Month: November 2015

Disney Renews ‘Girl Meets World’ for 3rd Season

Girl Meet World

Girl Meets World will be returning for a third season according to Disney.

The theme of the show, like the original Boy Meets World, deals with growing up. As the characters continue to grow up, in the new season, Riley Matthews (Rowan Blanchard) and her best friend Maya Hart (Sabrina Carpenter) will move from middle school and begin their freshman year of high school.

When Disney announced the Boy Meets World spin-off over a decade after the series ended in 2000, fans everywhere were very excited. Even though the original Boy Meets World audience were in their 20’s or 30’s and had kids of their own, that hasn’t kept loyal fans of the original series from tuning in. Regardless of the ages of the viewers, the show has appealed to everyone and the fan loyalty has paid off since the show will be continuing on for a third season.

Girl Meets World premiered in June of 2014. Fans of Boy Meets World, the series that had captivated their young hearts and defined the 90’s kids generation, were excited to see Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel reprise their roles as Cory and Topanga Matthews. Except this time Cory and Topanga were older. And had kids.

Adam Bonnett, the executive vp of original programming for Disney Channels Worldwide, said regarding the series renewal, “Michael Jacobs (the show’s creator) has one of the most authentic voices in television today. He and the entire Girl Meets World team will not only continue to entertain families but also help kids discover who they are and who they want to be in this world.”

Boy Meets World dealt with the subjects of friends, family, and love in a quirky yet somehow relatable and realistic manner. The charm of the 90’s show is that it didn’t rely on the common tropes you see in today’s television targeted at younger audiences like absurdly complex love polygons, unrealistic scandals and secrets, or vampire boyfriends. Girl Meets World explores the same struggles of growing up as Boy Meets World but with a fresh new voice.

Season 3 is set to begin production sometime in January, and season 1 of Girl Meets World is currently available on Netflix.

2015 Holidays Around the World Entertainment Schedule Released

Epcot - Holiday Illuminations:Christmas Tree

Walt Disney World has released the full line-up and schedule of the 2015 Holidays Around the World at Epcot entertainment.

All entertainment is included with regular park admission, park hours are extended to 9:30 PM November 27th to December 18th, then 10:30pm from December 19th to December 30th.

Performances take place daily from November 27th to December 30th.  Please check daily in the park for any changes to the schedule.

Reflections of Earth

With Peace on Earth Finale 9:30 PM, from November 27th to December 18th, then 10:30 PM from December 19th to December 30th.

American Music Machine

On Future World’s Fountain Stage, a five person a cappella group performs some of the holiday’s most beloved songs. 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM.

Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season

A unique blend of the soulful expressiveness of Gospel and Inspirational Music with the sounds of Jazz, R&B and Urban Music. 1:25 PM, 2:25 PM, 3:25 PM, 4:25 PM at the Fountain Stage in Future World.

Candlelight Processional

A joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a glorious mass choir. 5 PM, 6:45 PM, 8:15 PM

Holiday Storytellers

Performances take place daily from November 27th to December 29th.

Canada – The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs

Explore holiday customs from the various regions of Canada on a musical tour of the Great White North. 12:25 PM, 1:20 PM, 2:15 PM, 3:10 PM, 4:25 PM, 6 PM.

United Kingdom – Father Christmas

Join Father Christmas, as he rings in the season, with traditions of the United Kingdom and good cheer. 1:05 PM, 2:00 PM, 2:55 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:40 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:30 PM.

France – Père Noël

Discover the magic of Père Noël and the joy of the season through a Christmas letter from a child. 11:20 AM, 11:55 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:20 PM, 2:10 PM, 3:40 PM, 4:25 PM, 5:40 PM.

Morocco – Morocco Holiday Entertainment

Take a journey through seasons of holidays in Morocco, where celebrations are “the spice of life!” 12:45 PM, 2:05 PM, 2:50 PM, 4:25 PM, 5:35 PM, 6:10 PM, 7:25 PM.

Japan – Daruma

Hear the fascinating story of the Daruma doll and the Japanese customs of the New Year! 12:55 PM, 1:45 PM, 2:25 PM, 4:00 PM, 4:45 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:45 PM.

Italy – La Befana

Meet the kind-hearted witch who arrives on the Eve of the Epiphany to grant gifts to good children. 1:40 PM, 2:35 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:25 PM, 6:00 PM, 6:40 PM, 7:15 PM, 8 PM.

