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For the first time, all of the Disney Parks are closed along with other locations like Disney’s Aulani Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach and Hilton Head Resorts. Disneyland Main Entrance International Parks like Shanghai, Tokyo, and Hong Kong all closed back in January. And slowly but surely, select locations in these areas are starting to reopen. So let’s check out what has reopened on the Disney Properties so far. What Has Reopened in Disney World? Disney World’s parks closed on March 16th and are currently set to remain closed until the end of the month. Disney closed their locations in Disney Springs on March 17th, and many other businesses at Disney Springs quickly followed. Most recently, Disney World closed all of its resorts on March 20th. An empty BoardWalk Resort So, Is Anything Still Open? Currently, Disney Golf and Disney FootGolf remain open. These areas have not closed at all amid the rest of the resort’s closures. Please note that this does not include Disney World’s Mini Golf locations. Magnolia Golf Course ©Disney A few locations like Basin remained open over the weekend and Erin McKenna’s reopened with limited hours. But according to the Disney World website, all Disney Springs locations are currently closed. Disney’s Health Services is still open until March 31st, with hours from 8 AM til 5 PM. Speedway gas stations on property are open from 5 AM til 11 PM. The Best Friends Pet Care Center is open daily from 7 AM til 7 PM. Note that there is no overnight services. What Has Reopened In Shanghai Disneyland The Shanghai Disneyland Resort closed on January 25th. On March 9th, Shanghai partially reopened. Right now, guests can experience limited shopping, dining, and recreational experiences in Disney Town, Wishing Star Park, and the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. The Disney Car and Coach Park and the Disneytown Parking Lots have reopened as well. ©Disney What Regulations Are In Place? With this particular reopening, there are many safety and health regulations in place. According to Disney, “In accordance with relevant regulations, every guest entering Shanghai Disney Resort will be required to undergo temperature screening procedures and present their Shanghai QR Code. Only guests with a green Shanghai QR Code will be allowed to enter the resort. Guests must wear a mask during their entire visit (except when dining), and will also be reminded to maintain respectful social distances at all times while in stores, queues, and restaurants.” What Has Reopened in Hong Kong Disneyland Hong Kong Disneyland closed on January 26th. According to OCR, the three Disney hotels at the Hong Kong resort have remained open during this time. Hong Kong’s Inspiration Lake Recreation Center is also open and is operating as usual. ©Disney What Has Reopened in Tokyo Disney Resort The Tokyo Disney Resort closed on January 27th and locations remain closed. According to OCR, the four company-operated hotels and the Tokyo Disney Resort have remained open during this time. ©Disney Currently, nothing is open to the public at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA, or Disneyland Paris. We will continue to update this post as more locations open over time. Related posts: Who Owns The Disney Theme Parks? The Answer Might Surprise You… Here’s How Much it Would Cost For You To Go to EVERY Disney Theme Park in the World! Save The Date! Where To Snag NEW 2020 Merchandise at EVERY Disney Park! View the full article

Although Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed, Disney’s Animal Care team is continuing to provide top-notch care to thousands of animals, including the newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom that’s black and white and cute all over. A Hartmann’s Zebra foal was born early Saturday morning (Mar. 21) to first-time-mom, Heidi… and we’re pleased to share the baby is a girl! The foal, who has yet to be named, is about 65 pounds, and is quite strong – she was standing within 30 minutes of birth. Already very active and curious, this little lady is much like her mother and has very long legs. Check out this video captured by one of our animal keepers to see a few moments of sweet mother-daughter time. Heidi is showing she’s a natural at parenting skills as she stays close to her baby to bond with her and nurse. Bonding is especially important, as a young zebra will imprint on its mother’s scent and memorize the unique markings on its mother’s hind legs to tell her apart from the rest of the herd. In a few weeks, after the pair develop a strong bond, they will be introduced to the Kilimanjaro Safaris savannah. The foal was born as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) program, which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of thousands of species of animals. Her arrival marks the third zebra birth at Walt Disney World this year. Hartmann’s mountain zebras are found in sub-Saharan Africa and are a vulnerable species due to habitat loss and hunting. To learn more about zebras and other species we are working to protect, visit DisneyAnimals.com and follow me on Instagram: @DrMarkAtDisney. With so many families at home together right now, we look forward to sharing more stories and insights about our animals and amazing cast who are caring for them. Keep an eye out for #bettertogether learning opportunities soon. View the full article

Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls of all ages! We need your help kicking off our very first official DFB Snack Madness! Never before have we had the honor (or ample enough time on our hands) to devise such a diabolically fun activity FOR YOU! Muuh-ha-HA! Bubble Waffle Sundae at AristoCrepes No, we haven’t lost our minds (not yet, at least!) but things are about to get all levels of cray up here as you and your family will ultimately determine which Disney parks snack shall reign SUPREME! We leave this final judgment in your very-capable HANDS! The time has come to pit all of our favorite snacks against each other in a savage brawl to the DEATH! Okay, it’s not quite that dramatic, but it’s sure to be mighty entertaining! Crunchy and Sweet Funnel Cake Who will the victor BE? Maybe Hollywood Studios’ rookie — the Wookie Cookie? We hear he’s got quite the mean southpaw! Wookie Cookie at Hollywood Studios See if we think the new Wookie Cookie has dethroned Hollywood Studios’ long-time champ, the Carrot Cake Cookie, here! Or maybe the title of Best-Disney-Snack-Ever! belongs to Boma’s famous Zebra Domes at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! We’ve been known to graze on these bad boys quite frequently! A Herd of Zebra Domes at Boma Anyways, it won’t take much for you and your hungry herd to play along with us! All you need is some paper and INK to print out your official DFB Snack Madness bracket BELOW! Just make sure you print one copy for each member in your family so everyone gets the pleasure of picking out their favorite Disney snack! CLICK HERE to PRINT Out Your Snack Madness Brackets!!! Then follow along with us here and on our Instagram account @DisneyFoodBlog to see who everyone else chooses for their TOP PICK! 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! We think we already know who some of the frontrunners will be, but we won’t ruin the surprise! We want these match-ups to be fair and square! Everything kicks off TONIGHT March 24th on Instagram! Good luck and may the best Disney snack food WIN! Which Disney snack are you rooting for? Tell us your number 1 draft pick for Snack Madness in the comments below! Related posts: We’re Reviewing EVERY Holiday Treat At Walt Disney World! See Them ALL Here! DFB Disney Dining Tips: How to Eat Keto at Walt Disney World The 31 Things To Eat In Disney World If You’re Obsessed With CHEESE!! View the full article

While previously Orlando residents were told a curfew was being instated, now an order to shelter in place has just been issued. Magic Kingdom Today Photo c/o News 6 WKMG The Orlando Sentinel has just confirmed a stay at home order will go into effect starting at 11PM on Thursday, March 26th and will tentatively last for two weeks. Perhaps in light of this shelter in place order which will impact Orange County’s 1.3 million residents, Universal Orlando Resort has just extended its temporary closure to April 19th. Since Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has issued this order for two weeks starting this Thursday, the new guideline is expected to be lifted after April 9th. All 13 municipal counties will be covered, including a significant portion of Walt Disney World Resort. People will be permitted to travel for essential business or trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, but otherwise will be asked to stay home. Cinderella Castle Mayor Demings pointed out just one week ago there was only 1 reported case of COVID-19, but that number has grown to 50 cases. “The virus doesn’t spread, we spread the virus,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said, adding he thinks this measure will help protect residents. Main Street, U.S.A. Similar stay at home orders are now in effect throughout the rest of Florida while total cases in the United States have surpassed 50,000. At this time Disney World has yet to extend its closure, but we’ll update you with any official statement from Disney when or if they choose to make one. Related posts: We’re Reviewing EVERY Holiday Treat At Walt Disney World! See Them ALL Here! Small Price Increases That Could Have a BIG Impact on Your Next Disney World Vacation! The NEW Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Designer Ears Are Coming to Disney World SOON! View the full article

The last few weeks have brought about tremendous change to the theme park industry in Orlando. Universal Orlando Resort, in addition to Disney World, temporarily closed their gates with the safety of their employees and guests in mind. Universal Orlando! Universal Orlando Resort has recently taken further steps to extend this temporary closure out of an abundance of caution. Universal Studios in Orlando and Hollywood closed temporarily on March 15, 2020. At that time, Universal said they would remain closed through the end of March. We now know that Universal’s temporary closure will continue longer than originally anticipated. Universal Studios Universal Studios in Orlando and Hollywood have EXTENDED their closure and will now remain closed through April 19, 2020. © Universal This closure also applies to CityWalk and Universal Orlando’s hotels. The announcement includes the note that they will “make adjustments as needed.” ©Universal How have these closures impacted your travel plans? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: Review: The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk BREAKING NEWS! Universal Orlando to Open New Theme Park: Universal’s Epic Universe News: Unexpected Closure of Disney World’s Big Top Souvenirs and Pete’s Silly Sideshow Buildings View the full article

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Baby Porcupine View the full article

Caring for Animals: Dr. Mark Penning Shares Appreciation for Dedicated Team View the full article

Oh Mickey, how we miss you! We’re now in our second week of Disney World and Disneyland being closed, and we’re having some serious Disney withdrawals. Mickey Mouse Currently, people have trips to Disney booked for early April. Our number one and two questions from our readers, viewers, and followers is “When will Disney World reopen?” and “Should I cancel my Disney World trip?” But Disney has been particularly quiet regarding the status of the park closures and any potential extensions. Cinderella Castle Based on the Disney Parks worldwide timeline and the current local government mandates in California and Florida, it seems unlikely that the domestic Disney parks will open anytime soon. But when can we expect Disney World and Disneyland to give us the word on a reopening date…or at least a closure extension? Let’s look at recent events to see if we can break it down. U.S. Domestic Disney Park Closure Timeline The first of the U.S. parks to announce a temporary closure was Disneyland. At that time, it was stated that the temporary closure would last “through the end of the month.” That means Disneyland is currently scheduled to reopen on April 1. ©Disney Wording on the Disney World closure is nearly identical, with a temporary closure ending at “the end of the month.” ©Disney As we inch closer and closer to March 31, some questions remain unanswered: will Disney World and Disneyland extend their closures? Perhaps looking at Tokyo Disney Resort’s timeline may give us a hint as to when we can expect an update from Disney! ©Disney Tokyo Disney Resort Closure Extension Details Tokyo Disney Resort began its temporary closure on February 29. At that time, it was reported that the parks would remain closed until March 16. That would have been a total of two weeks closed, similar to the U.S. parks’ original closure timelines. And note that Tokyo was the only resort to give a hard re-opening date prior to the U.S. parks closing. Fantasmic! at Tokyo DisneySea ©Disney On March 11, however, five days prior to the announced reopening date, Disney informed the public that it would be extending Tokyo’s closure through early April. ©Disney See the full timeline so far of the Disney Parks’ closures here! Obviously we don’t know if Disney World and Disneyland will announce a closure on March 27th, but Disney execs do seem to be showing a willingness to announce at the last minute. (And this makes sense, since each day we seem to be getting new information and new policies from various government entities.) So it wouldn’t be surprising if we got word on a park closure extension late this week or this weekend. Disneyland Main Entrance – Closed So when the Disney Parks will re-open is still a very open question, but it seems like Disney World and Disneyland may follow suit with Tokyo Disney Resort in keeping their hands close to their chests until a final decision absolutely has to be made. So What Should I Do If I Have A Trip Scheduled in April? Given how close we are to the park re-opening deadline, our suggestion to guests who have trips scheduled in April is to wait to cancel or reschedule your visit, if you can, until Disney announces an official closure extension. By waiting, you can assure that you’ll be able to take advantage of the most flexible refund and cancellation policies made available by the Disney parks and resorts for the time during which you were supposed to travel. For help in this process, check out our how-to guide for rescheduling or canceling and refunding your Disney trip here! We’ve also got great guides on what Disney World is refunding and what Disneyland is refunding that are being updated regularly. Stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for all the latest updates and details regarding when Disney World will re-open. We’re just as eager as you are to get back into those parks. How have the current closures impacted your travel plans to Disney World or Disneyland? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: Disney’s Closure Timeline And What It Could Mean for Disney World’s Reopening Here Are ALL of the Refurbishment Closures in Disney World AND Disneyland Next Week! UPDATED! Here’s What We Know About the 2020 Closures and Travel To Walt Disney World and Disneyland View the full article

Although Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed, our animal care team is continuing to provide top-notch care to thousands of animals, including the newest addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a baby prehensile-tailed porcupine. The baby, known as a porcupette, was born to mom, Peri, on Feb. 25. If you’ve seen the One Day at Disney documentary on Disney+, you may remember seeing Peri participate in an ultrasound with Disney veterinarian Dr. Natalie. And after a long-awaited arrival, the team is delighted to welcome this cutie to the Disney family. Here’s a closer look: Cast members like Walt Disney World Veterinarian Dr. Natalie provide continual care for Peri – from annual exams, to pregnancy check-ups, the birth of her porcupette, and of course, post-partum care. Porcupettes are covered in a fine red fur coat, but they’re also born with their tiny quills underneath, which begin to harden hours after birth. Those quills are actually what helped the team determine the baby’s gender. And guess what? It’s a girl! Coming to this conclusion required science and more than just a neonatal exam from the veterinary team. Prehensile-tailed porcupines have internal sex organs, so to determine the baby’s gender, the team actually had to send some of her tiny quills off to a lab for DNA testing. As with all of our animals, there are plenty of big hearts caring for this little mother-daughter duo. Peri continues to thrive in her role as a mother, which is part of why she was chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan (SSP). This program is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of thousands of species of animals. With so many families at home together right now, we look forward to sharing more stories and insights about our animals and amazing cast who are caring for them. If you don’t already do so, please follow my Instagram @DrMarkAtDisney, where we’ll share #BetterTogether learning opportunities soon. View the full article

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Marriott, the largest timeshare company in the world with more than 140 resorts and clubs will be temporarily closing. Disney World During Its Closure Based in Orlando, Florida, Marriott CEO Stephen Weisz spoke on behalf of the company, stating, “Without a doubt, these shutdown decisions have been some of the most difficult and heartbreaking of my career.” While Marriott was initially withstanding the economic pressures that had forced other businesses in the restaurant and hospitality industry to close, today the company disclosed they’ve seen a massive drop in business. Coupled with new state and federal guidelines restricting many residents to their homes and forbidding the public from leisure travel, options forward were very limited. Just last Friday, we saw Disney World close down all of its resorts shortly after closing all of its theme parks until April 1st. Disney’s BoardWalk Inn During Temporary Closure Workers will be 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. Marriott Vacations Worldwide employs 3,300 people at seven properties and two corporate offices in Central Florida alone. “While we certainly don’t know how long the changes will last, it will enable us to operate the business at close to cashflow-neutral,” Weisz said. Other businesses adjacent to Disney World such as Four Seasons Resort Orlando and many Disney Springs privately-owned restaurants have had to make similar calls recently. Splitsville Are Disney World restaurants really just firing people? Read more here. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and report more information when new details become available. If you’ve made reservations at any Marriott resort or club between now and April 23rd, you should contact them at 407-206-6000 or customer.care@vacationclub.com. Related posts: We’re Feeling the Christmas Spirit! The Tree is Officially Up at Disney’s Contemporary Resort! Disney World Now Has Mary Blair-Inspired Cups And We’re A Little Obsessed! Disney World Has STOPPED Construction During Its Closure. Could This Cause Delays on Upcoming Attractions? View the full article

While you’re confined at home (probably stuck somewhere between a Disney+ connoisseur and a world-class Disney baker), now’s the time to get creative! Big Thunder Mountain Railroad And, although we are sure there are lots of DIY projects you’re ready to get done around your house, you can also make some magic with TOILET PAPER. Yup, you read that right, folks!! Since so many people right now have been stocking up on toilet paper during this time in quarantine, there’s bound to be plenty of recyclables and leftover rolls. Buuut, you can put that tissue or cardboard to some artistic use by making your own Disney DIY projects at home with the family (and you’re going to have so much fun doing it)! Become an Imagineer and Build Attractions Instead of gathering those forgotten toilet paper tubes to recycle immediately, you can first build one of the iconic Disney attractions or landmarks in your own home! Stack up those cylinders and maybe make a few turrets for Cinderella Castle,… Cinderella Castle …group some tubes together, roll up a few branches, and use some green construction paper to make the Tree of Life,… Tree of Life …or even recreate the tippy top of the Laughing Place on Splash Mountain! Splash Mountain Hey, one of those tubes could totally work as a log!! Make Your Favorite Characters Sometimes letting yourself be a little wacky and whimsical with your creations is all part of the magic! And, you can make your favorite Disney characters out of items around your house (including toilet paper)! You make your personal healthcare companion Baymax out of rolls of toilet paper with some black construction paper for his eyes. ©Disney Or, build a snowman like Olaf with some construction paper taped on for his eyes, nose, mouth, and twigs. This is a great way to band your family together for a fun afternoon! ©Disney You can even use the leftover tubes for arts and crafts with some glitter (er, pixie dust), felt, buttons, construction paper, and other supplies to make mini versions of characters like the Seven Dwarfs! ©Disney Dress Up with Your Family Way back when, we used to love making costume pieces out of random items as kids. So, who said you can’t use leftover toilet paper tubes to make some of your own awesome Disney accessories? You can become a Jedi with a toilet paper tube lightsaber, cast some magic like the Fairy Godmother with a wand, or even join Captain Hook’s pirate gang with a spyglass! Captain Hook and Mr. Smee We can’t wait to see where your imagination takes you! Set Up Your Own Monorail System Instead of traveling to the Transportation and Ticket Center, or TTC for short, you can make the toilet paper rendition instead (which we’ve lovingly called the TPA). The Monorails are the fancy, high-flying ways to get around the parks, and you can build one right in the center of your home! Epcot Monorail All you need is a string taped on two sides of a room strung through your toilet paper tube monorails to make the Disney transportation come to life. And, if you’re really feeling adventurous, you can decorate them like your favorite color line of the Monorail system! Create a Pair of Minnie Ears We have an entire collection of Minnie Ears in our closet, but we’ve always wanted to create our own handmade pair! That’s why we think it would be SUPER fun to make your own toilet paper Minnie Ears (as strange as they might look). If you take a plain headband, you can use rubber bands to keep your toilet paper rolls in place. Then, you can use some extra sheets of the tissue paper to make a bow that can also be held in place with rubber bands — so you don’t have to use glue! New style icon, who dis?? Go on an Easter Egg Hunt We’re getting pretty close to Easter time, you guys! And, while we’re all cooped up inside, you can celebrate early with your own hilarious take on an Easter egg hunt! But, instead of using Easter eggs, you can hide toilet paper rolls all around your house (we’ve already got a few hiding places in mind). Whoever finds the most in your family can win a prize, like choosing which movie to watch on Disney+ that night! Easter Egg Hunt Whatever you decide to make or do, be sure to recycle those rolls so no toilet paper goes to waste! But, most importantly, have some FUN with your loved ones!! Who knew that toilet paper could provide so much entertainment, you guys?? Need more ideas of ways to stay occupied? Check out these Disney recipes you can make from home! Do you have any ideas for Disney toilet paper creations? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: 12 Throwback Disney Rides That Are Keeping Our Spirits Up We Dare You to Watch These Disney Commercials Without Laughing or Crying! When Disney World Reopens THESE Are at the Top of Our Must-Do List View the full article

