210. Winter Disney News Roundup

New magic is landing from every direction, and we’re sorting the signal from the noise so you can plan with confidence. From Bluey stepping into the parks and onto the ships, to Electric Mayhem cranking up Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, to Autopia finally going electric, this week is packed with news that actually changes how you map a Disney trip. We walk through what’s opening, what’s closing, and what’s getting better so you spend less time guessing and more time making great choices.

On the East Coast, we dig into Walt Disney World updates: refreshed tech on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, a thoughtful reimagining of Hollywood Studios’ Animation Courtyard, and Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival dates that anchor spring travel. Animal Kingdom’s next chapter begins as DinoLand sets its farewell, while Frozen Ever After gets a visual lift with new animatronic faces. We also flag the take off date for Soarin’ Across America and how limited-time overlays like The Mandalorian on Smugglers Run can flip a must-skip into a must-do.

Out West, the long 70th celebration keeps Disneyland lively even as smart maintenance windows rotate key attractions. We break down Haunted Mansion and it’s a small world returning from their holiday states, Rise of the Resistance scheduling, and the practical win of Autopia’s electric conversion in 2026. California Adventure’s event cadence stays strong with Lunar New Year and Food & Wine, and Bluey’s Best Day Ever brings hands-on play to the Fantasyland Theatre—an easy anchor for family downtime between headliners.

We also head to sea with Disney Cruise Line: the Disney Adventure’s complex journey toward Singapore, Bluey programming rolling onto the Dream and Wish, and an intriguing West Coast outlook that could make short back-to-back sailings the savvy path to status. Whether you’re plotting a once-a-year vacation or stacking weekends around festivals, you’ll find clear takeaways, key dates, and a few pro tips to avoid hiccups and long lines.

Enjoy the episode? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube at our mousecapades, share with a Disney-loving friend, and drop a review in your podcast app. Tell us the one update you’re most excited to experience this year!

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Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own.

Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades
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Transcript

Kicking Off With Fantasy Football And A New Parrot

Intro 0:03

Please stand clear of the doors. Please stand clear of the doors. Because this here is the wildest ride in the wilderness.

Alicea 0:23

Hello everyone. I'm Alicea.

Nathan 0:25

And I'm Nathan.

Alicea 0:26

Welcome to this week's episode of Adventures and Mouse capades. Happy New Year.

Nathan 0:31

And to you, to all who celebrate.

Alicea 0:33

To all who celebrate, yes.

Nathan 0:36

I am joining you this week from the couch.

Alicea 0:39

Yeah. With football on in the background.

Nathan 0:42

Yes, because, well, it's on mute, but um, I'm currently watching myself get my arse handed to me in uh our fantasy league playoff. And uh kudos to Rachel from HR for uh coming through as my team collapses around me and play it. My team is playing like my knee is feeling, very bad.

Alicea 1:03

I think I'm tied for last place with Kaitlyn right now. But I I think I will pull this week out, so I'm going from winning last year to uh second to last this year.

Nathan 1:16

Yeah. As we sit right now as we record, which is on the final Sunday of the regular season, Alicea, you are up by almost 20 points on Caitlin, and there's just a couple players and teams left to go because this is late in the afternoon. So you have a 99% chance of winning.

Alicea 1:38

Yeah.

Nathan 1:38

Although I can personally attest that that 1% can turn into a win because I have been on the other side of that. Yes.

Alicea 1:50

I have no idea what I'm doing with this. I'm just like, sure, okay, we'll put that in.

Nathan 1:55

I'm watching all of my good players get benched because they're saving themselves for the playoffs.

Alicea 1:59

Yes. Playoffs.

Nathan 2:03

Anyhoo. Uh you may also hear some what? Anyway?

Alicea 2:08

Oh, you said any whoey. Any how.

