Walt Disney World Resort Update for July 12-18, 2016

Walt Disney World Resort Update for July 12 – 18, 2016

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News and Views

2016 Eat to the Beat concert series lineup announced | DVC members get 25% discount on VIP Tours | Do you want to build a Castle? | Registration opens for 2017 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend | Sorcerers take note – D23 Expo tickets go on sale Thursday | Pokemon is a GO at Walt Disney World | Views Around the World | This and That | Crowd Forecast

2016 Eat to the Beat concert series lineup announced

Given how large and complex the annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival has become, it's not really surprising that Disney tends to trickle out details over a matter of weeks, if not months. If they dropped the entire schedule on us at once, vacation planners might drop from information overload.

This week we have the details of the popular Eat to the Beat concert series, and there are lots of new artists on the 2016 roster. Making their Eat to the Beat debut are Wang Chung; BoDeans; Jeffrey Osborne; Toad the Wet Sprocket; Living Color; Soul Asylum; and Delta Rae.

The Eat to the Beat concert series is free with park admission . Performances take place at the America Gardens stage three times each evening at 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00 p.m.. Seating is first come, first served.

Here's the preliminary list, but keep in mind that all appearances are subject to change without notice. New artists are in bold:

• Sept. 14-15 – Wang Chung (Known for: “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”)
• Sept. 16-18 – STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas (Known for: “We Built This City”)
• Sept. 19-20 – Air Supply (Known for: “All Out of Love”)
• Sept. 21-23 – BoDeans (Known for: “Closer to Free”)
• Sept. 24-25 – Fuel (Known for: “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)”)
• Sept. 26-28 – Sugar Ray (Known for: “Fly”)
• Sept. 29-30 – Los Lobos (Known for: “La Bamba”)
• Oct. 1-2 – David Cook (Known for: “Light On”)
• Oct. 3-4 – Wilson Phillips (Known for: “Hold On”)
• Oct. 5-6 – Blues Traveler (Known for: “Run-Around”)
• Oct. 7-9 – Plain White T’s (Known for: “Hey There Delilah”)
• Oct. 10-11 – 38 Special (Known for: “Hold On Loosely”)
• Oct. 12-13 – Jeffrey Osborne (Known for: “On the Wings of Love”)
• Oct. 14-16 – Tiffany (Known for: “I Think We’re Alone Now”)
• Oct. 17-19 – Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx (Known for: “Lady”)
• Oct. 20-21 – Christopher Cross (Known for: “Sailing”)
• Oct. 22-23 – Toad The Wet Sprocket (Known for: “Walk on the Ocean”)
• Oct. 24-25 – Chaka Khan (Known for: “I Feel for You”)
• Oct. 26-27 – Billy Ocean (Known for: “Caribbean Queen”)
• Oct. 28-29 – Living Colour (Known for: “Cult of Personality”)
• Oct. 30-Nov. 1 – Hanson (Known for: “Get the Girl Back”)
• Nov. 2-3 – Soul Asylum (Known for: “Runaway Train”)
• Nov. 4-6 – Delta Rae (Known for: “Bottom of the River”)
• Nov. 7-9 – Boyz II Men (Known for: “Motownphilly”)
• Nov. 10-11 – Sister Hazel (Known for: “All For You”)
• Nov. 12-14 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Known for: “Go Daddy-O”)

DVC members get 25% discount on VIP Tours

Picture a perfect day at the Magic Kingdom. Imagine your family being led through the park by your own personal tour guide, and boarding the most popular attractions with little or no wait. How wonderful would it be to have a prime viewing location reserved for you at the Festival of Fantasy parade, or for the evening fireworks? The convenience of having someone who can get you a last-minute dining reservation? How about a private driver and vehicle to take you to and from your hotel, allowing you to avoid Disney Transportation altogether? All this may sound too good to be true, but these are just some of the services available though the Walt Disney World VIP Tour Services department.

