Monthly Archives: October 2016

What’s New This Week?

Around the Mouse

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom

Park Update: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Availability: Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is sold out on Monday, October 31. Currently, tickets are still available for October 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28 and 30.

New! Halloween Treats at Magic Kingdom: Disney Parks offers a variety of pre-packaged and freshly made items including pumpkin-shaped cookies, candy corn cupcakes, and festive Rice Krispies treats. As part of the Halloween collection this year, Disney has released three decorative goodie bags that contain candy corn or pumpkin-shaped gummy treats. Locations with show kitchens offer decorative candy apples in the shape of pumpkins, ghosts, or witches.

Epcot

New! Disney Visa Character Photo Opp Change: The character greeting experience at Epcot exclusively for Disney Visa Cardmembers has moved from Innoventions West to a new location next to Journey Into Imagination with Figment. The location will be open 1:00pm to 7:00pm. Disney Visa Cardholders will be able to meet some of their favorite Disney characters and receive free photo downloads here.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

All-New Holiday Nighttime Spectacular “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” Coming Soon: The all-new “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” holiday spectacular coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios November 14. The show comes to life on, above and around the Chinese Theater with state-of-the-art projections, special effects, fireworks and a rousing seasonal musical score. Led by elves Wayne and Lanny, the duo from ABC/Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated special “Prep & Landing,” the spirited yuletide adventure to the North Pole features memorable holiday moments from Disney films including “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pluto’s Christmas Tree,” “Bambi,” Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and more, all building to a festive finale that’s “So tinsel!”

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

New! Kali River Rapids Update: Kali River Rapids is no longer operating during Extra Magic Hours.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

New! Gasparilla Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Closed for Refurb: Gasparilla Island Grill will be closed for refurbishment through mid-December. During this time, Guests will have a variety of alternative food and beverage options,such as:

•  Mizner’s Lounge will offer a selection of grab ‘n’ go meals for purchase from 6 a.m.-midnight, including hot breakfast items. Coffee will be available at 6 a.m. and hot breakfast items at 7 a.m.
•  Beaches Pool Bar and Grill will be open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
•  Cítricos Rotunda and Bar will serve as a lounge in the evenings.
•  Grand Floridian Café will offer a To Go menu.
•  Private Dining will continue to service Guests 24 hours a day.
•  Guests will be able to refill their resort mugs at Mizner’s Lounge, Beaches Pool Bar and Grill and Courtyard Pool Bar.

New! Garden View Champagne and Wine Lounge Now Open at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort: As part of a test, Guests will be able to enjoy the Garden View Lounge into the evening while indulging in an elegant selection of champagne and wine. A limited small plate menu to include items such as caviar, charcuterie, and seafood will compliment these beverages for a sophisticated experience. This new dining experience will be available 7-10 p.m., daily through December. At this time, reservations are not available.

Walt Disney World Resort – General

Face-Painting at Disney Springs Marketplace: Halloween is an excellent excuse to get made up by one of the Face-Painting artists at Disney Springs. They create face-painting magic all year long, 365 days a year. While most the guests at Enjoy Your Face are kids, grown-ups can get in on the fun, too! Prices start at just $12 and no appointments are necessary.

New! Meet the Coca-Cola Bear at Disney Springs: A new interactive meet and greet experience featuring the iconic Coca-Cola Polar Bear is now available at the Coca-Cola Store in Town Center. Guests will have the opportunity to feel the chill of the arctic when they visit the beloved bear in his new home. Ready to share plenty of bear hugs, the Coca-Cola Polar Bear is camera-friendly and known for high fives and fun photo moments. The meet and greet experience is located on the second floor of the Coca-Cola Store and will be open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.

New! Happy Hour at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs: Jock Lindsey’s is now serving Happy Hour specials every Monday-Friday, 3-6:30 p.m. The Happy Hour menu features special appetizers including Classified X 3 Chicken Wings, Jock’s Loaded Nachos and Belloq’s Bacon Fries, as well as specials on select draft beer, wine and cocktails.

