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When Disney World closed to the public back in March, Disney announced that all Florida Resident Discover Disney tickets may be used until July 31, 2020. Cinderella Castle However, the parks still remain closed and Disney World Resort hotel reservations are currently not listed as available until July 1st. Consequently, Disney decided to extend the Discover Disney Ticket eligibility date. Florida Resident Discover Disney tickets may now be used through September 30, 2020. ©Disney At this time, other multi-day and day-specific tickets have not been updated and will still be eligible through December 15, 2020, or the value can be applied to a future date. Animal Kingdom At this time, Disney Springs is the first area in Disney World that has announced a re-opening date, but we will continue to keep you updated with the latest information. Find out more about what Disney World will refund during the closure here! Are you a Florida resident affected by this update? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: What’s Inside a Runner Pack at Walt Disney World Resorts for runDisney Weekends? Take a Look! The BIGGEST Time Wasters in Disney World — And How To Avoid Them! Eight Lessons We Learned the Hard Way About Taking a BABY to Walt Disney World View the full article

Earlier this week, we learned that Disneyland Resort hotels are no longer accepting reservations until July 2020. ©DapperDay.com Disneyland’s Dapper Day Outing and Expo were originally scheduled for June 20th and 21st — but in light of the extended closure, the Dapper Day schedule has been updated. The Dapper Day outing and Expo were originally scheduled for April and later rescheduled to June. Today, Dapper Day announced the Disneyland summer 2020 events are now canceled. ©DapperDay The announcement mentions the possibility of there being some sort of Dapper Day event in August even if the Disneyland parks are not open to full capacity. However, the planners are awaiting government guidelines to plan an event accordingly. The founders are speaking with Disney and hope to have more information on future Disneyland and Disney World Dapper Day festivities by the end of May. But, the November 14 and 15 fall Disneyland events are still scheduled to occur. ©DapperDay Dapper Day is offering refunds for spring or summer 2020 Expo passes or these passes will automatically be eligible for the fall Expo. ©DapperDay You can request a refund through your Eventbrite confirmation or email hello@dapperday.com with any further questions. We will keep you updated with any additional information! Find out more information about Disneyland Resort’s extended closure here! Have you ever taken part in Dapper Day? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: News! Disneyland Dapper Day Expo Rescheduled and Encore Outing Announced! News! Date Released for Dapper Day at Home! Now You Can Watch Disneyland’s Magic Happens Parade Without Visiting the Park! View the full article

Earlier this week, we found out that Shanghai Disneyland is set to open May 11th. ©Disney Although Shanghai Disneyland will not initially re-open with fireworks or parades, Disney is giving us a dose of theatrical flair by throwing it back to the original opening date in 2016! You don’t need to catch a flight or social distance to view this spectacular! Grab some popcorn and prepare for this emotional Shanghai Disneyland Resort Opening Gala from June 16th, 2016! Shanghai Disneyland Fireworks Testing The video features projections on the castle, live music, iconic Disney songs, and FIREWORKS! Check it out for yourself below! You might even be able to catch a glimpse of Mickey Mouse! Enjoy the show! You can also check out a fireworks show from Disneyland Paris here! Which Disney park did you visit first? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: 10 Ways The Current Crisis is Particularly BAD for The Walt Disney Company What Has To Happen Before Disney World Reopens Here’s the BIGGEST News That Disney Released Yesterday! View the full article

Why, it seems like only yesterday we were fawning over Loungefly’s new Marvel collection! © Loungefly Oh, wait! That’s because it WAS only yesterday! And now, some new Disney Logo Loungeflys have just made their glorious debut! Is it just us, or did Loungefly really up its game with these new Disney Logo Loungefly styles?? They look just like a super high-end designer bag with it’s repeated monogram print. Something like that would normally cost hundreds of dollars! © Loungefly Check out the sophisticated lines of this Logo Debossed Crossbody Bag for $65! It’s made of red and black faux leather and features a removable crossbody strap and top handle — how very Disney couture! © Loungefly Click here to see the Loungefly Logo Debossed Crossbody Bag! Loungefly also released this adorable matching Debossed Logo Cardholder for $25! Loungefly? More like Louis Vuitton-fly — but at a fraction on the PRICE! © Loungefly Purchase the new Loungefly Debossed Logo Cardholder here! We’re not sure what Loungefly will be releasing next on their website next, but these new logo styles will be one classy act to follow! Until then, check out the new Disney Princess Ice Cream Loungefly collection that recently debuted here! What do you think of this new Loungefly collection? Let us know if you’re a fan in the comments below! Related posts: These Chic ‘Star Wars’ Loungefly Bags Are Bringing Us A New Hope! You Might Not Be Ready For How Cute These ‘A Bug’s Life’ Loungeflys Are! Disney Princesses…and ICE CREAM? Check out the New Loungefly We Didn’t Know We Needed! View the full article

Recently, we shared that the Disneyland Resort was no longer accepting new hotel bookings before July. Now, Disney World has followed suit. The Disneyland Hotel As Disney Springs gears up to open on May 20, Disney World has changed the date that they will accept resort reservations. Originally, Disney World announced that they would be taking reservations starting June 1st. Now, it looks like this date has been pushed to July 1st. Disney’s Contemporary Resort When checking the website, we found that we were unable to book any new Disney World Resort hotel reservations through the month of June. ©Disney We were, however, able to make reservations for July 1 and beyond. ©Disney We will continue to keep you posted as more information is released. At this time, Disney World is also canceling reservations for the week of May 24-May 31, but have yet to cancel any further than that. Read more about the surveys Disney World is sending out to guests regarding future travels here. Do you have a reservation at Disney World for the month of June? Let us know in the comments below. Related posts: Why Disney World Could Be Very DIFFERENT When It Reopens Updated! Will Disney World and Disneyland Announce A Closure Extension Soon? So Disney World and Disneyland Are Closed Until Further Notice…Now What? A Step-By-Step Guide To Canceling, Refunding, and Rescheduling Your Disney Vacation View the full article

Celebrate the Reopening of Shanghai Disneyland | #DisneyMagicMoments View the full article

Tonight, we’re following our earlier update that Shanghai Disney Resort will begin the phased reopening of Shanghai Disneyland on May 11 with a special #DisneyMagicMoments virtual viewing of the Resort’s historic one-of-a-kind grand opening ceremony in 2016. For this pre-recorded viewing of the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort, you’re front and center to experience the breathtaking music-filled event that showcases the beauty of Chinese art and tradition and brings magical stories and characters to life like never before! We hope you enjoyed this virtual viewing of the 2016 grand opening of Shanghai Disney Resort. Keep checking back for more #DisneyMagicMoments coming to the Disney Parks Blog. View the full article

We just learned today that Disney World is beginning to send surveys to guests with existing reservations — asking which factors influence their decisions to travel. Universal has already sent out similar surveys in the past, but today they sent out a new set of questions. Universal Orlando Resort According to Bay News 9, this new survey focuses on potential reopening scenarios — including various factors on capacity and cost, and how guests would feel about visiting the parks under each case. The survey provides guests with hypothetical reopening scenarios and requests feedback on various details of the situation. The different scenarios offered differing levels of park capacity, pricing, and in-park offerings. In one example, only one park would be open at a time, and Universal would charge 50% of the admission price. Universal CityWalk The survey asked additional questions regarding the individual’s knowledge of the current global health crisis, hypothetical reopening dates (dates in the survey included July 1, August 1, and December 1), and where the individual gets their news concerning the health crisis. Read more about the surveys Disney has begun to send out here! Have you received one of these surveys from Universal or from Disney? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Universal Orlando CityWalk is Reportedly Planning a Partial Reopening SOON Universal Studios Has EXTENDED Its Temporary Closure Marriott CEO Announced That He Will Not Take a Salary For Remainder of the Year View the full article

IT’S HAPPENING!! Star Wars fans, Boba Fett is BACK! ©Disney The last time we saw Boba Fett, the bounty hunter died in Return of the Jedi when he fell into a Sarlacc pit (RIP)…or so we thought. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Boba Fett will be returning to the Star Wars universe in season two of The Mandalorian this fall! And, if that isn’t great enough news, Temuera Morrison will be back again to play character too! The Mandalorian ©Disney In case you don’t recognize the name, Morrison played Jango Fett in the Attack of the Clones. However, the plot revealed that there was an army being built with secret clones mirrored off Jango (dun dun dun!!!). The real shocker of the film, though, was that Boba Fett was actually a Jango clone who Jango was raising as his son. That’s a pretty weird family tree if you ask us… . ©Disney Although Jeremy Bulloch originally played an older Boba Fett, Morrison has voiced both Jango and Boba in numerous Star Wars video games. So, it’s only fitting that he would be returning to the Fett family again in The Mandalorian! Although fans have been speculating that Boba Fett would potentially return to the Star Wars story, The Mandalorian practically gave it away in Chapter Five when you could hear the sound of Boba’s famous spurs during “The Gunslinger.” ©Disney Oh, Disney, you really know how to make our Star Wars loving hearts happy!! We can’t wait to see what the show has planned for Boba Fett and the rest of The Mandalorian characters in the next season (and maybe season three). Check out all the details about the new The Mandalorian documentary series available on Disney+ NOW! What do you think Boba Fett will be up to in the second season of The Mandalorian? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Here’s EVERYTHING Coming to Disney+ in May! You Can Watch The NEW Simpsons Short FREE on Instagram for 24 Hours! Life Is the Bubbles! Today’s International Mermaid Day (and We’re Celebrating with Some Disney Magic)! View the full article

