Disneyland Monorail in Rough Shape

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Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• Today the Liberty Belle got stuck on the Rivers of America, forcing guests aboard to evacuate and preventing rafts to Tom Sawyer Island from crossing.

EPCOT

• Refurbishment on the World Discovery popcorn stand has finally completed and the stand has reopened to guests.

Disney Springs

• A new Super Hero Donut is now available at Everglazed just in time for the new “Guardians of the Galaxy” film.
• Construction continues on the upcoming Summer House on the Lake restaurant.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

• Today we headed over to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to try the new Korean Fried Chicken Bowl with Cucumber Namasu.

New Merchandise

• A new headband themed to the park icons has debuted complete with a removable bow!
• Celebrate one of Pixar’s finest films with a new “Finding Nemo” Spirit Jersey we found today.

Other Walt Disney World Resort News

• The new design for Walt Disney World Resort Cast Member nametags has been revealed.
• Complementary stickers and buttons are now available to promote The Villas at Disneyland Hotel from every Disney Vacation Club kiosk.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis today said that his biggest victory in the battle with Disney is silencing the company on political issues.

Disneyland Resort

• Chow down on Drax’s favorite Zarg-Bits, now available in Avengers Campus.
• The new Jeff Granito Star Wars Cantina–themed tableware is now available at the Downtown Disney District.
• As previously promised last year, a plush themed to the cancelled Elee attraction has arrived at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
• We went and tried everything new available at Pym Test Kitchen for the springtime menu refresh.
• Nutmeg, the Magic Key Terrace cat, has sadly passed away.

Entertainment & Media

• Our professional critic has weighed in on “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” and you can read his thoughts.
• Disney is demanding that striking WGA workers continue their other duties, an explicit violation of their union agreement.

The Walt Disney Company

• Disney has introduced the very first canine Imagineer, whose name is “Noodle.” And yes, she is a good girl.

That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

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The area is blocked with traffic cones and poles.

Guests can bring their own golf carts to the campgrounds and golf carts are also available for rental.

Trail’s End Restaurant recently closed for a major refurbishment.

Scrim is also up in the area for construction.

Trail’s End Restaurant

When Trail’s End Restaurant reopens later this summer, it will be a marketplace with expanded quick-service options. Table-service dining will no longer be offered.

Previously, guests could “feast on a down-home breakfast or dinner—served family-style—at this tasty Frontier mainstay.” Reservations were suggested for dining. With well-loved breakfast and dinner menus featuring guest favorites, Trail’s End was a popular choice for guests staying at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

Both breakfast and dinner were served family-style. The restaurant also served a variety of family favorites, including seasonal treats and desserts in Mason jars. Disney has not yet released menus for the quick-service options when the location reopens later this year.

While the restaurant is currently inaccessible, P&J’s Southern Takeout mobile ordering and The Chuck Wagon food truck are both available for guest enjoyment.

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is a 750-acre resort located on the shores of Bay Lake, just a short boat ride from Magic Kingdom. The resort offers a variety of accommodations, including campsites, cabins, and villas.

Guests who prefer to sleep under the stars can enjoy a campsite for their tent, RV, or trailer. Each site has its own picnic table, as well as a charcoal grill and fire ring. Communal restrooms and showers are located throughout the campground.

Cabins are also available for up to six guests each. Each cabin features two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom. There is also a private porch with a barbecue grill.

If you have a larger party and want to enjoy amenities at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, villas can be booked for up to ten guests. Each of these has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a dining area. They also feature their own private patio with a grill.

When visiting, guests may want to take some time to visit Tri-Circle D Ranch. This is the home of horses and ponies seen around Walt Disney World Resort. When guests visit, they can view Cinderella’s Ponies, who pull Cinderella’s carriage, as well as a variety of horses who often work along Main Street, U.S.A. Pony rides are also available for children.

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is a place for families to stay who want to experience the magic of Disney World while also enjoying the great outdoors. The resort is located just a short distance from the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Loki Statuettes

These small statues were both in a display case in the Comic Book Shop. Guests must speak to a Team Member to purchase.

Alligator Loki Statuette – $195

Alligator Loki is pictured standing on a patch of grass with Thor’s hammer buried in the dirt beneath him.

The iconic character wears his own golden Loki helmet.

President Loki Statuette – $325

President Loki is in a green suit with his own golden antlers and a “Loki” button.

He stands on a base decorated with bowling pins and overgrown vines.

