A Blog About Disney Stuff

Disney is celebrating 40 years of wish granting in a new and unique way — bringing magic to wish kids and guests through an all-new merchandise collection, Wishes Come True Blue, benefitting Make-A-Wish

BURBANK, Calif. (Oct. 22, 2020) — Disney Parks, Experiences and Products is unveiling its very first collection inspired by and benefitting Make-A-Wish® — the Wishes Come True Blue color collection. This new offering commemorates the 40-year relationship between Disney and Make-A-Wish, with even more special product offerings to come later this year.

Wishes Come True Blue is the first-ever Disney color collection that pays tribute to a nonprofit’s impact and supports the ongoing collaboration between Make-A-Wish and Disney. The Wishes Come True Blue color collection is the latest in the popular series of Disney color collections and features the debut of two all-new products, including the first-ever adjustable Mickey Mouse ear headband for kids of all abilities to wear with comfort and joy, as well as the first cloth face masks by Spirit Jersey®. In honor of this launch, Disney is donating 10,000 cloth face masks from the collection to Make-A-Wish to provide to wish kids across the United States.

For the purchase of each item in the collection now through World Wish Day 2021 (April 29, 2021) in the US, Canada and across Europe, Disney will donate 25 percent of the purchase price (up to US $500,000) to Make-A-Wish. This collection will be available starting Oct. 22 at select Disney Parks around the world, Disney store locations in North America and on shopDisney.com and shopDisney.co.uk.

Following the Disney Parks fan-favorite color collections, Arendelle Aqua and Belle of the Ball Bronze, this new collection features the distinct Make-A-Wish blue hue and reminds people around the world of wish granting. This collection offers a wide assortment of products including: spirit jerseys, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse ear headbands, a mini backpack and wristlet by Loungefly, leggings, baseball caps and more.

“It’s been an honor to work with Disney to grant wishes and create priceless memories for so many families. I hope this new collection of Make-A-Wish-inspired items will bring joy to guests much like Disney wishes have brought joy to wish kids for the last 40 years,” said Make-A-Wish president and CEO, Richard K. Davis. “Disney is the largest wish-granter on earth, and we’re thankful for everyone who helps transform lives by supporting our organization and making wishes come true.”

For the past 40 years, Disney and Make-A-Wish have been providing magic to wish kids and their families when they need it most, starting with the very first wish granted at Disneyland park in 1980. Disney is the largest wish granter in the world, having fulfilled more than 140,000 wishes globally, and one out of every two wishes granted by Make-A-Wish in the United States.

Over the next two months, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products will reveal even more global product offerings that will benefit Make-A-Wish and celebrate the 40-year relationship.

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For hi-res images CLICK HERE.

About Disney Parks, Experiences and Products

Disney Parks, Experiences and Products brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s powerful brands and franchises — including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, Twentieth Century Studios and National Geographic — into the daily lives of families and fans around the world to create magical memories that last a lifetime.

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland park in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than 60 years later, Disney has grown into one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, with iconic businesses including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 53 resorts in the United States, Europe and Asia with more than 170,000 cast members; a top-rated cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2021, 2022 and 2023; a luxurious family beach resort in Hawaii; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business. Disney Imagineers are the creative force behind Disney theme parks, resort hotels and cruise ships globally.

Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing includes the world’s leading licensing business; one of the world’s largest children’s publishing brands; one of the world’s largest licensors of games across platforms; more than 300 Disney store locations around the world; and the shopDisney e-commerce platform.

Media Contact:

Melissa Britt
Director, Global Public Relations
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
Melissa.B.Britt@Disney.com

The post Disney Celebrates 40 Years Supporting Make-A-Wish® Through Debut of All-New Product Offerings, with a Portion of Proceeds Helping Grant Wishes appeared first on Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

From our friends at dpep.disney.com
Filed Under: Citizenship, Consumer Products, Parks and Experiences

Do you need a little extra shut eye before you visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios? You’re in luck because today we are highlighting our Late Arrival Disney’s Hollywood Studios Touring Plan, which has been updated to reflect the closures and changes due to COVID-19. This plan is similar to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios One-Day Touring Plan we posted last week, but this version removes some attractions to allow you to arrive to the park around 1 PM. The plan includes all major rides that can be completed when arriving at 1:00 p.m. until park closing, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. We also include a 30-minute break for dinner around 5:30 p.m., but you may want to skip that and grab a quick snack if you’re running low on time.

