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We’re spending the day in the newly reopened Magic Kingdom! Cinderella Castle And while the wait times for most of the attractions have been relatively short, there’s one place in Magic Kingdom that has already hit capacity for the day! Well, we knew the (virtual) line was long, but this really brings it home! We’ve just learned that the virtual queue for Splash Mountain merchandise has reached capacity for the day! Splash Mountain Guests are still able to sign up for a place in line BUT Cast Members have made it clear that there’s no guarantee that they’ll get in! Virtual Queue Sign Outside of Splash Mountain When we signed up for the Splash merch virtual queue earlier today, we had a wait time of almost three hours before our place in line was called! Splash Plushes With the upcoming retheming of Splash Mountain, guests are lining up to snag their Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox merch before it’s gone. And so, a merchandise location was the first place to reach capacity on reopening day at Magic Kingdom — who would’ve thought! Here’s a look at the “Welcome Back” merch being sold in Disney World! Are you surprised that this was the first place in Magic Kingdom to reach capacity for the day? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: A Merchandise Line is the LONGEST One in Disney World…AGAIN Here’s What the Wait Times are Like on Reopening Day at Magic Kingdom in Disney World! There’s A New SECRET Character Meal in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom…And You Won’t See This Guy Anywhere Else! View the full article

Several days ago, Chef Mickey’s joined the list of Disney World restaurants that are accepting reservations. Chef Mickey’s Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Chef Mickey’s is a Disney World tradition for many families. Typically, this restaurant offers buffet-style dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner — complete with appearances from Mickey and friends! But, what changes can you expect in the reopened Chef Mickey’s? Let’s take a look! The biggest change you will notice upon entering Chef Mickey’s is that it is not offering character dining at this time. Though we’ve surprisingly spotted characters at table service restaurants (hellooo, Beast at Be Our Guest!!!), the only announced character meals as of now are Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort, The Garden Grill at Epcot, and Ravello at Four Seasons. It’s Minnie at Topolino’s Terrace! Beyond characters, another staple of Chef Mickey’s is the all-you-care-to-eat breakfast buffet, featuring all the scrambled eggs, bacon, and Mickey Waffles you could ever dream of. Chef Mickey’s buffet While the buffet is still there, guests are not allowed to go up to the service station and get food. Instead, once you are seated, your server brings you a tray of food. Chef Mickey’s family-style buffet For your initial batch of food, you don’t pick what is brought to you — you just get a little bit of everything. We were served breads, fresh fruit, mini yogurt parfait, smoked salmon, cold cuts, pickles, cheeses, sausage links, bacon, kielbasa, Mickey waffles, potato-cheese casserole, ham, mini pancakes, French toast sticks, and tater bites. Chef Mickeys Don’t want that smoked salmon? On a low carb diet and don’t want to chow down on bread? Well, you get it anyway! Luckily, you can always bring your leftovers home to a salmon-lover in a to-go box. Salmon Of course, one of the BEST parts of any buffet is getting as much food as you want! That’s still the case at Chef Mickey’s. It’s just you’re not the one going up to grab another scoop of scrambled eggs. You just ask your server for whatever you want, and they’ll be the ones to go back up to the serving station and get another round of food for you. Chef and server at Chef Mickey’s When we dined there, our servers were VERY attentive. They even brought us another round of eggs after the ones at our table had been sitting there a while, so we could enjoy some hot ones! Chef Mickey’s Meats and Eggs The other big change at Chef Mickey’s? The crowds. Typically, this Monorail loop is one of Disney’s most popular dining spots for a pre-park day breakfast. But when we dined there (admittedly, toward the end of breakfast service), there were very few fellow diners. Chef Mickey’s Despite the lack of characters, breakfast at Chef Mickey’s is still a GREAT option for breakfast and is currently accepting reservations. The cost is $25 per adult and $14 for children ages 3-9. As more buffets open around Walt Disney World, we’ll continue to keep you updated on how they operate! Here are all of the in-park Disney World restaurants that are reopening on July 11th and July 15th! Would you still dine at Chef Mickey’s with these changes in place? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Review: Brunch at Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort! News: Chef Mickey’s Temporarily Relocating to Convention Center Ranking all the Disney World Mickey Mouse Character Meals from Best to…Don’t Bother View the full article

We’re coming to you LIVE from the newly reopened Magic Kingdom! Cinderella Castle We’ve been making our way through the park to get a feel for what it’s like to spend a day in a reopened Disney World! And while we are keeping an eye on the wait times for the attractions in Magic Kingdom, it looks like the longest line of the day isn’t for a ride! With the news of the upcoming reimagining of Splash Mountain, guests are flocking to the briar patch — but it isn’t the ride itself that has the longest wait! Splash Mountain While the wait time for the ride has hovered around 45-minutes for most of the day, the wait to purchase Splash Mountain merch is WAY longer! We saw a similar situation on Annual Passholder preview day, when the wait for Splash Mountain merch was FOUR HOURS long! Splash Plushes The demand has been so high that Disney has implemented a virtual queue system — guests provide their phone number and receive a text when it’s their turn to shop! Virtual Queue Sign Since the capacity is being strictly maintained due to social distancing guidelines, guests may still need to wait in a line when they return before they are allowed to enter. Splash Mountain Merchandise Line So, just how long was the line for Splash Mountain merch today? Well, we entered the virtual queue around 10:30AM, and we received a text letting us know it was our turn to shop at 1:20PM — so we were in the virtual line for just under three hours! Splash Mountain merchandise The text also informed us that we had an hour-long window to return, so there’s no need to hang out in Frontierland while you wait for your turn! So, to recap, we’ve seen five-minute waits for Flight of Passage and three-hour waits for Splash Mountain merchandise — reopening day in Disney World is wild! Take a look at the “Welcome Back” merch Disney World is selling! Are you surprised by the wait times in Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Here’s What the Wait Times are Like on Reopening Day at Magic Kingdom in Disney World! You Won’t BELIEVE How Long THIS Wait Time is at Magic Kingdom in Disney World Today! See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom View the full article

