REVIEW: Mobile Ordering Debuts at Walt Disney World Counter Service Restaurants, Does It Work?

A few weeks ago, we told you that Mobile Ordering through the MyDisneyExperience app was coming to select Walt Disney World Resort counter service eateries. Well, yesterday, during a special preview of Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we got to try out the service at the Satuli Canteen.

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The latest update of the app is necessary to use mobile ordering, so make sure you download it.

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Upon opening the updated app, it informs guests of the new service, even though it is in very limited testing.

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Guests registered for a preview of Pandora: The World of AVATAR can utilize the service at Satuli Canteen, who plans to launch with the service when they open on May 27th.

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All you have to do is go to the restaurant of your choice in the app (who offers the service, of course), and select the “Order Food” option.

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As we told you before, the Dining Plan can not be used for this service, only credit cards.

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Ordering is very simple as you just select an entree…

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Once the entree is selected, you can then customize it as you wish.

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You can pretty much remove any of the ingredients, which I thought was impressive.

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When I selected a fountain beverage, the app even tried to up-sell me a Navi Flute Cup. Don’t be ridiculous app, I already have it!

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You can take a look at what’s in your “cart” or “bag” at any time to remove or change the quantity of an item. Once it is to your liking (and you skip over the cup up-sell again), you can hit “Review Order Summary”.

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The “Order Summary” screen gives you one final chance to look at the order, see the price, and purchase it. It will automatically use the credit card attached to your MyDisneyExperience account unless you change it at the bottom of this page. Then you can just hit purchase when ready.

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Once you have pre-paid using your credit card on file, you get a confirmation message. At this point, you can go do whatever and return when you are ready to eat later that day. I, in fact, placed this order three hours before returning to Satuli Canteen. When I even got anywhere near the restaurant, a notification would pop up and ask if I was ready to dine there, a nice feature to have.

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Upon reopening the app, you can find your pre-order in a separate box in “My Plans”, awaiting you to click the “I’m Here, Prepare My Order” button.

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You will need to present your order number, so have this ready when you do retrieve your food.

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Once you hit the button, then your food will be prepared. You don’t have to do anything until it tells you that your order is ready.


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I kept the app open through the entire process, so I saw the 3rd light turn green and tell me that my order was ready to be picked up. If you close the app, you can still get a notification to go to the counter, as you can see below.

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As I said above, when the food is ready, the 3rd dot will turn green and it will tell you to head on over.

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This is when you visit the counter labeled for Mobile Order Pick-Up, and if all goes according to plan, you will have your food and drink within seconds of your arrival. Everything worked for us and it was super convenient. The other person I was visiting with used the regular ordering process and I had my meal in hand much faster than he did, so should this system continue to work in this fashion, I think Disney has a real winner on its hands.

Mobile ordering will be also be available for the following counter service locations at the four Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs at some point in the future:

  • ABC Commissary
  • Backlot Express
  • Columbia Harbor House
  • Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
  • D-Luxe Burger
  • Electric Umbrella
  • Flame Tree Barbecue
  • Liberty Inn
  • Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
  • Pinocchio Village Haus
  • Pizzafari
  • Restaurantosaurus
  • Satu’li Canteen
  • Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
  • Tortuga Tavern

An exact start date for the service at all of these restaurants is still unknown, but we do know that at the very least Satuli Canteen will be using mobile ordering starting in May. More restaurants may be added in the future should the program prove successful.

‘Delicious Disney’ Chef Series Events Coming to the Walt Disney World Resort

The “Delicious Disney” Chef Series is an event that will feature well renowned culinarians from the the Walt Disney Resort, where they will present to you unique culinary creations with some delectable wine pairings, and bookings for these events are now open for Tables in Wonderland members.

The events will be taking place only one day each month starting May 31st and will go through till December. Each event day is a different culinary showcase with different offerings. All of the days are $249 per person except for the event day on December 6th, which is only $199.

Tickets are available now until supplies last. You can get tickets by calling 407-939-5773 from 9am-5pm ET if you are a Tables in Wonderland member. For a full list of offerings each month, take a look below.

