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Just yesterday, it was announced that the Japanese government would be lifting the state of emergency for Tokyo. Fantasmic! at Tokyo DisneySea ©Disney In response, it appears that some businesses and destinations are already beginning to reopen. Ikspiari, the shopping and dining district at Tokyo Disney Resort, just announced that it will be reopening on June 1st. Ikspiari is located near the entrance to Tokyo Disneyland and makes for the Japanese equivalent of Downtown Disney or Disney Springs. The complex has been closed since late February but will be resuming business next Monday, June 1st. Tokyo Disneyland According to the Ikspiari reopening statement, measures will be taken to prevent the spread of infection and to promote the safety and security of employees and customers. If the complex reaches capacity, guests may be asked to wait temporarily for admission. Tokyo Disneyland Concept Art ©Disney As a reminder, Tokyo Disney Resort — and Ikspiari — are not owned by Disney. These properties are operated completely by Oriental Land Company and they pay a licensing fee to the Disney company. Still, the reopening likely marks a step towards the return of Tokyo Disneyland. Click here to read about the removal of the state of emergency in Tokyo. What do you think of the reopening of Ikspiari? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: NEWS! Tokyo Disneyland Has Extended Its Closure Date It’s Costing Disney HOW MUCH To Close The Theme Parks?! NEWS! Another Extension Announced for Tokyo Disneyland Closure — Tokyo Disney Hotels Will Also Close View the full article

Imagineers use STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) every day to create groundbreaking experiences that are not only appealing, but also properly designed in terms of size, materials and coatings. To round out our series about STEAM tips from Imagineers, several of the technical artists at Imagineering shared their tips as it relates to technology, science and math. Tip – Take things apart to see how different technologies are incorporated into one system Liz Diaz, a senior ride mechanical engineer, said, “Look at all the things around you and learn how they work. Take something apart (with permission if needed!) and see if you can’t put it back together. Attractions are created from many different technologies incorporated into one amazingly complex system. Learning how everything works helps to apply these different technologies in new and exciting ways.” Tip – Be a great scientist by developing your observation skills Alfredo Ayala, a Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development executive, suggests, “To be a great scientist you need to develop great observation skills. Robot animation requires the ability to merge real world physics with the art of acting, dance and music. Next time you talk with someone, notice their movements, the locations of their eyes and their facial expressions. Observe how they change when you ask them a question. This exercise helps you strengthen your observation skills. We are always exploring how math is present in art and technology.” Tip – Take a class about logic and truth tables to make sense of complex scenarios David Gaetke, a project coordinator, said, “Logic and truth tables are a great way to navigate through a complex scenario with many possible outcomes and multiple decision makers (did someone say ‘group project?’). First, you’ll want to map out the logic path for each scenario. There are some great resources online if you’re not familiar with how to do this. Then, weigh the pros and cons of each outcome. Finally, present your findings to your team and guide them through making a decision. I use this method to see what implications design decisions will have further down the road, or to make a decision between two seemingly similar options.” View the full article

We stopped by Disney Springs to check out the newly reopened locations and, of course, enjoy some eats! Bruschetta Disney Springs began a phased reopening on May 20th, with select third-party shops and restaurants welcoming back guests. And the new health and safety measures weren’t the only thing that was different — we also spotted menu updates at several of the Disney Springs restaurants. Here are the biggest menu changes we saw! The Polite Pig We swung by The Polite Pig and found a few new menu items waiting for us to enjoy! Pork Rinds are now available, complete with a pimento dipping sauce! Pork Rinds But wait, there’s more! They’ve also added a new Chef’s Special — Shrimp and Grits! With smoked grilled shrimp covered in a honey peppercorn glaze and served over a bed of creamy cheddar grits, this was just too good to pass up! Chef’s Special at The Polite Pig We also noticed creamed corn and a private barrel bourbon flight which were both new to the menu. Polite Pig Creamed Corn and More And just a heads up, we checked with a member of the team and confirmed that the Gideon’s Bakehouse cookies are not available at The Polite Pig right now. But don’t worry, they will be back eventually! To read more about our meal at The Polite Pig, click here! Starbucks And Starbucks welcomed back guests — literally — with the “Welcome Back” drink — a blended mango dragonfruit refresher with coconut milk, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple ginger syrup topped with golden ginger whipped cream! Welcome Back Drink at Starbucks This drink was super refreshing and we loved the combo of fruity flavors! No word on how long it will stick around, but if it’s available on your next visit to Disney Springs, we recommend giving it a try! Check out our first visit back to Starbucks in Disney Springs! Frontera Cocina Frontera Cocina will be offering a modified menu for a limited time, so we stopped by to give a few of the options a taste! We tried the Play With Fire Margarita and the Chipotle Chicken Flautas, which were both fantastic! Flautas and Margarita The margarita was made with cucumber, jalapeño, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, a hibiscus salt rim, and your choice of Montelobos mezcal or Tromba Blanco Tequila. It was a great blend of sweet and tart, with just the slightest hint of heat! Play with Fire Margarita And the Chipotle Chicken Flautas were filled with a mix of mashed potatoes (!!!) and chicken, which made for a wonderful flavor combo! Frontera Cocina was two-for-two in our book! To read our full review from Frontera Cocina, click here! Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill also sported some menu changes at both their table-service restaurant and to-go counter. The table-service restaurant is temporarily offering an all-day menu, rather than separate lunch and dinner menus. Wolfgang Puck Modified Menu Since the items inside skew more towards dinner, they’ve started offering more lunch items at the to-go window. And there are new desserts to-go as well — the Reese’s Cookie, Strawberry Shortcake, and Salted Caramel Banana Pudding all made their debut! Plus, they’ve also started offering cocktails to-go, which were previously only available inside. Wolfgang Puck To Go We tried a few of the new to-go items as well as the tried-and-true favorite appetizer, bruschetta, from the restaurant. Bruschetta Spoiler alert, everything we had here was fantastic! But we have to give a special shoutout to the star of the show, the Salted Caramel Gelato topped Banana Pudding. Check out our full experience at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill! Earl of Sandwich We also stopped by Earl of Sandwich, one of our favorite Disney Springs staples, to try the new-to-us Chocolatti drink. What exactly is a Chocolatti? We’re glad you asked! It’s blended Ghirardelli chocolate topped with sea salt, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles. Chocolatti We liked how cool and refreshing this drink was, but it wasn’t quite as chocolatey as we were expecting. But if you’re looking for a more understated chocolate flavor, this might be for you! Check out our first trip back to the reopened Earl of Sandwich! Morimoto Asia Street Food Morimoto Asia Street Food reopened on May 22nd, and we couldn’t wait to stop by and check it out! They’re offering a temporary menu with reduced options, but we still found plenty to satisfy our cravings! We tried the Spicy Chashu Ramen, which we’ve previously seen offered on the Morimoto Asia table-service menu. Spicy Chashu Ramen The ramen was quite spicy and delicious! If you’re heat-adverse, you might want to stick to the Tonkotsu Ramen instead, but we loved the heat! We also noticed that they switched out the pork tenderloin bowl with a beef tenderloin bowl. Click here for our full experience at Morimoto Asia Street Food! Wine Bar George We also stopped by the delightful Wine Bar George and spotted some new Fries and Frozen drink pairings at their quick service spot, The Basket! We did confirm with a member of the team that these are suggested pairings, but they aren’t being sold as a combo deal at this time. But see if you can resist these incredible pairings! How about the Queso Fries with the signature Frosé?? Queso Fries Or maybe the Togarashi Fries with Friezling made with Dole Whip Lime is more your style? Togarashi Fries Or maybe you’re interested in the heavenly pairing of California Fries with Frozcato made with Dole Whip Pineapple? California Fries Or, last but not least, what do you think of the Buffalo Fries with Freaujolais? Buffalo Fries with Freaujolais Each of these baskets comes with a whole POUND of fries, so this is a great snack if you’re starting to feel hangry! Each flavor of fries was a winner in our book. What can we say, Wine Bar George has knocked it out of the park again! Click here for our review of the loaded fries at The Basket! Paradiso 37 We also noticed some menu changes at Paradiso 37. They’re also offering limited menu options for the time being, as we saw with several Disney Springs restaurants. Paradiso 37 Outside View We did spot a few new items on the menu, including Beef Empanadas filled with beef, sour cream, and pineapple chutney and those Mini Ice Cream Cones are back! Here are 4 awesome Disney Springs dining deals, including Happy Hour specials at Paradiso 37! We were happy to be back in our element at Disney Springs, and having some new menu items to check out made it even better! We’re continuing to keep an eye on the eats and drinks available in Disney Springs, so stay tuned for more updates! We were at the reopening of Disney Springs…here’s everything you need to know! Which Disney Springs restaurant are you the most excited to visit? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: What’s New in Disney Springs! August 10, 2018 PHOTOS and TIPS: Our FULL Experience From Reopening Day at Disney Springs What’s NEW At Disney Springs? A WHOLE LOT! Check it out…. View the full article