Germany – Helga

Listen as Helga tells the story of the first Christmas tree and the tale of her first Nutcracker. 1 PM, 2 PM, 2:55 PM, 3:55 PM, 5:30 PM, 6:05 PM, 6:40 PM, 7:15 PM.

China – Chinese Lion Dancers

The colorful Chinese Lion Dance brings good fortune and happiness to all during the Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival. 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM. 4 PM, 5 PM.

Norway – Sigrid and Julenissen

Enjoy the season of joy and fun with Sigrid and Julenissen, the mischievous Christmas gnome. 2:15 PM, 3 PM, 3:40 PM, 4:30 PM, 5:45 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:05 PM, 7:45 PM.

Mexico – Mariachis and Dancers

Celebrate a Feliz Navidad and join in the color and excitement of the music, dances and traditions of a Holiday Fiesta! 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 4 PM, 5 PM.

American Adventure – Santa and Mrs. Claus

Whisper your Christmas wishes in Santa’s ear. Even Mrs. Claus will be here! 1:30 PM, 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM.

American Adventure – Hanukkah

Discover the traditions of Hanukkah, the story of the brave Maccabees and the miracle of the burning oil lamp. 11:30 AM, 12:15 PM, 1 PM, 1:45 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:15 PM, 4 PM, 4:45 PM.

American Adventure – Kwanzaa

Experience the spirit of Kwanzaa, a celebration of unity, creativity and pride. 11:15 AM, 12 PM, 12:45 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:15 PM, 3 PM, 3:45 PM, 4:30 PM.

American Adventure – Voices of Liberty

Appearing in Dickens costumes, the Voices of Liberty a cappella group presents a special seasonal repertoire of holiday favorites. 11:45 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:15 PM, 2 PM, 2:45 PM, 3:30 PM, 4:15 PM.

Canadian Lumberjacks Show to Permanently Close at Epcot

Courtesy of Celebration Press
Courtesy of Celebration Press

The Canadian Lumberjacks show at Epcot’s Canada Pavilion will be permanently closing at the end of today (November 24, 2015).

The show opened in October of 2014 in place of Off Kilter as part of a move to replace long-term acts with new entertainment on short-term contracts.

The Canadian Holiday Voyagers will return for Holidays Around the World later this week, with presumably a new act to follow in the new year.

Disney XD’s ‘Gravity Falls’ to End After Season 2

Gravity Falls

Disney X D’s mystery toon “Gravity Falls” will end with an hourlong episode expected to air early next year.

Series creator/exec producer Alex Hirsch announced via a Tumblr post his decision to bring the story to a close after 40 half-hour episodes and 17 shorts. Hirsch said he had always envisioned the mystery coming to a close on a specific timetable. The series’ penultimate episode, “Weirdmageddon Part 2: Escape From Reality,” is set to bow Monday.

“The first thing to know is that the show isn’t being cancelled — it’s being finished. This is 100% my choice, and its something I decided on a very long time ago,” Hirsch wrote. “I always designed Gravity Falls to be a finite series about one epic summer- a series with a beginning, middle, and end. There are so many shows that go on endlessly until they lose their original spark, or mysteries that are cancelled before they ever get a chance to payoff.”

“Gravity Falls” tells the story of 12-year-old twin brother and sister Mabel and Dipper Pines, who are sent to spend the summer in a small Oregon town with their great-uncle Stan, proprietor of a roadside attraction dubbed the Mystery Shack. Once in Gravity Falls, the twins begin to uncover clues to a larger mystery that involves their “Grunkle Stan” and other characters that bend the rules of space and time. Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal voice the Pines twins, with Hirsch providing the gravely voice of Grunkle Stan.

“Gravity Falls” was a departure for Disney XD as a toon clearly aimed at an audience of teenagers and above, given the intricacies of the mythology that drives the plot. The show is packed with clues and easter eggs leading up to the larger reveal about the source of the strange occurrences in Gravity Falls, among other phenomenon.

Disney XD confirmed it was Hirsch’s decision to bring the story of Mabel and Dipper to a close. The penultimate episode is set to premiere Monday. “Gravity Falls” is consistently one of Disney XD’s most-watched shows. And because of its dense mythology and penchant for cliffhanger episodes, the show has generated a big presence in online fandom with recaps and discussions about plot twists and grand theories about the larger story.

“Alex Hirsch had a masterful plan for the stories and characters of ‘Gravity Falls’ and, through 40 episodes and 17 shorts, he and a team of outstanding writers, artists and actors consistently delivered an inspired and unique story. Alex made the decision to conclude the story at this time, and while we’re disappointed we all won’t have the opportunity to explore more of the ‘Gravity Falls’ world, we respect his creative vision,” Disney XD said in a statement.

“We’re very pleased that several key members of the ‘Gravity Falls’ production team have now joined other animated TV series in production at Disney. ‘Gravity Falls’ continues to air daily around the world and in the coming months, we look forward to treating fans to two fun programming events that conclude the story of ‘Gravity Falls.”

“Gravity Falls” has had an unusual schedule pattern since its premiere in 2012. Disney ordered two 20-episode seasons, but the episodes have been parceled out slowly rather than on a weekly basis. Season two began airing in August 2014, running more or less weekly in November 2014. Two episodes aired in February and March of this year, followed by a handful of episodes in July, September and October. The “Gravity Falls” shorts were sprinkled out online and on the channel to help tide fans over during the long hiatus periods.

There’s no word yet on a specific air date for the finale.

Hirsch in his Tumblr post expressed gratitude to Disney for allowing him to bring the curtain down on “Gravity Falls” on his own terms.

“I wanted Gravity Falls to have a mystery that had a real answer, an adventure that had a real climax, and an ending that had a real conclusion for the characters I care so much about. This is very unusual in television and a pretty big experiment, and Disney for their part has been enormously supportive. I know that hits are rare in this business, and its hard to let one of them go, so I’m so grateful that this company has had the vision to let me start (and end) the show the way I always wanted to,” Hirsch wrote.

Hirsch was an animation wunderkind who got his start on Disney Channel’s “Fish Hooks” before creating “Gravity Falls.”

From Variety

Tiffins Signature Restaurant Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2016

Tiffins DAK

As Disney previously announced, new experiences like the “Rivers of Light” and Kilimanjaro Safaris are planned to debut at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2016. Today, Disney is announcing  another new addition to the park that is sure to please guests – Tiffins restaurant.

Tiffins will celebrate the art of traveling, featuring a diverse menu drawing from places that inspired the creation of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Open for both lunch and dinner, Tiffins will also include waterfront views from comfortable indoor and outdoor seating areas. And if you’re wondering about the story behind the name, “tiffin” is an Indian English word for a midday meal or a type of container used to carry food while traveling.

‘Paint the Night’ Dining Packages Coming to Disneyland

Paint the Night

New dining packages with reserved viewing for the new “Paint The Night” parade will be available beginning January 11, 2016, at Disneyland park.

At Blue Bayou Restaurant, the dining package includes a three-course meal. Viewing for the Blue Bayou Restaurant “Paint The Night” parade dining package will be located on Main Street, U.S.A.

With a choice of three entrees, Aladdin’s Oasis dining package will give guests the option of taking their meal to-go or enjoying it in the Aladdin’s Oasis seating area. Parade viewing for Aladdin’s Oasis “Paint The Night” parade dining package will be located near “it’s a small world.”

Reservations for both “Paint The Night” parade dining packages will be available soon.

Walt Disney World Adds More Orange Team Capacity at Mission: SPACE

Mission Space

Walt Disney World has increased the capacity of the more intense Orange Team ride at Epcot’s Mission: SPACE.

The Orange Team is now using three of the four ride bays, with the Green Team using just one of the ride bays.

The space flight simulator ride, which opened in 2003, added a less intense option in 2006 amid concerns that the ride was too thrilling for many of the parks guests. Prior to the reconfiguration, two ride bays were configured for the intense Orange Team, and two ride bays were configured for the non-spinning Green Team version.

Disney Cruise Line Dreams a Little Bigger with New Enhancements to the Disney Dream

Disney-Dream

New experiences and fun await guests sailing the Disney Dream, which has returned from a three-week dry dock.  Headlining the ship’s enhancements are two new interactive youth areas, one themed to Star Wars and another to Disney Infinity. Also new is a whimsical sweet shop serving handmade gelato and the ever-popular Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. For adults, a new splash pool and sun deck provide an oasis for relaxing.

