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Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto has been #OntheList for us here at DFB since it first opened at the Polynesian Resort. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto And, while there are plenty of great places to grab a drink or two in Disney World, the Grog Grotto is unique with its eclectic atmosphere, delicious eats, and exotic drinks (like the Nautilus). Although it’s one of the best spots to relax or party in Disney World, now you can celebrate Grog Grotto style at home with this live stream! TODAY, March 28th, is the 5th anniversary of Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Resort (!!!). Although we’re all stuck at home and can’t go grab an Uh-Oa! together, the Disney Imagineers who helped bring the restaurant to life will be doing a commemorative live stream instead! ©Trader Brandon At 6 PM EST on Trader Brandon’s Instagram, an entire crew of Imagineers will talk about how the Grog Grotto was created and feature a few special guests too. Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto We don’t know about you, but we’re already getting our tropical drinks ready for tonight!! Check out the FULL list of the performances and live streams that Disney celebrities are doing from home here! What’s your favorite drink from Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: DFB Video: Can You Believe They Do This in Disney World?! DFB Video: Latest Disney Parks News — CEO Shakeup, HUGE Refurb News, and MORE! DFB Video: Disney Parks Around the World Close, New Lands Get Opening Dates & Mulan Merch Comes to shopDisney! View the full article

Even though we were pretty bummed when Disney World and Disneyland recently extended their temporary closures, we were hoping maybe some good news might come out of it for Annual Passholders. Main Street, U.S.A. You see, recently Universal Studios also announced they were postponing their reopening, but they told their Annual Passholders monthly payments were being deferred. We were wondering if something similar would happen for Disney’s Annual Passholders, too! Buuuut so far, nothing’s changed for Disney World or Disneyland AP members. As it stands, Annual Passholders on monthly plans are still expected to pay for their monthly payments, but we’d really like to see Disney address this situation. Casey’s Corner at Magic Kingdom Luckily, both Disney World and Disneyland have announced they’ll be extending their annual memberships for however many days the parks remain closed. So, the money isn’t wasted by any means, but it can be difficult for families to continue making payments in the midst of the current events for parks they can’t visit right now. Well keep you posted just in case anything changes, but for now, you better keep making those monthly payments! Click here to learn more about how the Disney parks across the world are handling this current situation here What other changes would you like to see to the Annual Passholder program during these closures? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: The Stars are Out for the 2019 Disney World Holiday Specials Filming NOW at Disney World! News! The Change in Leadership Has Begun At Both Walt Disney World and Disneyland! Here Are ALL of the Refurbishment Closures in Disney World AND Disneyland Next Week! View the full article

Welcome back, DFB friends! We’re here with another DFB Video, and today we’re talking about ALL the Disney Parks news happening right now! Disneyland Main Entrance – Closed Due to Coronavirus While you might be stuck at home during the parks’ closure, we’re here to keep you up-to-date on when the parks are slated to reopen AND the best ways to keep yourself entertained during this time! We’re talking about closure extensions in Disney World and Disneyland, stay-at-home orders, Disneyland summer hotel discounts, live performances from Disney celebrities, and MORE! So, what are you waiting for?? Check out the all the Disney Parks news in our latest DFB Video! And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! So check out the video and then let us know: What are you looking forward to doing the most when the parks open back up? Related posts: DFB Video: Latest Disney Parks News — CEO Shakeup, HUGE Refurb News, and MORE! DFB Video: Disney Parks Around the World Close, New Lands Get Opening Dates & Mulan Merch Comes to shopDisney! DFB Video: Bizarre Disney Honeymoon Stories… and Tips We Learned From Them! View the full article

We’re ready for Mulan to bring honor to us all when the new film hits the big screens soon! The Official Mulan Poster ©Walt Disney Studios Although we have been LOVING the entire line of live action merchandise (and the shades from the ColourPop collection), this collector’s item might be the must-have Mulan gift for your family and friends! What do we want? A girl worth fighting for! And, you’re going to want to pick up the Limited Edition Mulan Doll ASAP! ©shopDisney Mulan looks fierce like a warrior and as beautiful as a flower that blooms in adversity… ©shopDisney …accompanied by the colorful phoenix (who will be replacing Mushu in the film as Mulan’s protector)! ©shopDisney We can’t wait to see what happens in the new movie!! You can get the Live Action Mulan Doll for $129.99 on shopDisney. Buuut, you might want to be as swift as a coursing river to grab it since there are only a limited amount available! ©shopDisney While we aren’t sure when Mulan will be coming to theaters, we’d love to see it come to Disney+ soon like Onward! Looking forward to summer? We’ve got all the Disney merchandise you need for sunny days here! Are you excited for the new live action Mulan film? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Take a Trip in Style With This NEW Disney Travel Collection! FINALLY! The Best Phone Case EVER (imho) Is On Its Way To Disney Parks! Look as Classic as Mickey and Minnie with these NEW Loungefly Backpacks! View the full article

On March 27, Disney officials announced that Disneyland Resort will remain closed until “further notice.” Disneyland Main Entrance Disney hasn’t provided a timeline for when they expect Disneyland to reopen, but they have stated that Cast Members will continue to be paid through April 18th. If you’re planning on cancelling your Disneyland vacation, you don’t have to wait on the phone! When Disneyland first announced the closure through the end of March, the only way for guests to refund or change their hotel reservation was by calling The Walt Disney Travel Company at (714) 520-5050. Disneyland Hotel But now, guests can cancel reservations for select Disneyland Resort hotel rooms and Walt Disney Travel Company vacation packages online. ©Disney At this time, only guests with a check-in date between March 27th, 2020 and March 31st, 2020 are able to cancel online. However, since Disneyland just announced the extension of the closure today, online cancellations might end up being offered for a larger window of expiration dates. ©Disney At this time, tickets will be valid through their stated expiration date. Sleeping Beauty Castle To cancel their hotel reservation online, guests can visit the Disneyland website here. We’ll continue to provide updates on any future announcements about the Disneyland closure, so stay tuned! For more information on the Disneyland Resort closure, check out what Disney will refund HERE! Have your Disneyland travel plans been affected by the closure? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Disneyland Hotels Offer Trick or Treating and Halloween Decor 2020 Disneyland Hotel Packages Are NOW Available for Booking! Disneyland Hotel Guests Can Enjoy This Exclusive Halloween Event — AND THERE’S FREE CANDY!!! View the full article

