Update for February 18 – 24, 2014
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News and Views
Media preview set for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opening | Disney confirms end of Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade | 2014 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchens menu preview | Construction Update | Quick takes | Crowd update
Media preview set for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opening
While press events are usually not considered to be newsworthy in and of themselves, the invitation Walt Disney World sent last week helps to narrow down the timeline for the public opening of the Magic Kingdom's new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction in New Fantasyland. According to the invitation, the press preview is scheduled for April 30 to May 2, which indicates that the public opening will likely be May 1 or 2.
Disney removed many of the work walls from around the construction site last week, giving visitors a first clear look at the ride's track and scenery.
This section of rail reveals the attention to detail around the rails and rock work placed along the track. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
More trees and foliage is being added to the mountain that hosts the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
A small rock wall leads to a mine entrance where the rail enters the mountain. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
A bridge crosses over train track as it leads to the load/unload building. The building itself showcases new thematic details as well. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Disney confirms end of Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade
A spokeswoman for confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel last week that Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade is having its final run in Disney's Animal Kingdom park sometime this June The timing of the parade's closing may be related to the reopening of the Festival of the Lion King show in a new theater venue under construction in the Africa section of the park, as well as the expansion of construction work on the new Avatar/Pandora area of the park.
Disney has confirmed that Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade will come to an end at Disney's Animal Kingdom this summer. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
The Jammin’ Jungle Parade, and its Jammin’ Jingle Parade Christmas iteration, have always presented problems for park visitors due to Animal Kingdom's poorly designed parade route. Access to portions of the park, most notably the Africa section, is impossible during the parade. Hopefully, Disney will address these issues before (or if) they design a new parade for the park.
2014 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchens menu preview
Although Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival (scheduled this year to run from March 5 through May 18) is meant to focus on all things horticultural, foodies look forward to the annual event as an unofficial Food and Wine Festival. Disney has released the menus for this year's Outdoor Kitchens, and fresh produce features prominently in many of the items. New this year is a “TRYit!” designation on eight items deemed a must-have.
Here's a rundown by booth, in clockwise order around the World Showcase starting in Mexico:
| Venue | Offering |
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Jardin de Fiestas Located near the Mexico pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Lotus House Located near the China pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Florida Fresh Located near the Germany pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Primavera Kitchen Located near the Italy pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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The Smokehouse Barbecue and Brews Located near the American pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Hanami Located near the Japan pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Taste of Marrakesh Located near the Morocco pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Fleur de Lys Located near the France pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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The Buttercup Cottage Located near the United Kingdom pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Pineapple Promenade Located near the Canada pavilion |
Food
Drinks
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Urban Farm Eats No location listed |
Food
Drinks
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Intermissions Cafe Located inside the Festival Center |
Food
Drinks
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Construction Update
Jeff Kober visits Magic Kingdom to provide this week's construction notes:
While the Dream Lights have been removed, a crane remains at Cinderella Castle to perform ongoing maintenance. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
The plaza between Casey's Corner and The Crystal Palace has reopened. Currently there is only grass, with no shrubs or flowers. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Agrabah Bazaar in Adventureland has reopened with bright new colorful canopies. The shopping layout is similar to before. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Workers use a crane during the Splash Mountain refurbishment, which includes replacement of mountain sections even down to replacing rebar. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Fastpass+ holders wait in an extended line outside the Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction. Disney continues to tweak the Fastpass+ system to prevent bottlenecks like this, even as the company adds more annual passholders to the testing. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Quick takes…
…Raytheon, sponsor of the Sum of All Thrills attaction at Epcot, commemorates National Engineers Week with the “Science Thrills Live” show in Innoventions West through February 21. From Raytheon's MathMovesU website:
Join Raytheon during National Engineers Week (February 17-21) to discover the wonders of science through exciting, hands-on experiments led by real scientists, featuring the host of “The Dr. Erika Show” at the INNOVENTIONS West attraction at Epcot. Twenty-minute shows will take place at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. February 17th through 21st.
