TouringPlans Travel Beat 4-27-2024

At Travel Beat we have all the “other” news from the last week or so—the stuff that wasn’t big enough to stop the presses for. What did the newsroom bring us this week? Bullets are just ahead if you’re in a hurry, and more details follow below. Don’t forget to check out the Headline News Recap, in case there was something you missed!

• Two Guided Tours Return to Disneyland
• Popcorn Installed for Smellephants on Parade
• Dates Announced for EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival
• Full Roster of Character Outfits Shared for Lookout Cay
• Droid Depot & Savi’s Workshop Now Pre-Paid Experiences
• Marvel Season of Super Heroes Debuts New Drone Show in Hong Kong
• Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters Closing at Tokyo Disney Resort
• Only Online Ordering for Chicken Guy in Disney Springs During Refurb
• Headline News Recap

Can you guess which story inspired this week’s cover image? Leave your guesses in the comments!

Two Guided Tours Return to Disneyland

Two more of Disneyland’s guided tour roster will be returning in April. The Cultivating the Magic Guided Tour, which focuses on the plants and botanicals at Disneyland, and the Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour will restart on May 11. Booking begins on April 30.

Popcorn Installed for Smellephants on Parade

You may remember hearing about Smellephants on Parade, a scent-based attraction coming to Storybook Circus in the Magic Kingdom. As you wait to ride Dumbo, you can find and sniff the Smellephants. The first Smellephant was installed late last week as Popcorn made his (her?) way into the display.

The Smellephants feature Scentsy-provided scents, and for those with scent-induced migraines Disney assures us that the area will still be safe to visit. (The super-sensitive may want to double-check that, or else wait until the new elephant smell wears off.) Two new Smellephants have arrived this week (with less fanfare), and the installation should be complete by the end of the month.

Dates Announced for EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

Ladies and gentlemen, polish your forks! The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival will be returning to Disney World from August 29 through November 23, 2024. What details do we have right now? Well, only a few gimmes like “The Germany Kitchen will be returning”. But we promise to keep you up to date here on the blog as news of the Eat to the Beat schedule, dining packages, and most importantly, THE MENUS are released.

Full Roster of Character Outfits Shared for Lookout Cay

Do you feel like you’ve seen this headline before? Well, not quite. Ever the master of the slow roll reveal, back in January we got a look at the Lookout Cay outfits for Mickey & Minnie. But this week, we got a look at the outfits for the whole lineup. Check them out below.

Droid Depot & Savi’s Workshop Now Pre-Paid Experiences

Until recently, the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge experiences where you can Build Stuff™ required a credit card guarantee at the time of booking, and full payment upon check-in. Now you’ll be required to pay during the reservation process, with no further dosh due at check-in. Cancellation policies (currently 24 hours in advance) and prices (currently $119.99 to build a custom astromech unit at Droid Depot & $249.99 for Savi’s, plus tax) remain the same.

Marvel Season of Super Heroes Debuts New Drone Show in Hong Kong

A new “Heroic Drone Show” opened at Hong Kong Disneyland this week as part of the Marvel Season of Super Heroes celebration. During the day, you can join some of your favorite Avengers as they battle Hydra, and in the evening the Swarmbots rise to the skies in the “Find Your Super Power: Battle in the Sky” nighttime experience. The Super Hero celebration also includes themed food and merch, and it runs from April 26 to June 10.

Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters Closing at Tokyo Disney Resort

You’ve still got 6 months or so to get a ride in on Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters in Tokyo; the resort announced this week that the attraction will be closing sometime in October 2024. The attraction’s space will be reused for a Wreck-it Ralph-themed attraction based on the Sugar Rush racing game, currently scheduled to open sometime in 2026.

Only Online Ordering for Chicken Guy in Disney Springs During Refurb

Chicken Guy in Disney Springs is doing some work on its outdoor seating area. Walls are up and – most importantly if you’re planning to eat there during the construction – there’s only online ordering available at the moment (and presumably until it’s done.)

Headline News Recap

It was a slow week as far as headlines go; the Food & Wine dates might have made the bar if there had been more details but … yah no.

On the left coast though, Pixar Fest kicked off on Friday and we have photos of the event parade. Photos: New Pixar Better Together Parade at Disney California Adventure. Pixar Fest will run through August 4, 2024.

That’s it for this week’s Travel Beat. What news are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!