Walt Disney World

News

Some November Walt Disney World Park Hours Updates

If there is one thing we can count on at Disney right now, it's that everything is subject to change. Back in September operating hours at all four Disney World parks were reduced. It's not surprising with kids going back to school ini some form or another, September is typically a slower month. That being said, when the November calendar was revealed, it first appeared that these shortened hours would continue.

Disney Springs Closes Early Due To Curfew And A Message From Disney Leaders

Civil unrest occurring across the nation has prompted action from Disney as Orlando and Orange County institute a curfew following nights of rioting over the death of George Floyd. Disney Springs will be closing early until further notice to allow guests and cast members the ability to make it home in time. Disney Company leadership CEO Bob Chapek, Chairman of Disney Bob Iger, and Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer of The Walt Disney Company Latondra Newton also released a joint statement to Cast Members regarding this time of civil unrest.

BREAKING NEWS Walt Disney World Extends Closures

This evening, after the stock market closed, the @DisneyParksNews twitter account released a statement that the Walt Disney World and Disneyland closures would be extended until further notice and Disney cast members (not including operating partners) would be paid through April 18, 2020.

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening Date

Details are trickling out about the highly anticipated Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios as part of the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge expansion. Read on to discover why this new attraction is seriously ambitious, and worth every moment of anticipation as it readies to open on December 5th, 2019.

Disney News Round-Up: Planet Hollywood Observatory Opening Soon, MagicBand 2 News, and More

Happy Tuesday! We have a bit of news to share today including an update on the opening day for Planet Hollywood Observatory in Disney Springs and some news about the new MagicBand 2. Let's check out today's news.

Ring in the New Year at the Walt Disney World Resort

If you're planning on celebrating New Year's Eve at the Walt Disney World Resort several of the theme parks have special events planned for Saturday night. Guests at the Magic Kingdom can celebrate on Friday and Saturday night.

Disney News Round-up: New Theme Park Ticket Option, Celebrate Mickey’s Birthday, and More

Happy Thursday and welcome to another Disney news round-up! Mickey Mouse is celebrating his birthday tomorrow and everyone can celebrate at the Walt Disney World Resort. Let's check out the rest of today's news.

Disney News Round-Up: New Disney Vera Bradley Designs, New Popcorn Flavors, and More

Happy Wednesday and welcome to another edition of our Disney news round-up! The Magic Kingdom was recently named the #3 amusement park in the country in Trip Advisor's Travelers' Choice Awards. Disney's Hollywood Studios was #6 on the list, and Disney's Animal Kingdom was #10.

Jedi Training Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Closing for a Refurbishment

The Jedi Training Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios is reportedly closing on October 4 for a brief refurbishment. The popular attraction is scheduled to reopen later this year with a new name: Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple.

Possible Changes Coming to the Disney Dining Plan

It's been a busy weekend full of possible news and even some rumors when it comes to changes that might be happening with the Disney Dining Plan. We've been hearing quite a few different reports and wanted to make our readers aware of changes that are possible.

Forum Posts

Articles

Profile of an Imagineer: Xavier Atencio

How did a shy animator come to write some of the most recognizable lyrics in all of Disney World? According to Xavier "X" Atencio, "Walt had an uncanny ability of finding talent in these people that we didn't know we had ourselves."

Extra Magic Hours [Facebook Fans]

We asked our facebook community "What rides do you most recommend during Extra Magic Hours?" We got a lot of great answers and recommendations that we want to share with you.

For a lot of people it is about getting to ride the rides that normally have a long line during the day.

Maureen R. said, "Peter Pans Flight and It's a Small World."

What is your favorite attraction/ride at the Magic Kingdom? [Facebook Fans]

We asked our Walt Disney World for Grownups Facebook fans, "What's YOUR favorite Magic Kingdom attraction or ride?"

We got some great responses and the quick breakdown shows that Haunted Mansion is a favorite among many, garnering the most mentions. Splash Mountain came in second, with Mickey's Philharmagic, Space Mountain, and Thunder Mountain all tying for third.

Profile of an Imagineer: Roger Broggie

Roger Broggie was the first Walt Disney Imagineer. A mechanical genius who embodied the spirit of Disney Imagineering with his ability to blend creative imagination and technical knowledge, Broggie was a close friend of Walt Disney. He helped lay the groundwork for Disneyland and the other Disney parks that followed.

5 Reasons to Stay at the Wilderness Lodge

The Wilderness Lodge is one of the most popular resorts at Walt Disney World. From the towering totem poles to the erupting geyser, the Wilderness Lodge is one of our favorite places to stay. Here are our 5 reasons to stay at the Wilderness Lodge on your next Disney visit.

Disney on a Budget: Discount Tickets

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World can be stressful, especially if you have a limited budget to work with. We have tried to alleviate some of the leg work so that you can find the best deals for your trip quickly. Here we break down where and how you can find discount tickets to the parks.

See Disney World a Different Way: Experience the Seas

Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes at The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion? Want to learn how Disney maintains their 5.7 million gallon saltwater tank? Do you want to swim with over 6,000 animals? What about getting up close to a dolphin?

Disney offers three different experiences to allow you access behind the scenes at The Seas and experience the different animals up close.

When do you start planning for your Walt Disney World trip? [Facebook fans]

Earlier this month, we asked our Walt Disney World for Grownups Facebook fans, "When do YOU start planning for an upcoming WDW trip? 1 year ahead? 6 months ahead? A week ahead?"

We got some great answers from our Facebook community. Here are some highlights:

1+ years of planning

For those traveling in from a long distance, even overseas, the planning starts very early, at a year or more. Here's what they had to say:

Kellie H. said, "4 years. Coming from the other side of the world you have to."

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress [Looking Back]

Did you know that Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom is the longest-running stage show with the most performances in the history of American Theater? It's also the oldest attraction at Walt Disney World and the only attraction to have a direct tie to Walt himself.

See Disney World in a Different Way: Backstage Tours

Have you ever wanted to see behind the scenes at Walt Disney World? The backstage tours at Disney offer just that!

Here is a brief look at some of the backstage tours and experiences that Disney offers.

Backstage Magic
The Backstage Magic tour is a six to eight hour tour that takes you through all four parks and exposes you to a whole new side of Disney.