Disney Cruise Line has hired its first-ever public health officer! With all that has happened over the last year regarding COVID-19, this is another positive step towards cruising resuming next month. The new public health officer, Dr. Lauana, was a physician with Disney Cruise Line for years and now is stepping into this new role.
Disney Cruise Line Jobs shared the following post on Facebook:
“Meet Dr. Lauana, Disney Cruise Line’s first Public Health Officer! ?✨ After spending years onboard as a Physician with Disney Cruise Line, Dr. Lauana returned to help create the new Public Health Officer role. From top 10 in her MBA program, to charting a new path in Public Health, Dr. Lauana continues to lead by example.
“I’m so honored to be the first Public Health Officer and I’m giving it my all because it’s something really close to my heart. Disney is known by the world for the quality standards and this is not different at all. We go above because we want the best for the guests and the crew.””
Disney Cruise Line recently completed a test sailing with the Disney Dream. More test cruises have been scheduled as well. They will take place on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy in the coming weeks before returning to cruising on August 9th.
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!
Halloween Horror Nights is returning to Universal Studios Hollywood on select nights September 9 to October 31 this year! Tickets for this popular event are now on sale!
Menacing fan-favorite mazes, “The Exorcist” and “The Curse of Pandora’s Box,” are joining an unnerving line-up at Southern California’s intensely immersive Halloween event.
This year, guests will be possessed by “The Exorcist” maze, often revered as the most terrifying movie of all-time, as they live the tormented aberrations experienced by Regan and her determined mother.
Horror also re-emerges in ultraviolet with the addition of the original concept maze, “The Curse of Pandora’s Box.” Inspired by the most fearsome creatures in Greek mythology, this disturbing experience transports guests from the land of the living to the nightmarish netherworld of Hades where the demonic temptress Pandora serves as their guide.
Designed to taunt, terrorize and torment guests as they navigate the darkness from one frightening maze to another, “Halloween Horror Nights” also features the previously announced line-up with more mazes and experiences to be announced soon:
· “The Haunting of Hill House,” based on Netflix’s critically-acclaimed supernatural thriller.
· “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” a chilling maze featuring a demented Leatherface and his unrelenting chainsaw.
· “Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives,” inspired by Universal Pictures’ cinematic monsters with an all-original story about one of the studio’s most infamous creatures.
Event dates are: September 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30 and October 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 21-24, 28-31. Tickets can be purchased at Hollywood.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
Will you be attending this unnerving Halloween event?For help with planning your next Universal vacation, contact me today! I am a travel agent specializing in theme park destinations and can help you plan a magical vacation at no extra cost to you!
Disney Cruise Line Blog shared today that more Disney Cruise Line test cruises have been scheduled. The Disney Dream recently completed its first test sailing and the CDC has changed its status from “Crew Only (approved for simulated)” to “Simulated”. The CDC also shows the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wonder in the green status for sailing.
The upcoming test cruises are a mix of Bahamian and Caribbean sailings on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The Disney Dream will be sailing 3-night Bahamian Cruises from Port Canaveral visiting Nassau and Castaway Cay on the following dates:
Sunday August 1, 2021 3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral (Cast Test Cruise)
Thursday August 5, 2021 3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral (Cast Test Cruise)
The Disney Fantasy will be sailing a 3-night Bahamian visiting Nassau and Castaway Cay and a 4-night Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral to Cozumel. Those sailings will take place on the following dates:
Thursday August 26, 2021 3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral (Cast Test Cruise)
Sunday August 29, 2021 4-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral (Cast Test Cruise)
The final test sailings on the Dream and Fantasy take place just before the next bookable cruises are scheduled to sail. If these test cruises all go well, it looks like the Disney Dream’s August 9th and Disney Fantasy’s September 4th sailings will take place! Of course, anything could happen between now and then but we are hopeful that no more sailings will be canceled.
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!
Let’s get down to business and enjoy a delicious Dragon Fired Sesame Tofu Bowl fit for warriors!
If you are looking for a different option for lunch or dinner that is both healthy and tasty then this bowl is perfect! It features marinated grilled tofu and pineapple layered on top of quinoa and veggies creating a wonderful bowl inspired by Mulan.
This recipe from Dole is part of Disney’s Ultimate Princess Celebration that encourage princesses around the world to eat healthier in a magical way. If you would like to recreate this bowl at home, just follow this recipe below:
DRAGON FIRED SESAME TOFU BOWL
INGREDIENTS:
1 package (14oz) of extra firm tofu, drained
1 cup of dry quinoa
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, grated
3 tbsp of less-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp of rice vinegar
1 tbsp of sesame oil
4 (8-inch) wooden skewers
1/4 Dole Pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Dole Avocado, peeled and pitted
1/4 cup of plain dairy free soy yogurt alternative
Wrap tofu with paper towels and place on a plate; top with a second plate and weigh down with a heavy object. Let tofu stand 15 minutes; cut into 1 inch pieces.
