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Disney World’s EPCOT will reopen to guests again starting July 15th, along with Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened over the weekend).

Wednesday is a big day for guests at EPCOT for another reason, too… it is also the day that the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival kicks off! And even though the Festival will run well into the fall, guests at the Festival will also experience aspects of the park’s SPRING event, the Flower & Garden Festival!

For instance, Disney has already announced that guests will be able to see the Remy topiary in the France pavilion which made its debut for the Flower & Garden Festival, and guests will be able to purchase merchandise from the spring event, too. It was so nice seeing this little guy with his giant wooden spoon today!

But guess what?? Today, by way of being invited guests to a Cast Member preview, we are in EPCOT today… and we spotted a few other topiary friends still in the park! We saw Bambi, Flower, and Thumper in Future World outside of the temporary Mouse Gear merchandise location.

And we’ll keep updating this post if we spot any other Flower and Garden topiaries throughout the day! That way, if you have plans to be in EPCOT during the park’s initial reopening, be sure to keep your eyes extra peeled for potential Flower & Garden-inspired fun!

And if you’re planning to check out the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, we have all of the information you need right here — including this handy printable guide!

See the MENUS for the 2020 Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Food Booths here!

We hope you’ll stick with us throughout the day, as we explore more of EPCOT. And if you haven’t found out about this helpful new Food and Wine feature on the My Disney Experience app, click here!

Surprise! Food and Wine Festival booths at EPCOT are now open! Click here to learn more!

Which Disney topiary is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, Epcot, Featured, Walt Disney World, 2020 flower and garden festival, 2020 food and wine festival, bambi topiary, Disney World, flower and garden, Food and Wine, Future World, preview, Remy topiary, reopening, Taste of EPCOT, topiary

Coming out of lockdown, the first thing I noticed was that restaurant food tasted better than I remember.  And Walt Disney World restaurant food tasted better than regular restaurant food.  With that in mind, Laurel and I did a quick cycle of Magic Kingdom resort dining this week.  Here are the photos and some thoughts on the meals.

Dinner at Whispering Canyon

First up is dinner at Whispering Canyon at the Wilderness Lodge.  Both Laurel and I went with a Signature Skillet choice: Laurel with the Plant-based choice ($34), I with The Traditional ($34).

Both skillets come with cornbread and coleslaw appetizers.  At Laurel’s request, hers were vegan, and the vegan coleslaw had a vinegar base, I think with a touch of mustard:

I had a bite of each. The coleslaw was delicious – a tangy counterpart to the mayo base of mine.  I thought the texture of Laurel’s cornbread was dense and chewy.  In contrast, my cornbread had the texture of a medium-light cake, which was just the right consistency.

Here’s my mayo-based coleslaw:

The beauty of a Whispering Canyon dinner is, of course, the all-you-care-to-eat skillets.  These didn’t disappoint.  My Traditional skillet came with smoked beef brisket, maple-chipotle pork ribs, smoked pulled pork, citrus-herb chicken, a link of sausage, mashed potatoes, corn, and green beans.  As you can imagine, it’s meat-centric. Here it is in all its glory:

The pulled pork and brisket were the two best meats on this plate – smoky, tender, and juicy.  Plus, there was plenty of it, and as the kids say, quantity has a quality all its own.  I liked less the chicken thigh, because it didn’t have enough flavor to stand up to the bold spices of the meats.  Had I eaten it first, I might’ve enjoyed it more, so that might be the way to approach this plate.  Also, the “Western-style” sausage was interesting in that the herbs and spices used to season it reminded me more of southern breakfast sausage than, say, kielbasa (which was what I was expecting).

