Area Closed Off for Pixar Place as Disney Works on New Meet & Greets. Pixar Place has seen many transformations over the years, and now it is going through another one prior to the opening of the brand new Edna Mode Experience coming May 14th, 2023.
For guests who have visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios for years, you might remember this area as the old entrance to the soundstage area. Unless you are a little younger and may remember this area as the entrance to Toy Story Midway Mania, or even younger still, as the Pixar meet and greet area where you could buy a Nom Nom cookie.
The wall/door is now shut while Disney Imagineering works on the area. We could see a new backdrop on the far wall, but could not bring back images, as Disney does not like us sticking our camera through cracks in the wall to take images.
Check out the post from Disney about the new Edna Mode Experience coming May 14th.
Area Closed Off for Pixar Place as Disney Works on New Meet & Greets
“Get ready dahling! 💥 The Edna Mode Experience returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 14th as part of a reimagined Pixar Place, where you’ll also encounter Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Frozone, and Sulley from “Monsters, Inc.””
Mickey’s PhilharMagic Receives New Banners. Prior to the Walt Disney World 50th Anniversary, we saw crews doing significant refurbishments in the Fantasyland section of Magic Kingdom. As the 50th started in October 2021, fantasyland looked almost brand new. Disney did such a fantastic job with the painting, cleaning, and just overall maintenance.
Besides Princess FairyTale Hall, Mickey’s PhilharMagic is the only other attraction that has gold-painted poles and a gold-painted marquee. Both look stunning right now with the newer coat of paint.
Now, both have received new refurbished banners. making the outside of the attractions beautiful. Mickey’s new banners feature musical notes and stars on a purple background.
Put on your 3D “opera glasses” and take a seat in the Concert Hall in front of the 150-foot-wide, 180-degree seamless wraparound screen.
As the lights dim, we find Donald Duck fast asleep. When he dons Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat and decides to try his hand at conducting the concert, he’s suddenly plunged into a 3D dream world of classic Disney animated musical sequences.
Experience “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid, “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” from The Lion King and “You Can Fly” from Peter Pan—plus many more—presented for the first time in stunning 3D.
Some Very Special Effects
Mickey’s PhilharMagic features child-friendly, in-house special effects throughout the presentation. These effects, created to further immerse you in the adventure, include light splashes of water and other surprises.
First Look at NEW Disney 100 Name Tags for Cast Members. Are you a cast member, or do you have a cast Member in your life? We are spoiled by having a Cast member in our home and are proud of all the work they do. One of the things that they, as a Cast members, enjoy is getting new Cast member ID tags. Retire the old one, and keep it for life, it reminds them of the time and place they worked at during that special time frame.
Well, Cast members are about to receive new Tags. Be on the lookout for some magic mail from Walt Disney, if you are a Cast member. According to Walt Disney World Cast and Community Facebook.
“Starting today, Walt Disney World cast members will receive some pixie dust in the mail with the arrival of a new Disney nametag designed just for them! The new design features a gold star above the castle, representing cast members as the guiding light for The Most Magical Place on Earth. Cast, show us your magical mail in the comments below or by tagging us on social using the hashtag, #DisneyCastLife!”
Little Mermaid Expected to have HUGE Opening Weekend Box Office
Disney’s latest film has yet to be released, but the studio has high expectations regarding box office predictions. The film landed on tracking and is looking at a 110 million dollar expectation for the four-day weekend. When it comes to Memorial Day weekend, it will have to do much better than 110 million to top last year’s box office king, Top Gun: Maverick, which took in 165 million in the same weekend.
The Little Mermaid is a live-action remake starring Halle Bailey as Ariel, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, and Javier Bardem as King Triton. The highest-grossing live-action debut is The Lion King, with 191.8 million.
Rob Marshall directs the Little Mermaid, which releases in theaters on May 26, 2023. Do you think this film will have a huge box office weekend? Let us know your predictions in a comment.
The Magic Key Terrace Cat ‘Nutmeg’ has Passed Away at Disney’s California Adventure
We have sad news to report this morning. We have just received word that Nutmeg the Magic Key Terrace Cat Passed Away at Disney’s California Adventure.
