Author: touringplans.com

The rare treat of chilly weather has arrived at Central Florida. Well, it’s a treat for us Floridians. Not so much for those wanting sunny and warm Florida weather. So to help you warm up let’s look at the best places to grab a warm drink (besides Starbucks) at each Walt Disney World theme park.

To research this, one of the tools I used is the TouringPlans Menu Finder. I searched “coffee,” “tea,” and “hot chocolate” and referred to our team’s field research.

There is one Starbucks location in each of the four theme parks, with all your favorite Starbucks beverages. There is also at least one Joffrey’s Coffee kiosk in each park. Brewed coffee, hot tea, and hot chocolate are available at nearly every quick service restaurant and table service restaurant at all four theme parks.

At Magic Kingdom you can enjoy specialty hot tea at Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen.

Animal Kingdom has specialty hot tea at Yak & Yeti Restaurant. And if you really want something special, Tiffins has Press Pot Hot Tea. Finally, one of my favorite ways to warm up at Animal Kingdom is the Mustang Coffee at Nomad Lounge, made with Crown Royal, Brown Sugar, Butter, and Hot Coffee.

At EPCOT, because of the International Festival of the Holidays you have a few more options beside the standard hot beverages. At the Tea Garden at the United Kingdom Pavilion you can sip on a Twinings Christmas Tea Toddy (available with and without Drambuie Whisky). It’s served iced, but most likely the one with whisky will still warm you up.

You can get cozy with a Cocoa Candy Cane: Hot Cocoa with Peppermint Schnapps at Holiday Hearth, inside World Showplace. Another boozy hot chocolate option is at Holiday Sweets and Treats with Hot Cocoa with Assorted Alcoholic Cordials (Baileys Irish Cream, Frangelico Liqueur, or Fireball Cinnamon Whisky). And a traditional German holiday beverage, Glühwein: House-made Hot Spiced Wine, available at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen is sure to warm you up.

Finally, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios there is not much outside of the standard Starbucks, Joffrey’s, and standard hot beverages at each quick service and table service restaurant. However, during the holiday season you can enjoy Hot Chocolate with your choice of Baileys Irish Cream, Red Stagg, or Stoli Vanilla Vodka. You can find this specialty hot chocolate at most quick service locations in the park, and it is available as an individual serving, or as a hot chocolate flight.

Do you like to visit Walt Disney World when there’s a chill in the air? What’s your favorite hot beverage to enjoy?

The post Where to Grab a Warm Beverage at Each Walt Disney World Theme Park appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Drinking, Epcot, Festivals, disney christmas, disney coffee, disney drinks

Disney’s Magical Express is one of the few things at Walt Disney World that are actually free! This complimentary transportation service takes guests and their luggage to and from the Orlando International Airport and Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Disney guests have enjoyed this perk for years; and for many, it’s part of that Disney World Vacation experience.

But like everything these days, Magical Express has had to adapt to our current global situation; and if you’re looking to use this complimentary service for the first time, or if you’re a regular user, there are some things you need to know.

There is No Luggage Delivery

Since Walt Disney World reopened in July and for the foreseeable future, Magical Express will not be providing luggage delivery for those arriving to and departing from Orlando International Airport. This means guests need to claim their luggage before heading to Disney’s Magical Express service located at the Ground Transportation Area in Terminal B, Level 1.

However, Magical Express bus drivers will load and unload all of your luggage on and off of the Magical Express motorcoach; and your Disney Resort will still store your luggage if you’re not headed directly to your room upon arrival. Disney Resorts will also still provide luggage delivery to your room as well.

There are New Line Procedures

When guests arrive at Magical Express service at the Orlando International Airport, Cast Members scan their MagicBands or check guests’ resort confirmation numbers before directing them to a line exclusive to their resort.

But just like the queues for park attractions these days, the lines for this process look much longer than they are for the sake of social distancing and due to social distancing markers placed on the ground.

In addition, I personally encountered a revised boarding process during my last experience with Magical Express. Once I was in my resort’s hotel queue and a bus had arrived for my resort, a Cast Member directed the family that was first in line to the bus before moving to the next resort’s queue. It wasn’t until a few moments later that the Cast Member then moved back to my line and directed the next family ahead of me. While the process seems puzzling and even a little frustrating (especially when you can’t wait to get there!), it appears the goal is to prevent guests from clustering when boarding the motorcoach.

Boarding Back to Front

For safety purposes, bus drivers are asking guests to board from back to front. This means if you’re one of the first to board a Magical Express motorcoach, you’re probably going to be seated towards the rear.

Seat Assignments & Staggered Rows

Since Walt Disney World’s reopening, Disney bus drivers have been assigning guests a numbered seat or numbered section on board to help with social distancing. This particular procedure is also being utilized for Disney’s Magical Express.

