A Blog About Disney Stuff

It happens to all of us — keys, cell phone, wallet, and more somehow end up not exactly where we are sure we left them. When you’re on vacation and carrying items that you may not be used to hauling around on a daily basis, it can become very easy to forget an item. Maybe it is a hat, or a camera. It could be a favorite toy or an item you just bought. Whatever it is, somehow you’re in one place and your item has decided to take an unplanned tour of Walt Disney World.

As challenging as it can be to think sometimes in that moment of panic when you lose something, most people in the world are good people, and I can speak from experience that lost items generally make their way to a Cast Member who then takes them to lost and found. Over the years, the process has changed, and now can be easily done immediately when you notice an item is missing (as long as someone in your party still has a phone with a web browser).

First, visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/lost-and-found/

 

Click the link for Answer a short series of questions… (or go directly to https://www.chargerback.com/disneyworld). Select the location where you lost your item.

Next, enter information about the item as well as your contact information.

Once you’ve filled that out, that’s it–now the waiting begins. If all goes well, you’ll receive an email confirming they found your item.

Then it is just a matter of heading to Disney Springs’ Lost and Found Pick-Up location at the Town Center Storage House  to pick up your item between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. There also will be contact information if you have already headed home from your vacation to see how best to get your item back to you.

 

Although Disney obviously can’t guarantee that your item will be found, I’ve known many, many people (myself included) who have received their items back.

How about you? Have you ever had to file a claim with lost and found? Did you get your item back?

The post A Sign of Hope: Disney’s Lost and Found appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), lost and found

When you think of international dining you may not think of affordability. But at EPCOT’s France Pavilion you can enjoy French-inspired classics at relatively affordable pricing, when compared to other dining options at Walt Disney World. Chrissy on our team recently bid Bonjour to Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie and enjoyed a delightful spread of casual French fare.

I love journeying through the France Pavilion at EPCOT. It is one of my favorite World Showcase pavilions, full of beautiful architecture, art, and fragrant scents. If you wind your way to the back of the France Pavilion you’ll find Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. Like many French bakeries, Les Halles bakes their goods fresh in the morning and puts the beautiful bites on display. Then as you make your selection they are plated and, if necessary, heated. Our readers give Les Halles a 97% thumbs up rating, and is currently ranked at the absolute top spot, number one out of 108 similar dining options at Walt Disney World!

Moble ordering is not available at this location, so when you approach the display case at Les Halles you can make your selection by viewing the case or the overhead menu. If you really want to be a Disney pro, become a TouringPlans subscriber and you’ll be able to view the menu right on your phone using our Lines app.

The menu at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie offers a variety of sweet delights and savory classics. Every item is either a traditional French recipe, or French-inspired made more approachable to those not familiar with French cuisine. Chrissy selected three savory items from the menu at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie.

• Pissaladiere -Tomatoes, Olives & Gruyere Cheese $4.75
• Dinde B.L.T. -Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Garlic Aioli (Cold Sandwich) $9.00
• Croque Monsieur – Open Faced Toasted Ham & Cheese $9.00

The Pissaladiere originated from Liguria, and is also served commonly in southeastern France. It is often compared to pizza with its combination of bread, cheese, and tomatoes. Usually toppings with a salty brine flavor like anchovies and olives are used. The folks at EPCOT made a wise call of skipping the anchovies. Although the serving is smaller than a traditional slice of pizza, it is a satisfying serving for under $5.00 – a rarity at Disney!

The Dinde B.L.T. is savory, but refreshing since it is served cold. The bacon is a little chewy since it is cold, but the smoky flavor pairs well with the turkey and the garlic aioli. For $9.00 it is a large enough sandwich to satisfy one person.

Croque Monsieur is a classic open-faced sandwich that is enjoyed for both breakfast and lunch. The ham is salty and a little sweet, complimented by the melted cheese. It is not as easy to eat as the B.L.T. but a good choice for anyone who enjoys the classic combo of ham and cheese.

Seating can be a little hard to come by. There is an indoor dining area with traditional tables as well as a bar for guests to dine off of while standing. The selection of outdoor dining tables is slim. But you can easily carry your food back to the open space of the France Pavilion or World Showcase promenade. We highly recommend this hidden gem if you want international fare that is approached and affordable. Of course, pairing your selection with a lovely French wine helps too!

