New Merchandise for 45th Anniversaries of Space Mountain and Carousel of Progress

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January 14, 2020

There’s new merchandise available to celebrate the 45th Anniversaries of Space Mountain and the Carousel of Progress!

Tomorrowland has always symbolized the innovation of the future and the discovery of new frontiers. These two attractions celebrate the future, the past, and everything in between.

Can you believe it’s been 45 years since these beloved attractions opened? Whether you’re flying through space on a rocket or relaxing in a rotating theater through four decades of technological discovery, these rides are classics that can’t be missed.

All of these new merchandise pieces can be found at Tomorrowland Light & Power Co. shop in Walt Disney World beginning January 15th, 2020.

You can snag a limited-edition Space Mountain pin that glows in the dark or its Passholder-exclusive counterpart. Other merchandise included t-shirts, hoodies, and water bottles featuring the ride’s futuristic and outer space themes.

Don’t forget to head to Uptown Jewelers on Main Street, U.S.A to find new Pandora charms too. A Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Space Mountain Collection will also be dropping on January 18th, 2020!

Lastly, don’t forget to grab the Carousel of Progress’s 45th Anniversary merch too! You can shop for a commemorative t-shirt or a limited-edition pin. The special pin features the ride’s host – John!

Source: Disney.

Disney Pays Tribute to Aunty Kau’i in Loving Post

By

Katelyn G

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January 14, 2020

Disney paid tribute to Aunty Kau’i in a loving post shared yesterday.

Last week, Kau’ihealani Mahikoa Brandt aka Aunt Kau’i passed away surrounded by her loving family. She was a longtime castmember at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. She was best known for her hulu lessons and you could always catch her smiling face handing out handmade leis.

Read Disney’s heartfelt retelling of her story below:

“Aunty Kau’i was a kumu hula (hula master) performing in Hawai’i when Disney talent scouts recruited her to come to California and dance the hula three times a day in Adventureland.

In 1971, she traveled to Florida as an Opening Day cast member to launch the first dinner-show luau at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It was supposed to be a three-month assignment, but Florida agreed with her and—punctuated by occasional returns to Hawai’i to participate in hula festivals—Aunty Kau’i stayed on.

In time, she became a Cultural Ambassador at Disney’s Polynesian Village, greeting guests with her handmade leis and grass skirts and teaching guests and cast alike to dance the hula as she happily swayed in her brightly colored muʻumuʻu and strummed her ‘ukulele. A photograph with a smiling Aunty Kau’i became a coveted treasure for hundreds of thousands of guests, and children sought her out when their families returned for vacations.

A peaceful woman who lived a life of balance and harmony, Aunty Kau’i encouraged everyone she met to embrace the joy in life.

Mahalo nui loa, ‘Anake Kau’i. Your legacy lives on.”

After the day of her passing, Walt Disney World President Josh D’Amaro and senior Vice President of Resorts and Transportation Thomas Mazloum visited her home. They gathered at sunset with her fellow castmembers of the Polynesian Resort to remember their friend in song.

Afterward, they tossed their funeral leis into the water. This is a longstanding Hawaiian tradition that represents the cycle of life.

Source: Disney Parks Blog.

Rustic Cuff opening a Pop-Up shop in Disney Springs

By

Chip

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January 14, 2020

We have great news the boutique jewelry brand, Rustic Cuff, will soon open a pop-up shop in Disney Springs!

This new accessory destination specializes in beautiful statement cuffs with a focus on inspirational designs and personal connection. The brand will also feature a wide selection of beads, bangles, charm bracelets and colorful stackable accent pieces personalization options like names, monograms, and favorite quotes. “We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this special resort location that echoes everything that inspires us to dream” said boutique founder, Jill Donovan.

The store is set to open for a limited time in the coming weeks and will be located across from Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar.

Disney Collectors Edition Puzzles Brings Disney Magic Together At Home

By

Danielle

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January 14, 2020

Bring the magic of Disney together in your home with new puzzles from Ravensburger; a leading puzzle brand. These beautiful Disney Collectors Edition Puzzles capture the magic of iconic scenes, from some of our most beloved classic films.

Enjoy piecing together your choice of 8 enchanting puzzles from this Collector’s Edition series. These 1000 piece puzzles feature iconic scenes from some of the most popular Disney films!

