Disney Dish Podcast: Artist Point Closing, Free Dining Rumors, and New Disney Cruise Line Ships

Artist Point Transformation to Character Dining

• 🎨 Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge will close on November 10th to be transformed into a Snow White character dinner.
• 📉 The change is reportedly due to Artist Point not hitting revenue targets as a signature restaurant.
• ⚠️ This marks another deluxe resort losing its signature dining, a trend that concerns the hosts.
• 💰 The shift to character dining is seen as the path of least resistance to increase revenue.

Mickey's Backyard Barbecue Closure and DVC Development

• 🍖 Mickey's Backyard Barbecue at Fort Wilderness will close on December 31st, 2018, to make way for new DVC development.
• 🏕️ The venue, described as having a temporary, summer camp feel, is expected to return elsewhere after the new resort opens.

Disney Dining Plan Popularity and Free Dining Promotion

• 👍 89% of Disney Dining Plan users and 87% of Quick Service Dining Plan users would purchase it again, primarily for the prepaid nature and lack of surprise bills.
• 💰 Guests often strategize to maximize their dining plan value, sometimes saving snack credits for later.
• ❓ A significant rumor suggests that the free dining promotion may disappear forever after the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, with 2019 potentially being the last year.

Evermore Park: An Immersive Themed Experience

• 🎢 Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove, Utah, is an immersive theatrical experience aiming to create a world without relying on existing intellectual property.
• 🎭 It features detailed storytelling, character interactions, and a hub-and-spoke design similar to classic Disney parks.
• ⚠️ The hosts express admiration for the ambition but acknowledge the risk of launching such a venture without a known IP.

FastPass+ Changes at Magic Kingdom

• 🚫 Mickey's PhilharMagic and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor are no longer offering FastPass+ selections, though attractions remain open.
• 💡 This could indicate updates planned for Mickey's PhilharMagic for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary and a potential move for Laugh Floor to another park.

Disney Cruise Line Expansion and Port Strategy

• 🚢 Three new Disney Cruise Line ships are set to launch between 2021 and 2023, with at least two powered by liquid natural gas.
• 📍 Port Canaveral is slated to be the year-round home for two of these new ships.
• 🏝️ Disney is exploring Lighthouse Point in the Bahamas as a potential second private destination, offering a higher elevation than Castaway Cay to mitigate sea-level rise concerns.
• 🗣️ There's a push from Bahamian activists for greater economic benefit sharing from cruise line developments.
• ✈️ Disney is also discussing year-round cruises from Port of Miami, potentially enhanced by a new train connecting Orlando and Miami.
• 🗺️ The long-term deployment of the existing Magic and Wonder ships is still being determined, with potential for more varied itineraries.