The Tropical Hideaway Discovered in Adventureland at Disneyland Park

Calling all adventurers! There will soon be a new area of Adventureland to explore at Disneyland® Park.

The former Aladdin’s Oasis will soon be transformed to The Tropical Hideaway! This new experience will soon appear along the tropical shores nestled between the Jungle Cruise and “Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.” This one-of-a-kind destination will be a popular rest stop for Adventureland locals and weary explorers alike. Guests will be able to rub elbows with their favorite skippers in an exotic traders’ market, featuring all of the sights, sounds and flavors of the tropics.

Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new location as more is discovered.

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New Lamplight Lounge to Open June 23 at Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure

When Pixar Pier opens June 23, 2018 at Disney California Adventure® Park, guests will discover a new hot spot at the Lamplight Lounge. This seaside lounge will be an elegant yet fun gathering place for the whole family, located at the entrance of Pixar Pier. And I am excited to answer the question on everyone’s mind: It will serve the Guest-favorite Lobster Nachos!

Lamplight Lounge will serve California casual gastro-pub cuisine that is playfully presented along with unique signature cocktails. This seaside lounge contains a full bar with picturesque waterfront views from both upstairs and downstairs. At night, outdoor seating provides views of the illuminated Pixar Pier and “World of Color.”

Renovated from an old warehouse factory, the location has kept many features of the original two-story building. The steel structural elements as well as concrete and brick walls were exposed and repaired to tell the story of its past. The original wood boards from the factory were refinished and given new life as ceiling panels and floors. The furniture style echoes a relaxed feel and the end result is an open, airy and bright place that is organic yet sophisticated.

Lamplight Lounge celebrates the creativity, inspirations and personalities of the artists and storytellers who have brought Pixar stories to life. Guests will discover the artistic marks that the Pixar “regulars” have left throughout the lounge: concept art, a quick sketch on a napkin, knick-knacks and collectable toys of beloved Pixar characters will adorn the space.

Come discover the treasured keepsakes and tastes of Lamplight Lounge when it opens along with Pixar Pier on June 23, 2018. Guests wishing to visit the Cove Bar one more time are welcome to stop by as it reopens briefly beginning March 16, 2018 before closing again at the end of May for its permanent transformation.

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Will Mark 20th Anniversary With a ‘Party for the Planet’ on April 22 – May 5

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, 2018 with an expanded “Party for the Planet” celebration April 22-May 5, 2018.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch will take center stage for the celebration, which will offer backstage experiences that allow guests to learn about animal nutrition, visit the veterinary hospital, or hear how Disney promotes global wildlife conservation.

Guests can also commemorate their anniversary visit to the theme park with special photo opportunities, and kids can earn a limited-edition badge as part of the Wilderness Explorer program. Six different Tiffins Talks, themed-dinners hosted by animal experts at Tiffins full-service restaurant will be available to Guests who want to learn more about the animal residents at the park. And limited-edition merchandise will also be available for purchase, with one piece being a special-edition print created by renowned Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde. (He will be available to sign prints on April 22, 2018 from 1-4 p.m. at Discovery Trading Company. Quantities are limited).

Other experiences coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this spring include:

  • April 22 will mark the debut of a brand-new show, UP! A Great Bird Adventure featuring Russell and Dug from the Disney•Pixar animated comedy-adventure film “UP.” The show will giveguests the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his fuzzy friend Dug in a new adventure that includes encounters with exotic birds from around the world. This free-flying show will be performed multiple times daily.
  • A “dino-tastic” celebration with Donald and his friends will also premiere Memorial Day weekend in DinoLand, U.S.A. This dinosaur-themed party celebrates Donald Duck’s discovery that his bird ancestors were actually dinosaurs. DinoLand U.S.A. will feature colorful new décor and playful character greetings with rarely seen pals like Scrooge McDuck, Launchpad McQuack and more. A DJ-powered dance party will mix tunes from the truck-o-saurus stage, capping the nighttime festivities.
  • Memorial Day 2018 commemorates the one-year anniversary of Pandora – The World of Avatar. Here, travelers are transported to a mystical world of floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and breathtaking new experiences. Inspired by the blockbuster film, AVATAR, the epic land invites guests to explore a glowing landscape, encounter a larger-than-life Na’vi Shaman of Songs and soar on the back of a banshee.
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New ‘UP! A Great Bird Adventure’ Show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Opens April 22

Today we’re excited to share an update that our new show “UP! A Great Bird Adventure,” featuring Russell and Dug from Disney•Pixar’s “UP” will be debuting at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park on April 22, 2018!

