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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

Hellooooo summer! As we mark a time of remembrance this Memorial Day weekend, we also look forward to some much-needed celebrations with family as the unofficial start to summer has arrived. Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World during the summer season? Or do you have your eyes set on a fall Food and Wine Festival Trip or a Holiday Extravaganza? Whenever you visit, we know one thing for sure: you need to make some plans. Even though your trip isn’t right around the corner, it’ll be here SOON, and now is a really great time to start planning. Can you believe it? Seriously, it’s time to get going on those Advance Dining Reservations! And we’re going to make sure you choose the best restaurants Disney has to offer — and save some money while you’re at it — with our HUGE Memorial Day Sale at the DFB Store! But HURRY! This sale is for a limited time only! Get 40% Off EVERYTHING at the DFB Store with our Memorial Day Sale and promo code 40SALE! ​Our complete line of DFB Guide e-Books is on sale this week — you can save 40% off EVERY ITEM at the DFB Store, making planning for your next Disney vacation that much easier! If you’ve been thinking about getting one (or more) of our guides, now’s the time to do it! Get all the DFB Guides! Just use promo code 40SALE at checkout, and save 40% off of every product in the store. From our 2020 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining to our DFB Guide to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival and the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays — not to mention our detailed snack-focused guides — these books are MUST reads. Want Even Bigger Savings? Here’s How… SAVE EVEN MORE with one of our best-selling Bundles. We’ve bundled our books together into the ideal package to save you the most money possible. 2020 DFB Guide + Snacks Bundle Since our bundles are already highly discounted, the extra 40% off makes them a steal. We have a bundle for every need. Looking for our DFB Guide, plus a more in depth look into the snacks in each park? Then our best-selling DFB Guide PLUS Snacks Bundle is for you. Food and Wine Festival lovers will love using our DFB Food and Wine Bundle to make the most of their trip. And if you want ALL of it — we have you covered there, too! Check out our DFB Everything Bundle! Want to Know More About the DFB Guides? Don’t forget to head over to DFBStore.com to check out details, sample pages, and more. These e-books are a must-have for your next Disney World trip! Oh, and don’t forget to check out the testimonials from our customers — take it from them! Start planning NOW! Enter promo code 40SALE at checkout to receive 40% off of your entire DFBStore.com order. The best part? Shop in confidence, knowing that all of our DFB Guides are 100% guaranteed. Don’t like it? You get your money back! No questions asked. As always, we thank you for your support of the Disney Food Blog! Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day! Related posts: It’s HERE! Grand Launch of the DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2020 Edition We Have Something Really GOOD To Celebrate TODAY! SAVE BIG at our Labor Day Sale! Start Planning Your Next Disney World Vacation Today! View the full article

Everyone seems to have an opinion when it comes to planning that PERFECT Disney vacation. And while we know that our friends and relatives have best of intentions, they could actually be passing along tips that are not only unhelpful, but simply WRONG. Mickey Mouse Today, we’re sharing eight tips that we hare ALL. THE. TIME. that are flat out wrong! There is certainly a reason why some of this advice is given, but we’re going to break each one down and explain why you should throw these tips out the window — or at least think long and hard before following them — when you’re planning your next Disney World vacation! “You HAVE to do X, Y, or Z.” You may hear your enthusiastic neighbor or aunt tell you ALL about the absolute best ride, resort, or restaurant that you MUST do in order to have a perfect vacation. Simply put, no one HAS to do the same exact things on their trip as someone else! Vacations should be a personalized adventure that works for THAT vacationer and their party. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Can’t afford to stay at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for an entire week, but Aunt Suzie is insisting it’s the ONLY hotel worth staying at? Don’t try to stretch your personal budget to make it work, and don’t beat yourself up over it if the numbers just don’t add up. You can have a WONDERFUL vacation at any resort, plus you can still visit the Polynesian (or any resort for that matter) for a meal or just to walk around and explore! Mickey at ‘Ohana’s character breakfast! The same philosophy applies to rides. Do you absolutely despise roller coasters? Then don’t force yourself to ride them! One bad ride experience can really bring down your whole day. Same thing goes with kiddos — if they’re too scared to ride, don’t force them to ride! Finding what works for YOUR family — not your neighbor, cousin, or mailman’s family — is going to be the best bet. Tower of Terror might be TOO scary for some in your party! FYI — that’s why we’re here. We’ve done it ALL…and our team has over 20 people on it who have been to Disney World in hundreds of circumstances. Keep an eye on the DFB YouTube channel and here on the blog. We won’t tell you what you HAVE to do. We’ll share our experiences with you so that you can figure out what you WANT to do with your family. Click here for tips on choosing the right Disney World hotel! “Kids don’t like Epcot — just skip that park.” Epcot is often INCORRECTLY touted as the “adult park” with nothing to offer little kids. Epcot is really no different than any of the other parks in that there is something to do for EVERYONE. In fact, some kids enjoy Epcot more than any other park! (80’s Epcot Kids Stand UP!) Even during popular “grown-up” events like the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, there is plenty to keep young ones entertained. Walt Disney World’s Epcot Many of the popular attractions in Epcot DO have a height requirement, like Soarin’ Over the World or Test Track, but we find most kids love these attractions when they’re tall enough to ride (which may be younger than you think!). Test Track Elsewhere in the park, kids can meet Nemo, Crush, and the gang over at the Seas with Nemo and Friends, go on a fun boat ride through the Land Pavilion on Living with the Land, and more. And we can’t forget Frozen Ever After is located in the Norway Pavilion in World Showcase and is still INCREDIBLY popular with kids — plus it has no height requirement! Frozen Ever After Ride Epcot is about to become even MORE popular with the kids when the all-new ride, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, opens this summer in the France Pavilion. New Remy Topiary Epcot is also a great park to do some character meet and greets. In World Showcase, you can meet LOADS of characters in their native countries, including Mulan, Belle, and Snow White. Snow White in the Germany Pavilion If character dining is more your jam, Epcot has two excellent options: Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in the Norway Pavilion for those looking to meet the princesses, and Garden Grill in The Land Pavilion, where you’ll meet Mickey, Pluto, Chip, and Dale! Click here to see our review of Garden Grill! “You can’t do a spontaneous trip anymore.” We think half of the fun of any Disney World vacation is the planning! People love to start planning their Disney trips as early as possible, sometimes before their current trip is even over! This can lead many to believe that a spontaneous, last-minute trip is impossible to achieve. Cinderella Castle Between making advance dining reservations, FastPass+ reservations, and making sure you get the best resort hotel room possible, there’s certainly a lot to think about before you ever make it to the Most Magical Place on Earth! Slinky Dog in Toy Story Land But the idea that you can’t do a GREAT spontaneous trip is just not true! You can get really good last-minute dining and same-day FastPass+ reservations if you’re willing to hunt for them! We don’t recommend you solely rely on booking everything day-of as this doesn’t necessarily work out every time, but you don’t have to have everything planned 180 days out if you don’t want to! Haunted Mansion If you missed that hard-to-get dining reservation, keep checking! Often, a dining reservation will pop up last minute as folks are always changing and adjusting their plans. That means if you’re refreshing the My Disney Experience app throughout the day, you could possibly snag a great table! There are also some great restaurants where you can usually get a table without a reservation. Via Napoli Same applies to FastPasses. Keep checking the My Disney Experience app for last-minute awesome FastPasses — you never know what you’ll find! Even if you can’t manage to snag those popular FastPass+ reservations, it doesn’t mean you can’t ride! Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom You can always strategize to get a shorter standby experience, whether that’s by riding first thing in the morning or last thing at night, waiting in a Single Rider queue if that’s available, or even looking into the possibility of a ticketed after-hour event where the crowds are typically lower. Read our top recommendations for last-minute dining reservations here! “Don’t go during the busy season or the holidays!” One of the most popular WRONG pieces of advice we hear is to never go during the holiday season, or to never go when the parks are “crowded.” For starters, some people simply CAN’T go any other time of the year due to school or work schedules, hence the crowds! If that’s the only time your family can find to visit, you can still have a great time! Magic Kingdom at Christmas! The important thing here is to manage your expectations and plan ahead. Setting your priorities for what is MOST important to get done will make all the difference on your trip. We aren’t saying it won’t be crowded — it WILL likely be crowded, and depending on when you visit, you may not be able to do EVERYTHING on your wish list… Holiday Crowds at Magic Kingdom …but there ARE some unique pros of going specifically during the holiday season. If you go in November and December, the weather will be much less rainy and hot than in the summer months, and the decorations are beautiful! There are a lot of limited-time events and happenings throughout Walt Disney World at this time of year, like the Gingerbread displays at many resorts, that are truly special to witness. Disney’s Grand Floridian Christmas Tree Another perk of visiting in the “busy season” — there’s MORE time to do it all. The parks can often stay open till 11PM or later (Magic Kingdom often stays open till 1AM or later many nights during the summer!) so you’ll have more time to check off your to-do list! Even with heavier crowds, if you don’t mind a late evening you can cover a ton of ground. You Can Stay in Magic Kingdom LATE During the Busy Summers! Perhaps most importantly, don’t assume that if you DON’T go during those “busy seasons” that you’ll avoid crowds altogether. There can be crowds almost year-round these days, so don’t stress on finding that ‘magic’ low-crowd week. Pick what time works for your family and plan accordingly. Check out our guide for surviving the BUSIEST days of the year at Disney World! “You HAVE to get the Disney Dining Plan; it’s a great value!” Harkening back to our first incorrect yet often heard tip, lots of folks insist everyone should get the Disney Dining Plan. While the Dining Plan is right for some people, it can be very wrong for others. When you crunch the numbers you might find that it is actually harder than you think to save money on the Dining Plan unless you’re maxing it out everywhere you go. Ribeye Steak from California Grill Back in the day, it may have been easier to score a great deal with the Dining Plan, but now you can only really save money if you dine at the most expensive restaurants, AND order the most expensive meals on the menu, AND take advantage of the one alcoholic beverage that comes with your meal, AND get the most expensive snacks you can. Cocktails at Topolino’s Terrace This can be extra problematic if you have a kiddo that’s old enough to be considered an “adult” by Disney’s pricing standards but isn’t quite big enough to scoff down an adult-sized meal. It also is hard to get the best value if you have a picky eater in your party or a vegan or vegetarian diner — simple entrees like chicken nuggets or meat-free options are typically some of the cheaper items in restaurants. Dr Falls Signature Grilled Steak from Skipper Canteen One big benefit of the Disney Dining Plan is the added convenience of essentially “pre-paying” for all of your meals. However, keep in mind that you will still need to take care of tips out-of-pocket, as this does NOT come included on the Dining Plan. Now, we’ve got you covered here, too! Our DFB Guide has TONS of additional information on the Disney Dining Plan, including the pros and cons in determining whether or not it’s right for your family! We break down the numbers FOR you, so you can figure out easily whether the dining plan is the right choice for you. Have more questions about the Disney Dining Plan? Check out our FAQ page here! “Stuff your kid’s shoes to make them taller so they can get on a ride.” You may be surprised at how often we hear this next tip in passing (even celebrities are guilty of doing it!). The height requirements for each attraction are there for your child’s safety. Stuffing their shoes to give them that extra inch so they can ride could put them in harm’s way, as the seating restraints are not designed for people under that height. Rise of the Resistance Height Requirement We shouldn’t have to explain this much further — please keep your child safe! Cast Members will measure how tall your kiddo is, but if they aren’t tall enough, the Cast Member will put safety first and won’t allow them to ride. Star Tours Keep in mind that if you run into this issue, you can take advantage of Disney’s Rider Switch program so everyone else in your party can still experience the attraction while one adult waits outside with the child(then they get a chance to ride without waiting in the full line!). FYI, let us suggest from experience a very GOOD piece of advice — check out the ride height requirements BEFORE you go to Disney World. That way, nobody ends up waiting hours for a ride just to find out they’re too small to experience it. Many tears could ensue… . Click here for tips for visiting Disney World with young kids! “[Fill in the blank] restaurant is a must-do or a must-skip.” Those well-meaning friends and relatives really want to make sure you have the best Disney World vacation possible (or is it THEIR best Disney vacation possible? ). Unfortunately, that could result in some unhelpful advice like this gem we hear alllll the time! Tomahawk Veal Chop If your Uncle Mike HATES Mexican food, chances are he’s gonna tell you to avoid La Cantina de San Angel in Epcot at all costs. But what if you LOVE Mexican food (like SO MANY of our readers who almost crowned this spot their favorite fast food spot in Disney World!)? Who do you trust? La Cantina de San Angel Ultimately, no one can determine what restaurant is a must-do for your family EXCEPT FOR YOU! Experience the restaurant for yourself and give a try before you pass judgment! There’s so much more that goes into picking the perfect restaurant besides just the menu! Le Cellier Steakhouse Everyone’s tastes and preferences are different (that’s why Disney has such a wide variety of options to choose from!). Here at DFB, it is our goal to share what the restaurant is like instead of whether it’s “good” or “bad.” So, read our reviews to get a good understanding of what’s available at each restaurant and what the atmosphere is like. Then decide for YOURSELF if your family might like to try it. Looking to get started on reading some of our reviews? Check out our Restaurants Guide here! “Wait until your kids are X years old or they won’t enjoy it.” Some folks may recommend you wait until your kids reach a certain age or a certain height to even bother considering a trip to Disney World. But we all know that every family is different and every kid ‘ages’ differently! There are pros and cons for just about every age, so consider when YOU want your kids to visit, and don’t worry about what others say! Only you can know what’s best for your family. Even Babies Are Enchanted by Snow White! Even if they won’t remember it as clearly as you will, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go! If you want to (and are able to) go — GO! You can make some incredible memories with your littlest ones if you take them early (plus, under three, they get in for FREE!). Are your kids old enough to enjoy Disney World? Find out here! At the end of the day, you might have to crunch numbers, talk to your family, or do some research when you get advice on how to best plan your Disney World vacation! We have tons of additional articles and videos all about making sure your next Disney trip is the best for YOU! To learn more about how to work around bad advice (and what to do instead!), check out our video below! What is the most overheard bit of Disney World advice that you don’t follow because you know it’s not true for your family? Share with us in the comments! Related posts: The BIGGEST Time Wasters in Disney World — And How To Avoid Them! TOP 9 Disney Dining Plan Quick Service VALUES for 2019! DFB Video: 5 Things You Need to Know About Disney’s Riviera Resort View the full article

