Walt Disney World Resort Update for May 7-13, 2019

Walt Disney World Resort Update for May 7-13, 2019

Writer's note: It was a very busy news week here at Walt Disney World Resort, with a two-day media event to celebrate Disney's Hollywood Studios reaching its 30th anniversary, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flyover at Epcot, and then a one-day media event kicking off the final month of this year's edition of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. As you will see below, there were all sorts of other announcements by Walt Disney World about tours, food, merchandise, MagicBands, and more.

Believe it or not, I actually intended to post quite a few more photos and videos this week, but a severe thunderstorm knocked out my home's internet connection for nearly 24 hours requiring my provider to install some new cable, broke some of my networking hardware requiring some older pieces be pressed back into service and others be reconfigured, and knocked out power to a bunch of electrical outlets in my house requiring a visit from an electrician. The good news is that no one got hurt, I did not lose any data, and the cost of repairs has been quite minimal (but for taking time that I had planned to do some video and photo editing). All of that is still tempered by the fact I actually got to walk in to and see some of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (no photos allowed, naturally).

Remember: As of May 1, smoking (including e-cigarettes, vaping and the like as well) is now prohibited in all domestic Disney Parks, and new stroller size-limitations and the ban on stroller-wagons are now enforced at the parks' security checkpoints; loose ice is also prohibited to be brought through security checkpoints. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Anyway, as we get into the heart of May, we usually start to see the crowds start building around here with schools letting out for the summer. This year could be different because Galaxy's Edge is a game changer, but, then again, for every guest who says they are delaying their visit to Walt Disney World until Galaxy's Edge is open or until the crowds die down again after that, there are probably guests saying “let's go visit now before the Star Wars crowds come.” As Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge opens just three weeks from Friday, we will probably see the news on this coast getting quieter. Stay tuned!

News and Views

Headlines are auto-generated here

Extra, Extra Magic Hours For Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Beyond!

We now know that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (phase one) will open to all guests at Disney's Hollywood Studios at 6 a.m. on August 29, 2019. That park will also open to all guests at 6 a.m. on August 30 and 31, too.

Unlike the reservation system Disneyland put in place for its May 31 opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (phase one), on those first three days of operation, there are no announced restrictions on which guests with valid theme park admission can visit (except, naturally, that the land and the park will be subject to capacity limitations). After those first three days, it also appears that it will be open to all guests with theme park tickets subject to capacity limits. There will be no FastPass+ reservations for the land or its attractions when the land opens (if ever).

To give Disney Resort Hotel Guests and those at the participating partner hotels (like Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort, Disney Springs and elsewhere) a bit of a head start on Batuu, starting September 1, or other early morning opportunities at Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World announced new Extra, Extra Magic Hours for Disney's Hollywood Studios (including Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge), Magic Kingdom, and Disney's Animal Kingdom (plus a selection of mornings where Epcot will have more traditional Extra Magic Hours) The details are as follows:

• Disney's Hollywood Studios – Daily from September 1-November 2, the park will have Extra, Extra Magic Hours from 6-9 a.m., including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, plus Toy Story Land attractions and select other attractions. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its experiences subject to capacity. There will be no Extra, Extra Magic Hours August 29-31, as the park will open at 6 a.m. for all guests.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Extra, Extra Magic Hours are available August 29-November 2, from 7-8 a.m., featuring Pandora – The World of Avatar and other attractions throughout the park (same as the usual morning selection of Extra Magic Hours offerings).
• Magic Kingdom – Extra, Extra Magic Hours are scheduled August 29-November 2, from 7-8 a.m., featuring several attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland (same as the usual Extra Magic Hours offerings).

As with all such offerings, the Extra, Extra Magic Hours benefit requires a valid theme park admission and hotel ID (like your Key to the World or a reservation linked to a MagicBand). As you would expect, guests without the Park Hopper Option or Park Hopper Plus Option, will not be allowed to park hop after enjoying the Extra, Extra Magic Hours benefit. Not all attractions operate during Extra, Extra Magic Hours (or regular Extra Magic Hours), and may change without notice.

Disney's Hollywood Studios 30th Celebration Previews the Park's Future

Last Wednesday, Disney's Hollywood Studios (originally named The Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park) celebrated the 30th anniversary of its May 1, 1989, opening. As we previewed in last week's Update and as you hopefully saw on our social media channels, the park invited media on April 30 to hear about the the future of the park while looking pack on its past.

