Walt Disney World Resort Update for June 4-10, 2019

by Alan S. Dalinka, staff writer

June 4, 2019

Walt Disney World Resort Update for June 4-10, 2019

Writer's note: If you follow any Disney news, you know that last week, on the West Coast, Disneyland dedicated and opened Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. We took the week off from publishing a Walt Disney World Resort Update, and there were no major news stories you missed last week. Here in Florida, I supported our West Coast contributors and, thanks to modern technology, feel like I have (at least, sorta-kinda) been to Batuu while we await the August 29 scheduled opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge near me at Disney's Hollywood Studios. You can catch the full wrap-up of our West Coast coverage here and it should serve as a good preview of what is to come here on the substantive side. As for how it is going to operate here crowd-wise, remember that Disneyland opened its land with a reservations-required process that will be in effect until June 23; when June 24 rolls around and operation switches to "open subject to capacity controls," we may get an idea of what crowd flow issues will be like in the Florida version.

And, before we turn to the news, we go back to the video discussion we have been having in this space in the past few Updates. As you may recall, we have been facing the dilemma of going where our viewers are when it comes to video—which, increasingly, has been Instagram's IGTV. Until a couple weeks ago, IGTV required videos to be formatted vertically, so we increasingly were posting vertical videos which do not look best on televisions, desktop computers, and other wide-screen tablets. Well, on the very day we last wrote about this issue in the Update, Instagram relented and began permitting horizontally-formatted videos. So, at least from me, in future Updates, you will again see far more horizontal videos than vertical ones.

Enjoy a visit to all of Epcot in under 5 minutes by Hyperlapse. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

News and Views

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More Details of 2019 "Magical Holiday Happenings" at Walt Disney World

In just over five months, starting November 8, parts of Walt Disney World will begin their 2019 Winter Holidays Celebrations (the rest of the Resort will join in by the end of November). Since our last Walt Disney World Resort Update, Disney has released some new details of this year's "Magical Holidays Happenings."

Magic Kingdom

As we noted earlier this year, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party begins its "select nights" run this year on November 8. The separate ticket required event runs 23 nights this year, including performances of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas, and Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration stage show; Queen Elsa will again transform Cinderella Castle with "glistening ice" when lighting the dreamlights during A Frozen Holiday Wish stage show.

The party will also mark the debut of a new fireworks show, Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks hosted by Minnie Mouse and featuring medleys of holiday songs including "Joy to the World," "Deck the Halls," "Up on the House Top" and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." Disney Parks Blog say the show will have "an incredible finale you won't want to miss." Disney Parks Blog also confirmed that the "Jingle Cruise" will return the seasonal overlay to the Jungle Cruise.

Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks will debut during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, starting November 8. Concept Art ©Disney.

The retirement of Holiday Wishes comes as no particular surprise. The long-running show had been showing its aged technology since the 2017 introduction of Happily Ever After. Earlier this year, Disney Parks Blog also announced that "HalloWishes" during Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party would be replaced by a new show during those select party nights, August 16 to November 1.

More information and tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party are now available on this page of DisneyWorld.com or by calling (407)939-1872.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Starting November 8, Disney's Animal Kingdom will expand its holiday celebrations across the entire park this year. Discovery Island, the land guests encounter when crossing the bridge into the "hub" of the park, will be decorated with "sparkling white holiday decorations" that were "hand-crafted by the eclectic community of artists who make the island their home." During the day, there will be gatherings of "winter animals," life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets representing reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more. At night, rooftop "luminaries" and bird lanterns will light, and the Tree of Life awakenings will include "wintry tales, complemented by a familiar and heartwarming holiday-inspired musical score."

Asia's Anadapur theatre district will be decorated for the celebration of Diwali, the holiday festival of lights in India. The décor will include glowing flowers, lanterns and other lighting.

In Africa, Harambe will feature a blend of "western traditions with the colors and textiles of authentic African celebrations." The live entertainment will include holiday-inspired enhancements, including costumes and music. Tusker House character dining will also receive holiday enhancements.

Even Pandora-The World of Avatar will celebrate the holidays this year, thanks to the "ex-pats living and working on the moon of Pandora." A display will be featured at Pongu Pongu of "kitschy holiday décor, combining vintage pieces from Earth with items handcrafted from materials indigenous to Pandora."

Epcot

The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays returns November 29-December 30, including its 3-times-nightly schedule of Candlelight Processional Performances. The Epcot Candlelight Processional & Concerts News and Calendar section below has the latest details about the schedule released so far.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

While the focus at Disney's Hollywood Studios, no doubt, will be guests going to "live your Star Wars story" in the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge area after its August 29 scheduled debut, the holidays offerings from recent years will return this winter as well (although the exact date has not yet been announced). Olaf will return to the stage in the special holiday finale in For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along. The Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! nighttime spectacular will return to the front of Chinese Theatre, and the Sunset Seasons Greetings projections on Hollywood Tower Hotel, laser effects and "snow" will return to Sunset Boulevard.

