Disney Legend Richard Sherman Revisits Walt Disney’s Favorite Song in ‘Once Upon a Studio’
Walt Disney Animation Studios‘ latest short film, Once Upon a Studio, is set to premiere on Sunday, October 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT during ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration! The film will showcase a freshly recorded rendition of the timeless Mary Poppins lullaby “Feed the Birds” performed by the legendary Richard Sherman. At the remarkable age of 94 in 2022, Sherman revisited Walt Disney’s office to play the piano for this new short.
“It’s hard to talk about without making ourselves cry,” director Dan Abraham says of Richard returning to the same place where he and his brother, the late Disney Legend Robert Sherman, would regularly perform the song for Walt on Friday afternoons. According to director Trent Correy, “Those sentimental moments can be really tough onscreen, and usually they need to get worked a lot. Dan pitched me the idea, and then he went off to board it. We both knew ‘Feed the Birds’ would be an important part of this.”
Correy continues, “We watched it play for the first time and it brought tears to our eyes. A couple of days later, we bumped into our head of music, Matt Walker, and he asked us, ‘Why don’t you just get Richard Sherman to play it for your short?’ We said, ‘Is that possible?’ Matt said, ‘Oh, yeah!’ Matt followed that up by suggesting, ‘Why don’t we do it in Walt’s office where he originally played it for Walt?’ We said, ‘OK… but don’t lie to us, Matt! This is a very big deal for us.’”
Walker wasn’t the only one who had a hand in bringing Richard onboard. Howard Green, Legacy Communications Executive for Disney Animation, had mentioned earlier to producers Yvett Merino and Bradford Simonsen that he would be having a birthday lunch with Richard. “Howard asked, ‘Would you would you guys want to show him the short?’” Simonsen recalls. “That was when it was in storyboards. So, we all went over and showed him that. It was an amazing experience and he asked great questions. At the end of that, he asked, ‘When are you guys done? I want to see it.’ Trent said, ‘We’ll be done in a year. We’ll show it to you for your birthday next year!’”
Richard was touched by what he saw, and with Walker’s help, filmmakers set up a time to rerecord “Feed the Birds.” On a Friday afternoon in August 2022, the directors put on their sport coats and joined the producers in Walt’s office. “It looks exactly like how Walt left it, including with the piano the Sherman Brothers played for him back in the day,” Abraham explains. “And there was Richard Sherman! He sat down and played ‘A Spoonful of Sugar,’ and he was just going to town on this piano. Then, when he went into ‘Feed the Birds,’ it was just… I can’t even talk about it without getting chills. I will never, ever forget that day.”
Merino echoes that sentiment, saying, “It was a magical day. It truly was a ‘pinch-me’ moment, because he just came in and sat down at the piano and was so natural. He started playing ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’ It was a very special day.” Credit goes to the Walt Disney Archives staff for “tuning the piano,” Simonsen adds.
For Richard, getting involved with Once Upon a Studio represented a chance to celebrate 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt’s dream in a touching, magical way. “I think Walt had a very deep-rooted feeling about this song; he could understand what we were saying. It doesn’t take much to give love, to give kindness, to give thought to people,” Richard explains. “Giving a little something of yourself… it doesn’t take much to do that.”
Food & Drinks Coming to World of Frozen Opening Nov. 20th
World of Frozen is opening in Hong Kong Disneyland on November 20! With the new themed land comes some tasty new eats and drinks. There will be three new locations available when this exciting expansion opens, each filled with delightful dishes and sweet treats for you to indulge in. And you know, there has to be some chocolate in this “Frozen”-inspired land.
The new quick-service restaurant, Golden Crocus Inn, will be serving up tasty main dish options and even a Celebration Chocolate Fondue. Yes, you heard that correctly – chocolate fondue! For those wanting a sweet selection of “Frozen”-inspired items, Northern Delights is the place for you. Its menu is packed with beautiful bites, like the Olaf Celebration Cake. Last, but certainly not least, Forest Fare will feature a combination of sweet and savory items inspired by “Frozen,” including adorable Snowflake Churros.
