poster for Lucasfilm’s “INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY,” the highly anticipated fifth installment of the iconic “Indiana Jones” franchise, starring Harrison Ford as the legendary hero archaeologist, and directed by James Mangold (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Logan”).

You can watch the teaser trailer in the video clip below!

The film will open in theaters on June 30, 2023.

Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), John Rhys-Davies (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Shaunette Renee Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”), Toby Jones (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Oliver Richters (“Black Widow”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”).

Directed by James Mangold, the film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel, with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas serving as executive producers. John Williams, who has scored each Indy adventure since the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1981, is once again composing the score.

Come back here on Chip & Co. for the latest theme park and entertainment news updates!

Photo Credit: Lucasfilm

Christopher Lloyd Reprising Role as Doc Brown for New Universal Escape Room

By

Kevin Koszola

-

December 1, 2022

Christopher Lloyd Reprising Role as Doc Brown for New Universal Escape Room

Great Scott!! Christopher Lloyd is returning to play Doc Brown for Universal’s Great Movie Escape!

The news comes as a surprise for “Back to the Future” fans. The escape room experience involves an adventure where you must recover Doc Brown’s newest time travel device.

Universal Orlando Resort will soon debut Universal’s Great Movie Escape – featuring two next-level escape rooms that pack the innovative storytelling and theming the destination is known for into “can’t-miss” experiences inspired by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s blockbuster films Jurassic World and Back to the Future.

Concepted and designed by the same creative masterminds responsible for the wildly immersive haunts of Halloween Horror Nights, Universal’s Great Movie Escape will bring two distinct and extraordinary escape adventures to the heart of Universal CityWalk. Through interactive state-of-the-art missions, captivating storytelling and intricately detailed sets, guests will be swept into the dinosaur adventures of Jurassic World or the time-traveling chaos of Back to the Future as they solve their way through a multi-sensory experience like no other.

Now you can escape into the movies like never before. Find yourself in a secret genetics lab and use your wits to avoid becoming the prey in Jurassic World: Escape. Or stop Biff Tannen from sabotaging the timeline in Back to the Future: OUTATIME. This is no ordinary escape room experience.

Tickets for the escape room experience are on sale now on Universal Orlando’s website. The new entertainment offering will debut on December 9th.

Tickets for the new experience start at $49.99 per Guest, plus tax. Pricing varies depending on the date and time of the visit. Guests may also book a private experience exclusive for their party starting at $300 per group, plus tax.

Come back here on Chip & Co. for the latest theme park and entertainment news updates!

Photo Credit: Universal

NEW Disneyland Resort 3-Day Southern California Special Ticket Offer

By

Sara

-

December 1, 2022

NEW Disneyland Resort 3-Day Southern California Special Ticket Offer

A new Disneyland Resort Southern California Special Ticket offer was released today! For a limited time, eligible Southern California residents can save on the purchase of a three-day, one-park per day weekday ticket for as little as $73 per person, per day, subject to park reservations.  

These tickets are on sale now for weekday visits beginning Jan. 9 through May 25, 2023.* This three-day ticket can be enjoyed on a consecutive three-day visit or on separate occasions across these winter to spring dates, and upgrades to a Park Hopper ticket and purchasing Disney Genie+ service are available at time of purchase.

In addition to this ticket offer, the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort have special rates on standard and premium rooms for a limited time, with bookings beginning Dec. 7, 2022, for stays Jan. 9 through March 9, 2023.

Southern California Resident Limited-Time Weekday Ticket Offer

3-day, 1 park per day weekday ticket for $219
3-day Park Hopper weekday ticket for $279
3-day, 1 park per day weekday ticket with Disney Genie+ service for $294
3-day, Park Hopper weekday ticket with Disney Genie+ service for $354

To enter a park, both a theme park reservation and valid ticket for the same park on the same date are required. Park reservations are limited and subject to availability.

Experiences to look forward to in early 2023

Many exciting celebrations, festivals, shows and attractions are coming to the Disneyland Resort in early 2023, making it a fantastic time to visit the Happiest Place on Earth:

