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Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant Coming Soon

At long last, Disney has provided us with an update about a Toy Story Land table service restaurant announced way back in May 2019. Roundup Rodeo BBQ will be the first Toy Story Land table service restaurant. Disney now plans for Roundup Rodeo BBQ to open in Spring 2023. They aren’t committing to an exact date just yet, but I’m confident we will get an announcement in February 2023, if not sooner. I’m betting Disney will want to have this Toy Story Land table service restaurant up and running in time for spring break crowds in March and April 2023.

Roundup Rodeo BBQ

Disney originally announced that a table service restaurant was planned for Toy Story Land way back in 2019. Click here to read our original post about the announcement.

At that time, we hoped that Disney planned to open this restaurant in late 2020 or early 2021. Unfortunately, this project was one more project pushed back significantly by the pandemic and subsequent theme park closures in 2020. When the parks reopened, the halted construction projects were slow to resume. Projects that DID resume seemed to progress much more slowly than similar projects had in the past. No doubt, Disney was more cautious in light of the financial impact the park closures had on the bottom line.

Gradually, we have seen many of these projects finish and open, like Cosmic Rewind and Space 220 at Epcot. Other projects are taking longer than planned but are starting to show signs that they will be completed soon. For example, the long awaited Magic Kingdom attraction TRON Lightcycle/Run has been testing with actual people for the last week or two. (More on that coming soon).

Where is Roundup Rodeo BBQ located?

This new Toy Story Land table service restaurant will be located off to the right near the main Toy Story Land entrance. If you’ve been in the parks over the last couple of years, you may have noticed the construction walls running on the right as you approach the Toy Story Land sign and the giant Woody. (Don’t feel bad if you didn’t notice them or pay any attention–Disney doesn’t WANT you to notice them. They want you to stay in the magic and not see any construction going on until the new attraction, shop or restaurant are completed!)

Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant: Will this be a Character Meal?

No. Disney has been VERY clear that Toy Story Land’s Roundup Rodeo table service restaurant will NOT be a character meal. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were occasional Woody or Jessie sightings at this new table service offering, but don’t count on seeing any characters in person at this restaurant.

Disney Restaurants Beast Be Our Guest — Be Our Guest: The Beast Does a Walk Through (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

At Be Our Guest, the combination quick service and table service restaurant themed to Beauty and the Beast at the Magic Kingdom, the Beast occasionally will stroll through the dining rooms, allowing guests to catch a glimpse. Generally, he will stop and pose for a few moments to allow for photos and then he moves on.

I could see Disney doing something like that with this new Toy Story Land table service restaurant–but probably not at the beginning, and maybe not ever. It’s a great way to attract additional guests, but let’s face it: A new table service restaurant themed to Toy Story Land? That’s a guaranteed winner! I’m guessing this will quickly sell out as soon as the reservation windows open. Unless the food turns out to be terrible or something, this will likely be a very hot commodity for at least a couple of years.

Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant Roundup Rodeo BBQ Photo: Disney Parks — Roundup Rodeo BBQ Concept Art

What’s the Story for Toy Story Land Roundup Rodeo BBQ?

One of my favorite things about Disney is the Imagineers. There is a story for absolutely EVERYTHING at Walt Disney World. The details and theming are elements that keep fans coming back year after year, generation after generation.

Roundup Rodeo BBQ is no exception. The Imagineers have crafted a story that enables this new table service restaurant to fit right in to the Andy’s Backyard concept for all of Toy Story Land.

Andy has decided to build a rodeo restaurant for all his toys. He’s used his Woody’s Roundup toys, his imagination and lots of his other playthings to create a fun atmosphere for toys, kids and even grown-ups to enjoy!

Toy Story Land Table Service Restaurant Roundup Rodeo BBQ — Roundup Rodeo BBQ, Interior Photo: Disney Parks

Disney has released a couple of photos of the interior of Roundup Rodeo BBQ, which makes me even more optimistic that this new Toy Story Land table service restaurant really is on track to open early sprint 2023.

I love the bright colors of Toy Story Land, and was happy to see that even though Disney Imagineers are going with a Western theme for this restaurant, they are still bringing in the familiar colors, characters and elements that we all love from other parts of Toy Story land.

Disney promised that we will find lots of fun elements in Roudup Rodeo, including game boards featuring characters from the Toy Story films, a steam train supported by colored pencils (shown in the photo above), a cardboard box with hand drawn (by Andy of course) audience members, and comic strips featuring Woody’s adventures on the dining room ceiling!

What will we eat at this new table service restaurant?

One of the most important question that comes up whenever we talk about Disney and a new restaurant is “what is the food going to be like?”

The short answer? We aren’t really sure yet. Disney has been pretty vague so far, other than putting BBQ in the name of the restaurant. I don’t think I’m walking out too far on a limb when I say I think we can expect to have western and BBQ themed food!

Seriously though, all Disney has told us so far is the the food will be barbeque inspired comfort foods, served family style. They’ve also said there will be platters of house-smoked meats, a roundup of sides and some miniature sweet surprises. Beyond that, Disney isn’t telling. YET.

I’m sure as we get closer to this new table service restaurant opening, we will get menus. As soon as I hear more about the food, I will update you all.

What will it cost?

The next question is of course, “what is the price point for this restaurant?” Unfortunately, Disney is also keeping quiet on this topic as well. At least for now. However, based on theming and the location, I’m fairly certain the pricing for this Toy Story Land table service restaurant will be moderate. I don’t think Disney is going for high end, white glove service for Roundup Rodeo. I’m expecting to something in line with the Regal Eagle quick service restaurant in America at Epcot. (See our article about that location here.) The Regal Eagle is quick service, so Roundup Rodeo BBQ prices will likely be a bit higher, but hopefully it will stay in this general range. Of course I will keep you all posted as I learn more.

What do YOU Think?

Are you excited about this new table service offering in Toy Story Land? Some of the challenges for guests in Toy Story Land are the lack of shade and lack of seating. I’m pretty happy that an air conditioned table service restaurant is coming–I like to take a little time at lunch (or dinner) to sit in the air conditioning and relax and eat. We like to recharge our batteries and since we are from the midwest, that Florida heat and humidity can really run us down sometimes. So I am ALWAYS a fan when I can make reservations as part of my planning, and guarantee my family a chance to sit down in A/C and enjoy a meal.

I’m already reworking my plan for our annual Mother/Daughter Flower & Garden Festival trip to make sure I can try and get us a reservation at Roundup Rodeo BBQ. After all, we have to do a review for all of you, don’t we?

Please let me know in the comments below if you will be adding this to your “Must Do” list or if you’ll wait and see how it turns out.

If you want to get planning on a trip for 2023 to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios and investigate this new Toy Story Land table service restaurant for yourself, please contact me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com for a no-obligation quote.

Happy Dreaming!

Brooke

Authorized Disney Vacation Planner — Ready to Plan Your Disney Vacation!

La Creperie de Paris: Another Reason to Visit France

La Creperie de Paris is one of the newest additions to EPCOT’s table service restaurant offerings. Located in the “new” section of EPCOT’s France pavilion, La Creperie de Paris offers guests both a quick service option and a table service option.

La Creperie de Paris EPCOT — La Creperie de Paris (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

Counter Service

Crepes A Emporter by La Creperie de Paris is a quick service window connected to La Creperie de Paris. At this quick service window, you’ll be able to enjoy both savory galettes and sweet crepes, as well as soft serve ice cream and ciders and wines.

The line for the quick service Crepes A Emporter at La Creperie de Paris (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

We observed fairly long lines for this quick service window every time we were in the vicinity. It’s definitely a tasty and popular option, and worth the visit to this “back of France” area. The new Ratatouille attraction is located back in this area of the France pavilion, and that is the main reason most guests flock to this area. (Note: There are also new bathrooms back in this area–I like knowing where all the non-restaurant bathrooms are located!).

There is not much seating anywhere in this area, and crepes are not the easiest thing to eat while standing; however, if you are wanting something a little different to eat or for dessert, the offerings here are quite tasty.

My nephew Vinnie absolutely LOVED the dessert crepes here, and visited this quick service window several times during our October trip.

Quick Service Menu: Crepes A Emporter at La Creperie de Paris

Galettes (Savory Crepes)

Cream of Brie Cheese Galette $9.95

Ratatouille Galette (Tomatoes, Zucchini and Eggplant) $8.95

Bechamel, Cheese & Ham Galette $10.95

Crepes (Sweet Crepes)

Butter & Sugar Crepe $5.95

Housemade Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread Crepe $7.95

Red Berries Crepe $7.50

Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Cream Crepe $6.95

Glaces (Ice Cream)

Soft-serve Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone

Cidres (Hard Ciders)

Cidre Brut (Dry) $5.95

Cidre Doux (Sweet) $5.95

Petillants (Sparklings)

Champagne Malard Excellence Brut $15.50

Mimosa Sparkling Wine & Orange Juice $12.00

Kronenbourg 1664 French Beer $9.00

Vins (Wines)

Rose, Cotes de Provence $14.00

Chardonnay, Chefs Selection G. Duboeuf $7.50

Merlot, Chefs Selection G. Duboeuf $7.50

Cabernet Sauvignon $8.00

Boisson (Soft Drinks)

Assorted Beverages (Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Iced Tea, Lemonade $4.75

Evian Natural Spring Water $3.50

Perrier Sparkling Mineral Water $4.75

Our Thoughts

Overall, we found this quick service location to be good option. Every crepe we tried was tasty, and we thought it was positive that there were a couple vegetarian options here.

Our favorite crepe overall was definitely the Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread Crepe. This crepe was so tasty! It’s very rich, though, so you’ll want to make sure you have some water or an alternative beverage. (If you can get a scoop of vanilla ice cream for your crepe, that helps a LOT with the richness AND adds a lovely cold element on a hot day. We discovered that wonderful combination at the table service restaurant, though.)

EPCOT France Pavilion New Addition — Photo: Brooke Hudson

I am not kidding when I tell you there really isn’t anywhere in this area to sit and enjoy your crepe. That is the only real negative I have about this quick service location. Much of the area back here is absorbed by the Ratatouille queue; there are a few planters with ledges where people frequently sit…but it’s not nearly enough room for everyone waiting in line at any given time. There are a few tables on one side, and a few high top tables with no seating where you can at least set your food and drink down, but you can’t sit. There is not a lot of shade in this area, either, so on a hot day, you would probably not want to stand around in the sun to enjoy your crepe and your drink. But if you can stake out a shady spot and some seating, this quick service location is a definite winner for us.

Table Service: La Creperie de Paris

I much prefer eating at table service restaurants at Disney to quick service, I must confess. I like knowing we will be able to sit down, in air conditioning, and be able to get a decent rest while we enjoy our meal. After trying out the quick service window for Crepes A Emporter at La Creperie de Paris during our October family trip, I knew I wanted to check out the table service option for our spring Flower & Garden trip.

I made all our dining reservations at the same time, 60 days out from our trip. Fortunately, I was able to get every reservation I wanted with little difficulty. For the purposes of this review, I have gone online several times to check availability, and while I can rarely find same day reservations, I can usually find something a few days out. Weekdays are easier than weekends, of course, but I suspect with a little planning ahead, you should be able to secure a reservation for La Creperie de Paris.

Decor

This restaurant has a pretty modern feel to it. It’s all beiges and whites, and fairly clean and simple feeling. I think they were going for a French Bistro feel here, and my mom, who has been to several French Bistros in her travels, says this effort is successful. We got a table right in the windows, so that was fun for us. Avid people watchers, we loved the opportunity to people watch both inside and outside the restaurant.

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Bonus: One thing we really liked at La Creperie de Paris was that we got real menus! Disney is still using the online menus at most table service restaurants where you scan a QR code with your phone and look at the menu on your phone. I miss real menus! La Creperie de Paris uses their paper menus as your placemat, and I like it!

