Descendants 2 on Dancing With the Stars

Disney

The VKs from Descendants were on Dancing with the Stars last Monday to promote the upcoming Descendants 2. They performed a medley of "WICKED" and "Rotten to the Core", which was very entertaining. Descendants 2 arrives on the Disney Channel on July 21.

The Muppets Are "Dancing In the Moonlight"

Jim Henson Company

The Muppet movies always look like they are so much fun to make. In this video from the Muppets Haunted Mansion, the Muppets and their celebrity guest stars are all "Dancing In the Moonlight."

Muppets Haunted Mansion is now available on DisneyPlus. 

The Music of Wicked

All images: Universal

The latest trailer for Wicked is focused on the songs that make it great. From "Popular" to "Dancing Through Life" to "Defying Gravity", the songs sound incredible and look as over the top as they should be.

Here's the official synopsis from Universal:

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. 

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda's unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba's determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The film also stars Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince, Ethan Slater as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student, Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister, and Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.

 

The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James, and a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Keala Settle. 

Wicked (Part One) arrives in theaters on November 22nd. Tickets are available now.

Are You Ready for More Disney Family Singalong Fun?

Disney

The first Disney Family Singalong was a wonderful night of musical fun. It was so fun, that they've decided to do it again. The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II airs this Sunday at 7PM Eastern time. Ryan Seacrest is returning to host the event, which features quite the musical lineup, including an appearance by the Muppets.

Here are the songs so you'll be ready to sing along!

• "A Whole New World" - Idina Menzel & Ben Platt
• "Almost There" - Chloe x Halle & Anika Noni Rose
• "Baby Mine" - Katy Perry
• "Beauty & the Beast" - John Legend & Jennifer Hudson
• "Hakuna Matata" - Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover & Walter Russell III
• "Part of Your World" - Halsey
• "Poor Unfortunate Souls" - Rebel Wilson
• "Remember Me" - Miguel & Christina Aguilera
• "Step in Time" & "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" - Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, & Hayley Erbert
• "Try Everything" - Shakira
• "When I Am Older" - Josh Gad
• "You'll Be in My Heart" - Disney on Broadway Stars
• "Your Mother & Mine" - Sabrina Carpenter & Lang Lang
• "Zero to Hero" - Keke Palmer and the Dancing With the Stars Pros
• ... and even more surprise performances!

The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II will be available to stream on Disney+ sometime after it airs.

Rivers of Light

The new Animal Kingdom show Rivers of Light looks like it will make nighttime spectacular. The show, which should have its debut sometime next month, was originally set to appear on April 22, Earth Day, but has been unexpectedly delayed. The Disney World website recently released a wealth of details about this exciting new show. Here's what they had to say:

A Story at Sundown Set Aglow

Be enchanted by a brilliant spectacle of glowing lanterns, magical fireflies, dancing fountains and animal spirits.

As sunlight fades and the stars begin their twinkle, remember the instinctual feeling that we are all bound together by earth and spirit—past, present and future. Listen as the lagoon responds to the whispers of the world, cradling creatures with a symphony that swells with wild murmurs and shimmering secrets of the universe.

So begins a new light—a vibrant awakening of flitting fireflies leading a legion of lanterns cascading in a ceremonious procession across the water. With a single chime, there falls a hush—and in its place steps storytellers bearing benevolent gifts of light. These intriguing figures promise to paint the night with visual wonders, enticing you to join them on a marvelous journey.

Before your eyes, clusters of lantern light shift and shape into animal spirit forms—the Tiger, Turtle, Elephant and Owl. The storytellers call upon the Temple Lotus who materializes along with her 4 sisters, each bursting forth with dazzling fountains of water and light. These mystic hosts work in harmony to captivate your senses, conjuring stunning imagery of animals from across the world in a musical performance that can only be described as dreamlike. Spellbound, you are transported across Asian jungles and tropical oceans to African savannahs and North American mountains.

Your journey culminates in a triumphant blend of music, light, color and earthly elements. The Aurora Borealis, in its magical splendor, springs with unbridled joy as a menagerie of animals transcend above the cosmos, becoming glittering star constellations in the heavens. Immersed within a grand celestial finale, you are bestowed with an inspirational message of peace and oneness with nature.