A lot is changing in and around Disney World right now as some stores and restaurants have recently reopened in Disney Springs and a plan is in the works for reopening Disney World’s hotels and theme parks. Disney Springs That’s why a lot of you have questions about what’s going on and how your future plans at Disney World may be impacted. We wanted to take some time today to provide you with all the best resources we’ve been compiling over the last several weeks. We’re going to lay everything out on the table and clear up anything and everything we can so that you’ll have all the facts at your disposal. Here are the answers to the most critical questions we’re receiving from you right now. What safety measures has Disney implemented so far and are they mandatory? With the recent reopening of Disney Springs, we now have a better understanding of what Disney World may require its Cast Members and guests to do before entering any of its theme parks (although they haven’t officially announced any new procedures yet for other parts of Disney World other than Disney Springs at this time). ©Disney What we do know is this: Disney Springs isn’t allowing any exceptions to their new safety measures. That means if you don’t want to go through their health-check, have your temperature taken, and wear a face mask for your entire stay, you won’t be permitted inside Disney Springs at this time. Click here for everything you need to know about temperature checks in Disney World Are the temperature screenings accurate? Professional healthcare workers provided by AdventHealth are conducting the temperature screenings at Disney Springs using touchless thermometers. The easy-to-use handheld devices use infrared light to read the energy your body produces, translating this data into a temperature reading within two-tenths of a degree of accuracy in some cases. Advent Health Cast Member at Temperature Screening To be allowed to enter Disney Springs, your temperature needs to be under 100.4 F. If your temperature is 100.4 F or greater, you’re allowed to wait off to the side in a tented “cool-off” area and have your temperature re-taken. If it’s still too high, you and your entire party won’t be allowed inside. Temperature Screening When discussing potential health screenings for guests entering Disney World, Disney Company Chairman Bob Iger had previously speculated Disney Parks may implement mandatory temperature checks to enter. Read more about the technology behind touchless thermometers here! When do I have to wear a face mask at Disney World? At Disney Springs, guests over the age of three must wear face coverings at all times. The only time you’re permitted to remove them is when you’re seated at a restaurant or consuming a drink or a food item. Other than those few occasions, your mask must be covering your nose and mouth for the duration of your visit. The Polite Pig is Selling Face Masks While Disney Springs is providing an extremely limited number of disposable face masks for guests who accidentally leave their mask at home, they can’t guarantee they’ll have one for you if you don’t bring your own. That means you could be turned away if you forget to have a face mask for each person in your family over the age of three. What’s it like to wear a face mask in Disney World? Find out here — including some helpful tips! Will Disney World be limiting its capacity? Yes. It is expected Disney World will reopen with a limited capacity, as it now states on its website. Realistically, it could be some time before the parks operate at their full capacity. Walt Disney World website screenshot See how Disney World has limited its capacity in the past here! Currently, Shanghai Disneyland is limiting capacity to below 30%. Shanghai Disneyland Guests must have an advance reservation (either a dated park ticket, or an actual reservation in the case of annual passholders) to enter. Learn more about the new reservation system Shanghai Disneyland is using here! Will I be turned away at Disney World if I have a park ticket and a hotel reservation? While it’s unclear at this time how Disney World will begin to allow guests back in, a few viable options are possible. It’s Mickey! Whether it’s similar to Shanghai Disneyland’s reservation system or something closer to the tiered closures Disney World uses during the holiday season when the parks reach their capacity, we hope to be able to provide you with this information soon. When is Disney World going to reopen? That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Now that Universal Orlando, Legoland Florida, and other Central Florida attractions have announced their official reopening plans and dates, Disney World is planning to propose theirs soon. Monorail at Disney World So far, we’ve seen many of the first signs we mentioned earlier that Disney World might be preparing to reopen. Florida’s local government has now permitted several small and major theme parks to reopen, Disney Cast Members are slowly being called to work, and Disney Springs has started its phased reopening. Dole Whip Click here to read what needs to happen before Disney World can reopen! It’s unclear what Disney World’s official reopening will be like, but based on what we’ve experienced with Disney Springs so far, we expect Disney World to be very different from how we saw it last. Spaceship Earth It also seems likely that Disney World in Florida COULD reopen sooner than Disneyland in California based on how their local governments are handling the situation. Nothing has been announced at press time. Could Disney World open first to Florida-residents only? Here’s what we know. Is my favorite ride or attraction going to be open? On Disney World’s website, it states some attractions, experiences, services, and amenities may have limited availability or remain closed. That’s a pretty broad statement and we hope to be able to provide you with more clarity soon. Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom What we CAN tell you is that looking at Shanghai’s reopening, most of their rides are open to guests. Only parades, stage shows, fireworks, and some play areas with frequent touchpoints have been closed down. Check out what modifications Shanghai Disneyland has made to its guest experiences here! What about coming soon attractions? Are they still going open on time? It’s hard to say…these new projects did experience delays when construction was halted at Disney World. While some attractions were closer to being done than others, it’s unclear how their timelines have been affected. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure was scheduled to open this summer while Space 220 Restaurant already encountered numerous delays pre-closure of the parks. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure And for Disney World’s 50th-anniversary celebration, big plans were in the works for Magic Kingdom including a revamping of Cinderella Castle as well as the new TRON: Lightcycle Run roller coaster in Tomorrowland. TRON Coaster Construction Epcot was also left in a precarious spot when the parks suddenly shut down. Plans to close Spaceship Earth had just been announced while much of Future World is currently in the midst of a massive overhaul as part of the big Epcot Transformation. Work also stopped on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. All of these projects and more could be affected, but so far the extent of possible delays hasn’t been revealed. Click here to learn more about Epcot’s transformation! Is it even worth it to go to Disney World this year? That will depend largely on you and your level of comfort. Even if you’ve planned a trip to Disney World a million times before, planning a trip following the closures is going to be more unique with its own set of challenges and problems to work through. Cinderella Castle at Night First of all, it’s not going to be the same Disney World from your memories. It will be, but it won’t be. Choosing when you want to visit next is a very personal decision you’ll ultimately have to make based on your comfort level with this whole situation. Magic Kingdom Sign If you’re used to traveling to Disney World to attend certain events, festivals, or popular times of year like Christmastime, keep in mind a number of these special things we expected Disney to have announced by now, but Disney has remained quiet. You might need extra-assurance from Disney before booking a trip if any of these offerings are super-important to you, otherwise, you might want to save your money for when you know they’ll be offered. Click here to see big announcements we’re still waiting on from Disney When is Disney World going to get back to normal? There has been a lot of speculation floating around about how long it will take the Disney parks to reach their normal attendance levels. Some estimate it could happen as soon as next year while others think it could take even longer. Haunted Mansion While all of these analysts’ predictions are just speculation at this point, Disney will only re-open the park to the capacity recommended by the local government and public health officials. Magic Kingdom It’s unknown when mass gatherings will be permitted again, but at that time, with the guidance of local and state government, Disney World will most likely start to look and feel a lot more “normal.” Should I go to Disney World this year or wait until next year? There are definite pros and cons to each, which you need to consider carefully before making your decision. Liberty Belle Riverboat at Magic Kingdom As we mentioned earlier, 2021 is the 50th anniversary of Disney World, so while there will be many new experiences to enjoy if you wait, it’s likely there will be more people too! Click here to see if you should reschedule your trip for this year or 2021! We hope we’ve helped you make a little more sense out of these last few weeks and what lies further down the road. Please keep sending us those questions and we’ll keep doing what we do to try and answer them as best we can! Do you have a question about Disney World that we didn’t answer above? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll get back to you! Related posts: Should You Even Go to Disney World with All This Construction? Your Questions Answered. Is It Even Worth It To Go To Disney World This Year? Here’s A Look at the Safety Measures Being Discussed By Major U.S. Theme Parks Right Now View the full article

