Spider Tank – $49.99

The new set released by LEGO comes as a Spider Tank playset, which comes with 529 pieces. The set also includes 3 LEGO Star Wars characters Bo-Katan Kryze, The Mandalorian, and Grogu. LEGO describes the set as follows:

“Play out exciting battle action from Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 3 with this LEGO® brick-built Spider Tank toy (75361) for ages 9 and up. It features flexible legs, grabbing claws, an opening cockpit with space for a LEGO minifigure, and an elevating hatch with 2 stud shooters. The set also includes 3 popular Star Wars characters – The Mandalorian with a darksaber, blaster pistol, and jetpack element, Bo-Katan Kryze with 2 blasters and a jetpack element, plus a LEGO figure of Grogu (the character affectionately known as “Baby Yoda” by fans).”

Spider Tank

The Spider Tank is constructed in two shades of gray LEGO pieces. It features movable legs, two stud shooters on top that can be elevated, and an opening hatch for the cockpit that a LEGO minifigure can fit inside.

Bo-Katan Kryze

The Bo-Katan Kryze figure is gray with light blue accents on the arms and the helmet. This figure includes two blasters that can be removed, and the back of the character features a jet pack element.

The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian figure is brown with details of armor on the arms and chest. The character is featured with the helmet as the head. The minifigure has a blaster pistol, a darksaber, and a jetpack element.

Grogu (Baby Yoda)

The Grogu figure has a brown body, with his signature big eyes and light green skin.

The Spider Tank set includes instructions, but the LEGO app is also available for use for assembly. The Spider Tank model once built is over 3.5 inches (9 cm) tall, 7.5 inches (20 cm) long, and 6.5 inches (17 cm) wide.

Currently, this item retails for $49.99 and is on preorder for shipment beginning on August 1, 2023. You can also view some of the other latest Disney LEGO sets:

• New ‘The Mandalorian’ N-1 Microfighter and Pirate Snub Fighter LEGO Sets Available for Pre-Order
• Disney100 LEGO Sets & Minifigures Officially Announced Including DUPLO Castle with Platinum Character Costumes
• PHOTOS: Three New Indiana Jones LEGO Sets Reimagine Famous Scenes from Past Films

Are you looking forward to adding this latest Star Wars LEGO playset to your collection? let us know in the comments.

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Easter Bunny Minnie Ear Headband – $34.99

These new ears have hopped into the World of Disney shop within the Downtown Disney District, giving us the first look at the latest spring merchandise available for guests. On the front of the headband, each ear and the bow of these mouse ears are in cream-colored faux leather. Rabbit ears stick out from the back of the headband behind the bow, and are of a soft fabric in pink and yellow.

The ears feature a patterned design with different images of beloved Disney rabbit characters, including the White Rabbit and the March Hare from “Alice in Wonderland”, Judy Hopps from “Zootopia”, and Thumper from “Bambi”.

A silk bow at the center features the singing flowers from “Alice in Wonderland” with a fluffy pink pompom in the middle. Fluffy, pastel yellow bunny ears protrude out from behind.

Even Rabbit from “Winnie the Pooh” is featured among the singing flowers and his fellow Disney Rabbits.

From the front, the right ear features three-dimensional butterfly wings in green, and pink, with yellow accents.

The same all-over pattern continues on the back of these new ears. Like the bunny ears, the new headband itself is lined in a soft pastel yellow plush with a pink interior.

The new Easter Bunny Minnie Ear Headband matches the new Disney rabbits Dooney & Bourke collection. For guests on the east coast, we also found these ears at the Walt Disney World Resort, at BouTiki in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Do you have your eyes set on this latest holiday-inspired headband? Let us know what you think of the Easter Bunny Minnie Ear Headband in the comments below!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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AVATAR 3 – Limited Series?

A recent podcast “The Hot Mic with Jeff and John” Jeff Sneider stated a rumor that director James Cameron of the AVATAR series of films stated that James Cameron has wanted to have a 9-hour director cut of the third film. That he would film the entire movie for a length of 9 hours, which would include completing the visual effects for the entire run time.

The film release would be edited to a shorter version of the content for the theatrical release of the movie, and all of the additional footage could then be released as a limited series just for Disney+. This would be a great way to provide the fans of the franchise more opportunity to dive into the world of AVATAR and experience the full story arc that James Cameron had intended for the movie.

