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Flo’s V8 Cafe — Better Know a Restaurant

Next in our “Better Know a…” series, we’ll drive by Flo’s V8 Cafe, a quick-service restaurant in Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure.

Flo’s V8 Cafe — Better Know a Restaurant flos v8 cafe

What is Flo’s V8 Cafe?

Flo’s V8 Cafe is a quick-service restaurant themed to Route 66 in Cars Land that serves Southwestern-inspired American comfort food.

Where is Flo’s V8 Cafe?

Flo’s V8 Cafe is located in Cars Land, is an iconic fixture in the area, and will be tough to miss once you’re near it. It sits near the end of the street on your right-hand side before you reach the entrance to Radiator Springs Racers; consult the map below for the fastest path from the park entrance.

Flo’s V8 Cafe — Better Know a Restaurant Map to FLo's

What You Need to Know About the Menu at Flo’s V8 Cafe

Flo’s V8 Cafe serves American comfort food classics like pot pie, fried chicken, and pulled pork sandwiches, many with a hint of Southwestern flair thrown in, like the use of chipotle in the BBQ sauce for the pulled pork. It has a fairly standard kids menu, serving chicken tenders, mac and cheese, and sliders. Flo’s also features milkshakes, and has a breakfast menu that includes a classic American breakfast and tamales.

Flo’s V8 Cafe — Better Know a Restaurant
©Disney

What the Dining Experience Is Like at Flo’s V8 Cafe

The decor at Flo’s is reminiscent of a roadside diner, with classic black and white tile, chrome, and neon. There is lots of Cars-themed decor sprinkled throughout, including memorabilia featuring Flo and the Motorama Girls, and Doc Hudson’s early days as a racer. All in all, it’s very well done. You’ll stand in line to place your order and then receive your food and seat yourself. Flo’s is quite large, and there is ample seating indoors and out. The outdoor seating on the back patio offers a great view of Radiator Springs Racers. Flo’s does offer mobile ordering.

What are Some Items to Target at Flo’s V8 Cafe?

The food at Flo’s is quite good in general, by quick-service standards, but the fried chicken and pot pies are stand-outs. If you’re there for breakfast, try the Brioche French Toast with salted caramel sauce and bananas.

What You Need to Know About Accessibility for Flo’s V8 Cafe

Flo’s V8 Cafe is fully accessible and should not present any unique challenges for visitors in wheelchairs or ECVs. Guests with allergies should ask about allergy-friendly options, which you can preview here.

Does Weather Affect Flo’s V8 Cafe?

There is significant seating both indoors and out, and the outdoor seating in front is generally covered. Shade and protection from rain is more scarce in the patio seating area out back.

Flo’s V8 Cafe — Better Know a Restaurant Flos
©Disney

What is a Good Time to Visit Flo’s V8 Cafe?

Flo’s is the largest eating establishment in Cars Land and can accommodate large crowds, but as with all restaurants, eating at off-times will guarantee you the shortest wait. A late lunch in early afternoon is a good time to target.

Are you a fan of Flo’s V8 Cafe? What’s your favorite dish? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Disney California Adventure, Disneyland (CA), Cars Land, Flo’s V8 Cafe

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Disney Food Disney Movies Disney Parks

Is This the End of Character Autographs?

We now have some solid answers to at least some of the questions about new procedures when Walt Disney World reopens in July. Among the changes are an initial near halt of character dining and character meet and greets. You’re not going to be able to get one-on-one interaction with Mickey for a while.

Is This the End of Character Autographs?
Pre-printed character signatures at Storybook Dining.

But what will happen when character greetings resume?

At Disney theme parks, when guests have met characters in the past, there were three possible types of interaction: a pure hello and chat, getting a photo with a character, or getting a character autograph. (Virtually no one just says hi – that mostly applies to Yacht Club conventioneers who accidentally wind up at the Cape May Cafe character breakfast.) Most guests pose for a quick photo with the character and a significant subset also asks for an autograph, which takes much longer.

While Disney-branded autograph books are still readily available, there were some signs, even pre-pandemic, that Disney had been gradually trying to slow the pace of autograph collection. For example, some physically capable characters, such as Kylo Ren, did not offer autograph signing at their meet and greets. (Yes, he’s a bad guy, but other villains have signed in the past.) And the Artist Point Storybook Dining character meal offered guests a pre-printed card with images of character signatures rather than having the characters on site actually sign things.

Why was this happening? The logical answer is that autographs slow things down. You can stand next to Mickey, have a hug, and pose for a photo in a few seconds. Guests with autograph books, and particularly families with several books, take much longer. Despite character attendants’ best efforts, there is always some opening books, searching for the right page, positioning the pen properly in a giant gloved hand, and so on. While Disney undoubtably makes a nice profit on autograph book sales, they were also facing guest dissatisfaction over time spent waiting in lines. And perhaps more importantly, when you magnify this slow-down by four or five characters meeting guests at a typical meal, you’re slowing the pace of table turnover by several minutes, likely forfeiting far more income than might be earned on the sale of an autograph book.

In addition to this financial factor, new pandemic-related safety protocols will likely include a stark reduction in opportunities to touch things. When characters sign autographs, they’re passing a book and pen back and forth between themselves and the guest, and often between an attendant as well, dozens of times per hour – those books are portable high-touch surfaces. Many characters wear gloves, but some of the face characters do not. That’s many more opportunities to pick up germs rather than simply standing for a picture.