Nathan 2:12

Yes. You may also hear some chirping from time to time in the background, depending on how loud our new roommate decides to be. We have a new parrot in the family. Yes. Uh her name is Periwinkle, indeed. We named her Periwinkle mostly for the fact that we can, you know, take the cover off of her cage in the morning and say, Oh, there you are, Perry.

Alicea 2:36

I need to get her a little fedora.

Nathan 2:38

Yes, we are Phineas and Ferb fans. Yeah. Um, you know, as of as a result of having a daughter of the appropriate age. You know, she's she's almost 21 now, Phineas and Ferb on uh Disney Jr. or Disney, wherever it was, whichever channel that was on uh back on the day. So Disney. It was on a lot. So uh we have Perry in our house, and I can't wait to see what adventure she gets up to. She's two, two and a half months old at this point, something like that. Yeah. So still growing, very small, pretty awesome. I did not want to get another bird. I have fallen in love and was wrong.

Alicea 3:15

And I steamrolled you into the decision. Actually, I don't think you decided anything. I just did it.

Nathan 3:19

You pretty much just did it. I I stopped giving uh any sort of resistance and just gave in to the peer pressure.

Alicea 3:28

I knew it would happen.

Year Preview And Disney News Game Plan

Nathan 3:33

Let's move on, shall we? What are we talking about this week?

Alicea 3:36

We are um just going over some Disney news, some upcoming stuff for the year at the parks and cruise show.

Nathan 3:43

Sounds like a plan.

Alicea 3:44

Yeah. Where do you want to start? Um we can start off with the East Coast Disney World Resort.

Nathan 3:53

Oh, right.

Walt Disney World Updates And Bluey Arrives

Alicea 3:54

As always, they have promotions and stuff going on. Right. Uh this summer they're doing Cool Kids Summer again. I'm pretty sure they did this last summer, too. There's just all sorts of things that they're adding. They're adding a bunch of dance parties to different parks, they're adding character meets, uh, more so than they have usually. Okay. There's a bunch of ticket packages that are coming back. Uh they still haven't released all the information, but if you are interested in a trip this year, do contact your travel agent. They will have all of the info about this.

Nathan 4:25

Indeed. And since we're reviewing Disney News, I think we forgot to say that. This is our winter look back at what's been announced for Disney. Finally, it uh long rumored and hoped for Bluey has been announced as coming to the parks. And there they didn't really announce a ton of details, uh, but uh they did commit that very soon there will be Bluey meet and greets. And I think they just closed down one of the show stages in one of the parks because that's what they're gonna do, a meet and greet or something like that.

Alicea 5:00

So in uh in Disney World, they're going to have Bluey and Bingo in Animal Kingdom over at the conservation station. Sometime in the summer. They have not released a specific date other than summer.

Nathan 5:14

Okay. Is this because they're dogs? Is that why the Animal Kingdom Exactly? I don't know.

Alicea 5:21

I'm just I think they're Australian shepherds. I could be wrong. I don't know.

Nathan 5:24

Because there's nothing else going on in Animal Kingdom right now, and they just took down all of the dinosaur stuff and they needed to put something in there. They want people to ride the train. It's a time suck. Oh, they're putting it back in the the conversation the conversation station. They have a whole podcast area in Animal Kingdom now. It's called the conversation station.

Alicea 5:50

The conservation station, that is that's that's over Yeah, it's the back side of the park.

Nathan 5:55

You have to take that little train to get there. Okay.

Alicea 5:57

Because I know that's like Rafiki's Planet Watch is over there or was over there.

Nathan 6:00

Yeah.

Alicea 6:01

And that's the conservation station.

Nathan 6:03

Yeah. They're gonna put the meet and greet in there.

Alicea 6:05

Yep.

Nathan 6:05

Cool. And I do think they maybe it was Disneyland where they're like they they took a little show stage and they're gonna convert it.

Alicea 6:13

I have this information too, but we can wait till we get to Disneyland.

