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Ears the News: August 25, 2017 Edition


Welcome to the latest edition of Ears the News

Brought to you by our friends at WDWMagic.com.


Beginning September 8, 2017, Disney's Hollywood Studios will offer a new Fantasmic! Dessert & VIP Viewing Experience.

It all starts at the Fantasmic! theater where you’ll pick up your snacks inspired by the show. Menu items feature a variety of sweet and salty treats for adults or children such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, cheese and crackers and make-your-own “worms and dirt” pudding.

Each guest also receives a light-up cup with a specialty drink (alcoholic optional for Guests 21 and older), along with a bottle of water.
After you pick up your food and beverage, you’ll be directed to a VIP reserved seating area for Fantasmic!

The Fantasmic! Dessert & VIP Viewing Experience costs $39 per adult and $19 per child (ages 3 to 9).

Reservations can be made now online.

Alongside the new Grand Avenue redevelopment of the old Streets of America, Disney has announced that the Muppets Courtyard will be renamed Grand Park.

Muppets Courtyard had only a short existence at Disney's Hollywood Studios, with it being named in March 2016, coinciding with the closure of Streets of America.

The current Muppets Courtyard will become Grand Park, an urban square off Grand Avenue surrounded by shops and restaurants like PizzeRizzo and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano.

The Muppets theater was recently renamed “Grand Arts Theatre” along with a brand-new marquee.

Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

Cinderella's Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom is scheduled to be closed late February 2018.

The closure begins February 28 through to March 2.

Disney has just released a new version of My Disney Experience that brings a couple of very useful features to app.

First, for Annual Passholders, it is now possible to renew a pass directly from the My Disney Experience app.

And for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests, you can now view room charges and Disney Dining Plan entitlements/usage directly in the app. This should make it easy to keep track of the remaining Dining Plan meals and snacks throughout your trip.

For the iOS version, the update also adds compatibility for the upcoming iOS11.

The updates for iOS and Android are available in the App Store and Google Play.

Disney's Animal Kingdom is celebrating the birth of a pair of Sumatran tiger cubs - the very first in the park's history.

According to Dr Mark Penning, 'Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks,' Sohni and her cubs are bonding well and will be out on the Maharajah Jungle Trek within the next several months.

Fewer than 500 Sumatran tigers exist in the wild, with the species critically endangered. These tiger cubs were bred by animal care experts at Disney's Animal Kingdom through the Species Survival Plan, which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

You can visit DisneyAnimals.com to learn more about tigers and how you can support them in the wild. Check out the video of the tiger cubs from the Disney Parks Blog. 


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

The Patina Restaurant group will be opening a new Italian restaurant concept at Disney Springs later this year - "Maria and Enzo."

Located in The Landing alongside the water, and part of the complex of buildings that will also house The Edison, the new restaurant will further develop the storyline of Disney Springs.

As the story goes, "Maria and Enzo" will repurpose a former airline terminal complete with an underground rum running tunnel, with The Edison taking over a former electrical power plant.

This particular location has been shrouded in mystery for sometime, with a restaurant called "Walts" originally tipped for the spot.

Both "The Edison" and "Maria and Enzo" are planned to open in the fall of 2017, with the later yet to be formally announced.

The first Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for 2017 will be held this Friday, August 25 at the Magic Kingdom and WDWMagic has provided a look at the entertainment schedule, dining, attractions, and trick or treat locations to help you plan your night.

As always, the event begins at 7:00pm through to midnight, although party ticket holders can enter the park at 4pm. Learn more about tickets and pricing for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

The hugely popular Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show at Cinderella Castle will be performed three times during each night during August and September 2017 at 8:15pm, 10:45pm and 12:00am. For October and November 2017, showtimes are 7:40pm, 8:35pm, 10:45pm and 12am.
Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

The Mickey's Boo-To-You Parade is at 9:15pm and 11:15pm with a Zootopia Party Patrol pre-show, and Happy Hallowishes fireworks is at 10:15pm. The Headless Horseman appears 5 minutes before each parade, stepping off in Frontierland.

The Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball Dance Party on the Tomorrowland Stage runs from 7pm to midnight. And keep an eye out for the Cadaver Dans musical group roaming Frontierland throughout the night.

Over at the Haunted Mansion, you might run into Carlotta and Rinotta.

Special merchandise and treats are back - with a special edition MagicBand, a special edition Trading Pin, and of course the event T-Shirt.

