Guardians of Galaxy takes over the classic Tower of Terror !

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, announced at San Diego Comic-Con that the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride at the Disney California Adventure is going to be remodeled with a Guardians of the Galaxy theme!!

The attraction is called Mission: Breakout is said to open in the summer of 2017. Tower of Terror will have its final drop in early January.

The concept for the revised theme is said that when you walk in you will be walking into a fortress-like museum run by the mysterious Collector.

The Guardians of the Galaxy have become the Collector’s latest prized possession, suspended in display cases over a vast abyss.

Rocket the raccoon escapes and plans to rescue his fellow Guardians involving the audience and the museum’s elevator.

How do you feel about the new take of “Guardians of Galaxy” on an old classic ride?

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New Pirates of the Caribbean Ride at Shanghai Disneyland

Argh matey! There be tales to be told. Aye and that tale is the new Pirates of Caribbean ride at Shanghai Disneyland. Check out the video below:

Shaghai Disneyland will be the first Disney park with a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed land.

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According to The Verge, “Disneyland Shanghai isn’t scheduled to open until mid-June”, but the bar has been raised for other parks to start incorporating digital effects.

Will this themed park make you want to visit Shanghai Disneyland? How would you like to go on this ride?

 

Lights out for the Osborne Family Spectacle Dancing Lights

Today, September 11th, Disney Parks officially announced that this year is the final year of the Osborne Family Spectacle Dancing Lights to make way for Toy Story Land and Star Wars-Themed Land the lights have to go out.

Via Disney Parks Blog by Thomas Smith

What exactly is the story being the Osborne Family Spectacle Dancing Lights?

Christmas lights and decorations at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World was created by Jennings Osborne along with his wife Mitzi in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1968 for their daughter, Allison Brianne Osborne.

Jennings decorated their home with 1,000 lights and each year it grew, it grew so much that Jennings had to purchase two properties next to his own to display them. 6 neighbors filed a lawsuit because of traffic in their neighborhood, and the Osborne family responded to the lawsuit by adding 3 million more lights. Something I can only guess Walt Disney might’ve done too!

The county court ordered for a limited amount of days and hours that the Osborne can show their lights and the Jennings appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court but lost. Then in 1994 to the U.S. Supreme Court and Justice Clarence Thomas refused to halt the order, and in 1995, the state Supreme Court shut the display down altogether.

The family continued to have a light display but smaller afterwards. It wasn’t till after that Walt Disney World project director, John Phelan, after several other offers to host the display, that the Osborne family agreed to have the display on “Residential Street,” a back-lot section at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

Jennings Osborne was a fan of the resort and accepted Disney’s offer and it was in 1995 that the display was set up as “The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights,” becoming an immediate success.

Did you know after the 9/11 attack in 2001, the Osborne family displayed a lighted up American flag with the words “God Bless America and God Bless George W. Bush” across the top and bottom of the flag.

Disney Ends 60 Years of Coca-Cola Partnership and Works with Pepsi

It has been 60 years since Coca-Cola started working with Disney… since the opening day back in July 17, 1955 and now, it’s over.

Disney will be partnering up with Pepsi starting July 4, 2015 which is also Pepsi’s 50th birthday. Frito-Lay has been available to all Disney theme parks and extending their contract to include soft drinks was the idea.

Disneyland’s Refreshment Corner will have Pepsi fountain drinks and be changed to be called Club Cold sponsored by Pepsi.

Photo from Flickr

At World Disney World, the famous Club Cool which featured coke flavors from around the world will be changed to Mountain Dew’s Refreshment Corner, and will feature Mountain Dew drinks like Code Red, Voltage, Throwback, White Out, Live Wire, Johnson City Gold, Game Fuel Citrus Cherry, Game Fuel Lemonade, Baja Blast, and Solar Flare.

Photo from flickr

I think the switch will definitely be a change, I’m used to opening a bottle of coca-cola and imagining Walt Disney doing the same… I’m not too sure how it’s going to be. What do you think of the switch?

News came from Chipandco.com!!!! 😉

Shop at Disney Stores and Make Money!

I wanted to share this little secret with everyone about my shopping habits. I’m a sucker for the Disney Store (go figures, right?) well, I found a way to get money back from shopping there and take advantage of using my Disney Chase rewards card, which is free btw, get a 10% discount from the rewards card if it’s a purchase of over $50, plus the rewards money from every $100 spent, and get back 3% on top of that! How?

I shop online using EBATES and I thought it was a scam or something, but I tried it out and I seriously did receive cash back. It comes in form of a check that is mailed to your address. If I were you, I’d definitely do this, it saves money when you shop at various stores, click here to register for EBATES to start earning some cash back from your shopping. I also think that if you have a credit card that gives back a certain percentage you will benefit from this as well too!

I’ve used this for other stores to like Groupon which already gives you a discount and on eBay too. Every little bit of money counts especially when it’s going towards a Disney vacation!!! HAHA! Anyways, I’d just thought I’d share this information. Thanks.

Parks Chief Thomas Staggs is Promoted! Will He Become the Next CEO?

No way! no way! no way!!! In a good way.

According to Reuters, Walt Disney Company named Thomas Staggs, the head of its theme parks and resorts unit, as chief operating officer of the company on Thursday.

He is in the lead to succeed Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger in 2018.The 63-year-old Iger, who has led Disney to record profits, recently extended his contract for a second time through June 2018.

Staggs is 54 years old and is a 25-year veteran of Disney and previously served as CFO. He expanded Disney’s California Adventure and oversees the Shanghai theme park that will open next year. He also introduced the well-known technology, MyMagic+ wireless wristbands, helping guests plan their visit, act as their pass, and pay for Disney merchandise easier and more efficiently.

There was no comment on Chief Financial Officer Jay Rasulo’s future, who is another candidate to become CEO.

Disney Legend Robin Williams Passes Away but Continues to Live On

It was only yesterday that I found out that Robin Williams had passed away, age 63, he committed suicide and one of the leading cause was depression. I’m still processing the news and it’s shocking– I’ve watched the movies he made and he had is always an inspiration to me. I believe his genuine love to help others and make others laugh can be felt through his work from “Patch Adams”, “Hook”, “Mrs. Doubtfire”, and of course, as Genie in “Aladdin”.

Photo from our friends at Discovering The Magic Kingdom: An Unofficial Disneyland Vacation Guide

I wonder what had happened to make him leave this world and only wished that there was something I could’ve done. Depression is a very hard enemy to fight, it’s not physical or tangible, even though there may be someone there, often times it is in the inner level of a person that is the biggest struggle.  

To the Robin Williams’ family and friends, I’m so sorry for your loss, Robin Williams is a true legend and his legacy will live on. I hope that Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California will plan a tribute to Robin Williams, a genuine kind individual. Genie would say, “you’ve never had a friend like me” and he’s right– I’ve never had a friend like Robin Williams who has been a part of my life and will continue to be a part of my life and continue on through my future kids.

Do you think they should pay a tribute to Robin Williams? If so, how do you think they should? Let us know below, and thank you.