Nathan 6:16

I didn't mean to cut in line. I apologize. Good lord. Please, let's continue.

Alicea 6:24

Magic Kingdom. Let's move on to Magic Kingdom.

Nathan 6:26

I've heard of it.

Alicea 6:27

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is reopening in the spring. Yes. No date. Spring. Same with Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin.

Nathan 6:40

These announcements are like I predict that I will have lunch at some point this week. Yes. Yeah.

Alicea 6:48

Although it's gonna be iffy for me because my cafe is closed.

Nathan 6:54

You'll figure something out, I'm sure. Yeah.

Alicea 6:57

Yes. So Bud Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Oh my gosh, I'm stumbling over my words. Yay!

Nathan 7:01

So excited.

Alicea 7:02

It's reopening sometime this spring. Um, I'm interested to see what changes and updates that they have done.

Nathan 7:08

Yeah.

Alicea 7:09

And Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger spin. They've updated the ride vehicles. They're they have new handheld blasters and have refreshed the targets. They're more interactive and easier to see. Um, also easier to see you shooting your shot because they have different color lasers.

Nathan 7:28

Oh, very cool. That should help a lot of people, except for those who are colorblind. Yep.

Alicea 7:35

Exactly. Over in Hollywood Studios, the animation courtyard area is being reimagined and should be open sometime in summer. There's a lot of stuff that's going to be coming here. There's the Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live.

Nathan 7:50

Very cool.

Alicea 7:51

That'll be fun for all the young uns.

Nathan 7:53

Are they gonna have the Mouse ca-doodoodle?

Alicea 7:55

Mouseca- dooer?

Nathan 7:57

That's it. I was close. It's been 15 plus years since I've got a lot of. I don't know. That thing's really big. Yeah, maybe it'll just be the Toodles, that's it. Yeah. Maybe, maybe. Actually, didn't they? They've recently relaunched that show with new episodes, and I think there's a third thing now.

Alicea 8:17

I think it's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Plus.

Nathan 8:20

Oh, like Disney Plus. Uh-huh.

Alicea 8:24

I'm sure they're yeah, they have to, they have to refresh, do new and exciting things. Yeah.

Nathan 8:28

I think the mouse could and tootles are still there, but I think there's a third widget or whatchamacallit.

Alicea 8:35

If any of you know, let us know. Because we're not watching that anymore.

Nathan 8:39

And it's not something I'm gonna go look up. Let's just be honest.

Alicea 8:43

We're good. We're good. We've also got the World of Walt Disney animation studios opening up there, which is really cool. I like that they're bringing back some of the, I guess, original, maybe not original, but some of the other stuff that they used to have there where it's focusing on the animation and the art.

Nathan 9:01

That sounds very similar to where they used to have the uh sorcerer's apprentice Mickey meet and greet. It was something like that. And that was uh I've told the story so many times on this podcast, but that's where Kaitlyn had her breakthrough with uh with costume characters. And um, yeah, that holds a special place in my heart. That'll be exciting to see. Yeah.

Alicea 9:21

I mean they put Star Wars Launch Bay there, right? That's where that's what it turned into, I think.

Nathan 9:26

Uh I don't think so. I think it was to the left of where the frozen show is now.

Alicea 9:37

Oh.

Nathan 9:38

Isn't it where they like Potato Land or the Vacation Land is there? Yeah, maybe. I think that's where it used to be. Anyhow, where are they putting this?

Alicea 9:48

This is animation courtyard.

Nathan 9:50

Oh, okay, in the middle of construction zone. Got it.

Alicea 9:53

It's yeah, it's where it's like right next to where um the Little Mermaid is, it's where Star Wars Launch Bay is.

Nathan 10:00

Okay.

Alicea 10:01

There's there's another like there's a Disney Jr. something right now. Like they have Doc McStuffins and Vampirina.

Nathan 10:08

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Alicea 10:09

They're changing that to make Mouse Clubhouse live.

