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Warm weather means more time outside! And since we’re spending way more time at home, our pools may be getting a lot more love this summer (even if they’re the tiny inflatable kind!). You may be heading outside to work on your tan or to throw the ultimate backyard barbecue, but don’t leave that pool neglected! A Dip in Your Resort Pool May Be Just the Break Your Day Needs! Let’s throw one EPIC at-home Disney pool party! We found swimsuits, towels, pool toys, and more that will guarantee your pool will be your favorite destination this summer! Swimsuit up! First thing’s first, you gotta dress for the occasion! That means swimsuits for the whole family! We all have our favorite go-to Disney everyday outfits, but do you have a Disney pool outfit? © Disney Luckily for you, we found some super cute and chic swimsuits, starting with this scoop neck swimsuit for juniors! Minnie Mouse is sporting some serious poolside style with her sunglasses and bow! It’s priced at $49.99. Shop for this stylish scoop neck swimsuit here! We also found THE cutest Mickey Mouse ruffle swimsuit at Torrid! Who’s the leader of the pool club? © Torrid YOU are when you rock this look all summer long! This one-piece swimsuit is $99.50. Shop for the Mickey Mouse ruffle swimsuit here! And for guys, don’t worry about being left out! We found a fun way to match at the pool this summer. © Disney These Mickey Mouse swim trunks are the perfect touch of Disney style (and Mickey’s even got his shades on ready to hit the pool). You can get it for $34.99. Be the coolest Mouse at the pool with these swim trunks! Give your feet some love! Keep your feet safe AND chic with some Disney flip flops. Havaianas has given us some of our favorite Disney flippies over the years, and we found a couple of pairs that will match just about any pool look. © Zappos The first pair up are these Mickey Mouse flip flops for women. You can rep Mickey from head to toe! These flip flops are $26.00. Grab a pair of these Mickey Mouse flip flops by Havaianas here! But we all know ONE pair of flip flops isn’t enough! You need options! So we went ahead and found another cute pair of Havaianas for all you Minnie fans out there. © Disney We’re obsessed with the color of these flip flops — they’re super tropical, complete with flamingos! These cuties are $30.00. Step into poolside style with these Havaiana flip flops! Get the party started with these pool toys and party activities! We all know that for some folks, laying on your towel is all the pool interaction you need to slip into paradise. But for those who are looking for a little more recreation, we got you! After all, it’s not an EPIC pool party if you don’t have some fun toys and activities for the pool! © Amazon Dive “Under the Sea” like in The Little Mermaid or float in space like Star Wars! If you’re looking for a challenge, this Little Mermaid catch and dive toy set adds the perfect Disney touch! Turn it into a competition amongst your family! You can get these for $20.88. Shop for the Little Mermaid pool toy set here! Get ready for your pool to transform into a galaxy far, far away with this next set of toys! We found a Star Wars inflatable ball set that would be perfect for your epic pool party. © Amazon Each set comes with R2D2, BB8, and a rather cute Death Star. The set of 3 is $39.99. Stock up on this Star Wars inflatable ball set for your backyard pool party here! When you’re tired from all those fun and games and you want to just kick back and relax, don’t just chill on any old, tired float! Keep the Star Wars party going with this Millennium Falcon pool float! © Amazon The fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy is now the most relaxing hunk of junk in your pool! You can get this uber awesome float for $59.99. Blast off with this Millennium Falcon pool float! Let’s keep the Star Wars theme going because we KNOW there are lots of you out there who just love all things Star Wars! We also found this adorable BB8 pool float that would make a great companion to any pool party. © Amazon You can get your very own for $24.98. Get your very own BB8 pool float here! We all know an epic pool party is more than just toys and cute swimsuits. Sure, that’s a good start, but you need some food and drinks that’ll keep the party going all afternoon long! Why not make your epic pool party an epic backyard barbecue? © Super Hero Stuff While you’re at it, keep your drinks safe (and perhaps a bit on the dark side) with this Darth Vader can cooler! Get your own can cooler for $12.99. Make sure your beverages are ready to party with this Darth Vader can cooler! Wrap up in a cozy towel When it’s time to get out of the pool, obviously you’ll need a fresh set of Disney towels to dry off! And if your idea of an epic pool party looks more like lounging instead of swimming, you’ll still need a stylish towel to lay on! Either way, we found some cute Disney towels to add to your collection. © Amazon For the kiddos, this Mickey Mouse towel is perfect for an afternoon at the pool! Get your very own for $29.99. Shop for this Mickey Mouse towel here! This next towel really makes a STATEMENT. That’s because this Star Wars towel is OVERSIZED. © Super Hero Stuff So stretch out and relax, or wrap yourself up three times over — either way, your love of Star Wars will be loud and proud. This towel is priced at $34.99. Shop for this oversized Star Wars towel here! Do you find yourself coming back to the water, no matter how hard you try? © Target As the weather gets hotter and hotter it’s only going to get more difficult to say no to an afternoon by the pool, so embrace your destiny like Moana with this fun towel for $10.00. Shop for this cute Moana towel here! Whether you have a full-sized swimming pool or a sprinkler that you can run around in, we hope you have some ways of staying cool this summer! With all of us spending more time in our backyards this year, it’s more important now than ever before to show our patio, lawn, and pool some love! That also extends to us to make sure we’re dressed in true Disney style. So lather up on sunscreen and enjoy the warm weather! See how to throw a mega cool Disney Backyard BBQ here!! What are your pool party MUST haves? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: You Can Score Even MORE ‘Year of the Mouse’ Goodies with the NEW Disney x Aldo Collection! Mix Up Your Favorite Drinks In This FUN Disney Drinkware! Did You Know You Can Buy This ONLINE? View the full article

While some Disney-owned businesses have reopened at Disney Springs including The Daily Poutine, B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co., and more recently Once Upon a Toy, we can now add Amorette’s Patisserie to the list! Amorette’s We noticed the bakery was finally open today, so we walked on over to check it out! According to the Cast Member we spoke with, Amorette’s full menu isn’t quite available yet, but they’re hoping to be able to offer all of their items (including sammies) by this Sunday once they get up to speed! Get the latest scoop on what’s new at Disney Springs here! Amorette’s Bakery Case There aren’t any new menu items since we last visited Amorette’s Patisserie back in March. In fact, we spotted an item that’s been around since Valentine’s Day — which we’ll get to in a sec! Amorette’s Menu We were happy to see there Wine Slushy machines were up and runnin’ today tho! Hello Shiraz and Moscato! Wine Slushy Machines In the dining area, the tables have been moved further apart while social distancing markers on the ground show guests where they should stand while ordering at the counter. Amorette’s We also noticed Amorette’s has the new utensil dispensers we’ve spotted previously! These things are so cool because you only touch the hand of the utensil you’re grabbing! Learn more about Disney World’s new utensil dispensers here! Amorette’s Plexiglass shields have been installed at the cash registers and the pastries you order are now served on disposable paper trays. They’re also still accepting all forms of payment. Amorette’s But now it’s time to get down to the nitty GRITTY and do what we do best — EAT STUFF! Remember that V-Day treat we mentioned earlier? Well, here it is! Looks-wise, it kinda reminds us of the rose-shaped dessert we enjoyed at Epcot’s Festival of the Arts earlier this year! Rose Pastry We can see why this stunning beauty stuck around for a while to give folks time to enjoy it now that Amorette’s has reopened! The Rose Pastry features chocolate mousse, a layer of spongy chocolate cake, and a sweet raspberry filling! We also love how it’s dusted with a rose-red cocoa powder and “dew drops” made of gel icing. It even comes topped with a touch of edible gold leaf! Rose Pastry The bottom cake layer of the Rose Pastry was very soft and moist while the mousse texture was almost more like a pudding which we really enjoyed. The raspberry filling’s texture was a little too solid for our liking. It just sort of fell out as a whole and wasn’t too flavorful. Rose Pastry All in all, we thought the Rose Pastry is great if you love desserts that combine rich, creamy chocolate with sweet, tart raspberry flavors! You can pick up the Rose Pastry for $8 at Amorette’s Patisserie, now open in Disney Springs! Check out these adorable Forky socks we just spotted at Disney Springs here! Are you excited Amorette’s Patisserie is now open? Let us know if you’ll be stopping by in the comments below! Related posts: “Cool” Summer Themed Dome Cake and MORE at Amorette’s Patisserie in Disney Springs REVIEW: Head to the Tropics with Disney World’s NEW Piña Colada Crème Brûlée! What’s New in Disney Springs — Snowmen Mugs, Turkey Poutine, And Fa La La La LOTS Of Holiday Goodies! View the full article

