Increased prices at Disney parks in Florida, California
Ticket prices at Walt Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in California are increasing.According to Disney, the prices will take effect Sunday.One-day regular park tickets at Disney World's Magic Kingdom will go up $4, to $119.
Dying dad of 5 gets kidney transplant thanks to T-shirt he made for Disney World trip
NEW YORK - A dying father of five who printed a plea for a kidney donor on a T-shirt and wore it around Disney World for nine straight days while on vacation with his family in August has received a transplant."You know I came up with the idea because I think it’s out of desperation.
Pres. Trump makes debut in Hall of Presidents at Disney World
ORLANDO, Fla. -- An animatronic figure of President Donald Trump has joined Disney's Hall of Presidents in Florida.The Orlando Sentinel reports that a robotic facsimile of the 45th president of the United States stood front and slightly off-center Monday for the soft reopening of the long-running Walt Disney World attraction.The President Trump figure moves his head during the traditional roll call of leaders, motions with his arms and gives a brief speech.
Walt Disney World to close theme parks through Monday; aims to reopen on Tuesday
ORLANDO -- Disney announced on Friday its four major theme parks will close early on Saturday and remain closed through Monday with hopes of reopening on Tuesday.
Disney streaming service to get 'Star Wars' and Marvel
NEW YORK — "Star Wars" and the Marvel comic-book movies will join Disney's upcoming streaming service, potentially giving it broader appeal beyond families with young children.The Disney service will be the only place to stream those movies on demand in the U.S. as part of a monthly subscription. (So, not on Netflix.)A price hasn't been announced yet.
"Bringing the future forward:" Disney to launch streaming service for Disney/Pixar brands, live sports
MILWAUKEE -- With new streaming services in the works, Disney is trying to set itself up for a future that's so far largely been framed by Netflix: stuff I want to watch, when I want it.The Magic Kingdom is launching its own streaming service for its central Disney and Pixar brands and another for live sports.
Leading Disney parks 'Imagineer' Martin Sklar dies at 83
LOS ANGELES — Martin A. "Marty" Sklar, a right-hand man of Walt Disney and central figure in the development and expansion of his company's theme parks around the world, has died.Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown confirmed Sklar's death for The Associated Press.
A look at plans for new rides and more at Disney parks
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disney is calling upon the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and a cohort of blockbuster movies to help modernize its amusement parks.Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek unveiled the upcoming attractions at both international and domestic Disney parks during its D23 fan expo in Anaheim, California, on July 15.Most of the upcoming projects are expected to be completed by Disney World's 50th anniversary in 2021.
War of words between fired voice of Kermit the Frog, Disney and Henson family
NEW YORK — Puppeteer Steve Whitmire, who was fired from his 27-year gig as the voice of Kermit the Frog, and Disney representatives are breaking their silence about the split, which is proving to be anything but amicable.Whitmire, 58, has voiced the beloved green Muppet for much of his life, working with Jim Henson since he was a teenager and replacing Henson as Kermit after his death in 1990.
Disney fans get look at 'Incredibles 2,' 'Wreck-It Ralph 2'
ANAHEIM, Calif. — When it comes to Disney, they like to keep it in the family, whether it's getting a football team's worth of original Disney princesses to cameo in "Wreck-It Ralph 2," reuniting "The Incredibles" fourteen years after the original film hit theaters, or securing a new director for "Toy Story 4."John Lasseter, the chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, led a confetti, joke and song-filled presentation of the upcoming animation slate for the studio Friday at the star-studded biannual fan convention D23 in Anaheim, just steps from Disneyland with appearances of people from Kristen Bell to Samuel L.
13 stunning photos of Disney's 'Pandora: The World of Avatar' at night
ORLANDO -- "Pandora: The World of Avatar" officially opened to huge crowds last week at Walt Disney World in Florida.The Avatar-themed land's feature attraction, Flight of Passage, is already being called one of the best rides at Walt Disney World.
'Flight of Passage' Avatar ride is Disney's best new attraction in years
ORLANDO -- Disney's Pandora: The World of Avatar officially opened this past weekend to huge crowds, with some guests waiting up to four hours to experience the land's premiere attraction Flight of Passage.And believe it or not, the ride is actually worth the wait.The 12-acre Avatar-themed land is located at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando and includes two major attractions: Flight of Passage and the Na'vi River Journey.When you "leave" Animal Kingdom Park by walking across a bridge into Pandora, the storyline suggests you are “transferred light-years away” to Pandora.
Walt Disney’s hand-drawn map of Disneyland could sell for $1 million
LOS ANGELES -- A rediscovered hand-drawn map of Disneyland, co-created by Walt Disney himself when the park was still in its earliest days of inception, is up for auction and is estimated to sell for up to $1 million, according to KSWB.The map was pivotal in obtaining the finances Walt and his brother Roy needed to make their dream a reality.In late 1953, Walt’s brother Roy Disney scheduled meetings in New York with leading banks and the three television networks; CBS, NBC, and ABC, to try to obtain financing for Disneyland.Realizing that words alone would not be enough to convey the images he had in his head, Walt called on his friend and former employee Herb Ryman to draw what would become one of the most important drawings in Disney history.In what would be remembered as the “Lost Weekend,” Walt spent two days narrating in fine detail every aspect of his park that he could muster.
Disney sets May 2019 release date for new 'Star Wars' film
LOS ANGELES — "Star Wars: Episode IX" is coming to theaters on May 24, 2019.The Walt Disney Co.
Disney reveals new details about Star Wars Land -- and it sounds incredible
ORLANDO -- Is it 2019 yet?During a Star Wars event in Orlando on Saturday, Disney revealed new details about the Star Wars lands coming to Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California.During a panel at the Star Wars Celebration event, Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm representatives said guests will be able to control their theme park experience by choosing to work for the Resistance or the First Order.
Disney moves Magic Kingdom metal detectors to ticket center
ORLANDO, Fla. — Walt Disney World is moving its metal detectors to an earlier entry point at its most popular park, Magic Kingdom.The Orlando Sentinel reports that the detectors will now be located at the Transportation and Ticket Center starting next Monday.
Writer alleges Disney copied his plans for 'Zootopia'
LOS ANGELES — A screenwriter and producer is suing Walt Disney Pictures claiming the studio copied his ideas for the Oscar-winning animated film "Zootopia."Gary L.
Disney announces opening dates for 'Avatar,' 'Star Wars' lands; new fireworks show
ORLANDO -- Disney Parks announced this week the opening date for its new Avatar-themed land, revealed a new fireworks show coming to Walt Disney World, and announced the opening date (well, actually it's just the opening year) for its new Star Wars-themed lands coming to both coasts."Pandora – The World of Avatar" will open at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida on May 27, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced this week.
Star Wars-themed lands to open at Disney parks in 2019
LOS ANGELES — Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company will open its Star Wars-themed lands at California's Disneyland and Florida's Walt Disney World in 2019.The 14-acre attractions were announced in 2015 and are under construction at the parks.