Ears the News: May 12, 2018 Edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Ears the News

Brought to you by our friends at WDWMagic.com.

The Star Wars race weekend at Walt Disney World Resort will celebrate Star Wars rivalries in 2019 with a new theme and name - 'Star Wars Rival Run Weekend presented by OtterBox.'

Beginning 2019, runners will be able to choose which side of the Force they will run for during the race weekend April 4-7, 2019.

Races will include a 5K, 10K, half marathon and the runDisney Kids Races, and in addition there will again be two challenges for runners to tackle. There’s the Star Wars Rival Run Challenge, which involves running the 10K and the half marathon during the race weekend, and the runDisney Kessel Run Challenge – completing the Star Wars Rival Run Half Marathon at Walt Disney World Resort and running the Star Wars Virtual Half Marathon at home.

Walt Disney World's lost and found service is about to get more convenient.

Starting later this month, instead of needing to visit or phone the Lost and Found center, you'll be able to report a lost item on DisneyWorld.com.

After you have reported a lost item, Cast Members will attempt to locate the item, and will keep you updated on progress via the website.

Roadster Goofy will soon be joining the characters at the Disney Junior Play 'n' Dine breakfast at Hollywood & Vine.

Beginning May 13, 2018, Roadster Racers Goofy will replace Handy Manny.

Breakfast is typically served at Hollywood & Vine from 8am to 10:20am daily, and along with Roadster Goofy will be Jake, Sofia the First, and Doc McStuffins.

Walt Disney World now offers 1 day park tickets with 3 pre-linked FastPass+ experiences.
With this new ticket, 3 FastPass+ experiences are selected for you to use the next day—and will be automatically linked to your ticket. Tickets are sold with FastPass + selections for next day use only, and the FastPass windows are pre-determined.

There are variety of FastPass+ groupings to choose from at each park, although some of the headliners - such as Avatar Flight of Passage are not included.

The pre-selected groups are as follows:

Magic Kingdom Park 1-Day Ticket with Linked FastPass+ Experiences

• Fantasyland Classics:“it’s a small world,” Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Mad Tea Party
• Futuristic and Frightful Fun: Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Haunted Mansion and Tomorrowland Speedway
• Pint-Size Adventures: The Barnstormer, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Pirates of the Caribbean
• Whimsical Escapades: Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

Epcot 1-Day Ticket with Linked FastPass+ Experiences

• Immersive Explorations: Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Delightful Encounters: The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Turtle Talk With Crush and Journey Into Imagination With Figment

Disney’s Hollywood Studios 1-Day Ticket with Linked FastPass+ Experiences

• Sensational Stage Shows: Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration and Voyage of the Little Mermaid
• Movie-Inspired Excitement: Muppet*Vision 3D, Star Tours – The Adventures Continue and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park 1-Day Ticket with Linked FastPass+ Experiences

• Prehistoric and Whitewater Thrills: DINOSAUR, Kali River Rapids and Primeval Whirl
• Wild Performances: Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo – The Musical and It's Tough to be a Bug!

Disney's Minnie Van service is now available at all Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

In addition, Minnie Vans can also be used for guests staying at the independently operated Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, and the Four Seasons Resort.

Minnie Van service costs $25 per trip, per vehicle, and can be requested via the Lyft app between 6:30am and 12:30am daily.

Disney has confirmed the location for the new Space themed restaurant in Epcot. As expected, be built on a newly developed area between Mission: SPACE and Test Track. 

Concept Art courtesy of Disney

Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios is scheduled to be closed for a week to allow work to progress on the main entrance reconfiguration.

Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

The closure begins June 11 through to June 18, with a reopening to guests on June 19, 2018. When it reopens, the entrance will remain in Pixar Place until it permanently moves to Toy Story Land on June 30, 2018. 


Toy Story Mania will also return to full capacity on May 20, 2018, with all three tracks becoming available following queue reconfiguration work. FastPass+ reservations should be available from as early as today for rides beginning May 20.

The FriendShip boat service at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin will be closing for refurbishment next week due to work on the boat dock.

Closure is expected from May 14 to May 25, reopening to guests on May 26, 2018.