Greetings from Epcot! Spaceship Earth This park is an eating PARADISE! From Outdoor Kitchens at Epcot’s renowned festivals to fine dining at Epcot’s newest signature restaurant, Takumi-Tei, there is something to please any palette. And amidst all of this gourmet delicious-ness is a (somewhat) hidden character dining gem — Garden Grill! Garden Grill Sign We recently snagged an early reservation and headed in for a tasty breakfast with Chip, Dale, Mickey, and Pluto. Would it still stack up as one of our favorite character meals? Read on to find out! Atmosphere: Garden Grill Restaurant is located on the top floor of the Land pavilion — aka the building with Soarin’. Garden Grill Restaurant The check-in podium is located to the left of the circular restaurant, and they’ll provide you a buzzer to wait for your turn. Garden Grill Tables While there, we recommend requesting a lower level table –you’ll see why in a moment! There’s no guarantee they can accommodate, but it’s always good to ask. Table Setting Garden Grill has a mix of booths and tables, with booths being on the bottom level and tables primarily being on the top level of the restaurant. Booth — with a hidden Mickey! The real reason the lower level seating is superior, is because this restaurant slowly rotates throughout your meal, and provides you a bird’s eye view of Living with the Land! Living with the Land – Prairie Scene It’s an extra layer of fun and entertainment to be able to gaze down into one of Epcot’s classic attractions as you slowly spin and enjoy your meal! Farmhouse Scene in Living with the Land We highly recommend riding that attraction before or after your meal — especially since Farmer Mickey got a lot of his ingredients from the greenhouses you ride through! And speaking of Farmer Mickey… Characters: The meal at Garden Grill is officially called “Chip n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast” so naturally those crazy chipmunks are coming to your table! Chip This is the only character meal that features these two, so if they are on your must-meet list, this is a great meal to reserve. (And they should be on your must-meet list — they are so much fun!) Dale Joining the ‘munks is Pluto, in the cutest li’l bandana. Pluto And don’t forget Farmer Mickey! He’s joining you at your table looking so-adorable-I-could-cry in his overalls and flannel. Farmer Mickey One of the best parts of any character meal is, of course, the characters, and here they are exceptional. Every time we’ve been they are lots of fun, and in this relaxed atmosphere, they take their time with each family. I’ve never felt rushed! Plus, thanks to the easy circular layout of the restaurant, you may get to see them more than once in your meal! Eats: Garden Grill is served family-style, meaning everything comes to your table to be shared among everyone in your group. It makes it a lot easier if you have little ones than a buffet, so you don’t have to worry about getting up and down to get food. Plus — you’re never going to miss the characters at your table when the eats come to you. It’s still an all-you-care-to-enjoy meal, so if you’d love more waffles, just let your server know. They’re happy to bring more! Passion Fruit Orange Guava Juice Included with the cost of the meal is a standard beverage such as juice (including the legendary POG juice!), coffee, tea, and soda. Coffee There’s also a specialty beverage menu, should you choose to add alcohol or a kid’s character cup for an additional charge. Specialty Beverage Menu Remember, if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan you can add an alcoholic beverage to your meal as part of the plan. Specialty Beverage Menu For food, the first item we were brought was a big bowl of fresh fruit (some of this was actually grown in the Land greenhouses!). Fresh Fruit This was simple and delicious! All the fruit was perfectly ripe and naturally sweet. It may not be the most exciting food, but when you see the carby goodness headed your way, you’ll be glad for something fresh! Sticky Buns We were also given Chip & Dale’s sticky buns! Just look at this mound of cinammony-bready-frosting covered goodness. Sticky Buns This was excellent — one of the best sticky buns I’ve had at Disney in recent memory. There isn’t anything overwhelming unique about it (like the Pineapple Coconut Sticky Bun at ‘Ohana), but it’s got a wonderful icing to bun ratio, and it’s delightfully moist and chewy. Breakfast Skillet Shortly after the arrival of the sweets, our server brought us our tasty Breakfast skillet! We loved that it’s literally served in the frying pan — it makes it easy to dole it out among the table. Plus, it’s cute! So what kind of breakfast delights did our skillet hold? We got plenty of crispy bacon… Bacon …scrambled eggs… Scrambled Eggs …pork sausage… Sausage Links …tater tots (or as Disney calls them: Potato Barrels)… Potato Barrels …and of course, the breakfast staple: Mickey Waffles. Mickey Waffles While these aren’t unusual or adventurous options, each item was cooked very well! That’s not always easy to do when mass-cooking eggs. You’re should be able to delight everyone in the family — especially the kids — with these classic breakfast foods. Accompanying the skillet, we had a variety of sauces and condiments. Syrup No waffle is complete without some tasty syrup! But we were also given a few other options as well. Our server brought us ketchup (a must for kids and their tater tots), chocolate sauce, and homemade salsa. Sauces The salsa was fantastic — tons of flavor and it tasted really fresh. Which it should — our server confirmed it was house-made with tomatoes and herbs from the Epcot Greenhouses! It wasn’t overwhelmingly hot, but there was a perfect balance of herbs and spices with the sweet tomato. Seriously it was so good, if they sold it, I’d buy it to bring home. We highly recommend putting this on your scrambled eggs! Salsa The Chocolate Sauce was a welcomed surprise addition to the meal! It was perfect atop our Mickey Waffles — pro tip add a few of those fresh strawberries on there too. You won’t regret it! Chocolate Sauce Overall, the food was really good! Like we said, it’s nothing too adventurous but it’s all well prepared. The tater tots were crispy, the eggs where creamy, the bacon was thick, and the sausage was flavorful. You can’t ask for better than that! Breakfast Skillet Overall: Garden Grill continues to be a great option for a character meal in Walt Disney World. The food is consistently delicious, at any time of day. (Read a recent dinner review here!) The characters are so cute and so fun — while there may not be as many as say, Chef Mickey’s, the laid back atmosphere allows quality, unrushed interactions. Plus, they may come to your table more than once! And the atmosphere is unique and entertaining in its own right — we just love looking down onto Living with the Land! If you’re looking for a quality meal, with fun characters, and a laid back feel, you can’t do better than Garden Grill. To learn more about character meals in Walt Disney World, check out this DFB Guide Video! And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our DFB YouTube Channel! By the way, have you subscribed yet? If you hit the button below, you can subscribe to the channel and never miss a single episode! Have you been to the Garden Grill Restaurant? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Related posts: Review: Chip N’ Dale’s NEW Harvest Feast Breakfast at Epcot’s Garden Grill Review: Dinner with a View at Epcot’s Garden Grill! Disney Recipe: Chip’s Sticky Bun Bake from Epcot’s Garden Grill View the full article

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not cook up a Disney recipe, curl up on the couch in your pajamas and watch some Disney+? Disney+ Streaming Service ©Disney Ok, we know there might not be a ton of other options right now for weekend activities, but we have a bunch of fun suggestions for you and your family to watch (or re-watch!). Whether you’re missing the theme parks or looking for a something new to enjoy, we got you covered. If you want to take a look behind the scenes: Disney Insider © Disney From American Idol to the live-action remake of Mulan, Disney Insider dives behind the scenes and peels the curtain back at some of Disney’s biggest projects! The second episode of this multi-part series was just released, so check it out! The Imagineering Story The Imagineering Story ©Disney The Imagineering Story is one of our FAVORITE original series on Disney+. This six-part series debuted with the launch of Disney+ and shows a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the building of all Disney parks worldwide. If you’ve wanted to learn more about the parks and what Imagineers do to bring the theme parks to life, this is the perfect show for you! One Day at Disney One Day at Disney “Este Meza: Lucasfilm Events” ©Disney Announced at last year’s D23 Expo as a special project, this series and accompanying book showcases the day in the life of Disney Cast Members across the entire company. From the theme parks to television studios, One Day at Disney introduces us to the many “people who make the magic across the globe”! Check out even MORE ideas on what to watch on Disney+ to make you feel like you’re at the Disney parks! If you want to see the newest releases: Be Our Chef Brand new to Disney+ this weekend is the original series Be Our Chef. This cooking competition pits families against each other to create some amazing dishes, inspired by Disney films and characters! Their dishes are then judged by legendary Disney chefs! What better way to check out some new Disney+ content while getting some unique meal ideas to cook at home? Check out the trailer here!  Frozen 2 Maybe you’ve heard about a little film called Frozen 2 that was added to Disney+ three months ahead of its original home release date! Join Elsa, Anna, and the gang as they venture ‘into the unknown’! Frozen 2 ©Disney Stargirl This new original Disney+ film stars Grace VanderWaal and is based on the young adult novel of the same name! It was released on Disney+ a couple of weeks ago, so check it out if you haven’t already! Stargirl ©Disney If you need to empathize with someone stuck inside their home: Tangled Need a list of things to do while stuck at home? Take a few notes from Rapunzel (listen to ‘When Will My Life Begin’ and you’ll know exactly what we mean!) As someone who spent years stuck inside her tower, Rapunzel may know a thing or two about passing the time indoors. ©Disney The Hunchback of Notre Dame What we would give to have “one day out there”! This classic animated film may hit a little closer to home these days. Have you noticed you’ve started talking to your pets like they’re your only friends these days? Quasimodo knows what that’s like with his gang of gargoyles! © Disney What if after you watch ALL of those you need more suggestions? Re-watch The Mandalorian We’re in need of some extra joy these days. Why not get it in the form of Baby Yoda? Re-watch The Mandalorian and get your daily dose of “The Child”. You can thank us later. ©Disney Watch every Marvel movie! How about a massive Marvel movie marathon this weekend? Watch them in the order they were released or in chronological order according to the storyline – you decide! ©Marvel No matter what you decide to watch this weekend, we hope it brings some magic and joy to your household! Here are some more suggestions on what to catch on Disney+! What’s been your favorite Disney+ movie or series lately? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: The DFB Disney+ Movie Marathon: What To Watch While You’re Stuck at Home! What To Watch on Disney+ If You Want To Feel Like You’re In The Parks! ALL the New Content Coming to Disney+ Through January 14th! View the full article