Phil Holmes, Vice President, Disney's Hollywood Studios, addressed the media the day before the park's anniversary to talk about the park's future. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Interview locations were set up all around Disney's Hollywood Studios the day before its anniversary, including in front of the wall that will become one of the two entrances to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at the park starting August 29. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The very special part of the event for me, personally (and, I would think, theme park and Star Wars fans), was being invited to step in through the doorway to the construction site for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, through the tunnel that now stands at the end of Grand Avenue and into the first vista of the new land! Just inside the tunnel, the Imagineers have temporarily set up a large part of the model of the new land that we all previously saw displayed at the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim, as the construction team uses it for color reference for the rockwork of Batuu.

Turning the corner coming out of the tunnel, I was taken on a brief tour of just a few dozen places inside the first area within this 14-acre land, including a glimpse at the exterior of the Rise of the Resistance attraction (which is expected to open after the August 29 opening of the land, but before the end of the year), a view of the entrance to the marketplace and, nearby, the path leading toward Black Spire Outpost and the Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run attraction (which was beyond rockwork, out of view in the distance). To say that I was impressed with the level of detail is an understatement—but, since photos were not allowed, the best I can do to describe the land is to use Pandora-The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom as a comparison, since that currently sets Disney's high watermark for immersive theming. From what I saw even in its unfinished state, the new land takes that Pandora-type detailed level of theming to another even higher level of authenticity. Even with construction continuing, the area I experience really gave me the feeling that the land is part of the Star Wars universe as I have come to know it since I was a kid way back in 1977 and first saw Luke Skywalker on Tatooine.

Immediately after being allowed to visit the construction site for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge just beyond the end of Grand Avenue, I interviewed one of the imagineers working on the project about what we should expect when the land is open. Video by Alan S. Dalinka & Disney.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is so large that the view of the land from Slinky Dog Dash Coaster in Toy Story Land does not even include the portion of the land media were allowed to tour on April 30. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The media event also included Imagineers discussing Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, now expected to open in Spring 2020 inside the Chinese Theatre at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but with largely the same information we reported on following last fall's Destination D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse. Concept Image ©Disney.

Walt Disney Imagineers showed off the new concept art for the Chinese Theatre's marquee when the building becomes home to Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway next spring. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka – Concept Image ©Disney.

Phil Holmes, Vice President, Disney's Hollywood Studios announced during the media event that the park will also make a new table-service restaurant addition to Toy Story Land: Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant. While no specific timeframe has been announced yet, this new venue will be located in a new play area where the story is that Andy has set up a rodeo using three cardboard boxes cut and taped together and some of his favorite toys, games, and play sets. The area will be a mix of western-themed pieces and a broad assortment of toys that Disney Parks Blog says will appear to “have been brought together to create a fun, colorful mashup-atmosphere that only a child could create.” According to a subsequent Disney Parks Blog post, there will be a “pathway leading from the main promenade of Toy Story Land [that] will lead you to the entry of the restaurant.”

Inside the restaurant, guests will be surrounded by all of the rodeo festivities in-action as well as western town and train station play sets. Disney•Pixar characters will be scattered throughout the restaurant in the form of toys and game pieces, including a toy version of Jessie riding on the back of a Trixie pull-toy and unique toy versions of Bo Peep and her sheep, all who appear to be performing in the rodeo together. The table service restaurant will not replace the existing Toy Story Land quick service counter, Woody's Lunch Box, which serves sandwiches, “Lunch Box Tarts,” and more.

Phil Holmes also announced that in celebration of the June release of Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 4, Toy Story Land will also host a pop-up merchandise location. It will be located at the exit of Toy Story Mania! and will include products related to the new film.

The media event also provided a preview the all-new “Wonderful World of Animation” show that officially debuted on May 1 on the facade of the Chinese Theatre. Disney says the “cinematic nighttime experience … leverages state-of-the-art projection mapping technology and other effects to take guests on a magical journey through more than 90 years of Disney animation.” The show starts with Mickey, and covers the Disney and Pixar library up to Ralph Breaks the Internet. Unlike the now-retired “Disney Movie Magic” projection show, “Wonderful World of Animation” includes pyrotechnics, fire and lasers, but, unlike a spectacular, it serves more as a pre-show for the night's showing of Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular than a show guests likely will go out of their way to see on its own.

