What a week this is for EPCOT! Tomorrow we’ll mark the official grand opening for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and La Crêperie de Paris in the newly expanded France pavilion in World Showcase. And then tomorrow night we’ll see the grand premiere of our new nighttime spectacular, “Harmonious,” on World Showcase Lagoon.
And while I’m so excited for you to discover all those new experiences, there’s even MORE in store as we continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort over the next 18 months. This morning, I announced our next major attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, will debut in 2022. That’s right, our friends from Xandar will open the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT next year, inviting us on an intergalactic chase through space and time!
Today my fellow Imagineers Tom Fitzgerald (left) and Scot Drake (right) gave us a new look inside the Wonders of Xandar pavilion currently under construction. Here you see them in the Galaxarium, which when completed will feature a planetarium-type presentation where the Xandarians show us their world, their people and their advanced technologies.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a family-friendly adventure, featuring a totally new type of roller coaster experience we’re developing just for this attraction – it’s a storycoaster that rotates 360 degrees so you’re always focused on all the action as you help the Guardians save the galaxy. Not only that, but Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will also feature the first reverse launch on a coaster in Disney history and is one of the longest enclosed coasters in the world. It’s a massive experience that will match the scale and adventure of the Guardians of the Galaxy films.
As part of the ongoing transformation of EPCOT, we’re infusing this park we love and cherish with more ways to dream, to be inspired and to connect with our world – or other galaxies, in this case. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is going to be a big step in that direction, and we can’t wait for you to experience it.
In the long list of technological innovations that Disney has introduced over the years to enhance the guest experience at Walt Disney World, the introduction of MagicBands is certainly up toward the top of the list. We love using them! This morning, Disney announced the introduction of a new generation of MagicBands that adds brand new functionality and takes interactivity to an entirely new level.
Innovation is essential to The Walt Disney Company story, dating back to its inception nearly a century ago. As Walt Disney once said, “We’ll always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and new systems.” Well, that promise will come true once again next year when Walt Disney World Resort releases our next-generation wearable technology, MagicBand+.
The original MagicBand was introduced in 2013 at Walt Disney World, making the guest experience in our theme parks and resorts more convenient and hands-free for things like park and guest room entry, retail and dining, Disney PhotoPass and more. MagicBand+ will retain those popular features and add functionality that unlocks new moments of magic for you.
After you enter a theme park, MagicBand+ will come alive at various times with color-changing lights, haptic vibrations, and gesture recognition. The wearable will allow you to engage with favorite Disney moments in new ways, including:
Play like a bounty hunter in a galaxy far, far away and find virtual bounties throughout Black Spire Outpost in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Interact with the “Disney Fab 50 Character Collection,” the golden sculptures spread throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks.
Experience nighttime spectaculars in a new way as you see your band light up and complement the magic in the skies, including the new “Harmonious” at EPCOT and “Disney Enchantment” at Magic Kingdom Park.
MagicBand+ will be available for purchase beginning next year, including a discounted, pre-arrival price for Disney Resort hotel guests as well as new and renewing Walt Disney World Annual Passholders. Current MagicBands will continue to be available, too, along with the complimentary Disney MagicMobile service that extends MagicBand features, such as park entry, to smart devices.
MagicBand+ will help immerse you in Disney stories and connect with characters you love like never before. We’ll have more to share about this exciting new technology in the future. And be sure to check out all our coverage of the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary, because “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins tomorrow!
During its 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World once again demonstrates how food and drinks can be key ingredients for a fun day at The Most Magical Place on Earth. New menu items for the celebration offer nods to the resort’s past while pushing culinary adventures to exciting new places. These include theme park classics and some of Walt Disney’s favorite items, along with novel dishes and sips full of color, whimsy and a touch of EARidescent shimmer. Disney has released a look at some of the 150-plus new items available.
From a Disney Cast Member;
The magic is calling all Foodies to the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary celebration – The World’s Most Magical Celebration! Throughout our four theme parks and beyond, Disney chefs and mixologists have created more than 150 sips and bites full of color, whimsy, and a touch of EARidescent shimmer – with even more coming throughout the 18-month celebration beginning Oct. 1.
