Around the Mouse: Walt Disney World News, August 22, 2016

What’s New This Week?

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom Park

New! Main Street Electrical Parade Ends: The Main Street Electrical Parade, Magic Kingdom Park’s long-running nighttime parade, will officially end its historic run at Walt Disney World Resort on October 9 and then head toDisneyland Resort for a limited-time encore engagement. There has not been an announcement regarding what will replace the Main Street Electrical Parade yet.

New! Princess Elena of Avalor Has Arrived: Princess Elena has arrived at Magic Kingdom Park! For a limited time, “Princess Elena Royal Welcome” will be presented several times daily on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage. During the ceremony, Cinderella and Prince Charming introduce their special guest from Avalor. With great fanfare, Princess Elena arrives accompanied by a contingent of regal banner carriers and musicians.

Epcot

New! New Hands-On Experiences at the 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival: For the first time, the most delicious time of year at Walt Disney World has expanded into the resorts, with family-friendly experiences like Culinary Adventures with a Master Chef at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, where you’ll create dishes under the direction of a Disney chef. Budding culinary stars as young as nine-years-old can participate. In Festival Center workshops like Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! you can learn the secret of making sushi from celebrity Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Other classes include pasta making, wine pairing and crafting cocktails.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

New! “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” Ends Sept 5: “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” ends it’s limited engagement show on September 5. As fall season approaches, Disney’s Animal Kingdom park hours will fluctuate with the season but Kilimanjaro Safaris will continue to be available from park open to park close along with Harambe Wildlife Parti and Discovery Island Carnivale and the awakening of the Tree of Life.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

New! Craft Cocktails Star at New AbracadaBar at Disney’s BoardWalk: The beverage menu at the new bar offers “Curious Cocktails,” “Worldly Wines” and “Baffling Beers.” The cozy space offers chickpea popcorn for noshing, but no food. Favorites include The Conjurita, a margarita with tequila, Cointreau, simple syrup and lime juice – and a little magic trick comes with the presentation. The Coney Negroni replaces the classic gin in the drink with bourbon. And for a kick, Pepper’s Ghost combines pineapple vodka and habanero lime. Non-alcoholic beverages include the Seashore Sweet, a nod to the former candy store that used to be in this location, made with lemonade and blue cotton candy. Here’s the cocktail menu to help you plan ahead:

Walt Disney World Resort – General

Reminder! Limited Time Offer at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique: As part of the Grand Opening Celebration this summer, Disney Springs is introducing a limited time offer at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the Marketplace. Beginning Aug. 7, Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club Members, Disney Visa Card members, and Walt Disney World Resort Guests will receive a 10% discount at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for guests age 3-12. This discount is available only at the Disney Springs location and applies to all reservations through Sept. 5.

Reminder! Art in August at Disney Springs: “Art in August” kicked off Thursday, August 4, 2016, at Disney Springs Marketplace. With tents set up throughout the promenade, guests can expect to find Disney artists, handmade treasures including jewelry and stationery, and unique keepsakes. “Art in August” is a vibrant, open-air art stroll that celebrates the diversity of art, featuring a little something for everyone. In addition, Guests may participate in interactive demonstrations on the promenade such as chalk drawing and meet the artists behind the Disney magic. “Art in August” is another way Guests can enjoy Disney Springs Grand Opening Summer Celebration – an event that combines new venues, added entertainment and special retail promotions, all happening through Labor Day.

Merchandise Updates

New! Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween Party Merchandise: Commemorative Merchandise for Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween Party have been announced via the Disney Parks Blog. Guests attending this year’s parties will find shirts for adults and kids and even a special one for Annual Passholders. One of the most popular items are Disney pins. This year there will be limited edition and limited release pins. There’s also a limited release mystery pin set with character faces drawn in spider webs. There are also a number of items with the Sanderson Sisters logo celebrating the Villains Spelltacular show which is presented only at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party events. A limited edition retail MagicBand with an edition size of 3,000 will be released at Emporium and Box Office Gifts on Main Street, U.S.A.

