Yesterday, the art of Br’er Fox, Br’er Bear, and Br’er Rabbit in The Briar Patch gift shop over by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, formerly Splash Mountain, was replaced by art depicting generic forest creatures. That artwork is so generic, that anyone can purchase the three pieces on BlackForestDecor.com (no offense to the designer intended — it’s generic in the sense that it replaces unique artwork designed specifically for the attraction).

Beloved Characters Replaced by Generic Wood Artwork

This is how Br’er Rabbit looked above the mantle.

This is the “Wise Owl Wood Wall Art” that replaced Br’er Rabbit. It is available for $139.95.

Elsewhere in the shop, the art of Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox were also been replaced.

The Br’er Bear art that once hung over a doorway has been replaced with generic art of a bear on a log.

This “Bear on Branch Carved Wood Wall Art” can be purchased for $209.95.

Br’er Fox was also replaced, as he had caught Br’er Rabbit and seemed to be pondering what to do with him.

The “Sleepy Bear Carved Wood Wall Art” that replaced Br’er Fox can be purchased for $269.95.

What do you think about Disney’s choice to replace these iconic characters with generic woodland animals? Will you be purchasing any of these pieces to add to your collection at home? Let us know in the comments.

The Briar Patch

The Briar Patch is located in Critter Country at Disneyland Park, right next to what will be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Splash Mountain permanently closed at Disneyland Park on May 31, 2023.

Here, guests can purchase apparel, accessories, and pins.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

The “Princess and the Frog”-inspired retheme of Splash Mountain was first announced in 2020, and the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure name was revealed in 2022.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure picks up after the events of “The Princess and the Frog.” In 1927, Tiana founded the Tiana’s Foods co-ops, which is located in a salt mine, where cultivators grow crops along the waters. During Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Tiana and alligator Louis venture into the bayou to find animal friends. They’re preparing a special Mardi Gras celebration for the people of New Orleans.

The scene depicted in the above concept art is “the thrilling moment you first drop into the bayou and encounter some friends both new and familiar.” Louis and a band of animals will be playing zydeco music, a blend of rhythm and blues that was created in Louisiana. The band of animal friends includes an otter, a rabbit, a raccoon, a beaver, and a turtle playing instruments made from natural bayou elements.

This ride will feature 17 new characters, including Prince Naveen’s younger brother, Ralphie. The Splash Mountain track will remain, but the attraction will get new set dressing and a vast range of new audio-animatronics. There will be multiple Tiana audio-animatronics, and she will sport a new adventuring outfit.

The queue and attraction music is being arranged by award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard, who will mix classic songs from the movie with New Orleans classics and original compositions. The scent of beignets is also set to be pumped throughout the queue.

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). Concept art shows Mama Odie in the crow’s nest of her crashed ship home, with colorful bottle lights hanging around her.

2024 is the anticipated year for the opening of this re-imagined experience. Tiana’s Palace restaurant will open at Disneyland Park next month on September 7.

Were you a fan of Splash Mountain? Are you excited to see the transformation of the attraction into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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

The post Original Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Rabbit Carvings Were Replaced With Generic $200 Art Anyone Can Buy Online appeared first on WDW News Today.

New for Halloween at Disney California Adventure is an Oogie Boogie Churro inspired by “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

The Oogie Boogie Churro is available at the churro cart in Hollywood Land.

*NEW* Oogie Boogie Churro – $7.25

Chocolate cookie-covered churro with green icing, gummy worms, and candies

This treat is a bit deceptive. Given that it’s a churro covered in chocolate cookies and topped with icing and candies, we feared that it would be a bit too sweet… but it isn’t. It’s definitely sweet, but not overpoweringly so. It’s also a well-themed dessert, especially considering that the Oogie Boogie Bash takes place at Disney California Adventure each fall.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows — or, should we say, cookies and candies — for this churro, however. The gummy worms, while adding an additional splash of color and making for a nice photo, are functionally useless. They fall off quite easily and don’t add much in terms of flavor. The chocolate cookie coating on the churros also dries out the fried dough a bit, giving the dish an odd, but not necessarily bad texture.

The slimy green icing makes the treat more aesthetically interesting but does little in terms of flavor. This churro isn’t earth-shattering by any means, but it’s still a Disneyland Resort churro with a bit of flare added from the cookie coating and candy. It’s not the best dessert we’ve ever had, but it’s not bad. There are certainly worse options.

Halloween offerings at Disneyland will be available through November 9.

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

The post REVIEW: Oogie Boogie Churro Adds Festive Halloween Treat to Disney California Adventure appeared first on WDW News Today.

