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DISNEY NEWS ROUNDUP: 2025 After Hours Events Announced; New Details on Polynesian Expansion; Food & Wine Festival Now Open; DCL Destiney Maiden Voyage & Itineraries Revealed & More

As we head into fall, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line are gearing up for exciting offerings in late 2024 and 2025! We learned the 2025 Disney After Hours event dates and pricing, new details on the upcoming Disney Vacation Club Island Tower coming to Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, and new details on two Disney Cruise Line ships sailing in 2025. The 2024 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival also kicked off, and we’ve got details about the upcoming Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month celebrations. Catch these stories and more below in this week’s news roundup!





 

1 – Disney Announced 2025 Disney After Hours Events

Disney After Hours are popular special ticketed events that allow guests to enjoy Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT with fewer crowds, low wait times, and complimentary treats. The events run from January through the summer months each year. Disney has announced the 2025 dates and pricing for each park.

Click here for details on the 2025 Disney After Hours Events returning to Walt Disney World.

2 – 2025 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival Opens

The popular EPCOT Food & Wine Festival is back at EPCOT! This popular festival celebrates food and beverages from around the world along with special entertainment and runs through November 23, 2024. Visit the link below for what you need to know about this year’s festival!

Click here for what you need to know about the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival!

3 – More Details Announced for the New DVC Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort

More details were announced for Island Tower coming to Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows. The tower is under construction and is projected to open in December 2024. The striking waterfront retreat will immerse guests in the charm of the South Pacific islands, the thrill of exploration, and the beauty of the natural world. This week, Disney Vacation Club released new details about the upcoming tower, including announcing a new restaurant! Visit the link below for what you need to know!

Click here for new details about Island Tower coming to Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.

4 – Disney Destiny Maiden Voyage and Itineraries Announced for 2025

Beginning in November 2025, the Disney Destiny will draw on the legacies of Disney’s larger-than-life heroes and villains to forge a legendary cruise vacation steeped in the lore of illustrious Disney stories. The new Disney Cruise Line ship will debut with one-of-a-kind venues and experiences that complement the extraordinary entertainment, world-class dining, and unparalleled hospitality that make every Disney Cruise Line vacation legendary. This week, Disney Cruise Line announced the dates of the maiden voyage and the dates when bookings open, and it released new concept art for a Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired pub. Learn more at the link below.

Click here for details on the Disney Destiny maiden voyage, booking information, and more!





 

5 – Walt Disney World to Celebrate Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month

From September 15 to October 15, 2024, Walt Disney World will celebrate Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month with unique offerings. Visit the link below for all the details!

Click here for details on how to celebrate Hispanic & Latin American Heritage Month at Walt Disney World.

6 – New Details Announced for the Disney Adventure, Sailing out of Singapore in 2025

Sailing from Singapore in 2025, the one-of-a-kind Disney Adventure will offer families throughout the region the ultimate vacation at sea. The first Disney Cruise Line ship to homeport in Asia will be a destination itself, sailing on three- and four-night voyages designed with magical days at sea and filled with immersive storytelling and captivating entertainment. Recently, Disney Cruise Line revealed new information and concept art about the upcoming ship! Learn more at the link below.

Click here for all the new details revealed about the Disney Adventure, sailing out of Singapore in 2025.

7 – Little League World Series Champions Have “Grand Slam’’ Day with Festive Celebration at Magic Kingdom

After recently winning the Little League World Series championship, the Lake Mary Little League baseball team followed in the footsteps of some of the sports’ greatest heroes Thursday by celebrating its world championship at Walt Disney World Resort.

On a mostly sunny Florida day, the players and coaches joined Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck, who were all dressed in their baseball uniforms, for a colorful parade in front of thousands of guests at Magic Kingdom Park. Then, fittingly, they joined the outdoor piano player at the baseball-themed restaurant Casey’s Corner along the park’s iconic Main Street, U.S.A., for an impromptu rendition of ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ to the delight of a crowd of applauding guests.

Afterward, the players and coaches gathered with their families and spent the rest of the day interacting with some of their favorite Disney characters and experiencing many of the park’s most popular attractions, including the thrilling Big Thunder Mountain.