Service

Service was very good here. We both felt the absence of the international program for EPCOT though. We’ve always loved that the EPCOT restaurants were primarily staffed with team members from the country the restaurant was themed to. That program was paused when Walt Disney World closed in 2020 due to Covid, and it has restarted only very recently. As a result, there are very few international cast members back in EPCOT at this time. While each of the service team members we met was terrific, I missed being able to talk to and learn from the international cast members in the restaurants.

The service was a bit TOO good, in fact. We felt a little rushed. We hadn’t finished our salads when our savory crepes arrived, and our dessert crepes arrived before we had finished our savory crepes. However, on the positive side, my water glass was pretty constantly refilled — It was a hot day and I was very thirsty.

We were celebrating my mom’s birthday, and our server brought out some VERY tasty french vanilla ice cream for her birthday. Mom suggested we add the ice cream to our hazelnut chocolate dessert crepes and WOW was that amazing! We both decided this was our favorite way to enjoy the hazelnut chocolate crepes by far!

Table Service Menu: La Creperie de Paris

Appetizer or Side Dish

Soupe du Jour (Soup of the Day) $6.75

Salad Maison (Mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, and vinegarette) $6.75

Prix Fixe Menu * (My recommendation for this restaurant)

Choice of Soup of the Day or Salade Maison; choice of one Galette with a glass of Hard Cider, Soda or Juice; Choice of one Dessert Crepe $34.95

Galettes (Buckwheat Savory Crepes)

Classique (Ham, Egg, Swiss Cheese) $16.95

Poulet (Chicken, Bechamel Cheese Sauce, Mushrooms) $16.95

Chevre (Goat Cheese, Spinach, Walnuts) $16.95

Saumon (Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche, Chives, Lemon) $16.95

Ratatouille (Tomato, Zucchini, Eggplant) $16.95

Savoyarde (Raclette Cheese, Carmelized Onions, Bacon, Imported Bayonne Home $16.95

Menu Enfant Prix Fixe Menu (Kids’ Prix Fixe Menu)

Choice of one Galette (Brie Cheese, Ratatouille, or Ham & Cheese) and choice of one Crepe (Sugar, Red Berries or Hazelnut Chocolate Spread) $14.00

Crepes (Dessert)

Gourmande (Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, Whipped Cream) $9.95

Banane (Banana, Caramel Beurre Sale) $9.95

Melba (Peach, Red Berries Sauce, Almonds) $9.95

Poire (Pear, Chocolate Ganache, Whipped Cream) $9.95

Pomme (Carmelized Apples, Caramel Beurre Sale) $9.95

Add-On’s (Each: Whipped Cream, Ice Cream, Sauce) $2.95

Add a Shot to Any Crepe (Grand Marnier, Rhum or Calvados) $7.00

Cidres (French Hard Ciders)

Brut $29.00 (Bottle) $5.95 (Glass)

Demi Sec $29.00 (Bottle) $5.95 (Glass)

Doux $29.00 (Bottle) $5.95 (Glass)

Rose $40.00 (Bottle) $7.50 (Glass)

Vins (French Wines)

Chardonnay $36.95 (Bottle) $7.95 (Glass)

Carbernet Sauvignon $36.95 (Bottle) $7.95 (Glass)

Merlot $36.95 (Bottle) $7.95 (Glass)

Rose de Provence $69.50 (Bottle) $14.95 (Glass)

Divers (Miscellaneous)

Biere Kronenbourg (Beer) $9.50

Champagne Malard $17.55

Mimosa $12.00

French Martini $15.75

Sodas, Jus (Imported Soft Drinks)

Evian $7.50

Perrier $8.50

Jus de Pomme (Apple Juice) $5.00

Limonade (French Sparkling Limonade) $5.75

Orangina (French Orange Soda) $6.25

Hot Beverages

Espresso $4.75

Cappuccino $5.25

The (Tea) $4.50

Cafe (Coffee) $4.25

Our Thoughts

We liked our La Creperie de Paris lunch very much. I highly recommend the Prix Fixe Menu, which includes soup or salad, a savory buckwheat galette, a dessert crepe and a glass of hard cider, soda or juice for $34.95. Both of us felt this was a good value, especially for a Disney table service restaurant. Definitely choose the cider to maximize your investment. Note: There is also kids Prix Fixe Menu for $14.00 that includes a savory galette and a dessert crepe.

At this time, La Creperie de Paris does not accept any discounts. No DVC discount, no passholder discounts, etc. This is pretty common for newer restaurants when they first open. Most likely this table service restaurant will offer discounts at some point in the future, but while it is still new and very popular, discounts are unlikely to materialize.

Overall, we both our enjoyed our meals. The salads were fresh and light, and the perfect size for an appetizer. The weak link for both of us were the savory buckwheat galettes. They were good, don’t get me wrong, but they were not great. We both felt the flavor of the buckwheat crepe itself was a bit boring. Mom and I also each felt our galettes were too dry and needed more sauce.

We enjoyed the environment, it was relaxing and comfortable. The host seated us almost immediately after we checked in, and we had a great seat in the front windows. Each of us enjoyed our hard ciders; mom had the Brut, which is dry and really liked it. I tried the Doux, which was sweeter. I would definitely order this again. The highlight of the meal for both of us was the dessert crepes. We each had the Hazelnut Chocolate Spread dessert crepes, and we’d eaten about a third of our crepes when the server brought my mom’s “birthday” ice cream. We both agreed that while the crepes was VERY good with whipped cream, the ice cream took it to a whole other level. It became OUTSTANDING.

La Creperie de Paris Dessert Crepe (Photo: Linda Harkness)

La Creperie de Paris Birthday Ice Cream — Mom and her dessert crepe with her “Birthday” ice cream!

I would definitely recommend you check out this table service restaurant. Our meal was filling but not too heavy, and we felt recharged and ready to head back out into the 90+ degree heat of the afternoon, very satisfied with our meal.

Have you tried La Creperie de Paris or Crepes A Emporter by La Creperie de Paris for yourself yet? If so, what did you think? Please comment below, I’d love to read your thoughts!

Happy Dreaming!

Brooke

runDisney Races are BACK at WDW!

Great news today, everyone. runDisney races are back at Walt Disney World. Even more exciting? runDisney in-park races are starting THIS YEAR!

While many runDisney fans have been speculating that an announcement from runDisney would like come soon, most of us assumed that runDisney races would be back NEXT YEAR. Today’s announcement is exciting news for runDisney fans everywhere and indicates a more accelerated return to normalcy for runDisney races at Walt Disney World.

runDisney Races are back in 2021

A big surprise for many runDisney fans, the first race to return to Walt Disney World is the 2021 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend. The Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend is November 4 – 7, 2021.

This year’s theme is Wickedly Delicious, focusing on popular Disney villains. The weekend will feature a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon. In addition, the weekend will also offer a Disney Two Course Challenge for those participants that want the challenge of completing both the 10K and the half marathon. I’m a big fan of the 10K/Half Marathon challenges, and am very excited to see this challenge as a part of the Wine & Dine weekend.

runDisney Wine and Dine — Photo: runDisney

The weekend will wrap up with a Post Race Party for participants and their families at EPCOT. The party will feature exclusive after hours access to the park and the International Food and Wine Festival.

If you’re interested in planning a trip to Disney for the runDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend, I recommend taking action QUICKLY. Email me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com and I’d be happy to put together a no obligation quote for you.

Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

Registration opens for the general public on July 13, 2021 at 10 am EST.

Club runDisney Gold and Platinum registration opens July 6, 2021 at 10 am EST.

While we haven’t received confirmation yet, we expect that DVC members and Annual Passholders will also have access for early registration. We will update with a specific date and time as soon as we have it.

Pricing

5K $95

10K $135

Half Marathon $215

Two Course Challenge $360

Post Race Party $89

*Note: These are early registration prices. Prices will increase by $10 on August 10, 2021.

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

Many runDisney fans had high hopes that in park races would be returning to Walt Disney World for January 2022’s Marathon Weekend. I’m so happy to report that Walt Disney World’s Marathon Weekend has been officially confirmed for January 5 – 9, 2022.

Fans can expect Marathon Weekend to focus on the 50th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. I’m hopeful there will be lots of special entertainment and merchandise celebrating the big 50th!

Marathon Weekend will include a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, and a full marathon. Also back is the Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, for those participants that want to do the half marathon AND the full marathon (and MUST be Goofy to do so!). And for the REALLY committed (or maybe they need to be committed? Just kidding!) the Dopey Challenge is back. The Dopey Challenge includes the 5K, the 10K, the half marathon AND the full marathon.

runDisney virtual races Goofy Challenge — runDisney Goofy Challenge

We are already seeing a TON of reservations for 2022–so many Disney fans have been eagerly awaiting Disney World’s return to normal. With runDisney races back, we expect Marathon Weekend reservations to pour in. If you’d like a no obligation quote for your runDisney Marathon Weekend, please reach out to brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.

Registration

Registration opens for the general public on July 27, 2021 at 10 am EST.

Club runDisney Gold and Platinum registration opens July 20, 2021 at 10 am EST.

Pricing

5K $95

10K $135

Half Marathon $195

Marathon $195

Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge $390

Dopey Challenge $600

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2022

It’s no surprise that the race weekend built for Disney princesses from all over the world will return once again to Walt Disney World now that runDisney races are BACK live in the parks. A great entry point for beginner runDisney participants, Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend is scheduled for February 24 – 27, 2021.

New for 2022: the first morning will feature Disney Princess Sunrise Yoga in front of Cinderella Castle, before the theme park opens. How fun does THAT sound?

The theme for the 2022 Princess Half Marathon Weekend will be courage and kindness. Men are welcome to participate, but the Princess Half Marathon Weekend focuses more fully on women, girls and the female experience. The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend will feature a 5k, a 10k, and a half marathon. The Weekend also features the Disney Fairy Tale Challenge (my favorite!) for those participants that want to do both the 10K and the half marathon.

runDisney Princess Half Finish Line — runDisney Princess Half Marathon Finish Line

It’s a great opportunity for a girls’ weekend, a sisters weekend, a mom/daughter weekend. If you’d like help planning your Disney Half Marathon weekend, please email brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.

Registration

Registration opens for the general public on August 24, 2021 at 10 am EST.

Club runDisney Gold and Platinum registration opens August 17, 2021 at 10 am EST.

Pricing

Sunrise Yoga $95

5K $95

Enchanted 10K $135

Half Marathon $210

Disney Fairy Tale Challenge $355

Surprise! runDisney has a NEW Race in the Family

All the big runDisney announcements from this morning included a new race in the lineup. runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend is scheduled for March 31 – April 3, 2022. Disney has stated that each race season, the fourth weekend will be the Springtime Surprise Weekend. Each year, the race themes and distances will be different.

So essentially, this weekend is replacing the Star Wars race weekend? Perhaps they are planning to rotate several different themes through this particular race weekend, depending on what film or theme park properties they want to promote in a particular year? I guess we will find out.

They tell us that this weekend will be “as much about the smiles as it is about the miles” and beginner racers and veteran racers alike will be welcome.

We have no other information about this event at this time. Hmmm. Very mysterious. Registration will like open in the fall, but we have no dates, distances, prices or themes yet.

Health and Safety

With runDisney races back in our lives, an obvious first question for many is, “What will the health and safety protocols be?”

The answer to this question is evolving. Disney is saying that they will defer to the information they receive from scientists, vendors and sponsors, and will make decisions in the best interest of their guests, vendors, park guests, and cast members as each race weekend approaches.

It is possible that face coverings MAY be required or that other health and safety protocol measures may be in place at race time.

As more information becomes available for each race weekend, I will share it with you.

