Ariana DeBose, who just won her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for last year’s musical epic “West Side Story”, says she has spoken to The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek regarding the Parental Rights in Education bill, commonly referred to by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The actress became the first queer woman of color to win an Academy Award Sunday night.

When speaking to Variety at the awards ceremony, she said regarding the bill “Bob and I, we’re gonna do the work. I’ve spoken to him. I’m a very hands-on type of person. And when I see something, I say something. And while I may not always put it on the internet, I do that. I reached out. And I will continue to reach out and Bob knows that.”

When Variety followed up with a question about queer representation at the Oscars, she said with a smile “We’re here. We’re queer. And we’ve been here.”

“West Side Story” was nominated for seven Academy Awards this year, including Best Picture. DeBose’s Oscar was the only one awarded to the film.

The Walt Disney Company came under fire after it was discovered they donated to all sponsors of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney released a lackluster statement and Chapek later emailed all Disney employees regarding the bill, but did not denounce it. This backfired significantly, prompting statements from various creators and employees of Disney against the company and eventually a full reversal and apology from Chapek regarding his bungling of the situation. Disney Parks issued a brief statement earlier today in support of LGBTQIA+ communities and against the controversial bill which passed in the Florida Legislature this month.

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Hey there, hi there, ho there! We headed down to the Disneyland Resort for a brief visit to see all there is to see. We spent most of our day in Disney California Adventure, but we popped across the way just to check in on a few things. So come along as we take in the sights at both parks and Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney

Demolition of the West end of Downtown Disney is well under way. The AMC Theater is gone, the Starbucks/Sugarboo & Co. building is gone, and all that remains are the massive green steel awning and Earl of Sandwich.

As we walked by, Earl of Sandwich was being demolished and light was showing in through what once was the back wall of the kitchen.

All over Downtown Disney, guests can find “Reimagine Tomorrow – Celebrate Her Story” signs for Women’s History Month outside of women-owned businesses, as well as on the Downtown Disney Live! stage where women will be performing nightly shows all month.

In World of Disney, we found some new Winnie the Pooh home goods, including this soap dispenser. See the other items we found right here.

We also found some toys for your furry friends, like this stuffed mailbox and crinkly letters. See everything we found for pets right here.

We found a Sleeping Beauty Castle-inspired cap embroidered with the classic Disneyland D logo. Read all about it right here.

A couple of friends from Zootopia have joined the line of nuiMOs characters available at World of Disney. Take a look right here.

For your all your healthcare (or cold drink) needs, Baymax has transformed into a tumbler. Take a look right here.

We found a jacket and a whole slew of new T-shirts featuring Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy. See them all right here.

This Hawkeye jacket fits right in with the rest of the Hawkeye merch and apparel that was released during the show’s run on Disney+. Well, better late than never. Take a look right here.

Over at The Dress Shop, we found this Limoncello bag to go along with the rest of the collection from the Italy Pavilion that has made its way to Disneyland. Take a look at it up-close, right here.

Also in The Dress Shop, a new outfit featuring Mickey and Pluto is giving off some “summer at the beach” vibes. Take a look right here.

Disney California Adventure

All over Buena Vista Street, we found even more new merch to bring you.

Cats, dogs, park icons — whatever your favorite topper is, there is a new tumbler to satisfy your need. Take a look at all the tumblers right here.

We found another new batch of T-shirts featuring Mickey, as seen above, Play in the Parks, as seen below, as well as Zootopia and even more Mickey. To see them all, click right here.

The Peter Pan collection of bags by Dooney & Bourke released today and we got first dibs. Take a look at the whole collection right here.

In Big Top Toys, we found a new Stitch Crashes Disney — Mulan plush, as seen above, and the whole line of MuppetVision 3D Wishables, as seen below.

For those looking to add some magic to their organized work day, this new notebook and a Mickey & Minnie desk set are perfect. To see the desk set and more info on the notebook, follow the link.