Walt’s personal recipes, Walt Disney World Resort attractions (past and present), beloved Disney Characters, and nostalgic dishes from 1971 were inspirations for the tasty offerings created for this anniversary celebration.
Walt’s palate was relatively simple – definitely a meat and potatoes guy! Roast lamb, roast beef hash topped with a fried egg, chili, and fried chicken were his favorites, along with lemon, apple, chocolate, and bread pudding desserts. Disney chefs looked to Walt’s recipes from the archives while planning for the 50th anniversary celebration. The result is deliciously reimagined versions of Walt’s favorites. And many of the treats (including the fun EARidescent Sip-a-bration) are infused with EARidescent shimmers to add glimmering touches to the celebratory creations.
I am highlighting just a sampling of the limited-time sips and bites in this Foodie Guide, but we have created a complete online guide for you to view the more than 150 fantastic menu items!
While you are celebrating with us, be sure to share your favorite sips and bites using the hashtag #DisneyWorld50.
Let The World’s Most Magical Celebration begin!
Magic Kingdom Park
Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
Uncle Orville Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow Sundae – Chocolate and vanilla soft-serve, brownie pieces, hot fudge, and whipped cream topped with red, white, and blue sprinkles served in a “bathtub”
Be Our Guest Restaurant
Squids Revenge Drink – A michelada with a salted rim and garnished with charred octopus and cucumber. Watch out, the giant squid is back!
Casey’s Corner
Pressed Penny Silk Pie – Chocolate tart shell, silky chocolate filling, sweet whipped cream, and a chocolate-pressed penny
50th Celebration Hot Dog – All-beef hot dog topped with strawberry bacon jam, crisp funnel cake pieces, and powdered sugar
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Royal 50th Celebration Flight – Flight of Enchantée Champagne – a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunière (Enchantée Champagne is sold exclusively at the Walt Disney World Resort)
Columbia Harbor House
Happy Haunts Milkshake – Blackberry milkshake topped with a purple chocolate-glazed doughnut covered with black sprinkles
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
Mission to Mars – Burger topped with bacon and macaroni & cheese served on a bun dusted with crushed cheese-flavored puffs
The Crystal Palace
Walt’s Favorites on the Buffet – Chicken fried steak, New York strip steak, pork chops, and more!
Friar’s Nook
The Toad Burger – Brat burger served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and American cheese
Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen
Veranda Fried Rice – Spicy chili-garlic shrimp served over pork fried rice with eggs and peas (from the original Verandah Restaurant menu)
Outdoor Kiosks
Dumbo Churros – Churros rolled in peanut dust and served with chocolate dipping sauce in a Dumbo-themed churro bag
Royal 50th Churro – Churros rolled in strawberry sugar, drizzled with marshmallow cream, and shimmer sprinkles served with chocolate dipping sauce
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
The Banana Boom – Traditional banana split topped with popping candy and a candied shooting star
Plaza Restaurant
Cheers to 50 Years! – Chocolate and vanilla ice cream, brownies, cupcakes, cookie crumbles, pretzel rods, and hot fudge topped with whipped cream, EARidescent sugar, and a Mickey pretzel drizzled with caramel and chocolate icing (serves 4-6)
Storybook Treats
Heigh-Ho Sundae! – Chocolate soft-serve, hot fudge, graham cracker pieces, chocolate gems, and whipped cream
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
Five Alarm Wings – Wings tossed in a sweet-and-spicy heat served with ranch dressing for dipping
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Drinkwallah
Hand-dipped 50th Celebration Mickey Premium Bar – Our classic Nestlé Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar dipped in blue raspberry-flavored coating with celebration sprinkles and a little bit of pixie dust
Restaurantosaurus
Cheese Fries with Walt’s Chili – Crispy fries topped with Walt’s favorite chili and cheddar sauce
Walt’s Favorite Chili on Foot-long Hot Dog – A foot-long hot dog served on a warm bun topped with Walt’s favorite chili and cheddar sauce
Tiffins
50th Celebration Chocolate Gâteaux – Almond praline, white chocolate crémeux, ganache, and chocolate-South African cream liqueur sauce
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Trolley Car Café
Glimmer and Shimmer Pineapple Mousse – Golden pineapple mousse on a toasted coconut crisp with caramel cream and matcha sponge cake
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Filet Mignon with Walt’s Hash topped with an egg (just the way Walt liked it!)
The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge, Oasis Canteen, Sunshine Day Bar, Animation Bar
Shimmer over the Moon – Apple pie moonshine, amaretto, falernum, pineapple juice, and club soda served with a souvenir glow cube
ABC Commissary
Chocolate Mousse – Raspberry-dark chocolate mousse, chocolate-almond cake, and a layer of hazelnut crunch and whipped chocolate-hazelnut cheesecake
EPCOT
Coral Reef Restaurant
Key Lime Tart with toasted meringue, EARidescent shimmer, sprinkles, and chocolate garnish
The EPCOT Experience
EARidescent Croissant Doughnut – Croissant doughnut with blue icing and sprinkles
Le Cellier Steakhouse
Chocolate Mousse Bar – Dark chocolate mousse, caramel cookie pieces, milk chocolate shell, and chocolate shortbread cookie
Sunshine Seasons
Mini Chocolate Bundt Cake – Mini chocolate Bundt cake with chocolate ganache, sprinkles, and icing dusted with EARidescent shimmer and chocolate 50th anniversary garnish
Disney Springs
Amorette’s Patisserie
50th Celebration Petit Cake – Vanilla chiffon cake with celebration blue mousse, blueberry jam, and lemon curd
The Ganachery
50th Celebration Chocolate Bundle:
50th Celebration Ganache Chocolate Bar – Milk chocolate combined with caramel and crispies for a playful crunch
50th Celebration Ganache Square – Celebration cake ganache mixed with sprinkles, enrobed in 65% dark chocolate, and decorated with a shimmering castle design
Frontera Cocina
Chocolate Pigñata – Chocolate shell filled with cajeta mousse, tender cake (infused with whiskey & vanilla), crumble of chipotle bacon, candied orange, and Maria cookies. Yes, there’s a mallet to break your piñata! Serves two.
The BOATHOUSE
Sweet Nostalgia Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – Pineapple upside-down cake with caramel glazed with Chantilly cream
Terralina Crafted Italian,
Whimsical White Chocolate Mousse –White chocolate mousse with salted caramel and cotton candy
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill,
Caramel Banana Chocolate Sphere – Dark chocolate sphere, vanilla pudding, banana caramel compote, gold dust, and chocolate pearls
Resorts
The Mara, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Chocolate Mousse with a cardamom financier
Contempo Café, Disney’s Contemporary Resort
50th Anniversary Peanut Butter-Banana Pie – Sweet tart shell filled with peanut butter mousse and banana sauce topped with chocolate glaze and chocolate décor
Toledo–Tapas, Steak, and Seafood, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Braised Lamb Shank with olive oil-potato purée, rosemary-roasted garlic gravy, huckleberry jam, and English peas
P&J’s Southern Takeout, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campgrounds
Chicken Dinner Cupcake Trio
Fried chicken-apple fritter, apple pie moonshine filling, and vanilla buttercream
Peas and carrots-strawberry moonshine custard, white chocolate frosting, and M&M’S Mini “peas
Mock mashed potato-SNICKERS mousse cupcake, caramel buttercream, and STARBURST “butter”
Grand Floridan Café, Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa
50th Anniversary Vintage Minnie’s Brown Betty Profiterole – Crunchy-topped cream puff filled with one of Walt’s favorite flavors of cinnamon-spiced apples and Chantilly cream
Olivia’s Cafe, Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Spam-Cheddar Biscuits with white gravy and drizzled with honey
Capt. Cook’s, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
50th Celebration Cupcake – Vanilla cupcake with DOLE Whip pineapple center, tropical fruit salsa, and pineapple macaron
Le Petit Café, Disney’s Riviera Resort
50th Celebration Cupcake – Vanilla cupcake, cake-flavored mousse, and caramel-buttercream icing garnished with crisp pearls, 50th anniversary sprinkles, and a whimsical gold Mickey
Roaring Fork, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Petit Stump Cake – Chocolate cake with birthday cake buttercream filling surrounded by chocolate “bark” fondant topped with 50th anniversary chocolate coin
The Market at Ale & Compass, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
50th Celebration Tart – Birthday cake mousse dome on top of a milk chocolate mousse-filled vanilla tart shell with mini chocolate crisp pearls, buttercream, fondant, and chocolate décor
Available at select table-service restaurants, lounges, and pool bars throughout our four Theme Parks and Resorts
EARidescent Sip-a-bration (Non-Alcoholic Beverage) – Minute Maid Premium Lemonade and fruity strawberry punch served in a souvenir 50th Celebration Cup with a surprise Character and a little bit of magic!