Here’s Laurel’s vegan skillet, which she enjoyed.  I had a taste of the grilled carrots and peppers, and both of them were savory and delicious. I would’ve traded a meat from my skillet for a couple of servings of those.  The beefless tips and Chic’n are similar (if not exactly) what you can get in grocery stores these days, but here with tangy sauces.  The one thing that Laurel didn’t like here was the barbecued jackfruit.  Although we live in a perpetually divided country, I think all Americans can agree that equating barbecued jackfruit to barbecued pork is the culinary equivalent of a second-degree felony, and should be prosecuted. Probably somewhere in Italy, I think.

Service at Whispering Canyon was excellent – our friend Gustavo, who’d recommended the chicken to me over at Grand Floridian Cafe, was pulling double duty over at the Lodge, so it was great to see him again.

 

Snacks at Geyser Point Bar and Grill

Earlier in the day we stopped by Geyser Point for a drink, and shared the charcuterie plate ($14).  This came with warm, crusty sourdough bread; cornichons; arugula; a strong, grainy mustard; ham; salami; and a small jar of duck rillette.  We really liked the thought that went into pairing these flavors. We had great results in combining any two or three ingredients together with the bread and mustard. It was a lovely way to wait out an afternoon rain storm.  In fact, it was so good that I went back and ordered it again this past Saturday.  And it was even better – with more ham, and another meat – bresaola – to go along with the salami.

Breakfast and Dinner at Kona Cafe

We had breakfast and dinner over at the Polynesian’s Kona Cafe last week.  First up is breakfast.  I ordered the Two Eggs-Any Style ($14) and got the eggs scrambled.  The main reason I went with this instead of the Tonga Toast ($16) or the Macadamia Nut Pancakes ($14) is that wasn’t in the mood for anything sweet.  There was nothing complicated or out of the ordinary with my breakfast, and it was cooked correctly.  A lot of times, that’s the best way to start the day.

Laurel ordered the Plant-based Loco Moco ($14), made with plant-based eggs, plant-based sausage, coconut milk, rice, and pico de gallo.  It looked delicious, and Laurel loved it.  I had a bite of the eggs, and while the flavor told me they weren’t actual eggs, the consistency and texture were spot on.

 

We went back to Kona Cafe for dinner.  I started with the Spicy Tuna Roll ($18).  This is eight pieces of standard spicy tuna roll, at the right temperature, and with tasty ginger.  I could’ve used a bit more flavor from the tuna.  Also, this is enough sushi that you might consider it as an entree by itself.

Laurel’s appetizer was the Seafood Coconut-Curry Soup ($10), which had a marvelous aroma of crab and shrimp. Laurel said it also had scallops, and it tasted fabulous.  I’m not a fan of anything flavored with coconut, but this was outstanding – rich and creamy, with tons of fresh seafood flavor.

Laurel ordered the Vegetable Bowl ($21) for her main course. This is a soup with glass noodles, pineapple-scented tofu, roasted tomatoes, green beans, peppers, peanuts, and other vegetables.  Like the sushi, this is a large serving.  In tasting the broth, I thought I detected fennel, coriander, and ginger flavors.  I could be wrong.  The tofu was excellent – fried slightly, and tangy.

I went with the Turkey Banh Mi ($16), and it was everything I’ve ever wanted in a turkey sandwich.  This one was topped with pepper-crusted bacon, pork pâte, and pickled onions.  Like almost all banh mi, it came with cilantro and jalapeño, and Disney added a spicy poblano mayo.  I think we should all use Thanksgiving leftovers for these sandwiches annually. Also, the fries here were perfect – crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.  Sixteen dollars is a lot of money for a banh mi and some fries in most places, but I came away from this very satisfied. I’d order it again.

Breakfast at The Wave

We had breakfast at The Wave one morning before the parks opened.  Laurel went with the Avocado Toast ($12), which were four medium-size slices of toasted multi-grain bread, with smashed avocado (I think we call that guacamole now), onion jam, radish, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds, and watercress.  It also came with a side of roasted potatoes with onions and peppers.  Laurel enjoyed it, and it wasn’t too filling for a day in the parks.