Virtual Races are Sticking Around

In the not-so-surprising news category, Disney has announced that Virtual Races are NOT going away. Racers from all over the world will still be able to participate in runDisney races from wherever they are, even if they can’t come to the parks to join in the fun.

The in-person runDisney races generate millions of dollars in revenue for Disney, and they have learned from the Covid runDisney experience that they can make even MORE money by opening the races up to a virtual audience. I fully expect Disney to continue offering the virtual races, and to perhaps even expand their virtual offerings as time goes on. They can operate the virtual races with much less overhead and get a lot of fan participation. Races like these build additional fan loyalty, and of course, can lead to additional in park race participation, which adds to to resort revenues overall, in addition to runDisney dollars.

I think the virtual races are brilliant, and since runDisney is not foolish and they want ALL my money, they will continue for every runDisney in park race for the forseeable future.

If you’d like to learn more about Virtual Races (and why I love them), please read runDisney Virtual Races.

Registration Dates for Virtual Races

Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend: July 16, 2021 at 10am EST

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: July 30, 2021 at 10 am EST

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend: August 27, 2021 at 10am EST

It’s True. runDisney races are BACK at Walt Disney World.

I’m so excited I can’t hardly stand it. runDisney races are truly exceptional experiences for runners and walkers alike. The race course is filled with themed mile markers, race entertainment, characters and photo opps. Logistically, no one does it better. There are SO MANY portapotties! (Ok, I don’t love the portapotty experience, but when ya gotta go, you are so grateful they are there). I can’t even put into words racing through the theme parks themselves. It’s AMAZING. Fast runners will be in the parks at sunrise (or even before) and that’s a heart stopping, never forget it moment. Slower runners or walkers (like me!) will enter the parks much later and find their paths lined with park goers cheering them on (also a heart stopping never forget it moment.

The adrenaline rush that comes from lining up at the starting line with thousands of other races is amazing for any big race…but for a runDisney race, it’s magnified somehow. The energy just crackles through the air. There are fireworks and Mickey Mouse for goodness sakes! And whenever your energy is flagging, there will be something or someone on the course to boost your spirits and get you going again.

runDisney Marathon Weekend Bling — runDisney It’s All About the Bling photo: Vicki and David Arndt Photography

How about you? Are you excited that runDisney races are back in the Walt Disney World parks? What race or races are YOU registering for?

I may need to partner with a venture capitalist to support my runDisney addiction. {sigh}.

Hope to see you on the runDisney race course!

Happy Dreaming,

Brooke

Disney PhotoPass: What is it and How Does it Work?

Today we are going to talk about Disney PhotoPass, and Disney’s Memory Maker product.

We released a video over on YouTube for today’s topic. Here’s that video:

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If you prefer to read this information, keep reading!

Disney PhotoPass and Disney Memory Maker

One question I get asked a lot from my clients and friends and family is “Should we purchase the Memory Maker?” The short answer? It depends.

Ok, for me, it’s pretty much always YES. BUT, I’m a HUGE photo nerd.

For more NORMAL people, there are several things to consider, and I will get to those in tomorrow’s video. Today we are going to start with the basics: What is Disney PhotoPass and how does it work? In tomorrow’s video (Part 2 in this series), we will focus on the memory maker product, and will answer the question of whether or not to buy.

But first for those of you that DON’T know, let’s start with:

What is Disney PhotoPass?

Disney PhotoPass is a service that Disney added years ago, and I think it’s absolute GENIUS. Basically, they have photographers stationed at numerous locations around each park to take pictures of you and your group.

This completely solves the “Did Mom even GO on that vacation? She’s not in ANY of the pictures” dilemma. For many families, there is always one person that takes all the pictures and they are never in any of the shots. Or, people rotate who takes the pictures, but there are never any pictures of EVERYONE together, because one person always steps out to take the picture. Most people don’t carry around tripods and take the time to set up timed tripod shots on vacation. For some, Selfies have helped to address this problem, but with a Selfie, it’s still really tough to get a group or to include people AND a landmark in the picture.

With PhotoPass, Disney has solved that problem. Basically, the PhotoPass photographer will take your group’s picture, usually with a park icon or landmark in the background, and then they will either scan your magic band (the easiest) or give you a PhotoPass card with a 16-digit number on the back. Note: If you are given a Photopass card, immediately take a picture of the back of the card just in case. If you lose the card, but have the number, you can still locate your pictures.

Not All PhotoPass Photos are Created Equal

A couple of caveats: The skill of the various photopass photographers varies. Some are very experienced, fun to work with, and very talented. Others are more point and click—with varying degrees of success. Therefore I always recommend that you get a LOT of photopass photos taken. Take advantage of the opportunities whenever they present themselves. Odds are, if you take a BUNCH of photopass pictures, you end up with at least a few you really like. Here are a couple examples of PhotoPass pictures that didn’t really work out so well.

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In NON COVID times, you could also ask the photographer to take a picture of your group with your phone or camera. This is not an option currently due to Covid related restrictions, but I’m assuming this option will return at some point in the future—but current rules prohibit the photographers from touching your phone or camera.

Disney PhotoPass and Special Moments

If you look on Facebook or the internet, you will see THOUSANDS of PhotoPass pictures that people have posted. There are tons of examples of people using PhotoPass to announce they have a baby on the way, the sex of the baby, that they got engaged or married.

In our case, my husband proposed to me at the Magic Kingdom after the fireworks. Because he’s brilliant, he surprised me with the proposal when we went to take a PhotoPass picture, so we have the moment captured forever.

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Are they great pictures? No, it was very crowded, and I at first thought he fell (he’d done the marathon the day before and was in a lot of pain), and then there was lots of crying and laughing. But I feel so lucky that I have that moment forever captured by that PhotoPass photographer. And the next day, we found another PhotoPass photographer that was SO excited about our engagement, she spent TONS of time with us (there was no line,I promise) and took a gazillion pictures of the ring, and the two of us. It was really fun.

Disney PhotoPass and Group Attractions

There are normally even photopass photographers at big group attractions (Enchanted Tales with Belle, for example). These attractions aren’t operating right now, but once they return, I’m sure the PhotoPass photographer will return with them.

The PhotoPass photographer takes lots of pictures of the group and they will hand out PhotoPass cards at the end; once you enter the number on your computer, you’ll have access to ALL the pictures they took during that particular event. If your kid had a role in the show, you do NOT want to lose that number! So take a picture of the back of the card, just in case!

Disney PhotoPass and Attraction Photos!

Lots of Disney rides take your picture at some point during the ride, some rides even take video! These pictures and videos are now PhotoPass pictures, and can be attached to your Magic Band or PhotoPass card. The RFID technology in your MagicBand communicates with the reader at the attraction and automatically adds the photos or videos to your account.

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Character Dining and PhotoPass?

Character dining can also (sometimes) include PhotoPass. Granted, right now, character dining isn’t happening, but it WILL return eventually, I promise! Some character dining meals offer PhotoPass pictures, but not all of them. Also IF there is a PhotoPass photographer at a character meal, it will usually just be for a picture you take before you enter the restaurant. For example, if you are dining at a Character Meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table, there is usually a Photopass photographer in the lobby with Cinderella waiting to take your picture before you head upstairs for your meal. (Please note that Cinderella’s Royal Table HAS reopened for lunch and dinner, however, Cinderella has NOT yet returned.)

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PhotoPass photographers do not go around with the characters as they visit your table at ANY character meal, so ALWAYS bring your camera to character meals.

Customize your Photos!

After your trip, you will be able to visit the PhotoPass website to view all your pictures. You can add borders and stickers to the photos, and you can make products like Photobooks, calendars and mugs featuring your pictures on the Disney PhotoPass website. One picture can easily turn into 10 or 15 by the time you are done playing with borders, cropping, black and white, etc. Some borders are unique to particular locations, seasons, or events, adding a little extra magic to those photos.

NOTE: Pictures are only available on the PhotoPass site for 30 days (unless you are an Annual Passholder.) Right now, if you are visiting this fall between October 15 and November 30, Disney is extending that 30 days through the end of the year. So you’ll have a little extra time to play with your pictures.

Magic Shots

Lets talk about Magic Shot. Magic Shots are pictures taken by a PhotoPass photographer with a little something extra magical added later. The most common Magic Shots feature TinkerBell standing on the palm of your hand, or a bunch of balloons added to your upstretched arm.

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There are a variety of Magic Shots available at different times. During Star Wars Weekend a few years ago, we got Magic Shots with light sabers added. Recently, they added some pirate themed Magic Shots near the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.

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During the Halloween season, you might find Magic Shots with ghosts near the haunted mansion, or Flaming jack o lanterns throughout the Magic Kingdom. During the Winter holiday season, you may find snow or Wooden Soldiers added to your photos.

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Over at Hollywood Studios, we’ve learned there’s a new special magic shot that includes the child (frequently called baby Yoda, although he isn’t in fact Yoda) from the Mandolorian. Here’s a look at this one from Disney Parks and Resorts.

Disney PhotoPass Magic Shot Mandalorian — Disney PhotoPass Magic Shot – The Child, Mandalorian

Special holiday themed magic shots become available November 6.

Disney PhotoPass Photos and the My Disney Experience App

Disney PhotoPass pictures are available in the My Disney Experience app, so you’ll be able to look at them as your trip goes along. Most photos and videos appear in your app within 20 minutes.

Unless you’ve purchased the Memory Maker product, the pictures will have a watermark on them, preventing you from having a sharable, downloadable image without paying for it. If you’ve already purchased Memory Maker, your pictures will appear completely clear and fabulous.

One of the highlights of my last trip was overhearing a young family showing their daughter a picture they had just taken on Main Street. She was AMAZED to see that Tinkerbell had joined them in the picture and she was so dazzled by the magic!

Tips for Getting that “Magic” Shot

Disney changes what Magic Shots are available from time to time, and not all PhotoPass photographers will offer to do them. Your odds are better if there’s no line and if you’re nice and friendly. PhotoPass photographers work very hard, and are on their feet for many hours a day, usually in pretty hot temperatures and sometimes not treated very well by guests. In my experience, if you are nice and there’s not a line, they’re more likely to spend a few extra minutes with you, and that can often result in some Magic Shots. To see what Magic Shots are currently available, visit the albums at the Disney Photo Pass Facebook Page.

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Coming Up in the Next Video (And Post!)

In tomorrow’s video, we’ll talk about Memory Maker, and how you can have PhotoPass without Memory Maker, but you can’t have Memory Maker without PhotoPass.

Thank you for watching, and please tune in Monday for the second video (and blog post) in this series, discussing Disney’s Memory Maker product.

Happy Dreaming!

Brooke

Disney Parks News 11.04.20

In this week’s Disney Parks News, we have big changes coming for the virtual queue at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. We also have Disneyland Paris closure news, and Disney’s official statement on the entertainment layoffs we saw last week. For these stories and more, please check out our YouTube video below.

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For those of you that prefer reading to watching, the written version is provided below. Last week’s Disney Parks News can be found here.

Disney Parks News

The Holidays have Arrived at Disney World!

Halloween is over and the Holidays have arrived at Walt Disney World! It’s amazing how quickly Disney makes the transition from Fall and Halloween décor to winter holiday décor.

Here is the full statement from Disney:

“Walt Disney World Resort offers a treasure trove of experiences for guests of all ages. We recognize that part of the magic of visiting any Disney park is seeing favorite Disney friends and discovering one-of-a-kind shows and performances. Since reopening, we’ve continued to offer modified character experiences and entertainment throughout our resort, while also taking the appropriate steps for the health and safety of our guests and cast members.

Recently, we’ve had to make some difficult decisions to reduce our workforce as the business impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic have become more long-lasting than anyone could have predicted. As a result, we’ve had to pause many live shows and entertainment experiences at our resort for longer than originally anticipated.