New! Disney Parks and Resorts Recieve Top Honors: Disney Parks & Resorts have once again been named among the top destinations around the world to stay and play in the 29th annual Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. These awards celebrate the best of the best in travel according to travelers just like you. The following were recognized with awards this year:

 Walt Disney World Resort:

•  Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
•  Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
•  Disney’s Contemporary Resort
•  Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
•  Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
•  Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
•  Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
•  Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort

Disneyland Resort:

•  Disneyland Hotel
•  Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
•  Disney Vacation Club:
•  Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
•  Disney Cruise Line
•  Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

Closures and Refurbishments

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

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Around the Mouse:

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom Park

Reminder! ‘The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History’ Now Open:

The new show, “The Muppets Present…Great Moments in American History,” has made its official debut at Magic Kingdom Park. In the show, Sam Eagle, the always patriotic American eagle, joins Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo and James Jefferson, town crier of Liberty Square, outside The Hall of Presidents. There, they retell tales from American history in humorous Muppets fashion – such as the midnight ride of Paul Revere and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Epcot

New! Bodh’aktan Now Appearing in Canada: Bodh’aktan, combining the musical traditions of Quebec and other Canadian provinces with rock, folk, Celtic and punk music, has begun a limited engagement on The Mill Stage in Canada. Hailing from Quebec, Bodh’aktan will appear 5 days a week through Oct. 22.

New! Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Magic Shot from Disney PhotoPass: While you taste your way around the world during the Festival, be sure to get this Magic Shot with Remy from the Disney•Pixar movie “Ratatouille.” With a dash of magic from Disney PhotoPass, the little chef will appear in your photo! You can get this photo from Disney PhotoPass Photographer taking scenic photos throughout World Showcase or at the entrance of the park in front of Spaceship Earth.

Reminder! Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Now Under Way: The 21st Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival has begun! Let Epcot be your global tasting table – enjoy the longest festival yet with 62 days to taste, sip and shop culinary creations from around the world. Don’t forget to stop by the nightly Eat to the Beat Concert Series performances at America Gardens Theatre at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. Here are some of the upcoming acts:

•  Oct 17-19 — Dennis DeYoung “Come Sail Away”
•  Oct 20 -21 — Christopher Cross “Sailing”
•  Oct 22 – 23 — Toad the Wet Sprocket “All I Want”
•  Oct 24 – 25 — Chaka Khan “I’m Every Woman”
•  Oct 26 – 27 — Billy Ocean “Caribbean Queen”

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

New! “Doctor Strange” Preview Now Playing: For a limited time, a special 10-minute sneak peek of the magical, mind-bending adventure “Doctor Strange” will be presented as part of the One Man’s Dream attraction, offering Guests an advance look at scenes from the film.

Walt Disney World Resort – General

Wine Bar George Opens Fall 2017 at Disney Springs: Fans of California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort may remember Master Sommelier George Miliotes from the opening team of the award-winning restaurant when it debuted in 1995. Miliotes returns to Walt Disney World Resort with his new venture, Wine Bar George, opening in fall 2017 at Disney Springs. The 210-seat wine bar will be reminiscent of a winemaker’s home estate featuring oak wood, warm lighting, and a welcoming atmosphere. Wine Bar George also will include a food menu featuring small plates designed to complement the wine list along with more than 100 selections both by the bottle and the glass in a range of varietals, vintages and prices.

Popular Disney Parks and Resorts Poster Calendar Returns for 2017: The Disney Parks and Resorts Deluxe Attraction Poster Calendar features Disney attraction posters from all corners of the world. The oversized calendar has posters from classic Disney attractions such as Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland, the Disneyland Hotel at the Disneyland Resort, and attractions from Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Each poster in this calendar can be displayed in a standard 12-inch by 18-inch frame. There are perforations above and below each poster for easy removal after its calendar month. This calendar will be released in select merchandise locations at Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. Once available, guests may also find the calendar using the Shop Disney Parks mobile app.

