WDW Daily News

• Also in the France pavilion, the classic Impressions de France film will be joined by the new “Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along,” debuting in January 2020 and directed by Don Hahn, producer of both the animated and live-action versions of this tale as old as time.

• “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360”will debut in January 2020 in the Canada pavilion with new scenes and a new story.

• In the China pavilion, “Wondrous China” will take you on a spectacular journey across the country, filmed and presented in a completely seamless 360-degree digital format.

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products have announced tickets are on sale for the highly anticipated new show coming to the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The yet-to-be-named production, a collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering will open for previews March 20, 2020, and officially premiere April 17, 2020. The show will take residency at Disney Springs. Tickets information is available online at Disneyworld.com.

This original creation coming to Disney Springs celebrates the art of Disney animation in Cirque du Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to thecraftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary.It will transport the audience into the world of Disney animation with new original acrobatic sequences, dazzling choreography, musical masterpieces and whimsical characters.

Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, stated “We have joined forces with Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios to create a show that combines Disney animation and heart with the unique artistry and theatrical sensibility of Cirque du Soleil. We are honored to be the first company trusted to work and create around these classic Disney characters in this unique way.’’

“For more than 60 years, we’ve been bringing Disney stories and characters to life in our theme parks around the world,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “Now our teams at Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios have joined with Cirque du Soleil to create an entirely new experience that will wow Walt Disney World guests and bring timeless, enchanting Disney stories to life in an unforgettable new way.”

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products first teamed up to bring La Noubato the stage at Disney Springs (then Downtown Disney) in 1998. Twenty years later, the two organizations are excited to be working together on a new project.

For more information on show tickets, dates and pricing, visit Disneyworld.com.

Take a look at concept art for the entrance of Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge. It will be a unique hotel and proposed Disney Vacation Club resort inspired by the wonders of nature and artistry of Walt Disney. 

• A new pavilion will be the perfect place for live events, and the home base for Epcot’s signature festivals. It will provide a stunning elevated view of the entire park and an ideal spot to witness Epcot’s nighttime spectacular. This beautiful three-level structure will have one of the most remarkable architectural designs at any Disney park, featuring a plaza level, a middle expo level, and a park that sits in the sky on the top level.

• The PLAY! pavilion will open in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World. In this digital metropolis, you will discover an interactive city bursting with games, activities and experiences that connect you with friends, family and beloved Disney characters – both real and virtual – like never before. As part of this new pavilion, you have the chance to help legendary fashion icon Edna Mode on her quest to rid the world of uninspired style, or make a splash competing in a water-balloon fight hosted by Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby. 

At this weekend’s D23 Expo 2019, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek revealed exciting announcements and updates about what’s coming to the Disneyland® Resort! Next year, the highly-anticipated Avengers Campus is opening in Disney California Adventure® Park, while the all-new “Magic Happens” parade will debut in Disneyland Park. In addition, more details were shared for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the first major Mickey-themed ride-through attraction, opening in 2022 at Disneyland Park.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Avengers Campus to Open in 2020 at Disney California Adventure Park

Guests can soon suit up alongside their favorite Super Heroes at the Avengers Campus, beginning in 2020 at Disney California Adventure Park. This campus is set up by the Avengers to recruit the next generation of Super Heroes.

“In some ways, these new campuses are like the Avengers themselves: a group of diverse individuals who have teamed up for the same purpose,” said Scot Drake, Creative Executive, Marvel Global Portfolio, Walt Disney Imagineering. “This collection of unique addresses—each dedicated to a different discipline—have been brought together to champion the next generation of heroes.”

The first key address at the Avengers Campus will be the Worldwide Engineering Brigade – also known as “WEB” – which will house our new Spider-Man experience, the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature this iconic Super Hero.

During an open house at WEB, the aspiring inventors are excited to invite guests for a test drive of their latest invention: the “Web Slinger” vehicle, which allows them to sling webs just like Spider-Man! The attraction gives guests a taste of what it’s like to have actual super powers as they help Spider-Man collect Spider-Bots that have run amok.

Avengers Campus will also feature Pym Test Kitchen. Just as Ant-Man and The Wasp use “Pym Particles” to grow and shrink just about anything, Pym Technologies is using the latest innovations to grow and shrink food at this eatery!

Guests will also find heroic encounters throughout the campus, including Black Widow, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Super Heroes from Wakanda and Asgard, and Iron Man.

As Super Heroes continue to assemble at the campus, one of its iconic buildings will be the Avengers Headquarters where you may catch a glimpse of the Avengers along its rooftops.

This building, which will open in phase two, will become the future entrance to a brand-new E-Ticket attraction where guests will step on board a Quinjet and fly alongside the Avengers in an epic adventure to Wakanda and beyond! Guests will team up alongside the Avengers in a battle to save our world against one of the most powerful villains they have ever faced. Imagineers are hard at work conceiving an all-new innovative ride system to put Guests in the middle of this action.

Epcot will be unified with four neighborhoods that each speak to important aspects of the world and its people: World Showcase, World Celebration, World Nature and World Discovery. These neighborhoods will be filled with new experiences rooted in authenticity and innovation that take your Clients to new destinations, where the real is made fantastic in a celebration of curiosity, hands-on wonder and the magic of possibility.  

