Month: October 2017

Annual Passholders Can Get Special Seating for Eat to the Beat Concerts

Walt Disney World annual passholders can secure special seating to the remainder of this year’s Eat to the Beat concert series. The three-times-a-night performances are part of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, which runs daily through Nov. 13.

To take advantage of the offers, passholders must first go to the Festival Center, located in the Future World half of the theme park, to secure a badge for one of that day’s concerts. There will be a limited number of badges available, and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, Disney says. They will be given out until one hour before showtime or until they run out.

A valid annual pass and photo ID are required to receive a badge.

Passholders with badges will go to a designated entrance at America Gardens Theater on the World Showcase side of the park for the concerts. Disney says concertgoers should arrive 15 minutes before concert time.

The offer is tied to the 35th anniversary of Epcot, Disney World says.

Remaining performers include Hanson (Oct. 30-Nov.1), Blue October (Nov. 2-3), Living Colour (Nov. 4-5), Boyz II Men (Nov. 6-8), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Nov. 9-11) and Squeeze (Nov. 12-13). Nightly performances are set for 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.

From the Orlando Sentinel

Jingle Cruise Returning to Adventureland at Magic Kingdom in November

Despite a rumor that was circulating about a month ago, Jingle Cruise, the holiday overlay edition of the Jungle Cruise, returns to the Magic Kingdom on November 2 for the 2017 Christmas season.

Join the homesick Jungle Cruise skippers as they set out on a holly jolly journey packed with shenanigans.

Each year during the holiday season, your favorite Jungle Cruise experiences transform into the Jingle Cruise—a festive-yet-familiar adventure, from stem to stern!

As you make your way through attraction queue to the boathouse and beyond, be sure to check out all the merry décor that’s been mailed to the skippers, or that they’ve created themselves. They’ve even added a few holiday jokes to their tours to help everyone get in the spirit!

Disneyland Announces Opening Date of Pixar Fest and Return of Paint the Night Parade

If you recall that Disney Parks Chairman Bob Chapek announced at the D23 Expo in July, Disneyland Resort guests are invited to celebrate their favorite Disney·Pixar stories during Pixar Fest. Disneyland announced that beginning April 13, 2018, this limited-time celebration of friendship and beyond will feature the debut of an all-new fireworks spectacular and the return of two favorite parades as well as even more beloved Pixar characters, new décor, atmosphere entertainment, themed food and beverage and new merchandise items.

“Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” will light up Disneyland beginning April 13. In addition to dazzling pyrotechnics and memorable music, the theme of friendship, ever-present in most Pixar films, is celebrated in this nighttime spectacular. Guests are invited to embark on an emotional journey that starts when unlikely Pixar characters first meet. As they set out on adventures and overcome obstacles together, “Together Forever” celebrates the everlasting friendships forged by beloved Pixar pals. The story comes to life through projections on iconic park locations: Sleeping Beauty Castle, the water screens of the Rivers of America, the façade of “it’s a small world” and the buildings of Main Street, U.S.A. This nighttime spectacular will even feature a special flyover by Buzz Lightyear at Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Also on April 13, the popular “Paint the Night” parade will return, this time to Disney California Adventure. The parade features many Pixar stories, including characters from “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “Cars,” and another Pixar story will join “Paint the Night” parade later in the year.

With the launch of Pixar Fest, “Pixar Play Parade” will make its way through Disneyland for the first time. The parade will begin as most Pixar films have, with an appearance by the iconic and adorable Pixar lamp. Other new parade elements will feature characters from “UP” and “Inside Out.”

The Pixar Shorts film festival will feature rotating favorites such as “For the Birds” and “Lava” at the Sunset Showcase Theater in Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure throughout most of Pixar Fest. The Paradise Gardens area will feature a new Pixar-themed musical troupe along with Pixar character greeting opportunities as well as crafts and activities for our younger guests.

Guests can get into character and celebrate friendship with a host of new merchandise, including an exclusive Pixar Fest charm bracelet. With multiple bracelet options and a variety of charms with fun friendship messages and favorite Pixar characters, guests can mix and match for themselves, or friends and family!

All of these exciting new experiences come in addition to the many attractions and entertainment throughout the Disneyland Resort that include your favorite Pixar characters. Join the celebration when Pixar Fest begins April 13, 2018!

Disney Announces Marvel Super Heroes Come to Disneyland Paris in Summer 2018

At Comic Con in London, Vice President Franchise Creative and Marketing for Marvel Studios, Dave Bushore and Creative Director of Disneyland Paris, Mark Huffman announced that the Marvel Super Heroes are coming to Disneyland Paris in the summer 2018 from June 10 to September 30.

Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man, Star-Lord and Black Widow will appear for the first time exclusively at Disneyland Paris in summer 2018 in a special Marvel Summer of Super Heroes season. Your favorite heroes will be featured in the Walt Disney Studios Park for exciting meet & greets and breathtaking, epic shows.

But that’s not all for Marvel fans at Disneyland Paris. Disneyland Paris is also re-imagining from October 2018 one of its Resort Hotels into a universe that would make Tony Stark proud. Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel will transport guests to the action-packed, inspiring world of Super Heroes including Iron Man, The Avengers, and Spider Man among others, and will open within 2020.

Don’t miss Marvel Summer of Super Heroes and join some of your favorite characters at Walt Disney Studios Park. It will be THE big event of 2018 and will close out what has already been an unbelievable celebration of Disneyland Paris’ 25th Anniversary.

Disney Cruise Line Announces Itineraries for Early 2019

Today Disney Cruise Line revealed where their ships are sailing in early 2019 … to tropical ports of call from coast to coast! We’re returning to favorite destinations on a variety of itineraries, including cruises from California, Florida and Puerto Rico.

Highlights include an expanded two-month season from San Diego to the sun-drenched Baja and Mexican Riviera, a host of options to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Florida ports, and cruises to the Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico. All cruises departing Florida feature a stop at Castaway Cay, our private island paradise reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests.

Here are the details …

San Diego to Baja and Mexican Riviera

The Disney Wonder returns to San Diego for an extended season from March to May 2019, with a variety of cruises to Mexico where you can enjoy vibrant culture, stunning beaches, exciting water activities, cliff diving and ziplining through the jungle.

Most sailings to Mexico’s Baja peninsula call on the charming coastal city of Ensenada, known as the “Cinderella of the Pacific” with its turquoise blue water and rugged mountainous terrain. Two-night cruises to Ensenada boast Friday departures from San Diego, giving you the ultimate weekend getaway to experience world-class entertainment aboard the Disney Wonder.

Four- and five-night Baja options include a visit to Cabo San Lucas, a destination favored for arid climate and sunny weather, dotted with dramatic rock formations and bordered by white-sand beaches.

Seven-night sailings to the Mexican Riviera call on Cabo San Lucas and feature the snorkeling and scuba diving hot spots of Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlán. These week-long cruises offer you the chance to make magical memories as a family while soaking up the history and Old World charm of Mexico’s Pacific Coast and taking in the beauty of stunning beaches and the nearby Sierra Madre Mountains.

San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Southern Caribbean

In January, three special Disney Wonder cruises from San Juan sail to the Southern Caribbean, visiting tropical destinations renowned for beautiful sun-kissed beaches and warm azure waters. On the six- and seven-night sailings, you can dive into charming island cultures, sunbathe on golden beaches and revel in local marketplaces.

The Disney Wonder arrives to San Juan after a five-night journey departing Jan. 9 from Galveston, Texas, with a stop in Falmouth, Jamaica.

On Feb. 3, a four-night cruise aboard the Disney Wonder takes you from San Juan to Port Canaveral, Florida, just an hour away from Walt Disney World Resort—the perfect stop for a fairytale land and sea adventure.

Port Canaveral to Bahamas and Eastern and Western Caribbean

With three Disney ships in port and cruise lengths spanning three, four and seven nights, vacationers looking for a getaway in early 2019 have a full menu of options from Port Canaveral, near Orlando, Florida. Every sailing from Port Canaveral includes a day at Castaway Cay.

The Disney Fantasy continues to sail seven-night Caribbean voyages, with Eastern Caribbean itineraries visiting the Virgin Islands of Tortola and St. Thomas, and Western Caribbean cruises calling on Cozumel, Mexico, Grand Cayman and Falmouth.

The Disney Dream embarks on three- and four-night Bahamian cruises to Nassau and Castaway Cay, and the Disney Wonder will alternate similar three- and four-night itineraries throughout February.

Miami to Bahamas and Western Caribbean

To kick off 2019, the Disney Magic continues sailing from Miami with four- and five-night voyages to the Bahamas, plus five-night Western Caribbean cruises.

The magical shores of Castaway Cay await guests aboard every one of these Disney Magic sailings. Other ports of call on the Bahamian voyages include Nassau and Key West, Florida, while a stop in Grand Cayman or Cozumel headlines the Western Caribbean itineraries.

Bookings open to the public on Nov. 2, 2017. Check out the Ports and Itineraries for 2019 page of disneycruise.com for more details, and happy sailing!

 

The SpectacuLAB Interactive Show Set to Debut at Epcot in November

Every day, guests have a blast exploring their imagination, creativity and curiosity at Innoventions at Epcot.

Today Disney announced that Innoventions will welcome The SpectacuLAB, an engaging new interactive show this November. In it, guests will be invited to join a group of real scientists, and their tech-savvy intern, for a series of thrilling experiments that put scientific principles like ultrasonic pressure, barometric pressure, acceleration and force to the test. Through this funny and fascinating show, guests of all ages will have the opportunity to participate in the demonstrations and discover how each scientific principle has inspired amazing technologies we enjoy today.

To bring The SpectacuLAB to life, Walt Disney World will collaborate with sponsor Murata, a global leader in the design, manufacture and supply of advanced electronic components, and Science from Scientists, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve STEM literacy at schools.

Parking and Transportation Improvements Coming to the Disneyland Resort

As part of the multi-year expansion of the Disneyland Resort,  Disneyland is upgrading, improving and adding new parking and transportation enhancements that have been long envisioned for the resort. The centerpiece of this plan is an all-new parking structure to be built on the current Pinocchio surface parking lot next to Mickey & Friends.

This new 6,500-space structure is designed to dramatically improve parking and traffic flow throughout the resort. It is expected to significantly speed up guest arrival by providing a 60 percent increase in the number of access lanes and adding additional parking capacity on the west side of the resort.

The additional parking capacity and access lanes will streamline vehicle arrivals on the west side of the resort and eliminate backups onto city streets. In addition, the tram boarding area will be reconfigured to enhance the transportation experience for guests parking at both the new structure and Mickey & Friends.

Construction is scheduled to begin in February 2018, with the structure set to open the following year.

New Hotel Coming to the Disneyland Resort in 2021

For the first time in almost two decades, we will open a new Four Diamond hotel! Set to open in 2021, this hotel will transform the west end of the Downtown Disney District and anchor a new gateway to the Disneyland Resort.

The stunning 700-room hotel will feature a sophisticated design and be a game-changer for Anaheim, creating a dynamic dining, entertainment and hotel experience for resort visitors and local residents. Extensive landscaping and water elements will create a resort oasis, showcasing nature on every level of the hotel. The hotel’s location embraces the iconic Disneyland Monorail with a dedicated platform inside the hotel for direct transport into Disneyland park.

Guest rooms, public spaces and gardens will provide views of the Downtown Disney District. In addition, an upper-level restaurant and lounge will give guests a view of the popular Disneyland park fireworks.

The ground level of the hotel will include shops and restaurants opening onto an expansive landscaped plaza complete with playful water features, creating a gathering place for guests and visitors. The new hotel also connects all four Hotels of the Disneyland Resort through lush gardens and beautifully landscaped walkways, transforming the gateway on the west side and creating a welcoming entry for our Disneyland Resort guests.

And that’s not all. This new hotel creates great benefits for the community, generating approximately $25 million in new taxes in its first five years of operation that go directly to Anaheim’s general fund. It also will create thousands of additional construction and permanent jobs and attract new hotel guests to the resort area.

Construction is scheduled to start in summer 2018, with a grand opening slated for 2021. Check back here for updates!

 

Disney Helps Blind ‘Feel’ Fireworks

Disney says it is creating a way for the blind to “feel” fireworks, allowing them to have a unique experience.

A Disney Research Lab in Zurich has developed a new technology that might give the blind a tactile fireworks show so they can share in the signature experience that others enjoy nightly at Disney parks.

Water pulses timed to spray on high-tech fabrics in unison with fireworks will mimic the colorful bursts overhead, creating a new way to feel fireworks.

“This would at least give them a tactile way to explore and find out what is going on. How big it is,” Chelsea Bridges said.

“At this point in my life, it would definitely help me relive those moments and help me recapture those exciting times that I’d been able to share with my kids,” said Gary Watson, who can no longer see.

“I lost my eyesight in a car accident in 1993. I went from everything to nothing after the accident,” Scott Greenblat said. “(This is) extraordinarily forward thinking of them and inclusive of them.”

Disney Research ‘Feeling Fireworks’ Video

Join the Fun at ‘Disney Junior Dance Party!’ at Disney California Adventure

Little ones at Disney California Adventure park have more reason than ever to get on their feet and start dancing! “Disney Junior Dance Party!” is rocking Hollywood Land with high-energy songs, dazzling special effects, new friends and beloved characters including Mickey Mouse himself.

In the show, DJ Deejay and host Finn Fiesta invite everyone in for the party, creating an incredible interactive atmosphere for kids to sing, dance and play along with favorite Disney Junior stars like Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins and Timon from “The Lion Guard.” Of course, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse race in from “Mickey and the Roadster Racers,” just in time for the big finale!

Here’s a look at some of the fun – Disney Junior Dance Party Video