On April 4, Disney announced that its newest roller coaster, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, would be opening on May 27. Cosmic Rewind will be located in the World Discovery area of EPCOT and has taken over the spot of Ellen’s Energy Adventure. The building that Ellen’s Energy Adventure was in has also been transformed into the Xandar Pavilion. The ride will be a one-of-a-kind experience for Guests and will be Disney’s first-ever reverse launch roller coaster.
While Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will officially open to regular Walt Disney World Resort Guests on May 27, there are some Guests who will be able to experience the ride prior to that date. One of those groups is D23 Gold Members. D23 is the official Disney fan club and Gold Members pay $100 per year minimum for their membership.
This exclusive attraction preview will be available on May 15 — nearly two weeks before the ride opens! The cost is $35 per person and spots are limited. Tickets for the event will go on sale on April 12. Having the chance to be one of the first people to ride Cosmic Rewind is very exciting, but your ticket to the event gets you some other incredible perks.
Parking and park admission with park reservation to EPCOT after 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, 2022
$20 dining card to enjoy the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival (or other dining location of your choice)
Reserved viewing for Harmonious
Exclusive entry to preview of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Check-in will be open from 3:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., with park admission beginning at 4 p.m. Members are able to explore EPCOT until the reserved viewing area for Harmonious opens at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show. The evening concludes with an opportunity to preview of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, receiving a commemorative gift upon departure.
If you are a D23 Gold Member and are interested in attending this event, there are a few important notes to keep in mind. First, Cosmic Rewind has a strict height requirement of 42 inches. Anyone who does not meet this height requirement will not be able to ride. There will also only be a limited number of tickets available and each D23 Gold Member can purchase up to 4 tickets. D23 has also shared that there will be no merchandise purchasing opportunity at this event, meaning the new Treasures of Xandar store may not be open.
News of the opening of the official opening was exciting to some, but not all that surprising to others. A couple of months ago, Disney’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Geoff Morrell tweeted that the Disney coaster would be opening on Memorial Day Weekend. While Morrell deleted the tweet, many took what he said as confirmation since he is so high up in the company.
If you are not yet a D23 Gold Member, but would like to be able to experience the attraction preview, you still have time to become one! You can learn more about D23 Gold Membership by clicking here.
More information has been revealed about recent changes to the ride where a tragedy occurred at ICON Park.
As reported by Click Orlando, an attorney representing the mother of the 14-year-old boy who fatally fell from the Orlando FreeFall attraction told reporters Tuesday that several seats on the ride had been previously adjusted to fit larger patrons. This comes on the heels of the tragedy at ICON Park in Orlando on International Drive, where 14-year-old Tyre Sampson was released from his seat while riding the world’s tallest freestanding drop tower, the Orlando Free Fall.
“It looks like they have some seats that they directed people to that were bigger,” Michael Haggard said. “Well, if you know that, why are you doing that without finding out how big they are?”
The attraction, called Orlando FreeFall, opened in December 2021, priding itself on being the tallest free-standing drop tower on Earth. The ride would take up to 30 Guests 400 feet into the air before dropping them at about 75 mph.
Tyre Sampson, was visiting Orlando from Missouri on spring break when he, tragically, fell from his seat last week on March 25. While Haggard did not specify why or when the seats were adjusted, he told News 6 investigator Merris Badcock that Sampson had sat in one of the adjusted seats the night he fell from the ride.
“This is a ride that is absolutely unique,” Haggard said. “In North America, there is an identical ride up at Dollywood that has the option to tilt forward, and it does not. They do not allow it. They do not operate it that way.” Dollywood also has a ride manufactured by the same company as the Orlando Freefall. Haggard says the Dollywood ride also has an extra seat belt as a backup to the initial safety harness. Dollywood has shut down their attraction at the moment, in lieu of the tragedy.
“[The owners of Orlando Freefall] have a weight restriction that is not disclosed to anyone. That is truly amazing because when you start talking about going 75 mph, from 430 feet to an almost sudden stop when you’re tilted, the biggest risk we can all think of gravity is weight,” he said. “They did nothing to disclose that whatsoever,” Haggard said.
According to the manual for the attraction, the maximum weight a Guest can be is 286 pounds. Haggard told reporters Tuesday that Sampson weighed around 380 pounds. Surprisingly, Haggard said that “There is a metal detector, so you do not bring your phone on, but there is no sign about weight, and there is no scale. I mean, how that is not more important than a metal detector for a ride like this is kind of amazing.”
Easter is almost here and to celebrate Walt Disney World and Disneyland are offering limited-time treats that you don’t want to miss!
