Disney News

Category: Disney Parks

  • AERIAL PHOTOS: Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios – Construction Update

    AERIAL PHOTOS: Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios – Construction Update

    They’re not playing around on construction as progress on Toy Story Land is really starting to take shape at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Most of the construction can’t be seen by guests, so aerial pics really give some perspective on what progress is being made on the transformation of the former “Hollywood East” park.

    This the most recent look, Cowgirl Jessie and dinosaur Rex were put in place by crane this month and Slinky Dog was recently trucked in too as the 10-acre attraction continues to take shape ahead of its summer 2018 opening.

    These new aerial photos of the Toy Story Land construction site come courtesy of Don Gworek (@bioreconstruct on Twitter) and show progress on the expansion to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

    Unlike the Toy Story Lands found in Paris and Hong Kong, the Orlando version will have a roller coaster themed to Slinky Dog instead of a simple carnival-style ride. The Slinky Dog Dash family coaster looks to be of a similar thrill level as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom, but with multiple launches instead of a traditional lift hill. The bright red track is nearly finished on the new coaster that will be the central feature in the new land. A large wall is being built behind the coaster that will block views of a castmember parking garage.

    Along with the two new rides, the Toy Story Land will feature a new entrance for Toy Story Mania through what is currently the back of the building. New retail, dining and entertainment is also expected in the land.

  • Toy Story Land Concept Art for Shanghai Disneyland Released

    Toy Story Land Concept Art for Shanghai Disneyland Released

    Disney’s Hollywood Studios isn’t the only park getting in on the Toy Story action. Shanghai Disneyland has released concept art for its Toy Story expansion and it looks amazing. When it opens in 2018 it will be quite different from the one in Walt Disney World.

    Disney started the expansion even before opening Shanghai Disneyland in anticipation of its immense popularity in Mainland China. The characters from Toy Story have been well liked in China ever since the release of the first film in the franchise back in 1995, and Shanghai Disney Resort already has the only resort hotel in the world dedicated to the characters and stories from Toy Story. Guests can’t get enough of Buzz, Woody and all of their pals, which made Toy Story an obvious choice for Shanghai Disneyland’s first expansion.

    The expansion will give of one of the The Walt Disney Company’s most popular franchises an even bigger presence at the park and will be its 7th themed land. Take a look at some of the attractions below.

    slinky dog Shanghai DisneySlinky Dog Spin: Slinky Dog has been amusing the toys all day long by chasing his own tail round-and-round a giant dog dish filled with toy bones – and soon Shanghai Disneyland guests will be invited to become the “honorary toys” in Disney Toy Story Land, where they will be able to take a seat inside Slinky Dog’s springy spirals and race around a wavy roundabout.

    rex's racer Shanghai DisneyRex’s Racer: Rex, Andy’s insecure Tyrannosaurus Rex toy enjoys playing with RC Racer almost as much as he likes playing video games. With help from his Triceratops friend Trixie, Rex will invite guests to climb into RC for a thrilling ride on the U-shaped track. With Rex at the controls, RC Racer, with guests aboard, zips forward and backward at ever-increasing heights and exhilarating speed.

    woody's round up Shanghai DisneyWoody’s Round-Up: Sheriff Woody has rounded up a herd of ponies, each one pulling a cart, in a ranch set up by Andy. Guests can climb aboard the carts as the ponies start a little square dance swinging their carts to and fro in time to the lively music.

    Toy Story Land at Shanghai Disneyland will be both authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese, making it a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests. Everyone’s favorite toys from one of the most popular franchises ever will come to life and play in a fully immersive land with three attractions and a themed character greeting area.

    Shanghai Disneyland’s new Toy Story Land will be an experience guests can only have in Mainland China. It will be the perfect setting for all toys – old and new – to gather together for a day that’s more fun than a Barrel of Monkeys!

  • A Brand New Disney Theme Park Is in the Works

    A Brand New Disney Theme Park Is in the Works

    Another new Disney theme park is again in the works. With all of the new lands and coming attractions there are so many reasons to travel to Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the next few years, but if you want to experience this completely new park, get ready for a long flight. Tokyo Disney Resort complex which includes the Disneyland and DisneySea theme parks, has revealed plans for a massive expansion.