At the D23 Expo 2019 today, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek announced the highly anticipated name of the fifth Disney Cruise Line ship, gave us a first glance of the ship’s elegant atrium and revealed the iconic Disney character that will adorn the ship’s stern. Bob was joined by Imagineer Joe Rohde to share a first look at the plans for our second island destination in The Bahamas.  

Disney Wish was revealed as the name of our fifth ship. It’s very fitting because making wishes come true is at the heart of so many Disney stories.

The ship’satrium will be a bright, airy and elegant space inspired by the beauty of an enchanted fairytale. A beloved hallmark of Disney Cruise Line, it has been a tradition to adorn the back of our ships with an iconic character that reflects the theme of each vessel. For the Disney Wish, the ship’s stern will feature Rapunzel. Our favorite artsy princess, paintbrush in hand, uses her enchanted hair to suspend herself as she decorates the stern of the ship with the help of her feisty sidekick, Pascal. Spirited, smart, curious and above all, adventurous, Rapunzel embodies the wish and desire to see and experience the world.

The Disney Wish is scheduled for delivery in late 2021 and will set sail in January 2022. The vessel will join Disney Cruise Line’s award-winning fleet where guests experience the magic of Disney entertainment combined with the relaxation of tropical, sun-drenched beaches and the adventure of ocean cruising. All three new ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas and, at approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, be slightly larger than the Disney Dreamand Disney Fantasy.

Today we’re also sharing details on our second tropical destination in The Bahamas, which will be located on the breathtaking island of Eleuthera at a place called Lighthouse Point. The new destination will celebrate both the stories of The Bahamas and the natural environment of Lighthouse Point itself.

Joe Rohde, whose work includes the design of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii, has embarked on an in-depth cultural tour of The Bahamas. With local artists and cultural experts, he has explored cultural sites across New Providence and Eleuthera, from Junkanoo shacks to noted art galleries. 

Joe points out that Disney will be directly involved in conservation efforts to preserve and protect the environment and will be working with local artists to create a unique destination that is rooted in Bahamian culture and filled with Disney magic.

Construction at Lighthouse Point will begin only after an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan are reviewed and accepted by the Government of The Bahamas and public consultation has occurred. Construction could begin in 2020 with completion in late 2022 or 2023.

With three new ships coming to the Disney Cruise Line fleet, there’s so much to look forward to on the high seas and at the new Disney tropical destination experience in The Bahamas. Stay tuned as we look forward to sharing more exciting details with you in the future!

Moments ago, at D23 Expo 2019, details were unveiled by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek for “Disney Genie,” a revolutionary new digital offering set to debut in late 2020 that will enhance the way guests plan for and experience a trip to Walt Disney World® Resort. Joining other innovations like the MagicBand, Disney Genie is being designed to help guests make the most out of their visit.

Disney Genie will make planning easier and more fun by providing customized itineraries geared to your interests – from a royal, princess-themed day at Magic Kingdom® Park to a trip around the world at Epcot® for foodies and even a perfect day for thrill seekers. Certain features of Disney Genie will also be available through the Disney Travel Agents website. 

Sometimes guests may know exactly what they want to do, but may not know the best time or order in which to do it. They’ll be able to tell Disney Genie what they’d like to experience, and it will quickly evaluate millions of options to present you with an optimal day. And best of all, it’s flexible! If they change their mind for any reason, Disney Genie will re-optimize their day.

Disney Genie can also send guests real-time tips and updates, including recommendations for experiences it thinks they’ll love, helping them navigate the theme parks with added convenience and comfort. If you don’t want to worry about making reservations in multiple steps, Disney Genie will even take care of that for you.

This represents yet another way we are using creativity and innovation to connect guests with the stories and characters they love, and to help them make lasting, magical memories with the family and friends they cherish most. Over the past several years, Disney parks have become more seamless and enjoyable through other digital offerings, such as mobile food ordering, the Play Disney Parks app, online check-in and so much more. 

Stay tuned as development continues on Disney Genie!

As we’ve previously shared, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway—the first major Mickey-themed ride-through attraction—is coming to both Disneyland® Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® in Florida. Today at the D23 Expo 2019, Bob Chapek, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products released a few more exciting details and sneak peeks!

At Disneyland Park, the attraction will be opening in Mickey’s Toontown in 2022. The action takes place at the El CapiTOON Theater, where Mickey and Minnie are premiering their newest short, “Perfect Picnic.” Before your Clients enter the cinema, they’ll experience a special exhibit created by the Toontown Hysterical Society featuring costumes and props from the toon world.  

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney Imagineers are getting ready to open next year. Guests will be invited to the Chinese Theatre, which serves as the magic portal through which theatergoers will step from the human world directly into the cartoon world for one Goofy adventure aboard Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway!

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway puts you inside the wacky and unpredictable world of Disney Channel’s Emmy® Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts! Once guests step into the cartoon world of Mickey and Minnie, they’ll board a train with Goofy as the engineer. Then, one magical moment after the next leads Guests to a zany, out-of-control adventure filled with surprising twists and turns.

 With an original story and lovable theme song, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway uses state-of-the-art technologies and dazzling visual effects to transform the cartoon world into an incredible and immersive multidimensional experience.

Stay tuned for future updates on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.