A Blog About Disney Stuff

The process of choosing your Disney Resort hotel is a little different these days. Due to limited amenities and dining options, the presence of the NBA Orlando Bubble, shorter park hours, the suspension of park hopping, and the fact some resorts still haven’t reopened, my best resort list has been shuffled around a bit. So with that in mind, coupled with our current global situation, here’s what I consider the best resorts to book at reopened Walt Disney World.

Information About Disney World Resort Hotels

At the time of writing, the following are the only Disney Resort hotels that are open:

• Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas at Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Note: Villas are Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resort rooms that range in size and occupancy. Non-members can still book DVC Villas.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is scheduled to reopen this month on September 21. Disney’s Coronado Springs will then reopen October 14 followed by Disney’s Art of Animation on November 1. These resorts are currently accepting reservations for when they reopen. Also, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort was slated to reopen October 4. However, Disney recently announced the resort won’t reopen now until summer of 2021 as the Great Ceremonial House and resort rooms are refurbished and enhanced. In addition, the resort’s monorail station will be closed at the beginning of October.

Meanwhile, Disney’s Beach Club Resort and BoardWalk Inn are to remain closed until further notice. Disney still says future reopening dates are subject to change and guests’ reservations could still be modified to other Disney Resort hotels if needed. Other Disney Resorts that are not listed have no reopening scheduled at this time.

Now that we know our options, let’s discuss which resorts offer the best experience at this time. Keep in mind, this is not a rundown of every resort that has reopened. I’m only focusing on those I believe offer the best resort experience under the current circumstances.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower

The Contemporary Resort is considered one of the Disney World’s best resorts any time; and in our current COVID-19 world, its benefits and amenities still make it one of the best choices for a resort stay.

When spending the day at the Magic Kingdom, the Contemporary’s walking path to the Magic Kingdom can’t be beat. Plus, its Monorail access is a true luxury since the Contemporary is the first stop when returning from the Magic Kingdom. It allows for convenient resort hopping and access to additional dining options.

While many Disney resort restaurants haven’t reopened and resort guests are limited on their options, guests at the Contemporary can still enjoy California Grill, Contempo Cafe, The Wave of American Flavors, and Chef Mickey’s sans characters.

Since park hours are so much shorter these days, I’ve found the best resort for my family offers the most to do and experience. The Contemporary meets this need thanks to its three gift shops for browsing and splurging, two lobbies (the resort’s main lobby and that of Bay Lake), two pools, and incredible views of the park, the lake, and other Magic Kingdom resorts. I mean, if you can’t be at the Magic Kingdom as late as you’d like, stay where you can enjoy it from afar.

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort & Disney’s Beach Club Villas

I know the Yacht Club and the Beach Club are two separate resorts, but they share the same pool and sit side by side so… I’m going with it.

Once upon a time, Disney’s EPCOT Resorts were hailed as the best for park hopping and resort hopping. This is due to the fact that Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club, the BoardWalk Inn, and the Swan and Dolphin are within walking distance of both Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and each other! If that wasn’t all, the adjacent Skyliner station allows for further resort exploration.

Even though park hopping isn’t a possibility right now, the easy access to the parks is still a perk during those respective park days. Also these resorts surround Crescent Lake and offer gorgeous waterfront views. So even after the parks close, guests can still enjoy walking around the lake, seeing the Boardwalk lit up at night, and enjoying what these resorts have to offer!

The Beach Club’s popular Beaches & Cream Soda Shop and Yachtsmen Steakhouse have reopened, but Crew’s Cup Lounge and Cape May Cafe are sadly still closed. Both the resorts other dining options are kinda forgettable and, at the time of writing, the Beach Club Marketplace has moved to the resort’s Solarium while its original space is under refurbishment.

One of the best reasons to stay at the Yacht Club or Beach Club Villas during this time, and honestly at any time, is for Stormalong Bay. Long considered the best resort pool on Disney property, Stormalong Bay is a mini-water park complete with a lazy river, massive slide, and a sand bottom. It’s the perfect spot to entertain yourself and the family after the parks close for the day. It also helps to make up for the fact that Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach water parks are currently closed.

