Reena Bassil

Writer, Editor, Storyteller

Disney Parks Blog •

Meet Amanda Luna: The Creative Force Behind CPGP’s New Tron-Inspired Product Line

Riding TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise in Magic Kingdom Park is no longer the only way to enter the Grid! Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing’s (CPGP) latest product line is inspired by both the ride and the iconic films, “Tron” (1982) and “Tron: Legacy” (2010). To celebrate the launch, I sat down with Amanda Luna, the brand merchandising manager who played a key role in the development of the Tron-inspired merchandise and the new TRON Identity Program at Magic Kingdom P
Disney Parks Blog •

40 Years of Figment: A Journey Into Maria Stuckey’s Imagination

Our favorite purple dragon turned 40 this March! Figment has been fluttering around inspiring guests to use their imagination since the Journey Into Imagination attraction opened in EPCOT in March of 1983. From the Figment-inspired popcorn bucket to his Festival of the Arts merchandise, we simply can’t get enough of him. The friendly, fun-loving dragon has been a source of inspiration for many over the years, including Associate Product Design Manager Maria Stuckey.

If you’ve visited EPCOT or D
Disney Parks Blog •

Learn How a Disney Cast Member Enhances Everyday Magic with Hey Disney!

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and innovation where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, The Walt Disney Company continues to push boundaries and reimagine the possibilities of storytelling. Senior product manager Amanda Scherer has played a pivotal role in bringing Disney magic into homes through her part in the creation of Hey Disney!, a new voice assistant developed by Disney and built on Alexa technology.

Amanda’s Disney journey began as a contractor for Disney Cruise L
Disney Parks Blog •

Disney Cast Member Celebrates 45 Years of Candy Creativity

From hot buttered popcorn to freshly dipped candy apples, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts are well known for their snacks, sweets and treats — and trust me, they’re delicious. (Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!) And without invaluable cast members like Patrice Guy, we wouldn’t have so many of our favorite park staples!

Owned and Operated Merchandise Manager “Sweet Patrice,” as she is known by her team, has been a revered member of the Disney family for 45 years. Reflecting on her illus
Disney Parks Blog •

Pinning the Pixie Dust: Discover Jes Willis’ Pin-spiring Disney Journey

Pin trading has become a beloved family tradition at Disney Parks globally, and behind the shiny pin boards, there is a team of talented designers who bring that magic to life. One of those designers is Jes Willis, product design manager for the Disney Pin Trading Center of Excellence. With a passion for storytelling and a love for Disney that stems from childhood, Jes has had a remarkable journey to her current role leading her team in creating pins that captivate Disney fans around the world.
D23 •

Decoding the Grid: A Conversation with TRON: Identity Producer Heidy Vargas

The time is nearly here! Step into the Grid and embark on a mysterious journey with TRON: Identity, the latest visual novel puzzle adventure game from Disney Games and Bithell Games. Disney Games Producer Heidy Vargas has defragged many Identity Discs in her day, but her true passion is creating immersive game worlds for players to get lost in. We sat down with Vargas to discuss her work on TRON: Identity, as well as her impressive career journey at The Walt Disney Company. Check out what she ha
Marvel Entertainment •

Empowering Children through Play: The Story Behind World of EPI's Wakanda-Inspired Dolls

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re proud to continue shining a spotlight on women, Black-owned businesses, and licensees that have produced products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This week, we’re spotlighting World of EPI, a Black Woman-owned award-winning toy company that creates beautiful, multicultural dolls.

Each World of EPI doll is a one-of-a-kind piece of art with unique facial features, custom-blended skin tones, and a variety of hair textures r
Disney Parks Blog •

How Three Cast Members Brought Joy to an Office Building with Disney-Inspired Art

This week, we at Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP) have the privilege of highlighting three individuals who have not only made significant impacts in their respective fields but are also responsible for beautifying our new office in Celebration, Florida with stunning artwork: Art Director Jean-Paul Orpiñas, Manager of Store Design & Development Katie Boyce and Director of Design Scott Piehl.

This CPGP office was recently flooded with beautiful artwork, wall murals and product displ
Marvel Entertainment •

Pear Nova Celebrates Women Empowerment with Inclusive Wakanda-Inspired Luxury Nail Collection

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re proud to continue shining a spotlight on women and Black-owned businesses and licensees that have produced products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This week, we’re spotlighting Pear Nova, a Chicago-based luxury nail care company that produces cruelty-free products for all skin and nail tones.

Pear Nova has become a prominent name in the beauty industry due to the team’s core values of artistry, inclusivity, responsibili
Marvel Entertainment •

Young King Hair Care Launches Limited-Edition Wakanda-Inspired Line for Textured Hair

On Wednesdays, we celebrate Wakanda! In celebration of Black History Month, we’re proud to continue shining a spotlight on Black-owned businesses and licensees that have produced products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This week, we’re spotlighting Young King Hair Care, a natural hair grooming company for multicultural young men.

“As founders of Young King and more importantly, as parents of a growing Black boy, we want to change the narrative of how the world sees
Marvel Entertainment •

BLK & Bold’s Wakanda-Inspired Coffee Collection Supports At-Risk Youth

In celebration of Black History Month, we’re proud to continue shining a spotlight each Wednesday on Black-owned businesses and licensees that have produced products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This week, we’re spotlighting BLK & Bold, a specialty coffee brand that pledges five percent of their profits to programs across the country through their “For Our Youth” initiative.

Co-founders Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson’s primary goal in creating BLK & Bold was to giv
Marvel Entertainment •

Actively Black Brings Wakanda-Inspired Athleisure to Life

In celebration of Black History Month, we’re proud to continue shining a spotlight each Wednesday on Black-owned businesses and licensees that have produced products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This week, we’re spotlighting Actively Black, a premium athleisure and sports apparel brand.

