Walt Disney World Resort Update for November 3 – November 9, 2015

Update for November 3 – November 9, 2015

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

News and Views

Permits hint at Disney's plans for Star Wars Land | Disney's Hollywood Studios to debut a new premium dining experience | Views Around the World | This and That | Crowd Forecast

Permits hint at Disney's plans for Star Wars Land

Last week, Walt Disney Parks and Resort filed an application related to the “construction and operation of a surface water management system to serve 799.29 acres of a commercial project known as L402 Basin.” Disney loves their project names, and it didn't take long before the Disney universe discovered that the L402 basin project (named for the canal that runs through it) included interesting details about the future home of the Star Wars universe in Florida.

If wading through the nearly 200 pages of supporting documents filed along with this application sounds like your cup of tea, I'll gladly point you to the South Florida Water Management District website, where you can dive into the intricacies of permit 48-00714-P. If you'd prefer the short version, keep reading.

This illustration shows the existing Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in green, and the reclaimed wetland area in yellow. This area will be used for a new parking lot. Illustration by Atkins.

Click here for a much larger version of the image.

This filing isn't as interesting as we could hope, in that it mainly deals with wetlands, drainage, and canals. However, one of the exhibits is a lovely color-coded map of the Disney's Hollywood Studios area, showing the existing theme park and the planned expansion footprint.

Disney plans to fill in two existing wetlands areas on the southern edge of the existing theme park, (the area in yellow below the existing park), and use that reclaimed land to build a parking lot. However, Disney must create a new storm water pond to hold the water carried by the L-402 canal. They propose to build this new pond off of World Drive, between Hollywood Studios and Blizzard Beach.

From there, it's unknown what Disney will do with the new parking area. Hollywood Studios has a small parking lot compared to the other parks, and there have long been rumors that a parking structure may be the answer to that problem.

This aerial view of Disney's Hollywood Studios and the surrounding areas shows where the new parking area will be in relation to the rest of the park. Photo illustration by Atkins.

Click here to see a much larger version of the image.

Disney also plans to build a new entrance road to the Studios from Osceola Parkway, and designate the current World Drive entrance a dedicated construction route. The maps also show a future cloverleaf interchange to be built at the Osceola Parkway and Victory Way intersection.

Construction is slated to begin January 2016, and wrap up by October 2018, but that doesn't mean you should expect a Very Star Wars Christmas in 2018. These permits only deal with the footprint of the site, and don't include any actual structures in the 14-acre Star Wars Land. There's still no reliable time line for how long it may be before you can board the new Millennium Falcon ride.

Disney's Hollywood Studios to debut a new premium dining experience

The new Sunset Showcase space inside Disney's Hollywood Studios has not even opened yet, but Disney has already announced the first upcharge event to be hosted there.

When it opens on December 4, Sunset Showcase will house a new “Club Disney” character dance party, a free event that should prove popular with the younger set, and offer a bit of respite from the holiday crowds.

But on January 16, Club Villain opens its doors, serving up an extra-cost dinner on Saturday nights for those willing to pay $99 per person to party with the bad guys. From the Disney website:

This spellbinding evening features decadent New Orleans delicacies like tender beef striploin rubbed with herbes de Provence, Voodoo sticky “pig wings” with citrus gremolata and spicy shrimp sautéed with Andouille sausage, tomato, okra, and onions over creamy polenta.

Trick or treat yourself to fiendish cocktail concoctions—specialty alcoholic drinks plus beer and wine—hilarious stage-show numbers and up-close encounters with Disney’s most dastardly doomsday divas. Mix and mingle with mysterious Maleficent, hilarious Queen of Hearts, the delirious Evil Queen and the always fur-fetched Cruella De Vil—and wicked jams from our house DJ!

The $99 ticket includes tax and gratuity, but does not include theme park admission—that is extra, and required. There is no discounted rate for diners under drinking age.

This event is offered Saturday evenings only, and is currently scheduled every Saturday night through March, 2016, with the exception of January 30. The first two events, January 16 and 23, are already sold out as of press time. Make reservations up to 90 days in advance online at the Disney website, or call (407) 939-3463.