We’ve been super focused on all the ways that the global health crisis is affecting The Walt Disney Company. It’s hard not to be! Walt Disney World But Disney really is only a piece of a much bigger problem. We’ve talked a little bit about the way that air travel has been affected, but the global tourism industry as a whole is taking a massive hit. We’re taking a look at all the ways international travel is being affected as well as what the industry is doing to fix things. Let’s dive in! Revenue is crashing down. Possibly the most obvious consequence of a shutdown to global travel is that revenue has dropped dramatically. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the global health crisis will result in a projected loss of $2.1 trillion in revenue for major global travel companies. The U.S. industry alone is facing a projected loss of 4.6 million jobs through May. When’s Epcot Reopening? These numbers aren’t too surprising when you consider that Disney could see losses of up to $21 billion through the end of 2022. Such a drastic interruption to regular business processes is leaving its mark on not just the Disney Parks, but the tourism industry as a whole. Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland The director of the Commerce Department’s National Tourism Office, Isabel Hill, noted, “This is the worst time of the year for this to happen. This is the season—spring and summer—when the travel and tourism [industry] makes a significant amount of [its] revenue.” Click here to learn more about what analysts are predicting for the Disney company. Furloughs and job cuts are the reality for now. Beyond revenue losses, the industry is also seeing a very real effect on its workers. Furloughs and job cuts are the norms right now for a multitude of companies and unfortunately, some of these may end up being permanent if companies can’t rebound. According to National Geographic, approximately 75 million jobs will be lost with major travel companies internationally if the crisis continues for a few more months. Get ready to head down Main Street U.S.A.! Disney itself furloughed the majority of its employees from the theme parks. Now, some of those employees are expected to be able to return to work, but some third-party businesses on Disney property may not be so lucky. We’ve seen some of these businesses lay off employees without the promise of return. These companies have to rebound financially to be ABLE to bring back their employees, which may be impossible. To learn more about the Disney parks furloughs, click here. Tourism industries falter, and so do the economies they drive. Now, there are unfortunate ramifications to the tourism industry beyond those that just affect the companies and their employees. Tourism is a MAJOR component of the economy for many cities, states, and countries. If tourism suffers, it may be harder for these larger organizations to recover. Florida Fresh Booth On a small scale, this is illustrated by the Orlando theme parks, which stand as a major driver of the Orange County and Florida economies. On a larger scale, the U.S. Travel Association represents the industry that generates $2.6 trillion in output and provides 15.8 million jobs for the country. Click here to learn more about Disney’s role in the Florida economy. Companies are seeking government aid to stay afloat. Now, just like the Walt Disney Company, the global travel industry is not helpless in the face of these complications. Many companies have turned to their governments for help, and some are receiving it. In the U.S., Congress passed a $25 billion airline rescue package to help to stabilize the airlines that are a vital piece of the economy. Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante ©Patina Restaurant Group The travel industry typically does not have to prepare for dips in the market as much as other sectors do. According to National Geographic, many international airlines like Delta and United Airlines had less than two months of extra capital. In a crisis climate, that money could have been used up quickly. Orlando International Airport Roger Dow, CEO of the US Travel Association explained, “This [aid package] is important and we want [the recovery] to speed up. Most of the travel industry [consists of] small, mom-and-pop businesses. With small business loans we can help keep their doors open.” It isn’t only the travel giants that need help. Hotels and restaurants can benefit from small business loans too. Want to know more about that $25 billion airline rescue package? Click here! Travel is suffering everywhere, but there’s hope. Travel is dealing with some seriously tough times, but there is hope. Even as travel professionals predict that the ramifications of the crisis could be six or seven times worse than they were after 9/11, things are looking up in some parts of the world. ©WaltDisneyImagineering on Instagram — Shanghai Disneyland reopening As we’ve seen with the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland, China is beginning to recover as the crisis begins its decline in that region of the world. Perhaps a similar pattern will follow in the rest of the world over time. Even in the U.S., one of the most affected countries in the world, travel saw some expansion for the first time in nine weeks at the beginning of May, according to US Travel. To learn about how things are looking for Disney in China, click here! Individual companies and the industry as a whole are looking towards the future. Just like Disney is cushioning the blow within the company, the industry is attempting to do the same. Ultimately, these companies are looking to the data to determine a return to business, but in the meantime, they’re taking action. Disney-themed Cloth Face Masks ©Disney Luckily, that government aid we talked about should help. The companies on the receiving end of federal grants and loans have taken a big step towards stabilizing and weathering the crisis until demand returns. Plus, the industry has a plan for itself as well. They’ve launched the #traveltomorrow campaign to encourage people to come back to travel — when it is safe to do so — per the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Cast Members Cleaning in Galaxy’s Edge The UNWTO has even proposed a 23-step plan to help solve some of the current problems in the industry. The steps are broken up into three solid goals: managing the crisis and mitigating the impact, providing stimulus and accelerating recovery, and preparing for tomorrow. You can see the full report here. Want to know more about how Disney is protecting its assets? Click here! So, it’s a tricky situation. A crisis of this kind is unprecedented. This global situation will have long-lasting impacts not just on tourism, but the world as a whole. Disney and the tourism industry are doing what they can to weather the storm and will attempt to recover as the world shows signs of improvement. Here at DFB we’re covering the ins and outs of how Disney Parks and the Walt Disney Company as a whole are responding to this situation. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest information in your inbox ASAP. What do you think about the global tourism industry? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: How a $25 Billion Airline Rescue Package Could Affect Your Disney Vacation Many Airlines are Making BIG Budget and Staffing Cuts, Threatening the Future of Tourism NEWS! Disneyland Paris Has Extended Its Cancellation Offer for Reservations Into July View the full article

To offer a moment of peace and Zen, we’re sharing more #DisneyMagicMoments with everyone at home. Today, we are revisiting (and rewinding) a story from our “Disneyland Resort at Dawn” video series on the Disney Parks Blog! This series takes you to the wee hours of the morning when the parks are just waking up. In the video below, watch the sunrise over Cars Land in Disney California Adventure park. Soak up the towering Cadillac Range mountains, the undisturbed sounds of Route 66 and natural beauty of the Ornament Valley. Have you ever noticed the 6 mountain peaks look like tail fins of classic Cadillac models from 1957 to 1962? The mountains are inspired by the iconic Cadillac Ranch public art installation along Route 66 near Amarillo, Texas. Check out more of these types of stories on our special #DisneyMagicMoments page on the Disney Parks Blog! View the full article

Recipe for Totchos from Woody’s Lunch Box at Disney’s Hollywood Studios | #DisneyMagicMoments View the full article

#DisneyCastLife: New Episode Cast Members Create Magic at Disney Springs and More View the full article

My partner in all things Disney food, Alex Dunlap, recently shared the delicious Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich recipe from Woody’s Lunch Box at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guess what else Woody packed in his lunch box that’s easy to make at home? Potato barrels coated with beef and bean chili, gooey queso sauce, and crunchy corn chips finished with sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions – Yep, TOTCHOS! Super simple and highly recommended to make for watching “Toy Story” on Disney+. If feeling the need for even more cheese, how about making Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwiches AND Totchos for a Toy Story marathon? Sounds perfect to me! Totchos from Woody’s Lunch Box at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Serves 6 Chili with Beans 1 pound lean ground beef1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped3 cloves garlic, minced1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained2 tablespoons chili powder1 tablespoon ground cumin1 tablespoon coarse saltBlack pepper, to tasteGround cayenne, to tasteQueso Sauce 2 cups jar cheese sauce1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiliesTotchos 1 (2 pound) bag frozen potato barrels1 1/2 cups corn chipsChili with Beans Queso Sauce3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese6 tablespoons sour cream2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onionsFor 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. For 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. For 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. 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! Ava, a 13-year-old junior chef and daughter of Disney photographer Matt Stroshane, made this recipe in her home kitchen with the help of her personal sous chefs (mom and dad) and official taste tester (her 11-year-old brother, Adam). Check out Ava’s video below. 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

