Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 17 – 22, 2016

Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 17 – 22, 2016

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News and Views

New “Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire” to replace “Dream-Along with Mickey” show at Magic Kingdom | New meet-and-greet locations for Olaf, Sorcerer Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Hollywood Studios | New cheer competition venue coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports complex | Views From Around the World | This and That | Crowd Forecast

New “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” to replace “Dream-Along with Mickey” show at Magic Kingdom

Ten years isn't necessarily a long run for Florida theme park shows—consider Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, which celebrates 25 years at Disney's Hollywood Studios this fall, or Fantasmic, which has been running for 18 years—but it's apparently long enough for the Dream Along with Mickey show at the Magic Kingdom.

Disney has given an end-of-run notice for the live stage show, which is performed several times each day in front of Cinderella Castle, and announced its replacement with a new show titled Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire.

Tiana, Naveen, and Louis are joining Mickey and friends in the new “Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire” stage show at the Magic Kingdom. Photo © Disney.

The new show is set to debut later this summer, and features characters from recent Disney animated movies, including Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder from Tangled, and Princess Tiana and Louis from The Princess and the Frog. These characters currently appear in a stage show at Disneyland, but this will be their first East Coast appearance. Anna and Elsa from Frozen will also join the new show.

The final performances of Dream-Along with Mickey are expected to be Saturday, April 2.

New meet-and-greet locations for Olaf, Sorcerer Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Hollywood Studios

Olaf from Frozen will have a new meet-and-greet set later this spring, with a summer-themed set in the new “Celebrity Spotlight” venue in Echo Lake. Our photographer Alan Dalinka noted in January that the radio booth next to the ABC Sound Studio theater was behind construction walls, and speculates that the new meet-and-greet will take place inside.

The radio booth next to the ABC Sound Studio theater (currently home to the “Star Wars: Path of the Jedi” movie) may be the setting for a new meet-and-greet location with Olaf. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Minnie Mouse and Sorcerer Mickey will also move to new meet-and-greet digs inside the park. Of the new set, Disney says, “You’ll walk the red carpet and step into a scene with Minnie, where she appears as a Tinsel Town starlet in a ritzy setting straight out of a lush and colorful musical extravaganza. Nearby, you will find Mickey portraying his iconic role of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia.” Disney has confirmed that the current Sorcerer Mickey meet-and-greet venue will close as part of this new offering.

Around the other side of the ABC Sound Studio, the portion of the building that formerly hosted American Idol Experience auditions may be the new home for Minnie Mouse and Sorcerer Mickey. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

No firm opening date has been provided, but Disney's Shawn Slater has said the new meet-and-greets will not be open before the end of March.

New cheer competition venue coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports complex

Walt Disney World is the site of dozens for cheerleading and dance competitions each year, and now the largest host of such events is preparing to build a permanent competition venue at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. Varsity Spirit unveiled plans last week to build an 8000-seat competition arena at the complex, along with backstage support areas and concessions. The Memphis Business Journal reports the new complex will have its own box office, and the arena can be configured to host basketball or volleyball competitions, or even concerts and entertainment events.

Varsity Spirit hosts the National High School Cheerleading Championships at Walt Disney World each year, and the competitions are televised on ESPN and its sister station.

This announcement came following the conclusion of the 2016 competition, which was hosted in the existing ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.

Views From Around the World

Contributing photographer Alan Dalinka visited Disney's Animal Kingdom to get a look at the construction progress of Avatar Land and the Rivers of Light show this week.

More rock work is rising above the roofline of Guest Relations in the Pandora: The World of AVATAR area of Disney's Animal Kingdom slated to open next year. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