The latest release of the AVATAR movie franchise hit theaters in 2022, grossing over 2.3 billion worldwide. This also makes the second film the third highest-grossing film of all time. The possibility of the third film providing a series-length version of the film would allow Disney to gain more views and subscriptions to the service.

If this rumor comes true, and the series does release to Disney+ as Jeff Sneider of “The Hot Mic” says, this could open up opportunities for spin-offs of the movie franchise. Disney has had success with Marvel and the limited series and series such as WandaVision in 2021, which has spawned a spin-off on its own Agatha: Coven of Chaos.

This could be a good move for Disney and the Disney+ streaming service to create a new series, and continue to expand on the universe of AVATAR that has already been established. It could bring in fans of the movies to the streaming service that may have not already been subscribed.

AVATAR 3

The next installment in the movie franchise is expected in “December 2024” as long as there are no delays in production. Filming for the second and third films took place from 2017 through 2022 in New Zealand and both films were recorded alongside one another.

Returning characters Jake Sully and Neytiri will appear in the third installment, also it is known that Miles ‘Spider” Socorro played by Jack Champion will also be returning for the next film.

Although the third movie has not been given an official title James Cameron did reply to a report from the BBC that the next movie would be AVATAR: The Seed Bearer stating that the title is “in consideration” but has not been confirmed as of this time.

There are plans for two more sequels to the AVATAR movie franchise planned, 4 and 5 that at this time have no titles or release dates announced. With the success at the box office of the second film, the odds of the continuing saga of the movies could be just around the corner with the next two chapters possibly beginning production in the coming years.

Are you a fan of the AVATAR movies, and would you watch a limited AVATAR series on Disney+ of the 3rd film? Let us know your opinions in the comments.

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Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Limited Release Pin – $17.99

The pin card features a cartoon-drawn sky with clouds, green mountains, and trees drawn in the style of art that appears on the attraction.

On the enamel pin front, we can see a rendition of the carnival scene from the attraction. The background is in a dark blue color with black outlines of a Ferris wheel and carnival tents. In the sky, you can see stars of various sizes in a lighter blue. The attractions logo is in white at the bottom. In the top right in yellow and red reads “Talk about a story twist!”

The Mickey and Minnie element of the pin is overlaid with the background giving the design a 3D effect. Mickey and Minnie can be seen riding on a hotdog while holding hot dogs. The balloons that carry them into the sky are in shades of green, blue, teal, red, and gray with one green balloon extending off of the edge of the pin background.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Picnic Blanket – $59.99

Next time you need a blanket for a day out in the park, this may be the one for you. This blanket features a red and white gingham pattern overall. The edge of the blanket features railroad tracks around the center and showcases Mickey, Minnie, Pete, Pluto, Chuuby, and Goofy along the track with renditions of scenes from within the attraction.

The center of the blanket had Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto riding in Mickey’s car with Chuuby flying along beside. Around the center are framed images of Pete, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy. The attraction logo is at the bottom, and at the top reads “Let’s get that runaway train!”

The blanket is designed for easy roll-up and storage, with two included straps in red and two gray plastic clasps to keep it rolled up during travel.

The straps once on the blanket also include a red handle for ease of carry when you are out and about for your perfect picnic.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Insulated Bag – $34.99

The insulated bag would pair nicely with the picnic blanket for an outing. The front of the bag features Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Chuuby headed out for a perfect picnic. The bag is light blue with a red and white gingham pattern on the sides and top. The front features the attraction logo at the bottom, with blue railroad tracks and attraction-inspired artwork. In the top left a happy sun shines down.

The opposite side of the bag has Goofy driving the train down the tracks. Behind the train, you can see the attraction cars behind. On the bag, the text reads “Gawrsh, what could possibly go wrong!?” The sun appears on this side also in the top left corner and the continued red and white pattern can be seen on top of the bag and on the sides.

The top of the bag is covered with a red and white pattern fabric, and two red handles are attached at the top for carrying.

The bag also includes a red strap to use when carrying over the shoulder.

The lid of the bag has a zipper for access to the inside. Inside is silver insulated to help keep items placed inside at their appropriate temperature.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Engineers Hat (Child Size) – $34.99

The front of this blue and white striped engineer’s hat features the attraction logo embroidered at the center, with Mickey and Minnie on either side.

The back of this stretch band hat features Chuuby embroidered in the back center of the hat. Note the hat size is intended for children.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Hoodie- $64.99

The blue and white striped hoodie features the attractions logo in the center, with both Mickey and Minnie on either side. The front includes a center pocket and drawstrings for the hood.

