Disney Discussions Weekly Recap for the Week of 11/17/24
Welcome to the 14th edition of our Disney Discussions Weekly Recap. This week, Disney celebrated Mickey's birthday, Premier Pass sells out, and some rather big Muppet news
Welcome to the 14th edition of our Disney Discussions Weekly Recap. This week, Disney celebrated Mickey's 96th birthday, Premier Pass sold out, a new cruise ship was christened, and some rather big Muppet news
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I’m planning a trip to WDW in early January. Would you want to read a post where I discuss my plans and tips for planning?
This Week’s Disney News 🐭
Walt Disney World News 🏰:
🚀 ‘Real Food’ Has Finally Landed at Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World - WDWNT
This is an excellent, much-needed addition. I love Oga’s, but visiting with family wasn’t feasible without much food.
🌐 Disney Updates EPCOT's Soarin' with World Celebration Ending and Other Improvements - WDWMAGIC
The last time I rode Soarin’ I wondered if Disney would ever update the EPCOT ending to reflect the changes. I’m so glad they made this change AND fixed the bent Eiffel Tower. It is an excellent small change.
⚡️ Lightning Lane Premier Pass Now Available to Guests at ANY Walt Disney World Hotel - WDWNT
🐀 Disney Testing Single Rider Line at Remy's Ratatouille Adventure in EPCOT - WDWMAGIC
This makes sense when you have rows of three in each ride vehicle.🦝 Disney Shares First Concept Art and Details of McKim's Mile House DVC Lounge in Frontierland - WDWMAGIC
This is the new DVC lounge that replaces the shootin’ arcade in Frontierland.
🎭 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts: DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series 2025 - Disney Parks Blog
🦁 Free ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Print Available to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders in December - WDWNT
🌊 Moana 2 Character Maquettes & Artwork Now on Display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios - BlogMickey
🚜 Imagineering Construction Trailers Arrive & Early Testing for Animal Kingdom’s Tropical Americas Project - BlogMickey
💰 $450 Lightning Lane Premier Pass Sold Out for Thanksgiving Day at Magic Kingdom - WDWNT
Most of us balked at the price tag for LLPP, but it’s selling out. Money talks here.
Disneyland News:
🕸️ Spider-Man Stuntronic Show at Disney California Adventure Now Performs Without Human Union Acrobats - WDWNT
A Spider-Man actor still banters on the WEB rooftop before the Stuntronic, but he does not perform any stunts. The portion of the show where Spider-Man previously did a series of acrobatics has been cut, and he now exits at ground level rather than swinging down the wall.🐭 Disneyland Celebrated the 96th Birthday of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse with Cavalcade - DAPS Magic
Disney Entertainment News 🎬:
🍿 New Teaser and Poster Revealed for ‘Elio’ by Disney and Pixar - DAPS Magic
Official Trailer Released for Pixar’s ‘Dream Productions’ - DAPS Magic
Disney, ESPN, and the NBA Team Up to Present ‘Dunk the Halls’ – the First Real-Time, Animated NBA Game - DAPS Magic
Disney Business News 📈:
🏆 Walt Disney Imagineering Projects Earn Prestigious Thea Awards for 2025 - WDW Magic
Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, and BDX Droids have been selected for their storytelling, design, and technological innovation achievements.
Disney Cruise Line News 🛳️ :
The drone show that was performed for the Christening was insane. I hope that domestic parks will start to do more with drones soon.
Muppets News 🐸 :
Ho Boy! The biggest of Muppet news this week.
Disney Discussions Recent Archive:
🧚 Pixie Dust ✨
Fun Facts:
Muppet Christmas Carol is one of my favorite movies of all time. Did you know a deleted scene appeared on the 1993 VHS copy but was missing on subsequent releases until 2022?
The song “When the Love Is Gone”–the musical number performed by Ebenezer Scrooge’s former love Belle was absent from the film for 29 years.
The song became lost until late 2022 when Disney restored it on Disney+. With the once-missing song now part of the soundtrack again, the film feels far more complete than before.
You can find the “full” version of the film under extras on Disney+
📸 Magic Shot of the Week:
We all have those photos we love from a Disney vacation. Every week, I’ll share one. They will be my photos, but I’d love for you to share yours so I can include them. Email me your Disney photo to photos@disneydiscussions.com, and it’ll go in a future weekly recap.
🌟 Disney Tip of the Week:
Are you looking to skip most of the line for free? Single Rider Lines are your friend if you don’t care about riding with others or breaking up your party.
Walt Disney World has four attractions with permanent Single Rider lines that are almost always open:
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Test Track at EPCOT (closed until Summer 2025)
Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom
Five other attractions have kinda, sorta, or “sometimes” Single Rider lines:
Avatar Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom
Soarin’ Around the World at EPCOT
Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT