November 2016 – WDWNT Archive

REVIEW: Tiana’s Riverboat Party at the Magic Kingdom Offers Distant Parade Viewing & Character Encounters

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

The special add-on event, Tiana’s Riverboat Party at the Magic Kingdom, started operation today and we were on-hand to check it out. The event promises guests a selection of various ice cream and snacks, meet and greet opportunities with both Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen, a ride on the Liberty Belle Riverboat, and special viewing of the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade at 3PM for $49.00 per adult, $29.00 per child.

The event greatly reduces the operating hours of the Liberty Belle riverboat in liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom. Every afternoon guests will see that the riverboat will be down for three hours total to accommodate this event.

Event check-in is set to begin at 2:15, but can begin anytime in the 15 minutes before that if the set-up for the event is done.

Rather than utilizing wristbands, this event uses stickers that guests wear to gain admittance to the event upon checking in.

The event begins on the boat landing for the first half hour or so. Here guests can find a selection of ice cream, a dessert trio, and ice cream toppings station, and a drink station, as well as their first chance to meet Tiana and Naveen.

The dessert selection is OK, but just ice cream and a dessert trio on the dock. Similar-style events have much bigger spreads, including the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam Holiday Party and the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party, which are only slightly more expensive than this event.

The dessert trio is for some reason also listed at the adjacent ice cream station, even though it has a space of its own.

The lilly-pad displays and tables are a really nice touch, I’m happy to see some thought go into this event.

A selection of canned soft drinks, bottled water, and lemonade is available on the dock.

The dessert trio is pretty adorable and shows a fair amount of effort on Disney’s part to make this special and highly-themed to the Princess and the Frog characters.

I personally loved the chocolate cookie sandwich.

The yellow sponge cupcake was nothing special, but it was delicious.

I even really enjoyed the creme filled tart. Honestly, the dessert trip goes three for three in my book, it’s pretty perfect.

It is hard to mess up ice cream and Disney doesn’t at this event. The toppings bar is fun and kids of all ages will enjoy the freedom to eat endless ice cream with as much of any topping as they might want.

Rather than signing autographs, the now customary autograph cards are handed out forÂ Tiana and Naveen at this event, even though guests likely paid to have a normal meet and greet with these characters. That being said, the line was never unreasonable to meet the characters due to the restricted attendance at this event, so I don’t see why they couldn’t sign.

You can first meet Tiana and Naveen on the dock while enjoying some snacks. They do leave once the boat is finally boarded. The cast members did a nice job of going around and making sure everyone got to chance to meet them before heading onboard.

The dock itself had very few tables available and was a bit cramped, but guests made it work. Onboard the Riverboat has the opposite problem, so I’m not really sure what the answer is. I wouldn’t say the event was overcrowded as the meet and greet, nor the food and drink stations ever really had a line.

While there are no tables on board, it is really neat to see snacks and drinks still served, especially out of the actual bar onboard the Liberty Belle Riverboat. Who knows the last time this was actually used? I think it was converted to a life jacket storage space sometime in more recent history.

The selection onboard is pretty solid and you are free to get as much as you like, even if you just want to fill your bag with snacks for later. Just remember there is no restroom on-board the boat and you can’t get off until the Parade and the full trip around is over…

The themed elements continue on board, which is neat.

The candy popcorn is fun, and it tastes good too!

There is also regular popcorn available, which is the stuff you will find around the parks at the various carts.

The cotton candy was flavorless, and yes, I forgot to take a pic of it until we got to the car…

Alright, here is where the event falls apart: the actual viewing of the Festival of Fantasy Parade. Once everyone is onboard, the boat pulls out of the station and forward just enough for parade viewing.

I joked a lot leading up to this that if you squint really hard, you can see the parade. While that was meant to be a comedic exaggeration, this is not the place you want to see Festival of Fantasy from. As much as you may not want to eat at Tony’s Town Square Cafe, their Festival of Fantasy dining package will offer much better parade views (albeit with a menu that it is hard to squeak out a solid meal on). The parade music is also not played onboard the Riverboat.

