The AMC Theaters at Disney Springs will begin offering pre-selected seating beginning November 7th.
All of the theaters at the AMC will allow guests to choose seats when buying tickets online and in-person.
From a gala dine-around at California Grill high atop Disney’s Contemporary Resort to celebrations around World Showcase at Epcot and waterfront at Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, there are lots of ways for you to ring in the New Year at Walt Disney World Resort.
New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World
California Grill New Year’s Eve Dinner – With spectacular views of the Magic Kingdom Park, this dine-around style gala features cooking stations throughout the restaurant. Plus, a host of favorite Disney Characters will make appearances.
The event takes place from 7:30 p.m.-midnight. The price is $650 per person.
Victoria & Albert’s New Year’s Eve Dinner – A luxurious evening in this AAA Five Diamond restaurant features gracious “butler-style” service, live harp music and personalized menus to remember the special evening. Seatings are available between 6-7:45 p.m. The price is $600 per person.
New Year’s Eve at Epcot World ShowPlace –This all-you-care-to-eat extravaganza is a real family affair featuring photo ops with fun vignettes for posing (but no Disney Characters) and Disney tunes. Seatings are available from 3-9 p.m. The cost is $72.90 for adults and $44.38 for children (ages 3-11). And, later in the evening, you can head out to the promenade for fireworks over World Showcase Lagoon to welcome 2017.
Monsieur Paul New Year’s Eve Dinner – In the elegant upstairs dining room at the France pavilion at Epcot, you can feast on a four-course, prix fixe menu of classical French cuisine. Six seatings are available on New Year’s Eve: 11:45 a.m., Noon, 2:15 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. The price is $110.81. Plus, a special late-night dinner with two seatings are available at 8:45p.m. and 9:45p.m. The price is $305.03.
Narcoossee’s New Year’s Eve Dinner – Located at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, this generous four-course menu is offered with seatings between 5 and 5:45 p.m. A five-course menu is offered with seating from 8:30-9:25 p.m. for a late-night celebration with live music. The first seating $150 for adults and $70 for children ages 3-9. The second seating is $255 for adults and $95 for children ages 3-9.
Book your Clients today via Disneyworld.com/Dine or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
For over 20 years, I have often thought the segregated menus between bays at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe were a pretty dumb concept. Having to separate your family if your interests differed between chicken or a sandwich of some kind just didn’t make a lot of sense. Finally, this suffering has been brought to an end…
We orginally ventured in to capture the Windows error screen in the closed Bay 1, but a walk over to the other bays revealed the change.
The two bays that were open sported identical menus, a first for the eatery. The menu was a combination of items from the previous separated menus.
Hopefully this change will stay in place, simplifying the ordering process for guests. I would love to visit the biggest little star in the galaxy more often…
Join us here tonight at 9:45pm for a live stream of the first-ever performance of Once Upon A Time at the Magic Kingdom.
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While we still await the opening of Disney’s very first MARVEL ride attraction, the Iron Man Experience, the Stark Expo shop attached to the highly anticipated motion simulator ride has already opened to the public. Below we have some photos of the area to share with you, courtesy of TDRExplorer.
There is still no solid opening date for the attraction, but at least guests can shop at the adjacent Stark Expo shop, right?
The main marquee for the area is actually a giant screen. Currently, it plays a number of graphics that say “Coming Soon”.
The inside of the shop features tons of MARVEL character merchandise and plenty of images related to the upcoming attraction.
The attraction itself takes place in the city of Hong Kong, so it would need to be reanimated if it were to ever be cloned for any of the other Disney theme parks around the world.
The simulator vehicles fly side-by-side with Iron Man in many of the wall graphics.
The Stark Expo is a parody of the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair which is a landmark moment in Disney Parks history, so it all kind of comes full circle with this being featured in a theme park.
The Moljinir of Thor and one of Iron Man’s repulser blasting hands on display in the shop.
As you can see in the video, there is also an experience where guests can digitally suit up as Iron Man and battle through the streets of Hong Kong.