Boulder Ridge Villas & Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Even though it’s not on the Monorail loop, Wilderness Lodge’s Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge Villas are only a short boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom. It also sits next door to the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground and within view of the Contemporary Resort.

In addition, the popular Geyser Point Bar & Grill, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and Roaring Fork are all open and operating. The only dining that’s currently not available at this resort is in-room dining, the Territory Lounge, and Artist Point.

I consider the Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge Villas one of the best places to stay at reopened Walt Disney World because there is so much to see and do! Both resort pools are open and equally fantastic, but this resort offers more than just pool time for when the parks close or when you’re looking to distance yourself from crowds.

The resort’s main lobby is an experience as it’s home to a bubbling spring and footbridge, various fireplaces, massive chandeliers, and nooks and hideaways for discovering and relaxing on multiple floors. It also serves as a sort of mini-museum with a variety of artwork and artifacts from the Pacific Northwest on every floor.

The Boulder Ridge Villas lobby is smaller in comparison to the main lobby, but still holds a number of hideaways, artifacts and displays, a fireplace, and a whole room dedicated to Walt Disney’s passion for trains.

Other resort activities range from a Hidden Mickey hunt, a fantastic gift shop, extensive grounds and pathways, picturesque lakefront views, and a geyser that shoots water up into the air every hour!

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn’t list Saratoga Springs as a top choice of resort for a Disney World vacation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful resort with quality rooms and views. My problem with it is that it’s too spread out; and unless you’re staying in a building near the lobby, you’re pretty much isolated to your particular area and bus stop. Basically, it’s Deluxe-level DVC accommodations without the full resort experience.

With that being said, a major perk of Saratoga Springs is that it’s located next to Disney Springs. There’s even a walking path for additional convenience.

Since the Disney Parks and Disney’s transportation close down early these days, and since dining options at both the parks and resorts are limited, Disney Springs is the perfect alternative. This shopping and dining district offers later hours, some of the best dining on Disney property, plus entertainment, activities, and shopping.

Therefore, Saratoga Springs guests won’t be as limited in their options as some other Disney resort guests might feel during this time.

Saratoga Springs is also one of the more affordable DVC resorts on property and offers 5 pools! The Paddock Pool and High Rock Spring Pool are the largest with multiple slides and play areas, but there’s also 3 leisure pools each with a whirlpool spa. In theory, you and your family could enjoy a new resort pool each day of your stay!

Resorts I Would Not Suggest at Reopened Walt Disney World

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas at Kidani Village

I think Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of the best Disney resorts on property. However, Jambo House, the resort’s main building and additional villas, haven’t yet reopened.

Kidani Village is beautiful and still offers those signature views of the African wildlife, although I feel it offers too few amenities to justify its cost at this time.

This resort is also isolated, and understandably so for the sake of the animals. Still, it relies solely on bus transportation; and while it does offer the benefit of being next door to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, that park currently closes earlier than the others.

So with limited dining options and limited park hours at the nearest park, being isolated may not make for the best experience.

Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows 

I know, I know. But hear me out! The Polynesian Village would have been on my list for the best resorts if it wasn’t about to undergo a refurbishment in its main lobby and suspending the use of its Monorail station beginning in October. Also, ‘Ohana still hasn’t reopened and neither has Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show.

Granted, I’m aware guests can still walk next door to the TTC to use the Monorail, and its rooms and pools are still fantastic. However, I still argue that guests won’t get enough of this resort’s true experience to justify its cost.

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa

Even though the Grand Floridan Resort is slated to reopen this month, I wouldn’t recommend staying here simply because of the NBA Orlando Bubble. Since certain NBA teams are staying at this resort, a large blue wall was constructed to separate players from guests. While understandable, a significant portion of the resort grounds and its amenities are inaccessible to guests. Also, a significant number of this resort’s restaurants still haven’t reopened.

So that is my take on the best (and worst!) resorts to experience during this unusual time at Walt Disney World. Which resort would be your choice during these unprecedented times?

