Walt Disney World Resort Update for July 9-15, 2019

by Alan S. Dalinka, staff writer

July 9, 2019

Walt Disney World Resort Update for July 9-15, 2019

Writer's note: It's rainy season here in Central Florida, which means that if you are visiting Walt Disney World Resort, be prepared and be safe. You will see that open air kiosks and lots of outdoor shows and attractions close (even fireworks shows are postponed) when there is lightning in the area and, indeed, when that is the case, you and your traveling party need to move indoors because "The Most Magical Place on Earth" does not have an invisible dome that will protect you. That should go without saying, but, too often, I have seen guests splashing in the puddles with lightning strikes all around. The good news is that during Central Florida's rainy season, it usually does not rain all day, so you can usually get back outside and play some more.

Anyway, with that public service announcement, we get right on to the News and Views, brought to you thanks to in-room WiFi at the brand new Gran Destino Tower at Disney's Coronado Resort, as we explain right below the headlines...

News and Views

Headlines are auto-generated here

Gran Destino Tower at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Opens Today

This morning, Walt Disney World officially opens the new 545-room Gran Destino Tower at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, marking the completion of the resort's refurbishment and reimagination. I was invited to be on hand for the two-day media preview of the reimagined resort and the tower's grand opening ceremony, and you can find our first looks on MousePlanet's Instagram and Facebook. I will have a photo tour and more complete discussion about the Resort's new restaurants, lounges, and Tower here on MousePlanet.com on Friday.

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The July 9, 2019, opening of Gran Destino Tower marks the completion of the refurbishment and reimagining of Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Coronado Resort is where Walt Disney World's largest convention facilities are located, and the addition of the new Gran Destino Tower adds more meeting space and the sort of amenities that are especially attractive to large gatherings, as well as families and other travelers who enjoy spending time in nooks and crannies of hotel public spaces—like lobbies, lounges, and other public areas suitable for conversation. The public spaces of the Gran Destino Tower have been designed to cater to the electronics-charging needs of modern travelers and especially business travelers, with electric outlets available at many seats throughout the lobbies and lounges.

The guest rooms also provide numerous, conveniently located electrical outlets and Disney's latest in-room amenity: interactive televisions. The new televisions in guest rooms allow guests to not only watch a Disney Resort's usual assortment of channels, it also includes a selection of on-demand movies and programs from the Disney family of studios, the ability to view PhotoPass Photos, and the use of ChromeCast to stream personal content from mobile devices and laptops wirelessly to the TV. Gran Destino Tower guest rooms are the first Disney Resort to have the new interactive televisions.

Gran Destino Tower at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort are the first guest rooms with new interactive TVs that include a selection of on-demand Disney films and built-in ChromeCast for streaming from guest mobile devices. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

The new tower, which now serves as the gateway to the entire resort, including guest check-in, takes its name from Destino, an animated short film that arose from a collaboration between Walt Disney and Salvator Dali, the Spanish surrealist artist. The new tower's theming draws its inspiration from that collaboration as well as the culture of Spain. Some of the designs in the lobby are based upon Spanish tiles that the Imagineers discovered during their research of Spanish culture. The new rooftop restaurant, Toledo, named for the city in Spain, serves Spanish-inspired small plates. The new rooftop lounge, Dahlia, is inspired by Spanish surrealism and features a wall full of photos of Walt Disney with Salvator Dali.

The Dahlia Lounge, located on the 16th floor for the new Gran Destino Tower, has an outdoor patio that provides panoramic views from the resort to Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios (including Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge), the Disney Skyliner, and Epcot. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Coronado Springs' reimagination also included refurbishment and updating of all of the existing rooms across the entire resort. The new Three Bridges Bar & Grill at Villa del Lago was built in the middle of Lago Dorado (the resort's main lake), and takes its name from the three new converging bridges across the lake. The open-air venue features shareable bites and savory entrees, with lots of cocktail options and, of course, sangria. Like the Gran Destino Tower, there is ample room for conventioneers to gather in smaller groups here as well.

