WDW Daily News

Shanghai Disney Resort announced the second major expansion of Shanghai Disneyland since its June 2016 opening, a new land that will bring to life the characters and stories from Disney’s popular animated film Zootopia. The new expansion will become the theme park’s eighth land, and its announcement comes less than a year after the opening of its first major expansion, Disney•Pixar Toy Story Land, in a sign of the resort’s early success and the confidence in the growing consumer demand for themed entertainment in China.

• Guests take a walk on the wild side at Disney’s Animal Kingdom during the “Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party,” featuring Timon and Rafiki from Disney’s “The Lion King.” Guests will also be able to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of “The Lion King” by taking photos with special, dimensional backgrounds on Discovery Island and at the park’s entrance.

Everyone’s favorite villain, Maleficent, is returning to Magic Kingdom® Park today to re-take her rightful place in Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade…and it looks like she’s had some work done…although she would probably never admit it!

While she still has her same Steampunk style and signature wicked smile, the Maleficent dragon will be sporting a refreshed look, enhanced with new safety features designed to keep her in check.

And in true Maleficent fashion, she’s all about making a grand entrance!

Categories: Magic Kingdom

Take a look at some Amazing Aerial Photos of Construction at Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge & Millennium Falcon Ride courtesy of @bioreconstruct on Twitter.

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Now, more than ever, it’s a great time to be at Walt Disney World® Resort, with fabulous new entertainment experiences in all four parks. And right now at Magic Kingdom Park, you can enjoy Mickey & Minnie’s Surprise Celebration!

Mickey & Minnie’s Surprise Celebration honors those true originals, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, with new entertainment, merchandise, and specialty food and beverages. The party starts at Celebration Central, located inside Town Square Theater on Main Street, U.S.A., where you can sign the Celebration Guest Book and pick up a fun checklist of ten ways to celebrate Mickey and Minnie during your day in the park.

Also at Town Square Theater, the world’s most famous mice are in a rehearsal room, preparing for a big show, and Guests are invited to head backstage for a visit. Mickey and Minnie have asked their closest pals and co-stars to come together for “The Celebration Revue,” but they’ll gladly take time out of their busy schedule to meet with friends while wearing their snazzy new party outfits.

The celebration really kicks into high gear several times daily when the “Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It!” Street Party rolls into the Central Plaza in front of Cinderella Castle. The Disney Parks Live Entertainment team has pulled out all the stops to make this the most spirited, high-energy party you’ve ever seen! A pair of energetic, singing party hosts keeps things hopping with the new celebration song “It’s a Good Time,” along with contemporary arrangements of classic melodies.

Guests can also spot favorite Disney pals like Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Max, Pluto, Chip ‘n Dale, Clarice, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, José Carioca and Panchito – and of course, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse! And this is a MousekeDance party after all, so you can get ready to do the twist, the swim, the pony, the shimmy, the cool jerk, and the bird. 

Of course, this is a Surprise Celebration, so anything can happen! All along Main Street, U.S.A., the Dapper Dans, the Casey’s Corner piano player, the Main Street Philharmonic and the Citizens of Main Street get into the fun with special, musical surprise moments. Special guests are stopping by each day, too. In the past week, we’ve spotted Phineas and Ferb, Robin Hood and Little John, Nick and Judy from “Zootopia,” and more. 

Everyone’s invited, so make sure you come join the party at Mickey & Minnie’s Surprise Celebration, now through Sept. 30, 2019.

The adrenaline is building up for the opening of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. The new show experience, which will take your Clients inside the world of Disney•Pixar’s Cars films, speeds into Disney’s Hollywood Studios® on March 31, 2019, and we can’t wait!

Let’s take a look at what Jay Ward, Creative Director, Pixar Cars Franchise, has to say about Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy.

Remember, the opening of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is on March 31, 2019!

Stay tuned for updates on this experience, as well as the overall transformation of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which will immerse you into worlds where they can have amazing adventures!

