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.
Need your fix on movie news? We have just the podcast for you! Reel Film Chatter is a new film news podcast hosted by our Film News editor Patrick Campbell, and his co-host Sam Taylor, as they embark on a journey through the newest happenings in Hollywood. The weekly podcast will cover casting, big announcements, and whatever big news comes across their path, and is going to be used as a way for new cinephiles and older cinephiles alike to get their newest movie news fix. The newest episode is below, which covers the most recent batch of Marvel Studios film news, including Robert Downey, Jr. returning for Captain America 3, the first images of Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, and more! Check it out, and subscribe on iTunes as well. You can also follow the podcast on twitter at @reelfilmchatter, and it’s hosts at @pj_campbell and @SamTheFilmMan.
Wow, what a shocking turn of events, and not one that many may have seen coming. But in a bold move, Marvel Studios has renegotiated with Robert Downey, Jr. to play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe a little bit longer, as he has just signed on to co-star in Captain America 3 with Chris Evans, who will once again reprise his role as Steve Rogers. Variety broke the news. It appears that the film, which will most likely be titled Captain America: Civil War, will be an adaptation of the popular crossover event series Marvel Comics published a few years ago.
This news is really surprising, but not completely unexpected at the same time. Downey, Jr. has been teasing his return in the MCU for more than just his time in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and The Avengers 3, his last contracted films with the studio. While many thought he may be teaming up for returning for Iron Man 4, or even an off chance Guardians of the Galaxy 2, but not many expected he’d be returning in Captain America 3. This definitely makes sense though, as the threads for Civil War had already been quietly placed in the first Avengers film, as well as in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Now, the real question is, where does this take the Marvel Cinematic Universe from here, and how many more films has Downey, Jr. now signed to star in? Because if the rumors are true, we may not be reaching a huge showdown with Thanos until The Avengers 4, and all heroes will be needed at that point. This is certainly very exciting news, especially for fans of the comics and filmgoers alike, and I can’t wait to see just how much of an impact that this film, and the colossal Civil War will have ramifications on the ever growing MCU.
Captain America 3 is scheduled to open on May 6, 2016.
If you were a fan of the classic film Alien directed by Ridley Scott you will thoroughly be pleased with this “sequel.” Even if you are too young and never got a chance to watch the film the game does a good enough job to bring you into the fold. Let’s start with a brief plot: The game takes place 15 years after the events portrayed in Ridley Scott’s Alien. You play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of missing warrant officer Ellen Ripley (the heroine from Alien). She is approached with word that the flight recorder from the Nostromo (the ship her mother was aboard) has been recovered and is currently on The Sevastopol, which is a free port space station. She is offered a spot on the team to retrieve it, but what is supposed to be an easy retrieval mission soon becomes a nightmare. When Ripley and her team arrive at the Sevastopol station they find it with a vast amount of damage. As Ripley and two others try to board the Sevastopol, some debris separates them and now it’s up to Ripley to investigate what happened and retrieve the flight recorder.
From the moment you step onto the Sevastopol Station you are filled terror; the entire ambience gives you this claustrophobic feeling where you always think something is right behind you. You have no idea what has happened on the station and why it has been riddled with corpses and a few survivors. I was only able to play this game a few hours at a time because the amount of tension was simply too much for me. The designers of this game did very well to invoke a tense atmosphere and the scariest moments were actually when you were by yourself. Every sound caused me to jump from my seat even when it was just a piece of metal falling caused by the damage the station has sustained. I constantly felt as if the alien was right there behind me, ready to pierce my abdomen. The alien itself is terrifying as well, the developers gave the alien AI and so it was very unpredictable. Just because you got to point A did not mean that the alien would be at point B and do a certain action. The alien could be alerted if you set off an alarm or fire your weapon. This really made you think what course of action you need to take to get past certain obstacles and just because it didn’t work for you one time does not mean you’d get the same result the next.
By far, this game has been one of the stress inducing games I have ever played. It’s not the conventional scary game by depicting gruesome images or by constantly shocking you with things pooping out; this game invokes a sense of fear caused by putting you in the unknown. You never know if any of your actions will alert the alien or other enemies to your location and kill you. If you don’t like stealth games or get easily bored with them, then Alien: Isolation may not be the best for you. If you want to survive the nightmare you’ll have to move slowly to explore and avoid detection.