After the bus driver has loaded your luggage and confirmed your resort’s destination, they will assign you and your group a numbered row of seats. Those numbers, however, are posted under the bus windows so they may be hard to spot.

Also, during my most recent trip, the bus drivers appeared to be filling every other row on the bus similar to what some airlines were doing earlier this year. This means the buses are operating at a lower capacity, which is something to be aware of.

New On-Ride Video

Guests who take advantage of Magical Express on the regular are probably familiar with Magical Express’s on-ride video. For quite some time, it’s consisted of both classic and current cartoon shorts and behind-the-scenes segments showcasing the Magic Kingdom’s Festival of Fantasy parade, Happily Ever After fireworks, and Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom.

The problem? Festival of the Fantasy, Happily Ever After, and Festival of the Lion King are not currently operating, and many of the park’s other experiences have been altered. So for this unique time, a new on-ride video is being used. While many of the segments are now dedicated to promoting Disney+, it also includes a segment featuring Disney’s The Incredibles campaign educating guests about wearing masks and social distancing. It’s definitely something to have your kids check out so they’re prepared for what Disney is enforcing at the parks and resorts during this time.

Have you ever used Disney’s Magical Express? Are you planning on using it for a future trip? 

The post What to Expect Aboard Disney’s Reopened Magical Express appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Resorts, Transportation, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), Disney buses, disney magical express, disney resort hotel, disney resort hotels, Disney Resorts, Disney Transportation, disney world, luggage, Magical Express, Orlando International Airport, trip planning, walt disney world

If you’re dreaming of a White Christmas, you’ll certainly not get one at Walt Disney World. But, today cold weather has moved into Central Florida, making it a rare treat to enjoy some cozy food to warm yourself up. With it being the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays its a great time to enjoy some hearty, satisfying festive food perfect for winter weather. Here’s our top picks for best festival food for cold weather.

• Duck Confit and Dumplings – Festival Favorites Holiday Kitchen
• Blackened Bass – Festival Favorites Holiday Kitchen
• Slow-roasted Turkey – American Table Holiday Kitchen
• New Year Celebration Soba- Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen
• Sacchetti alla Boscaiola – Tuscany Holiday Kitchen
• Curry Chicken Rice Bowl – Shanghai Holiday Kitchen
• Red-stewed Beef Rice Bowl – Shanghai Holiday Kitchen
• Pork Schnitzel – Bavaria Holiday Kitchen
• Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl – Bavaria Holiday Kitchen
• Dulce De Leche Churros – Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen

If you need a break from the chilly weather, head inside World Showplace – we’ve fallen in love with this special pavilion this year thanks to its décor and entertainment. There you can enjoy the Duck Confit and Dumplings and the Blackened Bass from the Festival Favorites Holiday Kitchen. The Duck Confit is perfect for this kind of weather with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Fig Reduction. At $8.00 it is a little pricey, but if you love duck this is a must-do. The Blackened Bass is a great choice because of the spice on the fish that is then cut by the creamy, cheesy grits. The okra and tomato stew add a richness, and Southern flare. At $7.00 it is a good value.

For many folks the holidays aren’t the holidays without some turkey. The Slow-roasted Turkey with Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Cranberry Sauce is the perfect representation of a classic American holiday meal. At $5.75 it is a good value, too.

Most everyone seems ready for a new year so the New Year Celebration Soba is a good way to bring on some good will for the new year. Buckwheat Soba Noodles in Hot Dashi Soup with Shrimp Tempura, Fish Cake, and Chopped Green Onion; there is a lot of wonderful, but light flavor in this bowl. At $7.50 it is still a decent value thanks to the serving size.

Over at the Shanghai Kitchen, both the Curry Chicken Rice Bowl and the Red-stewed Beef Rice Bowl are two savory and rich dishes that will warm you right up on a chilly day. The Red-stewed Beef Rice Bowl disappointed us a little as the flavor was not rich or all that different than regular beef stew, and not worth the $9.50, The Curry Chicken Rice Bowl is our preference with its warm, sweet spice and $8.00 price tag.

The Bavaria Holiday Kitchen is a popular stop as the rich flavors offered here are very familiar for many guests. The Pork Schnitzel is hearty and flavorful with Mushroom Sauce, Spätzle, and Braised Red Cabbage. The pork on our serving was cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside, but tender and juicy inside. At $6.25 it is a good value and a good portion.

It’s hard to resist gooey cheese and carbs. The Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl is comfort food at its best. The fondue itself was served nice and warm with crisp veggies, but the bread bowl and accompanying bread won out as our favorite thing to pair with the cheese fondue. At $8.25 it is pricey, but the portion size is pretty generous.

Time and time again the booth from the Italy Pavilion disappoints us. It seems no matter the festival, no matter the year, we just struggle with the quality and the price here. The Sacchetti alla Boscaiola is comforting, good, but not impressive. The cheese inside the pasta is gooey and has a nice flavor, and the pancetta on top added some saltiness. We didn’t get much of the sweet sausage and caramelized onion in our serving. This could be a good option for kids. You could easily trick them into thinking this is mac and cheese. At $9.50 it is overpriced.