Come back to MousePlanet.com on Friday for more details about the reimagined resort.

Takumi-Tei Restaurant Now Open at Japan Pavilion

Takumi-Tei, a new signature table-service restaurant, is now open at Epcot's Japan pavilion. Disney Parks Blog says that the new venue provides an "upscale dining experience with exceptional and specialized service tailored to the unique atmosphere this restaurant provides." Focused on providing guests with a "better understanding of Japanese culture," the venue intends to transport guests to the island nation to learn about Japanese traditions and their connection to the natural world.

Takumi-Tei is a new signature table-service restaurant at Epcot's Japan pavilion. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The restaurant, which was testing for invited diners last week, is located to the right (west) side of the pavilion when approaching from World Showcase Promenade. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka

The restaurant offers a prix fixe multi-course tasting menu, a chef’s table experience, and dinner menu that highlights wagyu beef, sushi, sashimi, unique desserts, signature cocktails, premium sake, and more. It is open for dinner starting at 4 p.m. daily. Walk-ups are currently being accepted, and reservations will be available beginning July 16, 2019, with bookings starting that same day. For more information, visit the Walt Disney World Resort website or call (407) WDW-DINE. To make reservations for the Chef’s Table Dining Experience, call Mitsukoshi directly at (407) 827-8504.

Epcot Transformation Continues: Closings & Relocations for Future World Soon

While we know that the D23 Expo in Anaheim next month promises to provide a whole lot of details about the big picture of the ongoing transformation of Epcot, this week Walt Disney World fairly quietly updated its website and My Disney Experience with notices about Future World venues closing or relocating to make way for the transformation. Indeed, as those details were discovered by guests and media sites, questions were directed to guest relations' official Twitter account, @WDWToday, where Disney provided more information about upcoming changes coming to the park. As you will see below, the last day to experience a number of things around Future World will be September 7, with more changes coming as fall and winter arrive.

Innoventions East, including Colortopia and Nanooze Break will close on September 8, 2019
Club Cool will close in its current location on September 8, 2019 (to reopen in "a new capacity at a future merchandise location")
Fountain View featuring Starbucks will relocate to a temporary location in late Fall, 2019
Meet Disney Pals at the Epcot Character Spot will close on September 8, 2019 (meet characters at other locations throughout the park)
Electric Umbrella will close in Winter 2019–2020 (new dining options to be announced)
Mouse Gear will close in its current location in Winter 2019–2020. (It will move to a temporary home to be announced)
Art of Disney will operate from a temporary location before eventually relocating to Heritage Manor at The American Adventure

As Walt Disney World Resort's Guest Relations team clarified in a tweet, the Fountain of Nations in the center of Future World, will also close September 8, 2019. The concept art for Epcot's future, first displayed at D23 Expo 2017, did show a Future World without the Fountain, and now its removal has been confirmed.

Thank you for your message and sharing your love of Epcot. As part of the largest transformation in the park’s history, Fountain of Nations will close on Sept. 8, 2019. We look forward to honoring our past and celebrating the future with our Epcot family soon. 🌐
— Walt Disney World Today (@WDWToday) July 3, 2019

With the Character Spot meet-and-greet location slated to close, Epcot will next make these changes to character meet and greets:

Minnie Mouse will move into the World Showcase Gazebo.
Daisy Duck will move to The American Adventure.
While new locations are being developed for Mickey Mouse and Goofy, they will temporarily appear in Innoventions West. In the near future, Mickey Mouse will move to an all-new location in the Imagination! Pavilion. Goofy will venture out into the park—and soon will find a new home.
Joy will move soon too—"to a joyous new home."
Winnie the Pooh returns to the park for the first time in awhile. He will appear at United Kingdom pavilion and will greet Guests at Christopher Robin’s bedroom beginning in September 2019.

