Author: touringplans.com

If you’re looking to get your splash on at the Walt Disney World Resort, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer if you’re planning on doing it at one of the Walt Disney World water parks. That’s because Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach will not be reopening until 2021.

According to Disney, the reopening will be pending state and local government approvals, and the current plan is to reopen one of the two Disney water parks on March 7, 2021. The proposed reopening date may still be adjusted, and if that happens, we’ll let you know. We also don’t know which water park will be reopening first, so we’ll share that info with you when we learn it.

Of course, when the water parks reopen, there will be a plan focused on health and well-being and more details will be shared at a later time.

For those who have purchased the Park Hopper Plus Option or Water Park & Sports Option, options will include:

• You may keep them and use your current date-based ticket with the existing add-on options at other experiences available during your visit.
• You may modify your tickets and you should call the Disney Reservation Center.
• You may cancel the ticket or package. To discuss those options, please call the Disney Reservation Center.

At this time, Guests can purchase new tickets that include the Park Hopper Plus Option or Water Park and Sports Option for admission March 7 and later. Those looking to purchase Water Park annual passes and 1-Day Water Park Tickets will be able to at a later date.

If you just purchased Water Park tickets, your tickets will be automatically extended through December 31, 2021. You may also choose to cancel your ticket.

Finally, if you’ve purchased a Water Parks and Water Parks After 2 annual passes, those will be automatically extended for the period in which both water parks were closed. As an alternative, water park Passholders may instead choose to cancel their pass and you’ll need to call (407) 939-2732. More details about Annual Passholder options can be found here.

We’ll make sure to keep you updated on the latest with the status of Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon as we learn it.

The post In 2021, You Can Once Again Visit Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: News, Walt Disney World (FL), Water Parks, Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, water parks

Oh boy, we’re starting to see more deals now!

Now that I’ve gotten my gratuitous exclamation point usage out of the way, here’s a quick report on some hidden deals over at Hotwire in October: Pop Century as low as $80, and Coronado Springs as low as $97 – very nice deals if I might say so.

For the record, we’ve seen  Coronado hidden deal rates on Priceline Express in the $80s-$90s before, but most were back in 2018. The average hidden Coronado deals I’ve recorded in both October 2018 and 2019 is $111, so the current ones are mostly below that average, which is nice.

Before you take a gander at the calendar, I have a couple of bits of info to share:

First, in addition to these new Hot Rates, you might want to go over and check out the Flash Sale over at DVC Reservations for some other nice deals. You can find Old Key West studios on most dates from September 20 – 30 for $135, many October dates for $135, and a few October dates (Fridays October – 23 and Saturday October 24) for $179. You’ll want to be sure to sign up for their alerts to receive those deals.

Back to Hotwire, choosing one of the $82 Pop deals, I compared it to Disney rates for the same day: the best deal I could find was for annual passholders at $124. However, the best non-AP rate directly from Disney was the current Magic is Here rate at $142. So, this is some hefty savings.

Also, as with any hidden deals, the dates you search may matter in what deals you are shown. There were several days at the end of the first week of October that did not have deals when I searched one night at a time. However, when I expanded my window to start on September 30 or earlier, Pop deals for October 2-4 magically appeared.

As a side note: you may also find some similar Coronado deals appear in Priceline Express results at the end of the month, but for now it looks like they all send you to the “Sorry! This deal is gone.” page when you try to book them.

Finally, here’s how to spot these deals: Pop is a 3-star 4.4-guest rated resort in Bonnet Creek and will look like this in the Hotwire results:

If you still are a non-believer, go compare the main rating and sub-ratings here to Pop’s page on Hotwire. Or, even easier: scroll down in the search results and find the non-hidden Pop deal – you’ll find the main ratings match (3*, 4.4-guest) and the price there will typically be within $1 or $2 of the crossed out rate you see above.

To spot Coronado, look for a 3.5*, 4.3-guest rated resort in Bonnet Creek. Below are examples of a hidden deal and a non-hidden deal on the same day for comparison.

And now, the data you’ve been waiting for – here’s a calendar of the deals I’ve spotted. I wish you luck catching one for yourself!

If you’ve found your way back to Disney with one of these deals or have any questions – please let us know in the comments!

The post Hotwire Deals: Pop and Coronado in October appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: discounts, Resorts, Saving Money, hotwire

Imagine savoring Sanaa’s beloved bread service from the comfort of your hotel room or villa–or if you’re lucky enough to live close by, enjoying it at home. We discovered that To Go orders at Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: Kidani Village can now be placed through the MyDisneyExperience app! Sanaa is one of most loved restaurants by Disney fans and the fact that it gets to have this new feature first is pretty awesome.

A few weeks ago we wrote about Disney Resort Restaurant Carryout. Now this convenient way of enjoying Disney dining without the safety concerns of dining inside a restaurant is made even easier.

1. Select An Arrival Window
2. Wait for Meal to Be Prepared
3. You Will Be Notified When the Meal is Ready

Make sure to have your Annual Pass or Disney Vacation Club status enabled in your MyDisneyExperience account, as discounts can be applied prior to payment.

Remember you can view listings for every Walt Disney World restaurant on TouringPlans.com include ratings and rankings from over 500,000+ surveys in the past few years. Get every resource you could ever need to plan your trip by becoming a TouringPlans Subscriber.

