Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 7-13, 2017

Walt Disney World Resort Update for February 7–13, 2017

[Writer's note: This week, I introduce another new section entitled “Photography Fun” where, from time to time, I feature a photography tip for visiting Walt Disney World Resort or wherever your cameras may be visiting. Now, on with the update!]

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

News and Views

Magic Kingdom Celebrates Another Super Bowl Winner With a Parade | Garden Rocks Concerts & Dining Packages for the 2017 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Announced | New “Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour” Offered at Magic Kingdom | New Character Breakfast Coming to Trattoria al Forno at Disney's BoardWalk | Photography Fun | Views around the World | One Passholder's Tip | This and That | Crowd Forecast

Magic Kingdom Celebrates Another Super Bowl Winner With a Parade

Just over a half a day after scoring the winning touchdown in the first ever Super Bowl overtime period and securing the New England Patriots' come-from-behind victory, 34 to 28, over the Atlanta Falcons, 25-year-old running back James White, a native of Florida, was saluted with a “Going to Disney World” celebration parade down Magic Kingdom's Main Street U.S.A. on Monday, February 6. White rode with Football Mickey Mouse high atop a float, along with Goofy, Minnie, and referees Chip 'n' Dale. More than a few Patriots fans were on hand to cheer along the parade route.

Confetti rains down upon James White of the victorious New England Patriots and his Disney friends celebrating Super Bowl LI. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Super Bowl LI Celebration Parade at Magic Kingdom includes Football Mickey, Football Goofy, and Cheerleader Minnie along with James White of the New England Patriots. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Referees Chip 'n' Dale also participate in The Super Bowl LI Celebration Parade. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Disney tradition of saluting heroes from sports and other endeavors at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California dates back to 1987. Monday was the fourth time a member of the Patriots participated in a Super Bowl celebration parade at a Disney Park—more than any other team in the National Football League.

You can watch a replay of the parade on our Periscope page.

After the parade, White met with members of the media, participated in a number of satellite interviews, and posed for photos with Mickey and Minnie in front of Cinderella Castle. He also rode a few rides and met some fans around the Park before and after the parade.

James White chats with the local press after the Super Bowl LI Celebration Parade. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

James White is interviewed for the national press via satellite from Magic Kingdom's Central Plaza. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

James White poses with Mickey and Minnie while celebrating his team's Super Bowl LI victory. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

New England residents can also celebrate the championship with the “I'm off to the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort!” deal, which includes a free night and complimentary automatic room upgrade at the Epcot-area resort when booking two nights at the standard price before February 28, 2017, for stays through January 31, 2018. Offer is not valid December 22–31, 2017. For additional information, or to make reservations, call (800) 227-1500 and mention your home state. Details of the offer are also available online. Guests must have valid appropriate state identification (valid New England states include Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) to present upon check-in. The deal is based on availability and does not include taxes, resort services fee, and gratuities, nor is it valid with any other special offers, promotions, or for existing reservations or groups.

Garden Rocks Concerts & Dining Packages for the 2017 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Announced

With the March 1 start of the 2017 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival rapidly approaching, the Garden Rocks Concert Series lineup and the associated Dining Packages that include reserved seating on select dates have been announced. As always, the entertainment is subject to change or cancellation (for example, note below that Dennis DeYoung, who cancelled two of his three Food & Wine Festival Eat to the Beat Concert Series performance dates and appeared but did not sing on his third due to a reported illness, has now scheduled his Epcot return during the Garden Rocks Concert Series).