You can find all eight available on Amazon:

These exceptional puzzles continue the beauty and magic of Ravensburger Disney puzzles, with exquisite details, and also high quality pieces. They are perfect for bringing the family together, and also for just enjoying quiet time. The end result is a beautiful masterpiece that you can glue and hang, or pull out again to do another day.

Puzzles have a special place in my heart. Each summer my family does a trip together, and we always have a large puzzle set out to work with together as we enjoy our week together. It has become a fun tradition that I have come to love and cherish. I truly look forward to choosing a new puzzle for my extended family to work together on each year.

With so many beautiful Disney Collectors Edition Puzzles available, my only dilema is deciding which one I want to try first! Which of these stunning new puzzles would you choose?

New! Canada Far and Wide: Circle Vision Show & More

By

Chip

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January 14, 2020

As part of the ongoing transformation of Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort, three new films will debut Jan. 17, 2020, at the Florida theme park, on the same day the 2020 Epcot International Festival of the Arts begins. These new films provide more ways for guests to experience Disney magic and celebrate the world around them during a day at Epcot.

“Awesome Planet” in The Land pavilion explores the spectacular beauty, diversity and dynamic story of Earth.In collaboration with the Disney Conservation Fund, the 10-minute film uses in-theater effects (including wind, scents and water) to tell the story of life on this planet and why it’s vitally important to care for it. “Awesome Planet” features narration by Ty Burrell, star of ABC’s “Modern Family,” and an original musical score from Academy Award-winning composer Stevan
“Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along” in the France pavilion’s Palais du Cinémais directed and produced by Don Hahn, producer of the animated and live-action “Beauty and the Beast” films, and invites guests to participate in a twist on a tale as old as time. It also features narration from Angela Lansbury, who played Mrs. Potts in the original film. The new sing-along will run in rotation with “Impressions de France,” which will receive an upgrade to 4K projection.
- Along with the sing-along is a new exhibit inside Palais du Cinéma. “Tales as Old as Time: French Storytelling on Stage and Screen” invites guests to explore six distinct gallery cases featuring a collection of costumes, music, artwork and more, all dedicated to the adaptation of French literature in cinema, theater, ballet and opera. The exhibit reinforces how French literature has inspired artists from around the globe, including those who created timeless Disney classics such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella” and, of course, “Beauty and the Beast.” Items on display from the Walt Disney Archives include a glass slipper from the live-action “Cinderella” film and Belle’s costume from the live-action “Beauty and the Beast.” Community arts organizations from Florida also contributed pieces to the exhibit.
“Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360” in the Canada pavilion is an update to the previous “O Canada!” film with new scenes, a new musical score by Canadian composer Andrew Lockington and new narration by award-winning actors Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy.

We have a first look at this all-new Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360 show below.

Check it out:

Brand-New Special Look Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow”

By

Chip

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January 14, 2020

Check out a brand-new featurette that dives into the legacy of Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow since her introduction on the big screen 10 years ago in “Iron Man 2.” In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller “Black Widow,” Natasha confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. The film opens in U.S. theaters on May 1, 2020.

Enter Southwest And Disney Set Sail Sweepstakes!

By

Ana Leal

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January 13, 2020

Southwest wants to take you on a magical vacation aboard the Disney Cruise Line!

Imagine a place where fantasy becomes reality, with enchanting entertainment like the Aladdin musical, amazing dining options, pools and waterslides plus Disney’s own private island!

Sounds wonderful right? That’s why Southwest and Disney have teamed up for the Set Sail Sweepstakes to give you the change to enjoy this amazing vacation for you and your family.

One lucky winner will get:

7 Night Disney Cruise Line vacation onboard the Disney Fantasy for winner and three guests leaving from Port Canaveral, Florida
Round trip airfare for 4
Round trip ground transportation from Orlando International Airport to Port Canaveral

Enter is super easy! All you have to do is go to www.setsailsweeps.com and register with your email address. You can also get extra entries for each person that signs up using your referral link on Facebook or Twitter with the #SetSailSweepstakes.

So hurry up and participate! You have until January 31st to enter.

Credit: Southwest

Amazing Entertainment and Activities Coming to Epcot’s Festival Of The Arts

By

Susan Wilson

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January 13, 2020

Epcot’s Festival of the Arts starts January 17th and it is packed full of entertainment and interactive fun! Along with the return of some old fan favorites are some brand new shows and experiences. There’s so much to do at this festival it’s a shame it only runs until February 24th.

