Author: disneyfoodblog.com

As you can imagine, Cast Members have been significantly affected by the closure of the Disney parks.

One such group are students participating in the Disney College Program. When the parks closed, Disney announced that the college program would be suspended in Disney World and Disneyland and it is still unclear when students will return. Well, it seems it will be a little bit longer; College Program participants have started to receive notification that their fall programs have been canceled.

Thanks to a reader, we can share the email that the college program participants are receiving. In it, Disney explains that due to the nature of the reopening process, the Disney World College Program will continue to remain suspended.

This particular readers program was supposed to run from August 17th through January 7th, thus meaning that Disney has canceled the Fall College Program.

The email goes on to note that Disney is working on revising the eligibility requirements for the College Program. When the program is welcomed back, students who were affected by the cancellations may be able to apply again.

The same is true for the participants who were expected to have their program at Disneyland. Disney Programs on Twitter shared both the statements for Disney World and for Disneyland.

So, at this time, it looks like Disney will not have College Programs assisting in the parks for the remainder of the year. We’ll be keeping an eye out for more updates about the College Program and other programs in Disney World and Disneyland. Stay tuned to DFB for all of the latest news.

Click here to read about the initial suspension of the college program.

Were you impacted by these cancelations? Tell us in the comments. 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Featured, News, college program, DCP, DCP suspension, disney college program, Disney college program suspension, Disney land college program, Disney World, Disney World college program, Disneyland

A BRAND NEW hotel has just joined the ranks of the Bonnet Creek-area hotels, which are located INSIDE the gates of Walt Disney World.

The JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa opened July 1st and is located just down the road from other popular Bonnet Creek resorts the Hilton Orlando-Bonnet Creek Resort, the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek, and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.

According to a press release, the 516-room resort debuts a new family-friendly room type, Family Suites. These rooms feature fireworks views (when fireworks aren’t temporarily suspended), lofted beds, spa-like bathrooms, and larger living areas for families to spread out. Guests will also get shuttle transportation to Disney theme parks. 

Read about when more Disney World transportation options are reopening here! 

The resort also features a Kids Conservatory where kids can do arts and crafts and an Activity Garden, with a rock-climbing wall, mini golf course, and a lawn for free play. For grown-ups, we’re betting the 10,000-square-foot Spa by JW should be just the ticket after those long park days.

The resort says they’re prioritizing health and safety in the midst of the current health crisis by implementing guidelines established by the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council. Staff will wear masks at all times and guest protocols will support social distancing.

Of course we’re wondering what NEW food options this resort will bring to the area. Dining spots include steakhouse Sear + Sea, Japanese-inspired illume Rooftop, serving sushi, seafood, and Asian tapas (with fireworks views when they’re running), and UnReserved, a European-inspired food hall.

Some of the FIRST guests to experience this resort will be those who were originally scheduled to stay at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Guests with reservations at the Swan and Dolphin between July 1st and July 29th were just alerted that their reservations would be canceled and they could rebook at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek.

We reached out to the resort to find out whether guests staying here will receive the same benefits guests get at Walt Disney World Good Neighbor hotels like the Swan and Dolphin and the Hilton Orlando-Bonnet Creek Resort, which are similar to the perks that come with a stay at an official Walt Disney World hotel.

Find out what counts as a “Walt Disney World Resort” here. 

With Disney’s new Park Pass Reservation System in place, this was a BIG DEAL because guests staying onsite were able to book their theme park reservations before everyone else. The resort was unable to confirm at this time their classification as it relates to Disney World, but we’ll keep you posted!

We answer all your burning questions about Disney’s Park Pass Reservation System here!

Will you be staying at the reopened JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney resorts, Featured, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Swan and Dolphin Resorts, Walt Disney World, Bonnet Creek, Bonnet Creek Hotel, disney hotel, disney resort, Disney World, disney world hotel, Good Neighbor hotel, hotel, JW Marriott, JW Marriott Bonnet Creek, JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek, park pass, resort, Waldorf Astoria Orlando

Disney World is the place to let go if you wanna become a kid again (yes, sometimes we get more excited about seeing Mickey than our kids do).

But, there are still a few rules that you have to follow in the parks! That means no running, no jumping out of ride vehicles, no stealing your siblings’ Dole Whips, and the like. (K, maybe we made up that last one, WE’RE ONLY HUMAN!)

While we all know the basic rules of theme park etiquette, there are still a LOT of things most people don’t realize you cannot do in Disney World anymore!

Don’t worry, though — we’re going to give you the run-down on some of the biggest things that you’ll have to skip doing in the parks!

Swim in the Disney Lakes

Years ago, guests were able to swim and spend days at the beach at Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon (beach day!!). Although many people enjoyed kicking back, relaxing, and splashing at the resorts, these areas were sectioned off and no-swimming signs were put up. Why you ask??

Well…because it’s downright dangerous to get too close to ANY natural waterway in central Florida. Disney does their best to control alligator populations but, at the end of the day, they’re in the middle of Florida swampland and mother nature wants to do what she wants to do. As long as the alligators are not in a guest-populated area, Disney can’t ensure total containment of them, hence prohibiting guests to swim in open waters.

There are also certain bacteria that could be dangerous or lethal if ingested (YIKES). One boy unfortunately contracted a fatal case of amoebic meningoencephalitis supposedly from the lake (Bay Lake) where Disney’s River Country used to be. While taking a dip in the lake and lagoon might seem like fun at the moment, Disney is just trying to do whatever it can to protect guests and employees.