Mickey and Friends Decorating Disney Buses

Love them or hate them, Walt Disney World buses are a major part of visiting the Resort for most guests. Starting this month, the "sensational six" Disney Characters—Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto—will begin to be featured on Resort Buses. The bus interiors are also being refreshed with new blue seats and laminate floors. Some buses will also have USB charging ports located between seats.

Disney buses taking on the look of the "Sensational Six" around Walt Disney World Resort. Video ©Disney.

Epcot Concerts & Candlelight Processional News and Calendar

Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! continues its run on the America Gardens stage with five performances scheduled daily through August 18. Star-Lord and Gamora, along with an "alien" band, take the audience on a "musical journey" that showcases hits from Star-Lord's Awesome Mix tapes. It is the same show that was performed last summer, and each live performance includes the same set list. Check the Times Guide and the My Disney Experience app for the daily schedule.

Guardians of the Galaxy - Awesome Mix Live! is scheduled on the American Gardens stage five times daily.

As a one time resident of Earth, Star-Lord attempts to teach an alien band music appropriate for Epcot (from the 1970s and 1980s, like on his "Awesome Mix Tapes, Vols. 1 & 2," of course).

Gamora flies through her performance with the band (at least, when she is not annoyed with Star-Lord).

File Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

As Labor Day weekend approaches, this year's edition of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will debut on August 29 (yes, the very same day that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios). Recently, Disney Parks Blog provided more details about some of this year's marketplaces, noted that bookings are now open for the Tailgate Tastings hosted by ESPN's Monday Football (on select Sundays Starting September 8), listed some of the Radio Disney headliners coming to this year's edition of the Disney du Jour Dance Party, and noted that the calendar is continuing to filling up for the three-times-nightly Eat to the Beat Concert Series which runs until November 19. Concert showtimes on Sundays through Thursdays will be the usual 5:30, 6:45, and 8:00 p.m., while on Fridays and Saturdays, the showtimes shift an hour later to 6:30, 7:45, and 9:00 p.m. The Concert Series wraps up on November 19 to allow the America Gardens stage to be prepared for the 2019 edition of Epcot's Candlelight Processional. Get even more details and make reservations by visiting TasteEpcot.com or calling (407) 939-3378.

Neil Patrick Harris, Gary Sinise, Whoopi Goldberg, Pat Sajak, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Edward James Olmos are all scheduled to return as celebrity narrators for this year's Candlelight Processional. Held at the America Gardens Theatre, the Candlelight Processional combines a live orchestra, massed choir and celebrity narrator in the retelling of the traditional Christmas story three times per night (5:00, 6:45, and 8:15 p.m.) during the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays (November 29 to December 30). Guaranteed seating is available by booking a breakfast, lunch, or dinner Candlelight Processional Dining Package at select Epcot eateries. Availability is limited and advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 180 days prior to your visit. Bookings for Candlelight Processional Dining Packages will begin on July 3. EpcotHolidays.com is the page where you can find Festival information and Candlelight Processional Dining Packages starting July 3 (or call 407-WDW-DINE).

Neil Patrick Harris is scheduled to return to Epcot to narrate Candlelight Procession for the 12th year. File photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

For the convenience of our readers, all of the scheduled Eat to the Beat Concert Series performers and announced Celebrity Narrators for Candlelight Processional at America Gardens Theatre are shown in our Google Calendar of Epcot Events. All of the Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! dates are noted as well. You can add the whole Event calendar to any calendar that supports the iCal format (like iPhone and Mac) by copying this link and, as we get additional information and update the calendar, the calendar will update on your subscribed device as well.

While our Google Calendar of Epcot Events lists announced performers, it is still always best to check the My Disney Experience app, Times Guide, and, yes, sometimes even signs posted at the park entrances and at the theater noting any last minute changes. The calendar is provided as a courtesy "as is, where is" without any guarantees. We do respectfully request that you do not post our entire calendar on another site without first asking our permission. Walt Disney World Resort does provide schedules in the My Disney Experience app, but does not allow you to add dates to calendars outside the app itself.

