Easter happenings, princess news and more are happening at Walt Disney World this week. Join us as we take a look at what is new in Around the Mouse.
Walt Disney World Theme Parks
Magic Kingdom Park
New! Breakfast Starts March 20 at Be Our Guest: Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom Park will begin testing a prix fixe breakfast from 8-10 a.m. daily March 20 through June 18. Reservations will be available online via My Disney Experience beginning March 17 for reservation dates March 20 through June 18. The prix fixe breakfast menu includes a pastry basket for sharing, choice of entrée and selection of self-service beverages. Pricing is $19.99 plus tax for adults; $11.99 plus tax for children ages 3-9 years. Due to the popularity of Be Our Guest Restaurant, advance reservations are encouraged. As with all dining reservations, a credit card guarantee is required at the time of reservation and the standard cancellation policy applies. One quick-service meal entitlement will be redeemed for Guests with Disney Dining Plan (DPP) packages during the breakfast meal period. A fast-casual dining reservation expedites the Guest experience by providing Guests with priority entrance upon arrival. Be Our Guest Restaurant offers self-seating for the fast-casual dining experience during breakfast and lunch; tables are not reserved in advance
New! Sweet Cinderella Treats Now Available: Debuting this month at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort is a Cinderella Coach inspired apple. The apple has been dipped in caramel as well as edible shimmering white chocolate and comes complete with carriage-looking wheels. Another fun way to celebrate the film’s release is with our Cinderella Coach krispy treat, sure to be a fan favorite for any movie-goer. At Walt Disney World, these treats are available at: Main Street Confectionery, Magic Kingdom Park; Big Top, Magic Kingdom Park; Goofy’s Candy Kitchen, Downtown Disney Marketplace; Candy Cauldron, Downtown Disney Marketplace and Sweet Spells, Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
New! Extra Day Parades March 15-21: Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will be performed twice daily, March 15-21, at noon and 3 p.m.
Epcot
New! Egg-stravaganza Returns March 27: From March 27 – April 5, 2015, you’ll be able to search for special hidden Easter eggs themed to Disney characters at some of your favorite theme parks. The hunt will be available through Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort. With a specially themed map in hand (available for purchase), Guests will have fun hunting for decorative Easter eggs themed to Disney characters and placing the corresponding sticker on the map to represent that location. Maps and stickers can be purchased for $4.95, plus tax. Guests may return their maps (completed or uncompleted with stickers) to one of the designated locations to claim a surprise gift. Maps can be purchased at Epcot at Heritage Manor (American Adventure Pavilion), Pin Central, Plaza Towers (Port of Entry), and World Traveler (International Gateway).
Reminder! Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Underway: The 75-Day festival opened March 4 and continues through May 17, 2015. Here you can enjoy topiaries of Disney favories, ten new gardens, play areas and more. You can rock out at the new Garden Rocks Concert Series, featuring artists from the 60’s through 90’s. Delight your taste buds at eleven Outdoor Kitchens, including the new, Latin-inspired Botanas Botanico. Explore Fun Fresh Weekends during the festival with themed special events!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
New! St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake Available: Beginning March 13, Guests coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios can cure their sweet tooth and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a chocolate mint specialty cupcake. The St. Patrick’s Day cupcake will be available at the following quick service locations: FairFax Fare, Pizza Planet, Starring Rolls, Backlot Express, ABC Commissary, Studio Catering Co., Rosie’s All American Café, The Trolley Car Café. This item is included in Disney Dining Plan. The St. Patrick’s Day and Cinderella cupcake both will be available through March. 29.
Reminder! Frozen Summer Fun Live Will Return: “Frozen” Summer Fun LIVE will bring Princess Anna, Queen Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf with citizens of Arendelle appearing daily at Disney’s Hollywood Studios June 17-Sept. 7. Like last year, the celebration includes the Frozen Procession, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration (available now), Frozen Fireworks, Hot Frozen Nights DJ Dance Party, Frozen Merchandise and Food & Beverage (some available now), and Olaf’s Summer Cool Down. Just in time for this year’s “Frozen” Summer Fun LIVE event, this popular show moves into the beautiful Hyperion Theater (formerly Superstar Television Theater), located right in the heart of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
New! Additional Food and Beverage Offerings: Additional menu items will be available March 15-April 12 to Guests for the spring season. Isle of Java, Dino-Bites and Harambe Fruit Market will offer full meal options from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will return to their original menu offerings after 3 p.m. Isle of Java and Harambe Fruit Market will offer a smoked turkey sandwich, and Dino-Bites will offer a corn dog and chips. Everest kiosk and Bradley Falls will offer full meal options from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will return to their original menu offerings after 5 p.m. Everest kiosk will offer a hot dog and smoked turkey sandwich, and Bradley Falls will have a Thai pork sandwich. Drinkwallah will add a smoked turkey sandwich meal from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the cart near Creature Comforts will offer hot dogs from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional breakfast options will also be available. Everest kiosk will offer a breakfast meal option until 10:30 a.m. and Harambe Fruit Market will have a breakfast sandwich until 11 a.m.
Reminder! Winged Encounters Relocated: The landing perch for Winged Encounters-The Kingdom Takes Flight will be relocated in front of the Tree of Life starting March 10, 2015. All show times remain the same, but are subject to change.
Reminder! A New Sumatran Tiger at Maharajah Jungle Trek: Malosi, a new Sumatran tiger for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, will be introduced to his onstage exhibit on March 12. As the tiger is introduced to the new environment, he may not be on stage for the full span of the day.
