The Disneyland Resort theme parks have been closed for almost a year now. The parks are expected to remain closed until at least late March or April.
Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy says that Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are expected to remain closed for more than a year and not reopen before late March or early April. “Our current expectation is that Disneyland and Disneyland Paris will be closed for the entirety of the second quarter,” she said.
Disney’s second quarter typically ends between March 28 and April 2. The parks closed on March 13, 2021, due to the pandemic. The parks remain closed due to California’s strict reopening guidelines.
“It’s hard to believe nearly a year has passed since the start of the pandemic, which continues to negatively impact the operations of our company,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek said.
The Downtown Disney District and select dining and retail locations in Disney California Adventure are open for guests to enjoy. Some time next month a limited time ticketed food and beverage experience will come to Disney California Adventure.
Based on California’s reopening guidelines, Orange County where Disneyland is located has to reach the minimal tier for COVID-19 cases. That could take months as the state continues to have some of the highest numbers in the country.
We are all looking forward to returning to the Happiest Place on Earth!
Gina Carano to Produce and Star in Upcoming Film. Less than a day after being dropped by Lucasfilm and her talent agency, UTA, Gina Carano has announced she will be producing and starring in her own film.
Carano shared the news via Instagram in a post saying:
“I’d like to thank you all from the deepest part of my heart for the love I’ve received over the past 24 hours. I would not be here without your support. Thank you to @realdailywire@officialbenshapiro for helping make one of my dreams — to develop and produce my own film — come true. I cried out and my prayer was answered. I am sending out a direct message of hope to everyone living in fear of cancellation by the totalitarian mob. I have only just begun using my voice which is now freer than ever before, and I hope it inspires others to do the same. They can’t cancel us if we don’t let them. ❤️ Stick together. I stand with you.”
Carano’s firing was shared in a statement from Lucasfilm which stated:
“Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future. Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
Merely hours after Lucasfilm’s statement UTA Talent Agency shared they had dropped Gina from their label and no longer represented the actress and wrestler.
IT is currently unknown what the film will entail and who will star alongside Carano. This is a developing story, so be sure to check back here at Chip and Co. for updates and all things Entertainment!
Happy Lunar New Year! Celebrate this special day with a recipe from Hong Kong Disneyland!
The Lunar New Year or Spring Festival celebrates the beginning of Spring and the promise of hope and new beginnings. In China, it’s tradition to get together and have Lo Hei (tossing up good fortune) with your family and friends.
An interesting fact is that each ingredient of the Lo Hei has special significance for the upcoming year like good fortune, eternal youth, prosperity or strong ties with family and friends. So while making it, everyone joins in and toss and mix the ingredients while saying hopeful well wishes out loud for good luck! We love this!
For this recipe from Hong Kong Disneyland, chefs are sharing their version of Lo Hei that includes ramen noodles, smoky salmon, briny abalone, prawns, and shredded vegetables with sesame and chili soy sauce. Sounds delicious!
LO HEI WITH SESAME AND CHILI SOY SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
Lo Hei
1 medium (200 grams) seedless cucumber, julienne (1 1/4 cups)
3 large (220 grams) carrots, julienne (1 cup)
1 small (60 grams) Japanese turnip, julienne (2/3 cup)
1/4 cup (40 grams) thinly sliced seaweed of assorted colors
3/4 cup (175 ml) roasted bottled sesame salad dressing
1 cup (60 grams) small rice crackers
1/2 cup (40 grams) fried shallots
INSTRUCTIONS:
For Lo Hei
Wash julienned cucumber, carrot, turnip, and seaweed in cold water. Drain and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add prawn and cook for 5 minutes, until they turn pink and curl. Remove with slotted spoon and place in cold water. Drain, then remove shells. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add ramen noodles and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Drain and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Fold sliced smoked salmon into rings. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Rinse canned abalone in cold water. Drain and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For Chili Soy Sauce
Heat vegetable oil in small skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, until hot. Add garlic paste and red chili pepper and saute 5 minutes, until peppers are soft. Add soy sauce and remove from heat.
Cool to room temperature before serving.
To Serve
Pour chili soy sauce and roasted sesame dressing in separate small bowls.
Place shredded vegetables and noodles on the bottom of large plate. Top with prawn, smokes salmon and abalone.
Sprinkle with rice crackers and fried shallots. Drizzle with chili soy sauce and roasted sesame salad dressing and toss to mix.
Enjoy this recipe from Hong Kong Disneyland and we hope you have a great Lunar New Year!
