Moonlight Magic Events for 2018 Announced

WDWNT on December 1, 2017

Disney Vacation Club Members will enjoy more Moonlight Magic event dates than ever in 2018, with parties confirmed for every month from January through November, with more dates still to come. To help you plan accordingly, Disney Vacation Club is sharing confirmed party and booking dates.

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The confirmed slate includes the first Moonlight Magic events at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where Toy Story Land is scheduled to have made its debut by the time Members take over the park. Also confirmed is a return to Disney California Adventure park, where Paradise Pier is scheduled to have become Pixar Pier – headlined by the highly anticipated transformation of California Screamin’ into “The Incredibles”-inspired Incredicoaster.

Complimentary Moonlight Magic events invite Disney Vacation Club Members and special guests to turn Disney Parks into their own personal playgrounds at the end of the parks’ operating days. While attendees may get a jump start on the fun by mixing in with the regular crowd earlier in the evening, the real magic happens after the park has closed to the public. It’s then that privileged partiers discover shorter-than-usual wait times on popular attractions, meet off-the-beaten-path characters, enjoy complimentary refreshments, let loose at dance parties and more.

Here’s a look at the confirmed 2018 Moonlight Magic schedule, including the dates on which online reservations will open for each event:

  • Jan. 11 and 28, and Feb. 6 at Magic Kingdom Park
    (Booking begins for Members with Resort reservations on the event dates Dec 7. Pending availability, booking opens for all Members on Dec 21.)
  • March 21, April 17 and May 16 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
    (Booking begins for Members with Resort reservations on the event dates Feb 8. Pending availability, booking opens for all Members on Feb 22.)
  • May 30 and June 11 at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
    (Booking begins for Members with Resort reservations on the event dates April 19. Pending availability, booking opens for all Members on May 3.)
  • July 16 and Aug. 13 at Epcot
    (Booking begins for Members with Resort reservations on the event dates June 6. Pending availability, booking opens for all Members on June 20.)
  • Sept. 19 and 26, and Oct. 3 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
    (Booking begins for Members with Resort reservations on the event dates Aug 30. Pending availability, booking opens for all Members on Sept. 13.)
  • Nov. 15 at Disney California Adventure Park
    (Booking begins for all Members on Oct. 4.)

Please note that, in order to allow as many Members as possible to enjoy Moonlight Magic, only one event date for each participating park will be available per Membership. Watch disneyvacationclub.com for additions to the Moonlight Magic event slate, as well as party hours and transportation information.

An R.S.V.P is required for these events. At least one valid Disney Vacation Club Membership Card with photo ID will be required for these experiences. Activities, entertainment and Characters are subject to change and these events are subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather.

PHOTOS: Giant Star Wars AT-AT Popcorn Bucket Arrives at Disney Parks

WDWNT on December 1, 2017

We have seen some amazing popcorn buckets being sold at Disney Parks recently, but this one has the power to destroy a rebel base on Hoth…

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Available at the Tomorrowland popcorn cart in Disneyland Park, guests can now take home a classic AT-AT filled with popcorn.

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The price is a little steep at $25.00, but it is pretty cool and looks to be quite large. Luckily, Disneyland is limiting just one per guest to make sure that everyone gets one.

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This “bucket” should also be arriving at Walt Disney World soon, likely being sold at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Oh, and don’t expect there to be a lot of popcorn in it…

Our thanks to @Tarihc78 on twitter for the photos!

Annual Passholders Get a Free Holiday Magnet Starting 12/1 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on December 1, 2017

Annual Passholders visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios December 1st through the 17th, 2017 can a special holiday magnet for free.

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The Mickey Mouse Passholder Magnet seen above (a Christmas version of the usual AP magnet) can be picked up at the Mickey’s of Hollywood, Celebrity 5 & 10, and Once Upon a Time shops on Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard.

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The magnets are limited to one per pass holder with valid annual pass and ID and are available while supplies last. Disney is not responsible for replacing any lost or stolen magnets, so you may not want to put this one on your car…

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Returns December 15th, The Last Jedi Scenes Being Added

WDWNT on December 1, 2017

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular will return to the skies above Disney’s Hollywood Studios just in time for the release fo Star Wars: The Last Jedi on December 15th, 2017.

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During this period through December 31st, “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM” will be performed first every evening, followed a few hours later by Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. Just Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular will be performed nightly beginning 1/1/18.

Additions to the show based on The Last Jedi are expected, but may not debut until the December 17th public showing, as they are slated to debut first at Star Wars Galactic Nights on the 16th.

Similarly, a Rogue One scene was added to the show earlier this year:

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Rex & Jessie Mark First Two Characters Installed at Toy Story Land, Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

width=Disney shared a sneak peek of the first two Toy Story characters, Jessie and Rex, being installed earlier this week in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The photos and videos released by Disney show the two larger-than-life figures positioned around the Slinky Dog Dash Coaster in the new land. Both characters were lifted in by cranes and perched on top of towers of blocks that rise up around the coaster track.

According to their storyline, Rex and Jessie decided to help Andy decided to help Andy build a roller coaster using his Mega Coaster Play Kit by stringing up the lights on towers of blocks. Rex got himself tangled up in the lights, but Jessie is nearby to help out.

BREAKING: Star Tours Will No Longer Mix Places & Characters from Different Eras, Ride to be Separated Into Two Paths

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

When Star Tours opens on November 17th, 2017, guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park will only find characters related to the latest Star Wars trilogy and will likely never see these characters mixed with classic faces and sequences moving forward.

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What does this mean? Well, an entirely new opening sequence featuring characters from Episodes 7 and 8 will debut, followed by the Jakku sequence, a transmission from BB-8 (and maybe even some other new characters), and then finally, the new Crait sequence featuring the planet from The Last Jedi.