Beginning tomorrow, August 30, Annual Passholders will have access to new “Dueling Dragons” merchandise at Universal Studios Florida.

Dueling Dragons Merchandise

Annual Passholder previews of the Halloween tribute store begin tomorrow, August 30, and some new merchandise from the opening-day rollercoaster Dueling Dragons will be available for purchase.

The shirt reads “Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights 2023” across the top, with Dueling Dragons across the bottom. An image of the iconic red fire dragon and a blue ice dragon can be seen in the middle.

The Halloween tribute store will be available to Universal Orlando Annual Passholders tomorrow from 11 a.m. until the park closes.

The Tribute Store will open for Halloween Horror Nights 32, which begins on September 1, but be available for guests during the day, too.

Watch our video below for a look at the facade.

Do you plan to grab one of the Dueling Dragon shirts? Let us know in the comments.

A Dueling Dragons haunted house will be part of Halloween Horror Nights 32 at Universal Studios Florida, as was rumored here at Universal Parks News Today earlier this summer.

Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate

The full lineup of houses was announced, and Dueling Dragons: Choose They Fate was among them. Here’s the full description from Universal Studios Florida:

The great wizard Merlyn has been transformed into the Enchanted Oak, leaving a power vacuum. When two powerful warlocks invade his castle to steal his spell book, they are turned into dragons of fire and ice. Now guests are caught in the middle of their battle and are forced to choose a path and a victor. But beware, one never knows who will win in “Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate.”

Dueling Dragons was an opening-day roller-coaster in the now-defunct Merlinwood section of the Lost Continent at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. It featured a red fire dragon and a blue ice dragon fighting, represented by riders in different cars on two different racks, running at the same time. When The Wizarding World of Harry Potter took over Merlinwood, Dueling Dragons became the Harry Potter-themed Dragon Challenge.

The Bollinger & Mabillard coaster was unique at the time in that the launch was carefully timed to have both tracks’ cars moving in tandem, leading to moments where riders came within 18″ from one another. This effect was ended in 2011 after two separate incidents where riders’ loose objects fell and hit riders on the other train. Dragon Challenge operated essentially as two completely separate coasters after that.

The coaster eventually closed permanently in 2017 and was replaced by Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

Halloween Horror Nights Houses & Scare Zones

The following haunted houses will be available during Halloween Horror Nights 32:

• Stranger Things 4
• The Exorcist: Believer
• The Last of Us
• Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count
• Universal Monsters: Unmasked
• Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins
• Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate
• YETI: Campground Kills
• The Darkest Deal
• Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings

Guests can visit some of the houses during the day for a lights-on tour with Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror.

The five scare zones are all connected to Dr. Oddfellow:

• Dr. Oddfellow’s Collection of Horror
• Dark Zodiac
• Jungle of Doom: Expedition Horror
• Vamp ’69: Summer of Blood
• Shipyard 32: Horrors Unhinged

Read more house and scare zone details, plus check out our latest Halloween Horror Nights construction update.

More Halloween news from Universal Orlando Resort:

• PHOTOS: Pumpkin Lord and Lil’ Boo Take Over Swizzle Lounge at Cabana Bay Beach Resort for Halloween 2023
• PHOTOS: All Hallows Eve Boutique Becomes Dr. Oddfellow’s Traveling Oddities for Halloween at Universal Orlando Resort
• David S Pumpkins Appearance at Halloween Horror Nights 32 to Be a Meet and Greet
• PHOTOS: First Signs of Chucky’s Twisted Playground Appear at Universal’s Cabana Bay Resort

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.

The post Passholder Exclusive Dueling Dragons Halloween Horror Nights Merchandise Coming Soon to Universal Orlando appeared first on WDW News Today.

Another derivative suit filed by Stourbridge Investments on August 23, 2023, alleges that current and former executives at The Walt Disney Company “repeatedly misled investors about the success” of the Disney+ streaming platform, something that contributed to “significant losses and damages” on behalf of the plaintiff.

Bob Iger, Bob Chapek Listed as Defendants in New Derivative Suit

Current Disney CEO Bob Iger, former CEO Bob Chapek, and former CFO Christine McCarthy are just a few of the executives listed as defendants in the complaint filed in The United States District Court for the District of Delaware. The Walt Disney Company itself is listed as both a nominal defendant and as a plaintiff, alongside Stourbridge Investments, in the suit; the Legal Information Institute service at Cornell Law School defines a derivative suit as “a lawsuit brought on by a shareholder . . . on behalf of the corporation against the corporation’s directors, officers, or other third parties who breach their duties.”