Welcome back, friends! We’re here with another What’s New at Disney Springs! The Landing Now that the dining and shopping district has reopened its third party locations, we’re here to share all the new and exciting things happening again. And, we’ve got plenty of food, merchandise, entertainment, and construction updates to share with you so let’s dive right on in! Disney Springs Entertainment Update Parking If you’re driving from I4 West, you currently cannot exit and then go directly into the Orange Garage like you used to be able to. Disney Springs Parking Right now, guests have to turn right, go down a ramp, and then U-turn at the designated light to get into the Orange Garage instead. Disney Springs Parking So, keep this in mind the next time you’re visiting Disney Springs! Check out the new parking procedures at Disney Springs here! Aerophile Disney’s resident hot air balloon is open to guests again! At this time, you cannot walk around the hot air balloon during your flight on the Aerophile and availability is dependent on weather conditions. Disney Springs Tickets are $20 per person for those ages 10 and older, $15 for kids ages 3-9, and FREE for toddlers ages 2 and under. Read all the details about the Aerophile’s reopening here! Pin Trading While Pin Trading isn’t currently available, the Cast Members we spoke with said that there may be Pin Trading on specified boards near the Marketplace Co-op and other locations in the future. Marketplace Co-op However, there likely won’t be any personal Cast Member pin pads or trading off of lanyards at this time. Live Entertainment At the moment, live entertainment isn’t taking place in Disney Springs. Cast Members are unsure of when it will return. Disney Springs Food Update STK Orlando Cheers to a NEW week, friends! You can toast to the reopening of Disney Springs at STK Orlando with their happy hour specials right now. STK Happy Hour Plus, the restaurant opened up an outdoor bar with to-go drinks and menu items so you can grab and go. STK Orlando Outdoor Bar There is also indoor dining (that gets pretty busy!) where you can get drinks at designated tables in the bars upstairs and downstairs. STK Orlando Right now, STK Orlando’s hostess is inside of the restaurant whenever you check-in or walk up. You can read more about the newly reopened STK Orlando here! The Basket at Wine Bar George While Wine Bar George is THE spot for many eats and drinks, we made our way over to its to-go area at The Basket to grab their NEW fries and frozen combo! Each basket of fries comes with a full POUND of loaded goodness for $8, while the drink options are $13 each. They aren’t sold together so you can mix and match your choices, but The Basket has suggestions for the best pairings. Wine Bar George Menu We picked up the Freaujolais while we were there… Freaujolais …along with ALL the fries available! That means we snacked on FOUR WHOLE POUNDS of Buffalo… Buffalo Fries Read our full review of The Basket’s Buffalo Fries and Freaujolais here! …Togarashi, California, and Queso Fries — just for you guys! Wine Bar George Fries And, check out our review of the rest of the new fry baskets here! While you’re there, you can also pick up the NEW Teal and Lime Corkcicle that comes with YOUR choice of a frozen drink when you purchase it! New Corkcicle Take a look at all the details on the new Corkcicle here! Right now, there aren’t any tables for The Basket diners, so you’ll have to find another spot to snack on your treats! Planet Hollywood Planet Hollywood has reopened! The restaurant is currently selling bottles of water and beer (Bud and Bud Light only for now) outside for guests to purchase. Planet Hollywood West Side Starbucks Although West Side Starbucks originally reopened with Mobile Order only, the coffee shop has now opened a few of its registers for guests to purchase snacks and drinks. West Side Starbucks There is still no seating inside, so guests cannot hang around to sip on their Frappuccinos. West Side Starbucks Read about our full experience at the West Side Starbucks here! Vivoli il Gelato While Vivoli il Gelato was supposed to open along with the rest of the Patina Restaurant Group spots, its opening has been delayed. A Cast Member said that it would hopefully reopen within the next week. Vivoli il Gelato And, the Cast Member told us there will hopefully be specials coming to Vivoli soon to celebrate the gelato shop’s 5th anniversary on June 10th. Read more details about Vivoli il Gelato’s delayed reopening here! Joffrey’s Coffee Perhaps one of the most EXCITING pieces of news that we have for you guys happens to be that FACE COFFEE HAS RETURNED (and the crowd goes wild)! Joffrey’s Bakery Case When we were at Joffrey’s Coffee earlier in the week, you could only get the pre-loaded designs like Mickey printed onto your latte or cappuccino. Latte Art Sign But, now you can use the Ripples app on your phone or Joffrey’s tablet to upload your selfie too! The Polite Pig If you’re looking for a spot to pick up a face mask in Disney Springs, The Polite Pig is selling their version with the restaurant’s logo for $12.50 at the register. But Polite Pig told us these are selling out quickly! The Polite Pig Mask While we were at The Polite Pig, we noticed that the Spinach Salad had been removed, but the Chili was back as a side! The Baked Beans are now vegetarian, and watermelon rind has also been added to the Tomato and Watermelon Salad. There are also two new bourbon flights that you can get at The Polite Pig’s Bourbon Bar too! The Polite Pig Menu The Private Barrel Bourbon Flight comes with Elijah Craig, Wellers 107, and Blantons for $20. And, The Three Little Pigs Flight comes with WhistlePig’s Piggyback six year, Farmstock, and 10 year private barrel for $33. And, now onto the BIGGEST eats and drinks! We tried the classic Grapefruit Margarita… Grapefruit Margarita …to pair with the NEW Smoked Shrimp and Grits and Creamed Florida Corn! (IT HAS ALL THE CHEESE.) Our Meal!! Plus, we wrapped things up with the lovely Orange Blossom Pie that tasted like sweet orange juice! Orange Blossom Pie Read our full review of our meal at The Polite Pig here! Morimoto Asia Street Food The menu at Morimoto Asia Street Food has seen a lot of changes for the reopening. The menu has been removed from overhead and you can pick up a copy can by the cash register instead. Since the quick-service spot has reduced its menu currently, the ribs are gone along with the self-serve condiment bar. But, your server will give you any cutlery, chopsticks, napkins, and sauces you need. Morimoto Asia Street Food There were no sodas available for purchase when we went because their machine was broken. However, we could still purchase bottled water, draft beer, and other canned or bottled drinks. We also noticed the BBQ Pork Tenderloin Rice Bowl has been switched over to a BBQ Beef Tenderloin Rice Bowl instead. Morimoto Asia Street Food During our visit, we tried the Spicy Pork Ramen and BBQ Pork Bun to get our pork fix for the day! BBQ Pork Bun When you’re visiting Morimoto Asia Street Food, be aware that the number of tables has been reduced, hand-sanitizing stations are available in the dining area, and plexiglass has been installed between guests and the cash register. See if we think Morimoto Asia Street Food’s Pork Bun is better than Pandora’s Cheeseburger Pods here! Morimoto Asia We couldn’t visit the Morimoto area without dining inside of Morimoto Asia, of course! When you arrive at the restaurant, there is a stand-by line to the right of the main entrance and a line for guests with reservations to the left. Morimoto Asia They are currently offering a reduced menu that you can view with the QR code posted. Right now, there is no sushi bar or alcoholic bar service. Morimoto Asia Sign While we were there, we tried the Sparkling Belvedere and Forbidden Highball cocktails… Forbidden Highball and Sparkling Belvedere …and feasted on the Cauliflower and Cheese Springs Rolls (with beer cheese sauce!!)… Buffalo Beer Cheese Sauce …Buri Bop… Buri Bop …and Beef Lo Mein! And, boy, were they all AMAZING!! Beef Lo Mein Noodles Take a look at our full dining experience at Morimoto Asia here! Pizza Ponte As a health and safety precaution, there is one-way traffic through the restaurant that exits in the gift shop. Pizza Ponte Exit There are no new menu items currently, but Pizza Ponte removed a few of its sandwiches to reduce its menu. Pizza Ponte Menu The pizza joint is using contactless payments currently with its menu available to view overhead or on your device using a QR code. Pizza Ponte The restaurant also added some barriers at the pizza display so Cast Members slide your food through a little window in the plexiglass to pick up. Pizza Ponte You can read more about Pizza Ponte’s reopening here! Sunshine Churros Chocolate and minty goodness? Yes, the Thin Mint Churro is planning to return to Sunshine Churros! Sunshine Churros Although it wasn’t available during our visit, the Cast Members said that it should be back soon. Check out our full review of the Thin Mint Churro here! City Works City Works may not be open yet, but we did see a drinks-to-go sign and people working outside. City Works We’ll keep you updated when we learn more about City Works reopening. Disney Springs Merchandise Update Happy Hound To start this merchandise section off the RIGHT way, we had to show you the adorable dog bandana display that Happy Hound was showing off! They have face masks, you guys. Happy Hounds This would be a great way to bring your best friend a little present from Disney Springs! Happy Hounds Bandanas Bandanas or “doggie face masks,” you can pick these up at Happy Hounds! Kiehl’s Kiehl’s has reopened to guests so they can look at the shampoos, soaps, and more in the store! Kiehl’s Plus, you can say hello to this Funky Skeleton!! Bill Nye, is that you? Kiehl’s The store isn’t automatically offering samples, but you may be able to request them nicely from a Cast Member. Kiehl’s Tommy Bahama Tommy Bahama has reopened once again to guests! While you’re looking around the store, you can find the Honolulu Company Cookies that Boutiki offers over at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. (YUM!) Tommy Bahama At this time, Tommy Bahama isn’t selling face masks, but the store said that could always change. Tommy Bahama American Threads American Threads is… well, WAS selling face masks for $15. However, the store is currently waiting on another shipment and even looking into making different ones with straw holes. Face Masks at American Threads There are also no dressing rooms available right now, but you can return clothes with the tags on and receipts within 14 days. Sunglass Hut If you’re looking for some new sunnies to wear in the Florida weather or back home, Sunglass Hut has those ADORABLE Disney Ray-Bans! Disney Ray-Bans You can try on the glasses still, but you must put them in the designated bins afterward to let Cast Members sanitize them. Sanitizing Bin Take a look at all the Disney Ray-Bans at Sunglass Hut here! Sosa Cigar Sosa Cigar has also reopened to guests and you are still able to smoke currently. Sosa Cigar Disney Springs Construction Update M&M Store If you’re a big chocolate fan like we are, we bet you’re SUPER excited for the new M&M Store coming to Disney Springs! There isn’t too much progress on construction… M&M Store …but there’s a QR code available for “exclusive offers.” We scanned it and it led us to a newsletter sign-up (we’ll let you know if we find free M&Ms). M&M Store Read all about the new M&M Store here! Even with only select stores and restaurants open so far in Disney Springs, there are still PLENTY of opportunities for delicious food and great shopping if you decide you decide you’re ready to visit. Certain Disney-owned locations are scheduled to reopen this week, so we’ll keep you updated with more food, merchandise, entertainment, and construction updates! Take a look at our full experience at the grand reopening of Disney Springs here! Where are you heading to first the next time you’re in Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: What’s New at Disney Springs! NEW Menu Items; Missing Menu Items; The CUTEST Valentine’s Day Cards; and FREE Cupcakes! What’s NEW at Disney Springs: The Her Universe Star Wars Collection, NEW Park Life Dooneys, and Rock the Dots Merch! What’s New at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Retro Platform Crocs and a SIMBA Popcorn Bucket! View the full article

Calling all Wilderness Explorers — we found the perfect item to compliment your Grape Soda Badge! Grape Soda Purse at The Dress Shop Adventure is out there — and we found a great accessory to wear on the journey! We’re loving this adorable new pendant necklace inspired by the movie Up! We love watching Carl Fredricksen’s house soar above the clouds in Up. And now we can keep Carl’s home close to our hearts — literally! The Up House Pendant Necklace by Rebecca Hook is the ultimate accessory for Pixar fans! Up House Pendant Necklace This sterling silver pendant is encrusted with colored cubic zirconia, Swarovski crystals, and corundum and nano stones for $175. Up House Pendant Necklace This adorable accessory is part of the Disney Parks Jewelry Collection, and it comes in a Disney | Rebecca Hook box for safekeeping! You can snag it on shopDisney or at Ever After Jewelry Co. in Disney Springs to show your Pixar love! Looking for more colorful Disney merch? Check out the new rainbow spirit jersey! Do you have any Pixar accessories? Share your collection with us in the comments! Related posts: Disney News This Week: ALL the News and Updates from the Most Magical Places on Earth! The NEW Pixar Dooney and Bourke Collection Has Arrived at Disney World! This New Mickey Jewelry Collection on shopDisney Is Seriously Stunning! View the full article

If you’ve been missing Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, then we’ve got some news for you! Buzz Lightyear In the Magic Kingdom, you join Buzz on a quest to defeat the Evil Emperor Zurg, but now we’re on a mission to destroy…some PIZZA and look great doing it — with the latest Toy Story accessory! Today, Loungefly announced their newest “out of this world” Disney collection — straight out of Toy Story’s Pizza Planet! These Little Green Men are frozen mid “Oooooooo” and come bearing pizza, with the box serving as the front pocket of the backpack. ©Loungefly Loungefly has not released an opening date for this new collection, but we will keep you posted on when you can make one of these your “chosen one!” Check out this other precious Disney x Loungefly collection coming soon! Which Disney x Loungefly collection would you like to see make a comeback? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Recreate These 12 Iconic Snacks Inspired By Your Favorite Disney Movies! Check Out Where You Can Get Your Favorite Disney Coffee OUTSIDE of the Parks! DFB Video: Disney Parks Around the World Close, New Lands Get Opening Dates & Mulan Merch Comes to shopDisney! View the full article

When the Disney World parks reopen their gates, what do you think will be the first thing to fly off the shelves? Space Mountain Minnie Ears The Disney World parks have been closed since March 16th and they’ll remain shuttered “until further notice.” But with Disney Springs partially reopened, Disney World is taking the first step towards resuming operations. We’ve found ourselves wondering what things Disney fans will rush to snatch up when they return to the parks — and we wanted to know what our readers think! So, we took to Instagram to ask, “What do you think will be the first thing to sell out when the parks reopen?” Let’s take a look at what our readers said! Disney World Street Signs Experiences Let’s start by taking a look at the tickets and events that people think will be the first to sell out! Park Tickets Out of all the responses we received, the top answer by far was park admission tickets! Cinderella Castle Several of our readers referenced the advance reservations required for the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland and said that if Disney World also limited admission, tickets will be the first thing to go. Read more about Shanghai’s reopening here! Tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Another ticket that many people expect to sell out quickly is admission to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom! Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Some said this would be their ideal way to experience Disney World again after the reopening, and they think others will jump on the tickets quickly! Click here to learn more about Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! Merchandise While some people expected the theme park tickets to be the first thing to go, others think that Disney will have a hard time keeping merchandise in stock! Here are the items our readers believe will disappear from the stores first. Disney Face Masks Disney did release a line of character face masks available for purchase online, so we can definitely see them selling these in the parks when they reopen as well! Disney-themed Cloth Face Masks ©Disney Plus, since guests at the reopened Shanghai Disneyland and Disney Springs are required to wear face masks, it’s possible they will be required — or at least encouraged — when the parks reopen. If so, we agree that guests will likely want the option to accessorize with a Disney version! Check out Disney’s new face masks here! Mickey Ears Another top response — the iconic Mickey Ears and Minnie Ears! UK Minnie Ears Considering how popular these were even before the park closures, we can definitely see guests scooping up a pair as soon as they walk through the gates. 2020 Merchandise Disney World is known for releasing dated collections for each year. And several of our readers are expecting that the 2020 merchandise will be a hot commodity! With the parks closed for so much of 2020, it’s possible guests will want to commemorate that! 2020 Mickey Ornament We’ve seen t-shirts, picture frames, mugs, sweatshirts, ornaments, and more all with the 2020 design, so at least guests will have plenty to choose from! Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Collection This year, Disney has released a new set of Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction merchandise each month. The collection is themed after popular Disney attractions and each month a new Minnie Mouse Plush, Minnie Ears, mug, pins, and bag are made available! The April Collection is themed after “it’s a small world” ©Disney These items have sold out super quickly each month (especially the Minnie Ears!), so we think our readers are on to something with this response! The only question is — will World of Disney stock these cuties this week?? Click here to learn more about the Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction collection! Snacks While some expect the ticket counters and merchandise locations to be the first to run out of stock, others are headed straight for the SNACKS! Dole Whip Of all the food-related responses, Dole Whip was by far the most popular! Which is fitting, since Dole Whip was the champion of our Snack Madness showdown this year! Dole Whip Between its status as a Disney icon, and the tart, refreshing flavor, a few readers think that those Dole Whip machines will run dry pretty quickly after the parks reopen! Click here to learn more about our reigning Snack Madness champion, Dole Whip! Mickey Premium Bar From one quintessential Disney snack to another, a lot of people also expect the Mickey Premium Bar to sell out quickly! Premium Mickey Ice Cream Bar at Disney World This snack is so quintessentially Disney that they actually make other food “dressed up” like Mickey Premium Bars. These cold, sweet snacks are sold practically everywhere in the parks, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one once they reopen! Popcorn The smell of fresh popcorn reminds us of Main Street, U.S.A.! Popcorn in Mary Blair Popcorn Box And even though this one isn’t quite as exclusively associated with Disney World, we do know some serious popcorn (and popcorn bucket) fans, so our readers who guessed this will be the first item to sell out might be on the right track! Check out our video on the 50 most iconic Disney World eats! We were interested to see the variety of opinions from our readers about what will sell out first when the Disney World parks reopen! And after seeing the great points made about tickets, limited-edition merchandise, and iconic Disney snacks, we could see just about anyone’s guess being correct. Which just goes to show how much awesome insight Disney fans have into the parks! Click here for more information about the phased reopening of Disney Springs! What do you think will be the first thing to sell out when the Disney World parks reopen? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: DFB Video: Where to Find Late Night Eats in Disney World Disney World Mac and Cheese Gallery Disney Food Challenge: Can You Eat ALL 14 Of Disney’s BEST Cupcakes?! View the full article

