Category: Disney Parks

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks during the phased reopening of Walt Disney World as we’ve welcomed Guests back to our parks and resorts. This weekend, our animal care team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park got to welcome a “colorful” addition to the animal family, too! On Saturday, July 25, a mandrill infant was born to first-time father, Linus, and mother, Scarlett.

Mom and baby are doing well and spending lots of time bonding. In fact, their bond is so close that at the baby’s neonatal exam, our veterinary team wasn’t able to determine if the baby is a boy or a girl just yet, because mom is keeping the infant so close to her belly. Scarlett and baby have already begun making short appearances in their habitat on the Kilimanjaro Safari, joining the other members of their mandrill troop. As soon as we determine the gender and name, I’ll share on my Instagram, @drmarkatdisney, so stay tuned there!

While this little one is
pretty tiny now, mandrills are actually the largest species of monkey in the
world. They’re a vulnerable species found in African rainforests along the
equator, where their habitat is disappearing because of deforestation and
poaching. This birth is an example of how our dedicated and highly trained team
of Disney animal care experts works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA) on Species Survival Plans (SSPs). The SSP assures responsible breeding
for endangered species, such as mandrill monkeys, allowing for a healthy and
genetically diverse population of such animals for years to come. Just this
past May, we welcomed an adorable babirusa piglet, yet another success story of breeding through the
SSP.

The exciting news from Animals, Science and Environment doesn’t stop
there. In case you missed it, last week we announced an upcoming Disney+ series called “The
Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” where you’ll get a peek behind-the-scenes as
the stories of these animal care experts and the animals they care for come to
life this fall on Disney+. In fact, you might even see some of our mandrills in
one of the episodes.

From National Geographic, the global leader in natural-history programming, and premiering on Disney+, this new series will give viewers a one-of-a-kind look into the daily operation of our advanced animal care and veterinary facilities at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT and will showcase the dedication and expertise of our amazing cast members.

Stay tuned for more about “The Magic of Disney’s Animal
Kingdom,” coming to Disney+ this fall!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized

If you’re like me, a trip to EPCOT isn’t complete without a visit to The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion to go under the sea and marvel at the natural beauty of vast marine life, including my favorite…SHARKS! Fans of these often-misunderstood champions of the sea can dive deep into the world of sharks at home during National Geographic’s 8th Annual SHARKFEST with more bite than ever by tuning into programming every night airing now on National Geographic and then on Nat Geo WILD starting August 9^th.  SHARKFEST underscores National Geographic Society’s 132-year legacy in exploring the farthest reaches of Earth and to highlight its commitment to shark and ocean conservation.

Knowing that our Disney Parks sharks are also super
excited about SHARKFEST, we thought
it would be “fin”-tastic to get them involved in the celebration by letting
them tell us more about themselves!

For more on SHARKFEST including stories, downloads, activities for kids, and more visit NatGeo.com/Sharkfest, and for more #DisneyMagicMoments like this one, be sure to keep checking with us here at the Disney Parks Blog.

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

We recently put your Disney Vacation Club knowledge to the test with a fun trivia night. Now, it’s time for a visual challenge. Do you know where this exquisite piece calls “home?” If you know the answer instantly, welcome home, you eagle-eyed pro. If not, no worries. Here are some more clues and images. 

Do you recognize this scene? This mural is comprised of more than 500,000 hand-cut tiles and depicts Rapunzel’s beloved floating lanterns from “Tangled.” This stunning work of art rises 20 feet in the air from walkways on each side of the tunnel’s central fountain, joined at the ceiling above by a shared mosaic sky.  Have you guessed?

In its location at Disney Vacation’s Club’s newest resort, the mural is joined by a second one that shows London at night, with Peter Pan, Wendy, Michael and John flying off to Never Land. One final clue resides in what both murals have in common – the theme of “flight.” Have you figured it out? 

Scroll down for the answer.

Answer: The walkway from Disney’s Riviera Resort to its Disney Skyliner station.

At Disney’s Riviera Resort, families can catch the Disney Skyliner, an aerial gondola system, for magical flights to EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On their way to the Disney Skyliner station, Members and guests pass through a tunnel featuring two spectacular mosaic murals inspired by flight. 

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized

Standing proudly at the center of Fantasyland, King Arthur Carrousel is one of the original opening day attractions at Disneyland park. The antique carrousel is hand carved, hand painted and maintained by skilled artisans. 

Now is your chance to be a skilled carrousel artisan by downloading and constructing part four of Disney Paper Parks! This release includes King Arthur Carrousel, designed by Imagineer Lyndsey Vincent, a horse-drawn trolley to add to your Disney Paper Parks of Main Street, U.S.A., landscaping, balloons and more. The paper carrousel even spins!

As a reminder, we recommend printing the activity sheets at their actual size, not scaling them to fit the page. We also recommend adult participation or supervision for those with little ones. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed building the already released activity sheets of Main Street, U.S.A., the “Magic Happens” parade and Sleeping Beauty Castle using scissors, glue and other simple supplies. We look forward to releasing more printable, 3D activity sheets of Disney Paper Parks, designed by Imagineers Stephanie Jazmines and Amy Young for the Disney Parks Blog.

By downloading Disney Paper Parks, you acknowledge and agree that these materials are being provided to you for personal, non-commercial use.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, WDI

Disney Channel and Make-A-Wish teamed up to provide 9 wish kids the surprise of a lifetime. Select fans were able to pre-screen the upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie, “Upside-Down Magic,” prior to the world premiere on July 31! After the screening of the movie, 2 stars from the DCOM, Siena Agudong and Izabela Rose, provided some Disney Magic to these fans with a surprise video chat where they were able to talk about the upcoming movie!

Check out the full video in DisneyNOW for all the amazing reactions to the ultimate surprise! “Upside-Down Magic” premieres Friday, July 31 at 8 p.m. on Disney Channel and will be available in DisneyNOW beginning Saturday, August 1.

For 40 years, The Walt Disney Company has helped Make-A-Wish grant more than 140,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses. This is just the latest example of Disney’s commitment to creating magic for wish kids and their families when they need it most. Learn how you can transform lives, one wish at a time at wish.org.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized