My Little Pony Equestria Girls are off on another adventure! Coming to Blu-Ray & DVD 10/28/14, little girls are sure to love this new feature film. Check out the Press Release below and stay tuned right here at socalthrills.com for the review — coming soon!
There’s a brand new full-length film in the ever-popular My Little Pony canon. Following a theatrical run in the fall of 2014, where the film opened with enthusiastic reviews to packed crowds in over 400 theaters, My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks will be released October 28 in the U.S. and Canada from Shout! Factory Kids, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, as a single-disc DVD, and in a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo. Bonus features include an Audio Commentary, 8 Prequel Shorts and Sing-Alongs.
In My Little Pony Equestria Girls, released in fall 2013, Twilight Sparkle’s crown was stolen from the Crystal Empire, and she pursued the thief, Sunset Shimmer, into an alternate world where she finds herself turned into…a teenage girl! To regain her crown and return to Equestria, Twilight had to learn how to fit into this strange, new world and defeat Sunset Shimmer in a competition to become crowned Princess of the Fall Formal at Canterlot High.
Now, the girls of Canterlot High are back, and this time they’re rocking guitars! In My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks,Canterlot High (CHS) is hosting a musical showcase, and Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy are going to be performing with their new band, The Rainbooms. But when The Dazzlings, a new girl group, arrive at CHS and convince everyone to turn the friendly showcase into a Battle of the Bands, tensions mount between the competing musical acts. A now-reformed Sunset Shimmer realizes that The Dazzlings may not be ordinary girls and are after something far more sinister than just being named Best Band at Canterlot High. The Rainbooms call on Princess Twilight to restore harmony to their world to help them perform a musical counter-spell so that they can win a battle that now determines the fate of the entire school.
The “Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It!” Street Party is ready to make its debut at Magic Kingdom Park! This new version of the park’s popular Disney character street party brings with it new music and characters and new ways for you to become part of the show.
The fun starts as a parade of giant gift boxes make their way down Main Street, U.S.A. toward the Central Plaza in front of Cinderella Castle. Everyone’s invited to follow the procession and dance along to the original song, “Party Up!” Once party hosts Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy pop up, it’s time to join in and dance with our party peeps and favorite Disney pals like Stitch and Phineas and Ferb.
You’ll “Move It!” You’ll “Shake It!” And when it comes time to “Play It,” you’ll even get to vote for the next song on the party playlist!
This street party promises to be so much fun, you’re going to want to share the excitement with all your family and friends. When you post those awesome selfies to Twitter and Instagram, be sure to tag them with #MoveItShakeItPics. They may just show up on the floats as part of a special finale moment!
The “Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It!” Street Party hits Magic Kingdom Park on Friday, October 24, and will be presented several times daily, so come on out and join in the fun!
Recently we attended an advanced screening and press junket for Disney’s newest animated movie (and I predict HUGE blockbuster), Big Hero 6, at the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank which included meeting and chatting with cast and crew.
Big Hero 6 is a Marvel collaboration based on a comic book series of the same name with Disney’s spin and finesse. According to Roy Conli, producer of Tangled, “Marvel’s original source material gave us six interesting and brilliant kids that we could explore. And because we decided to take it into a heightened world, we were able to re-imagine the characters for the film.”
The story is of a 14 year old boy, Hiro, played by Ryan Potter (“Supah Ninjas” and “Senior Project”) and the relationship that forms with a robot, Baymax, played by Scott Adsit (“30 Rock” and “St. Vincent”). Baymax is a “personal health care companion”, with robotic emotion and his main purpose is to scan a human body and render aid as necessary. Developed by Hiro’s older brother, Tadashi, Baymax develops a brotherly role for Hiro and as the movie goes on, we see the transformation of Hiro from boy to young man. Director Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) said “Baymax’s one programmed desire is “how can I help?” He’s filled with compassion. And Hiro is a teenager who has lost his way – their personalities play off each other in a way that is both funny and heartwarming.” Tadashi attends “Nerd School”, as Hiro calls it – San Fransoyko Tech – a school for gifted students in science and math. Hiro is only 14, but has already graduated High School and Tadashi really wants to help him find his way by applying to the University. Hiro visits the University under duress and finds that the experiments and other students (who end up very important in his life) really peak his interest. He agrees to apply and invents “microbots” to present at a large event to the Professor in charge of admissions. By the end of his presentation, he’s sold on school.
