Category: Walt Disney World

Disney Staff Can Enter Your Room At Any Time With New Security Measures

Do you enjoy your privacy and not being disturbed when staying on Walt Disney World Property? Well those ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs that don many guests room doors to let the resort staff know that you want a little peace and quiet may be a thing of the past.

According to a report by WDW News Today the ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs will be replaced with ‘Room Occupied’ signs. The new signs are expected to show up at monorail resorts first and only serve to let cast members know that guest are in the room, but will not keep them from entering your room.

Guests WILL be disturbed at some point because Disney will now require that your room be entered by resort staff at least once a day to “ensure guest safety”. Even if you elect not to have Mousekeeping clean your room, they are still coming in. In the most polite Disney way a cast member can of course… Disney states that cast members will give reasonable notice prior to entering by knocking and announcing that they will enter according to the article.

The is most likely a result of the recent security issues that have arisen in response to the incident that happened in a Las Vegas Hotel earlier in the year. Like the Vegas Hotel, the Monorail resorts are quite tall and it makes sense to start with those resorts first.

There is no public statement from Disney about the changes, but guests at Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian Resorts should find notification of the changes in their room possibly as early as today.

It shouldn’t be that much of a disruption as many guests will probably be off in the parks enjoying their day anyway and won’t even be in their rooms when they are checked. I’m also assuming this would be during reasonable hours. It’s really just a sign of the times we live in.

December 22, 2017
VIDEO: Union Workers Reject Disney’s Latest Wage Proposal

Chanting turned to cheering Wednesday as Walt Disney World union members overwhelmingly voted ‘No’ on a contract that would have given employees a raise of at least 50 cents an hour. Disney says “they are disappointed”, and they believe the 6 to 10 percent wage increase was fair but they will continue to work with the union on negotiations.

UNITE HERE is the largest union at Disney Orlando. Tonight, we made our voices heard, and turned down poverty wages. This is democracy. This is union. This is UNITE HERE.

🔥🗳❌✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿#unitehere #1u #DisneyRaise pic.twitter.com/CHYHFQer6q

— UNITE HERE #SaveTPS (@unitehere) December 21, 2017

New Disney employees earn $10 an hour currently, but the union wants to raise average worker pay to $15 an hour in an effort to reduce poverty among their represented members.

Almost 10,000 votes were cast, the highest turnout ever for the Service Trades Council Union and approximately 93 percent of dues-paying members voted to turned down the two-year contract. The STCU has been negotiating wages with Disney and is a coalition of six unions representing nearly 36,000 Walt Disney World cast members.

Thousands of Disney union workers in Orlando are voting on whether to approve a contract for a #DisneyRaise The largest unions say their members plan to vote no pic.twitter.com/mDGyH6ZpVR

— Monivette Cordeiro (@monivettec) December 20, 2017

The rejected offer would have seen full and part-time cast members receive a 50 cent or 3 percent raise per year for two years, whichever was higher for the cast member, retroactive to Sept. 24. They also would have seen a $200 bonus. Cast members who receive tips would not be eligible for the wage increase, but would qualify for the $200 payout.

Disney says they already pay $2-per-hour more than the federally required minimum wage and it seems unlikely the workers will actually see $15 an hour. The final outcome effects employers throughout the Orlando area as their employee wages usually follow Disney’s very closely. In 2014 Disney agreed to raise the minimum wage to $10-per-hour by 2016 and other unionized and non-unionized companies followed suit, including Universal Orlando.

The next step for the unions appears to be in February, where they will regroup for further negotiations.

December 21, 2017
The Best Bites at Disney Parks for December 2017

If you are heading to Walt Disney World this month there are some amazing Disney Food options you have to check out. Here are some of the Best Bites recommended by Disney Parks Blog.

First off Disney’s Animal Kingdom has as prix fix menu at Tiffins, offered during lunch. The meal comes with a trio of appetizers with black-eyed pea fritters, heirloom tomatoes and marinated grilled octopus. The entrée selections include a vegetable noodle bowl, swordfish, braised wagyu beef pozole or grilled chicken. You can then end your meal with a delicious dessert trio consisting of chocolate ganache, lime cheesecake and guava mousse! Stop by Tiffins on Discovery Island to try out this amazing new menu.

Right next door to Tiffins is Pandora – The World of Avatar, when you can now find some breakfast options at Pongu Pongu. The new offerings include a chocolate-stuffed brioche, colorful coffee cake, the popular pineapple Lumpia, and a Wolf Paw, which is a cinnamon bun topped with almonds!