Animal Kingdom has now officially reopened to guests! Tree of Life And we’re here to see what it’s like to spend a day inside the reopened park! Now that we’ve gotten a peek at the crowds in Animal Kingdom, let’s see how the attraction wait times stack up throughout the day! Animal Kingdom opened its gates at 8AM today. So, let’s start by taking a look at the wait times an hour after guests began entering the park! July 11th, 9AM On a typical park day, wait times have generally started to climb when the park has been open for an hour, as guests have had time to start filing in. But at 9AM today, most of the attractions in Animal Kingdom still had a 5-minute wait — including popular rides like Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 9AM on July 11th The attractions located in Pandora only had slightly longer lines — both Na’vi River Journey and Avatar Flight of Passage had a wait time of only 10-minutes! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 9AM on July 11th Here’s a look at a nearly empty Pandora around 9AM– which is definitely an unusual sight! Pandora Crowds We’ll continue to keep an eye on the wait times throughout the day to see if they stay super low! Check out our live coverage from reopening day at Animal Kingdom! July 11th, 10AM Okay, now that the park has been open for two hours, how are the wait times looking? Well, here’s something you don’t see every day — the wait time for Flight of Passage is just 5-minutes! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 10AM on July 11th At this time, the two attractions with the longest wait are Na’vi River Journey and Kali River Rapids, which both have a 10-minute wait! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 10AM on July 11th And there aren’t a ton of guests wandering around the park either! Here’s a look at the crowd level in the Discovery Island area. Tree of Life We’ll see if the wait times start to climb later in the day! Click here to see what the wait times are like in Magic Kingdom on reopening day! July 11th, 11AM Now that the park has been open for three hours, the wait time for nearly every attraction (including Flight of Passage!) is still just 5-minutes! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 11AM on July 11th Check out that 5-minute wait for Kilimanjaro Safaris! Kilimanjaro Safaris Kali River Rapids currently has the longest wait in the park of 15-minutes! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 11AM on July 11th We’ll check back at noon to see how the wait times are looking! Check out the “Welcome Back” merch we spotted for sale in Disney World! July 11th, 12PM It’s noon in Animal Kingdom, and the wait times are still super low! In fact, there are almost no changes since we last checked at 11AM — and yes, Flight of Passage still has a 5-minute wait! Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 12PM on July 11th Kali River Rapids still has the longest wait of 15-minutes, and it looks like the only change is Na’vi River Journey, which is temporarily closed. Animal Kingdom Wait Times as of 12PM on July 11th We’ll see if there are any shake-ups in the wait times when we check-in later this afternoon! Follow along with our live coverage from reopening day at Animal Kingdom! Which of these wait times are you the most surprised by? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: News! Here’s the FULL LIST of Shopping and Entertainment Reopening at Animal Kingdom in Disney World! NEWS: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Park Pass Reservations are Going FAST! Here’s What It’s Like to Ride Flight of Passage at a Reopened Animal Kingdom View the full article

It’s reopening day in Animal Kingdom! Tree of Life We’ve reported in from the Annual Passholder preview in Disney World’s wildest park, but today we’re here as the general public is welcomed back for the first time. All guests attending need a Disney Park Pass reservation so that capacity is limited. We’re wondering, what does that limited capacity mean for Animal Kingdom crowds? Let’s take a look! As we entered the park, we noticed that there were a good number of folks headed in through Discovery Island and past the Tree of Life — but still, no more than you would see on a relatively slow day in the parks. Of course, we followed most of the other guests over at Pandora to see if the most popular land would warrant any congestion. Pandora Crowds Pandora was no ghost town, but it was pretty sparse. Looking around, we saw a lot of other guests but it was oddly few and far between. Typically, Pandora sees a wave of people first thing in the morning. It was easy for us to social distance ourselves. Pandora Crowds Sometimes, you could even find some areas of Pandora where there wasn’t another soul in sight! Maybe that’s because they’re all on Flight of Passage — except for it only had a 10-minute wait when we rode it! Pandora Crowds Exploring the rest of the park, we definitely found some areas that were pretty deserted. Crowds That’s not to say there’s NOBODY here. The park has enough guests that you’re not alone for too long. Animal Kingdom is HUGE and guests tend to head to more popular attractions and areas so we did see some queues lined up. We spotted a social distancing queue in use for a PhotoPass photographer! Photopass Line But we’re not kidding when we say you CAN find some alone time so far this morning. Now, Dinoland U.S.A. tends to have lighter crowds than other areas of the park on a normal day, but we’re not sure we’ve EVER seen it this empty during normal park hours. Dinoland USA We’ll update this post throughout the day as crowd levels change! Keep an eye on DFB for ALL of the news from the reopening day of Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom — oh, AND for the next few weeks in a REOPENED DISNEY WORLD. We’re LIVE from the reopening day of Animal Kingdom. Click here to follow along! What do you think of the crowd levels in Animal Kingdom? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: News! Here’s the FULL LIST of Shopping and Entertainment Reopening at Animal Kingdom in Disney World! Sneak Peek at Animal Kingdom’s NEW Holiday Decor! NEWS! Refurbishment Closures in Disney World Next Week! View the full article