Earlier this week, we spotted the CUTEST pool float ever when the Minnie Mouse Donut Pool Float sailed into the World of Disney in Disney Springs. Minnie Mouse Donut Pool Float And you know if there’s one thing Minnie loves (aside from Mickey!), it’s an adorable accessory or two. Which is why this new duo of Mickey and Minnie Donut Beverage Floats is the perfect pair to go along with it! The inflatable floating friends feature Minnie complete with a red bow. Mickey and Minnie Donut Beverage Floats And she’s joined by a chocolate “frosted” Mickey Donut! Mickey Donut Beverage Float Both are dotted with sprinkles, of course. Minnie Donut Beverage Floats It’s $19.99 for the pair to add to your summer fun and bring your pool lounging style to the next level! Mickey and Minnie Donut Beverage Floats We hope your summer is starting out great so far, and we hope you’ll stick with us as we continue to explore everything that’s NEW in Walt Disney World’s shopping and dining district this week! Click here to see WHAT’S NEW in Disney Springs this week! From snacks and Starbucks to construction and colorful collections, we hope you’ll join us by checking it all out here! For now, it’s “So long” from the Springs! (But don’t worry… you’ll see us back here very soon!) Do your summer plans include lots of lounging by the pool? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: Spotted! Float Into Summer With the NEW Minnie Mouse DONUT Pool Float in Disney Springs What’s New at Disney Springs: The Lightfloat, More ABC Disney Merch, and the Return of the Avengers! Spotted! New “M” (for MICKEY!!!) Cap at World of Disney in Disney Springs View the full article

We’ve been loving all of the fun new items we’ve been seeing in Disney Springs since World of Disney reopened May 27th. World of Disney And, like so many, we fell in love with Forky when Toy Story 4 dropped last year and we’re so excited to share that a new piece of Forky merchandise was spotted in Disney Springs today! While hanging out at World of Disney, we were stoked to see these new-to-us Forky socks! Forky Socks at World of Disney We’re loving the little rainbow feature by the toes! They will match with all of the fun new rainbow merchandise that Disney released this week. Adorable rainbow accent And Forky’s face has us laughing out loud! But seriously this is our face whenever we see food!! Mmmmm…snacks…you get us Forky! You can snag these uber cute Forky socks for $14.99 each OR $11 when you buy two. Pricing for Novelty Socks What can we say? We love Forky! It’s been crazy fun hanging out and eating our way around Disney Springs and we can’t wait to see what other goodies we come across in the shops! See what other adorable things we’ve stumbled upon at World of Disney! Do you love these socks? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: We’ve Found the PERFECT Way to Fill Those Holiday Stockings in Disney World! What’s New at Disney Springs — Baby Yoda Socks, the World of Pixar, and MORE Park Life Merchandise! Sneak Peek! A New Space Mountain MagicBand is Launching Soon at Disney World! View the full article

The unprecedented closure of Disney World has continued for more than two months now and we are missing the parks. Magic Kingdom Has Had an Interesting 2020 So Far! Disney has never had to contend with a global crisis such as this one. In the past, closures have been extremely limited and the largest singular change to daily operations came in the wake of the 9/11 attacks with added security measures. Now, we’re looking at a Disney World that could be VERY different when we return. So, when will Disney World be normal again? That’s a big question, and it’s one that no one really has the answers to quite yet. Still, we can take a look at what some of the experts are saying to get an idea of when Disney will feel like what we’re all used to. What Disney Executives are Saying Attendance levels are definitely a defining aspect of “normal” at the Disney parks but added health measures could certainly make things feel a little abnormal for a while. Disney executives have made comments on the current situation and confirmed the possibility of permanent changes in the wake of the crisis. Bob Iger ©Disney According to Barrons, Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger asserted that we could see some permanent restrictions in the long-term as a result of the global health crisis. He explained that the future could see temperature checks that are as ubiquitous as bag checks as Disney looks to protect guests’ health as well as security. The world adjusted after 9/11, and as Iger commented, it made need to adjust again. Bob Chapek And Iger isn’t the only exec with concerns about the return to normalcy at the Disney parks. Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke on the number of health measures that Disney is instituting. He explained that the company can only do so much and that guests also have a role in getting the parks back to full capacity — and moving towards a semblance of normal. Click here to read Iger’s comments on the future of the parks! What the Florida Government is Saying The Florida government has a vested interest in returning Disney World to regular attendance levels. After all, tourism (and, by extension, Disney), is a major pillar of the Florida economy. As the state heads into what may be a major recession, they are looking to reopen the theme parks and at least start working towards normal. Welcome to Orlando! As of now, many Florida theme parks — including Disney World — have gotten state approval on their proposed reopening plans. Universal Orlando reopens to the general public on June 5th and Disney World is following by opening beginning July 11th. Of course, a reopening of the parks does not mean that they will feel normal once more, but it is an important step in working towards that feeling. Want to know more about the financial impact on Disney World? Click here. What the CDC and Health Officials are Saying Finally, we’ll examine what some of the primary health officials have said about returning to normal. These agencies have not commented on Disney or theme parks officially, but their statements about the general crisis may be telling. Cast Member with required face mask According to NPR, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believe that things should remain closed until there are systems for aggressive contact tracing and testing in place. Beyond that, they explain that “normal” may not be a thing again until there is a vaccine and 95% cure rate for the virus, which could take years. Disney Springs According to Click Orlando, Dr. Raul Pino from the Florida Department of Health has commented that it is still unclear whether health measures will be enough as things reopen. If they are not it could elongate the process and put us a step back in returning to that state of normalcy. To learn about all the times that Disney has closed in the past, click here. What Wall Street Analysts are Saying With the park closures making such a significant financial impact on the Walt Disney Company, Wall Street analysts have been expressing their fair share of comments about the state of the parks. Beyond the billion-dollar loss that Disney reported in their earnings call (partially attributed to theme park closures), analysts are concerned with how long it will take for normal attendance levels to return to the parks. Magic Kingdom Alexa Quadrani, an analyst from J.P. Morgan, has one of the most optimistic views when it comes to when the Disney parks will reopen. However, despite the fact that she projected an opening in June, she still agreed that Disney will not return quickly to normal attendance levels after the parks reopen. Some analysts predict that it could take two years for Disney to reach pre-crisis attendance levels. Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall cites added health measures (such as capacity limits and physical distancing) and lowered demand as two of the main reasons that Disney could maintain these lower crowds. Toy Story Land crowds Even further, theme park expert Dennis Spiegel has been quoted saying, “The way people visit theme parks may never be the same.” Some believe that Disney may never return to the old experience. We’ll instead have to carve out a different feel as we move forward. To read more comments from analysts, click here. So, when will Disney World be normal again? So, based on those comments from the experts, what can we ascertain about when Disney will return to normal? It’s possible that the parks won’t ever return to exactly what they were pre-2020. But will there be a time that we walk the streets of Disney World without the global crisis hanging over us everywhere we look? The experts agree that time WILL come. Mickey Waffle at Magic Kingdom Some kind of normal could return in months if health measures are sufficiently effective and guests can get used to them. After all, folks may acclimate to health measures quickly, making the parks feel normal even if they are still quite different from before the crisis. On the other hand, if guests can’t find comfort with the health measures, it could be a year or more until a vaccine is developed and the parks feel a little closer to the way they did pre-crisis. Someday though, it’s possible the only remainder of the health crisis may be a temperature check at the park gate. If Bob Iger is right, these checks could be as expected as a bag check when you arrive. Magic Kingdom Keep up with DFB in the coming weeks and months to find out what the changes to Disney will look like and how guests are reacting to them. Things will assuredly be different when the Disney parks reopen, but that doesn’t mean that a new normal can’t flourish under the new conditions. Click here for more information on Disney World’s reopening When do YOU think Disney World will feel normal again? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: Inspectors Deem Disney World as Ready to Reopen in Mid-July Disney’s Closure Timeline And What It Could Mean for Disney World’s Reopening Updated! Will Disney World and Disneyland Announce A Closure Extension Soon? View the full article

Everything’s coming up RAINBOWS with even more items joining the newest Rainbow Collection this week in Disney Springs! Mickey Plush at World of Disney We spotted this assortment of Disney Pins at World of Disney this morning adding to the colorful collage! Mickey’s signature silhouette and classic circular head shape are adorned with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple. Rainbow Pins And you’ll find two Walt Disney World pins featuring Cinderella Castle up for grabs — one with glitter and the other featuring a black background. Rainbow Pins The pins are each $9.99, except for the pin of Mickey’s head which is $12.99. Rainbow Pins and More These join the latest Rainbow Collection which released this week in honor of Pride Month, and you can see more of the line by clicking here! Check out even more of the new Rainbow Collection here! And stay tuned with us for MORE from Disney Springs as we explore Walt Disney World’s shopping and dining district as we head into the WEEKEND!! Happy FriYAY, everybody! Do you collect Disney Pins? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: What’s New at Disney Springs — Loungefly Backpacks, Star Wars Merch, Pins, and More! We’ve Found the PERFECT Way to Fill Those Holiday Stockings in Disney World! What’s New at Disney Springs — Baby Yoda Socks, the World of Pixar, and MORE Park Life Merchandise! View the full article

