Welcome to the latest edition of Ears the News
Brought to you by our friends at WDWMagic.com.
The D23 Expo was last weekend and quite a bit of information was released about a number of projects coming to Walt Disney World.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
A huge 50ft wide scale model of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge was revealed along with the name of the new land. The new expansion will be called Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Check out the video below to see a model of the new land.
Trouble viewing the video? Click here to view the video on YouTube.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
In this game-changing attraction, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will feature an original story that will take guests on a journey inside the world of Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts using new technologies that turn the flat cartoon world into an incredible dimensional display. Located inside the Chinese Theatre, this new attraction will replace The Great Movie Ride, which will close Aug. 13, 2017. Opening for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will be announced at a later date.
Toy Story Land
Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is scheduled to open summer 2018.
Epcot
In preparation for the park’s 35th anniversary, Epcot will continue to evolve to make it more timeless, more relevant, more family and more Disney, while staying true to its original vision beginning with several newly revealed offerings.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Epcot will have a brand new E-ticket attraction within Future World based on the rockin’ and action-packed world of Guardians of the Galaxy. This is the next step in how guests can encounter these characters at Walt Disney World Resort. To make way for this new adventure, Ellen’s Energy Adventure inside Universe of Energy will close Aug. 13, 2017. The new attraction will open by the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.
Ratatouille
Within World Showcase, in an all-new space in the France pavilion, a new “Ratatouille”-inspired attraction will take guests on a dazzling chase across a kitchen with the sights, sounds and smells of Gusteau’s Parisian restaurant. Patterned after the number one family attraction at Disneyland Paris, the new attraction will open by the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.
China pavilion
To showcase the splendor and majesty of China, an updated film will be added using a next-generation digital camera system to film a brand new, seamless Circle-Vision show for the China pavilion.
| Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com. |
Mission: SPACE
In addition to an updated Orange Mission, a brand new Green Mission will take guests on a stunning tour around the Earth, with younger cadets joining the adventure for the very first time. Mission: SPACE will reopen this August.
New Space restaurant
Adjacent to Mission: SPACE, a new table-service restaurant will invite guests to travel high above the Earth for an unforgettable dining experience. The new restaurant will be managed by Patina Restaurant Group and an opening will be announced at a later date.
Magic Kingdom
Tron-themed attraction
The highest rated attraction at Shanghai Disneyland is coming to Tomorrowland in a new area near Space Mountain. Opening will be announced at a later date.
Live Entertainment Theater
Based on the iconic Willis Theater in the 1920s Kansas City where Walt lived after he left Marceline, this new addition to Magic Kingdom Park will be located off of Main Street U.S.A. and will be an entirely new venue for world class entertainment. Opening will be announced at a later date.
Resorts
Disney Riviera Resort
The proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property will be located near Epcot with a rooftop restaurant that has unbelievable views of nighttime spectaculars at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Opening will be announced at a later date.
| Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com. |
Immersive Star Wars-themed hotel
An immersive Star Wars-themed hotel will be the most experiential concept ever. Dedicated entirely to the galaxy of Star Wars, guests will have a one-of-a-kind experience where a luxury resort meets a multi-day adventure in a galaxy far, far away. Opening will be announced at a later date.
Transportation
Disney Skyliner
| Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com. |
This new transportation system will give guests a bird’s-eye view of Walt Disney World Resort. Disney Skyliner will connect Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to four resorts – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, as well as the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney Riviera Resort. Opening date for Disney Skyliner will be announced at a later time.
Minnie Van service
Starting later this month, the Minnie Van service is a whimsical, point-to-point transportation service that will help guests get around Walt Disney World Resort in a jiffy. Guests can arrange their own private Disney vehicle right from their smartphone, and a Disney Cast Member will drive them wherever they want to go around Walt Disney World.
| Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com. |
DisneyQuest on the West Side at Disney Springs permanently closed on July 3, and permits have already been filed for its demolition.
The Notice of Commencement states 'Demo of structure and additional work" but does not provide a start date. Permits typically expire one year after being issued, and the the expectation is that the demolition of DisneyQuest will begin soon. (Thanks to danlb_2000 on the forums for spotting the permit filing)
Days after its closure, Disney auctioned off most of the video games that once were part of the indoor gaming attraction.
| Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com. |
Replacing DisneyQuest will be The NBA Experience - a one-of-a-kind basketball-themed experience featuring hands-on activities that put guests of all ages right in the middle of NBA game action. There will be immersive NBA video productions and numerous interactive experiences, as well as a restaurant and a retail store. Plans were originally announced all the way back in 2015.
Disney has not yet provided an opening date.
Although not officially announced, it is expected that The NBA Experience will not take all up all of the former DisneyQuest footprint, and that at least one of other tenant may take up space in the area.
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe becomes the second Magic Kingdom restaurant to join Mobile Order.
Later this summer, Pinocchio Village Haus, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café and Columbia Harbour House will be added to the line-up.
Mobile Order allows you to pay for meals on-the-go within the My Disney Experience app, bypassing the queue to order at the restaurant. Using the app, you can select menu items, customize an order and pre-pay for a meal.
Arriving at the restaurant, you'll tap an “I’m here” button in the app, which will notify the kitchen to prepare the meal. When ready, you'll be alerted through the app to pick up the meal at a designated window. Only credit card payments will initially be accepted via Mobile Order, Disney Dining Plan guests and those wishing to use a discount will have to use the regular line.
Mobile Order is currently available at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, Tomorrowland Terrace, Flame Tree Barbecue, Pizzafari, Restaurantosaurus, Satu'li Canteen and D-Luxe Burger.
Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! will return to Disney's Hollywood Studios for the 2017 holiday season according to the official Disney site.
Led by elves Wayne and Lanny, the duo from ABC/Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated special “Prep & Landing,” the spirited yuletide adventure to the North Pole features memorable holiday moments from Disney films including “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Pluto’s Christmas Tree,” “Bambi,” Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and more, all building to a festive finale that’s “So tinsel!”
The show makes use of the projectors and lasers installed for Star Wars A Galactic Spectacular, snow fall, rooftop fireworks around the viewing area, and large scale fireworks from behind the park. Watch a video of the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! from our friends at WDWMagic.com.
Trouble viewing the video? Click here to view the video on YouTube.
Chef Mickey's at Disney's Contemporary Resort will no longer be temporarily relocating to the convention center from late July.
The maintenance that was scheduled expected to begin on July 28 through to August 13 2017 has now been cancelled, and the restaurant will be operating as normal.