Prepare quinoa as label directs; cool completely.
Whisk ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and oil in a large bowl; add tofu and gently toss. Cover bowl and let stand at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Soak skewers in water 20 minutes. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Remove tofu from marinade; reserve marinade. Thread tofu onto skewers; place on hot grill rack, cover and cook 10 minutes or until grill marks appear and tofu is crisp, turning every 2 minutes 30 seconds.
Spray both sides of pineapple with nonstick cooking spray; place on hot grill rack, cover and cook 4 minutes or until grill marks appear, turning once.
Mash avocado with a fork in a medium bowl; whisk in yogurt alternative and salt.
Divide quinoa into 4 bowls; top with onions, pepper, corn, tofu, pineapple and avocado mixture. Drizzle bowls with reserved marinade and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
You can enjoy this flavorful Dragon Fired Sesame Tofu Bowl while watching Mulan on Disney Plus!
Jack Skellington is Bringing Christmas to July with The Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween Town Beach Club! New York City is the place to be for Nightmare Before Christmas in July. Sign up at HalloweenTownBeachClub.com. We also have some new Nightmare before Christmas Merchandise coming. Check below for some images.
Jack Skellington, The Pumpkin King, has made an unexpected return! Everyone knows Jack for his merry misadventures during Halloween and Christmas, but now he’s headed on summer vacay, and you’re officially invited to join him and his misfit crew at the Halloween Town Beach Club on Saturday, July 24th in New York City.
Simply sign up online at HalloweenTownBeachClub.com to book a photo moment with our Nightmare lifeguard chair, reserve lounge chairs for your misfit crew, explore a sharable surprise & delight AR filter with Summer Jack, and browse the digital souvenir shop.
If you can’t make it to NYC, we have curated a collection of warm weather must-haves, so you too can celebrate Christmas in July this summer season. You can find this new Nightmare in July collection at Hot Topic, Box Lunch, and online retailers. You can see all the new Jack and Sally and the gang at this link.
Lumiere and Cogsworth are joining the action for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary!
They 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.
You can look for the Lumiere and Cogsworth statue at Magic Kingdom later this year.
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!
Three New SparkShorts are Coming to Disney+ this September. Disney+ revealed plans for the upcoming lineup of Pixar Animation Studios’ SparkShorts program. Debuting on the platform in September are two new shorts, including “Twenty Something” from director Aphton Corbin, and “Nona” from director Louis Gonzales. In addition to the shorts is the feature-length documentary “A SparkStory”—a co-production of Pixar and Supper Club that takes an intimate look at Pixar’s SparkShorts filmmaking process.
SparkShorts filmmakers are given six months to assemble a team and create a short animated film. No major rules apply—filmmakers are driven by their need to tell a story and the nimble approach to do so. Each, teamed with a producer, navigates the emotional rollercoaster of stepping into a leadership role and inspiring their crew. “I’m proud to see how the short was made better by the team working on it,” says Gonzales. “I’ve never directed before but I feel like my 20+ years in the business really paid off.”
Adds Corbin, “The SparkShorts program is the studio’s way of seeing what talented storytellers can do on our own. After working with Pete [Docter] on “Soul,” I caught the studio’s eye as someone who had interesting stories to tell.”
“Twenty Something,” created using hand-drawn animation, launches on Disney+ Sept. 10, 2021. Corbin says she’s always been a fan of the medium. “There is something so beautiful about seeing actual drawings come to life,” says the director, who has a personal connection to her main character. “She is a manifestation of my own personal anxieties! I think of myself as a collection of children trying to pass myself off as an adult.”
“Adulting can be hard. Some days you’re nailing it, while other days, you’re just a stack of kids hiding in a trench coat hoping no one notices. Gia finds herself in this exact scenario the night of her 21st birthday. This is a story about the insecurities of adulting and how we’re all just faking it till we make it.” Erik Langley produces the short.
Nona: Pixar Animation Studios introduces Nona, a grandmother who plans to spend her day off by shutting out the world to watch her favorite TV show, “E.W.W. Smashdown Wrestling.” However, when her 5-year-old granddaughter Renee is unexpectedly dropped off, Nona is caught between her two favorite things. Renee wants to play while the normally-doting Nona wrestles with wanting to watch the Smashdown, leading to a decisive showdown between the two, and a loving compromise. Produced by Courtney Casper Kent, “Nona” launches on Disney+ on Sept. 17, 2021.
