WDW Daily News

PARK CLOSURES AND OPERATIONAL UPDATES

In keeping with their strong commitment to safety, the history of being prepared during inclement weather and to continue to delight Guests who are staying at our resorts, Walt Disney World® Resort is adjusting its operating hours beginning Tuesday, September 3:

Tuesday, September 3

Magic Kingdom®Park: 8:00 AM-3:00 PM (opening at 7:00 AM for Extra Magic Hours)

Epcot®: 7:00 AM-3:00 PM

Disney’s Hollywood Studios®: 9:00 AM-2:00 PM (opening at 6:00 AM for Extra Magic Hours)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom®Theme Park: 8:00 AM-2:00 PM (opening at 7:00 AM for Extra Magic Hours)

Disney Springs®: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM

ESPN Wide World of Sports: Closed

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park: Closed

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM

Winter Summerland Miniature Golf: 10:00 AM-3:00 PM

Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf: 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM

Please continue to monitor Disneyworld.com for additional updates and news outlets for the latest weather information. For more information, review frequently asked questions regarding our hurricane policy.

DISNEY RESORT HOTEL OPERATIONAL UPDATES

Disney Resort hotels remain open. In keeping safety top of mind, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will be closed beginning September 3 at 3 p.m. and will reopen following the storm when it is safe to do so.

We have contacted guests with current and upcoming reservations at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to relocate them to other resorts on property and to help them plan for anticipated weather impacts.

SPECIAL EVENT CANCELLATIONS AND UPDATES

Disney After Hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been canceled on Tuesday, September 3, 2019. Guests with pre-purchased event tickets for this date are able to exchange their tickets for one of the following options:

• Tickets to attend another Disney After Hours event in 2019.
• Tickets to a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party event in 2019.
• 1-Day Flexible Date Ticket with Park Hopper Option, which can be used any day prior to December 31, 2020.
• Receive a full refund for event tickets.

To redeem these other options, you should call (407) 939-7818 by December 15, 2019 between the hours of 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM, or email us at Ticket.Inquiries@DisneyWorld.com. Please have  tickets available so we may process the request for you as quickly as possible.

DINING AND OTHER EXPERIENCE RESERVATIONS

On Sept. 3, theme park dining reservations will be honored up to one hour prior to park closing. Resort dining reservations will be honored until 5:30 p.m. Effective immediately, they will not be enforcing cancellation policies for dining and other experiences, so there’s no need for you to cancel existing reservations through Tuesday, Sept. 3. Pre-paid dining and other experiences outside of the modified operating hours for Sept. 3 will be automatically canceled and refunded.

Take a look at the latest Construction Photos of the Star Wars Hotel at Walt Disney World.

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From an authentic Star Wars cantina on the Outer Rim of the galaxy to exotic creatures, military encampments and daring missions aboard the Millennium Falcon, guests will find plenty of stories to explore as they live their own adventures inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The highly anticipated new land opens Aug. 29, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

By the Numbers

• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge spans more than 14 acres, making it the largest single-themed land expansion in Disney Parks history.
• More than a dozen venues fill the land, including Resistance and First Order encampments, a spaceport and a bustling marketplace.
• Two attractions will entice guests to live their own Star Wars adventures – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and (opening Dec. 5, 2019) Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
• The Millennium Falcon docked in the Black Spire Outpost Spaceport measures more than 100 feet long.
• Among the ancient-looking spires across the lands, the tallest is more than 130 feet high.
• The land was created with more than 200,000 square feet of rockwork and approximately 260,000 square feet of themed plaster.
• More than 7,000 props were created for the land.
• Nine different retail locations in the land offer nearly 700 unique items, ideal for those looking to take a memory of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge home with them.
• There are more than 120,000 possible combinations for constructing a lightsaber using all the available pieces in Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers.
• There are nearly 280,000 possible combinations for constructing an R-series or BB-series astromech droid using all the available pieces in the Droid Depot.
• Five locations within Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge offer guests a chance to purchase food and beverages. The land’s menus feature more than 50 distinct, out-of-this-world items.

Did You Know?

• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge marks the first time a full-size, 100% complete Millennium Falcon has ever been built.
• The chess-type game played on the table in the Millennium Falcon main hold and lounge is called Dejarik; guests can sit at the table inside Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and the game is available for purchase in the Toydarian Toymaker marketplace stall.
• At Black Spire Outpost, the droid in charge of music at the local watering hole, Oga’s Cantina, is DJ R-3X, the former Starspeeder 3000 pilot from Star Tours.
• For the soundtrack inside Oga’s Cantina, Walt Disney Imagineering commissioned musicians and composers from around the world to craft original music for a galactic playlist.
• Kowakian Monkey-Lizards and Porgs are among the “critters” guests will find at the Creature Stall in the marketplace. These are just a few of the many items guests may purchase during their visit.
• Academy Award-winning® composer John Williams created an all-new suite of themes written especially for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its attractions.

Development Timeline

• The Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm Ltd. In 2012.
• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been in development since 2014.
• Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced Star Wars-themed lands would open at Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios while at the D23 Expo on Aug. 15, 2015.
• Construction in both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios began in April 2016.
• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened May 31, 2019, at Disneyland Park in California.
• To operate the land, 1,700 new jobs were created for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
• In addition, jobs were created due to the support of both small and large Florida-based companies contributing more than 5,500 local trade, artisan and construction roles to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, one of two attractions in the lands, will open Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland.

The Walt Disney World® Resort global dine-around – the 24^th Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival – starts today and runs through Nov. 23, 2019 with irresistible bites, sips and non-stop family fun. That’s 87 delicious days of Festival-exclusive edibles and entertainment, such as a Candy Sushi-making experience, Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak Scavenger Hunt, the rockin’ Eat to the Beat Concert Series and Disney du Jour Dance Party.

Opening week is set to thrill foodies at more than 30 global marketplaces, filled with eats like the warm raclette Swiss cheese debuting at The Alps Global Marketplace, a brand-new location for this year’s event. Guests can follow their nose to the jerk-spiced chicken grilled on site for all to savor at the Islands of the Caribbean Global Marketplace. And get ready for a taste of autumn at the Appleseed Orchard Global Marketplace near Le Cellier Steakhouse, where a chill vibe plus charcuterie and cheese nibbles pair well with fresh apple-enhanced libations plus fanciful flights with spice and kick. 

Guests can toast the Festival kickoff with us at Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar, where mimosas will be served individually or as a flight for those who can’t choose between vibrant fruity flavors like key lime and blood orange.  

Then they can bust some moves this opening weekend when Radio Disney ‘Next Big Thing’ artist alum Meg Donnelly (“With U,” Disney Channel’s “Zombies”) ratchets up the fun factor at the Disney du Jour Dance Party, Aug. 30 and 31 in Future World. The Dance Party runs daily, with Disney Characters and Radio Disney artists appearing each Friday and Saturday. More new artists will be announced this week, adding to the concert series’ smorgasbord of family fun!  

You can make a date to groove with the Plain White T’s (“Hey There Delilah”) at the debut of this year’s Eat to the Beat Concert Series, Aug. 29-31. Or, they can celebrate with new Festival act Sawyer Brown (“Thank God for You”) who’ll take the stage and round out Labor Day weekend of top tunes Sept. 1 and 2. The outdoor concerts are included with theme park admission and located at America Gardens Theatre, running Sundays to Thursdays at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 6:30, 7:45 and 9 p.m. from Aug. 29 – Nov. 19.  There’s still time to book an Eat to the Beat Dining Package at select Epcot table-service restaurants to secure guaranteed concert seating!

Reservations for special programming and premium Festival events, including Eat to the Beat Dining Packages, can be made by calling (407) WDW-FEST.

The day is finally here – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is officially open to Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®!

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the largest and most technologically advanced single-themed land expansion ever in a Disney park. The 14-acre land transports you to the remote planet of Batuu, full of unique sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

Here, guests can become part of their own Star Wars stories as they experience galactic food and beverages, craft their own lightsabers, build their own droids and much more.

Here’s a roundup of some of what guests can expect when they step onto Batuu…

Soar the Galaxy Aboard the Millennium Falcon – Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run makes dreams come true for you who’ve wished to step aboard the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.” Here, you can strap into the Falcon cockpit and take the controls as pilots, gunners or flight engineers on a mission to deliver smuggled goods while avoiding any … unnecessary entanglements.

