Every week is a busy week when it comes to Disney news. To help you keep up with all the updates coming out of Walt Disney World and other Disney resorts, here’s WDWNT’s weekly recap of the Disney news from February 24 – March 1!
Walt Disney World
- The new Disney Dining Plan Plus option is now available at Walt Disney World, and you can check out all the pricing and details of the deal here
- The former ESPN Executive Rosalyn Durant has been named the new Senior Vice President of Disney Springs, water parks and ESPN Wide World of Sports
- Due to increasing coronavirus concerns, Walt Disney World cast members returning from Italy have been asked to stay homeÂ
- This new “Steamboat Willie” Minnie Mouse Balloon popcorn bucket has popped into the resort
- Routine app maintenance earlier in the week meant that guests were temporarily unable to access My Disney Experience, including FastPass+ reservations
Magic Kingdom
- Check out this week’s photo report for Magic Kingdom, featuring new Minnie Ears, the refurbishment progress on Splash Mountain, and more
- On Thursday, one of the boats on the Jungle Cruise attraction sank mid-ride, with guests in it. Images surfaced of guests clinging to the sinking ship as their feet were getting more and more submerged, but in a statement later released by Disney, everyone was confirmed safe and well (if not a little wet)
- The dates have been announced and tickets are now on sale for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2020Â
- The moat surrounding Cinderella Castle has now been fully drained, ahead of the upcoming castle makeover project
- It was announced that the finale of ITV’s “Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway” will be broadcast live from Magic Kingdom on April 4
- Construction is now underway in Storybook Circus, and we snapped some photos of the latest progress on TRON Lightcycle Run
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Check out this week’s photo report for Animal Kingdom, featuring ABCDisney Letters, Conservation Station fun, Kevin, and more
EPCOT
- Check out this week’s photo report for EPCOT, featuring Flower & Garden Festival topiaries, blooming trees, Festival of the Arts removal, and more
- It was officially revealed that the Spaceship Earth renovation closure will be commencing on May 26
- The 2020 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will soon be upon us! Ahead of the opening, we have noticed lots of character topiaries spring up around the park, such as this all-new Remy topiary. A new Spike the Bee souvenir reusable spork has been revealed for the festival, along with the resort of the sunny and bright event merchandise, and more outdoor kitchen menu items have been announced
- The Parisian Caricature kiosk will be closing in the France pavilion on May 1st
- As refurbishment in the area continues, the bathrooms at International Gateaway have been partially unavailable
- It was announced that “Mariachi Cobre Presents… The Story of Coco” will be returning to the Mexico pavilion for Flower & Garden Festival, and you can check out the performance schedule here
- In construction news across EPCOT, take a look at the enhancement work progress at the park entrance, including new signage, planters, and more. Also, the street lights have arrived and scaffolding has come down at La Creperie de Paris in the France pavilion, Mission: SPACE has received a new paint coat, and Pin Central and the Future World canopy have been fully demolished
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Check out this week’s photo report for Hollywood Studios, featuring long lines, the refurbishment of Legends of Hollywood, new merchandise, and more
- Now that cast previews are underway on the attraction, we got our first look inside Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in this video. A themed merchandise location has popped up ready for the opening, and it’s worth noting that the media event scheduled for the attraction’s grand opening will impact park-wide entertainment schedules on March 3rd
- Hercules descended from Mount Olympus this week to grace us with his presence and meet & greet guests
- The Milk Stand in Galaxy’s Edge is now offering a breakfast menu, and we stopped by to review their amazing new Green Milk Bread Pudding, Spicy Saka Egg Bite, and Wamba Coconut Yogurt Cup
- Earlier this week, Hazmat teams were called in after a chemical spill in the park
- A glitch in the My Disney Experience app this week temporarily allowed guests to secure themselves Boarding Groups for Rise of the Resistance outside of the park
