WDW Daily News

The new Disney Junior Dance Party! live show, which will feature music and characters from beloved Disney Junior TV shows, will soon hit the stage at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort.

The party will be held multiple times each day starting Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, and will feature the star of the spooktacular hit Disney Junior television show, “Vampirina.” This TV series follows the Hauntley family, friendly vampires who recently relocated from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. Viewers delight in watching Vampirina (aka “Vee”) as she experiences being the new kid in town and attending a new school in the human world.

Disney Junior Dance Party! will also be hosted by Finn Fiesta and DJ Deejay, who will encourage guests to sing and dance to their favorite Disney Junior songs. Disney Junior Dance Party! features music and characters from “Doc McStuffins,” “The Lion Guard,” “Mickey and the Roadster Racers,” and “Vampirina.”

A visit to Walt Disney World® Resort wouldn’t be complete without the food and beverage experience. Soon, your Clients will be able to discover how food memories are made as they enjoy VIP tastings of iconic menu items while immersing themselves in the culinary magic of Magic Kingdom® Park.  

Taste of Magic Kingdom Park VIP Tour is a three-hour guided experience allowing Guests to sample some of the most beloved food items at the park, visit backstage kitchens, and hear stories from our brilliant chefs. Tastings include a Mickey cinnamon roll from the Main Street Bakery, Grey Stuff sample at Gaston’s Tavern (it’s delicious), Dole Whip, and a sample of a turkey leg, among others. This VIP experience is unlike anything ever offered before. Your Clients will be able to enjoy unprecedented access to backstage kitchens and working areas that have never before been shared with Guests. They will also be able to taste the future by helping Disney culinary artists create the next generation of Magic Kingdom park food by sampling an item that is still in development. 

The tour is $99 per person, plus tax. Valid theme park admission is required and is not included in the price of this experience. Guests must be at least 12 years of age to participate in the tour. Bookings are now available by booking online at Disneyworld.com/dining or by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463. Tours begin Feb. 24, 2019 and will be offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 

The tiki torches are lit and the food is ready. The Tropical Hideaway is now open at Disneyland® Park! This new marketplace is nestled between the Jungle Cruise and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and offers unique eats along the tropical shores of Adventureland. 

The marketplace features an open-air dock where patrons can sit back and relax on the Jungle River waterfront while enjoying sweet and savory bites. As the sun goes down, flickering torch lights illuminate the area making for an enchanting nighttime setting. Rosita is also hanging out with the visitors, awaiting a Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. boat (which is running uncharacteristically late) to take her on a journey towards a solo career. She spends her time telling jokes and reminiscing about the hideaway from way back when. 

When your Clients walk into The Tropical Hideaway, they’ll be greeted by local merchants peddling their goods. Over at the fruit whip counter, Guests will see a few new Dole Whip flavors, including orange and raspberry, as well as the classic pineapple flavor. These can be ordered in a cup or as a float. Swirl options are also available – pineapple and orange swirl or pineapple and raspberry swirl). 

An old boiler heats up warm hand-held food at the next booth over. Guests can stop by this vendor and take a bit out of a delicious bao. The Spiced Vegetable Bao is filled with chickpeas and braised vegetables, while the Bulgogi Beef Bao is filled with sweet chilies and potatoes. 

And your Clients definitely won’t want to miss the Sweet Lumpia or the Chilled Ramen Shaker with fresh vegetables, ramen noodles, togarashi cashews, and Asian vinaigrette dressing, YUM. Other grab and go options include baked potato chips, salt and vinegar potato chips, onion chips, organic chickpea puffs, and plantain chips. A variety of cold beverages will also be available with options including soft drinks, coconut water, tea, and even mango orange juice!

Just when you think Disney is done with surprises for the year, a new one appears. While the parks are in full festive swing for the most wonderful time of the year, the folks at Disney know there is still fun to be had when the sun sets on Dec. 25. 

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While there’s plenty of excitement to keep you occupied in the daylight hours of the holidays, after a long day, it’s nice to sit around a table surrounded by loved ones you don’t get to see often otherwise. Plus, there’s plenty to eat and drink. Often, holiday dinners aren’t all that different from Thanksgiving dinner. A turkey or ham is the star of the show, with plenty of sides surrounding it. If your Christmas host is a Disney head, consider gifting one of these Disney wine glasses from shopDisney to help them liven up the dinner table.

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This time next month, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will be buzzing with professional football action as Walt Disney World® Resort hosts the NFL Pro Bowl Experience for the third straight year.

And now, there’s even more to be excited about because the NFL has officially announced the 2019 AFC and NFC Pro Bowl teams!

The Los Angeles Chargers placed an NFL-best seven players on the AFC Pro Bowl roster, while the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints led the NFC with five players each.

Among the Pro Bowl players announced were New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees, New England Patriots QB Tom Brady, Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown, Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, Kansas City Chiefs phenom QB Patrick Mahomes and New York Giants rookie sensation RB Saquon Barkley.

Pro Bowl Week begins Monday, Jan. 21, 2019 and ends Sunday, Jan. 27,  2019 with the majority of the festivities taking place at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

NFL fans can check out AFC and NFC team practices, participate in activities such as the always popular 40-yard dash and take in the revamped NFL Skills Showdown, featuring several new events for the NFL’s top skill players, including the 40-yard Splash, a Gridiron Gauntlet obstacle course and a Precision Passing contest.

