Tag: Tomorrowland

Disneyland Offering More Galactic Experiences in Celebration of Star Wars Day…and Beyond

Fans of a galaxy far, far away will discover additional, new, limited-time experiences, character encounters, photo opportunities and more this May and June throughout Disneyland Resort. These experiences all add to the galactic adventures already found at both Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland in Disneyland park year-round.

In Tomorrowland, Hyperspace Mountain is back for a limited time through July 4th. Guests can once again hurtle through hyperspace while dodging furious dogfights during this high-speed adventure. 

Guests can also make the jump to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue and hop aboard a Starspeeder 1000 for an unforgettable flight to legendary destinations across the Star Wars galaxy. It should be noted that Star Tours is celebrating 35 years of galactic adventures this year!

Over at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, guests can also live their own adventure as they join a climactic battle between the Resistance and the First Order in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and take control of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Star Wars fans will be excited to know that Captain Phasma and a detachment of Stormtroopers have returned for a limited time to patrol Tomorrowland, seeking out Resistance sympathizers and reinforcing the will of the First Order. Plus, stay tuned for new visitors approaching on the horizon.

And a trip to planet Batuu would only be complete with a visit to see everyone’s favorite Wookiee, a selfie with R2-D2, and encounters with Kylo Ren and Rey.

For a limited time, Tomorrowland will be showcasing special photo spots celebrating the Disney+ original series’ set in the Star Wars galaxy. Guests will be able to take their picture sitting on a replica of the palace throne from “The Book of Boba Fett.” Nearby, recreate the moment in season two of “The Mandalorian,” when Grogu connected with the Force at the ancient Jedi temple on Tython.

Also, be on the lookout for Disney PhotoPass photographers offering limited-time Magic Shots featuring Stormtroopers and K-2SO in Tomorrowland. Another, featuring Grogu, is located on the outer edges of the galaxy, on your way to Batuu!

Disneyland to Debut New Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience

There’s a new way to take in the Tomorrowland skyline at Disneyland, from a unique point of view! To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Space Mountain at Disneyland Resort, a new lounge experience will debut in Tomorrowland on May 26.

New Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience to Debut in Disneyland Park

The new Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience features retro décor and desserts—both sweet and savory, as well as both hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages. The lounge area will be open to guests from 8-10 p.m. If a fireworks spectacular is scheduled, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse right from your seat.

New Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience to Debut in Disneyland Park

Your interstellar snack box will include:

  • Mickey Cloud Cake: Cream-filled sponge cake
  • Chocolate Eclipse: Cream-filled chocolate cake drenched in chocolate
  • Coconut Comet: Coconut-strawberry iced sponge cake filled with cream
  • Planetary Pie: Mini cherry-filled pie
  • Moon Rocks: Boursin herbed cheese, cream cheese, shredded cheddar and jack cheese, chives, pimentos, bacon

Cost is $45 for ages 3 and older, tax included. Reservations are now open, and can be booked by visiting Disneyland.com/dining or by calling 714-781-DINE.

Magic Kingdom Renting Private Cabanas in Tomorrowland

In a somewhat surprising move, Disney is now renting private cabanas in the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. The eight person cabanas will be tucked away near the old Skyway station beside Space Mountain and will be available to rent for $649 per day. Including shade, seating, drinks and snacks, and reserved viewing for parades and fireworks. The cabanas are actually small white tents, similar to those used to house the security scanners at the main entrance.

The cabana concept has proven popular at the water parks and resort hotels, and if this test at the Magic Kingdom goes well, expect to see it rolled out to the other theme parks.

Reservations open today for dates beginning November 27 2016. Call 407-WDW-PLAY to book.

Stitch’s Great Escape! Moves to Seasonal Status

Stitch’s Great Escape! at the Magic Kingdom will be moving to seasonal operation in October.

The attraction’s final day of daily operations will be on October 1st, with its next scheduled opening on November 19th for the busy Thanksgiving holiday week.

The attraction will then close again on November 27th, reopening again on December 17th for the Christmas and New Year holiday season. Even during those seasonal openings, the operating hours will be restricted to 10am to 8pm.

