Category: Other

If your little padawan wants to experience the power of building their own lightsaber, you may think you have to shell out $200+ to do so. Yes, that is an option at Savi’s Workshop at Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, but you have another option. At Tatooine Traders next to Star Tours you can build your own lightsaber for 1/10th of the cost of going to Savi’s. Of course, it is a much different experience than Savi’s, but if you’re on a smuggler’s budget, this is the way to go.

The Choose Your Destiny build your own lightsaber experience at Tatooine Traders allows you or your youngling to select a lightsaber blade (blue, red, green, or purple), a hilt, and end cap piece to customize your own lightsaber. You can even blend elements of the light side with elements of the dark side.

COVID-19 safety precautions now have the parts station roped off. Rather than rummaging through trays to select your parts, a Cast Member brings a selection of the parts to you. Your lightsaber is put together and off you go to defend, or dominate, the galaxy.

It is $29.99 for this experience and your own customized lightsaber. Current available discounts, including the 30% off discount for annual passholders are available. (Our cost came out to $22.36 with discount and tax.) This is a great value. While the experience at Savi’s Workshop is entire different, much more immersive, and results in a much higher quality lightsaber, Tatooine Traders is the way to go if you’re looking to save money, or have young kids who don’t need such a big production.

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Have you ever built your own lightsaber at Walt Disney World?

The post Save Money at Choose Your Destiny: Build Your Own Lightsaber at Tatooine Traders appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: discounts, Dos and Don’ts, Galaxy’s Edge, In the Parks, kids, Saving Money, Star Wars, disney covid, disney discount, disney star wars, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, star wars lightsaber, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

We love this time of year. From now through the rest of the year it’s easy to find lots of seasonal treats throughout Walt Disney World. We’ve tried all the treats at Magic Kingdom and at Disney’s Halloween Studios. But it is possible that EPCOT has the best fall treat of all–and it’s for adults. Let us introduce you to the Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Martini.

At EPCOT’s France Pavilion you’ll find some of the best indulgent food at Walt Disney World. My personal favorite spot for ice cream is L’Artisan des Glaces. Based on over 500,000 surveys, L’Artisan des Glaces has 97% thumbs up rating and is ranked number 3 out of 171 sweets and snacks options at Walt Disney World. It is easy to see why it has earned such a high rating. The ice cream and sorbet is hand crafted and a great representation of authentic French glaces.

They’ve outdone themselves this year with the Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Martini. Pumpkin spice ice cream is scooped into a martini shaped cup, then spiced rum is poured on top. To top it off there is whipped cream, caramel syrup, and a pumpkin spice macaron. Si magnifique!

As the ice cream melts a little a nice little pool of pumpkin spice ice cream and spiced rum gathers at the bottom of the cup, waiting as your final taste of this blissful creation. It tastes as delicious as it looks.

You can view ratings of every Walt Disney World restaurant and snack spot, on our Lines app. Become a TouringPlans Subscriber so you have access to all our tools and resources.

Have you indulged in a treat from L’Artisan des Glaces before? What’s your favorite flavor?

The post You Have GOT to See the Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Martini at EPCOT appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Adults, Dos and Don’ts, Drinking, Epcot, Halloween, disney desserts, disney drinks, disney for adults, disney halloween

We’re about to enter another holiday weekend and it’s already starting to show at Walt Disney World. Our team visited EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom yesterday and saw a visible increase in attendance. What we’re seeing so far mirrors the crowd levels we have in this weekend’s Crowd Calendar.

We’ve only encountered one other holiday weekend since Walt Disney World reopened. That weekend was Labor Day and at the time it was the busiest weekend we had seen since reopening. Since that time we have seen capacity and attendance increase at the parks. Tomorrow we are expecting a crowd level of 5 at Magic Kingdom and crowd level of 6 at EPCOT. This is shaping up to be the busiest weekend we’ve seen since the reopening.

Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom the increased holiday weekend attendance increase coupled with physical distancing showed longer extended queues than we typically see. During midday the queue for Flight of Passage extended down the main walkway of Pandora. The average actual wait time for Flight of Passage yesterday was around 57 minutes. We are expecting attendance to pick up more over Saturday and Sunday of this weekend.