Will you be displaying one of these Loki figures at home? Let us know in the comments.

The Complicated Marvel Entanglement Between Universal and Disney

In a 1994 agreement, Universal secured the theme park rights to the Marvel brand east of the Mississippi River, and eventually opened Marvel Super Hero Island along with Universal’s Islands of Adventure in 1999. All of this happened before the Hollywood superhero box office boom we know today. Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” was released in 2000 with great success, soon followed by Sam Raimi’s revolutionary 2002 iteration of “Spider-Man.” The latter became the highest-grossing film based on a comic book of all time upon release, and prompted major investment in a vast array of DC and Marvel film forays.

In 2008, Marvel Studios produced “Iron Man,” initially distributed by Paramount Pictures and foundational in the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel the following year, and this is where the theme park complications arise.

Since the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ballooned to unparalleled popularity, some guests may be confused to see Captain America or Wolverine at a Universal park, while nearby Walt Disney World seems to be missing these characters entirely. While Disney does technically own Marvel, the older agreement regarding the intellectual property holds firm.

Disney officially owns Marvel, and is now involved with all of Marvel’s films; however, the 1994 agreement stands in full legality and respect. Universal is under no obligation to forfeit their rights to the various characters and franchises. That being said, the interwoven nature of Marvel’s various partnerships from the past, including Sony’s previous involvement, causes issues for both parties.

At a recent Disney shareholders’ meeting, CEO Bob Iger was asked about these restrictions, and he responded:

We certainly would love to be able to do more with Marvel in our parks, but I’ll leave it at that.

Because of the nature of the various agreements, sometimes MCU-related merchandise is available at Universal Orlando Resort, even though the MCU is Disney’s domain.

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news, visit WDWNT.

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Limited Release Toy Story Summer Splash Magicband+ – $44.99

The band is a light ocean blue color, with a yellow-green and white striped puck.

The silhouette of a Little Green Man is in blue on the puck.

Patterned across the rest of the band are “Toy Story” characters Rex and Forky, as well as the Pixar ball and summer iconography, including a hot dog and pink flamingo.

Will you be using this new MagicBand+ during your Disney adventures? Let us know in the comments!

MagicBand+

MagicBand+ is the latest iteration of MagicBand, which guests can use in place of a physical ticket to enter Disney Parks, attach PhotoPass pictures, and more. MagicBand+ is available at Walt Disney World Resort and was also the first version of MagicBand to launch at Disneyland Resort. It is coming soon to Disney Cruise Line.

Unlike previous MagicBand styles, MagicBand+ bands interact with the environment of Disney Parks. They light up and vibrate, synching up with Disney nighttime spectaculars like “Fantasmic!” They interact with Disney Fab 50 statues and can be used to play games like Disney Fab 50 Quest at Walt Disney World theme parks. Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters is at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park. MagicBand+ interaction has begun with Disney100 decorations at Disneyland Resort.

Read about how to pair MagicBand+ with My Disney Experience and with the Disneyland app. Also, read our posts about MagicBand+ details at Walt Disney World Resort and MagicBand+ details at Disneyland Resort.

Curious about how kids do with MagicBand+? One of our reporters bought a MagicBand+ for her four-year-old and shared her experience.

Check out more MagicBand+ designs recently released at Walt Disney World Resort:

• New ‘Lion King,’ ‘Mandalorian’ N-1, and Marvel Comics MagicBand+ Designs at Walt Disney World
• New Jungle Cruise MagicBand+ at Walt Disney World
• New Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pixar, and Tiana MagicBand+ at Walt Disney World
• New Oswald the Lucky Rabbit MagicBand+ at Walt Disney World
• New Dumbo, Marvel, and Annual Passholder MagicBand+ at Walt Disney World

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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In the nearly 13-minute interview, Gov. DeSantis sits down with Newsmax host John Bachman and kicks things off talking about Disney. DeSantis says the key issue with the company was “they exercised a lot of political influence in this town. And they tried to fight us on things like parents’ rights and things that are really important to the people of Florida. We beat ’em on that, we signed the parents’ rights bill, and we’ve expanded protections, and we’ve done a lot of stuff to go back and fight ‘woke’ ideology.”

DeSantis is of course speaking about the highly-controversial Parental Rights in Education bill, commonly referred to by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay bill,” which kicked off this seemingly neverending tit-for-tat between the company and the Florida government just over a year ago. He additionally is referring to recent legislation expanding the scope of that original bill, which passed last month.

