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New Workshop activities at selected resorts

As most people know,  a holiday at Disney is about more than just visiting the parks. There is so much to do in and around the resorts too.

A new offering is a series of painting workshops across Walt Disney World.

On most Sundays and Wednesdays (at midday) Animal Kingdom Lodge is offering the ‘Wild about Painting’ experience. This will teach you to paint an animal-inspired masterpiece. It takes place on the Kuba Terrace just outside the Jambo House Lobby, and includes a cocktail or non-alcoholic beverage.

The Boardwalk resort is offering two workshops. ‘Canvas Painting on Boards’ takes place in the Trattoria al Forno restaurant on Tuesday afternoons, and ‘Wine Glass Painting on the Boards’ is at Abracadabar on Thursday afternoons. Both include snacks and a cocktail or non-alcoholic beverage.

Finally is an experience just for DVC members and their guests. ‘Painting with a View’ takes place in the Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower, this is available on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. You can learn how to paint a classic Disney images, along with breakfast (for the morning classes), snacks (for the afternoon classes) and a non-alcoholic drink or a glass of wine or beer. As this is for members only you will need to show your membership card.

All three are for guests aged 12+ and last for 2 hours. Each costs $50 per person.

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Room details and floor plans released for latest DVC resort

The latest DVC resort is due to open later this year and this week Disney released more details about the accommodation it will provide.

The Riviera Resort is located between Hollywood Studios and Epcot and is adjacent to The Caribbean Resort (a moderate level resort).  It will have its own station for the Skyliner – the new Disney gondola system – giving easy access to both of these parks. It is officially classed as an Epcot Area Resort and will have 300 rooms. Theming is based around the Riviera in the south of France.

Like all DVC resorts there will be Deluxe Studios (sleeping 5), 1 bedroom villas (sleeping 5), 2 bedroom villas (sleeping 9), and 3 bedroom grand villas (sleeping 12). However they are adding an additional room type, the Tower Studio. This will sleep 2 and offers a slightly cheaper option.

Like all DVC resorts, some rooms will be available for cash sales. Prices in £ have not yet been released, but US prices are as follows:

Tower Studio – from $486 per night
Deluxe Studio – from $662 per night
1 bedroom villa – from $984 per night
2 bedroom villa – from $1519 per night
3 bedroom villa – from $3110 per night

One interesting design feature included in these rooms is a double Murphy bed. A lot of DVC studios already utilise. A small drop down Murphy bed under the TV which is perfect for a child to sleep on (our youngest uses these when we go), but these double ones have not yet been seen at a DVC resort.  Rather than using a sofa bed, all room types excluding the grand villa will have a pull down Queen size bed which will come down over the top of the sofa. I imagine that this will please a lot of people who don’t like sleeping on the sofa beds, but still retains a sofa available for use during the day.

Disney have not yet released a points chart for the Rivera but if we look at the cash prices for rooms, it looks as if they are aiming at a similar level to Boardwalk.

More images and floor plans can be found at WDW News Today.

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Dates announced for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2019

Mickey and Minnie at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom ParkSo quite a bit earlier than usual Disney have released dates for this year’s Halloween Party.  Usually dates are released and tickets go on sale around April/May, but this year it would seem that Disney want us to be planning early.

This is a good thing as it can help people budget for the party if they know it is going to be on when they are there, or it can help them plan park days if they are not going to the party.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (known as MNSSHP) is a hard-ticketed event held in Magic Kingdom from 7pm till park closing on a selection of dates from mid-August until the end of October. If you buy a party ticket you can enter from 4pm without having to buy a regular park ticket. If you don’t have a park ticket then you will need to leave the park before the party starts. And yes, they do police it – if you don’t have a party wristband they will ensure you leave the park. This means that there is not a regular showing of ‘Happily Ever After’ (the firework show) on party nights.

We love MNSSHP having now done it three times. This is the only time that guests over the age of 14 are allowed to dress up in costumes (the best aspect of the party as far as I’m concerned), there is free candy, special fireworks, a special parade and show, Halloween themed snacks and desserts, along with merchandise

This year there are 36 dates and are as follows:

August – 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30

September – 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27 and 29

October – 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29 and 31

November – 1

Ticket prices are from $85-135 for adults and $74-130 for children (under 10). Slight discounts apply to some dates for DVC Members and Annual Passholders.

Tickets can be purchased from the Disney World website

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Exciting news from D23

‘D23 Desitiation D: Celebrating Mickey Mouse’ is currently taking place at WDW. Disney Parks were live blogging the news as it was announced earlier today, and here are the highlights!

With Star Wars: Galaxy Edge opening towards the end of next year, the names of two signature attractions have been announced: Milennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

More details about the new deluxe resort have been announced. Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge will be a nature inspired resort with both hotel rooms and DVC villas.

One of the most anticipated announcements was probably details about the new nighttime show planned to replace Illuminations at Epcot. Due to launch in 2020 it will celebrate Disney music and feature floating set pieces, fountains, lights, pyrotechnics and lasers, all centred around the World Showcase Lagoon. Of course many will be sad to see Illuminations go, but it has probably run its course.

More details were given about the new ride in the France pavilion at Epcot. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is expected to be the same as the existing ride at Walt Disney Studios at Disneyland Paris and will be a welcome addition to the ride options at Epcot.

Finally there are two new experiences debuting in 2019 focused around Mickey Mouse. Firstly, a new nighttime spectacular at Hollywood Studios (most likely replacing the Star Wars Fireworks, rather than Fantasmic). Secondly the long awaited replacement for The Great Movie Ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open.

For Disneyland California there was the news that Mickey’s Soundsational Parade is set to return in January 2019

Keep up to date with news on the Disney Parks website.