WDW Daily News

The all-new Disney+ streaming service debuts on Nov. 12, 2019 – giving you the opportunity to enjoy thousands of your favorite movies and shows all in one place.

Disney+ is the new dedicated home for streaming entertainment from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. Disney+ offers ad-free programming with a variety of original feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series and short-form content, along with unprecedented access to Disney’s incredible library of film and television entertainment. 

Guests visiting Disney Springs® (near Paddlefish) at Walt Disney World® Resort or Downtown Disney® District (near Disney Home) at Disneyland® Resort can learn more about the new streaming service at new pop-up Disney+ destinations opening on launch day.

Disney+ is available in the U.S. for $6.99 per month – or $69.99 for a year. Subscriptions may be purchased at disneyplus.com.

As we recently shared, the Minnie Van Airport Service Add-On has expanded to include select off-site hotels. This new transfer option can be added to any available Walt Disney Travel Company Package from the off-site properties listed below. And beginning today, this option can be added online.

Select hotels include:

• Walt Disney World® Swan and Dolphin Hotels
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando
• Disney Springs® Resort Area Hotels (B Resort & Spa, Best Western Lake Buena Vista, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, Holiday Inn Orlando, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista)
• Bonnet Creek Resorts (Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Waldorf Astoria Orlando, and Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek)
• Flamingo Crossings Resorts (SpringHill Suites Orlando and TownePlace Suites Orlando)

You can add one-way or round-trip Minnie Van Airport Service between Walt Disney World Resort and Orlando International Airport (MCO). Please note the Minnie Van Airport Service Add-On for these hotels can only be booked online by calling the Disney Reservation Center at (800) 327-2996. This product is commissionable.

Maximum number of Guests allowed per vehicle is six people. Maximum number of bags allowed per vehicle is six medium-sized suitcases. Gratuity is not included. Booking must be made at least three days prior to pick up. Guests needing ADA Accessible vehicles should reach out to Minnie Van team directly at (407) 828-3500. Vehicles are pet-friendly.

Disney Visa Cardmembers can save up to 25% on Premium rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa and the Disneyland_®Hotel¹.

Cardmembers can save when booking select rooms at the DisneylandResort for stays most nights from Jan. 5-April 16, 2020. They can take advantage of this offer with the Cardmember advance booking when they use their Disney_®Visa_®Card now-Nov. 11, 2019.

Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel. “Premium” room types include Premium, Deluxe and Woods/Garden/Courtyard rooms; select Concierge rooms; and Artisan, Paradise, Junior and Family suites. Not valid on previously booked rooms. 1-night minimum stay. See important details¹

1. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel. Premium room types included in this offer are Premium, Deluxe and Woods/Garden/Courtyard rooms; select Concierge rooms; and only Paradise, Artisan, Junior and Family suites. Must mention the offer when booking and use a valid Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to pay the deposit. Advance reservations required. Excludes applicable fees and taxes. Disney Visa Cardmembers must stay in the room. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation, and occupancy restrictions apply per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid on previously booked rooms. One (1) night minimum stay. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Separate Theme Park admission required to enjoy the Parks.

It’s that special time of year, filled with family, friends and amazing holiday entertainment throughout Walt Disney World® Resort! One of my favorite experiences, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, kicks off Nov. 8, 2019 at Magic Kingdom® Park with the debut of a magical new fireworks show that can be enjoyed from across the park. 

The skies above Magic Kingdom Park will sparkle to life this holiday season as visions of fireworks dance in the air during “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.” Minnie Mouse is our host, inviting everyone to come together in a celebration of the magic of Christmas. The sky fills with fireworks, as we’re swept up in medleys of beloved holiday songs, from “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls” to “Up on the House Top” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The music of the show evokes heartfelt moments of home and family, as well as the festive fun of the season, all building to an incredible finale. 

Our Disney Parks Live Entertainment team has been working hard behind the scenes to get “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” ready for its debut. Here’s a sneak peek! 

We’re just a day away from the start of Holidays at the Disneyland® Resort, and the return of the joyous Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure® Park. Inspired by the vibrant cultural diversity of Southern California, this heartwarming celebration brings the holiday season to life with music and dance performances, the colorful Festival Foods Marketplace, diverse crafts and plenty of beloved Disney characters who invite your Clients to delight in the festive spirit of the holidays.

This year for Disney Festival of Holidays, there’s an all-new character celebration, “Mickey’s Happy Holidays.” Twice daily, a cheerful celebration featuring favorite Disney and Pixar characters enters the park to a mix of high-energy music, as you are invited to dance along with Mickey Mouse and pals to the magically merry rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers. Guest can find them at the Paradise Gardens Park Obelisk and Carthay Circle, where everyone can sing and dance along!

Also new this year, the Holiday Sunset Concerts on the Palisades Stage feature The Suffragettes. This exciting festival cover band rocks the holidays on select nights, with chart-topping hits from some of your favorite musical artists. On other nights, the explosive energy of Phat Cat Swinger, the West Coast’s “Little-Big Band,” will showcase their swinging selection of irresistible holiday music, presented with a fresh new twist.

