Disney may have plans for a 'real' retractable lightsaber. This animation shows how it would work.

Disney's sequel trilogy had style but little substance. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Disney is working on a "real" lightsaber that mimics the Star Wars prop's retractable and light-up capabilities. Ben Ridout, a VR developer, posted an animation on Twitter explaining how it works. See more stories on Insider's business page. Disney may be working on bringing the signature Star Wars lightsabers to our Republic.According to a patent filed in 2018 by Disney and new reportin...
Tags: Twitter, Star Wars, Disney, Trends, Epcot, Disney Parks, Ridout, Annabelle Williams, Ben Ridout, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Disney, Disney Parks Disney Parks

All the new shows you can watch on Disney Plus - from 'The Mandalorian' to 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'

If you buy through our links, we may earn money from affiliate partners. Learn more. Disney+; Gilbert Espinoza/Business Insider Disney Plus has several new shows based on big franchises, like "Star Wars" and Marvel. The service also offers a lot of non-fiction shows and documentaries. Disney Plus costs $8/month or $80/year, and you can bundle it with Hulu and ESPN+ for $14/month. Monthly Subscription Service (small) Disney Plus has a lot of new shows to stream. There are spin-offs, s...
Tags: Reviews, Star Wars, Hayden Christensen, TV, Minnesota, Entertainment, Office, New York City, Marvel, Disney, US, Trends, Tech, Earth, Features, New Jersey

Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty’s journey from Disneyland dishwasher to Cars Land designer

Walt Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty used to hang out in the Disneyland cast member parking lot in the 1970s with his fellow dishwashers from the Plaza Inn restaurant and imagine the rides and attractions they’d build at the Anaheim theme park. “We’d talk about our dreams and aspirations,” said Rafferty, who is preparing to retire after a 42-year career at Imagineering. “We talked about the things we’d do someday at the park if we had a chance.” In 2012, Rafferty found himself standing in the sa...
Tags: Japan, Florida, California, France, Disney, Los Angeles, Sport, Fox, Soccer, Pixar, Disneyland, Lucasfilm, Walt Disney World, Orange County, Whitney Houston, Cal State Fullerton

Hear Me Out: Why The Spaceship Earth Redesign Could Be Both Cool And Controversial

When Epcot's Spaceship Earth finally gets its redesign could it include something potentially controversial?
Tags: Religion, Epcot, Spaceship Earth

Walt Disney World Sets Grand Opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Walt Disney World sets grand opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Some four years after first announcing development of the attraction for the France Pavilion of the Epcot park in Florida, Walt Disney World has officially set a grand opening date for its iteration of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure based on the Oscar-winning Pixar film for October 1. RELATED: Splash Mountain Getting The Princess and the Frog Redesign if (typeof readAdmiralCookie === "functio...
Tags: Japan, Movies, France, Disney, Paris, Pixar, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Universal Studios, Remy, Gusteau, The World, Bob Chapek, Florida Walt Disney World, The Walt Disney Company Disney, La Crêperie de Paris

We Finally Know When Walt Disney World's Ratatouille Attraction Is Opening At Epcot

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure was supposed to open in 2019, but now it has a new date.
Tags: Religion, Epcot, Remy

20 Years of Disney California Adventure: Exploring How Disney’s Theme Park Misfire Came Back from the Dead

20 years ago today, Disneyland Park got a sister. For over four decades, the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California had comprised the original theme park and its corresponding hotel. But on February 8, 2001, Disneyland Park was joined by Disney’s California Adventure, a theme park located in California that was also about California. (In an opening-day TV special, the park was advertised thusly: “Disney’s California Adventure…in California!”) Even with the park closed for nearly a ...
Tags: Elsa, Frozen, Hollywood, Movies, California, Disney, Los Angeles, Features, Arizona, Luigi, Diana, Walt Disney Company, Theme Parks, Norway, Ariel, Pixar Animation Studios

‘Cryptozoo’ Review: A Dazzling, Deeply Cynical, ‘Jurassic Park’ for Mythical Creatures [Sundance 2021]