• Jon Secada: March 3 & 4
• Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of STYX: March 5 & 6
• The Pointer Sisters: March 10 to 13
• Simple Plan – NEW: March 17 & 18
• Plain White T's: March 19 & 20
• Night Ranger: March 24 to 27
• Little River Band: March 31 to April 3
• Blood, Sweat and Tears featuring Bo Bice: April 7 to 10
• Gin Blossoms: April 14 to 17
• The Orchestra starring former members of ELO: April 21 to 24
• Exposé – NEW: April 28 & 29
• Berlin featuring Terri Nunn – NEW: April 30 & May 1
• STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas: May 5 to 8
• The Guess Who: May 12 to 15
• Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone: May 19 to 22
• The Spinners: May 26 to 29

Garden Rocks concert performances are held each Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of the Festival. Show times are at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. each night. Concerts are included with regular park admission to Epcot.

As the start of this year's Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival approaches, we expect this lawn will be replaced by a flower garden. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Dining Packages are available at specific Epcot restaurants on these dates:

• March 3-6, 10-13, 24-27, 31
• April 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 21-24
• May 5-8, 19-22

Prices for Breakfast Packages start at $39 plus tax (for adults) and $23 plus tax (for children, ages 3-9). Prices for Lunch Packages start at $39 plus tax (for adults) and $15.50 plus tax (for children, ages 3-9). Prices for Dinner Packages start at $53 plus tax (for adults) and $17.50 plus tax (for children, ages 3-9).

To book a dining package, call (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463. Advance reservations are highly recommended, as these events fill up quickly.

Signs of the upcoming Flower & Garden Festival are appearing around Epcot. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Additional information about this year's Flower & Garden Festival is available at epcotinspring.com.

New “Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour” Offered at Magic Kingdom

Last week, Disney Parks Blog announced Magic Kingdom's introduction of a new four-hour Disney VIP Tour Guide-led park tour highlighting “quintessential Magic Kingdom Park experiences and attractions” named The Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour. The tour includes “up to 10 of the most beloved Magic Kingdom Park attractions, including everything from Adventureland must-dos Pirates of the Caribbean and the Jungle Cruise to Fantasyland favorites such as Under the Sea–Journey of the Little Mermaid, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, 'it's a small world,' Peter Pan's Flight, and more attractions,” none of which have height restrictions. The tour also includes an opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse.

For the time-limited visitor, although it does not include the Magic Kingdom's “Mountains,” you still might consider this VIP Tour as a “FastPas$ for the Classics in Four Hours.” Because the attractions included in this tour have no height restrictions, it is intended for “kids of all ages” as, what Disney calls, a “perfect introduction to the most Magical Place on Earth.” The Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour is $199/person plus tax; park admission is required and not included in the price. It is offered Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and is subject to availability. Call (407) 560-4033 to book your tour or click here to learn more.

New Character Breakfast Coming to Trattoria al Forno at Disney's BoardWalk

“Adventurous royal couples” will headline a new character dining experience debuting this spring at Disney's BoardWalk at Trattoria al Forno. Few specifics have been announced so far other than that it will feature characters from favorite Disney stories like Tangled or The Little Mermaid. We will keep a look out for more details, including the opening date, when you can make reservations, and menu offerings, and will report those details in a future Update.

Photography Fun

This new occasional section of the Update provides our MousePlanet readers with a tip for taking fun photographs while visiting Walt Disney World or other places their cameras visit. Unless otherwise stated, the tips are mine alone, and they are neither intended as endorsements of any particular products, nor are they sponsored. As always, your mileage may vary.

Photography Fun: Tip 1
Photo filters may be found in all sorts of places.

Photos taken within some smartphone apps, may be saved to your “camera roll” and used elsewhere. Photos by Alan S. Dalinka via Facebook's Messenger App for iOS.

Since at MousePlanet, we often post photos on our Facebook page and, increasingly, we use Facebook's Messenger App to communicate with one another, it seemed appropriate to highlight some of the photo filters that appeared in recent updates of Messenger's iOS version that are not also available within Facebook itself or using an iOS camera (absent hunting for another provider's App). The various effects shown in the photos above were created using filters, overlays, and stickers in the Messenger App which (at least in the current iOS version of the App) can only be accessed while composing a new message to a Facebook friend. Interestingly, photos taken here can be saved to your camera roll without also sending them to whichever friend whose conversation you chose. Of course, you can also choose to send the photo.

