Beginning today, Guests dining in table service restaurants at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel will need to have their temperature screened prior to entering the location. These temperature screenings will take place near the entrance of each table service restaurant at the resort hotels.
As with other Walt Disney World Resort locations that require temperature screenings prior to entering, should you have a temperature of 100.4 F or above you will be directed to a secondary screening. Following the second screening, those with temperatures 100.4 F or above will not be allowed entry. (Nor will their entire party be able to enter.)
The temperature screenings are being done to add an extra layer of precaution for those working and dining in these table service restaurants due to the fact that Guests are seated to dine for prolonged periods of time without wearing face coverings.
Those Guests who are unable to dine due to having a temperature will not be charged a cancellation fee.
Visiting Walt Disney World right now is unlike any other time before. This is even true about the mini version of the food and wine festival being called the Taste of Epcot Food and Wine Festival. There are slightly less booths than during the normal festival. No culinary demonstrations or any other special programs are offered either. The list of items available at each booth is a little shorter than normal, in some cases. And some of the booths are holdovers from the Flower and Garden Festival.
When we visited EPCOT we also noticed the playgrounds and some of the displays from the Flower and Garden Festival are still up. Perhaps the strangest component of all is that all of the festival merchandise is the 2020 Flower and Garden Festival merchandise.
Flower and Garden Festival Merchandise July 2020Flower and Garden Festival Merchandise July 2020
It is nice to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival with low crowds (i.e., not having to eat on top of a trash can as a table). There were plenty of high top tables available in most cases. However, we did experience some busy periods when there were crowds making me a little uncomfortable. This was during meal periods of lunch and dinner – no surprise there.
United Kingdom Pavilion Side Street Around 11:30 a.m.Morocco Pavilion Low Crowds Around 11:30 a.m.
Let’s talk about some of the food and drinks available at the Taste of Epcot Food and Wine Festival.
Crispy Citrus Chicken with Orange Aïoli and Baby Greens (a miss) – Festival food when prepared in mass quantities can sometimes fall short in some ways. This can be especially true for anything fried, which can dry out as it sits under a warming lamp. This is even more true when there is low attendance and the food is waiting around a while. Such was the case with the Crispy Citrus Chicken. The coating fell off as we sliced into it. A decent value for the portion size at $5.75, but a miss when it comes to taste.
Citrus Blossom Menu – Taste of Epcot Food and Wine FestivalCitrus Blossom Chicken – Taste of Epcot Food and Wine Festival
Tarte aux Oignons Caramelises et Chévre: Goat Cheese Tart with Caramelized Onions on a Flaky Pastry Crust (a hit) – As my husband and I approached the France booth, we overheard a guest balk and say “goat cheese, who would eat goat cheese?” The poor chap is missing out. Goat cheese is tangy, creamy, thick, and a little tart, and when it is baked it takes on a slight sweetness. This tart is full of earthy flavors thanks to the goat cheese, caramelized onions, and dash of fresh provincial herbs. A good value at $5.50.
Canard Confit à l’Orange: Braised Duck Confit à l’Orange with Mashed Sweet Potatoes (a hit) – Admittedly I am a fan of duck practically any way it is prepared so I may be biased. This dish was tender and savory, and with the mashed sweet potatoes I wished there was an autumn nip in the air. A decent value at $6.25.
Tarte Tropezienne, Coulis Framboise: Brioche Cake filled with Light Pastry Cream and Raspberry Coulis (a hit) – Light, airy, and yet oh-so-flavorful this brioche cake is the perfect sweet bite to satisfy your sweet tooth without weighing you down after indulging in the heavy delights of the France booth. A good value at $3.00.
France Booth – Taste of Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet-and-Sour DOLE Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise (a hit) – It is a rare occasion that the Hawaii booth disappoints. My husband and I love Kalua Pork, so tender and juicy. This slider does a good job of dressing up the pork and packing in some great flavors. Ours was a little soggy, but still enjoyable. A decent value at $5.25.
Teriyaki-glazed SPAM Hash with Potatoes, Peppers, Onions and Spicy Mayonnaise (a hit) – Obviously you need to be okay with SPAM (which is spiced canned ham) to enjoy this dish. However, I will say that if you’ve never had SPAM this is a great way to try it. The glaze helps with the overly salty flavor of the canned meat, and the accompanying hash adds a great variety of flavors. Our plate was heavy on the mayo, which made it all a little soggy. I am tempted to find a recipe so I can make it at home, sans mayo perhaps. A good value at $4.25.
