WDW Daily News

If you or you have had the chance to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, then you know Disney Cast Members and Star Wars characters interact with Guests in ways never experienced before in a Disney park.  Everyone is part of the story – helping guests to live their own Star Wars adventure! 

At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney Cast Members are local citizens of Batuu with their own identities and personas within the stories of their roles in the land.   And each Cast Member is also a storyteller with a galactic backstory that enhances every Star Wars adventure.

Whether it’s speaking Shyriiwook with Chewbacca, meeting a local at Oga’s Cantina or haggling with a vendor at Black Spire Outpost Marketplace, there’s always an out-of-this-galaxy adventure to be found and shared at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland® Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®.

Epcot® International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World® Resort will kick-off its annual global celebration of visual, culinary and performing arts Jan. 17, 2020 and continue for 39 days through Feb. 24, 2020. The event features visiting artists, an array of foodie delights and opportunities for guests to embrace their own inner artists.  

The popular Disney on Broadway Concert Series returns to America Gardens Theatre with three daily performances headlined by Broadway stars who reprise favorite songs from past performances in award-winning shows. This year’s talent-rich lineup includes Kissy Simmons, who starred as Nala in “The Lion King,” and Kevin Massey of “Tarzan.” The show-stopping schedule currently features:  

• Jan. 17, 20, 21, 24 and 25 – Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”) 
• Jan. 18, 19, 22, 23 and 25 – Heidi Blickenstaff (“The Little Mermaid”; “Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)
• Jan. 25 – Special performance featuring Simmons, White, Blickenstaff and Lee 
• Jan. 26, 28, 29; Feb. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9 – Kara Lindsay (“Newsies”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”) 
• Feb. 10, 12, 13, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24 – Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”; “Beauty and the Beast”) and Josh Strickland (Tarzan)
• Additional January and February performances still to be announced. 

All shows are included with theme park admission. The best way to experience a performance is by reserving a Disney on Broadway Dining Package, which guarantees seating for one show on the day of the dining experience. 

Premium festival experiences that include Paint with a Disney Artist and the World Showcase: Destinations Discovered guided tour are also available to Guests for a fee. 

General reservations for dining packages and workshops start Nov. 14, 2019. Please can visit ArtfulEpcot.com or call (407) WDW-Fest for more information. Dining packages and workshops are available to book for Disney Vacation Members and Annual Passholders starting Nov. 13. DVC Members can contact Member Services at (800) 800-9800 and Annual Passholders can call (407) WDW-Fest.

More to See, Do and Eat During the Festival

• Guests can indulge in new culinary fun at the Le Cellier Brunch in the Canada pavilion, a leisurely prix fixe bounty each Saturday and Sunday in the relaxing Canadian chateau. Reservations required. 
• Guests can explore the Green Landing Family Play Zone where Wall-E and Eve invite the entire family to enjoy a lush, green environment built for exploring. 
• Guests can jump into photo-ops located throughout Epcot, such as the Peter Pan Storybook installation by the United Kingdom pavilion where they can flap their fins in Mermaid Lagoon or get their pirate on at Skull Rock.
• Guests can grab a paintbrush and add color to a wall mural along World Showcase Plaza. 
• They can also join Figment’s Brush with the Masters, a scavenger hunt where the friendly dragon has painted himself into famous pieces of art in each World Showcase pavilion.  
• Guest can marvel at and purchase works by Disney’s iconic artists in displays throughout World Showcase.  
• They can watch visiting artists as they create new pieces, from Disney-inspired works to creative art across diverse mediums.
• And they can create festival-inspired T-shirts and candles.

For the seventh year in a row, Disney Cruise Line has earned number one spots in the Best Cruise Lines for Families and Best Cruise Lines in the Caribbean categories of the U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Cruise Line rankings and we couldn’t be more excited! 

These annual rankings celebrate the very best of the best and recognize how our fantastic teams continue to outdo themselves each and every year. In the words of our Disney Cruise Line President Jeff Vahle, “The energy and enthusiasm our Crew Members bring to their roles is the driving force behind why Disney is such a trusted name in cruising.”

U.S. News & World Report rates more than 150 cruise ships based on an analysis of expert and user opinions that factor in traveler type, overall cruise ship quality, reputation in the industry, types of itineraries, approval ratings and more. 