…The 2014 The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler race is at 50 percent capacity. Registration is now open at the runDisney website.
…Registered participants in the 2014 Princess Half Marathon races recieved notification from runDisney over the weekend that the company and New Balanace will limit sales of the Disney-inspired New Balance shoes to registered adult runners only. Participants will be offered the opportunity to reserve a spot in a virtual queue, and have a return tme to try on and purchase the shoes at the race Expo. There is a limit of 4 pairs per person, which should help deter people who purchase the shoes only for resale.
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Crowd Forecast
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Talk about these stories and more on our Walt Disney World discussion forum here.
Resort Events
2014
- Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 21–23
- Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival – March 5 through May 18
- Expedition Everest Challenge – May 3
runDisney events
If you participate in (or are considering signing up for) runDisney events, visit our Team MousePlanet forum on the MousePad discussion board, where you can join our community of health-minded readers and staff.
2014
- Disney's Princess Half-Marathon Weekend – February 21–23
- Expedition Everest Challenge – May 3
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Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend – October 3–4
- Early Passholder registration opens February 5
- Regular registration opens February 11
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Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 7–8
- Early Passholder registration opens February 26
- Regular registration opens March 5
For current information on registration dates and capacity, see Lorree Tachell's runDisney Race Capacity Updates in the Team MousePlanet forum.
Refurbishments and Attraction Closures
Magic Kingdom
- The Plaza Restaurant – closed through March 15 for refurbishment.
- Splash Mountain – closed through March 22 for refurbishment.
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority – closed through March 27 for refurbishment.
- Pinocchio Village Haus – closed through March 30 for refurbishment.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed April 7–9 for refurbishment.
- Pirates of the Caribbean – closed April 28–30 for refurbishment.
Epcot
- No known refurbishments at this time.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Studio Backlot Tour – closed through March 1 for refurbishment.
- AFI Showcase – closed through March 1 for refurbishment.
Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Festival of the Lion King – closed for move to its new theater, currently under construction. Estimated to be closed until July/August 2014.
Resorts
As reported in July, some refrigerators in non-Disney Vacation Club rooms at Walt Disney World are being replaced due to a product defect. All Walt Disney World Resort rooms with the exception of DVC Villas, the family suites at the Art of Animation and All-Star Movie resorts, and the cabins at Fort Wilderness are impacted. Disney says “the schedule for replacing the refrigerators at these Resorts is expected to last several months.”
In the interim, if you have a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and need a refrigerator for medical reasons, we recommend contacting your resort directly to inquire about availability during your trip. The hotel should be able to arrange for one if your room does not yet have a new refrigerator, but supplies may be limited while they work to replace all of the malfunctioning units.
- Bay Lake Tower children's play area – closed until February 28 for refurbishment.
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Polynesian
- Never Land Club Children's Activity Center – closed for refurbishment through January 1, 2015.
- Port Orleans French Quarter – Doubloon Lagoon Pool closed through February 28 for refurbishment. Transportation will be provided for guests to use the Ol' Man Island pool at Port Orleans Riverside during this period.
Water Parks
- Blizzard Beach – closed through March 17 for annual refurbishment.
Elsewhere
- The Resort and Express monorail beam closes between 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily starting on January 21 for maintenance.
- Disney Osprey Ridge Golf Course – permanently closed to play.
- Downtown Disney Lots H, I, J, and K (in Westside area) closed until further notice for Disney Springs construction.
- Downtown Disney Bridge 4 and restrooms on Pleasure Island are temporarily closed for ongoing construction work.
- Cirque du Soleil La Nouba – performs Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Current Discounts & Promotions
Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the intended audience. Check out the category that best matches you, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!