With the Disney parks closed and construction halted right now, there are a lot of what-ifs about the near future of Disney. Luckily, when things calm down and the parks reopen, construction will pick back up again! That’s good to hear because we are SUPER excited about some upcoming projects. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge You know we love to keep an eye out for construction in the park, but since we’re not getting the chance to hang out with Mickey and pals right now, we’re looking into a bunch of building permits instead! Oh, boy, did we dig up some great peeks at behind the scenes work in Disney World! Check it out! Just like everybody else, Disney has to file permits with the government when they want to take on a construction project. Now, we keep an eye on these permits ALL THE TIME and a lot of them are just for general work. We bet you don’t want to hear about roofing, plumbing, and electrical! On the other hand, we bet you DO want to hear about upcoming attractions and other exciting news! Here’s what we found. 2020 Flower and Garden Festival Magic Kingdom Peter Pan’s Flight We’re starting off our tour of behind-the-scenes work this month in Magic Kingdom where a much-loved Fantasyland dark ride will be getting a healthy dose of TLC. On March 3rd, we spotted a building permit for Peter Pan’s Flight. Now, no worries. This infamously popular attraction doesn’t have any major work or closures announced for it. Instead, the permit was for “General Conditions” from a creative environments contracting firm. Peter Pan’s Flight This likely means that the theming in either the queue or the attraction itself is getting a little touch-up. Of course, if Peter Pan’s Flight is set to undergo any work that will interrupt the day for guests, we’ll be sure to let you know. But, in the meantime, it looks like a little non-disruptive work is going into the theming to keep the lost boys and pirates looking as spiffy as ever. Stitch’s Great Escape As you might have seen, we also dug up two VERY exciting permits for the address registered to Stitch’s Great Escape! This attraction has been primarily closed since 2016, so seeing ANY work on the building is exciting. Still, this work is especially notable because it calls for the demolition of the interior. Could this mean we’re getting something new in the ol’ Stitch space? Stitch’s Great Escape Maybe! Still, this permit could be for a separate part of the building or even for just a portion of the attraction. Regardless, we’ve been seeing all sorts of changes around Tomorrowland and we’d love to see the Stitch space in use once more. Want to learn more about the surprising Stitch’s Great Escape permits? Click here! Epcot Epcot Fireworks Trailer Heading on over to Epcot, we spotted two exciting permits for the construction-riddled park. The first is for the Epcot Fireworks Trailer for some “electrical installation.” Now, of course, electrical work goes on all the time and isn’t usually anything to write home about. But, in this case, we’re thinking the permit could have something to do with some NEW electrical work… Harmonious, perhaps? It IS supposed to open in Spring of 2020! ©Disney Two things about the permit stand out. The first is that it was ordered by Walt Disney Imagineering instead of Walt Disney World Resort. Standard electrical work is usually overseen by the resort departments instead of Imagineers. So, this work must be at least a little interesting. PLUS, the permit calls for “installation.” Regular maintenance shouldn’t require the installation of anything new, but set up for an upcoming fireworks show sure might! Click here to learn everything we know about the upcoming Harmonious! Journey Parking Lot We also found a permit for just outside of Epcot in the parking lot. Journey Parking Lot is apparently getting an expansion and Disney is set to clear trees and structures to prep for it. West Tram and Drop-off sign Although more parking might not sound that exciting, we’re pretty interested considering Disney World’s 50th Anniversary is coming up in 2021 and Epcot’s 40th Anniversary is soon after. There sure are going to be a LOT of people who need to park at Epcot! Hollywood Studios Roundup Rodeo BBQ Over in Hollywood Studios, we’re waiting patiently for the opening of Roundup Rodeo BBQ, the new table-service restaurant coming to Toy Story Land. Well, it looks like we’re two very big steps closer since we spotted a couple of BIG progress permits for the restaurant recently! First, we noticed a permit on March 3rd to “install entrance marquee” at the spot. That’s right, they’re ready to get the sign up on the building! Rodeo Roundup BBQ Concept Art ©Disney Then, a little over a week later, we spotted one for the fabrication and installation of set elements in the new restaurant space as well. Neat! Looks like Andy’s play area, complete with toy pals, is really coming together! We can’t wait to get our nosh on at this new dining location when it opens later this year. Click here to learn more about Roundup Rodeo BBQ! Disney World Resorts Galactic Starcruiser And last but CERTAINLY not least, we spotted a permit for work on Disney World’s new Galactic Starcruiser! Yep — the Star Wars Hotel! Porte Cochere at Star Wars Hotel This new hotel experience is set to be a vacation like never before and we should see it opening in 2021. Woohoo! Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser ©Disney The permit we found says that work is being done to “construct a guard shack and security booth” for the hotel. The building sits right behind Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and looks like it will be most easily accessible from World Drive. We can’t WAIT to go on our own space adventure! Want to learn more about what to expect from Galactic Starcruiser? Click here! And that’s all we’ve got for our permit update this time, but hey, we found some pretty exciting ones, huh? We’ll definitely keep digging through Disney files to bring you some inside details. Until next time! What do you think of some of these behind-the-scenes projects? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: NEW Insta-Worthy Nighttime Magic Shots Are Coming to Disney World Soon! When Disney World Reopens THESE Are at the Top of Our Must-Do List DFB Video: Can You Believe They Do This in Disney World?! View the full article