Beginning just in time for the 20th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, this new entertainment experience for the whole family offers guests the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry friend Dug as they discover species of birds from around the world in their newest adventure in Anandapur village. There will be “UP” close encounters each day with amazing winged creatures!

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New Images of the Star Wars-Inspired Resort Planned for the Walt Disney World Resort

Earlier this month we shared a look inside the groundbreaking new hotel concept coming to the Walt Disney World® Resort that will combine luxury with complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story.

Today, we’re thrilled to have more new visuals of this resort to share with you!

The immerse experience offered at this hotel will stand out among all of our resorts around the globe. As you can see, families visiting this resort will board a starship alive with characters and stories that unfold all around them during their voyage through the galaxy – and every window has a view of space!

The resort will also be seamlessly connected to the highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, allowing your Clients a complete Star Wars experience. Guests visiting the resort will be welcome to participate as a resident of the galaxy by dressing in Star Wars-inspired attire.

Stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more updates on all Star Wars-inspired guest offerings at the Walt Disney World Resort.
 

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Enhanced Dining Experience Coming to Be Our Guest Restaurant

Disney’s culinary teams are always looking for new ways to bring exquisite and delicious cuisine to our Guests, and they have done just that with a brand-new dining experience at Magic Kingdom® Park! Starting this summer, Be Our Guest Restaurant will offer an enhanced prix fixe dinner menu that boasts a variety of delectable French-inspired dishes and new offerings. This unique experience will make guests feel like royalty with a three-course dinner that includes their choice of appetizer and entrée, followed by a personal dessert platter.

To start off the meal, the appetizer menu will include favorites like the French Onion Soup in addition to rich new offerings like Charred Octopus with citrus-laced fingerling potatoes, pickled hearts of palm and red pepper coulis; Escargot with herb garlic butter and toasted gremolata; and a selection of assorted meats and artisanal cheeses such as chicken liver pâté, chorizo sausage Manchego, and truffle tremor.

For the main course, guests can feast on mouth-watering entrées such as Grilled Center-Cut Filet Mignon with potato au gratin, Romano beans, Cipollini marmalade and a cherry-laced red wine reduction or the Smoked Black-Eye Pea Tortellini with roasted seasonal vegetables, tomato relish and basil-scented tomato water. Other enticing dishes include Poulet Rouge Chicken, Saffron-Infused Seafood Bouillabaisse, Roasted Lamb Chops and Kurobuta Pork Tenderloins.

And that’s just the beginning! Our chefs are hard at work putting the final touches on the fabulous desserts as well as the kid’s menu for this exquisite new dining experience. Stay tuned for updates on these menus.

So, relax! Let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents this new dinner feast beginning July 27, 2018 at Be Our Guest Restaurant. Reservations will open this Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 and can be booked online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).

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Introducing Augustus – Baby Hippo Born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a Boy!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom revealed news about a baby Nile hippopotamus born at the park on January 13. As part of a magical moment on the theme park’s Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction, roughly a dozen Guests were the first to learn that the hippo calf is a boy, and his name is Augustus. Weighing in at 168 pounds, Augustus is the first hippo born at the park in 13 years. He is often seen staying close to his mom, Tuma, and is already winning over Guests with his playful nature.

Guests will see Augustus on Kilimanjaro Safaris and also during the Wild Africa Trek experience and be inspired to take action to protect hippos and other at-risk animals in the wild. To learn more about hippos, visit DisneyAnimals.com.

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Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Presents Fun for all Ages, March 2 to April 12, 2018

The popular Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festivalreturns to the Disneyland Resort March 2 to April 12, 2018, with flavors and fare inspired by the Golden State. The culinary festival will bring delicious cuisine, specialty beverages and exciting entertainment to guests of all ages at Disney California Adventure Park. With experiences happening daily during the six-week event, guests will always find something tasty to try and fun to do as they explore the uniquely Disney festival.