We found some more of the EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival merchandise here at DCA today, including the Orange Bird bowl and mug, pictured below. See the whole collection right here.

This bowl and the mug below were just too cute to resist, so we may have bought one. Or both.

The park was crowded and warm today, but no less beautiful. After all that shopping, we were glad to stretch our legs around the park.

A new Pandora display case has been set up in the Backlot Premiere Shop, where Marvel-themed jewelry is showcased.

Over near the sound stage in Hollywood Land, a couple of new photo ops are being set up. The Captain Marvel photo op with the fighter plane has finally been removed.

Thankfully, our favorite Christmas trees are still here.

Chef Goofy was out greeting guests and cooking up some comedy for them as part of the DCA Food & Wine Festival. Read our full guide to the festival right here.

The stage is set for more performances as diners stroll around Paradise Bay.

Within Paradise Bay, the World of Color fountains are raised once again as maintenance continues ahead of the show’s return on April 22.

Guests on the Incredicoaster can get an up-close view of the World of Color projectors being worked on before they head up the hill.

Everyone always talks about the Pink Trees of Disneyland in the spring, but DCA has pink trees too.

Magic Key holders can now receive a complimentary reusable straw, while supplies last. You can read all about it right here.

Disneyland

Though we spent most of our time elsewhere, we just couldn’t leave without popping into Disneyland for a little bit.

In New Orleans Square, the construction walls that surround Pirates of the Caribbean and its extended queue area are now home to some cute photo ops that put guests into the ride scenes.

Well, that’s it from us here at Disneyland. We’re glad you rode along. Be sure to leave a comment below, letting us know what you think of the photo report. We’ll see ya real soon!

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A new “Jurassic World” velociraptor plush has clawed its way into Universal Orlando Resort. We first found it at the Universal Studios Store in CityWalk.

Velociraptor Plush – $30

This raptor is black with streaks of white and yellow.

It has several spikes on its back and its head.

There are scale details on the fabric.

Its mouth is open, revealing rows of white teeth and a pink tongue. It has a realistic yellow eye.

Its talons are long black strips of felt.

Check out the new Jurassic Park lunch box also available at Universal Orlando Resort. And let us know if you’ll be picking up this cuddly, ferocious beast in the comments below!

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Are you a passionate and knowledgeable Disney fan? Do you have professional experience as a graphic designer or video editor? Are you looking for work? Then WDWNT has an opportunity for you!

The ideal applicant will be a self-starter with an extensive knowledge of Disney Parks and ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Graphic Designer/Video Editor

WDWNT is seeking a dynamic, talented, and detail oriented Graphic Designer who is passionate about theme parks and has a comedic mind to match their eye for quality. The ideal candidate will have experience with:

The graphic designer/video editor role is full-time, working an average of 40 hours per week with the potential for paid overtime. Some night and weekend work is required.

The start date is immediate.

Candidates should have experience with:

• Graphic design — YouTube thumbnails, show graphics, web and social media graphics, etc.
• Photo manipulation — Comedic graphical bits for YouTube shows
• Logo design
• Motion graphics
• Familiarity with web, social, and YouTube
• Video editing (experience with Adobe Premiere and similar products)
• Audio mixing/recording

Preferred skills:

• An understanding of comedic timing — The ability to collaborate with the team to utilize graphics in a humorous way to add to the entertainment value of a bit
• An ability to work paid overtime in certain circumstances, depending on the pace of the news cycle
• The ability to work in a high tempo environment, particularly on show nights, as new bits are refined, added, and pitched leading up to going live
• Experiencing producing YouTube content

If you are interested in this position, please fill out our application below and send a resume to [email protected]. Applicants should provide complete information and provide examples of past work. Applicants who do not send in resumes will not be considered.

If you meet the initial qualifications, we will contact you for additional information and a follow-up test. Please do not inquire via social media or email other team members in lieu of an application.