While Disney was hoping to have guests back in its U.S. theme parks by April 1st, a LOT has happened since that original closure announcement was made. Disneyland Main Entrance And now that Disney’s officially extended its closure for Disney World and Disneyland, what does this mean if you already had a trip planned? While we’re so sorry to hear that your vacation has been impacted by this delay, we’re here to guide you. We know you’re probably experiencing a mix of emotions from confusion to sadness, disappointment, and frustration with this whole situation. But somewhere in there, we’re sure you probably feel a little relief from all the stress and anxiety of not knowing whether or not you would have to cancel your trip. At least there’s a way forward now, even if this wasn’t the outcome you were hoping for. Magic Kingdom Why Disney Just Extended Its Closure Many of the questions you’re probably asking yourself right now start with “why.” Why me? Why Did Disney not reopen when they said they would? Why didn’t they say something sooner? Disney has been very aware of this developing situation for many months and their decision to remain closed for a longer, undetermined amount of time comes under the advisement of local and federal government agencies as well as public health officials. Splash Mountain Disney has a responsibility to protect its guests and Cast Members and at this very critical moment in time, they simply cannot ensure everyone’s safety if they reopened the parks. Why the Parks Are Now Closed Indefinitely When Disney announced its parks would be temporarily closing on March 12th, they had no way of knowing when the parks would actually reopen. April 1st was just an estimate in a lot of ways — a place-holder while Disney and the rest of the world figured out how this situation was going to develop. Events are unfolding each and every day. Honestly, any specific dates are just placeholders at this time. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Disney was initially being very cautious with respect to the number of guests’ visits who were impacted by their decision to close. Given the fluidity of this situation, Disney has now determined it’s in everyone’s best interest to remain closed until further notice rather than adjusting their timeline week-by-week. But what about YOU? What are YOU supposed to do now??? We’ve got your back. Here Are Your Next Steps If You Had A Trip Planned: Call or Go Online to Check on Your Flight Many airlines that don’t normally allow guests to cancel or modify flights without incurring a fee are waiving their service charges right now. Check with your airline to see what their current refund policy is. Aloha Isle Refreshments You can expect to be on hold for sometime before speaking with an airline representative. We’d strongly recommend going online first to see if your airline will allow you to modify your reservation via their website or app before picking up the phone. For folks who made their travel arrangements through a third party service or travel agency, you might want to reach out to them first. They also might be able to help you cancel some of your other bookings. Cancel Your Reservations for Cars, EVCs, Strollers, or Non-Disney Hotels If you booked a car, stroller, or any rental device, you’ll want to contact the third-party service provider you used and cancel your reservation. Additionally, if you booked a room at any non-Disney owned property, reach out to them to modify or cancel your arrangements. Main Street, U.S.A. This might take a while to accomplish since many people are trying to do the same thing. There’s no rush, but you should try to resolve this stuff over the next few days. Refunds for Hotel Reservations Disney World Resort Hotels Guests who were booked to stay at a Disney World Hotel between now and June 30th and would like to cancel or modify their reservations should cancel online through My Disney Experience under “My Reservations,” or call (407) 934-7639 to modify or cancel their Disney World Hotel reservations. You will be able to apply the full value of your booking towards future visits without penalties or fees. Beach Club Resort in Disney World Due to the high volume of calls right now, it could take several hours to get through to a Disney World representative, so we highly recommend trying to cancel on My Disney Experience first. Try not to stress out too much, though. There’s no hurry to take care of all of these things right away. Learn more about what Disney World is refunding here! In fact, you can also choose to take no action before your scheduled check-in date during the closure and Disney will automatically cancel your reservation within 7 days of your arrival date with no fees. Your refund will be automatically processed and issued to you in whatever form of payment you originally used. We still think its best to call — that way you can probably get your reimbursement a little faster, too, without having to wait until your actual check-in date! Disney World’s Website Disney Vacation Club Resorts Similarly, Disney Vacation Club members with plans until the end of June can “modify or cancel their Disney Resort room reservation or Walt Disney World Travel Company package up to their original check-in date” by calling (800) 800-9800. Disney Vacation Club members will be credited back with their DVC points. Disneyland Resort Hotels To cancel your reservations at any of the Disneyland Resort Hotels, you should first try to cancel your reservation online here. Disneyland has JUST created this opportunity to help guests cancel visits during the closure. You can also call The Walt Disney Travel Company at (714) 520-5050. ©Disney A Disneyland representative will also be able to assist you with getting a refund for any pay-in-advance experiences or any separate, special-ticketed events you may have purchased which were scheduled to take place during the temporary closure. Learn more about what Disneyland is refunding here! Disney Cruise Line Refunds The Disney Cruise Line has still only announced they’ll be shut down through April 12th. Disney Cruise Line will offer the use of a future cruise credit or an option for a full refund to guests whose vacations are impacted within this timeframe. Castaway Cay Due to the high frequency of calls at the Call Center, the Disney Cruise Line has requested guests wait to contact them until after they have received an email from Disney Cruise Line or their travel agents regarding their upcoming trip. Here’s What You DON’T Need to Worry About Right Now: FastPasses and Advance Dining Reservations During The Closure As long as you haven’t checked into your Disney World Resort, you don’t need to cancel any FastPasses or Advance Dining Reservations scheduled between now and when Disney World reopens. These will be canceled automatically on your behalf with no fees. An Empty BoardWalk Resort If you have made any dining reservations at a location that might reopen before Disney World parks reopen, such as a Disney Springs restaurant, as long as you haven’t checked in for your resort reservation, your ADRs should be canceled. If you’re worried, you can always cancel yourself via My Disney Experience or give Disney a call (407) 824-1391 to be sure. And if you’d like to modify your FastPasses or dining reservations to reschedule for a different visit, you can do that online at My Disney Experience or on the My Disney Experience app. Crystal Palace Any additional pay-in-advance experiences you’ve scheduled during the closure will also be automatically reimbursed to you without any action on your part. Managing Your Park Tickets At this time, you don’t need to do anything with your already purchased park tickets. Even if you contact Disney, they will tell you they aren’t issuing refunds for park tickets at this time. However, Disney will be automatically extending your multi-day tickets with unused days or tickets that were specifically-dated between March 12th and when the parks reopen. You’ll now have until December 15th, 2020, to use those tickets. Disney World’s Website If you’re unable to use your tickets by that date, Disney will credit the value of your unused tickets toward another ticket purchase for a future date. Click here to read more about Disney World’s policy for theme park tickets affected by the closure. Florida Resident Ticket, Annual Pass, and Tables in Wonderland Extensions Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets may be used at Disney World through July 31st, 2020. Disney World Annual Passholders and Tables in Wonderland Members will have their memberships extended by the same number of days the parks remain closed. Disneyland Annual Passholders will have their passes adjusted according to pass type. Sonny Eclipse Other Event Tickets Guests who have purchased special tickets to extra events at Disney World’s closed theme parks such as Disney’s After Hours, Disney Villains After Hours, and Disney Early Morning Magic for dates between March 16th and when the parks reopen will automatically be refunded. Or, you can call (407) 939-5277 if you have any additional questions. We will keep you posted if the policy is updated due to extended closures. We hope we’ve helped you make sense of the next steps you will and won’t need to take regarding the travel arrangements you’ve made to either of the U.S. Disney parks. For even more answers to some common questions regarding Disneyland and Disney World’s temporary closure, click here! We’ll be here — continuing to share the latest updates and news — during the closures. Stay tuned. Related posts: Your Disney Trip Was Canceled — Now What? DOs and DON’TS To Cancel, Get Refunds, and Reschedule! Disney News This Week: ALL the News and Updates from the Most Magical Places on Earth! Where’s the BEEF? Impossible Burger and Disney Have Officially Teamed Up! View the full article

We’re learning more today about theme park and entertainment companies that are extending their temporary closures. © SeaWorld In addition to Disney’s announcement today, we have learned that SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment will also be extending their park closures. SeaWorld announced today that they will be extending their temporary closure . At this time, there is no reopening date set. The following statement was made on their website on March 27, 2020: © SeaWorld The following is SeaWorld’s original statement. Their parks have been closed as of March 16, and much like Disney, they had the original intention of remaining closed through the end of the month. We now know that the closure will extend beyond that. ©SeaWorld In their statement above, it’s noted that their animal care experts will continue to look after the animals that are under SeaWorld’s care. ©SeaWorld It was also announced today that SeaWorld will be furloughing over 90% of their employees during this closure. SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment hosts a portfolio of various theme park brands. In addition to SeaWorld in Orlando, this includes other SeaWorld locations around America, as well as Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, Water Country USA, and Sesame Place. Read up on Disney World’s extension of its temporary closure here. How have your travel plans been impacted by these parks’ closures? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: NEWS! SeaWorld Parks Announce Temporary CLOSURE Updated: When Will Disney World Re-Open After Hurricane Irma? Marriott CEO Announced That He Will Not Take a Salary For Remainder of the Year View the full article

