Archive for Walt Disney World

New Candlelight Processional Narrators, Food & Merchandise Set for 2018 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays

Earlier this year, we announced several celebrity narrators for the highly anticipated Candlelight Processional during the 2018 Epcot® International Festival of the Holidays, Nov. 22-Dec. 30, 2018. Now we are excited to share four more narrators who will delight guests this holiday season:

  • Chita Rivera, Nov. 22 – 23
  • Helen Hunt, Nov. 24-25 – NEW
  • Alfonso Ribeiro, Nov. 26-27 – NEW
  • TBD, Nov. 28-Dec. 2
  • Neil Patrick Harris, Dec. 3 – 6
  • Whoopi Goldberg, Dec. 7 – 9
  • Bart Millard, Dec. 10-12 – NEW
  • Blair Underwood, Dec. 13 – 14
  • Gary Sinise, Dec. 15 – 17
  • Pat Sajak, Dec. 18 – 20
  • Auli’I Cravalho, Dec. 21-23 – NEW
  • Edward James Olmos, Dec. 24 – 25
  • Jodi Benson, Dec. 26 – 27
  • Cal Ripken Jr., Dec. 28-30

Held in the America Gardens Theatre, the Candlelight Processional is a beloved part of the Walt Disney World holiday season. Celebrity narrators read the biblical Christmas story backed by a 50-piece orchestra and massed choir. For the first time, performances of the Candlelight Processional begin on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, 2018.

The Candlelight Processional is just one of many ways to experience holiday magic at Epcot, including…food! The all-new menu at the Feast of the Three Kings marketplace features sofrito-marinated beef with sweet plantains and olives, queso fresco-stuffed arepa topped with shrimp, crushed avocado aji and tomato sauce, as well as arepas topped with melted queso fresco.

Other new food items this year include:

  • Black forest roulade with cherry whipped cream (Bavaria Holiday Kitchen, Germany)
  • Hand-carved smoked ham with green beans and sweet potato casserole (American Holiday Table, The American Adventure)
  • Three variations of croissant doughnuts at the Taste Track marketplace

For even more new foodie fun, track your purchases of five select holiday cookies in your Festival Passport by collecting a unique stamp for each one. Then, stop by Holiday Sweets and Treats to receive a special complimentary “completer” cookie…and a glass of milk!

There will also be a brand-new marketplace this year – keep checking back to Disney Travel News or information coming soon.

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Double the Attractions, Double the Fun at the Newly Expanded Early Morning Magic

Early Morning Magic at the Magic Kingdom® is a blast, with a delicious breakfast and limited-entry early-access rides on Fantasyland favorites like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. And we’re excited to share that starting on Dec. 2, 2018, Early Morning Magic will be bigger and better than ever!

The number of attractions available for you to experience will double, with returning favorites Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, as well as attractions new to the event – Princess Fairytale Hall, “it’s a small world”, Mad Tea Party, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid.

The morning also includes scrumptious breakfast at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café that comes with cheese and cured meats, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, pancakes and more. Breakfast runs from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and exclusive event-only access to the attractions lasts from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m.

This newly expanded Early Morning Magic will take place select Tuesdays and Sundays and will cost $79 for adults and $69 for children (regular theme park admission is also required). Admission will be limited, so be sure to book your reservation as soon as possible!

For more information and to book this experience, visit the Walt Disney World® Resort website or call the Disney Reservation Center at (407) 827-7350.

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OMG: Here’s Every Single Limited-Time Experience Coming To Disney World In 2019

Time and time again, Walt Disney World proves to fans it cannot be outdone. Each year there drops exciting additions to its parks. The new, limited-time experiences coming in 2019 are no different. Here’s a look at everything coming next year.

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Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria Unveils New Upstairs Dining at Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort

A beautiful new dining space is now open in the Downtown Disney® District at the Disneyland® Resort! As part of a larger phased renovation, Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria is pleased to unveil an upstairs restaurant with a quaint walkout patio.

Twinkling chandeliers give the celestial atmosphere a warm and inviting glow. Inside, Guests are welcome to comfortably lounge in plush booth seating while looking on as their meals are being expertly prepared in the open concept kitchen.