Views Around the World

We have views from all four theme parks this week, including some from Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge courtesy of our other Florida-based contributors, Bonnie and Donald Fink. We begin with the replay of the #DisneyParksLIVE stream of Magic Kingdom's Fourth of July celebration, move on to more Independence Day views by the Finks of Magic Kingdom, then my views of Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, and then we conclude with the Lodge.

Watch a replay of the #DisneyParksLIVE stream of Disney's Celebrate America! – A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky from Magic Kingdom. Video ©Disney.

Magic Kingdom

One of Bonnie and Donald Finks' favorite spots to view fireworks at the Magic Kingdom is at the waterfront in Frontierland. "We almost always have an unobstructed view in front, with nothing but the Riverboat." Don and Bonnie say that the special fireworks show "was worth braving the lightning and thunder to see." Video by Donald and Bonnie Fink.

Cinderella Castle was decorated with the red, white, and blue for the July 4th celebration. We noticed the new colors on the night of July 3rd just after the fireworks display. There appeared to be a large dance party underway as we made our way through the Hub on our way from Frontierland to Tomorrowland.

Cinderella's Carriage was available for photographs in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom during the July 4th celebrations.

The Hoedown Throwdown was a dance party in Frontierland during the July 4th celebration. This party was held during the evenings of July 3rd and 4th, ramping up to full speed just after the fireworks each night.

One of the three dance parties at the Magic Kingdom was this "Out of This World Galactic Gathering," held on July 3rd and 4th. The party moved up to fast pace right after the fireworks display each night.

Photos and captions by Donald Fink.

The Dance Parties at this year's July 4th celebration at Disney's Magic Kingdom began before sundown and continued long into the night after the fireworks display. There were three parties this year, one in Frontierland, one in Tomorrowland, and one in front of Cinderella's Castle. We managed to brave the crowds for Frontierland and Tomorrowland. Video by Donald Fink.

This is our latest look at the construction of the Tron-themed roller coaster in Tomorrowland. Photo by Donald Fink.

Epcot

Patriotic attired Mickey, Goofy and Pluto greeted guests in the plaza next to The American Adventure on July 4. (HDR Photo).

For the Fourth of July, Chip and Dale wore patriotic costumes for a special meet and greet outside Liberty Inn at The American Adventure. (HDR Photo).

Liberty Inn at The America Adventure is now closed for transformation into Regal Eagle Smokehouse which is expected to open this fall.

Epcot has not announced what interior renovations to expect during Liberty Inn's transformation into Regal Eagle, though it is expected to remain a fast casual-style restaurant.

Guardians of the Galaxy-themed beverages are available this summer at Fife & Drum on World Showcase Promenade at The American Adventure.

Across World Showcase Lagoon, the attraction building for the Guardians of the Galaxy-themed roller coaster continues to fade into the sky, as the angled roof is covered in sky blue like the rest of the building.

Disney Skyliner testing continues just beyond the International Gateway.

Refurbishment of the rockwork at Canada pavilion continues.

The walkway from World Showcase Promenade to Future World West remains closed; as this spot was often a bottleneck, it appears that the new path will be wider.

Some of the refurbishment has been completed at Mexico pavilion's La Cantina de San Angel; the venue remains open.

Farewell Illuminations merchandise is now available at Mouse Gear and other locations around the park ahead of the show's final performance this fall.

The Taste Track kiosk has been removed from its usual spot outside Test Track.

The exterior of the space-themed restaurant under construction between Test Track and Mission: SPACE remains unthemed concrete blocks.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

A July 4 ride aboard Test Track (with some patriotic ears in sight) also shows off more views of the new space-themed restaurant construction next to the attraction. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

March of the First Order held its final performances on Hollywood Boulevard on July 6. The First Order will next appear inside Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when it opens next month. Video of portions of the noon and 1 p.m shows on July 6, 2019, by Alan S. Dalinka.