Magical Beacon Cocktail – Gin, blue curaçao, Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, orgeat (almond) syrup, lemon, hibiscus grenadine, and a souvenir glow cube
Our classic Nestle Mickey’s Premium Ice Cream Bar has a festive new wrapper showcasing Mickey in his EARidescent finest!
We can’t wait for the release of Disney’s new Tinkerbell movie, starring Reese Witherspoon, but there’s, unfortunately, a downside to portraying Peter Pan’s tiny sidekick, especially at a Disney Park.
A former Cast Member has come forward in a viral video, sharing that while she was employed playing the role of Tinkerbell, married men made unwelcomed advances toward her, including offering her their hotel keys and inviting her to the hotels in which they were staying.
Sarah Daniels was answering questions from her followers when she shared the information.
One of her followers asked, “How many Dads end up hitting on you because you’re the character, as opposed to because you’re an attractive woman?”
Daniels’ initial response was “I feel like if dudes are going to be creeps and hit on you, they’re going to hit on you whether you’re a character or not.”
In her bio on TikTok, Sarah Daniels, known as @sarahdanielstv on the platform, calls herself an “ex-Disney Princess.” As part of her content, Daniels routinely answers questions from followers about her experience as a Cast Member and in portraying characters at Disney.
For example, Daniels has also been asked how she dealt with “creepy Dads” when she was Tinkerbell, also known as one of the many face characters in the parks, meaning that she was portraying a character for which her costume did not include a mask.
“As a face character, ‘no’ is not in your vocabulary,” Daniels responded to the online question, saying that when she was faced with an uncomfortable situation with a Guest, she would divert the attention to her character attendant so they could take care of it.
Otherwise, she says, anytime she was asked a question for which the answer was ‘no,’ she would have to find creative “ways around ‘no.’
We hope that Guests will also remember to be respectful with everyone in the parks, especially Cast members who are working all the while Guests are on vacation.
Disney KiteTails is the latest show coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom just in time for the start of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Walt Disney World Resort. The new show will debut in the Discovery River Theater right in the center of Animal Kingdom on October 1, 2021.
This all show will immerse Guests in Disney storytelling through the use of detailed Disney character kites soaring high above the theater. KiteTails is set to be a grand celebration of nature and classic Disney characters with brand new, colorful designs, adding something new and exciting to Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Disney KiteTails will be performed multiple times throughout the day and will include characters from The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, a bug’s life,The Jungle Book, Finding Nemo, and more. The musical score will include a variety of hit songs from Disney animated films all performed with worldbeat arrangements.
Some of the kites run about 30 feet in length, and many will move in synchronization to the show’s music or convey specific actions from the characters, such as Zazu chasing Simba during The Lion King sequence.
Disney KiteTails is just one of the new shows coming to the Walt Disney World Resort for its 50th anniversary this week. By October 1, Guests visiting the theme parks will also be able to experience two new nighttime spectaculars with Disney Enchanted replacing Happily Ever After in the Magic Kingdom and Harmonious making its debut over World Showcase Lagoon in EPCOT.
The Disney Parks Blog is planning to live stream both Disney Enchanted and Harmonious during their opening performances, however there is no word on a live stream being produced for KiteTails just yet. Don’t forget to tune into ABC on October 1 for their coverage of the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary celebrations in their new special, “The Most Magical Story on Earth,” (and maybe we’ll see some more details on KiteTails there!)
