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 September 2-8!

Walt Disney World

• We have been closely following the unpredictable path of Hurricane Dorian, which neared Florida as a Category 2 storm earlier this week. Park hours were revised at Epcot and Disney Springs on 3rd following a change in path after the initial hurricane opening hours were released, and the closed Orlando International Airport resumed operations on 4th following it ceasing operations on 3rd. We also reported on Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort in South Carolina closing ahead of the storm, and that The Walt Disney Company and Disney Cruise Line will donate over $1 million towards relief efforts in The Bahamas.
• We’ve been spotting even more new bus wraps on the Walt Disney World Transportation Fleet, including this The Lion King design with Simba and Zazu, and this one featuring Mike and Sulley from Monsters, Inc.
• A new resort guide has confirmed that park to park bus transportation will remain as usual after the opening of the Disney Skyliner system later this month
• A new Florida Resident Seasonal Flex ticket option has been introduced at Walt Disney World through February 2020

Magic Kingdom

• Check out this week’s photo report for the Magic Kingdom, including the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, low crowds, new merchandise and more
• The Perkins Thai Noodles have been upgraded with steak and shrimp over at Skipper Canteen

Epcot

• Disney has updated its map of Future World, showing the Fountain of Nations, Starbucks, Club Cool and half of Innoventions *sob* gone! The final operation day for these locations was confirmed for Saturday 7th September, with construction walls and closure signs now up around the closed areas areas. Missing it already? Check out our sentimental closing day tour of Club Cool, and relive the tastes, the sights and the sticky floors of the old favorite
• Even though Mickey & Friends Character Spot was one of this week’s closures, the gang have moved to a new temporary meet & greet location to Character Spot North

• A bit of brighter news is that the scheduled September closures for Pin Central and Art of Disney have been delayed for a few months
• Mission: Space Race has reopened after its brief refurbishment, however with fewer computer bays
• We reviewed the new Arendelle Aqua Frozen Spiked Lemonade which made its early debut in Block and Hans this week
• The dates have been confirmed for the Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2020, which will be returning on January 17
• Are you visiting the Food & Wine Festival this year? Make use of this handy spreadsheet to calculate how much it will cost you before you travel! You can also get your FREE PDF guide to the festival from WDWNT here!
• There’s new “Recipe For a Figment” Food & Wine Festival merchandise now being served up at Epcot
• Check out the photos we took as the construction continues on at the entrance to Epcot, with new concrete poured, new lamp posts and more
• It’s pumpkin spice season, and we tried the new seasonal Mozart Chocolate Cream Pumpkin Spice Liqueur Shot from Germany

Animal Kingdom

• This week, we learned that Disney were offering to send “sold out” Annual Passholder Simba magnets by mail, with Cast Members at Animal Kingdom taking details for this
• Travelers to Animal Kingdom in the upcoming weeks should be aware that Pandora – The World of Avatar and Africa will be closing an hour earlier than the rest of the park on select dates in September and October

Hollywood Studios

• Check out this week’s photo report for Hollywood Studios, featuring low crowd levels, Hidden mickeys, new merchandise and more!
• The construction walls, plastic wrap and everything else are down, finally revealing the Disney Skyliner Station Marquee  
• Over in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Mobile Ordering is now available at Milk Stand and Ronto Roasters, and will be coming soon to Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
• More automated PhotoPass cameras are now in use at Star Wars Launch Bay meet & greets

Disney Springs

• Check out this week’s photo report for Disney Springs, including Hurricane Dorian prep, new merchandise and more!
• We reviewed the new Gelato Floats which have been added the menu at D-Luxe Burger

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

Art of Animation Resort

• Recent permits filed with Orange County indicate the possibility of Wi-Fi upgrades coming soon to Art of Animation

Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

• Check out the photos we took of the construction on the Grand Floridian’s upcoming “Beauty and the Beast” Bar, with a look at the new tile flooring, changes to the balcony and more

Riviera Resort

• Check out the construction over at the Riviera Resort and Skyliner Station from this week

Wilderness Lodge

• Reunion Station Game Day Lounge wil be coming soon to Wilderness Lodge, as a place for Disney Vacation Club members and special guests to enjoy some of the biggest football games
• A new logo has debuted at the resort, with a new resort merchandise collection over at Wilderness Lodge Mercantile

