Month: July 2017

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney’s annual D23 Fan Convention always seems to offer some exciting news and a few added surprises. This year was no different, although the sheer volume of major announcements caught most everybody off guard – in a good way!

Several projects and updates were announced for Walt Disney World Resort including a new line-up of attractions at Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, new resort hotel experiences and concepts, and two new transportation options.

Essentially, Disney has just guaranteed you will have a wide array of new experiences, dining, and lodging options for many years to come.

Here’s a rundown of all the news that was announced.

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS:

• Star Wars-themed land update – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is the name of the new Star Wars-themed land opening in 2019 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, after the opening of the land at Disneyland Resort. Guests will encounter several characters, including:

• BB-8
• Chewbacca
• Rex
• Kylo Ren

• 

  Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway –  In this game-changing attraction, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will feature an original story that will take guests on a journey inside the world of Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts using new technologies that turn the flat cartoon world into an incredible dimensional display. Located inside the Chinese Theatre, this new attraction will replace The Great Movie Ride, which will close Aug. 13, 2017. Opening for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will be announced at a later date.

• Toy Story Land – Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is scheduled to open summer 2018.

EPCOT:

In preparation for the park’s 35^th anniversary, Epcot will continue to evolve to make it more timeless, more relevant, more family and more Disney, while staying true to its original vision beginning with several newly revealed offerings.

• “Guardians of the Galaxy” – Epcot will have a brand new E-ticket attraction within Future World based on the rockin’ and action-packed world of Guardians of the Galaxy. This is the next step in how guests can encounter these characters at Walt Disney World Resort. To make way for this new adventure, Ellen’s Energy Adventure inside Universe of Energy will close Aug. 13, 2017. The new attraction will open by the 50^th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.
• “Ratatouille” – Within World Showcase, in an all-new space in the France pavilion, a new “Ratatouille”-inspired attraction will take guests on a dazzling chase across a kitchen with the sights, sounds and smells of Gusteau’s Parisian restaurant. Patterned after the number one family attraction at Disneyland Paris, the new attraction will open by the 50^th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.
• China pavilion – To showcase the splendor and majesty of China, an updated film will be added using a next-generation digital camera system to film a brand new, seamless Circle-Vision show for the
  China pavilion.
• Mission: SPACE – In addition to an updated Orange Mission, a brand new Green Mission will take guests on a stunning tour around the Earth, with younger cadets joining the adventure for the very first time. Mission: SPACE will reopen this August.
• New restaurant – Adjacent to Mission: SPACE, a new table-service restaurant will invite guests to travel high above the Earth for an unforgettable dining experience. The new restaurant will be managed by Patina Restaurant Group and an opening will be announced at a later date.

MAGIC KINGDOM PARK:

• “Tron”-themed attraction – The highest rated attraction at Shanghai Disneyland is coming to Tomorrowland in a new area near Space Mountain. Opening will be announced at a later date.
• Live entertainment theater – Based on the iconic Willis Theater in the 1920s Kansas City where Walt lived after he left Marceline, this new addition to Magic Kingdom Park will be located off of Main Street U.S.A. and will be an entirely new venue for world class entertainment. Opening will be announced at a later date.

RESORTS:

• Disney Riviera Resort – The proposed 15^th Disney Vacation Club property will be located near Epcot with a rooftop restaurant that has unbelievable views of nighttime spectaculars at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Opening will be announced at a later date.
• Immersive Star Wars-themed hotel – An immersive Star Wars-themed hotel will be the most experiential concept ever. Dedicated entirely to the galaxy of Star Wars, guests will have a one-of-a-kind experience where a luxury resort meets a multi-day adventure in a galaxy far, far away. Opening will be announced at a later date.

TRANSPORTATION:

• Disney Skyliner – This new transportation system will give guests a bird’s-eye view of Walt Disney World Resort. Disney Skyliner will connect Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to four resorts – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, as well as the proposed 15^th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney Riviera Resort. Opening date for Disney Skyliner will be announced at a later time.
• Minnie Van service – Starting later this month, the Minnie Van service is a whimsical, point-to-point transportation service that will help guests get around Walt Disney World Resort in a jiffy. Guests can arrange their own private Disney vehicle right from their smartphone, and a Disney Cast Member will drive them wherever they want to go around Walt Disney World.

Remember, when planning for your next Disney Vacation, Griswold’s Magical Memories offers the lowest prices available on rental of Deluxe Disney Vacation Club Villas at savings that are often more than 50% less than booking directly through Disney Central Reservations. Take a look at examples of actual savings our Vacationers have enjoyed, and then submit your Free, No Obligation Reservation Request Form today!