Nutmeg was one of many Disneyland Resort’s feral cats that would keep the parks clear of rodents. Nutmeg liked to hang out at the Magic Key Terrace in Disney’s California Adventure.
Nutmeg was so loved that he had his own secret menu cocktailat the Magic Key Terrace. It was made with Myers dark rum, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, and apricot liqueur and sold for $16.
The Nutmeg secret menu cocktail at the Magic Key Terrace in Disney California Adventure. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
News of Nutmeg’s passing was reported yesterday on Reddit:
Nutmeg was so loved by Disney Imagineers and Disneyland Cast Members that they even integrated Nutmeg into the tiling when Magic Key Terrace was reimagined back in 2021.
Disney News Highlights: Man Arrested at Coronado Springs Resort, Encanto is Coming to the Disney Magic Cruise, Baby Aardvark Born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, New D100 Lego Sets Coming Soon.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Construction Update for May 2023 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Construction Update for May 2023. Splash Mountain is no more at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. All signs have been removed and it appears that all the theming for the old classic attraction is now gone also. Bring on the Southern Salt Dome Co. and all the work that is happening right now, with our update for May 2023.
Disney World To Offer Cast Member Dining Discounts Through September Working as a cast member at Walt Disney World is a dream come true for many Disney enthusiasts. Cast members receive some great perks, including complimentary theme park admission and discounts at select hotels, dining, merchandise, and recreation locations. The dining perks are being improved for the next few months, as cast members are being afforded an additional dining discount at several locations through September of this year.
Review: New Frozen Mandarin Fusion at Joffrey’s Coffee in Disney Springs Review: New Frozen Mandarin Fusion at Joffrey’s Coffee in Disney Springs. We stopped by Joffrey’s in Disney Springs for AAPI Month. Featuring the Frozen Mandarin Fusion: An exotic blend of refreshing iced tea, frozen lemon, and mandarin syrup, topped with passion fruit popping boba. My new Favorite Tea at Disney World. $6.49
Disney Cruise Line Debuts New Encanto Experiences on the Disney Magic Disney Cruise Line is bringing new Encanto experiences to the Disney Magic! The magical mountains of Colombia come to life for the first time on the high seas with the debut of new family-friendly experiences.
New Disney100 Lego Sets Coming Soon! 3 new Disney100 Lego Sets are coming on June 1st! They so unique and fun, definitely a must have in your collection. The most unique one is definitely the Disney Villains Icons one, it has a touch of nostalgia with the VHS tapes and iconic movies in Disney history.
Rob Delaney To Return for Deadpool 3 Buckle up Deadpool fans: X-Force is back! Deadline is reporting Rob Delaney is returning to play Peter, the X-Force member who lacks any discernable power (other than the ability to pull off Kahkis and dad jokes) for Deadpool 3.
The Droid Parts Popcorn Vessel can be found at Kat Saka’s Kettle and select beverage carts. The bucket looks like it was made of spare parts found at Droid Depot. It also comes with a carrying strap. The buckets are limited to two per guest per transaction.
“Bright Suns! ☀️ Look what rolled into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort! 👀 Pick up your very own Droid Parts Popcorn Vessel at Kat Saka’s Kettle and select beverage carts while they are still on planet. 🪐 ✨Limit two vessels per person, per transaction”
Will you be heading to Disneyland to grab your own Droid Parts Popcorn Vessel?
If you’d like to plan your next Disneyland vacation, contact me today! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation!
The theme song, “Shimmering Seas”, was released to streaming services this past weekend. The song was written by Michelle Zarlenga who also wrote the Disney Vacation Club song, “Where We Belong (Welcome Home)”.
You can listen to the song below, or find it on your favorite music streaming platform:
There’s still time to book a cruise on one of the 25th anniversary sailings! Contact me today to start planning. I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation!
Say Hello to “Noodle” the First Canine Disney Imagineer
Disney recently shared all about the first canine Disney Imagineer in Florida, Noodle! Noodle is the service dog of communications professional intern, Jacklyn.
Jacklyn and Noodle’s story truly began in 2020 after discovering the two shared an instant connection.
“I remember throwing Dollie – now Noodle – a toy when we first met, but she had no interest in it. Instead, she curled herself right in my lap, and I knew she was coming home with me,” Jacklyn explained. “Since then, I can count on one hand the amount of times we’ve been apart. She’s a lover, a cuddler, and she saves my life on a constant basis.”