“Wonderful World of Animation” includes pyrotechnics and lasers. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney Parks Blog provides a behind the scenes look at the new “Wonderful World of Animation” show that officially debuted May 1, 2019. As the video suggested, the show does, in fact, have some moments representing the upcoming Disney-Pixar animated feature, “Toy Story 4.” Video ©Disney.

“Wonderful World of Animation” show begins and ends with Mickey Mouse. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

For the May 1 anniversary itself, the park held a “Star-Studded Cavalcade” down Hollywood Boulevard. The parade included the unveiling of a new logo for the park that features three characters guests encounter in the park: BB-8, Mickey Mouse and Woody.

In the #DisneyParksLIVE stream from May 1, 2019, you can watch the entire “star-studded cavalcade starring Mickey and friends” at Disney's Hollywood Studios and the debut of the park's new logo. Video ©Disney.

The park distributed complimentary 30th anniversary posters to guests leaving the park on May 1 (while supplies lasted). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels Epcot Flyover

On Thursday, in nearly perfect blue skies with white puffy clouds, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels made two flight passes about five hundred feet over Epcot in honor of Military Appreciation Month on their way to the Fort Lauderdale Air Show. In what seems like typical Disney Parks fashion, the morning started out grey and rainy and, yet, around an hour before the scheduled flyover time, the skies starting clearing for the spectacular passes. On the first pass, the jets flew in formation directly over the top of Spaceship Earth from the north to the south across World Showcase Lagoon. For their second flyover, the Blue Angels performed a delta break maneuver just as the came across the top of Spaceship Earth, again from the north. (Within an hour after the flyover, by the way, it was raining again!)

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels first flew over Spaceship Earth in a tight formation from the north. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

On May 2, 2019, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels made two flight passes over Epcot in honor of Military Appreciation Month. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels second flight over Epcot included the execution of a “Delta Break” over Spaceship Earth. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

360° Video by U.S. Navy Blue Angels and posted by Disney Parks Blog.

The Blue Angels previously flew over Magic Kingdom in 2015 and 2017. In 2017, we presented the Magic Kingdom flyovers live on our Facebook page including the Blue Angel's “Delta Break” maneuver over Cinderella Castle (shown in the video cover screen below). .

On April 6, 2017, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flew over Cinderella Castle and Main Street U.S.A. They are scheduled to return to Walt Disney World on Thursday, May 2, 2019. File Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

New MagicBand Options for Resort Reservations and Passholders

Since MagicBands debuted five years ago, resort reservations came with a chance to select a MagicBand for each guest on the reservation from a limited number of color options. New and renewing passholders also have been able to make a similar selection after purchasing or renewing the pass.

Just after their debut, retail locations around Walt Disney Resort began offering other designs that any guest could purchase and link to a My Disney Experience account. With the 2016 introduction of MagicBand 2.0, even more ways to customize the MagicBands became possible by purchasing them at retail locations around the Resort. But as DTech and other customizations options increasingly became available at retail, resort guests and passholders have been left with a limited set to choose from as their “included” (with reservation or pass purchase) band.

This week, Disney Parks Blog announced that there will soon be upgrade options available to those “included” MagicBands at discounted prices. Guests with reservations and new/renewing passholders will be able to select either the “complimentary solid-color” collection or one of more than 30 new pay-to-upgrade pre-arrival options featuring favorite Disney characters and designs. Prices for the upgrades will reflect a $14.99 discount off the regular retail cost when purchased through the My Disney Experience website.

Disney Parks Blog provided a sneak peek. Video ©Disney

Resort reservation MagicBands can be shipped to guests' homes (U.S. addresses only) if ordered 11 or more days ahead of arrival and can be personalized if done so at least 6 or more days ahead of arrival. A credit card will be charged when you place your order and, once personalized, upgraded MagicBands cannot be canceled, returned, refunded or exchanged, even if the hotel reservation is canceled. In fact, if upgraded MagicBands are ordered and have been personalized at the time the reservation is canceled, the MagicBand order will not be cancelable or refundable and the regular, non-discounted retail price of the upgraded personalized MagicBands will be charged.

