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Orlando Science Center wins Dr. Phillips Leadership Award View the full article

Disney theme parks around the world have been temporarily closed due to the current health situation. These closures not only affected Disney Parks, but many organizations, communities, and people everywhere. Due to this, Disney VoluntEARS (volunteer teams made up of Cast Members) have once again joined forces to give back to the community during these unprecedented times. ©Robert and Duffy’s Adventures at Disneyland Paris While Cast Members from Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line have donated their time and resources, Disneyland Paris is also doing their part and recently donated over 1.5 MILLION EUROS in food, protective gear, and medical supplies. More than 100 tons of food are making their way to local French organizations like Secours Populaire Français, the Red Cross, Restaurants du Coeur, and social grocery stores such as Oasis à Serris. Sleeping Beauty Castle Disneyland Paris Further, medical supplies and protective equipment like masks and ponchos were sent to hospitals, healthcare professionals, and residential senior care. ©Disney – Disney VoluntEARS donating excess food in partnership with Second Harvest In addition to the donations, Disneyland Paris VoluntEARS created video tutorials (complete with activity kits) and distributed thousands of toys to children who are currently hospitalized during confinement. ©Disney Disney VoluntEARS from a past event in Disneyland Resort Disney VoluntEARS donate their time and resources to local and national organizations year-round but have been focusing their efforts on the current circumstances. While the parks begin to re-open, be sure to stay updated on theme park closures, new protocols, and any changes that may occur. Leaving for Disney World soon? Be sure to check out how Disney is handling safety protocols and how you can prepare for your next visit. Are you as proud of the Disney VoluntEARS as we are? Give them a shout out in the comment section to show you care! Related posts: Always Wanted to Visit Disneyland Paris? Now You Can Watch Their Shows and Parades From HOME! Disneyland Paris Will Feature Frozen and Star Wars Celebrations in 2020! PHOTOS: Disneyland Paris To Reissue OG Euro Disney Merch! View the full article

HARVEYS is known for its delightfully animated bags, keychains, and lanyards all made with sturdy (and adorable!) seatbelt material. In the past, we’ve seen the Disney x HARVEYS collection drop some seriously cute accessories like Toy Story keychains, Monster’s Inc. tote bags, and high-flying handbags featuring Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Donald Duck COMING SOON: The newest addition to the Disney x HARVEYS family features one VERY cantankerous duck who needs more than a seatbelt to contain his attitude. Unlike the more well-tempered Disney designs, this HARVEYS sneak peek shows Donald Duck losing his temper in the most Donald way possible. (Note the censored exclamations from our favorite grumpy ol’ bird!) The Donald Duck collection is set to go on sale on July 6th at 8:00PM PST at shopharveys.com! It’s gonna take everything we have not to buy the entire collection out. ©Harveys Prices and details have yet to be released for this fun and fancy-free convertible cross bag. Perusing through the website you’ll see that small messenger bags like this one typically cost around $138. The bags are well-made with sturdy seatbelt material and crafted with the care of a high-fashion designer. ©Harveys We’re secretly hoping HARVEYS will add this fluffy-tailed cutie to other accessories like keychains and backpacks too! In the meantime, we’ll daydream about when we can get our hands on this little beauty. Want to load up on more adorable Disney gear like this bag? Check out the newest (and cutest) Baby Yoda bag from BoxLunch! What do you think of the new material? Are you going to be the first on Harveys’ presale list? Related posts: The New Monsters, Inc. HARVEYS Collection is Here and It’s Frightfully Adorable! Cute Alert! HARVEYS Has Released Brand New Disney Keychains! Support Essential Workers and Protect Yourself With These Stylish Face Masks! View the full article

