New Images & Details on the Disney Skyliner; Grand Opening Gala on New Year's Eve at The Edison

New Images & Details on the Disney Skyliner:

Since the D23 announcement on the new Disney Skyliner coming to Walt Disney World, many have been wondering about the new transportation system. Well as part of the 12 days of Disney Parks Christmas, more details and concept art on the new transportation system traveling the sky from Disney's Caribbean Beach, Disney's Pop Century, Disney's Art of Animation, Epcot, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. 

Select Disney Skyliner cabins will have iconic Disney characters incorporated into their exterior design to give the appearance that a Disney pal is riding along with guests, such as characters from the ‘Fab Five,’ figures from Disney attractions, fan favorites from movies, and more.

International Gateway at Epcot:

The design of the Disney Skyliner station at International Gateway at Epcot will be inspired by the park’s nearby European Pavilions, and will be covered with metal and glass canopies, hand-painted murals and ornamental steel structures that harken back to the early 18th century Art Nouveau style. Guests traveling to Epcot via the Disney Skyliner will be welcomed to the park with a rare birds-eye view of World Showcase.

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort:

The Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort station will be the hub of activity for Disney Skyliner. This station is inspired by the open air village marketplaces of the Caribbean and will showcase the nearby resort’s architectural detailing and color schemes. At this station, passengers will be able to transfer gondola routes to reach their destination, or are invited to sit and admire the waterfront resort setting.

Disney's Hollywood Studios:

The design style of the station at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will fit with that of the park’s main entrance and bus stations. Passengers traveling here from the Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort station can expect a new aerial perspective of the park’s iconic attractions, like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

Disney's Pop Century and Disney's Art of Animation:

Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will share a Disney Skyliner station that feels whimsical and contextual with both resorts. Upon departing the gondola station, Skyliner passengers will ascend over Hourglass Lake and enjoy a panoramic view of these two colorful resorts.

Stay tuned for future updates and an official opening date for the Disney Skyliner. 

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Grand Opening Gala on New Year's Eve at The Edison:

The Edison will host a Grand Opening Gala on New Year's Eve, an exclusive event for guests 21 and older, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Here are the details on the event:

The Edison at Disney Springs will host a dazzling gala Grand Opening on New Year’s Eve, showcasing its lavish Industrial Gothic-style, crave-worthy food and exceptional cocktails plus a truly spectacular lineup of world-class entertainment all within Central Florida’s newest entertainment hot-spot. The Edison’s doors will open at 7:30 p.m., allowing guests ample time to eat, drink and be merry, right up through a special midnight toast to ring in 2018. A fully immersive dining experience, The Edison features multiple themed areas to explore, such as the Lab performance space, The Ember Parlour, Telegraph Lounge, The Patent Office, The Tesla Lounge, The Radio Room, and the Waterfront Patio.

Tickets for The Edison’s New Year’s Eve Grand Opening are $150 and available to a limited number of lucky guests to purchase. The ticket price includes tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, live-action food stations and a wide selection of beer, wine and premium spirits from 8 p.m until midnight; plus, a selection of coffee, desserts and a celebratory midnight toast to ring in the new year.

A minimum age of 21 is required to attend this event. Guests arriving to The Edison Orlando are asked to adhere to our dress code.  Men may wear slacks, jeans or dress shorts.  No ball caps, sleeveless shirts or flip-flops are permitted.  Jackets are optional.

Tickets for the event, can be purchased on the Patina Restaurant Group website.

Disney Springs Welcoming Three New Italian Restaurants; New Concept Art for Sunshine Season Greetings

Disney Springs will Welcome Three New Italian Restaurants:

Three new restaurants with an Italian flare are coming to Disney Springs very soon this winter. All three restaurants will be brought to us from the Patina Restaurant Group with each featuring unique menus and authentic Italian foods in a beautiful and expansive dining complex.

Maria & Enzo's Ristorante:

The first concept, called Maria & Enzo’s, is a trattoria set in the town’s abandoned 1930’s airline terminal which has now been transformed into an open and airy restaurant. Featuring gorgeous views of Lake Buena Vista and incredible 50-foot ceilings, the interior dining room is adorned with artifacts that reflect air travel of the time such as maps and historic flight paths. Inspired by Sicily, the menu has a delightful range of family-friendly dishes – Arancini di Carne (rice balls stuffed with meat), Melanzane Parmigiana (eggplant parmesan), and handmade pastas including Busiate con Granchio (spiral pasta with crab) and ‘Ncasiata al Forno (Sicilian baked pasta) – all served tableside. Other delectable highlights include fresh fish, richly flavored steaks and chops.

