Disney News: Black Panther Appearances, Animal Kingdom Celebrates & More

Disney, Disneyland, Walt Disney World

One of the hottest movies in recent memory, Black Panther, is now a part of your Disney experience. That story and more are featured in this roundup of news from the Disney Destinations we proudly represent.

BLACK PANTHER NOW APPEARING AT DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK

Now at Disney California Adventure® Park, you can welcome the king of Wakanda! For this limited-time experience, Black Panther will arrive in the Hollywood Backlot area of the park flanked by his Royal Guards, the Dora Milaje.

Marvel Studios’ record-breaking hit, “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and Black Panther — is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk.

Come encounter Black Panther now at Disney California Adventure Park, along with more epic Super Hero experiences, including Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, “Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance-Off!” and Heroic Encounter: Spider-Man and Captain America.

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM WILL MARK 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A ‘PARTY FOR THE PLANET’ APRIL 22-MAY 5

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, 2018 with an expanded “Party for the Planet” celebration April 22-May 5, 2018.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch will take center stage for the celebration, which will offer backstage experiences that allow you to learn about animal nutrition, visit the veterinary hospital, or hear how Disney promotes global wildlife conservation.

You can also commemorate your anniversary visit to the theme park with special photo opportunities, and kids can earn a limited-edition badge as part of the Wilderness Explorer program. Six different Tiffins Talks, themed-dinners hosted by animal experts at Tiffins full-service restaurant will be available to Guests who want to learn more about the animal residents at the park. And limited-edition merchandise will also be available for purchase, with one piece being a special-edition print created by renowned Walt Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde. (He will be available to sign prints on April 22, 2018 from 1-4 p.m. at Discovery Trading Company. Quantities are limited).

Other experiences coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom this spring include:

  • April 22 will mark the debut of a brand-new show, UP! A Great Bird Adventure featuring Russell and Dug from the Disney•Pixar animated comedy-adventure film “UP.” See our featured story below for more details.
  • A “dino-tastic” celebration with Donald and his friends will also premiere Memorial Day weekend in DinoLand, U.S.A. This dinosaur-themed party celebrates Donald Duck’s discovery that his bird ancestors were actually dinosaurs. DinoLand U.S.A. will feature colorful new décor and playful character greetings with rarely seen pals like Scrooge McDuck, Launchpad McQuack and more. A DJ-powered dance party will mix tunes from the truck-o-saurus stage, capping the nighttime festivities.
  • Memorial Day 2018 commemorates the one-year anniversary of Pandora – The World of Avatar. Here, travelers are transported to a mystical world of floating mountains, bioluminescent rainforests and breathtaking new experiences. Inspired by the blockbuster film, AVATAR, the epic land invites guests to explore a glowing landscape, encounter a larger-than-life Na’vi Shaman of Songs and soar on the back of a banshee.

ENHANCED DINING EXPERIENCE COMING TO BE OUR GUEST RESTAURANT

Disney’s culinary teams are always looking for new ways to bring exquisite and delicious cuisine to its Guests, and they have done just that with a brand-new dining experience at Magic Kingdom® Park! Starting this summer, Be Our Guest Restaurant will offer an enhanced prix fixe dinner menu that boasts a variety of delectable French-inspired dishes and new offerings. This unique experience will make you feel like royalty with a three-course dinner that includes your choice of appetizer and entrée, followed by a personal dessert platter.

To start off the meal, the appetizer menu will include favorites like the French Onion Soup in addition to rich new offerings like Charred Octopus with citrus-laced fingerling potatoes, pickled hearts of palm and red pepper coulis; Escargot with herb garlic butter and toasted gremolata; and a selection of assorted meats and artisanal cheeses such as chicken liver pâté, chorizo sausage Manchego, and truffle tremor.