As you know, we’ve been eating our way around all the newly reopened restaurants at Disney Springs, and the time finally arrived to revisit one of our favorite spots, Chef Art Smith’s, Homecomin’: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine. Homecomin’! Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ reopened this week, and you never need to ask us twice about swinging by for some southern comfort food. The moonshine cocktails seem to always hit the spot, and we are suckers (cluckers? Too much?) for the Fried Chicken. After sitting down and talking with Art Smith himself, we were eager to see if the food would be just as good as we remembered. Spoiler alert: it was. Atmosphere The most significant change we noticed at Homecomin’ was the new Shine Bar + Patio. According to Art, “the outdoor space has been in the works for over a year and offers folks an open-air option to sit outside and listen to music while sippin’ on moonshine!” Shine Bar & Social Open Air Space Currently, the new patio seating is being sat by the hostess team for those dining at the restaurant, but soon a new bar will be added! The existing Shine Bar is still open for folks who want to walk up and grab a to-go drink or refill their squeeze bottles — more on that shortly! Inside, we noticed several new safety protocols. Chef Art even showed us some booths, which featured new glass dividers as an extra safety precaution. On the inside There was also a contactless menu with QR code to alleviate an otherwise high-touch point menu. Contactless Menu In addition to the plexiglass shields between booths and contactless menu, Homecomin’ has spaced out tables and increased their sanitation practices to help keep patrons safe while dining. Spaced Out Tables Within Enclosed Patio Another thing we were thrilled to see were these adorable Chicken Face Masks being worn by the staff and can be purchased for $10. The hard-workin’ staff in their Chicken Face Masks While currently operating a little differently to adhere to newly implemented safety measures, we still felt all the southern hospitality we’ve grown to love at this “farm-to-fork” Southern and Florida cuisine staple. But let’s get into our favorite topic: the food. Check Out Chef Art Smith’s Favorite Eats Here! Eats Homecomin’ is currently operating on a limited menu — but don’t fret you will still be able to order some classics like Art’s Famous Fried Chicken and the Hummingbird Cake. ©Homecomin’ We HAD to start with a side of Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits. These babies are Chef Art Smith’s signature recipe, and to say we’ve missed them is an understatement. Heaven must be missing angels. These $7 goodies can best be described as little bites of heaven. They were perfectly cooked — flaky but not falling apart, with warm cheddar cheese melted into each bite. The peppers add just the right amount of flavor, without making them too hot. Pro tip: Order a side of pepper jelly to dip them in. The sweet and spicy jelly adds a little zest to each bite — best fifty cents you’ll ever spend. After we devoured those carb-tastic noms, we went IN on our Harvest Salad with Chicken. This colorful plate is mixed greens tossed with fire-roasted red peppers and corn, shredded white cheddar cheese, and heirloom cherry tomatoes, topped with grilled chicken, avocado, and hushpuppies (!!!), with house-made balsamic dressing on the side. Never knew we could love a salad, yet here we are! We know, we know, you think a salad would be underwhelming after biscuits, but NO! This $18.00 salad was fresh and tasty! Look at that avocado! The fire-roasted veggies and avocado really hit the spot, and we are partial to the hushpuppies as croutons. (Mental note: add hushpuppies to more salads.) Are we saying you should order this over the fried chicken if it’s your first time here? Probably not. But if you’re a local or looking for a delicious lighter meal, this salad is a great option. Hushpuppies = Love And then we left! Ha, you know we didn’t :). After our salad, we were brought our HFK Barbecue Bun. This sandwich debuted with the restaurant’s reopening, so you KNOW we had to try it. In fact, our server said we were the first people to order it! Consider us honored. HFK Barbecue Bun This is one messy gal, but it is piled high with sweet and spicy barbecue chopped pork, topped with a fried egg, and Southern Slaw, so what do you expect? Gooey Eggs or Bust! Don’t be afraid of the “sweet and spicy” blend, though, because it is not too hot at all. The slaw adds a perfect crunch, and then the egg just takes it to the next level. If that wasn’t enough, it’s served with house-made barbecue chips drizzled with icebox dressing! Can you be in love with a side dish? And we (say it with us) loved this side dish! The housemade chips were perfectly crunchy, balanced perfectly with the citrusy signature dressing. If we have one complaint it’s that we want MORE of this dressing — which our server would’ve been happy to grab. Find Out How To Make Healthy Comfort Food With Art Here! Drinks While dining inside, we stuck with an unsweetened iced tea. However, we did check-in to see if they would still be honoring the Homecomin’ Sippers for $13 moonshine refills and free non-alcoholic drink refills for you guys and…drumroll, please… Homecomin’ Squeeze Bottle …get those sippers ready because they are still a thing in the reopened Homecomin’! We decided to grab the Rumshine Punch for dessert. (It’s a sweet drink so it totally counts right?) You can find out more about Homecomin’s Squeeze Bottles and here! Check Out The New Merch At Homecomin’ Here! Nosh or Not Consider dining at Homecomin’ if: You are craving Southern Comfort foods like Fried Catfish, Chicken Fried Steak, and Hushpuppies. You enjoy local ingredients and farm-to-table cuisine. You want to feel like you are in a rural-Florida setting, complete with a friendly staff and outdoor seating. You might want to skip Homecomin’ if: You want something on the cheaper side. Art’s Famous Fried Chicken Main Plate comes in at $29.00. To still get that fried chicken fix, you could always swing by Chicken Guy!, where can you grab 5 tenders for $7.99. You are looking for a wider range of healthier options. Take A Look At The Moonshine Cocktails On Tap Here! Overall It’s unreal how delicious this place is! Everything we’ve tried has been perfect and yummy and always accompanied by southern hospitality. From the atmosphere to the food to the service, there’s a reason this has continued to be one of our go-to restaurants. One final look because it’s too hard to say goodbye We mean, just look at that! We ate ALL of that…and can’t wait to do it again! These are the 5 restaurants you should skip during your next trip to Disney World! Do you love Homecomin’ as much as we do? Let us know in the comments below! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of Homecomin’. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ Related posts: Yee-Haw! Here’s How To Get FREE CAKE at Homecomin’s 3rd Birthday Celebration in Disney Springs! Chef Art Smith Is Shelling Out Not One, But TWO Shrimp and Grits Cooking Demos Chef Art Smith’s NEW Patio Shine Bar to Open with Homecomin’ in Disney World SOON! View the full article

While many of our favorite Disney Springs restaurants and shops have reopened, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar has remained closed. Disney Springs And while it looks like the jewelry retailer Rustic Cuff has closed up its pop-up store, we noticed that t he Indiana Jones-themed watering hole was open for business again today! Just a little after 12PM today, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar has officially reopened! Grab your fedora and bullwhip, and let’s go scope it out! Jock Lindsey’s It’s been a minute since we were able to patron the pilot’s Disney Springs establishment! Jock Lindsey’s bartender gave us a big wave HELLO as soon as we walked in! Jock Lindsey’s All of Jock Lindsey’s collections of oddities from traveling the world are still on display and a Cast Member told us they are still doing all of their fun glassware that you can buy as souvenirs! Jock Lindsey’s The diving bell booth is still open for guests to use at Jock Lindsey’s! We’ve always thought this table was the best seat in the house! Jock Lindsey’s Outside on Jock Lindsey’s patio, the tables and chairs have been spaced apart. Patio Bar We’re told they’ll be offering their Happy Hour specials again (including Reggie’s Revenge) although they’re still working on their menu. So we’ll be back with more information and a review soon! Do you enjoy stopping by Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar on your Disney World vacations? Let us know if it’s on your must-do list in the comments below! Related posts: The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! Confirmed: Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Company Will Be Reopening in Disney Springs on May 20th Review: We’re Trying Starbucks’ New “Welcome Back” Drink in Disney World! View the full article

We’ve been wondering a lot about how the historic closures of the Disney parks might affect the progress of Disney’s upcoming attractions. ©Disney Well, Disney just gave us a little bit of an update. With the recent announcement of a full re-theme of Splash Mountain in Disney World and Disneyland, Disney provided a little insight into how this project and the closures have affected projects such as Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure and TRON: Lightcycle Run in Magic Kingdom. D23 recently sat down with the president of Walt Disney Imagineering Bob Weiss to discuss the evolution of the Splash Mountain attraction and the other attractions currently in progress. Weiss explained that the Imagineers are still evaluating various project timelines based on the effects of the park closures. ©Disney Some projects, luckily, will be “able to surge forward based on where we were in development,” Weiss explains. He specifically mentions Avengers Campus as an example of a project that will be back on its feet quickly — in Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Paris. As a reminder, the Avengers Campus opening was delayed by the closures of the parks. Read MORE about Avengers Campus here! On the other hand, some projects will need to be picked back up in stages, like Disneyland’s Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Magic Kingdom’s Tron: Lightcycle Run. Beyond that, there are even some longer-term projects that Imagineers are still assessing. ©Disney The Splash Mountain re-theme is one that does not yet have a set timeline, but Imagineers are working with operations partners to get it started. As of right now, we can expect to ride Splash Mountain in its current form when we return to both Disney World and Disneyland. Click here to learn more about the reimagining of Splash Mountain! What attractions are you hoping will finish up soon? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: Here It IS!! The ULTIMATE LIST of Upcoming Disney Attractions, Rides, and Restaurants WITH Opening Dates!! The Secrets Behind Disney’s NEWEST Technology (And Where You’ll Be Seeing It In The Parks)! Here’s Everything Set to be Closed for Refurbishment in Disney World and Disneyland This Week! View the full article

Just the other day we were chatting about the newest cupcake flavors at Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC in Disney Springs. Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC And today we were looking forward to checking out anything else that might be new at this beloved bakery that features vegan and allergy-friendly baked goodies. So, it was with some surprise when we arrived at the location to find it CLOSED! Fortunately, though, a hand-written sign has been posted to notify guests as to why Erin McKenna’s is closed for the time being. Sign posted at Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC The spot is having some work done on the air-conditioning, according to the note. As the summer temps are really in full swing here in Orlando, we can certainly understand the necessity of the repairs, and can accept that it will just be a little while before we can come back for one of those awesome Cookie Monster Cupcakes… Cookie Monster Cupcake So, don’t you worry… though there wasn’t an indication as to how long the repairs will take, Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC will be back… and so will we! We’ll continue to keep you posted on all the latest here in The Landing of Disney Springs and the rest of Walt Disney World’s shopping and dining district during today’s trip! Is Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC a must-stop for you in Disney Springs? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: TWO New Vegan and Allergy-Friendly Cupcakes Have Made Their Way to Disney World! Move Over Roses! We Want These Yummy Valentine’s Day Goodies in Disney World! PHOTOS and TIPS: Our FULL Experience From Reopening Day at Disney Springs View the full article

Disney’s Splash Mountain: ‘Song of the South’ out, 'Princess and the Frog' in View the full article

Today we are thrilled to share a first glimpse of a project Imagineers have been working on since last year. Splash Mountain – at both Disneyland park in California and Magic Kingdom park in Florida – will soon be completely reimagined. The theme is inspired by an all-time favorite animated Disney film, “The Princess and the Frog.” We pick up this story after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance. Tiana is a modern, courageous, and empowered woman, who pursues her dreams and never loses sight of what’s really important. It’s a great story with a strong lead character, set against the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou. In 1966, Walt himself opened New Orleans Square when it became the first new “land” added to Disneyland park, so it feels natural to link the story and the incredible music of “The Princess and the Frog” to our parks. The voice of Princess Tiana and Tony Award-winning actress, Anika Noni Rose, shared, “It is really exciting to know that Princess Tiana’s presence in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom will finally be fully realized! As passionate as I am about what we created, I know the fans are going to be over the moon. The Imagineers are giving us ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Mardi Gras celebration we’ve been waiting for, and I’m here for it!” The approach to retheming or “plussing” attractions (as Walt Disney referred to it) begins with Imagineers asking the question, how can we build upon or elevate the experience and tell a fresh, relevant story? It’s a continuous process that Imagineers are deeply passionate about. And with this longstanding history of updating attractions and adding new magic, the retheming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today. The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year. Charita Carter, the senior creative producer leading the project at Walt Disney Imagineering shared, “Like Princess Tiana, I believe that courage and love are the key ingredients for wonderful adventures. I am delighted to be a part of bringing this fun-filled experience to our guests.” For Imagineers, change is rooted in a tradition set by Walt Disney who encouraged new innovations, new ideas, new scenes and current storytelling. And the experiences they create can be enjoyed by guests who visit our parks from all over the world. As part of the creative development process, conceptual design work is well underway and Imagineers will soon be able to conduct preliminary reviews and develop a timeline for when the transformation can start to take shape. Stay tuned for more! View the full article