Their festive day was reminiscent of the many celebratory visits to Disney Parks by marquee professional athletes after their teams won major NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL titles. Earlier this year, South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley celebrated her team’s NCAA championship with a trip to Magic Kingdom. And NFL star Patrick Mahomes marked his team’s Super Bowl win this year with a visit to Disneyland Resort in California.

The Lake Mary All-Stars were crowned Little League World Series champions on Saturday, August 24, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, after a come-from-behind win over Chinese Taipei 2-1 in extra innings in the title game. It marked the first time a baseball team from Florida had won the Little League World Series title, prompting the Lake Mary team to celebrate the milestone at Walt Disney World Resort.

8 – The Walt Disney Company Celebrates 85 Years of Groundbreaking Marvel Storytelling with New Brand Spot

In celebration of 85 years of Marvel, The Walt Disney Company released a new brand spot that takes a look back at Marvel storytelling through the years and gives a sneak peek at what’s to come with new clips from upcoming projects debuting as part of this spot.

Earlier this month, during the historic D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa®, Marvel debuted the heartwarming brand spot celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary and the incredible storytelling legacy they have created both on screen and in comics. From the Avengers and X-Men to the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, Marvel characters have resonated with fans of all ages around the world. Marvel moments from the comics, movies, games, and beyond have captured the hearts of generations – moments that continue to inspire, connect, excite, and ignite a sense of awe.

From “I am Iron Man” to “Avengers Assemble,” these moments are woven throughout popular culture and have created a phenomenon unlike any other. The brand spot includes archival footage of the iconic Stan Lee, as well as Kevin Feige, Producer and President of Marvel Studios, and some of the incredible talent who have brought favorite heroes to life, such as Disney Legend Angela Bassett and fan-favorite Tom Hiddleston. Interwoven with notable scenes from various films across the Marvel Cinematic Universe – including first looks from the highly anticipated upcoming films and series such as Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New WorldDaredevil: Born AgainIronheart, and Thunderbolts* – this brand spot showcases not only the remarkable legacy of the company, but the excitement for all of the groundbreaking storytelling to come.

9 – Disney Heroes Award Reminds Cast Member She’s ‘Capable of Anything’

When guests visit a Disney Park or Resort, they expect heroes from their favorite movies and television programs to be brought to life in a way that only Disney can do. What they might not anticipate is that some of the most compelling heroes they’ll meet during their visit are Disney’s very own Cast Members.

In the photo below, meet Nichole Shaw — Sales Experience Manager at Disney Vacation Club — who was performing her daily rounds at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World Resort when she leaped into action to help save a young girl from choking.

Credit: Disney

For her actions, Shaw received the Disney Heroes Award. “Having this award every single day to look down on is a reminder that I’m capable of anything, even the scary things,” Shaw said.

Credit: Disney

The Disney Heroes Award recognizes and honors Cast Members who perform extraordinary life-saving acts on or off the clock. Recipients of this esteemed award have been from Disney locations in the U.S., Tokyo, Germany, and beyond and are nominated on behalf of fellow employees for their heroic deeds. Over 100 Cast Members across the entire company have been recognized as Disney Heroes since the award’s inception in 2008.





 

What’s New and Happening Now at Walt Disney World Resort

Now Through October 31, Select Nights – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Click here for our review of the 2024 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and what you need to know.

Click here for the five can’t miss entertainment at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

Click here for the 13 Tips & Tricks for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

Now Through November 23, 2024 – EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

Click here for what you need to know about the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival!

Click here for the menus for the 2024 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival!

 

Now Open! – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Click here for our review and what you need to know about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Click here for information on how to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Click here for details on a new, unique PhotoPass ops for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom.

Now Through September 6 – 30th Anniversary of “The Lion King” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Click here for details on the 30th anniversary celebration of “The Lion King” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this summer.

Now Open – CommuniCore Plaza and CommuniCore Hall

Click here for more on CommuniCore Plaza and CommuniCore Hall!





