MickeyBlog Disney News for March 16, 2018
Welcome to the latest edition of MickeyBlog News! I hope you’re having a magical week and that your NCAA bracket is in better shape than mine. I don’t know why I bother. I’d save myself a lot of humiliation by tearing up an empty bracket. Anyway, let’s talk about something happier…Disney!
Credit Where Credit’s Due
Before we talk about parks and movies and other elements of business/fandom, let’s celebrate Disney for its civic responsibility. The company is already dedicated to the happiness of children, and their Make-A-Wish vacations are the purest demonstration of kindness. Some of them even have surprising long-term impacts on the kids.
Well, Disney’s not resting on its already extensive laurels. The Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Iger recently revealed a $100 million plan to improve children’s hospitals around the world. Yes, you read that right. Disney’s branching out into a new field in hopes of bettering humanity for future generations.
Disney intends to build custom patient experiences for sick children. According to the official Parks Blog, plans include:
- “Addition of a new RFID-based system allowing patients to customize their hospital visit by choosing their favorite Disney stories and characters. The system will also unlock special elements to further personalize and enhance the experience, such as “enchanted” artwork that comes alive.
- Themed treatment and patient rooms featuring interactive murals of Disney stories, bed linens and gowns featuring each child’s favorite characters, and personalized in-room entertainment. Also, well stocked mobile “play carts” will include Disney-themed games and activities to give families something to do together to help alleviate stress and boredom.
- Disney first-run movies and television shows, available both in-room and in themed pop up movie theaters in the hospital, along with other Disney entertainment options.
- Disney customer-experience training for doctors, nurses and staff. Disney Institute will create a customized program for healthcare professionals designed to foster a less stressful, patient and family-centric hospital experience.”
Stuff like this is why we all love Disney.
The Best Babysitter!
When is an upcharge event also a parent’s dream? The honest answer is “almost never.” Disney’s trying to change that, though. They’re experimenting with what they’re describing as “a pilot program.” It’s an interactive experience with all your children’s beloved Pixar characters.
Specifically, Disney’s Contemporary Resort will host a “nightly getaway for kids, ages 4-12.” For a cost of $65 per child, Disney will take care of your children from 6 to 10:30 p.m. while you and your date head straight to the World Showcase to drink. Well, I presume that’s what you’ll do.
You have a four and a half hour window to do the rarest of rare thing for a parent: enjoy yourself without worrying about your children. They’re in Disney’s hands, and they’re having a blast. They’ll play with characters from Toy Story and The Incredibles, as you dine, drink, and maybe even get romantic. While $65 for a night of babysitting isn’t cheap, it’s a real win/win. Your kids have fun, and you get to relax on your vacation for a while. If you’re interested, the trial run begins on April 13th.
More News from Pixar Pier
Over the next few months, MickeyBlog News will have plenty of stories about Pixar Pier as Disney leaks details about the upcoming themed land. This week, we received a couple of tidbits, one of which relates to Pixar Fest and the other applies to the repurposing of a prior favorite.
The Pixar Fest news item is that Disney’s Parks Blog revealed imagery of the various tasty treats and exclusive merchandise available during the event. Disney’s culinary geniuses have designed some desserts based on Pixar films. Up, Toy Story, Coco, and Monsters, Inc. all have specialty foods based on their characters and stories. For example, one Up treat is a Nutella Pop Tart Chocolate Fredrickson House & Balloons. It sounds decadent.
As for the prior favorite, Disney closed one of Disney California Adventure’s most beloved restaurants in January. Cove Bar shut down back then, although it will make a return appearance for Spring Break. After those few days, it’s gone forever. Don’t fret, though!
On June 23rd, a new themed restaurant will appear in place of Cove Bar. Lamplight Lounge will occupy the same space formerly held by Cove Bar. Also, it will feature the most important menu item from its predecessor. Yes, the governor called and saved the Lobster Nachos from execution!
