The Most Magical Celebration on Earth is still going strong at Walt Disney World. We have lots of news for you today from all over the resort. We’ll start off with some 50th special treats and the new Beacons of Magic taking place at all four parks. Plus we’ll look at the return of the Candlelight Processional’s return to Epcot, Disney Genie releasing, issues with the new Disability Access Pass system, festival return dates, and the demise of Primeval Whirl. To finish off this week’s WDW adventure, we’ll take a trip through Animal Kingdom, where the new KiteTales Show is struggling to take flight.
There is a lot to cover, so grab a balloon and enjoy the journey…
50th Sweet Treats
Is there a better way to start an update than with some sweet treats? Throughout the parks, WDW resort, and Disney Springs you can find special treats just for the 50th Anniversary.
This Steamboat Willie Chocolate Mousse is just one of the special offerings at Magic Kingdom from Casey’s Corner.
At Animal Kingdom we tried this 50th Anniversary Celebration Cupcake consisting of lemon cake and lemon chiffon filling.
My son Johnny loved this EARidescent Croissant Doughnut from the Epcot Experience.
The Contemporary Resort had two offerings: a 50th Anniversary German Chocolate Cupcake with German chocolate filling and a Peanut Putter-Banana Pie. The Contemporary has its own 50th logo too!
At Ammorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs, they have a 50th Celebration Petit Cake with vanilla cake, celebration blue mousse, blueberry jam, and lemon curd.
These are just a handful of the treats around the WDW resort and we’re looking forward to trying more in the days ahead.
Beacons of Magic
Beacons of Magic are tiny shows at the icons of each of the four parks for the 50th Anniversary. The beacons are intended to give a boost of pixie dust at night that makes the EARidescence really stand out. Disney promised a dazzling glow that sparkles with pixie dust, stardust, glitter and shimmer, and enchanted fireflies. Although some of the icons are a little underwhelming in comparison to the other ones (it’s hard to beat the new lights on Spaceship Earth!), Beacons of Magic certainly add a touch of enchantment to the evening.
Disney Genie Released October 19th!
Disney Genie was first introduced at the 2019 D23 Expo and promised to be a game-changer. And from the looks of it, it will be… someday. Genie, Genie+, Lightning Lane, and Individual Lightning Lane have finally been released… but with lots of issues. We have an article detailing the rough launch of the new service below. You’ll definitely want to give this a read to see how things were supposed to go and what actually happened.
Lightning Lane & Genie Out of the Bottle – The Pluses and Minuses of the Massive New Service
For now, our advice is to use Genie+, it may be the only way to avoid oppressive standby lines created by the new service. Be prepared to use your phone a lot more than you ever wanted to in a theme park. Like it or not, this is the new way to visit Walt Disney World (and soon Disneyland).
We are very interested in your thoughts on the amount of technology you want to use while on vacation as well as if this is the sort of technology that works for you and your family.
DAS Rocky Start
Disney unexpectedly launched the Disability Access Pass (DAS) pre-registration and advance planning option last week prior to the new Disney Genie rollout. This allows guests to sign up for the pass online from 30 to 2 days in advance of their trip and even book their first two return times each day of their trip. Unfortunately, the launch did not go well. After the first day was a total disaster, Disney released updated information.
Candlelight Processional Returns to Epcot
With the holidays just around the corner, we’re looking forward to seeing the Candlelight Processional this year. The Candlelight Processional is returning to Epcot for the Festival of the Holidays with shows running nightly November 26th through December 30th. Candlelight Processional dining will also be returning.
For more about the return of Candlelight, be sure to check out the article below for details, including the announced narrators!
Candlelight Processional Returns to Disneyland & Walt Disney World this Holiday Season!
Epcot International Festival of the Arts Returns
The International Festival of the Arts returns on January 14 and runs through February 21 celebrating performing, culinary and visual arts. Some of the opportunities announced include Food Studios (booths) around World Showcase, The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine, put yourself into the artwork Photo ops, a Figment scavenger hunt, Chalk artists, and special festival merchandise. What I’m most excited to see returning is the Disney on Broadway Concert Series at the America Gardens! I can’t wait to see what else may be in for the Festival of the Arts as we get closer.