Everything the Light Touches

Eastern festival traditions merge with innovative technology to make Rivers of Light come alive. Featuring evocative, never-before-seen footage from Disneynature, grand theatrical imagery, virtuosic live performances, a soaring original score, and innovative special effects—this nighttime spectacle employs a host of magical devices to create an experience unlike any other.

Fireflies in Flight
The flickering ornamentation of fireflies illustrates the migration of light—a central motif of the production. As the story unfolds, original video projections and choreographed laser animation combine to create the appearance of glowing fireflies, illuminating enchanting moments of the celebration like living pixie dust.

Spirited Storytelling
Mysteriously, the show’s “storytellers” never utter a word. Instead, they communicate volumes through fascinating forms of authentic Asian dance, music, song and shadow puppetry.

Light, Lanterns and Lotuses
Showstopping features include nearly 100 Asian lanterns, undulating hues of larger-than-life animal spirits and floating vessels awash in brilliant radiance. Powerful fountain jets erupting like embers from a fire and a 28-foot-tall Temple Lotus add to the visual splendor of these elements, each magically drifting into scenes—adding color, drama, shape and choreography.

A Living Landscape
Encircling the very heart of the Discovery River Lagoon and her 2 village amphitheaters is the thick embrace of a lush tree-scape. It is host and home to a unique variety of life, both in body and spirit form. This organic landscape is a central character itself, and an ever-changing canvas for the story’s unveiling.

The show sounds quite beautiful. I can't wait to see it. 

Photo courtesy of Disney.

"Zero To Hero" Is The Perfect Song To Singalong To

Disney

If you missed last night's Disney Family Singalong: Volume II, not to worry, it will soon be available on Disney+ alongside the first volume. Both are a fantastic collection of performances by an amazing array of talent and I'm sure I'll be watching it again and again.

In the meantime, here's "Zero to Hero" from Hercules featuring Keke Palmer and several dancers from Dancing With The Stars. 

ABC Commissary Dining Review

If you're looking for a wide variety of great dining options in one Quick Service location, look no further than the ABC Commissary. Located on Commissary Lane at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the ABC Commissary features dishes inspired by the ABC lineup of tv shows. The Art Deco interior is filled with half booth tables and some tables with chairs. Most of the tables will only seat 4 but are close enough together to be used for larger groups. There is also limited outdoor seating at umbrella covered tables.

One of my favorites is the Chicken Curry with Rice. It's a wonderful curry, the perfect blend of spices, chicken, and rice. They also have a great Asian Salad, which is a vegetarian option. The servings are typically large. We often order the curry and salad and split it amongst three adults. ABC Commissary is part of the Disney Dining plan with Quick Service meals and Snacks.

Menu items range from $7.00 to $10.00 and include Chicken Curry, Asian Salad, Chicken Blue sandwich, Couscous Salad, Seafood Platter and an Angus Cheeseburger. Kids entrees are fairly basic and include a Cheeseburger, Chicken Nuggets, a Turkey Sandwich, or a Power Pack which includes carrots, a cookie, goldfish, cheese stick, yogurt, and milk. Drinks include the usual Coke products, but Beer and Wine are also available. Desserts include Strawberry Parfait or Chocolate Mousse.

The ABC Commissary has a lot of seating, but can get very crowded. The lines can be quite long and orders can be filled slowly when it's busy. Fortunately, if you avoid the normal meal times of 12-1 pm and 5-7 pm, the crowds aren't too bad.

The dining room stays very cool in the summer, and can be a wonderful break from the heat. In the dining room, there are usually a few costume displays from ABC shows such as Once Upon a Time and Modern Family. TVs play segments from the shows and fun behind-the-scenes looks. The last time I was there, they were playings interviews from Once Upon a Time and Dancing with the Stars. They're actually kind of fun to watch. The displays change with the current ABC lineup. In the past, they had behind the scenes looks at LOST and Desperate Housewives.

Due to its location, the ABC Commissary shares its bathrooms with the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater. Since they share, it can be a rather long wait for the restroom. The extreme air conditioning makes this room ridiculously cold, which can be an issue when looking for a place to change a baby.

Whether you're looking for something unexpected at a reasonable price or just a nice place to cool off, be sure to stop in at the ABC Commissary. You'll be glad you did.