Creature Comforts now offers two all-new sandwiches. The first is a roast beef sandwich with rosemary mayonnaise, Comté cheese, lettuce and tomato on a ciabatta bread. The second is a delicious chicken salad sandwich with apples, dried cherries, lettuce and tomato on a split croissant.

Over at Epcot, the Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom Pavilion now offers British Butty. This unique offering from across the pond consists of your choice of chips (fries), bacon or banger (sausage) served on a brioche roll with crisps and house-made pickled onions.

Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Magic Kingdom Park has recently added a few new items to the menu. The first dish is a favorite of our friend Pamela Perkins, the President of the Adventurers Club. The Perkins Thai Noodles consist of chicken, tofu, seasonal vegetables and rice noodles tossed in a spicy soy-chili-garlic sauce.

You’ll be betting it all on the next dish, the “A Lot At Steak” Salad! This leafy dish comes with grilled steak, romaine lettuce, Spring mix, pickled jalapeños, red onion, queso fresco and pumpkin seeds tossed in a chimichurri vinaigrette. The last dish is the Baa Baa Berber Lamb Chops. These berbere-spiced lambchops come with roasted carrot purée and arugula-cauliflower salad tossed in a citrus vinaigrette.

In Frontierland, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe now offers a taco trio. Choose from seasoned ground beef, seasoned chicken, spicy beef or the new spicy cauliflower! This new lightly-breaded cauliflower comes with pineapple salsa and a five-spice yogurt. All these tacos are served in flour tortillas and include a trip to the toppings bar.

For the holiday season, Magic Kingdom Park has also added a few special offerings, like December’s Hot Dog of the Month at Casey’s Corner – the Hot Diggity Holiday Hot Dog with cranberry cole slaw and pulled pork. Columbia Harbour House now offers a holiday salad with turkey, bacon bits, cheese, cranberries, onions, tomatoes and a cranberry vinaigrette as well as Fa La La Fondant Fries – fries topped with cinnamon sugar and red and green fondant. At Pinocchio Village Haus you’ll find a holiday flatbread with roasted turkey, cheese, stuffing, cranberry BBQ sauce and gravy. And lastly, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café now has a Bahumburger with angus beef, cornbread stuffing and a special Scrooge Sauce cranberry aioli.

Trattoria Al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk has extended the hours of its popular Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast. Starting December 17th, this experience will be from 7:30am-12:00 p.m. daily. Reservations for these extended hours are available now. Meet Ariel with Prince Eric and Rapunzel with Flynn Rider while you dine on a variety of breakfast entrées like the Tower of Pancakes or Tangled Eggs!

December 20, 2017
Epcot’s Garden Rocks Concert Series 2018 Lineup
The 2018 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival really rocks! And this year it is rocking with 17 favorite artists whose hits span more than five decades.

This is the 25th event year for the event. The Garden Rocks series features singers and groups from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s with hit-makers in a variety of genres including rock, pop, country, R&B and dance.

They have brand new acts such as country favorites Lonestar, British rock legends Foghat; and Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles – along with returning treasures disco pioneers Village People and ‘80s supergroups like Night Ranger.

They also have a couple of artists that have played other Epcot festivals like Survivor, Smash Mouth and Rick Springfield, who are joining the Garden Rocks this year.

Here is this year’s lineup (subject to change without notice):
- March 2-5: Night Ranger “Sister Christian”
- March 9-12: STARSHIP starring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
- March 16-19: Simple Plan “Welcome to My Life”
- March 23-26: Little River Band “Reminiscing”
- March 30-April 2: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO “Evil Woman”
- April 6-7: Foghat (NEW!) “Slow Ride”
- April 8-9: Survivor (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “Eye of the Tiger”
- April 13-14: Smash Mouth (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “All Star”
- April 15-16: Rick Springfield (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “Jessie’s Girl”
- April 20-21: Jo Dee Messina (NEW to Garden Rocks!) “Stand by Me”
- April 22-23: Lonestar (NEW!) “Amazed”
- April 27-30: Blood, Sweat and Tears featuring Bo Bice “Spinning Wheel”
- May 4-7: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone “I’m Henry VIII I Am”
- May 11-12: Village People “Y.M.C.A.”
- May 13-14: Don Felder, formerly of The Eagles (NEW!) “Hotel California”
- May 18-21: The Guess Who “American Woman”
- May 25-28: The Spinners “Working My Way Back to You”
Garden Rocks performances are at America Gardens Theatre at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival and are included with Epcot admission.
December 20, 2017
Celebrities Katy Perry and Matthew McConaughey Spotted at Walt Disney World

Monday was a Star Studded day for Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Both Katy Perry and Matthew McConaughey spent the day at the park enjoying the magic.

Superstar Katy Perry dons her finest Disney couture for a ride aboard the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel at Magic Kingdom Park Monday.

David Roark

The “Chained to the Rhythm” artist enjoyed Walt Disney World Resort with her “Witness” tour cast the day after performing in Orlando. In March, Perry will join Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie at the judges’ table for ABC’s first season of the iconic music competition series, “American Idol.”

Actor Matthew McConaughey, his wife Camila and their family share a special moment with Mickey Mouse and his Toy Soldier pals at Magic Kingdom Park. McConaughey is spending time at Walt Disney World Resort during the holidays while on break from filming.

Steven Diaz

Actor Matthew McConaughey shares a special moment with Mickey Mouse and his Toy Soldier pals. McConaughey is spending time at Walt Disney World Resort during the holidays while on break from filming.

Steven Diaz

December 19, 2017
BREAKING VIDEO: Trump Has Speaking Role in Hall of Presidents Debut

After months of speculation Donald Trump finally makes his presidential debut in the Hall of Presidents. He is standing front and slightly off-center on the stage next to a seated Abraham Lincoln and his animatronic figure indeed has a speaking role.

“Above all, to be American is to be an optimist, to believe that we can always do better, and that the best days of our great nation are still ahead of us,” the Trump figure says. Check out the video at the bottom to see and hear the new addition for yourself.

The first part of his speech was a re-recording of the presidential oath of office. Then, with hands moving he spoke about the spirit of the American people and the U.S. Constitution.

Trump’s speech concludes, “It’s a privilege to serve as the President of the United States, to stand here among so many great leaders of our past, and to work on behalf of the American people.”

The hall has been closed since mid-January, two months after Trump won the presidential election. Following a year-long transformation, The Hall of Presidents will officially reopen at Magic Kingdom Park on Tuesday, December 19, with enhancements that will bring the story of the American presidency to life as never before. The epic theatrical production was envisioned by Walt Disney himself to honor the country by honoring the presidents of the United States.

This endeavor began with a single animated figure of President Abraham Lincoln that was developed for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. In 1971, advances in technology made it possible for Imagineers to make Walt Disney’s vision a reality by including every chief executive who ever served the United States of America.

Get a first look here with the video below.

The history of innovation at The Hall of Presidents continues to this day. In addition to updating the show’s content, Imagineers have incorporated the latest in theatrical design and Audio-Animatronics technology. Landmark moments in history come alive on a panoramic 180-degree screen that transports guests across more than 200 years of the American story. High-impact projection, sound, lighting and other enhancements take guests into rare and indelible moments in history that helped define a nation.

As has been the tradition with every new president since the attraction debuted, an Audio-Animatronics figure of President Donald J. Trump has been added to the show and features the latest advances in technology that enable smoother and more lifelike movements. President Trump personally recorded remarks exclusively for The Hall of Presidents, just as each sitting president has done for the attraction since the early 1990s.

December 18, 2017
New Details Revealed About Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – X-Wing Fleet

New details about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge were revealed during last night’s discussion panel at Star Wars: Galactic Nights and it has fans over Endor about it. From the Millennium Falcon ride to a fleet of X-wings, Disney Imagineers are really starting to bring Batuu to life.

They discussed the Millennium Falcon Ride which Disney teased earlier in the week on their twitter feed. “We’ve all seen her on screen, but until you climb through that hatch, walk through her hallways, sit inside the cockpit, power her up and actually FLY her yourself, it’s not quite the same.” Here is a photo of the inside of the ship!

The team’s progress includes the building of a fleet of full-size X-wing starfighters. One tap on the metal side of these ships tells you that they are real, and ready for action!

They also discussed the depth of storytelling you can find in this remote outpost. Imagineers researched the exotic markets of Istanbul and Marrakech which were a great source of inspiration for the marketplace in the village where you can explore a rich collection of shops and merchant stalls. Here is a piece of concept art for what that toy stall will look like.

And inside, you’ll be able to discover all kinds of fun and cool toys straight out of the Star Wars galaxy. Exclusive to this outpost, all these offerings look hand-crafted by local artisans. They’re going to be really fun, unique, and completely in-story.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge won’t arrive to Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Disneyland until 2019

December 17, 2017
New Epcot Resort Planned Inside Park Could Land In Front of Spaceship Earth

Walt Disney World is getting a new resort that could be located inside Epcot and would give guests a direct entrance into the park according to multiple online reports. Depending on where it ends up being located it might even be connected to Epcot’s monorail loop.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to roll out of bed and just stroll into the park, or call it a night early and watch Illumination from your balcony. If rumours prove to be true it just might happen.

