Category: Other

Universal Orlando Resort is open and we have enough wait time observations to update the Crowd Calendar.

Attendance is limited at each of the Universal parks, but the adjustments to operational capacity are keeping wait times up. The overall affect is a net reduction in crowd level of about 50%. What would normally be ‘7’s and ‘8’s in early June are now ‘3’s and ‘4’s.

So, we have crunched the numbers and made some adjustments. Here is a summary:

1. Crowd levels are down significantly
2. Updates cover dates between now and November 20, 2020
3. These updates assume that physical distancing practices will remain in effect
4. These updates assume park operations and attendance patterns will remain stable for the next few months

There are several things that might happen in the near future that require us to make further changes to the Universal Crowd Levels. We will be watching daily to see how the waits times look in each park. Whether or not you choose to visit the parks is a personal decision. You will have to wear a mask and keep your distance from other guests. However, if you do decide to go, it seems clear that wait times will be low. Very low.

The post Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar Update – June 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Crowd Calendar, Universal Orlando Resort

At TouringPlans, we’re obviously pro-theme park vacation and we’ve run many stories over the years about how to decide when to book your Disney vacation. Usually we ask you to consider things like your children’s school vacation weeks and the Crowd Calendar projections when deciding travel dates.

Now with COVID-19 as a factor in your trip planning, there are many more aspects to consider as you decide when, or if, you should visit Walt Disney World over the next year. Here are some things to think about:

