Walt Disney World Resort Update For November 26 - December 2, 2019

Walt Disney World Resort Update for November 26 - December 2, 2019

 

Writer's note: Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance media preview, dedication, and opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios coming up right after our next Update, December 3-5, so let's get to what else is going on around Walt Disney World Resort.

News and Views

Headlines are auto-generated here

Final Ride Track Installed at TRON Lightcycle / Run

As we have reported since its announcement at the 2017 D23 Expo, the TRON Lightcycle / Run coaster-style attraction is rising next to Space Mountain in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. This week, Disney Parks Blog shared that earlier this month, Walt Disney Imagineers and Magic Kingdom cast members celebrated the installation of the final piece of ride track at the construction site.

TRON Lightcycle / Run construction milestone reached. Video ©Disney.

TRON Lightcycle / Run construction is visible all the way over on the other side of Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Based on a similar attraction that debuted with the opening of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, the new attraction has riders boarding trains of two-wheeled Lightcycles like in the Disney movie TRON "for a thrilling race through the digital frontier." The ride is scheduled to be open in time for the celebration of Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom's 50th anniversary in 2021.

A new TRON billboard is on one of the construction fences in the plaza in front of Magic Kingdom's gates. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Jock Lindsey's Holiday Bar Debuts November 29

Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar in The Landing neighborhood of Disney Springs, named for the briefly-seen pilot that flew Indiana Jones out of the jungle at the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark, will add a holiday overlay starting November 29, becoming Jock Lindsey's Holiday Bar. There will be "over-the-top" holiday decorations and limited-time menu food and cocktail offerings.

Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar becomes the Holiday Bar starting November 29. Photos ©Disney.

As the overlay's backstory goes:

Jock Lindsey has caught the holiday spirit in a big way this year and has decided to throw a party for all of his adventurer friends new and old. When you walk in, you'll notice the decorations are next-level and feature an array of gifts, lights, and little holiday nods to his love for aviation. Here ugly sweaters are not only welcome but encouraged along with holiday jokes and puns you'll never "fir-get."

For the special sharable menu items, check out the rundown on Disney Parks Blog. The Holiday Bar offerings continue through January 5, 2020.

Early Morning Cinderella Celebrations

Disney Early Morning Magic, the hard-ticket event held on select dates at Magic Kingdom, will celebrate the platinum anniversary of the release of Disney's Cinderella (that's 70 years) with some limited-time "enhancements" to the event. Those attending events between February 11, 2020, and March 3, 2020, will enjoy early access to Prince Charming Regal Carousel in addition to the event's usual selection of Fantasyland attractions (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan's Flight, Princess Fairytale Hall, "it's a small world," Mad Tea Party, and Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid.

During the special event dates, characters from Cinderella such as Suzy, Perla, Fairy Godmother, Drizella and Anastasia, and Prince Charming may also be "popping in to celebrate this special occasion." The included all-you-care-to-enjoy breakfast during the event at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café (available from 8-10 a.m.), will also add themed food and beverage offerings.

All Disney Early Morning Magic events require separate reservations ($89/adult; $79/child) in addition to regular theme park admission. Reservations are available by calling (407)WDW-PLAY or online on this page of DisneyWorld.com. Remember, of course, that Extra Magic Hours are an entirely different offering made to guests at select Disney Resort Hotels, and are not part of the Disney Early Morning Magic events nor offered on the same days.

Epcot Festivals News & Calendar

It's that time of year where we usually change the name of this section to reflect the season. But, as we await the start of the 2019 run of Candlelight Processional at America Gardens Theatre, we thought it best to permanently rename the section to reflect the scope of Festival news we cover and update throughout the year. So, welcome to the newly named "Epcot Festivals News & Calendar" section!

