On the heels of the new Express Shuttle service, which transports guests from park to park with in-park drop-off and pickup stations, Disney World is launching another new up-charge transit option, and this one might sound a bit familiar.
Guests can travel to an otherworldly destination this summer: Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When it opens May 27, this new land will give guests the chance to explore a mystical world of bioluminescent rainforests, floating mountains and soaring Banshees. In collaboration with filmmaker James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment, Disney is bringing to life the fantasy world of Pandora, inspired by Cameron’s epic film AVATAR.
Guests will discover two main adventures. Avatar Flight of Passage sends guests flying above the jungles of Pandora on a Mountain Banshee, and Na’vi River Journey, is a family-friendly boat ride that sails down a sacred river hidden within a glowing rainforest for an unforgettable encounter with a Na’vi Shaman.
Hungry adventurers can recharge at Satu’li Canteen, the main dining location in Pandora, or Pongu Pongu, a drink kiosk with a design as eclectic as its expat owner. Shoppers can stock up on Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits and more at Windtraders.
And after the sun sets, Disney’s Animal Kingdom guests can discover rich new experiences throughout the park, starting with the new nighttime show, Rivers of Light. This visually stunning after-dark experience celebrates the majesty of nature and the connection between animals and humans. It’s a dramatic visual blend of water, fire, light and imagery all choreographed to an original musical score.
The Frozen Summer Games will be returning to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park starting May 26, with even more snowy, summery fun!
Guests visiting Blizzard Beach can join Team Kristoff or Team Olaf to participate in a variety of activities, from Ice Pail Relays and a Snowball Toss to Ski Pole Limbo and Slide Races.
And for the first time in forever, guests will be able to meet and take photos with Kristoff! He will join Olaf in their very own character greeting location at Blizzard Beach, where guests can snap photos with this adventurous pair.
With crafts, games and a DJ spinning some uptempo tunes throughout the day, the Frozen Summer Games are sure to be a major highlight at Blizzard Beach this summer.
Kids, of course, reign at Walt Disney World. But a surprising number of adults without children in tow make their way to the Florida mega-resort. Taking a ride aboard Dumbo while wearing a mouse-ear hat brings out the child in even the most jaded adult.
Check out our Photo Gallery of the Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Lobby. Click on the photos for larger views. Let us know on Twitter which one is your favorite.
Love Rapunzel! Adore Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert! Seeing as Disney’s Tangled is my absolute favorite Disney princess movie and that they are the best power couple ever, I couldn’t wait to check out Disney TANGLED:BEFORE EVER AFTER, now on DVD. In this animated adventure, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is getting used to the idea of living in the castle and dealing with the responsibilities of being a royal princess. Of course, her true love Eugene/Flynn (Zachary Levi) helps her navigate this new life now that she is “free” from her high tower. Pascal and Maximus are always nearby for help and advice–well, as much as animal friends can provide. Rapunzel’s new friend, Cassandra, is a great addition to the group. Disney legend Alan Menken has done it again with his song “Wind in My Hair”, sung beautifully by Mandy Moore. Listen carefully to the lyrics and you will be able to understand Rapunzel’s dreams now that she starting her new life after 18 years in the tower. The storytelling is funny, touching, and even daring at times. Be sure to watch the four bonus shorts. These are really funny. Tangled: The Series premiered on Disney Channel in March. I can’t wait to follow Rapunzel and Eugene on their new adventures and see what awaits them in their future. As I stated before, they are my favorite Disney couple! Disney TANGLED:BEFORE EVER AFTER will have you running through the yard in bare feet and swinging your frying pan around the kitchen. Be sure to pick up the DVD today!
“Happily Ever After,” the new nighttime fireworks spectacular, is set to debut at Magic Kingdom Park on May 12, 2017. The show will take guests on an emotional journey as favorite Disney characters set out to pursue their dreams, encounter obstacles (and villains!) to ultimately prevail and find their “happily ever afters.” The show also encourages Guests to pursue their own dreams and never give up.
While the “story” of the show is the most important part of “Happily Ever After,” how that story is told and choosing the right tools to tell it are essential in creating an unforgettable guest offering.
One tool in particular that Disney Parks Live Entertainment is excited to employ in “Happily Ever After” is the latest in projection mapping technology. The team first used projection mapping in 2010 with the launch of “The Magic, The Memories & You,” a nighttime show that combined Guest-submitted photos with different colorful layouts that were projected onto Cinderella Castle. After more advancements were made in the field of projection mapping, a new show, “Celebrate the Magic,” debuted in 2012. Because of its successful use at the Walt Disney World® Resort, the use of projection mapping technology then expanded to be used as an entertainment tool at Disney Parks around the world.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of “Happily Ever After” projection mapping, check out this video!
