MickeyBlog News for December 2, 2019
What’s going on in the wide world of Disney right now? Oh, not much. There’s just a festival starting, the most ambitious ride of all-time opening, a movie dominating the headlines, a famous attraction getting new scenes, and a bunch of 2020 events listing official dates.
No big deal. I know that you’re not at all interested in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, but please humor me in the latest edition of MickeyBlog News.
Frozen Forever!
For the last few years, cynics have decried the Frozen franchise, claiming that it’s oversaturated. Those critics have gotten gobsmacked with some reality over the past 10 days, as the release of Frozen 2 has settled the debate.
The sequel to Frozen is an undeniable juggernaut. This past weekend, it grossed another $85 million, totaling $123 million over the five-day holiday period.
In the process, Frozen 2 won the holiday box office campaign by $82 million. Also, it shattered the Thanksgiving record by a full $15 million. Frozen II is massive, my friends.
After a mere 10 days in theaters, the film has grossed $287.6 million domestically. And that’s not even telling the real story.
Overseas, Frozen II has performed even better. After grossing $163 million this weekend, the sequel has totaled $451 million.
That brings Frozen II’s global box office up to $738 million…in just 10 days! The film has made almost $74 million daily!
It’s a mortal lock to gross one billion worldwide, and I think it’ll surpass Frozen’s $1.28 billion total. Yes, Frozen II is likely to surpass Frozen in global box office.
Festival of the Holidays Now Open
At Epcot, the park really divides into four seasons these days. No, I don’t mean winter, spring, summer, and fall. I’m referencing the Festival of the Arts, the Flower & Garden Festival, the Food & Wine Festival, and the Festival of the Holidays.
While all four are great, the Hallmark Channel crowd, of which I’m a proud member, favors the last one. The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays gives Disney a chance to embrace the cultural heritage of several countries with a presence at the World Showcase.
Cast members get to re-tell their own Christmas stories, which vary by country. The storytelling on display during this exhibition will turn you into a holiday lover even if you’re ordinarily a cynic. So, those of you who love the holidays the way that I do will feel like the mothership has called you home.
The 2019 version of the Festival of the Holidays opened the other day and will run through December 30th. As usual, the Holiday Kitchens appeal to people the most, as the yuletide cuisine on display is absolutely scrumptious.
Also, the ever-popular Candlelight Processional has returned. These two statements alone justify your spending a lot of time at the World Showcase throughout December.
The Resistance Will Rise
Early in 2019, Disney executives surprised the media with a Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge announcement. Park officials chose to open the highly anticipated themed land with only one attraction.
Imagineers faced technical challenges with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Rather than rush the attraction, Disney delayed it and launched with Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run as the anchor.
However, everyone has understood for a while now that Rise of the Resistance qualifies as the E-ticket attraction. On December 5th, park guests will finally learn what all the fuss is about when the most ambitious Disney attraction of all-time finally opens to the public.
Disney unveiled exclusive ride footage during its Thanksgiving show on ABC. Scott Trowbridge, the Imagineer in charge of the entirety of Galaxy’s Edge, teased details about the ride. He confirmed some rumors that MickeyBlog has tracked over the past six months.
This next paragraph includes mild spoilers. Since it’s the word of a Disney employee broadcast on a live television program watched by millions, it’s obviously not a huge spoiler. However, you may want to skip it if you prefer to remain completely oblivious about ride details.
According to Trowbridge, guests board a spaceship with the express purpose of rendezvousing with The Resistance. Unfortunately, The First Order captures the members of your ship and takes you elsewhere. Your task from there is to escape your imprisonment and aid The Resistance.
More about Rise of the Resistance
Park officials have indicated that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the longest, largest attraction in Disney history. It’s also among the most technologically complex. For this reason, the ride will come with some unusual constraints.
Disney will not offer FastPasses for the attraction. Now, you’re probably thinking, “So what? Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run doesn’t have them, either.” And that’s absolutely correct.
However, Disney’s Hollywood Studios also won’t operate Rise of the Resistance during Extra Magic Hours. That’s…a surprise.
Even on days when the park hosts Extra Magic Hours, Disney won’t open this attraction. Apparently, Disney needs the extra time to keep it operating smoothly during regular park hours.
Snow White Gets a Happy Ending
Since Disneyland’s opening day, Snow White’s Scary Adventures has delighted and confused guests. The most ambitious of the original Disneyland attractions, this ride allowed guests to experience Snow White’s story from her perspective.
And a lot of people didn’t understand that. They wondered where Snow White was hiding on the Snow White ride.
Over the years, Disney’s tried to make this fact clearer. While Imagineers have had some success, they’ve finally decided to correct the matter once and for all.
During the already-announced renovation of Snow White’s Scary Adventures, Disney will add a Happily Ever After scene. It will show that Snow White has survived and reunited with her loyal companions. Expect this change to appear at some point in 2020.
Coming to Disneyland in 2020…
Disney just revealed several upcoming events for next year. Some are at Disneyland, while others involve D-23. All of them sound spectacular, so I almost feel guilty telling you about them since you can’t possibly attend each one.
At Disneyland Park, we’ll enjoy the return of Sweethearts’ Nite on February 12 and 13th, just in time for Valentine’s Day! It’s a dance party with a focus on love songs, especially Disney classics.
On March 5th, Disney California Adventure (DCA) will try something new with PIXAR Nite. The park will host three different dance parties, each of which pays tribute to a different set of Pixar characters. Disney will sell specialty merchandise and food exclusively for this event, and I’m guessing it’ll justify the price of admission.
Finally, on April 30th, DCA will offer something that’s already available on certain nights at Magic Kingdom. The Anaheim park will host Villains Nite, with your favorite bad guys and girls singing and dancing. It’s going to be huge.
All of the events cost $109 per person. Tickets go on sale this week, with passholders getting the first crack on December 3rd. Everyone else may purchase admission on December 4th. Based on recent history, everything will sell out, so you should act quickly.
Finally, D-23 has announced its signature events for 2020. Disney fans should visit the official site and decide which ones you can attend. Honestly, the D-23 stuff is always phenomenal and something that true fans should prioritize.