Disney World has fallen into a deep slumber since closing its theme parks on March 16th. Magic Kingdom And while Disney officials were tentatively planning on re-opening Walt Disney World Resort April 1st, the temporary closure has just been extended. Disney World will remain closed until further notice. Cast Members will continue to be paid through April 18th. This news follows Orange County Mayor Jerry Deming’s recent stay at home order which will run from March 26th through April 9th. Even before this decision to extend its dates, this has been the longest Disney World has ever been closed. Disney Parks Closure Universal Studios Orlando has also amended its temporary closure dates. Cinderella Castle If you had plans to travel to Disney World during this time, you can check here to see what Disney World will refund as well as how to cancel your Disney trip here. We continue to release more information regarding Disney World extending its temporary closure as it becomes available. Related posts: Going to Disney World?? You Need Our BEST Disney Dining Plan Snack Credit VALUES for 2020! Updated! Will Disney World Really Re-open April 1st? The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! View the full article

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Zebra Foal View the full article

You already know how much we enjoy playing games here at DFB, especially now that we’ve unleashed Snack Madness tournament on you — click here if you haven’t gotten your bracket yet! No Way Jose Sundae at Beaches and Cream So let’s play another one! This one’s real QUICK and EASY! Take a look at the three questions below — how you answer ’em will ultimately determine your new official Disney snack food NAME! While we can’t promise your name will turn out quite so delicious-sounding as some of your favorite Disney treats, we CAN assure you it’ll be mighty entertaining! Let’s get started! Lemon-Blueberry Lunch Box Tart Which month were you born in? January: Crunchy February: Nutty March: Crispy April: Deep-fried May: Baked June: Spicy July: Cheesy August: Salty September: Candied October: Buttery November: Breaded December: Boozy What day were you born on? 01: Vanilla 02: Blueberry 03: Mascarpone 04: Cherry 05: Lemon 06: Cinnamon 07: Pulled Pork 08: Fudge 09: Apple 10: Strawberry 11: Bubble Waffle 12: Caramel 13: Peanut Butter and Jelly 14: Mint 15: Red Velvet 16: Nacho Cheese 17: House-made Pickle 18: Barbecue 19: Chocolate ganache 20: Loaded 21: Carrot Cake 22: Cotton Candy 23: Cookie Dough 24: Maple Syrup 25: Oreo 26: Nutella and Fresh Fruit 27: Peanut 28: Ice Cream 29: Cream Cheese 30: Mickey Shaped 31: Pineapple Foot-long Cheesy Hot Diggity Dog What’s the first letter of your first name? A: Sundae B: Pretzel C: Dole Whip D: Sandwich E: Frushi F: Corn Dog G: Milkshake H: Chips I: Spring Roll J: Cookie K: Pizza L: Cheesecake M: Chips N: French Fries O: Whoopie Pie P: Candy Apple Q: Churro R: Loaded Tots S: Mickey Beignet T: Mac and Cheese U: Cupcake V: Krispy Treat W: Lunch Box Tart X: Lumpia Y: Ronto Wrap Z: Hot Dog Buffalo Chicken Loaded Fries at Casey’s Corner Well, how’d you do? Are you a Spicy Blueberry Hot Dog? Or maybe a Boozy Mickey-shaped Pizza? You should be really proud of yourself if you came out of this quiz with a yummy-sounding Dinsey snack food name like Baked Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese — we’d say you dodged a major bullet! And don’t forget! There’s still time to get in on Snack Madness! Join in HERE! We’d love to hear your new official Disney snack food name, so please share it with us in the comments below! Related posts: Round One of the DFB Snack Madness Tournament Is COMPLETE! See If Your Favorite Snack Made the Cut! Here’s Where To Find A Double Stuffed Oreo Cupcake in Disney Parks… NEWS! TWO Favorite Sprinkles Cupcakes Flavors Return For A Limited Time! View the full article

The current Disney Park closure has caused havoc in the military community! While Disney immediately posted information regarding its theme park tickets for general public guests, military travelers have been left out in the dark, wondering if they are out hundreds to thousands of dollars! The current park closures put those who had already purchased […] The post Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Refunds appeared first on Military Disney Tips Blog. View the full article

Like the rest of the Walt Disney World hotels, Shades of Green, a Disney World resort for military members and families has closed its doors temporarily. ©Shades of Green Resort Owned by the United States Department of Defense, the resort is located near Magic Kingdom. Shades of Green released the following statement today on their website, “Despite our best efforts to serve guests through this situation, it is now apparent that this crisis requires collective action to slow its progression in the United States. Guests will be asked to return to their home station as soon as they can make the necessary travel arrangements. We are waiving any cancellation or early departure fees for reservations during this time.” Shades of Green’s Website At this time, Shades of Green has also stated, they “will continue to accept reservations for new arrivals after May 15th.” If you have any questions regarding an upcoming trip, you can email Shades of Green at guestsupport@shadesofgreen.org. So far, Disney World Resort is still expected to reopen on April 1st, but given the orders that have been enacted for Osceola and Orange County, we may very well see Disney World’s temporary closure extended. We’ll be sure to let you know when and if Disney releases and official statement. Related posts: Orlando Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation Is Halting Operations — What This Means for Their Staff and Timeshare Owners News! Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Resorts Are Now Fully Closed STK Steakhouse has a HUGE Black Friday DEAL! View the full article

It’s true many as workers across the country are being released from their jobs as a result of these recent events. Cinderella Castle The hospitality industry has been one of the hardest industries hit as leisure travel and public gatherings in event spaces as well as restaurants and bars is against the law in many states right now. Earlier, we reported Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort which is overseen by Marriott has temporarily closed. One of the world’s biggest hotel companies, Marriott is largely based in Orlando and recently announced they would be shutting down all of its properties. Workers are being furloughed while all Marriott service centers are expected to remain closed through April 6th. The company also announced all of Marriott’s resorts will be closed to guests through April 23rd. Main Street, U.S.A. Marriott’s CEO Arne Sorenson has recently announced, “I will not be taking any salary for the balance of 2020 and my executive team will be taking a 50% cut in pay.” Sorenson is one of many chief executives to come forward in recent days and state they’ll be taking a massive pay cut according to Yahoo! Finance. Magic Kingdom Sorenson went on to state, “In terms of our business, COVID-19 is like nothing we’ve ever seen before.” We will continue to keep you updated on the Swan and Dolphin hotel closures. Related posts: Orlando Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation Is Halting Operations — What This Means for Their Staff and Timeshare Owners Updated: When Will Disney World Re-Open After Hurricane Irma? News! Disney World Purchases MORE Land! View the full article

If you’ve been missing your daily dose of Sprinkles Cupcakes, now they’re bringing the cupcake party to you. Say whaaaat?! Red Velvet Oreo Cupcake ©Sprinkles Sprinkles is giving us an excuse to add some sweetness to our days with a new kit that will allow us to make cupcakes in our very own homes! The DYO to-go cupcake kit comes with everything you might need to design your little cakes of sweetness any way you want. Inside, you’ll find an assortment of decorations, sprinkles, cream cheese and chocolate buttercream frosting, and even two spatulas that you can keep. ©Sprinkles The kit also comes with pre-made cupcakes that you’ll be topping. Samoa Cupcake You can head online to the Sprinkles website to order this DYO kit for $60, with deliveries starting today! Share your cute little cupcakes with us once you get them all decorated! We’d love to see them! Looking for some Disney recipes? Check out a few of our FAVORITES here! What recipes have you been whipping up in the kitchen recently? Let us know down in the comments! Related posts: Welcome 2019 With a Limited Edition Sprinkles Cupcake NEWS! TWO Favorite Sprinkles Cupcakes Flavors Return For A Limited Time! Don’t Miss Out! Sprinkles’ Red Velvet Bread Pudding is Leaving Disney Springs Soon — We’ll Tell You When! View the full article

Looking for a little escape from “all the crazy” that is right now? Usually, we’d just head to the parks to blow off a little steam… Sadly since THAT isn’t really an option right now, let’s just say we’ve had to start seeking out some alternative means to get our Disney fixes! Cinderella Castle and Main Street USA in Disney World And luckily for us, before we could ever officially declare ourselves insane for wearing nothing but PJs for the last week and a half, Disney has always managed to reel us back from the BRINK! That’s right friends — the parks may be closed right now, but the Disney “good times” keep rollin’ in! After all, they can’t wait to have us all back once this whole thing blows over! So until we can all be together again, Disney is still taking good care of us! Here’s how! Shiny, New Disney+ Content Ahh, there’s nothing in the world quite like Disney+. It’s literally like having your best ride-or-die Disney friends right by your side. And new content is being added all the time! ©Disney Elephant Tune in April 3rd to catch Disney Nature’s Elephant, and click here to EVERYTHING coming to Disney+ in April! For April, there’s a bunch of new programming coming to Disney+ including lots of nature movies, original series, and documentaries celebrating the 5oth-anniversary of Earth Day! Surprise! Here Comes Frozen 2 And Onward You could have knocked us over with a feather when Olaf, Elsa, and Anna along with Ian and Barley Lightfoot showed up in our living rooms last week. After all, Onward was still showing in movie theaters. ©Disney Frozen 2 Find out more details about Frozen 2‘s BIG ahead-of-schedule release here! But that didn’t stop Disney from releasing the two new flicks SUPER EARLY! Frozen 2 is now streaming on Disney+ while Onward is available for digital download and will be joining Disney+’s subscribers momentarily! ©Disney Onward Find out when Onward is coming to Disney+ here! We’ll be sure to let you know if Disney decides to release any other movies or shows on Disney+ early, so don’t touch that dial! So Much Good Stuff On shopDisney Can we tell you a little secret? We really love shopping on shopDisney! Even before all this staying at home business, we’ve been known to really rack up a credit card bill without ever leaving our cozy couches! Screenshot from shopDisney’s Website And now that the new Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction collection for March has appeared online (HINT: this month’s collection is themed after the Mad Tea Party!) we know our back account is in for some serious damage! ©shopDisney Get more deets about the latest Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction series for March here! But the hits won’t stop there! We also recently spotted this new Disney Dogs Sketch Dooney and Bourke Collection! You best be believin’ we’ll be fetching some of these bad boys! ©shopDisney Dooney and Bourke Crossbody Click here to learn more about the new Disney Dogs Sketch Dooney and Bourke Collection! There’s also plenty of Mulan merchandise, Onward toys, and accessories, and even matching “Mickey and Friends Summer Fun” outfits for your entire family! Imagineering In A Box Now that we’ve got a lot of time on our hands, we figured, why not finally become a Disney Imagineer? Did you know Disney actually offers a completely free online curriculum? Yup, they DO! ©Disney Ever dreamed of becoming an Imagineer? Then click here to get started! It’s called Imagineer in a Box and its a program designed to be flexible enough for all ages. The course includes 32 videos where you’ll learn the skills required to become an incredible Imagineer — from the very folks who work for Disney. Now that’s not a shabby use of your free time. Cartooning With Disney Artists Okay, so maybe Imagineering isn’t in the cards for you, but how would you like to learn how to draw some of your favorite Disney characters? ©Disney Learn how to draw Mickey Mouse by clicking here! So far, Disney’s shared a few tutorials on how to draw three distinct versions of Mickey Mouse! Our favorite has to be the classic version of Mickey from the late 1920s, but maybe that’s just us! Updates On The Animals Disney knows we’re thinking a lot about our animal friends right now, which is why they’re regularly sharing updates on the Disney Parks Blog. That way we can see how our furry and feathery buddies are doing! Animal Kingdom Lodge See what the animals are up to now that the parks are closed! In fact, Disney recently shared with us some good news! All the animals are being well cared for by Disney’s Animal Care Team and they’ve even welcomed a new baby zebra and baby porcupine since the temporary closure began. Welcome to Disney World, animal babies! We hope you like your new digs. Disney Is Donating Its Excess Food To Local Charities And while we can’t wait until the parks reopen so we can enjoy all our favorite snacks again, we’re glad knowing all of Disney World and Disneyland’s food went to those who need it most! ©Disney Read more about Disney World donated its excess food here! Disney World reached out to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida while the Disneyland Resort parks were able to make contributions to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. The Dapper Dans Are STILL Performing! Give our regards to Disney’s barbershop quartet, the Dapper Dans! These true professionals aren’t going to let a little thing like the Disney parks being closed slow them down. No sir. Dapper Dans on Veteran’s Day Find out how to submit a request to the Dapper Dans HERE! In fact, you can still catch there harmonious vocal stylings (and antics!) on a total request live show. Don’t worry — each Dapper Dan is broadcasting from their own Dapper home, and it’s quite adorable! Disney Brightest Stars Are Coming Out To Shine! But the Dapper Dans are the only ones regaling us with sweet music and Disney-quality entertainment. Earlier we told you Frozen 2‘s Josh Gad and Enchanted’s Amy Adams were hosting their own storytimes on social media, but now they’ve been joined by a slew of other celebs! ©Josh Gad Learn more about where you can catch Josh and Amy reading to kids here! Epcot’s La Cava del Tequila has been live-streaming margarita mixology classes where you can learn to make some of your favorite drinks! ©La Cava del Tequila See how you watch the pros at La Cava del Tequila from home here! And we’ve even heard some of our favorite tunes from Jellyrolls’ dueling pianists who are playing for us from their homes! ©Rob Volpe Find out how to join in for a chorus or two with Piano Rob and Jellyrolls’ other musicians LIVE here! All of this fun content really makes it feel like Disney’s not so far away. Now, who’s up for belting out “Islands in the Stream” for the late-great Kenny Rogers? Anyone? We’ll be sure to submit our request! How have you been making your like more magical while the Disney parks have been closed? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Here Are ALL of the Refurbishment Closures in Disney World AND Disneyland Next Week! Play Disney Parks App Debuts in Disney World and Disneyland Resort SOON! Here’s Everything Set to be Closed for Refurbishment in Disney World and Disneyland This Week! View the full article