- Starting this month, ABC Commissary will be offering a limited-time breakfast menu
- The construction walls are finally down at the entrance to the park
Disney Springs
- Check out this week’s photo report for Disney Springs, featuring new Cirque du Soleil signage, the Chicken Guy! expansion, new merchandise, and more
- The Guinevere Van from Disney Pixar’s “Onward” rolled into Disney Springs this weekend for a fun photo op
- Jaleo by Jose Andres will be hosting a paella block party event on March 21, in celebration of the restaurant’s one-year anniversary
- We reviewed the tasty Bubble Waffles at AristoCrepes, served in this fun Mickey Mouse Club ear hat souvenir ice cream bowl
- Get a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Cirque du Soleil theater stage in this newly-released video, and take a look at the new sign which has been installed on the exterior of the theater
- Construction has now begun on Beatrix Restaurant, Marketplace and Coffee Bar
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort
- The annual Mardi Gras Pargo Parade happened this week across the Port Orleans resort, paying homage to Mr Toad’s Wild Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, IllumiNations, and more
Disney’s Riviera Resort
- A new chocolate workshop presented by The Ganachery will be coming to the Riviera this March
Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
- On Thursday, a heavy police presence and SWAT teams were reported following the report of a potential threat, however following updates confirmed that everything and everyone were safe and fine
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
- Disney are now hiring cast members for the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel experience
Disneyland Resort
- Orange County has declared a local health emergency, due to the risks and concerns of the coronavirus outbreak
- On Wednesday, a car caught fire at the Mickey & Friends parking structure, although the lot remained open
Disneyland Park
- This week saw the amazing debut of the all-new “Magic Happens” parade through the Disneyland Park. The parade features characters from movies old and new, all backed up by a fun and catchy soundtrack. Take a look at our photos and video of the parade through the streets in the daytime, and see it sparkle at nighttime too. Also, make sure you check out our roundup of every piece of parade debut merchandise which commemorated the occasion
- There were some very tasty treats on offer in celebration of the new parade. We reviewed the Dulce de Leche Sundae from Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, the “Make it Pink!” “Make it Blue!” Sleeping Beauty Royal Cupcake, and the Esquite Hot Dog from Refreshment Corner
- We also reviewed the Island Pork Toasted Sandwich and the “Remember Me” Guava Hand Pie from Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, the PB & J Mochi and Sweet Lumpia from Tropical Hideaway, and the Shrimp, Ham and Pineapple Specialty Skewer with Pina Colada Sauce from Bengal Barbecue
- As the attraction’s refurbishment continues, we saw that Snow White’s Scary Adventures has received a bright new color scheme on the facade of the building
- It was announced that Blacksmith Shop and Cider Mill will soon be undergoing refurbishment on Tom Sawyer Island
- Disneyland will be hosting a celebratory event for the Indiana Jones Adventure 25th anniversary, with will feature specialty food, merchandise and exclusive after-hours access for annual passholders
Disney California Adventure
- The 2020 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival has officially begun! The fest saw the arrival of a huge bunch of exclusive merchandise, and the Sip and Savor Pass made its return too. But, of course, we had to try every tasty treat and delicious drink available across the park, and we’ve written helpful reviews for all of the booths. Here are all the links below…
We also got t o try the returning Chocolate Peanut Butter Churro, and the saucy Savory and Sweet Empanadas from outdoor vending carts
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel has now closed for refurbishment, while a second crane has been installed on top of the Spider-Man show building
- These new character-based games play cards have premiered at Pixar Pier
- Scaffolding has been erected around the cones at Cozy Cone Motel, ready for refurbishment work
Tokyo Disney Resort