Recreations of sets from "Friends" and "That ’70s Show" are coming to Orlando, courtesy of Fourth Wall. View the full article

Just days ago, California’s Orange County met the required criteria and was cleared to transition into a “full stage two” of California’s reopening plan. World of Disney in Disneyland Resort This new phase permitted “limited services” including retail with curbside pickup and outdoor museums. But now, counties are able to make their own decisions regarding reopening in-store retail. Today, the California Department of Public Health announced that counties’ public health departments are now permitted to decide when retail stores can reopen for business. An empty Downtown Disney after Disneyland closes Although some counties have already transitioned into in-store retail, the announcement applies to the remaining counties. If a county’s public health department approves reopening, stores must follow California’s protocols for retailers. You can read the guide here, which includes temperature checks for employees, frequent sanitation, and social distancing between employees and customers. Downtown Disney after Disneyland closes due to Coronavirus The director of the California Department of Public Health stated, “Together, our actions have helped bend the curve and reduce infections in our state. As sectors continue to open with changes that aim to lower risk, remember that COVID-19 is still present in our communities…keeping physical distance, wearing face coverings in public, and washing your hands frequently are more important than ever to help protect yourself and those around you.” Hand sanitizer station in Downtown Disney According to the Hollywood Reporter, Governor Newsom previously announced California would also release an update on the state’s film and TV production guidelines soon. We will keep you updated with more information. You can read more about Orange County’s transition to phase two of reopening here! When would you like to visit Downtown Disney again? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: What’s New at Disneyland Resort — Light-Up Alien Ears, a Fluffy Spirit Jersey, Fuzzy Crocs, and MORE! There’s a BRAND NEW Tatooine Spirit Jersey in Disneyland! What’s New at Disneyland Resort: Food & Wine Booths, Ink & Paint Merchandise, and the Sweetest Sundae EVER! View the full article

Have you ever built your own sundae and there were just too many choices?? The Kitchen Sink Sundaes at Disney’s Beach Club Resort The ice cream was already starting to melt as you piled on even more sprinkles and cookie crumbs? Well we have some great news for you — you can have ALL the toppings with this sundae recipe inspired by the Kitchen Sink from Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. If you’ve ever been to Beaches and Cream Soda Shop, you may have caught a glimpse of this concoction. We’d like to say this sundae has “everything but the kitchen sink,” but, well — it has one of those too! Close up on the Original Kitchen Sink But get your shopping list ready and clear out the freezer because Disney’s recipe doesn’t skimp on the ingredients! You are, of course, free to substitute as you please and make your own creation, but this is Disney’s version with a patriotic twist! Ingredients 1/2 cup warm fudge topping 1/2 cup warm butterscotch topping 1/2 cup warm peanut butter topping 1 medium banana, sliced in 1/2-inch slices 1 cinnamon spice cupcake (2 ½ x 1 1/4-inch), quartered 1 angel food cupcake (3 x 1 1/2-inch), quartered 2 generous scoops vanilla ice cream 2 generous scoops chocolate ice cream 2 generous scoops strawberry ice cream 1 generous scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream 1 generous scoop coffee ice cream 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup 1/4 cup marshmallow cream 1/4 cup strawberry topping 1/4 cup pineapple topping 14-ounce can dairy whipped topping 1 large brownie (6-inch x 6-inch), quartered 1 regular-sized candy bar, quartered 4 chocolate cookies with cream filling 1 tablespoon sliced toasted almonds 1 tablespoon dark and white chocolate shavings 1 tablespoon crushed chocolate cookies with cream filling 1 tablespoon chopped jellied orange slices, about 2 large slices 1 tablespoon milk chocolate chip morsels 1 tablespoon peanut butter chip morsels 1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles 1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries To Serve Pour hot fudge, butterscotch, and peanut butter toppings into bottom of large bowl. Layer banana slices and cupcake pieces over toppings. Top with all ice creams. As quickly as possible, spoon chocolate syrup, marshmallow cream, strawberry, and pineapple toppings over ice cream. Cover completely with dairy whipped topping. Tuck brownie pieces, candy bar pieces, and cookies in whipped topping. Sprinkle with toasted almonds, dark and white chocolate shavings, crushed cookies, jellied orange slices, milk chocolate chip morsels, peanut butter morsels, chocolate sprinkles, and rainbow sprinkles. Top with cherries. And DIVE IN because this thing will melt quickly on you. You can watch Disney’s video on how to assemble your own Kitchen Sink sundae below! You can make it your own, serve it in individual bowls — whatever you please! Let us know if you tried it and how YOU would make the perfect Kitchen Sink sundae! Want even MORE Disney recipes? Check out our full recipe list here! What would you add to your Kitchen Sink? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: What’s New at Disney’s BoardWalk, Yacht, and Beach Club Resorts: Easter Treats, a Lavender Spirit Jersey, and Adorable Minnie Hula Outfits! OMG! Make Caramel Corn Just Like In EPCOT With This Step-By-Step Recipe (PLUS PHOTOS)! Recipe: Make the Original Carrot Cake Cookie from Disney’s Writer’s Stop at Home! View the full article