We have some BIG attraction news, you guys! Splash Mountain Disney has JUST announced that they will be re-theming Disney World and Disneyland’s Splash Mountain attractions. Splash Mountain on both coasts will be re-themed and will be inspired by The Princess and the Frog. Recently, a petition to re-theme the attraction began circulating, and now, Disney has announced that they will be doing just that. You can see the full petition here. However, according to Disney, “Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative arm of the company, has been developing a “Princess and the Frog” backstory for Splash Mountain since last year and settled on many of the concepts for the reimagined attraction last summer.” ©Disney Details on the New Theme According to Disney, the attraction will pick up the story of The Princess and the Frog “after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.” When it comes to the approach to re-theming the attraction, Disney shared that it “begins with Imagineers asking the question, how can we build upon or elevate the experience and tell a fresh, relevant story? It’s a continuous process that Imagineers are deeply passionate about. And with this longstanding history of updating attractions and adding new magic, the retheming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today. The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year.” We will be updating this post with ALL the details. Stay tuned. What do you think of this change? Let us know in the comments below Related posts: Here Are ALL of the Refurbishment Closures in Disney World AND Disneyland Next Week! Here’s EVERYTHING Closed for Refurbishment in Disneyland AND Disney World Next Week! Here Are ALL of the Refurbishments Happening in Disney World and Disneyland Next Week! View the full article

Learn to Draw a Disney Castle | #DisneyMagicMoments View the full article

Disney movies are our favorite, and they’ve expanded EVERYWHERE — especially theme parks and merchandise. ©Disney When Disney+ was released, many fans were excited to be able to watch EVERYTHING Disney in one place. While we’ve gotten to see old classics and discover new series, there are still so many films that are missing from the streaming service. Although Disney+ continuously adds new entertainment for guests to view, these movies and franchises are still not available on the streaming service (and some may never be). Enchanted We all dream of having our lives become a Disney fairytale, but Enchanted turns that into a reality! The film takes a fairytale and modernizes it with a big twist — the story takes place in the animated world of Andalasia AND live-action New York City! ©Disney While the music and actors themselves are reason enough to watch the film, Enchanted‘s story also makes you realize that you don’t need a “prince” to have a real-life fairytale. ©Disney However, there’s not a definitive answer as to why the film hasn’t made its way to Disney+ yet. While many companies have contracts with Disney (like Netflix, Starz, and more) that give them the rights to show a film, Enchanted isn’t one of those movies. ©Disney Disney could be holding off on putting Enchanted on the streaming service until they are past the pre-production stage of the sequel, Disenchanted, that will be premiering on Disney+ (yep, there’s a SEQUEL in production, guys!). ©Disney Although we’re still not sure what the REAL reason is behind Enchanted not being on Disney+ right now, we hope it makes its way to our screens at home soon! Make your weekend magical by taking a look at these movies on Disney+! The Shaggy Dog If you ever want to watch a delightfully weird movie, The Shaggy Dog is definitely it. Although it’s based on a 1959 film of the same name, it’s also very comedic with Tim Allen as the star. While many people haven’t witnessed how wonderfully strange The Shaggy Dog is, the film is no longer available on Disney+. ©Disney Although the movie was originally on Disney+ when the streaming service debuted on November 12th, it was quickly taken down soon afterward in December. One of the reasons why might have been that it wasn’t getting enough views from people who had subscribed. ©Disney Since the 2006 remake wasn’t well-received by critics or audience members, it probably wasn’t projected to be a great addition to the platform. We’d like to say, though, that there are plenty of other movies on the streaming service that may seem a little outdated to viewers too. ©Disney The point of Disney+ is the ability to have some nostalgia watching movies we saw as a family or grew up with. And, Disney’s version of The Shaggy Dog happens to be just that. ©Disney Plus, it also stars Robert Downey Jr. in one of his last roles before the world knew him as Iron Man! Miss Disney World? Then, take a look at these shows on Disney+! Home Alone Films Disney+ has stated that content will come and go on the streaming service. But, unlike The Shaggy Dog, Home Alone happens to be one of the most beloved franchises out there. We’ve all had our hearts stolen by Kevin McAllister throughout the years as he came up with genius ways to trick criminals — all while he’s making it alone while his family is away. ©Disney One likely reason that Disney+ would remove it from the streaming service is that Disney has plans to reboot a new version of Home Alone. There could possibly be the worry that viewers would get too comfortable rewatching the classic, which may keep them from wantig to see the remake. ©Disney But, the Home Alone franchise is a HUGE money-maker, and many viewers could possibly purchase a subscription just to be able to watch all the films in one place. Disney has a monopoly so to speak over some of the biggest Christmas films out there (and many people would totally watch Home Alone year-round anyways). ©Disney Even though Disney owns 20th Century Studios (the original distributor of the films), there’s a possibility that Disney doesn’t currently hold the license to stream the first two films domestically (they’re still viewable internationally on Disney+!) and they could potentially have the ability to stream them at a later time. Whatever the reasoning, we really hope that Disney+ brings them back! These are the ride or die shows that EVERY Disney Parks fan needs to watch! EVERY Studio Ghibli Film If you’ve never seen a Studio Ghibli film, they are truly masterpieces. Although they’ve become cult classics, the movies appeal to viewers internationally because of how beautiful the stories and animation styles are. ©Studio Ghibli Disney even recognized this and tirelessly created voice-overs to the films in English for viewers who wanted to watch them without reading subtitles. They produced the films to be distributed in theaters and as home movies, so people around the world could enjoy them. ©Studio Ghibli Studio Ghibli films were a HUGE franchise of 21 movies that Disney originally took advantage of when they bought the rights. However, now there isn’t a single one available on Disney+. ©Studio Ghibli And, even though we’d like to see them on the streaming service, we most likely won’t get to watch them on Disney+ at all moving forward. Recently, Disney sold the primary rights to a small company called GKIDS. In turn, GKIDS made a deal with HBO Max that will allow viewers to have access to all 21 movies on the new streaming service. ©Disney So, if you really want to experience a Studio Ghibli film (they’re phenomenal, we’re telling you), you may have to subscribe to HBO’s streaming service to watch them. You’ll NEVER see these movies on Disney+ and here’s why! Although there are so many other Disney films that haven’t made their way to the streaming service yet, we are still excited for all the new arrivals that will be coming soon. Anybody else REALLY excited for the next season of The Mandalorian (and the return of Boba Fett)?! Here’s everything arriving on Disney+ in June for your viewing needs! What Disney film do you hope comes to Disney+ soon? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: NEWS! New Film Release Dates Announced For Mulan, Jungle Cruise, Black Widow, and More! Create Your Own Home Movie Theater With This Disney DIY Onward Screening! Here’s EVERYTHING Coming to Disney+ in May! View the full article