Disney World is set to open on July 11th, but we haven’t heard a peep about reopening from Disneyland! Sleeping Beauty Castle The original Disney park has been closed since March in response to the global health crisis, and many are wondering about reopening. With Disney World set to open next month, could Disneyland Resort follow a similar pattern to open in July? Some signs point to yes! Reservations are currently available starting July 15th. Originally, Disneyland Resort was only accepting reservations for June 1st and later. After a few weeks, that date got pushed back to July 1st. Now, it has been pushed AGAIN with the earliest reservations available starting July 15th. Disneyland Main Entrance On one hand, the fact that reservations have been pushed back might make it seem like Disneyland will be closed for longer. BUT, the fact that the date was only pushed back further into July and not all the way into August could be a good sign. If things were still looking like late summer or beyond, they may have wanted to push it back even further. it’s a small world in Disneyland In Disney World, new reservations and ticket sales are currently halted so that they can accommodate those who already had reservations as they get ready to open on July 11th. Disneyland’s reopening could be handled differently, but if Disney uses the Disney World reopening as a model — the July 15th date could mean that the parks will reopen near that date. Click here to learn more about the July 15th reservations date for Disneyland! Disneyland would be permitted to reopen in Phase 3 of California’s reopening plan — as early as June. The reopening of Disneyland depends on the restrictions that have been put in place by the California government. Right now, the government has indicated that the state is moving towards Phase 3 of reopening, which includes its theme parks. Governor Newsom stated that the next phase could be less than one month away. Partners Statue at Disneyland Disneyland isn’t the only theme park waiting for a reopening. Several other major theme parks in California are looking to open in July. Legoland California is hoping to reopen on July 1st and Universal Studios Hollywood is pushing to be allowed to open next month as well. Universal Studios The lifting of government restrictions would be a huge step towards the reopening of Disneyland. Still, Disney HAS erred on the side of caution. Even as theme parks begin to open in Florida, Disney opted for a reopening date of more than a month later than other theme parks. Again, if Disneyland follows a similar model, then entry into Phase 3 in June could still mean a July reopening for the theme park. To learn more about California’s phased reopening, click here! Positive response to Disney World’s reopening could help Disney executives make decisions about Disneyland. With Disney World potentially opening prior to Disneyland, the results of the Florida opening could indicate what the company can expect. Disney executives like Bob Chapek and Bob Iger looked to success in Shanghai Disneyland to help with the plan for Disney World, and they may look to Disney World when reopening Disneyland. Disneyland Magic Happens Cupcake Even prior to opening, Disney can look to indicators of demand and customer satisfaction for how a Disneyland reopening will look. Plus, Disneyland has more local visitors than Disney World which will simplify the effects that travel could have on theme parks. If Disney World sees success, Disney may have more confidence in reopening the California parks. Magic Happens Parade Even if Disneyland waits a while for Disney World to reopen, a mid to late July reopening is still possible. Disneyland Hotel So far, there are a few indicators that Disneyland could possibly reopen in July. Ultimately though, it will be up to when the California government, health officials, and Disney executives determine that a reopening can happen responsibly. We’ll be sure to keep you updated about all of the new information for Disneyland’s reopening! Click here to learn more about Disney executives’ plans for park reopenings! When do YOU think Disneyland will reopen? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related posts: NEWS: New Reservations for Disneyland Resort Have Been Pushed Back to July Disneyland Review: Funnel Cake Fries at California Adventure’s Award Wieners! See What We Think Of The BRAND NEW Limited Time Flavors at Disneyland’s Salt & Straw Ice Cream View the full article

We’re reporting LIVE from the grand reopening of Universal Orlando today. Universal Studios And while we’ve already stopped by to check out theme parks earlier this week during an Annual Passholder preview, today is the first day Universal is open to the general public! Let’s go check it out! Universal is limiting its capacity, but they aren’t implementing a reservation system like Disney World will be offering when its theme parks reopen next month. Since guests aren’t required to purchase a ticket beforehand, we were curious just how many folks would show up! Universal Crowds Turns out A LOT of people were heading to Universal this morning! We got stuck in a bit of a traffic jam waiting to enter the parking garages! The gridlock took about an hour to clear up — not our favorite way to start the day! Entering Universal It was a mess getting into Universal this morning! Find out more details here! With so much action just trying to get to Universal, we feared the worst — but actually, the rest of getting inside Universal was smooth sailing! There wasn’t a back-up at the temperature screening area and we quickly made it through the checkpoint without a hitch! Temp Checks Since many folks hadn’t purchased their tickets yet, we did notice some long lines at the ticket booths. When we asked an employee how Universal would be limiting their capacity, they told us once a park was full an attendant would stand out front. Once guests exited whichever theme park had reached capacity, more people would be admitted in. Universal Ticket Line The lines were much shorter at the turnstiles and once we arrived, we noticed very few people were around. The parks officially open at 9AM but they started letting guests in a little early. At 8:45AM, the place was still virtually a ghost town! Universal Studios And it has remained pretty quiet all morning long! Doctor Doom’s Fearfall was a walk-on! Doctor Doom’s Fearfall There wasn’t a wait for The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man either! Universal In fact, there seems to be far fewer people here than there was during the Annual Passholder preview we attended earlier this week. Even Hogsmeade looks relatively much calmer! Hogsmeade The line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure looked a lot more manageable! We’ll return to Hogsmeade a little later in the day and see what the crowds are like around mid-day! Hogsmeade Remember, Universal is offering a virtual line system for most of the attractions. This helps to space guests out in line, so even if there are crowds, you should be able to distance yourself from others. Virtual Line You can read more about this system and how it operates now that the parks have reopened here!! We’ll be updating this post throughout the day as the park fills up, so check back! Have you been to Universal before? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: BREAKING NEWS: Universal Orlando Is Officially Opening June 5th Universal Studios Has EXTENDED Its Temporary Closure NEWS: Universal Orlando’s CityWalk Will Open for Limited Operations on May 14th View the full article

We’ve got some fun finds for you this Friday with some new Limited Edition Danielle Nicole Disney Backpacks (and more!) now available for preorder! Experiment 626 at ‘Ohana during Breakfast Retro Mickey and Stitch are our featured pals, and we’re taking a look at the upcoming items — which are all slated to ship on June 29th — right here. “There’s no place I’d rather be then on my surfboard out at sea…” If you feel the same, then you’ll want to check out the Limited Edition Danielle Nicole Disney Lilo & Stitch Surfing Backpack! Lilo & Stitch Surfing Backpack ©Disney and Danielle Nicole The chenille embroidery Stitch Backpack (which is $78.00) boasts an applique of Stitch himself riding a wave. The bold blue backpack also features snaps on the top and both sides for easy expansion to tuck in all that extra sunscreen when you’re out for some fun in the sun of your own! Lilo & Stitch Surfing Backpack ©Disney and Danielle Nicole Adjustable backpack straps and a magnetic snap closure — along with interior pockets — are the additional features. Lilo & Stitch Surfing Backpack ©Disney and Danielle Nicole And don’t miss taking a peek at the Lilo & Stitch Surfing Wallet ($58.00) which is also available for preorder for June 29th shipping. Lilo & Stitch Surfing Wallet ©Disney and Danielle Nicole The Disney Mickey Mouse Retro Multi Color Whipstitch Backpack ($68.00) starts out with a black pebble material base behind our pal Mickey, and bright yellow padded adjustable straps and color accents complete the pack’s design. Retro Mickey Backpack ©Disney and Danielle Nicole You can find the full details for the Mickey Backpack – which will also ship on June 29th — by visiting the Danielle Nicole website! Retro Mickey Backpack ©Disney and Danielle Nicole And with that, we say both “Aloha” AND “See ya, pals!” Happy shopping! Which new item is YOUR favorite? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: You’re Not Going to Believe This NEW Baby Yoda Danielle Nicole Bag That’s Currently In The Works! This ICY Danielle Nicole Frozen 2 Bag is Giving Us Major CHILLS!! NEW! Retro Mickey Mouse Club Backpack and Fanny Pack Spotted at Disney World! View the full article