Today, we’re continuing our #DisneyCastLife video series featuring favorite stories of cast members keeping the Disney magic alive at home and in communities around the world. In our latest episode, we have a special message from Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Josh D’Amaro plus cast members share their excitement about the phased reopening of Disney Springs and Shanghai Disneyland. Check it out: For more inspiring #DisneyCastLife stories, follow the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort Ambassador team on Instagram at @WDW.Ambassador and @Disneylandambassador. And be sure to keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for more #DisneyMagicMoments. RELATED STORIES: SPECIAL EDITION: #DisneyCastLife Features Cast Members Making Magic at Shanghai Disney Resort#DisneyCastLife: Disney Ambassadors Share Cast Member Magic in New Video SeriesDisney Ambassadors Highlight Cast Member Magic in New Episode of #DisneyCastLife #DisneyCastLife: Disney Ambassadors Highlight Cast Member Magic Around the WorldDisneyCastLife: New Episode Highlights Cast Member Magic Around the WorldView the full article

Disney Springs has re-opened with third-party stores and restaurants! And, Disney-owned spots will be welcoming guests again on May 27th. Disney Springs While we’ve given your our full experiences at all the shopping and dining locations, we’ve been on the look-out for anything new and exciting to share with you. And, we’ve got some great news for all you left-handed folks out there! Lefty’s: The Left Hand Store is back open with all the goodies you need to add to your every day life. Lefty’s The kiosk opened back up on May 20th with left-handed rulers, scissors, and pens! You can even rep your left-handed buddies with themed tees and caps (“lefties do it right,” you know!). Lefty’s After you’ve checked out all the fun stuff at Lefty’s, you could even pop around the corner to the Earl of Sandwich for a bite to eat! All that shopping really works up an appetite! ;D Read about our full experience at the grand re-opening of Disney Springs here! What is your favorite store to shop at in Disney Springs? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: NEWS: Anthropologie Will Be Reopening at Disney Springs in Disney World on May 20th Yo-Ho, It’s a Pirate’s Life for Us with MORE Redd Merchandise in Disney World! Go on a Grand Circle Tour of Tomorrowland With the NEW PeopleMover Hat in Disney World! View the full article

Disney Springs has reopened, and we we’re checking it all out! Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC We’ve been bring you a bunch of Disney food with reviews of Morimoto Asia, The Polite Pig, and MANY MORE while we wander around the shopping and dining district. And, today, we’re back to treat ourselves to something sweet at Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC! Since Erin McKenna’s is following the health and safety guidelines that Disney Springs has put in place, the bakery is only letting one party in at a time to place an order (you can read more about that here!). And, while everything looked SO GOOD (can we have one of each, please??), we went with the Cookie Monster Cupcake and Veggie Bomb! Erin McKenna’s Bakery Case The Cookie Monster Cupcake was a vanilla blonde cupcake with chocolate chips sprinkled throughout. The top was covered in Erin McKenna’s signature frosting, a chunk of one of the bakery’s chocolate chip cookies, and a chocolate drizzle. Cookie Monster Cupcake WOW, this cupcake might be one of the best things we’ve ever had at Erin McKenna’s! The cake was moist and the cookie on top was soft — and we totally forgot it was vegan! Although we usually love lots of frosting on our cupcakes, we did like that there was only a decent amount on the Cookie Monster Cupcake. It didn’t take away from any of the other flavors and let each part of the cupcake stand out on its own! We’d have this over and over again (and it just makes us want to try MORE cupcakes at Erin McKenna’s!). Cookie Monster Cupcake On the more savory side, the Veggie Bomb had a texture like a biscuit with broccoli, peppers, and vegan cheese mixed inside. Veggie Bomb The flavors in the Veggie Bomb were great, and you could taste the peppers and cheese with each bite! Buuuut if you’re thinking about it as a biscuit, it was a little on the drier side. And, while we enjoyed the taste of Erin McKenna’s version, we’re pretty partial to the Cheddar Drop Biscuits at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, so you might want to pop over there if you’re looking for some awesome biscuits. Veggie Bomb However, the treats at Erin McKenna’s are vegan — so you might be able to find something for everyone in your party to enjoy! Veggie Bomb and Cookie Monster Cupcake We might need to swing back around for seconds on the Cookie Monster Cupcake (or even a dozen tbh)! But, if you’re looking for even MORE places to get some dessert, you can also take a look at all the restaurants open in Disney Springs here! Check out all the details on what it’s like to dine in Disney Springs right now! What is your favorite treat to get at Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Review! Shrimp, Grits, AND Cheesy Corn?? We’re Reviewing NEW Menu Items At The Polite Pig In Disney Springs! REVIEW! We Could Eat an Entire BOX of the Samoa Cupcakes at Sprinkles in Disney World! What’s NEW at Disney Springs: The Her Universe Star Wars Collection, NEW Park Life Dooneys, and Rock the Dots Merch! View the full article

Does Yak and Yeti Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom live up to its reputation as a fan-favorite? Yak & Yeti Restaurant Since it first entered the Disney food scene back in 2007, we’ve found Yak and Yeti Restaurant to have consistently good food. Which, as you may know if you’ve been following Disney Food Blog for a while, is a pretty big compliment! While many of the restaurants in Disney World have a tendency to go through peaks and valleys over time, Yak and Yeti generally seems to stay the course. So, let’s see how our most recent experience at the restaurant played out! Let’s take a look! Atmosphere Yak and Yeti Restaurant is located in the Asia area of Disney World’s Animal Kingdom park — you’ll spot it on your way to the Maharajah Jungle Trek. The exterior of the restaurant is an eye-catching introduction. The bright purple building really pops and the arched windows and intricate detailing draw us right in! Yak and Yeti Restaurant And, as is expected of so many of the locations in Animal Kingdom, Yak and Yeti has an elaborate backstory! The building is owned by a former merchant named Arjun — and he’s transformed his ornate home into lodging for weary travelers. Checking in? This explains the decor, which includes a variety of statues, wall hangings, and furniture. Yak and Yeti Decor You’ll find a bar located just to the right of the lobby area. The chairs in here are HEFTY, but they’re also super comfortable. Between the cozy seating and friendly vibe, the bar is a great area to hang out and enjoy a drink or even a meal — the full menu is available here! Just keep in mind that seating is first-come, first-served at the bar. Bar at Yak & Yeti In the restaurant area, seating is available on both the first and second floors. The walls are decorated with framed pictures and mirrors, which keep our eyes and imagination dancing. Downstairs Seating We love the aesthetic in this restaurant! The elaborate artwork and rich contract of colors make for a warm and comfortable vibe. Yak and Yeti Second Floor We definitely suggest taking some extra time to look around and really soak in all of the details here. Apparently Arjun is quite the interior decorator! You should especially pay attention to the light fixtures… . Now on to the food! Eats Yak and Yeti offers up a selection of Asian fusion cuisine. You’ll find some familiar favorites like Wok-Fried Green Beans and Pot Stickers as well as options like Bhaktapur Duck for more adventurous travelers! We decided to kick things off with one of those tried-and-true items — the Pork Pot Stickers. And they were just as good as we remembered! They have a nice, caramelized outer layer with a warm, flavorful filling, and they’re served with a soy-lime dipping sauce. Pork Pot Stickers We can confirm that we’re still on board with this classic appetizer. Here’s a look at that delicious filling in the center! Pork Pot Stickers Next up, we had to get those Firecracker Shrimp. Ohhh yeah, this is another DFB favorite (in case you’re having a case of deja vu!), so we had to make sure that it still gets the stamp of approval! This is a whoooole lot of crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce and served on top of Asian slaw! The verdict? Still a must-eat for us! And honestly, if you’re eating these alone, it’s a full meal. Great portion size! Firecracker Shrimp After our small plates, we moved on to the Wonton Soup, made with pork wontons, clear chicken broth, and vegetables. We do love the Fried Wonton dessert, so we figured, hey, let’s try some wontons a little earlier in our meal! Wonton Soup If you’re a Wonton Soup fan, this will be fine for you. Very basic, but warm comfort-food nonetheless. We followed up our soup with the Sweet and Sour Chicken, made with Tempura chicken, ginger, garlic, bell peppers, and pineapple. It was served with the perfect amount of sauce, which really brought out the flavors of the bell peppers and pineapple. Sweet and Sour Chicken Again, this one is pretty much what you’d expect, but it’s definitely not your standard take-out! If Sweet and Sour Chicken is what you’re craving, this version won’t disappoint. Switching gears a bit, we also tried the Kobe Beef Burger, which comes topped with your choice of shiitake mushroom and scallion compote or Asian slaw, and served with sesame-soy mayonnaise and crispy fries on the side! We’ve had this one before, and we wanted to check in on it again. The flavors blend really well together and overall the burger was delicious — BUT in our experience, it isn’t the absolute best burger we’ve had on Disney property, so don’t set your expectations toooo high! The fries, on the other hand, were better than we anticipated! They were super skinny which made them nice and crispy, and they were sprinkled with a delicious seasoning. Kobe Beef Burger Overall, this is a good option for the picky eaters in your group, or those who aren’t fans of Asian-inspired cuisine. But if you’re a more adventurous eater, definitely choose from the more interesting dishes on Yak and Yeti’s menu. We also ordered the Kid’s Cheeseburger, which comes with a choice of two sides and either milk or apple juice. The sides you can choose from are carrot sticks, fresh fruit, Go-Gurt®, white rice, brown rice, applesauce, corn, and steamed veggies. (I love the addition of rice to the list of options for kids here!) As you can see, we had the iPad going in the back for my 6-year-old, and that’s his hand on the burger to give you an idea of size. It looks huge, and it IS larger than a typical kids’ burger, but it’s not massive by any means. Kid’s Cheeseburger And rounding out the meal, we ordered the Korean Beef, which is Wok-fried beef tossed with peppers, onions, pineapple, and Korean BBQ sauce. This was another new-to-us dish, and it’s an excellent option for those just making the crossover from picky to adventurous eater! The flavors are tame enough and recognizable enough that those who are unfamiliar with Asian cuisine will likely feel at home with this dish. Korean Beef We enjoyed soooo many savory options on this trip to Yak and Yeti. And we’re happy to report that our tried-and-true favorites still hold up! Nosh or Not? You’ll want to make a reservation at Yak and Yeti if: You enjoy Asian-fusion cuisine and want to try a Disney version of it. You’re looking for an escape from the heat and for an affordable and different meal that doesn’t require the same amount of money as Tiffins and Tusker House. You might want to skip this dining experience if: You or your party aren’t big fans of Asian cuisine and are looking for more familiar eats. You aren’t wanting to eat a table service meal in hopes of spending more of your time tackling attractions around the park. Overall Yak and Yeti has continued to provide us with consistently great meals. The restaurant feels warm and inviting, and the incredible level of detail shows how much care went into crafting the atmosphere. The menu has some of our go-to favorites and some solid options for more adventurous eaters. So, we’re still sticking by our opinion that this is a great option for a table service meal in Animal Kingdom! Our compliments to Arjun — for a merchant turned inn-keeper, he runs a surprisingly consistent restaurant! One thing to note before we go — this restaurant is run by the Landry’s company, not Disney. So if you’re a Landry’s loyalty group member, you should be able to use your Landry’s perks (like your $25 birthday gift card) here. Another great loyalty group bonus is priority seating. I’ve personally experienced getting seated very quickly when I didn’t have a Disney advance dining reservation but I did note that I was a Landry’s loyalty member. Normally this wouldn’t shock me, but since it had just started pouring rain outside and the restaurant was overwhelmed with walk-ups trying to get a table, it was unexpected news. Check out our last review of Yak and Yeti to see how our experiences compared! What’s your favorite thing to order at Yak and Yeti? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Review: Yak and Yeti Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Review: Yak and Yeti Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Review: Yak & Yeti Restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom View the full article

