EPISODE · Jan 15, 2026 · 1H 10M
Festival of the Arts Opens as Disneyland Handcrafted and Star Wars News Break
from Sams Disney Diary
Disneyland Handcrafted Premieres with Red Carpet Event Disney kicked off the week with the premiere of Disneyland Handcrafted, now streaming January 22nd on Disney+. Greg attended the red carpet media event and shared firsthand reactions from the celebration. The documentary highlights the artistry, craftsmanship, and creative vision behind Disneyland. One standout feature focuses on Leslie Iwerks, the film's director, whose deep Disney roots help frame the story with both history and heart. This special featurette adds meaningful context to the documentary and makes it a must-watch for Disney fans. EPCOT Festival of the Arts Opens This Week The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts officially opens this week, and the park is ready. Greg shared images showing EPCOT's final preparations as the festival returns. Inside CommuniCore Hall, Once Upon a Stage is back, bringing performance and storytelling to the center of the park. Around World Showcase, Food Studios are in place, including the return of Imagination Station, signaling another strong year for festival food and creativity. Then came breaking news during our live show. Greg revealed the first look at the 2026 Figment popcorn bucket, which dropped during the broadcast. As expected, Figment fans reacted instantly, making this one of the most talked-about reveals of the night. Seasonal Merchandise Arrives Across the Parks Along with festival prep, Valentine's Day merchandise has arrived at Walt Disney World. New designs are already hitting shelves, giving guests early options for seasonal gifts and collectibles. Meanwhile, Greg may have taken popcorn collecting to a new level. Yes, a five-gallon popcorn bucket made its appearance, and no, that is not a joke. Breaking News: Galaxy's Edge Expands at Disneyland In major breaking news from the parks, Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge is expanding to include additional Star Wars eras, characters, and experiences. Disney confirmed that characters such as Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker will be included, opening the door to a broader timeline within the land. Some fans questioned whether expanding beyond the sequel era could dilute the original concept. However, the verdict from our discussion was clear, at least from my side — this is all good. The expansion allows more fans to connect with Star Wars in a way that feels personal, nostalgic, and inclusive. Muppets 70 Continues: Who Didn't Make the Cut? We wrapped up the show by launching a new segment focused on the Muppets that should have made the 70th Anniversary magnet set. While the collection is now complete, several fan-favorite characters were left out. Our collection will spotlight those missing Muppets and explore where they appeared in classic Muppet history. And yes, the magnet discussion continues to grow. All That and More from Sam & Greg Live From festival previews and streaming premieres to surprise merchandise drops and major Star Wars news, it was another packed episode. Join Sam and Greg every Wednesday for This Week at Walt Disney World LIVE, where Disney news, history, and fun come together each week. Watch the full episode now on Sam's Disney Diary, and subscribe so you never miss what's next.
What this episode covers
Disneyland Handcrafted Premieres with Red Carpet Event Disney kicked off the week with the premiere of Disneyland Handcrafted, now streaming January 22nd on Disney+. Greg attended the red carpet media event and shared firsthand reactions from the celebration. The documentary highlights the artistry, craftsmanship, and creative vision behind Disneyland. One standout feature focuses on Leslie Iwerks, the film's director, whose deep Disney roots help frame the story with both history and heart. This special featurette adds meaningful context to the documentary and makes it a must-watch for Disney fans. EPCOT Festival of the Arts Opens This Week The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts officially opens this week, and the park is ready. Greg shared images showing EPCOT's final preparations as the festival returns. Inside CommuniCore Hall, Once Upon a Stage is back, bringing performance and storytelling to the center of the park. Around World Showcase, Food Studios are in place, including the return of Imagination Station, signaling another strong year for festival food and creativity. Then came breaking news during our live show. Greg revealed the first look at the 2026 Figment popcorn bucket, which dropped during the broadcast. As expected, Figment fans reacted instantly, making this one of the most talked-about reveals of the night. Seasonal Merchandise Arrives Across the Parks Along with festival prep, Valentine's Day merchandise has arrived at Walt Disney World. New designs are already hitting shelves, giving guests early options for seasonal gifts and collectibles. Meanwhile, Greg may have taken popcorn collecting to a new level. Yes, a five-gallon popcorn bucket made its appearance, and no, that is not a joke. Breaking News: Galaxy's Edge Expands at Disneyland In major breaking news from the parks, Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge is expanding to include additional Star Wars eras, characters, and experiences. Disney confirmed that characters such as Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker will be included, opening the door to a broader timeline within the land. Some fans questioned whether expanding beyond the sequel era could dilute the original concept. However, the verdict from our discussion was clear, at least from my side — this is all good. The expansion allows more fans to connect with Star Wars in a way that feels personal, nostalgic, and inclusive. Muppets 70 Continues: Who Didn't Make the Cut? We wrapped up the show by launching a new segment focused on the Muppets that should have made the 70th Anniversary magnet set. While the collection is now complete, several fan-favorite characters were left out. Our collection will spotlight those missing Muppets and explore where they appeared in classic Muppet history. And yes, the magnet discussion continues to grow. All That and More from Sam & Greg Live From festival previews and streaming premieres to surprise merchandise drops and major Star Wars news, it was another packed episode. Join Sam and Greg every Wednesday for This Week at Walt Disney World LIVE, where Disney news, history, and fun come together each week. Watch the full episode now on Sam's Disney Diary, and subscribe so you never miss what's next.
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Festival of the Arts Opens as Disneyland Handcrafted and Star Wars News Break
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