WDW Daily News

Guests visiting Magic Kingdom Park may soon notice the latest updates coming to the Jungle Cruise as they come around that final bend. Trader Sam is charting a new adventure along the river at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Parks. Ever wonder what happened to that gramophone you accidentally left behind on the boat during your last adventure? How about that beloved pith helmet that went missing?

Word on the stream is that Alberta Falls, proprietor of the Jungle Navigation Company Ltd., has entrusted her longtime friend, Trader Sam, to manage the new Lost & Found location.  But, with Trader Sam being Trader Sam, there’s always an opportunity to make some extra money. After all, all the best rides end with a gift shop, right? 

Take a look at this rendering of their newest venture together. Clearly, Sam is betting on an established reputation as the best merchant in the jungle! But, while he’s out lost and finding some new inventory, it’s the animals that get the last laugh!

The new scene is one of several that are interconnected and build on the original story and humor of the Jungle Cruise. As previously shared, our world-famous skippers will continue to present the unique adventure and interactions Guests expect.

Once complete, Guests will learn more about the events that led up to this final scene. Stay tuned, as enhancements debut later this year!

It might sound impossible, but Disney Imagineers and scenic painters invented two unique colors. You may not see these pigments featured on an attraction, on a marquee sign, or decorating the indoors of hotels, but you will see them every time to visit Walt Disney World.

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The company’s total solar portfolio can reportedly provide enough energy for 65,200 homes, or eight Magic Kingdom parks, for one year.

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The countdown is on! The reopening of Disneyland Resort theme parks is around the corner. As Guests get ready to return to the magic, take a look at a few special products coming to the Disneyland Resort!

Guests can commemorate their magical return with new tees for adults and kids! Guests will love the nod to nostalgia with classic Disneyland lettering and whimsical park iconography. To accompany, the must-have “The Magic Is Back” face mask features fan-favorite, Sorcerer Mickey Mouse!

Guests can enjoy their favorite beverage with the coordinating tumbler – “The Magic Is Back” is featured on one side, and Sorcerer Mickey Mouse on the other. Coming later next month, Pin collectors can choose between four different pins, all of which celebrate the magic returning to the Disneyland Resort!

Most of these magical items will be available throughout the Disneyland Resort starting April 30! Guests can find these must-have items at Emporium at Disneyland park, and Elias & Co. and Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop at Disney California Adventure park.

While Guests are shopping, they can check out the Disney Parks 2021 collection with Disneyland-themed clothing, accessories and more. Bold, graphical block designs in blue, red and yellow feature Mickey Mouse and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Find these souvenirs at Elias & Co. at Disney California Adventure park, World of Disney at Downtown Disney District and shopDisney.com. 

Spring has arrived at Walt Disney World Resort and there are so many ways for adults to celebrate the season at the Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Check out the video below to preview our top 10 things for adults to do on their next visit to EPCOT.

  1.Take A Photo at the Park Entrance

Upon arrival, Guests can snap snap a photo with friends in front of this year’s festival signage. They can choose from a variety of fun locations including this iconic spot by Spaceship Earth.

2. Wave Hello to Favorite Disney Characters

There are ample opportunities for Guests to wave hello to some of their favorite Disney characters at the festival.  

3. Shop ’Til You Drop

Guests can create their own Disney-inspired outfit by shopping exclusive event merchandise collections celebrating the festival. They can find the perfect accessory or piece of apparel to complement their personal style at the shopping locations around EPCOT, including Mouse Gear and Port of Entry.  

4. Taste New Menu Items from Outdoor Kitchens

Guests can brunch all day long at the newest Outdoor Kitchen at this year’s festival. From avocado toast to cinnamon roll bites, the EPCOT Sunshine Griddle offers classic brunch favorites with a twist.

5. Check Out Beloved Attractions

During the festival Guests should be sure to ride their favorite EPCOT attractions like Test Track presented by Chevrolet, Mission: SPACE and Soarin’ Around the World. 

