WDW Daily News

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected so many around the globe, including the theme park industry.

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Here is some information on the following planned refurbishments:

• From January 2022 through April 2022, the Samawati Springs Pool at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village will be closed for refurbishment. During this time, Guests staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village may enjoy the Uzima Springs Pool at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.Please note Guests with reservations during this time period will receive communication directing them to contact their Travel Professional if they need assistance with their reservation.
• Starting in April 2021, Disney’s Contemporary Resort will begin a refurbishment to reimagine Guest rooms. While some Main Tower rooms will be unavailable during the refurbishment, most resort areas and amenities will still be available for Guests to enjoy.
• Starting in February 2021, the Stormalong Bay waterslide will be closed for refurbishment. During this time, Stormalong Bay and the other 3 pools at Disney’s Beach Club Resortand Disney’s Yacht Club Resort will remain open.

In a letter that commemorates the 20^th anniversary of Disney California Adventure Park today, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock announced directly to cast members that a new offering is headed to the resort, soon. A copy of that letter is below.

We look forward to sharing more details about this all-new, limited-time ticketed experience, planned to begin in mid-March, soon!

Dear Cast Members,

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since we welcomed our first Guests to Disney California Adventure Park. While I’m relatively new to the Disneyland Resort, I was so excited to visit Disney California Adventure that first year and have enjoyed seeing the park evolve over the last two decades and the role it has played in creating a multi-day destination for our Guests. From the ongoing expansions and enhancements focused on bringing more Disney storytelling to the park, including Cars Land, to our upcoming mission to suit up the next generation of Super Heroes at Avengers Campus, we continue to add new and vibrant experiences for Guests to enjoy.

I’m pleased to report that Avengers Campus is making incredible progress. From the futuristic architecture, theatrical lighting, unique audio, creative food, beautiful costuming and innovative merchandise, the land will be an immersive experience that we know our Guests are going to love. And while we aren’t ready to reveal Avengers Campus to the world just yet, I am excited about another very special opportunity we have at Disney California Adventure Park that speaks to our top priorities: getting more Cast Members back to work and engaging with our Guests in different and relevant ways.   

Currently planned to begin mid-March, we will debut an all-new, limited-time ticketed experience, focused on our world-famous food and beverage offerings from around the resort, the latest merchandise and unique, carefully crafted entertainment experiences…all to be offered multiple days a week. With limited capacity and enhanced health and safety measures in place, Guests once again will get to step into a magical Disney environment — an environment that will provide memorable and fun experiences our Guests are craving.

Teams across the resort are currently developing this distinctly Disney experience, so there are many more details to come, but I wanted you ­– our Cast Members ­­– to hear this news first. Stay tuned for the official announcement coming soon.

What I’m most thrilled about is that this initiative — along with the recent reopening of our outdoor dining on Buena Vista Street — enables us to bring about 1,000 Cast Members back to work. While that is clearly not all we want to accomplish, it’s a start. Teams are working as we speak to start recalling identified Cast in the coming weeks.

This past year has presented extraordinary challenges, but that has not curtailed in any way our ability to move forward with a spirit of optimism. Thanks to each and every one of you for your contributions to making the Disneyland Resort a place where dreamers around the world are always welcome. Stay safe and stay well.

Sincerely,
Ken
Disneyland Resort President

Leave A Legacy is returning to EPCOT! With the transformation of the EPCOT main entrance area, the original Legacy sculpture has been removed, but Leave A Legacy lives on in a beautiful new setting just outside the park – in a bright new color, too!



These newly designed panels are the first of many that will be installed outside the EPCOT touch points, featuring vibrant hues from the park’s new color palette. Along with the fresh look for Leave A Legacy, the beautiful fountain and gleaming pylons further illustrate the park’s transformation and the magic of possibility.

To search for a tile at the new location, guests can use their smart device to scan the QR code at the Leave a Legacy display. This opens up the tile finder search feature, which can provide the coordinates for a tile’s location. Guests can also visit the EPCOT guest Relations team for assistance.



These new panels will continue to celebrate the spirit of optimism.

For nearly 50 years, Guests visiting Magic Kingdom Park have embarked on a relaxing half-mile journey around the picturesque waters of the Rivers of America, sailing aboard an iconic grand streamer riverboat with stunning views of both Frontierland and Liberty Square. But after many years of helping Guests make memories, the Liberty Belle riverboat recently took her own very unique journey, sailing through open water.   