Which table service restaurant do you want to get To Go Mobile Ordering next?

The post BIG NEWS: Mobile Ordering Being Rolled Out to Select Table Service Restaurants for To Go Orders appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, discounts, Resorts, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), disney dining, disney mobile ordering, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, mydisneyexperience app, Sanaa

Quick service dining is currently down to just a handful of locations at Magic Kingdom, and Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe is one of them. This centrally located quick service location is often noted as one of the busiest counter service restaurants in the entire United States. Cosmic Ray’s is a popular choice thanks to its large presence and easy access from Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland.

Mobile Ordering is available here, which provides out-of-this-world convenience. Our team has noticed that food here is fresher and hotter than it was in the before time. It seems food is more closely prepared to order thanks to mobile ordering.

Over recent years we have processed over 500,000+ surveys from our readers, and they have scored Cosmic Ray’s with a 78% thumbs up with a rank of 78 out of 107 dining options at Walt Disney World. That puts Cosmic Ray’s at a “B” grade. The portions are large, and the prices are some of the lowest of any quick service location. But the quality is just simple fast food fare.

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Once upon a time, Cosmic Ray’s had a great amount of variety on their menu. The service counter is made of three bays, and it used to be each bay specialized in different fare: chicken and ribs at one, burgers at another. But the efficiency of this setup was poor at times. The menu now is reduced from years past, which you can view here.

On a recent visit our team ordered:

• 1/3 lb. Angus Cheeseburger with Fries –  $12.49
• Plant-Based Vegan Sloppy Joe – $12.99
• All-Beef Foot-long Hot Dog – $11.99

I enjoy trying out plant-based fare at Walt Disney World because it is often flavorful and filling without weighing me down. Our team reports that the plant based Sloppy Joe isn’t the best non-meat option on property, but it’s a step in the right direction. The sauce is nice and the bun is soft, almost melting into the sauce. We recommend the plant-based options at Liberty Tree Tavern, but if you’re sticking to quick service and want a satisfying plant-based options this Vegan Sloppy Joe will fit the bill.

The hot dog is a good stand-in until Casey’s Corner re-opens.  It’s large enough for two people to share, but yummy enough you may not want too. The topping bar isn’t functioning for fresh toppings, which was one of the redeeming qualities of this location. There are more than enough sauces and condiments to add some variety to your order. Our team has now asked for the Sriracha Aioli that comes with the seasonal Mickey’s Monster Mash Burger and they’ve not been charged or had any trouble.

The Angus Cheeseburger is nothing special. Hamburgers are pretty standard at most in-park counter service locations. If a seasonal burger, like the current Mickey’s Monster Mash Burger, is available go for it instead of the standard burger.

The interior dining room is quite large, with the main dining area offering entertainment via the venue’s main attraction: Sonny Eclipse. This beloved audio animatronic alien lounge singer is full of corny jokes and crooning tunes. Outdoor tables and chairs offer views of Cinderella Castle, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland.

Have you eaten at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe Before? What did you think?

The post REVIEW: Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe Offers A Galaxy of Casual Fare appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, In the Parks, Magic Kingdom, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), cosmic ray’s, disney burger, disney dining, disney hot dog, magic kingdom dining

A couple of weeks ago Downtown Disney received a smorgasbord of new Halloween merchandise. Now even more new items have arrived!

My favorite item this week is this Madame Leota crystal ball from the Haunted Mansion for $24.99. It lights up and plays actual Leota phrases from the ride. Just in time for Halloween!

Before I get in to the rest of the new Halloween items I have to talk about the new Baby Yoda (aka The Child) merch that also arrived at World of Disney this week. Here’s this adorable mug priced at $22.99.

You know you’re a cultural phenomenon when you get to be on a pair of Crocs. These are marked at $54.99.

This eye catching hooded sweatshirt with The Child and the Mandalorian can be yours for $54.99.

Don’t forget the Baby Yoda leggings! $39.99.

Let everyone know how much you Baby Yoda with this $36.99 shirt.

You got the Baby Yoda shirt, shoes, backpack, hat, and leggings so you may as well get the socks to complete the look.

I thought this Baby Yoda blanket that folds in to a pillow was very cute. $39.99.

Back to Halloween stuff. Commemorate Halloween 2020 with this crew neck, $44.99

This fantastic Haunted Mansion mug even includes a spoon shaped like a shovel. It is available for $19.99.

This Haunted Mansion bottle opener has a magnet on the back so you can stick it to your fridge or metal hip!

Welcome all the Foolish Mortals out there with this sign for $12.99.

For $9.99 you get this button set featuring Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion art.

These emerald and burgundy sequin mouse ear headbands are new and apparently pretty popular. They sell for $29.99 each.

These…. orange cream soda (?) colored items are marked as “New Arrival” but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them before. Either way, here they are!

That’s it for this time. Do you have your eye on anything in particular? Let me know in the comments below.

 

The post PHOTOS: New Baby Yoda Merch, Madame Leota Crystal Ball, Mouse Ears and More Now at Disneyland Resort appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disneyland (CA), Merchandise, Downtown Disney, Halloween, merchandise, the child