If you have a really nice DSLR camera, this will offer some high angle pictures you may enjoy, but it’s not gonna be easy. I didn’t focus on pics as I wasn’t sure that video had ever been recorded of the parade from on top of the Liberty Belle Riverboat, at least not in a stationary position. I can now see why. The view was really bad. How bad? Check out our video below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym-FEAgt7qI]

We stood on the top level for the parade, but I can’t imagine that the lower levels would be any better. How could they be?

After parade viewing, the boat backs up so Naveen and Tiana can get onboard, fresh from their appearance in the parade.

We discovered yet another snack station on the bottom floor.

Once they get on-board, Tiana and Naveen lead a parade around the bottom level of the boat. The parade lasts one loop and seemed rather uncoordinated for today’s first run. Other than the little girl who got to hold Tiana’s hand (and was photographed by PhotoPass, I’m not sure this benefitted anyone else.

After that, they host another meet and greet on the front of the boat, which can be really cool if you time it right (Tom Sawyer Island has some nice backgrounds, such as the windmill).

We now switch the Creeper-CamÂ® on the second level.

It is kind of nice to have a mostly empty Riverboat, affording you to opportunity to freely roam and get some great shots.

While Tiana and Naveen are on the boat, the remainder of the ship is like a ghost town.

As you can see, I timed my greeting poorly and got the “Devil’s Elbow” sign in the background… at a side view… Regardless, meeting these two on a riverboat is really, really cool.

I also have a video overview of the food, meet and greets and more that you may enjoy:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQyvt6w6DnM]

Overall, this event is a neat idea, but poorly executed. The Festival of Fantasy Parade viewing is a joke and there is no way this can be valued at $49.00 per adult, $29.00 for kids. The treats are good, the themed elements are fun, and the character interactions are great, but I just don’t know how you sell this as parade viewing.

The little girl next to me started to cry when the parade was over, upset because she felt like she had still not seen the parade. Her parents promised here they would go see it later in their trip. Also, the bevy of Magic Kingdom managers on-baord clearly had not seen what the view would be like, and I even overheard them talking about how to deal with it. Sorry guys, maybe don’t sell this until you can guarantee guests an experience worth their time and money. Also, I’m not sure ripping trees down in Liberty Square is the answer…

This event can be fixed, I would suggest they just make a viewing area in Liberty Square for these guests and then just walk them onto the Riverboat after the parade is over. Problem solved. I understand the concept of watching the parade from the Riverboat is cool, but it just doesn’t actually work.

Otherwise the event is fun, and if “The Princess and the Frog” is the favorite movie of you or someone in your family, I think you will enjoy this with expectations based on what you read in this review. Tiana’s Riverboat Party needs some work, but it has a good foundations, it’s just a shame people have to pay $49.00 for this in its current incarnation.

First Poster For “Cars 3” Shows Lightning McQueen Heading For A Big Fall

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

cars-3-poster

Could this be the end for Lightning McQueen? The recent teaser trailer and this poster sure is hinting at it.

Many fans were not happy with the direction that Pixar took with “Cars 2” in which they had the secondary character, Mater, become the lead in the sequel to the original. Regardless of what people thought, “Cars 2” made a decent amount of money with a global haul of $562 million.

So what is Pixar up to? Is “Car’s 3” headed in a dark direction? It wouldn’t be the first time Pixar tugged at our heart strings. Remember how heart breaking it was to see Carl at Ellie’s funeral in “Up’?

Yahoo! Movie hints at what it could be:

Disney Animation chief John Lasseter told Entertainment Weekly in June that Cars 3 will feature a “very emotional story” that finds McQueen remembering his late mentor Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), whose own championship racing career was untracked by a crippling accident. Fan favorite Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and McQueen’s main squeeze Sally (Bonnie Hunt) are returning, while the film will also introduce new characters named Cruz Ramirez and Jackson Storm, though casting on those voice roles has yet to be announced.