Today’s the big day — Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are now officially reopened to guests! Main Street, U.S.A. We headed out to see what it’s like to spend a day in the reopened parks! Prior to the reopening, many guests were wondering what wait times to expect for attractions. The parks are operating at a reduced capacity, and guests must have a Disney Park Pass reservation in order to enter. BUT, social distancing measures also mean that attractions aren’t operating at full capacity, and rides must be regularly sanitized. So, with all of the factors in play, how will the wait times be impacted for Magic Kingdom attractions? Let’s take a look! July 11th, 9:30AM Magic Kingdom opened its gates at 9AM on July 11th. So, what did the wait times look a half-hour after guests began entering the park? Magic Kingdom Entrance Well, there were a TON of attractions with only a 5-minute wait! Some of these were rides that typically have a shorter line, like Mickey’s PhilharMagic and Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid. But check out that 5-minute wait for Peter Pan’s Flight! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 9:30AM on July 11th And these weren’t the only attractions with a 5-minute wait! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 9:30AM on July 11th Yup, there were still more 5-minute waits! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 9:30AM on July 11th The low wait times weren’t the only evidence of the low crowds at Magic Kingdom this morning. Here’s a pic we snapped in Adventureland with only a few other guests in sight! Adventureland crowds during Magic Kingdom’s grand reopening There were some rides with a slightly longer wait at 9:30AM — the longest was Splash Mountain at 45-minutes. Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 9:30AM on July 11th In order to help maintain social distancing, Disney also implemented a virtual queue for Splash Mountain — guests provide their phone number and receive a text when it’s time for them to return to the queue. Virtual Queue Sign Outside of Splash Mountain We’ll see if Splash Mountain continues to have the longest wait times throughout the day! Click here to check out our live coverage of reopening day at Magic Kingdom! July 11th, 10:15AM Okay, Magic Kingdom has been opened for a little over an hour, so how are the wait times looking now?? Well, there’s still a long list of attractions with a 5-minute wait! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 10:15AM on July 11th And Peter Pan’s Flight is still a 5-minute wait! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 10:15AM on July 11th The wait times on a few attractions like Astro Orbitor and Jungle Cruise did increase slightly. Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 10:15AM on July 11th And while the wait for Splash Mountain stayed steady at 45-minutes, there’s a different attraction that now has the longest wait in the park — Pirates of the Caribbean has a 50-minute wait! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 10:15AM on July 11th Pirates of the Caribbean does have social distancing markers in place so guests can maintain proper spacing between parties. Pirates of the Caribbean Queue We’ll see if the long wait for Pirates of the Caribbean holds steady throughout the day! Here’s what the Magic Kingdom crowds looked like on opening day! July 11th, 11:10AM Magic Kingdom has been open for just over two hours and it’s time for our next look at the wait times! There’s still a fairly long list of attractions with a 5-minute wait. Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 11:10AM on July 11th Here are more attractions with a 5-minute wait! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 11:10AM on July 11th When we last checked in, Pirates of the Caribbean had the longest wait in the park — but since then, the wait time has dropped to 15-minutes! Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 11:10AM on July 11th And it looks like a different attraction now has the longest wait in the park — Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has a wait time of 40-minutes. Magic Kingdom Wait Times as of 11:10AM on July 11th Here’s a peek at the social distancing in the Jungle Cruise queue. Jungle Cruise Queue We’ll check in again later in the day for another look at the wait times, so be sure to stay posted! Take a look at the “Welcome Back” merch Disney World is selling! Which of these attraction wait times surprises you the most? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: There’s A New SECRET Character Meal in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom…And You Won’t See This Guy Anywhere Else! 6 Tips for Planning a Disney World Trip During Hurricane Season Here’s What Time Transportation to the Parks Should Become Available From Your Disney World Hotel View the full article

We’re back at Disney World today for the grand reopening of Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Entering Animal Kingdom And even though we’ve visited both parks earlier this week during some preview events, Disney just rolled out a brand new line of welcome back merch for the official reopening! Let’s check out the new items in the Together Again collection! We’ve just spotted Disney World’s official welcome back merchandise! Here’s the Together Again Adults’ Shirt for $26.99 which has a navy blue Mickey and lettering with a white outline of the castle on a heathered gray background. Together Again Adults’ Shirt We also discovered this Together Again Ladies’ Shirt for $36.99. It’s a softer, blush pink shirt and has a white heart with a navy blue castle motif and lettering! Together Again Ladies’ Shirt And for the kiddos, here’s the Together Again Youth Shirt for $21.99. This one is more of a robin’s egg blue and has the same graphic as the grown-ups shirt! Together Again Youth Shirt We spotted the Together Again collection at Discovery Trading inside Animal Kingdom today! We think the colors of the collection all go really great together! Together Again Merchandise at Disney World We’ll be on the hunt for more Together Again items and additional locations where you can find them! Until we do, check out these important updates on transportation if you’re heading to the parks! The new Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears have just arrived! Click here to learn more! What do you think of Disney World’s welcome back merchandise? Let us know if you’ll be snagging some of these shirts in the comments below! Related posts: NEWS: Registration For Disney World’s Annual Passholder Previews Is NOW LIVE! What’s UP With Disney World Annual Passholder Previews?! Disney World’s Parking Trams Will Be Unavailable When Theme Parks Reopen This Weekend View the full article

Welcome back, DFB friends! We’re here with another DFB Video, and today we’re talking about the grand reopening of Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom Reopening Day The day has arrived, Disney World is officially reopened to guests! Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opened to the public today and we’ve got all the details about what’s new, what’s different, what’s the same, and what totally shocked us! Check out all this and more in our latest DFB Video. And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! Plus, you can get a full list planning cheat sheet for your Disney World vacation here! So check out the video and let us know: If you’re planning a Disney World vacation. Related posts: DFB Video: The RAREST Things in Disney World (And How to FIND THEM)! DFB Video: Latest Disney News: How to Make Park Reservations, BIG MagicBand and Festival News, and MORE! DFB Video: 6 Reasons NOT to Stay in a Disney World Hotel! View the full article

From Joe Rohde to Ashley Eckstein, Designer Ears are a super hot ticket item! Recently we learned Disney was preparing to drop the new Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears. Well, the big day is officially here! ©shopDisney These gorgeous HOT PINK ears would make a great accessory for your first trip back to the newly reopened Disney World parks! Let’s check ’em out! The Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears cost $58 and are now available on shopDisney! We love how the sparkly HOT PINK ears complement the bold pattern of the bow and band! Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears Even though we already have a few pairs of Rose Gold Minnie Ears in our collection, the bright vibrant pink color of these Trina Turk Minnie Ears is so playful and perfect for summer! Click here to get the Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears!! Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears Plus it’s always hard for us to pass up a new set of sequinned Minnie Ears — especially a pair as cute as these ones are! The new Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears come with their own dust bag and are limited edition. Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears That means you WON’T want to hesitate if you’d like to get your hands on a pair of these beauties! Be sure to head over to shopDisney NOW before they sell out! Click here to see this adorable new “Inside Out” dress we just spotted online! Do you plan on grabbing this pair of Designer Ears? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Disney’s Dropping NEW Trina Turk Designer Minnie Ears TOMORROW! This NEW Classic Star Wars shopDisney Merchandise Is Out of This World! And Just Like That, Guess What’s Already Sold Out on shopDisney and Selling For $300 on eBay! View the full article