Preparations are underway at America Gardens Theatre for the 2019 edition of Candlelight Processional which debuts November 29. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Epcot is being set for the November 29 opening of this year's Epcot International Festival of the Holidays which runs through December 30. For a full recap of the highlights of this year's Festival, check out the video immediately below from the media preview held last Friday night (plus some clips we added from past performances of Candlelight Processional we attended). Disney Parks Blog has published its Foodie Guide, with menus for the Holiday Kitchens and the return of the Holiday Cookie Stroll which gets you a complimentary "completer cookie" when you have purchased any five Cookie Stroll cookies around the park (and, yes, you can purchase five of just one official cookie) and had your Festival Passport stamped accordingly.

Preview highlights of the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, including performances by Mariachi Cobre, Joyful!, Father Christmas, and Chinese Lion Dancers, plus relive a few moments of past performances of Candlelight Processional, in this recap of this year's invited media preview. See a few moments of our preview of the new Living With the Land Merry & Bright Nights boatride here too, and the full greenhouses ride-through in our Views Around the World section below. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Candlelight Processional is the three times nightly performance that combines a live orchestra, massed choir and celebrity narrator in the retelling of the traditional Christmas story. Neil Patrick Harris, Gary Sinise, Whoopi Goldberg, Pat Sajak, Steven Curtis Chapman, Edward James Olmos, Lisa Ling, Isabella Rossellini, Marlee Matlin, Warwick Davis, Chita Rivera, and Ming-Na Wen are all scheduled as celebrity narrators this year. (Always keep an eye out for last minute changes, of course; right now, for example, Pat Sajak is on medical leave from tapings of "Wheel of Fortune." He has posted that he is on the mend, but has not indicated when he will resume a public schedule.) Guaranteed seating for all performances 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 and more information is available on EpcotHolidays.com or by calling (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.

From January 17 to February 24, 2020, Epcot International Festival of the Arts returns and the America Gardens Theatre will again host nightly Disney on Broadway Concerts three times nightly. So far, Disney Parks Blog has revealed a partial schedule of the performing duos which include Kissy Simmons & Alton Fitzgerald White, Heidi Blickenstaff & Gavin Lee, Kara Lindsay & Kevin Massey, and Ashley Brown & Josh Strickland. More information about both the whole Festival and the shows themselves is available on ArtfulEpcot.com or by calling (407)939-5277. Booking for dining packages and workshops is also now open for the entire 2020 Festival.

From March 4 to June 1, 2020, the park presents the 27th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival with its Garden Rocks Concert Series. As we move into winter, we expect we will start to see announcements about scheduled performers. The official website for the festival, FreshEpcot.com, notes that performances will again be scheduled 7 nights a week for the 2020 concert series.

With the 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival having just concluded, the park has not yet announced its return for 2020. It is a pretty safe bet that the hugely popular festival will return for a near 90 day run in the late summer/fall of 2020. The official website for the festival is TasteEpcot.com.

For the convenience of our readers, all of the scheduled Celebrity Narrators for Candlelight Processional at America Gardens Theatre are shown in our Google Calendar of Epcot Events. We will have also added the announced Disney on Broadway Concert Series performers so far, and we will add Garden Rocks Concert Series performers when they are announced. You can add the entire 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

As the Holiday Season is now underway around Walt Disney World Resort, I took a couple of opportunities to "Resort Hop" this week to see and share more of the holiday displays. I also made it over to Epcot on the night of the final Eat to the Beat Concerts (November 19) and returned for the Media Preview of the Festival of the Holidays. I also made it over to Disney's Hollywood Studios in the evening to take in some of its special holidays offerings as well.

To start off, though, enjoy a hyperlapse video of the watercraft ride from Magic Kingdom's dock across the Seven Seas Lagoon, the water bridge, and over to the Bay Lake dock for Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

A new structure is under construction along the Magic Kingdom docks on Seven Seas Lagoon. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Epcot

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

D'Cappella performs Disney tunes with nothing but their voices during the final night of 2019's Epcot Eat to the Beat Concert Series. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Living With the Land Merry & Bright Nights is the name of the new lights and holiday display guests will find when riding through the greenhouses in The Land pavilion during the 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. This full ride-through video was shot during the invited media preview. The Festival begins November 29, and we have heard that the attraction will be open after 7 p.m. during the Festival, rather than its usual 7 p.m. closing time.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Resorts: Holiday Displays

