Welcome to the 13th edition of our Disney Discussions Weekly Recap. This week, Disney shares its thoughts on the Epic Universe opening; we learned details about the Animal Kingdom changes, some refurbishments for resorts next year, and EPCOT Food announcements.

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This Week’s Disney News 🐭

Walt Disney World News 🏰:

• 📉 Disney Expects Epic Universe Opening to be Beneficial for Park Attendance - WDWNT

  During Disney’s Q4 2024 earnings call, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston shared that the opening of Epic Universe was modeled into their projected outlook for Disney Parks & Experiences, which anticipates full-year operating income growth to be in the 6%-8% range. The early bookings to vacation at Walt Disney World Resort next summer, around the opening of Epic Universe, “are actually positive.”

• Disney’s Tropical Americas: Inside Secrets of the New Encanto Ride and Hidden Details at Animal Kingdom - Touring Plans

• 🌊 Moana To Debut New Meet and Greet Costume at Disney Parks Worldwide for New Movie - WDWNT

  Moana will debut her new look at Disney California Adventure and EPCOT on November 24 and Hong Kong Disneyland on November 29.

• 👷🏼 Guest Room Refurbishments Coming to Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside in 2025 - WDWMAGIC

  Rooms will undergo upgrades starting in early April 2025 and ending in January 2026. During this refurbishment period, Disney says guests may notice construction activity, including visible work and some noise in the Magnolia Bend area.

• 🌋 Polynesian Resort’s New Wailulu Bar & Grill Added to Walt Disney World Website - WDWNT

  The Wailulu Bar & Grill page describes it as “a tropical getaway when you indulge in delicious flavors inspired by cuisine from the South Pacific Islands.” Wailulu will open with Island Tower on December 17, 2024.

• 🤹‍♀️ Disney Looking for New Variety Acts to Perform at EPCOT - WDWMAGIC

  Disney is seeking a diverse range of performers for atmosphere entertainment at EPCOT. The call for submissions is open until November 27, 2024. The entertainment categories Disney is interested in include magicians, jugglers, physical comedians, performance artists, visual acts, solo or duo dance teams, acts involving technology, and other unique multi-disciplinary acts. Each act can include up to five performers.

• 👷🏻‍♀️ Swiss Family Treehouse Closing Next Week for Refurbishment at Magic Kingdom - BlogMickey

  The Swiss Family Treehouse walk-through attraction will be closed starting next week. The attraction will be closed beginning Monday, Nov. 18th, and won’t reopen until Friday, Dec. 20th.

• 🏨 1-Year Guest Room Refurbishment Announced for Disney’s Pop Century Resort - Blog Mickey

  From late March 2025 to mid-February 2026, guest rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort will undergo refurbishment. All resort amenities will remain available.

• 🍪 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Foodie Guide 2024 - Disney Parks Blog

  There is lots of great food, and the Cookie Stroll is a must-do!

• 🐉 New Interactive Shoulder Banshees Soar Into Pandora November 21 - Disney Parks Blog

  Four all-new interactive shoulder banshees land at Pandora – The World of Avatar on November 21. There are new colors, and a wireless remote now controls them. Also, the banshees will notice and communicate with other interactive shoulder and wrist banshees.

• 🪵 4-Month Refurbishment Announced for Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge in 2025 - Blog Mickey

  From mid-May 2025 to September 2025, Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will undergo refurbishment.

Disneyland News:

• 🛍️ Opening Dates and Details for New Downtown Disney Shops and Restaurants - Disney Parks Blog

  Opening on December 6, 2024, are Avengers Reserve and the D-Lander Shop.

  Opening this winter, Disney Wonderful World of Sweets will be a place with the sweetest tastes, introducing a splendid array of new confectionery treats.

• 🍴 New Fantasmic! Dining Package Announced for Disneyland - WDWNT

  A new Fantasmic! Dining Package is coming to Café Orleans at Disneyland Park on January 10, 2025, featuring a 3-course dining experience.

Disney Entertainment News 🎬:

• 🚀 Star Wars: Andor Season 2 Premiere Date Announced - WDWNT

  The second and final season of the critically acclaimed series will debut on April 22, 2025. Filming wrapped this past February.

Disney Business News 📈:

• Disney Considering EA CEO and Other External Candidates to Succeed Bob Iger - WDWNT

• 💵 The Walt Disney Company Earned Over $22 Billion in Revenue for Q4 2024 - WDWNT

• 💰 Disney Parks and Experiences Revenue Was $8.24 Billion in Q4 2024 - WDWNT

Disney Cruise Line News 🛳️ :

• Disney Treasure Rescues Four Stranded Boaters Near Bermuda - WDWNT

• 🚢 Disney Cruise Line Names Cast & Crew Godparents of Disney Treasure - DCLFan

Muppets News 🐸 :

• 🐶 Bark Box has Muppet Christmas Carol toys for your furry friends

Disney Discussions Recent Archive:

🧚 Pixie Dust ✨

Fun Facts:

Some Fun Christmas By the Numbers fact for Walt Disney World

• 1,700 Wreaths are installed

• > 10,000 pieces of gingerbread on the Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

• 300,000 yards of ribbons and bows

• > 1,300 trees across the resort

• >50,000 feet of garland on Main Street

• 150 truckloads of decorations

• 70 feet - the tallest Christmas tree at the Contemporary.

Also, here’s a great article on Disney and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

📸 Magic Shot of the Week:

We all have those photos we love from a Disney vacation. Every week, I’ll share one. They will be my photos, but I’d love for you to share yours so I can include them. Email me your Disney photo to [email protected], and it’ll go in a future weekly recap.

🌟 Disney Tip of the Week:

Advance Dining Reservations or ADRs Tips
60 days in advance - You can book your ADRs for your WDW trip 60 days in advance. If you are staying on WDW property during your stay, you can make reservations 60 + 10 days in advance.

5:45 am ET - Be ready at 5:45 am Easter time to start. Technically, bookings don’t start until 6 am Eastern, but occasionally, you can do it early.

Plan - Don’t book in the order you’ll visit the restaurants on your trip—book in order of Popularity. Suppose you want to visit 'Ohana or Chef Mickey’s, book those first! Times get booked up.

Prepare - Make sure you know your WDW password and have the proper credit card on your account (you won’t be charged for most ADRs when booking, but you still need one.) Do you know any allergy info?

2 Devices - I use my Laptop and phone simultaneously, looking up the different reservations I want.

Don’t Despair - Didn’t get what you wanted? People drop ADRs all the time. Keep checking every day until the day you want to go. Use a site like MouseDining.com to alert you to openings. Many restaurants have walk-ups. Go when walk-ups start. I could walk into ‘Ohana with eight people and sit immediately at 3 pm.

I just had to do this. We have a trip from January 12th - 19th. I could start booking my reservations on November 13th for the length of my trip and got everything we needed. There was one hic-up. 1900 Park Fare had no reservations for January. Others had this issue, but I kept checking, and it opened up on Friday morning, and I got it.

How to contact me 📝:

✉️ email: [email protected]
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Have a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow because today is almost over!