WDW Daily News

Today, we’ve got some SWEET news to share about exciting work happening at Magic Kingdom Park as we prepare for the beginning of The World’s Most Magical Celebration at Walt Disney World Resort this October! 

Kicking things off, let’s talk about Main Street Confectionery. We’re delighted to share that this iconic location will soon receive a fresh new look, expanded layout with more room to shop and interactive opportunities for Guests to customize their confections like never before.

To bring these concepts to life, both Main Street Confectionery and The Chapeau will close for refurbishment later this month. Along with that, some of the merchandise and goodies will be shifting to other spots in the park. Now don’t worry, Guests will still have plenty of options to satisfy their sweet tooth once work to transform the locations kicks off on March 29, 2021. Many of the treats from Main Street Confectionery will be available at Emporium and Main Street Cinema during the closure. And have no worries about where Guests can find their favorite Disney hats, including the must-have Mickey Mouse ears. Those will be just across the street at Box Office Gifts, at the Town Square Theater. Finally, if Guests are looking for collectibles and artwork, Bonjour! Village Gifts will be the new go-to spot. 

Outside of the world of merchandise, Guests may have noticed some other updates taking place around the park recently. Whether it be a freshly painted castle turret being adorned with 50th anniversary décor, or shimmering gold leaf being added to your favorite Fantasyland attractions, our Cast Members are hard at work making Magic Kingdom Park shine like never before. Be sure to keep an eye out for these enhancements and more in the coming months!

EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival begins July 15 at Walt Disney World Resort!

This year’s event will kick off with Global Marketplaces, including the return of many favorites – Canada, Greece, Germany, Hops and Barley, Appleseed Orchard and others. Even more marketplaces will join the international smorgasbord as the festival continues on into the fall before wrapping on Nov. 20, 2021.

There will be lots of ways for families to enjoy this year’s event (beyond just eating lots of great food, of course):

• Sample all sorts of delicious cheeses served in fun ways as part of Emile’s Fromage Montage – if Guests collect a stamp from five different Global Marketplaces, they’ll earn a prize!
• Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak will send Guests on a savory scavenger hunt in search of Remy statuettes hidden all over the park.
• Take a tasty souvenir home from the new merchandise collections, including a festival collection featuring a spirit jersey, baseball cap and so much more.
• Listen to musical favorites performed by Voices of Liberty, Mariachi Cobre and the Jammin’ Chefs.

This is just an appetizer for the 2021 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. We’ll have a full plate of details to share soon, so stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more juicy morsels.

Disney announced a proposal to overhaul its Anaheim resort with new attractions, shops, restaurants and entertainment. This rendering shows the additions of attractions and shops around the resort’s Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. (Disney)

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As we head into Earth Month, it’s a great time to reflect on our personal relationship with our beautiful planet and how we can all care for the world we share. Whether it’s reducing your own ecological footprint, planting a tree, creating a butterfly garden or learning more about wildlife and conservation, all of these efforts unite us as we do our part to protect nature’s treasures. And while Disney theme parks celebrate all living things every day, during the annual Earth Day Celebration there’s an added opportunity for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park Guests to connect with the magic of nature through engaging activities designed to educate and inspire the whole family.

From April 18 to 24, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will host limited-time experiences including unique Disney character appearances, fun learning opportunities, specialty merchandise, themed food and beverage, a new Wilderness Explorer activity and more. Here’s a look at what’s in store to spark Guests’ curiosity about wildlife and inspire their own conservation efforts:

• The Animation Experience at Conservation Station shows how Disney Artists bring favorite characters to life by using animals for inspiration. For the Earth Day Celebration and the month of April, Guests can learn to draw characters – including Dumbo, Terk, Squirt, Shere Khan, Simba and Scar – whose real-life counterparts represent amazing stories of conservation work around the globe.
• Guests can catch a glimpse of some special characters who will join other favorite Disney pals on Discovery River Character Cruises. 

• Guests can nosh around the park sampling Earth Day eats, including a selection of limited-time specialty cupcakes: the Creature Comfort’s Honey Bee Cupcake, the strawberry-flavored Flamingo Cupcake at Flame Tree Barbecue, or the Sea Turtle Graham Cracker Cupcake (plus the Crave the Wave cocktail!) at Restaurantosaurus Lounge. These treats are only available for a limited time.
• Guests can set out on a series of self-guided, nature-themed challenges and earn a special Wilderness Explorer limited-time Earth Day Nature badge.
• Guests can hunt for an Earth Day 2021 limited-edition Te Fiti Moana trading pin. They can also support the Disney Conservation Fund by purchasing a cuddly plush inspired by species that call Disney’s Animal Kingdom home; or check out Island Mercantile’s eco-friendly water bottles, tumblers and reusable bags that promote sustainability. 

• Any time Guests visit the park, they can marvel at unique animals and meet the newest arrivals. Most recently, the park welcomed the birth of Ranger, and Guests can get a glimpse of the rambunctious five-month-old white rhino calf and his crash on their journey aboard Kilimanjaro Safaris. While on safari, Guests can also keep an eye out for two young Masai giraffe who were born a few months ago, and playful Nigerian dwarf goats that hang out at the warden’s outpost. 