On the back, the blue and white stripes continue, with the hood on the back. The waist and cuffs of the hoodie are in a light blue and cinched.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Long Sleeve Shirt – $44.99

This long sleeve white shirt showcases Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto riding along in Mickey’s red car on the front right side. Mickey and Minnie both are waving and Pluto holds the picnic basket by his mouth. Butterflies and Chuuby can be seen flying around the outside of the car.

On the back, the attractions logo is at the top and has smoke coming from the train below. Mickey and Minnie can be seen riding on the locomotive featured on the attraction.

The attraction’s logo is printed down the left sleeve of the shirt.

Will you be hopping on board for this attraction-themed merchandise? let us know your favorites in the comments.

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This new booth has been recently set up in Marvel Super Hero Island at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in the previous location of Chomp Hot Dogs, and the Fruit Stand. In July 2022, construction walls went up around the prior locations which caused the locations to close temporarily.

The new structure that has been erected in this location is bright green, with an orange detail around the top edge of the roof. The inside of the new booth has dark green fabric curtains covering the openings which will be used to access the venue for guests in the future.

The front of the location has four green posts on the roof, that will hold the marquee for the future booth. Currently, it is surrounded by Universal gray barriers.

In December of 2022, the previous purple construction walls that had surrounded the area were removed with Chomp Hot Dogs and the Fruit Stand both no longer in this location. Likely during the refurbishment of this area they repaired some of the paths in the area behind the construction walls.

This was part of a larger refurbishment that had taken place around Marvel Super Hero Island, where the character artwork had also been removed while walls and details were repainted and refurbished. We previously reported that Team Members said there would be a new stand in January 2023.

Based on what we have heard previously, this could be the new home location for Chomp Hot Dogs in the near future. The new stand is located next to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man on Marvel Super Hero Island.

Origins of Marvel Super Hero

The origins of this themed area at Universal’s Islands of Adventure were originally planned to be based around DC Comics, which would have been filled with characters from the DC universe. These plans started when Universal began conversations with Warner Brothers in the early part of the 1990s.

Universal had its eye on a second gate after the success of opening Universal Studios Florida which had opened in June of 1990. In the end, the deal with Warner Brothers fell through as the parent company Time Warner had purchased the Six Flags chain of parks and opted to use those characters within the newly acquired theme parks.

At this time Marvel was selling film rights to various studios to produce motion pictures, and Universal Pictures had gained the rights to produce some of the films. Through further negotiations, they acquired the rights to use the characters in their park in early 1994 which was previous to Disney purchasing Marvel in 2009.

Construction on Universal’s Islands of Adventure began in 1997, which included the themed area around the characters from the comics that was now named Marvel Super Hero Island. When Islands of Adventure opened in 1999, Marvel Super Hero Island was one of the six themed islands in the park.

Currently, Marvel Super Hero Island features four attractions: The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Doctor Doom’s Fearfall, and Storm Force Accelatron.

Have you missed Chomp Hot Dogs, and are you looking forward to its return? Let us know in the comments.

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Mickey & Minnie Mouse Egg

This eggcellent egg features Mickey and Minnie in the center of the egg surrounded by blue, pink, and yellow flowers, set on a dark blue background inside the center. The edge of the opening is gilded with a classical trim design around it.

The egg sits on a pedestal that is designed to look like a stone base, the tower, and egg are wrapped in a green shrub-like texture, with more colorful flowers around it at the base.

Tiana Topiary Egg

Taking a design of the topiaries at the 2023 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, this “Princess and the Frog”-inspired egg features Tiana as a topiary standing in a ring of flowers and moss in the center of the egg, with a golden backdrop behind her. The edge of the egg is dripping mosses on one side, and the other magnolia flowers frame the top half.

The base of the egg features water on the front with three water lilies on lily pads. More of the blue, pink, yellow, and red flowers are nestled among mosses.

The back of the egg has a night sky painted on it, with a heart in gold and a white star in the center. At the bottom, you can see Louis floating on his back playing his trumpet among more moss.

Spike’s Bee Hive Egg

When you see this bee hive-inspired egg design you will know what the buzz is about. This egg sees Spike the Bee at the top of the yellow hive and a Mickey Mouse silhouette as the entrance to the hive, with honey running out the front.

The hive sits on a confection round that looks like wooden planks. Around the hive, you can see various fruits and vegetables as well as some detailed candy flowers in pink, purple, and orange.

More Decorated Eggs

Around the table are more hand-crafted eggs that do not directly feature a character, but reflect the theme. This light blue egg has gaps around the hollow center. It features cherry blossoms popping out from the center, with yellow flower buds. At the base it is surrounded by more blossoms, all sitting on a faux grass base.

This egg looks fit for Tinker Bell. It appears to be a small home made out of twigs and sticks, and has a shingled roof at the top. Above the gray door are two small yellow flowers, and a window that is yellow to make it appear as if someone is home. In front of the egg is a stone path on the overall grass-like base. It features fun details of lily flowers in the back and sides and a spool of thread that has unwound along the left side.

The desert-inspired egg looks quite sharp, boasting a confectionery Minnie-shaped cactus with an orange flower on top. The egg is speckled in hues of yellow, purple, and green. From the top down, draping rows of red and purple flowers run along the egg to the base, where it meets more flowers. Green succulents dot in between the flowers to tie it all in.

Confectionery Sculptures at Disney’s Beach Club Resort

In addition to the eggstraordinary eggs, included in the display are confectionery sculptures of Disney characters reflecting some of the topiaries found at this year’s EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival.

Created in the likeness of everyone’s favorite purple dragon, the Figment sculpture bears quite a resemblance to the topiary version. He’s designed to look like his body is made of succulents with a purple stomach. No Figment is complete without his two tiny wings in orange, eyes big and yellow, and horns of a steer, but he is a lovable fellow.

Of course, you would find Winnie the Pooh behind Spike’s bee hive. This sculpture features a green Winnie the Pooh with his trademark red shirt, no doubt waiting for a smackerel of honey.

Standing behind the Princess and the Frog-themed egg, you will find a troll holding a walking stick, and a small lantern hanging from the end. The friendly-looking troll looks like he stepped right out of Maelstrom, the former attraction at EPCOT that was replaced with Frozen Ever After.

The final two sculptures are of Donald and Daisy Duck. Both mimicking the topiaries at EPCOT, Donald is in his red bowtie and holding a garden hoe, ready to plant more flowers.

Daisy is dressed in her pink dress, with her pink bow on top waving at all those who walk past.

You can find all of these tasty-looking confectionery creations in Disney’s Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World. If you are looking for a treat you can eat, take a look at all of the Easter Treats at Walt Disney World for 2023.

Are you planning on seeing all of this year’s eggs on display at the resorts? Let us know in the comments which are your favorite.

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New Structure in Gramercy Park

These booths, which are located in the New York area at Universal Studios Florida, originally operated as a pizza stand and had construction walls placed around it in January of 2023. It was rumored that this stand and the nearby popcorn stand were to be demolished, but with no word as to what would be taking their place.

A day after we reported on the construction walls going up, one of the stands had already been removed.

The two food stands that had been a long-standing staple in Gramercy Park vanished from behind the walls. Yesterday, we discovered that, in the place of one of the former booths, a new structure can be seen rising over the top of the construction walls that display various Universal movie posters.

The new building is green, and the roof appears to be made of brown metal. The street-facing side of the building has a peaked front that looks like it may hold a future marquee for the new stand.

Although there has not been a confirmation as to what will be at this location, it is rumored that the stand will reopen with pizza as its main offering. A possible menu could be calzones along with classic pizza.

This new structure in place of the previous pizza stand sits near The Revenge of the Mummy in the New York themed area of the park. The popcorn stand that was also removed sat just across from the pizza booth.

As of today, a new structure has been erected where the popcorn stand once stood. This could very well be a new popcorn stand with the same themed design as the newly constructed building.

These new booths are one of the many projects currently underway to improve the guest experience throughout the parks and create new locations for visitors to enjoy.

Other Construction Projects

These stands in the Gramercy Park area are just one of the many projects that are currently underway at Universal Studios Florida. The report of Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone now permanently closing featured the Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, and other attractions being closed off with construction walls rising up, and the welcome sign being covered in January of 2023. With the closure of this area the surrounding attractions, dining, and retail outlets remain in operation.

Are you hoping for some great new pizza options to be available? Let us know in the comments below.

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The 2023 Eggstravaganza Easter Egg Hunt has reimagined popular Disney rabbits as Easter Eggs and scattered them throughout EPCOT! Guests can participate by searching around World Showcase for the location of hidden decorated eggs, matching the characters with their locations for a prize.

The 2023 Eggstravaganza is happening across World Showcase now through April 9, 2023. Guests can pick up their game boards and stickers for $9.99 and have fun searching high and low for Disney characters in Easter egg form.