    Nearly 35 years ago, Disney expanded its international reach with Tokyo Disneyland, later adding Tokyo DisneySea in 2001 as a second theme park in Japan. Oriental Land Company licenses the rights from Walt Disney Co. to operate the Tokyo resort that includes Disneyland, DisneySea, hotels and shopping malls, but Disney still has full creative control.

    The park will feature new attractions and new characters with a massive 300 billion yen ($2.7 billion) investment plan. Disney and its partners in the Oriental Land Company have revealed the Japanese theme park that will shift the focus to its host country with new characters and attractions.

    More details should be announced by May 2018, but the newly announced park, could bring rides and experiences that touch upon the history, art, and unique terrain of the country. The Japanese company is in talks Disney on the expansion, which may include an area dedicated to Disney’s hit movie “Frozen” and other attractions that are not featured at other Disney theme parks. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and this will be the biggest expansion since DisneySea opened in 2001. All this according to the official release (via Mainichi News)

    This comes as Osaka’s Universal Studios Japan has surged in popularity, thanks to Harry Potter and Minions attractions. Universal Studios Japan is also getting a Mario-themed expansion, which should further the park’s popularity.

    Tokyo Disney Resort has also received some upgrades with more on the way. Tokyo DisneySea, which recently opened Nemo and Friends SeaRider will bring Soarin’ to the park in the next few years, and Tokyo Disneyland will add a new “Big Hero 6” themed ride to Tomorrowland as well as a “Beauty and the Beast” section to its Fantasyland area. The expansion will host a theatre for stage performances as well as an immersive attraction, which is said to utilize the park’s famed trackless ride system pioneered on its popular Pooh’s Hunny Hunt attraction. The expansions, which were announced last spring, are set to open by 2020.

    Although this new park is still several years away from fruition, Disney fans will likely keep a close eye on it because any new rides that are built for this resort may eventually come to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. Shanghai Disneyland’s popular Tron ride is already slated to come to Disney World, and we’re eager to see what comes out of Disney’s newest creations.

    Are you excited about the new Disney theme park coming to Tokyo? Let us know in the comment section below!

  • Choza de Margarita Now Open at Mexico Pavilion in Epcot World Showcase at Walt Disney World Resort

    Choza de Margarita Now Open at Mexico Pavilion in Epcot World Showcase at Walt Disney World Resort

    We are so excited to announce the long-awaited new margarita stand has opened at Epcot in Walt Disney World. Choza de Margarita is operating in the Mexico pavilion, naturally, of the World Showcase side of the theme park. And while it’s a nicer, larger building than its predecessor, it’s really just a margarita place with a few food items thrown in for good measure.

    The area includes limited built-in seating, although visitors use the walls near the exit as makeshift tables for stand-up dining.

    “Choza” is the Spanish word for “hut,” and the outdoor bar sits in the shadow of the iconic Mexico pyramid. The menu offers three hand-crafted margaritas, three frozen margaritas, three Mexican beers and a non-alcoholic Mexican fruit punch with orange, pineapple and grapefruit juices and a splash of grenadine.

    On the menu are three “signature” margaritas served on the rocks ($14-$14.50), four frozen margarita options ($10.25-$10.50) and three beers ($8.75-$9.75). There’s also a nonalcoholic conga, describes as a Mexican fruit punch made of orange, pineapple and lemon juice, for $6.

    On the solid side, the menu features tacos al pastor ($9.25) and empanadas de barbacoa ($9.75) plus a guacamole item for $7.95.

    Small bites include Tacos al Pastor with grilled pork on fresh homemade corn tortillas with green tomatillo sauce, onion, pineapple and cilantro; Empanadas de Barbacoa with beef, topped with chipotle sauce, Mexican cream and queso fresco; and fresh guacamole with mango chutney, pumpkin and pomegranate seeds, served with fried flour chicharrones and salsa Valentina, an authentic Mexican hot sauce.

    On a hot Florida day, take your pick from one of the three frozen margaritas: Lime (tequila blanco, lime sweet & sour, orange liquor and agave nectar), Wild Strawberry (tequila blanco, strawberry and prickly pear puree, violet flower liquor and lime juice), or Passion Mango (tequila blanco, orange liqueur, wild passion fruit and mango puree).