The Parks Blog promises that the Lamplight Lounge is: “California casual gastro-pub cuisine that is playfully presented along with unique signature cocktails. This seaside lounge contains a full bar with picturesque waterfront views from both upstairs and downstairs. At night, outdoor seating provides views of the illuminated Pixar Pier and “World of Color.”
Presumably, the “Lamplight” refers to the signature Pixar logo that bounces around at the start of all Pixar movies. Hopefully, the Lamplight Lounge will carry on the tradition of Cove Bar, only with a tight Pixar theme.
Quick Movie News
Do you like Star Wars stories? Did you like Disney’s live-action re-telling of The Jungle Book? Then I have terrific news for you! Jon Favreau, the director of The Jungle Book, has agreed to write a new Star Wars television series for the upcoming Disney streaming service. Favreau has had a strong relationship with Marvel/Disney for a decade now, starting with his directorial work in Iron Man and Iron Man 2, the films that became the foundation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While Marvel wasn’t technically a part of Disney at the time, Favreau’s glowing reputation with the former company led to his work on The Jungle Book, which earned $967 million worldwide. The reunion of Disney and Favreau makes perfect sense. It’s the Star Wars element, however, that makes this news so tantalizing.
Speaking of Disney favorites, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson found early success with The Game Plan. This 2007 Disney flick proved The Rock’s comedic range. The actor will return to Disney for the much anticipated movie adaptation of Jungle Cruise.
This week, the Kauai newspaper broke a major story. They confirmed that an upcoming project named Elixir is in truth Jungle Cruise. Also, filming will begin this summer. Disney sent out a casting call for kids to play roles in the film, which co-stars Emily Blunt, uniting The Rock with Mary Poppins in what seems like a blockbuster waiting to happen. So, if you live in Hawaii and want to be an extra, you could appear in a major Disney production based on the beloved ride!
Also, on a sadder Star Wars note, legendary composer John Williams made a shocking announcement this week. He stated that the upcoming Star Wars Episode IX will be his last Star Wars film. The iconic composer’s score for Star Wars is considered one of the greatest musical accompaniments in cinematic history. Let’s all take the time to appreciate his music while we can.
Annual Passholder Benefits
Whether you own an annual pass at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, Disney appreciates your business. As a way of demonstrating gratitude for your customer loyalty, each park added a new bonus for Passholders. Neither incentive is earth-shattering, but it’s the thought that counts, right?
At Disneyland, guests can now show their loyalty via accessories! The Disneyland Resort area has added several locations where cast members will embroider your merchandise. They’ll sew your Annual Pass initials (AP) into your fabric Disney bag, your Disney underwear (but probably not if you’re wearing it), or even your Mouse Ears! With a single glance, a person will know that you’re serious about the Happiest Place on Earth and visit regularly.
At Walt Disney World, the new incentive is at Disney Springs. For one hour on the second Saturday of each month, Annual Passholders get to shop early. From 9 to 10 a.m. on these Saturdays, people with Aps can avoid the weekend mob at the various retailers. The only catch is that you have to register for the event each week. Otherwise, Disney would have no control over the flow of traffic at the stores.
The first event happened on March 10th and sold out almost immediately. If you’re interested in the April 14th event, you should sign up the moment Disney opens the enrollment process. It’s worth the effort, though. You get the stores virtually to yourself as you plot ways to maximize that sweet 20 percent Annual Passholder discount.
Bird’s Eye View
Are you like me? Do you daydream of Disney whenever you’re away from the park? Do you find yourself fantasizing about your next trip, idly wondering what’s happening at the park that day? Well, we should thank our kindly Google overlords, because they’ve come up with a solution!
By using Google’s Street View on Google Maps, you can zoom in on 11 different Disney parks around the world. Yes, the international gates are part of this feature, too! That means you can take a look at Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland to see what the fuss is all about. Alternately, you can find comfort during moments of unhappiness by pulling up the map and zooming in on Disneyland or Magic Kingdom.
If you want to see how it works, I’m including a direct link to Magic Kingdom. I don’t know about you, but I find it mesmerizing. Way to go, Google! Also, thanks for never sharing my browser history with anyone.
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