The design team had many struggles developing the story and characters and did a lot of research on robotics at Carnegie Mellon University to bring Baymax to life. Disney also created a new rendering tool named Hyperion to bring the fantastical new city of San Fransoyko (a meld of San Francisco and Toyko) to life in a rich, detailed way.
Scott Adsit was excited about being able to voice Baymax and when asked about the camaraderie and loving relationship between Hiro and Baymax he said “I tried to be true to how I know his brain works. He has a limited number of things he can say because Tadashi programmed him.” Scott was able to control the emotions that he voiced by keeping the character’s ability to function in mind. Baymax is able to “grow” as a robot throughout the film and we see an incredible relationship blossom with Hiro.
When Ryan Potter heard that Disney was doing a Marvel comic movie (both of which he was a huge fan of) he said “I grew up watching Disney films and I grew up reading Marvel comics. So when I heard that a Disney movie that was inspired by a Marvel comic actually featured an Asian American kid, I absolutely had to be a part of this film.”
Marvel’s Big Hero 6 comics were not widely known and when Don Hall (Director) asked John Lassetter (Executive Producer) during their work on Winnie the Pooh, if he could explore the Marvel vaults for inspiration for his next movie, he was given the green light. What developed was a Disney movie with a lot of Marvel DNA according to Producer Ray Conli.
Two of the characters in the Big Hero 6 group are strong females. Go Go Tomago is voiced by Jamie Chung (“Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For” and TV’s Mulan on “Once Upon a Time”) and is the tough, athletic, adrenaline junkie of the group. Jamie says, “Go Go is a total badass, even before the hero transformation, she’s tough. She’s strong. She can totally hold her own.” Jamie says that she is a lot like Go Go – very loyal and tough. Honey Lemon is voiced by Genesis Rodriguez (“Tusk” “Run All Night”), and is the spunky chemical whiz. She is fashion forward (think heels, knee high socks and funky accessories) and is a wonderful mix of gorgeous and brilliant. Genesis said “She’s very optimistic and happy – and so like me. I used to be on a robotics team, so I love that she’s girly and into science. It was very easy to play this character.” Both ladies told us that putting on the hero suit (albiet virtually) in the film made both Go Go and Honey Lemon able to portray their strong personalities and get into the characters and this new “world.”
TJ Miller (“The Next Great Comic” Winner and “Transformers: Age of Extinction”) was working an impacted schedule when his Agent told him that Disney was casting a new movie called Big Hero 6. He turned down the ability to audition twice saying he was just too busy. The third time his Agent called and said “I think this is really going to be big”, he was asked to just record something on his iPhone and he finally relented. He recorded some dialogue and sent it to his Agent. He said that he actually forgot about it and months later he found out that he was going to be a part of “Disney’s big tent pole movie following FROZEN.” Damon Wayans (“New Girl” and “Happy Endings”) laughed at that point of the interview saying “Why didn’t he just LEAD with that?” which made us all laugh. TJ voiced Fred, who isn’t even a student at the University – as he says in the movie “I’m the mascot by day and I’m the mascot by night.” Fred also named each of the three other University characters – Go Go, Honey Lemon, and Wasabi.
Damon’s character, Wasabi, is the dreadlocked neatnik of the group who tries to keep everyone grounded. Chris Williams (Director) says “He’s actually the most conservative, cautious – he’s the most normal among the group of brazen characters. So he really grounds the movie in the second act and becomes, in a way, the voice of the audience and points out that what they’re doing is crazy.” Damon was drawn to Wasabi because he too has to have everything in it’s place. Damon says “I can relate to Wasabi, I have a place for everything. I need my books a certain way. I need to smell good all the time. I definitely have Wasabi in me.”
This movie will appeal to all genders and ages. There are strong male and female characters as well as the lovable robot. There is a focus on relationships between many characters and the development of a “team” who works together to save mankind. The relationships are intertwined and the visual effects are stunning.
On Tuesday, October 21 during the new episode of Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, Marvel announced they would be releasing the first trailer for their highly anticipated film, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, at the end of next week’s episode. But earlier this afternoon, a low res versions of the international trailer leaked online, amping up fan excitement even more. Instead of combating the leak and trying to stop it, Marvel has instead decided to release the trailer ahead of its scheduled release, as well as a new teaser poster for the film. Check them out below!