EPCOT Eggstravaganza

Guests can pick up their game boards and stickers for $9.99 and have fun searching high and low for Disney characters in Easter egg form. As each “egg” character is spotted, the sticker of that character can be placed in the corresponding location on the game board. Whether or not you decide to complete the Eggstravaganza, each game board can be returned for one of six collectible character keepsake eggs.

This year’s Eggstravaganza egg hunt features 12 Disney rabbits that guests can attempt to locate around World Showcase at EPCOT. The special lineup of Disney rabbits includes Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Thumper, Miss Bunny, the White Rabbit, March Hare, Skippy, Rabbit, Bean Bunny, Alec Azam, Jakalope, Judy Hopps, and Ducky & Bunny. All of the specially painted eggs can be found hidden throughout the pavilions of World Showcase. This unique lineup differs from last year’s event, which mainly incorporated classic characters such as Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Figment.

Eggstravaganza Keepsakes

Those who purchase the egg hunt map have an option to hunt for all 12 during their visit, using the included stickers to mark each one found, or simply collect their special keepsake without completing the game at either Disney Traders or World Traveler at International Gateway. This year, the keepsakes consist of six small eggs featuring Marie from “The Aristocats”, Patch from “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”, Robin Hood from the film of the same name, Dopey from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, Genie from “Aladdin”, or the Cheshire Cat from “Alice in Wonderland.”

Each of the six keepsake eggs has its own unique design and color, and fans of the various characters will want to make sure they hatch a plan to hunt them all.

Marie from “The Aristocats” Prize Egg

The first of of six collectible character keepsake eggs features Marie from “The Aristocats.” This character egg is light pink in color and features the character on the front side.

The back of the egg declares it as a prized “Eggstravaganza” egg and features floral designs.

Cheshire Cat Prize Egg

This Cheshire Cat egg presents the classic whimsical smile with swirls on the back, reminiscent of Alice’s downward descent into the wonky world of Wonderland.

Patch Prize Egg

The young and scrappy Patch is the perfect prize egg for fans of “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”. Featuring a red collar and a large, black patch over his right eye, this egg is white and features black Dalmatian spots with the red “Eggstravaganza” logo on the back.

Robin Hood Prize Egg

Oo-de-lally, it’s Robin Hood! Disney’s rendition of Robin Hood as a fox is featured on the next prize egg. Matching the green of Robin Hood’s robes, this egg features some archery targets scattered on the back.

Dopey Prize Egg

Let’s not forget the Dopey prize egg. The blue of this plastic egg matches Dopey’s big eyes. Dopey must have been in the mines with the other dwarfs, as the back of this egg features some shiny white diamonds.

Genie Prize Egg

Robin Williams’ Genie performance will live on as iconic for generations, but this prize egg celebrates the “Aladdin” character in a special way for spring 2023.

Special 2023 Prized Egg Collections

Special prize eggs are available this year, as well! For $14.99, guests can choose to pick up young Simba, Timon, or Pumbaa as part of the 2023 Eggstravaganza happening now across EPCOT World Showcase.

Exclusive to EPCOT this year, a collection of “Zootopia” eggs, featuring Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Flash, are also available as a part of the 2023 Eggstravaganza.

If you’re ready to complete the 2023 Eggstravaganza egg hunt on your own you can stop by World Traveler or Disney Traders to pick up your game board and redeem it when you’re finished.

Will you be joining in on the 2023 Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt at EPCOT? Let us know which character egg is your favorite in the comments below!

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Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom

• In advance of the grand opening on April 4, Disney has announced that TRON Lightcycle / Run will begin soft openings next week.
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will remain an individual Lightning Lane attraction after TRON Lightcycle / Run opens in April.
• Walt Disney World has updated its calendar to extend hours at Magic Kingdom through April 29.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Walt Disney World has updated its schedule for “Fantasmic!” to extend the twice-nightly performances of the show through April.
• Walt Disney World has updated its calendar to extend the hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios through April 29.

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

• Disney Vacation Club announced a Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser member-exclusive voyage with a 30% discount.

New Merchandise

• A new Cinderella Castle playset is now available at the Emporium in Magic Kingdom.

Other Walt Disney World News

• The reopening of Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon has been delayed until March 20, it was originally set to open on March 19.