Disney does little to market this offering, and many people assume that such treatment is reserved for famous celebrities and professional athletes. Yet as increasing numbers of “regular” guests book a VIP tour to help make the most of their trip to to the Disney theme parks, word is spreading. Now Disney Vacation Club members are being offered the opportunity to book one of these tours at a 25% discount, part of the timeshare division's 25th Anniversary celebration.

Even with the discount, VIP tours are not inexpensive by any means. Tours begin at $2,800 for a 7-hour experience, and can run as high as $4,200 depending on season. With the DVC discount, a standard tour during Value season runs just over $2000. Longer tours are available for an additional $400 to $600 per hour. Theme park admission is not included, and is required for each member of the tour. The tour can accomodate up to 10 people.

It's absolutely a splurge, but for those who can afford it, there may be no better way to spend a day at Walt Disney World. DVC members (who are eligible for Membership Extras) can read more about the offer on the DVC website, or call Disney VIP Tour Services at (407) 560-4033.

Disney VIP Tour Services

• Reservations for this tour can be made by calling Disney VIP Tour Services at (407) 560-4033. Note: This is a different phone number than for other tours. Reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance.
• Tours run $400–$600 per hour, depending on season.
• Price is for up to 10 guests, one of whom must be the DVC member; additional guests will require booking a second tour guide at an additional charge. Keep in mind that children aged 3 and older count towards the limit of 10 people per group.
• Tours must be booked for a minimum of seven continuous hours. Longer tours are available for an additional $400 to $600 per hour, depending on season.
• Separate theme park admission is required for all participants.
• Tours must be cancelled 48 hours before the scheduled start, or a cancellation fee equal to two hours will be charged.
• DVC discount is valid through December 17, 2016.

Do you want to build a Castle?

LEGO officially announced this week a new 4080-piece replica of Cinderella Castle will be released on September 1, 2016. For those with the money, patience, and display space, this is the Disney castle you've been waiting for.

The new LEGO Disney Castle will be released in September. Photo © LEGO.

The Disney Castle tops out at 29 inches high when complete, and has five stories of rooms packed with “assorted Disney-inspired features and elements.” The set also includes five exclusive Minifigures, and provides ample display opportunity for any other Disney Minifigures you've collected.

The Disney Castle retails for $349.99, and is exclusive to LEGO stores and the LEGO website.

Registration opens for 2017 Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

General registration opens at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific) on Tuesday, July 12 for the 2017 Princess Half Marathon weekend events. Based on strong demand for other events, runDisney publishes a list of tips to help runners prepare to register as quickly as possible:

1. Create an active.com profile prior to registration opening.
2. Be ready to register at noon ET (9 a.m. Pacific time). Follow rundisney.com and the runDisney social media channels for the registration link.
3. Once you're in the queue, you have 15 minutes to complete the registration process. After 15 minutes, your spot is no longer guaranteed.
4. If you receive an “on hold” message this means the queue is currently full. Continue to check back.
5. Have everyone in your party register only themselves for a faster registration process.
6. Look to travel providers and charity groups for additional registration opportunities.

After you register for your event(s), come add your name to the Team MousePlanet race roster to connect with other runners and share training tips.

Sorcerers take note – D23 Expo tickets go on sale Thursday

Though this item may seem more relevant to our West Coast readers, we know thousands of fans travel from all over the country and the world to attend the D23 Expo. With that in mind, tickets for the 2017 D23 Expo go on sale this Thursday, July 14 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific time. The 2017 Expo takes place July 14–16 at the Anaheim Convention Center, across the street from the Disneyland Resort. The Expo is billed as the “Ultimate Disney Fan Event,” and includes exhibits, presentations, performances, screenings and panels from nearly every area of the Walt Disney Company.

Tickets go on sale this Thursaday for the 2017 D23 Expo. Photo © Disney.

