Walt Disney Company's Blog

The week, hundreds of Disney Parks Blog readers joined us for a special after-hours meet-up that celebrated the upcoming release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of Spaceship Earth into the Death Star.

During the event, we shared updates on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story inspired additions coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and a surprise visit from one of the stars of the upcoming film – Mads Mikkelsen. If you missed our live stream, here’s a quick look at the night.

Check our original story for more images and full details on new Star Wars-inspired additions that have recently – or will soon – make their way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016.

Here are some of the other stories we worked on this week.

Main Street Electrical Parade Returns to Disneyland Park January 20 – Get ready to celebrate the return of a Disney Parks icon! As we told you earlier this year, the Main Street Electrical Parade is coming back to the place it began – Disneyland park – for a limited time, beginning January 20.
Eat, Drink and Be Bowling! Splitsville Luxury Lanes Coming to Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort in Late 2017 – Here’s some news I suspect will be right up your alley – Splitsville Luxury Lanes, which has pioneered a fun and inventive new approach to bowling as a social experience for all ages, will roll into the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort in late 2017.
Stuff Your Stockings with Photos from Disney PhotoPass Service – Looking for a unique gift for all of the Walt Disney World Resort fans on your list? Send them some Disney magic with photos from Disney PhotoPass Service!
Enjoy the Holidays at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa – If you’re spending the holidays in Hawai’i this year, the halls of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, are decked for the season! From festive entertainment to beautiful holiday decor, here are a few things to get your ‘ohana into the spirit.

Discovering Delicious Holiday Treats from Disney Parks – ‘Tis the season for delicious holiday treats from Disney Parks! Here is a look at other festive confections created especially for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts.
Celebrate the Season with Commemorative Products for Holidays Around the World at Epcot – Holidays Around the World has returned to Epcot! Now through December 30, 2016, guests can discover the joyous holiday traditions of our 11 World Showcase nations.

From miles of unspoiled beaches to golf courses, shopping and just plain fun, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is a quick trip down Florida’s East Coast from Walt Disney World Resort and a favorite for Disney Vacation Club members.

The resort recently debuted a makeover that includes a new restaurant, market and bar with new menus; the expansive Wind & Waves Grill, with the adjacent Wine & Waves Market. Poolside, look for the new Wind & Waves Bar.

The 68-seat Wind & Waves Grill has a casual, beachy feel with classic nautical touches and features on-stage cooking with an oak-fired grill and brick oven. It’s American cuisine with a focus on Florida seafood and locally sourced produce, such as brick-oven-roasted Florida clams in local IPA broth with fennel and garlic, oak-grilled grouper and the restaurant’s signature shrimp with creamy cheese grits. The flatbreads made in the wood-burning oven include versions such as cheeseburger, barbecued chicken and a bacon-lettuce-tomato creation. Kids will love the interactive desserts.

Wind & Waves Market is open daily and offers “grab ‘n’ go” selections as well as freshly prepared dishes from breakfast through dinner. Think hot breakfast sandwiches, yogurt, smoothies, specialty coffees for breakfast, and burgers, hot dogs, deli sandwiches and salads throughout the day – perfect beachside eats. You’ll also find grocery items that formerly were in the Island Grove Packing Company shop. And best of all, Disney’s classic Dole Whip!

Wind & Waves Bar features poolside craft beers, signature cocktails and light snacks.

Guests can make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE. Tables in Wonderland and Disney Vacation Club and Annual Pass discounts accepted.

Earlier this week, our team had the pleasure to host a Disney Parks Blog Star Wars meet-up in celebration of the upcoming film release, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. 400 Disney Parks Blog readers gathered at Epcot to watch as the park’s Spaceship Earth attraction was temporarily transformed into the Death Star, enjoy themed treats and hear the latest Star Wars news.

Here are more images of the fun we had celebrating this once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Ring in the New Year at Disneyland Resort with these special menus at restaurants in the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort and in Disneyland park. At Disney California Adventure park, you can sip sparkling apple cider and sparkling wine at several locations.

Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa offers two elegant options. Chef Andrew Sutton’s four-course Wine Country Feast of Winter Season Classics is seating from 5:30-6:30 p.m. ($130). Starting at 8:15 p.m., Napa Rose will host a lavish New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance Party with live music, Champagne reception and a Napa-style five-course tasting menu ($250, wine pairing $65). Dancing goes ‘til 1 a.m.

Steakhouse 55 in the Disneyland Hotel is serving a three-course dinner on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Start with Kumamoto oysters, then a center cut filet mignon with crab meat salad, asparagus and Béarnaise sauce. Dessert is Manjari bittersweet chocolate terrine with fresh berries and white Godiva anglaise. ($65; $35 for wine pairing.)

Disney’s PCH Grill at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will offer a family-friendly New Year’s Eve dinner buffet from 5-10 p.m. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will host a special New Year’s celebration until 12:30 a.m. – complete with Disney characters and a balloon drop in the hotel’s Pacific Ballroom. ($75; $25 ages 3 to 11.)

In Disneyland park, Carnation Cafe on Main Street, U.S.A., is offering a Surf and Turf special. The special includes sirloin and shrimp, mashed potatoes, sautéed broccoli, sun-dried tomato butter and herb beurre blanc sauce. ($20)

Blue Bayou Restaurant is serving a petite New York strip steak on a rosti potato cake with crab meat and asparagus with café au lait sauce and Béarnaise. ($44)

Cafe Orleans is offering braised short ribs, garlic mashed potatoes and baby carrots with roasted shallot-red wine sauce and fried onions. ($23)

For reservations, call 714-781-DINE or visit Disneyland.com/dining.