• Am I willing to wear a mask? Disney has made it abundantly clear that guests entering the Disney theme parks will be required to wear a mask and keep it on. There will be some temporary relief zones and exceptions while dining, but otherwise you’ll need to wear a mask. We have been assured that this is non-negotiable. If you’re not okay with wearing a mask in the parks, you should likely postpone your trip.
• Do members of my party have medical issues? Just because the parks are reopening doesn’t mean the risks associated with Coronavirus have gone away. If your travel party includes family/friends with compromised immune systems, diabetes, chronic lung disease, or a number of other risk factors, you should probably stay home.
• Are there members of my family/friend circle at home who have medical issues? Even if they’re not traveling with you, if you have folks in your home life with medical issues, you may want to skip the trip to a high-density location like Disney World to avoid potentially bringing home germs.
• How old am I and the members of my traveling party? Even if everyone in your traveling party and home life is perfectly healthy, you still may want to skip the visit if these folks are age 65 or over. Age itself is a risk factor.
• Are any members of my party of the Grumpy persuasion? Many people have folks in their life who are just plain ornery. Take an honest look at your travel party. If you know in your heart that cranky Uncle Larry will balk at the temperature checks, sass the nice cast member who asks him to adjust his mask, and disregard distancing reminders, then you should probably postpone your trip or leave Larry at home. (Sorry, Larry.)
• How large is my traveling party? With social distancing measures in place, traveling parties can/should stick together and keep an appropriate distance from other parties. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with visiting WDW with a dozen family members, having a large group will make it difficult to keep away from others. Additionally, there may be limits on the number of people that can be seated together at a restaurant table, as well as limits on how many people can get reservations together for meals or attractions. A large group is almost always more difficult to manage, but even more so now.
• Where are you traveling from? If you’re visiting Florida from New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, you may be subject to a quarantine period before you would be allowed out and about. We believe that the executive order which required folks arriving in Florida from the New York tri-state area expires on July 7, 2020, just ahead of the park reopening on July 11, but not ahead of the DVC resort reopening on June 22. (Though the wording on all this is murky at best.) So if you’re coming to Florida from the New York area, do your homework just prior to arrival. Quarantine measures are always subject to change. It might even happen that Florida institutes a mandatory quarantine for visitors from other states with virulent COVID outbreaks. These issues are compounded if you’re an international visitor. Other countries might institute prohibitions on travel to and from the United States. The moral of the story is that you should be as up to date as possible with legal issues related to travel during the pandemic.
• What’s the COVID situation in my home state? If you’re healthy, but traveling from a state that is the middle of a severe COVID outbreak, consider whether it might be challenging to get appropriate care at home if you were to acquire COVID while traveling. Would your home town hospital have an ICU bed available for you if you were to acquire COVID during vacation?
• Do I have strong feelings about which hotel I stay at? Given that the NBA and MLS seasons will now take place at Walt Disney World, those organizations will be quartered in several WDW hotels, making them unavailable to the public. The exact list of hotels is not yet public. Guests who had reservations at the commandeered hotels will certainly be accommodated elsewhere, so (assuming you have a reservation) you will have a place to stay–it just might not be your preferred venue. For most folks this will either be a non-event or a welcome upgrade, but some guests might have a particular attachment to a specific resort.
• Will my favorite attractions be unavailable? At least at first, many iconic Disney experiences will not happen. There will be no fireworks, parades, or character greetings, for example. If these are must-dos for you, you may want to wait to travel.
• Will my favorite restaurants be unavailable? As with attractions, some WDW visitors have intense feelings about their favorite restaurants. Not all dining establishments are going to be open. If this matters to you, perhaps rethink your trip.
• Am a strongly attached to the dining plan? The Disney Dining Plan will not exist when WDW reopens. (I assume this change is temporary, but you never know.) Some WDW guests rely on the DDP to keep their dining planning and budget in check. If not having the Dining Plan in place makes you uncomfortable, skip this trip.
• Am I strongly attached to the Park Hopper? During the initial phase of reopening, it is likely guests will only be allowed to visit one theme park per day. If you are strongly wedded to the idea of park hopping (visiting more than one of Disney’s theme parks in a single day), this could be a signal to wait to visit.
• Am I able to entertain myself during the evenings? This is a corollary of the Park Hopper question. Many guests choose to park hop because it gives them more options for things to do in the evenings. For example, they might tour the Magic Kingdom during the day, but have dinner and then drink around the world at Epcot in the evening. With no park hopping, this strategy will not be possible. The park hours will also be limited. Are you okay with having a trip with more downtime? Will you go stir crazy if you’re not constantly on the go? Will you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth if you can’t follow your usual schedule?
• How long is your trip? This is also related to Park Hopping. If your trip is only, say, three days, previously you could visit all four parks during that time period. This won’t be possible at the outset of reopening. Are you okay with skipping one or more parks? If you’re planning a long trip, are you okay with the possibility of Disney choosing which park you visit multiple times, if at all?
• Am I okay with uncertainty in the planning process? Disney planning right now is obviously a moving target. Procedures are changing. Rules are changing. There will be lots of glitches and making it up on the fly. If that makes you uncomfortable, perhaps you should consider postponing.
• What are the financial implications of this trip? It’s no secret that millions of Americans have been furloughed or fired, businesses have been shuttered, and the financial markets are volatile. It’s a rare family that hasn’t been impacted by the current economy. Yes, a vacation might be great for your mental health, but before embarking on your trip you should take a realistic look at your financial situation, the fiscal health of your employer, and the economy in general. Make sure that spending on a big-ticket vacation makes sense for you right now, or whether you should wait a bit to get more clarity on the real financial impact of the trip.
• Is this a once in a lifetime trip? If you are a frequent WDW guest, then these changes might be an interesting blip for you, but if your budget or constitution allow for only rare Disney touring, then this may not be the trip you want. Will you be happier if you can take in all that Disney has to offer, rather than being served a limited menu?

What are your thoughts about visiting WDW now? Are you having second thoughts or plowing ahead? Why? Are there other issues weighing on your decision? Let us know.

The post Should I Visit Walt Disney World in 2020? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor activities and enjoying the warm weather. Some of us plan camping activities and enjoy making s’mores with friends at a campfire. There is a way to add a Disney twist to your s’mores. Today, we’ll show you how to create your own Mickey S’mores at home!

