Category: Disney Parks

Many may know the legend of the Halloween Tree at Disneyland Resort. From beneath its branches and gnarling bark, stories have been told of witches, mummies, skeletons and more. This special tree was added to Frontierland on All Hallows Eve 2007 as a dedication to author Ray Bradbury. Bradbury, who wrote the novel “The Halloween Tree” in 1972, was a personal friend of Walt Disney and collaborated on many legendary Park projects. This living monument has delighted guests during Halloween Time for more than a decade with its beauty and playful painted pumpkins. You can unearth more about this and other tales of Halloween at the Disney Parks in the brand new book, “Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks.”

Now it’s your turn to weave a tale of a haunted Homebound Day around your very own Halloween Tree. So gather your little pumpkins for a windfall of fun.

A mini tree will do just fine, then spraypaint it a gourdy orange. Add some colorful leaves, fake or real, and a glowing string of sparkling lights.

Now it’s time for some peculiar embellishments like a menacing string of mini pumpkins. Here’s how to create…

You will need:

• A bag of small orange pom poms
• A black marker
• Thin wire or string
• Black ribbon

Instructions: Draw the faces onto the pom poms with the black markers. Make some spooky and make some silly, it’s all up to your creativity. String them together using the string or wire. Wrap the garland loosely with the black ribbon. Finally, wrap your pumpkin patch around the tree.

The Evil Queen has a devilishly delicious treat for you that’s best served around a Halloween Tree. Don’t worry, these are sickly sweet rather than potently poisonous. Be sure to have a parent present to help.

Ingredients:

• Cake pop kit
• Red candy melts
• White candy melts
• Piping bag

Instructions: Follow your favorite cake pop recipe. Place the cake pop sticks into the cake pops. Warm up the red candy pellets and dip each cake pop until fully covered. Next, warm up the white candy melts and place into a piping bag. Add the “dripping” top as well as the skull-like face. Plate and serve!

The tree is dreadfully decked out and the treats are tormenting your waiting taste buds. Pick one of these spell-binding movies and enjoy the finale to your Halloween Tree inspired Homebound Day.

It’s the final days of the spooky season, so follow #DisneyMagicMoments and keep checking back for more hauntings.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized, DIY, Halloween

Recently, Disney announced an employee-led commitment to deepen its relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We believe that inclusion is a critical part of fostering ideas and decisions from all people to help us grow, innovate and create the best stories. Today, I’m pleased to share a behind-the-scenes look at one of the many ways that we’re activating on that commitment. 

This month, we hosted virtual career exploration sessions for HBCU students where I joined my fellow cast members as part of an internal, HBCU strategy task force led by Kristi Breen, Vice President, Disney International and Campus Programs and Disney Cruise Line Recruitment, and Avis Lewis, Vice President, Human Resources, Walt Disney Imagineering and Consumer Products, Games and Publishing to connect with students and share with them all the opportunities possible at Disney. From Walt Disney World to Walt Disney Imagineering and from Consumer Products, Games and Publishing to beyond – cast members united from all over The Walt Disney Company for this important effort. 

My own educational journey began at an HBCU, and I’ve carried the lessons I learned at my alma mater, Hampton University, throughout my nearly six-year Disney career. I know firsthand how important it is to support efforts that encourage HBCU students and provide opportunities for students to participate in engaging and accessible events.

As part of our new efforts, Disney is helping create purposeful career paths for HBCU students from colleges including: Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Howard University in Washington, D.C., North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro and Hampton University in Virginia. 

By working more closely with HBCUs, Disney will continue to build a robust, long-term pipeline of Black talent through the development of student internships, mentorship opportunities and inclusive hiring practices. 

I was in these students’ shoes not long ago, and I feel like I would have benefitted from a conversation like this to understand the power of networking while interning, and how it is such a huge part of our career journeys. I am truly proud and grateful that Disney is taking this step to strengthen its relationships with HBCUs.

Disney employees from all over the company will have the opportunity to support HBCU engagement in multiple ways, from volunteering, to participating in mentorship opportunities and recruitment efforts, and more. This activation is just one of many ongoing sessions scheduled throughout the year. Stay tuned as we continue to bring you more stories about our Diversity & Inclusion efforts! 

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Cast Member Profiles, Community Outreach

Beginning in November there will be even more distinctively Disney dining and shopping for you to enjoy at the Disneyland Resort, when the Downtown Disney District extends to Buena Vista Street!  

Recently, we introduced Downtown Disney guests to the Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop at Stage 17. This store is currently showcasing an array of seasonal merchandise for you to browse. With Buena Vista Street soon opening select shopping and dining experiences, you can find even more places to enjoy a memorable meal or a fun shopping excursion during your visit.  

