WDW Daily News

Today, we’re bringing you holiday cheer with a day of the merriest announcements, surprises and more giving a first look at the upcoming holiday season at Disney Parks around the world!  

JUST ANNOUNCED: Holiday Happenings At Walt Disney World Resort Including All-New After Hours Event

Festive entertainment, whimsical décor, seasonal food & beverage offerings, and holiday-themed merchandise will all be a part of a very special season at each of Walt Disney WorldResort’s four theme parks, Disney Resort hotels and Disney Springs. Also, starting Nov. 8, “Disney Very Merriest After Hours”, a new special-ticketed event will be available on select nights featuring “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks,” Disney characters, holiday music and décor, treats and so much more! 

JUST REVEALED: Celebrate 20 Years of Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland Resort

One of our favorite attractions of all time, Haunted Mansion Holiday, will return for its 20th season beginning Sept. 3! This merry makeover of the eerie estate, inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” celebrates the collision of Halloween and Christmas. We’re excited to give you a first look at this year’s gingerbread house, a favorite tradition which changes each year.

LIMITED TIME: Satisfy Your Holiday Cravings With New and Returning Drink Offerings

No holiday celebration is complete without festive sweets and we got Guests covered with some limited-time offerings, now through July 18. Guests can head on over to Disney Springs, located within Walt Disney World Resort, and stop by Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company’s The Landing location for the return of some jolly java. Joffrey’s is offering their classic Peppermint Mocha Latte, a delicious combination of espresso, milk, dark chocolate sauce, and peppermint syrup. Pair it with a special Halfway to the Holidays themed ripple print, available for select beverages. At the Downtown Disney District in Disneyland Resort, Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer is bringing back their Peppermint Classic Shake. This peppermint patty shake is topped with whipped cream, crushed peppermint and chocolate drizzle. 

FIRST LOOK: Merriest Merchandise Coming Soon

Now that we’re halfway to the holidays, it’s time to start thinking about what gifts for friends and family! First of many all-new Sketchbook Ornaments are releasing soon to shopDisney. Also, Guests can get excited for new holiday-themed ear headbands, Spirit Jerseys, and more, coming to parks and shopDisney.com this holiday season. Global retailers such as BoxLunch and Amazon are rolling out some fun holiday-themed merchandise too, including a summer fun “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas” collection! 

Have A Very Merry Christmas Aboard Disney Cruise Line

From early November through December, the Disney Cruise Line fleet is decked out in holiday cheer and entertainment during Very Merrytime Cruises. Holiday magic is unwrapped for the whole family with festive holiday decor, favorite characters in their finest holiday attire and a special visit from none other than Santa Claus. 

A Halfway to the Holidays TikTok Live Event from Disney’s Blizzard Beach

The holiday cheer was too much to fit into just a day, so join us @DisneyParks on TikTok this Wednesday, July 14^th at 7:30 p.m. ET for a special after hours tour of Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park at Walt Disney World Resort. Get an inside look at favorite attractions, a sneak peek at new limited-time offerings, special entertainment moments from the Dapper Dans and more!

Hope you all have an amazing #HalfwaytotheHolidays.

This email from Disney Vacation Club confirms that DVC members will be provided extended hours. Here is the release:

EXPERIENCE SELECT ATTRACTIONS AT EVERY THEME PARK, EVERY DAY PLUS SPECIAL EXTENDED EVENING HOURS ON SELECT NIGHTS.