Over at EPCOT yesterday we noticed an uptick in attendance there too. This is not surprising, again since we are headed into a holiday weekend. Wait times were not significantly higher than other recent weekdays, but still enough of an uptick to be noticeable. Our teams are in the parks daily so we can tell when things are picking up, even just a little. Frozen Ever After’s average actual wait time yesterday was about 61 minutes.

One of the really unique things about our Lines App is that it shows Expected Wait Times, using real-time data. These Expected Wait Times are more accurate than Disney’s Posted Wait Times, making it possible for you to better plan your day, and maximize your time. This tool is important and helpful no matter when you visit, especially with there being limited attractions and entertainment in the parks right now.

We are seeing that theater-style attractions like Mickey’s PhilharMagic at Magic Kingdom and MuppetVision 3-D at Hollywood Studios are having their highest wait times of the year. If a theater attraction is on your must-do list you may want to visit it earlier in the morning. Due to capacity restrictions we are seeing wait times lengthen throughout the day. Use our Lines App to see which attractions are best to do right away and which ones you should wait until later in the day–even just an hour later can make a difference.

Social distancing and mask compliance continue to go well. However, if you do visit on a busy holiday weekend such as this one it does take some extra diligence to maintain distancing. Take breaks, get lunch shortly after 11:00 a.m. or wait until 2:00 p.m. or later. Regardless of when you eat, use mobile ordering. Sign up to become a TouringPlans Subscriber so you have all the know-how at your fingertips.

Have you ever visited Walt Disney World on a busy holiday weekend?

 

The post PHOTOS: Columbus Day Weekend Crowds Are Starting To Arrive – And Wait Times Are Increasing appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Epcot, In the Parks, Observations, Trip Planning, disney covid, disney crowds, disney reopening, disney wait times, Disney’s Animal Kingdom

This week, see what Dani has to say about the layoff of thousands of Cast Members, we find out why you need to see this new artwork that’s found in the Disneyland Resort, and what Joe thinks of how the VelociCoaster will change the Orlando area, plus more.

What We’re Talking About – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors

It’s been an interesting back and forth. Right now, California Governor Gavin Newsom says that Disneyland and the other theme parks in the area are not going to be opening at any time soon. The governor is waiting until they see more stability in terms of the data that is coming in.

James has some thoughts: As someone looking forward to planning a trip to Disneyland upon its reopening, this news is a real disappointment, and my heart breaks for the thousands of cast members that still aren’t able to return to work as a result of the continued closure. With that said, I’ve been tracking this pretty closely, and it’s not particularly surprising given the blueprint California established for reopening businesses in the state. The way it’s structured, large theme parks like Disneyland would necessarily be among the last businesses to reopen in the absence of an exception being made. With THAT said, however, there’s an rising amount of increasingly public pressure being exerted for just such an exception, so we’ll have to see in the days and weeks ahead if that gains any traction.

The big discussion this week. I mean this is the news you’ve been waiting for….the age old question has been answered by the voice of Goofy himself, Bill Farmer….is Goofy a dog?

However, another odd bit came out from this article that has Natalie questioning things. She said: Farmer’s revelation that Goofy is not only NOT a dog but that he may have been involved with Jessica Rabbit is a bombshell I wasn’t prepared for, even in 2020. 

Jamie Foxx, returning as Electro in the next Spider-man film? But a different Electro than he previously portrayed? Is this all true? According to the Hollywood Reporter, it seems that would be the case. Would you like to see this character brought back in the new version of Spider-man?

Oh and speaking of Spider-man news….Benedict Cumberbatch is also slated to be in the film, as Doctor Strange.

Well this is stinking adorable. Combining Halloween and the Child is the greatest idea ever! Learn how to make a pumpkin themed after Baby Yoda!  I know what I’m doing this year!

This is definitely an interesting development. Universal is hoping to break ground a new affordable housing community in Orange County sometime in 2022.

Dani shares her thoughts about this potentially happening: I am happy to hear about the affordable housing. It is necessary in the attractions area, no doubt. It is important to remember the relationships that theme parks build with the local government. Last year Orange County commissioners voted 4-3 to approve a plan to give $125 million to Universal Orlando to build a new road.

This week, Universal laid off a number of their Team Members. Trust me when I say that my heart goes out to all the Team Members who were impacted.

The post What We’re Talking About: Disneyland Not Reopening Yet, Is Goofy a Dog, Universal Orlando’s New Housing Project, and More appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: In Case You Missed It