Now that several Disney Springs restaurants and retailers have reopened, Disney World’s shopping and entertainment district has started to come back to life! And just recently, Gideon’s Bakehouse announced it would be opening up a new location at Disney World! Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookies Thank goodness because we were really starting to miss their enormous, over-the-top chocolate chip cookies ever since The Polite Pig switched them out with their own recipe! Gideon’s Bakehouse shared with us they would be heading to Disney Springs later this year and their new location would open at The Landing across from Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar. Former Rustic Cuff Today on our walk, we noticed the Rustic Cuff pop-up store had MOVED OUT! Could this be the future home of delicious HOT COOKIE HOUR drops??? Former Rustic Cuff Click here to see what Rustic Cuff looked like while it was up and runnin’! The storefront certainly seems roomy enough to hold plenty of flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and a few tractor-trailers full of chocolate chips! Plus its coordinates seem to line up with where Gideon’s Bakehouse said they would be! Former Rustic Cuff Gideon’s Bakehouse will offer THIS once-a-year cookie EVERY DAY at Disney Springs! We’ll be watching this spot like a hawk and let you guys know if it looks like this might be where you’ll find Gideons’ Bakehouse someday! Until we know more, enjoy a Bourbon on the Rocks Cookie at The Polite Pig to tide you over! Disney Springs is also getting a new donut shop! Click here to learn more details about Everglazed! Do you think this spot might be the future home of Disney Springs’ new Gideon’s Bakehouse? Let us know in the comment below! Related posts: Review! There’s a New JUMBO Rainbow Donut in Disney World! The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! Review: It’s Pizza AND Burger Night With The NEW Pepperoni Pizza Burger In Disney World! View the full article

Disney World: Annual passholders face new theme-park reservations system View the full article

