Commemorate 25 Years of LEGO Star Wars with New Anniversary Sets Featuring R2-D2, The Invisible Hand and More

25 years ago, Lucasfilm not only released the first Star Wars feature in more than a decade (The Phantom Menace) but they also teamed up with LEGO Group to launch LEGO Star Wars building sets. In honor of this partnership milestone, LEGO is releasing new anniversary sets and brand new builds of beloved ships like […]

The post Commemorate 25 Years of LEGO Star Wars with New Anniversary Sets Featuring R2-D2, The Invisible Hand and More appeared first on .

FIRST LOOK: Creators Club Concierge Lounge Shows Disney Parks Artifacts from Around the World at Pixar Place Hotel

Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland Resort held its grand opening on Tuesday, but a few experiences are not yet available at the hotel. Disney announced that the Creators Club concierge lounge, which features actual Disney Parks props, will open later this year.

Creators Club Concierge Lounge

Creators Club sign

The Creators Club is the concierge-level lounge. It showcases the collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios. It is decorated with attraction concept art, maquettes, and real park props.

Each section of the lounge and seating area inside is grouped by Pixar-related project or by the Disney Park the attractions are found within.

A desk area in the Creators Club lounge.

During the grand opening of Pixar Place Hotel, we were able to visit the Creators Club before its official opening. The walls are covered in framed attraction posters and concept art for various Pixar attractions at Disney Parks throughout the world.

Behind the concierge’s desk in the check-in area is concept art for Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure. A spotlight featuring the hotel’s Luxo Jr. icon is projected onto the floor. A dedicated concierge will be stationed here to assist guests with any requests during their visit.

Posters celebrating Remy's Ratatouille Adventure at Disneyland Paris hang on the wall.

Next, in the food service area are several posters for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and the surrounding area at Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris. Here, guests will be able to enjoy snacks and beverages throughout their stay.

A maquette of Remy sits in a glass case.

There are maquettes of Remy and his brother Emile.

A maquette of Emile sits in a glass case.

Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy opened at Disneyland Paris in 2014 and Remu’s Ratatouille Adventure opened at EPCOT in 2021. Watch our video of the attraction at EPCOT:

A sketch of the "Ratatouille" fountain that sits outside of both versions of the attraction.

This sketch shows the “Ratatouille” fountain that sits in the courtyard outside both versions of the attraction.

A maquette and concept art for Nemo & Friends SeaRider from Tokyo DisneySea hang on a wall.

The next section is themed to Tokyo DisneySea. On this wall is concept art and a maquette for Nemo & Friends SeaRider at Tokyo DisneySea. The concept art depicts the attraction’s entrance, while the maquette is of the fish-shaped ride vehicle.

A closer look at the maquette for Nemo & Friends SeaRider inside a shadowbox.

Nemo & Friends SeaRider replaced StormRider at Tokyo DisneySea. It opened in 2017.

A look at the lounge seating in the Creators Club.

The lounge’s seating is mostly red, yellow, and blue — the colors of Pixar’s ball icon. There are various kinds of chairs and tables, but they are not explicitly Pixar-themed.

Ride posters hang on the wall in the lounge.

A Nemo & Friends SeaRider poster is on this wall next to posters for Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek at Tokyo Disneyland and Turtle Talk at Tokyo DisneySea. Turtle Talk also exists at several other Disney Parks.

Watch our videos of Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek and Turtle Talk:

Concept art for Jessie's Critter Carousel hangs on a wall next to a real ride vehicle.

Concept art above this couch depicts Jessie’s Critter Carousel, the 2019 Pixar reimagining of King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea, and the highlight of this section of the lounge. In this corner is a real snake-inspired ride vehicle from the carousel.

Jessie's Critter Carousel snake in Creators Club

The snake even has a brown saddle on its back and is on its golden carousel pole.

Watch our ride POV of Jessie’s Critter Carousel:

Maquettes and posters for Toy Story Land are also present in the lounge.

The final section is themed to Toy Story Land, which exists at multiple parks. The poster in this photo was created for the Hong Kong Disneyland version.

A closer look at the maquette for a Woody's Round-Up ride vehicle.

This maquette is of a Woody’s Round-Up vehicle featuring a Bullseye-like horse pulling a wagon-like vehicle. Woody’s Round-Up is in Toy Story Land at Shanghai Disneyland Park.

A close-up of the details on the ride vehicle maquette.

The maquette’s details include a lucky horseshoe and lanterns on the back. It’s in a glass case built into a wall so guests can view it from two sides.

A model of the ride vehicle from Alien Swirling Saucers sits in a glass case. Along the wall are two other pieces of concept art.

One wall is dedicated to Alien Swirling Saucers from the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version of Toy Story Land. Watch our ride POV:

A close-up of the Alien Swirling Saucer model.

This figure of the Alien Swirling Saucers ride vehicle is completely painted. Most of the maquettes in the lounge are just gray.

A close-up of concept art for the Alien Swirling Saucers ride vehicle.