Discounts for Everyone |
Save up to 30%* on rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights March 14 through April 12 and April 20 through June 15, 2014 Upgrade to a room and ticket package and get one more ticket day free. (Minimum 4-day Magic Your Way ticket required.) Offer Details:
Book now through March 31, 2014 Memory Maker pre-arrival discount Disney's PhotoPass service provides a discount on Disney Memory Maker pre-arrival packages. For $149 plus tax, Walt Disney World guests will be able to digitally download any photos associated with their Memory Maker account, including photos taken on attractions. The advanced purchase price is a $50 savings. Applicable taxes are charged to all orders. This special offer is only available from this link, and must be made more than three days prior to arrival at the Walt Disney World Resort. All sales are final, and not eligible for an exchange or refund. |
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Discounts for Annual Passholders |
Room discounts through April 12, 2014 Annual passholders enjoy a discount of up to 37 percent off regular room rates at select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts March 14–29. Advance reservations required; other discounts available during this time period. Must book before April 12. As with all discounts, rooms available at these rates are limited, and minimum length-of-stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. No group rates or other discounts apply. Campsites, three-bedroom Grand Villas, and standard rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort are not included. Discounts vary by accommodation type and date, and availability varies by date. Moderate and Deluxe Resort suites may be available at a lower discount—check with your travel agent. Full details on the offer website (annual passholder login required). You can make your reservation through the Walt Disney World website or by calling (407) 939-7926 or your favorite travel agent. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link). From March 6–13 (Spring Break travel):
From March 14–29:
Check with a travel agent or Walt Disney World for other rate discounts during this time period. |
Discounts for Disney Rewards VISA & Debit Card Holders |
Room and ticket discount for travel dates from February 24 through June 15 No discounts available March 6–14 and April 13–19. Buy a minimum four day ticket and get a day free. Room discounts include:
20% off select guided tours Disney Visa cardholders receive 20% off the non-discounted price of selected guided tours for up to 10 people. The cardholder must participate in the tour, and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card. Tours included:
10% off select restaurants Disney Visa cardholders receive 10% off the check when you pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card (be sure to request the discount). Discount excludes alcohol.
10% off merchandise Disney Visa cardholders receive 10% off at participating Disney-owned retail location when you spend a minimum of $50 and pay with a Disney's Visa Card and/or Disney Rewards Redemption Card (be sure to request the discount). Read all of the restrictions on the Disney Visa website. Free 5×7 character photo at a private meet and greet location at Epcot Present your Disney's Premier Visa Card or Disney Rewards Visa Card for access to a private character meet and greet at Epcot for the cardholder and up to 5 guests. The event is hosted daily from 1pm – 7pm inside Innoventions West at Epcot. You'll receive one free 5 x 7 character photo per day. |
Discounts for Florida Residents |
Room discounts through April 8, 2014 Florida residents enjoy a discount of up to 37 percent off regular room rates at select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts from March 14 to 29, 2014. Advance reservations required; other discounts available during this time period. Must book before April 8. As with all discounts, rooms available at these rates are limited, and minimum length-of-stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. No group rates or other discounts apply. Campsites, three-bedroom Grand Villas, and standard rooms at Disney's Art of Animation Resort are not included. Discounts vary by accommodation type and date, and availability varies by date. Moderate and Deluxe Resort suites may be available at a lower discount—check with your travel agent. Full details on the offer website. You can make your reservation through the Walt Disney World website or by calling (407) 939-7926 or your favorite travel agent. MousePlanet's preferred Disney travel providers are MouseEarVacations.com (link), Small World Vacations (link) and Get Away Today (link). From March 6 to 13, 2014 (Spring Break Travel):
From March 14 to 29, 2014:
Check with a travel agent or Walt Disney World for other rate discounts during this time period. |
Discounts for U.K. Residents |
2014 Free Dining offer for U.K. residents 2014 Free Dining offers for U.K. residents have been released. From the information posted on the Virgin Holidays website, it appears the 2014 program offers free Quick Service Dining Plan plan when booking at a Moderate resort, and free Dining Plan when booking at Deluxe resorts, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. There are also offers for a free $200 Disney Gift Card and/or a 14-day ticket for the price of a 7-day ticket depending on travel dates. These particular offers are valid for U.K. residents only. |
