Today Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents reopened to guests with the Audio-Animatronic of President Joe Biden. Hall of Presidents has closed since earlier this year as Disney Imagineers replace Donald Trump with Joe Biden.
Nothing much has changed in the lobby when you walk in.
We didn’t have to wait long and grabbed our seats and waited for the show…
The Audio-Animatronic of President Joe Biden is at center stage where Donald Trump used to be. On the table next to him are peach blossoms, representing his home state of Delaware, along with aviator sunglasses.
Joe Biden only recites the oath of office, rather than give a short speech like every other President since Clinton has done.
Tucked away in the announcement of the new Disneyland Annual Passholder program was a tiny little announcement for Walt Disney World Annual Passes. Disney World Annual Passes will be returning just in time for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on October 1st.
For those wondering about Walt Disney World Annual Passes, new pass sales will become available in time for the startof the 50th-anniversary celebration! Walt Disney World Resort will be sharing additional information and details later this month, so be sure to stay tuned to DisneyWorld.com
We have been waiting since Walt Disney World reopened last year for any sort of announcement for Walt Disney World Annual Passes. Now it looks like we can expect sales to resume just before the Walt Disney World 50th on October 1st.
Stay tuned to Chip and Co for more details later this month…
New Disneyland Passholder details have been revealed. The annual passholder program was suspended earlier this year and now a new membership program has been announced. The new Magic Key Program is a guest-centric offering with choice, flexibility and value!
There will be four options of Magic Key passes to provide guests and their families with choices that fit various needs and lifestyle preferences for how they wish to visit the Disneyland Resort.
Here’s a brief overview about the various Magic Key passes:
Magic Key Theme Park Reservation System
Disney’s theme park reservation system is a cornerstone component of the Magic Key program as part of their efforts to help provide a great experience for all guests. Magic Key holders will make advanced reservations to enjoy Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park on available dates, and be able to hold a certain number of upcoming reservations (depending on the pass type).
Additional Offerings and Benefits
Magic Key holders will have access to an array of special offerings and many features that guests will love, such as valuable saving opportunities for merchandise and food & beverage. Throughout the year, they may also be able to enjoy special benefits such as a dedicated dining experience and custom menu items at the Magic Key terrace, special offerings at festivals just for Magic Key holders, a Magic Key holder celebration month, plus other unique surprises!
What’s more, Disneyland will be introducing an all-new Magic Key portal on the Disneyland app to more deeply engage directly with the community of Magic Key holders in the future.
Be Among the First
For a limited time, we will celebrate the charter members that become Magic Key holders within the first 66 days (as we celebrate 66 years of Disneyland Resort). These guests will receive a special welcome package that will include unique items such as a premium branded pin, celebratory button, magnet, and more! Plus, Magic Key holders who enter Disneyland park will also be celebrated with access to a limited-time experience at Starcade in Tomorrowland (which begins on Sept. 1), where they can enjoy charging stations, a special photo opportunity, and other fun surprises.
Starting August 25, 2021 (no earlier than 10 a.m. PT), guests will be able to purchase their preferred Magic Key pass type. Their first opportunity to “unlock” a visit to Disneyland park or Disney California Adventure park with a theme park reservation will be that same day!
A monthly payment plan exclusively for California residents* will be offered—which continues to be a priority for guests of Disneyland Resort. Magic Key passes start as low as $399 or $19/month for 12 months**** (for Southern California residents, and after a down payment).
Guests will be able to purchase and manage their Magic Key pass through Disneyland.com and the Disneyland app, where they will be able to access an interactive admission calendar for their pass type to view reservation availability and book their theme park reservations.
Extraordinary Time to Visit
This is an extraordinary time at Disneyland Resort; favorite attractions, beloved entertainment, festive foods and characters galore bring joy to our guests every day. Plus, favorite seasonal traditions, like Halloween Time, will return to Disneyland Resort Sept. 3 through Oct. 31, special festivals will be enjoyed throughout the year, and we’ll have even more to share with you, soon. And with all that, we’re thrilled to introduce our guests to the new Magic Key program, beginning August 25!