During the refurbishment of the dock, bus service will be available to Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios, and the walkway will remain open.

This boat dock refurbishment is in addition to the work taking place on the nearby bridge that has suspended boat service to Disney's Hollywood Studios.


Looking to plan your next trip to Walt Disney World? Contact the agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel to help you plan your dream vacation. Email vacations@kingdomkonsultant.com for a free quote today.

BRAND NEW! Millennial Pink Snack Review!

Hey there, Disney Guys and Gals!

     In case you didn't know it, Rose Gold is so over. The color du jour is "Millennial Pink", (aka baby pink, bubble gum pink, cotton candy pink, or just plain old light pink). Disney Parks have hopped on board with the trend, and are offering various snacks adorned in the hue. Just this past week I was able to try out a couple of these treats, so allow me to share with you these pinkalicious wonders!

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Millennial Pink Raspberry Cream Puff  (The Market at Ale and Compass @ Beach Club Resort)

     This little lady was super unique and interesting. Found in the chilled display case in the Market; it looked more like a doughnut than a cream puff. The mouse-shaped pastry had a millennial pink icing over the whole thing, a white chocolate bow on top, and a few pink sanding sugar sprinkles for decoration. It was made up of three separate cream puffs, stuck together. As you can see, the sticker called it a "raspberry cream cheese puff." What does that mean? Was it going to be like cheesecake inside? A sweet cream cheese with pureed raspberries? Well, wonder no more...

      The choux pastry was really nice. It wasn't dry at all and had a nice sweetness to it. The icing was just a basic royal icing, with no real flavor. The bow went to the hubs, because I do not enjoy white chocolate. Now, the filling... It was a sweetened, raspberry flavored cream cheese mixture. At first, I wasn't really sure what to think of it. It was sweet and creamy, but even more tart and tangy than cream cheese filling would usually be. I was struggling to decide if I liked it or not, so I kept eating it. Turns out, I did like it, because next thing I knew, I had eaten the whole thing! There was tons of filling inside each of the three puffs and I really ended up loving it. The sugary sweet icing balanced out the tangy filling and the pastry was some of the best puff pastry I have ever had. I highly recommend you give this one a shot, but only if you like cream cheese filling... like, A LOT. I know I'll be going back for another!

Millennial Pink Cupcake  (Fountain View @ Epcot)

     Found in the pre-packed case at Epcot's Starbuck's location, this beauty was MADE for picture-taking! I mean, come on! SO cute! It was a vanilla cake, filled with a strawberry pastry cream. The top had vanilla buttercream frosting, pink sugar sprinkles and a fondant set of Minnie ears and bow. I liked this cupcake a lot. The strawberry cream was light, refreshing and not overly sweet. The buttercream was a perfect amount and it was coated in sprinkles. Personally, I would prefer some other type of sprinkles over straight sugar, as I find sugar crystals to be an oddly crunchy topping, but that's just me. The ears were also quite yummy. I love fondant and prefer it to white chocolate any day. I'd get this cupcake again, for sure. 

Yummy strawberry pastry cream!

Millennial Pink Raspberry Chocolate Cupcake  (The Mara @ Animal Kingdom Lodge)

     Compared to the cupcake above, from the Fountain View, this cupcake was a little more ornate, but kind of gaudy looking to me. Don't get me wrong, I love glitter, but this one was kind of like Tinkerbell exploded on it. And, I don't think I'd classify this as "Millennial Pink." To me, this confection was more hot pink than anything. Still pretty to look at, but a little extra. 

     This cupcake was located in the refrigerated case at The Mara, (Jambo House's counter service location, at Animal Kingdom Lodge), pre-packaged in a plastic case. The cake was chocolate and filled with an airy raspberry mousse. The frosting was a pink vanilla buttercream, and then it was topped with (lots of) edible glitter, a fresh raspberry and white chocolate Minnie ears. Because these cupcakes are kept in a refrigerated case, it was cold, and therefore the frosting was a solid blob and the cake was a little stiff. I'd recommend letting it sit out for a bit before eating it. Flavor-wise, it was very nice. The mousse was light and creamy. I could easily eat just a cup of that! The buttercream was very good too. I tossed the ears since, again, I don't do white chocolate. (It isn't even chocolate! It only calls itself that!) Overall I'd say it was enjoyable, but I much preferred the vanilla/strawberry combo from the Fountain View. 