Disneyland Resort

• The long refurbishment of Indiana Jones Adventure came to an end today, with new and updated scenes to the attraction.
• We got a first look inside the newly-refreshed attraction today, featuring an entirely new scene, updated projections, and improved lighting.
• Guests at Mickey’s Toontown will be the first to see Pete’s debut as a meet-and-greet character when the land reopens this weekend.
• We got a first look at the new costume Mickey Mouse will debut at Mickey’s Toontown when it reopens too.
• And we were given a sneak peek into the as-of-yet unopened areas of Mickey’s Toontown from Disney!
• A new Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway remote control trackless ride vehicle toy is coming soon.
• A souvenir slushee sipper, a popcorn bucket, and themed candies are coming to Mickey’s Toontown at reopening.
• According to a new press release, Mickey’s Toontown has been designed to be considerate, inclusive, and accessible to “every single guest”
• We got a look at the new Cafe Daisy Menus, a ‘Welcome to Toontown’ Sign, stroller parking, and more as Mickey’s Toontown nears completion.
• New renderings of the upcoming The Villas at Disneyland Hotel were released today.

The Walt Disney Company

• CEO Bob Iger has ordered executives around Disney to identify thousands of layoff candidates in a bid to save money at the company.

WDW News Today

Cast Member Union & Disney to Negotiate, Villains Land Update, 1st Gender Neutral Restrooms – NewsToday 3/17

That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

The post TRON Lightcycle / Run Soft Opening Next Week, Indiana Jones Adventure Returns with New Scene & Updated Projections, Disney Executives Ordered to Find Thousands of Layoff Candidates, & More: Daily Recap (3/17/23) appeared first on WDW News Today.

You can watch a full POV video of the updated experience courtesy of our YouTube channel.

The very first change we noticed was updated projections in the door room, now more clear and varied for each of the three rooms. This is the first update to these projections since they were installed in 2015.

The projections on Mara are also more clear and tuned to each room.

Long-broken effects have been fixed, such as the refurbished Cobra animatronic. Most of the attraction has also been relit, particularly Mara’s head in the main room of the temple.

In place of the infamous “rat log” projection effect, a new scene in the tunnels beneath the temple now takes place featuring Mara collapsing the walls of the building on top of the visiting explorers.

Finally, the climactic rolling boulder scene has been restored to working order once again after being out of order for quite some time. You can take a look at our video to view every single change and update made to the attraction.

The Indiana Jones Adventure attraction at Disneyland closed on January 9 for refurbishment. Guests had eagerly awaited information on an opening date as Disney had only stated previously that the attraction would open in “spring 2023,” only announcing a reopening date earlier this week. After the lengthy refurbishment, the ride has reopened to take guests on refreshed, updated, and enhanced adventures.

The new effects and added digital scenes of the attraction will make guests feel more of the thrill of racing through the Temple of the Forbidden Eye as Mara takes out their wrath on explorers. Previously there had been reports that the attraction would not be receiving new scenes, but this was later corrected.

According to The Orange County Register, Disney took time to clean and refresh the set pieces in the attraction as well as repair the audio-animatronics during the downtime along with these updated effects.

Updates and repairs extended to the attraction’s queue as well, updating landscaping, repainting, and repairing the interactive elements throughout.

Although there had been many rumors around adding new content related to the upcoming “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” the final installment in the series releasing this summer, there were no additions during the refurbishment that change or update the storyline. The reopened attraction retains the original story established with the ride in 1995.

Indiana Jones Adventure

This adventure-filled attraction opened on March 3, 1995.

The backstory can be discovered by guests while walking through the attraction’s queue. Eager-eyed adventurers can find letters, telegrams, and video projections to discover the story and discover of the temple that Disney has blended into the immersive experience.

A second version of the attraction — Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull — was later created for Tokyo DisneySea in 2001. This attraction has an exquisitely detailed queue within the passages of their temple, which takes place in an Aztec pyramid and temple in South America, with no relation to the 2009 film of a similar name.

Are you excited about heading back into the Temple of the Forbidden Eye? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Sirens Take the Stage

The trio took the stage to perform and we were there to video as their three-part harmonies transformed popular songs into a jazz-infused rendition. The first song of the evening was “Power of Love” originally by Huey Lewis and the News and popularized by “Back to the Future.” They took this popular 1985 song in a new direction before greeting the guests of the lounge.

The American Sirens stand on the stage above the bar taking the spotlight. Each singer is dressed in green and has feathers coming from the headband on their head. To complete the costume they wear elbow-length black gloves. The music of each song has been molded to a New Orleans jazz band sound, with saxophone and upright bass leading the music.

