Ears the News with Richard

Walt Disney World Resort hotels and theme parks are offering special menus for Thanksgiving this year.

As you might expect, the more interesting takes on the Thanksgiving traditions can be found at Sanaa, where you can enjoy poppy seed lavash, house-made naan, and apple-cranberry achar.

In Epcot, Thanksgiving menus will be available during lunch and dinner seatings at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Biergarten Restaurant, Coral Reef Restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse, and Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room, and quick service at Sunshine Seasons.

In the other parks, you can find Thanksgiving offerings at Be Our Guest Restaurant and Tony’s Town Square Restaurant in Magic Kingdom, Hollywood & Vine and The Hollywood Brown Derby in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and at Tusker House Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

At the Walt Disney World Resort hotels, Thanksgiving dining will be available at:

Artist Point and Whispering Canyon Café at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

California Grill and The Wave… of American Flavors at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Cape May Café at Disney’s Beach Club Resort

Captain’s Grille and Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

End Zone Food Court at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

Flying Fish Café at Disney’s BoardWalk

Mickey’s Backyard Thanksgiving Feast and Trail’s End Restaurant at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

Grand Floridian Café, Narcoossee’s and Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Kona Café at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Olivia’s Café at Disney’s Old Key West Resort

Sanaa at Disney’s Kidani Village Resort

Shutters at Old Port Royale at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

The Turf Club Bar and Grill at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

B’net Al Houwariyate is the latest act to debut at Epcot as part of its revamped entertainment lineup.

Taking place at the Morocco Pavilion stage, the group from Marrakesh play instruments, sing and dance - drawing from many generations of Moroccan tradition.

Expect to hear a range of music from rural Berber chants to Chaabi festival rhythms.

The group is still in soft opening, but expect to see regular performances begin on November 2, with performances on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The 20 minute show is performed multiple times per day, with show times typically at 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:15 PM, 4:45 PM, 5:45 PM, 6:30 PM and 7:45 PM.

Click here to see a video from WDWMagic. 

 The outdoor play area at the Downtown Disney Lego Store will be closing for a brief refurbishment.

The area will close beginning November 5 and reopen November 9.

The Art of Shaving and BabyCakes NYC are the two latest retail ventures who have filed paperwork to build locations in the upcoming Disney Springs at Walt Disney World.

BabyCakes NYC is well known to Downtown Disney visitors, where the company operated a bakery inside Pollo Campero before the location was shuttered as part of the Disney Springs redevelopment of that area of Downtown Disney.

Guests can still buy BabyCakes NYC range of Gluten-free baked goods at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, but expect to see a new stand-alone retail location in The Landing district of Disney Springs. It is thought that the bakery will be built near the Waterside Park area, beside Raglan Road and The Hangar.

The Art of Shaving has filed construction permits to build in one of the new retail units in the former Pleasure Island area that will become The Landing. The upscale shaving supply store begin in New York City in 1996 and has since rapidly expanded.

The Procter and Gamble owned chain operates stores throughout the United States, including two at the nearby Florida Mall and Mall at Millenia. Select stores offer a full-service barber shop shave.

Image courtesy Disney Parks Blog

'A Frozen Holiday Wish' has now opened at the Magic Kingdom as the park kicks off the holiday season.

Featuring Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Kristoff from the smash hit movie Frozen, the 9 minute castle lighting show is a rework of the previous 'Cinderella's Holiday Wish' show.

As before, the 200,000 LED castle DreamLights are used to cover Cinderella Castle in ice white. New for this version of the show is the use of projection mapping technology installed for Celebrate the Magic. Both the projections and the LED lights combine for an extended lighting ceremony.

'A Frozen Holiday Wish' begins on November 5, and runs through to December 31 2014. Show times are 6:15 PM and 7:30 PM on regular park days, and 6:15 PM and 8:00 PM on Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party nights.

'A Frozen Holiday Wish' replaces the previous 'Cinderella's Holiday Wish' show.

A single song, “What’s This?” from Tim Burton’s “Nightmare before Christmas” has been added to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. Jack himself even makes an appearance in the overhead canopy.

The Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios will take place this year from November 7 2014 through to January 4 2015, and is included with park admission. The lights switch on at 6: 00 PM and continue through to park close.

Click here for a video from WDWMagic