So it sounds like Lightning will be OK but like the tag line says, “Everything will change.” Maybe Lightning McQueen makes it out of the wreck and takes on the role of trainer, similar with happened in the “Rocky” series with “Creed”. That seems like a reasonable assumption. After the crash in Lightning’s last race, he is no longer able to participate in competitive racing. But somewhere a long the way, a young car (could be Jackson Storm) comes into Lightning’s life and he sees potential in the up and coming racer and helps train him to be the next winner of The Piston Cup. But that’s just a guess.

What about you? Any ideas?

Source: Yahoo! Movies

REVIEW: Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot’s Best Counter Service?

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

We continue our series of reviews of the booths added for the Holidays Around the World event at Epcot this year by visiting the Feast of the Three Kings today. This marketplace can be found next door to the Refreshment Port, just behind the Imagination pavilion on the way to World Showcase.

Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

The space reuses what was the Puerto Rico booth in past years, and Island of the Caribbean at the Food and Wine Festival this year.

Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

There displays at many of the marketplaces for Holidays Around the World feature facts about the celebrations in that region. A nice touch.

Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

Feast of the Three Kings Menu at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

Above is the menu. Keep in mind that these are full size dishes, not the portions you would expect from the annual Epcot festivals.

Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

In classic fashion, we ordered the entire menu pretty much, so let’s dive into the review, shall we?

Roasted Pork ($10.75)

Roasted Pork – Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

This roasted pork dish has to be one of my favorite counter service items at Disney World right now. The pork was cooked perfectly, presented in a heaping portion that is tender and juicy. The yucca underneath is cooked perfectly with a nice, buttery flavor. I have eaten a lot of yucca in the last year or so, this was the best portion of the side dish I have ever had. I could do without the pickled green bananas, but they were fine on their own.

Roasted Pork – Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

Coquito with an Oak & Palm Spiced Rum Floater ($9.00)

Coquito – Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

I enjoy a sweet alcoholic beverage so this was right up my alley. Coconut and cinnamon flavoring mixed with rum is pretty delicious, but the portion size is pretty small as you would expect. It’s really delicious, but just not enough of it is in this serving for $9. A non-alcoholic version is also offered.

Shredded Beef Tamale ($12.00)

Shredded-Beef Tamale – Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

The shredded beef tamale was also good, but the ratio of breading to beef was poor. The Avacado Crema sauce had a really nice flavor paired with both the rice and the tamale. If there was more beef in this, I would highly recommend it, but it’s hard to compete with the pork dish.

Shredded-Beef Tamale – Feast of the Three Kings at Holidays Around the World, Epcot

Three Kings Bread ($3.50)

Traditional dessert with a rich, white, sugary icing on top over a flaky, soft bread. This was really wonderful in its simplicity and was similar to many Italian baked good I have enjoyed over the holiday seasons in New York, so I may be a little biased in my nostalgic feelings for this dish. I still think you will enjoy it though.

OVERALL

This booth is a real winner and is definitely worth your time if you are going to do Counter Service dining at Epcot before December 31st. Even if you just stop by for some Coquito and Three Kings Bread, you should be in for a pleasant snack stop.

If you enjoyed this review, please check out our full marketplace review of the American Holiday Table, another offering during the Epcot Holidays Around the World event.

VIDEO: Disney Releases “You’re Welcome” Sequence From “Moana”

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

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Disney has released the full musical sequence of “You’re Welcome” from “Moana”. The clip features Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) singing the original song written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Check it out!

Source: Disney Music VEVO

New Figment & Belle Topiaries Take Center Stage at the 2017 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Celebrating 24 years when it kicks off March 1, 2017, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival will jump-start spring with gardens of earthly delights plus new character topiaries, entertainers and food and drink offerings.

