Photo of the Week

I love the souvenir glow cubes that can be found in various drinks at Disney World. 

I picked up these Oogie Boogie dice at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 2019.

Monster Mash

Decca

I stumbled across this video while looking for Halloween music on YouTube. It's the official lyric video for Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster Mash" and it's absolutely ridiculous.

Be Careful What You Wish For

Disney

The latest trailer for Disney's Wish looks amazing. It's quite incredible what just one wish can do...

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Wish" is an all-new musical-comedy welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. 

"Wish" Features the voices of:

• Ariana DeBose as 17-year-old heroine Asha
• Chris Pine as the formidable King Magnifico
• Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino
• Angelique Cabral as Queen Amaya, the wife and sounding board of King Magnifico
• Victor Garber as Asha’s grandfather, Sabino, who—at 100 years old—is patiently waiting for his wish to be granted
• Natasha Rothwell as Asha’s loving and supportive mom, Sakina
• Jennifer Kumiyama as Asha’s dearest friend, Dahlia, who’s an accomplished baker and unofficial leader of their group
• Evan Peters as the strong guy with a big heart and bigger yawn, Simon
• Harvey Guillén as Gabo, who may be cynical, but he has a heart of gold
• Ramy Youssef as Safi, who’s plagued by allergies
• Niko Vargas as Asha’s joyful, always smiling buddy, Hal
• Della Saba as the seemingly shy teenager, Bazeema, who’s full of surprises
• Jon Rudnitsky as Asha’s rosy-cheeked, wiggly-eared pal, Dario

Wish arrives in theaters on November 22nd.

A Place Of Wonder

Disney

Disney is celebrating 100 years of Disney magic by highlighting just a few of the amazing movies and series that are now available on DisneyPlus. How many have you seen?

Loki - Hands of Time

Marvel

Season 2 of Marvel's Loki is headed to DisneyPlus in 9 days and it looks amazing!

Loki arrives on DisneyPlus on October 5th. Additional episodes will debut each Thursday evening.

Once Upon A Studio

Disney

A new animated short is coming to ABC next month as part of the Disney100 celebration. With 543 characters from over 85 Disney films, Once Upon A Studio should be an absolute delight for Disney fans.

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

An all-star ensemble of beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios come together in “Once Upon a Studio” for a joyful, entertaining and emotional reunion as they assemble for a spectacular group photo to mark Disney's 100th anniversary. Featuring 543 Disney characters from more than 85 feature-length and short films, “Once Upon a Studio” welcomes heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers—in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation—to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry and technological achievements.

Once Upon A Studio makes its debut on ABC on October 15th.

Quote of the Week

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Photo of the Week

I love the giant Mickey pumpkin that appears each fall at Disney Springs.

The Hunger Games Await

All images: Lionsgate

A new trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has been released and it looks incredible. This prequel to the Mockingjay Saga follows the rise of one Coriolanus Snow, a grim tale filled with treachery and deceit. 

These character posters are pretty stunning, too.

Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow, mentor for District 12 in the Hunger Games and future president of Panem

Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, tribute for District 12

Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth, Coriolanus classmate and mentor for District 2 in the Hunger Games

Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow, Coriolanus' cousin who becomes a stylist for the Hunger Games

Jason Schwartzman as Lucky Flickerman, TV host for the Hunger Games

Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom, creator of the Hunger Games

Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, head game maker for the 10th Hunger Games

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes arrives in theaters on November 17th.

Even More Halloween Treats At Disney World

All images: Disney

Can you ever have too many Halloween sweets and treats? I think not. And apparently the creative crew at Disney WorldDisney World agrees with me because there are still more Halloween treats coming to the Parks and Resorts beginning September 29th.

