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 April 29 – May 5!

Walt Disney World

• Read up on the special merchandise, experiences and activities which went on across the Walt Disney World resort for Star Wars day on May 4th.
• You’ve heard of Extra Magic Hours. Well, now there’s Extra, Extra Magic Hours, and they will include Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge entry! Read up on all the details here.

Magic Kingdom

• Tickets are now on sale for the Disney Villains after-hours events in the Magic Kingdom, with set dates throughout the summer.
• Also, the food guide has been released for these Disney Villains After Hours events – check out the wickedly villainous-looking snacks here.
• Check out this week’s photo update for the Magic Kingdom, featuring a moat update, Tomorrowland paint, merchandise and more!
• Reservations are now open for the new Signature Dining Celebration package coming to Cinderella’s Royal Table this summer, a dinner, fireworks and dessert package for special occasions.
• Check out the photos we took of the Tomorrowland Speedway, which has just received a fresh new layer of paint ready for its reopening.
• Scrim walls have gone up around Tortuga Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, suggesting some unannounced work is going on there at the moment.
• We reviewed the new Mickey’s Surprise Celebration Push Pop from Cosmic Ray’s in the Magic Kingdom – a sprinkle-filled cake delight.
• There’s some amazing and magical new and returning treats coming to the Magic Kingdom this month – make sure you don’t miss out. We reviewed the magical, Aladdin-inspired Wish-Granting Donut from Sunshine Tree Terrace and the new Strawberry Mickey Milkshake from Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Meet Grace the Gorilla – the newest baby in Animal Kingdom!

Epcot

• Take a look at the photos we took from the Minnie’s Garden Party meet & greet at the Odyssey Center in Epcot.
• Excited for the 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival? Us too! Check out this sneak peek of some of the merchandise which will be available at the festival here.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – 30th Anniversary Celebration

• New banners were installed in honor of the 30th Anniversary of Hollywood Studios – featuring icons from Fantasmic! and Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage.
• Check out the full range of Hollywood Studios 30th Anniversary merchandise which was available at the celebration earlier this week.
• During the 30th Anniversary ceremony for Hollywood Studios, a stylish new logo for the park was revealed, featuring Mickey, Woody, and BB-8.
• There were lots of treats on offer at the anniversary event, and we tried and reviewed the Lightsaber Churros, the Luxo Ball Mousse and Incredibles Macarons, the Mickey and Minnie Celebration Cakes and the Celebration Fizz Cocktail.

• Check out the photos and videos we took of the 30th Anniversary Star-Studded Celebration Cavalcade, featuring all your park favourites.
• There’s a rumor going round that a “Black Box” interchangeable ride is in development for Hollywood Studios – read up on what that means here.
• Watch the full “Wonderful World of Animation” nighttime projection show, which debuted at Hollywood Studios on May 1st.
• We got a bunch of exciting new details about Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway this week, including a look at the marquee, the ride vehicle, and some more info on the pre-show experience.
• We learned that a temporary gift shop will be popping up at the exit to Toy Story Mania, presumably to coincide with the imminent release of Toy Story 4.
• The Fancy Nancy meet & greet and makeover station s now open at Hollywood Studios.
• A new table service restaurant has been announced for Hollywood Studios! Roundup Rodeo BBQ will be coming to Toy Story Land in the future – make sure you stay tuned for more details.
• Check out this week’s photo report for Hollywood Studios, including anniversary décor, Fancy Nancy and more.
• PizzeRizzo has now reopened! Of course we went, and had to review this new Peanut Butter & Jelly Verrine dessert.

• We also managed to catch a glimpse of Goofy, Clarabelle, Horace Horsecollar, and Pete swingin’ on a Skyliner gondola, the first of the character gondolas to be revealed!

Walt Disney World Resorts

Animal Kingdom Lodge

• A new Lion King Musical Dining Experience is coming to Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge this June, giving diners a one-of-a-kind culinary celebration of Simba’s story.

Art of Animation Resort

• The lobby floor in Art of Animation will be gradually replaced during six phases throughout the summer. Check out the photos we took of the first phase in the project here.

Riviera Resort

• Check out our construction photo update for the Riviera resort: the scaffolding is now down and we can see further details on the pool, roof, and walkways.

Disneyland

• Now that the new park policy on stroller sizes has been implemented across Disney parks, new printed rules and size check locations have appeared in the Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland Park

• Information was finally released about how to make a reservation to get into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in the first few months – read up on how here.
• Check out this week’s photo report for the Disneyland Park, including the reopening of the Astro Orbitor, an Aladdin sneak peek and new merchandise.
• In honor of Star Wars Day on May 4th, Space Mountain was transformed back into Hyperspace Mountain, with other special treats and activities happening around Tomorrowland.