Last October, Cast Members drained the waters of the Rivers of America, sending the Liberty Belle to dry dock behind Magic Kingdom Park in order to replace her underwater track.  In preparing for her return, teams worked together overnight to sail her through Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon, around Disney’s Contemporary Resort and crossing in front of Magic Kingdom Park.  They then towed her by hand through a narrow water channel before underwater divers reconnected her to the newly refurbished track and brought her home. Once docked back in Liberty Square, Cast Members put on the finishing touches before opening to guests this morning.

In the Liberty Belle’s absence, more than 100 cast members contributed their specialized crafts and skill during the four-month scheduled refurbishment. Anchored by the planned track replacement for the vessel, Cast Members took advantage of the Rivers of America being drained to also make some enhancements including updated rockwork, landscaping and adding fresh paint to the surrounding areas.

A project of this scale truly took a Kingdom to ensure its success, and today Guests and Cast Members can once again sail the waters of the Rivers of America aboard this historic 47-foot authentic steam-powered paddle wheeler.

Guests visiting Magic Kingdom Park this year should be sure to head on over to Liberty Square to enjoy this classic attraction. 

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and our chefs and candy makers from around the world have been busy creating fun and delicious offerings to celebrate this season of love.  

We have everything from adorable sweets Guests can grab on the go to romantic prix fixe meals with extra special touches to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We could not limit all this goodness of edible love to just one day so many of these offerings are available over multiple days. Check out all we have to offer. 

Happy Valentine’s Day – SWAK! 

It’s a special day at The American Adventure inside EPCOT, as we introduce “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure.” This new exhibit celebrates the distinctly American musical art form, originated by African Americans and fusing the influences of many different cultures.

Joe Gardner – the musician, mentor and teacher from Disney and Pixar’s new film “Soul,” streaming on Disney+ – shares the rich and surprising history of jazz by taking Guests on a musical tour of several influential American cities. Guests will also discover artifacts from legendary jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong. And soon Guests will be able to use the Play Disney Parks mobile app to interact with the exhibit and test their knowledge of jazz.

The team at Walt Disney Imagineering is thrilled to bring the compelling story of jazz to EPCOT, and they were honored to work with jazz experts and institutions across the country to explore the rich history and influence of this ever-evolving genre of music.

And as a special surprise, check out this new video from American pianist, band leader, and jazz extraordinaire Jon Batiste, who provided the original jazz compositions and arrangements for “Soul,” as he shares his excitement for “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure.”

Will Disney pixie dust still shine brightly when the carousel of theme park progress has turned as quickly as it has in the last 10 months?

Here are 10 changes to expect at Disney World in 2021.

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At Disney Parks, they continue to look for ways to enhance classic attractions and elevate the experience for all of our Guests. Today, they’re excited to share that they are building on the story of the Jungle Cruise at both Disneylandpark at DisneylandResort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort to include new adventures that stay true to the experience we know and love – more humor, wildlife and skipper heart – and also reflect and value the diversity of the world around us. There are no bigger fans of this attraction than our Imagineers. Here is Kevin Lively – former Jungle Cruise skipper – to share a transmission from the world’s most remote tropical rivers!

Continuing a tradition that Walt Disney started more than six decades ago when he first enhanced the Jungle Cruise, the new creative concept for our river’s journey will be original to Walt Disney Imagineering, just like the attraction itself. Here’s a first look at some of the “gnu” magic we’re adding:

Imagineers are excited to invite current Jungle Cruise skippers at Disneyland park and Magic Kingdom Park to a Jungle Navigation Company Roll Call, where they will be among the first to hear more about the new adventures and wonders coming down the river. Recently, Imagineers had the chance to provide a sneak peek to a few skippers at Magic Kingdom Park – check out the Walt Disney World Ambassador team on Instagram, @WDW.Ambassador, to see additional reactions, and stay tuned for more details about the enhancements in store for the Jungle Cruise, coming later this year. 

2020 was the kind of year that Walt Disney World certainly never expected. The resort was closed for more than four months, and while the parks have been open since July, things are about as far as they could possibly be from business as usual. Much of the larger resort is still closed, and only a fraction of normal capacity is able to visit Disney World on any given day.

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