Disney News

Fantasmic!, Disneyland® Park’s nighttime spectacular presented on the Rivers of America in New Orleans Square and Frontierland®, marked 20 years of presentations this past weekend. Opening May 13, 1992, Fantasmic! combined Disney characters and live performers with amazing special effects and high-definition digital images from classic Disney movies projected on giant mist screens.

Fantasmic! is an exploration of Mickey’s active imagination as the forces of good and evil battle in his dreams. Whimsical scenes from the film Fantasia and other classic Disney films are displayed around Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island until the Evil Queen calls her her magic mirror. From there, Mickey’s dream takes a dark turn as he tries to triumph over some of Disney’s most dastardly villains!

Several updates have kept Fantasmic! fresh over its 20-year run. Recent enhancements include the climactic transformation of the evil Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty into a fully animated 40-foot-tall dragon. Also added was an appearance by Flotsam and Jetsam, the slithering eels who serve Ursula the Sea Witch in The Little Mermaid and a new look for Captain Hook’s crocodile nemesis.

Because of the continued popularity of Fantasmic! at Disneyland® Park, be sure to ask your Magic Maker® about the availability of advance reservations for premium viewing options. Slightly varied versions of Fantasmic! can also be seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ in Florida and Tokyo DisneySea®.

Enjoy these Fun Facts from Disneyland® Park’s Fantasmic!:

• The new dragon is a fully animated 3-D design that replicates the movements of the dragon in Sleeping Beauty.

The schedule of events for the first week of Star Wars™ Weekends has been announced.

• Celebrity Host Meet and Greet at Echo Lake – will use Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• James Arnold Taylor (Voice behind Obi-Wan Kenobi and Plo Hoon in Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 9:45a
• Ashley Eckstein (Voice behind Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 4:30p, 5:45p
• Additional Celebrity Meet and Greets at Echo Lake – will use Disney’s FASTPASS® Service
• Ray Park (Double lightsaber wielding Sith, Darth Maul from the Phantom Menace) – 10:15a, 1:45p
• Jerome Blake (Rune Haako/Mas Amedda from The Phantom Menace) – 10:15a, 1:30p, 4:30p
• Dee Bradley Baker (Voice of Captain Rex from Star Wars™: The Clone Wars) – 3p, 4:30p, 5:45p
• Padawan Mind Challenge(registration at park opening near ABC Sound Studio) – 2:10p, 6:30p
• Hyperspace Hoopla – 8:00p
• Jedi Training Academy(sign-up in front of Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular) – 9:15a, 9:45a, 10:15a, 10:45a, 11:15a, 11:45a, 12:15p, 1:30p, 2:00p, 3:45p, 4:15p, 4:45p, 5:15p, 5:45p, 6:15p, 6:45p
• Star Wars™ Character Encounters (locations around Star Tours – The Adventure Continue, Backlot Tour and Premiere Theater) – 9a-7p
• Behind the Force – 11:00a, 1:45p
• Stars of the Saga – 3:15p
• Obi-Wan and Beyond – 4:45p
• Visit to the Maul – 6:00p

Star Wars™ Weekends will take place Fri – Sun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ May 18 – June 10, 2012.

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From the state-of-the-art kids’ club at Aunty’s Beach House, pampering treatment in Painted Sky teen spa, and an imaginative pool area Waikolohe Valley, there is something to delight every age and interest at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. This family paradise with a touch of Disney magic is surrounded by the green mountains and beautiful ocean waters in Ko Olina, Hawai’i.

For stays of 5-nights or longer from Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012, at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, kids (ages 3-9) will eat free* when ordering from the kid’s menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your children will also receive a free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef, the only private snorkeling lagoon in O’ahu! Guests of any age will save 25% off** fares on Hawaiian Airlines when flying from JFK, SFO, LAX, OAK or SJC.

Booking Window:
Now – July 14, 2012

Travel Window:
Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012

Travel Offer Details:
With a minimum 5-night minimum stay, guests ages 3-9 each receive:

• A free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef
• Three free meals (from the kid’s menu) for each night of your package at your choice of the following quick-service and table-service restaurants:
  • ‘AMA ‘AMA: Includes 1 appetizer (lunch and dinner only), 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only); 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
  • Makahiki: Includes 1 full buffet (breakfast and dinner only)
  • The ‘Olelo Room: Includes 1 continental breakfast (breakfast only)
  • One Paddle, Two Paddle; Mama’s Snack Stop and Lava Shack: Includes 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

* The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Dining entitlements and Rainbow Reef pass are for registered guests only, expire upon check out and are non-transferable. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

** Reservation must include a minimum one-night stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. Limited supplies are available and discount may be applied over all travel dates (8/29/2012 – 11/03/12). Fares on some dates may be higher. Not valid on K & L fares. Maximum of 6 passengers per reservation. Travel must originate from one of the following Designated Airports: John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Oakland International Airport (OAK), San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Fare is subject to seat availability. Child/infant or other discounts do not apply. If ticket changes are made, the value of the original round-trip discount may not be applied and is subject to availability. Date and routing changes may be made with applicable penalties, and fare differential may apply. Cancellation penalties will apply. Discount will be applied to the published base fare at the time of booking, based on a round-trip itinerary originating from a Designated Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii and includes Base Fare, Fuel Surcharge, and U.S. taxes. Fare shown includes taxes and fees including a $3.80 ZP tax per segment (defined as one takeoff and one landing), a $2.50 per enplanement September 11th Security Fee (not to exceed $10) and PFC surcharge of $4.50 (not to exceed $18 round-trip) where applicable will be applied. For complete listings of fees and baggage charges, visit http://www.hawaiianair.com/moreinfo.

