Category: Hollywood Studios

Star Wars: Galactic Nights Returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios December 16
There are holidays, and then there are “Star Wars” holidays. An upcoming special event at Walt Disney World is designed to add cheer and share insights about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the land under construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. The one-day event — dubbed Star Wars: Galactic…

The special event, Star Wars: Galactic Nights, which sold out last April, will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on December 16.

Held after park hours from 7 p.m.-midnight, the event will be filled with out-of-this-world entertainment that celebrates the entire Star Wars saga.

Among many thrills in store, guests can expect to enjoy Star Wars entertainment, special photo opportunities, event-exclusive merchandise and F&B, character greetings, a look at the ongoing Star Wars expansion coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and much more.

Here’s a look at other event offerings:
- Star Wars Entertainment – Both Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks and the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away stage show will be enhanced with special saga elements.
- Sneak Peeks at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – The Epic Theater will play host to a special one-night-only panel discussion about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the 14-acre Star Wars expansion that’s set to open in 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Special Photo Ops – Throughout the park, guests can step into immersive and iconic scenes from their favorite Star Wars films in a series of incredibly detailed photo locations, including new backdrops inspired by Star Wars Rebels and more.
- Character Encounters – Be on the lookout for Star Wars characters like Ewoks, AWR Troopers and roaming droids; Jedi Knights teaching younglings in Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple; rocketing to the stars aboard Star Tours – The Adventures Continue; and more.
- Exclusive F&B and Merchandise – Even more specialty Star Wars-themed food and beverage and merchandise will be available.
- Enjoy park attractions – Select attractions will be open to all guests. At embarkation points to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, guests may come face-to-face with Stormtroopers on the lookout for a Rebel spy.
Star Wars: Galactic Nights access and activities will be exclusive to event ticket holders. Last spring’s event sold out, so booking early is strongly suggested. Tickets are priced at $129 adults, $124 ages 3-9.

Tickets are now on sale at Disneyworld.com/GalacticNights
December 4, 2017
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.

Jessie lassos Rex in the Slinky Dog Dash Track theming at Toy Story Land. pic.twitter.com/Vg4ue3YifA

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 24, 2017

Aerial view of Toy Story Land. pic.twitter.com/tYPtb2T5WZ

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 24, 2017

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.

Current work at entrance to Toy Story Land. pic.twitter.com/06rarwtfwV

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 18, 2017

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.

December 3, 2017
Passholder Gift: Holiday Magnet at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Celebrate this holiday season at Walt Disney World and Jingle All the Way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to pick up your special holiday magnet.

This passholder freebie is available December 1 through December 17, 2017 at the following merchandise locations while supplies last:
- Mickey’s of Hollywood
- Celebrity 5 & 10
- Once Upon a Time
While you’re at Hollywood Studios make sure to check out Flurry of Fun featuring the brand-new Sunset Seasons Greetings! Enjoy a holly, jolly celebration with festive shows, enchanting “snows,” holiday decor and much more.

If you aren’t able to participate in this offering, don’t worry! They are excited to bring more great Passholder offerings next month with the Epcot International Festival of the Arts and more throughout the new year!

Walt Disney World looks forward to providing a flurry of Passholder fun this holiday season!
November 30, 2017
15 Freebies from Disney Parks

Who doesn’t want FREE stuff!? Disney World vacations aren’t cheap experience that’s for sure. When you factor in travel, hotels, tickets, etc., the cost of a family visiting Disney World it can add up quick. However, while there are many costs associated with a trip to visit Mickey, there are many things at Disney World that can be done for free. That’s right…FREEBIES from Disney Parks!

There are numerous free items and experiences offered at Disney World – you just have to know where to look and who to ask. Out of various freebies available at Disney World, here are what we feel are the 15 most amazing ones!

15 – MagicBands

We’ve been to Disney World time and time again, and have never once had the need to purchase a MagicBand. Save on the MagicBand expense by receiving complementary MagicBands as Disney Resort guests or as Annual Passholders. Plus, use the same MagicBand visit after visit!

14 – FastPasses

The FastPass+ system at Disney World is one of our favorite freebies! Saving us SO much time, we try to take full advantage of the three initial FastPasses available to each guest, followed by additional FastPasses after that.

13 – Free App and Wi-Fi

Disney’s MyDisneyExperience App is completely free and incredibly helpful when visiting the parks. Maps, dining reservations, FastPasses – all managed right from your phone. Plus, the free Disney World Wi-Fi makes saving data a breeze.

12 – Free Vacation Planning

You can either request a Vacation Planning video directly from Disney, or better yet, have someone plan the vacation for you (with your specific requests of course)! This opportunity seems too good to be true, just like having a Fairy Godmother, but it’s not. Contact travel time with Vikki for your free quote today.

11 – Transportation

For Disney World Resort guests and for park guests, Disney’s transportation is a freebie essential! Park hoping is made easy with the bus system. Or maybe you want to catch the monorail from Magic Kingdom to dine at a resort restaurant. Wherever your plans take you on Disney property, chances are there is an easy way to get there for free.

