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 October 28 – November 3!
Walt Disney World
- New Annual Passholder discounts have been announced for the “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!” dessert parties and also for select resort hotel reservations through the holidays
- The Disney Skyliner has been experiencing even more downtime due to issues with the ADA load station
- Whilst even more Disney After Hours dates were announced for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom in 2020, it is disappointing to see that the ticket prices have increased
Magic Kingdom
- Check out this week’s photo report for the Magic Kingdom, including new Ray Bans, free FuelRod swaps, Fall menus and more!
- Disney has released a preview of the upcoming “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” spectacular, which will be part of the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party celebration event
- It has been confirmed that the Disney Villains After Hours events will be returning to the Magic Kingdom in 2020, on 24 select nights from February through July
- The festive magic has hit the Magic Kingdom! Holiday offerings officially began this weekend, including the return of the world famous Jingle Cruise! Check out our photos and video of all the Christmas-y decorations around the park here
- This week in construction at the Magic Kingdom, we noticed that new pavement has been poured and the steel structure expanded at the park entrance, the Stitch mural has been removed from Mickey’s Star Traders, the first exterior roller coaster track pieces have been installed for TRON Lightcycle Run, and the Star Command console and queue railings were removed from Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Animal Kingdom
- Check out this week’s photo report for Animal Kingdom, featuring Christmas lights, Diwali lanterns, and Harambe House construction progress
- A new guest walkway has opened at the entrance to the park, as part of the ongoing beautification of the arrival experience
- Primeval Whirl is set to reopen for seasonal operation this month
- A behind-the-scenes video has been released for the “Merry Menagerie” winter animal puppet experience for the Animal Kingdom holiday celebration
Epcot
- Check out this week’s photo report for Epcot, including more holiday merchandise, crazy long lines and more!
- We reviewed the new Olaf’s fall cheesecake, Nokk caramel mousse and “Frozen” orange cream soda from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in the Norway pavilion
- In construction this week across Epcot, we noticed concrete frames have been installed at the site of the upcoming Moana Journey of Water walkthrough attraction, new updates at The Seas with Nemo and Friends, the entrance to the upcoming Space 220 Restaurant has been started, and we took a look at the latest development on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and La Creperie de Paris in the France pavilion
- The full menu has been released for the Regal Eagle Smokehouse Craft Drafts & Barbecue restaurant, which is set to open this winter in The American Adventure pavilion
- We learned that a new Mickey Mouse meet and greet location will be opening as part of the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival in the Imagination pavilion
- The Annual Passholder magnets and exclusive merchandise have been revealed for the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, featuring the adorable Chip and Dale
Hollywood Studios
- Check out this week’s photo report for Hollywood Studios, including new Christmas merchandise, bathroom progress, Citizens of Hollywood and more!
- The iconic Hollywood Studios logo sign above Animation Courtyard has been removed
- The saga of foodstuff naming in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge continues, as another wave of menu item name changes has occured
- We reviewed the new Surly Sarlacc cocktail with grapefruit and rose vodka in Docking Bay 7
- In construction news, the Roundup Rodeo BBQ restaurant has gone vertical in Toy Story Land
Disney Springs
- Check out this week’s photo report for Disney Springs, featuring new Christmas merchandise displays, preparation for the Christmas Tree Trail, new snacks and more!
- We reviewed the bright blue, new Olaf Dole Whip slushie from Marketplace Snacks, which goes perfectly with this cute souvenir Olaf drink clip that’s now available at select locations across Disney Springs

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
All-Star Resorts
- We reviewed the chocolate mousse Sorcerer Mickey cupcake and the Frozen Fractals cupcake from All-Star Movies, and the Maleficent Mistress of Evil character icon cupcake from All-Star Music
Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Check out our photos of the continuing resort-wide refurbishment efforts across Jambo House
- Check out the amazing entries of cast member-designed pumpkins for the Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House competition, including Madame Leota, a BB-8 pumpkin and more!
Art of Animation Resort
- Take a look at the amazing cast member-designed pumpkins for the 2019 Halloween competition over at Art of Animation, including a summery Olaf design, a candy apple pumpkin and more!
Boardwalk Resort
- Take a look at the incredible displays of cast member-decorated pumpkins at the Boardwalk Resort from this years’ Halloween competition, including classic attraction, character and even a Disney Skyliner pumpkin!
- We reviewed the colorful and creative new ice cream taco from Ample Hills Creamery
Contemporary Resort
- We reviewed the amazing Frozen 2-inspired pumpkin spiced donut tart from Contempo Café
- Take a look at the amazing cast member-decorated pumpkins from the 2019 Halloween competition at the Contemporary, including a princess carousel, an evil Ursula, a gumball pumpkin and more!
- It’s not just pumpkins on display – this week saw the return of the 10th annual Cinderella Castle gingerbread display at the Contemporary, with a treat kiosk and commemorative merchandise alongside the amazing gingery structure