 

Coming to Walt Disney World

2024 – Reimagined ‘The Little Mermaid’ Live Show Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

November 8-Date, Select Nights – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party & Jollywood Nights

Click here for dates and details for 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party & Jollywood Nights.

November 23-December 30 – EPCOT Festival of the Holidays

Click here for details on the 2024 Festival of the Holidays and more holiday offerings coming to Disney World.

D23 Horizons Projects Announced for Walt Disney World

Click here to learn more about the Villains’ land coming to Magic Kingdom. 

Click here to learn more about the Monsters, Inc. land coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

Click here to learn more about the Cars expansion in Frontierland in Magic Kingdom!

Click here to learn more about Tropical Americas Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Click here to learn more about the new nighttime parade coming to Magic Kingdom. 

Click here to learn more about the lounges coming to Magic Kingdom and EPCOT!

Click here to learn more about Test Track reopening in 2025.

Click here to learn more about the upcoming Mandalorian updates coming to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.





 

New & Coming Soon to Disney Cruise Line

Now Open – Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point – DCL’s Newest Private Island

Click here for an overview of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and what you need to know.

Click here for 18 tips and tricks for the best day ever at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point – Part One.

Click here for 18 tips and tricks for the best day ever at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point – Part Two.

Click here for the ten exclusive offerings you don’t want to miss at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Click here for a first look at the map and an overview of the different areas of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Click here for the menus for Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Itineraries in 2024-2026

Click here to learn more about 2024 Halloween and Holiday Cruises on Disney Cruise Line.

Click here to learn about Disney Cruise Line’s Early 2025 Itineraries.

Click here to learn about Disney Cruise Lines’ summer 2025 itineraries.

Click here for details on Fall 2025 and Spring 2025 itineraries; now booking!

Disney Treasure – Sailing December 2024

Click here for “BIG REVEAL – What’s New & Coming to the Disney Treasure – Disney Cruise Line’s 6th Ship Coming in 2024.”

Click here for “The Disney Treasure – An Overview of Disney Cruise Line’s Sixth Ship Coming in December 2024!”

Click here to learn about the new Haunted Mansion-themed lounge coming to the Disney Treasure!

Click here to learn about the new and exclusive Broadway-style show coming to the Disney Treasure!

Click here for more details about “Disney The Tale of Moana,” coming to the Disney Treasure.

Click here for a First Look at Disney Treasure Menus.

Click here for details on “The Aristocats”- Themed Lounge Coming to the Disney Treasure.

Click here for details on the new Marvel-themed Dining Experience Coming to the Disney Treasure.

Disney Destiny – Sailing November 2025

Click here for all the details on the upcoming Disney Destiny, sailing in 2025.

Click here for “Discover the Disney Destiny Day 1 – Your Own Heroes Journey.”

Click here for “Discover the Disney Destiny Day 2 – Villains.”

Click here for “Discover the Disney Destiny Day 3 – Marvel-ous New Experiences and Returning Guest Favorites.”

Disney Adventure, Sailing from Singapore

Click here for details about the Disney Adventure, sailing from Singapore in 2025.

D23 Horizons Annoucements

Click here to learn more about the Disney Cruise Line expansion and upcoming stage shows coming to the Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny.

For a no obligation, FREE Quote on a Disney vacation package, please contact our travel partner Magical Vacation Planner at 407-442-0227 (407-442-0215 for Spanish). You can also request a FREE quote online by Clicking HERE.



 

Chad & Cindy Nykamp

After years of multiple Walt Disney World vacations, Cindy and Chad's dream of living in Orlando came true in 2010. After friends and family made them their go-to-people for Walt Disney World advice, Cindy and Chad launched DisneyLists.com in August 2015 to share their knowledge and love of Disney. Chad and Cindy have been Disney World Annual Passholders for years, DVC members, together have raced more than 70 runDisney races, and particularly love cruising on the Disney Cruise Line. Chad and Cindy also regularly represent DisneyLists.com at Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line media events. While attending these events, they get an insiders view of all the new things that have come to Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line. These experiences have helped them gain knowledge and expertise they happily pass on to their followers. They still can't believe how lucky they are to have such an amazing opportunity and will continue to share Disney with anyone who will listen!
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