EPCOT

Connections Café

• Mickey Halloween Liege Waffle: Dark chocolate liege waffle with purple and green icing 🎃 🦇

Sunshine Seasons

• Bat Mousse: Tri-colored layers of candy corn-flavored white chocolate mousse with dark chocolate glaçage and bat wings 🎃 (October 28-31)

Animal Kingdom

Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery and Tamu Tamu Refreshments

• Halloween Colossal Mickey Cinnamon Roll: Colossal Mickey cinnamon roll with Halloween-themed icing ⚰️

Pizzafari and Restaurantosaurus

• Scar Cupcake: Delicious red velvet cupcake with toasted marshmallow filling, chocolate frosting, chocolate pebbles, white chocolate flames, and an edible Scar image 👻

Hollywood Studios

ABC Commissary

• Spider Web Tart: Spiced milk chocolate tart filled with orange curd, pomegranate-molasses whipped cream, candied orange peel, and a dark chocolate spider 🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider topped with green apple boba balls🧋🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider Whisky featuring Crown Royal Whisky topped with green apple boba balls 🕷

Backlot Express 

• Graveyard Cupcake: Fudge-filled chocolate cupcake topped with cookies ‘n cream buttercream, chocolate cookie tombstone, white chocolate bone, and Halloween sprinkles 🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider topped with green apple boba balls🧋🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider Whisky featuring Crown Royal Whisky topped with green apple boba balls 🕷

Dockside Diner and Fairfax Fare

• Pumpkin Patch Cookie: Pumpkin-spiced snickerdoodle topped with pumpkin-spiced buttercream and pumpkin candies 🕷

Hollywood Scoops 

• Candy Corn Milk Shake: Vanilla and candy corn milkshake topped with an orange doughnut and Halloween sprinkles 🕷

PizzeRizzo 

• Halloween Candy Cookie Pizza: Sugar cookie ‘pizza’ topped with strawberry jam, white chocolate, Halloween candy, and sprinkles 🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider topped with green apple boba balls 🧋🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider Whisky featuring Crown Royal Whisky topped with green apple boba balls 🕷

Rosie’s All-American Café

• Frozen Apple Cider topped with green apple boba balls 🧋🕷
• Frozen Apple Cider Whisky featuring Crown Royal Whisky topped with green apple boba balls 🕷

Woody’s Lunch Box

• Pumpkin Lunch Box Tart: Pumpkin pie-filled pastry tart with marshmallow fondant, candy corn, and Halloween sprinkles 🕷

Popcorn Carts Near Grand Avenue, the Tip Board, and the Main Entrance

• Halloween Mickey Brownie: Chocolate brownie with Halloween sprinkles 🕷

Resorts

Animal Kingdom Lodge 

The Mara

• Black Cat Tart: Carrot cake topped with orange caramel, toasted coconut, and a pumpkin cheesecake 🎃🕷

Beach Club Resort 

Beach Club Marketplace

• Captain Hook Cookie: Vanilla sable with strawberry jam, peanut butter ganache, buttercream, and chocolate décor 🎃🕷
• Ursula Tart: Vanilla tart filled with spice cake, chocolate ganache, blackberry pearls, blackberry mousse, and chocolate décor 🎃🕷

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop 

• Butter Pecan-Pumpkin Shake: Butter pecan ice cream with pumpkin flavoring, caramel and chocolate sauces, and a vanilla cupcake decorated like a Mickey pumpkin with sprinkle décor 🕷

BoardWalk Inn

BoardWalk Deli

• Halloween Half Moon Cookie 🕷
• Creepy Cupcake: Vanilla cupcake with blood orange curd filling, vanilla whipped cream, chocolate cookie crumbs, and sugar pumpkins 🕷
• Boo Brownie: Mickey-shaped brownie topped with ganache and buttercream ghosts 🕷

Carousel Coffee

• Creepy Cupcake: Vanilla cupcake with blood orange curd filling, vanilla whipped cream, chocolate cookie crumbs, and sugar pumpkins 🕷
• Boo Brownie: Mickey-shaped brownie topped with ganache and buttercream ghosts 🕷

Contemporary

Contempo Café 

• Caramel Apple-Sugar Cookie 🎃 (October 1 - November 30)
• Haunted Mansion Éclair: Éclair filled with caramel apple mousse topped with chocolate-caramel ganache with Haunted Mansion edible images 🎃🕷

