MickeyBlog News for October 9th, 2023
This week in MickeyBlog News: EPCOT reveals its holiday offerings, and Disneyland updates some park policies.
You’ll definitely want to read the latest edition! It’s a must for the holiday season AND 2024!
EPCOT Reveals Holiday Plans
We already knew that a lot was happening at EPCOT this fall/winter.
Disney has chosen EPCOT as the hub for Disney100 events at Walt Disney World. Also, Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana opens next week.
Now, park officials have confirmed EPCOT’s holiday plans, and a LOT is about to debut.
For starters, Disney has listed the Celebrity Narrators for this year’s Candlelight Processional. Here are this year’s celebrities:
- Chrissy Metz (NEW): Nov. 24-25
- Luis Fonsi (NEW): Nov. 26-27
- Ann-Margret (NEW): Nov. 28-29
- Simu Liu: Nov. 30-Dec. 2
- John Stamos: Dec. 3-5
- Neil Patrick Harris: Dec. 6-8
- Marlee Matlin: Dec. 9-11
- Brendan Fraser (NEW): Dec. 12-14
- Eva Longoria (NEW): Dec. 15-16
- Joey McIntyre (NEW): Dec. 17-18
- Sterling K. Brown (NEW): Dec. 19-20
- Jordan Fisher (NEW): Dec. 21-23
- Steven Curtis Chapman: Dec. 24-26
- Audra McDonald (NEW): Dec. 27-28
- Lisa Ling: Dec. 29-30
You’ll note a lot of new names this year, as nine different performers will appear for the first time.
The headline act is probably Brendan Fraser, the reigning Academy Award winner for Best Actor.
Then again, the most famous person is probably actress and entrepreneur Eva Longoria, while Disney fans will love the debut of Jordan Fisher.
Disney will also offer Candlelight Processional dining packages this year. Here are this year’s restaurants and prices:
- Akershus — $71/$45 for breakfast, $83/$53 for lunch/dinner
- Biergarten Restaurant — $65/$37
- Coral Reef Restaurant — $78/$32
- Garden Grill Restaurant $63/$40 for breakfast, $78/$50 for lunch/dinner
- Le Cellier Steakhouse — $104/$42
- Regal Eagle Smokehouse — $41
- Rose & Crown Dining Room — $66/$29
- Spice Road Table — $55/$24
Remember that children’s pricing applies for kids ages three through nine. Everyone ten and up pays the adult price.
Also, Regal Eagle’s packages are only available on the day of the event.
More EPCOT Holiday Updates
We learned quite a bit more about what’s coming to EPCOT during the holidays.
Specifically, Disney listed the Festival of the Holidays food kiosks for 2023. Here is the full set of Holiday Kitchens:
- American Holiday Table (American Adventure Pavilion)
- Bavaria Holiday Kitchen (Germany Pavilion)
- Bubbles & Brine (near Port of Entry)
- Char & Chop (near Disney Traders)
- Holiday Hearth Desserts (The Odyssey Pavilion)
- Holiday Sweets & Treats (near Port of Entry)
- L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen (between the Morocco and France Pavilions)
- Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen (Mexico Pavilion)
- Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen (France Pavilion)
- Nochebuena Cucina (near Test Track)
- Shanghai Holiday Kitchen (China Pavilion)
- Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen (Japan Pavilion)
- Swirled Showcase (near Port of Entry)
- Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina (Morocco Pavilion)
- Tuscany Holiday Kitchen (Italy Pavilion)
- Wine & Wedge (near Disney Traders)
- Yukon Holiday Kitchen (Canada Pavilion)
- Additional Locations:
- Funnel Cake (American Adventure Pavilion)
- Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company (multiple locations at EPCOT)
- Refreshment Outpost (between the China and Germany Pavilions)
- Refreshment Port (near Canada)
As MickeyBlog’s Madison Owens points out, three of these restaurants should look familiar.
Bubbles & Brine, Char & Chop, and Wine & Wedge are holdovers from the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival.
Other staples of the EPCOT holiday season will return. For instance, the Holiday Storytellers will hold court at the World Showcase.
The Holiday Cookie Stroll is back, too. So, you can gradually acquire cookies and their accompanying stamps.
Once you collect five stamps in your souvenir book, Disney will give you a free, exclusive cookie, which you’ll find at Holiday Sweet & Treats Holiday Kitchen.
Also, JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season will return at World Showcase Plaza, and guests can meet Santa Claus at the Odyssey pavilion.
Finally, Living with the Land’s holiday overlay returns!
Disneyland Park Updates
We’ve got three significant changes coming to Disneyland Resort soon.
Two of them involve Disney Genie+ usage at the parks. At Disneyland Park, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway will join the service.
Disney hasn’t revealed a date yet, but it’ll likely signify the end of Runaway Railway as a Lightning Lane option.
During November, The Little Mermaid — Ariel’s Undersea Adventure will also join Disney Genie+.
That’s obviously nowhere near as impactful a change, but it’ll add one more Disney California Adventure option when you buy Disney Genie+.
The more dramatic change at the parks will occur next week. Disneyland Resort will alter the process for theme park reservations.
Currently, Disneyland guests may book theme park reservations up to 120 days in advance.
Starting on October 11th, Disney will extend that window. As of next week, you can reserve a Disneyland Park Pass up to 180 days in advance.
Basically, Disney is giving you two extra months, allowing travelers to plan their visits up to six months ahead of time.
For those of us who like to set our itineraries well in advance, this change is one we’ve been requesting since the pandemic’s beginning.
Thankfully, Disney has finally heard our pleas and added the extra 60 days!
Theme Park Miscellany
This was an unexpectedly noteworthy week at the parks. For starters, Disney announced several new ticket packages.
Kids Play & Dine starts on November 14th at Walt Disney World. With this package, guests can save 50 percent on children’s tickets.
These savings will apply on trips from March 3rd through June 30th, 2024.
At Disneyland, children’s tickets will drop to $50 for vacations from January 8th through March 10th, 2024.
These tickets go on sale October 24th, 2023. There’s a lot in play here, so I strongly encourage you to reach out to MickeyTravels.
These Diamond-Level Authorized Vacation Planners won’t charge you anything for their services, and they’ll happily help you book the best for your family.
At Walt Disney World, we’ve got some other theme park stories to cover.
The most surprising one involves Muppet*Vision, which Disney just plussed with projection mapping.
At EPCOT, Winnie is once again meeting park guests at Christopher Robin’s Room!
Also, Luminous dining packages are now available to guests within their 60-day reservation booking window.
The bigger story at EPCOT involves Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana.
Disney unexpectedly gave the attraction a soft opening on October 6th. It’ll remain as a soft opening until its actual debut on October 16th.
Those of you visiting Walt Disney World in the interim can probably experience EPCOT’s newest attraction!
Finally, Disneyland Park will close It’s a Small World on October 23rd. Cast members will use that time to add the holiday overlay.
It’s a Small World will reopen on November 9th as a Christmas ride!
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
Feature Photo: Disney