Golden Crocus Inn
Bayside Seafood Medley served with potatoes, cream sauce, and a brown sugar roll
Village Chicken Roll Stuffed with Ham & Cheese served with sauteed vegetables and a mustard cream sauce
Innkeeper’s Special Braised Lamb Shank with polenta potato purée, roasted vegetables, and beer gravy
Forest Mushroom Pasta served with forest mushrooms, poached egg, and truffle cream sauce
Forest Mushroom Pasta and Meatballs Platter served with sauteed vegetables and mushroom cream sauce (Kids’ menu offering)
Prawns Cocktail (Side offering)
Arendelle Meatballs in Mushroom Cream Sauce (Side offering)
Rosettes (Available with all main dish offerings)
Celebration Chocolate Fondue
Jasmine Peach Fanta (Non-alcoholic) (Available with all main dish offerings)
Northern Delights
Coronation Sundae: Light milk soft-serve sundae on elderflower-flavored slush (Served in “Frozen”-themed cup)
North Mountain Almond Tart: White chocolate cream and bergamot
Olaf Celebration Cupcake: Carrot and dried fruit cake with creamy frosting
Olaf Snowflake Smultringer
Olaf Muffin: Blueberry muffin with cream frosting inspired by the Olaf Disney Munchling
Summer Snow Day Soft-serve
Northern Delights Chocolate Box
Candy Apple Snowball
Summer Snow Day Marshmallow
Marshmallow Lollipop
Olaf Lollipop
Forest Fare
Snowflake Churros
Forest Valley Tea Cookies
Sausages Platter (Available seasonally)
Forest Fare Gourmet Box: Crab stick and corn salad, chicken bun with cheese and tomato sauce, and crepe with blueberry and coconut cheese cream
Forest Friends Stein served with mango-flavored shaved ice
What do you think of the new Frozen-themed foods coming to Hong Kong Disneyland?
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New mural at Disney Springs Art Walk: A Canvas of Expression
A new mural has appeared at the Disney Springs Art Walk: A Canvas of Expression in the Walt Disney World Resort. The mural is by Katerina Santos and Juan Travieso – known together as TRATOS – and is titled “El Nido” (The Nest in Spanish).
The colorful and detailed artwork represents the first time Santos and Travieso have painted their one-year-old son, Luka, and is a tribute to their Cuban roots and a celebration of Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month.
The Disney Springs Art Walk features both local artists and artists from around the globe who create murals bursting with color, emotion and the spirit of their cultures. TRATOS finished “El Nido” on Oct. 9, 2023, officially adding it to the beautifully diverse Art Walk collection which guests can find at Town Center at Disney Springs.
Santos and Travieso are a Cuban couple based in Miami. They said they were inspired to include their son in the painting when they were asked what was magical in their lives. The name TRATOS is a combination of the artists’ last names and means “deal” or “bond” in Spanish. They say it’s a “promise to one another to create a reality we wish to see with our paintings.”
Have you been to Disney Springs to see the Art Walk?
Ready to plan your next visit to Walt Disney World? Contact me for a free vacation quote! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
All Aboard This Mickey Mouse And Friends Disney Parks Holiday Train Set Available In Magic Kingdom!
This festive Mickey Mouse And Friends Disney Parks Holiday Train Set is the perfect home decor piece to put around your Christmas tree or any part of your home this holiday season. We found it at Magic Kingdom for $151.99, you can also order yours online at shopDisney.
The remote control train set includes the Lilly Belle locomotive, coal tender, caboose, box car and flat bed car plus 12 curved track pieces and 10 straight track pieces. The remote control is inspired by Mickey Mouse, plus this train set also includes holiday figures of Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto plus two railroad crossing signs!
The caboose features Louie, Huey, Dewey, and Chip ‘n Dale figures in the windows and the flat bed car features snowy surface with ”Happy Holidays” gateway and fencing. And to make it even better, it also plays Deck The Halls and two character phrases. A must have for sure.
New Santa Mickey Mouse And Friends Holiday Spirit Jersey Now At Magic Kingdom!
We are in love with this Santa Mickey Mouse And Friends Holiday Spirit Jersey we found at Magic Kingdom! If red and greens are not your colors, go for this cozy light blue spirit jersey filled with holiday cheer, is a great option plus super comfy.
This spirit jersey is light blue with an all over pattern of characters that include Santa Mickey, Mrs, Santa Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy and Chip ‘n Dale in their holiday attire having fun around Christmas trees, snow and delicious treats!
It also features the Walt Disney World logo on the front and across the back in puffy white letters. You can take a closer look at it in our Instagram post:
New Mickey Mouse And Friends Holiday Crocs Spotted At Magic Kingdom!