Disney on Broadway

One of my all-time favorite things about Festival of the Arts is the Disney on Broadway concert series. It’s so amazing to be able to listen to the amazing vocals of some of broadways hottest stars. A full lineup can be found here. These shows can fill up fast so make sure to catch a seat early.

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It’s so amazing to watch and I can’t wait to see all the performances this festival.

Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along

Three shows will be debuting at the start of Festival of the Arts. The first is the brand new Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along. This is a super cute show located at the theater in the France Pavilion. There’s a fun twist on the Tale as old as Time so much sure you check this adorable show out. You can read our article on the full show here.

Canada Far and Wide

Canada Far and Wide is the updated circle vision show coming also. This show was so beautiful and I highly recommend seeing it. It’s definitely a great way to beat the heat. This show is located in the far back of the Canada Pavilion and can be seen throughout the day. We got to see a screening of it so you can watch the video below, though nothing can beat seeing the 360 degree view.

Amazing Planet

The last of the three new shows coming is Amazing Planet. This show can be found at the top floor of the Lands Pavilion. It’s narrated by Ty Burrell from Modern Family. It’s always great to take the family and learn how to save our planet.

Defying Gravity

Also returning this year to Festival of the Arts is Defying Gravity. This amazing acrobatic group definitely lives up to its name. This fun group can also be seen throughout the day.

Featured Artists

It wouldn’t be an art festival without the art! One of the artists featured is Trevor Carlton. He’ll be at the opening of the festival on Friday January 17 until that following Monday the 20th. You can find him rocking out to an amazing playlist and painting up some gorgeous paintings. There’s so many talented artists coming make sure to check them all out.

Interactive Activities

One of the best things about Festival of the Arts is how interactive it is. There’s so much to be able to do as a family or even if you need some alone time. There are amazing workshops and some fun hands-on experiences throughout the festival. Returning this year is the extremely popular canvas painting. It’s like a giant paint by numbers for everyone attending. This is fun and free to do. There’s also a new scavenger hunt! These are always a great way to stroll along through the World Showcase.

There are also several interactive art experiences that have pieces you make and will be able to bring home. These experiences are an additional price beyond a park ticket. Handimals, 2D Cel Ink and Paint Animation, and Interactive Glass Art by Arribas Brothers are among some of the experiences available. All three of these were so different but amazing activities for the whole family to do. The schedule for the amazing Ink and Paint Animation workshop can be found here. The Arribas Brothers Interactive Glass can be found in Germany and the prices actually include shipping!

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No matter what you chose to do or see at this years Festival of the Arts you’ll be sure to be entertained. There so much at this amazingly creative festival it’ll definitely take multiple trips to see and expectance it all. The Festival of the Arts starts Friday January 17th and runs until February 24th. Make sure to subscribe and follow along to Chip and Co on all social media for even more coverage of this fan-favorite festival.

Celebrate the Year of the Mouse with Lunar New Year Merchandise Coming January 17th!

By

Sara

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January 13, 2020

The Lunar New Year celebration at Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort starts January 17! This joyous celebration commemorates traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures. Along with multicultural entertainment and musical performances, fun-filled activities, beautiful décor, and delicious cuisine there’s also amazing specialty merchandise! Let’s take a look at some of the items available during this celebration.

How cute is this Minnie Mouse ear headband? I love how simple and cute they are!

I love a good Disney Spirit Jersey and this one is fantastic! The red and gold colors are wonderful together.

If you are a pin collector and Disneyland Annual Passholder, don’t miss out on this Lunar New Year pin!

There will also be fun bobble-head figures with Chip and Dale, a traditional red envelope set, and more special merchandise! The Lunar New Year celebration runs from January 17 to February 9. Will you be celebrating the Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure park?

The Walt Disney Company Receives 23 Oscar Nominations for the 2020 Academy Awards

By

Kaitlyn

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January 13, 2020

The Walt Disney Company Receives 23 Oscar Nominations for the 2020 Academy Awards. Its awards season for the entertainment industry and The Walt Disney Company earned a whopping 23 Academy Award Nominations for the 92nd Oscars. Films nominated for the prestigious awards come from varying studios including: Disney, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, and Pixar, all of which live under the “Disney Umbrella” of The Walt Disney Company.

