Tom Corless’s 10/16/15 WDW Photo Report (Disney Springs, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Etc.)

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

I managed to visit Disney Springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom over the course of the last week, so let’s take a look at what’s new and noteworthy in my latest photo report:

Construction of Town Center is coming along nicely

STK Steakhouse as seen from the top of the Orange Parking structure

New 4 parks ornaments

New Mickey Mouse food magnets were recently released

The expansion continues inside World of Disney

Cool new Mad Tea Party hat for sale

 

With the stage gone, the Chinese Theater is unobstructed for the first time since 2001 at Hollywood Studios

 

 

 

New “purchase with purchase” items available around the resort

 

There is a throw with a matching design inside this bag

 

 

New Fantasia ear hat ornament set

 

Work continues on Star Wars Launch Bay, opening in December

 

Billboard for The Force Awakens behind the Chinese Theater

 

One for Jungle Book as well

 

Sunset Showcase visible behind Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster

Pop Secret is now the sponsor of Fantasmic! at Hollywood Studios

 

The once temporary railing inisde the Great Movie Ride finally got a more permanent look

 

New antenna topper

 

Not sure I have ever seen Disney character dreidels before…

 

WITH INSTRUCTIONS!

 

Mulch, Sweat, and Shears had their final show on Saturday, the group is being retired as the park heads in a new direction

Moving to Animal Kingdom, 4 cranes loom over the AVATAR construction site

 

The hyena area on Kiliminjaro appears to be finished, just obscured from view by plants


GIRAFFE!

The new building on Discovery Island is coming along nicely

Disney Outfitters actually lost a room in the construction of the new building

Some years ago, the Art of Disney store would have started right about here

Disney Outfitters has a lot of great Conversation Fund merchandise

Work continues on the backside of the new building as well

You can find the Vampire Mickey popcorn bucket at Animal Kingdom

The Duffy meet and greet may be gone, but Shellie May is coming to Walt Disney World. The book is the first item to hit shelves.

VIDEO: New Projection Scene Added to the Finale of The Great Movie Ride

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

While it has been several months since the debut of the new Great Movie Ride presented by Turner Classic Movies, the ride continues to add new details. The rather dark room following the film montage at the end of the attraction added a large new projection very quietly over the last few weeks:

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The new scene can only really be experienced if you are in the second train on the ride, meaning you are parked to the right side during the film montage at the end. During the slightly longer trip this train takes back to the station, guests can look up and see some classic film moments from the montage before they “rise dramatically to their feet” and exit.

Tortuga Tavern at Magic Kingdom Getting New Menu Starting 10/14

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

On the heels of the Pecos Bill’s menu change, the seasonally operating Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom is switching to a new menu as well.

 

New menu items include barbecue sandwiches with either pulled pork, sliced beef brisket or grilled chicken breast, all served on Texas toast with beans and cole slaw.

 

Vegetarians, or anyone looking for a lighter meal will enjoy the roasted corn and vegetable salad, served with vinaigrette dressing. Barbecue beef brisket or chicken can also be added to the salad.

 

 

New Sunset Showcase at Hollywood Studios to Open with “Club Disney” on December 5th

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

When the new Sunset Showcase opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on December 5th, 2015, it will be host to Club Disney, the hottest spot in town for kids and characters alike. Guests can join Mickey and the gang and take to the dance floor in this electric club environment, where a DJ Club Host spins a mix of favorite Radio Disney Top 40 songs as the floor and walls come alive with vivid images from classic Disney animation.

Club Disney will also feature a seating area and snack station, where you can refuel and recharge – both yourself and your electronic devices – before heading out for more fun in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

 

The new Sunset Showcase venue is located behind Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster and will be accessed via the gateway next to the current entrance for that attraction. Club Disney is expected to run in the space through January, when a Villains offering is expected to move in.

Celebrity Chef Art Smith Opening “Homecoming” Restaurant at Disney Springs in 2016

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine, Chef Art Smith’s new restaurant concept, will open in Summer 2016 at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.

 

You might know Chef Smith from his years as Oprah’s chef, or for his appearances in “Iron Chef America,” “Top Chef” and “Top Chef Masters.” The James Beard Foundation award winner was born and reared in the town of Jasper, Fla., on the Florida-Georgia border, where his family still raises cattle, pecans and heirloom vegetables. And after 25 years of preparing award-winning meals for celebrities and heads of state and appearing on television, he is making Florida his home once again.

The Homecoming menu will feature Southern favorites like homemade pimento cheese, Church Lady deviled eggs, low country shrimp and grits, kale salad with Sweet Grass Dairy cheese and spiced pecans and a grilled Blackstrap pork chop with sawmill gravy. “Each dish has a little Florida twist and make guests feel like they’re on the back porch with me for every meal,” says Smith. Desserts will be a specialty, with cakes, pies and delectable sweets made daily and shipped from a bakery in Hamilton County, including the restaurant’s signature Mockingbird Cake.

