A Price Increase and D23 Expo Japan – A News Nuggets Special Edition

by John Epcot, News Nuggets, Planning, The Studios

This weekend was a big weekend for Disney World news, since Disney decided to drop its latest prices increase on the same day as its parks presentation at D23 in Japan.

Starting first with the price increase, Disney has increased prices by around $4 a day (depending on the type and length of ticket you are buying). This is generally in line with previous price increases, and probably doesn’t change many people’s calculatioons as to whether or not they will actually visit Disney World, but—that said—having to spend an extra $100 in tickets for a 5-day trip for a family of four is not insubstantial. What could really impact people’s travel behavior, though, is if the rumors of seasonal pricing for multii-day tickets come true.

As an added note, Disney also increased the price of parking $2 to $22 per day (and $5 to $45 a day for preferred parking), and increased the price of its Minnie Van Service to $25 per ride.

On a more “positive” note, Disney made a number of Disney World related announcements at its D23 Expo Japan. These include that Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway railway will open next year (2019) and that the Guardians of the Galaxy Roller Coaster will be one of the world’s longest enclosed coasters. Most interesting to me, though, were the announcements about the new Star Wars hotel that will be “seamlessly connected” Galaxy’s Edge at the Studios. Here is Disney’s blurb:

This first-of-its-kind resort will combine luxury with complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story. Guests’ journey through space will start when everyone departs together for a multiday Stars Wars adventure by boarding a starship alive with characters and stories that unfold all around them during a voyage through the galaxy.

At the resort, guests immediately become active citizens of the galaxy and can dress up in the proper attire. Every resort window will also have a view into space. The opportunity for immersion at this resort will also stand out among all Disney resorts around the globe, as it will be seamlessly connected to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, allowing guests a total Star Wars experience.

I know I’m biased, but it sounds pretty awesome (even if there aren’t a lot of details in that blurb).

Well, that covers a big weekend of Disney World related news. I hope you enjoyed this extra helping of News Nuggets!

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Epcot, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, The Studios, Walt Disney World

If we’re doing our non-comeback, comeback, we have got to post a new edition of News Nuggets. As I mentioned before, there’s a an “in progress” set of News Nuggets that will be lost to the Patreon-only support realm forever (posting news from early September doesn’t seem particularly helpful now.) That means, these News Nugget are much more cutting edge, including: Dates from next year’s Flower and Garden Festival (scheduled to run Feb. 28 – May 28)..

I kid (mostly), the biggest news relates to some of the upcoming changes to The Studios, including learning that Galaxy Edge is located on the planet Batuu and bunch of news / rumors concerning Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, including:

Rumors of an opening date in April / May of 2018;
Confirmation that it’s a trackless ride system.; and
Even rumors for the various scenes that will take place in the ride) (I didn’t read this one, since it’s way too early for me to get spoiled on that stuff.

That said, there were still plently of other News Nuggets over the past few day, so let’s get to it:

Speedway near Boardwalk to close for Refurb – I assume they’re adding a Fastpass+ return pump.
Tomorrowland Terrace at the Magic Kingdom Returning for Mobile Order-Only Test – I like mobile ordering, but I fear a mobile order ONLY restaurant is going to cause some headaches.
New Outdoor Seating Area Opens at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Magic Kingdom – I wonder how busy this will be. It seems like it might be an okay place to sit and relax during more pleasant weather.
Buon appetito! Disney Springs Welcomes Three New Italian Concepts – It’ll be interesting to see how these fit in with the newer restaurants at Disney Springs (especially, quality wise.)
Animal Kingdom’s “Pandora: The World of AVATAR” Banshees Now Available for Adoption Online – Get your Christmas shopping done early!
Rumor that Flights of Wonder at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to End Later This Year – That would kind of be a bummer.
Just Announced: The SpectacuLAB Interactive Show Set to Debut at Epcot in November – This sounds like something that is in line with Epcot’s “original vision.” Let’s see if people show up.
All in the Details: First Look at Woody’s Lunch Box in Toy Story Land – Who doesn’t love an old fashioned soda float?
Galactic Goodies Galore at Star Wars: Galactic Nights – I wonder how close they are to making this a monthly (or more frequently) event.
Iconic Mouse-Eared Headwear Sparkles This Fall at Disney Parks – If everyone can get Rose Gold Mickey Ears, will Elyssa still want them?
First Look at NBA Experience Coming to Disney Springs – Summer 2019 is a long time from now.
New Ale & Compass Restaurant Menu – I’m looking to give some of the breakfast options a shot (though I actually have a lunch reservation for next weekend.)
Stitch’s Great Escape Returns for Christmas Season at the Magic Kingdom – Yay?
http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/11/disney-springs-christmas-tree-trail-opens-today/
Photos of the 2017 Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail – WDW News Today gives a photo walk through of this year’s Christmas Tree Trail (I haven’t look through the photos, since I want to see them in person without being “spoiled.”) I’m not sure you need to go to Disney Springs specifically to see this, but it’s a nice thing to look at if you’re there.
Splash Mountain Refurbishment is Still Scheduled for Early 2018 – Even though Splash Mountain isn’t quite finished its more than 2 month refurbishment, it’s still scheduled for a month long refurbishment in 2018. Having such a headline down for a quarter of 12 month period seems weird.
Duffy’s Friend Gelatoni Makes His Debut on ShopDisney – I wonder how long before Elyssa’s asks that Gelatoni joins Fenway and Shellie Mae at our house…
Long-Delayed Choza de Margarita Now Open in Mexico at Epcot – We’ll give you a review once Elyssa has had a chance to have one…
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Construction Milestone Celebrated at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Just 2 more years, right? Right?
Disney’s Magical Express Now Picking Up Guests 4 Hours Before Their Flight – In 4 hours, I’d already be halfway back to NC if I was driving…
Hot Chocolate Ganache with Bailey’s, now available at The Ganachery – I see things like this and think “Oh. That’s interesting.” Then I remember the look one of the chefs gave me when I asked about the chocolate bars they used to have when it opened, while telling me “Those are never coming back” and I shrug.
easyWDW Review of Narcoossee’s – Glad to see Josh joining the team. (Okay, that might be a stretch…but he didn’t hate it.)
The Magic Kingdom to Distribute Bonus “Surprise” Paper FastPasses on Select Evenings Through November & December – This will be interesting if it happens. I assume they’ll use this to help with distributing people throughout the park.
Disney Springs Introducing Hands-Free Shopping This Holiday Season – It’s easier to lose track of how much you’ve already spent if you’re not holding the items you bought.
Enjoy A More Relaxing Black Friday Weekend at Disney Springs – ‘3 Days of Fun”, eh?
New Permits Show Building Placement for Ratatouille Attraction and France Expansion – It’s pretty much what you’d expect.
New Road Opens to Magic Kingdom Area Resorts – This is going to make getting to Whispering Canyon so much easier.
Exclusive First Look: Starspeeder Flight Through Crait on Star Tours – The Adventures Continue at Disney Parks – I’m still avoiding Last Jedi spoilers, so I won’t be looking at this too closely.
New Projections, Celebrity Appearances & More Announced for Star Wars Galactic Nights – I would be fine with them adding these projections to other evenings.
Celebrate the New Year at Walt Disney World Resort! – Even though Elyssa and I plan on being there, I don’t think we’ll be doing any of these “special events”.
Star Tours Will No Longer Mix Places & Characters from Different Eras, Ride to be Separated Into Two Paths – It looks like Star Tours will be a little less random for a bit (6-12 months) and then the “new” trilogy will get split out. I’m not sure that’s necessary, but it’s not entirely unexpected.
Jessie & Rex Arrive in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – I say they “have” to get this done before the summer crowds, but I’m sure the holiday crowds wish there was something a little more at The Studios this year.

That’s it for this helping of News Nuggets. It feels good to be back. Let’s end this with a little transformation into Christmas from the folks at Inside the Magic:

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, DVC, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, Planning

With D23 and various other things (like a visit to Mighty Men of Mouse HQ), I’ve fallen a little behind on the News Nuggets. Now, with only 1 week left for The Great Movie Ride and Universe of Energy, it’s about time to unleash a mega helping of Nuggets before it’s too late. (In a nice move, Disney lifted Annual Passholder Blockout Dates so people could ride them one more time.)

Before we get started, one big item to point out is the expanion of mobile ordering at quick service restaurants that started at Animal Kingdom (yes, you could say it started at Be Our Guest, but that’s a very different process.) Mobile ordering has now rolled out at Magic Kingdom restaurants such as Columbia Harbor House, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, Pecos Bills, and Tomorrowland Terrace; Epcot at Electric Umbrella; Disney Springs at places like D-Luxe Burger; and should be coming to The Studios shortly. (WDW Info has a page they updated with the listings). Disney also announced that there will be no discounts (AP, etc…) during this “launch period”.