Sorry, this promotion has expired

From the state-of-the-art kids’ club at Aunty’s Beach House, pampering treatment in Painted Sky teen spa, and an imaginative pool area Waikolohe Valley, there is something to delight every age and interest at Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. This family paradise with a touch of Disney magic is surrounded by the green mountains and beautiful ocean waters in Ko Olina, Hawai’i.

For stays of 5-nights or longer from Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012, at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, kids (ages 3-9) will eat free* when ordering from the kid’s menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your children will also receive a free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef, the only private snorkeling lagoon in O’ahu! Guests of any age will save 25% off** fares on Hawaiian Airlines when flying from JFK, SFO, LAX, OAK or SJC.

Booking Window:
Now – July 14, 2012

Travel Window:
Aug. 29 – Nov. 3, 2012

Travel Offer Details:
With a minimum 5-night minimum stay, guests ages 3-9 each receive:

• A free length-of-stay pass for the Rainbow Reef
• Three free meals (from the kid’s menu) for each night of your package at your choice of the following quick-service and table-service restaurants:
  • ‘AMA ‘AMA: Includes 1 appetizer (lunch and dinner only), 1 entrée and 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only); 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage
  • Makahiki: Includes 1 full buffet (breakfast and dinner only)
  • The ‘Olelo Room: Includes 1 continental breakfast (breakfast only)
  • One Paddle, Two Paddle; Mama’s Snack Stop and Lava Shack: Includes 1 entrée or 1 complete combo meal, 1 dessert (lunch and dinner only) and 1 single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage

* The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid in combination with any other discounts or offers. Additional per adult charges may apply if more than 2 adults per room. Dining entitlements and Rainbow Reef pass are for registered guests only, expire upon check out and are non-transferable. Advance reservations required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

** Reservation must include a minimum one-night stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa. Limited supplies are available and discount may be applied over all travel dates (8/29/2012 – 11/03/12). Fares on some dates may be higher. Not valid on K & L fares. Maximum of 6 passengers per reservation. Travel must originate from one of the following Designated Airports: John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Oakland International Airport (OAK), San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Fare is subject to seat availability. Child/infant or other discounts do not apply. If ticket changes are made, the value of the original round-trip discount may not be applied and is subject to availability. Date and routing changes may be made with applicable penalties, and fare differential may apply. Cancellation penalties will apply. Discount will be applied to the published base fare at the time of booking, based on a round-trip itinerary originating from a Designated Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii and includes Base Fare, Fuel Surcharge, and U.S. taxes. Fare shown includes taxes and fees including a $3.80 ZP tax per segment (defined as one takeoff and one landing), a $2.50 per enplanement September 11th Security Fee (not to exceed $10) and PFC surcharge of $4.50 (not to exceed $18 round-trip) where applicable will be applied. For complete listings of fees and baggage charges, visit http://www.hawaiianair.com/moreinfo.

We would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all our favorite Moms out there! We hope that you get to spend time with your family and friends, and maybe even get pampered a little!

Kick back, relax, and enjoy this special Mother’s Day preview of Disney•Pixar’s Brave which opens in theaters June 22nd.

Princess Merida will begin will begin an all-new character greeting experience in just a few more weeks!

A special “Disney mom” has a new reason to celebrate this Sunday after giving birth to a white rhino calf at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park.

After a 16-month gestation period, Kendi gave birth to her fourth calf Friday, May 4. The unnamed healthy male is the ninth white rhino which has been born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. Ironically enough, his mother, Kendi, was the first 13 years ago!

“The birth of a white rhino calf is certainly something to celebrate since the population of this species is endangered in the wild,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Animals, Science and Environment for Disney Parks. “It’s encouraging that with protection and careful management, the global population of white rhinos continues to grow.”

Guests visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park unfortunately won’t be able to catch a glimpse of the little one quite yet. The calf and mother will spend some time off the savannah bonding before they return to the herd in the coming weeks.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park participates in a white rhino breeding program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The program focuses on sustaining the white rhino population in North America. Beyond breeding programs, The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and the Disney Foundation have provided more than $1 million in support to programs in Africa and Asia to protect the last five remaining species of rhino.

And now, a few White rhino fun facts that you may have learned on a previous Kilimanjaro Safaris® Expedition at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park:

• White rhinos are named not for their color, which is gray, but for the shape of their mouths. The word “weit” in Afrikaans means wide.
• The white rhino is among the world’s largest land mammals, second only to the elephant. A male rhino can grow to more than 5,000 pounds as an adult.
• A rhino can move its ears independently to pick up sounds but it depends most on smell.
• The receptors responsible for the rhino’s sense of smell are larger than the animal’s entire brain.
• The white rhinoceros has the widest set of nostrils of any land based animal.