Other NFL Pro Bowl Experience activities include the Long Snap Accuracy Challenge, where fans can test their aim by snapping footballs through a variety of obstacles and the NFL Family Football Zone, an interactive area for families to participate in a variety of football and tailgate-themed activities.

NFL Pro Bowl week at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is open to the public, with no charge to Guests.

So, if your Clients are visiting Walt Disney World Resort Jan. 21-27, 2019 the NFL’s Pro Bowl Week is an experience they don’t want to miss!

Tickets for the NFL Pro Bowl game are still available at nfl.com/probowl where you will also find the star-studded rosters of the AFC and NFC teams. For more information on NFL Pro Bowl Week, visit espnwwos.com or nfl.com/probowl.

Event and on-sale dates for the 2019-2020 runDisney race season are now available.

With entertainment, special character appearances and other Disney magic in every mile, runDisney races are an unforgettable experience for runners of all ages and skill levels. runDisney races are the only opportunity for runners and Disney fans alike to run through the Walt Disney World® Resort. In fact, the Walt Disney World Marathon takes runners through all four theme parks plus ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex!

Guests can also take the magic of running at home with the Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon and runDisney Virtual Series. Run, jog or walk on a treadmill or around the neighborhood to earn exclusive medals and a finisher certificate.

Check out the on-sale dates for each runDisney event in 2019-2020 as well as race weekend dates below. Mark your calendars!

In summer 2019, NBA Experience will open at Disney Springs® at Walt Disney World® Resort and allow kids of all ages the chance to live out those dreams in a whole new way. Developed by Walt Disney Imagineering in collaboration with the NBA, this one-of-a-kind destination will feature hands-on activities that highlight the action and excitement of professional basketball.

NBA Experience will be full of thrills, whether Guests are  lifelong fans or you’re brand new to the game. When your Clients step inside this immersive environment next year, they will:

• Experience one of the biggest milestones for a basketball player at the NBA Draft with a photo moment that re-creates the atmosphere of the draft stage.
• Track and improve their jump shots and passing skills in a replicated NBA Combine challenge, complete with a scouting report that highlights their stats at the end of the session. 
• Step onto the court and hear the roar of the crowd as they maneuver through a series of timed shots to aim for a high score.
• Execute the perfect slam dunk just like NBA superstars, captured by cameras surrounding adjustable baskets.
• Test their ball-handling skills with an interactive trainer who will challenge them with a variety of dribbling routines.
• Use an oversized slingshot to launch basketballs at hoops of varying heights, making as many shots as possible before the clock runs out in this thrilling timed challenge.
• Immerse themselves in the rich legacy and history of NBA and WNBA championship-winning teams.
• Access a team locker room that showcases up-to-date statistics and visuals of top NBA and WNBA players.
• Test their knowledge of the NBA and WNBA – past and present – during a trivia game with up to 25 participants competing against one another to be champion.

• Enjoy two 180-degree cinematic presentations that showcase the in-arena experience moments before the start of the game, as well as special stories from the players’ perspectives.
• Take a seat at an interactive multi-screen module to watch replay clips from NBA games, using the tools at their stations to make the right calls. 
• Play interactive basketball games, from the fan-favorite Pop-A-Shot to modern video games

To top it all off, your Clients will be able to explore a retail store featuring exclusive NBA-themed merchandise designed by Disney.

We’ll share more details in the coming months, so stay tuned as we get ready for the grand opening of NBA Experience next summer. 

Wetzel’s Pretzels, an innovator of soft, fresh-baked pretzels, has returned to the Downtown Disney® District at the Disneyland® Resort after an extensive renovation. Wetzel’s celebrated its grand re-opening this week.

This flagship store features a California-inspired design with an indoor-outdoor feel and a modern, upscale look. Wetzel’s commissioned two local artists: Trek Thunder Kelly and Dan Medina. Kelly, known for his large-scale murals—including the Sky Mural in Venice Beach—painted a mural that wraps around the inside of the store with images of Pasadena, Wetzel’s hometown, and 12 hidden pretzels. Medina, known for his bronze sculptures, such as the Antonio Aguilar monument in Los Angeles, designed custom door handles that create a pretzel when the doors are closed.

In the Downtown Disney District, Wetzel’s Pretzels serves its most popular items, including the company’s full line of pretzels, Wetzel’s Dogs, Bitz, and fresh and frozen lemonade. The pretzels are baked from scratch throughout the day from simple ingredients such as flour, filtered water, yeast and a touch of salt; it’s been the Wetzel’s way since the company’s first location opened 25 years ago.

Downtown Disney District is the place to be with a myriad of exciting venues, shops and entertainment. This year, the promenade welcomed Splitsville Luxury Lanes, The VOID, The Disney Dress Shop, Salt & Straw scoop shop, a reimagined World of Disney store and the new Napolini. Soon the district will welcome the new Naples Ristorante e Bar, Ballast Point brewery and Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes, all coming soon!

Starbucks‘ “You Are Here” mugs make for a really cute souvenir to pick up from a Starbucks in whatever city you’re visiting. The mugs also are a way to commemorate a trip to the most magical place on earth. Starbucks designed Disney “You Are Here” mugs exclusively for the parks, and now, the ever-popular mugs are available for purchase online.

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