DISNEY INFLUENCERS

Today, I’ve got some SWEET news to share about exciting work happening at Magic Kingdom Park as we prepare for the beginning of The World’s Most Magical Celebration at Walt Disney World Resort this October! Having worked as a leader there in the early 2000s, I know how important the sweet smells, tasty treats and wonderful cast are to our guests. That’s why I’m delighted to share that this iconic location will soon receive a fresh new look, expanded layout with more room to shop and interactive opportunities to customize your confections like never before. Whether it be a freshly painted castle turret being adorned with 50th anniversary décor, or shimmering gold leaf being added to your favorite Fantasyland attractions, our cast members are hard at work making Magic Kingdom Park shine like never before.

Actor Maxwell Simkins, of the all-new original series, took time out of his recent Walt Disney World Resort vacation to stop by ESPN Wide World of Sports. Just like his character in the show learns, Maxwell shares how important it is to have a love of the game and to play with heart, no matter if you win or lose. After 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) is unceremoniously cut from the Ducks, he and his mom, Alex (Lauren Graham), set out to build their own team of misfits to challenge the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs culture of youth sports today. Tune-in every Friday for a new episode of all-new Original Series on Disney+.

I’ve seen Chef Yoly create culinary masterpieces with her iconic petit cakes that we all know and love, and Chef Amanda create mind-blowing chocolate creations that have gone viral (I’m talking about the amazing Olaf Hot Cocoa Surprise!) Chef Amanda may look familiar to you and that’s because you’ve seen her on popular Disney+ shows including “One Day at Disney” and “Be Our Chef.” Chef Amanda discovered her passion for the culinary arts in a vocational program in high school where she thoroughly enjoyed the creative process of taking different ingredients and techniques and making something exciting and delicious. If you’ve ever found yourself grabbing a sweet treat from Erin McKenna’s Bakery or perhaps you’ve discovered the perfect find at Sugarboo & Co. or Rustic Cuff Read a little more of their stories and how they started their own brands and companies: Erin McKenna is the owner and founder of Erin McKenna’s Bakery – the tasty vegan and gluten-free bakery at Disney Springs.

I personally love searching the World Showcase to find Spike the Bee hiding among the incredible topiaries and fresh, fragrant gardens, but you can also carry him all over Walt Disney World Resort with our two new Disney Gift Card wristlet designs to celebrate the festival! You’ll find these special-edition cards at merchandise locations throughout EPCOT and at EPCOT resort area hotels for the length of the festival, while supplies last. So, load up your mini Disney Gift Card and wear it around your wrist while you explore everything the festival (and Walt Disney World Resort as a whole) has to offer! If you don’t spend it all at the festival, know that these, and all other Disney Gift Cards, can still be used for practically all things Disney from theme park tickets to Mickey merchandise at Disney Destinations nationwide!

Each year the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress recognizes songs and audio recordings “worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage. All of us at The Muppets Studio were very excited to learn that “The Rainbow Connection,” written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher and sung by Kermit the Frog in “ The Muppet Movie,” was included in the National Recording Registry Class of 2020 alongside other iconic recordings by Janet Jackson, Kool & the Gang, Labelle, Jackson Browne, Nas, Louis Armstrong and many others. The Rainbow Connection,” with its hopeful message about dream fulfillment, is the first song from the very first Muppet film in 1979 and quickly became an instant classic.

The World’s Most Magical Celebration” begins on Oct. 1, 2021 – and Florida car owners can get ready to celebrate with us by purchasing the first-ever Walt Disney World Resort specialty license plate! Inspired by the color scheme of Cinderella Castle, this magical plate is currently available for presale and will also help make even more dreams true, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish of Central and Northern Florida and their work granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Interested drivers can purchase a presale voucher* now for $25 plus applicable state administration fees exclusively through their local County Tax Collector’s Office, license plate agencies (DMVs) across the State of Florida, or online through the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office at https://www.octaxcol.com/specialty-license-plate-vouchers/. 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, including thousands taking place at Walt Disney World Resort.

Also, keep an eye out for the magical Peter Pan and Captain Hook topiaries whilst visiting the United Kingdom Pavilion!” Missy dares guests to walk into The Goodness Garden Butterfly House Presented by GoGo squeeZ at Future World West and not smile. planDisney Tip: Tabitha recommends browsing the Outdoor Kitchen menus prior to your visit as this is a great way to plan ahead before you arrive. There are booths around the World Showcase that sell Disney-themed garden decorations like garden stakes, stones, and even DIY topiaries. And since they’re actual Disney Gift Cards, you can use them all over the Walt Disney World Resort!” For more great tips and suggestions like these follow along on Instagram or Twitter, and be sure to visit planDisney.com to get personalized answers to your Disney vacation planning questions!

’s newest attraction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, with the launch of an all-new collection of apparel, accessories, and trading pins! The apparel collection stars the legends themselves— Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto— in poses and scenes from Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Fans of all ages can enjoy tees and cut-and-sew pieces with select styles that match back to youth and toddler styles, like the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway Striped Woven Button-Up and the Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse Coming soon, you’ll be on the fast track to fashion with a limited series of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway pins, including characters in train cars, with Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck and Pluto exclusive to BoxLunch, while shopDisney.com will launch with Minnie Mouse, Pete and Donald Duck on April 5.

For the Earth Day Celebration and the month of April, you can learn to draw characters – including Dumbo, Terk, Squirt, Shere Khan, Simba and Scar – whose real-life counterparts represent amazing stories of conservation work around the globe. * Nosh around the park sampling Earth Day eats, including a selection of limited-time specialty cupcakes: the Creature Comfort’s Honey Bee Cupcake, the strawberry-flavored Flamingo Cupcake at Flame Tree * Set out on a series of self-guided, nature-themed challenges and earn a special Wilderness Explorer limited-time Earth Day Nature badge. For more information on how Disney cares for animals and helps protect species in the wild, visit DisneyAnimals.com, check out “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+, streaming now, Disney Park Wild Sights, a short form video mini-series exclusive to the My Disney Experience app, or follow along on Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Instagram (@DrMarkAtDisney) and Facebook (@DisneyASE) pages.

Professional golfer Tony Finau recently visited Walt Disney World Resort on vacation with his family. We took a few minutes to catch up with Finau for a Walt Disney World Minute! We chatted about his Walt Disney World trip, and some of his favorite golf memories – including hitting a golf shot in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park when he competed in “Big Break Disney Golf. ” Check it out!