Recently, we learned Disney Springs would be starting a phased reopening of third party stores and restaurants on May 20th (click here to read more about the announcement). Disney Springs Disney has shared that these independent operators will be following the guidance of government and health officials while some modifications including limited capacity, shortened hours, and social distancing measures will be in place. While the rest of Walt Disney World Resort including Disney-owned stores, restaurants, theme parks, and hotels will remain closed for the time being, we do have confirmation that the following dining locations will reopen at Disney Springs on May 20th. We will be updating this post as we receive confirmation from more dining locations. Disney Springs Restaurants That Will Reopen on May 20th Wine Bar George Wine Bar George has confirmed on their website that they intend to reopen May 20th at noon. Their employees will be adhering to even stricter food safety and sanitation standards while all team members will be required to pass a health check before their shift. Wine Bar George For dining room safety procedures, social distancing guidelines will be followed for both indoor and outdoor seating. Place settings, tables, chairs, utensils, and condiments in both dining areas and common areas will be sanitized after each use and all menus will be contactless. Guests will be asked to view menus with their own personal devices and contactless payment will be encouraged but is not required at this time. We also found that reservations were available for Wine Bar George on May 20th through Open Table. Click here to learn more about Wine Bar George’s new safety measures. STK Orlando We have also confirmed that STK Orlando will be reopening on May 20th. They have not shared specifics on their individual plan for implementing new health and safety precautions at this time, but we will share this information with you guys as soon as it is released. STK Orlando Outdoor Patio Above are all the restaurants we’ve confirmed WILL be opening on May 2oth! Read more about STK’s reopening here! We’ve also been able to confirm some that WILL NOT be. Disney Springs Restaurants That Will Not Reopen on May 20th Ragland Road Irish Pub After speaking with a representative from Ragland Road Irish Pub today, we can confirm they are not planning on reopening on May 20th at this time. Raglan Road Instead, the spokesperson told us, “Raglan Road is working on a reopening plan. We look forward to welcoming guests back for our popular brand of Irish food, beverage, and live entertainment when conditions permit us to open our doors with necessary safety measures in place.” We’ll continue to update this post as we confirm more restaurants are reopening, so stay tuned! Are you planning to visit Disney Springs on May 20th? Let us know in the comments below. Related posts: Orange County’s Mayor Is Expected To Announce His Phased Approach To Reopen Orlando Tomorrow Roll Call! Here’s the Current Status of Every Disney Park After Yesterday’s BIG NEWS! News! Hennessy Week Is Coming to Disney World! View the full article

Shanghai Disneyland is reopening on May 11th, and we’re keeping an eye on what sort of health measures we’ll see there. Shanghai Disneyland Last month, we spotted some pictures from within Shanghai Disney Resort where it appeared that Cast Members were testing some health and distancing protocols. Now, thanks to the same Twitter user @gourmetdyy, we’ve caught a glimpse of instructions for guests on reopening and the way certain processes will work. Let’s take a look! The first video appears to be an instructional video for guests to help them understand what they’ll need to get into the park and how their park day will look. As we know, the resort is operating under limited capacity with advance reservations required. To visit the resort, guests will need a green Shanghai QR Code (that tracks their health) that has been generated on the day of the visit. Masks are also mandatory. ©Disney Once guests arrive, it appears they will be guided by Cast Members and markings on the ground to maintain distancing. They may also be asked to go through a temperature checkpoint where no-touch thermometers will make sure temperatures are below 99 degrees Fahrenheit. As usual, bag check and government ID will be mandatory at the park gates. According to the video, most attractions will be open with alterations to capacity. Empty seats should be kept between groups, small ride vehicles should hold one group at a time, and hand sanitizer is available for use at the exit to attractions. The video shows that character meet and greets may still be in place with some alterations for distancing. As for dining, some tables might be marked with cards that advise guests to sit elsewhere. This is to make sure that everyone maintains a safe distance from other groups. Guests are also asked to only touch merchandise that they intend to buy. She also shared a video of a newscast from China reporting on some of the measures. The video features Cast Members stationed at the entrance to check Shanghai QR codes with instructions on how to do so. Line queues appear to have tape markings that inform guests how far apart from one another they should stand. Tape marks are present also on the ride vehicles in the video so that guests know how far apart they should sit from one another. Cast Members may be stationed in retail locations to make sure groups maintain distance from one another and hand sanitizer could be available around the park. We’ll continue our coverage as we near the opening of the park. If you’re interested in getting tickets to Shanghai Disneyland, click here to learn more about the process to aquire them. Click here to learn more about the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland! What do you think of these measures in place in Shanghai? Share your thoughts in the comments. Related posts: Theater Shows? Play Areas? What WON’T Reopen Initially In Shanghai Disneyland NEWS! Shanghai Disney Resort to CLOSE Indefinitely in Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak in China Photos! Shanghai Disney Resort Testing Simulated Health Measures for a Possible Reopening View the full article

While Disney World hasn’t set an official opening date, Disney Springs will be starting a phased reopening on May 20th with third-party stores and restaurants. Disney Springs During this initial time, there will be “enhanced safety measures” (which you can read more about here). We have already shared that STK Orlando and Wine Bar George will be reopening on May 20th. Now, we have a confirmed store to add to the list. After calling the store, we were informed that Anthropologie plans to reopen its doors on May 20th. According to Anothropologie’s website, “We are trying to provide you the store experience you know and love while accommodating social distancing and other procedures designed to keep you and our employees safe.” Disney Springs According to their FAQ page, they will be placing taped markers on their floors to observe social distancing. They will be sanitizing surfaces, cleaning rooms, and door handles. There will also be hand sanitizer readily available. For the time being, all transactions will be contactless, meaning that they will not accept cash or check payments and all receipts will be emailed. We will continue to keep you posted as we confirm with more stores and dining locations on their plans for May 20th. Take a look at all the other Disney Parks and Resorts opening dates here. Related posts: News! Some Disney Springs Stores Are Closing as a Health Precaution! Go on a Grand Circle Tour of Tomorrowland With the NEW PeopleMover Hat 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

Disney Springs has just announced that third-party stores and restaurants will be reopening in less than two weeks. Disney Springs While a limited number of third party locations will be reopening initially, they will be implementing increased health and safety protocols for guests and workers. Yesterday, we shared that Wine Bar George was available for reservations through Open Table on May 20th. They also shared a few of the health and safety protocols they plan to implement. Now, we can add another confirmed opening location to the list. After calling the restaurant, we were informed that STK Orlando will be one of the spots reopening in Disney Springs on May 20th. They have not shared specifics on their individual plan for implementing new health and safety precautions at this time. STK Atmosphere We’ll keep you updated with the full list of stores and restaurants as soon as we know them. Take a look at all the Disney Park reopening details you need to know here! Are you planning to visit Disney Springs when it reopens? Let us know in the comments below. Related posts: Celebrate Valentine’s Day For An Entire Weekend at STK Orlando in Disney Springs! NEWS! The Disney World City Works Menu Is Here (And We’re Ready for Some Fried Cheese)! Celebrate Valentine’s Day with THIS Limited-Time Tasty Dish in Disney Springs! View the full article

Disneyland is currently closed until further notice. Disneyland Hotel Disneyland has canceled vacations through the end of May and is now taking reservations beginning July 1 (previously June 1). Since Disneyland is now taking reservations starting in July, they have extended their previously released special offer for the people who were affected by closures. The offer will now be available for guests who booked a vacation package or room reservation from March 16th through June 30th. If you booked a vacation by May 31st, you can take advantage of the offer from July 1st through December 31st of this year. Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland According to the previous verbiage, eligible guests will receive a discount at Disneyland Resorts on weekdays, Sunday through Thursday. The offer includes up to 10% off at Paradise Pier for a Premium Room, and 15% off a standard room or 20% off a premium room at the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian Hotel. The Disneyland Hotel You can find out more information by calling the Disneyland Resort! As always, we’ll keep you updated with more details! Check out some of the changes that may be coming to Disney Parks when they reopen! Do you have a trip planned to Disneyland during 2020? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: 6 Questions and ANSWERS About The New Disneyland Annual Pass Fee Waivers and Extensions! Find Out What an EMPTY Disneyland Resort Looks Like! News: Special Menus for New Year’s Eve in Disneyland View the full article

