WDW Daily News

January 16, 2024

Saddle up for a rustic twist on a Walt Disney World vacation!

Beginning on July 1, guests will have an all-new way to stay in the great outdoors with many of the comforts of “home” in the newest Disney Vacation Club property, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

The new cabins will make a relaxing retreat nestled in the scenic woodlands of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The first loop will open on July 1 with a second loop opening later in the month, and more throughout the year.

During a stay at Fort, there are a variety of unique experiences to enjoy. Here are some fan-favorite must-do activities:

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January 16, 2024

It may be winter according to the calendar, but spring is nearly blooming at Walt Disney World Resort. And nothing says springtime fun like the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival!

This year’s festival will begin on Feb. 28 and continue through May 27 for ninety days full of beautiful topiaries, inspirational gardens, delicious dishes and rockin’ music celebrating spring. From the tiniest tykes to the young at heart, there’s something for everyone!

Today we’re sharing more details, from new topiaries to acts coming to the Garden Rocks concert series. Let’s dig in!

New Topiaries to Enjoy

Each spring, we look forward to the astounding topiaries our Disney horticulture cast create for the festival.

This year, more than 70 topiaries, featuring a delightful array of Disney characters as well as other figures and whimsical items, will fill the park. As part of the topiary magic, guests can also look forward to seeing everyone’s favorite dragon, Figment, in the newly opened World Celebration Gardens.

Something else we’re excited to share: For the first time, Groot takes root at EPCOT! The flora colossus from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy will appear near Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in World Discovery.

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January 12, 2024

We’re excited to share more details about “Disney The Tale of Moana,” which will debut exclusively at the Walt Disney Theatre onboard the Disney Treasure in December 2024. With set design and music bursting with elements of Pacific Island cultures which inspire the classic coming-of-age tale, this innovative production will immerse audiences in a transformational adventure across land and sea.

Read on for more details and a sneak peek of how “Disney The Tale of Moana” will come to life in the first stage adaptation inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film.

Towering Puppets Take Stage

To create puppetry that soars to mythical heights, Disney Live Entertainment Creative Director of puppetry and articulation, Jeff Conover, teamed up with master puppet designer Michael Curry, whose creations are featured in Disney’s Tony Award-winning musical “The Lion King” on Broadway. Te Kā, the massive, fiery villain guarding Te Fiti, will be a puppet of a scale Disney Cruise Line has never before produced. When Moana meets Te Kā and restores the heart of Te Fiti, the giant Te Kā puppet will shed its fiery shell and become the gentle island goddess, Te Fiti herself.

Practice Your “Warrior Face”

The stage show will also include a brand new song, “Warrior Face,” performed by Moana and Maui when the demigod teaches Moana how to face her fears before entering the Realm of the Monsters to face Tamatoa. “Warrior Face” will join classic favorites from the Grammy-Award winning soundtrack in the stage show, including “You’re Welcome,” “We Know The Way” and “How Far I’ll Go.”

Setting the Scene in “Innocent Warrior”

“Disney The Tale of Moana” will begin in modern day on the fictional island of Motunui, in a set design filled with hints of brilliant Pacific Island cultures that will appear throughout the show. The spirit of Gramma Tala, our narrator, will introduce her granddaughter, while through vibrant dance and songs in a mix of languages including Tuvaluan, Tokelauan and Samoan, we will learn how the ocean chooses young Moana for an incredible journey to restore the heart of Te Fiti.

Transforming The Walt Disney Theatre in “How Far I’ll Go”

In this iconic scene, The Walt Disney Theatre will transform from the island of Motunui into the open ocean as Moana’s journey moves from her home to the great voyage that she’s longed for her entire life. Twinkling stars will swirl overhead and a giant, glowing manta ray will emerge and soar above the audience as a newfound sense of courage fills Moana. The manta ray is the spirit of Gramma Tala, lighting up the sea to accompany Moana on her journey to save her people.

This show looks stunning, and we know our guests cannot wait to see Moana’s incredible story unfold in a new way on the Disney Treasure! “Disney The Tale of Moana” will join a dazzling lineup of fan-favorite shows like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Disney Seas the Adventure” in the Walt Disney Theatre. Stay tuned for more details about the Disney Treasure as we count down the days until it sets sail in December 2024.

Passholders, good-to-go days are almost here! On these special days, you can enter a Walt Disney World Theme Park without a reservation.

Good-to-go days will be updated periodically on the Annual Passholder calendar, Theme Park Reservation calendar and the homepage of the My Disney Experience app.

January 9, 2024

We know guests have been itching for an update on Country Bear Musical Jamboree and more coming to Walt Disney World’s Frontierland in 2024 and beyond. So saddle up and let’s get started!

Country Bear Musical Jamboree

Get ready to knee slap and toe tap to a little country twang this summer!

