Magic Kingdom Park news and other park and resort news is in Around the Mouse. Join us this week and every week as we explore what is happening at Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World Theme Parks
Magic Kingdom Park
New! Adjusted Times for Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party: Due to concrete work on Main Street, U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom Park, Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! will be presented at 12:30 and 5 p.m. on the following dates: Dec. 3, Dec. 10, and Dec. 17.
Reminder! “Frozen Christmas Celebration” Filmed at Magic Kingdom: On Christmas Day, millions of viewers tune into ABC for the annual Christmas Day Parade at Disney Parks. The first phase of production for this year’s show, entitled “Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration,” took place at Disneyland Resort earlier this month. Musical performances were shot on a custom stage built in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, featuring artists like Train, Trey Songz, Lucy Hale, and Trisha Yearwood. Along with these performances, ABC News Senior Meteorologist Rob Marciano from “GMA Weekend” joined the holiday celebration as the Disneyland Resort host. Over at the Walt Disney World Resort, taping took place on December 8 and 9 at Magic Kingdom Park. Artists performing on the castle stage included Ariana Grande and Lexi Walker. The WDW hosts are Robin Roberts and Tim Tebow, and Elsa plays a special role this year. Many guests watched the filming and saw the celebrities this week.
Reminder! Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Sold Out Dec 19: The very last Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the Season is now officially sold out at Magic Kingdom Park. Tickets are still available for December: 11, 12, 14, 16, and 18 2014.
Reminder! Meet Santa at Magic Kingdom Park During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: Santa is available to meet guests at Town Square Courtyard on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park, during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Epcot
New! IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth New Finale: “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” has a special holiday ending during this time of year. The show concludes with a special finale to the song “Let There Be Peace On Earth” and a special set of holiday themed fireworks. The musical finale brings a message of peace and good will with the brilliance and splendor of music, lights, lasers, water fountains and custom pyrotechnics.
Reminder! Holidays Around the World in Full Swing: Holidays Around the World has officially begun! From Nov. 28-Dec. 30, Epcot and the countries of World Showcase will feature exceptional entertainment, delicious food and beverage items and special merchandise that you don’t want to miss this holiday season! Some of the highlights include:
Candlelight Processional at America Gardens Theatre, with show times at 5, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. Narrators include:
- Edward James Olmos – December 10 – 12, 2014
- Joe Morton (NEW!) – December 13 – 14, 2014
- Chita Rivera – December 15 – 17, 2014
- Ana Gasteyer (NEW!) – December 18 – 20, 2014
Candlelight Dining Packages are available for Guests. With these special dinner packages, Guests receive dinner at a restaurant of their choice, guaranteed seating at America Gardens Theatre for a booked Candlelight Processional show time and viewing of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Note: Dinner packages do not include park admission.
JOYFUL! A Gospel Celebration of the Season will perform daily at the Innoventions Fountain Stage at 1:15, 2:25, 3:25 and 4:25 p.m. Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season uniquely blends the soulful expressiveness of gospel and inspirational music with the sounds of Jazz, R&B and urban music.
New! Epcot Park Hours Extended: Epcot will be extending operating hours on Jan 1-2. Park open has been changed from 9:00am to 8:00am for Thursday, January 1 and Friday, January 2, 2015.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
New! The Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special Returns: Once again, alumni of the former Comedy Warehouse will reunite for “The Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special” at Superstar Television Theater from Dec. 20 – Jan. 4. This offering is part of the second FastPass+ experience group for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
New! The Taste of Hollywood Winter Holiday Grab ‘n Go Fantasmic! Package Available: The Taste of Hollywood Winter Holiday Grab ‘n Go Fantasmic! Package is available now through December 31, 2014. This offering allows Guests to enjoy a picnic meal plus reserved seating for the first or second Fantasmic! show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Reminder! 2015 Disney’s Star Wars Weekends Dates Announced and Dining Available for Booking: Attention fans of The Force – get ready to plan your trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in spring 2015! Star Wars Weekends will be held every weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from May 15-June 14, 2015. Once again, the Star Wars Character Dining Experiences will be available and they are open for booking now. Choose from Star Wars Dine-In Galactic Breakfast at $49.99 per adult and $31.99 per child ages 3-9 or Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine at Hollywood and Vine, Including Fantasmic! Dining Packageat $57.99 per adult and $34.99 per child ages 3-9. Prices include tax, but not gratuity. Star Wars Weekends dates are as follows:
- Weekend I: May 15-17, 2015
- Weekend II: May 22-24, 2015
- Weekend III: May 29-31, 2015
- Weekend IV: June 5-7, 2015
- Weekend V: June 12-14, 2015
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
New! Character Meeting Changes: Character changes are currently being tested at Disney’s Animal Kingdom through Jan. 4, 2015. Here’s what to expect:Guests can meet Tarzan daily along the Discovery Island Trail. Disney’s PhotoPass is not at this character greeting location. Pocahontas is greeting Guests intermittently at the Discovery Island Character Landing location. Daisy is no longer greeting Guests at the Character Landing on Discovery Island. She will return from Dec. 20-31 in a location to be announced at a later date. Guests can still meet Daisy at Tusker House with character dining reservations.