The Governor continues “since our skirmish last year, Disney has not been involved in any of those issues – they have not made a peep. That, ultimately, is the most important – that Disney is not allowed to pervert the system to the detriment of Floridians. So that’s a win for the people of Florida.”

Disney has indeed remained largely silent since their open sparring with the government last year. Former CEO Bob Chapek  initially remained silent and passive on the issue — until massive internal criticisms from Cast Members and controversy over Disney’s practice of making hefty political contributions to campaigns and individuals allegedly against their own stated human principles came into focus.

During this year’s annual shareholder meeting, current CEO Bob Iger admitted they fumbled the response, stating that DeSantis is punishing the company for exercising its First Amendment rights, which is restated in its lawsuit against DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which took over management of the special district encompassing Walt Disney World earlier this year.

DeSantis went on in the interview to talk about his ongoing fight and position against Disney’s development agreements and restrictive covenants, which his hand-picked Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board is currently counter-suing Disney over.

Bachman additionally asks if DeSantis has spoken to CEO Bob Iger, to which he frankly responds “I haven’t” before pivoting back to justifying his current stage of war with Disney. Iger said last month before the lawsuits were filed that he would be glad to speak with Gov. DeSantis regarding the issue.

He continues “I mean look — the way I viewed it was we had the skirmish last year, we said ‘no self-government,’ we implemented that consistent with what I said in the campaign… and that’s where it was headed until Disney pulled this maneuver. So forget about all the issues we had with all that, you can’t have a situation where the Legislature has spoken and one company just decides to contract out against the will of the people.”

“At the end of the day,” he concludes, “they just have to understand — the party is over for them.”

Disney Suing DeSantis & CFTOD Board

In their lawsuit, Disney Parks & Resorts cites “a targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech.” The plaintiff further argues that this chronology of events “threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights.”

Among other grievances, the Governor’s threat of new tolls and taxes, and the Board’s decision to void the company’s final agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District Board were included in the document.

The Walt Disney Company is suing for “declaratory and injunctive relief.” Injunctive relief forces a party to act in a certain way or prevents them from doing various things. An “injunction” is sometimes known as a restraining order.

Disney regrets that it has come to this, but having exhausted efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint unpopular with certain State officials.

The company is demanding multiple items of relief be met, including:

• A. Declare that the Legislative Declaration is unlawful and unenforceable because it abrogates Disney’s rights in violation of the Contracts Clause;
• B. Declare that the Legislative Declaration is an unlawful taking of Disney’s property rights without payment of just compensation in violation of the Takings Clause;
• C. Declare that the Legislative Declaration is unlawful and unenforceable because it was an arbitrary and irrational voiding of the Development Agreement and Restrictive Covenants in violation of the Due Process Clause;
• D. Declare that the Legislative Declaration is unlawful and unenforceable because it was enacted in retaliation for Disney’s speech in violation of the First Amendment;
• E. Declare that the Contracts remain in effect and enforceable;
• F. Declare that Senate Bill 4C and House Bill 9B are unlawful and unenforceable because they were enacted in retaliation for Disney’s political speech in violation of the First Amendment;
• G. Issue an order enjoining Defendants from enforcing the Legislative Declaration;
• H. Issue an order enjoining Defendants from enforcing Senate Bill 4C and House Bill 9B;
• I. Award Plaintiff its attorney’s fees and costs;
• J. Grant such other relief as this Court may deem just and proper.

The federal judge originally attached to the lawsuit recused himself.

CFTOD Board Suing Disney

The CFTOD Board of Supervisors voted to file their own countersuit against Disney. While Disney’s lawsuit is through federal court, the Board’s lawsuit is through state court.

In their 188-page complaint, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District named itself as the plaintiff and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts US Inc. as the defendant. Through nearly 200 pages of legalese, the district asks the state court to render Disney’s development agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District as unenforceable, null, and void. They also ask the same to be done of the restrictive covenants, which notably set the benchmark for expiry at 21 years after the death of the last living descendant of King Charles III, living as of the date of the document.

The CFTOB additionally asks that all agreements cannot be enforced on Disney’s end either. Meanwhile, the Florida Legislature, which is controlled by Republicans and typically acts to rubber stamp Gov. DeSantis’ agenda, is working to pass a law that invalidates Disney’s agreement with Reedy Creek. Governor DeSantis said it was well within his power to do so.