We’ve just arrived at Disney World now that Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom which have just reopened TODAY! Cinderella Castle And while we’ll be updating this post throughout the day, we want to show you what the crowds were like bright and early this morning! Let’s grab a cup of coffee and scope out the scene. During Disney World’s phased reopening, attendance will be reduced using the Disney Park Pass system which requires guests to have valid theme park admissions and a reservation to visit. Main Street, U.S.A., on July 11th So just how crowded were the parks today with these new safety guidelines in place? Check it out! Magic Kingdom Reopening Day We entered the park shortly before 9AM and noticed that lines to scan your ticket (without a fingerprint scan) were fairly light with guests observing social distancing. Magic Kingdom park entrance, July 11th There was, however, quite the line for guest relations. Guest Relations line outside the Magic Kingdom, July 11th Once we got inside the Magic Kingdom, there was some initial crowding on Main Street, U.S.A., as guests filtered into the park and got the first peek at Cinderella Castle in all her new pink, gold, and blue glory. Main Street, U.S.A. on Magic Kingdom’s grand reopening day There was also a bit of a line for Main Street Bakery as early morning risers tried to get their Starbucks fix. Main Street Bakery Line Now, most of the initial crowding on Main Street, U.S.A. has filtered out. Main Street, U.S.A. Once we left the hub and entered Adventureland, we noticed significantly lighter crowds in the first hour of the park’s opening. Adventureland crowds during Magic Kingdom’s grand reopening And while the line for Pirates of the Caribbean stretched outside of the show building, there were social distancing markers on the ground, and guests seemed to be following their advice. Pirates of the Caribbean line We’ll continue to monitor the crowds and let you know what happens the rest of the time we’re here today, so stay tuned for more updates! Follow along with us LIVE at the Magic Kingdom upon its historic reopening here! Were you expecting the crowds to be bigger or smaller at Disney World today? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Related posts: NEWS: Registration For Disney World’s Annual Passholder Previews Is NOW LIVE! Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park Pass Reservations Are FULL for July 14th…BUT More Might Be Coming! What’s UP With Disney World Annual Passholder Previews?! View the full article

As of today, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are now reopened to guests! Magic Kingdom If you’re staying in a Disney World Resort hotel, you will still have access to Disney transportation to take you to the parks. But how early can you rope droppers head out? Here’s what we know! Magic Kingdom opened at 9AM today and Animal Kingdom opened their gates at 8AM today! And, our team headed out bright and early to experience the reopened parks — well, as early as we were able to! According to a Cast Member we spoke with, Disney transportation between hotels and parks started operating at 8:30AM. Monorail Walkways to the Transportation and Ticket Center also remained closed until 8:30AM — here’s the barrier we spotted at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort prior to the scheduled opening! Walkway between Polynesian Village Resort and Transportation and Ticket Center Here’s a closer look at the sign that was posted on the barrier! Sign About the Closed Walkway For guests driving to the parks themselves, cars were held outside the parking lot entrance of Animal Kingdom until 7:40AM, at which point guests were able to begin parking. Parking This is what we experienced today, but remember these times are subject to change as the reopening progresses and could vary based on park hours! Stay tuned for more coverage from the official reopening day at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom! Here was our experience using Disney transportation in a reopened Disney World! How do you plan on getting to the parks on your next Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: NEWS: Water Taxi Transportation to Magic Kingdom Will Only be Offered at Select Disney World Hotels 11 Fun and FREE Disney World Souvenirs! (Do You Have Them All?!) 4 Important Tips You Haven’t Heard…But Need To Know…For Your Next Disney Vacation! View the full article

This morning marks another milestone in the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort, as Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park welcome guests for the first time in several months. Our cast members have been eagerly anticipating this moment and are looking forward to making magic today as only they can. We’ll have photos from around the parks throughout the day, so keep refreshing this post for updates. You can also follow @WaltDisneyWorld on social channels for even more fun. And be sure to check back with us on Wednesday for the reopening of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios! View the full article

“Disney World is a world very different than the one that closed back in March,” one expert says as Disney opens up again with new safety rules and crowd limits. View the full article

Now that we’ve had the opportunity to step foot inside Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom before both parks officially reopen on July 11th, we’ve been processing everything sight, sound, and smell we’ve just experienced for the first time in many months! Magic Kingdom And now that we’ve had some time to let everything sink in, we’re here to tell you about the top three things that really shocked us! There’s IS Such a Thing as Being Too Early While many of us are used to arriving at the Disney World theme parks WELL before they officially open so we can park and get to the gates in time for rope drop, we might’ve jumped the gun a bit yesterday! Magic Kingdom We were following our pre-closure routine of hopping in our cars and driving to theme parks early thinking we’d be allowed in. But when we arrived at Magic Kingdom around 7:45AM yesterday (the park had a 9AM open), there was a big ol’ traffic jam at the park. It seems we weren’t the only ones who had the same bright idea of gettin’ an early jump on the day! Many people ended up waiting on the sides of the road or in the McDonald’s parking lot (if heading to Animal Kingdom) because Disney wasn’t even allowing guests to sit and wait in the parking lot. Disney is really trying to avoid crowding, so you may not get into the parking lot of in front of the entrances as early as you’re used to. Animal Kingdom Entrance We’ll check back in and let you know what transportation is like at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s official reopening tomorrow, but for now, even though it goes against almost everything you know about Disney World (and is probably deeply embedded in the fiber of your being), you might want to plan on arriving much closer to the park’s opening time. Magic Kingdom AP preview entrance crowds We were allowed into the parking lots at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom both about half an hour before park opening. With the theme parks operating at a significantly reduced capacity, you don’t need to hold onto your “beat the rush” mentality for the time being — there’s not going to be as much of a rush to beat! Instead, you might get stuck like we did IN the morning rush, but if you wait just a little bit, you’ll have a much easier time arriving at the parks. From what we’ve experienced so far, once you’re inside, you should still have plenty of time to enjoy everything with significantly shorter wait times in most cases! Check out all the different types of transportation we used to get around yesterday at Disney World! Splash Mountain Mania While we never waited more than a few minutes to ride anything this week at Magic Kingdom or Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including some big-name stuff such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Flight of Passage, the same can’t be said for Splash Mountain — or rather, it’s gift shop. Splash Plushes The demand to go inside the Splash Mountain store yesterday was so high that the virtual queue was activated and it was over a 24o minute wait when we checked! So, if you’re looking to snag some Splash merchandise, you may want to make it one of your first stops. Ever since Disney announced its plans to retheme Splash Mountain with a new storyline and characters from The Princess and The Frog, people are adamant about enjoying this original version of the attraction one last time. Don’t worry — Disney hasn’t announced when Splash Mountain will be closing for refurbishment, but a lot of guests aren’t taking any chances! Splash Mountain We’re actually really curious to see if the Splash Mountain store’s virtual queue will surpass Rise of the Resistance’s wait time when Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopens next week! Initially, Disney had announced a virtual queue for the Rise of the Resistance would not be returning. However, it appears they’ve changed their mind, and they will, in fact, be reinstating a modified virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance after all. Click here to see more of the crazy wait to get into the Splash Mountain Gift Shop! Paint-By-Number Castle One of the biggest changes we’re still wrapping our brains has nothing to do with enhanced safety measures like physical distancing or wearing a face mask all day. For us, having Cinderella Castle look so different is going to take some getting used to. While it’s still totally recognizable, and regal, and STUNNING — it’s pretty jarring when you first experience it in person! And depending on the time of day it is, the light strikes it differently and it can appear very, VERY pink! Cinderella Castle We’ll see over time how we feel about the change, but as polarizing as Cinderella Castle’s new look might be, we were pretty thrilled to witness this little part of its history yesterday. Disney’s scenic painters were working on the castle as we walked by and we noticed some huge hand-painted numbers were written on each of the bricks! Paint By Number Normally, Disney would never let such a behind-the-scenes moment like this slide, but since they’ve promised to keep the castle uncovered during its refurbishment and they appeared to be working frantically to finish the castle (maybe even in time for this weekend?), they showed us a peek of their process! Now we know how THEY KNOW what shade of gray paint to use for each brick. Cinderella Castle was literally a giant paint-by-number painting yesterday! Check out more photos of the giant “Paint-By-Number Castle” here! Paint By Number We’ll be attending the grand reopening of Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kindom tomorrow so we’ll let you know whether the paint-by-numbers have been covered up — or not! Until then, check out some of the new Character Cavalcades and entertainment offerings we’ve already experienced at Disney World here! On a quest to quench your thirst? Find out where to find water in a newly-reopened Disney World here! Did you attend either of the Annual Passholder previews this week at Disney World? Tell us what surprised you the most in the comments below! Related posts: NEWS: Registration For Disney World’s Annual Passholder Previews Is NOW LIVE! PHOTOS: Temperature Screening Tents Are Popping Up at the Disney World Theme Parks Disney World’s Parking Trams Will Be Unavailable When Theme Parks Reopen This Weekend View the full article

