Hoppers Proves Pixar Originals Still Pack a Punch

Pixar's Hoppers Is the Original Hit the Studio Has Been Waiting For

For years, the conventional wisdom held that Pixar could only move the needle with sequels. Inside Out 2 and Toy Story revivals did the heavy lifting while originals like Elemental needed weeks to find their audience. WDW News Today reports that Hoppers earned $46 million domestically and $88 million globally in its opening frame, debuting at number one and claiming the best opening for a Pixar original, and for any original animated film, since Coco in 2017. Worldwide grosses now sit at $367 million.

Directed by Daniel Chong from a screenplay by Jesse Andrews and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, Hoppers follows Mabel Tanaka, a 19-year-old animal lover voiced by Piper Curda, who transfers her consciousness into a robot beaver built by Dr. Sam, voiced by Kathy Najimy. WDW News Today notes the film carried a nearly perfect Rotten Tomatoes score before it even hit theaters. That kind of critical consensus paired with a strong opening weekend is exactly the combination Pixar needs to prove the market for original stories still exists. Disney has already released a 10-hour nature ambiance video showcasing The Glade, the film's setting, which tells you something about the confidence level inside the company. When the marketing team invests in ambient content for a film, they expect it to have a long cultural tail.

Pixar's pipeline has leaned heavily on known IP in recent years, and a successful original gives Imagineering and the parks division a new world to explore. Whether Hoppers earns a presence in any Disney park remains to be seen, but the building blocks are there: a lush natural environment, a charismatic animal cast, and the kind of visual design that translates beautifully to themed entertainment.

The Parks

At Disney's Hollywood Studios, the Walt Disney Studios Lot continues to take shape, and the centerpiece is starting to look genuinely magical. BlogMickey reports that Mickey Mouse's sorcerer hat, installed last week at the entrance to The Magic of Disney Animation, now features what appear to be embedded lights that could make the hat sparkle after dark. Half of the building has received the red stripes visible in early concept art, and Disney is targeting a late summer opening for The Magic of Disney Animation. The Disney Jr. area nearby appears to be on its own timeline. For fans who remember the original sorcerer hat's polarizing run as a Hollywood Studios icon, this smaller, more intentional placement at the entrance to an animation-focused attraction feels like a smarter use of the iconography.

Over at EPCOT, the International Flower and Garden Festival continues, and bargain hunters should note that WDW News Today spotted the Orange Bird Loungefly backpack discounted from $85 to $50. The crate-shaped bag features Spike the Bee and a Spaceship Earth topiary design that festival regulars will appreciate.

Meanwhile, TouringPlans has adjusted its crowd calendar and forecasted wait times for the reopening of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The team notes adjustments are in place, which suggests they expect the beloved attraction to draw significant attention when it returns. If you are planning a visit around the reopening, updated wait estimates from a data-driven source like TouringPlans are worth checking before you finalize your touring plan.

Planning your Disney trip? Download Lightning Brain from the App Store or visit lightningbrain.app to optimize every minute of your park day.

At Disneyland Resort, Disney Tourist Blog reports that 2026 is approaching a record number of lowest-priced $104 single-day ticket days. The cheapest tier on Disney's demand-based pricing calendar has historically been limited to a handful of dates, so an expanded slate of $104 days is a meaningful win for budget-conscious guests. If your schedule has any flexibility, these dates represent the best value Disney offers on walk-up admission without any special promotion or discount code required.

Lightning Brain's daily park report for April 20 paints an interesting picture of Walt Disney World crowds during what should be a busy week. Despite Boston Public Schools being on spring break, Animal Kingdom registered just a 3/10 (Moderate) with a 19-minute median wait, nearly 45% below its 30-day average. Magic Kingdom and EPCOT both landed at 5/10 (Average), while Hollywood Studios came in at 4/10 (Moderate). Magic Kingdom's peak hit at 11:00 AM with a 25-minute median, and Lightning Brain notes that Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin drew rope-drop attention in Tomorrowland after coming back online. The takeaway: spring break weeks are no longer the guaranteed crush they once were. Guests with flexibility can find pockets of calm even during traditional peak periods.

For families whose Disney dreams extend to the water, DCL Blog reports that Disney Cruise Line's special offers now stretch into mid-September 2026, covering 72 different sail dates from ports including Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, San Diego, and Vancouver. The Disney Wish continues to feature prominently among the available sailings.

And for those curious about what the most premium Walt Disney World accommodations look like, MickeyBlog offers a room tour of the Ambassador VP Suite at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Located in the Tonga building with Club Level access, the suite sleeps up to eight adults across a king bed, two queen beds, and a queen-size sleeper. It is about as far from a Value resort as you can get while staying on property.

One small but notable detail from the resort: AllEars reports that 19 Walt Disney World restaurants changed their menus this week, including 50s Prime Time Cafe and Be Our Guest. Menu refreshes at this scale often coincide with seasonal ingredient shifts and festival programming, so check current menus before making dining reservations.

The Screen

Beyond Hoppers' box office dominance, Disney's entertainment engine has a full week ahead. D23 revealed the full song list for American Idol's "Disney Night," which airs live from Disneyland Resort on ABC and Disney+. The Top 9 contestants perform iconic Disney songs while Jennifer Hudson, herself an American Idol alum, mentors the hopefuls and guest judges. Song selections range from "Remember Me" from Coco to "Let It Go" from Frozen, with performances tied to Disney hits including Descendants and Toy Story. Special appearances from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge round out the evening. America votes live to narrow the field from nine to seven.

On the development front, The DisInsider reports exclusively that Disney is working on a live-action series about mermaids, tentatively titled Saltwater. According to the outlet, discussions about a sequel to Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid may be stalled, but Walt Disney Studios is pursuing aquatic storytelling through this new series instead. The project is in early development, so details remain thin. Given that this comes from a single source, treat it as an early signal rather than a confirmed greenlight.

ESPN, meanwhile, is flexing its expanded role in live event coverage. The Walt Disney Company detailed how ESPN brought WrestleMania 42 to life from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The two-night event featured marquee matchups including Cody Rhodes versus Randy Orton and Roman Reigns versus CM Punk. ESPN2 carried the first hour on Saturday, ESPN took the first hour on Sunday, and WWE's premium live events are now available through ESPN's direct-to-consumer service. For Disney, the WWE integration represents a major pillar in ESPN's strategy to own live event coverage across sports and entertainment.

The Vault

Disney Experiences published a feature for Volunteer Recognition Day highlighting the company's VoluntEARS program during Earth Month. Cast Members, Crew, Imagineers, and employees across the globe participate in hands-on environmental projects, from conservation work to community ecosystem support. Disney Experiences notes that VoluntEARS from Disneyland Resort and the greater Los Angeles area recently participated in environmental initiatives. The program has been a cornerstone of Disney's corporate culture for years, and the Earth Month spotlight offers a reminder that the people who operate the parks also invest significant volunteer hours outside them.

The Disney Parks Blog shared stories from two planDisney panelists about why they love Disney Parks annual passes. Wilma Norton, a Walt Disney World Annual Passholder, traces her family's tradition back to August 1997, when a Florida Resident annual pass for a five-night visit celebrating her daughter's fifth birthday turned into a commitment that has lasted decades. The value proposition of annual passes has shifted considerably since 1997, but the core appeal Norton describes, the ability to visit frequently enough that the parks become a backdrop for family life rather than a once-a-year event, remains the emotional engine behind both the Walt Disney World Annual Passholder and Disneyland Resort Magic Key programs.

Finally, WDW Prep School published a detailed trip report from Cameron and Holly, who traveled from Minneapolis to London and then Disneyland Paris in late March. Their notes on the Paris parks confirm what many have heard: Frozen-themed areas drew heavy crowds, dining service was slow, and early arrival proved essential. For anyone planning a Disneyland Paris visit, the practical advice about airport queues on the return through Dublin is the kind of hard-won insight that only comes from experience.

Sources

WDW News Today · BlogMickey · Disney Tourist Blog · TouringPlans · Lightning Brain · DCL Blog · MickeyBlog · AllEars · WDW News Today · D23 · The DisInsider · The Walt Disney Company · Disney Experiences · Disney Parks Blog · WDW Prep School