REMINDER: Celebrate Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 12. Walt Disney World Resort has a host of ways to celebrate moms on their special day. Some of the highlights the Resort wants you to know about this year include special offerings like floral gift packages, holiday menus at several restaurants, Mother's Day-themed events at select Disney resorts and more. The Resort's suggestions include:

Floral Arrangements

Moms will know how much they're loved with beautiful floral arrangements from Disney Floral and Gifts. Guests can choose traditional roses, an arrangement inspired by a favorite Disney character or work with a Disney designer to create a custom bouquet.

Disney Floral and Gifts also has special gift packages just for Mother's Day. The Mother's Day Family Treats Tote includes an assortment of snacks moms will love.

To learn more, visit DisneyFloralAndGifts.com.

Special Delectable Bites

Special Mother's Day dining options will be available at select restaurants across Walt Disney World, including Terralina Crafted Italian and Paddlefish at Disney Springs, Trail's End Restaurant at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort, Olivia's Café at Disney’s Old Key West Resort, The Wave… of American Flavors at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Whispering Canyon Café at Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Rose & Crown Dining Room at Epcot. Specialty desserts will also be available at select resort hotels and dining locations within the theme parks.

As always, Walt Disney World has numerous brunch options to appeal to many tastes. Or, for the more adventurous, Boma – Flavors of Africa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge offers traditional African choices such as Cape Malay Lamb Stew or Couscous alongside American favorites. Character breakfasts options include Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast at Trattoria Al Forno at Disney's BoardWalk Inn with characters from Disney's Tangled and The Little Mermaid. On the “fancier” side, the Grand Floridian Café at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa serves American classics or, nearby, guests can enjoy a classic Afternoon Tea at Garden View Tea Room featuring international teas with sandwiches, scones and other tasty delicacies.

For all Walt Disney World dining information, visit DisneyWorld.com/dining or call (407)WDW-DINE.

Special Disney Resort Offerings

Select Disney resort hotels will host special events for Mother's Day. Minnie's Mother's Day Chocolate Party at Disney's Beach Club Resort offers decadent desserts including chocolate fondue, chocolate ravioli and a milkshake station. At Disney's BoardWalk Inn, moms and their families can create a special Mother's Day painting with an Alice in Wonderland theme from 10 a.m. to noon.

As always, for reservations and additional information about Disney resort hotels, call (407)W-DISNEY, your travel agent, or visit DisneyWorld.com/resorts.

And, of course, whether or not staying at one of Disney's resorts that has a full-service spa, moms (or anyone, really) can get massages, facial treatments, body therapies, manicures, pedicures and more at Senses – A Disney Spa at both Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort's Garden Grove will present a special brunch buffet featuring Disney character dining. The Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet will be served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Garden Grove's Mother's Day Brunch Buffet is priced at $38.99 for adults and $19.99 for children ages 3-9. Themed after the tranquil gardens of Central Park, guests who step into Garden Grove will immerse themselves under a beautiful 25-foot oak tree adorned with twinkling lights and paper lanterns. For reservations and more information on Garden Grove, please visit https://www.swandolphinrestaurants.com/gardengrove/index.html or call (407)934-1618.

Epcot Concerts & Candlelight Processional News and Calendar

According to TMZ, singer and song-writer Peobo Bryson suffered a mild heart attack on Saturday, and was last reported hospitalized but in improving condition. As a result, he has had to cancel several upcoming concerts this month, including his Garden Rocks Concert Series appearances on the America Gardens stage at Epcot on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12, and Monday, May 13. As of publication of the Update, the official FreshEpcot.com website had not yet been updated, but friends of the site say they have seen Lovin' Spoonful as his replacement. We wish Mr. Bryson a speedy recovery.

There is just less than a month left to catch the remaining Garden Rocks Concert Series performances, three times nightly, through the June 3 conclusion of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. For more information or for reserving dining packages with guaranteed concert seating, call (407) WDW-DINE or visit FreshEpcot.com. Passholders can save 10% on food and beverages (except alcohol and excluding tax and gratuity) on dining packages for themselves and up to three guests.

Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone returned to the Garden Rocks Concert Series again this past weekend. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka

This summer, Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! returns to the stage. From June 14 to August 18, Star-Lord and Gamora (along with an “alien” band) will take the audience on a “musical journey” that showcases hits from Star-Lord's Awesome Mix tapes. The show will be performed multiple times daily; check the Times Guide and the My Disney Experience app for the daily schedule.

