WDW Daily News

Over the years, families have made countless magical memories together from riding bikes and completing the Castaway Cay 5K, to snorkeling and spending time together on Castaway Family Beach.

In honor of the families who have sailed 50 or more times with Disney Cruise Line, a commemorative display will be added to Disney Castaway Cay this fall. This will recognize the legacy and heart of the Castaway Club, our members. The display will take residence near the island post office with a colorful fence that features the names of these families. Check out the artist rendering! 

Eligible Castaway Club members will have the opportunity to select one of the beautiful icons below to accompany their family’s name on the display. Here’s a sneak peek of the options!

Castaway Club is Disney Cruise Line’s way of recognizing guests who have sailed.

Stay tuned for more on the installation! Details will be coming soon to each eligible family who has already reached this milestone.

August 11, 2023

Halloween is here! Well, at least at Walt Disney World Resort.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party starts tonight at Magic Kingdom Park, and Disney PhotoPass photographers are brewing up brand new spooky shots during the event, featuring Donald Duck’s mischievous nephews, the “Lonesome Ghosts,” Maleficent, and more. Plus, many of your favorite Magic Shots are returning this year, including the Headless Horseman and Oogie Boogie. While that’s exciting, it also offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way to capture them all!

Below, check out where all of these photo ops are materializing during the party.

Most Disney PhotoPass locations around Magic Kingdom Park

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Entrance to the park and Main Street, U.S.A.

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Town Square near the flag pole

Main Street, U.S.A.

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Select spots in front of and near Cinderella Castle

Near the gardens in front of Casey’s Corner and The Plaza Restaurant

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Liberty Square near the Hall of Presidents

In front of the Haunted Mansion

At the castle walls near Pinocchio Village Haus

Near the main entrance to Storybook Circus

Near the Purple Wall (next to Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor)

At many character greetings

And don’t worry – we’ll still be capturing classic iconic shots at many of your favorite locations!

To download and share all Disney PhotoPass photos from the party (including attraction photos!), purchase Memory Maker One Day. To download and share all your photos from the party PLUS those from the rest of your Walt Disney World vacation, Memory Maker is your best option.* As a reminder, Disney Memory Maker is a commissionable add-on.

*Disney PhotoPass Service and Memory Maker are subject to the applicable terms and policies. Includes photos taken during the applicable Memory Maker Window as defined in such terms (generally, photos taken (i) within one day for Memory Maker One Day or (ii) within 30 days from the date of first activation for standard Memory Maker). If Memory Maker is purchased at the advance purchase price, any photos taken within 3 days of the date Memory Maker is purchased are not included and must be purchased separately. A MagicBand, or an eligible mobile device with Bluetooth technology enabled for the My Disney Experience app, is required to receive certain attraction photos and other digital content. Online registration required. Disney PhotoPass Photos in your account will expire pursuant to the expiration policy. Downloads are restricted to personal use only. Not responsible for missing, lost or damaged photos. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. Valid theme park admission and park reservations are required for certain photo locations.

The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort are returning Nov. 10, 2023, through Jan. 7, 2024! We can’t wait for Guests and their loved ones to create special memories and treasured traditions with new and returning holiday offerings around the resort. We’re excited to taste our way through the Disney Festival of Holidays marketplaces, watch dazzling projections and fireworks illuminate Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle and snap a photo with Mickey Mouse in his all-new holiday outfit in Disneyland Park!

Here are the details about the celebrations, décor, entertainment and more that will be featured this holiday season.

Experience Cultural Celebrations in Disney California Adventure Park with Disney Festival of Holidays

A distinctly Disney holiday celebration with diverse food, live entertainment and more, Disney Festival of Holidays draws inspiration from multicultural seasonal celebrations and cherished traditions of Christmas, Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day. Guests can enjoy some new and returning favorite food and beverage items at the Disney Festival of Holidays marketplaces and groove to music and dance performances at the Palisades Stage, Sonoma Terrace and for the first time, in the Hollywood Backlot, where Disney Festival of Holidays will also be celebrated. Additionally, get ready to dance along as Disney and Pixar characters march to the beat of the Holiday Toy Drummers in “Mickey’s Happy Holidays.”

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It’s the time we’ve all been waiting for: the opening of the 2023 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE going on now through Nov. 18th at Walt Disney World! Pack a Festival Passport and prep your palettes, because we’re exploring a thrilling lineup of festival merchandise, entertainment and innovative eats (like the Pickle Milkshake!) Guests won’t want to miss.

Can’t-Miss Culinary Creations

Over at our Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey — more on that soon! — Guests will want to snag the all-new non-alcoholic Pickle Milkshake. Only the mayhem of our motley Muppet crew could whip up something so delightfully original! Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey also features two plant-based options, the IMPOSSIBLE Buffalo Chicken Tenders and the Buffalo Brussels Sprouts. Plant-based offerings at other Global Marketplaces include the Falafel Pita at Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina, the IMPOSSIBLE Burger Slider with wasabi cream and spicy Asian slaw at Flavors from Fire and the Guava Cake at Shimmering Sips hosted by CORKCICLE.