As Disney Springs is set to reopen on May 20, many guests are wondering when Disney World will continue to reopen various parts of the resort, including the theme parks and resort hotels. Currently, reservations are available beginning June 1st. Disney Springs Guests with upcoming Disney World bookings have begun to receive surveys with questions regarding various influencing factors on their future travel plans. Thanks to our DFB reader Crystal D, we know that the survey asks guests to list factors that would cause them to either keep or cancel upcoming trips. These include the limited availability of attractions and shows within the parks and having to change their current resort hotel to a comparable one. The survey also gives guests the opportunity to fill in specific examples of what would be considered “deal breakers,” so to speak, when it comes to keeping or canceling their reservation. Guests were asked to comment on how committed they are to keeping their current Disney World reservation or if they are considering canceling their reservation. Grand Floridian Lobby Outside of any potential Disney World Resort offerings, the survey includes questions regarding other factors that may influence their decision to travel, including health and travel restrictions in a traveler’s home state and/or Central Florida, in addition to an increase in positive virus cases. Basic ‘demographic’ questions were included in this survey. A few specifically asked where a guest is traveling from and how many individuals are in their traveling group. Orlando International Airport The survey also asks guests to rate when they would feel comfortable participating in various activities, including but not limited to attending concerts and sporting events, going to movie theaters, cruising, going to a theme park or hotel, dining out, or traveling by plane. The level of comfort was measured by 2-3 months, 4-6 months, or 6-12 months. Read about the various health and distancing protocols that will be in place when Disney Springs reopens on May 20. Do you have an upcoming Disney World reservation and have received a survey recently? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: Tables in Wonderland Members: Lasso Some Independence Day Fun with Woody’s Roundup at Disney’s Contemporary Resort! The BIGGEST Time Wasters in Disney World — And How To Avoid Them! Why Disney World Could Be Very DIFFERENT When It Reopens View the full article

If you’ve ever been to House of Blues Orlando, you know they take their music and breakfast very seriously! House of Blues in Disney Springs That’s why we’re super-excited House of Blues will be live streaming their famous Gopsel Brunch this Saturday! Tune in at 2PM Eastern to watch the House of Blues’ Gospel Brunch aired on the Live Nation’s YouTube account! The performance can also be viewed again anytime after it’s over! ©House of Blues We can’t wait to watch it with our Blues-loving moms to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend! For even more ways to celebrate mom this weekend, click here! Have you ever been to a show at the House of Blues? Tell us who you saw perform in the comments below! Related posts: What’s New at Disney Springs! Designer Bags, a Floral Dress, and a BIG Bayou Buffet… What’s New at Disney Springs! NEW Menus, Ball Gowns, and Spooky Merch! Where To Do THANKSGIVING in Disney World! View the full article

One analyst, who acknowledges he is making assumptions, predicts Disney World could open July 22 if it follows a similar timeline to Shanghai Disneyland. View the full article

We’ve been accumulating questions that we would ask the Disney princesses for our ENTIRE LIVES. ©Hearts of Reality Now’s our time. Hearts of Reality is an organization that brings together big stars to help raise money for charities. Their next event? A Royal Evening for Give Kids the World, where you can talk to the original voices of FOUR DISNEY PRINCESSES in a Q&A! A Royal Evening is an event to help celebrate friendship and positivity during difficult times, all while benefitting more than 1,000 critically ill children whose Wishes have been postponed. You’ll be chatting with the original voices of Jasmine (Linda Larkin), Ariel (Jodi Benson), Pocahontas (Irene Bedard), and Belle (Paige O’Hara) via Zoom! Beauty and the Beast ©Disney The event takes place on Saturday, March 16th from 7PM to 8PM ET. Tickets are $20 and all proceeds go to Give Kids the World. If you’ve got love for the princesses, have a convo with them! And do it for a good cause. You can get your ticket here! Click here to see how Disney has helped out during the current world situation! Will you be joining in on A Royal Evening for Give Kids the World? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: New Performers Added! Watch These Disney Celebrities Perform LIVE for You Without Leaving the House! Pay It Forward with Family Volunteer Day Celebrations in Disney Parks! Disney Princesses…and ICE CREAM? Check out the New Loungefly We Didn’t Know We Needed! View the full article

While Central Florida theme parks remain closed, at least one Florida zoo is set to reopen. View the full article

It seems as though we have tons of exciting Disney news to bring you on a daily basis now! With tons of announcements coming out of the parks, studios, and streaming, we want to make sure you’re all caught up! Shanghai Disneyland Fireworks Testing There’s A LOT to catch up on today, so let’s get started! Disney Springs Will REOPEN on May 20, With Limited Availability It was announced on Thursday that Disney Springs, the shopping and dining district in Disney World, will reopen on May 20. In an announcement made by Disney, “a limited number of shopping and dining experiences that are owned by third-party operating participants will begin to open during this initial phase.” So, we should not expect any of Disney’s stores, including World of Disney, to be a part of this initial reopening phase. © Disney Guests can also expect to experience “limitations on capacity, parking and operating hours.” We should expect to see “increased cleaning procedures” as well as “the use of appropriate face coverings by both Cast Members and Guests.” This is a significant development in Disney’s gradual reopening around the world. Read more about Disney Springs’ reopening announcement here! Shanghai Disneyland Prepares to Open SOON! After previously reporting on fireworks testings being spotted at Shanghai Disneyland, Disney announced Shanghai Disneyland will be reopening its doors May 11th! Shanghai Disneyland Guests will have to submit to temperature checks, contact tracing, and wear masks during their visit. Likewise, Cast Members will wear masks at all times. Face characters will be allowed to refrain from wearing masks, but will keep their distance at all times. Read more about Shanghai Disneyland reopening here! Disney Exec’s Host Their Quarterly Earnings Call The news of Shanghai’s reopening came about during a Quarterly Earnings Call that took place on May 5. Executive Chairman and former CEO Bob Iger, CEO Bob Chapek, and CFO Christine McCarthy led the call to discuss the impact the Company has been experiencing due to current events. Bob Chapek In addition to the Shanghai news, Chapek and the others shared the overall financial picture of Disney, including the significant losses that had been assumed prior to today’s call. Discussions were had surrounding all four business segments: Media Networks, Parks, Experiences and Products, Studio Entertainment, and Direct-to-Consumer and International. Despite the bleak financial picture, including a withholding of dividends for the time being, all three leaders shared their gratitude to the health care workers across the globe in addition to their employees. Read more about the Quarterly Earning Call here! Disney World Does Not Have A Reopening Date While we await one Disney park to reopen soon, another park has spoken up regarding the status of their closure. As we’ve been following the meetings taking place with the Reopening Business Group and Bringing Back Tourism Group in Florida, we are starting to gain more insight into their outlook on when the parks could possibly reopen. ©Jonathan Michael Salazar On the reopening of business, Thomas Mazloum, Disney World’s Senior Vice President of Resort & Transportation Operations mentioned, “We do not have an opening date yet…I want to make it clear.” ©Jonathan Michael Salazar He went on to point out that even though Disney World is accepting reservations for the month of June, it does not mean that they’ll reopen at that time. These sentiments were echoed by representatives from Universal Orlando Resort and from SeaWorld, who have also not made any decisions yet on when their parks may reopen. Learn more about what analysts are saying regarding the parks reopening here. California to Move into Stage Two of Reopening the State This Week As states across the nation look to reopen their businesses, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the beginning of Stage Two Reopening to begin on Friday, May 8. Disneyland Main Entrance In the early phases of Stage Two, only limited retail will open with curbside pickup and delivery available. This will also extend to the manufacturers and supply chains associated with those retail industries. Later phases of Stage Two may include seated dining and shopping malls. There is no word yet on whether those later phases would include Downtown Disney. Read more about California’s transition to Stage Two of reopening here. Universal Orlando CityWalk May Reopen Next Week As the state of Florida and Orange County began reopening retail and dining locations on Monday, May 4, speculation is building as to when we may see news regarding a reopening of Disney Springs and CityWalk, two prominent shopping and dining districts in the Orlando area. Universal CityWalk News emerged this week that employees of some dining locations in CityWalk received word that their restaurants would reopen on Monday, May 11. We have yet to hear any official announcement from or Universal or from these dining locations. Read more about the potential reopening of CityWalk here! SeaWorld Announces Tier Upgrade for Annual Passholders While all Orlando theme parks remain closed at this time, there have been many conversations about how the parks can make the guest experience better once the parks do reopen. This week, SeaWorld announced a FREE annual pass upgrade. ©SeaWorld Those who have not deferred their monthly payments will be upgraded by one tier level for the remainder of the term of their annual pass, at no additional cost. Read more about SeaWorld’s free upgrade for passholders here! Carnival announces a plan to resume partial departures in August While we have reported on the news of Disney Cruise Line continuing to cancel upcoming departures into the summer season, other cruise companies are announcing their plans to resume travel. Disney Wonder ©Disney Carnival Cruises announced a plan that will resume cruising of some select sailings beginning August 1, 2020. Ports included in this announcement are Port Canaveral and the Port of Miami. Read more about Carnival Cruise’s announcement here! New Star Wars Film Announced We got word of a HUGE announcement when it comes to upcoming film projects from Disney! We learned on May the 4th that a new Star Wars film is in the works! The film will be directed and co-written by Academy Award-winning writer and director Taika Waititi! He previously directed the finale of Disney+’s The Mandalorian, so he’s no stranger to Star Wars! Not much else is known about this film at this time, but we can’t wait to keep an eye on this project as it develops! Learn more about the newest Star Wars film here! Directors Announced for Season 2 of The Mandalorian In even MORE Star Wars news, we’re starting to hear more and more details emerge about season 2 of the smash-hit Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Any news that has to do with Baby Yoda is headliner news to us! The Mandalorian ©Disney We’re starting to learn about the directors attached to the upcoming season, including Robert Rodriguez. © @Rodriguez We’ll still have to wait until the fall to see season 2 unfold, but until then we can check out Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian for a behind the scenes look at the first season! Read more about the latest announcement from The Mandalorian here! Tons of May the 4th News, Merch, and Internet Woes! With May the 4th being adopted as “Star Wars Day”, there was a bunch of exciting news stories and merchandise to appear this week. We saw heartwarming messages from the leaders of Disneyland and Disney World. @joshdamaro on Instagram We also saw the latest Star Wars merchandise hit the internet. To no one’s surprise, demand for these items was extremely high, with shopDisney experiencing technical difficulties and Build-A-Bear posting wait times of over an hour to shop the restock of the Baby Yoda plush! Screenshot from Build-A-Bear website We also saw the latest Her Universe Minnie Ears disappear in a flash! ©Her Universe @HerUniverse on Instagram It seems the love of Star Wars isn’t dying down any time soon! Check out this awesome May the 4th video here! We hope we helped get you up to speed on all the Disney news you might have missed. Even though the parks are closed, we’re still getting LOADS of Disney news to share each week, so check back with us for all the latest in and out of the parks! How did you celebrate May the 4th this year? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Disney News This Week: ALL the News and Updates from the Most Magical Places on Earth! News! Disney Racks Up $5 Billion More In Credit CONFIRMED! We Now Know When Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” Will Hit Disney+ View the full article