Concept art shows two different versions of the ride’s vehicles. One sees the green alien in a “floating” saucer, while the other has the saucer rolling on the ground. The final ride has saucers that appear to float.

A piece of concept art for Alien Swirling Saucers hangs on the wall.

There is colorful concept art of Alien Swirling Saucers followed by a light fixture featuring a larger-than-life bug.

A light fixture from "a bug's land" hangs on the wall.

The light fixture once hung in “a bug’s land” at Disney California Adventure. It’s been repurposed since the land closed in 2018 to make way for Avengers Campus.

An overall look at the concierge lounge.

Check out the Pixar Place Hotel lobby, Bing Bong meet and greet, and a standard room tour.

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

The post FIRST LOOK: Creators Club Concierge Lounge Shows Disney Parks Artifacts from Around the World at Pixar Place Hotel appeared first on WDW News Today.

Pixar Place Hotel Grand Opening Medallions and Souvenir Pennies Now Available

Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland Resort has new pressed pennies and grand opening collectible medallions available.

Pixar Place Hotel Collectibles

The exterior of the Stor-E merchandise location in Pixar Place Hotel.

Pixar Place Hotel officially opened on Tuesday. The pressed penny and collectible medallions machines are both in STOR-E. The medallions currently available all say “Grand Opening” but the pressed pennies do not.

Pixar Place Hotel Grand Opening Medallions

A look at the collectible medallions machine in Stor-E.

There are four collectible medallion designs. They are $6 each or all four for $20. Cash must be used for individual medallions. A credit card can be used for the full set.

A set of eight grand opening medallions for Pixar Place Hotel.

“Grand Opening” is on the backs of the medallions, which are golden. Luxo Jr. is pictured on top of the Pixar ball. “Pixar Place Hotel” is also on the back.

A close-up of some of the grand opening medallions.

On the fronts of the medallions are a few famous Pixar pairs. First is Mike and Sulley from “Monsters, Inc.” Second is Dug and Russell from “Up.”

Another close-up of the grand opening medallions.

Crush is pictured with his son, Squirt, from “Finding Nemo.” The fourth medallion features Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear from “Toy Story.”

Pixar Place Hotel Pressed Pennies

The collectible pressed penny machine in Stor-E.

The pressed penny machine has eight designs. A single penny is $1 or the full set is $5. Again, a credit card can only be used for the full set.

A photo of all of the pressed pennies for Pixar Place Hotel.

The pictured characters are:

  • Boo from “Monsters, Inc.”
  • Joe and Mr. Mittens from “Soul”
  • WALL-E
  • Jack-Jack from “The Incredibles”
  • Merida from “Brave”
  • Miguel from “Coco”
  • Jessie, Woody, and Bullseye from “Toy Story 2”
  • Nemo and Dory from “Finding Nemo”
A close-up of the back of the Pixar Place Hotel pressed penny.

Pixar Place Hotel is on the back of the penny with the Luxo Jr. and ball logo.

Check out the new Pixar Place Hotel merchandise.

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

The post Pixar Place Hotel Grand Opening Medallions and Souvenir Pennies Now Available appeared first on WDW News Today.

TONS of Easter Eggs Are HIDING in Disney’s NEW Pixar Place Hotel Rooms!

The NEW Pixar-themed Disney hotel is officially OPEN, and we’re going inside to check it out!

Pixar Place Hotel

Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland Resort is the new and improved version of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. This hotel’s refurbishment is officially complete as of January 30th, and we can’t wait to check out all the new decor and details. We’ve already gone inside the lobby and checked out the new restaurant, so now it’s time to explore the rooms! There are TONS of cool Easter eggs and details inside. Let’s check them all out!

Click here to subscribe

Disney has said that Pixar Place Hotel will “weave the artistry of Pixar into its comfortable, contemporary setting.” There’s a lot of decor and artwork in the lobby that features some of our favorite Pixar characters and movies.

Lobby

Of course, you’ll see the huge Pixar Lamp balancing on top of the iconic Pixar Ball in the lobby.

The Pixar ball and lamp!

It’s situated just underneath an impressive hanging sculpture. Look closely at that sculpture to spot all the hidden Pixar characters!

Even the floor has neat little details! Take a closer look to see some famous Pixar characters!

Look at the details!

But what we REALLY want to see are the new ROOMS! We saw the Signature Pixel Suite and the Single Bedroom and spotted tons of Easter eggs.

First and foremost, the art hanging above the beds in the Single Bedroom features art and frames from famous Pixar films. While not a subtle Easter egg, this artwork is a great tie-in to the overall theme of the hotel!

Pixar Place Hotel Single Bedroom

A closer look at the beds reveals Pixar Ball-inspired bolster pillows and bed sheets! Can you see the subtle Pixar ball pattern on the comforter?

Pixar Ball bed sheets and pillows

Rooms also come equipped with The Art of Pixar books. The rooms also have their own Luxo Jr. Pixar lamps!

The Art of Pixar

If you look at the ground, you’ll see a Luxo lamp carpet design inspired by the carpet at the Pixar headquarters!

