Animal Kingdom 25th Anniversary Treats, Merchandise, Photo Ops & More

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Dining, Disney Parks

Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s 25th Anniversary is quickly approaching. Disney is celebrating with special merchandise, photo ops, treats, and more! 

From a Disnet Cast Member;

Jambo! It’s an exciting time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and we can’t wait to share all that is new with you. Just in time for the celebration of Earth Month and the 25th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on April 22, which is also Earth Day, let’s go on an adventure and explore the magic of nature at the theme park we love so much.

From special merchandise to nature-themed food and beverage offerings to adventurous in-park experiences, there are so many opportunities to celebrate. Check out these four ways below!

1 – TREE’t Yourself with 25th Anniversary-Inspired Merchandise

In honor of this milestone, you can show off your love for the park with items from the new Disney’s Animal Kingdom 25th Anniversary collection, available starting April 21 for a limited time at Island Mercantile, Discovery Trading Company and Mombasa Marketplace. The earthy collection includes everything from a commemorative Spirit Jersey to a tumbler and a pocket tee. Guests can also find a limited-edition commemorative Earth Month pin available for purchase now at select retail locations in the park. All of these items add up to the perfect “OOTPD” (outfit of the park day) for your next trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

Also, the excitement doesn’t stop there. Coming soon is a 25th Anniversary Mini Loungefly Backpack and bucket hat that you won’t want to miss out on!

2 – Take Your Taste Buds on an Adventure With Commemorative Menu Offerings

What’s a Walt Disney World celebration without some delicious treats? Throughout Earth Month and on the 25th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you can enjoy new food and beverage offerings that celebrate this unique park.

New items debuting throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom exclusively on April 22 include the Colossal Elephant Roll and the 25th Anniversary Alive with Magic Cupcake. At Tiffins Restaurant, guests can enjoy a 25th Anniversary Dessert Platter, or they can dig into a 25th Anniversary Earth Tart at Tusker House Restaurant.

Additional Earth Month-themed sweets and sips will be available in the park throughout April, like the Bee Hive Mousse Dome and Flamingo Cupcake as well as the Bubbling Pink Lagoon and Viva Gaia Tonic drinks. Fun fact: The Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail Sundae features a white chocolate image of Kejana, one of the beloved gorillas you can see in the park.

All of these items and more can be found in the Disney Eats Earth Month Foodie Guide.

3 – Strike a Wild Pose with Friends and Family

Starting April 16, Disney PhotoPass Service will offer photo ops in celebration of Earth Month and the park’s 25th anniversary! You can enjoy special props, Magic Shots and more to celebrate when you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

In the spirit of sustainability, the 25th anniversary sign prop is made completely out of recycled materials, including upcycled sign backers as well as cast member costumes and patches.

4 – Explore Commemorative Wilderness Experiences

Adventure is out there at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this month, and as someone who loves to draw, I am most excited about The Animation Experience at Conservation Station. During the month of April, you can learn to draw characters like Dumbo, Terk from “Tarzan,” Crush or Bruce from “Finding Nemo,” Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh”  or Simba from “The Lion King”! Adventure doesn’t stop there though; from April 16 to April 23, Wilderness Explorers have the opportunity to earn a special badge by completing a limited-time nature challenge.

To experience the 25th anniversary celebration on April 22 and the rest of the guest-favorite thrills throughout the park, you must have a valid park ticket and a park reservation for Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Mama Odie to Appear in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

The magic of the bayou is calling, so listen closely because we’re “digging a little deeper” into the experience guests can expect from the future attraction coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! The enchantment of the bayou will illuminate with a celebration during Mardi Gras season hosted by Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. And today, we’re thrilled to announce that Mama Odie will reprise her role as the catalyst to that magic.

As depicted in this newly released rendering, Mama Odie jokes with guests along their journey after a special display of her magic. The two-hundred-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and “seeing eye snake,” Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all-knowing, throughout the adventure. We’re so delighted that legendary actress Jenifer Lewis, who starred as the voice of Mama Odie in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog,” is once again returning to her role for the attraction.

If Mama Odie is a catalyst to the magic, then Sharika Mahdi is a catalyst to the Imagineers’ creations. This New Orleans artist and YAYA Arts Center alumna has inspired our work on the attraction with a local’s perspective. As we bring our attention to Mama Odie and the important role she plays in Tiana’s story, I’d like to share the latest in a four-part series commissioned to Sharika: a tribute to our wise and whimsical keeper of the bayou.

Notice how the long, flowing brush strokes offer visual cues for the floating journey that lies ahead in Tiana’s premier attraction. Along with “The Princess and the Frog” film, our team continues to use Sharika’s latest piece as inspiration for how Mama Odie will appear throughout the attraction. You may see evidence of this in the resemblance of the images above depicting Mama Odie.

Mama Odie joins a cast of friends – familiar and new – in Princess Tiana’s debut attraction. In December, we shared how a band of newly introduced critters will provide some of the soundtrack to your journey. In February, we shared the backstory behind the water tower that will punctuate the exterior. But what else is in store? Here’s a sample of what to expect from this musical adventure:

  • Brand-new cast of original Disney characters with distinct names and personalities
  • Dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics figures
  • Adorable critters with incredible talent, bringing the diverse flavors of musical gumbo found in New Orleans!
  • New, original music alongside favorite tunes from the film
  • Do you love beignets as much as Louis? Well, you’re in luck because the alluring scent of beignets being prepared for the party will be part of the attraction queue!
  • Additional talent voices from the film reprising their roles, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis, and the one and only Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana
  • Familiar faces from the film such as Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia and Prince Ralphie

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure builds on the story of Princess Tiana, a character whose pride and perseverance reminds us of a universal truth: within us lies the potential to make our dreams come true. This all-new adventure will bring Disney Parks guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before when the attraction opens in Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in 2024.