STEPS
1) Star Tours: The Adventures Continue Ride Star Tours Based on the Star Wars saga, this was Disney’s first modern simulator ride. Guests ride in a flight simulator modeled after those used for training pilots and astronauts, experiencing dips, turns, twists, and climbs. The ride film, projected in high-definition 3-D, has more than 50 combinations of opening and ending scenes, including clips from the newer Star Wars films. You could ride Star Tours all day without seeing the same scenes twice.
2) Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith Ride the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster is an attraction for fans of high-speed thrill rides. Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster’s loops, corkscrews, and drops make Space Mountain seem like It’s a Small World. The launch goes from 0 to 57 mph in less than 3 seconds. When you enter the first loop, you’ll be pulling 5 g’s—2 more than astronauts used to experience at liftoff on a space shuttle.
3) The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Experience Tower of Terror. The Tower of Terror is a different species of Disney thrill ride, though it borrows elements of The Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom. The story is that you’re touring a once-famous Hollywood hotel gone to ruin. The Tower of Terror is a whopper at 13-plus-stories tall. The climax occurs when the elevator reaches the top floor—the 13th, of course—and the cable snaps.
4) Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance If you have a boarding group number, experience Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Rise of the Resistance is an innovative attempt to integrate at least four different ride experiences— trackless vehicles, a motion simulator, walk-through environments, and even an elevator drop—into one of Disney’s longest attractions ever. Note: To ride you must join a Boarding Group that will be “called” at a later time that day, when you are allowed to get into line and wait. This is analogous to a same-day FastPass+ for an unknown time window. Use the My Disney Experience app to join a Boarding Group. Eventually you’ll receive a push notification or see that your Boarding Group is “now boarding” via in-park status screens. You must do this first thing in the morning when the park opens, or when a secondary Boarding Group signup opens at 2:00 p.m.
5) Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Take flight on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. Smugglers Run lets guests fly Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon, the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.” Guests approaching the attraction will see a life-size Millennium Falcon parked outside the spaceport. On board each rider is assigned his or her own station—a pilot and copilot up front to steer around obstacles and activate the hyperdrive, two gunners in the middle to shoot down enemy fighters, and a pair of engineers in the rear to repair the ship when the pilots and gunners mess up—and computer-generated scenery is projected on an ultra-HD dome outside the windshield.
6) Eat Dinner Grab dinner in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The Ronto Wraps at Ronto Roasters are quick and delicious. For a bigger selection of food there’s Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo where you can dine on Endorian Fried Chicken Tip Yip, Batuuan Beef Pot Roast, and more.
7) Toy Story Mania! Go back to Toy Story Land and ride Toy Story Mania! This is an interactive shooting gallery much like Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, but in Toy Story Mania!, your ride vehicle passes through a totally virtual midway, with booths offering such games as ring tossing and ball throwing. You use a cannon on your ride vehicle to play as you move along from screen to screen. Unlike the laser guns in Buzz Lightyear, however, the pull-string cannons in Toy Story Mania! take advantage of CG image technology to toss rings, shoot balls, even throw eggs and pies. Each game booth is manned by a Toy Story character who is right beside you in 3-D glory, cheering you on. In addition to 3-D imagery, you experience vehicle motion, wind, and water spray. Ride only if the posted wait time is at an acceptable length. If not, save it for the very end of the day.
8) Slinky Dog Dash If you’re running low on time, decide if you want to ride Slinky Dog Dash or Runaway Railway. Slinky Dog Dash is a long outdoor children’s roller coaster designed to look as if Andy built it out of Tinkertoys. The trains are themed to Toy Story’s Slinky Dog. As for intensity, it’s something along the lines of the Magic Kingdom’s Barnstormer or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train— lots of turns, dips, and hills but no loops or high-speed curves—and not nearly as rough as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. This ride ranks high with all ages.
9) Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. The Runaway Railway ride places you in the center of one of the modern Mickey Mouse cartoons. The premise is, of course, that you’re on an out-of-control railroad car, courtesy of Goofy. You careen, gently, through ten large, cartoon show scenes, from tropical islands, to cities, to out-of-control factories. In each scene, Mickey and Minnie attempt to save you from disaster, with mixed results. Runaway Railway will have high waits for the whole day. Unless you arrive early and are one of the first people in the park we recommend riding as late in the day as possible.

