A presidential election. The Summer Olympics. Leap Day.
These three things are very different, but they all share one thing in
common: they happen in the same calendar year. And this Leap Day is
extra special at
Disney Parks, as
Magic Kingdom Park at
Walt Disney World Resort will be open for 24 hours starting tomorrow, Feb. 29, at 6 a.m.
I’m known as the guy who brings you
Vintage Walt Disney World every Thursday here on the
Disney Parks Blog,
but tomorrow I’ll be on special assignment. I will be attempting to
make 24 memories in my 24 hours at the park while I film it to share
with you here on the blog later this week.
So while I head home and get a good night’s sleep, I have a question
for you. What would you do first with 24 hours of fun inside Magic
Kingdom Park?
I think Disney ear hats are the quintessential souvenir from
Disney Parks
(everyone I know has one!). I still have my mouse ears from my first
visit in July 1983. We are offering special embroidery on a classic
black ear hat to celebrate One More Disney Day. These embroidered hats
will be offered for sale at The Chapeau, Curtain Call Collectibles, and
Sir Mickey’s at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida, and at the Mad Hatter
shop in Disneyland park.
Artist Jeff Granito designed a playful logo that will be used on
shirts for women, men and kids. The logo will also be found on a zipper
fleece jacket created only for
Disneyland Resort. The nice part is that these apparel items will also be sold via the
Disney Parks Online Store from February 29 through March 1. Some of you may recall that we did a similar thing for the
40th Anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort last October.
The Leap Day logo will also be found on an artisan watch that will be
offered at New Century Jewelry in Disneyland park and Uptown Jewelers
at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida.
Lastly (and probably my favorite), there will be delicious cupcakes,
caramel apples and cake pops with the Leap Day logo being offered at
both parks. You know what I will be eating on February 29.
I hope to see you there!
- Dance party featuring KIIS DJs at Tomorrowland Terrace from 8:30 p.m. – 4 a.m.
- Second showing of Mickey’s Soundsational Parade at 10 p.m.
- Performances by Billy Hill & the Hillbillies at The Golden Horseshoe from 11:15 p.m. – 4:45 a.m.
- Special showing of “Fantasmic!” at 1 a.m.
- Character meet & greets throughout the night (subject to change):
- Mickey Mouse and friends in pajamas at Carnation Plaza Gardens
- Darth Vader and Stormtroopers in Tomorrowland
- Country Bears in Frontierland
Please remember that all show times and Disney character appearances are subject to change. Be sure to check the park
Entertainment Guide for show times and character greeting times and availability.
The entertainment team at
Magic Kingdom Park has a few tricks up their sleeves to create memories for guests during One More Disney Day. In addition to regularly scheduled
park entertainment, Magic Kingdom Park guests on One More Disney Day will be treated to:
Please remember that all show times and Disney character appearances
are subject to change. Be sure to check the park Times Guide on that day
for show times and character availability.
“I’m an avid
Vinylmation
collector – I lost count when I got to about 600 different ones – but
I’ve never had the opportunity to meet the artists who design them. I
would love to take my daughters and spend two hours meeting one of the
artists at
The Art of Disney at
Downtown Disney while they make them come to life.
I really like how they have to think inside the box and
continue to make creative designs with one little mouse figure. That
process would be really cool to watch and learn about, and I think it
would be something my family would remember each time we look to collect
a new one.
These collectibles have become small reminders of our different
Disney trips, and it would be nice to let the artists know they’ve
rocked my world!”
Of course, food is part of our equation, and the
Disneyland Resort
chefs have lots of goodies around the clock. To make it more fun to
nosh, special items have been added especially for the celebration.
From 11 a.m. to midnight,
French Market Restaurant
will be offering shrimp pasta and red beans and rice. From midnight to
3:30 a.m., the menu changes to chicken gumbo, corn chowder, French dip
sandwich with N’Orleans chips, shrimp salad sandwich with carrot-citrus
slaw and bananas Foster cheesecake.
For a more serious dining adventure, at
Blue Bayou
from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. you can order a fancy roasted bourbon shrimp
stuffed with Dungeness crab mousse served with angel hair pasta and
spinach in a smoked tomato-habanero-artichoke sauce. Or prime eye of
round with two quail eggs, roasted cauliflower and potatoes, Brussels
sprouts and a cabernet sauce.
If you remember when
Café Orleans
used to serve breakfast (three-cheese Monte Cristo French toast,
anyone?) you’ll want to be sure to head over any time between 11 p.m.
and 5 a.m. for specials from their former breakfast menu: scrambled
eggs, Creole eggs benedict, three-cheese Monte Cristo French toast, lump
crab quiche, bananas Foster French toast and fresh fruit with yogurt
and granola.
Other spots to find late-night snacks from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.:
You should also know about the chili cheeseburger with fries that will be available at
Village Haus Restaurant – an homage to a longtime guest favorite known as “The Woodcarver,” which has been off the menu for many years.
Also, guests visiting Disneyland park in the wee hours of the
mornings of February 29 and March 1 for One More Disney Day will be able
to enjoy a cup of coffee or some breakfast at select
Downtown Disney District locations which will be opening early on those special days.
Click here for a list of Downtown Disney District restaurants that will be opening their doors early on February 29 and March 1.
Big news for those planning to spend
One More Disney Day at
Disneyland
park on February 29! Guests entering the park when it opens at 6 a.m.
will receive a limited-edition ear hat commemorating the event, while
supplies last. Ear hats are limited to a supply of 2,000 for guests who
enter through the designated turnstiles when Disneyland park opens at 6
a.m. on February 29.
I got a sneak peek at the One More Disney Day limited-edition ear hat myself today – check it out!
Here are some things you should know if you are planning to join us when Disneyland park opens at 6 a.m. on February 29:
- Guests may begin lining up no earlier than 10 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28.
- Guests planning to line up before Disneyland park opens must
park in the Pumbaa Parking Lot on Disney Way between 10 p.m. on Tuesday,
February 28 and 6 a.m. on February 29. Please note that the Pumbaa Lot
will not begin to offer shuttle service to the East Esplanade until 6
a.m. on February 29. Click here for a map of Disneyland Resort parking areas.
- Restrooms will be available for guests who line up before Disneyland park opens.
- A special ticket booth will be available prior to Disneyland
park opening for guests needing to purchase park admission for February
29. Valid park admission is required in order to enter Disneyland park and to receive the commemorative ear hat.
- Commemorative ear hats will be distributed, while supplies last,
to guests who enter through the designated turnstiles beginning at 6
a.m. on February 29, when Disneyland park officially opens. Limit one ear hat per person, and you must be present at the time of distribution.
- Please remember that being in line and entering the park does not guarantee that you will receive a commemorative ear hat.
Ear hats are limited to a supply of 2,000 for guests who enter through
the designated turnstiles when Disneyland park opens at 6 a.m. on
February 29.
- Be sure to check the list of items that are not permitted
inside Disneyland park as you plan what you will bring with you that
day. Admission to the park is subject to capacity restrictions.
See you at One More Disney Day – February 29!
