WDW Daily News

The first Marvel Day at Sea cruise of 2020 sets sail aboard the Disney Magic today! And while we’re celebrating the start of these epic cruise vacations, we have even more news to share – Marvel Day at Sea will return to Disney Cruise Line in 2021! Once again, you will have the chance to experience the largest assembly of Marvel Super Heroes and Villains on one ship.

Check out all the different itineraries that will feature this epic day at sea in 2021!

2021 Itineraries: Marvel Day at Sea
Beginning Jan. 9, 2021, Marvel Day at Sea will take place on nine five-night Caribbean and Bahamian cruises sailing from Miami.

Departing Jan. 9, Jan. 23, Feb. 20, 2021, the Western Caribbean itinerary includes a stop at Cozumel, Mexico and Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

Departing Feb. 6 and March 6, 2021, the Western Caribbean itinerary includes Georgetown, Grand Cayman and Castaway Cay.

Departing Jan. 18, Feb. 1, Feb. 15 and March 1, 2021, the Bahamian itinerary includes Key West, Nassau and Castaway Cay.

An email will be sent to Guests and Travel Professionals with bookings on these sailings to advise that their cruise now includes Marvel Day at Sea.

runDisney is excited to introduce Club runDisney, a new, unique membership opportunity for runners. Club runDisney will offer three different one-year-long membership levels – Silver, Gold, and Platinum – featuring a range of special benefits that will run from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021.

All Club runDisney members will receive a welcome package including an exclusive jacket, and will have access to the lowest race registration pricing all year, a new Virtual 10K in Fall 2020 that is exclusively for Club runDisney members, and special Club runDisney designation on race bibs during on-site events. All of these benefits are included with a Silver Membership. 

Gold Membership will include these perks, along with early registration access with a guaranteed spot in the half marathon or marathon distance each race weekend. 

Platinum Membership will have all of these benefits, plus early registration with a guaranteed spot in one distance each race weekend; upgraded corral placement; and an exclusive Expo experience with early admittance to the runDisney Merchandise Shop, a special character meet and greet, and access to a Club runDisney Lounge with expedited race packet pick-up.

Club runDisney memberships will go on sale on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at 10 am ET, just prior to the start of the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. If your clients are interested in learning more, they can check out https://www.rundisney.com/club-rundisney/ or visit the Club runDisney booth at the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Health & Fitness Expo, which kicks off Wednesday at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

If you are planning on visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland® or Walt Disney World® Resorts, you’ll encounter plenty of characters from around the galaxy—from members of the First Order and the Resistance, to cosmic creatures and of course, droids!

On your next transport to Batuu in Disneyland park, you may see a familiar sidekick gliding around: R2-D2!

A resourceful astromech droid, R2-D2 has shown great bravery in rescuing his masters and their friends from many perils. A skilled starship mechanic and fighter pilot’s assistant, he formed an unlikely but enduring friendship with the fussy protocol droid C-3PO.

While visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you can take time to explore the epic land where they can sample galactic food and beverages, enter an intriguing collection of merchant shops and take the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard another attraction in the land, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. The newest attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, launches at Disneyland park on Jan. 17. You can climb aboard a full-size transport shuttle before being captured by a Star Destroyer. They’ll then find themselves in the middle of a climactic battle between the dark side of the First Order and the light side of the Resistance. The harrowing adventure blurs the lines between fantasy and reality on a scale never seen before in a Disney attraction.

One month ago today, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the response has been amazing. Thousands upon thousands of guests continue to pour into the park each day to be among the first to experience the groundbreaking new attraction, which is also about to open at Disneyland park in California on Jan. 17, 2020. 

If guests have felt a tremor in the Force this past month, that’s probably the excitement building around Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as details began to emerge about the awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping experience that awaits them. To quote the one and only Han Solo: All of it … it’s all true. 

In one of the longest attraction experiences in Disney history, guests become a new Resistance recruit and are sent by Rey to a secret rendezvous point to meet General Leia Organa so they can aid her cause in freeing the galaxy from the tyrannical First Order. After hustling into an Intersystem Transport Ship, guests blast off Batuu with Poe Dameron as their wingman in his signature black-painted X-wing starfighter. 

Oh, and that bad feeling guests might feel … yeah, that’s true, too. Before guests know it, a First Order Star Destroyer is right on top of them and pulls their ship into its massive hangar bay via tractor beam. From that point on, their mission is to escape the clutches of the First Order before Supreme Leader Kylo Ren can catch them and rip General Organa’s hidden location from their mind. 

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is immersive storytelling on a cinematic scale – this attraction truly feels as if guests have stepped right into a Star Wars film. They’ll see a docked TIE fighter, dodge two AT-AT walkers, scurry past huge turbolaser cannons and dodge blaster fire from First Order Stormtroopers as they search for a way off the Star Destroyer aboard special troop transports. 