At the crux of the lawsuit is The Walt Disney Company’s “major reorganization” overseen by then-new Disney CEO Bob Chapek in October 2020. According to the 63-page suit that can be read in its entirety here, the restructure was done “to further accelerate [Disney’s] focus on a [direct-to-consumer] strategy, in light of the rapid success of Disney+,” the company’s streaming service that launched in November 2019.

As is noted in the lawsuit, that restructuring saw Disney’s reporting segments dwindle from four entities — Media Networks, Parks, Experiences, and Products, Studio Entertainment, and Direct-to-Consumer & International — to two — Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products (DPEP), and Disney Media and Entertainment and Distribution (DMED). Longtime Disney employee Kareem Daniel (also listed as a defendant) was named Chairman of DMED, a move that the lawsuit alleges gave “Daniel and Chapek near complete control over [Disney’s] strategic decisions around content.”

The lawsuit states that DMED “became responsible for the monetization of all Disney content globally,” something that allowed Disney to “inappropriately shift costs out of the Disney+ platform and onto legacy platforms.” The plaintiff argues that this created a false image of the platform’s success and sustainability, misleading and harming investors.

During the Relevant Period (approximately December 10, 2020 to the present), Defendants repeatedly mislead investors about the success of the Disney+ platform by concealing the true costs of the platform, concealing the expense and difficulty of maintaining robust Disney+ subscriber growth, and claiming that the platform was on track to achieve profitability and 230-260 million paid global subscribers by the end of fiscal year 2024 . . . As a result of Defendants’ wrongful acts and omissions, and the precipitous decline in the market value of Disney’s securities, Plantiff and the Company have suffered significant losses and damages.”

Stourbridge Investments LLC Complaint

The document concludes with the plaintiff’s demand for trial by jury. Disney had no comment when asked by Deadline.

Disney Financial Woes

This suit comes in the wake of Disney’s stock closing at a nine-year low of $82.47 per share on August 24. The stock price has grown marginally since (closing at $84.40 on August 29) but is still a far cry from the $100 per share price the stock blossomed to after Iger returned as CEO in November 2022.

During Disney’s Q3 2023 earnings call, it was shared that the company’s revenues for their direct-to-consumer products (the aforementioned Disney+ along with Hulu and ESPN+) increased by nine percent to $5.5 billion in the quarter, though their operating loss nearly broke even. During the call, Iger admitted that Disney+ overachieved out of the gate. According to Deadline, Disney remains confident that it will still turn a profit with its streaming services by 2024.

A lawsuit with a similar list of defendants and allegations to the one filed by Stourbridge Investments last week was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in May 2023.

How do you feel about this most recent lawsuit filed against Disney? Let us know in the comments.

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

The post Another Lawsuit Filed Against Bob Chapek, Iger, and More Alleges Company ‘Misled’ Investors On Disney+ Costs, Sustainability appeared first on WDW News Today.

Hurricane Idalia is headed toward Florida and it could impact your travel plans.

Thus far, we’ve shared updated weather notices about the storm and its projected path, the Orange County Mayor has warned of the weather impact in the area due to the hurricane, and Disney has made specific requests for those staying at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground when it comes to storm precautions. But now we’ve got another update.

Though Disney World is currently “operating under normal conditions,” certain parts of the Resort will be CLOSING on August 30th due to inclement weather.

Specifically, Disney has announced that due to “inclement weather” Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will be CLOSED on August 30th.

Additionally, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will also be closed on August 30th.

Thus far, Disney has NOT announced the closure of any of its theme parks due to the weather. However, they have made some requests for those staying at Fort Wilderness (as noted above) and also updated some cancelation fee policies. They’ve also delayed the grand reveal of their new cruise ship due to the storm.

Disney is continuing to monitor the path of the storm so things are subject to change. Keep in mind that a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Orange and Osceola Counties (the two counties within which Disney is located).

We are continuing to monitor Idalia and will be on the lookout for the latest updates to share with you. You can see some of our posts below to get more information about the storm and how to prepare.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Are you heading to Disney World this week? Tell us in the comments.

The post CLOSURE Announced for 3 Disney World Experiences Ahead of Hurricane Idalia first appeared on the disney food blog.

Hurricane Idalia is approaching Florida, and the Orlando theme parks are making preparations in advance of the storm’s landfall.

Universal Orlando Resort has announced an operations CHANGE in order to ensure guest safety as the hurricane approaches.