One of the “floating” mountains of the under-construction Pandora: The World of AVATAR can also be seen from in front of the Harambe Theater, home of the the Festival of the Lion King at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Animal Kingdom's announced Tiffins Signature Restaurant continues to take shape behind Discovery Island's Pizzafari Restaurant. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A black rhino enjoys part of its lunch within sight of one of the Kilimanjaro Safari trucks at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Parts of Kilimanjaro Safari's savannah habitat are protected by construction screens as the attraction prepares for nighttime safaris. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A light tower “themed” as a palm tree (in the center of the photo) likely will illuminate a significant portion of the red clay pit habitat at night in the areas where Kilimanjaro Safari's elephant heard often can be seen on daytime safaris. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A significant part of the elephant habitat viewable from Kilimanjaro Safari trucks is surrounded by construction screens as the area is prepared for nighttime safaris. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Banners for the newly opened Lion Guard Adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are in several spots around the park. The Disney Parks Blog reported that the Adventure “sends young explorers on a park-wide search for the five Lion Guard characters.” Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A portion of the construction screens and walls near the entrance to Theater in the Wild (home of Finding Nemo: The Musical), has been moved further away from the Theater to reveal what appears to be an entry or exit area for one of the viewing areas for the upcoming Rivers of Light nighttime spectacular at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Across the Discovery River from the entrance to the Theater in the Wild, the under-construction seating area on the other side of the construction screens in the prior photo is visible. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The construction area for the upcoming Rivers of Light show continues along the pathway near Theater in the Wild all the way to Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From the recently-opened viewing panel on the bridge between the Theater in the Wild and Expedition Everest, the extent of construction for Rivers of Light along just one of the banks of Discovery River can be seen. The cranes in the distance are those working on the construction of Pandora: The World of AVATAR. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The bridge over Discovery River along the path between the Theater in the Wild and Expedition Everest allows guests to view construction of seating and technical aspects of the upcoming Rivers of Life nighttime spectacular. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From across Discovery River from the prior photo, some of the decorative details of the Rivers of Light's infrastructure appears to be nearing completion. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The largest viewing area for the upcoming Rivers of Light nighttime spectacular appears to be located on the riverside of the path in front of the big drop segment of Expedition Everest's track. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Throughout the area between Expedition Everest and Discovery River, quite a few towers with technical elements for the upcoming Rivers of Light nighttime spectacular are now in place. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Likewise, on the side of Discovery River nearest Flame Tree Barbecue's seating area, numerous lights and/or projectors are now in place. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Across the Discovery River from Flame Tree Barbecue's dining area, the seating area for Rivers of Light continues to take shape. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Some of the upper level of Flame Tree Barbecue's seating area is closed for renovations. The counter service restaurant remains open. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Some of the chairs in the seating areas of Flame Tree Barbecue now sport a copper color paint and/or green seat cushions. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That

…The Star Wars-themed “Symphony in the Stars: A Galactic Spectacular” fireworks show is now scheduled to perform through at least Saturday, April 30 at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This is a good indication that the Season of the Force promotion will be extended well beyond the March 20 ending date previously announced. The corresponding Dessert Party is currently scheduled only through March 19.

…It seems incredible to this writer that the pricey Club Villian dining experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios has enjoyed “overwhelming popularity,” but Disney just announced that additional dates have been added for February and March. The event is now offered Tuesday and Saturday nights through March 29. Tickets have also jumped to $129 per person, an increase of $30 (no discounts or dining plans are offered, and there is no discount for guests under the drinking age). You can book online through the Disney website.

…A large array of solar power collection cells has been installed in a previously wooded area along World Drive, near the exit to Epcot's parking lot. An additional solar array has been installed along the Epcot exit ramp as well, approaching the toll booth. Last May, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the project by Duke Energy will supply power to Walt Disney World and is being built in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head—though that cannot be seen from ground level.

This solar installation is part of a project that may eventually form a Mickey Mouse head when viewed from the air. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…The Orlando Sentinel reports that someone wearing a Google Street View camera backpack rig was spotted inside the Magic Kingdom earlier this month. None of the domestic Disney theme parks are currently included in Google Street View maps.

…Zoey and Pickles, one of the “pop-up” shops located inside the Marketplace Co-Op in Disney Springs, will close next week to make room for Disney's latest retail concept, Disney TAG (Travel–Accessories–Gear). You can get a preview of the Disney TAG product on the Disney Parks Blog.