“Maybe we’ll find something magical…” There’s something about Cryptozoo that truly captures your imagination. Dash Shaw’s kaleidoscopic animated film follows a group of well-intentioned hunters of mythical creatures, who aim to gather these “cryptids” in a sanctuary called the Cryptozoo. But it’s less a sanctuary than an amusement park, a gaudy ploy to introduce these creatures of legends to the public — and make a little cash off of it. But while the 1960s-set Cryptozoo is undeniably an awesom...
Tags: Movies, Disney, Movie Reviews, Animation, Indiana Jones, Epcot, Walt Disney, Independent, Michael Cera, Sundance, Shaw, Phoebe, Lauren, Okinawa, Lake Bell, Louisa Krause

Theme Park Bits: New Epcot Fountain, Snow White Ride Revisions, the Future of Dining, and More

In this edition of Theme Park Bits: Epcot’s updated fountain has been revealed. Disneyland is offering a sneak peek to an extensive overhaul of its Snow White dark ride. And more! Just because we’re in the middle of a global pandemic (squarely in the middle of Month 10!) doesn’t mean that the Disney Parks are laying dormant. Over in Orlando, Walt Disney World continues to progress through various construction projects, with Epcot being the center of a lot of the updates. You can see the re...
Tags: Movies, Disney, Morocco, Theme Parks, Snow White, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, Mickey, Spaceship Earth, Disney Springs, Disney Parks Blog, Orlando International Airport, Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Parks

Walt Disney World's Epcot Transformation Has Taken A Big Step Forward

The next step in Epcot's massive transformation is here, and it' beautiful.
Tags: Religion, Walt Disney World, Epcot

Top 21 for 2021: Best new attractions coming to U.S. theme parks

It’s never too early to look ahead at what’s on tap for next year and 2021 is already shaping up as a good year for roller coaster enthusiasts, thrill ride junkies and theme park fans. Consider our top 21 for 2021 to be an evolving and ever-changing list of the best new rides and attractions coming to theme parks in the United States in the coming year. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. ...
Tags: Utah, Florida, New York, Texas, London, Maryland, California, Mexico, France, Virginia, Massachusetts, New York City, Disney, Sport, Lego, Things To Do

Miss Disneyland’s Dole Whip? This ‘unofficial’ cookbook has the recipes you need

She grew up in Anaheim so close to the park that she fell asleep to the sound of the fireworks each night. Eventually she ended up working at Disney World. Ashley Craft always loved all things Disney, so when she began to write a blog, naturally she gravitated in that direction. “I started it in 2017 and basically I was just looking for an outlet to share different Disney information that I had, whether that’s planning ideas or tricks and tips that I had, fun facts and trivia or recipes. Of all ...
Tags: Amazon, Books, France, Restaurants, Disney, Sport, Things To Do, Soccer, SEC, Amusement Parks, Disneyland, Usa Today, Epcot, Disney World, Anaheim, Dole

How Disneyland’s new merchandise mobile checkout works

Disneyland’s new merchandise mobile checkout system expands on the mobile ordering system that has quickly become the preferred option for making purchases at restaurants and food stands in Disney theme parks. The system is now being tested at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. SEE ALSO: Disneyland furloughs another 1,800 employees with theme ...
Tags: Amazon, California, Disney, Sport, Things To Do, Soccer, Amusement Parks, Disneyland, Epcot, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Southern California, Downtown Disney, Buena Vista Street, Disney California Adventure, Disneyland Disney

Disney Parks Reveals An Awesome New Look At Epcot’s Ratatouille Ride

Walt Disney World will now open the Orlando attraction next year.
Tags: Religion, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, Disney Parks

Disneyland Offers Early Look at New Attractions, Including Marvel

BEGIN SLIDESHOW Disneyland offers early look at new attractions, including Marvel As the IAAPA Expo: Virtual Education Conference gets underway, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Josh D’Amaro has unveiled behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming attractions guests can look forward to at the various Disneyland parks in the future, including the highly-anticipated Marvel-themed coasters and lands. The first-look videos and photos can be viewed in the player and gallery below! (...
Tags: Japan, Florida, New York, Movies, California, Disney, Atlanta, Paris, Shanghai, Manhattan, Tokyo, Peter Pan, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Universal Studios