To make room for this new magic, Splash Mountain at Disneyland park will be closed starting May 31, 2023, so we can begin the next phase of development for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Presented by CORKCICLE Begins July 27

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot

Calling all foodies: The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE will begin dishing up delights at Walt Disney World Resort starting July 27 and continuing through November 18, 2023.

Get ready to sip and savor at more than 25 Global Marketplaces throughout EPCOT including returning favorites such as The Fry Basket, Flavors from Fire, Canada, India and Spain. Several new Global Marketplaces will open later during the festival as summer turns to fall.

The fun doesn’t stop with the food, however. It extends to exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy!

  • Fans of fromage can take part in Emile’s Fromage Montage, a fun way to try tasty cheese dishes from around the world. Grab your Festival Passport and purchase any five cheese dishes listed in the back of the Festival Passport to collect a stamp. Once you’ve collected five stamps, head to Shimmering Sips hosted by CORKCICLE to redeem a sweet treat unique to the festival.
  • Families can embark on Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak – a Ratatouille-inspired adventure that’s très magnifique! Guests of all ages can search for Remy throughout World Showcase and the Global Marketplaces.
  • And to celebrate the Halloween season grab your gourd-eous group and partake in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit, a special pumpkin scavenger hunt from September 29 through October 31.

The festival will also welcome back the popular Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare at America Gardens Theatre. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more details about this year’s lineup.

And don’t forget to commemorate your EPCOT visit by bringing festival magic home with official event merchandise including apparel, home décor, trading pins and more.

Hopefully this update satisfies your craving for now, and keep an eye out for more news here or on TasteEPCOT.com. Can’t wait to see all of your clients there!

Dangerous Road-Rage Taking Over Disney World Parking Lot

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Via DisDining.com

Disney World Guests are seen on camera dealing with road rage.

Road rage refers to aggressive and violent behavior exhibited by drivers on the road. It can include verbal insults, physical violence, and even dangerous driving maneuvers intended to intimidate or harm other drivers.

Disney World is known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” However, some Guests experiences aren’t as magical. Disney Guests have been caught fighting with Cast Members or other Guests, cutting in line, trying to sneak prohibited items into the Park, and much more.

Walt Disney World is a popular tourist location seeing thousands of Guests daily. Guests can visit Disney World’s four theme parks Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney World is also home to two water parks called Blizzard Beach(temporarily closed) and Typhoon Lagoon to beat Florida’s heat.

guests with mickey mouse

In a recent social media post, Guests can see a security video of a Guest waiting at the entrance of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Guests can see a car turning around the parking area, which Guests have to go through a security checkpoint and a gate.

One car seems to get “turned away,” as the Guest says, indicating they were either in the wrong spot or somewhere they shouldn’t be. And then, another Guest yells and explains that the car cut everyone off.

“Dude mad at security today for letting a van in after he apparently cut everyone off, highly doubt the security was aware of what happened before they got into line.”

mickey mouse and cinderella castle at disney world

While Disney World does their best at directing Guests where to go, some still need to be turned around. Disney Cast Members and Disney Security are available for Guests who have questions or car trouble while at Disney World.

Disney Has Started Working on 5th Florida Theme Park, Sources Say

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Via InsideTheMagic.net

A recent story published by Forbes.com suggests that Walt Disney World Resort will undoubtedly add a fifth Disney Park and has already begun development for the project.

Walt Disney World Resort found itself immersed in a political battle against Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last year after former CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against The Parental Rights in Education Act. Better known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, the legislation essentially forbids discussion of sexuality and gender with children and empowers teachers to our children to their parents. After Disney fans and Cast Members protested, DeSantis warned Chapek not to speak out against the law. Still, the former CEO denounced the conservative bill and promised to pause political donations to legislators that supported the law.

In response, Gov. DeSantis introduced and passed legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a legislative privilege held by The Walt Disney Company since 1967. The Right-wing governor appointed a hand-selected board to take over the municipal district, now called The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The government board officially took over last month, but The Mouse may have gotten the last laugh.

In a brilliant move by Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, the company was able to circumnavigate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The board claims that, before their takeover, The Walt Disney Company quietly passed restrictive covenants that would render the board powerless for decades. In addition to making that board essentially a puppet entity, it was also reported by Screamscape that as part of this development agreement, the Reedy Creek Improvement District board had approved plans for Disney to build a fifth Theme Park within the Walt Disney World Resort by 2032 and two other more minor additions to the property, such as water parks.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Many have claimed this was Bob Iger’s and The Walt Disney Company’s way of getting payback at DeSantis. However, the move might just be a little bit more nuanced than that.

According to Caroline Reid, she would go on to publish in her most recent opinion piece that “There’s no doubt that a fifth Theme Park appears to be under development and 13,000 new jobs in Florida could be on the line if it doesn’t go ahead. Even if Disney doesn’t actually intend to develop a fifth park it appears to be seriously considering it, and this suits it just fine. On the one hand, a fifth Park hasn’t been officially announced, so no one will be let down if it doesn’t go ahead. On the other hand, does DeSantis want to risk calling Disney’s bluff by overturning the RCID’s decision and being known as the man who cost Florida 13,000 new jobs? That would be anything but a happy ending and would be a great gamble as Disney might not even have concrete plans to develop a fifth Park.”

Either way, for now, it seems that Disney and Bob Iger have accomplished what they wanted for the time being.