Enzo's Hideaway Tunnel Bar:

The second concept is Enzo’s Hideaway – Enzo’s own personal speakeasy inspired by Roman aperitivo bars. Located in the storied rum-runner tunnels that adjoin Maria & Enzo’s and steeped in Florida’s true history of rum-running, Enzo’s Hideaway will pour Prohibition-era cocktails at its Tunnel Bar and serve a casual menu of hearty Roman Dishes such as the city’s legendary Bucatini alla Carbonara (hollow spaghetti with creamy egg and pancetta sauce) and Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (square-cut spaghetti with pecorino and black pepper).

Pizza Ponte:

Pizza Ponte rounds out the group with a fast-casual restaurant serving pizza, pastries, Italian sandwiches and espresso. With the perfect blend of savory and sweet, Pizza Ponte is the ideal place quick bite. On the savory side, the menu features Pizza al Taglio (Sicilian-style pizza served by the slice), signature Tirangolo (stuffed pizza bread) sandwiches, and Porchetta (roast pork). To satisfy your sweet tooth, pastry specialties include Bombolini (Italian donuts), Sfoglia di Riso (pastry with rice cream), and Tiramisu.

Maria & Enzo's Ristorante, Enzo's Hideaway, and Pizza Ponte will all open this winter at Disney Springs in the dining complex located adjacent to The Edison, which is also slated to open soon. 

Source: Disney Parks Blog

New Concept Art Revealed Sunshine Seasons Greetings at Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Today, Disney released some new concept art of the Hollywood Tower Hotel which will become the Hollywood Toy Hotel in one scene during the new Sunshine Seasons Greetings. The new projection onto the Tower will begin on November 9 at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

“Toy Story” is just one of of the four special projections that will be shown on the Hollywood Tower Hotel. The other scenes projecting on the Tower will include:

• Mickey and Minnie reminisce about hometown Christmas as a romanticized, Norman Rockwell-inspired scene changes from black & white to color
• The Swedish Chef from The Muppets babbles in front of giant gingerbread houses
• Olaf pines over his holiday wish and iconic music from “Frozen” plays as the scene transforms into a winter wonderland – complete with projected falling snow and dancing Aurora Borealis lights

Sunshine Seasons Greetings will debut next Thursday, November 9. 

Three New Dining Options Coming to Disney Springs Plus Two More in 2018

This year three more dining options will be welcomed to Disney Springs while guests can look forward to two more dining experiences next year in 2018. This year Disney Springs has already welcomed The Polite Pig soon guests will be able to experience a new Italian restaurant replacing Portobello, Wine By George, and The Edison.

This fall, Chicago-based Levy Restaurants will be introducing a new Italian concept at Disney Springs, with James Beard award winner and “Top Chef Master” Chef Tony Mantuano leading the development. The new restaurant replaces Levy’s Portobello Country Italian Trattoria and will feature dishes inspired by Mantuano’s adventures in Italy.

In late 2017 Wine Bar George will open, with Master Sommelier George Miliotes bringing his expertise to Disney Springs with an unparalleled wine list including more than 100 selections by the bottle and glass in a range of varietals, vintages and prices. Shareable plates, cheese and charcuterie will complement the wine list, featuring local artisans and seasonally relevant dishes. Guests can look for some fun wine education, including special events and visits from winemakers. Miliotes is widely regarded as one of the industry’s foremost wine experts, and is one of only 236 professionals certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Finally the Edison, a lavish “Industrial Gothic” restaurant, bar and nighttime, is expected to open by year’s end. A collaboration of Patina Restaurant Group and Kinetescape’s Andrew Meieran, The Edison is noted for classic American food, craft cocktails and live entertainment including cabaret. The Disney Springs location is inspired by its sister location in Los Angeles.With Old World sophistication and romance, The Edison will be themed to a 1920s-era electric company, recalling an exuberant era of invention and imagination with entertainment that includes contortionists, aerialists, DJs and more.

Looking forward to 2018, two more dining options will be opening in Disney Springs. This will include Jaleo by Jose Andres and the new Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. Here are the details released by Disney today:

Jaleo, a concept by world-renowned Chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup, will open on the West Side, bringing the spirit and flavors of Spain, with an extensive menu of tapas that reflect the rich regional diversity of traditional and contemporary Spanish cuisine. Think paella cooked over a wood fire, hand-carved Jamon Iberico de Bellota and wood-grilled Iberico pork. With five locations in the United States and Mexico City, this will be the first location in Florida. The first floor of the multi-level restaurant will feature a “grab-n-go” storefront with Spanish-style sandwiches.

A new Wolfgang Puck concept will open in a new location in Town Center. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, will modernize the traditional “bar and grill” concept in a setting inspired by traditional farmhouses with a touch of elegance. The restaurant will capture the essence of laid-back California dining made popular by Puck at Spago, his flagship restaurant in Los Angeles. The menu will highlight the best of Puck’s signature dishes with Mediterranean influences, innovative takes on comfort food classics and handcrafted specialty cocktails, beer and wine.

Source: Disney Parks Blog