There is so much passion and planning that goes into creating the perfect ocean-going vacation for each member of the family, but what is the best thing about a Disney cruise for your Clients? Is it seeing the Broadway-style shows in the Walt Disney Theater or splashing along our amazing “water coaster” at sea?  Watching the waves roll in from the comfort of a swaying hammock at our island paradise, Disney Castaway Cay? Or indulging in a delicious brunch at Palo, our chic adult-exclusive restaurant.

We hope to see your Clients around the ship real soon!

Since we first set sail in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has delivered incredible family vacation experiences that combine the magic of Disney with the wonder of exploring different parts of the world. From Broadway-style productions inspired by classic Disney tales and dedicated spaces for kids and adults to signature dining and spa experiences, Disney Cruise Line offers something for every member in your family. For a full list of this year’s U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Cruise Line rankings, visit U.S. News 2020 Best Cruises Guides.

It’s been an exciting time at Walt Disney World® Resort since the arrival of Disney Skyliner! Since September, Guests have taken flight in new, incredible gondolas infused with Disney magic. In celebration of this new transportation system, a Funko Pop! figure inspired by Disney Skyliner will be available beginning Nov. 16, 2019.

This collectible Funko Pop! figure will be available across Walt Disney World Resort at these locations:

• World Traveler at Epcot® 
• Mickey’s of Hollywood at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort 
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort 
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk
• Merchandise will also be available at the new Disney’s Riviera Resort when it opens later this year!

Be sure to tell your Clients to check out more Skyliner merchandise available across Walt Disney World Resort.

All merchandise available while supplies last.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World Resort will unveil its annual global celebration of visual, culinary and performing arts Jan. 17 and continue for 39 days through Feb. 24, 2020. The event features visiting artists, an array of foodie delights and opportunities for guests to embrace their own inner artists.

Disney on Broadway Concert Series Returns with New Performers

The popular Disney on BroadwayConcert Series returns to America Gardens Theatre with three daily performances headlined by Broadway stars who reprise favorite songs from past performances in award-winning shows. This year’s talent-rich lineup includes Kissy Simmons, who starred as Nala in “The Lion King,” and Kevin Massey of “Tarzan.” The show-stopping schedule currently features:

• 17, 20, 21, 24 and 25 – Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)
• 18, 19, 22, 23 and 25 – Heidi Blickenstaff (“The Little Mermaid”; “Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)
• 25 – Special performance featuring Simmons, White, Blickenstaff and Lee
• 26, 28, 29; Feb. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 9 – Kara Lindsay (“Newsies”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
• 10, 12, 13, 18, 19, 22, 23 and 24 – Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”; “Beauty and the Beast”) and Josh Strickland (Tarzan)
• Additional January and February performances still to be announced.

All shows are included with theme park admission. The best way to experience a performance is by reserving aDisney on BroadwayDining Package, which guarantees seating for one show on the day of the dining experience. Packages are available to book starting Nov. 14, 2019, at participating Epcot restaurants; guests can visit ArtfulEpcot.com or call (407) WDW-FEST to make a reservation.

Food Studios Serve Up the Culinary Arts

Twelve festival Food Studios plus additional food and beverage locations will take culinary arts to the next level with scrumptious, imaginative dishes – artistically sculpted and ready for camera closeups.

Festival guests will discover seven-days-a-week fun including a colorful new interactive mural, that everyone in the family can help paint, workshops, artful photo ops, art galleries and mesmerizing performance art like the daily Epcot Living Statues and Art Defying Gravity shows.

More to See, Do and Eat During the Festival

• Indulge in new culinary fun at the Le Cellier Brunch in the Canada pavilion, a leisurely prix fixe bounty each Saturday and Sunday in the relaxing Canadian chateau. Reservations required.
• Explore the Green Landing Family Play Zone where Wall-E and Eve invite the entire family to enjoy a lush, green environment built for exploring.
• Jump into photo-ops located throughout Epcot, such as the Peter Pan Storybook installation by the United Kingdom pavilion where guests can flap their fins in Mermaid Lagoon or get their pirate on at Skull Rock.
• Grab a paintbrush and add color to a wall mural along World Showcase Plaza.
• Join Figment’s Brush with the Masters, a scavenger hunt where the friendly dragon has painted himself into famous pieces of art in each World Showcase pavilion.
• Marvel at and purchase works by Disney’s iconic artists in displays throughout World Showcase.
• Watch visiting artists as they create new pieces, from Disney-inspired works to creative art across diverse mediums.
• Create festival-inspired t-shirts and candles.