From a Disney Cast Member;
It’s time to hop on over to Disney Parks because Easter will soon be upon us and with that, tons of treats to fill up your basket with adorable snacks and delicious sips.
This tasty eggs-travaganza is packed with returning classics and adorable treats to enjoy at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. These dazzling delights aren’t just for the tastebuds to enjoy, but for the eyes too! To make this year even more festive, the gorgeous hand-crafted Easter egg displays are back and sprinkled across Walt Disney World Resort hotels and are a must-see.
While we all love a good ol’ Easter egg hunt, no need to search here. I’ve put all the treats together for you. Grab your chicks and get your appetite ready because the Foodie Guide to the Easter must-haves is here!
Walt Disney World Resort
Available at Multiple Resorts April 10 through 23
Coconut Sugar Bunny Cupcake: Carrot cake cupcake filled with pineapple topped with cream cheese buttercream and a coconut sugar bunny (available on Mobile Order) (New) Available at the following:
Sassagoula Floatworks at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
Centertown Market at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Riverside Mill at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
Everything Pop at Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
World Premiere Food Court, Intermission Food Court, and End Zone Food Court (available on Mobile Order from April 10 through 23)
Spring Into Easter: Strawberry mousse with blueberry compote and lemon curd on vanilla cake (New)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
The Mara (available on Mobile Order from April 10 through 17)
Raspberry Fields: Pistachio financier, raspberry gelée, lemon curd, and a white chocolate glaçage (New)
Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Beach Club Resort Lobby(available through April 17)
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
Belle Vue Lounge (available through April 30)
Cotton Tails Daiquiri: Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Chambord liqueur, pure cane syrup, lime juice, and raspberry garnished with an orange peel (New)
BoardWalk Bakery (available on Mobile Order from April 10 through 17)
Chocolate-covered Strawberry ‘Carrots’: Strawberries dipped in orange-colored white chocolate and striped to resemble carrots (New)
Easter Moon Pie: Sugar cookies with marshmallow filling, dipped in semisweet chocolate and decorated with holiday décor (New)
Coconut Macaroon Nest: Traditional giant coconut macaroon with pastel chocolate and sprinkles and crunch candy Easter eggs (New)
Cannoli: Traditional cannoli with pastel holiday décor
Mickey Brownie: Ganache brownies with holiday sprinkles
BoardWalk Joe’s(available through April 30)
Easter Basket: Empress Gin, Bols Crème de Banana liqueur, grenadine, and pineapple smoothie garnished with a candied marshmallow (New)
Leaping Horse(available through April 30)
The Easter Hunt: Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Midori Liqueur, and piña colada garnished with maraschino cherries and a candied marshmallow (New)
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Spyglass Grill
This location will be opening its doors once again on April 14!
Coconut Sugar Bunny Cupcake: Carrot cake cupcake filled with pineapple and topped with cream cheese buttercream and a coconut sugar bunny (available April 14 through 23)
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
California Grill(available on April 17)
Three-course Dinner: Three-course tasting menu for the 50th Anniversary Celebration with an Easter-themed dessert enhancement (New)
Chef Mickey’s (available on April 17)
Carrot Cake Cupcakes: Mini carrot cake cupcake topped with cream cheese icing, coconut, and a sugar carrot (New)
Contempo Cafe (available on Mobile Order through April 20)
Easter Bunny Cupcake: Carrot cake filled with cream cheese icing topped with buttercream and white chocolate bunny ears (New)
Easter Chocolate Bark: Dark chocolate bark topped with Jelly Beans and sprinkles (New)
Easter Macarons: Assorted macarons filled with raspberry marshmallow, lemon buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache (New)
Easter Sugar Cookie Sandwich: Sugar cookies with strawberry marshmallow buttercream and sprinkles (New)
Steakhouse 71
Easter Brunch: Enjoy favorites from Steakhouse 71 breakfast and lunch menus, along with an Easter dessert available for purchase (available on April 17)(New)
Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Contemporary Resort(available through April 20 on the 4th floor)
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Barcelona Lounge
Bird of Paradise Refresher: Strawberry, lemonade, passionfruit juice and passionfruit boba on ice (non-alcoholic) (New)
Cinnamon Twist Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee, sweet cream, and cinnamon syrup topped with cinnamon whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon dust (non-alcoholic) (New)
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Gasparilla Island Grill (available on Mobile Order through April 18)
Peanut Butter Bunny Cookie: Peanut butter cookie cup with buttercream, sugar bunny, and spring sprinkles (New)
