Today it was announced by Carmen Smith, Senior Vice President, Creative Development — who leads product development and inclusive strategies for Disney parks and recreation — shared a new update on their blog about the latest on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney World.
The attraction has now added a custom handcrafted weathervane by Louisiana’s master blacksmith, Darryl Reeves. Following in the spirit of New Orleans, you can walk within two city blocks to see the metalwork by Darryl,a third generation master blacksmith and Vietnam Veteran. Whether it’s historic wrought iron fences or intricately designed custom pieces, his work is displayed across the city, and in fact, around the world. His craftsmanship comes with 50 years of service to his city, and the weathervane is one of the highpoints of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
The immense artistry and complexity displayed by Darryl and his apprentices is evident in the dozens of works displayed in his gallery.
“I take metal and do anything I want with it,” the master blacksmith proudly says. “To have a free hand to design and fabricate the weathervane for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure…that’s an honor.”
What sets Princess Tiana’s weathervane apart is that it’s crafted using centuries old techniques with a subtle African flair. You can feel the love Darryl and Karina have poured into this smoldering iron to shape it into a masterpiece.
One of Walt Disney Imagineering’s highest priorities is to bring the authenticity of New Orleans to Disney parks and resorts to immerse guests in this inspiring tale. According the Disney Parks and Rec team, for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, they want you to feel like taking a trip down the Louisiana Bayou in a way only Disney can bring to life.
Guests can experience this incredible collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Darryl Reeves, and Karina Roca when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an attraction inspired by the story from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog”, opens at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2024.
Today it was announced by Carmen Smith, Senior Vice President, Creative Development — who leads product development and inclusive strategies for Disney parks and recreation — shared a new update on their blog about the latest on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney World.
The attraction has now added a custom handcrafted weathervane by Louisiana’s master blacksmith, Darryl Reeves. Following in the spirit of New Orleans, you can walk within two city blocks to see the metalwork by Darryl,a third generation master blacksmith and Vietnam Veteran. Whether it’s historic wrought iron fences or intricately designed custom pieces, his work is displayed across the city, and in fact, around the world. His craftsmanship comes with 50 years of service to his city, and the weathervane is one of the highpoints of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
The immense artistry and complexity displayed by Darryl and his apprentices is evident in the dozens of works displayed in his gallery.
“I take metal and do anything I want with it,” the master blacksmith proudly says. “To have a free hand to design and fabricate the weathervane for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure…that’s an honor.”
What sets Princess Tiana’s weathervane apart is that it’s crafted using centuries old techniques with a subtle African flair. You can feel the love Darryl and Karina have poured into this smoldering iron to shape it into a masterpiece.
One of Walt Disney Imagineering’s highest priorities is to bring the authenticity of New Orleans to Disney parks and resorts to immerse guests in this inspiring tale. According the Disney Parks and Rec team, for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, they want you to feel like taking a trip down the Louisiana Bayou in a way only Disney can bring to life.
Guests can experience this incredible collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Darryl Reeves, and Karina Roca when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an attraction inspired by the story from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog”, opens at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2024.
The Time is NOW!!!! Crunchyroll, in collaboration with Aniplex, announced today that the eagerly awaited anime adaptation of the Korean manhwa sensation, Solo Leveling, will make its global debut on Crunchyroll’s streaming platform on January 6, 2024 and will reach viewers across 200 territories. The anime adaptation of Solo Leveling is adapted from the best selling Korean web novel written by Chugong, which was later adapted into a webtoon and manhwa in 2018, with illustrations by DUBU.
Over a decade has passed since a pathway called a “gate” which connects this world and another dimension suddenly appeared, and people with superhuman powers called “hunters” have been awakened. Hunters use their superhuman powers and battling skills to conquer dungeons inside the gates to make a living, and Sung Jinwoo, a hunter of the lowest rank, is considered the “Weakest Hunter of All Mankind.” He sticks with it with good spirits because he needs to: this upheaval of everyday life and society means it is a lucrative way to make a living, and he’s on the hook for his mother’s hospital bills, the high cost of living, and his sister’s tuition. He can’t afford to quit being a Hunter, even if he’s lousy at it and barely keeps his head.
One day, he encounters a double dungeon, a high-level dungeon hidden inside a low-level one. In front of a severely wounded Jinwoo, a mysterious quest window pops up. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to take on the quest, which makes him the only person who can level up. Solo Leveling is the incredible story about once in a lifetime opportunities, an underdog you want to root for, and battles upon battles and power rankings to follow with a full cast of memorable characters. It is high fantasy, action packed and full of heart!