On Saturday, Captain Phasma led her stormtroopers in the March of the First Order down the length of Hollywood Boulevard for the final scheduled times.

March of the First Order included an up-close inspection of the crowd by Stormtroopers under Captain Phasma's command at the center stage.

The moment stormtroopers on stage shoot their blasters usually got guests to "ooh" and "ah!"

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

The park's new logo now may be seen from time to time on the video screen when the park's mobile stages are in front of Chinese Theatre.

Disney PhotoPass photographers had Fourth of July props for several days on either side of Independence Day.

Though it is just July, we have already started to spot 2020 Disney Parks poster calendars available for sale. (Yes, I bought one!)

Driving from the park to World Drive provides a view of the construction of the immersive Star Wars hotel under construction just behind Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

New signs attempt to communicate to guests that they are being staged for boarding the Kilimanjaro Safari trucks; notwithstanding new markings on the ground too, they did not seem effective during my visit.

Augustus, the "baby" hippo, still can often be seen hanging around his mother on the safari.

Surprisingly, the wild African dogs were quite active on a hot Central Florida summer afternoon.

Several of the giraffes, on the other hand, rested in the shaded areas of the savannah.

Over at Maharajah Jungle Trek, one of the tigers paced about and growled at guests from inside its enclosure.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Planet Watch is scheduled to reopen on July 11; trains were testing on July 5.

Can you feel the love tonight? New "Lion King" inspired decor is now on one of the gates to backstage near Harambe Marketplace.

Construction continues in the corner of Africa next to Harambe Theater believed to become the next in-park location for Walt Disney World's Club 33 members and their guests.

Construction fences related to the park's "entry experience enhancements" now also stand between the park's bus loop and tram stop outside the park's main entrance.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

Donald and Bonnie Fink spent some time celebrating Independence Day with a stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. With a Savannah View room, here are some of their views of the animals right outside the room. Video and Stills by Donald and Bonnie Fink.

This and That…

…For those heading to Walt Disney World resort for 2020 runDisney Race Weekends, starting with the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend in January, Disney Parks Blog announced new limited-edition MagicBands featuring the race themes will be available to coordinate with the other themed merchandise available for purchase at the events. The new bands will retail for $34.99 plus tax each and can be ordered pre-arrival in the Products tab of registered runners in their runDisney account (including those registered for Kids Races). For the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, the edition is limited to 2,000 units, and for the Princess Half Marathon Weekend and Star Wars Rival Run Weekend, the editions are each limited to 1,000 units.

…The latest additions to the Disney Parks Designer Collection of limited-release Mickey Mouse ear hats and Minnie Mouse ear headbands was unveiled last week on Disney Parks Blog. A new gold Minnie ear headband from ALEX AND ANI was introduced at Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories at Disney Springs on July 5. Coming releases include a Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse tribute design by Disney artist Noah, a celebration of Haunted Mansion's 50th Anniversary at Disneyland by Disney Imagineer Kim Irvine, several designs from Ashley Eckstein for Her Universe, a Hipster Mickey ear hat by Jerrod Maruyama, a tiki-themed Mickey ear hat by SHAG, and more by Heidi Klum, The Blonds, COACH and more. D23 Expo attendees will have the first chance to buy some of the new items. Releases will be available at Walt Disney World at Ever After Jewelry Co. & Accessories (Disney Springs), Mouse Gear (Epcot), Uptown Jewelers (Magic Kingdom), Once Upon a Time (Disney's Hollywood Studios), and Discovery Trading Company (Disney's Animal Kingdom). Releases will also be available at locations at Disneyland Resort and online at shopDisney.com.

