BREAKING: Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon to Close Soon

With the announcement of Miss Fortune Falls this week, it seemed as though the capacity of Typhoon Lagoon was being increased with a new attraction. Well, it seems the addition is to distract guests from a classic element of the second Disney water park…

shark-reef-gallery00

According to management at Typhoon Lagoon, Shark Reef will be closing in September. Shark Reef allows guests to snorkel through an unheated, saltwater reef populated with stingrays, bonnethead sharks, leopard sharks and colorful tropical fish and has been a staple of the park since it opened back in 1989.

Our sources at the water park report it is the rather hefty maintenance and upkeep cost of the exhibit which is why Disney is finally looking to close it. The exhibit has been rumored to close for several years now, but with a new, large investment coming into the park, now seems like the opportune moment for Disney to do so.

No replacement for the Shark Reef attraction has been talked about yet, and of course this is not 100% official until addressed by Walt Disney World.

PHOTO REPORT: Magic Kingdom 8/4/16 (Carousel of Progress Refurbishment, Pirates Merchandise, Pandora, ETC.)

Let’s see what’s new and exciting around the Magic Kingdom in our latest photo report:

IMG_0397

Tarps up in front of the Great Ceremonial House at the Polynesian

IMG_0399

IMG_0406

No sign of the Muppets yet in Liberty Square, but they should still be up in the windows

IMG_0407

IMG_0408

Plenty of new kid’s clothing released at Pirates of the Caribbean featuring the new style Fab 5

IMG_0410

IMG_0411

IMG_0412

IMG_0413

IMG_0414

The Pluto plush has joined Minnie now

IMG_0415

He has the keys…

IMG_0416

I hadn’t seen these big pink and purple bows yet, seemed new to me

IMG_0417

There are two animation flipbook notepads available at the parks, but you can’t open them to see what they look like inside

IMG_0419

IMG_0420

The front section of Uptown Jewelers is closed for remodeling

IMG_0421

IMG_0424

The circular register is history

IMG_0439

New Pirates of the Caribbean pin set

IMG_0441

IMG_0383

A few theaters at the carousel of Progress got new carpeting and seats during the recent closure

IMG_0380

IMG_0381

It’s hard to tell anything was actually done though…

The Lion King, Aladdin, and The Jungle Book 16-Bit Games Now on PC and Mac

Remember the classic Disney games during the days of the NES, Sega Genesis, and SNES? Well thanks to GOG.com, you can now buy and play 16-bit versions of The Lion King, Aladdin, and The Jungle Book.

Screenshot 2016-08-04 12.03.23

All three games are ports of their respective Sega Genesis originals, which is great because those versions still burst with a beautiful 16-bit era art style. The games are DMR free, and available on Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Each game costs $10, or you can buy a bundle which comes with all three for $30. However, right now a launch sale is underway and you can grab each game for $9, or the bundle for $20.

All three of the games were originally developed by Virgin Interactive, with Aladdin being released in 1993, while the other two games launched later in 1994.

REVIEW: Blaze Pizza Fires Up Counter Service Options at Disney Springs

This Friday, Blaze Pizza will open its doors to guests at Disney Springs, bringing a much needed counter service option to the Town Center, just steps away from D-Luxe Burger and Homecoming Florida Kitchen. What is Blaze Pizza? Well, in their own words…

Ok, we’re gonna keep this quick. Because exceptional quality at lightning fast speed is what we’re all about. Blaze Pizza. Head food guy, Executive Chef Bradford Kent (aka “The Pizza Whisperer”). Fresh, made-from-scratch dough. Healthful, artisanal ingredients on the assembly line. Inventive to classic. You decide. Blazing hot oven + dedicated pizzasmith + 180 seconds = fast-fire’d, perfectly crisp perfection. Sound good? Enjoy the rest of your day.

It’s a fast food pizza joint, but don’t think Dominos or Pizza Hut, because that could not be any further from what Blaze is…

DSC_0035

DSC_0036

Blaze is located in what “was” the Buena Vista Timber Co. in the elaborate Disney Springs backstory.