While it’s impossible at this time to fully replace the incredible entertainment that existed throughout our parks before the pandemic, we are offering live entertainment in new ways wherever possible, including character cavalcades in all four parks and pop-up appearances, like discovering Joy from “Inside Out” frolicking on the lawn near the Imagination! pavilion in EPCOT.

Additionally, we’re featuring modified shows such as the popular “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and live musical performances like the Main Street Philharmonic in Magic Kingdom or the Discovery Island Drummers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This extends to our seasonal offerings, with Halloween underway and the holidays right around the corner. In fact, the fan-favorite Voices of Liberty are set to make their return and join the JAMMitors and Mariachi Cobre at the American Gardens Theatre during the upcoming Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, beginning on Nov. 27.

Determining which shows can return and when is a complex process. As with the rest of our phased reopening, we will also consider the guidance of health officials and government agencies in determining when the time will be right to adjust capacity, and as soon as it is appropriate, we will start to bring additional entertainment back.

Like most of our fans, we know that our beloved entertainment cast are an incredibly special and essential part of the Disney experience. We look forward to the day when we can welcome back more live entertainment to our parks, and we will share more news about these announcements as we’re able to do so.”

Reactions

I find this statement both disappointing and frustrating. Do I understand that Disney feels they cannot allow most shows to resume due to social distancing requirements? Honestly? Yes and no. They have been able to re-introduce the Frozen Sing Along Celebration successfully, and that’s a show. And many of the theatres in the parks are outdoor venues. It seems that some shows could return, with seating clearly marked and restricted to provide proper social distancing.

Disney Entertainment Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage — Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage (Photo: Disney Parks & Resorts)

To me, it seems almost convenient to blame the ongoing (and perhaps escalating) Covid-19 crisis as the reason there is almost no entertainment, rather than the more probably budget cuts. Why are the JAMMitors ok to perform in EPCOT on the Mill Stage in Canada, but not the amazing Taiko Matsuriza drummers in Japan?

Disney has also made a very important, very helpful change to the virtual queue situation. Now, guests who hope to ride Rise of the Resistance can request to enter the virtual queue at 7 am from their hotel room (or breakfast or wherever). The only thing that is required is a park reservation for Hollywood Studios that day (which of course requires a ticket).

Why does this change to the required location to join the virtual queue matter? Here’s why: OPTIONS. For example, let’s say you really want to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. You have a park reservation for today, and you are planning to visit Hollywood Studios. Let’s say you try, but are unable to join the virtual queue and get a boarding group at 7am. Now, you have some OPTIONS.

- - You can go back to bed. You don’t need to make sure you are in Hollywood Studios by 10am.
  - Based on reservation availability, you could decide to save Hollywood Studios for a different day. In that scenario, you would cancel your Hollywood Studios park reservation. Then, you could book a new park reservation at a different park. (Note: I highly recommend you check park reservation availability before you pull this trigger.)
  - You might decide NOT to visit Hollywood Studios until the afternoon.
    - - Spend the morning playing at the pool
      - Enjoy a round of golf
      - Ride the Skyliner for a while
      - Relax at your resort
      - Visit Disney Springs

The 2 pm virtual queue does still exist. That virtual queue DOES require guests to be physically inside the park to join the queue.

Star Wars Rise of the Resistance Review — Star Wars Rise of the Resistance (Photo: Disney Parks)

It is my hope that these changes will loosen up the stranglehold that Rise of the Resistance has been having on visitors for months. With these changes, perhaps more guests will be able to ride. If that happens, theoretically fewer guests will crowd into Hollywood Studios in the hopes of riding that one attraction.

Our Upcoming Disney Vacation

Next week, we will be at Walt Disney World ourselves, and will be able to test out the new system. I will update you on our success (or lack thereof) with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

Next week’s Disney Parks News Update will be filmed while we are on site at Walt Disney World. As a result, the video may end up a little on the rough side. However, we will do our best to still get the video posted on Wednesday. Thank you in advance for your patience. We are really looking forward to updating you with our in person, on the ground experiences in the parks.

Happy dreaming!

Brooke

Disney Parks News 10.28.20

In this week’s Disney Parks News, we have hundreds more cast members getting news of their layoffs. We have Disney’s first shot in the theme parks vs. the State of California battle. We have holiday festival news for EPCOT, including a new Olaf adventure for guests. For these stories and more, please watch this week’s YouTube video below.

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If you missed last week’s Disney Parks News, you can find it here.

For those of you that prefer reading your news to watching a video, please read on.

Disney Parks News

Entertainment Cast Layoffs

Our top Disney Parks News story this week is a sad one. We’ve learned that ALMOST ALL of Disney World “Entertainment” Cast Members around the theme parks have received their notice that they will not be returning to work. These layoffs are part of the 28,000 planned layoffs announced last month.

While most of the shows affected have remained dark since the parks reopened, these layoffs eliminate hopes of any of these shows returning to the parks ANY time in the near future. Our hearts go out to ALL the cast losing their jobs during this time. Many of the cast members have been with Disney for many, many years. This news has been devastating for them.

Disney Parks News Festival of the Lion King Cast and Crew Laid Off — Festival of the Lion King (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

I find these entertainment layoffs particularly heartbreaking because it is the talented performers in the shows and the street actors that really add so much magic to Walt Disney World.

Disney Parks News Citizens of Hollywood Laid Off — Citizens of Hollywood Entertaining the Crowd (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

Which Parks and Shows were Affected?

Here’s a quick list all the entertainment that was hit by this round of layoffs (so far):

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom lost the Citizens of Main Street and the entire cast and crew of Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.

Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios was the hardest hit, losing the Citizens of Hollywood, the entire cast and crew of Beauty and the Beast–live on stage, the entire cast and crew of Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, the entire cast and crew of the Jedi Training Academy, the Green Army Men, and the entire cast and crew of the Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

Disney Parks News Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular Cast and Crew Laid Off — Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

You guys, this makes me want to cry!

Animal Kingdom

Over at Animal Kingdom, we lose the entire casts and crews of two of the most amazing shows on Disney property: Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo the Musical.

Disney Parks News Finding Nemo the Musical Cast and Crew Laid Off — Finding Nemo – The Musical (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

The cast members that drive the Pandora utility suit were also laid off.

EPCOT

EPCOT had already quietly laid off MOST of the World Showcase entertainment in the spring (and this continues to be a troubling decision), however they added some members of Voices of Liberty to the casualty list in this round of layoffs.

Resorts

Finally, the entire cast and crew of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue over at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground has been laid off. You may also remember from previous news reports that the Grand Floridian Orchestra was also let go a few weeks ago.

Potential Impact of these Layoffs

Again, most of these cast members have been off since the parks closed in April. Nonetheless, I had high hopes that steps were being taken to bring at least some of this entertainment back on line in the coming weeks. These losses are heartbreaking.

Of course, this doesn’t have to mean that these layoffs will be permanent or that these shows will remain dark forever. Nonetheless, it certainly implies that these shows will remain dark for the foreseeable future. And these talented performers are likely to seek work elsewhere. The performers may not even be available when (if???) Disney decides to reintroduce entertainment.

Streetmosphere Actors in Permanent Danger?

I’m most worried about the Streetmosphere actors. The Green Army Men, the Citizens of Main Street and the Citizens of Hollywood. These actors add SO much to the guest experience. Unfortunately, I can envision Disney just never bringing them back at all. This would be a HUGE loss to all of us.

I really get the feeling that the current management structure of the Parks undervalues the Entertainment element of the Disney Parks experience. But really, it is the talent of the entertainers that elevates the Disney Parks above other theme parks.

Disney Parks News Streetmosphere Actors Laid Off — Citizens of Hollywood in Action (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

The Streetmosphere actors, interacting with guests in character; putting on quick little shows in the street; entertaining guests as they wait in line, or stand in the hot sun? These actors are an INTEGRAL part of the Disney magic.

The wonderful shows that offer guests not just high quality entertainment, but usually magical uplifting messaging as well? Again, part of what makes Disney theme parks stand out.

I understand that with COVID-19 restrictions, the stage shows and Streetmosphere interactions cannot happen right now. But I continue to hope that Disney will work vigorously to return these things to us when things begin to return to normalcy.

Disney Parks News Streetmosphere Actors layoffs — My Nephew Vinny and a Green Army Man (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

On our Disney trips, at the end of every day, we talk about the day and document the highlights. I cannot tell you how many times those highlight moments have been because of a Disney Streetmosphere player or scene.

What Message are Fans Sending Disney?

It is the entertainment that makes Disney tickets worth their price. I sincerely hope that Disney doesn’t get the wrong message from guests continuing to visit the parks right now, even though the offerings are a fraction of what they normally are. Fans are eager to return to Disney, yes. It’s been a really tough year for so many of us, and we are anxious to escape our current reality, and a trip to Disney fulfills that for many.

However, while we may be satisfied with Disney offering “partial” value right now, given the circumstances, I have a hard time believing that even Disney’s most die hard fan base (myself included) will continue to accept high ticket prices for a FRACTION of the experience. If entertainment does not return, I’m concerned that many guests will choose to visit their local Six Flags, rather than invest in a trip to Disney. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but what guests are willing to accept in the short term given this unique situation is unlikely to be acceptable for the long term. I’m really curious as to what you all think. Please let me know in the comments below.

Disney vs. California: Shot Fired?

Last week, we talked about California’s release of their guidelines for large theme parks to reopen in their state. We also discussed that these new guidelines will make it virtually impossible for Disneyland and California Adventure to reopen this year. In fact, it is likely to be next SUMMER before the strict guidelines can be met, and Disneyland and California Adventure could reopen.

We said at the time that we didn’t expect Disney to take this situation quietly, and already the first shot is fired!

Disney Parks News Downtown Disney Expansion — Elias & Co. on Buena Vista Street in Disney’s California Adventure (Photo: Disney Parks)

Disney has announced that Downtown Disney is expanding in November to include Buena Vista Street. For those of you not aware, Buena Vista Street is INSIDE Disney’s California Adventure theme park.

But…HOW??

Guests that haven’t visited the California theme parks may not understand how this will work. In Florida, Disney has TONS of land, and all the theme parks and Disney Springs are very spread out. In California, the Disneyland/California Adventure/Downtown Disney footprint is MUCH smaller, with everything really close together.

Downtown Disney is basically an area that is on one side of the two theme parks, filled with restaurants and shops, with access to the main pathway that leads to both theme parks. In the middle, there are entrances for each theme park on this path, across from each other, and totally accessible from Downtown Disney. This makes it really easy for guests to pop out of one theme park, have drinks or a meal in Downtown Disney, and then pop back into the OTHER theme park for evening entertainment, for example.

Disney Parks News Disneyland California Adventure Map — Map: disneyland.com

Downtown Disney has been open for a couple of months, enabling guests (primarily local guests) to shop and dine. In Disney’s first effort to combat the stringent guidelines established by the State of California, Disney is opening Buena Vista Street in California Adventure to Downtown Disney, and calling it an “expansion” of Downtown Disney.

All the shops and restaurants on Buena Vista Street will be open for Downtown Disney guests to visit and enjoy. No theme park ticket will be necessary as the theme park itself is not opening, just the shops and restaurants on Buena Vista Street. I think this is a clever way to get some of the theme park back up and running and some of those cast members back to work without actually opening the theme park.

Buena Vista Street: What is Opening?

The following shops and restaurants are reopening:

- - - - Elias and Co.
      - Julius Katz & Sons
      - Kingswell Camera Shop
      - Trolley Treats
      - Fiddle, Fifer & Practical Café
      - Carthay Circle Lounge
      - Smoke Jumpers Grill

Disney has not shared whether they are making any modifications to Buena Vista Street to accommodate its addition to Downtown Disney, or how the areas outside of Buena Vista Street inside California Adventure will be inaccessible by guests, but I’m confident they will get it all worked out by November 1.