Origins of the Feud

The Florida Governor and Walt Disney Company initially clashed over the corporation’s opposition to a much-debated and controversial Florida law regarding classroom instruction and discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools, alongside various other recent state laws and proposals in a similar vein.

In an apparent act of retribution over Chapek’s expression of dissent, the Governor moved forward with various verbal and legal assaults on Disney, including the attempted dissolution of Reedy Creek and the eventual transfer of power directly under his control. DeSantis argues he is attacking a rather vague perception of something he calls “woke politics,” invading the state. He further says he aims to put the people of Florida first through his actions:

Disney has gotten away with special deals from the state of Florida for way too long. It took a look under the hood to see what Disney has become to truly understand their inappropriate influence.

The Governor insists he will double down on efforts to punish the resort through methods both in the Legislature and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board. Notably, he promised to hike hotel taxes and institute tolls on the roads around Walt Disney World Resort property. 

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Nutmeg was one of Disneyland Resort’s feral cats, tasked with keeping the rat population down around the parks and ensuring the only rodents guests see are Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Nutmeg roamed the park quite often, but had an affinity for the Magic Key Terrace lounge at Disney California Adventure.

Nutmeg was so beloved by Imagineers and Disneyland Cast Members like in fact, that they were even integrated into the tiling when Magic Key Terrace was reimagined in 2021. Their frequent perch along the concrete wall is accented with tiling of them, front and center.

Hardcore Disneyland fans may know that feral cats have become a staple of the resort’s after-hours operations. The cats are reportedly well cared for, with Disney providing stations for feeding, medical care, and neutering services. But this cat in particular was so beloved by Cast Members at Magic Key Terrace that there was a drink named for Nutmeg — made with Myers dark rum, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, and apricot liqueur and selling for $16 as a “secret menu” drink.

In 2021, the culinary director of Disney California Adventure, Jeremiah Balogh, explained to the Orange County Register, “We have lots of friends that like to visit us, and some of them are four-legged friends. We have a resident cat that will come and visit guests and Cast Members whenever he or she feels lonely.”

Many of these cats stay hidden throughout the day, although guests occasionally spot them out and about during opening time. It’s the overnight shift when they’re on the prowl, keeping the non-animated mice and rats out of the Disneyland Resort parks.

Let us know if you got to meet Nutmeg when they were alive in the comments below.

The Nutmeg Cocktail

This secret menu item is named for the cat who roams the back wooded area of the Terrace. Unfortunately, this was very unmemorable for being a secret menu item.

The presentation was a beautiful cream color with the ground nutmeg sprinkled on top. However, all we could initially taste was alcohol.

After sitting for a bit, this did become more drinkable and we could distinguish the Bailey’s and the cream. If you enjoy creamy drinks then this is worth a try, but ours was definitely boozy. So we would be willing to give this a try again, but not our first choice.

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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Experiment 7290: Cookies & Cream Cold Brew – $6.79

Chocolate Cookie Cold Brew with Sweet Cold Foam

The cold brew comes with sweet foam and an Oreo on top.

The side of the cup is covered in Oreo cookie crumbs.

Sadly, it’s not one of the best drinks they’ve done. It’s still good, and is a great sweet coffee drink, but the cookies and cream flavor doesn’t really come through that strong. It tastes more like chocolate syrup than anything else. Probably a pass unless you just want chocolate cold brew.

Orloni on a Stick – $17.49

Two Skewered Kebobs made with Ground Beef and Pork, Yellow Harissa Sauce, Rice Pilaf and Pickled Cucumber-Onion Salad

We found the Orloni on a Stick to be excellent, and was our favorite food item that we ordered today. The meat on the skewer was really flavorful, and the sauce accompaniment pairs well.

This dish is a little on the spicy side, so if you are not a fan of spicy food — you may want to skip this. The rice pilaf is a nice addition. It doesn’t have a ton of flavor, but it does compliment the spiciness of the meat.

We then put some of the relish onto our meat and that added a wonderful, sweet tanginess. It was the type of flavor that you’d expect a pickle to add, but it was very good.

Atomic Pretzel: Salmon Poke Pretzel – $15.49

Ponzu-marinated Salon, Sriracha Mayo, Avocado Mousse, Wasabi Mayo, and Watermelon Radish

If you aren’t a fan of fish, you should skip this dish. The saltiness of the salmon was a nice touch to the pretzel, but there was way too much going on flavor-wise.

There are three different sauces on this pretzel and it just makes it too overwhelming. They do add some decent flavors individually, but as a whole it becomes too much.

