To celebrate tonight’s Final of the MLS is Back Tournament between Orlando City SC and the Portland Timbers, Walt Disney World Resort temporarily lit the iconic Cinderella Castle in the two teams’ primary colors – Orlando City’s purple and Portland’s green. The specially colored Cinderella Castle honors the successful return of professional sports and the cast members who helped make the tournament happen, in addition to the improbable and magical tournament success of both teams who, like Cinderella, were not expected to have such a fairy-tale ride through this historic tournament.
The tournament, which marked the restart of the league’s milestone 25th season, brought approximately 750 players and 500 MLS staff to ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for 51 matches in 35 days. Earlier this week, Guinness World Records recognized Major League Soccer (MLS) with the World Record for largest single location professional soccer tournament for the MLS is Back Tournament!
In just one year since the release of Disney’s “The Lion King” in 2019, fans like you have helped the Disney Conservation Fund, and collaborators around the world, to make huge strides in protecting lions and their habitats across Africa. As we celebrate World Lion Day today, we’re excited to share some of the progress we have made together toward “protecting the pride,” and healthy landscapes for African wildlife and communities!
The LRF has directed this support to partner organizations working across Africa with a three-pronged approach to lion recovery: investing in conservation projects on the ground, developing campaigns that support the protection and revitalization of Africa’s lion population, and expanding collaborations among organizations.
Credit: Jeremy Goss, Big Life Foundation
To date, Disney’s support has helped the LRF fund 44 lion conservation organizations with 107 projects, spanning 21 African countries. These grants have been disbursed across wildlands containing more than 50 percent of the African lion population, benefitting lions, their habitats and their prey as well as countless human communities involved in the protection of this iconic species!
Here are just a few examples of the projects that we’ve helped the LRF fund:
Discovering New Prides – In Tanzania, the Ruaha Carnivore Project and the Frankfurt Zoological Society are working with Tanzanian authorities and other partners in the vast Selous/Nyerere ecosystem to examine lion population dynamics in this large wilderness and discover threats to the cats in this key landscape to determine how to best protect the prides there.
Credit: Ruaha Carnivore Project
Securing the Last Lions – Panthera is providing funds and equipment for the dedicated rangers in Niokolo-Koba National Park to bolster protection of Senegal’s last population of lions.
Credit: Susan McConnell
Credit: Susan McConnell
Empowering Communities – SORALO is working with Maasai communities in Kenya to secure safe spaces for lions outside of national parks, promote peaceful coexistence with people and support sustainable, pastoral livelihoods.
Credit: SORALO
Creating New Parks – In the Central African Republic, African Parks is establishing a new, vast protected landscape around Chinko Nature Reserve to reduce ecosystem degradation and provide the resources for lion prides to grow in the center of the continent. The vastness of this landscape (21,000 square miles) means that the area has arguably greater potential for lion recovery than anywhere else in Africa.
Credit: Rich Reading
Reaching Across Boundaries – LRF and Disney are funding collaborations to protect interconnected landscapes for lions to be able to move and thrive, such as the work of Kalahari Research and Conservation and Cheetah Conservation Botswana, who are working with communities to sustainably manage lion habitats and prevent human-lion conflict in Botswana.
One of the reasons we were excited to partner with the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund on this important effort was their strong vision to double the wild populations of lions by 2050. We believe that, together with you, we can work toward this vision and ensure the lion’s roar can be heard across Africa for generations to come.
Looking for ways to celebrate lions with your family, or help Protect the Pride?
Help your family get to know the animals that inspired your favorite characters through free activities to try at home in “The Lion King” Activity Packet
Pick up a copy of The Art and Making of “The Lion King” to learn about Disney Publishing Worldwide’s contribution and Disney’s commitment to conservation
Be inspired by Simba, Nala and their friends, add“The Lion King” to your movie collection today on Digital and Blu-ray, or stream it on Disney+
From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com Filed Under: Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, Conservation
One of my favorite places to watch the sun rise is from our cruise ships. As the first rays of sun begin to peak above an ocean horizon the reflection on the water creates a dance of color and light that fills you with warmth and wonder. To start your week with magic, wonder, fantasy and a pixie-dusted dream, we’re sharing breathtaking ocean sunrises captured from Disney Cruise Line through the years.
Stay tuned for more #DisneyMagicMoments like this. And from our sunrise to yours, good morning and have a magical Monday!
Yes, there is a day dedicated to honor this classic camping treat – and rightfully so! The delicious combination of toasted marshmallow, chocolate, and graham cracker has risen above its humble beginnings as a summer camp staple, and has inspired many delicious snacks, desserts, and drinks that would make any camper happy!
To celebrate this special day, we are sharing a s’mores recipe from the Disney recipe vault – S’mores Gelato Shake from D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs. Although not currently on the menu, this guest favorite is an indulgent treat … and worth every sip!
S’mores Gelato Shake from D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs Serves 1
Ingredients
12 ounces vanilla gelato
1/2 ounce dark chocolate sauce
1 ounce toasted marshmallow syrup
1 tsp crushed graham crackers
Whipped cream, to garnish
Mini marshmallows, to garnish
Graham cracker, to garnish
Dark chocolate sauce, to garnish
Directions
Blend vanilla gelato, dark chocolate sauce, toasted marshmallow syrup, and crushed graham crackers until smooth. Serve in tall glass. Garnish with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, graham cracker, and a drizzle of dark chocolate sauce.
Chef’s Note: At D-Luxe Burger, the vanilla gelato is made in-house, but for this recipe vanilla gelato can be purchased from the grocery store. Toasted marshmallow syrup can be found at specialty grocery stores.
Stay connected with Disney Parks Blog for more delicious Disney recipes and be sure to share the magic with other Disney fans using the hashtag #DisneyMagicMoments. Happy cooking!
From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com Filed Under: Disney California Adventure Park, Disney Dining, Disney Springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney District, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, DCA, DHS, Dining, DLR, DTD, MK, WDW
For many of us, nothing beats a refreshing DOLE Whip on a sunny day. And our mobile ordering service at Walt Disney World Resort puts this favorite treat (and many, many others) in your hands with just a few taps in the My Disney Experience app. It’s as simple as order, wait for notification and enjoy!
Mobile ordering is part of our continued efforts to make your vacation experience more magical. With the service, you can save time, skip the line and head directly to the pick-up counter for contactless payment using a credit/debit card, Disney Gift Card, Disney Rewards Redemption Card or Apple Pay.
To take advantage of mobile ordering, you just need a smartphone and the My Disney Experience app, which lets you order, pay for and receive fresh meals and snacks on demand right from your fingertips. You can download the My Disney Experience app here.
The My Disney Experience app allows you to order at more than 20 dining locations across the Resort, including – of course – at Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom Park for a delicious DOLE Whip.
If you haven’t already, try mobile ordering and conveniently save time to enjoy all there is to see and do at the Walt Disney World Resort. And be sure to keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for more #DisneyMagicMoments.
From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com Filed Under: Disney Dining, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort
