When will the Fall decorations appear on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom? This was one of our first “Speculation Station” segments on our Up the Waterfall LIVE! show (Thursdays at 8p on Facebook and YouTube!) and now I can’t even remember what my guess was, but if you guessed September 15th, you win!
Autumn at Magic Kingdom is always one of our favorite times of the year. The Fall season is very different this year, with the cancellation of the usual Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, due to Covid-19. However, the return of the classic Halloween Mickey pumpkin lamp decorations is somehow comforting. This season, we will see those happy jack-o-lanterns against the new Cinderella Castle Royal Makeover as a backdrop. In addition to decor, Disney has just announced that there will be some new surprises. We are happy to see Disney going above and beyond. According to Disney:
…There will be some bewitching surprises this year, including a special Halloween-themed cavalcade with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and pals wearing their favorite Halloween costumes. Guests may even spot those rascally chipmunks, Chip ‘n’ Dale, in costume over in Frontierland, and look for other Disney character friends dressed up and riding the horse-drawn trolley down Main Street, U.S.A.
And speaking of costumes, you will want to get yours ready! To bring some Halloween party fun into the park this year, for the first time guests of all ages can wear their funniest, Disney-ist, most creative costumes during Magic Kingdom regular operating hours from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31. As an important reminder, costume masks are not permitted for adults; only children younger than 14 years old are permitted to wear costume masks. In addition, all guests are required to wear approved face coverings during their visit.
Autumn at Walt Disney World Resort wouldn’t be complete without our popular fall treats, such as the famous Pumpkin-spiced Waffle Sundae at Magic Kingdom. Check back soon for our official Foodie Guide to Fall at Walt Disney World, which will contain all of the yummy details.
Festive Halloween-themed merchandise will be available in select locations around the park. Featured items include a new spirit jersey, Loungefly backpack and candy-swirl Minnie Mouse headband, along with a selection of apparel inspired by Disney Villains and more. *NOTE – be sure to be following Zannaland on Instagram! We’ll be giving away some sweet & spooky ears in the coming weeks!
And be sure to capture special moments with Disney PhotoPass! Photographers will be available throughout the park for themed photo opps. But beware – happy haunts may materialize in the pictures!
We are very excited to see Fall and Halloween returning to the Magic Kingdom (even if we are still observing from afar). What’s your favorite part of autumn in Magic Kingdom? Stay tuned for more news on the ever-changing new Disney park updates.
In response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, Disney previously announced the closure of all its parks worldwide, effective as of today, March 16th. This morning, Disney has provided a new update on the operations of more of its properties.
In line with state and federal guidance, in an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our guests and cast members we are proceeding with the closure of all Disney stores in North America, beginning March 17. Guests continue to visit shopDisney.com.
Disney will also be closing all of its owned and operated locations at Downtown Disney in Anaheim and Disney Springs in Orlando, beginning March 17. Individual tenants will make decisions on whether to continue or adjust operations.
Additionally, Disney owned and operated hotels at Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort will close at 5pm on Friday, March 20. This will give Guests the ability to make other arrangements.
We will continue to monitor the situation and maintain regular contact with the appropriate officials and health experts.
This tells us that all first-party Disney locations at Disney Springs and Downtown Disney will close, including World of Disney, Marketplace Co-Op, and the newly opened NBA Experience. This also includes all first-party Disney stores around the country.
In an unprecedented move, ALL Disney Parks will be closing as of Sunday, with Disney Cruise Line suspending departures as of Saturday. This has not happened since the attacks of 9|11, but we knew this announcement had to be coming soon, the risks were just too great to remain open and provide a breeding ground for this spreading virus. Without being able to control guests arriving from other areas and other risk factors, it would be irresponsible to stay open for business. This is of course a difficult bit a news to bear, as so many folks from all over the world plan months and years in advance to make a yearly, or even once-in-a-lifetime visits to this resort.
If you currently have plans and a booked hotel vacation to any of these parks or destinations, we’d advise contacting your travel agent or whomever you booked with. Wait times will be long, and patience is a must in situations like this. The cast members or employees answering these calls can only do so much, and only have as much information as they are given. We hope Disney releases more information as to plans, and future solutions to these unplanned closures. We will update this post as we hear more official news.
Until then, here is an article from Variety.com, detailing the current closures as of the posting time of this article:
Disney is temporarily shuttering Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris, beginning this Sunday and lasting through the end of the month, due to the coronavirus pandemic. It follows the news that Disneyland California and Universal Studios Hollywood are temporarily closing starting March 14 as well.
The announcement means all Disney parks worldwide will be closed by next week.
The Disney Cruise Line is also suspending all new departures beginning Saturday through the end of March. The Walt Disney Company will pay its cast members during that closure period.
The hotels at Disney World and Disneyland Paris will remain open until further notice, as will the retail and dining complexes, Disney Springs at Walt Disney World and Disney Village at Disneyland Paris.
Universal Studios Hollywood expects to reopen on March 28, while Disneyland foresees opening its doors again at the end of the month.
“The health and safety of our team members and guests is always our top priority,” said a Universal Studios spokesperson. “Out of an abundance of caution and in response to the guidance provided by the California Department of Public Health, Universal Studios Hollywood will temporarily close beginning Saturday, March 14. The theme park anticipates reopening on March 28 as we continue to monitor the situation. We will provide timely updates as conditions evolve.”
Disneyland Resort hotels will remain open until March 16 so guests can make necessary travel accommodations. Universal CityWalk remains open, as does Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
It’s only the fourth time in history that Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., has fully suspended operations. The other instances were the Sept. 11 attacks, the morning after John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the Northridge earthquake.
“While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Disneyland Resort, after carefully reviewing the guidelines of the Governor of California’s executive order and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the closure of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, beginning the morning of March 14 through the end of the month,” Disney said in a statement. “The Hotels of Disneyland Resort will remain open until Monday, March 16 to give guests the ability to make necessary travel arrangements; Downtown Disney will remain open. We will monitor the ongoing situation and follow the advice and guidance of federal and state officials and health agencies. Disney will continue to pay cast members during this time.”
The company added, “Disneyland Resort will work with guests who wish to change or cancel their visits, and will provide refunds to those who have hotel bookings during this closure period.”
Disney was slow to close doors to its theme parks, despite cancellations of major entertainment industry events like South by Southwest and Coachella. The NBA suspended its season Wednesday night after a player tested positive for coronavirus.
But the theme park closure seemed inevitable after California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday called for gatherings with more than 250 people to be canceled or delayed in an effort to halt the transmission of the virus, though Disneyland and other theme parks were exempted from that guidance. Officials have also been encouraging “social distancing” of six feet per person.
Disney closed its parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong in January, and has also temporarily shuttered its parks in Tokyo as well. The Shanghai Disney Resort will reopen some shopping, dining and entertainment options on Monday, but the main theme park will remain shut. Disney reported that it could lose $280 million in revenues due to closures in Shanghai and Hong Kong alone.
Disney heiress Abigail Disney, who has been critical of low wages for theme park employees, wrote Thursday on Twitter, “This is heartbreaking, but it’s the right thing to do. I just hope they honor their obligations to their employees.”
In a newly issued press release on Thursday afternoon, Newsom indicated that more theme park closures would be coming soon.
“Late last night, California put out a new policy on mass gatherings and engaged in deep conversations with Disney and other companies about how to meet it,” he said. “Using that policy, Disney made the right call in the interest of public health and agreed to shut down their California parks. Expect more announcements like this shortly.”
Per the California Dept. of Public Health on Wednesday, the new guidance is as follows through the month of March:
The California Department of Public Health finds the following:
Large gatherings that include 250 people or more should be postponed or canceled.
This includes gatherings such as concerts, conferences, and professional, college, and school sporting events.
Smaller gatherings held in venues that do not allow social distancing of six feet per person should be postponed or canceled.
This includes gatherings in crowded auditoriums, rooms or other venues.
Gatherings of individuals who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to no more than 10 people.
This includes gatherings such as those at retirement facilities, assisted living facilities, developmental homes, and support groups for people with health conditions.
A “gathering” is any event or convening that brings together people in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, cafeteria, or any other indoor or outdoor space.
This applies to all non-essential professional, social, and community gatherings regardless of their sponsor.
Knott’s Berry Farm closed early Thursday due to inclement weather but otherwise remains open for business. A spokesperson said it is “aware of the new guidance issued by the State of California last night,” and “is open today as we understand and evaluate what this means for our park, our guests and our associates.”
Representatives for Legoland and SeaWorld San Diego, both theme parks located in California, did not respond to request for comment.
Again, we advise contacting your booking provider if you had booked plans to any of these destinations. We will update as we learn more. Stay safe!
A great annual event is returning this week—the Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant returns to Disney Springs! Break out your green and celebrate for five days of fun March 13-17 with non-stop Irish-infused entertainment from morning until night, a mighty selection of beers and cocktails and of course, the most authentic Irish pub grub around.
The Disney Parks blog has released quite a bit of info on this event:
The regular menu will be available during the event featuring your favorite go-to dishes like the Guinness-infused Bangin’ Bangers and Mighty Mash. Planning to stop by over the weekend? The Rollicking Raglan Weekend Brunch will be served March 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
Guests who dine on Monday, March 16 can enjoy a new whiskey pairing dinner from 3-11 p.m. featuring a special prix fixe menu with locally sourced dishes like Whiskey Cured House Smoked Salmon and Apple Baked Dumplings paired with the finest Irish whiskey cocktails.
One of the most thrilling highlights of this annual event is the amazing live entertainment hand-picked straight from Ireland. Here’s a look at this year’s line-up:
Strings & Things will bring their contemporary Irish Trad/Folk/Roots crossover talent from Tipperary and Galway to the festival stage. Their unique sound and powerful stage energy promise a raucous evening of music and song.
TradGad features three talented musicians from Kerry, Dublin and Galway charming guests with their vibrant performances on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, uilleann pipes, tin whistle, banjo and bouzouki.
Maca, an Irish sister duo dubbed “Ireland’s next big thing” will rock the Raglan Road Pub stages with their extraordinary talent.
Fia Rua, featuring band members from Ireland and Scotland, will blend their musical backgrounds to perform and wow guests with a unique Celtic sound.
Mike Waters, from the southeast of Ireland, will perform Irish songs and ballads from traditional to contemporary with a good measure of chat and humor.
Emily Furlong, an extraordinary singer and entertainer from Wexford, Ireland will captivate guests with her stunning voice.
No Half Measures, an exciting, fresh and vibrant four-piece band from Scotland, Cork and Kilkenny will spin their youthful, contemporary sound for the Mighty Festival audience.
Of course, don’t miss the popular Raglan Road Irish Dancers plucked from the cast and stages of the world’s greatest Irish dance shows! They’ll be performing intermittently during the festival and ready to teach you an Irish jig – no experience necessary! Kids will also have a blast at this family-friendly party so be sure to bring everyone dressed in their best green garb and enjoy complimentary face painting.
For those planning to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day, be sure to plan ahead for the fun! On March 17, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-serve basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest 18 and older. Reservations can be booked online for other festival days, including brunch by calling 407-938-0300.
Disney has just released a brand new trailer for the upcoming Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, in theaters July 24. Check it out below!
Disney also released a new poster for Jungle Cruise alongside this trailer. We’re certainly.. interested to see this one, so stay tuned here to see our review when the live action Jungle Cruise film comes out this summer.
Marvel Studios’ Black Widow is less than two months away, in theaters on May 1! To get you hyped on the upcoming action-packed spy thriller, Marvel has released this brand new final trailer. Check it out below!
In the trailer, Yelena gives more viewers (and Natasha) insight to the mysterious Taskmaster—he controls the Red Room, the program that churns out young women into the most elite assassins. Yelena states the women are manipulated, fully conscious but no choices. Nat hints that during her time, before the Avengers, she had made mistakes and a few enemies.
Nat expresses regret that she should have come back for Yelena. In order to take down Taskmaster, they must go back to where it all began—bringing the fam back together. With Alexei and Melina, their parental figures, Nat and Yelena have a shot in ensuring Taskmaster could never harm young women again.
We look forward to seeing the movie, so be sure to come back here to check out our review when it comes out this summer.
In addition to the trailer, Black Widow also dropped the latest theatrical poster, below:
Don’t be late to catch the latest Alice Through the Looking Glass trailer, released just in time to spring forward as we changed the clocks last night. See it below:
Here’s the official synopsis of Through the Looking Glass:
Alice Kingsleigh (Wasikowska) has spent the past few years following in her father’s footsteps and sailing the high seas. Upon her return to London, she comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the fantastical realm of Underland and her friends the White Rabbit (Sheen), Absolem (Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (Fry) and the Mad Hatter (Depp), who is not himself. The Hatter has lost his Muchness, so Mirana (Hathaway) sends Alice on a quest to borrow the Chronosphere, a metallic globe inside the chamber of the Grand Clock which powers all time. Returning to the past, she comes across friends – and enemies – at different points in their lives, and embarks on a perilous race to save the Hatter before time runs out. Presented in Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” opens in U.S. theaters on May 27, 2016.
While we only have an artists rendering and not much more for these 2021 and 2023 Disney Cruise Line ships, the news is no less thrilling! Read more about this exciting update from this morning’s shareholders meeting below:
The Walt Disney Company announced plans today to build two additional cruise ships, each of them showcasing the immersive family entertainment, enchanting storytelling and unparalleled service that only Disney can deliver.
The company has entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The schedule calls for the new ships to be completed in 2021 and 2023.
“We pride ourselves on the unforgettable vacation experiences we deliver to our guests each and every day, and the expansion of our Disney fleet will allow us to create even more magical memories for families at sea and in incredible cruise destinations around the world,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company.
Each new ship will be approximately 135,000 gross tons – slightly larger than the newest Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy – and each is currently planned to include about 1,250 guest staterooms. While design plans, ship names and itineraries are still in development, the Walt Disney Imagineering team is already dreaming up exciting new ways to create the world’s most magical oceangoing adventures.
Since first setting sail in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has provided a quintessential family cruise vacation experience that combines the magic of Disney with the thrill of exploring different parts of the world. Guests step aboard majestic and beautiful ocean liners to enjoy legendary Disney entertainment, exquisite dining, spacious and well-appointed staterooms and magnificent public spaces.
The company also has been an industry leader in innovation and game-changing creativity. With the launch of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy in 2011 and 2012, the company introduced several firsts for the industry, including a water coaster at sea (AquaDuck) and virtual portholes in interior staterooms (Magical Portholes) that provide real-time views of the sea as well as sightings of animated Disney characters.
Plans for the expansion of Disney Cruise Line come during a period of momentous growth and innovation for Disney properties around the globe.
“The expansion of Disney Cruise Line only adds to our excitement for the unprecedented growth taking place across our vacation destinations, from new Star Wars experiences coming to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts to the 25th anniversary of Disneyland Paris and the grand opening of our newest park, Shanghai Disney Resort,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
More details about the Disney Cruise Line fleet expansion and onboard offerings will be announced at a later date.
My theory on names: I think because they will be twins like Dream and Fantasy, which kinda-sorta mean the same thing, that they’ll need to be similarly-meaning names too. So far, Imagination and Vision, or Imagination and Inspiration…Innovation…well, I have 5 years to think of many more! [Edit: I’m now going with “Disney Adventure” for at least one. I think that sounds like a winner. I still think Imagination would be good, despite the Carnival ship of the same name. There will be no confusion. Totally different class of ship!] We’ll update here and on social media as we hear any news.
During the D23 Expo over last summer in Anaheim, we were treated to quite a bit of news and info about Finding Dory, including many of the voice actors, and some exclusive clips of the film. Now the first full-length trailer has been officially released today, on the Ellen Show and we can share it here with you too! Check it out below:
I like that we find out where she learned to speak whale, and the whole Monterrey Bay Aquarium-like location where Dory ends up while seeking her family looks really interesting and keeping in the theme of Finding Nemo of seeing things from the fish’s points of view. I’m most looking forward to HOW she lost her family though, and hope we get to learn about that too. (Also secretly hoping for another cameo by the Boston lobstahs too ;).)
Directed by Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E”) and produced by Lindsey Collins (co-producer “WALL•E”), the film features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton. “Finding Dory” swims into theaters June 17, 2016.
