When I discovered I'd be extending till May for my DCP, all I knew was that I'd be transferring into Attractions. What I didn't know was where I would be, what show or ride I'd be manning -- I didn't know any of the details.
Source link missing.
Someone told me the information would show up on our record card. Someone else told me leaders were handing out the new training schedules.
Turned out my second friend was correct -- and you'll never guess where I'm headed!
That's right: I am headed to DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney's Animal Kingdom! As of now, I don't know if I'll be doing the carnival games, Primeval Whirl, TriceraTop Spin, The Boneyard and/or Dinosaur.
And although I am slightly disappointed in my new location, I'm going to try to make the most of it and create lots of Disney magic for Guests!
I was able to get a very, very short video showing the signs and size of the new restaurant.
Apparently, the cast preview was this past Monday, while I was at Hollywood Studios checking out Star Wars Launch Bay -- darn! Soft openings are supposed to happen soon, or may have already started. The actual opening date is still unknown, but the restaurant is supposed to start serving guests sometime this month.
What do you think of Skipper Canteen? I'm sure there will be plenty of corny jokes, a la Jungle Cruise style, so I'm excited!
Due to the popularity of Frozen (though, Cinderella and Rapunzel's wait times have finally overtaken Anna and Elsa's), the Frozen-inspired gingerbread castle has returned for a second year to the Contemporary Resort!
All photos taken by Molly Blaeser for The Disney Freak's Blog.
The castle is located on the 4th floor, in front of the 'it's a small world' mural on the other side of Contempo Cafe. Because the Contemporary gets most of its lighting from outside through huge windows, going in the daytime is best for good lighting.
The castle is also inspired by Alice Davis' designs for 'it's a small world,' apparent in the stylized look of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Sven.
New to the castle this year are the Snowgies from "Frozen Fever."
Olaf appears next to a sand castle. I enjoyed the hidden Nemo!
The bakery team also hid 15 Olaf silhouettes throughout the castle. I overhead lots of children pointing them out to each other and keeping track of how many they'd found.
To the side of the display are holiday sweets for purchase. Check out the video below for Cast Member Alexander's top picks.
Last night, at the American Music Awards, a capella group Pentatonix performed the score from Disney's upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
And despite being an a capella group, Pentatonix's performance included an orchestra.
An interesting combination.
Image via Entertainment Weekly.
Take a listen below and decide what you think about the irony.
Arlington natives Pentatonix took the #AMAs stage Sunday night with a live orchestra for a special rendition of the "Star Wars" theme. Oh, and they were introduced by Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford!
Posted by WFAA-TV on Sunday, November 22, 2015
A long, long time ago, I applied for a program extension -- that is, to lengthen my stay in the Disney College Program. I asked for your extra pixie dust from all my followers, friends and family members.
I will be extending my program until May 2016! As for my new role, I'll be transferring into Attractions at the start of January. At this point, I don't know what park I'll be at, what ride or show -- I know nothing.
So, if you can't tell, I'm just really excited to stay longer at Disney and to be able to continue making more magical memories, for Guests and myself!
We've been waiting forever to find Dory. Yesterday, we found her for a brief moment when the trailer debuted on Ellen's TV show!
Check it out below and love everything about it:
Honestly, I'm freaking out so much that it's hard to write coherent thoughts. And as you'll see in my trailer reaction video (COMING SOON) below, I couldn't really do more than laugh. Because Ellen as Dory makes me genuinely laugh.
And that's exactly why I'm excited for this sequel. We're getting more and more Dory.
It'll be interesting to see how Pixar handles a movie about a fish who notoriously cannot remember...anything, basically. How ever will the plot -- I mean, our main character -- stay focused? But I put my faith in Pixar and Ellen. I know this will be an amazing movie.
It's not like we've been waiting more than ten years for this!
Two YouTubers, Peter Hollens and Stuart Edge, collaborated to create a nostalgic medley comprised of A Goofy Movie songs. But then, that wasn't enough.
They decided to perform the medley live, a la flash mob.
With multiple camera angles, back-up dancers, costumes and lines straight out of the movie, Peter and Stuart created an incredible music video that will please anyone who grew up with Max Goof!
My favorite part? I just love how excited the crowd gets during the whole show. They were so excited! Can you imagine? A real Powerline concert!
I'd be excited, too!
What did you think of the medley and video? Let me know in the comments section below!
Because the trailer for Alice Through the Looking Glass has finally arrived, and it's pretty fantastic.
I have not actually seen Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, but I have seen the Disney classic and love the original story. But even so, I can still appreciate a trailer like this -- a movie like this -- because just look at those visuals!
Already we can tell that this is going to a visually-stunning movie. It has a stellar cast from the first film, adding Sacha Baron Cohen as Time, so we know the acting will be good. And from the chilling rhyme narrative, it sounds (heh heh) like it'll be a pretty good storyline!