New! Chakranadi Performs Seasonal Tunes: As part of the park’s “Festival of All Seasons” celebration, Chakranadi performs seasonal tunes on the sitar and tablas.
Reminder! Isle of Java Relocation: Isle of Java closed om Dec. 1 after park close in order to begin its relocation. Coffee and limited breakfast offerings will be sold at Beastly Kiosk on Discovery Island while Isle of Java equipment is moved to its new location. Isle of Java is expected to open by Flame Tree Barbecue in the near future. In addition to Beastly Kiosk, coffee is also sold at Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery, Royal Anandapur Tea Co. and at the Yak & Yeti Quality Beverage window.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
New! Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Holiday Events: Now through Dec. 25, Guests can enjoy a variety of holiday enhancements at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Community choir groups will be caroling our favorite holiday tunes in the lobby and characters will make festive appearances on select evenings. And on Christmas Eve, Guests can visit Santa Claus in the lobby just in time to share with him their final wish list items.
New! Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Holiday Events: Visit Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts in December for special holiday performances! Each performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Disney’s Yacht Club Resorts lobby and will continue in Disney’s Beach Club Resorts lobby at 7:30 p.m:
- 11 – Mckeel Tech Women’s Vocal Ensemble
- 13 – West Shrore Jr./Sr. High School Chamber Chorus
- 15 – Canterbury Carolers
- 19 – TBD
- 21 – Sweet Adelines O-Town Sound Chorus
- 23 – Osceola High School Dynasty
New! Disney’s Polynesian Resort Holiday Events: Now through Dec. 25, Guests will enjoy several holiday offerings at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Holiday characters, community choir groups and Santa Claus will be visiting the Great Ceremonial House on select dates throughout December.
New! Parking Lot Refurbs at All-Star Resorts: The Building 10 parking lot at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort will be rejuvenated this month. From Dec. 16-19, Guests should be directed to park in alternate lots. The lot will be coned off beginning Dec. 13. Also, The check-in parking lot of Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort will be rejuvenated in two phases this month. From Dec. 10-13 and Dec. 16-19, Cast Members and leaders should park in the lots near Building 1 and Building 10. Guests will be directed accordingly.
Walt Disney World Resort – General
New! My Disney Experience App Update: Guests can enjoy maximum flexibility with the My Disney Experience mobile app. With the Walt Disney World® Parks right at their fingertips, Guests can accessDisney FastPass+ service, use the interactive, GPS-enabled maps to navigate the Parks easily and get attraction information all at the same convenient place. And, beginning this month, Guests can now purchase select Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets via the My Disney Experience mobile app. They can buy single- or multi-day Magic Your Way tickets for visits up to 10 days, with or without thePark Hopper® option. At the time of purchase, Guests can link the tickets to existing or new Family & Friends profiles on My Disney Experience. Immediately after purchase and if they are within the applicable selection window, Guests can make FastPass+ selections, to continue planning their vacation to Walt Disney World Resort!
New! Apple Pay to be Accepted Soon: A new form of electronic payment will be accepted before Christmas at most Disney-operated merchandise locations, quick-service restaurants, bars/lounges, spas, recreation and ticket sales locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort that use stationary touch-to-pay devices. A symbol represented by four curved lines will appear on existing touch-to-pay stationary devices when contactless payment is accepted.
New! Blizzard Beach – Closed Due to Forecasted Low Temperatures: Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park will be closed on Tuesday, December 9 – Friday, December 12, 2014 due to forecasted low temperatures. Disney’s Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Courses will be open normal business hours.
