Disneyland
By the time you read this, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will have officially opened at the Disneyland Theme Park in Anaheim. A dedication ceremony was held on May 29 with Star Wars creator George Lucas on hand as well as Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker).
The first new ride, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will be part of opening day. The ride will take groups of six into the cockpit of the storied ship on an immersive journey across the galaxy. In addition, a number of dining and merchandising spots will open, Experiences will allow fans to dine in the infamous cantina featured in the original Star Wars movie, design their own droid to take home and more.
Guests wanting to visit the new land between May 31st to June 23rd will need a reservation and valid theme park admission. There will be no stand by line during this period, and only guests with a reservation will be able to enter. After June 23rd, guests will be able to enter a virtual queue online using the Disneyland app or by signing up for a boarding group at select locations within the park. It is highly recommended that guests utilize the app for best experience while waiting to board Smugglers Run.
The adventure will continue to the east coast later this summer when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on August 29th.
Sleeping Beauty Castle has reopened at Disneyland with vibrant new colors, a new roof and added “pixie dust”. In celebration of the reopening, a donation was made to the Ryman Arts, and a dwarf fir was planted in a garden overlooking the castle.
Disney Cruise Line
New entertainment has been announced for Disney Cruise Line sailings. The Disney Fantasy will premier “Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular” later this year. In addition, an all-new deck party will start in June on the Fantasy. The new party titled Mickey and Minnie’s Surprise Party at Sea will run on all Caribbean and Bahamian sailings through August.
The Disney Fantasy will add “Frozen, A Musical Spectacular” to its entertainment lineup in October.
Walt Disney World
More details have been announced regarding the offerings coming to the new Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs Resort, set to open this July. A new table service venue, Three Bridges Bar & Grill will sit at Villa del Lago in the center of the lake. The menu will include shareable plates such as Curry Lentil Hummus; Szechuan Popcorn Wings; and Stuffed Mushrooms. Entrees will include a signature burger with crispy potato, Manchego cheese, arugula, tomato, and lemon-garlic aioli; Braised Pork Tacos; Grilled Skirt Steak; Harissa Lamb Chops; and Crispy Chicken Sliders. The signature dessert offering will be warm churros with an Espelette pepper sugar and chocolate sauce or vanilla custard.
The Dahlia Lounge atop the Gran Destino Tower will feature unique signature cocktails and lively tapas including Chilled Marinated Mussels; Traditional Tortilla Espanola; Roasted Beets; and Churros for dessert. All dishes will be enjoyed from with fantastic views from the top of tower.
Finally, the lower lobby Barcelona Lounge will offer an authentic Spanish aesthetic and offer a European coffee experience as well as Spanish and classic American pastries and breakfast items. In the afternoon, guests will be able to sample artisanal cocktails and premium wines while dining on small plates and tapas such as Spanish charcuterie and cheeses, lentil hummus, and marinated olives.
“Rivers of Light: We Are One” debuted this past week at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The reimagined nighttime spectacular now features additional imagery including classic Disney characters and moments from Disney film.
Stephanie McNulty is not the droid you're looking for, but she just might be the Coasters and Castles Travel vacation planner you are looking for! She can be reached at smcnulty@coastersandcastlestravel.com and you can follow her on Facebook and Instagram at @magicaltravelwithsteph