Today we’re excited to share an update that our new show “UP! A Great Bird Adventure,” featuring Russell and Dug from Disney•Pixar’s “UP” will be debuting at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park on April 22, 2018!
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New ‘UP! A Great Bird Adventure’ Show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Opens April 22
New Images of the Star Wars-Inspired Resort Planned for the Walt Disney World Resort
Earlier this month we shared a look inside the groundbreaking new hotel concept coming to the Walt Disney World® Resort that will combine luxury with complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story.
Today, we’re thrilled to have more new visuals of this resort to share with you!
The immerse experience offered at this hotel will stand out among all of our resorts around the globe. As you can see, families visiting this resort will board a starship alive with characters and stories that unfold all around them during their voyage through the galaxy – and every window has a view of space!
Enhanced Dining Experience Coming to Be Our Guest Restaurant
Disney’s culinary teams are always looking for new ways to bring exquisite and delicious cuisine to our Guests, and they have done just that with a brand-new dining experience at Magic Kingdom® Park! Starting this summer, Be Our Guest Restaurant will offer an enhanced prix fixe dinner menu that boasts a variety of delectable French-inspired dishes and new offerings. This unique experience will make guests feel like royalty with a three-course dinner that includes their choice of appetizer and entrée, followed by a personal dessert platter.
For the main course, guests can feast on mouth-watering entrées such as Grilled Center-Cut Filet Mignon with potato au gratin, Romano beans, Cipollini marmalade and a cherry-laced red wine reduction or the Smoked Black-Eye Pea Tortellini with roasted seasonal vegetables, tomato relish and basil-scented tomato water. Other enticing dishes include Poulet Rouge Chicken, Saffron-Infused Seafood Bouillabaisse, Roasted Lamb Chops and Kurobuta Pork Tenderloins.
And that’s just the beginning! Our chefs are hard at work putting the final touches on the fabulous desserts as well as the kid’s menu for this exquisite new dining experience. Stay tuned for updates on these menus.
So, relax! Let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents this new dinner feast beginning July 27, 2018 at Be Our Guest Restaurant. Reservations will open this Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 and can be booked online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).
Introducing Augustus – Baby Hippo Born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a Boy!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom revealed news about a baby Nile hippopotamus born at the park on January 13. As part of a magical moment on the theme park’s Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction, roughly a dozen Guests were the first to learn that the hippo calf is a boy, and his name is Augustus. Weighing in at 168 pounds, Augustus is the first hippo born at the park in 13 years. He is often seen staying close to his mom, Tuma, and is already winning over Guests with his playful nature.
The birth of Augustus marks another success for the dedicated and highly trained team of animal care experts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and it is an important contribution to the worldwide conservation and understanding of these amazing creatures. Nile hippos are a vulnerable species with a declining population. Augustus’ parents, Tuma and Henry, were chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The SSP ensures responsible breeding so there will be healthy and diverse animal populations for years to come.
Guests will see Augustus on Kilimanjaro Safaris and also during the Wild Africa Trek experience and be inspired to take action to protect hippos and other at-risk animals in the wild. To learn more about hippos, visit DisneyAnimals.com.
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Presents Fun for all Ages, March 2 to April 12, 2018
The popular Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festivalreturns to the Disneyland Resort March 2 to April 12, 2018, with flavors and fare inspired by the Golden State. The culinary festival will bring delicious cuisine, specialty beverages and exciting entertainment to guests of all ages at Disney California Adventure Park. With experiences happening daily during the six-week event, guests will always find something tasty to try and fun to do as they explore the uniquely Disney festival.
The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival features a variety of offerings for the whole family to enjoy, including unique food and beverage offerings to sip and savor at more than a dozen Festival Marketplaces. Guests will experience presentations and demonstrations with celebrity chefs such as Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Alex Guarnaschelli and Shaun O’Neale, food and beverage tastings, winemaker dinners, beer, wine and spirit seminars, and more. Guests also will enjoy live music, entertainment and special activities, all of which bring a “California vibe” to the festival.
At the Festival Marketplaces, guests can sample a cornucopia of California-inspired small plates with fresh, California-grown ingredients like avocado, strawberries, fragrant citrus, peppers and artisanal cheese. Guests will also discover an array of locally brewed craft beers and wines from all over the Golden State.