With Groot remotely patching “Awesome Mix” music into the headphones of of an alien band, Star-Lord tried to teach them how to become the “Galaxy's greatest cover band” during last summer's edition of the Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! Concerts. Gamora seemed unimpressed. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As the summer approaches fall, this year's edition of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will debut on August 29 (yes, the very same day that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios). It runs a record 87 days this year, through November 23, but its the three-times-nightly Eat to the Beat Concert Series will only run until November 19, to allow the America Gardens stage to be prepared for the 2019 edition of Epcot's Candlelight Processional which debuts November 29 with the return of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays (through December 30). Three times each night, a celebrity narrator will retell the traditional Christmas story along with a mass choir and live orchestra.

For the convenience of our readers, all of the remaining scheduled Garden Rocks Concert Series performers at America Gardens Theatre are shown in our Google Calendar of Epcot Events. All of the Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! dates are noted as well. Performers for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series and celebrity narrators for Candlelight Processional have not yet been announced, but those dates are noted on our calendar too. You can add the whole Event calendar to any calendar that supports the iCal format (like iPhone and Mac) by copying this link and, as we get additional information and update the calendar, the calendar will update on your subscribed device as well.

While our Google Calendar of Epcot Events lists announced performers, it is still always best to check the My Disney Experience app, Times Guide, and, yes, sometimes even signs posted at the park entrances and at the theater noting any last minute changes. The calendar is provided as a courtesy “as is, where is” without any guarantees. We do respectfully request that you do not post our entire calendar on another site without first asking our permission. Walt Disney World Resort does provide schedules in the My Disney Experience app, but does not allow you to add dates to calendars outside the app itself.

Views Around the World

We have just a handful of views this week, but I have also embedded in the Hollywood Studios section immediately below, my interviews with cast members that have been at the park in many guest-facing roles since it opened 30 years ago, as well as an interview about some of the smaller details that have recently been introduced to the park and more that are coming soon, including the costumes for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

If you have seen a live show at the park over the past 30 years, there is a very good chance that you have seen Kevin perform. Among his roles, he was the first to portray Indiana Jones in the Epic Stunt Spectacular, and, in fact, he occasionally still performs that role in 2019. Video by Alan S. Dalinka and Disney.

From SuperStar Television to the Tower of Terror and soon to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, TJ has been an operations cast member since the park opened. Video by Alan S. Dalinka and Disney.

Some Disney Villain-themed banners celebrating the park's 30th anniversary now line Sunset Boulevard approaching the entrance to Fantasmic! Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As mentioned last week, Fancy Nancy has a new meet and greet in the Animation Courtyard. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

It is all in the details, including more to come in the costuming in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Video by Alan S. Dalinka and Disney.

You will find even more videos from around the park on our Facebook page!

Disney's Animal Kingdom

It is always a treat to spot the lion awake when visiting Kilimanjaro Safaris, especially this Spring as the park celebrates “The Lion King.” Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The latest “Been There Collection” Starbucks mug for Disney's Animal Kingdom represents sights from around the park, but not Pandora-The World of Avatar. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Epcot

As The Epcot tram station is now closed. The courtesy trams do not cross under the monorail station right now, as the “guest entry experience” for the park is reimagined.

Over this past weekend, Minnie hosted a Garden Party in the Festival Center, including meet and greets in her garden dress, a floral wall, lots of new merchandise, complimentary buttons, and more. (Much of the merchandise will continue to be available for the remainder of the Flower & Garden Festival).

Donald and Daisy Duck dressed for springtime in the invited media hospitality area during Media Family Day for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival on Saturday.

Disney Vacation Club Members Lounge inside Imagination pavilion now has a photo frame that members and their guests can use for personal photos (there is no PhotoPass photographer in the lounge, at least on any regular basis).

Around the outdoor areas of the China pavilion, as part of the celebration of the Flower & Garden Festival, sculptures celebrating the animals of the Chinese Zodiac calendar have been installed.

2019 is the “Year of the Pig” on the Chinese calendar.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That…

…On May 1, 2019, Disney's Animal Kingdom welcomed the birth of a female baby western lowland gorilla at Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. The baby has been named Grace after the GRACE gorilla sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which helps gorillas orphaned by poaching. Disney's Animal Kingdom's animal care experts have helped GRACE for over 10 years in its rehabilitation of orphan gorillas. Grace's parents, Kashata and Gino were chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan program overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure responsible breeding of critically endangered species to help create healthy, genetically diverse populations.