Even though you can’t take a dip in Bay Lake or Seven Seas Lagoon, there are still SO many awesome pools at the resorts, water rides in the parks, and Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach to visit if you want to cool off in the Florida heat!

Who wouldn’t want to float in a lazy river, eating a Dole Whip?? OK, OK, you can’t do that either. Gotta eat your Dole Whip BEFORE hopping in!)

Which Disney water park should you visit? Click here!

Smoke in the Disney Parks

The smoking policies in Disney World have seen some pretty major changes over the years. At one point, Disney switched to having designated smoking sections throughout the parks so people who smoked or vaped had a spot that wouldn’t affect other guests. However, they weren’t allowed to smoke anywhere else in the park.

But, last year, the Disney Parks changed their policy to a totally no-smoking environment while guests are in Disney World or Disneyland. However, there are still some places that guests can smoke during their visits!

The Disney Resorts and Disney Springs have smoking locations set aside for guests to use. Plus, you can also smoke in specific areas near the entrances to the parks.

Click here to learn more about the smoking ban in Disney Parks

Wear Masks…Well, Kind Of

Disney has actually had a mask policy for quite a while now. If you’re 14 or older, wearing any sort of face mask is actually prohibited. Younger children are able to wear them in Disney World, BUT the mask must provide unobstructed vision, the eyes should be fully seen, and the mask shouldn’t cover the whole face. (Though it seems like those Kylo Ren or Stormtrooper masks that don’t really fit the set guidelines are definitely tolerated, if not outright allowed!)

Older aged kids, teenagers, and adults are prohibited from wearing masks or full costumes on regular days in the park, BUT they CAN wear costumes in Disney World when they are attending special ticketed events, like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. There are still restrictions to keep in mind about what costume pieces are allowed (Edna Mode is just really opposed to capes, you know).

However, Disney’s face mask policy has changed just a little bit in light of the current situation. Nope, you can’t sport that adult Darth Vader mask in the parks and call it “wearing a mask,” but they ARE allowing (and, in fact, REQUIRING) certain masks in the parks. In the name of health and safety, lower-face coverings are now required for guests and employees in the parks, and masks must cover guests’ mouth and nose completely.

So it may not be that full-face Halloween mask you were hoping for, but if you plan to visit Disney World soon, you’ll need to mask up for you and everyone in your family over the age of two!

Click here for some of our favorite comfy face masks! 

See the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Now, believe it or not — this is a question we get a LOT around the holidays. No, you cannot see the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights anymore (we’re still MEGA sad about this).

The 80,000 glowing lights in Hollywood Studios covered the Streets of America (which are also gone) and brought what seemed like all the Christmas cheer in the world into the park. The spectacular Christmas lights show would light up and strobe along with the holiday music. And, boy, was it COOL!!

Although Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party each year, the Osborne Family Lights were THE sight to see in Disney World during the holidays. They lasted from 1995 to 2016, bringing in guests from all over the world to watch them. Plus, the magic of snoap filling the air as you held hot chocolate and a gingerbread cookie really made you feel like you were walking in a Winter Wonderland.

Although Disney World switched their Hollywood Studios Christmas show to Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! in 2016, it was never the same.

While we can’t see them in person anymore (sigh), they will live in memory through our photos and the spectacular videos of the Osborne Family Lights you can watch online. We DID get Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in its place sooo, maybe it’s not SO bad??

Click here to learn more about what replaced the Osbourne Lights!

Take Off Your Shoes

Unpredictable weather and unforeseen circumstances happen on your vacation — we totally get it. Sometimes your shoes break, your sneaks get waterlogged from Splash Mountain, or you keep sliding around in your flip flops on Main Street during torrential rain. But, taking off your shoes and walking around in your socks or barefoot is frowned upon in Disney World.

You will most likely not be allowed on rides or in stores or restaurants if you’re barefoot. Not to mention a Cast Member will probably ask you to put on a pair of shoes to be able to continue visiting the parks.

That’s why we think it’s a great idea to pack a pair of extra sandals in your backpack just in case of an emergency. Be sure to check the forecast before you visit to try and plan accordingly too! And, if worse comes to worst, you can always have another party member buy a pair of shoes for you in one of the gift shops.

Speaking of flip-flops, the one time you ARE allowed to take them off is during Soarin’ in Epcot! You can leave them in the pouches underneath your seat or on the ground before you take off.

If you ask us, it can be strangely relaxing to have your legs dangling barefoot as you soar around the world!

Buuut, even with all the things you CAN’T do, there are even more ways you’re actually able to make wonderful memories with your family and friends in Disney World! (Yes, even when it’s pouring rain. ) We love Disney World for the stuff that it LETS us do, so the couple things we can’t aren’t a big deal to us! Smoke outside the park limits, leave that full-head replica mask home, and enjoy yourself at the Disney World parks!

Want to see even MORE things you can’t do at Disney World? Watch our video below!

Did you ever get to swim in the lakes or see the Osborne Family Lights? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney Entertainment, Disney News, disney parks, Featured, Walt Disney World, Bay Lake, brain eating ameoba, designated smoking areas, Disney, disney news, Disney World, face masks, flip flops, no smoking, Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, river country, seven seas lagoon, soarin’