…REMINDER: Give Kids the World Village has announced its next two speaker series events featuring legendary Disney Cast Members and Voice Actors. On Disneyland's 64th anniversary, July 17, Disney veterans Tom Nabbe, Bill Sullivan and Bill Hoelscher will share stories of their fabled careers, stretching from the Disneyland's launch to the opening of Walt Disney World. On August 3, Paige O'Hara, voice of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Linda Larkin, voice of Jasmine from Aladdin, will share stories of the magic behind the scenes of these loved Disney characters. Details:

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. at Give Kids The World Village, 210 S Bass Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746
July 17: Legendary Disney Cast Members: General Seating $35; Preferred Seating $50
August 3: Disney Voice Actors O'Hara & Larkin: General $50; Preferred $75; VIP Package $150

Advanced ticket sales are now available for the July 17 event on this eventbrite.com webpage. Advanced sales tickets are available for the August 3 event on this eventbrite.com webpage. For more information about these and other GKTW events, visit GKTW.org. Since 1986, Give Kids The World Village has welcomed more than 165,000 families to its 84-acre storybook resort in Central Florida. Children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations, complete with accommodations, donated attraction tickets, meals and more.

…Well beyond Walt Disney World, Aulani, the Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina, Hawaii, this Mahalo Season is offering 30% off on stays of 5 or more consecutive nights and 25% on a stay of 4 consecutive nights for bookings through October 23 for travel between August 19 and December 21, 2019. For the details and other special offers, packages and more for the balance of the year at Aulani visit this page of DisneyAulani.com.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter is here! The newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips about what's happening at the Disney theme parks for the coming weekend. We'll also include a fun bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your email in the box below.



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New & Coming Soon at Disney Springs

This section collects all of the Disney Springs retail and dining events we are aware of in one place along with our most recent views of the area (including those immediately under this paragraph). Event items NEW to the Update are marked accordingly. For even more of the latest news around Disney Springs, follow its official Twitter Feed: @DisneySprings.

Morimoto Asia

"Sea. Salt. Sake. Sharpen." A new immersive culinary experience will be held at Morimoto Asia on Sunday, July 21, 2019, from 1-3 p.m. This seafood-driven educational seminar and tasting will feature demonstrations and food stations highlighting fish preparation. Attendees will be taught "to master the elements of maximizing the bounty of the whole fish, gain insight into the proper technique for sharpening kitchen knives, and sample a variety of flavors from Mackerel and Hamachi to Madai Snapper." The event will also include beverage pairings like beers, sakes, and shochus to complement the style and texture of each dish. Guests must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets are $50 (excluding ticket fees, tax and gratuity). For more information and tickets, visit this page of the Patina Restaurant Group's website.

Pizza Ponte

The counter service Pizza Ponte restaurant wants you to know that its $5.95/slice Big Roman is the largest slice of pizza available at Disney Springs, measuring 12-inches long. The Big Roman is a classic Margherita-style pizza made made with tomato, mozzarella, and arugula on roman pizza bread. The same team behind Epcot’s Via Napoli restaurant at Italy pavilion is responsible for the food at this venue. "At Pizza Ponte, we're dedicated to using fresh ingredients and signature cooking methods that deliver results that are on par with the traditional characteristics found in the style of pies served on the streets of Naples,"" says Patina Restaurant Group Marketing Director Kyle Collins.

The restaurant has also partnered with a local Orlando-based company to offer Pop Fusion's gourmet ice and wine pops. Hand-crafted, colorful, and made with fresh, locally-sourced fruit, there are $5 non-alcoholic and $9 alcoholic flavors available (well, for those of appropriate age, of course). The handheld treats are also available at Epcot's Italy pavilion.