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
• 1/2 cup butter (chilled)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup water
• Mickey Mouse cookie cutter
• 3 (1/4-ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Chocolate bars

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To make the graham crackers, combine both flours, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, flax seeds and baking soda in a food processor. Add cubed & chilled butter to the mix and pulse until mix is coarse. Add honey, water and vanilla and continue to mix until combined. Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Roll out dough, about 1/4 inch thick and cut out crackers using Mickey Mouse cookie cutter. Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool completely on cooling rack before removing.

3. To prepare to make the vanilla marshmallows, lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap.

4. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water; let stand for 10 minutes.

5. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; boil rapidly for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

6. With the mixer on high, slowly pour the boiling syrup down the side of the mixer bowl into gelatin mixture. Add salt and mix for 12 minutes.

7. Add vanilla extract & mix until well combined.

8. Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray & spread mixture evenly into pan. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place, spray side down, on top of marshmallows. Allow to set for at least 2 hours.

9. Gently remove marshmallows from pan. Using a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter, cut out marshmallows and toss in powdered sugar.

   

10. Place each marshmallow and chocolate bar between two graham crackers. Toast and enjoy!

Tell us if you try out this recipe for Mickey S’mores!

Source: Family Disney

 

From our friends at chipandco.com
Filed Under: Other Disney Stuff, Disney Snacks & Treats, Dessert, disney kitchen, Disney Recipe, mickey mouse, S’Mores

 

Have you ever wondered what hidden magic is happening in Disney World??

Disney is known for the ability to create magical (and sometimes, seemingly impossible!) experiences for guests. And whether you’re watching the Happily Ever After fireworks, enjoying a delicious meal, or just taking in the atmosphere of the parks, it’s a safe bet that there’s some behind-the-scenes magic that made the experience possible. Here are the magical parts of Disney World you DON’T get to see!

Cinderella Castle Suite

For many guests, the chance to dine in the castle at Cinderella’s Royal Table is on their Disney bucket list. But did you know there’s another area of the castle that’s even HARDER to get into than the pricey princess meal??

Allow us to introduce you to the Cinderella Castle Suite! Yup, that’s right, there actually is a suite for guests to stay INSIDE the castle!

Long before the Castle was built, a suite was planned for the Disney family, but since Walt passed away before the park opened, and his brother, Roy Disney, passed away shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened its gates, it remained unfinished and was eventually turned into a multipurpose office space.

That is, until Disney World’s Year of a Million Dreams Celebration, which began in 2006. The space was transformed into a suite where up to six guests could stay. But, there’s a catch! The Cinderella Castle Suite isn’t “for sale” — guests can only stay here if they’re invited by Disney or win a contest!

Features of the suite include a foyer with 24-hour concierge, a “magic mirror” turned TV, an antique limestone fireplace, stained glass windows, and a Jacuzzi tub with a starry night sky overhead!

While only hand-picked guests can stay overnight in the Cinderella Castle Suite, there is another way to take a peek inside — but it doesn’t come cheap!

Disney’s customizable World of Dreams Tour allows guests to create their own itinerary, including a visit to the castle suite, if they choose. But first, you have to cover the cost — a whopping $12,000 for the day, PLUS the cost of park tickets and tax! Which means this tour really WILL be just a dream for most of us!

Click here to learn more about the World of Dreams Tour!

Utilidors Underneath Magic Kingdom

It seems there is a constant hustle and bustle on the streets of Magic Kingdom. But did you know there’s also a flurry of activity happening UNDERNEATH your feet? The utilidor system is a series of underground tunnels in Magic Kingdom. 

Well, technically the tunnels are on the ground floor. When Magic Kingdom was being built, Disney used excavated land from The Seven Seas Lagoon (yep, that’s a man-made lake in front of Magic Kingdom!) to elevate the land on which the park was built. And on the original ground level, the tunnels were built with access to each of the “lands” in the park.

The utilidor tunnels serve several not-as-glamorous purposes that help Cast Members preserve the magic for guests in the parks! Among their many functions, the utilidors contain dressing rooms, prop storage space, trash removal systems, and Cast Member cafeterias.