Theme Park Bits: DCA is Reopening (Kind Of), Epcot’s Next Festival, and More

In this edition of Theme Park Bits: Disney California Adventure is partially reopening its doors. Epcot’s first 2021 festival has been scheduled. And more! Every once in a while – it feels like it’s once a week, but maybe it’s less than that – I am once again mentally bowled over by the fact that we’ve been living through the grim effects of a pandemic for roughly eight months. In the grand scheme of things, eight months isn’t that long, but for a business that needs consumer money to thr...
Tags: Florida, Movies, Cdc, Disney, Morocco, Theme Parks, Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Cnbc, Disney World, Anaheim, DCA, Knott, Berry Farm

All the new shows you can watch on Disney Plus — from 'The Mandalorian' to 'The Right Stuff'

When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more. Disney+/Business Insider Disney Plus has a ton of new shows based on big franchises, like Star Wars, Marvel, and High School Musical. The service also offers a lot of non-fiction shows and documentaries, including "The World According to Jeff Goldblum," "Encore!" with Kristen Bell, and a program all about Disney Imagineering.Disney Plus costs $69.99 a year for an annual subscription or $6.99 a mont...
Tags: Reviews, Minnesota, Entertainment, Office, New York City, Disney, US, Trends, Tech, Earth, Features, Netflix, New Jersey, John Goodman, Streaming, Ms Marvel

Theme Park Bits: Epcot Hours Cut, Meet-and-Greets Back, and a Legendary Song Vanishes

In this edition of Theme Park Bits: Character meet-and-greets are back. Epcot’s hours are scaling back soon. And more! First, let’s talk about one of my very favorite subjects: theme-park background music. (Do you think that’s me being sarcastic? It’s not. I adore background music. Really.) As you no doubt recall, Disney recently announced that Splash Mountain would be getting a full overhaul, removing any ties to Song of the South and being redone as a Princess and the Frog-themed attract...
Tags: Movies, Disney, Arizona, Tokyo, Island, Theme Parks, Universal, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, Universal Studios, Mickey Mouse, Tom Sawyer, Duffy, Downtown Disney

‘Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’ is Just the Latest Disney TV Special to Highlight the Theme Parks – Watch the Best and Weirdest Here

This week marks another new arrival to Disney+, the eight-episode Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom series, produced by National Geographic. The eight episodes, narrated by Josh Gad, all purport to offer the audience a weekly peek into the inner workings of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one of the four theme parks of the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as The Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion at Epcot. In doing so, the series is able to spotlight many of the animals you can encounter at the tw...
Tags: New York, Movies, Abc, California, Youtube, Disney, Features, Muppets, Ronald Reagan, Walt Disney Company, Theme Parks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Louis Armstrong, Epcot, Caribbean

Disney World adds 'Extra Magic' hours for holidays: See when each park will be open longer

Disney World will temporarily expand its hours for the holidays, lengthening the days at Magic Kingdom and Epcot for the first week of December.         [Author: USA TODAY]
Tags: Usa, News, Usa Today, Epcot, Disney World, Magic Kingdom

Largest U.S. theme parks report no COVID-19 outbreaks since reopening

There have been no reports of COVID-19 outbreaks at the 20 largest amusement parks in the United States as California theme parks continue to await reopening guidelines from the state after six months of coronavirus closures. No COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported at Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Six Flags, Legoland and Cedar Fair parks in Florida, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan, according to state health agencies and theme park officials. ...
Tags: Florida, New York, Texas, Minnesota, California, Virginia, Disney, America, Sport, Chicago, Things To Do, Canada, Soccer, Pennsylvania, United States, Missouri

Walt Disney World Today: What It’s Really Like to Visit

After two months of closure due to the COVID quarantine, the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida reopened its gates and once against welcomed guests to the Most Magical Place on Earth. It did so of course with a lot of changes and restrictions in place to ensure the health and safety of its cast members and guests. Disney also reopened as Florida’s positive COVID numbers were rising at an alarming rate, creating a perfect storm of bad luck and bad press. The fact is though that other Orland...
Tags: Travel, Florida, Disney, Earth, Marriott, Dc, North America, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Orlando, Destinations, Southwest, Animal Kingdom, Westin, Mickey, Disney Springs

Disneyland cancels Candlelight Processional as coronavirus threatens Christmas events