The Wasabi Mayo and the Sriracha Sauce overpower every other flavor in the dish. It was so overpowering that it was hard for us to even taste the salmon on the first bite. The pretzel tasted stale to us, and it was as hard as a rock — which made it very difficult to cut.

Are you going to try any of these new items at Pym Test Kitchen? Let us know in the comments.

If you’d like to read some more about Disney’s Avengers Campus news, check out these stories:

• PHOTOS, VIDEO: Mantis from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Debuts in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure
• PHOTOS: New Guardians of the Galaxy Milky Fizz Sipper at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure
• First Signs of Construction for New Shop Coming to Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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Elee the Cancelled Attraction Plush

Elee comes to us nearly a year after she was announced at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in May 2022. This version is supposed to be a baby Therii, which is her species.

In the book “The Art of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge,” we got a first look at the attraction’s concept art. Elee was supposed to be a transportation attraction similar to the Main Street Vehicles, taking guests for a ride on her back around Batuu. The creatures are native to Batuu as well as Pacara, incidentally the location new Resistance recruits are trying to reach in nearby Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

Therii are herbivores, typically eating leaves and stems from corn, wheat, oats, and popped grains.

The backstory for Elee is she was given to Salju, owner of Black Spire Station near the land’s setting of Black Spire Outpost, as a child by her father. Bina from the Creature Stall helped Salju figure out what to feed Elee and how to brush her tusks. When Elee grew too big to stay at their home in the outpost, Salju took her to live with a herd of Therii in Surabat River Valley near Black Spire Outpost. Elee’s most distinct trait was the way she flapped her ears when she was happy, according to the plush’s info tag. Her favorite treat was also the “popped grains” from Kat Saka’s Kettle, which incidentally is selling a Surabat Valley mix right now. Much of this is documented in the park-exclusive picture book “Elee and Me,” which released in 2020.

The plush rendition of course is nice and fluffy with brown fur. The face and tusks are made of hard plastic.

We found the adorable Elee plush at the Creatures Stall in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland.

Will you bring home Elee when you head off-world from Batuu? Let us know in the comments below!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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Artist Jeff Granito

The merchandise line below features artwork by Disney Artist in Residence Jeff Granito. The following biographical information is printed on the packaging materials:

Artist Jeff Granito was born and raised in Southern California. In 1994 he graduated with a BFA in graphic design from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Going on 16 years, Jeff enjoys working from his home office with his golden retriever Sutter at his feet. Jeff is honored to be an Artist in Residence at Disneyland Resort’s WonderGround Gallery, creating one-of-a-kind pieces, giclées, and support merchandise.

Set of 4 Glasses – $49.99

First up is a set of four glasses. Bith musicians from Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes cantina band, Han Solo, a Storm Trooper and Obi-Wan Kenobi are pictured here.

The full cantina scene is pictured on the top of the packaging.

Additional characters, including Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker, are part of the featured artwork used on this merchandise.

C-3PO can also be seen in the background here.

Han is being held at blaster point by Greedo on the right.

Set of 4 Coasters – $29.99

Next we have a set of four coasters.

The accompanying tag includes images of each design included as well as the artist’s biography.

Greedo and Han Solo Tiki Mug – $24.99

A Tiki mug is part of this collection, as well.

This mug features Greedo’s head stacked atop Han Solo’s head. A trio of Bith heads line the base.

The mug is a light teal color.

It cannot go in the microwave and it must be hand washed.

Stoneware Bowl- $34.99

A large stoneware bowl is also part of this line.

It features the same image wrapped around the container.

Luke doesn’t seem too happy to be in the cantina.

Obi-Wan Kenobi features prominently.

The interior is a pale teal color.

Set of 4 Plates – $49.99

A set of four plates comes in a purple box.

Branding and the image decorate the side of the packaging.

The artist’s biography is on the back, alongside images of the included plate designs.

Cantina Stoneware Serving Platter – $34.99

A larger individual plate is also available. It could function as a small serving platter.

It is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

Decorative Pillow – $34.99

A pillow in this collection reads “Take Me to the Cantina” and has printed images alongside stars and the Millennium Falcon. The border and the cantina lettering are embroidered.

Tassels hang from each corner.

Star Wars Throw Blanket – $69.99

A decorative throw blanket comes tied up with a bow.

The blanket also features textured corners and tassels, similar to the pillow.

It measures 50 inches by 60 inches.