Plus, these tunnels allow Cast Members to navigate the parks out of the sight of guests to keep the theming intact. That’s why you won’t see a Cast Member in a Tomorrowland costume walking down Main Street, U.S.A.!

Guests can get a peek inside the utilidors on backstage tours like the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. This tour is priced at $99 a person, so it’s much easier to build into your vacation budget than the previously mentioned World of Dreams Tour!

Click here to learn more about the Keys to the Kingdom Tour!

“Disney Jail”

Okay, so “Disney jail” isn’t really a thing (unless you count the jail scene in Pirates of the Caribbean!), BUT Disney does have a solution for dealing with serious guest infractions. If a guest is caught violating a major policy like trespassing or selling counterfeit tickets, they’ll be taken to the park’s security office.

Depending on the seriousness of the infraction, Disney may call the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to further handle the guest. So, make sure you’re following all of the policies and procedures, or else you could be headed for a not-so-magical ride in the back of a sheriff’s car!

Here are nine things we learned the hard way in Disney World!

Maintenance

While you might see some upkeep activity around Disney property during the day, the maintenance work really comes alive at night. If you were to walk the grounds of your hotel in the middle of the night (or the parks, if it were possible!) you would see all kinds of routine maintenance happening when guests are asleep!

Disney attempts to do as much maintenance as possible during the night because it’s safer with fewer guests around. They’re not stumbling around in the dark though — work lighting comes on all around the parks to allow workers to do what they need to do! Plus it allows them to preserve the magic and avoid interfering with operations!

Here are 13 surprising things your Disney World hotel can do for you!

Infrared Technology on Rides

Fair warning — just because you’re on a dark attraction like The Haunted Mansion, PeopleMover, or DINOSAUR doesn’t mean no one can see you! Disney uses infrared technology to keep an eye on dark rides. That way, they can make sure guests are staying in their seats and behaving properly!

So, don’t get any ideas about using the cover of darkness to break the rules! Just like Roz says in Monsters, Inc., “I’m watching you, Wazowski. Always watching.”

Here are 7 outdated things in Disney World that we’re totally cool with!

Late-Night Performances

Did you know that there are occasionally 2AM showings of Fantasmic! and the Festival of Fantasy parade? They just happen without an audience!

Practice for entertainment like parades and stage shows happens at night when the parks are empty. That way, new Cast Members can train for their roles on the actual stage (or street!) where they’ll perform for guests!

And you might even catch a glimpse of fireworks in the middle of the night! If Disney is testing out fireworks for a new show, they’ll test them late at night to make sure everything is in top shape for their official debut!

Here’s what to watch on Disney+ if you want to feel like you’re in the parks!

As magical as Disney World is on the surface, there are even more fascinating things happening behind the scenes! These are some of the hidden parts of the park that even the most experienced Disney World vacationer probably hasn’t seen. Kudos to Disney for their ingenuity — and their ability to really set a stage!

Check out these hidden secrets at Disney World restaurants!

Have you seen any of these behind-the-scenes parts of Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, disney parks, disney resorts, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, backstage tour, behind the scenes, behind the scenes tours, cast member, Cinderella Castle, cinderella castle suite, disney attractions, disney refurbishments, disney security, disney world secrets, Fantasmic, Festival of Fantasy, Festival of Fantasy Parade, fireworks, infrared, Keys to the Kingdom, Refurbishments, Utilidors, World of Dreams Tour, year of a million dreams

If you’re going to be in Florida during the summer you’re absolutely going to need rain gear, or at least a rain jacket. Thankfully, there is a brand-new summer-themed rain jacket available at World of Disney. This jacket has a clear base with bright yellow and pink colors.

The pattern features ice cream treats, tropical beverages, and flamingos. In fact, there are two flamingos kissing that make a heart shape, and there is a flamingo upside down with a Mickey ears hat, that resembles the flamingos in “Fantasia 2000”.

It is $54.99. Will you brighten your rainy summer days with this jacket?

The post Make a Rainy Summer Day Fun with This New Rain Jacket appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Springs, Merchandise, disney rain jacket, disney summer