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Hackers Threaten Disney To Pay Up Or Else They Will Release “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” On The Net

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Say it aint so! But apparently it is so that hackers are holding the latest “Pirates” movie for ransom and if their demands are not met by Disney, they will release the movie ahead of it’s official release date of May 25th. Although Bob Iger confirmed that hackers have notified the Disney of their demands, he did not mention the name of the film but Deadline is reporting that the film is “Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed Monday that hackers claiming to have access to a Disney movie threatened to release it unless the studio paid a ransom. Iger didn’t disclose the name of the film, but said Disney is refusing to pay. The studio is working with federal investigators.

Iger’s comments came during a town hall meeting with ABC employees in New York City, according to multiple sources.

Disney’s upcoming theatrical release slate include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which opens Friday, and Cars 3, set to bow June 16. Rumors circulated online last week that a work print of Star Wars: The Last Jedi had been pirated and was being held for ransom, but days later online chatter tipped that rumor as a hoax. The studio had no comment.

The Disney chief said the hackers demanded that a huge sum be paid in Bitcoin. They said they would release five minutes of the film at first, and then in 20-minute chunks until their financial demands are met.

From Deadline:

Disney’s upcoming Johnny Depp film Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales has been pilfered by ransom hackers seeking payment from the studio. The hackers have demanded an enormous amount of money be paid in Bitcoin. Disney is currently working with the FBI and will not pay.

Source: THR; Deadline

Jack Sparrow and Other ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie Characters Being Added to Paris Attraction

Disneyland Paris has confirmed today that Captain Jack Sparrow will be a permanent audio animatronic feature in The Pirates Of The Caribbean when it reopens later this year. The news comes after the media event on Sunday to welcome the European premiere of the new movie. Disneyland Paris will be the final Disney park to receive the character additions in hopes to incorporate the movie franchise with the classic Pirate Of The Caribbean attraction.

There’s still more to come with this renovation plan, as Pirates of the Caribbean is set to receive brand new latest-generation audio-animatronics, to give the vignettes a more lifelike effect. Characters from the successful film franchise – such as Jack Sparrow himself – will also be brought into this iconic ride at Disneyland Park, from July 24th.

The release remarks that multiple film characters will join the ride, but who all will be joining Jack remains to be seen. The attraction is currently under refurbishment, as seen below:

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Look out for a trip report for more photos of Disneyland Paris and assorted news in the next few days.

REVIEW: Alcoholic Oatmeal, Breakfast Pods, and Other Unique Eats on Satuli Canteen Breakfast Menu in Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Earlier this week, we reviewed lunch and dinner at the Satuli Canteen, but today, we review a menu of far greater interest, breakfast. Why is breakfast so interesting at this eatery in Pandora: The World of AVATAR? Well, you clicked this story based on the headline right? Alcoholic oatmeal? Breakfast pods?

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With a menu sounding so interesting, I couldn’t wait to try breakfast here.

Satuli Canteen Breakfast Menu

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Satuli Canteen Breakfast Menu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR

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Satuli Canteen Allergy-Friendly Breakfast Menu – Pandora: The World of AVATAR

Entrees

Steel Cut Oatmeal ($7.49)

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Steel-cut Oats, topped with Caramelized Brown Sugar, Bourbon-soaked Raisins, Marcona Almonds and Goji Berries. This item is prepared with alcohol and can only be ordered by Guests 21 years of age or older.

At the end of the day, this is an $8 oatmeal dish, but I really enjoyed it. The caramelized brown sugar mixed with the bourbon from the raisins makes for sweet and satisfying bites, and the other assorted toppings are worth a try. There was enough bourbon inn here to make the dish smell like a glass of it, so I think you’ll be happy with the results. I don’t often crave oatmeal, but even just writing this review, I have the urge to eat this dish again.

Disney actually won’t let anyone under 21 order this, but you can get a non-alcoholic version instead. My suggestion would be to skip this if you are under 21 because the bourbon is where most of the desired flavor comes from.

