Cars Land is once again touting some seasonal attraction overlays at Disney California Adventure. Watch the full on-ride POV videos of Mater’s Jingle Jamboree and Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl, new for the Christmas season at the Disneyland Resort, running through January 7th, 2018.
Following the announcement last month that Hong Kong Disneyland was kicking off a multi-year expansion designed to bring new attractions and experiences to guests, the resort has released a schedule of openings and seasonal events for 2018, including first-of-its-kind character experiences not currently available at other Disney parks.
Royal Princess Garden: Even before the year is out, the new Royal Princess Garden is scheduled to open in Hong Kong Disneyland in December 2017. This exquisitely-themed garden area will serve as a meet-and-greet area for Disney Princesses, and will also house Hong Kong’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Families can also purchase an Enchanted Storybook album that captures all of their Disney Princess moments.
Chinese New Year Event: The year 2018 is the Year of the Dog according to the Chinese calendar. To celebrate, Hong Kong Disneyland will feature Pluto during their Chinese New Year celebrations from January to March 2018. In addition, Main Street, USA, will be decorated in lucky red and gold decorations, Mickey and his pals will be dressed in festive costumes, and the park and resorts will feature festive Chinese New Year-themed meals, snacks and merchandise.
Disney Friends Springtime Carnival: From March through May, guests can enjoy whimsical character encounters during the colorful Disney Friends Springtime Carnival. In addition to a wide variety of character encounters throughout the park, the event features festive springtime sculpts for photo opportunities as well as an egg hunt with over 100 character-themed eggs hidden throughout the park.
“Moana: A Homecoming Celebration”: In May, the new Moana stage show will open in Hong Kong Disneyland in an entirely new outdoor venue in Adventureland. The 18-minute live show will recount Moana’s adventures after the storyline of the film, once Moana has restored the heart of Te Fiti and returned to her home village of Motunui. The new show features music, dancing and puppetry, and marks the first attraction to be opened as part of the resort’s multi-year expansion.
Summer Event: Hong Kong Disneyland’s annual summer holiday event will feature new character additions this year from the Pixar catalog. From June through August, guests can meet Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible and Frozone from the Oscar-winning The Incredibles, to coincide with the Hong Kong release of The Incredibles 2 in mid-July.
Disney Halloween Time: The annual Halloween event is one of Hong Kong Disneyland’s most popular. The 2018 incarnation of the annual festivities will feature even more spooky fun in September and October. In addition to Jack Skellington, the event will feature “Disney Villains that guests have yet to meet,” according to the resort.
A Disney Christmas: From November through January 1, 2019, guests can visit Hong Kong Disneyland for a special daytime show featuring Mickey and friends, carolers singing Christmas tunes, a special tree-lighting ceremony and much more.
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is celebrating “A Disney Christmas” through January 1, 2018. This year’s Christmas celebration will feature a brand-new castle stage show, snowfall, caroling, special food and shopping options, and more. It also marks the finale of the park’s “Disney in the Stars” nighttime spectacular, which will be presented for the last time on Jan. 1st.
New this year is “Mickey and Friends Christmastime Ball,” a fun-filled yuletide musical extravaganza presented two to three times daily at the forecourt of Sleeping Beauty Castle. The 20-minute stage show kicks off with a quartet of singers, after which Mickey, Minnie and other Disney pals take the stage to celebrate with music and dancing. Meanwhile, Donald is extra grumpy because his Christmas wishes have not come true yet. Each performance ends with a delightful snowfall moment.
On select days during the Christmas season, guests can watch special performances from nine different community choirs from around Hong Kong. The “Community Castle Sing Along” showcases these community choirs on stage in front of the castle before the “Mickey and Friends Christmastime Ball” as a special tribute to the many community moments the castle has embraced over the years.
There are even more special holiday events once evening arrives. Disney friends and townsfolk will wish for snow at “A Magical Twilight Snowfall” and in “A Holiday Wish-Come-True” Tree Lighting Ceremony as a live quartet shares renditions of some holiday classics. Giant projections will then transform Main Street, U.S.A. into a breath-taking winter wonderland. Like magic, the Christmas tree and Town Square will be illuminated with sparkling lights, bringing the town to life with yuletide joy.
The Christmas season in Hong Kong Disneyland also includes special character encounters. Olaf from Frozen returns to the park for Christmas, and Duffy’s new friend StellaLou will make her first holiday appearance. Santa Goofy will greet guests at the Christmas Post Office, where he’s handing out new postcards with a one-of-a-kind commemorative stamp. Guests can send unique holiday messages to loved ones around the world by dropping their postcards in the Santa Goofy Holiday Mailbox. Other Disney friends throughout the park will be decked out in festive new costumes as well.