There’s no FastPass+ being offered at this time so you’ll have to do only stand-by lines. Don’t forget, you can customize and optimize this or any of our other touring plans using our personalized touring plans creator on the site or in our mobile app, Lines. Be sure to check out our other touring plans that will help you save time and money in Walt Disney World.

The post Late Arrival Disney’s Hollywood Studios Touring Plan Updated For COVID-19 Closures appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), touring plan

There’s been some concern about wait times and crowds increasing in recent weeks. Although we have seen some very busy days, midweek continues to be a sweet spot. Today’s wait times are a great example of a slower Wednesday at Walt Disney World. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Magic Kingdom Wait Times

Let’s start with the wildest ride in the wilderness, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which had an average wait time today of 39 minutes. Its 7-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #160 for the past year.

Another mountain in the Magic Kingdom mountain range, Space Mountain had an average wait time today of 26 minutes. Its 7-day average is 49 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #26 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 61 minutes, so today ranks #183 for the past year. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 43% of the posted wait time.

Peter Pan’s Flight had an average wait time today of 25 minutes. Its 7-day average is 38 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 35 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 55 minutes, so today ranks #198 for the past year. Who can remember a day during any recent time before COVID-19 that Peter Pan’s Flight had a 25 minute wait? Certainly it is a rare occurrence.

It’s spooky season so a trip to socialize with some grim grinning ghosts sounds nice. The Haunted Mansion had an average wait time today of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 49 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #28 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 45 minutes, so today ranks #176 for the past year. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 55% of the posted wait time. It’s a nice Halloween treat to have an actual wait time that’s 55% of Disney’s posted wait time.

It’s always fun to pay a visit to the Hundred Acre Wood. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh had an average wait time today of 18 minutes. Its 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #197 for the past year.

Today it took half the average 7-day wait time to make a splash at Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, which had an average wait time today of 17 minutes. Its 7-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #161 for the past year.

EPCOT Wait Times

Weekends have been quite busy at EPCOT, but weekdays are usually a breeze. The iconic Spaceship Earth had an average wait time today of 16 minutes. Its 7-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #13 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #158 for the past year.

COVID-19 precautions have reduced the capacity at Soarin’ which had an average wait time today of 30 minutes. Its 30-day average is 35 minutes, so today ranks #15 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 40 minutes, so today ranks #164 for the past year.

It’s nice to know it’s pretty easy to visit our friend Figment. Journey Into Imagination With Figment had an average wait time today of 10 minutes. Its 7-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #16 for the past month.

Sometimes Test Track can have a bumpy ride, but today it had an average wait time today of 49 minutes. Its 7-day average is 71 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 61 minutes, so today ranks #20 for the past month.

And of course, the ride with the longest wait time, Frozen Ever After had an average wait time today of 57 minutes. Its 7-day average is 71 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #17 for the past month.