The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival features a variety of offerings for the whole family to enjoy, including unique food and beverage offerings to sip and savor at more than a dozen Festival Marketplaces. Guests will experience presentations and demonstrations with celebrity chefs such as Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Alex Guarnaschelli and Shaun O’Neale, food and beverage tastings, winemaker dinners, beer, wine and spirit seminars, and more. Guests also will enjoy live music, entertainment and special activities, all of which bring a “California vibe” to the festival.

At the Festival Marketplaces, guests can sample a cornucopia of California-inspired small plates with fresh, California-grown ingredients like avocado, strawberries, fragrant citrus, peppers and artisanal cheese. Guests will also discover an array of locally brewed craft beers and wines from all over the Golden State.

Family-friendly seminars at the Backlot Stage in Hollywood Land will feature a variety of topics, cooking demonstrations and more on select days throughout the festival. From growing your own vegetables to learning how to prepare some of the festival marketplace favorites, guests of all ages will get inspired or even discover a new interest during these seminars.

Another guest-favorite returning to the festival is the complimentary Junior Chef experience, with hands-on fun led by Chef Goofy, for children ages 3 to 11. Aspiring young chefs follow a recipe and mix a variety of ingredients to create magical treats that ends with a tasty surprise.

Guests looking for more palate-pleasing experiences will want to try the festival’s signature events, including new offerings such as Celebrity Chef LIVE! at the Hyperion, as well as returning favorites like the Disney Family of Wines DinnerSweet Sundays and the Winemaker or Brewmaster Dinners. Some of this year’s signature events include:

  • Guy Fieri LIVE! at the Hyperion (March 9)
  • Robert Irvine LIVE! at the Hyperion (March 30)
  • Disney Family of Wines Dinner (March 29)
  • David Arthur Winemaker Dinner at Carthay Circle Restaurant (April 5)
  • Karl Strauss Brewmaster Dinner at Steakhouse 55 (March 8)
  • Flora Springs Winemaker Dinner at Steakhouse 55 (March 15)

Many of the Disney California Food & Wine Festival events are included with admission to Disney California Adventure Park. Special signature events and seminars will require a separate fee. Additional details and reservations for the signature events and seminars can be made at Disneyland.com/FoodandWine.  Guests may also check for the latest information and schedules as they become available, at Disneyland.com.

Separate admission to Disney California Adventure Park is required and is not included with the cost of signature events or seminars. Space is limited for all ticketed events; advance reservations are recommended.  Full payment may be due at time of booking, and cancellation fees may apply.  No refunds, credit or date or time changes.  Guests must be 21 years of age or over to consume alcohol and to participate in some events; valid photo ID required.  Events and demonstrations are subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice.

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT: The 2nd Epcot International Festival of the Arts

On Jan. 12, the 2nd Epcot International Festival of the Arts opened to guests with daily celebrations of art in many forms including visual, culinary and the performance arts. Guests can have their art and eat it, too, at 13 Food Studios surrounding the World Showcase Lagoon. They can view art by the masters and express themselves at multiple interactive art workshops, then see stunning performances of strength acts, Living Statues and other live entertainment.

And every Friday through Monday, guests can share the America Gardens Theatre with Broadway stars who’ll belt out tunes from beloved shows like “The Lion King,” “Tarzan” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Here’s what they’re saying about this year’s expanded Epcot International Festival of the Arts:

Epcot Leaders:

  • Epcot Vice President Melissa Valiquette: “The Festival of the Arts has become a passion project for our team, and we hope our guests will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it. It’s bigger, brighter and better than ever!”

 

  • Epcot General Manager Dave Kesting: “This year is all about more – more days, more artists more food . . . . There’s so much for everybody this year; it’s a festival for guests of all ages.”

Disney on Broadway Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre:

  • Marsha Jackson-Randolph, Disney Entertainment, on the Disney on Broadway Concert Series: “You are seeing world-class artists, and there is something so enchanting about the intimacy of this particular theater.
    • “You feel the power of storytelling through music. This year, there really is something for everyone on the America Gardens Theatre stage alone!”