WE’RE BACK at Takumi-Tei Restaurant in Epcot’s Japan to try out a top-tier, signature dining experience! Takumi-Tei When the restaurant first opened last year, we gave you a full review of the Omakase ( seven-course) and A La Carte Menus, but now we are back to see if the NINE courses on the Kaiseki Menu could be worth your Disney dimes. Find out if this is a signature dining experience you want to add to your Disney World vacation! Atmosphere The Kaiseki Menu (AKA Chef’s Table Experience) is a nine-course prix-fixe dinner for $180 a person (not a typo!) with an optional wine and sake pairing for an additional $100. This menu features duck, seabass, and crab so it is a spruced-up version of the seven-course Omakase Menu ($150 with optional drink pairing for $75.00 more). You can check out what we thought of the atmosphere, cocktails, Omakase, and A La Carte Menus when we reviewed Takumi-Tei at the grand opening, but it really does feel like you have left Epcot and stepped right into Japan. Kaiseki Menu at Takumi-Tei We were escorted to the Water Room which is the home of the Chef’s Table and has an INDOOR waterfall flowing behind the head of the table. Takumi-Tei Water Room Our place was set with chopsticks at the ready (and forks standing by, upon request), a menu outlining each of the courses, and a napkin folded like a little kimono (we tried to keep this in-tact for as long as possible, but all bets were off once the food arrived). Takumi-Tei Place Setting Before the meal began, the servers gave us warm hand towels that were relaxing aaaand reminded us this isn’t your average table service dinner. Takumi-Tei Warm Hand Towel After our hands were cleaned and prepped, we were ready to dive into all NINE of the courses! Kaiseki Chef’s Table Menu Eats Course 1: Otoshi & Piper Heidsieck Brut Sparkling Wine Otoshi is a small bite of food before the meal to refresh your mouth and prepare you for the courses to come. At Takumi-Tei, the Chef prepares a different Otoshi daily, but ours featured cucumber, watermelon, and popping pearls. It is meant to be taken in one bite (Don’t mind if we do!) and we thought it was a very bright and refreshing way to start the meal. Cucumber Watermelon Otoshi The mini-dish was paired with Piper Heidsieck Brut Sparkling Wine. Piper Heidsieck Brut Sparkling Wine It was light and fruity and served as a nice compliment to the sweet and fresh flavors of the evening’s Otoshi. Course 2: Mozaiku Roll & Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Honjozo Sake Palates feelin’ fresh and stomachs rumbling, we headed into the second course and MY OH MY was it a beaut. I don’t think you’re ready for this sushi. This Mozaiku Roll was layered with Tuna, Yellowtail, Asparagus, Red Shiso Rice, topped with Tobiko (flying fish roe), and served with Lemongrass Ponzu and a hearty portion of Wasabi. Mozaiku Roll Is that not GORGEOUS?! The fishiness of the Tuna and Yellowtail was subtle and the Lemongrass Ponzo was really the superstar that brought all the flavors together. If you want to add a little spice to your roll, add some of the creamy wasabi (it was perfect, and we wished we could have kept for the whole meal — FYI, you probably can if you ask!). The second course also introduced us to the first of three sakes of the night: Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Honjozo. Hakkaisan Tokubetsu Honjozo Sake This pairing was smooth, easy to drink, and was so light that — dare we say it — we didn’t find all that much flavor. This light sake took a backseat to let the sushi roll really shine, so this drink would be a great choice for those who are new to sake or who don’t enjoy strongly-flavored sake. Course 3: Hama no Kani Bring on the “crab on the beach” and a plate that had us asking a lot of questions! (How did they get the rocks inside? Can I buy one? Is it microwave and dishwasher safe? Does it double as a fishbowl? We need answers!) The Hama no Kani had Ponzu Crab, Toasted Crab, Frisee, Plum Wine Reduction, Heirloom Tomato, Watermelon Radish Tsukemono (pickled), Leek Gel, and Sesame Pollen. Hama no Kani We’ll admit it, our reviewer at this meal isn’t the biggest fan of crab in general, so it was tough to munch on that toasted li’l guy. BUT, crab aversion aside, the soft crab was actually pretty tasty and the Heirloom Tomatoes were a nice touch. This was definitely a refreshing and lighter dish before we got into the more filling courses ahead. Course 4: Ochazuke & Midorikawa “Green River” Junmai Sake The server referred to Ochazuke as a “Japanese comfort food” and we were all ears. We were served a bowl of Misoyaki Seabass, Karikari Sushi, Shirasu (white fish pieces), Tsukemono (pickled cabbage), Toasted Nori (seaweed), and Shimeji Mushroom, then the server poured piping hot Ocha Dashi Broth over the top. Ochazuke The Seabass was cooked perfectly, there were subtle hints of Green Tea throughout, and it really did live up to our expectations of Japanese comfort food. Ochazuke with Broth This course was paired with Midorikawa “Green River” Junmai Sake. Midorikawa “Green River” Sake This drink was much sweeter than the first sake and contrasted nicely with the salty flavors of the Ochazuke. Course 5: Kamo & Jean Claude Boisset Les Ursulines Pinot Noir We thought we had reached the peak of presentation with the [almost] fishbowl until the server delivered a huge glass dome with smoke swirling inside. Kamo Presentation We tried to peek through the haze (Madame Leota, are you in there?), but the smoke poured out onto the table as the server lifted the glass away. The clearing smoke left behind the Kamo with Marinated Duck, Kabocha Squash, Edamame Beans, Japanese Mizuna, Cured Duck Egg Yolk, and Grape Reduction. Kamo Yet another home run! The duck was tender and smoky and the kabocha squash was so sweet, we could have eaten a whole plate. The Kamo was paired with Jean Claude Boisset Les Ursulines Pinot Noir. Jean Claude Boisset Les Ursulines Pinot Noir This red wine played off the smokiness of the duck and sweetness of the squash, making this a great pair to the Kamo. Course 6: Hashiyasume The next course came right when we needed it (almost as if they had planned it that way! ) and served a similar purpose to the first course. The Hashiyasume is a palate cleanser of Cucumber and Ginger and was designed to be eaten in one bite. Hashiyasume Prepare yourself, because this felt like a punch in the mouth — but in the BEST way! The spicy ginger followed by the cool cucumber refreshed our tastebuds and made us excited to see what was coming next! Course 7: Wagyu Taberkurabe & DonnaFugata Sul Volcano Etna Rosso Nerello WHAT UP, WAGYU! We can’t contain our excitement because, WOW, how could it keep getting better? Wagyu is Japanese cattle that gets a lot of hype for its beef being tender, marbled, and flavorful. American ranchers are trying their best to replicate this unique meat, but in our taste-test, the Japanese Wagyu was the clear standout. The Wagyu Taberkurabe was served on what resembled ice floes (thanks, Elsa!) with Japanese A-5 Wagyu Strip Steak, American Wagyu Strip Steak, Roast Cippolini Onion, Curried Potato, Seasonal Mushroom, Yuzu Kosho, Fresh Grated Wasabi, and Arima Sansho Pepper Reduction. Wagyu Taberkurabe Presentation We asked for our steak cooked medium-rare, as recommended by the chef, and the Japanese wagyu was like BUTTER. Japanese A-5 Wagyu Strip Steak (Left) & American Wagu Strip Steak (Right) The meat was rich and tender but the seared crust still managed to be memorably delicious! Our favorite sides were the potatoes and mushrooms, but all of them went well with the meat! This course was paired with the manager’s favorite red wine, DonnaFugata Sul Volcano Etna Rosso Nerello… DonnaFugata Sul Volcano Etna Rosso Nerello …which was a fruity and spicy compliment to the meat. Course 8: Castella & Joto Yuzu Citrus Sake But wait, there’s MORE?! On our last visit, we tried the Suiren Dani Water Cake which was…. unique…so we were happy to be able to try something different for dessert this time around! They did NOT disappoint with the Castella Cake with Honey Meringue, Sesame Brittle, Hojicha Custard, and Honey Caramel. Castella The cake was rich but not overly sweet, the Honey Meringue was fluffy, and the sauces really brought everything together. We could have done without the custard, but we would eat the Honey Caramel by itself any day of the week. Castella The Castella was paired with Joto Yuzu Citrus Sake… Joto Yuzu Citrus Sake …which we thought tasted like juice and was an excellent dessert sake! Course 9: Tea Ceremony We experienced a Tea Ceremony on opening night, but this time was JUST as special as we remembered. Historically, there are over 1,000 steps to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, but Takumi-Tei performs a condensed version at the end of the meal that is still a sight to see! Tea Ceremony Each guest received an empty cup and a team of servers prepared the Matcha Tea table-side. After they filled our cups, the servers showed us how to properly take the first sip and show gratitude for the tea. This is a wonderful way to experience part of Japanese culture and serves as a very special way to end the meal. Overall Nine courses and four hours later, we finished up our Chef’s Table Experience at Takumi-Tei. Yes, you read that right: FOUR hours (and some change). The restaurant estimated about a three-hour dinner, so we weren’t too surprised, but this is not the type of dinner where you have time to catch one more Frozen Ever After ride afterward. It is an immersive, cultural experience full of delicious foods, creative presentations, and thoughtful service. The Chef’s Table Experience was overall much more special than ordering a la carte (well it IS twice as expensive), buuuut if you have a large party (more than 8), restless kids, or limited time to see Disney World, you may have better luck with the other menu offerings or at another Disney Dining location. Our reviewer’s personal feeling about this meal, however? Overwhelmingly positive. The cast members at Takumi-Tei recognized her from her first visit and came to welcome her back to the restaurant — even pointing out where she sat for her previous meal! We can’t express how generous and incredible the cast members are at this restaurant. And the meal itself was truly enchanting. Our reviewer noted that this will be a cherished memory for her…and we hope it will be for your family as well if you dine at Takumi-Tei. If the Chef’s Table Experience at Takumi-Tei sounds like your cup of tea, make sure to book your reservation in advance by calling (407) 827-8504 or by emailing takumitei@mitsukoshi-orlando.com. They do not accept the Disney Dining Plan but they DO offer DVC, Passholder, and Tables in Wonderland discounts for a selection of food and drinks! Want to find out what ELSE we’ve tried (spoiler alert: a LOT) at Takumi-Tei? Check out our full review of the Omakase and A La Carte Menus HERE! Takumi-Tei Chef’s Table vs. Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table Now, you may be wondering how Takumi-Tei’s Chef’s Table compares to other Chef’s Tables in Disney World — especially to the most in-demand table in all of the resort: Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table. Price Pricing at Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table starts at $250 per guest with optional wine pairing beginning at $150 and Takumi-Tei’s Chef’s Table pricing begins at $180 per guest with an optional wine and sake pairing beginning at $100. Editor’s Note: beginning August 30, 2020 Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table price will increase to $350 per guest. Atmosphere Both restaurants offer private dining experiences for your party, but Victoria and Albert’s accepts reservations for 2-8 guests and Takumi-Tei requires 6-8 guests to prevent being charged a room fee. Both restaurants observe a dress code (though it is not currently mentioned on Takumi-Tei’s website, so call to be sure!), though at Victoria and Albert’s men are required to wear a dress jacket and jeans are not permitted by men or women. Takumi-Tei does not have a posted minimum age requirement, unlike Victoria and Albert’s, which requires guests to be 10 years or older. Takumi-Tei’s Chef’s Table is located in a quiet room for guests looking to experience the Japanese culture and take in peaceful sounds of the waterfall. Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s Table is a more interactive dining experience since you are seated next to the kitchen and can watch the activity while your food is being prepared. Something important to note about these restaurants: Victoria and Albert’s is located in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (reservation includes valet parking) and Takumi-Tei Restaurant is located inside the Japan pavilion in Epcot (meaning: park admission is required). Eats Victoria and Albert’s offers guests 10+ courses of upscale American food (check out our full review here) while Takumi-Tei’s Chef’s Table features 9 courses of traditional Japanese cuisine. Takumi-Tei’s menu may change slightly each day depending on availability and the chef’s inspiration, but they are unable to adapt the menu entirely to suit different dietary preferences. At Victoria and Albert’s Chef’s table, each menu and wine pairing is unique and can be catered to different allergies or needs. Still Can’t Decide? The great news is, delicious food and friendly staff await at either restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at both of these restaurants and it really comes down to which works best for your unique party! We recommend taking a look at which reservations are available and seeing how Victoria and Albert’s OR Takumi-Tei may fit in with your other Disney World vacation plans. Looking for an alternative to the Chef’s Table Experience? Check out what we thought of the Chef’s TASTING Experience at Takumi-Tei HERE and at Victoria and Albert’s HERE! Will you be adding Takumi-Tei’s Chef’s Table Experience to your Disney World vacation? Tell us why or why not in the comments below! Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend the Chef’s Table dinner at Takumi-Tei. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ Related posts: Review: Is Epcot’s Nine Dragons Worth a Visit? You May Be Surprised! Review: Dinner at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Jiko REVIEW! The Goshiki Food Studio at the 2020 Epcot Festival of the Arts! View the full article

