MickeyBlog News for February 28, 2021
The Magic Kingdom Universe is coming to Disney+!
Also, you’ll get to sample A Touch of Disney soon. And other parts of Disneyland Resort are preparing to reopen soon-ish, too.
I’ll bring you the latest in this week’s MickeyBlog News!
I Can’t Wait to See S.E.A.!
Sometimes, the universe acts kindly, such as when one of the best television showrunners in the world agrees to work on a dream project.
That’s what happened this past week when Ron Moore announced his next project. He’ll anchor the Magic Kingdom Universe (MKU).
Every Disney attraction at every Disney theme park on the planet exists in a shared universe in this new realm.
Various episodes and series of the MKU on Disney+ will tell these stories.
Moore, best known for the 21st-century reimagining of Battlestar Galactica, has found recent success with Outlander.
The producer allowed his longtime deal with Sony to end so that he could sign with 20th Television, a Disney television studio.
The lifelong Disney fan will create news shows based on beloved Disney themed lands and rides.
For example, Adventureland and Fantasyland are now real places in the MKU, a combined television universe.
Disney+ could feasibly air stories based on It’s a Small World or Space Mountain in the MKU.
The first confirmed project is The Society of Explorers and Adventurers, which Disney fans know as the S.E.A.
This mysterious group possesses ties to several current Disney rides. It will likely play an essential role in the reboots of Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain.
Moore currently helms an Apple TV+ series, For All Mankind… As a Disney lover since childhood, he passed on more money to tell these stories instead.
The MKU represents a best-case scenario for Disney fans, as it’s fertile storytelling ground. And Moore’s track record speaks for itself.
We’ve entered the future of Disney storytelling, one where the lines are blurry between television, movies, and theme park attractions!
A Touch of Disney
On March 18th, Disneyland Resort will reopen one of its parks to the public, only not in the way we’d like.
Disney officials have expressed frustration about both their California theme parks sitting idly for the past year.
As a fallback solution, Disney California Adventure will host A Touch of Disney.
This ticketed experience will open on Thursdays through Mondays, giving Californians something to do on the weekends.
Obviously, you must pay to attend any of these events, which open at noon and close at 8 p.m.
The listed price is $75 for any guest over the age of three years old. For that price, you’ll receive “free parking” at Mickey & Friends.
You’ll also get a $25 dining card that you can spend on food and non-alcoholic beverages during your visit.
Best of all, you’ll gain PhotoPass access to all the pictures you take during your visit, bringing back a bit of Disney magic into your life!
Please understand that as a safety precaution, Disney won’t sell tickets at the park. You must purchase in advance.
The cuisine available at this event represents the best of Disneyland Resort. Churros, Pixar treats, and even Monte Cristo Sandwiches are on the menu.
The park will offer sampler sizes, giving guests a chance to enjoy bites of their favorite foods without any danger of overdoing it.
To enhance the PhotoPass amenity, Disney characters will appear at various spots in Disney California Adventure.
Also, for those of you worried about safety, please understand that A Touch of Disney is primarily an outdoor event.
I also have one other piece of good news from Disneyland Resort.
The Disney Vacation Club side of Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa will reopen on May 2nd. The non-DVC side of the hotel won’t reopen yet, though.
More Disney+ Updates
Let’s begin with the most pressing matter. This Friday, Raya and the Last Dragon will debut on Disney+ via Premier Access.
Disney had scheduled the movie for November 25th, 2020, before the pandemic blew up those plans.
Now, we’ll get to watch it at home instead. I’ve already preordered the film and can confirm that it costs $29.99 plus tax.
For my family, that’s about $12 less than we would have paid to watch the movie in a theater on opening night, which we most assuredly would have done.
I understand that some people will wait three months to watch Raya and the Last Dragon for free on Disney+.
Disney has already stated that the movie will turn free for streaming subscribers on June 4th. Only you can decide whether that’s worth the wait.
By the way, if you’re not afraid to go to a movie theater, you can watch Raya and the Last Dragon that way, too! It’s the first new Disney release since Onward!
In other Disney+ news, we learned release dates for several upcoming shows. Loki will debut on June 11th, but that’s not even the nearest splashy debut.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch will start on Star Wars Day, May 4th. Ten days later, on May 14th, season two of High School Musical: The Series will start.
The Mysterious Benedict Society will join Loki on June 25th, and Monsters at Work will follow on July 2nd.
Disney+ will also introduce two new sports series soon. Big Shot premieres on April 16th, a few days after the March 26th debut of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.
From now until fall, you’ll have at least two new Disney+ shows worth watching each week!
Park News
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover has been delayed until April at the earliest.
Another Magic Kingdom attraction, Mad Tea Party, has closed for a quick refurb. Presuming everything goes well, it’ll be back on March 5th.
Disney Cruise Line has also canceled all sailing through the end of May and extended the Disney Magic’s sabbatical through August.
In more positive news, Disney announced that Garden Rocks will return at the 2021 Taste of the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival.
Local artists will play these gigs instead of more famous acts who would require travel to Orlando.
So, Disney will offer more to park guests while helping out local artists struggling during the pandemic. It’s a nice gesture.
Disney has also updated its mask policies for guests eating at restaurants. Here’s the applicable tweet from Brooke Geiger McDonald:
Walt Disney World has made significant updates to mask guidelines for dining locations:
Face coverings must be worn in all public areas and can only be removed while actively eating or drinking. Face coverings must be worn while standing, waiting or sitting in dining locations. pic.twitter.com/5SQjlWevVL
— Brooke Geiger McDonald (@BrookeGMcDonald) February 27, 2021
This actually came up during our most recent stay. Some guests at Beaches and Cream stayed too long, boisterously talking and laughing.
A cast member thoughtfully asked them to mask up, a request they respectfully honored. It does reinforce the need for clear Disney policies, though.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Hollywood & Vine character breakfast will return on March 22nd.
This favorite of Disney Junior fans will cost $42 for adults and $27 for children. You can already make breakfast reservations as of this weekend.
Other Disney News
I know that I’m packing in a lot this week, but there are three other updates you should know.
Those of you who purchased Sip and Savor passes for the 2020 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival should pay attention.
Since the event lasted for only a fraction of the expected days, Disney will refund you for any unused tabs on your card. You’ll get $7 back for each one.
Also, you may have heard about some flooding at Disney’s BoardWalk Villas.
Disney never commented on the issue, but there are pictures on social media proving this happened.
My friend Tim at DVC News has full details if you’re interested.
Since nobody’s on record about this, it’s the composite account of a few guests that night.
Finally, I have fantastic news about a Disney icon. Joe Rohde didn’t stay retired for long. The former Imagineer has taken another dream job.
Rohde has accepted the role of Experience Architect for Virgin Atlantic. It’ll be his job to make tourist space travel feel as memorable as a Disney theme park.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that Rohde’s imprint could provide a legacy for the future of intergalactic tourism. It’s a sweet gig befitting of his stature.
Have a great week, and don’t forget to get caught up on WandaVision by Friday!
Feature Image Rights: Disney