February 18, 2016 - On the Go in MCO

This coming Sunday, February 21st, ABC will air the Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 tv special celebrating 60 magical years of Disney’s first theme park. The show will highlight talent from music, stage, screens big and small, and will be sure to entertain us all. With segments taped in front of audiences in Disneyland Resort over the last few weeks, the two hour special hosted by Dancing With The Star’s Derek Hough airs starting at 8pm Eastern.

During the show, Disneyland 60 will feature elements of the Disneyland Park’s year plus long celebration commemorating the opening of the park in 1955. I can only hope they will show the great new additions of Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever fireworks. These are two of the reasons I’ll be heading back to California in a few months to catch the parade and fireworks before the celebration officially ends on September 5th, 2016.

In addition to the great musical and dancing numbers I’m sure Disneyland 60 has in store, one of the most anticipated segments will likely be the details of Star Wars Land being reveled by Harrison Ford. This will be the official public announcement of the details we will be seeing in Disneyland (and possibly Disney’s Hollywood Studios here in Florida?) over the next several years.

According to ABC.com, there is a very long list of celebrities appearing on the show for the Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60. There will be superstars like Elton John and Idina Menzel, “Also taking part in the festivities is a star-studded line-up of music, film and television personalities that includes Alfonso Ribeiro, Ariel Winter, Bryce Dallas Howard, Eric Stonestreet, Fall Out Boy, Ginnifer Goodwin, Dame Helen Mirren, Hilary Duff, Jason Bateman, Jessica Alba, Jessie J, Jimmy Kimmel, John Stamos, Josh Gad, Julie Bowen, Kelsea Ballerini, Kerry Washington, Kiefer Sutherland, Kristen Bell, Little Big Town, Lupita Nyong’o, Maddie Ziegler, NE-YO, Neil Patrick Harris, Nolan Gould, Pentatonix, Pink, Priyanka Chopra, Sabrina Carpenter, Sarah Hyland, Sofia Carson, Tori Kelly and Kermit the Frog, Ty Burrell, Viola Davis, and Zendaya!”

With performances of all kinds to keep us singing and dancing along, The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 is something I don’t plan to miss. I grew up watching Disney specials on Sunday evenings hosted by Michael Eisner under the same title and would love to see the Wonderful World of Disney make a resurgence in some incarnation with programs like this and family friendly movies. Will you be joining in on Sunday to watch the celebration of Disneyland 60?

Disney twenty-three Celebrates the Unparalleled Storytelling of Walt Disney Animation Studios

John Lasseter, Ed Catmull, and the Feature Animation “Story Trust” sit down to reveal the secrets behind hits such as Tangled and Frozen with a look at the upcoming films Zootopia and Moana.

Plus exclusive interviews with Ginnifer Goodwin, Chris Evans, and The Jungle Book Director Jon Favreau.

As a charter member of Disney D23 I have been treated to many Disney Twenty-Three issues, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next issue!

In the 10 years since John Lasseter and Ed Catmull took over the reins of what is now Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney has enjoyed incredible creative and box office success with such films as Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, and, of course, Frozen. The spring 2016 issue of Disney twenty-three looks at the creative talents—from writers and directors to producers and animators—who have driven this wave of superior filmmaking that has resulted in two Academy Awards^® for Best Animated Feature for the studio.

Disney twenty-three, available exclusively to D23 Gold Members, includes exclusive interviews with Lasseter and Catmull, as well as the teams behind Walt Disney Animation Studios’ run of hits, discussing the secrets behind their work and how a Disney animated film goes from concept to creation. Plus, Disney twenty-three unveils rarely seen visual development art created for the Studio’s most recent films. There are also advance looks at the upcoming animated films Zootopia—including a revealing one-on-one with star Ginnifer Goodwin—and Moana.

In addition to the animation celebration, the issue offers a sneak peek of Captain America: Civil War, featuring exclusive interviews with star Chris Evans and one of the film’s directors, Joe Russo. And director Jon Favreau details the incredible work behind crafting the stunning live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book, including how he snared Bill Murray to voice Baloo the bear.

Also included in the spring issue of Disney twenty-three:

Three cheers for the 10-year anniversary of High School Musical, including interviews with the director and members of the cast
A look at the colorful concept art from the 1967 animated hit The Jungle Book, with stories from Disney Legend Floyd Norman, who worked with Walt Disney on the film
A walk through Walt Disney’s office suite on the Studio lot, recently restored by the Walt Disney Archives
Regular features including A Walk with Walt, D Society, and Ask Dave

Disney twenty-three, which is delivered directly to fans’ doorsteps, is offered exclusively to D23 Gold and Gold Family Members as a benefit of their membership. The latest issue will begin arriving in late February.

About D23

The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($74.99), Gold Family Membership ($99.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.