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5 Disney Things You Should Know This Week – August 26, 2016

Welcome to another week of Disney things you should know. Not everyone can keep up with all of the Disney news (not even me, and I do this stuff full time), so we provide you with 5 Disney Things you should know from this week to help you keep up to date. This week features a new discount and dinner show at Aulani, a live stream of the soon to be discontinued Main Street Electrical Parade as well as a new Disney cookbook and more fun at Raglan Road. Enjoy!

Watch the Main Street Electrical Parade Live From the Magic Kingdom

main street electrical parade

Are you a fan of the Main Street Electrical Parade? Did you know it is leaving the Magic Kingdom later this year? Well, you are in luck, as Disney has decided to live broadcast the Main Street Electrical Parade this weekend, for free!

The Main Street Electric Parade will soon be “glowing” away to inspire our friends at Disneyland Resort in California. But before it makes its cross-country journey, guests have until October 9, 2016 to enjoy this sparkling spectacular here at Magic Kingdom Park. We hope many of you will be able to see the parade in person before it leaves, but if not we have you covered with our live stream!

It will be broadcast Sunday night at 8:55 p.m. ET. Just check the following link right before then for broadcast details:

Broadcast Details available Sunday evening: Disney Parks Blog

Aulani Winter 2017 Discount

aulani winter discount

Aulani is a Disney resort located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. While not adjacent to a Disney theme park, Aulani provides you with the Disney magic in one of the most magical places on earth. The resort is down right beautiful, with fantastic rooms, pools and a near perfect beach. Plus, there are no resort fees, so there isn’t any additional cost to use the pools, beach or any of the fantastic kids clubs or other activities.

Now you can save up to 35% during the most popular time of the year to visit the islands. Travel between January 2 and March 24, 2017 and you can save up to 35% on your room reservation, plus book early and receive a free meal per person in your family at one of Aulani’s great restaurants, the Ulu Cafe.

For more information: Aulani Winter 2017 Discount

New Discover ‘Menehune Mischief’ Dinner Show at Aulani

Menehune Mischief

Speaking of Aulani, Disney has just launched a brand new dinner show at Aulani for guests. “Menehune Mischief” at Makahiki restaurant celebrates the story of the Menehune—the magical little people of Hawaiian legend—with the help of Aulani’s beloved Uncle and favorite Disney Characters. During a delicious buffet dinner, you’ll enjoy delightful tales brought to life through enchanting music, sing-along fun and engaging storytelling!

The essence of Makahiki – The Bounty of the Islands can be found throughout the restaurant’s art and design, as well as in the fresh, locally-sourced cuisine. My favorites include the rotating carving stations, the abundant selection of seafood and, of course, house-made desserts! There is also a special “Keiki Corner” for youngsters to fill up on macaroni pasta, baked chicken tenders and more!

Menehune Mischief is offered on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Dinner reservation times are 4:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. The character dinner experience is $49 for adults and $24 for keiki (ages 3-9 years old).

Delicious Disney Cook Book

delicious disney

Who doesn’t love having a little bit of Disney magic at home with them between Disney vacation? I find that eating one of my favorite Disney meals make me extra excited for any upcoming Disney adventure. Well, now you can enjoy your favorite Disney sweets with the new “Delicious Disney” cookbook.

Vacation is often a time for indulgence, so Disney dessert recipes are among the most requested, and the new “Delicious Disney Sweet Treats” cookbook features 40 irresistible recipes from the pastry chefs at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa and Disney Cruise Line.

The book includes elegant sweets such as the madeleines from Chefs de France at the France pavilion at Epcot, the Warm Apple Butter Cake from Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland hotel and the Mom’s Favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake from 50’s Prime Time Café at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Each recipe has been tested in a home kitchen to make it easier to re-create a vacation favorite. Now you can make your favorite desserts any time of the year!

This new cookbook will be available shortly at Walt Disney World, Disneyland and online in the Shop Disney Parks app.

Great Irish Hooley

Great Irish Hooley

Raglan Road is one of my favorite Disney restaurants, and a “DO NOT MISS” on every single Disney World vacation, no matter the length (I at there one time between the end of a Disney Cruise and my flight home that afternoon, and I nearly missed my flight because of it). Raglan Road just has fantastic food and an even better atmosphere.

This year, Raglan Road celebrates the 5th Anniversary of their “Great Irish Hooley” with craft beer, cool cocktails, authentic Irish food, and, perhaps most impressive, a brand-new “Rhythms of Raglan” show—a 90-minute live spectacle of music and dance, produced in Ireland and directed by David Hayes of “Riverdance” and “The Voice: Ireland Edition” and choreographed in part by Michael Donnellan, famous for his work in “Lord of the Dance.”

Taking place September 2-5, 2016 over the long Labor Day Weekend, this music-festival-meets-festive-food soiree mixes authentic Irish entertainment with some of the best bites and sips this side of the Emerald Isle. The fun begins at noon on Friday, September 2nd and runs through last call the following Monday.

Make plans now to make The Great Irish Hooley part of your Labor Day Weekend – and be sure to catch The Rhythms of Raglan show, taking place at 4 p.m. Sept. 2, and at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sept. 3, 4 and 5. (Tip: pencil in extra time for Celtic face-painting, happening Saturday through Monday!)

For the full entertainment schedule, visit www.raglanload.com and www.greatirishhooley.com closer to the event.

Did I miss any Disney news this week that should have been included?

disney things

5 Disney Things You Should Know This Week – April 1, 2016

Each Friday, I provide 5 Disney things all Disney fans should know from this past week, just in case you missed them. Here are the super important Disney news items for this week:

New Disney Lego Minifigurines

Disney LEGO

While it has been very strange that this has not happened years ago, Disney and LEGO have finally announced they are producing a line of Disney themed LEGO minifigures starting in May, 2106. Prices should start at under $4 for each minifigure. They will be available for sale at World of Disney as well as the LEGO store in Disney Springs (and most likely Downtown Disney at Disneyland), as well as some other, yet to be announce, retailers. Hopefully they will be available online as well.

Disney LEGO Minifigures

Sounds Like Summer Concert Series

sounds like summer epcot

Each year, Epcot offers great concert series, including during the Flower and Garden and Food and Wine Festival. One of the best is the Sounds Like Summer concert series, which feature cover bands of your favorite rock groups. Three new acts have been added this year!

2016 Sounds Like Summer Concert Series

Tiffin Details

animal kingdom Tiffin

More details have been released about Tiffin, the new restaurant that will be opening this year in Animal Kingdom.

“Tiffins is the signature restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, celebrating the culture of design and research that went into creating this unique park,” said Emily O’Brien, Walt Disney Imagineering executive show producer for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The galleries, or dining rooms, focus on Asia [Trek Gallery with 74 seats] and Africa [Safari Gallery with 64 seats], and the third [Grand Gallery with 114 seats] pays homage to animal species that the Disney Conservation Fund works to protect.

It looks like more information on food and the opening date will be given soon.

Animal Kingdom’s Tiffin Restaurant 

Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival

california food wine festival

The Disney California Adventure Food and Wine festival opens today, and runs through May 1, 2016. While not the West Coast equivalent of Epcot’s festival, Disney still offers great food booths and events for Disney guests.

Aulani Free Transportation

Aulani

Thinking about going to Aulani this Summer? Who wouldn’t love that? If so, you can get free airport transfers plus a one day free car rental!

For a limited time, you can receive free round-trip transportation from the airport to Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, plus a free 1-day mid-size Alamo car rental, when they book your stay of 4 consecutive nights or longer at Aulani through Walt Disney Travel Company.

This special offer is available for select stays June 14 – August 15, 2016. Book now through June 2, 2016.

Did I miss any Disney news this week that should have been included?