The trailer is pretty exciting, full of amazing action and some very interesting looking scenes that are sure to stir a lot of fans up, including a look at the Hulk and Iron Man fight, where Iron Man where dawn his Hulkbuster armor for the first time in live action. There’s also a very dark tone to this trailer, tied down to a rather creepy version of the Pinocchio song, I’ve Got No Strings. But it’s really James Spader’s Ultron who is stealing this trailer, as he has an insanely creepy and unnerving tone and seems to be on a warpath to bring the team down. It’s all very exciting, and I can’t wait for the film to open!
What did you think of the newest trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron? Leave your thoughts below! Avengers: Age of Ultron opens on May 1, 2015.
Marvel Studios presents Avengers: Age of Ultron, the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to the Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.
Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963.
Disney Interactive and Harmonix just announced that “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved,” a breakthrough musical motion game, is now available at retailers worldwide for a suggested retail price of $59.99 for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and for a suggested retail price of $49.99 for Kinect for Xbox 360 and is rated E10+ by the ESRB.
Developed by Harmonix, critically acclaimed creators of Rock Band and Dance Central and the world’s leading music and motion gaming studio, players become the sorcerer’s newest apprentice, exploring remarkable worlds and unlocking the magic within the music, with Disney Interactive’s “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved.”
Featuring over 30 tracks – including contemporary pop, hip hop, rock, classical, and more – “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” transports players to a breathtaking world where music and magic combine to transform extraordinary interactive landscapes in entirely new and creative ways. Using Kinect motion control technology and natural, controller-free gameplay, players will control the musical flow of these hits, unlocking the power to transform the music and living world.
Below is the complete soundtrack for “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved”:
· AVICII – “Levels”
· Bruno Mars – “Locked Out of Heaven”
· Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”
· David Bowie – “Ziggy Stardust”
· Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”
· Drake – “Take Care” (ft. Rihanna)
· Dvořák – “Symphony No. 9 from the New World”
· Elton John – “Rocket Man”
· The Flaming Lips – “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1”
· Fun. – “Some Nights”
· Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
· Imagine Dragons – “Radioactive”
· Inon Zur – “Scout’s Theme” (ft. Lindsey Stirling)
· Inon Zur – “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved – Main Theme”
· Jimi Hendrix – “Fire”
· J.S. Bach – “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”
· Kimbra – “Settle Down”
· Lady Gaga – “Applause”
· Liszt – “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2”
· Lorde – “Royals”
· M.I.A. – “Galang”
· Missy Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”
· Mozart – “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”
· Mussorgsky – “Night on Bald Mountain”
· New Order – “Blue Monday”
· Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
· Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes”
· Police – “Message in a Bottle”
· Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
· Tchaikovsky – “The Nutcracker Medley”
· The Who – “The Real Me”
· Vivaldi – “The Four Seasons: Winter, 1st Movement”
· White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”
Additionally, fans can purchase the game on either platform digitally and for $3.99 each receive Pop, Rock and Dance mix packs, which allow apprentices to create more remixes and further customize songs from the game’s core soundtrack. The Deluxe Digital Xbox One version of the game is also available for $89.99, and includes all of the mix packs, as well as the DLC featuring an additional 18 songs from popular artists like Skrillex, Demi Lovato, Coldplay, The Cure, OneRepublic and more!
Join a monster of a party with the Disney Movies Anywhere premiere of PARTY CENTRAL. The Disney•Pixar short is now available to view for free for the first time, and reunites everyone’s favorite monsters, Mike and Sulley, for another hilarious adventure. Download the Disney Movies Anywhere app for iPhone or iPad to watch Party Central now, for a limited time!
Featuring Billy Crystal as Mike, John Goodman as Sulley and directed by Pixar’s Kelsey Mann, Party Central features Mike and Sulley’s return to Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come with a plan to make sure “Party Central” is the most epic party the school has ever seen.