The post The Best Resorts to Book at Reopened Walt Disney World appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Resorts, Walt Disney World (FL), Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Contemporary Resort, Disney Resort, Disney Resorts, disney world, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s BoardWalk, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, DVC, DVC Resorts, Kidani Village, Stormalong Bay, walt disney world

As predicted in our Crowd Calendar, this Labor Day weekend saw quite an increase in attendance across Walt Disney World. It comes as no surprise that Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios were booked up and busy, whereas Disney’s Animal Kingdom continued to be the runner up, with plenty of room. We recapped the pre-Labor Day weekend crowds and wait times. Now, let’s look at how this weekend shaped up and how our Lines app saved users lots of time.

Magic Kingdom Wait Times: Saturday, September 5, 2020

Both days this weekend were busy, of course, which came as no surprise to anyone. We tend to see the highest wait times between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Magic Kingdom. At 1:00 p.m. yesterday we did observe some of the highest wait times of the day, though our Lines app showed that actual wait times were about 10 – 15 minutes less than what Disney had posted. You can see from the screenshots below that our app recommended to wait until later in the day to ride Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Big Thunder Mountain.

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Posted Wait Time 50 / Expected 38
• Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Posted Wait Time 60 / Expected 47
• Jungle Cruise
  • Posted Wait Time 45 / Expected 35
• Haunted Mansion
  • Posted Wait Time 30 / Expected 24
• Big Thunder Mountain 
  • Posted Wait Time 25 / Expected 33

Magic Kingdom Wait Times: Sunday, September 6, 2020

We continued to see higher crowds on Sunday at the Most Magical Place on Earth. The wait times in the 1:00 p.m. time frame (one of the busiest times of day at this park) are very similar between Saturday and Sunday. And as indicated in our Lines app there were plenty of instances that it would be better to wait until later in the day to ride some attractions. You can also see in some of the screenshots below where Liners (users of our app) submitted actual wait times they experienced that day to help with the real-time data.

• Splash Mountain
  • Posted Wait Time 60 / Expected 51
• Jungle Cruise
  • Posted Wait Time 35 / Expected 37
• Big Thunder Mountain
  • Posted Wait Time 35 / Expected 29
• Haunted Mansion
  • Posted Wait Time 30 / Expected 26
• Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Posted Wait Time 60 / Expected 40

To provide a little more context about how busy this holiday weekend let’s look at the observed wait times at Magic Kingdom versus the observed wait times from Sunday two weeks ago. These charts show the average predicted wait times compared to the average observed wait times. On average yesterday’s wait times were 10 -15 minutes higher than two weeks prior and about 5-10 minutes higher than the busiest weekend we’ve seen since reopening, prior to this holiday weekend. This solidifies that Labor Day weekend has been the busiest weekend since reopening, so far.

Animal Kingdom Wait Times: Sunday, September 6, 2020

Although Animal Kingdom continues to experience low crowds and solid availability, this weekend did see an uptick in wait times. We tend to see wait times the highest around 11:00 a..m to lunch time and then things slowly begin to trickle off, with the last hour of operation being one of the best periods for low wait times.

Around 1:00 p.m. yesterday we saw some higher wait times posted by Disney, however, our Lines app predicted wait times to be about 15 minutes lower than what was posted. Our app also makes recommendations as to when to visit an attraction. In this case, it recommended to wait on riding Kali River Rapids, which ended up having no wait at all toward the end of the day.

• Dinosaur
  • Posted Wait Time 45 / Expected 30
• Kali River Rapids
  • Posted Wait Time 25 / Expected 36
• River Journey
  • Posted Wait Time 45 / Expected 33
• Flight of Passage
  • Posted Wait Time 50 / Expected 36

 

This Labor Day weekend marked the first major holiday weekend since Walt Disney World reopened. Not all of the Disney parks experienced large crowds, but it was definitely one of the busiest weekends we’ve seen in this new era. We saw large, sold out crowds at Universal Orlando’s theme parks too.

Our team observed that mask compliance and physical distancing had some weaker moments than previous visits, but they were rare moments. Physical distancing is much stronger when there are physical markers presents. Overall the parks did a good job of upholding the practices they’ve worked so hard to establish over the summer.

Do you have a Walt Disney World trip planned soon? What planning information can we help you with?

