Following the success of the Satuli Canteen and Pizzafari in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, 5 Magic Kingdom restaurants will launch the mobile ordering program starting in the next few days.
Magic Kingdom locations joining the program include Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Pinocchio Village Haus, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe, and Columbia Harbour House.
The mobile ordering program allows guests to order at Disney counter service restaurants from their mobile devices and then pick-up the order when they are ready to eat. Check out our comprehensive review of the service to see how it works.
According to sources at the Disneyland Resort, the Paint the Night Electrical Parade is all packed up to be shipped off, but where is it going?
Paint the Night debuted at the Disneyland Resort in May 2015 as part of the Diamond Celebration and ran through the end of the event in September 2016, only briefly for the holiday season in 2016 before vanishing again. The Main Street Electrical Parade returned to Disneyland Park in January 2017 and will be running through August 2017 (at least), meanwhile, Fantasmic is slated to return to Disneyland this summer and a brand new Disneyland fireworks show is reportedly coming in early 2018. With all of this nighttime entertainment, apparently it has been decided that they can afford to let Paint the Night go somewhere else.
Where will the parade go? Many expect that it is going to the Magic Kingdom since the Main Street Electrical Parade was taken away from Walt Disney World’s flagship park in the Fall of 2016. However, it is hard to image that it can successfully run a new parade in addition to a brand new (and very popular) fireworks show in Happily Ever After. Other parks at Walt Disney World seem an unlikely home for the parade, and Hollywood Studios can’t currently handle such an offering in its current state.
Simply because I have zero confirmation of where the parade is going, it may be worth mentioning that Disneyland Paris and Shanghai Disney are both without a nighttime parade as well. Regardless, the smart money would still be on The Magic Kingdom.
We’ll wait and see what happens, but regardless, the Paint the Night parade is packed up and ready to go, we just need to fill out the recipient’s address…
The seasonal attraction Stitch’s Great Escape will return to operation this Summer at the Magic Kingdom, meanwhile, the Stitch meet and greet will relocate to Tomorrowland from Main Street.
The Stitch’s Great Escape attraction will be open daily from May 27th until August 19th, 2017 from 10am-6pm before closing again for the Fall.
The Stitch meet and greet experience at the Magic Kingdom is also moving, relocating from Town Square to Tomorrowland on May 21st. Stitch will ow be located outside of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.
Beginning August 20th, 2017, the Magic Kingdom will no longer present a 3:00 parade…
The Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will be presented at 2:00pm daily starting August 20th. This appears to be a permanent change.
No reason for the change has been given, but the Paint the Night Electrical Parade coming to the Magic Kingdom could be the reason. The park would need more time between the entertainment offerings considering how popular Happily Ever After is and how popular the Paint the Night Parade would be (should it be moving, still a rumor at this point).
Legendary Walt Disney World entertainer Christopher George Weaver has passed away according to cast members who worked with him. Weaver was best known for portraying the Mayor of Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom.
In addition to appearing around Main Street U.S.A., Weaver also hosted many of the old Magic Kingdom Welcome Shows at the Railroad Station when it existed.
We would like to thank Christopher for his many years of bringing joy to guests from around the world and our condolences go out to his family and friends.
As 2017 comes to a close, we look back at some of the greatest moments in Disney Parks this year. From new restaurants and attractions, to festivals and more, 2017 added so much to the Disney Parks we love. So, in no particular order, here are the seven (yeah,…. seven) best things from 2017 (in our opinions, of course).
Be sure to read more about each of them by clicking their titles.
Mission: Breakout had many fans upset when news broke that DCA’s Tower of Terror would be gone for good, but after the attraction opened in May, many people’s opinions quickly changed. Not only is Guardians of the Galaxy a worthy replacement for Tower of Terror, but it might even be a superior one. Either way, it’s a welcomed new attraction that takes Disney’s unique drop tower ride and adds a ton of charm the way only Disney knows how.
What’s not to love about Geyser Point Grill and Bar? This new restaurant offers fantastic food and drink options, breathtaking views of Bay Lake, and a cozy outdoor environment that will surely please guests. With solid menu prices and being just a boat ride away from Magic Kingdom, Geyser Point has quickly become one of our favorite spots on property.
After a lengthy bit of downtime, the Disneyland Railroad reopened this summer with new and enhanced scenes that have been a hit with guests. Both the Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas were restored to their original glory, with each scene looking fresh and having the added benefit of some new aesthetic touches. This seminal attraction has been preserved to inspire and entertain new generations of guests, while the new area north of the Rivers of America is a beautiful new vista.
When people heard that Wishes was going to end at Magic Kingdom, there was a lot of concern, and rightfully so. However, Happily Ever After debuted in May and won the hearts of Disney fans from all corners of the world. With its outstanding soundtrack, impressive new technologies, unrelenting usage of pyrotechnics, and thoughtful use of beloved Disney IPs, Happily Ever After is perhaps the new greatest Disney fireworks show to date.