Nathan 10:12

That makes sense.

Alicea 10:13

And then the Walt Walt Disney Animation Studios. They're also having a playground there based on Mary Blair's concept art for Alice in Wonderland, which that's gonna look gorgeous.

Nathan 10:23

That's that's cool.

Alicea 10:25

Yeah. And an area called Off the Page is going to be where they're gonna have character meet and greets. Okay. Um, it's like six different departments for off the page. It's story, layout, hand-drawn animation, computer animation, lighting, and effects.

Nathan 10:40

Oh wow.

Alicea 10:41

Yeah. And they're gonna have characters for meet and greets there.

Nathan 10:44

Okay, so this is what they've they're redoing Launch Bay into this, it sounds like.

Alicea 10:48

Yeah, I think so.

Nathan 10:49

Yeah, that's cool. Okay, I'm behind this. I mean, Launch Bay was a cool filler, but it was never really utilized really well. You know, as a nerd, it was really cool to see some of those displays. Well, and before they had the first 10 years that they were there, but it got a little like, okay, what next?

Alicea 11:09

Well, and it this was before they had Galaxy's Edge, too.

Nathan 11:12

Right, exactly.

Alicea 11:13

Um, and now that's really kind of disjointed, having Galaxy's Edge. Yeah, and then Star Tours not in Galaxy's Edge, outside of it. Right. That is where they are moving, or they have moved uh the Darth Vader meet and greets to.

Nathan 11:28

Okay.

Alicea 11:29

Because they won't put Darth Vader in Galaxy's Edge because it's not a part. Yeah. Uh just put everything over there.

Nathan 11:37

Guys, it's it's okay. Nobody's just it's nobody cares. No, nobody cares.

Alicea 11:43

Put it all there.

Nathan 11:44

Yes.

Alicea 11:44

I'd love to see Darth Vader and Kylo Ren meeting. Right. I mean Grandpa! Yeah.

Nathan 11:51

Look at Fantasyland though. I mean, fantasyland is a mishmash of all sorts of different worlds and timelines and everything else. It's it's okay.

Alicea 12:00

We but it's not how they that's not how they set up Galaxy's Edge.

Nathan 12:05

Okay, but you know, things change and evolve and they get better. The parks are never done. They're always learning and adapting and innovating. Yep. Said somebody. I I don't know. I may just be making that up. Yeah, I think you are. Walt Disney said that.

Alicea 12:19

Yes, he did. Speaking of Galaxy's Edge, Millennium Falcon Smuggler's Run is getting a new overlay of the Mandalorian and Grogu film for a limited run starting on May 22nd. And this is at both parks. So this is East Coast and West Coast.

Hollywood Studios Reimagined And Animation Focus

Nathan 12:36

Looking forward to that. Yeah. Another thing I am looking forward to is late summer. Rock and roller coaster is going to reopen as the rock and roller coaster starring the Muppets. Super excited for Electric Mayhem to play a huge part of that. They've already taken down the pre-show for Rock and Roller Coaster and are starting to redo that space in that kind of recording studio. And at some point this year, they're gonna have to take that ride down. I'm sure to do its annual maintenance and to like re-glam over all of the rest of the interiors, and I'm sure they'll rework the uh uh that gift shop there at the end.

Alicea 13:22

We do have a date.

Nathan 13:23

Oh, we do right there. Oh, I should I should read what you wrote. It's it says, oh yeah, we do. I should I should read what you wrote. Uh it says the uh final ride on the rocking roller coaster starring aerosmith is March 2nd of this year. So get your rides in now. Speaking of, go get your rides in uh uh within the next few weeks on Dinosaur, because that is going extinct in uh the end of January.

Alicea 13:53

So on to Epcot. Yes. Epcot, the International Flower and Garden Festival is on March 4th to June 1st. This is always fun because they have the topiaries and everything.

Nathan 14:06

Yeah, and it's less expensive for us than Festival of the Arts.