It is unclear if Club Disney will continue to operate after January 16.

Views Around the World

Contributing photographer Alan Dalinka shares more images from around Walt Disney World, and takes you on a tour of the new D-Tech MagicBand on Demand offering at the Magic Kingdom.

Epcot

The Frozen-themed Royal Sommerhaus next to the Norway pavilion at Epcot is continuing to take shape. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As the 20th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival enters its final weeks, crowds fill parts of the World Showcase promenade especially near popular kiosks like Canada (try the legendary cheddar cheese soup). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Magic Kingdom

The new D-Tech On Demand customization station inside the Tomorrowland Power & Light building (the gift shop at the exit of Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain) uses custom-mounted iPads to allow guests to select from numerous designs and personalization options for smart devices and MagicBands. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A display behind the counter shows some examples of the MagicBand options that are available. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

It costs more to add your name to a D-Tech on Demand product. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The first screen guests use for customization and personalization contains no instructions for moving forward. Touching the screen anywhere moves the process forward. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

MagicBands are one of the many devices available for customization and personalization. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

After selecting MagicBands from the previous screen, guests can choose from a list of numerous characters and attractions. Here are Space Mountain and Haunted Mansion themes. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

There are over 40 designs available for the MagicBand, including Princesses and Stitch. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Many of the MagicBand designs include classic characters like Mickey and Minnie. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Woody & Buzz, Grumpy, and Tink are available as MagicBand designs, but there are no Muppet or Star Wars characters offered. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Once the character or attraction theme is selected, guests select the MagicBand's color, and see how their chosen design will look on that background. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

After selecting a MagicBand theme and color, guests decide whether or not to personalize. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

After selecting personalization, the traditional iPad keyboard becomes available for entering text along with a preview of the personalization. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Sample customized MagicBands are on display in a case immediately in front of the Space Mountain ride exit corridor. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Boardwalk Resort Area

The Flying Fish Cafe at Disney’s BoardWalk resort will be undergoing a major refurbishment, which is scheduled to begin in February and continue through next November. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

At BoardWalk Bakery at Disney's BoardWalk Resort, two designs of the Disney Rapid Fill refillable mugs are available to resort guests. The mug on the right (red lid) features the new Resort artwork. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That

…A new Santa Goofy meet-and-greet location has opened in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Goofy can be found in the former Backlot Tour queue building near the Streets of America. The meet-and-greet is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and again from 6:30 p.m. until park closing.

…Mickey Mouse also has a new meet-and-greet location in Disney's Hollywood Studios. You can find him dressed in his Sorcerer Mickey garb near the Toy Story Mania ride, in the building most recently used for the Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow show.

…The Motley Fool website predicts that Epcot will be the least-visited Disney World theme park by the year 2020. The article is well worth a read.

…The Orlando Sentinel reports that former Disney World president Meg Crofton was honored with a window on the Magic Kingdom's Main Street last month. This window was the first tribute added since 2011.

…A reader posted on our MousePad discussion forum to say that the pork shank is no longer available at the Magic Kingdom. We tried to confirm with Disney, but have not received a response. If you know what has happened to this luscious treat, please drop us a note so we can pass it along to other readers.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun MouseAdventure bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your e-mail in the box below.

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Crowd Forecast

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Resort Events

2015

• 2015 Epcot Food & Wine Festival – September 26 to November 16.
• 2015 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party – November 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, and 29; December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 18. As of publication, all nights are still available.
• 2015 Epcot Candlelight Processional – November 27 to December 30
• Holidays Around the World at Epcot – November 27 to December 30
• DVC Merry Member Mixers – November 24; December 1, 8, 14, 22. DVC members and their guests can attend special holiday mixers in Epcot throughout the season. The free events include character meet-and-greets, live entertainment, crafts, and refreshments. They are hosted from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the World Showcase at Epcot (entrance is between the Canada and United Kingdom Pavilions). Members do not need tickets or advance reservations, and can bring up to 6 guests per membership card.
• 2015 Candlelight Processional at Epcot – Performances are at 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. nightly, with the exception of December 6.

