Category: Other

The Magic Kingdom is full of holiday treats this time of year. And with Florida’s sunshine it’s a fun time to indulge in some festive ice cream treats. Our team tried two of the seasonal soft serve desserts available at Magic Kingdom for this holiday season.

Up first, over at Adventureland’s Aloha Isle, we tried the Pistachio Chai Tea Float. If you’re looking for something festively different, you don’t want to miss this. Pistachio is a common flavor of gelato and glaces in Italy and France. It’s nice to see Magic Kingdom getting a little adventurous in Adventureland with this flavor. The Chai tea flavor and the Pistachio pair well for a holiday treat that has a nice balance of sweet and warm spices. It is topped with a small Red Velvet Cake Pop Ornament, which is tasty (as long as you like Red Velvet of course). This float is so great to have as another option besides peppermint, chocolate, gingerbread, or caramel for the holidays. It’s priced the same as a Dole Whip Float for $6.49.

Over in Tomorrowland at Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies is a milkshake that has so much going for it, but falls short. The Just a Dream Away Milkshake is named in tribute to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. You can almost think of this as a Churro milkshake, salted caramel milkshake with a silver sugar churro. There are galactic glittery sprinkles atop a little dollop of whipped cream that add a delightful touch.

The disappointment our team had with this shake, besides the $8.49 price tag, is the flavor did not live up to the hype. We barely detected any salted caramel flavor. Instead our serving of the milkshake tastes like non-dairy whipped topping, but somehow not in a good way. Maybe it was because this was one of the first days of the festive food offerings at Magic Kingdom, and practice was still needed. The little churro itself had decent cinnamon flavor, but the best part of it – the crispy, chewiness, is lost by being dunked into the shake. For the price we would prefer to just get a warm, fresh churro instead.

Do you like to try the various treats for the holiday season? Which of these festive soft serve treats sound best to you?

 

The post REVIEW – Two Soft Serve Holiday Desserts at Magic Kingdom – One’s Naughty, One’s Nice appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Holidays, Magic Kingdom, Snacks, disney christmas, disney desserts, disney ice cream, magic kingdom christmas

On behalf of all of us at Disney, we would like to give a warm “Bienvenida” to Princesa María! 

Just last week, six-year-old María, who is being treated for leukemia, had her wish to be a princess come true. As a native Spanish speaker from Phoenix, Maria received a virtual royal visit – all in Spanish – from Princess Belle. Check out a heartwarming video of this first of its kind Disney wish in the United States to see how we were able to make María an honorary princess – creating a day of laughter and hope.

“María was fascinated and asked me, “mom did you see that Belle is like me? That we are the same, that she speaks Spanish like me?” said wish mom Brenda. “She loved the video and we thought it was truly beautiful. Their words, everything they said, it was exactly how María is.” 

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Like many children around the world, María grew up watching Disney movies in her native language. So when it came time for her wish, we wanted to create a magical meeting with Belle, who read a personalized story to María and taught her how to become a Disney Princess entirely in Spanish. 

“Just as Disney stories are shared in dozens of languages around the world, Make-A-Wish grants wishes for children of all backgrounds,” said Richard K. Davis, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “This wish is the perfect example of how we strive to creatively grant wishes that also resonate culturally and authentically with wish kids and their families.”   

Since 1980, Disney and Make-A-Wish have been making wishes come true for children with critical illnesses around the world. We are so proud to celebrate this 40-year milestone with them, just as we were proud to help grant the very first official wish at Disneyland Resort back in 1980. And while 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone - wish granters included – it has also created opportunities to grant wishes in a whole new way. Disney and Make-A-Wish have had to think outside the box to continue to make life-changing wishes come true and provide hope and inspiration to children around the world.

