Creature Comforts to Become Starbucks? Joffrey’s Coffee Moving to a New Location at Animal Kingdom

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

If you enjoy a good cup of coffee with your day At Animal Kingdom, you’ll definitely want to read this…

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A new Joffrey’ location is being built next to Flame Tree Barbecue

The existing Joffrey’s operated coffee cart on Discovery Island is closing and Joffrey’s will be taking over a new service window attached to Flame Tree Barbecue fairly soon(unrelated to the 3 month refurbishment of the restaurant coming in early 2015 to better accommodate viewing of the Rivers of Light show when it arrives in 2016).

The reasoning for this is Joffrey’s would lose its prime spot in the center of the park, leaving a fair market for another coffee company to open shop on the west side of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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Creature Comforts will close on January 5th, 2015

Creature Comforts operated as just a store until recently when some of the shop was turned into a MyMagic+ Service Center. The Service Center inside is rarely used by guests, and most of the merchandise left in the store can be found elsewhere in the park, so the store is closing its doors on January 5th, 2015. In June 2015, it is quite possible a Starbucks will open in the space currently occupied by Creature Comforts.

If true, Animal Kingdom will be home to the 6th and final Starbucks location planned for Walt Disney World.

While none of this has been confirmed by Disney as of yet, it is highly likely at this time. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Meg Crofton Announces Retirement from Disney Parks in 2015

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

Meg Crofton, former Walt Disney Workd president and current president of Operations for parks & resorts in the U.S. and France has just announced her retirement in 2015:

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After spending 35 years with Disney, Meg Crofton recently shared with her team that she has decided to retire on June 1 of next year. She has served as President, Operations, US and France since 2011, after serving as President of Walt Disney World Resort since 2006. She sat down with us at Chairman’s Corner to talk about her plans.

Why did you decide to retire?
Well, I never really had a plan for retirement. But I did, over the years, develop a couple of guiding principles. One of the most important was that I wanted to leave while I still had plenty of juice left for the next chapter in my life. I didn’t think about it very much until my 60th birthday, which was last year.

Looking back on it, I realize that it was a decision that I came to very gradually and almost not consciously. I loved what I was doing. I had just made a major move across country and was happily embracing my professional and personal growth opportunities and focusing on our parks and resorts in Florida, California and France. But my husband, Rich, has been retired for some time now, and I became increasingly aware that I really wanted to build our new west coast life with him in San Francisco.

I have so much respect and affection for those I am privileged to work with. As much as I will miss them and the many exciting projects ahead for our Company, the pull to start the next chapter of my life is stronger.

What do you want to do in retirement?
I want to continue my “heart” work of mentoring and helping others, enjoy lots of family time, take advantage of all that my new home city and surrounding countryside offers, do more traveling for pleasure and have a flexible calendar. And I am looking forward to doing all of that!

You have worked closely with your leader, Tom Staggs, for a number of years. Here is what he said:

Anyone who knows Meg knows how much she cares about this company and the dedication she has to anything she does. When she told me a while back about her decision to retire, it was clear that there was conviction in her decision. Her face lit up when she talked about how ready she was to start her next chapter with her husband, Rich. I couldn’t be any happier for her.

There are few people within Parks and Resorts who have inspired as many people and made as significant an impact as Meg has. She has devoted her career to nurturing countless cast members, encouraging them to achieve new heights, coaching them to succeed and helping them down the path, no matter where they wanted it to take them. She has amassed innumerable achievements over the years, literally spanning the globe. And for all that she has accomplished and all of whom she has helped, Meg has done it with an amazing sense of grace and humility, which is what I appreciate and respect the most about her.

Meg is not retiring until June 1, 2015, so we will be naming her successor at a later date. We have many more months to celebrate her and wish her well. I am thrilled that she will be working at Parks and Resorts until then.

Meg, any reaction?
I cannot thank Tom enough for his leadership, friendship, kindness, and unwavering support over the years. I am very excited to be a part of and continue working alongside this tremendous team for the months ahead. I intend to be fully present and enjoy every minute of it!

This is such an amazing company! With the passing of every year, I am more aware and grateful for the blessing of working for an organization whose purpose it is to bring happiness to people and give them cherished memories that last a lifetime. I collect wonderful quotes and found this one years ago…”Memory is a child walking along a sea shore. You can never tell what small pebble it will pick up and store away among its treasured things.” We are so fortunate that at Disney it is their memories with us that our Guests store among their treasured things.

I am deeply proud of every moment I have spent here and feel richly blessed to have had a ringside seat to watch our Company’s special brand of magic touch hearts. I am so excited and confident about the future of our company and the direction of Parks and Resorts. Candidly, it is that excitement that makes my decision to retire so bittersweet.

