WDW Daily News

Magic Kingdom is getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July Holiday. Here are a few pictures of the buntings.

By: Disney Destinations

The celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100^th anniversary is underway, and we’re excited to share Disney100 will ramp up at Walt Disney World Resort beginning late September! Throughout the year, we’ve been celebrating the fans and storytellers who have sparked the joy that is Disney over the last century. It’s been so fun to see all of the special surprises at Disney Parks across the globe helping fans and families relive beloved Disney memories and experience new, heartwarming stories.

Guests may have heard that EPCOT will be the center of the Disney100 celebration at Walt Disney World, marking not only a century of magic and innovation, but also ushering in the future as the multi-year transformation of the park wraps up.

So, what’s in store for this limited-time celebration at EPCOT? Keep reading to learn about everything that will debut on Sept. 22!

Taken a selfie with any of the Disney100 backdrops located at all four theme parks and Disney Springs? Guests will be able to snap a photo with a new platinum Mickey Mouse sculpture in World Celebration with Spaceship Earth in the background. And don’t forget about the dazzling Disney100 Magic Shots and PhotoPass offerings currently available across Walt Disney World.

Be sure to check out the all-new mural at the heart of World Celebration to see how many of the 100 Disney characters Guests can find in the incredible scene. This expansive mural located along the walkway to World Showcase will feature some of your favorite characters hidden throughout the various neighborhoods of EPCOT. The rest of World Celebration will also be decked out in Disney100 platinum banners and décor.

Guests will be able to meet, hug and snap a photo with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their platinum best in the Imagination! pavilion. They won’t be the only ones sparkling in honor of the celebration. Spaceship Earth will light up each night with special colors and lights accompanied by the Disney100 anthem, a unique rendition of When You Wish Upon a Star.

Sip and savor tastes of the Disney100 celebration with four limited-time food & beverage locations during both the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays! We can’t wait to sample all of the culinary delights and delectable drinks that evoke new and timeless Disney memories.

That’s not the only exclusive food and beverage Guests will be able to enjoy during the celebration! They won’t want to miss out on the purple metallic Mickey Balloon Premium Popcorn Bucket available only at EPCOT during Disney100.

We can’t wait to welcome Guests to EPCOT to see the ongoing transformation of the park and join the excitement of the Disney100 celebration at Walt Disney World from Sept. 22 to Dec. 31, 2023. Be sure to share favorite Disney100 memories on social with #Disney100. And stay tuned to the Disney Travel News for details about even more new experiences debuting during the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival and EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.

The 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE is right around the corner, and today, we’re excited to share more details – including a brand-new experience that brings a whole new meaning to molecular gastronomy!

From July 27 to November 18, guests can take a culinary tour across six continents at this celebration of cuisine from around the world. From delectable Global Marketplaces and fresh new merch to nightly live entertainment, there’s so much for guests of all ages to enjoy.

Flavorful Fun is Brew-Wing at Odyssey

Don your lab coats and prepare to experiment with delicious flavors as Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey invites guests on a flavorful adventure, featuring the culinary creations – and madcap mishaps – of Muppet Labs!

That’s right – Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his faithful assistant, Beaker, of Muppet Labs will welcome Guests to their taste-testing headquarters, where the inventive duo are busy creating scientific snacks and mind-blowing beverages. Guests will have a chance to sample some of their kooky concoctions like the Unnecessarily Spicy, Yet Extremely Tasty Scotch Bonnet Pepper-Curry Wings, or the Pickle Milkshake. Consider it a flavor experiment in the name of science!

Global Marketplaces to Satisfy Every Palate

Get ready to sip and savor at more than 25 Global Marketplaces including returning favorites such as The Fry Basket, Flavors from Fire, Canada, India and Spain marketplaces. Also coming later this fall, the culinary team will add four new Global Marketplaces to commemorate the Disney100 celebration: Char & Chop, Wine & Wedge, Bubbles & Brine and Swirled Showcase. Stay tuned to the Disney Travel News, where more details will be shared in a Foodie Guide soon.

Sizzling Sounds at America Gardens Theatre

Wrap up a fun-filled day by enjoying live musical entertainment at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare, featuring a blend of chart-topping musical acts and a taste of Orlando’s local talent. Guests can secure a spot for these performances with an Eat to the Beat Dining Package.

Note that to experience any in-park offerings, guests must have valid theme park admission and may need a theme park reservation depending on type of admission and date of visit. The ability to visit a theme park is subject to the park’s capacity limitations. As we continue to count down the days until the beginning of the festival, stay tuned to Disney Travel News for more updates.

Six of the beautiful Disney Vacation Club resorts have been recently recognized by readers in Travel + Leisure Co.’s 15 Best U.S. Resorts for Families in 2022.  If you’ve never been to these six spots, here’s why these beautiful locales serve as the perfect backdrop for families to create magical memories to last a lifetime. 

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On July 4 only, Magic Kingdom will host a military flyover above Cinderella Castle as a reflection of The Walt Disney Company’s nearly 100-year-long history of supporting the military, dating back to Walt and Roy Disney who both served during World War I.

Weather permitting, pilots will take the aircraft over Cinderella Castle for an inspiring moment around 10:30 a.m. which will be visible to Guests at Magic Kingdom Park and at select Disney Resort hotels in the Magic Kingdom resort area.

On July 3 and 4, “Disney’s Celebrate America! – A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” will be presented at 9:20 p.m. Both nights will also include DJ parties throughout the park. Please note: “Happily Ever After” will not be shown. 

Next week, Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel will begin receiving communication about a Resort Future Stay offer. Guests can save 25-35% on a future resort stay on select dates throughout 2024 — see below for offer details.

Details of this offer will be emailed directly to Guests on the morning of checkout, beginning July 5. In the weeks following, the offer will be shared with Guests through in-room collateral and on their in-room TVs. This offer is only bookable over the phone, and must be booked within 7 days from the date of checkout on the current reservation.

Is there anyone who makes archaeology sound more exciting than Indiana Jones? His research always leads to wild and mysterious adventures around the globe, exciting generations of fans. And now, he’s back! “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is now in theaters, and we can’t wait to see him in action again, plus celebrate him throughout Disney parks.

Whether enjoying the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or embarking on thrilling expeditions like Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland Resort, there are so many ways to step in Indy’s shoes at Disney parks.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, adventurers and Indiana Jones enthusiasts will have a new destination to discover! For a limited time, visitors can enjoy exclusive libations inspired by daring explorers, step into photographable moments among rare antiquities from perilous expeditions and discover costumes and props from “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” There’s no better place for fans to raise a glass to Indy’s adventures.

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Overnight on July 27, 2023 Walt Disney Imagineering installed the tiara-topped water tower that will be the centerpiece for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The attraction, scheduled to open in 2024 at Magic Kingdom Park, will take guests on a musical adventure inspired by the beloved story and characters from the fan-favorite film “The Princess and the Frog.” (Olga Thompson, Photographer)

Foodies – are you ready? Flavors of Florida presented by CORKCICLE at Disney Springs will be serving up some mouthwatering and fresh flavors inspired by the Sunshine State. From July 1 through August 13, over 30 locations all throughout Disney Springs will be featuring a variety of dishes and sips Guests simply must try.

Guests will be able to embrace summer and delight in homegrown flavors from Florida, like the Lime Garage Burger from D-Luxe Burger or the Gambas Gabardina from Jaleo by José Andrés. And who can miss the Florida Shrimp Tacos available at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar? From the sweet to the savory, and everything in between, there are plenty of items Guests will want to come back for again and again.

Interested in seeing first-hand demonstrations from renowned chefs and restaurant owners? This year Disney Springs will be featuring a new culinary series! Check out the official site to get all the details and register for this exciting new offering.

Well, it’s about time we got to the best part – the food!

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At Disney California Adventure Park, the San Fransokyo Public Works Department has been diligently beautifying and making improvements to the local cannery district, which is home to a diverse neighborhood of eateries and businesses. In our previous update, we looked at a few of the landmarks and establishments you’ll see in the industrious mash-up city from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award-winning film “Big Hero 6.”

Today, we’re excited to share that, over the summer, the local eateries will start to introduce delicious new menu offerings! Starting in mid-July, Guests will be able to sample new San Fransokyo selections at Lucky Fortune Cookery, and the Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería will officially open. In the weeks following, additional dining options, unique shopping and more will be introduced as the transformation of this thriving seaside plaza continues through mid-August.

When the transformation is completed, locations across the area – from the Cappuccino Cart outside the San Fransokyo Gate Bridge to The Bakery Tour – will be decked out in street art and colorful banners celebrating the Big Hero 6 team after their victory over Yokai.

Let’s explore more places Guests will be able to visit in San Fransokyo Square!

Guests will have the opportunity to interact with Hiro and his huggable healthcare companion, Baymax, who will say hello outside the Hamada Bot Shop. This is where the Big Hero 6 team builds and innovates their hi-tech gear, so Guests may also see a few of their upcoming inventions.

Near the Hamada Bot Shop will be the San Fransokyo Maker’s Market, a storefront stocked with unique apparel, homewares and more featuring Baymax and friends. In the concept art above, the market’s shelves are situated on robot storage cases, with decommissioned battle bots on display. If Guests turn a sharp eye to the rafters overhead, they may spot the local battlebot champion, Hiro’s Megabot!

Across the way, a vending machine dispenses collectible golden medallions featuring Baymax and other iconic images from San Fransokyo.

The diverse array of flavorful fare in San Fransokyo Square will include current favorites and new creations inspired by Asian cuisine, as well as the Big Hero 6 themselves. Let’s check out the dining destinations Guests will be able to try.

Aunt Cass Café, the second bakery café operated by Hiro’s loving aunt, will serve dishes, soups in freshly-baked Boudin sourdough bread bowls and more inspired by Japanese cuisine. On the outside of this quick service restaurant, Guests will find a mural of Aunt Cass’ lucky pet cat, Mochi.

An old fishing net tannery across from the café is being converted to Rita’s Turbine Blenders, a giant drink dispenser offering delicious margaritas and icy beverages. This refreshment stand is owned and named after the repair technician who maintains the floating wind turbine, resembling a giant koi fish, that sits atop the structure.

In addition to these locations, Guests can expect new menu items at Cocina Cucamonga and Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop. Keep an eye out for the Disney Eats Foodie Guide, coming soon, for the full list of cuisine to come.

San Fransokyo Square will be full of fun for travelers of all ages! On a scale of one through ten, how would you rate your excitement?

Both theme park reservations and valid admission for the same park on the same day are required for park entry.