 

The “rustic-chic” restaurant has a glass-walled show kitchen and the Southern Shine bar, featuring whimsical cocktails, punches and coolers that celebrate an era where characters might have created some homegrown spirits on their homesteads just beyond the springs.

If you are wondering why the restaurant is called Homecoming, well, Chef Smith attended Florida State University and did a culinary internship with the Walt Disney World College Program many years ago.

Dirk Wallen’s 10/9/15 WDW Photo Report (AVATAR, Rivers of Light Construction, Disney Springs, Etc.) np

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs this week and has some newsworthy photos to share with us, so let’s take a look:

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GIRAFFE!

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We often find cute animals are a good way to ease you into construction photos…

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As seen from the heights of Everest, here is the latest progress on Pandora: The World of AVATAR

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The floating mountains rise high above the park

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Work is ramping up on the Rivers of Light show as well as there is just a few months left to go before it debuts

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Here you see the viewing area under construction

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Various new rock structures hide the projectors and lighting for the show

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The control tower for the show rises in front of Everest

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Guests will be able to sit all the way down to the water’s edge for the show

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At Kilimanjaro Safaris, strange rock work (which we suspect hides the lighting for the nighttime version of the ride) has appeared

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Work continues on the new building in Discovery Island

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Painting of the existing buildings continues

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Moving over to Disney Springs, construction is coming along nicely on the Town Center

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The Edison, former home fo the Adventurer’s Club

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The home of STK Steakhouse

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This will soon be the new bus loop and drop off area

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Another look at STK

REVIEW: Does Morimoto Asia Add Another Great Restaurant to the Disney Springs Lineup?

WDWNT on October 7, 2015

Morimoto Asia recently opened in The Landing at Disney Springs, providing guests a large menu of Pan-Asian offerings. The restaurant is located in the former home of Mannequin’s on Pleasure Island, which has now been beautifully converted into this modern restaurant.

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The interior is painfully modern, but pleasing. Having lived in New York for many years, this is pretty much what I always expect from a higher-end restaurant. There is an Asian flair, but the interior does not carry any of the industrial district story of The Landing or Disney Springs, but it doesn’t really have to either.

We started with a Sake Sangria which was very refreshing and I would HIGHLY recommend

For appetizers, I ordered the spare ribs which were cooked to perfection. The meat fell right off the bone and the sticky sauce had a great flavor to it.

The five-spice chicken wings were cooked nicely, but really didn’t deliver much flavor despite the name

We also have 5 different “dim sum” dishes, all of which were spectacular. You really can’t go wrong with anything in the “dim sum” portion of the menu.

For my entree, I had the Peking Duck. This was by far my favorite duck dish I have ever ordered.

It had great a great flavor, but was especially good with the included sweet chili sauce

The “buri-bop” is a unique dish prepared table-side in a bowl heated to a very high temperature. The yellowtail tasted great and mixed well with everything in the dish.

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The chicken pad thai is a large portion for $16 and very tasty. From the lowest priced entrees to the highest, there really wasn’t anything we regretted ordering.

The orange chicken had a strong orange taste (probably what is should taste like at more Asian restaurants), but was still very good. Again, just cooked perfectly.

We also had a side of brown rice that was so good, I would come in and just order a few bowls of this as my entree!

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If there was one problem we encountered, it was the speed and quality of the sushi kitchen. Our tempura shrimp roll was not served in a timely manner and was not at the temperature it should have been served at. I would go back to try another sushi dish, but I’m not sure this is the restaurant’s strong suit.

While I loved many of the appetizers and entrees, this dessert dish was my favorite offering. This is the chocolate cream and crunch featuring Oreo tempura, Mandarin orange jelly, dark chocolate gelato, and hazelnut chocolate crunchies.

In my 27 years visiting theme parks, this was my favorite dessert I’ve ever ordered. It was unique and delicious, offering just the right hint of orange flavor mixed with decadent chocolate. Our waiter was convinced this wasn’t even the best dessert on the menu, so I look forward to returning and trying the rest!

In review, I was blown away by Morimoto Asia. While the restaurants in Japan and China at Epcot have always been solid offerings, this is the first real “Asian-style” restaurant of any kind at Walt Disney World that I am clamoring to return to. The menu is diverse in offerings, pricing, and has quite the drink selection. There really is something for everyone of every taste and budget. Between the Boathouse, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, and Morimoto Asia, I could not be more pleased with the direction Disney Springs is heading in. I have high hopes for STK and other restaurants still yet to be named for the project, but in the meantime, I need to get back to Morimoto as soon as possible!

Purple MagicBands Are Coming!