    The hand-crafted, on-the-rocks varieties include Acan Grapefruit (Casa Noble Blanco Tequila, grapefruit liqueur, elderflower cordial, lemon juice, cardamom bitters and ginger beer), Lime Cucumber (Avión Blanco Tequila, fresh cucumber, orange liqueur, lime juice and agave nectar), and Guava Pink Peppercorn (Zignum Mexcal Reposado, guava nectar, grapefruit liqueur, lime juice, Peychaud’s Bitters and pink peppercorns).

    If you’re looking for this Disney Dork, you know where to find me!  I love experiencing new drinks and snacks.

    ¡Sígueme!

  • “Star Wars” Imperial AT-AT Popcorn Bucket Taking Disney Parks by Force

    “Star Wars” Imperial AT-AT Popcorn Bucket Taking Disney Parks by Force

    This is the Popcorn bucket you are looking for… With the release of The Star Wars: Last Jedi right around the corner, Disney has come out with this awesome new “Star Wars” Imperial AT-AT Popcorn Bucket.

    Whether you’re a Star Wars fan, a Popcorn Bucket collector or both you’ll love this one.

    Recently, the Tomorrowland popcorn cart in Disneyland Park debuted the new popcorn bucket inspired by the AT-AT vehicles first seen in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, but the price tag on these puppies is a force to be reckoned with at a whopping $25.

    At such a steep price the AT-AT “maul’s” all other popcorn buckets sold around the park, except the big Oogie Boogie from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” back around Halloween. The legs on the Imperial Walker are fully-articulated, so guests can recreate the Battle of Hoth while they snack around the park.

    The four-legged buckets had been spotted recently and are making the rounds on social media.

    Just taking my new pet AT-AT for a walk around Tomorrowland. We ate some popcorn and searched for Hoth 🖤 #disneypopcornbucket

    A post shared by 🖤Alicia in Wonderland🖤 (@missaliciam) on

  • Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail Debuts Extended Weekend and Holiday Hours

    Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail Debuts Extended Weekend and Holiday Hours

    It’s official. With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is here. And at Disney Springs, it’s not only here, but bigger and better than ever. That goes for everything from holiday shopping to entertainment, and of course, to the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail!

    Now back for its second year, the Tree Trail now boasts 25 Disney-inspired trees, including ten additions featuring iconic characters.

    Wondering what’s new? Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Snow White, Dumbo, Fantasia, and Lady and the Tramp now take center stage with trees themed to these beloved stories. There’s also a tree featuring an assortment of ornaments that are all available at the nearby Disney’s Days of Christmas store.

    Here’s a tip…  Look for the featured ornament on ALL the trees, housed inside a special display lantern; most are available for purchase. And one of our favorites—the Disney Springs Tree—showcases the many retail brands on the property – one look reminds me that I can pretty much complete all of my Christmas shopping without leaving property.

    Based on the popularity of this new seasonal staple, hours have been extended an additional hour every Friday and Saturday and also on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Tree Trail is offered through the holiday season, and will run through January 7, 2018. The updated operating hours are as follows:

    Monday – Thursday: 12 pm to 10 pm
    Friday – Saturday: 10 am to 11 pm
    Sunday: 10 am to 10 pm
    Christmas Eve, 12/24: 10 am to 11 pm
    Christmas Day, 12/25: 10 am to 11 pm

    Have you visited the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail yet? If so, you can share your best photos on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag “#DisneySprings” for your chance to be featured on Disney’s social media sites. I’d also love to know which tree you love most, so feel free to let us know in the comments below!

  • Starbucks Now Offering Delivery Service at Disney Springs

    Starbucks Now Offering Delivery Service at Disney Springs

    On the go and no time to stop for that cup of joe? For anyone shopping at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World there’s now no need to stop or take a break if you fancy a Starbucks! The Starbucks (Market Place) is now offering a new service where they will deliver your Starbucks order to you wherever you are in Disney Springs.

     

    Starbucks at Disney Springs

    Here’s how it works:
    Download the Starbucks App, connect a debit/credit card to the account, select the order tab, and select location.

