Disney News, Discussion & an Element of Fun - 2024 Edition

[Scalemaster34]

Well you can spend point of extra tries at the sweepstakes....

 

[MGMmjl]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/new...-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-summer-2025/

New Villains Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025​

Looks like Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy will be closed after October 7.

 

[jade1]

 

[jpeterson]

View attachment 891613

This seems to be taking forever even by Disney construction timeline standards.

 

[BrianL]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/new...-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-summer-2025/

New Villains Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025​

Looks like Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy will be closed after October 7.

This is interesting. Hopefully it will be a bit of a plus-up for the space. Racing Academy was okay, but not all that elaborate. I definitley like the idea.

 

[sherlockmiles]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/new...-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-summer-2025/

New Villains Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025​

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

Looks like Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy will be closed after October 7.

 

[jlundeen]

I've been looking at the different options for rooms, and noticed that photos are no longer on the website in the resort sections. I figured it was just an "oops" on their part, but apparently it is intentional. Finally did the quick chat and asked about it, and here is the reply:

We are excited for you to join us! We no longer have photos of our rooms on our website. We have been refurbishing many of our resort rooms and all of our new photos need to be updated. If you were wanting to see the rooms you can try searching the name of the resort and the room type in a browser to see photos other Guests have posted to have an idea of what the rooms are like.

Would have been nice to have a message on the pages telling us this.

 

[CarolynFH]

Looks like Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy will be closed after October 7.

Oh darn. I thought this would be a place to take toddler DGD in January while her parents rode ToT or RnR. I hope it won’t be too cold for ice cream!

 

[only hope]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/new...-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-summer-2025/

New Villains Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025​

Looks like Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy will be closed after October 7.

Hopefully they add shade to the area, people will be queuing up for this. It’s too hot back there. Why so long to open a show though?

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Hopefully they add shade to the area, people will be queuing up for this. It’s too hot back there. Why so long to open a show though?

The picture of it the seating looks different

 

[lowlight]

https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/new...-to-disneys-hollywood-studios-in-summer-2025/

New Villains Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Summer 2025​

Looks like Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy will be closed after October 7.

Oh man, why? It was one of kids favorite thing to do every trip. It is almost always mostly full in there also. Cars is an incredibly popular IP, I just don’t get the logic.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

Oh man, why? It was one of kids favorite thing to do every trip. It is almost always mostly full in there also. Cars is an incredibly popular IP, I just don’t get the logic.

I was not a fan of the racing academy, but my four year old loves it. Our next visit in a couple months he is finally tall enough to ride ToT. So I am hoping we can distract him with that and he won't think about the racing academy (we would take him to that show while we parent swapped ToT)

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

...from Disney Movie Insiders

3-Month Free Trial - Disney Bundle Trio Basic (US Only)

Redeem for a free 3-Month subscription code to the Disney Bundle Trio Basic!

With a Disney Bundle Trio Basic plan, you get access to Disney+ (With Ads), Hulu (With Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads). Three iconic streaming services, one plan.

• Stream stories you love with Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic on Disney+. Find a new series to obsess over with FX, Searchlight, 20th Century, Hulu Originals, and ABC on Hulu. Get in on the action and thousands of live events from the NFL, UFC, NHL, MLB, and more with ESPN+ .
• Save over 44% per month vs. subscribing to each service separately.

HOW TO REDEEM

1. Click REDEEM NOW below to initiate this offer.
2. Click MY REWARDS on the Disney Movie Insiders site to retrieve your unique code.
3. Click VIEW DETAILS, then REDEEM OFFER NOW.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your Disney Bundle Trio Basic registration.

Redeem for the unique code by 12/3/24 11:59 PM PT. Activation of the Disney Bundle Trio Basic subscription code is valid until 11:59 PM PT on 1/31/25.

Valid only for new and eligible returning Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney Bundle subscribers with no current active entitlement, who are U.S. residents, 18 years of age or older. Upon redeeming this offer, you will be enrolled in an auto-renewing monthly subscription of Disney Bundle Trio Basic (Disney+ (With Ads), Hulu (With Ads), and ESPN+ (With Ads)) and you will be charged the then-current retail price ($16.99/month (plus tax, where applicable)) on a monthly basis beginning at the end of your 3-month promotional offer unless you cancel your subscription before then. Cancel anytime, through your account settings or by contacting us, effective at the end of your billing period. No refunds or credits for partial months. Valid payment method required to redeem offer. Cannot be combined with any other offers, coupons, discounts or promotions. Not redeemable for cash or any other goods or services. Eligibility rules and offer timing may vary if you sign up through a third party billing partner.