And for those wondering about Walt Disney World Annual Passes, new pass sales will become available in time for the start of the 50th anniversary celebration! Walt Disney World Resort will be sharing additional information and details later this month.
What do you think of the new program at the Disneyland Resort? For help with planning your next Disney vacation, contact me today! I am a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations and can help you plan a magical vacation at no extra cost to you!
Disney’s Contemporary Resort is continuing to make progress with their current construction project. The Disney Resort refurbishment started a few months ago and is quickly shaping up nicely.
While some Main Tower rooms will be unavailable during the refurbishment, most resort areas and amenities will still be available for guests to enjoy.
The scrim installation is there to keep the dust and debris away from guests as they enjoy the lobby areas. The monorail will still be running daily.
As Walt Disney World prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary this October, Walt Disney Imagineering is continuing to build on the optimistic spirit of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, enhancing the retro-modern aesthetic evoking Tomorrowland … with a dash of something Incredible, too.
Currently all nine floors of guest rooms in the tower are being completely refurbished, but the new décor will debut this fall.
These rooms will blend a sleek Monorail motif with some favorite characters from Pixar Animation Studios’ “Incredibles” films, including Jack-Jack, Frozone and Edna Mode. New custom artwork in guest rooms and along guest corridors will be modern, futuristic and oh so stylish, dahling, complementing the resort’s architecture while putting the Supers’ powers on display.
Get your family together and spend a fun day making this sweet treat that everyone will love, plus is perfect for summer! Take a look at the recipe from Disney Family and have fun:
Spray the 5″ removable springform pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine cold water, red vegan gelatin, and unflavored vegan gelatin in a microwavable bowl to create the red gummy candy. Whisk together then let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to soak up the water and soften.
Microwave the bowl for 1 minute, then whisk well. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks clear, pour it into the pan. Refrigerate for about an hour.
Remove the gummy from the pan and cut it out using a 4″ round cutter.
Spray the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray again and place the red gummy candy in the middle.
To make the white gummy candy, combine the gelatin with 3 tbsp of cold water in a small bowl and whisk together. Let it sit and soften for 5 minutes. Combine the remaining water, sweetened condensed milk, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolved and it comes to a simmer.
Add the gelatin and whisk until it dissolves. Pour the white gelatin around the red gummy candy in the pan. Refrigerate for an hour.
Remove the gummy candy from the pan and cut it out using a 4 1/2″ round cutter. Spray the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray again and place the cutout gummy candy back in the middle.
To make the green gummy candy, repeat the same process you followed to create the white, only add in green food coloring. Once the sugar in the mixture has fully dissolved, pour the green gelatin around the red and white gelatin in the pan. Refrigerate for an hour.
Remove from the pan and slice into 6 slices to make the Mickey Mouse watermelon gummies.
Press the mini chocolate chips into the gelatin to create the base for Mickey.
Melt chocolate then transfer it into a piping bag and snip off the end. Pipe Mickey’s ears directly onto the gummies.
Say aloha to Dr. Kamealoha when the Disney+ original series “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” starts streaming September 8, with new episodes premiering every Wednesday. Disney+ also revealed the series’ title sequence featuring a new rendition of the iconic “Doogie Howser, M.D.” theme song re-imagined and performed by music composer Wendy Wang and world-renown ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.
“Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” – a coming-of-age dramedy inspired by the hit medical series “Doogie Howser, M.D.” – follows Lahela “Doogie” Kamealoha, a 16-year-old prodigy juggling a budding medical career and life as a teenager. With the support of her caring and comical ‘ohana (family) and friends, Lahela is determined to make the most of her teenage years and forge her own path.