Dear Disney Vacation Club Member, As you begin planning your visit to “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” in honor of Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th anniversary, we wanted to make sure you’d heard the exciting news that starting October 1st you will be eligible for special theme park access when staying at Walt Disney World Resort because you are a Member. Members and Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels and Disney Vacation Club Villas, as well as other select hotels, will have a new early theme park entry benefit giving them the first chance to enjoy select attractions at EVERY theme park, EVERY day, with a valid ticket or pass and a theme park reservation for that theme park and date. Additionally, Members and Guests staying at a Disney Vacation Club Resort or Disney Deluxe Resort hotel will exclusively be able to enjoy extended evening hours on select nights in select theme parks providing more time to enjoy the Magic. Extended evening hours will begin in early October with specific dates and parks to be shared at a later time, so please be sure to check back on DisneyWorld.comfor the latest. Throughout the celebration, Disney Vacation Club Resorts at the Walt Disney World Resort will offer even more with surprise appearances by some favorite Disney pals like Goofy and Pluto, who will be dressed in their EARidescent best. Plenty of fun awaits you and your family as we get ready for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.” See you real soon! Disney Vacation Club Please note that Disney Resort hotel benefits are subject to change without notice. Theme Park admission is not part of the ownership interest and is sold separately.

Guests can sip and savor across six continents at the EPCOT^®International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE^®. We have 129 delicious days – July 15 through Nov. 20 – to celebrate the best of food and drink at the more than 20 festival-exclusive global marketplaces opening this week and even more coming in the fall! In addition to all the classics and fan favorites, there are SEVEN new marketplaces:

• The Noodle Exchange (Near Traveler’s Café)
• Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina
• The Rotunda Bistro (American Adventure Rotunda)
• The Swanky Saucy Swine (Near Disney Traders)
• Brew-Wing at the EPCOT Experience
• Lobster Landing (Near Mission: SPACE) – Opening Oct. 1
• Mac & Eats (Near Mission: SPACE) – Opening Oct. 1

Our festival chefs always focus on authenticity through ingredients, cooking techniques, and presentation to honor the diverse cuisines. And our beverage team thoughtfully pairs wine and beer with the selections at each global marketplace, providing a fantastic variety for our guests.

Emile’s Fromage Montage is the perfect way for cheese lovers to get their cheese fix. Guests can check their Festival Passport for the five select marketplaces to purchase delicious cheese dishes, collect their stamps, then stroll over to Shimmering Sips marketplace for a special prize!

And kids of all ages love Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak, the family fun scavenger hunt looking for the adorable Remy statuettes hidden all over the festival.

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Here are the updated Disney Resort hotels that will be reopening and start accepting bookings on July 8, 2021 for: 

• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort for arrivals beginning Sept. 16
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside for arrivals beginning Oct. 14
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter for arrivals beginning Oct. 28
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort for arrivals beginning Dec. 9

Disney is excited to continue welcoming Guests to hotels that have recently opened, like Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and are busy preparing Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for arrivals to begin on July 19 and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge on Aug. 26. 

With this news, all Walt Disney World Resort hotels will be open by the end of 2021 and we look forward to welcoming more Guests to the magic over the next several months!

Disneyland Paris has just announced that they will be replacing their free FastPass program…

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With pandemic restrictions largely lifted at Walt Disney World, one would expect that things are largely, “back to normal.” In fact, with social distancing and mask restrictions gone but the parks perhaps not up to full capacity, especially for the summertime, it could seem like now is the best possible time to visit theme parks like the most magical place on earth.

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We can’t keep this news under Mickey’s sorcerer hat much longer. Fans of “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” will soon be tapping to a new song with the debut of an animated scene based on Disney and Pixar’s “Coco.”

The musical number “Un Poco Loco” will anchor the new scene when it opens to Guests at Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland Paris on July 17, before being added to Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort later this year.

The film’s fun, upbeat music and characters combined with the humor of Donald Duck marks the first time Disney and Pixar animators have worked on a creative endeavor where characters from both animation studios will be seen together on screen.

Because music is such an integral part of the show, we were also fortunate to tap one of the film’s original composers– the world-renowned Germaine Franco –to produce a “Coco” score unique to “Mickey’s PhilharMagic.”

Guests will enjoy this new scene alongside all of the show’s current fan favorite musical numbers. Now it’s time to put on those opera glasses and let the show begin!

This edition of Foodie News for Walt Disney World Resort covers lots of ground – everything from snacks to signature dining in parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. Check out all the tasty news!

