The Academy Award and Grammy winning Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson has been tapped to direct the live-action/hybrid adaptation of the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic, The Aristocats, according to Deadline. What’s Happening: Oscar winning Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is reportedly taking the helm of a live-action/hybrid adaptation of the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic, The Aristocats. A […]
Spring is in the air! The Disneyland Resort is sporting vibrant springtime flowers, there’s an extra pep in our step, and the Spring Breakers have arrived in droves to enjoy some pre-Easter fun. To top that off, there have been some amazing accomplishments with projects wrapping up around the resort over the past couple of […]
There are many character meet-and-greet opportunities at Magic Kingdom, but today, we will focus on the experiences available in Fantasyland and Storybook Circus. These lands are where you’ll be able to find most of your favorite Disney princesses, and over by the circus, you’ll discover fan-favorite characters dressed in unique outfits.
Are you a fan of Disney Princesses? If you are, this is the place for you. This hall is separated into two separate areas. One section is Cinderella and a visiting princess, usually Elena of Avalor. The other line is for Princess Tiana and a visiting princess, which is almost always Rapunzel. This meet and greet does utilize Lighting Lane, and those that use DAS (Disability Access Service) can book a return time for the experience.
Over in the New Fantasyland area, visitors can meet two other princesses, Belle and Ariel. Enchanted Tales with Belle is an interactive experience where guests can play a part in Belle’s adventure with her friends in her library. I love this activity because it’s very immersive, it’s a great way to get the entire family involved, and I love the movie Beauty and the Beast. If you don’t want to wait in a long line, you can book a Lightning Lane. The Disability Access Service is also available here.
Not too far from Belle’s Cottage, you’ll find Ariels Grotto. This is another themed meet and greet, but this one doesn’t require any audience participation. Here you’ll dive into Ariel’s iconic grotto and meet her in her mermaid form. This location uses Lightning Lane and DAS return times. In my opinion, this is one of the coolest meet-and-greets at the Magic Kingdom.
Total Characters: 1
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger
These characters aren’t listed on the My Disney Experience app as of right now, so when I stumbled across them, I was shocked. The line to meet them was very long when I walked by, but the guests were so happy that they could meet them. The times and information aren’t on the app, but at the entrance of the queue, there’s a sign showing the hours.
You can meet some daring Disney pals like Donald, Goofy, Daisy, and Minnie Mouse here. Here they are known by different names that fit the “daring” theme of the meet and greet. The Amazing Donaldo is a charming snake charmer. The Great Goofini is a circus stuntman that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Minnie Magnifique is a Parisian poodle trainer. Last but not least, we have Madame Daisy Fortuna, a mysterious gypsy fortune-teller.
These character trade in their “everyday” outfits for clothes that match these different personas. I absolutely love this experience because of the costumes they wear here. It’s just so different from what they wear anywhere else. Unlike the other locations, they are not using a Lighting Lane at the moment, the queue isn’t built to have an extra line right now, but that could change one day.
Oh, one last one! Make sure to pay attention when wandering around Cinderella Castle because you might be able to find the evil step sisters meeting guests nearby. Sometimes they can be tricky to spot but meeting them is always a blast.
That marks the end of our meet-and-greet journey through Fantasyland. If you were to meet all of these characters, you’d interact with fourteen of them just in this one land. Which of these interactions is on your must-do list? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Hulu has teased the arrival of the third season of the fan-favorite series, The Kardashians, which is due to arrive on the streaming platform later this May. What’s Happening: Hulu has released the new teaser for the third season of The Kardashians, set to debut on linear television tonight during the finale of The Bachelor on ABC. […]
TRON Lightcycle / Run soft opened this past week at Magic Kingdom, ahead of its official grand opening on April 4, 2023. The individual Lightning Lane price has been high, although not the highest, at $20 per person. Individual Lightning Lane has been selling out quickly each day, however, as reported by mouse.metrics on Instagram and thrill-data.com.
Source: mouse.metrics on Instagram
The TRON Lightcycle / Run virtual queue has been filling up within seconds at its 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. openings, which is not unusual for any Walt Disney World virtual queue. On Monday, March 20 — the first day of the soft opening — individual Lightning Lane sold out at 7:00 a.m. In the days following, it sold out at 7:25 a.m., 7:40 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 8:55 a.m., and 9:15 a.m. Usually, individual Lightning Lane options are available throughout the day and don’t sell out so soon, but demand for TRON Lightcycle / Run is high.
With individual Lightning Lane, guests can purchase a time for their party to arrive at a few specific attractions. The Disney Genie Tip Board will tell guests when the next Lightning Lane window is for eligible attractions. The Tip Board will clarify which attractions are available individually and which are available through Genie+. Visiting an attraction’s landing page within the app will also show an option for booking Lightning Lane.
See our guide here for step-by-step instructions to purchase Individual Lightning Lane.
As of today, two attractions at Magic Kingdom offer the option to purchase Individual Lightning Lane access: TRON Lightcycle / Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
Guests should be warned that these attractions are not included in the similarly named Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane.