Holidays Around the World has returned to Epcot! Now through December 30, 2016, guests can discover the joyous holiday traditions of our 11 World Showcase nations. During a recent expedition to Epcot for my “Unforgettable Shopping” series, I found commemorative products to celebrate this annual holiday event.

Guests visiting Epcot this month will find a logo T-shirt, a decorative ornament, and collectible pins.

There is a limited release logo pin found throughout select merchandise shops in Epcot. This hinged pin opens to reveal one of my favorite characters, Figment. There is also a limited edition pin celebrating the ever-popular Candlelight Processional at American Gardens Theater (the pin has an edition size of 3,500).

Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members will find two limited edition, hinged pins. The Passholder exclusive pin (above left) has an edition size of 2,000, while the Disney Vacation Club Member exclusive pin (above right) has an edition size of 1,500.

Outside The American Adventure, guests will find Santa’s Village, a collection of holiday-themed kiosks carrying Precious Moments dolls, Ne’Qwa handpainted ornaments, and seasonal products from Disney Parks.

The Christkindlmarkt in Germany Pavilion features live glass-blowing demonstrations through December 25 by master glass blower, Reinhard Herzog. Guests will also find Prost! which offers an artisan cheese plate and sauerbraten with red cabbage and spätzle.

Finally, no visit to Germany Pavilion would be complete without a stop in Karamell-Küche to pick up Werther’s Original caramel. I also found a lovely limited edition ornament in Die Weihnachts Ecke, the Christmas-themed shop adjacent to the caramel kitchen.

I hope to see you at Epcot this holiday season!

Have you gotten a taste of the season at the Festival of Holidays in Disney California Adventure park? With 14 festive foods marketplace kiosks serving delicious bites inspired by many different cuisines and traditions as well as live music, dance and holiday-inspired performances, this new seasonal experience is the perfect way to get your whole family into the holiday spirit!

Don’t miss Festival of Holidays in Disney California Adventure park, now through Jan. 8!

The holiday season is well under way here at Disney Parks. No matter what you’ll be celebrating this month, whether it’s Christmas, Hannukah, New Year’s Eve – or even the lighthearted “National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day” on December 16 (it’s a thing!) – we have a Disney Parks Blog wallpaper for you.

To choose a design, simply click on the image below and you’ll be able to find a size for your desktop/mobile device.

Be sure to check out the terms of use about using the wallpaper before you download it. Want to check out other designs? Visit our complete gallery of wallpapers here.

Looking for a unique gift for all of the Walt Disney World Resort fans on your list? Send them some Disney magic with photos from Disney PhotoPass Service!

While Disney PhotoPass Service is known for helping everyone in your party get in the picture, we also know how important it is to get beautiful shots of the parades, fireworks, Disney characters and icons so you have picturesque keepsakes of your visit you can share with friends and family.

There are two different options that allow you to grab these great shots via MyDisneyPhotoPass.com: the Walt Disney World Gallery Disc and Walt Disney World Entertainment Gallery Disc.

For more than 400 high-resolution digital photos of your favorite Disney icons, attractions, scenery, night shots and holiday decorations, purchase the Walt Disney World Gallery Disc. To get that flawless, unobstructed shot, our photographers obtained access to special locations for many of these photos to capture a unique angle of your favorite places around Walt Disney World Resort.

If you’re looking for photos of some of your favorite Disney friends, the Walt Disney World Entertainment Gallery Disc features more than 600 high-resolution digital photos of Disney Characters (some in their festive seasonal attire!) taken all around Walt Disney World Resort. This disc also features photos from beloved parades, including Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade, “Disney Festival of Fantasy” Parade and “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime” Parade.

These photo collections are perfect for scrapbooking, printing and posting to your personal social media account.*

Whether for the person who visits the parks and would rather enjoy the moment than taking photos, or the photo enthusiast looking for beautiful photos to complement their collection, these products make the perfect gift!

When you visit MyDisneyPhotoPass.com, you can also shop for great Disney-themed gifts featuring your vacation photos, like ornaments, calendars, magnets, photo frames, greeting cards and mugs.

*Please note that these photos are licensed to you for personal, non-commercial use only.

Tonight’s “Disney Parks After Dark” image was snapped during one of the high points of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – the “Holiday Wishes” fireworks. This special holiday fireworks spectacular, which you can only view on party nights, fills the park with colorful cheer.

There are still a few party nights remaining this year, which events taking place December 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18 & 22. In addition to amazing fireworks, guests can enjoy the new stage show “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration,” the “Once Upon A Christmastime Parade,” complimentary treats and much more.

Thanks to photographer Tom Bricker for the shot.

The runDisney race season is in full swing, and with special Disney touches like themed finisher medals and fun character appearances, each race is sure to be an experience unlike any other. Next up in January are the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna and the Star Wars Half Marathon – The Light Side, which like all runDisney races will offer something for runners of all ages and levels.

Our runDisney race weekends hold particularly special relevance for certain runners who have inspiring stories of triumph. Take Rachel Talise, for instance. Overcoming temporary paralysis, Rachel triumphantly completed the Doctor Strange 10K during the recent Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland Resort.

Rachel was used to running at least two half marathons per year, but in August 2014, she suddenly became paralyzed from the waist down and in her hands. The cause was Guillain–Barré syndrome, a very rare condition (1 or 2 cases per 100,000 people annually) that results in the immune system attacking the nervous system, leaving many patients without full mobility. After three months of physical and occupational therapy, she regained some movement and learned how to walk again. Even though she was not yet fully recovered, Rachel was determined to get back to running. The Doctor Strange 10K was her first since being diagnosed.

Check out the video below to see Rachel’s incredible journey,

If you are running in an upcoming runDisney race and have an inspirational or extraordinary story, we’d love to hear it! Please submit your story for consideration at WDPR.DisneySportsStories@Disney.com.