More than 100 unique merchandise items will be available throughout the park and resorts, including over 70 items that are exclusive to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. There will also be festive frames for PhotoPass photos and a line of newly-launched personalized imaging items such as postcards, door signs and photo albums.
The park will also feature more than 70 unique food and beverage creations just for the holidays, including a special Coca-Cola Christmas Menu at the Main Street Corner Cafe. The resort hotel restaurants will also feature special Christmastime menus. New this season is the “Christmas Dessert Party at the Train Station,” where guests can sample a variety of sweet treats and enjoy a special viewing area for the “Disney in the Stars” Fireworks Show.
January 1, 2018 will mark the final showing of the “Disney in the Stars” nightly fireworks extravaganza. Sleeping Beauty Castle will begin a transformation in early January that will include a makeover of the castle along with a completely new daytime show and nighttime spectacular that will feature brand-new entertainment experiences. Farewell memorabilia for “Disney in the Stars” will be available at Hong Kong Disneyland beginning November 17; guests will also be able to collect “Disney in the Stars” commemorative stickers beginning November 18.
Guests staying at a Hong Kong Disneyland during the holidays will receive a collectible souvenir set in their rooms, including a Christmas amenities box, Disney slippers, a door sticker and a postcard. The resorts will also be decked out in with extensive decorations and offer Christmas-themed activities including arts and crafts workshops, a “Little Santa” training workshop, and more. Resort guests can also enjoy an exclusive Extra Magic Hour from December 21-23 from 8:30 am to 9:30 am.
By Barbara Cash, Small World Big Fun Disney Authorized Travel Agent
So you are going to Disney World during the holiday season but, for whatever reason, you didn’t purchase tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom. No worries! There is so much to see and do at Disney World to get into the holiday spirit.
Below are some “insider” tips and advice for things to do that are not always included in the standard maps and guides. If you have any questions you can contact me anytime!
The holiday season is a special time at Disney World. You can visit resorts, take in the decorations at the theme parks, happen upon special groups sharing their cheer, and have some fantastic treats that are beyond the usual at Disney World. Don’t let the lack of a party ticket keep you from getting into holiday cheer.
Barbara Cash is an Agent with WDWNT’s Exclusive Disney Travel Partner – Small World Big Fun. You can learn more about Barbara here.
Halloween may have been last night, but Christmas arrived today at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Echo Lake is still refilling this morning, but guests have gotten their first look at the new decorations for 2017, including the new home of the park Christmas tree in the center of the lake.
These giant ornaments will float on the lake once it has filled.
My personal favorite is Santa Gertie the Dinosaur, wearing a festive hat and holding a large ornament.
A number of 1930’s style decorations surround Echo Lake.
Some large, vintage-style reindeer statues sit near 50’s Prime Time Cafe.
Even the umbrellas have gotten in the spirit.
For a better look at all of the new decorations, check out our video overview:
Our latest photo report brings u back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios as it prepares for a transitional Holiday season, offering up a new lineup that Disney hopes will fill the void left by the Osborne Lights over the last two years.
Plenty of blown-glass ornaments for sale at Celebrity 5 & 10, including a new Monorail ornament.
They’re a little pricey at $19.99 each, but they are pretty cool.
Some new holiday apparel for sale.
A few new Beauty and the Beast ornaments have joined the existing collection this year, including this light up rose ornament.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse have both received their own action figures of sorts, exclusive to the Disney Parks. They retail for $14.99 each.
The new Mickey Mouse ear baseball cap is already out.
As the park prepares for the new Sunset Seasons Greetings offering, a whole lot of new infrastructure is going into place on Sunset Boulevard. The old, white lights for the palm trees have been replaced with these beauties, capable of color changing for show elements.
Some extra hardware was also installed on the star lights, likely to be used to integrate them into the show.
The Fantasmic billboard is likely gone for good as a new billboard that can be projected onto will go in its place. Maybe it will return in some form down the road.
Behind the billboard hides the infrastructure for the projectors that will turn the Hollywood Tower Hotel into a number of holiday items during the shows.
The projectors sit on the stands you can see behind these windows.
People seem confused about a new Paradise Pier billboard that appeared recently at the Studios. I don’t see the confusion as both lands exist in roughly the same time period. Sadly, Paradise Pier will become PIXAR Pier, but this will be a nice nod to the past.
Construction continues on Two Story Land, opening Summer 2018.
The remnants of the catwalk above the soundstage waits to be sealed in.
On the other side, we still have no idea what this weird, tall section of building is supposed to be.
A dirt wall now seals PIXAR Place, which eventually will be no more once Toy Story Land opens and the entrance to Toy Story Midway Mania moves there.
Just before this dirt wall will lie a cast access road, with PIXAR Place then becoming a backstage area.