Hey, you Disney fashionistas! Since Earth Day is April 22nd, let’s have a fashion show featuring some of the new tank tops and tees we just spotted online! Jiminy Cricket Subbing in for Tim Gunn, our own resident conscience and fashion consultant Jiminy Cricket will be kicking off the show today! After all, wasn’t it HE who said, let your fashion be your guide, or something like that…;) That’s right, Jiminy Cricket makes it look so easy being green with his very own Earth Day Tank Top for $24.99. We think you could rock this eco-friendly message any day, though! ©Disney Jiminy Cricket Tank Top Click here to buy the Jiminy Cricket Tank Top! But look, it’s a walk-off! Here comes another one of our friends from the forest, Bambi! He is rocking this LEWK for $24.99 along with his best buds Flower and Thumper! ©Disney Feel like frolickin’ with some forest friends? Buy the Bambi Tee HERE! And speaking of FLOWER POWER, check out this amazing Princess Flower Tee for $26.99! The graphic represents each Disney Princess with her own unique flower! Plus we love the high-low front-to-back style of the shirt, perfect to wear with some cozy leggings! Yeah, when it comes to choosing our fashion must-haves, comfort usually prevails! ©Disney Princess Flower Tee “Pluck” your Princess Flower Tee HERE! We also love the message this Finding Nemo Tank Top for $22.99 is sending out! We’ve got nothing but love for our fishy friends. Here’s waving at you, kids! ©Disney Finding Nemo Tank Top Scoop up the Finding Nemo Tank Top here! And leave it to the Guardians of the Galaxy to know how to deliver a powerful message, being superheroes and all. The “Go Green” Groot Tee for $21.99 makes it pretty hard to resist doin’ good while lookin’ good! ©Disney Groot Tee Click here to purchase the Groot Tee! Of course, one of our favorite movies about the importance of taking care of the earth is Wall-E! That’s why we saved the two very best looks for last! Here’s the adorable Wall-E Tank Top for $24.99 with a fabulous birthday message for the planet! Oh Wall-E, you shouldn’t have! ©Disney Wall-E Tank Top Wish the planet Happy Earthday with the Wall-E Tank Top! And if your directive is to look super-fierce while saving the planet, check out this other amazing Wall-E style! Here’s the front of the tee that costs $32.99, but wait for it… Wait for it… ©Disney Wall-E Tee Check out the design on it’s BACK! Yeah, this one’s pretty irresistible if you’re a fan of the little trash-compacting robot with a BIG heart! He is giving us life right now with his cute little EYES! ©Disney Wall-E Tee Pick up the Wall-E Tee HERE! Remember, we spotted all of these Earth Day Disney tanks and tees online today, so go check ’em out! And while you’re doing a little home shopping, be sure to check out the newest collection of Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction merch that also dropped over the weekend here! Which Disney movie will you be watching to celebrate Earth Day? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: Take a Trip in Style With This NEW Disney Travel Collection! Next Stop: WONDERLAND! Disney’s New Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Series Launches Online THIS WEEKEND! FIRST LOOK at Disney’s NEW “it’s a small world” Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Collection! View the full article

Directions from Shades of Green to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort with Pictures! Shades of Green is located within walking distance of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It’s about a half mile or a ten or fifteen minute walk. From the Polynesian you can take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, the Transportation and Ticket Center (to […] The post Walk from Shades of Green to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort appeared first on Military Disney Tips Blog. View the full article

We could all benefit from hearing a little bit of Judi Dench’s calm, reassuring monologue that begins to softly play after boarding our Spaceship Earth “time machine”… Epcot’s Spaceship Earth …“Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time; and for a brief moment, we have been among its passengers…” What wouldn’t we give to be on Spaceship Earth right now, all nestled up in our happy place — even just momentarily! We promise we’ll stay six feet apart! Yeah, we could all use a 16-minute trip up inside “The Ball” right now to regroup a little! Spaceship Earth And while we were a little unnerved when we found out Spaceship Earth would be closing May 26th to undergo a major transformation, we were definitely looking forward to getting in as many trips through time as the days and our pocketbooks would allow! After all, what if some of our favorite parts of the classic ride didn’t make the cut? Spaceship Earth But now that our time with the “inhabitants” of Spaceship Earth has been cut short, we’re feeling a little shook! As of right now, we know Disney World will not be re-opening until April (at the earliest), and um, yeah, we’re gonna need a little more time to pay our last respects, alrighty? Our buddies are in there! Papyrus Guy, the Phoenicians (did we even THANK them last time we rode???) — and that annoying turn-of-the-century Paperboy! What if we don’t get to see ANY of them again? We thought we had more TIME!!! Thank You Phoenicians! THANK YOU!! Did YOU already get your fill of Computer Lady? We know we gotta see her again or this temporary closure thing just got even MORE REAL — in a MAJOR WAY! Computer Lady Here’s What We Know Okay, we promise we’re not trying to incite a riot — that would be very off-brand for us unless it has to do with carbs of some kind. But we are trying to figure out if Disney World might postpone Spaceship Earth’s refurb! That way, a bunch of us can sneak in a few more rides on it before it closes down! We might be onto something here, so hear us out! Spaceship Earth Queue All Construction at Disney World Has Stopped Disney has yet to make any official statements regarding shutting down their construction projects. But according to Mark Wylie, president and CEO of the Central Florida chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors Inc., the heightened public safety recommendations handed down by health and government officials recently are making it impossible for work on Disney World property to progress. Epcot Construction Numerous Unfinished Projects With so much of Future World torn up right now and with so many new projects in the works such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and Space 220 Restaraunt at just Epcot alone, any substantial delay might impact the opening timeframes for these upcoming rides and experiences. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Disney World Might Extend Its Closure, Potentially Delaying Projects Even Further In one of the latest addresses given to our country by the President, groups of more than 10 people are discouraged from gathering for the next 8 weeks. Disney World’s decision to close happened before this announcement. As of this moment, Disney World’s website says they’ll be closed until March 31st, but we might see them extend their temporary closure to be more in-keeping with these new public safety concerns. Our Shared Story Wall Don’t freak out. We don’t have inside info or know ANYTHING about a closure extension. But all the Disney parks worldwide have extended their closures; and it’s not like crazy isn’t the name of the game right now when it comes to what’s expected. Playing Catch-Up If Disney World has to push back its reopening and construction projects even further “down the road,” they’ll have a considerable amount of ground to cover to make up for the lost time. Guardians of the Galaxy Construction It’s possible when it’s time to begin working again, they’ll be focusing all of their workforces on the most critical, major attractions to ensure they’ll be ready (or close to ready) in time for their grand openings during Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021. Disney World’s Temporary Closure is Costing Them Big Bucks It’s no mystery that everyday Disney World remains closed, they’re being drained of revenue. The early spring season is normally one of the busiest times of the year at Disney World, but now the parks have become a literal ghost town. Disney is seeing the value of its stock take a hit, and they’re also supporting thousands of Cast Members who are unable to work right now due to Disney World’s temporary closure. Disney World During Its Closure It makes sense to never-been-a-theme-park-CEO-and-have-no-idea-what-we’d-do-in-this-situation-if-we-were-we-just-love-Spaceship-Earth-so-please-give-us-more-time us that Disney might need to divert some of its resources (i.e. cash money, HONEY!) to finish its projects that are already underway instead of starting new ones like a Spaceship Earth refurb. At least right away. Right? That totally makes sense? Please? Spaceship Earth Could this just be wishful thinking? Yeah. Maybe. But we gotta be telling ourselves something to get through this indefinite amount of time before we’ll see our beloved Spaceship Earth again! Have we given you some faith, too!? We certainly hope so! Socially distanced hug {{}} Do you think Disney might delay Spaceship Earth’s refurb? Let us know what you’re thinking in the comments below! Related posts: Here’s How to Navigate the Crazy MAZE of Epcot’s Construction! Hold Up… Did Electric Umbrella’s Closure Just Get Delayed in Epcot?! What’s New at Epcot — Festival of the Arts Booths and the Epcot Transformation Progress! View the full article