- After updated guidelines were released earlier in the week, it was announced on Thursday that the whole of Tokyo Disney Resort would be closing, due to the risk from the coronavirus outbreak. The resort hotels are continuing operations for the time being, however with some offerings suspended
- The resort’s 2020-2021 Annual Passport designs have been revealed
- Keep your eyes peeled for this new souvenir monorail popcorn bucket, which will be pulling into the resort soon
- A repainted Cinderella Castle spire can been seen shining out of the scrim in the Tokyo Disneyland park
Disneyland Paris
- After French regulations banned large gatherings due to the risk of coronavirus, we feared this might lead to the imminent closure of Disneyland Paris. This weekend, the resort issued an official statement to address these concerns, assuring us that whilst the parks were still open as usual, the risks would continue to be monitored
- New Disney Pin releases have been delayed at Disneyland Paris, after the Chinese suppliers have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak
- A helpful same-day ticket purchase option has been added to the Disneyland Paris app, for the spontaneous among us
New Merchandise
- Snuggle up with these Pastel Pinstripe character plushes
- Fall in love with this adorable “Naps and Snacks” Baby Yoda shirt and Mandalorian tee
- Unleash your inner artist with this Ink & Paint watercoloring book
- Pin trade in style with this Disney Parks lanyard and these Mickey Mouse Pin Trading bagsÂ
- You’ll love this new Disney Parks Exclusive Indiana Jones Adventure 25th Anniversary Funko Pop
- There are a lot of new Spirit Jerseys in the parks this week! We found this Mickey Mouse Balloon Spirit Jersey, a Tatooine Spirit Jersey, Lavender Spirit Jersey, and a “Monsters University” Sprit Jersey on the shelves
- Get building with this “Mad Tea Party” wooden mechanical model set by UGears
- In Ear Headgear news, the Briar Rose Gold Minnie Ear headbands have been re-released with a new design, and these Magical Unicorn Minnie Ears have made their debut too
- Show off your love of the parks with this collection of “You had me at Walt Disney World”, “Happiest snacks on Earth” and more parks apparel
- Sail through time in these Spaceship Earth-inspired sunglassesÂ
- Keep your toes cosy with these Disney Cats and Dogs socks
- Sip up in this impressive, first edition Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Souvenir MugÂ
- Learn your alphabet with this ABCDisney mug collection and matching key chain collection which features attractions, characters and more
Entertainment and Media
- The release of the live-action “Mulan” is drawing nearer and nearer, and a newly-released featurette for the movie has highlighted some spectacular stunt work in the film
- Read our review for “The Call of the Wild”, which finished in second place at the box office this week after a very close race
- It was announced that Steven Spielberg has dropped out of “Indiana Jones 5”, and now James Mangold is in talks to direct
- A “Mickey & Minnie’s Trivia Time – Mouse Rules Apply!” game is coming soon to the Play Disney Parks app at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney+
- It was announced that Disney+ will launch in Europe early on March 24, and a special preorder discount is available
- A new “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” series has been announced for Disney+
- We reviewed “The Apple Dumpling Gang” on Deep in the Plus
Other Disney News
- The big news of the week was that Bob Chapek has been named as the new CEO of The Walt Disney Company, effective immediately. Bob Iger joined Chapek to address questions at an investors’ conference call shortly after the news was released
- It was revealed that the Disney Imagineering legend Bob Gurr will be appearing on the upcoming season of “Pawn Stars”
- A guest who was arrested following a filmed brawl in Disneyland has been sentenced to six months in jail, as arrest warrants have been issued for others involved in the incident
- Impossible Foods have now been named as the preferred plant-based meat brand at the Disney Parks
WDW News Today
Make sure you catch up on the News Today episodes from this week!
Jungle Cruise Boat Sinks, Coronavirus Closes Tokyo Disney, Magic Happens Parade Debut – News Today 2/28
Bob Chapek Named CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Spaceship Earth Closing May 26th – News Today 2/26
New Disney Dining Plan Plus, Coronavirus Delays Merch, Epcot Flower & Garden – News Today 2/24/20
That’s all the Disney news for this past week! Make sure you check back at the end of each week for our weekly recaps!Â