Coronado Springs Resort
- Now that the main check-in area for Coronado Springs has been relocated, the former El Centro lobby has been filled with colorful seating and charging ports
Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
- Check out the super fun, annual Halloween golf cart parade from Fort Wilderness, featuring The Dreamfinder, Slinky Dog and more frightfully fun designs
Grand Floridian Resort
- We reviewed the magical new pineapple coconut mermaid tail pastry from Gasparilla Island Grill
- We learned that President Donald Trump will be attending a major annual GOP fundraiser, which will be held at the Grand Floridian
Pop Century Resort
- Take a look at the amazing entries from this year’s cast member pumpkin-decorating contest at Pop Century, including a Starbucks design, a Mad Tea Party Pumpkin and more
Port Orleans Resort
- Annual Passholders can now benefit from the offer of free beignets over at Scat Cat’s Club lounge in Port Orleans: French Quarter
Riviera Resort
- Take a first look at this incredible Peter Pan mosaic which will be on display as part of a huge mural in the Riviera
Saratoga Springs Resort
- Take a look at the cast member-designed pumpkins over at Saratoga Springs for the 2019 Halloween decorating contest, featuring Stitch, The Haunted Mansion, Coco designs and more!

Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser
- Check out this aerial photographed construction update on the Star Wars: Galactic Cruiser hotel
Disneyland Resort
- The dates have been set for the Lunar New Year and Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival across the Disneyland Resort in 2020
- As the controversial pay-to-swap policy has been reversed, signage marking “swappable” FuelRods has returned to the kiosks across the Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Park
- Items on the menus in Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have received name changes in line with those we saw recently at Hollywood Studios
Disney California Adventure
- Check out this week’s photo report for Disney California Adventure, including a look at Avengers Campus construction, holiday decorations, Halloween in Cars Land and more!
Tokyo Disney Resort
- Check out this week’s photo report for Tokyo Disneyland, including the construction progress on the Fantasyland expansion, long wait times and more
- The priority seating reservation option will return to Horizon Bay Restaurant in Tokyo DisneySea next month
- Take a look at some of the incredible guest Halloween costumes we spotted around Tokyo Disney Resort’s “Disney Halloween 2019”
- It was announced that security metal detectors and x-ray machines are due to be installed at both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea
New Merchandise
- Even more holiday merchandise has been spotted around the park this week! In Walt Disney World, we found new artist series limited release ornaments, new Christmas Alex and Ani bracelets, holiday Pandora charms, Mickey and Minnie “My Happy Holiday Place” jewelry, a Legacy Disney characters ornament set, a new holiday Starbucks mug ornament, cozy plaid holiday pajamas, Toy Story holiday themed light-up glow ears, a Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas-themed Groot shoulder plush, fuzzy, fleece-lined, Christmas patterned Crocs, and new Christmas apparel and swag for pets. You must also check out the amazing Jingle Cruise Skipper Trader Sam’s holiday tiki mug and matching ornament which will be available this Christmas season!

- A new collection of apparel has landed in the Epcot Canada pavilion, especially made for hard-core fans of poutine, and you can celebrate food and fireworks with this new “Fun in the USA” merchandise and apparel collection from the American Adventure
- In pin trading news, the limited edition resort-exclusive holiday pins were revealed, we have seen the exclusive Disneyland Resort limited edition holiday pin line-up, and these new limited edition holiday ornament boxed gifting pins have arrived at Walt Disney World
- These trendy new Mickey and Friends Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses appeared in the parks this week
- These stunning new Disney Parks Collection jewelry items with Swarovski crystals has arrived in Walt Disney World, themed to Fantasyland favorite attractions and more
- The VHS throwback merchandise trend continues, as these new Lilo & Stitch and The Emperor’s New Groove VHS wristlets are now available in the parks
- Even more magical new Disney Legacy ornaments have arrived in the parks, with beautiful princess and adventure-themed detail
- Adorable new Coco, Flounder and Olaf pens have arrived in the parks
- In Frozen merchandise news, these new Frozen phone case and MagicBand designs are now available at D-Tech on Demand
- A wave of new Starbucks park icon ceramic tumblers have appeared in the parks, check out the ones from Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, and also the mini ornament versions of the same mugs!
- A new Disney Parks exclusive collection of watches by Citizen will be released on November 16
- Over in Tokyo Disney Resort, this new Christmas present popcorn bucket has debuted
- These sleepy new Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore dream friends plushes have arrived at the parks, along with this limited release Duchess Classic Cozy Knits plush and weird Minnie Mouse sequin orb-shaped plush

Entertainment & Media
- In a shocking news release earlier this week, it was announced that Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have exited their planned Star Wars trilogy
- Disney and Lucasfilm released brand-new character posters and a new trailer for The Mandalorian this week
- The official trailer for the Disney Pixar SparkShorts collection for Disney+ also landed this week, along with the trailer for the new series Pixar in Real Life
- Also for Disney+, the full slate of cast members who will be featured in the One Day at Disney documentary series has been revealed
Other Disney News
- Orange County authorities have confirmed that Buzzy (from the former Epcot attraction Cranium Command) is officially missing, and that NBA player Robin Lopez had actually purchased the animatronic’s clothes
- Following last week’s announcement that free FuelRod swapping would be no more, a class action lawsuit was filed against the company on the grounds of fraudulent and misleading business policies. Not long afterward, Disney released an official statement, retracting the $3-per-swap policy and re-implementing the free “swappable” policy
- We were saddened to report that a runner passed away during the Disney Fall Feast 5k as part of the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend this week

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!