Breakfast Steamed Pod ($8.49)

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Steamed Pods filled with Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Spinach, Cheddar Cheese served with Pickled Slaw

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As exciting as these sounded, they were fairly standard and again had the problem of too much bread and not enough substance. Also, no one is going to be full from this dish. It needs a real side, not this pickled slaw that already comes with every lunch and dinner dish.

Steak and Eggs ($9.99)

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Vegetable-Goat Cheese Frittata and Wood Fired Herb Crusted Beef, with Chimichuri sauce.

Another winning dish, the frittata is loaded with vegetables, but is still light enough to be enjoyable, while the steak is pretty much the same as what comes in the lunch and dinner bowls (which is good). Opposed to lunch, the Chimichuri sauce actually paired well with everything in this dish.

Pork Hash ($8.99)

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Slow Roasted Pork and Potato Hash topped with Grilled Chorizo Sausage, Green Onions served with Natural Jus

Probably the best breakfast dish overall, this meal is also quite sizable. The potato hash is similar to the one at lunch (minus the sweet potatoes), mixed with well-cooked pork and a tasty grilled chorizo sausage. I like this type of dish spicy, so it is nice that there is tabasco at the nearby condiment station.

French Toast ($7.99)

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Cinnamon Swirl French Toast topped with Blueberry Cream Cheese Dollop, Passion Fruit Anglaise and Pork Sausage

This sounded like it would be so good, but it was a complete letdown. The blueberry cream cheese dollop (because everything from the lunch and dinner menu has to appear at breakfast I suppose) blends horribly with the french toast, but I think the problem is all with the toast. It’s mostly flavorless and was kind of tough honestly. The sausage was good and the plate was of a good size, but this just isn’t something I would order again.

OVERALL

The Satuli Canteen breakfast menu goes 3-for-5 in our experience, with those three dishes all being ones we would order again. Based on the overall weakness of breakfast options in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, this would certainly be my go-to.

Don’t forget to check out our lunch and dinner review of the Satuli Canteen in Pandora: The World of AVATAR, which also includes a rundown of the drinks and desserts offered here, in addition to every one of the entrees.

TONIGHT on WDW News Tonight (5/17/17) – In-Depth Review of Pandora: The World of AVATAR, Happily Ever After, Win Prizes from Pandora!

Tonight on WDW News Tonight, we explore Pandora: The World of AVATAR, review Happily Ever After art the Magic Kingdom, and play The Math Game for prizes straight from the planet of Pandora!

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If you are in the Orlando area, you can tune in to 105.5 FM or AM 1520 WBZW at showtime. For those outside of the Orlando area, the show can be watched via video stream at listen.WDWNT.com on your computer or mobile device. You can also use WDWNT: The App to watch and chat along. The show also utilizes a live chat and the ability to call-in to interact with the show. WDW News Tonight is hosted by Tom Corless and Nick LoCicero, but also features appearances by a number of other WDWNT correspondents and announcer Michelle Wargo.

Coming up on this week’s show:

  • A recap of the week’s news (with a WDWNT comedic twist)
  • An In-Depth Discussion of all aspects of Pandora: The World of AVATAR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (20 hours of experience, food reviews, attraction experiences, and more)
  • The Wonderful World of Psychotic Comments
  • “WDWNT: The Math Game” for prizes from Pandora: The World of AVATAR, provided by WDWNT: The App
  • Who Hates Tom Now?
  • And more!

We hope that you will tune in tonight at 9PM ET for a very special episode of WDW News Tonight!

If you missed last week’s show, be sure to watch it:

D23 Expo 2017: Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior Stars Hosting Variety of Panels, including Ducktales

Fans of Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior can look forward to seeing the stars of their favorite shows, as well as some interactive show floor attractions at the D23 Expo this Summer.

Throughout the weekend of July 14-16 a slew of panels will be hosted by the stars of shows like Tangled: The Series, the upcoming DuckTales show, and the anticipated Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants 2. Here’s the breakdown of panels you can expect to see at the convention.