Bunny Blondie Pop: Brown butter blondie with mini chocolate chips, and dried cherries enrobed in white chocolate to resemble a bunny (New)
Spring Birds Nest Donut: Chocolate sponge cake donut glazed and garnished with a crunchy chocolate nest and sugar eggs (New)
Narcoossee’s (available on April 17)
Easter Overlay on Existing Desserts
The Grand Cottage at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby (available through April 18)
Offerings including the Carrot Blondie Pop, The Grand Combo, Carrot Coffee Cake, Grand Egg, Artisan Marshmallows, Confetti Cake Popcorn, Mickey Whoopie Pie, Crispy Rice Egg, Baby Chick Cupcake, Spring Garden Dessert, Hot Cross Buns, Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookie, Dark Chocolate Bunny, and Raspberry Minnie Fudge
Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Lobby(available through April 18)
Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Good’s Food to Go
Spring Time Cupcake: Yellow cupcake filled with lemon curd topped with strawberry buttercream and a butterfly white chocolate garnish and springtime quins (available April 12 through June 10)(New)
Carrot Cake: Carrot cake with cream cheese icing and white chocolate carrot garnish (available April 12 through 17) (New)
Easter Chick Brownie: Fudge brownie with dark and white chocolate garnish to look like a hatching chick (available April 12 through 17) (New)
Olivia’s Cafe (available April 16 through 17)
Easter Dessert Trio: A trio of mini desserts including fruit tart, chocolate cupcake with Easter quins, and a strawberry lemon bar (New)
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Capt. Cook’s (available on Mobile Order from April 10 through 17)
Hoppy Easter Cupcake: Vanilla cupcake with raspberry fluff filling, buttercream, chocolate easter bunny, and Jelly Beans (New)
Easter Bunny Dome Cake: Carrot dome cake, cream cheese filling, white chocolate glaçage, buttercream, and rice paper butterfly
Pineapple Lanai (available April 16 through 18)
Easter Soft-serve: Pink vanilla soft-serve with toasted marshmallow flavors topped with Easter sprinkles
Cookies & Cream Cheesecake: Cookies and cream flavored cheesecake with a dark chocolate cookie crumble base, ganache, cookie crumbles, and modeling chocolate bunny décor (New)
Robin’s Egg Blueberry Macaroons: Three large robin-colored macaroons filled with a ring of blueberry ganache, and a blueberry jam center on a crispy chocolate nest (New)
Lemon Crinkle Cookies: A pack of three brightly colored lemon-flavored crinkle cookies
Disney Springs
Amorette’s Patisserie (available April 14 through 17)
Every Star Wars fan has eagerly waited for any news surrounding Pedro Pascal’s The Mandalorian season three. Now, Disney is giving hope to fans with their latest update.
Star Wars Celebration is finally returning to Anaheim, California, something that countless fans have missed over the past few years due to COVID-19.
In a turn of events, Lucasfilm revealed that The Mandalorian season three, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the somewhat forgotten Andor series are all receiving special panels at the upcoming event.
Star Wars Celebration returns in May, launching with a must-see showcase that will kick the weekend’s festivities into hyperdrive. On Thursday, May 26, Lucasfilm’s current crop of live-action filmmakers will be joined by special guests to discuss the many Star Wars adventures coming soon, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Mandalorian.
The website tempts fans to “Join Lucasfilm’s Filmmakers and Special Guests for a Look at What’s Coming Soon to a Galaxy Near You…”
While it’s not official, The Mandalorian showrunner Jon Favreau, executive producer Dave Filoni, and the majority of the cast from this new Star Wars story will undoubtedly be attending the event, as well as Diego Luna for Andor and possible Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor for the Kenobi panel.
Many suggest that season three could hit Disney+ in December of 2022, but the highly anticipated Star Wars series could be pushed back into early 2023.
All shall be revealed at the Star Wars Celebration this May!
McDonald’s and Disney are two of the most recognizable brands in the world, so when the two collide, you can bet that magic will happen.
This was the case for numerous McDonald’s restaurant franchisees on April 6, 2022. The lucky group enjoyed a private party at Walt Disney World Resort’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park after normal park operations stopped early for the event.
Franchisee Katie C. shared her fabulous experience on Facebook, writing:
Had the best night ever at Hollywood Studios! It was closed to the public, so we got to ride every single ride with virtually no wait times and get all the food and drinks we wanted!
Katie shared with Inside the Magic that she and her family, who are McDonald’s owner-operators from Kentucky and Ohio, are “so happy to be part of a brand that values their franchises, suppliers, and company personnel enough to rent out the entire Park for an evening at the Most Magical Place on Earth!”
As you can see from Katie’s photos, crowds were sparse compared to what they have been lately when the Park is open to the public. This gave the McDonald’s party-goers ample time to enjoy all of the rides that Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have to offer.