Asa Suehira, Chief Content Officer at Crunchyroll, expressed excitement about the project, stating, “At Crunchyroll, we are always looking for innovative ways to connect our audience with captivating stories from around the world. Solo Leveling is a groundbreaking series that has captured the imagination of fans globally, and we are thrilled to be part of the journey to bring this extraordinary manhwa to life as an anime. Our collaboration with Aniplex symbolizes our commitment to delivering high-quality, diverse content that resonates with our viewers.“
While I’ve never read the original novel that the web comic is based on (it is on the to read list), the announcement of the anime adaptation and the trailers have sent me back to reread the web comic online. It has been really fun to learn not just the foundation of the story again but to see the start of the massive world building and other details. I have faith that the anime adaptation coming next month in January will cover the intricate details and ranking system of the Hunter Association along with showing Jinwoo’s ride on the struggle bus to being better and his reawakening as a stronger person who continues to strive for more. Come January, we’ll be seeing Jinwoo–anime’s latest underdog start his journey to unlock his potential and change the world as he knows it!
Solo Leveling is animated by acclaimed A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online), with motion graphics by Production I.G (Attackon Titan, PSYCHO-PASS). The series is directed by Shunsuke Nakashige (Sword Art Online). Additional staff credits include music by Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan) and TOMORROW X TOGETHER (K-pop band), character design by Tomoko Sudo, and monster design by Hirotaka Tokuda.
Japanese voice cast and characters: ● Sung Jinwoo voiced by Taito Ban ● Yoo Jinho voiced by Genta Nakamura ● Sung Jinah voiced by Haruna Mikawa ● Cha Hae-in voiced by Reina Ueda ● Choi Jong-in voiced by Daisuke Hirakawa ● Baek Yoonho voiced by Hiroki Touchi ● Go Gunhee voiced by Banjo Ginga ● Woo Jinchul voiced by Makoto Furukawa
English voice cast and characters: ● Sung Jinwoo voiced by Aleks Le ● Yoo Jinho voiced by Justin Briner ● Sung Jinah voiced by Rebecca Wang ● Cha Hae-in voiced by Michelle Rojas ● Choi Jong-in voiced by Ian Sinclair ● Baek Yoonho voiced by Christopher R. Sabat ● Go Gunhee voiced by Kent Williams ● Woo Jinchul voiced by SungWon Cho ● Lee Joohee voiced by Dani Chambers
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with the content and experiences they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the anime community across events, theatrical, games, consumer products, collectibles, and manga publishing.
Anime fans have access to one of the largest colle.tions of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. The Crunchyroll app is available on over 15 platforms, including all gaming consoles.
The Solo Leveling anime is scheduled to air on January 6, 2024 only on Crunchyroll.
Dubs for Solo Leveling will also be produced in other languages with premiere dates to be announced later.
As we close out the year’s holiday’s festivities we begin to open ourselves up to the endless possibilities that reside in the New Year. Now is the time when we should be thinking of a master plan in order to make 2024 as impactful, and exceptional as we know it will be.
Below you will find the first seven steps to take to ensure that 2024 goes as planned. Check the insight.
Reflect
Take a look back on 2023. Figure out what worked, didn’t work, didn’t go as planned, could’ve been a little different, could have been improved on, left behind, developed, and destroyed. Assess this year thoroughly and allow that assessment to inform how you move forward.
Kick Hindering Habits
Look yourself in the mirror and acknowledge this: if it is not adding to you, it is subtracting from you. Right now, at this very moment, is the time to lay bad habits to rest. There is no need to hold on to anything that hasn’t been a tangible addition to your livelihood, spirit, or bank account. Let it go.
Clean Your Home
You may have come across a few New Year superstitions in your time that suggests that a Happy New Year relies on the cleanliness of your home. Not sure if this is true. Totally sure that tidy spaces allow for the valuable opportunity to think clearly, relax comfortably, and plan accordingly. Wash your clothes, clean under your bed, clean out the fridge and greet the New Year fresh, clean, and renewed.
Vision Board
This is where you map out your 2024 plans. Dream big, look far and wide, reach as high as you can, and put it all on your vision board. Preparing a vision board helps you to organize your thoughts, dreams, and desires while taking a look at it all, visually, in one place. It is argued that vision boards cater to the law of attraction by letting the universe know where your sight is set, thus bringing you a little closer to where you’d like to be. Try it out.