According to Gonzales, Nona is based largely on his own grandmother. “At the same time,” he says, “Nona is a combination of all of the strong women I looked up to growing up.”
Produced in collaboration with Pixar, “A Spark Story” comes from Supper Club (“Chef’s Table”) and directors Jason Sterman and Leanne Dare. Giving audiences an exclusive and immersive look at the filmmakers and their films, the documentary explores the creative philosophy that makes Pixar unique. “A Spark Story” spotlights Corbin and Gonzales as they strive to get their uniquely personal SparkShorts visions on screen. Corbin’s film, “Twenty Something,” required novel approaches to storytelling to convey one character’s multiple perspectives—all using hand-drawn animation (a rarity for Pixar). Gonzales’ film, “Nona,” came from an intensely personal place, but that didn’t stop a serious bout of writer’s block from nearly derailing the entire production. Jason Sterman, Brian McGinn and David Gelb produce.
“A Spark Story” launches on Disney+ on Sept. 24, 2021. Be sure to check back here at Chip and Co. for updates and all things Disney+!
Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels are offering some great rates for Summer if you are looking to visit the Walt Disney World resort before fall.
Here are the details:
With a summer vacation stay starting at only $75 per night* at Disney Springs® Resort Area Hotels in the Walt Disney World® Resort, families need to plan quickly for their best Summer getaway while this limited-time offer is still available! Make your reservation and travel between July 13 – September 17, 2021, to take advantage of these exceptional savings.
Plus, don’t forget your park tickets at these exceptional savings for Florida Resident Summer Fun Tickets – a 4-Day Park Ticket is only $215 + tax ($54 /day); a 3-Day Park Ticket is only $185 plus tax; and 2-Day Park Tickets are only $150 +tax! * There’s no better place to stay than right inside the Walt Disney World® Resort gates at a Disney Springs® Resort Area Hotel.
Make your Summer Magic room reservation here. (Both a Theme Park reservation via the Disney Park Pass system and valid admission for the same park, on the same date are required for each person in party, ages 3 and up.)
Situated within Walt Disney World®, all six Disney Springs® Resort Area Hotels have the added benefit of close walking proximity to Disney Springs® — which now features more than 150 retail, dining and entertainment establishments. Celebrate Summer in true Floridian, citrus-lovin’ style now through August 12 with the Flavors of Florida for a delicious selection of Florida-inspired places across 20+ dining and retail locations throughout Disney Springs. Many restaurants offer outdoor seating so you can dine al fresco with options ranging from casual fare to extraordinary restaurants by renowned James Beard Award-winning chefs – as well as outstanding shopping, unique attractions, and numerous choices for outdoor entertainment.
Don’t miss this great opportunity to start planning your Summer Magic vacation now…. book your stay and complete your travel between now and September 17, 2021. These special, limited-time rates at Disney Springs® Resort Area Hotels are:
Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area – room rates from $75 per night;
Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista – room rates from $85 per night;
B Resort & Spa – room rates from $99 per night;
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando – room rates from $102 per night;
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista – room rates from $134 per night (Code OZ);
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace – room rates from $170 per night (Code OZ).
For more information on the Summer Magic hotel rates, or to make a reservation, visit: https://disneyspringshotels.com/magic21/. Some blackout dates may apply, and availability may be limited. Resort fees, taxes, gratuities and daily parking, if applicable, are not included in above rates. This room rate offer is not valid with any other offer or promotion, or on existing reservations, or for groups.
Discover exciting new offerings as well as the classic favorites at Walt Disney World® Resort. For a quick glimpse at what you’ll enjoy at the Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, or EPCOT® visit here.
Theme Park Highlights:
Magic Kingdom® Park – Enjoy whimsical Character Cavalcades throughout the day, with some favorite Disney friends appearing along the parade route. Explore iconic attractions and experiences in 6 incredible lands – including the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Pirates of the Caribbean and “It’s a Small World”.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios® — Discover big fun for kids and grown-ups alike in Toy Story Land. Take a wild ride on Slinky Dog Dash and go for a whirl on Alien Swirling Saucers. Pack your imagination, switch tracks and take a ride on the cartoon side like never before when you hop aboard Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Live your adventure in a galaxy far, far away at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where you can experience 2 thrilling attractions—Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park – Celebrate the magic of nature at Pandora – The World of Avatar. Here, you can fly on the back of banshee, hike amid floating mountains or take a mystical boat into a bioluminescent rainforest! You will explore a lush African savanna on Kilimanjaro Safaris and have a quacking good time with Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Launchhpad McQuack on Donald’s Dino Boat Bash!