Okay, now on to the rest of the News Nuggets:

Disney Debuts Automated Souvenir Vending Machines at Resort Hotels, Offering Grab & Go Theme Park Items – I don’t get it. I guess, if you have to get some kind of trinket that can fit in this machine super late at night, now you can?
Reservations Open Today for Frozen Ever After Sparkling Dessert Party: A Cool New Way to View Fireworks at Epcot – Like with a lot of the “dessert party” offerings, the $79 is more than I’d value this experience. It’ll be interesting to see what people think of these food options, though.
Kungaloosh and Other Classic Pleasure Island Beverages Returning to Dockside Margaritas for Throwback Thursdays – Have a drink while you’re going through your #tbt feed. (Though, based on this easyWDW review, I think I’ll just stick with the Kungaloosh Ale at Nomad.)
Evening Extra Magic Hours at Animal Kingdom Extended Nightly Through August 19 – Not a real big surprise, here (though I wonder if it’ll get one more extension, or if this is it.) That said, I feel like the EMH in the morning worked better to actually get on Flight of Passage than the nightime EMHs. Though, Animal Kingdom also went back to, generally, opening at 9am and closing at 10pm (instead of 8am to 11pm).
Magic Kingdom Copies Disneyland and Adds Hand-Dipped Corn Dogs, But Are They Just As Good? – It sounds like Disney was still finalizing the process when WDW New Today did this review. It’ll be interesting to check back in a couples weeks to see how things are going. (Or, more importantly, get Elyssa’s opinion.)
Disney Files Patent for Virtual Reality Captain America Shield Throwing Experience – Okay, I’d do this.
Kessler Collection Likely to Open New Grand Bohemian Hotel Near Hollywood Studios, Site of Swan and Dolphin Tennis Courts – Interesting rumor. Kind of makes sense if Marriott owns the property. I’m still hoping they convert part of the Swan or Dolphin to Marriott’s time share stuff.
Typhoon Lagoon annual refurbishment dates for 2018 – January 7 through March 18 probably isn’t too much of a high demand season for Typhoon Lagoon anyway.
Dining Reservations Now Available during Holiday Parties at Magic Kingdom – Cool? I don’t know why anyone would pay to go to one of the parties and then spend 30+ minutes of it having a sit down meal.
Star Wars AT-AT Walkers now standing over Disney’s Hollywood Studios – I just re-watched Empire, so even these outer structures make me excited.
New Pirates Set to Join the Crew of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Paris July 24 – The big takeaway, though, is that they are redoing the “auction” scene and “the redhead” will be a buyer of things, not a “wench” being sold.
Siemens Ending Disney Parks Sponsorship, Leaves Spaceship Earth & IllumiNations Future in Doubt – I think “future in doubt” is a little strong. I doubt Disney is going to just roll Spaceship Earth away because it’s time to find a new sponsor. It will interesting to see what happens, though.
Guests offered Disney gift cards in exchange for not having their rooms cleaned – Interesting. The big thing for me is the towel service, so how does the “on demand” towel service work? If they can replace all my towels within 10 minutes of me calling, I might consider this.
Magic Kingdom to Close at 6PM to Accommodate 2017 Christmas Party Events – I wouldn’t want to be the cast members on those days telling people that the party doesn’t start until 7:00pm, but they have to leave now.
Rey Joins ‘Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – I hope this paves the way for a Rey meet-and-greet over the next few months.
Construction Begins on Epcot Gondola Station at International Gateway – So it begins…
2017 Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages On Sale Today – It’s never too early to book your spot to see NPH at the Candlelight Processional.
UberX Now Allowed to Pick Up and Drop Off at Orlando International Airport – Lyft and UberX being able to pick up at MCO changes the cost calculation on a number of Disney vacation related charges (most notably, at the Swalphin.)
Roaring Fork at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Reopens – Nothing Earth shattering here, but as someone who enjoys staying at Wilderness Lodge, it seems nice. Josh also has some pictures of the new Boulder Ridge pool area, which also looks pretty nice. Overall, I wouldn’t mind staying in one of the new villas..
Maui from Moana makes his first appearance in a Disney Park (but it’s in China) – Let’s bring Moana and Maui to Adventureland
Morning Yoga Now Available for Guests at the Boardwalk – I wonder if people will turn out for this, and, if they do, whether it’ll expand to other resorts.
New Nighttime Entertainment at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Celebrates Decades of Films From the Disney Family of Studios – It’s like a “Celebrate the Magic”-style appetizer before each evening’s Star Wars fireworks.
Must-Do PhotoPass Locations This Summer at Walt Disney World Resort – Elyssa and I really should have done the Tangled one.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade 2017 and Western Mickey & Minnie at Disney’s Pop Century Resort (Photos, Video) – Even though Denise has blocked me on Twitter (still not sure why), I’ll still link to Mouse Steps when she does something cool like this. I’m good like that.
Characters in Flight hot air balloon name changed to “Aerophile” following makeover for Walt Disney World attraction – Sure.

Phew. We’re about halfway done this double-sized helping of News Nuggets. Let’s take a quick break to watch this video on the making of Pandora:

Okay, now back to the News Nuggets:

Special Summer Menu Offer at Monsieur Paul for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders – Missing this offer by a week. Oh well.
Big Changes to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Dining Options at Walt Disney World Resort – Captain’s Grille is no more. Soon to be replaced by Ale & Compass. I have my fingers crossed that this will be the new “late morning breakfast” place for me to go to now that Trattoria is a character meal. (And, yes, I know that you can opt to get a “no character” version of the experience.)
Disney Restaurant Discounts During Orlando Magical Dining Month (PLUS MENUS!!) – Interesting to see Jiko and The Wave on this list. Elyssa and I used this to try STK last year (review HERE), and it was a nice way to try something we otherwise would not have.
Fried Chicken at Prince Eric’s Village Market in New Fantasyland – So much for a “healthy-only” food stop, I guess?
Yak and Yeti Counter Service Now Serves Breakfast Daily – With Pandora bringing more and more people to Animal Kingdom earlier in the day, it seems logical to provide additional food offerings. Thankfully, Josh has a review to make sure no one ever suffers through it.
‘DuckTales’ Star David Tennant Visits Scrooge McDuck at Disneyland Park – I don’t normally link to these, but Tennant is my favorite Doctor, sooo…
Star Wars Themed Shop Temporarily to Replace Marketplace Fun Finds at Disney Springs – Got to put that Star Wars Merchandise somewhere while they re-work the back of Once Upon a Toy. Blog Mickey has pictures.
New BaseLine Tap House Part of New Grand Avenue Area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – If the area is going to open up in the Fall, I wonder if they will put any holiday entertainment in the area this year. Blog Mickey has photos of the current construction
Rumors of “Lights of Winter Returning” to Epcot for Holidays Around the World – I like Christmas Light-based “attractions”. Let’s do this.
Up close look at Disney’s new Minnie Van car service – Depending on the time of day and where you’re going, it could be 2x to 3x more than Uber or Lyft. Also, getting dropped off at the Contemporary is not that much different than getting dropped off at the Magic Kingdom bus stop (which is the perk everyone seems to talk about).
Permits Filed for Rockwork in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – E-Ticket rock work on the way for Galaxy’s Edge. Believe it. (An end date of the project of September 29, 2019 seems to line-up with a late-summer opening for the WDW version of Galaxy’s Edge.)
The Disney Vacation Account Has Been Discontinued – I never used it this, but I know people who are really going to miss it.
JW Marriott Hotel Planned Near Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon – Being able to use Marriott points that close to “on property” makes me happy. (Yes, I know I can convert Marriott points to Starwood points and use them at the Dolphin. I’ve done that.) Also, this hotel looks very different from the other JW Marriott in the area.
Permits Filed for Coronado Springs Expansion Project – There is a lot of resort related construction going on at Disney World right now. It’ll be interesting to see how the various moderate resorts differentiate themselves when this is done.
The Secret Nachos Rio Grande Challenge at Pecos Bills – Elyssa doesn’t like nachos, so I guess I’ll need to make a few friends if I’m going to try this.
The Dress Shop [Returned] to Cherry Tree Lane in Marketplace Co-Op at Disney Springs on July 27 – I hope they can keep the dresses in stock this time.
Disney Park, Resort Employees See Hours Cut Starting Tomorrow – This is concerning. I’m hoping (?) it’s a response to lower projected crowd levels, so the impact on wait times won’t actually be that much. I guess we’ll see in a few weeks.
“Character Meet and Greets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom” – Looks like they’re replacing Tarzan with Timon.
Baby Tiger Cubs are Coming This August to Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Move over Stella. Someone is coming for your cuteness title.
Mission: SPACE ‘Relaunches’ Aug. 13 With Brand New Experiences – It’ll be interesting to see what the new films are like.
Endless Virtual Backgrounds Available at the Disney PhotoPass Studio at Disney Springs – I didn’t realize there were so many options.
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members Now Get 30% Off At Select Table Service Restaurants – Maybe I should do Jiko on my birthday trip, then. Tables in Wonderland, too.
Jawas are leaving Hollywood Studios – Well, that’s a bummer.
Disney Food Blog Reports Lighthouse Sandwich Removed Columbia Harbour House Menu – Get the pitchforks and torches ready.
Polynesian Outsells Copper Creek 3-to-1 in June 2017 – Not a surprise. The dues for Copper Creek are insane.
Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! to return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the 2017 holiday season – Cool. Elyssa really liked it.
Coronado Springs Resort Preview Center with Scale Model and Concept Overview Video – It looks like it could be pretty nice.
Disney Springs’ Portobello restaurant will become Terralina Crafted Italian this fall – Hopefully, this takes things up to a BOATHOUSE / Homecomin’ level.
New Disney-Themed Refreshment Carts Serving Up Magic at Walt Disney World Resort Golf Courses – This probably shouldn’t be big enough news to make a news recap, but I think it’s cute.
Three New Year’s Eve Celebrations at Disney’s Contemporary Resort – It’s going to be cheaper for Elyssa and I to stay at the Beach Club for a couple nights at that time of year then go to one of these.
The VOID’s New Hyper-Reality Experience Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire coming to Downtown Disney, Disney Springs – I’m not sure how I feel about this. It really puts a damper in my knocking of Uni for their lame VR attractions. Here’s Disney’s press release.
8 New Desserts for ‘Happily Ever After’ Dessert Party in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort – I guess we’ll see if there’s an upgrade in the quality of the items.
New Mission: Space Earth and Mars Signage Debuts at Epcot Giving a Glimpse of Things to Come – Should be interesting. I’m hoping the new “Earth” mission is cool.
See the Main Street Electrical Parade Before it Ends Limited-Time Disneyland Park Run August 20 – I feel like I heard Jim Hill say the parade would make one more stop at WDW before it’s retired….(Or, maybe I was just hoping for it.)
All in the Details: Slinky Dog Dash Track Completed in Toy Story Land – Toy Story land “on track” for next year? (What? Where are you going…)
News: $75 Satu’li Sampler Platter Now Available on Satu’li Canteen Menu – Is this really more food than buying $75 worth of bowls?
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs Now Offers Late Night Happy Hour – Now I know where Elyssa and I will go after we’re finished at Homecomin’ for the night.
Begin to Dream with Retro-Inspired Merchandise for 35th Anniversary of Epcot This Fall – I kind of like the shirt, but I imagine it’ll cost a little more than I’m willing to pay for it.