Here’s what you can discover – be sure to put these places on your shopping and dining list:

• Holiday shopping? Head to Elias & Co. The store is divided into distinct sections for men, women and children, so you’ll find something special for the entire family! At Julius Katz & Sons, peruse even more holiday merchandise and Disney-themed home décor. At Kingswell Camera Shop offers great gift-giving ideas like frames, photo albums and more. Buena Vista Street stores have a variety of your Disney favorites!
• If you are looking to tempt your taste buds with a snack, Trolley Treats offers classic candies, old-fashioned confections and all kinds of freshly made treats. Vending carts will offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other “must-bite” treats.
• Swing by Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe for the enchanting sights and sounds of Buena Vista Street—and a cup of coffee or scrumptious artisan sandwich.
• Sit-down dining options include Carthay Circle Lounge, where you can unwind in our expanded outdoor seating area featuring an all-new menu of cocktails and dining. Smokejumpers Grill is serving up tasty American classics for lunch and dinner with a streamlined menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and craft beer, located just around the corner from Buena Vista Street. The primary way to place your order at this dining location is through mobile order on the Disneyland App.*

Only the shopping and dining experiences along Buena Vista Street will be accessible from the Downtown Disney District at this time, as Disney California Adventure park is currently closed.

If you haven’t visited the Downtown Disney District lately, be sure to familiarize yourself with our health and safety measures at Disneyland.com/DTD, to learn important details, including temperature screenings prior to entry and the requirement for all guests, ages 2 and older, to wear an appropriate face covering. The number of Guests visiting the Downtown Disney District and its locations, including the shopping and dining experiences along Buena Vista Street, will be limited to promote proper physical distancing.

Check back soon for more details about the special shopping and dining experiences coming later in November to Buena Vista Street!

*Available for iPhone®, iPad® and smartphones for Android. Message, data and roaming rates may apply. Availability subject to handset limitations and features may vary by handset or service provider. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parents’ permission first. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google LLC.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney District, DLR, DTD

Spooky season is upon us! Between the dramatic décor, tasty treats and ghostly games, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween at home. And now, thanks to our friends at Mars Wrigley, you can even virtually Trick or Treat using their new TREAT TOWN app.

TREAT TOWN is a first-ever digital trick-or-treating experience and the perfect way to keep a classic Halloween tradition alive with your family. Whether you sign up to be a candy giver or a trick-or-treater, the app allows users to collect candy, connect with friends and family and maybe even visit some surprise locations…

Now through October 31, trick-or-treaters can visit The Haunted Mansion for a unique trick-or-treating experience that only The Haunted Mansion can offer. You can virtually visit everyone’s favorite haunted estate from the comfort of your own home!

But, if you happen to be visiting Walt Disney World Resort, head on over to Magic Kingdom Park and climb aboard a Doom Buggy for a journey through The Haunted Mansion attraction.

Also, be sure to stop by the West Side at Disney Springs and bring your phone to start the virtual fun and games with TREAT TOWN! Don’t forget to snap a selfie while you’re there with everyone’s favorite hitch-hiking ghosts.

For more information on TREAT TOWN and how to get started, click here. Happy haunting!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World Resort

Full disclosure: This post contains a big spoiler if you haven’t watched Episode 5 of “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” called “Aardvark Love.” 

Once upon a time, a male aardvark named Willie met his match – a female aardvark named Peanut. The pair soon had their first date, and there was magic in the air. After several months, the perfect pair became a perfect trio, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Meet Karanga, a female baby aardvark born earlier this month at Rafiki’s Planet Watch at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. She is the first baby aardvark in her family – and in the park’s history, and keepers decided to name her after mom – Karanga means “Peanut” in Swahili.

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You can watch the beginnings of this family story unfold in the latest episode of “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” produced by National Geographic and now streaming on Disney+. The animal care team was along every step of the way of Willie and Peanut’s relationship journey. In fact, they played a role in pairing them together as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is like a matchmaking service designed to help ensure healthy future generations for endangered and at-risk species.

A lot of thought and careful preparation went into Willie and Peanut’s blind date. In fact, seasoned animal care team members Missy, Elizabeth and Jennifer – who have a collective 60+ years of animal care expertise – used their know-how to create a special pre-date spa day for Peanut. Here’s a closer look at their “girl time” together:

The team was excited and a little nervous when the pair first met. With Peanut fresh and ready to dig in the dirt, would Willie want to join her? Would there be a spark? 

Fortunately, yes … it was love at first snout, which led to future dates and… well, nature took over.

Speaking of nature, aardvarks are a great example of diversity in the animal world and how a species adapts to its environment. These animals, from Sub-Saharan Africa, are perfectly equipped for rooting and burrowing in sand and dirt. You can see, Karanga has a long snout and tongue, just like mom and dad, that, as an insectivore, will eventually help her sniff out and devour up to 50,000 insects in one night. 

Dr. Beth has spent decades providing care for all kinds of mammals here and around the world – in fact, she just celebrated her 25th anniversary in veterinary medicine. Aardvarks hold a special place in her heart and she is very pleased with what she sees in the baby’s health and development so far. Within a few hours after her birth, Karanga had already started digging around in the dirt. This innate skill is important because it’s how aardvarks not only find food, but also how they build the burrows they live in to keep cool. 

Check out @drmarkatdisney on Instagram and @DisneyASE on Facebook for more behind-the-scenes content from our animal keepers and fun facts about the 5,000+ animals who call Walt Disney World Resort home. And take the fun with you when you download this week’s activity page.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, Animals, BtS, DAK, Video, WDW