Go to Disney Movies Anywhere to find out more about collecting, watching, and taking your favorite Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies anywhere you go! Visit www.disneymoviesanywhere.com or download the App at http://di.sn/hvV
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) continues to introduce new “better for you” foods featuring some of its most popular characters to inspire kids worldwide to eat more fruits and vegetables and lead a healthier lifestyle. More than 4.1 billion servings of Disney-branded fruits and vegetables have been served in North America since DCP began tracking in 2006. Disney’s Frozen and Marvel’s Spider-Man-branded bagged apples by Sage are the latest additions and available now at grocery retailers nationwide.
“Beyond the toy aisle, Frozen is also keeping the produce section fresh and cool,” said John T. King, vice president of licensing, consumables, Disney Consumer Products. “The global appeal of our stories and characters gives Disney Consumer Products an opportunity to continue to expand our produce portfolio and empower parents with more nutritious food options for their kids.”
Disney Consumer Products’ summer fruit program with Albertsons significantly increased traffic and produce sales at participating locations. Select Albertson stores created in-store displays to highlight the robust selection of Disney-branded fruits, and hosted kids and family events to encourage healthier eating. Through a recent collaboration with Winn Dixie, consumers were greeted with signage featuring characters from popular Disney properties including Frozen, Disney Princess, and Cars. Select Winn Dixie stores also hosted Disney-themed events with music, activities, and samples of fresh fruits and vegetables. Through new collaborations with DCP, licensees and retailers have seen their produce business thrive, and the impact on families multiply.
Research has shown that more than 94 percent of moms say healthy living is important. More than 60 percent of moms say that making healthy living fun is important to their family, and they look to Disney over other kids’ entertainment brands to be a leader in health and wellness.* As a part of the Disney Magic of Healthy Living initiative, Disney Consumer Products transformed the landscape of Disney-licensed food offerings and maintains a balanced portfolio with 85 percent of all of its U.S. licensed food and beverage products meeting the company’s nutrition guidelines with only 15 percent reserved for special occasion treats. Many of Disney licensed foods also carry the Mickey Check, a tool to help make it easier for kids and families to identify those products that meet the company’s nutrition guidelines.
Disney Magic of Healthy Living partners with parents to inspire kids and families to lead healthier lifestyles. Through engaging content, useful tools and unique experiences, this company-wide initiative helps parents by making nutritious eating and physical activity simple and fun. Under the umbrella, the TRYit campaign, inspires kids to try new foods, fun moves, and simple ways to be their best.
The frosty, fantastical world of “Frozen” adds a special twinkle to Walt Disney World Resort this holiday season.
Starting in early November and through the merriest weeks that follow, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna add their special royal touch as the Florida Vacation Kingdom delights guests with yuletide traditions and holiday cheer. Fans of the most popular animated motion picture of all time will have a sleigh-full of “Frozen” entertainment choices. And the wintry wonder and magic of the season extends to the high seas with special entertainment offerings aboard the ships of Disney Cruise Line.
Here’s a look around at the holiday cheer awaiting Disney guests:
Magic Kingdom
Queen Elsa from “Frozen” Transforms Cinderella Castle Nightly Beginning Nov. 5: New this year, Queen Elsa from “Frozen” will use her incredible powers to transform Cinderella Castle into a glistening ice palace for the holidays — thanks to a special effects spectacle bathing the castle in 200,000 shimmering white lights. Magic Kingdom guests are treated nightly to the dramatic “Castle Dream Lights” celebration and “A Frozen Holiday Wish” stage show.
Entertainment, Fireworks and More: Santa’s elves have transformed Magic Kingdom into a winter wonderland with festive wreaths, bows, garland, sparkling lights, parades and towering Christmas trees. The fun includes Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season nighttime fireworks spectacular, plus live entertainment with Disney characters all dressed up for the holidays.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: On select nights from Nov. 7 – Dec. 19, 2014, guests with tickets to this special event, after park hours, can enjoy for the first time Princess Anna, Queen Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf from “Frozen” joining the festive procession, “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade,” along with a flurry of skaters, skiers and ice cutters from the Kingdom of Arendelle.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party presents a night of holiday splendor with lively stage shows featuring Disney characters in their holiday best, a unique holiday parade and favorite holiday traditions including complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, and snow flurries on Main Street, U.S.A.
The fun continues with a holiday “Celebrate the Magic” castle projection show and Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season nighttime fireworks spectacular. Tickets for this event may be purchased online at WaltDisneyWorld.com or by calling 407/WDW- 7679.