With a halt on all construction in Disney World during the closure, we didn’t expect to find anything too exciting when we went looking for new building permits this week. So, we were surprised to find two of the most interesting permits we’ve found in a while! Stitch’s Great Escape It looks like even though construction is halted, Imagineers are still getting a head start on the paperwork for some big projects for the future. We spotted TWO permits for demolition at the address registered to Stitch’s Great Escape in Magic Kingdom! Stitch’s Great Escape is a show in Tomorrowland that has been operating on a seasonal schedule since October of 2016. Whew! That’s almost four years of the attraction being primarily closed! When it did run, the show was a dark and surprisingly scary theater-in-the-round show that featured the escape of the lovable Experiment 626 (that’s Stitch). Since then, the space is sometimes used as a meet and greet area for Stitch or other characters. Stitch Well, as we were searching through permits we spotted two duplicate permits filed by Walt Disney Imagineering on March 20th that described the work as “demo interior” at the address registered to Stitch’s Great Escape! Permit concerning address at Stitch’s Great Escape This means that if the permit is put through, this long-term attraction could finally be demolished once the parks reopen and/or construction is allowed. ©Disney Now, it’s important to note that these permits don’t always mean that work is starting immediately. In fact, Notices of Commencement like the one we spotted usually have an expiration date of one year, so technically it could be a while before work begins (and there could be extensions if needed!). Plus, there is a chance that the demo could be for a portion of the building as opposed to the actual attraction, meaning that it may not yet be time for Stitch’s Great Escape to actually pass on to the Disney attraction afterlife. Tomorrowland Construction Regardless, these permits make us pretty excited about what we could see happening in Tomorrowland in the future. Stitch is the fourth ride to occupy this space with ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, Mission to Mars, and Flight to the Moon preceding it. We hope something exciting is coming to this attraction space — but for now, we’ll just have to wait and watch. But hey, even a new seating area or shop is better than a constantly closed attraction! What’s Coming To Tomorrowland!? Of course, we’ll keep you updated as we hear anything about Stitch’s Great Escape. And we’ll keep an eye on permits and on the physical location for any signs of further construction. With a bunch of refurbishment going on in Tomorrowland right now, we DO think this demo would make sense! For now, though, we’ll have to wait patiently for construction to start back up and for confirmation from the Mouse! Need a laugh? Check out these fun Disney commercials — including the one for Stitch’s Great Escape! Have you been hoping for changes to Stitch’s Great Escape? Or would you miss the little blue guy being gone for good? Share your thoughts in the comments! Related posts: EMERGENCY! 2319 Cone Lands at Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies! What’s New in Magic Kingdom — An Epic Sundae, New Jewelry, and Haunted Mansion Merch! What’s New in Magic Kingdom — Pandora Charms, Construction Updates, and Winnie the Pooh Wishables! View the full article

We’ve been missing all the AMAZING food from the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival while the parks have been closed recently. Flower and Garden Festival Although we can’t hop around the World Showcase to grab some of our favorite eats and treats, we’re chatting about some of our favorite Disney Recipes from the festival! Now, some of these are newer recipes and some are festival throwbacks to old favorites. And, after you’ve made a few of your top picks off our list, you can even relax in your backyard in the sunshine (and pretend you’re looking at all the Epcot topiaries)! Savory Burnt Ends Brisket Hash Although we can’t have a big barbecue with all our friends right now, you can still make the Burnt Ends Brisket Hash from Smokehouse: Barbecues and Brews (and it’s just sooo good). While you can just eat the brisket on its own, we HIGHLY recommend pairing it with those pickled jalapeño peppers and white cheddar fondue to drive your tastebuds wild. Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños Grill up the Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with our recipe here! Grilled Street Corn If you’re making some of those Brisket Burnt Ends, corn on the cob is pretty much a must-have side! Grilled Street Corn And, the Grilled Street Corn from Trowel and Trellis comes with a garlic spread that adds a kick to your veggies! Grilled Street Corn Recipe Who says you can’t get your kiddos to eat vegetables?? Grilled Street Corn Recipe Shrimp and Grits Seafood can be a great way to bring everyone together over a meal (especially if the dish is based off a Disney recipe)! Spicy Blackened Shrimp and Stone-ground Cheddar Cheese Grits with Brown Gravy and Local Sweet Corn Relish And, the whole family can come together to help make the Shrimp and Grits from Florida Fresh! While you’re grilling the blackened shrimp… Shrimp and Grits Recipe …your loved ones can start on that delicious brown gravy! Shrimp and Grits Recipe After you put the whole thing together, you’re going to want to save some of those leftovers for another day (it’s that tasty). Shrimp and Grits Recipe Crispy Citrus Chicken We LOVE fried chicken, and the Crispy Citrus Chicken from The Citrus Blossom is practically one of the best versions we’ve ever had. Crispy Citrus Chicken at the 2019 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival So, if you’re looking for a way to switch things up from those dino nuggets in your freezer (even though we’re big fans of them)… Citrus Chicken Recipe …the juicy chicken topped with miso-orange aioli and citrus salad has so much flavor packed in every bite. Citrus Chicken Recipe We’re warning you that you’ll definitely want to go back for seconds, though!! Citrus Chicken Recipe Sweet Warm Wild Berry Buckle The Berry Basket has served up some of the BEST fruit dishes at the Flower and Garden Festival in the past (even pairing sweet with savory!). But, we’re going straight for the dessert with the Warm Wild Berry Buckle. The oatmeal streusel and berry compote are usually topped with spicy pepper berry sorbet, but our recipe calls for strawberry ice cream instead! But, don’t worry — it’s still just as delicious. Warm Wild Berry Buckle from The Berry Basket Bake up the Warm Wild Berry Buckle with our recipe here! Buttermilk Chocolate Cake We’re bringing back another Smokehouse menu item, friends! But, this recipe is for the chocolate lovers out there!! The Buttermilk Chocolate Cake is literally a dream with its warm chocolate cake, bourbon salted caramel sauce (that’s filled with whiskey), and crunchy pecans. Oh, and if you were debating on making it, we named it one of our Best of the Fest features in 2016 so you know it’s good!! Buttermilk Chocolate Cake Indulge in something sweet with the Buttermilk Chocolate Cake here! Frushi We’re big fans of regular sushi, but have you ever had dessert sushi?? All the way from the Hanami booth in Japan, we’re here to teach you to make frushi wrapped up with pineapple, cantaloupe, and strawberries. With all that fruit, it could basically count for breakfast, right?? Frushi Make your own Frushi at home with our recipe here! Walnut Honey Baklava Baklava is one of those dishes you just can’t get enough of with its flaky pastry and sweet honey. Walnut Honey Baklava And, the version from Taste of Marrakesh is so yummy that your family may totally wanna make it every night (not that we’re complaining). Baklava Recipe Just make sure to leave some for us! Baklava Recipe Tres Leches Cake Sweet caramel and moist cake? We’re already sold!! Tres Leches Cake And, the Tres Leches Cake from the Jardin de Fiestas booth will drive your tastebuds wild with its milk-soaked sponge cake, cajeta whipped cream, and almond powder. Tres Leches Recipe We’ll take two slices! Tres Leches Recipe Take a virtual Flower and Garden Festival tour with us here! What has been the best thing you’ve tried at the Flower and Garden Festival before? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: FULL REVIEW of L’Arte de la Cuisine Francaise at the 2020 Epcot Festival of the Arts! What’s New at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Retro Platform Crocs and a SIMBA Popcorn Bucket! Check Out Which Moroccan Foods You’ll Find This Year at Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival View the full article

Disney World isn’t just a bunch of resorts and thrill rides. If you’ve ever visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you’ve probably made friends with some of their furry and feather inhabitants! View from Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Of course, we’re talkin’ about the animals that roam the savannahs as well as the birds, fish, and reptiles! But with the parks being temporarily closed right now and all the people being gone, you might be wondering who’s looking after these guys? Don’t worry, ALL of Disney World’s animals are still being cared for by Disney’s Animal Care, a team of well-trained and hard-working experts. It’s pretty much business for usual for these Cast Members are still regularly feeding, cleaning, and observing our four-legged (and two-legged, and NO-legged) buddies! Aquarium View at Coral Reef The dedicated staff is complying with state and federal guidelines while they work behind the scenes to ensure the animals are still receiving the very best care. Disney’s Animal Care team has also shared they’ll be making a heartwarming announcement soon and that they’ll be finding ways for us to stay connected with our favorite animals while we’re apart.  We’ll be sure to pass all of their stories along to you, so stay tuned! And if you’re craving nature right now, check out the list of all the new Disney+ specials that are coming in April to celebrate Earth Day here! What do you think the “heartwarming announcement” could be? Which animal is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: REVIEW! New Adorable Santa Mickey Cupcake at Animal Kingdom Lodge! News! Disney World Has Announced the ULTIMATE Christmas Package See Why Animal Kingdom Was a Little Wilder Today Than We Expected! View the full article