AULANI Sunrise: Vodka, DOLE Pineapple Juice, and Grenadine (a hit) – Keep in mind, my husband and I have a soft spot for tiki drinks, and are dreaming of going to Aulani one day. Still, this tiki cocktail was a decent sized serving and quite potent for being pre-made. Vodka may seem an odd choice for a tropical tiki drink, but it allows the pineapple juice and grenadine to shine. A splurge at $14.00, but at least the souvenir tiki cup is cute.
Hawaii Booth – Taste of Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
Tempura Donburi: Two pieces of Tempura Shrimp and Kakiage (Vegetable Tempura) with Tentsuyu Dipping Sauce served over Sushi Rice (a hit) – It is hard to beat the light, airy, yet crispy delight that is tempura. The serving size is much larger than other festival offerings, though smaller than a quick service entree. Both tempura pieces were executed well and tasted great, and the sushi rice, with its stickiness, was the perfect accompaniment. A decent value at $8.00.
Chirashi Sushi Flowerpot: Fresh-cut Salmon, Salmon Roe, and Spinach served over Sushi Rice (just okay) – Any sushi fan will enjoy this dish at the very least. The fresh salmon flavors paired with sushi rice and poke sauce satisfied our craving for sushi flavors, it just didn’t “wow” us. Of course, this one may be worth getting if only “for the ‘gram” with its cute little flowerpot. We held onto the flowerpot, it may just become a toy for our toddler. A decent value at $6.75.
Strawberry Nigori Sake (a hit) – It’s hard for my husband and I to resist trying a sake we haven’t had before. This strawberry sake should be considered a dessert. It was sweet, but light, and creamy. The price is good considering the serving size is on par with what is served at the sake bar at the back of the Mitsokashi store here in the Japan pavilion. A good value at $7.00.
Japan Booth – Taste of Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions (just okay) – In years past we’ve really enjoyed the crispy pork belly from the Brazil booth. It seemed lacking this year. Perhaps the serving of the pork belly itself was small. Perhaps it was dominated by the black beans. It’s still a good choice if you love pork belly or Latin flavors. A decent value at $6.00.
M.I.A. Beer Company Barbossa Black Beer, Doral, FL (a hit) – My husband and I are now on a mission to pick some of this up for home. This pure black beer is robust, but not overbearing or heavy. An okay value at 6oz. $4.50/ 12oz. $8.50
Brazil Pork Belly – Taste of Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
One of these days, we’re going to be able to return to Disneyland, and when we do, we’re going to want to hit some attractions. To keep you in the mood until then, let’s take a deep dive into Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in this week’s “Better Know an Attraction” series. Read on for more!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an E-Ticket roller coaster attraction set in a mining town in the Old West.
Where is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is in Frontierland, and will be on your right-hand side after you pass Rancho Del Zocalo.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad History
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was designed by Imagineer Tony Baxter and opened at Disneyland on September 2, 1979, replacing Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. It includes numerous nods to the space it once occupied, which was also a mine train ride through scenes of the old west. For example, the western town at the end of the attraction is Rainbow Ridge, in roughly the same form as it existed when it was Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. The attraction received a major renovation in 2014, during which the entire track was replaced, as were the ride vehicles, and several scenes were upgraded with new effects. The attraction is extremely detailed and includes several references to Disney history.
What You Need to Know About the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Queue
The queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a two-lane winding path surrounded by rockwork and the conclusion of the attraction itself. The queue is shaded in parts, but it’s entirely outdoors and there is no serious protection from the rain. It cannot accommodate wheelchairs or ECVs, so guests using them will be directed to enter through the exit for boarding.
What is the Ride Experience Like for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain is a heavily themed, fast, thrilling roller coaster ride that has three lift hills and will take you through caves, tunnels, banked turns, humps, and drops. The ride is generally fairly smooth (far smoother than Matterhorn, for example), but it will mildly shake you side to side on occasion (intentionally), so it’s not as fast or smooth as Space Mountain or Incredicoaster. There are no inversions and the ride, while a lot of fun, is not overly intense, making it a great coaster for someone looking to upgrade to a “real” roller coaster but that doesn’t feel ready for the other E-Ticket roller coasters. The ride does contain darkness, loud noises, and unexpected movements that may frighten some children.
What are the Ride Vehicles Like for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad features mine train vehicles that accommodate up to two guests per row. There are no inversions, so the only restraint is a lap bar that you’ll pull down yourself.
What You Need to Know About Accessibility for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Guests do need to be able to transfer into the ride vehicle to be able to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Guests in wheelchairs and ECVs should enter through the exit where you will be directed by a cast member for further boarding instructions.