Guests can order Napolini’s famous fresh-baked pizzas from the recently opened ground-level patio at Naples. You can grab an individual 10-inch Neapolitan pie to enjoy by themselves on the go or share a large 20-inch amongst friends and family for a delicious meal on the go. See the full list of drool-worthy pizza to-go options below:

  • Margherita
  • Pepperoni
  • Marinara E. Capperi
  • Capricciosa
  • Porchetta
  • Pesto E Gamberi
  • Pollo
  • Melanzane
  • Quattro Formaggi

The third and final phase of renovations are slated to be complete later this year. These dynamic developments are part of the ongoing Downtown Disney District promenade-wide transformation. Multiple new venues — such as Salt & Straw scoop shop, Ballast Point and Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes and the reimagining of the World of Disney store — will all be introduced over the next few months while Downtown Disney remains open to Guests. There is so much to enjoy — we invite your Clients to come sip, savor and shop!

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Disney World’s New Pricing System Could Save You Money — or Cost You a Ton

Frequent Walt Disney World visitors know organizing a vacation requires a bit of finesse, and when Disney introduces its new online booking platform next month, you’ll need to know even more to plan that perfect trip. It’s not exactly a ticket increase, but it’s going to change the way you visit Walt Disney World forever.

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Walt Disney World Resort to Debut Date-Based Tickets and Pricing on Oct. 16, 2018

Disney’s focus is on creating the best experience possible for their Guests and they know guests are increasingly looking for personalized options that fit their individual vacation needs. Beginning on Oct. 16, you will be able to purchase Walt Disney World® theme park tickets that are priced based on the date you choose to visit. These changes are designed to give you an enhanced way to purchase theme park tickets for you and help you to more easily plan the Disney vacation of their dreams.

This approach to pricing tickets by date is modeled off of consumer demand and is part of our effort to better distribute attendance throughout the year to improve the Guest experience.

In the past five years alone, Disney Parks has invested approximately $15 billion to bring historic and exciting expansions, both completed and in development, to destinations around the world. Expansions like Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® helped drive record attendance at Walt Disney World and along with Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios® increased capacity and resulted in high levels of guest satisfaction. In addition to building new attractions and whole new lands, we continuously update our existing attractions and create new festivals, seasonal celebrations and events to provide guests with something new when they visit. Guests tell us new offerings, paired with our immersive storytelling and creativity, is a magical part of the Disney experience.

Detailed pricing will be available beginning on Oct. 16. Disney knows that you will have questions about this new ticket structure, so hey have provided answers to some potential frequently asked questions below.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • When will date-based tickets expire?

1-Day base tickets are valid for admission on the specific start date selected. Multi-day tickets are valid for admission beginning on the start date selected and must be used within a limited time period.

Ticket Duration Valid Use Period
1-Day Ticket Only the start date selected
2-Day Ticket Any 2 days within 4 days beginning on the start date
3-Day Ticket Any 3 days within 5 days beginning on the start date
4-Day Ticket Any 4 days within 7 days beginning on the start date
5-Day Ticket Any 5 days within 8 days beginning on the start date
6-Day Ticket Any 6 days within 9 days beginning on the start date
7-Day Ticket Any 7 days within 10 days beginning on the start date
8-Day Ticket Any 8 days within 12 days beginning on the start date
9-Day Ticket Any 9 days within 13 days beginning on the start date
10-Day Ticket Any 10 days within 14 days beginning on the start date

For example, a 6-day base ticket with a start date of Nov. 1, ticket is valid any 6 days from Nov.1 – Nov. 9.

Add the Park Hopper Option to visit more than one Theme Park on the same day. For example, a 6-day ticket with the Park Hopper Option with a start date of Nov. 1, ticket is valid any 6 days from Nov. 1 – Nov. 9.

Add the Park Hopper Plus Option to include visits to the Disney Water Parks and other attractions—along with the ability to visit more than one Theme Park on the same day. This option also extends the period of time within which you may use your ticket by one day. For example, a 6-day ticket with the Park Hopper Plus Option with a start date of Nov. 1, ticket is valid any 6 days from Nov. 1 – Nov. 10.

  • When will tickets purchased as part of a Walt Disney Travel Company package expire?

Date-based tickets purchased as part of a Walt Disney Travel Company room and ticket package will have one of the following valid use periods (whichever is longer): (i) the same valid use period described above, OR (ii) a valid use period beginning on the package resort arrival date and ending on the package resort check-out date. See above for the explanation of valid use period and how valid use period is not the same as ticket duration.

For example, a Guest who purchases a Walt Disney Travel Company package with a 3-Day base ticket and a resort length of stay of 6 nights with an arrival date of Nov. 1; ticket is valid any 3 days from Nov, 1 – Nov. 7.

  • Why did you shorten the valid use window for tickets?

The new valid use window for tickets better aligns with observed Guest ticket usage patterns. Guests wanting additional flexibility can purchase a Flexible Date Ticket.

  • Will you still offer multi-day discounts?

Yes, the “More you Play, the Less you Pay Per Day” philosophy still applies. Similar to today, the price per day decreases as you add more days to your ticket. Multi-day discounts will vary depending on the length of the ticket.

  • I already purchased tickets for my upcoming visit. Are my tickets still valid?

Unused, unexpired tickets will remain valid. Tickets maintain the same terms and conditions – including the expiration date – as they had at the time of purchase.

  • Will I need to pay more for my ticket if I already purchased it prior to Oct. 16?

No. Please be sure to check the specific terms and conditions on your ticket to confirm the expiration policy.

  • Are tickets able to be modified – what happens if a guest needs to change their date?

Yes, you will be able to modify tickets for your Clients prior to the ticket start date. And, for the first time, your Clients will be able to modify their own tickets online or through the Disney Reservation Center prior to the ticket start date. If the ticket is changed to a higher priced date, guest will be responsible for paying the difference in price. There will be no refunds to changes to lower priced dates.  If modifications are needed after the ticket start date, guests must visit any Vacation Planning window.

  • Are stand-alone water park tickets included in this change?

1-Day Water Park Tickets are not included in this change.

  • Is date-based pricing being implemented at other sites at this time?
    This is only being implemented at Walt Disney World Resort at this time.
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All-New Nighttime Fireworks Spectacular to Replace ‘IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth’ as Part of the Transformation of Epcot

After nearly 20 years of delighting Epcot® Guests with the emotional story of humanity told through music, fireworks, light torches and more, we wanted to let you know that “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” will be ending in the second half of next year. The Disney Parks Live Entertainment team is already busy creating new thrills to debut immediately following the conclusion of “IllumiNations,” continuing the tradition of nightly entertainment on the World Showcase Lagoon.

“IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” which is currently planned to run to the end of summer 2019, has entertained millions of guests gathered around World Showcase Lagoon sharing the light and a story since it debuted in October 1999 as part of the Walt Disney World® Millennium Celebration. During the coming year, we’ll be celebrating this classic show, so your Clients still have plenty of time to experience it again and again, as excitement builds for what’s next.

As we’ve previously shared, we’ve got big plans for our multi-year transformation of Epcot, with new experiences that will “Wow!” you while keeping true to the original vision of the park. And the all-new nighttime fireworks spectacular coming to Epcot’s World Showcase Lagoon will be part of the park’s exciting evolution.

The new show joins several previously announced experiences coming to Epcot, including the highly-anticipated “Guardians of the Galaxy” roller coaster attraction, a “Ratatouille”-inspired attraction in World Showcase, a new table-service restaurant adjacent to Mission: SPACE and much more!

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Everything You Need To Know About Disney World’s Magical Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

It is no secret that Disney World is the most magical place on Earth, but there are pockets of extra magic folded in throughout. One of them is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where kids’ wildest dreams actually come true. Here’s what you need to know about the whole experience.

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12 fall treats you need to try at Disney World

Caramel, pumpkins, and apples — oh my.

Fall is in the air, even in sunny Walt Disney World. Although the Florida weather may not let you whip out your flannel and boots quite yet, Disney World is home to many festive treats and spooky Halloween-themed sweets to help get you in the mood.

Here are 12 limited time treats definitely worth trying during your next visit.

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Minnie Van Service Expands Across Walt Disney World Resort Property

Minnie Van service continues to whisk Guests all over Walt Disney World® Resort property, and beginning Sept. 14, 2018, the popular service is expanding to even more Guests at Bonnet Creek, Flamingo Crossings and Hotel Plaza Boulevard resorts. You can join in on the fun right from the Lyft app on their smartphone to request and pay for their own private Disney ride.

As we recently shared, Minnie Van airport shuttles are also available to you traveling to and from Orlando International Airport MCO, and can be scheduled in advance by calling 407-WDW-PLAY. Please note Minnie Van airport shuttles are available only between Walt Disney World Resort hotels and Orlando International Airport.

In the coming days, you will also see new distance-based pricing when they choose Minnie Van service. Pricing will be based on the destination within Walt Disney World® Resort.

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