NEWS: Disney Announces Opening Date of Mickey Shorts Theater
Spring is in the air at Walt Disney World and we’re close to the opening dates of two new attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Mickey Shorts Theater and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Today, Disney announced the opening date of the Mickey Shorts Theater. Catch all the details below.
Here are all the details from Disney cast member Jennifer Fickley-Baker:
Oh, boy! It’s time for “Vacation Fun!”
The newly re-imagined Mickey Shorts Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will debut March 4 to feature a one-of-a-kind animated short featuring everyone’s favorite mouse and his leading lady.
The original animated short, “Vacation Fun,” celebrates Mickey and Minnie’s favorite vacation memories, plus a few new adventures! “Vacation Fun,” which is exclusive to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, will feature new animation and clips from favorite Mickey shorts, including Panda-monium, Couples Sweaters, Potatoland, Croissant de Triomphe, Entombed, Dumb Luck, Al Rojo Vivo, Yodelburg and Outback at Ya!.
After the show, guests can make even more memories by stepping into life-sized versions of beloved animated Mickey shorts, where they can pose for photos with family and friends. Existing shorts from the Mickey Mouse television series that are being used in the post-show photo experience are Yodelburg, Potatoland, Entombed and Panda-monium.
There’s so much Mickey & Minnie excitement beginning soon at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where a visit to “Vacation Fun” is a great way to sit back and enjoy a new short, or snap some pics with some of your favorite Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, and the new Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction is an opportunity to actually burst into an all-new adventure where you are immersed in the center of a Mickey Mouse cartoon!
RELATED ARTICLE: 15 Exciting New Things Coming to Disney World in 2020
In 2019, Walt Disney World opened a highly anticipated new land, new attractions, limited-time entertainment, opened two new resorts, and more. It was a fantastic year to visit! In 2021, Walt Disney World will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, and Disney has promised us some excellent new offerings that will make 2021 an unforgettable year. But what about 2020? If you think you should skip a visit to Walt Disney World this coming year – think again! There are some exciting things coming to Walt Disney World in 2020. Keep reading for the fifteen most exciting new things coming to Disney World in 2020.
1 – Mickey Mouse Gets a New Home at Epcot – Now Open!
On January 5, Mickey moved to an all new location at the Imagination! pavilion as part of the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival. Just inside the entrance, you’ll discover Mickey greeting his fans and celebrating his on-screen stardom. Check out the photos below of Mickey’s new home!
2 – New Films at Epcot Debut – Now Open!
Three new films debuted on January 17, 2020, at Epcot, on the same day the Epcot International Festival of the Arts begins:
- “Awesome Planet” in The Land pavilion showcases the Earth’s beauty and diversity in a 10-minute film featuring spectacular imagery, in-theater effects, and an original musical score from Academy Award-winning® composer Steven Price.
- “Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along” in the France pavilion is directed and produced by Don Hahn, producer of the animated and live-action “Beauty and the Beast” films and invites guests to participate in a twist on a tale as old as time. It also features narration from Angela Lansbury, who played Mrs. Potts in the original film. The new sing-along will run in rotation with “Impressions de France,” which will receive an upgrade to 4K projection. Cindy got a sneak peek at the new film and loved it. Click here for more on the film.
- “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360” in the Canada pavilion is an update to the previous “O Canada!” film with new scenes, a new musical score by Canadian composer Andrew Lockington and new narration by award-winning actors Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy.
Click here for more details on these new films, including our reactions!
3 – City Works Eatery & Pour House – Now Open
There is a new restaurant at Disney Springs, and we’re super excited about it. City Works Eatery & Pour House offers classic American cuisine and a “massive” selection of craft brews (over 90+ local and global varieties of beer on tap). This restaurant is the ultimate sports bar that will offer plenty of indoor seating, a large outdoor patio, a retail shop, “gigantic” HDTVs, and state of the art A/V.
4 – Regal Eagle Opening at American Adventure in Epcot – Now Open
Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue, the new fast-casual restaurant opened in February at The American Adventure in Epcot and serves classic American backyard barbecue and home-style craft brews. The restaurant has a large smoker for food prep, which makes the yummy smell pour out into the pavilion. Take a look at some of the menu items by clicking here!
5 – Mickey Shorts Theater – March 4, 2020
Mickey Shorts Theater in Disney’s Hollywood Studios – opening March 4, 2020 – will show an original short film in the style of the popular Disney Channel animated series “Mickey Mouse,” and will feature photo-opportunity locations for guests. A new rendering shows the interior of the theater, including fun Mickey Mouse-themed seats.
6 – Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway – March 4, 2020
Guests can be among the first to experience Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, the first ride-through attraction featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, set to debut March 4, 2020, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Anything can happen on this unpredictable adventure through the cartoon world of Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning® “Mickey Mouse” shorts, powered by state-of-the-art technology and dazzling visual effects.
7 – Space 220 Restaurant – Winter 2020
Space 220 is a new table-service restaurant debuting this winter at Epcot – next to Mission: SPACE – that will give the feel of dining 220 miles above the Earth’s surface, complete with celestial views. Guests will step inside the restaurant’s space elevator to prepare for liftoff; they’ll feel as if they’re traveling straight up into space to dock next to the Centauri Space Station suspended just beyond the orbit of Mission: SPACE. Upon arrival, guests will be guided to their seats past the grow zone, a spinning wall of produce that mimics Earth’s gravity and represents some of the fresh ingredients used by the restaurant’s culinary team. This high-tech restaurant will feature daytime and nighttime views of Earth outside of the massive “windows” that look upon the stars. An astronaut may even float by! The restaurant is expected to be two levels and offer 376 seats. It will be operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, which we can thank for restaurants like Morimoto Asia and Maria & Enzo’s. Opening in “early 2020″, we expect reservations to be available very soon for Space 220!