Welcome back to our rainy day stop by Disney Springs. We’re back at Morimoto Asia Street Food which — as luck would have it — offers covered outdoor seating so we can still check out some of Chef Morimoto’s Pan-Asian cuisine, even as the drizzle still comes down! Counter at Morimoto Asia Street Food This isn’t our only recent stop at the counter service location for Morimoto Asia. We were just here last week to check out the new safety procedures that the eatery has implemented as Disney Springs has started its phased reopening — and you can read all about the new processes here. Today, though, we’re back to grab a few more bites to eat, and we’d love it if you joined us! Though today’s visit was drizzly, we have a picture of the menu from our sunnier visit last week for easier reading. Morimoto Asia Street Food Menu The menu is somewhat reduced upon reopening, but a selection of Ramen and Rice Bowls are available in addition to some small bites (like that tasty BBQ Pork Bun we enjoyed last week) and drinks. The assortment of canned beverages includes craft beers like 3 Daughters Brewing Rod Bender Red Ale and Crooked Stave. You’ll also find One Cup Sake among the offerings. Drinks on Display Drinks on Display A Cauliflower and Cheese Spring Roll was one of the specialty bites today, but we went with the Pork Egg Roll to go along with our BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl. “Today’s Specials” sign Order’s up! Morimoto Asia Bag (Do you see a Hidden Mickey, too, or is that just me?) Morimoto Asia Bag We’ll start with the Pork Egg Roll. Pork Egg Roll Pork, cabbage, egg, and carrot are tucked into the fried-to-golden roll. Pork Egg Roll And we’re happy to report that this crisp egg roll is filled mostly with the pork and egg, making it heartier than your typical egg roll that usually has an emphasis on the veggies with just a little pork. Pork Egg Roll If there is a downside at all, it wasn’t “stuffed” as much as we would’ve liked. But overall it is truly tasty. The BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl is served up with house-pickled kimchi and garnished with scallions and sesame. BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl The bowl is generously packed with the beef and toppings! BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl So much so, in fact, that it could’ve used a little more rice for balance. BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl The kimchi is a standout in the already flavorful dish, bringing a nice little kick to it! BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl It is worth noting that this is a $20 dish, so it’s on the pricey side. But it’s certainly higher quality than “to go” fare you’ll find elsewhere. BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl And both dishes today serve as a great reminder that Morimoto Asia Street Food offers up a terrific way to get a really great taste of the signature Pan-Asian cuisine served at Morimoto Asia even while you’re outside and on-the-go strolling around Disney Springs! Remember, you can click here to learn more about the current process for dining at Morimoto Asia Street Food now that Disney Springs has begun its phased reopening. And to find out more about all of the new safety measures in place at Disney Springs, you can click here. Have you ever stopped at Morimoto Asia Street Food? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: The Ten BEST Places to Eat at Walt Disney World WITHOUT a Park Ticket! What’s New at Disney Springs: Dogs Wearing Face Masks, Four Pounds of Loaded Fries, and MORE! News: YeSake, Morimoto Asia Street Food, and D-Luxe Burger Open May 15th in Disney Springs View the full article

Cooking Up the Magic — Creating Our Over-the-Top Kitchen Sink Sundae at Home | #DisneyMagicMoments View the full article

This Memorial Day, we’re sharing a special #DisneyMagicMoments treat – the original recipe for our popular Kitchen Sink sundae and how to make it at home with a patriotic spin! The Kitchen Sink sundae from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts is a Disney classic. If you’ve never tackled it before, be warned, this over-the-top indulgence includes everything and the kitchen sink – enough for your entire family to share! Along with the original Kitchen Sink recipe (and yes, it requires an entire can of dairy whipped topping!), we created a “how-to” video for our patriotic Kitchen Sink to make at home. Simply substitute (or pile on!) your favorite red, white, and blue fruits and sweet toppings to this most-popular dessert. Then have everyone grab a spoon and enjoy! Kitchen Sink from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Beach Club Resort Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients: 1/2 cup warm fudge topping 1/2 cup warm butterscotch topping1/2 cup warm peanut butter topping1 medium banana, sliced in 1/2-inch slices1 cinnamon spice cupcake (2 ½ x 1 1/4-inch), quartered1 angel food cupcake (3 x 1 1/2-inch), quartered2 generous scoops vanilla ice cream2 generous scoops chocolate ice cream2 generous scoops strawberry ice cream1 generous scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream1 generous scoop coffee ice cream3 tablespoons chocolate syrup 1/4 cup marshmallow cream1/4 cup strawberry topping1/4 cup pineapple topping 14-ounce can dairy whipped topping 1 large brownie (6-inch x 6-inch), quartered 1 regular-sized candy bar, quartered4 chocolate cookies with cream filling1 tablespoon sliced toasted almonds 1 tablespoon dark and white chocolate shavings1 tablespoon crushed chocolate cookies with cream filling 1 tablespoon chopped jellied orange slices, about 2 large slices1 tablespoon milk chocolate chip morsels1 tablespoon peanut butter chip morsels1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles 1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries To Serve: Pour hot fudge, butterscotch, and peanut butter toppings into bottom of large bowl. Layer banana slices and cupcake pieces over toppings. Top with all ice creams. As quickly as possible, spoon chocolate syrup, marshmallow cream, strawberry, and pineapple toppings over ice cream.Cover completely with dairy whipped topping. Tuck brownie pieces, candy bar pieces, and cookies in whipped topping.Sprinkle with toasted almonds, dark and white chocolate shavings, crushed cookies, jellied orange slices, milk chocolate chip morsels, peanut butter morsels, chocolate sprinkles, and rainbow sprinkles. Top with cherries.Note: This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version. As a reminder while preparing this recipe, please supervise children who are helping or nearby. Click here for a print-at-home version of this recipe! Stay connected with Disney Parks Blog for more delicious Disney recipes and be sure to share the magic with other Disney fans using the hashtag #DisneyMagicMoments. Happy cooking! View the full article