What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Warnings for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Disneyland warns guests that, “[f]or safety, you should be in good health and free from high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by this adventure. Expectant mothers should not ride.”
What are the Height Restrictions for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Guests need to be 40″ or taller to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Guests under 7 must be accompanied by someone 14 or older.
Does Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Offer FastPass?
Yes.
Does Weather Affect Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is outdoors, so extreme weather can shut it down. It will generally continue to run in the rain, but lightning or heavy rain can result in it being closed until the weather passes.
What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a headliner attraction, and should be experienced before 10:30 or after 6:30 if you don’t use FastPass. It is traditionally a fairly easy FastPass to get without a serious wait even in the middle of the day, however, so target other headliner attractions first. Expected wait times on a crowd-level basis are noted here, but be sure to check out the expected wait time for the date you intend to be there. One final note: if you can time your ride to coincide with the fireworks when they are running, it’s a pretty amazing experience!
Is Big Thunder your favorite of the Disney Mountains? Is it on your short list, or your skip list? Let us know in the comments!
The latest Disney Loungefly Backpack is a pretty spectacular tribute to the entire Star Wars film legacy. Images and promotional art from all nine Star Wars movies are included in the pattern on the backpack. Admittedly, I had to squint my eyes and tilt my head a little to see a tiny image of one of the prequels when looking at these photos from our field team, but still the entire Star Wars Skywalker Legacy film is represented.
The pattern of images is accompanied by blue straps and accepts. It is $75.00 and so far does not appear to be on shopDisney online. We spotted this backpack inside Main Street Emporium.
There’s never been a more important time for Disney’s PhotoPass service. As my husband, toddler, and I visited EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom this weekend it hit me: we won’t have any pictures of the three of us unless we utilize Disney’s PhotoPass.
Sure, we could do selfies. And if I really wanted to I could set up the phone on something stationary and set the timer, but I’d prefer not to. We certainly were not going to hand a phone to someone in this time of physical distancing. And, for the first time I can ever recall, Disney Cast Members are discouraged from taking photos for guests with the guests’ phones or cameras. It’s completely understandable. Not only does physical distancing become difficult when handing over a device, but then you’ve got the concerns about touching someone else’s stuff.
EPCOT PhotoPass Spaceship Earth Main Entrance
When we arrived at EPCOT there was one PhotoPass Cast Member stationed at the traditional spot right at the entrance, framing up Spaceship Earth in the center. With one other family ahead of us we physically distanced ourselves from the photographer and waited. When it was our turn they scanned our MagicBand before directing us to a piece of masking tape on the ground.
We then decided to use the Future World West walkway. There were far less guests on that side and the walkway is much wider. To our surprise a PhotoPass Cast Member was stationed there too, I assume because of the good angle of Spaceship Earth they can capture. You can see how few people there are using that entrance. I much prefer using Future World West, compared to feeling closed in by the walls of Future World East.
Epcot PhotoPass Spaceship Earth Future World West
The next day we ventured to my favorite park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We spotted a PhotoPass Cast Member at the front gate facing the ticketing windows. She took a moment with each family to get a few photos of the kids by themselves. It is nice to have a quick photo session of your child. Somehow they pose better for the professionals than they do for their own parents. There was also a photographer in front of the Tree of Life, of course.
Animal Kingdom PhotoPass Front Gate – #ThisFloridaToddlerAnimal Kingdom PhotoPass Front Gate
Overall, it did feel like there were slightly less photographers than normal stationed throughout the park. This makes sense with less guests in the park and no formal character meet and greets. So, if you see a PhotoPass Photographer I say “go for it” and seize the moment to get a family photo.
Masks are required to stay on at all times, even when taking photos, unless you are actively eating and drinking while stationary. Disney only wants to publish photos of guests with their masks on. This falls in line with policy that’s been in place well before COVID-19. The policy is essentially to suppress any photos taken by Disney that show unsafe behavior.
Animal Kingdom PhotoPass Tree of Life
If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World anytime soon I would recommend making sure you have unlimited PhotoPass downloads included in your trip. We’re fortunate to have it included in our annual passes and this weekend it proved incredibly valuable. Yes, it feels very weird to have masks on in our photos, especially our little toddler. But, it is truly an interesting moment in time, captured in a way that only PhotoPass Photographers can provide.
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Dos and Don’ts, Epcot, In the Parks, Trip Planning, Disney PhotoPass, disney reopening, Disney’s Animal Kingdom