New! Visit Disney Springs This Halloween Season: Festive Halloween time additions at Disney Springs are available all October long. These additions include new photo backdrops, extra entertainment including a zombie drum corp or a strolling piano, seasonal sweets at Sprinkles, Amorette’s, D0Luxe and The Ganachery, Halloween-inspired makeovers at Sephora, face painting in the Marketplace and, of course, lots of Halloween merchandise!

Closures and Refurbishments

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

What’s New This Week?

Around the Mouse: Walt Disney World News, Oct 10, 2016

Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Magic Kingdom Park

New! Pete’s Silly Sideshow Hours Change: Favorite Disney friends will now greet Guests at Pete’s Silly Sideshow from 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. daily (with closing at 6 p.m. on event nights).

Epcot

New! Muppet Mobile Lab Entertainment: When visiting Future World, be on the lookout for Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant, Beaker, as they conduct field experiments and scientific demonstrations in their one-of-a-kind Muppet Mobile Lab. This new entertainment offering is still just being tested, so there’s no word yet on if it will become a permanent offering.

Reminder! Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Now Under Way: The 21st Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival has begun! Let Epcot be your global tasting table – enjoy the longest festival yet with 62 days to taste, sip and shop culinary creations from around the world. Don’t forget to stop by the nightly Eat to the Beat Concert Series performances at America Gardens Theatre at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. Here are some of the upcoming acts:

• Oct 10-11 — 38 Special “Hold on Loosely”  
• Oct 12-13 — Jeffrey Osborne — “On the Wings of Love”  
• Oct 14-16 — Tiffany “I Think We’re Alone Now”  
• Oct 17-19 — Dennis DeYoung “Come Sail Away”  
• Oct 20 -21 — Christopher Cross “Sailing” Disney’s Hollywood Studios

New! Halloween Carrot Cake Cupcake Now Available: The Halloween carrot cake specialty cupcake is now available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This cupcake will be available at the following locations: Catalina Eddie’s, Rosie’s All-American Café, Starring Rolls Café, and Trolley Car Café. The specialty cupcake will be available through Oct. 31 and included in the Disney Dining Plan.

Walt Disney World Resort – General

New! “A Princess Royal Reception” at Disney Springs: Guests can experience a limited-time royal engagement as they meet classic Disney princesses at World of Disney. With surprise appearances throughout the month of October, Guests will have a chance to meet Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, Tiana or another visiting princess as part of “A Princess Royal Reception,” offered daily at World of Disney from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Upon check-in, Guests will be able to pick up a pager to secure their place in a virtual queue, allowing them to continue exploring Disney Springs while they wait. Disney PhotoPass photographers will be on hand to capture each interaction. “A Princess Royal Reception” will be offered for a limited time Oct. 1-Nov. 1.

New! Bus Service Changes for Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon: Resort Guests wishing to go to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park should take a bus to Disney Springs and then take the shuttle from Disney Springs to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. This shuttle operates all day, beginning about 45 minutes before Typhoon Lagoon opens until one hour after it closes. As a reminder, Resort Guests wishing to go to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park should take a bus to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and then take a shuttle from there to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.

New! 45th Anniversary Brings Discounts for Passholders and DVC Members: All Walt Disney World owned and operated table-service locations, except Victoria & Albert’s, will offer a 10 percent discount in celebration of Walt Disney World Resort 45th Anniversary. All Walt Disney World owned and operated merchandise locations will offer a 20 percent merchandise discount on eligible purchases. This enhanced discount is available for in-store purchases as well as purchases made on Shop Disney Parks. In addition, Annual Passholders may also enjoy a 20 percent discount through Sept. 2017 at 45 Walt Disney World owned and operated restaurants (including quick and table service options) in honor of the 45th anniversary celebration. Guests should ask when visiting a store or restaurant if an Annual Passholder or Disney Vacation Club Member discount is available before purchasing to ensure the discount is applicable.

Merchandise Events

• Oct 11 – New Adventureland–Themed Disney Tsum Tsum at Disney Parks: The newest series of Disney Tsum Tsum from Disney Parks will be released on October 11, 2016. This series contains seven, 3-inch stackable plush with characters inspired by Adventureland.

Closures and Refurbishments

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