From new attractions to park makeovers, Disney has its hands full with the amount of construction planned over the next few years. Downtown Disney A while ago, Disneyland had proposed a Four Diamond hotel that would be placed inside Downtown Disney. When the idea was scrapped back in 2018, plans for a new Disney Vacation Club time-share tower started to form in 2019. And, according to the Orange County Register, the new Disney Vacation Club time-share tower is still in the works for the Disneyland Hotel. Disneyland Hotel During an Anaheim town hall webinar, Disney revealed more details about the tower that is projected to open in 2023 (even though the current closures might push that date back). Disney stated that “As with all projects, this proposed plan will go through a series of reviews as part of the project approval process with the city of Anaheim. Right now, we are in the entitlement process with the city, which is a continuation of an application submitted back on November 22, 2019.” Disney Vacation Club Sales Kiosk While we already know that there will be two multi-level Grand Villas on top of the tower along with a Mickey-shaped spa and outdoor pool bar, the Disney Vacation Tower will also have 350 rooms for guests. In comparison, the amount of rooms is pretty close to the size of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn with 378 rooms in Disney World. ©Disney In the town hall meeting, Disney also shared that the Disney Vacation Club complex would be arranged in an L-shape with a 12-story tower at the front and a 5-story tiered section in the back. There will also be poolside garden units and “interactive water features.” As a courtesy to the residents of Walnut Street where the tower will be built, Disney will also put up a sound wall west of the pool to dampen the overall noise. ©Disney Disneyland has not released an updated timeline for construction, but Orange County was just cleared to move into “full stage two” of California’s reopening plan.We will keep you updated with more information and news on the tower. Will Downtown Disney be re-opening soon? Check out all the details here! What are you excited to do the most in Disneyland when the parks re-open? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: What’s New at the Disneyland Resort and Downtown Disney: Haunted Mansion Refurb and the Best Popcorn Bucket EVER! DFB Video: 10 Things You Can’t Miss in Disneyland in 2020! NEWS! We Have MORE Details About the Disney Vacation Club Tower in Downtown Disney! View the full article

Can you believe that Disney’s Hollywood Studios just turned 31 years old?! Buzz Lightyear in Mickey’s Cavalcade at Hollywood Studios While we remember some of the good ole’ days with the Backlot Tour and celebrate the new gems with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Hollywood Studios has SO many details that you might not know about. We’re testing your Disney Parks knowledge to see if YOU know these fun facts about Disney World’s Hollywood Studios! Crossroads of the World This first area you see in Hollywood Studios might look like a spot to grab some pins, a map of the park, and more when you first enter — but it has a bit of real Hollywood history to it! The Crossroads of the World is inspired by the real location of the same name with an…interesting past! Crossroads of the World The real Crossroads of the World in Hollywood was built as part open-air shopping center/part memorial for a gangster by the name of Charles “Goodtime Charlie” Crawford. He was shot dead in his office at the original Los Angeles location, and his wife erected the shopping center at the site in his memory in 1936. It was deemed “America’s First Outdoor Shopping Mall” when it opened. Welcome to the Crossroads! The Crossroads of the World statue in Hollywood Studios mirrors that same design as the real Hollywood location. While Mickey is a little magical addition to the top of the globe, unlike the actual version in Los Angeles, he also serves a purpose as a lightning rod, too! (Oh, Disney, you think of everything.) You’ll want to know about this BIG change in Hollywood Studios before your next visit! Send Mail to Some Famous Hollywood Characters Ever wanted to be a pen pal with some of the biggest names in Hollywood? If you check out the names on the crates outside of Dockside Diner, you can actually spot the “mailing addresses” of the greatest Hollywood characters that have ever graced the big screen! Dockside Diner We’ve spotted George Bailey from It’s a Wonderful Life, Rick Blaine from Casablanca, Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind, and more! Casablanca Cargo Sometimes they’ll actually change these crates out, so keep an eye out for new characters and names! Click HERE to check out some Disney World Menu WINS They Should Bring Back — Including One at Dockside Diner! Hollywood Brown Derby’s Famous Treats The Hollywood Brown Derby was THE spot for Hollywood glitz and glamour. Hollywood stars from all over the industry would visit the restaurant to wine and dine. Hollywood Brown Derby And, since the Disney World location is based on the ACTUAL Hollywood Brown Derby, the menu includes some of its most infamous items! The Cobb Salad The Cobb Salad is a wildly popular menu item at the restaurant, but did you know it originated by coincidence in the real Brown Derby? There are many versions of the origin story for the salad but the most common is that owner Robert Cobb developed the salad… Famous Cobb Salad …and later shared it with his pal Sid Grauman, the namesake of Hollywood’s famous Chinese Theatre (also recreated in Hollywood Studios!), who loved it so much he came back to the restaurant the next day asking for that “Cobb Salad” again! Cobb Salad The official Cobb Salad is made with finely chopped greens, turkey, bacon, egg, tomatoes, crumbled bleu cheese, avocado, chives, and Cobb dressing. Click here to learn how to make the famous Cobb Salad at home! Grapefruit Cake Back in the day in REAL Hollywood, popular gossip columnist Louella Parsons frequented the Brown Derby. One day, she let owner Robert Cobb know she thought all his dessert options were far too fattening and asked if he could offer something lighter for guests. Grapefruit Cake at Hollywood Brown Derby The story goes that Cobb told his head chef to “put grapefruit on something” since the citrus was widely considered to be “slimming” at the time. The result was a (not so) slimming dessert with heaps of cream cheese frosting and grapefruit flavors between layers of chiffon cake! Click here to make this famous cake at home! The Shirley Temple Not every star who visited the Hollywood Brown Derby was a grown-up! Shirley Temple was one of the biggest Hollywood stars in the late 1930s. Since she was obviously too young to drink any alcohol at the parties or dinners she attended, a bartender came up with a “grown-up” drink just for her. Traditionally, the drink combined grenadine and ginger ale with a bit of lime (and of course a maraschino cherry or two!). Some versions use lemon-lime soda. (But those versions would be wrong.) Shirley Temple Multiple restaurants, including the Brown Derby, claim to have invented the drink for her, but a Hollywood restaurant called Chasen’s is widely regarded as the true originator. Temple dined frequently at the Brown Derby and stated that it was the spot that made the drink popular. Oddly enough, while it’s become a fan-favorite, Temple actually said that it was too sweet for her to drink! Cobb Salad, Shirley Temple, Grapefruit Cake You can get ALL of these iconic treats at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios still! And, now they’re even better since you know the stories behind them!! Check out our full review of all three of these treats from Hollywood Brown Derby here! Fashion Icons, Adrian and Edith! While you can easily spot Adrian and Edith’s Head to Toe shop in the park, you might not know that the names on the store are actual Hollywood costume designers’ names. Adrian Greenburg (who just went by “Adrian“) was best known for creating the costumes in The Wizard of Oz (including the famous Ruby Slippers!), which was referenced in the late Great Movie Ride (we miss you). Adrian and Edith’s Head to Toe Edith Head, on the other hand, received the most Academy Awards ever (8!!) for costume design (out of 35 nominations!!). Although you might recognize her work in Roman Holiday, Rear Window, and more, Edith is better known to the Disney community as the inspiration behind Edna Mode in The Incredibles. You might recognize her signature black bob and round glasses on top of that acute sense for FASHION, dahling! Edna Mode And sorry Edna, but Edith Head TOTALLY used capes in her designs (and LOADS of shoulder pads!). Go on a photo tour of one of Hollywood Studios’ stores here! Carthay Circle Alright, Disney trivia buffs! This one’s for you! The Carthay Circle might be one of the most famous theaters in Los Angeles, but it was also the home to the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. In honor of the place that showed Walt’s first feature film, both Disneyland and Disney World have their own version of the theater as a nod to Walt. Once Upon a Time (and the Carthay Circle Building!) While Disneyland has a restaurant version in Disney California Adventure, Disney World has a store in Hollywood Studios instead! We think it’s kind of a Disney pilgrimage to visit both spots on the coasts, don’t you?? Read our review of the Carthay Circle Restaurant here! Can You Find A113? While we are all big fans of the “2319” situation in Monsters, Inc. (it even got its own ice cream cone last year in Disney World!), the filmmakers at Pixar actually hide the sequence “A113” in all of their movies. What’s the significance of this, you ask? Well, A113 (actually, A1-13) happens to be the number of the Cal Arts’ classroom where the original Pixar artists and animators studied (Tim Burton and many others also graced room A1-13 around that time!). Toy Story Land You can actually spot the numbers A113 if you look REAL close in Toy Story Land! Outside of Woody’s Lunch Box, you can see some dominoes and blocks in a grass strip. The dominoes have a 1, 1, and a 3, while the letter A is the only one visible on the building blocks! Woody’s Lunch Box area You can visit A113 in real life without having to travel to Cal Arts! Is Slinky Dog Dash worth your FastPass choice? Read our thoughts here! A Net Full of Jello?? Muppet Vision 3-D is FILLED with wacky tidbits and little details that are super fun to find. However, one of the most unique (and well-thought-out) puns in the ride is something that most people don’t realize is a joke. In the waiting area before you enter the theater, look up and you will see a net full of green and orange jello hanging from the ceiling. Muppet Vision 3-D While this might seem super random and weird (perfect for the Muppets), it’s actually a play on words! If you put them together or say them quickly, it’s “Anet Fullofjello…” OR “Annette Funicello,” who is the most famous Mouseketeer of them all! Whoever thought of that one is a GENIUS. Read all about Muppet*Vision 3D’s recent refurbishment! You Could Have STAYED in the Tower of Terror?! Okay, so we’re still holding up for this dream somehow and some way…but, when the Tower of Terror started to get built, Michael Eisner (who was the CEO at the time) thought it would be cool to have rooms built into the attraction! Ummm, excuse us?? Tower of Terror Sign That means, if things had turned out a little differently for the Hollywood Tower Hotel, you could have had a spooky night sleeping in The Twilight Zone-themed resort (maybe we would have had to take the stairs?). Tower of Terror However AWESOME that may seem, it would have literally been a nightmare to try and work out the logistics of guests staying inside the resort at night. Instead, they scrapped the Haunted Hotel idea and they just kept the Tower of Terror as an attraction. Click here to see one of our favorite secrets in Tower of Terror! A Tale (Er, Show) as Old as Time When Beauty and the Beast was released in theaters on November 22nd, 1991, the live stage show in Hollywood Studios also debuted in the park on the same day! It was meant to get guests even more excited for the movie. And, it obviously did its job! People fell so in love with the stage show (and the film) that it’s stuck around in Hollywood Studios for almost THREE decades! ©Disney It’s still a fun way to pass the time in the park whether you’re looking for fun entertainment or a way to get out of the heat for a short bit of time. Plus, who doesn’t love singing along to “Be Our Guest??” Go inside the NEW Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along with us here! An Entire PLANET Full of Star Wars Easter Eggs Honestly, there are so many details in Galaxy’s Edge, it would take HOURS for us to point them all out to you around Batuu! Some of our favorites happen to be the Dionaga (or trash compactor monster) in the water fountain… Regular water fountains? Dianoga’s Lurk! …Queen Amidala’s head wrap and the Mandalorian’s helmet in Dok Ondar’s… Mandalorian Helmet And of course, we can’t forget our old trusty StarSpeeder 3000 pilot from the OG Star Tours, R-3X! Did you know this little droid has always been voiced by Pee Wee Herman, Paul Reubens?! DJ R3X He’s one of the more obvious Easter Eggs in Galaxy’s Edge, having retired from piloting (he was replaced by C-3PO on the current Star Tours) and taking up DJing over in Oga’s Cantina. “Light speed to Endor!” If you want to know even more, you can check out some of the awesome Easter eggs in Galaxy’s Edge here! Although Hollywood Studios may be three decades old, it’s still as timeless as ever! We can’t help but feel like the park always deserves a “HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!” from us! Check out some of the BEST throwback rides from Hollywood Studios over the years here! What are some of your favorite hidden gems in Hollywood Studios? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Do You Think The PeopleMover Misses Us, Too? We’re Peeking Inside Disney World’s Closure Diary! Disney Recipe: YEE-HAW!! Make Chocolate-Hazelnut Lunch Box Tarts From Woody’s Lunch Box at Home! Disney Recipe: Learn How to Make Disney’s Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwich from Woody’s Lunch Box! 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We’re back again in Disney Springs to bring you all the food news after its reopening! Disney Springs While we took you on a tour of the reopening restaurants, we’re returning for seconds at The Polite Pig (and to try a few new menu items!). Menu In keeping with Disney Springs following strict health and safety protocols, The Polite Pig is offering a QR menu option you can access using a smart phone. You can pick up a plastic menu if you need, but there are also digital menu boards behind the registers. The Polite Pig Menu We noticed Polite Pig’s Chili is back, but the Spinach Salad is no longer listed. Our server told us the Polite Baked Beans are now vegetarian, and the Tomato & Watermelon Salad now includes watermelon rind. Drinks We started off our day at The Polite Pig with the Grapefruit Margarita (heart eyes) made with corazon tequila, citrus, and grapefruit liqueur for $11. It tasted like grapefruit heaven! While the tequila gave it a little bite, it was mostly tangy and sweet, which was perfect for this hot Florida weather! Grapefruit Margarita The Polite Pig added a new Private Barrel Bourbon Flight with Elijah Craig, Wellers 107, and Blantons for $20. They also added The Three Little Pigs Flight with WhistlePig’s Piggyback six year, Farmstock, and 10 year private barrel for $33. Eats For our main course, we ordered up a feast with the Shrimp and Grits and Creamed Florida Corn that are NEW to the menu. First up, the Creamed Florida Corn was The Polite Pig’s latest seasonal side topped with queso fresco and spiced breadcrumbs that were BOMB. Our Meal!! While the grilled street corn is already one of The Polite Pig’s best sides, the creamed corn was extremely fresh and tasty. Since the recipe opted for queso fresco, this version of creamed corn was lighter compared to ones we’ve had before. There were also peppers sprinkled throughout the side to add a bit of a kick alongside the crunch from the bread crumbs. Smoked Cream Corn We told you about the Smoked Shrimp and Grits coming to The Polite Pig, but we didn’t prepare you for how awesome they were. Shrimp and Grits The smoked grilled shrimp was topped with a honey peppercorn glaze and served over creamy cheddar grits. So, if you’re a big fan of cheese (totally us), you’re going to want to pair the Shrimp and Grits with that new Creamed Corn!! The shrimp had a nice smoky flavor that the honey peppercorn glaze brought out with each bite. The grits had LOTS of flavor, while staying smooth and not overly creamy. Shrimp and Grits In case you need even MORE flavor for your shrimp, The Polite Pig is still offering their signature sauces. Although the Sauce Bar is closed to guests, you can still ask your servers for whichever sauce you’d like with your meal, and they will get them for you! The Polite Pig And, what would a meal at The Polite Pig be without dessert?? While we can’t get a Gideon’s Bakehouse Cookie right now (we’re just as sad as you are), we went with the Orange Blossom Pie instead for $7! Orange Blossom Pie The citrus flavors in this pie were AMAZING and almost tasted like you were snacking on an orange juice-flavored treat. It paired really well with the rest of our Grapefruit Margarita with that bit of orange zest! Overall The Polite Pig is a great destination in Disney Springs if you’re looking for more of a home-cooked meal vibe paired with some GREAT drinks (have you tried their Bourbon Bar??). Polite Pig Overview Whenever you’re there to grab one (or all) of the menu items, be sure to check out the new Pork Rinds while you’re at it! And, The Polite Pig has been cooking up a lot of new options lately, so don’t forget to ask about the Chef’s Smoker Special and Seasonal Side — you might just stumble onto something as wonderful as these shrimp and grits! Take a look at what it’s like to dine in Disney Springs after its reopening! What is your favorite thing to get at The Polite Pig? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: DFB Video: Our 13 Favorite Ways Celebrate Christmas in Disney World! What’s NEW at Disney Springs: The Her Universe Star Wars Collection, NEW Park Life Dooneys, and Rock the Dots Merch! The Nutty Italian Sundae in Disney Springs Looks SO Good We Could Eat Two! View the full article