At a later time to be determined, guests will then have a choice between two paths in the attraction, culminating in ride sequences that either feature characters from the current trilogy (episodes 7-8) or those from the past (episodes 1-6). Think of this like Mission:Space at Epcot, where guests can choose between two different versions of the ride.

It is unknown when this will begin, but it should be somewhere in the timeframe of 6-12 months after the debut of the Crait scene later this month.

This separation would alleviate confusion for guests, as characters from very different eras in the series have appeared concurrently in the Star Tours attraction since its overhaul in 2011. That being said, the classic version would span Episodes 1 through 6, which still covers a wide range of time in the saga.

New Projections, Celebrity Appearances & More Announced for Star Wars Galactic Nights

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

Star Wars: Galactic Nights is returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios next month, and Disney is bringing big changes to the event this year by adding a projection show, celebrity appearances, and more.

From the Parks Blog:

First up – Wicket. Wald. Willow. Wollivan. Warwick Davis has long been part of the Lucasfilm family and beloved by Star Wars fans since his career-starting performance as Wicket the Ewok in “Return of the Jedi.” An established film and television actor, Davis is known for other Lucasfilm roles in “Ewoks: Battle for Endor” and “Caravan of Courage,” and for portraying the title character in “Willow.” He returned to the galaxy far, far away for the prequels as well, with several roles in “The Phantom Menace.” He recently played Wollivan in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and will appear in this year’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”

Actor David Collins will also appear at the event to host a special “Inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” panel discussion with members of the Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm team. The panel, which will include Scott Trowbridge, Portfolio Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering; Robin Reardon, Executive Creative Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering; Chris Beatty, Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering and Doug Chiang, VP/Creative Director at Lucasfilm, will give guests an inside look at the making of the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands currently under construction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland park. Attendees will also get an exclusive peek into the progress being made and learn what it’s like to bring the epic saga to life in the theme parks.

A new projection show called Star Wars: Galactic Destinations will take place on Sunset Boulevard. Projections of iconic scenes from Star Wars movies and familiar locations throughout the galaxy will transform the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Lighting and special effects, as well as a cinematic music score will add to the show, culminating in a grand experience that will be unique to this ticketed event.

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Inspiration from Star Wars: The Last Jedi will change other Star Wars-based attractions throughout the park, including Star Wars Launch Bay, Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, and “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular.” Each attraction will receive an update starting on that night of the event and the new elements will be pulled directly from the new film.

Special presentations of the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away stage show and the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks show will also take place and feature new elements from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Of course specialty food and beverage will also be available, and guests are welcome to come dressed up as their favorite Star Wars characters (provided they follow Disney’s costume guidelines). Oh yeah, and did I mention, Star Wars!

The event takes place on December 16 from 7pm to midnight, and only guests with tickets to the event will be allowed in the park during event hours. Ticketing for Star Wars: Galactic Nights is priced at $129 for adults and $124 ages 3-9, with discounts available for Annual Passholders and DVC Members. For more information, as well as to purchase your tickets, follow the link here or call 407-W-DISNEY (407 934-7639).

Disney Announces Another New Star Tours Destination, Reveals New Crait Concept Art

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

Today the Disney Parks Blog has released some concept art of the new Crait scene debuting on November 17 at Star Tours in Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios (and later at overseas parks).

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Disney also hinted in the Parks Blog post that there is another new scene coming, and this is likely the new opening sequence featuring characters from Episodes 7 and 8 that we reported yesterday.

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We’ll be on the scene on November 17 to bring you all the details, so stay tuned!

Star Tours Now Ends On Galaxy’s Edge Planet, Previewing New Star Wars Land at Disney Parks

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

Guests riding Star Tours today not only got a look at Crait from The Last Jedi, they also got a sneak peek at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

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The new Crait scene in Star Tours actually concludes the ride by making a hyperspace visit to the safety of Batuu, the now-named planet guests will visit in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios In 2019.

Other changes to the ride include two new opening sequences featuring Kylo Ren and the First Order Stormtroopers in place of the original opening scenes. There are also two new transmission sequences featuring Maz Kanata and Poe Dameron, in addition to the pre-existing BB-8.

All of these changes were detailed in a report we posted earlier this week.

 

 

BREAKING: Opening Date Revealed for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on November 20, 2017

With today being the 89th birthday of the one and only Mickey Mouse, it seems like a pretty good day to talk about the first-ever ride to star this immortal icon.

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During D23 Expo 2017, Disney Parks Chairman Bob Chapek announced Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. The attraction will be the first ever Mickey-themed ride-through attraction, with a new original story and lovable attraction theme song.

Since being announced back in July at the 2017 D23 Expo, Disney has been very quiet about the expected opening date for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the attraction replacing The Great Movie Ride inside of the replica of the Chinese Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Well, we now have some idea when this attraction will be opening…

According to internal documents, Walt Disney Imagineering is scheduled hand over operations of the attraction to the park sometime in April 2019, with the park opening the attraction sometime between April and May. Purely speculation on our part, but it seems likely that the official opening of the attraction be May 1st, 2019 – the 30th anniversary of the park. This may also be used as a good opportunity to rename and rededicate the park ahead of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opening later in 2019, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway would support the final Summer before the long-awaited Star Wars Land arrives towards the end of the year in Orlando. That being said, we are still 18 months away from this projected opening and things could change if the project falls behind schedule, but Disney is certainly aiming for the Summer of 2019.

We have more details to come your way today for this exciting new attraction, so stay tuned throughout “The Big Cheese’s” birthday for more on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.