Greetings from the Hundred Acre Woods, friends! Winnie the Pooh Topiaries And no, we don’t mean the United Kingdom pavilion in Epcot — though how cute are the Winnie the Pooh and Rabbit Flower and Garden topiaries!? (Psst – you can go on a Virtual Tour of the Flower and Garden Festival with us here!) What we DO mean is the Crystal Palace! If you’re unfamiliar, the Crystal Palace is a character dining restaurant in Magic Kingdom where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and his friends during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a classic character dining experience, and one that Winnie the Pooh fans will love! But is the high price of the meal ($55/ adult at lunch or dinner) worth it? Read on to find out — plus what you can expect on the buffet! Atmosphere: Crystal Palace sits at the corner of Main Street, U.S.A and Adventureland, in a Victorian-style building. Crystal Palace Restaurant in Magic Kingdom You’ll check-in at a podium outside, and when called, a Cast Member will escort you to your table inside. Once inside, you’ll notice the gang is celebrating Friendship Day! (Spoiler alert, they are ALWAYS celebrating Friendship Day.) Welcome to Friendship Day! Around the central planter, you’ll find topiaries of Pooh and Eeyore… Pooh and Eeyore Topiaries …plus Piglet and Tigger, too! Tigger and Piglet Topiaries We love the high ceilings and all of the windows — it really makes for a bright and inviting atmosphere. (Plus the natural light is GREAT for your character pics.) The decor around the restaurant is simple, yet keeping in the Main Street, U.S.A. theme. You’ll notice hanging flower pots, ornate lights, and detail on the ceiling. Seating Section The buffet area is centrally located with two of everything — hot lines, dessert stations, and cold bars — so it’s more easily accessible and to keep lines down. We appreciate this so you can get your food and back to the characters faster! And speaking of the characters… Buffet Area Characters: As we said earlier, this meal features your pals from the Hundred Acre Wood. You’ll find the silliest old bear… Winnie the Pooh …the sweetest little pig… Piglet …the bounciest, T I double G ERRRR… Tigger …and the saddest (but cutest) donkey. Eeyore As with any character meal, no one is guaranteed to appear. But this is the typical line up at Crystal Palace — and it’s a good one! Especially since you can’t meet Piglet or Eeyore during regular days, and Pooh and Tigger’s line in Fantasyland gets quite long! Eats: So you’ve seen where you’ll be dining and who you can hug, but now let’s check out the eats! On our visit, there were lots of choices! But first things first, drinks. Included with the cost are soft drinks, coffee, tea, and juice. Alcoholic Beverage Menu Alcohol can be purchased for an additional cost — and remember, one alcoholic drink is included for those of age on the dining plan. Alright — food time! First up, the Kid’s Buffet. (And don’t forget big kids (read: adults) can help themselves as well. Kids aren’t the only ones who love corn dog nuggets, am I right?!) Kid’s Buffet On the Kid’s Buffet, you’ll find family-friendly eats (and colorful plastic plates which we love!) such as chicken nuggets… Chicken Nuggets …corn and peas… Corn and Peas …macaroni and cheese (and this is REALLY good and creamy mac. Highly recommend.)… Macaroni and Cheese …and of course, the aforementioned corn dog nuggets. Corn Dog Nuggets Next up: the cold bar! We spotted a few varieties of bread to start your meal. (Butter is available.) Dinner Rolls Parker House Rolls with Garlic Inspired by Rabbit, there’s also a yummy salad bar. How cute are the little terracotta-looking planters for all the items? Salad Bar Choose from fresh Romaine lettuce or mixed greens, and then get to topping!Choices include Parmesan cheese… Parmesan Cheese …onions and green peppers… Red Onion …cheddar cheese and cucumbers… Cheddar Cheese …peas… Peas …olives… Olives …tomatoes… Tomatoes …hard-boiled eggs… Hard Boiled Egg …and, of course, carrots. Carrots Salad dressings available were Caesar, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Red Zinfandel Vinaigrette, Buttermilk Ranch, and Sesame Ginger, as well as croutons. We realize salads aren’t the most exciting option, but we loved the fresh ingredients and the ability to make a custom side dish. All that theme park food is heavy, so it’s nice having a great, light option. We also spotted condiments on the cold bar including Honey Mustard, Barbecue Sauce, and Ketchup, which can be used for your corn dog nugs (or anything else). Condiments and Croutons There were a few freshly made salads on the salad bar as well. Dig into a Florida strawberry and citrus salad (we LOVED this one)… Florida Strawberry and Citrus Salad …Greek-style tomato salad… Greek-style Tomato Salad …an edamame salad… Edamame Salad …and house-made pickles with onions. House Made Pickles The last item on the cold bar was a real highlight — peeln’ eat shrimp! Remember this is all-you-care-to-enjoy, so if you enjoy shrimpies, go nuts! Peel and Eat Shrimp Accompanying the shrimp, you’ll find lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. Cocktail Sauce Lemon Wedge We hope you aren’t full yet — we haven’t even gotten to the hot stuff! Hot Bar First up, a few vegetable varieties starting with mashed potatoes. Mashed Potatoes Plant-based eaters (and anyone else!) can enjoy the broccoli and cauliflower, made with garlic oil, as well as the sauteed green beans with onion. Broccoli and Cauliflower The Green Beans had a good snap to them, plus we loved the natural sweetness from the caramelized onions. Green Beans with Onions Rounding out these initial veggie sides was the fire-roasted corn spoonbread, which basically tastes like cornbread (aka delicious). Fire-Roasted Corn Spoon Bread The next section of the buffet was a mix of sides and proteins, starting with steamed rice, with vegetables and herbs. Steamed Rice Next up, bourbon-glazed rotisserie chicken. This was moist and full of flavor, making it one of our favorite proteins of the meal! Bourbon-Glazed Chicken Honey-glazed carrots were available… Honey Glazed Carrots …as was jambalaya! This was served with shrimp and andouille sausage — and perfect for someone wanting a bit of spice in their meal. Jambalaya We were surprised to see these cute little parmesan pierogi’s on the line — and happy they turned out to be quite tasty. The younger ones in our party enjoyed them as well. Parmesan Pierogis The last section of the buffet started with cauliflower rice with roasted vegetables. You may not believe us when we say this is a must-try — it’s a plant-based choice but it’s so creamy and delicious! (How is it so creamy without butter?!) Roasted Vegetables with Cauliflower Rice There’s also a plant-based garden patch cottage pie. Plant Based Cottage Pie Lastly, a smoked bacon and pea pasta dish… Smoked Bacon and Pea Pasta …and barbecue Verlasso salmon, topped with a roasted corn salsa. This was perfectly cooked — and we loved the salsa. It’s clear to see Crystal Palace has truly elevated their menu past classic theme park fare when you look at dishes like this! Barbecue Salmon with Roasted Corn Salsa Just before the Carving Station, we found two styles of fried chicken wings — buffalo and sticky sesame ginger. We really enjoyed both, and thought they were a great addition to the buffet. The buffalo weren’t overwhelmingly hot — we’d say closer to medium heat. Buffalo Style Chicken Wings Sticky Ginger Chicken Wings You can also pour up a few soup choices if you’d like. Clam Chowder When we were there New England clam chowder and broccoli cheddar soup (made with local beer) were on the menu. Broccoli Cheddar At the carving station, a chef will slice you up your choice of roasted beef strip loin (with horseradish cream) or peach barbecue-glazed pork…or both! Chef Carving Pork Peach Barbecue Pork Accompanying the pork, you’ll find a firecracker peach chutney, which we found to be delightful with a nice sweet and spicy contrast. Firecracker Peach Chutney Roasted Strip Loin and Pork Whew — that is a lot of choices! But we’re not done yet! Time for the most important part of any meal…DESSERT! There are tons of sweets to choose from, starting with a bunch of mini desserts. Tickle your sweet tooth with red velvet cupcakes… Red Velvet Cupcakes …Rabbit’s garden chocolate pudding (which is as tasty as it is cute)… Rabbit’s Garden Chocolate Pudding …no sugar added coconut panna cotta (this is also plant-based)… Coconut Panna Cotta …blueberry mousse dome cakes… Blueberry Mousse Dome Cakes …orange chocolate cheesecake bites (another of our favorites thanks to the refreshing burst of orange)… Orange Chocolate Cheesecake Bites …and s’mores tarts! S’mores Tarts In addition to the individual bb desserts, you can also head to the center of the buffet area where you’ll find a few more dessert options. Dessert Station Snag a toffee crunch brownie… Toffee Crunch Brownies …a scoop of birthday cake bread pudding… Birthday Bread Pudding …or a freshly baked cookie! Freshly Baked Cookies Pro tip: the freshly baked cookies make a great ice cream sandwich. Did we say ice cream? You bet we did! Soft Serve Ice Cream You can top your ice cream with a variety of sprinkles… Sprinkles …or Crystal Palace waffle toppers! Crystal Palace Waffle Toppers Even with all of these tasty desserts available, sometimes (most of the time) there’s still nothing better than a bowl of ice cream. Ice Cream Bowls Nosh or Not: Consider heading to the Crystal Palace for dinner if: You’re on the Disney Dining Plan. This is a very good “bang for your buck” one credit meal. At $55 (without even factoring in alcohol), this is pricey out of pocket, but you’ll certainly be able to get your money’s worth on the dining plan. You love Winnie the Pooh and his friends. Meeting them at a meal means you’re saving yourself time in an outdoor line — plus as we mentioned, you can’t typically find Eeyore or Piglet in the parks on a regular day. You want to enjoy a leisurely meal inside. We usually recommend allotting an hour to an hour and a half for a character meal, to ensure you have enough time to meet everyone. This provides a nice, long air-conditioned break during your day. Plus, the food has certainly improved and elevated over the years, meaning you’ll find options for everyone in your family in one place. Skip the Crystal Palace for dinner if: You’re paying out of pocket. $55 per adult + $36 for kids (ages 3-9) adds up quick. If you are longing to meet Pooh and his friends, and are paying out of pocket, we usually recommend Character Breakfasts. That’ll run you $42 for adults and $27 for kids — not a huge difference, but every penny counts! You don’t care about Winnie the Pooh. While the food is good, it’s not the best food ever. If you don’t care about these characters, it’s probably best to save your dollars or dining plan credits, and use them elsewhere. You don’t have time for a long meal. Like we said, character dining usually takes at least an hour — if not more. If you’re on a tight schedule and trying to go go go through the park, you may want to skip a long meal at a character buffet. Overall: Overall, we had a very pleasant meal at the Crystal Palace! The food was quite good — with some dishes standing out as delightful! We really enjoyed the carving station, wings, roasted veggies with cauliflower rice, and everything off the Kid’s Buffet to name a few. Plus, soft-serve ice cream. While the food may not be enough to warrant the high price tag, the food plus the characters plus the air conditioning are a pretty great combo. If you’re a Winnie the Pooh fan, we highly recommend a meal at the Crystal Palace. After all — is there much better than a hug from Eeyore while also eating as many corn dog nuggets are you can? Learn more about Character Dining in Disney World with this 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! Have you been to the Crystal Palace? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Related posts: Review: Crystal Palace at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Crystal Palace: A Great Reason To Get Up Early Guest Review: Crystal Palace Restaurant in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom View the full article