Actively Black was created by former professional basketball player Lanny Smith with the intention of uplifting Black people and investing in the health and wellbeing of Black comm
Marvel Entertainment •

A Dozen Cousins Brings Wakanda to Your Kitchen with 'Black Panther'-Inspired Seasoning Sauces

In celebration of Black History Month, we're proud to shine a spotlight on Black-owned businesses and licensees that have produced products inspired by Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. This week, we'respotlighting A Dozen Cousins, a natural food brand that produces ready-to-eat products influenced by traditional Creole, Caribbean and Latin American recipes to celebrate culture and inspire healthier living.

In creating the Wakanda-inspired seasoning sauces, founder and CEO Ibrahee
D23 •

Behind the Mask with James Ham and Brian Horton: The Making of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

With great power comes great responsibility—whether that includes shooting webs, scaling walls to protect the city, providing amazingly quick quips, or even in creating incredible games like Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The character of Miles Morales was initially made popular via comics and animation, but this fan-favorite action-adventure game welcomed an original, modern take on the culturally diverse Super Hero into fans’ homes because of the amazing team at Insomniac Games and PlaySt
Marvel Entertainment •

Try These Holiday Recipes Inspired by 'Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales'

Tamales and pasteles are traditional Latin American dishes often made around the holidays. While they may look similar, they are made with different ingredients and have different textures. Tamales are typically made with corn and the dough boiled, while pasteles use green plantain or yuca, and the dough is steamed. Both can be filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese. Check out our tamales recipe below, but don’t forget to try pasteles the next time you get a chance!

Check out the full recipe b
Disney Parks Blog •

Celebrating the First Standalone Disney store in the Middle East with Sonal Patel

At Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP), we delight in bringing the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s brands and franchises to families and fans around the world through incredible products and experiences. This November, we had the opportunity to spread some pixie dust in Kuwait by opening the first standalone Disney store in the Middle East in partnership with one of the world’s leading brand franchise operators, Alshaya Group!

To celebrate the store’s launch, I sat down wit
Disney Parks Blog •

Designer Nick Jeong Splashes into the Ocean-Inspired National Geographic Collection

National Geographic recently announced its new lifestyle apparel collection, inspired by the ocean’s sublime beauty. The collection offers men’s, women’s, and unisex sizes and styles, and depicts vibrant and stylized imagery of the ocean and marine life that call it home. I had the opportunity to connect with Sr. Manager of Graphic Design, Nick Jeong, one of the talented cast members who worked on the collection.

Q: Tell us a bit more about your career. How did you get into design?

A: Before j
Disney Parks Blog •

Meet Javier Garcia, The Hispanic Designer Behind Your Disney Wardrobe

This month, as we continue to celebrate Hispanic and Latin cast members at Disney, we would like to introduce you to Javier Garcia, Senior Manager of Product Design at Consumer Products, Games and Publishing (CPGP).

Javier moved to the U.S. from Guadalajara, Mexico with his family when he was five years old. As a child, he made his own toys out of scraps from his father’s work documents, and went on to paint and create urban art as he grew up. “Once I discovered that design jobs were not a myth
Disney Parks Blog •

Cast Member Brings Disney Stories to Life with Consumer Products

There are so many incredible attractions across Disney Parks, but we can’t possibly celebrate National Roller Coaster Day without flying by on a Hawaiian roller coaster ride! This year, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing is celebrating National Roller Coaster Day with a Hawaiian twist, featuring one of our amazing cast members who helps bring beautiful stories like “Lilo & Stitch” to life through products.

Product design manager Donna Kozatek has had a hand in creating much of your
Disney Parks Blog •

The Magic Behind 'Turning Red' Product Line: Meet Nontra, Diana and Kim

We are always proud to share the work of our brilliant team members — and when their personal stories and their work intersect, there is a powerful dynamic that makes their contribution that much more special. Today we are excited to share the stories of three talented cast members who worked on Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red” product line: Nontra Null, Diana Tran and Kim Kha.

Nontra Null is the Senior Manager, Product Design over PiPPA (Princess, Pixar, Parks, and Animation) apparel for Disne
Disney Parks Blog •

Celebrate 626 Day with Your Ohana and Fun New Merchandise from shopDisney!

Someone call Jumba and Pleakley, because Experiment 626 has been on the loose for 20 years! Ohana means family, and we certainly haven’t left behind or forgotten our favorite “cute and fluffy” alien. Lucky for us, we won’t be the only ones celebrating!

While we break out our favorite records and voodoo dolls in celebration of 626 Day on Sunday, June 26, shopDisney is encouraging families of all types to share their Ohana on social media with photos and videos showcasing what makes your family u
Disney Parks Blog •

Bring the Force to Your Wardrobe with Lucasfilm's Celina Chu

In celebration of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing is excited to shine a light on some of our brilliant team members and their achievements, including senior product design manager, Celina Chu and her career journey that led her to the Lucasfilm product development team.

Celina develops Star Wars accessories and footwear in collaboration with several well-known brands, such as Adidas, Pandora, and Herschel. “
Disney Parks Blog •

Meet a Leader Uplifting New Voices with Disney Publishing Worldwide

At The Walt Disney Company, we believe that an inclusive environment is one that welcomes and celebrates all people. As storytellers, we have the power to continuously celebrate strong and empowered women around the world. Across our global brands and businesses, our work to prioritize gender diversity and equity never stops. This Women’s History Month, we’re excited to have the opportunity to spotlight some of Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing’s amazing women.

We had the chance to