I went with the custom omelette, and asked the chef to put in a little of everything.  In this case, that was cheddar cheese, peppers, onions, tomatoes, ham, and bacon.  It came with a side of potatoes roasted with with onion (delicious), and a too-dry biscuit that I suspect was microwaved.  Nevertheless,the omelette was perfect, and full of flavor. It was also big enough to share, especially with the potatoes.  Service at The Wave was excellent, and we were in and out in under 40 minutes.

That’s a quick look at our most recent culinary experiences at Walt Disney World. Let me know if there’s anywhere you’re excited to eat at for your next trip – we may check it out for you!

The post WDW Dining Roundup – Poly, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Kona Cafe, Walt Disney World (FL), kona cafe, The Wave… of American Flvaors, Whispering Canyon Cafe

Last week Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom began reopening. It is a strange mix of excitement, relief, trepidation, and concern that myself and many other Disney fans are feeling right now. One of the ways I am working through my concerns is to focus on the attractions and activities that are outdoors. If you prefer to remain outside as much as possible, you may find it helpful to think about the best outdoor activities at Walt Disney World.

We’ve looked at the outdoor activities at Magic Kingdom and at EPCOT (a decidedly not-outdoor-friendly park), so now it is time to head to Hollywood. Because Disney’s Hollywood Studios is focused on show business, most attractions are indoors. Still, there’s lots of outdoor fun to be found. The two areas with the most outdoor activities in Disney’s Hollywood Studios are also the two newest lands.

Best Outdoor Activities in Toy Story Land

• Slinky Dog Dash
• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Explore the details like the giant shoe prints in the pathways–you are the size of a toy here after all

Best Outdoor Activities in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge

• Sadly the characters like Rey and the Stormtroopers may not roam around in the crowds, but thankfully there are plenty of spots for them to do physically distant appearances
• Stroll Black Spire Outpost Marketplace
• Play the Star Wars Datapad game inside the Disney Play App to interact with the entire land
• Explore all the details and take in the sounds all around you

Best Outdoor Activities Throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Explore the windows and storefronts on Grand Avenue, a few remnants of the former Streets of America area
• Explore the details in the Muppets area of Grand Avenue
• Check out the celebrity hand prints in front of the Chinese Theater
• Explore the windows of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards – look up and see tributes to movie characters and important Disney Imagineers and other personnel
• Although details have not been announced, it stands to reason there will be character cavalcades as we’ve seen in other parks

With a little creativity there is a quite a bit to enjoy outside at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Did I miss anything? Let us know in the comments.

The post The Best Outdoor Activities and Attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dos and Don’ts, Hollywood Studios, Trip Planning, disney reopening, Disney trip planning, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

It might be the peak of July, but we’re SUPER ready to welcome that crisp Fall air and sweater season back again!

Although we might not be able to have all the Pumpkin Spice treats of our dreams, there’s still a way to add a bit of Autumn to your hot summer day in Disney World!

While we’ve been happy to sip on the many cocktails around the parks (and grab some morning Starbucks from the Main Street Bakery), we found a special surprise during our visit to Joffrey’s Revive in Tomorrowland! It may not be Fall, but Joffrey’s already has the Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cold Brew.

The cold brew is flavored with pumpkin pie and vanilla custard for $4.09 (and it feels like the perfect treat for the Florida heat right now)!

If you’re back in Magic Kingdom after the park’s grand reopening, we definitely think you should stop by Joffrey’s for one of the ONLY places to get Pumpkin Spice this July in the parks! Anybody else as ready for Halloween as we are??

Find out all the details on Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party’s cancellation here!

What is your favorite Pumpkin Spice treat to get in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, Disney News, disney parks, Featured, magic kingdom, Snacks, Walt Disney World, Disney, disney news, Disney World, disney world reopning, Joffrey’s Revive, Pumpkin Spice, pumpkin spice creme brulee cold brew

As Disney World has started its initial reopening this week, we are back in the parks to say hello to our favorite characters and eat all the snacks our stretchy pants can handle!