Premium festival experiences that include Paint with a Disney Artist and the World Showcase: Destinations Discovered guided tour are available to guests for a fee. To book a workshop, guests can call (407) WDW-TOUR or sign up for openings still available the day of their festival visit. Visit ArtfulEpcot.comfor details.

Episode 1 of The Mandalorian is finally here, having launched alongside Disney Plus. But if you’re used to binge watching shows on Netflix you might be surprised to hear that The Mandalorian is actually being drip fed to us.

Full Story & Schedule

Today marks the launch of Disney+ in the U.S., the ultimate streaming destination for content from our biggest brands including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. From “Moana” to “Toy Story,” “Captain Marvel” to “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Disney+ offers some of the best stories in the world, all in one place.

Check out these top three ways to celebrate the launch of Disney+ at Disney Parks and at home:

1.     It’s a Disney+ wonderland for Guests visiting Disney Springs® at Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida:

• You can celebrate Disney+’s holiday comedy “Noelle,” starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader at the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail. This year, the trail is getting an overlay inspired by “Noelle” including a DJ dance party, themed food and beverage, merchandise offerings, costume displays, photo ops and much more!
• Guests won’t want to miss the new Disney+ kiosk located in the Town Center where they can subscribe in person and learn more.
• And Star Wars fans can check out a variety of products inspired by “The Mandalorian”including an exclusive MagicBand now available at the following locations:
  • World of Disney in Disney Springs
  • Keystone Clothiers, Star Wars Launch Bay and Tatooine Traders at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®
  • MouseGear at Epcot®
  • Emporium at Magic Kingdom® Park

2.    Guests can Continue their Disney+ celebration when visiting the Disneyland® Resort in California:

• Guests can embrace their inner bounty hunter and get an up-close look at props and production memorabilia from “The Mandalorian” at Star Wars Launch Bay at Disneyland Park.
• Guests can check out the latest merchandise inspired by “The Mandalorian” available now at:
  • The Star Trader, Star Wars Launch Bay and Emporium at Disneyland Park  
  • Elias & Co. at Disney California Adventure® Park
  • You can “get’cha head in the game” with an exclusive sneak peek of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” at the Tomorrowland Theater in Disneyland Park now through Dec. 12, 2019.
  • They can visit the new Disney+ kiosk located by the Disney Home in the Downtown Disney® District to learn more and subscribe in person.

3. Not only does Disney+ feature some of the most beloved stories in the world, but it also introduces some new stories, including a few inspired by Disney Parks:

• “The Imagineering Story” takes viewers behind the scenes of the Disney Parks dream in this all-new original series that inspires them to “keep moving forward.”
• “One Day at Disney” delves into the essence of what it’s like to work at The Walt Disney Company in a full-length original documentary and 52 short-form episodes.

After you binge their favorite films, you can see them come to life at Disney Parks with Woody, Buzz and friends at play in Toy Story Land or even join the First Order and Kylo Ren at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

For more information, visit DisneyPlus.com!

Magical holiday experiences and beloved traditions await Walt Disney World Resort guests during the most wonderful time of the year. Starting Nov. 8, theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs come to life with holiday charm and excitement as dazzling décor and a flurry of fun immerse guests in a festive fantasy.

Check out these holiday fun facts and discover how Walt Disney World Resort becomes a winter wonderland!

Walt Disney World Resort

• The Walt Disney World Holiday Services team provides décor for 780 locations within 41 different properties, including Disney theme parks, resorts, Disney Springs and recreation and shopping areas. The team also decorates Disney Cruise Line ships and Disney Vacation Club resorts in Florida and South Carolina.
• 41 cast members work year-round to make the holiday transformation a reality, with an additional 119 cast members added during the installation period.
• Décor installation begins Halloween night and is finished by Thanksgiving.