Have you dined at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie? What’s your favorite place to eat inside World Showcase?

 

The post REVIEW: Grab an Affordable Lunch or Dinner at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Dos and Don’ts, Epcot, In the Parks, Snacks, disney dining, epcot dinner, epcot lunch, epcot snacks

Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom are showing strong post-reopening wait times again today.  Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids in particular, had one of their busiest days of the past year.  Let’s do the numbers.

Magic Kingdom Wait Times

Most Magic Kingdom attractions today have posted their highest average wait times of the past month:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 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 57 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. It was only the 124th-highest average wait of the past year, though.
• Space Mountain had an average wait time today of 64 minutes (#1 week / #1 month). Its 7-day average is 50 minutes, and its 30-day average is 41 minutes (#106 for the past year).
• Splash Mountain had an average wait time today of 83 minutes. Its 7-day average is 73 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #25 for the past year.
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad had an average wait time today of 54 minutes (#1 week / #4 month / #99 year).

Even secondary attractions were busy today:

• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress had its highest average wait time today of the past year: 30 minutes.
• Peter Pan’s Flight had an average wait time today of 49 minutes (#1 week / #1 year / #142 year).
• The Haunted Mansion had an average wait time today of 62 minutes (#1 week / #1 month / #50 year). Its 7-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month.

EPCOT Wait Times

EPCOT was also busy, with many attractions posting wait times that would be relatively strong over the past year:

• Soarin’ had an average wait time today of 56 minutes. Its 7-day average is 46 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 34 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 40 minutes, so today ranks #46 for the past year.
• Test Track had an average wait time today of 91 minutes. Its 7-day average is 68 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past year.
• Spaceship Earth had an average wait time today of 32 minutes. Its 7-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #3 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #44 for the past year.
• Frozen Ever After had an average wait time today of 80 minutes. Its 7-day average is 71 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 59 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #29 for the past year.

That said, the actual wait times we got today averaged less than half of the posted wait times shown, so a posted wait of 20 minutes at Living with the Land resulted in an actual wait of 10 minutes.

Hollywood Studios Wait Times

Wait times were mixed over at Hollywood Studios today.  Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster had an average wait today of 60 minutes. Its 7-day average is 57 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. Actual wait times averaged around 86% of the posted wait, which is really accurate (relatively speaking) for this ride.

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway had an average wait time today of 83 minutes  (#3 week / #14 month). The actual wait in line averaged 74% of the posted wait time, also pretty accurate.

Slinky Dog Dash had an average wait time today of 71 minutes. Its 7-day average is 72 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 66 minutes, so today ranks #10 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 76 minutes, so today ranks #142 for the past year.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run had an average wait time today of 65 minutes (#1 week / #7 month). Its 365-day average is 64 minutes – today ranks #100 for the past year.

It looks like Rise of the Resistance started having technical issues in the afternoon today, because 72 was the last boarding group called, at around 4:15 p.m.

Animal Kingdom Wait Times

Posted wait times were also relatively accurate over at Animal Kingdom today, averaging 75% of the posted wait time.  Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time today of 118 minutes. Its 7-day average is 74 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 53 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 104 minutes, so today ranks #124 for the past year. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 86% of the posted wait time.

Kilimanjaro Safaris had an average wait time today of 32 minutes. Its 7-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 21 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #146 for the past year. We received 15 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 63% of the posted wait time.

Kali River Rapids had an average wait time today of 46 minutes. Its 7-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 23 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #21 for the past year.

Wait times are only part of the story. If you’d like to be ahead of the curve and get customized, computer-optimized touring plans for your specific vacation, then become a TouringPlans Subscriber and use our Lines app.

The post Busy Saturday at Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom – Walt Disney World Wait Times for Saturday, October 17, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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

You know what makes everything better? Caramel. It’s personally one of my favorite sweets, as a sauce, as a coating, as a chewy candy. I’ll take caramel anyway I can get it, and I have a feeling I am not alone in that sentiment! At the Germany Pavilion at EPCOT you’ll find a caramel lover’s dream: Karamell-Küche. This sweet shop is sponsored by Werther’s Caramel and it is like walking into a dreamy commercial for the confection company.