Mickey Mouse Ears Hat – $24.99

Han Solo, Greedo, and Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes decorate the front of this Mickey Mouse Ears hat.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2 and two Jawas are featured on the back.

The controversial scene between Han Solo and Greedo is featured on most of this merchandise.

Greedo points a blaster at Han Solo.

Obi-Wan Kenobi brandishes his lightsaber in this artwork.

Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca look concerned.

The Star Wars Trading Post is a store designed after a hidden Resistance base from the “Star Wars” universe. Disney describes it as follows:

Spot Rey’s iconic speeder outside the entrance to this new shop, inspired by the look and feel of a hidden jungle Resistance base. Once inside, you’ll uncover an exciting variety of authentic “Star Wars” merchandise—from “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” gear to novelties inspired by “The Mandalorian.”

This line launched as part of the Disney Parks celebration of “Star Wars” month, and much of it is also available at Walt Disney World Resort in Hollywood Studios.

Will you be picking up any of these cantina pieces? We’d like to read your opinions it in the comments below.

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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Writers Guild of America Writers Strike

This week, Disney and Warner Bros. Studios sent out a letter to showrunners employed by its various studios. The purpose of the letter was to remind the writers and producers on strike that they are still contractually obligated to perform their non-writing services.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the letter from the legal department of ABC Signature — owned by Disney — says:

“We want to specifically reiterate to you as a showrunner or other writer-producer that you are not excused from performing your duties as a showrunner and/or producer on your series as a result of the WGA strike. Your personal services agreement with [the] Studio requires that you perform your showrunner and/or producing duties even if the WGA attempt to fine you for performing such services during this strike…Your duties as a showrunner and/or producer are not excused, suspended, or terminated until and unless you are so notified in writing by the Studio.”

The letter was written by the assistant chief counsel for the Disney-owned ABC Signature, Bob McPhail. We also noticed that the date on the letter was May 3 , which was the second day of the Writer’s Guild of America’s strike.

Writers have been on strike in Los Angeles and New York since May 2 and are seeking increased wage floors, viewership transparency from streamers, and protections against the use of artificial intelligence, among other issues.

They spent six weeks negotiating with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

In a statement provided to Deadline, the AMPTP said they “presented a comprehensive package proposal to the Guild last night which included generous increases in compensation for writers as well as improvements in streaming residuals.”

The letter from Disney also features a Q&A that informs show runners that they are required to perform duties that are not in line with the guidance provided by the WGA to its near 11,500 striking members.

The letter specifically states that showrunner and/or writer-producers, “may, along with other non-writing services, be required to perform services commonly referred to as ‘a. through h.’ services as a producer.”

According to the Q&A part of the document, the “a. through h.” services include: cutting for time, assignment of lines to other existing characters occasioned by cast changes, instructions, directions, or suggestions, whether oral or written, made to writer regarding story or screenplay, and more.

The WGA Strike rules strongly forbid union members from performing the aforementioned duties during the strike. “The Rules prohibit hyphenates (members who are employed in dual capacities) from performing any writing services, including the ‘(a) through (h)’ functions.” This puts showrunners and writer-producers in a very difficult position.

The second season of the Disney + series “Star Wars: Andor” is expected to resume despite the writers’ strike. According to Variety:

“Similarly, while “Andor” executive producer Tony Gilroy is not on set and no longer writing — scripts were locked in before the strike — sources say he is still working as a producer on specific, non-writing elements like casting and scoring for the Disney + show.”

“Andor” began production back in November 2022, so there’s a good chance that much of the filming has already been completed.

Below, is a copy of the letter, including the Q&A section from ABC Signature:

What do you think of the recent developments in the Writers Strike? Let us know in the comments.

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“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”

As much as I was looking forward to this movie, something felt off. It was missing the fun and humor from the previous movies. A big problem with this movie is that it is way too dark. And when I say dark, I mean both in its color palette and the overall story. The Guardians movies are known for colors that pop off of the screen, and you barely get any of that in this movie. And the overall story is just very dark and disturbing at times. I think some children may have nightmares after seeing this movie. There are a lot of violent deaths and some truly disturbing hybrid human/animal creatures.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is Rocket’s movie. His origin is shown through flashbacks, and I think his story could have been told in either a solo Rocket movie or a Disney+ Special. And again, it is very dark and shows a lot of animal cruelty in the flashbacks. It’s all CGI but in a realistic style. Animal lovers and children may be disturbed by the sounds and images.