The move to seasonal operation suggests that work may well begin on its replacement in the new year, with a Wreck It Ralph attraction rumored to be replacing it.

New Star Wars Pressed Coins Debut at the Disneyland

This summer, complete your destiny, or in this case your collection, with the arrival of six new Star Wars-inspired pressed coin souvenirs. You’ll find these new pressed coin machines available now inside the Star Trader in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.

Those who have joined the Resistance or find themselves using the Force to make their selection from the new quarter-pressed coins will not be disappointed. You’ll find Rey, Chewbacca and the Resistance symbol to help guide your way.

If the dark side summons you, be prepared, as your quarter-press coin selections will include Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma and the First Order symbol.

Another exciting feature we’ve combined forces on is a video that will appear soon on the main screen of the pressed coin machine that will help guide you in the right direction no matter where your loyalties lie. Choose wisely and complete your destiny!

Retail Magic Bands on Demand Opens in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom

Magic Bands to Order

Guests now have a new option to create and personalize retail MagicBands at Walt Disney World Resort. We recently opened a new retail MagicBand on Demand station inside the Tomorrowland Power & Light Co. location near Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom Park. This new option for guests is similar to the D-Tech on Demand boutique first introduced in June 2014 at the Marketplace Co-Op in Disney Springs Marketplace (as seen in this video).

At the Tomorrowland location, you may choose to create either a retail MagicBand or a D-Tech phone case. If creating a retail MagicBand, we offer your choice of eight different MagicBand colors including purple.

There are also approximately 40 graphics to apply to your custom MagicBand. There will be a few MagicBand graphics that will only be found in this location that salute classic Magic Kingdom Park attractions and icons (the first image in this story has a few examples).

In addition to artwork, the retail MagicBand can be personalized with a name printed on the outside.

Once designed, the retail MagicBand is printed in the location. The printers use UV ink which dries immediately and requires no cooling time.

For the final step, the custom retail MagicBand can be either associated to your My Disney Experience account, or you can give it as a gift to friends or family who may be visiting Walt Disney World Resort soon.

Retail for a custom retail MagicBand is $21.95 while a personalized retail MagicBand is $29.95.

Spider-Man Arriving at Disneyland in November as Part of New Super Hero HQ

Spider Man

When the reimagined Super Hero HQ opens this fall at Disneyland park, everyone’s favorite web slinger is swinging in for the occasion. That’s right! Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will be making his Disneyland Resort debut in a heroic new character greeting location, where you can snap a photo, grab an autograph or just thank him for keeping us safe from the likes of Doctor Octopus and the Green Goblin!

Super Hero HQ

Super Hero HQ is the West Coast home base of some of the greatest heroes in the universe. It’s the place to go, not only to meet some of those heroes, but to discover the super hero in yourself. You can tour Treasures of Asgard and cross the Bifrost to come face-to-face with the mighty Avenger, Thor. Virtually suit up as Iron Man and check out the Hall of Armor at Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries, play some of the latest games in the Game Center and pick up some Super Hero gear to take with you on your journey home.

Walt Disney Family Museum Announces New Exhibition Tomorrowland: Walt’s Vision For Today

Walt Disney - Tomorrowland

The Walt Disney Family Museum is proud to announce its next exhibition, Tomorrowland: Walt’s Vision for Today, on view from July 22 through December 7, 2015. Guest-curated by Academy Award®-winning director, writer, and producer Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Tomorrowland), this engaging, multimedia exhibition showcases Walt Disney as a technological innovator, science fiction storyteller, and futurologist by spotlighting his vision of Disneyland’s groundbreaking Tomorrowland.

During his life, Walt spent his time redeveloping, plussing, and adding to his visions of Tomorrowland. Seven months after his passing, the new Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 2, 1967. Though this themed land currently exists in five different Disney Parks and has experienced a number of additional changes since that day, one constant remains: as long as there is imagination in this world, Tomorrowland will keep moving forward towards a great, big, beautiful tomorrow.

