MickeyBlog News for November 18th, 2024
Disney’s theme park empire changed for the better this week, and everyone knows it.
Look no further than the soaring stock price as proof that the magic is back at Disney, and it just keeps getting better.
Photo: measureupgroup.com
We’ve got three new openings to discuss, all of which will fundamentally change Disney for the better.
This is an exciting week for MickeyBlog News!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Opens
The Laughin’ Place
At Walt Disney World, the adventure of the Splash Mountain re-theme proved controversial and mercurial.
Fans bristled at the loss of one of their favorite attractions. Then, the designated replacement, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, suffered a few hiccups.
The advanced underlying technology for the Tiana boat ride made its uptime far too unreliable at first.
Disney’s sneak previews for Tiana grew infamous for the number of frequent shutdowns.
Everyone braced for the worst when the attraction opened, only for a surprise to unfold.
Rumors of an impending disaster quickly proved unfounded, with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure hosting about 125 daily Boarding Groups during its early months.
Bayou Country
At Disneyland, fans have breathlessly anticipated the debut of the Tiana ride, as they had to wait several months longer.
Well, I’m happy to report that opening day has finally arrived! As you can tell from the photographs, our reporter experienced it after dark.
Tiana
The magical moonlight qualities enhance the experience that much more.
Disney brought in a cast of stars to celebrate the grand opening.
Disney
Three of the voice actors from The Princess and the Frog (Anika Noni Rose, Jenifer Lewis, and Michael-Leon Wooley) appeared.
Since the new ride has only been open for two days, I don’t have much data for you here.
We love the new costumes!
Thus far, it’s already crossed 100 Boarding Groups, but its maximum throughput hasn’t approached that of Magic Kingdom yet.
We’ll need a lot more details before we can decide whether that’s a permanent fact or not.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Opens in Disneyland
However, since Magic Kingdom’s version is significantly larger, I suspect that will be the trend.
In terms of uptime, Tiana has performed quite well thus far, but please remember that could change at any moment.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Critters
The Disneyland iteration also uses cutting-edge tech. So, it’s more susceptible to breakdowns.
Keep reading MickeyBlog for more Tiana updates.
The Disney Cruise Line Update
Disney Cruise Line expansion is fully underway, which is a remarkable turn of events in and of itself.
Only four years ago, the cruise industry remained paralyzed by the fear of COVID-19.
Disney Treasure
At the time, some particularly gullible tourism analysts like me openly wondered whether the industry would ever recover.
Yeah, I’d really like a do-over on that one. What actually happened was that absence made the heart grow fonder.
Photo: Serena, @livingbydisney on Instagram
While trapped in their homes, cruise aficionados fantasized about sipping umbrella drinks on the high seas.
When the world reopened, the cruise industry achieved unprecedented new levels of popularity.
Disney Treasure
Disney Cruise Line will expand to a fleet of 13 ships by 2031, which is barely six years from now.
That process started this week with the introduction of the Disney Treasure, which arrived at Port Canaveral on November 12th.
Disney Treasure
Before that happened, Disney’s latest cruise ship had already experienced an eventful week, rescuing some passengers from a sinking boat.
Later, the Disney Treasure docked in Nassau for the first time as it prepared for its regular sailing itineraries.
A New Era for Disney Cruise Line
Photo: Serena, @livingbydisney on Instagram
To a larger point, the arrival of the Disney Treasure signifies the start of a new era for Disney cruises.
Disney will pick up the pace from here, as demonstrated by the fact that the Disney Adventure is also nearing completion.
Photo: Disney
In fact, Disney just revealed the booking dates, sailing dates, and stateroom prices for what will be the largest ship in its fleet.
One of Disney’s new goals is ensuring its oldest vessels remain state-of-the-art luxury cruise experiences.
Photo: Disney
As part of this endeavor, Cast Members redecorated the Disney Dream for the holiday season, which always makes it seem a bit more magical.
The cruise ship even hosted a Christmas tree celebration as part of its festivities.
Special events like this exemplify why Disney Cruise Line is the premiere company for family cruises.
With two new vessels adding bookings, this is the best time ever for you to schedule a Disney cruise.
You should speak with a MickeyTravels agent to find the best dates and deal for your traveling party!
Remember that MickeyTravels agents provide their services free of charge, and as a Diamond Earmarked agency, they’re the best of the best.
Disney Miscellany
Photo: Disney
I’ve got a few more stories to cover this week, starting with the closure of Magic Key sales at Disneyland.
I warned you last week that sales could end at any point. Two days later, they did just that.
Photo: Disney
If you missed your window this time, that’s okay! Just keep reading MickeyBlog, and we’ll tell you when the next Magic Key sales window opens.
Also at Disneyland, the holidays have officially arrived, and I know this because my brother’s family is vacationing there this week.
They’re excitedly texting us pictures of all the new decorations as they appear, and I must admit that it does look like a winter wonderland.
That’s no small feat for a theme park in Anaheim, California, but we all simply take Disney’s immersive excellence for granted, don’t we?
There’s also a surprise show this year. Remember how the Story Time with Deadpool show recently ended?
Well, that was just a swerve! Disney has replaced it with Story Time with Deadpool Holiday Special! You can watch a bit of it here:
If you’re a Deadpool fanatic, some of this may vaguely remind you of something.
A few years ago, Deadpool 2 received a re-release as Once Upon a Deadpool, stylized after The Princess Bride.
Photo: Disney
So, the character clearly loves the holiday season just as much as you and I do!
Okay, that’s everything for this week, everyone. But if you haven’t bought Moana 2 tickets yet, I’d strongly recommend that you do so.
Photo: Disney
From what I’m seeing, the sequel will be constantly sold out on opening weekend.
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Feature Photo: Disney