I can’t wait to see what Disney does next!

Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

Disney Parks News Taste of EPCOT International Holiday Festival — EPCOT and the Holidays (Photo: Disney Parks)

The holiday season returns to EPCOT on November 27 this year with the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays (Presented by AdventHealth). This holiday “Taste of EPCOT” Festival will run through December 30. This festival will include global, seasonal cuisine at the Holiday Kitchens, located throughout World Showcase. In addition, there will be three Holiday Kitchens located inside the World ShowPlace Events Pavililon. Some of the seasonal selections you will find include slow roasted turkey from the American Holiday Table, pork schnitzel at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen and Beef Bourguignon from the Yukon Holiday Kitchen.

Holiday Entertainment

During this EPCOT holiday festival, guests will also be treated to holiday character cavalcades traveling through World Showcase. Anna and Elsa are touring in the Frozen Holiday Promenade, while Mickey and friends are traveling in Mickey & Friends Holiday World Tour. Santa Claus will also be making his first appearance in an EPCOT character cavalcade this year—he’ll be taking a horse drawn tour around World Showcase, calling out holiday wishes to everyone.

Holiday Music

The holiday season will not be without musical celebrations. The America Gardens Theatre will feature holiday carols sung by the Voices of Liberty. In Mexico, the Mariachi Cobre will bring to life Las Posadas, a celebration of Mexican holiday customs through music and dance. In Canada, the JAMMitors will perform on the Mill Stage. (I don’t think the JAMMitors are Canadian, but I’m happy they will be so easy to find!)

Holiday Cookie Stroll

The Holiday Cookie Stroll returns to EPCOT again this year, with a complimentary cookie as a reward for completing the stroll. The options to Stroll include cookies from five different locations throughout the park. You can also pickup an adorable cookie jar to collect all your cookies, available at the Holiday Markets all throughout World Showcase, while Supplies last.

Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition

EPCOT Frozen Ever After — Frozen Ever After (Photo: Disney Parks)

New this year is Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition”. This fun for the whole family adventure is a festive trek around World Showcase. Guests can purchase the expedition map at Mouse Gear, Disney Traders or World Traveler at International Gateway. Once you have the map, you’ll look for hidden Olafs all throughout the World Showcase Pavilions. After you’ve found them all, you’ll receive a “gift worth melting for” (while supplies last).

Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Sticking with EPCOT news, EPCOT has certainly learned that FESTIVALS are the key to their success. EPCOT is now home to FOUR festivals, and each one’s “Season” is getting longer every year (it appears). In addition, EPCOT seems to have embraced the power (and perhaps profitability) of food and beverage in these festivals, as they all now seem to include the “Taste of” phrase in the festival name. And these Festival names were already fairly long to begin with. But that’s ok, we love them anyway, right?

Disney Parks News EPCOT International Festival of the Arts MURAL — Collaborative Paint by Numbers Mural (Photo: Disney Parks & Resorts)

EPCOT’s first festival after the holidays will be the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, beginning January 8, 2021. While I’m partial to the International Flower and Garden Festival, many fans claim the Festival of the Arts to be EPCOTS best Festival of the year. This year the Fesitval will run through February 22. We’ll enjoy:

- - - More than 15 Food “studios” serving “culinary art” around World Showcase.
    - A ton of diverse work of Disney and other artists on display in marketplaces all around World Showcase Lagoon.
    - Special Photo locations where guests can “step into the scene”.
    - A paint by number mural for EVERYONE to participate in that serves as a collaborative art project.
    - Watch as visiting artists create magic.
    - Favorite EPCOT musical artists Mariachi Cobre and the JAMMitors.
    - Artful scavenger hunt to search for FIGMENT around World Showcase.
    - Festival exclusive merchandise.

Disney Parks News International Festival of the Arts — Watch talented artists in action! (Photo: Disney Parks & Resorts)

I love that with each Festival, the pop up food stands and stores get different names, themed to the event. For the Holiday Festival, the food stations are “Holiday Kitchens” and for the Arts Festival, they are food “Studios”. So fun!

Walt Disney World Entrances Get a Makeover!

We’ve talked before about Disney’s efforts to “spruce” things up around Walt Disney World in time for their big 50^th Anniversary next October. There are lots of construction projects going on, designed to improve the guest experience. Over the spring and summer, Cinderella Castle got a makeover, and the castle is looking really spectacular these days.

Cinderella Castle is Getting a Makeover — Concept Art – Disney Parks

This week, Disney World started work on the entrances that greet guests as they arrive on Disney property. These signs are archways that go over the road, and feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse on either side.

WDW Entrance Sign — Windshield Photo of Walt Disney World Entrance (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

For most Disney fans, these signs are the true beginning of vacation. I have countless “through the windshield” or “out the window” pictures of these signs. These signs have started to fade over the last few years and look a little worn and tired.

At last, these wonderful signs are getting a makeover. This refresh shouldn’t take long, and guests visiting for the holiday season should see the Walt Disney World entrance signs in all their new glory. I’m hoping at least one will be finished or nearly so when we visit mid-November. If so, we’ll be sure to get pictures for you guys! To hold us all over until then, here’s a look at the concept art Disney released for the new look.

Disney Parks news WDW Entrances Get a Makeover — Here’s the AFTER (theoretically, at least!) Concept Art: Disney Parks and Resorts

As someone devoted to Cinderella Castle (some would say unhealthily so…for example, my husband😉) I am disappointed to lose the Castle from the entrance sign. However, I think the new look is really terrific and updated.

That’s it for this week’s Disney Parks News!

What are your thoughts on this week’s stories? Are you excited to see at least one street opening in Disney’s California Adventure theme park? What is YOUR favorite EPCOT Festival? Are you as worried as I am about the entertainment cast member layoffs? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy dreaming!

Brooke

Disney Parks News Update 10.21.2020

In this week’s Disney Parks News Update, we learn that Disneyland may be forced to stay closed until next summer! We also talk new Disney world discounts for 2021, attraction refurbishments, the value resort that is reopening early next year and much more. Please check out this week’s video below.

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If you missed last week’s news, you can get it here.

For those of you that would rather read your news, please continue on.

Disney Parks News Update 10.21.20

Disneyland

This week’s top story is DISNEYLAND. We’ve all been waiting for months to find out when Disneyland in California would be allowed to reopen. Originally, Disney planned to reopen Disneyland and California Adventure in July, right after Walt Disney World reopened. However, those plans were not approved by Orange County or the State of California, and Disney had to push pause. Ever since, it’s been a waiting game for Disney fans, and a frustrating battle for Disney and Disney cast members that want to get back to work!

Yesterday, the state of California announced (finally) their guidelines for theme park re-openings in their state. The important part for Disney fans? Large theme parks cannot reopen until their home county (Orange County, for Disneyland and California Adventure) are in California’s YELLOW TIER.

Disney Parks News CA Covid Tiers — Table: covid19.ca.gov

To be in the yellow tier, the county must see less than 1 new Covid-19 case per 100,000 residents, and less than 2% positivity rate for tests. Right now, Orange County is in the red tier, reporting between 4 -7 new cases per day per 100,000 residents and a 5-8% positivity rate.

There is a long way to go for Orange county to get from the Red Tier to the Yellow Tier. Dr. Clayton Chau, Director of the Orange County Health Care Agency said, “…I think that we can look forward to a yellow tier by next summer, hopefully. Hopefully.”

Disneyland Monorail (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)

What does this mean for Disneyland?

Based on current information, state policies, and recent Covid-19 trends in Orange County, CA, it appears that the soonest we can hope to see Disneyland and California Adventure reopen is sometime NEXT SUMMER (2021). This is obviously devastating news for the thousands of people employed by Disney to work in the two theme parks, as well as in the Disney owned hotels in the Disneyland area. However, there are COUNTLESS other business that are completely dependent on the tourist traffic that Disneyland brings to Anaheim. If Disneyland and California Adventure remain closed through next summer (or later), many of those businesses are doomed to fail. This will no doubt have a huge impact on the Anaheim economy, and by extension, on Orange County and Southern California.

Disneyland Hotel Disney Parks News Disneyland will NOT open in 2020 — Disneyland Hotel (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)

Many Southern California officials, including Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu and Disneyland President Ken Potrock have come out publicly against the new guidelines. I don’t think Disneyland or the other large California theme parks are likely to let these new guidelines go uncontested. I suspect we will be hearing a lot more about this in the coming weeks. For now, unfortunately, it appears impossible for Disneyland to reopen this year.

Walt Disney World

Moving over to Walt Disney World news, let’s talk about attractions.

Tomorrowland Transit Authority

One of my favorite attractions, the PeopleMover (Tomorrowland Transit Authority) over at the Magic Kingdom is definitely NOT going back online this year. The attraction was originally scheduled to be reopening in late October, which then got pushed back to late November. This week, that got pushed back AGAIN to early January. That is as far out as the current refurbishment schedule goes right now, so I suspect this particular attraction will not be open until sometime next spring. BUMMER.

The PeopleMover is a great attraction for many reasons: it absorbs a TON of people every hour as it is a constantly moving loading and unloading attraction. It’s also a TERRIFIC ride to sit and relax and give tired legs and feet a little break. On hot days, it’s also a great place to get some rest out of the sun and moves fast enough that you have a cooling breeze as you ride. Alas, no people mover for us anytime soon. {Sigh}

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Over at Epcot, we’ve been anxiously awaiting news on an opening date for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, along with the expanded France pavilion in World Showcase. Originally planned to open this Summer, Ratatouille’s opening got pushed back along with everything else when the parks closed this Spring. Disney has been completely MUM on when we can expect this attraction to open.

Disney Parks News — Ride Vehicle for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Photo: Disney Parks)

Personally, I suspect Disney will hold off on opening this attraction until sometime next spring, when crowds are more likely to be at normal capacity (we hope) and Disney can get some good publicity (and hopefully guest reservations) in response to opening a new attraction. I’m disappointed, as I’d originally thought they would try to bring the attraction online in time for the holiday crowds, but with the parks still operating at such a big loss, I think it makes sense to hold off until the opening can be celebrated.

Remy's Ratatouille Adventure Gusteau's — Gustaeau’s Sign Installed in France Pavilion (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)

You can see progress on the France pavilion expansion from the Skyliner—It’s looking really good. The Gusteau’s sign (from Ratatouille) has been installed. We’ve heard reports that it lights up at night, which is definitely progress. I’ll give you an update on this project with pictures from Epcot when we are there next month.

Tron Lightcycle/Run

It seems that this week’s Disney Parks News Update has more bad news for us. Another “under construction” project we’ve been keeping an eye on is the Tron Lightcycle Coaster in progress at the Magic Kingdom. This GIANT project has already been underway for a couple of years, and was long planned to be ready in time for next year’s big 50^th Anniversary of Walt Disney World.

Disney Tron Construction Update Artist Rendering — Disney Tron Attraction Coming to Magic Kingdom: Artist Rendering

Unfortunately, we are now hearing lots of rumors that construction is going to be suspended on this project later this year, and that it is extremely unlikely that this attraction will be ready in time for October 2021 and the big anniversary.

Tron Lightcycle Grid Installed — Tron Lightcycle/Run Grid Installed at Magic Kingdom (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)

No official confirmation from Disney; however, if the rumors are true, I have to assume this is financially based decision. I’m not sure it’s a wise decision, as new attractions always bring in big crowds, but I think maybe they were hoping to see Disneyland reopened and increased crowds in Florida before Disney continues investing in this project. Just speculation at this point though. I will keep you posted as I learn more.