That’s it for this edition of the News Nuggets. If you’re like me and unable to get in one last ride on the The Great Movie Ride before it closes, check out this video from WDW News today that features an actual “walk through” of the attraction. See you next time:

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, Epcot, News Nuggets, Walt Disney World

There’s been a lot of Disney World news since we lasted posted an edition of the News Nuggets. (There’s also been a few other developments here at Rope Drop [dot] Net HQ, such as a trip down to the World for Elyssa and me, but that will be covered in a separate post.) Of course, as one would expect, there has been a lot of coverage about Pandora, but–again–I’m going to do something separate for that. So, with all that out of the way, on to the News Nuggets!

Disney’s Grand Floridian Holding Special Fourth of July Ticketed Event – $120 per adult ($59 for children 3-9) gets you steak, shrimp, drinks, and fireworks viewing from the Floridian. It’s an interesting option.
Tickets Now Available For Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Visits – Tickets seem to be around $10 more than they were last year (thought that varies by date.) Here’s TouringPlans’ rundown of the lowest attendance parties.
Caribbean Beach Resort Introduces Breakfast and Dinner Buffet for Hotel Guests – Are they really going to scan people to make sure they’re staying at Caribbean Beach to eat the buffet? What’s the point of that? See also:
Temporary Dining at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort – Here’s a $75 gift card, go eat in the tent.
WDW News Today reviews the First Mobile Ordering Experience – It’s only available as part of the Pandora preview right now, but it should be interesting to see how things go as it expands to other places. I like the concept of ordering far in advance and then it recognizing when you’re close enough to the restaurant to start the order. I hope they can get discounts added to it soon, though.
The Market at Ale & Compass Counter Service Dining Location Opens at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort – I like this setup. I think I’d be fine with having this type of stuff as an option when Roaring Fork re-opens at Wilderness Lodge (in addition to some other “quick service” staples.) The Disney Food Blog has an extensive write-up about the details.
Disney Annual Passholder Bag Check Line For Pandora Preview – I’d be fine with them doing this all the time and at other parks.
Epcot Wine Walk Review in World Showcase – I’m glad that Josh did this review (so I can skip doing the walk-it’s just not my thing.)
Several Attractions (But Not) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Will Be Closed for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – Originally, Mine Train wasn’t on the list of open attractions. Personally, I think that was an error on the page, not something Disney actually planned on doing. If people get vacuumed up by the Mine Train during the party, I can’t imagine Disney has an actual problem with that.
WDW News Today Rumors of Paint the Night Electrical Parade Packed Up to Leave Disneyland – Sadly, after almost a whole year without a nighttime parade, I’ll believe Paint the Night is coming to the Magic Kingdom when I see it.
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort Offers New ‘Day Cruise Around the World’ – This is a weird one. I really don’t think I understand it, but I’m fine if it helps raise funds they can use elsewhere.
Celebrate Summer at D-Living in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort – I’m not sure I’ll find anything I need to buy in this store, but I like the idea that Disney continues to flip this store into new concepts.
Stitch’s Great Escape reopens for the summer at Magic Kingdom – So much for those rumors that they’d already started changing this ride out.
Coaster Track Installed for Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios – I’d imagine that D23 will have an announcement about the opening date of Toy Story Land.

Phew. That was a lot of news, but there is still a bunch to cover. Let’s take a quick break to look at this picture of Baby Stella:

(Yes, Elyssa and I did do the Caring for Giants tour on this past trip. More information on that coming as well.)

Okay back to the Nuggets:

Refurbishment impact to water and fireworks views at Narcoossee’s – Keep this in mind if you were considering something like brunch here in the next couple of weeks.
Walt Disney World announces premium parking spots at Disney Springs – Weird. I always park in the Orange garage so no skin off my back.
Scammers Calling Walt Disney World Resort Guests – Well, this is kind of awful.
Splitsville Encloses Upper Floor Patio for New Dining Experience at Disney Springs – Splitsville always gets positive ratings, but I’ve never actually taken the time to eat there.
Sneak Peek: Margaritas Coming to Choza de Margarita in Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion – Elyssa seems to always want a margaritas in Epcot. Looks like this will be the new spot for her to get one.
Cheshire Cat Tails & Cold Brew Coffee Magically Appear at Cheshire Cafe at the Magic Kingdom – I’m fine with having more places to get a cold brew.
Disney World Cracking Down on FastPass+ Cheating, Will Begin Locking Guest Accounts Who Abuse System – This is a pretty inflammatory headline for the concept of “dummy bands”, but I have no real issue with Disney “fixing” this. See also:
UPDATE: Disney Automatically Locking All Accounts That Attempt to Cheat FastPass System Beginning Today – Again, I’m not particularly upset about this.
Walt Disney World Raises Prices on Memory Maker Photo Packages – $20 increase for “in advance” purchases and $30 for “same day”.
Tom Bricker’s Territory Lounge Review – No particular “news” in this post, I just wanted to point out a nice write-up of one of Elyssa’s and my favorite spots.
Toy Story Characters Woody, Jessie, and Buzz Lightyear Will Be Featured on New Apple Watch Faces This Fall – It’s debatable whether I’m a bigger Disney nerd or Apple nerd, so this hits right in my sweet spot. I’ve considered installing the watchOS 4 beta just to get this.
Celebrate Father’s Day at Disney Springs with Special Experiences, Gifts and Restaurant Menus – Worth taking a look if you’re going to be at Disney World on Father’s Day (though, you probably won’t be surprised by what is being offered.)
Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival closing for week long refurbishment – I’m glad this isn’t starting until I leave. I might have had to cancel my trip…
Rumor: Will Alcoholic Beverages Be Included on the 2018 Disney Dining Plan? – Disney has definitely been increaseing the opportunities to grab a drink.
Epcot Introducing “Frozen Ever After Dessert Party” with Fireworks Viewing and After-Close Attraction Ride – I enjoyed the previous Illuminations Dessert Party. $79 (at $30 increase) is a lot for a dessert party plus a ride on Frozen Ever After, though.
New Modern Style Value Resort Rooms Debut at Disney’s Pop Century Resort – The fold up bed is a nice way to deal with the small space.
FIRST LOOK! New Quick Service and Lobby Bar Coming to the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel – The Dolphin definitely could use something like this, but I figure it will be more convention goers than people there for Disney visits.
Disney’s Wedding Pavilion shows off three new looks – If you can’t get the Italy Pavilion for your vow renewal, this might not be a bad option…
5 Magic Kingdom Restaurants Will Join Counter Service Mobile Ordering Program Next – The roll out continues. My main hope is that they figure out a way to have Disney Gift Cards stored in your MDE for these kinds of purchases.
Trivia at Martha’s Vineyard at Disney’s Beach Club – An interesting little option if you’re over by Crescent Lake while it’s being offered.
Disney World Offering Special Discounted Summer-Long Express Bus Pass for Annual Passholders – Sadly, in all my Disney trips, I’ve never bought an Express Bus ticket.

Our last News Nugget is Disney debuting the new “Disney Movie Magic” show at The Studios, a nice show to take up a little time before the fireworks. Speaking of which, let’s finish with a video of the show from The DIS:

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, Epcot, Events, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, The Studios, Walt Disney World

It’s time again for a hearty helping of Rope Drop [dot] Net News Nuggets! As you probably saw earlier this week, I have already posted about the Star War related news that came out of Celebration. Of course, the biggest news since the last post was that The Rock was on the Jungle Cruise!. Talk a “plus-ed” experience.

Now, on to the rest of the News Nuggets:

