Author: touringplans.com

Just when Floridians and Orlando area vacationers alike are hoping for pleasant fall weather, Florida decides to be a soggy, rainy mess. This can be par for the course in the fall season, and Ivonne on our team experienced a very rainy day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios yesterday. It got us thinking that it would be good to share some tips for a rainy day at Hollywood Studios.

• Download a weather app that alerts you before rain arrives. Ivonne likes Dark Sky and reports that it was pretty accurate during her visit.
• Getting ahead of the rain means you can get to an indoor attraction, a shop, or grab a bite to eat and stay dry before the rain begins.
• Look at the weather forecast ahead of time and if rain is in it, save the theater attractions like Muppet Vision 3-D for when it rains.
• Use our Lines app to see Expected Wait Times compared to Disney’s Posted Wait Times so you can find an indoor attraction with a low wait.

Here’s some suggestions for indoor attractions to head to at each section of the park so you know where to head to so you can stay dry.

• Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster are both indoor attractions, but can have queues that currently extended outdoors due to physical distancing. (Sunset Boulevard)
• Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is not a blockbuster show, but a decent option for something easy to get into for shelter. (Sunset Boulevard)
• Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, is a great attraction for all ages, but can have a queue that currently extends outdoors due to physical distancing. (Center Stage)
• For the First Time in Forever Frozen Sing-a-long is a great indoor show, but the line can extend outside, and show times vary. (Center Stage)
• Disney Junior Play and Dance, only go this if you have a toddler or preschooler, trust me. (Animation Courtyard)
• Walt Disney Presents, a walk through exhibit about Walt Disney, truly one of the easiest and best things to do on a rainy day (Animation Courtyard)
• Toy Story Mania, this is a great choice for a fun ride away from the rain, and usually the line does not extended outside for long (Toy Story Land)
• Vacation Fun – Animated Short with Mickey and Minnie, probably the easiest and most fun way to get inside from the rain without a wait (Echo Lake)
• Star Tours: The Adventure Continues, a great way to experience some Star Wars fun inside without the long waits of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge (Echo Lake)
• Muppet Vision 3-D, due to limited capacity the wait can get long so check out Lines app for the Expected Wait Time (Grand Avenue)
• Millnneum Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, even if you’ve ridden this attraction before, heading here in the rain will keep you dry and its a different experience each time (Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge)

Other indoor options include shops or grabbing something quick to eat or drink inside, here are some highlights:

• Red Trolley Cafe, Starbucks on Hollywood Boulevard
• Tune In Lounge at 50’s Prime Time Cafe (Echo Lake)
• Backlot Express (Echo Lake)
• Build Your Own Lightsaber at Tatooine Traders (Echo Lake)
• Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo (Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge)

What are you some of your rainy day tips for Disney’s Hollywood Studios?

The post Tips for a Rainy Day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Dos and Don’ts, Hollywood Studios, In the Parks, Disney Tips, disney world entertainment, hollywood studios rides, hollywood studios shows

Today, the state of California shared their update on just when theme parks could reopen. The much anticipated guidelines are there to provide a safe, clean environment for workers and customers. There are four different tiers that asses a county’s risk level. Disneyland can reopen when their county hits a Yellow tier level. When the area does hit that level, capacity must be limited to 25% based on operating capacity.

Currently, the Disneyland Resort is in an area with a Red Tier. Needless to say, the resort won’t be reopening any time soon, it would appear.

The guidelines from today’s event break out safety tips such as ventilation, cleaning and disinfection protocols; physical distancing guidelines; considerations for admission, entry, and security; considerations for attractions and dining; as well as considerations for performances, interactive exhibits, and events.

The full list of guidelines can be found here.

The post Just When Can Disneyland Reopen? California Shares Details on Theme Park Reopening Plans appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disneyland (CA), News, COVID-19, Disneyland

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has one of the most diverse dining options of any Walt Disney World theme park, second to EPCOT of course. Although a few of the quick service options at Animal Kingdom are temporarily closed, namely Pizzafari and Harambe Market, there’s still lots of great options. Ivonne on our field team had lunch at one of Animal Kingdom’s often overlooked options: the Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes. The quick service restaurant is located in the Asia section of the park, and it has some pros and cons.

The Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes is a walk up quick service location, right next to the full service Yak and Yeti Restaurant. Both of these locations are operated by Landry’s Restaurants, which also operates the Rainforest Cafe at the front of the park. Mobile ordering is not available here since it is a third party location. Only outdoor seating is offered which makes it a great options for anyone who prefers to eat outside right now, though it can be tough to find spots in the shade. Our readers have submitted over 500,000 surveys in the past few years and have given Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes a 90% thumbs up rating which is great! It ranks as number 24 out of 108 quick service options at Walt Disney World.

The food is very different than most of Disney’s quick service restaurants. The menu at Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes highlights Asian flavors with a casual, American-influence. There’s a gourmet Kobe beef hot dog that you can have plain, Bahn Mi style, or topped with kimchi, as well as a Kobe beef cheeseburger, as well as Sweet and Sour Pork, and a great vegetarian dish, the Vegetable Tikka Marsala. The pricing is on par with Disney’s owned counter service locations, though the prices of the Kobe burger and Kobe hot dog do reflect the upgraded quality.