Disney Releases Backstory for Trattoria Al Forno, Opening December 18th

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

The newest Disney dining experience,  Trattoria al Forno, as with anything at Walt Disney World, will have a back-story crafted by Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Parks Food & Beverage Concept Development. Such story elements as authentic food and ingredients, a wine list featuring 100% Italian wines, and décor have been brought together to create an exciting new dining experience for Walt Disney World Resort guests.

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“The Trattoria al Forno story was inspired by the Italian menu and the rich storytelling of the turn-of-the-century boardwalk setting,” says Missy Renard, Walt Disney Imagineering resorts art director. “Working closely with the Food & Beverage Concept Development team throughout the project was critical to the seamless merging of the story, menu and design – it was a shared vision.”

The story begins with an Italian family that ran a modest tavern and boarding house on the boardwalk, which expanded over the years into a popular restaurant. The menu’s mix of authentic and innovative dishes supports the story of the restaurant being handed down, with each generation adding their own touches to the meals and the restaurant’s design. The fresh ingredients used to make the flavorful dishes inspired the color palette throughout the restaurant.

Arranged as a series of separate rooms, starting with the original Entrata, or entrance, is where the restaurant’s immersive story begins. An arched brick wall with an aged keystone medallion anchors the room and introduces the traditional building materials used throughout the restaurant. Along the back wall, a custom wine cabinet displays authentic regional wines offered on the menu. Vintage family photos line the walls and introduce the generational story.

“As the restaurant was growing, boardinghouse rooms were converted into additional dining spaces,” explains Renard. “There are four distinct dining rooms, with furnishings, finishes and lighting relating to the character of each original boarding house room.”

The first room, the Cucina, is designed as the eat-in kitchen for the boarding house guests. The forno, or oven, with its rustic wood mantle and copper hood, is the centerpiece. Next, the Sala da Pranzo, or formal dining room, showcases the family’s fine silver, glassware and eclectic china in a grand hutch, with two crystal chandeliers above in the vaulted ceiling.

“The finishes are more opulent – carpet, draperies, settee-style seating and a communal table in front of the show kitchen,” says Renard.

The Sala da Pranzo leads into the Salotto, or living room, of the old boarding house, now a dining area with tufted circular booths and upholstered chairs, and photos of vintage Italian market scenes decorating the walls.

Finally, the Taverna is a secluded dining area located in the structure’s original tavern, where the mirrored back bar still hangs in front of exposed brick walls.

“The three main dining rooms are open to the show kitchen and to each other, but the styling differences in each create individual dining experiences,” says Renard. “The result is combination of intimate and lively dining spaces with a tailored progression of storytelling.”

Trattoria al Forno opens at Disney’s Boardwalk on December 18, 2014.

AVATAR at Animal Kingdom: New Details on Banshee Attraction; Boat Ride Canned?

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

Bob Iger was certainly busy telling everyone about the plans for the Disney Parks yesterday, and the long-running, controversial, and enormously-budgeted AVATAR project wasn’t left out. Iger recently scaled some scaffolding at Walt Disney Imagineering and took a test-ride on a mock-up of the Banshee ride for the new Animal Kingdom theme park land.

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“It felt so real, so lifelike, there’s never been anything like it.”

The vehicles will be the banshees themselves, with movements that should “mimic a breathing beast”. Think of it as a next-generation Soarin’, but the environment on-screen will be presented hi-def 3-D as you ride in a giant alien creature.

The boat ride attraction for the AVATAR land was not mentioned as many report rumors that it may no longer be part of the project.

New Concept Art and Details Revealed for “Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows”, Part of the Disney Vacation Club

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

Today, disney released concept art and details on the Disney Vacation Club expansion of the Polynesian Village Resort, now known as “Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows”.

The bungalows will be the first of their kind on any Disney property. The 20 Bungalows will sleep up to eight guests each and be just steps away from the new plunge pool overlooking Seven Seas Lagoon, not to mention an unparalleled view of the Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks.

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The Polynesian bungalows

On the mainland, the villas will feature largest Deluxe Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort. The 360 Deluxe Studios will sleep up to five guests each and have the ability to connect to another Deluxe Studio, the first time this has been done at a Disney Vacation Club Resort. Similar to Disney Cruise Line ships and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the rooms will each have a bathroom separated into two areas, one with a shower and sink and the other with a sink and tub/shower. Plus, they also will have kitchenettes and enhanced storage space for convenience and comfort.

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Inside the rooms at the Polynesian villas

The first phase of the Polynesian Villas and Bunglaows will open in early 2015.

RUMOR: “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue” To Add Planets & Characters from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

The site Star Wars Underworld is claiming that an inside source has informed them that the first Star Wars additions coming to Disney theme parks post-purchase will be additions to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland  based on characters and locations from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.