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
New! Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa: The Fourth Annual Easter Egg Display at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa takes place March 20–April 10. The bakery team has created a number of Easter eggs from edible material for Guests to view. Easter eggs will be on display throughout the first floor of the main lobby. Enjoy!
New! Breakfast Grab and Go Location Temporary Change at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: Due to the floor refurbishment in Johari Treasures, our breakfast grab-and-go options will not be available in the shop from Monday, March 23, through Friday, March 27. During this time, Guests can purchase these breakfast items at Sanaa from 7–11 a.m.
Reminder! Holiday Brunch Available at 1900 Park Fare: Beginning March 29 through April 5, brunch will be offered at 1900 Park Fare from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It will be a brunch buffet, serving breakfast and dinner items. The main entrance to this temporary new offering will be at Grand Floridian Cafe, not 1900 Park Fare. This will not be a character or entertainment dining experience. The price is $23.99 for adults (ages 10+) and $12.99 for children (ages 3-9).
Reminder! River Roost Lounge at Port Orleans Serving Breakfast for a Limited Time: River Roost Lounge at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside will now be serving select breakfast items. Called “River Roast,” this pilot gives Guests the opportunity to experience a secondary location for breakfast. Available from 7 a.m. to noon daily, this new menu features select breakfast items including assorted pastries, breakfast sandwiches, cereals, oatmeal and an assortment of specialty coffees. This pilot will be running until May.
Reminder! “Fat Tuesdays” Party Test at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter: On March 31, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter will premiere a new Guest event, “Fat Tuesdays,” keeping the spirit of Mardi Gras alive. This outdoor experience, taking place in the Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter courtyard from 5-9 p.m., will feature festive fun including exciting activities, a DJ and special Food & Beverage offerings.
Reminder! Frozen Fridays Now at Disney’s Port Orleans – French Quarter: Wintery fun is flurrying over to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. Beginning March 3 and running through the end of the month, the resort will offer a new evening experience to Guests called “Frozen Fridays.” The experience will run each Friday starting at 4 p.m. This event will feature fun activities, a campfire with a “Frozen” singalong, special Food & Beverage offerings and a showing of Disney’s “Frozen” to end the night.
Walt Disney World Resort – General
New! ESPN Show to Broadcast Live from WWoS Complex: ESPN’s popular “Baseball Tonight” show, which airs nationally on ESPN and ESPN2, will broadcast live fromESPN Wide World of Sports Complex all week starting March 23. Guests are welcome to join hosts Karl Ravech, Aaron Boone and Tim Kurkjian for six shows over five days and be a part of the live audience outside Champion Stadium at the ESPN sports complex. The shows, which will include a variety of interactive experiences with the audience, will take place through March 27 during which the Braves will play the Phillies (March 24) and the Boston Red Sox (March 27) at Champion Stadium which is the team’s spring training home. Shows will take place Monday through Friday, 6 p.m.-6:30 p.m. And for you night owls: there’s a special broadcast on Thursday, 10 p.m.-11 p.m. The “Baseball Tonight” live broadcasts are free and open to the public. And if you want to make a full day of baseball out of it, you can also get tickets to the Phillies and Red Sox games at the ESPN sports complex box office or through Ticketmaster.
Reminder! Monorail Hours Adjustment: Service on the Express monorail will be suspended on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11:30am – 6pm starting March 10. During these times, Guests visiting Magic Kingdom Park can use the Resort monorail or watercraft to reach their destination.
Reminder! Bus Service Tested Between Water Parks: During March 15-April 11, Disney will be conducting a park to park test between Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Parks. This test will coincide with the new park hopper ability that Guests now have when both water parks are open. The new route will be between Blizzard Beach > Typhoon Lagoon > Blizzard Beach from Noon-one hour after park close daily. Two buses will be operating every 30 minutes.
Merchandise Events
March 25 – 26: Are you a fan of Ridley Pearson? Be among the first to pick up two of his newest releases,Kingdom Keepers: The Return: Book 1: Disney Lands and The Syndrome: A Kingdom Keepers Adventure. Meet Ridley, March 25 from 4 – 6 p.m. at Once Upon A Toy at Downtown Disney Marketplace or March 26 from 9 – 11a.m. at Writer’s Stop in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Learn more. Tip: Wristbands will be distributed to Guests at store open on the day of the signing with each purchase of a book by Ridley Pearson. A wristband from the appearance location is required to meet Ridley Pearson and allows the guest to get two books signed. A limited number of wristbands will be available the day of the signing. Once the wristbands have been distributed, the line to meet Ridley Pearson will close.
March 27 – 29: Celebrate Art in the Garden with us and take part in special artist appearances and signings with David E. Doss and Greg McCullough from 11a.m. – 7p.m. throughout the weekend at the entrance to World Showcase. Watch DisneyParksMerchandise.com to learn more.
March 28: Add the limited edition hand-painted Ink & Paint cel ‘A Dapper Day in the Parks’ featuring Mickey Mouse looking his best aboard the Main Street Trolley! Ink & Paint artists will be on hand for a special signing from 10 a.m. – 1p.m. and 2p.m. – 5p.m. at Animation Gallery in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Note: The cel will be available in a variety of formats including Unframed; Framed, Framed Cel with Postcard and Framed Cel with Postcard and Pin.
Written by Lori Wall: Lori is a lifelong fan and visitor of Walt Disney World! Her love of Disney World has grown through visits with her own family as well as through planning magical vacations for others! Lori is an expert in maximizing vacations while sticking to a travel budget. Contact her about saving an extra 5% off your Disney vacation with an insider tip! Book your vacation with Lori at (845) 698- 0102 or request a price online.
The post What is New at Disney for the Week of April 20th appeared first on Couponing to Disney.