This sweet shop is one of the highest rated at Walt Disney World. Our readers give it a 95% thumbs up rating and it is ranked at the top, as number 5 out of 41 sweet shops at Walt Disney World. It’s hard to find something that’s not absolutely delicious at Karamell-Küche. When you walk inside this small shop you can browse the display case, or use our Lines app to view the menu ahead of time.

You’ll find a long list of caramel coated treats on the menu at Karamell-Küche. On a recent visit to EPCOT our team selected a variety of sweet treats. Here’s what we nibbled on.

• Werther’s Original Caramel Popcorn – $6.99
• Caramel Milk Chocolate – $4.29
• Caramel Square – $4.29
• Milk Chocolate Pecan –  $4.49
• Gingerbread Cookie Sandwich – $5.99 (seasonal offering)

Every sweet here is delicious, but the stand out of them all is the seasonal offering, the Gingerbread Cookie Sandwich. It is one of the absolute best desserts on Walt Disney World property. The gingerbread cookies are chewy, the perfect texture with just the right amount of gingerbread spice. There’s caramel frosting and a caramel drizzle in the middle of these two delicious gingerbread cookies. It may be mid-October as I write this, but this cookie sandwich has made a few of us at TouringPlans ready to welcome the holiday season.

If you crave caramel there’s no better place than Karamell-Küche, and you can use our menu finder to find anything caramel available at Walt Disney World. This tool is free to use, but we’d love it if you became a TouringPlans Subscriber.

The post REVIEW: It’s Hard to Find a Better Place for Sweets Than Karamell-Küche appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Epcot, Halloween, Holidays, In the Parks, Snacks, disney desserts, disney dining, disney epcot, disney sweets, epcot snacks

The next time you visit EPCOT be sure to stop in at The Seas with Nemo and Friends to congratulate Darby, the famous spotted eagle ray that calls EPCOT home; she just gave birth to a baby spotted eagle ray, a boy. This special birth is a great reminder about the wonders that await at the Seas Pavilion at EPCOT.

On the new original docuseries, “The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” you can get to know the real life residents of Animal Kingdom, as well as The Seas with Nemo and Friends at EPCOT. I recently watched the second episode of the series – and got teary-eyed. A segment of the episode brings us to The Seas as Darby the spotted eagle ray is pregnant, as is one of the Cast Members who works with her. What moved me to tears was to witness the ultrasound being performed. Suddenly the well of emotions I felt when I saw my baby through an ultrasound for the first time came rushing back. I was also moved by the profoundness of witnessing a baby eagle ray through an ultrasound.

Flash forward a few months and that little baby spotted eagle ray has been born. The folks at The Seas named him Hilo, which is also the name of one of the largest cities on the island of Hawai’i and roughly translates to “to twist.” Currently, Hilo is getting acclimated to his home and is not in the main area that guests can easily view. When an animal is born at a zoological organization they are often kept in the behind-the-scenes care area as they get to know their home.

Darby, being a large spotted eagle ray, is easy to, well… spot. All the aquatic animals here are beautiful to watch and observe. But, there is something special about the graceful way rays move through the water. Darby, being one of the largest animals in the exhibit, is quite impressive. No matter your age, and the age of those in your party, you’re sure to learn something new or observe something wonderful when you visit this pavilion.

If you’re interested in viewing the incredible exhibits at The Seas without having to go on the Nemo themed ride, you can enter the pavilion through the merchandise shop. Just go to the far left of the ride entrance, through the automatic doors, and after walking through the small merchandise shop, you’re there! The pavilion is a great place to go for a break and some air conditioning. There’s never a wait to just head inside through the merchandise shop and into the pavilion.

If you like this kind of insider information, become a TouringPlans Susbscriber so you can use our Lines app. You’ll save time by optimizing your day, knowing which attractions to visit when.

The post Cuteness Alert – Baby Spotted Eagle Ray ‘Hilo’ Born at EPCOT appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Epcot, In the Parks, disneyplus, epcot attractions, The Seas with Nemo and Friends