We bring you a lot of stories every single day. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. So in case you missed anything from our feed, we have rounded up all our stories in one place to get the news at a glance. Here is your Daily Recap for Monday, March 27, 2023.

Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• Virtual Queue & Individual Lightning Lane options for TRON Lightcycle / Run continue to sell out quickly each day since the attraction’s soft opening began.
• Scaffolding now completely surrounds the tree at the top of Splash Mountain as crews prepare to remove it for the transformation of the Magic Kingdom attraction into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

EPCOT

• The pricing and menus have been released for the return of breakfast and lunch to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at EPCOT.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Disney has announced all of the Earth Day 2023 treats that will be available at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Walt Disney World Resort hotels next month.

New Merchandise

• Most Walt Disney World 50th anniversary merchandise is now on sale as the celebration winds down.
• We found a new Spirit Jersey for “The Lion King” at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom.
• Stitch is styling as he jams out on his ukulele and lounges beneath the palm trees on a new tie-dye Spirit Jersey, spotted today at the Creations Shop in EPCOT. 
• A new collection of Magic Kingdom-inspired merchandise featuring Joey Chou artwork is available at Walt Disney World.
• Two new MagicBand+ designs have arrived in EPCOT that celebrate some of Disney’s favorite female characters. Fans of “Star Wars” and “The Little Mermaid” will want to see these newly released MagicBands.

Disneyland Resort

• Disney California Adventure will construct and open a new exit shop for the canceled Avengers Campus E-Ticket Ride.

Disneyland Paris

• The nooses on Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris have been removed as sensitivity updates continue on Disney attractions around the world.

Entertainment and Media

• Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is set to direct Disney’s live-action hybrid remake of “The Aristocats.”
• Liv Tyler will return as Betty Ross to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fifteen years after her appearance in “The Incredible Hulk.”
• Jeremy Renner shared the first video of him walking again following his snowplow accident on New Year’s Day.
• The songwriting duo behind Disney’s “Frozen” have revealed that they found out about the third movie of the franchise on the same day Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the threequel to the public.

Disney+

• EW has provided a first look at “The Muppets Mayhem,” a new Disney+ series focusing on Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
• While a second season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has not yet been greenlit officially, author Rick Riordan said in his spring update blog post that the writers’ room has already started work on adapting the second book to screen.

The Walt Disney Company

• Disney CEO Bob Iger has released a statement confirming layoffs will begin this week within the company.
• Senior Vice President of Production for Hulu, Mark Levenstein, and Jayne Bieber, senior vice president of Production Management & Operations for Freeform, are the first executives to be let go this week.

WDW News Today

Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster to Return Unchanged, Via Napoli Pizza Rated the Same as PizzeRizzo

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

The post New Exit Shop Being Constructed at Canceled Avengers Campus E-Ticket Ride in Disney California Adventure, Nooses Removed From Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris, & More: Daily Recap (3/27/23) appeared first on WDW News Today.

Scaffolding now completely surrounds the tree at the top of Splash Mountain as crews prepare to remove it for the transformation of the Magic Kingdom attraction into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Splash Mountain Tree

Scaffolding covers much of the attraction’s mountainous façade, too, and we have seen large holes cut into the fake rockwork.

Scaffolding wraps around the entire tree, with a wooden platform near the top.

Although the tree was originally part of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure concept art, it was later revealed that it would be removed as the ride’s backstory was altered.

Through the hole on the front of the mountain, we can see the ride’s steel framework.

The ride track will not change, but the details used to tell the story surrounding the track continue to evolve as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is brought to life in Magic Kingdom.

Some of the façade around the tree’s roots has been cut away.

Splash Mountain closed permanently in January at Walt Disney World. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set to replace the attraction at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland in 2024. Read our complete history of Splash Mountain for a look back at the classic log flume ride.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure takes place after the events of “The Princess and the Frog.” Tiana’s Foods is an employee-owned community food co-op established by Tiana in 1927, following the success of her restaurant, Tiana’s Palace. The co-op is housed inside a salt mine, with growers planting crops along the old Splash Mountain waterway. Guests will ascend through a mill house built into the side of the mountain.