Baby Yoda has been a rather hot commodity when it comes to merchandise (and we’re not complaining)! We’ve seen Baby Yoda necklaces, tees, plush, hats, and SO SO much more. ©CNET One of the hottest bits of Baby Yoda merchandise that hit the scene was the “The Child” plush by Build-A-Bear. He was released back in April and quickly sold out. He was then re-released at the beginning of May and saw LONG virtual wait times. Now, Build-A-Bear’s “The Child” plush is being released…AGAIN. “The Child” plush will be released once more TOMORROW. The pre-waiting room is set to open at 11:30 AM CST and sales will officially start at 12PM CST. This is the ONLY way to secure your Baby Yoda Build-A-Bear. ©Build-A-Bear And due to limited quantities, there will be a select number for sale and as we have seen in the past, they tend to go pretty fast. Previously, there was a purchase limit of 1, and this particular Build-A-Bear item can’t be purchased “unstuffed.” The product is available exclusively as a bundle with the sound chips (which you can read more about here) for $59.75. We will let you know if the purchase limit or price changes tomorrow. Read MORE about The Child plush here! Are you looking to purchase “The Child” Build-A-Bear? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Baby Yoda Plush IS HERE! ACT FAST! Check out the latest Baby Yoda Addition to Disney+! News! Now You Can Literally Wear Your Baby Yoda Love On Your Sleeve, With This NEW Mandalorian-Inspired Clothing Collection! View the full article

Select third-party restaurants and retail locations reopened in Disney Springs on May 20th. Since then more and more locations have reopened their doors with new health and safety restrictions. Lego Store Figures On May 27th, Disney-owned locations like World of Disney will reopen and a few other Disney Springs retail spots that have yet to open are following suit. After calling The LEGO Store in Disney Springs, we can now confirm that they plan to reopen on May 27th. The employee did mention that there will be capacity limits along with a few other restrictions when the store reopens on Wednesday. Disney Springs On one of our visits to Disney Springs, we did notice that The LEGO Store’s photo-op was still available. You can read more about that here! Lego Store Photo Op We will be sure to check out the situation on Wednesday and will let you know what processes are in place. Since this is such a hands-on location, we’re interested to see how the overall experience of The LEGO Store changes. Be sure to check back on the blog for even more info! Learn about Disney Springs’ new health and safety procedures here. Have you visited Disney Springs since it reopened? Let us know in the comments below. Related posts: News! Ron Jon Surf Shop Soft-Opened Today in Disney World and It’s Totally Righteous! NEWS: Anthropologie Will Be Reopening at Disney Springs in Disney World on May 20th We’re Breaking Down EVERYTHING That Happened at the Reopening of Disney Springs View the full article

For Memorial Day this year, the Voices of Liberty from The American Adventure pavilion in EPCOT have come together in a unique way to honor the holiday. The American Adventure Pavilion And they are sharing with all of us as they have come together — from their individual homes — to sing “America the Beautiful” as part of #DisneyMagicMoments. You can enjoy the performance below! Disney has shared this experience as part of #DisneyMagicMoments, a series delivering magic to you right at home including performances by the Dapper Dans of Disneyland and Walt Disney World, online animation classes by Disney artists, and more. Do you stop by The American Adventure to listen to the Voices of Liberty when you’re in Epcot? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: Pick Up Some NEW Regal Eagle Smokehouse Merchandise to Remember Your BBQ Feast in Epcot! Review: New Menu Items at Epcot’s Liberty Inn NEWS! Voices of Liberty Quick-Service Dining Package Announced for the Fourth of July! View the full article

We’ve been visiting Disney Springs every day since its reopening on May 20 to bring you the latest on Disney World’s shopping and dining district. Overall, we have noticed pretty low crowds on most days! Disney Springs We weren’t sure what we would see today on Memorial Day, but once again Disney Springs is super quiet! Just take a look at these photos! Typically, the Memorial Day holiday weekend is among the busier times of the year for Disney World. So this is a stark contrast to crowds we’re used to seeing! Disney Springs The weather seems to be playing a big role today, too. Rain is forecasted for much of the day. A seemingly empty Disney Springs This scene may be very different on Wednesday, May 27, when World of Disney is scheduled to reopen. We will be sure to report on those crowds so we can compare them. World of Disney There were even places in Disney Springs today where we didn’t see a single person! See what it’s like to shop at the retail stores that are currently open here! A quiet Disney Springs! Walking around outside, it almost looked like Disney Springs was still closed! Disney Springs Crowd levels overall seem to be remaining relatively low as Disney Springs continues to reopen its retail shops and restaurants. We’ll see if this pattern changes in the coming weeks, especially as we anticipate some news from Disney this week in regard to a proposed reopening of the parks. See more photos are read our experience from our first day back at Disney Springs here! Have you visited Disney Springs yet since it reopened? Do you plan on doing so in the coming weeks? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: NEWS: Anthropologie Will Be Reopening at Disney Springs in Disney World on May 20th News! Splitsville In Disney Springs Will NOT Re-Open On May 20th! First Look at Frontera Cocina’s Modified Menu For Disney Springs’ Reopening! View the full article

You know how we love our waffles with a little bit of character when we’re eating breakfast in a Disney park… Mickey Waffles at The Plaza Restaurant … and now YOU can whip up your own batch of Disney character-themed waffles at home, thanks to some brand new WAFFLE MAKERS (and more!) now available on shopDisney.com! R2-D2 Waffle Maker Beep! Beep! Who wouldn’t want R2-D2’s help in the kitchen while making breakfast? R2-D2 Waffle Maker ©shopDisney The R2-D2 Waffle Maker is $29.99, and helps you make your very own droid-shaped waffle! R2-D2 Waffle Maker ©shopDisney You can find full details for the R2-D2 Waffle Maker on shopDisney! The Avengers Waffle Maker Heroes assemble for the most important meal of the day with The Avengers Waffle Maker! The Avengers Waffle Maker ©shopDisney The maker (which is $39.99) serves up batches of four square waffles with imprints of Hulk’s fist, Iron Man’s helmet, Captain America’s shield, and Thor’s hammer. The Avengers Waffle Maker ©shopDisney You can find more information at shopDisney. Minnie Mouse Waffle Maker Well… you may already have a deep love for Mickey Waffles during your Disney vacation, but how about making up some MINNIE Waffles at home?! Minnie Mouse Waffle Maker ©shopDisney Complete with an illuminated Minnie power light, the Minnie Mouse Waffle Maker ($29.99) makes up one 7” Minnie waffle at a time. Minnie Mouse Waffle Maker ©shopDisney Click here to find more of the scoop on shopDisney. Frozen 2 Waffle Maker Now, if Elsa is the one helping you out with the waffle-making, you may find that you can enjoy snowflake-shaped waffles any time of year! Frozen 2 Waffle Maker ©shopDisney The Frozen 2 Waffle Maker is $19.99, and serves up one snowflake waffle at a time. Frozen 2 Waffle Maker ©shopDisney “Believe in the Journey” is the message you’ll find on the top to start your day! You can find more information on shopDisney. Star Wars Coffee Maker with Travel Mug And what goes better with your morning waffles than coffee? Star Wars Coffee Maker ©shopDisney Brew up your morning cup with the Star Wars Dual Brew Coffee Maker ($64.99). Star Wars Coffee Maker ©shopDisney It comes complete with a Darth Vader Travel Mug… which is especially handy if you prefer your coffee on the Dark Side. (You saw that coming, didn’t you? ) Find more details on shopDisney! We hope you have fun adding some Disney magic to your morning! What’s your favorite breakfast find today? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: FINALLY! The Best Phone Case EVER (imho) Is On Its Way To Disney Parks! FIRST LOOK at Disney’s NEW “it’s a small world” Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Collection! A Brand-New Disney Castle Collection is Coming to shopDisney SOON! View the full article