Maria & Enzo's

On Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the restaurant now offers A La Carte Brunch featuring southern Italian cuisine from Nutella Stuffed French Toast to Italian breakfast skillets. For those 21-and-over, brunch can be paired with midmorning cocktails from the "Garden to Glass" menu of Bloody Mary drinks. "Our Garden to Glass options use fresh ingredients and garnishes that Maria & Enzo would have grown in their own backyards, bringing together the restaurant's origins and our guests' appetite for a beverage lineup at Disney Springs that stems from the similar and coveted farm-to-table concept,"" said Patina Restaurant Group Marketing Director, Kyle Collins.

Enzo's Hideaway Tunnel Bar

NEW The Smuggler's Series is on hiatus.

The Edison

The Edison at Disney Springs hosts Havana Nights beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays: July 10, July 24, August 7, August 21, September 4, September 18, October 2, and October 16. The no additional charge nights feature a five piece band from 8 p.m. to midnight (trading the spotlight with a DJ from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.) playing Latin renditions of musical styles from instrumentals to pop. Complimentary salsa lessons will be available at any skill level, 7:30-11:30 p.m. and Havana-inspired specialty craft cocktails will be available to order during the entire night.

Wine Bar George

Wine Bar George recently introduced its new Wine Country Brunch, which is now offered every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 3 p.m. See the menu online here or download a PDF of the menu here. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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Resort Events

Check here to see if a park event might fall during your next trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an email.

Just click the year you want to expand (or close).

2019 Resort Events

Disney After Hours: (hard ticket required; park entry at 7 p.m., event hours vary by published date and park)
…Disney Villains at Magic Kingdom (10 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.)
- July 11, 18 & 25
- August 1 & 8
…at Magic Kingdom (10 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.):
- August 22 & 29
- September 5 & 12
…at Magic Kingdom (9 p.m. to midnight):
- September 19 & 26
…at Disney's Hollywood Studios (9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.):
- July 12, 19 & 26
…at Disney's Animal Kingdom (9 p.m. to midnight; 7 p.m.):
- July 15, 22 & 29
- August 5, 12, 19, & 26
- September 3, 9, 16, & 23
Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic: (registration required but full)
…at Disney's Animal Kingdom
- July 18, August 8 & 22, 2019
…at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon
- September 18 & October 16, 2019
- Registration opens for Members with Resort Reservations: August 14, 2019 at 9 a.m. Eastern
- Registration opens for all Members: August 28, 2019 at 9 a.m. Eastern
Mickey & Minnie's Surprise Celebration at Magic Kingdom – January 18 – September 30, 2019
Party with Pixar Pals at Disney's Hollywood Studios – January 18 - September 30, 2019
25 Years of The Lion King at Disney's Animal Kingdom – January 18 – September 30, 2019
Disney H2O Glow Nights at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon (hard ticket required)
Thursday & Saturday nights from May 30-August 24, 2019.
Gay Days at Walt Disney World (#RedShirtDays - unofficial events) - August 15-18, 2019
Disney's Animal Kingdom: August 15; Disney's Hollywood Studios: August 16;
Magic Kingdom: August 17; Epcot: August 18
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom (hard ticket required)
- August 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
- September 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29
- October 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
- November 1
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – August 29 - November 23, 2019
(Eat to the Beat Concerts end November 19)
Dapper Days at Walt Disney World (Unofficial Events) - November 16-17, 2019
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend – October 31 - November 3, 2019
Epcot International Festival of the Holidays – November 29 - December 30, 2019
(includes Candlelight Processional)
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom (hard ticket required) — Late Fall/Winter 2019
- November: 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22 & 24
- December: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20 & 22

2020 Resort Events

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend - January 8-12, 2020
Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend - February 20-23, 2020
Star Wars Rival Run Weekend - April 16-19, 2020
MORE EVENTS COMING SOON!

Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Not all attraction closures have been officially confirmed by Disney, and are all subject to change at any time. All refurbishment schedules are estimates only. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit DisneyWorld.com or use the MyDisneyExperience App on your iOS or Android device.

View the different areas of the Resort by scrolling horizontally and selecting the one you want to read about.

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