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels took to Florida's skies Friday to give thanks to those on the front line of fighting coronavirus. The Florida stops includes Jacksonville and South Florida from West Palm down to Miami. View the full article

So you want to bring your baby to Disney World? Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World We’ll be the first to say — we’ve been there. You’re thinking this beautiful little bundle of joy needs to experience the magic of Disney World, right? Oh, and it’s time to take advantage of Disney World’s “children under three are free” policy! Take it from some parents who have braved Disney World with a babe in tow — bringing a baby to Disney World is totally doable, and can be great, but we learned some lessons the hard way. 1. Mickey Won’t Hold Your Baby If you’ve come to Disney World to snap the perfect picture of Micka Mou holding your smiling little bundle of joy, we hate to crush your dream buuuut there’s a really good chance Mickey and Minnie won’t scoop your baby up into their little mouse arms. This is ultimately for your baby’s safety, but you can still get some amazing pics with characters — you’ll just need to be in the shot too. Mickey and Minnie Meet-and-Greet Other important note: there’s a 50/50 chance (truly) that your child will be fascinated by characters or absolutely terrified. First time we went with a one-year-old, they were screaming in terror at Mickey and Minnie but fell head over heels in love with Winnie the Pooh. Ya just never know til you’re in the situation! So proceed with caution… . A good piece of advice is to show the kiddo pictures and videos of the characters before you go…and, if possible, let them interact with other characters at a local park or restaurant first to see how they do. Check out our guide to Disney character meals here! 2. Do Your Best to Stick to Your Routine Disney World and theme parks in general are a completely different environment than daily life, so you’ll be navigating that moment by moment while caring for another tiny human. BUT try your best to stick to the routine your baby is used to as much as possible (we know, we know! It’s HARD!). Your kid will still be your kid in Disney World, so take their typical needs and quirks into account when planning your day. Epcot Monorail Do they need to nap in complete silence or darkness? Do they get scared by loud noises? Do they have to eat every two hours on the dot? Chances are, they won’t forget these patterns — even in a new experience. Different babies can handle it differently. But fighting to maintain some semblance of a routine can do wonders for you and your baby’s sanity. We can even remember hanging extra blankets over the windows during nap time! It gets serious! Oh, and don’t forget to bring that white noise generator if you use it at home. It will be a lifesaver when your little one is sleeping and the lifeguards at the pool right outside your window are yelling game instructions through a megaphone. Cinderella Castle and Main Street USA in Disney World If you are on the fence about whether you want to bring your baby or not, consider their individual personality to try and paint a more realistic picture of how the trip could go. But remember that even if you have a super flexible, easy-going baby, they are in a brand new world with a TON of stimulation and their parents (that’s you!) are navigating their own moods and dispositions. So the simple bottom line is: stay flexible. Festival of Fantasy Parade Your trip can still be amazing, but it probably won’t be what you expected. You probably won’t be powering through the parks from rope drop til close riding every ride like you did pre-baby, and that’s OK! So prepare yourself to go with the flow. And you can tell your kid years down the road about “that time you took them to Disney World and the funniest thing happened… .” Trust us, these stories will be funny someday! See Mistakes you don’t want to make in Disney World here! 3. [Don’t] Burn Baby Burn You may be a bronzed god or goddess, but think of your baby like a vampire. Sun = bad. Florida sun = double BAD. (That’s true for vampires, right?) Sunscreen Cover those precious leg dimples, ears, toes — just cover EVERYTHING in sunscreen! We know you are a great parent who can care for your baby, but learn from our mistakes…there is no such thing as too much sunscreen. And don’t forget it WEARS OFF and needs to be reapplied. We especially love sunscreen powder because you can put it all over your baby, including their thin hair, and it doesn’t turn them into a sticky, slimy, uncomfortable mess! Pool Items Something ELSE we found out the hard way…put EXTRA sunscreen on their legs. They might stick out past the shade on the stroller and can roast without you realizing. Trust us, you don’t want to have to explain that super cool mid-thigh burn look later to concerned people… . A Portable Fan If you’re heading to Disney World during the spring, summer, fall (really any time that’s not the dead of winter, and even then it’s not a bad idea!), we also recommend buying a fan before you head into the parks. Fans and Cooling Towels You can clip a little battery-powered (oh yeah, bring EXTRA batteries!) fan on the stroller to help keep your kid from melting. Especially during naptime, airflow is the name of the game. Remember, your baby can’t TELL you they’re hot and miserable, so you need to consider these things for them. We would have three or four fans on our visits. We’d bring two for the day while the other two were in the hotel recharging. Blankets If you’re bringing blankets along with you to the parks, make sure they aren’t too heavy for the weather. On a hot, sticky day, a thick blanket can just make matters worse. Personalized Baby Ornament We like bringing along lighter muslin blankets to cover baby, provide shade during naptime, or function as a breastfeeding coverup — they don’t make mom or baby crazy hot. These, in combination with a portable fan, kept our kids cool but comfortable while napping in a stroller. Baby Carriers A word to the wise: test out your on-body baby carrier BEFORE you go to Disney. We don’t mean put it on to see if it fits. Find a steam room somewhere, strap baby on, and walk around for hours. We kid, but seriously, take it from us. Those expensive, awesome baby body carriers seem like the PERFECT Disney World solution to keep you hands-free — until you put it on. Imagine peeling it off in 100-degree weather and finding your back and chest soaked in sweat and an equally sweaty miserable baby. Yuck. Walt and Mickey Think of the weather when you plan to go and consider what’s best for you. Some mamas swear by these, and others were one and done with the carrier in Disney World. Find out how to outsmart the heat at the Disney parks here! 4. Disney Wants to Help Disney was designed for kids of ALL ages (including you AND your baby!), so you better believe they’ve thought through how to care for parents navigating bringing their babies in the parks. Epcot First Aid Sign Each park in Disney World has a Baby Care Center that is (1) run by angels (in our experiences) and (2) stocked with just about everything you could need to care for your baby. Magic Kingdom Baby Care Center We’re talkin’ private nursing rooms with rocking chairs, changing rooms, highchairs, a kitchen with a MICROWAVE and sink, TV, and on-site shop with all the formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, meds, clothing (yep. Been there.), and sunscreen you could need. Baby Section If you’re looking to make a diaper pit-stop during the day, know that most full restrooms are equipped with changing tables, but not all companion-assisted restrooms have changing tables. Changing Table sign And, if you are looking for an extra sprinkle of pixie dust to entertain your kiddo on the go, Most Cast Members including those in custodial, character meet and greets, gift shops, and food stands have FREE Mickey stickers they’re usually more than happy to give to eager (or fussy!) kiddos. We’ve entertained many-a-kiddo with these puppies! We swear it’s like if our kid would start crying a Cast Member hand would come from out of nowhere with a string of stickers! LIFESAVERS! Find out how you can score free Disney souvenirs here! 5. Strollers Can Be Your Greatest Asset and Your Worst Enemy Unless you have an on-body carrier (which we already discussed) or super-human strength, there’s a good chance you might want a stroller for your time in Disney World. And we have seen some pimped out strollers in our time at Disney. Baby Strollers These cribz-on-wheels can be just as frustrating as they are helpful — but not for you! We made the mistakes so you don’t have to. Make Your Stroller Work for YOU There are all sorts of clever stroller add-ons to make life easier. There are big ole caddies you can add to the back to keep drinks, snacks, or whatever you need to carry around with you. These usually velcro on, so even if you’re renting