Lunar New Year – Ushering in good cheer for the Year of the Rabbit, the Lunar New Year celebration returns to Disney California Adventure Park, Jan. 20-Feb. 15, 2023. This joyous celebration commemorates traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, with Disney characters featuring Mulan, Mushu, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their festive attire, plus “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession,” two new culinary marketplaces (for a total of six), kid-friendly crafts, the Lucky Wishes Wall, and the return of “Hurry Home – Lunar New Year Celebration” presented prior to “World of Color.”
Disney 100 Years of Wonder Celebration at Disneyland Resort – The Disneyland Resort begins commemorating The Walt Disney Company’s 100^th anniversary on Jan. 27, 2023, with special, limited-time celebrations taking place throughout the resort all year long. The resort will feature new platinum-infused décor, shimmering new looks for Mickey, Minnie and their pals, special food and beverage and merchandise offerings, and more.
Two all-new nighttime spectaculars – The “Wondrous Journeys” spectacular at Disneyland park and “World of Color – One” at Disney California Adventure park will debut Jan. 27, 2023:
- “Wondrous Journeys” – At Disneyland park, Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom, this spectacular will feature moments from every Walt Disney Animation Studios film to date, with projection effects that transform Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, “it’s a small world” and Rivers of America into an artist’s canvas that brings characters and their stories to life.
- “World of Color – One” – This spectacular in Disney California Adventure Park pays tribute to the storytelling legacy Walt Disney began a century ago. The show tells a new story of how a single action, like a drop of water, creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change. It brings some of the most courageous, loving and inspiring characters to life in a new way.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – This new attraction will open on Jan. 27, 2023, when the Disney 100 Years of Wonder Celebration begins at Disneyland Resort. Guests can take a colorful trip through Mickey and Minnie’s world and zip away on a zany adventure through a cartoon universe filled with surprises. This is the first ride-through attraction that stars Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse at Disneyland Resort.
“Magic Happens” Parade – After a limited debut in 2020, this dynamic daytime parade returns to Main Street, U.S.A., in Disneyland, beginning 24, 2023. Stunning floats, artistic costumes, beloved Disney characters and a high-energy musical score highlight classic Walt Disney Animation Studios tales such as “The Sword in the Stone,” “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty,” to more recent stories including “Frozen 2,” “Moana,” “The Princess and the Frog” and Disney and Pixar’s “Coco.”
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival – This spring celebration of California-inspired cuisines, running March 3-April 25, 2023, brings the dynamic and diverse foods and flavors of the Golden State center stage. Innovative dishes and drinks from talented Disneyland Resort chefs will be presented across a number of festival marketplaces. Entertainment for the whole family will include visits from Chef Goofy, craft activities, the Jammin’ Chefs and the “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery Unbirthday Party” cupcake decorating experience for kids. Plus, Soarin’ Over California will return for a limited time during the festival. This attraction celebrates the beauty and wonder of the Golden State, from San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the crashing waves in Malibu.
Mickey’s Toontown – A transformation of Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland Park is currently underway, and the neighborhood that Mickey Mouse and his friends call home will reopen March 8, 2022. The reimagined land will feature some all-new experiences and interactive play areas for families with young children, with grassy play spaces, a sound garden in the new Goofy’s How-to-Play Yard, water play at Donald’s Duck Pond and the fountain in CenTOONial Park, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster and more.
Epic adventures – Guests may step right into adventurous stories alongside Super Heroes at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure, and may encounter the First Order and the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland. One never knows who they might meet roaming through the lands.

If you’d like to visit the Disneyland Resort, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation!

D23 Kicks off the Season of Magic with a Fun Giveaway

By

Chip

-

December 1, 2022

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! D23 is once again hosting the Season of Magic Month-long celebration!

Here are the details:

Today, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club kicked off the Season of Magic—the ultimate holiday celebration! D23 celebrates this most magical time of the year with 23 days of sweepstakes prizes, festive activities, and more.

All month long, D23 Members can enjoy various original content and exclusive downloadable treats to make the season even brighter. D23 Members are also invited to Light Up the Season with D23, an exclusive D23 Member merry gathering at The Walt Disney Studios, on December 11, 2022.

317798090_6264996763512312_3435784450870284723_n

Today’s sweepstakes prize is the LEGO® Marvel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Gift Set with four complete LEGO sets. Additional prizes include Holiday Munchlings, a Magical Madrigals’ Encanto Bundle, a Merry Marvel Bundle, an Enchanting Disney Princess Pack, Holiday Charm Bracelet by Pandora, and A Very Merry Vinyl Mix (with albums that include adventure Thru Inner Space, The Mandalorian, Enchanted, and The Lion King Original Broadway Cast Recording).

Be sure to visit the D23 Season of Magic Website daily to see the latest prizes! Complete details on prizing and rules are on the Season of Magic landing page

D23 Kicks off the Season of Magic with a Fun Giveaway

New Minnie Mouse Swirl Ear Headband For A Groovy Style!

By

Ana Leal

-

December 1, 2022

New Minnie Mouse Swirl Ear Headband For A Groovy Style!

Add a groovy touch to your style with this Minnie Mouse Swirl Ear Headband we spotted around the Walt Disney World Resort and is also available online at shopDisney for $29.99. It matches the spirit jersey and Loungefly backpack released in this swirl collection.

This headband features a swirl pattern in green, pink, orange and white colors, a pink headband an orange mesh bow in the middle.

You can take a closer look at this ear headband in our Instagram post:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chip and Company (@chipandco)

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis Responds to Disney’s CEO Bob Iger

By

Chip

-

December 1, 2022

Florida’s Governor DeSantis Responds to Disney’s CEO Bob Iger

Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis had a few STRONG words to say about Bob Iger’s recent remarks at his Townhall Meeting for Cast Members.

When talking about Inclusion and the Parental Rights in Education bill which was signed into law earlier this year Bob Iger was opposed to the bill and at the time he said, “I’m with the President on this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy.”

I'm with the President on this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy. https://t.co/fJZBzre4yM
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 25, 2022

However, during the meeting, Iger told employees that inclusion and acceptance are among the “core values” of the company’s storytelling. He was sorry to hear that the Walt Disney Company was dragged into that battle, he has no idea what the ramifications are in terms of the business itself, the State of Flordia has been important to Disney for a long time, and Disney has been important to the state of Florida as well.

Related – Bob Iger Townhall Meeting Highlights

Yesterday Governor Ron Desantis spoke with Tucker Carlson on Fox News about Bob Iger’s remarks and the rift between Disney and the State of Florida.

“We didn’t drag them in, they went in on their own. And not only opposed the bill, but they also threatened to get it repealed. These are parents’ rights, and important policies in our state that are very popular. They brought this on themselves — all we did was stand up for what is right. Yes, they are a big, powerful company, but, we stand up for our folks, and I don’t care what a Burbank, California-based company says about our laws.”

Here is the video from Ron DeSantis’s Twitter.

pic.twitter.com/0hjMou3N3s
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 30, 2022

So what does this mean now that Bob Iger is back as CEO for Disney? We know that Disney’s Reedy Creek is still in the crosshairs for Governor Ron Desantis.

I guess only time will tell if Disney and the State of Florida are able to rebuild that rift that is between the company and the Governor.