The attraction will follow Tiana venturing into the bayou to find animal friends. She’s hosting a party for the people of New Orleans, but it’s missing a special ingredient. Some of the original cast will be providing their voices to the attraction, including Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), Bruno Campos (Naveen), Michael Leon Wooley (Louis), and Jennifer Lewis (Mama Odie).

Read more details about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure:

• Logo for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Revealed
• First Look at Tiana’s New Outfit for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Model at D23 Expo 2022 Shows Removal of Iconic Splash Mountain Tree
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Backstory and More Information Revealed at D23 Expo 2022
• More Details Revealed for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Story, Original Cast Returning

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

The post PHOTOS: Scaffolding Now Surrounds Splash Mountain Tree, Removal Imminent as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Progresses at Magic Kingdom appeared first on WDW News Today.

As Women’s History Month draws to a close, two new MagicBand+ designs have arrived in EPCOT that celebrate some of Disney’s favorite female characters. Fans of “Star Wars” and “The Little Mermaid” will want to see these newly released MagicBands, first spotted at Pin Traders in World Celebration.

‘Star Wars’ MagicBand+ – $44.99

The newest “Star Wars” MagicBand+ features several leading ladies from the Lucasfilm franchise.

The center puck features the “Star Wars” logo, as well as pastel blue circles and purple starbursts, on a white background.

Disney recently celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8. This new MagicBand+ keeps the celebration going, featuring several “Star Wars” ladies on each side of the new band. This side features overlapping illustrations of Padmé, Rose, and Oola.

Fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano is featured on the opposite side of the black MagicBand+, along with Rey and Leia.

‘The Little Mermaid’ MagicBand+ — $44.99

“The Little Mermaid” also has a new MagicBand+ design at Pin Traders.

The center puck features a purple seashell in a sketched style atop a pink background.

Flounder and Sebastian swim playfully among vibrant coral on one side of the band.

Ariel smiles on the opposite side of the aqua-colored band. A sea urchin and vibrant coral surround Ariel’s mermaid tail.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Walt Disney World is once again offering special food and beverage items created by women chefs, mixologists, pastry chefs, and other culinary experts through the end of March.

What do you think of the new MagicBand+ designs featuring Ariel and the iconic “Star Wars” characters? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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

The post PHOTOS: Two New MagicBand+ Designs Land in Walt Disney World Celebrating ‘The Little Mermaid’, Female Characters of ‘Star Wars’ appeared first on WDW News Today.

In an interview with Collider about Hulu’s “Up Here,” songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez revealed that they found out about the third “Frozen” movie on the same day as everyone else.

Disney CEO Bob Iger announced last month that they have “sequels in the works” for “Frozen,” as well as “Toy Story” and “Zootopia.” The “Frozen” sequel would presumably be called “Frozen III,” and would be Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first “threequel.”

When Collider mentioned the surprise announcement, Robert Lopez said, “It was to us, as well.”

Collider said, “Please tell me that you’ll be returning to do the music for that. Did they tell you that was coming?”

Kristen Anderson-Lopez responded, “They told us, the day of, and a little bit about what they’re thinking. It got us very excited. Now, we have to let the wheels of Hollywood do what they do, but we were very excited with their ideas.”

The married songwriting duo credits their daughters as the inspiration behind their “Frozen” songwriting success.

“The thing that we love about our own career, if we can say something we love about it, is that we get to pick projects that we feel so passionate about,” Lopez explained in the interview. “With ‘Frozen’, when they showed us the pictures of Little Anna and Little Elsa, we were like, ‘That’s Katie and Annie. That’s our kids. This is for them. This is what we have to be saying to the world right now.’”

The couple wrote the songs for “Frozen” and “Frozen II,” while Christophe Beck composed the scores. They won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Let it Go.” They also won the Academy Award for “Remember Me” from “Coco.” “Into the Unknown” from “Frozen II” was nominated but did not win. They wrote the various theme songs and “Agatha All Along” for “WandaVision.”

While the songwriters are excited to work on the third movie of the “Frozen” franchise, production has not yet begun. Fans looking to hear the latest songs of Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez can tune into “Up Here”, a musical romantic comedy series about ordinary people, now streaming on Hulu.