Their second song of the evening was a version of the song by Cage The Elephant called “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” They take the alternative/indie song and put their sultry harmonies on their version of the song which makes this version sound as if it was originally a jazz song.

As their third song of the set, they sang “You say I’m crazy, ’cause you don’t think I know what you’ve done.” to the upbeat jazz adaptation of the Sam Smith song “I’m Not The Only One.”

During this performance, they closed out their time singing a reworking of the classic song originally sung by George Michael “Careless Whisper.” After guests enjoyed the final song of this show, they exit the stage.

Each performance set is about 19 minutes, and guests can enjoy the jazz lounge interpretations of popular songs that range across the decades.

Cursed Coconut Club

The Red Coconut Club takes on a mysterious bayou theme and name change to The Cursed Coconut Club during Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Mardi Gras celebration. This special transformation takes place from February 4 through April 16, 2023. The club is open nightly from 5:00p.m. to midnight on Thursdays, until 1:00a.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 10:30p.m. to midnight on Sundays. Hours on Monday to Wednesday vary, best to contact the club in advance.

This variation of the club is not the first time that Universal transformed the space into a themed and unique experience. For Halloween Horror Nights 31, the venue was transformed into a Universal Monsters theme and met with great success in its shift to the Dead Coconut Club.

During the holiday season, the venue was revamped again to open as Green & Red Coconut Club, which gave the club a holiday theme replacing the monsters with Christmas trees and twinkling lights.

The cocktail menu at The Cursed Coconut Club has five drink options such as the Voodoo Bijou which is a mix of Fee Brothers orange bitters, simple syrup, orange zest, and black cherry garnish. The menu also includes wine, mead, canned and draft beer, and mocktails as well.

The Cursed Coconut Club will be in operation from now until April 16, 2023, at Universal CityWalk Orlando.

Would you dare to step into the dark and mysterious world of The Cursed Coconut Club? Let us know in the comments.

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The fun and festivities are free for guests of CityWalk. From 12:00p.m. on March 17 to 1:00a.m. on the following day, and again from 2:00p.m. on Saturday, March 18 to 1:00a.m. the following day, guests can enjoy live music, DJs, and dueling pianos, along with exclusive food and drink options during the special event. If you plan on attending, reservations are not required, but are available by calling the restaurant and bar at 407-224-3663.

The event’s artwork features a green background and a four-leaf clover design made out of various mugs and glasses as well as other clovers and horseshoes. The ad states it’s “your day to be Irish” to welcome all guests to take part in the event. This is not the first event that Pat O’Brien’s has hosted this year, playing host to a Mardi Gras after-party in February 2023.

Guests can find the event marquees located throughout CityWalk. Pat O’Brien’s can be found in the heart of Universal CityWalk, right between Bob Marley — A Tribute to Freedom and Fat Tuesday, and near Universal’s Great Movie Escape.

Pat O’Brien’s

Pat O’Brien’s at CityWalk

Pat O’Brien’s is a staple of Universal CityWalk Orlando, having opened with CityWalk in February 1999. The restaurant offers guests a taste of New Orleans in central Florida, including Crawfish Etouffee, Louisiana Blackened Redfish, the N’awlins Po’Boy, the Bag of Beignets, and the signature Hurricane cocktail.

The Orlando offering of Pat O’Brien’s is one of four locations the establishment has across the country. The original location is located in the French Quarter of New Orleans officially opened in 1933. The first location as well as the Orlando location features a dueling piano show.

Are you planning to or have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day at Universal? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!

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Mickey’s PhilharMagic at Disney California Adventure closed for refurbishment on January 23, 2023. Following its reopening, the carpet has been replaced.

The previous carpet was stained and visibly deteriorating.

Disney California Adventure Refurbishment

These refurbishments come to Mickey’s PhilharMagic come along with several other projects that are currently underway or recently refurbished at Disney California Adventure Park.

Work has begun on the Pacific Wharf area of the park, as it prepares to become San Fransokyo Square, themed after the fictional city from the movie Big Hero 6. The city in the film is a mix of San Francisco, California, and Tokyo, Japan. The process of repainting and preparing the bridge to be transformed to match the theme of the new area. Repainting it from its previous color to international orange, and the new look will feature torii gate-like towers on either end of the bridge which can be seen in the concept art Disney shared.

Along with this update, the entire Pacific Wharf area is currently transforming into San Fransokyo Square, and will have restaurants, a beer garden, and include a new greeting location for Baymax once open to guests.