For the main course, you can feast on mouth-watering entrées such as Grilled Center-Cut Filet Mignon with potato au gratin, Romano beans, Cipollini marmalade and a cherry-laced red wine reduction or the Smoked Black-Eye Pea Tortellini with roasted seasonal vegetables, tomato relish and basil-scented tomato water. Other enticing dishes include Poulet Rouge Chicken, Saffron-Infused Seafood Bouillabaisse, Roasted Lamb Chops and Kurobuta Pork Tenderloins.

And that’s just the beginning! Disney’s chefs are hard at work putting the final touches on the fabulous desserts as well as the kid’s menu for this exquisite new dining experience.

So, relax! Let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents this new dinner feast beginning July 27, 2018 at Be Our Guest Restaurant. Reservations are now open.

NEW IMAGES OF THE STAR WARS-INSPIRED RESORT PLANNED FOR THE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

Recently we shared a look inside the groundbreaking new hotel concept coming to the Walt Disney World® Resort that will combine luxury with complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story.

Today, we’re thrilled to have more new visuals of this resort to share with you!

The immerse experience offered at this hotel will stand out among all of our resorts around the globe. As you can see, families visiting this resort will board a starship alive with characters and stories that unfold all around them during their voyage through the galaxy – and every window has a view of space!

The resort will also be seamlessly connected to the highly anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios®, allowing you a complete Star Wars experience. Guests visiting the resort will be welcome to participate as a resident of the galaxy by dressing in Star Wars-inspired attire.

Stay tuned for more updates on all Star Wars-inspired guest offerings at the Walt Disney World Resort.

NEW ‘UP! A GREAT BIRD ADVENTURE’ SHOW AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM OPENS APRIL 22

Today we’re excited to share an update that our new show “UP! A Great Bird Adventure,” featuring Russell and Dug from Disney•Pixar’s “UP” will be debuting at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park on April 22, 2018!

Beginning just in time for the 20th anniversary of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, this new entertainment experience for the whole family offers guests the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry friend Dug as they discover species of birds from around the world in their newest adventure in Anandapur village. There will be “UP” close encounters each day with amazing winged creatures!

We’ll be sharing more details as we approach the show’s opening day on April 22, 2018, so stay tuned for future updates.

VICTORIA & ALBERT’S RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE FIVE-STAR AND AAA FIVE DIAMOND AWARDS

Two prestigious awards have just been bestowed this month on Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. For the 18th consecutive year, this Walt Disney World® Resort restaurant has received the AAA Five Diamond Award and, for the first time ever, the coveted 2018 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award.

There are only 68 Five Diamond restaurants in North America, and only 64 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurants out of over 1,600 restaurants across the globe. Victoria & Albert’s now stands as the sole restaurant in the state of Florida to receive both the AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star awards. AAA Diamond Ratings represent a combination of overall food, service, décor and ambiance. A Five Diamond restaurant provides leading-edge cuisine of the finest ingredients, uniquely prepared by an acclaimed chef, served by expert service staff led by a maître d’ in extraordinary surroundings. Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings verify luxury and represent outstanding, iconic properties with virtually flawless service and amazing facilities. Using the most exacting standards in the industry, this year’s list evaluates properties in over 160 destinations across 50 countries.

Every night, Victoria & Albert’s brings guests the ultimate in fine dining with classic Victorian elegance, haute American cuisine and an atmosphere of refined opulence. The esteemed restaurant features three unique dining experiences: the main dining room with the choice of a 7-course menu or 10 course Chef’s Tasting Menu; the intimate Queen Victoria’s Room offers a 10-course Chef’s Tasting menu with tableside presentation and optional wine pairings; and the highly sought-after 8-seat Chef’s Table located in the restaurants kitchen, where guests can get an exclusive look at their dishes being crafted by the culinary team. Victoria & Albert’s also has an incredible wine cellar with over 700 wines from over 35 regions.

Congratulations belong to Executive Chef Scott Hunnel, Chef de Cuisine Aimée Rivera, Master Pastry Chef Erich Herbitschek, Maître d’Hôtel Israel Pérez and the entire Victoria & Albert’s team for earning these illustrious awards.