The newest Dooney & Bourke collection is now available! UK Pavilion Whether you want to rep your love of classic Disney characters, iconic park snacks, or your favorite furry friends, Dooney & Bourke bags have you covered! And we’re already daydreaming about getting our hands on the newest collection, which is now available on shopDisney! The United Kingdom Dooney & Bourke collection has officially dropped, and excuse us while we add these bags to our wishlist! The pattern features Mickey and Minnie checking out some iconic London landmarks — in style, of course! ©Disney First up we’ve got the Mickey and Minnie Mouse Hello Mate Satchel. We looove a good satchel and this bag is a pretty decent size with some handy interior pockets. Hello Mate Satchel by Dooney & Bourke ©Disney This super cute bag is $298! You can purchase the Hello Mate Satchel here! The Mickey and Minnie Mouse Hello Mate Zip Satchel is just a liiiitle different with a smaller strap and a more compact body but it still boasts the super cute pattern. Zip Satchel by Dooney & Bourke ©Disney You can get this lovely bag for $268. Click here to snatch the Hello Mate Zip Satchel! The last bag in the collection is the Mickey and Minnie Hello Mate Crossbody. We love how convenient crossbody bags are and this purse is no different. With a nicely sized strap and interior pockets, this bag is great to take with you to the parks or to a nice meal in Disney Springs! Hello Mate Crossbody by Dooney & Bourke ©Disney This adorable crossbody is $198. Take a closer look at the Crossbody Bag here! The pattern on these bags is super cute!! This collection is classy with a dash of fun and we’re loving the bag styles and sizes too. The collection is now available on shopDisney! Looking for more adorable accessories?? Check out the Disney Dogs Dooney & Bourke collection! What’s your favorite Disney-inspired Dooney & Bourke collection? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: The New Minnie Mouse Dooney & Bourke Collection Is Now Available Online! Disney Is Experiencing Technical Difficulties…Again. The Saga Continues. A New Ink & Paint Dooney and Bourke Collection Is Coming to the Disney Parks Soon! View the full article

There’s no denying that Disney World is very hot and humid in the summertime. And with the new requirement of face masks for all Guests and Cast Members as a part of the reopening of Disney Springs, as well as masks required when Disney World reopens its theme parks beginning July 11th, it is totally normal to have some questions about how to stay comfortable in a face mask this summer. It’s a new experience for many of us! Disney Springs Safety Ambassadors © Disney While we navigate these new realities for the time being, we’re bringing you some tips for finding the most comfortable masks around. We gathered some helpful information to keep in mind when purchasing masks to use this summer! What Kind of Materials and Masks to Look For There are a few key factors to look for when shopping for masks. When it comes to meeting Disney’s requirements, the official statement noted “the use of appropriate face coverings by both Cast Members and Guests.” ‘Face coverings’ may sound a little vague but as a rule of thumb, you want to make sure the mask covers both your nose and your mouth. © Harvey’s What we’ve found is that breathable fabric is the key! You are going to want to look for 100% cotton when purchasing a standard face mask. ©LittleShopOfGeeks on Etsy And don’t forget about the material of the strap! The wrong kind of strap in the heat can make it SUPER uncomfortable around your ears, especially if worn for prolonged periods of time. If you’re concerned about this, there are masks that come with straps that go around your head that you can adjust with either elastic or ties. Should Disney be handing out free face masks? We polled our readers and this is what they said! Making Sure It Fits Properly A mask that is too tight can make breathing more difficult than it needs to be. You want to make sure it fits snug enough that it won’t fall off, but you don’t want to wear a mask that is too small that it constricts your breathing or too large to not be effective. Keep this in mind for children too — their heads are a bit smaller and they may be more comfortable with a child-sized mask. Mask Sizing Chart on shopDisney Test your mask out prior to wearing it on vacation to make sure it’s going to be comfortable to wear all day. We recommend washing them a few times to see if they shrink or warp. The last thing you want to discover is you packed a ton of masks that don’t fit properly anymore due to laundering! Read more on how to make your own masks here! Take Extra Precautions So You’re Comfortable All Day Before you leave home on vacation, you may want to spend some time getting used to wearing a face mask for prolonged periods of time. Quick trips to the grocery store won’t compare to spending all day in a theme park, so wear one around the house for a few full days to grow accustomed to all-day wear. Or better yet — wear it outside. Go for a long walk or mow the lawn and see how you feel in the heat with your mask. Entering Magic Kingdom When you’re in the parks, take frequent breaks — perhaps more breaks than you’re used to taking. If you’re typically someone who hits the pavement hard rushing around Disney World, consider walking through the parks at a more leisurely pace while managing a mask. Nomad Lounge in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Speaking of breaks, consider taking longer mid-day breaks and go back to your hotel room where you can completely remove your face mask for a longer stretch of time. Hotel breaks are always a good idea, in general, to keep your energy and spirits up over the course of your vacation, and they can really come in handy this summer! Masks will not be required while swimming at resort pools, so a mid-day pool break may be a welcome relief. Beach Club Resort If you aren’t planning to do laundry during your stay, be sure to use a new mask every day. On top of that, be prepared to change your mask at least once per day while you are in the parks. This is especially true in summer when you’re visiting Disney World — be prepared for RAIN. Rain, rain, go away! Once a mask becomes wet it is considered no longer useful, so have extra face masks packed in your park bag if you don’t plan on going back to your hotel. Take a look at some super comfy masks and mask accessories! Find or Make Masks With Summer or Disney Patterns and Prints! Whether you are making your own masks or looking to buy them, make your masks ready for summer with some fun prints! Maybe have different themed masks to match each of the four theme parks, or maybe match the resort you’re staying at! ©BitOfMagicCo on Etsy The choices are really endless and your face mask can be another way to rep your favorite Disney character, sports team, band, or perhaps just your favorite color or pattern. While we are faced with the reality of needing to wear face masks for the time being, we can certainly make the most out of the situation and make sure we are as comfortable (and perhaps a bit stylish) as possible. Check out even MORE Disney face masks we’ve found online! Do you currently have plans to visit Disney World this summer? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Which Face Masks are the MOST Comfortable to Wear ALL DAY at Disney World…And Which Should You Avoid? We Just Found THE PERFECT FACE MASK FOR YOUR Disney World TRIPS! Updated! Answering The MOST IMPORTANT Questions We’re Getting From Readers About Disney World Right Now. View the full article

Despite Disney World reopening its theme parks beginning on July 11, some guests may be weighing the pros and cons of keeping their upcoming Disney World reservation for a number of reasons. With new realities such as an advance reservation system to enter the parks, no fireworks or parades, no character dining, and sanitation concerns, it’s completely understandable that travelers may be reconsidering their summer vacation plans. Magic Kingdom Disney offered a slew of automatic refunds during the park closures. Now that the parks will be open again, however, it may be more tricky to get everything refunded. While we cannot decide for each guest if they should cancel or not, we CAN offer some insight into what the repercussions might be. If a guest selectively chooses to cancel their upcoming vacation, here’s what they can expect will happen. How to Cancel According to Disney’s website, most reservations can be canceled online. If you are in the unique circumstance where you need to call Disney in order to cancel, the phone number to call is (407) 934-7639. To cancel online, sign in to your Disney account and go to your Reservations page. If you are able to cancel your reservation online, you will see a link that says “Cancel Reservation.” Mickey Mouse Disney’s site notes that a cancellation fee may apply. During the closures, however, this fee was waived. According to Disney, “To provide additional flexibility, we are waiving Disney-imposed change and cancellation fees up to the date of check-in for reservations with arrivals through the closing period.” This indicates that Disney MAY NOT be waiving these fees anymore once the closing period ends. Read more of the thoughts we have had regarding canceling your upcoming Disney World vacation here. What Disney is Automatically Cancelling Due to Capacity Reductions Whether you choose to cancel your reservation or not, Disney has announced a series of cancellations that they will be making automatically that may impact your upcoming vacation. These include: All Advance Dining Reservations and all Disney Dining Plans included in packages Offerings and experience bookings such as behind-the-scenes tours All FastPass+ selections Haunted Mansion If you had previously booked any of these experiences and prepaid any sort of amount of down payment towards those bookings, Disney should be refunding that amount in full. Read more about Disney’s decision to cancel all upcoming Advance Dining Reservations & Disney Dining Plans here! Disney’s Cancellation and Refund Policies Per Disney’s website, the following policies apply to arrivals between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020: “For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to guest arrival, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable air transportation, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed, will be refunded” “For cancellations made 2 days to 29 days prior to guest arrival, amounts paid, minus a cancellation fee of $200.00 per package and minus any cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable air transportation, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed, will be refunded. No refunds are given for cancellations of any personalized products or experiences.” For cancellations made 1 day or less prior to guest arrival or for no-shows, the full price of the package is non-refundable. Welcome to Disney World! What is unclear at this time is if this cancellation policy will remain in effect once the theme parks reopen. These are unprecedented times and Disney World has never been faced with so many unique circumstances regarding guests’ reservations. However, at this time we have not seen anything from Disney to indicate a change in their policy except for refunds during the closure. For now, we will have to wait and see! Read up on EVERYTHING Disney World has been refunding so far here! Hotel Rooms & Packages During the closures, Disney was automatically canceling and refunding all hotel reservations. Now that the parks are set to reopen in July, these automatic cancellations may no longer be happening, and guests could need to selectively cancel their reservations. Grand Villa Bedroom at Disney’s Riviera Resort For guests with impacted reservations during the closures who were offered Free Dining, those packages are also being canceled. However, Disney is offering a hefty 35% room discount for those impacted. Read more about the 35% room discount Disney is offering some guests here! Park Tickets During the closures, Disney was pretty flexible in extending the useful life of park tickets. Per Disney, “Unexpired multi-day theme park tickets with unused days, or date-specific theme park tickets with a start date on or before March 31, 2020 will automatically be extended to use any date through December 15, 2020. If you are unable to visit by December 15, 2020 you may apply the value of a wholly unused ticket toward the purchase of a ticket for a future date.” Note that Disney has now begun to extend some multi-day tickets through September 26, 2021. Animal Kingdom Gate We spoke with a Cast Member regarding the possibility of Park Hopper add-ons being refunded, as many guests were wondering if park hopping would be halted at the time of reopening. As of time of writing, we were told that park-hopper add-ons will NOT be automatically refunded, primarily due to the fact that they currently do not know yet if guests will be able to park hop when the parks reopen. Magic Kingdom Sign There are also special events tickets, like for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, that summer travelers need to consider (those parties start in August, after all!). At this time, purchased Halloween party tickets are still valid. There is no word yet on whether or not Disney will still hold these events, but if they choose to do so and you cancel your vacation, we cannot guarantee that Disney will refund your party tickets. Read more about how Disney has been handling park tickets affected by the closures here. Dining Reservations & Disney Dining Plan As we mentioned earlier, Disney recently announced that they will be automatically canceling all existing dining reservations as well as Disney Dining Plan packages. Be Our Guest Ballroom If you purchased a Disney Dining Plan, that will automatically be refunded regardless of whether or not you choose to cancel your vacation altogether. Guests have started to receive confirmation that their reservations are being canceled. Learn more here. Non-Disney Related Refunds For most travelers, there are a couple of additional major expenses to deal with when canceling your vacation that have nothing to do with Disney themselves. This could be a more complex issue that will be unique to each traveler, but here’s what we know so far. Airlines Each airline operates differently, so what one airline does in terms of refunds may not be how another one works. In general, the airline industry is going to want your business, so you may see enticing deals, which could include: Canceling or rebooking your flight with no fees Automatically extending rewards status Lowering the qualifications for elite status Orlando International Airport Not all airlines are going to be as open about discussing refunds as others, so keep asking (politely) when speaking with an agent! Read more about looking into canceling airline and car rental reservations here! Car Rentals Similar to airlines, each rental car company will operate differently in terms of what they will refund. For example, Enterprise is currently offering a no-fee cancellation policy for existing prepaid rental reservations. Contact the company you are renting through to see what they are doing differently during this time and what their cancellation policies are. Magic Kingdom Ultimately the decision on whether or not to cancel your summer reservation is entirely up to you. There’s no question that Disney World will look very different than what we’re accustomed to, but we’re sure that Disney is doing all that they can to create those magical experiences we have all come to expect. With that in mind, know that once the parks reopen, Disney will probably be less lenient in terms of full refunds, so be prepared! Review those cancellation policies and make the best decision for your family! Learn more about what Disney World will look like when they reopen in July here! Do you have a current reservation at Disney World this summer? Have you considered canceling? Share your experience with us in the comments. Related posts: Don’t Listen To This BAD Advice: 8 Disney World Planning Tips That Are WAY Wrong! Your Questions Answered! Disney Just Canceled Everything! Here’s What’s Going On — And What You Should Do Next. This Week Was CRAZY. We’re Gathering ALL the News and Disney World Cancellations You Missed! View the full article

Today is the official public reopening of Universal Orlando’s theme parks and, of course, we’re there to check it out! Universal We attended one of the Annual Passholder early access days this week and getting into the park was relatively simple. But on this first day open to the general public, one particular aspect of getting into the parks has been a little bit crazy so far! Universal Orlando’s theme parks open at 9AM EST to the general public, so we headed out early to check out what was going on. When we got to the gates to get into the parking garage, we were met with a lengthy wait! Waiting at Universal Gates Initially, it appeared only 4 lanes were open at the gate, causing the massive lines of cars to have to quickly merge down. Entering Universal Which led to waiting… Getting Closer …and waiting. All in all, it took us almost an HOUR from arriving at the parking gates to enter. Getting our temperature check and getting through the turnstiles were much swifter and more efficient processes and so far, the crowds actually don’t seem too bad! Temp Checks We’re assuming that as the parks open they’ll open more lanes to enter the parking garage, so hopefully, others won’t run into the same trouble we did. Click here to check out our coverage of the reopening day of Universal (that’s today!) Are you planning to visit Universal soon? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: BREAKING NEWS: Universal Orlando Is Officially Opening June 5th Universal Studios Has EXTENDED Its Temporary Closure Universal Orlando Is Reopening June 5th and We’ve Got ALL the Details! View the full article

A few days ago we reported LIVE from the Universal Orlando’s Annual Passholder preview. Universal Today, the park has officially reopened to the general public and we’re back to see how crowds look and to see if Universal has implemented new procedures and worked out a few of the kinks we saw at the Annual Passholder preview. We will be updating this post LIVE throughout the day, so be sure to check back for more information. Parking We arrived at 7:15AM to a line of people waiting for the parking garages to open. Around 8:30AM, the garages opened and the line slowly began to move. Parking at Universal This process took about 45 minutes from start to finish. Parking at Universal But once we actually entered the garage, things went very smoothly. Universal is continuing to park cars in every other spot, so guests can distance themselves from others when exiting their vehicle. Once you exit your car, team members will likely fill the empty spots next to where you’ve parked. Parking Temperature Checks As a reminder, everyone planning to visit Universal Orlando must undergo a temperature screening. If you have a temperature above 100.4F, you will not be granted access to Universal’s CityWalk area or their theme parks. Temp Checks Although there were quite a few people, the temperature check process was very smooth and efficient. You can read more about temperature checks at Universal here. Turnstiles and Ticketing Universal is NOT using a reservation system like SeaWorld and Disney World will be upon reopening. Universal, is still limiting capacity. So let’s take a look at how they are implementing this process. 8:30AM: The line for the turnstile was about 15-20 parties long. And team members ensured that each party was keeping the appropriate amount of distance from each other. Universal Lines The line of people waiting to get tickets was much longer. While this looks like a lot of people, remember this line was spaced out and organized by team members as well. Universal Ticket Line Don’t forget, this post will be updated throughout the day! Are you planning to visit Universal soon? Let us know in the comments below. Related posts: BREAKING NEWS: Universal Orlando Is Officially Opening June 5th Universal Orlando Is Reopening June 5th and We’ve Got ALL the Details! Universal Orlando’s CityWalk Has Just Reopened! See What Our Experience Was Like Here! View the full article

Universal Orlando reopens its theme parks to the general public on Friday, with new rules because of the coronavirus pandemic. View the full article

A Disney fan tries to get aerial drone footage of the world’s busiest amusement park that's shut down from the coronavirus pandemic. It doesn't quite pan out. View the full article

Disney Plus review: ‘Cinderella’ still works her magic View the full article

Now that we’ve visited Universal Studios for the Annual Passholder preview, we’ve gotten a feel for what to expect in a newly reopened theme park! Universal Studios A lot has changed since Universal closed its gates in mid-March. And while some of the new policies went off without a hitch, we experienced a few hiccups with others! First off, we’ve gotta give these guys some credit for expanding the virtual queue options and implementing so many new health and safety policies in a short period of time. However, we DID notice a few things that could use a bit more ironing out! Social Distancing Challenges We noticed that it was difficult to maintain distance from other guests in some parts of the Universal theme parks. For instance, there are two URest Areas at each theme park and one at CityWalk where guests can temporarily remove their face coverings. But, these mask-free zones aren’t equal in size, which caused some challenges. Central Lagoon Park URest While most of the U-Rest areas provided ample seating, the Port of Entry URest in Islands of Adventure is only a small, sectioned off space with a few tables and chairs. This made it a bit of a tight fit, and the area could quickly become overcrowded if a large number of guests chose to utilize it. U-Rest Area Some lines were also noticeably difficult to maintain distance from other parties. This was a challenge in the Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure queue — the line was so long that there weren’t enough ground markers for folks to know how far apart they should stand. Line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Will your face mask fly off on a Universal rollercoaster? Find out here! Once we got closer to the entrance of the ride, there were social distancing markers on the ground, but we encountered another issue — because of the back-up, our virtual line QR codes actually disappeared before someone could scan them. Being the ever-so-diligent screenshotters that we are, we had saved a screenshot of our reservation before it was lost, so we were able to show that instead — which goes to show why we recommend taking screenshots of your reservations as well! Check out six things that really surprised us about Universal’s opening day here! Universal’s Virtual Lines Are Glitchy With so many new features being added to Universal’s app all at once, it seemed to be struggling to keep up! We noticed that some of the Virtual Line attractions weren’t showing up on the available rides page, but when we clicked on each attraction’s page, ride times showed up. Escape From Gringotts Keep in mind only some of the rides are offering virtual queues, while others still have standby lines — and some are a combination of both! Rides that offered both a virtual and standby queue had another layer of complexity — for example, Escape from Gringotts didn’t have any reservations times available in the app, but it DID have a 10-minute standby line! Click here to learn how to make a reservation using Universal’s new virtual line system! Mobile Order Seemed Extra-Confusing But our woes with the Universal app didn’t stop there! When we tried to place a Mobile Order for lunch, the app didn’t recognize our location. We received an error message that said we needed to be inside Islands of Adventure to place our food order — even though that’s where we were standing! Universal Mobile Order And just like we experienced with some of the rides, a lot of restaurants had big back-ups. We noticed long lines at almost every dining spot in Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure. Once again, there weren’t enough social distancing markers on the ground for guests to reference. Mobile Order Pickup Line at The Hopping Pot Some guests were also confused about which line was for Mobile Order. At The Hopping Pot, there was one small sign informing folks the line was for mobile order pick-ups only — but it was located at the front of the line! Butterbeer Ice Cream Many guests didn’t see it and waited in a much longer line than necessary. Check out these 6 things we learned at Universal’s reopening that will be useful to know when Disney World reopens! And the seating arrangements were a bit confusing as well. At Richter’s Burger Company in Universal Studios, we asked a team member how seating would be managed. We were told that parties will be seated first (which could prove difficult since there are fewer tables available due to social distancing) then orders will be prepared as the tables are filled. There seemed to be a lot of confusion as to WHEN you should place your mobile order — before or after you were seated. The Three Broomsticks Mobile Order Line So at some restaurants, guests could be instructed to sit down first, and THEN place their order since all locations might not have a designated Mobile Order pick-up area. At others, you might be instructed to order before you can enter to get a table. Be sure to ask a Team Member before waiting in a line you might not need to wait in! Read more about the challenges we faced with using Universal’s mobile order here! While we did notice some impressive successes in the new health and safety policies, it seems there are still a few wrinkles to smooth out. We look forward to letting you know if things work a little better (or not) tomorrow when Universal Studios reopens to the general public! Stay tuned for our live coverage beginning first thing in the morning! See photos from our stay at one of Universal’s newly reopened hotels here! Did you attend Universal Studio’s Annual Passholder preview? How did you feel it went? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Here’s A Look at the Safety Measures Being Discussed By Major U.S. Theme Parks Right Now Here’s How Virtual Lines Work at the Reopened Universal Orlando Theme Parks Updated! Legoland in Central Florida Announced Reopening Date Before Governor’s Approval View the full article

Orlando Sentinel theme park reporters Dewayne Bevil and Gabrielle Russon visited Universal Orlando ahead of the official opening. They share what it’s like to ride Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit while wearing a mask, moments that raised red flags, and tips for enjoying the parks while coronavirus fears loom. View the full article

If you love rainbows and Mickey Mouse, then June is your month! Mickey Plush We’ve already seen Disney release a bunch of rainbow merchandise at World of Disney at Disney Springs and online, including rainbow bags covered in SNACKS and rainbow Loungefly backpacks. Now there’s a new rainbow Mickey Mouse plush for sale, and members of D23, Disney’s official fan club, have a first shot at bringing this colorful little guy home! D23 Rainbow Mickey plush ©Disney To celebrate the Year of the Mouse, Disney has been releasing a new Mickey plush every month on Amazon, including a Movie Star Mickey Mouse, Floral Mickey Mouse, and more! While these have all been bright and ADORABLE, this is the most COLORFUL Mickey yet! Here’s what you need to know if you want to add this lil guy to your collection… . D23 Members will continue to be among the first to be notified about each month’s theme and have an opportunity to order the month’s design. Each month, D23 will provide Members with advance notice of the date the plush will be available for purchase on Amazon.com. On Monday, June 8, at 9 a.m. PST, visit this page on D23.com for the link to purchase the Rainbow Mickey Mouse plush. Please Note: You must be signed in as a D23 Member to access the link to purchase. Click “Sign In” at the top of the page. Please note extremely limited quantities will be available on Amazon.com. Extended delivery time: Amazon is temporarily prioritizing the delivery of some items in order to serve their customers in need and ensure the safety of their associates. As a result, some delivery times are longer than usual. ©D23 If you look REALLY CLOSE, you’ll notice this multi-colored Mickey is DIFFERENT than the rainbow Mickey we’ve seen elsewhere. His buttons are different and his feet are blue instead of rainbow striped. He also comes with a commemorative gold and satin foot patch, a Certificate of Authenticity, and arrives in a window box featuring special Year of the Mouse packaging. Rainbow Mickey Plush ©Disney So, if you’re REALLY invested in the rainbow, it looks like you’ll just have to get both! We will continue to update you as more of these fun little guys are released. For MORE rainbow Disney merch, click here! Are you going to add this rainbow Mickey Mouse plush to your collection? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: D23 Members Can Get Early Access to a NEW Mickey Mouse Plush Collection! Find Out How! Don’t Miss Out on Early Access to This Limited-Edition April Mickey Plush! Disney News This Week: ALL the News and Updates from the Most Magical Places on Earth! View the full article

Just a few days ago, some of our readers were reporting their multi-day Disney World tickets had magically been extended through September 26, 2021! Magic Kingdom Although Disney World hadn’t released any information on the subject, we told you guys we’d wait for more information…and now we have it! Disney previously stated that multi-day park tickets that were affected by the closure would be valid through September 30th, 2020. But now Disney has officially confirmed on their website that this no longer seems to be the case. Multi-day park tickets have officially been extended through September 26th, 2021! Here’s how Disney World’s ticket policy now reads: Screenshot from Disney World’s Website If you are unable to use your ticket by September 26, 2021, you can apply the value of those tickets to the purchase of another ticket on a later date. With Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom set to reopen on July 11th along with Epcot and Hollywood Studios reopening on July 15th, now you’ll have even more time to enjoy the theme parks! Learn more about Disney World’s new reservation system here! Let us know if you’re excited about getting your ticket dates extended! Related posts: All Your Questions About the New Disney World Passholder Payment Changes ANSWERED Disney World Has STOPPED Construction During Its Closure. Could This Cause Delays on Upcoming Attractions? Starting Tomorrow The Entire State of Florida Will Be Under Stay at Home Orders View the full article