A large variety of special treats are available throughout the park, here is a run-down of what they are and where you can get them.
Photo courtesy of WDWMagic.com.

At the Main Street Bakery and Gaston’s Tavern, you will find a Pumpkin Cheesecake Dome with a graham cracker streusel base, orange white chocolate glaze and a white chocolate Mickey.

The Haunted Mansion Desserts – each with a different flavor and themed chocolate accent – can be tracked down at:
  • Aloha Isle – chocolate tart filled with chocolate ganache and topped with Oreo panna cotta and a white chocolate Haunted Mansion-inspired portrait. 
  • Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies – chocolate tart filled with raspberry compote and topped with white chocolate mousse and a Haunted Mansion-inspired white chocolate portrait. 
  • Liberty Square Market – chocolate tart filled with chocolate ganache and topped with peanut butter icing and a Haunted Mansion-inspired white chocolate portrait. 
  • Storybook Treats – chocolate tart filled with lemon curd, strawberry compote and topped with strawberry mousse and a Haunted Mansion-inspired white chocolate portrait. 
Jack Skellington gets his own dessert at Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square – a vanilla panna cotta, chocolate cake, vanilla buttercream, white chocolate and dark chocolate crisp pearls, dark chocolate curls and a white chocolate Jack Skellington.

A Pumpkin Mickey Waffle with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, sprinkles and caramel sauce will be offered at Sleepy Hollow.

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café will offer Worms and Dirt, a chocolate gravestone with chocolate cake and chocolate mousse with a chocolate glaze topped with Oreo crumbs, and gummy candy.

Chocolate Crisped Rice Treats and Vampire Mickey Brownies will be available at various outdoor vending and kiosks throughout the Magic Kingdom Park.

Trick or Treat Locations at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

The Trick or Treat location are included with park admission and can be found at:

Adventureland
  • Jungle Cruise 
  • Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room 
  • Pirates of the Caribbean 
Liberty Square
  • Liberty Square Riverboat 
Fantasyland
  • Pinocchio Village Haus 
  • Mickey's PhilharMagic 
  • Pete's Silly Sideshow 
Tomorrowland
  • Stitch's Great Escape! 
  • Carousel of Progress 
  • Space Mountain 
  • Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe Bay 1 
Available Attractions at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Main Street U.S.A.
  • Town Square Theater
  • Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom 
Adventureland
  • Pirates of the Caribbean 
  • Magic Carpets of Aladdin 
  • Swiss Family Treehouse 
Frontierland
  • Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 
  • Country Bear Jamboree 
Liberty Square
  • Haunted Mansion 
Fantasyland
  • it's a Small World 
  • Peter Pan's Flight 
  • Prince Charming Regal Carrousel 
  • Princess Fairytale Hall 
  • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 
  • Mad Tea Party 
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 
  • Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid 
  • Dumbo the Flying Elephant 
  • The Barnstormer 
Tomorrowland
  • Tomorrowland Speedway 
  • Space Mountain 
  • Astro Orbiter 
  • Tomorrowland Transit Authority: PeopleMover 
  • Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin 
  • Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor (Final show at 10pm) 
Dining at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Main Street U.S.A.
  • Main Street Bakery 
  • Plaza Ice Cream Parlor 
  • Casey's Corner
  • Crystal Palace 
Adventureland
  • Aloha Isla 
Frontierland
  • Pecos Bills Tall Tale Inn 
  • Churro Cart 
Liberty Square
  • Sleepy Hollow 
Liberty Square Market
  • Columbia Harbor House (until 8pm) 
Fantasyland
  • The Friars Nook 
  • Storybook Treats 
  • Gaston's Tavern 
  • Be Our Guest Restaurant 
  • Cinderella's Royal Table 
Tomorrowland
  • Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe 
  • Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies 
  • The Lunching Pad 

Character Meet and Greets at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Adventureland
  • Aladdin and friends 
  • Tarzan and friends, Moana 
  • Captain Jack Sparrow 
Liberty Square
  • Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas 
Fantasyland
  • Anastasia and Drizella, Cinderella, Cruella DeVil, Daisy, Donald, Alice and friends, Belle and friends, Ariel and friends, Pooh and friends, Minnie Mouse, Princess Elena, Princess Tiana, Rapunzel, the Seven Dwarfs. 
Tomorrowland
  • Lotso 
Main Street U.S.A.
  • Mickey Mouse


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.

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