From Dec. 20-31, “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade” is presented to day guests in the park in place of Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade.
Jungle Cruise Goes ‘Jingle Cruise’: For the holiday season, the iconic Jungle Cruise will temporarily transform into “Jingle Cruise” for Magic Kingdom guests with festive decor in the attraction queue and boathouse, holiday names for the Jungle Cruise boats and a slew of seasonal jokes from the Skippers. This seasonal takeover of the attraction debuts Nov. 7 in Adventureland.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
“Frozen”: For the first time for the holidays and continuing indefinitely, guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can sing along to “Frozen” songs with Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Kristoff and the Royal Historians of Arendelle daily during “For the First Time in Forever – a ‘Frozen’ Sing-Along Celebration” inside Premiere Theater. Close to the theater and also inspired by the film as the little log cabin in the mountains, Wandering Oaken’s invites guests to shop for “Frozen” merchandise and invites them to enjoy a large play area with real snow.
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights: This massive seasonal display features millions of dancing lights, plus animated displays and 3-D effects perfectly synchronized to electrifying holiday tunes amidst snowfall. The rich tradition takes place on the Streets of America, dazzling guests from November 7, 2014 – January 4, 2015.
Epcot
Candlelight Processional is one of the most beloved holiday traditions Walt Disney World Resort, with the joyous retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and glorious mass choir. Among new celebrity narrators this year is Jonathan Groff, who voiced the rugged mountain man Kristoff in “Frozen.” Candlelight performances are at 5, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. at America Gardens Theatre.*
Jodi Benson 11/28 – 11/29
Neil Patrick Harris 11/30 – 12/2
Jonathan Groff NEW! 12/3 – 12/4
Whoopi Goldberg 12/5 – 12/6
LeVar Burton 12/7* – 12/9
Edward James Olmos 12/10 – 12/11
Joe Morton NEW! 12/12 – 12/14
Chita Rivera 12/15 – 12/17
Ana Gasteyer NEW! 12/18 – 12/20
Marlee Matlin 12/21 – 12/23
Isabella Rossellini 12/24 – 12/25
Blair Underwood 12/26 – 12/27
Steven Curtis Chapman 12/28 – 12/30
Please note that narrators are subject to change without notice.
*Show times on December 7 are 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. only
Guests may purchase Candlelight Dining Packages to reserve a seat at the Candlelight Processional. These packages, available on select nights, include a delicious meal, a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances and a pre-arranged location for fireworks viewing. Guests may call 407.WDW DINE for reservations or at www.disneyworld.com. Availability is limited.
JOYFUL! A Gospel Celebration of the Season blends the soulful expressiveness of Gospel and inspirational music with the sounds of jazz, R&B and urban music daily from November 28 – December 29 at the Future World Fountain Stage.
The World Showcase Promenade comes alive with IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth that incorporates a unique finale celebrating the season. The song “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and a TBD narrator who offers a special message of peace and good will nightly at 9:30 p.m.
Other festive holiday offerings include the Gingerbread Village at The Land pavilion, which showcases sweet recreations of Walt Disney World Resort’s theme park icons, plenty of holiday merchandise and food and beverage offerings around World Showcase, and guests can celebrate each country’s holiday traditions with storytellers at each pavilion during Holidays Around the World:
◦ Canada – The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs
◦ United Kingdom – Father Christmas
◦ France – Père Noël
◦ Morocco – Taarji, a Moroccon drummer and the holiday of Ramadan
◦ Japan – Story of the Daruma Doll and the Japanese customs of the New Year
◦ American Adventure – Mr. & Mrs. Claus, Hanukkah traditions and Kwanzaa celebrations
◦ Italy – La Befana, the kindhearted witch who grants gifts to good children
◦ Germany – Helga and the story of the First Christmas tree and her first Nutcracker
◦ China – Monkey King tells tall tales celebrating Chinese New Year
◦ Norway — Sigrid and the story of Julenissen, the Christmas Gnome
Downtown Disney & Walt Disney World Resort hotels
Starting in November, Festival of the Seasons returns to Downtown Disney with joyous holiday entertainment and festive décor, as well as a meet and greet with the jolly man himself, Santa Claus. The Walt Disney World Resort hotels are all glittery for the season, as well, with merry décor, gingerbread houses and more. Guests will find a sugary showcase of holiday displays throughout the magical resort hotels. From enhancing visual feasts created from all kinds of sweets to refreshing stops offering tasty beverages and treats, each display has its own charming features.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line adds sparkle to each ship, beginning November through the new year, with traditional “Turkey Day” fanfare, Christmas feasts, “snow flurries,” New Year’s Eve galas and Disney friends dressed for the occasion.