Here are the nominees:

Best Picture

Ford v Ferrari—Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and James Mangold, Producers

Jojo Rabbit—Carthew Neal and Taika Waititi, Producers

Adapted Screenplay

Jojo Rabbit—Screenplay by Taika Waititi

Actress in a Supporting Role

Scarlett Johansson—Jojo Rabbit

Film Editing

Ford v Ferrari—Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland

Jojo Rabbit—Tom Eagles

Original Score

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—John Williams

Original Song

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4—Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

“I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough—Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

“Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2—Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Sound Editing

Ford v Ferrari—Donald Sylvester

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—Matthew Wood and David Acord

Sound Mixing

Ad Astra—Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano

Ford v Ferrari—Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Steven A. Morrow

Animated Feature Film

Toy Story 4—Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera

Animated Short Film

Kitbull—Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson

Documentary (Feature)

The Cave—Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod and Sigrid Dyekjær

Makeup and Hairstyling

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil—Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten and David White

The Walt Disney Company Receives 23 Oscar Nominations for the 2020 Academy Awards — Angelina Jolie is Maleficent in Disney’s MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL.

Costume Design

Jojo Rabbit—Mayes C. Rubeo

Production Design

Jojo Rabbit—Production Design: Ra Vincent, Set Decoration: Nora Sopková

Visual Effects

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame—Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken and Dan Sudick

The Lion King—Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Elliot Newman

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy

“The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.”

Congratulations to the nominees!

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Ty Burell Cast as Host of Epcot’s Upcoming Attraction Awesome Planet

By

Jenna-lee Languirand

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January 13, 2020

Just announced at our Disney media preview event today are new details about Epcot’s new attraction Awesome Planet. It will be a worldly cinematic experience. It was announced today that Disney has chosen the host of the show, which will be none other than Ty Burell from ABC’s hit show Modern Family. He has played the role of realtor Phil Dunphy since 2009 and is in the final season this year. Awesome Planet will be located in The Land Pavillion, in the location where the show Circle of Life: A Environmental Fable featuring Timon and Pumba was running since the mid-’90s.

The show is set to have a powerful environmental statement. It will feature the story of our planet Earth and all its beauty. It will showcase the diverse world we live in, and lead you on an exploration of the world around us. The voice of Ty Burell will be guiding guests through this journey through nature starting on Friday, January 17th.

This is one of many new attractions coming to Epcot as part of the reimagined concept for the park. There is also a new Beauty and the Beast sing-a-long experience coming to the France Pavillion. Not to mention the changes in the film in Canada. The China Pavillion is also expecting a new cinematic experience. With all these updates to the park be sure to follow Chip and Co for all the latest on this massive transformation of Epcot as we all know it.

Picture Source: IMDB

Source: Disney

Robert Downey Jr. Thinks Tony Stark Could Return to Marvel

By

Kaitlyn

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January 13, 2020

Robert Downey Jr. Thinks Tony Stark Could Return to Marvel. Robert Downey Jr. and wife, Susan Downey, sat down with Extra to discuss their new film, Dolittle. The couple talked about doing a film together for the first time in honor of their children. Both shared sentiments about being able to share this experience with their kids since most films the Downey’s have been a part of are not exactly family friendly.

During the interview Robert’s time as Tony Stark/Iron Man came up and the Marvel Alumni hinted at the possibility that he is not quite done with the iconic role that relaunched his career.

“Yeah, anything could happen. I’m really enjoying…” Downey said before his wife Susan Downey interjected. He continued, “As far as I’m concerned, I hung up my guns and I’m good to let it go. I also think Marvel is on this journey now and they’re trying a bunch of other stuff, and I’m excited for them to see how all that goes. It’s hard to project.”

His wife Susan had interrupted his comment to say that the line would quickly become the next days headline. To be fair, she was completely right!

Robert has had an impressive career with Marvel Studios as Tony Stark/Iron Man. He has starred in 10 Marvel Films from Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame and rumor has it, has even lent his vocal talents to portray Tony Stark in Marvel’s new Disney+ Series, What If…?. RDJ’s comment comes as a bit of surprise since it was previously reported it was difficult to get him signed on to continue the role after Iron Man 3 and join the cast of Captain America: Civil War.

Needless to say, we would be thrilled to have more Robert Downey Jr. appearances in the MCU, likely as an A.I. version of Tony Stark or possibly while exploring the aspects of the Multiverse in the MCU.

You can watch the full interview with Extra in the video below:

Featured Photo Credit: Marvel Studios

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