The raspberry mousse was the best part!

Millennial Pink Milkshake  (Auntie Gravity's @ Magic Kingdom)

     Ok, so I will admit, I made a special trip to The Magic Kingdom for this shake. I mean, it looks like a candy-covered dream come true! Here's the Disney promo pic: 

Phoro Credit: DisneyParks.com

I am sad to report that it didn't look quite as impressive in person. Here's mine:

It seems that they don't give you nearly as much cotton candy as appears in the promo picture, and I get why: as soon as the cotton candy hits the moisture of the shake, it dissolves into a gooey mess. In fact, if you look closely at the promo shot, they kind of cheated and put a lid on the shake, before putting the candy floss, (old timey name for cotton candy), on top. 

     Speaking of lids.... I really wish this shake included one. Wanna know why???? 

Oh nooooooo.....

I don't usually use pictures that show my kiddo's faces, but this one is pretty fuzzy and timed PERFECTLY. Don't worry, we didn't lose the whole thing! We were still able to try it out. 

     The shake itself was strawberry flavored and I'd say it was more similar to the flavor of strawberry milk than to that of actual strawberry ice cream. It was super sweet and kind of a weird, goopey consistency, which I believe was due to the dissolved cotton candy. The marshmallow was pretty amazing, though. It was clearly a handmade marshmallow, with a light fruity flavor and sparkly edible glitter on it. We enjoyed that more than the shake itself. In fact, after a couple of sips each, we were kind of all done with the shake and ended up tossing it in a trashcan. 

     Overall, this pink treat was pretty to look at, and I'm glad we tried it, but I wouldn't get it again. It was my least favorite of my Millennial Pink dining experience. 

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     What sounds good to you? Will you be trying some Millennial Pink treats for yourself? Oh, don't worry, Rose Gold fans, there' still plenty of that pinky-gold sparkle to be found in the parks!

     If you need help planning your next trip to any of the incredible Disney Parks, the crew over at Kingdom Konsultant Travel would be tickled pink to help you! (See what I did there?) Contact an agent today!

     Until next time, you trendy Disney snackers, have a MAGICAL week!

                                                                  - Jenn 

Ears the News: May 4, 2018 Edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Ears the News

Brought to you by our friends at WDWMagic.com.

The Pandora Utility Suit made its official debut at Disney's Animal Kingdom last week on Earth Day.

Developed by the Pandora Conservation Initiative, the 10ft tall Pandora Utility Suit is piloted by a

Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com. 

PCI scientist, who uses the suit to travel through the Valley of Mo'ara to study the Pandoran plants and fauna. During the travels, the pilot takes time to talk to guests and educates them on some of the details of Pandora.

During its opening week there were two shows per day at 9:45am and 11:45am, but the latest schedules are varying. So if you want to see the suit in action, try to get to Pandora early and wait near Pongu Pongu in the far corner of Pandora.

The Haramabe Theater at Disney's Animal Kingdom will be closing for a one day refurbishment next week.

As a result, the Festival of the Lion King show will not be performed on Wednesday May 9 2018.

Disney has released the first image shot inside the upcoming Alien Swirling Saucers attraction in Toy Story Land.

At Alien Swirling Saucers, which is an attraction that’s been designed to look like a toy from Pizza Planet and placed in his backyard next to his Buzz Lightyear’s Star Command playset, Aliens fly around in their toy flying saucers while “The Claw” appears overhead. As you whirl around the toy planets and space stations as part of the game, you’ll swirl to the beat of a fun electronic space music soundtrack that includes eight songs that may sound familiar, but will be heard in a quirky way you’ve never experienced before. Guests will also see pizza details throughout the attraction, including pizza columns, a pizza space station and the Planet Pepperonia.

Disney has also released a ride through video of the new Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster.

Video courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog.

Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to watch on YouTube.

