A new live show debuted in World Celebration Gardens at EPCOT this week. “Sources of Nature by AntiGravity” features aerial acrobatic performers representing Mother Nature and different elements.

Sources of Nature by AntiGravity

Crew members installed a new set piece in the Inspiration Garden of World Celebration. It’s a large orb made of green poles representing Earth. Strips of green and blue fabric hang across its top.

The Earth sits on a black platform atop a bronze base, which matches the nearby tree-like structures. Small circular platforms jut out of the base.

During the performance, the Earth and the black platform spin. The performer in green garb represents Mother Nature. She takes center stage during the show.

The performers climb over the globe as it spins, performing impressive acrobatic feats to music.

AntiGravity Orlando has worked with Walt Disney World several times, including for the Art Defying Gravity show during the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts.

Sources of Nature is about 16 minutes long. Times are not publicly posted but we saw performances at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. on Sunday.

The elements other than Mother Nature represented are ice, wind, rain, and fire. The performer above is ice.

This performer is wind. They all wear leotards with similar fringe and gemstones.

They each have unique makeup and hair styling. The fire performer wears red and orange.

The rain performer has a black leotard with blue hair and makeup.

Mother Nature’s leotard is more intricate with green foliage and pink flowers. She performs on the top of the globe, with Spaceship Earth in the background.

After the show, the performers posed for photos.

Watch our video of Sources of Nature by AntiGravity below.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post PHOTOS, VIDEO: New Sources of Nature by AntiGravity Acrobatics Show at EPCOT appeared first on WDW News Today.

A walkway connecting World Nature and World Celebration near the Imagination! Pavilion of EPCOT has reopened following a month of construction.

EPCOT Walkway Reopens

The walkway is circled in the above map of the area. It’s a short path connected to the EPCOT rosewalk.

Construction walls previously blocked the walkway but these have been removed. The construction walls that remain up are around CommuniCore Hall and Plaza construction. These new spaces will open in June.

Several walkways converge at this large triangular flowerbed. It has concrete benches at its corners.

There is one green scrim wall behind a bench in the planter.

Shrubs and three trees fill the flowerbed.

The pavement in the area appears to have been replaced.

Here’s a close-up look at the speckled ground.

There are also lights in the flowerbed to illuminate the park at night.

Part of the rosewalk, which runs around the lagoon from World Celebration to World Showcase, was previously closed for five weeks of construction.

EPCOT has been undergoing a years-long reimagining, with several construction projects throughout the former Future World. The land is now World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery. The opening of CommuniCore will mark the end of the reimagining.

A National Geographic special about the park’s transformation called “EPCOT Becoming” will premiere in April. Although we doubt this EPCOT walkway will be heavily featured, it will cover Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Journey of Water Inspired by “Moana,” and “Luminous: The Symphony of Us.”

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post EPCOT Walkway Near Imagination Pavilion Reopens Following Construction appeared first on WDW News Today.

Walt Disney World posted a casting call for female vocalists to portray the Sanderson Sisters in the “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” stage show during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom.

Disney Casting Sanderson Sisters

The Sanderson Sisters from “Hocus Pocus” join Disney Villains during the show in front of Cinderella Castle three or four times during the hard-ticket Halloween event.

The casting call states rehearsals will begin in mid-July. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is on select nights from August through Halloween. Exact dates have not been announced.

Performers should vocally and physically impersonate Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson, Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson, and Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson. Here are the descriptions of each sister from the casting call:

“Winifred Sanderson:  Winifred Sanderson is the leader of the Sanderson sisters and the main antagonist. She is the eldest and the wickedest of the sisters, as well as the most intelligent. She is very sensitive to people calling her ugly and she is prone to being melodramatic.”

“Mary Sanderson: Mary Sanderson, the middle sister, is often complimenting and comforting Winifred as she constantly seeks her approval. She has the ability to sniff out the presence of children and loves to eat. She is the most observant of the three and she sports a crooked mouth.”

