Disney News Round-Up: Fantasmic Opens November 3rd, Walt Disney Swan & Dolphin Food and Wine Preview, A Big Blue Bear comes to Disney +, More Sing-a-longs coming. Finally, Walt Disney World has released the opening day for Fantasmic, along with dining packages. Annual Passholders are trying to sue Disney, plus we have some entertainment news to pass along. Let us get right into it.
Set out for a fantastic feat in Disney theme parks as you run through storied lands, encountering the magic of Disney. See beloved Disney Characters, enjoy special moments and receive commemorative medals to celebrate your accomplishments.
First up is the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend from November 2 to 5, 2023. The runDisney event will coincide with the 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
The annual Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend will be held from January 3 through 7, 2024. Races typically include a 10K, 5K, Marathon, and Half Marathon.
The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Corkcicle will take place February 22-25, 2024. Usually, races include a 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon. In 2023, there will also be a Princess Yoga session in the Magic Kingdom.
Finally, from April 18 to 21, 2024 the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend will take place. The theme for this event changes each year. In 2023 the theme is Pixar.
“Ready, set, GO! 👟🎉 Mark your calendars for the 2023-2024 @waltdisneyworld #runDisney event dates & stay tuned for more information to come on @Disneyland events and registration dates.”
Stay tuned for more information and details to be released for each Walt Disney World runDisney event! Also, be on the lookout for more information regarding the return of runDisney events at the Disneyland Resort.
If you’d like to visit Walt Disney World and participate in a runDisney event, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I would love to help you plan a magical vacation!
Disneyland Resort announced it will launch the innovative MagicBand+ wearable on Oct. 26, 2022, offering many hands-free conveniences and immersive experiences that unlock a new dimension of Disney storytelling. This milestone marks the first time guests can utilize the smart and stylish device at the Happiest Place on Earth.
MagicBand+ is an easy-to-use, next-generation wearable that enables guests to see and feel select park experiences through customizable features such as color-changing LED lights, haptic vibrations and gesture recognition. It is rechargeable (with the included USB charging cable) and waterproof. MagicBand+ will be available in more than 18 collectible colors and designs at launch, including five prints exclusive to Disneyland Resort – and the assortment will expand with even more must-have options.
“We are always looking for innovative ways to make magic,” said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock. “MagicBand+ is another way we are leveraging technology to delight our guests and create experiences that are unlike any other. This is just the beginning, we have plans to continue to grow MagicBand+ offerings at Disneyland Resort in the future with the addition of exciting new features.”
Beginning Oct. 26, guests may choose to purchase MagicBand+ from select merchandise locations across the Disneyland Resort. Beginning Oct. 19, eligible Magic Key holders, cast members and Disney Vacation Club members will have the opportunity to be among the first to purchase MagicBand+ at Disneyland Resort from select locations (applicable discounts will be valid) and get a first look at its magical features in action. While supplies last, Magic Key holders may also purchase a band with a special Magic Key design and unique light-up sequence.
Hands-free convenience and enhanced park experiences
MagicBand+ boasts a host of convenient abilities, with more slated to come in the future. For a hands-free way to enter the Disneyland Resort theme parks (valid park admission and reservation required), guests can connect MagicBand+ to their theme park tickets or Magic Key passes in the Disneyland app. The wearable can also be used to seamlessly check into Lightning Lane entrances (separate valid Lightning Lane entry required) and easily link Disney PhotoPass photographer-captured photos to guests’ Disney accounts.
Day and night, MagicBand+ adds new, immersive elements to select park experiences and entertainment. For instance, guests may discover their bands creating surprising and magical touches to certain entertainment at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure Park. Nighttime spectaculars become even more dazzling when MagicBand+ illuminates and pulses in sync with special moments in “World of Color” in Disney California Adventure Park, “Fantasmic!” in Disneyland Park and other select nighttime shows throughout the year. MagicBand+ will also interact with the all-new nighttime spectaculars “World of Color – One” at Disney California Adventure and “Wondrous Journeys” at Disneyland when they debut in late January 2023 as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder anniversary celebration.
At Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, guests can use MagicBand+ to seek virtual bounties hidden across Black Spire Outpost in the Star Wars: Batuu Bounty Hunters experience. Vibrations and lights from guests’ bands help guide them to their bounty, and the augmented reality thermal viewer in the Play Disney Parks app reveals who is hiding in the shadows. Local guild master Raga Bua rewards guests with galactic credits once their missions are successfully completed.
Easy to use, customizable settings and rechargeable battery
To enjoy all the available features of MagicBand+, guests will need a Disney account and the Disneyland app. MagicBand+ can be easily paired with a smartphone and updated through the app. Plus, it can be customized with unique light colors and adjustable vibration and motion recognition settings. For setup information, guests can visit Disneyland.com or ask a question using the Chat with Us feature on the Disneyland app.
A fully charged battery on a MagicBand+ can last between one to three days, depending on the guest’s individual use. It is recommended that guests charge their bands overnight using the included USB charging cable, and once charged, power off their bands until they are ready to use them. Portable charging systems are available for purchase at kiosks throughout the Disneyland Resort for added convenience.
Also available for purchase online from shopDisney, MagicBand+ can be used at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Experiences and features vary between the two destinations.
Continuing a legacy of innovation
MagicBand+ joins an advanced portfolio of industry-leading technology that creates a seamless, world-class guest experience at the Disneyland Resort. The Disneyland app features many digital tools to help guests save time and make the most of their visits, and it continues to evolve with new capabilities and content. Accessible in the app with the purchase of Disney Genie+ service, the all-new Disney PhotoPass Lenses enable guests to conjure up ice like Elsa, snap an underwater selfie with Dory and be immersed in favorite Disney stories using augmented reality. Convenient and time-saving Disneyland app features include mobile order, merchandise mobile checkout, hotel direct-to-room service and more.
If you’d like to visit the Disneyland Resort soon, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are complimentary, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation!
Annual Passholder Theme Park Reservations are no longer available for the Opening Day of Fantasmic
Fantasmic! is returning to Hollywood Studios next month and passholder theme park reservations are no longer available for the opening day already! The show returns on November 3, 2022, and Disney World Annual Passholder reservations are completely booked.
The Annual Passholder calendar shows passes are unavailable for all pass types on November 3, though the rest of the month is completely open. Reservations are still available for guests with theme park tickets as well as hotel guests.
Featuring stunning effects, thrilling stunts, dazzling pyrotechnics and rousing music, this larger-than-life show is painted on a grand canvas of dancing water and light. Overflowing with silly and suspenseful surprises, it will leave your entire family smiling from ear-to-ear!
A Night When Dreams Come True
Fast asleep, Mickey Mouse dreams that he is a mighty sorcerer’s apprentice with the power to control water, color and magic. The Disney Villains—including Maleficent in the form of a towering, 40-foot-tall dragon—turn Mickey’s dream into a nightmare, but don’t underestimate the power of Mickey’s imagination!
The fantastic fantasy includes Disney Characters from some of your favorite animated films:
Moana
Frozen 2
Mulan
Aladdin
Pocahontas
Beauty and the Beast
The Little Mermaid
The Lion King
If you’d like to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios to check out Fantasmic!, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel and my services are complimentary.
Disney World Scaling Back Character Meet & Greets due to Labor Shortages
Walt Disney World is still being impacted by labor shortages due to the pandemic. Those shortages are the cause of multiple characters meet & greets being scaled back starting Sunday, October 23rd.
These character experiences are most likely getting cut to accommodate other character-based experiences like character meals and shows like Fantasmic!
Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Magic Kingdom is still closed as of now with no opening in sight. The returning Disney College Program could ease the labor issues in the coming months but there’s no saying when these characters’ meet & greets might return.
Will you miss these character interactions?
If you’d like to visit Walt Disney World to meet your favorite characters, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel and my services are complimentary.
Author Rick Riordan is writing a new book for the Percy Jackson series!
Riordan announced on Twitter that The Chalice of the Gods will be released on September 26, 2023 and continue the story of its main characters Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood.
Chalice of the Gods will bring Percy back to his roots as he is tasked with retrieving another missing item from Olympus, not unlike his quest in The Lightning Thief. This book will follow Percy and company assisting Zeus’s cupbearer, Ganymede, in hunting down a chalice that grants immortality to those who drink from it. Think of a River Styx bath, but in beverage form. This story will also be a prequel of sorts, as it takes place after The Heroes of Olympus series, but before the Trials of Apollo.
The Percy Jackson & the Olympians fantasy novel series had been a pentalogy with five books published between 2005 and 2009: The Lightning Thief (2005), The Sea of Monsters (2006), The Titan’s Curse (2007), The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008) and The Last Olympian (2009).
The announcement of The Chalice of the Gods comes as Disney+ is about to release a television series based on the books. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is expected to premiere on the streaming service in 2024.
Marvel’s Nick Fury is replaced as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a new promotional video for Marvel Snap.
Nick Fury was last seen in the final moments of the Marvel Studios epic Avengers: Endgame, but the fan-favorite character is set to return for Secret Invasion, a six-part series coming to Disney Plus in Spring 2023. For the time being, Nick Fury is featured in an ad for Marvel Snap, a fast-paced card battle game
With the game requiring players to mix and match Marvel heroes and their abilities, it is kind of like being put in the seat of Nick Fury, having to manage all these super-people. It’s actually fun that Jackson was all up to reprise the role for an ad.
The new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is…you. Replace Nick Fury and bend the rules of the Marvel Universe when you play MARVEL SNAP—a fast-paced card battler. It’s your move.
Effective today, I’m being replaced as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Because now, @MarvelSnap gives players control over the entire Marvel Universe. You think you can do as good of a job as I did? We'll see about that. pic.twitter.com/8NcdLg1VJK
The minute-long spot sees Fury return to S.H.I.E.L.D. only to confront his unceremonious exit. Upon learning that he’s been let go, he also meets his replacement—a young and excitable game player who is also a bright-eyed fan of the Avengers’ founder. Clearly, he doesn’t take the transition well.
Marvel Snap launches globally with 1,000 cards featuring, as the brand states, “just about every fan favorite hero and villain in the Marvel universe.” Alongside art that harks back to Marvel’s 80-year history, the game will also include new original illustrations.
Marvel Snap was released today on iOS, Android, and Steam. At the very end of the ad, the card battler game is described as giving fans the entire Marvel Universe in their hands. This includes characters who have not yet been introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Blade, Wolverine, and Miles Morales/Spider-Man.
Disney+ has added several sing-along versions of your favorite Disney films, both new and nostalgic, and now the famed musical film ”Mary Poppins Returns” is joining the list!
Beginning November 11th, Disney+ subscribers can enjoy the new sing-along version on the hit streaming service. Disney+ is also adding sing-along versions of ‘Coco’ and ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ for streamers to enjoy.
The magic returns in Disney’s reimagined classic as Mary Poppins helps the Banks family remember the joy of what it’s like to be a child. Together with her friend Jack the lamplighter, fun is brought back to the streets of London in celebration that everything is possible…even the impossible!
“Mary Poppins Returns” into the life of Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) who met Mary Poppins when he was a child at 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Michael Banks now is grown and raising this own 3 children – Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh), and Georgie (Joel Dawson) with some assistance from his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer). The setting of the story is in Depression-era London which makes for some difficult times. Mary Poppins enters the lives of the Banks Family once again having not aged a single day! Colorful characters, such as Mary’s eccentric Cousin Topsy (Meryl Streep), Jack’s lovable band of leeries and bank executives William Weatherall Wilkins (Colin Firth) and Mr. Dawes Jr. (Dick Van Dyke) are all encountered. Life, love, and laughter are brought back into the home through the whimsical adventures of the Banks children, Mary Poppins and her old friend Jack.
Are you excited to see more sing-alongs joining Disney+? What other movies and musicals would you like to see in the new collection? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Annual Passholders are suing Disney for not being able to get Theme Park Reservations
Two Disney World Annual Passholders who live in Florida are suing Disney due to NOT being able to get Theme Park Reservations according to Florida Politics.
“Disney’s conduct is a predatory business practice, aimed at exploiting the customers who support it the most, its annual pass holders. Disney abused a global pandemic to take advantage of its own loyal customers and increase its revenue,” said the lawsuit filed Tuesday at U.S. District Court in Orlando.