Rocket doesn’t really crack jokes in this one because he is going through such a difficult time in both the past and the present, and that is sorely missed. Guardians 3 needed to end on a high note with a good time for the audience, and you don’t necessarily get that here. It’s a nice ending and a bit fulfilling, but we could have used more levity throughout.

This movie is also very long, at 2 hours and 30 minutes. Certain characters and storylines were not needed. They could have easily knocked off a half hour of the film, and it would have probably been more enjoyable.

What has always made the Guardians movies work in the past was the chemistry that the actors/characters share. The chemistry is still there, but most characters go through rough times during the movie. Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still dealing with the death of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña). It affects his leadership, and the whole crew is worried about him. Gamora 2.0, or whatever you want to call her, is not the same girl that Peter fell in love with and doesn’t want anything to do with that previous relationship. Ever since The Holiday Special, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) has developed a temper and seems to scream at people a lot, which kind of ruins the character for me. Drax (Dave Bautista ) still does a good job with the comic relief, but he also grows emotionally throughout the journey. And Groot is Groot. 

I always push for Disney and Marvel to give us good villains, and they knocked it out of the park with The High Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji. Finally, we get an actual villain that is just a villain. The High Evolutionary is not misunderstood or a victim of circumstance. He is a man with a god complex and just plain evil, and he is OK with that. That is what makes him so great.

One of my favorite Marvel comic book characters is Adam Warlock, and they absolutely ruin him in this film. In the comics, he comes across as wise and two steps ahead of everyone else. In this movie, Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) is a man-child who is mostly concerned about impressing his mother. That is a far cry from the character depicted in the comics. It’s sad because his design is pretty good, and when he uses his powers, it’s impressive. He lacks the confidence, wisdom, and intelligence that made the character so good in the comics. Either Gunn didn’t do his homework with the character, or he just didn’t like the character and wanted to make him look like an idiot. Also, James Gunn loves to push his brother (Sean Gunn) more and more in each film. When used in small doses, Kraglin is a fun character, but he doesn’t work as one of The Guardians. Thankfully he spends most of his time away from the main Guardians, but he still is given way too much screen time.

I have no idea how James Gunn chose the songs for this movie, but he must have been listening to a completely different radio station than I was back in the 70s and 80s. These songs are so obscure that I can’t even figure out who the band is. Sure, there are tunes from Heart and The Beastie Boys that most people will recognize, but the majority of these songs are not memorable at all.

There are two after credit scenes in this movie. They are not the best ones that Marvel has ever done, and it’s probably up to you whether they are worth sticking around for. One is just a few minutes after the end of the movie, but the other one will make you sit through all the credits. Neither are earth shattering, so I would look for them on the Internet when you get home.

I was looking forward to Guardians 3 and hoping this would have been the perfect ending for the franchise. In some ways, it is, but I was still wanting more. At times, it’s a bit too dark for kids and some adults. The movie could have been shorter and a lot more fun. In the end, it was good to see the characters one last time, but I am still hoping that one day we get “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 4.”

I give “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” a 7/10.

Guardians of the Galaxy at Disney Parks

Walt Disney World Resort

As some of the only Marvel characters that Disney can legally use at Walt Disney World, the Guardians are featured in EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The ride replaces Ellen’s Energy Adventure / Universe of Energy, utilizing the same façade for guests to enter the Wonders of Xandar pavilion.

For a limited time, you can find a Guardians of the Galaxy cookie and “Perfect Sovereign Waffle Bites” at EPCOT to celebrate “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

Disneyland Resort

In California, Avengers Campus was constructed around Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, a reskin of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror that opened in 2017. You can also catch a dance-off, which is currently featuring Mantis for a limited time.

Check out more limited time “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” offerings at Disney California Adventure below:

• Zarg-Bits at Pym Tasting Lab
• Chocolate Espresso R&D Martini at Pym Tasting Lab
• Milky Fizz Drink and Souvenir Sipper

International Parks

Star-Lord and Gamora also host a dance-off at Avengers Campus in Disneyland Paris and at Tomorrowland / Stark Expo in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Avengers Campus at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris is also offering limited time food and beverages for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

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The post MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ — A Dark Movie That Wraps Up The Franchise Nicely appeared first on WDW News Today.

Finding Nemo Spirit Jersey – $79.99

It has a white and blue tie-dye pattern reminiscent of the ocean against the sky.

Three “Finding Nemo” seagulls are pictured squawking on the front of the jersey.