Alicea 14:10

Yes, this is this is very true.

Nathan 14:13

Frozen Ever After is closing January 26th. What? Oh, okay, and reopening sometime in February. Phew! There was about to be a riot in this household.

Alicea 14:26

Were you thinking this was the sing-along?

Nathan 14:27

I was thinking this is the sing-along, and then I realized that this is the boat ride that I really don't care for. So whatever. Never mind. Hey, thanks for reading my mind, though. I really appreciate that.

Alicea 14:39

I was very confused for a second. I was like, a riot in this household for frozen ever after?

Nathan 14:44

Nobody cares about that ride. Well, not here. Look, we love Frozen. I mean, Lost in the Woods is probably my number one Disney musical show. But I I that ride is just it is it is a nice ride. It is not worth a two-hour wait.

Alicea 15:03

So I said it. They are changing the projection faces to actual animatronic faces like they have in um Hong Kong. So much more advanced, yeah, much nicer looking.

Nathan 15:15

Very cool, very cool. And Sorin Across America is coming. It will open on May 25th.

Alicea 15:23

So part of the huge 250th celebration of Merica.

Nathan 15:28

Merica. Heck yeah. I edited myself there. You're welcome. That's so I don't have to insert a bleep there. Anyhow, moving on to something I teased just a little while ago for Animal Kingdom, Dino Land USA, at least the little bit that's left, yeah, is closing on February 2nd. Yeah. So your last chance to ride the dinosaur ride, is uh is coming up here uh less than a month as we sit here recording. So if uh if that is your thing, get your butts to Florida and go say goodbye to Dr. Grant Seeker. He will always be in our hearts.

Alicea 16:12

Yep. We're not gonna make it.

Nathan 16:14

We made it.

Alicea 16:15

We made it.

Nathan 16:17

Grant's not gonna make it.

Alicea 16:19

Grant's just there has to be some sort of Easter egg, whatever you want to call it, somewhere. We'll we will have to look for that.

Nathan 16:28

I'm excited for that. Yeah. Disney has been getting better and better and better as time goes on with their Easter eggs, so I'm kind of stoked.

Alicea 16:36

Yeah. All right. Disney Springs.

Nathan 16:39

What we we also talked about Bluey already. So yeah, that's okay. We all we completely screwed up everything.

Alicea 16:45

It's all over the place. Read ahead, go back, whatever.

Nathan 16:52

I know where we are. Yeah, some people ask us how we put these uh these episodes together.

Alicea 16:57

Very haphazardly.

Nathan 16:58

Very haphazardly.

Alicea 17:01

That's just us. And it's it's it's been a long, it's been a long last year. Yes. And um Yeah. Yep.

Nathan 17:11

Let's talk about that next week, shall we? We'll talk about that next week. Okay.

Alicea 17:15

On to Disney Springs. There is a new, I don't know what you'd call this, location, not location, new thing coming called level 99.

Nathan 17:25

Yes.

Alicea 17:26

It is 60 plus themed challenge rooms sometime in 2026. Kind of think Disney Quest, if any of you know what Disney Quest is, it's I'm guessing kind of like that. Escape rooms, challenge rooms, yeah, whatever.

Nathan 17:44

Yeah, it's in that building. Uh they have partnered with, I think it actually is level 99. They have other locations in the country, and this will be another one of them. And from what we've heard online, everybody's is excited about this. Seems interesting. So Yeah.

Alicea 18:03

Moving over to the Best Coast.

Nathan 18:05

That's right, West Coast, Best Coast.

Alicea 18:08

Disneyland Resort is celebrating their 70th anniversary until August.

Nathan 18:13

Right.

Alicea 18:14

So we will be able to partake in some of the 70th.

Nathan 18:18

Because, like everybody else, we always celebrate our birthday for 18 months.

Alicea 18:23

Oh, so it's ongoing forever and ever.