(Scroll to the bottom to see the statement issued by Disney)
According to the lawsuit, the Annual Passholders paid $633 per pass for their entire family with the expectation they could get access 365 days a year and not have to plan their trips in advance. The reservation slots were always full for pass holders while Disney would continue to sell single-day tickets to welcome in other guests.
There is an ongoing lawsuit in Disneyland for the exact same issue.
Neither Disney World nor the attorneys representing the Annual Passholders responded to a request for comment.
Back in May Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that the Park Pass Reservation System and Disney’s Genie+ were here to stay.
He claims the new system allows the parks to keep costs down. He said, “Our balanced reservation system…helps us manage our price per day.” Knowing how many guests will be visiting each park each day allows Disney to forecast food and beverage sales, staffing needs, and more.
Are you a fan of the Park Pass Reservation System? I know many Annual Passholders aren’t as it cuts down on the spontaneous trips to Walt Disney World.
Update Wednesday, October 12th, 20228:00 pm
Disney issued a statement concerning the Annual Passholder lawsuit to Gabrielle Russon:
“Annual Passholders continue to be some of our biggest fans and most loyal guests. We’ve been upfront with Passholders about the updates we’ve made, and we offered them the flexibility to opt-in or opt out of the program early in the pandemic, including refunds if they desired. This lawsuit mischaracterizes the program and its history, and we will respond further in court.”
Add a touch of magic to your Christmas tree this holiday season with these Mickey & Minnie Arribas Brothers 50th anniversary ornaments. We found them in Magic Kingdom for $19.99 each, they are a good size and the gold color makes them a great option to go with any theme in your Christmas tree.
The first ornament we found features Minnie Mouse with Cinderella Castle and the Walt Disney World 50 logo. Super cute!
The second options features Mickey Mouse with Cinderella castle and the Walt Disney World 50 logo as well.
There is also one with a more classy design featuring only Cinderella castle with the 50 logo in the middle, the Walt Disney World logo at the bottom and “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” slogan around the castle.
All of these Arribas Brothers 50th Anniversary Holiday Ornaments are adorable and a great addition to your tree or just to keep as a reminder of this magical celebration!
This chef Mickey & Minnie mug will add magic to your kitchen!
This adorable mug featuring our two favorite mouses is part of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2022 collection. We found it at Epcot for $24.99 and is also available online at shopDisney with a special markdown price of $17.49!
The molded design features Mickey’s face on one side and Minnie on the other. The lid is shaped like a chef hat making it a wonderful reminder of the Food & Wine Festival.
Be aware this mug is dishwasher safe but not microwave safe. It’s very cute and can be used as an actual mug or just as a fun decor piece in your kitchen!
Back and better than ever, the larger-than-life, open-air nighttime musical will boast the live performers, stunning effects, rousing music and dazzling pyrotechnics you know and love – complete with a brand-new show sequence!
“Through this entire sequence, we go on a journey with our heroes. We see them faced with a decision, and how hard that can be for them, then watch as they find that strength within themselves to push through in a truly spectacular way,” says Disney Live Entertainment Show Director, Matthew Hamel.
And spectacular it is. The new heroes sequence features a high-energy Aladdin chase with stunts never before seen on the “Fantasmic!” stage, a powerful scene with Elsa set to the song “Show Yourself” that is sure to thaw the most frozen of hearts, and stirring moments with Pocahontas, Moana and Mulan. Fun fact: To help choreograph the authentic Chinese martial arts you’ll see in Mulan’s scene, the creative team brought in Mimi Chan – the original muse and model animators used when bringing the character of Mulan to life for the 1998 animated film.
“We know this show means so much to people, and we’ve kept that in mind every step of this journey.” says Disney Live Entertainment Producer, Laurice Marier. “Even beyond the new scene, we’ve taken this time to upgrade the lasers, the lighting, the sound, all to bring this show back even more beautiful than it’s ever been. We’re all really just so excited for guests to see it.”
Beginning Oct. 26th, “Fantasmic!” dining packages for select restaurants at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be available for performances Nov. 30 and beyond.
Are you excited that Fantasmic Dining Packages will be returning? Honestly, it is the best way to see Fantasmic in Hollywood Studios.
