NEWS ROUNDUP: Skyliner Opens, Epcot Forever Debuts, Flower & Garden Dates Announced, New Disney Cruise Itineraries, Riviera Resort Preview, New Fall Treats, Hundreds of Plant-based Dishes Coming and More!
This will be a busy week at Disney World with new things opening including the much anticipated Skyliner and Epcot Forever, the new nighttime show at Epcot. Disney World announced the dates for the 2020 Flower & Garden Festival, and Disney Cruise Line announced new itineraries. Some pretty big food news was announced last week as well. All this and more below in this week’s news round up.
1 – Disney Skyliner Now Open
The Disney Skyliner, Disney’s latest form of complimentary transportation, is now open! This “most magical flight on Earth” connects Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the new Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Disney Vacation Club property that will open December 16, 2019. We were there at the Dedication Ceremony on September 27 and also had a chance to experience the Skyliner. In short, we absolutely loved it! Follow the link below more information!
Click here for our full review and the 15 things you need to know about the Disney Skyliner!
2 – Epcot Forever Debuts this Week!
After nearly twenty years, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is ending on September 30, 2019. Thankfully, we don’t need to wait long for a new nighttime show. ‘Epcot Forever’ will debut on Tuesday, October 1, 2019. This week Disney released a sneak preview of the music and gave a behind the scenes look at how the spectacular is coming together. Here are more details from Disney Cast Member Shawn Slater.
“Epcot Forever,” an all-new nighttime spectacular that takes guests on a journey through the years and into the future, opens October 1, 2019, as part of the transformation of Epcot. The show will bring World Showcase Lagoon to life with a spark of imagination that quickly grows into an epic spectacle of fireworks, lighting, lasers, special effects kites, and an incredible musical score.
In the words of Disney Parks Live Entertainment show director Alan Bruun, “Music is the soul of the show, because music has been the soul of Epcot ever since it began.”
From “Magic Journeys” and “Tomorrow’s Child” to “Listen to the Land” and “One Little Spark,” “Epcot Forever” features classic Epcot themes produced in fresh new arrangements. The music was recorded by the legendary London Symphony Orchestra at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, with vocals performed by a talented choir of singers from across Central Florida.
Here’s a look behind the scenes at how the music for “Epcot Forever” came together.
The Disney Parks Live Entertainment team is putting the finishing touches on the show to get ready for opening night, with everyone from audio engineers to special effects designers working around the clock to get everything just right.
[Below is] a look at the incredible work taking place to make “Epcot Forever” a visual spectacle unlike any other, combining familiar elements from previous shows with new features – and a few surprises thrown in, too!
Disney Parks Live will be live streaming the debut of ‘Epcot Forever’ on the Disney Parks Blog. To watch the live stream, simply visit the Disney Parks Blog on Tuesday, October 1, at 8:50 p.m. ET.
3 – Dates Announced for the 2020 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Disney has announced the dates for the most beautiful Epcot festival – the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. The festival returns in the spring of 2020, and we couldn’t be more excited. Find more information at the link below.
Click here for Dates of the 2020 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival!
4 – Get a Preview of Disney’s Riviera Resort Opening December 16, 2019
This week we got a sneak peek of two rooms and tasted some food from Disney’s Riviera Resort, the latest Disney Vacation Club property, projected to open on December 16, 2019. The resort looks amazing, and we can’t wait to stay there! Click on the link below for our full review and lots of photos.
5 – Hundreds of Plant-Based Dishes are Coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort
Guests who are looking for plant-based dishes at Disney Parks received some fantastic news this week with the announcement of hundreds of plant-based dishes coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. The expansion of options for these guests has a lot of people happy! Catch all the details at the link below.
6 – Disney Cruise Line Announces New Itineraries, Return to New Orleans in 2021
Get your calendars out because this week Disney announced the 2021 Disney Cruise Line itineraries. Bookings begin October 8, giving you time to research your options. See below for more information.
7 – Must-Try Fall Treats from Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
Even though we’re in the fall season, it’s still plenty hot here in Central Florida. It’s still the perfect weather to visit Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. While there you can get a taste of fall with some special fall treats available for a limited time. Here are all the details from Disney cast member, Jacqueline Logan:
It’s officially autumn, which means that pumpkin spice season is finally here! From fall decorations to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, there are so many ways to celebrate fall across Walt Disney World Resort. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is no exception, offering three limited-time desserts that Disney food lovers can enjoy through November 23, 2019. And with warm weather and less wait times at your favorite Typhoon Lagoon attractions – now is the perfect time to visit. Which of these fall-themed snacks are you going to try first?
1 – Pumpkin Milkshake
If you like pumpkin spice, you will love the all-new Pumpkin Milkshake at Leaning Palms. Topped with whipped cream and colorful fall sprinkles, this milkshake makes for the perfect seasonal dessert.
2 – Pumpkin Cream Churros
A delicious twist on a classic Disney snack, the new Pumpkin Cream Churro is rolled in cinnamon sugar and filled with pumpkin cream. Coming soon to Typhoon Lagoon, you can try the Pumpkin Cream Churro for yourself at Lowtide Lou’s.
3 – Pumpkin Sundae
Ice cream is not just for summer, especially when you’re in Florida! The Pumpkin Sundae at Happy Landings Ice Cream features vanilla soft-serve ice cream and is topped with your choice of caramel or hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, fall sprinkles, and a pumpkin spice cake.
8 – Special Offers for Canadian Residents
With a magical holiday season just around the corner and even more excitement planned for both resorts in 2020, this is a great time to visit Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. To make a visit even more magical, Canadian residents are now invited to take advantage of special ticket discounts.
Starting today and continuing into February 2020, Canadian residents can save 20% on theme park tickets when they purchase a 3-day or longer Disneyland Resort theme park ticket or a 4-day or longer Walt Disney World Resort theme park ticket. This value option is a great way to experience new magic across both destinations. Here are some additional details on these special offers:
- Disneyland Resort theme park tickets must be purchased today through February 16, 2020, and prior to travel to the Disneyland Offer is not available at the Disneyland Resort Main Entrance ticket booths.
- Walt Disney World Resort theme park tickets must be purchased today through February 7, 2020, and guests must select a start date on or before December 31, 2020. Offer is not available at the Walt Disney World Resort theme park ticket windows.
- Offer is valid on 1-Park tickets and Park Hopper tickets at the Disneyland Resort. The offer is also valid on Base theme park tickets and Park Hopper option at the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the Park Hopper Plus option at the Walt Disney World Resort.
- Proof of Canadian residency is required.
For more information about these special ticket offers, visit Disneyland.ca/tickets or Disneyworld.ca/tickets.
New magical experiences coming to both coasts this year and throughout 2020 make this a great time for Canadian residents to start planning their next Disney vacation:
- Inside the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, guests live out their own Star Wars adventures in this immersive 14-acre land. During their visit, guests can take control of the Millennium Falcon, taste Blue Milk, build their own lightsabers and droids, and much more.
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the second anchor attraction set to debut in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, will bring guests into the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance. This first-of-its-kind attraction – one of the most ambitious, advanced and immersive experiences ever undertaken by Walt Disney Imagineering – is scheduled to open December 5, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, and January 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park in California.
- The new “Magic Happens” parade debuts at Disneyland Park in spring 2020, bringing awe-inspiring moments of magic to life accompanied by an energetic musical score and a new song produced with singer-songwriter Todrick Hall.
- In 2020 at the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida will unveil Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the first ride-through attraction themed to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. In addition, Epcot will welcome the much-anticipated Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction to the France pavilion in World Showcase.
9 – Disney Cruise Line Celebrates Female Crew Members and Officers
Disney Cruise Line is celebrating female crew members and officers for World Maritime Day! Here are all the details from Disney cast member, Mari Mendez.
[Thursday] was World Maritime Day, and to celebrate, we’re spotlighting the incredible female Crew Members and Officers onboard our ships. Disney Cruise Line is dedicated to empowering our women at sea for the benefit of all of our Crew Members and the maritime industry at large.Take a look at this video to learn more about the contribution of women at Disney Cruise Line from our female officers.
Disney Cruise Line is committed to inspiring the next generation of female leaders in the maritime industry. Earlier this year, you may remember that Disney Cruise Line announced that it will sponsor four scholarships at the LJM Maritime Academy for female cadets aspiring to become ship captains and shipboard leaders. The scholarships, one for each of the ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, will include tuition to the three-year program – two years of study at the academy and one year of service aboard a Disney ship.
Other programs include the debut of Captain Minnie Mouse who will make the rounds on all Disney ships and visit port communities including those in The Bahamas. And later this year, Captain Minnie Mouse will also appear in an all-new, onboard youth activity being developed for Disney Cruise Line ships where young captain hopefuls will practice STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills in a fun, interactive marine-themed activity.
As a woman, I’m proud to work with so many inspirational women across all levels of the organization and am grateful that Disney fosters a supportive work environment for everyone.
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