Unless you’ve been socially distancing under a rock (which, you know, might not be the worst thing in the world when you think about it…), you’ve probably heard that Hamilton is coming to Disney+ this week. By popular request, that will be the showing for this week’s Friday Virtual Movie Night. It is a live stage production of the Broadway musical “Hamilton”, about America’s favorite Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. (Sorry, Salmon P. Chase.)
Please note that this is only available on Disney+, and that we’ll start on Friday at 7 p.m. ET (as it is a lengthy production). And although it is highly discouraged to chat on your phone while on Broadway, there’s no restrictions about chatting when watching from home. Want to join in the conversation? Head over to Lines chat. We’ll see you there.
Back in February, Disney debuted a collection of denim apparel that gave me flashbacks to the 1990s. Now, a denim Mickey Mouse Loungefly backpack has arrived to Disney Springs, six months later.
The base is a light blue denim material and there is a pattern with Mickey Mouse’s profile in black and white, with a touch of red for his mouth. The zipper and straps are black. This Loungefly backpack is priced at $75.00, and does not appear to be available at this time on shopDisney online.
In this week’s “Better Know an Attraction” series, we’ll be taking a close look at a Fantasyland classic, Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. Read on for more!
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is one of those classic Disneyland Fantasyland dark rides, where you travel along a twisting and turning path through scenes following Pinocchio as he tries to make his way home.
Where is Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is in the heart of Fantasyland on the left as you pass through the castle.
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey History
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey opened on May 23, 1983 (though it frankly feels much older). It replaced the Mickey Mouse Club Theater, which had previously occupied that space.
What You Need to Know About the Pinocchio’s Daring Journey Queue
The queue for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is an unremarkable series of switchbacks. The entire queue is indoors but open to the outside, i.e., it’s not air conditioned. The queue cannot accommodate wheelchairs and ECVs, so guests using those can need to enter through the exit.
What is the Ride Experience Like for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey follows the formula used by most Fantasyland dark rides, where you’ll travel along a twisting, winding path through 3D scenes documenting Pinocchio’s adventures. The ride can be jerky, but should not present motion or other issues for most guests. The attraction does include some darkness, loud noises, and scary elements that could frighten some smaller children.
What are the Ride Vehicles Like for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey puts guests in vehicles designed to look like wooden carts, which are carved with characters from the classic story like Jiminy Cricket and Figaro.
What You Need to Know About Accessibility for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Guests do need to be able to transfer into the ride vehicle to be able to ride Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. Guests in wheelchairs and ECVs should enter through the exit where you will be directed by a cast member for further boarding instructions. Captioning and audio descriptions are available.
What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Warnings for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey does not carry any special safety warnings and is intended to be appropriate for all audiences. The ride does contain some darkness and loud noises that may frighten some small children.
What are the Height Restrictions for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?
There are no height restrictions for Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, but guests under 7 must be accompanied by someone 14 or older.
Does Pinocchio’s Daring Journey Offer FastPass?
No.
Does Weather Affect Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?
The attraction is indoors and will run rain or shine. The queue is “indoors” but it’s open to the elements and can get hot when it’s particularly hot out. With that said, the wait is typically not overly long, so it’s rarely an issue.
What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience Pinocchio’s Daring Journey?
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey is a minor attraction, and even on the busiest days, it’s rare for the wait to exceed a half hour. The apex of the day between noon and 4 or so should still be avoided to minimize your wait, but this should not be the attraction you’re running to first thing. 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.
Do you enjoy Pinocchio’s Daring Journey? Is it on your short list, or your skip list? Let us know in the comments!
I had dinner over at the Contemporary’s The Wave last week, and it reminded me of the Hulu series The Great, about how Catherine the Great came to rule Russia. (It’s well-written, funny, and charming. Definitely worth watching.)
Empress Catherine (Elle Fanning), who will eventually rule Russia alone, with husband (and Emperor) Peter III (Nicholas Hoult) in Hulu’s “The Great.” (photo courtesy of Hulu; Len’s hair is actually as curly as Peter’s now)
It wasn’t that Elle Fanning was at Disney World (she wasn’t), and I’m pretty sure I couldn’t order borscht if I tried. No, while I was at The Wave, the thing that reminded me of eating like royalty was the fact that there were a total of three people in the dining room, and we were served by an entire kitchen staff outfitted with millions of dollars in cooking equipment. It was as close to having a personal Disney chef as you can get. And it was glorious.
Every dish I tried was perfect. And they were probably perfect because the chef had no other meals to prepare but mine. Every item came out of the kitchen exactly when it was done. Nothing sat under a heat lamp waiting for my server to finish a circuit of other tables, because my server – Charlene – had no other tables. She had only me. And so while 2020 has been absolutely horrible, if you like eating at Walt Disney World, now is the time to do it.
