WDW Daily News

Next month isn’t just bringing April showers, but the return of the popular Eggstravaganza scavenger hunt at the Disneyland® Resort. This fun, egg-themed scavenger hunt will take place April 5-21, 2019 across Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure® Park and the Downtown Disney® District.

You can pick up their map and stickers for $6.99 (plus tax) at select merchandise locations, then let the hunt begin! They can search for special hidden “eggs” themed to Disney and Pixar characters. And they can record their discoveries by placing the corresponding sticker on the themed Egg-stravaganza map to represent that location.

Whether you choose to hunt for eggs or not, they can return their map to a redemption location for a surprise. Redemption locations include the following merchandise shops: Disney Showcase in Disneyland Park, Elias & Co. at Disney California Adventure Park and World of Disney Store in the Downtown Disney District.

Purchasing limits will apply, while supplies last. One surprise per map. No discounts apply. Separate admission is required to enter Disneyland theme parks. The experience is subject to restrictions and may change without notice.

Earlier this year, we shared news about Project Stardust—which includes a number of enhancements we’re making to the Disneyland® Resort, specifically Disneyland Park, to continue to deliver a world-class guest experience. While carrying forward Walt Disney’s original vision, the improvements range from beautification to maxi­mizing Guest comfort and improving Guest flow, as we prepare the theme park for its next phase of significant growth, starting with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

We also are adding more parking and enhancing the Guest arrival experience. Last year, we announced plans to build another parking structure adjacent to Mickey & Friends. The new structure will be called Pixar Pals, featuring familiar friends from Disney•Pixar films such as “Coco,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “Inside Out”!

More than 5,000 parking spaces will be available within the structure. We anticipate it opening no later than the end of July, and hopefully sooner. The new structure will feature a new electronic parking system to expedite Guest parking.

In the next few months, the Toy Story parking lot also will be expanded with more than 2,000 additional parking spaces, and additional entrances. What’s more, we will be adding security-screening tents before Guests board the Toy Story parking lot shuttles to eliminate screening in the esplanade outside the theme parks at peak times.

We completed many of the improvements to Guest flow and queuing that we have previously shared, including the curb grading in Town Square. Work has now begun to open up the walkways in the central Plaza, sometimes referred to as the “hub,” while retaining the intimate feel at the heart of Disneyland Park. In addition to enhancing curbs with slow inclines, we are softening corners on planters to help Guests navigate around them.

We also will be working on the entrance and marquee to Adventureland as part of Project Stardust. We will temporarily take the marquee down to remove a walkway support for ease of Guest flow. Other Project Stardust enhancements include policy updates in an effort to make the theme park experience more enjoyable for Guests, which we shared earlier today.

When Project Stardust is complete, Disneyland Park will remain the beloved icon and international treasure it is today, while preparing the Disneyland Resort for generations of future Guests.

The spectacular magic of Disney animation and music will soon come to life in the 3D movie musical “Mickey’s PhilharMagic” at Disney California Adventure® Park.

Premiering in April at the Sunset Showcase Theater in Hollywood Land, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and other favorite Disney characters take the stage in this 3D fantasy adventure.

As Donald prepares the orchestra for Mickey, he comes across the conductor’s baton and Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat. A little magic goes a long way and proceedings go awry! Donald is unexpectedly plunged into a 3D dream world and Guests are ataken along for the ride. The experience will sweep your Clients away into the fantastic world of classic Disney animated musical sequences—from “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid,” to “Peter Pan” and “Aladdin.”

Stay tuned for more details on this exciting new addition to Disney California Adventure® Park!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will mark a thrilling park milestone on May 1, 2019 – 30 years of bringing magical entertainment to life for Walt Disney World Resort guests!

The park will celebrate its 30th anniversary on May 1 with an anniversary ceremony and the debut of the new nighttime projection show, “Wonderful World of Animation” after the sun goes down. The new show will use state-of-the-art projection technology to take guests on a magical journey through more than 90 years of Disney animation, all beginning with Mickey himself.

And the fun of this park’s milestone is only the beginning of what’s in store for you visiting Walt Disney WorldResort this spring. Also plussing up the fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this spring is Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy – a high-octane, first-of-its-kind show that puts guests in the middle of the “Cars” universe – which will open its doors to guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on March 31.

At Magic Kingdom Park, your clients can continue to enjoy Mickey & Minnie’s Surprise Celebration offerings through September 30, including the new “Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It!” Street Party, special merchandise and celebration-inspired food & beverage offerings.

You can celebrate the 25th anniversary of “The Lion King” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom through September 30, at the “Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party” or by snapping photos at special “Lion King”-themed photo ops throughout the park. Guests can also top off their Lion King fun by taking in a performance of the show’s long-running “Festival of the Lion King” show. Starting this summer, the Tree of Life will awaken in the evenings with a new story, depicting moments from Simba’s journey in a beautiful artistic style, set to evocative music inspired by the score of “The Lion King”.

Guests can enjoy everything the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival has to offer – now through June 3! New festival offerings for this year’s event include four new Outdoor Kitchens that dish up amazing food, a must-see Bo Peep topiary, and a new Play Full Garden (presented by Advent Health). The Garden Rocks concert series has also been expanded to offer performances seven nights a week from both returning favorites and new acts like TobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman and Colin Hay of Men at Work.

Then, Guardians of the Galaxy – Awesome Mix Live! shows will return to the America Gardens Theatre at Epcot from June 14-August 18. Here, your clients can join Star-Lord, Gamora and their alien band for an intergalactic concert sure to send guests into the cosmos.