Disney California Adventure

• We reviewed the cool new Frozen Hot Cooca drink from Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop in Disney California Adventure.
• The Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind attraction construction is coming along nicely! More installations have taken place and four vehicles have arrived – check out our photos here.

Downtown Disney District

• Read our review of the new Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer in Downtown Disney, featuring amazing food and the wildest shakes you ever did see – including this new Churro Choco Taco Shake.
• Check out this week’s photo report for Downtown Disney, featuring parking lot construction, new merchandise and more!

Disneyland Paris

• In celebration of Star Wars Day on May 4th, Disneyland Paris policy was partially lifted, allowing guests to visit the park in costume.
• The Phantom Manor has finally reopened after it’s ever-so lengthy refurbishment! Check out the video and photos of the new and revamped ride experience here.
• However, just a couple of days after the Manor’s reopening, a huge fan outcry regarding the change in music during the ballroom scene caused Disney to quickly get in and change it back to the original
• Tickets are now on sale for a Pin Trading event in Disneyland Paris this June.

Tokyo Disney Resort

• Read the fourth installment of one of the WDWNT writers’ Tokyo Disneyland trip report – including photos and a review of the Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall restaurant.

New Merchandise

• Check out this new Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout! apparel which has dropped into Disney California Adventure.
• There’s even more retro-inspired Disneyland Apparel available in the Disneyland Resort.
• The Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin collection of Wishables arrived early in Hollywood Studios this week.
• Disney’s Walk Around the World commemorative bricks – as seen originally installed at the entrance to Magic Kingdom – are now available on shopDisney.
• Reach for the sky in these new Buzz Lightyear and Woody Spirit Jerseys, available now on shopDisney.

• Check out this tropical, colorful Tiki Room Alex and Ani double-sided bracelet, which we spotted this week in the Magic Kingdom!
• These ridiculously adorable new Tinker Bell glow wings have fluttered into the Magic Kingdom.
• This Genie MagicBand magically appeared in Magic Kingdom this week – and it’s super fun.
• Check out this cool Pandora utility suit figurine which arrived in Windtraders this week
• Brighten up those rainy days with this fun line of rain gear inspired by the Enchanted Tiki Room, available from May 13th.
• Mr Toad is the latest character featured in the Classic Cozy Knits series – we spotted the limited release plush in Mouse Gear at Epcot this week.
• These beautiful new Dumbo Dooney & Bourke purses and MagicBand are now available in the parks and on shopDisney.

• A new, comfy-looking line of men’s apparel featuring Stitch is now available in World of Disney in Downtown Disney.
• This sparkly new rainbow Pride tumbler has appeared in Hollywood Studios possibly one of the first items in the 2019 Pride collection.
• Customization will now be available on the Disney Princess subscription box service from shopDisney, allowing guests to choose which princess they’d like featured.
• There were some great deals on Star Wars games, commemorative merchandise and more at the Disney Store in celebration of May the 4th.
• This fun Walt Disney World iconic road sign phone case has pulled up in Animal Kingdom.

Entertainment & Media

• Read our summary of the newest issue of Disney Twenty-Three, taking viewers into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
• Have you seen Avengers: Endgame yet? It has smashed box office records with an incredible $1.2 Billion debut!
• Following this amazing record, Disney took the opportunity to recap the new Marvel attractions which will be coming to Disney California Adventure, Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.
• Read our Marvel News Mash-Up: everything you need to know about what’s going on with Marvel news in one place.
• There’s a new TV spot out for Toy Story 4, with this one introducing us to Canada’s greatest daredevil “Duke Caboom”, i.e. Keanu Reeve’s character in the movie.
• A sneak preview of the music of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has been revealed for download and streaming – have a listen here.
• The first comic in the new Marvel Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge comic book series is now available in at Walt Disney World.

Other Disney News

• We were saddened to hear of the passing of legendary Star Wars actor Peter Mayhew this week. Read the touching tributes paid by colleagues Mark Hamill, George Lucas and Harrison Ford here.

WDWNT News

• We’re delighted to announce WDWNT’s “Reflections of Forever” events – exclusive parties commemorating the last ever IllumiNations and the first-ever Epcot Forever nighttime spectacular.
• Watch The Adventurers Club reunite at WDWNT’s epic Pleasure Beach party at our Stage 89 event last weekend.

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!