Last week, we reported LIVE from the grand reopening of Disney Springs. Disney Springs We took you around to see the new health and safety protocols and to check out the reopened dining and shopping experiences. For the reopening, restaurants like The Basket at Wine Bar George have been rolling out new menu items (helloooo loaded fries) since the reopening and we just caught a glimpse of another new item over at The Polite Pig. We at a lot on our first day back to Disney Springs — including The Polite Pig’s new pork rinds. Pork Rinds But for the reopening, they also added this beauty to their menu: Apple Cider & Bourbon Glazed Chicken Wings. ©Polite Pig via Twitter We’ve tried their classic Polite Rub Chicken Wings (which we found to be deliciously crispy, but a little dry) and their seasonal Apple Cinnamon Wings (which were only available for a limited time!), so we are excited to see this new item joining the menu! Apple Spice Glaze Chicken Wings These Apple Cider & Bourbon Glazed Chicken Wings sound like they could be the perfect combination between the classic crispy wings and the sweet, juicy seasonal wings. We guess we’ll just have to try them out to see! We ate THREE POUNDS of loaded fries in Disney Springs — check out what we thought here! What is your favorite menu item at The Polite Pig? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Photos: We Tried Out The NEW Addition To The Polite Pig’s Menu in Disney Springs PHOTOS and TIPS: Our FULL Experience From Reopening Day at Disney Springs News! Chicken Guy In Disney Springs Will Reopen on May 20th View the full article

Welcome in, friends! Gather around and listen to a tale of the cool things Disney had planned for us but for one reason or another just weren’t meant to be! We know what you might be thinking, “Disney? Overly ambitious? Noooo way!” Ahh, but it’s true — although it’s often “fun to do the impossible,” sometimes the impossible isn’t very easy to do! Let’s explore a few failed projects from Disney’s past. Keep in mind, ALL of these things were officially announced by Disney and many were being worked on at various stages before their plans fell through! Disney’s America A third U.S. Disney park??? That’s right — in 1993 Disney announced plans to build a 3,000-acre history-themed park — but only the American parts — right outside of Washington, D.C. in Prince William County, Virginia. The response was generally positive…until a press conference in Disney World less than 2 weeks after the park was announced. ©Disney Creative Director of the America project and then Senior Vice President of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Weis said, “How can you do a park on America and not talk about slavery? This park will deal with the highs and lows…We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave, and what it was like to escape through the Underground Railroad.” Disney America Concept Art ©Disney That statement started the downfall of the park. It led then-CEO, Michael Eisner, to dismiss the critical public response to the slavery comment by Weis. He said people couldn’t possibly expect they were going to whip guests like slaves. He stated further, “We’re not going to put people in chains.” Michael Eisner (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Nickelodeon) Not surprisingly, the idea of “Disneyfying” some of America’s historical lows didn’t sit well with many. This led to growing concerns that Disney could do more damage to American history than good. The head organizer for the Black History Action Organization called for a boycott of the proposed park. She felt that slavery was not suitable content for a theme park setting and she feared it would result in, “little souvenir slave ships” sold in the gift shops, among other things. Disney America Concept Art ©Disney There was fear that the lure of a flashy theme park would take visitors away from the tourist sites in D.C. Even the land they selected was brought into question — it was steps away from some of the largest battles of the Civil War. Many thought it was in bad taste to have the next Disneyland adjacent to where hundreds of thousands had died. There was fear the historical land in the area could be destroyed over time by increased visitors. Disney America Concept Art ©Disney In response, a large group of American historians publicly opposed the project. As public approval of the project grew, protests began to take place in the nation’s capitol demanding Disney be stopped. With growing public disapproval, Eisner informed the public they were backing out of the project one year after it was announced. But Disney didn’t scrap this project entirely. Bob Weis’ next project was Disney California Adventure. A few rides proposed for the America project were worked into this new park. Soarin’ Over California and the Condor Flats section of the park were pulled from ideas for the America park. Grizzly River Run came from an idea for a Lewis and Clark expedition-themed white water rafting ride. Lewis and Clark Expedition Ride Concept Art ©Disney Next time you’re walking around Disney Califonia Adventure in Disneyland, keep an eye out for carryovers from this failed America park! Hyperion Wharf Remember when Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs) had a whole section called “Pleasure Island?” Back in 1989 the section that sits between the Marketplace and the West Side was opened as Pleasure Island, a diverse warehouse district loaded with unique clubs open each evening. It was branded as an escape for adults and for a number of years it was quite popular. Pleasure Island Logo After the turn of the century, though, interest started to wane and Disney began looking for ways to inject life into the space. In 2005, Disney leased a large portion of the land to what would later become Raglan Road Irish Pub but was having trouble finding other tenants in such an “adult-oriented” space. The clubs that inhabited Pleasure Island began to close their doors due to lowered interest and the ongoing recession, and in 2008 the last clubs there closed their doors. Raglan Road Was the First Resident Post-Pleasure Island Desperate for a way to fill the gap between the marketplace and the West Side, in 2010 Disney announced construction on a new project to fill the space called Hyperion Wharf. ©Disney Disney called Hyperion Wharf, “a nostalgic yet modern take on an early 20th-century port city and amusement pier…by day, the bustling port district will draw guests in with its stylish boutiques and innovative restaurants and by night, thousands of lights will transform the area into an electric wonderland.” ©Disney Demolition even began on the site, but stopped almost as abruptly as it began in February of 2011. The Pleasure Island signs remained up, but construction walls surrounded the now-demolished site. And it sat that way for 2 years. Disney Springs In March of 2013, plans for Disney Springs were announced. They promised to completely rebrand the entirety of Downtown Disney into one coherent themed shopping district. The Marketplace and West Side sections remained but the area that Pleasure Island resided in was rebranded as The Landing, better blending in with its surrounding areas. By 2015 the majority of work was completed on Disney Springs and the area was officially rebranded to what we know today. Main Street Theater If you’ve been to Disneyland’s Disney Califonia Adventure, you may be familiar with the Hyperion Theater. This is California Adventure’s large, dedicated theater that shows broadway-quality versions of some of Disney’s biggest stage shows to guests daily. But did you know Disney World was supposed to receive its own live-stage venue at one time! ©Disney The massive indoor theater (which was to be called Main Street Theater) was announced in 2017 and would have been built at Magic Kingdom behind Main Street U.S.A. Guests would have accessed the theater near Tony’s Town Square. Permits were filed and artists’ concepts of the building were even released. But the project never broke ground. In 2018 Disney removed it from their page of projects coming soon. Muppet Studios Ever wonder why Muppets Courtyard at Hollywood Studios even EXISTS? Don’t get us wrong — we totally LOVE this part of the park, but did you ever wonder how it came to be? Muppet Vision 3-D Muppets Courtyard was originally a small piece of a much bigger idea! Disney had conceived of a Muppets Studio land concept which would have included The Great Muppet Movie Ride that Muppets creator Jim Henson described as, “a backstage ride explaining how movies were shot…and all the information is wrong.” There was also a Swedish Chef cooking school, and a pizza joint run by Gonzo! Muppet Studios Concept Art ©Disney Then-Disney CEO, Michael Eisner, wanted to outright own the Muppets brand and was in deep talks with Jim Henson to make that happen when Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then Disney MGM Studios) opened. Henson was even on hand at the dedication of the park. Things took a turn though in 1990 when Jim Henson passed away. The first portion of the new Muppet Studios had already been completed at this time but had not opened — Muppet*Vision 3D. Henson’s children decided that they needed to hold on to their father’s legacy and decided to stop all work with Disney on the proposed land or selling of the Muppets brand. The Muppets Frank Oz, who voiced a number of the Muppet characters alongside Henson (you might know him better as the voice of Yoda in Star Wars!), spoke to the Henson family pleading with them to let their father’s work on Muppet*Vison 3D be shared with the world. The family agreed and only allowed Disney to open the Muppets Courtyard area with the attraction. The rest of the plans were put to rest. PizzeRizzo We may not get the Muppet themed land that Jim Henson had envisioned in Hollywood Studios, but the legacy of the characters still lives on in the park. We’ve even seen a slight expansion of the Muppets in the area a few years back when the Pizza Planet restaurant located in the Muppets Courtyard was re-themed as PizzeRizzo, a fast-food pizza joint run by none other than Rizzo the Rat from The Muppets! Discovery Bay In the 1970s when Disney was working on adapting Jules Verne’s novel Island at the Top of the World into a movie, Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter developed a steampunk paradise called Discovery Bay. With Victorian-era architecture fused with technological marvels, the land was going to be inserted into Disneyland where Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge currently resides. In 1976, a scale model of the land was put on display in Disneyland’s preview center on Main Street, U.S.A. to excite guests about the new land. Discovery Bay Concept Art ©Disney Numerous attractions including a Nautilus simulator and restaurant (both based on Jules Verne’s book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), along with a magnetic roller coaster, a river rapids ride, and hot air balloon attraction were in the works for Discovery Bay. Discovery Bay 20,000 Leagues Restaurant Concept Art ©Disney Island at the Top of the World, the movie that the land would be framed around, was a box office flop. As Tony Baxter put it, “People are so skittish that instead of saying ‘We did a bad Jules Verne movie,’ they go ‘Well, people don’t want to see Jules Verne movies.'” Executives were scared that if the film had flopped, the idea of a steampunk fantasy world built around the same ideas wouldn’t catch guests’ favor either. Shortly after, funds and efforts were channeled towards the construction of Epcot and Tokyo Disneyland, and the project was shelved. Some elements of the rides were later applied at other parks such as Tokyo DisneySea’s Mysterious Island and its attractions (also Jules Verne-inspired), and the Dreamfinder’s ship from the original Journey into Imagination attraction at Epcot. Beastly Kingdom Have you ever looked at a lamp post or a bench as you enter Animal Kingdom and noticed that a dragon is displayed at the center of the designs?? There’s a reason for it — original designs for the theme park called for a fantasy land that was never built. It was called Beastly Kingdom and it’s where guests could’ve met some very unusual creatures! We’re talkin’ mythological beasts such as dragons and unicorns! ©Disney The land would have been divided into “Nice, Beautiful, and Dangerous” territories while an attraction called “Quest of the Unicorn” would have taken guests on a maze-like adventure! Beastly Kingdom would have also featured a Fantasia-inspired boat ride with music and characters from the classic film. Quest of the Unicorn Concept Art ©Disney Budget cuts are the reason why Beastly Kingdom never came to be. As Animal Kingdom developed, they realized that caring for so many animals was going to be much more costly than originally anticipated. This led CEO Michael Eisner to have to choose which section of the new park would be cut: Beastly Kingdom or the Dinoland, U.S.A. section of the park. He chose to save Dinoland. Dinoland, U.S.A. Won Out Over Beastly Kingdom Pandora: The World of AVATAR currently sits right where Beastly Kingdom was supposed to be. Hey, we didn’t get dragons and forest sprites, but we DID get banshees and the Shaman of Songs! Disney World’s Phase 2 Resorts When Magic Kingdom first opened its gates in 1971, two resorts opened with it: Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Disney World’s Phase 2 plans included Asian, Venetian, and Persian-themed hotels built along Seven Seas Lagoon. Asian Resort Concept Art ©Disney The main reason these resorts never saw the light of day was the 1973 oil embargo. Tourism dropped off significantly causing Disney to divert funds to the construction of a new park to lure in guests — Epcot. Venetian Resort Concept Art ©Disney The other reason that construction never took off was that the shores that the resorts were planned to reside on were too unstable to build on. When workers initially hammered pylons into the swampy earth to test out the sites, the pylons were swallowed up by the soft ground beneath them. Construction costs would have had to rise significantly to offset the issues with the terrain. Persian Resort Artwork ©Disney Eventually, work on resorts resumed, but CEO Michael Eisner decided that guests would rather not visit heavily culturally themed resorts and instead focused on a seaside hotel inspired by the lavish resorts on the Floridian beaches — Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Epcot’s Unbuilt Pavilions When Epcot opened in 1982, there were a total of nine pavilions in the World Showcase; there are now 11. But did you know there’s actually space for a LOT more pavilions to come to World Showcase? Disney announced plans for Phase 2 pavilions which include the countries of Equatorial Africa, Israel, Spain, and Venezuela back in the early 80s. Canda Far and Wide Plans for most of these never-built pavilions were halted over financial troubles. In some cases like Spain, deals were negotiated to begin construction, but changes in the leadership of the country caused plans to fall through. And over the years, it seemed like Italy and Germany might be getting a new neighbor when Puerto Rico, Iran, Soviet Union, and Switzerland were in talks to fill in the empty space. As you can see, none of these plans were successful either. Read more about Epcot’s unbuilt pavilions here! The Legendary Years Ever wonder why Disney’s Pop Century and Disney’s Art of Animation Resorts almost have an identical layout? It’s because they were originally part of the same project! While one-half of Disney’s Pop Century Resort called “The Classic Years” opened in 2003, Disney’s Art of Animation was supposed to be the other half of the SAME resort! It was going to be called “The Legendary Years” and its buildings were going to be themed after the 1900s-1940s! ©Google In 2001, before Pop Century even opened, The Legendary Years section was abandoned to cut costs during a recession. For years, guests could see the clearly abandoned hotel just across the bridge from Pop Century. Disney World Legendary Years Hotel Construction did eventually resume and the build-out was completed in 2012 as Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Instead of getting a Roaring 20’s theme (maybe not as…um…kid-friendly as once believed?), the resort now features themed rooms and family suites based on The Lion King, Cars, The Little Mermaid, and Finding Nemo. Disney’s River Country While you might know all about Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach, Disney World’s very first water park is long gone! Disney’s River Country was originally located on the shores of Bay Lake near Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and had a similar rustic vibe. The water used in the park was even sourced directly from Bay Lake and a number of slides allowed visitors to slide into the open waters of the lake! ©Disney Although the water park had been there since 1976 and was only supposed to close down temporarily for a scheduled winter refurb in 2001, it never reopened. This was around the same time that the Legendary Years hotel was abandoned for a similar reason — the 9/11 recession. To cut costs, Disney just never reopened the park. It sat abandoned for years until very recently when it was demolished to make way for Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge. Disneyland’s Luxury Hotel In March of 2018, Disneyland announced plans for a new luxury hotel near Downtown Disney. Disney planned to build a 4-Diamond resort after the City of Anaheim introduced a tax break geared specifically at this level of luxury resort being built in city limits. Disney shifted the location of the resort slightly after the initial specifics were agreed upon between Disney and the city, which resulted in a number of Downtown Disney businesses closing to make way for the project including Rainforest Cafe and Earl of Sandwich. ©Disney The city of Anaheim decided that moving the site of the hotel and the resulting closure of other businesses because of it changed the terms of the project too much, so they put the project on hold. This led Disney to outright cancel plans for the resort. Shortly after the project was canceled it was revealed construction would begin instead on a new Disney Vacation Club 12-story tower adjacent to the Disneyland Hotel. Read more about the canceled Disneyland luxury hotel here! Port Disney A planned resort area in Long Beach, CA called Port Disney was announced in 1990. It would have featured a marine-themed amusement park called DisneySea along with a marina, and a cruise ship port! In fact, the RMS Queen Mary would have served as a focal point of the resort! The idea for the park revolved around a heavy focus on conservation and marine life. ©Disney Additions to Disneyland in Anaheim required just the city’s approval, but to build in Long Beach required approval of state and local governments, making it much harder for Disney to do as they liked. The project never had a coordinated effort from everyone involved at Disney, so much so that some believed Disney never had a true interest in constructing the park, though millions were spent in the early stages of planning. Although plans were scrapped for this project in favor of a new project called westCOT (which we’ll get to next), the name DisneySea and some of the ideas for this theme park were taken over to Japan and used for Tokyo DisneySea which opened in 2001. westCOT Oh, but things get ever WEIRDER from there for Californians! Similar to Florida’s Epcot, Disney conceived westCOT! It’s basically exactly what you’re thinking! The blueprint even called for replicas of classic Epcot attractions such as Journey into Imagination and an even BIGGER Spaceship Earth! Budget restraints kept westCOT from becoming a beautiful reality. ©Disney Instead of ending up with a bizarro-version of Epcot (and its famous World Showcase BUT with different countries!), we got Disney California Adventure Park instead. S.S. Disney Last but not least, let’s discuss one of Disney’s most ambitious ideas — the S.S. Disney. The S.S. Disney wasn’t going to be a cruise ship like you’d find with Disney Cruise Line — it was a full-fledged floating theme park. ©Disney Magic 16 to 18 classic Disney attractions such as it’s a small world, Space Mountain, Star Tours, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups, and Roger Rabbit’s Toontown Spin were all planned to be aboard! There were also plans for 6 restaurants, gift shops, and more. Guests would board the ship in the morning and have 8 hours at sea to ride rides and explore. S.S. Disney Model ©Disney Eisner was on board with the idea (get it?) until his partner and President of the company, Frank Wells, passed away in 1994. The planning group at corporate didn’t want to do a floating theme park any more with Wells out — they wanted to do a cruise ship instead. This began Disney’s foray into cruise lines and in 1998, the Disney Cruise Line set sail. For all of the incredible lands, theme parks, and more that the Disney Company has created over the years, it’s interesting to take a look back at the projects that didn’t get off the ground. What do you think of these plans that Disney told us about but never finished? Which ideas would you like to see them revisit someday? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: 7 Impossible Decisions Disney Has To Make Right Now The 10 Most Important Dates in 2020 For Disney Fans It’s Costing Disney HOW MUCH To Close The Theme Parks?! View the full article