Noodle is Jacklyn’s right-hand pup, able to detect any issues within her cardiac and respiratory systems. For this reason, Noodle follows Jacklyn wherever she goes – including to work. Jacklyn has been a professional intern for nearly a year in Walt Disney Imagineering’s communications department, and the experience has been everything she’s dreamed of and more.
“Walt Disney Imagineering has gone above and beyond to accommodate Noodle and make sure she’s happy, healthy, and safe,” Jacklyn said. “I never thought I’d adopt a service animal, and it was intimidating coming into a new space without knowing how people would react to her. Noodle was accepted immediately, and she’s truly a member of the Imagineering team.”
In fact, Noodle is such a beloved Imagineer that she makes everyone smile wherever she goes. Her off-duty habits include tending to dozens of rubber ducks under Jacklyn’s desk, lounging in her orthopedic bed, or visiting cubicles searching for pets and cuddles – which are extremely easy to come by. Recently, the team even threw Noodle a surprise fourth birthday party, complete with puppy presents and a cake.
“Noodle doesn’t just keep me safe. She makes everyone else happy too, which melts my heart,” Jacklyn said. “Imagineering legends that I’ve idolized my entire life love Noodle as much as I do. Whether it’s a smile in the hallway or pets around the office, I hear all the time that their days are instantly better when they meet her.”
Want to plan your next Disney vacation? Contact me to start planning! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
Reopening Dates Announced for Closed Disneyland Attractions
Several Disneyland attractions will be closing for refurbishment this summer. We now know when Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Alice in Wonderland, and The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure will reopen.
All three rides, plus Peter Pan’s Flight will close on June 5. Peter Pan’s Flight doesn’t have a reopening date yet like the other three rides.
The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure will reopen on June 8. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Alice in Wonderland (both located in Disneyland) will reopen on June 16.
Will these closures impact your Disneyland vacation this summer?
Want to plan your Disney summer vacation? Contact me to start planning! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
The heartfelt story of “Soul” was the inspiration for the brand-new Soul Cat Lounge designed to look like Joe Gardner’s favorite music spot from the film, the Half Note Lounge. The space, located on deck three near Rapunzel’s Royal Table restaurant, instantly transports guests to a classic New York jazz club appointed with decorative details like brick walls, wood accents and plenty of rich leather seating around a stage set for live music, so guests can grab their partner and head to the dance floor for a swinging good time each evening.
The Soul Cat Lounge is adorned with custom artwork from Pixar featuring nods to the film including record labels, concert posters and portraits of jazz legend Dorothea Williams and her bandmates. Thoughtful “Soul”-inspired details are subtly layered throughout the design including record players, instruments and Joe’s hat.
Adults can enhance their big city experience with table-side Manhattans and martinis or choose from a selection of native brews and cocktails made with New York spirits. A fun collection of mocktails, specialty coffees and sodas are also on the menu. In addition to new drink options, guests can take a bite of Little Italy with an order of zeppoles, the classic Italian pastry similar to a fried doughnut, while enjoying the live music.
Want to experience the new Soul Cat Lounge? Contact me today to start planning your next Disney cruise! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel and my services are free.
Two New Foals Born at Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Walt Disney World
Dr. Mark Penning recently shared on Instagram that two new foals were born at Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Walt Disney World! The new foals, Finn & Sprout, were born over the last two months.
“Our ranch hands have had some extra fun on their hands lately! Over the last two months, we’ve welcome Finn and Sprout, the two newest Shetland pony foals to join the herd at Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. 🐴🐴
Sprout was born on Earth Day and was named after the celebration! 🌎🌱 He’s the second pony to be born this year, joining one-month-old, Finn.
These two independent and inquisitive foals join the nearly 90 horses at Tri-Circle-D Ranch, who delight our guests each and every day through pony and horseback trail rides, wagon rides and private carriage rides.”
Have you been to Tri-Circle-D Ranch before? Visiting the horses is a great free experience at Disney World!
Want to add this to your next visit to Disney World? Contact me today to start planning! I am a travel agent with Destinations to Travel, my services are free, and I’d love to help you plan a magical vacation.