Tickets start at $57 for a one-day adult admission, with childrens rates and multi-day ticket packages available. This early-bird pricing is available until December 31, 2016, after which prices will go up. Tickets will be sold online; check the official D23 website Thursday morning for the link. Pricing is as follows:

Tickets for the D23 Expo go on sale Thursday, July 14. Discounts are valid through December 31, 2016. Photo © Disney.

Since you have a few months to plan your visit before prices go up, there's no real urgency for most fans purchase their tickets first thing Thursday morning. Single-day tickets will begin to sell out once Disney announces more schedule details – the Legends Ceremony and Walt Disney Studios presentations are always popular and cause a spike in sales, but we don't yet know when those panels will take place.

The group who really need to be sitting at their keyboards at 9:58 a.m. are those looking to purchase one of the extremely limited Sorcerers packages. Guests who purchase this $2,250 ticket receive VIP access to the Expo, including:

• Three-day admission ticket and commemorative Sorcerer credential
• Reserved seating at presentations in Hall D23, Stage 23, and Stage 28
• Limited-edition D23 American Tourister boarding bag
• Pre-Expo tour of select exhibits including Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives
• Exclusive shopping time in the D23 Expo Dream Store, Disney Store, and Mickeys of Glendale
• Tour of the D23 Expo show floor the day before the Expo is open to the public
• Welcome Reception on Thursday evening
• Exclusive entrance to the Expo each morning
• A voucher for an appointment with an on-site massage therapist
• Exclusive D23 Expo gift pack including gifts from D23 and the rest of The Walt Disney Company
• Meet and Greet with a special Disney guest
• Fond Farewell reception on final day of Expo
• Plus, access to the Sorcerer Member Lounge and other benefits

The Sorcerer package is only available to D23 Gold- and Gold Family-level members. Membership costs $74.99 or $104.99 per year, and is sold through the Disney Store website. In past years, this package has sold out in a matter of minutes, so it's important to be prepared. The Disney Store website notes it can take 2-3 business days for a newly-purchased membership to be processed and usable on other websites, so don't wait until Wednesday night to purchase or renew your membership.

Pokemon is a GO at Walt Disney World

For those playing the new Pokemon Go augmented reality game, be sure to bring your device (and a few spare batteries) during your Walt Disney World vacation. It seems that the Disney Parks are a hot spot for the game. The theme parks, resort hotels, and even Disney Springs are full of PokeStops and Gyms, with cast members reporting there are even some PokeStops in backstage areas available only to Disney employees.

The Pokemon GO augmented reality app makes it seem that Pidgeotto is flying down Main Street, U.S.A. Photo by Katie Metzger.

If you have no idea what any of the above means, check back later this week when MousePlanet contributor Katie Metzger shares a Pokemon Primer. The game is free to play (so long as you avoid the in-app purchases), and it may make passing time in line more enjoyable.

Doduo was captured inside Epcot park. Photo by Katie Metzger.

Just please, please watch where you're walking, especially if you're trying to catch a Pokemon inside a parking lot, on Main Street, or near trolley tracks. This augmented reality game has already been blamed for some real-world injuries, and the Magic Kingdom is not the place to lose track of your surroundings.

Views Around the World

Alan Dalinka shares a few more photos from around Walt Disney World.

Hollywood Studios

The “Star Wars: Path of the Jedi” video presentation now has new exterior signage. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Olaf's meet and greet at Disney's Hollywood Studios finally has permanent signage. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Mickey & Minnie's “Red Carpet” meet and greet at Disney's Hollywood Studios finally has permanent signage. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Construction converting the former “Pizza Planet” into a Muppets' themed “Pizza Rizzo” continues. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The final vestiges of the “Pizza Planet” theming has been removed from the exterior of the future “Pizza Rizzo” Muppets' themed eatery. Whether the fact that a portion of the building's exterior is still themed “Philo's Fish Co.” will tie into Muppets lore (e.g., the once rumored Lew Zealand's Boomerang Fish Market), is unknown. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The marquee outside the former Soundstage 1 now gives a more direct clue that the extended ride track area for Toy Story Mania operates within. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