Annual pass holders at Hong Kong Disneyland (called Magic Access Members there) can purchase the only piece of merchandise actually branded to the attraction so far: a limited edition junbo-sized pin.
Pretty neat, huh?
Starting today, guests can book a private water taxi service from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.
Private watercraft service now be offered to and from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
The Walt Disney World Resort has always offered complimentary watercraft service to and from the resort, but will now offer an additional paid program. The service departs from the Grand Floridian and can be used by guests traveling to any destinations around the Seven Seas Lagoon. It is however warned that private return service from the Magic Kingdom may not be available due to the regular boat traffic in that area.
The service can accommodate up to 10 passengers per boat and costs $20 each way per family. The private experience is available throughout the day, based on availability. Reservations can be made by calling the recreation team at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort between 8AM and 6PM at 321-318-8212.
We have reviewed Nomad Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom a lot. That’s probably because we go there a lot, but typically for the drink menu alone. A few weeks ago, we reviewed a pretty massive menu overhaul for the establishment, most of which was very positive. Well, even though that wasn’t very long ago, Nomad Lounge is changing things up once again.
Nomad Lounge menu, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
While many guests joked about the old Indian Butter Chicken Wings serving being only 3 wings in size, the last menu overhaul brought the serving portion up to 5. I always enjoyed these, so I was pretty surprised when I found new wings on the menu during a recent visit. The Indian wings have been replaced with “Asian Barbecue Chicken Wings”. If you know me by now, you know well enough that I had to order them and try them out. Let’s see how they stack up to the old…
Asian Barbecue Chicken Wings ($9), Nomad Lounge
Upon arriving at the table, all I can think about was how much they looked like the infamous “sticky wings” available at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. Once I picked one up to eat it, there were some noticeable flavor similarities between the two as well, but there was something more pleasant about these wings. There is definitely more of a barbecue sauce flavor to these than their rivals at the Polynesian, and I think it makes these a little better (in my opinion at least).
Asian Barbecue Chicken Wings ($9), Nomad Lounge
On their own, I don’t think that $9 for 5 wings is the end of the world, and these are quite good. You have to remember you are at Disney World, and on top of that, you are in a bar at a signature dining experience. The fact that Disney went and made the portions a little better is a nice effort and I find that I have enjoyed dining at Nomad Lounge much more since then.
Of course, Nomad Lounge still has my favorite drink menu at Walt Disney World, which is still reason enough to visit. So the next time you’re at Animal Kingdom and you want to take your friends or family (or maybe your favorite Disney blogger) somewhere for great drinks and good food, this would most certainly be the place to go.
Seriously though, you can buy me a drink.
When we broke the news that Celebrate the Magic at the Magic Kingdom was going away, a fair number of you went to social media and the comments section below and let the world know how upset you were and just how much you loved that show. While I wasn’t quite as heartbroken, I did love the Celebrate the Magic projection show, and certainly more than “The Magic, The Memories, and You” which preceded it. When we found out it would be a version of the Once Upon a Time show that performs at Tokyo Disneyland, I became a bit concerned that we were in for a downgrade. Let me explain…
I know I’ll have hell to pay from the Tokyo fanboys, but Once Upon a Time in Tokyo is boring. It is drawn out, has long segments that I refer to as the GTS portions (Go To Sleep), and can be a bit wonky at moments. It fits the preferences of guests there, but could never work in Orlando… unless you cut the boring parts, tighten up the show, put in some sensible pyro, and plop in segments developed for seasonal iterations of the program. Disney did all of this.
The Snow White and Tangled portions of the original version of the show were removed completely. While I lament not having the Tangled lantern scene in this style of show, it feels right. The Snow White portion absolutely needed to be cut as it just didn’t have the right pacing for a nighttime spectacular. They did keep the Cinderella portion, which was a concern of mine, but it was tightened up and comes early enough in the show where it doesn’t kill any of the momentum. You would be amazed how hard it is to keep children awake after 10pm, which for some reason is when they are running this show on most nights.
While the double-song FROZEN portion was unexpected, it works. The two times I have seen the show, the entire crowd was signing along to both “For the First Time in Forever” and “Let It Go”. Whether you love or hate Frozen, this segment is fantastic and is certainly a crowd pleaser.