We’re so excited to announce Guests can now dine “underneath the lovely London sky” in the newly reimagined Cítricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which pays homage to the whimsy and elegance of Mary Poppins Returns. Taking subtle cues from the movie’s animated sequence, the dining room brings Guests into a fanciful garden setting where they can “trip a little light fantastic” as they experience the restaurant surrounded by the glow from decorative lamps and chandeliers.

Chef Andres Mendoza crafted a new menu with starters like Sweet Corn Bisque with pickled fennel, popcorn, and fennel oil and a colorful Strawberry Salad with chamomile-infused goat cheese, frisée lettuce, bacon vinaigrette, and spiced sunflower seeds.

Entrées include Butter-poached Florida Cobia with mashed fingerling potatoes, grilled asparagus, and local mushrooms with a grapefruit beurre blanc or a delicious Guava Barbequed Short Ribs with aged cheddar creamy grits, roasted poblano, curtido slaw, and Brussels sprouts.

For a sweet ending to Guests’ meals, Pastry Chef Kristine Farmer created some truly delicious and decadent desserts such as Warm Apple Rose with seasonal apple, marzipan layers, and frozen coconut milk and the Chocolate Torte, a dark chocolate financier, dark cherry compote, and vanilla bean mascarpone cream.

The wine and cocktail program, designed by Sommelier Israel Perez, is exceptional. For those who enjoy an elevated food and wine experience, the new and exclusive Sommelier Room at Cítricos will allow Israel and his team to source boutique wines that pair with special creations from Chef Andres. 

Cítricos will open on July 15, with bookings available on July 1.

Yee-haw! Trail’s End Restaurant at The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort will reopen July 17 with hearty family-style skillets for breakfast and dinner.

Guests can mosey on over to Fort Wilderness to start their morning with an oven-fresh pastry basket and berry granola yogurt parfait for the table, followed by a hearty family-style skillet with smoked brisket and eggs, bacon, sausage, and cheesy potato casserole. Of course, no breakfast is complete without Mickey waffles! Adults can sip on Moonshine Morning Cocktails – a Pioneer Mimosa with passion, orange, and guava juices and a Mountain Mary with moonshine.

Dinner at Trail’s End is a rootin’ tootin’ good time that starts with hushpuppies and skillet cornbread with a chopped garden salad for the table. The family-style Smokehouse Skillet comes with pecan-smoked brisket, rotisserie chicken, andouille sausage, fingerlings potatoes, green beans, and buttered corn on the cob. Pork spare ribs, peel n’ eat shrimp, and cornbread-crusted salmon are available as tasty add-ons to the meal.

But Guests should be sure to save room for the Covered Wagon Sundae – a wagon load of ice cream, toppings, brownies, cookies, and chocolate-covered bacon! Adults can even kick back with Moonshine Cocktails.

Guests can get ready to hit their craving for hot dogs out of the park! Casey’s Corner on Main Street, U.S.A., will reopen June 30 with their classic all-beef hot dogs. Catch hold of a Chili-Cheese All-Beef Hot Dog or dig into a pile of Corn Dog Nuggets with, of course, cheese sauce. And the plant-based Loaded Slaw Dog (plant-based sausage topped with pickled slaw, barbecue vegan aïoli, and roasted corn relish), is back! The Frozen Mint Julep Lemonade is a refreshing homerun to go along with the hot dog. And don’t forget, mobile order is available at Casey’s Corner.

Guests can also get ready to treat themselves to hand-scooped ice cream at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor hosted by Edys. This oh-so-sweet nostalgic ice cream parlor on Main Street, U.S.A., will open July 7 with favorite flavors on a cone or in a cup – fat-free and no sugar added, as well as plant-based non-dairy options will be available. And more sweet news: Barq’s Root Beer Floats and Coca-Cola Floats are back! Not sure it can get much better than that!

Eight Spoons Café at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is now open and offers their delish Baked Macaroni & Cheese (with or without pulled pork). The exciting news – the Pulled Pork Jelly Donut Sandwich is back! YUM!

