Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is without a doubt one reason to visit the Magic Kingdom over the Christmas holiday. With Magic Kingdom decked out, cookies and cocoa, and some great holiday entertainment, it is an incredibly special experience that is not to be missed. Now, party guests have something new to start counting down to, a brand new Christmas fireworks show.
From a current Disney cast member;
“Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show, hosted by the one-and-only Minnie Mouse, will celebrate the magic of Christmas with medleys of beloved holiday songs, from “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls” to “Up on the House Top” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The holiday music will evoke heartfelt moments of home and family, as well as the festive fun of the season before an incredible finale you won’t want to miss.
You’ll be able to see the fireworks show during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights November 8 – December 22, 2019. And if you are looking for an extra magical way to celebrate the brand new show in its first year, our fireworks dessert parties are the perfect option! You can add on this experience to enjoy treats, including chocolate-dipped strawberries, cupcakes, ice cream, seasonal fruits, cheeses and other festive favorites while taking advantage of dedicated, dazzling views of the show.
Along with our new show, each of this year’s 23 nights of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will feature performances of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas and Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show. And during A Frozen Holiday Wish stage show, Queen Elsa will magically transform Cinderella Castle with glistening ice.
During Party nights, you can also experience select rides and attractions (including the “Jingle Cruise”), savor complimentary treats, discover event-exclusive merchandise, delight to a magical “snowfall” on Main Street, U.S.A., and more.”
Get your tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and enjoy this fireworks show this upcoming holiday season.
After a lengthy 5 month refurbishment, Tomorrowland Speedway is open once again at Magic Kingdom. According to sources, the track was not changed much, just shortened.
This had to be done to make room for the new TRON roller coaster.
The speedway which opened in with the Magic Kingdom has went through many changed over the years. It was known as Grand Prix Raceway until 1994 when it was changed to Tomorrowland Indy Speedway until 1999.
It has been shortened many times as well, most significantly prior to the opening of Space Mountain.
The construction crews at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom theme park have hit a new stage of work for the future Tron roller coaster ride.
The attraction is based on the Tron Lightcycle Power Run at Shanghai Disneyland and puts riders behind two-wheeled Lightcycles that race the digital world from the film series. There’s no specific opening date yet for the attraction, but Disney said it should be ready for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World in 2021.
A video shared by Disney said the attraction will use more than 300 ride columns to support it. Much of the underground and foundational work for the new attraction started more than a year ago.
The attraction will be built between the Space Mountain and Tomorrowland Speedway rides in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland area.
Disney’s has been hard at work on the project filing multiple permits. In February, the company pulled permits to begin installing ride steel at an address that was near the Tron coaster.
Overall, new additions are more tools for Disney to create experiences that keep visitors coming back to Orlando, where the local $70 billion tourism industry drew a record 75 million visitors in 2018. That helps as the region awaits the debut of major expansions such as Disney’s planned new Star Wars-themed hotel.
Mountains attractions have been a staple at Walt Disney World since 1975 with the opening of Space Mountain.
Since then, others have been added and while there can be an argument for which attractions should be in this category, there is no denying that these rides are some of the best that WDW has to offer.
I will argue that there are 4 Walt Disney World mountain attractions; Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.
What is your favorite?
What other attractions do you consider to be Disney Mountains?
These attractions all give you something different and are some of the longest running and longest wait-time rides at WDW.
Space Mountain
The original mountain of Walt Disney World, Space Mountain has been thrilling riders for nearly 45 years. This classic ride, found in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom, blasts Guests into outer space. Passengers board a rocket-shaped vehicle, seating three single-file riders, climb the 180-foot mountain past Mission Control, and propel through the dark universe at a top speed of 28 mph (it feels faster, right?).
Space Mountain continues to be a fan-favorite at Magic Kingdom and due to its unique indoor, in-the-dark feel, it shows no signs of slowing down. The Tron roller coaster is currently being built right beside Space Mountain which should only boost attendance in Tomorrowland, but giving some needed wait-time relief to the original WDW mountain.