The post Labor Day Is Busiest Weekend at Walt Disney World Since Reopening appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Epcot, In the Parks, Magic Kingdom, Trip Planning, disney crowds, disney reopening, disney wait times, Epcot Crowds, epcot wait times

It’s a tough year for EPCOT to be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the International Food and Wine Festival. Unlike any other year, this year’s festival is currently a mini version of itself. But, the newly released festival merchandise, including a large selection of Passholder exclusives, and a collection featuring Minnie Mouse, celebrates the festival in a big way. The 25th anniversary logo featuring Spaceship Earth that is featured on much of the merchandise will certainly please any EPCOT fan. Here’s what our field team found at Mouse Gear on a recent visit.

• “Queen of Cuisine” Chef Hat Keychain – $14.99
• Chef Minnie “Queen of Cuisine” Hot Pad & Towel – $21.99
• Chef Minnie Queen of Cuisine” Apron – $34.99
• Chef Minnie “Queen of Cuisine” Bowl – $24.99
• “Queen of Cuisine” Chef Minnie Hat Mug – $19.99
• “Queen of Cuisine ” Chef Minnie Stainless Steel Bottle – $27.99
• Chef Minnie  and Mickey Spatula – $14.99
• Chef Minnie “Queen of Cuisine” Magnet – $14.99
• Chef Minnie Phone Case – $29.99

• Chef Mickey & Minnie, Figment, and Remy 4 Coaster Set – $24.99
• 25th Anniversary Passholder Glasses – $14.99 each
• Festival Glass Carafe – $29.99
• Festival Passholder Hoodie – $49.99
• Passholder Remy Salt and Pepper Shaker – $12.99
• Passholder Remy Stainless Steel Water Bottle – $27.99
• Passholder “Olive to Cook” Serving Tray – $34.99
• “Olive to Cook” Passholder Tee – $29.99
• “Olive to Cook” Passholder Wooden Tray – $12.99
• Passholder “Olive to Cook” Magnet – $14.99
• Passholder Figment Phone Case – $29.99

Have you been to this year’s mini-festival? What do you think of this new merchandise?

The post New 25th Anniversary Food and Wine Festival Full Line of Merchandise Pours Into EPCOT appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Epcot, Festivals, Merchandise, epcot food and wine festival, epcot food and wine festival 2020, Epcot merchandise, figment merchandise

Labor Day weekend 2020 is in full swing in Orlando, with sold-out theme parks from Walt Disney World to Universal. It’s a different picture from last year, when Hurricane Dorian all but crashed Labor Day weekend. To be honest, I can’t even remember if it rained or if Dorian was a total non-event in Orlando…I just remember the fuss when the Disney Springs Starbucks closed early.

This year, we’re looking at a very wet pattern for the week after Labor Day. That makes September 2020 very different from September 2019 — so far. Last year, the dry air left in Dorian’s wake made Centr al Florida’s rainy season slam to an abrupt end. This year, though, we’ve already seen plenty of rain to start September…and plenty more rain is in the forecast.

The cause of all the wet weather ahead? A lot of atmospheric factors are in play, but the most obvious one to point to is an inverted trough over the Bahamas, which is going to drift west and northwest through Wednesday. This will draw more tropical moisture into Florida and, importantly, a strong onshore flow. When the east coast sea breeze is aided by strong onshore steering currents, rain can begin drifting inland early in the day, with storms kicking up throughout the hot midday and afternoon hours.

Later in the week, a ridge of high pressure will conspire to keep those southeast winds blowing, meaning this extra-wet pattern will stick around through the weekend.

Despite the likelihood of additional cloud cover and strong chances of scattered storms moving through, temperatures will continue to soar. They’re expected to be just above average, with high heat index numbers, all week long. That means 91-94 degree days, with a heat index close to 105 around midday into the mid-afternoon.

This week in Walt Disney World Weather

For the rest of Sunday, the big heat will continue with a heat index around 105 degrees. Storms will be moving through from the east, with a 50% chance of seeing some thunderstorm action in the theme parks. Storms will slowly clear in the evening, leaving some clouds and a low of 75.

