Disney Parks Blog Weekly Recap – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Rare Okapi Birth Celebrated and More

This week, we continued looking ahead to the holidays and shared a special Disney Parks Blog guide to everything you need to know about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom Park.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which requires a special ticket to attend, will be held on the following nights: November 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29 and 30; and December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21. Party fun takes place from 7 p.m.-midnight.

Check out our original Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party story to learn all about this after-hours spectacular. And to purchase tickets, visit Disneyworld.com/Christmasparty.

Also, we celebrated World Okapi Day this week with the announcement of the birth of a rare okapi at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Weighing in at 54 pounds, the calf was up and mobile within the first hour of his birth on Oct. 1. He has been nursing and bonding with his mom. The pair will remain in a backstage habitat for the next few months before joining the animals on the savanna.

The calf’s parents – mom Zelda and dad Mandazi – were chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding of threatened and endangered species. Check our original Okapi story for more images and information.

Here are some of the other stories we worked on this week.

• First Look Inside the Reimagined World of Disney Stores – The reimagined World of Disney stores are being transformed into contemporary, distinctly Disney retail environments. The result will inspire guests with an unmatched selection of new products in a unique, dynamic setting. Take a first glimpse of the World of Disney store at Downtown Disney.
• Sneak Peek from ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ Downloads into Disney Parks in November – For a limited time next month, guests visiting Disney Parks will be able to preview a sequence from Disney’s new animated adventure “Ralph Breaks the Internet” in sneak peeks planned for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts.
• Walt Disney World Resort Sweet Treats: October 2018 – October is the perfect month to talk about sweets – with Halloween candy and pumpkin snacks galore, there’s plenty of sugar to go around!
• First Panel Installed at New Solar Facility Providing Power to Walt Disney World Resort – One down, 499,999 to go! We are excited to announce that the first of half a million solar panels was recently installed at the previously-announced new 270-acre, 50-megawatt solar facility, which is being developed in collaboration with the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Origis Energy USA to provide power to Walt Disney World Resort.
• Tennessee Couple Spends Magical Day Visiting All Six Disney Theme Parks in the U.S. – On Wednesday, a couple from Tennessee embarked on the Disney adventure of a lifetime. Their mission: Visit every Disney theme park in the United States in less than 24 hours.
• New Merchandise Revealed for Reimagined World of Disney Stores at Downtown Disney District and Disney Springs – World of Disney stores at Downtown Disney District in California and Disney Springs in Florida are being transformed into distinctly Disney retail environments that are contemporary, immersive and fun places to shop.
• All in the Details: Myths & Legends of the Haunted Mansion – Did you know that the Haunted Mansion’s cemetery queue contains hidden references characters who were created for the attraction, but cut before the final version? That’s the topic our Imagineers look into in today’s celebration of the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom Park.
• Disneyland Resort Cast Member Picks: Halloween Time – With less than two weeks left of this spook-tacular season, now is the time to visit! Watch the video below to see Disneyland Resort cast members share their Halloween Time picks!