It’s time once again to check in on the latest progress of the expansion of Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
This update includes the latest progress on PizzeRizzo in the Muppets Courtyard, the demolition of the Streets of America & Studios Catering Company for Star Wars and Toy Story Land, and more! Enjoy:
The 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is about to begin, and we have photos of all of the booth menus!
Farm Fresh – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
New Zealand – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Australia – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
South Korea – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Africa – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Brewer’s Collection – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Germany – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Kahlua-tini Iced Coffee – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Frozen Strawberry-Lemon Sunset – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Tiki Torch – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Italy – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Poland – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Poland Detail – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Hawaii – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Patagonia – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Desserts & Champagne – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Belgium – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Canada – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Scotland – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Ireland – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
France – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Brazil – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Morocco – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Greece – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Japan – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Hops and Barley – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Germany – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
China – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Cool Post – Epcot 2016 International Food & Wine Festival
Craft Beer – 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Craft Beer Menu – 2016 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Wine & Dine Studio – 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
Wine & Dine Studio Menu – 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
Greenhouse Guru – 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
The Chew Collective – 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
Mexico – 2016 Epcot Food & Wine Festival
With the ongoing expansion of the Yacht and Beach Club Resort Convention Center at Walt Disney World, it only makes sense that other enhancements around the hotels would also be taking place to coincide with this ongoing work. The first of those major enhancements will be a remodeling of the Captain’s Grille restaurant at the Yacht Club Resort beginning in early 2017.
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club
While no dates have been provided as of yet, the refurbishment will likely last for around 6-8 months and include a major remodeling of the restaurant’s interior and a pretty significant overhaul of the existing menu. It is unknown what the menu changes might be exactly, but one would assume that the popular (yet mostly unknown to the average guest) breakfast buffet will return.
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club
Servers at the restaurant have been made aware of the closure over the last few weeks, but that information has not been deciminated to guests through any official avenues by Disney as of yet.
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club
While Captain’s Grille continues to be a hidden gem of Walt Disney World dining, the interior of the restaurant is undoubtedly aging, a product of early-1990’s design. The restaurant has never undergone a significant remodeling in that time and has, for the most part, looked the same for over 25 years now.
The restaurant will likely see a surge in customers as the nearby convention center is expanded over the coming years. Guests at the facility will be in need of dining options, and Yacht and Beach are fairly short on dining capacity and counter service options. Captain’s Grille typically does not require an advance dining reservation (as it is rarely busy), but it does get a fair amount of foot traffic from the current convention center already.
Stay tuned for more information on this story as it becomes available.
The Halloween season is in full swing at the Magic Kingdom, as are several large refurbishments as the resort prepares for what should be one of the busiest holiday seasons ever. While the summer was slow, the new attractions and other enhancements that took place this Summer should finally bring in some guests and the Magic Kingdom is getting ready for it (as well as its 45th anniversary). Now on to our latest photo report…
The painting of Cinderella Castle and the installation of the holiday lights continues on a daily basis.
A number of new D-Tech on Demand phone cases can be found at the Tomorrowland Light and Power Company at the exit of Space Mountain.
Some phone cases are only available during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
The newly painted rocks in Tomorrowland can be seen from the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover.
The Chewbacca stein is now available at Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies in Tomorrowland.
If you take a ride on the Liberty Square Riverboat, be sure to ask about the trivia sheets. Guests can fill out the sheet with answers found along the Rivers of America for a prize they can redeem at the end when they return to the dock.
Work on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is visible from the Riverboat.
For a better look, we also have a video to share with you. Sadly, I did not see anyone working on the finale scene of the ride, so I am afraid to report that we may not see the new explosive finale for the ride in this refurbishment…
While on the Riverboat, we also floated by the ongoing facade refurbishment of the Haunted Mansion:
The glass Mermaid cage that was added to Pirates own the Caribbean a few weeks ago was moved a little closer to the beach for some reason.
The pirate Mickey plush has finally arrived at the Magic Kingdom.
Some of the dancers in Frontierland Hoedown are now disguised as custodial cast members…
Some festive fall decorations are popping up in Liberty Square.
Man, everyone has this hat now…
The Cinderella Castle big fig has returned after a few years of absence, however, it is a bit pricey for the size.
It’s still no match for the real thing though…
The end of the Main Street Electrical Parade at Walt Disney World is drawing near as the parade gets in just a few more performances before the final night on October 9th.