Disney and Dooney & Bourke team up often to create new collections! And typically, we find ourselves attempting to keep our paychecks in the bank (but we usually give in to the Dooney temptation)! © Disney Recently, we’ve seen a new set of Disney Dog handbags and a new Bambi and Friends collection. Now, Disney and Dooney & Bourke are releasing ANOTHER collection! The NEW United Kingdom Dooney & Bourke collection has us wishing we could hop on a plane to the UK Pavilion in Epcot or to the streets of London. Mickey and Minnie are checking out some iconic United Kingdom sites on these new bags!! They also feature some fun sayings and a few hidden Mickey’s, which we think is pretty cute! ©Disney We can’t wait to see the entire collection when it’s released on shopDisney on June 5th. Be sure to check back as we will have more pics and all the pricing details when these cuties pop up online! If you’re looking for even MORE Dooney & Bourke collections you should see these NEW snack-covered Dooneys! Which recent Dooney & Bourke collection is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: A NEW ‘Fantasia’ 80th Anniversary Dooney and Bourke Collection Is Now Available Online! Turkey Legs and Mickey Pretzels?! Disney Snack Lovers NEED to See These Dooney & Bourke Bags! What’s New in Magic Kingdom — Maleficent Treats, Carousel of Progress Merch, and MR. TOAD! View the full article

Celebrate Memorial Day with the Voices of Liberty from EPCOT | #DisneyMagicMoments View the full article

Normally on Memorial Day, the Voices of Liberty would be performing patriotic songs for guests at The American Adventure in EPCOT. But as we know all too well, this Memorial Day is far from “normal.” Undeterred, the Voices of Liberty use their #VoicesFromHome today to share their American spirit and Disney magic with you, wherever you may be celebrating this Memorial Day. Please enjoy this new video as they perform a gorgeous rendition of “America the Beautiful.” View the full article

While some folks have gone full speed ahead in developing their culinary skills over the last few months, the rest of us have embraced the cereal diet. ©General Mills With the new ‘Baby Yoda’ cereal coming to grocery stores, we decided to take a trip down memory lane and look back on six Disney cereals that we wish were still around! ‘The Child’ is hardly the first Disney character to grace the cover of a cereal box! Mickey’s Magix We’re starting off with a cereal you’ll possibly recognize. Who can forget Mickey’s Magix? It turned your cereal milk blue! We were all sipping on ‘blue milk’ before we ever stepped up to any Milk Stand in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge! © Kellogg’s You can check out the commercial for Mickey’s Magix Cereal here! Chocolate Mud & Bugs If you ever wondered what it was actually like to eat bugs like Timon & Pumbaa, you probably grabbed a box of Chocolate Mud & Bugs from the grocery store back in the day! This chocolatey cereal came with marshmallows in the shape of — you guessed it — bugs. © Kellogg’s While you didn’t ACTUALLY eat any bugs, this chocolatey way to start your morning was a fun way to imagine your breakfast was “slimy, yet satisfying!” Watch the commercial here: Buzz Blasts This colorful cereal was a staple of every Toy Story fan’s breakfast! Buzz Blasts was introduced in 2002, a few years after the release of Toy Story 2. © Kellogg’s We dug up the commercial for this cereal, too! Check it out here:  Hunny B’s The next cereal we wish Disney would bring back takes us to the Hundred Acre Wood. Hunny B’s was released around the same time as Mickey’s Magix and Buzz Blasts. The honey-graham cereal had cute little pieces in the shape of Winnie the Pooh, honey jars, and bumblebees! © Kellogg’s Watch the commercial for Hunny B’s here: Lilo & Stitch Lilo & Stitch has a HUGE following. So it should come as no surprise that they had their very own cereal! Lilo & Stich was a chocolate cereal with marshmallows in the shape of Lilo, Stitch, Jumba, and Pleakley. © Kellogg’s Princess Cereal Last but not least, we’re sure princess fans were well stocked on Princess Cereal. Not the most imaginative of names, but this limited-edition cereal was a colorful, strawberry-flavored breakfast that was revived in 2017. Marshmallows came in the shape of wands, roses, and crowns! © Kellogg’s If we had these cereals in our pantry, we wouldn’t mind having cereal for every meal! And, for all your snacking needs, you could even make some trail mix or Puppy Chow with these cereals for an extra treat while you’re watching Disney+! Find out more about the upcoming ‘Baby Yoda’ cereal here! Did you use to purchase any of these Disney cereals? Which one would you buy again in a heartbeat? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Everything You NEED to Know to Get Your RED Nutcracker Tiki Mug in Disney World! Score! We’ve Got Details on Exclusive Merch, Treats, and More for Disneyland’s Anaheim Ducks Day Have You Seen These Hidden Mandalorian Easter Eggs in Disney World Yet? View the full article

As much as we love of girl Minnie’s red carpet attire at Hollywood Studios, there’s just something about her classic red and white polka dot dress we simply ADORE! Minnie Mouse at Hollywood Studios That’s why we were almost bowled over when we saw this adorable new Minnie Mouse Loungefly Backpack on shopDisney this morning! Yep, we’re OFFICIALLY obsessed with this new Minnie Mouse Loungefly Backpack! The adorable bag comes in a lipstick red color and it is even topped with a red and white polka dot sequinned BOW! ©shopDisney Click here to buy the new Minnie Mouse Loungfly Backpack! We think this piece is almost as TIMELESS and classic as Minnie Mouse herself! We bet we’re going to get some serious mileage out of it at the Disney parks. The only hard part will be deciding which Minnie Ears to pair it with! ©shopDisney The lining inside the bag is totally adorable, too! Check out all these gorgeous polka dots! ©shopDisney We can’t wait to get our hands on this new Minnie Mouse Loungefly Backpack, and now that you know it exists, we bet you can’t either! Find it on shopDisney today for $80. Be sure to check out even more amazing Minnie Mouse Loungefly items here! Do you own any Disney Loungefly backpacks? Tell us which ones in the comments below! Related posts: Minnie Mouse Fans NEED to See These New “Positively Minnie” Accessories! Next Stop: WONDERLAND! Disney’s New Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Series Launches Online THIS WEEKEND! Sparkle and Shine with NEW Loungefly Minnie Mouse Sequined Pastel Rainbow Backpack and Wristlet Available Online Now! View the full article