Favorite part of the trailer? Helena's wonderful laugh as the Red Queen, just in those last few seconds of the video!
Alice Through the Looking Glass opens May 27 next year.
Are you excited for Alice Through the Looking Glass? Comment below!
And with Halloween just days away, Disney finally gave us official details!
The hypothesis is indeed true: Dr. Facilier will be hosting your favorite Disney villains in a new dining experience coming to Hollywood Studios, starting January 16!
This spellbinding evening features decadent New Orleans delicacies like tender beef striploin rubbed with herbes de Provence, Voodoo sticky “pig wings” with citrus gremolata and spicy shrimp sautéed with Andouille sausage, tomato, okra and onions over creamy polenta.
Trick or treat yourself to fiendish cocktail concoctions—specialty alcoholic drinks plus beer and wine—hilarious stage-show numbers and up-close encounters with Disney’s most dastardly doomsday divas. Mix and mingle with mysterious Maleficent, hilarious Queen of Hearts, the delirious Evil Queen and the always fur-fetched Cruella De Vil—and wicked jams from our house DJ!
Tickets to Club Villain can be purchased for $99 per person, tax and gratuity included. Reservations are recommended and can be made up to 90 days in advance, either by booking online here or by calling (407) 939-3463.
Sunset Showcase will host multiple themed events and experiences over time. The first event, Club Disney, will debut December 4. I'm assuming Club Villain replaces it, unless there's a Star Wars-themed event I'm forgetting.
With Halloween right around the corner, it's time to start sharing some villain-themed Disney videos. And to start us off is this absolutely gorgeous medley, in a jazz style, sung by Jonathan Freeman, voice of Jafar and performing the same role on Broadway.
I don't know about you, but I think this medley could have been a whole lot longer! Jonathan's voice is absolutely mesmerizing, and I adore the 1920s jazz feel to the music and even the setting. My suggestion? I would have loved to hear him sing "Be Prepared" or "Friends on the Other Side"!
What do you think of the medley? Listen to it on repeat to help you prepare for the villainous holiday right around the corner!
There are multiple branches within the Walt Disney Company, but my favorite will always be the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Like I always say, if I could actually draw, I'd be an animator.
And on this day in 1923, the Walt Disney Animation Studios began, marking today as it's 92nd anniversary!
To celebrate, here's a simply beautiful tributes to 92 years of animation, unforgettable characters and magical moments.
Which moment was your favorite? I love all of them, but I do get pretty teary-eyed at Bambi's final scene.
I think the entire video really highlights the magic in the Disney movies and shorts we love -- magic that only the talented animators could bring to the screen!
Animators like Eric Goldberg, who created this lovely drawing to commemorate today's anniversary. The fact that Eric can just draw this off the top of his head blows my mind!
A photo posted by Molly the Disney Freak (@mollythedisneyfreak) on
That rumor, my friends, has been officially...denied.
A very close friend of Winifred's reached out to me and told me the rumor is false. Bette Midler did not appear at the debut show of Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular. It was indeed the one and only Winifred Sanderson.
I know, I know. I haven't posted pretty much a darn thing about my Disney College Program, and here I am posting about a recent update... Basically, you want me to back up first, right?
Let me explain.
I'm still planning on blogging about my Disney College Program adventures thus far, but this update is too important not to share now, even if I'm skipping a bunch of chapters!
Because, my loverly friends, I need lots of pixie dust sent my way!
A week ago, I applied to extend my program -- meaning that if I'm accepted, I'd be staying till May (instead of January). And I'd be switching roles.
Do I hope I get extended? Yes, and no. I'd love to continue working for Disney, but I'm also okay with moving to Kansas City to pursue theatre.
If I do stay with Disney, I'd like to switch roles. The experiences and opportunities I've had thus far are absolutely incredible, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. So I think the cool thing behind extending is that with a new role, I can have these same experiences and opportunities but with new eyes, new people, etc., if you understand what I'm saying.
Plus, I really have no interest in staying in food service. (Though, like I said in the vlog, I do make a killer stromboli, my friends.)
In the end, extending would be a great opportunity for me, so please send pixie dust -- this Disney fanatic wants to fly!
Extension application results are released Wednesday, October 21.
Adam is a visual effects artist, who has even worked on Coraline (Tim Burton fans, get excited!). He sent me "Kimbra's Wish," a Disney tribute he made with New Zealand singer-songwriter Kimbra.
What I absolutely love about this video is the rotoscoping. As a classic animation fan, rotoscoping is one of my favorite things. Keeping the original and beautiful animation from the film and combining it with a rotoscoped version of Kimbra results in a magical music video!
If you like music, you'll enjoy this. If you like animation, you'll enjoy this. So give it a watch below!
