Welcome back to another week of feel-good Disney Parks news featuring our beloved Mickey Pumpkin, which usually signals cooler weather and fun times ahead! Thank you for all your feedback on the new format. Please hit reply and let me know what you like or don’t like!

Thanks to HARR_E all the live Halloween Time pics in the Lounge. See more real-time pics and post your pics to the NEW Lounge!

First, a PSA about refunds and cancellations for Walt Disney World for those affected by Hurricane Idalia:

⛈️ #WaltDisneyWorld has a specific hurricane policy in place to address cancellations, refunds, and other concerns related to hurricanes. Here are some key points to consider:

Cancellation and change fees: If a hurricane warning is issued within 7 days of your arrival date, you may not be responsible for any cancellation or change fees. In many cases, guests faced with a hurricane are not subject to the $200-per-package cancellation fee or $50-per-package change fee.

Refunds: Walt Disney World typically offers refunds only if the National Weather Center issues a hurricane warning.

Standard cancellation policy: The standard Walt Disney World cancellation policy allows cancellations up to 5 days prior to arrival without penalty

Safety precautions: During a hurricane, it is advised to keep phones or iPads charged, listen for announcements, stay away from windows when possible, and follow any instructions provided by the resort

In summary:

✅ No cancellation/change fees if warning within 7 days of arrival

✅ Refunds if hurricane warning issued

✅ Standard cancellation up to 5 days prior

✅ Stay safe: charge devices, listen for announcements, avoid windows

From Aug 29-31, Disney is also offering a 50% discount for Florida residents fleeing Hurricane #Idalia and first responders assisting in recovery efforts.

MouseWait Updates:

I posted the wrong update graphics last week! Here are the correct ones:

I really need your help with our Disney World App: Could you please update your review or write a new one for Disney World? Since we launched the new version, we only have around four reviews, and every five-star review greatly helps us. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Upcoming Events at Disneyland & Disney World

I asked Kate, our GPT-4 powered Virtual Plaid, to search the web and compile as many upcoming events AND refurbishment dates as possible and put them in an easy-to-read format for you. We created a table listing upcoming events for both Disneyland and Disney World, including information about refurbishments—all in a single view!

For a larger view, visit this page. You can also access it from the “Home” tab of the MouseWait for Disneyland and Disney World.

The Neverland Navigator: A Weekly Guide to New Discoveries

Disneyland:

🎉🏰👑 San Fransokyo Square is almost ready! Check out the new theming for Boudin Bakery and Ghirardelli’s! 🍞🍫 pics from HARR_E show how cool it looks! 🤩 Get ready to explore the magic of Disney and experience the delicious treats of San Fransokyo Square! 😍

🎉👻🍬 There are going to be two new villains at the Oogie Boogie Bash this year! Rumor has it that it’s Judge Doom and Yokai from Big Hero 6. They’re going to make the treat trails so much more fun and spooky! 🎉👻🍬

👻🏰🎉 The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland is getting some exciting upgrades in 2024! There will be a bigger outdoor waiting area, a new shop, and a new elevator exit! Get ready for even more spooky fun on this classic ride! 👻🏰🎉

🌺🌸🌼🌷 The queue for the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland will be extra special, with themed gardens inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota, and the one-eyed cat. Each garden will have unique elements like a fountain, a gazebo, and a greenhouse! 🎉👻 🏰

🎀 🏰 👻🕯️ Looking for a spooky souvenir? Look no further than Madame Leota’s Carriage House! This shop, located near the exit of the Haunted Mansion ride, is filled with items related to the famous fortune teller’s incantations. From candles to crystal balls, you’re sure to find the perfect haunted memento to take home with you. Don’t miss out on this eerie shopping experience! 👀💀👻

📸🐱🚀 New Magic Shots are now available for you to capture your memories at the parks! Take a pic with Chopper and a Loth Cat, or show off your Star Wars style with the new Clone Armory lens! Just visit a PhotoPass photographer and add some extra magic to your vacation! 📷✨

Disney World:

🌊🚧👷‍♂️ Exciting news! The walls around the construction site for EPCOT’s Journey of Water are coming down! This means that work on the attraction is almost done and we’ll get to experience it soon! 🌺💧🌴

🎉🍺👒 Get ready for the Great Irish Hooley, returning to Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant this Friday afternoon, September 1 through late night on Labor Day, Monday, September 4 at Disney Springs! 🎉🍺👒

🎉🏰👑 Disney granted over 150,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses! 👸🏼🤴🏻 This is the largest wish-granting event ever held at Walt Disney World and ended with a royal ball with Disney princesses. 💫🎉

Can a day at Disneyland change your life?

I think I forgot to add this to the newsletter last week! It was the 30th anniversary of Chelsea’s and my first date at Disneyland!

Flavors of Fantasyland: Your Culinary Tip of the Week

I am creating restaurant summaries that provide comprehensive information about a restaurant, including combined Yelp/TripAdvisor ratings and reviews, top tips from reviewers, available discounts, popular menu items, prices, and more. Here’s an example of one on Twitter, and soon, I will add them to our Virtual Plaid database!

Is the Cafe Orleans Prix Fixe dinner the best deal at Disneyland?

This is the Panzanella Salad, Roasted Chicken and the Vanilla Mousse Candle dessert. $87 for 2, before tip and w Magic Key discount. See msdizmaui’s post in the Lounge!

Speaking of food, if you want to beat the crowd to dining reservations at Disneyland or Disney World you need MouseWait ALL-ACCESS!

You can get a discount on ALL-ACCESS or any Apple purchase by purchasing a $100 Apple Gift Card at Target. You’ll get a $10 Target Gift Card + 5% off if you have a Red Card. But don’t wait–Target usually only keeps these deals active for a few days!

VOYAGEERS: Finding Hidden Treasures in the Parks

In the spirit of the VOYAGEERS (available on Amazon), I’m including an intriguing historical fact (a.k.a Disney lore) about the Parks each week!

Did you know that there is a hidden gem on Main Street USA at Disneyland? It’s a brick wall that has been there since the park opened in 1955. But this is not just any brick wall. It’s a test wall that was used by Walt Disney and his Imagineers to choose the best bricks for the park. Here’s the story behind it.

The test wall is located next to the lockers on Main Street, near the Starbucks and Disney Clothiers. It looks like a mismatched collection of bricks, some uniform and some irregular. Most guests would probably not notice it, or think it was a mistake. But it’s actually a piece of Disneyland history.

When Disneyland was being built, Walt Disney and his team of Imagineers had to make thousands of decisions every day, including what kind of bricks to use for the different buildings and facades. They built the test wall with different types of bricks to see how they would look in different light and weather conditions.

Some say that the test wall was meant to be replaced before the park opened, but there was not enough time or money to do so. Others say that Walt Disney liked the test wall so much that he decided to keep it as a reminder of the park’s construction. Either way, the test wall has remained unchanged for over 60 years.

Another theory is that the test wall was going to be the entrance to Liberty Street, a planned annex off Main Street that would have transported guests to colonial America. Liberty Street was never built, but some elements of it were later incorporated into Liberty Square at Walt Disney World.

The test wall is a fascinating example of Disney’s attention to detail and dedication to perfection. It shows how much thought and care went into creating Disneyland, and how even a simple brick wall can have a story behind it. Next time you visit Disneyland, take a moment to appreciate this hidden gem on Main Street USA. You’ll be glad you did. 😊

Check out this video of the test wall on Twitter

Whimsical Wonders: Uncovering the Lesser-Known Delights of Disneyland

Pirates Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas is a free interactive game that lets you join Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew to find hidden treasures and fight off enemies in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland.

You can start the game at The Crow’s Nest, where you will get a magic talisman and a treasure map. You will then follow the clues on the map to find different locations and activate special effects with your talisman.

There are five different adventures to choose from, each with a different story and reward. You can play as many as you want, and you can keep the maps as souvenirs. This game is fun for all ages and a great way to explore Adventureland at WDW!

Walt’s Words: Weekly Inspiration from The Great Storyteller

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” –Walt Disney

This quote reflects Walt Disney’s philosophy of action and perseverance. He was not afraid to pursue his dreams, even when they seemed impossible or risky. He faced many challenges and failures in his career, such as losing the rights to his first cartoon character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, or having his studio go bankrupt several times.

But he never gave up on his vision and continued to create innovative and groundbreaking animations, films, and theme parks. He believed that the only way to achieve success was to work hard and learn from mistakes. He also encouraged others to follow their passions and not let fear or doubt stop them. This quote is a reminder that we can accomplish anything if we have the courage to start and the determination to finish.