A warm, sweet treat at Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen, the Dulce De Leche Churros are more than just your average churro. Filled with sweet, buttery Dulce De Leche, these churros are a nice holiday treat and they’re only $0.25 more than a plain churro at a regular snack cart.

There are over 35 different festival foods to try so we’ll have more coverage of other must-eats, and some to potentially avoid. So stay tuned! If you’re visiting Walt Disney World this holiday season, make sure you have holiday magic at your fingertips. Become a TouringPlans Subscriber and gain access to our Lines app. Our Lines app users save 2-3 hours on average per day in the parks, so you’ll have more time to savor the magic of this festive season.

Have you attended the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays before? Which of these foods sound best to you?

The post Best Food for Cold Weather at the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Drinking, Epcot, Festivals, Trip Planning, best epcot food, epcot christmas, epcot food, Epcot International Festival of Holidays

With the busy holiday season upon us, we thought it would be a good idea to share with you the best places to grab a quick bite to eat inside Animal Kingdom. When you’re venturing through the wildest Disney park, you may not want to slow down too much, even for food. Our readers have submitted over 500,000 surveys over the past two years and we have ratings for every Walt Disney World restaurant on our site and Lines app. Let’s look at the best places for quick food at Animal Kingdom.

In order of thumbs up rating:

1. Creature Comforts 96.7% -Exceptional
2. Satu’li Canteen 95.6% – Exceptional
3. Tamu Tamu Refreshments 94.9% Exceptional
4. Flame Tree Barbecue 92.7% – Much Above Average
5. Harambe Market 93.0% -Much Above Average
6. Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes 89.9% – Above Average

Creature Comforts is actually the park’s Starbucks location, so there is not much to make a meal here, but certainly the best spot to perk up your day. Satu’li Canteen is the pride of Pandora with its fresh, custom-made bowls and tasty Cheeseburger Pods.

In Harambe, the park’s African-themed land, you’ll find Tamu Tamu Refreshments, a quick spot for something sweet including Dole Whips. Harmabe Market just reopened with limited hours. With outdoor only seating, it is sure to be a popular spot right now, though its menu is now missing a Roasted Veggie Bowl that was enjoyed by many, as well as the Pork Sausage that was once considered a signature dish.

In the center of the park is Flame Tree Barbecue with tasty Pulled Pork Sandwiches, ribs, and other bbq favorites. The seating here is also outdoor only and it is one of the most beautiful outdoor dining areas in any Disney theme park. This is a great spot to watch the character cavalcades go by if you’re able to secure one of the limited number of tables on the water’s edge.

Finally, the Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes located in Asia is a third-party-operated location. Asian-inspired dishes that are served here are usually satisfying and good quality. Seating here is also outdoor only.

During the busy holiday season it is very important that you dine outside of peak hours. We would recommend using Disney’s Mobile Ordering and to do so as early as possible. When you go to view available pick up times in the app, you can select “More Times” to find all available pick up times. The earlier in the day you do this the more availability there will be. The restaurants above that offer mobile ordering are Satu’li Canteen, Flame Tree Barbecue, and Harambe Market.

You can view listings for all Walt Disney World restaurants on the go in our Lines app. We’re in the parks every day to ensure our information and resources are as up to date and as accurate as possible.

Where is your favorite place to grab something quick to eat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

The post The Best Places for Quick Food at Disney’s Animal Kingdom appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Dining, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Dos and Don’ts, Snacks, Trip Planning, animal kingdom dining, animal kingdom restaurants, disney best restaurants

If you have someone in your life that has everything, or the ultimate chocolate lover in your life, head to The Ganachery at Disney Springs. Here you will find a special treat that will make quite an impression. The Christmas Cottage is made of milk chocolate and contains gourmet peppermint bark inside. It is similar to the chocolate piñatas offered throughout the year, but taken to another level.

The detail on the outside of the chocolate cottage is lovely and adorable. Alpine influences and storybook details in soft colors include Mickey and Minnie kissing around the back. These delectable chocolate walls give way with the crack of a provided Ganachery mallet to reveal large chunks of decadent and creamy peppermint bark.

The Christmas Cottage is $45.00, which is definitely on the higher end as chocolate treats go. If it were appropriate to have holiday parties this year, this would’ve made a great hostess gift – oh well. But, the detail, presentation, and quality of the ingredients make this an impressive gift for those people in your life you’re just not sure what to get, but you want it to be special.

Have you ever visited The Ganachery at Disney Springs? What’s the best treat you’ve ever gotten there?

The post NEW – Christmas Cottage at The Ganachery is the Sweetest Holiday Gift appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Disney Springs, Holidays, Snacks, disney chocolate, disney christmas, disney desserts, disney gifts