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#DisneyMagicMoments: It’s Time for Another Homebound Day! This One is Sprouting with Fearsome Crafts and a Harvest of Devious Apples

Many may know the legend of the Halloween Tree at Disneyland Resort. From beneath its branches and gnarling bark, stories have been told of witches, mummies, skeletons and more. This special tree was added to Frontierland on All Hallows Eve 2007 as a dedication to author Ray Bradbury. Bradbury, who wrote the novel “The Halloween Tree” in 1972, was a personal friend of Walt Disney and collaborated on many legendary Park projects. This living monument has delighted guests during Halloween Time for more than a decade with its beauty and playful painted pumpkins. You can unearth more about this and other tales of Halloween at the Disney Parks in the brand new book, “Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks.”

#DisneyMagicMoments: It’s Time for Another Homebound Day! This One is Sprouting with Fearsome Crafts and a Harvest of Devious Apples The Halloween Tree at Disneyland Park

Now it’s your turn to weave a tale of a haunted Homebound Day around your very own Halloween Tree. So gather your little pumpkins for a windfall of fun.

#DisneyMagicMoments: It’s Time for Another Homebound Day! This One is Sprouting with Fearsome Crafts and a Harvest of Devious Apples

A mini tree will do just fine, then spraypaint it a gourdy orange. Add some colorful leaves, fake or real, and a glowing string of sparkling lights.

#DisneyMagicMoments: It’s Time for Another Homebound Day! This One is Sprouting with Fearsome Crafts and a Harvest of Devious Apples

Now it’s time for some peculiar embellishments like a menacing string of mini pumpkins. Here’s how to create…

You will need:

  • A bag of small orange pom poms
  • A black marker
  • Thin wire or string
  • Black ribbon

Instructions: Draw the faces onto the pom poms with the black markers. Make some spooky and make some silly, it’s all up to your creativity. String them together using the string or wire. Wrap the garland loosely with the black ribbon. Finally, wrap your pumpkin patch around the tree.

#DisneyMagicMoments: It’s Time for Another Homebound Day! This One is Sprouting with Fearsome Crafts and a Harvest of Devious Apples

The Evil Queen has a devilishly delicious treat for you that’s best served around a Halloween Tree. Don’t worry, these are sickly sweet rather than potently poisonous. Be sure to have a parent present to help.

Ingredients:

  • Cake pop kit
  • Red candy melts
  • White candy melts
  • Piping bag

Instructions: Follow your favorite cake pop recipe. Place the cake pop sticks into the cake pops. Warm up the red candy pellets and dip each cake pop until fully covered. Next, warm up the white candy melts and place into a piping bag. Add the “dripping” top as well as the skull-like face. Plate and serve!

#DisneyMagicMoments: It’s Time for Another Homebound Day! This One is Sprouting with Fearsome Crafts and a Harvest of Devious Apples Disney+ Halloween watchlist

The tree is dreadfully decked out and the treats are tormenting your waiting taste buds. Pick one of these spell-binding movies and enjoy the finale to your Halloween Tree inspired Homebound Day.

It’s the final days of the spooky season, so follow #DisneyMagicMoments and keep checking back for more hauntings.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized, DIY, Halloween

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Disney Parks Other

Disney Working with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Inspire the Next Gen to Dream Big   

Recently, Disney announced an employee-led commitment to deepen its relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We believe that inclusion is a critical part of fostering ideas and decisions from all people to help us grow, innovate and create the best stories. Today, I’m pleased to share a behind-the-scenes look at one of the many ways that we’re activating on that commitment. 

This month, we hosted virtual career exploration sessions for HBCU students where I joined my fellow cast members as part of an internal, HBCU strategy task force led by Kristi Breen, Vice President, Disney International and Campus Programs and Disney Cruise Line Recruitment, and Avis Lewis, Vice President, Human Resources, Walt Disney Imagineering and Consumer Products, Games and Publishing to connect with students and share with them all the opportunities possible at Disney. From Walt Disney World to Walt Disney Imagineering and from Consumer Products, Games and Publishing to beyond – cast members united from all over The Walt Disney Company for this important effort. 

My own educational journey began at an HBCU, and I’ve carried the lessons I learned at my alma mater, Hampton University, throughout my nearly six-year Disney career. I know firsthand how important it is to support efforts that encourage HBCU students and provide opportunities for students to participate in engaging and accessible events.

Courtnee Collier, Hampton University Yearbook Photo 
Courtnee Collier, Hampton University Yearbook Photo 

As part of our new efforts, Disney is helping create purposeful career paths for HBCU students from colleges including: Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Howard University in Washington, D.C., North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro and Hampton University in Virginia. 

By working more closely with HBCUs, Disney will continue to build a robust, long-term pipeline of Black talent through the development of student internships, mentorship opportunities and inclusive hiring practices. 

I was in these students’ shoes not long ago, and I feel like I would have benefitted from a conversation like this to understand the power of networking while interning, and how it is such a huge part of our career journeys. I am truly proud and grateful that Disney is taking this step to strengthen its relationships with HBCUs.

Disney employees from all over the company will have the opportunity to support HBCU engagement in multiple ways, from volunteering, to participating in mentorship opportunities and recruitment efforts, and more. This activation is just one of many ongoing sessions scheduled throughout the year. Stay tuned as we continue to bring you more stories about our Diversity & Inclusion efforts! 

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Cast Member Profiles, Community Outreach

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REVIEW: Magic Kingdom Hand-Dipped Corn Dogs

Sleepy Hollow, the quick service restaurant in Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square, recently added hand-dipped corn dogs to their lunch and dinner menu.