If guests have been too busy trottin’ through the wild west and have missed the news, the Country Bears are getting ready to put on a new show that pays homage to the Opry style shows of Nashville. While the Country Bear Musical Jamboree will include Easter eggs from the beginning to the end including a familiar tune fans may remember, the bears will sing new, reinterpreted Disney tunes in different genres of country music – like bluegrass, pop-country, Americana, rockabilly and other styles. Here’s a look at one of the clips we shared at Destination D23.

To prepare for the show, Country Bear Jamboree will close temporarily beginning January 27 and will reopen later this summer.

The next time guests visit Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort, they should be sure to look up while passing by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for a striking new update featuring a custom handcrafted weathervane by Louisiana’s master blacksmith, Darryl Reeves.

In the spirited city of New Orleans, people can barely walk two blocks before seeing metalwork by Darryl, a 3rd generation master blacksmith and Vietnam Veteran. Whether it’s historic wrought iron fences or intricately designed custom pieces, his work is displayed across the city, and in fact, around the world. With over 50 years of service to his craft and city, it’s no wonder why we asked Darryl to create the weathervane; one of the high points of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Inside Darryl’s workshop in the historic Seventh Ward in New Orleans, heat emanates from the many furnaces used to create his shop’s labors of love. The immense artistry and complexity displayed by Darryl and his apprentices is evident in the dozens of works displayed in his gallery.

“I take metal and do anything I want with it,” the master blacksmith proudly says. “To have a free hand to design and fabricate the weathervane for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure…that’s an honor.”

Just like a good pot of gumbo, Darryl and his apprentice, Karina, have taken everything they’ve learned throughout their careers to help us tell the story of Princess Tiana and her journey to open Tiana’s Foods.

What sets Princess Tiana’s weathervane apart is that it’s crafting using centuries old techniques with a subtle African flair. Guests will be able to feel the love Darryl and Karina have poured into this smoldering iron to shape it into a masterpiece.

One of Walt Disney Imagineering’s highest priorities is to bring the authenticity of New Orleans to Disney parks and resorts to immerse Guests in this inspiring tale. When our guests visit Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we want them to feel like taking a trip down the Louisiana Bayou in a way only Disney can bring to life.

Guests can experience this smoldering collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering, Darryl Reeves, and Karina Roca when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an attraction inspired by the story from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog”, opens at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2024.

By: Disney Destinations

Happy New Year! This year, more than ever, we’re bringing your favorite stories to life in fun, innovative ways at our theme parks and resorts, on our cruise ships and through our amazing products and experiences around the world. From Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the launch of the new Disney Treasure cruise ship, to the first-of-its-kind Pixar Place Hotel and other highly anticipated experiences, here are some sensational things to look forward to in 2024: 

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

In 2024, the all-new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. 

This attraction brings guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before on a musical journey inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog.”

When the attraction opens, guests will join Princess Tiana, Naveen and jazz-loving alligator Louis on an adventure as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration. Along the way, they’ll see familiar faces, make new friends and travel through the bayou to original music inspired by songs from the film as they are brought into the next chapter of Tiana’s story.

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January 3, 2024

Beginning today, guests may book special offers for stays at Walt Disney World Resort hotels this spring and summer!

A FREE and Delicious Deal for Disney+ Subscribers

Disney+ Subscribers: Enjoy a FREE dining plan when you purchase a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and a theme park ticket with a Park Hopper option—for arrivals most nights from July 1 to September 30, 2024. You can contact any agent at Wish Upon a Star with Us for more details.

Save Up to 35% on Rooms at Select Disney Resort Hotels When You Stay 5 Nights or Longer

Save up to 35% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer—or save up to 30% on shorter stays. This offer is valid for stays most nights from July 8 to October 3, 2024. Other savings may be available for stays from March 25 to July 7, 2024. You can contact any agent at Wish Upon a Star with Us for more details.

Florida Residents: Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Select Disney Resort Hotels This Spring and Early Summer

Stay in the magic this spring and early summer! Florida residents can save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels, valid for stays most nights March 25 through July 7, 2024. You can contact any agent at Wish Upon a Star with Us for more details.

Duffy is currently meeting guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios inside the Christmas Toy Shop next to Mama Melrose and Pizzarizzo. We are not sure how long he will be here for meet and greets but we are guessing through New Years Eve.

How many wonders can one cavern hold? What’s a fire and why does it burn? When will a stage show return to the Animation Courtyard theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? All valid questions – which we can’t wait to dive into!

“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” a fully reimagined theatrical production inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic “The Little Mermaid,” will debut in the newly refreshed Animation Courtyard theater in fall 2024. 

As part of our continued investment in the parks experience, Disney Live Entertainment has been dreaming up innovative ways to bring new life to the beloved story of Ariel’s journey to be part of the human world. When it opens, the show will feature stunning new set pieces, cutting-edge effects, and a bold new design that captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her.

“The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” will have guests flipping their fins to musical numbers inspired by the film including “Part of Your World,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” and more. Check out this beautiful concept artwork of the show’s “Kiss the Girl” scene – an all-new addition that captures the magic of this fresh production. 

With construction inside the theater well underway, we can’t wait to share more in the coming months as the show comes together.