A female baby western lowland gorilla was born on the morning of May 1, 2019, at Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail at Disney's Animal Kingdom. She could be seen bonding with her mother, Kashata, in public later in the day. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…Yesterday, Walt Disney World Resort announced that it made a $1.5 million investment in the reimagination and relocation of Valencia College's culinary arts and hospitality program. The College, located in Central Florida near Walt Disney World Resort, is building a new shared campus with University of Central Florida in downtown Orlando which will serve as the “heart” of the College's culinary arts and hospitality educational programs, including workforce training, certificate programs, and degree-granting programs.

…The latest “Foodie News” for Magic Kingdom is now on Disney Parks Blog, which notes that guests visiting the park that seek vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes can now pick up a new guide, “Plant-Based Cuisine” at Guest Relations and most major food and beverage locations around the park. The “Foodie News” also highlights special sweet treats available at the park during May and June this year.

…Speaking of Magic Kingdom food and beverage, there is now a new VIP “Behind the Counter” tour offering a “Taste of Magic Kingdom.” The new $99/person plus tax tour (valid park admission required and not included) offered every day except Wednesday and Thursday, offers “exclusive and unprecedented access” to backstage kitchens and working areas “never before seen by guests.” On the tour, guests will “interact with the creative experts and experience first-hand everything that goes into the production of serving millions of guests each year.” Of course, this food tour includes “specially curated” savory and sweet item tastings along the way. For more information and to book the tour, visit this page of DisneyWorld.com or call (407)WDW-DINE.

…Magic Kingdom is now also offering a “Signature Celebration Package at Cinderella's Royal Table” starting in August. For $199/adult and $169/child (plus tax and gratuity, and, of course, valid Magic Kingdom park admission required and not included), guests get to combine dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table with reserved fireworks viewing of the nightly presentation of “Happily Ever After” in the West Plaza Garden and then the After Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace. Exclusive to this offering are a personal greeting from Cinderella and Prince Charming along with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine (for those age-appropriate) or a specialty beverage; the meal concludes with a gift box of Cinderella-inspired confections. During dinner, of course, Cinderella's princess friends will visit your table and be available for photos. The package is only available during one seating time at Cinderella's Royal Table, and reservations are limited. Call (407)WDW-DINE or visit this page of DisneyWorld.com for more information and reservations.

…Jiko-The Cooking Place at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will begin offering a limited-time Lion King Dining Experience starting June 30. The Prix fixe three-course menu celebrates Simba's story while diners are entertained by musicians playing Africa melodies and music from the movie soundtrack. The Dining Experience is $65/person (tax and gratuity not included) and there are two levels of add-on wine pairings also available for an additional charge. For more details about the special menu, see this Disney Parks Blog post, and the restaurant's regular menu will also be available; for restaurant information and reservations call (407)WDW-DINE or visit this page of DisneyWorld.com.

…Like the Pixar Play Zone at Disney's Contemporary Resort that was a test program that we wrote about last year (and no longer appears on the Resort's website), the new Captain Hook's Pirate Crew provides a new nightly immersive group experience for kids ages 4-12. Now kids can journey “into the world of pirate feasting, treasure seeking and high-energy sailin'.” The $55/child (plus tax) experience at Seaside Retreat in Disney's Beach Club Resort, runs 5-8:30 p.m., and gives kids an opportunity to join Captain Hook's crew on a quest for hidden treasure, solving puzzles and gathering clues on land before sailing on a pontoon boat around Crescent Lake. The evening includes “feasting” (which is likely a meal given the time of day, but the Disney Parks Blog post about the new experience does not make that clear) and an opportunity to interact with Captain Hook. For more information or to book a reservation, call (407)824-KIDS.

Video ©Disney.