Little did we realize when we signed up for Disney+ last November how much use we’d actually be getting out of it! It’s been one of the only things keeping us and our children from completely losing our minds! Yoda vs. Baby Yoda Meme Yup! We weren’t expecting our entire family to holed up inside for the last week and a half, but here we ARE, friends. HERE WE ARE! We’re talking non-stop Disney movie marathons! And remember a while back when we told you Disney+ would be coming to parts of Western Europe on March 24th? Well, today’s the day! Our friends across the pond in the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Italy, and many German-speaking territories finally have access to Disney+ — and we couldn’t be happier for them! Disney+ This is probably going to cut into their balcony-singing time, but we think they’re probably alright with switching things up for a bit! The Netherlands has had access to Disney+ for some time since they were a test market for the subscription service, meanwhile, France’s release has been a little delayed and they should be getting Disney+ on April 7th. Disney+ Streaming Service According to CNBC, Disney has made the decision to reduce the picture quality since many of these Western countries are in lockdown and there’s bee a steep increase in internet activity. Disney stated, “In light of concerns regarding the current ability of certain broadband infrastructure to handle the anticipated consumer demand for Disney+, the service will now feature a lower overall bandwidth utilization by at least 25%.” Disney+ Streaming Service ©Disney Disney+ costs £5.99 ($7.99) or €6.99 ($7.75) monthly or £59.99 ($79.99) and €69.99 ($77.50) yearly, and just like in the States, there’s a free 7-day trial period! We wish our friends overseas many, many, MANY hours of happy streaming and to see what new content is coming to Disney+ in April, click here! What shows or movies do you think our European buddies will be streaming first? Leave your guess in the comments below! Related posts: ALL the NEW Content Coming to Disney+ Through January 26th! Hey, Western Europe! We’ve Got A Big Disney+ Update For Ya You’ll Never Guess How Many People Have Already Subscribed to Disney+! View the full article

There’s lots of uncertainty over exactly when Disney World will reopen following its historic closure last week. Mickey and Minnie in Disney World As of this writing, both Disney World and Disneyland announced that their parks would be closed through the end of the month, implying that the parks could reopen on April 1, 2020. ©Disney However, due to the continuing headlines about government-mandated closures of public institutions like restaurants and bars, bans on gatherings, and strong recommendations of social distancing, questions are being raised over whether the parks really will open on April 1st. ©Disney While we don’t have the definitive answer, we can look to the closure timeline of Disney’s parks both domestic and worldwide. There may be some clues! Timeline of ALL Disney Park Closures (last updated on March 23, 2020) JANUARY January 24, 2020 – Shanghai city government urges its residents to avoid public gatherings in “key areas” and to stay home for 14 days. Major cities in China begin canceling Lunar New Year festivities. (source) January 24, 2020 – Disney announced that it will be temporarily closing Shanghai Disneyland. ©Disney January 25, 2020 – Shanghai Disneyland, in addition to Disneytown, Walt Disney Grand Theatre, and Wishing Star Park, closed indefinitely. January 25, 2020 – China implements a nationwide measure to screen for the virus on public transportation in response to a spike in confirmed cases and deaths in the country. (source) January 26, 2020 – Disney announced that it will be temporarily closing Hong Kong Disneyland. January 26, 2020 – Hong Kong Disneyland closed indefinitely. Hong Kong Disneyland Closure Message FEBRUARY February 5, 2020 – It was revealed through a first quarter earnings call that Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland were expected to remain closed for two months. February 26, 2020 – Japan’s prime minister urges all sport and cultural events to be suspended for two weeks. (source) February 27, 2020 – Japan’s prime minister urges all elementary, junior high, and high schools to close starting March 2 and remain closed through the end of spring break, which typically is the end of March. (source) February 27, 2020 – Disney announced that it will be temporarily closing Tokyo Disney Resort starting on February 29 and ending March 15. February 29, 2020 – Tokyo Disney Resort closed with an intention of reopening on March 15, 2020 (which would have been a closure of 2 weeks, like the current Disney World and Disneyland closure announcements). MARCH March 8, 2020 – France bans all gatherings of over 1,000 people in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. (source) March 9, 2020 – Disney announces and REOPENS on the same day Disneytown, Wishing Star Park, and Shanghai Disneyland Hotel with limited capacity and reduced hours of operation. THIS IS 44 DAYS AFTER THE CLOSURE OF SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND. All guests entering the area would need to undergo temperature screenings and are required to wear masks during their entire visit. (source) Shanghai Disneyland Park remains closed as of this writing. ©Disney March 11, 2020 – Tokyo Disney Resort announced, four days before they were expected to reopen, that it would be EXTENDING their closure through at least early April, no exact date was mentioned. (If we assume April 1 as the reopening date, that will be a total of 32 days closed.) ©Disney March 11, 2020 – California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that all non-essential public gatherings of more than 250 people should be postponed or canceled. (source) Disneyland was exempt from this recommendation. March 12, 2020 – Disney announced that it will be temporarily closing the Disneyland Resort at the close of business on March 13 and continuing the closure through the end of the month. Update on Disneyland Resort March 12, 2020 – Disney announced that it will be temporarily closing Disneyland Paris starting at the close of business on March 15 and continuing through the end of the month. March 12, 2020 – Disney announced that it will be temporarily closing Walt Disney World starting at the close of business on March 15 and continuing through the end of the month. March 13, 2020 – President Trump declares a National State of Emergency in the US. (source) March 14, 2020 – Disneyland Resort closed. March 14, 2020 – Disneyland Paris closed (this was originally slated to begin at the close of business March 15 but was moved up two days per the recommendation of the French government and will remain closed through the end of the month) ©Disney March 15, 2020 – Disney announced that Disneyland Paris hotels and Disney Village will close temporarily. March 15, 2020 – Disneyland Paris hotels and Disney Village closed. March 15, 2020 – Disney announced that all Disney World-owned and -operated hotels will close March 20th through the end of the month. March 16, 2020 – Walt Disney World closed. March 16, 2020 – Disney announced it will temporarily close all Disney owned and operated stores in Downtown Disney and Disney Springs through the end of the month. March 16, 2020 – Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian, and Paradise Pier Hotel closed. March 17, 2020 – Disney owned and operated stores at Downtown Disney closed. March 17, 2020 – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer barred the sale of alcohol for on-site consumption through the end of the month. (source) March 17, 2020 – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that all bars and nightclubs throughout the state will be closed for 30 days. (source) March 19, 2020 – China reports no new local cases for the first time since the outbreak began three months ago. (source) March 19, 2020 – California Governor Gavin Newsom orders all residents of California to stay at home and that all non-essential businesses and services be closed. The order is in effect “until further notice”. (source) March 20, 2020 – All Disney World hotels close. Total Elapsed Time, per park, since closures (last updated March 21): Shanghai Disneyland – 58 days (Jan 25 through March 23) Hong Kong Disneyland – 57 days (Jan 26 through March 23) Tokyo Disney Resort – 23 days (Feb 29 through March 23) Disneyland Resort – 9 days (March 14 through March 23) Disneyland Paris – 9 days (March 14 through March 23) Disney World – 7 days (March 16 through March 23) So, what does all of this mean for Disney World’s reopening? We’ve noticed a few patterns when looking at this timeline: 1. Disney has been uniformly extending their closures beyond what they originally announced or anticipated For the parks in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, closures have been extended beyond what Disney has originally projected or what was publicly anticipated. Lion Blessing and Dragon Parade When Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland closed, Disney did not set a reopening date and announced that those parks would be closed ‘indefinitely’. However, it was revealed on February 5, approximately 10 days after the parks closing, that Disney expected the two parks in China would remain closed for two months, which would bring their reopening to late March. ©Disney The only parks to see a hard reopening date change are the Tokyo Disney Resort parks. When they closed on February 29, they said the reopening date would be March 15. But that has since changed and on March 11, four days prior to the original reopening date, they extended their closure and now project to open instead in early April. 2. Reopenings are happening in phases So far, the only resort to see any openings at this time has been Shanghai. While the park remains closed, Disneytown and the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel are open with limited hours and capacity. Mickey Avenue Shanghai Swing ©Disney There is no official word yet if the domestic parks are considering a similar method of reopening when the time comes. Keep in mind that the phased reopening of Shanghai began well over a month after closing. 3. Disney’s activity has been closely tied to local government regulations and mandates As shown in the timeline, many of Disney’s actions took place shortly after there was a government-issued mandate, recommendation, or measure put in place. On March 19, California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all state residents to stay at home and ordered all non-essential businesses and services to be closed; but as of this writing we do not know how long the measure will be in effect and if this measure will have an impact on Disneyland’s reopening. Disneyland Main Entrance – Closed Based on all of this data, in addition to how the situation is evolving in the United States compared to China and Japan, we may expect a delay in Disney World reopening beyond their original timeline of two weeks. Remember, Japan originally announced that Tokyo Disney Resort would be closed for two weeks, similar to the announcement of the two domestic parks. Japan has since delayed the reopening by an additional two weeks at the very least. Fantasmic! at Tokyo DisneySea ©Disney It’s very important to keep in mind that every country has unique circumstances surrounding the current situation and one country’s timeline might not be a reliable indicator for how another country may respond. How Should You Proceed With Your Current Disney Parks Reservations? Since Disney has not announced any extensions or updates to their two-week closure schedule at this time, we advise, as always, to make the decisions that make you and your family the most comfortable in the current state of affairs. For details regarding Disney World’s current refund and cancellation policies, click here. And for details regarding Disneyland’s current refund and cancelation policies, click here. As always, all of us here at DFB will make sure you are informed and up-to-date on all the latest Disney news, and once we know more information, we will surely keep you updated. Want to read more about how the closures at Disney World and Disneyland may affect your travels in 2020? Check out our list of resources here! Have the closures affected your travel plans to an international Disney park? Let us know in the comments. Related posts: Who Owns The Disney Theme Parks? The Answer Might Surprise You… Here’s How Much it Would Cost For You To Go to EVERY Disney Theme Park in the World! Why You Won’t See Spiderman in Disney World: The Weird Glitch that Keeps Marvel Out of Florida’s Magic Kingdom View the full article

