DISNEY NEWS ROUNDUP: Details Released on MK Christmas Event; New Halloween Event Debuts; Space 220 Opening Announced & More
It’s party time at Disney World! This week kicked off the Halloween season, and we were there. Check out the full review below. We also got details on the Christmas edition of After Hours including dates, pricing, and more. We finally have a timeframe for the opening of a cool new restaurant in Epcot, Space 220, and Disney continues to feed more details on the 50th-anniversary celebration, the opening of Harmonious, and a whole lot more below in this week’s news round up.
1 – New Details Announced for “Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours” at Magic Kingdom
It may only be August, but Disney is already gearing up for the 2021 holiday season. This week we finally learned the dates, pricing, and entertainment offerings of the all-new Disney Very Merriest After Hours event taking place in November and December at Magic Kingdom. (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will not return this year). Learn all about the event at the link below.
Click here for details on the new “Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours” at Magic Kingdom.
2 – “Disney After Hours Boo Bash” Kicks off Halloween Season at Magic Kingdom
This week the Halloween season kicked off at Walt Disney World. The last of the Halloween decorations went up, and on Tuesday, the first “Disney After Hours Boo Bash” was held. We were there to check it out and had a great time. Disney also released details on Halloween treats that are available through Halloween at the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. Learn more at the links below.
Click here for our review and the 14 things you need to know about “Disney After Hours Boo Bash.”
Click here for details on where to find Halloween treats at Walt Disney World this fall.
3 – Space 220 New Restaurant Coming to EPCOT Will Open in September
Space 220 is a new restaurant coming to EPCOT. The restaurant has seen several delays but is thankfully opening this September. This week Disney released new details on what we can expect. Learn more at the link below.
Click here for information on the new Space 220 restaurant coming to EPCOT.
4 – Disney Shares Details on New Anthem for “The World’s Most Magical Celebration”
We’re now under fifty days until “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins on October 1, 2021. Disney has shared details on the new anthem for the celebration. Disney Cast Member Shawn Slater shares more below:
It’s almost time. The anticipation is building. We’re less than 50 days from the start of an event 50 years in the making – “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” in honor of the 50th Anniversary at Walt Disney World Resort. It promises to be a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime 18-month-long extravaganza unlike anything ever seen before, immersed in sparkling EARidescence and with Disney cast members at the heart of it all.
It’s going to be quite the celebration. And what’s a celebration without music? Platinum-selling songwriter and music producer Alana Da Fonseca and Nashville-based songwriter and producer Bobby Studley answered the call to create an original anthem for the 50th Anniversary, collaborating with award-winning composer Emily Bear and singing phenom Journi on “The Magic Is Calling.” Da Fonseca and Studley’s pop music style, Bear’s soaring orchestrations and Journi’s magical vocal performance come together to create a song that is all at once nostalgic, inspirational and contemporary.
“It’s such a tremendous honor to write something that celebrates a place that brings so much joy to so many people,” said Da Fonseca. “There’s magic all around us, and when you’re there, you are feeling it at every turn.”
You can start hearing the anthem soon in a variety of ways, calling everyone to join the celebration. “The Magic Is Calling” will connect to all four parks, as different arrangements of the song will be heard when each Walt Disney World theme park icon transforms into a magnificent Beacon of Magic at night, beckoning all to come and celebrate. Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, Hollywood Tower Hotel and the Tree of Life will each shine like never before and come to life on select nights with their own unique EARidescent glow.
Throughout the 50th Anniversary Celebration, “The Magic Is Calling” will also be included in special live entertainment moments across Walt Disney World Resort. You’ll hear the anthem during Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade, featuring the “EARidescent 8” each day at Magic Kingdom Park, and listen for custom arrangements of the song performed by everyone from the Main Street Philharmonic and Dapper Dans to the Discovery Island Drummers and Voices of Liberty.
“The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins October 1. Will you answer the call?
5 – Disney Shares Details of Global Ensemble of Musical Artists for Harmonious Coming to EPCOT
Harmonious is also debuting on October 1, 2021 at EPCOT. Disney has gathered a global ensemble of musical artists for the show. Disney Cast Member Shawn Slater has the details below.
Music is at the heart of any celebration. It can bring the world together across boundaries and borders, and Disney music is recognized no matter where you are in the world. It touches people’s lives through powerful melodies and memorable lyrics that are inspiring and moving in any language. “Harmonious,” the all-new nighttime spectacular coming to EPCOT, celebrates the music of Disney and its ability to unite us all, bridging cultures and generations to unlock the magic of possibility.
The soundtrack for “Harmonious” was produced remotely through more than 100 separate recording sessions in nine different countries and five states. In total, nearly 240 musicians, artists, composers, arrangers, cultural consultants, and vocalists contributed to the unique and wholly authentic sound of the show.
“Harmonious” takes us on a journey through new interpretations of familiar Disney songs, performed in more than a dozen languages by a cast of talented singers from around the world. Some are recognizable names, either in the United States or their home country, while others are rising stars being heard by a global audience for the first time.