Merchandise Events

Epcot

August 12-14 & 26-29 – 12-7pm – Guests can check out the latest Yardley fragrance and beauty products and meet representatives from noon to 7:00 p.m., each day at The Queen’s Table. We will be offering bottle painting and personalization on August 13-14, 27-28.

August 31-September 4 – Learn more about fragrances and cosmetics by Givenchy in the Plume et Palette shop at France Pavilion in World Showcase.

Closures and Refurbishments

Click here to view the latest renovations and closures at Walt Disney World Resort.

Siera is a travel agent with Destinations in Florida, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. She would love to help you plan your next vacation at no cost to you. Call her at 734-771-1290 or email her at siera@destinationsinflorida.com for your free, no obligation quote. 

Around the Mouse: Walt Disney World News, August 8, 2016

What’s New This Week?

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom Park

New! Watch Princess Elena of Avalor’s Royal Welcome Live Stream: Princess Elena of Avalor is ready to make her debut at Walt Disney World Resort. The Disney Parks Blog has announced that they will be there to live stream the first performance of the limited time show “The Royal Welcome of Princess Elena of Avalor.” On August 11th, Magic Kingdom Park will welcome Elena, crown princess of Avalor, in a special ceremony taking place on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage. Beginning August 12, the royal welcome for Elena of Avalor will be presented several times daily at the park.

Epcot

New! Margret Almer & The Bavarian Band Now Appearing In Germany: World famous yodeler Margret Almer & The Bavarian Band now bring spirited and authentic music to the German gazebo. The group will perform on the stage adjacent to the Germany pavilion five days a week.

New! 2016 Epcot Cookbook Celebrates Best of Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival: The newest Epcot cookbook shares the best-of-the-best recipes, but also includes favorites from the 2016 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which started adding its Outdoor Kitchens in 2013, now an integral part of the spring fest. The cookbook will be for sale at Mouse Gear, Gateway Gifts and other Epcot shops during and after the festival.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Reminder! New Menu Items Coming to Sunset Boulevard: Beginning August 2, some delicious new menu items will be added to the Sunset Ranch Market area. Inspired by the fresh selections traditionally found at a farmer’s market, a selection of baked potatoes will now be available at Fairfax Fare, including the Fairfax One Pound Baked Potato with tri-tip beef, brown gravy and white cheddar, and the Loaded Fairfax Potato with sour cream, cheddar and bacon. Toluca Legs Turkey Co. will become Sunshine Day Café which will offer an all-new menu inspired by a day at the market. Turkey legs will no longer be sold at this location.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

New! DJ Dino-Mite to perform in Afternoons: DJ Dino-Mite, DJ in DinoLand U.S.A., will perform an afternoon show from 12-3 p.m now through Aug. 27. This performance will be in addition to his regular 7-10 p.m. performance.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

New! Flying Fish Reopened at Disney’s BoardWalk: The time has come for the much-anticipated opening of Flying Fish on Disney’s BoardWalk, with an all-new menu and expanded wine list – and a beautiful new interior and next-door cocktail lounge, AbracadaBAR. With hues that conjure up the deep blue sea and a clear-glass school of artful fish and bubbles suspended from the stretched-fabric ceiling, the new Flying Fish features a sophisticated interior that pays homage to the golden era of seaside boardwalk dining. The popular “Chef’s Counter” is redesigned, now with seating for 12 at three separate tables directly in front of the open kitchen, where a six-course dinner with its own menu is offered.

Along with sustainable fish, entrées include planch-seared Hokkaido scallops; Wagyu filet mignon; Maine lobster Nero Pasta with golden tomato sauce, young artichokes and micro-lemongrass; Wild Alaskan King salmon; bison striploin, and Wood-Fired Cobia and Carabinero Prawn with rosemary-laced arroz bomba, Peruvian sweet pepper and andouille. And popular wine flights are back, as well as an all-new cocktail menu.

Walt Disney World Resort – General

New! Art in August at Disney Springs: “Art in August” kicked off Thursday, August 4, 2016, at Disney Springs Marketplace. With tents set up throughout the promenade, guests can expect to find Disney artists like Don “Ducky” Williams, handmade treasures including jewelry from Jortra and stationary from Boiled Books, and unique keepsakes such as the latest Precious Moments Dolls from doll designer Linda Rick.