Pre-pandemic, one out of every two wishes granted in the U.S. was a Disney wish, and together, Disney has worked with Make-A-Wish to make more than 140,000 wishes come true, including their recently granted 500,000^th wish. Granting these inspiring Disney wishes creates magical memories for children and their families, and we will continue to do our part to make children’s wishes come true in a meaningful way. A global pandemic may be enough to put some aspects of life on hold, but monumental moments and wishes like these are far too important to be missed! Felicidades a la Princesa María y a todos los niños y niñas con enfermedades graves que quieren cumplir sus deseos.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Filed Under: Characters, Community Outreach, MAW

We have had an intrepid eye upon resort deals and had begun to give up hope on December deals – until today! We’ve just spotted some very nice Coronado Springs deals on Hotwire all through December at rates from $99 to $139.

That is not a typo: even during the weeks either side of Christmas you are looking at either $135 or $139 per night. (And with coupon code you can shave an additional 8% off those rates.)

The last time I recorded Coronado deals in December was back in 2018 – admittedly those were even crazier deals down around $99 – $119 leading into Christmas. But, those deals were only on a few dates, while this year’s deals cover almost every night in the month.

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “Self, Disney has some good discounts going on right now, how good are these Hot Rate deals?” My first response would be: you may need to get outside a little more. (Don’t we all.) But secondly: I’ve got you covered! Here’s a quick tally of how the deal compares to the current Disney rates. (I didn’t apply the coupon code in this chart, but I did include it below for reference.)

As you can see: for this date the Hot Rate beats even the current annual pass discount by almost $60. Them’s good dealings.

To find yourself one of these Coronado deals, look for a 3.5-star 4.3-guest rated resort in Bonnet Creek. The only other resort with those ratings and location on Hotwire right now is Wyndham Bonnet Creek – but the sub-ratings are different, so you should be able to spot Coronado easily.

By the way, as of this morning I’ve also noticed Coronado deals appearing in December with similar rates. You can spot it there easily too as it is the only 3.5-star 8-guest rated resort in Bonnet Creek with reviews in the 400s. (Caribbean Beach reviews are in the 300s and Wyndham Bonnet Creek has 21 reviews.)

If you’ve booked any of these deals or have any questions – let us know in the comments!

The post Hotwire Deals: Coronado Springs in December appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: discounts, Resorts, Saving Money, Walt Disney World (FL), hotwire

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

Who is the Redhead?

If you take a ride on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Walt Disney World, about half way through the attraction, on the left you’ll see an auction scene featuring a sultry redheaded lass sporting a dress of red petticoats and jaunty pirate hat. That redhead, sometimes called Redd or Scarlet, has been in the Pirates attractions in some form or another since the ride’s inception. According to the book Pirates of the Caribbean: From the Magic Kingdom to the Movies by Jason Surrell, she is a “fiery femme fatale” and “a brazen woman in red.”

While there have been multiple changes to the auction scene over the years, the redhead has always remained. Her persistent presence and sartorial flamboyance have earned her a place as one of the most iconic animatronic figures in all of Disney World.

The story told in the auction scene has been tweaked and updated several times. Initially, women were depicted as being sold off as brides. As the women were auctioned away, a lusty pirate could be heard yelling, “We wants the redhead.” The wisdom of that plot point was debated even during the ride’s design phases, yet it remained for decades.

Now the auction is shown to be a more generic sale of goods, though the redhead still presides, as does fan devotion to her character. The redhead has been a design element on numerous merchandise pieces including toys, tees, and women’s accessories. Disney has sold versions of her dress as a Halloween costume. There has been a dessert created in her honor (Redd’s Revenge – strawberry Dole Whip, strawberry soda, and a chocolate pirate hat). And in 2018, Redd greeted guests as a live character at Disneyland.

Though times have changed, the redhead remains.

Have any questions you’d like to see answered in our Disney in a Minute series? Let us know in the comments.

The post Disney in a Minute: Who is the Redhead? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (FL), Pirates of the Caribbean

Tuesday was another good day to be at Walt Disney World, with low crowds throughout all four parks, and the Animal Kingdom registering its second-lowest crowds of the past month.

We received 132 actual wait times in line today.  Yesterday in Hollywood Studios we counted 500 guests and 489 of them (98%) were wearing masks according to Disney’s guidelines.  And today in Magic Kingdom, 476 of 500 (95%) were wearing masks according to Disney’s guidelines. Let’s do the other numbers!