Magic Kingdom Park           

• During the holidays, Magic Kingdom is home to 40 trees, 147 wreaths and 590 garlands that measure a total of 5,188 feet.
• Guests can celebrate the season at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on 23 select nights from Nov. 8 to Dec. 22. This year’s celebration welcomes the dazzling new nighttime spectacular, “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.”
• Tomorrowland Speedway joins in the merriment of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for the first time this year with a new holiday overlay that glimmers with 30,000 controllable lights and stylized décor. Guests racing around the track will spot 12 geometric trees ranging from 6 to 10 feet tall. It’s one of 4 Magic Kingdom attractions to feature holiday overlays.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate the holidays in full for the first time in its history, with enchanting entertainment and décor in 3 new locations.
• 148 animal-inspired luminaries will cast a warm and festive glow throughout Discovery Island as a merry menagerie of 10 artisan-sculpted puppets resembling winter animals roam and interact with guests throughout the land.
• 2,600 light bulbs will adorn the DinoLand U.S.A. water tower, giving the land a festive new look for the holidays.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• The Christmas tree on Echo Lake is 65 feet tall, with a 25-foot-wide base.
• Sunset Seasons Greetings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios includes 12 high-definition projectors used to visually transform the façade of the Hollywood Tower Hotel with holiday scenes.
• 21 palm trees along Sunset Boulevard illuminate with programmable, color-changing LED fixtures.
• Dinosaur Gertie is dressed in her finest holiday attire. Her hat is so big, four people could stand inside it!

Epcot

• Epcot International Festival of the Holidays takes place Nov. 29 through Dec. 30 and celebrates holiday traditions from around the world through storytelling and music presented throughout World Showcase.
• Holiday treats are also part of the festival, which includes 13 Holiday Kitchens serving more than 50 bites from around the world and 60-plus specialty
• The Candlelight Processional will be performed 96 times at Epcot this holiday season with a 50-piece orchestra, mass choir and 12 different celebrity narrators.
• The Candlelight Processional stage at America Gardens Theatre features 2 Christmas trees that are each 18 feet tall.

Resorts

• Guests will find a life-size holiday gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This elaborate 10-foot-wide,15-foot-long and 14-foot-tall structure is covered with more than 10,000 pieces of gingerbread and is the perfect place to pick up holiday sweets and treats.
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort is celebrating the 10^th anniversary of its iconic gingerbread Cinderella Castle. This 18-foot-tall display is crafted from more than 5,000 gingerbread shingles, 47 pounds of rolled fondant, 38 pounds of modeling chocolate and much more!
• This year also marks the 20^th anniversary of the Holiday Carousel gingerbread display at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. This life-size spinning carousel features 20 “Hidden Mickeys,” 5 Peter Pan-themed horses and handcrafted gingerbread shingles.
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort is home to the tallest Christmas tree at Walt Disney World. This 70-foot-tall tree is adorned with 16,000 lights and more than 200 custom ornaments.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is home to a 45-foot-tall tree featuring authentic African décor and reproductions of traditional African masks.

Disney Springs

• Disney Springs is the epicenter of holiday shopping at Walt Disney World. It’s also the largest of all of the decorated Disney locations, with more than 2,000 pieces of individual décor, including a 45-foot-tall tree.
• Each piece of décor was custom designed to fit the classic Florida town theme that carries throughout the entirety of Disney Springs.
• Disney Springs is also home to the Christmas Tree Trail, a walk through wonderland featuring 23 unique Disney-themed trees.

The centerpiece of Disney’s streaming strategy is here.

After an initial test in the Netherlands, Disney+ is officially launching in the United States and Canada today, with a lineup of original content that includes the first episode of the very first live action Star Wars series, “The Mandalorian,” along with a deep library of Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies and shows — not to mention the first 30 seasons of “The Simpsons.”

Full Story

Disney is a famously secretive company. It’s so secretive, in fact, that some of its biggest mysteries have elevated into legend. Have you heard there’s a basketball court inside the Matterhorn ride? Are there really full cities underneath the theme parks? In the Disney+ showThe Imagineering Story, many of those legends will finally be revealed and we have filmmaker Leslie Iwerks to thank.

Full Story & Video Clip