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Polynesian Resort has a Christmas Tree in the lobby, though getting a good photo of it from the first floor proved to be challenging. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's BoardWalk Resort once again has a Gingerbread display of itself in its lobby. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Holiday treats are available across from the Gingerbread display in BoardWalk's lobby. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Outside, on the lawn, BoardWalk has another Christmas Tree. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Beach Club Resort celebrates the 20th anniversary of its gingerbread carousel display which, this year, is themed to Disney's "Peter Pan." Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Yacht Club Resort has installed its traditional "Mickey's Village" Railroad Display for the holidays. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Walt Disney World Dolphin has installed its main Christmas Tree in Fins Lounge in its lobby again this year. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Disney's Pop Century Resort's main Christmas Tree is in the hallway between the check-in lobby and the gift shop and quick service dining area. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This and That…

…As you prepare your Thanksgiving holiday meals, Disney chefs have some tips to share. These same chefs, twice a month, team up with Disney VoluntEARS to deliver and serve meals at the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, a local nonprofit organization that serves more than 20,000 meals to those in need. Disney chefs prepare 9,000 of those meals annually. A Disney chef will bring a traditional holiday meal to the coalition's residents again this year on Thanksgiving night.

Disney Chefs provide some tips for Thanksgiving meal preparation. Video ©Disney.

…Next Tuesday, December 3, is #GivingTuesday and your donations to Give Kids the World Village on that day will be doubled (up to $45,000 total). Donate here and read more about the 84-acre, nonprofit "storybook" resort in Central Florida that provides children with critical illnesses and their families to weeklong, cost-free vacations at GKTW.org.

…On Saturday, November 23, Disney Parks and Resorts around the world participated in Family Volunteer Day. At Disney Springs, Bob Chapek, Chairman Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, was on hand to salute the Aguirre family, who were named the Disney and Points of Light Volunteer Family of the Year earlier in November. The event on Saturday also highlighted the Disney Family Volunteering Reward Program established in 2018 by Disney and the Points of Light Foundation; more than 3 million volunteer hours have been recognized by the program that awards Disney Parks tickets to eligible schools and nonprofits hosting family-friendly volunteer events. You can read more about family volunteering at PointsOfLight.org and eligible nonprofits and schools can join the Disney Family Volunteering Reward Program to earn Disney Parks tickets hosting family volunteer events.

…REMINDER and UPDATE: Disney-owned ABC and Disney Channel will again show Disney Parks Holiday Specials this year.

• Join hosts artist Matthew Morrison, singer-songwriter and TV host Emma Bunton, and TV host Jesse Palmer as they present the two-hour prime-time special on Thanksgiving night from Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort in California. This magical celebration will feature celebrity musical performances among a flurry of Disney holiday entertainment. During the prime-time special, viewers will be treated to several Disney Parks sneak peeks, including a behind-the-scenes look into Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, opening in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge on December 5, 2019, at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida and January 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park in California. Your listings may vary, but the official schedule is: Thursday, November 28 (8-10 p.m. EST), on ABC and on the ABC app.
• Next on the schedule is "Disney Channel Holiday Party @ Walt Disney World," premiering Friday, December 13 (8-8:30 p.m. EST) on Disney Channel and the DisneyNOW app.
• As part of the annual tradition, the "Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade" airs Christmas morning, Wednesday, December 25 (10 a.m. to noon EST, 9-11 a.m. CST/MST/PST, though air times may vary, so check listings for ABC and on the ABC app).

…REMINDER: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex hosts the Orlando Invitational, an early-season NCAA college basketball tournament, on November 28, 29 and December 1. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.

…Two new MagicBand colors go on sale on November 29 around Walt Disney World Resort, dark gray and mint green.

…With Frozen 2 now playing in theaters (and opening to record box office receipts), Disney Parks on both coasts also have a wide assortment of new themed merchandise. Epcot has a new themed cupcake, and at Epcot (and in other Disney Parks around the world), the Royal Sisters meet and greet guests in new dresses inspired by the new film.