Drink & Dine in Batuu – Weary travelers can take refuge in Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo or even grab a specialty cocktail in the outpost’s favorite watering hole, Oga’s Cantina. For a quick snack, you can also grab a delicious Ronto Wrap from Ronto Roasters or some sweet and spicy Outpost Mix from Kat Saka’s Kettle. And of course, they can always sip on the popular plant-based Blue Milk (or even Green Milk!) at the Milk Stand. For full menus and to make reservations for Oga’s Cantina, be sure to tell you to check out the My Disney Experience app, and don’t forget – mobile ordering is available for the Milk Stand, Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo, and Ronto Roasters!

Shop for Wares Found Only On Batuu – Black Spire Outpost is home to a bustling marketplace, full of vendors showcasing wares from across the galaxy. You can pick up authentic Batuuan attire with a stop at Black Spire Outfitters, start a collection of toys at Toydarian Toymakers, or peek into the cages in the Creature Stall. You can visit Savi’s Workshop to craft their own lightsabers, customizing them with various hilts, décor and the all-important kyber crystals, or build and customize their own astromech friends at the Droid Depot.

Encounter Characters in Batuu – Nothing brings the adventure on Batuu to life like encountering a familiar face from the Star Wars galaxy. Be on the lookout for Chewie, Rey, Kylo Ren, stormtroopers and Resistance spy Vi Moradi.

The resistance is recruiting and you answer the call.

Tucked away in the old outpost on Batuu is a winding path that leads to a secret base, the home of resistance fighters like Poe Dameron, Rey and Chewbacca. Here, you are loaded onto a transport vessel with the promise of meeting General Organa and teaming up with other rebels to take on the First Order. Only things don’t quite go as planned.

Full Story

This will be a day long remembered at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as the park took its first step into a larger world with the grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, was flanked by the mighty Chewbacca and other Star Wars characters Wednesday morning as fireworks exploded overhead during the land’s dedication ceremony. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge officially opens to the public Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019.

“With the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, we’ve set a new standard for the most immersive storytelling in the galaxy,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “Every experience in Batuu – from piloting the Millennium Falcon to building your own droid – puts guests deeper into their own Star Wars story.”

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened at Disneyland Park in California on May 31, 2019, is the largest and most technologically advanced single-themed land expansion ever in a Disney park. The 14-acre land transports guests to the remote planet of Batuu, full of unique sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

Guests become part of their own Star Warsstories as they experience galactic food and beverages, such as iconic Blue Milk and Green Milk. They can craft their own lightsabers or build their own droids in immersive, interactive retail experiences. They can explore an intriguing collection of merchant shops and may even come across iconic Star Wars characters.

In one of the land’s signature attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests take the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy as pilots, gunners or flight engineers in an exhilarating experience that responds in real time to the actions they take. A second anchor attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, will debut Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland. In the most ambitious, immersive and advanced attraction ever imagined, guests will become part of the action during a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance in an experience that will blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

The new land builds off decades of collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd., a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production, including the Star Wars franchise. The work on Star Wars between these two creative powerhouses dates back to 1987, when the groundbreaking Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland Park in California.

With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge officially opening this week at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, our Walt Disney World®Resort hotels are joining in on the galactic celebrations with their own special eats and treats! Each of these offerings are only available for a limited time.

Chewbacca Chocolate-Hazelnut Cupcake – Available now through Sept. 21 at Everything POP Shopping and Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

A chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread and topped with chocolate-hazelnut buttercream and a chocolate candy sash. 

Wookiee Cake – Available Aug. 29-31 at Contempo Café at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

A chocolate cake filled with caramel custard and topped with chocolate buttercream fur and a chocolate sash.

Millennium Falcon Chocolate Pop – Available Aug. 29-Sept. 7 at the Ganachery at Disney Springs®

A milk chocolate lollipop shaped like the Millennium Falcon.

Chewbacca Cake – Available Aug. 29-Sept. 12 at Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs

Full-sized dome cake available for pre-order with options of 4 different flavors. For more information or to place an order, call (407) 934-3500 or swing by the shop at least 72 hours in advance. 

The Dark Side Dessert – Available Aug. 29-Sept. 29 at the Beach Club Marketplace and the Market at Ale & Compass at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort

Red velvet cake with cream cheese swirl and chocolate ganache on top of a sugar cookie.

Yoda Cone – Available starting Aug. 29 at Pineapple Lanai at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Lime Dole Whip served in a green cone and topped with white chocolate Yoda ears.