A Wheezy Audio-Animatronics figure will be part of Slinky Dog Dash in the upcoming Toy Story Land.

At the end of the attraction, Wheezy sings “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” assisted by Mike

Photo courtesy of Disney.

(the tape recorder), who’s provided him with a microphone, and Mr. Spell, who “texts” funny commentary. The friends are surrounded by a collection of toys, including a Rubik’s cube, a canister for a game called Pick-Up Snakes, toy wooden blocks spelling out F-U-N, and toy packages for an RC Car and a triangle puzzle game, all framed by a towering book, Mr. Pricklepants Songs for Singing.

Toy Story Land opens June 30, 2018 at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

The Magic Kingdom's ticketed event, 'Disney After Hours' will continue into the summer of 2018.

Like before, the event gives guests extra time in the park to enjoy attractions after regular park closing. There are 11 dates currently planned, June 28, 30; July 7, 9, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 30; September 20, 2018.

Disney After Hours at the Magic Kingdom tickets get you into the park from 7pm, with the event taking place from regular park close for three hours. 'Disney After Hours' includes complimentary ice cream novelties and beverages.

The cost is $119 plus tax for ages 3+ with advance purchase, or $124 for day of. Passholders and DVC can get a discounted rate of $89 plus tax. Theme park admission is not required.

Extra Magic Hours for Disney resort hotel guests are not impacted by this event, with Disney After Hours taking place on non-EMH nights.

You can call 407-827-7185 to book tickets or purchase them directly from the Walt Disney World website.

Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

After a 35 year long run, Disney's hard ticketed Night of Joy event at Walt Disney World will no longer take place.

Night of Joy moved from the Magic Kingdom to ESPN Wide World of Sports 2016.

Although Disney has not offered a reason for discontinuing Night of Joy, most suspect that the decision was based on the number of operational difficulties event created.


Looking to plan your next trip to Walt Disney World? Contact the agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel to help you plan your dream vacation. Email vacations@kingdomkonsultant.com for a free quote today.

Ears the News: April 27, 2018 Edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Ears the News

Brought to you by our friends at WDWMagic.com.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrated their 20th Anniversary on Sunday, April 22. 

In attendance for the celebration were Animal Kingdom’s Vice President Djuan Rivers and Imagineer Joe Rhode.

Video courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to watch on YouTube.

In celebration for Animal Kingdom’s 20th Anniversary, Disney announced a once in a lifetime Adventures by Disney experience. This new one time only, adult only tour is a Safari in South Africa with Imagineer Joe Rhode and Dr. Mark Penning.

Pricing is around $11,500 excluding flights.

Video courtesy of Disney Parks.

Having trouble viewing the video? Click here to watch on YouTube.

The annual refurbishment of Disney's Blizzard Beach water park is currently scheduled for fall 2018. 

It will begin on October 28 2018 and the park is scheduled to reopen to guest on January 6 2019.

The line-up for the 2018 Eat to the Beat concert series has been announced.

New to this year’s concert series will be percussionist and singer Sheila E, '80s Canadian rockers Glass Tiger and 98 Degrees.

Here is the 2018 Eat to the Beat performer schedule:

• 8/30-31 – Blue October – “Into the Ocean”
• 9/1-3 – Tiffany – “I Think We’re Alone Now”
• 9/4-5 – MercyMe – “I Can Only Imagine” NEW
• 9/6-7 – Glass Tiger – “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) NEW
• 9/8-9 – Tauren Wells – “Hills and Valleys” NEW
• 9/10-11 – Postmodern Jukebox
• 9/12-13 – TBD
• 9/14-16 – Baha Men – “Who Let The Dogs Out”
• 9/17-19 – TBD
• 9/20-21 – Living Color – “Cult of Personality”
• 9/22-23 – Sheila E – “The Glamorous Life” NEW
• 9/24-26 – Sugar Ray – “Every Morning”
• 9/17-28 – David Cook – “Light On”
• 9/29-30 – Jeffrey Osbourne – “On The Wings of Love”
• 10/1-2 – Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts – Various Hits
• 10/3-4 – Everclear – “Santa Monica”
• 10/5-7 – Mark Wills – “19 Somethin’”
• 10/8-10 – Air Supply – “All Out Of Love”
• 10/11-12 – TBD
• 10/13-14 – TBD
• 10/15-16 – 98 Degrees – “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” NEW
• 10/17-18 – 38 Special – “Hold On Loosely”
• 10/19-21 – Devon Allman Project – “Ragged and Dirty”
• 10/22-23 – TBD
• 10/24-25 – Billy Ocean – “Get Outta My Dreams”
• 10/26-28 – Starship featuring Mickey Thomas – “We Built This City”
• 10/29-31 – Hanson – “MMMBop”
• 11/1-2 – TBD
• 11/3-4 – Taylor Dayne – “Prove Your Love”
• 11/5-7 – Boyz II Men – “End Of The Road”
• 11/8-9 – The Hooters – “And We Danced”
• 11/10-12 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – “Go Daddy-O