During the Epcot Holidays media preview, we also got an overview of the new "Frozen 2" merchandise available around both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. Video by Alan S. Dalinka.

Epcot has a new themed cupcake celebrating a new character that appears in "Frozen 2." Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

"Frozen 2" is playing at the AMC 24 Dine-In Theatres at Disney Springs. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

If you prefer Queen Elsa's original "Frozen" appearance, you can look for Disney Buses with this look. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

…Also in the new merchandise category, with the film Avatar celebrating the 10th anniversary of its original release and now available on the Disney+ streaming service, and Pandora-The World of Avatar "the" place to visit at Walt Disney World, new adult t-shirts, stainless steel water bottles, and a lithograph are coming to Windtraders and Island Mercantile at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

…REMINDER: For those interested in collecting pieces of history from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks, California, is hosting a public exhibition through December 6, of over 1,500 items from Disney Parks history that will be offered for auction December 7 and 8. The full auction catalogs trace the history of Disney Parks, with many original pieces from the late Marty Sklar's collection, and can be viewed on the Van Eaton Galleries Website.

…Walt Disney World Golf is offering a series of two-hour, on-course, golf clinics for junior golfers, ages 7-17, during the holiday season. The clinics will include instruction on full swing, short game, putting and on-course learning opportunities. Games and prizes will be offered to all participants. Clinics will be held from 2-4 p.m. on December 21, 27, and 28, 2019, and January 2, 3 and 4, and are offered at $80 per person per session, with discounts available for Military, Cast Members, and DVC Members. Additional information, contact information and the registration form are available on Walt Disney World Golf Blog.

…If you are looking for New Year's Eve entertainment off Walt Disney World Resort property but in the neighborhood, the newly opened Margaritaville Resort Orlando will feature Bonkerz Comedy & Cocktails in The Compass Ballroom, starring Rauce Padgett from Real Radio 104.1 and Carmen Vallone from HBO, CBS, & Last Comic Standing! It is billed as "A party full of fun and laughs, immediately followed by DJ Kix, Dancing, Complimentary Buffet, Dessert Stations, Balloon Drop, Party Favors, Champagne Toast & More!" Tickets are $30/person (plus service fees and tax). For more information and to purchase tickets visit BonkerzComedyProductions.com.

…While composer John Williams still is not an official Disney Legend (as far as we can tell though he certainly should be), he was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Instrumental Composition for his work on the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite.

…Also, last week, IAAPA, the trade association focused on the amusement industry, awarded Disney with four Brass Ring Awards for immersive products and atmosphere entertainment. Three awards were for experiential merchandise items available in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Savi's Workshop - Handbuilt Lightsabers, Droid Depot, and Porg plus available from the Creature Stall). The fourth award was for the Green Army Drum Corps in Toy Story Land. The Themed Entertainment Association also recognized Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge with two Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement (New Park Land for the land itself, and Attraction for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run).

…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.

Disney Springs News & Views

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). Some items are repeated week to week until they occur, while other items NEW to the Update are marked accordingly. For even more of the latest news around Disney Springs, follow its official Twitter Feed: @DisneySprings.

…For those considering making their Black Friday shopping outing to Disney Springs, Disney Parks Blog has the highlights of some of the specials Disney and its retail partners plan for the big day, with some locations opening as early as 8 a.m. NEW This week, another Disney Parks Blog post offered up a list of doorbusters available on November 29 from 8 a.m. until noon, including the Santa Mickey Mouse Mini Backpack for $50 (rather than $90) plus tax, the Snowman Light-Up Tumbler for $10 (rather than $24.99) plus tax, and the set of 12 pairs of Disney Parks Holiday Food Sock Set for $20 (rather than $29.99) plus tax.

NEW …and the Disney Springs Holiday Gift Guide is now online and includes special offers available throughout the holiday shopping season.

Ron Jon Surf Shop is now open at Disney Springs in Town Center. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Disney+ pop-up store is located near Paddlefish restaurant. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Cirque du Soleil

NEW While the new production coming to the West Side will begin preview performances March 20, 2017, and is scheduled to open on April 17, the new show paying homage to the world of Disney animation still does not yet have a publicly-announced name. This week, Disney Parks Blog showed a behind-the-scenes look at the new show. Tickets for the new show are available at DisneyWorld.com/Cirque.