Animal Kingdom Wait Times

Na’vi River Journey had an average wait time today of 36 minutes. Its 7-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 75% of the posted wait time.

Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time today of 34 minutes. Its 7-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 63 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 79% of the posted wait time.

DINOSAUR had an average wait time today of 20 minutes. Its 7-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #23 for the past month.

Expedition Everest had an average wait time today of 21 minutes. Its 7-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #24 for the past month.

Kali River Rapids had an average wait time today of 10 minutes. Its 7-day average is 20 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 23 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month.

Kilimanjaro Safaris had an average wait time today of 11 minutes. Its 7-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 23 minutes, so today ranks #28 for the past month.  We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 47% of the posted wait time.

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Magic Kingdom Wait Times

We’re going to present the Magic Kingdom attractions in ascending order of actual wait time ratio, because why not?  The Haunted Mansion had an average wait time today of 20 minutes. Its 7-day average is 34 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 41% of the posted wait time.

Splash Mountain had an average wait time today of 36 minutes. Its 7-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 54% of the posted wait time.

Peter Pan’s Flight had an average wait time today of 27 minutes. Its 7-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 64% of the posted wait time.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad had an average wait time today of 43 minutes. Its 7-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #15 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 65% of the posted wait time.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had an average wait time today of 51 minutes. Its 7-day average is 55 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 71% of the posted wait time.

Jungle Cruise had an average wait time today of 36 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 41 minutes, so today ranks #23 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 80% of the posted wait time.

Space Mountain had an average wait time today of 27 minutes. Its 7-day average is 32 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 39 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month.  We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 98% of the posted wait time.

EPCOT Wait Times

Living with the Land had an average wait time today of 11 minutes. Its 7-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #26 for the past month.

Mission: SPACE Orange had an average wait time today of 15 minutes. Its 7-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #28 for the past month.

Soarin’ had an average wait time today of 27 minutes. Its 7-day average is 35 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #22 for the past month.

Spaceship Earth had an average wait time today of 12 minutes. Its 7-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 19 minutes, so today ranks #25 for the past month.

Test Track had an average wait time today of 53 minutes. Its 7-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 68% of the posted wait time.

The Seas with Nemo & Friends had an average wait time today of 6 minutes. Its 7-day average is 10 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 12 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past month.

Frozen Ever After had an average wait time today of 61 minutes. Its 7-day average is 82 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 66 minutes, so today ranks #16 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #121 for the past year.

Hollywood Studios Wait Times

Alien Swirling Saucers had an average wait time today of 23 minutes. Its 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #21 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 36% of the posted wait time.

Toy Story Mania! had an average wait time today of 22 minutes. Its 7-day average is 28 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #30 for the past month.  We received 7 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 54% of the posted wait time.

Slinky Dog Dash had an average wait time today of 81 minutes. Its 7-day average is 66 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 67 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month.  We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 58% of the posted wait time.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster had an average wait time today of 45 minutes. Its 7-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #25 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 62% of the posted wait time.

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue had an average wait time today of 22 minutes. Its 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 28 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 64% of the posted wait time.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror had an average wait time today of 50 minutes. Its 7-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 49 minutes, so today ranks #11 for the past month. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 77% of the posted wait time.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway had an average wait time today of 84 minutes. Its 7-day average is 78 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 79 minutes, so today ranks #9 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 71 minutes, so today ranks #31 for the past year. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 74% of the posted wait time.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run had an average wait time today of 60 minutes. Its 7-day average is 56 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #15 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 64 minutes, so today ranks #135 for the past year. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 83% of the posted wait time.

Finally, Rise of the Resistance had a pretty good day today, with only minor blips in operation. Rise recently expanded its hourly capacity by installing plexiglas dividers between rows in each ride vehicle.  This allows two unrelated groups to ride in the same ride vehicle (but not in the same row).

The post Low Crowds Again! Disney World Wait Times for Tuesday, November 10, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), wait times