a stroller, you can pack your own. Trust us, especially with kids, you can never have enough cupholders. Petunia Pickle Bottom In case you missed the sunscreen section, let us reiterate how important a sunshade is in Disney World. Even in the winter, those rays can be brutal on baby skin. So you can invest in an inexpensive umbrella stroller or rent one. And don’t forget to bring a rain cover, because it can be blazing hot one minute, then pour the next. (And, by the way, it ALWAYS starts to pour when you’re on a ride or in a restaurant…so don’t forget to put the rain cover on the stroller when you park it at stroller parking to head into said ride or restaurant.) When it would start pouring, we’d toss our cover on and even though the adults might get soaked, baby was blissfully dry and unaware! Make Your Stroller Stand Out Before you park your ride in the sea of strollers, find a way to differentiate yours from the rest. Animal Kingdom Test Strollers Not surprisingly, we see a LOT of the exact same strollers when we go to retrieve ours, so making yours stand out to you is crucial. Do you really want to drag the wrong stroller across the park only to find your kid has been drinking out of someone else’s sippy cup the whole time?! So you can tie a homemade sign, a ribbon, a Mickey balloon, a bright fan or keychain to the back — something to have it stand out against the rest. Your Stroller CAN’T Go Everywhere You Do You CAN’T bring your stroller everywhere, so be prepared to follow Cast Members’ instructions about where to park. For instance, if you’re heading into The Land Pavilion in Epcot, don’t make the mistake of trying to go inside — you WILL be stopped! You’ll instead have to trudge it all the way down to The Seas With Nemo and Friends before you can go in. You can always ask a nearby Cast Member for direction or assistance if you don’t know where to drop your stroller off! Animal Kingdom Stroller Parking But that’s not all. Cast Members often corral and organize strollers in parking areas while you’re on a ride, so don’t be surprised to come back to where you left your stroller and have a mini panic attack that it’s GONE. Just look around and it’s likely just been moved. (This is where identifiers like a Mickey balloon come in handy!) The Dreaded…err…Beloved Mickey Balloons Speaking of those Mickey balloons — we have a love-hate relationship with them. They are iconic, beautiful, entertaining for kids, and can help you spot your stroller. But there is a special level of frustration saved for being tangled up in a balloon string or Mickey bopping you in the face all day when he’s tied onto your stroller. Balloons They’re so much fun, and the look on your kid’s face lighting up when they get one is priceless (and yes, we STILL keep buying them!), but they always seem to be tied RIGHT at “slap you in the head 2000 times” height. Oh, and if they’re NOT slapping YOU in the head, they’re slapping unsuspecting OTHER GUESTS in the head, FYI. Also, don’t forget — you’ll have to take that balloon OFF before you venture to Animal Kingdom. Balloons aren’t sold or allowed inside. It’s a safety hazard for the animals, so have a backup plan! Disney’s Strollers Aren’t Our Favorite If you’ve rented a Disney World stroller, you know what we mean. These are less strollers and more giant plastic shopping cart looking things. They’re big and clunky. And even though Disney briefly tested out new stroller options — we’ve always preferred renting from an outside company or bringing ours from home. Disney World Strollers These strollers have tended to be more comfortable and you can take them outside of the parks if you’re traveling around Disney Springs or headed back to your resort (Disney-rental strollers can’t leave the parks). But whether you buy or rent, don’t forget Disney has stroller size restrictions! Check Your Stroller Size Here As of last year, no more “mega strollers” or “stroller wagons” are allowed. Most standard single or double strollers are compliant, but when in doubt, measure at home first! Find out more details about the Disney stroller policy here! 6. Use Rides to Your Advantage Don’t count yourself out of rides just because you have a baby! There are many (slow-moving) rides on which your baby can come with you! “it’s a small world” has been like catnip to some of our kids and we have hilarious pictures of babies riding on Frozen Ever After. If you’re breastfeeding, you can also take advantage of slow, dark rides (like Haunted Mansion) because baby probably doesn’t need to see that anyway! Haunted Mansion May have Modifications When Disney World Reopens And if you’re looking for thrills yourself, take advantage of Disney’s Rider Switch program. Several rides such as Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom (really any ride with a height restriction), let an adult stay with the child (who does not meet the height requirement or doesn’t want to ride) while the other adult rides. Once one adult has ridden, he or she can switch off and the other adult can ride by hopping in the FastPass line and skip waiting in the standby line! Big Thunder Railroad Mountain entrance Check your My Disney Experience app, a park map, or ask a Cast Member which rides offer the rider switch feature. Remember to notify the Cast Member at the entrance to the ride (sorry, no waiting til you board!) that you’re planning to use Rider Switch they will be happy to set it up for you! Check out the best Disney rides for younglings here! 7. You Think You’re Prepared…Until You Aren’t Whether you’re a parent already or are prepping to be, you probably know the name of the baby game is to BE PREPARED. Your baby is fascinating — always dreaming up brand new ways to keep you on your toes. So don’t forget the essentials (you’ll likely need them!). Baby Incredibles Onesie If you haven’t learned this already…bring EXTRA clothes! No matter what. A diaper blowout, your baby sits down in ice cream, YOU drip ice cream on your baby (hypothetically…). And on that note, however many baby wipes you think you’ll need, double it. We found ourselves using them for everything — wiping tables, wiping kids, wiping spills kids inevitably made — you name it, we wiped it. Stock up on hand sanitizer, wet ones, oh — did we mention extra extra wipes? Spaceship Earth After a great day with your babe in Disney World, don’t be like “new parent us” and head back to the hotel and proceed to try and clean out bottles with Disney shampoo in your sink. Bring your own dish soap and a portable bottle brush (like this one!) to clean out bottles and sippy cups in the sink. Oh, and speaking of sinks…I also love a portable sink since sinks can be…yuck. If you’re washing out breast pump components and baby bottles, you want sterilization, my friends, and hotel sinks are usually NOT that. Find out some essentials you NEED in your park bag here! 8. Meltdowns Aren’t An Exception to the Restaurant Cancellation Fee Remember when making plans that if you made an Advance Dining Reservation at a Disney sit down restaurant, cancellations to have to be made prior to 24 hours of your meal. Otherwise, you will be charged a cancellation fee of $10 per person (3 and up). Mickey Mouse at Chef Mickey’s We’ve had many meltdowns that meant we were NOT going to a restaurant, and we had to pay the fee. We get it, you can’t predict your child’s behavior, but it’s nice to know ahead of time and it’s something to take into account when you’re deciding to book reservations or not. Tower of Pancakes at Trattoria al Forno Keep in mind if your baby happens to fall asleep in their stroller when it’s time to sit down for a meal, you can still stick to the old adage of “never wake a sleeping baby.” Strollers are NOT allowed in Disney World restaurants, BUT if your child falls asleep (usually the host at the restaurant can peek at your stroller and see), they may allow you to wheel your stroller to your table in lieu of a high chair. Most of our quiet, sanity-restoring meals with baby in tow in Disney World were achieved this way! Find out more about Disney’s restaurant cancellation policy here! Phew! You feel ready to bring your baby to Disney World now? Just focus your energy on being prepared ahead of time, then ride the wave and be flexible once you get to Disney! You’ve got this! You’re a rockstar! We have some super sweet memories of bringing our little ones to the Most Magical Place on Earth, so trust us that not only is it doable, but it can be GREAT. But your expectations have to be in the right place. Need tips for a little older child? Check out our tips for bringing little kids to Disney World here! Have you taken a baby to Disney World? Let us know of any lessons you learned the hard way in the comments! Related posts: The BIGGEST Time Wasters in Disney World — And How To Avoid Them! Consider Making THESE Weird Choices On Your Next Disney World Trip. Do You Think The PeopleMover Misses Us, Too? We’re Peeking Inside Disney World’s Closure Diary! View the full article