The construction walls behind Muppet Vision 3-D expanded outward, now coming into the attraction’s exit.
Here we see the building for the “Battle Escape” attraction in Star War’s Galaxy’s Edge.
Sunset Showcase courtyard was open, being used for extended queue for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, as well as some character meet and greets.
The show building for Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster was recently repainted blue to blend into Toy Story Land better. It’s too bad it now doesn’t blend with anything on this side of the park. Why is every “soundstage” building a different color?
Work on Echo Lake continues, with the “logs” under the water now repainted.
With the Coco preview coming soon, the final room of Walt Disney Presents is pretty barren at the moment. The stickers on the walls were taken down and only on display case remains in use.
With most of the Disney fandom still stuck on the Rose Gold Mouse Ear Headband craze, it seems as though another item may be reaching that level of popularity this holiday season… Released this week and already selling very fast is the Ugly Christmas Sweater Mouse Ear Headband. They retail for $24.99 each and we found a mostly empty rack of the item at Disney’s Days of Christmas store at Disney Springs just last night. The ears are rather “unique”, featuring an ugly Christmas sweater pattern with Mickey and Minnie Mouse icons between two big red “pom pom” ears. While I don’t necessarily understand the popularity, they are already selling fast despite little to no publicity. If those are a little too weird for you, there are two much more normal, fairly cute mouse ear head bands also available this season. So, will you be buying this “ugly sweater” mouse ear headband, any of the more normal styles, or none at all?
We return to what’s left of Disney’s Hollywood Studios for our latest photo report, checking out the latest progress on all of the upcoming projects… Work continues on the expansion and reconfiguration of the parking lot. Meanwhile, land has been cleared and work has begun on the Disney Skyliner station that will be located just outside of the park. The stage for Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away is down while they work on the mobile stage for the show. Celebrity 5 & 10 on Hollywood Boulevard is already a full-blown Christmas shop as of Friday the 13th. Makes sense… The new line of Little Mermaid home goods has made its way to Florida. Check out the entire line here. These awesome new Chip and Dale nutcrackers are available for $54.99 each. A lot of the items from last year which did not have boxes now come in boxes for easier transport home. I love the new decorations in the store which have a very 30’s vibe to them. But then we are brought back to modern day by an ornament which has Mickey taking a selfie. The new theme park related stockings are fantastic! All but one has been released already… The one that is missing is the Hatbox Ghost from the Haunted Mansion. They retail for $27.99 each. For a great overview of all of the ongoing construction, please check out our latest expansion update video below: Work continues on the entrance to Toy Story Land… I’m still dying to know what this weird tiny chunk of building will be… Looking towards Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge construction. Here we see the building for the Battle Escape attraction.
Here, we see the building that houses the Millennium Falcon attraction getting taller. The chicken breast strips are now also an adult meal at ABC Commissary and they’re really fantastic for what they are. Work continues on the very unfinished left side of Grand Avenue. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge rises in the background. Here stands the tunnel that will transport guests to another planet. It’s a Wonderful Shop has also stocked lots of new holiday decor items. Including a new Hanukkah collection. The refurbishment of Echo Lake continues, with the race on to have the Christmas decor up by November 9th.
This holiday season, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will welcome “Sunset Seasons Greetings”, a projection experience on Sunset Boulevard. From November 9th through December 31st, 2017, guests can enjoy Sunset Boulevard as it is transformed into an unforgettable sight in the evenings. The billboards lining the tops of buildings on the boulevard will move and tell their own stories about the season with some memorable Disney characters, and even the Hollywood Tower Hotel (Twilight Zone Tower of Terror) will transform to tell the stories. The Disney character moments will include: This information was posted on DisneyWorld.com, but has since been removed.
The T-Rex Cafe at Disney Spring is offering a special Breakfast with Santa package on December 17th, 18th, 22nd, and 23rd from 8-10am. The package offers a breakfast buffet, early bird shopping at the World of Disney from 9am-10am, as well as the T-Rex Dino Store. Guests will also be able to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. The price is $32 for adults , $20.50 for children ages 4-9, and free for children 3 & under. Reservations can be made at TRexCafe.com and by calling 407-828-8739.
PHOTOS: Ugly Christmas Sweater Mouse Ear Headband Released at Disney Parks, The Next Social Media Craze?
PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Hollywood Studios 10/17/17 (Merry Christmas, Happy Star Wars & Toy Story Land, ETC.)
Hooray for Horizontal Construction
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Construction
Grand Avenue
More Holiday Spirit
Echo Lake RefurbishmentÂ
BREAKING: “Sunset Seasons Greetings” to Debut This Holiday Season at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
T-Rex Cafe Offering a Special Breakfast with Santa Event
