Extra, extra read all about it… 

Disney has released LOTS of news recently!! Here is your Disney Nerds news highlights!!!!

Premium Bus Service

Have you ever gotten off of Space Mountain and had to get over to Epcot’s Coral Reef for a lunch reservation? If you’ve ever had that experience then you know that it is quite the hike to walk all the way back to the entrance, hop on the monorail, transfer to the EPCOT monorail at the TTC take the monorail trip to Epcot. For those of you that have complained about park to park trips like this, Disney World has heard your cry and now for $15 a day or $24 a trip (not including the annual pass holders or cast members) premium bus service will be available starting December 7, 2016. They will only offer park to park options transportation. That’s right folks, want to go from Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom?? Now, you just head on over to the premium bus stop at the exit of Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin. Here you will hop on a bus and take back roads over to Animal Kingdom and be dropped off near the Kilimanjaro Safari entrance. The buses will travel quicker utilizing backstage routes. The bus stops within each park are:

Magic Kingdom: Buzz Lightyear Ranger Spin exit area

Hollywood Studios: Adjacent to Rockin’ Roller Coaster Courtyard

Animal Kingdom: Near to Kilimanjaro Safari entrance

Epcot: East of Spaceship Earth

You can buy the upgrade when you buy tickets or at guest relations. The service will be available 10am to park closing with buses running every 30 minutes.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Have you ever wondered what they would do with all those booths that they use for Food and Wine, Flower and Garden and Holidays around the World???  It seems as though they’ve closed the gap between Holidays around the World and the Flower and Garden Festival. Enter the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. This will be taking place Friday through Mondays between January 13th and February 20. During this time guests visiting Epcot will be able to enjoy visual, culinary, and performing art exhibits. This includes a collaboration with Disney on Broadway. Performances from award winning shows including, but not limited to,  Aladdin, Lion King, and Newsies will take place at the American Gardens. Of course, no trip to an EPCOT festival is complete with out great food and wonderful beverages. I’m looking forward to experiencing this in January. I can’t wait to report back.

Highway in the Sky Dining Package

Please stand clear of the…. group of guests traveling to their next dining experience!!!! This is an opportunity to eat at all three monorail resorts in one night. You start by checking in at The Wave at the Contemporary Resort where you will enjoy a cocktail. Then you hop on the monorail and head on over for some South Seas flavor at the Polynesian Village resort. Here you will enjoy appetizers and another beverage. (I vote for some pot stickers and a Lapu Lapu, but that’s just me.) And then you move on to the Grand Floridian resort for an entrée and wine at Citricos followed by sparkling wine and cheese options in the lobby. You wrap up your evening back at the Contemporary Resort for dessert, coffee and spirits on a private balcony with a Cinderella castle backdrop and magical views of Wishes. This package started December 2nd at a cost of $150 per guest which includes gratuity and valet parking.

Welcome to the Dark side of EPCOT

I know one of our Disney Nerd expert’s predicted this one (cough, cough… Ed). Spaceship Earth, for a special event after hours event on December 5th, is being converted to the Death Star. That’s right, folks!!!! During a celebration for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars at Hollywood Studios Spaceship Earth will convert into the Death Star. This will happen through digital projection, of course. Much like the 24 hour event where it was converted into Mike Wasoski. This event is a local media and Disney Parks Blog meet-up. Tickets were available but were sold out quickly.  They will be sharing this transformation live via the Disney Parks Blog on December 5th at 10:25pm EST. Will you be tuning in???

For more news coming out of Disney parks listen to show number 160 of the Disney Nerds Podcast. Show #160: Park News and Things to be Thankful for..

Thanks for reading and have a magical day!!!

Lisa

I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse. – Walt Disney

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