Planet Hollywood Observatory to create outdoor, quick-service counter at Walt Disney World Resort – If the rumors are true that Plant Hollywood has their donkey-sauced burger pre-made, then they might as well try to offload them as kickin’ “quick service” options as well.
First Look at Menu for Satu’li Canteen in Pandora—The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – The menu seems interesting, but even more interesting is the Mobile Ordering feature. I would hope that in 5 years, all Disney quick service restaurants have mobile ordering. Speaking of which…
Full List of 15 Walt Disney World Restaurants That Will Offer Mobile Ordering Starting Soon – This has potential to be fantastic. I can’t even list the number of times that mobile ordering has made my Chick-Fil-A or Starbucks experience significantly better. I hope Disney’s implementation of this works just as well.
First Listen: Sneak a Peek at Our ‘Happily Ever After’ Theme Song – Huh. The clip of this song isn’t exactly what I was hoping for from the new show. Maybe it’ll be better in context.
Disney-Pixar’s “Cars 3” Nationwide Tour Kicks off at Disney Springs – Denise over at Mouse Steps has coverage of the “tour” the will be promoting the new movie. It include replicas of the cars, games, etc… Not really my thing, but I can see why people would really like it.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” screening, Headless Horseman meet-and-greet Fort Wilderness for Halloween – Huh. Interesting. Another thing not really up my alley, but interesting nonetheless.
Bob Iger’s Contract Extended to July 2, 2019 – These kind of corporate maneuverings are not usually something I write about, but Iger has had an “interesting” relationship with the parks. To date, I would argue there have been some negatives (e.g., the trend of “up charge events”, lower staffing during certain periods), but we’re about to start on some big changes (e.g. Avatar, Star Wars, Toy Story), so it should be interesting.
Virtual tours of Copper Creek Villas – I’ve previously said this is where Elyssa & I might buy DVC, but that was before I saw the maintenance dues.
Registration Now Open for Annual Passholder Previews of Pandora: The World of AVATAR – If you’re an AP holder, you probably already got an email about this (and hopefully booked it…since it’s sold out.)
Mission Space at Epcot Closing This Summer for Refurbishment – I wonder what’s going on. June 5th through July 31st is a pretty strange time for a refurb.
‘The Music of Pixar Live!’ Will Debut at Disney’s Hollywood Studios This Summer – This seems like a summer holding area for crowds waiting for the night time entertainment when so much of the park is under construction.
Learn From the Pros How to Decorate Your Own Cake at Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs – $130 is a lot to pay to decorate a cake (even if Amorette’s is pretty tasty.)
Pandora – Everything You Need To Know – I’m going to leave this here, since I don’t do an “info dump” nuggets. This is a pretty comprehensive rundown from the TouringPlans gang.
Disney testing Virtual Queues at its Walt Disney World water parks – Just like Volcano Bae!
Portobello at Disney Springs Closing April 23 For Refurbishment – No surprise here. All previously existing restaurants at Disney Springs need to upgrade to compete with the new comers. The big surprise is that nothing has happened to Bongos yet.
News: Liberty Tree Tavern Menu Updates (And Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake for DINNER!) – Does this mean all you care to enjoy ooey gooey toffee cake for dinner?
STK Orlando now offers brunch, including The Ultimate Brunch For Two – The menu looks fine. That said, it stil takes place in STK (which isn’t really the environment Elyssa and I like when we’re at Disney).
pictures from WDW Magic – Here are some
Walt Disney World Gondola System Foundation Construction About to Begin – This is really going to maybe, possibly happen, huh?
New My Disney Experience app Launches, Makes Planning Walt Disney World Vacations Even Easier – I like the concept, but the execution is funky. Standard app conventions say the menu is on the left and you use the “hamburger” icon to open it. This menu launched from the bottom is strange.
Limited Spaces Remain for Member Event at Markham’s at Golden Oak – Yes, $130 is a lot for this event, but it would be cool to hang out in the Golden Oaks club house.
Typhoon Lagoon Moonlight Magic registration now open for DVC Members with Reservations – If you’re DVC and staying at a DVC on June 23, 28 or July 5, 13, you can register now.
Countdown to Pandora – The World of Avatar Continues with First Look at Na’vi Translator Device – Ignore the actual item, and check out the lack of Disney branding on it. It will be interesting to see how that concept applies throughout the land.
Take A Behind-the-Scenes Look At The Making Of ‘Happily Ever After’ – I am really apprehensive about this show, and I still haven’t seen anything that eases that. I hope the final product ends up looking better than the stuff in the clips they’ve released.
New Shirts from Star Wars: The Last Jedi to support UNICEF – Elyssa doesn’t love the look, but–at least–it’s for a good cause.
Leaked (?) Photos from Inside Pandora – The World of Avatar – WDW News Today reposts photos for a guy who is MUCH braver than I am. (I would never blast my Twitter handle against something like that.)
Tree of Life Awakenings Projection Show is Expanding to the Back of the Animal Kingdom Icon – This could be useful in spreading people throughout the park as it starts to be open later at night.
Magic Kingdom Party Dates – 53 dates is a lot of dates.
Light up your visit to the Epcot China Pavilion with a new photo prop from Disney PhotoPass Service – I like these little touches. They’re not particularly complicated, but they do make for some interesting new photos.
Rumors of TRON Lightcycle Power Run Roller Coaster being Close to Green Light for Walt Disney World, Disneyland – The problem with rumors like this is that you never know if 10 different sites are citing the same “source,” are places like WDW New Today and Jim Hill actually hearing it from different places.
Fittings & Fairings Gift Shop at Disney’s Yacht Club Temporarily Closed – Something to keep in mind for those staying at the Yacht Club (though there are plenty of options around Crescent Lake for similar things.)
Ample Hills Creamery extending hours for the next month. – Ample Hills is going to be open until 11:00pm just in time for Elyssa’a and my arrival.
Rumors of Groot and Star Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy Coming to The Studios – I hope this is better than the Doctor Strange thing. Also, I wish Disney World was getting Gamora.
Sign Up Now For The runDisney Virtual Running Shorts Series – Elyssa and I do 1 (or more) runDisney events per year, and–I admit–I did this last year. I just wanted the medals (which I thought looked cool.) I’m not sure I’ll ever do it again (and definitely not for these medals.)
Four Seasons now selling homes on Walt Disney World property starting at $5 million – But they’ll probably be like only 2-3 million on the resale market, right?
Grab-and-Go Menu Available at Art Smith’s Homecomin’! – Something to keep in mind if you’re walking around Disney Springs. The to-go menu is available from the Shine Bar (which has a separate entrance you can use.)
Dry weather limits certain activities at Disney World. – Something to keep in mind if you’ll be down there before Central Florida gets some rain.
‘Happily Ever After’ To Feature The Most Advanced Projection Mapping Tech Yet – Disney is really trying to talk up this show. I hope it’s a winner, since people are going to really expect something big if it’s going to replace Wishes.
Club 33 announced for Walt Disney World, coming soon to 4 new locations – Something to aspire to, I guess. I wonder when I should put my name on the waiting list to have the opportunity to buy in about the time I’ll be able to afford it.
Walt Disney World’s Uber-Like Transportation Service Slated to Begin Soon – Two Questions: (1) Will it be comparable in cost to Uber?, (2) Will Disney ban Uber & Lyft from property to encourage people to use it?
Martha’s Vineyard Review at Disney’s Beach Club from easyWDW. – I don’t normally post reviews like this in the News Nuggets, but I found this review of Martha’s “Graveyard” to be interesting for it’s overall positive tone. At a minimum, Josh has a good tip that the beer selection is pretty decent.
Walt Disney World Plans to Hire 1,000 New Cast Members This Spring – This seems a lot more promising than last year’s staff cuts, etc… (which were rumored to be a result of Shanghai Disney going over budget.)

That’s it for this edition of the News Nuggets! Let’s all celebrate by watching the Blue Angels fly over the Magic Kingdom:

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, Resorts, Walt Disney World

It’s that time of year (no, not time for the annual News Nuggets post…), time for Disney’s annual attractions bracket. I’ve bought a few of these shirts in the past, but nothing stands out as “must have” for me this year. (WDW News Today has images of all the designs.)

Also, since it’s St. Patrick’s day, you might want to check out the Raglan Road Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Disney Springs and all the other Disney Springs St. Paddy’s day festivities.

Now, on to the rest of the nuggets:

Rivers of Light to started offering 2 shows a night on March 11. – It’ll be interesting to see what the logistics are on this. I wonder if they’ll be able to move to 3 shows during the summer (if the demand is there.)
Joffrey’s Coffee “Revive” Opens in the Magic Kingdom, Mission to S’mores Pays Homage to Classic Ride – I wonder if this will take any of the stress off Starbucks in the mornings.
Height Requirement & FastPass + Information for Pandora: The World of AVATAR Rides – WDW News Today has srcaped the information on the new Pandora attractions from the Disney World website and put it in a single location. If Animal Kingdom goes to tiered FP+, I assume both Pandora attractions will be tier 1.
Celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade with Disney PhotoPass Service – Has it really been 3 years since Festival of Fantasy started? Here’s hoping I never have to say “has it really been 3 years since Magic Kingdom had a nighttime parade?”
Miss Adventure Falls Opens Today at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park – Failing Typhoon Lagoon. Still not a water theme park. #Sad. (I kid, both WDW News Today and Kenny the Pirate seem to have liked it.)
Hourglass Lake Overlook Being Built at Pop Century & Art of Animation – WDW News Today also extrapolates that this could be related to the gondola system.
A New Taste of British Tradition at Rose & Crown Dining Room at Epcot – Interesting offering, but I don’t think it’s really my style.
First Look at Disney’s Yacht Club’s To-Go Cafe – For a lot of guests, this is probably all that they need in the morning. (Hopefully, they get this open before the Captain’s Grill closes.)
Daisy Duck meet and greet comes back to The Studios – About ducking time, am I right?
Celebration at the Top extended through most of September – No real surprise here (though I still think I’d rather just have dinner at the Cali Grill.)
Tangled PhotoPass Photo-Op at Magic Kingdom Extended – I always assumed they’d do this, and I’m glad that they did.
Disney reveals “Tangled” Robot for Disney Parks at SXSW Panel – Since everyone just says “Artificial Intelligence” and “Machine Learning” about everything these days, this is kind of a nothing story. That said, an autonomous Pascal lose in Fantasyland would be awesome.
Enchanted Evening Packages now Available for Honeymoons and Romantic Nights – Important information for next time Dutch and Russ go to Disney World.

We’ll finish things up with this video from Disney about the construction of Star Wars Land: (The AT-ATs do look pretty cool):

Enjoy the Tournament!

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, Epcot, Events, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, Walt Disney World

Despite how much I’m sure y’all enjoy getting double and triple sized orders of News Nuggets, sometimes, I’m able to actually get these out on a regular schedule. This is one of those times!

There isn’t much about the Flower and Garden Festival in this posting, since I’m looking to do one of my “best of” coverage posts to cover that event fairly soon.

Now, on to the News Nuggets!

Operational Changes to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort during Refurbishment – It seems like there is going to be a lot of issues with things being closed, under construction, etc… during this refurbishment. It might be cool when it’s done, but these next couple of years might be rough.
New D-Tech On Demand Station in ESPN Wide World of Sports – Great. Another place for me to decide that I really do need a new custom iPhone case.
Walt Disney World adds retro RV food truck to Fort Wilderness Resort with new takes on campground grub – I doubt I’ll make a trip just to see it, but I love the theming. Sadly, WDW News Today’s review was no promising.
New Character Dining Experience, Bon Voyage Breakfast to Debut April 2 at Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk – So many mixed feelings about this one. It will be cool to have a breakfast option with Rapunzel and Flynn, but I’m going to miss the relaxed atmosphere and easy reservations of Trattoria breakfast.
New Personalized Storybook Available at the Disney PhotoPass Studio in Disney Springs – Sorry Elyssa, you have to be under 14.
News: Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club Relocating to Ariel’s During Refurbishment – FYI for those of you thinking you’ll have Captain’s Grille as a fall back during your stay. Keep in mind that capacity might be reduced during the refurbishment.
Fantasmic Dining Packages now available for Breakfast – I guess if you really are going to eat at Hollywood & Vine then you can take advantage of this? (If you can’t tell, I am not a fan.)
Celebration at the Top – Sip, Savor, Sparkle Debuts February 26 at California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort – My first thought: why would I go to this instead of just having dinner at Cali Grill? It seems like besties Josh from easyWDW and Tom from WDW News Today might agree with that sentiment.
Mouse Steps coverage of Port Orleans Resort Mardi Gras Pargo Cart Parade – I really love the coverage Denise does of these events (and I’ll still link to it, even if she blocked me on Twitter for some reason.)
New Ticket Sales & Guest Relations Location Opening in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom – This does seem like a more central location than over in Tomorrowland. I still maintain that having these locations is a good idea.

INTERMISSION!!

Okay, now back to the News Nuggets!

2017 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend to be PIXAR Themed – I don’t really post many Disneyland stories, but this is just too up my alley to skip. Of course, getting out to CA for this is probably a long shot.
Rumors of a 10-Story Tower, Waterfront Dining, and More Changes Coming to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort – Interesting rumors that WDW News Today has pulled together from various cast members. Moving things to Old Port Royale makes a lot of sense.
Animal Kingdom Expanding Bus Loop for Pandora – If they don’t add a bus stop pizza booth, is it even really news?
Disney Parks Introduces New Neverland Merchandise Collection Featuring Peter Pan – The items with the silhouettes look pretty cool.
La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil Will Host Its Final Disney Springs Performance This December – Confession: I’ve never been and probably won’t go see it before it ends. I’m fine with them getting an updated show, however.
New Hair-Raising Photo Opportunity Available from Disney PhotoPass Service for a Limited Time – If I was there when this was offered, I’d probably wander over to get a photo.
Salon by the Springs Replacing the Trout Pass Pool Bar – I wish it would be a more full-featured Senses-style Spa (so Elyssa could get a massage appointment there.) I wonder if they’ll have offer some of the new Disney-themed nail designs..
Disney Drops Custom MagicBand Readers for New Payment Devices – It’ll be weird not to “touch Mickey-to-Mickey” when making charges. Even if it’s just a little gimmick, I hope they figure out a way to add the light-up Mickey face back in.
Wilderness Lodge Refurb Should be Complete by Mid-Summer – Good news about one of Elyssa’s and my favorite resorts.
Menu Details for Satu’li Canteen and Pongu Pongu in Pandora – The World of AVATAR – Disney Food Blog breaks down the (little) information now available about the new dining establishments.

That’s it for this News Nuggets helping. Let’s end with this video of the upcoming Pandora BOATRIDE (which looks pretty amazing):

Pandoran riverbanks are hotbeds for bioluminescent life. Leave the flashlight back at basecamp for night hikes. #VisitPandora pic.twitter.com/SMi6vA54GT

— Visit Pandora (@visitpandora) March 3, 2017

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Dining, Disney Springs, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, runDisney, Touring, Walt Disney World

Hey! Look! The site still works! This latest batch of (breakfast?) News Nuggets is a long time coming. I had grand desigins of posting it when I was down in Florida IN DECEMBER, but that slipped. Then, life got in the way, and an iOS beta broke my custom Workflows, and…well..its (still) February.

To try make this post (of over 8 weeks worth of Disney news) a little more timely, I’ve culled some of the original stories I was going to publish, as well modified some of commentary to reflect my experiences and other news I’ve heard about these items.

Of course, the biggest news item that hasn’t already been written about on the site is:

BB-8 To Greet Guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios This Spring – The line for this when it opens is going to be insane. Hopefully, the lack of needing to change costumed people in and out will keep the lines from backing up.

With all that out of the way, on to the News Nuggets!!

Sneak A Peek Inside The New Disney PhotoPass Studio At Disney Springs – Cute. I wonder what virtual backgrounds they’ll have available.
Rumors of the Dr. Strange experience being cut from Hollywood Studios – Kenny the Pirate with a rumor of one of Disney’s first attempts of having a Marvel character in the park during regular hours come to an end.
runDisney Princess Half Marathon Weekend Inspired by Disney ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – Elyssa and I aren’t running the Princess this year (we’re doing Star Wars instead), so we’re not going to get one of those cool Beauty and the Beast medals.
Photo Editing Now Available in My Disney Experience App – The only thing surprising about this is that it took so long for these features to show up.
Sanaa Kuamsha Breakfast Now Available at Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – This doesn’t look any different than what various sites reported a few weeks ago. I guess they’re ready to make the official public announcement now, though.
New Choza Tequila Coming to Epcot in 2017 at Walt Disney World Resort – Does “hand-crafted margaritas” mean they’ll be made when you order them or does “hand-crated” mean they’ll be made by hand and then put into huge jugs for days on end? (Of course, Elyssa will still want one when she walks by.)
2 month Rehab for Walt Disney World Railroad in early 2017. – The train is scheduled to be down from January 9 through March 2nd. That is a bummer during the day, but it makes that area kind of a ghost town for certain parades and evening shows.
Enchanted Tales with Belle removed from Morning Extra Magic Hours. – I don’t think it’s a particularly big loss. This would be a waste of that bonus time.
Disney After Hours Returns to Magic Kingdom Park for 7 Nights in Early 2017 – $119 for everyone is a pretty good, at $89 for AP holders, it’s a no brainer (assuming–of course–that they sell as a few tickets as they did for last year’s event.)
New Star Wars Guided Tour Starts at Disney’s Hollywood Studios January 2 – 7 hours? For $129? Based on that description? I guess I’m going to have wait until someone takes the actual tour, since this just doesn’t make a lot of sense. (Which I still haven’t seen)
runDisney Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side Medals – Hopefully, Elyssa and I will be able to finish these races and get our Kylo Ren medal.
Bus Stop Pizza Kiosks Now Have Breakfast – I don’t use the term “game changer” lightly…(I kid, I kid. “Game changer” means nothing with respect to theme park news these days.)
Tree of Life Garden Returns to Animal Kingdom After Multi-Year Closure – Getting everything in Animal Kingdom in shape for when Avatarland opens (what is now) a couple of months.
Crossroads plaza faces demolition for Disney-area road project – Interesting story, but it’s a long, long way from happening. The state will have to get right of way access to the area first, and I can’t imagine Crossroads and its tenants will go quietly.
Gasparilla Island Grill reopens at the Floridian. – Good timing. You can’t have the major quick service at a resort down for the holidays. (Also, the food here was pretty good. I enjoyed it.)
Upcoming changes to Epcot entertainment acts – Kenny the Pirate runs down some of the upcoming (and now made) changes to Epcot entertainment. Disney seems to have decided to change these various acts a little more frequently over the past few years.
Churros return to the Animal Kingdom. – If you need some evidence that 2017 will be better than 2016.

Okay. That was a lot of nuggets. I need a break.Let’s watch one of the “behind the scenes” looks at Pandora:

Okay, back to the News Nuggets:

[A New Way to Start Your Day at Magic Kingdom Park Begins January 9](
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/12/a-new-way-to-start-your-day-at-magic-kingdom-park-begins-january-9/) – They’rved moved the Welcome Show to the Hub during the refurbishment of the Railroad. It’s an interesting “test” of how this might work. I plan on writing more about it later (I swear!), but I wanted to share the “news” now.
#DisneyKids: A Vacation Package Perfect for Your Kindermoon at Walt Disney World Resort – It’s an interesting way for Disney to say now (right as they’re about to start school) is the right time to bring your kids to Disney World. WDW News Today pointed out that these packages also include additional Fastpass+ selection for certain “kid friendly” attractions.
Entry bridge to Pandora – The World of Avatar now visible to guests – It’s probably just me, but it feels like they’re going to be able to open this place in time for the summer. (I’m also pretty sure I’m going to regret this post when it’s not open in September.) — I swear I wrote this in December, BEFORE the date was announced!
Photos of Culinary Treats at Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World Resort – These look a little fancier than some of the Food & Wine Items. Of course, it’s just the product photography, so who knows what the final product will end up being.
Joffrey’s Coffee Kiosk to be Added to the Magic Kingdom, Annual Pass Discounts Now Offered – I admit: I just assumed there already was a Joffrey’s at Magic Kingdom. (The discount is nice, though.)
Disney Testing New One-Day Quick Service Dining Plans at Theme Parks, “Disney-Dine-on-the-Go” to Speed Up Sales – I’m going to need more information on this, since–as it stands–I don’t get it. (Since then, I’ve gotten more information. If you are definitely going to eat multiple quick service meals at the Magic Kingdom, it might be possible to get a decent value out of this.)
Magic Kingdom In-Park Cabanas Being Offered at a Discounted Price – For everyone who said “I’d pay $500 for that, but $650 is just too much…” (Sadly, (?) these have now been been removed.)
WDW News Today Rumor that the Paint the Night Electrical Parade Still A Possibility for The Magic Kingdom – Have you seen the people sitting on the sidewalk on Main Street waiting for the nighttime parade? It’s a thing that people just expect to have. Whether it’s Paint the Night or some other parade, Disney really should do something.
Flame Tree Barbecue Retiring Signature Barbecue Sauce – I was never really fan, but I’m sure some people will be very upset about this.
Members to Experience Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic – If you own DVC, maybe pay attention to thse dates. Me? I love the multiple paragraphs of disclaimers at the end of the post.
Star Wars: Galatic Nights Special Event starts April 14 at The Studios – Nicely timing to coincide with Star Wars Celebration (which is taking place that weekend). Personally, it sounds like the Magic Kingdom After Hours event would have more value than this $129 event will, but I’ll hold off final judgment until we get some more details.
Express Fresh Pilot to Being Feb. 7 at Contemporary and Yacht Club. – Interesting. A new “quick and casual” option for in-room dining. My fear, of course, is it’s going to be like those sandwiches that you see in the case at an airport (more “express”, than really “fresh”.)
Drinks coming to Paddlefish – I wonder what the craft beer from North Carolina is. Of course, it’s kind of silly for me to go to Disney World and have beer that I can get just as easily at home.