Disney Wish at the Macy’s Parade
This Thanksgiving Day you will get to see the Disney Wish float down the street at the 95th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The floating ship, christened “Magic Meets the Sea” is a fantastical styling including the Mickey Mouse-inspired color pallette, red funnels, and intricate filigree on the hull of the Disney Wish, setting sail next summer. Look closely on the float for 15 of your Disney friends including Captain Minnie Mouse, Cinderella, Princess Tiana, Aladdin, Jasmine, and more representing the stories and experiences aboard the Disney Wish.
Say Good-Bye to Primeval Whirl
Primeval Whirl has been a seasonal ride for the past few years and has been closed for quite some time. The ride cars were removed yet the ride remained. Now the ride is beginning to get dismantled.
We wonder what will eventually come to this prime location in Dinoland U.S.A. – any ideas?
Animal Kingdom Adventures
Here in Florida, any day that doesn’t exceed 90 degrees means it’s fall. This also means it’s a perfect time to visit Animal Kingdom – Without thinking about the oppressive heat and humidity that’s usually hard to escape in this park. You can really take your time to enjoy the details of this incredible park right now.
We arrived midday when they were already parking cars close to the entrance… this is a good sign of low crowds.
Walking over the bridge there was a crowd looking up at the finale of Winged Encounters with this blue beauty perched on top of the 50th banner. We had a goal to visit two exploration trails, along with some attractions along the way.
Fuel is needed for the trek, so we set off for a snack in Dinoland.
Trilo-Bites Twist it is! For 4.99, you too can enjoy a heaping portion of orange Dole Whip and green-colored vanilla soft-serve. Who can resist a cold treat on a hot day?
We wonder what will eventually come to this prime location in Dinoland U.S.A. – any ideas?
Happily, something that isn’t going away is Finding Nemo: The Musical, they are just taking a moment to find our favorite clownfish and his friends for a reimagined version of the show which will debut sometime next year.
It’s time for a ride after devouring some ice cream… the Yeti was calling.
Our little dancing Yeti helped us down the mountain so we could continue our adventure through Asia.
Care to get soaked? Kali River Rapids was only a 5-minute wait! You go ahead… We’ll just head to Maharajah Jungle Trek!
On our way to Africa, we gained a glimpse of the park’s overall wait times, Flight of Passage was the longest at only 30 minutes (Genie will change this dramatically by sending guests to attractions with low waits and ballooning standby waits as paid guests zip through new Lightning Lanes).
Gorilla Falls offers the ability to see the backside of the safari with some other critters in between…
Unfortunately, some of the big bugs and amphibians you usually see crawling around were closed off to guests.
Today it was waterfalls, sans Gorillas. They must have had early dinner reservations at the Rainforest Cafe…
But we did spot a Zebra!
Let’s take a Safari!
If there was ever a day for multiple rides on Kilimanjaro Safaris, it was today. The queue was a brisk walk-through.
With the safari having lower-than-normal attendance it made it possible for the driver to take their time and stop for some incredible views.
You can always count on the crocodiles to be lying about, this one looks especially docile with those sleepy eyes.
We usually have a tough time spotting the Hyenas for more than a second… But this time, we excitedly caught one of the pups relaxing in their pool.
The end of the safari has gone through many changes. The newest setup is now home to some Nigerian Dwarf Goats.
We stopped by Flame Tree Barbeque to watch KiteTails. The seating near the lake provides a good viewing area and the show music is played on the nearby speakers.
KiteTails has been shortened to just the Lion King portion of the show. Unfortunately, Mufasa never quite made it off the water.
The jetskis stopped and Mufasa came to rest in front of us. The music played on and the show just ended.
It’s clear they still have some work to do on KiteTails. For more about the trials and tribulations of KiteTails, take a look below…
Disney Theme Park Ticket & Travel Deals
It’s time to give the family something to look forward to. Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you plan a future theme park vacation. There are all sorts of new theme park tickets and travel deals, including 25% off select rooms at Walt Disney World & Disneyland, ticket deals to Disney and Universal theme parks, and special vacation package deals: More details and to get a quote (HERE)
Let’s Hear From You
Thanks for joining us on our trek around Animal Kingdom and catching up with the latest WDW news. What do you think of the troubled rollout of Disney Genie? Are you looking forward to the return of Candlelight? Do you think that KiteTails will ever make it completely off the ground? We always love to hear from you in the comments.
Kwaherini!
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