It’s that time again, time to clear out the (way too long) lisitng of Rope Drop [dot] Net News Nuggets! LIke some of the last couple of updates, Disney trips and day job stuff has meant that this list is a little bit longer than previous updates.

Let’s get to it!

• Pandora Ride Descriptions Offered in New Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World Guide – I wonder where they got this. Did Disney actually give them this information, or did Birnbaum just get a copy writer to make something up?
• Parking Structure Being Built for Disney’s Hollywood Studios Along World Drive – This an employee only lot, but I wonder if Disney is moving any closer to building a lot for guests visting the parks. Personally, I wouldn’t hate to have my car in covered garage instead of just out baking in the sun.
• Wine Bar George, Featuring Master Sommelier George Miliotes, Opens Fall 2017 at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort – Wine bars aren’t really my style, but I hope this turns out as a nice place for people who enjoy the type of thing.
• Images of AVATAR Theme Park Merchandise Leak; New Details of Animal Kingdom Land Emerge – WDW News Today reads the tea leaves on some of the new developments coming to Pandora. The main takeaway for me is it seems this will be a more immersive land (i.e., not Disney branded as heavily, focusing more on Avatar itself) than compared to other places in Disney World.
• Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar Introduces Happy Hour and Seasonal Food & Drink Specials – The wings look interesting. If I’m at Disney Springs during the Happy Hour, I would give them a shot.
• Refurbishment for Dinosaur in Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been extended. – Kind of a bummer. I wonder what is going on that is causing such a delay.
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Testing Addition of Second Guest Relations Location – Just like with the Magic Kingdom tests, I think this makes sense. I hope Epcot and (now) The Studios add an additional guest relations station as well.
• Blizzard Beach refurbishment brought forward – Your annual reminder that Blizzard Beach & (later) Typhoon Lagoon close every year for refurbishment.
• Popular Disney Parks and Resorts Attraction Poster Calendar Returns for 2017 – I’m always kind of tempted by this. Maybe this will be the year I buy it.
• Contempo Cafe Updates Menu Including Beef Grilled Cheese – There aren’t a lot of negatives with upgrading quick service menus, especially when it involves some kind of shredded beef + cheese sandwich.
• Disney’s Magic Kingdom offers nighttime weddings for $180,000 – If someone needs a wedding photographer for one of these, I’m pretty sure Elyssa would give a crazy good discount.
• Gasparilla Island Grill at Grand Floridian To Undergo Lengthy Refurbishment Once Again – I’ve been to a bunch of quick service restaurants at a variety of different resorts, but I’ve never eaten here (and it looks like I won’t get a chance this year.) That said, Disney better get this finished before Christmas or things are going to get crazy.
• Meet Princess Elena of Avalor at Magic Kingdom Park Beginning November 24 – Huh. This is an interesting move. I wonder how recognizable Princess Elena will be to most guests. (NOTE: She actually showed up much earlier.)
• Bodh’aktan Brings Celtic Rock Back to Epcot’s Canada Pavilion – It’s pretty close to Off Kilter (which people did seem bummed about losing), but I know there are also people who wish the paper bagged acrobats stuck around.
• Dr. Strange Meet and Greet Not Happening, Moana Preview Coming to Hollywood Studios – It looks like we’ll be filing this in the miss column for WDW News Today’s rumor track record, but
• Have You Seen Doctor Strange? – Dr. Strange did come to The Studios, just at a different location. Inside the Magic also has video.
• Magic Kingdom After Hours Party Returns for 2017 – If you’re a DVC member, you might want to see if you can be at Disney World on February 24 or March 3, 2017 to attend this. DVCPARTY
• Sneak Peek of Disney’s ‘Moana’ Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios November 5 – This seemed logical with Doctor Strange opening up in theatres.
• Muppets-Themed Eatery, PizzeRizzo to Open November 18 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – I hope this serves better pizza than Pizza Planet used to. A decent quick service pizza location at The Studios wouldn’t be terrible.
• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground Gears up for Halloween with Campsite Decorations – I also enjoy these posts. i’m glad Mouse Steps does them every year.
• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground Guests Celebrate Halloween with Annual Golf Cart Parade; Headless Horseman Makes Surprise Appearance – I say this every year, but I really have to go see this on my own sometime.
• Coronado Springs Resort Convention Center to Expand as Disney Plans to Close Contemporary Resort Center – Another rumor pointing to closing the convention center at the Contemporary. I still think that move makes sense.
• Jingle Cruise sets sail today at the Magic Kingdom – Wow. Disney didn’t waste any time flipping things after Halloween.
• Rumored Moana meet at Disney World – Kenny the Pirate seems to think she’ll meet in that area of One Man’s Dream that WDW News Today thought was for Doctor Strange.
• ‘Once Upon A Time’ Debuts at Magic Kingdom Park – The replacement for our much beloved Celebrate the Magic. I’m sure it’s fine, but, well, I’ve written about this enough…
• Disney gets federal permission to fly drones over theme parks. – Looks like this paves the way for them to at least starting testing some new nighttime entertainment at Epcot.
• AMC Disney Springs 24 starts offering reserved seating. – I’m fine with this, since I pretty much only go to theatres that offer this now.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios Testing Additional Guest Relations Location – Again, much like with Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom, having these extra locations makes sense.
• Saying goodbye to Italy’s Flag Twirlers. – I know we’ve made jokes about these guys, but I really am a little sad they’re gone. It was a fun, little show.