In addition to holding an extended outdoor queue area for Toy Story Mania, a courtyard outside Soundstage 1 also contains some of the tables and chairs from the now-closed seating area of the nearby Studio Catering Company. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The projections in the new Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks show are best viewed between the Center Stage and the new projection towers on Hollywood Boulevard. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As the finale of the new Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks show approaches, many guests raise their lightsabers to the sky like the one projected atop the Chinese Theater. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

After the end of nightly showings of the new Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks show, the searchlights above the gates of Disney's Hollywood Studios resemble lightsabers. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Animal Kingdom

The floating mountains and construction cranes of the future Pandora: The World of Avatar remain visible at sunset, which is now a regular part of Disney's Animal Kingdom's operating hours. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The actual sunset behind the Harambe Theater, home of Festival of The Lion King show, is nearly as colorful as the Disney-created sunset on the savanna of the nearby Kilimanjaro Safari. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Construction barges remain parked on portions of the Discovery River (though not immediately adjacent to the amphitheater, which is currently home to The Jungle Book: Alive With Magic show). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Approaching the Kilimanjaro Safari savanna at the time of the actual sunset allows it to visually merge with the Disney-created sunset in brilliant colors. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As nocturnally active animals, the lions can be very active just past sunset at Kilimanjaro Safari, and their roars could be heard while the truck drove past and into the nearby zebra habitat area. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The bridge over the Discovery River between Expedition Everest and the Theater in the Wild (home of Finding Nemo: The Musical), provides a view of The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic show with the Tree of Life and the actual sunset as a backdrop. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That

…Celebrity chef Art Smith opens his new Homecoming Kitchen in Disney Springs today, July 12. The restaurant will accept walk-up diners only through August 14. Starting July 15, the restaurant will accept reservations for August 15 and beyond via the Walt Disney World website.

…Sugarboo & Co. and Columbia Sportswear Company are now open in the Town Center arcade at Disney Springs.

…Popular Rose and Crown pianist Carol shared last week that her schedule will change effective July 31, moving from evenings to afternoons. She will perform Sunday through Thursday each week, with 40-minute sets at 1:15; 2:15; 3:15 and 4:15 p.m..

…The 2016 Sounds Like Summer concert series continues this week with Bruce in the USA – A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen. Show times are 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. each day through July 16. DSB , a tribute to Journey, wraps up the series from July 17 – 23.

…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

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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).

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 – dates to be announced.
• 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. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m. (PDT) on Monday, July 11. More information is available at the event website.
• D23 Behind-the-Scenes Experience: A Midnight Soirée at the Tower of Terror – Wednesday, October 5. Tickets go on sale at 2:00 p.m. (PDT) on Monday, July 11. More information is available at the event website.
• “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.
• Holidays at Walt Disney World – dates to be announced.
• 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

• AAU National Club Championship – June 30 – July 3.
• 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.

Merchandise Events

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

2016

• Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse – closed July 7 – September 24 for refurbishment.
• Carousel of Progress – closed for refurbishment July 25 – 28.
• 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

• Magic of Disney Animation – building permanently closed for future expansion. Part of the space has been converted to the Star Wars Launch Bay.
• One Man's Dream theater – an expanded sneak peek at Alice Through the Looking Glass began May 6.
• Pizza Planet restaurant – closed for refurbishment. Reopening date TBD.
• Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show – permanently closed to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure – permanently closed to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• Studio Catering Co. – closed to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• Meet & Greet: Mike and Sulley at Streets of America – closed to make way for the Star Wars Land expansion.
• One Man's Dream theater – closed July 16 – 19 for refurbishment.
• MuppetVision 3*D – closed August 15 – 22 for refurbishment.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Dinosaur – closed for refurbishment July 25 – October 16.

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.”
  • Seashore Sweets – closed permanently. Will reopen as the “AbracadaBar” later this year.
• 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.