Disneyland has been forced to cancel the annual Candlelight Processional that fills the Anaheim theme park each December with seasonal songs as the coronavirus pandemic that has already spoiled summer and wrecked Halloween is now taking aim at Christmas. The Candlelight Processional will not take place this year at Disneyland, according to Disney officials. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe her...
Tags: California, Disney, Sport, Things To Do, Soccer, James Earl Jones, Amusement Parks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Orange County, Epcot, Walt Disney, Southern California, Anaheim, Town Square, Mickey

Unemployment diary: I'm a 21-year-old Disney World intern in Idaho who's been out of work since April

Stephanie Becerra. Courtesy of Stephanie Becerra; Shayanne Gal/Business Insider The Unemployed States of America takes readers deep inside the decimated American workforce. Stephanie Becerra is a 21-year-old Disney World intern based in Boise, Idaho. Becerra moved to Florida back in January to pursue a dream internship at Disney World, but was soon sent back as the pandemic shuttered businesses across the nation. She moved in with her parents and has been relying entirely on savings and th...
Tags: Florida, Disney, Careers, America, Trends, Strategy, Unemployment, Idaho, Epcot, Orlando, Nordic, Disney World, Job Applications, Boise, BOISE Idaho, Boise State University

When will Disney open Avengers Campus?

Work has continued at a steady rate on Avengers Campus during the coronavirus closure of Disney California Adventure with the Quinjet finally taking its place above the Marvel themed land just this week. Which begs the obvious question: Will Avengers Campus debut when DCA reopens or will Disney push the opening of the 6-acre land to next year when coronavirus concerns recede? Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme p...
Tags: Japan, Texas, California, Disney, Sport, Things To Do, Soccer, United States, Missouri, Seaworld, Orion, Ohio, Amusement Parks, Disneyland, Illinois, Avengers

Will Disneyland block out annual passholders for weeks at a time?

A Disneyland reservation system modeled after the one rolled at Walt Disney World could leave annual passholders blocked out of the Anaheim theme parks for days and weeks after the extended coronavirus closures eventually come to an end. Disneyland has been closely watching and learning from the phased reopening of Walt Disney World although the California park has not yet released details about its planned advance reservation system. “Our Annual Passholders are some of our most loyal and valued...
Tags: Florida, California, Disney, Sport, Ap, Things To Do, Soccer, Kaiser, Seaworld, Mlb, Amusement Parks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Southern California, Sinatra

Walt Disney World to Shorten Theme Park Hours

Walt Disney World will shorten its theme park hours starting in September. After being closed for a few months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Florida parks reopened in July with new health and safety procedures. On Sept. 8, the hours for Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Epcot will be reduced. Magic Kingdom, […]
Tags: Florida, News, Disney, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Coronavirus, Magic Kingdom Hollywood Studios Animal Kingdom

Park Life: Knott’s cancels Scary Farm 2020 and Disney theme parks take $2 billion hit

Is Christmas next now that coronavirus has ruined Halloween? How will COVID-19 change Disneyland rides when the park reopens? Is another Star Wars cantina coming to Galaxy’s Edge? Find all the latest theme park news in the Park Life newsletter. Sign up for our Park Life newsletter and find out what’s new and interesting every week at Southern California’s theme parks. Subscribe here. House of Horrors Knott’s cancels Scary Farm 2020, driving a stake through the heart of Halloween. Six Flags w...
Tags: Japan, California, France, Disney, America, Sport, Soccer, Disneyland, Epcot, Universal Studios Singapore, Southern California, Disney World, Orange County Register, Knott, Hollywood Studios, Buena Park

Theme Park Bits: Epcot Plans Changed, No Moving While Eating at Disney, and More

In this edition of Theme Park Bits: Prepare to stand still while eating at Walt Disney World. Merchandise discounts galore for Annual Passholders and Disney Cast Members. Epcot’s expansion has been shifted. And more! As Walt Disney World continues to operate at limited capacity, there are plenty of changes afoot. One of the biggest changes involves a surefire revenue stream for the Disney parks: food and drink. Now, don’t worry, it’s not going away. But you might have already thought of a...
Tags: Movies, Disney, Tokyo, Theme Parks, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Epcot, Legoland Florida, Disney World, Anaheim, Mary Poppins, Downtown Disney, Disneyland Hotel, Disney Vacation Club, Tokyo Disney, Winter Haven