• Disney PhotoPass Service captures magical memories with special in-park Earth Day backgrounds and Magic Shots, including an all-new photo opportunity. In addition, Earth Day screen savers and Zoom backgrounds can be downloaded from the My Disney Experience PhotoPass gallery.
• Beginning April 2, Guests can watch as artisans transform 40 tons of sand into a detailed sculpture celebrating National Geographic’s “Secrets of the Whales,” an original series streaming on Disney+ on Earth Day. The intricate sculpted masterpiece will be located on the Discovery Island Stage until April 30.

For more information on how Disney cares for animals and helps protect species in the wild, visit DisneyAnimals.com, Guest can check out “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+, streaming now, Disney Park Wild Sights, a short form video mini-series exclusive to the My Disney Experience app, or follow along on Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Instagram (@DrMarkAtDisney) and Facebook (@DisneyASE) pages.  

Here is the message from Disney:

At Walt Disney World Resort, we’re always looking for innovative and convenient ways to improve our Guests’ experience—especially as we navigate the impact of COVID-19.

With the future in mind and the shift in focus to more touchless experiences, we’re conducting a limited 30-day test using facial recognition technology (length of test subject to change). Participation in this test is optional.

To learn more about this limited facial recognition test, please visit Disneyworld.com/ParkEntryTest.

“The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins on Oct. 1, 2021 – and Florida car owners can get ready to celebrate with us by purchasing the first-ever Walt Disney World Resort specialty license plate!

We’re excited to reveal the design of this unique plate, featuring our “EARidescent” 50th anniversary castle logo on a majestic royal blue background. Inspired by the color scheme of Cinderella Castle, this magical plate is currently available for presale and will also help make even more dreams true, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida and their work granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Interested drivers can purchase a presale voucher* now for $25 plus applicable state administration fees exclusively through their local County Tax Collector’s Office, license plate agencies (DMVs) across the State of Florida, or online through the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office at https://www.octaxcol.com/specialty-license-plate-vouchers/.

Disney has a longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, dating back to 1980, and since then, more than 140,000 Disney-inspired wishes have been granted, including thousands taking place at Walt Disney World Resort. This license plate is a unique opportunity to commemorate 50 years of Central Florida magic.

For more information about the Walt Disney World Resort specialty license plate, visit www.flhsmv.gov, and learn more about The World’s Most Magical Celebration at www.DisneyWorld.com/50.

*A minimum of 3,000 presale vouchers are required to be sold by the State of Florida before manufacturing of specialty license plates may begin.

What’s the buzz? The Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival has begun! Guests can enjoy searching the World Showcase to find Spike the Bee hiding among the incredible topiaries and fresh, fragrant gardens, and they can also carry him all over Walt Disney WorldResort with our two new Disney Gift Card wristlet designs to celebrate the festival! Guests can find these special-edition cards at merchandise locations throughout EPCOT and at EPCOT resort area hotels for the length of the festival, while supplies last.

Our first design depicts Spike bringing flowers to EPCOT to share with a topiary version of our (usually purple) pal Figment! The second features Spike taking the time to smell those beautiful blooms. Both designs come with coordinating coiled wristlets and can be activated with as little as $15. Best of all, Guests can use either of these Disney Gift Cards for practically all things Disney! Yes, that includes the scrumptious eats available at Outdoor Kitchens located on the promenade throughout the festival. So, Guests can load up their mini Disney Gift Card and wear it around their wrist while they explore everything the festival (and Walt Disney World Resort as a whole) has to offer! When it’s time to pay, Guests can simply show the cast member the back of their card so they can scan it. Touch free and easy…there’s no better way to pay!

Disney Gift Cards are reloadable and never expire. Guests can stop by a merchandise or food and beverage location and ask a cast member for assistance. And if they don’t spend it all at the festival, these and all other Disney Gift Cards, can still be used for practically all things Disney from theme park tickets to Mickey merchandise at Disney Destinations nationwide! If Guests want to purchase a traditional or digital Disney Gift Card in advance, they can visit shopdisney.com to select from 60+ designs featuring some of their favorite characters and matching carriers!

As we shared earlier this year, Disney is building on the original story of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland park and Magic Kingdom Park. They’re adding more humor, wildlife and skipper heart to the classic attraction, and as part of a much larger effort, this updated experience will welcome new characters from around the world.

The enhancements include several new scenes Guests will experience along the river, all interconnected. Their world-famous skippers will continue to share the unique adventure and interactions Guests expect on the Jungle Cruise. 

The new scenes will heighten the skippers’ legendary comedic tone, beginning with a trapped safari party that finds itself up a tree after their journey goes awry. Unexpected scenarios along the way will give the jungle and animals the last laugh!