Calling all Enchanted Tiki Room lovers, wherever you are! Your favorite Disney World attraction NEEDS you RIGHT NOW! Enchanted Tiki Room We just checked the current standings of our new Rides and Attractions Throw Down (which started last night!) and our jaws (almost literally) hit the floor when we saw who was losing in one of our match-ups! We were SHOCKED to see that Mickey’s PhilHarmagic is beating out the classic Enchanted Tiki Room attraction right now! Why does it feel like the room is spinning??? Mickey’s Philharmagic May we remind you all that The Enchanted Tiki Room is one of Disney’s most iconic attractions of ALL TIME?!?! What is it about jubilant birds and gorgeous tropical flowers serenading you with their sweet siren song that you DON’T absolutely love? Tiki Room! Four desperate macaws really need those votes right now! Don’t do it for us — do it for José, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz! Enchanted Tiki Room Don’t get us wrong — we’re all up for a good Donald’s butt gag, but the Enchanted Tiki Room is such a classic and we don’t think it should go down without a FIGHT! So, if you’re a Tiki Room lover, get your votes in RIGHT NOW (or BEFORE tonight) to keep the Enchanted Tiki Room flying high in this competition! Have you voted in Round One of our Official DFB Rides and Attractions Throw Down? Let us know who you’re hoping gets through in the comments below! Related posts: Round One of Our Table-Service Throw Down Is Over! See Which Disney World Restaurants Have Made the Cut! Our Next Throw Down Is Here and it’s a Real DOOZY! Let’s VOTE On Our Favorite Rides and Attractions at Disney World! What’s New in Magic Kingdom: A Missing Favorite, TONS of ‘Onward’ Merchandise, and Two New MagicBands! View the full article

