WDW Daily News

Disney Visa Cardmembers can save up to 25% on Premium rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa and the Disneyland_®Hotel¹.

Cardmembers can save when booking select rooms at the DisneylandResort for stays most nights from Jan. 5-April 16, 2020. They can take advantage of this offer with the Cardmember advance booking when they use their Disney_®Visa_®Card now-Nov. 11, 2019.

Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel. “Premium” room types include Premium, Deluxe and Woods/Garden/Courtyard rooms; select Concierge rooms; and Artisan, Paradise, Junior and Family suites. Not valid on previously booked rooms. 1-night minimum stay. See important details¹

1. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room at the same hotel. Premium room types included in this offer are Premium, Deluxe and Woods/Garden/Courtyard rooms; select Concierge rooms; and only Paradise, Artisan, Junior and Family suites. Must mention the offer when booking and use a valid Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to pay the deposit. Advance reservations required. Excludes applicable fees and taxes. Disney Visa Cardmembers must stay in the room. Limit two (2) rooms per reservation, and occupancy restrictions apply per room. Not valid in combination with any other hotel discounts or offers. Number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Not valid on previously booked rooms. One (1) night minimum stay. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Separate Theme Park admission required to enjoy the Parks.

It’s that special time of year, filled with family, friends and amazing holiday entertainment throughout Walt Disney World® Resort! One of my favorite experiences, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, kicks off Nov. 8, 2019 at Magic Kingdom® Park with the debut of a magical new fireworks show that can be enjoyed from across the park. 

The skies above Magic Kingdom Park will sparkle to life this holiday season as visions of fireworks dance in the air during “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.” Minnie Mouse is our host, inviting everyone to come together in a celebration of the magic of Christmas. The sky fills with fireworks, as we’re swept up in medleys of beloved holiday songs, from “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls” to “Up on the House Top” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The music of the show evokes heartfelt moments of home and family, as well as the festive fun of the season, all building to an incredible finale. 

Our Disney Parks Live Entertainment team has been working hard behind the scenes to get “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” ready for its debut. Here’s a sneak peek! 

We’re just a day away from the start of Holidays at the Disneyland® Resort, and the return of the joyous Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure® Park. Inspired by the vibrant cultural diversity of Southern California, this heartwarming celebration brings the holiday season to life with music and dance performances, the colorful Festival Foods Marketplace, diverse crafts and plenty of beloved Disney characters who invite your Clients to delight in the festive spirit of the holidays.

This year for Disney Festival of Holidays, there’s an all-new character celebration, “Mickey’s Happy Holidays.” Twice daily, a cheerful celebration featuring favorite Disney and Pixar characters enters the park to a mix of high-energy music, as you are invited to dance along with Mickey Mouse and pals to the magically merry rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers. Guest can find them at the Paradise Gardens Park Obelisk and Carthay Circle, where everyone can sing and dance along!

Also new this year, the Holiday Sunset Concerts on the Palisades Stage feature The Suffragettes. This exciting festival cover band rocks the holidays on select nights, with chart-topping hits from some of your favorite musical artists. On other nights, the explosive energy of Phat Cat Swinger, the West Coast’s “Little-Big Band,” will showcase their swinging selection of irresistible holiday music, presented with a fresh new twist.

These great bands join other returning entertainment that honors the many cultural holidays celebrated at Disney Festival of Holidays. Blue13 Dance Company presents a spirited tribute to Diwali through traditional Indian folk dances and Bollywood. Mostly Kosher brings the spirit of Hanukkah in a concert that combines Klezmer, Jazz and Rock & Roll. A cappella performances by The Sound celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa, and the Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas bring the joy of Navidad to the party! Disney Festival of Holidays includes all that, plus the antics of the Holiday Toy Drummers, the incredibly fun Disney ¡Viva Navidad! with The Three Caballeros and Santa’s Holiday Visit at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

Disney Festival of Holidays starts Nov. 8, 2019 and continues through Jan. 6, 2020.  

For a limited time starting this week, a sneak peek of Disney’s epic new adventure, “Frozen 2,” can be seen as part of the Walt Disney Presents attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Guests aboard Disney Cruise Line are also being treated to this peek at scenes from “Frozen 2” this month.

Beginning Sunday over at Disneyland® Resort, a special look at the film is being presented at Disney California Adventure® Park for Guests experiencing “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion.”

In Disney’s new adventure, “Frozen 2,” Elsa sets out together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, on a dangerous but remarkable journey to discover why she was born with magical powers. The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Elsa once feared her powers were too much for the world. Now, she must hope they are enough.

Disney’s “Frozen 2” arrives in U.S. theaters on Nov. 22, 2019.

Festival Gift for Passholders

Get in the spirit of the season when you receive a complimentary holiday-themed magnet set featuring Chip ‘n’ Dale! They are appearing on a Passholder magnet for the first time ever—so you’ll want to act soon to add this gift to your collection.

To pick up your magnet set, please visit Mouse Gear between November 29 and December 30, 2019.

Important Details
Not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged magnets. One magnet set per Passholder. Available while supplies last. Must visit Mouse Gear and present your valid Annual Pass and photo ID to receive the magnet set.

There are now more Disney After Hours event dates to choose from in 2020 at both Magic Kingdom_® Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom_® Theme Park. 