According to the Universal Orlando website, the theme parks in Orlando — including Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Volcano Bay — will be open as normal starting at 9AM on Wednesday, August 30th. However, the parks will NOT offer Early Park Admission for qualifying guests. This includes some hotel guests, Annual Passholders, and other select travel trade clients.

Universal’s site notes that, “in the event that a hurricane or tropical storm warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center or a state of emergency is declared for the Orlando area or in your place of residence, within seven days of your arrival, you can contact our team in advance to reschedule or cancel your Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations Package, hotel room only accommodations and Universal Orlando theme park tickets booked directly with Universal Orlando, without any cancellation or change fees imposed.”

Note that this policy may not apply if you booked your trip through third-party suppliers. In that case, you would need to ask about the policy for the specific travel agency.

If you want more information, you can contact the Universal Orlando guest services by calling 800-711-0080.

Currently, Disney World is planning to be open under normal conditions. The statement on Disney’s website reads, “Walt Disney World Resort is currently operating under normal conditions. We are closely monitoring the path of the projected weather as we continue to prioritize the safety of our Guests and Cast Members.”

Note that Typhoon Lagoon, Winter Summerland Miniature Golf, and Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf will be closed on August 30th.

Stay tuned to DFB for more updates on all the latest Disney news.

Click here for the latest news and updates about Hurricane Idalia.

The post NEWS: Universal Orlando Will NOT Offer Early Entry Due to Hurricane Idalia first appeared on the disney food blog.

Disney is always adding new things to their parks, which is why we all keep going back.

This includes Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and the international parks. One international park is getting a few new things in the next several months. Let’s take a look at the line-up of all the new things happening!

Disneyland Paris has quite the line-up of events, attractions, and hotels opening or re-opening! We’ll give you the insight on each of these things here!

The first thing coming to Disneyland Paris is the Halloween Festival. This is returning from previous years and is happening this year from October 1st to November 5th. This year you’ll get to experience the fun with three different teams who will be competing to make your Halloween “Spook-tacular.” The teams this year are “The Mischief Makers,” “The Disney Villains,” and “The Mysterious Hosts.” Be ready to meet some scary characters!

Next in the line-up is the Disney 100 One-Day Celebration. This is just ONE day! There is going to be exciting entertainment to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Disney Company. Disney has stated that “October 16th, 2023 is going to be a day to remember!” So be sure you’re in Disneyland Paris for this one special day!

Of course, at the end of this year, there will be a marvelous Christmas celebration, Disney-style. From November 22nd, 2023, to January 7th, 2024, you can delight in all the Holiday festivities. You can see the beautiful 24-meter (79-foot) tall Christmas tree with its twinkling lights, enjoy seasonal specialty foods, be in awe over Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade, and so much more. It’s a celebration you don’t want to miss!

And don’t forget about the Disney VoluntEARS who will be spreading Christmas joy to many hospitals across France to hospitalized children again this year.

Also coming to Disneyland Paris this December is the Grand Opening of Rosalie in Disney Village! Rosalie is an all-new French brasserie. This restaurant is said to bring a “refined atmosphere” and amazing views of Lake Disney.

Starting on January 8th, 2024, there will be a line-up of COLORFUL events as the Disney Symphony of Colors: A Burst of Highly Colorful New Experiences begins in the park. Disney wants to add some color and beauty to the cloudy winter days by bringing new amazing experiences such as new shows and dance parties. Two new shows are set to arrive between January and February bringing many experiences, characters, and colors together to get you out of those winter blues! You’ll see characters like Mickey, Minnie, Timon, Joy, and Mirabel together to celebrate!

We will also finally see the Grand Reopening of the Disneyland Hotel! We don’t have an official date yet, but it’s set to re-open sometime in the first quarter of 2024. The Disneyland Hotel has been reimagined to give you a truly royal experience. You’ll feel like a king and queen as soon as you step in the door!

Last, but certainly not least, an Alice in Wonderland experience is joining the parks! A Musical Extravaganza Inspired by the Whimsical World of Alice in Wonderland will be debuting in the spring of 2024. If you can imagine the world of Alice in Wonderland in real life, you know this show won’t disappoint in theatrics and visuals. This will be a “modern and flamboyant twist” on the original Alice in Wonderland and we can’t wait to see it!

So there you have it, everything scheduled to make its way to Disneyland Paris in the upcoming months! It looks like an amazing and eye-pleasing line-up.

For more updates on what’s to come, stay tuned to DFB!

What else is new in the Disney Parks? Click here!

 

Will you go to Disneyland Paris to check out some of these new events? Let us know in the comments!

The post Now I NEED To Go to Disneyland Paris — Here’s WHY first appeared on the disney food blog.