Disneyland Resort

• It’s Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort, which means time for all the pun-tastically named seasonal foods! You can check ou the food guides which were released earlier this week, but of course we tried and reviewed it all for you anyway! Check it out: Pumpkin Spice Churros from Willie’s Churros, Haunted Mansion Tacos and Dia De Los Muertos Desserts from Racho Del Zocalo, Vampire Mickey Ice Cream Bar, Oogie Boogie Man Sundae and Spider Silk Sandwich and Spiked Hard Apple Cider Float at Clarabelle’s, the Haul-O-Ween Churro, Slow-Burnin’ Mac n Cheese Cone and Spoke-Y Cone Macaron from Cozy Cone Motel, the Horchata Churro with Condensed Milk Dipping Sauce near Goofy’s Sky School, Caramel Apple Churro at Hollywood Land, the Mickey Fang Bread and Maple-Bacon Bread Pudding from Pacific Wharf Cafe, the Anti-Vampire Chicken Pizza at Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Ghoulish Delight, My Bugs! Mocktails and Worms, Dice & Everything Nice Cocktail at Hollywood Lounge, The Ghost Mariner’s Seafood Boil and 13th Hour Brew at Harbour Galley, the Frog’s Breath Cocktail at Gourmet Coffee Cart, the Spicy Pepper Jack Cheese Stick from Corn Dog Castle, the S’Mores Churro from Grizzly Peak, Coco Churro in Fronteirland, Green Apple Spell Lemonade from Smokejumpers Grill, Rest in Peace-Strami Hot Dog and Fries, and Oogie Worms & Dirt Funnel Cake Fries from Award Wieners, Monster Halloween Cake, Halloween Minnie Mouse Cake and Chocolate-Coffee Yule Log from Plaza Inn, Monster 129 Tacos and Eerie Elixir from Studio Catering Co., Hades Dog from Refreshment Corner, Pumpkin Spice Shake and Black Rose Dessert at Red Rose Taverne, Minnie Witch Shake, PB&J Mummy Cronut and Caramel Apple Smoothie from Schmoozies, and the Toasted Salsa Roja Chicken Sandwich Combo from Jolly Holiday
• Despite the lifting of Annual Passholder blockout dates, and the opening of one of the most anticipated lands in modern history, crowd levels at Disneyland have remained below average

Disneyland Park

• In time for Halloween Time are these new Mickey Pumpkin Balloon and Annual Passholder Cauldron popcorn buckets, now available in the park
• We got our first look at this year’s 50th Anniversary Haunted Mansion Gingerbread House, which will be on display in the Grand Hall

Disney California Adventure

• Check out this week’s photo report for Disney California Adventure, including new merchandise, Halloween decorations, construction walls and more!

Downtown Disney District

• This holiday season, Asian Street Eats by Chef Hung Huynh will be coming to the Downtown Disney District

Disneyland Paris

• Check out this week’s photo report for the Walt Disney Studios Park, featuring crowds, construction, Marvel and more!
• A new scene inspired by Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been confirmed for Star Tours at Disneyland Paris

Tokyo Disney Resort

• Check out this week’s photo report from Tokyo DisneySea, including Pirates Summer Battle, cute new merchandise, and the report from Tokyo Disneyland, featuring the reopened Rivers of America, Halloween Ears and more!
• It’s time for Disney Halloween at Tokyo Disneyland, meaning lots of fun seasonal treats! We tried the Beef & Mashed Purple Potatoes Cone,  the Purple Sweet Potato Tipo Torta, the Cheese & Shrimp Cutlet Sandwich, the Chicken & Vegetable Bun, and the Maple Pumpkin Churro
• A new pathway has opened at Tokyo Disneyland, revealing Belle’s Village and other expansion areas
• We went to check out the new Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Playground at the Disney Ambassador Hotel

New Merchandise

• Briar Rose Gold, Imagination Pink, Dapper Yellow etc are all out, and Arendelle Aqua has been named the next Disney color trend, with a full line of merchandise and treats landing in the parks on September 13th. Buy it early at a V.I.PASSHOLDER exclusive pop-up shopping event at Epcot on September 10th, or head over to the Magic Kingdom where these new Arendelle Aqua Minnie Ears have already made their debut

• Who doesn’t love a good Annual Passholder Magnet? This new Mickey Pumpkin Halloween Magnet will be coming soon to the Disneyland Resort, so watch out for that one
• In Ear Headgear news, we got a sneak peek at the Heidi Klum Minnie Ears coming to the Disney Parks Designer Collection, and learned that Lily Aldridge will be designing the Spring release. Meanwhile, the newest release in the collection – the Minnie Ears by Loungefly – are now available
• LEGO have revealed a huge new Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer set, containing 4,784 bricks
• New Pandora Charms featuring Princess and the Frog and The Little Mermaid are now available at Walt Disney World
• These new Winnie The Pooh Wishables plushes are now available in the parks and on shopDisney
• There’s new Sith Trooper merchandise over in the Disneyland Resort
• The newest Classic Cozy Knits Plush release are the adorable penguins from Mary Poppins, now available at Walt Disney World
• There’s plenty of new items to be found at the D-Tech on Demand Kiosks at Walt Disney World, including these new commemorative Disney Skyliner phone cases, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge phone cases, new Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster 20th Anniversary custom MagicBands, classic Disney character MagicBands, and these “Made In The ’80s” and “Made In The ’90s” phone cases
• Also in MagicBand news, this new open edition Figment MagicBand has hit the shelves
• A new collection of DuckTales merchandise has arrived at the Disneyland Resort, including apparel and purse designs by Loungefly
• A new Disney Vacation Club Member Loungefly backpack and Spirit Jersey have arrived at Walt Disney World, along with new merchandise landing at DVC resorts
• There’s also this new “Disney Park Essentials” Loungefly Backpack at the Magic Kingdom

Entertainment & Media

• A new featurette has been released for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
• In gaming news, you can watch 20 minutes of new gameplay footage from Marvel’s Avengers in this newly-released look

Other Disney News

• We learned that Disney are developing a “catapult” system to improve the efficiency on boat rides at Disney parks
• Also, a recent Disney patent application indicates that new “Smellitizer” scent technology is being developed for use at the parks

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!

Madeleine