“Finding Nemo” is across the back in orange lettering. Dory and Nemo are swimming across the bottom.

A few bubbles float up from Dory and Nemo.

Finding Nemo

Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” was released in 2003 and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It stars Albert Brooks as Marlin, a clownfish who goes on a journey across the ocean to find his lost son, Nemo, voiced by Alexander Gould. Marlin is joined by Ellen DeGeneres’ Dory, a regal blue tang with short-term memory loss. Willem Dafoe voices Gill, a moorish idol who mentors Nemo when the little fish is brought to a dentist’s fish tank.

The critically-acclaimed film won the Academy Award and Saturn Award for Best Animated Film. It’s certified fresh with a 99% critic score and an 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The 2016 sequel, “Finding Dory,” is about Dory’s search for her parents. Both films were directed and co-written by Andrew Stanton. Hayden Rolence voices Nemo in the sequel, with Gould making a cameo appearance as a delivery truck driver.

Though not as praised as its predecessor, “Finding Dory” still reached a 94% critic score and 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It won Best Animated Film at the Saturn Awards.

At Disney Parks, “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory” are represented with Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland, Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Nemo & Friends SeaRider at Tokyo DisneySea, and Crush’s Coaster at Disneyland Paris. “Finding Nemo” characters will be featured at Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland Resort. A section of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World is dedicated to “Finding Nemo.”

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It has also been said that boats can’t get off of Tom Sawyer Island either.

According to ResortTV1’s twitter page:

The boat, which has been evacuated, was stranded between Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain.

According to Twitter user Figment666, guests were evacuated from the Liberty Belle using rafts from Tom Sawyer Island.

We will update this story as more news comes in.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Liberty Belle Stuck on Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom, Guests Evacuated appeared first on WDW News Today.

Zarg-Bits – $8.50

Crispy Rice Paper, Buñuelos Corn Chips, Veggie Chips, Seasoned Roasted Pistachios

We tried the Zarg-Bits and thought they tasted like a spicy Chex-Mix. They weren’t bad at all. Although it wasn’t listed as one of the ingredients, we thought we tasted dried fruit in there at one point.

The mixture of sweetness and spiciness complemented each other very well. Overall, we liked this snack.

The Zarg-Bits aren’t the only new food and beverage offering at Avengers Campus this week. Several Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired items are now available celebrating the third film in the series.

For more reviews from Pym Tasting Lab, check out the following:

• Specialty Drinks and Snacks from Pym Tasting Lab at Avengers Campus
• New Chocolate Espresso R&D Martini at Pym Tasting Lab in Disney California Adventure
• New Popping Particle Punch in Disney California Adventure

Have you ever tried any of the food or beverages at Pym Tasting Lab? Let us know in the comments below.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3”

“Guardians of the Galaxy” focuses on a group of extraterrestrial criminals on the run who initially team up for just causes when they tangle themselves in a dangerous struggle between Xandar and Kree fanatical Ronan the Accuser. 

“Vol. 3” is the long-awaited conclusion to a trilogy that began with 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” A relatively unknown team of superheroes to the general public before this film’s release, the franchise is now one of Marvel’s most popular and critically acclaimed, with the first two films grossing a combined $1.64 billion, as well as scoring 92% and 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively.

The Guardians have also made appearances in “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame,” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” — plus a roughly half-feature-length Holiday Special on Disney+. They’ve spawned a series of video games, and are now featured in two Disney Parks attractions: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT and Mission: Breakout at Disney California Adventure. 

James Gunn, doubling as writer and director, has repeatedly expressed his profound desire to wrap the trilogy up with the utmost propriety, calling it “the hardest thing I’ve ever done” in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. 

Avengers Campus

After delays due to COVID-19, Avengers Campus finally opened at Disney California Adventure in June 2021. Another version of the land opened in Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris in July 2022.

In California, Avengers Campus was constructed around Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, a reskin of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror that opened in 2017. WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure is at both versions of the land (known as Spider-Man WEB Adventure in Paris). Avengers Assemble: Flight Force, a retheme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, is unique to Walt Disney Studios Park.

“Rogers: The Musical” is coming to the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure as a short, one-act performance for a limited time this summer. The teaser video showed a woman dressed much like Peggy Carter heading into the Hyperion Theater with a playbill for “Rogers: The Musical.” The show was first seen in the Disney+ series “Hawkeye.”

Hong Kong Disneyland has Stark Expo, featuring Iron Man Experience and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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