Kimbra's take on the music is so unique, which is what makes this video stand out! It reminded me of "Wishery" by Pogo (who actually tweeted about "Kimbra's Wish"). Her voice and remix has a spellbinding and darker undertone, which took me a few listens before I could really appreciate it.
If you aren't super familiar with the original song from the classic film, here's a video for comparison. Many of Kimbra's facial expressions and gestures are exactly like Snow's!
And for even more magic, check out this behind-the-scenes video.
More behind-the-scenes footage can be found at Adam's Instagram.
With the recent release of Aladdin Diamond Edition, many cast and crew members of the movie appeared on Good Morning America to talk about how the film impacted their lives.
L-R back row: Jonathan Freeman (Jafar), Alan Menken (composer), John Musker and Ron Clements (co-directors) L-R front row: Scott Weinger (Aladdin), Linda Larkin (Jasmine), Brad Kane (Aladdin, singing), and Lea Salonga (Jasmine, singing) Image via Rotoscopers.
During the show, Brad Kane and Lea Salonga performed "A Whole New World" live. In the film, Brad portrayed the singing voice of Aladdin; Lea, the singing voice of Jasmine. Accompanying them was Alan Menken, who wrote the music for the movie.
Simply breathtaking, right? I absolutely love imagining that Aladdin and Jasmine are still singing this maybe a few decades after the film takes place, just based on how Brad and Lea's voices have matured.
But perhaps the best part of the whole show was the brief glimpse of the outtakes from Robin Williams' voice recording sessions for the Genie. Robin's absence isn't overlooked, with people around the world still honoring one of comedy's funniest men after his suicide last year.
WATCH: Never-before-seen outtakes of Robin Williams as Genie revealed in Disney's Aladdin digital release: http://abcn.ws/1Llz8Dh (Even a Star Wars reference!)
Posted by Good Morning America on Friday, October 9, 2015
The rest of the outtakes can be seen in the bonus features of the Diamond Edition Blu-Ray, hitting stores this Tuesday. For now, it can be purchased on Disney Movies Anywhere.
What was your favorite part of the interview? Comment below!
Apparently, this is something Magic Kingdom Cast Members are gossiping about...and since I went to the first show, my friend knew she had to pass on the information.
A photo posted by Molly the Disney Freak (@mollythedisneyfreak) on
If this "rumor" (and I use quotation marks because, apparently, it's a real thing) is true, that means I saw the incredible Bette Midler perform as Winifred in Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular!
I haven't heard any official word, from either Disney or Bette herself. But I'd honestly believe it, just because Winifred was so on point that night, it seemed as if Bette had been cloned!
Watch my video of the show again and tell me what you think:
I'm not against the Disney Springs name change, but I didn't see any problem with Downtown Disney. I liked the idea of going "downtown," just like at home. It will definitely take some getting used to the new name, of course!
What are your thoughts? Are you excited to try out the two new locations? Comment below!
The rumors had been swirling around for months: not-so-popular-in-the-US Duffy the Disney Bear would be retired from his meet and greet spot in EPCOT sometime this year.
In Disney Housing, TVs are not provided, so I, like many, was unable to watch the documentary.
But, PBS heard the pleas of those who missed the airing and responded by posting the entire video to their website, and I have embedded it here!
I don't know about you, but I'll be watching this for years to come!
The fact that this documentary was finally made fills me with so much happiness. Walt is the reason I am the person I am today. Thank you, for teaching me to believe in magic.
The first day of MNSSHP was Tuesday, September 15. I was lucky enough to be there and see the first show -- during which there were many, many excited screams from Hocus Pocus fans!
Watch the full debut Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show below:
As sad as I was about Villains' Mix and Mingle being replaced, I'm actually really in love with this new show. I think it's absolutely incredible!
The coolest part about the whole show? It really seemed the sisters had walked right out of the movie. I read in a Cast Member magazine that Costuming was able to get their hands on the original dresses Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the film in order to make the most accurate replicas. And also, fun fact: that's live dialogue and singing from the sisters!
Of course, the video doesn't do the show justice -- you really need to go in person and see it! Along with HalloWishes and the Boo to You Parade, MNSSHP is an absolute must for any Disney or Halloween fan!
"The Sanderson Sisters are back!"
Interested in attending MNSSHP? It requires an extra ticket, which you can get by clicking HERE. The party happens on select nights until November 1!
Disney Cruise Line is debuting Tangled: The Musical, a brand-new stage show which even features a few new songs by Alan Menken!
Image via Disney Cruise Line Blog.
And for the first time, Disney Parks Blog is giving us a backstage look at cast rehearsals for the show!
I'm eager to know the theatre magic behind Rapunzel's hair. And I cannot wait to see the stage makeup for Mother Gothel, something we unfortunately don't get a glimpse of here.
But, all in all, it's looking to be a fantastic show!