Grand Floridian

Gasparilla Island Grill

• Mike Wazowski Pop: Confetti cake enrobed in green chocolate 🎃🕷
• S’mores Ghost Tart: Graham cracker tart shell filled with ganache, milk chocolate mousse, and topped with a marshmallow ghost 🎃🕷
• Not-So-Poison Apple: Chocolate cauldron filled with apple spice cake, apple filling, and caramel buttercream topped with apple mousse 🎃🕷
• Minnie Mouse Witch Hat Cupcake: Cookies ‘n cream-filled chocolate cupcake enrobed in ganache 🕷

Fort Wilderness

Trail’s End Restaurant

• Pumpkin Sugar Cookie: Tie-dyed Halloween sugar cookie with buttercream 🎃🕷
• Spooky Mini Cookies and Dipping Cream: Halloween sugar cookies with dipping icing 🎃🕷

Polynesian Village

Kona Island

• Vampire Stitch Cake: Chocolate cake with ‘raspberry ice cream cone’ buttercream 🎃🕷

Pineapple Lanai 

• Not-So-Scary Pumpkin Soft-serve: Pumpkin-spiced flavored soft-serve and coconut haupia with caramel drizzle, graham cracker crumbs, and a white chocolate Mickey-shaped pumpkin 🕷

Riviera

Le Petit Café 

• Chocolate-Cherry Coffin: Biscuit sans farine, milk chocolate mousse, and morello cherries 🎃🕷

Wilderness Lodge

Roaring Fork

• Haunted Forest Apple Mousse: Green cake with cookies ‘n cream mousse and sour apple mousse 🕷

Yacht Club

The Market at Ale & Compass

• Captain Hook Cookie: Vanilla sable with strawberry jam, peanut butter ganache, buttercream, and chocolate décor 🎃🕷
• Ursula Tart: Vanilla tart filled with spice cake, chocolate ganache, blackberry pearls, blackberry mousse, and chocolate décor 🎃🕷

🎃 - New

🧋 - Non-alcoholic

⚰️ - Available September 29 - October 31

🕷 ‐ Available October 1-31

👻 - Available October 16-31

🦇 - Available October 31 only

Percy Jackson Teaser Trailer 2

Disney

A new longer teaser trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians has arrived and it looks so good! So far, it looks like it will follow the books fairly closely, which is great, because the books were fantastic!

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

Percy Jackson & The Olympians tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Now Percy must trek across America to find it and restore order to Olympus.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians arrives on DisneyPlus on December 20th.

The Amazing Loki

Marvel

Marvel has released a new behind-the-scenes glimpse at the making of season 2 of Loki. It looks like it's going to be even bigger and better than the first season. I can't wait!

Loki Season 2 arrives on DisneyPlus on October 6th make that 5th.

Additional episodes will debut each Friday (wrong again!) Thursday evening.

The Mansion - Haunted Mansion Soundtrack

Disney

The score for Disney's Haunted Mansion was the perfect accompaniment to this delightfully spooky film. And it's great for creeping into the Halloween season too. This is the main theme, called "The Mansion".

Haunted Mansion arrives on DisneyPlus on October 4th.

Quote of the Week

20th Century Studios

Ariadne Oliver - "Don't you dare look at me like a murder suspect. We are old friends!"

Hercule Poirot - "Every murderer is somebody's old friend."

- A Haunting In Venice

Photo of the Week

It was the summer of the drive-in theater for us this year. We saw a ridiculous number of movies (I think 12 new and 4 repeats), and with one unexpected exception, we liked every single one. It was a surprisingly great summer for movies.

Goosebumps

Disney

The first trailer for Disney's Goosebumps series has arrived and it is rather unexpectedly eerie. It looks considerably darker than previous Goosebumps stories, which is perfect for a Halloween scare.

Here's the official synopsis from Disney: 

Inspired by R.L. Stine's worldwide bestselling book series, “Goosebumps” follows a group of five high schoolers as they embark on a shadowy and twisted journey to investigate the tragic passing three decades earlier of a teen named Harold Biddle – while also unearthing dark secrets from their parents’ past.

Goosebumps first five episodes arrive on DisneyPlus and Hulu on Friday, October 13. Additional episodes will debut each Friday. 