Disney World is the Most Magical Place on Earth! But, did you know that it can be one of the Scariest Places on Earth, too?? (Dun dun DUN!) Cinderella Castle at Night Although Disney creates SO much magic for guests of all ages, there are a few things in the parks that might creep you out when you’re visiting. It doesn’t matter how old you are — these 10 things could scare anybody that dares to visit Disney World. Meeting Kylo Ren The moment you get to hug a Disney character and say hello is SO magical (and we miss it a LOT). And although many of the meet-and-greets in the park are super friendly, Kylo Ren is basically…the exact opposite. Kylo Ren and Stormtroopers Yeah, we get it — he’s a Dark Side villain and all. But, he’s a little terrifying since he just circles around you and gets up in your face. His voice is modulated and ominous, and he’s not exactly “huggable.” Plus, you can’t see anybody underneath all the black capes and Kylo’s iconic mask (so don’t expect any smiles, folks!). Kylo Ren Although he may look sinister, the actual dialogue he says is also pretty unnerving, too, like, he “will be the cause of destruction,” and he “senses the Dark Side within you.” YIKES. However, while Kylo Ren can totally give you the creeps, he’s surprisingly sweet with your little ones. A little Stormtrooper meets his character counterpart! So, don’t be too afraid to bring them to meet one of the big baddies from Star Wars! But don’t say we didn’t warn you! Take a look at some SECRET character meet-and-greets here! Navigating Your Way Through Crowds After Fireworks Whether you’ve experienced this or not, trust us — the moment everyone is trying to exit the park after fireworks is one of the scariest parts of your Disney vacation. Especially on those crazy busy days! While you’re hanging onto your party members’ backpacks, trying to see the exit over the sea of people, keeping your hands on any of your kids trying to go rogue in the crowds, and making sure you don’t trip over anyone, it can feel like you’re in an actual nightmare. Fireworks Crowds However, if you’re not in a rush to get back to your resort or leave Magic Kingdom at the end of the night, we recommend swinging back in the gift shops to wait for the streets to clear a bit. Or, you can even skip the fireworks and hop on some rides with shorter wait times instead (if you catch them before the park closes for the night!). Magic Kingdom Crowds We promise, waiting a bit for the sea of humanity to thin out will mean a more stress-free escape, less waiting for transportation, and an overall better experience (plus you can grab some pics of a near-empty Main Street, U.S.A.!). No matter what you choose to do, we can still say that the relief of finally exiting the parks and being free of all that uncomfortable squished person-to-person contact is REAL. You NEED to know these 20 ride hacks before your next Disney vacation! Losing Members in Your Party It can also be a pretty scary moment if you lose someone in the parks. While we are luckily living in the age of technology, sometimes your phone runs out of battery from all those snack photos, and you can’t contact your family or friends (we recommend grabbing a FuelRod for these times!). Or even worse — maybe you lost your child! The Fountain is a Great Meeting Spot! In a place as big as Disney World, it’s full-on freak-out time when you lose your kid. However, if you let a Cast Member know what happened, they are well-versed in finding little ones. Walt Disney World Cast Members Since it’s hard to set a meeting spot with young kiddos, let your children know to go to a Cast Member if they get lost. Tell them to look for the nice people with oval name tags and inform them that they’re lost. Cast Member We promise if this happens it’s WAY more nerve-wracking for you than it is for your kid (we’ve BEEN THERE! Cast Members are incredible at keeping your kiddos calm!), but trust that this happens more than you might realize and Disney World has a system in place to deal with it. Your child will be taken to the Baby Care Center in the park if they’re under 10, and if older, they’ll be taken to Guest Relations to wait for you. You should be reunited with your child in no time. That said, keep an eye on those kids, Mom and Dad. You’ll be surprised how easily they can get away from you in Disney World! These are the Disney Cast Members we are missing the most right now! Claustrophobia, Anxiety, and a Fear of Heights While Disney World might be the Most Magical Place on Earth, it can also be stressful in certain situations for people who struggle with severe anxiety, get claustrophobic, or even have a fear of heights. Since there are constantly crowds around you, it might be difficult to really get a “breather” in the parks. Toy Story Land crowds Plus, some of those rides have very narrow queue line areas or put you in confined spaces for a long timem– not to mention that some of the ride vehicles themselves are pretty tiny (Mission: SPACE, anyone??). Mission: SPACE A few rides like the Tower of Terror and Expedition Everest or even the Skyliner Gondolas can also be rough for guests who have a fear of heights. If a member of your party could possibly feel claustrophobic or anxious, make sure to let a Cast Member know and they will help escort you out of the ride. Tower of Terror While you’re planning, you may want to keep in mind that rides like the Haunted Mansion, Dinosaur, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Splash Mountain could cause some distress if you happen to have any of these fears as well. Look up what each ride entails, watch a youtube ride-through, and decide before you go if you feel up for riding so you’re not caught off guard in the moment. DINOSAUR Disney World was intended to be a happy, enjoyable place — NOT a cause for stress and strife! So if you run into any worries on your vacation just speak to a Cast Member and they’ll do all they can to help you feel comfortable. Our grandmas described Disney World’s attractions in the most… interesting ways! Read what they said here! Constance Hatchaway Haunted Mansion is just one of those rides that COULD give you the creeps in general — I mean, it’s a haunted house with ghosts, after all! While jump scares in the graveyard and the “huuurrryyyy baaaackkk” dialogue can give you hot and cold running chills, Constance Hatchaway’s story is possibly the creepiest thing about the ride. Haunted Mansion Graveyard Once you make your way into the attic, Constance makes it very clear that she decapitated all of her husbands after she married them (anybody else a little surprised that nobody noticed she was a murderess IRL sooner??). And, when she lets you know that she’s looking for her next victim, we SWEAR she’s looking right at us when she says it. YIKES! Haunted Mansion This makes us think back to our childhood days of covering our eyes for any frightful scenes in rides. If you’re more than a little unnerved by the murderous bride in her attic, just close those peepers for the few seconds the ride traverses through that scene (but we promise, it isn’t THAT bad! The older bride with no face? THAT was really creepy! ). Take a peek at the NEW Haunted Mansion Collection coming to the Disney Parks for Halloween (if you dare)! A VERY Creepy Hidden Ventriloquist Doll The Tower of Terror is another attraction that has terrifying twists, turns, and killer drops. Although the plot of the Disney themed The Twilight Zone episode is nothing less than eerie, it’s the exit of the ride that creeps us out the most. Tower of Terror Sign As you’re leaving the elevator, you can spot the Caesar ventriloquist doll from the show’s episode “Caesar and Me.” In case you haven’t watched it, Caesar is a demonic doll that convinces people to do harmful things. Demonic Dummy Yeah, so it’s on THAT cheery note that you get to go explore the rest of Hollywood Studios after you “drop in” to the Tower of Terror and spot Caesar! (Oh and here’s a fun little piece of info! Tower of Terror cast members believe that if you don’t say hello and goodnight to Caesar each day, bad things will happen!) We answer the BURNING questions you have about Disney World’s attractions here! Disney Basically Knows Where You Are 24/7 My Disney Experience is a REALLY helpful tool when it comes to vacation planning. You can book FastPasses for rides, keep track of your Advance Dining Reservations, and even check the wait times in the park. But, My Disney Experience also is a teensy bit stalker-ish if you think about it. Capacity Message pop-up on My Disney Experience During the times we’ve been in the parks, we’ve received push notifications and pop-ups welcoming us and suggesting activities to do nearby. Plus, in combination with your MagicBand, if you’ve made FastPass+, dining, or room reservations, Disney practically knows where you’re going to be at all times. If that majorly creeps you out, you can choose not to share your location with the app or only share it when you’re using My Disney Experience! My Disney Experience screenshot While a MagicBand can be incredibly useful while at Disney World, you can also opt to receive a room card in lieu of a MagicBand if you don’t want that full “big brother” vibe while you’re there. You HAVE to see these FREE PhotoPass pictures on My Disney Experience that will make you miss the parks even more! Villains Taking Over Space Mountain Villains After Hours is a BLAST! It’s one of the few times you get to see all the villains out in the parks. This extra-ticketed event happens on select nights in Magic Kingdom once the park has closed for the night, giving you access to shorter lines, great photo ops, and exclusive treats. Queen of Hearts Photo Op But, it wouldn’t be a party without some of those Disney overlays on rides! Although there are some pretty cool spots to check out (we LOVED seeing all the REAL buccaneers out at Pirates of the Caribbean), there are a few that we found to be a little frightening for the villains themed event. Pirates of the Caribbean During Villains After Hours, the stars are shut off in Space Mountain and the attraction is in complete darkness. Oh, and did we mention that it comes with a soundtrack of villains laughing and screaming (Yeah, they’re the kind of sounds that keep you up at night.)? So, if you’re with your kids, you might want to skip the Villains After Hours overlay of Space Mountain if your little ones get scared easily. Space Mountain We’ve got to admit, we’re grown-up (kind of) and we STILL found this super scary!!! Check out our ULTIMATE guide to Villains After Hours here! Nanny Chairs If you try to think of the most terrifying thing on earth and then multiply it by two, you’ve got the Nanny Chairs at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. They’re based on real chairs from 19th-century carousels that nannies used so they could sit down while the kids they watched rode on the horses. But, they’re just terrifying looking with almost evil faces (look at that scary grin!!). Boardwalk Nanny Chair And, since Disney likes to pay attention to details, they’re VERY authentic to the original Nanny Chairs you could find on the carousels. You can spot four of the chairs, named Todd, Paul, Alix, and Carrie. BUT, there are usually only two out by the fireplace in the lobby, so you never know where the other ones are lurking (AKA in our nightmares). Boardwalk Inn Nanny Chair In all truthfulness, these are really fun to watch “move” around the resort (Cast Members often move the chairs, so you never know where they’ll end up!). They’re pretty creepy to look at but they’re a fascinating piece of history! Check out more hidden secrets in Disney World hotels here! Being Alone at Nighttime It’s not a super common occurrence to be alone in a Disney Park — after all, there are usually crowds and Cast Members around! However, on an off chance you get to experience this, it can be kind of spooky. It’s that same feeling of “in space, no one can hear you scream,” but in a theme park. Cinderella Castle Plus, those moments where you’re waiting for one of the last Disney buses, walking to your car in a nearly empty parking lot, or making your way back to your resort room alone late in the evening can make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Main Street, U.S.A. Like Peter Pan says, just think of the happiest things!! But remember to be safe. Just because it’s Disney World doesn’t mean nothing bad can happen. Stay aware. There are so many experiences in Disney World that might give you the heebie-jeebies. Disney tries its best to be full of magic and happiness at every turn but sometimes, it’s still easy to get spooked! If you or a party member gets frightened easily, keep these in mind before you plan your next trip! You might want to make these WEIRD choices during your Disney vacation! What are some of the scariest things you’ve experienced in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Do You Think The PeopleMover Misses Us, Too? We’re Peeking Inside Disney World’s Closure Diary! These Are the Disney Cast Members We Are Missing the MOST During the Closures! DFB Video: Can You Believe They Do This in Disney World?! View the full article