Disney Springs

Disney Springs will celebrate the holidays from November 8 through January 5. The Christmas Tree Trail will return, as will live entertainment offerings like the toy soldier stilt walkers, carolers, and Living Statues in holiday attire. Santa Claus will greet guests in Santa's Chalet until December 24, and then Santa Goofy takes over from December 25 to 31. Stitch's Holiday Gift Hunt also will return.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Updates Nighttime Entertainment

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Disney's Animal Kingdom debuted some updates to its nighttime entertainment offerings. At the amphitheater on Discovery River that runs from Asia in front of Expedition Everest over to DinoLand U.S.A. in front of the Theater in the Wild (home of Finding Nemo: The Musical), the Rivers of Light show has received an update and revised name: Rivers of Light: We Are One. The revised show still features the floating fountains, boats, animal lantern floats, and mist screens and the title song "We Are One."

The updated Rivers of Light: We Are One show is performed on Discovery River after sunset. Check the Times Guide or My Disney Experience app for nightly showtimes. Video ©Disney.

The revised show has added a bit more of a storyline than the original show that Disney Parks Blog now describes as telling of "our connection with animals and the emotions and milestones we all share in our journey through the great circle of life." It incorporates additional images from Disneynature films as well as some animals from the Disney animation library. The show's new musical score includes aspects of the original, but with some upbeat additions (including "Circle of Life"). The show's mist screens, however, do not provide particularly crisp viewing from the FastPass+ viewing area where I saw the show on the night of its official open. Indeed, this show is not billed as a "nighttime spectacular" and, like its predecessor, is pretty but does not deliver a "wow" moment or ending.

Some of the projections in the revised show are more colorful. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Enjoy the finale of the revised show: "Rivers of Light: We Are One" on its opening night. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

A new Tree of Life "awakening" sequence inspired by The Lion King also debuted over Memorial Day Weekend. It can be viewed on the tree either from the side of Discovery Island near the bridge to the park's entrance or along the pathway between Africa and Asia on the "backside" of the Tree of Life. Like other awakenings, there is no published schedule for when you will see any particular version, so you may need to watch several awakenings to see the new Lion King version. Unlike the image quality issues presented by the mist screens, the image quality on Tree of Life is stunning.

A new Tree of Life "awakening" is inspired by "The Lion King." Video ©Disney.

Enjoy a few moments of "The Lion King" awakening from the "backside" of the Tree of Life. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

More Epcot News Coming at D23 Expo 2019 in August

Here at MousePlanet, we have been repeating the statement Bob Chapek, Chairman Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, made about the coming evolution at Epcot during the 2016 Disney D23 Destination D at Disney's Contemporary Resort quite a bit: "it will be more Disney, more family, more relevant and more timeless." Since the 2016 announcement, the details have come out slowly, and we have reported on construction progress: from the on-going construction of the Guardians of the Galaxy-themed indoor coaster and space-themed restaurant coming to Future World, and the Remy's Ratatouille Adventure at the France pavilion, to the upcoming retirement of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth (September 30), the debut of the temporary Epcot Forever fireworks show (October 1), and, in 2020, debut of a new nighttime spectacular, and the recently announced Play Pavilion replacing the Wonders of Life/Festival Center, and "reimagination" of the park's main entrance which just got underway and the coming "reimagination" of Future World's center.

Since our last Update, Disney Parks Blog teased that more details are going to be revealed at the D23 Expo 2019 in Anaheim, August 23-25. We will be there and will report on the latest details (though, admittedly, that news could get lost a bit with Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios just a few days later: August 29).

Epcot Candlelight Processional & Concerts News and Calendar

Yesterday, Disney Parks Blog announced the first four returning Celebrity Narrators for this year's edition of Candlelight Processional: Whoopi Goldberg (12/6-7), Pat Sajak (12/16-8), Steven Curtis Chapman (12/22-4), and Edward James Olmos (12/25-6). 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-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).

Yesterday also was the conclusion of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, so the America Gardens stage will be quiet for the next several days as it is prepared for the June 14 return of Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! Running multiple times daily through August 18, Star-Lord and Gamora along with an "alien" band will take the audience on a "musical journey" that showcases hits from Star-Lord's Awesome Mix tapes. Check the Times Guide and the My Disney Experience app for the daily schedule.

With Groot remotely patching "Awesome Mix" music into the headphones of of an alien band, Star-Lord tried to teach them how to become the "Galaxy's greatest cover band" during last summer's edition of the Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live! Concerts. Gamora seemed unimpressed. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

As the summer approaches fall, 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). It runs a record 87 days this year, through November 23, but the three-times-nightly Eat to the Beat Concert Series will only run until November 19. This year, showtimes on Sundays through Thursdays will be the usual 5:30 P.M., 6:45 P.M., and 8:00 P.M., while on Fridays and Saturdays, the showtimes shift an hour later to 6:30 P.M., 7:45 P.M., and 9 P.M. The Concert Series wraps up on November 19 (before the Festival's end) to allow the America Gardens stage to be prepared for the 2019 edition of Epcot's Candlelight Processional.

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. The newest views around Disney Springs are included in the Disney Springs news section.