Winter/Summerland and Fantasia Mini Golf

In the category of non-theme park attractions, Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf is reopening for a limited time: November 6, 2020 – January 30, 2021. Winter Summerland features 2 18 hole miniature golf courses, each one themed to a season, either Winter or Summer. Adults are $14, Kids are $10.

Winter Summerland is reopening primarily to offset Fantasia Gardens closing for the season (primarily for cleaning and maintenance). Fantasia Gardens closes November 5, 2020 and will reopen January 31, 2021. These fun themed mini golf courses are a popular destination for families to visit on non-theme park days, or even during a break on a theme park day.

Walt Disney World License Plate

Here’s a fun Disney Parks News Update for Florida Residents. For the first time, the Walt Disney World Resort is going to be releasing a license plate in honor of their 50^th anniversary. The best part? Proceeds will go to the Make a Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida. Disney’s been working with Make a Wish for 40 years now, with more than 140,000 Disney inspired wishes granted since 1980. An average of 8,000 wishes are granted at Disney World every year.

Disney hasn’t shown us the design of the license plate just yet; however interested Florida car owners can purchase a presale voucher now for $25+state admin fees by appointment at local County Tax Collections or license plate facilities (DMVs). Online presale for the plates will be available soon!

Friendship Boats

In the good news category, Disney has been testing the Friendship boats over on Crescent lake. These are the boats that provide Disney resort guests in the boardwalk area with water transportation to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. While the Friendship boats have been operating in the World Showcase Lagoon at Epcot, shuttling guests across the Lagoon, the boats have not been operating in the resort areas. It looks like that is changing very soon. No word yet on the boats that travel from various resorts to Disney Springs—we’re watching for updates on all the water transportation—and will keep you posted! Water transportation is one of my favorite ways to get around Walt Disney World. So relaxing, and terrific scenery. Can’t wait until ALL Disney transportation is back to normal!

Disney Parks Reservation System

Last week, we discussed that Disney vacation packages are now available for booking through the end of 2021 and into January 2022. A couple of additional details related to this news: The Disney Parks Reservation System is available for reservations well into 2022—So this new system, requiring guests to decide which parks they will visit on each day of their Disney vacation is NOT going away. The system does not yet accommodate park hopping; however packages for 2021 do offer park hopping as an option, so we have to assume this functionality is on the way?

Magic Bands: Are They Being Phased Out?

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Also: in 2021, many of the functions currently performed by your magic band (hotel room key, park admission, payment for food and merchandise) will also be able to be performed by your smartphone. As a result, Magic Bands for Disney vacations beginning in January 2021 will no longer be provided to all guests free of charge. Magic Bands will be available for purchase if guests prefer to continue to use their Magic Bands.

I’m not loving this new development. I love the convenience of the magic bands, and we have quite the collection at our house (they make a really nice chain for the Christmas tree!)—and I love choosing new ones for each trip. For our upcoming trip, we upgraded from the “free” solid color magic bands and each picked “special” bands. Aren’t they fun?

The ones we ordered were $10.99 each. There are at least 20 different designs, and they change fairly often. There are also special “limited edition” bands. $10.99 – $24.99 is the current price range for upgraded Magic Bands.

Is Putting EVERYTHING on our Smart Phones the Best Idea?

I don’t really like increasing the dependence and draw on our cell phones. As it is, I already need to carry portable battery packs to charge our phones a couple of times a day when we are in the parks. I’m not super thrilled with needing to use the phones even more. And I’m not convinced that there won’t be glitches that will render guests unable to access their rooms or enter the parks. Makes me nervous. And what about other family members?

Disney World Magic Bands Disney Parks News — Magic Band as Park Ticket (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)

A lot of kids don’t have cell phones. Also, I like the Magic Band’s ability to help identify kids if they get lost. I don’t know. Not loving this idea. Anyways, guest that want to continue to use magic bands will be able to purchase them. They just won’t automatically receive the solid color ones for free.

All Star Movies

We have good news this week for those of you that prefer to stay in Disney’s Value Resorts. So far, since Walt Disney World reopened, the only Value Resort that has reopened was Pop Century. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is reopening on November 1, but that’s mostly family suites and more expensive than the regular Value Reorts. Until now, we’d heard nothing about the three All Star resorts. At last, we have confirmation that one of the All Star Resorts, All Star Movies, is reopening on February 9, 2021. This is great news for Spring Breakers. They tend to prefer the cost savings of the All Star Resorts. All Star Movies is now available for booking for dates on or after February 9, 2021.

First Discount of 2021

And there’s more good news. Disney has released it’s first discount for 2021. You can save up to 35% on rooms at select Walt Disney World resorts from January 3 – April 17, 2021. Reservation must be booked before March 15, 2021. The amount of the discount is dependent on which resort you book. Rooms allocated for this offer are limited, and length of stay requirements may apply. If you’d like a free no obligation quote, please drop me an email at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.

That’s it for this week’s news. I hope you found it helpful!

Happy dreaming!

Brooke

Disney Parks News Update 10.14.2020

In this week’s Disney Parks News Update, we have GUNS confiscated on Disney property, refurbishment updates, LOTS of food news, scary clowns and more! Please watch this week’s Disney Parks News Update video below.

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For those of you that prefer reading your Disney Parks news Update to watching the video, please read on!

Disney Parks News Update

Refurbishments

We are starting this week’s news update with refurbishments.

EPCOT

EPCOT currently looks a little bit like a construction zone, as EPCOT Future World is in the midst of a major overhaul. There are a number of projects in progress around EPCOT’s Entrance and throughout Future World. Among these projects is the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster, scheduled to open sometime next year. We are happy to report that construction appears to be moving ahead on all these projects. We don’t have completion dates or opening dates for any of the work going on, but we are hopeful that Disney is on track with their plans to have this work complete in time for Walt Disney World’s 50^th Anniversary next October.

Frozen Ever After

A VERY popular attraction, Frozen Ever After, is closing for refurbishment in a couple of weeks. Don’t worry—it’s only for a few days. The attraction will be closed from November 2 – 6, 2020. This is likely just for cleaning and general maintenance; this is not enough time for Disney to do any major overhauls. Not to mention, this is still a fairly new attraction. It really shouldn’t need any major refurbishment yet.

We’ll be in the park the following week, and will let you know how the attraction looks when it reopens!

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

Disney World 2020 Vacation Packages — Art of Animation Resort (Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts)

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is reopening at long last on November 1, 2020. If you aren’t familiar with the Art of Animation resort, it is a very popular Value Resort, and one of our favorites. Check out our blog post about this resort here.

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During the shutdown, Art of Animation got some minor refurbishments, including new flooring and updates in the lobby area. The rooms themselves got minor updates to furnishings and room details.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Art of Animation, it is located on the Skyliner line, and it’s a worthwhile stop to check it out. All the themed icons from Cars, The Lion King, Finding Nemo and the Little Mermaid make terrific backdrops and props for unique family pictures.

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The Big Blue Pool, Art of Animation’s largest pool, did not get it’s refurbishment done during the closure, however. As a result, the Big Blue Pool will be closed for refurbishment from January 1, 2021 through early April 2021.

Art of Animation Resort Big Blue Pool Refurbishment Disney Parks News Update 10.14.20 — Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts

Guests are encouraged to use the Flippin’ Fins Pool (Little mermaid area) or the Cozy cone Pool (in the Cars area) during the closure. The Schoolyard Sprayground play area is NOT being affected by the closure.

Art of Animation Cozy Cone Pool — Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts

Guests staying at Art of Animation during this time should expect to see or hear construction during their stay; however, construction does not occur between dusk and 9 am, so your rest time should not be impacted.

If you have a reservation during this time and are concerned about this refurbishment, please reach out to your travel agent (or me!).

Boardwalk Inn: Luna Pool

A highlight for me personally in this week’s Disney Parks News Update is about the CLOWN over at the Luna Pool at the Boardwalk Inn.

The pool at the Boardwalk Inn, the Luna Pool is currently being refurbished while the Boardwalk Inn is closed. The pool area at the Boardwalk Inn is themed to the turn of the 20^th century Coney island. The area has a sort of “Circus-y/Old timey amusement park” vibe.

Boardwalk Inn Luna Pool Area (Photo: Disney Parks)

The centerpiece of the pool area has always been a giant clown face. The mouth of the clown is a waterslide. I’m not a giant fan of clowns to begin with but this clown? Totally creeps me out. In fact, I’ve avoided booking there for my family because of the creepy clown.

I mean, look at that thing. Don’t you think it’s a little creepy? (OR A LOT CREEPY???!!!)

Here’s the big news: locals have reported that the giant clown head has been REMOVED as part of the Luna Pool refurbishment!!! It has been seen being taken away from the pool area (although no one actually saw it dismantled, thrown in the trash or burned in a ceremonial cleansing so we do not know for sure it is not coming back). The area where the clowns head WAS is still covered with tarps, but work is continuing.

Dare we hope that the clown is gone for good? Could the Imagineers have something new and creative for that area that doesn’t terrorize small children (or ME)??? I do not know, unfortunately. We will definitely scope out the pool area when we visit next month; hopefully we will be able to give you a more definitive update then. But for now? I’m happily booking a reservation for my mom and I at Boardwalk for May, assuming the clown will be GONE.

Food News

We have lots of FOOD NEWS in this week’s Disney Parks News Update!

ABC Commissary

Over at Hollywood Studios, the ABC Commissary has reopened with a brand new menu. Some old favorites are still there, but the menu has had a major overhaul. Tacos and curry rice bowls have taken center stage. New items include Pork carnitas tacos, Shrimp tacos, curry rice bowl with shrimp and a plant based curry rice bowl with tofu. Two new chicken sandwiches also join the lineup. Kids can choose from a Pork taco, grilled cheese sandwich, a turkey sandwich or their old favorite, uncrustables.

Minnie’s Halloween Dine

Also at Hollywood Studios, we have a new menu for Minnie’s Halloween Dine over at Hollywood and Vine.

This meal does feature character appearances. The characters will parade through the dining area and wave and let you take pictures. However, they won’t be stopping at your table for individual pictures as you are probably used to from character meals pre Covid.

This is a fixed price, three course meal, featuring a salad, entrée and dessert.

Disney Parks News Update 10.14.20 — Photo: Disney Parks

Entrée choices include prime rib, roasted turkey breast, macaroni and cheese with shrimp, Salmon, Pork osso bucco and plant based pan seared king trumpet mushrooms.

Minnie's Halloween Dine — Photo: Disney Parks

Desserts include your choice of apple blueberry pie, banana crème pie, chocolate smores pie, vanilla crème brulee and a plant based cherry lemon pie.

Cocktails, wine and beer are available for an additional price. Beer starts at $7.50, Wine by the glass starts at $10, and cocktails start at $13.

In the past I have NOT enjoyed Hollywood & Vine, however, I have to admit this sounds pretty good. We may have to check this out for ourselves!

Chef Mickey’s

Next up in Food news: Chef Mickey’s Character Dining is coming back! One of the most popular character meals on property, Chef Mickey’s will soon be visited by Chef Mickey himself (and a few of his friends!).

Chef Mickey's Character Dining Returns Disney Parks News Update 10.14.20 — Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts

Starting on December 16, 2020, Mickey and Minnie and their friends will be back at Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It’s not quite the same—this is NOT a buffet at the moment, and the characters will not be coming to your table. However, the characters will “pop up” at surprise intervals and parade through the dining rooms, waving at guests for pictures. Reservations for Chef mickey’s character dining open up October 17.

Its important to note that Chef Mickey’s IS currently open. Right now, it’s an all you care to eat family feast WITHOUT characters. Pricing for adults is $25 and kids are $14 (plus tax). However, once the characters return, pricing will jump to $42 for adults and $27 for kids (plus tax).