It’s an all-encompassing journey, and guests’ reactions are amazing – everything from tears of joy to uproarious cheers to stunned amazement.

Because the Force is strong with this one

Disney’s new streaming service Disney+ started out with a bang in November of 2019.

That’s because of a few factors. First of all, it’s really cheap—just $6.99 a month for the same 4K / 4 device plan that Netflix charges $15.99 a month for. Perhaps more importantly, The Mandalorian—the flagship Star Wars live-action show on Disney Plus—was really, really good.

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Lunar New Year, the joyous celebration at Disney California Adventure® Park taking place Jan. 17 through Feb. 9, 2020, commemorates traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures.

This year, we are celebrating the Year of the Mouse with 24 days of multicultural entertainment and musical performances, fun-filled activities, beautiful décor, delicious cuisine, specialty merchandise and more.

Let’s take a look at what’s in store this Lunar New Year:

• “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession” – Celebratory parade led by Mulan that honors Lunar New Year and dedicates the new year’s blessings to family and friendship. Talented performers bring dance, martial arts and drumming to enhance the beautifully colorful procession, which will run several times, daily.

• “Hurry Home – Lunar New Year Celebration” – Nighttime water show at Paradise Bay prior to “World of Color,” which tells the tale of a little lantern’s quest to reunite with family for the annual celebration of good luck and fortune. 
• Disney Character Encounters – Beloved characters Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse will don new festive Lunar New Year attire this year as they greet Guests at Paradise Gardens. Your Clients may also see Mulan, Pluto, and the Three Little Pigs.
• Asian Cuisine – Your Clients can enjoy four festive marketplaces to experience delightful food and beverages inspired by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, including Longevity Noodle Co., Lucky 8 Lantern, Prosperity Bao & Buns and Red Dragon Spice Traders. If your Clients are looking to taste their way through the marketplaces, the popular Sip and Savor pass* will be available for purchase.
• Entertainment – Live, daily performances by authentic Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese dancers and musicians will take place throughout Paradise Gardens Park.
• Kid-friendly Crafts and Activities – Your Clients can enjoy complimentary arts and crafts, including dragon’s pearl coloring craft and Chinese calligraphy with local artisans. Plus, new face painting opportunities have been added to the celebration, available for purchase.
• Lucky Wishing Wall – After strolling beneath strings of ornamental lanterns in Paradise Gardens, Guests can write down wishes and tie them to the wall in hopes for a prosperous future.Commemorative Merchandise – Your Clients can discover all-new spirit jerseys, fun bobble-head figures with Chip and Dale, a traditional red envelope set, themed Minnie Mouse ear headbands and more.*Sip and Savor Pass entitlements may only be redeemed during regular Lunar New Year celebration operating hours, and the Pass expires on February 9, 2020. Each coupon may be redeemed for one (1) food or nonalcoholic beverage item at a participating Marketplace location. Excludes novelties including souvenir tumblers. No discounts apply. Nonrefundable, nontransferable, may not be redeemed for cash (in whole or in part), no substitutions and no change given. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Separate Theme Park admission required.

Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue is a new fast-casual restaurant opening soon at The American Adventure pavilion in Epcot®. Today we’re sharing a few new details about what is sure to become a Guest favorite foodie spot in World Showcase – including new merchandise on the way!

The restaurant takes its name from the venerable Sam Eagle, the Muppet known for his patriotism and strict sense of duty and honor. He takes all things seriously … and barbecue is certainly one of those things. 

Regal Eagle Smokehouse will be the site for “Sam’s Centennial Cook-Off: A Salute to All Cook-Offs but Mostly Barbecue.” You will be the beneficiaries of this contest – described as “a competition fit for all patriots and pit masters” – as it brings in a variety of classic backyard barbecue selections from across the country to vie for Sam’s top honor.

Sam’s unmistakable visage will be part of the décor at this new restaurant. For instance, Guests will see him on the sign as you walk in …

He will also be incorporated into new Regal Eagle Smokehouse merchandise available exclusively at this tasty locale. 

Stay tuned for more information on this fun new restaurant as we prepare to officially open its doors later this winter.

The final film in Star Wars‘ nine-episode Skywalker Saga, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, is finally here. In wrapping up the 42-year story, Rise of Skywalker takes a whole lot of looks back on the films of the past, bringing back a host of old characters and tying up more than a few major plot points and mysteries. It’s full of references to past movies as well–not just with returning characters, but with moments, lines, and images repeated that conjure up eight movies’ worth of memories.

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Take a look at some photos from The New Years Eve Eve 2019 party from Magic Kingdom

Here’s another thing we love about Disney. Magic Kingdom puts on their New Years Eve Fireworks show and party on December 30 AND December 31 every year. Check out the countdown to the New Year!