Disney World: New virtual queue coming to Star Wars: Rise ride View the full article

This year has definitely had its share of unprecedented situations — and the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is also getting a bit of a shake-up! Epcot Food and Wine Festival When Epcot reopens to guests on July 15th, the park will also kick off the annual Food & Wine Festival. It will run from July through the fall, making it the longest Food & Wine to date! The festival will also include some elements from the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, which began just a few days prior to the park closure. There will only be 24 booths at the festival this year, but don’t worry, there will still be new eats (and drinks) to try! Let’s take a look at all of the NEW menu items coming to the Food & Wine Festival this year! Africa The Africa booth is returning to this year’s festival, featuring the brand-new Spicy Kenyan Vegan Corn and White Beans with Pigeon Peas, Quinoa & Ancient Grains Medley and Kachumbari Slaw! Africa Booth at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival Another exciting feature of this menu item in addition to its “newness” — it’s plant-based! Click here to see the full menu for the Africa booth! Appleseed Orchard Looking for a new alcoholic beverage to try? If so, Appleseed Orchard is a great booth to swing by! Appleseed Orchard New additions to the menu this year include: Heavy Seas Brewery TropiCannon Citrus IPA Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine Double IPA 3 Daughters Raspberry Lemonade Dry Hard Cider Short’s Brewing Company Starcut Ciders Mosa Hard Cider Ciderboys Banana Bliss Hard Cider, Stevens Point Now that’s a lot of new boozy options! Click here to see the full menu for Appleseed Orchard! Canada You’ll also find some a new adult beverage at the Canada booth — the Collective Arts Brewing Blackberry Fruit Beer! Canada Booth Sounds like a fruity, refreshing choice to keep us powering through the festival! Click here to see the full menu for the Canada booth! Mac and Cheese, Hosted by Boursin Cheese We’ve reached an exciting point in our list — that’s right, Mac and Cheese, Hosted by Boursin Cheese is a NEW BOOTH at this year’s festival! So, what menu items can you indulge in at this new addition? The food offerings include: Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese topped with Herbed Panko Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce topped with Carrots, Celery, and Blue Cheese Crumbles Lobster Macaroni and Cheese with Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce and Lobster Cream topped with Herbed Panko Macaroni and Cheese with House-made Italian Sausage and Peppers (Plant-based) And while a few of the beverages on the menu have appeared at other booths before, the Stiegl Brewery Radler Zitrone is also a festival newcomer! Wanna know more about the Mac and Cheese booth? We’ll add pictures of all the menu items HERE after the festival kicks off! Desserts and Champagne This booth took a hiatus, but Desserts and Champagne is back in action at the festival this year! Desserts and Champagne Booth And, as the name suggests, there are several new sweet treats guests can enjoy! New menu additions include: Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops with Crumbled Twix Chocolate Bars Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops with Crushed M&M’s Candies We’re definitely excited about these flavors! Click here to see the full menu from the Dessert and Champagne booth! Earth Eats The Earth Eats booth is serving up a few new options as well! Here, you’ll find a new plant-based menu item, The Impossible Burger Slider with Wasabi Cream and spicy Asian Slaw on a Sesame Seed Bun! Earth Eats And there’s a new beverage on the menu too! The Playalinda Brewing Company Violet Lemonade Ale will make its debut at this year’s festival. Click here to see the full menu for the Earth Eats booth! France We’ve found lots of our festival favorites at the France booth in past years. So, we’re excited to try the new dessert — Tarte Tropezienne, Coulis Framboise: Brioche Cake filled with Light Pastry Cream and Raspberry Coulis! France Marketplace Booth for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival And there’s a new beverage here as well — VeRy Raspberry: Rosé Wine with Natural Raspberry Flavor! Click here to see the full menu from the France booth! Germany You won’t find any new food items at the Germany booth this year, but there is a new drink — the M.I.A. Brewing Hugo! 2019 Germany Booth Of course, beer is a staple of the Germany booth, so we’re excited to see a new option on the menu! Click here to see the full menu from the Germany booth! Islands of the Caribbean You’ll find a new dessert at the Islands of the Caribbean booth this year! Islands of the Caribbean Booth The new sweet treat is Flancocho: Passion Fruit Cake with Coconut Flan! Click here to see the full menu from the Islands of the Caribbean booth! Italy The Italy booth is serving up new sweet AND savory menu options! Italy Festival Booth The additions to this booth include: Margherita: Rustic Italian Flatbread with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese La Classica: Cheese Tortellini with Ricotta, Provolone, Fontina, Parmesan, Vodka Sauce, and Crispy Bacon Traditional Sicilian Cannoli: Crisp Pastry filled with Sweet Ricotta, Chocolate, and Candied Orange Sounds like a nice three-course meal to us! Click here to see the full menu from the Italy booth! Japan Guests will also find several new eats at the Japan booth! Japan Booth The additions to the booth include: Tempura Donburi: Two pieces of Tempura Shrimp and Kakiage (Vegetable Tempura) with Tentsuyu Dipping Sauce served over Sushi Rice Chirashi Sushi Flowerpot: Fresh-cut Salmon, Salmon Roe, and Spinach served over Sushi Rice with Furikake and topped with Poke Sauce Plus, you’ll find a few drinks from the Flower & Garden Festival — both the Strawberry Nigori Sake and Furano Martini are on the menu! Click here for the full menu from the Japan booth! Mexico The Mexico booth is comin’ in hot with a bunch of new menu items! 2019 Mexico Booth Here are the new eats you can try at the festival this year: Ribeye Taco: Ribeye Steak with Ranchera Salsa in a Corn Tortilla topped with Onions, Chives, and a Lime Wedge Pork Tostada: Fried Corn Tortilla topped with Chipotle Black Beans, Roasted Pork, Fresh Salsa Verde, Onions, and Cilantro And the rest of the new additions are beverages (which sound delightful!): Mexican Craft Beer: Tulum Artisanal Lager crafted with Citrus notes and made with Mexican Caribbean Seawater Passion Rose Sangria: Red Wine, Rum, Rose Petal Liqueur, Passion Fruit Purée, and Lime Clásica Margarita: Tequila, Chile Poblano Liqueur, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar with a Salt Rim Mango Smoky Margarita: Mango Purée, Mezcal, Applejack, Lime Juice, and Agave Nectar with a Tajín Chile-Lime Rim This booth tends to be a fan-favorite, so we can’t wait to taste all of the new options! Click here to see the full menu from the Mexico booth! Refreshment Port Guests will also find a new boozy beverage at Refreshment Port! Refreshment Port New to the festival this year is the Zing Zang Seasonal Bloody Mary featuring Absolut Vodka! Click here to see the full menu from Refreshment Port! Refreshment Outpost Not to be confused with Refreshment Port, Refreshment Outpost is located across the World Showcase Lagoon, between the China and Germany Pavilions! Refreshment Outpost Booth And this location is serving up several new beverages this year: Outpost Lemonade: Frozen Minute Maid Lemonade and Absolut Vodka Mango Starr: Mango Puree and Starr African Rum A frozen, fruity drink sounds like a great choice on a hot day in Epcot! Click here to see the full menu from the Refreshment Outpost booth! Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar Surprisingly, the new addition at Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar is not a drink! 2019 Shimmering Sips Booth New this year, we have the Banana Bread with Mixed Berry Compote — another plant-based option! Click here to see the full menu from Shimmering Sips Mimosa Bar! Funnel Cake Stand And rounding out our list, the Funnel Cake Stand is offering a new savory menu item! Funnel Cake Stand This year, guests can order the Street Corn Funnel Cake topped with Roasted Corn, Cotija Cheese, Cilantro and Cumin Crema dusted with Paprika! Click here to see the full menu from the Funnel Cake Stand! So there you have it, the new food and drink items that will be served at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival this year! Of course, we’ll be there to taste EVERYTHING and report back, so be sure to keep an eye on Disney Food Blog for all of the festival info you need to know! Check out more information about the 2020 Epcot Food & Wine Festival! Which of these new menu items are you the most excited to try? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Best of the Fest: What to Eat (and Sip!) at the 2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Best of the Fest: Here’s What To Get At The 2019 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! TREND ALERT! These On Fleek Eats at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival May Surprise You! View the full article