10 – Celebration Buttons

You’ll see them throughout Disney World parks as people wear the bright buttons to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, first visits, and more! We still have people ask us how much they cost. They are FREE – just ask a Cast Member where you can snag one (usually Guest Services or a merchandise shop).

9 – Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

This is a fun activity for young and old alike! Disney provides each guests 5 free Sorcerer cards per admittance. Trek your way around Disney’s Magic Kingdom, defeating the evil Villains that are trying to take over! Each visit equals 5 new cards.

8 – Soda Tasting

Check out Club Cool while visiting Disney’s Epcot. It’s the perfect place for a middle of the day refreshment – for free. Little sample cups are available to park guests. Taste all the different Coke products from around the world!

7 – Jedi Training Academy

We absolutely love that Disney World has included Jedi Training in park admission to Hollywood Studios. Your young Jedi (4 to 12-years-old) can fight against Darth Vader or Seventh Sister after some Jedi training practice.

6 – Scavenger Hunts

Disney World knows how to keep us (and kids) entertained. Check out Kidcot at Epcot where children can color a Duffy souvenir and have it stamped at each of the 11 countries. Animal Kingdom’s Wilderness Explorers is another fun scavenger hunt throughout the park as you collect “badges” (stickers) in your Wilderness Explorer booklet.

5 – Pin Trading

Purchase a few Disney trading pins online before arriving at Disney World to save some money, then begin trading at Disney for free! Anytime you see a Cast Member with a pin, they are happy to trade. It doesn’t matter what pins you trade for what. Before you know it, you’ll have so super awesome pins.

4 – Pirate Contract

Located just outside of Disney’s Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean, you may time it right to watch Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial. This fun stage show is great for all ages. Watch out as Cpt. Jack recruits your young ones to join his scurvy crew as he provides them with a rolled scroll stating they are now one of his!

3 – Pixie Dust

Visit one of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique locations at either Magic Kingdom or Disney Springs. Ask one of the Fairy Godmothers in Training if they will sprinkle you with pixie dust and they will for no cost! You can also get some sparkly dust from the Barber Shop on Main Street USA.

2 – Driver’s License

Dine at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and have your young one sit in the driver’s seat location in your vehicle. A Cast Member may just provide him or her with a Sci-Fi Driver’s License! Transportation Cards are also available from bus driving Cast Members. We’ve caught on that these Transportation Cards aren’t available as often as they used to be.

1 – Sundry Items

When staying at a Disney World Resort you’ll spot Disney’s shampoo, condition, soap, and shower gel available for purchase in the gift shop. Folks love it so much they purchase the full bottles. But, keep in mind that you can get free sundry items like this from Mousekeeping. Save your money and ask for a couple of extra bottles in your room for free!

November 27, 2017
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.

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.

November 23, 2017
Disney reveals name of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge planet

While Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge won’t arrive to Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Disneyland until 2019, but the creative team behind the new planet they’re building now has a name. Be prepared to visit Batuu, a planet on the edge of the Star Wars galaxy.

The detail was revealed to visitors to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at both the Orlando and California parks on Friday morning. Visitors riding the ride found themselves landing unexpectedly on a planet in the outer rim of the Star Wars galaxy – a planet known to C-3PO, and now to us, as Batuu.

Previously revealed about Batuu has been its back story.

When it opens, the 14-acre area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as its counterpart in California, will take guests into a new planet in the Star Wars universe.

“We wanted to build new Star Wars stories, new Star Wars destinations, but this time you could be in that story that required us to go to a new place,” Trowbridge said at Star Wars Celebration earlier this year. “It’s a new planet. It’s a new place. It’s this remote frontier outpost.” Lucasfilm creative executive Pablo Hildalgo added, “With every new Star Wars story it’s like coming back home but finding a new corner of that home you’ve never explored before. When it came to developing this location…not only figuring out where this place is on the galactic map but what its history has been throughout galactic history.

“It’s been there for thousands and thousands of years,” Hidalgo explained, “You’re going to discover that. You’re going to be able to get a sense of the history of the place when you go there.”

The planet is in the Star Wars universe’s Outer Rim in the Unknown Regions.

“This used to be a vibrant trading port back in the old sub-lightspeed days, but now with advent of hyperspace, its prominence has kind of fallen and faded a little bit which has made it a great spot for those who didn’t want to be on that kind of mainstream path,” Trowbridge said. “The smugglers, the bounty hunters, the rogue adventurers looking to crew up, the people who don’t want to be found — basically all the interesting people.”

The addition to both parks is the largest expansion of any theme park Disney has ever undertaken. It will open at Disneyland first in 2019 followed by Hollywood Studios.

November 19, 2017
Jessie & Rex Arrive in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Some exciting news coming out of Toy Story Land and we thought the Disney Dorks audience should be among the first to see.

Jessie and Rex became the first “Toy Story” characters to be installed in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, earlier this week. According to their storyline, Rex and Jessie decided to help Andy build a rollercoaster using his Mega Coaster Play Kit in his backyard by stringing up the lights on towers of blocks. Rex, of course, has got tangled up in the lights, but Jessie is nearby to help.

Stay tuned for an upcoming video that will take you inside Toy Story Land, which is set to open at the park in summer 2018.

November 11, 2017