8 – Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure – Winter 2020
Disney’s DuckTales World Showcase Adventure invites guests to join Scrooge McDuck, Donald, nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie, Launchpad, and Webby in search of priceless treasure. Using the Play Disney Parks mobile app, guests take a trip around World Showcase discovering exotic destinations, exciting mysteries, and maybe even a few thieves, villains, and supernatural guardians of ancient artifacts. This will be the next iteration of a popular interactive scavenger hunt around World Showcase guests have enjoyed for years as they experience the magic of possibility at Epcot.
9 – Drawn to Life – New Cirque Du Soleil Show – April 17, 2020
Drawn to Life, the highly anticipated new family-friendly show is coming to Disney Springs. This collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering will open for previews March 20, 2020, and officially premiere April 17, 2020. This new show follows the story of Julie, a courageous and determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her late father: an unfinished animation piece. Guided by a surprising pencil, she embarks on an inspiring quest sprinkled with her Disney childhood memories. Through this journey, she learns to imagine new possibilities and animate the story of her future.
Drawn to Life will transport guests of all ages into the world of Disney animation in Cirque du Soleil’s signature style. This entirely new experience will wow Walt Disney World guests and Cirque du Soleil fans while bringing timeless Disney stories to life in an unforgettable new way. Tickets are on sale now at cirquedusoleil.com.
10 – France Pavilion Expansion – Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and La Crêperie de Paris – Summer 2020
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, opening summer 2020 in the France pavilion at Epcot, brings guests on a super-sized adventure with Chef Remy through Gusteau’s restaurant. We recently got a sneak peek inside this coming attraction! Learn more by clicking here.
Summer 2020 will also see the debut of a delicious new restaurant in the France pavilion, La Crêperie de Paris, offering both table- and quick-service options featuring a menu from celebrity chef Jérôme Bocuse. We’re looking forward to checking out these new options in the expanded France pavilion!
11- Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant
Roundup Rodeo BBQ is a new table-service restaurant coming to Toy Story Land in 2020 as guests live their adventures together at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. An artist concept image below exemplifies how guests will be immersed with all their toy pals in a fun, family-friendly environment constructed from Andy’s favorite larger-than-life playsets and games.
12 – HarmonioUS at Epcot – 2020
In 2019, we said goodbye to Illuminations: Reflections of Earth and hello to the temporary nighttime spectacular, Epcot Forever. Epcot Forever will continue into 2020 when it then makes way for the debut of the next epic Epcot nighttime spectacular called “HarmonioUS,” as part of the park’s multi-year transformation. Disney has shared that HarmonioUS will be the “LARGEST nighttime spectacular ever created for a Disney park!” As if that doesn’t get us excited enough, HarmonioUS is said to use familiar Disney tunes that have been reinterpreted by artists from around the globe. Much like Rivers of Light in Animal Kingdom, we can expect massive floating pieces and choreographed moving fountains. On top of that, Disney has shared HarmonioUS will have custom-build LED panels, pyrotechnics, lasers, and more!
13 – M&M’s Orlando Store – 2020
Recently announced, Disney Springs is going to be home to an all-new M&M’s Orlando Store! We love visiting these stores around the world and are excited that Disney Springs will be home to the new store. Disney cast member Kelsey Noland shares more below:
I’m excited to share news on a new shopping destination adding some colorful fun to the mix. M&M’S Orlando store will be making a sweet addition to our unparalleled mix of shopping at Disney Springs. The new state-of-the-art store will offer an immersive experience that combines the colorful fun that fans of the M&M’S brand enjoy with lasting memories. “Guests will be fully immersed into an interactive chocolate experience that will create more moments and more smiles through the colorful fun of M&M’S,” said Patrick McIntyre, director of global retail at Mars Retail Group. The new store is set to open in 2020 near the NBA Experience and, of course, will be filled with your favorite chocolate candies. (Peanut M&M’s are one of my favorite indulgences!)
14 – Ample Hills Creamery at Disney Springs – 2020
When Ample Hills Creamery opening at Disney’s BoardWalk, we fell in love with the amazing ice cream. Our waistlines have never been the same. We firmly believe Ample Hills Creamery offers the best ice cream on property (and pretty much the World). That’s why we are so excited that Ample Hills is opening a second location on the West Side of Disney Springs, giving us even more opportunities to enjoy their delicious ice cream. The store is already under construction and will open sometime in 2020.
15 – Beatrix – 2020
Disney Springs is a foodie paradise, and there is no shortage of fantastic restaurants to enjoy. If you’re looking for a healthier option, then you’ll be excited to hear about Beatrix, a new restaurant expected to open in 2020. Disney cast member Kelsey Noland shares more below:
Beatrix, owned by Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (a Chicago-based restaurant group), will open their first restaurant in Florida at Disney Springs West Side. Beatrix is your neighborhood restaurant, coffeehouse, and grab-and-go market featuring healthy food options including vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan along with fresh-squeezed juice cocktails. The restaurant will also offer a bakery and full-service bar with a selection of all-American beer and wine. Executive Partner and Divisional President, Marc Jacobs, explains, “Beatrix represents the way people are eating today – it’s that mix of health and comfort. Whether grabbing a cup of coffee and your favorite pastry, or having a cocktail, lunch, or dinner with friends, it’s your neighborhood meeting place.”
We know this list will get longer as the year goes on! Walt Disney World continues to grow, offering even more for their guests. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for all the latest Disney news that goes straight to your inbox! We hope you have a fantastic 2020!
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