Here is a glimpse at what is in store for guests of all ages:

Star Wars Area Brings Force-filled Fun for Children

A newly themed area in Disney’s Oceaneer Club, open to ages three to 12, delights children with an out-of-this-galaxy experience inspired by the Star Wars saga.

Kids are transported to a far away galaxy at Star Wars: Millennium Falcon, a Force-filled play area inspired by the spacecraft from the legendary saga. Upon entering the spaceship, younglings join the Rebel Alliance in the epic battle of good versus evil by assisting with navigation of this powerful space vehicle. Sitting in the cockpit, children can pilot the super-cool spaceship through hyperspace and trigger lightspeed jumps to different locations around the galaxy.

In Millennium Falcon, children can express their creativity through Star Wars-themed crafts, games and activities. They can also watch episodes from the new Disney XD animated series, “Star Wars Rebels,” on a large screen or virtually join the rebellion at gaming stations featuring the series’ action-packed adventures.

The excitement continues during a shipboard version of the popular Jedi Training experience that invites young Jedi hopefuls to learn lightsaber moves from a Jedi Master.

High-Tech Disney Infinity Space Adds Adventure for Kids 

Also in the Oceaneer Club, a high-tech interactive space based on the Disney Infinity video game offers more fun for kids.

In the Disney Infinity area, children can experience a whole new way of playing together with exciting virtual experiences and immersive activities. Customized, on-screen adventures bring to life characters and stories from across The Walt Disney Company.

The complete set of Disney Infinity character figures is on display for creative inspiration and available for gameplay. Kids visiting this special room – found only on the Disney Dream – can also unlock exclusive Disney Cruise Line content that they can continue to enjoy when playing Disney Infinity at home.

Special activities bring the virtual gameplay experience to life in the real world. For example, a life-sized Disney Infinity Base sets the stage where children take the place of character figures for a group gaming experience unlike any other. Lighting up in response to gameplay on a large screen, this interactive floor allows kids to be immersed in the Toy Box.

Specialty Sweet Shop for Families

Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats satisfies the sweet tooth of cruisers of all ages, with handmade gelato and ice cream, an assortment of candy, and delectable novelty treats for purchase. New to Deck 11, the smell of freshly baked waffle cones and candy lingers from the specialty store’s two entrances, inside Cabanas restaurant and outside by the pool deck.

Resembling the whimsical candy land of the Sugar Rush race car game in “Wreck-It Ralph,” the sweet shop’s décor features nods to the film, including a race track, gas pump-style gumball dispensers, Vanellope’s race car and King Candy’s throne.

New flavors of gelato and ice cream are offered daily, along with a wide selection of toppings. Signature sundaes include Vanellope Von Schweetz’s Race Kart Sundae, served in Vanellope’s very own race car, and Ralph’s Family Challenge Sundae, presented in a trophy cup and made with eight heaping scoops of ice cream, meant for the entire family to share.

Magical Makeover Salon for Princesses and Pirates

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on Deck 5 midship brings to life the storybook fantasies of young guests with pixie-dusted and piratical makeovers. This very special salon offers aspiring princesses and knights ages three to 12 the chance to transform into royalty with the help of a fairy godmother-in-training. On pirate party night this boutique becomes The Pirates League where swashbuckling pirates of all ages will have the opportunity to unleash their inner buccaneer.

Cool and Comfortable Retreat for Adults

Exclusively for adults, Deck 13 forward includes a new water feature, Satellite Falls, a circular splash pool with benches and a gently falling rain curtain that provides cool comfort. Around this upper deck, adult guests can soak up the sun in loungers or relax in the shade under a canopy.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact a travel agent.

– See more at: http://dclnews.com/2015/04/21/disney-cruise-line-dreams-a-little-bigger-with-enhancements-to-the-disney-dream-this-fall/#sthash.iXbEmkoe.dpuf

23rd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Expands to 90 Days in 2016

Epcot Flower and Garden

To celebrate its 23rd year, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival will expand to 90 days and run from March 2-May 30, 2016, at Walt Disney World Resort. The popular spring festival previously ran for 75 days.

Fresh farm market flavors at the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens, new Disney character topiaries, interactive play gardens and live rockin’ music will shower spring surprises on park guests.