Did you know that there are more than 25 Global Marketplaces along with four brand new locations? At the four new Global Marketplaces Guests can delight in savory bites at Char & Chop, pair wine with artisanal cheeses at Wine & Wedge, or snack on champagne and seafood at Bubbles & Brine. Plus, satisfy a sweet tooth at Swirled Showcase, featuring soft-serve ice cream and refreshing sips like the Frozen Apple Pie. All four new Global Marketplaces will open Sept 22.

But our journey is just beginning, so let’s keep exploring more festival fun!

A Must-Do Muppet Takeover

Remember that Pickle Milkshake? Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant, Beaker, from Muppet Labs have been hard at work bringing whimsy your way. Their creatively chaotic handiwork is up for taste-testing at Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey! Sample a variety of wings, like the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sticky Wings, or enjoy an array of beers and ciders. And while Guests are there, try the Frozen Fusion featuring Twinings Pomegranate and Raspberry Herbal Tea infused with orange ice cream molecules.

This Muppet makeover to our iconic Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey, a staple for the last several years at the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE, is sure to meep expectations. And after a day of snacking and sipping, there’s a selection of other experiences Guests can enjoy on a full stomach.

Fun Festival Merchandise

Pin collectors, Figment fans and Annual Passholders can browse four collections of all-new festival merchandise! Shop the classic Festival Event Logo Collection featuring a Spaceship Earth-inspired Loungefly Backpack and CORKCICLE stemless wine cup, the Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse Picnic Collection with contributions by Dooney & Bourke, the home-inspired Disney “Encanto” Collection, or the Figment Annual Passholder Collection. No matter their taste, there’s something for every member of the crew.

Live Music and Local Talent

Our Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare returns with a star-studded lineup of live music! Enjoy local bands and well-known acts from July 27 – Nov. 13, featuring the talent of Funkafied, Phillip Phillips, Boyz II Men, Sugar Ray and so many more.

Guests will have three showtimes each night to catch the performance: 5:30 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:00 PM. Get to the America Gardens Theatre at the American Adventure Pavilion early to stake out a spot, or guarantee seating with the Eat to the Beat Dining Package. With this package, Festivalgoers can feast on fine dining at one of our participating restaurants before enjoying the show. Take note – this offering is only available Fridays through Mondays. Tuesdays through Thursdays, Guests can jam with our local acts!

Super Scavenger Hunts

Looking for more fun for the whole family? Try one of our two festival-inspired scavenger hunts — or a third to celebrate the upcoming spooky season! Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak takes Guests on a savory scavenger hunt around the World Showcase to find hidden statuettes of Remy; and with Emile’s Fromage Montage, sample tasty cheeses from across the globe while collecting stamps on your Festival Passport. Lastly, Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit sends Guests through the park on the lookout for hidden decorative pumpkins themed to Disney characters.

Once Guests have had their fun, each of these scavenger hunts ends with a unique surprise! Check the Festival Passport for details on where to purchase maps or game boards to kick off these adventures — and where to redeem them for a prize. Do take note that Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit runs from Sept. 29 to Oct. 31, while the other two experiences are available from July 27 while supplies last.

We can’t wait for another season of foodie adventures and flavorful fun. The festival runs from July 27 to Nov. 18, 2023, and we can’t wait to see everyone there.

Disneyland performances of Fantasmic! are currently paused until Spring 2024. Stay tuned for more updates.

The Disney Dream is about to get even ‘dreamier’ this summer as Disney Cruise Line guests can now participate in a brand-new prismatic pop dance party taking place on the upper decks during select sailings.

Complete with colorful new fun for the whole family and a 90s throwback feel, it will be all feet on deck for Disney Cruise Line guests at Mickey’s Color Spin Dance Party, and we’re excited to reveal more details about this vibrant and energetic celebration perfect for Disney music lovers of all ages.

For starters, it’s not a deck party without appearances from Mickey Mouse (in all-new attire), Minnie Mouse and many of their favorite friends – even Max! – and they are all dressed up and ready to bust a move. Each character is assigned a color, and when the wheel lands on their color – it’s time to party!

This unique deck party is interactive from start to finish. After a sing-along preshow of “Into the Unknown,” each spin on the color wheel will have families singing, dancing and yes, even doing the wave and hand jive to unique renditions of iconic Disney songs with an upbeat techno twist.

Partygoers can dress like their favorite character for the festivities or join the color crew dancers, who will don colorful throwback track suits on stage.

Mickey’s Color Spin Dance Party is coming to select sailings on the Disney Dream beginning with this week on the voyage to the Norwegian Fjords and Iceland.

Over at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, there are two locations that will be opening their doors once again to feed hungry patrons with mouthwatering delights. On July 27, Trail’s End Restaurant and Crockett’s Tavern reopen with refreshing new looks and delicious bites Guests are definitely going to want to try.

From sleeping under the stars to exploring the woodland trails, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground reminds us how beautiful it is to experience the magic of the great outdoors together. These new menus at Trail’s End Restaurant and Crockett’s Tavern complement the resort’s signature laid-back style and offer the dining flexibility our Guests are looking for, no matter how they plan to enjoy their day at Walt Disney World.