Disney Parks blog shared a behind the scenes look at the development of the new Cirque du Soleil show coming to Disney Springs in Spring 2020. Video courtesy Disney Parks Blog.

Wine Bar George

NEW On Thanksgiving Day, starting at 11 a.m., Wine Bar George will offer a traditional turkey plate as well as its new Santa Carota Short Ribs in addition to select items from its regular menu. As usual, Wine Bar George also offers 140 wines available by the glass, bottle and ounce for your holiday celebration. Reservations are available through both Open Table and the Disney Dining section of My Disney Experience.

Jaleo

On Tuesday, December 10, from 7-9 p.m., Jaleo welcomes Raquél Pérez-Cuevas from Ontañón to Disney Springs for a one-night only experience. Raquél is working to carry on the tradition of grape growing in Spain, and she will bring five of her family's award-winning wines to Jaleo for a private, seated dinner featuring a special menu from Jaleo Disney Springs Head Chef Rodolfo L. Guzman Aranda and his team to pair with the Ontañón wines from Rioja, Rueda, and Ribera del Duero, including:

• Hinojo salad of fennel, tomato, asparagus, and orange dressed with passionfruit vinaigrette
• The traditional Spanish dish Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp sautéed with garlic)
• Arroz Meloso con Bacalao (creamy rice with seafood)
• Costillas de Cordero con Miel y Romero (Josper-grilled lamb chops with rosemary sauce and honey aioli)
• Flan Mama Marisa (the classic Spanish custard with 'espuma' of Catalan cream and oranges)

Tickets are $115 per person. Visit this EventBrite webpage for more information and tickets.

NEW Pepe by José Andrés, the fast/casual counter-service restaurant connected to Jaleo, has added new menu items including some dishes from Jaleo's menu in time for Black Friday shopping, including both croquetas de pollo and flan.

Pepe's menu is posted right outside the door to the restaurant. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka

Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant

Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant will offer a dinner special for both Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Its butter- and herb-roasted turkey with garlic mashed potatoes, duck fat potato roasties, honey glazed carrots, bacon-braised Brussels sprouts, sausage-and-walnut stuffing, red wine jus and cranberry sauce will be available for order from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on both holidays, and the complete dinner is $28.95 for adults and $14 for kids (available both inside the pub and on the patio). The regular pub menu will also be available, and from 4:30 p.m. through the wee hours, its holiday celebration includes performances by its live Irish bands and the Raglan Road Irish Dancers.

Looking further ahead to New Year's Eve, Raglan Road will ring in the new year twice that night. At both midnight Ireland time (7 p.m. Eastern) and at Midnight at the pub, Raglan will have free Champagne toasts. There is no cover charge for the celebration.

Even the bicycle outside Raglan Road has been decorated for the holidays. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

Maria & Enzo's

Ricotta Gnudi featuring Turkey Bolognese, parmesan cream and charred lemon gremolata, is Maria & Enzo's "authentic Italian twist" on Thanksgiving this year for $27. Reservations available at its website.

Enzo's Hideaway

Turkey Sausage "Carbonara," made with Pappardelle pasta, roasted winter squash, toasted garlic, and rapini is the advertised star of Enzo's Hideaway's Thanksgiving gourmet holiday meal for $27. It is also serving a Pumpkin Pannacotta made with with spiced chocolate crumb, mandarin orage, and cinnamon gelato for $11. Reservations available at its website.

The Edison

The Edison offers a traditional prix-fixe Thanksgiving menu "with all the classic trimmings" all day long for $32/person and $19/child (nine and under). The menu includes oven-roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, house-made stuffing, brown sugar honey glazed baby carrots, and cranberry chutney. Reservations available at its website.