Getting these delightful dogs is somewhat more challenging than you might like. Sleepy Hollow opens when the park does, serving eye-popping waffle-based sandwiches beginning at breakfast. Additionally, Sleepy Hollow is currently selling the popular Madame Leota collectible sipper cups. This all means that when the corn dogs become available at 11:00 a.m. (not before), there is likely to already be a significant line.

These corn dogs, priced at $10.99 plus tax, are served with house-made potato chips.

Let’s start with the disappointing part of the meal. The potato chips would have been a terrific accompaniment, had they been fresh. The taste was salt-forward, with a strong potato finish, not overwhelmed by oil. Unfortunately, they were more soggy than crisp, like they had been prepped the night before.

The corn dog itself was hefty – definitely enough for a full meal. The coating was like a slightly sweet corn muffin, with visible bits of real corn. The coating adhered well to the dog and did not fall off separately when biting. You get a full blend of dog and corn in each mouthful. The hot dog is firm and slightly salty, a wonderful foil for the sweet coating.

There are single-serve packets of condiments available. I’m a fan of having lots mustard with my corn dogs. The packets are small and somewhat difficult to open, so be sure to grab a handful if you want to dunk.

Overall, this is a significant improvement over the corn dog nuggets at the currently closed Casey’s Corner, but the line to get it may be off-putting to some. Still, for fans of corn dogs, it is great to have this option available at Walt Disney World.

Would you wait in line for one of these corn dogs? Let us know in the comments.

The post REVIEW: Magic Kingdom Hand-Dipped Corn Dogs appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), corn dog

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More Shopping and Dining Coming to the Disneyland Resort Courtesy of Buena Vista Street

Want to spend more time shopping and dining at the Disneyland Resort? Beginning in November, Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure will be open to Guests to be able to do just that! Guests who visit Buena Vista Street will find more places to enjoy a meal or a shop during your visit to the resort.

Some of the options that Guests will be able to enjoy will include shopping at Elias & Co. for clothing selections, as well as at Julius Katz & Sons for holiday merchandise and Disney-themed decor and Kingswell Camera will offer frames and photo albums.

If you’re looking for a treat, consider Trolley Treats for candies and confections. Or stop by Fiddler Fifer & Practical Cafe for coffee or a sandwich. (Hello Starbucks!) There will also be vending carts available that will offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other treats.

Finally, if you’re looking for actual dining, consider the Carthay Circle Lounge, which will feature expanded outdoor seating area and an all-new menu of cocktails and dining. For counter service options, stop at Smokejumpers Grill for American classics with a streamlined menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and craft beer. Guests will need to primarily need to place their order through mobile order on the Disneyland App.

At this time, due to the stipulations set forth by the government of California, only the shopping and dining experiences on Buena Vista Street will be available. Disney California Adventure will be closed. Guests will need to access Buena Vista Street from the Downtown Disney District.

We’ll have more details about what Guests can experience soon. Stay tuned to the blog for the details.

The post More Shopping and Dining Coming to the Disneyland Resort Courtesy of Buena Vista Street appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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

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The Most Iconic Sweet Snack in Each Disney Park

Today, we’ve got some sweet picks for you. There’s an incredible amount of delicious treats to have at Walt Disney World, and some just feel right in certain places. For years, my husband and I would only get the chocolate dipped frozen banana at Animal Kingdom, even though it was sold at treat carts elsewhere, because it just felt like a good fit there under the lush tropical foliage in the park. There are also certain items that you can’t get elsewhere at Walt Disney World, making them a really special treat to have in a certain park.

Here’s our list of the most iconic sweet treat in each of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks.

Magic Kingdom: Dole Whip

Yes, there are a few other places where you can get Dole Whip (or more generically named pineapple soft serve) at Walt Disney World, but there is something just right about getting it at Magic Kingdom. Maybe it is because there has been a dedicated location there for decades? Maybe it is riffing on the Disneyland vibe where I believe it is required by law that you must get a Dole Whip on your way into Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room? Whatever the reason, this sweet treat is almost always mentioned when you talk about sweets and snacks at Magic Kingdom, and for good reason–it’s delicious, whether you have it by itself or as the signature Dole Whip Float!

EPCOT: School Bread

 

Seriously, what school can I go to that offers this as a dessert? A few caveats to this treat — if you don’t like coconut, this may not be for you. People who aren’t a huge fan of spices may be a little unnerved by the cardamom flavor in the bread. But if you’re okay with both of those, and of course with the creamy vanilla custard, then this will be a must-have treat during your trip to the Norway pavilion. I can’t count the number of times that I’d rush over to grab one before they close for the night to save for breakfast the next morning.

 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Carrot Cake Cookie

 

It has vegetables, therefore it is healthy. Right? RIGHT? Okay, maybe not, but it is a must-do for so many people visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Once found at the Writer’s Stop (now Baseline), when Writer’s Stop closed, there was panic that we might lose this amazing treat for, as Gonzo would say, FOREVER?!? Thankfully, it made a couple brief location changes and now can be readily found at Trolley Car Cafe (aka DHS Starbucks). It’s Carrot Cake. It’s Cream Cheese frosting in the middle. It is iconic.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Pineapple Cream Cheese Lumpia

Although it is, relatively speaking, a newer addition to Disney’s world of snacks (making its debut with Pandora: The World of Avatar in 2017), this sweet treat already has quite the following. It’s pineapple and cream cheese, served warm in a crispy fried dough wrapper. And although family members would say that it isn’t reeeeally lumpia per se, they can’t deny it is delicious. Even better, you can get it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Pongu Pongu in Pandora.

That’s my picks for the top four iconic sweet treats — have any that you think should unseat these choices? Let me know in the comments. 

The post The Most Iconic Sweet Snack in Each Disney Park appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Snacks, Walt Disney World (FL), carrot cake cookie, Dole whip, treats