Category Archives: Weekly Scoop
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NEW ROLLER COASTERS “IRON QWAZI” AND “ICE BREAKER” AMPLIFY THRILLS AT SEAWORLD AND BUSCH GARDENS
Do I really Want to Spend Multiple Days at Universal Orlando Instead of Disney?
SeaWorld Orlando Adds All-New Locations to Inside Look Weekends
NBA Experience Will Open Next Summer at Disney Springs
Sesame Street at SeaWorld Orlando All Ready To Go
It’s Time to Celebrate Mardi Gras and Carnevale at Disney Springs!
Building Batuu: New Details Released about
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be the largest single-themed land expansion at both Disneyland park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios when they open this summer and fall, respectively. While the land is epic in size, every detail in the land has been designed to have an authentic Star Wars feel. We have previously shared teasers of our two anchor attractions – Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, where your Guests will find themselves in the middle of an epic battle between the Resistance and the First Order, and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, which allows your Guests and their flight crew to take the controls of the fastest ship in the galaxy on a special mission. We’ve also previously announced that Oga’s Cantina will be a great place for your Guests to grab a beverage, catch up on the latest gossip while R-3X, formerly the Starspeeder pilot on the original Star Tours, DJ’s a collection of new music.
Today we’d like to introduce a new series called “Building Batuu.” Batuu is the home of Black Spire Outpost, the location your Guests will visit when they arrive at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which has become a haven for the galaxy’s most colorful — and notorious — characters. Over the next several months, we will be sharing more details about this entire new land, the offerings and attractions and how your Guests can live their own Star Wars adventure in a galaxy far, far away.
Your Guests can dive deeper into Star Wars storytelling by engaging with the land through the Play Disney Parks app, if they desire a deeper level of immersion. But there is also plenty to see and do (and taste!) throughout Black Spire Outpost that we haven’t previously shared.
While we’re on the subject of taste, there will be several locations in the land to satisfy the appetites of most rogue adventurers:
Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo – Chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs has traveled throughout the galaxy following his longtime gig as the chef at Maz Kanata’s castle on Takodana and brings exotic flavors and unusual dishes to his traveling diner “Tuggs’ Grub.”
Ronto Roasters – A recycled podracing engine fires up a spit of exotic meats, meticulously turned by a former smelter droid, 8D-J8. Guests can even sample some of the tasty Ronto fare.
Milk Stand – The place to go to get your farm-fresh blue milk or green milk, direct from Bubo Wamba Family Farms.
Kat Saka’s Kettle – One of the many street market stalls, this grain vendor sells the ever-popular Outpost Mix (blend of sweet, savory and spicy popcorn).
For those looking to purchase in-story Star Wars merchandise and rare finds from across the galaxy, look no further than our many different Outpost stores and market stalls.
Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities – For those in the know, Dok-Ondar is the Ithorian you seek for selling and buying rare and uniquely-valued items from across the galaxy and spanning all eras.
Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers – Guests come to the workshop to meet with the Gatherers – a secretive group of people who have dedicated their lives to restoring balance in the galaxy by passing on their knowledge of Jedi lore and the Force. The workshop Master guides guests to customize and build their own unique lightsabers, and instructs them on the ways of the Jedi.
Droid Depot – Visitors to Mubo’s workshop can choose parts and construct their own individual astromech droids to accompany them on their journey, and then take them home with them.
First Order Cargo – A spaceport hangar bay serves as the temporary base and landing spot for the First Order. First Order officers have brought in crates of gear, uniforms and other supplies to win the hearts and minds of locals and visitors to Black Spire Outpost.
Resistance Supply – Resistance members and local sympathizers oversee a makeshift stall that supplies Resistance uniforms, pins, badges, hats, helmets, jackets, maps, tools, training supplies, food rations and other items.