We’ve been reporting LIVE from Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom for the Annual Passholder and Cast Member previews over the last few days! Animal Kingdom Tree of Life We wanted to touch base on what we’ve experienced so far when going through security with the new health and safety protocols so you can be better prepared for your next visit. Do keep in mind that we have only checked this out during the previews and have experienced changes already, so this process could change again. Before going through security, all guests are required to take a temperature check. The thermometers are touchless just like the devices used at Disney Springs. You may be asked to remove your hat or to push back your hair so the people conducting the checks can get the best read of your temperature . Temperature Checks During the Cast Member previews, we were given a plastic bag to place to store electronics and small items before we walked through the metal detector. Bags for Security While at Annual Passholder Previews, security asked us to walk through the metal detector with our bags in hand without depositing anything into a plastic bag. If a bag were to set off the metal detector, security will check it with a metal detector wand and minimal touching. While weren’t given a plastic bag during the preview, security measures are subject to change at any time. Bag Check Information Security is limiting contact with your bags and items as much as possible. Guests will open any zippers and pockets and possibly remove larger items to the show Security Guards the entirety of their bags. They might ask if you have an umbrella or metal water bottle that might set off the detector. Security Check To promote social distancing, the security lines are spaced out with 6 feet markers. These markers are placed throughout Disney property where any lines may be present. The markers make the lines look much longer than they are since all travel groups are spaced out. Animal Kingdom Entrance Keep an eye out for more updates as we explore Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom this weekend! We’ll be sure to keep you informed on new procedures and what it’s like to vacation at Disney World since the new updates! When are you planning to visit Disney World? Let us know in the comments below. Related posts: PHOTOS: Construction Update On Disney World’s Grand Floridian Walkway! VIDEO: Disney World Shares a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Reopening of the Theme Parks What’s the Deal with Rider Switch in Disney World Now? We Have all the Details. View the full article

Discover What It Took to Bring Walt Disney World Resort to Life! View the full article

Tomorrow, Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Theme Park will welcome guests once again, the first step in the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will follow soon after, on July 15. In honor of the parks’ reopening, check out the video below where former Imagineer Maggie Elliott takes us back in time through the planning, design and original opening of Walt Disney World Resort. She shares some personal stories and reminisces about the people who made it all possible, including some Disney Legends. You’ll hear first-person (and funny!) details about the creation of Cinderella Castle, see some incredible archival footage and photos going back five-plus decades, and learn more about the life of this amazing Imagineer. Take a look! For more on the reopening of Walt Disney World Resort, visit Disneyworld.com/Updates, and for more #DisneyMagicMoments like this one, be sure to keep checking with us here at the Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

