Magic Kingdom News and Notes

The 3:00 parade is back! Festival of Fantasy which moved to 2 p.m. back in August to better accommodate Magic Kingdom guests during the Halloween and Christmas parties who were entering the park at 4 p.m.

As of yesterday January 1, 2018, the parade had returned to its famous 3:00 time slot now that the holidays are officially over. We can now hear guests ask once again the famous question, "What time is the 3:00 parade.

The Liberty Square Riverboat will undergo a very lengthy refurbishment beginning next week. The riverboat will close January 8 and be under refurbishment until July 19, 2018. Right now there is no word on what will happen to the boat during the refurbishment. 

New Survey Talks of Adding New Resort Room Features; Winter Summerland Mini Golf Refurb

New Survey Talks of Adding New Resort Room Features:

A new survey is being sent out to Walt Disney World guests asking them about new interactive features for resort rooms. These features would include things such as a welcome message from your favorite character, live feeds on your resort tv of nighttime spectaculars at the parks, and more. Here is the complete list:

• A welcome sequence where curtains will open, lights turn on slowly, music plays, and a custom welcome message with your FastPass+ plans for the day appears on the TV.
• A brief animated video featuring a character of your choice welcoming you to the resort, playing on a screen themed to look like a picture frame.
• Immersive on-demand movies with choices based on your FastPass+ reservations. Color-changing light bulbs and a star projector would be used to create an experience themed to each movie.
• Live feed of nighttime spectaculars, bringing live video feeds of the park nighttime spectaculars synchronized to the show’s music to your resort TV.
• Your PhotoPass pictures from the day displayed on your resort TV.

This sounds a lot like the patent Disney filed last year for projection technology in the resort rooms. We wrote about the patent after it was filed. This would go along with option 3 where the room would have immersive on-demand movies with choices based on FastPass+ reservations. Color-changing light bulbs and a star projector would be used to create an immersive experience themed to each movie.

Of course this is just a survey and some or none of this may actually come to fruition at the resorts. It is definitely interesting though that how similar it is to the patent that was filed last year. Stay tuned as these new room features could be coming to the resorts in the future.

Source: WDW News Today

Winter Summerland Mini Golf Course Going Under Refurbishment:

The Summer Course at the Winter Summerland Miniature Golf course is now closed for refurbishment until November 10, 2017. The course will then re-open on November 11, 2017. The Winter Course will close in a few weeks on October 23 and will also be closed through November 10 and re-open the following day on November 11. 

During the refurbishment, Disney's Fantasia Gardens miniature golf course will remain open with normal operating hours.

Source: WDW Magic

D23 & TCM to Celebrate The Great Movie Ride; Muppet Vision 3-D Closes Unexpectedly

D23 & TCM to Celebrate The Great Movie Ride:

We are all in a somber mood as soon one of the original rides at Disney's Hollywood Studios when The Great Movie Ride closes for good on August 13. On August 12, D23 and TCM will be celebrating The Great Movie Ride to give us one final goodbye to the classic attraction here are the details:

OVERVIEW

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club and TCM Backlot: The Ultimate Turner Classic Movies Fan Club are joining together to invite members of both fan clubs to celebrate the farewell of The Great Movie Ride!

DETAILS
Experience begins promptly at 7:15 a.m. at the entrance of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Check-in will begin at 7 a.m. Please do not arrive before 7 a.m. Due to the nature of this unique experience, late arrivals will not be accommodated.

Available to Gold and Gold Family Members
You will be required to show a photo ID. Members will be required to show their D23 Membership Card.

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club and TCM Backlot: The Ultimate Turner Classic Movies Fan Club are joining together to invite members of both fan clubs to celebrate the farewell of The Great Movie Ride!

Attendees will have the opportunity to experience the star-studded cinema attraction one last time during a behind-the-scenes experience before Disney’s Hollywood Studios opens to the public on Saturday, August 12.

This complimentary event will include a private attraction experience with special guests, a delicious breakfast at The Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant and a one-of-a-kind gift created just for attendees!