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As Disney+ prepares to become the home of the TV-MA series of Marvel shows formerly home on Netflix including “The Defenders”, “Jessica Jones”, and “Daredevil”, among others, the service appears to be dialing back the violence a bit in one of their homegrown Marvel series as well. An eagle-eyed Reddit user has spotted a reduction in blood and violence in one episode of last year’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”.

Both of these examples come from the third episode. First, when one Hydra scientist is killed, the original version showed blood spattered on the floor and around his shirt, with his open eyes confirming his death. Now it appears he’s only knocked out, with no blood and his eyes closed.

Second comes from a goon later in the episode whom Bucky throws a pipe at. Originally it pins her to the shipping container, now it just bounces off and throws her off balance.

No reason has been given for these changes, and neither Disney nor Marvel has said anything regarding retroactive changes to their content. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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The saga surrounding the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill, commonly referred to as “Don’t Say Gay”, continues to stretch on and escalate as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appeared to signal that his previously promised meeting with The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek is looking to be more and more unlikely.

In a series of text messages to Bloomberg reporters, Spokeswoman Christina Pushaw said that the meeting is increasingly unlikely as Disney continues to escalate their vocal response to the bill. Chapek promised early this month when the company finally came out against the bill that he would meet with Gov. DeSantis along with LGBTQ+ leaders in Disney to discuss concerns over how the bill would target those marginalized youth.

Earlier today, DeSantis issued a statement as Disney has continued to escalate their criticism of the controversial bill and vowed to aid in its repeal. The Governor said “This state is governed by the interests of the people of the state of Florida. It is not based on the demands of California corporate executives. They do not run this state. They do not control this state.”

The Walt Disney Company came under fire after it was discovered they donated to all sponsors of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney released a lackluster statement and Chapek later emailed all Disney employees regarding the bill, but did not denounce it. Employees and Cast Members spoke out, and members of Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution released a statement.

Following the denunciation, the relationship between the Florida Governor and CEO Bob Chapek has grown to adversarial jabs between the two through statements. DeSantis first issued a mild and brief statement regarding Chapek’s comments at the shareholder meeting before he slammed Disney for being “too woke” a few days after the initial statement. All of these come as Disney is attempting to cash in on over $500 million in tax breaks for moving most of its corporate Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products employees from California to Lake Nona in the Orlando area, a situation exacerbated by the brain drain of Imagineers refusing to move and those who see it as destroying the storied brand and “rewarding” Florida for the controversial bill.

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Although we’re nearing the park’s 67th anniversary this summer, Disneyland has released a new collectible coin in honor of the park’s 65th anniversary, which happened in 2020 while the resort was closed.

The coin is available with other collectibles in Disneyana.

65th Anniversary Coin – $150

The coin comes in a black velvet box.

One side features Mickey Mouse and reads “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

The other side features Sleeping Beauty Castle and reads “Disneyland 65 Anniversary.”

It includes a certificate of verification, which describes the coin as “minted of fine silver plate and selectively plated with 24kt gold highlights.” It has a limited edition size of 1,955, which is the year Disneyland opened.

Will you be adding this coin to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Collector has introduced a new spiral ration to his Terran Treats food cart in Avengers Campus. This sweet spiral ration is an apple streusel churro and will only be available until 11:00 a.m. each day.

Sweet Spiral Ration – $6.25

Like a Terran Apple Streusel Churro

We enjoyed this but it was not life-changing. It’s a fun breakfast option that you can grab early.

The churro is lightly dusted with cinnamon sugar. If you get a scoop of the apples with a bite of the churro, it’s perfect.

The drizzle of blue frosting adds some color and enough sweetness to make it interesting.

We were confused by the green topping, which has no taste and only adds some extra color for pictures. We could have lived without it.

Otherwise, the elements of this treat work together nicely. We wouldn’t go out of our way to grab it, but if you find yourself hungry in the morning at Avengers Campus, it’s worth a shot.

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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