The “Tip” here is that before you visit your photo destination—like a Walt Disney World Park or Resort—search through your existing apps to see whether there are some hidden effects you might like to try. While some filters and effects can be applied to photos after they are taken, all but the “Go Team” sticker in the photos above had to be applied before pressing the shutter. Know before you go and you will be more likely to create the photo memories you would like to keep.

Views Around the World

Some of my walks this week included visits to Disney's Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Plenty of photos are here to view. Like last week, as you scroll through, you will again have ample opportunities to see construction cranes over Disney's Hollywood Studios from multiple angles. And, by the way, I often “hide” additional “tips” in the captions.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

The “floating mountains” of Pandora – The World of AVATAR appear ready to greet guests at the main gates of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Although passholders may use any open entry TouchPoint to enter the parks, the new Passholder-only lines were the longest at all of the parks I visited this week. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Macaws are fed by their handlers at a perch in front of the Tree of Life before filling the sky to fly back to their backstage home. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

A “smiling” Nile crocodile at Kilimanjaro Safaris is merely regulating the temperature of its cold-blooded body through its open mouth. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Animals have the right of way at Kilimanjaro Safaris. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The “baby” giraffe on the savannah at Kilimanjaro Safaris stands over six feet tall. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The female elephants stand guard over the napping elephant calf, Stella, at Kilimanjaro Safaris. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

On the rocks on Kilimanjaro Safaris the lions often sleep all day. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Before the thrills of the descent, the main lift hill of Expedition Everest provides stunning views of Walt Disney World and the surrounding area. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Expedition Everest's lift hill provides a view toward the “floating mountains” of Pandora – The World of AVATAR. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

There are ways to bring the taste of Flame Tree BBQ home with bottled sauce and spice rub, available for $8.95/each. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From the tramway and parking lot at Disney's Animal Kingdom you can see the new berm being built around Pandora – The World of AVATAR next to the Resort Bus stop. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Epcot

When assigned to park at the eastern end of Epcot's parking lot, enjoy the view of a monorail beginning its circle tour of Future World as you walk to the park's gates. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Even when Donald is not greeting guests in his photo area at the Epcot pavilion, this Festival artwork is on display. The Epcot International Festival of the Arts celebrates its penultimate weekend this Friday through Monday. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The newest version of the Characters in Flight balloon at Disney Springs fits with the Frozen Ever After theme of Epcot's Norway pavilion. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

For improved viewing over the heads of your fellow guests at the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away show, consider standing as far away from the stage as your eyesight permits. This slightly zoomed-in photo was taken at my eye level from between the two projection towers where the plaza meets Hollywood Boulevard. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A cast member stands between the projection towers mentioned in the prior caption taking what he calls (on his amplified portable speaker) the “Hollywood Studios Family Photo” which, oddly, is not being done by a Disney PhotoPass photographer. If you spot me in your “Family Photo” taking your photo, let us know in the Comments. Apparently, this cast member has been creating this photo moment from time to time over the past several months. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Stormtroopers of The First Order keep watchful eyes on a guest (me) sitting on a park bench near The Chinese Theater. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A construction crane towers over the Pixar Studios area, home of Toy Story Mania and character meeting places. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

With trees now removed from the former end of New York Street, a new view of the Star Tours exit gift shop is opened up from the SciFi Dine-In Restaurant. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A new burlap-covered fence is all that stands at the former end of New York Street as construction of the future Star Wars and Toy Story lands moves forward. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The new burlap-covered fence further narrows the path between Star Tours and the Muppets Courtyard. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Past the burlap-covered fence, entering Muppets Courtyard, the balloon atop Muppet*Vision 3D Theater's clock tower has been removed. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As construction of the new lands progresses beyond Muppet*Vision 3D Theater, Miss Piggy stands idle. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