As you explore the space station you’ll be given tasks like locate a key to open a certain door, hack a computer system to allow you certain access, but not until you first locate “X.” These constant tasks are great at first, but later become redundant. It feels as if anything that could go wrong will go wrong. You are hampered at every turn and every “simple” mission is not quite so simple. On the other hand, there is a makeshift crafting system where you can make anywhere from Med Kits to noise makers and flamethrowers. This does allow for variation in the game and makes you really think how you can use your tools to proceed. Moreover, all of this is done in real-time and so you must remain exercise precaution otherwise you can be detected and killed. Like it was said before this game is all about high tension; there is no auto-save feature to the game. If you want to save your progress you have to reach these Emergency Phones to save your progress and even that takes time. In the 3-5 seconds it takes to save you can be killed by the alien, which can cause some frustrations. It seems as if there are more save spots earlier in the game where it’s not really needed than later on when you truly wish for a slight break.
Overall, the game does a really great job portraying the retro futuristic look with the green screen computers and block lettering. The entire ambience is right on point; you truly feel as if you’re on a decimated space station and you feel pretty alone. The faults of this game is that it feels like it was too drawn out too long; by the end you get tired of having to hide in a locker for the umpteenth time waiting for the alien to leave. The tasks become monotonous and extremely difficult when you have to deal with all of the prior elements at once and you just want to escape.
The Verdict:
So the main reason why you’re reading this is “should I buy this game”? There’s no clear answer for this. If you are a fan of the series and enjoy stealth games then this game is totally for you. If you prefer fast-paced games where there are hordes and hordes of enemies you must face then you might not enjoy it so much and might get bored with it. I for one truly enjoyed it; it was the first game I have played that took a different approach to playing a horror survival game. Alien: Isolation is available for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC. The game also offers two DLC where you get to play as one of the crew on the Nostromo trying to flush the alien out of the air duct and the other where you play as Ellen Ripley trying to initiate the ship’s self-destruct sequence and escape in the shuttle. One last comment: this review was done playing the PlayStation 4, which was a copy provided by SEGA prior to launch. This version comes with the option of utilizing the PlayStation camera to track your head for when you’re in Peek Mode or you can enable it to detect noise if you want an added challenge. I do not own a PlayStation Camera and so I cannot comment on what it is like playing with these features. If you have please comment to let us all know!
Welcome to The Queen Mary, a haunted ship used as a tourist attraction and hotel in Long Beach. What can be scarier than that? Well just wait until you visit Dark Harbor, which is a whole different beast entirely! I have been attending haunted events since I was 7 years old and nothing has scared me more than what Dark Harbor had in store for 2014. If you are looking to visit Southern California this Halloween season, the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor is absolutely the top Halloween event to attend.
Your host “The Captain” and his brigade of featured stars for their respected mazes.The entrance to where “Evil Lurks Within”The Captain giving is opening speech and amping us (and the monsters) up as Dark Harbor begins.
Mazes
With six horrifying mazes to experience, three on land and three on the ship, and an all new experience on the ship titled “Encounters” (which unfortunately my party and I didn’t get to experience) a great night was definitely meant to be had! These also aren’t your normal Halloween Haunt mazes to go through. These were long and vicious mazes that tricked us into thinking it is almost over when, maybe, we were halfway through. It was tiring, but worth it 110%!
We started off with the three on land mazes (Voodoo Village, Circus, and Dead Rise) and saved the three ship mazes (Submerged, B340, and Soulmate) for last! And this was a decision we didn’t regret in the slightest. When you do attend, we HIGHLY recommend purchasing Front of the Line (Fast Fright) onto your tickets. These lines for the mazes get up to an hour to two hours long and we know how exciting waiting in an extremely long line can be… NOT! It is worth every penny you pay for that front of the line pass!
In our reviews we aren’t going to give much away, because we want all of you to go and experience it for yourselves!