Splash Mountain
We have all seen log themed rides at various them parks, where they all end with a wet plunge down a giant hill. Splash Mountain is that and so much more.
This attraction in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom tells the story of Br’er Rabbit and his adventures is told with a flare and precision that only Disney can attain. This ride is full of animal animatronics that give the riders more than just a wet and thrilling ending. It com
The story told throughout this ride is just as important and exciting as the thrilling final plunge itself. By the way, chances are, you will get wet!
Big Thunder Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain joins Splash Mountain as the 2 main attractions in Frontierland. It is an old school train ride on a rickety railroad through a replica of the red stone of Arizona’s Monument Valley. This the roughest mountain in terms of how the ride feels. It is jerky and jumpy but a fun experience nonetheless.
Special care was taken by the Imagineers to make it appear that the rocks were there originally, and the track was built around the rocks, which gives a more genuine landscape feeling. There is also a dinosaur skeleton that the train passes by, built into the side of the mountain. A cracked eggshell is nearby, and there is a pleasant lake with water that is shot up while the train passes on the warmer days.
Sound effects of a typical locomotive operation are piped into the surrounding scenery to add realism to guests viewing the ride from observation platforms, including the steam whistle sounding, even though there is no whistle displayed on the locomotives.
This ride is meant to give an old west feel and delivers.
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Kingdom
Dare to climb the Forbidden Mountain, and you will find yourself facing down a beast so monstrous you’ll never question the legend again. Standing 18-feet tall, the Expedition Everest Yeti is the largest audio-animatronic figure ever created. He does his job well, though, twisting the tracks and rerouting coasters, hurling them through dark twists and turns before allowing their safe return to base camp.
This ride begins soaring through the mountain but then runs out of track and must go backward through a portion of the attraction only to find the Yeti and soar through the remainder of the course.
This ride, for me is the most thrilling of all of the mountains. The creativity that is used to increase the amount of thrills on this coaster is second to none. (Also, my daughter’s favorite ride)
Other Mountains???
There has been some controversy about whether Mount Gushmore is considered a Disney mountain, as well as, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
My opinion is “no” on both.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, while it looks like a mountain, has more of feel of entering a miners cave. This is a fantastically smooth ride and one of the favorites to do at Magic Kingdom, but I think we need to give it some time to see if it holds up over time the way the 4 main mountains have.
Mount Gushmore, located at Blizzard Beach water park has the look and feel of more like a staging area for multiple water slides than an actual attraction. Mount Gushmore is not the title of the ride itself. Again, I am not willing to put it up on the Disney Mountain Mount Rushmore yet.
No matter what type of ride you like, these mountains offer a variety of sights and thrills. There is a reason some rides have come and gone but these remain staples of the Parks.
From September 1-November 2, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have EXTRA, Extra Magic Hours from 6–9 am that includes access to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, and other select attractions. (Please note that on August 29-31, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open at6 am for all guests. There will not be Extra, Extra Magic Hours on those days.)
This is going to be a considerable advantage for guests wanting to visit Galaxy’s Edge. Disney has already announced there will be capacity limits for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge itself and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. During those dates, Disney Resort guests will likely fill up the land. It is likely that non-Disney Resort guests may not be able to enter due to crowd limits.
Bottom line, if you want the best chance to get into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge—stay at a Disney Resort.
Normally, on any given day, only a single park will have Extra Magic Hours. So, if Disney Resort guests want to take advantage of the extra time, they all head to the same park.
This fall, in addition to the extra hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, both Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom Park will also offer EXTRA, Extra Magic Hours. From August 29-November 2 from 7–8 am, resort guests will be able to enjoy an extra hour in these parks. (Epcot will continue to offer Extra Magic Hours on select days).
This is also a great benefit. If you don’t plan on visiting Galaxy’s Edge, you’ll get to enjoy Extra Magic benefits in other Disney parks every day.
This fall is going to be very busy at Walt Disney World. Staying on Disney property will offer many significant benefits. If you’re looking to stay at a Disney Resort, we highly recommend booking with Michelle Waitt at www.bestmickeytrip.com.
