Author: disneyparks.disney.go.com

Get ready to wield some new lightsabers, my fellow Batuuans! Last month, we enlisted you to vote for which legacy lightsaber you would hope to see offered at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, and you answered the call in masses! Now, I’m happy to announce which legacy lightsaber Dok has acquired …

The legacy lightsaber that you all voted for and will be added to Dok’s collection is… Cal Kestis!

That’s right, you’ll be able to add Cal Kestis’ legacy lightsaber to your personal collection when it arrives at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge next fall! But that’s not all…

Dok-Ondar is one busy antiquarian and is working on securing even more legacy lightsabers between now and then, starting with the new Ahsoka Tano legacy lightsaber hilts as seen in season seven of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” These are the first legacy lightsaber hilts that change color and are coming this fall to Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

The second all-new legacy lightsaber that will be joining Dok’s collection this fall will be the red bladed lightsaber hilt of the menacing Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, aka Count Dooku! The elegant curved handle design along with its flourishing blade-emitter guard makes this lightsaber hilt distinct and a notable design departure from Jedi tradition. 

Please note that as these new legacy lightsabers are introduced to Dok’s collection, some previously released lightsabers will be retired, so be sure to collect all of your favorites before they are gone!

Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for the latest details on legacy lightsaber releases and remember that select products direct from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge have been shipped from planet Batuu and are available at Star Wars Trading Post at Disney Spring, Downtown Disney District and online at shopDisney.com for a limited time! Good journey, my friends!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disney Springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Merchandise, SWGE

Today we are sharing some exciting news for Florida-registered car owners – there’s now a way to be part of history and to help grant wishes for children who need them most. For the first time ever, a specialty Walt Disney World Resort license plate is available for purchase in honor of our 50^th anniversary. Proceeds of the license plate will go to Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida.

Disney has a longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, dating back to 1980, and since then, more than 140,000 Disney-inspired wishes have been granted, with more than 8,000 taking place each year at Walt Disney World Resort. 

While the design of this specialty plate will be revealed at a later date, interested car owners can purchase a presale voucher now for $25 plus applicable state administration fees through local County Tax Collector’s offices and license plate agencies (DMVs) across the State of Florida. 

We are busy planning our 50^th anniversary celebration and will share more details in the months to come. To learn more about purchasing a pre-sale voucher for your license plate, visit flhsmv.gov.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World Resort, Make-A-Wish, WDW

If I asked you to imagine a trip to Walt Disney World Resort, I’m sure you can quickly think of your favorite things to do here – whether it’s riding a particular attraction, savoring a tasty treat or just lounging by the pool. Now shift those thoughts to the 5,000+ animals in our care – they also have favorite activities – and we have a talented animal care team that work to make sure their days are infused with fun and excitement.

The latest episode of National Geographic’s “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom,” streaming on Disney+, gives viewers a closer look at the creativity our keepers use to make the magic happen for the animals in our care.

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Just like us, animals appreciate a break from their everyday routines, so we look to add enrichment to experiences like playtime with special surprises and treats. It’s hard to tell who enjoys it most – the animals or the keepers. Our team loves creating unique experiences, such as introducing new food items, like popcorn, to the primates, sprinkling aromatic fragrances, like perfume and pumpkin pie spice throughout the big cat habitats, and working with the animal nutrition center to serve frozen treats on warm days.

Enrichment encourages the animals to explore and interact with their surroundings to demonstrate species-specific behaviors, such as big cats scratching to sharpen their claws or gorillas climbing to forage for food. Keeping these animals active and stimulated enhances their well-being, and it’s an essential part of the care we provide them.

Check out Sumatran tiger Sohni’s reaction to some lemongrass that animal keeper Susan and her team arranged to be added to the tigers’ home on Maharajah Jungle Trek.

The animal care team keeps things interesting by using their keen observation skills and species-specific know-how to make note of what foods and activities each animal seems to enjoy most. You can see in the video clip, Susan wants Sohni to enjoy new things in her habitat and has an inkling that Sohni will want to roll around in the fresh lemongrass, which she does, much to Susan’s delight.

Enrichment is happening all around for the animals you see at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT. This week’s activity page offers a unique way to keep your eyes peeled to catch the fun in action when watching the show or visiting the parks.

Remember, you can become part of the conservation conversation by following us on social media. We’re sharing even more behind-the-scenes content from our animal keepers on @drmarkatdisney on Instagram and @DisneyASE on Facebook.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Behind the Scenes, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, Animals, DAK, disney+, NatGeo, National Geographic, Video

This year, Shanghai Disney Resort is ushering in Halloween like never before with a cauldron of bewitching experiences, including wickedly wonderful parties, new Disney Villain selfie spots, special fireworks, dreadfully delicious delicacies and more!  

From now until November 1, magical moments of Halloween are materializing for guests of all ages at the Resort. And today, we’ve scared up a glimpse of the chilling (and thrilling) fun. 

At Shanghai Disney Resort, this season’s Halloween festivities include a new two-day Halloween party –  “Halloween Days of Spook-tacular” – that’ll creep into the night on October 30 and 31.  

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Guests with a ticket to “Halloween Days of Spook-tacular” are encouraged to show their best Halloween costumes as they enjoy five different Party Zones throughout Shanghai Disneyland – with live DJs and selfie spots with Disney Villains.  

At the end of the night’s “This IS Halloween!” Dance Party, the winner of a costume contest will be invited to ride in the Grand Marshal vehicle at the front of the nighttime pre-parade. To cap off both evenings, guests can enjoy a Halloween Villains Fireworks Show with a stirring soundtrack, Disney Villains projections, fire effects and more. 

As a special surprise during Halloween, select Disney Villains will be making appearances on the Enchanted Storybook Castle balcony in the all-new Villain Balcony Walk.  And each night, Donald’s Halloween Treat Cavalcade returns to the parade route. 

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The Resort has also carved out an enchanting array of pumpkin-flavored desserts for the season, including a Halloween Donald Waffle with Pumpkin-flavored Ice Cream, a Donald Pumpkin-flavored Ice Cream Waffle Cone, and a Donald Pumpkin-flavored Ice Cream at Il Paperino. 

If guests are looking for something more regal, they can head to the Royal Banquet Hall for a delightfully delicious four-course Halloween menu with warming family favorites. 

And for a special memento, the StellaLou Halloween Sipper and Duffy Halloween Popcorn Bucket are perfect options available at quick service restaurants and outdoor vending carts.

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Also, there are four new merchandise collections now available for the Halloween season, including a first-ever Disney Villains Collection at Shanghai Disney Resort.  And guests can now find the Mickey and Friends, Duffy and Friends and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” Collections as well as new costumes and other hauntingly fun items to make a Halloween visit even more magical.  

Be sure to check back for more Disney Halloween surprises by visiting our new “Everything Halloween” page.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Shanghai Disney Resort, SDL

If you haven’t visited Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival yet, or if you need to go back for seconds (or thirds!) you have just over a month to sip and savor. The festival will close on Nov. 22 to make way for Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth, which begins Nov. 27. 

I asked our Festival chefs to share one of my favorite plant-based recipes – the Impossible Burger Slider with Wasabi Cream and Spicy Asian Slaw. This slider, with its perfect spicy kick, is a popular festival offering as well as an easy (and delicious!) recipe to make at home. Check out the how-to video that accompanies this recipe.

Impossible Burger Slider with Wasabi Cream and Spicy Asian Slaw  Makes 6 Sliders

Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe.

SLAW DRESSING

• 1/4 cup sambal
• 1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoons sesame oil 
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

SWEET AND SPICY SLAW

• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 poblano pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded green papaya
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Reserved slaw dressing
• Salt and pepper, to taste

WASABI AÏOLI 

• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon wasabi powder
• 1/2 cup plant-based mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

IMPOSSIBLE PATTIES

• 18 ounces Impossible Burger
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons sambal 
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

SLIDERS

• 6 slider rolls with sesame seeds
• 1 cup baby arugula

FOR SLAW DRESSING:

1. Place sambal, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling and stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 
2. Stir in lime juice and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

FOR SWEET AND SPICY SLAW:

1. Combine cabbage, carrot, sliced pepper, green papaya, and cilantro in large bowl. 
2. Add cooled slaw dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

FOR WASABI AÏOLI:

1. Mix water and wasabi powder in medium to form a paste. 
2. Whisk in plant-based mayonnaise and salt until combined. 
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

FOR IMPOSSIBLE PATTIES:

1. Combine Impossible Burger, salt, pepper, and sambal in large mixing bowl. Divide into six 3-ounce patties and shape to size of slider buns. 
2. Heat canola oil in large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Place patties in pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until 155°F. 
3. Keep warm.

TO SERVE:

Drizzle Wasabi Aïoli on the bottom half of each sesame bun and top with a few leaves of baby arugula. Top with Impossible patty and Sweet and Spicy Slaw before adding the top of each bun.  

Cook’s Notes: Impossible is available online or at your local grocery store. Impossible cooks and tastes like beef made from cows – but is made sustainably, from plants. 

Always use caution when handling sharp objects and hot contents. Please supervise children who are helping or nearby. This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version. 

Stay connected with Disney Parks Blog for more delicious Disney recipes and be sure to share the magic with other Disney fans using the hashtag #DisneyMagicMoments. Happy cooking! 

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort, DisneyMagicMoments, Recipe, Video, WDW