Mickey's Celebration Pancakes Chef Mickey's Character Dining Disney Parks News Update 10.14.20 — Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts

In addition to the characters joining diners, there are three new entrees being added to the menu. Mickey’s celebration pancakes, a loaded potato cheese casserole with smoked bacon crumbles and chives and finally, Goofy’s Banana Bread French Toast—which looks and sounds like a heart attack on a plate.

Chef Mickey's Character Dining Disney Parks News Update 10.14.20 — Photo: Disney Parks and Resorts

It will probably taste AMAZING though. If you plan to check out this very popular character dining experience, reservations are HIGHLY recommended (really, required).

Updated Mask Warnings

New mask warning signs appeared throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks last week. These signs more specifically state that guests must wear their masks properly, at all times, and further state that guests who do not wear their masks will be asked to leave the parks.

In addition to the new signs located throughout the parks, Disney has added an audio announcement about the mask policy that plays in the parks several times each day. Finally, they’ve added the message to the My Disney Experience phone app. Disney is very serious that guests understand this policy.

I know there has been some confusion on this: Florida was recently moved to Phase 3, which means the Florida state government is no longer requiring masks in all public places, and the state has rescinded the fines for not wearing a mask. HOWEVER, it is important to recognize that each business has the right to establish and follow their own protocols, based on what they believe is safest for their guests or customers.

Disney is SERIOUS about their Mask Policy

Completely separate from what the state dictates, Disney has their OWN policies. Disney has determined, based on their research and advice from scientific advisors and guidelines from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) that masks help prevent the spread of Covid-19 (and other airborne spread diseases). Disney is requiring all guests over the age of 2 to wear masks at all times while in the theme parks, and while in public areas of Disney resorts.

Disney News Updates — Photo: Disney Parks

I understand this is a hot button topic for some people. Bottom line: If you aren’t willing to wear a mask during your Disney visit, do not visit Disney.

If you don’t wear a mask, you will not be permitted entry to the theme parks. If you remove your mask (other than while dining), you will be asked to leave the theme park. It’s very simple. If your aren’t comfortable wearing a mask during your Disney theme park visit, do not visit Disney until masks are no longer required. Hopefully, sometime next year. Disney has a very good refund policy right now, due to the challenges raised by Covid-19, and I am confident they will work with you to cancel or reschedule your trip.

Walt Disney World Theme Parks Capacity

In last week’s Disney Parks News Update, we talked about capacity at the theme parks. We expressed our belief that Disney has been quietly increasing capacity at the theme parks. This belief is based on anecdotal and observational evidence. The theme parks are feeling more crowded. We are seeing much longer lines for attractions. It’s getting more difficult to social distance in main traffic areas throughout the parks. Park reservations are fully booked up, and then Disney releases more availability for certain days, especially weekends. In general, it just “feels” like the parks are getting more crowded every week.

Bob Chapek, Disney CEO

However, Bob Chapek, Disney’s CEO told CNBC this week that Walt Disney World theme parks are still capped at 25% capacity. He also stated that the parks will remain capped at 25% capacity until the CDC guidelines change.

We have to assume that Bob Chapek knows what he’s talking about. He’s the boss of all the bosses, and while he’s not in the trenches admitting guests into the park, we figure he’s heavily involved with the decisions related to capacity. Especially as those decisions will affect the overall profitability of the theme parks dramatically, right?

We’re NOT at 25% Capacity?

So what could explain the discrepancy between what we (and many others who have visited over the last few weeks) are feeling and what Bob Chapek tells us must be true?

1) It’s likely that when the parks first opened, they were not any where near 25% capacity. Perhaps they opened at 5 or 10% and hovered there for a while. We saw lots of pictures and comments that the parks were like ghost towns, and all the attractions were walk-ons during the first couple of months. That has certainly changed. So perhaps what we are seeing now is truly 25% capacity?

2) Another factor in longer lines could be staffing related. If Disney is staffing fewer cast members on attractions, perhaps some “lanes” are closed in attractions? This could slow down the movement of guests through those rides, resulting in longer lines and more congestion?

I’m not sure. It sure seems like the crowds we are seeing, especially in Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom, are higher than 25% capacity. But we don’t work at the parks, and Disney is fairly tightlipped about what they consider FULL capacity to be. So the short answer right now? We don’t know. We will update you next month with our perspective when we are actually there ourselves.

Assault Weapons at Disney World?

Our final story this week is a troubling one. We have learned, courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel as well as several other news outlets, that a Disney guest brought an AR-15 rifle and 9 mm handgun with him on his Disney vacation!

The guest, a 43 year old man from Palm Beach Gardens, checked into the Polynesian Villages Resort over Labor Day Weekend. When the guns were discovered in his luggage, Disney contacted the local sheriff. The man had a concealed weapons permit, and therefore was not arrested.

However, Disney does not allow weapons of any kind on property, so Disney confiscated and held the man’s arsenal for him until the end of his vacation. He stated he brought the weapons because he was worried about his family’s safety during the social justice protests in the Orlando area last month.

Personally, I think if you are worried enough about the safety of your family that you need to bring an assault rifle, a hand gun and more than 100 rounds of ammunition with you to DISNEY WORLD where there are THOUSANDS of unarmed adults and children, perhaps you should postpone your vacation until a time when it feels safer for you to visit.

Again, Disney is being extremely flexible with cancellations, refunds and rescheduling. I would never want anyone to feel unsafe, but we can’t have assault rifles and other deadly weapons making their way onto Disney property.

To be clear: Disney does not allow guests to bring weapons of any kind onto its property. If you have issues with this policy, please contact Disney directly.

Disney Parks News Update: Final Thoughts

That’s it for this week’s Disney Parks News Update. It’s good to see that in some ways, things at the parks are starting to look a little more normal. However, it is a sign of the times that we are seeing stronger mask warnings from Disney, and that we had a story this week that included the word “assault rifle”. I’m hopeful that we will have more stories about things getting back to normal as time goes on.

Thank you for reading!

Happy dreaming!

Brooke

Disney Parks News Update 09.30.20

It’s time for another Disney Parks News Update. In this week’s report, we discuss Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to move the State of Florida to Phase 3. This removes capacity restrictions on theme parks, restaurants and bars throughout Florida. We also discuss Disney’s announcement that they are laying off 28,000 employees from their theme parks division.

We also report on changes to entertainment at Walt Disney World in the coming weeks. In addition, there was fireworks testing going on after hours and the ongoing refurbishment at the Polynesian Villages Resort. Finally, we give you an update on runDisney’s virtual race registrations and report a parade sighting on this week’s Dancing With the Stars.

Please check out this weeks Disney Parks News Update below.

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For those of you that prefer reading, here’s the written version of this week’s Disney Parks News Update.

Disney Parks News Update

Florida moves to Phase 3

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially moved Florida to Phase 3, effectively lifting Covid-19 restrictions on theme parks, restaurants and bars. The state is no longer issuing fines for failure to comply with mask regulations, and is no longer restricting capacity.

Disney released a statement, essentially stating that they will continue to adhere to their reopening plans, and continue to exercise caution and above and beyond safety protocols. As we mentioned last week, Disney has been quietly increasing capacity in its theme parks; however I would not expect any drastic or sudden changes in response to the Governor’s actions.

Disney Lays Off 28,000 Employees

Yesterday, Disney announced upcoming layoffs of 28,000 employees from its theme parks division. While many Disney theme park employees were furloughed following the closure in April due to the Pandemic, this announcement is a major blow to theme park employees both hoping to be brought back to work soon, and those currently working in the parks.

Disney’s official statement cites California’s failure to allow Disneyland to reopen as a major factor; however, the travel industry as a whole has been VERY hard hit this year, and it may take years for it to fully recover. Sea World, Universal and other Florida theme parks have also been announcing layoffs, just not quite this large.

Our hearts go out to all the employees that will soon learn they are among the 28,000. This has been such a difficult year for so many, and this giant layoff by one of the worlds largest corporations is certainly an indicator that no one is immune from the pain, not even the happiest places on Earth.

Fireworks Testing

In the “good news” category, there was some after hours testing of Fireworks over at EPCOT a few nights ago. The testing went on for several hours. Most likely, this is Disney testing the new nighttime show for EPCOT, Harmonious. Harmonious was originally scheduled to be added to EPCOT this summer or fall; however, it is more likely that it will be added in the spring. This new show is supposed to be the biggest and most technical of any of the nighttime Epcot spectaculars, and it is likely that months of testing lie ahead before the show is released to guests.

Disney Epcot Updates Epcot 2020 Nighttime Show — Epcot Nighttime Show, Harmonious, Concept Art, Artist’s Rendering (Source: Disney Parks)

When fireworks DO return to Disney, I do think EPCOT is a great candidate for the first shows as it is more spread out and will allow for more disbursement of crowds and less congestion. However, fireworks shows like Disney does are very expensive and I highly doubt they will resume until the parks are returned to normal capacity and the hotels are all back open and full of guests.

Magic Kingdom Attraction Closures

Magic Kingdom announced a couple attraction closures this week. The Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer island will be closed from October 5 through at least Jan 21 2021 for refurbishment. This may mean that the Rivers of America will be drained during that period, although that is not confirmed.

Magic Kingdom Liberty Square Riverboat — Liberty Square Riverboat (Photo: Disney Parks)

Polynesian Villages Resort Refurbishment

Last week we discussed that the Polynesian Villages Resort will be closed until next year as it is getting refurbishment. At that time Disney had not released any concept art.

Disney has now released this concept art for the new entrance and Port Cochere for the Polynesian Villages Resort. Further, Disney stated the resort will reopen in Summer 2021. The Polynesian’s 50^th anniversary is October 1 2021, and it seems the refurbishment is designed to coincide with that anniversary as well as with Walt Disney World’s 50^th Anniversary, also October 2021.

Polynesian Villages Resort Refurbishment — Concept Art: Polynesian Villages Resort (Concept Art: Disney Parks and Resorts)

The statement released by Disney with the new art stated that the new entrance will feature a bold new facade that will complement the longhouses throughout the resort. Disney also stated that the gardens and fountains are getting refurbished as well, with new dramatic lighting elements, and new chandeliers, inspired by glass floats, fishing nets and bamboo. The new outdoor chandeliers will match the existing chandelier in the resort lobby and bridge the two spaces.

Disney World guests can still access the Grand Ceremonial House and its operating retail and dining venues during the refurbishment project.

I think this is preliminary art is a good sign. The Polynesian’s ground entrance has always been a little underwhelming, and it looks like Disney is finally fixing that, and making it more worth of this beautiful resort.

The Grand Floridian Orchestra

After 32 years, Disney has ended the run of the Grand Floridian Orchestra. This six piece orchestra has entertained guests at the Grand Floridian from high above the lobby for years, and is beloved by many.

While the Grand Floridian remained closed to guests when the parks reopened, the Grand Floridian Orchestra was performing several times per day over at Hollywood Studios in the Beauty and the Beast theater as the Disney Society Orchestra.

The Grand Floridian Orchestra announced a few days ago that their final Walt Disney World performance will be at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Saturday October 3, 2020. Disney’s official statement was pretty brief and vague, but seemed to indicate that it was time for a change at the Grand Floridian.

More likely, the cut is budget related, and is a troubling indicator of things to come. In March, many of the entertainment acts featured throughout EPCOT World Showcase found their contracts canceled. I am very concerned that we are losing, perhaps permanently, that “extra” entertainment that is part of what makes Disney parks so very special.

Entertainment Coming to Hollywood Studios

However, there is some good news on the entertainment front. At Hollywood Studios, we have some entertainment coming back very soon. For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing A Long Celebration is returning to Hollywood Studios on October 5, 2020.

Frozen Sing a Long Celebration — For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-a-long Celebration (Photo: Disney Parks)

Disney has stated that there are no changes to the show, other than minor staging and audience seating to allow for social distancing.

Also coming soon to the animation courtyard is Disney Junior Play and Dance. These dance parties will feature a DJ playing songs and encouraging kids to dance. Disney Junior stars like Mickey Mouse and Vampirina will appear on stage during the dance party.

Pop Up Motorcades at Hollywood Studios

Pop up motorcades are coming to Hollywood Studios. These motorcades will allow guests to see their favorite characters safely, and provide photo opportunities. Much like the character cavalcades we’ve been seeing at Magic Kingdom, these themed motorcades will not appear on the daily schedule. This will discourage crowds from gathering to see a motorcade. These motorcades will pop up throughout the day.

Disney Parks News Updates Pop Up Motorcade Incredibles — Pixar Pals Character Motorcade (Photo: Disney Parks)

There are three different motorcades, all featuring custom colorful convertibles, powered by Chevrolet. Gotta love those sponsorships. The Mickey and Friends motorcade will feature Minnie, Mickey, Pluto and Chip and Dale. The Pixar Pals Motorcade will feature the Incredibles, Woody, Buzz lightyear and others. The Disney junior stars motorcade will feature Fancy Nancy, Doc McStuffins and Vampirina.

Disney Parks Updates Pop Up Motorcade Vampirina — Disney Junior Character Motorcade (Photo: Disney Parks)

runDisney Virtual Race Registration Update

Last week we shared runDisney’s announcement that the 2021 Marathon Weekend and 2021 Princess Half Marathon weekend were both transitioning to virtual races, and that registration for the races was opening up for those races for a limited time.

Registration is currently still open for all the virtual races for both weekends, if you are interested. I don’t know how long registration will remain open, so I wouldn’t wait too long.

If you’re not familiar with a “virtual” race, basically you will run the race on the scheduled date, but you will run it in a location of your choosing, not on Disney property and without the porta-potties and water stations we rely on for major races. For marathon weekend, prices range from $40-79 for the 5K, $49-$99 for the 10k, $59-$118 for the half, and $65-$120 for the full marathon. The lower price includes a digital bib, digital race tool kit including mile markers, digital goody bag, virtual playlist. The higher price adds an event tech shirt.

The challenges are also available: Goofy (the half and full completed on consecutive days) is $129 – $275, and Dopey (all four races completed on consecutive days) is $225 – $480.

Pricing for the Princess half marathon weekend is very similar. We are posting a more detailed post about the runDisney virtual races tomorrow. Please check back to visit that post.

Disney and Dancing with the Stars

Finally, loosely tied to Parks news, it was Disney week on Dancing with the Stars. Host Tyra Banks sported Minnie ears and a Minnie inspired dress throughout the show, and every dance featured Disney songs.

Disney Parks News Updates Dancing with the Stars Tyra Banks — Disney Week on Dancing with the Stars. Host Tyra Banks (Screenshot: Hulu)

The highlight for me was the inclusion of elements from the Main Street Electrical Parade during the beginning segment of the show. The “floats” were displayed and the little snail even drove around the dance floor.

Disney Parks News Updates Dancing with the Stars Main Street Electrical Parade — The Main Street Electrical Parade Visits Disney Week on Dancing with the Stars (Screenshot: Hulu)

I’ve always loved this little parade, and was happy to see the floats and elements still exist. Hopefully we will all get a chance to see this beloved nighttime parade at a Disney park sometime soon!

Tune in Next Week for More Disney Parks News Updates!

We hope you have enjoyed this week’s Disney Parks News Update. Please join us next Wednesday for next week’s news!

Happy Dreaming!

Brooke

P.S. Looking for last week’s Disney Parks News Updates? Please visit our YouTube video here.

Disney World Reopening July 11, 2020

Great news today, everyone! Walt Disney World has presented their plan for reopening the parks in Florida to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force for approval. Pending that approval as well as state approval, Disney World is reopening July 11, 2020.

Disney World is NOT opening all at once, however. Like everything else, Disney World is going to reopen in phases.

Disney World’s Phased Reopening Approach

Initially, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will open on July 11, 2020. A few days later, July 15, 2020, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios will open.

Disney World Reopening July 11, 2020 — Disney’s Magic Kingdom (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

Disney is very focused on managing this reopening very carefully and more importantly, very responsibly. They’re going to significantly limit attendance and guest density throughout the parks, once they reopen.

A Very Different Theme Park Experience

It’s important that we adjust our expectations to a new theme park experience. Covid-19 unfortunately has not been eradicated, nor do we (yet) have a vaccine. So it is very important that we continue to be careful and prioritize our health and safety. Social distancing, washing your hands, and wearing face masks are going to continue to be very important–at least for the foreseeable future.

Disney World Reopening July 11 — Cinderella Castle from Bay Lake Tower at Night (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

Some of Disney’s trademark experiences that draw large crowds are NOT returning to normal operations until further notice. This means there will be no fireworks, parades, or nighttime spectaculars. This also means that experiences that are considered “high touch” experiences are also not returning at this time. This includes “makeover” experiences (think Bibbidi Bobbidi Doo), character meet and greets, water play areas and playgrounds.

To summarize, while the parks ARE reopening, the following experiences are NOT reopening during these early phases.

- - Parades
  - Character Meet and Greets
  - Fireworks and Nighttime Spectaculars
  - Makeover Experiences
  - Water Play Areas
  - Playgrounds

Animal Kingdom Mickey and Minnie vacation planning top reasons to visit Disney trip planning tips — Linda & Brooke with Mickey & Minnie at Animal Kingdom (Photo: Disney PhotoPass)

Disney has not specifically mentioned popular stage shows that also draw crowds, like the Indiana Jones Stunt Show or Beauty and the Beast. I suspect those will either be limited or cancelled as well. It’s possible Disney is holding off decisions on these types of attractions until they get closer to opening the parks. I also think they may do limited seating to accommodate social distancing. Similar to ideas that have been floated for reopening movie theaters, Disney could close alternate rows, and suggest distance between families or groups. At this point we just don’t know.

Reservations for Park Entry

During this phased reopening of Disney World, Disney is going to require guest to make advance reservations to enter the park. This is how they intend to limit attendance at each park. They have not specifically stated how many guests will be allowed to enter each park once they are reopen; I suspect this is so they can test a variety of crowds as they see how things go. Initially, Shanghai Disney reopened with a capacity of 24,000 versus their normal capacity of 80,000.

While we don’t have official numbers, the Magic Kingdom has a max capacity of 100,000 people. (Personally, I find it pretty unpleasant any where NEAR that crowd level but different strokes for different folks!) I’m expecting that Disney will limit attendance at MK to 30,000 OR LESS during this first phase of reopening. Keep in mind, there are also THOUSANDS of cast members to support guests at the same time.

How to Make Reservations

Disney has not shared exactly HOW we are going to be able to make reservations for park entry. They HAVE indicated that guests with existing tickets and annual passholders will be able to make reservations for park entrance before the system will be opened up for new ticket sales.

Disney has temporarily halted new ticket sales and new resort reservations until they work through the existing and rescheduled reservations. Note: Disney Vacation Club members are the exception to this: they can still make resort reservations. Disney has indicated that they will be reaching out to existing ticket holders and annual passholders “soon” to discuss the process for making park reservations with them. The official statement says “more details about this new reservation system will be available soon”.

What Resorts are Reopening and When?

Disney has announced that Disney Vacation Club resorts in Orlando and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground are opening to guests June 22, 2020. In addition, Disney Vacation Club resorts in Vero Beach, Florida and Hilton Head, South Carolina are opening to guests beginning June 15, 2020. These resorts are reopening with new safety and cleanliness protocols in place. In addition, plans to support social distancing and enhanced cleaning measures are in place, according to Disney.

Old Key West Resort (Photo: Brooke Hudson)

At this time, Disney has not announced when additional resorts will be opening. My prediction is that they will roll out additional resorts as they gradually increase attendance thresholds at the parks. I’m sure there will be a lot of training for cast members at each resort as they prepare for reopening.

Will I Have to Wear a Mask?

Disney is putting various measures in place to protect health and safety of both guests and cast members as Disney World prepares to reopen July 11, 2020.

All guests over the age of three and all cast members will be required to wear face coverings inside the theme parks and in public areas of the resorts. On the upside, Disney is selling really cute face masks (of course!) at shopDisney.com now for pre-order. Check them out below. I mean, if you have to wear one, they might as well be adorable, right?

Disney has really cute face masks for sale — Disney themed face masks? Let’s go! Click the picture above.

shopDisney.com new Star Wars themed face masks — Star Wars themed face masks! Click the image above!

Toy Story themed face masks at shopdisney.com. Please click the picture above!

In addition, both guests and cast members will be required to undergo temperature checks prior to entering a theme park. Disney already has the temperature check system in place for guests entering Disney Springs.

Disney is also recommending cashless transactions whenever possible, encouraging guests to plan on using their magic bands or credit cards to minimize the handling or exchange of (potentially bacteria carrying) cash.

High traffic areas will get additional cleaning and disinfection procedures with higher frequency than other areas. Disney has also stated that procedures will be reviewed and updated frequently as we all get used to the new normal.

What Does it All Mean?

So, the good news: Disney World is reopening July 11, 2020. The not-as-good news is that things are going to be different. But let’s face it. There are a LOT of things in our lives that are going to be different going forward. Perhaps permanently different.

Disney has stated that the phased opening at Shanghai Disneyland has been going very well, and that they are encouraged by the guest response there. Let’s hope guests in Orlando will be as cooperative and understanding.

Disney continues to work with the CDC and other health officials to implement best practices for reopening. I suspect this will be an evolving situation as time goes on, and we all have a chance to see the impact that reopening has on our citizenry. Hopefully, we are going to continue the number of new cases shrink as life gradually returns to normal. However, it is important to recognize that public safety is critical, and should we see a surge in new cases, it is entirely possible that Disney will have to close again.

We’re All in This Together

It is vital that any guests intending to visit the parks in the next couple of months (and perhaps longer still) are prepared to wear masks, practice social distancing, wash their hands frequently and get their temperatures checked.

It is also important that guests weigh their desire to visit the parks against the potential risks to their own health, and the health of others. Finally, it is critical to understand that some experiences will NOT be happening for the first few weeks and months the parks are open. If those changes are going to make you unhappy, or cause you to question the expense, I recommend you reschedule your trip for later in the year or even to next year.

We must all work together to help this phased reopening of Disney and the rest of our country be successful. We must be respectful of the new safety protocols in place for the protection of EVERYONE. Wearing a mask in the Florida heat this summer may not be fun, but it may also help to save lives. I, for one, think that’s a small price to prevent other people getting sick, or even worse.

What We Don’t Know

There’s still a lot we DON’T know, and I expect information will become available in the weeks to come. I know I still have questions about dining and transportation. Are you wondering about Fast Passes and the virtual queue for Rise of the Resistance? I’d like to know about shows and the stretching room at the Haunted Mansion. I bet you are wondering about the new Space 220 restaurant at EPCOT and all the other construction projects in progress.

Lots of questions, and very few answers. I’m excited Disney is opening, and I’m anxious to see what’s to come!

Happy Dreaming,

Brooke

P.S. ShopDisney.com is having a great summer sale right now. If you’re jonesing for a little Disney magic, check it out!

Full disclosure: I am a shopDisney.com affiliate.  If you visit shopDisney.com using one of my links, and your purchase results in a purchase, I will earn a small commission.  This does NOT cost you anything.  Thank you!

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runDisney Races are back in 2021

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The Holidays have Arrived at Disney World!

Here is the full statement from Disney:

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Entertainment Cast Layoffs

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Hollywood Studios

Animal Kingdom

EPCOT

Resorts

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That’s it for this week’s Disney Parks News!

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