Special stem-to-stern holiday events include visits from Santa Claus and his elves, family holiday crafts, tropical deck parties, holiday storytellers and more. New this year, guests will join favorite Disney characters for “Mickey’s Tree-Lighting Magic” on the first night of the cruise to celebrate the lighting of the glittering, three-deck-tall-tree. And during the brand-new “Winter Wonderland Ball,” guests will celebrate the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus with the help of a very special princess, who causes a flurry of “frozen” fun as a magical snowfall overtakes the atrium.
When the ships stop at Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, the celebration continues with “snow flurries,” a decked-out Christmas tree, Disney character meet-and-greets and holiday island music. Christmas services will be held on Christmas Day with a midnight mass on Christmas Eve, and Hanukkah services will be held each day, Dec. 16 to Dec. 24. During special Thanksgiving voyages, guests will enjoy a bountiful feast with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends dressed in traditional Thanksgiving attire. To ring in 2015, voyages include a special New Year’s Eve party, complete with music, sparkling wine in commemorative flutes and a midnight countdown.
To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, contact me or fill out the Vacation Quote form on this page.
Adventures by Disney
Get ready for a Wild West winter journey with the entire family with Adventures by Disney. Winter in Wyoming includes dog sledding, campfires and hot springs – and that’s just the beginning. Guests will explore the wilderness like a real cowboy on a vacation to remember:
“Mush” through the snow-covered terrain of the Wyoming wilderness on a Yellowstone winter tour. Traverse trails of pristine powder on your way to gorgeous panoramic views, erupting geysers and, after a vigorous day, soak in a natural hot spring.
Evening Sleigh Ride: Savor a picturesque sunset among the Tetons as you bundle up for a cozy sleigh ride and stop for hot beverages and appetizers ’round a crackling campfire.
Yellowstone’s Winter Wonderland: Discover the glory of winter in Yellowstone National Park with its snow-covered mountains, steaming geysers and majestic wildlife roaming the countryside.
Iditarod Dog Sledding: Learn the art of “mushing” against a backdrop of powdery white snow while a team of enthusiastic sled dogs guides you through the Wyoming wilderness.
“Feast,” a new short from first-time director Patrick Osborne (head of animation for “Paperman”) and Walt Disney Animation Studios, is the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share.
Check-out this Special Look Video:
The short opens on Nov. 7, 2014, in front of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Big Hero 6.”
Wolves is a movie that tells the story of popular football jock, Cayden Richards (Lucas Till), as we follow him on a murderous path to find out the truth of his werewolf ancestry in Lupine Ridge.
The movie begins with Cayden waking up in a cold sweat from a nightmare of a werewolf attack. Thankfully, his mother and father are quickly by his side to console him of his horrifying night terror. But he soon wonders why he would even have such dreams, being the beloved high school quarterback with the beautiful girlfriend, obviously. He then figures it out as a football game turns deadly as an over-aggressive defenseman soon gets his helmet caved in by Cayden’s bare fist. Now Cayden’s confusion of life comes into play after being questioned by police, school administrators and the victim’s parents. That night, Cayden and his girlfriend, Lisa were on a lover’s hill and things took a turn for the worst when he transformed into a werewolf and attacks. Cayden soon wakes up in his home dazed and confused, wondering how he got there. He then discovers the death of his parents in what looks like a horrific blood bath. The police arrive to the scene almost instantly, but Cayden makes a smooth get away and is now on the run from the authorities.
Beginning his life on the run, Cayden visits different biker bars where he runs into another werewolf named Wild Joe. He explains to Cayden about what exactly he is, a werewolf. Just before Wild Joe vanishes without a trace, he reveals where Cayden should go, Lupine Ridge. It is here where he finds others who have the same ancestry as Cayden and he begins to learn more about where he came from. Cayden conveniently gets offered a job as a farm hand. His new employer, John, not only helps him get on his feet living in a new town, but also helps him transition into his new life as a werewolf.