 

  • Broadway singer-actor Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”) – who performed Jan. 12-15 and returns Jan. 19-22: “These audiences are ready for this! They’ve been in the park all day . . . so they’re ready to sit down and just enjoy the good old songs that they know and some new songs; yeah, they are going to have a great time!”

 

  • Broadway singer-actor Jennifer Gambatese (“Tarzan”) – who performed Jan. 12-15, about the Disney on Broadway concert experience: “I would describe it as 28 minutes of pure delight! It’s just a nice little sort of half-hour journey through a few of the shows in the Disney on Broadway catalogue, and they are sort of snippets from each show, a couple of big rousing anthems . . . . It’s quite a treat to get to revisit the Tarzan material with my buddy, Kevin!”

Festival Culinary Team

  • Epcot Culinary Director Gregg Hannon: “For this festival, we have redesigned our presentations to make them more picturesque, more sophisticated, so that when you get your dish, it will be something that you would want to take a picture of, like a piece of art.

 

  • Rick DeCicco, Epcot Proprietor of Festivals and Events, who oversees festival beverages: “Rosé wines are very, very popular right now, and we have great offerings like the Pinord La Dama Reserva Familiar Brut Rosé. Actor-celebrity Drew Barrymore is quite engaged as a winemaker, and we’re featuring her Carmel Road Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir.
    • “Guests love our frozen drinks, and The Deconstructed Breakfast garnished with candied bacon and a waffle crisp is a stunningly beautiful drink to look at, and it’s highly Instagramable! There’s a family-friendly non-alcoholic version, and the adult libation is made with maple bourbon cream liqueur.”

Festival Merchandise Team

  • David Whitaker, Disney Parks Senior Merchandiser for Art & Collectibles: “We have pulled all our creative resources together for something that is unique to Disney. This is something we can own, and a lot of artists this year have added art with international flavor – representations of scenes around the world. We have 141 artist signings scheduled, music, painting – this is a festival on steroids.”
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Tickets Now Available for Star Wars: Galactic Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios May 27

Tickets are now on sale for Star Wars: Galactic Nights, the one-night special event will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios® at Walt Disney World® Resort on May 27, 2018.

In case you aren’t familiar, Star Wars: Galactic Nights is a thrilling Star Wars-themed event held after park hours from 7 p.m.-midnight. It celebrates the entire Star Wars saga with out-of-this-world entertainment, special photo opportunities, event-exclusive merchandise and F&B, and encounters with rarely seen characters that guests can only experience during Star Wars: Galactic Nights.

Here’s a look at other event offerings:

    • Star Wars: Galactic Destinations Projections Transform The Hollywood Tower Hotel– Visible on the Sunset Boulevard area of the park the facade of the Hollywood Tower Hotel will transform via stunning projection technology to showcase familiar locations from across the galaxy. Favorite film moments, special effects, lighting, and of course the stellar Star Wars cinematic score supports each galactic location moment all night long. Star Wars Galactic Destinations is currently an event exclusive.
    • Existing Star Wars Entertainment Will Debut New Enhancements – The park’s existing Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks and the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away stage show will both debut new saga elements for the first time during Star Wars: Galactic Nights.
    • Special Photo Ops – Throughout the park, guests can step into immersive and iconic scenes from their favorite Star Wars films in a series of incredibly detailed photo locations. These special photo ops will only be available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during Star Wars: Galactic Nights.
    • Character Encounters – Expect to encounter Star Wars characters from throughout the galaxy. Guests will also be able to view an Imperial Stormtrooper March with Darth Vader.
    • Exclusive Food & Beverage offerings – Taste your way around the galaxy with specialty food and beverage offerings created for Galactic Nights. Inspired by the stories and iconic characters of Star Wars, these tasting-sized sips and bites bring a delectable addition to this event.
    • Enjoy park attractions – Select attractions will be open to all guests – and some may even offer a special Star Wars twist on May 27 only.

Tickets are on sale now. In addition, intergalactic foodies attending Star Wars: Galactic Nights can now purchase the Galactic Tasting and Viewing Package, featuring Star Wars-inspired food and beverage and reserved seating to a panel providing an inside look of the making of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The Galactic Tasting and Viewing Package is now available for $30 per person, including tax, and can be purchased online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE or (407) 939-3463.

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