New! Holiday Happenings at Downtown Disney: The Downtown Disney Area at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is bustling with holiday excitement. The Festival of the Seasons is now underway and new holiday décor is lighting up the Marketplace. Here are some of the holiday activities at Downtown Disney:
- Meet Santa: You can share your wish list with Santa Claus through Christmas Eve (Santa Goofy Steps in December 25th – 29th)! New this year, guests can check in at the Santa Chalet podium to receive a pager that buzzes when their turn to meet Santa is near. It’s a great opportunity to snag a family photo, too, with Disney’s PhotoPass photographers on standby. (12pm – 9:30pm daily).
- Enjoy Holiday Entertainment: Pick up a times guide to discover the sounds of the season. From carolers to stilt walkers, live musicians to DJ dance parties, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. A great new spot to catch a performance is Exposition Park on the West Side – and while you’re there, you can indulge in fresh fare from the Disney Food Trucks!
- Indulge in Holiday Treats: Peppermint Mocha from STARBUCKS? Decadent hot chocolate from Ghirardelli? A homemade treat from Goofy’s Candy Company or Candy Cauldron? Whatever you fancy, you’ll find something sweet to tempt your taste buds!
Reminder! Food Truck Park Now Open at Downtown Disney / Disney Springs: The Food Trucks are now open at Exposition Park on the West Side, which is a permanent home for the Disney owned-and-operated Downtown Disney food trucks. Located along the water, the Food Trucks serve mouthwatering culinary creations daily, such as chicken & waffles and tandoori spiced shrimp. The area will also offer additional seating for diners as well as shaded areas during the day. The four Disney food trucks, along with the ESPN food truck, may be there – Namaste Café with flavors from Disney’s Animal Kingdom; Superstar Catering with favorites from Disney’s Hollywood Studios like a Margarita Flatbread; Fantasy Fare with Magic Kingdom Park goodies like the corn dog, and World Showcase of Flavors with Epcot tastes from grass-fed beef sliders to Pierogies. You’ll find Exposition Park between Bongo’s Cuban Café and Starbucks – an expansive grassy area that take advantage of the pretty waterfront. Hours may vary during peak times and special events.
New! Soldier and Family Reunited at Walt Disney World Cheer and Dance Competition: One year ago 9-year-old Adisen Kallas made a wish with her family in front of Cinderella Castle. She wished that her dad, Navy SEABEE UT1 Scott Kallas, would return from deployment in Afghanistan in time to watch her dance at the 2014 Pop Warner National Cheer and Dance Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort. At that time Scott was preparing for his fifth military deployment. Well Adisen wish came true. What happened on Saturday after Adisen and the Mighty Might Tri Town Raiderettes dance team from Schererville, IN, performed was nothing short of magical.
Reminder! Atlanta Braves Spring Training Tickets Available Now: Enjoy America’s most magical pastime at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex March 4-April 4. The Atlanta Braves return for their 18th Spring Training Season at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Individual Game Tickets will go on sale December 1. Get the best seats at the best prices when you purchase early. Tickets available here.
Merchandise Events
December 14 – 23: Beloved artist David E. Doss will be appearing this month at Art of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace, just in time for the holidays. Be sure to stop in and say hello!
Now – December 30: Share in the sights and sounds of some of the world’s greatest holiday festivities duringHolidays Around the World at Epcot. There are quite a few events taking place throughout the month including special appearances by Precious Moments Creator Linda Rick, Department 56 Artist – Scott Enter, Master Glass Artist Reinhard Herzog, Geir Ness, Kit Heath, Julia April and more. Details are available now onDisneyParksMerchandise.com.
Now – January 5: Representatives from Precious Moments Dolls will be on hand at Once Upon A Toy in Downtown Disney Marketplace throughout the holiday season. Stop in and add to your collection today.
New! Hanukkah Merchandise Now Available: A small assortment of Hanukkah-inspired merchandise is available at World of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace including plates, mugs, beautiful wine glasses, home decor, and Disney pins.
Written by Lori Wall: Lori is a lifelong fan and visitor of Walt Disney World! Her love of Disney World has grown through visits with her own family as well as through planning magical vacations for others! Lori is an expert in maximizing vacations while sticking to a travel budget. Contact her about saving an extra 5% off your Disney vacation with an insider tip! Book your vacation with Lori at (845) 698- 0102 or request a price online.