All Disney World construction projects stopped shorty after the parks closed on March 16th — which seems like such a long time ago! Cinderella Castle Construction But now that many of Disney’s resort hotels reopened on June 22nd, and the Disney World parks have opening dates — Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11th followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15th — we’ve seen work on several job sites resume! Remember when ugly orange construction cranes ruining our castle pics were the worst of our problems? We’re talkin’ much simpler times here, people! Well, if you’re getting ready to embark on a trip to Disney World once the parks reopen, you could probably use a little refresher on what’s under construction so that you won’t be caught unaware! Spoiler alert…there’s a lot. Construction at Magic Kingdom Entrance Last time we were at Magic Kingdom, a significant amount of work was happening at the theme park to get ready for Disney World’s 50th-anniversary celebration in 2021. Entrance to magic Kingdom The Walk Around the World bricks were being removed from the entrance of Magic Kingdom, which has left the area a bit more disheveled than you’re probably used to seeing it! Entrance construction Although you’ll be met with a bit of an eyesore upon your arrival at Magic Kingdom, once you’re inside, Main Street U.S.A., the hub, and other lands are largely unaffected — with a few exceptions. Cinderella Castle Honoring Cinderella’s 70th-anniversary, Magic Kingdom’s icon is receiving a new soft rosy-pinkish hue. In fact, we recently saw this project had started back up and work seems to be progressing rather quickly! Cinderella Castle Luckily, Disney World vowed to keep Cinderella Castle uncovered while it underwent its refurbishment, but after seeing photos of how fast it’s changing colors, we wouldn’t be surprised if Disney completes this project more quickly than even they anticipated! TRON Lightcycle Run It’s easy to speed up an exterior paint job, but a state-of-the-art major headlining attraction is another thing. TRON Lightcycle Run is a new rollercoaster that’s expected to debut in time for the 50th-anniversary celebration. Only time will tell if the temporary closure delayed this or several other projects. TRON Coaster Construction Now that the exterior track has been laid, all Tomorrowland attractions are operating as normal. Unfortunately, the Walt Disney World Railroad is still not operating — and won’t be until the TRON is farther along. But other than a few cranes and no trains, this project shouldn’t impact your experience too much! Click here to read all about TRON Lightcycle Run! Epcot If there’s a spot at Disney World that’s more torn up than Magic Kingdom, it’s Epcot! This theme park originally opened in 1982 and has big plans for its own 40th celebration slated for 2022! Future World This park has so much construction going on, they’ve even got a name for it — the Epcot Transformation! Just like Magic Kingdom, the main entrance is getting re-do, but the reno at Epcot continues long after you enter the turnstiles. The Leave-a-Legacy monoliths have been removed from both sides of the entryway and are being relocated to just outside of the park. Epcot Construction Meanwhile, large portions of Future World have been demolished. Club Cool, Fountain View Starbucks, Mouse Gear, The Character Spot, Electric Umbrella, and Pin Traders have all closed or have been relocated, and construction has finally spread to the other side of Spaceship Earth. Read about the Epcot transformation here! Dreamers Point Construction The former Fountain of Nations area behind Spaceship Earth is completely walled off to guests and both breezeways which formerly led to Future World East and Future World West are now blocked. Epcot Fountain Construction While getting around this part of the park feels very unfamiliar and isn’t very easy on the eyes, there’s a silver lining! Spaceship Earth’s been spared from the “closed for refurbishment” chopping block! Okay, maybe we’re being a bit dramatic, but the ride was supposed to close on May 26th to be reimagined and Disney announced the project has been postponed indefinitely. That means the classic Epcot attraction will be reopening with the rest of the park on July 15th! Click here to learn how to navigate Future World’s crazy maze of construction walls at Epcot! Space 220 Restaurant Space 220 Restaurant is a highly anticipated project that has already experienced numerous delays, but we’re hoping despite its bumpy start, Disney World will launch this new table service restaurant into orbit soon! Space 220 Construction The building that holds the new space-themed eatery is located off to the side of Test Track and any construction that happens (or doesn’t) won’t impede your vacation other than you won’t be dining 22o miles above planet Earth for a while! Click here to read everything you’ll need to know before Space 22o opens! Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind The other major construction project on this side of Epcot is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, a new indoor rollercoaster housed inside the former Universe of Energy building. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind construction Again, not the most attractive sight, but don’t let this big unfinished project get you down! You’ll be zipping around with Groot, Rocket, Star-Lord, and Gamora SOON, so start thinking about how much fun that’ll be! Read all about Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind here. France Pavilion Even though Future World is a bit of a hot mess these days, World Showcase is relatively intact with the exception of France. France Construction That’s because a brand new dark ride called Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, along with a new restaurant called La Creperie de Paris, are going in towards the back of the pavilion. Disney announced the grand opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure would be happening this summer, but never pinned down an exact date! We’ll be curious to see if the delivery date gets extended, but so far they haven’t announced anything one way or the other! Read all about Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure here! Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios After discussing all the projects Disney has in the works at Magic Kingdom and Epcot, you might be biting your nails in fear for what construction surprises the remaining two parks hold! But here’s the good news…you’re pretty much in the clear now that Pandora, Galaxy’s Edge, and Toy Story Land are finished, even though a new Toy Story restaurant called Roundup Rodeo BBQ is being built at Hollywood Studios! Click here to learn more about Roundup Rodeo BBQ at Toy Story Land! ©Disney Otherwise, only minor touch-ups are happening now at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios! Disney completed Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the new dark ride had its grand opening just weeks before the closures began, so you’ll be able to enjoy BOTH of these theme parks to their fullest once they reopen! Go INSIDE Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway by clicking here! Resorts Presumable Pedestrian Walkway If your Disney World vacation includes a stay at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, there appears to be a new bridge being built that will connect the hotel to Magic Kingdom! Grand Floridian Walkway Construction Disney hasn’t officially released any details on the project, but we’ve been keeping a watchful eye on it for many months as it has been progressing! Construction on potential walkway between Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom It seems unlikely to be done anytime soon, but we’ll let you know when you can start hoofing it over to MK from the Grand Flo! Check out the latest construction update on the bridge here! The Cove Another big build is happening near the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, which might prove noisy to some guests staying at the Marriott-owned property. Swan and Dolphin Construction A new tower of guest rooms is going in across the street, and while work on it has progressed a little during the temporary closure, the new hotel is a long way from completion. Disney Springs The last little bit of construction news we have to discuss with you is happening over at Disney Springs, Disney World’s shopping and entertainment district! Disney Springs Even though this section of Disney World had a major overhaul recently, a few new spots will be popping up SOON! M&M Store Construction on this location is coming along and soon we’ll have all the melt-in-you-mouth, not-in-your-hands candies we could ever want! M&M’s Store Construction That’s right — Disney Springs is getting its own M&M’s Store! We can’t wait to take a photo with Yellow and Red! lululemon In February, the high-end athletic apparel company, lululemon, announced they were headed to Disney Springs! lululemon We’ve been checking in on its progress and it should be opening this summer! Beatrix Beatrix, a neighborhood spot to grab a quick cup of coffee or sandwich, is taking the place of Bongos. Beatrix Construction This spot is owned by the restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, and we can’t wait to check it out! Construction has been progressing SLOWLY here, so we’ll keep you posted with updates as we spot ’em! Click here to learn about all the upcoming Disney World restaurants you’ll need to know about! Ample Hills Creamery We’re not really sure what will happen with the new Ample Hills Creamery that was supposed to be going in at Disney Springs now that the company has filed for bankruptcy. Ample Hills Creamery Construction Ample Hills is currently in the process of being sold to a larger company and they’ve assured that stores should not be affected by the change in hands. We’re at least hoping to see the Ample Hills Creamery location at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resort reopen! If and when we see progress on the Disney Springs location, we’ll be sure to get the scoop on this spot for ya! Gideon’s Bakehouse Just a few days ago, Gideon’s Bakehouse (who happens to make some of the most incredible cookies on Earth!) shared that they would be opening a location at The Landing at Disney Springs in 2020. ©Gideon’s While they didn’t share an opening date, they did release information about unique theming and packaging, limited editions cookies and cakes, and SO much more. Get ALL the details on the new Gideon’s Bakehouse location coming to Disney Springs here! So as you can see, there’s a lot of construction STILL happening at Disney World right now, but it’s probably no more than you’re used to, especially if you’ve traveled to theme parks over the last few years. Sure, it’s a little more spread out and impacting different parks (two of the ones where we generally spend the most amount of time!), but Disney never wants their new projects to bum you out! That’s why they go to extensive lengths to make sure their “pixie dust” doesn’t get in your way of having a good time. And really, based on everything we’ve just talked about, it shouldn’t! Still asking yourself, “Should you even go to Disney World right now with all this construction?” Click here to find out! Which new project are you hoping Disney World will finish in time for your vacation? Tell us in the comments below! Related posts: Should You Even Go to Disney World with All This Construction? Your Questions Answered. The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! 10 NEW Things We Can’t WAIT to Do When Disney World Reopens! View the full article