Hello, Disney Parks Blog readers! I wanted to share an update on our beloved wildlife. Although Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed, Disney’s Animal Care team is continuing to provide top-notch care to the thousands of animals who roam our savanna and seas. We are diligently following state and federal guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our dedicated team. Check out a video that shares more about the amazing work our cast members are doing to ensure our animals continue to thrive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And stay tuned for a heartwarming announcement that we’ll be making tomorrow! Finally, follow me and my team as we care for animals both and work to make an impact on environments and habitats across the globe on my Instagram, @DrMarkAtDisney. Hope to see you soon! View the full article

As we head into spring, we are getting excited for strolls down Main Street, U.S.A. with an ice cream in hand, the smell of popcorn in the air, and of course Dapper Day! ©DapperDay.com That’s right, every spring and fall, guests at Disneyland Resort show up looking as classy as ever to celebrate “fun and refined style from yesterday and today.” But due to the recent park closures, this year’s Dapper Day is switching things up a bit! According to the Dapper Day website, the Dapper Day outing in Disneyland originally scheduled for April 19th is STILL ON, as of now. Dapper Day Head Scarf But just to be safe, they are planning to double up the dapper and plan an “encore” outing on June 21st! They have also decided to reschedule the Expo at the Disneyland Hotel from April 18th -19th to June 20th – 21st! ©Dapper Day They plan to also schedule an “encore” date for Walt Disney World in Florida, so we will keep you posted when it is announced! For now, the Disney World Spring outings are scheduled for May 2nd and 3rd and the Disneyland Paris outing is scheduled for May 9th! We’ll let you know as we hear more information! Check out all of our coverage of last year’s Dapper Day here! Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Check out more Disneyland Food Reviews Here!! Are you planning on attending Dapper Day at Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: NEW Cake Flavor and MORE from the Disney Weddings Showcase! Disneyland Hotel Guests Can Enjoy This Exclusive Halloween Event — AND THERE’S FREE CANDY!!! Review! We’re Hula Dancing to Disneyland Resort For the New SECRET MENU Liquid Luau Cocktail! View the full article

We know what a source of comfort online shopping has proven itself to be over the last week and a half. If you hadn’t developed a passion for virtual retail therapy before all this began, chances are you’ve got a healthy appetite for ordering stuff online now! Denim Loungefly Backpack And while many of you are picking out some fun accessories for when it’s time to start park-hopping again, we just received word from Loungefly regarding its current shipping status. Since the company’s main retail stores which are located in Hollywood, California and Everett, Washington have recently had to close, Loungefly is unable to fulfill orders at this time. They are happy to still take your orders, but they won’t be able to ship you your item at this time. Here’s the complete statement released by Loungefly today. From Loungefly’s Instagram We’ll let you know of any other businesses we hear of that are also being affected by temporary closures as well as when Loungefly begins processing orders for shipment again, so stay tuned. Related posts: New Monthly Disney Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Collection Is Launching SOON! Minnie Mouse Fans NEED to See These New “Positively Minnie” Accessories! Baby Yoda’s Got Your Back with This New Loungefly Bag! View the full article

The current closures in Disney World have as stuck us on the wrong side of the park gates, which is a total bummer! Luckily, we have Disney+ from the comfort of our homes to be able to get us by. And boy, are there a lot of options! Cinderella Castle Today, we’re missing the Disney Parks a little extra, so we’re turning to our fave Disney streaming service for a little comfort. So grab your mouse ears, a snack, and your favorite Disney plush toy because we’re taking a trip to the parks from the safety of our couches! Here’s what to watch on Disney+ if you want to feel like you’re in the parks! Shows That Take You Inside the Parks Disney+ has a ton of content, both original to the service and from past Disney endeavors. Much of that content actually takes us inside the parks for a BEHIND THE SCENES look! Trust us, if you’re missing the magic of Disney, these are the shows to watch. Disney Insider First up, we have Disney Insider. This is a BRAND-NEW show on Disney+ where we get to take a peek at the work behind Disney movies, theme parks, destinations, music, toys, and more. Now, since this show is so new, there’s only one episode at the time of writing and it won’t take you in the parks just yet. But, tune in each week for a new episode and we should be getting a glimpse at the Disney parks soon. ©Disney Find out more about Disney+’s new Stargirl show here! Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Another great show for a super unique trip to the parks is Disney Fairy Tale Weddings. Each episode of this cute series takes you behind the scenes of a Disney wedding or engagement — many of them in the parks! See the magic-makers and the happy couples, AND take a peek at the parks in a whole different light (the light of LOOOOVE!). Disney Fairy Tale Weddings ©Disney Click here to see a guest REVIEW of an ACTUAL Disney Fairy Tale Wedding tasting! One Day at Disney One of the best things about being in Disney parks is getting to interact with the wonderful Cast Members. If you miss those smiling faces, check out One Day at Disney and learn about the personal stories of some seriously talented and inspiring Disney Cast Members. ©Disney Click here to learn more about One Day at Disney! The Imagineering Story Easily one of our FAVORITE shows on Disney+ is The Imagineering Story. This docuseries takes you through the history of Walt Disney’s Imagineers and the work that they’ve done in Disney parks. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this show and you can bet it gives you a lot of peeks into the attractions that we miss so much! The Imagineering Story ©Disney Can’t get enough of those Imagineering innovations? Click here to check out our video of some of the coolest! Disney Around the Seasons For a little vintage time in the parks, you gotta watch Disney Around the Seasons. This sweet documentary will take you all around Disneyland to get a glimpse at those iconic attractions. The best part? It’s hosted by Walt Disney himself! Disneyland Around the Seasons ©Disney For all of the best Disney+ shows for Disney Parks fans, click here! Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic We all need a little joy in our lives right now and what’s better at bringing joy than the Disney Parks? The Disney Parks at Christmastime! Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic follows along as Disney World and Disneyland are transformed into the holiday wonderlands that they become each year! Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic ©Disney Look at pics of last year’s Disney Holidays here! Movies and Shorts That Inspired Iconic Attractions Now, those are all the shows that will give you peeks into the parks, but there are PLENTY of movies and shorts that will transport you into the very same stories that are represented in the parks. Check out these flicks that inspired iconic attractions! It’s almost as fun as riding them! Magic Kingdom Disney+ has a TON of classic Disney shorts featuring Mickey and friends. If you’re missing the parks, and if your kiddos are missing the fur characters, queue up a bunch of those vintage shorts and have a blast! Still, meeting Mickey on Main Street U.S.A. isn’t the first thing you’d be doing if you were in Magic Kingdom right now — you’d be admiring the castle too! So, you better get watchin’ Cinderella! Plus, Cinderella Castle is getting a makeover in Magic Kingdom, so you’ll want to take a look at its original inspo! Cinderella Castle See the latest progress on the Cinderella Castle makeover here! For a film-fueled trip to Adventureland, Disney+ has you covered. Climb through the Swiss Family Treehouse in Swiss Family Robinson, take flight on the Flying Carpets in Aladdin, and swashbuckle alongside Jack Sparrow in Pirates of The Caribbean (yes, we will be watching all of them — even the fourth one). Pirates of the Caribbean There are even some flicks to transport you to Frontierland. Tom and Huck will give you all the Tom Sawyer Island vibes and you’ll have just as much fun as you would at Country Bear Jamboree when you’re watching The Country Bears. We can’t quite say the same for The Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy but it’ll do in a pinch when you can’t board a doom buggy of your own. Haunted Mansion The next move is DEF to watch all those classics that inspired the Fantasyland dark rides! There’s Peter Pan for Peter Pan’s Flight, The Little Mermaid for Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh for the ride of the same name. Peter Pan’s Flight But those dark rides aren’t the only rides we’re missing in Fantasyland. Our dear friend Belle isn’t spinning any Enchanted Tales, so we’ll watch HER story in Beauty and the Beast. On top of that, we can hang with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in lieu of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, we’ll watch Alice in Wonderland instead of a whirl on the teacups, and we’ll cry watching Dumbo instead of flying around with the cutest elephant ever. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Finally, we’re heading over to Tomorrowland from our living rooms. Toy Story will show us just how much of a threat Zurg really is so we know what we’re dealing with next time we’re on Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and Monsters, Inc. will have us laughing away just like if we were watching Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor! Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor Missing Magic Kingdom? Get a glimpse at what it looks like inside during the closure! Epcot And that’s all for Magic Kingdom, so let’s hurry over to the experimental prototype community of tomorrow. That’s right, we’re headed to Epcot! For our jaunt around Future World we’ll be streaming Finding Nemo like we’re at The Seas with Nemo and Friends and allllll those Pixar Short Films just like we’re at the Short Film Festival! The Seas And though there aren’t a ton of movies represented on The World Showcase, we can still watch The Three Caballeros to get our fix of Gran Fiesta Tour and we can watch Frozen (1 AND 2) like we’re cruising through Frozen Ever After. Frozen Ever After If you wish you were in Epcot right now, watch our video on some surprising things about the park! Animal Kingdom For our Disney+ fueled trip to Animal Kingdom we’ll obvi be watching A Bug’s Life to learn how It’s Tough to Be a Bug! Plus, Dinosaur will give us the backstory of that infamous dino in DINOSAUR, and Up will give us some time hanging with Russel from UP! A Great Bird Adventure. The Tree of Life You didn’t think we’d go to Animal Kingdom without heading to Pandora did you? No, we can’t ride Flight of Passage or Na’vi River Journey and no, we can’t snack on cheeseburger pods at Stu’li Canteen; but we CAN watch Avatar. Pandora Click here to check in on some our wild Animal Kingdom pals! Hollywood Studios Last but certainly not least, Disney+ is taking us to Hollywood Studios. Now, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway was only open for two weeks before the closures, so you may not have gotten a chance to ride it yet. No worries! You can stock up on your mouse rules know-how by watching the Mickey Mouse shorts! Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway We absolutely love the AC-filled Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy so we will definitely be watching Cars out of respect for the attraction. Plus, we mentioned Toy Story earlier, but go ahead and watch all four of them to get your Toy Story Land fix. Toy Story Land Obviously, you could fill a whole week with all the Star Wars content on Disney+ and that might be just what we do. After all, we’re seriously missing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. But on the way to binge the galactic epic, we’ll make a stop to watch some of The Muppets, just like we would at Muppet*Vision 3D! Galaxy’s Edge And, as usual, we’ll be wrapping up our “day in the parks” with Fantasia. It might not have all the same characters, but it sure has the Disney magic that we’re looking for. Fantasia Scene at Flower and Garden Festival Haven’t gotten to ride Runaway Railway yet and want to know more? Click here! And there you have it! That’s EVERYTHING on Disney+ that you should be watching if you miss being in the parks. We’ll be right there with you, because boy, do we need to get streaming! Want MORE Disney+ movie recommendations? Click here! What Disney+ flicks will YOU be queuing up to get your parks fix? Tell us in the comments! Related posts: Disney News This Week: ALL the News and Updates from the Most Magical Places on Earth! It’s Here: The Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail! Take a Tour With Us! DFB Video: Latest Disney Parks News — CEO Shakeup, HUGE Refurb News, and MORE! View the full article