Love the sights, sounds, and smells of Cars Land? Well, Disney whipped up a recipe that is sure to help tie you over until you can race back into Disneyland Resort! ©Disney Flo’s V8 Cafe is a Radiator Springs staple and serves up some of the best quick-service dishes on this side of Route 66. (It also has an unbeatable view of Cadillac Range in Radiator Springs Racers!) We’ve got our hands (tires?) on a D23 recipe for Flo’s famous Strawberry-Rhubarb pie! This hearty pie features a crispy streusel topping with a touch of orange juice that really gets your motor going. It’s the perfect summer pie to share with the whole street! Start your engines and let’s get cookin’. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie from Flo’s Ingredients Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie 1 ½ cups sliced frozen rhubarb Favorite pie crust or pie dough (enough for a 2-crust pie) 1 egg 1 tablespoon water 2 cups fresh sliced strawberries ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed ½ cup sugar Zest of 1 orange 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon Streusel Topping ½ cup sugar ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preparation Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Place rhubarb on towel or layers of paper towels to thaw and drain, removing as much liquid as possible. Preheat oven to 425˚F. Roll out the crust for two 9-inch crusts. Place 1 crust in the bottom of the pie pan; chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together egg and water in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Set aside. Mix thawed and drained rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, sugar, orange zest and orange juice in a large mixing bowl; set aside for 10 minutes. Stir flour and cinnamon into the rhubarb-strawberry mixture. Pour filling into shell and brush edges with egg wash. Add top crust and seal edges with fork tines. Use a sharp knife to slice a cross into the center of the top crust. Using your fingers, pull back all 4 points of the cross until the dough can be pressed into edges of the crust. Egg wash the top of the pie and sprinkle streusel topping onto exposed pie filling. Collar pie with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Decrease temperature to 375˚F and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until pie is golden brown, removing foil last 15 minutes. Cool before serving. Serves 6 (makes a 9-inch pie). Streusel Topping Combine sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in softened butter with a fork or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in vanilla extract. Set aside. Flo’s V8 Cafe This recipe is the perfect way to fill us up while we wait to roll on into Radiator Springs. It’s got the citrus zing of orange juice, the bitterness of rhubarb, and balanced with sweet strawberries and streusel. It’s a dish that’s fit for the Piston Cup! Need a main course to go with your pie? Try this Disney Cruise Line recipe for Guava Glazed Ribs! Will you be making Flo’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie? Let us know how it turns out! Related posts: Disney Recipe: Try The Grey Stuff With This Recipe From Disney World and Disneyland! REVIEW!!! We’re PUMPED About the Pumpkin Spice Shake at Flo’s V8 Cafe in Disneyland Resort! The Force Is Strong with This EXTREMELY Authentic Ronto Wrap Recipe from Galaxy’s Edge! View the full article

Walt Disney World is reopening in phases this week. We caught up with everything new and missing at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom during the Annual Passholder previews. Main Street the USA Some art experiences were not in operation at Magic Kingdom yesterday. Most notably, the artists who typically perform custom parasol painting, caricatures, and hand-cut paper silhouettes were unavailable. We also noticed ornament customization was halted at the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe (a Cast Member mention it should resume sometime soon). We spoke to a Cast Member yesterday and they mentioned that they are keeping contact experiences limited. However, some experiences could become available again soon. We just got word from another Cast Member that Glass Blowing demonstrations are set to return tomorrow — but things can always change. Cinderella Castle at Crystal Arts Crystal Arts on Main Street typically features an Artist who creates custom glass pieces in front of guests. The classic experience has been around for quite a while. We’re interested to see if it will make an appearance tomorrow. Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers We’re getting a lot of questions regarding the return of many crowd-favorite experiences. (Like the possible return of balloons on Main Street!) Keep watching our posts for updates as we learn more. Want to know all the attractions open at Magic Kingdom? Check out the list here! Do you love watching the glassblowers in Magic Kingdom? Let us know! Related posts: We Literally NEED All 26 of These New ABC Mugs in Disney World! The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! The NEW Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Designer Ears Are Coming to Disney World SOON! View the full article

We’ve been hopping around Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom during Cast Member and Annual Passholder previews this week. Expedition Everest Some attractions are missing major scenes while others have remained about the same. Every attraction is receiving extra sanitation and most are spacing out seating to create distance between travel groups. We headed to Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to experience the thrill ride under the new conditions. The first thing we noticed was the social distancing markers located on the ground. Guests are asked to stand on the marks to stay their distance from others. Expedition Everest Entrance Every once in awhile, Cast Members will stop the ride to clean the ride vehicle seats. Expedition Everest Once we got to the front of the line we were given our line number. Plexiglass was put in place between the numbered lines to separate us from other guests. Everest with Line Barriers The first time we rode Everest we were spaced out from another group. The row between us was left empty. The second time, we were sat behind another group. We will continue to monitor this once the parks reopen to see which process they are implementing. Riding Everest The Rider Switch and Disability Access Service are operating as normal. Guests using either service will enter through the line that is usually designated for FastPass. DAS and Rider Switch Despite some enhanced safety and sanitation measures, our ride was very similar to past experiences. (And yes, the Yeti still makes an appearance!) Just make sure you secure your face mask properly while on the ride. Guests are still required to wear them while riding roller coasters and other attractions on property. Curious about what it’s like riding water rides under the new conditions? Learn about our experience here! Will you be riding Expedition Everest soon? Let us know! Related posts: Experience All The New Holidays Offerings With EXTENDED Animal Kingdom Park Hours! Wish Avatar a “Happy Birthday” With This UNIQUE Cupcake in Disney World! Why Disney World Could Be Very DIFFERENT When It Reopens View the full article