Many of you know that Disney After Hours is pretty amazing with little-to-no wait time for favorite attractions and experiences at Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Today, we’re excited to share the good news that additional Disney After Hours dates are now available and two special celebration nights are coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  

Here are the new dates for each park at the Walt Disney World Resort:

• Magic Kingdom: May 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom:  May 7, 14 and 21; and June 4, 11 and 18.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: May 1, 4, 10, 17, 24 and 31; and June 14, 21 and 28.

And at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there are two special celebration nights:

May 1 – You can celebrate Disney’s Hollywood Studios 30^th anniversary with special anniversary merchandise, additional character greetings and more food & beverage offerings to purchase.

May 4 – You can celebrate May the Fourth dressed in their best galactic Star Wars attire.*  They can experience epic Character Encounters including Chewbacca with REY, Darth Vadar, Kylo Ren with CAPTAIN PHASMA, Ewoks, Jawas and imperial stormtroopers. Plus, specialty treats available for purchase. *Be sure your Clients costume fits within park guidelines.

If you aren’t familiar with Disney After Hours events, they’re your opportunity to experience the magic of a Disney theme park for three hours after regular park hours, with limited attendance, which means little-to-no wait for attractions, experiences and character greetings.  The event ticket also allows your Clients early entry into the park, beginning at 7 p.m.

Ice cream, popcorn and select beverages are also included in the Disney After Hours admission, which is a separately priced ticket from daytime park admission. Other food offerings will be available at each of the Parks.

All Disney After Hours event tickets cost $125 + tax for advance purchase and $129 + tax for day-of purchases. 

Last fall, we shared some exciting updates on the multi-year transformation of Epcot® – including the news that “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” will end its run later this summer and that a new limited-time experience called “Epcot Forever” will debut in fall 2019. At the time we shared this news, we promised that we’d celebrate “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” with Guests in a very special way.

That’s why we’re thrilled to share that we’ll stream “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” live from Epcot on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 8:55 p.m. ET. To watch the stream, simply visit the Disney Parks Blog on March 28! We’ll also have an exciting “look ahead” at the fun in store for Walt Disney World Resort guests in 2019.

Stay tuned to for updates on the new nighttime spectacular and everything else coming to Epcot, and in the meantime, share your favorite memories of “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” with us in the comments.

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With so many exciting new offerings coming to Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort in 2019 and beyond, there is so much to look forward to as you plan your client’s next visit. When planning, be sure to take a moment to look at the latest rules for each destination, which are available on the Disney Travel Agents website, as well as at DisneyWorld.com/Rules and Disneyland.com/Rules. These pages are an excellent planning resource and provide detail on a variety of policies for the parks, Disney Resort hotels and beyond.

We make updates to these rules from time to time and are implementing some changes, including the removal of smoking areas within parks and the adjustment of park policies related to stroller size, wagons and loose ice.

Here are a few tips to help ensure a smooth arrival during your next visit.

STROLLERS

Beginning May 1, we are adjusting our guidelines on stroller sizes, which will require them to be no larger than 31″ (79cm) wide and 52″ (132cm) long or smaller. The good news – many of the strollers on the market, including many double jogging strollers, fit within these size guidelines. Also, just a reminder that wagons are not permitted in our parks. Beginning May 1, stroller wagons will also no longer be permitted. These updates are designed to help guest flow and ease congestion, making the parks more enjoyable for everyone.

TIP: The smaller your stroller, the easier it is to navigate and maneuver the parks. At Walt Disney World Resort, your clients can rent a single or double stroller once they arrive, and they can be rented each day. Or, they can choose a Length of Stay Rental, which will save them time and money. While Walt Disney World already offers a double stroller rental, DisneylandResort will soon offer one too.

SMOKING 

Also beginning May 1, smoking areas will no longer be present inside Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or Downtown Disney in California.

TIP: Designated smoking areas will be available outside the entrances to the areas listed above, and at Disney Springs in Florida. For guests who have room or dining reservations, smoking areas are also available at Disney Resort hotels.

LOOSE ICE 

Beginning today, if your clients plan to bring a cooler or cooler bag to store snacks and drinks for theme park or water park adventures, it’s important to know that loose or dry ice are no longer permitted.

TIP:  We recommend your clients use re-useable ice packs instead. Complimentary cups of ice are available at Food & Beverage locations inside the parks if needed.

The toys hit the road in “Toy Story 4” alongside friends—new and old—foes and, of course, Forky. Filmmakers welcomed Christina Hendricks, Keanu Reeves and Ally Maki to the toy box today, revealing the three new characters they help bring to life. “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019.

Check out the new trailer and poster for “Toy Story 4” below.

Check out the new poster for Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” below.

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios’ grand conclusion to twenty-two films, “Avengers: Endgame.”

Kevin Feige produces “Avengers: Endgame,” and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay.

Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” hits U.S. theaters on April 26, 2019.

This summer, Disney cruisers are in for a double dose of fun when special 4- and 5-night cruises visit our private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, not once, but twice!

With two days in paradise at Castaway Cay, plus a chance to swim with dolphins or visit the world-famous Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas, these envy-worth sailings aboard the Disney Dream in June and July are an incredible option for your summer vacation. The 5-night voyages also include a bonus day at sea so Guests have even more time to soak up fun and relaxation aboard the ship.

What makes a visit to Castaway Cay so amazing? Our award-wining island was built with families in mind, just like our ships, with spaces uniquely designed for kids, adults and families. Everything your Clients need for a perfect day at the beach is included, like our all-you-care-to-eat buffet lunch, beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, hammocks and more. Whether you want to soak up the sun on the white sand, embark on a water adventure, explore the island on bike or all of the above, we’ve got them covered.