The operating hours at Disney's Animal Kingdom have been updated and the number of days with Extra Magic Hours has been significantly increased.

From April 29 to June 30, 2018, there are morning Extra Magic Hours on a near daily basis, typically from 8am to 9am.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom, the EMH lineup includes Avatar - Flight of Passage, Na'vi River Journey, Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, and Triceratops Spin, with Kilimanjaro Safaris also available on some days.

The Friendship Boat service that runs from the Epcot area resort hotels to Disney's Hollywood Studios will be unavailable from early May 2018.

Work on the Swan and Dolphin bridge will close the boat service beginning May 7, 2018. During the work, the walkway across the bridge will remain open, and bus service to the Studios will remain operational as normal.

Impacted resorts include Disney's Yacht and Beach Club, Disney's BoardWalk Resort, and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels.

Looking to plan your next trip to Walt Disney World? Contact the agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel to help you plan your dream vacation. Email vacations@kingdomkonsultant.com for a free quote today.

Attention Disney Fashionistas! The Latest from The Dress Shop at Cherry Tree Lane!

Hey there, Disney Fashion Lovers!

     If you are anything of a Disney fashionista, you probably know all about Dapper Day and Disney Bounding, but for those of you who may not by privy yet, allow me to fill you in. Dapper Days started in 2011, by a non-Disney associated group of people, looking to celebrate Disney by putting on their Sunday best and enjoying a day in the parks. Participants often dress in vintage styles and wear outfits that pay homage to Disneyland's first days, in the 50's. There are events each spring and fall, both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Events are open to anyone who has park admission and you can find out more about the events by clicking HERE.

     Disney Bounding is another adorable Disney trend, also started by an independent Disney fan, back in 2011. Disney Bounding is a unique way to dress in every day street clothes, but in creative ways that are reminiscent of your favorite Disney characters. The trend has become hugely popular in the Disney theme parks and quite often intersects with the Dapper Day craze. Many Dapper Day attendees wear gorgeous, vintage outfits, inspired by Disney characters. I encourage you to check out some of the pictures on the Disney Bound website, by clicking HERE.

     Now if you are a fan of Dapper Day or Disney Bounding (or both!), you've likely heard about the incredible Dress Shop at Cherry Tree Lane at Disney Springs already. The shop is part of the Marketplace Co-Op shopping area and it has become hugely popular with Disney fashionistas for it's dreamy vintage looking Disney dresses and accessories, inspired by and themed to Disney movies like "Mary Poppins" and "Alice in Wonderland", and even Disney attractions like Haunted Mansion and the Tiki Room. I stopped by the shop the other day, and wow, do they have some incredible garments, bags and jewelry for sale right now! Let's check it all out!

     The dresses range in price from $108-$170, skirts and sweaters from $58-$78, and bags and accessories from $10-several hundred, (for the Dooney and Bourke bags, mostly). Dresses range from XS-3XL, making them open for a large variety of sizes and shapes. Several items and styles can even be purchased online, at shopdisney.com.

     Which one will you be wearing for the next Dapper Day, or your next park visit? Need help planning your trip? Contact the agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel from help planning each stylish detail.

      Until next time, Disney Fashion Lovers, have a magical week!

                                                                 - Jenn