The planned refurbishment of Grizzly River Run, which began in the early part of February 2023, is scheduled to end on March 17 after its yearly downtime. Other attractions within the park, such as Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, closed in January of 2023 for a refurbishment, and Silly Symphony Swings has also been closed for a scheduled refurbishment and currently remains closed with no reopening date.

Radiator Springs Racers finished a short refurbish at the end of January, and has already opened to racers, as did WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure which reopened on January 10.

Do you like the new additions to Mickey’s PhilharMagic theater? Let us know in the comments.

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Inside Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Good Morning America got a special look inside, which showcases some of the dining options as well as the decor. You can watch a video clip from the program below.

Additionally, Disney has released some new images of the inside of the soon-to-open dining location at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

In this first look, a family is seated at a table that is themed with rustic wood planks.

Inside behind them, you can see the various western theming of rockwork and cactus. Woody can be seen in the background riding Bullseye, as well as Bo Peep, and Prospector Pete.

We can see the Cast Members in their costumes that have western flair, themed loosely around Woody from the movie franchise. Their shirts have a red upper torso and cuffs, with yellow sleeves and dark blue on the bottom half. They are also shown wearing a light blue and brown apron with the attire.

Throughout the video, we get to see the various characters from the movie franchise in various forms. We see Bo Peep holding her shepherd’s hook, and behind the rope hoop are three of her sheep perched as if they are ready to jump through.

We also see a moment of a stylized version of Jessie, designed to make her look like a plastic toy, riding on the back of a cutout of Trixie, the blue triceratops.

As the look inside continues, some of the food is previewed, including various types of BBQ, The Prospector’s homemade cheddar biscuits, and Cupcake à la Forky. You can see the full menu here.

We also see overall shots of the interior of the location, as seen in the full tour posted earlier this week. It shows hand-drawn style artwork meant to appear as if Andy himself had drawn up and created the restaurant.

At the main entrance, there’s a giant-sized Sheriff badge with a banner welcoming fans of the rodeo to their reservations. The theme continues from the outside world of Toy Story Land, which puts the guests into the world of a toy by using larger-than-life props and design elements.

The new photos and videos allow us a look inside the dining location just a few weeks before its opening date, which is scheduled for March 23, 2023. We have previously reported on the dining options and pricing that will be available at its opening, with a per-guest charge for the family-style meal.

Roundup Rodeo BBQ table service location was originally announced in 2019, but with restrictions of the pandemic, the project was delayed and experienced a slow start to the construction. Despite the delay, the dining location is on track to open soon. Advanced dining reservations are available now.

Are you excited to try this newest dining location that lets you, the guest, become one of Andy’s honorary toys? Let us know in the comments what you want to try first.

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We spotted these new items at Treasures of Poseidon at Islands of Adventure.

Sunken Garden Magic Room Spray – $15.00

In addition to the candle version of this fragrance, the spray provides a new way to get the scent in your home. Coming in a 4oz bottle with the Sunken Garden logo on the front in gold, and the temple ruins on the blue packaging themed around Poseidon’s Fury. This design matches the candle that can also be purchased in the same location.

The room spray has the same profile as the candle, which is listed as:

Our Sunken Garden fragrance features top notes of marine and fresh cool breeze; middle notes of water lily, leafy rose, muguet, and cucumber; atop a base of wet moss, driftwood, sweet musk, and patchouli.

This new way to share the aroma of your favorite attractions is just one of the many options that are available to you on your visit. Other options include the ExtraTerrestrial Forest or Celtic Folklore, which lets you relive Finnegan’s Bar & Grill.

These products are created by the Magic Candle Company, which is a local business in central Florida that creates attraction-themed fragrances.

Sea King Tee – $37.00

This new tee design brings the king of the sea out of the ocean and onto this graphic tee. Featuring a graphic of Poseidon in the center holding his golden trident. Upon his head sits a golden crown with his hair swirling around. Adding to the fury of the design, tentacles, and waves surround him in shades of blue.

The back of the shirt is plain.

While neither item is Poseidon’s Fury branded, they may still evoke memories of the time you helped defeat Darkenon.

Check out some of the other fragrance options you can take home already.

• New Attraction-Themed Candles Honor Poseidon’s Fury and the Extinct Dueling Dragons at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
• PHOTOS: New Jaws, Kongfrontation, Back to the Future: The Ride, and E.T. Adventure Candles at Universal Orlando Resort
• Cabana Bay and Sapphire Falls Resort-Themed Candles Check Into Universal Orlando

Relive your Poseidon’s Fury adventure with our full video below.

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