Walt Disney World Resort Update for December 6-12, 2016

Walt Disney World Resort Update for December 6–12, 2016

Go directly to: News & Views | Join our Networks | Resort Events | Refurbishments and Attraction Closures | Discounts and Promotions

News and Views

Rogue One updates coming to Walt Disney World | Highway in the Sky Dine Around | Views around the World | This and That | Crowd Forecast

Rogue One updates coming to Walt Disney World

Spaceship Earth was briefly transformed into the “fully operational” Death Star for the Disney Parks Meet-up to promote the December 16 opening of Rogue One-A Star Wars Story. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Disney Parks Blog hosted a meetup inside Epcot Monday night, and used special lighting effects to transform the park's iconic Spaceship Earth into the Death Star for the occasion. Disney used the event to promote the upcoming theatrical release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on December 16. Rogue One actor Mads Mikkelsen was on hand for the event, and attendees were treated to what was billed as a previously-unshown trailer for the film.

One of the stars of Rogue One-A Star Wars Story, Mads Mikkelsen, showed a new trailer from the movie at the Disney Parks Blog Meet-up at Epcot. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney executives also announced several Star Wars-related events and updates for Disney's Hollywood Studio that are tied to or will follow the release of Rogue One.

The Star Wars Launch Bay was updated last week with props from Rogue One, including a new U-wing gunship and a model of the Death Star. The “making of” video shown in the attraction will also be updated with footage from the latest cinematic addition to the saga.

Advanced Weapons Research Stormtroopers will begin to appear at Disney's Hollywood Studios starting on December 16 to coincide with the opening of Rogue One – A Star Wars Story. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

On December 16, AWR (Advanced Weapons Research) Troopers will be part of a new scene added to the “Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away” show currently performing daily at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Also on December 16, and continuing through December 31, 2016, the “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular” fireworks show will return to Disney's Hollywood Studio, and will be presented each night along with “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!,” giving visitors a choice of two fireworks shows to choose from.

Once “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” ends its holiday run, the “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular” fireworks show will continue into 2017, and the added-cost Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party will once again be offered.

In mid-December, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue will once again offer randomized flight sequences, instead of all voyages beginning in Jakku.

Finally, Disney will debut new ultimate Star Wars guided tour starting on January 2, 2017. This seven-hour experience is something of a VIP experience for Star Wars fans, and offers priority viewing for the “Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away” show, and guaranteed participation in the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple show for participants age 4-12. Tour members also rideStar Tours – The Adventures Continue, get a guided tour of the Star Wars Launch Bay, have personal meet-and-greet opportunities with the currently-available Star Wars characters in the Launch Bay.

The day ends with dinner at a quick-service restaurant, plus admission to the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party and priority viewing for the “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular” fireworks show. The tour is offered only Saturday and Monday, and the price is expected to be $129 per person. Theme park admission is not included.

Alan Dalinka interviews Ramit Kapoor, Marketing Manager, The Walt Disney Company about new additions coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Highway in the Sky Dine Around

Here's a new twist on the classic progressive dinner. Last Friday, Disney debuted the Highway in the Sky Dine Around, a multi-course progressive meal served at all three of the Monorail resort hotels. The experience begins and ends at Disney's Contemporary Resort, with a welcome reception at at The Wave… of American Flavors restaurant.

From there, patrons board the Monorail for a quick trip to the Polynesian Hotel for additional appetizers and cocktails. Dinner is served at the next stop along the Monorail route, at Cítricos restaurant at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. After dinner, champagne and cheese are served in the hotel's lobby.

The new “Highway in the Sky Dine Around” monorail resort dining experience ends with a dessert party and viewing of Wishes from “a private patio” (likely this one on the north side of Disney's Contemporary Resort's Grand Canyon Concourse). Exterior lighting bathes Space Mountain in several different colors during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party as seen here. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The final stop is a return to the Contemporary Resort, for dessert and a private viewing location of the Wishes fireworks show.

The meal is $150 per person, with no discounts or Disney Dining Plan accepted. The Highway in the Sky Dine Around is scheduled most Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings through March 31, excluding the Christmas and New Years weekends. Please note, as of this writing all events except the March 18 dinner were sold out. Disney does allow patrons to cancel up to 24 hours in advance, so it's always worth checking back if you're hoping to snag a coveted Valentine's Day reservation. Check the current availability on the Walt Disney World website.

Views Around the World

Alan catches us up on the latest happenings around Walt Disney World

Animal Kingdom

Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures shop dressed one of its dinosaurs for the Holidays. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

It appears that the experimental “Guest Services” location near Kilimanjaro Safari has closed or, at least, does not operate during all Park operating hours. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Cast Previews of the nighttime Rivers of Light show have begun; Walt Disney World's website still says that the show is “Coming Soon!” Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

DINOSAUR opened a couple weeks ago after its lengthy refurbishment. While no significant story changes have been made, a number of effects have been enhanced or altered and the Time Rover's seats (at least on the vehicle Alan S. Dalinka rode in) appear to have been reupholstered. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

After an unusually long (for Disney projects like this one) construction period, the upper level outdoor seating for Flametree Barbecue is open. Photo by Alan Dalinka.

The bus driveway for Walt Disney World buses at Disney's Animal Kingdom provides a view of the construction of Pandora – The World of AVATAR. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

The final Christmas tree projection on the Chinese Theater facade remains in place for photos long after the finale of Jingle BAM! (The crescent moon in this photo is the real thing, not a projection!) Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Before Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! begins, the digitally projected snow on the Chinese Theater facade appears to accumulate in a natural-looking way around the signs, seams and ledges. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

With the opening last month of PizzeRizzo and the Holiday Season, Santa is once again scaling a nearby building in the Muppets Courtyard area. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The construction walls surrounding the former Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame location and all of the busts of the “stars” have been removed. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

One of the Green Army Men stands at attention near the Pixar Place dead end where the construction walls block access to the the future Toy Story and Star Wars lands. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As construction continues in the former Streets of America area, mature trees can be seen in their planter boxes (from the outdoor seating area of PizzeRizzo). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Epcot

The holiday finale (“Let There Be Peace on Earth”) follows the regular finale of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth with an even larger display of fireworks. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That

…The Dr. Strange meet-and-greet seems to have wrapped up at Disney's Hollywood Studios, with all signs and props that referenced the character removed from the area.

All of the Dr. Strange-related decor in this area has been removed. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…The expected opening date of the reimagined Paddlefish (formerly Fulton's Crab House) restaurant has been pushed into “Early 2017.”

…Be aware that if you plan on traveling on watercraft around Disney Springs that all traffic on Village Lake is halted during showings of the Starbright Holidays drone shows.

Be aware that if you plan on traveling on watercraft around Disney Springs that all traffic on Village Lake is halted during showings of the Starbright Holidays drone shows. (The good news is that the show, currently scheduled twice nightly, clocks in at only just over 5 minutes long, so the transportation delay should not be very substantial.) Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…Planet Hollywood Observatory is now accepting dining reservations on PlanetHollywood.com for January 16, 2017, and beyond.

Planet Hollywood Observatory is now accepting dining reservations on PlanetHollywood.com for January 16, 2017, and beyond. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…As we head into the winter months with cooler weather and shorter days, keep in mind that some rides may adjust their operating hours, and close before the park. For example, Kali River Rapids is going into winter mode effective this week, and will close before Animal Kingdom each day. As you plan your day, be sure to pay attention to operating hours for specific attractions, especially those that involve water or typically close at dusk.

…The annual meeting of the Disney Vacation Club is this week at Coronado Springs. We're hoping that DVC releases additional details about the expansion of the DVC villas at Wilderness Lodge, and possibly addresses rumors of a new DVC development at the Coronado Springs resort. Alan Dalinka is attending the meeting, and will share any news with our readers – be sure to follow MousePlanet on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

…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.

Join the MousePlanet Newsletter E-mail:

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
• Holidays at Walt Disney World – November 7 through 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 through December 30, 2016
• Candlelight Processional at Epcot – November 25 through December 30, 2016

2017 Resort events

• Epcot International Festival of the Arts – January 13 through February 20, 2017
• Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival – March 1 – May 29, 2017.
• MouseAdventure – Saturday, March 4, 2017
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – August 31 through November 13, 2017.
• Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic – Dates TBD
• Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party –Dates TBD
• Holidays at Walt Disney World –Dates TBD
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party–Dates TBD
• Holidays Around the World at Epcot –Dates TBD
• Candlelight Processional at Epcot –Dates TBD

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.

2017

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 4–8, 2017. Registration is now open. Proof of time deadline has passed.
• Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 24–26, 2017. Registration is now open. Proof of time deadline has passed.
• Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side Weekend – April 20–23, 2017. Registration is now open. Proof of time must be submitted by January 17, 2017.
• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 2–5, 2017. Registration opens January 17, 2017. Proof of time must be submitted by August 1, 2017.

2018

• 25th Anniversary Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 3–7, 2018. Registration opens February 14, 2017. Proof of time deadline TBD.
• 10th Anniversary Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 22–25, 2017. Registration opens May 2, 2017. Proof of time deadline TBD.
• Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side Weekend – April 18–22, 2017. Registration opens May 23, 2017. Proof of time deadline TBD.
• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – TBD

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.

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

2017

• The Hall of Presidents – closes January 17, 2017 to add an audio-animatronic figure of the 45th president of the United States. Expected to reopen July, 2017.

Epcot

Permanently closed:

• Sum of All Thrills – closed permanently on September 14.
• Storm Struck – closed permanently on September 14.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

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
• The Writer's Stop
• Academy of Television Sciences Hall of Fame

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• None at this time

Blizzard Beach

• Closed October 23 – December 24 for seasonal refurbishment.

Typhoon Lagoon

• Closed December 24 – March 11, 2017 for seasonal refurbishment.

Disney Springs

• Fulton's Crab House – closed for refurbishment. Scheduled to reopen in Early 2017 as Paddlefish
• Planet Hollywood – closed for refurbishment and transformation into a Planet Hollywood Observatory.
• Disney Quest – scheduled to close sometime in 2017.

Resorts

• 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 closed October 10 for refurbishment, and is expected to reopen by December 2. The Surfboard Bay Pool will remain open.
• Disney's Pop Century Resort – the Computer Pool closed October 31 for refurbishment, and is expected to reopen by December 23. The Hippy Dippy Pool will remain open.

Elsewhere

• 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.