Nathan 18:25

Yeah, I'm still 47 somehow. I'm not.

Alicea 18:32

I am.

Nathan 18:33

Oh, congratulations. Yeah, it was funny. We were watching somebody uh YouTube video or something like that the other day, and they were talking about uh some of the best things uh in Disney parks over the last uh year in 2025, and they were saying, talking about the the Disneyland's 70th anniversary in the past tense. And I'm like, guys, that's that's still going on until August. Uh we won't be there until April, but we'll still get it. It'll be brand new to us.

Alicea 19:05

All right, on to California Adventure. February 8th is Disney California Adventure's 25th anniversary.

Nathan 19:14

Wow, it's had a lot of plastic surgery. A lot of plastic surgery

Alicea 19:20

and metalwork.

Nathan 19:21

Yes, exactly. Are they doing anything special for that? I'm sure there's a pin or something.

Alicea 19:27

Um, yeah, I don't know. I haven't seen anything other than them mentioning that. I mean, because Disneyland Resort is going through their whole 70th, so who knows?

Nathan 19:38

Yeah, got it, got it. Um, Sorin Across America. We talked about that coming to Florida that'll open in uh California a little later. It'll be opening in July. So July 2nd. So uh Florida gets it a whole month earlier, which is interesting. You'd think they'd do that a little, well, whatever. Yeah. Reasons, I'm sure. Yeah.

Alicea 20:00

Yeah. Lunar New Year is January and February at California Adventure. One of these years, I do want to go to a lunar new year celebration.

Nathan 20:09

Yes.

Alicea 20:10

Everything I've seen look just looks really cool.

Nathan 20:12

Yes. Speaking of things that are really cool, food and wine.

Alicea 20:17

Oh yes, we will be there for that.

Nathan 20:19

Yes. Disney, California Adventure Food and Wine is absolutely amazing. And uh can't wait to be down there. It runs March 6th through April 22nd. So we will be there while it is ongoing. On to Disneyland.

Epcot Festivals And Attraction Refreshes

Alicea 20:34

Bluey's coming to Disneyland too. Yay. It's going to be called Bluey's Best Day Ever, starting on March 22nd. They are redoing the Fantasyland Theater area for this.

Nathan 20:45

That's the one I was thinking of earlier.

Alicea 20:47

It's going to be an immersive celebration, is what they're calling it. There's going to be games and adventures. Bluey and Bingo will be there. There'll be arts and crafts characters, I think other characters too, maybe. I don't know.

Nathan 20:58

I don't know.

Alicea 20:58

But yeah, we'll see.

Nathan 21:00

That's cool. Yeah. I have never seen Bluey.

Alicea 21:04

You are honestly missing out. That's fine. It's just never come across. We had it on, and you were in your own little world on YouTube when Kaitlyn Sterling and I, we were like, what is this Bluey thing? And we're like, oh my gosh, it's it's amazing.

Nathan 21:21

It's probably watching a flight simulator video. Probably. I'm a nerd.

Alicea 21:26

They're I mean, they're not long episodes either, and they're they're pretty good. Yeah.

Nathan 21:30

Maybe I'll binge one uh uh across the country on a flight or something like that.

Alicea 21:34

Oh, there you go.

Nathan 21:34

So you could actually that may be a bad idea because then I'll be the 50-year-old blubbering idiot watching Bluey in first class. Uh I'll do it in the privacy of my own home. Thank you.

Alicea 21:45

We have a bunch of closures that are coming up for Disneyland.

Nathan 21:48

Boo. Yeah.

Alicea 21:50

Boo.

Nathan 21:51

Actually, they're they're just temporary.

Alicea 21:52

They're maintenance things.

Nathan 21:54

Yeah. Yeah.

Alicea 21:55

Haunted Mansion is closing on January 8th through the 26th, so they can get rid of the Haunted Mansion holiday overlay.