NOTE
D23 Gold and Gold Family Members may register a ticket for themselves and one (1) guest.
Due to the nature of this experience, all attendees must be at least 21 years of age or older to partake in this D23 experience.
This experience does not require admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests will need to have or purchase admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios if planning to return to the theme park once the experience concludes.
Food allergy and restrictions must be communicated to our Guest Services team prior to the event.
There is a limited number of reservations available. D23 Members will be required to provide their membership number when reserving tickets. Tickets may be picked up only with a valid photo ID AND D23 MEMBERSHIP CARD. D23 Members who do not bring their membership card may not be admitted to the event. Ticketed Members who do not attend the event forfeit their place as well as all experiences, benefits, and gifts associated with the event.
All D23 Special Events are subject to change without notice. There are no cancellations or refunds, and tickets are not transferable.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: Filming, photography, and other recording will take place at Walt Disney World Resort during the event you will be attending. By entering the premises, you irrevocably consent to and authorize The Walt Disney Company, its affiliates, successors, and assigns (collectively “Producer”), to photograph you, make sound recordings of you, and use such photographs and recordings throughout the world, for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity, including, but not limited to, television broadcasts and home entertainment products, including, but not limited to, home video and DVD. All such photographs and sound recordings will be the sole property of Producer.

The experience is complimentary, registration for the event will open Tuesday, August 1 at 10 a.m. PT for D23 Gold and Gold Family Members. 

Source: D23

Muppet Vision 3D Closes Unexpectedly for Short Refurbishment:

Today, Muppet Vision 3D closed unexpectedly for a very short refurbishment. The ride will be closed from today through August 2. Disney didn't give any reason for why it was closed down. 

Source: WDW News Today

Is Rivers of Light Delayed Until May 2017?; DINOSAUR Refurbishment Extended a Month Longer

Is Rivers of Light Delayed Until May 2017?:

The Rivers of Light saga continues to be a mystery as today some revelation on the nighttime spectacular may have been leaked today. A discovery by several people on Disney World's website revealed that dining packages for the new show leaked  to show that they would begin May 1, 2017. 

In those details it revealed that three restaurants would be available in Tusker House and Flame Tree Barbecue, but the third option remained unnamed. One would think that option is Tiffins as that is Animal Kingdom's newest signature restaurant. However, the dining package page on the website was removed by late morning. 

Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Rivers of Light was just about ready to debut. Many were saying that it would be ready in the coming weeks if not by late Fall. Could Disney really be delaying the show for more than a year after it was originally slated to debut. Disney has yet to confirm any kind of official debut of Rivers of Light to this moment. In fact we are still waiting on an update about the nighttime show since it was delayed in April. 

If the May 1, 2017 date is really the official debut for Rivers of Light, it is kind of disappointing. The preview that Disney showed to the media looked really amazing. The anticipation for this nighttime spectacular is overwhelming and as always stay tuned for when we get official word on the debut of Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom.

DINOSAUR Refurbishment Extended a Month Longer:

DINOSAUR at Disney's Animal Kingdom was supposed to reopen next week on October 17. However, several guests have reported of receiving emails that their FastPass+ reservations for the attraction have been cancelled for the next 30 days. The new re-opening date for the attraction is now extended to November 20, 2016.

Have you had a FastPass+ reservation cancelled for DINOSAUR?

New Special Offers for Annual Passholders at Walt Disney World; Hall of Presidents Sets Refurbishment to Add New President

New Special Offers for Annual Passholders at Walt Disney World: 

While yesterday was the 45th Anniversary of the opening of Magic Kingdom, some long awaited new special offers for Annual Passholders at Disney World are now available. This includes new dining and merchandise discounts as well as special Anniversary offer for this special Anniversary that we celebrated yesterday.

That special 45th Anniversary offer begins today and will run through January 3, 2017. The offer allows guests when purchasing a 12-month annual pass will be able to enjoy an extra month free. You will get 13 months for the price of 12 months. Prices will vary depending on which pass you buy: Weekday Select, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Platinum Plus. 

Starting yesterday, Annual Passholders began receiving 20% off the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 45 theme park and resort hotel restaurants. This will run through September 30, 2017 at places like Jiko - The Cooking Place, family dining like at The Jungle Skipper Canteen, or even quick service like newly opened D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs. There will also be a 10% discount off food and non-alcoholic beverages at select table-service restaurants at the theme parks or resorts.

Finally, if you like shopping, pass holders now will receive a 20% discount off their purchases at Disney owned and operated merchandise locations.

Will you be taking advantage of these new special offers for Annual Passholders at Walt Disney World?

Hall of Presidents Sets Refurbishment to Add New President:

The United States will be electing a new president next month whether it be Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump. The Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World will be welcoming one of them to the attraction while it closes for refurbishment just before Inauguration Day on January 17 will remain closed until June 29. It will open just before the 4th of July Holiday.

One would assume some changes will be made to the attraction as the acting president has given a speech during the shows attraction since President Bill Clinton did it first, followed by George W. Bush, and our current president Barack Obama. Given the unique circumstances with this election it will be interesting to see what changes Disney Imagineers make to the attraction.