NEW To kick off its Second Year Anniversary, The Edison will again host a New Year's Eve Gala of food, cocktails, and entertainment including performances by a live band, burlesque dancers, aerialists and more. The tickets (available on this page of PatinaGroup.com) are $150/person (plus tax and gratuity) include admission at 7:30 p.m. with "tray-passed" hors d'oeuvres, live-action food stations, and a wide selection of beer, wine, and premium spirits "until the Time Square ball drops at midnight" (which, of course, also happens to be midnight here in Central Florida), and a midnight champagne toast. The evening will also offer a selection of coffee and desserts, as the party continues until 2 a.m. on January 1, 2020. Additional VIP Table Packages are available as well.

Morimoto Asia

Back by popular demand, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto will present holiday-themed beers and gourmet pan-Asian light bites at Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs during the highly-anticipated second annual "12 Beers of Christmas" event.

The event will take place on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Tickets are $64++ per person. Guests must be 21 years or older to attend. In celebration of the craft-beer movement and the most wonderful time of the year, attendees will enjoy 12 specialty beers from local breweries all across Central Florida, such as Crooked Can Brewing Company and Rogue Ales. The brews will be paired with Morimoto Asia's famous pan-Asian cuisine from 12 food stations.

Morimoto himself will host the event and will be autographing copies of his cookbook Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking. The cookbook will be sold at the event, with proceeds going to Give Kids the World Village, a nonprofit resort for critically ill children and their families who visit Florida on their "wish trips."

Tickets are available on the event website.

NEW Sake & Shine 3.0 - Morimoto Asia & Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'

The 3rd Annual Sake & Shine event will be co-hosted by Morimoto Asia and Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' on December 6, 2019, starting at 7 p.m. The intimate progressive dining event starts with a three-course "Pan-Asian feast complete with sake and beer pairings" on the second-story Forbidden Lounge balcony at Morimoto Asia and then moves across the walkway to Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' for a variety of desserts, including a build-your-own-Florida-strawberry shortcake bar and slices of Chef Art Smith's signature Hummingbird and Shine cakes paired with a variety of moonshine-based cocktails. Both chefs will be on-site for the event, overseeing the meal, mingling with guests, posing for photos and signing autographs. Tickets are $250/person (including tax and gratuity) and guests must be at least 21 years old to attend. Visit this page of PatinaGroup.com for more information (including the menu) and to purchase tickets.

Morimoto Asia and Homecomin' sit along the Springs of Disney Springs. Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

NEW Views Around Disney Springs

Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

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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. More runDisney event information

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

2019 Resort Events

2020 Resort Events

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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Current Discounts and Promotions

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Walt Disney World Resort Update. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the intended audience. Check out the category that best matches you, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers.

Early Black Friday Specials Until December 2, 2019
From Our Sponsor...

Save an extra $10 off any Florida attraction ticket including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort or SeaWorld Orlando. Use promo code BLACKFRIDAYFL to get an extra $10 off each ticket on top of Get Away Today's already discounted prices. This offer can be combined with all current Florida attraction offers including 3rd Park Free at Universal Orlando Resort for travel through May 22, 2020. Additionally, be aware that Universal Orlando Resort is raising ticket prices by $10 on December 5, 2019, which means that by booking tickets by December 2, you will be saving an extra $20 per ticket compared to purchasing it later! All of Get Away Today's Orlando Black Friday Tickets can be booked here. More Black Friday deals, including Disneyland Resort Tickets and Southern California Combo Tickets, can be booked here.

 

Early Black Friday Specials End December 2, 2019!

As regular readers know, Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Florida or eligible for U.S. Military Personnel benefits. It is increasingly true that non-Florida residents tend to benefit the most by purchasing tickets in advance (and, of course, being mindful of the rules relevant to those tickets). As prices go up, it becomes even more important to pay heed: Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside Disney property stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Walt Disney World Theme Park admissions, and may result in denial of entry. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or a travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today. Be sure to move the calendar to at least seven (7) days out, to see what ticket options and discounts are available for your planned visit.

For more discounts and offers we know about, click the category below that you want to expand (or close).

For Everyone

For Annual Passholders

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For Military Personnel

For Florida Residents

For Disney Vacation Club Members

For New England Residents

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