MouseSteps Weekly 538: Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment, EPCOT Eggravaganza, and Disney News

Walt Disney World Updates

• 🚀 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is undergoing a significant refurbishment, including a complete track replacement, with an expected reopening sometime next year.
• 💡 The Walt Disney World Railroad offers a unique vantage point to observe the Big Thunder Mountain refurbishment progress.
• ⚠️ The Rivers of America attractions, including the Liberty Belle, are missed by some as they contribute to the park's atmosphere.
• 🎢 Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin will also close for refurbishment in August, with plans for updated ride vehicles and a new robot character named Buddy.

Disney's Hollywood Studios New Shows

• 🎭 Two new stage shows are set to debut at Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 27th: "The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure" and "Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After."
• 🎤 The villains show will feature characters like Cruella De Vil, Captain Hook, and Maleficent.

Stormalong Bay and Resort News

• 🏊 Stormalong Bay at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts remains under refurbishment through June, with work on new sandbags and beach areas.
• 🐾 Characters like Pluto and Donald Duck were spotted outside the resort during the refurbishment period.
• 🏨 Goofy was also seen at the resort while Denise was getting food at Ale & Compass.

EPCOT Eggstravaganza Scavenger Hunt

• 🥚 The EPCOT Eggstravaganza scavenger hunt is back, featuring character-themed eggs hidden throughout World Showcase and other areas.
• 🗺️ This year's eggs are themed around Pixar shorts and Disney characters, with prizes including paint-your-own character eggs.
• 📍 Notable eggs found include Al (from Presto) in Canada, the White Rabbit in the UK, the March Hare in France, Jack Skellington (from Nightmare Before Christmas) in Morocco, Judy Hopps in Japan, Skippy in America, Ducky and Bunny in Italy, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in Germany, Miss Bunny in China, and Thumper in Norway.
• 🎨 The scavenger hunt offers a fun way to explore EPCOT, with eggs often placed at ground level for easier spotting by children.
• 🌸 The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival continues until June 2nd, featuring beautiful floral displays.
• ☕ Starbucks offered special Easter treats, including a carrot cake waffle, which was described as just okay.
• 🍿 A new Thumper spring popcorn bucket is available for $24, with a limit of two per person.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Updates

• 🐅 Recent visits to Disney's Animal Kingdom focused on observing the baby tiger, Boxo.
• 🤝 Mickey and Minnie were met inside their meet-and-greet location with minimal wait times.
• 🚧 Dinoland U.S.A. is undergoing transformation into "Tropical Americas," which will include an Encanto-themed ride, an Indiana Jones attraction, and a new carousel with Disney and Pixar characters.
• 🎶 Concept art for the new themed areas, particularly the Encanto elements, is visible on construction walls.

Upcoming Events and Travel

• 🎢 Excitement is building for Epic Universe at Universal Studios Orlando, with detailed coverage expected in upcoming MouseSteps Weekly episodes.
• 🏰 Other upcoming events include the Disneyland 70th anniversary, the Disney Music Festival at Disneyland Paris starting April 19th, and new shows at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
• 🚢 MEI Travel and Mouse Fan Travel are highlighted as official travel sponsors, specializing in Disney and Universal vacations, as well as cruises.