DSC_0037

DSC_0060

The most expensive pizzas are $9.65, which regardless of quality would be an incredible value compared to anywhere else in the theme parks of Orlando.

DSC_0059

IMG_0610

To simplify ordering, guests are given this paper menu which lists all of the possible ingredients (including a gluten-free dough option).

IMG_0611

IMG_0612

If you find building a pizza daunting, you can always order a simple pie, 1 topping, or any of the signature pies.

IMG_0613

IMG_0614

DSC_0039

Very much like a Chipotle, guests building their own pizza add ingredients step by step before the pizza is thrown into the oven where it cooks for 180 seconds.

DSC_0061

The Blaze staff was incredibly helpful and happy to guide us on our pizza quest. I write about theme parks too much, excuse my vocabulary…

IMG_0616

IMG_0617

IMG_0619

IMG_0622

DSC_0049

I’m not sure how it will work normally, but we were told we could go sit and they would call us when our pizza was ready.

DSC_0064

DSC_0053

The salads were good for counter service. My cesar salad reminded me a lot of the very enjoyable ones found at Disney quick service restaurants across property.

DSC_0055

The strawberry salad was nothing to write home about, but really we’re here for pizza…

IMG_0632

I built my own pizza with the spicy red sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, Italian meatballs, pepperoni, and oregano. As you know if you have been reading my reviews for any amount of time, I love spice and the spicy red sauce had a phenomenal kick to it. It didn’t overpower the rest of the pizza, but it blended nicely with everything else. The pizza here has a very thin crust, New York style and the pies are large, certainly enough for one person, possibly enough to satisfy two of a smaller appetite than I. In all honesty, this was the best counter service/quick service/fast food pizza I have ever had. Being from Bronx, NY, I am a pretty big pizza snob and it takes a lot to impress me. I wouldn’t pick this over a NY slice, but, I would pick this over absolutely any pizza in the state of Florida outside of Via Napoli. Blaze Pizza makes Red Oven at Universal Orlando look like the Fantastic Four Cafe (Pizzafari for the Universal-deficient)…

DSC_0046

The consensus from those I spoke to was that they loved their pizza. Pictured above is the other pizza I tried, the White Top signature pie, which was so different from what I ordered yet I felt it was just as good in overall quality. You can taste the quality ingredients here and they make a big difference from what you’ll find around the theme parks in Central Florida. It’s fast, it’s delicious, and it’s cheap, and I think it’s going to make a big impact at Disney Springs.

IMG_0626

They have a wide variety of soft drink option which are open to refills, including the Blue Sky beverages which can only be found here including a root beer, an orange soda (which is divine), and black cherry.

DSC_0043

They also have some delightful teas and fruit drinks available.

DSC_0058

DSC_0062

For dessert, Blaze offers a brownie, chocolate chip cookie, or a s’mores pie.

DSC_0057

None of these particularly stuck out to me, but this is a pizza place and desserts aren’t really a focus. There are more than enough great options at Disney Springs, I would just save room for a D-Luxe Burger shake or something from Amorette’s Patisserie (or than pecan pie from Frontera Cocina).

IMG_0620

Overall, the pricing and quality of the pizzas at Blaze make it a top contender at Disney Springs, if not the very best overall counter service in the area. I love D-Luxe Burger with all my heart and soul, but clearly this is a better value. It is so much cheaper and the food quality is at the same level. It will really just come down to what you are in the mood for, pizza or a burger (or I guess you could go get a sandwich at Earl, but that’s not really my thing). If you have a Blaze Pizza near you, you probably won’t be that excited about this, but as someone who had never visited a Blaze before, I was happy with my experience and I don’t feel I would rule out eating here just because it is a chain. If you want counter service at Disney Springs, Blaze Pizza will need to be in the conversation.

RUMOR: The Great Mickey Ride Replacing Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?