 

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – OK. We’ll admit it. When we vacation at Disney World, we collect and bring home all the extra free soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other toiletries that “Mousekeeping” provides when cleaning our room or Villa.

We don’t do it because we are hoarders. We do it so, for a least a few days after we return home, we can enjoy a tiny little happy memory of our trip each day when we shower up!

Well, there’s no need to do that anymore. Disney, in its infinite wisdom (and no doubt to draw a few extra buck out of our wallets) has now made the very same toiletries to enjoy during your Disney vacation available for online sales at The Disney Store.

And they aren’t those teeny-tiny ones you get from Mousekeeping. They are full size, and come in a wide-range of sizes and varieties.

Also, for at least few more days, you can save 25% of your entire purchase by using the Promo Code: DISNEYPAL at check-out.

Remember, when planning for your next Disney Vacation, Griswold’s Magical Memories offers the lowest prices available on rental of Deluxe Disney Vacation Club Villas at savings that are often more than 50% less than booking directly through Disney Central Reservations. Take a look at examples of actual savings our Vacationers have enjoyed, and then submit your Free, No Obligation Reservation Request Form today!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney Cast members are at the heart of your vacation, so why not show some love when one of them goes above and beyond?

Twitter users can post to @WDWToday with #CastCompliment to share the love with everyone. And, the Cast members will get special recognition for their work.

We love this Twitter feed, and we love that we can engage with Disney about Cast Members who truly deserve some recognition for all their effort in making Disney World so magical!

Here are just a couple of recent posts:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And another:

 

 

What’s not to love. Show (and share) some Cast Member love today.

 

Remember, when planning for your next Disney Vacation, Griswold’s Magical Memories offers the lowest prices available on rental of Deluxe Disney Vacation Club Villas at savings that are often more than 50% less than booking directly through Disney Central Reservations. Take a look at examples of actual savings our Vacationers have enjoyed, and then submit your Free, No Obligation Reservation Request Form today!

 

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Dining Packages are now on sale for the 2017 Candlelight Processional, a part of Holidays Around the World at Epcot. The Candlelight Processional presents the traditional story of Christmas in truly spectacular fashion – with a celebrity narrator, a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir.

Newcomers to the celebrity narrator spotlight this year include Daytime Television Legend Pat Sajak and TV star CCH Pounder, who was recently at Disney’s Animal Kingdom for the Grand Opening of Pandora – The World of Avatar.

Returning favorites include television, film and stage superstar Neil Patrick Harris, country megastar Trace Adkins and Contemporary Christian music artist Jaci Velasquez.

Here are the narrators confirmed so far:*

• 24- Dec. 3 – To Be Announced
• 4-5 – Pat Sajak
• 6-14 – To Be Announced
• 15-17 – Trace Adkins
• 18-21 – Neil Patrick Harris
• 22-24 – CCH Pounder
• 25-27 – Jaci Velasquez
• 28-30 – To Be Announced

The processional is performed three times per night (5:00, 6:45 and 8:15 p.m.) during the holiday season at the America Gardens Theatre. These packages, available on select nights, include a delicious meal and a guaranteed seat for one of the Candlelight Processional performances. Availability is limited.

As with last year, in addition to lunch and dinner packages, breakfast options are available at some favorite restaurants in and near Epcot again this year like Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and The Garden Grill. Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are also available this year at Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort,** with breakfast and dinner options being offered at Trattoria Al Fornoat Disney’s BoardWalk.

Candlelight Dining Packages for breakfast start at $35 plus tax per person for adults and $21 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9. Candlelight Dining Packages for lunch and dinner start at $44 plus tax per person for adults and $15.50 plus tax per person for children, ages 3-9.

Holidays Around the World is an extravaganza of holiday entertainment, merchandise, food, beverages and festivities where guests can celebrate at Epcot throughout the holiday season. Time-honored traditions come alive through the sights and sounds of the countries of World Showcase, and live performances enliven the park throughout the day.

Click here to book Candlelight Processional dining packages or to find out more information, call (407) WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).

Holidays Around the World, including the Candlelight Processional, runs November 24 – December 30, 2017 at Epcot. Keep checking the Griswold Magical Memories Blog for updates.

 

Remember, when planning for your next Disney Vacation, Griswold’s Magical Memories offers the lowest prices available on rental of Deluxe Disney Vacation Club Villas at savings that are often more than 50% less than booking directly through Disney Central Reservations. Take a look at examples of actual savings our Vacationers have enjoyed, and then submit your Free, No Obligation Reservation Request Form today!