Award-winning Puerto Rican artist Luis Fonsi, responsible for several global hits including “Despacito,” joins award-winning Mexican singer-songwriter Joy for a rousing, pan-Latin version of songs from “Coco” and “Saludos Amigos.” A fresh and vibrant arrangement of “Dig a Little Deeper” from “The Princess and the Frog” features vocalist Bryson Camper and legendary Gospel artists Karen Clark Sheard and Kierra Sheard, and musical selections from “Mulan,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Aladdin” are highlighted by the vocal talents of Wang Liuqi, Hollie Hammel, Aditya Rao, Gaayatri Kaundinya, Jorgie Shkara, and Sanaa Marahati.
The Ndlovu Youth Choir from Johannesburg contributes a medley of favorites from “The Lion King,” performed in both English and Zulu. We also hear a duet with French pop singer Damien Sargue, belting “Out There” from Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” and the music of Disney and Pixar’s “Brave” gets a Celtic kick from the dueling violins of Grammy and Emmy-nominated violinist Máiréad Nesbitt and platinum-selling electronic artist, violinist, and multi-talented entertainer Lindsey Stirling.
Here’s a look at some of the amazing work that went on behind the scenes to create the music of “Harmonious.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYjPi2Ly2S0&feature=emb_logo
“Harmonious” opens with an inspiring medley of “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana” and “Go the Distance” from “Hercules,” performed by “American Idol” finalist and three-time Grammy nominee Danny Gokey and vocalists Elisha Garrett and Ninet Tayeb. The show builds to a finale that unites everyone around World Showcase and from around the world, as many of the musical artists come together to perform a poignant and powerful song, bringing “Harmonious” to an emotional close.
Throughout the soundtrack, there’s also a musical motif in the form of the soaring melody of composer Pinar Toprak’s new EPCOT anthem, and all these diverse pieces of music are artfully woven together by arranger Mark Hammond and Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Music Producer and Creative Director Yaron Spiwak. The resulting ensemble is a magnificent cultural symphony unlike anything heard before.
“Harmonious,” one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney park and a key milestone in the transformation of EPCOT, is set to open October 1 as part of the celebration of the Walt Disney World Resort 50thanniversary.
6 – Dining and Dessert Packages Coming to Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure Park
Those attending the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure can add dining and dessert packages to their evenings! Disney Cast Member Donna Fisk shares more below.
Get ready to make your experience during Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure park extra special with the addition of a dining or dessert package. The ghost hosts of this not-so-scary spectacular are inviting you to join in the festivities with a supernaturally scrumptious meal or dreadfully delightful dessert buffet, followed by reserved viewing for the Frightfully Fun Parade!
As a reminder – Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party is a separate-ticket, after park hours event on select nights beginning Sept. 9 through October 31. If you haven’t purchased your Oogie Boogie Bash tickets, be sure to do so now before they’re gone! Limited tickets are still available at Disneyland.com/OogieBoogieBash.*
Wine Country Trattoria Oogie Boogie Bash Parade Dining
With Wine Country Trattoria Oogie Boogie Bash Parade Dining, dine on a delicious three-course meal (starter, entrée, and dessert) at Wine Country Trattoria prior to the parade and then head over to a reserved standing viewing area to witness the magic and mayhem of the Frightfully Fun Parade during Oogie Boogie Bash party nights.**
Wine Country Trattoria Oogie Boogie Bash Parade Dining is available for lunch and dinner on party dates during the mix-in party time. The children’s meal includes an Oogie Boogie Popcorn Bucket (also available for adults for an additional charge). Reservations for dining at the restaurant can be made for Wine Country Trattoria on any date of the Oogie Boogie Bash subject to availability. Upon arrival, let the host know you want to upgrade to this dining experience, which is subject to availability, and must be made in person. Oogie Boogie Bash tickets are required for this dining package, and will need to be shown for verification at the location.
Sonoma Terrace Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party
Sweeten your night at the Sonoma Terrace Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party with some terrifyingly terrific Halloween treats along with reserved viewing for Frightfully Fun Parade.** With this package, feast on an impressive selection of hauntingly scrumptious desserts and beverages.
Sonoma Terrace Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party is available twice per night, beginning at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. during party nights. Children ages 2 and under may attend free of charge, provided they are seated on the lap of an adult. Advance reservations are recommended and can be booked online up to 60 days prior to your visit at Disneyland.com/Dining. Oogie Boogie Bash tickets are required for booking, and will need to be shown for verification when arriving at the location.
Dining reservations for Sonoma Terrace Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party package will be available beginning August 11.
Visit Disneyland.com/Updates for important information to know before visiting the Disneyland Resort.
*The number of tickets available are limited and valid only for the specific event date and hours. Parking fees are not included in the ticket price. Tickets can be purchased online, and are not available for purchase on the day of the event. Limit eight (8) tickets per person, per event date. Tickets not required for guests ages 2 and under. Tickets are non-refundable and may not be resold or transferred for a commercial purpose. Costumes are subject to Disney guidelines and should not be obstructive or offensive; please check special event costume guidelines at https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/parks/dress for restrictions. Offer and event elements are subject to restrictions, change or cancellation without notice.
**Separate ticket to Oogie Boogie Bash-A Disney Halloween Party required to attend the Halloween party including to view the Frightfully Fun Parade. Special dining packages and menus subject to change or cancellation without notice.
Oogie Boogie from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
7 – runDisney Reveals 2021 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Medals
In November, in-person racing is returning to Walt Disney World with the 2021 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend. This week Disney revealed the medal designs! Disney Cast Member Sarah Harris has all the details below.
Calling all Disney Villains fans! We are kicking off the runDisney race season in the most spooky way with the 2021 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend powered by AfterShokz. This year, some of your favorite villains are back for another wonderfully wicked good time, only this time, you’ll experience the ghoulish fun at Walt Disney World Resort — right at the start of “The World’s Most Magical Celebration”!
This year’s menu of events keeps up with the wickedly delicious theme and showcases some of Disney’s best-loved baddies. Today we are serving up a reveal of this year’s beautiful finisher medals that will be awaiting runners at the finish line. Take a look:
Just one bite … and you’ll be set for a wicked start to the race weekend. Featuring the Evil Queen from Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the Disney Wine & Dine 5K will surely tempt runners with a treat of a race.
All hail the Pumpkin King. Get ready to scare up a deviously delish good time during the Disney Wine & Dine 10K featuring Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie from “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Pull the lever for 13.1 mischievous miles during the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Featuring Yzma and Kronk from Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove,” runners will feel the power during this main course event.
A challenge fit for a Sea Queen. Make waves when you complete 19.3 miles as part of the Disney Two Course Challenge featuring Ursula from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”
With the Disney Villains setting the stage for this incredible weekend – topped off with an after-hours party to keep the celebration going – this year’s event will surely satisfy the appetite of every participant. Don’t miss out on these spellbinding miles with limited spots remaining for the 2021 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend powered by AfterShokz.
Not able to join us at Walt Disney World Resort this year? Have no fear, we’re also serving up the opportunity to join us virtually and run on a course of your choosing! From 3.1 to 19.3 miles, prepare to channel your inner villain during your at-home race adventure.
Will you be joining us in November? Let us know at @runDisney on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #WineDineHalf.
To learn more about runDisney events, please visit us here.
What’s New and Happening Now at Walt Disney World Resort
Now Through November 20, 2021 – 2021 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
Click here for photos of the menu boards with pricing for easy planning.
Click here for full menus and lots of photos of items available.
Click here for our Instagram Story with photos of food and beverage items, merchandise, and more.
August 10 – October 31, 2021 – Disney After Hours Boo Bash at Magic Kingdom
Click here for our review and the 14 things you need to know about “Disney After Hours Boo Bash.”
Click here for details on where to find Halloween treats at Walt Disney World this fall.
Coming Soon to Walt Disney World
Upcoming Resort Reopenings
- August 26 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
- August 26 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
- September 16 – All-Star Sports Music Resort
- October 14 – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – River Side
- October 28 – Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- December 9 – All-Star Sports Resort
Mid-September – Space 220 New Restaurant Opening in EPCOT
Click here for information on the new Space 220 restaurant coming to EPCOT.
October 1, 2021 – The Most Magical Celebration – 50 Years of Walt Disney World
October 1, 2021 – Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure & France Pavilion Expansion Opens
November 8 – December 30, 2021 – Holiday Season at Walt Disney World
Click here for details on the 2021 holiday offerings at Walt Disney World.
Click here for details on the new “Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours” at Magic Kingdom.
Jungle Cruise – Updated in Phases, while remaining open to guests in 2021
Spring 2022 – Star Wars Hotel
Now Through 2022 and Beyond – EPCOT Reimagined
Click here for what we know about the New EPCOT and what’s coming!
New and Coming Soon to Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort – Now Open
Click here for details on the reimagined Snow White’s Enchanted Wish – now open!
Halloween Time is Back This Fall at Disneyland Resort
Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure – Now Open
Click here for more on the Avengers Campus! Now open at Disney California Adventure!
Click here for details on food and beverage offerings inside Avengers Campus.
Click here for information on merchandise available inside Avengers Campus.
Coming Soon to Disney Cruise Line
Return to Cruising
The Disney Wish
Click here for information on bookings for the inaugural season in summer 2022.
Click here for more information on new dining experiences on the Disney Wish.
Itineraries in 2022
Click here to learn about Summer 2022 Itineraries on the Disney Cruise Line
Click here to learn about Early 2022 Itineraries on the Disney Cruise Line
Click here to learn about Marvel Day at Sea and Star Wars Day at Sea in Early 2022
Click here to learn about Halloween and Holiday Themed Cruises in fall 2022
For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.