Ivonne selected the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich, with Fried Chicken Breast, Kimchi Slaw, and Honey Heat Sauce. If you’re not familiar with kimchi, it is a spicy pickled cabbage, a very popular condiment in Korean and other similar cuisines. Normally, Korean fried chicken is very crispy. This chicken was not as crispy as expected, but the slaw added some crispness and a bright flavor, while the honey heat sauce was true to its name. It was an enjoyable sandwich for $13.99 and on par with most other quick service sandwiches available in the park.

If you like to be in the know about the best places to eat at Walt Disney World, then order up a subscription and join us. You’ll get access to all our tools, including our Lines app which enables you to view Expected Wait Times compared to Disney’s Posted Wait Times plus listings for all Walt Disney World restaurants, with ratings and menus.

What’s your favorite place to eat at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Have you dined at Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes before?

The post REVIEW: Yak and Yeti Local Food Cafes Brings Quick Asian Flavors At Decent Prices appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, In the Parks, animal kingdom dining, animal kingdom restaurants, disney dining, disney reopening

Select Disney resort restaurants are now offering mobile order that you can pick up and carry back to your resort to enjoy in the comfort of your own room. And although any of these choices are a good option, some stand out more than others when it comes to certain meals. Here’s our picks for what and when to do carry out from Disney resort restaurants offering to-go mobile ordering.

Breakfast: Kona Cafe

Would I be able to show my face at Disney if I didn’t suggest this as an ideal to-go option? Yes, Tonga Toast gets all the love here, but my go-to are the Macadamia Nut Pancakes. There’s also a unique plant-based Loco Moco as a unique breakfast offering, and make sure to wash it all down with Liliko’i (aka POG) juice or a really good cup of coffee.

Lunch: The Wave. . . . of American Flavors

For a middle-of-the-day meal, lighter flavors are a plus. With The Wave’s focus on seasonal, fresh foods, lunch here is a great light option. On the appetizers, try the Cauliflower Taco, with a zesty zip from the salsa verde. On the entrees, the soup, salad, and sandwich combo provides a tasty and filling meal, but not one that will make you feel stuffed. If you’re staying at a DVC resort, save the soup for a late night snack! Not feeling like a healthy meal? They make a really good burger, too.

Dinner: Olivia’s Cafe

After a day at Disney, having a hearty meal to leisurely nosh on in your hotel room can help get you in the mood for a good night’s sleep. The name of the game at Olivia’s is comfort food. Starting off with the Conch Fritters is almost mandatory, and the Southernmost Fried Chicken or the Slow-Cooked Prime Rib are incredible. Looking for something a little lighter? The West Indian Tofu and Coconut Curry packs a lot of flavor into a fairly light dish.

Snack: Sanaa

Yes, the food is good at Sanaa for a meal — but let’s be real, the primary draw is that amazing bread service. Getting it to have as an evening snack is a wonderful way to end the day. Pro tip: Order the kid’s Butter Chicken with two sides of fruit cup. The Butter Chicken ends up being another amazing dipping sauce to go with the bread, and the fruit cups provide a quick breakfast for the next day.

The post Disney’s Resort Restaurant To-Go Mobile Order Options Rated appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Walt Disney World (FL), kona cafe, Mobile Order, Olivia’s Cafe, Sanaa, The Wave… of American Flvaors

One of my favorite gifts to give and receive during the holidays is personalized ornaments from Walt Disney World. The artwork is always so lovely, and it is fun to come up with thoughtful ways to personalize an ornament for a loved one. With the holiday season approaching we thought it would be good to review the pricing and procedure for getting an ornament personalized at Walt Disney World.

Currently personalization is offered at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at the Magic Kingdom and at 12 Days of Christmas shop at Disney Springs. Personalizing ornaments has been a tradition at Walt Disney World for many years. It can be a fun annual tradition for families who like to celebrate the holidays with some Disney magic.

Practically any ornament can be personalized. The artists can work wonders, but a flat, smooth service is best. You can select practically any ornament available at either shop and bring it to the personalization desk. You’ll want to look for the signage and set up at the designated desk and head there to get your personalization order placed. At Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe you’ll need to head all the way to the front, furthest away from Liberty Tree Tavern.

The artists are not available all day. You’ll want to head to the shop early to place your order. They usually take about two hours to be complete, so heading there toward the beginning of your visit will give you more time to have fun while your ornaments are worked on. When our team returned to pick up their personalized ornament meant for that special someone, they encountered a line that was quite long and took about 10 -15 minutes to get through.

Personalization costs $3.00 per name and artwork item, plus the cost of the ornament. One set of decorative accents can be added complimentary. Any additional art is $3.00. Names and dates are the most common personalization. Anything else like business names or names of copyrighted material cannot be added.

Have you ever had an ornament personalized at Disney? How did it turn out?

The post Disney’s Personalized Ornaments – One of the Best Holiday Gifts Ever appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Christmas, Dos and Don’ts, Holidays, Magic Kingdom, Shopping, disney christmas, disney christmas ornament, disney holiday shopping, magic kingdom shopping