The festival, which expanded to 90 days in 2016, will open with an irresistible array of fresh surprises and new treats:

Fresh, farm-market food and beverage flavors will debut at two new Outdoor Kitchens that will join 13 returning Outdoor Kitchens. Guest can sip and savor their way around Epcot, enjoying chef-inspired noshes and refreshing libations with or without a kick.
The new generation of princess topiaries (Snow White, Anna and Elsa – the first to be designed and created with topiary facial features) will welcome a brand-new Belle topiary as fans remember her from the Oscar-winning Disney film, “Beauty and the Beast.” Located outside the France pavilion with the Beast topiary, Belle will come to life with sculpted facial features and her yellow ball gown created with golden blooming Joseph’s Coat plants.
Another festival first will be a 6-foot-tall topiary of Figment, the feisty dragon mascot of the park’s Imagination! pavilion, perched atop a 5-foot-diameter ball fashioned from yellow Joseph’s Coat.

A Figment topiary of a smaller size graced the exterior of the pavilion many years ago.

The brand-new Epcot front-entrance topiary garden inspired by a vintage Walt Disney short film will spring to life with a floral-festooned maypole featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy and Pluto.
The popular Garden Rocks concert series will expand to four days each week, with three concerts each Friday through Monday presenting pop musicians that span multiple genres over four decades.
New Garden Rocks Dining Packages will be available on select days at a number of Epcot restaurants.
Reimagined interactive play gardens will include a new take on the “Cars”-themed garden introducing a new character topiary from the June 2017 release of the Disney•Pixar sequel, “Cars 3.” Music Garden Melodies play area will return with new garden and topiary elements.
For the first time, the event’s Festival Center will extend operating hours from Wednesday, March 1 through Sunday, March 5. Throughout the rest of the festival, the center will be open each Friday through Sunday with an entertaining mix of gardening seminars and DIY workshops.

One of the popular Outdoor Kitchen gardens, Urban Farm Eats, will return with savory bites, sweet treats and ideas for planting produce that can inspire growing numbers of guests who want to learn to grow their own edibles.

“A lot of people, including young children, are serious foodies now, and they have lots of questions about gardening,” says Eric Darden, festival horticulture manager. “We’re getting more and more people in their 20s and 30s asking, ‘How can I grow this?’ I think we’ll be creating more gardeners because people can see what’s possible.”

The 2017 festival forecast will be sunny with colorful floral bursts by day and a nighttime landscape aglow with twinkling lights:

Topiaries of Donald Duck and nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie will share Future World space in front of Spaceship Earth with Chip and Dale for a “Fresh Epcot” selfie and family photo opportunity.
Anna and Elsa topiaries will return to the Norway pavilion festival landscape in celebration of the park’s new Frozen Ever After Nearly 100 festival topiaries in all will include up to 70 character creations such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lady and the Tramp, Simba, Timon and Tinker Bell.
Guests will encounter garden surprises and special appearances related to Earth Day and other spring activities.
The Butterflies on the Go garden will return with the story of the Monarch’s epic journey across the continent and featuring butterflies emerging from their chrysalises.
On the way to the new Soarin’ Around the World film at the Soarin’attraction in The Land pavilion, guests can discover gardens featuring edible flowers, plants that benefit health and healing, and a pollinator paradise.
Dozens of Disney-crafted “flower towers” and beds of multi-colored blooms will transform the park’s landscape. At least 70,000 bedding plants will surround the Future World east and west lakes alone; on the water, 220 mini-gardens will be set afloat.

The festival, including all gardening programs and exhibits, is included in regular Epcot admission.

Disney Introducing Monorail Resort Restaurant-Hopping Experience, “Highway in the Sky Dine Around”

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

Walt Disney World has just announced a new dinner experience that will involve monorail hotel hopping and much more around the “Monorail Resorts” near the Magic Kingdom:

Join us for a progressive dinner unlike any other—with sumptuous offerings at 3 Disney Resort hotels.

Your Dine Around adventure begins at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, where you’ll check in at The Wave… of American Flavors restaurant. Relax and mingle with your fellow diners, enjoying a welcoming appetizer and specialty cocktail before setting off on your epicurean odyssey. Bon voyage and bon appétit!

First stop: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort—where you’ll feel as if you’ve arrived in a far-flung tropical paradise. Celebrate the spirit of the South Pacific and luxuriate in the charm of this exotic retreat, with an enticing variety of island-inspired libations and appetizers.