6. Stroll Through The Goodness Garden Butterfly House Presented by GoGo squeeZ

There is something magical about walking through a garden surrounded by butterflies. The Goodness Garden Butterfly House Presented by GoGo squeeZcan be found in Future World West and is full of colorful, nectar-producing flowers that attract multiple species of butterflies.

7. Sample All Things Pineapple at Pineapple Promenade

Nothing says warm weather quite like fresh tropical flavors. From Pineapple Dole Whip to Pineapple Beer Flights, Guests can discover the many ways to enjoy this refreshing fruit at Pineapple Promenade.

8. Strike a Pose in Front of “The Lion King” Topiary

A fan favorite from festivals past, “The Lion King” Topiary received a makeover for the 2021 Taste of EPCOTInternational Flower & Garden Festival. By incorporating moss and palm fiber, Disney cast members gave the reimagined Lion King topiary an even more life-like appearance. Find them near Imagination pavilion to pose with Mufasa, Sarabi, Simba and Rafiki. 

9. Visit World Showplace

Offering live music and delicious bites, World Showplace is a go-to destination during the festival! New this year is EPCOT Farmers Feast, which features local ingredients and a rotating seasonal menu that currently includes the pictured Hibiscus Lemonade Cocktail and Off the “Beet”en Path dessert.

10. Watch Live Performances

Performing for guests during the festival, the JAMMIN’ Gardeners are not your average gardeners! Their musical performances are worth watching and can be found in the Canada pavilion. And Guests shouldn’t miss the chance to watch local Orlando-based bands play live at the America Gardens Theatre on select days during the festival.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=v0y60RexrtoCat

As we continue our celebration of Earth Month, we’re so excited to share more about the environmental initiatives and conservation efforts underway to protect our planet and how Guests can have some fun in their own backyard, too! Check out this trailer for a sneak peek into all the fun coming next week to the apps and read on for more information!

On Earth Day, April 22, 2021, Guests can check out the My Disney Experience app to learn all about different projects from Disney destinations around the world and how they can participate through activities at home that can help make a difference. From recycling plastic bottles in Florida to creating pollinator gardens in Paris, we’re finding new practices that help the environment and we invite Guests to join us wherever they may be!

In a special new series of mini games, Guests can listen closely and test their ears to see if they can identify the species whose sounds delight our guests every day.

Plus, in a special episode of Disney Parks Wild Sights, Guests can meet the Nigerian dwarf goats of Kilimanjaro Safaris! As some of our newest residents, these goats have a unique home on the savanna and our cast members can’t wait to tell Guests more about how their habitat came to be. Guests can hear from the Disney teams who helped create it and see how we can all take steps to protect animals’ habitats in our own communities and around the planet we all call home. 

But that’s not all! Guests can take the celebration digital, with some exclusive downloadable wallpapers in the My Disney Experience app featuring our Nigerian dwarf goats, Sumatran tigers and more! Plus, they can enjoy some virtual backgrounds for their online video chats!

And Guests can stay tuned to the Play Disney Parks app for a special edition of trivia, all about Earth Day! They can test their knowledge from wherever they may be when a new series of questions launches on Friday, April 23, 2021!  

Whether Guests are planting a garden or cleaning up a beach, learning about nature or seeing how much they know about conservation, there are so many ways to have fun and get creative, get their hands a little dirty and make eco-friendly choices that celebrate this world that we share.

Available for iPhone® and Android^TM smartphones.

Message, data and roaming rates may apply. Availability subject to handset limitations, and features may vary by handset, service provider or otherwise. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parents’ permission first. Some app features require separate theme park admission.

Last week Disney Cruise Line reached a big construction milestone on the Disney Wish. And today we’re excited to share a broad assortment of Disney Cruise Linemerchandise is taking a trip shore side for a limited time at Disney Springs!

