A Blog About Disney Stuff

How it is December already? It seems like it was just May … for the last six months.  Anyway, wait times were low at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom today, and in the top 7 for the past month at Hollywood Studios. That’s even more surprising since Runaway Railway and Tower of Terror have taken steps to increase their hourly ride capacity in the last couple of weeks.  We received 119 actual wait times today, and we counted 478 of 500 guests (96%) following Disney’s mask guidelines in EPCOT.  Let’s do the numbers!

Magic Kingdom Wait Times

The most interesting wait time at Magic Kingdom today was probably Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s average posted wait 54 minutes. Its 7-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #4 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #84 for the past year. That’s a strong crowd for this time of year.  We received 6 actual wait times today at Big Thunder, and the actual wait averaged 79% of the posted wait time.

Hollywood Studios Wait Times

Slinky Dog Dash remains popular.  Slinky’s average wait time today was 76 minutes, two above its 7-day average of 74 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 69 minutes, so today ranks #4 for the past month.

Rise of the Resistance had a rough middle part of the day, with a delay of almost an hour in calling boarding groups between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.  It’s unlikely they’ll get to 100 boarding groups today.

Animal Kingdom Wait Times

Slow day at the Animal Kingdom.  The busiest attraction relative to the past month seems to be Expedition Everest, which had an average wait time today of 38 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 36 minutes, so today ranks #12 for the past month. The good news is that the 7 actual wait times we got today for it averaged just 57% of the posted wait time.

EPCOT Wait Times

Great day to ride Soarin’.  Soarin’ had an average wait time today of 25 minutes. Its 7-day average is 53 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 41 minutes, so today ranks #27 for the past month. We received 10 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 91% of the posted wait time.  That’s pretty accurate for this ride.

The post Good Attendance at Studios – Disney World Wait Times for Tuesday, December 1, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

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

The rare treat of chilly weather has arrived at Central Florida. Well, it’s a treat for us Floridians. Not so much for those wanting sunny and warm Florida weather. So to help you warm up let’s look at the best places to grab a warm drink (besides Starbucks) at each Walt Disney World theme park.

To research this, one of the tools I used is the TouringPlans Menu Finder. I searched “coffee,” “tea,” and “hot chocolate” and referred to our team’s field research.

There is one Starbucks location in each of the four theme parks, with all your favorite Starbucks beverages. There is also at least one Joffrey’s Coffee kiosk in each park. Brewed coffee, hot tea, and hot chocolate are available at nearly every quick service restaurant and table service restaurant at all four theme parks.

At Magic Kingdom you can enjoy specialty hot tea at Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen.

Animal Kingdom has specialty hot tea at Yak & Yeti Restaurant. And if you really want something special, Tiffins has Press Pot Hot Tea. Finally, one of my favorite ways to warm up at Animal Kingdom is the Mustang Coffee at Nomad Lounge, made with Crown Royal, Brown Sugar, Butter, and Hot Coffee.

At EPCOT, because of the International Festival of the Holidays you have a few more options beside the standard hot beverages. At the Tea Garden at the United Kingdom Pavilion you can sip on a Twinings Christmas Tea Toddy (available with and without Drambuie Whisky). It’s served iced, but most likely the one with whisky will still warm you up.

You can get cozy with a Cocoa Candy Cane: Hot Cocoa with Peppermint Schnapps at Holiday Hearth, inside World Showplace. Another boozy hot chocolate option is at Holiday Sweets and Treats with Hot Cocoa with Assorted Alcoholic Cordials (Baileys Irish Cream, Frangelico Liqueur, or Fireball Cinnamon Whisky). And a traditional German holiday beverage, Glühwein: House-made Hot Spiced Wine, available at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen is sure to warm you up.

Finally, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios there is not much outside of the standard Starbucks, Joffrey’s, and standard hot beverages at each quick service and table service restaurant. However, during the holiday season you can enjoy Hot Chocolate with your choice of Baileys Irish Cream, Red Stagg, or Stoli Vanilla Vodka. You can find this specialty hot chocolate at most quick service locations in the park, and it is available as an individual serving, or as a hot chocolate flight.

Do you like to visit Walt Disney World when there’s a chill in the air? What’s your favorite hot beverage to enjoy?