Every weekend (Thursday through Sunday) in August, new artisans will be featured. Painters like Greg MCCullough, Darren Wilson, William Silvers, Joe Kaminski and Jasmine Becket-Griffith will sit alongside niche craftsman who sell items that include giftable plants (Petal Pushers), Handmade Soaps and Beauty Products (Rinse) and decorative house and garden flags (Swaying in the Breeze). Guests can expect to find jewelry made from recycled beads at Magic Ink and decorative Italian masks from Annalisa Masks. Pop Gallery, the eclectic art haven on the West Side, will have a booth featuring unique pieces, as will Name Works. And on select dates, these diverse artists will be joined by photographer Carlos Cuba, Precious Moments figurine sculptor Hiko Maeda, and game designer Quynh Kimball. Whether you prefer your art “fine” or simply “fun,” there’s something for everyone!

New! New ‘Miss Fortune Falls’ Attraction Coming to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Spring 2017: A brand new attraction called Miss Fortune Falls is coming to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon in spring of 2017! Miss Fortune Falls will be a family-style raft attraction that takes guests on a splashing journey through the fabled Captain Mary Oceaneer’s past. Legend has it that Captain Oceanear, a treasure-hunting heroine, traveled across the sea collecting unique artifacts before she became stranded at Typhoon Lagoon many years ago by a rogue storm. Aboard treasure rafts, guests will ascend to the top of the attraction before plunging into a white-water adventure where they will be able to spot some of the treasures Captain Oceanear gathered from around the world. With a ride time of two minutes, Miss Fortune Falls will be among the lengthiest attractions at both Disney Water Parks.

Merchandise Events

New! Three Dooney & Bourke Collections to Premiere on Shop Disney Parks App in August 2016: In August 2016, we will premiere three new Dooney & Bourke collections on the Shop Disney Parks mobile app. This free app offers access to thousands of products found at Disney Parks which you can have shipped directly to your home. The highly anticipated Disney’s “Beauty & the Beast” collection will be released via the app on August 15. Three handbags inspired by Walt Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” will be released on August 22 via the app. This year, Walt Disney’s “Dumbo” celebrates its 75th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, Disney is releasing three handbags on August 29 via the app.

Closures and Refurbishments

Click here to view the latest renovations and closures at Walt Disney World Resort.

Siera is a travel agent with Destinations in Florida, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. She would love to help you plan your next vacation at no cost to you. Call her at 734-771-1290 or email her at siera@destinationsinflorida.com for your free, no obligation quote. 

Around the Mouse: Walt Disney World News, July 25, 2016

What’s New This Week?

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom Park

Reminder! Early Morning Magic Extended: Earlier this year, Disney Early Morning Magic launched at Magic Kingdom Park to give eager guests the opportunity to be among the first to experience theme park attractions and breakfast inside the park. Early Morning Magic is a special ticketed event that allows guests access to select attractions and a breakfast inside the park all before park opening time. Disney Early Morning Magic been extended through September 30, 2016 for Magic Kingdom Park.

Epcot

New! Bookings Now Open for Epcot Food & Wine Festival Events: While there are plenty of events included with Epcot admission for the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, this year’s “premium events” include some don’t-miss options. Reservations are now open. Book via 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378), which opens at 7 a.m. each day. Go to epcotfoodfestival.com to choose your lineup.

Chefs from Disney and across the country serve up their finest creations during the Party for the Senses grand tasting experiences during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Each event, held at the park’s World Showplace pavilion in Future World, promises an evening of exotic taste treats by Disney and celebrity chefs; wines, beers and other beverages from around the world; plus breathtaking acts by Cirque du Soleil “La Nouba.” (Matt Stroshane, photographer)

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

New! PizzeRizzo Restaurant Replacing Pizza Planet: Pizza lovers, rejoice! PizzeRizzo will open this fall in Muppets Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, in the former Toy Story Pizza Planet location. Rizzo The Rat owns and operates the pizzeria, where guests can grab a pizza pie and a cold drink. Enjoy a casual Italian-American dining experience in a whole new way, through the eyes of the lovable, wisecracking Muppet.