Through animated sequences, musical compositions, sound bites, graphics, audio visuals, vintage posters, and more, Tomorrowland: Walt’s Vision for Today will immerse visitors in the story of Walt’s hopes and vision for the future, as reflected in his creation of the 1967 version of Tomorrowland at Disneyland.

This exhibition allows visitors to experience Walt’s perception of this beautiful tomorrow in a robust and vibrant way.

Tomorrowland: Walt’s Vision for Today is organized by The Walt Disney Family Museum, in close partnership with The Walt Disney Company’s Walt Disney Imagineering, and will be on view in the near future, from July 22 to December 7, 2015 in the museum’s Theater Gallery.

Captain EO to Return to Epcot in July

Captain EO

According to Disney’s FastPass+, Captain EO will be returning to Epcot on July 19th.

FastPass+ availability for Captain EO is now available on My Disney Experience for dates from July 19 onward. Captain EO has been absent since April, first for an extended movie trailer of “Tomorrowland” and currently for “Inside Out.”

The long term future of Captain EO is in doubt, with a makeover of the entire Imagination Pavilion expected. Some had questioned if Captain EO would return at all once the movie previews were completed, but its inclusion in FastPass+ would suggest otherwise, at least for the short term.

Disney’s ‘Tomorrowland’ Disappoints With ‘John Carter’-Like $32M Weekend

Tomorrowland Movie

From Forbes.com –

The power of positive thinking could not save Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland.  $190 million sci-fi adventure earned $32.159 million on its opening Fri-Sun weekend and an estimated $41m over the long holiday. Long-story short, that’s not a great number, just a bit above the $25m-$30m debuts of mega-budget whiffs like John Carter, Prince of Persia, Jack the Giant Slayer, and Battleship. The film stars Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Raffey Cassidy, and Hugh Laurie in a story about a young girl who stumbles upon a secret alternate world which resembles the would-be futuristic utopias dreamed about back in the 1950′s and 1960′s. The film is the biggest wholly original live-action entry in the summer season.

The somewhat cryptic marketing campaign has struggled to sell the film to kids and parents based mostly on George Clooney’s star power and the promise of unrevealed treasures to be revealed. More importantly, the film was hit by surprisingly negative reviews, with few raves and even the mixed-positive reviews (like mine) bending over backwards to praise the intent if not the execution, while all-but-admitting that the so-called mystery box wasn’t hiding anything beyond merely unspoiled story beats.

The Mouse House did something interesting a couple weeks ago, whereby they invited a select group of “Mommy Bloggers” to the world premiere in Anaheim’s Disneyland park and had them participate in the junket interview process. I don’t pretend to be an expert in said blogging sub-genre, but the end result is that the film got some comparatively in-depth coverage in outlets that reach audiences beyond the film nerds and general talk show/magazine crowd. I will be curious to what extent that affects the demographics this weekend. I am pointing this out because it is an interesting new gimmick and I like to point out when studios try something a little different.

Reviews, and the cryptic marketing campaign that basically amounted to “ Trust us, what we aren’t showing you will totally be worth it,” were the primary culprit. The reviews revealed that what was behind the curtain wasn’t as wonderful as promised. The one bit of good news is that the film’s 4.26x four-day weekend multiplier was among the higher such multipliers for a Memorial Day weekend blockbuster, in line with Bruce Almighty but behind the 4.5x multiplier for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian ($15.6m/$70m) in 2009. The film also opened with $26.1m overseas giving it a $58.859m worldwide total as of today.

The weekend-to-domestic final multipliers for recent Fri-Mon Memorial Day weekend openers is grim. We’re talking around 2.0x for the frontloaded films (Fast & Furious 6, X-Men: Days of Future Past) and over/under 2.5x for the leggier ones (Bruce Almighty, Men in Black 3, Night at the Museum 2). So if Tomorrowland ends up with $41 million by Monday, we’re looking at a final domestic gross of between $82m and $105m. Barring some strong legs and/or overseas might, neither of which I am ruling out, this isn’t promising for the ambitious original in a sea of sequels and reboots.