Voodoo Village (New for 2014)
The Voodoo Priestess and her following rabid gypsies have taken over the Village. Encounter voodoo spirits, tombstone monsters, horrifying sacrifices and murky bayous as you make your way through.
Rated: 7/10
This was the first maze we went through to begin our night and this maze was phenomenal! From the sets to all of the scare actors, this maze was the perfect way to start off. How the creators found a way to create this mazes are absolutely amazing and this maze (I’m sorry Knott’s) beats Voodoo in every possible way. From entering the Voodoo workshop to visiting the girls of Mardi Gras and entering deep into the bayou. This maze has you screaming from beginning to end. The catacombs feels like I entered a movie and the deeper we went, the more intense and terrifying it got. As amazing as this maze was, the talent is always needed to help immerse us into the story a little bit more. There were times through out the night that when we did go through, a lot of talent was missing and we were left wandering through empty corridors and catacombs. I recommend visiting this maze first when entering Dark Harbor, it’s a trip you will definitely not want to miss!
Deep inside the Voodoo Workshop
Circus
Face your nightmares as you fight your way through the horrors under the Ringmaster’s big top.
Rated: 8/10
The second maze of the night and I thought this was more of a fun maze with scary moments than truly terrifying horrors. The maze puts you in different scenarios of not knowing which way to go, until a clown laughs at you and points you into the (im)proper direction. This was a literal maze at certain points that had us circling around until we found the path to get us into the next eerie part of the maze. This made the maze a lot of fun, but don’t expect it to be all fun and games under the big top! The clowns and freaks in this maze made us howl with fear with the littlest of ideas of where we will head towards next. With all of the gags and fun props in this maze, it seemed to have more of a fun house feel than an actual circus. Also be careful if you consume a lot of alcohol before entering, there is an effect at the end that we completely loved that may have you lose your balance!
DeadRise
Board if you dare, and run for your life from Half Hatch Henry and the vengeful souls of his long lost warship, previously buried beneath the waves.
Rating: 6/10
Oh, Deadrise! What looks like a tiny maze from the outside, it actually feels like the longest once you step in. I completely adore the theme and what they used to decorate the maze, as well as what they used for their walls (storage containers). But the theme just felt repetitive after awhile. It was difficult to understand what was going on throughout, and I know that there is only so much you can do with a sunken warship theme. The talent was ridiculously above and beyond with some of the best scares we had all night, but with the limited theme, it was hard to get into the story in a majority of the areas. With that being said, it did feel like we were at the bottom of the ocean with the beautiful blue and green lighting going on, but boy was that fire hot towards the end. Be careful when entering the bunks!
Submerged
Descend into a sinking ship and encounter the drowned souls that reside there or risk the wrath of Scary Mary.
Rating: 9/10
As the first maze on the ship, my expectations were high as I felt more excited being on and venturing through the forbidden corridors of the ship than anything. Scary Mary decided to change all of that once we entered the swimming pool area of the ship right at the beginning of the maze. Soon after we would be submerged deep into the bowels of this sinking ship and experience monsters and ghosts that would haunt us through out the journey. The talent was amazing in giving us top notch scares and the smells of the moldy water as well as the theming inside was fantastic! The water pouring into the ship created a state of panic that we would be going down with the ship. Our only gripe? The crying guest behind us, haha!
Want to go for a swim?
B340 (New for 2014)
Journey through the terrifying of Samuel the Savage, and find out the truth behind stateroom B340. There is no way out but his.
Rating: 10/10
B340, in my opinion, was the only maze that had a constant story that stuck throughout the ship. With entering the maze you are thrusted into the mind of Samuel the Savage and you even take a quick cruise through, what I believe is, his brain. This is the maze that not only had the best talent of the night, but it had the best soundtrack as well. The constant ticking of the clocks and listening to Samuel go a little bit more crazy the deeper we got was surely something that I will soon not be forgetting. This maze also had a lot of tight spots that you have to squeeze through, so if you’re a little bit claustrophobic., be careful! Also the bridge! The bridge gag was the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced! Kudos to those involved with that amazing effect! This was easily the top maze of the night and I hope to see it return for many more years to come!