Love it or hate it (personally I always preferred SpectroMagic), the Main Street Electrical Parade has been a staple of Walt Disney World since 1977. October 9th will certainly be a historic evening to say the very least.
If you are anything like me, you are probably just as excited for all of the new merchandise coming your way from the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival as you are for some off the food and drinks you’ll be enjoying there. Well, to help you in your shopping, we have devised this little guide to all of the merchandise at this year’s event. Enjoy!
Food and Wine Festival 2016 Poster, $24.99
Food and Wine Festival 2016 Figment Poster, $24.99
Food and Wine Festival 2016 Poster, $24.99
Limited release Figment logo pin, $14.99
Limited edition Frozen pin, $15.99
Limited edition Three Caballeros pin, $15.99
Limited edition Three Caballeros pin, $15.99
Limited edition The Emperor’s New Groove pin, $15.99
Limited edition Bento Box pin set, $59.99
Limited edition Bento Box pin set, $59.99
Festival baseball cap, $26.99
Festival long sleeve tee, $36.99
Festival “toothpick holder”, $9.99
Festival dish towels, $21.99
Festival wine tervis, $24.99
Festival tumbler, $21.99
Festival v-neck tee, $32.99
Festival garbage can salt and pepper shaker, $9.99
Festival mug, $14.99
Festival tee, $36.99
Festival magnet, $9.99
Festival stemless glass set, $26.99
Festival tray, $6.99 – cutlery set, $14.99
Festival ornament, $12.99
Festival plate, $14.99
Festival wine bag, $34.99
Figment oven mit, $14.99
Figment magnet, $9.99
Figment t-shirt, $24.99
Figment garbage can salt and pepper shaker, $9.99
Figment mug, $14.99
Figment ornament, $19.99
Figment apron, $26.99
Ladies Figment shirt, , $29.99
Brews t-shirt, $27.99
Brews t-shirt, $27.99
Brews baseball cap, $29.99
Brews glass, $14.99
Brews glass, $14.99
Brews ornament, $19.99
Brews ornament, $19.99
Keepsake box, $19.99
Keepsake box, $19.99
Keepsake box, $19.99
Passholder shirt, $27.99
There is also a pin and a coin available, pin is $15.99 and the coin is $24.99.
Happy shopping everyone!
According to a recent survey, “about half” of the people surveyed who are planning trips to the Orlando area said they have canceled or decided not to visit Walt Disney World due to the threat of the Zika virus.
Zika cases in Florida may be causing vacationers to reconsider plans to visit resorts including Walt Disney Co. parks in Orlando, according to BTIG LLC analyst Rich Greenfield, who cited a survey of travelers.
About half of roughly 800 people planning trips to the area said they have canceled or decided not to visit Walt Disney World due to the threat of the virus, based on a 5,000-person survey earlier this month by CivicScience, a Pittsburgh-based consumer polling and research firm cited by Greenfield in a research note Thursday.
With growth at Disney’s ESPN network slowing and the company’s film studio and consumer unit facing tough comparisons, the company is relying on the parks to drive growth in fiscal 2017, wrote Greenfield, who has recommended selling the stock since December 2015.
As of last month, Disney had “not seen an impact from Zika,” Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said on an Aug. 9 earnings conference call.
Disney, based in Burbank, California, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
While the survey suggests travelers have Zika fears, it’s not clear that will show up in Disney’s attendance numbers, Greenfield wrote.
“Given how meaningfully the cancellation/deferral rate appears to be, this is clearly a key question Disney should be pushing management to talk about,” he wrote.
Disney shares were little changed at $92.25 in New York. The stock is down 12 percent this year as of Wednesday.
Time for another Hostess with the Mostess countdown! In my last post, we ventured into the wonderful world of water rides. We took a much needed and refreshing look into my favorite watery attractions at Walt Disney World. I even shared some of my tips for staying dry on those rides. If you missed it, you can check it out right here.
What Disney favorite do I have planned this week? Well, my husband and I were recently talking about our favorite Disney snacks. I was listing off all of the yummy foods in the Magic Kingdom that I am excited to get on our next trip. Much to my surprise, there were several on my list that he has not tried yet! Not only is this a shock because I have been married to him for years without knowing this but it is a real problem because he is missing out! So when we go on our next trip, I am making sure he tries all of my favorite snacks! I have tons of food on the list for my husband to try. But today, I am going to share just five of my favorites with you. Here are my Top 5 Favorite Snacks at the Magic Kingdom.