Now through early September, Guests can stop by Marketplace Co-Op to shop exclusive collections including the traditional Disney Cruise Line Wave and Sail Away Minnie Mouse collections, as well as a selection from Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island in The Bahamas. Guests can be prepared to sail away with trendy and nautical-themed spirit jerseys, T-shirts, and even matching styles for adults and kids so the family can all match.

Guests can pack their perfect getaway essentials in these adorable Disney Cruise Line Loungefly bags or with a classy luggage set. They’ll discover everything from mugs, magnets, luggage tags, hats, photo frames, and more. (There is truly something for every Disney cruiser or aspiring cruiser!)

While Guests are shopping be sure to check out the ship models for an up close and personal look of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasyships. 

Just across the way at Dockside Margaritas, adults can sip on Strawberry Daiquiris and Pina Coladas in the traditional Disney Cruise Line embarkation glass to add more vacation vibes to their Disney Springs visit. (Available while supplies last.)

Finally, Guests can top off their excursion at the Disney PhotoPassStudio and capture their favorite tropical memories with a themed digital background, also available for a limited time.

Earlier this year it was announced that Walt Disney World’s Magical Express, the incredibly convenient transportation option to get guests from Orlando International Airport to the theme park resort would be going away at the end of 2021.

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Super Heroes Assemble! As we’ve all been anticipating, we’re pleased to share that Avengers Campus—an entirely new land dedicated to discovering, recruiting and training the next generation of Super Heroes—will open June 4, 2021 at the Disneyland Resort!

At this fully immersive land inside Disney California Adventure park, guests will be invited to team up with the Avengers and their allies and live out their Super Hero dreams. Avengers Campus is comprised of several heroic locations, each hosted by a different Avenger to share their unique powers, technology and knowledge with recruits. Today, we’re also excited to unveil a first look inside Avengers Campus!

Sling webs with Spider-Man and unite with the Guardians of the Galaxy

The first key area is the Worldwide Engineering Brigade – also known as WEB. It brings together bright innovators like Peter Parker who have been assembled by Tony Stark to invent new technologies and equip everyday people to become Super Heroes like the Avengers. WEB will house the new WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature the iconic friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!

We previously shared that Tom Holland will reprise his role as Spider-Man in the new family-friendly attraction, which invites guests to put their web-slinging skills to the test and experience what it’s like to have powers alongside Spider-Man – a feat accomplished with innovative technology adapted specifically for this attraction, perfect for up-and-coming recruits of all ages.

The second anchor attraction looms high above the land, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, a fan-favorite that opened in 2017. This rockin’ adventure blasts guests straight into the “Guardians of the Galaxy” story, alongside characters from the blockbuster films and comics. Help Rocket bust his fellow Guardians of the Galaxy out of the Collector’s Fortress and experience raucous mayhem, music inspired by the soundtracks from the movies, thrilling free-fall drop sequences and six different story lines!

Power up with tiny treats and massive meals

When it is time to take a break from the heroics, several new dining spots at Avengers Campus will offer dishes that are rich in both flavor and storytelling. Pym Test Kitchen is a food innovation science lab where the food and drinks tell a story. Just as Ant-Man and The Wasp use “Pym Particles” to grow and shrink just about anything, Pym Technologies applies this science to the creation of shareable bites, inventive entrees and sweet treats. Guests will be able to savor such items as the Impossible™ plant-based large and micro meatballs with pasta, or the “Pym-ini,” a panini served by the slice or as a long, multi-portion sandwich.

Adjacent to the Pym Test Kitchen, an oversized beer can overhead signals that grown-up beverage tastings are available at Pym Tasting Lab. Guests can order a craft beer, ranging from a blood orange hefeweizen to an amber lager, or try one of the Pym Research Staff’s Pym

Particle-infused cocktail experiments. Both locations will offer mobile ordering via the Disneyland App.*

Visit one of The Avengers favorite food joints, Shawarma Palace. Enjoy a shawarma wrap at this food cart, which is decked out with memorabilia for Avenger fans. Lastly, Taneleer Tivan did not limit his collection to lovable misfits; he is also curating a weird and wonderful menu of intergalactic eats at the Terran Treats food cart near Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

Team up with the Avengers and their allies like never before

Throughout Avengers Campus, Super Heroes will come to life in exciting ways. Guests may have heroic encounters with Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, Black Widow, Ant-Man and The Wasp, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor and even villains like Loki.

