MickeyBlog News for November 7th, 2022
Walt Disney World put the finishing touches on its triumphant return this past week.
Several long-absent, much-beloved park amenities reopened for the first time since March 2020.
Photo:visitorlando.com
Find out why Disney fans are so euphoric in the latest edition of MickeyBlog News!
Fantasmic! Reopens
Something I looooove about MickeyBlog is that our staff is comprised of countless Disney fans. We care about all things Mouse, and it shows.
Photo: FT News
Our passion was on full display in recent days, as Disney had previously revealed the return date for Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
While the Disneyland Resort version reopened a while ago, the Orlando crew has remained out of luck.
So, we talked about the dining packages, happily stalked the new Fantasmic! billboard, and even got a celebration button! Note the Hidden Mickey dotting the I!
Obviously, we were beyond excited about this event, and we weren’t the only ones. Here’s the cast giving a standing ovation to a return performance!
Photo: Disney
Meanwhile, here were the crowds for the opening show that was available to the public.
I was at Disney this week, and I didn’t wait that long for Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind!
People couldn’t wait to watch Mickey and the other Disney characters drive back Maleficent and the other forces of evil.
Everyone loved the new version of the show and the accompanying dragon-heavy merchandise on sale.
You can watch the full version of the new presentation here:
Take special note of the new show elements, which start around the 11:15 minute mark of that clip.
Specifically, the Aladdin chase scene and Mulan fight scene are entirely new.
We’ve also got the Elsa song, the Moana sequence, and even a few glimpses from Encanto!
Disney hasn’t started from scratch with Fantasmic!. Instead, show producers have removed some of the older updates and added more modern characters. And it’s excellent!
You’re gonna wanna watch the new Fantasmic! as soon as possible!
The Other Returns
MickeyBlog’s fandom came out in some other ways this past week, as Disney offered us three other things we’d desperately missed.
Let’s start with the one that returned most recently. On November 4th, Akershus reopened for the first time in 32 months!
The process could have gone better, as Disney suffered one infamous hiccup days before Akershus returned.
DisneyDailyDime.com
Still, this restaurant provides one of my top three Disney Princess dining experiences at the Orlando campus, along with Cinderella’s Royal Table and the still-closed 1900 Park Fare.
So, I would have visited if I hadn’t flown home the previous day. Thankfully, some other MickeyBloggers were more fortunate than me.
Here are two of our wonderful staff members having the time of their lives on the reopening day!
Akershus resides right beside the entrance area for Frozen Ever After at the Norway pavilion at EPCOT’s World Showcase. And it’s incredible!
Meanwhile, I was luckier about another restaurant’s return. I’m a self-professed Kona Café superfan.
When I heard that the restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort would reopen on November 1st, I booked reservations immediately.
Disney ran early with its renovations here, though. Our head MickeyBloggers, Greg and Elyssa, managed to eat here during the soft opening.
You can read about their experience here. I also wrote a review that will go live soon, possibly by the time you read this.
Suffice to say that Disney has improved the look and feel of Kona Café while still delivering a delicious dining experience!
At the parks, Disney’s Hollywood Studios finally welcomed Woody, Buzz, and the other toys back.
Yes, character greetings are once again available at Toy Story Land! It was genuinely hilarious watching kids pull their parents in that direction.
The children took one look at Buzz Lightyear and demanded a picture with him.
Holiday Decorations Arrive
I watch it happen pretty much every year, but I’m still in awe of it each time.
On Halloween night, Disney parks are aglow with spooky lights and decorations. Then, sometime after the witching hour, cast members go to work.
By the time the parks open the following day, everything has changed. Christmas decorations are now prevalent.
Yes, November 1st marks the transition from Halloween to Christmas. While it’s not immediate, many iconic aspects of Disney do switch overnight.
On November 1st, multiple shifts of MickeyBloggers tracked construction at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Here’s how the place looked overnight on Halloween. By the following morning, the Gingerbread House framework was in place.
I sent pictures at 10 a.m. that were already outdated by 1 p.m.! That’s how fast the construction moves on this project.
By November 5th, Disney had completed the process. Unfortunately, as I type this, the Gingerbread House store isn’t serving snacks yet, but that’ll happen soon.
Meanwhile, other parts of the Walt Disney World campus have fully transformed. You’ll find holiday photo ops like this one and this one.
Hollywood Studios has completed most of its decorations already. Here are some adorable shots from Toy Story Land.
You’ll find some classic holiday decorations elsewhere at the park. Here’s a comprehensive look at what’s on display thus far.
MickeyBlog has also chronicled the changes at Magic Kingdom, including how Disney cast members pull off this magic trick.
Since our staff is already so festive, we also put together a guide on maximizing your Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party experience.
Finally, we’ve compiled a list of where to expect the Gingerbread structures at the parks and resorts.
Walt Disney World is ready for the holidays, and MickeyBlog has leveled up with our coverage, too. So, stay tuned, friends!
Three Other Disney Notes
With so much going on at the parks, you may have missed some stuff.
Photo: REUTERS/Aly Song
For starters, we have another Disney theme park that has closed for COVID-19.
Like you, I’d hoped that this story had ended. But, alas, the pandemic remains problematic in China. For this reason, Shanghai Disneyland has closed yet again.
Image Credit: @shanghaidisneyresort/Instagram
The park shutdown occurred on Halloween and will last indefinitely. Disney had previously announced a reduction in operating hours and staffing.
So, I suspect park officials saw this one coming. They must know the drill by now.
Photo: Disney
In Disney Cruise Line news, the situation is much different. Starting on November 14th, guests no longer need to pass a COVID-19 test to board.
Disney maintains its standard philosophy that guests should get vaccinated and avoid travel if they’re feeling sick.
Photo: Disney Cruise Lines
However, DCL will stop asking guests to present a negative test before traveling.
Finally, I’ll discuss this story more in next week’s headlines article. Still, I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the death of Alice Davis.
Photo: Disney
You’ve admired Davis’ work if you’ve ever ridden It’s a Small World. Unfortunately, the Disney Legend passed away at the age of 93.
Before then, she contributed mightily to the story of Disney over the past century. She’s an icon, as was her husband, Marc Davis, one of Disney’s Nine Old Men.
Photo: D23
Disney fans owe so much to this couple.