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

The post ‘Frozen’ Songwriters Found Out About Third Film Same Day As Everyone Else appeared first on WDW News Today.

A new collection of Magic Kingdom-inspired merchandise featuring Joey Chou artwork is available at Walt Disney World.

Chou is known for his cutesy Disney artwork and this series is no exception. The color scheme is mostly purple and blue, and the collection includes kitchenware, apparel, and a pin. We found most of it in the Emporium at Magic Kingdom.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Tumbler – $27.99

The tumbler has a domed cap with a sculpted Cinderella Castle underneath. It includes a light blue straw.

The artwork around the sides of the double-walled tumbler features Cinderella Castle, the Partners statue, Mickey on a train, and other beloved icons and characters representing all of the lands within Magic Kingdom. Dumbo, Orange Bird, the Hatbox Ghost from the Haunted Mansion, and even the jail dog from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction also make their appearances.

Geometric fireworks wrap around the side of the tumbler for 360 degrees of coverage.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Tray – $29.99

The purple tray has the same Magic Kingdom artwork in the center.

It’s easier to see some of the characters on a flat surface. They include the Cheshire Cat, Stitch, Tinkerbell, and José from Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. What attractions can you spot in the Joey Chou artwork?

The tray has handles on either end for easier entertaining. Aside from the Joey Chou artwork on the inside, the serving tray is solid purple.

All of the merch includes Joey Chou’s signature somewhere. We spotted it on the bottom of this tray.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Drinkware – $34.99

There are four cups in this Joey Chou drinkware set, each reimaging the iconic attractions of Magic Kingdom with visits from Mickey Mouse.

The first features Minnie and Mickey riding Mad Tea Party with Cinderella Castle and Tinker Bell in the background. The bottom of this first glass is pink.

The second features Space Mountain with Mickey in a rocket zooming in front of it. A model solar system and fireworks wrap around this glass, which features a dark blue bottom.

The third features Adventureland artwork, with Mickey on a Jungle Cruise boat and elements of Enchanted Tiki Room behind him. This glass features an aqua-colored bottom.

The final cup is Frontierland-inspired, with Mickey dressed as a cowboy as a riverboat passes nearby. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is in the background and purple lines the bottom.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Plate Set – $34.99

The set of four plates feature the same series of land-inspired artwork by Joey Chou.

Each plate has a different colored border.

Adventureland is light blue, Frontierland is purple, Fantasyland is pink, and Tomorrowland is dark blue.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Bowl Set – $34.99

The land-inspired artwork is wrapped around this set of four Magic Kingdom-inspired bowls by artist Joey Chou.

The artwork covers the entire outside of each bowl, bringing the scenes from Magic Kingdom’s to life with an adventurous Mickey Mouse.

Inside the bowls are small images from the larger artwork, like Mickey driving the Jungle Cruise boat.

The insides of the bowls are otherwise solid white.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Pitcher – $34.99

The bottom of this pitcher is pink and it features the general Magic Kingdom artwork on one side.

Fireworks are along the top of the artwork.

The pitcher has a clear lid with a handle.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Picnic Blanket – $49.99

This picnic blanket comes in a drawstring bag with an all-over pattern of Joey Chou’s artwork.

The pattern is mostly characters, with Cinderella Castle and white stars mixed in against a dark purple background.

The drawstring is light blue.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Button-Up – $59.99

This button-up short-sleeved shirt has the same pattern as the blanket, but against a dark blue background.

We found this apparel in World of Disney.

Joey Chou Magic Kingdom Pajama Pants – $54.99

The pajama pants are purple with an elastic waist.

Joey Chou Adventureland Raglan – $39.99

This raglan is heather gray with teal blue sleeves. The Adventureland artwork is in the center.

Fireworks line the inside of the collar.

Joey Chou Fantasyland Spirit Jersey – $79.99

The Spirit Jersey is light pink with “Walt Disney World” in white lettering across the back.

Diamonds, lines, dots, and stars are along the bottom above Cinderella Castle, “it’s a small world,” and Mad Tea Party, with Mickey, Minnie, and Tink.

