Every week is a busy week when it comes to Disney news. To help you keep up with all of the updates coming out of Walt Disney World and other Disney resorts, here’s WDWNT’s weekly recap of this week’s Disney news!

Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom:

• Walt Disney World Railroad will reach its “End of Line” for a while to accommodate construction of the upcoming Tron roller coaster starting December 3rd.
• Check out this WDWNT Photo Report of the Magic Kingdom from 11/26 which showcases the Jim Shore signing and a Tomorrowland construction update.
• The Liberty Belle riverboat returned to the waters of the Rivers of America this week.
• Citizen-branded in-park clocks debuted in Magic Kingdom!

• In preparation for the new Tron roller coaster coming to Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Tomorrowland Speedway will close for a refurbishment after the first of the year, on January 2.

Epcot:

• The right side of the France pavilion was blocked off to accommodate construction of the Ratatouille attraction and installation on the Skyliner cables.
• The launch track that will send guests up into the gravity building for the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster at Epcot has been installed.
• The Friendship boats will continue offering limited service to Epcot, despite previous announcements made by park officials.
• Check out this WDWNT Photo Report of Epcot from 11/30 featuring Santa Figment!

Hollywood Studios:

• The attraction line up for Disney After Hours at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom has been announced.
• Check out this WDWNT Photo Report from 12/1 featuring Galaxy’s Edge, Skyliner progress… and a mystery structure?

Animal Kingdom:

• A new seating area opened for Drinkwallah and it includes a lovely new lower garden area!
• Check out this WDWNT Photo Report of Disney’s Animal Kingdom from 11/29 featuring construction updates and a surprise meet and greet!
• If you dine at Satu’li Canteen now through December 3, 2018, you’ll receive a 15% discount coupon for a Banshee at Windtraders.

Disney Vacation Club:

• Disney Vacation Club announced that the popular Moonlight Magic after hours event will return once again in 2019.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort:

• We had a first look at the newly remodeled Panchito’s Gifts and Sundries.
• Guests can now book rooms and suites at the brand-new Gran Destino Tower!
• Tour a King Junior Suite and get a taste of Coronado’s “private dining” menu.
• Check out construction progress on Gran Destino Tower and Three Bridges Bar & Grill (and some bonus Christmas decor.)

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort:

• The Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show was preemptively canceled due to a short-lived cold front.
• Check out our review of Captain Cook’s Specialty Burger! (Spoiler Alert: It’s not very special.)

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside & French Quarter:

• Port Orleans Resort has released some new resort-specific merchandise at both Riverside and French Quarter.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort:

• Check out the new interior concept art and menu for the upcoming Storybook Dining experience coming to Artist Point!

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts:

• “The Cove” was announced as the new hotel addition to Swan and Dolphin.

Disney Springs:

• We tried the new holiday macarons at Amorette’s Patisserie!

• A casting call was posted this month and gives us some insight into the new Cirque du Soleil show scheduled to come to Walt Disney World.
• Disney Springs will be hosting a holiday sweater event for Annual Passholders on December 8th.

Disney World Transportation:

• Visitors to Walt Disney World might have an easier way of getting to Orlando International Airport and Tampa if a proposed Brightline stop comes to fruition.

runDisney:

• The latest runDisney medals are here for the Princess Half Marathon Weekend taking place February 21st – 24th!

Disneyland

Disneyland Resort:

• We have a full video of Disneyland’s “A Christmas Fantasy Parade”, back for the holidays!
• New Mary Poppins-themed desserts made an appearance, along with some tiny, cute souvenir spoons!
• Check out videos of Disneyland’s Holiday Fireworks, Viva Navidad, Snowfall at Grizzly Peak, and more!
• Check out this WDWNT Disneyland Photo Report from 11/28 featuring holiday characters and merchandise!
• We also did another Disneyland photo report on 12/1 featuring Cars Land Christmas!

Disney California Adventure

• Citizen branded in-park clocks also debuted at Disney California Adventure!
• Finally, months after the opening of Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff on Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure, the Bing Bong statue has finally appeared in the shop.

Disneyland Paris

• Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris is expected to finally reopen in April.

Hong Kong Disneyland

• The new facade for the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Nano Battle attraction in Hong Kong Disneyland looks to be completed and is almost ready to recruit new SHIELD agents.

Tokyo Disney Resort

• The Oriental Land Co., Ltd. announced that a new, Toy Story-themed “family friendly, affordable Disney hotel” is coming in 2021.

Adventures By Disney

• This holiday season, save $250 per person* when you give the gift of a select Adventures by Disney River Cruise vacation! Contact Small World Big Fun, WDWNT’s exclusive travel partner, to book your cruise along some of Europe’s most scenic rivers.

New Merchandise:

• A new, limited-edition Ralph Breaks the Internet MagicBand was spotted at the Magic Kingdom!

• New “Purple Potion” Minnie Ears are coming to Disney parks!
• There’s a new collection of Princess-inspired jewelry available at the Magic Kingdom.
• All new Mary Poppins merchandise has arrived from the winds in the east and landed at Disney Style.
• There’s new winter apparel at Tren-D over in Disney Springs.
• There are new open-edition MagicBands featuring Olaf, Princesses, and Villains available on ShopDisney.
• Happy Belated Birthday! Mickey’s 90th Anniversary ears finally arrived at Disney World, albeit a bit late.

Editorials:

• Explore the hidden streets of the Morocco pavilion in this installment of Uniquely Disney!
• Check out all the free offerings at Disney Springs in this installment of Ticketless Disney!

Podcasts:

• WDW News Today is proud to present “Dreamfinders” – a new podcast that explores the creative culture both in and around Disney theme parks.

• WDWNT: Nerd Alert – The Ralph Breaks The Internet Roundtable is now available for download through WDW News Today: Original Programming  and iTunes!

Entertainment:

• Ralph Breaks the Internet took home a whopping $84.5 million in its first week since opening on Wednesday.
• Watch as Mary Poppins returns to the Banks home in this new clip from Mary Poppins Returns!
• Disney released the first poster and teaser trailer for Artemis Fowl.
• Disney was named a defendant in a Fox Theme Park lawsuit.
• A new poster for Toy Story 4 was released via the Disney Ireland Twitter account, revealing some more information about the movie’s setting.
• Exciting new holiday additions have arrived in the Play Disney Parks app, including holiday playlists and achievements!
• “Star Wars Galaxy Of Adventures”, a new series of animated Star Wars shorts, debuted this past Friday on YouTube!
• Check out this exclusive Disney Gift Card that’s encrusted in Swavroski crystals!
• Go behind the scenes with the cast of Mary Poppins Returns in this new featurette!
• Advance tickets for Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns are now available for purchase.

WDWNT News:

• Our friends at TeePublic sent us a special coupon code for 25% off site-wide for between now and the end of our Toys for Tots 50-hour marathon show.

That’s all of the Disney news for this past week! Be sure to check back at the end of each week for our weekly recaps!

Jessica Figueroa