In addition to the dates already available at both Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, even more events will be available so you can be a part of these special nighttime experiences on select nights:

Magic Kingdom Park

• January 23, 27 & 31
• February 3, 10, 17 & 24
• March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
• April 5, 13, 20 & 27
• May 5, 11, 18 & 25

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

• April 1, 7, 14 & 22
• May 2, 9, 16, 19 & 26

These specially ticketed experiences occur after the gates close for the night, extending access to your favorite attractions and providing them with more opportunities to have magical experiences. Their event ticket also allows them early entry into the park, beginning at 7 p.m. 

For three fun-filled nighttime hours, when guests purchase a ticket, they can have exclusive access with lower wait times for favorite attractions, plus receive complimentary ice cream novelties, popcorn and select beverages.  

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in advance for $129 per adult or child, plus tax, or on the day of the event for $139 per adult or child, plus tax.

Don’t let your Clients miss out on getting tickets to this popular event!

Disney After Hours is a separately priced ticket.

Artistry, inspiration and imagination are everywhere to be found at Disney’s Riviera Resort, the newest upcoming Walt Disney World® Resort. Today, we’re thrilled to give you a first look at a truly splendid element of the resort. 

A walkway tunnel at Disney’s Riviera Resort will feature two stunning mosaic murals showcasing Disney storytelling of European tales. The original stories that inspired these murals were included in the collection of over 300 books that Walt Disney sent back to his studios while traveling Europe in the 1930s. The use of mosaics for the murals celebrates the beauty of the art style, materials and craftsmanship.

Both mosaic murals will be massive installations, recessed into the tunnel walls and spanning across the arched ceiling. Each of the two pieces will feature a unique story set along the tunnel wall and will be joined at the top by a shared mosaic sky, rising 20 feet in the air.

The mural pictured below shows a magical scene of London at night, with Peter Pan, Wendy, Michael and John flying off to Neverland. More than 500,000 hand-cut tiles were laid by hand to create this amazing mosaic!

Now that you’ve seen a sneak peek at one of the two magnificent murals coming to Disney’s Riviera Resort, what’s your guess at the beloved story the other mosaic will depict?

Disney’s Riviera Resort is under construction now and projected to open Dec. 16, 2019.

Tune in on Nov. 3, 2019 as we officially celebrate the return of the holiday season to the Walt Disney World® Resort with the debut performance of “A Frozen Holiday Wish.”

This nightly show, which you can enjoy at Magic Kingdom® Park, stars the royal sisters Anna and Elsa, and their friends Olaf and Kristoff. In this must-see spectacle, Queen Elsa uses her magical powers to present a gift to everyone in the kingdom by transforming Cinderella Castle into a shimmering ice palace for the holidays. 

We’ll be sharing the Disney Parks Blog live stream right here on Disney Travel News. The livestream will start at 6:10 p.m. EST.

The exciting transformation of Epcot® has begun, with groundbreaking attractions and other unforgettable experiences debuting in the coming months and years. Among them will be new places to meet and interact with some of your favorite Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse himself! 

Mickey will soon be making appearances in a new location at the Imagination! pavilion, as part of the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival. Just inside the entrance, you will discover Mickey greeting his fans and celebrating his on-screen stardom.

Mickey’s imagination has led to a career in the movies for 90 years and counting, featuring roles in dozens of short films such as “Get A Horse” which your Clients can enjoy as part of the festival. You can look for Mickey to arrive at the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival in early 2020! 

Guests can get ready to chow down on some good ol’ classic American barbecue with Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue, coming to Epcot® this winter! This new fast-casual barbecue experience at The American Adventure will offer up classic American backyard barbecue from around the United States as well as a variety of home-style craft brews. 

On the menu are a variety of sandwiches and platters as well as a plant-based option. Guests can enjoy a sliced Texas beef brisket sandwich with house-made spicy mop sauce on garlic toast or the South Carolina smoked sausage sandwich with tangy mustard sauce and caramelized onions.

They can also feast on Kansas City smoked chicken, Memphis dry-rub pork ribs, North Carolina chopped smoked pork butt, all available by themselves or as part of a delicious hearty platter. For a lighter option, you can grab the Power Greens Salad with chilled pulled chicken, fresh citrus, and a citrus vinaigrette. And if they’re looking for an all-American burger, they can try the grilled burger topped with BBQ pork and a fried onion ring or take a bite out of the plant-based BBQ burger featuring a plant-based patty topped with BBQ jackfruit served on vegan garlic toast. 

Guests can also choose to slather their entrée in a delicious barbecue sauce. Sauces include a spicy mop sauce, sweet BBQ, tangy mustard, and a vinegar-based sauce. The side items include classic barbecue complements like french fries, beer-battered onion rings, mac and cheese, baked beans with burnt ends, house-made pickles, and creamy slaw. 

Kids can enjoy their own fun-sized bites including a burger, BBQ chicken salad, BBQ chicken leg or chicken salad, and even a BBQ rib platter, all served with their choice of two sides.

And finally, Guests can satisfy their sweet tooth with a delectable dessert like banana pudding or a s’mores brownie as well as a cup of fresh watermelon garnished with torn mint – YUM. 

All-American beverage offerings will include a selection of beer and cider from around the country, wines from the west coast, and specialty regional cocktails with and without alcohol. Coca-Cola® fountain beverages will also be available. Guests will also get to enjoy an outdoor bar pouring their favorite craft brews on draft, and the outdoor seating area will be a great place to sit back and sip on a Tennessee Lemonade Cocktail or a non-alcoholic Berry Sparkler!

Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue will open this winter at The American Adventure at Epcot. Stay tuned for more details to be released soon.