New! Club Villain Returns this Fall: Due to the popularity of Club Villain, it will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this fall. Reservations have been opened for select dates beginning in September. Shows will be hosted every Friday and Saturday during September and October, with two shows performed nightly at 5:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Additionally, shows will be offered on Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31. As a reminder, Club Villain is a ticketed dining and entertainment offering held in Sunset Showcase providing a spellbinding evening for Guests to enjoy savory culinary delights from New Orleans and beyond, fiendish concoctions from the Potions Bar, meet with the villains and dance the night away.

New! Character Meet and Greet Location Changes: Goofy, Chip & Dale are located on Commissary Lane across from Writer’s Stop, while Daisy & Donald are by the main entrance in front of Sid’s porch.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

New! New Animals at Affection Section at Rafiki’s Planet Watch: Ameraucana chickens, silver leghorn chickens, and naked-neck turkens are the newest animals at Affection Section at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

New! Surrey Bike Rentals Now Available at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort: New surrey bike rentals became available on Monday, July 18. Guest can rent single and double surrey bikes, beach cruisers and elliptical bikes at the marina between noon–8 p.m. daily.

New! First Look Inside AbracadaBar at Disney’s BoardWalk:  AbracadaBar is a new cocktail lounge that will soon open for business at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort. When it comes to describing this new location, “magic” is key. As the story goes, this little lounge was a former stomping ground for the famous magicians, boardwalk illusionists, and lovely magician’s assistants of the Golden Age. After a show, prestidigitators would gather to “conjure” up new cocktails, swap magic tips and tricks, and stay up all night attempting to “out-charm” each other with their extraordinary illusions. According to BoardWalk lore, it was on just such an evening that every single magician in the lounge vanished into thin air, and was never seen again … Now, after sitting vacant for nearly seventy years, the secret magician’s lounge is now back in the spotlight and making its world debut as “AbracadaBar.” Once inside, guests will get a special peek at the sophisticated social club of some of the most famous illusionists of the 20th century. While it’s rumored that the magicians who frequented the lounge vanished without a trace decades ago, their magic still remains strongly intact, and can be seen, heard, and savored in the bar’s signature cocktails.

Walt Disney World Resort – General

New! “Get Directions” on My Disney Experience: Guests can now navigate Walt Disney World Resort through a new, GPS way-finding feature, “Get Directions,” on the My Disney Experience mobile app. This addition will allow Guests to conveniently navigate to their favorite Walt Disney World destination whether walking or taking Walt Disney World Resort Transportation.

New! The Polite Pig to Open in 2017 at Disney Springs: The Polite Pig will bring a new twist on favorite local flavors to Disney Springs when it opens in spring 2017. A sister restaurant to The Ravenous Pig of Winter Park, FL, The Polite Pig will feature a variety of wood-fired smoked and grilled items as well as an innovative beverage program that serves all drinks on tap, including locally-brewed Cask & Larder beer, wine and cocktails. The 5,000-square-foot venue will be open daily for lunch and dinner, with seating for about 200 guests.

Merchandise Events

New! Magic Kingdom 45th Anniversary Products Arriving in Fall 2016: The 45th Anniversary of Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort is only a few months away. The Magic Kingdom 45th Anniversary assortment contains a variety of apparel items for adults including short and long-sleeved shirts. Guests will also find two Dooney & Bourke handbags that will each contain a 45th Anniversary leather hangtag.  There are several unique souvenirs for this celebration including a 1000-piece puzzle, a light-up ear hat ornament, an antenna topper, and a pennant with candy. The arts and collectibles team is releasing two limited edition coins – a 39mm commemorative copper coin that is presented in a custom acrylic display; and a silver plated coin in a box. Both coins will feature the Magic Kingdom 45th anniversary artwork.

Closures and Refurbishments

Click here to view the latest renovations and closures at Walt Disney World Resort.

Siera is a travel agent with Destinations in Florida, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. She would love to help you plan your next vacation at no cost to you. Call her at 734-771-1290 or email her at siera@destinationsinflorida.com for your free, no obligation quote.