In the opposite direction, with the trees removed, it is now possible to see all the way to Tower of Terror at the end of Sunset Boulevard from Muppets Courtyard. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From the upper seating area of PizzeRizzo in Muppets Courtyard, the increasingly larger hole can be seen where Streets of America previously stood. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Behind Muppet*Vision 3D Theater, the main parking lot entrance toll plaza can now be seen next to one of the construction cranes. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Lots of Muppets merchandise is available for sale in the shop across from the exit to Muppet*Vision 3D (and, yes, this is as political as we try to be at MousePlanet). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Muppets merchandise includes many of your favorite Muppets characters. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

And, of course, if you want a Kermit the Frog t-shirt, that can be found here too. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Even if you are not shopping, exploring the Muppets gift shop yields lots of interesting details. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Bellhop Stitch was on duty this weekend at the Disney PhotoPass desk in The Hollywood Tower Hotel (a/k/a Tower of Terror). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Construction is underway between the walkway next to the tramway and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular theater. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Construction continues in the Minnie section of the parking lot. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

From the Minnie section of the parking lot, the construction cranes rise from within sections of the park and the surrounding roads. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

One Passholder's Tip

As I introduced a couple weeks ago, this section of the Update provides our MousePlanet readers with the benefit of my years of experience as a longtime Walt Disney World Four Parks Annual Passholder, and lots of personal trial and errors—one (hopefully weekly) tip at a time. No product endorsements are intended in this week's Tip.

One Passholder's Tip: Week 3
Wear the right socks for your feet!

Know which socks work best for your feet. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

They're your feet. If you are not used to walking several miles a day and you are not planning to spend your visit to Walt Disney World in a stroller, wheelchair, ECV, or a parent's arms (or on their shoulders), you ought to make sure that the socks you wear are not likely to cause painful blisters. Sure, shoes make a big difference here too, but lots of folks remind you to wear comfortable shoes. My years of trials and errors on this front—and, believe me when I say that before I moved to Central Florida, I made lots of Walt Disney World vacation errors in this regard resulting in lots of painful blisters—taught me to focus on finding the right socks for my feet.

Blisters result from friction. For me, that tended to occur on the balls of my feet or on my heels when loose socks rubbed there repeatedly while walking the miles and miles of a typical park day. My solution, after trying lots of different socks, was to make sure those I wear for park visits (or my daily neighborhood walks for that matter) fit right, have as few seams against my skin as possible and are completely hole-free. Like this week's “Photography Fun” Tip, with your socks: know what is best for you before you go. And it's really true here: your mileage will vary.

This and That

…MousePlanet's Donald and Bonnie Fink provided coverage of the preview of the new Paddlefish restaurant which opened Saturday, February 4. Levy Restaurants, the long-time operator of the the site's former Fulton's Crab House, operates the new restaurant under the continued direction of Executive Chef Mark Boor.

The transformation of the Empress Lilly to Fulton's Crab House to Paddlefish is now complete. Serving a mostly new seafood menu, this long standing replica of a paddle wheeler now resembles a modern luxury yacht. Photo by Donald Fink.

Dining areas of Paddlefish feature expansive views of Lake Buena Vista, like this view from the deck three forward dining room. Photo by Bonnie Fink.

… Victoria & Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel & Spa was awarded its 17th consecutive AAA Five-Diamond rating. It is one of only 47 restaurants in the United States to be so honored; one of only three Five Diamond restaurants in Florida and the only one located in Central Florida. You can read more about it at Disney Parks Blog. Please share your experiences dining there with us in the Comments.

