Skyliner updates, Festival of the Holidays, Runaway Railway sneak preview, and farewell to Illuminations. Here is a look at some of the biggest stories of the week around the Diz Planet.
Walt Disney World Resort shared the first look at stunning vistas seen along the Disney Skyliner routes this week.
When Disney Skyliner takes flight, Sept. 29, 2019, guests aboard this complimentary transportation system will see one-of-a-kind views of woodlands, waterways and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot – with familiar Disney pals appearing to be along for the ride.
In addition to convenient theme park access, guests staying at Disney Skyliner resorts will have quick-and-easy transportation to a world of other dining and entertainment options. These include all the fun of Disney’s BoardWalk entertainment district, access to Epcot through the International Gateway station, and restaurants and recreation found at the multiple resort hotels serviced by Disney Skyliner.
Disney Skyliner conveniently connects Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios with four resort hotels – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the new Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Disney Vacation Club resort that will open Dec. 16, 2019.
Check out the video below and keep checking the Diz Planet for updates as Disney Skyliner takes to the skies Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019!
Fall begins Monday with the autumnal equinox, and visions of holiday happenings already are dancing in our heads! The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth is gearing up for a glittering music-and-entertainment-filled, treat-forward kickoff Nov. 29. The annual event, enhanced park-wide with sparkling holiday lights and festive decor, will continue through Dec. 30, 2019.
From day one of the festival, 13 Holiday Kitchens plus additional food-and-beverage locations (more than 25 in all) across Epcot will serve a delectable array of bites, sips and creative treats. Your holiday tasting journey might begin with Slow-Roasted Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Cranberry Sauce at the American Holiday Table. Between the Morocco and France pavilions, you’ll find the new Smoked Salmon Potato Latkes at the L’Chaim!Holiday Kitchen (where the Pastrami on Rye with House-made Pickles and Deli Mustard is a returning favorite). Then discover other new bites including Canadian Wild Rice and Ham Soup with Pretzel Roll at the Yukon Holiday Kitchen, which also brings back its popular Seared Verlasso Salmon with Crown Maple Whisky Glaze, Parsnip Silk, Apple Chutney and Hazelnut Croquant.
The highlight of the event is the Candlelight Processional. Each night, a celebrity narrator tells the biblical tale of a savior born to a virgin in Bethlehem. All the while, gorgeous choral pieces are woven into the production as an orchestra and choir provide and inspirational backdrop with songs of hope and joy.
This year, the following celebrity line-up will lend their talents to the performance:
- Ming-Na Wen
- November 29 through December 1
- Neil Patrick Harris
- December 2 through December 5
- Whoopi Goldberg
- December 6 and 7
- Isabella Rossellini
- December 8 through 10
- TBD
- December 11 through 12
- Gary Sinise
- December 13 through 15
- Pat Sajak
- December 16 through 18
- TBD
- December 19 through 21
- Steven Curtis Chapman
- December 22 through 24
- Edward James Olmos
- December 25 and 26
- Marlee Matlin
- December 27 and 28
- Lisa Ling
- December 29 and 30
Performances are at 5:00 PM, 6:45 PM and 8:15 PM nightly from November 29 – December 30, 2019.
Stay tuned to Diz Planet for additional details as more narrators are added and for a complete list of all the Holiday Kitchen menus.
Recently, cast members from Disney’s Hollywood Studios were treated to a surprise sneak peek of the progress underway at the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction – by none other than Disney Parks, Experiences & Products Chairman Bob Chapek himself!
The attraction, which will open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in spring 2020, will put guests inside the unpredictable world of Disney Channel’s Emmy® Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts. Once they step into the cartoon world of Mickey and Minnie, they’ll board a train with Goofy as the engineer. Then, one magical moment after the next leads to an out-of-control adventure filled with surprising twists and turns. The attraction will use an original story, lovable theme song, state-of-the-art technologies and dazzling visual effects to create an unforgettable multidimensional experience.
Check out the video below for a look at the cast members’ fun surprise moment.
Keep checking the Diz Planet for future updates on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
After a dazzling 20-year run, we’ll soon be bidding a fond farewell to “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” at Epcot. Begun as part of the Millennium Celebration, which started in October 1999, this nighttime spectacular has touched the hearts and minds of millions of guests over the past two decades.
If you love “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” too, you still have a few more nights left to catch this classic Epcot show before its final performance on September 30, 2019. So gather around World Showcase Lagoon for your last chance to enjoy this breathtaking display of lasers, lights and fireworks