New Year’s Resolution
Resolutions tend to get a bad rap, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Though, according to Forbes, 80% of people fail to achieve their New Year’s goals, there is nothing wrong with yearly reminders to hit reboot and try to do better. Resolutions allow you to state your intentions and to focus on goals. Even if you happen to go astray after the New Year, your resolutions can serve as a compass to bring you back to where you intend to be.
Fish, Black-Eyed Peas, Collard Greens.
Eat all three, together, on New Year’s Day, and you’ll have good luck, abundance, and prosperity. These are the rules. It doesn’t have to make sense to work. Just eat it.
Put Your Game Face On
You are about to crush 2024. You know this. You can feel it. Go for it.
Good evening, folks! Today I want to discuss the news that I was looking at in terms of the Haunted Mansion ride closing. So, let’s get started! So, Disneyland has announced that the Haunted Mansion ride will be closing on January 21st, for a long refurbishment as the new que is going to be worked on. The grounds near Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion will be expanded to accommodate a larger outdoor queue and a Madame Leota-themed retail shop, theme park officials announced on Tuesday. Construction on the new project will begin in January 2024, with the new additions expected to “build on the story and lore of the Haunted Mansion.” Each of the gardens will include unique elements like a water fountain, and gazebo plus themed statuary and landscaping. Guests will be able to see the new greenhouse where the groundskeepers for the Haunted Mansion grow their plants. The original queue will retain its iconic features like the pet cemetery and horse-drawn funeral hearse. A new expanded outdoor queue is a welcome addition as currently on days with long lines the queue will often snake outside the entrance of the Haunted Mansion and take up considerable space in New Orleans Square. I was hoping to see more shade in this area as the outdoor queue can heat up considerably in the sun but this is still a major improvement. Disneyland is also expanding the Haunted Mansion with a new retail shop just adjacent to the attraction’s exit. Currently, the only official retail store for the Haunted Mansion is a shared retail space with Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise called Port Royal Curios and Curiosities. Aside from this shop, there is also a small merchandise stand outside of the exit of the Haunted Mansion which only sells a few items like themed Minnie Mouse Ears, stuffed animals, and other small items. According to Disney, the presence of Madame Leota will be a focal point of this new retail shop as the “carriage house of the mansion” which will belong to Madame Leota herself. Disneyland fans have long been envious of the merchandise location at Walt Disney World dedicated solely to the Haunted Mansion which often includes collectible Haunted Mansion merchandise. The Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion retail store, Memento Mori, is themed as the former home of Madame Leota so we will likely see a similar concept carried over to this Disneyland retail location. By looking at the concept art above, this space already looks like it could be larger than Memento Mori at Walt Disney World so perhaps now Walt Disney World fans will become envious of this space at Disneyland! We can only dream that we might see animatronics or other features on the level we have seen for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in shops like Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in this new Haunted Mansion retail space. But it is more likely we’ll see similar shop effects like Memento Mori has like haunted music from the attraction or snippets from Madame Leota herself. Disneyland is on a great run of placemaking additions to the parks that improve the general guest experience. Recently Gavin Doyle, the founder of Mickey Visit took his grandmother at Disneyland for the first time in 15 years. She shared that she thought the park felt the same yet brand new during her visit. Her comment illustrates the importance and success of changes like this one to keep the parks fresh and new. Construction will begin on the Haunted Mansion expansion in January 2024. No official opening date has been announced yet but the Disneyland announcement mentioned these new additions will be coming in 2024 so I anticipate we will see them towards the latter half of 2024. This attraction is expected to be closed all the way until August 23rd, 2023 when Halloween starts again at the Disneyland resort. The season will be starting earlier than expected. The original Haunted Mansion will not return until 2025.
In the other news… Disneyland has announced that they will be adding an attraction also in New Orleans Square Pirates of the Caribbean on Genie Plus. They say that the Genie Plus on Pirates is temporary because of the two major attractions closing: Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The line for Pirates can get pretty long and I’m sure that people who don’t buy genie plus are not happy currently because it holds the line up and they let guests with lightning lane go through first. Not enough people are buying genie plus service apparently. I think it is actually the right move because Disney is going to lose two major lightning lane attractions: Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
So, what are your thoughts about the news here?
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments down below!