Guests may even have the chance to witness Spider-Man swinging into action high above Avengers Campus with gravity-defying, acrobatic feats never seen before in a Disney theme park.

At a nearby ancient sanctum, Doctor Strange will train recruits in the mystic arts by bringing this ancient sanctum to life with powerful spells. At night, the area glows even more vividly with majestic colors and lights, pulsating with mystic energy.

Suit up with the latest Super Hero gear

The WEB Suppliers store will offer the latest inventions, including interactive Spider-Bots much like the ones seen in the new attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Each Spider-Bot has a remote control, and all eight articulated legs move forward and backward. Guests may customize their Spider-Bot with tactical upgrades to harness the powers and style of favorite Super Heroes, including Black Panther, Iron Man and Black Widow, as well as Ant-Man and The Wasp.

Other must-have items at WEB Suppliers include a specially-designed backpack to carry Spider-Bots when they are not in action, Spider-Man light goggles, a take-home spider web kit and Funko Pop! vinyl figurines of Spider-Man and Iron Man.

The Campus Supply Pod is the place to power up with official Avengers Campus gear, including performance fleece hoodies and tees, headwear, drinkware and other Super Hero supplies.

We are counting down the days till we can team up with the Avengers and their allies, sling webs with Spider-Man, taste-test inventive food and drinks and become part of a bigger universe alongside some of our favorite Super Heroes.

Stay tuned for more epic updates!

*Message, data and roaming rates may apply. Availability subject to handset limitations, and features may vary by handset, service provider or otherwise. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you’re under 18, get your parent’s permission first.

It’s the ‘mane’ virtual event Guests have been waiting for! This summer, Guests can join us in celebrating six years of the runDisney Virtual Series as we honor the timeless majesty of “The Lion King” with three wild and wonderful 5Ks. From The Pride Lands to their very own neighborhood, Guests can be prepared to rule the road (or sidewalk, or treadmill). 

It’s hard to believe that it was 1994 when we first met Simba, the cuddly cub who would become king in the animated classic. Since then, he’s taken Broadway by storm and has been reimagined for a whole new generation. So whether Guests grew up with him back then, or they’re watching their little ones grow up with him now, this unforgettable story of discovering your purpose and celebrating who you are will forever be a cherished part of our lives … and we hope this runDisney virtual event can be as well!

Take a look at each storytelling version of The Lion King we are celebrating for the runDisney Virtual 5Ks and the runDisney Virtual Challenge:

runDisney Virtual 5K | The Timeless Classic

runDisney Virtual 5K | The Broadway Phenomenon

runDisney Virtual 5K | The Reimagined Classic

runDisney Virtual Series Challenge

Running a runDisney virtual event truly means having no worries! Not only do Guests get to decide when they run, they also get to decide where they run. Plus, when they register, Guests can add even more ferocious fun to their miles by downloading a themed bib and at-home kit that includes a start line, finish line and mile markers.

Guests can get ready to have a roaring good time with three different 5Ks, each featuring its own medal inspired by the three unique storytelling versions of “The Lion King.” They can be the talk of The Pride Lands and test their endurance by registering for the runDisney Virtual Challenge that includes all three 5Ks and they’ll receive four marvelous medals total.

Guests can be prepared for a chance of a lifetime as registration opens Thursday, April 8 at 10 a.m. ET for all runDisney Virtual Series events on runDisney.com. If Guests love The Lion King or just want a wild way to train this summer, the runDisney Virtual Series is the perfect opportunity to push themselves to great heights!