…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 MouseAdventure 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

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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 – December 1, 2015 – March 20, 2016 (tentative end date)
• 2016 Flower & Garden Festival – March 2 – May 30, 2016
• Dapper Day at the Magic Kingdom (unofficial event) – Saturday, April 16. More information at the event website.
• Gay Days at Walt Disney World (annual unofficial event) – June 2–5. More information on the event website. To whatever degree there are “organized” events, the schedule calls for attendees to visit the parks on these days:
  • Thursday, June 2 – Animal Kingdom
  • Friday, June 3 – Disney's Hollywood Studios
  • Saturday, June 4 – Magic Kingdom (the busiest day of the event)
  • Sunday, June 5 – Epcot
• Night of Joy – dates to be announced
• 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – dates to be announced.
• Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic – dates to be announced.
• Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party – dates to be announced.
• “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. More information at the event website.
• Holidays at Walt Disney World – dates to be announced.
• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party – dates to be announced.
• Holidays Around the World at Epcot – dates to be announced.
• Candlelight Processional at Epcot – dates to be announced.

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 Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 18–21. All races are sold out. The deadline to submit proof of time for these events has passed.
• Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side Weekend – April 14–17. All races are sold out. The deadline to submit proof of time for these events has passed.
• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 3–4. Pre-sale begins March 8, 2016. General registration opens March 15, 2016.

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.

2016 ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex events

• AmeriCheer / AmeriDance International Championships – February 27–28.
• 2016 Atlanta Braves Spring Training – March 4 – April 4. See website for game schedule. Tickets, including season tickets, mini plans and single-game tickets are now on sale.
• Contest of Champions – March 4–6.
• International All Star Championship – March 12–13.
• ICU Cheerleading and Dance Worlds Championship – April 21–22.
• USASF Cheerleading and Dance Worlds Championship – April 23–25. This event draws over 12,000 participants.
• Varsity All Star’s Cheerleading Championship – April 29 – May 1.
• Special Olympics Florida Summer Games – May 20–21.
• AAU National Club Championship – June 30 – July 3.
• Special Olympics Florida Fall Classic – November 11–12.
• 2016 Pop Warner Super Bowl – dates to be announced, but likely either December 3–10, or 10–17.

Merchandise Events

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin in Tomorrowland is closed for refurbishment, scheduled through February 11, 2016. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

2016

• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin – closed January 15 – February 11 for refurbishment.
• Mad Tea Party – closed February 22–26 for refurbishment.
• Jungle Cruise – closed March 1–3 for refurbishment.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed April 4 – July 15 for refurbishment.
• Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse – closed July 7 – September 24 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

• Soarin' – closed. Reopens sometime in “summer of 2016” as Soarin' Around the World, with a new ride film.
• Circle of Life – closed through April 2 for refurbishment.
• Maelstrom – permanently closed for construction of Frozen Ever After attraction. New ride expected to open May 2016.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

2016

• Toy Story Midway Mania – second ride track is under construction. Work has no impact on the existing ride.
• Magic of Disney Animation – building permanently closed for future expansion. Part of the space has been converted to the Star Wars Launch Bay.
• Pizza Planet restaurant – closedfor refurbishment. Reopening date TBD.
• Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show – closes April 3 to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure – closes April 3 to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• Studio Catering Co. – closes on April 3, 2016 to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• Meet & Greet: Mike and Sulley at Streets of America – closes April 3 to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Flights of Wonder – show dark through March 17
• The Boneyard play area – closed February 22 – March 17 for refurbishment.

Blizzard Beach

• None scheduled

Typhoon Lagoon

• Entire park closed through March 13 for refurbishment.

Disney Springs

• Fulton's Crab House – closes April for refurbishment.
• Planet Hollywood – closed January 1 – June 1 for refurbishment and transformation into a Planet Hollywood Observatory.
• Disney Springs Bridge 4 and restrooms on Pleasure Island – temporarily closed for ongoing construction work.
• Disney Springs Lots A-G – closed through August 1.
• Disney Springs Lots H, I, J, and K (in Westside area) – closed until further notice for construction.
• Cirque du Soleil La Nouba – performs Tuesdays through Saturdays.
• Disney Quest – scheduled to close sometime in 2016. Will be replaced with an NBA Experience venue.

Resorts

• Art of Animation – Schoolyard Sprayground closed through March 11 for refurbishment.
• Bay Lake Tower – Bay Cove Pool closed through March 18 for refurbishment.
• Boardwalk Inn
  • Exterior painting and repair during daylight hours, through May 5.
  • Flying Fish Cafe closed through September 30, 2016 for refurbishment.
  • Seashore Sweets – closed as part of the Flying Fish refurbishment.
• 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.

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.

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