Guiding Lahela (and also complicating things) is her career-driven mother Dr. Clara Hannon who’s also her supervisor at the hospital, her doting father Benny who helps keep her connected to what matters most, her free-spirited older brother Kai, her gregarious younger brother Brian Patrick, her best friend Steph, her surfer crush Walter and her fellow hospital colleagues, Dr. Lee, Charles and Noelani.
Set in modern-day Hawai’i, “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” is shot on location in O’ahu. Creator and executive producer Kourtney Kang (“How I Met Your Mother,” “Fresh Off the Boat”) who was born in Hawaii and raised in a Philadelphia suburb by her Irish mom and Korean dad, infuses her own life’s stories and experiences into this series that is centered on a mixed-race Asian-American girl.
Peyton Elizabeth Lee (“Andi Mack”) stars as the title lead alongside a diverse and talented ensemble cast including Kathleen Rose Perkins (“Big Shot”) as Dr. Clara Hannon, Jason Scott Lee (“Mulan”) as Benny Kamealoha, Matthew Sato (“Hawaii Five-O”) as Kai Kamealoha, Wes Tian as Brian Patrick Kamealoha, Emma Meisel (“American Horror Story”) as Steph, Mapuana Makia (“Finding ‘Ohana”) as Noelani and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman (“UnREAL”) as Charles. Recurring stars include Alex Aiono (“Finding ‘Ohana”) as Walter and Ronny Chieng (“Crazy Rich Asians”) as Dr. Lee.
Check out the title sequence and theme song for the new series in the video posted below and be sure to start streaming Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. on September 8th exclusively on Disney+:
Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, Dayna Bochco, Jesse Bochco, Erin O’Malley, Matt Kuhn and Justin McEwen serve as executive producers alongside Kang. “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. Be sure to check back here at Chip and Company for updates and all things Disney+!
While dining at Crystal Palace today we were told that buffets will be returning to Walt Disney World on September 12th.
Places like Hollywood & Vine, Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Faire are great places to eat where you can sample a variety of foods and many times see Disney Characters too, however, the buffets never returned when the Disney World Theme Parks reopened.
Instead, restaurants such as Chef Mickey, Crystal Palace, and Cape May Cafe reopened with an all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast or dinner feast. For example at the Crystal Palace, you would begin your dining experience with a seasonal salad and home-style cornbread muffins. Choose your entree from a pre-fixe menu, including crispy-fried chicken with macaroni and cheese topped with toasted panko breadcrumbs, fire-roasted prime rib of beef with potatoes au gratin or southern-fried cauliflower with a hot maple drizzle. Then top off the experience with a family-style dessert platter.
The Cheshire Cat is joining the celebration for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary!
The Alice in Wonderland character will be joined by 50 characters as part of the “Disney Fab 50,” a new collection of golden sculptures debuting Oct. 1, 2021, across all four Walt Disney World theme parks as part of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” honoring the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Chip ‘n’ Dale will be part of a new collection of special golden character sculptures debuting Oct. 1st across the four Walt Disney World theme parks.
There will be 50 characters featured overall, and guests will be able to interact with the “Disney Fab 50” in surprising ways as part of the 50th-anniversary celebration.
During the magical celebration, which begins on Oct. 1st, you’ll be able to find these golden character sculptures throughout all four of the Resort’s parks. And leading up to their appearances, friends from around the Disney company will be announcing which characters you can expect to see.
You can also virtually “collect” each golden Disney character sculpture on Instagram. To add a sculpture to Instagram Collections, just tap and hold the bookmark icon. Then, on the “Save to” screen, tap the collection where you want to save the image or create a new collection. Happy hunting!
Disney Premier Access has soft-launched at Disneyland Paris. For those who haven’t been keeping up, this is the paid Fast Pass service they announced earlier this year where guests pay per attraction.
This optional digital service allows guests to enjoy the ability to skip the regular queue line for some of its most beloved attractions, including a mix of thrill rides, Disney classics, and experiences for the whole family.