Hey, friends! We’re back with another DFB Video, and today we’re showing you some of the biggest changes at the reopened Disney World hotels. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Things are going to be kind of different from the last time you stayed at Disney and there are a few things you definitely need to know about. Some things are totally different, some things are just a little bit different, but boy is that castle PINK! 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! So check out the video and let us know: If you’re planning to stay at a Disney World hotel this year. Related posts: DFB Video: 7 Disney World Restaurants We Never Talk About…And Why! DFB Video: 4 Things Disney Fans Freak Out About Each Year! DFB Video: 8 Things That Are STILL Happening in Disney World (Even Though It’s Closed)! View the full article

Disneyland reopening delayed; Disney World plans on schedule View the full article

Select Disney World resorts have reopened this week. And recently, Disney shared the reopening dates of a few more Disney hotels that will open at a later date. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge But we noticed one of the resorts that had been previously listed has now mysteriously vanished! Disney World shared with us its grand reopening schedule for most of the resorts over the weekend (note: some resorts’ reopenings have not been announced yet). On July 10th, Jambo House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was set to reopen along with Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort — right before Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom reopening on July 11th. Previous Disney World Hotel Reopening Dates ©Disney But as you can see, Disney World’s website has been updated today, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is no longer listed under July 10th! Current Disney World Hotel Reopening Dates ©Disney Does this mean Disney World changed its mind about reopening Jambo House on July 10th? We’ll have to wait and see since Disney hasn’t made an official announcement on the matter and they could just as easily add Jambo House right back to the list! But for now, it looks like Jambo House will not be reopening on July 10th. We’ll continue to monitor this situation and let you know what develops! We’re answering all of your questions about the newly reopened Disney World resorts! Click here to read our responses! Do you have an upcoming stay at Jambo House booked? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: REVIEW! New Adorable Santa Mickey Cupcake at Animal Kingdom Lodge! Who’s Taking Care of the Thousands of Animals at Disney World Right Now? We Have an UPDATE on Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties in Reopened Disney World! View the full article

We previously announced a proposed phased reopening of our theme parks for July 17, pending government approvals. We developed enhanced health and safety protocols for both cast and guests at Shanghai Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort that have been approved, allowing us to reopen in a responsible manner and bring our cast members back to work. The State of California has now indicated that it will not issue theme park reopening guidelines until sometime after July 4. Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials. Once we have a clearer understanding of when guidelines will be released, we expect to be able to communicate a reopening date. Our Downtown Disney District will reopen on July 9 as previously announced with health and safety protocols in place for our cast members and guests. The opening of our Downtown Disney District has been previously approved in line with restaurant and retail openings throughout California. The Master Services Union, which represents our retail cast at this location, previously signed an agreement for members to return to work. In order to reopen our theme parks we need to negotiate agreements with our unions to return employees to work. We have had positive discussions and are very pleased to have signed agreements from 20 union affiliates, including the Master Services Council, which represents more than 11,000 of our cast members. The signed agreement details plans that include enhanced safety protocols that will allow us to responsibly reopen, and get thousands of our cast members back to work. We thank our cast and guests for their patience during this unprecedented time while we await approval from government officials. View the full article