A Haunting In Venice - Old Friends

20th Century Studios

"Every murderer is somebody's old friend." You have to love how brutally honest Poirot can be when it comes to solving a murder.

A Haunting In Venice arrives in theaters tomorrow, September 15th.

The Marvels In IMAX

Marvel

The Marvels are coming to theaters in just 8 more weeks. And it looks like it will be incredible in IMAX.

The Marvels arrives in theaters on November 10th.

Wild Uncharted Waters - The Little Mermaid

Disney

The new songs in Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid are delightful. Composed, as in the animated film, by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Lin Manuel Miranda, the songs are a perfect fit for the story. And Prince Eric finally has his own song, "Wild Uncharted Waters".

Haunted Mansion On DisneyPlus

Disney

Disney's Haunted Mansion is heading to DisneyPlus just in time for the Halloween season.

I can't wait to watch it again!

Haunted Mansion arrives on DisneyPlus on October 4th.

Quote of the Week

Paramount

It is truth, but truth is not always appearance.

- Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow

Photo of the Week

I love the projections in Disney's Not So Spooky Spectacular at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. 

Elemental On DisneyPlus

Pixar

Pixar's Elemental is coming to DisneyPlus next week and I can't wait to watch it again. It was so interesting, but I know I missed a few things the first time around.

Elemental arrives on DisneyPlus on September 13th.

Poirot Has Lost His Faith

20th Century Studios

With each new clip, A Haunting In Venice Looks spookier and spookier. The latest features Poirot speaking to Mrs. Reynolds and Ariadne Oliver about losing his faith. The scene takes place at a children's Hallowe'en party, a nod to the original Agatha Christie title. 

A Haunting In Venice arrives in theaters on September 15th.

Tiana's Palace Menu

All images: Disney

Tiana's Palace opens tomorrow on Orleans Street in Disneyland. The menu features a little taste of New Orleans with a Disney twist. There are so many delicious dishes to try!

• House-filled Beignet - this beignet is filled with a delicious lemon icebox pie filling topped with lemon glaze

• 7 Greens Gumbo - white beans, okra, yams, sweet potatoes, and heirloom rice 🥕
• 7 Greens Gumbo with Chicken & Andouille Sausage - chicken, andouille sausage, white beans, okra, yams, sweet potatoes, and heirloom rice
• House Gumbo - a New Orleans staple combining braised chicken, andouille sausage, and heirloom rice
• Cajun Spice Half Chicken - chicken brushed with a house-made chicory BBQ sauce, served with baked macaroni and cheese & coleslaw

• Muffuletta Sandwich - mortadella, salami, rosemary ham, cheddar, provolone and house-made olive relish on toasted New Orleans sesame seed bread, 
• served with red beans and rice and house-made pickles
• Beef Po-boy Sandwich - slow-cooked beef perfectly coated with gravy and fully dressed with shredded lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise atop toasted New Orleans French bread, served with red beans and rice and house-made pickles

• Gulf Shrimp and Grits - grilled shrimp tossed in a Creole sauce and paired with cheesy grits

Sides

• Buttermilk Cornbread
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Red Beans & Heirloom Rice
• Coleslaw
• Cheesy Grits
• Heirloom Rice 🥕

Kids Meals - all kids meals include a Cuties Mandarin Orange, applesauce and Dasani water or small low-fat milk 

• Roasted Chicken Drumstick - chicken drumstick served with a sweet BBQ sauce and heirloom rice
• Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwich - topped with savory ham and provolone
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese

• Joffrey’s Coffee Chicory Cold Brew - special cold brew coffee topped with sweet cream 
• Ray Firefly Glow Cube

• Lily Pad and Lotus Cup Ceramic Set - this collectible dining set comes with a House-filled Beignet

🥕 ‐ Plant-based

Loki's New Glorious Purpose

Marvel

Loki and his companions in the TVA are returning for more crazy adventures through time and the multiverse in season two of Marvel's Loki. It looks like this season may be even wilder that the first.

Loki Season 2 arrives on DisneyPlus on October 6th 5th.

Additional episodes will debut each Friday Thursday.