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Star  Tours: The Adventures Continue was designed by Disney Imagineers and members of Lucasfilm to easily insert new destinations and characters at any time. With the current iteration of the attraction, any new film sequences could be created and programmed separately and then exported to the ride. meaning any addition would result in little-to-no downtime for the attraction. We have speculated about these additions several times on our podcast, but this is this first outside report.

Recently, we reported that Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed that there will be a much larger presence of Star Wars themed attractions based on the new sequels and spin-offs. Adding new destinations based on “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to Star Tours would seem to go along with his plans.

Stay tuned as more information becomes available

PHOTOS: Maelstrom Attraction Currently Being Gutted, FROZEN Ride at Epcot Is More Than An Overlay

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

If you had your doubts about the budget or just how extensive the work on the new Frozen attraction at Epcot might be, you may want to look at this…

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Photos from @JohnCFSS on twitter

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Photos from @JohnCFSS on twitter

The photos above were taken under the door at the attraction’s entrance, the former lobby of the Maelstrom ride in Norway of Epcot’s World Showcase. The word demolition comes to mind as it looks like they have in many places ripped walls out or at least stripped them down to the structural steel.

Since the announcement of the ride earlier this year, there has been much debate about the budget and how extensive the attraction update might be. These photos are the first real proof that at least the entrance and exit of the ride will be vastly different from Maelstrom. It is still unknown if the boat flume will remain, but some sources have claimed that the ride will be entirely new, and these photos may make that easier to believe. However, it is still possible that a boat ride is behind these walls. Only time will tell.

Photos from @JohnCFSS on twitter.

“Taste of Hollywood” Returns to Hollywood Studios for the Holidays

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

This Christmas season, Taste of Hollywood to Go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios returns with a delicious meal-to-go and a reserved seat for Fantasmic! From December 24 to 31, the popular Taste of Hollywood To Go option will be returning with a few new entrees, all of which include a reserved seat for Fantasmic!.

The adult menu features a choice of a vegetable sandwich served with ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers, quinoa salad and chocolate cake; shrimp salad served with pita, ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers and mandarin orange cheesecake; golden fried chicken served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, sweet corn and carrots and warm apple crisp; cold-cut roast beef sandwich with creamy horseradish served with classic potato salad, grilled asparagus and chocolate cake; or California sushi tuna roll served with avocado, orange and tomato salad, ginger-marinated tomatoes and cucumbers and spicy pecan-chocolate cluster.

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Kids’ choices include a power pack with strawberry yogurt, apple wedges, carrot sticks with ranch dip, fish crackers, an organic apple cinnamon and oatmeal snack-size sandwich bar or a turkey and American cheese wrap with strawberry yogurt, apple wedges, carrots with ranch dip and a seven-layer cookie bar.

Reservations are now open, and can be made by calling 407-WDW-D407-WDW-DINE up to 24 hours in advance. If you do not have a reservation, you can check the day you are in the park for availability. Meals can be picked up from Min & Bill’s Dockside Diner from 11:00a.m. to 8:00p.m. Choice of Fantasmic! showtime is based on availability, with the number of seats based on the number of meals purchased.

2014 Disney Parks Christmas Day Special To Get a Frozen Makeover

WDWNT on December 30, 2014

Frozen has not only found its way into many aspects of Walt Disney World Resort, but this Christmas, Disney will put a Frozen twist on its 31st annual Christmas Day telecast, appropriately renamed the Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration airing December 25, 2014, on ABC-TV.

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Robin Roberts of ABC’s Good Morning America will host the reimagined television special inspired by the blockbuster hit’s message of uniting family and loved ones. Roberts will lead the telecast from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida with support from ESPN and SEC Network personality Tim Tebow.

ÒGood Morning AmericaÓ Anchor Robin Roberts Hosts the 2014 Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration TV Special

ABC’s Robin Roberts hosts this year’s Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration.

They will be joined by Rob Marciano, senior meteorologist of ABC’s Good Morning America from the “The Happiest Place on Earth” at Disneyland Resort. Sarah Hyland, star of ABC’s Emmy award-winning show Modern Family, joins the fun from Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai‛i.

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Sarah Hyland performs from Aulani.

The festivities will also feature a special appearance by Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev, making this year’s Christmas special a magical Frozen celebration not to be missed.

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Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev

Disney Parks will celebrate this Christmas with more than a parade, but with a heartfelt wish for the holiday season, the coming together of loved ones and family. In keeping with the spirit of Frozen where two sisters are united through the power of true love, Disney will bring together three groups of families and friends who have been apart or separated for the holidays, providing the ultimate Christmas gift. The reunions will take place at three magical Disney destinations – Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and Aulani – making these reunions bigger, brighter and merrier.

