New Magic Kingdom Welcome Show to Debut; New Spring & Summer Offers at Walt Disney World Resort

New Magic Kingdom Welcome Show to Debut January 9:

Update 1:33 P.M EST:
Here is the official information from the Disney Parks Blog:

Beginning January 9, guests will be allowed to enter the Main Street, U.S.A. area of the park even earlier than the park’s scheduled opening time. This will allow guests time to savor the charm of Main Street, U.S.A., enjoy breakfast or a warm drink at the Main Street Bakery featuring Starbucks. Then promptly at opening, a new welcome show will officially open the park for the day on the Castle Forecourt Stage. A Royal Herald will appear to deliver a proclamation and welcome a few familiar characters to the stage, officially opening the park so “the magic can begin!”

Original Story:
The Welcome Show at the Magic Kingdom is moving away from the Main Street Train Station. Beginning January 9, guests will be treated to a new Welcome Show in front of Cinderella Castle. To allow guests more space as Main Street, USA will be open earlier than the rest of the park opening.

Guests will enter Main Street, USA before the show begins and be able to have access to shopping, photo opportunities, as well as some select dining options being available. While no official time has been announced, guests should be able to enter Main Street, USA approximately 30 minutes before the official opening of Magic Kingdom.

The will allow less congestion in front of the train station allowing a more fluid running of bag checks and entering into the park. Stay tuned for more information.

Source: Blog Mickey

New Spring & Summer Offers at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels:

Today, Walt Disney World announced new Spring and Summer offers at select resorts that guests can begin taking advantage of beginning today. Spring 2017 offer will be save up to 25% at participating Walt Disney World Resort hotels, plus receive an extra day when upgrading to a Magic Your Way package with a minimum 4-night stay. This offer is good for stays most nights from February 20-June 10, 2017. To take advantage of the offer guests can book by February 26 for stays February 20 - June 10 or by booking by March 30 for stays April 9 - June 10, 2017. 

Important Details

• The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited.
• Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room.
• Additional per adult charges may apply if there are more than 2 adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts.
• Advance reservations required.
• Moderate and Deluxe suites may be available at a lesser discount.
• Upgrade to a room and ticket package with minimum 4-day Magic Your Way theme park tickets, and receive one more complimentary ticket day.
• Tickets and options must be used within 14 days of first use.

Offer Restrictions

• Offer excludes the following room types: 3-bedroom villas, Disney's Art of Animation Resort - The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
• Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion
• Length of stay requirements may apply.

For guests visiting Walt Disney World in the Summer, guests can take advantage of a free quick service meal per person (ages 3 and over) for regular non-discounted 5-night/6-day room and theme park ticket packages at a Disney Value Resort. This offer is valid for most nights from May 30 through August 24, 2017. Guests must book by February 12, 2017 to take advantage of this offer. Here are the details and exclusions:

Important Details

• The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited.
• Tickets and options must be used within 14 days of first use.
• All Guests in the room must be on the same package.
• Advance reservations required.
• Minimum 3-night length of stay is required.
• Minimum 2-day Magic Your Way base ticket purchase is required.

Offer Restrictions

• Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion.
• Offer excludes campsites and Disney’s Art of Animation – The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms.
• Excludes alcoholic beverages and gratuities.
• Children ages 3 to 9 must choose from the children’s menu, if available.

To book by phone, call (407) 939-7728 to speak with a vacation planning expert or call your travel agent.

First "Cars 3" Poster Revealed; New Highway in the Sky Dine-Around Coming Soon

First "Cars 3" Poster Revealed:

Last week, the very first teaser of Pixar's "Cars 3" was released showing Lightning McQueen, the veteran now, lagging behind and him flipping. The teaser ended with it saying, "From this moment, everything will change." The new poster released today takes on the same concept shows McQueen in midair of his crash. Could this be the end of the career of Lightning McQueen? Here is the poster:

"Cars 3" hits theaters June 16, 2017. 