  • On Friday, July 14 the stars of Descendants 2 will make appearances, along with the movie’s director/producer.
  • On Saturday, July 15 the stars of Disney XD’s DuckTales series will join Matt Youngberg (show producer) for a Q&A panel that’ll take place from 4:15-5:15 pm on Stage 28.
  • On Sunday, July 16 the creative team behind Disney Channel’s Tangled: The Series will host a Q&A panel. Mandy Moore and Zach Levi (Rapunzel and Eugene) will slo be at the panel taking questions. The event will take place from 10:30-11:30 am on Stage 28.

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In addition to the above events, fans of Doc McStuffins will be able to play at the McStuffins Toy Hospital Nursery, which will be on the show floor throughout the weekend. This will be a great way for kids to experience the traveling Doc McStuffins: The Exhibit museum, as well as play and be distracted while the adults go do grown-up things like stand in line for pins.

The show floor will also host Scrooge McDuck’s Money Bin, a photo opportunity for fans where they can dive into a pool of over 30,000 plastic gold coins while a professional 180-degree camera captures the whole thing. As a reminder, DuckTales will premier this Summer on Disney XD.

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The D23 Expo 2017 will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA from July 14-16. For more information on tickets and pricing, check out t he official D23 Expo website.

Happily Ever After Forces Magic Kingdom to Shift Times for Move It, Shake It, Dance & Play It Street Party

Due to large crowds awaiting the nightly performance of Happily Ever After at the Magic Kingdom, Disney has adjusted the times for the Move It, Shake It, Dance and Play It Street Party.

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The new daily showtimes are as follows:

  • 12:30PM
  • 5:40PM (moved from 5:45PM)
  • 7:00PM (moved from 7:45PM)

These changes will affect the rest of this week, but it is possible that the popularity of the new fireworks spectacular will require further changes to the performance schedule.

Iceland Vacations Coming to Adventures by Disney in 2018

Today, Adventures by Disney has announced a new trip that will debut in 2018; Iceland.

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You will be able to navigate this diverse country by seeing some volcanoes, waterfalls, and many more of the natural beauties of Iceland. The trip itself is a 8-day, 7-night, action-packed vacation that takes you from Reykjavik and the Golden Circle in the South to Akureyri to Lake Mývatn in the North. Prepare to be immersed in rich Icelandic culture and unparalleled natural beauty that join forces through this land of fire and ice.

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You will also be able to Visit the iconic Thingvellir National Park, breathtaking Goðafoss waterfall,  massive Kerið crater, unwind and relax at the soothing Blue Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths, and lastly explore the high seas with a spectacular humpback whale-watching expedition.

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Not only that, but there is much, much more to explore and do while on your Icelandic voyage, such as coming face-to-face with magnificent glaciers on a scenic cruise, embarking on whitewater rafting adventures through the glacial river of Skagafjörður, and trotting through the scenic countryside on an Icelandic horse. If you are a hands-on person and enjoy food, there is a special class you can take where you can learn to make bread using geothermal heat.

Adventures by Disney vacations to Germany, Costa Rica and Ireland have also been reimagined for 2018, expanding upon the already rich authentic experiences and local storytelling of these destinations. In all, Adventures by Disney will offer trips to more than three dozen destinations in 2018.

Bookings for all 2018 vacations open May 19, 2017!

Disney Coach Collection Now Available at Outlet Prices

At last the Disney Coach collection has made it’s way to the outlet stores! I have been dying to scoop up one of these purses but couldn’t justify the $300 plus price tag. If you missed it when it was first released the collection includes purses, backpacks, wallets and key chains. Below are just a few pieces from the collection. If you want to explore the whole collection that is at the outlets, you can view them here.

Disney Coach leather coin purse, bag tag and bracelet.

Disney Coach leather coin purse, bag tag and bracelet.

They even have a mens collection, largely featuring Disney backpacks.

They even have a mens collection, largely featuring Disney backpacks.

Iconic mouse ear purses from Coach.

Iconic mouse ear purses from Coach.

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