The joyous occasion will fittingly include a special rendition of the Frozen hit single, Let It Go, as performed by 12-year-old YouTube sensation, Lexi Walker.

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Lexi Walker performs Let It Go.

There will also be festive performances from some of today’s top musical talents at each of the various Disney locations:

  • Ariana Grande will regale Walt Disney World Resort guests with her new Christmas single Santa Tell Me and the Christmas tradition Last Christmas
  • Prince Royce adds to the merriment with I Want to Wish You a Merry Christmas/Feliz Navidad
  • The spotlight also will shine on special performances from the X Factor USA third and final season winners Alex and Sierra singing Love is an Open Door from Frozen
  • Yuletide cheer will be brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Gavin DeGraw, performing his latest single Fire and the holiday standard I’ll Be Home for Christmas
  • Laura Marano, of Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally, entertains viewers with her version of Do You Want to Build a Snowman? as posed by Princess Anna in Frozen

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Laura Marano also performs.

  • Trey Songz, Lucy Hale and Train will serenade audiences at Disneyland Resort in California with holiday favorites such as All I Want for Christmas is You, Mistletoe, and Shake Up Christmas

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Train entertains the Christmas Day special in Disneyland.

  • Country music superstar Trisha Yearwood will perform her hit single, Prizefighter, and the holiday classic, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Celebrate the most wonderful time of year with familiar Disney friends and holiday characters as they spread Christmas joy and cheer at Disneyland Park in California and along parade routes at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida:

*characters/floats subject to change

  • The Frozen stars of the parade, Elsa and Anna, return from Arendelle to join the royal court and ring in the holidays on Main Street, U.S.A. at Walt Disney World Resort
  • Olaf, the summer-loving snowman from Frozen, joins hundreds of Dance the Magic youth performers in front of Cinderella Castle for a musical number to In Summer
  • Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty makes her holiday debut as the steampunk-inspired fire-breathing dragon, as featured in the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade
  • A new Club Penguin float joins the procession highlighting the holiday special, We Wish You a Merry Walrus
  • The superheroes of  Big Hero 6 take a break from saving the world to wish onlookers happy holidays
  • The National Cheerleaders Association and National Dance Alliance Performance Cheer Team, featuring 800 members from 41 states, entertain park guests lining Main Street, U.S.A.
  • Boys and Girls Club National Youth of the Year winner, Maryah Sullivan, appears in the regal coach from the upcoming live action film, Cinderella
  • Traditional Christmas favorites such as Toy Soldiers and Gingerbread Men get their time in the spotlight to make the season merry and bright
  • After a long night of delivering presents, the jolly man in the red suit, Santa Claus, finishes his route on Main Street, U.S.A.

The Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration airs December 25, 2014, on ABC-TV at 10:00 a.m. EST.  Other airtimes vary; check local listings in your market.

 

Morimoto Asia, BOATHOUSE Dining Experiences Coming to Disney Springs in 2015

WDWNT on November 25, 2014

Posted today on the Disney Parks Blog:

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It was just announced that Chef Masaharu Morimoto, who many of you know from his appearances on Iron Chef America, is opening a one-of-a-kind dining experience in the heart of Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort.

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Morimoto Asia will be the Japanese master chef’s first-ever pan-Asian restaurant featuring flavors from across the continent. This Disney Springs dining destination will include unique exhibition kitchens showcasing traditions like Peking duck carving, and dim sum.

“I’m very excited to bring this new concept to Disney, something I’ve always dreamed of,” said Chef Morimoto. “It’s a wonderful chance to share some of my favorite foods from across the Asian continent.”

The two-story restaurant is scheduled to open in the Summer 2015 at The Landing (formerly Pleasure Island) in Disney Springs. Morimoto Asia will feature waterside seating, terraces, a grand hall and a cocktail lounge.

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Also today, another new concept dining experience, The BOATHOUSE, was announced for The Landing in Disney Springs.

The BOATHOUSE will be an upscale, waterfront dining experience that’ll immerse guests both on land and on water with live music, guided tours aboard the Captain’s piloted 40-foot Italian Water Taxi with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries and guided Amphicar rides that launch from land, enter the water, and take guests on a 20-minute tour of the landmarks of Disney Springs.

“We are very excited that the BOATHOUSE is joining the Walt Disney World family at Disney Springs,” says creator Steven Schussler. “Walt Disney Imagineering has created a wonderful, interactive, culinary and entertainment experience at Disney Springs. We are proud to be part of this magical experience.”

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The BOATHOUSE will open in the Spring of 2015 in Disney Springs. The restaurant’s gourmet menu (served daily until 2 a.m.) will feature steaks, chops, seafood and a raw bar. The BOATHOUSE is the latest project of Schussler Creative, the creators of Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex and Yak & Yeti at the Walt Disney World Resort.