Soulmate (New for 2014)
There is a masquerade ball aboard the Queen Mary, and Graceful Gale is searching for her eternal soulmate. Could it be you?
Rating: 7/10
As we entered the last a final maze for Soulmate, the quiet beginning gave a horribly eerie and uncomfortable feeling. That soon all changed once we entered the lobby of the hotel where a bellhop started pointing at us and gave us one of the best scares of the night. Besides that beginning scene, I felt like this maze wasn’t as memorable in the middle. It also didn’t seem to make much sense until you’ve gotten to an area where it looks like a monster is creating the fluid white dress for Miss Graceful Gal. The Masquerade Ball which Gale was in was the only highlight of the maze besides the beginning and even then, it didn’t feel quite complete. I loved the music used in the ball, but as before, the rest of the audio and maze wasn’t quite as memorable. I hope next year this maze will make a little bit more sense or have the talent act to what is going on in the story. Like all other mazes before, this maze had some awesome scares and the talent did the absolute best with what they had. Being in the different areas of the ship was amazing and I can’t wait to see what this maze will have in store in the future.
Welcome to the Masquerade Ball
Overall Pros
Mazes – They are some of the top and longest mazes in Southern California at a haunted event! We loved it!
Monsters – From the atmosphere to the inside of the mazes, the talent absolutely blew our minds with how creepy, terrifying, and morbid they all were! The make up was jaw dropping in every way imaginable.
Activities – From riding a mechanical bull all the way to seeing a freak show for $5 with a girl nailing a nail through her nose to “Encounters” which is an all new paid haunted experience aboard the Queen Mary. There is something for everyone to do! Don’t forget to take a ride on the Sinister Swings which is from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch!
Shows – We only caught the story telling show that detailed all of the main characters for the mazes, but throughout the night there are continuous shows on the stage to keep you all entertained! The show we saw was excellent and started around 8:30.
Atmosphere – The theming and detailing around the event is outstanding with amazing theatrical lighting, fire and props!
Food – From kabobs and hotdogs/burgers to your greasy deep fried food, you are definitely not going to go hungry at Dark Harbor. They also have drink/food stands right near the mazes for your convenience!
Follow the Flames so you can visit the Freak Show!
Overall Cons
Alcohol – We completely understand that alcohol is a huge boost in sales at any event, but please don’t let it be at a Halloween event. It created some horribly awkward situations in both inside and outside the mazes. It gets me worried for not only the talent, but themselves and the guests around them.
External Camera Lighting – The biggest pet peeve that I will ever have going through a haunted attraction (besides the alcohol) is the use of video/camera lighting inside the mazes. This not only ruins the atmosphere and experience for the guest, but can also cause harmful issues with the talent. I hope that this gets taken under control and won’t be an issue in future events.
Lines – If you can get Fast Fright (Front of the line) or VIP… Do it! No questions asked! You will be waiting for more than an hour for each maze if you don’t and “Heads Up” with friends can only be fun for so long. You will not regret buying the Fast Fright and will be able to experience each maze multiple upon multiple times!
Dark Harbor runs and operates an extremely horrifying and professional event! I cannot wait to return and for those of you who WILL attend, you will not be able to wait either. This is the years top Halloween event and it will definitely be hard to surpass it!
In a ceremony at Sleeping Beauty Castle, Disneyland Resort President Michael Colglazier announced that cast members Jessica Bernard and Allie Kawamoto will represent the Resort and its 26,000 cast members as the 2015-2016 Disney Ambassador team, a program celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The team will continue a tradition started by Walt Disney in 1965, established to assist him with sharing the magic, inspiration, and optimism of Disneyland. Julie Reihm Casaletto, the first Disney Ambassador who was selected by Walt Disney, helped welcome the new team at today’s ceremony.
Bernard and Kawamoto were selected from nearly 60 applicants, and will spend a two-year term bringing the magic of the Resort into the community by acting as emissaries of goodwill. As part of their full-time duties, they will represent the Resort at a variety of events, such as hospital visits with Disney characters, promotional tours and cast recognition ceremonies. In addition, the pair will serve as spokespeople for the Resort.