This Christmas you need to treat your feet with these Mickey Mouse And Friends Holiday Crocs filled with holiday cheer, magic and comfort! You can get them online at shopDisney and Magic Kingdom for $59.99.
They feature Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip ‘n Dale, Dumbo, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket, Simba, Stitch, Bambi, Alice and Cheshire Cat, Genie, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell with Jibbitz charms of Mickey Mouse icon holly sprigs and holiday presents! A great pair for the whole family!
You can take a closer look at these Crocs in our Instagram post:
Disney Donates $2 Million in Humanitarian Relief to Israel
Following the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, The Walt Disney Company is donating $2 million to organizations that are providing humanitarian relief in the region.
“In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks targeting Jews in Israel this past weekend, we must all do what we can to support the innocent people experiencing so much pain, violence, and uncertainty – particularly children,” said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “We condemn these attacks, the hate that motivated them, and all acts of terrorism, and we will continue working to find more ways to provide support in the region, and to honor the victims, their families, and all those affected by this war.”
Disney is donating $1 million to Magen David Adom, an affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that provides emergency medical and blood banking services in Israel, and $1 million to other nonprofit organizations working in the region, particularly those with a focus on providing aid to children.
Company employees have been participating in Disney’s Matching Gifts program that matches eligible charitable donations made by employees up to $25,000.
We have all of the details about the all new World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland
It’s not quite coronation day, but the excitement is still building-the grand opening of the World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland is just around the corner! The land, scheduled to open on November 20, is divided into two sections: Arendelle Village and Arendelle Forest, each offering unique attractions and experiences for guests to enjoy. We have all of the details about this new land ready for you!
World of Frozen will contain two attractions, one familiar to guests of other Disney parks and one exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland:
Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs: Prepare to be thrilled by the family-friendly coaster, exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland. As you journey through the charming Trading Post, you’ll find delightful summer treasures and winter wonders on display. Oaken himself greets you from his sauna as you embark on this exciting ride through the forest.
Frozen Ever After: A perfect family adventure awaits on this enchanting boat ride. You’ll traverse the North Mountain, witness Elsa’s Ice Palace, Troll Valley, and meet beloved Frozen characters, including Olaf and Sven, brought to life with state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronics technology.
World of Frozen will contain several dining options for guests to choose from:
Golden Crocus Inn: Craving a hearty meal? This nautical-themed quick-service restaurant in Arendelle Village serves Norwegian-inspired dishes, from seafood to pasta.
Northern Delights: The scent of chocolate beckons you to this sweets shop in Arendelle Village, offering a delectable range of desserts, confectionery, and cooking goods.
Forest Fare: After a day of adventure, satisfy your snack cravings at Arendelle Forest’s quaint cart, featuring churros, cookies, shaved ice, and more.
Character Meet and Greets and interactions will, of course, be a part of the World of Frozen, since no visit to Arendelle would be complete without meeting your favorite Frozen characters:
Playhouse in the Woods: Elsa opens the doors to her secret childhood hideaway in Arendelle Forest. This unique theatrical experience brings Anna, Elsa, and Olaf to life through singing, projection mapping, special effects, and sensory elements.Character Encounters: Meet not only Anna and Elsa at Playhouse in the Woods but other beloved Frozen characters like Oaken and Kristoff, who are excited to celebrate Summer Snow Day with you.
Shopping is a key part of every Disney parks experience, and World of Frozen contains several shops for you to pick up that perfect souvenir:
Tick Tock Toys & Collectibles: Explore a cherished, centuries-old toy shop in Arendelle Village that offers a range of goodies, from Olaf-themed headbands to Nordic-inspired sweaters. Don’t forget to visit the “Royal Post of Arendelle” just outside the shop to send postcards to friends and family.
Traveling Traders: Located in Arendelle Forest, this pop-up shop is the perfect spot to pick up small gifts, including keychains, shoulder plush, headbands, and more.
With attractions, dining options, character encounters, and merchandise, there’s something to delight every Frozen fan. Don’t miss the grand opening on November 20, as this captivating world brings the beloved Frozen characters and locations to life like never before!
Ready to book your next magical vacation, but don’t know where to start? Want to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation without the stress of planning, booking, and tracking trip changes and promotions? Contact me today! As an agent with Destinations To Travel specializing in Disney destinations, I can help you stress less and enjoy your vacation more! The best part? My services are provided at NO ADDITIONAL COST when you book your Disney vacation package through me!