If you’ve been to a Disney park in the last few years, you know that the technology is getting pretty crazy! Rise of the Resistance From the super-realistic experience on Flight of Passage to the TOTAL immersion of Rise of the Resistance, Disney really likes to push the envelope of theme park technology. And this is nothing new! Disney has been developing tech that would pave the way for theme parks since the early years of Disneyland. We’re taking a look at five of Disney’s BIGGEST technological achievements that laid the foundation for the rides of today! 1. Matterhorn Bobsleds Yes! Even a ride from way back in 1959 could be revolutionary for the technology of the time. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Matterhorn Bobsleds in Disneyland is considered to be the first-known tubular steel continuous track roller coaster! Matterhorn Bobsleds Tubular Steel was a new innovation for roller coasters. Traditionally, coasters used wooden rails with steel mounted on top. Tubular steel can be bent in any direction allowing designers to create loops, corkscrews, and more! Nowadays, most roller coasters are made of this type of steel, even if wood is still utilized. And it all started with the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Pretty neat, huh? Click here to see how Disney celebrated the 60th anniversary of Matterhorn Bobsleds! 2. The Enchanted Tiki Room Next up, we’ve got another totally iconic Disneyland attraction (that’s made its way to Disney World, too!). The Enchanted Tiki Room opened in Disneyland in 1963 as the first ride to incorporate audio-animatronics. Yeah, that’s a pretty big deal. Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland Per The Imagineering Story, these little robot birds were totally revolutionary and paved the way for attractions like Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and everything to come — all the way up to the hyper-realistic animatronics of Rise of the Resistance. The Enchanted Tiki Room was also the very first fully air-conditioned building in Disneyland, but not for the reason you’d think! The building had to be cooled because computers played a central role in the attractions and the giant 1960s computers produced a lot of heat and had to be cooled to work properly! Souvenir Tiki Bowl at The Tiki Room! The attraction also helped to establish the precedent of Imagineering ingenuity. The birds’ chests are covered in custom-woven cashmere that helps them to “breathe.” Imagineer at the time, Harriet Burns, noticed the way that Walt’s cashmere sweater moved in a similar way to how they wanted the breathing to look. Thus, cashmere was chosen! Want to bring your Dole Whip into the Enchanted Tiki Room? You can! Click here to learn more! 3. “it’s a small world!” “it’s a small world!” opened in Disneyland a few years later in 1966 after a successful run at the 1964 World’s Fair. Disney Imagineer Mary Blair created the whimsical, stylistic approach for the attraction. You might be wondering how a simple boat ride could be so revolutionary, but “it’s a small world” isn’t so simple, especially for the time. The attraction was the first to feature propulsion on a boat ride! it’s a small world in Disneyland Carnivals had been featuring boat ride attractions for years prior, but none of them could stop and start during the attraction. “it’s a small world!” changed that. The more controlled experience that this produced would be the foundation for years to come. And we still see this tech in use today! Pirates of the Caribbean, Frozen Ever After, and even Na’vi River Journey all are the rides they are today due to the success and innovation of “it’s a small world.” Looking for some NEAT “it’s a small world!” merch? Click here! 4. Adventure Thru Inner Space Now for the only attraction on our list that doesn’t exist anymore! Adventure Thru Inner Space was a popular attraction that debuted in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland in 1967. What was so special about this ride you ask? It introduced the Disney Omnimover! ©D23 If you’ve been on a number of Disney rides, you’re already very familiar with the Omnimover. It’s used in attractions like Spaceship Earth, Haunted Mansion, Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Omnimovers in Action on Spaceship Earth According to The Disneyland Encylopedia by Chris Strodder, an Omnimover had been created before this point, but Disney’s version (developed by Roger E. Broggie and Bert Brundage) allowed the ride vehicles to rotate. This meant that the ride experience could have a more cinematic feel as the vehicle controlled the line of sight. Click here to check out some recent additions to Tomorrowland in Disneyland! 5. Pooh’s Hunny Hunt Jump forward in time! The next BIG tech revolution from Disney came in the form of Pooh’s Hunny Hunt in 2000. This ride was introduced in Tokyo Disneyland as the first example of trackless dark ride technology. YES. The tech we’re JUST NOW getting in Disney World on Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway has been around for twenty years! It didn’t arrive in the domestic parks at all until the debut of Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters in Disney California Adventure’s Cars Land in 2016. Winnie the Pooh Previously, trackless rides used a dedicated wire embedded in the floor, but Pooh’s Hunny Hunt is controlled by an array of sensors (you can see the patent for the tech here!). That’s how the different pots can interact and maneuver around one another in a little dance! Since there aren’t any limits on the ride vehicles, each ride on the attraction is different! Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure ©Disney Without the tech developed for Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, we wouldn’t have the tech for Rise of the Resistance, Runaway Railway, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters, or the upcoming Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Pretty crazy to think about! To learn more about Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, click here! There you have it! These Disney attractions SERIOUSLY changed the world of theme park technology. And this just scratches the surface of the ways Disney has revolutionized the world of theme park attractions. Disney, and other theme parks around the world, wouldn’t be the way it is today without these OG innovations. Love Disney tech? Click here to learn about some of the newest! Which of these tech feats do YOU think is the most impressive? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: Should You Reschedule Your Disney World Trip in 2020 or 2021?? The Secrets Behind Disney’s NEWEST Technology (And Where You’ll Be Seeing It In The Parks)! NEWS! New Disney Parks Spectaculars, Attractions and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Updates and MUCH MORE from D23 Destination D! View the full article

From Lunch Box Tarts to a Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich, there is more than one way to whip up a recipe from Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to enjoy at home. And today, we’ve got one more for you, with the famous TOTCHOS from Woody’s Lunch Box! Woody’s Lunch Box A batch of potato barrels (tater tots) are loaded up with chili, cheese, corn chips and more tasty garnishes to create this dish straight from Andy’s backyard! Round up your fellow toys (family members!) for this tasty Toy Story Land treat! Totchos Ingredients (for 6 servings) Chili with Beans 1 pound lean ground beef 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon coarse salt Black pepper, to taste Ground cayenne, to taste Queso Sauce 2 cups jar cheese sauce 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with chilies Totchos 1 (2 pound) bag frozen potato barrels 1 1/2 cups corn chips Chili with Beans Queso Sauce 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 6 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions Instructions Chili with Beans Brown ground beef in a 5-6 quart Dutch oven over medium heat until fully cooked. Drain off excess grease. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, chili powder, and cumin. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt. Add black pepper and cayenne, as needed. Keep warm until ready to serve. Queso Sauce Place cheese sauce and diced tomatoes with chilies in small saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, until warm. Keep warm until ready to serve. Totchos Cook potato barrels according to package instructions. Divide potato barrels into 6 bowls. Place 1/4 cup each of corn chips, chili with beans, and queso sauce on top of each bowl of potato barrels. Top each bowl with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese, 1 tablespoon sour cream, and 1 teaspoon green onions. You can also click here for a printable recipe, or check out the kitchen magic in action in this video from Disney below! And to make even MORE recipes from Toy Story Land, you can check out Lunch Box Tarts here, and the Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich here! Will you be making up some Totchos in your kitchen? Please let us know with a comment! Related posts: Five Things You HAVE to Eat in Disney World’s Toy Story Land! Disney’s Latest Food Trend: Love It or Leave It? Two Great Ways to Skip the Lines at Walt Disney World’s Toy Story Land View the full article