Dumbo is on the front left breast.

The Cheshire Cat is pictured with teacups in the bottom corner. A hippo and bird from “it’s a small world” are next to the Mad Tea Party image.

Joey Chou Fantasyland Pin – $14.99

Finally, we found a pin featuring Chou’s Fantasyland artwork, with Mad Tea Party, “it’s a small world,” Cinderella Castle, Mickey, Minnie, and Tinker Bell.

The pin was in Big Top Souvenirs at Magic Kingdom.

Are you inspired by this new collection featuring the artwork of Joey Chou? Let us know which Magic Kingdom reimagining you’ll want to pick up on your next visit in the comments below!

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

The post New Joey Chou Collection Reimagines the Icons of Magic Kingdom With Kitchenware, Apparel, & More Merchandise at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today.

Mcdonald’s is a worldwide phenomenon.

Who doesn’t love McDonald’s ice cream?

From teaming up with other iconic fast food joints to introducing plant-based nuggets to the menu, McDonald’s has turned some heads lately. In an attempt to deal with pressure from governments and investors, the company might even be making some big changes soon to address the growing concerns over plastic use — and it could affect how you are served your McNuggets.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in an attempt to address growing environmental pressures and stricter European laws, Mcdonald’s is researching the pros and cons of introducing reusable packaging into its stores worldwide. While the company is already serving select items in reusable containers in a few of its European locations, governments and investors are starting to demand that more companies cut plastic waste across the board.

McDonald’s packaging

The studies that the company has commissioned on reusable packaging have yielded some complicated findings, however. For example, according to a report carried out by Kearney Inc., a reusable cup made of thicker plastic “needs to be used 50 to 100 times to make it preferable to a single-use cup from a plastic-waste standpoint.”

Drink

Between this and the fact that these reusable materials require (1) energy and water to wash them, (2) the consumer to participate in their return and eventual recycling, and (3) a recycling infrastructure that can accommodate them makes a new system challenging.

Since its sustainability targets were released in 2018, McDonald’s has transitioned largely to paper-based packaging, but they still use plastic in many parts of the packaging, like lids and packets.

Nuggets

As far as switching to reusable packaging is concerned, the company is still researching the possibilities, so stay tuned to see how it pans out. Follow along to DFB for more!

Click here to see what Bob Iger’s McDonald’s meal would look like!

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How would you feel if McDonald’s made the switch to reusable packaging? Let us know in the comments!

The post How Your McDonald’s Meal Could Look DIFFERENT Soon first appeared on the disney food blog.

Leave it to Loungefly and Disney to consistently whip out accessories that have us pulling out our wallets.

So many Loungeflys!

You can find Loungefly accessories featuring your favorite Disney characters all over the parks, but a popular location to find Loungefly bags is Uptown Jewelers on Main Street, U.S.A., in Magic Kingdom.

We were in Uptown Jewelers the other day when we found a DOLE Whip Loungefly bag. Yes, you read that correctly. No, we’re not responsible if you become obsessed with this bag. This DOLE Whip-inspired Pineapple Swirl Loungefly is $75 at Uptown Jewelers.

DOLE Whip Loungefly

The bag’s shape resembles a DOLE Whip, and the body is covered in a tropical floral print.

Back of bag

The bag also features a pink hibiscus charm! Oh, and take a look at the handle. It’s made to resemble bamboo!

Bag handle

If you won’t find yourself at Disney World any time soon, you can expect to see it online at shopDisney VERY soon, on April 7th.

Coming soon to shopDisney

If you’re looking for Disney merchandise updates, you’re in the right place. We post Disney news (merch included) every day so that you’re never out of the loop. Planning a trip to Disney World soon? We’ve got the perfect t-shirt for you to wear into the parks! Click here to check out our whole merch line! Oh, and click the link below for more Loungefly bags.

Looking for more Loungeflys? Look no further! Click here!

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Would you buy this Loungefly bag? Let us know in the comments! 

The post This NEW Disney Loungefly Is Shaped Like One of Our Favorite Snacks first appeared on the disney food blog.