These great bands join other returning entertainment that honors the many cultural holidays celebrated at Disney Festival of Holidays. Blue13 Dance Company presents a spirited tribute to Diwali through traditional Indian folk dances and Bollywood. Mostly Kosher brings the spirit of Hanukkah in a concert that combines Klezmer, Jazz and Rock & Roll. A cappella performances by The Sound celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa, and the Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas bring the joy of Navidad to the party! Disney Festival of Holidays includes all that, plus the antics of the Holiday Toy Drummers, the incredibly fun Disney ¡Viva Navidad! with The Three Caballeros and Santa’s Holiday Visit at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

Disney Festival of Holidays starts Nov. 8, 2019 and continues through Jan. 6, 2020.  

For a limited time starting this week, a sneak peek of Disney’s epic new adventure, “Frozen 2,” can be seen as part of the Walt Disney Presents attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Guests aboard Disney Cruise Line are also being treated to this peek at scenes from “Frozen 2” this month.

Beginning Sunday over at Disneyland® Resort, a special look at the film is being presented at Disney California Adventure® Park for Guests experiencing “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion.”

In Disney’s new adventure, “Frozen 2,” Elsa sets out together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, on a dangerous but remarkable journey to discover why she was born with magical powers. The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Elsa once feared her powers were too much for the world. Now, she must hope they are enough.

Disney’s “Frozen 2” arrives in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2019.

Festival Gift for Passholders

Get in the spirit of the season when you receive a complimentary holiday-themed magnet set featuring Chip ‘n’ Dale! They are appearing on a Passholder magnet for the first time ever—so you’ll want to act soon to add this gift to your collection.

To pick up your magnet set, please visit Mouse Gear between November 29 and December 30, 2019.

Important Details
Not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged magnets. One magnet set per Passholder. Available while supplies last. Must visit Mouse Gear and present your valid Annual Pass and photo ID to receive the magnet set.

There are now more Disney After Hours event dates to choose from in 2020 at both Magic Kingdom_® Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom_® Theme Park. 

In addition to the dates already available at both Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, even more events will be available so you can be a part of these special nighttime experiences on select nights:

Magic Kingdom Park

• January 23, 27 & 31
• February 3, 10, 17 & 24
• March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
• April 5, 13, 20 & 27
• May 5, 11, 18 & 25

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

• April 1, 7, 14 & 22
• May 2, 9, 16, 19 & 26

These specially ticketed experiences occur after the gates close for the night, extending access to your favorite attractions and providing them with more opportunities to have magical experiences. Their event ticket also allows them early entry into the park, beginning at 7 p.m. 

For three fun-filled nighttime hours, when guests purchase a ticket, they can have exclusive access with lower wait times for favorite attractions, plus receive complimentary ice cream novelties, popcorn and select beverages.  

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in advance for $129 per adult or child, plus tax, or on the day of the event for $139 per adult or child, plus tax.

Don’t let your Clients miss out on getting tickets to this popular event!

Disney After Hours is a separately priced ticket.

Artistry, inspiration and imagination are everywhere to be found at Disney’s Riviera Resort, the newest upcoming Walt Disney World® Resort. Today, we’re thrilled to give you a first look at a truly splendid element of the resort. 

A walkway tunnel at Disney’s Riviera Resort will feature two stunning mosaic murals showcasing Disney storytelling of European tales. The original stories that inspired these murals were included in the collection of over 300 books that Walt Disney sent back to his studios while traveling Europe in the 1930s. The use of mosaics for the murals celebrates the beauty of the art style, materials and craftsmanship.

Both mosaic murals will be massive installations, recessed into the tunnel walls and spanning across the arched ceiling. Each of the two pieces will feature a unique story set along the tunnel wall and will be joined at the top by a shared mosaic sky, rising 20 feet in the air.

The mural pictured below shows a magical scene of London at night, with Peter Pan, Wendy, Michael and John flying off to Neverland. More than 500,000 hand-cut tiles were laid by hand to create this amazing mosaic!

Now that you’ve seen a sneak peek at one of the two magnificent murals coming to Disney’s Riviera Resort, what’s your guess at the beloved story the other mosaic will depict?

Disney’s Riviera Resort is under construction now and projected to open Dec. 16, 2019.

Tune in on Nov. 3, 2019 as we officially celebrate the return of the holiday season to the Walt Disney World® Resort with the debut performance of “A Frozen Holiday Wish.”

This nightly show, which you can enjoy at Magic Kingdom® Park, stars the royal sisters Anna and Elsa, and their friends Olaf and Kristoff. In this must-see spectacle, Queen Elsa uses her magical powers to present a gift to everyone in the kingdom by transforming Cinderella Castle into a shimmering ice palace for the holidays. 

We’ll be sharing the Disney Parks Blog live stream right here on Disney Travel News. The livestream will start at 6:10 p.m. EST.