WDWNT Reporter Brandon Struve took a trip around the World on Friday and has a ton of newsworthy pictures to share with us, so let’s take a look at what’s new and notable:
Welcome to the Magic Kingdom, where Halloween is in full swing
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Tasty tequilas and mouthwatering margaritas are on tap at La Cava del Tequila, a new offering for Epcot guests to explore the heritage and tradition of tequila-making in Mexico.
Tucked away in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot, La Cava del Tequila beckons guests with more than 70 types of authentic tequila, ranging from the simplest to the rarest of them all, aged to perfection and made from the finest distilled spirits from the agave plant. Tequilas range in price from $8 to $50 for a specialty tequila.
Amid warm décor, art work and original artifacts all celebrating the Mexican heritage, a “Tequila Ambassador” is on hand to educate Walt Disney World guests on the history of tequila-making.
Also on the drink menu: Exotic and uniquely blended margaritas, introducing a variety of flavored salts, spices and tropical fresh fruits masterfully prepared by experienced mixologists. A variety of quick tastes, tapas style, will be available, including freshly made guacamole and ceviche as well as mahi mahi tostadas with diced mango and avocado and blue crab tostados with chipotle mayo and Valentina sauce.
The 30-seat La Cava del Tequila is open from noon until Epcot park closing time. It is connected to the famous San Angel Inn as part of the Mexico pavilion, a popular stop for Walt Disney World guests.
Several “tapas-style” tastings are on the menu including freshly made guacamole, home-fried fresh corn chips, salsas, ceviches and various tostadas.
Flavorful margaritas and specially prepared flights of tequila take center stage.
Specially trained Tequila Ambassador, Hilda Castillo, straight from Tequila, Mexico, shares her passion for tequila making at the newly opened La Cava del Tequila at Epcot.
While many have reported that the special dining program featuring the “living character” of Remy from Disney-Pixar’s Ratatouille meeting and greeting guests at the Les Chefs De France restaurant in the France pavilion at Epcot would be coming to an end this fall, a recent listing on the Disney Auditions website says otherwise:
Disney Auditions is seeking male and female comedic improv actors for Bon Appetit with Chef Remy, performed inside Les Chefs de France in Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort, near Orlando, FL. Strong candidates should have subtle timing, be capable of working alone and have puppetry experience. Bilingual actors fluent in French and English, are desired. Some French speaking is required.
The popularity of the program has been undeniable and it looks like they will continue to have the “little chef” cooking up fun in France for the foreseeable future. Stay tuned to WDW News Today as we get more information on this breaking story.
After changing the booking window policy for all dining, recreation, and tours to just 90 days in late 2008 (to prepare for the advent of the online reservation system), the Walt Disney World Resort will be returning to a 180 day booking window effective October 27, 2009. The change was made official on the Disney Parks Twitter account earlier today, but comes as no surprise to those who have been hearing these rumors over the past several weeks.
According to the Disney Parks Twitter, the Beaches and Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Beach Club Resort is now serving breakfast options. Also according to the official twitter updates, the new “breakfast service features egg-bacon, pancake platters for adults and children”. We do not have any pictures of the service in operation yet, but will try to cover this new breakfast option as soon as possible.
I have returned from my latest trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, and there were plenty of things going on in the last week. So let’s not waste any time, on to my photo report:
There is a large balloon promoting “UP” outside the AMC Theater in Downtown Disney West Side
According to Mark Goldhaber’s “Mark My Words” blog on MousePlanet.com:
Apparently, Disney will be testing a new Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party in the Magic Kingdom starting on Tuesday.
The test will run from June 23 through Saturday, August 29, “near” the Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station. Our guess is that it probably will be in the Noodle Station’s lower seating area and possibly the middle level, as well. There’s really no other area that can accommodate the 160 people (maximum) that the party will allow aside from the smoking area, which would either tick off the dislocated smokers or the non-smokers forced to put up with the smokers.
The party will feature an all-you-can-eat dessert buffet and beverages, and will run from 1 hour prior to Wishes through the end of Wishes.
The cost will be $17.99 for adults and $9.99 for kids. Booking opens on Monday, and you can call the Disney Dining Line (407-WDW-DINE/407-939-3563) to make those reservations.
Party attendance is prepaid, and (as with the Fantasmic dining package), there will be no refunds if the weather causes a cancellation of Wishes. The dessert reception will be held regardless of weather.
I was indeed able to book this “un-announced” dessert party offering this morning and will be attending it on the evening of June 24th. You can expect a full review with photos at some point this week, so stay tuned.
As many of you probably already know, Walt Disney World guests now have the ability to make advance dining reservations for select table service restaurants online at DisneyWorld.com. After a few days of testing the system and seeing the in-and-outs of it, I think I’m ready to give a review. Let me just say that I was extremely skeptical that this system would work well after having made my ADR’s by phone for as long as I could remember, but I must say that I have been extremely impressed thus far. Guests can simply go to the Walt Disney World website and look under the dining section (or go via direct link here) and click a small box under each of the corresponding table service restaurants:
After clicking book a reservation, you are taken to a page where you will enter the date, number of people in your party, and time you would like to eat at the restaurant of choice. After entering all of the proper information and waiting for a few moments, you will get your results, either granting you with your preferred seating time or giving you alternative times for the chosen restaurant or other available eateries. One complaint I do have is that when I had a rejected reservation for a restaurant, I was offered alternatives reservations at restaurants in far away places. Shouldn’t the system suggest other restaurants that are near-by??? After selecting whatever reservation is right for you, you can complete your planning or add more restaurant reservations. Once you are done, you will be emailed your reservations for future record.
Again, the system is extremely convenient and will make sure that you’re never stuck waiting on the phone to make an ADR. It seems, for once, that the Disney World website is offering a truly unique and convenient service to the public.
The McDonald’s near Disney’s All Star Resorts recently re-opened from a short refurbishment and may now be the trendiest, most stylish fast food eatery on the planet. Let’s take a look at some pictures of the location taken by WDWNT photographer Jose Eber:
The exteror has come a long way from food with faces
The drive-thru looks quite different
Finally, here is our very last Walt Disney world photo report (we promise) from last week. This report is from WDWNT Owner Tom Corless and is quite lengthy, so let’s get started:
Starting at the Magic Kingdom on April 27th…