Access content from each service separately. Location data may be required to watch certain content. Subject to Hulu Subscriber Agreement. For detailed information on billing and cancellation, please visit the Hulu Help Center .

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Oh man, why? It was one of kids favorite thing to do every trip. It is almost always mostly full in there also. Cars is an incredibly popular IP, I just don’t get the logic.

I wonder if it has to do with the newly announced Cars expansion and Villains Land, even if it seems early to make this move, considering we're still years away from opening (potentially 4 years for Cars, maybe 6 for Villains?).

They might be trying to appease guests wanting more Villain content now, but I suspect there is some marketing or research going on here. The show feedback could give them early insight into future decision making. Could they be testing crowd reactions and enthusiasm for certain villains over others? Trying different villain storylines? Seeing what works and what doesn't, so they know who to focus on in the new land?

I don't know. I assumed the Cars show would have eventually gone away, just not this soon.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Disney Water Park Seasonal Pass Now Available: Unlimited Visits Through May 2025 for $79

Disney has resumed sales of its Water Park Seasonal Pass, offering guests unlimited access to either Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach through May 23, 2025, for $79 plus tax ($73 for ages 3 - 9). This pass provides a cost-effective option compared to the current single-day water park ticket price of $74.

Currently, only Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon is open to guests, as Blizzard Beach remains closed. The Seasonal Pass allows entry to whichever water park is open at the time of your visit.

The pass is valid until May 23, 2025, with the exception of blackout dates from April 12 to April 20, 2025.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Opens Refurbished Rooms to Guests

This past weekend we saw reports that Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter opened newly refurbished rooms to about 60+ guests.

This is a look at what the rooms looked like before this refurbishment. In April of this year, we reported that some rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter would begin undergoing refurbishment in May. We do expect this refurbishment to continue in other buildings and rooms through November 2024.

The pictures that were shared on Facebook are from a refurbished room in Building 1.

The new rooms feature a fresh coat of cream paint that brightens the room. There are small nods to “The Princess and the Frog” and the New Orleans Mardi Gras season throughout the refurbished room.

The flooring below the beds appears to have been changed as well. Previously there was a straight pattern with a darker wood framing the interior (barely seen in the first image above). Now it is a more chevron pattern.

 

[sherlockmiles]

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter Opens Refurbished Rooms to Guests

This past weekend we saw reports that Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter opened newly refurbished rooms to about 60+ guests.

This is a look at what the rooms looked like before this refurbishment. In April of this year, we reported that some rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter would begin undergoing refurbishment in May. We do expect this refurbishment to continue in other buildings and rooms through November 2024.

The pictures that were shared on Facebook are from a refurbished room in Building 1.

The new rooms feature a fresh coat of cream paint that brightens the room. There are small nods to “The Princess and the Frog” and the New Orleans Mardi Gras season throughout the refurbished room.

The flooring below the beds appears to have been changed as well. Previously there was a straight pattern with a darker wood framing the interior (barely seen in the first image above). Now it is a more chevron pattern.

I like the new furniture, but I prefer the colored wall. And oh how I hate the barn sliding bathroom doors (everywhere).

 

[rangerxenos]

Final Call: See 'Disney Dreams that Soar' Drone Show Before It Ends at Disney Springs

This weekend marks the final opportunity to experience "Disney Dreams That Soar," the groundbreaking nighttime drone show at Walt Disney World Resort, which will have its last performance on September 2.

Set to a sweeping original soundtrack and interspersed with iconic quotes from classic Disney movies like "Peter Pan," "Dumbo," "Wall-E," "Big Hero 6," and "Star Wars," "Disney Dreams That Soar" celebrates the magic of flight and the limitless possibilities of dreams. Each performance features over 800 drones to create stunning visuals that include favorites such as Baymax, the Death Star, and the Up House—all brought to life on an impressively large scale.

Highlights include a towering 354-foot Dumbo and a Big Ben that soars 328 feet into the night sky. The drones span an impressive width of 524 feet, equivalent to the length of two and a half Monorail trains.

Showtimes for the ten-minute show are 9 pm and 10:45 pm through Monday, September 2, 2024.