WDWNT on September 3, 2015

Since the launch of MyMagic+ some time ago, guests have been asking for a purple MagicBand to be added to the available line-up. It appears it is coming…

 

These two new MagicBands coming out soon have designs printed on a purple MagicBand. The retail MagicBands with designs have only ever been printed on colors actually available, so we expect a plain purple MagicBand to be available to guests in the not-too-distant future. Stay tuned!

Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic Returns October 30-31, 2015

WDWNT on September 3, 2015

Favorite seminars and stations return for sixth annual Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic

Menus and seminar lineup set for the 2015 annual culinary event

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – Oct 1, 2015 – From October 30 – 31, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic will celebrate its sixth year featuring global culinary specialties at the Epcot Resort Area hotel, with more than 40 food and wine stations, 10 food and wine seminars and the opportunities to meet the award-winning chefs behind featured culinary masterpieces.

Guests will delight in numerous opportunities to sip and savor along the hotel’s causeway all weekend while enjoying live entertainment, and even some spooky fun on Halloween night.

Delectable culinary offerings headline the two-night event, featuring cuisine from the hotel’s own award-winning signature restaurants: Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Shula’s Steak House and Todd English’s bluezoo, with wine and spirits samplings from around the globe.

This year’s menu introduces new interesting and unique dishes sure to please the palate including ginger cured Hamachi with nitro lime, mascarpone chestnut ravioli with Italian sausage, celery root and bacon jus and smoked Wagyu short ribs accompanied by a parsnip puree, melba toast and pommery mustard sauce.

Favorite dishes from past years also return, such as the shrimp cocktail steamroller, Thai chicken salad with organic greens, green papaya tamarind and ginger dressing as well as the dragon sushi roll with crispy shrimp, tuna and avocado.

The hotel’s World Champion Pastry Chef, Laurent Branlard, provides a sweeter side to the evening with decadent desserts like chocolate almond crunch cake and éclair with caramelized banana cream and coconut streusel. This year Branlard will also introduce his S’more Sundae Action Station, combining the classic desserts of the s’more and sundae.

New to this year’s event is a food truck area, featuring cuisine from the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel and Cabot Cheese – a favorite from last year – as well as an exclusive beverage truck.

Seminars once again return to offer guests the chance to receive a hands-on and tasty educational experience. Seminars cover topics including wine blending, Italian wines, champagne, beer, mixology, tequila, pasta making, sushi and sake, wine and cheese pairing and the Brazilian cocktail, caipirinha.

All seminars require separate tickets in addition to the causeway tickets, and space is limited.

As an upgraded ticket option, guest can once again experience a beer garden, featuring a variety of local and seasonal brews from around the world, alongside Oktoberfest-inspired cuisine made by the hotel’s culinary experts.

To add to the event’s appeal, guests can enjoy a meet and greet with celebrity chef Todd English, the namesake of the hotel’s Todd English’s bluezoo restaurant. Guests can also meet the world’s only two-time World Champion Pastry Chef and the hotel’s very own executive pastry chef, Laurent Branlard. Barbeque fans shouldn’t miss the Cib’s Smoke House station for signature barbeque dishes from the hotel’s executive chef Robert Ciborowski.

“This event is a way for us to celebrate our love of food, wine and beverage with others who share that same passion,” said the hotel’s Director of Food & Beverage Tony Porcellini. “What continues to bring back people year after year is the one-of-a-kind, fun, street-party atmosphere our guests enjoy.”

With 17 restaurants and lounges, a distinguished culinary and beverage team and unmatched customer service, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel continually receives national recognition for its food and beverage program. The culinary team has had the honor of presenting multiple dinners at the distinguished James Beard House, most recently in June 2015. The hotel boasts more than 70 certified wine sommeliers and 1,400 wine selections, including organic and rare vintages.  The hotel’s restaurants are annual winners of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence including Shula’s Steak House, a four-time recipient of the exclusive Best of Award of Excellence.

Tickets to the Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic are available as part of a hotel package or individually. For more information or to book, please visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com or call 1-800-227-1500.

Disney Opening a Chocolate Shop “With Character” in Disney Springs Late 2015

WDWNT on September 3, 2015

 

Walt Disney World chefs traveled the world to research and create a custom blend chocolate with the finest beans for the all-new concept that will feature freshly made ganache (gəˈnaSH). Ganache is a luxurious mixture of chocolate and cream, and every chef has their own “perfect” formula for the indulgent sweet.

Hand-crafted onstage by a chocolatier, the shop located between Sound Lion and Sanuk in The Landing at Disney Springs will feature fresh batches daily, including dark (65 percent custom blend), hazelnut, chipotle and a custom blend flavored with the world’s finest spices and flavors.

Beautiful custom packaging will make elegant take-home gifts. And you can bet there will also be chocolate bars inspired by Disney characters.

 

The Ganachery is set to open later in 2015.