It's time for the Frog Family's weekly roundup of Disney and Orlando theme park tidbits from the interwebs.
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This week’s highlights:
![Royal Minnie at the New Fantasyland Grand Opening]( "royalminnie")
We could almost devote this whole week’s roundup to new Fantasyland and its grand opening, which was held yesterday. Never mind the pomp and circumstance, and the celebrities on hand, Mommy Frog was most taken with Minnie’s royal outfit!- Of course, Mommy Frog also loved that we got to see Beast and Belle's search for the right castle with the help of HGTV's "House Hunters International."
- The mysterious dragon that Disney has alluded to in its recent viral campaign made an appearance over Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday night. The video is quite spectacular, and Lily was not the only one in our household who was dazzled. But the big question remains, will it return?
![Clowns at Storybook Circus]( "clowns")
Over at Storybook Circus, there are some new friends to make in the form of circus clowns called the Giggle Gang. Despite their impressive pedigree -- some are graduates of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College -- we’ll be steering clear for now since Lily is still at that age where clowns frighten her.- Amid all the hoopla, you might have missed our update on all the attractions, shops and restaurants in New Fantasyland and our tips!
![Test Track at Epcot]( "ttc338948LARGE")
This week’s other big opening was devoted to Test Track, which has undergone re-imagineering. The attraction will allow guests to design their own custom cars and then take them on a test drive through the hills and switchbacks of the Test Track circuit. If you've been able to ride, please share your experience!- In case you missed it, our friend Dad over at Dad’s Guide to Walt Disney World guest blogged this week on the best time to visit the World. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say there is more than one answer.
- Ashley at Disney Done Right reminded us all to stop and smell the flowers at the theme parks, and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in particular.
![Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival]( "epcotflower")
And speaking of flowers, while the first day of winter is not yet upon us, we are already thinking about the 20th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival this spring. Mike and Sully are but two of the 100+ topiaries that will be making an appearance, and there will be “Radiator Springs” and Land of Oz-themed play areas for the kids.- Some good news for Disney-lovin’ Netflix customers: The subscription Internet service has gained streaming rights for animated and live-action movies released in 2016. That’s a ways off, but older classics and new-to-video releases will be available in 2013.
That’s all for this week. Until next week, happy planning!
— Leap