‘WandaVision‘ Stars Claim a Huge Cameo is on the Way! Well before the series premiere, Marvel Fans have been speculating on who will appear in the series, and how we will see Phase 4 take shape for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With additions such as newcomers Tayanah Parris and Kathryn Han and return of fan favorite characters Dr. Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), the series is riddled with interesting characters and Easter egg after Easter egg, but what about the unexpected appearances such as Evan Peters as “Pietro”? Both Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany have shared they are beyond excited for another cameo for the series, hinting that Evan Peters was not the only shocking appearance we should be excited about!
Elizabeth has shared a “Luke Skywalker-like” appearance is on its way for WandaVision and Paul Bettany shared with Lights Camera Pod:
“I think they’re going to be massively surprised by the end of the show… And they’re going to look at the MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe] in a whole new light… There’s this thing that’s been kept completely under wraps that happens, and I work with this actor that I have always wanted to work with… With this guy.“
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
The best guesses from fans include the debut of Mephisto, or the appearance of other MCU characters such as Loki, Spider-Man, the real Pietro Maximoff of Wanda’s past, and/or Doctor Strange.
Benedict Cumberbatch has been more than happy to share his excitement for the series and luckily we get to see it for ourselves! During the WandaVision Virtual Launch Event, Benedict chimed in as “Ben in London” to ask the cast about their experience and what to expect from the series. He also gave a 30-second rapid response to the series and left the entire cast in smiles and laughter as they thanked him for his kind words about the project.
This has led many fans to speculate Benedict Cumberbatch may be the cameo Olsen and Bettany have hinted at, and it does seem odd Cumberbatch seems to pop up frequently in conversations surrounding WandaVision without him starring in some capacity.
Some assume that is due to Elizabeth Olsen joining the cast of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but that seems too easy in this writers opinion.
Who do you think the big cameo is for WandaVision? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Be sure to check back here at Chip and Co. for updates and all things Marvel and Disney+!
Epcot is gearing up for this year’s Flower and Garden Festival. One of the new features this year is a “prehistoric garden” located near the Mouse Gear area. The new garden display is quite fun to see in person!
“New! Prehistoric Garden at Future World West – Imagine life on Earth 65 million years ago with astounding plant life that’s thrived since the age of the dinosaurs.“
You can check out some of our photos and Instagram video below!
Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival will start on March 3, 2021, at Walt Disney World Resort.
Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will run through July 5th. We can’t wait to go since it looks spectacular! It’s available with valid admission and a park reservation for the same date. Remember to check for Disney Resort package and hotel offers for your travel dates!
We’ll be sure to provide more details in the weeks to come.
Guests will be delighted to hear their favorite Character topiaries are coming back ! Expect to see Mickey, Donald and friends, to Remy, Anna & Elsa, Lady & the Tramp, Figment and more. The Disney Horticulture team is busy planting, and pruning as we speak. They are planning now for the kaleidoscope of bright blooms and floating gardens scattered throughout EPCOT. You can be each outdoor setting makes a perfect backdrop for family photos since they design beautiful floral displays.
With more than 20 delectable stops, World Showcase will play host to the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens and other food & beverage locations, offering a smorgasbord of flavors and beverages.
Be sure to check out this prehistoric garden display if you’re heading to Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival this year!
The new 2021 Disney Fairytale Wedding Dress Collection is here and we are in love!
Get ready to start your happily ever after and feel like a princess in your special day with these beautiful dresses made with magic in every thread.
They are inspired by Ariel, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Snow White and Tiana! So it doesn’t matter if you are looking for a puffy dress or something more subtle, this collection has it all!
ARIEL
This gown is playful yet elegant. The style is reminiscent of a mermaid’s silhouette while sparkling sequins mimic the play of light across the moonlit sea. Definitely reminds me of the scene in The Little Mermaid when she is walking towards Eric after getting her legs.
This style it’s a modern mermaid silhouette, fun and flirty beadwork and cutout to give a splash of the unexpected.
BELLE
Rose motifs dance across the ballgown. An embroidered lace overlay tops the tulle gown, finished with an illusion back and a structured hemline to emphasize the beauty of the rose-covered train.
A ballgown with spectacular shimmering brocade featuring a beautiful rose pattern. Soft pickups across the sparkling tulle overlay lend additional texture and draw design inspiration from Belle’s timeless ballgown silhouette.
JASMINE
Inspired by Jasmine’s adventurous spirit and palatial surroundings, this gown features an intricately beaded bodice, reminiscent of the palace’s architecture. The gradual illusion back provides balance to the lightweight airy crepe chiffon skirt, which features hidden pockets! We love a dress a with pockets.
This design features beautiful detailing with crystal embroidery and an off the shoulder neckline. The gown is highlighted by its striking illusion back with sparkly embroidery detail and elaborate cutaway lace train.
RAPUNZEL
Dual illusion capes cascade down the silhouette of the Rapunzel inspired gown, echoing the Princess’s floor skimming locks. The sheath gown is sprinkled with tiny blooms and finished with cold shoulder lace cap sleeves.