Okay, time for another break. This time, let’s look at this tribute to the late, great Carrie Fisher from The Studios:

Ms. Fisher will be missed, and (shockingly?) I was unable to come up with a way to segway back into the nuggets:

Braves Spring Training to Conclude at Walt Disney World – This is a bummer for me. I liked being able to see some spring training baseball when I was visiting Disney World. I guess I understand the Braves’ point that they are too far away from other spring training teams, but that doesn’t make it less of a bummer for me.
Housekeeping at Disney World to be Reorganized Due to Degrading Service Quality – On the surface, I think this is a good move. Improved quality of room cleaning, etc… doesn’t really have many negatives (though, honestly, I haven’t really ever faced any issues under the current system.)
Paddlefish Set to Open Feb. 4 at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort – Obviously, this is now open. Reviews from 3 bloggers who attended together all seemed fairly positive, including: WDW News Today, Mouse Steps , and easyWDW .
Discover a Timeless Tale with a Sneak Peek from Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Starting Feb. 10 at Disney Parks – After a couple of years, can probably figure out how this is going to: The next big Disney / Marvel movie that’s coming out gets a preview in One Man’s Dream.
Re-Imagined Planet Hollywood Observatory Opens at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort – And we already have less-than-glowing reviews from WDW News Today and (even) the Disney Flood Blog.

One more break before we finish? What do you say? This time, let’s check out the latest Pandora ad:

That place might be pretty cool in a few months. Now, though, let’s finish out our News Nuggets!

New look parking trams to feature monorail colors and quieter ride – Huh. I never really noticed the existing trams being particularly loud, but–if I think about it–I guess they are.
Starring Rolls Cafe at Hollywood Studios Closing Tomorrow – If “tomorrow” to you is February 4th, that is. Sadly, this is another example of something at the Studios closing, but there being nothing announced to replace it.
Book Your Spot on the New Ultimate Disney Classics VIP Tour at Magic Kingdom Park – $200 for a VIP tour that doesn’t include any of the “mountains” or the Mine Train doesn’t work for me. Maybe if your priorities RE attractions are a little different?
Leaked Image Reveals Ride Vehicle for AVATAR “Flying Banshee” Attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Interesting. I hadn’t even thought that each person (couple? small group?) would get their own Banshee to ride. If that’s really the case, it could be a really different experience from Soarin’.
Making way for The NBA Experience: DisneyQuest at Disney Springs to Close July 3 – So the NBA Experience is still going to be a thing, huh? At a minimum, maybe they’ll really shut down Disney Quest, finally.
Cosmic Ray’s to get a Second Expansion – UNRELATED(ish): I don’t know if Elyssa and I have ever been to Cosmic Ray’s together
Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort engages guests with Chrome signage – Not really a news item, but I figured y’all be able to really impress your family with this key factoid.
Disney CEO Bob Iger confirms possibility of extending tenure past 2018 – Maybe our favorite tipster “Bob from Burbank” can call into to MMoM to give a couple of insights on this.
Doc McStuffins to Greet Fans at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Beginning This Month – Huh. This seems like a weird home for Doc.
Enchanted Rose Cake Inspired by ‘Beauty and the Beast’ – We had an Amorette’s Patisserie cake over Christmas and it was fantastic. (That reminds me, I should probably write about that.)
Theme Park Models Move Out of Walt Disney – One Man’s Dream for Beauty & The Beast and Other Movie Props – I guess I knew this was coming, but it’s still kind of a bummer.
Geyser Point Bar & Grill Opens at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World Resort – As a photographer, I know it’s possible to make things look better in picture than they actually are. That said, this place looks fantastic. (Initial Review from DFB is positive)
Disney makes it official: Charges $5 for each mailing or package received at a Disney Resort. – This just makes me sad. I hate little charges like this.
Rumored Gondola Transportation System Between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to be Constructed – This rumor has been setting the Internet on fire for the past day or two. Personally, I’d love to seem Disney try something like that.
New Bird Shows Have Debuted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – I’m still amazed that these birds can be trained to be out in the open like this.
More Guest Experiences and Dining Options Coming to Disney’s Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach Resorts – It sounds like they are really going to make some upgrades to these moderate resorts (including converting Corando Springs into a more “business-y” resort.) The press release has a few more details..
New Menu Items at Jiko – Since Elyssa and I have never been here, we really don’t have any favorites that might get pulled of the menu. That said, I figure Elyssa will still try to get a filet on top of a bed of mac-and-cheese if we do go.

Whew! We’re finally done. Let’s celebrate!

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Disney Springs, Epcot, Events, Holidays, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, Resorts, The Studios

If you’ve been following us on Twitter (including at Elyssa’s new handle!), then you know that the last few weeks have been crazy at Rope Drop [dot] Net HQ. Weddings in foreign lands (well, Maine), J O B job stuff getting in the way of site updates, etc…all have conspired to make this a HUGE helping of News Nuggets. I hope you’re hungry (for news)!

First, a quick link in case you pre-order this year’s Unofficial Guide and need to get ir replaced due to the defects: How to Get a Free Replacement 2017 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.

And now, the actual nuggets:

Disney World puts up Bug Spray Kiosks to fight Zika – It’s interesting that Disney is going to give away free bug spray because of the Zika threat, but that it makes you buy sunscreen. (At least it’s interesting to me.)
Mama Melrose’s at Hollywood Studios To Offer Reduced Menu While Under Refurbishment – No flatbreads for a couple of weeks.
Celebrate Afternoon Tea at the Garden View Tea Room Sponsored by Twinings at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – Here’s an answer for someone who says they really “want to do something different on their next Disney World trip.”
Morimoto Asia Street Food Introduces New Daily Specials at Disney Springs – Morimoto is now offering daily specials of different items from their quick service window. Might be worth a shot if you’re looking to grab a quick bite at Disney Springs.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Refurbishment in late October – November – Keep this in mind if you’re going to be visiting from October 27 through November 9. (Wait…we’re going to be visiting during that time ?!?)
Whispering Canyon Introduces MASSIVE “10 Gallon Hat” – $27 Dessert Served in a Hat – One of the few times “game changer” might actually be appropriate to describe something. (As if people needed another reason to love Whispering Canyon Cafe.)
New Fall Finale for ‘Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire’ Debuts This Week at Magic Kingdom Park – This show as really fun to watch (as we explained in our trip summary), and it’s cool that Disney is going to provide some little updates throughout the year to it. Inside the Magic has video of the new Fall ending.
Children Now Require Biometric Finger Scan to Enter Walt Disney World Theme Parks – Yes, as you might expect, this does slow down the process of getting into the parks. (Just think about it: you have to get children out of strollers, etc… up to the turnstile to put their thumb on it. That’s going to take time.)
Aladdin and Jasmine debut new outfits at Disney Parks – I post this only because Elyssa and I were going to stop by and meet Aladdin on our most recent trip, but the line was too long. Looks like we might have missed seeing him in his old garb.
Creative Burgers, Celebrity Chefs at Rockin’ Burger Block Party at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – If I remember correctly, this event wasn’t well reviewed (or well attended) last year…
The Haunted Mansion Closing for Refurbishment in November/December 2016 – Something to be aware of if you’re going to be at Disney World from November 28 to December 1.
Holiday Brunch returning to 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort – It might be a fun way to grab a meal during the busy periods surrounding Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Tomorrowland Entrance at The Magic Kingdom Gets A Shiny New Look – I think it looks kind of cool.
Ultimate VIP Tour Experience for the 2016 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Now Available – I really like (some parts of) Food & Wine, but a $400 “VIP” experience just isn’t for me.
Cabins & Dining Take Shape at New DVC Copper Creek Villas, Wilderness Lodge – I think this will be cool when it’s done. I’m interested to see the DVC point rates on the new rooms, too. Josh at easyWDW also has coverage .
“Scoop Sanderson” Main Street Reporter & Pin Expert Character to be Discontinued – I admit, I was never a big pin trading guy, but anytime I see cuts of “minor” things like this, it makes me a little sad. Offering these special touches is what sets Disney apart for me, and I feel we are losing more and more of them.
WDW News Today Rumor that Vekoma is Constructing A Revolutionary Flying Roller Coaster for Epcot’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” Ride – Again, if a Guardians ride comes to Epcot, WDW News Today gets the credit as being the first with the rumor. It’s also their reputation on the line if it doesn’t.
Main Street Electrical Parade Dining Package to be replaced with a Festival of Fantasy Parade Package. – Timing wise, this always made more sense. Of course, I still think it’s a little overpriced for what you’re getting. (Though I’d probably say that about anything that requires eating at Tony’s.)
More Rumors of Rivers of Light finally coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. – Kenny the Pirate breaks down why he thinks Rivers of Light might be come in the next month or so. I hope he’s right, but i’m not getting my hopes up.
Rumors that Woody, Jessie and Rafiki could be leaving Magic Kingdom – Unlike the previous one, this is a Kenny the Pirate rumor that I am not excited about.
Seasonal Sweets Haunt Amorette’s Patisserie, D-Luxe Burger and The Ganachery at Disney Springs – That Caramel Apple milkshake sounds interesting…
Coca-Cola Polar Bear Will Debut Soon at Disney Springs – Huh. Interesting. I wouldn’t wait in line for this, but if he’s just hanging out, I’d be fine taking a picture.

How about we take before we look at more nuggets?