    Starbucks starbucks

    Starbucks drinksDelivery service is available daily between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
    It’s not been revealed if the service is temporary just for the busy holiday season or if it will be a permanent offering.

  • RUMOR: Donald Trump’s Hall of Presidents Debut at Disney World to be Before Christmas

    RUMOR: Donald Trump’s Hall of Presidents Debut at Disney World to be Before Christmas

    Reports at Disney World have surfaced stating that Donald Trump’s expected debut in he newly refurbished Hall of Presidents may happen before Christmas. The Hall of Presidents was set to reopen on June 29, but has remained closed since January 17.

    In past years, the Disney theme park attraction would close for a short period of time to include the newest president. However, Trump’s inclusion has taken much longer than expected, especially as he was elected over a year ago.

    The Hall of Presidents is expected to open by Christmas of this year according to WDWMagic sources . We should point out that relying on unnamed sources surrounding this particular attraction has been in the fake news category in the past, but if you consider that back in June, Disney did say in a tweet that the attraction would open by “late 2017,” then this date does make a lot of sense.

    Perhaps the biggest controversy surrounding the attraction came from a report from Vice, which, cited an anonymous source at Disney who stated that there was an internal struggle amongst Imagineers on whether or not to completely retool the attraction so that the 45th president wouldn’t have a speaking role.

    Only time will tell if these current reports prove true or if Disney plans to keep it on the back burned a little longer.

    Below is a look at the most recent version of the attraction before it closed in it’s entirety.

  • Disney Parks Chief Might Be Bob Iger’s Successor

    Disney Parks Chief Might Be Bob Iger’s Successor

    If experts are right, it would seem that Bob’s still your uncle in the quest to find a new leader of the band for The Disney Company. Disney Parks Chief, Bob Chapek, Might Be Bob Iger’s Successor. After what seemed like an obvious succession plan failed last year when heir apparent Tom Staggs left the company, Disney was left with the difficult task of finding a new chief.

    Staggs was seen as the likely successor after being given his promotion to COO in February 2015, more than two years in advance of Iger’s then-scheduled retirement. But last year he stepped down after being told the board had lost confidence in him.

    There are quite a few options out there, but it seems Disney may be focusing on a business-unit strength — the Parks division — in picking Bob Iger’s CEO replacement. Bob Chapek has delivered steady returns at the helm of Parks and Resorts, the only one of four units to post an increase in sales and profits for the past fiscal year.

    Chapek joined Disney after working in marketing at H.J. Heinz Co., the food-processing company, and at agency J. Walter Thompson. At Disney, Chapek reorganized the consumer-products division, cutting jobs and focusing the business on brands rather than lines of merchandise.

    Chapek’s also worked in the film studio and in consumer products and has emerged as a key contender to take over when Iger departs in July 2019. Iger extended his contract in March) Iger’s postponed his retirement three times with contract extensions but says the latest is the last.

    At the parks division, Chapek has focused on pricing, introducing a tiered system of tickets that cost more during peak times and eliminating some annual passes. He’s searched for ways to get patrons to pay extra for perks such as nighttime events and passes to get to the head of the line in the company’s California parks.

  • Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Opening Date RUMOR

    Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Opening Date RUMOR

    The mouse house has so many new attractions and lands coming up that it’s hard to keep track of all of the opening dates, but we may have just gotten another one.  Set to replace The Great Movie Ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World and we may have a date to look forward to.

    Imagineering is planning to complete the new attraction’s development and turn it over to the operations side of Disney in April, 2019 according to a report by WDWNT, and the attraction could then open in April or May.

    On this new attraction, guests step through the movie screen and join Mickey and friends on a railway adventure as they take part in the wacky and unpredictable world of a Mickey Mouse Cartoon Short.

    Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

    Walt Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty came on stage during the Walt Disney Parks & Resorts panel during the D23 Expo and described Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway as a zany, out-of-control adventure with unpredictable twists and turns, dazzling visual effects, and mind-boggling transformations that happen during the scenes.

    Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is inspired by the Mickey Shorts on the Disney Channel, with a visual style matching those cartoons. Imagineering has partnered with Disney Television Animation to help bring the attraction to life.  Though nothing is official yet this is still great news for those looking forward to the first attraction to ever feature Mickey himself.