Walt Disney World Resort Update for October 13-19, 2015

Update for October 13–19, 2015

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News and Views

Limited Time offerings for Disney's Hollywood Studios  | runDisney releases 2016-2017 event schedule | Disney Springs dining news | Views Around the World | This and That | Crowd Forecast

Limited Time offerings for Disney's Hollywood Studios

With large portions of Disney's Hollywood Studios already closed for construction or scheduled to shutter next year, Disney is trying to change the conversation by adding a slate of limited time offerings.

Starting this Friday, October 16, a special preview of The Good Dinosaur prompts a temporary hiatus of One Man's Dream. The preview runs through Friday, December 4, and Disney's Shawn Slater assured fans that One Man's Dream is returning on Saturday, December 5 for Walt Disney's birthday. The Good Dinosaur opens Wednesday, November 25.

The ABC Sound Studio is often used for cross-promotional events with other Disney divisions. The theater this weekend debuted a behind-the-scenes film documenting the creation of the We Love Disney compilation album produced in partnership with Walt Disney Records and Verve Records. We Love Disney is releasing Friday, October 30, and the preview is expected to be presented until late November.

Disney's new multi-purpose venue, the Sunset Showcase, opens December 4 in Disney's Hollywood Studios. The new building sits between the Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. When it opens, it will house the new Club Disney character dance party. From the Disney Parks Blog:

The premier engagement at the new Sunset Showcase will be Club Disney, the hottest spot in town for kids and characters alike! You can join Mickey and the gang and take to the dance floor in this electric club environment, where a DJ Club Host spins the perfect playlist mix of your favorite Radio Disney Top 40 songs as the floor and walls come alive with vivid images from classic Disney animation.

This sounds quite a bit like Dancin' with Disney, a popular offering at Disney California Adventure in 2012 and 2013. Club Disney is also offering charging stations, a snack bar, and a respite from the Florida weather.

runDisney releases 2016-2017 event schedule

runDisney has released its race schedule through the spring 2017, making it easier for runners to plan their future races. With eight domestic runDisney scheduled each year, runners have to budget for both vacation time and race fees.

We've included both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort events here so you can plan for the various Coast-to-Coast challenges. Expect advance registration for passholders and Disney Vacation Club members to open two weeks earlier:

Disney Springs dining news

Celebrity chef Art Smith becomes the second Iron Chef alum to have a Disney Springs restaurant when Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine opens next year. The new restaurant will feature a menu of Southern staples that Disney describes as “farm-to-fork cuisine.” Chef Smith is a Florida native, and did a culinary internship in Walt Disney World's college program. The new restaurant opens sometime in summer 2016.

Morimoto Asia, headed by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, opened earlier this month in Disney Springs. Starting Wednesday, October 14, the location will open at 11:00 a.m. daily for lunch. If you missed it, be sure to read MousePlanet's review of the new location by contributors Don and Bonnie Fink. You can find the lunch menu on the restaurant's Facebook page.

Views Around the World

Contributing photographer Alan Dalinka more images from the Food & Wine Festival, and visited Magic Kingdom this week to catch up on the latest construction projects.

Epcot

This photo angle was made possible for cameras recording episodes of ABC's “The Chew” by turning the topiaries of Mickey Mouse and his grill toward the World Showcase Lagoon. The episodes are scheduled to air this week. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The former Wonders of Life pavilion once again serves as the Festival Center for the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A large selection of 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival merchandise is available in the Festival Center. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival merchandise for Passholders is displayed in the Festival Center. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Characters from the Marvel universe make an appearance in chocolate carvings by Disney chefs at the Chocolate Experience in the Festival Center for the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As you might expect, one of the Festival Center chocolate displays at the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is a tribute to “Frozen.” Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The “Chase Lounge” on the upper level of The American Adventure once again welcomes guests of the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival who have any Chase debit or credit card (including, of course, Disney Visa cards by Chase). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

While the Innoventions buildings are open during Future World's operating hours at Epcot, very few exhibits are open. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A sizable portion of the display area inside Innoventions East is surrounded by colorful construction walls that (in a few places not shown here) promote the upcoming “Colortopia presented by Gladden” exhibit. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Beyond the U.K. pavilion, the exterior of the new theater for Soarin' appears nearing completion (on the left) next to the existing two theaters (with the rounded rooftop on the right). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The “Frozen”-themed attraction area continues to rise between the Norway and Mexico pavilions in Epcot's World Showcase. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Magic Kingdom

A pumpkin showing Jack Skellington as a skeleton key decorates the Main Street Emporium at the Magic Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The late Roy E. Disney, nephew of Walt and son of Roy O., was an accomplished sailor, and his Magic Kingdom tribute window on Main Street, USA, fittingly includes a pumpkin with a sailboat. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The late afternoon autumn sunlight adds an appropriate foreboding to The Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

One of the many Mickey Mouse oumpkins in the Central Plaza partially obscures in this photo the last of the new castle turrets (at left) to be completed as the Magic Kingdom Central Plaza (hub) construction nears its completion. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The walkway to Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom has new concrete as it approaches completion. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

A large selection of light-up skulls are among the nighttime souvenirs sold by carts on Main Street, USA, at the Magic Kingdom. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Magic Kingdom reaches the end of (an extended) operating day. The park was scheduled to be open until 11 p.m. on Sunday, but an announcement after Wishes said the park would remain open until midnight (and the crowd cheered). Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That

…Minnie Mouse has a new Playhouse Disney-themed meet-and-greet location outside Disney Junior – Live on Stage! in Disney's Hollywood Studios.

…Duffy the Disney Bear may have sailed on to new adventures, but merchandise featuring his female friend Shellie May is expected to hit Walt Disney World shelves any moment. The Disney Parks Blog posted a preview of the merchandise to be released.

…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 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party – September 22, 25, and 27; October 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31; November 1. As of publication, only Halloween night is sold out.
• 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

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.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular – closed October 20–23 for refurbishment.
• 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.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• Primeval Whirl – closed through November 13 for refurbishment.
• Pizzafari – closed through October 20 for refurbishment

Blizzard Beach

• Entire park closed from October 25, 2015 through January 3, 2016 for refurbishment
• Summit Plummet and Slush Gusher – closed for unscheduled refurbishment as of September 19.

Typhoon Lagoon

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

Downtown Disney / 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.
• Downtown Disney Bridge 4 and restrooms on Pleasure Island – temporarily closed for ongoing construction work.
• Downtown Disney Lots A-G – closed through August 1, 2016.
• Downtown Disney Lots H, I, J, and K (in Westside area) – closed until further notice for Disney Springs 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

• Polynesian – ongoing refurbishment of the lobby and pool area.
• 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 Coronado Springs – La Vida Health Club and Casitas pool closed for refurbishment through October 12. An alternate fitness center is available for guest use.
• Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Villas – construction of the as-yet-unannounced Disney Vacation Club cabins begins October 2015. Expect construction-related closures and noise during the project.
• 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.

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.