Okay…now back to the nuggets…

“Updates” to Refillable Popcorn Bucket Program in Disney World – Disney Food Blog reporting on something that had previously been on the Backside of Magic podcast: Refillable Popcorn Buckets are good for the length of your stay.
Night of Joy at Walt Disney World Resort Rocks ESPN Wide World of Sports; Announces 2017 Dates – Mark your calendars for Sept. 8 and 9, 2017, if you’re interested in this event. Personally, I liked the concept of it being after the Magic Kingdom closes than being at Wide World of Sports.
Disney testing Guest Relations Location in Tomorrowland. – This makes sense to me. It allows people who have Guest Relations issues to avoid having to go all the way down Main Street (which can be especially problematic during a parade, Wishes, etc…).
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club to Close for Major Overhaul in 2017 – With the upcoming convention center expansion, this does make sense. I hope they raise the quality of the place to something at least as good as Trattoria al Forno.
The Timeline of Epcot History Returns, Completely Overhauled – It always makes me a little sad when little features like this go away. So, it will come as no surprise, that it makes me happy to see it come back AND BE UPDATED.
Dole Whip Now Allowed Inside Florida’s Enchanted Tiki Room – The actual policy is that apparently all food & drink is now allowed in the Tiki Room, but WDW News Today’s headline is more catching.
Nomad Lounge at Animal Kingdom Undergoes Massive Menu Overhaul – More wing and ribs? Yes, please. (Actually, I only care about the ribs.)
Sanaa now offering Quick Service Breakfast – Interesting. It makes sense to provide a quick service option for guests staying at Kidani. That said, it doesn’t look like something that requires a special trip to experience.
‘The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History’ Debuts October 2 at Magic Kingdom Park – It’s been rumored for some time, and now it’s official. I wonder how this show will be received. Here are links to vide from Video from Inside the Magic and The DIS.
Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto Introduces Some Much Needed New Menu Items – A few wings while enjoying my HippopotoMai-Tai? Yes, please.
The Highly-Acclaimed Muppets Mobile Lab Returns to Epcot – This does look pretty neat. I wish it was going to still be going on next month.
STK To Undergo Changes Due to Under-Performance at Disney Springs – It is probably a good idea to adjust their model to get more in line with what people expect at Disney.
You’re Invited to ‘A Princess Royal Reception’ this October at Disney Springs – Interesting use of some empty space. I bet it’ll be well received.
Reedy Creek Approves a 3rd Parking Structure for Disney Springs – I haven’t seen both parking garages full before, but I wonder what will happen around Christmas.
B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co. Introduces Oktoberfest Special – I think I’ll stick to the sampler.
Writer’s Stop at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Close Permanently – No surprise here.
Possible Universe of Energy Closing Date for Guardians of the Galaxy Ride at Epcot – January 2017. Let’s see what happens.
AVATAR: DISCOVER PANDORA Exhibition Launches World Tour Dec. 7 – I wonder if this will be using some of the same technology as Avatarland at Disney World will use.
Get a Sneak Peek of the Mysterious World of ‘Doctor Strange’ Starting October 7 at Disney Parks – Movie previews at One Man’s Dream are pretty standard, so this isn’t much of a surprise.
Dr. Strange Meet and Greet is Coming to Walt Disney World? – Speaking of Doctor Strange, this is really interesting (not just for the chance to meet the character, because of what it means for Disney v. Universal with respect to Marvel.)

Here’s a different way to end the post, a video stroll around Castaway Cay from The DIS:

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John DVC, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, Planning, The Studios

It’s time for everyone’s favorite serving of Disney World, the Rope Drop [dot] Net News Nuggets! There isn’t a lot of particularly juicy news this time, but a few things that I would classify as “transitional” (like the closing of Sum of All Thrills or–essentially–moving all convention space to the Yacht Club.) That said, let’s get to it!

Extensive park hours updates from September through January – If you have a trip coming, now’s the time to check for park hour updates. (Sadly, Josh over at easyWDW is on vacation. His coverage of schedule changes is usually the best.)
Rumors of The Sum of All Thrills and Stormstruck Closing and an End of Innovations at Epcot – If Sum of All Thrills is closing too (as rumored), it would seem that Innovations might be added to the list of things that will get an overhaul. That said, with the construction currently going on at The Studios and Animal Kingdom, I would think it would be a few years before they even start things at Epcot.
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort to Expand Convention Space – This makes it seem less likely to me that the rumors about DVC being added to Yacht Club have any real truth to them.
Moana meet and greet coming to Walt Disney World? – Sounds like a good addition. That said, I don’t understand why the Zootopia characters aren’t available for a meet-and-greet yet.
The Jungle Book: Alive With Magic to End September 5 – The show definitely has had “mixed” reactions (most seemed negative.) I really hope this means they’re getting closer to Rivers of Light (October?)
Disney Offers Annual Passholders Discounted Park Hopper Tickets – $79 for a park hopper? That seems crazy. I haven’t been tracking Disney ticketing too, too long, but I don’t remember anything like this.
Rumors of Wreck-It Ralph VR Attraction to Replace Stitch’s Great Escape – I heard Jim Hill talking about this, and I thought it sounded like a decent idea (especially with Wreck-It Ralph 2 coming out in a couple of years.) I’d be fine with it. (Good job by WDW NT for crediting the source of the rumor, too.)
Celebrate Disney PhotoPass Day on August 19 – This strikes me as a weird promotion. Disney does seem to run things during this period in August, though (remember that Studios Villains event they did for a couple of years?)
New FitBit-style MagicBand design change possibly in development – Interesting. It might make sense to allow for people to move their RFID between different “bands”. Part of me wonders how that would impact the “special” MagicBand sales (like the Christmas themed ones, etc…), though.
Update to Magic Kingdom’s Evening Extra Magic Hours line-up – Having Splash run while Big Thunder is under refurbishment seems like a no brainier.
Disney Enhancing Wedding Pavilion With Redesigned Interior – Elyssa really needs to figure out a way to shoot some weddings here.
James Cameron Will Unveil New Details on the Avatar Theme Park in November – It looks Cameron is going to be at “Destination D” to talk about Avatarland. It’ll be interesting to see what they end up showing.
Guy Fieri teams up with Robert Earl on new Planet Hollywood Menu – I originally thought this was a joke. I guess they’re going for a different crowd than me.
Epcot’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” Ride will be a Roller Coaster Attraction – WDW News Today is going all in on this rumor. Again, if they get this one right, that’s a huge feather in their cap. If not, than they’re going to hear about it for years.
Rumor that the Contemporary Convention Center will be torn down to make room for more DVC. – This kind of makes sense. Expand the Yacht Club convention center and put convention goers closer to Epcot (where they can walk over and grab a drink at the end of the day.) Put in more DVC at the Contemporary so families have easier access to the Magic Kingdom.
New Hands-On Experiences at the 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – People love these. They’re just not for me.
Say ‘Freeze!’ Disney PhotoPass Captures Your Adventure on Frozen Ever After – Maybe now, people will finally give this ride a shot.
Direct Bus Service From Theme Parks to Disney Springs Begins August 28 – They’re making it easy to get from a theme park to Disney Springs, but you still have to transfer through a resort to get back to a theme park.
Extending Western Way to Route 545 past Flamingo Crossings – I always like easier traffic patterns, but I don’t want anything that’s going to result in Flamingo Crossing raising its prices (it’s a nice, quaint little place to stay for a night or two at the beginning or end of a trip.)
Pool at Disney’s abandoned River Country water park being drained and filled in – I still have (vague) memories of going to River country. If they ever built a DVC in that area, I would definitely take a look.
Disney applies for Copper Creek timeshare license – Speaking of DVC properties that Elyssa and I might have some interest in…
Les Parfaits Inconnus ending its run at Epcot – Friends of the site Dutch Lombrowksi and Howie from Maryland are surely devastated by this news.

We’ll close out with a video that Disney recently posted of what it’s like to be the eagle at the tail end of the Main Street Electrical parade. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Dining, Disney Springs, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, The Studios, Walt Disney World

It might be the weekend, but here at Rope Drop [dot]Net HQ we are still committed to providing you with your News Nuggets. Before we get started on the “links” part of the Nuggets, a quick update to Tables in Wonderland. Disney has finally decided to add Skipper Canteen & Jock Lindsey’s to the list of places that get discounts (along with the much newer Nomad Lounge and Tiffins at Animal Kingdom.) I wonder if this will have any impact on attendance at Skipper Canteen.

As another special perk, Disney is giving 20% of merchandise purchase at Word of Disney in Disney Springs to Tables in Wonderland members through Labor Day. As always, I would recommend that you point out this discount to the cast members (i.e., I doubt they’ll ask you about it.)

