March is finally here! The clocks are about to spring forward, temperatures are climbing, and I celebrated my birthday! This was also a busy week for the Disney theme parks, where we learned a significant amount of news in the last several days.
With Disney Channel Nite taking place this week at Disneyland Resort, there has been plenty of hustle and bustle around the theme parks. There has also been a series of exciting news updates, which we’ll dive into today!
Reservations Open For 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
The last of the Table Service restaurants to reopen since the temporary pandemic closures began in 2020, 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will welcome guests back on April 10. Advance reservations went live this week for breakfast and dinner.
The character buffet dining experience will feature familiar and new faces as guests dine, including Aladdin in his Prince Ali look, Alice, Cinderella, Maribel, and Princess Tiana in a brand-new outfit that will also be seen on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Disney also released a Foodie Guide for guests, highlighting classic menu items like the Grand Floridian Strawberry Soup.
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE DISNEY DINING PLAN AND WHETHER YOU SHOULD PURCHASE IT FOR YOUR NEXT DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
New Characters and Locations Will Debut on Star Tours This April
Last year at Destination D23, we learned that a series of updates would debut on the simulator attraction Star Tours. This week, we learned more details about the additions, which will go live on April 5.
Guests will be able to encounter characters and locations from the Disney+ original series ‘Ahsoka,’ ‘Andor,’ and ‘The Mandalorian.’ Star Tour will continue to offer a randomized ride sequence, with the new additions bringing the total number of possible ride combinations to over 250! These changes will take place at all three Star Tours locations: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT WHAT WAS ANNOUNCED AT DESTINATION D23
CEO Bob Iger Gives Update On Avatar Experience Coming to Disneyland Resort
This week, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger participated in a conference hosted by Morgan Stanley. In a question-and-answer discussion, the topic of theme park expansion was raised, and fans learned more insight into the mysterious Avatar “experience” Disney first alluded to in early 2023.
In discussing Avatar, Iger mentioned, “We have one Avatar-based land, Pandora, in Florida. We’re going to put a second one in California.” This could indicate that an actual full-size land is on its way to Disneyland Resort, but the exact details remain to be confirmed. Iger also mentioned that Disneyland had enough land to be expanded by 50%.
Avatar was not the only potential new land discussed. Iger added that Disney “could actually build seven new full lands if we wanted to around the world,” implying that there was plenty of available acreage for development. Hopefully, we hear more details about expansions at the D23 Expo this August.
CLICK HERE FOR FOOLPROOF TIPS FOR YOUR FIRST DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
Magic Keys Brought Back on Sale at Disneyland Resort
If you’ve been in the market for a Magic Key at Disneyland Resort, this week was likely an exciting one. That’s because Disneyland brought the sale of Magic Key passes back online, with all four levels available for purchase and upgrades.
As of this writing, sales of the Southern California resident-exclusive Imagine Key has been paused but is still available for renewal. The other three options still available for purchase, renewals, and upgrades.
CLICK HERE TO START PLANNING YOUR 2024 DISNEYLAND RESORT VACATION.
Limited Time Magic Key Offering Coming to Disney California Adventure
Disneyland Magic Key holders will have a limited-time opportunity to meet characters and collect a complimentary memento. It was announced this week that a pop-up area near Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure will be available for Magic Key holders March 11 through 14 and March 18 through 21. This opportunity will be available from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm on each of the days.
At Hyperion Theater, Magic Key holders will be able to check out photo ops with “special characters from select animated feature films.” Disney dropped some emoji hints as to what the characters may be, and it appears as though it could be characters from Mulan and Alice and Wonderland. In addition to the characters, a free Magic Key magnet will be available for redemption during this time (nothing says Disneyland Annual Pass/Magic Key events like a free magnet!).
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE SPECIAL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS COMING TO DISNEYLAND RESORT IN 2024.
App Updates Incoming For Disney World and Disneyland Dining Reservations
Making Advance Dining Reservations on the Disney World and Disneyland apps will soon be a much more seamless experience. Disney is rolling out updates on both platforms that will introduce a new 10-day outlook with just a single search. As Disney puts it, it will greatly enhance the experience of booking dining reservations before and during your vacation.
This update comes with other new features on the apps, like the ability to see an entire day’s worth of available reservation times. Guests can also interact with a new feature that easily allows them to locate nearby food locations offering Mobile Order.