Florida can be a pretty steamy place — especially in the summer! Magic Kingdom In addition to following all the new health and safety measures Disney World has recently implemented, you’ll want to make sure you’re still drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated in that blazing Florida sun! Now that masks are required to be worn at all times while in the theme parks except when eating or drinking, you may find yourself feeling even hotter and thirstier than normal, so you’ll want to take those water breaks frequently! Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to find water at Disney World right now. Let’s explore each one! Bottled Water for Purchase Bottled water is always available for purchase throughout the parks at various locations. It’s chilled and available to grab-n-go — plus you can use a contactless method of payment such as your MagicBand of Apple Pay to buy it! Harambe Fruit Market at Disney’s Animal Kingdom The only downside is how expensive bottled water is! On average, bottled water costs about $3.50 per bottle at Disney World and you’d likely need to buy A LOT of it to stay hydrated all day! Refillable Water Bottle Bringing a refillable bottle from home is a more economical approach and still makes good sense if you’ll have access to a bottle refill stations. We’ve passed by several stations that are currently operating and the best part is they are contactless! Each refill station is equipped with a sensor and will begin dispensing a stream of water when it senses a bottle’s presence underneath the spigot! Water Bottle Refill But there are a few issues with relying on this water source. There aren’t nearly as many contactless water bottle refill stations as there are standard drinking fountains, and we’ve noticed that some of the refill stations aren’t currently operating. Because standard drinking fountains require contact, many people will likely want to avoid these for now. Drinking Fountains Are Still Working It wasn’t that big of a deal to refill your water bottle at a drinking fountain before, but ever since the closures, we’re being super mindful about not coming in close contact with frequently touched surfaces. In addition, we were never huge fans of the drinking fountains because the water isn’t very cold and sometimes has a funny after-taste! Free Cups of Water That brings us to our last, but certainly not least, water source, which is always ice-cold and totally FREE: a cup of ice water. Free Cups of Water Before the closures, every Disney World quick-service restaurant gave out free cups of water. Guests could walk up to the counter and ask Cast Members for one any time they wanted! And now that the parks have reopened, we are happy to confirm free cups of water are alive and well! Just keep in mind, not every dining location has or will be reopening during Disney World’s initial reopening period. Casey’s Corner is Still Closed Fewer restaurants might be open, but we spotted free cups of water at plenty of places at Magic Kingdom today, like the Popcorn Cart next to Cinderella Castle, Pinocchio Village Haus, and Joffrey’s Revive in Tomorrowland. We’ll do some more exploring this weekend, but it appears smaller kiosks and stands with soda fountains might be able to provide you with a free cup of water! Free Cup of Water And here’s another thing you need to know — many quick-service restaurants are now strongly encouraging guests to use the contactless Mobile Order feature on the My Disney Experience app to order and pay for their food. Guests must show their order to a Cast Member at the door before they’re allowed inside. Satu’li Canteen So what happens if you just want a free cup of water at one of these locations? Let the Cast Member at the door know you need one, and they’ll direct you to the appropriate pick-up window. Several restaurants had free cups of water pre-made and ready to give away. Satu’li Canteen And just like that, you can pick up your free cup of water and enjoy a quick cool down! Remember, since the tables are socially distanced inside the restaurants, you’re free to remove your mask once you’re seated while you eat and drink. You can also locate a nearby Relaxation Station where you can temporarily remove your mask if you need a break! Free Cup of Water Nothing hits the spot quite like an ice-cold cup of water and we’re so happy the free ones are still a thing at Disney World. To see what else we’ve been investigating at the newly reopened theme parks, click here! Two more restaurants at Epcot have just confirmed they’ll be reopening soon! Find out which ones here! How do you like to get your water at Disney World? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! We Tried 58 Holiday Treats in Disney World and These Are Our MUST-HAVES! We’re Reviewing EVERY Holiday Treat At Walt Disney World! See Them ALL Here! View the full article

Almost a week ago, some Disney World Annual Passholders who had opted to postpone their payments until the end of the closure noticed something rather strange. The Enchanted Tiki Room During Magic Kingdom’s Annual Passholder Preview A bizarre processing error had occurred and many Passholders were unexpectedly charged for all four months of the park closures AT ONCE. Disney World later released a statement about the erroneous charge and began processing refunds shortly thereafter. We reached out to Disney and a Cast Member confirmed that everyone who was charged should see the reversal processed automatically, without needing to call. As of last weekend, many Annual Passholders had reported that they had seen the unexpected charges removed from their accounts. Annual Passholder email screenshot Now, Passholders have started to receive emails from Disney apologizing for the inconvenience. The message states all charges have been reversed and should be reflected on your bank account or credit card statement at this time. Screenshot of Disney’s Email The email also notes that, “If you were accidentally charged on July 3rd and still haven’t been reimbursed, you could contact V.I.PASSHOLDER Support at (407)939-7277. And for the lastest information regarding travel to Disney World and new updates for Annual Passholders, click here!” See what our experience was like yesterday at the Annual Passholder preview of Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Were you accidentally charged on July 3rd? Let us know if you were impacted by this processing error in the comments below! Related posts: Nothin’ But Net! Shoot and Score With This NBA Experience DISCOUNT in Disney World! Confirmed: Disney World Will Offer Annual Passholder Previews Disney World’s Annual Passholder Calendar Has Been Updated to Reflect Required Reservation Information View the full article

We’re just a few short days away from Hollywood Studios’ reopening on July 15th. Rise of the Resistance We know we’re not alone when we say we’re pretty excited to ride Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge again. Initially, Disney had announced that the Virtual Queue would NOT be returning as rides would not use virtual lines. However, Disney just announced that Rise of the Resistance will be using a MODIFIED Virtual Queue when Hollywood Studios reopens. Unlike the initial queue which opened at the start of the theme park day, the new Virtual Queue will give guests an opportunity to join the queue at 10AM, 1PM, or 4PM. Keep in mind, guests will need to have valid park admission and Disney Park Pass reservations so that they can be IN Hollywood Studios. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance We will be updating this post with more information soon. This comes as a pretty big surprise since Disney had initially said that this would not be happening. We’re interested to see how the mutliple queue windows helps to alleviate the massive demand we saw prior to the park closures. Stay tuned to DFB for all of the latest reopening updates! Click here to see ALL of the attractions that will be reopening in Hollywood Studios! Are you headed to ride Rise of the Resistance in a reopened Hollywood Studios? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: News: Disney World’s Rise of the Resistance Reportedly Won’t Use Boarding Groups At Reopening If You’re Hoping to Ride Rise of the Resistance in Disney World, You’ll Need to Know the NEW Procedure for Getting a Boarding Group! There Are Actually TWO Ride Experiences in Disney World’s Rise of the Resistance. (Here’s Which One We Think is Better!) View the full article