Family-friendly seminars at the Backlot Stage in Hollywood Land will feature a variety of topics, cooking demonstrations and more on select days throughout the festival. From growing your own vegetables to learning how to prepare some of the festival marketplace favorites, guests of all ages will get inspired or even discover a new interest during these seminars.
Another guest-favorite returning to the festival is the complimentary Junior Chef experience, with hands-on fun led by Chef Goofy, for children ages 3 to 11. Aspiring young chefs follow a recipe and mix a variety of ingredients to create magical treats that ends with a tasty surprise.
Guests looking for more palate-pleasing experiences will want to try the festival’s signature events, including new offerings such as Celebrity Chef LIVE! at the Hyperion, as well as returning favorites like the Disney Family of Wines Dinner, Sweet Sundays and the Winemaker or Brewmaster Dinners. Some of this year’s signature events include:
- Guy Fieri LIVE! at the Hyperion (March 9)
- Robert Irvine LIVE! at the Hyperion (March 30)
- Disney Family of Wines Dinner (March 29)
- David Arthur Winemaker Dinner at Carthay Circle Restaurant (April 5)
- Karl Strauss Brewmaster Dinner at Steakhouse 55 (March 8)
- Flora Springs Winemaker Dinner at Steakhouse 55 (March 15)
Many of the Disney California Food & Wine Festival events are included with admission to Disney California Adventure Park. Special signature events and seminars will require a separate fee. Additional details and reservations for the signature events and seminars can be made at Disneyland.com/FoodandWine. Guests may also check for the latest information and schedules as they become available, at Disneyland.com.
Separate admission to Disney California Adventure Park is required and is not included with the cost of signature events or seminars. Space is limited for all ticketed events; advance reservations are recommended. Full payment may be due at time of booking, and cancellation fees may apply. No refunds, credit or date or time changes. Guests must be 21 years of age or over to consume alcohol and to participate in some events; valid photo ID required. Events and demonstrations are subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT: The 2nd Epcot International Festival of the Arts
On Jan. 12, the 2nd Epcot International Festival of the Arts opened to guests with daily celebrations of art in many forms including visual, culinary and the performance arts. Guests can have their art and eat it, too, at 13 Food Studios surrounding the World Showcase Lagoon. They can view art by the masters and express themselves at multiple interactive art workshops, then see stunning performances of strength acts, Living Statues and other live entertainment.
And every Friday through Monday, guests can share the America Gardens Theatre with Broadway stars who’ll belt out tunes from beloved shows like “The Lion King,” “Tarzan” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
Here’s what they’re saying about this year’s expanded Epcot International Festival of the Arts:
Epcot Leaders:
- Epcot Vice President Melissa Valiquette: “The Festival of the Arts has become a passion project for our team, and we hope our guests will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it. It’s bigger, brighter and better than ever!”
- Epcot General Manager Dave Kesting: “This year is all about more – more days, more artists more food . . . . There’s so much for everybody this year; it’s a festival for guests of all ages.”
Disney on Broadway Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre:
- Marsha Jackson-Randolph, Disney Entertainment, on the Disney on Broadway Concert Series: “You are seeing world-class artists, and there is something so enchanting about the intimacy of this particular theater.
- “You feel the power of storytelling through music. This year, there really is something for everyone on the America Gardens Theatre stage alone!”
- Broadway singer-actor Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”) – who performed Jan. 12-15 and returns Jan. 19-22: “These audiences are ready for this! They’ve been in the park all day . . . so they’re ready to sit down and just enjoy the good old songs that they know and some new songs; yeah, they are going to have a great time!”
- Broadway singer-actor Jennifer Gambatese (“Tarzan”) – who performed Jan. 12-15, about the Disney on Broadway concert experience: “I would describe it as 28 minutes of pure delight! It’s just a nice little sort of half-hour journey through a few of the shows in the Disney on Broadway catalogue, and they are sort of snippets from each show, a couple of big rousing anthems . . . . It’s quite a treat to get to revisit the Tarzan material with my buddy, Kevin!”
Festival Culinary Team
- Epcot Culinary Director Gregg Hannon: “For this festival, we have redesigned our presentations to make them more picturesque, more sophisticated, so that when you get your dish, it will be something that you would want to take a picture of, like a piece of art.