It took nearly seven years from the time it was announced, but in 2017 Pandora – The World of Avatar finally opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. After all the years it took, the money invested, and confusion among fans, was Pandora worth it? The answer is a resounding yes! Pandora proves that with the proper resources, attention, and passion, Disney can still create something so unfamiliar and amazing that they further raise the bar for what a theme park can and should be. The World of Avatar is absolutely stunning, and houses a phenomenal restaurant, an incredibly lifelike Audio-Animatronic, and one of the most groundbreaking attractions ever conceived. Thanks to Pandora, 2017 has been the biggest year yet in theme park innovation.
At the D23 Expo in July Disney announced that for the first time, Disney California Adventure would be celebrating the Halloween season in a big way. Not only did the park do a wonderful job with the project, but they’ve created what is being seen as one of the most memorable Halloween celebrations ever in a theme park. Just look at Cars Land’s Haul-O-Ween celebration, never mind the new decorations on Buena Vista Street and the Monsters After Dark overlay of Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s reason enough to make the trip out to Disneyland Resort.
2017 started out strong with the inaugural year of the International Festival of the Arts at Epcot. The festival sets itself apart from the long running Flower and Garden and Food and Wine festivals by offering some of the best entertainment, food, and exhibits we’ve seen yet at an Epcot festival. While not quite perfect, the Festival of the Arts is a welcomed addition to Epcot, and we can’t wait to see it evolve over the coming years.
As you can see, 2017 has been quite a great year for Disney Parks fans. With so many new and thoughtful changes, 2017 ends with the promise of a stronger and better Disney experience for all guests for years to come.
Tickets are finally on sale starting today for the Magic Kingdom’s annual hard-ticket holiday events.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will start earlier than ever this year, with parties running on Aug. 25 & 29; Sept. 1, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26 & 29; Oct. 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29 & 31; and Nov. 1. The event will feature trick-or-treating, the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show, Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade and “Happy HalloWishes.” Guests of all ages are also welcome to dress up for the party (check the park costuming guidelines here).
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be held Nov. 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 26 & 28; and Dec. 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 & 22. The party will feature Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, “Holiday Wishes,” “A Frozen Holiday Wish,” and much more.*
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Advance ticket prices starting at $74 for adults and $69 for children (3-9).
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – Advance ticket prices starting at $89 for adults and $84 for children (3-9).
For more information and to order tickets, head to Disneyworld.com, call 407-W-DISNEY or contact your travel agent. You’ll want to get these tickets early, because certain popular dates may sell out fast. Reservations for event-night dining and dessert parties will open later this summer.
In the 5 years it has existed, Gaston’s Tavern in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom has seemingly had an endless number of offerings come and go. From pork shanks and beef stew, to specialty hot chocolate and cupcakes, there are many items that came and left at the Beauty and the Beast-themed eatery. The latest items to roll through that revolving door are macaron trios…
Gaston Tavern Trio of Macarons, The Magic Kingdom
For $5.99, guests can choose a trio of flavored macarons to enjoy with (or without) a LeFou’s Brew.
Gaston Tavern Trio of Macarons, The Magic Kingdom
So how are they?
Pistachio, Raspberry, and Lemon Macaron Trio ($5.99)
Pistachio, Raspberry, and Lemon Macaron Trio ($5.99)
I’m deftly more of a chocolate and coffee-flavored dessert person, so I was surprised when I enjoyed these flavors more. The macarons were very fresh and had a very crisp, strong flavor. Yes, they are quite small and bit so for the price point, but they make up for it in quality and taste.
Chocolate, Vanilla, and Coffee Macaron Trio ($5.99)
Chocolate, Vanilla, and Coffee Macaron Trio ($5.99)
While these were not as good as the above trio, they were still really, really good. Again, the flavors are quite pronounced and even if you didn’t have the names of the flavors available to you and were blindfolded, you would undoubtedly still be able to tell what flavor it was that you were eating.
Size comparison on an iPhone 7 Plus
While I would like to tell you to not order these as they are really tiny and a terrible value, they are so good that I can’t bring myself to do it. If you are visiting Gaston’s Tavern and want to give these a try, I highly suggest you do. I also suggest you do it soon, because who knows how long they will last.
Fire alarms in the kitchen at Cinderella’s Royal Table do go off from time to time, but this appears to be outside of the Castle. Firefighters were reported responding to the incident on the side where the Wishing Well stands, somewhere in the rocks that are part of the front facade at its base. It is likely that fallout from the nightly pyrotechnics displays are to blame.
No further details are available at this time, but it does not appear to be a very large scale incident and likely no one was harmed.
We will keep you posted as more becomes available.
UPDATE – The small fire appears to be out and operations at the Magic Kingdom are back to normal.
Have you heard this week’s WDW News Today Podcast? If you haven’t, here’s what you can expect:
Join Tom Corless and a cast of others for a variety show dedicated to the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Plenty of Walt Disney World and Disneyland information and fun awaits you on this edition of the WDW News Today Podcast!
On this week’s show, we blast through 45 years of fireworks at the Magic Kingdom in Back to the Future. Get ready for nearly 2.5 hours of history and discussion of nighttime spectaculars!