Then it’s time for a change of scene and cuisine—as the monorail transports you a world away: to the opulent Victorian-style Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Step inside and step back into a bygone era of elegance and gracious hospitality. You’ll be escorted to the award-winning Cítricos restaurant where we invite you to settle in amid the refined ambience as you’re treated to a special Chef’s main course selection. Afterward, gather in the splendidly appointed lobby to sip champagne and savor a selection of artisanal cheeses.

Board the monorail once more to return to Disney’s Contemporary Resort for the culmination of your evening. Here, you and your Dine Around companions will retire to a private patio to enjoy an indulgent assortment of desserts, cordials and coffee. From this exclusive location, watch in wonder as the Wishes nighttime spectacular fireworks light up the night over Cinderella Castle—a musical, magical grand finale to your one-of-a-kind dining adventure.

-Price: $150 per person plus tax; gratuity included.
-The Highway in the Sky Dine Around is offered select Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
-Reservations must be canceled at least 24 hours in advance to avoid forfeiting the full price of the experience.
-Check-in takes place at The Wave… of American Flavors at Disney’s Contemporary Resort at the time of your reservation. Please arrive 15 minutes ahead of check-in time.
-Guests must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages. A valid form of government identification will be required to verify your age.
-Please alert the host at check-in regarding food allergies. Wherever possible, alternative dining selections will be offered.
-Disney dining plan entitlements may not be redeemed for this event.
-Discounts and promotions are not valid for this event.

Dining experience is subject to change; fireworks experience is subject to change or cancellation without notice.

The event is bering offered starting December 2nd, 2016 and is being offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Tuesdays starting at 6:45pm through March. It can be booked online here. The event will close the 4th floor patio at the Contemporary to other guests on those evenings.

PHOTOS: Snack Cart Opens in the Epcot Parking Lot

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

From the people who brought you bus stop pizza, there is now a mobile cart in the Epcot parking lot selling drinks and snack.

The parking lot snack cart has assorted drinks, chips, and whole fruit. It is located at the very top of the parking lot, just before the tram lane in front of the park.

VIDEO: New TV Spot For “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”; Could That Be Grand Moff Tarkin?

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

Lucasfilm has released a brand new TV spot for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and it seems to show the return of another big baddy from “Star Wars: A New Hope”, Grand Moff Tarkin:

Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) confronts Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) in a scene from “Star Wars: A New Hope”.

For some time there has been a rumor that we would be seeing Grand Moff Tarkin, played by the late Peter Cushing, from “Star Wars: A New Hope” in some form. In “A New Hope”, Tarkin is the commander of the Death Star and responsible for the destruction of Princess Leia’s home planet of Alderaan. Leia famously accuses Tarkin of “Holding Vader’s leash”.

Tarkin? “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and Star Wars: A New Hope”.

The latest TV spot for “Rogue One” shows a character viewing the construction of The Death Star and more than likely it is Tarkin. There isn’t much to go on in the above picture other than both characters are wearing a similar suit and have similar hairstyles. I have heard for months that with the advancements in CGI, that we will see a fully rendered CGI version of Tarkin, possibly with a different actor’s body, but with a CGI Peter Cushing head.

Michael Douglas before and after CGI deaging:

We have seen this executed so well in recent movies like “Ant-Man”, in which we saw an impressively executed deaging of Michael Douglas and even more recently in “Captain America: Civil War” in which we saw Robert Downey Jr transformed into a teenager.

Grand Moff Tarkin as seen in “Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith” Tarkin was played by actor Wayne Pygram with the use of prosthetic makeup.

So don’t be surprised to see a very overconfident Grand Moff Tarkin in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”.

Source: Star Wars

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Aerial View of Construction at Hollywood Studios, Latest Progress on Toy Story & Star Wars Lands

WDWNT on November 29, 2016

We once again take to the skies to give you the best view possible of the ongoing expansion of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Things are actually starting to get exciting over on the Toy Story Land area as structures are beginning to rise, meanwhile, Star Wars Land remains mostly a dirt pile. (Click images for larger res if you are into that kind of thing)