We’ve been hanging out in the reopened Disney World resorts this week and there are a lot of updates! Bay Lake Tower One of the updates we’ve been really interested in learning more about is the new Virtual Chat feature for resort guests. This new option gives resort guests a whole new way to access Cast Members at the front desk while they’re staying at a Disney World resort. It’s SUPPOSED to be super quick and easy — but that’s not quite how things turned out. What is the Virtual Chat feature? You might recognize the Virtual Chat feature from the Disney World website. Typically, it can be used as an alternative to calling guest services when you need a quick answer. However, sometimes high-demand can hinder the system and make it so that wait times are super long to reach anyone via the chat. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort The new Virtual Chat for resort guests actually uses the same “Chat with Us” feature that’s offered on the Disney site. This means that the system is already established but it ALSO means that resort guests are currently thrown into the same overwhelmed chat as everyone else during busy times. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge The feature was supposed to launch with the reopening of the hotels on Monday, June 22nd. It seems, though, that it got off to a clunky start. We were unable to access Virtual Chat until June 24th! When we finally did try out the new service, things still didn’t run perfectly. How does it work? Here’s how our first-time use of the system worked! We tried to ask for some extra towels in our room today and ran into some long wait times. As a resort guest, you should see a new option pop up on the menu screen of your My Disney Experience app. Just click on the button that says “Chat with Us.” My Disney Experience Menu Screen From there, it will take you to a messaging window. This is where you can type your question or request. Right now, though, we were met with a few paragraphs about the overwhelming demand on the servers. That’s right — it turns out the chat actually redirects you to the same chat server that’s on the Disney website. Virtual Chat Of course, the Disney website chat is experiencing SUPER high volumes right now with all of the big questions people have. Unfortunately, this translates to a potentially lengthy wait in your resort chat — even just for towels. Virtual Chat When you do get a response, you’ll see a little red dot pup up on the “Chat with Us” button to tell you you have a new message. Virtual Chat New Message When volumes aren’t overwhelming, the chat Cast Member will connect you to a Cast Member at your resort who can assist you. The system definitely still has its issues though. Virtual Chat Since the Virtual Chat function does not have a special channel for resort guests to directly contact THEIR front desk, it can take a looooong time to get your chat request resolved. For instance, it took us over 2 HOURS to see that little red dot appear the first time we reached out and almost 2 hours the second time we tried as well. You honestly might be better off just giving the front desk a call. Check In We can see the chat being SUPER useful when lines aren’t clogged, but anytime the chat gets busy, those wait times make it feel less like a perk and more like a bust. Still, if you can’t call down to the front desk for whatever reason, it’s nice to have this option. We’ll be trying Virtual Chat for resort guests again when the chat lines die down a little bit. For all the latest updates on changes in a reopened Disney World, keep an eye on DFB! Click here to learn more about the Virtual Chat! Have you tried the new Virtual Chat feature? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: Why Disney World Could Be Very DIFFERENT When It Reopens TripAdvisor Lists Disney World Hotels As Closed Until July 30th; But Bookings Can Be Made From June 1st Your Questions Answered! Disney Just Canceled Everything! Here’s What’s Going On — And What You Should Do Next. View the full article

Have you tried any of the drawing tutorials on the Disney Parks Blog? Today, we’re excited to share one hosted by Disney Imagineer Amy Young, showing you how to draw a Disney Castle! Walt Disney Imagineering has many talented artists who dream up big ideas, and given Imagineering’s storied history of designing Disney castles, there’s no better icon to learn to draw from an Imagineer! As you start the drawing process, feel free to combine some of the elements in this video with your own imagination to draw your own vision for the castle. Or stick with the steps Amy shows you. Either way, we hope you’ll channel your inner Imagineer and enjoy this step-by-step tutorial that will be fun for the whole family. View the full article

We know you guys have been experiencing a crazy time the last few days trying to figure out how the new Disney Park Pass reservation system works! Big Thunder Mountain in Disney World We’ve been trying to answer all your questions about Disney Park Pass since before it went live and we’ve even shared a step-by-step tutorial of how to use it, none of us were prepared for how glitchy it would be! While it took A LOT of patience and sheer determination, we know many of you were eventually able to get those reservations. If you still haven’t been successful, click here to read some solutions to the most-common Disney Park Pass problems we’ve encountered! Disney World Monorail And while certain days at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom have already filled up, Disney has shared that they “will make more space available for Annual Passholders and the public later this week.” So we should expect to see more spots open up in the coming days. Disney Park Pass Availability Screenshot Keep in mind Disney Park Pass reservations are subject to availability and will help the theme parks manage their attendance levels better during their phased reopening. Only guests who’ve had both theme park tickets AND a hotel booking have been able to make Disney Park Pass reservations as of June 22nd. On June 26th, Annual Passholders WITHOUT a resort stay can make reservations. Then on June 28, existing ticket holders can make reservations. Premium Mickey Ice Cream Bar at Disney World As with everything, things are ALWAYS changing right now, so if Disney provides any updates about its new Disney Parks Pass system, we’ll be sure to pass them along to you! This great tip could be the trick to getting your Disney Park Pass reservations EARLY! Will you be making your theme park reservations on Friday? Let us know what time you’ll be getting up in the comments below! Related posts: Not Having ANY Luck Making Disney World Park Pass Reservations? You’re Not the Only One! Disney World’s Annual Passholder Calendar Has Been Updated to Reflect Required Reservation Information Disney World Could Use New Theme Park Reservation System Through 2021 View the full article

Sam & George Coffee Co. aims to be Orlando's first dog cafe, allowing visitors to sip coffee while interacting with adoptable pets. View the full article

Disneyland has proposed re-opening dates for government approval. The Proposed Dates Are: 9 July – Downtown Disney District 17 July – Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park 23 July – Paradise Pier Hotel and Grand Californian Hotel and Spa 23 July – Disney Vacation Club Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Update 25 […] The post Disneyland Resort Re-Opening Dates Announced Then Postponed appeared first on Military Disney Tips Blog. View the full article

While Disneyland had shared their plans to reopen Downtown Disney on July 9th and Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on July 17th. Sleeping Beauty Castle Now, Disney has officially announced that Disneyland Resort WILL not be opening on these dates. In fact, Disneyland is holding off on reopening altogether for the time being and will announce a reopening date at a later time. ©Disney At this time, Disney World is still set to begin the phased reopening of its theme parks beginning July 11th and July 15th. We will share more details on the reopening of Disneyland Resort as information is announced. Stay tuned! Related posts: REVIEW!!! We’re PUMPED About the Pumpkin Spice Shake at Flo’s V8 Cafe in Disneyland Resort! REVIEW! This Grilled Cheese TOTALLY Stole the Show in Disneyland! REVIEW! We’re Eating at The New Asian Street Eats in Downtown Disney in Disneyland! View the full article