“Sarah Sanderson: Sarah Sanderson is the youngest and most beautiful Sanderson sister. She is not particularly intelligent and she is often prancing around and goofing off. She uses a siren-like ability to lure children through song. She loves to play with people and hates those who reject her.”

Candidates must sing well including “tight harmony, excellent comic timing, and high movement ability.” The posting asks performers to sing “I Put A Spell On You,” famously featured in the “Hocus Pocus” film and “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.”

Submissions will be accepted through April 12, 2024, by 11:30 p.m. EST. Potential in-person callbacks are scheduled for May 10,  2024, in Orlando. Performers will only be notified by April 26 if they are being considered for a callback.

Applicants must be at least 18 and authorized to work in the United States. Disney College Program Cast Members are not eligible unless they are 8 weeks from the end of their program.

Apply on the Disney Auditions website.

Watch our video of “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party last year:

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post ‘Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular’ Confirmed to Return for 2024 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party appeared first on WDW News Today.

Construction walls have shifted slightly during the courtyard construction at the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT.

Morocco Pavilion Construction

We reported a week ago on the new construction walls taking up much of the pavilion’s front courtyard.

Scaffolding and scrim cover the archway entrances into the rest of the pavilion. But construction walls have been pulled back from this area. They no longer run right up around the scaffolding.

There is now a pathway between the construction walls and scaffolding. Guests can enter the pavilion through the scaffolding or another doorway on the Tangierine Cafe side of the courtyard.

For reference, the photo above shows what this area looked like when construction began:

On the other side of the pavilion’s main entrance, a small construction wall has been removed. More scaffolding and scrim jut into the space where it used to be. A rolling planter sits in front of this scaffolding.

Another rolling planter has replaced a construction wall on the other side of this pathway.

The pavilion’s regular dining and shopping options all remain open during construction.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Construction Walls Moved During Morocco Pavilion Work in EPCOT appeared first on WDW News Today.

Dahlia Lounge has overhauled their menu and eliminated a guest favorite, new props are in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, and the Easter pre-parade has returned for the holiday weekend — all this and more in today’s daily recap for Saturday, March 30, 2024.

Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• Nearly every year at the Magic Kingdom, a special Easter pre-parade takes place before the Festival of Fantasy parade for the holiday weekend — see our photos and full video of this year’s performance.
• As construction continues for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom, we noticed some new Frontierland props placed in front of the Frontierland station as the area continues to get a refresh with props common to the period. 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• After being removed, one of the traffic signals in Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been refurbished and returned.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

• Disney has added more themed signs to the new Harambe Market seating area at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

• Dahlia Lounge at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort has overhauled their menu and eliminated a popular dish.
• During our most recent trip to Disney’s BoardWalk, we saw crew members adding steel roofing to the dormers on The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers. 

New Merchandise

• A new “it’s a small world” Spirit Jersey and ear headband have sailed into Walt Disney World.
• There’s a new shining, shimmering ear headband inspired by Princess Jasmine at Walt Disney World.
• A new Walt Disney World baseball jersey, Walt Disney World Spirit Jersey, and Disneyland opening day speech T-shirt have arrived at the Magic Kingdom.
• A new Disney Munchlings collection is coming soon to DisneyStore.com and likely to Disney Parks at the same time.

Disneyland Resort

• A new pair of Disneyland Resort Crocs feature icons representing the resort’s two theme parks.
• A Zazu shoulder plush has arrived at Disneyland Resort in honor of the 30th anniversary of “The Lion King” this year.

Entertainment and Media

Disney+

• Disney released the first teaser trailer for “Disney Junior’s Ariel,” a new series inspired by both the animated and live-action “The Little Mermaid” films.

WDW News Today

New Menu! Trying Everything at Dahlia Lounge

That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

The post  Dahlia Lounge Overhauls Menu, Eliminates a Guest Favorite & More: Daily Recap (3/30/24) appeared first on WDW News Today.