Good morning, everybody! Before you get on with your busy day, how about taking a quick breather? Epcot’s 2020 Flower and Garden Festival Since we sadly can’t explore the festival with the parks being closed, we thought we’d stop and smell the roses (virtually, of course!) and join us on a quick stroll around Epcot’s 2020 Flower and Garden Festival! Let’s grab a festival passport real quick before we head in! There’s so much to see, do, and EAT at this year’s fest, you won’t believe your eyes! Or taste BUDS! — Get it??? Epcot Flower and Garden Festival And we might as well grab one of our favorite Flower and Garden Festival drinks too! Pineapple Promenade has been pouring this frozen “purple drank” for many years, and for us, a cup of Violet Lemonade is the most refreshing way to get this party started! Violet Lemonade See what else the Pineapple Promenade is serving this year HERE! First stop: we gotta say hi to The Fab Five topiaries! Mickey and Minnie are always up to something new at each Flower and Garden Festival! This year it looks like they’re pulling a Chip and Joanna Gaines with a little home improvement project. And with Goofy lending a helping hand, what could possibly go wrong? 2020 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Of course, Pluto would rather be playing fetch than working, and we don’t blame him! 2020 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival These two rascals seem to be up to no good! We wonder what Chip ‘n’ Dale are scheming this time… hopefully, it doesn’t involve those large piles of nails! 2020 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Meanwhile, it looks like Donald and Daisy Duck are putting their green thumbs to the test, literally! Donald’s made a new friend — a bee that’s just landed on his head! Plus, we happen to think Daisy’s pink bow is just the COOLEST! We wish we could rock florals as well as she does! 2020 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Speaking of friendly bees, we just ran into our buddy, Spike the Bee! He’s the breakout star of this year’s Flower and Garden Festival! You can find this adorable Spike the Bee Sipper at his main festival digs, The Honey Bee-Stro, served with a yummy Honey Peach-Freeze slushy! This stuff is truly the nectar of the gods! Spike the Bee Sipper See our FULL review of The Honey Bee-Stro’s menu HERE! But the cute food wagon trail doesn’t end there! In fact, it’s only the beginning! We’re swinging by Refreshment Port for their Popsicle Trio next. It’s a totally new dessert this year that’s basically three delicious treats in one. Check it out — you get a Honeydew, Raspberry-Mint, and Coconut-Lime popsicle! Popsicle Trio Wanna see what other goodies Refreshment Port has at this year’s festival? Click here! Also, new to the 2020 Flower and Garden fest is Magnolia Terrace. They’re here to put a hearty helping of the South in yo’ mouth with classic American comfort food! We’ve eaten everything on the menu at this new food booth from their Grilled Oysters to House-made Boudin Two Ways. The Pecan Cake and Prelaine were also big home runs for us as was their Beer Flight featuring gulf-region microbrews! Magnolia Terrace Spread And it doesn’t get more Southern than a good ol’ Southern Seafood Boil! We could feel the southern hospitality steaming off of this big bowl full of shrimp, mussels, crawfish, potatoes, corn, and Andouille sausage! And don’t worry — it tastes as good as it LOOKS! Southern Seafood Boil Read our FULL review of Magnolia Terrace HERE! And right next door to Magnolia Terrace, we found one of our favorite festival desserts — the Mini Funnel Cake at the American Pavilion’s Funnel Cake Stand. Don’t let the name fool you, though. This snack packs a mighty punch thanks to its fresh blueberries and zesty lemon cheesecake ice cream! Mini Funnel Cake We ATE EVERYTHING! See our Epcot’s 2020 Flower and Garden BEST of the FEST list of foods, drinks, and booths HERE! Of course, we gotta say “Bonjour” to this year’s newest topiary — it’s Remy from Disney and Pixar’s Ratatouille! Not only are we super-stoked to ride Epcot’s new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure when it opens this summer, but seeing the little chef ALSO means we’re near one of our favorite food booths! Remy Topiary Learn EVERYTHING you need to know before Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opens here! That’s right — everything’s “la vie en rose” at Fleur de Lys where we’re always feelin’ tres bien — and we’re not just talkin’ about the frozen rosé slushy! Everything is super tasty this year including their new Braised Duck Confit, Tarte aux Oignons Caramelises et Chévre, and Tarte Tropezienne! C’est Magnifique! Fleur de Lys Kitchen It was pretty hard not to stop and ooh-la-la over this Éclair Chocolat Framboise! Could their food be any prettier? Éclair Chocolat Framboise Read our full review of Fleur de Lys’ Flower and Garden festival’s foods and drinks HERE! And since we seem to be hitting a lot of our favorite stops right now, we gotta go by Hanami! If you only have time to visit one food booth this year, this one should be at the top of your list! In fact, it was our TOP food booth PICK! 2020 Hanami Booth One look at the food, it’s pretty easy to see why we heart Hanami soooo much! The Menchi Katsu Slider was super yummy and stinkin’ cute to boot! Menchi Katsu Slider And the Salmon Flower Ikura is so beautifully “potted!” We never thought we could enjoy eating out of a flower pot so much! Salmon Flower Ikura See why we ranked Hanami Ichiban (Number One!) at this year’s Flower and Garden Festival HERE! We must be getting close to the Mexico pavilion because we can hear the Three Caballeros topiaries shakin’ their maracas! 2020 Flower and Garden Festival Some eats and sips from Jardin de Fiestas also sounds like sweet music to our ears right about now! This year they’ve overhauled their menu entirely! You’ll find the new Chilaquiles de Pollo and Quesadilla al Pastor along with a Mango Mexican Lucky Margarita and Rosita Margarita to wash them down with! Jardin de Fiestas Spread But our favorite dish is the Choriqueso Torta! It’s a Bolillo Roll filled with chorizo and Monterey Jack cheese, avocado mousse, and jalapeños. Not too spicy with just the right amount of kick and a huge mountain of cheese, this sandwich reminded us of a Mexican sloppy joe! Choriqueso Torta Well, friends! Thanks for taking a walk with us today! We sure appreciated having the company! Now onto the chores we’ve been putting off all weekend! If only the Sorcerer Mickey topiary could teach us his spell for making our brooms sweep up by themselves! Flower and Garden Festival On second thought, we’ve seen the end of Fantasia, so maybe not! Epcot’s 2020 Flower and Garden Festival is slated to run through June 1st, so hang in there! We’ll all still have plenty of time to enjoy the fest when Disney World reopens soon! Which food booth are you most excited about at this year’s Flower and Garden Festival? Let us know in the comments below! Related posts: BEST of the FEST! What to Eat and Drink at the 2020 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival! It’s Almost Time! Even More of Epcot’s Flower and Garden Food Booth Prices Have Been Released! Here’s the BEST Use of Your Disney Dining Plan Snack Credits at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival! View the full article