Disney's Animal Kingdom Making Changes to Animal Hospital; Summer Discount Announced

Disney's Animal Kingdom Making Changes to Animal Hospital:

The Animal Hospital and Veterinary Treatment Room in Rafiki's Planet Watch is now closed for refurbishment until mid-June. Disney's Animal Kingdom has announced they are continuing their efforts to provide exceptional care for the animals by introducing new technology inside the animal hospital. 

Several enhancements will take place during the refurbishment, and after reopening, guests will have the ability to view procedures in which the hospital staff uses two new CT (computed tomography) scanners for animal diagnostics. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of only two animal hospitals in U.S. zoos with CT scanners on the premises.

While closed, the animals will continue to receive the best care, but they will receive that care in backstage treatment areas, such as the quarantine building. There will be no on-stage veterinary procedures during the refurbishment.

Source: The Laughing Place

Summer Room Discount at Walt Disney World Resorts Announced:

Guests visiting Walt Disney World can save up to 25% on their room with the new summer room only discount that was announced today. The discount is available on most nights from May 28 through August 31. 

Seeking a new and immersive adventure at Walt Disney World Resort? Be among the first to visit Pandora – The World of Avatar. This jaw-dropping new land is set to open on May 27, 2017 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Experience its splendor-and the enchantment that lies within all 4 parks-when you create a vacation package by adding theme park tickets to this room offer.

Here is the run down of the discount at each Walt Disney World Resort:

Select Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels - Save up to 25%:

Disney's BoardWalk Villas, Disney's Old Key West Resort, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House, Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village, Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows – Studios Only

Select Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels - Save up to 25%:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Select Disney Moderate Resort Hotels - Save up to 20%:

The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney Port Oreans Resort – Riverside

Select Disney Value Resort Hotels - Save up to 20%:

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort - Family Suites Only,  Disney’s Pop Century Resort

This offer can be booked through July 14, 2017. The number of rooms allocated for the discount are limited. Length of stay requirements may apply and moderate and deluxe suites may be available at a lesser discount. 

First Video of Rivers of Light Hits the Internet; Doc McStuffins to Greet at Animal Kingdom

First Video of Rivers of Light Hits the Internet:

Guests of the Disney Social Media Moms last night got a special showing of Rivers of Light at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The long-awaited new nighttime spectacular seems to be complete being drastically cut down from the previews shown late last year to Cast Members. The show is just over 15 minutes.

The video which was posted my one of the guests, in the Jones Family Travels on YouTube. The video is 26 minutes long but the actual show doesn't start until about 7 minutes in the video, the videographer does talk at the beginning and at the end of the video. Check it out below:

Rivers of Light seems to be complete, and should debut either in the next coming days or most likely next week at some point. After watching the video, I did enjoy the show much but did feel that the finale was lacking. The music for the show however is on point and projections were beautiful. I will withhold final judgement however until I see it live.

Doc McStuffins Meet & Greet Coming to Disney's Animal Kingdom:

Later this month, Doc McStuffins will be meeting with guests at Disney's Animal Kingdom in addition to her meet & greet at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Here are the details from the Disney Parks Blog:

The popular toy doctor will make daily visits to Disney’s Animal Kingdom to meet with guests and sign autographs. With her handy stethoscope in hand, she’ll stop by every day just outside the veterinarian clinic at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. While there, wee ones can also learn a little about conservation and how the vets care for the animals that live at the park. And while preschoolers love the train ride to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, it also gives us parents a few minutes to relax before the next adventure.

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Star Wars Episode VIII Delayed, 'Pirates 5' Moved Up; Discovering Zootopia Coming to Animal Kingdom

Star Wars Episode VIII Delayed 7 Months, 'Pirates 5' Takes its Place:

Disney and Lucasfilm sent shockwaves for fans this afternoon as they announced Star Wars "Episode VIII" will now be released on December 15, 2017. The film was originally supposed to hit theaters on May 26, 2017 so it is now being delayed 7 months. In its place, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" will instead be released on May 26 instead of its original release date of July 7, 2017. 

Star Wars 'Episode VIII' will be directed and is written by Rian Johnson. The film is currently in pre-production and will begin principal photography in London next month. Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bregman will produce, while "The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams, Tom Karnowski, and Jason McGatlin will executive produce.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" will return Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Barbosa, the much anticipated return of Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, and a new adversary in Captain Salazar played by Javier Bardem. Jerry Bruckheimer produced and Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg directed the film. The film is currently in post-production.

Discovering the World Behind "Zootopia" Coming to Animal Kingdom:

Guests visiting Rafiki's Planet Watch in Conservation Station at Disney's Animal Kingdom will soon be getting a behind the scenes look at what went into creating the world of "Zootopia", Disney's next hit film. The exhibit will be called Discovering Disney "Zootopia" and will open January 29th. 

For the film, Walt Disney Animation Studios sent its filmmakers to study and research the habitats of the animals in the film for 18 months. Their very first stop in March 2014 was Disney's Animal Kingdom. There they worked closely with the park's team of animal care professionals. 

Oscar-nominated producer of "Zootopia" Clark Spencer said, "Research is such an important part of every animated film we make at Disney, and for "Zootopia" our research began at Disney's Animal Kingdom to meet with some of the best animal experts in the world. Everything that we learned about animal behaviors, personalities, and movement our artists incorporated into the world of 'Zootopia,' and to now be able to share those discoveries and influences with the guests at the park is truly a full circle moment."

Disney's "Zootopia" is directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore and co-directed by Jared Bush. The film hits theaters on March 4th.