More of us are working from home these days, which can bring about some unique challenges in trying to get through the day. Through the magic of YouTube, we’re bringing you music from the Disney parks and movies to keep you entertained while you work from home! You can also search for these songs on Spotify/Apple Music and build your own playlist. Dapper Dans We were inspired by the Dapper Dans’ special performance that got us thinking, what other Disney music can we enjoy while working from home? We found HOURS of Disney music to listen to help get you through your workday! Let the listening party begin! Disney Parks Music Did you know you can listen to the music from Disney Parks in your home? Some of the best music to have on in the background while you work is area loops from Disney World! Magic Kingdom You’ll feel like you’re walking right down the middle of Main Street USA when you listen to this music loop! Next, how about a virtual audio trip to Tomorrowland? There’s plenty of ride audio to listen to on YouTube that will make you feel as though you’re actually on the ride! Here’s Splash Mountain: We’ll finish up our musical tour of Magic Kingdom the way many guests do at the end of the night: with Happily Ever After!  Epcot Like Magic Kingdom, we’re kicking off our musical tour of Epcot with the park entrance area music loop! Many of the old school Epcot songs are featured in Epcot Forever, the current nighttime show playing at World Showcase Lagoon! We found a video featuring a ton of them! Heading to the ‘back of the park’ in World Showcase, we found the music loop for the International Gateway! Missing IllumiNations? We all said our goodbyes to this iconic EPCOT nighttime spectacular last year, but we can still listen to it whenever our hearts desire! And yes…this video comes with the PRE-SHOW music, too! (Warning: If you REALLY miss Illuminations, this will give you all the feels).  Hollywood Studios Listening to the queue and lobby music of Tower of Terror will make you feel as though you are steps away from The Twilight Zone!  Fantasmic fans will probably love this full show soundtrack! Now’s the time to practice all that choreography from the show you’ve memorized and put on a full production in your living room! Animal Kingdom We found some Tree of Life area music to welcome you to this Animal Kingdom playlist. We also discovered a playlist of nighttime Pandora music — if you’re looking for some SUPER chill park music, you’ll love this playlist.  Resort Music You know that channel on your resort room TV that has all the information about the parks? Well, you can listen to the full audio here! It’ll feel like you’re back at your favorite Disney World Resort hotel!  Disneyland We had to show a little bit of love to the West Coast as well! If you frequent Disneyland, this next area loop may sound familiar — the Esplanade music! We also found full-ride audio of The Haunted Mansion! If you’re like us and are big fans of Paint the Night, get ready to feel all the feels when you listen to the full parade soundtrack! And if that wasn’t enough emotional nighttime music for you, we also have the full audio for World of Color!  Missing the Disney parks? Watch these shows on Disney+! Disney Movies Many of the songs from Disney films are as iconic as the movies themselves! From fun and upbeat to calming and serene, we have a ton of memorable Disney songs that you can sing along to. Songs About Work “Whistle While You Work” – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs “Heigh Ho” – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs “Happy Working Song” – Enchanted “Work Song (Cinderelly, Cinderelly)” – Cinderella  Fun, Upbeat and Motivational Songs A word of warning: listening to these songs may result in you getting up from your desk and dancing around the living room, resulting in LESS work getting done. Proceed at your own peril. “Go the Distance” – Hercules “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” – Mulan “How Far I’ll Go” – Moana “Let It Go” – Frozen “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” – The Lion King “Almost There” – Princess and the Frog “Seize the Day” – Newsies (original Broadway cast album version) “We’re All in This Together” – High School Musical “Spirit” – The Lion King (live action remake) “Try Everything” – Zootopia “Eye to Eye” – A Goofy Movie “Son of Man” – Tarzan “Friend Like Me” – Aladdin “Trashin’ the Camp” – Tarzan (Phil Collins & NSYNC) “Why Should I Worry” – Oliver and Company For the last song in this category, we suggest you stop what you’re doing and actually watch this video all the way through, because, well, it’s…iconic.  Calming Songs What could be more relaxing than some piano? We found this beautiful compilation of our Disney songs played entirely on piano. This video is THREE HOURS LONG. You’re welcome. And here’s a compilation of beloved melodies from Pixar films, performed by the Boston Pops! “Beauty and the Beast” – Beauty and the Beast “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” – Cinderella “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” – Toy Story “I See the Light” – Tangled “When You Wish Upon A Star” – Pinocchio  We hope that these songs will make the transition to working from home a little easier! But most of all, we hope they bring a little Disney magic to your day! What are some of your favorite Disney songs from the parks and movies? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: NEW Insta-Worthy Nighttime Magic Shots Are Coming to Disney World Soon! Play Disney Parks App Debuts in Disney World and Disneyland Resort SOON! ALL the LIMITED TIME TREATS Coming to Disney World and Disneyland for MICKEY’S 90TH BIRTHDAY Celebration!! View the full article

As all the Disney Parks around the world closed in the past couple of months, it became obvious that the Walt Disney Company was in for a serious financial blow to their bottom line. Disney California Adventure Main Entrance – Closed due to Coronavirus The truth is, when it comes to figuring out how much these closures will cost Disney, we can’t calculate an exact dollar amount. In reality, we probably won’t learn about any real numbers until Disney releases their quarterly reports and their subsequent Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Financial Report. Bob Iger presenting a model of Shanghai Disneyland In the meantime, however, we can look to previous years’ reports and come to the conclusion that, to no one’s surprise, Disney stands to lose A TON of money by closing the parks. Theme Park Admission According to The Orange County Register, it is estimated that lost theme park admission revenue will cost Disney over $500 million due to the closure of all six of their global parks. This estimate is based on Disney’s Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Financial Report, and 2018 attendance figures from Themed Entertainment Association. Disneyland Main Entrance – Closed due to Coronavirus The $500 million estimate came about by looking at two key figures: total admission revenue and total attendance. In 2018, Disney earned $7.183 billion in admission revenue and drew in 157.311 million visitors worldwide that same year. That brings an average of $19.68 million per DAY. Disneyland Paris Keep in mind that some of Disney’s parks charge considerably less for admission, with some parks charging as little as $40 per day. And here we’re accounting for Annual Passes by prorating them over the year. ©Disney Some of the parks, like Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland, have been closed since late January, while the U.S. parks have only been closed roughly one and a half weeks at the time of writing. But even looking at just that short time that ALL of the parks worldwide have been closed, that’s easily $157.44 million in lost revenue. And that number keeps ticking up and up every day. Hotels In lost hotel bookings alone, The Orange Country Register reports that Disney stands to lose an estimated $140 million. Findings from Disney’s Annual Financial Report showed that in 2019 Disney had an estimated 13 million room nights available across all of their hotel properties, both in the United States as well as abroad. Disneyland Hotel Room Of those 13 million room nights, the average guest spent $353 per room (which includes food, drinks and merchandise purchases) with a 90% occupancy rate. Disneyland Paris In just the U.S. alone, closing the hotels could cost upwards of $8.37 million per day. This report also mentions the fact that the hotels in Hong Kong and Tokyo have remained open during the park closures, allowing Disney to earn some revenue; although overall occupancy at those hotels has surely decreased in the last couple of months. Additional Line Items to Keep in Mind Disney is also losing copious amounts of cash from the loss of merchandise, food, and beverage sales throughout their parks and resorts. In their 2019 Annual Financial Report, Disney earned just shy of $6 billion across merchandise, food, and beverage sales for the fiscal year ending in September of 2019. But still, if breaking that average down per day, they’re still looking at around $16.44 million in losses per day worldwide. In the U.S., both Disney World and Disneyland were in the middle of festivals (Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival and Disney California Adventure’s Food and Wine Festival, respectively) at their time of closing, which is another way Disney makes a nice chunk of change this time of year. Pluto One important thing to note is that Disney could still earn merchandise revenue through online retailers, which still falls under the Parks, Experiences & Products business segment. Emporium on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland There are other miscellaneous in-park purchases that Disney is losing out on right now, too. These range from group walking tours to VIP tours, as well as PhotoPass and MaxPass. Some final thoughts to keep in mind… Closing the Disney parks worldwide is a significant financial loss to the Walt Disney Company. In 2019, the Parks, Experiences & Products business segment was the most profitable for Disney, earning over $26 billion in revenue and accounting for over a third of the Company’s total revenue for that year. To add to that, Disney stands to lose much more money across the entire Company when you consider the financial hit on Studio Entertainment, as movie theaters across the world close their doors. Bob Chapek at the Hollywood Studios Galaxy’s Edge opening ©Walt Disney Company Also keep in mind that these figures are based on Disney’s current closure schedules. If Disney extends the parks’ closures, their fiscal loss will continue to rise. Add to that the fact that these closures are happening during the Spring Break season in the U.S., and could possibly extend well into their summer season in the United States, both typically busy times of the year for the domestic parks. Crowded Magic Kingdom Even when the closures end and Disney resumes their “business as usual” operations, they stand to lose potential earnings in the future while the world rebounds. If economic conditions change and consumer spending is affected as a result, Disney could see an even further drop in revenue if fewer people visit their parks, which could take years of recovery. Epcot One way Disney could save on costs, as difficult of a decision as it would be, would come in the form of furloughing employees. While we have no confirmation that Disney is considering such a decision, one analyst estimated that Disney could save upwards of $500 million by furloughing some employees for the month of April across their California, Florida, and Paris parks. There’s no way of knowing how Disney plans to proceed until we get an official announcement, which could come any day now. Time will tell how the closures affect the overall Disney Company, but one thing’s for sure — these closures are costing Disney a pretty penny each day. Stay up to date on all the latest Disney news by subscribing to our newsletter! How has the park closures impacted your travel plans to Disney this year? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: Here’s How Much it Would Cost For You To Go to EVERY Disney Theme Park in the World! Here Are ALL of the Refurbishment Closures in Disney World AND Disneyland Next Week! Here’s EVERYTHING Closed for Refurbishment in Disney World AND Disneyland Next Week! View the full article

