Weekly Roundup: California Adventure, Leave a Legacy and Refurbishments

Here’s what you can expect in this post:

• Limited-Time Ticketed Experience Coming to California Adventure 
• Leave a Legacy Continues
• Disney World Refurbishments

Limited-Time Ticketed Experience Coming to California Adventure 

This past week Disney sent a letter to their cast members announcing that they will be sending 1000 cast members back to work. It read as follows: Currently planned to begin mid-March, we will debut an all-new, limited-time ticketed experience, focused on our world-famous food and beverage offerings from around the resort, the latest merchandise and unique, carefully crafted entertainment experiences…all to be offered multiple days a week. With limited capacity and enhanced health and safety measures in place, Guests once again will get to step into a magical Disney environment — an environment that will provide memorable and fun experiences our Guests are craving. This is definitely an exciting time for Disneyland and California Adventure fans. New jobs and new experiences, I know we are excited! How bout you? Tell us below! 

Leave A Legacy Goes Continues

With the transformation of the Epcot main entrance area, the original Legacy sculpture has been removed, but Leave A Legacy lives on in a a new setting just outside the park with bright new colors. The new panels are the first of many that will be installed featuring the park’s new color palette. You can read more about it HERE. It definitely looks and sounds beautiful. We are loving these Epcot upgrades. 

Have you ever slowed down long enough to stop and read and look at this part of Epcot? What did you notice or find?

Disney World Refurbishments

Disney announced a few refurbishments for Disney World this past week. So as you plan your 2021 Disney vacation keep these refurbishments in mind. 

New Disney World refurbishments are as follows: 

• From January 2022 through April 2022, the Samawati Springs Pool at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village will be closed.
• Starting in April 2021, the Contemporary Resort will begin a refurbishment to SOME guest rooms. Most resort areas and amenities will still be available for Guests to enjoy.
• Starting in February 2021, the Stormalong Bay waterslide at the Beach Club Resort will be closed for refurbishment. 

I am excited see what the news next week will bring. As I said above, the year has started out with a lot of great news. We are well into the new year and the news keeps coming. What would you like to see Disney do, change, refurbish, etc.? we would love to know. We have a running list, but what is yours? 

Weekly Roundup: California Adventure, Leave a Legacy and Refurbishments

A version of this first appeared in our weekly newsletter. You can subscribe to receive it in your inbox here. 

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Weekly Roundup: Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom News

Here’s what you can expect in this post:

• Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
• Festival of the Lion King
• Become a Disney Travel Planner

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

You may already know, but Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom came to a close yesterday, Sunday, January 24, 2020. Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom was an interactive game attraction for the Magic Kingdom that debuted on February 22, 2012 that kids of all ages enjoyed. I know my kids have been enjoying it all eight years. An eight year run is not too bad, so I guess it was time. As we say about anything to do with Disney, we are sad to see it go, but excited for what is to come. I am sure, knowing Disney, they have something fun up their sleeve…. maybe. 😉 What would you like to see in its place? 

Festival of the Lion King

Secondly, Disney World announced last week that more entertainment will be coming back to the Animal Kingdom this summer! The Festival of the Lion King is one of our all time faves, so we are so excited to see it come back to one of our fave parks, Animal Kingdom! Of course, there will be modifications made in order to maintain social distancing for both guests and entertainment to insure everyone stays safe. Safety first, always is the Disney way.

We can’t wait to see what other entertainment and attractions will be coming back next. Disney World is slowly, very slowly, getting back to normal….. whatever normal is. Let me know if you find out what normal is. I need to know! What would you like to see come back next? I think I would really love to see Finding Nemo come back to Animal Kingdom next. It is such a colorful and beautiful show, I would not mind seeing it come back at all.

Become a Disney Travel Planner

Lastly, as we mentioned last week, if you or anyone you know would like to become a Disney Travel Planner, our sister travel agency, Walt Express Travel, is hiring until January 31, 2021. Want to know more about becoming a travel planner? Go HERE for details and HERE to apply. It is that easy! 

Thank you for making us apart of your Disney adventures! 2021 is going to be a great year for Disney adventures. It has not started out too bad so far. We are ready to see what else 2021 has in store, since it is shaping up pretty nicely so far. It is beginning to look like an exciting year at the mouse’s house. ????

A version of this first appeared in our weekly newsletter. You can subscribe to receive it in your inbox here. 

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Disney World Extra Magic Hours

Disney World offers resort guests a perk called Extra Magic Hours. This means that each day, a specific park opens an hour earlier or stays open a few hours later so that resort guests can take advantage of lower crowds. Just in time for Fall AND the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney World is offering a brand NEW perk!

Beginning on August 29, 2019, three Disney World parks will offer these Extra, Extra Magic Hours, giving resort guests even more time to explore and experience what each park has to offer!

• Hollywood Studios: On August 29-31, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open at 6 a.m. for ALL guests. There will not be Extra, Extra Magic Hours on these days. August 29 is the official opening for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Beginning on September 1-November 2, 2019, the park will offer Extra, Extra Magic Hours to resort guests from the hours of 6-9 a.m. The Extra, Extra Magic Hours will include Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land attractions and other select attractions. Please note that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be subject to capacity limitations.
• Animal Kingdom: Extra, Extra Magic Hours will occur daily from August 29-November 2, 2019 for the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The Extra, Extra Magic Hours for Animal Kingdom WILL include Pandora, World of Avatar and other attractions throughout the park.
• Magic Kingdom: Extra, Extra Magic Hours will occur daily from August 29-November 2, 2019 for the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The Extra, Extra Magic Hours for Magic Kingdom WILL include favorite attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
• EPCOT: will still offer regular Extra Magic Hours on select days.

Things To Keep In Mind

• Extra Magic Hours and Extra, Extra Magic hours are for resort guests ONLY. This means you will need to stay on Disney World property to take advantage of this extra magic.
• Extra, Extra Magic Hours is one of the benefits of staying at a Disney World Resort and will require a valid theme park admission and hotel ID.
• Not all Disney World attractions are available with the Extra, Extra Magic Hours benefit. Park hours and available attractions are subject to change without notice.
• The Extra Magic Hours benefit applies to Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Shades of Green Resort, Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels, Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando.

We are so excited about these new perks coming to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom! Which one will you visit first? I bet we know!!

Looking for more Disney information and fun? We have a great Facebook Group: DISNEY EXPRESS LANE! Just click that link and join us!

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)

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