New Highway in the Sky Dine-Around Coming Soon to Walt Disney World:

Beginning this Friday, December 2 a brand new dining experience is coming to the Walt Disney World. The new Highway in the Sky Dine-Around will allow guests to travel around on the monorail for an unparalleled dining journey to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney's Contemporary Resort. 

The tour begins at The Wave... of American Flavors at Disney's Contemporary. Here you'll begin with a welcome cocktail. Then you will board the monorail and head over to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort to celebrate the Spirit of the South Pacific with island-inspired sips and appetizers. 

You will then head over to Disney's Grand Floridian for a sumptuous entree and meal with wine pairing at the award-winning Citricos. After dinner guests will enjoy wine and sample artisanal cheeses in the lavish lobby of the resort. Guests will finish the tour by heading back to Disney's Contemporary. Here guests will enjoy desserts, cordials, and coffee on a private patio where they will also enjoy a viewing of Wishes over Cinderella Castle. 

The dining experience will take place on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays beginning December 2. The Highway in the Sky Dine-Around will not be available December 23-31. Reservations are open today and it will cost $150/person, gratuity included and tax is not included. Valet Parking is included. For reservations, you can call 407-WDW-DINE.

Toy Story 4 and The Incredibles 2 Switch Release Dates, Muppet Babies Making a Return, and More

Toy Story 4 and The Incredibles 2 Switch Release Dates:

Pixar has decided that "Toy Story 4" just won't be ready for its 2018 release date and will be switching release dates with "The Incredibles 2." Now "Toy Story 4" will be released on June 21, 2019 and "The Incredibles 2" will now be released on June 15, 2018.

"Toy Story 4" will open a new chapter of Buzz, Woody, and the Toy Story gang. It will be directed by John Lasseter himself and is written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. 

“We love these characters so much; they are like family to us,” said Lasseter. “We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before. Toy Story 3 ended Woody and Buzz’s story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another Toy Story movie. But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself.” - John Lasseter.

Brad Bird who is directing the "The Incredibles 2" has just said it will be more "Incredibles" and that he isn't giving anything away and it will be a surprise for fans.

Muppet Babies Making a Return in 2018 on Disney Junior:

"Wocka, Wocka, Wocka!" Go crazy Muppets fans because the Muppet Babies are returning to tv very soon. Muppet Babies, the animated tv show that ran from 1984 to 1991 will be coming to Disney Junior in 2018. The adorable versions of Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Animal, and Gonzo will be returning where the new series will be chronicling their playroom antics once again. Even Miss Nanny will be returning.

The show will co-produced by Disney Junior, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media's (DCPI) Content & Media Group, and The Muppets Studio, and will be CG-animated this time around. Each episode will feature two 11-minute stories about the Muppet Babies' adventures. The iconic characters will be doing anything from building a time machine to flying through outer-space.

The series will be geared towards children ages 4-7, but we all know millennials everywhere will want to bring the nostalgia back and watch the show too. The show will highlight creative and critical thinking. 

For one I can't wait to see this show as I loved the Muppet Babies when I was younger. 

"Once Upon A Time" Projection Show Replacing "Celebrate the Magic":

This morning the Disney Parks Blog announced that a new nighttime projection show is coming to the Magic Kingdom beginning November 4. This means we will be saying goodbye to "Celebrate the Magic" which will be ending its run at the park on November 3. 

"In this new show, Mrs. Potts from “Beauty and the Beast” shares bedtime stories with Chip, taking them (and all of us) on a magical trip through the most adventurous scenes from favorite Disney films like “Cinderella,” “Peter Pan,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.”
Scenes that are expected to be guest-favorites include a flight with Peter Pan from London to Never Land, the Mad Hatter’s whimsical tea party, and a daring duel between Gaston and Beast. Mrs. Potts and Chip end their bedtime story with a grand finale that includes appearances by characters from even more Disney films."

"Once Upon A Time" was inspired by a show in similar name in Tokyo Disneyland. It will use projection mapping technology to cover every nook and cranny of Cinderella Castle in vibrant images that will appear almost three-dimensional. You can check the My Disney Experience App for show times and more information on the new show. 

Tomorrow, October 1 is Magic Kingdom's 45th Anniversary

Tomorrow is Magic Kingdom's 45th Anniversary:

It is hard to believe that tomorrow will be the 45th Anniversary of Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the 40th Anniversary just 5 years ago. While I am younger and wasn't alive to appreciate the park when it opened 45 years ago on October 1, 1971, Disney World has been like a second home to me for my whole life. I didn't visit until the park was 20 years old itself when I visited the park for the first time at the age of 2 in 1991.

Think about this Walt brought the idea of a theme park to Central Florida in 1965, it was a park he wouldn't get to see open. His brother Roy dedicated the opening of the park on October 25, 1971. Roy would die just a few weeks later. It was a grand multi-property vacation destination for guests which included just two resorts, The Contemporary and The Polynesian Village Resort.

The Disney Parks Blog shared this today on their blog:

"Constructing a property of this size was no small task – and neither was celebrating the accomplishment of opening the world’s largest Disney property to-date. To celebrate, the resort held a three-day series of grand opening festivities that culminated on October 25 with the grand opening of Magic Kingdom Park."

The grand opening featured a 1,076-piece marching band and included a release of 50,000 balloons, and so much more. Here is Roy's dedication speech he made on October 25, 1971:


Today, the Walt Disney World Resort includes 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, the ever extensive shopping and entertainment district in Disney Springs, and more then two dozen resorts. 45 years later Walt and Roy's dream continue as Walt said himself, "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

I will never forget all the countless trips I have made to Walt Disney World and there is no greater memory then entering Magic Kingdom, walking down Main Street, USA and just seeing how beautiful Cinderella Castle is. Even after my trip just last week I can't wait to plan my next trip to Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom celebrating 45 amazing years and so much more.

We already know that Walt Disney World will continue to grow with Pandora - The World of Avatar opening next year and Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land opening in the next few years. We can never forget that this dream and these parks all came thanks to the idea of man to bring joy and magic to people around the world. Here's to you Walt and let the magic of Walt Disney World continue for many more years to come.

Breaking: "Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire" Replacing "Dream Along with Mickey" at Magic Kingdom This Summer

Yesterday, I talked about a rumor that "Dream Along with Mickey" at Magic Kingdom would be ending in April. We now can confirm that it will be ending and will be replaced with an all new stage show called "Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire" this summer. Against the magical backdrop of Cinderella Castle, Mickey and his friends will welcome characters from Disney's newest classics including: "The Princess and the Frog," "Tangled," and "Frozen."

The Disney Parks Blog announced today on the new stage show and its description:

In “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire,” Mickey and his troupe of Merry Makers have been preparing to host a joyous festival and have ventured far and wide to invite friends from other lands to join their celebration. From the Land of the Bewitching Bayous, Goofy has invited Tiana, Naveen and Louis to add a little spice of New Orleans jazz to the party. From the Land of the Enchanted Woods, Donald Duck brings some new friends he met at the Snuggly Duckling, and Daisy introduces us to her special guests, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Finally, Mickey shares a surprise with Minnie, as he has traveled to the Land of the Mystic Mountains to invite Olaf, Anna and Elsa, who contributes a blast of her icy magic. It all culminates in a grand dance, as the Merry Makers invite all their special guests to join in the fun on this special day in Magic Kingdom Park!

This will also mark the first appearances ever by Tiana and Rapunzel in a castle stage show. "Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire" brings to life the beloved Disney stories both classic and contemporary in a spectacular performance featuring an original song, memorable music, lively dancing and special effects magic. We sure are going to miss "Dream Along with Mickey" but "Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire" sure sounds exciting. Who else is excited for the new stage show at Magic Kingdom?