For those looking to dive deeper, we’re also expanding the attraction’s backstory, centered around Alberta Falls, granddaughter of world-renowned Dr. Albert Falls, as the proprietor of the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd.

Jungle Cruise fans might be familiar with her name; however, wouldn’t you know it, we recently uncovered a copy of an interview with Alberta Falls that was featured in a 1938 issue of The Daily Gnus about her and the World-Famous Jungle Cruise. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her!

Stay tuned for more details coming later this year!

After being closed for more than one year, magic is finally returning to the Disneyland Resort theme parks! Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park are planning to officially reopen to the public on April 30, with limited capacity.

Guests will soon be welcomed back to enjoy unforgettable attractions, see beloved Disney friends, shop for the latest merchandise, savor the world-famous food and drinks, capture fun photos and cherish special magical moments.

Guests can get ready to once again experience favorite attractions at both parks, from thrilling adventures like the new Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and the Incredicoaster to family-friendly experiences like Peter Pan’s Flight and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. New magic will be unveiled, too, as the reimagined Snow White’s Enchanted Wish opens to guests for the very first time.

From surprise appearances along Main Street, U.S.A., and Pixar Pier to playful interactions, characters from favorite Disney stories will entertain and delight. Beloved characters will pop up in new ways and sometimes in unexpected places as they remain mindful of physical distancing. Certain experiences that draw large group gatherings – such as parades and nighttime spectaculars – will return at a later date.

Because theme park capacity will be significantly limited to comply with governmental requirements and promote physical distancing, the Disneyland Resort will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that requires all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. To enter a park, both a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date are required for guests ages 3 and up. Theme park reservations will be limited and subject to availability and, until further notice, only California residents may visit the parks in line with current state guidelines. More details about this new reservation system will be available soon.

In the days leading up to the public opening on April 30, DisneylandResort will invite cast members and members of the local community to be the first theme park guests after more than a year of closure. A Touch of Disney, the limited-time ticketed experience which has sold out, will go on as planned from March 18 through April 19.

Guests will also have the opportunity to stay in the middle of the magic as the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort plan to welcome guests once again, with a phased reopening. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa plans to reopen on April 29, with limited capacity. Disney Vacation Club Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel& Spa will plan to reopen May 2. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel will reopen at a later date.

The health and well-being of guests and cast members remain a top priority. Just as the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort reopened with enhanced health and safety measures, operational changes will be in place at the theme parks and hotels to align with guidance from health authorities and learnings from our parks around the world to promote physical distancing, enhanced cleanliness and reduced contact. This guidance is fluid and applicable at any given time as community situations change. With that guidance, many factors will determine the timing of when offerings may be available. Cast members will be available to explain our new procedures and answer questions Guests may have.

Visit Disneyland.com often for the most current information, including future details about ticket sales and reservations, and which experiences are currently available or will be offered.* Stay tuned for additional reopening details, coming soon!

*Upon reopening, certain parks, hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings will be modified or unavailable, will have limited capacity and will be subject to limited availability or even closure, and park admission and offerings are not guaranteed.

The Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival has arrived! Happening now through July 5, Guests can commemorate their visit or just celebrate their love of EPCOT with apparel, headwear, drinkware and much more, featuring fan-favorites such as Orange Bird, Figment, Minnie Mouse and Spike the Bee. Here’s a round-up of all the must-haves available now across EPCOT at Walt Disney WorldResort and on shopDisney.com. 

Orange Bird Collection

For Disney fans, Orange Bird is definitely a favorite! He’s bringing the sunshine to the 2021 Taste of EPCOTInternational Flower & Garden Festival. Orange Bird’s spunky attitude and iconic citrus-inspired design can be found across apparel, headwear, drinkware and more. This collection includes a fun floral Minnie Mouse headband featuring Orange Bird on its green, sequenced bow.

The Orange Bird headband complements other vibrant pieces within the collection including the spirit jersey and now Guests can take Orange Bird everywhere they go with a sunny tumbler!

Minnie Wildflowers Collection

Minnie Mouse has brought blooming fashion to this year’s festival once again with merchandise featuring beautiful floral patterns and bows. This mug, vase and watering can pop with varying blush tones and gold accents and are perfect for spring home décor.

Minnie is also featured throughout the pattern of this year’s Dooney & Bourke festival collection. These fashionable floral finds are essential to a spring look.

Spike The Bee Collection

For Guests that are fans of Spike the Bee, it’s definitely meant to “bee” that there are festival products for them! As the host of Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration, Spike is buzzing all around this year’s festival. The pattern and collection design is inspired by golden honeycombs and includes garden essentials, a baseball cap, tumbler by Corkcicle and more.
                                     

Figment World of Nature Collection 

No EPCOT festival would be complete without Figment! Guests can bring a piece of EPCOT to their homes with a planter inspired by Spaceship Earth and journal to hold imaginative ideas.

The Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival runs through July 5 and is available with valid admission and a park reservation for the same date. Merchandise is available while supplies last and can be found throughout EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort along with select items on shopDisney.com. Happy Spring!