2016

• Season of the Force – January 8 – March 20, 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.

2015

• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – November 6–7. All races are sold out.

2016

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend – January 6–10, 2016. The 5K, 10K, half marathon, Goofy Challenge and Dopey Challenge events are sold out. Registration is still open for the full marathon and runDisney Kids Races. The deadline to submit for these events has passed.
• Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend – February 18–21, 2016. All races are sold out. The deadline to submit Proof of Time for these events is November 17, 2015.
• Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side Weekend – April 14–17, 2016. The 10K and Dark Side Challenge are sold out. Registration is still open for the half marathon, 5K and runDisney Kids Races. Proof of Time must be provided between October 27, 2015, and January 19, 2016.

For current information on registration dates and capacity, see Lorree Tachell's runDisney Race Capacity Updates in the Team MousePlanet forum on our MousePad discussion board.

Merchandise Events

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom

• Diamond Horseshoe – closed through November 19 for refurbishment
• Liberty Tree Tavern – closed through November 19 for refurbishment
• Walt Disney World Frontierland station – closed October 12 to November 21 for refurbishment.
• Walt Disney World Main Street U.S.A station – closed October 12 to November 21 for refurbishment.
• Walt Disney World Fantasyland station – closed October 12 to November 21 for refurbishment.
• The Magic Behind the Our Steam Trains Guided Tour – not offered during Walt Disney World Railroad refurbishment.
• Peter Pan's Flight – closed November 2–7 for refurbishment.
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover – closed December 7–10 for refurbishment

2016

• Splash Mountain – closed January 10–15 for refurbishment.
• Space Mountain – closed January 11–15 for refurbishment.
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin – closed January 15 to February 11 for refurbishment.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – closed January 18–22 for refurbishment.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – closed April 4 to July 15 for refurbishment.
• Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse – closed July 7 to September 24 for refurbishment.
• Liberty Square Riverboat – closed August 15–21 for refurbishment.
• “it's a small world” – closed August 22 to September 15 for refurbishment.

Epcot

• Soarin' – additional screen under construction. Work has no impact on the existing theaters.
• Innoventions West – Think, presented by IBM; The Great Piggy Bank Adventure; and Where's the Fire? closed. The Disney Visa character experience remains open.
• Maelstrom – ride permanently closed for construction of Frozen Ever After attraction. New ride expected to open May, 2016.
• Innoventions East – Glidden's Colortopia under construction replacing the Test the Limits exhibit. Expected to open late 2015.

2016

• Soarin' will halt service as of January 4, 2016. The ride will reopen sometime in “summer of 2016” as Soarin' Around the World, with a new ride film

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Catalina Eddie's – closed October 11 – November 19 for refurbishment.
• Rosie's All-American Cafe – closed October 11 – November 19 for refurbishment.
• Walt Disney: One Man's Dream – closed October 16 – December 5 due to The Good Dinosaur sneak peek.
• Jedi Training Academy – on hiatus until the Star Wars Launch Bay opens, expected to be in December. The new show is titled Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple.
• Toy Story Midway Mania – second ride track is under construction. Work has no impact on the existing ride.
• Magic of Disney Animation – building permanently closed for future expansion. The space will be used for the Star Wars Launch Bay.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Primeval Whirl – closed through November 13 for refurbishment.

Blizzard Beach

• Entire park closed from October 25, 2015 through January 3, 2016 for refurbishment

Typhoon Lagoon

• Entire park closed from January 3 to March 13 for refurbishment.

Disney Springs

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

Resorts

• Disney's Boardwalk Inn – Exterior painting and repair during daylight hours, through May 5, 2016
• Disney's Boardwalk Inn – Flying Fish Cafe closed February 1 to September 30, 2016 for refurbishment.
• Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Villas – Hidden Springs pool, resort beach, playground, and Recreation fire pit close October 26, 2015. 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.

Don't keep it to yourself! Send us your news tips, rumors, and comments.