The best scene, in my opinion, is the Peter Pan flight over London. All of the chills and warm feelings I got the first time I saw the Mickey’s Philharmagic segment of the same nature came back to me, and I dare say were amplified by the presentation style of the London flight in this show. Bursting through the Big Ben clock and out over the vast city skyline is amazing, and is in fact so good that it gets revisited again in the finale portion of Once Upon a Time.
The pyrotechnics in the show are spot on and only used when absolutely needed. That being said, there is a ton more pyro in this show than there ever was in any other Magic Kingdom projection show. The moments where fireworks erupt from the castle are overwhelming, and the addition of spotlights flanking the Castle throughout the show make for some truly jaw dropping effects. It reminds me in many ways of Disneyland Forever (look it up kids).
I want to have one negative about Once Upon a Time as not to seem like a “Pixie Duster” and I have a valid one: they didn’t reanimate Mrs. Potts and Chip. Despite being your hosts for the show and appearing on the Castle several times, the mouth movements and what the characters are saying never line up. It’s like watching an animated Godzilla movie that was translated to English. I suppose it is not a big deal, but it is really noticeable if you are standing in the front portion of the hub area.
Once Upon a Time delivers, despite being seemingly set up to fail. It replaces a beloved show, is presented once nightly, 30 minutes after the end of Wishes (supposedly the main nighttime attraction for the park), and park crowd control cast members don’t even really stick around to wrangle and direct guests in the time leading up to, during, and after this show, despite their being sizable crowds for it. With all of that being said, the show is quintessentially Disney, combing past and contemporary animated favorites with stunningly clear projections, awe-inspiring pyrotechnics and lighting, and a soundtrack that weaves together wonderful sing-along moments with a fantastic original score and theme.
Once Upon Time is a must see the next time you visit the Magic Kingdom (and it is actually playing, it does not perform nightly as of right now).
New Dooney & Bourke Bags Featuring Theme Park Icons, Disney Cats, & More Coming This Month
Disney today announced several new handbags by Dooney & Bourke will be released this month in select locations at Disney Parks and via the Shop Disney Parks mobile app. These Disney-inspired handbags were created especially for Disney Parks.
The Disney Villains Collection by Dooney & Bourke
The Disney Villains collection is currently available in select locations at Disney Parks. The three bag collection includes a Tote, a Letter Carrier, and a Wristlet.
On Friday, November 18, Disney will be holding a special release party at Cherry Tree Lane in the Marketplace Co-Op at Disney Springs Marketplace. At this event, they will release two handbag collections.
The Retro Sticker Collage Collection by Dooney & Bourke
The Walt Disney World Toile Collection by Dooney & Bourke
The Retro Sticker Collage collection includes three silhouettes – a Wristlet, a Large Letter Carrier, and a Tote. The Walt Disney World Toile collection will have a Large Letter Carrier, a Tote, and a Hobo Satchel.
During this special event, guests will have an opportunity to meet Ian Ray, Creative Director for Dooney & Bourke from 10:30am-12:00pm.
The Retro Sticker Collage collection will also be released on November 18 at Disneyland Resort.
The Princess Keys Collection by Dooney & Bourke
The Disney Cat Collection by Dooney & Bourke
There are two additional collections that will be released on the Shop Disney Parks app in November. The first collection – Princess Keys – will launch on November 14, while the Disney Cat-themed collection will be introduced on the app starting November 28.
In addition to Shop Disney Parks app, guests may find select styles on the Disney Parks online store.
(HONG KONG, NOVEMBER 7, 2016) The much-awaited Disney Parks’ first Marvel-themed ride, Iron Man Experience – Presented by AIA, will launch at Hong Kong Disneyland on January 11, 2017. For the very first time, this new ride-through attraction is featuring a story based in Hong Kong. Guests will be able to soar through Hong Kong’s skies alongside Iron Man and battle the evil forces of Hydra in the multi-sensory immersive motion experience.