There are also several market stalls which sell a variety of merchandise such as:
- Toydarian Toymaker (toys)
- Creature Stall (interesting critters that you can take home with you)
- Black Spire Outfitters (clothing)
- The Jewels of Bith (accessories and other trinkets to treasure)
We look forward to sharing additional details about these and much more through our “Building Batuu” series, with some additional news coming later on some of the food and beverage offerings that will be served in Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo and how the Disney Cast Members’ costumes will play a big part in bringing the inhabitants of this outpost to life.
If you are planning a vacation and need Disney World tickets, please visit our website at www.officialticketcenter.com to book your adventure today.
Ron Jon Surf Shop to Open New Location at Disney Springs
COCOA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2019) – Ron Jon Surf Shop is proud to announce plans for a new store that will open late 2019 at Disney Springs. The 10,000-square-foot Ron Jon location will be situated in Town Center at Disney Springs, the shopping, dining and entertainment district at Walt Disney World Resort.
Ron Jon Surf Shop currently operates stores throughout Florida and in other locations along the eastern seaboard including Ocean City, Md., Orange Beach, Ala., two locations in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and its original location in Ship Bottom, N.J. Ron Jon Surf Shop carries all of the beach essentials needed to have fun in the sun and features a wide assortment of surfwear, swimwear, sunglasses, hats, footwear and many other items perfectly suited for the casual beach lifestyle.
According to Debbie Harvey, president and COO of Ron Jon Surf Shop, the company selected Disney Springs as a location for its new store because of the shopping destination’s immense popularity with visitors as well as locals in the Orlando market, many of whom are familiar with the Ron Jon brand.
“We are thrilled to be planning a new Ron Jon store located at Disney Springs,” Harvey said. “This is an extremely popular shopping destination for local residents and the millions of visitors coming to the Orlando area, and we feel it’s the perfect location for a new Ron Jon Surf Shop.”
About Ron Jon Surf Shop
Ron Jon Surf Shop was founded in 1959 on the New Jersey shore out of an appreciation for the sport of surfing. Two years later, “The Original” Ron Jon Surf Shop opened in Long Beach Island, N.J. The lifestyle-apparel and board-sports-equipment retailer has since opened stores in Cocoa Beach, Orlando, Fort Myers, Key West, Panama City Beach, Clearwater Beach, Fla., as well as in Ocean City, Md., Orange Beach, Ala. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. The flagship store in Cocoa Beach is the world’s largest surf shop. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
About Disney Springs
Disney Springs is a one-of-a-kind retail, dining and entertainment district located in the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. With its namesake springs, beautiful open-air promenades and lakefront setting, Disney Springs evokes the charm of Florida waterfront towns at the turn of the 20th century. It’s also home to a collection of more than 150 shops and restaurants, including top-name retail brands, specialty boutiques and dining experiences created by celebrity and award-winning chefs. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Disney Springs is open daily.
Initial Testing Underway for Disney Skyliner Gondolas – More Details Revealed!
Scheduled to open this fall, Disney Skyliner will be a new, state-of-the-art gondola system that will conveniently connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the proposed Disney’s Riviera Resort, which is now accepting guest reservations for stays beginning December 2019. The official Resort opening date will be announced at a later time.
The Skyliner’s towers have been under construction for about a year, so to have a gondola up on its cables is an exciting milestone! Check out this video to hear more about the project from Jordan Matthews at Walt Disney Imagineering:
Several gondolas will be adorned with graphics based on Disney films, attractions and characters. So for example, you may jump into a gondola where from the ground it will look like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto or Chip & Dale are riding along with you. Several Disney animated films will be represented, including “Beauty & the Beast,” “Frozen,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Moana,” “Peter Pan,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Zootopia.”
Here’s a sneak peek at what a few of these special gondolas will look like:
The other themed gondolas that will be part of the system include:
- “Coco”
- Goofy, Pete, Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow
- “Finding Dory”
- The Haunted Mansion
- “Monsters, Inc.”
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- “Ratatouille”
These gorgeous gondolas will be gliding across Walt Disney World before we know it. If you are looking for discount Disney World tickets, make sure to check out The Official Ticket Center for the best prices and specials.
Article written by by Jeremy Schoolfield, Managing Editor, Walt Disney World Resort Public Relations