While we’re all about dishing up Disney news, we recently went to Universal Studios to do a little theme park reopening recon! Jurassic Park River Adventure at Universal And while we don’t know exactly what Disney World’s theme parks will be like when Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopen on July 11th followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15th, we do have a better idea of you can expect! While we already shared six of the most surprising things we saw at Universal’s reopening, our experience at the newly re-opened theme parks also gave us some critical insight! Some of which we’ll definitely be applying to our first trip back to Disney World! Here are six of the most important things we learned from yesterday’s big outing! 3D Glasses Fog Up While wearing masks on attractions wasn’t that big of a deal (especially once we realized they stayed in place on rollercoasters thanks to all that SPEED!), we had a harder time wearing face masks on some of Universal’s 3D experiences! 3D Glasses Are Now Handed To You on Rides Like Skull Island: Reign of Kong Hey, ya gotta breathe, right? But for those of you who don’t normally wear glasses AND face masks, you might not be familiar with this pesky little problem! Those pesky masks direct your breath right up to the glasses! We had some foggy lenses on Escape from Gringotts and Skull Island: Reign of Kong thanks to our bodies requiring oxygen! Skull Island: Reign of Kong It’s unclear if Disney’s 3D shows such as It’s Tough to be a Bug at Animal Kingdom or Mickey’s Philharmagic at Magic Kingdom will resume right away since these attractions are housed in large indoor theaters, but there are a few 3D rides such as Toy Story Midway Mania and Star Tours that might pose a problem! If you wear the 3D glasses slightly over your mask, that should help cut down on those foggy lenses and help you see better! Check out what our experience was like wearing a face covering on Universal’s rides here! Bring a Back-Up While we didn’t have to pull out our spare face masks we brought with us yesterday, we were happy to have them — just in case! One of our friends wasn’t so lucky and lost hers on a ride (Universal is allowing its guests to remove their masks once they’re seated on water rides, but she didn’t properly secure hers and it flew off her lap!). They didn’t have a disposable one to give her, so it left our friend in a strange situation. New Face Masks on Display at Universal Luckily, Universal has plenty of face masks for sale, but we’d rather not chance it when Disney World reopens! What if it rains or falls off the table while your eating and gets stepped on? Like we said– it’s much easier to just have a dry, clean mask ready to go in case we need one instead of covering our faces while frantically searching the gift shops for a replacement! You’ll Be On Your Phone — A LOT! Between all the pictures we like to take at the parks as well as how frequently we’re using the My Disney Experience app to change dining reservations and to mobile order our meals, we already on our phones a lot at Disney World! And yesterday we realized we were on our phones even MORE at Universal since so much of the theme park experience has now been switched over to the app! Mobile Order Menu We were draining our batteries a lot faster reversing spots in the virtual lines, looking up where the URest “relaxation zones” were located on the map, and well as getting all of our mobile ordering done! Universal’s mobile order was struggling yesterday! Learn more here! Universal Has U-Rest Areas Similar to Disney World’s Relaxation Zones Where Guests Can Temporarily Remove Their Masks Take our advice and bring a charging cable and portable back-up battery so that you don’t completely drain your device — almost everything is done on your phone now that the parks reopen, so you gotta keep it juiced! FuelRods are available at Universal, but if you’d rather not interact with one more heavily touched area, we recommend packing your own. Learn more about Universal’s URest Areas here! Plan on Taking Your Own Photos It’s likely when Disney World reopens, you won’t be able to hand a Cast Member your device to snap a pic of you and your crew. It’s Spider-Man! Disney hasn’t officially made a statement on this matter, but a leader of one of Disney World’s unions has said Cast Members won’t be taking photos for guests. This has also been our experience since being back at Universal Studios — you can still take all the selfies you want and photos of characters from a distance, though! And team members aren’t able to take these fun photos for ya. Click here to see more about this potential change in Disney World Longer Waits Despite having reserved ride times, we still ended up waiting to get on attractions for a good 20-30 minutes at Univeral. This was due largely to the ride vehicles being loaded with guests every-other row, and lots of cleaning occurring between guests. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure Elevators at the hotels can only operate with one party at a time. Mobile order pick-up lines were bananas. Everything in general just seemed to take a little longer, despite fewer people being inside the parks. We’re not sure what the sitch will be at Disney World, but it might be a good time to start brushing up your patiently-waiting skills. Click here to learn more about Universal’s Virtual Lines You Might Need to Space Out Your Rides A Little Differently Something we’ll definitely be on the lookout for when Disney World reopens is how the normally higher capacity rides will be operating. While Universal attractions such as Skull Island: Reign of Kong and Fast & Furious — Supercharged are usually super-efficient at getting guests on and off, we noticed other attractions like The Incredible Hulk Coaster were loading a lot faster. Fast & Furious We think rides like Flight of Passage might take longer to disinfect between guests versus something with fewer components such as Big Thunder Railroad Moutain or Peter Pan’s Flight. It’s definitely something we’ll be thinking about if we’ll be stacking more complicated rides back-to-back since we don’t want to be late and miss our window! Krusty and Sideshow Bob We’ll be carefully considering all of these things before Disney World reopens, but of course, we’ll be at the theme parks on July 11th so that’ you’ll know exactly what’s going on and how to navigate a newly re-opened Disney World like a pro! Take a look inside one of Universal Studios’ newly reopened hotels here! Have you been to Universal since it reopened? What tips or tricks did you pick up? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: “Will Masks Be Required When Disney World Reopens?” and 9 Other BIG Questions We’re Trying To Answer Here’s A Look at the Safety Measures Being Discussed By Major U.S. Theme Parks Right Now 9 Things We Learned The Hard Way From Our Biggest Disney World Disasters! View the full article

Only a few short days ago, Cookes of Dublin released its official reopening date! Cookes of Dublin Now, Cookes of Dublin is officially frying up fish again in Disney Springs! Let’s go check them out! Folks were clamoring to get their Fish and Chips fix yesterday when the restaurant reopened at noon! Fish and Chips Enthusiasts Social distancing markers have been added to the sidewalk out front just in case a school of fried fish-lovers happens to show up all at once! Check out some of the other restaurants that have reopened in Disney Springs here! Cookes of Dublin We also noticed a new sign out front stating the restaurant’s commitment to the safety of its guests and employees! Cookes of Dublin Sign And while Raglan Road isn’t set to reopen until June 10th, the Hole in the Wall Bar (which it shares with Cookes of Dublin) is open and hosting a Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 12PM to 6PM! Learn more about Hole in the Wall’s Happy Hour specials here! Happy Hour Sign But we came here for one thing and one thing only — some famous Cookies of Dublin Fish and Chips! Cookes of Dublin Menu Cute social distancing markers with fish puns have been placed inside the restaurant… Social Distancing Marker …meanwhile, tables have been spaced out inside the dining room as well as outside. Cookes of Dublin Plexiglass has been installed at the registers and counters are being sanitized after every order. The cashier no longer hands you a table number. Instead, they circle the table number on your receipt and ask you to remember it. Cookes of Dublin When the food brought out, the runner calls your number and you just wave them over to your table. Cookes of Dublin Food They also ask you what condiments you want when you order so they can bring them out with your food. Since their soda machine isn’t running, you can order canned beverages instead. Condiments As you can see, we were feeling pretty ambitious today! We ordered up a Famous Fish and Chips for $12.95 along with the Dubliner Irish Cheese & Bacon Dip for $5.50 and another side of Chips, because you can never have too many french fries! Cookes of Dublin The Fish and Chips at Cookes of Dublin literally melt in your mouth. The batter is so light and crisp while the fish is flaky and tender! We’re talkin’ heaven in every BITE! Fish and Chips And we can’t understate the importance of adding a little Tartar Sauce into the Fish and Chip equation! Always make sure you ask for some to go with your meal! Just trust us — this stuff’s totally going to take your Fish and Chip experience to the next level! Tartar Sauce We always seem to gravitate towards delicious cheese sauce, and their Dubliner Irish Cheese & Bacon Dip doesn’t disappoint! You get a pretty hefty portion for $5.50 which is why we ordered an extra side of fries to help sop up all that rich, cheesy goodness! Dubliner Irish Cheese & Bacon Dip The bacon lends just a little bit of depth to the gooey cup of pure cheesy enjoyment. Combined with the saltiness of the fries, we can’t think of a snack we’d rather be having right now! Dubliner Irish Cheese & Bacon Dip Okay, we’re happy and totally STUFFED with all the carbs we just ate! Here’s what we think! Nosh or Not? Stop by Cookes of Dublin if: You love some good pub grub You don’t have time to sit down for a full meal at Raglan Road (or couldn’t snag a reservation!) Fish and Chips and authentic Irish eats are your love language Skip Cookes of Dublin if: Irish food just isn’t your style Prefer healthier options (lots of fried, heavy foods are featured on the menu) Already got your Fish and Chips fix somewhere else (we’ve been known to frequent Epcot’s Yorkshire County Fish Shop a few times not leaving much room for other Fish and Chip delights!) Cookes of Dublin Check out our Disney World Fish N Chips throw down here! Overall We think Cookes of Dublin is time and money well spent. The Irish cuisine is a more unique take on convenience food at Disney Springs while the quality is seriously on point for the price. The option to sit outdoors and enjoy the patio bar is also a major boon. Next time you’re feelin’ jiggy, definitely check out Cookes of Dublin! See what else just reopened at Disney Springs today here! Which Disney World spot serves your favorite Fish N Chips? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Review! Where to Find Pizza Slices the Size of Your HEAD in Disney Springs! Gluten- and Dairy-Free Fish and Chips at Raglan Road and Cookes of Dublin in Disney Springs Loading Up on Chicken Guy! Loaded Fries and Mac ‘N’ Cheese!! View the full article

