Walt Disney World Resort Update for August 2-8, 2016

Walt Disney World Resort Update for August 2–8, 2016

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News and Views

The Muppets to appear at Magic Kingdom in new show | Celebrate the Magic dark August 5–30 | AbricacaBAR opens; Flying Fish announces reopening date | Views around the World | This and That | Crowd Forecast

The Muppets to appear at Magic Kingdom in new show

Disney last week announced a brand-new addition to the entertainment lineup at Magic Kingdom. “The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History” opens in October, and will star Sam Eagle, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and The Great Gonzo. Another character, James Jefferson, is the human host of the show. According to the casting call for the role, “JJ is a Revolutionary history buff who delights in sharing his knowledge of the Colonial era and Liberty Square with anyone who will listen, and he has teamed up with his good friends Sam Eagle, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and others to share some great moments in American history!”

This new show takes place outside the Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square, and is said to be an addition to the “regular, year-round lineup,” rather than a limited-time offering. The show almost certainly requires some sort of permanent stage or set for the Muppets, so we'll keep an eye out for new construction in the area.

Celebrate the Magic dark August 5–30

If you're planning a trip to the Magic Kingdom August 5-30, be advised that the nighttime Celebrate the Magic projection show will not be performed those days. The show closes August 5 for refurbishment, and returns August 31.

This refurbishment also means a modified version of the Wishes fireworks show, as the special effects on Cinderella Castle will not be used during the same window.

AbricacaBAR opens; Flying Fish announces reopening date

Flying Fish at Disney's Boardwalk will reopen on August 3, and reservations are now available via the Walt Disney World website. The adjacent AbracadaBAR is now officially open, and Alan Dalinka shared these photos from his visit.

AbracadaBAR is now open daily at 4 p.m. at Disney's BoardWalk. The renovated Flying Fish restaurant next door is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, August 3. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

AbracadaBAR in located in the space formerly occupied by Seashore Sweets on the Disney's BoardWalk Inn side of the the boardwalk. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The backstory of AbracadaBAR is displayed on the (imagineered) BoardWalk Bugle edition hanging on a wall. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The inside of AbracadaBAR is decorated with “enchanted” (digital) show posters and vintage props and tricks of its past (imagineered) “famous magicians, local illusionists and the loveliest of magician’s assistants.” Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Highly detailed digital posters of magic acts hang on the walls of AbracadaBAR. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Like Trader Sam's at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar at Disney Springs, there are extensive references to the imagineered past of AbracadaBAR in the props on display. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The “Stage Door” inside AbracadaBAR is actually the lounge's entrance to Flying Fish next door. The lounge also has an entrance to Trattoria al Forno on the other side of the bar. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

“Smoke” and “Mirrors” are but two of the prop file drawers on display at AbracadaBAR. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Even the legal notice prohibiting service to minors is themed to the period in which AbracadaBAR is set. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Views Around the World

Epcot

As summer season winds down and schools across the country begin to go back into session, weekday crowds at Epcot tend to get smaller. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

In-park preparations have already begun for the 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival along the path between World Showcase and Future World near the Imagination pavilion. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Musique Aramenco performances are scheduled at the stage at Epcot's Morocco pavilion Wednesday through Sunday afternoons throughout August. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Rainbows often appear around Walt Disney World during Central Florida's rainy season, even when the nearest rainstorm is many miles away. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

BoardWalk

The pathway from Disney's BoardWalk Resort to Disney's Hollywood Studios is now also dotted with alligator and snake warning signs along the unfenced portions of the waterway. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Alligator and snake warning signs dot the grassy shore of Crescent Lake near Sea Breeze Point, the gazebo at Disney's BoardWalk Inn. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Like the beaches along the Seven Seas Lagoon, Disney's Beach Club's beaches along Crescent Lake now have wood and net fences along the shoreline. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Fences surround the shoreline of the beaches along the shore of Crescent Lake at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Though ropes no longer block access, guests should note when beach areas are closed. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Animal Kingdom

Construction of the floating mountains of Pandora in the upcoming World of Avatar now includes many structures visible from Disney's Animal Kingdom's parking lot. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From just inside the main gates of Disney's Animal Kingdom extensive details of the floating mountains of Pandora are emerging above Guest Relations. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The current promotional art on the construction wall near the future Discovery Island entrance (next to Tiffins Restaurant) to Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom is done in the style of travel posters. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Animal Kingdom continues to tweak the lighting at Kilimanjaro Safari, making some of the animals, like this male lion, easier to see and photograph after dark. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney Hollywood Studios

The demolition of the Lights, Motors, Action grandstand inside Disney's Hollywood Studios is visible from a new clearing in the trees along World Drive. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From inside Disney's Hollywood Studios, the only visible evidence of the construction of the future Star Wars Land is the equipment that is taller than the construction walls that run along where the Cars meet-and-greet and Premier Theater used to stand behind the MuppetVision 3D Theater. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Construction continues to transform the former Pizza Planet into the Muppet-themed PizzeRizzo which is expected to open this fall at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Although the new Mickey and Minnie meet and greet at Disney's Hollywood Studios opened a few months ago, our photographer had not previously been inside. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Inside Mickey and Minnie Starring in Red Carpet Dreams guests first meet Minnie Mouse. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Guests then meet Sorcerer Mickey Mouse. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That

…Today, August 2, is the final day to submit proof of time for the Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Half Marathon weekend events. Visit the event website to submit, update or verify your proof of time.

…Readers ericles alerted us that Epcot's Sunshine Seasons restaurant discontinued breakfast service as of this past weekend. Though the Walt Disney World website still mentions breakfast service in its description of the eatery, the breakfast menu has been removed from the page, and the restaurant now opens at 11:00 a.m. for lunch through August 31, which is as far out as the operational calendar is published.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

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Crowd Forecast

Join Our Networks

MousePlanet

Resort Events

Check here to see if a park event might fall during your next trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail (link).

2016 Resort events

• Star Wars Experiences – Opened December 1, 2015
• Night of Joy – September 9 & 10
• 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival –September 14 – November 14, 2016.
• Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic – Friday and Saturday, October 29 and 30.
• Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party –September – 2, 8, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 29, 30; October – 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31
• D23's Sip & Scream – Wednesday, October 5. The event is sold out
• D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience: A Midnight Soirée at the Tower of Terror – Wednesday, October 5. The event is sold out.
• “Jersey Week” – November 6–13. Expect larger crowds this week as New Jersey students and families take advantage of a Fall Break created by their school's participation in the New Jersey Teachers Convention.
• Dapper Day at Epcot (unofficial event) – Saturday, November 12, 2016. More information at the event website.
• Destination D – November 19-20, 2016. D23 Members are invited to join the excitement of D23 Destination D: Amazing Adventures, a celebration of Disney adventures of the past, present, and future. More details at the event website.
• Holidays at Walt Disney World – November 7 – December 31, 2016
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party – November 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29; December 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22
• Holidays Around the World at Epcot – November 25 – December 30, 2016
• Candlelight Processional at Epcot – November 25 – December 30, 2016

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.

2016

• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 3–5. All races are sold out, with the exception of the runDisney Kids races. Proof of time must be submitted by August 2, 2016

2017

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 4–8, 2017. Registration opens at Noon (Eastern) on Tuesday, April 26. Proof of time must be submitted by October 4, 2016.
• Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 24–26, 2017. Registration opens at Noon (Eastern) on Tuesday, July 12. Proof of time must be submitted by November 15, 2016.
• Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side Weekend – April 20–23, 2017. Registration opens at Noon (Eastern) on Tuesday, August 9. Proof of time date has not been released.

For current information on registration dates and capacity, see Lorree Tachell's runDisney Race Capacity Updates in the Team MousePlanet forum on our MousePad discussion board.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Events

Check here to see if a sporting competition might fall during your next trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. We don't list all events here, but focus on the larger sport and cheer events that might result in extra visitors to the theme parks, and make it harder to secure a hotel room. The All-Star and moderate resort hotels are often the home base for these larger events, so it's worth avoiding those properties if possible.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex events

2016

• Special Olympics Florida Fall Classic – November 11–12.
• 2016 Pop Warner Super Bowl –December 3–10.

2017

• Pro Bowl week festivities – take place the week prior to the 2017 game on January 29. Additional schedule information to be released.

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

2016

• Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse – closed July 7 – September 24 for refurbishment.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed August 8 – November 18 for refurbishment.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – closed August 15 – 21 for refurbishment.
• “it's a small world” – closed August 22 – September 15 for refurbishment.

Epcot

2016

• None scheduled

Disney's Hollywood Studios

2016

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid – closed July 24-27 for refurbishment.
• MuppetVision 3*D – closed August 15 – 22 for refurbishment
• Pizza Planet restaurant – closed for refurbishment. Will reopen in Fall, 2016 as PizzeRizzo

Permanently closed:

• Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure
• Studio Catering Co.
• Meet & Greet: Mike and Sulley at Streets of America
• Magic of Disney Animation

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Dinosaur – closed for refurbishment July 25 – Fall, 2016

Blizzard Beach

• None scheduled

Typhoon Lagoon

• None scheduled

Disney Springs

• Fulton's Crab House – closed for refurbishment. Scheduled to reopen in Fall 2016 as Paddlefish
• Planet Hollywood – closed for refurbishment and transformation into a Planet Hollywood Observatory.
• Disney Quest – scheduled to close sometime in 2016.

Resorts

• Boardwalk Inn
  • Flying Fish Cafe closed through September 30 for refurbishment. Will reopen simply as “Flying Fish” on August 3, 2016. Reservations are now available.
  • Seashore Sweets – closed permanently. Reopened as the new AbracadaBAR adjacent to Flying Fish.
• Wilderness Lodge and Villas – Hidden Springs pool, resort beach, playground, and Recreation fire pit closed. No opening date provided, but the pool is expected to be closed through 2017. Expect construction-related closures and noise due to construction of the as-yet-unannounced Disney Vacation Club cabins.
• Disney's All-Star Sports – the Grand Slam Pool closes in mid-October for refurbishment. The Surfboard Bay Pool will remain open.
• Disney's Pop Century Resort – the Computer Pool closes in late October for refurbishment, and will reopen in late December. The Hippy Dippy Pool will remain open.

Elsewhere

• Disney's Magnolia Golf Course – closed August 22-28 for refurbishment.
• Disney's Palm Golf Course – closed August 29-September 4 for refurbishment.
• Disney's Lake Buena Vista Golf Course – closed September 5-11 for refurbishment.
• Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course – closed September 12-16 for refurbishment.
• Disney Osprey Ridge Golf Course – permanently closed.

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.