PHOTOS: PizzeRizzo, Muppets Eatery Soft Opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

The highly anticipated PizzeRizzo soft opened today ahead of it’s official opening on Friday, November 18th at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Located in the Muppets Courtyard area, the quick service pizza restaurant takes over the space formerly occupied by Pizza Planet by MuppetVision 3-D.

I didn’t take many pictures of the exterior as we have been staring at it at naesuem for several months now.

Many pictures are just rather plain, but some feature Muppets characters. You’ll have to look real close for the details at this restaurant.

My first stop was Rizzo’s Deluxe Supreme Banquet Hall as it was the most talked up feature of the restaurant.

It was fairly plain, but had fun lighting and music. In fairness, I haver been to banquet halls in New York that look just like this. But we’re not in New York apparently… more on that in a bit…

Pictures of New York landmarks can be found scattered around both the upper and lower floor seating areas.

This is the upstairs.

Some signs from the Streets of America were reused in the interior of PizzeRizzo, a nice touch.

The two “VIP” booths towards the back of the second floor are surrounded by Muppets caricature pictures.

The balcony upstairs offers nice views of the Muppets Courtyard (and a little bit of Star Wars construction).

The upstairs restrooms are fairly plain.

Some papers hanging upstairs allude to more of the restaurant’s storyline. A “ZARAT” review puts the restaurant in Downtown L.A., meaning Rizzo and his fellow rats have opened this Pizza restaurant far from New York. It is supposedly a secondary location to their New York one. There is also a reference to 1989, when the park opened.

1991 is a reference to when MuppetVision 3-D joined the park.

The lower level dining area, adjacent to where you order your meal.

We will have a full review of the menu for you in the next day or so, so stay tuned!

Moana Meet and Greet Coming to Disney World, Disneyland

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

Disney Parks announced today that a Moana character meet and greet is coming to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts  sometime in late November. 

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No exact location that was given for the meet and greet experiences at either Resort as of yet.

The Moana character already meetsat Disney’s Aulani resort in Hawaii and will begin meeting at Disneyland Resort Paris on November 20.

Moana Stories, Sticker, & More Hit Mobile Today

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

In addition to the release of Moana: Rhythm Run, Disney has also added a whole lot of Moana to mobile devices in support of the upcoming film.

Moana Sticker Pack For iOS 10 Users 

Spice up your iMessages on iPhone or iPad with the addition of Moana stickers. Stickers include characters such as Moana, Maui, Pua, Heihei, and more. Download the pack for free and get three stickers, or pay $1.99 and receive 18 more for a total of 21 stickers (yes, I just insulted your math skills by adding 18 and three). 
moana-stickersDisney Emoji Blitz Welcomes Moana 

The extremely poplar match-three puzzle game, Disney Emoji Blitz is introducing Moana, Maui, and Pua. Each character has a special power-up, and Maui’s is a little extra special. Of course Disney Emoji Blitz is available for both the App Store and Google Play.

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Disney Story Central Introduces Moana 

A handful of new Moana stories are now available on the expansive story book app, Disney Story Central. The stories can be unlocked by purchasing tokens or with a subscription to Disney Story Central. Moana stories include “Beware the Kakamora,” “Moana and the Ocean,” “Where Monsters Live,” and more. The new stories are available now on the App Store and Google Play.

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Disney Jigsaw Puzzles! Features New Moana Puzzles 

A new pack of 15 puzzles has been added to Disney Jigsaw Puzzles! and more will be released on November 23, when the movie comes out. Each puzzle will be themed to a different scene from the movie. The new puzzles are available now on the App Store and Google play.

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So while we’ll never get that sweet looking cancelled Moana Play Set for Disney Infinity 3.0, at least we have tons of new mobile games and updates to celebrate the new movie.

New Mobile Game Moana: Rhythm Run Out Now

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

Today Disney has released a new premium mobile game called Moana: Rhythm Run.

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Being out just one week before the films release, players can get an early sneak preview of the film’s original soundtrack, as Rhythm Run is all about the music.

Players will explore 6 uniquely themed lands for a total of over 70 levels, as they run and tap to the music as either Moana or Maui. Conquer challenges and escape villainous foes by tapping to the beat to three original compositions that will be featured in the movie. Check out the game’s trailer here.

Moana: Rhythm World is out now for $4.99 on the Apple App Store, and will be available at a later date on the Google Play Store. Over time, new worlds and extra content will be released as additional in-app purchases.

PHOTO REPORT: Disney’s Animal Kingdom 12/14/16 (DINOSAUR Returns, Flame Tree Expands, Christmas Decor, Etc.)

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

In our latest photo report, we take a trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park to see what’s news and exciting as 2016 draws to a close.

Merry Christmas from Animal Kingdom!

Flame Tree Barbecue Expansion

The new dining gazebo at Flame Tree Barbecue finally opened a few weeks ago.

Have a Wild Holiday!

The kitschy decor in Dinoland U.S.A. continues to be a favorite of mine.


Animal Kingdom boasts some of the best decorations in all of Walt Disney World.

DINOSAUR Reopens

DINOSAUR reopened a few weeks ago from its lengthy, multi-month refurbishment boasting a number of upgrades and fixes.

The first section of the queue added a number of new display cases, as well as removing the large mural that once stood at the left end of the room.

The graphics package for all of the existing displays were updated as well.

Here is where the mural once stood.

Many of the items on display are on loan from Texas Christian University’s College of Science and Engineering.

As for the ride itself, a number of effects were fixed, most notably the laser field that appears over the Iguanadon in the finale scene, indicating that he indeed was captured and transported back to the institute. This effect is simple, but has been broken since the earliest days of the ride’s existence, dating back to Countdown to Extinction. A new effect replaced the long static “Compsognathus” dinosaurs who appeared to jump over the Time Rover, a large screen with video of these creatures doing this action. Overall, the ride looks amazing and the changes are all positive. This is one of the finest attraction refurbishments I have ever seen, and much needed for our beloved DINSOAUR.

The graphics along the exit of the attractions were updated as well and look great… other than the fact that the logos get cut off in the frame…

This and That

I had to pay a visit to my favorite Christmas decoration in all of Walt Disney World on my last visit…

IT’S SANTA-SAURUS!!!

2017 merchandise is now available at Walt Disney World.

TODAY ONLY: Get Disney Infinity Packs and Figures Dirt Cheap

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

Best Buy is offering what’s left of their Disney Infinity inventory for next to nothing as today’s Deal of the Day.

Figures, Play Sets, Starter Packs, and Power Discs are all available anywhere from 60%-90% off. Stock seems limited, and most of the offerings are 2.0 and 3.0 only, but there are still a lot of good deals to be found.

Figures are ranging from 50 cents to $2.

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Disney Infinity 3.0 Starter Pack is $9 on PS4!

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Due to limited stock, some items are only available in stores. Still, if you haven’t given up on Disney Infinity, now is probably the best time to pick up some figures, before they become collectors items.

REVIEW: Empanadas & Fajitas Replace Barbecue Options at Fairfax Fare, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

For quite a while now, Fairfax Fare at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been home to barbecue dishes (and more recently sharing that menu with loaded baked potatoes). Well, just this week, the main barbecue dish from this establishment picked up and moved over to the ABC Commissary, but was replaced with a number of “tex-mex” options.

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney's Hollywood Studios

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The new menu features three tex-mex options, while keeping the Loaded Baked Potato, Fairfax Salad, and the Chili-Cheese Foot-Long Hot Dog.

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney's Hollywood Studios

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The photos on the menu are reminiscent of those that appear at Pecos Bill’s at the Magic Kingdom with their similar menu items. Keep this in mind for when you actually see the food below.

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney's Hollywood Studios

New Fairfax Fare Menu at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

El Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich ($11.49)

El Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich ($11.49)

El Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich ($11.49)

The El Pastor Pulled Pork sandwich is a step up from many similar style sandwiches around Walt Disney World. The pork here has a nice spicy kick and the bun is soft and flaky. The sweet plantains are surprisingly good, but the dish would probably be better off without the roasted corn medley as a side. I would certainly pick this over the pulled pork sandwich at Flame Tree Barbecue at Animal Kingdom.

El Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich ($11.49)

El Pastor Pulled Pork Sandwich ($11.49)

Empanadas Platter ($12.49)

Empanadas Platter ($12.49)

Empanadas Platter ($12.49)

The empanadas platter is solid, especially considering the inclusion of 3 sides. I wish that the empanada shells were a little crispier, but in fairness they seemed to have been sitting out at the restaurant for a while before we ordered them. They could also use some more beef inside, as you can see below. While I’m not a fan of the roasted corn medley, the rice and black beans were solid. Overall, not a bad dish, but not something I would order again.

Empanadas Platter ($12.49)

Empanadas Platter ($12.49)

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

This is a sad, sad, sad imitation of the fajita platter at Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe at the Magic Kingdom. There is no stacked condiment/toppings bar here and the advertised inclusion of sour cream didn’t materialize. When I went back to the counter to ask if I could have some sour cream, I was greeted with a dumbfounded look. I had to point to the menu and that it stated that there would be sour cream. The cast member then informed me that they don’t have any sour cream…

As far as the actual food, it was good. The pork is the same as the sandwich and the chicken was fine. Altogether in a tortillas, it comes together nicely, although it was missing something… perhaps some sort of cream-based condiment…

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

Besides that, the meal came with just two tortillas… that’s insane. How on earth can you put all of that into two tortillas? Also, I’ve never been to a restaurant where I didn’t at least receive three tortillas with a dish of this style, Disney-owned or otherwise. When I went back to the counter to ask if this was correct, they said that they indeed only provide two. I then asked if I could have more and again was stared at as if I was a complete psychopath. They did reluctantly hand me another pack of two tortillas. Mind you, when I have asked for additional tortillas at Pecos Bill’s, they have always been more than happy to oblige.

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

Fajita Combo Platter ($12.99)

Overall

I would return again for the pulled pork sandwich, but otherwise I would skip Fairfax Fare in its current state. The baked potatoes are alright, but otherwise I wasn’t wowed with the new empanadas nor the fajita platter, at least not without some sort of viable condiment station for such dishes. It just feels like they are still not ready for this menu, even though it has now been there for a few days.

If you really just hate the other counter service locations at Hollywood Studios and absolutely need tex-mex in your life, this is where you will have to go, but don’t expect much from anything but that pulled pork sandwich.

The Odyssey at Epcot Now Serving Craft Beers

WDWNT on November 18, 2016

While it was open during the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, The Odyssey at Epcot will now be open during the holiday season selling a variety of craft beers from around the world.

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The location will be open select days between now and December 30, 2016. The Odyssey will not be open on November 24, December 1st, 2nd, 8th, and 29th.