The new cake, which is available through October 31, is a chocolate cake with Raspberry Cream Cone buttercream.
The cake decorations features Experiment 626 decked out for Halloween, including vampire fangs and even a cape!
The exterior of the cake is fondant, with a chocolate cake inside filled with the raspberry buttercream. The buttercream contains small ice cream cone pieces.
Ready to book your next magical vacation, but don’t know where to start? Want to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation without the stress of planning, booking, and tracking trip changes and promotions? Contact me today! As an agent with Destinations To Travel specializing in Disney destinations, I can help you stress less and enjoy your vacation more! The best part? My services are provided at NO ADDITIONAL COST when you book your Disney vacation package through me!
Disney Shares Behind-the-Scenes Details on Upcoming Short ‘Once Upon a Studio’
The brand-new original short, Once Upon a Studio, unfolds after the workday at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California, just after the departure of artists, technologists, and storytellers. Disney Legend Burny Mattinson, who boasts a remarkable 70-year tenure at The Walt Disney Company—surpassing all other employees—is the final person to exit. With the coast clear, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse emerge from a picture on the wall, urging their animated companions to gather for an official 100th-anniversary portrait. A delightful mix of hand-drawn characters like Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Merlin, alongside CG characters such as Baymax and Rapunzel, engage in comical chaos as they hastily assemble for the group photo.
If that sounds like an ambitious endeavor… that’s because it is.
Once Upon a Studio is the brainchild of directors Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, who developed the pitch in secret for eight months before presenting it to Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee in late 2021. From its inception, they knew the short would be technically complicated—but they always saw the reward in the risk. “Because we built the pitch for so long, the short hasn’t actually changed much,” Correy says. “We changed characters out and tightened up the pacing, but structurally, it’s basically the same as the pitch. We got Bradford Simonsen and Yvett Merino on board as producers very quickly, and Dan and I were lucky enough to be able to write, storyboard, and direct it. So, we jumped into editorial and started making it.”
Their first step was to turn the storyboard panels into a rough cut to assess what they had. “I have visual effects and live-action background, so I started mapping the milestones of when to line up and hire a crew to shoot the plates; we wanted to start attacking that at the same time we were getting the boards up,” Simonsen says. “And then Yvett and I were chatting every day about this massive cast and how we were going to bring them all back.”
“That alone was another logistical challenge because we had over 40 of the original voices come back,” Merino explains. “We did everything from recording in-person to recording over Zoom when people were out of the state or out of the country. It was such a testament to their experiences with Disney Animation, because the pitch was literally, ‘We’re doing a short to celebrate 100 years. We have a line for you. Would you like to be involved?’ Everyone we reached out to said yes, and they did so without knowing anything.”
Inherently, a project such as Once Upon a Studio requires a skilled team of animators. The directors looked no further than venerated veteran animator and director Eric Goldberg as head of hand-drawn animation. His team included a handful of hand-drawn experts, including Mark Henn and Randy Haycock, in addition to CG animators who had hand-drawn experience; five apprentices specializing in traditional animation; and five returning animation greats who had helped to create some of the Studio’s most beloved characters. Much to Goldberg’s delight, the directors insisted that the hand-drawn animation be done with paper and pencil as much as possible and that the characters be faithful to their roots. In the end, an estimated 80 percent of the characters featured in the short are hand-drawn.
“This is absolutely the film that had to be made to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Disney and Disney Animation,” Goldberg says. “I think it absolutely fits the bill. I was so excited to work on it and to work with so many of my friends and colleagues. We really tried to honor the past and bring it up to date in the modern day. It’s just been marvelous.”
Andrew Feliciano, a 10-year Disney veteran, was head of CG animation. In all, more than 100 CG characters appear in Once Upon a Studio, hailing from such feature films as Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph and shorts such as Feast and Us Again. Asha, the star of Disney Animation’s upcoming feature film Wish, also makes an early debut in the short film.