Disney Springs has been reopened for a few weeks, and there are new things popping up daily! Disney Springs Though there are a lot of general changes to how Disney Springs is run so that guests, Cast Members, and employees are safe; some things are still the way they were before the closure. For instance, we’re still able to check in on NEW food items, NEW construction updates, and NEW merchandise! Let’s check out everything that’s new in Disney Springs today! Disney Springs Food Update As always, we’re starting off with our number one priority — the food of Disney Springs! Pizza Ponte Though there aren’t too many food updates today in the Springs, we did notice a new sign up outside of Pizza Ponte. Pizza Ponte Sign The Fruit and Wine Pops and Frozen Sangrias have been around for a while, but boy does this sign make us want to pop in and grab a treat to cool off with. Click here to learn more about the Fruit and Wine Pops at Pizza Ponte! Starbucks Starbucks has a new drink AND a new souvenir cup. Remember, you can’t get your souvenir cup filled right now, but you’re of course welcome to pour the drink in yourself. The new cup is to celebrate Pride Month. When we first saw the Confetti Cup, we were a little confused. Those white spots don’t look like confetti! Or DO they??? Confetti Cups To really see why the cup was called the Confetti Cup, we picked up the new Love is Love drink special (also for pride month) made of a Violet Drink with strawberries and topped with strawberry sweet cream cold foam. Love is Love Drink Not only was the drink DELICIOUS, but when we poured it into our new cup, the design started to change. That’s right, there are COLOR CHANGING confetti pieces. Look how cute! Love is Love in Confetti Cup You can snag the new cup for $4 and the drink was priced at $8.10 for a Venti. Gotta know more about these cute Starbucks offerings? Click here! Cookes of Dublin Cookes of Dublin and The Hole in the Wall Outside Bar have officially reopened. Cookes of Dublin Obviously, we celebrated with some Fish & Chips and yummy Cheese Dip. Plus, they’ve got NEW HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS! Want to know more about those new specials? Click here! House of Blues House of Blues has reopened too! In fact, we were the first ones there when the doors opened from the closure. House of Blues We were actually really impressed with the apps we tried here and listening to live music again was a total treat. To see our experience at the reopened House of Blues, click here! Disney Springs Construction Update Next up let’s take a look at some of the construction in Disney Springs. There’s a good bit of it! M&M Store First up, construction on the M&M Store continues. They’ve added construction barriers that weren’t there just a few days ago! M&M Store We can’t wait to see the WALL of M&Ms that is coming to this spot sometime this year. Want a sneak peek of the M&M Store? Click here! lululemon We checked in on the upcoming lululemon location as well. This location is set to open this summer! lululemon It looks like they’ve got a sign in the works for above the entrance! Click here to find out when lululemon will open! Homecomin’ Shine Bar We’re super excited about the new Shine Bar (that’s MOONSHINE, friends!) that’s coming to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’! Shine Bar You can catch a glimpse of the progress from just across the Springs. It looks like work is coming along! To learn more about the Shine Bar, click here! Beatrix We figured we’d check in on Beatrix, too! Beatrix This new dining spot is going to have some marketplace vibes. We can’t see too much of the progress from behind these construction barriers though! For EVERYTHING you need to know about Beatrix, click here! Ample Hills Creamery As far as we can tell, there’s still work being done just across the way at Ample Hills Creamery. Ample Hills One more location to get ice cream in Disney World? Count us in! Click here to learn more about this upcoming Ample Hills location! City Works Eatery and Pour House And finally, there’s actually a little bit of construction going on at the new City Works restaurant too! Those temporary planters are up to hide the work. City Works We DID spot a construction permit for a canopy at this spot so that certainly explains the work we’re seeing. Maybe it means there will be more outdoor seating when the spot reopens. City Works also shared that they plan to reopen in Disney Springs soon! Click here to learn when City Works will reopen! Disney Springs Merchandise Update Now for the biggest group of updates. Let’s take a look at that new merch, pals! World of Disney Of course, we started at the quintessential World of Disney. World of Disney Unlike its opening day, there was no line here when we visited. We just walked right in! Click here to see how the World of Disney queue works! And there were a lot of new items! Our favorite? Possibly this Main Street Popcorn Phone Case for $44.99. Main Street Popcorn Phone Case Yes, that popcorn moves around in there. Click here for MORE PICS of the new Popcorn Case! Then there was a whole collection of rainbow merch. It IS Pride Month after all. Check out these two-person Jumbo Beach Towels for $27.99. Beach Towel The also had rainbow plushes of our FAVORITE mice, Mickey… Mickey Plush …and Minnie! You can snag either of them for $29.99. Minnie Plush We spotted these returning Rainbow Minnie Ears displayed around this collection too. Minnie Ear Headband Click here to see more of the new Rainbow Collection! For $36.99 you can snag the Rainbow Love Shirt that features Cinderella Castle in a Mickey shape! Love Shirt Speaking of Mickey, have you ever seen anything cooler than these Rainbow Mickey Socks? Socks We’ve seen a very similar bag to this Rainbow Backpack before, but this one has some changes. Look closely to see all sorts of Disney motifs hidden in the colors. Get it for $55. Mickey Backpack Is your fridge looking a little bare? Magnet Set Pick up this $12.99 Magnet Set to spice is up! Can you have too many magnets? If you don’t think so, click here! But wait, you didn’t think that was all of the rainbow stuff, did you? Look at this ADORABLE Rain Jacket for $54.99! Rainbow Rain Jacket Then there’s a matching collection of rainbow bags with snack symbols too! There’s the Tote… Tote …the Crossbody for $34.99… Crossbody …and this Hip Pack for $24.99! Hip Pack Take a closer look at these NEW bags here! For $27.99, we saw this fun Mickey Mouse Varsity Hat that was new to us… Mickey Hat Want to find out more about this cool cap? Click here! …and for $19.99 we spotted this Monsters University Notebook too! MU Notebook Do you love the Fab Four as much as we do? Well, bring that love into the kitchen with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy Kitchen Towels for $24.99 each. Fab Four Towels Check out these fun hand towels here!! With summer days coming soon, it’s pretty hard to resist grabbing this Minnie Pool Float for $54.99. Minnie Mouse Pool Float Click here to float on over to more info on this float! Mother’s Day may have passed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t show appreciation for your favorite lady with these $14.99 Socks! Mom Socks Marketplace Co-Op Perhaps the oddest thing we spotted in Disney Springs today popped up in Marketplace Co-Op. You remember that Inside Out Unicorn Romper we spotted on shopDisney? Well, we found it in stores for $128! Unicorn Romper Really want to get your hands on this romper? Click here! Over near the customizable MADE merch, we saw this Baby Yoda Tote. Right now, you can print the little guy on anything you normally can with a MADE kiosk, and add your name if you want. Made Tote The totes are new too, but soon you’ll be able to print any of the available designs on them. Want to customize your own The Child Tote? Click here! Once Upon a Toy Once Upon a Toy reopened so that your kids can be tempted by all the goodies inside once more! Once Upon a Toy And trust us, they will be tempted. Click here to take a tour of Once Upon a Toy with us! Art of Shaving Art of Shaving opened too! If you’re looking for a new razor, NOW IS YOUR TIME. Art of Shaving Note that the Barber Shop IS still closed though. Click here to learn more about the reopening of Art of Shaving! Vera Bradley We finished our tour at Vera Bradley to see what mask designs they had available today. According to the associate, the masks have been super popular so they’ve been rotating the patterns a lot. Masks And there you have it! That’s everything new in Disney Springs! We’ll check back next time there are big updates. Until then! What’s your favorite new piece of merchandise in Disney Springs? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: What’s New in Disney Springs — $600 Minnie Ears, Evil Piñatas, and Adorable Christmas Ornaments!! What’s New in Disney Springs: Retro Hats, Boozy Snacks, Sequin and Pineapple Backpacks! What’s New at Disney Springs — The Quake Shake, A Retro Throwback, And The Spookiest Halloween Decorations EVER! View the full article

Today, the NBA moved one step closer to finalizing that they will resume their season at Disney World in the coming weeks. With teams being asked to report to the ESPN Wide World of Sports by the end of July, the sports world is buzzing with excitement! ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Sports Center took their excitement a step further by welcoming the NBA “back” in what is probably the MOST Disney way possible! We found this ADORABLE video on Sports Center’s Twitter account, featuring the classic castle introduction that’s used in Disney films, but with a basketball twist! All of a sudden, it’s like Disney World fans are basketball fans, and basketball fans are Disney World fans. It will be very interesting to see how the season is played out at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, so keep an eye on DFB as these developments continue! Read more details associated with the NBA resuming their season in Disney World here! Will you be tuning into the NBA matchups once the season resumes?? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: The NBA Discusses Latest Possible Play Off Dates and Hotel Arrangements in Disney World Disney World is the Reported Frontrunner to Host the Rest of the NBA Season NBA Confirms That Disney World is Being Considered as the Location to Finish the Season View the full article