Get actual wait times that are more accurate than Disney’s posted wait times, with our Walt Disney World touring plans.  Subscribe today and get our Lines app.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Wait Times

Everyone seems to be excited to head to Hollywood, as Disney’s Hollywood Studios often has the highest wait times of the four Walt Disney World. Today is no exception with the average wait here was 50 minutes versus 25 minutes at the other three parks. While the other parks had some of their lowest wait times today compared to other recent periods, Hollywood Studios had some of the highest wait times for the past seven days. In fact, every attraction at this park had their highest wait times today compared to the 7-day average, the only two exceptions being Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Alien Swirling Saucers.

Theater based attractions have reduced capacity, leading to longer wait times, such as at Muppet*Vision 3D which had an average wait time today of 34 minutes. Its 7-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 84% of the posted wait time.

Another number one day was had at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith had an average wait time today of 56 minutes. Its 7-day average is 55 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #7 for the past month.

A great spooky attraction for this time of year, or otherwise, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror had an average wait time today of 54 minutes. Its 7-day average is 53 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #6 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #119 for the past year. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 62% of the posted wait time.

Slinky Dog Dash had an average wait time today of 76 minutes. Its 7-day average is 70 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 67 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 76 minutes, so today ranks #116 for the past year. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 98% of the posted wait time.

And the busiest attraction is the newest, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway had an average wait time today of 91 minutes. Its 7-day average is 84 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 84 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 70 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past year.

Boarding groups at Rise of the Resistance started off well – and then around 10:30 a.m. there was a disturbance in the Force. It did not get back and running in the fight against the New Order until two hours later, around 12:30 p.m. This could have contributed to the higher wait times across the park, too.

Animal Kingdom Wait Times

If you’re looking for a nice and easy going park then Disney’s Animal Kingdom should be your pick. Most of the attractions there had fairly low wait times compared to the 7-day average. Though, Avatar Flight of Passage continues to soar with high wait times, today’s wait time of 69 minutes is relatively low. Its 7-day average is 87 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #9 for the past month. We received 13 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 66% of the posted wait time.

Just around the Pandora riverbend, Na’vi River Journey had an average wait time today of 39 minutes. Its 7-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month. We received 7 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 87% of the posted wait time.

It just wouldn’t be a visit to Animal Kingdom without a journey aboard Kilimanjaro Safaris which had an average wait time today of 18 minutes. Its 7-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 365-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #179 for the past year. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 67% of the posted wait time.

Today was a good time to roar like a DINOSAUR which had an average wait time today of 23 minutes. Its 7-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #165 for the past year. We received 12 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 81% of the posted wait time.

As hard as we try to bring fall to Florida, the temperatures are still warm enough for a splash at Kali River Rapids which had an average wait time today of 11 minutes. Its 7-day average is 28 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #28 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #136 for the past year.

The post Nice and Easy Day With Less Crowds – Walt Disney World Wait Times for Wednesday, October 21, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Walt Disney World (FL), disney covid-19, disney reopening, walt disney world crowds, walt disney world wait times

It is, hands down, my favorite EPCOT festival, but this year, there will be a twist. The Taste of EPCOT Festival of the Arts will be taking place from mid-January through mid-February. The official dates are January 8 through February 22.

Of course, it won’t be the same as the festival has been in the past, like the Disney on Broadway concert series, but the Taste of EPCOT Festival of the Arts will certainly offer fun for the whole family.

Guests will be able to experience the following activities:

• There will be 15 Food Studios serving culinary art that will be found around World Showcase
• Explore and purchase Disney and other invited artists work that is on display around World Showcase Lagoon
• Take part in special photo locations that can be found scattered around the park
• Participate in a paint-by-number mural
• Watch visiting artists create magic right before your eyes
• Catch performances by favorite EPCOT musical artists Mariachi Cobre and the JAMMitors.
• Join a scavenger hunt as you search for Figment around World Showcase
• Shop for festival-exclusive merchandise

More details about what Guests will be able to experience during the Taste of EPCOT Festival of the Arts will be released soon and we’ll make sure to share those details with you as we learn them.

The post Get Ready to Get Artistic! The 2021 Taste of EPCOT Festival of the Arts is Returning appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Epcot, Festivals, News, Epcot Festival of the Arts