“Adding 15 extra days to this year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival gives park guests more time to enjoy all the variety our festival has to offer,” says Melissa Valiquette, Epcot vice president. “The festival has become a spring tradition for many who can’t wait to try fresh flavors at our Outdoor Kitchens, dance in their seats at Garden Rocks concerts, explore stunning garden exhibits, grab photo ops with colorful Disney character topiaries and experience memory-making family fun.”

Donald Duck’s mischievous nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, will make their topiary debut with Donald and Daisy at the park’s front entrance garden, and Ranger Mickey Mouse in topiary form will appear for the first time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service launched in 1916 to conserve the country’s natural scenic treasures.

Fresh garden produce, savory bites and sweet treats will be abundant at the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens, returning for a fourth year with guest favorites and new food and beverage offerings. When they’re not noshing along the World Showcase promenade, festival guests can dig in for a hands-on experience during Disney-led gardening seminars or grab a seat for pop musical performances during the Garden Rocks concert series at the outdoor America Gardens Theatre.

The forecast for 2016 festival fun is sunny and bright:

  • In a horticultural nod to the brightest star in Earth’s orbit, Disney gardeners will paint the landscape with golden colors that will begin with a Floral Sun garden behind Spaceship Earth and yellow “sunbursts” that pop up across the Future World landscape. By night, twinkling lights will shine across festival gardens.
  • New culinary creations will star at the festival’s Outdoor Kitchens where, for the fourth festival year, guests can taste garden- and spring-inspired food and beverages and have their complimentary Garden Passports.
  • The first-ever Huey, Dewey and Louie topiaries will feature floral characteristics of Donald’s nephews inspired by a 1943 Donald Duck comic book called “The Victory Garden.”
  • The Ranger Mickey topiary garden in Future World will offer a guest selfie and family photo opportunity featuring a Spaceship Earth backdrop.
  • An innovative new “Fab Five” play garden featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto and Donald Duck topiaries will debut with musical instruments built into children’s outdoor climbing systems.
  • Anna and Elsa topiaries will travel to the Norway pavilion festival landscape after their 2015 debut along World Showcase Plaza in a scene from the blockbuster Oscar-winning animated film, “Frozen.” Nearly 100 topiary characters, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lady and the Tramp, Simba and Peter Pan, will animate the Epcot landscape surrounded by sweeping garden beds and exhibits.
  • The Garden Rocks concert series will present pop bands with music spanning four decades.
  • More than 10 mini-gardens will surprise guests around every corner. A new edible flower garden near Morocco pavilion will showcase petals with flavor.
  • The Butterflies on the Go garden will return with the story of the Monarch’s epic journey across the continent and featuring butterflies emerging from their chrysalises.
  • Disney gardeners will lead weekend how-to Gardening Seminars at the Festival Center, where guests also can pick up signature festival merchandise. Guest experts will conduct complimentary seminars on a wide range of gardening and outdoor living topics.
  • When the sun sets, illuminated topiary and play gardens will glow brightly for an after-dark festival experience.

“We work hard every year to bring new features and fresh fun to our festival,” says Eric Darden, festival horticulture manager. “We’re telling new stories with our flowers and plants, and every year there are surprises for our guests including new Outdoor Kitchen tastes.”

Dozens of Disney-crafted “flower towers” and beds of multi-colored blooms will add to the floral splendor of the park’s landscape.  At least 70,000 bedding plants will surround the Future World east and west lakes alone; on the water, 220 mini-gardens will be set afloat.

For more information about the 23rd Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, call 407/W-DISNEY (934-7639).  As the festival nears, more details will be available at EpcotInSpring.com. The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

– See more at: http://wdwnews.com/releases/2015/11/19/23rd-epcot-international-flower-garden-festival-expands-to-90-days-march-2-may-30-2016/#sthash.369MrBbV.dpuf

Disneyland Resort Kicks Off New Year with Special Hotel Offer

GCH:Monorail

If you’re planning a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth early next year, your timing couldn’t be better! We have a special hotel offer perfect for those interested in staying at one of our three on-property hotels during the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration. Guests can enjoy the many perks of staying at one of the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort, including early morning admission and convenient access to Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park (separate Theme Park admission required). That’s more time to experience the exciting new attractions in Tomorrowland in Disneyland park, including Star Wars Launch Bay and Super Hero HQ!

When staying between January 3 to March 31, 2016, you can save up to 20 percent on premium rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa or the Disneyland Hotel, or save up to 10 percent at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, on select Sunday through Thursday nights. Book through March 10, 2016.