SEASON THREE OF HIT DISNEY JUNIOR SERIES, "JAKE AND THE NEVER LAND PIRATES," FEATURING NEW VILLAINS, SPECIAL ACTION-PACKED EXTENDED EPISODES AND REVAMPED PIRATE ROCK THEME SONG, TO DEBUT FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, ON DISNEY CHANNEL

-- Jack McBrayer, Mark Hamill, Carl Reiner, Rico Rodriguez, Estelle Harris and Jo Frost Among Guest Stars --

Season three of Disney Junior's Emmy-nominated animated series "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" will premiere FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 on Disney Channel (8:30 a.m. ET/PT) and Disney Junior (7:50 p.m. ET/PT). The new season introduces rival characters including pirate ghosts, mummies and robots, and incorporates special super powers and spectacular gadgets for Jake and his crew, including Jake's Mega-Mecha Sword, a robot suit and an invisibility ring that will help the gang outwit their new adversaries. The season will also include action-packed extended length episodes and a revamped rock and roll-style theme song performed by Sharky and Bones of The Never Land Pirate Band.

Celebrity guest stars include Jack McBrayer as a pirate mummy, Mark Hamill as chilling pirate Shiverjack, Carl Reiner as ghost pirate Captain Treasure Tooth, Rico Rodriguez as Snow-Foot, Estelle Harris as Peg-Leg Peg and Jo Frost as Nanny Nell, Captain Hook's no-nonsense nanny.

New episodes of "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" will air every Friday throughout January and February, culminating with the premiere of a special extended episode on Friday, February 28, featuring three 11-minute stories that pit Jake against Hook in an ultimate showdown. All featured episodes will be simulcast for verified users on WATCH Disney Junior in conjunction with the television premieres and will become available the following day on WATCH Disney Junior, Disney Junior on Demand, iTunes, Xbox and Amazon.

Beginning Friday, January 31, DisneyJunior.com/Jake will debut the new game, "Jake and the Never Land Pirates: The Super Pirate," where players can take on the role of Jake as he attempts to retrieve the Mega-Mecha Sword that Captain Hook has stolen. Each Friday, through February 28, kids are invited to unlock a new game level.

The strong connection kids 2-7 and their parents have with the characters and stories of "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" has led to brand extensions across other Disney businesses. The series is prominently featured in Feld Entertainment's 90-city nationwide tour, "Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure," and Jake and his crew are an integral part of the popular "Disney Junior Live on Stage!" attraction at Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort and Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida where the Jake character also meets with fans daily. Disney Consumer Products has licensed LEGO(R) DUPLO(R) sets, action figures and playsets, board games, bikes, apparel and bedding, available at major retailers nationwide.

"Jake and the Never Land Pirates" airs daily on Disney Junior and Disney Channel's Disney Junior programming block for kids age 2-7. The series stars Cameron Boyce as Jake, Madison Pettis as Izzy, Jonathan Morgan Heit as Cubby, David Arquette as Skully, Corey Burton as Captain Hook, Jeff Bennett as Mr. Smee and Bones and Loren Hoskins as Sharky. Rob LaDuca is executive producer, Mark Seidenberg is producer/story editor and Howy Parkins is director, all of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse." The series is produced by Disney Television Animation.

About Disney Junior

Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior's series blend Disney's unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills. In the U.S., Disney Junior is a daily programming block on Disney Channel and a 24-hour channel. There are 33 Disney Junior channels in 24 languages around the world.