And, along the way, we’ve encountered plenty of surprises since Disney World looks completely different than we’ve known it to be before.

Although we had expectations about how the parks would be operating when we returned, we were shocked to see that these things weren’t featured during Disney World’s initial reopening!

Virtual Queues

When Disney Springs first opened, we saw Virtual Queues put in place to stagger guests visiting stores to distance them from one another. Then, Universal Orlando started using Virtual Queues at its attractions as an effective way to help guests get the most out of their experiences in the parks.

In the past, Disney World has used their own form of Virtual Queues with the Boarding Passes on Rise of the Resistance and, to some extent, with the creation of the FastPass system. Many Disney go-ers (including ourselves) thought that Virtual Queues would be the next normal part of going to theme parks once they reopened. Since there has been a need for distancing efforts, Virtual Queues have been helpful for reducing crowds at even the most popular attractions.

Then Disney announced that the parks wouldn’t be utilizing FastPasses, Single Rider lines, or Virtual Queues before the parks reopened initially. Instead, guests are only able to use Stand-By queues, which was a completely unexpected choice for Disney to make, in our opinion.

But, what shocked us even more than that was the announcement that Rise of the Resistance would be suspending Boarding Groups in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (which COMPLETELY changed the game for visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios).

Eventually, Disney backtracked to state that Boarding Passes would actually be available with a new modified system, including dispersed releases of passes throughout the day, a limit of only one Boarding Group per person, and more.

How do you ride Rise of the Resistance now? We’ve got all the details here!

Even though there haven’t been Virtual Queues put in place for other attractions, Disney has still made sure to maintain distancing though markers, partitions, barriers, spaced seating, and more throughout the attraction and ride queues.

We were surprised by how quickly lines are moving and how low wait times are. While the wait times have been consistently low during the first week of reopening, we aren’t sure when (or even if) crowds will pick up in the parks. This may really depend on if Disney increases park capacity. 

However, if they do, there might be some changes as time goes on to accommodate guests and abide by distancing measures. So, Virtual Queues could pop up for attractions later on (since Disney has been surprising us left and right recently).

These are the Disney World tips we never thought we’d have to share!

More Brand New Merchandise in Stores

Many of our favorite merchandise locations have reopened to guests. Although we’ve spotted loads of merch we had seen prior to the closures, as well as a few newer items dropped online during the closure, we were pretty taken aback to see the LACK of brand new items.

However, that didn’t stop fans from flocking to store to pick up souvenirs to take home. The need for Disney merchandise was VERY real, especially over at the Splash Mountain gift shop.

While there weren’t any new things for sale, plushes, tees, and more were selling out ridiculously fast since Disney announced that the ride would be redesigned to a The Princess and the Frog theme. The line ranged from a 180-minute wait to a 240-minute wait before the Virtual Queue line for the store eventually reached capacity at one point.

But, there was one new line of merchandise that DID sell out in the parks initially. Disney rolled out a “Together Again” collection to welcome everyone back into Disney World. Since people were obviously excited about the prospect of the latest merchandise to hit the shelves, the collection began to sell out fast as well (since it didn’t seem like the parks stocked a lot of the tees anyways). We’ve seen a few of the shirts appear today in the parks, but the demand on reopening day was certainly high.

Although there wasn’t a lot of new merchandise, the biggest change that we saw in the retail world of Disney was that there was a new way to shop. The stores operated with designated entrances and exits, distancing measures, glass partitions, the capability to turn on a Virtual Queue, and more.

Here’s a full look at how shopping works in Disney World now!

Fan-Favorite Menu Items

Oh, how we’ve missed snacking our way through the parks with all the amazing eats and treats Disney World has to offer! We’ve been grabbing Mickey Bars and Dole Whips galore, but a few of our favorite snacks are missing from the parks (say it ain’t so!).

