MickeyBlog News for June 4, 2018
Would you like to know more about the enhancements coming to Hong Kong Disneyland? Or the new child-friendly show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Or the debut of Mobile Ordering at Disneyland? Yup, a lot is going on, and MickeyBlog News has all the details!
Mmm, Brunch
I unabashedly adore Art Smith’s Homecoming. The food is exquisite, and it’s also one of the nicest stories at Walt Disney World. A native Floridian and former teenage cast member, Smith left to conquer the cooking world. After befriending Oprah Winfrey, he became her personal culinary expert and later a world-renowned celebrity chef.
A couple of years ago, Disney cordially invited him to come home and create a special Disney Springs restaurant. Fittingly, he named it Homecoming, which it was, and it has become one of the most beloved restaurants at Walt Disney World. The authenticity of the southern cooking resonates with Mickey Travelers.
This week, Disney announced something special. Art Smith’s Homecoming is starting a brunch! On June 10th, and yes, there WILL be special donuts. I’m talking about Bacon & Pecan Doughnuts, dripping with icing. Here’s what the official website says about the brunch:
“Join us for a special Southern-style brunch every Sunday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Put on your Sunday best because Chef Art Smith is puttin’ on the grits! Get your appetite ready for a selection of feel-good dishes like fried chicken and house-made sugar doughnuts, shrimp & grits, short rib hash, and an open-faced big biscuit topped with poached eggs, griddled country ham and house-made hollandaise sauce.
And heavens to Betsy what’s brunch without cocktails? Enjoy crafty libations including white peach sangria, mimosas with fresh-squeezed juices and an over-the-top Bloody Mary with all the fixins’. Pinkies up!”
So yeah, we’re all going to eat brunch here at some point. We deserve that happiness, right?
Let’s All Go to Hong Kong!
Out of all the Disney theme parks around the world, the consensus is that Hong Kong Disneyland is the weakest link. Disney cut corners on the budget and had precarious negotiations with the Hong Kong government to boot. The optimist’s perspective of Hong Kong Disneyland, however, is that it has the most room to grow. And which corporation is more optimistic by nature than The Walt Disney Company?
After years of frustration, the park has started a multi-year series of upgrades that should bring it more in line with Shanghai Disneyland in terms of park quality. The first new offering is Moana: A Homecoming Celebration, a lovely stage show that “combines visual storytelling, dancing, puppetry and music to recount the adventures of Moana after she returns to her home village of Motunui.” It’s a huge deal since it’s the first Moana stage show anywhere in the world!
The new Moana presentation is merely the tip of the iceberg, though. The Parks Blog published a series of photographs that are artistic renderings of future updates at Hong Kong Disneyland. You will want to take a look at the next storybook Disney castle, one finally befitting a place as regal as Hong Kong. The cheap, knockoff castle there is a thing of the past. In its place, the new Sleeping Beauty Castle will soar above the park. Also, the Ant-Man ride looks amazing, too!
Do Your Kids Love to Dance?
Disney Junior – Live on Stage! officially opened on October 1, 2001. A (non-infant) child who attended that show on that day is now old enough to vote. I’m not saying that to make you feel old. It’s just important to remember that while Disney attractions are timeless, children grow up. The Disney Junior of old is no longer relevant to kids of today, who have been raised on a different set of Disney Junior programming.
Park planners understand this situation, and they’ve adjusted the live show from time to time for this reason. On September 1, 2018, they’re going to alter the concept enough that they’re officially canceling Disney Junior – Live on Stage! Don’t fret, though. A replacement is already in place, and it will seem enough like the old version that you’ll feel right at home visiting.
Disney describes this new presentation as “a high-energy, live show experience that takes its inspiration from the most popular Disney Junior shows on TV, including “Mickey and the Roadster Racers,” “Doc McStuffins,” “The Lion Guard” and the newest hit series “Vampirina.”
The new “Disney Junior Dance Party!” is a musically infused, interactive concert, hosted by Finn Fiesta and a DJ – named Deejay, of course – who involve you in all the fun, including live appearances from some of your favorite characters, fun music from Disney Junior and much more.”
Those of you who are current on Hollywood Studios have already noticed a lot of different faces listed. Only Doc McStuffins returns, although the show will have some intersection from Mickey and the Roadster Racers to the prior group from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
The prevailing belief is that the dance party will start within weeks of retirement of Disney Junior – Live on Stage!. MickeyBlog News will update you when there’s an official start date. The good news here is that some had feared that the overriding changes at Hollywood Studios would cause the elimination of a Disney Junior show. This new show alleviates those fears, and it should maintain the spirit and exuberance of the stage show you know so well.
FAST Food at Disneyland
No, Disneyland isn’t adding a McDonald’s, although Ray Kroc and Walt Disney knew each other prior to both men’s entrepreneurial success. They spent some time together as teenagers overseas during World War I. It’s true! They both served in Ambulance Company A out of France, and some discussions ensued about Disneyland serving McDonald’s food in its early days.
Over the 60+ years that have followed, the idea of quick meal delivery has driven many innovations at the Happiest Place on Earth. The latest one, however, mimics one that already exists at Walt Disney World. Yes, as previously discussed, Mobile Ordering has arrived at Disneyland, and early reviews are glowing. Here’s a gentleman on YouTube stating that the turnaround time from his order submission to eating was 150 seconds! Eat your heart out, Ghost of Ray Kroc!
Disney’s started the Mobile Ordering program with 15 participating restaurants. The Parks Blog says: “Mobile ordering service is now available at six Disneyland park locations – Bengal Barbecue, Galactic Grill, Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, Hungry Bear Restaurant, Jolly Holiday Bakery Café and Red Rose Taverne – and nine Disney California Adventure park locations – Award Wieners, Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, Corn Dog Castle, Flo’s V8 Café, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Pacific Wharf Café, Paradise Garden Grill and Smokejumpers Grill.”
You should click the link to look at the Parks Blog article. It includes a helpful infographic about the process. Now that our friends on the West Coast have Mobile Ordering, MickeyBlog will write an explanatory article for you in the coming days so that you can fully understand the program’s benefits.
Welcome to the Spire!
We already knew that Star Wars Land had a name. That official title for the heavily anticipated themed land is Star Wars Land: Galaxy’s Edge. We had previously learned the name of the planet that sits on the edge of the Galaxy. It’s Batuu, a forgotten part of the interstellar map that’s home to the rogues who live on the fringe of society.
This week, Disney provided some new information. They unveiled the name of the town on Batuu that guests will visit. In the summer and then again in the late fall of 2019, Disney will welcome guests to Black Spire Outpost, a place where smugglers practice their craft. Yes, the village of Star Wars Land is a little rough around the edges, as is fitting for a place that’s home to many members of the rebel alliance. It’s going to be a fun place to visit, my friends!
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