Now, with that out of the way, let’s move on to the rest of the Nuggets!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will no longer sell Turkey legs – I’ve never been a big turkey leg guy, but I’m sure some people will be disappointed if this turns out to be true.
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex To Become New Epicenter of Cheer and Dance – When this is done, it’ll take away the argument that Disney needs to leave Indiana Jones open for Cheer & Dance events.
Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf Closing for Refurbishment – Just something to keep in mind if you planned on being at Disney World in early August and wanted to play mini-golf.
Art Smith’ s Homecoming now accepting Online Reservations. – I can verify that this works. I just made reservation for a potential trip.
Dine at Magic Kingdom quick service and receive discount coupons for Disney Springs Marketplace shopping – It’s that time of year.
AbracadaBar Now Open at Disney’s BoardWalk – I know some people complain about the amount of bars, but they get crazy crowded. Also, when the parks close at 9pm, it’s nice to have some place to calm down for a couple of hours. Here’s some photos and video from Mouse Steps about the bar.
Disney World Adding Calorie Counts to Counter Service Menu Boards – This is going to be a real eye opener for some people.
WDW News Today Claims New Menu Effectively Ruins “The Plaza Restaurant” at the Magic Kingdom – Tom is not happy with the menu change. Relatedly, has the burger there always been that expensive?
Concept Art Released for Muppets Restaurant at Hollywood Studios – Not a lot to glean from this at this point. We’ll have to wait to get a better idea of what Disney has planned for this space.
Orlando Magical Dining Month To Feature Disney Restaurants Deals – If you’re already planning on going to Morimoto Asia or STK during “Magical Dining” Month, then you might as well see if this is something you might benefit from.
Reservations Open July 29 for Re-Imagined Flying Fish on Disney’s BoardWalk at Walt Disney World Resort – I am looking forward to seeing the new space, but the menu looks like it might be a little beyond what Elyssa and I get for dinner when we’re at Disney. Of course, we’ll wait to see the reviews before making any final decisions.
The Muppets Are Coming to Walt Disney World Resort This Fall in an All-New Show – I wonder how this is going to work. Are they going to put a little stage or something?
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort hosting Alice in Wonderland themed ‘Wishes’ fireworks viewing party – Interesting. I wonder how long they’ll be trying this out for.
Germany Pavilion at Epcot Finally Debuts New Band at Outdoor Stage – Cool. (I guess?). Whatever, I don’t mind musical acts in World Showcase.
Sunshine Seasons at Epcot Discontinuing Breakfast Service This Weekend – With more people heading over to Norway for FrozenStrom, it makes sense that fewer people were headed to The Land for breakfast. I wouldn’t be surprised if they offered breakfast service at The Land during the holidays, though.
A change to Epcot Fastpass+ Tier system – One of everyone’s favorite boat rides, Living the Land, is now a Tier 2 attraction. Not really a surprise, with Soarin’ back open and FrozenStrom drawing people to the other side of the park.
Limited-time Character Experience for Guests with Memory Maker at Walt Disney World Resort – Interesting. It looks like they’re giving people with Memory Maker (or APs that feature Photopass) a special meet-and-greet with Belle at the Heritage House at Magic Kingdom.
Blaze Pizza Fires Up Counter Service Options at Disney Springs – There’s a Blaze Pizza near Elyssa and me, and we really like it. My biggest concern isn’t the quality, it’s if their assembly-line model will be able to scale to Disney-sized crowds.
Experience Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney Springs with Limited Time Offer – A whole bunch of discounts for various pass holders, DVC members, people staying on site, etc… If you were thinking about going to Bibbidi Bobbidi at Disney Springs before Septmber 5, it might be worth it to check out these discounts.
Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon Rumored to Close Soon – If you really want to do this, it sounds like you might want to do it before September.
New ‘Miss Fortune Falls’ Attraction Coming to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Spring 2017 – Related to the above storming about the closure, it looks like Typhoon Lagoon is also getting some new stuff.
Dining Pavilion & Grocery Store to be Added Soon to Fort Wilderness and Wilderness Lodge – This story is weird. It does make sense, but Orlando biz journal link cited in the WDW News Today piece has been pulled (the same thing happens for a Google results.) I wonder what’s going on.

That’s it for this edition of the News Nuggets! Of course, if you’re like me, the biggest news of the weekend is probably the announcement that the new Rogue One trailer will drop during NBC’s Olympics coverage on Thursday! (I’m a little excited for that movie.)

News Nuggets from Around Disney World

by John Animal Kingdom, Dining, Disney Springs, Events, Magic Kingdom, News Nuggets, Walt Disney World

It’s time for another edition of the News Nuggets, and the biggest news of the past few days might be that the complete menus of the Epcot Food & Wine festival have been released. Thankfully, it looks like the chocolate truffle from last year is coming back.

Of course, there was a whole bunch of other Disney World news stories to cover, so let’s get right to the News Nuggets!

New Anna and Elsa “Frozen” meet and greet in the Royal Sommerhus opens at Epcot – The new area looks pretty awesome. I hope it’s well received. If you want more here, here are some pictures from AllEars.net.
WDW News Today’s Review of the new Star Wars Fireworks – As a lot of people did, this review mentions how the Fireworks seemed to be “off center” for people who are viewing down Hollywood Blvd. Here’s a video from WDW Magic, if you want to see the show.
Changes to Princess Meet & Greets at the Magic Kingdom. – Tiana moving into Princess Fairytale hall was kind of a surprise. I had rumors it was going to be Merida.
2017 Disney Dining Plan, Quick Service Dining Plan and Deluxe Disney Dining Plan details – Kenny the Pirate breaks down the changes to the plan. I admit, the whole “snack” thing is something that I’ve never really taken a lot of time to understand or analyze (especially since the Dining Plan isn’t accepted at any Orlando Chick-Fil-As.)
EasyWDW on Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire at Magic Kingdom Viewing Tips and Review – Really good tip from Josh here about viewing the show for a little further back to take advantage of the natural incline that’s built into the area in front of the castle.
Celebrity Chefs and New Experiences at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Set for the 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – This is just one of (what is to be) many posts from Disney about the Food & Wine festival. I might consider giving the Trader Sam’s “behind the scenes” thing a shot (if the price is in any way reasonable.)
A Sweet Lesson: Macaroons vs. Macarons – Information for life.
Morimoto Asia Forbidden Lounge late night menu now available – I can think of worse ways to finish the night than closing down Morimoto’s at 1 a.m.
Most Disney World Resorts Show Surprisingly Low Price Increases for 2017 – Great analysis from Dave over at yourfirstvisit.net. I wonder if the large increase at the Port Orleans resorts is related to their proximity to Disney Springs.
WDW Swan and Dolphin Resort hosts Sandtastic Weekends – Events like these are always interesting to me. I doubt anyone would book a stay because of it, but it might be cool if you’re already there.
Frontera Cocina by Chef Rick Bayless Now Open at Disney Springs – DFB’s Review is positive, their reviews seem to always be positive, so take it for what it’s worth…. (WDW News Today’s Review was also very positive.)
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar Revamps Menu, Favorites Change, New Items Added – Interesting modifications. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like the food items have reached BOATHOUSE level, yet.
Coca-Cola Store & Rooftop Tasting Bar Opens at Disney Springs – THEY HAVE CANS OF SURGE!! (Talk about burying the lede.) Here is some video and Images from Inside the Magic
Tink is *not* happy with having to wait so long for her News Nuggets
Kali River Rapids to Test Single Rider Option – I’ll ride Splash Mountain a 100 times, but the thought of getting soaked on Kali River Rapids just doesn’t appeal to me.
Disney Testing Automated PhotoPass Cameras at Non-Attraction Locations – Remember that feeling you get when waiting for someone to use an ATM? I imagine this is going to be worse for me.
Ring in 2017 at the New ‘Disney Countdown to Midnight’ New Year’s Eve Celebration – I always wonder if they’ll sell out an event like this that costs $225 per person. That just seems way too steep to me.
WDW News Today Rumors of Universe of Energy at Epcot Likely to Close Soon for Guardians of the Galaxy Attraction – This rumor is really going out on a limb. If it turns out to be true, WDW News Today will have a nice feather in their cap. If not, it’s going to be pointed to for a long time as big miss.
Updates to Epcot’s Extra Magic Hours offerings – You had to know they were going to add Frozen Ever After to this.
2016 Candlelight Processional at Epcot Dining Packages On Sale – It’s tough to book a package when the announcers aren’t known for so many dates. Also, with them offering packages for Captain’s Grill and Trattoria Al Forno, there’s going to be a lot of spots filled up package buyers.
New Items at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion – I wasn’t going to link to this article, then I saw the cinnamon loaf. I think I’m going to have to try that.
Tiffins Introduces New Lunch Offerings – I wish more Signature restaurants did this (like Le Cellier used to).
Da Mouse’s 2016 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Preview – As always, some really good images here from “Da Mouse”.
Mouse Steps Coverage of Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground Fourth of July Golf Cart Parade – I love that Denise covers this. It’s so fun to look at the photos.
Disney Vacation Club Safari Spectacular on Select Dates in September – This sounds like a good way to get people to try out the new Animal Kingdom at Night stuff. I also wonder how long it will take a complimentary event like this to sell out.
Caribbean Beach DVC Rumors Resurface – This move seems to make sense (at least to test out the waters.)
Belly Dancing returns to Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion with Musique Aramenco – I don’t have a really strong opinion on this, but I feel like it’s the right move.
A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas Now Offering FastPass+ Bonus – If there’s a long wait for Pirates, why not try this instead?
Uber Updates the way that it processes Requests at Disney World. – Hopefully, the only thing this change does it make it easier for people to get quick Uber pick-ups while visiting Disney World.
Celebrate Halloween at ‘Club Villain’ at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – They’re bringing back this event on Friday and Saturday nights from September 2-October 29 (and also on October 31). With this timing, it’s an alternative option to Mickey’s Not So Scary (but on different nights.) I know this event has gotten good reviews, but $129 a person seems just so steep for something like this.
Reservations for Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Premium Events available starting July 21 – Set your alarms if you want to make sure you’re first in “line” to book some of these events.
Inside look at 2016 DVC Beach Bash – Got to love lines like: “When the ice cream cart was wheeled out, it was like ‘The Hunger Games’ with people grabbing Mickey Bars by the handful!”
PizzeRizzo Opening This Fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – This post originally said “September”, but I guess Disney wanted to give themselves some leeway. I’m hoping they have the new flatbreads that from Pizzafari Josh over at easyWDW speaks so highly off.
Disney Springs Currently Testing Temporary Rental Phone Chargers – While I think Fuel Rod is a waste, this might be useful for some people.
Disney Early Morning Magic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Start August 1 – On first glance, not having Tower of Terror or Rockin Rollercoaster makes me wonder if this will be a good value, but I’m going to reserve judgment until some people actually experience the event.
Eat to the Beat Lineup Announced for 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – No real surprises, but probably a band or two you might like to check out if you’re a fan of music from the 90s.
Height test balloons over Epcot today as plans for Epcot’s Future World take shape – A little more fire to the rumor about an updated attraction coming to Future World.
Hands-on with the new ‘Get Directions’ feature of My Disney Experience – It’s not really something that I’ll probably take advantage of, but it could be nice.
The Polite Pig Restaurant to Open at Disney Springs in Spring 2017 – Interesting dining options just keep coming to Disney Springs. WDW Magic has a preview of the menu, which is interesting, but might not align with what Elyssa and I normally like to eat on vacation.

As you might imagine, there have been a bunch of ride-through / experience videos of the new attractions. I don’t think I’m going to watch any of them, but if you’re interested, here are a few:

Soarin' Around the World


Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire

Frozen Ever After

I’ll end things, however, with a link to this timelapse video of “Magic Moments” at Disney World. Enjoy!!