Today’s visual challenge is inspired by one of my favorite Disney movies. Can you guess the location of this crafty mural? Scroll down to find the answer. If you guessed Rapunzel’s Royal Table aboard the Disney Magic, you are absolutely right! This restaurant combines tantalizing cuisine with dazzling live entertainment to create a unique dining experience that brings to life the world of Rapunzel. This fabled feast begins as you enter a royal ballroom adorned with paintings created by the princess herself. If you look closely, you may even spot Rapunzel’s elusive sidekick, Pascal, hiding around the dining room. Throughout dinner, you’ll experience loads of lively entertainment—from singing and dancing with a merry band of musicians to musical performances by Princess Rapunzel, Flynn Rider and the mischievous Snuggly Duckling Thugs. You can even partake in the festivities and join a celebratory parade to cap off the night. What’s for dinner? Our chefs have developed a mouth-watering menu inspired by the adventures of Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder. Some of the highlights include The Snugly Duckling Platter, a Bavarian-inspired charcuterie selection that is sure to please the meanest of ruffians. Looking for something a little more refined? The Tangled Pasta features angel hair pasta tossed in a creamy basil pesto and accompanied with caramelized sea scallops. The Flynn Rider Platter, with grilled smoked pork loin, roasted smoked pork belly, fried potato dumpling and Spätburgunder wine jus, will make you smolder. Keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for our next “Where can you ‘Sea’ this?” challenge and more #DisneyMagicMoments from Disney Cruise Line. View the full article

The global health crisis has had a big effect on the Walt Disney Company. Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle Lots of Disney projects have had to shift to a different timeline. We’ve seen delays in the opening of Disneyland’s Avengers Campus, a whole bunch of blockbuster films have been pushed back, and more. With all these high-profile changes, what are the delays you’re NOT thinking about? Here are the seven Disney delays that might have slipped your mind! 1. Three Upcoming Disney Cruise Line Ships You might not have thought about the three upcoming Disney Cruise Line Ships that are currently under construction! Last year, Disney announced that they would be almost doubling their cruise fleet with three new ships to be constructed at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The first of these new ships is to be called the Disney Wish and was set to set sail in January 2022. The Disney Wonder Though an official delay has yet to be announced it is very possible that these ships will see some changes to their schedule. The global health crisis and resulting cancellations has resulted in a massive interruption to cruise demand as well as income for cruise lines. According to Disney executives, the cruise line will likely be the last to return in their tourism segment. It’s possible that we could see some delays on these massive new ships as well. Click here to learn more about the interruption to the Disney Cruise Line! 2. Food and Merchandise Supply Chains We’ve noticed a variety of national shortages beginning to affect the United States. According to Fox News, meat shortages could last through the summer. Carbonation is scarce too, per Forbes. Plus, with the pressure on airlines and international routes, transporting goods from place to place isn’t quite as easy as it used to be. Ribeye Steak from California Grill It’s unclear at this time if or how these shortages will affect Disney. So far, Disney has been on the mark with releasing new merch on time, and though most reopened restaurants in Disney Springs have had limited menus, we haven’t noticed any foods being unavailable to restaurants yet. To learn more about the effect on airlines, click here. 3. Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge We’ve all kept a super close eye on those big attractions projects in Disney World — we’re watching Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, TRON Lightcycle Run, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind very closely! Still, there is another major project that we’re worried about that might not be as top-of-mind as the rides. Reflections Concept Art © Disney Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge is the new Disney Vacation Club resort that is under construction in Disney World. The resort is still under construction, but it’s unclear how it has been affected by the construction halt or any supply chain issues. Right now the resort is set to open in 2022, so we’re keeping a close eye on what to expect. Want to learn more about current construction on Reflections? Click here! 4. Harmonious Another Disney World project that should be on your radar is the upcoming Epcot show Harmonious. This show has a growing chance of being delayed since its previous opening date was Spring 2020. Unfortunately, the Disney parks have remained closed for much of Spring 2020. Beyond that, it’s unknown how work on the show has been interrupted. ©Disney A potential permit for the show WAS filed during the closure, but delays are not unlikely. Epcot Forever may need to run a little longer than expected — and that’s IF nighttime spectaculars can return initially. Despite the completion of work, the debut could be delayed further by health measures. Click here to learn more about the precautions in place around nighttime spectacular in Disneyland Shanghai! 5. Disneyland Refurbishment Projects There are a few iconic Disneyland attractions that are currently under refurbishment and these projects have been on pause since Disneyland instituted a construction halt with their closure. That could mean some serious delays until these attractions reopen. Haunted Mansion Construction Tarps Haunted Mansion, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and King Arthur Carrousel are all currently under refurbishment in Disneyland. Haunted Mansion was set to reopen this Spring, and the reopening dates for Snow White’s Scary Adventures and King Arthur’s Carrousel haven’t been announced yet, but with the construction halt, they could be closed for longer than they were originally intended. Click here to check out the latest update on these projects. 6. Production on Upcoming Shows and Films Like we mentioned, there are a LOT of films that have seen delayed release dates, but we haven’t really talked about the shows and films that have seen delays in their production. Many films and shows without release dates have seen production halts. ©Walt Disney Studios These halted productions include (among others) the following: The Little Mermaid from Walt Disney Studios, Big Shot, Home Alone, Peter Pan and Wendy, and Shrunk from Disney+, The Big Sky and Empire from 20th Century Studios, Genius from National Geographic, American Housewife and Grey’s Anatomy from ABC, and Pose from FX. We’ll be keeping a close eye on productions as they resume! Want to learn more about the live-action Little Mermaid? Click here! 7. International Theme Park Expansions Finally, it’s easy to focus on the domestic theme parks — but there are definitely some expansions at the international parks that are delayed at this time as well! According to Le Parisien, the Frozen-themed expansion coming to Disneyland Paris has been sitting stagnant since the closure began. The expansion is set to open in 2023 but may see delays from this pause. ©Disney Similarly, Tokyo Disney Resort’s New Fantasyland (originally set to open April 28th) and Fantasy Springs (opening 2022) expansions have been halted for now as well, per Nikkei Asian Review. For Shanghai Disneyland’s Zootopia expansion and Hong Kong Disneyland’s Frozen expansion, things are a little different. These projects haven’t been paused with the closure, so work was able to continue, according to Big News Network. Zootopia Shanghai Concept Art ©Disney That doesn’t mean that these to lands are exempt from delays though. Overall, the global health crisis has a pretty far-reaching effect for the Disney company. We’ll be looking out for news on any of these projects so we can report back to you! In the meantime, you can check out our full coverage of the reopening of Disney Springs right here! Click here to learn about the reopening of Disneyland Shanghai! Did you let any of these delays slip your mind? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: 10 Ways The Current Crisis is Particularly BAD for The Walt Disney Company DFB Video: Our Top Picks for the Most Outrageously Expensive Disney Experiences! News! Disney Racks Up $5 Billion More In Credit View the full article

Another Orlando attraction reopened today! ©Gatorland Yesterday, we shared the news that Fun Spot’s Orlando location had reopened. And today, another attraction has joined them in reopening. Gatorland reopened to guests on the morning of Saturday, May 23rd after receiving approval from the Governor and Orange County Mayor. The park’s president and CEO, Mark McHugh said the park submitted a 32-page policy manual outlining safety procedures for guests and employees. ©Gatorland Changes to the park include social distancing in queues, reduced park capacity, increased sanitation measures, and required face masks and temperature checks for employees. Guests are encouraged to wear face masks and follow all social distancing guidelines. Universal Orlando parks are scheduled to reopen to the public on June 5th, click here to learn more Have you visited Gatorland? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: NEWS: Orlando Attractions Including Gatorland and Fun Spot America Request to Reopen in Florida’s Phase Two Roll Call! Here’s the Current Status of Every Disney Park After Yesterday’s BIG NEWS! Are Disney World’s Temperature Checks Accurate? Here’s How They Work (And The Science Behind Them). View the full article