Nathan 22:01

Excuse me. They're going to unload and carefully pack it up so they can reuse it next year. They're not getting rid of it.

Alicea 22:08

Okay. This is true. Same with small world. Sorry, let me do this right. Same with It's a Small World.

Nathan 22:16

There you go. Wait, actually you have to say that really small in an Italics. Yeah, no caps anywhere. It's a small world. It's a small world.

Alicea 22:22

Closing on January 26th. So they're waiting until Haunted Mansion has finished. Yeah. Before they close. Capacity. Yep. Yep. Uh TBA. Don't know when that's opening back up. And yet again, Indiana Jones is going to be closed while we are there. March 17th to April 24th. Yeah.

Nathan 22:46

They're closing it during spring break season. I don't understand.

Alicea 22:50

I don't either. Rise of the Resistance is also going to be closed January 20th to TBA. I'm guessing this is just their yearly maintenance schedule for that.

Nathan 22:59

Have they done a yearly maintenance on Rise yet? I don't think so.

Alicea 23:03

I'm guessing this is just some maintenance that's needed for Rise of the Resistance.

Nathan 23:08

I completely, completely agree with you. I just don't know that they've actually brought that ride down yet for a maintenance period.

Alicea 23:16

They did at some point because the cannons are working again.

Nathan 23:18

I think they did that overnight.

Alicea 23:21

Why didn't they do that earlier? What the heck?

Nathan 23:24

Right. I have somebody I could ask. This is true. He won't talk on the record. So uh we'll see if I can uh get the skinny on that. All right. Moving on to things we can talk about. Yes. Autopia.

Alicea 23:39

Don't say it like that.

Nathan 23:40

Oh, okay. Autopia. Uh is transitioning to all electric vehicles only in California by the fall of 2026. Why don't they do this in Florida too? I'm tired of smelling it.

Alicea 23:56

Because it's not Autopia.

Nathan 23:58

Come on. It's the same thing.

Alicea 24:01

Tomorrowland Speedway. Yeah, yeah. I don't know. I don't know.

Nathan 24:05

Hopefully they're just wanting to prove it out and make sure that it works. And then yeah.

Alicea 24:11

This will be nice moving all that to electric because it smells.

Nathan 24:18

Yeah, it it's just mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Oh you know what smells better? Cruise ships. The ocean. Exactly. The smell of a Disney cruise ship. Yes. Yes.

Alicea 24:31

It has a scent.

Nathan 24:32

It does 100%. It definitely does. 100%. Get it?

Alicea 24:37

Very nice.

Animal Kingdom Closures And Future Plans

Nathan 24:38

Anyhow, the Disney Adventures Maiden Voyage appears to still be on track for March 10th in Singapore. They already moved it. Well, they have just today, supposedly, the adventure has left Bremer Bremerhead Bre Germany. It's left northern Germany on its way to uh uh go around the world. The the the West way? Yeah. Uh it's gonna go through the Panama Canal. So its first stop will be in Port Canaveral. Uh the original plan was going to be some preview cruises and things like that for media out of Port Canaveral and or out of uh San Diego or Long Beach. No word on whether those things are still happening. Yeah. But because they've already delayed it.

Alicea 25:31

This was initially supposed to come out in December.

Nathan 25:33

Yeah. So they do have, you know, it's got two months basically to get from Germany through the Panama Canal across the Pacific to Singapore. So it's got a long way to go. They don't have a ton of time. I'm sure there will be some additional load-in of uh accoutrement and characters and all sorts of stuff uh when it hits Florida. Uh things that they just didn't feel like shipping all the all the way over to Germany, maybe some sets or something like that. But yeah, it'll be it'll be interesting to see um what kind of previews, if any, we get about the adventure uh over here stateside before it uh starts doing its thing over out of Singapore.

Alicea 26:18

And more Bluey.

Nathan 26:20

Oh oh oh boy.

