Theme Park Bits: Live Muppet Show Going Away, Arendelle Aqua Foodie Guide, And More
In this edition of Theme Park Bits:
One of the unfortunate themes of Disney's theme parks in 2019 has been cutbacks. Yes, you might wonder why it is that buying tickets to Disneyland or Walt Disney World has never seemed more expensive if they're also cutting back on events within the parks. But wondering doesn't stop the forces of change, unfortunately. In that vein, we begin today's column with some sad news: The Muppets Present...Great Moments in American History is one of a couple live Magic Kingdom shows that's going away soon. Once the new month begins, these shows will be removed, and there are other Disney Entertainment cuts coming.
It's a shame that these shows – some of which you can only enjoy on YouTube if you, like me, haven't visited the Magic Kingdom since the shows started – are getting the axe because of lower crowds. There's clearly going to be some soul-searching at Disney to figure out what it is about the summer of 2019 that has led to such unexpectedly non-massively busy crowds. The reaction so far, unfortunately, feels equivalent to a teacher punishing their whole class for the actions of one kid – the entertainment options being gutted at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World were often among the most charming side elements of the parks. But now, we've just got less to do in between rides. Sigh.
One place Disney has not struggled this year, however, is at the box office. And it's not over yet, of course, with two of their presumed hits yet to come. First up is Frozen II, opening in theaters in late November. But even two months out, the theme parks are preparing for the return of the sisters from Arendelle, with the arrival of the Arendelle Aqua Color Collection. Largely, this means two things: merchandise and food. The foodie guide for the color collection is out, and if nothing else is true, I hope you like the color blue. A lot. Because a lot of the food available at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland with this collection is, as the title would suggest, of the aquamarine variety. Walt Disney World has more options available, with everything from cocktails to donuts to sponge cake to, my personal favorite, a cotton candy eclair. Talk about a sugar rush.
Speaking of food, have you ever wondered what exactly is in some of the food and drink at the Disney parks? You might have figured you're better off not knowing, but I'm going to tell you anyway about two of the most popular drinks of the year: blue and green milk at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. The ingredient labels for the two sci-fi drinks have been put out online, and in case you're wondering, the answer is simple: they're sugar, coconut oil, and little else. I'll be heading to the Disneyland version of Galaxy's Edge in a week or so, and I'm not sure if knowing this makes me more or less likely to snatch up a drink.
Though I do criticize the Disney parks here from time to time, I cannot tell a lie: I am a sucker for certain kinds of merchandise that the parks create. One of those is posters, specifically attraction posters. All that is to say that the Epcot-themed posters that were showcased at the D23 Expo last month were right up my alley. So I was very pleased to find that the Disney and More blog went to the trouble of editing photos from theme-park photog Andy Castro of all of the Epcot posters. Boy, they do look gorgeous. It's difficult to choose a favorite here, though the Mission: Space poster is right up there. Which one's your favorite?