My guess is that when meet and greets do resume, many, if not all, of the characters will stop signing autographs. Once guests become accustomed to that, I wonder whether the practice will return.

And here’s the usual caveat: I have no insider information, I’m just speculating about possible park changes.

What do you think might happen? Do you like gathering character signatures? Would you be sad to see this practice discontinued?

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), autographs, character autographs, meet and greet

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Disneyland Resort to Proposes July Reopening Following Coronavirus Closure

With the announcement of Walt Disney World’s reopening from the coronavirus closure, we waited….wondering when Disneyland would officially reopen. Today, we have that date….and it will sound familiar to a lot of fans.

The Disneyland Resort is proposing a reopening date of the theme parks, both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, for July 17.

As far as the hotels are concerned, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel plan to reopen on July 23. Additionally, the Downtown Disney District will begin reopening on July 9.

Much like Walt Disney World Resort will be doing, due to theme park capacity being significantly limited to comply with governmental requirements and promote physical distancing, the Disneyland Resort will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that will require all guests, including Annual Passholders, to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. These theme park reservations will be subject to availability. More details about this new reservation system will be available soon.

For those who are looking to purchase tickets, unfortunately, you will be unable to do so right now. There is a temporary pause on new ticket sales and Annual Passport sales and renewals.

Once approved, the Disneyland Resort will reopen with enhanced health and safety measures. In addition, Guests will find the Guest Experience Team will be available throughout the parks and Downtown Disney District to assist Guests who may have questions.

Of course, not everything will return to normal. Certain experiences like parades and nighttime spectaculars will not be taking place initially and will be returning at a later date. In addition, character meet and greets will be temporarily unavailable, however characters will still be found in the parks, just in new temporary ways.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and Disney Vacation Club Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are also planning on reopening with efforts to support physical distancing as well as increased cleaning measures, along with a number of other health and safety protocols.

Downtown Disney District will begin reopening on July 9. With the health of Guests and Disney Cast Members in mind, several operational changes will be implemented based on guidance from health authorities to promote physical distancing and cleanliness throughout.

Additional information on enhanced health and safety measures and operational changes for reopening these locations will be shared soon. These policies are under continuous review and are subject to change as the Disneyland Resort monitors conditions and receives guidance from health and government authorities.

The proposed plans for a phased reopening of the Disneyland Resort were submitted and will still need approvals from state and local government.

The post Disneyland Resort to Proposes July Reopening Following Coronavirus Closure appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disneyland (CA), News, coronavirus, Disney’s California Adventure, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney

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Major League Soccer Coming to ESPN Wide World of Sports

Major League Soccer is coming to the Walt Disney World Resort! (And I know a BUNCH of people who just audibly cheered!) The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will be the host location for the MLS is Back Tournament. This tournament will run from July 8 to August 11 and will include all 26 MLS clubs competing in a continuous schedule of 54 total matches that will take place nearly every day. These matches will actually count in the 2020 MLS regular season standings, and the tournament winner will earn a spot in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League.

According to Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, “The opportunity to have all 26 clubs in a controlled environment enables us to help protect the health of our players, coaches and staff as we return to play. We also recognize that the death of George Floyd and others has focused our country on issues of racial injustice, inequality and violence against black men and women. Together with our owners, players and staff, the League and its Clubs are deeply committed to creating meaningful and impactful programs to address these issues that have plagued our society for far too long.”

Unfortunately, fans won’t be able to watch this Major League Soccer tournament in person, due to coronavirus concerns. In fact, MLS players and staff will need to follow specific medical protocols, including regular testing, throughout the tournament. You can take a look at those protocols here. For those who actually would like to watch the matches, you’ll be able to find them on MLS partner networks.

The schedule will be as follows:

  • July 8: Group Stage begins
  • July 25-28: Round of 16
  • July 30-August 1: Quarterfinals
  • August 5-6: Semifinals
  • August 11: Final

For more information about the MLS is Back Tournament visit www.mlssoccer.com.

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From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: News, Walt Disney World (FL), ESPN Wide World of Sports, Major League Soccer, MLS

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Disney Details on Enhanced Cleaning Procedures

As a follow-up to the recent announcement about how Disney Resort hotels will have enhanced cleaning procedures upon reopening, we’re finally getting details on what that will entail.

Specifically, Disney will focus on 11 target areas:

  1. Door handles, pulls and knobs
  2. Light switches and controls
  3. Closet amenities (such as the in-room safe)
  4. Beverage area
  5. Bathroom fixtures and surfaces
  6. Bathroom amenities
  7. Thermostat and electric controls
  8. Bedding
  9. Electronic devices (including the germ magnet TV remote)
  10. Hard surfaces and flooring
  11. Cleaned and wrapped amenities

This enhanced cleaning will occur before you check in to your room. During your stay, you will get a light cleaning service (removal of trash/replenishment of towels).

Here’s an infographic from Disney showing their target area focus.

Disney Details on Enhanced Cleaning Procedures

What are your thoughts on these new procedures? Let us know in the comments.

The post Disney Details on Enhanced Cleaning Procedures appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), coronavirus