Yes. It is as amazing as it sounds. If you have never experienced this cheesy savory dish, get ready for some spot on comfort food. Located at the Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland, this wonderful hidden treasure tastes like it came straight out of Mom’s kitchen. The tender pot roast and the mac and cheese flavors combined are absolutely delicious! The cheese is in no way an understatement and does not disappoint, however it is super rich, so be prepared because you may need a buddy to help you finish! This snack would have made it further up on my list if it was not for my sweet tooth.
I told you the cinnamon roll would make another appearance. I have two snacks for my number four, but they go so well together I had to include them both. The warm and gooey goodness of those giant cinnamon rolls paired with the marshmellowy mango amazingness of LeFou’s Brew cannot be beat. It’s just a little taste of heaven! I remember how much I disapproved of Disney taking the cinnamon rolls out of the Main Street Bakery and putting them in Gaston’s Tavern. But now, I am thankful. The two snacks are paired so perfectly, putting them in the same spot just makes sense!
This snack is yumminess on top of more yumminess. Stop by Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square to claim this tasty treat. They offer many waffle options, but the best waffle by far is this one. Picture a crispy golden waffle, slab on some chocolate hazelnut spread, and sprinkle on some strawberries, bananas, and blueberries. Fold it up, take a bite, and you have yourself an irresistible delicacy. To make the experience even better, go to the porch on the side of the Hall of Presidents. There are two rocking chairs waiting for you and your glorious waffle to come and sit, relax, and enjoy.
The Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich deserves the number two spot. You may want to call me an ice cream cookie sandwich connoisseur. I love them so much and I am always trying news ones that cross my path. This sandwich is the best one I have ever had. Not only is it huge and enticing, but the vanilla ice cream is creamy and delicious and the chocolate chip cookies are so soft and chewy. This special treat is so scrumptious that they sell it in two places! You can find it at Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square and the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street U.S.A.
I am sure most of you saw this coming! The Pineapple Dole Whip from Aloha Isle in Adventureland is my number one favorite snack. This soft serve treat packs a powerful punch of pineapple flavor and it is wonderfully refreshing on a hot Florida day. Yes, it is delicious, but there is another reason why the Dole Whip made it to number one. It just screams Disney! I get a Pineapple Dole Whip every trip and have been getting them ever since I could remember. The taste has never changed and it is a “Disney Must Have” in my family.
Those are my top five favorite snacks in the Magic Kingdom. Do not forget to vote and please comment if you have another favorite that was not mentioned. I would love to hear about what you think and what snacks you would put on the list!
Speaking of snacks, are there any Food and Wine Festival fans out there? If you are going to the Food and Wine Festival remember pick out your favorite foods! I will be doing a Food and Wine countdown next month and of course, as always, I want to hear from YOU!
Here is my Extra Magic Tip of the week: If you are looking for healthier snack options, stop at the Liberty Square Market Place. They have delicious baked potatoes, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt and much more!
[poll id=”4″]
If you ever wanted to train to be a Jedi like Luke Skywalker, you may want to take a look at the latest Disney patent…
Disney Patent for Interactive Star Wars Lightsaber
“An entertainment environment has a user with a faux light saber that interacts with a drone flying through the air or operated with hidden rods to appear as if its flying through the air. The faux light saber has LEDs attached thereto to provide IR light to the drone. As an LED is turned on, an invisible light sensor built into the drone captures an image of the field of view with a bright spot at the position of the activated LED. A visible light source built into the drone then projects light through particulate matter toward the faux light saber. As a result, the uses is provided with the illusion that the faux light saber has deflected a laser beam. Multiple LEDs can be activated in sequence at various times to give user the impression that the movement by the users of the faux light saber is deflecting multiple laser beams.”
While sometimes these patents mean nothing, rumors have suggested that the Star Wars lands coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland would be full of role-playing experiences like this. Could you imagine being able to train to be a Jedi just as Luke Skywalker was by Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode IV, deflecting lasers with your weapon?
Could guests get to be Jedi knights?
Again, this could be nothing, but guests could in fact be wielding an interactive lightsaber at Disney Parks someday.
We take a short trip to Epcot in our latest photo report, catching up on a few minor changes around the park, as well as some new merchandise items for sale.
No Climbing Sign on the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot
So, the old sign was clearly ripped off and these new signs using an Epcot font put in place. I only hope these are temporary as they damaged the wall underneath and these look no better than what was already there.