“Hong Kong Disneyland is excited to bring the first-ever Marvel-themed ride in a Disney Park to Hong Kong,” said Samuel Lau, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. “The Iron Man Experience is a unique immersive motion experience using Hong Kong as the story background for the very first time. We are proud to give local and overseas guests a different perspective and experience of Hong Kong while promoting our vibrant city to the world at the same time.”
The Resort today also announced a corporate alliance with AIA, which will be the presenting sponsor of the Iron Man Experience.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Hong Kong Disneyland in presenting Disney Parks’ first Marvel-themed ride, Iron Man Experience,” said Jacky Chan, Chief Executive Officer of AIA Hong Kong and Macau. “This initiative is in perfect alignment with the criteria of AIA Hong Kong’s sponsorship strategy. It is a popular world-class event that can be enjoyed by members of the public. The event will create happy memories with the community, it also strengthens our brand promise to be ‘The Real Life Company’ by bringing an exciting experience to people of all ages. Most importantly, it gives us the opportunity to make a positive difference by helping people live healthier, better and happier lives.”
The eminent innovator and pioneer, Tony Stark has selected Tomorrowland in Hong Kong Disneyland to host Stark Expo, where he will show off his latest high-tech creations in various exhibition halls – the Hall of Legacy, the Hall of Protection, the Hall of Energy and the Hall of Mobility. Guests will be among the first to explore Tony Stark’s latest innovations up close and fly in a gravity-defying Iron Wing flight vehicle in Iron Man Experience. He has also made Hong Kong the Asia headquarters of Stark Industries hereafter.
The park has spent over three years to design and create Iron Man Experience – complete with flight simulators, 3-D projection, surround sound and other special effects that immerse guests in the Marvel story of a battle with the evil forces of Hydra.
For the first time, the park has integrated strong Hong Kong elements into a park attraction by using Hong Kong and its skyline for the fly-through ride. After putting on a pair of StarkVision glasses and taking off on Stark Industries’ special Expo-edition Iron Wing, guests will make their way to the Hong Kong Stark Tower powered by the arc reactor and whizz alongside Iron Man through streets that resemble those in West Kowloon and downtown, and fly over iconic Hong Kong landmarks like Tsing Ma Bridge, Victoria Harbour and the city’s pristine mountain ranges.
The Iron Man Experience will be complemented by a range of Iron Man-themed experiences unveiling at Tomorrowland in the run up to the grand launch of the Stark Expo. The brand-new Expo Shop is already opened to greet guests with a tantalizing range of 70-plus Hong Kong Disneyland exclusive Iron Man merchandise items and more than 250 items of Marvel-themed memorabilia, among them collectibles and toys, glowing key chains, souvenirs as well as apparels and accessories. Some of the exclusive apparels feature Hong Kong’s postcard-perfect scenery or Stark Expo themes.
In the Expo Shop, Iron Man fans get to try on Iron Man’s armor suit in the interactive game Become Iron Man at The Stark Expo. Through interactive motion-sensing technology, guests can experience the various functions of the armor and feel what it is like to be a super hero as they fight the forces of evil while zipping through streets that closely resemble Hong Kong. Guests can also take home a memento package featuring a digital photo collage of their Become Iron Man adventure, as well as a digital download of an approximately 35-second video of their transformation.
The park and hotel restaurants have prepared more than 25 Iron Man-themed food and beverage choices to refuel during the intense Iron Man Experience. Among the delectable choices are an Iron Man Waffle, Iron Man stein, Iron Man desserts at Chef Mickey Buffet and Iron Man beverages served at the resort hotels.
At the Iron Man Tech Showcase presented by Stark Industries, guests will find various Iron Man armor suits. Iron Man will also make his first appearance at Hong Kong Disneyland to meet and interact with guests.
Guests may chance upon an opportunity of a sneak preview, when the Iron Man Experience Sneak Peek is held from December 23, 2016 to January 8, 2017. Starting from December 23, 2016*=, guests staying at the resort’s two hotels will receive a Priority Admission Pass of Iron Man Experience to shorten the wait for their turn on the Marvel-themed ride.