“Disney Ambassadors have played an important role at the Disneyland Resort throughout the past 50 years,” said Michael Colglazier, president of the Disneyland Resort. “This tradition will certainly continue as Allie and Jessica help us share the excitement of our upcoming 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration with our guests, community and fellow cast members.”
In 2007, Kawamoto began her career in the Disney College Program and most recently served as a food and beverage manager on Main Street, U.S.A. She participated in the Resort’s Emerging Leaders Program and is a member of the Disney VoluntEAR Leadership Council. Kawamoto is from Cerritos, Calif.
Bernard began her career with Disney in 2012 in entertainment and performed in shows including “Mickey & the Magical Map.” She has volunteered with a number of organizations, including The Ronald McDonald House and Mary’s Soup Kitchen. Bernard is originally from Bend, Ore.
The tradition that started at Disneyland 50 years ago now includes Ambassadors at Disney Destinations around the world, most recently adding Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, and Shanghai Disney Resort, which will select its first Ambassadors this year.
Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes features more than 20 new interactive figures from across the Marvel universe, original storylines penned by award-winning Marvel comic writer Brian Michael Bendis, and an all-new Toy Box mode that makes it easier for players to create and share their one-of-a-kind levels and mini-games with family and friends. In addition, all characters and power discs from last year’s release of Disney Infinity will be compatible with the Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes Toy Box.
Players can easily swap between characters and adventures or add items to their gameplay simply by swapping out what is on the base. Adventures are pure fun and simple. I caught myself saying “Wow!” the first time I soared through the sky with the Iron Man character. Each adventure comes with roughly five hours of story-driven gameplay, with challenges and collectible game unlocks providing a seemingly endless challenge. Mix that with different characters, each with their own unique powers and feel, and you’ll find yourself lost in their world.
For those avid fans that have already invested heavily in the original Disney Infinity, the good news is the older figures and accessories are all compatible with Disney Infinity 2.0, with the exception of the original play sets. Having pretty much all of the 1.0 characters, I was happy to be able to play the characters in the new toy box worlds including my favorite, Sorcerer Mickey.
In the new Toy Box Mode, players can now build rooms and theme them to their favorite characters using hundreds of furniture pieces and decorations based on iconic Disney and Marvel properties. In addition, players can create any type of game with incredible detail.
It’s a safe bet that kids who are fans of Disney, Marvel and video games will love the new characters and worlds in Disney Infinity 2.0. Older teens and adults will enjoy collecting the physical figures and Building new worlds in the Toy Box mode.
Disney Infinity is an interactive gaming platform where players have unprecedented freedom and endless opportunity to create stories and play experiences starring the beloved characters from across the worlds of Disney. Building on the success of last year’s initial launch, Disney Interactive announced that Disney Infinity’s next chapter, Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes, will hit stores this fall. In the all new game, players use real-world interactive figures to activate original storylines (Play Sets) in the virtual game worlds of popular Marvel franchises and create new adventures with other Disney Infinity characters in the Toy Box mode.
Disney Infinity 2.0 is now available for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, the Wii U™ system from Nintendo, PC and iOS tablets and smart phones.
Disney Infinity 2.0 has also released 82 new Power Discs. These discs unlock powers, abilities, and various items and themes. They are great for enhancing your game play. New Toy Box game discs give players new structured gamplay modes to the Toy Box where players engage in classic Dungeon Crawler and Tower Defense gameplay using any Infinity character.
Additional play set bundles sell for about $34.99 – Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man sets are the first to be released for Disney Infinity 2.0 – and additional figures are $13.99 each. So if you want the full Guardians of the Galaxy team to add to your collection, you’re looking at $74.99 for the starter kit, $34.99 for the play set that comes with Star-Lord, Gamora and the Guardians of the Galaxy play set, and $13.99 each for the separately sold Groot, Rocket and Drax.
One last comment, this review was done playing the PlayStation 4 Starter Pack, and a copy was provided by Disney Interactive.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. during a special panel at San Diego Comic-Con unveiled an all-new dynamic lineup inspired by iconic franchises including Super Mario, The...
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.