…More Disney Parks Moms Panel Awards 2017 were announced this week on Disney Parks Blog. Highlights include:

• Favorite Restaurant: 'Ohana at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
• Favorite “Small” Magic: Hunting for Hidden Mickeys
• Favorite Attraction for Preschoolers: “it's a small world”
• Favorite Resort: Disney's Wilderness Lodge
• Favorite Seasonal Event: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom

…As I personally noticed weeks ago, and as Disney Parks Blog reported on Friday, Disney Vacation Club members that have affiliated their My Disney Experience account with their membership will see their MagicBand now triggers a new purple-to-green color sequence at TouchPoints at the parks, water parks, DisneyQuest, and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

…Also for Disney Vacation Club Members and their guests, the Member Lounge at Epcot will host an intimate gathering with one of Disney's most beloved artists for one special evening of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. Presented after the lounge has concluded its regular operating day, this exclusive dessert party with Disney artist Don “Ducky” Williams is scheduled to take place on February 18 from 7:45-8:45 p.m. for $30/person. Advance purchase is required and, given its limited capacity of 50 guests, the event was already sold out before publication of this Update and the event's registration page now says “Online registration is no longer available for this event.”

…While we are talking about DVC Member events, in addition to the upcoming sold out “Moonlight Magic at Magic Kingdom Park” after hours parties coming up Friday, February 24, and Friday, March 3, a few more “Moonlight Magic” events for qualified^* DVC Members and their guests now appear on the 2017 calendar as well:

• Disney's Animal Kingdom Park: Wednesday, September 6 & Wednesday, September 13
• Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: Thursday, June 22; Wednesday, June 28; Wednesday, July 5; & Thursday, July 13
• Epcot: Monday, December 4 & Monday, December 11

^*All events require free reservations and do not welcome walk-ins. So far, none of these events are open for registration. DVC Members are encouraged to log in to the DVC Members Website to check for online booking details. In the past, some DVC Member events have given reservations preference to Members staying at DVC Resorts at Walt Disney World before opening them to the full Membership. Many DVC Member events exclude Members who purchased their points at resale after a specific date rather than directly from Disney, so be sure to read all of the relevant details.

…Elsewhere in Central Florida, Disney Cruise Line's Disney Wonder ship was at Port Canaveral on Thursday to show off its latest enhancements including the new Tiana's Place restaurant and the new stage show, “Frozen: A Musical Spectacular.” I was there and will have full details in an upcoming article soon.

Disney Wonder was at Port Canaveral on February 2nd to show off its latest enhancements. Panoramic Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…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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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).

2017 Resort events

• Star Wars Experiences – Opened December 1, 2015
• Epcot International Festival of the Arts – January 13 through February 20, 2017
• Disney After Hours at Magic Kingdom – March 2 & 9 (9 p.m.-12 a.m./midnight); February 2, 9 & 16 (8-11 p.m.).
• 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

• 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

Note: Not all attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. Refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit DisneyWorld.com or use the MyDisneyExperience App on your iOS or Android device.

Magic Kingdom

2017

• Walt Disney World Railroad – closed January 9 – March 2, 2017 for refurbishment.

Walt Disney World Railroad refurbishment has closed Main Street Station but not its upper level platform which guests may use for parade viewing and other activities (except, of course, for the area reserved for VIP guests). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

• The Magic Behind our Steam Trains guided tour – closed January 9 – March 2, 2017 during the Walt Disney World Railroad refurbishment.
• The Hall of Presidents – closed January 17, 2017 to add an audio-animatronic figure of the 45th president of the United States. Expected to reopen July, 2017.

The Hall of Presidents is closed until this summer. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

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

• Kali River Rapids – closed January 3 – February 13, 2017 for refurbishment (or, based on the sign, perhaps longer).

Kali River Rapids is closed for winter refurbishment. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Typhoon Lagoon

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

Disney Springs

• Fulton's Crab House – closed for refurbishment. Scheduled to reopen as Paddlefish on Saturday, February 4, 2017.
• Disney Quest – scheduled to close July 3, 2017 to make way for The NBA Experience.

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 Disney Vacation Club's Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge which is scheduled to open in 2017 (though not yet fully registered or available for sale).

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.