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Ears the News with Richard

Ears the News is brought to you courtesy of our friends at WDWMagic.com.


--Epcot's Living with the Land boat ride will be closing for a short refurbishment in September 2015. The closure begins on September 8 and runs through to September 17 2015.
 

Walt Disney World Resort will once again be celebrating Independence Day with special firework displays, patriotic character meet and greets, and music concerts on July 3 and July 4 2015.
Magic Kingdom
“Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” will be performed at 9:00 PM on both July 3 and July 4.
Park hours are July 3 – 8:00 AM to 1:00 AM, with Extra Magic Hours 1:00 AM to 3:00 AM. July 4 – 8:00 AM to 1: AM.

Disney's Hollywood Studios
“Rockin’ Fourth of July Celebration” fireworks show at 10:15 PM on July 4.
Park hours are 9:00 AM to midnight, with morning Extra Magic Hours from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM.

Epcot
“Illuminations: Reflections of Earth” with July 4 finale at 10pm on July 4.
Park hours are 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with evening Extra Magic Hours from 10:00 PM to 12:00 AM.
The Voices of Liberty will perform a Fourth of July concert at the America Gardens Theatre at 12:30 PM, 1:45 PM, and 3:00 PM, and in the American Adventure pavilion at 4:15 PM and 5:00 PM. Special patriotic character greetings also are available at various times throughout the day at the American Adventure.
 

--The dates are now available for the 2015 winter refurbishments of both Walt Disney World water parks.
This year, Blizzard beach will be closing first, with its refurbishment beginning on October 25 2015 through to January 2 2016.
Typhoon Lagoon will then close for its refurbishment on January 3 2016, through to March 12 2016.


--Beginning next week, Disney's Animal Kingdom will be testing a new arrival experience at park opening.
On non-Extra Magic Hour days, guests will be able to enter The Oasis area of the park 30 minutes before the rest of the park officially opens - typically at 9:00 AM.
The park frequently has long backups of guests at the turnstiles before opening, and allowing guests to enter through the turnstiles before the park opens should help to stagger arrivals and reduce congestion. The early entry will also allow guests to plan their day with Cast Member assistance, and make any last minute FastPass+ selections.
No attractions will be open, and guests will be limited to just The Oasis area at the front of the park.



--Disney has just released the brochures for the 2016 Disney Dining Plans, and a notable change is that appetizers are no longer included as part of the Deluxe Dining Plan.
In previous years, the Deluxe Dining Plan has given guests dining at table service restaurants an Appetizer, Entrée, Dessert and Non-Alcoholic Beverage.
The brochure for 2016 lists only an Entrée, Dessert, and Non-Alcoholic Beverage for table service dining suggesting that the appetizer option has been removed.

 

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