Upon reopening, both dining locations will have a fresh, new look that enhances the resort’s quaint charm and honors its heritage at the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort, with warm wooden furnishings, beamed ceilings, and rustic accents.

Now, onto Trail’s End Restaurant. This spot has been reimagined to a quick-service restaurant filled with tasty items to fill our bellies. Whether Guests are looking for family-sized entrees and sides to bring back to their cabin or campsite, or freshly prepared individual-sized entrees to feast on inside the restaurant’s casual seating area, there are plenty of tasty options to choose from.

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“Disney Junior & Friends Playdate,” a three-day event celebrating the magical, entertaining and music-filled stories of Disney Junior’s hit series, will bring the magic straight to preschoolers and their families at Disney California Adventure park on Friday, August 18, and at Downtown Disney District on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20.  

The celebration will kick off Friday, Aug. 18 at Disney California Adventure park, and will feature:

• A Playdate Party Parade featuring beloved Disney Junior characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Elena of Avalor, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Vampirina, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Goofy, Pluto, and Mira, Royal Detective.
• A special “Disney Junior Live! Playdate” stage show will delight young audiences with the world-premiere of the new Disney Junior short-form series “Playdate with Winnie the Pooh.”
• The seasonal “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery Unbirthday Party” will offer a lively, hands-on cupcake decorating course inspired by the Disney Junior series. 
• A “Spidey and his Amazing Friends” photo wall at the Hollywood Backlot in Disney California Adventure.
• Plus, you can enjoy regular Disney Junior programming at Disney California Adventure, including the popular “Disney Junior Dance Party!” 

The fun moves to the Downtown Disney District on Saturday, Aug. 19 and Sunday, Aug. 20, including:

• Disney Junior-themed treats at Marceline’s Confectionary. 
• A “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” photo wall at Downtown Disney.

Throughout the weekend, guests will be able to participate in a find-and-search experience featuring Disney Junior-themed clues around Disney California Adventure park on Friday and Downtown Disney on Saturday and Sunday.

Additional details including a full schedule of events will be posted here leading up to the event. 

Throughout the year, families visiting with small children will find unforgettable character moments, rides, shows and more across Disneyland Resort.

*Schedule, events, offerings and appearances subject to restrictions and change or cancellation without notice, including but not limited to dates, times and sessions. Both theme park admission and park reservation for the same park on the same date are required for park entry. Visit Disneyland.com for important information to know before visiting the Disneyland Resort.

Summer is off to a bright start at Walt Disney World Resort as Disney H2O Glow After Hours lights up the night at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Guests can slide on into an illuminated evening featuring their favorite splashing attractions (at night!), a glowing menu of delicious sips and eats, a DJ dance party with favorite Disney characters and more. Sprinkle in shorter wait times and guests have the perfect way to “glow-up” their vacation.

Take a look at a few of our favorite ways to have a wave of fun during this splashing after-hours event:

Get “Glowing” on the DJ Dance Floor

Kick off the after-hours party on the right foot and get your “glow on” with a high-energy DJ dance party. Full of lights, music and a few of your favorite Disney Characters, this dance party is what brings Disney H2O Glow After Hours to life!

Glow with the Flow on Splashing Attractions

Whether they’re shooting down Crush N’ Gusher or relaxing through Castaway Creek in our special H2O Glow After Hour tubes, guests will experience favorite attractions in a whole new NIGHT light. Plus, with this exclusive after-hours event, the wait times are even shorter!

Glowing Goodies & more

What party is complete without delicious sips and eats? Not only do guests get to enjoy ice cream novelties, popcorn and select fountain beverages with their after-hours ticket, there’s a “glowing” menu of unique and tasty dishes for purchase. Guests can l dive into food offerings such as the ManGLOW (Mango) Barbeque Chicken and Waffles, Watermelon Poke Bowl, Pineapple ManGLOW (Mango) Mai Tai, Moonlight Mudslide and so much more!

Ready to have a deLIGHTful time? Join us select nights through early September for the glowing party of the summer. 

From: Disney Cruise Line:

NEW – This Disney Treasure update is coming to you from sunny Celebration, Florida, the headquarters for Disney Cruise Line. Today, the Disney Cruise Line team is thrilled to be debuting an image of the ship’s stern for the very first time! For 25 years, each Disney Cruise Line ship has been adorned with characters from beloved Disney adventures. The Disney Treasure will follow this tradition with its own signature character sculptures that honor the ship’s motif of adventure, Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Harnessing the power of Tinker Bell’s pixie dust, Peter Pan will levitate next to the Disney Treasure to add the finishing touch to the ship’s stern filigree. Meanwhile, Peter Pan’s longtime rival, Captain Hook can be seen leaning out a porthole with a vengeful expression on his face. Paintbrush and paint bucket in hand, Peter Pan sports a mischievous grin as he glances back at Captain Hook, who is dripping in yellow paint.