Tokyo Disneyland has announced another extension to its temporary closure as a measure to continue to promote safety in light of the current global situation. ©Disney Originally, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea began a temporary closure at the end of February, which was scheduled to last through March 15th. You may recall that an extension to the original closure was announced on March 11th, set to last through early April. And now, Tokyo Disneyland has announced an another extension for the closure. The Tokyo Disney Resort website now notifies that the “reopening of the parks is planned for April 20 or beyond,” and a new announcement will be sent out regarding the reopening. Tokyo Disney Resort website screenshot The website still states that the grand opening of “New Fantasyland” has been postponed to “mid-May or beyond.” Tokyo Disney Hotels Throughout the closure thus far, the four Tokyo Disney Hotels (Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Disney Ambassador Hotel, Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta, and Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel) have remained open, operating with changes in light of the park closures. However, the Tokyo Disney Resort website has announced that, as of April 1, 2020, the hotels will join in the temporary closure, with a reopening also planned for April 20 or beyond. Tokyo Disney Resort website screenshot Guests will want to visit the Tokyo Disney Resort website to learn more about cancellation procedures for reservations from April 1 through April 19th. Guidelines are also listed for reservations from April 20 to May 31, 2020. Please note that the website states: “No cancellation fee will be charged for reservations with check-in dates up to May 31, 2020.” Ikspiari will also be closed; however, the website states that the Disney Resort Line “will operate regularly.” Find more information on Disney Parks closures below. Related posts: NEWS! Tokyo Disneyland Has Extended Its Closure Date Tokyo Disney Resort to Build New Toy Story Hotel! Here’s How Much it Would Cost For You To Go to EVERY Disney Theme Park in the World! View the full article

Florida drive-in theaters are experiencing a new surge as people socially distance from the comfort of their vehicles while enjoying movies. View the full article

Disneyland Resort has remained behind closed gates since shutting down its parks on March 14th. Disneyland Main Entrance – Closed due to Coronavirus And, while the temporary closure was only expected to last until the end of the month, Disney officials have just announced Disneyland Resort will remain under lock and key for even longer. Disney is now saying that the Disneyland Resort will remain closed “until further notice,” but that employees will continue to be paid through April 18th. Although the parks are doing everything they can to take care of its Cast and Crew, the extended closure is still disappointing for many would-be guests who were hoping to step inside Walt’s original theme park at the beginning of April (as originally projected.). Disney Parks Closure On Thursday, March 19th, California’s Governor ordered all individuals living in the State of California to stay home until further notice. Universal Studios Hollywood has also extended its temporary closure. Disneyland Main Entrance – Closed due to Coronavirus If you had planned on visiting Disneyland Resort during this time, check out what Disney will refund and the steps you’ll need to take to cancel your Disney trip by clicking here. We’ll continue to update you with any future announcements regarding Disneyland’s re-opening date, so stay tuned! Related posts: NEW! Oogie Boogie Sipper Gambles Its Way Into Disneyland Resort Here it is! Our FREE DFB Exclusive Printable Checklists for ALL The Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Holiday Treats! We’re Reviewing EVERY Holiday Treat At Disneyland Resort! See Them ALL Here! View the full article

Meghan Markle may no longer be official British royalty, but she’s well on her way to becoming Disney royalty! © Disney An upcoming Disney Nature documentary, set to debut on Disney+ next week, will be narrated by none other than the Meghan Markle herself. Elephant, the latest in the Disney Nature documentary series, will arrive on Disney+ on April 3. The poster for this film mentions that the narrator will be none other than “Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex.” Disney+ Streaming Service ©Disney This documentary comes in a series of Disney Nature projects arriving to Disney+ in celebration of Earth Month, which takes place in the month of April. Two additional documentaries, Dolphin Reef and Penguins, will also debut on April 3 on the streaming service. Check out the trailer for Dolphin Reef and Elephant here!  We cannot wait to watch this new documentary along with all the other goodies coming to Disney+ next month. Wondering what else is coming to Disney+ in April?! We have the FULL list here! Will you be watching Elephant on Disney+? Let us know in the comments! Related posts: Disney+ Update: What We Learned at the D23 Expo! New Original Content Coming to Disney+! We’ve Got the Details! You’ll Never Guess How Many People Have Already Subscribed to Disney+! View the full article

The first official DFB Snack Madness tournament is underway and round one has just closed, but don’t worry — there’s still plenty of time left to play along! All American Sundae And we just gotta take a moment to say, y’all are wildin’ out there with some of these PICKS! We can’t believe how many of Disney’s mightiest treats have already FALLEN! Dole Whip has just beat out Mango Pie (which is a bit obvi) but Corn Dogs have taken down Ronto Wraps??? Is this the world we’re living in now, people??! Take a look at the rest of the iconic Disney snacks that are moving on to the next round! Look’s like the competition is about to REALLY heat up! DFB Snack Madness Les Halles Napoleon just threw down against Kringla’s School Bread, and actually WON, but will it beat out Mickey Oreo Cheesecake? Only time will tell… Napoleon at Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie And the classic Mickey Ice Cream Bar just defeated the relative newcomer, Kakamora Dole Whip Float — never did we think we’d live to see this day… Mickey Ice Cream Bar Don’t let its innocent, old-timey good looks fool you, inside the Mickey Ice Cream Bar beats the heart of a true modern-day warrior! But will it defeat the equally-matched iconic Classic Mickey Krispy Treat? We’re talkin’ a clash of the Disney snack TITANS! Mickey Rice Krispy Treat If you haven’t printed out your Snack Madness bracket yet, click here! Time to draft your round 2 picks and then follow along with us here and on our Instagram account @DisneyFoodBlog to see who everyone else has chosen! Be sure to share pics of your brackets with us once you fill them out with the hashtag #DFBSnackMadness! We want to see what you hope wins!! Every day we’ll be letting YOU choose what snacks move on in a series of polls! The next round kicks off TONIGHT on Instagram! Good luck and may the odds ever be in your favorite Disney snack food’s favor! Are you loving snack madness? What other competitions would you like to see? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: NEWS! TWO Favorite Sprinkles Cupcakes Flavors Return For A Limited Time! NEWS: Grab A FREE Cupcake with This Limited Time Offer in Disney World and Disneyland! This Is Not A Drill! You Can Get a FREE Treat at Disney Sprinkles Locations Through the End of the Month! View the full article