No Climbing Sign on the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot
It wouldn’t be a photo report if I wasn’t hocking some of Disney’s latest souvenirs you could take home…
Peter Pan Snowglobe
The Peter Pan’s Flight snow-globe was remade without Tinker Bell on the top. The Tink statue was too fragile and was breaking in transit, so they just placed Peter’s hat on top of the new version.
Oswald basketball jersey
Some new basketball and baseball style jerseys are on sale in MouseGear, including this sleek Oswald one.
Oswald basketball jersey
There’s also a Mickey Mouse baseball jersey
Mickey Mouse baseball jersey
Walt Disney World baseball jersey
Walt Disney World baseball jersey
Fab 4 Basketball Jersey
Pin Central has a TON of open edition Halloween pins on sale currently (and yes, it is still mid-August).
Star Wars Halloween pin
Star Wars character Halloween pins were expanded this year, but the variety from last year are still available as well.
Star Wars Halloween pin
Star Wars Halloween pin
Star Wars Halloween pin
Star Wars Halloween pin
Disney Parks bicycle accessories
Strange enough, a line of bicycle accessories is now hitting stores around Walt Disney World.
Disney Parks bicycle accessories
Disney Parks bicycle accessories
Disney Parks bicycle accessories
Journey Into Imagination queue
Strange things continue to happen at the Imagination pavilion, like this now wide open backstage walkway in the Journey Into Imagination queue. There used to be a metal gate here.
Journey Into Imagination queue
All of the projectors in the queue were also set to stationary, so there was no Figment appearing every few seconds.
Journey Into Imagination exit
The Figment footprints are still missing in the exit hallway, likely gone for good at this point.
Journey Into Imagination exit
For my birthday, a group of friends decided to buy me some treats from the Karamel Kuche in Germany since I had never tried anything from there before. Everything was pretty amazing, so I’ll definitely be back.
Karamel Kuche at Epcot
Karamel Kuche at Epcot
Karamel Kuche at Epcot
We also tried a shot of this fig drink, which was… interesting…
In our latest photo report, we travel to the Magic Kingdom and the surrounding resort area to see the latest progress on the Tomorrowland repainting, the continuing rock installation at WDW beaches, and the Disney Vacation Club cabin additions at Wildenress Lodge.
Cinderella Castle Crane
The crane is back at Cinderella Castle for the installation of the Dreamlights for the holiday season (yes, it is still August).
Cinderella Castle Crane
Cinderella Castle Crane
Tomorrowland Entrance Repainting
The repainting of the Tomorrowland entrance is now visible on the front side, as a grey/silver soat has been started at the bottom of the rocks by the water.
Tomorrowland Entrance Repainting
Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is closed until November for what we expect to be the installation of the new finale scene, similar to that found at Disneyland Park.
Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment
Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment
Big Thunder Mountain Refurbishment
Alligator and Snake warning sign in the Magic Kingdom
Spotted this sign by Big Thunder Mountain, in the designated smoking section.
Sofia the First ear hat
There is now a Sofia the First ear hat on sale in the parks.
Sofia the First ear hat
New Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise
More Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise featuring the Fab 5 continues to be released.
New Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise
New Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise
The line is geared towards children, so there are plastic placemats available.
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
When “Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It!” is cancelled for inclement weather, it also get the Magic Kingdom rainy Day Character Cavalcade treatment. This replacement offering drives up and down Main Street in this case, at least giving guests a look at their favorite characters. It also has a really catch soundtrack, which you can hear below in an older recording of the parade we have:
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Rainy Day Character Cavalcade
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
In traveling to Trail’s End at Fort Wildnerness, we decided to take a boat, which provided some spectacular views.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
This is one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken at Walt Disney World…
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
What are all these bags backstage at the Contemporary? ROCKS. HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF ROCKS.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
These rocks will soon line the shoreline behind the resort, similar to the beaches at the Polynesian and Grand Floridian.
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Work continues on the Disney Vacation Club cabin additions at Wilderness Lodge.
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Many of the cabins are going vertical now.
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Wilderness Lodge DVC
The shoreline at Fort Wilderness received the rock treatment as well.
Wilderness Lodge DVC
Trail’s End moonshine
We end on alcohol once again, this time with some of the fantastic moonshine drinks available at Trail’s End and Crockett’s Tavern.