Any word on if this might be replaced with something else in Autumn? Was really disappointed that they didn't continue it into October (my next trip), it seemed pretty popular.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Any word on if this might be replaced with something else in Autumn? Was really disappointed that they didn't continue it into October (my next trip), it seemed pretty popular.

No word yet. I'm also surprised it had such a limited run.

Here is an article with some thoughts on what Disney could do next (see article for more details):

Which Walt Disney World Theme Park Should Get A Drone Show in 2025?

As the Disney Dreams That Soar drone show enters its final days of operation, where could we see drones next at Walt Disney World? Just about every theme park could benefit from them (not you, Magic Kingdom), but we’ll rank each park separately, along with what we’d love to see.

1. Animal Kingdom Drone Show (Rivers of Light in the Sky)​

The leading contender has to be Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The park has an attendance problem, and it’s only going to get worse when Epic Universe opens next summer. Disney has had a conservative entertainment rollout (to say the least) compared to what we expected to see. So far, only a nighttime parade has been announced for Magic Kingdom next summer, but there has to be more yet to be announced, right?

2. Disney’s Hollywood Studios Drone Show (Star Wars)​

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is number two on our list because Fantasmic, while great, can only do so much for that park. Star Wars fans are down bad. There used to be a phenomenal nighttime show at Hollywood Studios that combined projections on the Chinese Theater with a proper fireworks show. With the World Drive fireworks launch point essentially abandoned at this point, and the prospect of a real fireworks show sitting at slim to none, we’re “resurrecting” our idea for a Star Wars drone show from our Disney Dreams That Soar review.

3. EPCOT (Illuminate the Sky)​

Luminous: The Symphony of Us is a worthy nighttime show at EPCOT. That said, there are some segments of the show that we’d love to see get reworked. I’m not sure if Luminous is creating the foot traffic that Disney was hoping for, but with Festivals propping up EPCOT, maybe it doesn’t matter.


4. Magic Kingdom

Disney, please don’t put a drone show at Magic Kingdom. We should rank this fifth behind extending the drone show at Disney Springs. Heck, Disney Springs was an operational nightmare at times and even that would be better than what Magic Kingdom would be looking at with an overly weighted nighttime lineup next summer.

 

[rangerxenos]

No word yet. I'm also surprised it had such a limited run.

Here is an article with some thoughts on what Disney could do next (see article for more details):

Which Walt Disney World Theme Park Should Get A Drone Show in 2025?

As the Disney Dreams That Soar drone show enters its final days of operation, where could we see drones next at Walt Disney World? Just about every theme park could benefit from them (not you, Magic Kingdom), but we’ll rank each park separately, along with what we’d love to see.

1. Animal Kingdom Drone Show (Rivers of Light in the Sky)​

The leading contender has to be Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The park has an attendance problem, and it’s only going to get worse when Epic Universe opens next summer. Disney has had a conservative entertainment rollout (to say the least) compared to what we expected to see. So far, only a nighttime parade has been announced for Magic Kingdom next summer, but there has to be more yet to be announced, right?

2. Disney’s Hollywood Studios Drone Show (Star Wars)​

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is number two on our list because Fantasmic, while great, can only do so much for that park. Star Wars fans are down bad. There used to be a phenomenal nighttime show at Hollywood Studios that combined projections on the Chinese Theater with a proper fireworks show. With the World Drive fireworks launch point essentially abandoned at this point, and the prospect of a real fireworks show sitting at slim to none, we’re “resurrecting” our idea for a Star Wars drone show from our Disney Dreams That Soar review.

3. EPCOT (Illuminate the Sky)​

Luminous: The Symphony of Us is a worthy nighttime show at EPCOT. That said, there are some segments of the show that we’d love to see get reworked. I’m not sure if Luminous is creating the foot traffic that Disney was hoping for, but with Festivals propping up EPCOT, maybe it doesn’t matter.


4. Magic Kingdom
Disney, please don’t put a drone show at Magic Kingdom. We should rank this fifth behind extending the drone show at Disney Springs. Heck, Disney Springs was an operational nightmare at times and even that would be better than what Magic Kingdom would be looking at with an overly weighted nighttime lineup next summer.

I've been saying they ought to extend park hours at AK and put a drone show in the arena that used to have Rivers of Light

The park is beautiful at night, but right now you only really get to see it around the holidays because the park closes so early most of the rest of the year.