TIANA
Intricate, shimmering appliques cover the richly sequined Tiana inspired gown. Emulating the elegant designs and heavy beadwork of the Jazz age, this gown is truly fun with a perfectly vintage flair.
This 1920’s platinum sheath gown features crystal encrusted dimensional florals and vine like appliques that sparkle and shimmer like fir flies on a balmy night on the bayou. The finishing touch is a detachable organza overskirt adding a touch of jazzy fun.
AURORA
With a nod to Aurora’s iconic basque waistline and graceful silhouette, this gown tapers from a sequined floral lace bodice to a subtle A-line. Delicate, exposed boning along the back of the gown and off-shoulder cap sleeves put the finishing touches on this truly elegant gown.
This timeless Aurora platinum ballgown truly dazzles with airy, beaded lace appliques clustered down the train in eye catching floral Briar Rose inspired detail. The striking neckline offers a sparkling focal point and reminiscent of Aurora’s regal silhouettes.
CINDERELLA
This gown features yards of fabric draping gracefully into the perfect ballgown. Airy, ethereal ice blue tulle is ruched across the bodice and waistline and framed by linear sequin and bead clusters.
One enchanted evening a fairy godmother transformed a gown into a work of art. This A-line gown features scrollwork inspired by the intricate details of Cinderella’s magic carriage, while sparkling diamond tulle twinkles in the light.
POCAHONTAS
Inspired by her love of nature, this gown pays tribute to the colors of the wind featuring delicately strewn patterned leaf appliques along the bodice and outlining the sheet illusion back and sleeves.
SNOW WHITE
Capturing Snow White’s gentle grace and beauty, this classic inspired ballgown features a bouquet of apple blossoms on the bodice that gracefully cascade down the skirt and cluster at the hemline.
This platinum ballgown features embroidered lace, seed beads, crystals and three dimensional apple blossoms scattered across sparkle tulle. A sweetheart neckline and organza bow is the finishing touch to this romantic, timeless gown.
Ahoy! There’s a special new brunch offering coming to The Boathouse in Disney Springs! It’s called the Captain’s Singalong Brunch, which will debut on February 21st. It offers a new brunch menu and specialty drinks. Also, you can hear dueling pianos! More details on the menu will be available soon!
Indulge in delish dishes from land and sea! Head to The BOATHOUSE for waterfront dining at its best—from extra-fresh fish and an exceptional raw bar to steak, chops, pasta and other options. Craving more casual fare? The eatery also offers sandwiches, burgers, lobster rolls and decadent desserts, like their legendary Baked Alaska.
Stop by any of the 3 outdoor bars and relax over craft cocktails or a rare vintage from their extensive wine list while soaking in some coastal charm. Afterward, take a stroll along the boardwalk that connects various areas of the restaurant, including its private and nautically themed dining rooms.
Have you ever visited The Boathouse or Vintage Amphicar in the past at Disney Springs? The food and atmosphere there is outstanding. Even the car rides in the water can be a highlight for guests on a Disney vacation. Let us know in the comments of your favorite memories at these places!
Also, do you want an incredible post-meal adventure? Enjoy a 20-minute guided tour on the waters of Lake Buena Vista while riding in a vintage Amphicar—those rare amphibious vehicles that drive on land and float on water.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek Shares ‘Black Widow’ Will Only Premiere in Theaters. With the move to Theatrical and Digital releases for movies such as Mulan, Soul, and Raya and the Last Dragon, it makes sense that many fans felt Disney and Marvel Studios would offer the same sentiment towards the highly anticipated Black Widow film starring Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh.
During the quarterly earnings call on Thursday, The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek doubled down on Disney+ Premier Access rumors for the film and shared that the studios still intend for Black Widow to only see a theatrical release, but didn’t confirm that the film will premiere on May 7th (just over one year after it’s initial release date) as currently scheduled.
“We are still intending it to be a theatrical release,” Chapek shared during the call, “We’re going to be watching very carefully [at] the reopening of theaters and consumer sentiment on going back to theaters.”
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
Previously, Marvel Studios CCO and President Kevin Feige spoke with ComicBook.com about the chances of Black Widow premiering on Disney+ rather than in theaters. Feige was vague with his answer, but did offer that the idea is still on the table as fans become more and more upset with the premiere delays.
“I mean, confidence is meaningless in today’s world because nobody knows anything,” shared Feige, “Hope springs eternal. A year delay, you hope would be enough, there’s a vaccine out there now. We’ll see. I certainly hope so. I want to be back in the theater with people.”