From anywhere inside the parks, guests can use the App to book an assigned time slot for select attractions, with prices at launch starting at 8€ per person per ride depending on the attraction and day of use.
Guests without a smartphone can also purchase Disney Premier Access at select locations in the parks. By choosing Disney Premier Access, guests have the option for more flexibility in planning their day and will be able to spend even more time enjoying attractions, shows and so much more.
Here are the current prices for Disney Premier Access at Disneyland Paris. Keep in mind pricing is dynamic, so may change depending on demand, time of day, and by season.
Autopia $9.50
Big Thunder Mountain $14
Buzz Lightyear $18
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure $14
Space Mountain $11
Star Tours $9.50
Peter Pan’s Flight $18
Tower of Terror $18
Premier Access will officially debut at Disneyland Paris on August 5th.
Guest still have the option to use Standby Pass while visiting Disneyland Paris.
Standby Pass allows guests to spend part of their wait time for select attractions outside of the physical queue line, although it does not provide immediate access to an attraction. This service can be activated during certain periods of the day, subject to availability and dependent on day-to-day needs in the parks. When activated, guests can use the Disneyland Paris App to book a time slot to enter the physical queue line of an attraction and return to stand in the queue at that time.
Gossip on many Disney sites suggests that this new paid Fast Pass Service is coming to Walt Disney World. No official announcement has been made yet, many Disney Addicts are waiting for some sort of Fast Pass to return to Walt Disney World.
The cutest new plush has fluttered into town! I’m talking about the new Orange Bird Plush of course. This cuddly new pal isn’t just adorable, it also smells like oranges!
Orange Bird Plush
The new Orange Bird stuffed toy is actually in the same style as the Big Feet plush. Big Feet plush are soft and cuddly toys featuring Disney characters, with extra-large, and also extra-cute feet! The Big Feet plushies were quite popular last year too. We also don’t see a lot of Orange Bird merch, so this new pal is a welcomed addition!
More fall decorations were added last night to the Magic Kingdom! When we visited the park yesterday we were pleasantly surprised that Fall had come to Walt Disney World. You see photos and read all about it at the link below.
Just in time for Halloween, LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales will be coming to Disney+ on October 1st!
The all-new animated special from Lucasfilm and the LEGO Group continues the rich legacy of collaboration between Lucasfilm and the LEGO® brand and is a seasonal celebration of the villainous dark side of the Star Wars galaxy— just in time for Halloween.
“LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales” features a talented voice cast that includes Jake Green as Poe Dameron; Raphael Alejandro as Dean; Dana Snyder as Graballa the Hutt; Tony Hale as Vaneé; Christian Slater as Ren; Trevor Devall as Emperor Palpatine; Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as NI-L8; and Matt Sloan as Darth Vader. David Shayne is a writer and executive producer, and the director is Ken Cunningham. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, and Jason Cosler are executive producers. “LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales” is produced in collaboration with Atomic Cartoons.
After the events of “The Rise of Skywalker,” Poe and BB-8 must make an emergency landing on the volcanic planet Mustafar where they meet the greedy and conniving Graballa the Hutt who has purchased Darth Vader’s castle and is renovating it into the galaxy’s first all-inclusive Sith-inspired luxury hotel. While waiting for his X-Wing to be repaired, Poe, BB-8, Graballa, and Dean (a plucky and courageous young boy who works as Graballa’s mechanic) venture deep into the mysterious castle with Vader’s loyal servant, Vaneé. Along the way, Vaneé shares three creepy stories linked to ancient artifacts and iconic villains from across all eras of Star Wars. As Vaneé spins his tales and lures our heroes deeper into the shadowy underbelly of the castle, a sinister plan emerges. With the help of Dean, Poe and BB-8 will have to face their fears, stop an ancient evil from rising, and escape to make it back to their friends.