Alicea 26:22

So the last little bit here Bluey is coming to the dream in February and the wish in the summer. Ooh, very cool. Yeah.

Nathan 26:29

Nice.

Alicea 26:29

Bluey's already been on the wonder, and that's been Australia because Bluey is an Australian show.

Nathan 26:36

Indeed. And speaking of DCL in Australia, they're coming up on closing out their uh final season down under. And the Wonder here in I think a month or two will make its way back uh backstayside uh via Hawaii. And uh they have no plans in the immediate future to go back to Australia and New Zealand. So uh those folks will need to fly up to Singapore.

Alicea 27:06

Yep. And then the Magic and the Wonder both are going to be doing Alaska cruises this summer.

Nathan 27:12

Indeed. And then the theory is that one of those ships will be staying on the West Coast through the winter. I haven't looked at the itinerary to see if that has played out, but um, they do have a uh agreement with Catalina, I forgot the name of the the city there, the port, um, that they will be there. I want to say it's a couple hundred port calls on Catalina this year or annually moving forward. So uh it does look like either the um probably the wonder will be staying over in the uh in the West Coast moving forward, which let's go. Yours truly, and my beautiful redheaded co-host need to do a bunch of short little back-to-backs to get up to Pearl.

Disney Springs Level 99 Announcement

Alicea 28:01

So uh let's go. All right. Well, that's all the news that we've listed. There's a lot of other stuff happening, but we don't want to be here for you know two hours. And you don't want to listen for two hours either.

Nathan 28:13

No, this is the big stuff. This is the big stuff, the big stuff. Thank you.

Alicea 28:17

Actually, one more big thing that I totally forgot. Oh my gosh. Of course, we don't have a date for this, but Monsters Inc., Mike and Sully to the Rescue is permanently closing sometime this year, sometime early this year in Disney's California Adventure to make way for the new Avatar Land.

Nathan 28:36

I'm trying to think, I'm not a hundred percent sure if I have ever been on that ride all the way through.

Alicea 28:43

I think you have.

Nathan 28:44

I think I have.

Alicea 28:46

Yeah, this is this used to be Superstar Limo.

Disneyland’s 70th And DCA Milestones

Nathan 28:50

Yes. No, I have. I remember we have, we've done this all the way through. Okay, okay, okay. Because I remember you and Sterling, I think, went to go ride it and you got got around the first corner and then they shut it down like it had an evacuation. Yeah. And uh anyhow, that's it for this week. That's it. Yeah, we will be back in uh in your ears next week, and uh we'll be talking about what's coming up for 2026 and uh all sorts of fun stuff, recapping a little bit of our adventures and mouscapades from 2025 and uh hopefully looking onwards and upwards into the future. Please do remember that we are not affiliated with Disney or their subsidiaries. All of what we've uh said today are personal opinions and suggestions based on our own experiences. If you would like to visit a Disney park or go on a Disney cruise, we highly recommend working with a travel agent or contacting Disney directly to plan your perfect vacation.

Alicea 29:57

If you have any questions or suggestions, or would like to chat with us on our show to share your own experiences, please send an email to podcast at our mousecapades.com.

Nathan 30:07

Please follow us on socials. We're @ our mousecapades. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, threads, and YouTube.

Alicea 30:14

Please give us a rating and review in your podcast app. Guys, this really does help us out.

Nathan 30:19

Absolutely all algorithm stuffs. Stuff. And of course, don't hesitate to share us directly with your friends and fellow Disney lovers of all ages. Thank you for listening. We'll be in your ears next week.

Intro 30:32

Thank you for flying Star Tours. Bye-bye.

Nathan 30:45

I should have paused this recording. Oh well.

Alicea 30:46

That's all right. Do you want me to do a clap?

Nathan 30:50

Um, no, because it's gonna mess up the um So what I'm gonna do is this. There. I can see that in the recording easily.

Alicea 31:13

On to Disneyland.