Dinner started with bread service. This mini-loaf of multi-grain bread came out warm, its just-baked aroma floating out from under its cloth wrapping. This was a dark, multi-grain loaf that tasted of sweet molasses. The crust managed to be crispy and chewy at the same time.
Along with the bread came a small plate of butter, topped with pink Himalayan sea salt. I’d like to take a second to thank the kitchen staff for ensuring the butter was at room temperature, and easy to spread on the bread. Serving cold butter with fresh, warm bread is probably a crime in France, and the Florida legislature should definitely consider adopting this idea.
Fresh, multi-grain bread service at The Wave, with butter topped with pink Himalayan sea salt
For my appetizer, Charlene recommended something not on the menu – the evening’s special of Chicken Pozole soup ($9.50). This was an avocado-based soup made with chicken stock, chicken, tomatillo, onion, and radish. It was delightful. I could taste a touch of garlic, perhaps cilantro, and I think poblano or jalapeño pepper added smokiness and depth. This wouldn’t be out of place over at La Hacienda at Epcot, and if I had a Mexican grandmother, I’d definitely ask abuelita Testa to make this every time I visited.
Chicken Pozole soup at The Wave
I told Charlene that I was in the mood for steak for my main course, but asked for recommendations. Charlene said the beef tenderloin ($36) was very good. It came with potato gratin, which I was also really in the mood for, and so I was prepared to go with that. But then Charlene said “…and the pork tenderloin looks really good tonight.” Because Charlene’s soup recommendation was great, I went with her main course recommendation and ordered the pork tenderloin ($26). Best decision I made that night.
Pork tenderloin with smoked cheddar grits, coffee-barbecue sauce, and roasted broccolini
This pork tenderloin was one of the best main dishes I’ve had in Walt Disney World in years. But let’s start with the smoked cheddar cheese grits – I would eat these every day, with every meal. I’m not a huge fan of grits – if they’re too soft, the texture is off-putting – but these were perfect, done with a little bit of chew, and the smoked cheddar flavor was assertive without being overpowering.
On to the meats! The pork tenderloin came with a coffee-barbecue sauce that was mellow and tangy. That went well with the pork, which was done to a perfect medium rare – I was absolutely certain this plate had spent exactly zero seconds under a heat lamp. The pork had a flavor that was so rich, it almost tasted like beef. And I loved the broccolini, which I think was steamed, and cooked until just done. At first I was surprised at how well the broccolini went with the coffee-barbecue sauce and the cheddar cheese grits, and then I remembered that the kitchen is filled with professionals who do this for a living, and do it way better than I could ever hope.
Total cost for the soup, pork, and a soda was $38.97. The Wave accepts Tables in Wonderland discounts, which reduced the price by 20% and adds an automatic 18% gratuity, for a total of $40.03. By any measure, this meal was a bargain at that price, and it would’ve been a bargain if the pork was $36 instead of $26. As I said earlier, this is a great time to be eating at Walt Disney World restaurants, and I’m excited to go back for more.
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Dining, discounts, Resorts, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), the wave, The Wave of American Flavors, The Wave… of American Flvaors
We’re all spending more time at home and in the kitchen nowadays. At Disney Springs we spotted a new Disney Kitchen collection of “Mouse Wares” that is packed with characters. There are aprons that resemble princess gowns, princely regal ware, character pot holders, and sets of plates and place mats bursting with the colors of Mickey and his pals. Last week we spotted this Bullseye pot holder, not knowing a full collection was on the way. Here’s what else you can find.
Character themed potholders (Chip, Bullseye, Evil Stepsisters, and more) – $14.99
Character themed aprons (Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Woody and Jessie) – $34.99
Goofy and Donald kitchen tongs – $19.99
Disney Kitchen set of 6 plastic plates – $26.99
Disney Kitchen plastic serving bowl – $17.99
Disney Kitchen place mats set of 5 – $39.99
Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella Themed ApronsDisney Kitchen CollectionBeauty and the Beast Themed ApronsBeauty and the Beast Themed Aprons – BackChip Beauty and the Beast Pot HolderCinderella Evil Stepsisters Pot HoldersWoody and Jessie ApronsSet of Six Disney Kitchen PlatesSet of Six Disney Kitchen PlatesDonald Goofy Kitchen TongsDisney Kitchen Collection Serving BowlDisney Kitchen Collection Place matsDisney Kitchen Collection Placemats and Serving Bowl
It does not appear that this collection is available at shopDisney online just yet. What do you think of this collection?