Pixar-themed carpets?!

Even the cup coasters are inspired by the Pixar Ball!

Pixar coasters

The Pixel Signature Suite features a light fixture with the Pixar Lamps designed into it. Lamps within a lamp!

Pixel Signature Suite

The Pixel Signature Suite also has different clay characters for each suite, including these Linguini and Remy clay figures from Ratatouille!

Remy and Linguini

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

Click here to learn more about this new hotel.

Are you planning to stay at this new hotel soon? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney to attend their media preview of the new Pixar Place Hotel. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ

The post TONS of Easter Eggs Are HIDING in Disney’s NEW Pixar Place Hotel Rooms! first appeared on the disney food blog.

A NEW ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Souvenir Collectible Is at Disneyland Now!

A NEW royal souvenir has made its way to a Disney Park!

Sleeping Beauty Castle

The Disneyland Resort has A LOT going on right now! Whether you want to come face-to-face with an 80-foot dragon or are excited about a brand-new character meet-and-greet, Disneyland is the place to be these days. Not just limited to the experiences, Disneyland has several unique gift offerings going on as well. In fact, you could snag yourself an amazing Disney Princess-themed souvenir!

Click here to subscribe

For a limited time, Disneyland is offering the NEW Princess Aurora Sipper! This cup can be found at both Red Rose Taverne and Refreshment Corner at Disneyland Park and Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream at Disney California Adventure.

©Disney

The sipper is based on the 1959 Disney animated classic Sleeping Beauty, featuring several illustrations from the film as well as a spiral straw that surrounds the cup. Of course, the headliner of the cup is the figure of Princess Aurora on the lid!

©Disney

The Princess Aurora Sipper costs $19.79 and is the same price as another princess-themed cup — the Princess Belle Sipper!

©Disney

As always, stay tuned here at DFB for all the latest Disneyland news and merch updates!

REVIEW: We Tried a Mickey-shaped Churro Cream Puff and We’ll NEVER Look at Pastries the Same Way Again

Which Disney Princess would you like to see get a souvenir sipper next? Tell us in the comments!

The post A NEW ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Souvenir Collectible Is at Disneyland Now! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel Has 2 EXCLUSIVE New Character Meet-and-Greets!

A completely UPDATED Disney hotel is now open at Disneyland Resort! Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel has been rethemed (it was previously the Paradise Pier Hotel), and we’re going inside to check out all the updates.

Pixar Place Lobby… featuring the famous Pixar Lamp!

We’ve already taken a look at the new rooms in this hotel, which have been redone with plenty of Pixar touches. But did you know that there are a couple of characters you can meet at Pixar Place? Come with us to check out TWO exclusive characters who hang out at this hotel!

Both Bing Bong from Inside Out and Joe Gardner from Soul are hanging out at Pixar Place Hotel! These characters aren’t available to meet in the parks, so it’s exciting to get to see them at the hotel instead.

Bing Bong

Remember Riley’s imaginary friend in Inside Out?

Bing Bong!

Bing Bong can be found wandering around the lobby and the outdoor area on the third floor!

Disney told us that he’ll be at the hotel seven days a week.

Joe Gardner

If you need a pianist, there’s no one better to call than Joe Gardner from Soul.

Joe Gardner

Joe can be found serenading guests on the piano in the lobby five days a week. This isn’t really a meet-and-greet situation, but you can stop to listen to Joe’s tunes as you walk through the lobby.

Want to know more about Pixar Place Hotel? Check out these posts:

Are you planning a vacation to Disneyland Resort soon? Contact our friends over at Small World Vacations! They can help you plan your entire trip, finding you awesome deals and discounts along the way. Their services are completely free! 

Disney Vacation Planner

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

Click here for our complete guide to Pixar Place Hotel.

Are you going to meet Joe and Bing Bong soon? Let us know in the comments!

The post Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel Has 2 EXCLUSIVE New Character Meet-and-Greets! first appeared on the disney food blog.

Devious and Delightful Disney Villains Geeki Tikis Mugs Come to Entertainment Earth

Dying to try your hand at mixing up magical concoctions and potent potions? Wonderful! You’ve got the recipes, now all you need is a trendy beverage vessel and Geeki Tikis has exactly what you’re looking for!. Four devilish Disney Villains have stepped out of their lairs to be part of Beeline Creative’s growing assortment of […]

The post Devious and Delightful Disney Villains Geeki Tikis Mugs Come to Entertainment Earth appeared first on .

Foodie Guide to Valentine’s Day 2024 at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Food is a language of love and the culinary teams at Disneyland and Walt Disney World have whipped up some creations to help guests celebrate Valentine’s Day 2024. This year, there are plenty of favorites returning, like the Zebra Mousse Cake from The Mara and the Strawberry–Red Velvet Whoopie Pie from The Trolley Car Cafe,… Read More »Foodie Guide to Valentine’s Day 2024 at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

The post Foodie Guide to Valentine’s Day 2024 at Disneyland and Walt Disney World appeared first on The Disney Blog.