Planning a trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth during the most wonderful time of the year? Here’s what you need to know! Toy Soldiers During the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade Traveling to Disney World in December has a ton of perks! You’ll find festive decor, seasonal entertainment, and delicious holiday treats throughout all the parks! But, before you plan your trip, there are some important things you need to know. Here are all the essential deets about Disney World in December! Crowds at Disney World in December If you’re headed to the parks during the first two weeks in December, the crowds will probably be light to moderate. This is a great time to go if you want to take advantage of the holiday offerings before things start to get really busy! BUT, as it gets closer to Christmas, the crowds will start to build and BUILD. “A Frozen Holiday Wish” at the Magic Kingdom The crowds start to get extremely heavy a few days before Christmas, and the parks will stay packed until after the new year. In fact, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve are two of the busiest days of the year at Disney World. Toy Story Land Christmas Decorations On Christmas Day the past few years, Magic Kingdom has hit capacity within a few hours of opening. So, if you’re planning on spending Christmas in Magic Kingdom (and don’t mind dealing with the intense crowd!) be sure to get to the park early and plan to stay all day! Santa During Once Upon a Christmas Time Parade On New Year’s Eve, both Magic Kingdom and Epcot will often hit capacity. So again, be sure to arrive early and plan to stay all day if you have your heart set on spending the holiday in a specific park! Check out our ultimate survival guide for the busiest days in Disney World! Park Hours at Disney World in December During the first two weeks of December, the parks close relatively early, with closing times ranging between 6 PM and 10 PM depending on the specific park and day. But since Disney anticipates the increasing crowds in the days before Christmas, the park hours extend. The last two weeks of December, the parks usually close between 9 PM and midnight. Spaceship Earth On New Year’s Eve, all of the parks stay open late. Hours for this year haven’t been posted at this time, but in past years, Magic Kingdom and Epcot have closed at 1 AM, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom have closed at midnight. Calling all night owls! Click here to learn more about the After Hours events in Magic Kingdom! Weather at Disney World in December If the intense heat of summertime in Florida isn’t your thing, then December might be more your speed! The temperatures are pretty mild throughout the month, with an average high of 75 degrees and an average low of 55 degrees. Pongu Pongu Decor And more good news — December is typically one of the dryer times in Disney World, with an average of 4 rainy days during the month. So, if you’re looking for comfortable temps and minimal rain, December is a great time to visit Disney World! Here are some fun ideas for rainy day activities in Disney World! How to Pack for Disney World in December With average low temperatures in the mid-50s, you’ll definitely want to pack clothes and accessories that can be layered! It’s helpful to have a light jacket/sweatshirt, scarf, hat, and gloves, especially for little ones. That way, you can dress warmly when you head out to the parks, and take off your layers as needed throughout the day! Toy Story Land Holiday Decorations Another tip for those of you who prefer to wear sandals to the parks — we recommend bringing at least one pair of comfortable closed-toe shoes! That way you have a warm footwear option in case of extra-chilly weather! Your toes will thank you later! Click here for our ultimate Disney packing list! Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party If you’re looking for an extra dose of Christmas spirit on your December Disney World vacay, check out Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom! This separately ticketed event is available on select nights throughout the month. Guests can enjoy festive entertainment, specialty treats, complimentary snacks, and lighter crowds! Holiday Wishes at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Party entertainment offerings include Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show, character meet-and-greets, A Frozen Holiday Wish Castle Lighting Ceremony, and the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade! Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade If you’re traveling in early December, you’ll only be able to catch this parade during the party — but in the days leading up to Christmas, it’s also shown during the afternoon for day guests! Once Upon a Christmastime Parade Guests also have plenty of holiday treats to enjoy! Select complimentary snacks like cookies and hot chocolate or cider are included with admission to the party. And there are also party-exclusive food and beverage items available for purchase! Chocolate Yule Log Guests can also purchase tickets to Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant! This party-within-the-party includes small bites and desserts, plus beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Guests can come and go as they please, and they also receive reserved seating for the 11 PM Once Upon a Christmastime Parade! Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party Tickets and dates have yet to be released for 2020 but last year, prices ranged from $99 to $139, depending on the night. If you’re looking for an extra dose of Christmas magic on your December trip, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party might be the perfect fit for your family! Check out a full run-down of the 2019 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! Epcot International Festival of the Holidays Guests can also get festive at the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays! The festival celebrates holiday traditions from various cultures with decorations, stories, music, cuisine, and additional special events. The festival is included in the cost of admission to Epcot, although some of the special events do require an additional fee. Gingerbread Cookie at Epcot’s 2019 Festival of the Holidays One of the longstanding guest favorites of the festival is the Candlelight Processional. During this event, the Christmas story is told by a celebrity narrator while accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and choir. This event is wildly popular, especially for more notable celebrities, so if you want to see it we highly recommend booking a Candlelight Processional Dining Package that will guarantee you seats for the show. Epcot’s Candlelight Processional ©Disney And, of course, no Epcot festival is complete without FOOD! Guests will find Holiday Kitchen food booths throughout the World Showcase which serve holiday dishes from cultures around the world. Buche de Noel au Chocolat Every World Showcase Pavilion also has its own Holiday Storytellers who share the traditions that are practiced during the season in the country they represent. Holiday Storytellers in Norway The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays is a great way to appreciate and celebrate the holiday traditions of cultures around the world! Click here to learn more about the International Festival of the Holidays! Disney’s Hollywood Studios Holiday Celebrations You won’t find an official “festival” in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but they still get in on the celebration! Here, you can take in both the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM fireworks show, and the Sunset Seasons Greetings projection show each night. Sunset Seasons Greetings And the holiday spirit is sprinkled throughout the rest of the park as well! Seasonal decorations add an extra touch of theming and charm! We LOVE seeing how they deck out Toy Story Land for the occasion! Toy Story Land Holiday Decorations And of course, Hollywood Studios offers plenty of treats to help get your tummy in the holiday spirit as well. We’ve seen treats like a chocolate chestnut pinecone, winterberry margarita, Mickey Santa hat mousse, and SO MUCH MORE! Mickey Santa Hat Mousse Hollywood Studios has the entertainment, treats, and atmosphere to put you in the Christmas spirit! Click here to learn more about the holiday treats offered at Hollywood Studios last year! Animal Kingdom Holiday Celebrations Animal Kingdom upped their game last year, adding their own holiday entertainment, decorations, and snacks! If you’re looking to get festive, you can enjoy the Merry Menagerie puppets, decorations, and a seasonal projection show on the Tree of life. Holiday Tree of Life Awakenings You’ll also find limited-time snack and drink offerings. The exact menu items vary from year to year, but a few of our favorites last year were the Double-Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Sandwich, and the Sikukuu cocktail! Sikukuu Animal Kingdom isn’t quite as decked out for the holidays as the rest of the parks, but it does offer some really fun entertainment and snack options if you’re looking for a lower-key take on the season! Click here to learn more about the holiday entertainment in Animal Kingdom! Disney Springs Holiday Celebrations The celebrations aren’t just in the theme parks! Disney Springs also has plenty of holiday offerings for guests to enjoy. One of our favorite things to do in Disney Springs in December is to check out the FREE Christmas Tree Trail showing off gorgeously decorated trees themed after your favorite Disney movies and attractions! Oh, and don’t forget to grab a snack while you’re on your stroll! Beauty and the Beast Christmas Tree And for the kiddos who are still working on their Christmas lists — you can meet Santa Claus on the Christmas Tree Trail! Santa at Disney Spings’ Christmas Tree Trail You can also grab seasonal menu items at many of the restaurants in Disney Springs! Last year, we LOVED how Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar got into the holiday spirit with seasonal eats and festive theming! Jingle Bell Pops at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar Disney Springs is a great place to enjoy free holiday entertainment, grab delicious eats, and knock out some of that gift shopping! We did a food tour of the Christmas Tree Trail snacks! Holiday Decor at the Resort Hotels All of the Disney World Resort hotels put up holiday decor, but some definitely go bigger than others! At most locations, the main attraction is a Christmas tree in the hotel lobby — and we have seen some INCREDIBLE versions in years past! In general, the bigger the main lobby, the bigger the tree! Head to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, or Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa for some of the BIGGEST trees! Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Christmas Tree Several of the hotels also construct edible decor! Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is known for constructing a giant gingerbread house every year. It’s large enough that it functions as a sweets shop, and guests can actually buy gingerbread (and other sweets) from Cast Members inside the house! Grand Floridian Gingerbread House Wanna make a day out of enjoying giant gingerbread displays? Hop on the monorail to check out a gingerbread Cinderella Castle at Disney’s Contemporary Resort! Last year Disney’s Wilderness Lodge added a gingerbread cabin for the first time, so hopefully, we’ll continue to see a display there as well! And finally, don’t forget to check out the gingerbread carousel at Disney’s Beach Club Resort! Disney Wilderness Lodge Resort’s Gingerbread Cabin In addition to the amazing designs, these gingerbread creations also make the hotel lobbies smell INCREDIBLE! You can find smaller displays at a number of resorts as well, including Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, so going on an adventure looking for gingerbread can be a fun way to spend the day! Click here to see all of the gingerbread displays in Disney World last year! New Year’s Eve Celebrations Each of the four parks have some special offerings for New Year’s Eve as well. At Magic Kingdom guests can celebrate with dance parties and the special Fantasy in the Sky fireworks! Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks at the Magic Kingdom Epcot also has a ton of great entertainment, including New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the World Showcase, live music, and a fireworks show! Epcot Hollywood Studios holds a midnight countdown and a fireworks spectacular! Hollywood Studios Of all the parks, Animal Kingdom is the most low-key — there are NO fireworks at this park for the safety of the animals! But, you can still ring in the New Year with specially-themed food and beverage options! Pandora at Night Just remember, New Year’s Eve is another crazy-busy day, so there’s a chance that the parks could reach capacity (especially Magic Kingdom and Epcot!) So, if there is a certain park that you realllllly want to visit for the holiday, be sure to get there as early as possible and plan to stay all day! There are so many unique and super fun things happening at Disney World in December. And while the last two weeks of December tend to be one of the busiest times of the year, the beginning of the month is a great chance to enjoy the holiday entertainment with lighter crowds! Keep these things in mind when planning your trip, and you’ll set yourself up for a magical ending to your year! Are you planning a trip to Disney World in November? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: 25 Can’t-Miss Experiences to Celebrate the Holidays at Walt Disney World This Year! 27 Must-Do Disney World Holiday Events and Eats! The 2018 Holiday Season at Disney World Includes NEW Experiences and Returning Favorites View the full article