There seem to be mixed reactions from Disney and Marvel leadership about the premiere of Black Widow, but it seems Disney is going to hold out as long as possible and push for a theatrical only release for Black Widow at this time. (Sorry, Disney+ subscribers!)
“At birth the Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanova) is given to the KGB, which grooms her to become its ultimate operative. When the U.S.S.R. breaks up, the government tries to kill her as the action moves to present-day New York, where she is a freelance operative.”
Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Rachel Weisz (Melina Vostokoff), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian) and O-T Fagbenle (Mason). Be sure to check back here at Chip and Co. for updates and all things Marvel!
I absolutely love a good pun, and I also love a cute new outfit too! The new “All About Me-Now” Marie Collection from Walt Disney World has both of those things! These cute new apparel items have a fun pink style, and incorporate the cutest kitty cat pun!
The Marie sweatshirt is a fabulous pink and white ombré with a sassy graphic of Marie struttin’ her stuff. In varsity-font is the meow-tastic pun I keep loving on so much “It’s All About Me-Now! I’m not saying I have to have this new sweatshirt, but I’m not, not saying that either.
The leggings are a fantastic match with an all over print of Marie mixed in with pink color-blocked stripes! Simply meow-velous darling! They are also athletic leggings so you can use this outfit for working out, or having a day on the town!
You can also accessorize this cute look with the new Marie kitty ears headband too!
There’s no doubt that Epcot’s main entrance area is undergoing a major transformation. For example, the original Leave a Legacy sculptures were removed months ago. But now Leave A Legacy lives on in a beautiful new setting just outside the park!
You can take a closer look at these new walls in our photos below.
These newly designed panels are the first of many that will be installed outside the EPCOT touch points. They feature vibrant hues from the park’s new color palette. Along with the fresh look for Leave A Legacy, the beautiful fountain and gleaming pylons further illustrate the park’s transformation and the magic of possibility.
What if you want to search for a tile at the new Epcot location? Well, you’re in luck! Guests can use their smart device to scan the QR code at the Leave a Legacy display. This opens up the tile finder search feature, which can provide the coordinates for a tile’s location. Guests can also visit the EPCOT guest Relations team for further assistance.
Get ready to experience some swashbuckling stunts at the all-new Brickbeard’s Watersports Stunt Show at LEGOLAND Florida! It’s splashy, daring, and entertaining for the whole family. Don’t believe me? My one-year-old sat through the whole show and loved it almost as much as I did.
Starting today, February 12th, 2021, Brickbeard’s Watersports Stunt Show is open to the public. I had the incredible privilege to experience it yesterday at Media Day and was blown away. From wakeboards and water skis, pyramids, and even a flyboard, this is an event that screams “Florida!” The Head of Resort Entertainment, Jeremy Pancoast, explained that the Cypress Gardens area is a hotbed of talent and they were able to recruit some great stuntmen and women to the show. It took months of practice to perfect the stunts for their live audience. As part of their 10th birthday celebration weekends, as well as Pirate Fest Weekends (February 12-14, 20-21, 27-28), you’ll want to make sure you don’t miss it!
The stunt show takes place in Pirate Cove Stadium, an open-air arena at Lake Eloise. The lake has been home to water shows since the 1930s and LEGOLAND is proud to continue that tradition. Guests are socially distanced in the arena for added safety and masks are encouraged. While many shows and entertainment choices are being pruned back at other parks, LEGOLAND is finding ways to continue bringing safe and fun performances. Shows start at 12, 2, and 4 PM. Follow along as pirate recruits try to prove their sea-worthiness to Captain Brickbeard and new character Calico Jade with daring water stunts. The show also has humor injected into it, as well as a bit of pirate training for any hopeful privateers in your family!
Brickbeard’s Watersports Stunt Show starts February 12th! Bring the whole family and enjoy a day at one of Florida’s best theme parks for children. This weekend only, guests can buy season passes for $99. The Captain will be happy to see his new recruits!
Last week Disney had its first-quarter financial result conference call. During the call, The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek stated he expects the mask mandate and social distancing measures to ease up by 2022.
Chapek said the outlook for parks is “really going to be determined by the rate of vaccination of the public.” He also said, “And that could accelerate our expectations, and give people the confidence that they need to come back to the parks. Will there be overlap until we know that we have herd immunity? Sure there will. But do we believe we’ll be in the same state of 6 foot social distance and mask-wearing in 22? Absolutely not.”
Now this doesn’t mean there won’t be any COVID-19 related restrictions, but masks might not be required and physical distancing might be reduced. Chapek does expect the current rules and measures to remain in place through the rest of 2021.
Disney currently requires all guests age 2 and up to wear face masks while on Disney property. Physical distancing is also required and markers are placed throughout the Disney parks.
While guests have been good about following the new rules, we can’t wait for the parks to get back to normal!