Have you entered The Grid on TRON Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments.
TRON Lightcycle / Run
TRON Lightcycle / Run is located right behind Space Mountain in Tomorrowland. It’s outside the park’s berm, and is housed in a sweeping white canopy, which helps hide a boxy show building. A walkway between Tomorrowland and Storybook Circus is also available.
Guests enter by walking under the canopy, known as the Upload Conduit. Upon uploading to The Grid, guests will join Team Blue in a race to cross through eight energy gates before the opposing Team Orange.
As you approach the entrance, there are two TRON ride vehicles to the left. They serve two purposes – so you can try them out and know what to expect when you get inside, and they provide a nice photo op.
There are double-sided lockers before the load area so guests can safely stow their personal belongings. Lockers are unlocked with MagicBands or plastic ticket cards; MagicMobile tickets on smartphones do not work, and guests without physical ticket media must request a white RFID card from Cast Members.
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Opening Day is just around the corner, which means baseball fans are getting excited for another season of home runs, doubleheaders and the Mets still paying Bobby Bonilla. If you’re looking for something to watch in the meantime to help build that anticipation, Disney+ has you covered. There’s plenty of baseball-related content on the streamer and… […]
Magic Kingdom is the best park for buying Genie+ at Walt Disney World on peak dates in 2023. For this day with Lightning Lanes, I tested my strategy for skipping standby lines to see how much time could be saved when Park Hopping to Magic Kingdom. This Genie+ photo report walks you through my step-by-step […]
Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd, and Walt Disney World has just released a full lineup of new food and drinks inspired by Planet Earth.
The Walt Disney Company is dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint, supporting conservation efforts, and finding ways for all of us to take part in the magic of nature this Earth Month as part of Disney Planet Possible. Let’s peek at this year’s Foodie Guide to Earth Month at Walt Disney World Resort.
Rum and Pineapple Cocktail: Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Blue Curaçao Liquor, sour mix, pineapple juice garnish with pineapple wedge showcasing the ocean. The drink takes its name “bahari” from the Swahili word for “ocean.”
Flamingo Cupcake: Strawberry cake, strawberry compote filling, guava buttercream, pink crispy pearls, sugar flamingo, and white chocolate wings (Available starting March 28)
Bubbling Pink Lagoon: Strawberry lemonade, Sprite, and kiwi flavoring (Also available with glow cube and available with vodka for guests 21 and over) (Available March 28 through April 30) (New)
Gin and Bitters Cocktail: Cruxland Gin, bitters, and soda water garnished with a lemon wheel and honey simple syrup Inspired by the use of strategically placed beehives to protect the crops of African farmers from elephants (New)
Pizzafari(Available March 28 through April 30; mobile order available)
Elephant Cupcake: Graham cracker cake, pineapple filling with matcha buttercream, crispy pearls, and a stunning white chocolate elephant celebrating Earth Month (New)
Viva Gaia Tonic: Minute Maid Zero Sugar Lemonade, Sprite, and cotton candy flavor with mint leaves (Also available with glow cube and available with vodka for guests 21 and over)(New)
Restaurantosaurus(Available March 28 through April 30; mobile order available)
Elephant Cupcake: Graham cracker cake, pineapple filling with matcha buttercream, crispy pearls, and a stunning white chocolate elephant celebrating Earth Month
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail Sundae: Brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and trail crunch mix topped with a white chocolate image of Kejana (New)
A variety of plant-based items including Cauliflower Bunny Chow, Black-eyed Pea Salad, IMPOSSIBLE Bobotie, Feisty Green Beans, Tandoori Tomatoes, Carrot and Chickpea Salad, Jollof Rice with Plant-based Sausage, Garlic-leek Hummus, and Harira Soup
Tiger Eye Gold: Refreshing, light golden ale brewed with a blend of malt and rice and finished with hops from the Pacific Northwest that impart a hint of citrus flavor and the aroma of mandarin orange blossoms
Chaat: Seasonal vegetables from The Land at EPCOT and potato croquette with chana masala, kale pakora, tamarind, coriander chutney, and coconut raita (New) (Plant-based)
Honeycomb Cocktail: A tribute to global conservation through bee pollination featuring Four Roses Bourbon, lemon juice, and honey garnished with a dehydrated blood orange and honeycomb (New)
Available at Various Pool Bars Across Disney Resort Hotels (Available April 1 through May 31)
Cucumber Gimlet: Inspired by bright, refreshing flavors of spring and garden vegetables like cucumber, lime juice, and simple syrup topped with soda water with a chili-lime rim and cucumber garnish (New)
We are learning more about the upcoming new series, The Muppets Mayhem, which pushes Kermit and the usual gang aside in favor of a focus on the house band, Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, thanks to a first look over at EW. What’s Happening: The Muppets Mayhem is set to debut on Disney+ later this year, […]
Disney has updated the release date for a Star Wars Series (again). And, see how you can watch some episodes right now! Young Jedi Adventures At last year’s D23 event, Disney announced a fun new Star Wars series geared toward children! Young Jedi Adventures is a series of animated shorts that will follow the adventures […]