The post Where to Grab a Warm Beverage at Each Walt Disney World Theme Park appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Christmas, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Drinking, Epcot, Festivals, disney christmas, disney coffee, disney drinks

Disney’s Magical Express is one of the few things at Walt Disney World that are actually free! This complimentary transportation service takes guests and their luggage to and from the Orlando International Airport and Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Disney guests have enjoyed this perk for years; and for many, it’s part of that Disney World Vacation experience.

But like everything these days, Magical Express has had to adapt to our current global situation; and if you’re looking to use this complimentary service for the first time, or if you’re a regular user, there are some things you need to know.

There is No Luggage Delivery

Since Walt Disney World reopened in July and for the foreseeable future, Magical Express will not be providing luggage delivery for those arriving to and departing from Orlando International Airport. This means guests need to claim their luggage before heading to Disney’s Magical Express service located at the Ground Transportation Area in Terminal B, Level 1.

However, Magical Express bus drivers will load and unload all of your luggage on and off of the Magical Express motorcoach; and your Disney Resort will still store your luggage if you’re not headed directly to your room upon arrival. Disney Resorts will also still provide luggage delivery to your room as well.

There are New Line Procedures

When guests arrive at Magical Express service at the Orlando International Airport, Cast Members scan their MagicBands or check guests’ resort confirmation numbers before directing them to a line exclusive to their resort.

But just like the queues for park attractions these days, the lines for this process look much longer than they are for the sake of social distancing and due to social distancing markers placed on the ground.

In addition, I personally encountered a revised boarding process during my last experience with Magical Express. Once I was in my resort’s hotel queue and a bus had arrived for my resort, a Cast Member directed the family that was first in line to the bus before moving to the next resort’s queue. It wasn’t until a few moments later that the Cast Member then moved back to my line and directed the next family ahead of me. While the process seems puzzling and even a little frustrating (especially when you can’t wait to get there!), it appears the goal is to prevent guests from clustering when boarding the motorcoach.

Boarding Back to Front

For safety purposes, bus drivers are asking guests to board from back to front. This means if you’re one of the first to board a Magical Express motorcoach, you’re probably going to be seated towards the rear.

Seat Assignments & Staggered Rows

Since Walt Disney World’s reopening, Disney bus drivers have been assigning guests a numbered seat or numbered section on board to help with social distancing. This particular procedure is also being utilized for Disney’s Magical Express.

After the bus driver has loaded your luggage and confirmed your resort’s destination, they will assign you and your group a numbered row of seats. Those numbers, however, are posted under the bus windows so they may be hard to spot.

Also, during my most recent trip, the bus drivers appeared to be filling every other row on the bus similar to what some airlines were doing earlier this year. This means the buses are operating at a lower capacity, which is something to be aware of.

New On-Ride Video

Guests who take advantage of Magical Express on the regular are probably familiar with Magical Express’s on-ride video. For quite some time, it’s consisted of both classic and current cartoon shorts and behind-the-scenes segments showcasing the Magic Kingdom’s Festival of Fantasy parade, Happily Ever After fireworks, and Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom.

The problem? Festival of the Fantasy, Happily Ever After, and Festival of the Lion King are not currently operating, and many of the park’s other experiences have been altered. So for this unique time, a new on-ride video is being used. While many of the segments are now dedicated to promoting Disney+, it also includes a segment featuring Disney’s The Incredibles campaign educating guests about wearing masks and social distancing. It’s definitely something to have your kids check out so they’re prepared for what Disney is enforcing at the parks and resorts during this time.

Have you ever used Disney’s Magical Express? Are you planning on using it for a future trip? 

The post What to Expect Aboard Disney’s Reopened Magical Express appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Resorts, Transportation, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), Disney buses, disney magical express, disney resort hotel, disney resort hotels, Disney Resorts, Disney Transportation, disney world, luggage, Magical Express, Orlando International Airport, trip planning, walt disney world

‘Tis the season for holiday specials, Christmas movies, and marathons from our network partners across The Walt Disney Company. Tune-in all month long as ABC, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney+, ESPN, National Geographic, and Radio Disney spread holiday cheer and gift viewers with festive programming throughout the season, from beloved classics to new favorites.

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with family friendly fare including a brand-new “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Celebration” from Walt Disney World Resort; new episodes of “The Great Christmas Light Fight”; and festive holiday episodes of your favorite ABC comedies. And if that’s not enough to make your sprits bright, ABC also has a bunch of additional movies, musicals and specials to cozy up to. Check out the full schedule here.