Disney has recently announced a massive overhaul of Future World including the upcoming addition of the new Guardians of the Galaxy Roller Coaster which will replace the Universe of Energy and this might be the perfect time for such an addition to the park. If Disney was looking for sure way to increase attendance to Epcot then adding a Resort inside the park isn’t a bad idea.

There are two possible locations Disney is considering. The first location would be right at the main gate and would be the easiest to connect to existing monorail lines. Having a resort right in front of Spaceship Earth would be amazing, but how it might affect the park aesthetically immediately comes to mind. Disney is the best when it comes to design so there is no doubt they will find a way to incorporate it without detracting from the park’s famous icon.

The second proposed location would be on the west side of future world in the area between The Seas and The land. This also would make for a convenient entrance and still not be an eyesore in any way. It might not be as easy to connect to the monorail there, but there would probably be much better views of World Showcase Lagoon and Illuminations.

While a hotel in an actual park would be new to Walt Disney World, the company already has two such hotels at Disney’s California Adventure and Disneyland Paris.

The plans are still in the early stages of development so things could easily change. But the possibility of a hotel in a Walt Disney World theme has fans really excited.

December 16, 2017
Star Wars: Galactic Nights Blast Off Tonight
Star Wars then there is only one part of the galaxy you want to be tonight as Star Wars: Galactic Nights returns at Hollywood Studios.

Following a sold-out event last April, this gala evening will be filled with out-of-this-world entertainment celebrating the entire Star Wars saga, including special guest appearances by Star Wars celebrities. Favorite film moments, special effects and, of course, the epic Star Wars cinematic score will fill the park all evening long. So get your tickets online while you still can.

Among the many thrills in store, guests will be treated to a red-carpet arrival, iconic attractions with little to no wait time, amazing fireworks and projections, and experts sharing details about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, an entirely new land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2019. Below you can find some of what to expect or check out our complete guide to the event.

Hyperdrive powers the night with:
- The Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks and Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away stage show will both be enhanced with special elements from the entire saga. In between, a DJ will keep things spinning at Center Stage for a Star Wars dance party.
- The Epic Theater plays host to a special, celebrity-led panel discussion about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Experts from Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm will share some of the excitement coming to the 14-acre Star Wars-inspired expansion opening in 2019 at Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. Panelists will be joined by Warwick Davis, beloved by Star Wars fans since appearing as Wicket the Ewok in “Return of the Jedi” among many Lucasfilm roles. Actor David Collins will host the special insider’s look.
- Park-wide, guests will step into immersive and iconic scenes from their favorite Star Wars films in a series of incredibly detailed photo locations, including a new backdrop inspired by Star Wars Rebels.
- Star Wars: Galactic Nights features encounters with 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 stunning projection effects on park icons such as the Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Tower, whose façade will transform to showcase stunning locations from across the galaxy. At Star Wars Launch Bay, the theme park’s home base for Star Wars fandom, guests will meet denizens from the light and dark side of The Force.
- Darth Vader and a battalion of Imperial Stormtroopers will march menacingly down Hollywood Boulevard.
- Star Wars-themed food and beverage and merchandise will be available.
- Select park attractions will be open to all guests. At embarkation points to Star Tours – The Adventures Continues, guests may come face-to-face with Stormtroopers on the lookout for a Rebel spy.
- Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their finest Star Wars costumes, however, masks may not be worn by Guests 14 years of age or older. Arriving park guests will walk a red carpet that runs the length of Hollywood Boulevard. The street itself will be dressed in all the trappings of a Tinseltown premiere.
December 16, 2017
BREAKING: Stitch’s Great Escape To Close Permanently

It looks like we’ll be saying aloha to Stitch’s Great Escape for the last time very soon. The attraction in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will close permanently after this final seasonal opening.

Opening starting December 13, 2017 through January 6, 2018, the attraction will then close forever. Disney has not yet officially confirmed the permanent closure, but “it is expected to occur very soon.”, according to a report from Kenny the Pirate. Disney is expected to announce a new attraction for the space.

For the past few months, the outer lobby area has been used as a Stitch meet and greet space. During Christmas break Stitch will move back to his former location near Space Mountain, but there has been no word on the future of his meet and greet beyond early January 2018.

The closing has been predicted for quite a while now and many ideas have been thrown around about what might replace the attraction. Among a host of reports, a Wreck-it Ralph themed attraction has been considered, which is set to release a new movie March 2018.

Hopefully they have another plan as that doesn’t really feel like a good Tomorrowland fit.

December 13, 2017