Dino Diner will reopen July 4, so Guests can grab a Dino-Rama Chili-Cheese Dog or a Corn Chip Pie. They can even get their churro fix at Dino Diner!




Salt & Straw, the popular scoop shop at Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort, is heading to Disney Springs next year! We will have more details over the next few months, so be sure to check back for the whole “scoop!”

We have a new summer offering the entire family will love starting June 30 – Disney Family Night Dinner. This playful, family-style dining bundle includes a take-out shareable meal, sweet treats, and an original card-type game inspired by some favorite Disney friends for Guests to enjoy.

Disney Family Night Dinner is available from 5-10 p.m. through mobile order and at the two resort locations offering this three-course takeaway meal that serves 3-4.

Centertown Market at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort:

• Roasted Jamaican-style Chicken
• Fried Yucca
• Cilantro Rice
• Seasonal Vegetables
• Caribbean Pull-apart Rolls with Onion Jam and Guava Butter
• Decorate-your-own Mickey and Minnie Cookies

Gasparilla Island Grill at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa:

• Garden Salad – Tomato, cucumber, carrots, and a duo of dressings
• Savory Lasagna – Three cheese lasagna with tomato sauce
• Two Mickey-shaped Cheese or Pepperoni Pizzas
• Minnie Cheesecake with strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and fresh berries

When Walt and Roy Disney dreamed of a future for all to enjoy at Walt Disney World Resort, part of that vision became reality with Disney’s Contemporary Resort. With the Monorail running right through its A-frame tower, the resort was an instant icon at The Most Magical Place on Earth – a tribute to the future of imagination and progress.

As Walt Disney World prepares to celebrate its 50^th anniversary this October, Walt Disney Imagineering is tapping into that optimistic spirit once again in reimagining Disney’s Contemporary Resort, enhancing its retro-modern aesthetic that evokes Tomorrowland … with a dash of something Incredible, too.

Currently all nine floors of guest rooms in the tower are being completely refurbished, and here’s a first look at the new décor debuting this fall. These rooms will blend a sleek Monorail motif with some favorite characters from Pixar Animation Studios’ Incredibles films, including Jack-Jack, Frozone and Edna Mode. New custom artwork in Guest rooms and along Guest corridors will be modern, futuristic and oh so stylish, dahling, complementing the resort’s architecture while putting the Supers’ powers on display.

In the lobby, Guests will soon see a collection of modern art pieces as well as historical, behind-the-scenes photographs of Disney’s Contemporary Resort in development and under construction. The resort’s lobby restaurant, The Wave… of American Flavors, will soon close to make way for a reimagined dining experience in time for the Walt Disney World 50^th anniversary celebration.

As part of this reimagining, we’re updating the Guest lobby and check-in experience at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. 

Beginning July 16, much of the first-floor lobby will be closed while it undergoes refurbishment. 

While many of the Guest services in the lobby area will remain open – including the elevators, escalators, restrooms and pathways to the Convention Center and bus transportation – the front desk will temporarily relocate to the second floor of the resort. 

Once complete in late September, Contemporary’s lobby will feature an enhanced check-in experience offering an open, free-flowing layout with enhanced seating locations. 

This is just the start of great things happening at Disney’s Contemporary Resort as it looks toward an Incredible future full of hope and promise. Once the tower Guest rooms are complete, work will begin on the rooms inside the Garden Wing out on the shore of Bay Lake.

This reimagining is part of the ongoing evolution of the Disney Resorts Collection at Walt Disney World, where the magic Guests find in our theme parks extends to every moment of their vacation. We’ll have more to share on this project in the months to come as we get ready for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” beginning Oct. 1, so keep checking back with us here for all the details.

As a reminder, information on attractions, dining, experiences and other offerings currently available can be found on DisneyTravelTradeInfo.com/WDW, as well as the affected Resort hotel pages on the Know Before You Go section on the Disney Travel Agents website.

As a best practice, be sure to visit the “Your Guide to Updated Experiences” section from the “Know Before You Go” homepage when planning a vacation for your clients to stay up-to-date on operating information, including refurbishments.