On Labor Day, look out for higher storm chances beginning in the morning, then ramping up around midday. The wind will pick up from the east-northeast, pushing those storms along. They’ll have the potential for heavy rains and frequent lightning. The chance of storms is 70%, fading late night with a low around 74.

Rain returns Tuesday, with a decent chance of showers and some thunderstorms. The high will be around 91, although it might be a cloudy sort of day. Rain chance is 70%, trailing off in the late evening with a low of 75.

On Wednesday, expect rain showers with a possible thunderstorm. There’s an 80% chance of rain, but the high will still be around 91 degrees, giving you an idea of how patchy the rain could be. Late, the rain chance dies off and leaves us with a low of 75.

Thursday should be quite sunny and 92 degrees, but there’s still a 70% chance of showers and storms moving through the theme parks. We’ll see mostly cloudy skies for the overnight with a low of 75.

Friday and Saturday are much the same, with a high of 93 degrees and a 70% chance of rain.

Tropical Weather Outlook

This week we have four potential tropical systems to talk about, and two are pretty hot. None of these will affect Florida in the coming week, but the long-term forecast might have some interesting features.

The most impressive area is a disorganized low pressure system in the south Atlantic, about halfway between Africa and the Leeward Islands. It has a 90% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone by Tuesday, and will continue to move generally west.

The second area is showing signs of organization, but is farther away. This tropical wave has just left the coast of Africa. It’s expected to become a tropical depression in the next few days, and continues to have high development chances through the rest of the week as it moves west.

In the central Caribbean, we have a tropical wave that is largely disorganized and unfavorable conditions for any real improvement. It has a 10% chance of development.

And finally, a trough of low pressure near Bermuda is looking broody, but the environment isn’t really conducive to development and it has a very low chance of developing as it moves west-northwest over the next five days. As you can see, it looks like it might be bringing some rain to the mid-Atlantic by late week.

We’ll let you know if anything pops up which might affect Florida, but so far… a quiet week shoreside.

The post This Week in Walt Disney World Weather — September 6, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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

Many of us have been chomping at the bit, ready for the spooky season to arrive at Walt Disney World. With the lack of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, which usually starts mid-August, it’s been nice not having Halloween fatigue creep in already–but also, bring on the pumpkin spice!

Low and behold a Labor Day weekend treat was bestowed upon visitors to the Magic Kingdom. Some of the highly anticipated Halloween treats have arrived–including the Madam Leota Sipper that is worth all the hype, even at $15.99 (fountain beverage included). This weekend our field team experienced a 40-minute wait at Sleepy Hallow Refreshments to acquire the sipper and to enjoy the scrumptious Pumpkin Spice Mickey Waffle Sundae.

The great news is the Madam Leota Sipper is limited to one per guest. Also great news is the sipper is super cool and lights up. Spirited spooks will definitely be tempted to socialize with this sipper.

The Pumpkin Spice Mickey Waffle is a favorite. Two spiced Mickey waffles are topped with sweet vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and sprinkles. It is $6.49 and a good value for the seasonal sweetness it brings. Sleepy Hallow Refreshments is one of the highest rated snack locations in Magic Kingdom, and this sundae is an example as to why.

Over at Tomorrowland you’ll find more Halloween treats. At Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe you can sink your teeth in Mickey’s Monster Mash Burger stacked with potato barrels, Muenster cheese, bacon, and sriracha aioli. As a specialty burger it is priced at $13.99 which is a tad high, but this is a very flavorful burger and an improvement on the standard Disney quick service burger. Ask for some extra sriracha aioli on the side to dress up your fries.

Also in Tomorrowland, at Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies you can sip on a Pumpkin Spice Milkshake ($7.99) or scoop up a Pumpkin Spice Sundae ($5.49). Our team was full enough from the Monster Burger and Mickey Waffle Sundae so we didn’t have room to try these treats out, but they are returning from last year and received decent reviews then.

Do you have plans to visit Magic Kingdom soon? Which Halloween treat are you ready for?

The post Select Halloween Treats Arrive at Magic Kingdom, Including the Madame Leota Sipper appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Halloween, Magic Kingdom, disney halloween, haunted mansion merchandise, madame leota sipper, magic kingdom halloween, mickey ice cream, mickey waffle