EPCOT® — Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is here now through November 20, 2021. Hungry for fun? Indulge in delicious global marketplaces, live entertainment, family-friendly activities and more. Fly high on a hang-gliding adventure to a few famous places across the globe on Soarin’ Around the World. Board an ancient Norwegian vessel and be whisked away to the kingdom of Arendelle during a Frozen Ever After.
*Disclaimers: Room rates are based on availability, (book and travel dates of 7/13 – 9/17/2021) and do not include applicable taxes and resort services fees. Some blackout dates may apply and availability may be limited. Daily parking fee, (if applicable), and gratuities are not included. This offer is not valid with any other special offers, promotions, reservations, or for groups.
*Disney Theme Park Disclaimer: Parks, attractions and other offerings subject to availability, closures and change or cancellation without notice. A ticket is valid for admission on the specific date selected. Ticket must be used within seven days from start date. Proof of Florida residency required for Florida Resident Summer Fun Tickets.
Both a theme park reservation via the Disney Park Pass system, and a valid theme park ticket for the same park on the same date are required for each person ages 3 and up.
It’s great to see the return of more Cast Members at Walt Disney World Resort! In this case, we see the Cast Members celebrating the reopening of the Epcot Monorail Line.
This monorail line has not been operating for almost a year and a half! So, it’s quite a special occasion to see it in action once again. The monorail runs a loop between Epcot’s park entrance and the Ticket Transportation Center.
The Epcot Monorail will operate daily beginning one hour before park opening and ending one hour after park closing. With the monorail operating once again, bus service to Epcot will be discontinued for the following resorts:
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa-starting July 25, 2021
Disney’s Contemporary Resort-starting July 25, 2021
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort-starting sometime in mid-August
Disney Parks Guest Gets Roasted After Asking Gaston Out for a Date. We all know Gaston is obsessed with marrying Belle, but that didn’t stop Tok Tok user @nots0swift help her friend @gfoltzinator shoot her shot at the most notable man in town!
As the camera rolls we hear @gfoltzinator (Grace) yell out to Gaston about her boyfriend breaking up with her and asking Gaston out on a date to which he responds, “Sorry, I’m uh… looking for the MOST beautiful woman in town.” Needless to say, both ladies’ jaws dropped as they took a beat before Grace responded, “Did I just get roasted?”
Grace seems to be taking the rejection well and in response to the viral video changed her Tok Tok bio to include “Not the most beautiful woman in town”.
Screen Shot: @gfoltzinator Tik Tok
What are some of your favorite Disney Parks character moments? I still laugh at the stormtrooper burn from 2019. ? We would love to hear your stories in the comments! Be sure to check back here at Chip and Co. for updates and all things Disney Parks!
Disney investing $864 million for new Florida campus with more than $570 million that could come back to Disney over two decades in the form of tax breaks. Disney applied for the credit and was approved in February of last year. They will see the return from Florida’s Capital Investment Tax Credit program. So now we know this move from California was years in the making. In case you are wondering how all this info was collected, The Orlando Sentinel requested and received data from the State Department of Economic Opportunity.
“Taxpayer intends to establish a regional campus that will take this international enterprise into the 21st century with a state-of-the-art modern overhaul of the operational software systems that help drive the success for this company to create an efficient management system,” the application states, revealing that the new headquarters could be as large as 400,000 square feet.
Throughout the next 18 months, The Walt Disney Co. will move roughly 2000 jobs from its California headquarters to a new community in Southeast Orlando. Lake Nona will house a Disney campus that will be home to Disney Imagineers and other professionals. No specific location has been chosen for the Lake Nona project yet.
We can report that Disney wrestled back $8 million in property taxes from Orange County. Walt Disney World filed a tax grievance arguing that the assessed value of their theme parkland was inflated between the years 2015 and 2020. The park paid the taxes and contested them in court, with a settlement expected to pay to the tune of multiple millions per year. Funds were held in reserve by the county, anticipating a potential Disney victory.
The Orlando Airport is adding a new terminal in 2022.
The three-floor facility will be adjacent to the South Airport APM Complex and Intermodal Terminal Facility, providing the seamless integration of multimodal transportation, incorporating air, ground, and, with the arrival of Brightline in 2023, rail – making MCO the first airport in the U.S. to be served by intercity rail. Sea and space transportation are also only a short ride away at Port Canaveral/Cape Canaveral.
With this new expansion, Disney will be opening a new Magic of Disney Store in the new terminal according to details released this morning.
As part of this special transformation at the airport, we’re excited to also be working with GOAA on a new Magic of Disney store location opening with the South Terminal Complex in 2022.