We all have a little bit of a competitive streak (Disney board games are the bomb.)! Cinderella Castle and Main Street, U.S.A. in Disney World That’s why conquering Disney World challenges is so satisfying. These are some of the BIGGEST challenges out there that we dare you to complete during your next Disney vacation! If you can complete them all, you can officially be deemed a seasoned Disney World pro! Mickey Bar Let’s take a look at what you’re in for! All 4 Parks in One Day Visiting all four theme parks in a day? Seems like a piece of cake, right?? Well… we’re making this a CHALLENGE for a reason! Once you go to a park, you have to do four things: ride an attraction, watch a show or film, take a photo with a character, and get something to eat or drink before moving on to the next park. Does Everyone Want To Ride Splash Mountain?? You could even make it MORE of a challenge by having to use a different form of transportation every time you go to a new park (and you can’t reuse the ones from before)! HINT: Start in Magic Kingdom and take the monorail to Epcot, before moving on from there. Can you survive 20 hours in a Disney World park? Read all about how to have a SUPER LONG day! Every “Mountain” in Disney World Ain’t no mountain high enough, friends! So, that means it’s time to conquer ALL the attractions with mountains in Disney World. This challenge is especially fun since you’ll even get to visit both waterparks for a day of splashing around and soaking in some good ol’ Vitamin D! While you’re in Magic Kingdom, you’re going to want to hop onto Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Big Thunder Mountain After you’ve made your way to Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll want to hop on over to the waterparks. First on the agenda, you’ll want to take a wicked ride on Mount Gushmore at Blizzard Beach and then visit Mount Mayday at Typhoon Lagoon. Typhoon Lagoon Seven mountain rides in one day is daunting but totally doable (if you’re up for the challenge!). Click here to see which Disney World Water Park You should visit! The BIGGEST Snacks on Property You guys know that some of the portions are HUGE in Disney World (best bang for your buck, though!). And, while we’re big fans of snack crawls, we think the biggest food challenge is trying to finish all of these MASSIVE sized snacks at the parks and resorts! Samantha Sterling Punch Bowl We’re talkin’ about The Edison Punch Bowl, Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream, Buttermilk Pancake Tower at STK Orlando, Gibson S’mores Baked Alaska at The Boathouse, and ALL the specialty Dole Whips on property (ok, these aren’t massive sized but there are massive amounts OF them!). Yeah, we’re totally drooling just thinking about them… . Are your eyes bigger than your stomach? Find out if you can be victorious and finish these 5 huge snacks! Visit EVERY Country in the World Showcase The World Showcase in Epcot is one of our FAVORITE places to stroll around when we’re in the parks. Each country has something special to offer, even if it’s just admiring the buildings (that architecture is so detailed!!). The next time you’re in Epcot, spend some time at each of the 11 World Showcase Pavilions to say you’ve conquered them all. Mexico Pavilion But, like all good challenges, there’s a rule! You have to either visit an attraction or show, take a photo with a character, or grab a snack or a drink once you visit a pavilion. You never know — you might find some hidden spot or details along the way (have you been lucky enough to spot the Viking sword in Norway??). Speaking of World Showcase, click here to see how Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival could be different this year Eating ALL the Mickey Treats There are SO many different Mickey treats on property (it IS Disney World after all. )! And, if you’re up to one of the ULTIMATE challenges, you can bring your friends and family members along with you to try them. Oh, did we mention there’s 19 of them?! PHEW. Keep in mind Disney is ALWAYS coming up with new Mickey-fied treats, so the list could keep growing! Mickey Candy Apple On top of the classics — Mickey Premium Bars, Mickey Candy Apples, Mickey Rice Krispies, and Mickey Waffles — you can also get unique treats like the Mickey House-made Pecan Praline and Mickey Chili Pepper Chocolates. Pecan Praline Since there are so many, you could spread the Mickey snacks over the course of your trip (instead of having to get them all at once). Plus, there are enough goodies to go around so you can share them and save some for later. Take a look at ALL 19 Mickey snacks you can get in the parks and where you can find them here! Think you can tackle any of those challenges? Believe it or not, we’ve done them ALL, so we believe in you! The best part about these challenges is that you can not only challenge yourself, but make a little competition with your friends! Drinks at La Cava del Tequila on whoever loses?? For even MORE ideas, check out our DFB Video on ride challenges below! And, if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel! Have you done any of these Disney World challenges? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: When Disney World Reopens THESE Are at the Top of Our Must-Do List These 15 HUGE Disney World Snacks Are Totally Worth Wearing Your Stretchy Pants! Umm, Can We Talk For a Sec About These BIZARRE Snacks From Disney World?! View the full article

Hey, friends! We’re back with another DFB Video, and today we’re chatting about 8 bizarre questions you’ll ask in Disney World. Monorail Ever wonder why all those guidebooks tell you not to go to the right in Disney World? Or why you have to park SO far away from Magic Kingdom? We’re explaining some of the weird things in Disney that are gonna affect your planning, along with a few other bizarre things that could only happen at Disney World! 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: What questions you find yourself asking about Disney World. Related posts: DFB Video: 7 Disney World Restaurants We Never Talk About…And Why! NEW DFB Video: Disney World Gingerbread House Tour 2019! DFB Video: 6 Things You Don’t Have to Pack For Disney World ( and 2 You Do) View the full article

As Disney parks around the world remain closed (except Shanghai Disneyland), international governments are considering the effect of health measures on their economies. Tokyo Disneyland Concept Art ©Disney Until today, Tokyo Disneyland has been under a state of emergency with the rest of the city. Now, the Japanese government has lifted the global health crisis state of emergency in the remaining four areas that it applied to — Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama, and Hokkaido. According to ABC News, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has completed the lifting of a state of emergency throughout the entire country. The last four areas to be lifted were those with more cases that had remained under emergency declaration after it was removed in the rest of Japan a few weeks ago. Tokyo Disney Resort ©Disney It is yet to be seen how this ease in restrictions will affect Tokyo Disney Resort. Still Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura explained that Tokyo still has a fluctuating number of cases and will need to be watched closely. ©Tokyo DisneySea Pixar Playtime Pals Currently, the Tokyo Disneyland website reads, “The reopening of the Parks was to be decided in mid-May; however, based on the extension of the state of emergency declaration, hereafter, the decision on the reopening date will be made and announced once the requests from Government and local municipalities have been lifted.” So now that the state of emergency has been lifted, we could have some sort of update soon. We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any more news concerning the international Disney parks. Click here to learn more about how a potential recession could effect Disney. Related posts: It’s Costing Disney HOW MUCH To Close The Theme Parks?! Disney Parks Around the World Say Thanks to Healthcare Workers NEWS! Tokyo Disneyland Has Extended Its Closure AGAIN! View the full article