Cayden’s life begins anew without a hitch. Working on the farm, meeting a beautiful young lady named Angelina (played by Merritt Patterson) and having his past removed has helped him cope with his new life until another man appears named Connor (Jason Mamoa), who interrogates Cayden about anything and everything until John (Stephen McHattie) arrives and forces Connor to leave. Soon after, events begin to transpire that make Cayden believe he is the terrible monster that he fears he is.
The future of Lupine Ridge looks bleak and it is up to Cayden to end Connor’s violent reign as the pack leader, but will the truth of his families heritage obstruct his quest for salvation? It is a new take on werewolves that we haven’t seen before and is filled with action, romance, and bloody violence. The story and characters were well executed and delivered to keep myself intrigued, but it will definitely not be nominated for Best Picture. You can watch Wolves on VOD and will be released in select theaters Nov 14. Be sure to let us know what you think of the film in the comments below!
Today, during Warner Bros. stockholder meeting, the studio announced a very exciting and ambitious new slate of DC films, trying to play quick catch up with Marvel Studios, and with some very exciting announcements. The slate is chock full of new and old characters, and will hopefully prove to not only be a huge hit for the studio, but something fans and audience goers will love as well. The full slate, through 2020, includes the following:
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” directed by Zack Snyder (2016)
“Suicide Squad,” directed by David Ayer (2016)
“Wonder Woman,” starring Gal Gadot (2017)
“Justice League Part One,” directed by Zack Snyder, with Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams reprising their roles (2017)
“The Flash,” starring Ezra Miller (2018)
“Aquaman,” starring Jason Momoa (2018)
“Shazam” (2019)
“Justice League Part Two,” directed by Zack Snyder (2019)
“Cyborg,” starring Ray Fisher (2020)
“Green Lantern” (2020)
Many noticed that there were no Superman or Batman films on the initial slate, WB was quick to clarify that two new standalone films are in development for the characters, but they haven’t been dated yet. It’s really exciting seeing WB finally going all in with their DC properties, and there’s quite a few interesting bits of information here. First off, the DC film and DC tv universes will stay separate, as WB has cast Ezra Miller as the Flash in the film universe. It’s definitely a bit of a bummer, considering the new CW show, The Flash, has been a big hit with a lot of praise for Grant Gustin drawing a lot of praise for his role as Barry Allen in the series.
Second, is that the Justice League film won’t be two standalone films, but one film split apart. That’s a huge thing, which makes me think that there will be one overreaching story arc through this new DC film universe. It’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out, specifically with the two Justice League parts. One thing I’m rather happy about though is to see Zack Snyder, the director of Man of Steel and the upcoming Batman v. Superman, will be directing both parts of that film. It’s good to see him overseeing and being a constant in the DC films.
Finally, Green Lantern will be a reboot of the character, something that many had expected but weren’t sure of. Ryan Reynolds will not be returning to the role at this point, and the character will apparently make his first appearance in the first Justice League film. It’ll be very interesting to see who they cast in the role this time, and if it’ll be Hal Jordan, or Jon Stewart, another famous Lantern from the comics.
This is a very exciting slate, and it’s really good to see WB really playing in the DC universe right now. It’ll be really interesting to see who will be making all these films, and how they all come together. It’s a great time to be a comic fan! Are you excited for the new DC announcements? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Universal Studios has just released the first poster for their highly anticipated fourth installment in the Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World, and it’s a perfect tease for what’s to come. The poster harkens back to the poster of the original Steven Spielberg film, with a simple yet effective tag line, “The Park is Open.” Check it out below.
There’s just something really great about this simple poster, and it just works. It already brings a bit of excitement, as well as dread, knowing what will be inside those gates of Isla Nublar. My first question is who thought seeing John Hammond’s dream through was a good idea, and my second question is, why do I care? We’re returning to Jurassic Park, and that’s very, very exciting! The new film stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jake Johnson, and is directed by Safety Not Guaranteed director Colin Trevorrow. With the release of the poster, we must be pretty close to a trailer, which is very exciting as well. Jurassic World is set to hit theaters on June 12, 2015.