BB-8, the loyal droid from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is now greeting Guests at Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®.
BB-8 appears in addition to Kylo Ren and Chewbacca, two characters from the Star Wars galaxy who guests regularly encounter at Star Wars Launch Bay. In addition to character greetings, the location also offers guests the chance to explore galleries full of treasured memorabilia and authentic replicas of large-scale Star Wars artifacts, including some from the latest film in the franchise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Capturing the spirit of early California through inspiring design and daring architecture, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is a deluxe 948-room resort hotel property, offering a premium option for business or pleasure visits to the Disneyland Resort. This AAA Four-Diamond hotel is the first Disney resort hotel in the world to be located inside a theme park—Disney California Adventure—making stays at the deluxe hotel a uniquely themed experience.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa celebrates the romantic Arts & Crafts movement of early 20th century California. Designed to capture the artistic exploration of California’s coastlines with its Monterey pines and redwood forests, the hotel is layered with the memories of the arroyo craftsmen, the mission pioneers and the Plein Air school of painters.
Disneyland Hotel
At the Disneyland Hotel, guests will find a family vacation resort brimming with Disney magic and benefits. Offering 973 rooms, the hotel features a variety of restaurants and lounges, shops, and three swimming pools, among other amenities.
Recent renovations to the Disneyland Hotel include a new pool and water play area, featuring slides and a splash pool in an architectural design reminiscent of the 20th Century Disneyland Hotel Monorail Station. Guests can grab a bite near the pool at Tangaroa Terrace, or sip on tropical cocktails and flavorful juices at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel overlooks Paradise Pier, one of the most colorful sections of Disney California Adventure, making the hotel’s name and theme a natural fit.
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel prides itself on being one of the finest hotels in its class. The 15-story, high-rise structure encompasses 481 guest rooms, including suites and poolside cabana rooms, as well as 15 meeting rooms totaling 30,000 square feet of space. The hotel also has a rooftop swimming pool and whirlpool, a fitness center, dining in the mellow PCH Grill, quick bites and refreshments at the lobby Surfside Lounge or the poolside Sand Bar, gift shops and a game arcade.
An exciting, hotel-wide refurbishment is bringing new magic to the luxurious Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at the Disneyland Resort, with completely redesigned guest rooms plus a refreshed lobby, pool areas and the concierge-level Craftsman Club. The most extensive refurbishment since the hotel’s 2001 opening will elevate the premium guest experience and bring a contemporary approach to the Arts & Crafts design style.
The renovations will roll out in phases, with expected completion by the end of 2017. Guests will begin to enjoy the first phase of refreshed guest rooms starting this spring.
Recently named a AAA Four Diamond hotel by the Automobile Club of Southern California for the sixteenth year in a row, the 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa captures the romantic spirit of California’s Arts & Crafts movement in the early 20th century.
“Our renovation adds more luxury to this iconic Southern California hotel, while staying committed to its signature Arts & Crafts design,” said Dan Coleman, General Manager of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. “We want our guests to feel they are staying in a Disney hotel that’s distinctly situated in beautiful California. The revitalized design helps convey this feeling and allows us to continue exceeding guest expectations.”
Redesigned Guest Rooms
Every single element in the redesigned guest rooms will be new, creating a fresh sense of luxury – from floor and walls to furnishings, bedding and linens, as well as upgraded bathrooms. Upon entry, guests will notice beautiful hardwood flooring transitioning into soft, bright-toned carpeting. Linens and pillows are restyled in a bright, white palette and upgraded bathrooms include new fixtures. The room decor is a contemporary take on the Arts & Crafts style featuring all-new furniture made of natural oak, specially designed for each room, as well as California-inspired artwork created by artists and Disney Imagineers, including beautiful headboard walls with wood inlay designs featuring Chip ‘n Dale climbing orange trees! Guests with sharp eyes will catch other uniquely Disney details throughout these newly enhanced rooms.
Other Enhancements
Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa is the first Disney resort hotel in the world to be located inside a theme park, providing guests with an exclusive entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. Guests staying at Disneyland Resort hotels also enjoy Extra Magic Hour, which provides early entry to select Disneyland and Disney California Adventure attractions.
For updates and progress reports on Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa refurbishment, visit www.disneyparksblog.com.