Disney recently topped a list of global brands with which we millennials have the most ‘intimate’ relationship. And beyond that, in a world where our real lives can be quite hard work, it just makes us happy. We love Disney and its characters that we grew up with – but our love of Disney is not just about nostalgia. There are many reasons why we millennials love Disney – here are 10 reasons why to visit Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

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A male Masai giraffe calf was born Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, on the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The calf is currently bonding with his mother backstage at the park under the supervision of the Disney’s Animal Kingdom animal care team. The calf and his mother will return to the savanna in one or two months and will be named at a later date. (David Roark, photographer)

Get Your Ears On – A Mickey and Minnie Celebration has kicked off a party at the Disneyland® Resort! You are encouraged to “Get Your Ears On” and celebrate 90 years of magic with a new nighttime projection show, the return of “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade,” limited-time décor, specialty foods, merchandise and more!

 “Mickey’s Mix Magic” is full of vibrant sights and upbeat sounds. This new, high-energy projection show creates a family-fun dance party throughout Disneyland Park, with “DJ” Mickey spinning the new celebration song, “It’s a Good Time” along with remixes of favorite Disney songs. Plus, “It’s a Good Time” song is available on streaming services to download and enjoy.

Check out a preview of this electrifying experience below:

In addition, the fan-favorite “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” returns to Disneyland Park starting Jan. 25, 2019, with new, larger-than-life elements to kick things off.

No celebration would be complete with food! For a limited-time during Get Your Ears On, specialty food, beverage and novelty items are available to commemorate the beloved duo in fun, unexpected ways.  

Disney’s Riviera Resort is now accepting room-only and package reservations for stays beginning in December 2019. This all-new accommodation coming to Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida, and slated to be the 15th Disney Vacation Club resort, will immerse you in the grandeur and enchantment of the European Riviera. 

The deluxe resort is slated to offer approximately 300 family-friendly vacation homes, including deluxe studios, one- and two-bedroom villas, and grand villas that sleep up to 12 guests each. Adding to these unique accommodations will be an all-new room category — Tower studios, which sleep two guests each. Each charming, bright tower studio will include a private balcony with scenic views and seating for two, offering a more intimate, modern setting. The deluxe studios, which sleep five, will also feature kitchenettes. One-bedroom, two-bedroom and grand villas will feature large, fully equipped kitchens with dining space open to a living area. Villas will also feature an en-suite luxury bathroom, including a freestanding soaking tub and walk-in shower, a private porch or balcony and a laundry area with a washer and dryer.

Throughout the resort and inside the studios and villas, a unique art collection will celebrate beloved Disney characters and icons with one-of-a-kind pieces influenced by the works of master artists who also found inspiration along the European Riviera.

Topolino is the Italian name for Mickey Mouse, and the new, signature table-service restaurant perched on the rooftop of Disney’s Riviera Resort will be aptly called Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera. The restaurant, featuring authentic dishes infused with French and Italian flavors, will offer picturesque vistas of the nighttime spectaculars of nearby Epcot® or Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Plus, families looking to start their morning off with a breakfast experience can visit Topolino’s Terrace for exclusive Disney character dining inspired by the Riviera. 

Other dining options at the resort include Le Petit Café, an inviting lobby locale with fresh-brewed coffee aromas by day and a bustling wine bar by night. The new quick-service location, Primo Piatto, reminiscent of chic dining venues found along Riviera promenades, will be conveniently located near the feature pool, and Bar Riva, an open-air pool bar with a seaside vibe featuring crisp white tiles and cool blue accents, will offer your Clients a place to relax as they enjoy a cold beverage and poolside views.  

Your Clients staying at Disney’s Riviera Resort will also have a new way to travel to Epcot or on to Disney’s Hollywood Studios via Disney Skyliner, a state-of-the-art gondola system that will begin operating this fall. In addition to a dedicated Disney Skyliner station at Disney’s Riviera Resort, the system will conveniently connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

 The official, grand opening date of the resort will be announced at a later date. Stay tuned for more details.