While we were at Aloha Isle, we spotted that the classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Kakamora Float were both missing. In case you never got to try the Moana-themed float, the coconut flavored Kakamora had become one of our FAVORITE versions of a Dole Whip float since it debuted at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (and then secured a spot as a full-time featured item in Magic Kingdom).

If that doesn’t make your Dole Whip loving heart sad enough, the Peter Pan Float also disappeared from Storybook Treats. BUT, the good news is that you can still get a Lime Dole Whip over at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort!

While we were exploring Animal Kingdom, we found that the Simba Pretzel had gone missing (we can’t believe it either)…

…on top of Flame Tree Barbecue‘s Pulled Pork Fries! Although a basket of fries may not seems like a big deal, the Pulled Pork Fries were a GREAT snack option (that could practically serve as a meal) with so much pulled pork and plastic cheese piled on crisp fries. We’re getting a little emotional just thinking about them being missing now… .

Since the Disney Resorts have also opened along with the parks, disappearing menu items were bound to make their way over to the hotels too. While we recently dined at the newly reopened California Grill in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, we spotted that the cheesy and delicious Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli was missing from the menu.

Although there are SO many other items vanishing from Disney World right now, we will be keeping a close eye on these treats to see if they come back as the parks move past their initial reopenings. Cast Members have informed us that kitchens have limited access to certain ingredients and menu items in order to maintain distancing in kitchens (and since third-party manufacturers may not have all the items available). Fingers crossed that we’ll see you again, Kakamora!!

Keep up with all the menu changes happening in Disney World here!

No More Pin Trading

Pin Trading is a serious business for many guests who spend time collecting and exchanging their pins to make the ultimate collection. However, Disney originally stated that Pin Trading wouldn’t be happening in the parks during the initial reopenings as a health and safety measure. When Disney Springs opened, spots like Pin Traders had the experience suspended, so we weren’t really expected to be able to trade in the parks, at least not initially.

Buuut, then Disney changed their tune by saying that Pin Trading would be available in a modified fashion. We weren’t really sure what to expect with the new form of trading since so much of the experience was based around people physically being able to swap out pins for others.

However, we’ve now seen Pin Trading return on boards around the parks and resorts for guests. The experience has changed so there is less contact happening during Pin Trading. Now, a guest will be able to choose up to two pins to trade, which will be given to them by a Cast Member who handles the board.

Cast Member lanyards, pouches, books, and other means of Pin Trading have been suspended at this time to encourage distancing and prevent unnecessary contact.

We’ve seen Pin Trading so far in places like the Artist’s Palette at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, near DinoLand U.S.A. in Animal Kingdom, stationed at Fantasy Faire in Magic Kingdom, and multiple other locations that are available in Disney World currently. You may not find the pin boards EVERYWHERE you used to see them before the closure for now, but if you’re looking to trade, you can scratch your pin trading itch!

Here are all the ways Disney is handling Pin Trading in the parks!

Very Few Characters Out and About in the Parks and Resorts

When Disney announced that fireworks, parades, and character meet-and-greets would be suspended, we thought that there would be way fewer opportunities to see characters. Although Character Cavalcades were announced as the next form of modified Disney entertainment, we didn’t expect there to be as many characters out as we ended up seeing!

On top of the floats going by with Mickey and his friends, the Disney Princesses (and a special appearance from Angus), boat-rides with Chip and Dale, and more, the character experiences didn’t stop there in the parks!

Characters were stationed around the parks to wave to guests passing by from distanced stations or even on the balcony of Cinderella Castle (what’s up, Anastasia and Drizella??).

We were excited to see pals like Buzz and Stitch in Tomorrowland…

…the Country Bears at the Country Bear Jamboree…

…Jack Sparrow near the Pirates of the Caribbean…

…and so many more (our hearts were full of joy seeing them again)!

Here are all the places you can spot your favorite Disney characters in the parks!