  

• Members-Only Soarin Tour Comes to Florida – This sounds like an interesting DVC perk. I wonder what the tour will actually be like.
• Crepes Return to AristoCrepes at Disney Springs with New Menu – That was quick (the reduced schedule to the new menu happened before I could even post the original story about the reduction.
• New Disney VISA Card Meet and Greet Opens at Epcot with Lots of Future World Aesthetic Goodness – If you really want a picture with Mickey, but don’t want to use any of the other options, I guess this could help.
• Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory Returns 11/19 with New Design & Menu – The crawfish burger looks kind of interesting. I don’t know if I’d drive over for it, but if I was staying there, I might give it a shot.
• 11 Questions With Executive Chef Mark Boor At Paddlefish at Disney Springs, Opening Late 2016 – They’re clearly going for a different vibe than Fulton’s used to have. Hopefully, it works out. Competition at Disney Springs is fierce.
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios reveals full menu for Muppets-themed eatery, PizzeRizzo! – No surprises here. The big question is going to be how good (serviceable?) the pizza is.
• Disney Princes get new looks! – I don’t normally follow this kind of thing, but the new prince costumes do look pretty cool.
• Paid Private Water Taxi Service Now Available at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort – It’s Disney run, boat uber. (Which, I think (?) is kind of cool.)
• Disney Has a Rumored Opening Date for Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom and It’s Really Soon – I guess we’ll find out on Friday if this one is true…
• Amorette’s Patisserie reducing operating hours from today – As someone who tries to go to Disney Springs as close to 11:00am as possible, I guess I won’t be going to Amorette’s Monday through Thursday.
• Club Villain Has Been Extended at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – I say this every time they extend this deal, but–even though this event gets good reviews–I just don’t think the price tag matches up with what I’d value it.
• Shoppers, Start Your Engines! Disney Springs Celebrates Black Friday (And Saturday) This Thanksgiving Season – All stores opening at 8:00am. Get there early.
• The Odyssey at Epcot Now Serving Craft Beers – I know where I’ll get my Coffee Milk Stout this winter.
• New photos and menu details for Planet Hollywood at Disney Springs – Guy Fieri and I have different food sensibilities.
• Planet Hollywood Observatory opens reservations for January 3, 2017 and beyond – I would assume this means it will be open before that, but not taking reservations.

We’ll end things with two videos. First, a video from Theme Park Review of the last show of Elyssa’s and my beloved Celebrate the Magic:

and then a video