“We had the benefit of having people who are able to do both CG and hand-drawn animation,” Feliciano says. “In the scene with Moana and Flounder, for example, Mario Furmanczyk animated both characters. He started by animating Moana, so he had a very clear place to put Flounder. Our shot planning team printed out every single frame for him to put it on paper. Then, he put paper on top of it and he would ‘drop’ Flounder right there.” According to Goldberg, it was especially important to pay attention to eyelines in scenes such as this. “You have to make sure Moana’s eye-line is looking where she is depositing Flounder,” he says. “Another example: Trent animated a penguin with a plate of spaghetti walking past the Mad Hatter. You need him to see it to say, ‘Oh, waiter!’ You really have to make sure that all that timing and eye direction is correct to make it all appear believable.”
Animators from both teams were in constant communication, all in service of the story. And, due to technological advancements, CG character models from Chicken Little to Tangled had to be rebuilt so they would work in the current pipeline.
Making hand-drawn and CG characters look congruous in the same scene was also tricky. “Depending on the needs of a particular scene, we were very, very flexible in terms of what should come first and whatever is going to work best for each particular shot,” Goldberg explains. “When the hand-drawn characters and CG characters interact, there’s a lot of back and forth and coordinating to do—especially if they make contact with something.”
That can be intricate enough for a scene with a handful of characters—let alone 543 of them! Abraham sketched the original idea for the group shot at the end of Once Upon a Studio, which features characters from more than 85 feature films and shorts. Correy then created a “heat map” to determine each character’s placement, Goldberg says. “They both had a huge hand in working out what that shot was going to look like,” he adds. As if the sheer volume of characters wasn’t enough, there were other technical aspects to consider. “The camera’s pulling back, but it’s also rising, so the perspective is actually changing on the groundline as you’re watching the shot reveal,” Goldberg says. “You have to place all of the characters on what we call ‘cards’ so that they are in the right perspective points throughout the entire three-dimensional camera move.”
In the end, all that coordination and dedication paid off—and fans will get to see it for themselves when Once Upon a Studio debuts Sunday, October 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT as part of ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration!. “I had a fabulous time working alongside the CG animators whom I’ve been working with for years,” Feliciano says, “and I loved getting to spend time and work very closely with the hand-drawn animators like Eric, Randy, and Mark, as well as the apprentices. It was a really fun experience. The animation reviews and dailies were so much fun, because you never quite knew what you were going to see; it was always going to be a mix of different things. Like, you have Stromboli shaking the vending machines so perfectly and it’s just hysterical and joyful. This short was such a great way to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Studio.”
Freeform Celebrates 30 Days of Disney All November Long!
Get your Mickey ears and popcorn ready as Freeform celebrates “30 Days of Disney” with treasured Disney films starting Nov. 1. Fans will be transported into a world of nostalgia with beloved classics like Disney Animation’s “The Little Mermaid” and “Tangled” to more recent films like Disney-Pixar’s “Moana” and “Coco,” with a dash of seasonal classics like “Home Alone” and “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” to gear up for the holiday season.
The programming event will also feature the Freeform premieres of “Captain Marvel,” “Free Guy,” “Jungle Cruise” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
Throughout each week in November, your wishes will come true with special marathons of your favorite Disney movies. During the weekend of Nov. 3, root for your favorite sheroes in movies like “Mulan” and “Brave.”
Then, on Saturday, Nov. 11, hop aboard the ship as we take an adventure with Jack Sparrow for a marathon of “Pirates of the Caribbean” films.
During the weekend of Nov. 18, fans can dawn their tiaras to celebrate like a Disney Princess with classics including “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Princess and the Frog.”
To celebrate the beloved film’s 10th anniversary, Freeform will air a marathon of “Frozen,” “Frozen II,” and the short film “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” on Monday, Nov. 27.
Last year Glitter Toaster Strudel (isn’t that the BEST name?!) gave birth to seven babies. Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science & Environment, Dr. Mark Penning, shared the news about her eight babies on Instagram.
“Baby news! Lesser Madagascar hedgehog tenrec mom, Glitter Toaster Strudel, just welcomed eight newborns at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park!
Glitter Toaster Strudel and her new babies are ambassador animals, helping teach guests about the species and how they can help protect wildlife. You can occasionally spot Glitter Toaster Strudel with keepers at Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch!
Did You Know lesser Madagascar hedgehog tenrecs aren’t actually hedgehogs at all? These unique animals are classified differently and are more closely related to moles! Tenrecs’ tails are covered with short spines, and hedgehogs have tails without spines at all.”
Will you be heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom to try to get a peek of Glitter Toaster Strudel and her babies?
If you’d like to plan your next visit to the Walt Disney World 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!