It has been a time for crazy rumors the last few months, and it seems there isn’t an end in sight under the Bob Chapek regime. The latest indicates that once the 3 year sponsorship deal between Turner Classic Movies and Disney is up, the Great Movie Ride would be replaced with something called “The Great Mickey Ride”.

A Theatrical Journey Ð Walt Disney World Resort guests can take a ride through the most famous film sets in silver screen history at The Great Movie Ride at DisneyÕs Hollywood Studios. Housed in a full-scale reproduction of HollywoodÕs world-famous Chinese Theater, the ride-through attraction travels through a soundstage tour of such memorable movie scenes as the ÒCasablancaÓ airport farewell, the Yellow Brick Road to Emerald City from ÒWizard of Oz,Ó the ÒRaiders of the Lost ArkÓ Well of Souls and many more. DisneyÕs Hollywood Studios is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Scott Miller, photographer)

While details are scarce at this point, rumors indicate the ride would be trackless and is also being developed to go somewhere at the Disneyland Resort simultaneously.

The latest trend in the parks seems to be Disney removing any connections to franchises that Disney does not own (Twilight Zone for example), and the Great Movie Ride is packed with a lot of films that Disney has absolutely no ownership over. The line of thinking here would be to feature the first ride ever devoted to Mickey Mouse (clearly the property of the Walt Disney Company), something that has been attempted many times over the last 60 years but never built in any Disney theme park.

If plans remained unchanged and Disney pulls the trigger on this project, the Great Movie Ride would close just after the opening of the Star Wars-themed land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, keep in mind that this project is very blue sky at this point and may never see the light of day, but the Great Movie Ride’s removal is still a likely target for the company at this time.

TONIGHT on WDW News Tonight (8/3/16) – 45 Greatest Things Ever at WDW, Blaze Pizza, & WDWCelebrations Next Event

Tonight on WDW News Tonight, we start figuring out what were the 45 greatest things ever at Walt Disney World, we play WDWNT: The Pyramid, and Adam Roth and Jason Diffendal of WDWCelebrations join us to talk about their next event…

45th

If you are in the Orlando area, you can tune in to AM 1520 WBZW at showtime. For those outside the Orlando area, the show can be heard (and now watched via video stream) at Listen.WDWNT.com on your computer or mobile device. The show also utilizes new interactive avenues for our audience, including a live chat, the ability to call-in to the show, and live polling.WDW News Tonight is hosted by Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, but also features appearances by a number of other WDWNT correspondents.

Coming up on this week’s show:

  • A recap of the week’s news (with a WDWNT comedic twist)
  • Tom & Nick Are Angry About Things
  • An interview with Adam Roth and Jason Diffendal of WDWCelebrations
  • The Wonderful World of Psychotic Comments
  • “WDWNT: The Pyramid”, featuring prizes from Theme Park Connection
  • What did we just eat? – A Review of Blaze Pizza at Disney Springs
  • Who’s Hates Tom Now?
  • In-Depth Discussion – For Your Consideration: The 45 Greatest Things Ever at Walt Disney World
  • And more!

We hope that you will tune in tonight at 9PM ET for another episode of WDW News Tonight!

If you missed the last show, you can watch it here:

BREAKING: Paint the Night Parade at Disneyland Will End September 5th As Well

The Disneyland Today twitter account confirmed that the Paint the Night Parade at Disneyland will come to an end September 5th, along with Disneyland Forever fireworks and World of Color Celebrate.

Obviously, no reasoning was given for the cancellation as of yet and it is uncertain if this is continuing budget cuts or if the Paint the Night Parade is just going seasonal or being moved to another Disney Park, possibly the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

We will keep you updated on this breaking story as more becomes available.

Disney Introducing Add-On Star Wars Augmented Reality Game at Theme Parks

From the Disney Parks Blog:

Disney Floral & Gifts, in partnership with Lucasfilm, is happy to announce the launch of the newStar Wars Rebels Interactive Adventure. For those brave enough to answer the call for this mission, an adventure awaits. To help you get started, below are 4 mission details you’ll need to know to thwart the Empire!