In addition to our hotel offerings, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is offering a few special Star Wars–themed items too! This includes the return of the popular Lightsaber Churros as well as the debut of a few new items like the Resistance Shake and the Galactic Funnel Cake. 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – All items available starting August 29, 2019 

• Lightsaber Churros (various outdoor vending locations) – dusted in either red or blue sugar
• Galaxy Margarita (various outdoor bar locations) – tequila, blue curaçao,  and lemon-lime mix
• Two Suns of Tatooine Hummus (Backlot Express) – red pepper hummus topped with fried chick peas, and spicy plant-based meat crumbles and plain hummus topped with cucumber, tomato, onions, and cilantro served with pita chips and greens
• Bantha Skewers (Catalina Eddie’s) – chermoula-marinated beef skewers with cous cous salad topped with yogurt sauce
• Darth Vader Savory Waffles (Hollywood and Vine) – Darth Vader waffles topped with bourbon maple glaze
• A Galaxy Far, Far Away Espresso Mousse (ABC Commissary and PizzeRizzo) – caramel and espresso mousse with chocolate ganache
• Resistance Shake (Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant) – Pineapple Dole Whip and Orange Dole Whip swirl with a sugar rim and topped with a Rebel Alliance chocolate piece
• Galactic Funnel Cake (Epic Eats) – funnel cake with strawberries, cookies and cream crumbles, and candy rocks

And of course, if you are looking for a true out-of-this-world experience, be sure to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, opening this Thursday, August 29.  

Guests can experience galaxies far, far away as Disney Cruise Line takes them into the world of Star Wars with Star Wars Day at Sea. From January to March 2020, Guests can enjoy out-of-this-galaxy experiences on special seven-night Caribbean cruises aboard the Disney Fantasy. This one-day event is perfect for those who want to combine the magic of a Disney cruise with the thrilling adventures of Star Wars. 

It doesn’t matter if you are Padawans or Jedis when it comes to their knowledge of the saga, there are fun activities for everyone! Here are the top five legendary experiences you can have while sailing on the high seas.

1. Feel the Force with out-of-this-galaxy entertainment.

Guests can watch as some of the saga’s most iconic moments come to life during this exclusive, nighttime deck show. See some of Star Wars most popular characters, including Rey! Guests can immerse themselves even more and let the Force flow through them during our fireworks at sea spectacular set to John Williams’ Star Wars score. 

2. Help Chewbacca in a fun-filled scavenger hunt.

There are porgs onboard! Guests can help their favorite Wookiee find the porgs that are wreaking havoc throughout the ship. At the end, Guests can meet Chewbacca as he congratulates them on a job well done!

3. Experience epic encounters.

Whether guests are a part of the light side or have dabbled into the dark side, they’re sure to see some familiar and exciting faces. They can even meet Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Darth Vader during scheduled photo sessions. And, they might just see some First Order Stormtroopers or Jawas wandering around the ship.

4. Brush up on Star Wars knowledge.

During the sailing, all films in the Star Wars saga will air on the big screen so guests can jog their memory. They can also stop by Star Wars 101, an interactive session designed to give them the lowdown on all things Star Wars. Once they’re a Star Wars expert, you can gather the family and join a game of Star Wars trivia!

5. Let the little ones have their own fun.

Inside Disney’s Oceaneer Club, little rebels can join the Resistance when members of the resistance and BB-8 come by looking for recruits. In the Star Wars: Command Post, kids can even defend against the First Order during a fun puzzle-solving adventure game. 

Final preparations are underway for the debut of Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, the new separate-ticket party in Disney California Adventure® Park. In particular, the dance crew from the Isle of the Lost is getting ready for the new, pulsing DescenDANCE Party!

DescenDANCE Party is a new experience inspired by the popular “Descendants” franchise from Disney Channel. As the DescenDANCE Party begins, a spell is cast, summoning the dance crew to teach everyone moves that are set to the biggest hit songs from all three “Descendants” movies. The original “Villain Kids” might even crash the party through magic mirrors! The Backlot DJ will also spin tunes that will make any “Villain Kid” proud, inviting everyone to step onto the dance floor into the night.

Celebrity choreographer Nika Kljun created the show’s dance moves. She brings a unique flair and high-energy vibe to this dynamic spectacle. Check out the video for a first look: