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 the Disney news from March 25-31!
WDWNT News
- Join WDWNT for Stage 89 – a celebration of all things 1989 at Walt Disney World April 26 – May 1!
- You won’t want to miss “Starring Roles: Making a Movie in a Theme Park” – an interactive game where you can make your own movie in Hollywood Studios!
- We’ve also scheduled the WDWNT Dreamflight, an interactive game which pays tribute to the extinct Delta Dreamflight attraction in the Magic Kingdom by sending you on your own Dreamflight around Walt Disney World!
- Check out WDWNTunes, our very own 24/7 radio station that has rides, shows, background music loops, rarities, and even kooky fake ads.
Walt Disney World
- Some big park policy adjustments were announced this week, including stroller size restrictions, a ban on loose ice, and the removal of designated smoking areas, leaving the parks smoke-free.
- Even more Disney After Hours events have been added through June, including two special celebrations at Hollywood Studios, in honor of May 4th (aka Star Wars Day) and the park’s very special 30th anniversary.
- The My Disney Experience app has been updated with a newer, dynamic look, making it easier to navigate.
Magic Kingdom
- Check out our photo update from the Cinderella Castle pathway widening project, now that the moat has been drained and waterways cleaned up.
- New Dumbo-inspired treats soared into Big Top Souvenirs this week, we tried the Peanut Butter Cupcake and the Chocolate Covered Sugar Cookie.
- Check out our construction progress photo report for the upcoming Tron coaster.
Animal Kingdom
- Check out this week’s photo update for Animal Kingdom, featuring an update on Otter Grotto, a new tiger cupcake and more!
Epcot
- A DVC member exclusive Star Wars: Galactic Gathering event will be taking place in Epcot on April 10th, featuring Star Wars themed food and drink, characters, props and more!
- Due to technical issues, Thursday’s planned livestream of “Illuminations: Reflections of Earth” was postponed to April 9th.
Hollywood Studios
- Tickets have gone on sale––and sold out––for the “30 Years of Disney’s Hollywood Studios – A D23 Celebration!” special event which will be held on May 1st, exclusively for D23 Gold and D23 Family members.
- We got lots of teasers for the upcoming Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy this week – check out this video and these photos!
- And just yesterday Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy officially opened its doors to rookie racers and guests! Check out photos of the new area and our full video of the show here.
- With the opening of the show also came the start of “DJ’s Ready! Set! Party Time!” dance party. We have lots of photos, plus a video of the experience as well!
- Check out this week’s photo report for Hollywood Studios, in which we ponder the curious case of the missing Sci-Fi car.
- Beginning this summer, counter service ABC Commissary will be accepting dining reservations for evening seating.
- New Hollywood Studios 30th anniversary banners are flying high at the park’s entrance – check out our photos here.
Typhoon Lagoon
- This April will see the return of the adults-only hideaway at Typhoon Lagoon.
Blizzard Beach
- We reviewed the new Blizzard Burger, rice bowls, salted caramel milkshake, and key lime pie offerings at Lottawatta Lodge in Blizzard Beach.
Disney Springs
- Wine Bar George is now offering a special weekend Wine Country Brunch in Disney Springs.
- We can confirm that the NBA Experience will be opening in Disney Springs this August 12th!
- The Mac & Cheese food truck has now opened in Food Truck park!
Walt Disney World Resorts
All Star Resorts
- In honor of the 50 year anniversary of The Love Bug, this commemorative cupcake is now available at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort.
Art of Animation Resort
- Disney Skyliner testing has begun over at the Art of Animation station! Here’s our photo update of the construction going on at the resort.
The Cove – A Swan and Dolphin Hotel
- Check out our development photo update for The Cove, showing the land near Fantasia Gardens has now been cleared ready for construction to begin.
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- According to multiple sources, Mizner’s Lounge at the Grand Floridian may be re-themed to a Beauty and the Beast Library bar and lounge!
Polynesian Village Resort
Riviera Resort
- The points chart, pricing and resort map have been released for the Riviera, with points available for member purchase now!
Disneyland Resort
- This April will see the return of the popular Eggstravaganza character egg scavenger hunt across the Disneyland Resort!
- We learned that the new Disneyland parking structure will be named Pixar Pals – this six-story and 5,000 space parking complex will be opening in late July.
Disneyland
- It has been announced that standby access will not be offered initially for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at the Disneyland Resort, and guests who have been lucky enough to get a reservation will have limited time in the land.
- We tried these sweet and sparkly rose gold Minnie shortbread cookies.
- Check out our photo update on the refurbishment of Sleeping Beauty Castle in the Disneyland Park.
- We reviewed the fun Get Your Ears on Celebration Mickey Birthday Cake Churro.
Disney California Adventure
- With a month left of the Food and Wine Festival 2019, we’re still thoroughly enjoying trying all the treats we can find! This week we sampled the Cinnamon Whisky and Frozen Lemonade Cocktail, possibly our favorite cocktail of the festival!
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel has finally opened this week – check out the photos and video we took.
- We learned that this April, Mickey’s PhilharMagic will be coming to the Sunset Showcase Theater in Disney California Adventure.
Downtown Disney
- It has been announced that a Rinse Bath & Body Co. boutique will be opening at the Downtown Disney District this spring.
- Check out this week’s photo update for the Downtown Disney District, featuring parking structure construction updates, new spring merchandise, and more.
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
- This week over at White Water Snacks, we tried the Mickey’s 90th Birthday Celebration whoopie pie, shortbread cookie and trio of macarons.
- We reviewed the impressive Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures experience at Napa Rose – take a look at our full report, photos and video here.
Disneyland Paris
- Two Soiree Halloween party nights have been confirmed for Disneyland Paris this year, with ticket prices revealed.
- Even more details have been released for the Marvel Season of Super Heroes, running through June 16th.
- Saturday morning saw the Disneyland Parc entrance area littered following protests by employees from the independent cleaning contractors Onet, who serve the resort overnight.
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
- Take a look at our special full-length POV ride experience video of the brand new Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle!
- You can also check out this photo report, featuring the full line of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! ride related merchandise at Pavilion Gifts in Hong Kong Disneyland.
Tokyo Disney Resort
- Tokyo Disney Resort is planning on introducing an app-based FastPass service, in advance of the Soaring Fantastical Flight attraction due to open this July in Tokyo DisneySea.
- Check out these photos we took of the construction progress for the Beauty and the Beast ride and village.
New Merchandise
- We spotted this bright pink Lotso bear cap over in Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios.
- Check out this fuzzy Sulley horn headband which hit the shelves this week in Hollywood Studios.
- We’re obsessed with these new tees from The Lost Bros, featuring Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, ticket books and more!
- We love this bright green “All the Birds Sing Words” baseball cap, featuring Jose from the Enchanted Tiki Room!
- Also in the world of attraction-based baseball caps, check out this new ‘Mountain Man’ cap, which shows off the top mountainous attractions at the Disney parks
- Two new Vera Bradley collections launched at Disney Springs this week: Mickey and Friends and Disney Dandelions
- Check out this amazing Toy Story Spirit Jersey, featuring the iconic Andy’s bedroom wallpaper clouds
- How sweet is this Casey Jr. popcorn bucket and Dumbo sipper?
- A new Night Blossom-inspired banshee has flown into Windtraders in Pandora – The World of Avatar.
- You can’t go wrong with these newly re-imagined, but completely classic polka dot Minnie ears which we spotted this week.
- This week, we got a preview look at the all-new plush collectable line coming to Walt Disney World on April 10th called Disney Parks Wishables.
- Check out this bright and colorful roundup of shopDisney and Box Lunch Disney spring and Easter releases!
- We spotted these new Spaceship Earth and Up inspired dresses at The Dress Shop in Disney Springs this week.
- This new souvenir Hippopotamus Spork has made an appearance at Tropical Hideaway in Disneyland this week, the second of four in the series.
- Pandora has released a Disney Parks exclusive Pandora padlock bracelet over at Uptown Jewelers in the Magic Kingdom.
- Also new at Pandora are these Dumbo and Mrs Jumbo charms, which became available online this week.
- Take a look at this new limited edition Dumbo MagicBand, available now in stores and on shopDisney.
- How cute is this Orange Bird Alex and Ani bangle which we spotted in Hollywood Studios this week?
Entertainment
Books
- Read the first installment of our Twisted Tales book series review: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell, which shows us a whole new Agrabah.
- The cover art has been revealed for the upcoming Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire novel.
Events
- Hayden Christensen is set to appear for autographs and photos at the Star Wars Celebration in Chicago in April.
- Registration has opened and the medals have been revealed for the second runDisney Marvel Virtual 5k Series, in celebration of Marvel’s 80th anniversary.
- Head down to your local Disney Store from April 5th and take part in a “Magical Egg Hunt Adventure” – a fun Disney activity to do when you’re out and about outside the parks.
Movies
- Read our full review of Dumbo here, we had mixed feelings towards the movie, but loved how Dumbo’s character shone through – what did you think?
- Check out these three new posters for Spider-Man: Far From Home, landing this summer.
- Watch this new ‘We Lost’ featurette from Avengers: Endgame, featuring the stars reflecting on the events of Infinity War.
- Character posters have also been revealed for Avengers: Endgame.
- This new international poster for Aladdin is seriously reminiscent of the classic animated ‘A Whole New World’ scene! These new character posters were released, too.
- Check out this fun-filled new international trailer and poster for Toy Story 4!
- Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley confirmed this week that the late Don Rickles will still appear in the movie to voice Mr. Potato Head, using archival audio.
- The first promotional poster for Star Wars: Episode IX has landed online, teasing us with Knights of Ren, a TIE Interceptor and what looks like a new droid. These character images were leaked online too, and we’re excited to see some old favorites back!
Media
- Sony have announced Marvel’s Iron Man VR, to be released exclusively for PlayStation VR.
That’s all of the Disney news for this past week! Make sure you check back at the end of each week for our weekly recaps!