- Rick DeCicco, Epcot Proprietor of Festivals and Events, who oversees festival beverages: “Rosé wines are very, very popular right now, and we have great offerings like the Pinord La Dama Reserva Familiar Brut Rosé. Actor-celebrity Drew Barrymore is quite engaged as a winemaker, and we’re featuring her Carmel Road Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir.
- “Guests love our frozen drinks, and The Deconstructed Breakfast garnished with candied bacon and a waffle crisp is a stunningly beautiful drink to look at, and it’s highly Instagramable! There’s a family-friendly non-alcoholic version, and the adult libation is made with maple bourbon cream liqueur.”
Festival Merchandise Team
- David Whitaker, Disney Parks Senior Merchandiser for Art & Collectibles: “We have pulled all our creative resources together for something that is unique to Disney. This is something we can own, and a lot of artists this year have added art with international flavor – representations of scenes around the world. We have 141 artist signings scheduled, music, painting – this is a festival on steroids.”
Tickets Now Available for Star Wars: Galactic Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios May 27
Tickets are now on sale for Star Wars: Galactic Nights, the one-night special event will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort on May 27, 2018.
Here’s a look at other event offerings:
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- Star Wars: Galactic Destinations Projections Transform The Hollywood Tower Hotel– Visible on the Sunset Boulevard area of the park the facade of the Hollywood Tower Hotel will transform via stunning projection technology to showcase familiar locations from across the galaxy. Favorite film moments, special effects, lighting, and of course the stellar Star Wars cinematic score supports each galactic location moment all night long. Star Wars Galactic Destinations is currently an event exclusive.
- Existing Star Wars Entertainment Will Debut New Enhancements – The park’s existing Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks and the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away stage show will both debut new saga elements for the first time during Star Wars: Galactic Nights.
- Special Photo Ops – Throughout the park, guests can step into immersive and iconic scenes from their favorite Star Wars films in a series of incredibly detailed photo locations. These special photo ops will only be available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during Star Wars: Galactic Nights.
- Character Encounters – Expect to encounter Star Wars characters from throughout the galaxy. Guests will also be able to view an Imperial Stormtrooper March with Darth Vader.
- Exclusive Food & Beverage offerings – Taste your way around the galaxy with specialty food and beverage offerings created for Galactic Nights. Inspired by the stories and iconic characters of Star Wars, these tasting-sized sips and bites bring a delectable addition to this event.
- Enjoy park attractions – Select attractions will be open to all guests – and some may even offer a special Star Wars twist on May 27 only.
Tickets are on sale now. In addition, intergalactic foodies attending Star Wars: Galactic Nights can now purchase the Galactic Tasting and Viewing Package, featuring Star Wars-inspired food and beverage and reserved seating to a panel providing an inside look of the making of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The Galactic Tasting and Viewing Package is now available for $30 per person, including tax, and can be purchased online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463.
Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi on HD and 4K Ultra HD™ and via Movies Anywhere 3/13 and on 4K Ultra HD™ Blu-ray, and Blu-ray™ 3/27
The next action-packed chapter of the Star Wars saga – Star Wars: The Last Jedi – welcomes the return of original characters as well as in-depth looks of the saga’s newest members. This release will include a feature-length documentary from Director Rian Johnson that takes fans on an intimate journey into the creation of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The release will also include two exclusive scenes featuring Andy Serkis as Snoke prior to his digital makeover, scene breakdowns, deleted scenes, audio commentary and more. Families can bring the next chapter of Star Wars home digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD and via Movies Anywhere March 13 and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray disc March 27. This release will mark Disney’s first title available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc in both Dolby Vision™ HDR and Dolby Atmos® immersive audio, delivering consumers a transformative viewing experience.
9 Black Panther must-haves to buy during Disney’s friends and family sale
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest installment starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyong’o has arrived in theaters and we know fans are going to want to get the goods once they see it. Thankfully, some of those goods are on sale…
Pilot program allows Disney World guests to bring dogs
In September, Walt Disney World allowed guests evacuating inland from Hurricane Irma to bring their pets with them. That experience prompted the company, which has 28,000 rooms at its Florida location, to pilot a one-year program that designates as dog-friendly 250 rooms at four properties.