No one does the holidays like Freeform, and this December Freeform is celebrating the holidays with their very merry programming event ‘25 Days of Christmas.’ From Dec. 1-25, viewers can get into the holiday spirit at home with movies, including “Home Alone” and Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story.” Check out the full schedule here.

Join us in DisneyNOW this holiday season! Check out “Disney Holiday Magic Quest” where popular “ZOMBIES 2” stars and Disney Villains race at Walt Disney World Resort during a special access visit premiering on Dec. 4. But, that’s not all! Celebrate the holidays all month long on Disney Channel with new specials, episodes, music, games and more. “Doc is IN” special on Disney Junior (Dec. 4), new “Fam Jam” holiday episode on Disney Channel (Dec. 4), “Epic Holiday Showdown” on Disney Channel (Dec. 6), “Holiday House Party” on Disney Channel (Dec. 11), new “Just Roll With It” holiday episode (Dec. 11), “Disney Holiday Magic Quest Live Play!” on Disney Channel and in DisneyNOW (Dec. 13) and new “Raven’s Home” holiday episode (Dec. 18).

This year, it’s Season’s Streamings on Disney+ and they’re decking the halls and spreading the cheer with a heartwarming collection of some of the most festive family viewing of all time. The “Happy Holidays Collection” has something for everyone from adored classics like “The Santa Clause” to highly anticipated Disney+ Originals like “LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special,” “Godmothered” premiering Dec. 4, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special,” premiering Dec. 11, and “On Pointe,” premiering on Dec. 18. While the weather outside is frightful, the movies premiering on Disney+ this season are delightful, bringing families together with heartwarming new movies including “Black Beauty,” “Safety” on Dec. 11, and “Soul” on Dec. 25.

NBA Christmas is back and ESPN and ABC are gifting you some of the best matchups of the year! Tune in on Christmas Day to check out some of the highest flying action you will see on the hardwood all season. Stay tuned to ESPN as the matchups will be announced in the coming weeks!

It’s that time of the year again! The holiday season is upon us and that means two weeks of Dr. Pol all day, every day. Starting on Monday, Dec. 21 Nat Geo WILD will be filled with Pol-iday cheer with “The Incredible Tales ” of Dr. Pol every night. The marathon continues through the new season, which premieres Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021.

Need a gift idea for the biggest music lover in your life? Radio Disney’s Emily Nelson shows you how to create the prefect present for the biggest BTS, Taylor Swift, and Selena Gomez fan you know! Plus, Radio Disney is celebrating the 25 Days of Christmas by testing your Holiday Movie knowledge. Listen to Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country every day for a fun festive movie clip, and try to Guess the Holiday Movie! 

National Geographic Channel will showcase our most popular content from the past year as we say goodbye to 2020. Catch up with your favorite characters from “Life Below Zero” as they share some of their holiday traditions with you on Christmas Eve, and join Gordon Ramsay for a holiday feast on Christmas Day with an all-day “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted” marathon. One New Year’s Day, we celebrate the 150^th episode of “Life Below Zero” with 21 hours of “Life Below Zero” marathon as we welcome the arrival of 2021. Don’t miss a special preview of the new season of “Port Protection Alaska” right after the 150^thepisode of “Life Below Zero.”

With so much to enjoy, yule-be-tide up watching this fun content all season long!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized

We’re excited to announce that our friends in Paris are heralding the holidays with the launch of a free digital Advent Calendar on the website “Disneyland Paris at home.”

Each day through December 24, the calendar will unlock seasonsational content that helps bring the magic of the holidays home. Available in six languages, this festive fun is available to fans and guests around the globe! One day might offer up a sumptuous recipe, exclusive artwork, or a do-it-together activity that you can share with your friends and family. 

To kick it off, check out this exclusive recipe from the Disneyland Paris kitchen: a sumptuously sweet Minnie Yule log… c’est magnifique!

The pixie dust isn’t settling just yet. Keep a lookout for more dazzling discoveries on Disneyland Paris’s Advent Calendar; with a seasonal screensaver and a Christmas tree DIY decoration being just some of the fun to yuletide us over as we approach the holidays.   

More #DisneyMagicMoments are heading your way! Be sure to check the Everything Holidays section on the Disney Parks Blog for more updates and seasonal surprises!

Au revoir!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Filed Under: Disneyland Paris, Recipe, Video