…Give Kids the World Village has announced its next two speaker series events featuring legendary Disney Cast Members and Voice Actors. On Disneyland's 64th anniversary, July 17, Disney veterans Tom Nabbe, Bill Sullivan and Bill Hoelscher will share stories of their fabled careers, stretching from the Disneyland's launch to the opening of Walt Disney World. On August 3, Paige O'Hara, voice of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Linda Larkin, voice of Jasmine from Aladdin, will share stories of the magic behind the scenes of these loved Disney characters. Details:

• Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at Give Kids The World Village, 210 S Bass Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746
• July 17: Legendary Disney Cast Members: General Seating $35; Preferred Seating $50
• August 3: Disney Voice Actors O'Hara & Larkin: General $50; Preferred $75; VIP Package $150

Advanced sales tickets are available for the August 3 event. For more information about these and other GKTW events, visit GKTW.org. Since 1986, Give Kids The World Village has welcomed more than 165,000 families to its 84-acre “storybook” resort in Central Florida. Children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations, complete with accommodations, donated attraction tickets, meals and more.

…On Saturday, through its second annual First Book Family Festival, Walt Disney World Resort placed 40,000 needed books into the hands of Central Florida educators, children and families. During a no-cost shopping experience, educators were able to select up to 50 books and children and families were able to select up to five books per child. The books, donated by Disney Worldwide Publishing, represented both classic and new Disney tales that appeal to readers of a variety of ages. More than 100 Disney VoluntEARS spent hours sorting and organizing the thousands of books by age and genre. They also assisted event attendees in finding perfect-fit books for their needs, helping to provide the resources needed for in-home experiences where families can explore their imaginations together and cultivate a lifelong love of imaginative storytelling. This unique experience was made possible through Disney’s longstanding partnership with First Book, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing new books to educators and organizations serving children from low-income families.

…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 email in the box below.

Join the MousePlanet Newsletter Email:

New & Coming Soon at Disney Springs

This section collects all of the Disney Springs retail and dining events we are aware of in one place along with our most recent views of the area (including those immediately under this paragraph). Event items NEW to the Update are marked accordingly. For even more of the latest news around Disney Springs, follow its official Twitter Feed: @DisneySprings.

More Parking Now Available at Disney Springs

The new Grapefruit Garage on Buena Vista Drive opened to the public April 16, 2019. It is located on the south side of Buena Vista Drive, across the street from the Lime Garage (and, according to Reedy Creek Improvement District Cast Members, Disney Springs Cast Members are required to park in the new garage). The two older Disney Springs garages, Orange and Lime, have been undergoing technology work relating to the systems used to indicate where spaces are available, and, at least, as of last week, both still had some work ongoing that could still interfere with traffic flow and limit the number of spaces available in those garages. We have a few new photos of some of the views available from the new garage's skybridges below the photos we shared last week from Bonnie & Donald Fink.

The stairway to the Grapefruit Garage may seem a bit longer than the stairs to the Lime or Orange garages. That's because it is. Entry to the Grapefruit Garage is on level three. On the other garages, it's on level two. Of course, if you're not interested in the extra climb, there is an elevator just behind the stairs. (BF)

There are two right turn lanes on Buena Vista Drive into the Grapefruit Garage. These lanes are in front of the Racetrack gas station and approach from the west, in the eastbound traffic. There are no left turn lanes from westbound Buena Vista into the garage. The left-most of the right turn lanes will take you into the garage on Level one. The right lane will proceed to the upper levels of the garage without first driving through level one. (BF)

The pedestrian walkway from the Grapefruit Garage crosses Buena Vista Drive and enters Disney Springs near the World of Disney. Guests enter the walkway from the third level of the garage which is different from the Lime and Orange garages. (DF)

Grapefruit Garage is equipped with elevators and escalators. Like the Lime and Orange garages, escalators and elevators service all levels except level five. Level five is accessed by elevator. And of course, all levels can be accessed by stairs. (DF)

The Grapefruit Garage has four charging stations. They're on level three. One of the EV stations is also a Disabled Person parking spot. According to a Reedy Creek Cast Member we spoke with, you can park in the Disabled Person EV charging station whether or not you have a vehicle that needs charging, but if you intend to park there and charge your vehicle, you'll also need a Disabled Person sticker. (DF)

File Photos and Captions by Bonnie Fink (BF) & Donald Fink (DF).

The pedestrian bridge that runs paralel to Buena Vista Drive provides a nice view of the Casting building.

From the Grapefruit Garage, guests first take a long pedestrian bridge paralel to Buena Vista Drive that also provides a view of World of Disney Store in the distance (specifically, the distance the guest must walk before arriving at Disney Springs from the Garage).