Although there aren’t many Character Dining experiences returning back to Disney World at this time, we visited Topolino’s Terrace to see all our friends out and about in the restaurant. While you might not be able to take pictures with them (you can take distanced selfies or pictures of the characters instead), you actually have the potential to see the characters a few more times since they don’t have to stop by every table!

At Topolino’s Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy paraded around the restaurant so guests could interact with them at a distance. Plus, there was even a giant dance party where all four characters came out to give a performance!

Another unexpected character surprise appearance came over at Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom. The restaurant typically only serves a table-service meal in the evenings but since reopening, lunch is served as a prix-fixe sit-down meal and with it, a special guest is present! You can wave hello to the Beast!

While the parks start to open again, more Character Dining meals may be instated with similar experiences for guests. We already know that Garden Grill Restaurant in EPCOT will be open with a character experience again!

Take a look at a modified Character Dining experience in Disney World here!

Water Fountains Would Be Shut Off

Since Disney is following strict health and safety measures, we expected to see the water fountains around the parks shut off when Disney World reopened. However, we were shocked to see that many water fountains were on, while some refillable water bottle stations were turned off (which seems a little strange to us).

Although we’ve seen water fountains on in Disney Springs, we weren’t entirely sure if water fountains and refillable water bottle stations would be turned on in the parks upon reopening. Water fountains in particular seem to not meet with distancing guidelines put forth (you know, since they require guests to put their mouths so close to them!). Bottle fillers seem a bit more sanitary, so we were surprised to see them on some places like the Flight of Passage queue…

…and marked off as closed for safety reasons at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Magic Kingdom. It doesn’t seem like there are set regulations surrounding where and whether the fountains will be turned on or closed.

However, the water fountains and refillable water bottle stations aren’t the only ways to get water in Disney World!

The quick-service restaurants are still providing free water cups for guests who ask for them so you can cool off while you beat the heat in the air-conditioning. Even though Cast Members are limiting guests from entering Quick Service locations without a Mobile Order or the intention of ordering, if you mention you want water you’ll be allowed in.

This was our full experience dining at a quick-service location in a newly re-opened Magic Kingdom!

Longer Wait Times and No Pre-Shows

While Disney stated that the wait times would be low when the parks initially reopened, we honestly expected them to be a LOT longer than they were. Five minute wait times for Flight of Passage ALL DAY LONG?? UNHEARD OF.

Both Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom had some of the lowest wait times we’ve ever seen in the parks. While Animal Kingdom had lines that ranged from five to 20 minutes for Tier One attractions (we’re still shook), Magic Kingdom’s longest wait time of the day was for Splash Mountain.

The attractions also went through routine cleaning every two hours, so the lines were dispersed consistently throughout the parks. Although we thought that the distancing and use of new health and safety regulations would make the lines longer, we were surprised to find that wasn’t the case during the initial reopenings.

We also thought that pre-shows for attractions would be halted, but we happened to find many of them in action (in a modified way). Instead of hosting two pre-shows, Flight of Passage spread guests out over the two rooms and only showed the first pre-show without the “connection” sequence to the Avatars.

However, Dinosaur’s pre-show was completely normal, except for the limited room capacity and distancing measures put in place.

While Hollywood Studios and EPCOT haven’t opened yet, we will have to keep you updated on how the other parks’ wait times and pre-show situations look when the parks welcome guests again on July 15th.

Although Disney just keeps surprising us over and over again, we are looking forward to seeing all the ways that the parks have changed. And, while we’re back in a newly reopened Disney World, we’ll be taking you with us to check out all the things that are different in the parks!

Why didn’t anybody tell us these 5 things before we went back to Disney World?

What things surprised you about Disney World’s reopening? Let us know in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney dining tips, disney merchandise, Disney News, disney parks, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, Disney, disney dining, disney food, Disney merch, Disney merchandise, disney news, disney snacks, disney treats, Disney World, Disney World reopening, virtual queues