Top Secret Mission Detail #1: The Mission

The Star Wars Rebels Interactive Adventure takes you from your resort room “barracks” on an interactive role-playing mission to the Star Tours Attraction. You’ll go “under cover” as an Imperial Security Officer, complete with rank bar, cap, satchel, and diversion tattoos. The Empire is always watching, so make sure they don’t identify you as the Rebel Spy!

Top Secret Mission Detail #2: The Tech

The adventure features unique technology exclusive to this experience. Through an augmented reality app on your smartphone, Ezra Bridger leads you on a mission to thwart the Empire. By scanning targets or “wayfinders” featured around your resort room and Star Tours, Ezra leads you to hidden information and gear needed to complete your mission.

The rebel tech on your phone allows you to experience the adventure again and again, even after returning home from the Disney Parks!

Top Secret Mission Detail #3: The Gear

With equipment to help on your adventure, the mission includes a disguise and your data card to transmit information to the rebels at Star Tours. Other collectibles include a Jedi holocron, lightsaber, Rebel journal, 4 Empire recruitment posters, and an Empire door banner.

Have multiple rebels in your party? You can add-on elements of this adventure for everyone to experience!

Top Secret Mission Detail #4: The Reward

Once you’ve completed your mission, you’ll be rewarded like any true hero with a Medal of Bravery. Presented in a rebel lock box wrapped with a Phoenix symbol, this medal can only be recovered upon completion of your mission. Like the one seen in the film Star Wars: A New Hope, the medal’s design features a lanyard, which can be personalized, to identify your victory.

Are you brave enough to answer the call and thwart the Empire’s efforts? Then enlist today by visiting the Disney Floral and Gifts at Walt Disney World, (407-WDW-GIFT) or Disney Floral and Gifts at Disneyland (714-781-GIFT). Delivery to Disney resorts begins August 15th.

The package is a bit pricey at $499.99, but includes the following:

  • (1) Empire Door Banner
  • (4) Empire Recruitment Posters
  • (1) Imperial Security Satchel
  • (1) Imperial Rank Bar
  • (1) Rebel Utility Blanket
  • (1) Medal of Bravery with box and fabric wrap
  • (1) Set of Rebel of Diversion Tattoos
  • (1) Rebel Data Card Lanyard
  • (1) Holocron
  • (1) Wayfinder set and Mission Briefing
  • (1) Imperial Security Cap
  • (1) Kanan’s Lightsaber
  • (1) Star Wars Rebel Journal

Miss Fortune Falls Family Attraction Finally Announced for Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

We told you this first a few weeks back, but Disney today is finally talking about the new “family-friendly” water attraction they are adding to Typhoon Lagoon: Miss Fortune Falls.

IMG_0582

Opening in 2017 at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park, the attraction brings to life the story of Captain Mary Oceaneer, a treasure-hunting heroine who was stranded by a rogue storm. Once aboard treasure rafts, guests will embark on a journey through the Captain’s past before plunging into a white water adventure where guests can see unique artifacts that Captain Mary Oceaneer collected on her hunts around the world.

With a ride time of two minutes, Miss Fortune Falls will be the longest attraction at any Disney water park.

UPDATE: “Fantasy in the Sky” Fireworks Replacing More Expensive Disneyland Forever Show; Only On Weekends

We’ve been telling you for a few months now that the Disneyland Forever fireworks show would be going away come September 5th at Disneyland Park, well, Disney has finally confirmed that there will indeed be a regular fireworks show following that, the “classic” Fantasy in the Sky”.

DForeverParadeRender

“Fantasy in the Sky” is a much smaller scale show, typically used as a filler show when new shows are being developed for the park, so the change is assumed to be mostly budgetary in nature. Also, the continuous attendance growth at Disneyland has made it a challenge to present fireworks nightly, especially with the large amount of construction happening in the back of the park currently.

“Fantasy in the Sky” will perform Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November 2016, when the holiday-themed fireworks are slated to return.