With the opening of the Grapefruit Garage, construction around the entrance of World of Disney Store facing toward Buena Vista Drive has concluded and the Mickey Mouse topiary (at right) is no longer surrounded by walls.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Wine Bar George

Wine Bar George recently introduced its new “Wine Country Brunch,” which is now offered every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 3 p.m. See the menu online here or download a PDF of the menu here. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

Terralina Crafted Italian

For Mother's Day, May 12, Terralina's menu will have Maine lobster and sweet corn ravioli with mascarpone and chives in a saffron cream ($36).

For Father's Day, June 16, Terralina's menu will include braised osso Bucco in a rich spicy tomato and fennel ragu ($34).

Paddlefish

For Mother's Day, May 12, Paddlefish's menu features Lobster Ravioli ($33) paired with a blush mimosa ($13).

For Father's Day, June 16, Paddlefish's menu includes rib eye, shrimp skewer, bearnaise, whipped potato ($47), and bourbon daddy's ($15). Just ahead of Father's Day, on June 15, the venue is hosting a Father's Day Scotch/Bourbon Tasting and Cigar Rolling event from noon to 3 p.m. ($75) with more details coming soon.

Enzo's Hideaway Tunnel Bar

The Smuggler's Series is offered at Enzo's Hideaway Tunnel Bar monthly through October. Based on our hosted media-invited experience, for those interested in learning a bit about the beverages they drink, these sessions can be quite informative and the restaurant's culinary team works hard to prepare dishes to compliment the beverages served.

►Terrapin Brewing Company, Wednesday, June 19, 7 p.m., $45 per person

►Bourbon – Tim Hiesler, Bourbon ambassador for Jim Beam, Basil Hayden, Maker's Mark
Wednesday, July 17, 7 p.m., $60 per person

►Scotch, WM Grants – Balvenie & Glenfiddich, Wednesday, August 21, 7 p.m., $60 per person

►Crooked Stave, Wednesday, September 18, 7 p.m., $45 per person

►Tito’s Vodka, Wednesday, October 23, 7 p.m., $60 per person

The Edison

NEWAt The Edison during May, the “BBQ Tavern Burger” features the signature Edison blend of sirloin, short rib, and brisket with a BBQ style twist, fully loaded with crispy potato wedges, juicy bacon, lettuce, tomato and served on a toasted, buttery brioche roll. Accompany the May specialty burger with the aromatic “Almond Crusta” cocktail featuring Martell Blue Swift cognac, Tanqueray No. Ten gin, lemon juice, orgeat, and Angostura bitters for an electric pairing.

The May burger of the month is the “BBQ Tavern Burger” at The Edison. Photo courtesy Patina Restaurant Group.

More Views Around Disney Springs

The blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” from Marvel Studios is the current photo backdrop outside the AMC Dine-In Theatres at Disney Springs.

The new Disney Ticket Center is now open near the Welcome Center and Blaze Pizza. The Welcome Center continues to serve general Guest Relations issues, while the Ticket Center can assist with nearly all ticket issues, from picking up tickets ordered online to purchasing new theme park tickets or adding additional days or options.

The former Something Silver store on the West Side is now an “Amazing Photos” location.

There was recently a subtle change to the concept art for City Works (which is in the same building as the NBA Experience which is scheduled to open August 12, 2019): it now says the venue is “Coming Winter of 2019” rather than this summer.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Join Our Networks

@MousePlanet on…

On Facebook:

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 email. More runDisney event information

Just click the year you want to expand (or close).

2019 Resort Events

2020 Resort Events

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. All 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.

View the different areas of the Resort by scrolling horizontally and selecting the one you want to read about.

Current Discounts and 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.

Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Florida or eligible for U.S. Military Personnel benefits. It is increasingly true that non-Florida residents tend to benefit the most by purchasing tickets in advance (and, of course, being mindful of the rules relevant to those tickets). As prices go up, it becomes even more important to pay heed: Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside Disney property stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Walt Disney World Theme Park admissions, and may result in denial of entry. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or a travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today.

Be sure to move the calendar to at least seven (7) days out, to see what ticket options and discounts are available for your planned visit.

Just click the category you want to expand (or close).

For Everyone

For Annual Passholders

For Disney Rewards VISA Credit Card Holders

For Military Personnel

For Florida Residents

For Disney Vacation Club Members

For New England Residents

For Canada Residents

For U.K. Residents

Share, Links, Comments & More