More MickeyBlog News – Magical Updates, Info & More
Yes, The Walt Disney Company has had so much going on lately that we needed a second MickeyBlog News update this week! Today, you’ll learn about Villains, Lilly, Andy’s new idea, and a totally unsurprising sellout.
Toy Story News
We are six weeks away from the release of Toy Story 4, the long-awaited follow-up to the most popular Toy Story movie ever. As Disney’s marketing machine ramps up for the new movie release, they’ve planned for a rise in attendance at Toy Story Land.
To take advantage of this increased traffic, Disney will introduce a new merchandising opportunity at a beloved attraction. Yes, guests will temporarily exit through the gift shop at Toy Story Mania!, at least temporarily.
Park officials haven’t revealed an exact opening and closing dates yet, but the belief is that this store will remain in operation throughout the theatrical run of Toy Story 4. Most of the items on sale will be related to the upcoming film or ones already available at other Toy Story Land kiosks.
Even More Toy Story News
The much, much, MUCH bigger Toy Story Land news is about a restaurant. While everyone loves Woody’s Lunch Box, its seating issues are well-publicized. Demand vastly outweighs availability, and the matter will only grow more pronounced when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens. The increased traffic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have a ripple effect on Toy Story Land, which is close to Black Spire Outpost.
To counteract this projected problem, Disney’s doing what a lot of people wanted them to do in the first place. They’re adding a Table Service restaurant. It’s called Roundup Rodeo BBQ, and it’ll be easy to find. You know the giant Woody statue right by the entrance to Toy Story Land? Yup, there’s gonna be a BBQ joint there!
Disney has announced that Roundup Rodeo will be a (thankfully) indoor restaurant, thereby providing a much-needed escape from the sun in Toy Story Land. The theme is that Andy has thrown together a hodgepodge of toys and cut up some cardboard boxes. Yes, it’s a monstrosity that only an imaginative child could create.
You should expect this place to have a similar vibe to Whispering Canyon Café, with the same sort of hearty cuisine. Like Slinky Dog Dash and other Toy Story Land areas, toys will adorn the walls and possibly the floor and ceiling, too. Hollywood Studios has needed another Table Service restaurant for a while…but this one sounds almost too good to be true.
Star Wars Reservations Go On Sale…and Sell Out
Last month, I told you that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge reservations would go on sale on May 2nd. I also firmly suggested that you should book a hotel room at an official Disneyland resort. Guests who stay at one of those three properties automatically receive access to Galaxy’s Edge.
Well, I hope you took my advice, because the free reservations became available last Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. PST. Roughly two hours later, they were all gone. And I’ve had multiple friends describe the process as similar to trying to get front row seats to an Ed Sheeran concert. People were getting kicked out of the system, they were finding sellouts everywhere, and the best days were all taken.
So, those of you who don’t have Star Wars Land reservations for one of the dates between May 31st and June 23rd are out of luck. The park won’t accept walk-ins for the themed land. Anyone without a reservation right now cannot get in until June 24th at the soonest.
Of course, it’s not too late to book a hotel room at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, Disneyland Hotel, or Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. These resorts still have a limited amount of availability on some of these dates.
You should speak with an agent at MickeyTravels IMMEDIATELY to book your dream vacation. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you certainly don’t want to miss out on this rare opportunity to be among the first to do something at the Happiest Place on Earth.
Villains Are Almost Ready to Take over Magic Kingdom!
Last month, Disney revealed that their next version of Disney After Hours will elevate the concept. The bad guys and gals will be in charge for the evening at Magic Kingdom. It’s poised to become the most fabulous ticketed event Disney’s ever hosted in the summer.
The only question anyone had was when the party would get started. On that front, I have great news! I’ve got the dates for you straight from Disney. Here’s what the Parks Blog has to say:
“Disney Villains After Hours takes place from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on the following dates:
- Thursday, June 6, 2019
- Thursday, June 13, 2019
- Thursday, June 20, 2019
- Thursday, June 27, 2019
- Monday, July 1, 2019
- Thursday, July 11, 2019
- Thursday, July 18, 2019
- Thursday, July 25, 2019
- Thursday, August 1, 2019
- Thursday, August 8, 2019”
Please remember two things. This event will cost a bit more than the regular Disney After Hours presentations. It’s $139 for adults as opposed to $125 for the non-evil version. The other important fact is that every night of Disney Villains After Hours will sell out. Please act quickly to avoid getting shut out.
Jiko Meets The Lion King
As mentioned in part one of this week’s MickeyBlog News, Avengers: Endgame is currently destroying the box office. At the end of the year, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker will do the same. Between these two event movies, another Disney title will dominate the summer box office season. In anticipation of its success, park officials are planning big things.
Yes, the live-action remake of The Lion King is only two months away. Disney’s readied a slew of new park merchandise and a unique meal offering. This dinner is a three-course meal at Jiko – The Cooking Place, the pride of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Disney’s describing this dinner in an exciting way. It will apparently encapsulate the story of Simba through food.
Each course has an appropriate name. You’ll start with the I Just Can’t Wait to Be King starter. The main entrée is entitled Be Prepared. Then, dessert is, of course, Hakuna Matata. The meal costs $65 per person, which isn’t that much more than a regular dinner at Jiko. So, it’s a great value, all things considered. It’s also a must-do for any self-respecting fan of The Lion King.
Rivers of Light Gets Better This Summer
Disney’s Animal Kingdom hosts one of the most gorgeous nighttime displays at any Disney theme park. Rivers of Light employs gorgeous graphics and lantern floats to tell a story that’s…well, let’s be honest. It’s a story that has confused a lot of viewers.
Surveys have suggested that Rivers of Light is far and away the least liked of Disney’s nighttime presentations. Last year, Disney altered it by removing the human characters, hoping that this change would reduce confusion. Unfortunately, it didn’t, and so Imagineers went back to the drawing board.
This summer, we’ll enjoy the fruits of their labor. Rivers of Light: We Are One is being described by Disney as the “next chapter” in the story. The exciting part is that it will feature characters from the Disneynature film series. It’ll throw in some of the best moments in Disney animation, too.
In other words, the new presentation will be less Rivers of Light and more World of Color. We’ll find out just how much when We Are One opens over Memorial Day weekend.
Horse News!
No, this isn’t about the Kentucky Derby disqualification. We didn’t have any sound on the television at our restaurant, so I’m still not exactly sure what happened there. More than anything, it just seems mean to make horses run through the mud.
At Walt Disney World, cast members have reason to celebrate, and it’s not that their 65-1 longshot came through in a Triple Crown race. For the first time ever, the famed Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Fort Wilderness has a white Shetland pony!
The offspring of Lady and Ferdinand, this new foal has the fitting name of Lilly. Yes, she’s named after Lillian Disney, Walt’s wife. Lilly’s parents are two of Cinderella’s carriage horses. They pull the pumpkin coach during parades. The expectation is that Lilly will join them in three years, adding a showy touch to the festivities.
Disney had another recent animal birth at Animal Kingdom. An infant gorilla named Grace joined her mother, Kashata, at their habitat. And they’re also spending quality time together onstage at Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail.
Grace is the product of the Species Survival Plan. Kashata and Grace’s papa, Gino, were specifically chosen to breed. Since they are western lowland gorillas, they’re a critically endangered species and need to boost their ranks whenever possible.
Disney chose the name Grace as a tribute to the GRACE gorilla sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This organization’s mission statement is to aid all gorillas orphaned by poachers. They also protect as many gorillas as possible from poaching.
Okay, that’s all the news for this week, but I’ll leave you with one final parting gift. Here’s the new trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home.